And You Can Quote Me...

Today’s Roar is for the guys. It is my belief that one of the most awkward situations to take part in is the dinner date with one of your wife/girlfriend’s good friends and her new beau. You see, this sets up for hours of elongated torture, but if you’re lucky, it can turn into something special. You are on the outside looking in and your wife/girlfriend has a vested interest. She wants to know if this guy is the “one” her friend will settle down with and she goes along to either give approval or the dreaded thumbs down. You go along because you are told you have to and you hope that the restaurant makes an abnormally sized steak so you don’t have to talk to this potential dweeb. As a man you know that the possibility exist that this particular guy may not have any of your interest, hell, he may not even like women and this thing could be a charade. Being the good soldier that you are, you smile and tell your wife/girlfriend this is going to be “fun.” The truth is that this fellow has a lot to prove to you. He has to pass your personal litmus test. In the back of his mind he is hoping you approve of him because if you don’t, chances are he isn’t getting to the “promise land” with your wife/girlfriend’s friend. Once the date begins you shake hands and you get over the lame introductions that are standard fare. After the appetizers come and you have already discussed your careers, he says something that catches your ear. You see, he ordered a steak just like you, but instead the waitress brings him the wrong dish with two center cut pork chops. He looks at you and says, “I don’t eat no swine.” You both look at each other and immediately you have formed a bond. Your heart actually flutters a bit because it has been so long since you have been able to quote movies and have someone actually “get it.” After all, you are a man and you pride yourself on the movie quote. You’ve practiced this skill for many years and it always seems to work among men. It is nice to sit with someone else who has also been trained in the art of the “quote.” As the evening rolls on, the quotes get more obscure and this guy gets about 95 percent of them. The “promise land” isn’t too far away for this guy you tell yourself. Once the dinner is over and you are leaving the restaurant you whisper into your wife/girlfriend’s friend’s ear and tell her “He’s cool.” This changes everything for your new friend, because your approval just got his passport stamped Ah! The power of movies!

Now I could get into quotable movies, but we have all heard the popular ones. For today’s roar I will post some of my favorites and hope you do the same.

5) “You will be…You will be.”-Scary Yoda

4) “San Diego...”-I could go on with this but I’d be doing a disservice to Ron Burgandy

3) “Hey Dorn, none of this ole bull****.”-Major League

2) Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny (bleeping) Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.” -Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation

1) “God darnit, Mr. Lamarr, you use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore.”-Blazing Saddles (Mr.Taggert)

Trick or Treat?

I felt the need to see this movie as late in the fall as I possibly could. Its August 31st release date just didn’t cut it for me because it wasn’t close enough to the actual holiday. I had been increasingly anxious to see a “new” Michael Myers on screen and to celebrate the return of one of my all time favorite “creep out” films. I have said before that remakes are usually bad ideas turned into bad movies, but I was more than willing to give Rob Zombie a pass on this one. After all, I have always pictured Zombie as a teenager relaxing in his room playing death metal and reading the latest Fangoria Magazine. He was going to be the guy to pay the proper respects to the John Carpenter original. I spent time during the spring of last year reading articles and listening to interviews with Zombie. He exuded a confidence about HIS Halloween. He stated numerous times that this Halloween movie was HIS own with a slight touch of Carpenter. I trusted Rob Zombie. I saw the Devil’s Rejects and was impressed with the social commentary that the film put off. Sure, it was brutal, but it was funny and had a style. I must admit to liking House of 100 Corpses too. Halloween was in safe hands and once again I’d feel the uneasiness of Mike Myers prowling the streets of Haddonfield. As I watched Halloween, the thoughts of safe hands corroded into a laughable mess and Rob Zombie butchered an iconic super villain with the need to make HIS movie.
The first big mistake with this movie is the script. We are forced to watch a young Michael Myers come into his own as a psychopathic killer. It isn’t the least bit interesting. Zombie tried to create sympathy for the young man by giving him the most dysfunctional family ever created for the screen. His mother is a stripper, his sister could care less, and his mother’s live in boyfriend is a low life loser. Their house in Haddonfield is not a happy home, yet these people co-exist in the same habitat and frankly, it is rather unbelievable. Michael is picked on at school because his Mom dances topless at the local “Gentleman’s Club.” After receiving a beating in the boy’s bathroom, he is taken in by the principal and to our surprise they find a dead cat in his book bag. My sympathy for Michael is gone and now he is just a troubled kid. Enter Samuel Loomis played by Malcom McDowell. Now, Loomis was played by Donald Pleasance in the original and I believed McDowell would do the character credit. He did not because there was nothing in the script for him to work with. Loomis believes the boy needs to be institutionalized and says so during his conference with Ms. Myers. Meanwhile, Michael runs off and begins killing everyone in brutal fashion while wearing a clown mask. That is right…a clown mask. He later slaughters his entire family except for his baby sister, Boo. He is subsequently put into the institution where Loomis is to oversee his “rehab.” Flash forward 15 years and Michael is now grown up and when I say “grown up” I mean 6 foot 5 with a hulking frame. This is ridiculous because I believe the movie takes place before Balco. Myers is in the process of being “transferred.” To where? We never really find out and why should it matter? Myers gets loose, kills everyone and voila he is free. How convenient. When I said the script was lacking I meant it is abysmal. Myers returns home and Zombie gives a shot for shot remake of the original with slight variations to a few murders. I have a problem with this because this is HIS movie. I won’t spoil the big reveal or the surprise ending, but let’s just say you won’t be shocked.
The major problems with Rob Zombie’s Halloween aren’t necessarily with his idea of creating a psychopath. The problem is we don’t need an explanation of “evil” or why it walks among us. It is just scary to think that a person exists in our world like Michael Myers. As a viewer, we don’t need to know his intentions. Carpenter’s Halloween was a success because his Myers had no rhyme or reason. He was created out of need to murder and inflict pain. The original brought a presence more than a character and gave us a creepy stalker who was institutionalized and escapes in grand fashion. He isn’t given “super powers” and rarely bust through walls or appears out of no where. Zombie’s Myers is cartoonish and not frightening enough for today’s audiences. Zombie’s Halloween is brutal and that is HIS fatal mistake because brutality isn’t horror. Horror movies are supposed to be scary and when we sit through them we should feel uneasy as they tap into our adrenal glands. I’m starting to feel that the horror genre has gotten far away from being creepy and scary. We now have a slew of movies that are kindly called “torture porn” by critics. These movies do have their place and Eli Roth’s Hostel is an exploration into that area, but Michael Myers doesn’t belong in a movie just about brutality. I know this was an attempt by Zombie to make HIS movie and he did, but he lost sight of what makes horror frightening. A cartoon can be stopped, but PURE E…Vil (Donald Pleasance) cannot.

All Aboard!

The “old west” is as American as any one thing we have in our culture. It is exclusively ours. The west has its rightful place with apple pie and Fourth of July. Over the years the cinema has captured this piece of Americana with grandeur and wonderment. Yes, there was the spaghetti western trilogy of Sergio Leone, but they captured the essence of what the west was and what it would soon become, even though they were filmed in Spain and Italy. Westerns used to be common place in the movies and demanded iconic actors to take on the roles of Jesse James, Wyatt Earp, and Butch Cassidy. Recently, Hollywood has strayed away from the western because those films do not make money and our fascination with the west has dwindled. A lot of modern westerns have become stylistic with Matrix like action and have lost their charm in telling stories of good vs. evil. 3:10 to Yuma is that movie. It is the western I’ve wanted to see. Charming? No. Harsh? Yes. Stylistic? No. A tale of the good nature of some and the evil ways of others? Yes. This movie relies heavily on its actors to carry a simple story and it does so effortlessly.
Christian Bale (Batman Begins) plays Dan Evans, a rancher who is on the verge of losing his farm to a major railroad company. Dan is a man tortured by being discharged from the Union Army due to a “battle” wound. He has lost favor in his oldest son’s eyes and his wife has not looked at him in years. Yet, Dan holds onto hope and out of hope, he becomes a desperate man to save his family from certain demise. Bale plays Evans perfectly. He isn’t the prototypical hero that we have become accustomed to in most action epics. Dan’s whole story never unfolds into the final frames and this a true credit to the screen writers.
Evan’s life changes drastically when he runs into wanted criminal Ben Wade played by Russell Crowe (Gladiator). Crowe is as good as he as ever been. He is mean, nasty, and dangerous. There is also a sadness built into his character and it something we see on screen, however, we are not sure if his sympathies are genuine. For me, this is the strength of Crowe as an actor and it is what makes him special. When Evans and Wade first meet Crowe does not endear himself to Dan. He takes Dan’s horses and has accidentally killed two of his cattle. Later, the two meet as Wade is captured in town and 3:10 to Yuma begins to move.
The plot is simple. Get Ben Wade to the prison train in Yuma before his gang comes to free him. Wade’s escorts consist of a bounty hunter (played by Peter Fonda), a veterinarian, a railroad representative, and Dan Evan’s who takes two hundred dollars to help bring Wade to justice. A lot happens in between and we get classic camp fire scenes, horses riding across the mythical west, and a gang of the meanest bastards hunting down the convoy. It is in this simplicity that this movie works because there is an increasing tension throughout the journey, but the most pleasant surprise of the movie is Ben Foster (X-Men 3) as Charlie Prince, the loyal sidekick of Ben Wade. Foster probably won’t receive a best supporting actor nod, but he should be under consideration.
3:10 to Yuma worked for me on multiple levels. There is a rich, heart tugging story between a boy and his father, a villain who lives amongst codes and not laws, and the old west in all of its glory. This movie is very American and captures the essence of good action yarn. Yuma is a 1957 remake and I usually hate remakes, but this movie deserved to be treated with great actors such as Bale and Crowe. I am glad it received the proper respect it deserved and I am certain you’ll enjoy boarding the 3:10 to Yuma.

Battle of the Vacations

The next segment on The Daily Roar will be a “versus” feature. Everyday will feature a battle between movies, actors, and actresses. I will be requesting the help of guest writers to help with the process. For today’s Roar I’ll give you the lay out and the criteria. The segment will follow a boxing format and you the reader will be the judge of each “bout.”
Today’s bout features National Lampoon’s Vacation vs. National Lampoon’s European Vacation. Some of you will probably want to go with original others will go with the sequel. In my opinion both are comedic classics. This should be a hard hitting fight.

National Lampoon’s Vacation

Tale of the tape: Released in 1983 and written by John Hughes. This feature was directed by Harold Ramis. Vacation stars Chevy Chase as pop-culture father figure, Clark Griswold. You all know the story. Clark tries to plan the perfect vacation to Walley World only to have setback after setback along their trek cross country.

Jab: The cameos are portrayed with near perfection in this classic. Christy Brinkley is ridiculously sexy and I believe Clark agrees (swimming pool scene). John Candy is priceless has the Walley World security guard.

Combination Punches: Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie is a demonstration of flawless comedic execution. The rapport between Chase and Quaid still makes me laugh.

Knockout Punch: The death of Aunt Edna and subsequently strapping her to the roof of the station wagon is very memorable. Clark’s arrival at the gates of Walley World only to learn that it is closed features the great spazz scene in movie history. It is hard not to laugh at Clark holding Candy hostage with a pellet gun.

National Lampoon’s European Vacation



Tale of the tape: Released in 1985 and written by John Hughes. This film was directed by Amy Heckerling. Chevy Chase returns as Clark Griswold. The Griswolds win a trip to Europe on the game show Pig in a Poke. The same set of circumstances seem to follow the Griswalds to Europe.

Jab: Eric Idle does a great job as the guy who is constantly getting hurt by Clark’s accidents. “It’s just flesh wound.”

Combination Punches: Rusty and Clark eating dinner in France is tremendously funny. “He’s going to pork her…”

Knockout Punch: The Big Ben Parliament scene is classic. I still quote it every time I get lost or pass the same structure as I’m driving. “Hey Dad, bedpans…”

Well, this is the format and will get more involved as the weeks go on. Please comment and vote for your favorite.

Bourne Again

Matt Damon has certainly made a career for himself playing a multitude of characters. His range has an actor has more than surpassed expectations and his decisions to do “good” films have carried him into acting’s elite class. The Bourne series has been one of those brilliant choices because it establishes him as a legitimate action star. Damon plays Jason Bourne with such intensity that it is hard to take your eyes off of him. There is an urgency to his character and that credit has to go to Tony Gilroy who scripted this third installment. Paul Greengrass (United 93) is back to direct with the “shaky cam” that the made the first two movies so popular. The Bourne Ultimatum does nothing new with genre, but perfect the art form. The first frames of Ultimatum are like receiving an electrical shock to your “ticker.” The set-up is done flawlessly amidst tons of action and there is no need for it to slow down. As the plot moves the characters are moving too from scene to scene. It may seem that you have “seen this before,” but not done in this fashion. There is a certain flare and definite violence to all of the fight scenes as Jason Bourne fights to recover his true identity.
Joan Allen (Pam Landy) returns for this installment along with Julia Styles (Nicky Parsons). Both do a fine job of keeping us informed of the “plot” as Bourne gets closer to the truth. David Straithairn (Good Night and Good Luck) plays the villain, Noah Vosen. Straithairn plays Vosen with the same intensity as Damon portrays Bourne and that is what makes this movie so effective. There is a willingness of the actors to play each role as if they were “hitting the ground running” and it certainly pours over into the audience.
The Bourne Ultimatum wraps up the trilogy nicely unlike some of the other three-quels we have seen this summer. It is hard to say that this is the best action movie to come along in quite sometime because bold statements like that leave things for debate. It can be said that this definitely the best in the series and surely the best of the summer. By the time the movie lets you go you will be breathless, but begging for a fourth and hoping to be Bourne again.

The Soundtrack

Soundtracks often make or break movies. They add emotion to the screen and when carefully executed, make a movie better than it really should be. Looking back at John Carpenter’s Halloween, it isn’t scary without the creepy Michael Myers music. Carpenter himself said so in numerous interviews and that movie depends greatly on the “musical ambiance” that is set forth. Movie soundtracks have a way of crawling into pop culture as they become more recognizable. Everyone knows that John Williams is the probably the master of the soundtrack. He has Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars, E.T., Jaws, and many more to his credit. These soundtracks are all impressive in their own right because they identify characters and situations in such distinctive ways. Then there is the lyrical soundtrack. It has to be difficult to put together music from a collection to reflect the situations that exist on screen. Sometimes it is the director’s taste or it is music from a certain period. Think about Pulp Fiction and its glorious soundtrack. If different songs are chosen Tarrantino ends up with a completely different movie. The audience reaction is probably not as strong and Pulp Fiction goes down as an ordinary film. The point is that the soundtrack may be the most important part of film making. Today’s Roar is dedicated to the soundtrack and no, Dirty Dancing will not be in top five just in case you were wondering.

5) Star Wars Trilogy
Yes, I am a geek when it comes to this ,but the Imperial March gives me goose bumps. You know you’ve hit big when every college football band plays your music. The Cantina Band was very innovative for its time and I still love that scene in Star Wars. EVERYONE knows the main theme and its brief appearance in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off made that movie for me.

4) Resevoir Dogs
“Stuck in the Middle with You…” I cannot help but to think of ears when I hear that song. Michael Madsen is one psychotic wacko, but that was fun to watch. Put the Lime in the Coconut and Shake it All Up!

3) Oh Brother Where Art Thou?
I do not think there is a more unique soundtrack and this one is really just preference on my part. There is something calming about old blue grass/and field hollering music. I listen to this often and it soothes my sometimes aching soul. Not a bad flick either.

2) Pulp Fiction
Of course Pulp Fiction! Every song defines a moment in the film from Bustin’ Surfboards to Jungle Boogie. I must confess that I listened to this soundtrack more than any other for the dialogue. I now want a Royale with Cheese.



1) The Big Chill
When I was kid I’d steal this record from my mom’s collection and take it to my room. It was my first experience with Motown and I credit it for broadening my horizons beyond Mister Mister. Smokey Robinson’s Tears of a Clown is still my favorite song and I would have loved to experience Motown firsthand, but The Big Chill will have to do.

Where Have You Gone?

Recently I was passing by the old Little League field where I used to play. There is something heartbreaking about staring at a childhood memory. Maybe it is the innocence in which I used to play baseball or all sports for that matter. Maybe it was my head grabbing at memories of when I felt like a “ball player.” I saw myself twenty years ago, standing in ripped, orange stained baseball pants with my hand-me-down glove and cleats. My heart ached for second and I could feel my eyes fill with tears. Trips down “memory lane” are often emotional, but this was different. The emotions were different because baseball is trivial in the grand scheme of things. It means very little to most, but everything to some. I guess I fall in the category of “some.” As I drove past the field and further down the road, I remembered a few things about baseball and how it lit a fire in my belly. I looked at baseball cards every night and I could swear that I was looking at “gods.” These were men blessed with powers that were beyond me. I wondered often if guys like Gary Templeton, Ozzie Smith, George Brett, and Mike Schmidt ever played "wall ball" to practice fielding or did they keep stats in their Wiffle Ball leagues? Oh the memories flooded me and I immediately had thoughts of my father standing behind the screen, watching me pitch. I was a fat twelve year old who was deadly with his fastball and scarily accurate with a four-fingered change-up. My father stood proudly in his beat up work uniform every time I took the mound. The game was fun, I knew my ERA and he’d count strikeouts. As much as it is a team game, it was usually just my dad and I when I pitched. We made side bets all the time. I once made the “outlandish” prediction that I would strikeout 15 batters. He smiled at me and told me I could have a dollar for every batter over ten. I struck-out 16 and he gave me 16 ones. I was rich that day, but not because of money.
Baseball is about memories. It is about purity and integrity, sons and fathers, and all the good that exist in competition. The youth of today are being robbed of these experiences as the greatest game ever invented collapses upon itself due to its own ignorance. Baseball’s purity is threatened at every turn as parents run their precious superstars off to hitting, pitching and fielding clinics. The days of the sandlot are over and “wall ball” has become an archaic form of practice. The simplicity of the game has been compromised by parents who want to live vicariously through their children. Baseball has become about money at the most basic level. Little League has become a caricature of itself and has lost its child-like innocence.
There is a “fix” for the problem and baseball now relies on a generation of thirty-somethings to repair its damaged image. It is our responsibility to reflect on our memories and share them with our sons, daughters, and anyone who will share in our appreciation for the game. Baseball in all of its glory is a beautiful distraction from our everyday lives. The “diamond” can be the best therapy for a “rough day” and it can be a great game once more if we give back all that has been given.

Today’s Roar-Movies that encapsulate the meaning of childhood and baseball

The Sandlot
Benny “the Jett” Rodriguez and his gang of misfits just play ball for the sake of playing ball. I love that they beat the snot out of the town’s organized sports club. These kids play just to play. This movie does a fine job of capturing the history of the game as well as reminding us of those childhood “pickles” we use tot get ourselves into on a weekly basis. Never play with an autographed ball signed by Babe Ruth!

The Bad News Bears
I always saw this movie has a slight towards organized sports. It is still refreshing to watch this movie because the parents are still representative of today’s Little League adults. The little triumphs that each player experiences throughout this movie are priceless. This movie may be one of the great baseball movies. If you are ever a coach always look for the kid riding his moped. He may be able to hit homeruns for you.

The Art of the Trailer

If there is one thing I hate, it is arriving to a movie late. My favorite part of the movie going experience is watching ten minutes of trailers. Trailers sell movies and create major “buzz.” There is something to be said for a good movie preview. Movie studios dangle them like bait and hope that come opening day we bite and bite hard. This usually happens with the big blockbusters. Nowadays studios release what they call “teasers.” Now teasers are interesting. Sometimes it is just a flash of a main character saying or doing something, followed by the release date. Other times it is a brief scene with no dialogue and music. I am not a fan of the “teaser.” It is too reminiscent of every date I was ever on in high school. Good trailers don’t give away too much of the film and build as they crash onto the screen with the big finale. Studios are smart these days because the show previews six months to a year before the actual release of the film. This lays the foundation for us to reach into our wallets and hand over our nine dollars. Now, I have been the victim of some classic trailers. These are movies I couldn’t wait to see because of the people who spliced together two minutes of goodness. In these cases, the trailers were far better than the actual film. I do want to say “kudos” to the manipulative nature of the “trailer making people” who baited me by using my impulsiveness against me. I deemed these five films to be great or even Oscar worthy because of a trailer without seeing the entire film.

5) Independence Day
This one aired during the Super Bowl. It showed the White House being blown to smithereens. I honestly had no idea what the movie was about, but hey, the White House was blown to bits and I was hooked. The summer came and I saw this movie and it was ridiculous. The President could read the minds of the aliens and “see” their overall plan to exterminate humans. You “tricky trailer making people” got me on this one.

4) Hulk
Talk about a teaser, Wow! Eric Bana looking in his mirror, face changing, house shaking, title and it was over. Holy crap I was excited. I couldn’t wait to see this one. It was going to be awesome watching the Hulk get angry and “Hulk smash” stuff. So naturally I shelled out some “bones” and saw this one only to get The Notebook for superheroes. I love being told how “cerebral” this movie is. It is “cerebral” because of its slow pace and bad acting.

3) Alexander
I was happy that a motion picture was going to be made about one of the greatest historical figures. The story of Alexander is fascinating. “Conquer your fear and I promise you will conquer death…” gave me tingles and made want to fight for Sparta. Then I saw the cast, Farrell, Jolie, Hopkins, and Oliver Stone as director. This was going to be epic on all scales. What it ended up being was a steaming turd laid in front of me for two and half hours. Great trailer though…thanks (sarcasm).

2) Van Helsing
A terrific idea for a movie. I couldn’t wait to see Van Helsing hunting down vampires. Hugh Jackman was coming off X-Men fame and perfectly cast. The trailer was put together nicely with morphing vampires and Van Helsing armed with cool gadgets. Jackman confessing that being a vampire hunter is his “curse” put me in line to see this. The only thing cursed was this abomination of a movie. This thing should be aborted from every video store shelf. If you have a copy in your house, get rid of it because it will steal an hour and half of your life.

1) Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
This was it. This was the trailer we waited sixteen years to see. There was no way after seeing this trailer that Star Wars would not regain control of the movie industry. Every Generation has a legend… and you know the rest. The music cues and suddenly my pants are wet. This trailer might be part of the greatest hoax of all time. This was going to be THE Star Wars movie. It was going to bind generations together. Young kids were once again going to collect toys, wear t-shirts, fight outside with plastic lightsabers and utter quotes from Episode One. The only quotes uttered were “Wow, that sucked!” and “What the hell is a midichlorian (sp)?” You evil trailer making bastards made me feel good until May of 1999 and then I was hit with Jar Jar and the kid from Jingle All the Way whining about his pod racer. Thanks for the raping of my childhood, but hey, the trailer was GRRREAT! (Click the picture of Obi-Wan and Anakin to the right of this article to view trailer)

I just can't take my eyes off of you.

There are days when you are sitting on your couch with your remote in hand flipping endlessly through channel after channel. It is one of those days for you. There is nothing of consequence sports wise, drizzle has speckled your windows, and you’re still wearing your pajama bottoms. As you press the channel up button and yawn with your mouth as big as a boa constrictor, Al Pacino is sitting at the dinner table with his family. You immediately stop and the remote falls to the floor with a dull thud. You know you won't need it anymore because THIS is The Godfather. You sit with great anticipation as you wait for James Caan to put his brother-in-law in a trashcan. You have watched this movie sixty-one times, yet, it still enthralls. Your wife or girlfriend enters the room and proposes a trip to the mall or some other mundane activity that will satisfy no voids in your day. Then you have it, the power of The Godfather. She sees Pacino hiding the gun in the bathroom and with a voice of utter contempt she says, “I’ll be back in a few hours.” This is the power of a movie you cannot turn off no matter the circumstance. This is the beauty of having five hundred cable channels. This is your day.

For the sake of today’s Roar I have listed five movies that I cannot turn off. This means I will continue watching no matter where I "pick it up" on T.V.

5) Field of Dreams/Hoosiers
This was a difficult decision because this list could easily have five sports themed movies. Field of Dreams is a classic as is Hoosiers. Both are tear-jerkers in their own way. It is damn near impossible to not cry at the thought of having a catch with your dad. Hoosiers is just the perfect David versus Goliath story. Ollie does make his free throws and all is well in Hickory. If these movies are on, I will come.
Favorite Moments: “They will come Ray…” and every speech Hackman gives to his team.

4) Clash of the Titans
It is Ray Harryhausen at his best. The gods on Mount Olympus deciding the fate of Perseus and a mash of many tales make this one entertaining movie. I am still scared to death of the cannibalistic Stygian Witches. Give us back the eye!
Favorite moment: Any scene with Calibos.

3) Jaws
Jaws always frightened me as a kid and frankly, I never understood the buzz around the movie until I was about 12. I came to the realization that it wasn’t just a shark movie, but these characters were in a dreadful situation. They weren’t just prop pieces so the shark could eat on screen. The real menaces were the people of Amity. Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider, and Richard Dreyfuss are all aces in this flick. “You scream barracuda…” and I am there watching.
Favorite moment: Boys playing shark prank on beachgoers only to have the real deal bite some dudes leg off moments later. Classic.

2) Rocky
Rocky isn’t a sports movie as much as it is a human drama. I cannot turn this movie off and I get choked up at the every time Stallone crawls into bed with Adrian and confesses that he cannot beat Apollo. The man knows his destiny and after all these years, I am not turning this one off.
Favorite moment: Apollo’s entry into the ring.

1) The Shawshank Redemption
When thinking of perfect movies this is the movie I think of because it is textured so beautifully in every scene. It flawlessly weaves major themes in and out of every moment. Andy and Red have a great on screen friendship that is not only seen, but felt. This movie is on T.V. frequently, but it also finds its way into DVD player now and again. I’d crawl a mile in crap just to watch this one.
Favorite Moment: Negotiating beers for the boys while doing hard labor.

Imagination Lost: A True Toy Story

Imagination Lost: A True Toy Story

When I was a child toys were a huge part of my life. I had GI Joe, Transformers, and Star Wars toys laying all over my room. The toys themselves were designed well and pretty durable considering I took them in a multitude of environments. There was something about playing with toys that was special as opposed to simply collecting them. It never occurred to me or any of my friends to leave an action figure in its package or to keep the original box in pristine shape. I saw playing with toys has a game of participation. It was chance to create a storyline and use my limitless imagination. I created worlds and characters that had not previously existed. Whatever I imagined became a reality. There were continuing storylines that went on for years and it was exciting to spend my free time just being a kid. Childhood is something to behold. It is probably the most powerful experience any of us will ever have. There is a simplicity and beauty to being a kid. The mind thinks differently, perhaps it is the way we should think in adulthood. Think simple with a big imagination and things will certainly get accomplished. Something terrible has happened to childhood in recent times. Imagination has been stolen and replaced by video game consoles.

As I watch generation after generation grow, it is apparent that children need to be entertained and modern toys seem to do all the entertaining. Kids are not required to use toys as a vehicle to their imaginations. Instead, toys are used as vehicles to earn a way into their parent’s wallets. I cannot walk into a toy store and buy a toy for $1.99 anymore and have a child be satisfied. Nowadays, we spend five to six hundred dollars on a video game console. Video games themselves are not to blame. Parents however need to shoulder some of the responsibility for the sad state of childhood. In my neighborhood, kids do not play outside anymore, pick-up games are a rarity, and I haven’t seen a tree fort or secret club pop up anywhere around my wooded property. I have to believe that sports clinics and the X-Box 360 are doing ALL of the thinking for today’s youths. There are exceptions to the rule, but it is hard to swallow that “childhood,” in all of its glorious splendor, has been hijacked by corporate terrorists.

The impact of toys on my life has been very substantial, but it wasn’t just toys that made being a kid special. It was the use of my imagination. There were things that existed in my head that did not exist anywhere else. I had an Atari and it was cool, but not as cool as my GI Joe Base or my Death Star playset. Pac-Man could never be a substitute for Roadblock or Optimus Prime. I recently stood in a collectibles store and I saw some of my old toys in glass cases staring at me as if they were saying, “Where have you been?” It was a true Peter Pan moment. I am now an “old man” by most childhood standards and my imagination isn’t what it used to be. I still catch a glimpse now and again of childhood and it feels so good that my eyes well up with tears. I cannot wait to have children some day and stand in their bedroom. It is my hope that it will no longer be a glimpse into childhood, but a permanent stay through the eyes of my kid. I will be able to go “home” again and I will surely bring my toys with me.

Thanks to Wayne Keller for giving me the idea for this article

Bad Assness

Do remember the first time you saw Samuel L. Jackson’s Jules hand down his edict to a group of terrified kids in Pulp fiction? Watching Jackson in that scene personifies the meaning of Bad Assness. Now, assness isn’t a word. It is more of a state of being. It can be seen on screen when a character is in complete control in a dire situation or when he/she just refuses to give into impossible odds. There are some truly bad ass characters that have hit the cinema. They radiate something from the screen to the audience. There is a certain confidence in their being and they usually perform well under extreme duress. Do they always succeed? No. They don’t have to win to carry the mantel of Bad Assness. So for the purpose of today’s roar, I have picked some true bad asses who for whatever reason, show that they possess great bad assness on screen.

5) Arnold Schwarzenegger (Predator)
“ You are one ugly…,”Great line and Arnold’s Dutch shows us just how bas ass he really is. Dutch is faced with impossible odds in this movie. The Predator is far more advanced and an accomplished hunter. Arnold is beaten in the end he takes both he and the alien out. The defining scene is Dutch buried in the mud with only his eyes showing, that alone gives Arnold Bad Assness.

4) Patricia Arquette (True Romance)
Alabama gets her head beat to a pulp by James Gandolfini and she keeps on ticking. This is probably the most violent scene you’ll ever witness in a movie and Arquette shows why she carries bad assness. She must weigh 100 pounds less than Gandolfini yet she gets the better of him. A truly gruesome, but ultimately satisfying scene. Yes, women can be bad asses too.

3) Bruce Willis (Die Hard)
It is a no-brainer. John Mclane cannot be stopped in Die Hard, but the scene that gives him bad assness is when he walks on broken glass in bare feet. Some of us would rather be shot at or thrown out a window. Shards of glass in the feet has got to hurt and think about how much you’d have to really rely on walking/running to fight terrorists. Yippie Kay Oww!

2) Christian Bale (Batman Begins)
Training with the League of Shadows should be enough for Bruce Wayne, but it is not. To actually get yourself arrested to study the mindset of criminals is a bold thing to do. Bale plays Wayne/Batman perfectly in this movie and carries a ton of bravado, but not before getting beat up. His toughness becomes clear during his training with Ducard (Liam Neeson). He finally gave the villains of Gotham something to fear, a symbol and his bad assness.

1) Robert Shaw (Jaws)
"...I'll never put on a lifejacket again. So,
eleven hundred men went in the water, three hundred and sixteen men come out,
the sharks took the rest, June the 29, 1945. Anyway, we delivered the bomb."

Quint is number one and his bad assness is over the top in one of the greatest scenes in movie history.

Prime Time

The truth is that Transformers were some of the coolest toys of the eighties. They provided a dual purpose. You purchased a militarized robot that could also change into a car, truck, plane, or a handgun. The toys, however, were deeply flawed. It took too long to transform them back and forth, so having a battle took hours as opposed to the minutes it took to put a grenade launcher into the hands of a G.I. Joe. The movie, like the toys is deeply flawed too. It lacks a tight script and pays too little attention to its cast (robots included). I sat in the theater and thought to myself, “What is this movie?” It is bad…bad ass. This movie, Transformers, with all of its flaws is undeniably fun.

Transformers stars Shia LaBeouf (Disturbia) as Sam. LaBeouf is a star in the making and I hope he continues to pick roles that really show how talented an actor he can be. Transformers isn’t the movie that will define his career, but it is the sort of spring board that will launch him into better roles. LaBeouf’s Sam is the typical high school boy. He is love sick for the local hottie Mikaela Banes (Meghan Fox) and summazizes that the only way to get her is to have a car. His wish is granted in the form of Camaro. Sam soon discovers that his car is also a robot and has its own personality. This is played out well in a few entertaining scenes involving Sam and his potential girlfriend. This is where Transformers could have turned into an E. T. type movie or Iron Giant. Both options are avoided in favor of Autobots (good guys) and Decepticons (bad guys) destroying everything in their paths.

I was more than happy that director Michael Bay chose the direction of Autobots and Decepticons obliterating each other. Bay has always been chastised for providing audiences with little in terms of a good script, but let’s face it, this is Transformers. The action sequences are some of the best I have scene in recent history. There are distinct details given to each robot and the slow motion action scenes allow the audience to see just how unique each character is when using their specialty. This is the best work ILM as ever done and the fan boy in me almost wishes they had waited to make the new Star Wars trilogy. The robots/cars transform seamlessly and the “CGI” is rarely identifiable. This movie is a rare case where special effects really do tell the story.

Michael Bay has done something special here. He has created a FUN summer movie. There is no “dark side” or deep mental issue. It doesn’t involve pirates and their daddy issues and there are no green ogres. This is a movie that defines summer, a big bucket of popcorn and huge smiles. The eight-year old boy in me had a blast and I can say with confidence this movie is more than meets the eye.

You Can Phone Home Again

Recently, I read a review of the movie Transformers. This particular critic said that it was the greatest time he has had at the theater in fifteen years. His comment got me to thinking about movies and their importance in our lives. Movies by themselves are really inconsequential in the “grand scheme” of things. They are a form of art that performs the public service of escapism. They allow us a brief vacation from reality or in some instances; they remind us of who we are. I was jealous that I wasn’t in the theater during this particular showing of Transformers because I wanted so much to have THAT experience where the audience is captivated and cheering the screen. It gives me “goose bumps” just thinking about how fun movies can be. Then it hit me. I have had that experience and it was with an unlikely person, my mother.

My mom isn’t a lover of film and truthfully, she never appreciated movies the way I have. However, she did appreciate my love for film. She has taken me to see some of the all-time greatest movies ever made. I remember seeing The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Muppet Movie, Superman I and II, and The Dark Crystal. Taking me to a movie was a departure from her normal routine of work and I think she liked the idea of the two of us hanging out for two hours. I miss those times. During the summer of 1982 a young boy realized just how special movies can be. My Mother grabbed me from my grandmother’s house on a hot afternoon and little did I know that E.T. would be THAT film experience for me.

To say E.T. might be the perfect movie is an understatement. It has endured the test of time and is still regarded as one of the best films to hit Cineplex’s. For me, it is more personal. My mother and I entered the theater and it was crowded. We sat in the front of the theater and it didn’t matter to me because I was getting to spend time with the person I loved most in the world. She loaded me up with the “big bucket” of corn. I still purchase the big popcorn until this day. I had no idea what E.T. was about, all I knew is that I saw a kid flying a bike in the poster. I was more than exited to see flying bikes. When the movie started I was immediately captivated by a creature running around the forest as police chased him. I was also scared. I snuggled against my mom’s thigh looking for protection. As the movie went on, I would glance at my mom to see if she was interested and to my delight she never took her eyes off the screen. We both ate our popcorn slowly and this was tough for a fat kid like me because I was used to heaping it down my throat. Then it happened, the moment I’ll never forget. E.T. was close to certain death as he lay in a ditch. He was a pasty white and mumbling. I looked at my mother and saw her crying. I began to cry, but not because the cute, little alien was dying. I cried because it was the first time in my life I saw my mom as vulnerable. Frankly, it was refreshing because she was now human to me. She looked at me and smiled with tears in her eyes as if to tell me, “Look at us crying at a movie.” Yes, we were crying at a movie and it was a definitive and poetic moment in my life. My mom was human and not some Extra-Terrestrial.

Don't Put These Movies In A Corner!

A guilty pleasure is something you know shouldn’t like, but you do. For example, some manly men may like “girl drinks” or the sound of Justin Timberlake blasting through their car system. I for one only like beer and Justin Timberlake blasting through my car stereo, but only if he is with N-Sync. So for today’s “roar,” I’ve named five movies that are pure guilty pleasures. I do not regard them as good movies, but as movies I like. These are movies I watch in secret and “may” have in my DVD collection. I encourage you to comment and list your own “guilty pleasures.”

5) Road House
I don’t know what it is about this movie, but any time Sam Elliot shows up in a film I like it. The ending is a bit over the top, but the villain, Ben (Brad Wesley), did bring J.C. Penny to town and he wasn’t afraid to tell us. Plus, I enjoy a big monster truck scene in any movie.

4) Cabin Boy
Cabin Boy shockingly was not nominated for any academy awards, but this movie is damn funny. Chris Elliot does what Chris Elliot does best, he plays a “boob” named Nathaniel Mayweather. This movie doesn’t take itself too seriously and you shouldn’t either. Hey, wanna buy a monkey?

3) Fools Rush In
Salma Hayek is hot, hot, hot. I still believe this is a great romantic comedy. You could say it is the original Knocked Up. Matthew Perry plays an architect who has a one night stand with Hayek. She becomes pregnant and the relationship begins in reverse. I enjoyed the birth at the Hoover Dam. Again, Hayek is hot.

2) Above the Law
Steven Seagal is the man in this movie. He plays Nico Toscani a cop with an attitude and like every action movie from this genre, he is an ex-Vietnam veteran. I love the fact that Seagal actually has writing credits on this film. Sharon Stone also appears as his wife. What, are you gonna arrest me for liking this movie?

1) Dirty Dancing
I feel “dirty” just writing about this film. Yes, I called it a film because it is cinematic treasure. I developed a bit of crush on Jennifer Grey after this movie. I only view it under the guise that my wife is watching it and I was forced. Jerry Orbach plays a cool dad too. Nobody puts this movie in a corner.

I'll take an order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix could easily have slipped into dangerous territory for director David Yates. Yates could have made a derivative film based on the efforts of previous directors Christopher Columbus, Alfonso Curaon, and Mike Newell. After five movies the easy is question is…What is so special about this series? The answer is in the cast. It is remarkable to see Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) , and Hermione (Emma Watson) grow on screen. There is a chemistry in this movie that has not only improved, but has worked itself to near perfection. It is evident that a certain amount of comfort exists between the actors. This credit has to go to Columbus because he is the one who put the cast together even though his “Potter” films are the most maligned. Because of the cast Yates has made a very good movie.
This movie like the book isn’t typical Harry Potter. It is less about magic and wonderment that goes with being a student at Hogwarts. It isn’t about Professor Snape, Dumbledore, or Hagrid. “Phoenix” is about friendship. It is not a stylistic movie friendship, where it is hard to see where the relationship began. It isn’t about “fair weather friends.” No, the friends of Harry in this movie (and book) are fiercely loyal and willing to die for a cause. These are the type of friends that are portrayed in the movie Good Will Hunting. They may take wands to your head instead of bats, but it is all the same. There is something beautiful about watching or reading about relationships based on love and loyalty. It is what we need the most to survive and it is certainly something Harry needs to complete his destiny. Love and loyalty are the only weapons he has to defeat Voldemort.
When we first see Harry he is contemplating life on a swing in the “muggle” world. His cousin Dudley, now bigger than ever and more dangerous, begins picking on Harry once again. Suddenly, the wizard world collides with human existence. A battalion of Dementors are dispatched to suck the life out of Harry. This is a shocking event to everyone in the wizard world because the Dementors do not belong in current day England. This incident spurs Dumbeldore to continue trying to convince The Ministry of Magic that Voldemort is back and mounting an army. The “government” is in complete denial that Voldemort is a threat and has grabbed control of the papers and media to spin everything in their favor. Meanwhile, Professor Dolores Umbridge is “placed” in Hogwarts to keep a close eye on Dumbledore. Umbridge is played amazingly well, by Imelda Staunton. This was probably a “Potterites” biggest fear that she wouldn’t come off mean enough. Fans won’t be disappointed. Umbridge finally takes control of the school and lays out “educational decrees” which are an attempt to control every aspect of Hogwarts. The focus being that the students do not need to learn to defend themselves because there is no real threat. Harry and his mates seem to know better and create a secret club called Dumbledore’s Army. Potter is enlisted has their leader and even though some of the students are apprehensive first, they learn to follow Harry. This is where the movie works best. These are kids taking education into their own hands, not for a test, but for self-preservation. This all leads up to an arousing clash between a bunch of unseasoned kids against the battle tested loyalists to Voldemort. The climax is the best in the movie series so far and it probably would payoff to see the IMAX 3-D version.
This series could have become a commercial. Every year or so we could have been inundated with merchandising from all angles. Yes ,there is Potter merchandise, but not to the extent of some other franchises. The movies have gotten better as the characters have grown more sophisticated. As a fan of the novels it has been pleasure to read Rowling’s books. Her writing has improved with every line and it is clear that the screen writers have done the same with the movies. Like or not Harry Potter has become a mythological icon in literature and now film. I for one, like it.

Underrated

It was not easy to pick five movies that are underrated. The criteria for picking just five kept changing and my rationale for each is admittedly flawed. I have chosen five movies that I felt are under appreciated as films either for excellent scripts or amazing performances. I welcome comments, debates, or pure disagreements. You see, I love movies and almost everyone has an opinion when it comes to film. I do not profess to know more than anyone when it comes to cinema, but I do believe I bring a unique perspective when it comes to creating these lists. I hope you enjoy my five most underrated movies.

5) Serpico
Pacino sports maybe the coolest beard as he plays an undercover cop. This movie is underrated because most do not talk about this as being one of Al’s shining career moments. His performance still gives me chills.

4) Donnie Darko
Sure it has a cult following, but Jake Gyllenhaal is flat-out scary in this film. Patrick Swayze has an unlikely role and when the truth about his predilection for young children is revealed it is quite shocking. Watching characters go schizo is a dangerous thing in movies, but this film has a visual style that is unmatched in most and carries itself well. Plus, we get to see a six-foot rabbit named Frank.

3) Donnie Brasco
Yup, another Donnie movie. It has always been interesting to me that when “mob” movies are mentioned “Brasco” is very rarely mentioned. It is usually Goodfellas, The Godfather, and Casino. I think “Brasco” is better than Casino because of the two male leads. Pacino( Lefty) and Depp (Joey Pistone) give TWO amazing performances and Michael Madsen (Sonny Black) is quite good too. Pacino brings such sadness to his character and Depp definitely has chemistry with Al.

2) Dazed and Confused
This is a coming of age story that is flawlessly executed. I have never felt so good after watching a movie than I felt watching Dazed and Confused. It is the quintessential “greatest night of our lives” movie ever made and in my opinion surpasses American Graffitti on almost every level. Great performance by Matthew McConaughey as Wooderson. I get older, but this movie gets better with age.

1) The Ice Storm
Ang Lee’s crowning achievement in my opinion. In a movie about human relationships, it has never been handled so well. Lee explores the implications of relationships through literal and symbolic terms. This movie was truly heartbreaking for me to watch and I spent days thinking about it after seeing it in an empty theater. I guess the effect it had on me is why I have it listed has the most underrated movie. It did not get the critical acclaim it deserved.

Overrated, Overrated, Overrated!!!

This all started a week ago when I was watching couple of hugely popular films on television. As I watched, It had occurred that both of these films are the most overly hyped, overly acted and overly liked by the masses for reasons that are unknown to me. I have chosen five movies for this purpose that I believe are overrated. You will probably disagree wholeheartedly with my choices. Some of you may accuse me of smoking dope or doing other hallucingines. I am fine with that because the purpose of a "list" is always to spur on debate among the masses. It has always amazed me that people fall in love with certain movies. I have to admit some of my favorites are bad films by certain standards. Here is the list:

5)It's a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra does a "wonderful" job directing this mess of a movie. Jimmy Stewart is Jimmy Stewart of course. I have always liked this movie because it is associated with the holiday, but lets face it this guy wants to KILL himself. We as the audience have to be empathetic to his griping. He has a "wonderful" wife and beautiful children. Lets feel bad for poor Jimmy and wish him a Merry Christmas. Every time a bell rings another overbloated holiday movie is made a classic.

4) Gladiator
Hey, I am Russell Crowe and my movie won an Oscar. I have never gotten Gladiator as a great movie. Is it cool? Sure. The guy fights a lion/tiger that is cool enough for me. Russell Crowe is all of five feet four inches tall. It is hard for me to see him has this chisled bad ass even though in real life he likes to fight. Nice work in this movie by Richard Harris. Gladiator lacked realism for me. I think it was Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus who gave the Thumbs Down and so do I.

3) Scarface
I know, I know you all love this craptacular movie. This movie moves at the speed of mud. Pacino is great, but the movie is actually pretty terrible. It must have been difficult to write a movie with f**** in every quarter of a word. I think more young kids love this movie than adults and that is sad. I love Pacino and he will show up on tomorrow's list of underrated films, but for now Scarface is overrated. Say Hello to that you drug dealin' imbecile.

2)The Usual Suspects
This movie drives me absoulutley crazy. Let's have the audience believe one thing and spring it on them later that it was just the opposite. Seriously, Kevin Spacey is overrated as an actor with the exception of American Beauty which is a gem. The problem with "Suspects" is that you have to like it because the cast is so good. Whoa! Gabriel Byrne is in this, he was in Point of No Return, I have to like it because my manhood will be questioned. I still don't know the difference between Kaiser Roll and Keyser Soze.

1) Titanic
A million Oscars. Tons of money. A sinking ship. A love story. James Cameron. When I first saw this movie, I was amazed how tense people were, like they didn't know the ship was going to hit an iceberg. Billy Zane was impressive however. Jack and Rose was a love story for the ages especially when her virginty is taken and all we see is her hand on steamy glass. Titanic was tragedy not only as a real life event, but as a film. Terminator, Titanic..I am still baffled here Jimbo. I'd see Aquaman though especially if he swims to the Titanic.

Hey Ma, I am Knocked Up

Knocked Up

Knocked Up is Judd Apatow’s (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) latest romantic-comedy. A lot of writers/director’s suffer from a sophomore slump after a huge hit. It is hard to forget Kevin Smith’s rise and fall and rise again with his “Jersey Trilogy.” Clerks was witty sprayed with brilliant, comical dialogue. Mallrats was not the hit everyone expected only to be outdone by Chasing Amy, which was borderline brilliant when dealing directly with its character’s relationship issues. Apatow is different from Smith in many ways, but both deal with real life situations very effectively. Knocked Up takes a worn out formula and makes it special, much like Smith’s curve ball with Chasing Amy. This movie isn’t Maid in Manhattan or Hitch. It is something that is much more personal. It is about marriage, pregnancy, friendship, and ultimately an unlikely coming of age story. The brilliance of the movie is it appeals to everyone. It is part a male-bonding buddy movie and a chick-flick rolled into one. The plot of this movie is simple, a man out punts his coverage and lands a hottie in which he impregnates. This where comedy hijinks should ensue, but what we get is much more
Ben Stone played by Seth Rogan (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) doesn’t play by the rules of a romantic-comedy. He isn’t the sweet protagonist who is love sick and looking to give his good intentions to the right woman. No, Ben is a selfish and at times, an unlikable twit, with his head buried in his rear-end. He is unemployed, and has exactly 117 dollars in his bank account. He is not ready for life, but life is ready for him. This is where Apatow shows us his brilliance. He gives us a touching scene between Ben and his father (played by Harold Ramis) where it clearly shows how scared Ben is at the possibilities of being a father. His dad has no profound advice, but supports his son without judgment. This is where the movie switches gears a bit and we begin to see just how poignant the story really is. How many times in our lives are we not ready to change who we are, but “life” forces us to do so? This becomes Ben’s dilemma throughout the movie and at times it takes him a while to change his ways.
Katherine Heigl plays a completely different character in Alison. Alison is career motivated, has a bank account and is not ready to be pregnant. Apatow again shows us his true talent and his actually able to make us see things from the female perspective. This isn’t the movie where the man has to rescue the women. In most ways, it is the woman rescuing the man. I liked this aspect of the film. There are a few very touching scenes between Alison and her sister Debbie. What is wonderful about each of those scenes is that they are set upon comedic back-drop and as a viewer you are forced to take in what is said while smiling.
The most refreshing characters of Knocked Up are Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) who play Alison’s sister and brother-in-law. Is their marriage perfect? No, not by a long shot. Again, it is not formulaic where the perfect married couple has all the answers for the two love sick kids. These two characters are stressed with life as parents and life as a married couple. Pete probably has the funniest lines in the movie. His view on marriage is “… it is like an Episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, just not funny.” I loved Pete and Debbie as a character study. Many of you reading this will probably relate to Pete’s reasons for wanting to leave the house at certain times, which leads to his wife suspecting him of cheating.
Pete and Ben almost immediately become friends and as a guy I could certainly relate to their friendship. Rudd and Rogan pick up right where they left off in their previous efforts in The 40-Year-Old Virgin. They play off each other so naturally. It is my hope that these two actors do more movies together because there is something special there. Their trip to Las Vegas in this film is something to behold. It is especially funny because it involves psychedelic mushrooms and Cirques De Oles.
Knocked Up isn’t what I expected. It was much more. It was poignant, funny, heart breaking and heart warming. Apatow is now two for two. A real challenge will be for him to create something different, something away from romance. I am now curious to see just what he has in store for us. Until then, I may tried to get Knocked Up again.

Insane in the McLane

Live Free or Die Hard is the fourth installment of the Die Hard series and is quite possibly the most entertaining of any of the sequels. Watching this movie reminded of last years Rocky Balboa. It was like visiting with an old friend or putting on your most comfortable shirt. John McLane is not our typical hero. He doesn't complain about being old or bitch about his circumstance, he just takes care of the business at hand. The most entertaining part of Bruce Willis's Mclane is that he laughs along with audience at the complete absurdity of surviving the outlandish action. I for one love John McLane. He represents "throwback" action movies. The type of movies where you knew what were getting into. A movie that was laced with blistering action, great one-liners, and dare I say it, heart. These movies exist less and less these days due to CGI characters and "CGI" plots to a certain extent.
(LFODH) is a solid action movie with a solid script. Computer geniuses are plotting to create a three-pronged attack against the American infrastructure. I liked this part of the plot because these weren't just terrorists trying to steal a bomb or another weapon to hold the government hostage. They already have the weapon, technology. Timothy Olyphant plays Thomas Gabriel, a former FBI computer wiz. He warned the government that their system could be easily hacked and the utilities, transportation, and financial records of the country could be greatly compromised. Government officials, in their infinite wisdom, fired him and tarnished his career. He subsequently went into hiding and started plotting his revenge. I liked this character because he isn't some foreign terrorists. He isn't Muslim or some religious yahoo trying to bring down "evil." No, he is some scorned guy trying to prove point that wasn't well received. But with all great action movies, the villain never accounts for the hero. In this case, John Mclane.
Willis is teamed up Justin Long (Accepted) who plays Matt Farrell, a fringe computer genius who is manipulated into creating an algorithm to break National Security. Farrell is taken into custody by Mclane and what is supposed to be a simple transfer of a criminal turns into a fight for their lives. There are some nice moments between Willis and Long and it is clearly evident that Willis is still cool after all these years.
This movie is surrounded by great and implausible action sequences. But this is entertainment. There is a great sequence in the Lincoln Tunnel only to be outdone by an F-25 fighter on a highway. Again, it was pleasure to have John Mclane laugh with me at the ridiculousness of it all. In the end, Mclane is beaten, battered, and bruised.
Live Free or Die Hard just feels right. It is forgettable, but for two hours you will enjoy yourself. If you are from my generation, you will smile at every one-liner and laugh at the elaborate set pieces as they explode. This movie is a relic and if there is to be a fifth installment all I can say is "Yippie-Kay-Yay Mother...."