The great debate as to whether or not sequels or remakes to classic films and franchises should exist at all is one that will continue on for years to come. But whether or not you like or dislike them, we can certainly agree upon one thing. There is a curiosity piqued within all of us when it comes to films that fit this mold.

We always wonder what the classics might possibly look like when given the modern filmmaking treatment, especially when it comes to special effects and once someone poses the question of 'what if?' that's usually when a refresh of the story arrives. We either embrace it, or fire our disdain toward it; but once in a while these experiments in updates just so happen to surprise us all with top notch quality from top to bottom, as was the case with the long awaited sequel to Tron; Tron: Legacy.

Now this is a motion picture that quickly satisfies our curiosity and answers the question as to what the original would have looked like if it was made in the modern era with gusto; giving us a visual feast for the eyes with stunning color and special effects that quite frankly drop your jaw. But while the folks behind the scenes could have left it at that and called it good, they decided that this movie was an opportunity to move out from under the shadow of the original and provide the fans with an epic and sweeping story that would engage and engross the audience.

The end result of this decision was nothing short of spectacular because Legacy does indeed stand on its own thanks to its story. This rich world where programs have been allowed to thrive is absolutely fascinating, especially considering how human they have become after all this time. That of course lends to some thematic concepts regarding religion and the notion that if man was created in God's image, program was created in man's image and there was an opportunity to explore how the programs could potentially respond to the idea of man being their God...but the film never quite goes down that road, instead it lends it focus to a story of tragedy and limitation since Clu's journey is a heartbreaking one to say the least.

After all, he is a villain who doesn't quite understand right versus wrong. He is simply a digital man, one with a set of limitations programming wise that drive him to do what his coding tells him is right to allow him to create the perfect world and perfect simulation. He only knows what his program will allow and while the audience can certainly despise him for this, a second viewing evokes a sense of pity since this is all he will ever know and that equally makes the rest of this world a tragedy as well, since these programs only know how to function within the limits of their code. It makes for a brilliant film to say the least, one that is thought provoking and surprisingly philosophical. This is another one of those modern classics for certain, and while there are no current plans to bring a third entry in the series to the silver screen, let's not forget it almost took thirty years to bring Tron: Legacy to life, so here's to hoping that Disney eventually gives this story the sequel... or conclusion it so deserves. 

It's interesting how some films, that were in essence designed to capture the spirit of the times, which in turn should make them dated; have become iconic and legendary on so many levels. They are films that have truly captured the feel of an era, and the joy that comes with it. 

These are the movies we pop into our DVD, or VCR player for some, to transport us back in time to our youth or whatever memories resonate when we first saw these films and one such motion picture fits into all that and still brings about an incredible sense of magic and wonder after all these years, Tron.

The plot of this film is one we all know, so no need to cover that today, instead, let's talk about what makes this film so incredibly magical and memorable because this is a film that everyone looks upon so fondly when they discuss it and there are several good reasons for that. One of which, is that despite the fact that to an extent the film seems dated in this day and age, it is still considered to be groundbreaking and spectacular from a visual perspective.

Sure we know a good majority of the special effects for this film were put together at the dawn of the CGI era, and well...folks simply don't care. For one, it's neat to look back at this film to see how far we've come in terms of computer-generated effects and also because, a lot of these effects still look incredibly good. The light cycle scene is still stunning and thrilling to this day and there is still something new for our eyes to discover, thanks to Blu Ray, when it comes to the amount of detail that was put into all the costumes and vehicles that appear on screen.

But really, what makes Tron such a beloved film, is its nostalgia factor. This is a motion picture that harkens back to the classic science fiction of the 1950's, where we didn't quite understand atomic technology and what it could do. The same applies here, computers and computing were a brave new world when this movie was released in 1982, and their function and potential at the time were woefully misunderstood and well, the end result is a creative and majestic journey that still manages to enthrall us to this day. Either way, Tron is truly a modern classic, one that deserves a place in our home video collections and one that should be revisited and shared as often as possible.

Over the course of the past few weeks, a great many people have been introduced to the phrase; systemic racism. Especially in regard to how black people and black communities are treated in America and the sole reason that particular phrase is being used often, is simply due to the fact that eyes are opening up in regard to this long-standing problem in our nation. For people are crying out for it to be addressed so that continued police brutality will come to an end by way of reforms and so that African Americans will finally be treated as equals in 2020.
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But while it is wonderful to see people talking about this after all this time, this is still a phrase that seems foreign to a great many people. For they simply don’t see or understand what systemic racism looks like or how it exists in our country, which is another reason why so many are crying out for people to listen and learn, and it just so happens that Netflix released a documentary in 2016 that addressed the core issues of systemic racism and how it persists centuries after the end of the Civil War by way of 13th. Which is in a nutshell a powerful documentary that holds nothing back in its quest to help people understand how we’ve come to this point and how important moments in American history have failed black people as a whole.

Something that it accomplishes, by removing some historical stigma. Because all too often, we look at significant moments in U.S. history, especially ones related to Civil Rights, with rose colored glasses. Since we reflect heavily on the wonder of said moment and immediately move on in the history books. Or we look upon eras of growth in our history as inclusive, where everyone benefitted and profited, especially during the Post World War II era. But this documentary takes the time to point out that the collective desire to only celebrate the best parts of what America stands for, has allowed for us to turn a blind eye to the fact that freed slaves were placed into a different type of servitude by way of the loophole that lurks within the 13th Amendment. Or how the celebration of Americana leaves out African Americans since they were relegated to a second class status and their own specially designed world, while everyone else relished in in a false Rockwell-ian vision of idyllic life and prosperity.

But truly where this documentary truly shines, is in its exploration of what truly serves as the cause of systemic racism, which is related to America’s addiction to fear. Because we consistently have a prevailing belief that our nation is constantly under siege from external forces that wish to topple the American way of life, which is a false narrative for certain. But it exists, and we’ve fed that fear by turning on our own people, specifically black people. For the narrative that they are all criminals has indeed taken root in modern America and that is systemic racism. Since it allows for a negative stigma to hang over African Americans, the kind that immediately puts them under suspicion and motivates the criminal justice system to be harsher upon black offenders since the prevailing belief is that lessons must be made out of individuals that falsely represent a constant criminal element in our nation.

Which is a horrifying and eye-opening point to make, but one that needs to be said aloud. Because that is the narrative that’s been on our television screens for decades and it has resulted in a ridiculous number of incarcerations, creating a new form of slavery since newer corporations take full advantage of cheap labor that operates under the guise of reform and that makes this documentary a stunning look at issues in modern America that we are just now waking up to. Which does gives one hope that perhaps the time has finally come to see systemic change occur, since we are finally discussing and acknowledging this. But considering the current climate, and the unfortunate resurgence of empowered individuals who feel that now is the time to bring back ‘the good old days’, the fight for equality will likely be long and winding. Which means education on these matters are paramount right now, and that’s why this documentary is a must see, because it really does help the audience listen and learn more, about an aspect of our modern world that has been hiding in plain sight for far too long.

When it comes to cinema in general, it is safe to say that America has a love affair with the coming of age story. Because these particular tales are quite unique in their own right, since they do tend to focus on how wondrous moments can also provide us with sobering realizations. For while the teens in these movies come to realize the wonder of the world and that perhaps they can change it with effort, they often arrive at that epiphany or are driven to do so, after seeing an injustice in the world that awakens their soul to the fact that modern society isn’t quite what they expect it to be. A powerful lesson that each of us learn at some point in our youth, which also makes these movies quite relatable for certain. But while these movies have merit and can be quite thought-provoking in their own right, they are not without their respective flaws.
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Such as the fact that they are often set in the past, where a sense of Americana hangs over everything and the story tends to present the nuances of the world in simplistic or black and white fashion. Plus, often times these movies are set in suburbia, where life really isn’t all that difficult, and the tough moments the characters encounter in between white picket fences, are sometimes quite unrealistic. Which makes them movies through and through, since they’re filled to the brim with fantastic moments that rarely reflect the mundane nature of suburbia. But thankfully, there are coming of age films out there that don’t shy away from the harsh realities of the world and in 1991, writer/director John Singleton released a powerful film that gave audiences everywhere a shocking look at what coming of age looks like in a major metropolitan area in Boyz n the Hood.

Now in this particular motion picture we are introduced to a young boy named Tre Styles who unfortunately comes from a broken home. For his mother and father are separated and the anger that surges through Tre, from his unique circumstances and unresolved feelings, sees him get in trouble at school often. Something that motivates his mother to move Tre from her home in Inglewood, California to his father’s in Crenshaw, a suburb of South-Central Los Angeles, so that dad can guide Tre in ways that she cannot. And once Ricky arrives to live with his father, we are privy to a powerful journey, one that sees Ricky try hard to follow his father’s teachings so that he can rise above the tough streets that surround him and avoid becoming a statistic in a neighborhood that takes, more often than it gives.

So, make no mistake about it, this is a visceral motion picture. One that genuinely takes the time to tackle important topics about Black communities that quite frankly, no movie or show or story in general was willing to look at, during this particular period of time. Which makes this movie poignant and relevant after all these years because a lot of what it has to say, still resonates in 2020. Such as the fact that systemic racism as a whole, has more or less prompted the nation to ignore what goes on in black communities. To the point where the plight of these communities only appears on the news if violence is running rampant through those neighborhoods and for proof, look no further than the fact that this movie came out in 1991 and South-Central and the issues happening there weren’t paid any serious mind until the Los Angeles Riots happened in that area, a year later. 

But while that segment of the story is quite powerful in its own right, we would be remiss to not discuss the other important topic that this motion picture tackles, specifically how the police tend to treat black people on a consistent basis. Which is of course, poorly in this story, since we see policy brutality on full display here in terrifying fashion and we also see the LAPD treat the community in an aloof manner. As though the calls here are quite the inconvenience and annoyance and while this is something, we are talking about on a consistent basis now, what makes this part of the story so poignant and powerful is the sheer fact that this is a film that was made nearly thirty years ago. Which means this was happening back then, and it took a supremely long time to bring it to the public’s attention and enact some measure of change.

If anything, all of these elements make this quite the brilliant motion picture. Because the raw nature of this film and the small nuances that it presents us with, move you and unsettle you every single step of the way as you hope for the best when it comes to characters that are besieged by violence at every turn. And it is also one that helps you to understand that some children and teenagers are forced to grow up fast in our country when survival is part of their everyday routine and that is a sobering lesson for the audience to learn. In the end, this is simply an important film, one that you need to seek out and see as soon as possible if you haven’t seen it before. In part because it does feature a powerful story that will leave you stunned and silent when the end credits roll. But also, because it reminds us that we still have to be better, when it comes to listening and learning about the world that surrounds us.

Our perception of the world is quite important to all of us. Simply because it helps to form our opinion on a great many things, and it can also set our mood. For if we see the world as a just and wonderful place, it motivates us to take part in everything it has to offer, and we do so with a smile on our faces because we feel as though we are part of something quite beautiful. Yet, the opposite does indeed apply here. For if the world looks like a sour place to us, one filled with trouble and sorrow, it is a lot harder to get out of bed and go about our day simply because we don’t want to take part in the dark stuff, or risk our safety when the going is really tough out there.

But what’s truly fascinating about perception and how we see things, is how rarely the world presents itself to us in such a simplistic manner. For modern society is a complex ecosystem, one that offers up a bevy of good and bad at any given moment and sometimes the bad is so powerful and overwhelming that we force ourselves to find the good and try to bury our minds within it, in order to cope with some of the awful things we see. Which sadly, forces us to outright miss issues we should be speaking up about and bringing attention to, and it just so happens that in 2018, a motion picture was released to the world that explored all of these concepts in an intimate and powerful fashion in Blindspotting.

Now in this particular film we are introduced to a man named Collin Haskins who has been through quite the year. Because an unfortunate incident while he was the bouncer at a bar in his hometown of Oakland, got him in trouble with the law. But after two months in jail and nearly a year on probation, Collin is doing his best to play it straight and reinvent himself because he understands the world is going to see him differently now as a convicted felon. But as he closes in on his final day of probation, Collin’s view of the world is beginning to change. Thanks in large part to the fact that he watches a police officer gun down an African American man in cold blood. For this opens his eyes to the fact that his life and his environment are not quite what they seem and the haunting image of that death leaves him wondering if it is time to make some serious changes to his life, so he is no longer surrounded by a world he doesn’t quite understand.

So, at first glance, that particular plot summary barely speaks to notions of perception of the world or how we try to make the world look like a prettier place in our minds, but that’s the true beauty of this particular motion picture. Because what appears to be a movie about reinvention of one’s self and repairing the damage from one’s mistakes, quickly evolves into a story on perception and our push to see the world as we want to, simply because Collin has made great efforts to surround himself in a world where problems don’t quite exist. After all, it’s been good times with his best friend Miles for as long as he can remember, and his push to keep his nose clean and be seen as a good man once again comes directly from his desire to have a status quo in his life. But that push for normalcy has indeed blinded him to the realities of the world and how it is changing around him, and the injustices that surround him every single day. 
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Especially in regard to the outright murder he bears witness to. Because it hammers home the fact that as an African American male, he can be gunned down at any time by a cop who feels the need to pull the trigger and this is where the film becomes quite powerful. Because not only does it find a way to inject the fear that Black people feel on a regular basis in regard to the police, into the heart of the audience, it also says something quite powerful about how we perceive police brutality and the systemic racism that a lot of cops aim at black people, in that, modern America is doing what Collin does in this tale. Because we push all of this out of sight and out of mind, and we pretend it isn’t a problem and that these types of ‘incidents’ are indeed related to a ‘few bad apples’ and doing that engenders more injustice and cruelty, feeding the aforementioned systemic racism.

Which makes the ending of this motion picture quite powerful for certain, since it speaks to the fact that in order to stop this, we all have to confront it. We have to stand up to this madness and demand that it ends and make others see African Americans as the human beings that they are. And well, that’s a hell of way to end this film, and it makes this movie supremely relevant since that is what hundreds of thousands of people are doing in the streets right now. Which means, this is a motion picture that you need to see as soon as possible if you haven’t yet. Because it is ahead of its time, and it teaches the viewer a great deal about a part of our world few of us understand and most importantly, it serves to remind us that at some point, we can no longer pretend to see the world as we want to, we need to see things for how they really are and we need to act upon injustices as they arise.

There was a time where major motion picture studios, were filled to the brim with a fierce competitive nature. Granted, there are still echoes of that today, but they handle it quite differently now, then they did back in the day. For years ago, when a studio got wind of another studio’s plans to release something special to the masses, they went all out in making sure to offer up a competing project that would get them a piece of the action. Which is why we’d see a surge of action movies that seemed quite familiar, or romantic comedies that echoed one another as well. Because there was no way in hell that any particular studio was going to be left out of a particular storytelling craze and for proof that this back and forth between studios existed, well then let us ponder upon the year 1998.

For in May of that year, Paramount Pictures released Deep Impact, a motion picture that revolved around mankind facing an extinction level event when a rogue comet was discovered to be on a collision course with planet Earth. Which is a pretty epic plot in its own right, and it made for a solid movie that our associate Scotty reviewed the other day. But not to be outdone by Paramount, Buena Vista Pictures (a.k.a. Disney) took the time to craft their own disaster epic involving an unexpected visitor from space. One that was able to come out shortly after Paramount’s offering and well, at first glance Armageddon does indeed share a lot of similarities with the ‘other’ space disaster epic from the summer of ’98.

Because someone stumbles upon an unexpected light in the sky and that light turns out to be a space-borne object that is going to slam into Earth and end all life on the planet. Which in turn prompts the United States and Russia to work together to blast that hunk of space rock to a billion bits in order to save all of mankind. And while that makes it seem as though Buena Vista basically cut and pasted the plots, that’s really where the similarities between these two motion pictures end. For while Deep Impact went the more dramatic and cerebral route in telling its particular tale, Armageddon felt the need to kick this story into overdrive by offering up a lot more action and adventure and well, explosions.

In fact, it only takes about five minutes for this movie to establish its explosive prowess since we see a space shuttle and most of New York City burn thanks to some hunks of the killer asteroid arriving at Earth early and well, the film really doesn’t let up from there. Because there’s danger and fire to be found at the space station that our heroes dock at, there’s problems to be found when they land on the asteroid and let’s be honest, the third act of this movie is designed to be nothing more than a nightmarish cornucopia of icy rock and dangerous situations. Which honestly isn’t a bad thing by any means. Because it works, and it immediately raises the stakes and sucks the audience into a dynamic story that leaves one wondering how the crews of Independence and Freedom are going to save the day. 
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But while it sounds as though this movie is nothing but explosions and one liners, there actually is some heart to be found in the film. Granted, there’s not much, because this movie really is 90% explosions and one liners and the romantic segment between Grace and A.J. is pretty weak sauce in its own right, but there are some special moments to be found in here. Because from time to time director Michael Bay uses a sense of Americana to remind us of what space travel has accomplished for us, specifically that it has given us hope in ways we never thought possible, and there really is something quite special about seeing a group of everyday folks put their lives on the line to save billions of innocent lives. 

However, make no mistake about it, this is a Michael Bay film, and you know what that entails and in the end that makes this movie tough to compare to its counterpart. Simply because they really are dynamic and special in their own right since one is Fruity Pebbles and one is the knockoff with extra freakin’ sugar. But all cracks aside, this really is a fun motion picture. Because it really does elicit a sense of adventure and awe, and the actions sequences do take your breath away for certain and in all honesty, if you’re not wiping a single tear off your cheek at the end of this movie; who hurt you? But either way, this is just a great popcorn flick, one that you need to see if you haven’t yet, simply because… they don’t make them quite like this anymore. Especially since the back and forth between studios seems to have faded away with the advent of streaming.

When it comes to the bad things that happen in this world, and the bad people that make those things happen, we tend to see them as far away problems. After all, the bad thing happened in another state, and we’re safe from such problems, and even if awful things happen locally, we still tend to compartmentalize them. Because IT happened in another town and the people that are responsible are still miles away and we do this, simply because it helps us to cope. For it provides us with a sense of safety and it allows for us to process the horror we just saw on the six o’clock news. But while there is something to be said about protecting one’s mental health by keeping such matters at bay, there is an issue that arises by keeping these issues in a ‘far away’ place.

In that, we tend to turn a blind eye to the evil and injustices that actually are happening in our community. Because bad things do happen while we sleep or fret over a bill or two and there are at times bad people planning bad things and since they’re not our problem, they go forgotten. But while it is easy to put all of that out of sight and out of mind, the fact of the matter is, we do need to pay attention, and speak up when we realize that something sour is happening in our neighborhood. Because silence lets evil fester, and it just so happens that Spike Lee took the time to make a fascinating film about the importance and the power of standing up to the evil that lurks in our backyards in BlacKkKlansman.

Now in this particular film, one based on a true story, we are transported back to 1972 to spend a little time with a man named Ron Stallworth. Now Ron, who is black, takes a chance on a grand opportunity by signing up to join the Colorado Springs Police Department. Which makes him the first African American on the force and it isn’t long before Ron makes it clear to his superiors that he truly wants to make a difference in his community by going undercover and bringing the worst of the worst to justice and wouldn’t you know it, he gets that opportunity. And once he’s transferred to the intelligence division, he takes another bold chance and reaches out to the city’s local Ku Klux Klan chapter and his first call to this ancient and unsettling organization opens up incredible doors for him. Because he’s posing as a white man over the phone and getting into their good graces and with the help of his partner Flip, the CSPD is able to get unprecedented access to this hate group and their dire plans to cause harm to the local Black community. 

So, let’s just get this out into the open now; this is an utterly brilliant and powerful and unsettling film and rightfully so. Because you are plunged into a world of racism that few of us have ever understood, since Flip (posing as Ron) spends a lot of time around this hate group, and that’s where the viewer is made to feel quite uncomfortable. Because the script holds nothing back, and the twisted views of a group that genuinely believes that White Supremacy is the way, are put on display often, and it doesn’t matter how many times you hear the horrible things they have to say, those words make you squirm in your seat, and they make you cringe and they make you realize that these are bad and evil people and that they simply shouldn’t exist in 2020. But they do, and they’re thriving right now, and what truly makes this film so intelligent and so powerful, is that it takes to time to examine how this kind of crap exists in communities all over America.

Which is related to the fact that the majority turn the other cheek when it comes to this stuff and let’s explore the proof of that by way of a couple of key plot points. Take for example the fact that the CSPD takes the time to put together an undercover operation to spy upon a Black activist named Kwame Ture. Because they genuinely believe this intelligent and well-spoken man is planning to cause harm to the community and they need to know what his plan is, ASAP. But as it turns out, there is no plan to cause trouble or harm, he just wants those that listen to his words to wake up and see the world for what it is. But despite not finding any clues of pending violence or insurrection, Ron’s bosses press him hard to provide them with evidence of a genuine threat, one that quite frankly meets their narrative, which he is outright unable to do. 
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Something that stands in stark contrast to Ron’s request to investigate the KKK. Because his superiors are hesitant to offer him the resources or the freedom to get the job one, despite the fact that these idiots are planning a bomb attack and that’s just… stunning for certain. Because why on earth would an organization like the KKK, one that has committed horrible acts in American history, get a pass like this? Well they do, because they’re white. Because systemic racism and its engrained nature, makes it seem as though these good ol’ boys and gals can do no harm because hey, they’re just expressing their feelings and thoughts under the rights of the First Amendment, so it’s fine. They won’t cause trouble as long as someone keeps them in check and that is just… horrifying to see play out on the screen, as is the fact that this investigation didn’t see the light of day for decades after it came to a close, so as to not stun the folks of Colorado Springs that such things happen in their own backyard.

But while this motion picture does a phenomenal job of socking the audience in the gut with this powerful and visceral point, it also takes the time to remind us that not much has changed since the 1970s. For the fact that Black people are harassed in this film by unsavory cops, or that our hero is beaten into submission by other police officers when trying to arrest a white and female KKK operative, echoes modern day America a little too closely, as do the views of the KKK since a lot of what they have to say in this film echoes modern politics, unfortunately. If anything, all of these elements help to explain why we are where we are right now. Because we let this happen by letting this kind of crap slide, by writing it off as nothing more than frustrated free speech when in reality, the poison spread and took root and eventually it was brought to a boil.

Granted, all of these elements might make this movie and this review seem quite preachy for certain, but that’s a good thing when all is said and done. Because this motion picture really does challenge the audience, by asking us to think long and hard about what we are going to do in regard to this problem now. For it is has reached its apex, and we now know that systemic racism is a problem in America and that Black Lives Matter… are we going to do what we always do? And wait for the norm to return so that we do this again in a few years? Or are we finally going to speak out, and stand up to the injustices we cannot hide from anymore? In the end, placing that kind of a challenge within the framework of a story of outright heroism is quite powerful for certain, and it allows for this movie to stay with you long after it has come to an end and if by chance you missed this one in theaters, seek it out and see it as soon as possible. Because it is an important film, one that truly motivates you to listen, and learn.

Making tough decisions is something that very few people like to do, they would rather be told what to do instead. Because they know that the outcome of those kinds of decisions can change the way people feel about you, or even worse, can bring harm to loved ones. But this is a part of life that everyone needs to be comfortable with since there are times when you are on your own and need to make that fateful decision. Using your hindsight on the smaller choices you have to make, may be the only way to have some sort of idea what the outcome is going to be, even if it does not look good, there is still a shot that you are doing the right thing.

Being put out to sea, the Seaview is the most advanced submarine ever created by the government and while it has all sorts of toys that could end the world, it is a research vessel with some top minds on board. Admiral Nelson has been with the ship from day one and being one of the top scientists in the world, he is happy to have it under his control and with his right hand man Commodore Emery aboard as well, they are ready to make discoveries that no one thought possible on the boat. With Captain Crane in command of the ship's regular operations, everything seems to be fine, but when the sub is traveling under the North Pole and gets bombarded by falling ice, the crew needs to return to the surface to take a look at what is going on. To their astonishment, the senior staff see that the sky is on fire and need to know what is happening as it is having a massive effect on the ice caps. 

Getting word from Washington that the Van Allen Radiation Belt has been ignited and is warming the entire world, Nelson and Emery are ordered to meet with the U.N. in New York as soon as possible to find a way to keep the world from baking to death. Since the trip will take a couple of days, Nelson and Emery start to bang out plans that could possibly save the world from its impending doom. Waiting to see what they come up with, Captain Crane is keeping a close eye on his crew as the men are starting to fear that there is something terrible happening to their homes. Getting some news about what the heat is doing to the planet, Crane is sure that his men can keep it together, but his confidence in his men is badly misplaced.

Arriving at the U.N. and proposing a plan to shoot an atomic warhead into the radiation belt, Nelson and Emery are met with hostility as other scientists believe that doing this will destroy the world. Knowing that he is right, Nelson gets back to the boat as soon as possible to put his plan into motion since they are fighting the clock to save the world. With all of the crew watching the news as Nelson delivers his idea, they are torn on this being the right thing to do, much less if they want to be on the ship since this could be the end of days and they would rather be with their families. But Nelson does not let anyone stop his plan and sails for the perfect location to shoot his missile and awaits word from the President of the United States to tell him no. Yet the radiation is killing all of the radio transmissions and Nelson is faced with making the final decision himself. With his science being sound on the plan, he decides that the world’s fate is in his hands and he will do anything to save it, but his crew does not feel the same way and they will do whatever they can to stop him by trying to sabotage the ship.

They don’t make movies like this anymore and it is really a shame. With just a little bit of action that takes place under the sea, the main story is how power-hungry Nelson really is and if he can be stopped by anyone on the submarine. Captain Crane watches from the outside and keeps his feelings to himself, but when he needs to stand up for what he believes in, he does not back away from his senior officer and even threatens to take his power away. With so many different opinions running through the sub, you get to see a wide array of emotions throughout the movie and it just adds to the appeal. Even though this movie does not have as much action appeal like movies use today, you still get to see some epic Giant Squid fights and wonder how anyone ever got where they were going when traveling on a submarine. Happy Viewing.

One of my favorite memories of childhood, was being able to sleep in on the weekends, and by weekends, I really just mean Sunday. Because Saturday morning meant I had to set my alarm for extra early. Not for chores, or for homework, oh no. There was only one reason to give up sleep; Saturday morning cartoons.  

Let's face it, despite how tired any of us were, we were up as early as possible to get that bowl of Fruity Pebbles ready before enjoying the amazing adventures that awaited us. Those cartoons had us hooked, and it only made logical sense that the next step for those shows was to escape the confines of our televisions and bring to us the biggest story possible on the silver screen. But out of all the big screen adaptations of those thirty-minute vignettes, one stands out in my mind as the Dawn of the Dead of Saturday morning motion pictures; The Transformers: The Movie.

The Civil War of Cybertron between the Autobots and Decepticons comes to a head as the evil Megatron leads a massive assault on Autobot City. It is a costly battle that leaves both sides in near ruin with the losses of Optimus Prime and Megatron. In the aftermath of this devastating conflict, Megatron is remade into Galvatron by a mechanical monster and eater of robotic worlds known as Unicron, in the hope that Galvatron can hunt down the remaining Autobots and bring to him the one weapon that could stop Unicron's conquest of the galaxy...The Matrix of Leadership.  

So, let's get down to the nitty and gritty about this movie. I love film. I always have, and I always will. I love to break it down and study it because film is truly magical. It evokes a response in us, and when it strikes a chord in our hearts, good or bad we will forever look upon it in a special light. That's exactly how I see Transformers. In no way will this film be remembered for incredible screenwriting, direction or acting. This was a kid's movie and it will forever be remembered as absolute fun.   

The reason this movie sticks with me is the fact that it was so epic. I mean come on; major characters were killed off before our eyes. Did eighty-sixing major characters before introducing new ones serve as a cash grab when the new characters action figures arrived in stores? Hell yes, and it worked. I had Galvatron and Rodimus Prime figures no less than a week after this movie came out. But I applaud the movie for the scope of adventure it presented us with, and the fortitude it had to wax Optimus Prime and Megatron.  

They pulled out all the stops, top notch actors in Leonard Nimoy, Judd Nelson and even Orson Welles and action sequence after action sequence that left my jaw dropped. Should you see it? If you love the 80's and nostalgia, yes. If you want to see a surprisingly bold kid's film that actually lived up to the last part of its tagline, yes. But enough gushing, in fact if you'll excuse me there's a bowl of Fruity Pebbles calling my name, and a DVD copy of this movie that I need to watch again.  

One of the most intriguing things about outer space is the unknown. Although we have sent countless missions into the great beyond, we still know very little about what secrets it holds in store for us. Without being able to break out of our current solar system, there is so much more out there for us to find out and maybe even an origin story as to how the universe actually began. As we start to move further and further out, we keep finding more things to question and without the answers, we know that we are only a little blue speck in the galaxy.

Reporter Jenny Lerner has been put on a story to find out why the head of the Treasury Department has resigned. Eager to prove to her boss that she can do more, she follows her leads and when confronting Alan Rittenhouse about his reasons as to why he is leaving, Jenny believes that the only story here is that the man has one hell of an ego. While on her drive home however, she is pulled over by the FBI who then takes her to the White House to have a chat with the President and it doesn't take long for her to realize that she has stumbled on something much different than she expected, she has unearthed the biggest story ever in human history and she will be in the center of the President’s press room to ask the first question about E.L.E., the Extinction Level Event that is headed earth’s way in the near future, in the form of a comet that will collide with our planet.

Having several months to come up with a plan on how to save the planet, the United States and Russia have built a massive shuttle to take a top notch group of astronauts to the comet that is barreling towards earth. Being led by Commander Monash, an old timer has been added to the group to help out. Pilot Spurgeon Tanner has been a part of many space flights in the past and was the last man to walk on the moon and with his know how, the group will be able to land on the comet to bury bombs under the surface to destroy it and save the world. While no one wants to respect the veteran on the trip, he is able to show his dedication to the mission and the lives of his crew mates. Leaving the comet one astronaut down, the group sees that their mission has not been fulfilled and have to make a decision of what to do next.

When President Beck is forced to address the nation and inform the people that their first plan has not worked, he releases a plan to save a million Americans in a large underground bunker that has been built in Missouri. With a few hand selected people already being given refuge in the bunker, everyone else will be part of a lottery, but there are stipulations of who will be eligible. With one last attempt to blow the comet off course, nuclear missiles are launched at the comet with no avail. As the world is now facing its final hours, there may be no chance of survival for anyone that has not been picked to live in the bunker. But with the shuttle slowly making its way back home, one last ditch effort can be made to save the planet and it is time to see if everyone aboard is a hero or not.

Not as bad of a movie that I remember it being when it first came out. With a slightly different focus than Armageddon, Deep Impact kind of fell by the wayside. The character interaction in the story was much stronger and showed more challenges of what is happening on Earth during the last few days, to the point where it even brought me to tears. I am not going to say this story is more realistic than its competition, but you get more of a sense of doom on the ground level when it seems like all hope has been exhausted. There are so many storylines in this movie, I only covered a few, but the Leo and Sarah love story was epic, especially at the end when they both understood what was most important to them, even when a wall of water comes to claim their lives. If you have not watched this since it came out, you might want to check it out again, it has finally started to grow on me a bit.