Marvel's Spider-Man 2

 

                                       I FINALLY FINISHED A VIDEOGAME EVERYBODY, I FINALLY FINISHED A VIDEOGAME. That's right everybody even though I'm still burnt out of anything superhero related I finally finished Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on the PlayStation. It's really and strangely kind of a miracle for starters because I started playing the sequel maybe around April and May furthermore just reached the point to finish the entire game just because I didn't have much better things to do and I was catching a bad cold so why not use a weekend to cut a good chunk of the game down, and I'll probably say that the Spider-Man games are most certainly my favorite version of Spider-Man for its unique story and separating itself from the comics and Spider-Man films.

                                       Following the events of the first two Spider-Man games, Kraven the Hunter makes a hunt of the century in New York coming for not just the Spider-Men but all of Spider-Men's adversaries some that are trying to lead a new and improved life. All comes into full circle when Peter Parker's old friend comes calling with a secret that will change everything.

                                        The first two games are most certainly great, and the latest sequel pulls off all expectations as well as the story itself where I feel like every character has that great moments especially when we have a new take on the infamous character of Venom were all his gameplay moves make a lot more sense than the cartoon or Spider-Man 3. As bad as I don't feel and as you've probably known that Venom has been marketed long before the first preview of Spider-Man 2, and if you've haven't played the game or beginning to play the game, I'm most certainly going to be the nice guy and not tell you who becomes Venom. And sure you’re going to be experiencing the typical storyline where Parker becomes evil with the venom suit, which is cool no doubt but I'm not going to lie when he talks to himself all I'm thinking about is Lego Batman in the Lego Movie playing the heavy metal song he created where all he's saying is Darkness, which yes it's funny for me but I kind of wished we have at least cut that storyline out in future Spider-Man stories and have where Parker and Eddie Brock team up together, though I have no clue on how to make that possible but I'm just saying at least one of those ideas would be great right? There's a lot of fun upgrades in the game though a lot of takeaways from the previous games I wished they kept like the fast pass where you see Spider-Man taking the subway's because yes the gliding is fun and new but at times it gets annoying where your gliding and you have to stop because of a arson crime or you have to restart your gliding up in the air and don't get me wrong there minor gripes but I kind of wished we have at least have a fast pace to get all of the side-missions and the story missions done and out of the way. A side from Jedi Survivor, Spider-Man 2 is most certainly one of the best games to play on the PlayStation 5 and most certainly a game I would play repeatedly because it's fun you can explore more parts of New York instead of wasting your money and going to the real New York. Now that I have finished the game it does leave some questions as to what is going to happen in the third instalment of the game following up to this story’s conclusion for which I'm anxious to find out. So, if you have a PlayStation 5 instead of a X-Box then I would highly recommend getting a PlayStation 5 and playing Spider-Man 2. 

       

July Recommendation: Fantasia

 

                                      I'm going to Disney World in a couple of days with my brother, his kids and I figured with the vacation time looming I'd choose a film Walt Disney created that helped boost Mickey Mouse's stardom. And in situations like these it's always a blessing at times to have Disney + in your back pocket at times even though it's now combined with Hulu. Fantasia is one of those movies that I do in fact remember watching though I have some memory in watching the movie all I do remember is Mickey being a sorcerer, the cupids hooking up a Centaur and  Centaurettes then the so called animation of Hell, though through the course of the movie there's absolutely no dialogue from beginning to end, and being a young kid I thought it was cool seeing Mickey Mouse and that was pretty much it nothing much to say about the movie until now when I fully understand what the film is supposed to be.

                                      Released in 1940, represented Disney's boldest experiment to date. Bringing to life his vision of blending animated imagery with classical music. What had begun as a vehicle to enhance Mickey Mouse's career blossomed into a full-blown feature that remains unique in the history of animation.

                                      At a young age I'll probably admit that I never truly understood the film for which explains why it's been a long time since I watched the movie but now watching the film for the first time in a long while I finally begun to understand what the movie truly is. And really the interesting fact is that it's basically a silent film combined with classical pieces of music furthermore when you introduce this to your kids, you should know doubt have them watch the film and then wait a few years to see if they could truly understand what Fantasia is in their eyes, moreover if your kids continue to be a band nerd as well as fall in love with the orchestrated music then this would most certainly be a movie they most certainly come back and re watch again. Funny thing about Fantasia's release, was that the film itself flopped at the box office, for the most obvious reason was Fantasound a sound reproduction system developed by the engineers of Walt Disney Studios and RCA Corporation, later proved too be later expensive to install in every theater, for which really makes a lot of sense to me because when I watched Oppenheimer for the first time and all I remember was the music being more louder than the dialogue until I went to other theaters I begun to understand the dialogue more. Now, back to Fantasia, the film success later improved when it returned to theaters in 1969 and it became a sensation like no other that stands the test of time. The interesting fact about the movie is that during production, the animators were given no instructions for coloring, and Walt Disney instructed them to use any colors they wanted which was a first, and really that's a great way to even say to your animators to do whatever you want, and they will provide you something spectacular. I will say and this is a spoiler, so you can stop reading this if you've never seen Fantasia and want to watch the movie. Through the course of the movie, we get to a Greek Mythology setting and you get to a sequence where there a group of Centaurs and Centaurettes hook up rated G style if you know what I mean. And I'm not going to lie when I say this that when the centaurettes we're galloping out of the pool they were all topless NUDE, and there were no nipples involved and didn't giggle I don't believe but I was shocked that Disney and the animators were able to get away with it, and really all I can say was that it must of been awesome to be a animator back in the forties because you can't do that now. For the first time watching Fantasia, actually experiencing the movie at a mature age I will say that this was no doubt one of the greatest animated films of all time where the entire film is nothing but composing of orchestrated music, from famous composers and absolutely  no dialogue or sound needed and really has that unique blend of both a silent film and animated film and really when you've felt like you have seen every animated film now and watching this film was like a breath of fresh air something like you've never seen before and that's what makes Fantasia great also without this movie, Mickey Mouse wouldn't have the success and would be lost into nothing so, a lot of this movie gave the boost as well as success for Walt Disney furthermore became a multi-billion dollar empire it is now. For a Disney classic that still stands the test of time moreover will most certainly be one of those movies that will air constantly at the Disney Resort I'll probably watch all over again and for all of the parents who are annoyed by the Elsa's and the Moana's, I would most certainty recommend watching Fantasia on Disney + for your kids to watch, and if they don't understand it just tell them to bad and watch it again.

              

20th Anniversary of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

 

                                          

                                         We're nearing the end of a twenty year Anniversary of a truly beloved Disney classic and probably the only one before Disney Corporations went full on evil empire on itself for which has become the absolute worst to make a long rant short, yes Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is crossing the threshold of becoming twenty one in a few days’ time so it would be an absolute shame to not give this a tribute it deserves. 

                                         Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) arrives in Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew. His timing is inopportune, however, because later that evening the town is besieged by a pirate ship. The pirates kidnap the governor's daughter, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), who's in possession of a valuable coin that is linked to a curse that has transformed the pirates into the undead. A gallant blacksmith (Orlando Bloom) in love with Elizabeth allies with Sparrow in pursuit of the pirates.

                                        For all those young generations who have not been caught up on their history of pop culture as well as great visual minds of the twentieth century, Pirates of the Caribbean was Walt Disney's last ride he created for his Disneyland in 1967, though the attraction debut just three months after his death. Kids, when you go through all the harshness and lameness that is life, just say no to cigarettes why? Great reason cancer! You may think cigars or cigarettes maybe cool but that's the cancer or Satan that's telling you that sh*t and even he is desperately wanting you to come down to hell and smoke them up if you got them if you catch my meaning. Now, I didn't pay much attention, to the release of the first movie I mean I only saw one image of the movie and it was both Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom together and thought oh cool Johnny Depp is in a movie with the young heartthrob Orlando Bloom moreover I didn't think much of it and this was when I was going on my HS Band trip to Disney World and was introduced to Pirates of the Caribbean ride and was just in awed of the open world experience and then months later I went to the movie and thought that this was one of the most amazing movies I've ever seen in 2003 because for me it felt cool in looking like a Pirate moreover this film made you want to be a Pirate. And really the two actors in the entire movie who are responsible for making Pirates cool we're both Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush, and I'm a nineties kid I was all familiar with Johnny Depp hence Sleepy Hollow furthermore was always in every Tim Burton film and always played the weird bizarre role and with movie he's finally plays a cool character but also in the weird side so know doubt Johnny Depp was always an amazing actor furthermore this was his one role that made him a star before he got lost in the shuffle with Amber Heard. And really Depp does a fantastic job playing the opposite of Orlando Bloom's character in telling him that there two things in life which matters and that's what a man can do and what a man can't do and really does a fantastic job in making this character his own and strangely enough Depp based his performance on Keith Richards. Though Depp was great in the movie I was more loving Rush's character Captain Barbossa all because of his great villainy being a scum and yet a man of his word and being able to tell the negotiators what they faulty forget to mention in there terms, and really at the time in 03, it was Darth Vader and then there was Captain Barbossa at a young age I mean who never thought loving the bad guys and those are defiantly the great ones. Keira Knightley an up and coming actress stared in Bend it like Beckham and Love Actually furthermore stars in this movie as the damsel in distress as well as the love interest to Orlando Bloom and she does a great job as well playing a woman who knows what she wants but at times is naive but more importantly can hold her own against the manipulators and tricksters, moreover both Keira and Orlando have great chemistry throughout the entire film and both of the two we're made for each other in the film. Now sure we've talked about the Rock Stars, now we got to talk about the squares which is both Jack Davenport and Jonathan Pryce for which in a movie grasped with fantasy that includes these cool Pirate rock stars you have to have the British Royal Navy who care about the law as well as the squares and both Davenport and Pryce each do a great job in playing the characters who look down and underestimate Depp's character. As a movie by itself, the Curse of the Black Pearl was still that go to Disney classic that still stands the test of time and really shouldn't of had so many sequels I mean sure it's always about the movie or wanting to continue with the story with an expanded universe I mean there's a lot of those things Disney should of and shouldn't have done but really it doesn't matter because there's a grand total of five films which deep down the forth film isn't all bad though let's be honest you can most certainly skip the fifth film unless you’re bored and want to watch that cash grab. With all of the sequels it had I still rank the first Pirates of the Caribbean as the last great swashbuckling film Disney ever produced before it grasped itself with so much need for money and very little heart and I myself through the first week of July wasn't sure if I wanted to watch the Curse of the Black Pearl because I wasn't all too sure if it would live up to the magic but I was glad in watching the movie for many reasons it's still one of the few great swashbuckling films that still stands the test of time. So, I hope you'll pass the time this summer and watch Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and hopefully avoid the sequels but if you feel the need then by all means go nuts buddy.

               

Baseball Recommendation: It Ain't Over

 

                                      

                                        We're near the end of the first half of the baseball season in the year 2024, and sure I can recommend Fear Strikes Out, but this was one of these movies or documentaries where I felt that I needed to recommend personally because it's great and it's also informative especially when it comes to a former baseball player that was overlooked by a lot of people. It Ain't Over is a sports documentary that tells the story of all time Yankee great Yogi Berra, who has more World Series rings than any baseball player combined, just like Bill Russel when it comes to Basketball and Henri Richard who has more Stanley Cup rings aka the hardest trophy to win in sports but we're talking about Baseball so let’s stick with that.

                                        The story of Yogi Berra's life is somewhat fascinating and more importantly an understanding of one of the greatest players of all time when it comes to Major League Baseball. The guy started out in St. Louis and Branch Rickey didn't think he would make it until the Yankees came calling, then went off to WWII moreover was part of D-Day which was a huge surprise and then had without a doubt one of the greatest MLB careers in baseball history.

                                         I've always been familiar with Yogi Berra in fact I always have a hunch on Yogi being the basis behind the cartoon character of Yogi the Bear upon which I don't believe he really enjoyed the cartoon, nor did he really have his own kids watch the show so really can't blame the guy. Back to seriousness, What really makes this Documentary great is that it goes a lot in depth of Yogi Berra's life in terms of his services during the War as well as his involvement in D-Day for which I was surprised because he couldn't write to anyone of his family members nor anyone and I know a lot of famous baseball players back in the forties fought in World War II but the fact that he was involved with D-Day on Normandy was crazy because it was a unbearable sight to see and I probably bet he didn't mentioned it throughout his whole life but yet he was still able to play baseball in the highest rate possible. I'm not going to argue that the guy was underappreciated by all of baseball fans in fact his records on most World Series Rings, catching Doubleheaders will never be matched but here's the thing, America and Baseball has always been a Democracy it's how things should work in a way of life and yes it's flawed but when a mount Rushmore of Baseball greats don't include a player like Yogi doesn't mean he's not lost his greatness. It's like the Oscars just because an Actor/Actress has won an Academy Award means he or she is the greatest, it basically a popularity contest for these types of things and later they're going to go back to those bad or chewing the scenery movies. Look the point that I'm trying to make here is, if you ever see the great granddaughter of Yogi Berra in the documentary and she complains about her grandfather never making the Mount Rushmore of Baseball with Koufax, Aaron, Mays and Johnny Bench just keep your cool because I'm not sure she has her baseball facts checked, because if she did? She would know the impact Mays would have as a five tool player, Aaron being the first Black superstar to break Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record, Sandy Koufax being the first power Pitcher ever in the Golden Age of baseball and Johnny Bench re-creating what the modern day catcher should really do when it comes to baseball today moreover should come to accept the fact that those types of popularity contests (like the Mount Rushmore of Baseball) is deep down meaningless in terms of popularity also it can’t always be about the American League all the time. Even though Berra has been dead for a long time, the thing I respect him the most is that after his firing from the 84 season as Yankee Manager he vowed to never go back to Yankee Stadium as long as George Steinbrenner was owning the team, for which really is awesome because that guy was a complete narcissist of an a**hole and making Steinbrenner apologize to him I just have to clap my hands for the guy for many reasons that always gives me a gleam of hope that I can do that. I don't want to spoil any more topics but as a Cardinals fan and a Baseball fan I would most certainly recommend watching this great documentary on Netflix because you'll get to know a lot about Berra's life and his quotes and really that's the most important part of any sports documentary is not understanding the baseball player but understanding the man.

        

The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult

 

                                    Well, you know what they always say, all great comedic spoofs must come to an end and really since I continued with the first two Naked Gun films, I figured I must continue on and watch the final installment in the Naked Gun trilogy. Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult, upon which is most certainly the final insult before the whole world became but hurt. Surprisingly, I actually remember this movie first before the other Naked Gun films and to be truthfully honest all I remember was Ana Nicole Smith and the terrorist attack on the Oscars, moreover the surprising fact is that this movie came out a year into O.J. Simpson's trial but most importantly this movie came out in March and just about eight months The Shawshank Redemption and one inside joke in the movie I wonder did they use while seeing the screening to Shawshank or came up with that on their own.

                                    Police Squad Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) is retired and spending time with his new wife, Jane (Priscilla Presley), when he's called back into action by Capt. Ed Hocken (George Kennedy). A terrorist named Rocco (Fred Ward) plans to bomb the Academy Awards Ceremony, so Frank goes undercover Phil Donahue to try and head off disaster. He causes almost as much trouble as he prevents in an Oscar show complete with over-the-top production numbers and numerous celebrity appearances.

                                     The movie itself was the first of the series where David Zucker did not receive directing credit rather received screenplay credit while we have up and coming director Peter Segal who, let’s just say I'm going use this film as his best and only good film he's ever done because when you look at his other works, they obviously did not receive much due than the Final Insult did. I'll even give you some great examples, Tommy Boy which was not as good as I remember, Nutty Professor Two which I don't want to dive deep back into that movie and then we have two of the Adam Sandler movies Anger Management and 50 First Dates in which I have absolutely no interest in wanting to watch those movies ever so, like I said not a whole lot of great work when it comes to Peter Segal. The Final Insult came out a couple months before The Shawshank Redemption came out and I'm somewhat curious in terms of the escape gag because one of the scenes where they first escape they use the same method that Tim Robbins uses in the Shawshank film and having heard that both of these movie came out months between each other of the year 1994 and it struck me as did Peter Segal visit Frank Darabont's set of the Shawshank and used that for the escape gag or he could of used Escape from Alcatraz for the escape gag either way both Final Insult and Redemption have the same type of scene and if you look at each of those films closely you'll catch my meaning. The Naked Gun films combined are without a doubt one of those great breath of fresh air type movies that you can put on and just laugh all the way through, though I'm going to say when you do watch these films yes you most certainly need to watch these films one at a time but most importantly you need to watch these movies only once, more like a once a year type situation so that the jokes can refresh because really if you watch these films a hundred times you'll most certainly get tired of watching these films and no doubt I would most certainly recommend watching these films but deep down you have to watch these movies only once a year or two years tops. Now, all three of these films are on Max so whenever your finding things to watch with your dad I would most certainly recommend streaming the Naked Gun films mainly because you can't make a perfect comedic spoof these days and these films alone along with any Mel Brooks films are like the Godfather of spoof comedies, and don't forget to watch these films only once a year and really just watch these films in the summer time for many reasons they would be more suitable since the big movies come out and Hollywood is only producing crap so, why not just stream these great classic's in the summer time.