Scarface (1932)

 

                                        Since Al Pacino's Scarface is forty years old, surprisingly. I figured I would take a step back in time and watch one of the original Scarface, the very one that has inspired Al Pacino's Scarface. And strangely enough this was my first time ever witnessing the 1932 version and I had no idea how connected both films are to each other in terms of scenes, dialogue mostly some iconic scenes that helped launch the 1983 version of Scarface.

                                         Key lieutenant of South Side Chicago crime boss Johnny Lovo (Osgood Perkins), Tony Camonte (Paul Muni) is an ambitious and reckless gangster who ignores warnings not to mess with Irish gangs on the North Side. When the North Side retaliates, Tony essentially massacres them, leaving him on top of the world. Worried about Tony's overconfidence, however, Johnny orders him killed, but this also backfires, and Tony finds himself even closer to becoming king of the city.

                                          In no surprise in terms of trying not to spoil the movie alone or wanting to tell you what happens at the end of the film, but both films combined have the same story premise as well as dialogue. For which really is no surprise though it was a little of a surprise for me because I didn't really expect Brian De Palma and Oliver Stone would do and having watched the original movie I really though in my mind was a little disappointing moreover feeling that's laziness on Stone's part, many reasons it's like you just copied the script and pasted all the lines from the original script and planted them to your script and granted yes I doubt anyone watched the 1932 version now though there some of them film critics or film buffs that are going to look at that and see that you just copied and pasted for the 83 version. For the film alone it's a great and outstanding movie in terms of action sequences especially when the film was made in the early thirties just like the Errol Flynn's Robin Hood where you're curious as to how they we're able to film all the action and stunts when bringing the film to life. The film alone was also involved with a lot of censorship because of its violence for which yeah, the movie isn't that violent but you have to understand that the thirties is a different time especially when your making movies and really Scarface was pushing the boundary when it comes to its violence along with Little Caesar and The Public Enemy especially when they filmed a scene that duplicates the Saint Valentines Day Massacre. And yet the funny thing is the Massacre happened in 1929 and Scarface was filmed in 32 so, three-year gap between the film and event that happened is extremely crazy to think about especially when a film like this was using the event to film a gangster movie like Scarface. As a Standalone movie, I would highly recommend watching it from start to finish if you’re big into old time classic movies or a huge fan of the Turner Classic Movie channel. To say which is better between the two films I really can't say because both of them have their unique qualities in terms of the settings and times each of these movies took place but I really can't say even though each of them I would separate from length wise but if I had to pick a good aspect on each of the films it would be the 32 version, is it's quality and the balls to be able to film a scene three years after the events of the Valentines Day Massacre and when it comes to the 83 version well obviously it's Pacino chewing the scenery which is funny to watch. So, if you're a fan of classic films I would highly recommend watching the 32 version of Scarface, or you cherish Al Pacino's Scarface than I would take the time of December to sit down and watch the full two and a half hours of Pacino chewing the scenery.

    

November Recommendation: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

 

                                

                                  The thing about monthly movie recommendations is that you must find that one movie that fits the theme of the month, like February which of course hits with chick flick films because of Valentines Day, October being of course Halloween and December mixed with Christmas well, I'll let you do the math. But then there's months out of the year like March or November where I have a hard time trying to find the right movie to fit out of that year and since November is the month of giving thanks aka Thanksgiving, It's one of those months where I really have my work cut out for me because of what would be movies I'd give thanks to, well thanks to my brother he picked a movie to watch with both my niece and nephew (though they both rushed off to bed or got their own things to do) we decided to sit down and watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and of all movies in the world this was the one true movie I most certainly give thanks to.

                                The intrepid explorer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) sets out to rescue his father (Sean Connery), a medievalist who has vanished while searching for the Holy Grail. Following clues in his old man's notebook, Indy arrives in Venice, where he enlists the help of a beautiful academic, but they are not the only ones who are on the trail, and some sinister old enemies soon come out of the woodwork.

                                 I know you all are going to find this hard to believe, but the third installment of the Indiana Jones films is one of the few films that made me who I am today. And sure you’re going to acted so surprise but that's true, this was one of the few movies my parents owned and I can watch over and over again just like the original Star Wars films the Last Crusade was one of these movies that I was allowed to watch a billion ties over, I mean every scene in this one movie I mimic every time I went outside and played, essentially Harrison Ford was my modern day John Wayne of a hero I looked up to growing up, and granted he was in Star Wars but is portrayal of Indiana Jones is what made him a legend in my eyes, and this was a time I wasn't allowed to watch a lot of movies so Star Wars and Indiana Jones became the two genres of films that were my greatest films to watch before I can be allowed to watch other films. Also was the one film that contains a LOT of sexual content that I never understood growing up like when Indy was asking his father "how did you know she was a Nazi"? And reply’s, "she talks in her sleep" I never understood that when I was maybe seventeen and I was like "UH", hell imagine your own dad being the first man to sleep with the one girl you fell in love with, hell I'd would be traumatized for life. Moreover, when I got older and loved all the Indiana Jones movies (well I still haven't seen the fifth one) they still to this day hold a special place in my heart and re-watching the Last Crusade brought back a lot of great memories I had growing up. Also, this was the first movie I watched with Sean Connery. Furthermore, I didn't know he was James Bond before a friend of mine introduced me to Goldfinger. And the same with learning that both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg are great friends, and both brought this great character to life, so without a doubt both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg are what introduced me and set me on the path of my love for films. Though both Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are responsible for introducing my love of film I would never have loved musical scores without one of the greatest movie composers of all time, John Williams. I mean this is the man who created legendary musical scores from Jaws to Star Wars and even the iconic musical score from Episode I of Star Wars "Duel of Fates" and even John Williams is the reason why I chose to be a Band nerd in High School. With the number of villains in this movie from Julian Glover, the main bad guy of the film whose also been a lifelong General for the Galactic Empire in Empire Strikes Back to the actor who played Admiral Ozzel who morphs into Hitler for which looks lot like the evil German of WWII. But of all the villains in the movie one recognition that needs to be well deserved was a great German bad guy is Michael Byrne who plays the right hand of Julian Glover's character, and his appearance in the movie as well as being in equal to Harrison Ford when it comes to the action sequences is just outstanding moreover is a shame he doesn't get a whole lot of credit, moreover I would rank him in the top five greatest Nazi villains in movie history. Speaking of the action sequences reliving those again is amazing from start to finish moreover Harrison Ford proves how amazing of an action star he is through the course of the movie I mean let’s not forget this guy did staple his own fedora on his own head to keep his hat on, for when he rides a horse against a tank. Everyone will say that Raiders of the Lost Ark is the greatest Indiana Jones movie for which is correct but both Temple of Doom and Last Crusade are also amazing as well because without them we wouldn't have important elements of movie ratings today but more importantly we wouldn't have this film as being the great father and son film and Last Crusade shows, each of Ford's and Connery's acting abilities of playing both father and son who grow to separate from each other but in the end begin to have an understanding and love for each other. Now yes George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford and John Williams are responsible for showing me films that I would still hold a special place in my heart but the two people I owe a lot of thanks for introducing me to this greatest action/adventure movie are my Mom and Dad because deep down it's really them who introduced me to Indiana Jones moreover were good parents in telling me when to look away when I was young. So, for this Thanksgiving I'd urge you to watch the one movie your parents introduced you as well as fell in love with from beginning to the fine frame. 

        

Air

 

                                      

                                     The story of the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan signing with the Nike shoe company became the second movie I watched on my Saturday of nothing to do moreover having no interest in wanting to watching Nebraska Football. Now granted I know the story about Michael Jordan signing with Nike hell I've watched The Last Dance furthermore they gave a clear description of how Nike was not the shoe of the early eighties until Michael Jordan came along. But again, it was a Saturday where I had nothing to do, I was looking after my brother’s client and the movie alone was on Amazon Prime so of course I was going to watch the movie. And on the bright side we had a good list of actors and actresses, and Ben Affleck was directing the film, moreover he directed some great films so it can't be worse than the Dungeons and Dragons movie.

                                    Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) and Nike pursue Basketball rookie Michael Jordan, creating a partnership that revolutionizes the world of sports and contemporary culture. 

                                    For a movie alone telling the story of a small shoe company in the early eighties, furthermore, telling the true story of how they we're able to acquire Basketball God Michael Jordan to sign at Nike. Honestly wasn't that bad, aside from that I already know they whole story after watching The Last Dance for which the give us a really good story about Jordan signing with Nike, but still is a good once over type movie upon which I don't feel the need to re-watch it again. To me what really save me the time in watching the movie all the way through is that the film has a great list of actors from Matt Damon to a surprising performance from Chris Tucker, and I'm not going to say a whole lot much to Ben Affleck because well it's Ben Affleck, it's not like he's trying to make a great performance like Argo for example. Though if I had to pick in actor or actress who really stole the whole show in the movie it would most certainly be Viola Davis for obvious reasons she really did a fantastic job in portraying all the categories that Mrs. Jordan aka Michael Jordan's mom had throughout her whole life, as well as helping her son all the way through and truly from the bottom of my heart, stating that Viola Davis was the true scene stealer throughout the whole movie. My big question I have with the movie was did the producers including Affleck binged on the Last Dance and wanted to make a movie after they saw the whole story about Nike? Because deep down that has to be the most honest answer I can really come up with, furthermore it makes the most scenes mainly the producers were literally in-doors when Covid happened moreover we're not ready scripts as they were supposed to do so they decided to watch the Last Dance just like Affleck was probably doing because he had nothing to do a side from filming the Last Duel as well as boning JLO on the side. So, once the Last Dance finished up airing, they were just aspired by the whole Nike story they decided to get a script written and have Affleck to direct it because the man will do anything for money even if it means staring in Dunkin commercials with a very young female rapper who we can all know that he's defiantly checking her out between takes, and HE DEFINATLY IS. And yet the saddest thing is that I can probably guess that the producers were all just not thinking logically in knowing that everyone who've seen the Last Dance would know the whole story about Nike. Either way when it comes to the film by itself, it's defiantly a good once over movie that I can honestly say I enjoyed it but really don't feel the need to re-watch it again unless someone forces me to watch it, especially when the film itself feel like an episode strait off Drunk History. So, all jokes a side if you've never seen the Last Dane or want to know more about the billion-dollar company that is Nike than I would highly recommend watching it on Amazon Prime, moreover, can say that it's not Affleck's best work but was a better improvement than Affleck's other movie Live by Knight were he bones Zoe Saldona if you know what I mean.

      

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

 

                                    

                                Well, here it is ladies and gentlemen, the Dungeons and Dragons movie that thirty minutes into I had to stop the film and wait for the weekend to watch, and luckily, I had to watch my brother’s client for which I took the whole Saturday to watch three films, starting with Dungeons & Dragons: Honor among Thieves. Furthermore, the final verdict I have with the movie is really one of the most pathetic films I've seen this year. Staring Chris Pine who again proves that hell half ass anything for a paycheck and Michelle Rodriguez as the only nerd/cougar that I would ever want to hook up in my lifetime.

                                A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers embark on a quest to retrieve a long-lost relic, but their charming adventure goes dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

                                Now I'll admit, I've never played Dungeons & Dragons nor felt the need to play the game for many good reasons. I’ve got so many things to do and don't have a lot of time in the world to sit down and play. So, why I say that this was the most pathetic movie I've seen this year? Well for obvious reasons the filmmakers and writers, created a story but yet written it like they've never seen a movie before moreover forget the simplest steps of making some unexpected story ideas that the audience would never expect seeing but more importantly just create a story for everyone who've never played the game, into a movie that everyone can jump into and have a great time, and really that's kind of the impression I had when it appear on Amazon Prime, also seeing the reviews being positive and I'm the guy who just wants to sit back and wait till it goes on streaming service because I can't go to movies all the time in the movie theaters because it being expensive. And so while watching the movie, yes while watching the movie I just felt that the movie was slowly taking the turn of boredom and the characters not being that interesting at all, I mean they just felt like characters I've seen in every other movie like Chris Pine was playing that typical thief like Dad whose of course when he loses is wife becomes a terrible father and of course it takes Michelle Rodriguez to help in out because of course you need a woman to straighten him out. But again it story elements like this, is the reason why I felt this movie was just dull and unimpressed like why couldn't you have a father training his daughter to be a thief so they can go on quests together and then they have a falling out and years later he realizes how terrible of a father he was and go and save her, hell this is a fantasy adventure movie it's ideas like this that can make your Dungeons and Dragons movie look interesting to watch moreover be intriguing to see. And even watching the movie all the way through I can predict what was going to happen for which again makes the movie alone boring to see because I want to be proved wrong in how this movie in my own mind is going to go, like I really want the filmmakers to come out to my face and say your wrong this is how it's going to turn out, but no they just turned this movie in the most dullest films of 2023. Now I've said this before yes I've never played the game but I know story and structure enough to say that this was one of the most laziest films I've seen in quite a long time and would highly recommend not to watch this movie especially when the movie is two hours and fifteen minutes long like that is just way too long to sit through a boring movie with flat characters overly predictable story that even I can be like Johnny Carson's fortune teller character and predict what is going to happen in the movie from start to finish.

       

Into the Badlands

 

                        This was one of the rare few times, I ever look at a TV series and say that "this was one of the few shows I consider to be a true masterpiece in itself", One of the rare few times ever on TV where I can do nothing but binge an entire show through and through and what makes this show great? Well, it contains a good story, good drama as well as great character development, along with great action sequences and finally outstanding martial arts fights. 

                        AMC's goal for "Into the Badlands" was twofold: produce a compelling character drama. and introduce the highest caliber of martial arts filmmaking to a weekly, ongoing series. Left in the hands of creators Alfred Gough and Miles Miller (Shanghai Noon, Smallville), the series stars Daniel Wu as ruthless, prodigiously skilled warrior Sunny, who mentors teenage boy M.K. during spiritual journey across a feudal civilization known as the Badlands. With the help of trained assassins like Sunny, the area is ruled by rival barons, and for decades Quinn has consistently outflanked and outmaneuvered his fellow barons to keep the upper hand. His invincibility, however, begins to fade considering brazen attacks by the newest baron, The Widow, who believes M.K. is the key to her success. As the battle for control of the Badlands heats up, the destinies of the stoic assassin and impetuous teenager become intertwined.

                        In one of the rare and mostly few times when making an epic martial arts or kung fu style of show is really making the fights believable moreover having wide angle lenses so you can see everything. And, Into the Badlands really does that well like even the first beginning part of the first episode the filmmakers and fight choreographers don't hold back when it comes to going full wide camera lens and showing you all the full fight scenes not just using so many quick cuts where you don't see anything. And really that's what makes this show so amazing to watch especially when the fight choreographer, Master Dee Dee Kuma who was a stunt double for a number of Jet Li's movies, as well as choreographer for the Matrix, Kill Bill, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was the master mind behind all of the fights in the TV series and the man did an impressive job especially when he makes comedic actor Nick Frost look like an action star. Even actor Daniel Wu who plays the lead role in the show, does most of his own stunts and fighting scenes himself, unlike the other cast members. Moreover, has been learning Wu Shu and other martial arts since he was a young boy and still practices. Speaking of Daniel Wu who's the main star of the show does such a great job playing his character as a sort of naïve and arrogant but also a man who begins to know what the right thing to do and when the time is right to do it especially when it cost him at times. Now as great as Daniel Wu is in the show a lot of credit goes to the two actors who play the main antagonists in the show Martin Csokas and Babou Ceesay, both don't share the screen together but both of them deliver performances in which you as the audience member just can't stand their characters and is wanting to see them die and that's what makes this show great to watch is that you have these TV villain's that you despise through the course of the show moreover what to desperately finish because of the terrible acts these two characters do and want to see them die a horrible death. Now I'm going to do my best and not give away so much because this is a show, I desperately want to recommend it to everyone to watch even though you're going to have to buy it. Although this show was short lived for many reasons, it was out of money and moreover suffered through the Covid attack, the real reason was that it just increased so much story and didn't start off small and work up. Either way this is an amazing Martial Arts show from start to finish moreover up there in the top five or ten greatest shows of all time.  

               

Mortal Kombat Deception: Replay Review

 

                              After getting some fun play time to Mortal Kombat 1, and so I thought would be a great idea for which would mostly likely be the worst mistake turned insanity deuced idea I could possibly think of, was to play one of the earlier Mortal Kombat games on the PlayStation 2. Now, before I dive deep into the insane asylum that is Mortal Kombat: Deception, I should recommend not to play this game even if you have a PlayStation 2 or feel nostalgic in even wanting to play this installment to the Mortal Kombat franchise. And even if you have that thought after reading this review of Mortal Kombat: Deception furthermore wanting to buy a PlayStation 2 and then wanting to play Mortal Kombat: Deception, I will still tell you not to travel into that world where you would most certainly lose your mind even playing the game. For many reasons the definition of insanity states is trying to fix something or situation to make it better but still haven't found the right way.

                             To explain my reasons of why you should not dive deep into the world of PS2's Mortal Kombat is not because of the gameplay in fact the gameplay is awesome, even with the Puzzle Kombat or Chess Kombat, yes there is that in the game moreover there was Motor Kombat in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon, for which my guess was they were trying to compete with Nintendo Game Cube at the time. Anyway, the POINT that I'm trying to make here is, is that MK Deception was one of the first fighting games ever to force you in having to play the awful moreover maddening that is the Konquest mode of the video game itself. In fact growing up when I first was allowed to play Mortal Kombat Deception I was curious as to why a good chunk of the fighting rosters were all locked and you can't access them or select them to play, well that's because you have to play the Konquest Mode in order to unlock the rest of the MK characters in the game, for which follows the story of Shujinko and being deceived by the Dragon King, Onaga and this was the first introduction to Shujinko and his who thing is that Onaga gives him the ability to absorb all of the past characters fighting styles and special moves so through the course of the game you have to learn all of the characters moves, fighting styles and special movies and the problem which in Ed Boon's defense and his crew this was literally there first time doing a story mode to a fighting game moreover they had to do the best they can with what they had when it comes to Play Station 2 and the original Xbox, but having to do all, and learn the kombo moves is just so insanely hard to do that you have to have a good stroke of luck because no matter what you’re not going to get them within one take you have to try your best or you have to stop yourself and take a break for which I did and whenever I succeeded I raised my arms up in a victory pose, because I amazed myself that I at my old age was able to beat the game, but even when you play as Shujinko at the very end of the game, you have to win three rounds at once without you're special moves and that's just unfair moreover I completely forgot about that. And when you do finish the Konquest mode for which I did, it becomes fun again especially when you've unlocked all the characters but even before it is just a konquest of how far you’re willing to go to pull your hair out. Even reliving the konquest mode I've begun to enjoy the character of Shujinko because he reminds me a lot of Pai Mei in the movie Kill Bill Volume 2 and hopefully in futures to come I hope he gets reinvented, though for now I'm just going to have to enjoy playing the character on the Play Station 2. Now having played Mortal Kombat: Deception and accomplished unlocking all the characters in the konquest mode, I would highly recommend to all of the Mortal Kombat fans to not go back to this game and replay the story mode unless you want to make a stay insane asylum be my guest.

     

                                  

Fargo

 

                                     So, it's like this I needed to find a movie to start off the new month so, I decided to sit down and watch the latest Dungeons & Dragons movie and sadly thirty minutes into the movie I began to slowly see how unimpressed I was with the actors themselves moreover predicting where this was going to go so, I was like I might need a weekend to watch this movie whole. So, sadly I decided to put this movie a side for now, but then realizing well I'm hearing this trend called Noirvember basically a celebration of the film noir genre that is now modernized into neo-noir. For which deep down I was excited to dive into this month with because I've said this million times film noir or neo-noir has become my favorite genre, ever since watching The Third Man. And so, the night became a trial and error for about two minutes till I was like, well I'm binging on the Fargo show that the Coen Brothers film is based on for which leads us to me sitting down and watching the Coen Brothers masterpiece, Fargo.

                                     Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy) is a car salesman in Minneapolis who has gotten himself into debt and is so desperate for money that he hires two thugs to kidnap his own wife. Jerry will collect the ransom from her wealthy father (Harve Presnell), paying those thugs a small portion and keeping the rest to satisfy his debts. The scheme collapses when the thugs shoot a state trooper.

                                     Many of the Coen Brothers films are good and you have to watch it more than once to really understand the story itself, but Fargo is without a doubt a movie you can watch and continue watching a bunch of times. In fact, I would see this as their greatest masterpiece on film next to The Big Lebowski and No Country for Old Men, hell the movie is so good they produced a show on it so, deep down has its impact. Though really what makes the films legendary is that it has a simple murder mystery where all the characters you meet in the movie has that memorable quote for which you'll reference repeatedly but more importantly has two great story tellers as well as legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins and a great list of actors and actress. Like Francis McDormand is an exceptional actress and she was great in it moreover won in Oscar for her performance in the movie, Steve Buscemi has always been that iconic actor that really hasn't lost is touch even though he makes really bad choices in movies like all of Adam Sandler's movies, though I can slide when it comes to Michael Bay's films but dear God there's a time to just say no when staring in a Sandler comedy, but also comes out with some great films like Reservoir Dogs, The Death of Stalin as well as his roles in the Coen Brothers movies. And sure you have these great actors/actresses in McDormand and Buscemi but the tree scene stealers William H. Macy, Harve Presnell and Peter Stomare, Macy at the center of the movie plays his character in a very dumb/over confident character that's not a good guy but for some reasons you kind of sympathize with the guy, then he goes back to just this pathetic man that by the end of the movie you are satisfied of how his fate was sealed. Harve Presnell who plays Macy's father-in-law in the movie who in all honesty is the true scene stealer in the movie I mean the way he delivers his lines through the course of the movie is just pure genius that he steals scenes like Ronald Acuna Jr steals bases. Lastly Peter Stomare who plays one of the thugs is amazing in the movie and even though he has very little lines in the film, Stomare's body language is just incredible that you can't describe it from him looking at Buscemi's character as if he's offended by him not wanting to stop for pancakes is just genius to when he can't hear McDormand in the finale is just great that he's another one of those great treasures that always steals the scene in fact the surprising thing is that him and Buscemi reunite in Michael Bay's Armageddon where he plays the Russian in the satellite station though they both together are in The Big Lebowski and yet they don't share a scene together, but the important thing is that he also is a "that guy" where you look at his face and slowly recognize that he was in a certain movie you don't remember but slowly realize he was in that one movie which is sad but let's be honest the more you live in Hollywood the more housing becomes expensive. If I had to make a list of 100 of the greatest films of all time, Fargo would most certainly be in that category probably in the top ten or fifteen because it has that great story where you can watch it over and over again moreover has a visual sense of a crime drama set in the winter wonderland that his North Dakota and Minnesota, in fact I'd probably have my own parents sit down and watch this great movie because I most certainly know they haven't seen it. Furthermore, I would highly recommend watching this film to everyone getting ready for the cold weather to murder us, but also recommend it to anyone who hasn't indulged in the Coen Brothers filmography.