Once in a great while you get to sit down in a movie theater and witness history when a film plays out before your eyes and it goes beyond merely entertaining you and it outright manages to touch you on a level you never realized was quite possible. It could reach you emotionally.  t could inspire you to do something different with your life, or it could simply wow you with how utterly good the film is.  

Those kinds of iconic films are rare, and while we often are touched by film in some form or fashion, it's the ones that blow you away and stick with you for days and years once you've seen it that matter, and that you celebrate on a regular basis since they consistently evoke those powerful feelings within you, time and time again. And recently, I took the time to revisit an iconic movie that fits that particular criteria in, Clerks.

Dante is in need of direction in his life. He spends his days working down at the Quick Stop convenience store, hanging out with his friend Randal and dealing with one irritating customer after another, and well that’s basically it for him, and he knows that there is little substance to his life and his world, but hasn’t a clue how to break out of the rut he is in. But today is a special day, because Dante isn't supposed to be at work, but he’s behind the counter once again, and the wild things that happen to him today may give Dante exactly what he needs to finally get his life in order. 

So where do we start when it comes to talking about Clerks? Well we start with the word that describes it best, brilliant. I call it that, and I say it with pride, because of how well this film encapsulates a little slice of life. There is not one character in this film that people cannot relate to. We’ve all known a Randal and for those of us who have worked retail we know the customer base pretty well in this film. Granted there are plenty of movie moments in this flick that would never quite happen in real life, but for every one of those, there are ten moments that could. It's that realism that has allowed Clerks to withstand the test of time.
 
But what truly allows for this film to stand out and stick in our minds and our hearts, is Dante’s journey. Because let’s be honest, we’ve all been Dante at some point or another in our lives. We’ve all felt stuck in our lives and our future has seemed uncertain and we’ve also looked to yesterday to understand how to handle today and tomorrow and well, this really is some brilliant writing when all is said and done. For it is difficult to properly encapsulate this particular struggle in any medium in realistic fashion but Kevin Smith pulls that off with minimal effort here and I love the many layers that go into the ending of the film since it in essence reminds us to cherish what we have in our lives currently and plug ahead when the going gets tough because sometimes, that’s the best way to get through a rough patch.
 
As an added bonus, this movie is also one incredible comedy, and the quirky situations that Dante and Randal get into leave you in stitches, or tears since you’re laughing hard throughout the entire time and when all is said and done, it really is best to refer to this film as a outright masterpiece, Because Kevin Smith managed to pull off what so many filmmakers set out to do in that, he was able to flawlessly drop you into a character’s world and let you enjoy a slice of their everyday life, and providing the audience with that kind of unique experience is truly the mark of a great motion picture.

Trying to make yourself better is something that we all strive to do. Becoming a better person can be one of the easiest or hardest things to do, depending on our situation. There is something about doing something great for yourself or others that leaves us feeling so much better. But there are so many times when you look back and think that you could have done something to make a bad decision better, and if you let too many of the moments that you can correct go by without doing something about it, it could leave you with many regrets.  

Yuri Orlov is just looking for a way to do something special. Being present during an assassination attempt, Yuri has found his calling, selling guns. Running a restaurant with his little brother Vitaly, Yuri is able to present the opportunity to his kin of making more money than either of them would ever see coming from the service industry. As the Cold War has come to an end, Yuri finds that the market is flooded with firearms that could be sold for a hefty profit.

As his profits start to grow while taking advantage of the open market, Yuri comes face to face with his biggest opponent, Simeon Weisz. Simeon is the premier gun runner and Yuri wants to join forces with his idol, but Simeon has his own morals that he does not believe that Yuri could ever be accustomed to. Being shot down by his idol does not keep Yuri from growing his business and becoming one of the most important men in the arms trade, but as his business continues to grow, an Interpol Agent starts to pick up on his scent.  

Agent Jack Valentine will not allow himself to be fooled by Yuri’s tricks of the trade and will do everything in his power to take down the emerging gun runner and Valentine will stop at nothing to make Yuri’s life a living hell until he can get any charges to stick. Turning his focus to Yuri’s family, Valentine gets the in, he is looking for that could take down the most powerful, surviving gun runner in the nation. When Yuri identifies Valentine's plan, he tries to quit his old ways and go straight, but how long can that really last when a past customer comes knocking looking for a better deal on firearms for his next war.

Lord of War is the story behind famed gun runner Yuri Orlov who went from zero to hero in the eyes of many of his customers. Making his little brother Vitaly his business partner seemed to be the best plan of attack for his growing empire, but when the stress gets to be too much, Vitaly turns to drugs and leaves Yuri on his own. Yuri is not deterred from expanding his business and life as he is able to eliminate his main competitor and capture the heart of his dream woman. Beginning his new life and the start of a double life, Yuri sees that his wife does not care about what he does for a living, as long as it does not interfere with their life. When Agent Jack Valentine comes knocking and pressing Yuri’s wife for information about his alternate life, Yuri tries to end his current trade of gun running and go straight, but when an old customer comes to his door, Yuri finds that he is not able to stop what he is the best at.

With all of the Nicolas Cage movies I have seen in the past, this is by far one of my favorites. Although he plays his normal, quiet, disturbed character, the script brings so much more to the table. Seeing the ins and outs of a gun runner, along with what happens when deals go bad was something special. Between being shot, and being offered payment in other means than what he is accustomed to is something that I really enjoyed about Yuri, along with how he comes back from making the wrong decisions, in his job, along with in his life. This is a movie that should be added to anyone’s watch list that enjoys a good story, betrayal, guns or even a look back into history. Happy Viewing.

​Each and every one of us have a particular job or career field in mind that we are working toward or striving toward because we know precisely what is means for us when we finally obtain it. Because getting our hands on that proverbial dream job means that we will enjoy sustained happiness and measured success and we will likely get up every single morning with a smile on our faces because this is it, we’ve achieved perfection in our minds and we simply cannot wait to see where the day, and our perfect gig will take us.
 
At times, this quest seems outlandish and/or difficult, but it is something that people can achieve and enjoy, but there is a caveat to the dream job that everyone sometimes forgets in that, the wonder of it may never last. For some gigs have a shelf life, the kind that allow for it to slip from our hands in quick and stunning fashion and most folks are ill prepared to handle life after their perfect job has left them behind because the sheer shock of such a surprise can impact one’s life for years on end and recently, I took the time to revisit a film that focuses on the difficult road ahead for those who cannot move on when their dream job comes to an end in The Wrestler.
 
Now in this particular film, we are introduced to Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, a professional wrestler who enjoyed all kinds of incredible success back in the 1980s and 1990s. In fact, Randy was at one point, the true toast of the town, and was adored by legions of fans. But time unfortunately, marches on, as do sports and in the here and the now, Randy is a shell of his former self. For the fame and the money have all dried up, leaving The Ram with no choice but to take on local wrestling gigs when he’s not working his part time job in order to pay the bills and enjoy a little adoration from his fans. But a devastating heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery change everything for Randy, for this ailment robs him of the chance to compete further, forcing Randy to deal with the life he’s left behind, a task, that is easier said than done…

​It’s rare these days to stumble upon motion pictures that truly examine the tougher side of life since we expect our cinema going experience to serve as an escape but this film, doesn’t shy away from anything when it comes to looking at what life can become when the dream job disappears and that makes this movie a devastating experience when all is said and done. For Randy’s life after wrestling is simply heartbreaking to say the least because the man simply has nothing. He has no friends to talk to, no financial security, or hobbies to keep him busy. There are just his memories of the good old days, and his side gigs to keep that spark alive and once that’s taken from him, the film slips into darker territory believe it or not since Randy really is forced to start planning for a life without wrestling and well, he simply cannot do it.
 
He cannot connect with his daughter or the one woman he has eyes for and well, all of that is a direct result of the fact that we are dealing with a man who was in essence, a nobody before the national stage found him and nurtured him and he doesn’t understand personal interaction in the slightest and it’s equally as tragic to see how Randy believes that his past is what should earn him a pass with people and entrance into their lives when we all know that’s simply not the case. If anything, this powerful character study serves as a warning, in that, those who pursue their dreams need to stay grounded as they find success so that they have something to hold onto when times get tough or if the gig they so adore slips from their fingertips and really, in the end this movie is nothing more than a grand and sweeping tragedy and I applaud it for not going into happier territory.
 
Because sadly, sometimes life doesn’t give us our happy ending, and we need to be reminded of that from time to time, so that we don’t end up like Randy and hold onto the past over anything else and well, this is just a powerful motion picture when all is said and done. Because this one, truly does move you, and that is in large part due to the fact that the acting here is top notch, with Mickey Rourke leading the way with his incredible portrayal of Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson, and if by chance you haven’t seen this little gem please do. For it really is about more than just professional wrestling, it’s about life, our hopes and our dreams and how they can in fact become toxic if we lose ourselves in the wrong moment and well, you simply cannot go wrong with watching a film that has that many themes and concepts to offer its audience. 

You ever have that problem of being really, really, really, extremely good looking? I don’t, I just go along with my day giving everyone else the eye show that they deserve. But you know, sometimes it hurts when people look at me and I can tell that they are thinking why, why is he so really, really, really, extremely good looking? Sorry, had to unlock my inner Derek Zoolander for this as the second installment for Zoolander has finally made it to my streaming service and it blew me away with a glitter bomb.
​
Derek Zoolander’s life quickly started falling apart years ago after the Derek Zoolander Center for Kids Who Can’t Read Good and Who Wanna Learn to do Other Good Stuff Too collapsed, crushing his beloved Matilda. Being left alone as a single father to Derek Jr., Derek was not able to show enough smarts to keep them both out of trouble. After a troublesome video aired showing Derek and son trying to cook spaghetti, little Derek Jr. was quickly whisked away to an orphanage causing Derek to reevaluate his life. Quitting the industry once again, Derek moves up north away from it all to a place where nobody can find him ever again.

In present day, something terrible begins to happen across the globe as pop stars are being killed off one by one and the latest victim is Justin Bieber who sent out a puckered up photo that reminds Valentina Valencia of the Blue Steel look that Zoolander made famous. But not knowing what happened to the ageless supermodel, she will not be able to ask Zoolander what it could mean, but all five other pop stars that have been killed sent out the same picture.  

Staying away from the world in his little cabin, Derek gets a visit from his old friend Billy Zane who has his Netflix and an invite to Don Atari’s latest fashion show. Urging Derek to take the job, to show that he is a fit father so he can get his son back, Billy has one more visit to make before his job is done. Hansel is on the other side of the world and is having issues of his own as he finds out that all of the members from his Orgy party are pregnant. Not knowing if he is ready to be a father yet, he gets the same invite to the Don Atari party and jumps on the opportunity to get back into the fashion game.

With egos running high, Hansel and Zoolander have some unfinished business since when Zoolander’s school collapsed, it scarred Hansel, forcing him to wear a mask for the rest of his days. They try to avoid each other at the airport, but when they find out that they are not main attraction getting off of the plane, they start to realize that their time in the spotlight may have vanished. No matter however, since they have the job on Don Atari’s runway, and it will rekindle more than their careers, but their love for the job and their families. Being drenched by prune juice while the new supermodel All laughs all the way to the bank, the two see that it is really over, but when Valentina comes calling for information, Derek is able to work out a deal to find out where his son is, as long as he helps to find out what the look on the deceased pop stars faces really means.

With the look being from an old campaign, Derek finds that his work is done and Valentina makes good on her word and finds out that Derek Jr. is in Rome, which will make it easier to pick him up. Finding the orphanage, Derek sees that his son is fat and not part of his supermodel lineage, or at least not how he thinks. Trying to reconnect with Jr., Derek does everything that he likes, but Jr. is not interested in all the glamor stuff, he is just fine reading a book. As Derek figures out that he may never be a part of his son’s life again with the hate and blame sent his way for the good looking father not being there and killing Matilda, he heads back to the agency to find out what they have figured out in their case. 

​All the while, Hansel is getting calls from an unknown voice trying to give him clues of where to meet and find out who is behind the killings. Finding out that there is another part of the Adam and Eve story, Steve has been hidden from the pages of both testaments for a reason, not only because he was the first supermodel on earth, but he and his descendants carry the Fountain of Youth within them and the eater of their heart gets the gift of ever lasting life. Putting the pieces together and finding out that the next descendant on the list is Derek Jr., Zoolander, Hansel and Valentina jump into action to find the missing boy and rescue him from the only man who can plan such a strange event...Mugatu.

I will forewarn you, if you were not a fan of the first Zoolander movie, you probably will not like this one any better. There are plenty of throwback jokes to the original, which was nice and more cameos than you have ever seen in a movie, but the storyline is not that powerful. The part of the movie that kept me interested was the relationship between Derek and Jr. and wondering how and if the two could ever truly connect. Hansel was just his normal self and trying to make sure everyone loves one another, and even has some great acrobatic skills to help in the rescue of the boy. Valentina was just wonderful and her not being as dense as Derek and Hansel made the movie fun, but you could tell she had a downfall or two of her own. I was entertained, and I was not looking for anything to blow me away, since most of my friends have told me it is just a silly movie to cater to the fans that loved the first movie so much. So, if you're looking for silly humor, pop stars, Justin Bieber being gunned down, Sting, a little bit of action and an Orgy that just will not stop, this is the movie for you.

Some people tell me that I have no sense of fashion and with my love of wearing Hawaiian shirts as much as possible, I must agree. But fashion does not only come from the top designers in the world, although if one of them made a Hawaiian shirt that was affordable, I would make sure to buy one, but it is in the eyes of the people wearing the clothes. Even if something does not seem to be hot right now in all of the fashion magazines, it does not make it any less attractive, if the person that is wearing is really wearing it. Now, this has nothing to do with the movie I am here to take a look at, but I needed to get it out there to the millions of people that Hawaiian shirts are an excellent addition to anyone’s wardrobe. 

Derek Zoolander is nearing the end of his career however he feels like he is just hitting his prime. Winning the Male Model of the Year Award for the past three years in a row, Derek is unstoppable at this point, but he knows there could be trouble on the horizon since the next phenom is biting at his heals. Hansel is the hottest thing right now and has set the bar higher than anyone before him in his rookie year in the industry. Even though he acts like he does not care about the fame, Hansel wants to make sure that everyone, including Derek understands he is the best.

Designer Mugatu is running into hard times across the ocean as his primary hub for production is about to set a higher price on the cheap labor he and his counterparts have been taking advantage of for years. Needing to find a way to keep the new Malaysian Prime Minister from signing the bill into law, Mugatu is forced to find another unknowing scapegoat to carry out his dirty work. As Derek is down in the dumps after losing his friends in a freak gasoline accident, Mugatu devises a plan to bring the former great back to the runway and to properly motivate him to kill the Prime Minister. With this help from his longtime friend and model agent Maury Ballstein, Mugatu is able to get Derek to come back for one final campaign that will change the modeling world, forever.

Thinking that this is an opportunity of a lifetime and with a school being opened in his name, Derek jumps at the idea and heads off to a day spa, only to find out when he leaves, he has been there for a week. With the help of Time Magazine reporter Matilda Jeffries, Derek finds out that he has been brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister, along with the reason why male models have been front and center in all of the world’s assassinations. But, why male models? As male models are apparently not the brightest lights in the outlet, they can be convinced to do anything and being able to get close to people in power, they are the perfect killing machines. Even with this information in hand, Derek will not pass up on the chance to finish his career with a bang and heads to Mugatu’s show without any hesitation, but will his friends be able to stop him before he becomes another famous killer?

Now don’t get me wrong, this is a light hearted comedy that takes stabs at those who are looking to make the world a better place, for themselves. With plenty of jokes that will keep you rolling, a gasoline fight, and a walk off for the ages, you will be left wondering what really happens in the male modeling industry…and how do I get a job in it? This is one of my favorite Ben Stiller movies and it is not only because of the laughs, the cast, or the wardrobes, but for the growth he is able to give his characters, even when it seems like there is no way anything can ever change in their lives, something does and it makes them all better people in the end. Happy Viewing.

Winter's Tale is a love story. And that's as much explaining as I can do. Okay, that's not true. This is a movie based off a book, as most are, and supposedly, the book is fantastic. I, however, did not know this was a book, nor did I have any idea what this movie was about before seeing it.

At first, the movie made some sense. It was an adorable, cheesy, romance. Romeo, I mean Peter (Collin Farrell), breaks into Juliet's, I mean Beverly's (Jessica Brown Findlay), house. And from then on, he loves her with all his soul. But there's a catch, Beverly is dying and Peter's ex-boss, wants him dead. Typical romance! Hey, known you for 5 minutes, let's be soul mates! This totally happens, all the time. So, anyway, Peter also has a white horse, and some strange things are happening. Strange, unexplained things. Stealing seems to be the main focus of Peter and the gang he used to run with, led by Pearly who is played by Russell Crowe. 

Of course, Pearly has some vision and draws some picture in some waiter’s blood. He then determines that Beverly is who Peter will use his Miracle for. Wait, what? Yeah, I was just as confused by this too. It took a bit into the film to really understand what was going on. Pearly, as it turns out, is a demon; the white horse is really a spirit guide; Peter's friend Cecil is really a guardian angel; and Peter is completely human. Sadly, they don't explain this terribly well. But everything gets figured out eventually. Miracles are something the demons want to collect or keep from happening. Stars are apparently people, or people's souls, or at one point suggested to be the wings that people get when they turn into angels. Really confusing. I love the fantasy idea, just would have liked a better explanation. But I digress. Beverly, despite dying, is also madly in love with Peter instantly. As is her father and little sister, Willa. Peter accompanies Beverly to where her family is, some place Pearly and his men cannot follow them to.

​Pearly does what any man in his situation would do, he visits Lucifer. Who just happens to be played by Will Smith. I squeed at this part! He gets no help, so he calls in a favor owed from an angel and said angel poisons Beverly. Who dies. Who dies, and doesn't come back to life. Even after Peter kisses her all romantic like. Angered, Peter confronts Pearly. Here we find out that the white horse has wings made of light and can totally fly. (That would have come in very handy for, I don't know, making a run for it?) But Peter stays and gets beaten, and Peter is thrown off the bridge and presumably dies.

Only, Peter doesn't die. For 100 years he lives with no memory of his past, or Beverly. He draws, with chalk, on the ground the same picture Pearly had drawn earlier in the movie. A girl with red hair, reaching for the moon. At the park, he bumps into a little girl. He gets involved with her and her mother. Pearly finds out. Peter gets his memory back. Pearly wants the little girl dead. Why? Beverly used her miracle on Peter. He's supposed to use his on the little girl, Abby. Who has red hair, and cancer. They all figure this out. Pearly finally faces off against Peter and loses, turning to snow…and then Abby dies. Peter and her mother cry; Peter begs for Abby to come back, and then she does! At the very end of it all, Peter is taken by the white horse to Beverly, where they become stars together and live a happy eternity together. The. End.

Now, my mother and sister adored this movie back in the day when we saw this. They even went out and bought the book immediately after. I think if I had had more information or understanding of the plot beforehand, I would have enjoyed the movie just as much as they did. It's a great romance story and a fun one to watch with your significant other. Also, Will Smith as Satan? Totally made the whole movie worth my while.

Tough times teach us a lot about ourselves. They help us understand how much stress and pain we can bear before we buckle, and well...that's not exactly a bad thing. By being tested, by learning our limits, eventually we are forced to grow and become better people. But like anything, there is a dark side to tough times, because they also leave us at our weakest and most vulnerable, which allows for the darkest parts of our psyche to come bubbling to the surface.

It is in those moments, where the pain is fresh and raw that we tend to say and do things we wouldn't normally do out of pain and out of anger, and it is during this time that we may or may not do something that we regret...it all just depends on how low we let our spirits sink and it is that part of tough times that was explored in depth in the 1987 black comedy,Throw Momma from the Train.

Owen and Larry have reached a low point in their lives, because neither of them can seem to escape the pain that the most important women in their lives have caused them. Larry for example, is haunted by the fact that his ex-wife stole his idea for a best-selling novel, leaving him with writer's block and Owen, who is well into middle age, is still living at home with his overbearing mother, and he is so miserable and anxious to be free of her madness, he's actually given thought to murdering her. But alas, Owen wouldn't know where to begin to conduct such an act without getting caught but as fate would have it, he and Larry have crossed paths and a rant from Larry about wishing that his ex-wife was dead gives the two men some common ground, and with an accidental push from Larry...Owen may have figured how they can help one another out, by ending the life of the other's man problem...allowing for them to be free of their anguish at long last...

More than likely, that summary doesn't even do the plot of this film justice simply because...it is an outright brilliant and fascinating comedy that instantly draws you in because let's be honest...this is not the kind of story you see in film on a regular basis. Sure people have been curious about murder in film, but those folks are usually portrayed as villains through and through, with true malice in their heart but here...well Owen and Larry consider murder because they truly feel as though they have no other recourse and it's stunning to see two characters reach that kind of point in their lives.

But while the subject matter should drag you down and be as dreary as possible, I did make mention of the fact that this is a black comedy and despite those darker elements, holy hell is this one funny film, and the comedy in this motion picture works for one reason and one reason alone...the casting. Danny DeVito (Owen) and Billy Crystal (Larry) are utterly brilliant on screen together and the laughs arrive at just the right time to lighten the mood and despite the dreary setup, the film does have at its core a strong and positive message, that regardless of how bad things get...sometimes we have to find a way to move forward in life, otherwise we will succumb to the darkest parts of our soul and that message is a wonderful way to bookend this magnificent story.

Either way, this is in many ways a forgotten gem. I remember seeing it on home video back in the late 80's when this film was first released on VHS and unfortunately did not catch it again until the other day on cable and well...I wish I had rediscovered it sooner. You have to love a film that works to truly capture the human experience and our lowest points and the struggles we go through when we hit rock bottom (minus the whole murder thing) and it's a shame they don't make films like this anymore because this one definitely leaves you thinking and it's one that I likely need to add to my collection and if by chance you haven't seen it recently or at all, I strongly suggest you seek this one out to enjoy an incredibly thoughtful and hilarious story that will completely and utterly take you by surprise.