If there’s one thing I’ve always been intrigued by when it comes to film as a whole, it’s our outright obsession with bad motion pictures. Because by virtue, we should steer clear of sub-par cinema and immediately walk out of the theater or turn off the TV when we stumble upon a low-quality motion picture, but the opposite always happens. We instead find ourselves fascinated by said film, and it’s difficult to stop watching once you’ve gone down the proverbial rabbit hole and I know that I am as guilty of this as anyone.
 
Because once I start to see a story go off the rails, I find myself curious to see if the film is going to go all out in its collapse, or if it can save itself. And I also like to explore how a movie fell to pieces, by examining what script problems helped the movie in question fail its characters and its audience and it’s why I’ve sat through a great many ‘B Movies’ in my day. And recently, I stumbled upon a motion picture that looked to be full of potential thanks to its description on Amazon Prime, since it informed me I was about to enjoy a fascinating tale involving a former assassin who is drawn back into the underworld, but sadly, the final product left a lot to be desired since Assassins’ Code is quite the messy film when all is said and done.
 
That’s thanks in large part to the muddled plot that this motion picture features. Because most films in this vein, provide the audience with a fairly straight forward plot involving something or someone from the former agent or assassin’s past that draws them back into the life they left behind, before we are treated to a gripping, action heavy story, that has them overcoming their demons to do something good, or exact revenge. But after this seeing this film, I’m honestly not sure what the plot was about. Sure, it features some of the stuff I made mention of a moment ago since Paul Thorn, our lead character, has his past come back to haunt him. But after that, we are immersed within a murky story about a mystery disk drive, the contents of which are never explored or explained, nor do we ever find out why others are after it and that lack of explanation, or purpose surrounding Paul’s quest for knowledge confuses the viewer and removes them from the story entirely.
 
Plus, to make matters worse, the acting in this film is all over the place. Which is fascinating since it features some decent character actors in this film like John Savage, Martin Kove and Richard Moll, and quite frankly, they do solid work, but their attention to the craft and dedication to a story that has zero guidance is torpedoed by the performance of Julian Lee who plays Paul Thorn. Lee approaches the role with zero effort and his wooden portrayal of Paul robs every single scene he’s in of emotional weight, and I find it intriguing that Writer/Director Lawrence Riggins would cast someone with little acting skill to carry a thriller such as this when he had better cast members to work with and even the other ‘no name’ actor present in this film, Min-su Choi (pictured above), who plays the heavy, Karl Kim, offers up a better performance than Lee and I harp on this simply because this poor of a performance is incredibly distracting and off putting.
 
If anything, all of these issues are frustrating to say the least, because this movie actually had the potential to be something truly special and entertaining and for proof, look no further than the gorgeous cinematography present in this story since the late Ric Waite served as the Director of Photography on this film, and some of the shots he’s set up are perfect for a thriller such as this. Plus, some of the action sequences are quite the visual feast and actually manage to elicit a bit of a thrill. But sadly, the problems we’ve discussed far outweigh the good parts of this motion picture, and what you’re left with is a sloppy and confusing motion picture that is boring at best and for all the reasons we’ve discussed today, I highly recommend you stay from this one, unless of course, you’re like me and you’ve got that soft spot for movies that go completely off the rails…

One of the most interesting things to me is what I would do when the future looks extremely bleak. In the event of a disaster, I would like to think that I would be able to gather my family up and get them to a safe place out of harm’s way, but when that is completed, what would I do next? That is the question, would I worry about everyone else that is suffering, or would I just worry about myself and my loved ones and make sure that they are safe from the outside world. I really don’t have to think twice about this since I am more worried about other people’s wellbeing than my own, I would try to help out as best as I could, since life is too short to have regrets.

Traveling with her mother’s boyfriend up to San Francisco, Blake is trying to stay entertained when she meets brothers Ollie and Ben Taylor in the waiting area of a building. Knowing that their time will be short together, Blake is kind enough to give her number to them when they have some downtime on their adventure. But before that can be utilized, the city starts to shake as a massive earthquake hits the city. Being trapped in a car, Blake is surprised to see that Ben and Ollie are there to help her out. Being free, the three start their trek up to the highest spot in the city, but the problem is that the quakes are not over yet and what they have just witnessed is the beginning of the end.

Raymond Gaines is upset that he has been called in for duty after being dispatched to the Hoover Dam when a surprise earthquake hit it. Wanting to spend the weekend with his daughter Blake, the job is more important and everyone in the family understands that. Saving lives is what Ray has made a career out of doing and there is very little that can put an end to it. Getting a call from his ex, Emma that Los Angeles is being hit with an earthquake, Ray turns the rescue helicopter in her direction to try and save her. Flying through the ravaged city, Ray is able to pull Emma to safety and now has to find a way to get to his daughter who is hundreds of miles away in San Francisco. With more problems than solutions, Ray knows enough to be safe when the big one hits the bay area.

Doctor Lawrence Hayes works at Cal Tech and loves his job. Teaching classes about seismic shifts, plate tectonics and earthquakes, he and his team are continuing to research an early warning system for if and when the big one hits. Being able to track a rise in magnetism before the quake at the Hoover Dam, Hayes will know when and where another earthquake will hit, but it is difficult to get anyone to listen. After Los Angeles is shaken beyond repair, the college’s computers light up with even higher reports coming from San Francisco. Thankfully he is able to get on television and warn the residents to get out of town as soon as possible, shortly before the big one starts to shake the state of California. Hopping his message helped the area, Hayes still has to duck and cover since the effect of the quake can be felt over two hundred miles away.

Talk about a disaster movie, this one truly did deliver with the effects. Watching as massive buildings collapse at a human level, well this movie really makes us people look small compared to our inventions. I am not sure who the story was supposed to revolve around, but when you have a great cast in every scene, it is hard to even care. But there are two scene stealers in this movie that just take all of the attention off of the story so you focus on them, Dr. Hayes and the lovable Ollie. Although you don’t see a ton of development out of these two, you will still just love seeing them on the screen and I wish that they had more prominent parts. You'll find fantastic special effects in this movie and I must admit that I would have never thought that a baseball stadium was a safe place during an earthquake, but hey, now I will have to check it out. Happy Viewing.

Once you are able to find out who you are in life, it is hard to hide it, no matter the situation. Some people may not like some parts of who you are, but they are what makes you, you and there is no reason to change it. If you are comfortable with who you are, you will be able to find happiness, regardless of the situation. Remember, it is always better to be your own person. If you conform to the way other people want to see you, you will never be able to make yourself believe you are happy, at all.

Dave Lizewski is not the boy he once was, he has changed since becoming Kick-Ass. He is happier with how his life has changed, he has a hot girlfriend, he is doing good at school, the only thing that is making him a little bit stressed is his father. Not knowing what his son is doing every night bothers Mr. Lizewski to no end, thinking that his son is on drugs or something worse, he will do everything in his power to keep him out of trouble.

Although Dave does not think anything bad will come of his decisions to be a hero around town, and with his new friend Mindy to help him train and become the person he wants to be, Dave has a new goal. Becoming more powerful and helping more people out of jams is all he wants and with the help of more crime fighters walking the streets, he is able to become unstoppable. But there is a new threat looming around the streets as his arch nemesis, Red Mist, is planning for the funeral of the man that killed his father. Although he is not given permission to take his pursuits to the next level from his family, Red Mist is ready to turn into somebody much more dangerous, a man that the city will have to bow to, the Motherfucker.

With his new persona in place, the Motherfucker only has one thing on his mind, revenge against the hero that took his father away from him. Pulling no punches while trying to smoke Kick-Ass out of the woodwork, he is pulling from all of his resources to bring the scourge of the city to his beckoned call. Although Kick-Ass is protected by a team of heroes, his savior Hit Girl is not able to watch his back as she has made a promise to her guardian to steer clear of crime fighting as she is supposed to be experiencing a normal childhood. Kick-Ass will need everyone he can find to help him rid the city of his new foe, but when the police extend their reach, every person wearing a costume, or a mask is arrested and put in jail. This does not work for Dave, as his father takes the fall for him and gives his son one more opportunity to go straight. But the Motherfucker has an unending reach and gets to Mr. Lizewski in prison and sends Dave one final message that he will never forget.

Kick-Ass 2 follows Dave Lizewski and his good friend Mindy as they chose to go different paths. As Dave suits back up as Kick-Ass, Mindy puts her Hit Girl persona away and tries to live the childhood she never had. Wanting to get revenge on the man that killed his father, Red Mist comes back out of the woodwork and becomes the Motherfucker and will stop at nothing until he is able to put Kick-Ass in the ground. As he slowly becomes the head of his crime family, he gathers up every lowlife around town and forms an army to take the heroes down. But Kick-Ass is able to join a team of his own and with their help, they become unbeatable. Following the leadership of Colonel Stars and Stripes, Kick-Ass starts to understand what team work really is and will be able to depend on all of his new friends to help him at a moment’s notice. But needing the ultimate enforcer, Hit Girl to take down the new threat that is taking over the city, Dave has to find a way to break her out of her teenage shell, which she has been forced into. With both Kick-Ass and the Motherfucker losing their loved ones, they both have nothing to lose as their dance cards are set for the battle of a lifetime.

This is a strong sequel to the original and it is focused around two things, staying true to yourself and friendship. One thing that this movie goes to show you is that no matter who you are and what problems you have in front of you, your friends will always have your back. That combined with not fearing who you really are, it goes to show you that your own happiness can be the one thing that keeps you alive through thick and thin. I really do like seeing the average person stepping up in situations that they should not survive and coming out on top, with a little bit of pain to get there. Happy Viewing.
 

I am a firm believer, that if one identifies themselves as a cinephile, they simply must be open to watching motion pictures from just about every genre imaginable. Because one can find some magnificent and beautiful stories, and outright art when multiple genres are explored and that is precisely why I personally make an effort to watch anything and everything that catches my eye when I’m surfing through cable channels or perusing the various streaming services that I’m a member of. In fact, I’ve gone so far as to take the time to dive into films that are dedicated to the wonder and power of religion and faith, simply because I’ve found some inspiring and uplifting moments in films of that particular vein.
 
But what truly fascinates me about faith-based films, is how exactly they present their underlying message when it comes to the need for people to have religion and God in their lives. Because their sole purpose is to bring people to church or back to church and some movies in this genre do a fine job of getting their message across by providing the audience with an entertaining ride that leaves them with something to think about. But others, well…they make the message the priority over anything else, leaving us with some interesting results story wise and recently, I stumbled upon a faith-based feature that meets that criteria to a tee in The Prophet’s Son.
 
Now, I make a grand effort to try and find the positive in every film that I watch, because I understand that not everyone has millions of dollars to make a movie, and I don’t think anyone ever sets out to make a bad movie, but sometimes, you need to be frank about what you find to not mislead folks, and well dear reader, I have to be frank and honest in telling you that this is an extremely bad motion picture, for several reasons. First and foremost, the plot in this movie is just an utter mess. For what should be a simple love story about two people in the midst of a global crisis is muddled by a seemingly random series of events, each one designed to provide the audience with a grand lesson on faith and sadly, the messages are where this movie goes completely off the rails. 

​Which is fascinating to say the least. Because it really does try to tackle some important topics happening in our world, like school shootings for example. But rather than dive into any depth on issues such as that, or demonstrate how faith and religion may benefit those who suffer through trauma, the movie goes old testament on its audience and more or less informs them; that bad things are going to happen to you if you don’t fall in line with God and well, that’s just off putting. Because no one settles in to a watch a motion picture with the expectation that they’re going to be scolded, but that’s what you get here, an hour and a half guilt trip for not going to church on a Sunday and well, that completely removes you from the story or the experience and the movie’s faults don’t end there.
 
For this is a motion picture that quite frankly, needs some top notch acting to be present to sell the heavy plot points this film features, since it goes so far as to even deliver us a loosely explained all-out attack on the United States and sadly, the performances fall short in making these moments believable in the slightest. Everything is handled by a vast majority of the cast with wooden responses and dry delivery and really the only actor in this film that’s worth a watch is Alexandra Harris, since she puts great effort into the role of Juliet, but her acting chops are buried under a sea of D-list performances and really, all of these failures are a shame when all is said and done.
 
Because this movie had the potential to do something really special, and if writer Sun Hui East (who adapted her novel of the same name for the screen) had taken the time to provide the audience with a gripping story that showed us people dealing with believable crises, and not say, an oddly placed demon possession scene (no joke, that actually happens), then perhaps a beautiful parable about faith in a time of need could have come forth and actually made people wonder if they need a little more in their life when it comes to faith and religion. Instead, we are left with a sloppy, judgmental mess that more or less puts a sour taste in your mouth when it comes to organized religion and I highly recommend that you avoid this one at all costs.  

​High school can be one of the hardest times that you will ever have to go through. This is the time where you start to discover who you are, but most of us found that it was easier to show this when being part of a group. Very few of the people that remained alone during these years really ever showed who they were, but as they grew up, most of them seemed to have a plan all-along that nobody ever thought they could conceive.  

Dave Lizewski is getting bored with his high school experience. Not being the center of attention, even with his friends, he is looking for something that will make him feel better about himself. Turning back to comics, he begins to wonder why there are not any real superheroes running around on the streets to protect the population. After being mugged many times after school while walking home, he gets the bright idea to help defend not only himself, but the other innocents that have been terrorized around his city.

Ordering his costume in the mail, Dave has a plan to help clean up the streets of scum and help out everyone he is able to. But his crusade is cut short as he is stabbed in the chest and while looking for help, gets hit by a passing car. During his recovery, Dave finds out that he will have loss in several of his nerve endings, and this becomes more of a power for him then a burden. Not being able to feel pain, Dave starts to train again, and while he is feeling better about himself, he has gathered a following on the internet while standing up for a man that got the crap beat out of him. Even though he took a beating as well, Dave has become a real-life hero to the people of his city, and all over the world.  

But becoming a superhero has not quite panned out the way he thought it would, as he is not able to tell anyone, not even his friends about his secret identity. But his secret is not as safe as it could be as he crosses paths with the real heroes of the city, Big Daddy and Hit Girl. As this dynamic duo are the real deal, the have their own brand of crime fighting on their minds and pay little attention to the emerging hero but want to have him keep the heat off of their backs while trying to accomplish their own goals. Trying to take down the city’s biggest crime boss is their number one priority, since he is the reason why the two have been created in the first place. Dave tries to keep up with the duo, but finds he is in way over his head, but then gets world there is another crime fighter hitting the streets that is looking to hook up with him, but can Dave trust the new hero? For there is a new target painted on his back.

A common person superhero, what a novel idea and you know what, it works. Trying to find a way to stand up for one’s self is something that many people are not able to do on their own. Seeing how a teenager takes this on without thinking twice makes you wonder why more people have not done this in the past. Or maybe they have, and we have never heard about it. They say with great power comes great responsibility, but with no power, there should be a push for greatness. A great story and yes, as in all superhero movies, there is a girl, although it is a friendship that you never see coming. Is this a call for people to go out and start trying to fight crime? I hope not, but it does make you feel like you should do the right thing and not let all of the badness in this world take over our lives as well. Happy Viewing.

Holding a grudge is something that I have never believed in. When it comes down to it, if you are always thinking about what someone has done to you in the past, it only proves that they have beaten you. Trying to forget about it however could be one of the most difficult things to do since you have been wronged in one way or another. Some people focus all of their efforts on getting even, although they know that it is not right, while others sit and stew about it for a time but come to terms that what is done is done.

Ellen is on her way to the town of Redemption with only one thing on her mind, revenge. After losing her father many years ago, she blames the town mayor Herod for his death and won't turn back until he is dealt with. Upon arriving at town, she sees that they are setting up for a gun fighter contest that Herod takes so much pleasure in running. While sitting back and drinking her drink, Ellen thinks about taking her shot at the aging man, but a surprise comes flying through the door as a preacher is thrown into the bar.

Herod has requested that his old running mate Cort be a part of the contest this year. Although Cort has found solace in becoming a holy man, Herod is determined to make the man fight, one last time. As the board is filled up with fighters, the contest is ready to begin. Each gun fight will be held at the top of the hour and there will be no cheating as Herod’s men are stationed all around the town and are ready to mow down anyone that does not play by the rules.  

As the fights commence, contestants are wounded and killed in the first round and even the preacher decides to draw and win his first match. Not wanting to be involved, Cort is forced to fight or die by Herod who has his sights set on Ellen, the only woman in the contest. Changing the rules from last man standing, to fight till the death, Herod is looking to protect his legacy and reassert himself as the true ruler of the little town. His residents are looking for someone to defeat the old gun fighter, but when their hired gun gets killed quickly, they have to believe that there is someone else that can take his place and there are only three people left that can fit that bill. Will any be able to defeat the old baron or will the town of Redemption whittle away under Herod’s leadership for another year?

The Quick and The Dead follows a group of gun fighters that are looking to prove their worth as they take on the best of the best. With a large winner’s pot, no one wants to turn away, but money is not everything as several gunslingers are looking to gain respect. As Herod has taken over the town of Redemption, he has become more rich and powerful than anyone. Needing to ensure that this is known by everyone in the town, he has come up with the plan to hold a gun fighter tournament to show his superiority. There are many who enter and few that have been able to walk away as he has never been defeated. Having to battle with arrogant fighters, hired guns, family, friends and now a beautiful stranger, Herod has to show how strong he really is to save face around his town and keep the people under his control for as long as he desires.  

This is one of those movies that whenever it comes on, I always find myself watching it all of the way through. With so many different character storylines, it is easy to get lost in the old town as you quickly realize what is going to happen in the end with all of the hatred everyone has for each other. With other objects becoming essential characters as well, such as the fighter’s guns, or the clock tower, I must admit that this film falls into one of my favorite modern western movies to date. With a stunning cast and a story that will keep you intrigued until the very end, it is hard to imagine wanting anything else in this movie. Happy Viewing.

There is nothing wrong with stepping out of your comfort zone, in fact, most advice that you get says to do it. Being content and staying with what you know is comforting, that is for sure, but if you never get out of doing the same things day in and day out, you will never know what the world has to offer. Start with little steps and when you see what is out there, you can graduate to the bigger steps or jumps so you can live like the wild person you have always wanted to be.

Frank Vega and Bernie Pope are back at it, but this time they are trying to get a loan from the bank when robbers come in. Knowing that they can take care of the problem, they cause a diversion and are able to take down the robbers with nothing more than a walker and autographed baseball. As Vega’s fame might have been starting to dwindle over the past six months, he and Bernie are back on top of their game and are trending on the internet, but now they are known as the Bad Asses. Not being able to secure their loan, even with saving everyone in the bank,  the two friends need to find another way to make some money so Bernie can keep up with is medication.

When getting a call from their old friend Carmen, the two are convinced to travel down to Baton Rouge to be a part of her wedding. As Bernie is slowly falling to pieces and has to go the bathroom all of the time, Vega witnesses a group of rednecks trying to steal a woman’s purse out of her car at a gas station. Taking care of the problem as they usually do, Vega and Bernie are heroes once again, but have no idea what this will lead to. After arriving at Carmen’s house, the two find out that her family is very well off and when talking to her father Earl, they can understand why. But Earl has a little secret of his own, being a Vietnam veteran as well and although he does not condone fighting anymore, he still may have a little something left in the tank.

At the rehearsal dinner, Vega and Bernie become the toast of the event and with the liquor flowing, there is no one better to see giving mad props to their favorite officer than these two. After the party ends and everyone is asleep in the estate, a band of kidnappers enter the house and take Carmen away. Hearing something, Vega is able to try to stop the masked men, but there are too many and his friend has been taken. Trying to work with the cops, Vega and Bernie are urged by Carmen’s mother to find her daughter before time runs out and the family is forced to pay a handsome sum to get her back. The Bad Asses take to the streets of Baton Rouge, and while they end up standing out like tourists, they are able to attain a list of names that could lead them to their friend. Battling their way through Louisiana, the two friends find out who is behind the kidnapping and it leaves them floored and questioning what they should do next.

This is the third installment of the of the Bad Ass series and I could not be hungrier for another one. I love how the story is able to bring more people into the mix and with Carmen’s father Earl willing to help out when times get tough, well, there could be another movie with another of one of our favorite actors. I like the story and the whole back and forth as to whether or not the cops are corrupt. It's a plot thread that turns out to be true when clues are turned in and still nothing has been done. I have done two other reviews for this series and have failed to bring up Frank Vega’s fanny pack once, he has been carrying this for all three movies and besides keeping his valuables safe, it is a great device that more heroes should carry. This is a fun series and the old guys just seem to get stronger as the story continues. Showing some of the highlights from Louisiana as well, it makes we want to head down south for some of the greatest Cajun food in the states. Happy Viewing.

There are instances in your life when you look back and wonder what would have happened if you did it differently. Not knowing what will happen when you take a shot at something can be the biggest reason why we do not take chances. Taking chances is something that you should never be afraid of, especially if you do not know what the result will be. Of course, there can be negative outcomes, but when it comes out as a positive, you have no regrets and will continue to live your life the way it should be lived, without fear.

Frank Vega has been able to use his fame a little bit and is now running a gym for troubled kids in the neighborhood. Taking young Manny under his wing and teaching him how to box, Manny is about to turn pro with his first fight. With Vega being a father figure to him, Manny is so proud to have him in his life and will do anything not to disappoint him. But Manny has a secret that he has been hiding from Vega and when he gets a text message to meet up with his employer, he gets killed in an alley and the truth comes out.

Beside himself, Vega enters his gym and threatens his kids with broken legs if they are into the same thing that Manny was. Pulling Tucson into his office to have a chat about who is dealing drugs, he can tell that the boy is lying to him and he follows the young boxer to his pickup location. After beating the heck out of the armed guards at the safe house, Vega returns home and tries to drown his sorrows, but is in need of more alcohol and when his old liquor store owner does not answer his calls, Vega takes to the streets and finds himself in a situation that he cannot handle on his own. Being outnumbered six to one, the friendly old face of Bernie Pope comes out and with the use of his hockey stick is able to help Vega get the information he needs to start his next hunt.

Even though the old men are not friends, the common goal of taking out the men who put the hit on Manny unites them. Searching the city for clues as to who was behind the killing, the two are given the name Adolfo and head off to find out what the man knows. After getting an ice pick through the eye, Adolfo gives up his father, Leandro Herrera who works at the Argentinian Consulate. Knowing that it will be next to impossible to corner Herrera in his place of business, Vega and Bernie take to their new tactics of non-violence to try to find out what the man is up to.  Finding out that he is the one behind the drug trade and more importantly behind the murder of Manny, Vega and Bernie are now ready for battle and will stop at nothing to bring the man to justice. But they encounter one small problem since Herrera has diplomatic immunity and the police will not touch him. Which means Vega and Bernie will have to take a different road to bring their new foe down and make sure that nobody else gets hurt.

For the second installment of the Bad Ass series, I must admit that it was still pretty good. Adding another old character to pair up with Frank Vega is genius and makes the movie well worth viewing. When you get to learn more about Bernie, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain from working with Vega and even though his old bones may not be up to the task, he is not willing to step away from the fight. Then the other subplot of the story takes you to Manny’s family, his mother and sister who are in need of someone to help take care of them. This is just great since you get to see how Vega interacts with the kids, even though they are much smarter than him when it comes to technology.  It is a great follow up and I cannot wait to watch the third installment of the series. I will always say that it is a good idea to respect your elders and this movie just goes to prove that they may not be as frail and out of it as you think. Happy Viewing.

​There is nothing special about a person that is dubbed a hero. At least, that is what everyone that has been given that title says. Not being afraid to do something in a situation is what makes them stand out from the crowd and that is a quality that more of us could take note of. It does not matter what the situation is, but when people are being put in danger and one person is able to protect them, that is what makes them a hero in other people's eyes, but heroism can be something a small as picking up something that somebody dropped to helping a person across the street. There is no feat that is too small that will go unnoticed and even if it does not go viral on the internet, you can still show that you care about the people around you.

When Frank Vega returned home from fighting in Vietnam, he finds that his life plans have disappeared right in front of him. When looking up his high school sweetheart, he finds that she has moved on. When trying to find a job, he sees that nobody is willing to hire him for his lack of experience in the field. Feeling low on life, Frank is able to open a hot dog cart to make ends meet since his veteran’s paycheck does not cover the cost of living. But not being able to get with the times, Frank is stuck in the 70’s and is having problems moving into the current day.

While sitting on the bus, Frank sees two skinheads that are looking to start a problem with an old black man who is minding his own business. It is the wrong day to do this around Frank and he intervenes before the bus patron gets hurt. When the two white extremists try to challenge Frank, he beats them both down without a problem, but what Frank does not understand is that the people have been looking for a hero like that, someone who is not afraid to fight for what is right. Becoming an internet sensation, the public has called ‘Bad Ass’, Frank is now a star. As he cannot walk down the streets without being cheered on and going out on ride alongs with the cops, Frank is living his life the way he thinks it should be, but when his mother passes away, his life slowly starts to change.

While having his friend Klondike living with him in his mother’s house, Frank is introduced into the 21st century when his friend asks him to hide a flash drive for him. Not having a clue what the heck it is, Frank quickly has to move into the modern day to find out what happened when Klondike is gunned down in the street. Keeping track of what the cops are doing to find his friends killer, Frank comes to the decision that he will have to run his own investigation since they are moving too slowly for his liking. Using his military training while moving throughout the city looking for leads, Frank is also leaving a path of bodies in his wake and the cops are starting to take notice. Being asked to back off by a friendly officer, Frank will not stop until he finds out who is behind his friend's death, no matter how high up the trail might lead him.

Just a good old fashion tale of revenge with a character that can carry through with his promises. Frank is a very like-able character and everyone that he is not beating up seems to like to call him a friend. One of the best parts of Frank’s character is that he does not only want to make the guilty pay, he wants to make sure that the innocent are not being preyed upon as he demonstrates when it comes to his new neighbor Amber’s man troubles. It is overall a fun movie with many different aspects that all tie into the storyline very well and with an older guy fighting through the city, you are pulling for him to win, no matter the price. Happy Viewing.

​The Secret Life of Pets answers the question we've all been wondering, what do our pets do when we aren't around? Well, lots of stuff! Fear not! No major or minor spoilers are in this blog, everything here is from the trailers. Though, this movie is so good I saw it twice in theaters right away. It's a great family movie for everyone. No joke, my parents, sister, and even her boyfriend saw it with me the second time back in the day. I adored this movie on so many levels.

The basic story is Max, a Jack Russell terrier, gets a new roommate. Things aren't always so great when the old pet meets the new pet. Duke is a loud, large, brute of a dog. Recognize that voice? If you're a Modern Family fan, you should. Eric Stonestreet is normally the wonderful Uncle Cam, but in this film, he lends his voice to be the mutt with unruly fur. Duke may be new to the house, but Max isn't having it. And then there's Chloe. Lake Bell literally is perfect for this role. Chloe is the quintessential cat. She's snarky, she's spunky, and she's all about those nibbles. I'm not going to lie, Chloe is my favorite character in the film.
 
It's probably because she reminds me of myself. That, and well, I'm totally a cat person. Don't get me wrong, dogs and other animals are amazing too, I just prefer cats. Maybe it's because my boys are pretty awesome. Just like Chloe. She's Max's bet friend and a wonderful comedic addition to this team. Of course, Jenny Slate as Gidget was also a win. I'm still a bit on the untrusting side. Though, since Slate also voices Bellwether in Zootopia. Her voice adds to everything Gidget is and I couldn't imagine anyone else for this role. Gidget pulls the crew together and despite being a little ball of white fluff, she's more than just a tiny dog.

Speaking of tiny, Snowball voiced by Kevin Hart is the most genius thing ever. I can't explain how this actor embodies the character. Snowball is one tough little ball of fluff and he's perhaps the most entertaining rabbit to ever appear on the big screen. The cast is full of amazing actors with voices that fit every single character. The best part is that the film grabs you, drags you in, and when it's over you're left wanting more. It's a film that can easily be seen more than once and really is fun for all ages! I got John and his Dad to see it with me on opening night when it first came out and I'm pretty sure they liked it. Granted, this film had me in tears of joy more than once. Plus, now is the time to see it and see it again because we’re getting close to the sequel! And don't forget to bring your furry family member a toy or treat! Because, hey, pets need to be spoiled too.