Written by John Edward BetancourtThere was a time when football didn't dominate the landscape of sports. There were no scandals like DeflateGate, no round the clock discussions on whether or not a player would retire, or who would be drafted where, there was simply the game. A game where men with extraordinary talents came together to leave aggression and their skills out on the field. It is a time that is in many ways lost to history since the sport has become something more entirely, but thanks to the wonder of film those lost moments can always be resurrected courtesy of a motion picture that looks back at a time when football wasn't so glamorous in North Dallas Forty. Phil Elliott has incredible hands, and his gift when it comes to catching the ball has brought him a solid career as a football player. But as the years and injuries begin to mount, Phil finds himself on the outside looking in. Sure, he has a fine contract with the North Dallas Bulls, but his job is to ride the bench until needed, denying him the one thing he loves the most...playing the game. As the season continues on, Phil begins to see that the world of football is changing as it begins to go from fun game to full time business and Phil must make a decision, stay with what he loves and adapt in ways that will compromise his love of the game, or simply walk away. This is one of those motion pictures that I had heard of years ago but only stumbled upon recently courtesy of the wonder that is cable and well, this is one that quickly sucked me in. One way it accomplished that feat was that it managed to portray football in a way I had never seen. The film is designed to resemble pro football in the 1970's, an era that I never knew, and as I mentioned before, an era now forgotten, and the players represented here are so vastly different from the ones we see now. After all, it's a game to the guys in this film, especially to Phil. He knows he is a grown man making a ton of money just playing ball and his and his teammates lifestyles show it. They live life loose and drunk and full of painkillers from an era when medicine wasn't quite as advanced, which makes the characters equally as entertaining simply because they are so vibrant and violent at times. A chop block today is deemed controversial but here...it's business as usual. All of these elements make for an intriguing showdown between Phil and the team as you literally watch the league evolve into modern football. The coaches truly see it as a business, not just fun time and the players are treated as employees. It's a fun little satire to watch and one that raises your eyebrows when you see players doing things that are frowned upon today. For example, while these players do both medical and recreational drugs without a care in the world, use of the latter in today's era gets you suspended. It's one to watch for sure, not only because of its excellent story, production values and acting, but because it gives the modern fan of the sport a look back at how the game used to be, and how it evolved into the polished competition it is now.
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Written by Scott EdwardsIn a time of panic, which one are you, the leader, the follower or the one left in the corner crying their eyes out? I would hope that when all is said and done that I will be able to lead just a few people to safety, but if I do not know where that is, I will have to fall into the follower category. I am not proud of this, especially since I've been a leader at work, more often than I ever expected to be, but I only have a few places that I know inside and out and would not be a good one to follow if I had to lead my element. I'm gonna have to go see more places around town and try to figure out where would be the best place to hide out when the spit really starts to hit the fan. As the Earth is losing its battle to unknown aliens, people are trying to fight their way to freedom, but the only true way to survive is to leave the planet. While arks are leaving left and right, Lieutenant Baum and his men are able to catch a ride before it is too late. Being told that he will have to be put into cryogenic status for the flight does not sit well in the lieutenant’s stomach, but as he is not the skipper on this voyage, he complies. Putting his trusted gear into storage for the flight, Baum is put to sleep and without knowing of their final destination, is awakened by the ship quickly descending towards another world’s surface. Not being able to break free of his chamber, Baum is forced to watch as the ship crashes and when he awakens, he sees all of his fellow passengers being gunned down by an unseen force. Being able to track an outline of the hunters, Baum is able to save the captain of the ship from his impending doom, but as everyone is scattering, he knows that there is no way to save them all. Picking his battles, Baum uses his knowledge to his advantage and winds up finding more survivors of the crash, along with a group of other humans that arrived on the planet over a year ago. Finding out what he is really up against from the other group, Baum leads his followers on a trek that will take them into enemy territory, but with the promise of a ride home, nobody can say no to the expedition. Just a fun SyFy movie that will keep you glued to the screen until it ends. Wanting to see how the group will be able to battle the unseen Chameleons, along with find out what other secrets the planet holds, well it all makes for a fun viewing. If you are looking to get attached to anyone and have feel bads when they perish, well, maybe you need to read a Game of Thrones book or something. This is just the story of Lieutenant Baum trying to do his job and save the people under his protection and with the help of a local humanoid, Lea, he might be able to do just that. Having to stay on his toes at every turn during his trek, Baum is forced to make the hard decisions, along with keeping his urges at bay to keep everyone safe until they find a way off of the violent planet. The stars are only a stone’s throw away. Happy Viewing. Written by John Edward BetancourtI think it is safe to assume, that there are few people out there who enjoy the prospect of going to jail. The possibility of losing one's freedom and spending your days in a tiny cell away from such a beautiful world is a terrifying prospect if you ask me. So, most of us live our lives in an honest fashion in the hopes of avoiding ever having to face such a horrible possibility. But what if something went horribly awry and we were wrongly imprisoned? What would we do to prove our innocence and how far would we go to make that happen? It is this scary possibility that fuels the motion picture remake of a popular television show from the 1960's, The Fugitive. Doctor Richard Kimble lives an amazing life. He is well respected in his field, he has a beautiful wife and a beautiful home. But all of that is shattered one night, when a 911 call to his home reveals his wife was brutally murdered and when the police arrive, they only find Richard, and everything points to him being the one responsible for his wife's death. Despite his claims that he fought a one-armed man he found inside his home, there is no evidence to support this and Richard is found guilty of murder in the first degree and is sentenced to death. But a quirk of fate allows him to escape and now he is a wanted man who will risk everything to prove...he is innocent. This is a movie so well rounded and so good that it is hard to pick one single element to discuss as my absolute favorite. Because this simple setup plot wise, works so well, as does the incredible casting. Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones pull off stunning performances here and perhaps that's really what sells this film. Jones is just phenomenal as U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. He is a man consumed by the hunt, but doesn't let it control him. He is methodical and genius in his approach but will stop at nothing to get his man. This is bookended nicely by Harrison Ford's turn as Richard Kimble. In fact, throughout his career Ford has done some amazing things and this remains to date, one of his finest performances, in my humble opinion. I say that because thanks to Harrison, there is an incredible contrast present in this story between the Richard Kimble that was once a respected doctor to this shell of a man, obsessed with his freedom and he's also willing to do whatever it takes to prove that he never harmed his wife. Those performances combined with a script that always keeps the plot moving make for an incredible motion picture experience that needs to not only be seen, but on the shelf in everyone's collection. It doesn't matter how many times I watch this film, I am instantly drawn in by the enthralling mystery Richard works to unravel, and you will be too as you root for Richard to find the one-armed man so he can finally clear his name. Written by Scott EdwardsRetirement is a time when you are supposed to sit back and reflect on the life you have led, but it is not for everybody. Working so hard for so many years, it is hard to just shut off your brain and enjoy the down time that you have earned. Some people have the need to stay busy, as they are not able to come down from the high that they got from working and while there is nothing wrong with that, I sincerely hope that they are able to take a breath and enjoy their time off. I know that if I ever make it to retirement, I will have to be one of these busy people, mainly because there is nothing good that comes from me if I let my mind wander too much. As Christmas is approaching, Frank Moses is doing his best to keep his days filled. Doing his normal morning routine, he notices that his is the only house in the neighborhood that is not ready for the season. Completing that and getting the mail, Frank decides that it is time to make his bi-monthly call to his crush Sarah who works in the accounting department to complain about not getting his check. Frank looks forwards to these calls, as the two have formed more of a bond than he has ever had in his life. As the two flirt back and forth, Frank throws it out there that he will be visiting the city and would like to meet her, but this trip may come at a very high cost. Waking up to find a wet work team in his house, Frank goes back to his old ways of working and disposes of them with little issue. Knowing that Sarah will be a target as well, Frank makes the politest introduction he can under the circumstances, but is forced to kidnap his phone crush. Trying to find out who is after him, Frank stops by the retirement home of his old friend Joe who still has contacts in the C.I.A. and finds out that the folks that are after him are the same folks he worked for years ago. Following the lead of a reporter that was going to break a big story, but was killed before it made it to press, Frank is shocked to hear that Joe has been knocked out of the loop, so he only has one more place to go. Making their way to the Everglades, Frank and Sarah meet with Marvin who seems to be a little off in the head, but he has the information that that they are looking for. With a list of people being knocked off by the C.I.A., there are still some people that are not dead yet and the next one might be able to shine some light on what is going on. Meeting with a retired pilot, Marvin spots a surveillance helicopter that opens fire on the group and they are forced to fire back to survive. With a lead that will take them into the heart of the C.I.A. and time running out before they are next to be ‘retired’, the group finds themselves uncovering a secret from their past with a major impact on the future of the country. There are so many storylines going on in this movie, I just focused on Frank’s story and left out William Cooper’s altogether, so here you go for the Karl Urban fans out there. Not knowing who Frank Moses is, William Cooper starts the hunt with his normal methods, but finds out that Frank is highly trained. Turning up the heat, William is forced to make the decision of what is most important to him, his family or the job. With that being said, the hunt for Frank and his band of ex operatives is really what keeps the movie’s pacing fast and enjoyable. I loved the group dynamic that played throughout, as it seems like everyone has tried to kill everyone else at some point in their past. But if you did not love Marvin throughout the movie, I don’t know what will please you in any movie. With plenty of action, a mystery, bullets raining, explosions, an A list cast and a stuffed pig, this movie really delivers everything that you want to be entertained. Written by Scott EdwardsAs a male, I do fall into one of the stereotypes that is always shown in popular media, I don’t like to stop and ask for directions. When I was younger, this was a problem as there was no internet or smartphones around to show me the way. These days, this is not as big of an issue as everything is laid out for me with step by step ways of getting to my destination. Alfred Packer is a fine hearted man who only wants to go his own way when asked to take a group of miners from Utah to Colorado Territory. He has only been there one time and knows the way and is the only logical choice to guide said group, since their guide has been struck by a bolt of lightning. With it being such a short trip that would last no longer than three weeks, Alfred is ready to become a leader and as long as he has his prized friend, Liane, his horse, everything should be fine. As it becomes apparent that the trip will take longer than expected, Packer and crew run into a group of trappers that are heading to same place. Finding that he will now have a foe, Packer has to find a way to keep his and the group’s attitudes high as there is a long journey ahead. As the days pass, the group comes together and shares their innermost feelings and plans for when they arrive in Colorado Territory to find their fortunes. As the group makes it up to the mountains during the winter, they are faced with the decision of a lifetime for survival. For when the first member of the group dies, there is food available for the others to survive, but at what cost. As attitudes start to become negative and not even the best attempts to keep them positive work, it is apparent that something drastic needs to happen for the remaining members to make it to Colorado Territory. Cannibal! The Musical is a recount of the famous expedition that Alfred Packer and a group of miners took to get to Colorado Territory to become rich following new reports of gold being found. As the trip moves forward, the group encounters many different speed bumps that moves them back, but not willing to give up, they persist, for there is a light at the end of the tunnel. When they are faced with starvation, the group has to decide how far they are willing to go to survive. When one of the group’s members gets blood poisoning, all of the rules change to what will be accepted and things start to go downhill very quickly. This movie always brings a smile to my face and will continue to do so in the future as well. South Park fans, you need to make sure that you watch this movie, as the theme song from Cannibal is in the final credits of the show. It is frightening that so many fans have never seen this movie that occurred many years before the ever-popular series that has stolen our hearts. The first work of Trey Parker and Matt Stone is full of laughs and serious thought that never comes to fruition and it is just a great comedy through and through. If you are looking for something more, it is recommended that you check out the director's commentary. Now, bear in mind that the group moved out to Hollywood shortly after this movie came to DVD for the masses and they seem to be living the life. I am compelled to mention that this is an inebriated commentary as well, one that gives you the true feelings behind the making of this film. It is fantastic, even though there is a dead spot where someone forgot to hit record once again, but don’t take their advice on scotch, unless you give it at least three drops of water. Not mentioned above is the music that is incorporated in this movie. Once watching this movie, you will find that the songs will be stuck in your head for months to come. Not to give anything away if you have never seen this movie before, I will say that you will come away with several songs that you will love and only a couple that you will not appreciate, but when listening to the director’s commentary track, you will find out that you are far from being alone. Happy Viewing! Written by John Edward BetancourtI think what I enjoy most about film, is the fact that it truly provides us with a little slice of human life. We are treated to those private moments of struggle we have personally been through or movies help us ponder upon what life would be like if by chance we were faced with harrowing adversity. Other times we are treated to the fantastic, pushed to the boundaries of our imagination in ways we never knew possible. Film is equally as awesome an escape as literature, and at times it can be terrifying. For while there are stories that inspire and stun us with their majesty, there are other tales out there that push our fears to the limit...case in point, The Road. Something catastrophic has happened to planet Earth. The skies are grey, fires burn everywhere and much of the world's rich vegetation and animal life has all but disappeared. Humans still survive, but even then, our numbers are dwindling. Within the devastated void of what was once the United States of America, a man and his son carry on. They stay alive because survival is all they have left and because they believe that when they reach the coast they may find some semblance of a better life. But their journey is filled with danger, not because of the world dying around them...but because of the handful of humans they share this wasteland with. To call this film dark, would be an understatement. This is just...a powerful and depressing film. Let me get this all out of the way now. This is a film without hope, without joy and one that quite frankly leaves you feeling ill when the end credits crawl up the screen. With that being said...this film is also completely and utterly brilliant. It's simplicity, all while being incredibly bold will leave your eyes glued to the screen for the entire film. Now I say bold because this is the first post apocalypse film I have ever seen that gives us some realistic answers about issues that seem to be easily solved in other films in the genre. The finite nature of supplies, such as food or water is addressed as well as perhaps the most terrifying aspect of all...what man really becomes when faced without a future. The Road really holds nothing back, in fact the scene where the Man (played by Viggo Mortensen) and his Son find what a household of people have been eating to stay alive is just terrifying. I won't spoil what they find, because it needs to be seen. What also separates this motion picture from the rest in the end of the world genre, is that nothing is explained. There is no meteor that we know of, no revolution or nuclear war or zombies roaming the countryside. The world simply ends. But it also fulfills everything I spoke of earlier. This is a slice of life, an awful one but one filled with some surprising beauty as a father does his best to provide for his son. If you haven't seen this film, you need to and as soon as possible. It truly is brilliant and while it is an uncomfortable experience from the get go, it's worth it simply because The Road is a visceral experience, one that quite frankly makes you appreciate everything you have in your life. Written by John Edward BetancourtOften times when it comes to football, we as the fans only see the basics. We know how well the players on our favorite teams can play and we revel in the glory when things go right and we hang our heads in shame when things go wrong. We are simply tied to the results on the field, and rarely see beyond that. We don't see the work that goes in day to day, the discussions that coaches have with their players. The struggles they face with injury or the pressure that management places on the team, and most importantly we are rarely privy to the most important part of the game...what it means to the people who are part of it. Thankfully Director Oliver Stone felt the need to delve into all those unseen aspects of professional football with his film, Any Given Sunday. The Miami Sharks have seen better days. This once proud franchise has been to the top but now...it's barely mediocre. Its star quarterback is nearing the end of his career. Its passionate owner has been replaced by his finance obsessed daughter and Head Coach Tony D'Amato, once viewed as an offensive genius is now considered nothing more than a dinosaur in the game. But a stroke of unfortunate luck will jump start the franchise when dynamic quarterback Willie Beamen takes the field and leads the team to victory once again, throwing everyone's world upside down. This is a film that was considered controversial upon its initial release simply because the world that it portrayed, one that supposedly took us behind the scenes of professional football, was one that was...unpleasant to say the least. This is a world where the players love their women, their drugs and their good times through and through and the ownership side of the ball could care less about anything outside of money and is willing to see players put in harm's way to win and those are the likely reasons as to why the NFL refused to support the film. But beyond the sensationalism is a detailed look at the day to day struggles that a football franchise faces. Coach D'Amato, brilliantly played by Al Pacino, is under an incredible amount of pressure to win. Quarterback Cap Rooney, played by Dennis Quaid, is working overtime to avoid having his job taken from him by Beamen (Jamie Foxx) and Willie himself is out for one thing, to be the star he always wanted to be. As those storylines come together, you're treated to a dynamic you never see on television, how eleven men on either side of the ball manage to work together as a team when in reality they are each their own man and own mind. But perhaps the best part of this film is the fact that it shows just how much the sport means to these men. The legacy that comes with football and how incredibly addictive the sport becomes once it gets into your blood is on display in this story. It's what keeps every single character going, despite their motivations and it makes the film special in its own way. Because for every business-related moment the story features, or selfish decision the characters deal with or make, there's always the game looming large, and that makes for a different kind of motion picture. One that will give you a perspective on the sport, you've never had before. Written by John Edward BetancourtDespite the fact that film has given us memorable and flawed characters that we are drawn to and love, there is still a certain level of mystique and fantasy that has to remain with our motion pictures. Our antiheroes have to be lovable and no matter how hard the going gets, we want either a resolved or happy ending. We simply don't often enjoy films that show us people at their darkest hour, or that are completely devoid of hope because let's be honest, the key here is to be entertained. There's nothing wrong with that, it just means that if a filmmaker wants to tell a dark tale about the ugly side of our world, they're going to have to figure out how to do it in a manner that is compelling and terrifying all at once. Thankfully, one such film released in 1995, managed to find a way to make all of that happen in order to tell one man's sorrowful tale in Leaving Las Vegas. Ben Sanderson has lost everything. His job as a Hollywood Screenwriter is gone, as are his wife and child all because Ben is a raging alcoholic. He cannot escape the drink, he knows of its dangers and he has recently made a powerful, life changing decision. With nothing left to live for, he is heading to Las Vegas and will spend the rest of his days there, drinking himself to death. But a chance encounter with another lost soul, Sara, will complicate the matter for Ben since their friendship becomes closer than either of them ever expected. This is just, an incredible film. It tackles so much and yes, it is as dark as they come. I mean come on, we are witness to a man losing the battle to his alcoholism, willingly in fact. We watch poor Ben slowly slip away before our very eyes minute by minute and it is an utterly heartbreaking experience. Not to mention that Sara's story isn't exactly uplifting either. She is a ghost in many ways, using the advantage of her career 'choice' as a prostitute to escape from any parts of life she deems too much to handle. They're not bad people by any means, just completely and utterly lost and well, in everyday life, many people would avoid folks like Ben and Sara like the plague, so how on earth is this a film worth watching? Well, despite the fact that these two have given up on life for the most part, Sara sees Ben as someone worth saving and her love for him, makes this film completely and utterly beautiful. See this one if you haven't, you won't be disappointed, especially since this movie also features Nicolas Cage's finest performance to date, one in fact, that snagged him an Academy Award and really, the true wonder of this film, when all is said and done, is that despite the tears you will shed while watching this movie, when the end credits roll, you'll surprisingly find yourself filled with hope. Written by John Edward BetancourtOf the many genres out there that manage to captivate our imagination, there is one in particular that always manages to reel us in time and time again...the crime drama. Often times these films chronicle the rise and fall of men and women who break the law in magnificent fashion, and it begs the question, why do stories about criminals captivate us so? The answer is surprisingly simple, outside of the entertainment value of the story, these tales serve as our chance to live vicariously in a different world. One where the rules simply do not apply to everyday life, where one can simply do whatever they want. We enjoy this alternate slice of life due to the fact we know the story ends as it often does in reality...with our character's fun coming to an end. But out of the many crime dramas out there, only a handful truly stand out above the rest, such as 1995's, Casino. Sam 'Ace' Rothstein only picks winners. It doesn't matter who he bets on, he always comes out on top and his keen ability to know winners and losers has served him well. So well in fact, that on a consistent basis he has made a lot of money for the mob, and a decision has been made to send Sam out west to Las Vegas, to revolutionize gambling as the new unofficial head of the mob owned Tangiers Hotel and Casino. It is a dream come true for Sam, who quickly makes the joint one of the finest casinos on the planet, but nothing lasts forever and as love and his greedy best friend Nicky come into play, the paradise that Sam has found himself surrounded in, will quickly fall to pieces. Martin Scorsese has made many a mob movie in his day, and I'll be damned if he doesn't make amazing ones as is, but I personally think Casino is his finest crime drama to date, and it stands above everything else he's done in that genre for several reasons. First and foremost, what better a topic to explore than the mob and Las Vegas? I mean that's the stuff of legend as it is right there, but Scorsese does it in grand fashion, creating an American Tragedy story that fully chronicles the rise and fall of an empire, giving the film an epic and grandiose feel I did not expect the first time I watched it. What truly brings the film to life however, are the wonderful characters that we are introduced to. Robert DeNiro is simply amazing as Sam Rothstein, a man truly consumed by the world of gambling to the point where it cripples him in real life. Everything must be perfect for him and while that works for him on many levels, outside of the casino walls he is an unreachable character, and while it seems as though perhaps that is Sam's own fault...it doesn't help that he also surrounds himself with some ugly people. Sharon Stone's portrayal of his wife Ginger is equally as incredible, for she is the complete foil of Sam. Loose, wild and without a care in the world she is nothing more than a status symbol for the man she married and she knows it. It leads to incredible drama between the two of them...but nothing tops the performance put in by Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro. Nicky is about as ruthless a mobster as they come and his loose cannon mentality leads to some of the film's most memorable and horrifying scenes. In the end, Casino is truly an American classic. One that chronicles the darker era of a city we now revere as a vacation mecca and one that shows criminals stripped down to what they truly are. Men and women who simply make different choices in life than we do, sometimes they get away with it, often times they don't, but we are reminded nicely of the fact that while their choices are different they still struggle to get by and they still go through hell like the rest of us and perhaps that is what makes this film so wonderful. Not only does the movie take us on an incredible journey...but the fact that everyone in this film is somewhat relatable allows for it to stand out above the rest. Written by Scott EdwardsThere has to be something to be said about loving what you do for a living, since many people have a hard time doing so. It is understood that you have to make money to live these days and while some people are not happy with what they are doing, they really do not have a choice. I am a firm believer that you should at least enjoy what you are doing, you don’t need to love it, but you have to like showing up. If that is not the case, there hopefully is a career change in the future, because life is too short to hate what you do. Falling behind on the construction of the railroad through Tsavo, Africa, Robert Beaumont has decided to call in one of the best. Colonel John Henry Patterson has made a name for himself as a man who can defeat any odds against him when building bridges and that is exactly what is needed in Tsavo. With the promise that John will end up hating his employer, he cannot pass up the opportunity to go to Africa, a place he has dreamed about venturing to his entire life. With a baby on the way, he knows that he will have to keep his head on a swivel, but when he finally arrives in Tsavo, he comes to discover what kinds of hardships exist in this place. Meeting Angus and Samuel at the train station, John quickly gets the lay of the land. With different workers from different tribes about the country, it is difficult to keep anything moving forward and there is another threat surrounding them as lion attacks have become a common theme around the camp. Knowing what must be done to help boost morale, John heads out with his new best friend Angus and waits to spot one of these bloodthirsty beasts and when one finally makes itself seen, John drops it with one shot. Seeing the change in the workers as soon as they see that they are safe, John can go back to focusing on building his bridge. During the night however, John’s favorite foreman Mahina is dragged out his tent by a larger lion and feasted upon in the surrounding grass. The sheer size of an animal that is able to drag the big man out to his death has the workers worried once again and ready to flee. John promises to protect them at all costs, but little does he know who or what he is coming up against. Seeing the one lion make its way into the camp is disconcerting enough, but when John and Samuel spot a second one as well, all bets are off the table. Being able to construct a large fence around the camp should be enough to keep the workers safe, but they soon find out that there will be no stopping the beasts they call The Ghost and the Darkness. Talk about a very depressing story as money seems to be the driving factor to get the bridge built in Tsavo with little regard for the lives of the workers. I really enjoyed the relationship that John and Samuel formed in such a short time and how quickly John was able to blend in with his surroundings. Then you get another hunter showing up to camp in Charles Remington who brings his own army with him and finds out that they are not what he really needs. The lions really seemed to be the stars of the show however, being able to escape any trap that was laid in front of them and they kept the master hunters guessing at what their next move would be. I must admit that I thought that this movie would feel a little dated when watching it again, but it flowed just fine and kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to remember what the lions actually wanted. With plenty of blood, lion torn workers, the unforgiving Tsavo, gun play, a bridge and a battle with the devil itself, it is nice to see an older movie withstand the test of time by a couple of decades. If you ever decide to go down to Africa however, you might want to think twice about going to Tsavo, it seems like a really rough place to visit. |
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