Burn Notice and B Movie Actors

Just another quick jaunt through my mind. So I've finally gotten into the show Burn Notice. It's taken me time though. I couldn't quite put my finger on it until recently.

Typically, I love a good B movie. They're campy, cheep, fun. And ultimately you see hungry up-and-comers that are really putting themselves on the line to make it or break it. Which leads to what caught my initial interest in the show, Bruce Campbell. I've been a huge fan of his for years. The initial ads for the show didn't win me over. Instead I was looking at it as a cheap, American knock-off of Mission Impossible. But with Bruce being cast, I felt it would only be right to give it a shot.

So I tried, failed. Tried again, and failed again. I just couldn't figure out what was throwing it. The dialogue was good, the filming was good, effects great, there's some good acting here. And it hit me, it's the acting of the main character. He's good with voices and accents, but ultimately he's just walking in, chin high, and delivering lines. I don't feel him. Not only that, but watching his movement kills me. He doesn't seem like a spy, or that he's even trying to play one. The most honest acting he does is when he's putting on a "please don't hit me" act for the bad guys. He just strikes me as a straight up sissy.

Now, I've watched all the way up through the end of season 4. It's steadily gotten better. The other actors are great, and the story has stayed true. I'm not seeing Michael Weston as much of an act now because Jeffrey Donovan has finally gotten comfortable (though not entirely connected) with the character. But it's evolving quicker and quicker, and I have hope to actually be pulled in completely fairly soon. I'm really liking it now. 

This is really why I don't care much for many well established actors. For instance Tom Cruise. Back in his early days he had emotion, and something tangible. Today, it doesn't matter if he's a spy, or Jerry Maguire, he plays it all the same. It makes him just another over paid actor, but once in a while, he breaks away from his norm and shows us he still has a little gas in the trunk. Such as when he portrayed Les Grossman.Then you have the likes of Nic Cage, who also has fallen in the rut of different characters generally being the same. What makes him different is when he tries to do something different, he comes across as freakin NUTS!

But when you get a B movie actor, you know it's truly for the love of film. That's probably why the Bruce Campbell's, Roddy Piper's, and Adrian Paul's keep their magic. They've seen glory, utter crap, risen again just to find they're standing knee deep in the sewer, and they keep coming back for more.

Hail to the B actor actor baby. And here's to Burn Notice getting better.

Death of a Bat

Rant time kids! Ben Affleck as the new Batman? Are you kidding me? This is one of the worst miscasts in Hollywood history. What are they thinking? Just seeing the title Bat-Flack made me want to puke!

They might as well put him in a blue and gray leotard! In talking to others I've said, and will say again, I'd take a claymation Batman over this bruised vagina! A good friend put it best and said they might as well have Tom Cruise pick up the role of Catwoman so he could reclaim his TomKat moniker.

Does Ben have some talent? Yes. But like many actors, he has a limited tool bag. And while I'm one of the few that actually thought Dare Devil was a decent movie, Affleck is no Batman, let alone a Bruce Wayne. I'm sure if Kevin Smith took a minute to think about it, he'd agree that his close friend is a horrible choice to dawn the cowl.

There are a number of others that would make for a better Bat. But that doesn't mean I'd want to see them do it. Samuel L Jackson, Pee Wee Herman, hell, even the kid with downs who played Corky on Life Goes On would make for a better Bat than this polished turd.

All I can say is that this had best be a one time thing. And that he only has a 5 second cameo. Think I'm going to go lose my dinner now.

Family Time: 3 Generations and a Memory

Today was a good day. I wish my wife and older kids could have come along, but they were out of town. So it was still a good day for a few of us. Got to spend some quality time with my youngest boy, and my mom. And I created a memory. And a memory created out of quality time is always a good thing.

So what happened? I took them to see the original Ghostbusters movie. It was being shown at a local theater today. And there really is no substitute for seeing a great film like that on the big screen. Sure, you can rent it, or buy it, but you really do miss some things in translation to the home theater. Things such as the bag of Marshmallows on counter being Stay Puft, a prelude to things to come. Details of equipment, or even the characters. For instance, seeing Gozer on the big screen is much more intimidating. She doesn't just have red eyes. Her eyes are intense, and have a lot of things happening. Let alone the rest of her character. The various ghosts are amazing. Plus it's just plain fun.

Of course everyone in my family has seen the Ghostbusters. I'm not sure how many times I've replaced copies of both films. But even my kiddo was excited about it being on the big screen. Which is great in my opinion. Originally, I remember clearly my parents taking me to the drive-in theater to see it as a kid. I've loved it ever since. I remember there was a light rain, and the windows in the backseat fogged up a little bit. Then a couple years ago, my wife and I went to a late showing at the 2011 re-release and got to relive our childhood all over again. So today was my boys chance to experience it.

It's very reminiscent of my first time as well. As it was clouding up while we were at the show. And this evening, closer to the time I first saw it, it's raining lightly out. It's as if Dad is looking down and smiling. Aside from not being at a drive-in this time around, there is only one really big difference. This time I didn't eat 2 large tubs of popcorn, and throw up in the backseat on the way home. ;) Today was indeed, a good day.

Undead Snorefest

So time for a little opinion kiddies. The zombie thing has been played out. Don't get me wrong, I love a good zombie. But it's gotten pretty ridiculous recently. Movies, TV, video games, books, comics, advertisements, radio, slippers, magnets, the list goes on. Much like an apocalyptic story, they're everywhere.

Growing up, my favorite monster quickly became the zombie. For the most part, if you wanted a zombie tale, you were looking for reading material. There were a few zombie movies out there, but not a lot. You had versions like the mummy. Cheesy and barely inspired stories. Then you had George Romero's original trilogy. Those were great movies that made you double check the doors at night. I would watch those with my dad on many occasion. Just about every Halloween, he'd paint his face up zombie style too. I even remember going with him to see Return of the Living Dead 2, while my mom and little brother were across the hall watching Throw Mama From the Train.

Zombies had that appeal because they weren't common. Vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and various others were a dime a dozen. They even had their own cereals, courtesy of General Mills. Now I know some of you are saying, "What about Frankenstein's monster?" He was just that, a monster that was pieced to together by several dead people, and therefor not a zombie. Even the Monster Squad stayed clear of zombies, with a loosely connected mummy that was essentially nothing more than a wad of toilet paper.

Fast forward a few years. New breeds of zombies were starting to come out, and the first Resident Evil games stepped forward. This combined with the monsters and demons from Doom coming to eat you, zombies had a new platform. Even a good remake of Night of the Living Dead found it's way into theaters. And for about a decade it was good. While there were some absolutely horrible movies made, there weren't a lot. The entertainment biz was taking care to make good zombies. Then came the early 2000's to present. Zombies crawling from the ground, zombies made by viruses, zombies that aren't really zombies, but are merely people infected by viruses, people turned into zombies because they're bit by a mosquito that had previously fed on a zombie. Zombies have joined their undead brethren in becoming a dime a dozen. There are few zombie movies that I enjoy anymore.

The biggest allure that zombies had was that you didn't know what you were going to get because there just were that many of them. Now, you know just about everything you need to just by seeing an ad for the new show. What's worse is when Hollywood takes a great book and then tries to convert it to the big screen. I weep for World War Z, as I do for the many other books that Hollywood has done completely wrong. While most of the world is excited to see what new zombie movie is on the horizon, I'm patiently waiting for Netflix. That way, when I fall asleep my snoring doesn't bother anyone. At least the Walking Dead, hasn't taken a huge fall on its face yet.

Best Sci-Fi franchise

In the geek world, and outside among the average Joe, there's a question that runs rampant. Star Wars or Star Trek? Some people say they don't care for either, but we all know it's just a facade. Probably because they don't want to choose wrong, or they don't want to get caught up in the argument over which is better. My answer? Well, you'll have to keep reading to find out.

Let's start with Star Wars. Here we have a military force, a guerrilla force on the run, and a few people that for lack of better terminology are using wizardry (ie the force). While there's somewhat of a rank structure, it's all shot down by "ambassadors"  known as the jedi. Not only that, but these "ambassadors" command and lead military assaults, and essentially dictate politics under the guise of negotiation. While the Empire shows a little bit more consistency throughout the whole of the series, it's not until the new trilogy that we know for sure that there are non-officer ranks which of course go to the little guys we see killed by the handful, the storm troopers and imperial scouts. Now, I'll take a moment here to address the "princess" because some will take note of her military service here too. A princess by adoption, not blood. And not only that, it's not unheard of for royalty to actually serve in the military. I'll refer you to Prince Harry as one of many. It's got war, a love story, family quarrels (that the Hatfields and McCoys can relate too), teddy bears, and all an all powerful Toxic Avenger looking Oompa-Loompa (aka Yoda). Plus, a lot of inconsistency. The Jedi can levitate, mess with minds, reflect shots with their swords, but a couple of storm troopers can take them prisoner and lock them up with little trouble. But hey, it's a lot of fun to watch. The cartoons on the other hand.... well my kiddo likes them, that's good enough.

Now you have Star Trek. Here you have military forces in conflict, trying to act as good will ambassadors and negotiate politics. With exception of Miles O'Brian (who went back and forth in rank a lot in TNG) you never see the enlisted man. It's always the head officers of the ship taking care of business. That's probably my biggest peeve of the whole series. While there's occasionally a first officer or someone saying the Captain shouldn't go, it's still the Command Staff putting boots to butts. Even the dreaded red shirt was usually an Ensign, or Lieutenant of some sort, and that's if they even mentioned their rank. But Star Trek does try to stay a bit more grounded in science. While there is some mystical elements here and there, they don't normally go too far. And Trek tries to go more in depth with the human elements such as emotions, taboos, beliefs, stresses, etc. It's not so much a struggle of good and evil like Star Wars, but rather overcoming adversity and growing.

So which is better? I'll direct you towards the grossly over looked Babylon 5. Yes, I said it. B5. (Insert evil laugh, and music here) While I like both of the above mentioned, Babylon 5 is a superior product. You have enlisted ranks, and established command structure, common ailments and addictions, failed political moves, coupes, wars, multiple religions and belief structures, grounded roots in science with a little bit of mysticism to allow you to fully escape your current reality and move into it's reality. You never know what's going to happen, or if things will work out. Unlike Star Wars, and Star Trek, you don't always end up with an ultimately happy ending. You say goodbye to major characters, and hello to others. It's a roller coaster that has as many ups as it does downs. And command staff get punished from time to time. They don't always get to lead missions. The enlisted man is an essential element in many cases. They do the work, while the command staff is along for the ride, and making decisions to guide them from the ground just like they do in real life. Sure it never made it to the big screen, but it had 5 great years, a number of TV movies, and who knows what the future will bring. The same can be said for other greats such as the modern incarnation of Battlestar Galactica. The next big thing may just be waiting a few decades to come back, much like the original Star Trek.

Superhero Equals Super Dilemma

You have to love a good super hero. They can do the things that nobody else can, but wishes they could. They stand up for all that's right. They take the best shot adversity has to offer, smile, and say, "Is that all you got?" While this may be a bit late for some, others are probably waiting like me.

Over the years I have become a Batman fan like so many others. Sure there have been some other good heroes. The Phantom, Flash, the Punisher, Darkman, the Rocketeer, the Shadow, Hulk, Ironman, Spiderman, Xmen, I'll even let you have Hancock. However, I'd be lying if I said that the Bat was always my favorite. Sure, I watched old 1968 cartoons that Casey Kasem voiced. Enjoyed the Adam West shows. And loved when Michael Keaton donned the cowl. But my original favorite is and always will be Superman. While we all know how much I love TMNT, Superman has always been in a special place. When I was little I had Superman Pajamas. We're talking the blue, with red ankles, the red and yellow "S" across the chest, and a red cape that attached to the shoulders with velcro. Christopher Reeves would have covered the floor in puke by how much of a mark I was. I'd put on my pajama's, climb on the top of the couch, bed, counters, or whatever else was around and jump off doing my best Superman impression. Sometimes even mimicking the music from the movies to the best of my ability. To this day I still have a red cape that my grandma made me with a "B" on it. (For Burtman of course. Start my entrance music.) My youngest gets a kick out of it.

Over the years however, I've drifted away from the Man of Steel a bit. I contribute this to the lack of any real movies over the years. Sure, there have been some TV shows, but they've always lacked something. Dean Cain was just too sappy. And Tom Welling's portrayal was just a bit too young. Then after several years, Brandon Routh donned the cape, and other than a few hiccups, there was hope that Superman would fly again. But then hope fell flat on its face.

Now, in an age of reboots, Superman is back. I'm excited but have mixed feelings at the same time. Not because an Englishman is playing him this time. After all, we're not talking about Snake Plissken. Superman is an alien, not an American. That seems to be a fact lost on many these days. No, I have mixed feelings because it is a reboot. A reintroduction that's not really needed. A start that can go in any direction. And new twists that can go either way. In days past, this would have been the one movie I would have geeked out, and camped out at the theater for. But my distaste for Hollywood these days, has me on the back burner, and debating when I'll go. To make things worse I've seen rave reviews, and some that absolutely tear it to shreds. So I don't know if I want to pay the gazillion dollars to see it now, wait for the dollar theater, or wait even longer for DVD. Decisions, decisions. Perhaps I'll ask my 7 year old to make up my mind for me. ;-)

Don't Listen to Critics

I've been hearing a number of people talking about going to see movies lately, or in other cases not going to see them because of critics reviews lately. Movie reviews, especially those done by critics, tend to get under my skin. It's for a number of reasons. Of the biggest issues I have with them is the fact that they always spoil some part of the movie. A critique on an advertisement is one thing, but it's rare for them to even mention the adverts. Oddly enough, a movie is getting ready to come out. We all know that critics tend to bash what end up being some of the best shows out there. And then they give praise to those that should have been left on the cutting room floor. But people still rush to them. Even news broadcast will bring up what's been said about a movie.

So you take a look at what the average critic has to say. Sure the lighting may be brought up, overbearing lens flares, over use of neon's, unusual angles. Sometimes even the music is mentioned. But how often to critics actually stop to recognize that it has to do with the scene that the director is trying to create? Rare. But they're happy to bash it. Especially if it's a new technique. But for a big name, they'll sit there in aw. (Keep in mind I'm not reviewing if a movie is good based on these examples) For example, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. They talked about how great the 3D was, and how it would blow you away. With exception of the plant growth during the end credits, this was NOT a movie worth seeing in 3D. Yet for Prometheus, they talked about how horrible it was. While the movie overall didn't benefit much from 3D as a whole, it was certainly better that Alice in Wonderland. The 3D effects of the holo-screens on the ship, and the landing sequence were gorgeous and truly benefited from the treatment. But in general, it was another in a long list of movies where 3D was just a gimmick. To date, I have seen more cartoons that have benefited from 3D than, live action movies.

Then you look at the high praise that they give to all the re-boots that Hollywood has been churning out lately. While some have been legitimately good shows, the praise is not needed. When you're looking at a re-boot, and a critic says that the "originality" of the movie is wonderful, my blood starts to boil. WHAT ORIGINALITY, IT'S A RE-BOOT? There's nothing new here. The premise hasn't changed. There's no new bad guys. And the outcome is still the same. What's worse is when they can spew that, and then start talking about how a re-boot of the same series is going to be something to look forward to. If you need an example, this is exactly what's happened with the Batman franchise. While Nolan was still working on Dark Knight Rises and said it would be the last in his trilogy, this morons were already drooling over what the next incarnation of the Bat will be. Are you guys seriously this dumb, or do you just play that roll on TV?

Then you have movies where the critic obviously has no idea what the source material is. For instance Punisher War Zone was panned as being too dark and violent. Have you never heard of this comic franchise? That's what he does! Then Aliens Vs Predator Requiem was trashed for being too violent, especially because children and babies were killed as part of the story line. So let me get this straight. It was alright to open a flame thrower up on a kid that an alien came out of in Aliens, but showing that humans are nothing to aliens in this venue is different and wrong. You're joking right?

Lets take a look at their views on realism too. You have to love how a movie is so realistic, with fabulous fight scenes. So then you're watching this flick and it's time for the action. John Cena is fighting some bad guy. A body slam here, a flying clothesline there, and for extra measure he then tackles the guy and they go through the wall. Where exactly is the realism again? Have you ever been in a fight, let alone seen one?

The fact that these hacks are actually paid for their opinion sickens me. While some of the opinions they give may be fact, if you pay enough attention to them over time, you'll see they are as fake as "reality" TV. How they can sit there, give praise, and "highly recommend" a movie that the general public quickly shoots down is proof of that.

Bottom line, critics are offering paid opinions that are garbage and aimed to get your interest one way or another. If they're not saying, "Go watch this," then they are saying, "Go watch this because I'm saying not to." So make it easy on yourself. Is it an genre you like? Does the advertisement seem interesting? Is the concept interesting? If the answer to 2 or more of these is yes, then go see it and make your own opinion. You're not a sheep, don't let yourself be herded like one.

Cowabunga: Turtle Love

The first day of a new month, so lets start it right with a new entry.

Everyone has an inner child. Many just don't hear it, or are afraid to let it out. I'm not either of those type's. I'm the time that likes to let out my inner juvenile delinquent from time to time. And no, this is not one of those times I'll be letting loose with a fart joke. At least, not yet.

So my youngest and I went shopping the other day. We were on a mission to get my oldest boys birthday gift. Easy enough, mission was accomplished. However I've been needing a new wallet for a while though. My old one was not only falling apart, but what counts for "real" leather these days was starting to peel away. It got ugly. Almost to the point of busting out some duck tape. I should have taken a pic. Yes, I've done that in the past too.

So during out little adventure to the mall, (Oy, I hate that place) I decided to kill two birds with one stone. A while back a certain store had a wallet that caught my eye. And my inner juvenile delinquent has been telling me to get it ever since. And why not? We're only talking about one of my all time favorites here. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Granted, it's the cartoonish version from the 90's, but none the less it's the about the best you'll find these days.

I have to take the chain off for work, but it gets put right back on when I'm off work.

Cowabunga dude. It takes me all the way back to the early days. We're talking Eastman and Laird's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The blood, the gore, the insanely stupid puns. And don't forget, originally in black and white, and before they had individual coloring. I've been a fan, that long. Out in my garage, I still have my original poster from the first movie, sitting in a frame.

I'd wear this, just for the looks.

It still saddens me that they've been toned down. But I understand they're looking for the kids, not the adults, to market too. But then again, in my younger years I was such a big fan that even their Coming Out of Their Shells Tour was on my list. I'm not sure if I still have the VHS, but I know I still have the cassette in my tape collection. I can actually hear Pizza Power running in my head as I write this.

Most have forgotten, or just didn't know about this venture.

Then as an adult, it's good to let out your inner child sometimes. Especially when it means quality time with the family. My inner child took my family to see the last TMNT movie, and will still sit down and watch the cartoons with my kids. While it's not the same, it's not totally messed up either. They've done a decent job of keeping to the roots, but making some adjustments to keep the attention of the new generation of fans.

This isn't my actual poster, but it is the one I have.

Now we have a new movie on the horizon. At first it was claimed that the turtles would be aliens, but Michael Bay has come out at least twice that I'm aware of and said that it's not true, and the ooze would still be the cause of their current state. Personally I think Bay is the last person that should be involved in such an endeavor, but that's just my opinion. The fact that he's cast Megan Fox as April is a huge mistake, but I know he has his crush on her. So sad. Bay you better not destroy the turtles. If you smell what the Burtman is cooking. (Yes, that was a Rock inspired fart joke.)