Twenty Year Anniversary: The Phantom of the Opera

 

                                Well ladies and gentlemen we're near the final days of February aka seasons of love theme. So, I present to you all The Phantom of the Opera one of my favorite musical/romance films that I've decided to watch, and I am not going to lie when I say that twenty years since the film’s release the film as aged as fine wine. Well, more like twenty-year wine but still tastes like crap, despite you yourself not being a wine drinker. Now without a doubt this is one of those movies I was strangely obsessed with in terms of music wise especially in high school and 2004 was around that time when the Star Wars prequels was conquering the world and really this was 2004 so I had a year to wait for Revenge of the Sith so as strange as this sounds this was one of those movies I was more interested with especially music wise because it had that epic feel that gives you goosebumps whenever you hear the music and when you have in actor like Gerard Butler impressing you singing wise and since the guy never sang before in terms of Opera yeah you'd be surprised when you watch this movie despite after 300, he really Matthew McConaughey'd his career.  

                                 Based on the infamous Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. A young soprano (Emmy Rossum) becomes the obsession of a disfigured and murderous musical genius (Gerard Butler) who lives beneath the Paris Opera House.

                                    If you were a band nerd, your music teacher probably had you play a lot of Phantom of the Opera music from pep band to honor band or stage band. And without a doubt Phantom of the Opera was one of those music scores that's imprinted in my memory, and so when my sophomore year of high school I've been seeing numerous previews of the movie and just the music to the movie especially the theme song, it just gave me chills moreover goosebumps and when a musical like that does that to you that's something special. And to be honest I have no clue how I watched it because when I was in high school I was a naive kid, I guess in my mind I just told my brother that Gerard Butler was in the movie and we loved him in Dracula 2000, or my sister was insisting on us watching, though I don't remember hell it's been twenty years since I've sat down and watched the movie so really I don't know how I was like "yeah lets watch it". Ironically enough, as I've researched was director Joel Schumacher had been impressed with Gerard Butler's performance in Dracula 2000, so having read that I was like "My Man" though Butler became Schumacher's first choice he had to take four lessons before singing "Music of the Night" for Andrew Lloyd Webber, and I haven't seen or watched any interviews of Webber so I'm guessing he was impressed with Butler's performance. Now having watched the film, if I have any positives to say about the movie, the strong attribute of the film is really from its casting, the singing and the soundtrack as well as its production design to its cinematography. And no question the soundtrack probably up there in one of the many greatest soundtracks I've ever heard in my lifetime well, maybe top fifteen or twenty but it's up there. Now that being said if I had any critique about the movie it would most certainly be the writing and the directing, and the amount of plot holes I discovered it's like the largest hole you can see when you buy a house and yourself was like "nope" and leave immediately moreover to give you some great examples are like how did the Phantom train Christine through the years and how Raoul and Christine became lovers like fifteen minutes into the movie and granted this is based on the book but really if you're going to tell me to read the book before I watch the musical that's sounds insane because I'm not going to attempt to read the book and then watch the musical just to understand the characters and that's like writing 101, when it comes to directing or writing a movie or musical is to give a little time to understand these characters from start to finish. And it's not just the plot holes of the story but also some of the flaws and some of the choice of shots that I had a problem with, for which really it's not a huge crime because I actually think some of the scenes or music sequences are actually quite funny because when we get to the "think of me" music sequence we get to Raoul discovering Christine, he cheers then decides to leave and as smart a** I'm like "wait the show isn't over, where you going Raoul?" Or the way Phantom is taking Christine back to his lair and goes from stairs to a short ride on a horse and then the infamous boat scene it's strangely funny almost like a Pirates of the Caribbean ride only it's for lonely women who will pay twenty bucks for a good looking dude to escort you to his phantom lair, granted it sounds weird when I say it but really I'm saying that all the dudes are phantoms and the lonely women are paying to have that fantasy. Sure you can pick apart a movie like The Phantom of the Opera and find what ways you'd can fix the movie with the amount of flaws and plot holes but really it's just way to much work especially now when producers will always ruin that movie making experience moreover if you really want to spend time wanting to remake this movie yeah sure, I'd salute you but I strongly doubt anyone will ever feel interested in wanting to see another stage opera turned movie especially when it comes to The Phantom of the Opera. Twenty years since I've seen the movie, I still think it's fantastic to watch and a lot of it surrounds the killer soundtrack and the amazing casting from Gerard Butler and Patrick Wilson who would later go on to star in two of Zack Snyder's great films 300 and Watchmen. For a movie like this you'd just have to appreciate the film for what it is, and I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves music soundtracks or just loves musicals. 

       

Twenty Year Anniversary: Miracle

 

                                    This is a movie that's been on my radar to review but most importantly be sure to review because of its importance in America History as well as being one of the greatest moments in Sports History. Miracle tells the story about the 1980's USA Hockey team that no one ever expected to do the unthinkable, which was to beat the greatest Hockey team of the once Soviet Union. This has been a game that everyone knows about even me when I watched Al Michaels Great Sports Moments of the 80's. And when I heard Disney was turning this into a movie, I was just excited especially when they cast Kurt Russell to play the greatest American Hockey Coach, Herb Brooks. And with all the things that are happening right now in the world, Miracle is defiantly a film worth watching from start to finish.

                                    When College coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) is hired to helm the 1980 U.S. men's Olympic hockey team, he brings a unique and brash style to the ice. After assembling a team of hot-headed college all-stars, who are humiliated in an early match, Brooks unites his squad against a common foe, the heavily favored Soviet team. As the U.S. squad tries to overcome insurmountable odds and win the gold medal, the team becomes microcosm for American patriotism during the Cold War.

                                    Now having spent so much time trying to think of what my talk should be about Miracle the film itself; I must take a moment to reflect on my love for the sport of Hockey. And in all trustfulness it really started with Wayne Gretzky wearing a St. Louis Blues sweater along with the ever great Brett Hull, for which being a young kid slowly growing into a young Cardinals fan then seeing Gretzky playing for Blues in St. Louis it was like well it has to be fate that I would fall in love with the Blues, and of course when you’re a kid going to school you really don't have a lot of time to watch Hockey and so fast forward to the year 2014 and this is when the Winter Olympics where hosted in Sochi, Russia moreover I was sleeping and my mom woke me up and said that history was being made and she told me to turn on and watch the United States hockey team against the Russian Hockey team and really it was almost like a Deja vu in a sense because it was almost like re-watching the 1980 game against US and Soviets. And I am not going to lie when I say that the 2014 Winter Olympics and that game was all I needed to say that game was the greatest thing I ever seen, especially of all people to win the game it was T.J. Oshie who at the time was playing for the St. Louis Blues win the game in a spectacular shootout. So, deep down it was really my mom that drew me back into the love of Hockey and I can say that because her and my dad drove up to my grandpa’s house while listening to that 1980 game. I've said it so many times before in my life time Al Michael's great sports moments of the 80's VHS tape was my first introduction to the Miracle on Ice and I've watched the game via ESPN Classic's back when there was such a thing as ESPN Classic on cable, and so hearing that Disney is making a movie about the Miracle on Ice, hell even I was excited to watch because I wanted to know the full story of Herb Brooks and the 1980 USA Hockey team. And my first time watching the movie at a young age I was always surprised but was just at awed of how they were able to film those Hockey sequences and now twenty years moreover fully matured (hopefully) I understand and cherish the story of one man doing the unthinkable moreover making us believe in miracles, hell even I truly believe in miracles especially after the Blues won the Stanley Cup back in 2019. The movie alone is a true testament in what a true Hollywood sports movie should be it follows the central coach as well as its players and Kurt Russell playing Herb Brooks was a match made in Heaven and Russell spent a lot of time with Brooks through the course of the pre-production process. When you make a movie about Hockey the worst thing you can possibly do is just recreate the whole Hockey game as well as the many face-offs it has as well as the many stoppage it contains, and really what makes Miracle great is that it does recreate the Hockey match but doesn't stop the gas pedal until the final buzzer of each period and Miracle director does a fantastic job at that because you defiantly have to have that suspense and the sense of danger even if you watched the 1980 game in its full or haven't seen it full. Slap Shot is no doubt a great and iconic Hockey film moreover it shows the full life of a minor league Hockey player, but really Miracle still to this day I consider one of the greatest Hockey movies of all time, because it has that amazing story of the true underdog story of David and Goliath but most importantly is a great rejuvenation of being proud of being an American. Even if you're not a Hockey fan Miracle is that one film that you can turn on and watch till the final frame while Slap Shot, you'd feel confused so in all honesty Miracle will always be that great Hockey movie moreover just like Major League or Field of Dreams being that one iconic baseball film. The fact that it's been twenty years since the film’s release, Miracle still holds the test of time in being that iconic Hockey film to watch but most importantly take you back to where you were when the Miracle on Ice happen. So, as of right now it's February 22nd today (which marks the 44th Anniversary of the event) as in such a proper manner what better way to access your Disney + account or you have a copy of Miracle on DVD or Blu-Ray I would most certainly sit down and watch this outstanding Hockey movie to ever be made in Hollywood.

         

                                         

Ten Year Anniversary: Trance

 

                         Well now that Valentine's Day is officially over, I figured I will take a small break from love stories and talk about a film that brings a whole meaning to mesmerizing from start to finish. Trance is a film noir type crime mystery that came out ten years ago and really was one of those films that was just lost in the shuffle of things especially movies that came out in America, basically one of those films that I found in a Hastings bookstore on Blu-Ray (ANYONE REMEMBER HASTINGS BOOKSTORE?). And I recognized some likable actors in James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson and French success Vincent Cassel, furthermore, watching the movie through this was no doubt one of the most shocking and surprising mystery films I've seen in quite a long time.

                         Simon (James McAvoy), a fine auctioneer, joins a gang of thieves led by Frank (Vincent Cassel) to steal a priceless Goya painting. During the heist suffers a head injury and awakens with no memory of where he hid the artwork. When torture and physical threats fail to break through his amnesia, Frank hires a hypnotherapist named Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to find the answer. But as Elizabeth probes the recesses of Simon's mind, the lines between truth and deceit start to blur.

                          I can honestly say I've seen this movie multiple times and just can stop but be at awed with the movie from start to finish, especially when it comes to moments that appear shocking like you didn't expect or something that is just you can let go of your own phone and just pay attention till the final frame, even when it comes to the attention to details. The development of Trance I'm surprised to hear has been going on long before it was green lit, after Danny Boyle (won best director for Slumdog Millionaire) finished with Shallow Grave in 1994, writer Joe Ahearne sent Boyle his screenplay to Trance, seeking Boyle's encouragement. Boyle in his own words thought the project would be "quite difficult" for a beginning screenwriter, and so Ahearne would later turn his script into a British Television movie back in 2001 and like most writers and directors through the decades Boyle contacted Ahearne about officially turning it into a feature film, and so with the help of another writer John Hodge who constructed the screenplay, the rest became history. To me what I loved about the movie is that it reminds me so much of the 1962 film The Manchurian Candidate, although this film has nothing to do with brainwashing it does dive deep into hypnotism and true both mind control concepts are much different when use, but there is that similarity of diving deep into a memory you want to remember or forget moreover Trance does have that unique blend of shock and horror at the same time especially when you're not sure what is real and what is not. James McAvoy really shines in the movie as a regular man who seems harmless moreover trying to be this man who is trying to make money by stealing a painting but through the course of the movie you begin to see that McAvoy's character isn't who you'd as an audience member would think he would be and McAvoy does a fantastic job through the course of the movie peeling back the layers of his character to understand who he truly is. Rosario Dawson who I've always in a sense had a crush growing up from movies like Josie and the Pussycats (long story) Clerks 2, Rent and Sin City, furthermore when I watch a movie where she does an excellent job at playing the typical film noir, femme-fatale that is always a deceitful person but with this movie you slowly begin to understand her motives. Now, there have been a lot of movies through the past decade that have been collecting dust or just stuck on the shelf already to be forgotten, and Trance is one of those movies that needs to be seen to the whole world because it has that element like a film noir that takes you on this journey of mystery but filled with a lot of surprises along the way and sure there have been a lot of Danny Boyle's films that are considered classics but this is one of these films that needs that spotlight of recognition for many reasons it has everything from the darkness of crime to the girls and even the colorful set designs along the way. Look, what I'm trying to say is that ten years of existence and this movie is still fresh and amazing to watch towards the final frame and I would strongly recommend watching this amazing tribute to all the Hitchcock films as well as the film noir genre. 

In a Lonely Place

 

                                      

         

                                        This tremendous Humphrey Bogart film has been on my radar to watch since November of last year and it was supposed to be a Noirvember like tribute to film noir genre although that got replaced with my November recommendation, which was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. In a Lonely Place is one of those great film noirs’ where you begin dating a guy and you slowly begin to see whether he's a psycho killer or everyone is feeding you lies and don't know the real person. And perfect timing since we're in the month of February aka Valentine's Day because like the movie Laura this has a unique theme of a loving couple beginning a standardize relationship where the man is accused with murder and the woman is slowly beginning to think that his boyfriend maybe a psycho killer or everyone around you is feeding you garbage. 

                                      Hollywood screenwriter Dixon Steele (Humphrey Bogart) and his neighbor Laurel Gray (Gloria Grahame) are just getting to know each other romantically when the police begin questioning Dixon about his involvement in the murder of a girl he met once. Certain her new love interest is innocent, Laurel stands by Dixon, but as the police department continue pressing him, Dixon begins to act increasingly erratically. The blossoming love affair suffers as Laurel begins to wonder if Dixon really the killer might be.

                                      I'm not going to lie when I say this that I actually love majority of Humphrey Bogart's work ever since I watched Casablanca I always look at that man as one of the greatest actors who could do just about anything when it comes to acting, he always does a fantastic job at playing the anti-hero at times is a great charmer but most importantly is excellent when it comes to the film noir genre especially detective and mystery films. And when it comes terass movie Bogart really does a fantastic job playing the charming man that you can trust, but most importantly does a tremendous job playing this psycho of a character that has a huge anger problem, and before I go any further this is one of those movies that has a lot of the "what if" scenarios that you as an audience member will be like yeah why don't this happen or why doesn't he go get help, well to be honest this is a movie that tells a story of the thin lines between love and suspicion and you really have to dive deep into these characters shoes and struggles in what they're going through moreover if you want a great example Billy Martin who was a famous Baseball manager and a great student of the game always had an alcohol problem and nobody told the man to seek help from Mickey Mantle to Rickey Henderson, none of the man's closest friends ever thought of dragging him to a hospital and dry out, so really if you watch this movie just think about that, I mean let's be honest it's the fifties and everyone was smoking so if you were living in the forties and fifties there was no running from smoking, I mean we should thank those era's for not talking about cancer. Now getting back to topic, both Bogart and Gloria Grahme both do a tremendous job delivering great performances that give a deeper look into their characters motivation through the course of the movie, Gloria Grahme in fact was the big time flirt to Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful life and seeing her in this movie she really does a fantastic job showing more of her character's psyche as well as her struggles in staying faithful Bogart as well as having the belief in him not being the killer. The film itself is actually based on a book by Dorothy B. Hughes for which the story has a much different ending then the movie, and having learned this upon reading the reasons why Nicholas Ray chose to shoot a different ending I actually liked the ending in the film much better than the book, despite not having read or listen to the book but have knowledge as to what happens in the book for many reasons I feel it's more a bleak ending as to having a typical ending where we know what happens to Bogart's character then not having to know what happens to Bogart's character by the end of the movie moreover not knowing what's going to happen to him after it was all said and done. Now I've officially going to stop taking about the film because I don't want to spoil anything about what makes this film worth seeing from start to finish, bottom line it's a fantastic who done it movie that really hammer's deep into the thin line of love and suspicion as well as the character's psyche as well. As a fan of Humphrey Bogart's films this film without a doubt is up there in the top ten best of his career, and even if or haven't seen any of Bogart's work I would highly recommend starting off with this movie, especially since where in the special holiday of love and In a Lonely Place is a great example of both love and not sure if the person you're dating is the one for you. 

                                         

February Recommendation: Groundhog Day

 

                                       Well, everyone, Valentine's Day is almost upon us as well as Ash Wednesday as well. So, I figured well thirty-one years seems close enough to finally recommend a movie that so iconic that it's basically my entire families favorite movie, and to be truthfully honest it's defiantly one of my favorite movies from legendary comic charming man Bill Murray. Groundhog Day is one of the greatest and sadly last collaborations both Harold Ramis and Bill Murray ever did in their film careers, though when you make movies with the same guy for over the course of the 80's it's maybe a good thing to give some space. A side from this being the ultimate chick flick film to watch this Valentine's Day, but it's without a doubt an iconic film that has a lot of great one lines and some Buddhist and Christian themes?

                                      A cynical TV weatherman (Bill Murray) finds himself reliving the same day repeatedly when he goes on location to the small town of Punxsutawney to film a report about their annual Groundhog Day. His predicament drives him to distraction, until he sees a way of turning the situation to his advantage.

                                      The fact that this is a family favorite between my own family is without a doubt special let’s be honest moreover learning that Egon directed this movie and shares a scene with Bill Murray is also amazing too, especially when I assume that's when they got into a bare-knuckle brawl. I have a unique story of watching the movie at a young age, it was during the time where we always go to the video store to rent movies (YALL REMEMBER RENTING MOVIES?) and we checked out the movie because I've always remembered watching Ghostbusters 2 because my parents wouldn't let me watch the first movie because my brother also remembered watching What about Bob, so again Bill Murray was a house hold name for my family, anyway getting back to main topic I remember watching the movie all the way through not understanding the whole concept but just finding hilarious moments when Bill is going out with a bang from punching Ned to making suicide look hilarious. And to be fair it's been quite a long time since I watched Groundhog Day, furthermore, not going to lie when I say this but the fact that this movie is thirty-one years old, this movie without a doubt ages like fine wine. Like this is a film that includes perfect casting directed by one of the best comedic directors of the 80's and 90's and it just balances out perfectly, especially when you have Bill Murray who plays a perfect a**hole throughout his whole career and I truly believe with this movie it was his ability to finally act out like a human being for once, for which really if I was ever a God I would curse every Kardashian, politician and every talk show host to spend the rest of their days on the same day and have to repeat it, which in all honesty that sounds like a great power to have. Andie McDowell as always plays that perfect leading lady, but really Chris Elliot does a fantastic job playing the everyday cameraman who considers Murray a pre-Madonna and always has those great one-liners that everyone would be wanting to say. Now, I've always said that there was always a specific actor or co-star that deserves the huge props from making the movie a success and to be fair I could be wrong on that, so either way I never consider myself to be right, but deep down the real star of the movie is editor Pembroke J. Herring who edited Groundhog Day for which he does a fantastic job making two hour long movie of one man going through the same day doing whatever he wants, because if you've seen the movie or haven't seen the movie the editing tells the story of Bill Murray's character discovering himself repeating the same day then realizing he can do whatever he wants but most importantly he tries to score with Andie McDowell's character and scene or cut you begin to see that Bill Murray is learning what to do and what not to do and sadly enough this didn't get nominated for an Oscar which is a complete shame because this movie does have the best story telling through editing and Groundhog Day is a great example of that. A side from the movie being thirty-one years old now, and there's a tone of theories out there of what this film is truly about and it goes from Bill Murray's character being dead and is in purgatory or writer Dan Rubin created themes that include from Christianity to Zen Buddhism, and really I don't believe Dan Rubin and Harold Ramis really written this to be a base one other religious themes I just think that they just made a simple movie about a man being stuck in a time loop and slowly begins to be a human being, and sure there's no explanation of how Murray was able to be stuck in this time loop or how he can break it for which it truly doesn't matter because this movie is really surrounded by great directing Bill Murray's stellar acting as well as Chris Elliot and Andie McDowell's great supporting acting as well, as well as great writing, and sure you blab on about the true meaning behind it but deep down it's really about one a**hole slowly figuring out he needs to change moreover improve his humanity on others and really if I had that power I'd defiantly curse every horrible person out there because the people I work with, will never get it the situation there in. Groundhog Day is defiantly in my top ten films for Valentine's Day as well as Bill Murray and Harold Ramis greatest collaboration and sadly was there last film together for which really I don't know the true understanding to Ramis side but Murray was one of those actors that had a massive ego that you'd know things would get tense for which really both men are Cubs fans so, really in my line of work Cub Fans are terrible human beings, just like Red Sox fans and Giant fans. Defiantly, the best chick flick movie to watch with the love of your life and if you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend watching this great film with your life partner before you go to church or after church because the funny thing is that Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday are one the same time so good luck taking you're first date out to church.

           

Ten Year Anniversary: Pompeii

 

                                       

                                   Well, we're in the month of February, and strangely of all movies that reminded me of its ten-year existence, upon which is an Ancient Roman version to James Cameron's Titanic but most importantly is on Netflix, I figure well now's the time to talk about the one movie that really has no explanation in terms of plot. Pompeii was one of those movies I remember back in 2014, for which I was literally confused as to why they would make a movie that just basically tells us the entire plot of the film (because if you don't know the story of Pompeii spoilers everyone dies), also I'm defiantly assuming was marketing for Valentines Day love conquers all type movies. Ten years ago, I thought this was one of the worst films I've seen of 2014, and now having watched the movie ten years before its release I may have a different opinion.

                                    In 79 A.D., Pompeii, a bustling port city, stood in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Milo (Kit Harrington), a former slave, is a gladiator who has caught the eye of Cassia (Emily Browning), a wealthy merchant's daughter. However, their difference in social status is not the only obstacle to their love; Cassia has been promised to Corvus (Kiefer Sutherland), a corrupt Roman senator. When the eruption of Mount Vesuvius rains lava and ash down on the city, Milo races to save her before it's too late.

                                    In my years of trying to be a sort of movie critic when it comes to my blog I made a point in 2014, to go to every movie that's been released and 2014 was literally my second year in this blog of mine, where I watched every crap that's out there and to be fair this was trying to work more on my writing and through the next three years I was defiantly burned out because just one to many crappy films can affect a man's perspective on life and 2014 without a doubt was the beginning and somewhat the end of me wanting to go to every movie that came out. Anyway getting back to Pompeii, when I first saw the trailer for this, my main reaction was why would the make a movie where everyone dies through the course of the film and why would Kit Harrington aka Jon Snow, when he's clearly having a steady gig with Game of Thrones furthermore doesn't sincerely need to dive into movies like, the man has his entire career ahead of him well, maybe? Considering that he's not getting much work now, but sure the guy was young at the time and when you want to make it into movies you have to make these cliché B-movies that will make profit but won't get you notice I guess what I'm trying to say to all of this madness, is maybe learn how to read or wait on your options. Now getting back to the movie, once I realized that the film was basically combining James Cameron's Titanic and Ridley Scott's Gladiator then I was like "OOOOOOOH", which really when watching this film ten years ago I declared it the worst movie of 2014, but now having watch it, I find it quite amusing especially when Emily Browning is so attracted to Kit Harrington's character every time she sees him and then when we get to where the volcano explodes, everyone is so serious and confident that we have to get to the Harbor or escape the city which they should of added that we're all going to die. Paul W.S. Anderson whose infamous for directing movies like Mortal Kombat (1995), Resident Evil and Alien vs. Predator, directs the films and this was coming off of directing the fourth and fifth Resident Evil films and then he comes to directing this movie but then again this was four or five years ago when Avatar came out and 3D camera's we're becoming the thing and Anderson was clearly doing all of his films during 2010, using nothing but 3D camera's which again 3D camera's we're fine for Avatar but any other films do not work at all and to be truly honest I believe Paul W.S. Anderson ruined 3D movies for which really yeah Cameron should of took all of the 3D camera's away from him and say "NO 3D CAMERA'S FOR YOU". Ten years now I look at this film as kind of decent with some humorous/serious dialogue but then you just get bored especially when this is a PG-13 movie where the violence is completely toned down and the sexual context where Emily Browning is running away from a creepy Kiefer Sutherland who continues to follower her but again Romans were so scum bags that even the dialogue can tell you how big of a molester he was even though he doesn't do anything throughout the movie. I'd say this from the bottom of my heart to not buy this movie and just watch the movie on any streaming service because let's be honest when you're paying a subscription everything movie or show is free, and if you’re that desperate just go to Dollar General and see if they have a copy for three bucks, because that's literally what this movie is worth.  

          

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match

 

                                       

                                       Well, of course it's a movie night nothing in a sense wanting to watch then I found the latest Mortal Kombat Legends movie uploaded on Max. And so, I figured well might as well make the best of it since movies like these are free besides the subscription fee. Cage Match, takes a origin story of how Johnny Cage became Johnny Cage with a blend of Miami Vice but hey, it at least has Joel McHale voicing the title role right? I mean sure because I've always been a fan of his version of the Soup when it got canceled and always loved his performance in Community, and to tell you the truth there's a lot of things in the movie I didn't mind, but a lot of things that they could have done better.

                                       Action superstar Johnny Cage squares off against a sinister secret society that's plotting a nefarious scheme. However, the brutal fight against the bloodthirsty warriors of the Netherrealm is just the beginning.

                                       I've said it multiple times especially when I reviewed the first two Mortal Kombat Legends films, Cage being portrait as this dumb douche bag is overrated. And it's not to say that some of the stuff they did with the movie wasn't all bad like the entire film crew as demons isn't bad, it’s just Cage acting like a total schmuck just gets boring at times. And for sure Joel McHale does a great job with that hell, he proved that by playing a lawyer in Community but come one day we need some new refreshments when it comes to the character of Johnny Cage. Like, it was fine in the nineties and from games like Mortal Kombat X and eleven show him being more of a father as well with some sarcasm, but it’s like with this movie, the writers just got way too lazy with character development in terms of Johnny Cage and they just thought that oh Joel McHale will make this work but again it just feels so lame that you feel disgusted that this was turned into a cheap cartoon movie. Even the character of Ashrah voiced by Kelly Hu (who I had a crush via Scorpion King) but it's like her character was written on ChatGPT, which again it just seems so lazy because her character is a demon trying to be human, but every time she act's it's just way to lazy and you need to cringe and scream into a pillow. Some of the story elements that they do is not so bad but the fact that this is set in a 80's fantasy L.A. just makes no sense of how this can be a prequal to the first MK Legends film but yet they make this happened, and you're really expect me to believe this is just way to lazy and sad, maybe if this was set in an alternate universe I can believe it but again they don't explain it well enough. Deep down this was supposed to be direct to DVD and Blu-Ray movie but this was lazy writing from start to finish and if you're making a MK movie where it centers around Johnny Cage you have to make him like a Bill Murray character from films like Stripes and Ghostbusters just those moments where Cage is seeing a demon God for the first time and he has the light "well there's something you don't see every day". All and all a decent watch but not worth the time, and if you’re a die-hard Mortal Kombat fan like I am, I would highly suggest not buying the movie and watching it on Max so that way it makes you feel better that you're not spending your money on a cheap cartoon movie.

     

                                           

January Recommendation: 2nd Chance

 

                                 

                                      Well, I know we're not close to the Election of Grandpa's but for this first monthly recommendation of 2024, I figured I recommend something that I've heard via Red Letter Media. Though through the course of watching this documentary I began to see a different level behind this American Legend. 2nd Chance tells the story of one man who creates the first modernized Kevlar vest, who’s both a businessman a show man and a filmmaker whose films are popular to many police officers.

                                      Richard Davis started off as a pizza delivery man who had a tragic event that caused him to invent the very first bullet proof vest for which he's made millions of dollars off this unique style of promoting his product like literally shooting himself 192 times. But like every story of American inventors there's always that downfall and he really share the ups and down but really redeems himself through the course of his mistakes. 

                                       Now I've had troubles thinking about how to tell the story of second chance inventor Richard Davis, and to be truthful, his story is really one of the greatest American stories ever told, he's basically every one of us whether you're Republican, Democratic, Liberal or Conservative, hell even a Bostonian fan or a Cubs fan, we're basically this guy inside of us and you can deny it all you'd like but when you watch this great documentary you'll begin to see this guy is really us. And really after watching Red Letter Media I've thought that they may have made up his story because they thought John Williams (movie composer) was in a terrible movie in 2002. But having watched some stuff on YouTube about Richard Davis I began to understand that this guy’s story is really the real deal, especially shooting himself to let his investors know his product is the real deal, I mean this guy has the biggest balls out there to even attempt it. Really, the crazy thing is that the soft body armor has never been invented from the forties and fifties which is crazy because with the events of World War II and the Korean War we would have had more lives saved so, Davis really was a man who knew this concept needed to be developed. Though yeah Davis had some massive ups and downs in his life like having to deal with father who had PTSD from the second world war, and he even continued to shoot his son numerous times while wearing his Kevlar vest, but deep down I begin to respect Richard Davis even more when he reinvented his company and begin to have a great and strong relationship with is son. Watching 2nd Chance was defiantly one of those Documentary films that I never expected from start to finish it has that unique and great and shocking ending that just leaves you shocked and awed in between scenes that can make laugh a little bit but also realize oh wow this guy really did that, better American story than Jordan Belfort aka Wolf of Wall Street. Like I said this man is basically every one of us even if you’re a Republican or Democratic or even a Hippie who doesn't believe in violence like Bill Walton. So, with if you're feeling the crave for a great American story of growing up nothing to a truce successor in the end, 2nd Chance is defiantly one of those Documentary's worth the watch, and if I had to give an award of the most interesting man on the planet Richard Davis would most certainly be given that award.

   

                                      

Star Wars: Ahsoka

 

                   Of course, during the time I've been playing Star Wars: Jedi Survivor got mostly 43 hours in according to my PS app. But then I was kind of wanting more Star Wars because I was feeling the mood for it, and to be fair I'm pacing myself when it comes to Star Wars the Clone Wars, so I decided well what the hell. Let’s give Ahsoka TV series a shot. And honestly, it's not at all bad moreover am wanting season 2 of Ahsoka RIGHT NOW. 

                   Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), the former Jedi apprentice of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christiansen) during the Clone Wars, seeks to prevent the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn following the fall of the Empire.

                    Now having seen The Clone Wars film as well as the TV series well going into the fourth season right now, as well as The Mandalorian. I've now come to accept moreover appreciate and trust more of Dave Filoni running Star Wars than Kathleen Kennedy for which really is a simple no brainer because it's like trusting your life with Jesus or Satan. And going back to like 2008, when I heard there making a Star Wars Clone Wars movie for which has nothing to do with George Lucas films in my point of view, but through time watching the first Clone Wars film as well as continuing on with the series I've come to learn and appreciate more of Dave Filoni's work on Star Wars as well as creating this iconic character Ahsoka Tano though with the help of George Lucas himself. But more importantly Dave Filoni is the only man out there that understands the Star Wars Prequals much more than any of us fans can understand and when a guy understands the true genius behind the Star Wars Prequals deserves to oversee the Star Wars Universe so, really George Lucas choose wisely to be his apprentice. The other thing in what makes the show great is the fact that I didn't need to see Star Wars Rebels in order to understand the characters that were presented to me, and to be truthful I've seen bits and pieces of the show, but with Dave Filoni's writing and story telling that was pretty much all I needed to understand the character viewpoints and their motives after the events of Rebels. Rosario Dawson proves even after her appearances in The Mandalorian and Boba Fett that she was the right woman to play Ahsoka Tano, I mean the amount of commitment that she does for the beloved character is impressive from start to finish from her appearance to even her fighting style is simply outstanding from beginning of episode one to the final episode of the first season. Even Dawson's co-stars, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Natasha Liu Bordizzo do great jobs helping the show be a success as it is, I mean Mary Elizabeth Winstead is married to Obi-Wan Kenobi so she's got the pointers if you know what I mean, and Bordizzo who plays Tano's apprentice does a great job balancing out the bitterness she has for her old master as well as needing to help when it matters. Though each actor do such a great job it's really Hayden Christensen who does an exceptional job reprising his role as Anakin Skywalker, who granted is only in a few scenes but really does a tremendous job in guiding Dawson's character in what she must do on her journey, and what makes the show great is that we get to seen Christensen in the Clone Wars outfit he wore interacting with young Ahsoka Tano through the course of memory sequences which really completes the entire timeline of Attack of the Clones to Clone Wars and finally Revenge of the Sith for which really when you watch the prequals and the show alone you see both Anakin Skywalker and Hayden Christensen becoming one. Having watched all this season I really hope that we get a new season of Ahsoka despite that the show does without a doubt leave a lot of questions in the air so having been impressed with the show's vision as even the direction that Filoni set forward, I hope we get another season quick as possible. So, to all Star Wars fans out there I would most certainly check out the series Ahsoka even having a little nostalgia with the return of Hayden Christensen who’s truly making a comeback as Anakin Skywalker aka Darth Vader moreover I also hope he gets more work in movies or shows even if he doesn't want too.

   

                    

Club Paradise

 

                                      My Mom was recently listening to a book about legendary writer Harold Ramis written by his daughter Violet Ramis-Stiel, and again this was during my Christmas break where I wasn't going to watch a whole lot of movies, but then my Mom suddenly texted me one of Ramis films he made called Club Paradise, and this was one of those films that he made after the success of Ghostbusters so in my usual boredom I decided to watch the film that's on Tubi aka the cheap Netflix streaming service. And honestly, it's having the flair of a Ramis comedy but somewhat falls flat with so many unconnected jokes, and roles that were obviously not written for the actors but will get to that later let’s talk about the film Ramis made that somewhat didn't need to be made or just failed because of drug use.

                                      Jack Moniker (Robin Williams) is a retired firefighter who teams up with reggae singer Ernest Reed (Jimmy Cliff) to open a tropical island resort. In addition to local eccentrics such as British lay about Anthony Cloyden Hayes (Peter O'Toole), Jack and Ernest are joined by tourists eager to stay at their resort, including the goofy, party-seeking duo of Barry (Eugene Levy) and Barry (Rick Moranis).

                                      Now, I don't think that this is the worst thing I've ever seen, and I can say that because a lot of those films I can look at and despise them so much that it causes me severe mental problems. I will confirm that yes the film is bad but it's kind of a mesmerizing bad in which I tried and figure out how and why this film was made in the first place, and the more logic answer was that Harold probably needed the money and judging that L.A. back in the mid to late eighties with paying bills and more importantly paying off your weed dealer so, really that sounds like a logical explanation though I'm just assuming that happened I don't have a ton of proof if that's the real reason and I never claim myself to always be right. The main problem I have with the film is that this does follow a traditional Harold Ramis film or movie he stars in, though its kind a follow like a sort of Saturday Night Live skit shows and the main storyline is just lost in the mist. And really the role of Robin Williams part was intended to be Bill Murray in the starring role but unfortunately, he turned down the role and that's how Robin Williams got the part, moreover Williams wasn't all bad it just, wasn't made for him and Ramis later said "We thought Club Paradise had a good chance at the box office. But we were the fourth Caribbean comedy out that year (1986), and none of them did any business. The casting ended up being dramatically opposed to what was intended. It was intended for Bill Murray and John Cleese, with Bill as the laid-back-guy and Cleese as the over-the-top guy, and we ended up with Robin Williams and Peter O'Toole, with O'Toole as the laid-back-guy and Robin the over-the-top guy. The polarities shifted, and it was not as interesting or as solid as it might have been if Bill and Cleese were there". And the big question is couldn't Ramis just re-write the script for both Williams and O'Toole to fit their personality? Deep down I guess will never know because even going back to this movie just hurts my brain. Not to be mean for many reasons it's not hard to watch as the original Vacation, but deep down this film does belong in the Tubi streaming service, furthermore now that I finished this movie it's probably safe to say that I actually have no intentions to re-watch the film again although the film alone is fascinating to watch and try to piece the film together in terms of how you can do this better. As a fan of Harold Ramis work, I would say yes watch this movie if you love his work as well, but then you'll probably regret it later. 

           

50th Anniversary of Live and Let Die

 

                              Well everyone it's the month of a new year and to be truthfully honest, this was really one of the most lazy and yet hard thing to look for when it comes to watching a movie well finding that one movie to watch to start off the new year, and to be truthfully it had a lot to do with post-Christmas break then suffering from a bad case of the cold furthermore being just lazy it terms of looking for the right movie to watch, to start off the new year of 2024. And to be honest it took a lot of trial and error to find that right movie to talk about more like having that conversational movie review I can talk to you all with and thankfully for Max, Roger Moore's feature debut as James Bond appeared on my phone and it's been quite a long time since I've watched any of Roger Moore's run as 007, so Live and Let Die became one of the greatest choices I've made in a quite a long time, also it's fifty years old so I have to watch it right?

                              When Bond (Roger Moore) investigates the murders of three fellow agents, he finds himself a target, evading vicious assassins as he closes in on powerful Kananga (Yaphet Kotto). Known on the streets as Mr. Big, Kananga is coordinating a global threat, using tons of self-produced heroin. As Bond tries to unravel the mastermind's plan, he meets Solitaire (very, very YOUNG Jane Seymour), a beautiful tarot-card reader, whose magic is crucial to the crime lord.

                              After watching Live and Let Die I've come to the realization that Roger Moore was really my first introduction of James Bond, sure I was a nineties kid and Pierce Brosnan was the 007 of the nineties but at that time my parents wouldn't let me watch those for obvious reasons the expansive sexual content, and if you were my age you'd grew up with cable programs like TNT and they had a good chunk of Roger Moore's films and my Dad would just be watching them like nobody's business and back then in the seventies nudity or sexual content wasn't that bad compared to the nineties which is an understatement since Moore is the oldest to ever play 007. Speaking of Roger Moore yes, the man was 46 years old when he first played Bond and I believe they didn't do a whole lot of sex scenes in his run though again I'm just eye balling this belief, a lot of those sex scenes had to be more shot in the sense of after the intercourse not during or beginning the intercourse because when you’re dealing with actresses like a very, very young Jane Seymour, yeah that would be really, really weird since she was twenty-two at that time when she filmed Live and Let Die. Speaking of Jane Seymour in my childhood years my mom and my sister were obsessive over Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman, and I've seen Live and Let Die a few times and it's still surprising how young that woman was back then I mean she's a cougar now but, in this movie, she was still gorgeous than ever before. Now getting back to the love scenes the fact that yeah from gentle hugs to embracing after love making that's really all those women would do and sure Moore doesn't look that old in the movie but when he says he's 46 to a beautiful young women like Jane Seymour yeah that gets really, really weird upon which I would most certainly be negotiating on what I'm going to show and really I don't know if it was the producers or director Guy Hamilton decision to not make it that weird especially when Man with the Golden Gun was Hamilton's final Bond film. I've said it before that I always kind of looked at Moore's run as 007, as the Adam West of James Bond like when it comes to his films you can always know from a fact that Moore's Bond is going to win in the end, and Moore always had the cringe-st one liners ever, and now having watched his first film I tend to wonder was this the kind of action that the producers at MGM were kind of wanting for the Bond films? Or when the Batman TV series in the mid-sixties was becoming this big trend Bond producers at MGM were wanting this to be that kind of action after watching some of those episodes because if you look at Connery's run the action was much different between 62-65 well sort of, (hence helmet and jetpack coming out of his a**) and then when the seventies came around I sometimes think that the filmmakers saw episodes of Batman and were inspired from those action sequences because some of those sequences like the final fight where the entire set is made of cardboard is just hilarious to see and another personal favorite is when Bond is escaping in a broken airplane and cars continue to crash into actual cardboard airplane's for which I really believe they used tons and tons of cardboard to build some of these sets because that was obviously the most easy thing to break by hand or demolish and finally when Bond is gliding over Mr. Big's hideout it would most certainly be a Batman type filming you'd see on the sixties show of Batman, and honestly I can't answer it because there's a lot of theory's or questions that are left unanswered but are really good discussions to talk about to all Bond fans out there. I will say that, what really makes the movie for me is the some of the what I like to call the white jokes for which I didn't expect hearing nor didn't think that would even be possible to have in a PG rated movie which is my personal yet greatest line ever "Hey man, for 20 bucks I'll take you to a Ku Klux Klan cookout" and I swear when I heard that line I was just flat out laughing because it was funny moreover didn't expect furthermore am a sucker for white jokes, even though when Bond is in Harlem, New York he stumbles upon an all-black night club which is also unintentionally funny because Bond is not doing the best of job blending in since he's the only white man in the club and everyone is looking at him as either a agent or a cop, for which just those little things alone makes the movie entertaining to watch. Now having watched Live and Let Die, I do need to reexamine Roger Moore's run as 007 because yes his films were cliche of course with cringe worthy lines but really if you have a bulls**t detector and a knowledge of watching so many action films from old to new, Live and Let Die is definitely one of those films that's like a fine wine, moreover a good refresher when you're having a hard time finding that one film to start off the new year and Live and Let Die I would highly recommend watching for those who crave movies that are entertainingly bad and yet good as well. 

  

                                     

December Recommendation: Mickey's Christmas Carol

 

                                       There are a lot of times in the month of December, where I must find that one Christmas movie that would be that perfect one where you can watch it repeatedly that kind of like Die Hard, George C. Scott's A Christmas Carol, or of course It's A Wonderful Life. And deep down there must be one film that can keep the Christmas spirit going, moreover can put a smile on your face just like Die Hard or It's a Wonderful Life. But deep down there just must be that one film you can look back on your life especially your childhood and just realize how perfect the film is from start to finish, also is thirty minutes. Yeah, sure you can say that's it's not the right length to be considered a Christmas film but trust me when I say this that Mickey's Christmas Carol was that one movie in my childhood, I would consider the many greats from Disney.

                                       Basically, A Christmas Carol staring Scrooge McDuck as Ebeneezer Scrooge as well as Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit and Goofy as Jacob Marley. Moreover, taking all the elements of the story to A Christmas Carol but with the magic of Disney you basically get a tremendous masterpiece.

                                       Pretty much of all Disney cartoons Mickey's Christmas Carol was that one film I can watch on Christmas and was always a blast to watch from start to finish, and really it was a time when we really couldn't afford to buy movies and since we had certain TV channels if I remember correctly a good portion of Christmas movies especially Disney airing on ABC, and we had a lot of blank tapes we decided to recording some of these specials on TV and that way we can watch them over and over again. And there where not much of a lot of movies I remember owning though there defiantly a lot of those from Disney movies, some Christian cartoon films, to lot of films that my mom and dad loved and granted that's out of memory as I recall, and I could be wrong but again your memories you remember could deceive you. Now the last maybe two Christmas's I do remember my brother sitting down with his kids watching Mickey's Christmas Carol on Disney + and just sat down and did absolutely nothing because it truly was that ultimate Disney Christmas film that is just beloved as well as comedic in every way. For many reasons why I choose this beloved classic as my December Recommendation is really simple, I just needed that breath of fresh air furthermore that one film that can keep me in the spirit of Christmas because even as December winds down and work becomes a pain in the a**, it's really hard to keep that Holiday spirit up and really I can't watch Christmas Vacation anymore because well it brings back bad memories and Scrooged gave me that level of not wanting to be reminded of work since I do work at a TV station. So, Mickey's Christmas Carol is really that perfect movie where you can round up the statistics of what makes a great Christmas film and this film alone is just perfect because it really doesn't overdo it but gets to the point, especially when I recognize a lot of Disney characters that make ton of cameo's especially the 1973 Disney classic Robin Hood which is funny moreover when you think about it the creators do over the years re-issue the same character and style of dancing through the years, and really there sequences that I truly see in my nightmares when it comes to Disney cartoons in the past. Without a doubt Mickey's Christmas Carol is officially that one truly great Christmas film that I will watch over and over again it's really amazing from the voices to the characters themselves and I feel truly blessed to finally sit down and watch it over the years moreover consider it a great sense of pure enjoyment that I can sit down and watch all over again this Christmas, so without further ado I truly say to all of you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

     

                                             

Scrooged

 

                                      Scrooged is another one of those films in my past where I've seen bits and pieces of the film, though never got around to watching the whole movie all together. And since we're in the Christmas spirit I figured well since I'm watching my brother's client I'd watch some Christmas films. Starring Bill Murray in one of his many 80's comedy classics although re-watching Scrooged I really can't see this as one of his best and granted this is coming from me because I'm the guy who watched the original Vacation moreover realized how much I hated that movie, furthermore I don't see this as bad moreover would kind of give this movie a good once over type of a film.

                                     Basically a modern take on the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol, where the modernized version of Scrooge is taking a real life look back on his life showing how he's been a horrible human being and how he can change himself.

                                     I think the best way I would describe the film itself is like the way I viewed the original Vacation, where it just reminded me bad times of family vacations I had over the years and with Scrooged the similarities are there only this time it's you're days at work especially when it's Christmas time and your Christmas bonus is somewhat of either a raise which is a fifty/to a hundred chance or basically a gift card with some goodies which is just one of those moments where you want to forget and in all fairness when I see that they only things you can get is a VCR or a towel in the movie, yeah the similarities are there. Now I'm not saying that Bill Murray is a terrible choice to play this scrooge like character because he does in excellent job playing the a**hole of the group so him playing a horrible boss is there as well as playing a man whose redeemed but again some of the jokes for me at times failed for me moreover was hoping more of him getting his ass kicked, and Carol Kane who plays the ghost of Christmas present does a great job at that but really wished there was more especially from the other spirits as well. The main problem I have with the movie is basically that the story is the same as you've heard when it comes to the story of a Christmas Carol, you know what happens from start to finish and really doesn't do anything in terms of creativity, like I would at least have the writers and filmmakers maybe at least tweek with the story maybe make some certain changes, just something new and different that I'd never expect in a modern telling of a Christmas Carol. Like, if I was doing this movie now I would make the scrooge character as the President of the United States and he's just a horrible human being to everyone makes all of his staff work on Christmas and he raises taxes all over the country and his mentor tells him he will be visited by three spirits and if you don't listen to them riots will happen and all of America will come for his head and by the end of the movie it does but then he says he's sorry then wakes up one day on Christmas morning and goes on a rampage of forgiving everyone and telling everyone to go home then holds a press conference that he's resigning from his presidency, just stuff like this will make it more entertaining and more satisfactions when your making a modern telling of Scrooge. Now from my standpoint I look at this movie as a good once over movie where I can watch this another ten years at least, moreover not saying that the film is watchable because everyone has their Christmas film to watch this season so if you're a fan of Scrooged then I won't hold you back in terms of watching the film this Christmas, though for me this is one of those films that doesn't fit my expectations it terms of a great film or something as good as I remembered. 

 

                                       

Holiday Affair

 

                                               

                                           After watching Scrooged, I decided to watch another Christmas film, not so much in terms of comedy but more of a romantic comedy like a good chunk of Christmas films are when it comes to the theme. Holiday Affair I kind of took maybe on a different perspective more like I read the plot of the movie much differently then, until I re-read the plot again. Mainly visioned this movie was about a married woman having to choose between a boring man and a ne'er do well kind of guy. Unfortunately when re-reading the plot it's more about a widow who must choose between these good looking men, which really was a bit of a bummer for me personally especially since this is a classic film in the late forties. But then again I somewhat have to watch because I got nothing better to do so, Holiday Affair became my next movie after Scrooged.

                                          Charming seasonal clerk Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum) catches beautiful Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh) in a fraudulent shopping scheme during the busy Christmas rush. But when he discovers that Connie is a war widow and single mother, Mason takes pity on her and can't bring himself to turn her in. His supervisor takes notice and fires him on the spot. Mason befriends Connie and her younger son, Timmy (Gordon Gebert), and may complicate her plans to marry boring nice guy Carl Davis (Wendell Corey).

                                          The interesting thing I've learned about the movie itself is that this was Robert Mitchum's very first romantic comedy in his career in film, and mainly he was remembered more as this guy who portrait a lot of tough guy roles from all of his film noir pictures and westerns he starred in as well as War films in the 40's era, and Holiday Affair became that one film that really challenged him to do something unique in terms of acting in a romantic comedy. The film itself has that decent pleasantness in terms of being that one Romantic comedy set on Christmas time. And really I have nothing against the movie in fact I thought this was a decent movie to watch on the month of Christmas, I guess in fairness I was going off watch another movie after Scrooged, though deep down this is a typical chick flick where it always has to be the typical woman choosing over two men for which you as a viewer feels like you've seen that same story all over again. But the other thing to look at when it comes to this film alone is really, you'd never see Robert Mitchum perform in a different and unexpected film you'd never thought he would ever do, and through out a good chunk of his career he was always portrait as the antihero roles and film noir appearances so, really this was in interesting thing to look at a guy like Robert Mitchum and see him bond with a little boy as well as fall in love with Janet Leigh. Now if you're a fan of Romantic Comedies than this would be a go to Christmas film to watch this year, moreover I would highly recommend watching this film to anyone who's a big fan of Mitchum's films and like to see a much different light than what Robert Mitchum's was usually in, instead of the typical film noir or westerns. So, there's no doubt I'll watch this movie on Christmas Day with my Mom and Dad, more of an experiment and a second viewing as well. 

         

40th Anniversary of Return of the Jedi

 

                             

                               I know as a Star Wars fan that I've failed miserably when it comes to reviewing the greatest Trilogy in movie history. 2017, I was personally trying to establish what my movie blog could be as a fan of film, moreover was indulging in a lot of shit especially movies that were coming out of that year. 2020, well there really is nothing to say we as a society were locked down by the real life Galactic Empire aka the stupidity of that is American politics but more importantly Covid 19, so really it was a matter of keeping my sanity and getting through those years I wish to forget. So, now that we're in the final days of 2023 I knew deep down celebrating the third installment in the Original Star Wars Trilogy, Return of the Jedi that I was not going to pass up. And going back to the third installment it brings a huge smile on my face as well as picking up new things that I've never recognized while watching the film again, more like a study lesson of film, but enough talk let's begin our celebration with Return of the Jedi.

                             Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamil) battles horrible Jabba the Hutt and cruel Darth Vader to save his comrades in the Rebel Alliance and triumph over the Galactic Empire. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) reaffirm their love and team with Chewbacca, Lando Calrission (Billy Dee Williams), the Ewoks and the androids C-3P0 and R2-D2 to aid in the disruption of the Dark Side and the defeat of the evil Emperor.

                             I do have some memories of watching Empire Strikes Back as my first encounter of Star Wars but they were just mere memories, but really it all started watching Return of the Jedi that my father checked out at our local library and we watched from start to finish, and what I remember most is was the Star Wars preview and all of the Star Wars films were presented from the first installment to the final installment even seeing the terrifying Emperor electrocuting Luke Skywalker moreover being a little scared. But then at the very end I'm not going to lie when I say that I was literally crying when Darth Vader died at the end of the movie it was really one of the most saddest things of a villain saving his own son suddenly redeemed and deep down I knew that Darth Vader would be my favorite Star Wars villain of all time along with the Emperor and Darth Maul. And after Return of the Jedi I begun watching the very first Star Wars aka A New Hope, and make a long story short thus became my love affair of Star Wars, which deep down The Original Trilogy is still to this day the greatest movie Trilogy of all time, but let's continue are sole celebration of Return of the Jedi. People say if I recall saying that Jedi is the lesser of the Original Trilogy which I beg to differ, now having seen it twice I begin to see more of it as an equal to both A New Hope and Empire, like there is so much of the film that when I watched it and really I watched the Blu-Ray, I begun to see a lot of scenes that you can see a lot of meaning to it, great example of that is Darth Vader and Luke reuniting after their battle on Cloud City and they have this one conversation and Vader examines Luke's new lightsaber and it really shows just a pride moment of a father almost being proud of his own son in what he became and at the end of the scene Vader has that moment of silence where he's not sure if what he's doing is right and props to David Prowse with doing such a fantastic job in acting with a mask because the most difficult thing is really expressing emotion through a mask that has no emotion and Prowse does such a great job at that. Even with Vader, Luke and the Emperor are in the throne room and Hamil is being tempted to kill Palpatine and the Emperor who is the great example of Lucifer is tempting Luke and you can see Hamill feeling that rage, is just excellent and the great thing about the movie is that you can really see great emotion acting through each of the actors. Speaking of Emperor Palpatine, if I have to give one actor such praise and don't get me wrong everyone is spectacular in the movie from Hamill, Ford and Fisher but really the true scene master of the entire movie is Ian McDiarmid who does a fantastic job playing the real villain in the Star Wars universe, Palpatine aka Darth Sidious whom like Vader I was just so fascinating with in fact I dressed up as Palpatine in my grade school years for Halloween, but really what struck me most about Palpatine as a Star Wars fan is that he's a clear representation of the Devil and you can see great examples of his performances in both Episodes III and VI where he's tempting both Anakin and Luke into the Dark Side just showing him what he can do to lure them moreover promising and yet destroying their lives at the same time, and with Jedi is a great example of Lucifer tempting Jesus whose wondering in the desert but simply failing and the same praise goes to Mark Hamill as well because even he does such a great job playing the true hero of Star Wars but also being the opposite of his father where he does feels tempted but begins to see what he's doing and by the end tells the Emperor "no" and knowing how the Emperor has met his match to defy him and it's just perfect action from both Hamill and McDiarmid do such a great job in that battle of Good vs Evil. Jedi is also famous for the return of Harrison Ford, because it's been said about a certain killing off Han Solo which is surprising when you think about because Ford wasn't really going to sign for the third and final installment but out a series of conversations and convincing with both Howard Kazanjian and George Lucas that Ford would Return for Jedi. Now this is just me saying this and mostly a conversation with my brother that Lucas saw Blade Runner and thought that this would damage Ford's career and so both him and Kazanjian told Ford that he had to return after that slump of Blade Runner. I've seen pretty much every version of the Original Star Wars Trilogy from the original version to the Special Edition to the really the Blu-Ray versions of the Original Star Wars films, and my thought of Lucas completing his films to the way he envisioned it, has always been more supportive moreover don't care upon which version is better, because really when Lucas created Star Wars he had to make the movie with the tools he only can use to bring his vision to life moreover had to overcome obstacles from both producers and the crew around him and going back, redoing some scenes that he wanted to make better it's him re-envisioning his franchise into the trilogy that he was seeing ever since 1977, and sure seeing Hayden Christensen in the ending of Return of the Jedi in 2004 when the DVD trilogy came out, did seem weird but deep down when you think about it, if I was Luke seeing my fellow mentors as well as the young version of my father, I would imagine that to be my father deep down, not being confused if that was my father or not. I will say till the day I die that the Original Star Wars Trilogy is the Greatest Movie Trilogy of all time, and Return of the Jedi was without a doubt the greatest conclusion to how Star Wars as a movie franchise should really end. So, if you're a Star Wars fan as I am, I would highly recommend celebrating Return of the Jedi's 40th Anniversary by binge watching the Original Star Wars Trilogy, even on Christmas time if you feel bored in watching Christmas movies.