The Shawshank Redemption

 

                              Like the Godfather Part II this is one of these movies I haven't got around to watching until my brother got me into a corner and, well let’s just say he told me I need to watch this great classic. Now I question the nature of my reality mainly because this is another movie, I also question the Oscars methods of picking a winner. I used to think that Tim Robbins best movie was Bull Durham I was completely wrong, The Shawshank Redemption is his best movie ever period. It’s also Morgan Freeman's best movie as well, but to be fair I would watch Morgan Freeman in almost everything well, almost everything if you catch my meaning. As of right now I don't feel like 

                             Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover and is sentenced to a tough prison. However, only Andy knows he didn't commit the crimes. While there, he forms a friendship with Red (Morgan Freeman), experiences brutality in prison life, adapts, helps the warden etc. All in 19 years.

                              I remember my early childhood watching Forrest Gump at my late Grandfathers house every time we visit him furthermore my aunt would have a VHS tape of the movie and we either watched the movie or it may have been on TV, I'm not sure so, I might be wrong its either one of those memories that I'm not quite sure. Now watching The Shawshank Redemption and learning that this film didn't win Best Picture, but Forrest Gump did moreover learn that it was also 0 out of 7 in terms of Awards won. I have to say that now, The Shawshank Redemption is a zillion times better than Forrest Gump, I'm sorry but I just can't accept Forrest Gump being better than The Shawshank Redemption I mean this film has all of the elements of hellish life in prison getting use to how insanely ruthless wardens and prison guards are when it comes to the toughest prisons and one man keeping hope that he'd one day leave the confines of prison when others wouldn't believe they would accept society living. This is one of those great films that has it all moreover I would go so far and say that this would be a great Christian movie to watch in a way, also I would go so far and say that this is a perfect movie to have the juvenile delinquents watch especially some of the High School bullies for example moreover if it were me I would head teacher of detention or summer school I would defiantly pull this movie out for all of the screw ups and say "gather around kids, its lesson learning time about prison life" just to scare all of the students off, in order for them to make good choices in life. Hell, now just thinking about it I might have to pick a day to have my nephew watch this movie. I will have a confession to make, the only good quality movie I've seen besides this film of Tim Robbins was Bull Durham that's it and granted I don't think that's a huge deal but now after watching this great film I now declare this to one of his finest performances moreover his best movie, and to be honest I really don't need to see any other movie besides Bull Durham and The Shawshank Redemption. I honestly don't know what to say on behalf of Morgan Freeman because in all fairness there not a bad movie I can think of besides the Now You See Me films and the non-Batman films he did with Michael Caine but in truthfulness that's really because he's old now, though I will say that this film, is defiantly one of his greatest performances of all time. Now after watching this amazing film, I now have a pure hatred for Forrest Gump, mainly because it beat out The Shawshank Redemption for Best Picture and that film holds a 70 percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes while Shawshank Redemption holds a 91 percent rating. So as of right now Forrest Gump I declare is the worst movie ever, but on a serious not this film alone I would highly recommend watching for everyone. Furthermore, I would even go so far and consider this in the top five best films to watch on Easter Sunday. 

       

                              

                         

Nightmare Alley

 

                                      Okay so now that I officially watched the original classic to Nightmare Alley, I decided to see director Guillermo del Toro's take on his version to Nightmare Alley and see what he brought to the table, and I must say he brought a whole lot to the table then Steven Spielberg did when he remade West Side Story. I will say after watching this great/amazing film, I'm officially going on record and apologize to Guillermo del Toro about my joke I made on my last review for which had much to do with his last movie Shape of Water, now I feel bad deep down because del Toro is a gifted storyteller and a great filmmaker hell he brought me Pacific Rim, Hell Boy and a great sequel to the 1998 Blade film. Bradley Cooper stars in the movie along with great femme fatales in Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette and Rooney Mara. Like the 1947 version I still can't stop thinking about what I just saw moreover found it astounding, so without wanting to talk more about this movie   

                                      In the 1940's New York, down on his luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to a clairvoyant (Toni Collette) and her mentalist husband (David Strathairn) at a traveling carnival. Using newly acquired knowledge, Carlisle crafts a golden ticket to success by swindling the elite and wealthy. Hoping for a big score, he soon hatches a scheme to con a dangerous tycoon (Richard Jenkins) with help from a mysterious psychologist (Cate Blanchett) who might be his most formable opponent yet.

                                      Now the best way to describe which is best between the original and remake is very simple, it’s just like when the remake to 3:10 to Yuma was released in 2007 which stared Christian Bale and Russell Crowe, and both films are exceptionally good between the 1957 version and 2007 version, this is just like that were each film is exceptionally great and amazing you just cannot decide which one is better because in all honesty there both great in their own right. What makes this latest version to Nightmare Alley amazing is it shows all the horrors of carnival life and the city life, but most importantly it dives real deep into destiny and fate as well, and Coopers Stanton Carlisle, goes on this journey maybe wanting to change himself of what he once was but his hubris is so strong that he just cannot escape his destiny. And Bradley Cooper does such a great job in creating his own version of Stanton Carlisle that's the complete opposite of Tyrone Power's portrayal of Stanton Carlisle and without giving any spoilers, really the only difference between Cooper's portrayal and Power's portrayal, is that Power's Carlisle was just a regular average man that's a decent person who is trying to make a living and wanting to get out of the carnival business but after on mistake he feels so much guilt it kind of haunts him but has Molly to be his somewhat conscious and reason that keeps him from losing his sanity, while Cooper's portrayal is we don't know him at first but once we see him throughout his journey we begin to understand that he's a unremorseful person and is willing to sacrifice everything to get to the top of the ladder even if it means his soul. I've seen a good chunk of Cate Blanchett's films through the years, and I can honestly say that Nightmare Alley is hands down her best work I've seen in quite a long time, this is the first time ever that I see her play a character that's mysterious and beautiful but is far more threatening and so scary at the same time and I though she did an amazing job playing Dr. Ritter. In truth I haven't read the book yet, although it’s going to be in my many books I'm going to check out and read, but I can honestly Guillermo del Toro did an amazing job in staying true to the source material of the book and he really does a fantastic job really balancing out some of the great troupes to the film noir genre, in some of the scenes to, as always balancing out his unique style of fantasy horror. The other thing he does great at is really showing all aspects of humanity, for example when it comes to the world of the Carnival it’s really filled with people that's either trying to escape their troubled past or venerable people with nowhere else to go, while the city life you can really see that it's a far more dangerous world fill with people that are dangerous but are also incapable of seeing the good in themselves then in others and del Toro does a great job in not being afraid creating pain and flaws in people that are not all perfect. Now the last film I saw that shock me to the core that I had to step away from the movies, but also thought was amazing at the same time was Promising Young Woman, the latest remake to Nightmare Alley I felt like the guy from Leprechaun 2 where he screams OMG to the screen in terms of how amazing it was but I also felt shocked to the very core moreover just need to step away from the movies because I was beginning to hate myself, in a strange way I can't explain. Now that I watched the original Nightmare Alley I felt grateful in finding a hidden gem that really needs to be seen by tons of people moreover thought the whole scenery and story was just insane, but now after watching the 2021 version, I'm not quite sure I can watch movies or TV again for a while, I might have to start off with watching something that can take my mind off of the world to Nightmare Alley. Guillermo del Toro's version of Nightmare Alley is a dark night of the soul in such amazing way that I would highly say that it's up there with The Last Duel as one of the best movies of 2021 and I would highly recommend this to everyone including the original film.

                 

Nightmare Alley: Original Classic

 

                               After watching this year’s Oscars I've been somewhat hearing a lot of praise for Guillermo del Toro's latest film Nightmare Alley staring Bradley Cooper, unfortunately I was a little weary at first when I heard he was coming out with a new movie because mainly I haven't trusted del Toro ever since he came out with the movie about a woman falling in love with a fish man. Although, as luck would have it, his film was a remake to a 1947 classic of the same name and story, moreover as luck was on my side, I just happen to find the original on YouTube, because let’s face it YouTube is a great way to find some hidden gems from the past. So as always with nothing to do all day I decided to take the time and watch this amazing well-crafted Film Noir. Staring Tyrone Power whose most famous for The Mark of Zorro, after serving his time in WWII read the book Nightmare Alley and convinced 20th Century Fox to buy the rights to the book for which came to be one of his best works. Now, I myself never have seen any of Power's work but I can tell that this was his best movie.

                               Roustabout Stanton Carlisle (Tyrone Power) joins a traveling carny and unsuccessfully schemes to figure out the mind-reading act of Mademoiselle Zeena (Joan Blondell) and her alcoholic husband, Pete (Ian Keith). But when Pete dies, Zeena is forced to take on Stanton as a partner, and he quickly proves more gifted than his predecessor. Ambitious to a fault, Carlisle abandons Zeena and the carney to reinvent himself as "The Great Stanton" wowing high class audiences in a Chicago hotel.

                               In all Film Noir's, they always portray the protagonist as someone with a tragic backstory or a sin they're trying to escape from or another way of putting it an anti-hero, someone who’s not a perfect hero. What makes Nightmare Alley so amazing is that it has all those elements, but shows a man being so desperate to get to the very top of success and then falling so low to the lowest pit in his life that he fears he may not come out of. And that's what Nightmare Alley provides is a con man who dubbing gullible folks out of their hard earn money by simply telling them what they want to hear. This was my first experience of Tyrone Power as an actor and the guy at first was always remembered for as a ladies man and swashbuckler but with this movie after its release, everyone didn't want to accept him as this ruthless con man who takes advantage of people which I don't understand why because I thought he did and a tremendous job playing a ruthless con man whose so obsessed with getting to the top of his game but just when it couldn't be enough becomes his worst enemy, and also they guy served in the Marine Corp furthermore wanted a change in his persona as actor that can change, for which you really can't fault him on that. Even the supporting cast of actresses do a fantastic job as well both are beautiful and visually stunning but also stands up to the star of the film, Joan Blondell whom I just now have been reminded by a MST3K joke, does a great job playing a master of manipulation for Power's character but begins to for warn him about the consequences that would lead to his downfall. Coleen Gray does a great job as well playing the love of Carlisle's life but also trying to be the conscious to Carlisle's ego, though the actress I'm more impressed in this movie was Helen Walker who plays a therapist to Power's character who sees right through him but is also an adversary to his character as well. Now, granted all the leading actresses in the movie were amazing to watch but I thought the one supporting cast member who did a great job as well was Ian Keith as Pete who is really the whole future to what Carlisle will soon turn into and the whole scene between them is really the setting up scenario of what Carlisle would turn into, and I thought Keith did a great job at that. I will keep saying this multiple times YouTube is a great way to find some old classic films that free to watch especially when it comes to movies, TV shows and even sporting events and documentaries. Hell I even found the first Basketball game between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird all because I watched the latest episode of Winning Time, but again I will keep telling all of you to use YouTube a lot because it’s a great way to find some hidden gems of classic movie moreover I will also highly recommend Nightmare Alley, this is one of the many film noir's that is up there with some of the best like The Third Man, Laura, Don't Bother to Knock and of course The Maltese Falcon. 

          

                                   

April Recommendation: Exodus: Gods and Kings

 

                                 Yes, its April but it's also the specials Holiday of Easter and sure I've already did my did my recommendation of the Chosen, but I've said back in January I was going to do a tribute to Ridley Scott and I'm a little bit behind, also I figured this would be a perfect movie to watch in the month of April. It's kind of strange looking back at Exodus: Gods and Kings, it does feel a bit of a mystery as to why Scott chose to direct this film despite the fact, he claims to be an atheist, I guess the one reason I can honestly understand was that it was a year or two after his brother Tony Scotts suicide and he obviously made this movie as a tribute for him. When I first remember the trailer for the movie moreover heard that Christian Bale was playing Moses, I thought to myself that this was obviously going to be amazing I mean hell Batman playing the hero to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt? You can't go wrong with that. Now I'll admit that yes there's a ton of flaws with this movie such as the famous actors playing so-called Egyptians, which fair but deep down doesn't bother me that much because let’s face it Hollywood has been guilty of this for quite a long time so, if you’re going to point the finger at one fall guy, point it at the producers in Hollywood, and deep down they did a good job disguising it a bit. So, let’s dive deep into Exodus: Gods and Kings.

                                 Egyptian princes Moses (Christian Bale) and Rameses (Joel Edgerton) are raised together as brothers. When Rameses becomes Pharaoh, Moses is his trusted advisor. However, Moses soon discovers his Hebrew parentage, and Rameses banishes him to the desert -- often a death sentence. But God has a mission for Moses: Free the Israelites from slavery. Moses returns home from exile and demands that Rameses lets his people go, but the arrogant ruler is unmoved, leading to a battle of divine wills.

                                 After watching this movie, I can admit that yes it has its unnatural flaws but deep down I would prefer this film over Darren Aronofsky's film Noah for which all the Angels are moving rocks which I still to this day never quite understand why he would do that, though deep-down Aronofsky is a weird dude. And in all honesty, those two films came out the same year although in different months. But now re-watching this entertaining movie I always said this before but never outspoken, majority of Ridley Scott's films are not bad in truthfulness, there mostly entertaining and Exodus is a great example of still being entertaining. A side from the fact that this is both Scott and Christian Bale's only movie in terms of working together I don't understand why they stopped working together after that because I thought they made a good team, and yes this film was two years prior to Bales final performance of Batman, but in all honesty I truly believed that he did a fantastic job as Moses and for a guy who does a great job being a method actor he really put the whole movie on his back and made it as entertaining as possible. Now everyone playing Egyptian I'll admit it was a bit on the white washing side to it but come on, Hollywood again, has been doing it for a long time so don't blame this movie when you see it in terms of it being inaccurate, in fairness blame the producers and casting directors for not doing their jobs, and also let’s not forget in 2016 director Alex Proyas directed a movie called Gods of Egypt, where Gerard Butler is a Scotsman but playing an Egyptian God but yet doesn't look a thing like Egyptian at all, so again before you try to criticize this movie just remember that Hollywood still to this day hasn't learn their lesson. Anyway, back to the main topic, I thought Ridley Scott did a great job disguising the actors in fairness and Joel Edgerton did a good job with his appearance and his performance as well because from the way some of the actors were dressed, I truly thought they all looked good in playing Egyptian. Sure this movie is not up to par with films like The Ten Commandments or The Prince of Egypt, but I honestly loved Ridley Scott's take in making the films a much grounded towards reality in some ways, but also seeing Moses as kind of a resistance leader and not dressed in the traditional robes and staff towards the end of the movie, moreover always knows how to make a grand epic movie because in all fairness this anything he makes is yes sometimes has its flaws but I still loved this film till the very end. So, for the month of April and Easter Sunday if you’re looking for something new and different, I would highly recommend giving a chance and watching Exodus: Gods and Kings and yes, it’s not traditional like The Ten Commandments but I can honestly say that you'll be entertained by Bale's performance as Moses and some of the grand epic sequences that happens throughout the film.

    

                                     

Easter Sunday Recommendation: The Chosen Season 1

 

                                I decided to spice things up a little for the month of April, which is the special day for Catholics, Easter Sunday the resurrections of our savior Jesus of Nazareth, and no this has nothing to do with the Easter Bunny because as we all know he's not a real thing only Jesus matters most. My mother has been dying me to watch this biblical show for quite some time and really when it comes to the month of April it’s in a strange sense hard to find any movies or shows based on faith when it comes to finding the right ones. So why not watch a show my mom has been begging me to watch at a perfect month. And so, to sum it up in the best sentences possible this is hands down the GOAT of all things biblical when it comes to movies and shows. Where, the Chosen has come from is in both strange and fairness as some come to see as both an independent studio's as far as I can describe, basically creator Dallas Jenkins stated in his own words about studio's "whoever owns the gold makes the golden rules", now I'm just sugar coating on how I've heard it but his way of financing this show in the best description, the show is financed via crowdfunding; the show is free to watch and viewers are asked to "pay it forward" by contributing whatever amount they wish to fund future seasons, and contributors may receive perks such as an extra in the film. As of 2021, viewers had contributed $40 million towards its production, making it by far the most successful crowdfunded entertainment project. So, lets dive deep into what I consider the GOAT of all thing’s biblical media. 

                               To sum it up the show is about the life of Jesus Christ introduces Jesus and the calling of his initial disciples, with a discussion after each episode.

                               Now I'll admit I had my doubts, but in all fairness there are a rare few of movies and television that really have the pure magic in terms of Christianity and storytelling, but what makes this show amazing and beautiful to watch at the same time is that it imbodies both real life problems of acceptance and knowing you’re not alone in the world, and all of the characters from Mary, Matthew and Simon I automatically relate to these characters once the camera focuses on them once their story come to importance. A lot of the ensembled cast where actors that have given up acting when it came to Hollywood so there are some of the actors that were in some movies or shows, though we all just didn't look hard enough but the one actor who plays Nicodemus, Erick Avari I actually did recognized from the 1999 Mummy film for which I was impressed myself, though with all of these actors I have to say Jenkins did a fantastic job in finding them. Furthermore, I will talk about Jesus and Nicodemus, but I going to talk more about the actors who I found more to be relatable in my eyes. Starting with Elizabeth Tabish who does a fantastic job as Mary Magdalene for many reasons when I first watched the first episode some time back she was the first to actually have me see the true potential behind this show, because she first starts off as a lost soul whose been possessed by inner demons until the stranger who I began to realize is Jesus comes into her life and gives her a new purpose, the actor Paras Patel does a great job as well playing Matthew who starts off as a tax collector, whose also an outsider to a lot of the people in Israel and especially his own family but is also autistic as well but what makes his performance great to me is that yes he's in outsider that no one likes, especially when he's celebrating a Holiday all by himself with a dog he found and befriends, but once he witnesses the miracles he begin to question his own surroundings he decides to take a step into a different light. Now the one character and actor I was moved by the most was Shahar Isaac's performance as Simon, because his journey starts off with being a struggling fisherman who's behind debts and frequently gambles and fights but when he's in over his head with the Romans and must pay up full or go to prison he is so distraught that he questions his own God but in his hour of need he sees Jesus for the first time and asks him to do one last fishing line and well I'll let your imagination speak for itself because then he breaks down emotionally and it really moved me because I sometimes feel like Simon in my own life where nothing is going my way and when some mysterious miracle happens its, well let’s just say Shahar Isaac's performance in the show is really moving to me and very special. Erick Avari does a great job playing Nicodemus who isn't at all offended as a Rabbi but is interested in Jesus's teachings but is also torn between two worlds one of which his own personal life and the other where he wants to go with Jesus to learn more. Now this show is defiantly the GOAT of Biblical shows but Jonathan Roumie is the GOAT, when it comes to any actor to portray Jesus of Nazareth, because most actors always portray him as a silent figure with no personality though I do love Rodrigo Santoro's portrayal in the 2016 Ben-Hur but what makes Roumie's performance amazing is that he's really down to earth and fun and loving but also more loving and caring in ways I can't describe, other than once I saw him when he makes his first appearance I was just blown away moreover felt like I was like a deer when the headlights were coming into my way, and in all honesty Roumie's performance is so powerful and moving that he really steals the spotlight in this show and that's what I love about him. This show is free on a app where you can watch it for free and pay it forward, but in closing this is of course saying this again, the GOAT of all things Biblical in media so for this Easter Sunday if you haven't seen this amazing show I would highly recommend watching this with your family.

  

The Godfather Part II

 

                                I finally sat down and watched this amazing sequel from one of the greatest gangster movies of all time, The Godfather Part II. Now before all of you say anything about what took me so long to watch it, when I was doing this adventure full time, I've seen the bottom barrel of the worst movies in Hollywood and it was so bad that I was seriously suffering from PTSD (figuratively speaking) for the fact that there were no good quality films to watch in the theaters, that's basically how bad it gotten. And yes, I've watched The Godfather some time back but that's basically the main reason as to why I've haven't continued onto the second installment. I will say this though, now after watching the movie I understand now how contrarian, the Academy Awards is especially when not picking the right award to the right category and if you’re referring to Al Pacino not getting an Oscar for his portrayal of his greatest movie role as Michael Corleone then you just won a thousand dollars in gas money. But will have to leave it there right now let’s talk about the first and only sequel to win Best Picture.

                               The compelling sequel to "The Godfather," contrasting the life of Corleone father and son. Traces the problems of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in 1958 and that of young immigrant Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) in 1917's Hell’s Kitchen. Michael survives many misfortunes and Vito is introduced into the life of crime.

                                One of the many films I will say I need to question the ways the Academy Awards does especially when it comes to picking the winner, though they were all right on the categories but deep down I'm talking about biggest robbery in Oscar’s history was not giving Al Pacino the award for his greatest performance in Cinema history. Though he was in the supporting role of the first Godfather this film is where he truly shines as Michael Corleone for one this a film where he becomes a bad person to a monster by the end of the film, and his ability to portray his emotions on screen is just amazing to watch furthermore he's really the type of person I would be scared to double cross or have him come to my house unexpected. In the first movie we see him be more of a War Hero and caring individual to his girlfriend Kate, then through the course see him become a more different and darker person. This movie he really becomes a bad person to a more of a monster by the end though sure Vito was a bad person but deep down he was a man trying to survive in America and taking more care of his family while Michael thinks more about his family business then his own family and pushing away the very people, he cares about especially his wife. And Al did an exceptional job playing a villain that's in a sense a respectable person but you have absolutely no sympathy through the course of the movie, and deep down this was the only performance other than the first Godfather I can look at and say that this was Pacino's greatest performance but yet the Academy didn't honor him well enough, for which I'm starting to realize that either the Academy Awards are a bunch of contrarian's or they don't watch movie's at all and just pick the most popular actor out there because in all reality everyone knows that Godfather Part II was his greatest performance of all time and not A Scent of a Woman. Robert De Niro I'll admit did a great job playing a young Vito Corleone, for a movie that's spans through his young life moreover speaks Italian through the whole movie is impressive on behalf of De Niro moreover I love the fact that he really does nothing facing with the character than just impersonate Marlon Brando's performance in the first Godfather movie. Both performances were amazing from Pacino and De Niro and the directing Francis Ford Coppola was outstanding as always but I believe the great surprise of this whole movie was John Cazale as Fredo Corleone, he as always was great in the first movie but he really stood out in the second film especially when he has is one on one time with Michael and spills out his emotions of having being stepped on all the time but in all honesty it really hits home with me in a strange way because I sometimes have that experience but this is between family and in all honesty I just felt for Fredo despite his bad deed he does to the family, for which I'm going to stop right there because I don't want to spoil this for anyone who haven't seen the first two Godfathers. Both Godfathers I and II are the greatest gangster films of all time except for III, they both stand the test of time in terms of what Gangster films are and what they can inspire a new generation, so if you ever feel for an adventure into the heart of crime I would highly recommend watching the Godfather Part II and keep in mind things do happen through the course of the movie despite the fact that the runtime is three hours and twenty-five minutes.