30 for 30: No Mas

For people in the 70's, 80's and 90's, combat sports was all about boxing.  Sugar Ray Leonard, after his gold medal win in the '76 Olympics, was at the top during that time.  Leonard had two arch rivals during that time.  Tommy Hearns and Roberto Duran.  The ESPN documentary, 30 for 30: No Mas, is all about the second bout with Duran.

In1980, Leonard and Duran had two epic bouts.  The first was in Montreal, Canada.  A hard fought war with a razor thin result.  Duran was named the victor.  The second bout was completely different.  Duran ended the fight on his own in the 8th round, supposedly saying 'No Mas.' 

The documentary explores what really happened leading up to both fights and why Duran decided to not continue in the second fight.  Both Duran and Leonard speak candidly.  ESPN also brings in the trainers, family of the fighters and members of the press that were present at the time.  Oh, Mike Tyson is interviewed as well.

If you are a boxing fan and were always curious on why Duran decided to stop that fight, this documentary is definitely worth the time. 

30 for 30: No Mas is currently on Netflix.

The Book of Life (2014)

The Book of Life hit theaters this past week and I have to say it was very charming.  It is not your normal Halloween cartoon.  Based of the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration, the movie follows two friends as they try for the hand of Maria. 

Joaquin and Manolo are in love with Maria.  As kids they are touched by the rulers of the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten.  Manolo is generous and helps an old woman.  She blesses him with a pure heart.  Joaquin is not so generous and is offered a trade instead.  The trade is for a medal that will keep him from harm.

The kids grow up.  Joaquin and Manolo in Mexico and Maria back in Spain.  Once she returns to Mexico the game for Maria's hand begins.

I have to say there were times, I was the only person laughing.  The reason was there was songs that musically were appropriate, but who actually wrote the songs was just wrong.  There is a Biz Markie tune.  The one that almost had me on the floor Creep by Radiohead.  Don't get me wrong, the music worked very well in this film.  Just caught me off guard and I could not help myself from laughing very loud.

Your kids will very much enjoy this movie.  There are voice that you will recognize, but most you will not.  I recommend this film.  Very much worth the money.

Major League Basball Championship Series on Fox and TBS

This will be an odd review.  I don't think there has been anyone that has reviewed a sports event to the general public.  So, let me say this...if you are a sports fan and like games that are close and nail-bitters, this year's postseason for Major League Baseball are for you.

Kansas City Royals are leading the American League series 2-0.  Two more wins and the Royals will be the American Leagues reps for the World Series.  Baltimore Orioles are trying to come back from two games down.  Not an easy task.  As I am watching game 3, it is tied at 1 run a piece.  These are the types of games that are exciting.  The funny thing with sports is that the wheels can come off for a team in a second.  In game 2, that is what happened to the Orioles.  The game was tight and then bad things happened.  Game 3 was actually suppose to be last night, but mother nature had other ideas.

In the National League, San Francisco Giants took a 2-1 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in a 10 inning game 3.  All the games in this series have been nail-biters.  All have been 1 run games.  Game 2 saw the Cards win the game on a home run.  Game 3, the Giants scored the winning run in the 10th because of an error made by the Cards.

This season's playoffs are exciting and nerve-racking.  Even if your team is not in the post season, spend some time and watch these games.  They are exciting. 

And yes, I am hoping that the San Francisco Giants win it all. 

The Walking Dead (AMC TV)

AMC is about to embark on its 5th season of the Walking Dead and I finally got on the bandwagon.  When this series started I was not in a position to watch due to the fact that I was never home and did not have access to a TV where I was.  This past weekend AMC had a Walking Dead marathon.  I watched a bunch of episodes and now I am hooked.  Will be going back on Netflix and starting from the beginning.

While the beginning of the series was all about surviving the dead, what it has become is how can those that survived the disease survive each other.  From all the advertisements about the upcoming season, that is what the show will focus on.


What I know is this...the writing of the show is amazing.  The actors have done wonderful work with the script.  The direction and cinematography is amazing as well.  If you have not watched this show yet, like I did, it might be time to start.  I know.  ZOMBIES!  Zombies are a vehicle of the show.  The show is about surviving and navigating a world that has lost its mind.

Catch up on Netflix and watch the new season on AMC Sundays at 9p.

Gracepoint (Fox TV)

Gracepoint on Fox.  Wow, first episode landed a bunch of twists and turns that I did not think was going to happen.  If you have not started watching this show yet, get started.  It is on Fox Thursday nights at 9p and of course On-Demand and Hulu.com.

Gracepoint is a sleepy Northern California coast town where nothing really happens.  Then out of nowhere, a boy is found face down on the beach dead.  The new detective in town has a past he will probably like to hide.  The resident detective was passed over the job the new detective got and is not happy.  The big twist happens after the dead boy's best friend is told that he is dead.  If you have not watched the first episode yet and even if you have, I will not spoil that here.

David Tennant plays Det. Carver and is the new detective in town.  If Tennant's name rings a bell, he played Doctor Who for a couple seasons.  Nick Nolte is in this show as well.  Have not seen him in much recently.  There are many familiar faces in the show.

As I said, watch this show.  The series will only last ten episodes.  All will be revealed by the end. 

The Flash (CW TV)

Just finished watching the pilot episode of The Flash.  Not bad.  Not great, but it has potential to turn into something really good.

The producers laid down a good foundation with endless possible villains and friends to find due to the 'accident' that gave Barry Allen (The Flash) his powers. 

Grant Gustin plays Barry Allen.  As a huge fan of the animated Justice League, they do take a lot from the Wally West/Flash character's background. 

There are a couple familiar TV faces in this film.  Jesse L. Martin plays Detective Joe West who is a father figure to the Flash.  And Tom Cavanagh plays Harrison Wells.  Wells knows the Flash's secrets, but also is revealed to the audience at the end of the pilot as something other than what he is portraying. 

Martin spent several season on Law and Order.  While Cavanagh played the title character in Ed. 

The cast is good.  I expect that they will get better as the season progresses.  The writing is about the same as the acting.  This is the first episode of the season folks, what did you expect?

The show has potential and is placed very well following Arrow on Wednesday nights.  My suggestion is to be patient and see how the season progresses.  First impressions are not always the best.  Especially, for TV shows.   Flash is on the CW Wednesday nights at 9pm.  Give it a shot.

Wow, if only I could get paid for this?  Nah.  While getting paid would be nice, this is fun.

Hey, tell me what you think.  Leave a comment and play nice.

Arrow (CW TV)

Again, as you can see I am a comic book hero fan.  Arrow is now going into season 3 and with Slade now out of the way, what will be next for Oliver and the gang.

Thea has found out that the man she thought was her dad, was not.  She is now with her real father Malcolm Merlin.  Oliver and Felicity are about to have a thing.  And who will be the new villains be this season?

From what I was able to find, some people from Oliver's time on and off the island before heading back to Sterling City will be making an appearance.  Count Vertigo is suppose to make an appearance and cause havoc in episode 1.

There were rumors that Ra's al Ghul will be in season 3. Would only make sense with all the talk of the League of Shadows through the entire series so far.  And I was able to find an article saying that Matt Nable of Riddick fame will play the part.

This series does have a cartoonish feel and look to it.  However, the story line is interesting and the actors are good with what they are working with.  The only criticism that I would give is that the writing has become a bit predictable.  Oli makes a decision, Felicity and Diggle argue with him about it.  He does what he decided to do, fails.  Apologizes in someway to Felicity and Diggle.  They help and all is fine in the world.  Problem is that this keeps happening.  Could we change it up a bit please?

Arrow is not unique to this problem of writing style.  Most TV series that I have watched in the last several years use this exact formula.  So, the story line still works.  Just a bit predictable on how the problem in the story is going to be solved.

Arrow is a good show.  Will be worth your time and don't be surprised if the DC movies coming out and the TV shows start syncing up.  Similar to what Marvel has done with Agents of Shield and the Thor/Captain America films have done.

Haven (Syfy TV)

I guess you can see what my preference has been for TV shows.  I started watching Haven during the first season and wasn't too sure whether I liked it or not.  Part of the reason I started watching was due to Eric Balfour.  Always thought he was a good actor.  First time I saw Balfour was on the pilot episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Problem with that was his character was killed.  Next time I saw him was on an episode of West Wing.  Kept thinking that this kid needed to get a featured role somewhere then I saw the ads for Haven.  Liked Stephen King to a degree, so, started watching.

The series itself has done well from a story telling point of view.  The mythology leading to where they are now in the 5th season.  I would say things are getting weird, but that would depend on I consider weird.  With the change of Audrey to Mara and the introduction of William a new wrinkle has been added to the show.  I am just not sure if these wrinkles work yet.  Last season with the havoc that William was causing and the production looking like it might be wrapping up soon, I figured that the show would try and wrap everything up in a nice little bow.  Boy, was I wrong. 

I have really liked this show.  Just do not have any idea where it is going.  Normally, I would like the guessing.  However, this time around just not sure if I really care.  Will give it a few more episodes to see if some of my assumptions are true and certain people that they believe are dead happen to not be. 

Oh, and some of the 'troubles' that people are having are really starting to be ridiculous.  One woman had laser beams coming out of her body.  What?  I think they can do better than that.

Sleepy Hollow (FOX TV)

Sleepy Hollow on Fox has returned for its second season and like the other TV shows that I have posted about this past week, this is another show that has potential. 

We are now into the second episode of the season and things are getting a tad tense.  Everyone is out of purgatory.  Crane has left his love in the clutches of the Headless Horseman who happens to be an old friend.  Well, maybe not friend, but they knew each during the revolutionary war.  Abigail's sister has been arrested with a small arsenal of firearms and someone signed a contract in blood.  And you know those never end well.

This is another show that keeps you guessing.  Some of the story can be a bit out in unbelievable world, but if you can work past that it is a really good show.  With the new sheriff, however, kind of don't like the hard ass character that will not believe the paranormal at work in my town thing.  This was the first episode this character was in, so I could change my mind in the coming weeks.  Seems a bit predictable and formulaic, but as I said...I could be wrong.

Things are about to get really crazy.  With certain characters in play a large event should be happening soon in the show.  I would expect a large mid season cliffhanger and a couple others during the first part of the season as well.  Just a feeling I have.

I watch via On-Demand, so time and day of airing I do not have.  It is on Fox as stated.  Can also watch on Hulu.com.

Marvel's Agents of Shield (ABC TV)

We are in season 2 of Marvel's Agents of Shield.  Not bad of a start.  Still trying to find out where this is going, but I like the mystery.  Makes we want to watch more.

As I mentioned with Gotham, Agents of Shield does have that stigma of being a comic book story.  And as with Gotham, the story is so much more than that.  There IS a great mystery going on.  If you are familiar with Marvel Comics, you know that there is so many different factions that can be a part of the story lines. 

We know about Shield.  We know about Hydra.  But who is Raina working for?  We know that she has had ties with Hydra, but she seems to now be working for someone else.  This is why it is a good mystery.  The show leaves you guessing each week.

If you are not a comic book fan, I ask that you still give this show a chance.  Yes, it does lend itself to science fiction and fantasy story telling.  That being said, the actors are wonderful and the writing will keep you guessing. 

I say give it a shot if you haven't already.  If you focus more on the story and the quest of the agents to do what is best for mankind, the super power silliness might just make sense and end up adding to the story and the stakes that face the agents.

Gotham (FOX TV)

I rarely watch network TV these days.  Not much has peaked my interest in the last decade or so.  In an earlier post I took a look at Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  Well, a look back.  It was that type of show that has kept my interest.  However, most of the shows that would share a Buffy story line or style were not on network TV.

Fox, on the other hand,  has tried to work with the Buffy style.  Fringe, Firefly, and Dollhouse with Fringe lasting the longest.  Firefly and Dollhouse, both Joss Whedon creations, lasted just one season each.

Now we have Gotham.  Gotham is the prequel to the Batman universe.  So far I have only seen the first episode.  Waiting for the next to be available On-Demand.  Like I said, don't watch much network TV. 

The first episode follows Jim Gordon on his quest to be honest in a city where corruption is everywhere.  All the other cops have their hands in the till is someway and the criminals run the city. 

Jim Gordon takes on the task of trying to find the killer of Bruce Wayne's parents only to be led to the wrong conclusion.  That conclusion was a fence that was set up.  (The fence happens to be a college buddy of mine.  Good to see Danny getting bigger and bigger gigs.)

This first episode sets up what Jim Gordon is going to have to deal with.  Will be interesting to see how the characters are set up and how Bruce Wayne slowly goes on his quest to become Batman.  There has been a tease to that story line.

While some may want to avoid this show due to the comic book theme.  I have to say that the writing is not cheesy.  These stories have a lot of depth to them and the intrigue is fun to watch.  Set up the DVR or be a regular to your On-Demand access if you can't watch when scheduled.  I recommend this show.

Solomon Kane (2009)

Maybe it is me, but I liked this movie.  Solomon Kane is based on the books and short stories written by Robert E. Howard.  Howard is also the creator of the character Conan the Barbarian. 

For the purposes of this movie, Kane begins as a his tale as a mercenary bent on destruction.  However, once he learns that his soul has been claimed by the devil, Kane renounces violence and becomes a puritan.  Yes, his life as a pacifist does not last long.  Kane witnesses several members of the family that he has been traveling with be slaughtered and the daughter kidnapped, Kane goes on his quest to rescue the girl and redeem his soul in the process.

The most notable name in the film is Pete Postlethwaite as William Crowthron.  The man that helps Kane on a path to peace.  James Purefoy stars as Solomon Kane.  Game of Thrones fans will recognize one of actors in this film, but I will keep who that is to myself.

Solomon Kane is a decent sword and sorcery film.  I think if you are a fan of the genre that you will enjoy Kane.  A little dark.  The fight scenes are pretty good.  Solomon Kane is not a bad film if you like a enough story plot to be believable.  Give it a shot.  Currently on Netflix.

Hellboy (2004)

Going to do a two-fer on this one.  Hellboy is another of the many comic book movies that have hit the screens in the last decade or so.  Did well enough for Hellboy II, but the two films did not garner a third. 

Hellboy is a demon summoned by Rasputin in the 1940's to try and win the war for Hitler.  Rasputin's plan is foiled and Hellboy is raised by Profession Bruttenholm.  Rasputin is resurrected to try and bring the end of the world.  And you can guess where the film goes from there.

Ron Perlman is charming as Hellboy and John Hurt is brilliant at anything he does.  The rest of the cast is good. However, the story is lacking a bit and the movie pacing lacks as well.  The comic book was popular enough to get people to the theaters.  My criticism here is that I don't feel that this film is good enough to watch over and over again.  And that is what you want from a movie like this.  People to buy the DVD, rent or watch on Netflix.  Yes, I watched on Netflix.

I mention Hellboy II in regard of it being watchable a second time.  Saw the movie once and really don't care to see it again.  If there is nothing else on TV and Hellboy II happens to be on, OK.  That being said, I might opt to find something else to do.  Hellboy II was really lacking a story.

Coriolanus (2011)

Was searching Netflix on what to watch next and ran across a bunch of Shakespeare films.  Coriolanus caught my eye first.  Two reasons.  First, I have not read, performed or seen this play yet.  Second, Ralph Fiennes stars and directs the film.

One thing about Shakespeare.  It is hard to do.  On stage and on screen.  Especially on screen.  The pacing of this film is slow.  You will need a lot of patience to get through it.  That being said, the performances are outstanding.  One of my issues with doing Shakespeare is that many actors cannot handle the language.  All the actors in this production handle the language well. 

The story itself is about a military leader of Rome that is asked to take civilian leadership and is ultimately banished due to his brutality on the battlefield and his lack of civilian subtlety. 

This film is placed in modern time and is crafty on how it handles the text and delivering the plot devices.  Meaning, if you have seen a Shakespeare play live, the descriptions of how wars and other actions off stage are delivered to the audience.  Very well done.

If you are a Shakespeare fan, you will love this film.  If you are a Ralph Fiennes fan, you will love this film.  While the pace is slow, this is a well crafted film. 

Justice League (TV Series 2001-2006)

Yes, I am posting another animated selection.  This one, however, is a classic.  At least for me it is. 

As a long time fan of comic books, finding the TV equivalent was difficult for many years.  As a kid I had Super Friends.  Looking back on that show and the many others of the time, those shows were pretty bad.  However, as a kid I didn't know any better.

But things started getting better in the 90's.  Batman the Animated Series came out.  It was dark and more realistic and not campy or cheesy.  The Superman had his own series for a few seasons.  Then Justice League. 

Now there are two separate series that are part of the Justice League story line.  The first focuses on the main seven.  Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, J'onn J'onzz, Flash and Hawkgirl.  The second season brings in many more heroes and follows a story line that involves Lex Luthor, the government and a clone.

This is a good entertaining series.  And if I can get my 7 year old daughter into the show, any parent that is a fan of the comic book world should be able to pass the enjoyment on to their kids. 

Now I know that the live action version of Justice League is coming out in a couple years.  Don't wait.  The animated Justice League is a good way to introduce your kids to the DC universe to get them prepared for what they will see when Justice League is finally released in live action.

Citizen Koch (2013)

Citizen Koch is a documentary about the Citizen United Supreme Court decision in 2009 and how money has influenced politics since then.  And the main beneficiaries of the Citizen United case has been the Koch Brothers.

Now I hate to get political, but with the 2014 midterm elections coming up the nation should be getting involved in some way.  Learning more about the candidates, the issues and registering to vote.  Whichever way you (as a reader of this post) lean politically, you have to admit that money has a corrupting affect on everything.  Most of all money corrupts the ability to lead effectively and effectively for all.

Watch this documentary.  I will say it is slanted as most documentaries are.  That being said, several of the people who were affected most happen to be republican.  What I think the ultimate point of this documentary is was to show that ALL citizens are affected by this court decision.  All levels of politics are now corrupted by high dollar donors.  And with the focus on Wisconsin, while the Gov Scott Walker and his campaign say that they are fighting union money trying to discredit them, the truth was that the money that came to his aid was in a ratio of 8 to 1.  Not exactly honest, but he is a politcian.

You can find Citizen Koch on Netflix.  With an election coming up very soon, might be a good time to see what the process is like these days.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is another one of those movies I just love.  Yes, I am a dork.  I freely admit this.  Roger Rabbit is just pleasant to watch. 

The late Bob Hoskins was absolutely wonderful in this film and Christopher Lloyd was pleasantly creepy and Judge Doom.

We follow the mystery of who killed Marvin Acme.  Acme was set to will Toon Town to the toons, but no one could find the will.  Eddie Valient (Hoskins) gets drawn in (no pun intended) to the intrigue. 

This is a rare film to watch because this movie is the only place where you would see Warner Brothers and Disney characters on the same screen.  How the producers pulled that off, I will never know.  Well, I could probably do the research, but would take to long.

Anyway, this is a wonderful film to share with the family if you have not already.  And yes, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is on Netflix.

Tombstone (1993)

Tombstone (1993) starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer is another one of those films that is at the top of my list.  Not sure where it would be, but this is a film that I can easily watch over and over again. 

Based on the life of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday and the wild west, Tombstone gives a glimpse of what life was like in the late 1800's.  The performances by the entire cast was excellent and the gunfights were masterful.

A version of Tombstone has been attempted several times.  Both before and after this version of the story.  I found this one to be the best and what I would say would be the most authentic.  The writing, direction and acting are outstanding. 

However, this version does not need a reboot.  Unlike Abyss and Krull where special effects could be improved and make the movies better if there were remade, Tombstone does not have that problem.  My opinion is that there is nothing about this film that would need improving.  This, I think, is the best version of the story.

Your thoughts?

Mirage Men (2013)

Ok conspiracy theorists, this one is for you.  And for the UFO people as well.  Mirage Men is a documentary about how the UFO rumors and stories about Rosewell, NM and many others were perpetuated in the late 70's and 80's.

Turns out that is was all a ruse to get one guy to stop looking into things he was not suppose to be looking at.  Problem was that the guy started to believe what he was being told and ended up in an institution.

The documentary centers around one man, Richard Doty.  Doty was a counter intelligence office from the Air Force's OSI unit.  This man was paid to lie and obfuscate and, according to the documentary, did his job well.  Very well.

The information is this documentary is outlandish and at times hard to believe, but by the end it makes a lot of sense on how the public was lead to believe that we had aliens among us. 

Mirage Men is on Netflix.  Give it a shot.  They also talk about the cow mutilations.  That should be a hoot for you to watch.  Oh yeah, this documentary has won multiple award from various film festivals.

Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012)

A friend of mine from high school could never get enough of the original Starship Troopers.  When I saw Starship Troopers: Invasion on Netlfix, I had to take a look. 

This is an animated film in the franchise.  Probably the best way to go forward if the franchise is to be continued.  However, this is not for kids in anyway.  Bare breasts are shown, cursing happens and lots and lots of blood and guts.  Again, even though this is animated, not for the kids.

The movie does bring in the three main characters from the original film.  Rico is now a general.  Carmen is a captain of a starship and Carl is still a researcher with psychic powers causing problems.  And that is where the movie goes with its story line.  Carl commandeers Carmen's ship, the bugs invade and lots of people die.  The twist here is that somehow the queen takes over the ship.  That is about all that I will say about the story.  Anymore and I will give away way too much.

The voice acting is pretty good.  The animation itself is ok.  Doesn't completely suck.  Has more of a video game feel to it.  If you want to see a good amount of digital death, this is the movie for you.  And as I said at the top, you can find this movie on Netflix.