Movies you should see, but prob have never heard of...

Trollhunter -

American: The Bills Hicks Story

Love, Wedding, Marriage

The Bleeding House

The Bang Bang Club

An Invisible Sign

The High Cost of Living

NEDS

RJD2: Live at the Rave

Transcendent Man

The Wild Hunt


SHEYMAN

Movie Review: The Bang Bang Club

I was lucky enough to see The Bang Bang Club (2011/Director: Steven Silver) starring Ryan Phillippe (Lincoln Lawyer, Breach) and Malin Akerman (The Romantics, Watchmen) recently and was blown away at how emotionally engaging this movie ended up being.   Though I had read the book and knew the details of the story, beyond what I read in the book, it was still a movie that was worthwhile and entertaining.   The Bang Bang Club movie is an adaptation of the book (The Bang-Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War) by photographers Greg Marinovich and Joao Silva. The Bang Bang Club chronicles the four years leading up to the historic 1994 South African election, when the government and its sympathizers aimed to destroy Mandela's ANC movement.  The movie portrays the lives of four photojornalists active within the townships of South Africa during the Apartheid period (90-94), from when Nelson Mandela was released from jail to the 1994 elections.  The South African general election of 1994 was an election held in South Africa to mark the end of apartheid.

The name "Bang-Bang Club" was born out of an article published in the South African magazine Living. Originally named the Bang-Bang Paparazzi, it was changed to "Club" because the members felt the word paparazzi misrepresented their work. In the movie there is an interesting scene where the photojouralists get very upset and emotional when they are challenged as being over hyped paparazzi's, just with guns aimed at them.  The 'Bang Bang' name comes from the culture itself; township residents spoke to the photographers about the "bang-bang" in reference to violence occurring within their communities, but more literally, "bang-bang" refers to the sound of gunfire and is a colloquial form of nomenclature used by conflict photographers.

Told from Greg Marinovich's (played by Ryan Phillippe) point-of-view, the story takes us from the young photographer's (he was only in his late 20's at this time) chance meeting with three experienced veterans to his worldwide recognition and brash recklessness. Ryan Phillippe does a great job playing a young, inexperienced, but highly competent and agressive player.  Phillippee is perfect for this role and with his personality and charisma he is the right guy to play the newcomer.  As the lead charaters he portrays a slightly bold and confident, yet his face reveals fresh fear as he embarks on neighborhoods other photographers would never dare enter.

This film allows you to see multiple perspectives, from the warriors and victims of the war, to the publishers who are trying to play between the government, social unrest and their reader, oh yes and of course the always looming pulitizer award possibilities hanging over their heads.

As a photographer myself, although not even close to the level of these guys, it is clear from the movie that the Bang Bangs are not just photographers, but are so much more.  You realize pretty early in the film that the Bang Bangs, willingly chose a profession that may well be the world's most dangerous non-criminal vocation.  Is the thrill-seeking, voyeuristic element of war-zone photojournalism balanced out by its allegedly noble aims, or by the fact that the people who practice it take on all the risks of soldiering without carrying weapons?

The most compelling scene is the reenactment of the famous Kevin Carter Vulture photograph.  Though many of the photos coming out of this terrible place gave us insights into a culture and world we could only imagine on the big screen, the Vulture photo takes the story to another level. 

The history of this photograph is touched on in the film, though to give you more details I have included a little more of the background on this award winning photograph, and the horrid outcome.

In March 1993, photographer Kevin Carter made a trip to southern Sudan, where he took now iconic photo of a vulture preying upon an emaciated Sudanese toddler near the village of Ayod. Carter said he waited about 20 minutes, hoping that the vulture would spread its wings. It didn’t. Carter snapped the haunting photograph and chased the vulture away. (The parents of the girl were busy taking food from the same UN plane Carter took to Ayod).

The photograph was sold to The New York Times where it appeared for the first time on March 26, 1993 as ‘metaphor for Africa’s despair’. Practically overnight hundreds of people contacted the newspaper to ask whether the child had survived, leading the newspaper to run an unusual special editor’s note saying the girl had enough strength to walk away from the vulture, but that her ultimate fate was unknown. Journalists in the Sudan were told not to touch the famine victims, because of the risk of transmitting disease, but Carter came under criticism for not helping the girl. ”The man adjusting his lens to take just the right frame of her suffering might just as well be a predator, another vulture on the scene,” read one editorial.

Carter eventually won the Pulitzer Prize for this photo, but he couldn't enjoy it. “I’m really, really sorry I didn’t pick the child up,” he confided in a friend. Consumed with the violence he’d witnessed, and haunted by the questions as to the little girl’s fate, he committed suicide three months later.

This movie is well worth your time and money.   During the film when you see the actual famous photos come to life you are able to translate not only what was in the photos, but what was behind the lens and the depth and complexities of the stories that went into these amazing times.  If anything else, this movie does a great job of educating and exposing the risks that journalists take to bring these types of photos to the world, and how the risks are not short term or just physical, but can last forever. 

An excellent book has been transformed in to an excellent film, albeit a film that is harrowing to watch unfold. 

Why Every Internet Marketer Should Watch the Justin Bieber Movie - Never Say Never

Don't get me wrong, I am not a member of the Bieber Army. I have not attended any of the Justin Bieber concerts or shows. Until last week I don't think I had ever even heard a Justin Bieber song. But like any internet marketer I have been intrigued with how influential and powerful a young boy from Ontario, Canada has become in less than 18-months.

I am sure, if you are anything like me, you saw that there was a Justin Bieber movie released this past February and classified it as another Jonas Brothers or Hannah Montana groupie film. I remember at the theater seeing lines and lines of millennial aged girls who were coming to see Justin on the big screen in droves. Actually, I believe the majority of the people that went to see this film were girls under the age of 15, though they accounted for an impressive $30MM opening weekend box-office take. If you didn't go see this movie in the theaters I totally understand. I guess I would have looked funny at a middle-aged man or woman with no kids buying tickets to see Never Say Never (though it is a good title for a James Bond flick.)

But you can't ignore the cold hard facts, that a 16-year old boy has in effect transformed the social media landscape and has ignited one of the most important, and hard to reach, demographic segments in history. Every marketer has to agree that the Justin Bieber story is extremely compelling and it is impressive to see how a young kid has been able to leverage social media to build a direct relationship and dialog with his fans and followers. I think the Bieber story is a testament to everything that is possible online, and should give real hope to every marketer out there that there is a way to ignite their target markets and have a true engaging relationship with their customers.

In case you have not see the stats, these should blow you away:

• Twitter Followers: 9.5MM = Pop. of Sweden & approx 3% all Twitter traffic
• Google Results: 315MM - Osama Bin Laden - 67MM & Jesus - 340MM
• Facebook Fans: 27MM - Coke - 23MM & Starbucks - 20MM
• MySpace Friends: 1.3MM
• YouTube JustinBieberVEVO: 1.6B views
• YouTube Kidrauhl Channel: 330MM Views & 1MM Subscribers

I am confident any marketer out there would love to create or even tap into this emotional tsunami. The Justin Bieber movie gives you an interesting and historical perspective on how this young, talented kid, went from almost nobody to the most influential person online in less than 18-months.

From being discovered on YouTube to tapping into the web to circumvent the existing monolithic music machine to selling out Madison Square Garden in 22-minutes, this film packs the experience into an engaging 2-hours.  Oh yes and by the way the music and personal story isn't that bad either, especially if you have children of your own.

One of the most interesting segments from the film talks about how, by leveraging Twitter, Justin Bieber was able to tap into his early fans and call on them to showcase how much they loved him and his music. He would tweet when he was going to be at an event or location in advance, and was able to show the traditional music execs and investors how fanatic his followers were, and where the money was.

Video: Discussing the impact of using Twitter to communicate with fans.

The movie also chronicles the time from when Justin was discovered, to the ups and downs of becoming a viral and social phenomenon. They interview many of the influencers of the music industry and it is clear they are all blown away by how quickly he has taken off.

'Truly a phenomenon, even groups like Back Street Boys and In Sync took years.' - Randy Philips - AEG Tour Promoter

 

Video: Understanding the social impact from Justin Bieber

For anyone that is trying to leverage social media or build a fan base, or even light the viral wick, this movie is a must see to help give real insights into one formula that actually worked. Maybe this is a perfect storm, but there is plenty to learn from in this film and hopefully be entertained at the same time.

The DVD is coming out on Friday (5/13) and I strongly urge anyone that is trying to market to millennial demos, or even if you are trying to grasp how much of a seismic shift the internet has had on our lives, this is a movie you should see.

Is Thor Headed for a Cliff?

I am a little shocked at how much of a negative reaction consumers are having to the recent Thor movie, released this past weekend.   Thor did pretty well at the box office, raking in around $70MM in the US and becoming the 11th highest grossing superhero movie opening weekend. Overall it was somewhat of a disappointment following Fast Five's record breaking weekend opening of almost $90MM and the high expectations that were in the market, with some experts suggesting Thor could break $100MM in the opening weekend.   Though I believe the Thor numbers came in about where they should have for a big blockbuster over Mothers Day weekend, I am worried about the following weeks and what type of drop-off they will see.

I think there were very high expectations put on this film by the fan base, and there is no question the movie was hyped, even with a Super Bowl commercial months ago to set the marketing ball into motion.   Myself, I saw the film and thought it was great, interesting, and kept me involved throughout the entire story.   Though I must admit I liked the scenes where Thor was 'at home' in the clouds much more than when he was on Earth, I did find the entire movie interesting and entertaining from start to finish.

I walked out of the movie feeling similar to when I saw Clash of the Titans last year.   I loved both movies and remember being pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the entire film.   One of the reasons I think I liked both of these movies so much was I had almost zero expectations for either of these movies going in.  I wasn't really looking forward to seeing either of them and I was actually expecting them both to be void of an interesting story and partially expected to see a bunch of old guys dressed in gowns running around killing people.  This is where I was surprised and even impressed.  There was an actual storyline that made sense, the character development was almost seamless, and the plot of the movie was easy to follow, while being really entertaining.

All that being said, the problem is that I am not your normal Thor moviegoer, and I think that is where there is The Rub.   The problem is the majority of the superhero moviegoers had really high expectations for the film and they were disappointed.   Just looking at Twitter you can see the majority of tweets about the film are tending towards a somewhat negative to very negative sentiment.   There is plenty of data out in the market to suggest Thor is going to have some trouble in upcoming weekends, but the biggest and most telling is from the good folks at amplicate.com.   Amplicate is a great site that allows consumers to 'vote' on what they like and what they don't like.  Amplicate monitors brands and products across the social web to identify what people like and what they don't like.  It is like a sentiment engine for the world, and it is really cool.   The site allows you to rank categories or look at trends over time.  The folks at Amplicate were nice enough to Tweet me with the recent stats on Thor and the numbers reinforce my belief that people are overall pretty disappointed in the film.

First, and foremost, if you look at how Thor (the superhero) ranks versus all other major superheroes, you can see Thor is not loved.   Actually, today Thor is the lowest of the top 15 (in votes) by a measure of 30-50% versus all others.   Even the Green Lantern, which has been getting slammed in the press, is over 5-percentage points higher than Thor.  This is a disaster for the Thor brand.

Though this data on its own only suggests that Thor is not loved, or seen in the same light, as other superheroes of our time.   But the next stat from Amplicate should scare the hell out of the good ol' guys at Paramount.  The trend data from Amplicate suggests the movie has had a dramatic impact on the positive feelings consumers have around the Thor figure.   You can see from this trend chart that the positive opinions of Thor were hovering between 85%-90% all last year and into early this year.   The likability score started to slip a little at the beginning of 2011, averaging around 80%.  Until this weekend when the movie officially opened across the US, where the likability for Thor dropped to a dismal 54%.

What does this mean for the movie franchise?  I don't know for sure, but I don't think it is a good thing.   I realize the data here is probably more tuned into the social web, which tends to be younger and more mobile, but those are the dollars the studios are going after, and especially for a movie such as Thor.

Famous People I Have Met…

Sitting on an airplane flying to San Francisco in First Class reminds me of an entry I have been meaning to write for a long time now. I have met some cool people in my life and wanted to keep a journal of these people so I could tell the stories to Dryver’s and Stryde’s kids and grandkids. I figure there is not much about meeting someone famous, except if you can tell people about it.

The reason this is coming up now, is because I am sitting one seat behind Robert Novak, the famous reporter from CNN Crossfire. It is funny to see him, and say hello to him today, because I just watched the video of him walking off the stage at CNN when he was ribbed by James Carville. I said to him that I was a big Illini fan, because I knew he attended U of I, and didn’t want to remind him of Valarie Plaime or James Carville.

So I thought of writing about all the cool people I have met, but that is too subjective. How about all the famous people, that is subjective also. I could write about the people that have made an impact in my life that I have met, but that is a different entry all together. These lists are so complicated.

So I think the best way to make this objective is to create a list of all the famous people that I have met that have an entry in Wikipedia. The reason this is good is because it is current, but also the editors are very careful and controlling about who gets an entry in the online encyclopedia.

Now, this list includes people I have introduced myself to, spoken to or have actually met with in person. This is not people I have seen walking in the airport or even driving in their car. I am not going to list Dennis Rodman, whom I walked next to in Atlanta at the Olympics. I am not going to list out Bon Jovi, whom I saw speak at the CTAM conference last summer. I won’t list out the many politicians, actors, news reporters that I have seen on a plane. These are people I have actually spoken to and there is at least a short story associated with the encounter.

So, in random order, this is the list of famous (as defined by wikipedia) people that I have interacted with… Now, this is not everyone famous, just the people I remember and there was an interesting enough interaction to list. I have also included a comment about the encounter when it was interesting enough to mention…

- Michael Jordan – I met him the year he retired from the Bulls the first time. Eddie and I went to the Dallas and Bulls game and headed back to MJ’s restaurant after the game. We also met and spoke to Quinn Buckner, Jimmy Jackson, Bob Love, and the man himself. MJ the king of the court and of Chicago. He was hanging out at the restaurant and Eddie and I walked up to him to say hello. I introduced myself, and said I was a fan (as if anyone wasn’t a fan.) I asked him for an autograph, and in the nicest way you could imagine, he patted by beer belly and said, ‘Sorry big man, can’t do that here, but would love to give you one outside of the restaurant.’ I will tell you that he was one of the nicest people I have ever met, and for a guy that was so famous, what a great attitude. I wanna be like Mike!

- Steve Dahl & Garry Meier – now this might seem a little random, but I met these two guys when I was a teen. I was a huge fan and a close friend, Billy Horist’s, mom was working for the Red Cross. Steve and Garry did an annual blood drive, and since Karen Horist was coordinating it, we were able to meet these two. I was really excited to meet these guys and had actually bought their fan club membership and was one of the biggest fans around. We got to get our photo taken with these guys and get some autographs. Garry was a great guy and Steve was cool, but started to get irritated when we were getting autographs. It was one of the first times I was disappointed to see a guy that I really idolized not be a good guy, and actually be somewhat of a jerk.

- Ed Harris – I met him a couple of times. He grew up in Evanston and I was in a play with his dad, Bob Harris. His mom was also our family’s travel agent. He had just become famous from The Right Stuff, and had made a few other movies. He was really nice and actually gave my family autographs on our church bulletin.

- John Cusack – He attended Evanston High School and I actually shared a graphic arts class with him. He seemed like a nice guy and I worked on a few things with him. I had no clue at the time he would be a famous actor one day, but he always was nice. I was a freshman in class and he was a junior. I never really had a friendship with him, but do wish I had kept in touch. Joan Cusack was also someone I met briefly. Actually a friend of mine started making out with her one night at a bar in Chicago.

- Jeremy Pivin – We used to go to summer vacation with his family. His dad, Bern Pivin, was an actor also and we knew him as the old guy on the Uncle Ben’s Rice commercials. I took the Pivin acting classes and met Jeremy a few times in the summer and also in the acting class. He was a much better actor than I was.

- Howie Mandel – He played at the Bradley University field house. I was friends with the gal that was running the show and I was able to go backstage and meet him. He was very cool and such a funny guy. Mike Avery and I used to love watching his shows and listening to his cds. I really think he was one of the best stand-up guys I have ever seen. Now, with his new gig on ‘Deal or No Deal’ he is cashing in for once.

- Gary Kremin – Founder of Sex.com and Match.com. Had a few drinks with him and we spoke about the internet and some of the things that were going on in the online world. He was an interesting guy to say the least. His history is amazing; this is one story to read.

- Donald Rumsfeld – I met him long before he became Secretary of Defense. He grew up in Evanston and was in town when I was in college for some arts festival. I had new clue he would be the guy in the hot seat one day.

- Ken Mehlman – Chairman of the RNC and big time strategy guy in the republican party. He was really an amazing guy and I was blown away by his charisma and intelligence. I usually don’t agree with these guys, but now understand why they win so often. With guys like this guy at the top, they are not going to lose very often.

- James Carville – Political Strategy Guy that ran Clinton’s campaign in 1992. He is one of my idols overall and I really respect this guy for what he stands for. I really connect with him in his books and respect him for his energy and drive to win. I was lucky enough to go to his home in Alexandria and speak to him about our business and living in Alexandria. His house was beautiful, Jennifer wanted to get some art like him and Mary had, then I told her they were original Picassos.

- Alan Greenspan – Head of the US Treasury – Talk about a grumpy old man. First of all he looked older than dirt. He is a crabby old guy and had no social skills at all. I really did not talk to him, but I stood next to him at a urinal. I looked down to see what he was packing and understand why he is so bitter now. Anyway, I did say hello and spoke to his wife, Andrea Jacobs, from NBC. Now, Andrea Mitchell was so nice. I spoke to her for awhile and really enjoyed the discussion.

- Molly Ringwald – I met her when she was filming Sixteen Candles in Evanston. She was really an unknown at the time, and me and a friend went to watch them film the movie. It was being filmed about three blocks from our house on Simpson Street. We did say hello to Molly and some of the cast. They were all very nice and took time to speak to us. We also were able to play with the dog that was in the beginning of the film.

- Paul O’Neil – I met him at the Treasury for a minute or so. He was nice and formal. I said hello and he shook my hand. I really loved his book. It was too bad he was thrown out, he really had a lot to offer our country.

- Brian Stafford – The head of the secret service for many years. He was the head during 9/11 and was famous for running the show under Clinton’s years. This guy was down to earth and hardcore. Some of the stories he told me were unbelievable. If you like the Tom Clancy books, you would be amazed by what this guy had experienced in his life. Wow, that was one really memorable couple of hours.

- Bill Henderson – Postmaster General under Clinton. Now, this guy I know very well. He is like a mentor to me and I always look up to him for guidance and support. He is another one of those natural born leaders and such a great friend. I have a few people like this that I look up to, but he is the only one that made Wikipedia.

- Robert Palmer – I was down at the David Letterman show when he was filming at the Chicago Theater. I said hi to him and he was also pretty nice. He asked me if I was going to be a photojournalism guy when I got older. He said to take pictures on his good side.

- Joe Lieberman – I met him in 2006 on an airplane. We were sitting in first class together and he was really a good guy. I spoke to him briefly about the effects of the internet on kids and the pros and cons of online controls for children.

- Lecy Goranson – The kid from Rosanne and was an actress in some great movies. I did not know her well, but my sister Molly was really good friends with her. I am sure I tried to beat her up a few times and make fun of her. I am sure I also saw her running around in her underwear when she was having a sleepover at our house.

I am sure there are more, but these are the ones where I actually spent a little time talking to them or had a relationship with them. I have met a bunch of senators and congressmen as living in DC, but there are too many of these to mention and I don’t want to invade their privacy as I still keep in touch with a few of these.

There are a few that I have on my list of people I would love to meet. These include, but are not limited to: Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Howard Stern, Nicole Kidman, Steven King, Bill Gates, Jerry Yang, Billy Graham, Artie Lange, Tim Robbins, and Jimmy Carter.

I hope to update this list one day with the above list completed and a new list underway.

Film Review: The Truth

This film was interesting and kept me involved through the entire 90-minutes. The plot and concepts were not unique, I have seen many movies that follow similar concepts. That being said, it was still an interesting and compelling story, and had some good twists and turns throughout.

From movies such as The Strangers, Desperate Hours, Panic Room, Funny Games, and maybe even Death Trap, the concept of people being locked in their home and being kept hostage is not new.

I think the acting wasn't that great, though there were some recognized names in the credits. I found John Heard's acting the best of the group, though the rest of the actors were so poor it is hard to tell if he was any good or just better than the worst.

If you like movies that have twists and are a mixture of thrillers and mystery you might like this movie.

Top 5 Quotes from Star Wars

5. “When I left you, I was but the learner, now I am the master.” “Only a master of evil, Darth.”

4. “Into the garbage chute, flyboy!”

3. “Mos Eisley spaceport. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”

2. “You don’t need to see his identification … These aren’t the droids you’re looking for … He can go about his business … Move along.”

1. “Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope.”

Well, then there is the real #1 - “May the Force be with you.”

Film Review: Sacrifice (2011)

Film With Some Interesting Ideas, But Overall Bad - (2-Stars)


I am always interested in a Cuba Gooding Jr. movie, as his personality can carry even crappy plots. I feel bad for Cuba as the last few films he has made have been TV movie dramas at best.

This movie is no exception as the film work and writing are slow and dull. Though there were a few good scenes, such as the scene when Cuba visits the snake man.

I would advise against watching this movie, it is a drama/action film, but is missing the action and drama to keep you interested beyond the first 20-minutes.

Though I was able to watch the entire thing, I do feel it was overall a waste of time and I wish I had not seen this film.

It reminds me of a late night HBO rerun movie that you might watch if you have nothing else to do, and even then you probably won't walk away from the film even remembering that you saw it or anything interesting in it.

Though I love Cuba's acting, and I hope he hits a few more home runs in his career, this is not one of them.

For Movie Night: Make Your Own Kettle Corn

Makes: 8-10 cups

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup oil
1/2 Cup popcorn
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a large pot, over medium heat.
2. Add the popcorn when the oil is hot and begins to shimmer.
3. Sprinkle the sugar over the kernels, tightly cover and shake the pan to keep the corn from sticking.
4. When the popping slows down remove the pot from the heat and toss with salt.

10 Sports Documentaries You Should See Before You Die:

10. Deep Water (2006/PG) – Boating – The story of the first solo, non-stop, round-the-world boat race, and the psychological toll it took on its competitors. This film goes beyond the event and gets into the mind of the ship captain who is dealing with his own demons and the nightmare of being at sea for almost a year.  Deep Water is an unforgettable journey into one man's heart of darkness.  This film was produced by the same producer as Touching the Void, which is number 6 on this list.

9. Riding Giants (2004/PG-13) + 9a. The Endless Summer (1966/G) – Surfing – Endless Summer: For this documentary-style sequel to the 1966 film that's achieved a cult-like following in the surfing world, director Bruce Brown trails two Californians to places across the globe searching for the ultimate wave.  Riding Giants: A semi-serious insider's look at the origins of surfing.  The movie covers the colorful and subversive birth of surf culture, and the mythology and lure of the "big wave."

8. Pumping Iron (1976/PG) – Bodybuilding – In this classic you can watch Governor Schwarzenegger defend his Mr. Olympia title against the Hulk, Lou Ferrigno.  Pumping iron is as ‘satisfying as having sex with a woman and reaching orgasm’, says Arnold Schwarzenegger in this fascinating docudrama. Though part of this movie is scripted, it is still a great documentary film to check out.  This movie becomes even more fascinating when viewed in the context of Arnie's now notorious political career.

7. Boxing Gym (2010/NR) – Boxing - Explores the world of a boxing gym in Austin, Texas, dwelling on the discipline of training as people from all walks of life aspire to reach their personal best.  The film examines what violence looks like when it's a controlled outlet, as opposed to a spontaneous one.  The only word of caution is that Boxing Gym is all without comment, letting the rhythm of the place tell the story, so be prepared to pay attention to everything you see and hear.  One critic said of Boxing Gym: ‘The soundscape is endlessly fascinating, a layer cake of squeaks, grunts, gasps, and rattling chains that, combined, catches a rhythm that sounds an awful lot like song’.

6. Touching the Void (2004/R) – Mountain Climbing – In 1985 two young and fit climbers decided to climb the west face of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes.   They ran into many problems, including one of them falling and breaking several bones in his leg.   The story is told by them as they try a never before attempted rescue technique that was likely to kill them both.   If you liked 127-hours, you will love this story.

5. When We Were Kings (1996/PG) – Boxing – This is an amazing movie that chronicles the heavyweight championship matchup (Rumble in the Jungle) between reigning title holder George Foreman and challenger Muhammad Ali in 1974.   On September 25, 1974, in the wake of one of the greatest political scandals in its history, Watergate, America was poised to watch a knockout punch that would redefine it as a nation of champions.  This film goes beyond the boxing and covers the socio-political impact this fight had on our history books.  A great critic quote on this film: ‘No comedian was ever funnier, no fighter ever faster than Muhammad Ali, who is caught at the top of his game in Leon Gast's valentine, When We Were Kings’

 

4. Hoop Dreams (1994/PG-13) – Basketball – I assume almost everyone has seen this film, but it is worth watching again.   It is such an obvious pick that it almost deserves a stand alone ranking.  The only reason I didn't rank it as #1 was because I wanted to highlight a few other films that you probably have not seen, that are well worth going to see.   So, if you have not seen Hoop Dreams, you should put it at the top of your Netflix rental queue.   This extraordinary movie shattered the illusion, once and for all, that factual films can't be as entertaining as fictional ones.  When it didn’t even get nominated for best documentary in 1995 there was a big uproar because it is such a brilliant film (though it is almost 3-hours long).   The movie is a chronicle of the lives and high-school careers of two inner-city youths who both harbor legitimate hopes of playing professional basketball.

3. Solo (2007/NR) – Kayaking - Michôd and Peedom's hour-long documentary recounts the tale of Andrew McAuley, an Australian adventurer who, in 2006, launched a quest to become the first person to paddle a kayak across the treacherous Tasman Sea, one of the loneliest and toughest stretches of water in the world.  This movie is really a sleeper, and you might have a hard time finding it on DVD, but it is really a great film if you can track it down. I am pretty sure this film didn't make it on any other list you will find online, but it is a brilliant story.

2. Bigger, Stronger, Faster* (2008/PG-13) – American Sporting Culture – Such a great movie and the way it was put together has you totally engrossed in the story from the first set of credits.   This film digs into our American culture that is so focused on being the biggest, strongest, fastest country in the world. Director Christopher Bell explores America's win-at-all-cost culture by examining how his two brothers became members of the steroid-subculture in an effort to realize their American dream.

1. Murderball (2005/R) – Rugby – By far the best sports documentary ever made, including the Baseball mini-series produced by Ken Burns.   This movie is so good I am shocked that almost everyone I ask has not only not seen the movie, but most have not heard of it.   Like any other great sports story, 'Murderball' features fierce rivalry, stopwatch suspense, dazzling athletic prowess, larger-than-life personalities and triumph over daunting odds. But Murderball, the original name for the full-contact sport now known as quad rugby, is played by quadriplegics in armored wheelchairs.

'Murderball' is a story like no other, told by men who see the world from a different angle. Quad rugby players have suffered injuries that have left them with limited function in all four limbs. Whether by car wreck, gunshot, fist fight, rogue bacteria or any of an endless list of possible misadventures, quad rugby's young men have found their lives dramatically altered. Watching them in action -- both on court and off -- smashes every stereotype one has ever had about the handicapped. It also redefines what it is to be a man, what it is to live a full life, and what it is to be a winner.  It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature for the 78th Academy Awards. This film is also #1 on the Rotten Tomatoes countdown of the top sports movies of all time.

Honorable Mentions: Baseball (Ken Burns Mini-Series), The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters (Video Games), Grizzly Man (Camping/Outdoors), Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (Ken Burns Boxing Film)

Steel Town Cinema

I have always been intrigued and exceptionally interested in movies which are set in steel or factory towns. These stories are usually tremendously multifaceted, as they also carry the burdens and pains associated with living in such a complicated time and situation. Many of the finest steel town movies transport you right into an active ingredient and member of this intricate culture.

The story of a steel or factory town is interesting in itself, there is so much history in the US, and similar to farming settings, the past is austere, miserable and dark. When a director decides to place the factory life as a dynamic part of the challenges that the main and associated characters face, the audience feels and sympathizes directly with this situation. These movies make you feel and understand the pain that Michael Moore was attempting to portray in Roger and Me.

The Top Steel/Factory Town Movies of all time are:

The Deer Hunter
Rudy
All The Right Moves
Silkwood
Erin Brockovitch

Following Movie Sequels

Here is my review for the best sequels, both the follow-up sequel and the third in a series.   Most of the films that are listed in the first set below (#2 movies as good as #1) are not better than the 1st because I realize it is difficult to develop a character and plot and that has to give credit to the 1st film, but these are movies where the second movie was as entertaining as the first in the series.  

There are a few films where the 2nd film is so much better than the first they stand out and I have highlighted these below in red.

Movies where #2 was as good as #1 (if not better)

• The Godfather II
• Terminator 2: Judgment Day
• Spiderman II
• Clear & Present Danger
• Super-Man II
• The Bourne Supremacy
• From Russia with Love
• Kill Bill Volume 2
• Final Destination 2
• X2: X-Men United 
• Empire Strikes Back
• Die Hard 2
• Christmas Vacation
• Before Sunset
• Toy Story 2 & 3
• The Dark Knight
• Evil Dead 2
• 2 Fast 2 Furious
• Aliens 2 & 3
• Mad Max 2: Road Warrior
• Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Movies where the 3rd was as good, if not better than the 2nd:

• Back to the Future Part III
• Ice Age3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
• Jackass 3D
• The Bourne Ultimatum
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
• Starship Troopers 3: Marauder
• Spy Kids 3D
• Transporter III
• Universal Soldier: Regeneration
• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
• Scream 3
• Step Up 3D

Cool New Video: Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman!

I came across this really neat video at Barnes and Noble, which took me back to my Middle School days. Well, I am not sure I really wanted to be taken back, but as soon as I saw the video on the shelf.

I looked over and as I saw the cover of the video I had this great feeling of joy. It was a feeling like you had rediscovered something that you really enjoyed as a kid. Remember when you were walking down the grocery store aisle and saw that can of Tang? Or when you were at the amusement park with your kids and you wanted to try that Snow Cone again?

Well, things never are as good when you are older as you remember them to be. But this was a video that was targeted towards kids and it was an extension of the Choose Your Own Adventure series of books. Man, I used to love those books when I was in 5th – 8th grade. They were books where you would read an adventure and would make choices throughout the story of what you would do in a given situation.

There were a series of children's books first published by Bantam Books in the 1980’s. Each story is written from a second person point-of-view, with the reader assuming the role of the main character. I later found out that the books sold over 250 million copies, making it one of the most successful book series of all time.

When I would read these books, I would become a part of the story. You normally would read an introduction and then you were given choices of how the story should progress. For instance: If you decide to start back home, turn to page 4. If you decide to wait, turn to page 5. Depending on my choice, the plot would unfold in different ways and eventually lead to many different possible endings.

Well, I found a video that was based on these books. It was called Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable Snowman DVD. It was the same branding and the cover looked the same. Wow! I was so happy to be taken back to reading these books and really becoming involved in the stories. I couldn’t wait to watch the DVD. I have two sons now, so I have an excuse to buy the video, and if it is even somewhat close to the books, Dryver and Stryde will love this.

I immediately bought the DVD and headed home. It was a cool Saturday and I figured I had a good excuse to watch the video during the day with the kids to keep them busy. Jennifer wouldn’t mind too much, as long as they were not making a mess. I got home and told the kids about what I had found. They seemed as excited as if I had bought anything new home. Stryde has a tendency to jump up and down, regardless of what it is that I bring home. He also is the first to complain if he does not like something later.

Anyway, we went to the family room and put the DVD into the player. The movie started. It was actually good animation and the story seemed to be good. The voices were professional with William Macy, Felicity Huffman, and Mark Hamill all doing the main characters. The video was much more professionally produced than I had expected.

We started to watch the video, and the kids were really getting into it. I had to admit that I was also really into the story. It was really a great adventure story and when we got to our first choice we were all excited to choose which way we wanted the story to go. I let Dryver do the driving on the remote and Stryde was able to choose once in awhile when Dryver and I could not agree on a path to take. It ended up being a good system.

We watched the story (and made many decisions) until we ended up in an endless maze and the story was over. But, we could start over and take another route. It was great. We really had a great time, and now a movie that the kids would normally watch 100 times, at least had a different storyline every time we watched it. I also felt like the kids brains were actually working, rather than when they are normally watching a movie.

The kids really enjoyed the whole adventure, including when the plane crashed or when the Abomibal Snowman got us. Unlike the disappointment I had when I tried Tang again, or when I had a Pop-Tart again after many years; this movie was great and it reached, if not exceeded all my expectations.

I would recommend this video to anyone that enjoyed the books. I also recommend it to anyone that has kids between the ages of two and eighteen. Well, I could see where even college kids or young adults would also enjoy this video. You can pick it up at B&N or Amazon.com if you want to buy it for this holiday season or just for fun!

It is a great present for the holidays coming up. I hope the next video they produce will be the Cave of Time or Journey Under The Sea! Those were my favorite books in this series.

Travel Movie Update for 01/10/2011

I do love the end of the year because a ton of good films come out and you run into great movies that are sleepers or films  you would never expect to be as good as they are.   Of course there are the bombs also that you wish would be good movies, and they stink.   This year is no exception, there are plenty of great movies that deserve awards.

Over the holidays and this past week I was on the road, which means I was able to see a few movies when I was up at 2am trying to get some work done.   I have a short attention span, and have found a way to work at night or on a flight while watching a movie or something to keep me interested.   I am multi-taskaholic and I feel anxious if there is only one thing going on.

Anyway, since I have a few movies that are worth seeing before the Oscars come out, here are a few movies you might want to check out…

- True Grit - (4.5-stars) – A great Western film written and directed by the Coen brothers.  It was an adaptation of the John Wayne 1969 film of the same name.   I have yet to find a Coen brothers film that I don’t enjoy, and this is no exception to that rule.   The story is great, and the actors are brilliant.  I am not sure it is as good as the original, but well worth seeing.   I would be surprised if it didn’t at least get nominated for an Oscar or two.

 

- Rabbit Hole - (4-stars) – An amazing drama starring Nicole Kidman and Dianne Wiest (one of my favorite actresses – she is in In Treatment).   This movie is a really really sad film about a married couple that loses their young son Danny in a car accident.  As a parent it is really hard to watch this movie and I would put it in the same league as Bella, The Greatest, and Sophie’s Choice.

- The Other Woman - (4-stars) – I really enjoyed this movie, and I actually expected to be bored by it.   The film has Natalie Portman and Lisa Kudrow and is a sad movie with some light and amusing scenes to keep the moving going.  The story focuses on a young woman (Portman) that has an affair with her boss at the law firm where she works.   They end up getting married and thus the story is about the step-mom and how she fits into the family.  It is a sad film and frustrating at times.   But worth renting on DVD for sure.

- Machete - (3.5-stars) – If anyone tells you they didn’t like this movie, they don’t get it.  I wasn’t a huge Grindhouse fan, but this movie is just brilliant.  Machete continues the B movie and exploitation style of Grindhouse, but has a great storyline and really good acting.   I know the movie got mixed reviews, but you can’t watch it in the mindset of a 2010 box-office smash film, it is a B-Movie take-off and they do a great job at accomplishing this.

- Skyline - (3-stars) -  This is one of those films that I actually thought I wouldn’t like for some reason.  I actually thought it was good, and it reminded me of a more stable Cloverfield type film, though not as good.   The story is pretty simple and the special effects are pretty good.   The best part of this movie is the sci-fi aspects of it and how the movie wraps-up at the end.   If you liked Cloverfield or War of the Worlds, you probably will like this movie.

 

- Secretariat - (3 -stars) – I assumed this was going to be a really corny Disney movie that was just for kids.  I was wrong, it was somewhat corny, and it was always uplifting, but it was actually a pretty good story.  The acting was good and the movie overall was great.  If you want a fun film that is a feel good and great for the entire family, check out Secretariat.

- Tomorrow When the War Began - (2-stars) – This film is based off the best-selling Australian Teen novel of the same name Tomorrow When The War Began is the first in a series of books by John Marsden about a group of high school students who take a camping trip before school starts and return to find that the country has been invaded by an unknown force, and they make a stand to fight the enemy using guerilla tactics.  Over all the film was not bad, though the script was a bit clichéd.   If you like the Twilight saga films you would probably enjoy this film, and the many that will come out to continue the story.

 

- Saw 3D - (1-star) – I am not sure why I keep watching these movies, they get worse and worse every time.  I loved the first one, and the second wasn’t that bad.  They started to get really bad when they tried to make the story so complex around who was doing this to these people.   The only redeeming value to this movie is the ending; it actually closes the story series out and helps to bring you back to the first film.   If you like Saw and are really bored, you could watch this on HBO or something.   Otherwise don’t waste your money.

I hope you find these reviews helpful.  Have fun at the movies!

Travel Movie Update for 01/05/2011

Since I travel so much I get time on planes and in hotels to watch movies. I am going to try and at least make those times useful by sharing my experiences with the films I see with others.

Here is a list of recent films I saw while traveling and some thoughts on each.

- The Town - (5-stars) - MUST SEE!!! - I saw this awhile ago, but it is such a great film I am listing it so people go see it. It was directed by Ben Affleck and includes a great role by Jon Hamm as the FBI agent. I really think this film should at least be nominated for best picture.

The Town (2010)

- The Fighter - (5-stars) - MUST SEE!!! - Go see this film as soon as you can, it is amazing! Another best picture candidate from my perspective. Christian Bale is really great in this film and deserves an Academy Award for best supporting actor. Also Melissa Leo (also in Conviction) does a great job as the crazy mom, and should get best supporting actress. And of course, I love Amy Adams in any film!

The Fighter (2010)

- Exit Through the Gift Shop - (4.5-stars) - Best documentary I have seen all year!!!   Wow, what a great film, you have no clue where this movie is going to take you until you get there.   Well worth tracking down and watching.  I won't tell you too much, but it is a movie about street artists, at least that is how it starts out.

- Get Low - (4.5-stars) - Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, and Bill Murray are all really great in this sleeper. This film is so good, I am shocked it has not received much buzz in the media. If Duvall and Murray don't get awards for this film, something is broken in Hollywood. Murray plays such a great character as the funeral director.

Get Low (2010)

- Black Swan - (4-stars) - Directed by the guy that did The Wrestler and Requiem for a Dream, this is a thriller.   Though the word on the street is that it is a ballet movie, it isn't really what I would classify as a ballet film.   It is a dark thriller, that just happens to have the setting as the New York City Ballet company.  The films gets into the stresses put on performers and includes some crazy lesbian scenes and overtones of mental illness.

- Conviction - (3.5-stars) - Another sleeper, with Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell. This is a true story of a working mother puts herself through law school in an effort to represent her brother, who has been wrongfully convicted of murder and has exhausted his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders.

- 127-Hours - (3-stars) - Another great film from Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, The Beach) and one of my favorite actors of all time (James Franco - he was in my fav movie - Pineapple Express) is the lead and does a great job in this role.

127-Hours (2010)

- Yogi Bear - (2-stars) - Good movie to see with the kids, but not something I would see otherwise. Though Dan Aykroyd did a great voice of Yogi and Justin Timberlake actually sounded like Boo Boo, it was not really much more than a dumb kids movie.

Yogi Bear (2010)

- Paranormal Activity II - (1-star) - I loved the first one, this second one sucked!  It was not even scary, it was just stupid.   I am not sure how they were able to take such a great first film and make the second one so bad.  It is the same thing that happened to Blair Witch Project.  

I will post later some thoughts on other films I have seen recently.

Brilliant Use for Twitter

 

I love how this guy uses twitter to go right to the source, rather than going to Google or Wikipedia.  Who needs Wikipedia or IMDB, when you can contact people directly.

The Social Network Movie - Looks Great!

I am rarely excited about a film that is coming out as much as The Social Network.  I think it is partially because I watched the Facebook story unfold from the beginning and saw what happened as an outsider (or at least someone on the sidelines that was as active as I could be).   I also read the book that the movie was based upon, and think it probably tells a pretty accurate story.   I would first start with saying that if you have the time and interest, the book

The story is really compelling and the book was an amazing read. I realize many of the Facebook insiders and friends have been critical of the book, mostly because the motivator for building the Facebook was not women and drinking, as much as the book wants it to be.   The bigger story is how much Mark was focused on building this application and how he figured out how to build a really amazing business.

I do think the downside to telling the story is it does taint the purity and glamor of Mark Zuckerburg and the Facebook.   It is clear that Mark was agressive and probably overstepped some bounds.   What they did to Edwardo Savirn is probably what any business person would do, but just feels like it is wrong.

Anyway, watch the trailer, it tells you the basic story...


Then, if you want to see something really funny and something that shows the power of the web...  Watch this mock-trailer about the Twitter movie...  It is brilliant!

Mary McFly Now and... well... Now!

I love how movies use artistic license. I also love how they think that a guy that is 47 years old is older than dirt. I get the idea that they needed to make him look old, but this is scary.

What Happened To Hunter?

The new trailer for the Paranormal 2 movie is out. It looks as scary as the first movie, which I thought was one of the scariest movies I have ever seen (up with Blair Witch Project and The Shining).

I know the movie gets mixed reviews and there are plenty of people that say it wasn't scary at all, but I can't imagine if you are married and/or have kids, that it wouldn't make you more scared as some of the scenes in this movie were so scary when the girl was doing strange things at night, it makes we wonder what might be going on at night in my own home.

The new trailer is similar to the first and I am sure it is not going to tell you much about the story. I hope they don't screw up the movie, like they did with Blair Witch 2, as that was one of the worst movies I have ever seen in my life.

I was watching the trailer for Paranormal 2 and I noticed something interesting. You can see that in the trailer they flip from security camera to another security camera in the house. There is a room with a baby and a dog (which they didn't have in the first movie I don't think). In this part of the trailer you can see the dog starts to freak out when things move in the room, and then at some point they skip to a shot where the girl is standing in the bathroom door (the time on the clock has moved forward from midnight to 3am at this point - assuming it is the same night anyway).


The interesting thing is you can see the dog is not there any longer when the girl is standing in the room (I am not sure if it is dead or left or something). But you can also see that the child is either sleeping under a cover or is not in the crib. Except if you look in the mirror, where you can see the child actually standing up and looking out, which is similar to what the child was doing earlier in the night (around 1am).


I don't know if this is a clue to the story, or if it is just an editing problem, but it is pretty interesting to speculate that the child is sleeping but their is something that is awake in the crib with the child?

There also is a message in the mirror that says 'What Happened to Hunter?' which I assume is the name of the baby?

Take a look....

Mary McFly Now and... well... Now!