tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16589580066256965732024-03-18T20:49:37.362-07:00Poptic NervePoptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.comBlogger598125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-23040643917944690212024-03-14T02:53:00.000-07:002024-03-14T02:53:06.654-07:00 UnXpected! X-Men 97 Creator was Abruptly fired from Marvel!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN93Cax7mjD9sSv9Vw7AQ8qEEJxXfkJuu-I9tbSi4QX0HpbOen5IXo4SvqB2HTtk2-AcpWU3HqTeMkAIbbLEN2wZ-U1LSg7C6QbQECbs1_4w2QiqIZx8TLYLDmqYUSpn-dvOFgY6zkXKpXJ5leYETBZYewf7x3CTVz19CQbyLSf5s410hMk-5j_gcRn_oR/s1920/UneXpected%20eXit-Thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN93Cax7mjD9sSv9Vw7AQ8qEEJxXfkJuu-I9tbSi4QX0HpbOen5IXo4SvqB2HTtk2-AcpWU3HqTeMkAIbbLEN2wZ-U1LSg7C6QbQECbs1_4w2QiqIZx8TLYLDmqYUSpn-dvOFgY6zkXKpXJ5leYETBZYewf7x3CTVz19CQbyLSf5s410hMk-5j_gcRn_oR/w640-h360/UneXpected%20eXit-Thumbnail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Now this news apparently came from out of nowhere.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>With one week till the highly anticipated X-Men Revival series makes its debut, it was announced that Writer and Producer Beau DeMayo, who was also the series' Showrunner has been fired by Marvel Studios weeks before its premiere. Marvel provided no reason of why ties were severed between the Comic based studio and DeMayo as the showrunner's Instagram account and company email have been deactivated and deleted respectively.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8krrDJkvbih4HD9rf8AZYq19IDxXJPkPN8agLL0zn0JcT9oYvmWFJ1YYYBHfPwoClXEOViu93PerMmLr2npCfCgy-ayJp5y8e9FeE0qQCn0Nku0dNW7s55OFERxFsyY3XfyrBKkeldOqWTTUbeVR3hK21PTLWoh-Bm49OWXgf_l-9xI981hPdgraw7r9/s700/449386_2632109_updates.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="700" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8krrDJkvbih4HD9rf8AZYq19IDxXJPkPN8agLL0zn0JcT9oYvmWFJ1YYYBHfPwoClXEOViu93PerMmLr2npCfCgy-ayJp5y8e9FeE0qQCn0Nku0dNW7s55OFERxFsyY3XfyrBKkeldOqWTTUbeVR3hK21PTLWoh-Bm49OWXgf_l-9xI981hPdgraw7r9/w640-h366/449386_2632109_updates.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Prior to his dismissal DeMayo was embroiled in a bit of controversy which began when changing Sunfire's ethnic background and of course his original premise for the upcoming Blade project which centered around three Women with Blade relegated as the fourth lead in his own movie?? This implementation frustrated actor Marshella Ali who threatened to bail out of the project, causing several script revisions. DeMayo who was a fan of the original X-Men animated series, claims to identify with the characters as he is different meaning a Gay black man who ran a non-explicit Only Fans account???</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId87zPhRkWGOwjd2iYwbCa_viaz87w6D9TRusW8NmIfm5gvB9ttKBU3oLiJ7erbPvnstoFIqxnvA9LwU3eVBQSXiMpsbtqTZSagCpWwMNLy76_EnpRe1j7T-x248uWvEKruWyOHVQyyEFKwN20nRSdQFdlPpKocbkZ9RKwfppf9_E96COfLvfqLwq1QSg/s1920/Snapshot_1076.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjId87zPhRkWGOwjd2iYwbCa_viaz87w6D9TRusW8NmIfm5gvB9ttKBU3oLiJ7erbPvnstoFIqxnvA9LwU3eVBQSXiMpsbtqTZSagCpWwMNLy76_EnpRe1j7T-x248uWvEKruWyOHVQyyEFKwN20nRSdQFdlPpKocbkZ9RKwfppf9_E96COfLvfqLwq1QSg/w640-h360/Snapshot_1076.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Ok, I'm done here. While I have no clue of why Marvel dismissed DeMayo, as one who didn't care for his treatment of the 2022 Moon Knight series, which featured the purple hippo, then his mishandling of Blade, I think it's all for the best that he's no longer involved with Marvel. Shit, it was probably his suggestion to "deflate" Rogue. It seems that Marvel and especially Disney, should have properly vetted every talent candidate across the board prior to signing them on. But hey, James Gunn turned Guardians of the galaxy into an unprecedented success despite his tasteless tweets over 10 years ago. Again, while there was no reason given for DeMayo’s termination this is cause for alarm and further speculation of wrongdoing on DeMayo’s behalf. At the end of the day, no one gets shitcanned two weeks prior to the official debut of a film, or television series. </div></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-86048839546361516322024-03-13T02:09:00.000-07:002024-03-13T02:09:21.492-07:00Chris Evans; Thoughts on Comicbook Movies “If it was easier, there would be a lot more good ones.”<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9zYsj-1YOf2eWbWGNxxuenoChVxwxl6i-S2FPdHHkq3QY-_pKkAt8b9qZBSkymkwDhenCvNAa1skjq0DHJ6HXiW2dRkg4i1KtNWlRj9mNEHCYJJNwvjJ0RJbI1WMWwbt5SAHM9OEE7M2XN7B9UEE0wEMc4apvBsJbz8oCCGSy4j0oWroCjsEoL27Cc1F/s1920/Snapshot_1072.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9zYsj-1YOf2eWbWGNxxuenoChVxwxl6i-S2FPdHHkq3QY-_pKkAt8b9qZBSkymkwDhenCvNAa1skjq0DHJ6HXiW2dRkg4i1KtNWlRj9mNEHCYJJNwvjJ0RJbI1WMWwbt5SAHM9OEE7M2XN7B9UEE0wEMc4apvBsJbz8oCCGSy4j0oWroCjsEoL27Cc1F/w640-h360/Snapshot_1072.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>While attending the Emerald City Comic Con recently Captain America actor Chris Evans was asked about the state of superhero movies. To which he responded.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><blockquote><div><i>“If it was easy, there’d be a lot more good ones – not trying to throw shade. Some Marvel projects are objectively phenomenal films.” I’ve been a part of a few that missed. It happens. Making a movie is tough. More cooks in the kitchen doesn’t make it easier. I don’t want to highlight specific films in the Marvel catalogue but some of them are phenomenal. Like independently, objectively great movies, and I think they deserve a little more credit.” </i></div><div><i>He further emphasized by saying that “They are not easy to make. If it was easier, there would be a lot more good ones.” </i></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CtSYeSG9U-T3t7_9gwfsbgUlSjhI07hKjSsZNfrDpVNRLmrnRo0Q05v_5Pv5syifmGNip90bpopwD5dsCcqjCrV9fiX6xetx9b-EI8jAvWYRJ5z907cKbB64lTccYSW__jfSIiaNVnyTqIa9vuZgMq_wg1dGf0g4sYcAm4ui1moYkwYXS0b9cQnnrtDu/s1920/Snapshot_1070.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7CtSYeSG9U-T3t7_9gwfsbgUlSjhI07hKjSsZNfrDpVNRLmrnRo0Q05v_5Pv5syifmGNip90bpopwD5dsCcqjCrV9fiX6xetx9b-EI8jAvWYRJ5z907cKbB64lTccYSW__jfSIiaNVnyTqIa9vuZgMq_wg1dGf0g4sYcAm4ui1moYkwYXS0b9cQnnrtDu/w640-h360/Snapshot_1070.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><blockquote><div>And you know what, I have no problem with that statement whatsoever, especially when there has been a recent string of flops from both Marvel and DC sides of the spectrum. The mcu movies post endgame has been more misses than hits and you can’t blame the problematic reception on the pandemic alone. which coincides Disney CEO bob iger decision to scale back on the marvel projects since their gamble no longer paid off. Sometimes it’s hard to get that genie in the bottle and this goes for other genres be it horror, comedy or science fiction. </div></blockquote><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Evans was asked about what his Favorite Marvel Film is, he brought up 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” “It’s my personal favorite Marvel movie that I was a part of. It’s not just for the movie itself but the experience. We were taking more risks, and the character felt more fleshed out. It was one of the more satisfying experiences I’ve had in my Marvel run.”</div><div><br /></div><div>In my opinion out of all the mcu movies that had the best trilogy, with all three being bangers, it was Captain America whether it was "Winter Soldier " or "Civil War" Cap beat out Thor, Iron Man and even other popular trilogies outside of Marvel Studios confines, such as <b><i>Alien, Terminator, Mad Max , The Matrix, </i></b>and <b><i>The Godfather </i></b>where either on or two of the succeeding films from the trilogies, were duds. The Captain America trilogy is the best since the original Star Wars or Indiana Jones. And this is not because Cap is such a great character, which he is, but there has been plenty of care and creativity when making these movies as opposed to lazy writing or studio interference wanting to implement suggestions they believe will connect with the audience or various demographics. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-39311677038081021512024-03-04T14:12:00.000-08:002024-03-04T14:12:07.256-08:00Avengers - Secret Wars (2027) | Official Trailer #1<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/yjb_81D2ZUQ?si=USZInbFIa5aEk8jO" frameborder="0"></iframe>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-42070775552867811742024-03-04T00:56:00.000-08:002024-03-04T00:56:40.856-08:00"Collect them All!" The Benefits of Owning Physical Media!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiN7LFbiubrLLK6bVGocMno4nniiM69i8G4O1TfSasdSgPCIsLtcbCaGrTfAqSXo9gk3dZaPdT8Ym67BOev7p6kfPtWZPAKOGeP0WdO7a_lImYqwknlgYvaQh3R6E8b19aj43IogbF6zYrxmAoD41ztObmtPpzO_YlsKHWNmi30ASTL9jKJyVmsNxj-tYh/s4032/20240224_020619.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="4032" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiN7LFbiubrLLK6bVGocMno4nniiM69i8G4O1TfSasdSgPCIsLtcbCaGrTfAqSXo9gk3dZaPdT8Ym67BOev7p6kfPtWZPAKOGeP0WdO7a_lImYqwknlgYvaQh3R6E8b19aj43IogbF6zYrxmAoD41ztObmtPpzO_YlsKHWNmi30ASTL9jKJyVmsNxj-tYh/w640-h302/20240224_020619.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>With major outlets and services, such as Best Buy, Walmart, Netflix and Amazon clearing out their Blu Ray and 4K discs inventory, now more than ever is the time to take stock in “stocking up” on physical media.</div><div>Why, might you ask? Well, although streaming platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Max, and Amazon Prime Video are the status quo when it comes to quick access and convenience when watching your favorite television shows and Movies, there are a few caveats.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgvmC859FB1MJPps8w-CACkLkRCLRrHPeaShZLV-keGx8DLxZS8YfmidKoo4nAai1Fr5dJv6S4PNFAbM3ya3tu7M0jaba9K8HZU6Kifz5etvo08qvt3yx-m3m2pe69Fj6Gx9vfgAu9Jbj_XyAm14mA5lfRcn6VL2gADxlhmGjQUxR98nqox6jpkIlsMpg/s2205/Screenshot_20240223_075354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2205" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgvmC859FB1MJPps8w-CACkLkRCLRrHPeaShZLV-keGx8DLxZS8YfmidKoo4nAai1Fr5dJv6S4PNFAbM3ya3tu7M0jaba9K8HZU6Kifz5etvo08qvt3yx-m3m2pe69Fj6Gx9vfgAu9Jbj_XyAm14mA5lfRcn6VL2gADxlhmGjQUxR98nqox6jpkIlsMpg/s320/Screenshot_20240223_075354.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9MQw6bcrOLZT4pHCpLKRwYNDdyLm-oaAxDSWQ-DZWWnPFhNyDmuXAotbBdIvFDJjLFIrQeXC7nI_kgFjPLJUFGgfSJosf3HtQcpvtm98uQuX0uYh5sf8whkwJpjSpF7qiIHcWdccJVH1u00FYDhg8VqGQR0aP4coWPVHuT3bxYSHzZUG46MbGBbZpIsn/s2073/Screenshot_20240223_075438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2073" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9MQw6bcrOLZT4pHCpLKRwYNDdyLm-oaAxDSWQ-DZWWnPFhNyDmuXAotbBdIvFDJjLFIrQeXC7nI_kgFjPLJUFGgfSJosf3HtQcpvtm98uQuX0uYh5sf8whkwJpjSpF7qiIHcWdccJVH1u00FYDhg8VqGQR0aP4coWPVHuT3bxYSHzZUG46MbGBbZpIsn/s320/Screenshot_20240223_075438.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div> One is how programs streamed on platforms can come and go meaning that if there's a movie that you placed on your queue for over a few months and decide to watch it only to find out that it's no longer available due to expired licenses. And in some cases, even if you purchased the digital media from Amazon Prime Video, you may no longer have access.</div><div>Then there's streaming media that may be censored or omitted altogether due to outdated stereotypes or content deemed highly offensive in today's social climate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMoBWh2j6aAxIR5z93FZQQZ3Tm3_ueJjDOTLhb0LPf9H5JSZegcG5Xn4zWdTsymYDmeHDwfE42NYpjOra_MRCP13cfR7RmmrYRV6872gO8B3cOyIzc117jBS_2vFGZihbLJUbRb1vf6truwKtpHPRSe0PtTrcmFYmoga99MPti0a9d5YC2gy9ORBfCfGX/s1077/mary%20racist.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1077" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMoBWh2j6aAxIR5z93FZQQZ3Tm3_ueJjDOTLhb0LPf9H5JSZegcG5Xn4zWdTsymYDmeHDwfE42NYpjOra_MRCP13cfR7RmmrYRV6872gO8B3cOyIzc117jBS_2vFGZihbLJUbRb1vf6truwKtpHPRSe0PtTrcmFYmoga99MPti0a9d5YC2gy9ORBfCfGX/w640-h344/mary%20racist.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And say you purchased digital media films and shows and for some reason your internet is down, or the streaming platforms server crashed, what are your options.... oh, I get it. Play your Blu ray discs, that's if you purchased one which for the most part, includes a free code to obtain the digital version so basically, it’s a win, win situation as you are left with more than one option.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0RFJVb6n9GTvGumGFkmV3bGqmwZP2Q_C1B_PDDGJPuNj00ZHqtiO-iele4L2sclh_utuk1-bJ1e-HfsGyDVfsYEHW8_d_tlijKV1uP1A1Aw7JP7-6zLztQ9Yh5JTOB34eFxosoce8l89oxiBIgHoEeqy14JhaXItyh3vhyphenhyphen7LJNR9jVCb2rC7HOJfxBoZ/s2125/dvds23.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2125" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0RFJVb6n9GTvGumGFkmV3bGqmwZP2Q_C1B_PDDGJPuNj00ZHqtiO-iele4L2sclh_utuk1-bJ1e-HfsGyDVfsYEHW8_d_tlijKV1uP1A1Aw7JP7-6zLztQ9Yh5JTOB34eFxosoce8l89oxiBIgHoEeqy14JhaXItyh3vhyphenhyphen7LJNR9jVCb2rC7HOJfxBoZ/w640-h402/dvds23.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But say you are fed up with increasing prices from Netflix who charges more for 4K content or platforms such as Hulu, Amazon Video, or Tubi that often show sporadic ads during a program, or in the case of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles having very noisy drives when booting a UHD Blu-Ray, your best bet is to get a good Disc reader and rip your movies for MP4 or preferably, MKV conversion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqtQM1xUmhgV8gUj6aHKUVJ6LQM3aHTzi1CBCluyG4PwbBJrz3Oh_02JXA1sZ0W16ePcQbXS7cZ7V65135ao_iDUVVe2M-J7xlbF1Q8JblW95s57_B8dNlxnAwR5EL11ATxXLBUiD6qbm3lEmASlDAnof1G-Ey2bSKR9prmEE-P-O-Up-asGWxsAvrKQV/s3826/20240302_101952~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="3826" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvqtQM1xUmhgV8gUj6aHKUVJ6LQM3aHTzi1CBCluyG4PwbBJrz3Oh_02JXA1sZ0W16ePcQbXS7cZ7V65135ao_iDUVVe2M-J7xlbF1Q8JblW95s57_B8dNlxnAwR5EL11ATxXLBUiD6qbm3lEmASlDAnof1G-Ey2bSKR9prmEE-P-O-Up-asGWxsAvrKQV/w640-h312/20240302_101952~2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div> With either video container you can not only backup your purchased library legally but create your own streaming server via Plex which seems to be the go-to platform.</div><div>Another benefit of owning physical discs is that you can have access to bonus content such as deleted scenes, audio commentary or making of segments.</div><div>So, in closing, while digital media has its advantages, owning physical discs without adhering to restrictions is more beneficial. At least for the time being.</div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-35702829294204440882024-02-23T01:31:00.000-08:002024-02-23T01:51:26.603-08:00X Men 97 Trailer : Will "X" Mark the Spot?<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCwfMzqUJ7BXHIQUa57-TI3lyF3jLIJPgKg-AQS1goeT0Vqx6aFP1svAClHCUwFP_1aTHCxzvSgFjGy1ubKccyY4c6L_ZHCdg7zGGpp5AZycG9wuXjNjC2-y9gngCMSmMp28TNQhnGIHYCZWMiH1DHOGzO70r_T5hKXiV-mleMKlGDBJHX9cjr2PAU7hk/s1920/Will%20X-men%2097%20Mark%20the%20Spot-Thumbnail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVCwfMzqUJ7BXHIQUa57-TI3lyF3jLIJPgKg-AQS1goeT0Vqx6aFP1svAClHCUwFP_1aTHCxzvSgFjGy1ubKccyY4c6L_ZHCdg7zGGpp5AZycG9wuXjNjC2-y9gngCMSmMp28TNQhnGIHYCZWMiH1DHOGzO70r_T5hKXiV-mleMKlGDBJHX9cjr2PAU7hk/w640-h360/Will%20X-men%2097%20Mark%20the%20Spot-Thumbnail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>during the 90s, Marvel has had a period of success courtesy of their animation division starting with Spider-Man and especially X-Men to which the latter involving Marvel's ensemble team of mutants was well received thanks in part to complex storylines that go against your standard convention in Saturday morning cartoons. X-Men became so popular that the series inspired the Capcom videogame.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYzJdT2BLWul7zefeLNHSfcNRV6eCr2E1VGysezwY57tBmEKrcbwDznccP7x9-vkl347ktPozKUCUTdmAlRUC_ehKEsRI3ohwrKBUz4hxqrB4GVSmabMgjhNNSxCjhrIs4XhOkXyfubOP9wk1cBGOGKGINOWIBSBTrtf9v6uucMY9F3JZW3h9ufksW2b4/s1080/1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1080" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijYzJdT2BLWul7zefeLNHSfcNRV6eCr2E1VGysezwY57tBmEKrcbwDznccP7x9-vkl347ktPozKUCUTdmAlRUC_ehKEsRI3ohwrKBUz4hxqrB4GVSmabMgjhNNSxCjhrIs4XhOkXyfubOP9wk1cBGOGKGINOWIBSBTrtf9v6uucMY9F3JZW3h9ufksW2b4/w640-h360/1.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The show had a five-year run and now decades later, in the current trend of Revival films and legacy sequels there was a big announcement that the Series which ended on a bittersweet note, will make its return this March, with presumably the same voice actors reprising their roles, and animation that slightly resembles the original aesthetics just for you nostalgia purists out there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pv3Ss8o9gGQ" width="558" youtube-src-id="pv3Ss8o9gGQ"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>I'm curious to see what transpires after it's series 25 plus year hiatus other than what was shown like Magneto being the heir to Xavier's school which inevitably leads to an challenge of leadership between him and cyclops, but the trailer is not without controversy. It appears that fans are not happy with the inclusion of shape-shifter morph referred to now as Non-Binary. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZZyKPJpiM3OxmiPig_EjZa_8WiJCBsKfXEPCcjTCwmc69jiJDqS1eWqtsbKqEBaH8jyHOrd9qAqlWRDwj4UlB0sI2JRs4eOawTysJGkMejFi774QueZ9y4bVJebnW1hFeWPhlyqX1PX3yigDaG-I7EbJxYdEtltGX_DPs4Nbm3LIiE0hdvrm7Zwl7j_G/s1259/controversy.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="1259" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZZyKPJpiM3OxmiPig_EjZa_8WiJCBsKfXEPCcjTCwmc69jiJDqS1eWqtsbKqEBaH8jyHOrd9qAqlWRDwj4UlB0sI2JRs4eOawTysJGkMejFi774QueZ9y4bVJebnW1hFeWPhlyqX1PX3yigDaG-I7EbJxYdEtltGX_DPs4Nbm3LIiE0hdvrm7Zwl7j_G/w640-h86/controversy.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>In all honesty, it doesn't really matter to me, especially in Morph's case since he is a shape shifter that can assume the form of both genders. However, there is concern from others regarding the much younger impressionable viewers feeling confusion about gender assignment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/X-Men-Animated-Series-Morph.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/X-Men-Animated-Series-Morph.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>And to add more fuel to the fire is Rogue's big alteration you see, in the OG animated series, she was illustrated with a "GREAT ASS" to quote Al Pacino in 1995's Heat. But in the upcoming series, the sexy Southern Siren has now been "De-<a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=PAWG" target="_blank">PAWG</a>ed" but hey, Disney gonna Disney.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://preview.redd.it/i-love-this-show-v0-d3a6zmt9cuz81.jpg?auto=webp&s=ad3a016fc10b9cdf35638f9315441b4bde5ee916" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="800" height="619" src="https://preview.redd.it/i-love-this-show-v0-d3a6zmt9cuz81.jpg?auto=webp&s=ad3a016fc10b9cdf35638f9315441b4bde5ee916" width="800" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-BLVI1r1F0SnOb82vygo5ID-mi6khcJYD1myitG1sL-6cz2JbSjSIsayQJvoqj8eozbg1_TGCdCbl02B3SkW7cEnaFXTlptfqR5YfITXYOnskY1iv-CovLRT5bz71XESPV7qI4qpyZDQLDX1IuCDynTf0yvgF6uajF4xWI803atZorC9ulGlxjwsazeh/s1790/GGasZ3_acAAbgLy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1790" data-original-width="1790" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-BLVI1r1F0SnOb82vygo5ID-mi6khcJYD1myitG1sL-6cz2JbSjSIsayQJvoqj8eozbg1_TGCdCbl02B3SkW7cEnaFXTlptfqR5YfITXYOnskY1iv-CovLRT5bz71XESPV7qI4qpyZDQLDX1IuCDynTf0yvgF6uajF4xWI803atZorC9ulGlxjwsazeh/w640-h640/GGasZ3_acAAbgLy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>That said, I can easily ignore the shoehorning of identity politics, or "minor adjustments" just give me a damn good series, with solid writing and of course, action.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, with animated series such as the X-Men getting the Revival treatment, would this open the door for other 90's shows i.e. Spider-Man, Iron Man or the Fantastic Four. Better yet, how's about we go further up the timeline with 2011's Spectacular Spider-Man and especially <a href="https://youtu.be/GXerHM6ShW4?si=W0HmQKCZ3iYvKjfH" target="_blank">Avengers Earth's Mightiest Heroes?</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Only time will tell but, in the meantime, I'm somewhat looking forward to X-Men 97 when it arrives on March 22th via Disney Plus.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/b0dff9d0bfc79882e84deca9fc906ffa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="645" height="364" src="https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/b0dff9d0bfc79882e84deca9fc906ffa.jpg" width="645" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-63797602080141034242024-02-23T01:17:00.000-08:002024-02-23T01:17:19.328-08:00Madame Web is a Tangled Mess!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnhm2el07dfID_XU7nN_3ZJaae7eAqp9TDkqj_gsBF8fe0SDd0Mc0lYYFsVFNQayXoHgb0P192p3YGgKZEKq9fC_a0dyUuOKbTyuQvrGKG3z0Zswt4dp7nIAwUeU5zOQBr8PywszhimXJKGPSIoItKNppYoVNvXt3fe9JnFW34Jd81gle2_d6HkZR9yPl/s1920/Snapshot_957.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEnhm2el07dfID_XU7nN_3ZJaae7eAqp9TDkqj_gsBF8fe0SDd0Mc0lYYFsVFNQayXoHgb0P192p3YGgKZEKq9fC_a0dyUuOKbTyuQvrGKG3z0Zswt4dp7nIAwUeU5zOQBr8PywszhimXJKGPSIoItKNppYoVNvXt3fe9JnFW34Jd81gle2_d6HkZR9yPl/w640-h360/Snapshot_957.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>"Walloping web snappers!" Who would've thunk it that Sony’s latest Spider-Man spinoff underperformed at the box office, not to mention very poor critical reception? The SPUMC film tallied a paltry $26.2 million during the Week of Valentine's Day followed by $25.7 million from 61 International markets.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm shocked, completely shocked I say!</div><div>Ok, sarcasm aside, as predicted from a previous video, Madame Web "will be da bomb, yo!" It bombed so bad that Sony ditched their plans for future installments based on the Marvel Comics median character.</div><div><br /></div><div>Actress Dakota Johnson has been seen on camera mocking the female led suspense Superhero thriller during press junkets and interviews. She claimed that there were " drastic changes" as in possibly script revisions and additional camera set-ups, with the project that was very different from what was presented in the theaters.</div><div><br /></div><div>While some are quick to blame Web's dismal reception on Superhero fatigue is quite the opposite. Most moviegoers prefer to watch a GOOD Comicbook movie instead of lazy garbage like SHAZAM Fury of the Gods, Ant Man Quantumania, Thor Love and Thunder, The Marvels and now Madame Web has been added to the list of dumpster fires. Sony, Avid Arad and the disgraceful Amy Pascal need to get out of the business altogether and Marvel should be wise to remove their name from these Sony Pictures Uninverse of Marvel Characters even with their properties being used.</div><div><br /></div><div>Just sayin.</div></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-3400067336523975042024-02-13T12:47:00.000-08:002024-02-13T12:47:10.256-08:00"Long Live the King!"<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8MtqDoyLpj8UN4iYEd7wNle3TApkLUDjujkZ0keLZhzFYcQkWOk4QhvuWvfCCl4jLsS5nV4OHXnVUipKagYr4-_5aHFvH0P91MOpN1rfk_X3v9YT35x3YJTLFvdfV64KnwDNlQQMN05vI14JUbhU0ZPEUg8mid98mORNw-sfd2zEvWawbHiiFHIrgJUR/s1920/Snapshot_952.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8MtqDoyLpj8UN4iYEd7wNle3TApkLUDjujkZ0keLZhzFYcQkWOk4QhvuWvfCCl4jLsS5nV4OHXnVUipKagYr4-_5aHFvH0P91MOpN1rfk_X3v9YT35x3YJTLFvdfV64KnwDNlQQMN05vI14JUbhU0ZPEUg8mid98mORNw-sfd2zEvWawbHiiFHIrgJUR/w640-h360/Snapshot_952.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div></div><blockquote><div>"And I was thinkin'</div><div>How the world should have cried</div><div>On the day Jack Kirby died"</div></blockquote><div></div><div><br /></div><div>-Lyrics from the song, "Melt" courtesy of Monster Magnet</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNvydg-DighToc2PDW6c__dbl5IuMPNRRjkuQyLhrLN7XkHE5-g2PCBNt1zwCSRpSymTNozP_5E7oidQk1QSWCr1RAyhZUTLoxkiosM6E0y9Ie0ld3E40O4bYzDnNykYHJamEfGmbEW6_eHTcGe16EXbW87ZcsYYbv_px930A15C80EIEghfIe4_Pta0-/s600/kirby%20rip%20legend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="600" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbNvydg-DighToc2PDW6c__dbl5IuMPNRRjkuQyLhrLN7XkHE5-g2PCBNt1zwCSRpSymTNozP_5E7oidQk1QSWCr1RAyhZUTLoxkiosM6E0y9Ie0ld3E40O4bYzDnNykYHJamEfGmbEW6_eHTcGe16EXbW87ZcsYYbv_px930A15C80EIEghfIe4_Pta0-/w640-h362/kirby%20rip%20legend.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I can recall that day early February, 30 years ago when a friend I grew up with, told me that Jack "King" Kirby the architect of the Marvel Universe, had made the transition at the age of 76 and it’s kinda ironic how his age during the time of death matched the later year of the bicentennial (1776) where his greatest co creation Captain America was often affiliated with America's celebratory event.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vQFbk0iMFK_IT4aKnMXa028dLwvZCZXO13xTMeELDE_exYcsyVTiaxxBXxv2fSBlc5iatlZTxcvTURes9cCf8lcfQdTQPp8C4u_1Eo-uWvXpB9ryvRV7ZEEIqox0XFJy6_mRH6j1FgkbfdZZTIqb0HDATwW98mOq1csp-d-ORDA-2SoaqBW6bTiqxnFl/s400/kirby%20masthead%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vQFbk0iMFK_IT4aKnMXa028dLwvZCZXO13xTMeELDE_exYcsyVTiaxxBXxv2fSBlc5iatlZTxcvTURes9cCf8lcfQdTQPp8C4u_1Eo-uWvXpB9ryvRV7ZEEIqox0XFJy6_mRH6j1FgkbfdZZTIqb0HDATwW98mOq1csp-d-ORDA-2SoaqBW6bTiqxnFl/w640-h640/kirby%20masthead%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Jack was one of the most, if not the most visionary comic artists, who would conjure up these bizarre yet ultra-modern concepts that complemented his amazing pencil work. There was hardly a dull uninspired panel when gazing up his exposition of storytelling while most would say how his aesthetics would leap from the pages, it's the ingenious methods and innovative worldbuilding that made me a fan of Kirby even since I was a kid.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, one can imagine the shock I felt when hearing the news back then. A few days later my friends and I attended the NYC Comic Con which was my very first experience regarding the geek mecca. There I had brief conversations with Walt Simonson, and Jonathan Demme, who the latter was such an approachable celebrity and was very reciprocal when I gave him props for Silence of the Lambs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvhPuR4j2nku14EpcsV0VaQMcN89NzlJvmdnyj1GAxdnLPefVD_y296woyZeqFUNjv-awI-wYewxziwFRjulCF2RtT0SeBxWXFdgW4C-Cjg9xMvHp4xy1RSHdqJiI52CuYhtYlxGuZnOEH7hpi_3_QiQ5i-5lhrRe9eamf7avz8-POIk6nJ1eMW_JMk0k/s750/adam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="750" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvhPuR4j2nku14EpcsV0VaQMcN89NzlJvmdnyj1GAxdnLPefVD_y296woyZeqFUNjv-awI-wYewxziwFRjulCF2RtT0SeBxWXFdgW4C-Cjg9xMvHp4xy1RSHdqJiI52CuYhtYlxGuZnOEH7hpi_3_QiQ5i-5lhrRe9eamf7avz8-POIk6nJ1eMW_JMk0k/w640-h512/adam.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then there was this tiny booth, with an easel and in its place, was a canvas with the caricature of Jack Kirby with roses placed underneath. Not gonna lie, I practically choked because one of my "heroes" is gone. Kirby had done so much within his career yet never got enough accolades or compensation for his brilliant creations from the Fantastic Four to even Adam Warlock. Those for the most part, were his ideas and not necessarily Stan Lee who would often gloat while taking (sole) credit at times. Lee even claimed that it was he who created The Black Panther when in fact it was Kirby. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtp1rreZ0Z7031dN9WixXn-Zy4f9FsBQ5R690B70ePhlJFCQrfF8jCUXIMjuXCnouSki_CegUHfSXUmI1hdthzkvEeyMWBF-gkOhU3drPwc7OSOKalCDlmzbid4aK4B6N9ViqDlhkbZid7vw6HaLjtOGVeGFDeUE2_rvkkfw7cwJEAdFihzQC3pqBMrJQY/s1019/004t1706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="1019" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtp1rreZ0Z7031dN9WixXn-Zy4f9FsBQ5R690B70ePhlJFCQrfF8jCUXIMjuXCnouSki_CegUHfSXUmI1hdthzkvEeyMWBF-gkOhU3drPwc7OSOKalCDlmzbid4aK4B6N9ViqDlhkbZid7vw6HaLjtOGVeGFDeUE2_rvkkfw7cwJEAdFihzQC3pqBMrJQY/w640-h456/004t1706.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>What’s so great about the Black Panther was that the character did not adhere to silly stereotypes, he was richer than Bruce Wayne, had the fighting prowess of Batman and Captain America, but is a scientific rival to the likes of Reed Richards. To think how Black Panther was released during the turbulent 60’s demonstrated how progressive both Kirby and Lee were who defined themselves as, "liberal Jews."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6_OPk29QDTaWubEbZHL1O69ZWl9QZfpzoG4jkCC14pOk92P06jFg8PP9XuhB_AL7UfgLmssxNgTS8cvn9Z2wtwziAU1mmsi6cIuzvZqBquIq6x4kdR6ExeJR3PieyI1PPsp52fHVw-jMWaEELqE7ti_SuJFytJ0ez24qk058kNgUkMfICFK8J8gzwFeH/s1244/kirby%20suit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1244" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6_OPk29QDTaWubEbZHL1O69ZWl9QZfpzoG4jkCC14pOk92P06jFg8PP9XuhB_AL7UfgLmssxNgTS8cvn9Z2wtwziAU1mmsi6cIuzvZqBquIq6x4kdR6ExeJR3PieyI1PPsp52fHVw-jMWaEELqE7ti_SuJFytJ0ez24qk058kNgUkMfICFK8J8gzwFeH/w640-h276/kirby%20suit.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Yet, there’s that constant upbringing of how most artists and writers within the comic book industry, were not compensated for their contributions especially regarding movie, television and merchandising profits. Some are just given a $5000 check with a “Thank You” note for the use of their characters and concepts that made billions of dollars at the box office.</div><div>And once again, this does not include the merchandising! The work for hire “ethic” where artists agree to receive compensation for drawing and storyboarding comic panels and waiving their rights regarding monetary residuals from media projects that also include videogames is not only a shady business practice but very exploitative! I would compare it to “White Collar Sweatshops” where exploited talent had occurred long before Jack Kirby’s falling out with Marvel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwxe7KvrOCIHsHBeki-vt6saQp2E5hXumrI3ENT4XwjADEpeL9NszQWBNotaNKACFfaakET41Jwn5CGszicY60C-ToGsexYCvM50oaqw465kPsBeFUraBg89E7nlwKw1X84oBceKeVOmrDOqvyGkcrG5Kszyw-IzUHChsDV_JLVvCs_Wc3BfJC1c9Plw3/s1650/Machine_Man_Vol_1_1.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1650" data-original-width="1073" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNwxe7KvrOCIHsHBeki-vt6saQp2E5hXumrI3ENT4XwjADEpeL9NszQWBNotaNKACFfaakET41Jwn5CGszicY60C-ToGsexYCvM50oaqw465kPsBeFUraBg89E7nlwKw1X84oBceKeVOmrDOqvyGkcrG5Kszyw-IzUHChsDV_JLVvCs_Wc3BfJC1c9Plw3/w416-h640/Machine_Man_Vol_1_1.webp" width="416" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Look at what happened to both Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who signed away their rights to royalties for $65 in 1938. “Sixty-Five fucking dollars”! Superman alone is worth over 65 billion when you take in all the films, comics, videogames, television series, action figures and clothing! And don't get me started on that scumbag Bob Kane and what he had done to Bill Finger. Jack in my opinion, deserved a huge cut of royalties regardless of contractual obligations which are now archaic in modern times. While Stan Lee is often lionized as the founder of Marvel, he is still vilified for being complicit.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSODCVYRdmjWpUchuoWErANOghUrBCWwsTwXFc2IXYA9BlZjjxzJDcEKploPZIPJwa-GgdYZ4f0SVFUvo9Bdke3GVEItURBh_pPUexMfft9fzBkrIzqkKuGTkmFZ4WSTN0tiMNAdBYho6Pe_kZRrHsfAAq6Ym7KV5CVP3ldeJtt37YjKH0IcQPdlK_V3s7/s1000/kirby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSODCVYRdmjWpUchuoWErANOghUrBCWwsTwXFc2IXYA9BlZjjxzJDcEKploPZIPJwa-GgdYZ4f0SVFUvo9Bdke3GVEItURBh_pPUexMfft9fzBkrIzqkKuGTkmFZ4WSTN0tiMNAdBYho6Pe_kZRrHsfAAq6Ym7KV5CVP3ldeJtt37YjKH0IcQPdlK_V3s7/w640-h512/kirby.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But rant aside, Kirby was an unstoppable force, no matter how many of his books were canceled after a limited run, he never wavered yet kept on pushing new ideas, those brilliant splash pages, characters and concepts even the obscure ones, that are now mainstays in popular culture. </div><div><br /></div><div>Marvel at the time, only gave lip service when looking back at Jack's legacy, but thanks to efforts like Rob Liefeld and the artists of Image comics along with his family, and most dedicated fans, Kirby has received 10 times the acknowledgement and long overdue. I'm gonna keep it a buck here, without Jack Kirby, Marvel as we know it, would not exist!</div><div><br /></div><div>(Says "Captain Obvious")</div><div><br /></div><div>Long live the King!</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91Zhv0V1DcabKAWL8MAC7sqHJC4Fwf2NBAwvVbBkwzNnn5ewQCUd6R3H9YluYZ-6RHbAZXzMknLQ9ioOpVWHAn8eL-pM5QHeLZ7TafzN4yrebLlOYxkI6goi2Z1b09gWaYuomF1T9QXCnaqQJIVPPPimkVIidMO9xBRRKeayqtp_iihE2cnQqg3Yqbozt/s620/kirby-at-work.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="620" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj91Zhv0V1DcabKAWL8MAC7sqHJC4Fwf2NBAwvVbBkwzNnn5ewQCUd6R3H9YluYZ-6RHbAZXzMknLQ9ioOpVWHAn8eL-pM5QHeLZ7TafzN4yrebLlOYxkI6goi2Z1b09gWaYuomF1T9QXCnaqQJIVPPPimkVIidMO9xBRRKeayqtp_iihE2cnQqg3Yqbozt/w640-h428/kirby-at-work.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-35116462918826258762024-02-12T04:10:00.000-08:002024-02-12T04:53:22.078-08:00Antihero for Hire: The Street Fighter Trilogy <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9fsS2CXdQq6-xvMDVzCm82UT3pE-yiB73IHKKUjA7jbeLlIIP0XHzleYWytGo3Xai_ojeFXzVcUEgsNbQ3-LsX6cciEdQp1IQ0bb38c-vedhOJHv4ioeEXTDaqYvBI8F2J7X6dEXq7Ip3BkjWwVSMNTcrnpLUY3ZsK1bn8nX9nPpNo3P0ZUvnXwuJ-Tg/s1920/Snapshot_950.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9fsS2CXdQq6-xvMDVzCm82UT3pE-yiB73IHKKUjA7jbeLlIIP0XHzleYWytGo3Xai_ojeFXzVcUEgsNbQ3-LsX6cciEdQp1IQ0bb38c-vedhOJHv4ioeEXTDaqYvBI8F2J7X6dEXq7Ip3BkjWwVSMNTcrnpLUY3ZsK1bn8nX9nPpNo3P0ZUvnXwuJ-Tg/w640-h360/Snapshot_950.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>1974 was a year which further defined the age of the Antihero in pop culture, where a fictional protagonist takes extreme measures outside of the idealistic convention to reach his or her objective.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the unfortunate and unforeseen passing of martial arts legend Bruce Lee in 1973, there was really no one who could take his place. </div><div>However, the following year, entered the "Tiger"!</div><div>His name was Sadaho Maeda internationally referred to as "Sonny Chiba!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h1AWzDnd76I" width="558" youtube-src-id="h1AWzDnd76I"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Chiba's career started from two tokusatsu superhero shows shot in Japan.</div><div>And while many are quick to familiarize his work as retired swordsman Hanzo from Kill Bill, it was 1974's The Street Fighter that made the Martial Artist and actor a household name outside of Japan during the Kung Fu craze, which Bruce Lee helped to gain pop culture status around the World. In the first of the three-part martial arts Crime Drama, Chiba plays Takuma Tsurugi, written in the U.S. as Terry Sugury who is an immoral martial arts expert and professional mercenary for hire.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN86C7-OLe9uhcPZhhQRvgJS88in9nGxt5SuhCix2kFNHhcR_Dr3zrf3dEmTsMM12zg-eRWIVnzDKlARfrsH9Wh93sjinuAL60sLGrNveW02WP_qgNOchQRWX_AthPu-waVgqXAx4FYjT41pXdohq6akxlwdMWqJG9LMRubEelQ3FZom8xOQIazv10YmTu/s720/The%20Street%20Fighter%20(1974)_000054.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="720" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN86C7-OLe9uhcPZhhQRvgJS88in9nGxt5SuhCix2kFNHhcR_Dr3zrf3dEmTsMM12zg-eRWIVnzDKlARfrsH9Wh93sjinuAL60sLGrNveW02WP_qgNOchQRWX_AthPu-waVgqXAx4FYjT41pXdohq6akxlwdMWqJG9LMRubEelQ3FZom8xOQIazv10YmTu/w640-h272/The%20Street%20Fighter%20(1974)_000054.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> Despite his Rogue like persona,Takuma at times, is shown having a code of honor when he refuses to work under crime syndicates such as the Yakuza. At the start of film, Tsurugi poses as a Monk to perform a "hit" on a condemned murderer Tateki Shikenbaru who is sentenced to death by hanging. After a breif exchange, Tsurugi applies some fakeout technique "oxygen coma punch" to Shikenbaru, causing him to collapse prior to his scheduled execution which of course, was halted as Tateki was enroute to a hospital, intercepted by Tsurugi and his half-witted partner Rakuda.</div><div><br /></div><div>With his task accomplished, Tsurugi will be handsomely rewarded for his rescue op, right? Oh, wait...</div><div><br /></div><div>When Shikenbaru's brother Gijun and sister Nachi arrive and plead for more time to pay for Tsurugi's assistance unfortunately for them, Tsurugi isn't your charitable idealistic good guy, he's Honorable to a fault and until you don't uphold your end of the bargain.</div><div>Tsurugi's actions not only caused Gijun's death but also his sister being sold as "collateral “to underworld crime boss Renzo Mutaguchi who makes a proposition to kidnap Sarai, the heiress of a recently deceased oil tycoon but realizing that Renzo is backed by the Yakuza, Tsurugi turns down the offer and is marked for death.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxSQdAIwZgX1Vp-xyX9cGhqYmPOJWP1jaBDbBURC_mqOOBecbkfMSAlKzQMh7-cbNMkHT-q42xGFLWztF7nzxpqLSwFwixe9hbAvhO3UUmNpmKJr6WFT4qFjzS_LtmJqU6fkWVwxyK4KMEaEhq43sKM5mYRzt9DaakPcEgMbRizwaKN3eKk_6a7RoMsS0/s1009/01-the-streetfighter-street-fighter-1974-sonny-chiba-shinichi-chiba-yutaka-nakajima-goichi-yamada-masashi-ishibashi-jirc58d-chiba-etsuko-shihomi-masafumi-suzuki-nobuo-kawai-ken.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="1009" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxSQdAIwZgX1Vp-xyX9cGhqYmPOJWP1jaBDbBURC_mqOOBecbkfMSAlKzQMh7-cbNMkHT-q42xGFLWztF7nzxpqLSwFwixe9hbAvhO3UUmNpmKJr6WFT4qFjzS_LtmJqU6fkWVwxyK4KMEaEhq43sKM5mYRzt9DaakPcEgMbRizwaKN3eKk_6a7RoMsS0/w640-h216/01-the-streetfighter-street-fighter-1974-sonny-chiba-shinichi-chiba-yutaka-nakajima-goichi-yamada-masashi-ishibashi-jirc58d-chiba-etsuko-shihomi-masafumi-suzuki-nobuo-kawai-ken.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> Chiba's biggest movie debut is one of the better action films from Japan during the early Seventies, while the story may be simplistic, it’s never a dull moment when you have Tsurugi constantly faced with danger from Renzo and the Yakuza who recruits Tateki and his sister to kill Tsurugi which leads to a final showdown. Despite its controversial depictions of violence, The Street Fighter is another forerunner of action movies where the bad guy is the “Good guy” with the late Sonny Chiba as a one-man army kicking or punching the shit out of those who either try to kill him or get in his way without care or concern. However, there were moments where we get into the psyche of our Antihero protagonist i.e. flashback sequence of bearing witness of his father's execution for marrying a Chinese woman, which explains why he is the way he is and serves as his motivation for overcoming the odds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rcQRdVeJ6MpNuBTEx4RY36rkbFI1KTXzCCKYs2qcV-h-8VaCdB-VaMEKWG1h0UgSu0FpUjVBSjFRjptWU1kd0zbaqM7_2DnsbB2Nh2OgfOtgc4Sugr9kBEdRTqoYd41e9f99zyntU0A7_uPFaOzDmmP43PkpC1_U4olLUMSDwD6B5zSCXJj53cMdxq4P/s350/execution.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="149" data-original-width="350" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rcQRdVeJ6MpNuBTEx4RY36rkbFI1KTXzCCKYs2qcV-h-8VaCdB-VaMEKWG1h0UgSu0FpUjVBSjFRjptWU1kd0zbaqM7_2DnsbB2Nh2OgfOtgc4Sugr9kBEdRTqoYd41e9f99zyntU0A7_uPFaOzDmmP43PkpC1_U4olLUMSDwD6B5zSCXJj53cMdxq4P/w640-h272/execution.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Also of note, was Rakuda's redemption during Tsurugi's fight against a Zatoichi type assassin where he tries to save him only to get struck down followed by a touching follow up with Tsurugi mourning the loss of his best friend, after shunning him. Although he lacked the fluidity and expertise of Bruce Lee, it was his Chiba's Streetfighter that differentiated him from your archetypical Chopsocky actors who were often associated as heroic or those who were wronged, now seeking revenge. Sonny at times, displays exaggerated albeit comical facial expressions that had me laughing as if the movie was embracing the camp.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdokpCRXPRdfS6jDKMXzwip8qinUT7Ujtd3ZULOP1s2OSeyEKWc8AsdLrsLWRGqe2dnBFmMo47sHk6ygmFsw_35WgPu7VMo0sCYcVC0SUm7WZ3UOiMIcenZ_4x4QuKzhSwm1J5bVYSRqytU1x29SY5S0xtQjcIN18Dnqp2vShQTmT2dOGBPv7Kdynv6-O/s450/street_fighter.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="450" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdokpCRXPRdfS6jDKMXzwip8qinUT7Ujtd3ZULOP1s2OSeyEKWc8AsdLrsLWRGqe2dnBFmMo47sHk6ygmFsw_35WgPu7VMo0sCYcVC0SUm7WZ3UOiMIcenZ_4x4QuKzhSwm1J5bVYSRqytU1x29SY5S0xtQjcIN18Dnqp2vShQTmT2dOGBPv7Kdynv6-O/w640-h254/street_fighter.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from the silly tropes, “The Street Fighter, “was perhaps the first action movie released in the U.S. by New Line Cinema that received an X rating no, not for explicit sexual content, but instead its violence and limited gore, so yes, it's a very violent movie especially as far as the original Japanese cut, is concerned, which contained brutal violence scenes such as eye gouging, throat ripping and even a crazed rapist getting his genitals pulled out and well deserved.</div><div>It is of note, that Sonny Chiba appeared in four Street Fighter films, which included Spinoff and Sister Street Fighter. As for his accommodations, he held several black belts in the following martial arts:</div><div><br /></div><div>Kyokushin Karate: 4th Dan</div><div>Ninjutsu: 4th Dan</div><div>Goju-ryu karate: 2nd Dan</div><div>Shorinji Kempo: 2nd Dan</div><div>Judo: 2nd Dan</div><div>Kendo: 1st Dan</div><div><br /></div><div>Director Quentin Tarantino, who is a huge fan of Sonny Chiba once claimed that he is "better than Bruce Lee."</div><div>Now <i>that</i> is high praise!</div><div><br /></div><div>In the follow up of the first film, Chiba is back in the appropriately named Return of the Street Fighter.</div><div>This time Tsurugi has a new partner in crime, Pi Boke, who is more annoying than Rakuda even as a comedy relief, but things get serious when the Yakuza boss gives Takuma the order to kill his protégé and Saari’s uncle, Masaoka who sees his karate school as a direct competition with a school favored by the Yakuza. Takuma being Takuma, refuses to comply with the Japanese Mafia, and now a bounty has been placed on his head.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgxbMcH3i9YCsTYP_CXdGHxebK7uZUkKU25iqF1lWWhAZe9Ck1pLsljiTmSsPRNoxr-C4h6dnITvsMeNMzTUngvfGxvO50rC3cms7t91PoGStAD7xR1l33uYmzIkgvFBlN1N2bq7h1GW-s2uBlObJ90I-sbw1IRWl2ZkeaQqdKfUSehE6C996GqUvBGBV/s999/vlcsnap-2013-09-24-11h39m34s2121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="406" data-original-width="999" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqgxbMcH3i9YCsTYP_CXdGHxebK7uZUkKU25iqF1lWWhAZe9Ck1pLsljiTmSsPRNoxr-C4h6dnITvsMeNMzTUngvfGxvO50rC3cms7t91PoGStAD7xR1l33uYmzIkgvFBlN1N2bq7h1GW-s2uBlObJ90I-sbw1IRWl2ZkeaQqdKfUSehE6C996GqUvBGBV/w640-h260/vlcsnap-2013-09-24-11h39m34s2121.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, this sequel fails to measure up to the first film and its courtesy of lengthy dialog, choppy editing, which includes pacing issues to fulfill the film’s runtime quota, like those regurgitated flashback sequences, and extended martial arts training montages. As a matter of fact, with the plot contrivance, the whole movie is practically a montage when you have Tsurugi get into one fight after another. That said, the highlight of "Return" is the well-choreographed Sauna fight scene followed by an all-out assault on a heavily guarded Mafia stronghold. Then of course, there’s that one big reveal which ties the narrative from both films. It's amusing to see how Tsurugi's actions cause collateral damage without him batting an eye as the finale more than shows.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO9A83JPpSG5XKFl1VYBeUyMYxZ029h9TQ6rDtZEIJfstm5AoaqoJQxfNoI0jVZX4rL2ZDjxZUrRBZDH3oTQMmB6AGEMWHQdkLDVoTazqwFn8h6GqWdTFTwv53aBJBtrjHRVO0EDyrb4NrKJSJ5zs_b9_a-DpMfPMXyzDTClEpvl0pTmvVfZYhyphenhyphenhDC4d2/s512/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="512" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkO9A83JPpSG5XKFl1VYBeUyMYxZ029h9TQ6rDtZEIJfstm5AoaqoJQxfNoI0jVZX4rL2ZDjxZUrRBZDH3oTQMmB6AGEMWHQdkLDVoTazqwFn8h6GqWdTFTwv53aBJBtrjHRVO0EDyrb4NrKJSJ5zs_b9_a-DpMfPMXyzDTClEpvl0pTmvVfZYhyphenhyphenhDC4d2/w640-h264/unnamed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In the third and final installment titled, The Streetfighter's Last Revenge, Tsurugi goes in disguise to apprehend a Mafia associate who happens to be related to a powerful crime boss, but when he's double crossed, our Antihero confiscates a tape which contains incriminating recordings of bribes paid to the government by a chemical company. The Yakuza are trying to blackmail the company, that could expose the criminal syndicate. So, as a means of getting the tape back and getting rid of Takuma, they send in an assassin with supernatural powers- Mr. Black! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ARVcSXI885jjr_HGb1BtDLiiEldoVAoWnGCDOiS0oAIVji7u05ToTCQbbXaRZnHAcfGgATwefkPQIiwNfnJ4hKlQVvmRzWv-N0fFX2ghdLjdXw433Ct4ZA4-S5cgEzuKh45jYuSRmBQcicLcMGpABXDNfunx-jDRtUKhLs0NBSYLnTTpeV_jvBNxi-qW/s350/frankie%20black.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="149" data-original-width="350" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3ARVcSXI885jjr_HGb1BtDLiiEldoVAoWnGCDOiS0oAIVji7u05ToTCQbbXaRZnHAcfGgATwefkPQIiwNfnJ4hKlQVvmRzWv-N0fFX2ghdLjdXw433Ct4ZA4-S5cgEzuKh45jYuSRmBQcicLcMGpABXDNfunx-jDRtUKhLs0NBSYLnTTpeV_jvBNxi-qW/w640-h272/frankie%20black.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While this sequel almost plays out like a Manga and while not necessarily a paint by the numbers story, it has familiar outcomes like a potential ally getting killed near the end, more double crosses, the femme Fatale archetype and then we go back for the third time of Takuma's tragic childhood (via stock footage) where he bears witness to his father's execution which is a major staple trope within the trilogy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWlaTgGcpjMLhsX-rBddKJJiywzOWXZsFVlynzTkgx36jOqDcJVLz-NSBWUPEa7teWhMjApQOib9OAJr5wKEAYj_bgW62axSvxB2MOEzraoa6w1WHqfbC7UeSlbbNVW33waMXzyb-oyKN3kFeASt-N0AkkfOUXMxb71knrYWTAeihRlSktGvCPnpOp1oF/s350/hao%20feng.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="149" data-original-width="350" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWlaTgGcpjMLhsX-rBddKJJiywzOWXZsFVlynzTkgx36jOqDcJVLz-NSBWUPEa7teWhMjApQOib9OAJr5wKEAYj_bgW62axSvxB2MOEzraoa6w1WHqfbC7UeSlbbNVW33waMXzyb-oyKN3kFeASt-N0AkkfOUXMxb71knrYWTAeihRlSktGvCPnpOp1oF/w640-h272/hao%20feng.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The fight scenes have slightly improved if not improvised and Sonny gives it his all, when it comes to throwing punches, kicks and a bit of acrobatics. He's not as agile as Jackie Chan, or methodical as Bruce, Chiba has more than enough "chops" to place him within the top ranks as the other Asian action icons of old. Not gonna lie, the film is somewhat disappointing compared to the first, or even the second, thanks to misplaced audio and weak color correction, “Revenge" is still a good sequel that somewhat closes out the franchise.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Afterward</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPi7OF9wLCeMIg32BF86_zuR9j4MMmF6W4X9ceFhvimJ2UqtbalzGqez-f9BOMHLGIiIzhMu2AZgcI79zl3THzx9iaAq31GdUXEeRHXWDj5nYN2xlJnehioKzAFmpYQ4M7G5aTn6Iqui5NWhDcX1UxDEuby-EtTNDCjo5gIPhbVRo5tet6BCnueoowoSh/s1024/screenshot_20230508-161516_google.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPi7OF9wLCeMIg32BF86_zuR9j4MMmF6W4X9ceFhvimJ2UqtbalzGqez-f9BOMHLGIiIzhMu2AZgcI79zl3THzx9iaAq31GdUXEeRHXWDj5nYN2xlJnehioKzAFmpYQ4M7G5aTn6Iqui5NWhDcX1UxDEuby-EtTNDCjo5gIPhbVRo5tet6BCnueoowoSh/w640-h426/screenshot_20230508-161516_google.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While Street Fighter's lore may seem somewhat outdated by today's standards of filmmaking and narrative, there is more than enough material to sink in, especially regarding the sociopolitical and industrial politics that served as a backdrop in Japan during that era. It’s unfortunate that Toei didn’t further market this franchise via developing other media expansions from Anine, videogames or dare I say it, a remake!</div><div>As far as influence goes, The Street Fighter had a huge influence on popular culture. As a homage, Capcom’s iconic videogame franchise "Street Fighter" was named after the movie series, while the current Mortal Kombat games utilized the x-ray effect. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2S3gUlm-5Y1OkUFJVFCaCbcitHVtIzeQpM93CZY1PKLoLvQ98DWaiK5XgfQ75r6SV20leoB1IWsY9itVdnalMXG6FBCv27bLYuPKODUqJH3DGYBU06NOLfW1nriMIsKv0RQYS53yOjLP7qBFkDjzSfy5__Lr2uUAMIgH0XiDyCHA6bmI6IWRkX4W-G6D/s711/tumblr_m7n74yH9yK1rb39tyo1_1280.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="711" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ2S3gUlm-5Y1OkUFJVFCaCbcitHVtIzeQpM93CZY1PKLoLvQ98DWaiK5XgfQ75r6SV20leoB1IWsY9itVdnalMXG6FBCv27bLYuPKODUqJH3DGYBU06NOLfW1nriMIsKv0RQYS53yOjLP7qBFkDjzSfy5__Lr2uUAMIgH0XiDyCHA6bmI6IWRkX4W-G6D/w640-h272/tumblr_m7n74yH9yK1rb39tyo1_1280.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In the movie The Last Dragon (1985), Taimak's character Leroy Green would wear an espionage outfit that is the exact same black gi that Takuma Tsurugi/Terry Sugury dons. Not bad for an obscure cult classic. Despite minor gripes there is still plenty of enjoyment to be had. Whether you're a fan of ol school martial art films or Asian action in general, you can't go wrong with The Streetfighter Trilogy.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-91539056119050479252024-02-07T01:03:00.000-08:002024-02-07T01:03:08.301-08:00Sony's Shameless Shilling of Marvel Characters!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju10AgcazeRJge6Mx_TEu99ED797FzEPl4-Ej2KKkaiLw9U2ziXr6ySKPYnaXKS-jZWP-9CsL7lLH3fVbjmsssiaTMHZ2-ROnIzcRUybl89lnecJrfS3XacPNWlwn1l5UqEZo4tU-cwY25Q3f6Zk3v-_qvix1VzAdM57vMKNPW4RMxWPWPYD7TU_qsALwJ/s1920/Snapshot_941.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju10AgcazeRJge6Mx_TEu99ED797FzEPl4-Ej2KKkaiLw9U2ziXr6ySKPYnaXKS-jZWP-9CsL7lLH3fVbjmsssiaTMHZ2-ROnIzcRUybl89lnecJrfS3XacPNWlwn1l5UqEZo4tU-cwY25Q3f6Zk3v-_qvix1VzAdM57vMKNPW4RMxWPWPYD7TU_qsALwJ/w640-h360/Snapshot_941.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>2002's Spider-Man along with Blade and X-Men helped paved the way to what would eventually be the Marvel Cinematic Universe. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, two decades later, it seems that Sony Pictures, Avi Arad, and Amy Pascal is desperately clinging on Marvel's flagship Superhero to the extent of establishing their own self-contained Spider-Man Cinematic Universe known as Sony Pictures’ Universe of Marvel Characters. SPUMC for short.</div><div><br /></div><div>After a string of Spider-Man films including a well-received debut into the MCU via Captain America: Civil War, along with two animated projects and two Venom films, the Studio has no signs of slowing down as both Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web are slated for release in 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, is too much of a good thing, bad? Why is Arad beating a dead horse by developing other character-based films from the Spider-Man comics? Especially those that underperformed.</div><div>Has anyone seen "Morbius?" Madame Web's box office reception is already projected to fall under The Marvels' ranking.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sony is locked in a contract agreement they had with Marvel and they are in it for a long haul until they bleed it out. I'm sure Marvel Studios is still waiting for them to relinquish the rights to the "Spideyverse" and in many ways, I can't blame them.</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems that Marvel and Sony are locked in a conflict regarding different directions for future Spider-Man films.</div><div>Following the success of No Way Home, Sony had ambitious plans to bring back Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield for another Multiverse adventure in Spider-Man 4, while Feige and Marvel Studios are leaning towards a more grounded aka street level Spider-Man sequel. Which is how the first Spidey film started out as, but I digress.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXeEXXVOht9bMnwr5XxXN1sUCpdQGaCdxneXj6d5YFAXKe3jzy0l5lsWwZMsDHAzkT8yOehccHUbmTXGJEbBQ48f_kYoqzW63AIUebWLJ3F6WdMN9ffrcFo764PfLqXHOPrbBLbKfLAI9mV8UEfnKFtn4sGDIusTQqTU4NUCC54gwCmCOqRzQ2LAJdvlK/s2000/AMC_Scene_PromoPost_elMuerto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2000" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnXeEXXVOht9bMnwr5XxXN1sUCpdQGaCdxneXj6d5YFAXKe3jzy0l5lsWwZMsDHAzkT8yOehccHUbmTXGJEbBQ48f_kYoqzW63AIUebWLJ3F6WdMN9ffrcFo764PfLqXHOPrbBLbKfLAI9mV8UEfnKFtn4sGDIusTQqTU4NUCC54gwCmCOqRzQ2LAJdvlK/w640-h456/AMC_Scene_PromoPost_elMuerto.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Now, a few months back, Sony had plans to develop a film based on "El Muerto" a Luchador with Superhuman capabilities and will be touted as Marvel's first Latino led Superhero movie starring Bad Bunny in the titular role, unfortunately for Sony and Bunny, the project was faced with multiple delays during the strike which caused scheduling conflicts, and so, the "Bunny" hopped.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZeiyYbsttvqJZQiTgsKNAfICynKB04wzdJR-VbVZgo70dpauJDFlBCCDwLJr8L-ltF6s7GYQc8zl4D7uw4iF0rYJyNld04q7VcIrDm51Vvkt4xJ7KfZB50kb9Dq3HEPPoeRnbCknz44YlAXbbMQi_GzatCgq_qIe0Hr1BsZvIrE4CoL633XaxMCxHFRE/s1920/BadBunny.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBZeiyYbsttvqJZQiTgsKNAfICynKB04wzdJR-VbVZgo70dpauJDFlBCCDwLJr8L-ltF6s7GYQc8zl4D7uw4iF0rYJyNld04q7VcIrDm51Vvkt4xJ7KfZB50kb9Dq3HEPPoeRnbCknz44YlAXbbMQi_GzatCgq_qIe0Hr1BsZvIrE4CoL633XaxMCxHFRE/s320/BadBunny.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps it's all for the best as Marvel may have a chance of making a movie based on the George Perez created character, White Tiger. Remember him?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K-MXEDX14BHrESHQHEli6l8aTdJ8BWVst1kkpic-2GemdHWF6z6a6lxcUnRGqx1mImqFuhZ5EJNhNiIAgGAUMZEkjQWYdvuOqEb4Z03K2mrUir88X7q3XgxgYo0vg0kvTwn7qAvZaYlmQFhGkBOev5s0N4G8mkuqESj7biXDGe5A-1fkGfx213Z5f9ba/s1031/White-Tiger-Marvel-Comics-Hector-Ayala-h16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="725" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7K-MXEDX14BHrESHQHEli6l8aTdJ8BWVst1kkpic-2GemdHWF6z6a6lxcUnRGqx1mImqFuhZ5EJNhNiIAgGAUMZEkjQWYdvuOqEb4Z03K2mrUir88X7q3XgxgYo0vg0kvTwn7qAvZaYlmQFhGkBOev5s0N4G8mkuqESj7biXDGe5A-1fkGfx213Z5f9ba/w450-h640/White-Tiger-Marvel-Comics-Hector-Ayala-h16.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Not sure if Sony will still follow through with Luchador, but judging by their past and future offerings, they are scraping at the barrel, not to mention how risky these slated films will be in the midst of what is called "Superhero fatigue " which may be attributed to recent flops Ant Man Quantomania, SHAZAM Fury of the Gods, WW84, Black Adam, Blue Beetle, and The Marvels just to name a few.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unless by some miracle both Madame Web and Kraven do big numbers at the box office, These films will be among the first major casualties of Sony’s "suicide pact." Venom 3 notwithstanding. I think.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinWElJtZSrbPb2Uba-FVwnMB73ym9nUdm4KSf6YCwTdptbVJ6ERLdTfzVf-nWOOd1JudL97h4Zrqy__fUQw6P_48kd4Pm4hVwBTcAQ5R3537JwQP7N8xJWhonl8qMM2kYeYYNh4BnoB0McJgOMrIKlievcF7q1L8eDCAw4h7WKaAkWMOjff4Rio_7Pme6/s2022/avi%20stop.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="2022" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiinWElJtZSrbPb2Uba-FVwnMB73ym9nUdm4KSf6YCwTdptbVJ6ERLdTfzVf-nWOOd1JudL97h4Zrqy__fUQw6P_48kd4Pm4hVwBTcAQ5R3537JwQP7N8xJWhonl8qMM2kYeYYNh4BnoB0McJgOMrIKlievcF7q1L8eDCAw4h7WKaAkWMOjff4Rio_7Pme6/w640-h396/avi%20stop.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-13607454203153018902024-02-04T05:56:00.000-08:002024-02-04T05:56:44.466-08:00The Bop Drop: Rest in peace, Carl Weathers! <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19F3CwWOh1H6dBLpJLWYZj1t5AmjkMBzqwF-iIedHTA1NozmVn8d29LTAvVaPHZyo20UlIiGLgMHP0g2dRvVVQtVNvD0NMHwGrnupQ3eB6nVDSslRtY7AgY5O4cfum7YNWVeyGeYckCeGk_Wo4pAJkd1ZYkvceEuco6zDDTo1wSsmrr9vH0QXNLNgpE7f/s615/header.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="615" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh19F3CwWOh1H6dBLpJLWYZj1t5AmjkMBzqwF-iIedHTA1NozmVn8d29LTAvVaPHZyo20UlIiGLgMHP0g2dRvVVQtVNvD0NMHwGrnupQ3eB6nVDSslRtY7AgY5O4cfum7YNWVeyGeYckCeGk_Wo4pAJkd1ZYkvceEuco6zDDTo1wSsmrr9vH0QXNLNgpE7f/w640-h360/header.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So this morning my father tells me Rocky died. I was like :”Shit.”</div><div>I went looking for info about Stallone and then I found out it was Carl Weathers who died.</div><div>Now that really sunk my heart. That was way worse than Stallone dying.</div><div>Sometimes in life you see people perform in movies who touch your heart. They touch your heart because they do a great job, or they touch your heart because the are class acts. Or both.Carl Weathers is such a person.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/02/02/obituaries/02Weathers--02/02Weathers--02-articleLarge-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="600" height="412" src="https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/02/02/obituaries/02Weathers--02/02Weathers--02-articleLarge-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale" width="600" /></a></div><div>The first time I saw Carl Weathers it was in Rocky. I can easily say that without Carl Weathers Stallone would not have had a career. Everybody saw Rocky fighting the odds against the unbeatable world champ Apollo Creed. Carl Weather oozed champion in Rocky.</div><div><br /></div><div>As a kid, for me it was so badass to see Apollo Creed train Rocky in Rocky III. Apollo was the man to train Rocky against ferocious fighter Clubber Lang.As a kid I had a lump in my throat when the evil Ivan Drago killed Apollo in the ring. Those were very powerful scenes. Scenes I didn’t encounter often.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/apollo-creed-and-ivan-drago-1567084535.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.954xh;0,0&resize=1200:*" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="798" height="401" src="https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/apollo-creed-and-ivan-drago-1567084535.jpg?crop=1.00xw:0.954xh;0,0&resize=1200:*" width="798" /></a></div><div>I always wondered why Carl Weathers never got bigger roles after his Rocky stint. Predator was a big movie, but he had to share the screen with <a href="https://people.com/arnold-schwarzenegger-remembers-carl-weathers-couldnt-have-made-predator-without-him-8558338" target="_blank">Ham And Egger</a>. Carl’s role there was definitely badass, though.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I was renting VHS tapes as a kid there were trailers of upcoming movies at the start of the VHS tape. One of those trailers was Action Jackson. The trailer was so funny and cool that I couldn't wait to see it. Finally Carl Weathers was the main character in the movie. The movie was a B-movie, unfortunately, but it was a funny one that I love to this day and am gonna rewatch as soon as I can. There should have been sequels to this. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLf7jopEAAEiYJS3WzzzdsELYNLbWqktUPkIHoA1i6mxpBU5SCv6mUkg3WzBZ18-TmvnxeYHvOCQ5VTaTs93nHzMBpgc5PfTaNKyCcjFzTj42Un-DhdIKICem6zmokoAbgJ8BMnH0VzmMQwgn6gCIw4R1L7yriqnQbqR-T9d2hly9fTO0dFnw0h3YRwAD/s2973/aj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2973" data-original-width="2035" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLf7jopEAAEiYJS3WzzzdsELYNLbWqktUPkIHoA1i6mxpBU5SCv6mUkg3WzBZ18-TmvnxeYHvOCQ5VTaTs93nHzMBpgc5PfTaNKyCcjFzTj42Un-DhdIKICem6zmokoAbgJ8BMnH0VzmMQwgn6gCIw4R1L7yriqnQbqR-T9d2hly9fTO0dFnw0h3YRwAD/w438-h640/aj.jpg" width="438" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I watched Street Justice a long time ago and fortunately don’t remember much. It was a short lived show but it even made it to our country, that is very stingy when it comes down to buying TV shows. Time to find that show.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG67_awjsFfHI1qnPk__Y3ADoWLa8pcfjPzIwzcWfoPv279BgzH7iq9uRCBfq_Fln3h7S8mRyLCCoiARaoKK8cG7cW_FqfJTsOdJXv7yYr__X6qIM7E3-gqC8752ZEJD4piHWwWeag3EXGZAQ_PDnwrUD2G_Ppakq2oEJ1rEGQF3ohsMDF68dVk-Iwp9RI/s356/street%20justice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="250" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG67_awjsFfHI1qnPk__Y3ADoWLa8pcfjPzIwzcWfoPv279BgzH7iq9uRCBfq_Fln3h7S8mRyLCCoiARaoKK8cG7cW_FqfJTsOdJXv7yYr__X6qIM7E3-gqC8752ZEJD4piHWwWeag3EXGZAQ_PDnwrUD2G_Ppakq2oEJ1rEGQF3ohsMDF68dVk-Iwp9RI/w450-h640/street%20justice.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Carl Weathers deserved better. He deserved more signature roles.</div><div>I totally forgot he was also in The Shield, which to me was utter respect shown by the creators.That was the type of quality Carl Weathers deserved.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVvmy6CLTAIZt24luD-6eMMc5Rwr9nH-95efZceSTGhN6Hi8Zh3k-dO_3Uveh92BIE-nby4yulQ3NGqCAA6xHwNM1VG5XHnqScvEIIS_RB-zH1dnwbcHgqZGdugpkTIyNJhHombNWX2nI6mwjWZVJwnMXAaJ1EXc29A5fupCsvYS-AJ4pxpQ6bgoAwA0s/s605/the%20shield.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="605" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFVvmy6CLTAIZt24luD-6eMMc5Rwr9nH-95efZceSTGhN6Hi8Zh3k-dO_3Uveh92BIE-nby4yulQ3NGqCAA6xHwNM1VG5XHnqScvEIIS_RB-zH1dnwbcHgqZGdugpkTIyNJhHombNWX2nI6mwjWZVJwnMXAaJ1EXc29A5fupCsvYS-AJ4pxpQ6bgoAwA0s/w640-h360/the%20shield.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Hollywood didn’t respect him, but then again, that is not surprising. It is fucking Hollywood. In Hollywood the <a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2018/03/sky-ollie-magical-negro-and-other-silly.html" target="_blank">black man</a> always gets killed first.</div><div><br /></div><div>I also blame Stallone for not stringing Weathers along for some of his movies. He only owns his damn career to him. Imagine a Tango and Cash with Stallone and Weathers, or an Over The Top with both of them. And why was Weathers not in The Expendables? Stallone could have easily given him a role.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://e0.365dm.com/24/02/768x432/skysports-carl-weathers-sylvester-stallone_6442565.jpg?20240203074648" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="768" height="432" src="https://e0.365dm.com/24/02/768x432/skysports-carl-weathers-sylvester-stallone_6442565.jpg?20240203074648" width="768" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of ungrateful people, did you know that Carl Weathers saved Jean Claude Van Damme’s career?</div><div>As many of you know, Van Damme was in the initial Predator suit. Van Damme had gotten himself into trouble. He was slated to star in Bloodsport, but ended up in Predator. Van Damme had the Predator</div><div>suit and wanted to do Bloodsport, so he was looking for a way to quit Predator.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/predator-film_still-h_2019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="800" height="451" src="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/predator-film_still-h_2019.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div> He talked to Carl Weathers and Weathers advice was, <i>”Whatever you do, don’t leave the movie. it will make you look bad.Have them fire you.”</i> </div><div>And that is what Van Damme did. Without that advice Van Damme would have left Predator and that would also have killed his chance for Bloodsport. Van Damme could have easily put Carl Weathers on for a part in one of his movies. But that’s Van Damme. He forgets who got him to the dance.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We will never know what could have been with Carl Weathers had he been given an honest chance.We do know that he was unforgettable as Apollo Creed, Action Jackson and Dillon from Predator.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://people.com/thmb/E5iAwoihN4iJ5VMDkUiouTpDL08=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/Arnold-Schwarzenegger-carl-weathers-020224-1-e594d66960b34a67bd292bf54bc49269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" height="534" src="https://people.com/thmb/E5iAwoihN4iJ5VMDkUiouTpDL08=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/Arnold-Schwarzenegger-carl-weathers-020224-1-e594d66960b34a67bd292bf54bc49269.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Rest in peace, Carl. You were not only a role model for black people, but to all lovers of action cinema.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJVBgPUl6Wj-FD6z6naoLz2kzlIEulBnwIDTzYp5HLySCeDdykyZ9UOX_hg5c9BkT91vQhZM7skDCbVdwa_6eKTq996igveP44ouWulw3NFkwXzmq5RGDr5WaVej6v3VTEpSAXjBC6wADENaWzYztuQr9lRuus_dF-in8n4aRpE5y6-IIqY9R6VhX4gzl/s1280/handshake.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJVBgPUl6Wj-FD6z6naoLz2kzlIEulBnwIDTzYp5HLySCeDdykyZ9UOX_hg5c9BkT91vQhZM7skDCbVdwa_6eKTq996igveP44ouWulw3NFkwXzmq5RGDr5WaVej6v3VTEpSAXjBC6wADENaWzYztuQr9lRuus_dF-in8n4aRpE5y6-IIqY9R6VhX4gzl/w640-h320/handshake.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-74514819537685374602024-02-03T05:59:00.000-08:002024-02-03T05:59:22.218-08:00Action Man: Remembering Carl Weathers (1948-2024)<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4byxkT52CWtpTgUJIRR2DZBlJuB3Oqi_goDlxLgYWgR969sf3nU50D2W8mQ838_iTLxU3LymPl3jfQ6PdQFld0a9WF_de64bHloYJHaeD_1JOQZTazPvgncK5U6n5xpBKBIw3JFXsifZVaDFOW_MmlnKNO12dmHs1lb0hQLRuDDzbu-6txNG2FhOGRT0/s1920/Snapshot_925.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4byxkT52CWtpTgUJIRR2DZBlJuB3Oqi_goDlxLgYWgR969sf3nU50D2W8mQ838_iTLxU3LymPl3jfQ6PdQFld0a9WF_de64bHloYJHaeD_1JOQZTazPvgncK5U6n5xpBKBIw3JFXsifZVaDFOW_MmlnKNO12dmHs1lb0hQLRuDDzbu-6txNG2FhOGRT0/w640-h360/Snapshot_925.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>This is fucking surreal; I was somewhat shocked when I learned via social media that prolific actor and action hero Carl Weathers has made the transition.And the timing just couldn't be any worse as it happened during the start of Black History Month. talk about 'irony!"</div><div><br /></div><div>According to Deadline, Weathers died on Thursday Feb 1st at the age of 76.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><blockquote>"We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”</blockquote></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Weathers signed with the Oakland Raiders and played eight NFL games for Coach John Madden in 1970-71 but decided to take his career in a different turn by going into acting with humble beginnings as an extra in 1973's Magnum Force and appeared as antagonist Yarbro in the 1975 Blaxploitation thriller, Friday Foster starring Pam Grier and Bucktown with both Fred Williamson and of course, Grier.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ScwGIy82HchrwYX4IP2bT-GAZ92YLXI9NeaM_PrS8zNKfW3d3ipb-hDAmUGGoedbqWjm_jOP5KFHXGTLLK09x5WZi6BJHOywPchmVhu6b-u1kfV4kHV2kDSChwKV6vcCL7bQFuRAridD9SphPxjdTSRnn2R5B0By5wR6icmJg3K9F4vB0WquKkZYrVUD/s615/0_Rocky-II-1979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="615" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ScwGIy82HchrwYX4IP2bT-GAZ92YLXI9NeaM_PrS8zNKfW3d3ipb-hDAmUGGoedbqWjm_jOP5KFHXGTLLK09x5WZi6BJHOywPchmVhu6b-u1kfV4kHV2kDSChwKV6vcCL7bQFuRAridD9SphPxjdTSRnn2R5B0By5wR6icmJg3K9F4vB0WquKkZYrVUD/w640-h360/0_Rocky-II-1979.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="306" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QW3NsDR34aM" width="577" youtube-src-id="QW3NsDR34aM"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>But it was his charismatic character Apollo Creed opposite Sylvester Stallone in the 1976 Oscar winner Rocky, that helped to boost his career in motion pictures. Weathers as the braggadocious opponent Creed, obviously channeled the legendary Muhammad Ali, and his surprise return in the third installment of the iconic Sports drama where this time, he was Rocky Balboa's mentor who showed him the "Eye of the Tiger."</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo5HfyAv5X3Sxf2ASuBOcCfitDbPg20mrwcIs6Q521Th932Q3_LK9YkrN20QT5oSzCvvbpAEChA7c2K1MQaGVCE-s1c7DbopazmjDw6oCZS1gp5lMj_R6pZ2dO5Z1c-tZLmu6cdIYxccLgkFkRSnc_sw59sx7K3WiAkOc7x8rag2WGMCC9VHmiJZSrQQD/s650/Predator-Carl-Weathers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="650" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYo5HfyAv5X3Sxf2ASuBOcCfitDbPg20mrwcIs6Q521Th932Q3_LK9YkrN20QT5oSzCvvbpAEChA7c2K1MQaGVCE-s1c7DbopazmjDw6oCZS1gp5lMj_R6pZ2dO5Z1c-tZLmu6cdIYxccLgkFkRSnc_sw59sx7K3WiAkOc7x8rag2WGMCC9VHmiJZSrQQD/w640-h364/Predator-Carl-Weathers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blackactionfigure.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/EWua691WkAEmA6M.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="510" height="632" src="https://www.blackactionfigure.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/EWua691WkAEmA6M.png" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This was no doubt, one of his more standout performances in film. During the 80's Weathers went on to star or costar in other films such as 1987's The Predator where he played CIA operative Dillon opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger. I remember heckling in the theater by referring to him as "Stalker " from G.I. Joe and not gonna lie, that would have been perfect fan casting had there been a live action Joe movie in the latter 80's but at least we got "Duke survives a snake in his heart edition " but I digress.</div><div>Then came his first solo action thriller called Action Jackson where he plays tough as nails Sgt Jerricho Jackson who alongside Vanity, made for a underappreciated buddy movie.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p10616_v_h9_aa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="600" src="https://resizing.flixster.com/-XZAfHZM39UwaGJIFWKAE8fS0ak=/v3/t/assets/p10616_v_h9_aa.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Set in Detroit, our titular hero finds himself against a variety of dangers when investigating a corrupt auto magnate played by "Coach's" Craig T. Nelson. This movie has a who's who of familiar faces, including pre–Total Recall and Basic Instinct Sharon Stone along with Bill Duke who also starred in Predator.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i0rONAbNabY" width="562" youtube-src-id="i0rONAbNabY"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Aside of appearing in various television shows like SWAT, Kung Fu, Good Times where he played a jealous husband ready to kick JJ's ass over a misunderstanding. (Funny scene where Weathers referred to Jimmie Walker's character as a "Bag of Bones".)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/carl-weathers-gave-the-shield-one-of-its-most-memorable-guest-stars/intro-1706908598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="438" src="https://www.slashfilm.com/img/gallery/carl-weathers-gave-the-shield-one-of-its-most-memorable-guest-stars/intro-1706908598.jpg" width="780" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I wasn't aware that he had a guest role in Six Million Dollar Man, but one of his brief television appearances that stood out was from FX's The Shield, where he played Vic Mackey's friend and mentor Joe Clark in one of the more memorable episodes titled Partners. Weather’s recent television appearances was from the Disney Plus Star Wars Series The Mandalorian, where he played as the Greef Karga, the former lead of the Bounty Hunters’ Guild, which earned him an Emmy for outstanding guest actor!</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Stallone in a brief Instagram video pays respect to his Rocky co-star in a humbling tribute, ” My life was forever changed for the better the day I met Carl Weathers. … He was magic, and I was fortunate to be part of his life. … Rest in power and keep punching.”</blockquote></div><div>It was good to learn that he and Sly patched up their differences and personally, Carl deserved a much bigger career, but you know, "Hollywood!"</div><div><br /></div><div>Rest in Power, Legend and thanks for all your contributions to film, television and of course popular culture. You’ll be sorely missed, fam.</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4GDfYkmBft_coHmmeAN36XZxq4oH4zhIX1dEGeo4fWr-9kBdNwPTlMCRJL7SaGx-08TEvHU6c5XMDQK6pQoxjYlY_CsMzUiIZh6_iH8RDK1TljoRiSefGiwhSgSNy0IJZqWrbc4wayFNkp52FfHOi5BIMV2yAuAsoX2aeyMtcnhNG0S818F340sJ5w9Q/s1200/Carl-Weathers.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4GDfYkmBft_coHmmeAN36XZxq4oH4zhIX1dEGeo4fWr-9kBdNwPTlMCRJL7SaGx-08TEvHU6c5XMDQK6pQoxjYlY_CsMzUiIZh6_iH8RDK1TljoRiSefGiwhSgSNy0IJZqWrbc4wayFNkp52FfHOi5BIMV2yAuAsoX2aeyMtcnhNG0S818F340sJ5w9Q/w640-h360/Carl-Weathers.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-64794862207799822822024-02-02T07:42:00.000-08:002024-03-13T02:11:08.746-07:00"I'm Just Joe!" G.I.Joe turns 60!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKpHfr_WJkYMH7mlWQaF7zJV4OJHa4if-juGifK3OV79vO8wrv8cv8iHL1MH8kuwqJic_1zfkd00bmOTGdmLsCowkrqhBK4rWi4vkFV43whwnmExHc0rFROKv2Cj9N-VkkTUo9I3CUREH1LdoLPeU7g3LLw6d1N1OB2k5zNpQxAcLfi9l3zs2WdOJA7sa/s1920/Snapshot_923.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKpHfr_WJkYMH7mlWQaF7zJV4OJHa4if-juGifK3OV79vO8wrv8cv8iHL1MH8kuwqJic_1zfkd00bmOTGdmLsCowkrqhBK4rWi4vkFV43whwnmExHc0rFROKv2Cj9N-VkkTUo9I3CUREH1LdoLPeU7g3LLw6d1N1OB2k5zNpQxAcLfi9l3zs2WdOJA7sa/w640-h360/Snapshot_923.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Damn, has it been that time already?</div><div>To think that Sixty years ago toy manufacturer Hasbro planned to counter the success from Mattel's Barbie with a counterpart line aimed for the young male demographic, but unlike Ken, it’s not some "doll" but the father of the Action Figure! (And also, a catalyst for guys enlisting in the US Armed Forces!)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Introducing, the Men of Action and Adventure!</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUHPx84rNqQu6S0oXXGps0y684hLftq77tsj7xhj_cMO05dfg1NJw5akOSQ3UVuE5JFpJj_mjKWHd4854-O1UvighOgVe8GI0c86XqCdzNbJMlm8XLDlEUtH6H3uVO2St9seO2Hq8_nDpXAqaBolNRapJuvAO5vqG-eTPTgtmPJ0OeMe58S7MRuY3Hn5e/s1920/Snapshot_870.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglUHPx84rNqQu6S0oXXGps0y684hLftq77tsj7xhj_cMO05dfg1NJw5akOSQ3UVuE5JFpJj_mjKWHd4854-O1UvighOgVe8GI0c86XqCdzNbJMlm8XLDlEUtH6H3uVO2St9seO2Hq8_nDpXAqaBolNRapJuvAO5vqG-eTPTgtmPJ0OeMe58S7MRuY3Hn5e/w640-h360/Snapshot_870.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Created by Don Levine, G.I. Joe, is a series of military themed action figures, had garnered unforeseen popularity and of course, sales. The figures were highly detailed with weapons and accessories and equally important, they had plenty of articulation making the figures fully posable for imaginary battles. The pushback from the Vietnam War had a serious impact on G.I. Joe which led to them reinventing the toyline with less emphasis on combat and instead, exploration and espionage missions with a modicum of science fiction and espionage partly inspired by Ian Flemming's 007 film series.This line came up with gimmicks, "Life Like Hair" and "Kung Fu Grip" that pushed sales beyond boundaries!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewD05j-4iYRw5VPagEjqPevgr2Xq_J42_Ff9uFCZOK3-evsIoUJJxN2ZmABCDf5va9fzteA_f69pppM5GxKkiOnKiEZtsG5CAS554-81_ezEZCs5D4i5Spld9wN-JNCeP-8gz1pg7Ah7jgoUQoR1iGjzT_BOnBZLv20AoBmS3ZLRTU9AgJFxftL0GJD9w/s1920/Snapshot_889.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgewD05j-4iYRw5VPagEjqPevgr2Xq_J42_Ff9uFCZOK3-evsIoUJJxN2ZmABCDf5va9fzteA_f69pppM5GxKkiOnKiEZtsG5CAS554-81_ezEZCs5D4i5Spld9wN-JNCeP-8gz1pg7Ah7jgoUQoR1iGjzT_BOnBZLv20AoBmS3ZLRTU9AgJFxftL0GJD9w/w640-h360/Snapshot_889.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thus began the Adventure Team which Hasbro implemented high conceptual vehicles, accessories including a helicopter pack, mobile headquarters, a one man submersible and a telecommunications tank like jeep called "The Trouble Shooter."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-vZP9hTGaeD2O6hulPGGe0yN7tRTM4X7K-QjRzav_oy5sBk96d1Wpl2EeUv4ELaLABCYtIEn_nDNVswWx3ZXrqC_2OwekSJJwFnUoXnMN4ykmpZysZ1Kp8IPcrJYUDhYBCbTxuqugDJcLuWVA-3dh1ryP0Mpp4Hk4If4RgCIirJ7fjDBukBusG3Mu3X2/s1920/Snapshot_886.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-vZP9hTGaeD2O6hulPGGe0yN7tRTM4X7K-QjRzav_oy5sBk96d1Wpl2EeUv4ELaLABCYtIEn_nDNVswWx3ZXrqC_2OwekSJJwFnUoXnMN4ykmpZysZ1Kp8IPcrJYUDhYBCbTxuqugDJcLuWVA-3dh1ryP0Mpp4Hk4If4RgCIirJ7fjDBukBusG3Mu3X2/w640-h360/Snapshot_886.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But they didn't stop there, the Adventure Team included diverse figures including a Black Adventurer, an Atomic Man and a Bullet man, with an Eagle-Eyed Joe as the Team's Commander. At the time, there was barely any competition other than rip offs like Mego's Action Jackson or Mattel's Big Jim, but the real threat came in 1976 as the US oil embargo, put G.I. Joe on permanent furlough.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Joes in Spaaaaccce!</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxEWjXEkGm3UOhq2H6sm3-r6l1nv5mCXDZt6jcojA1TxuRKgmbtMEYTp3f9x1-CjjhAtqjElY_1QuQiLkCgWITVVPQkLQxAxTnJUP38FwxvOlfVDRO7sQ4xMxzSUUnsqzHKGt5CvWhpLlWKv2bVdsa2gGeKav8cqeY-GTf_B03Vk4_w74F4zf_mcCrg/s640/superjoegor.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="640" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxEWjXEkGm3UOhq2H6sm3-r6l1nv5mCXDZt6jcojA1TxuRKgmbtMEYTp3f9x1-CjjhAtqjElY_1QuQiLkCgWITVVPQkLQxAxTnJUP38FwxvOlfVDRO7sQ4xMxzSUUnsqzHKGt5CvWhpLlWKv2bVdsa2gGeKav8cqeY-GTf_B03Vk4_w74F4zf_mcCrg/w640-h380/superjoegor.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Then came 1977 when Seventies pop culture really exploded thanks to a certain Sci fi fantasy epic, meanwhile Hasbro compensating for the expensive costs of manufacturing plastic products, reduced G.I. Joe from 12' to 8 inches. "Ouch" Super Joe Adventure Team had a heavy emphasis on science fiction with a good vs evil concept as the Team led by Super Joe Commander and his trademark "One-Two Punch ."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="296" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Y2Qc2BB6M6w" width="556" youtube-src-id="Y2Qc2BB6M6w"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>As far as Super Joe's backstory goes, it was your average " aliens attack earth, with mankind's last hope, standing in their way" with the narrative consisting of the Super Joe Adventure Team fighting the Terrons, whose main villain is Gor the reptilian-esque "King of the Terrons" who looks like a cross between The Incredible Hulk and the Creature of the Black Lagoon. I can easily deduce that Super Joe's concept was inspired by Gerry Anderson's Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons series. Hell, even their only vehicle called the Rocket Command Center, had aesthetics comparable to vehicles from both Captain Scarlet and UFO. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKGYiz6kK7G-nTJYc72_OoPyfdaDDaJytahQMKFZc665Xs2FYlBVQjebp-YpEU_50DoYACvmOTFcQejyA8qu6R06XGZ18ohab0cvIHmdLuHh_miUSDVruMQLblNdnMgkBgc4b1J65M0h9p6j3wJ9Y43SI69yDllX4V5fxyuRtTupZCuK14sMH2WpM5Q/s279/super%20joe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="279" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipKGYiz6kK7G-nTJYc72_OoPyfdaDDaJytahQMKFZc665Xs2FYlBVQjebp-YpEU_50DoYACvmOTFcQejyA8qu6R06XGZ18ohab0cvIHmdLuHh_miUSDVruMQLblNdnMgkBgc4b1J65M0h9p6j3wJ9Y43SI69yDllX4V5fxyuRtTupZCuK14sMH2WpM5Q/w640-h413/super%20joe.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> Unfortunately for Gor, he's vastly outnumbered as Hasbro rolled out two additional figures to the Heroic toyline, labeled as “Night fighters" featuring Luminos, a transparent figure reminiscent to Takara's Cyborg Hensman or Mego's Time Traveler from their Micronauts collection. Poor Gor seems outnumbered until Hasbro added in two new villains, Darkon, who was Super Joe Commander in green skin with a black helmet and power vest. What also made Darkon one of my favorite figures was this chrome sword known as the "Lightning Lance," and his vest had a "Destructo Ray " function as well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQF55uTBfQjFw9Dmdsi58HCFr49lDyzBxwMP9v5Idqjup-e9-xu4Xn1iIY0kOkvKY8au6l0Aq3AaqAxBPG3nqawi2lKcUFPzd9HdIkxc1BhUgzDCDtTeFz85ChTqSgeU2RVHVszILIxKj_MSknJDIGRelc7xAv5KAA6PjCRM2Eb94ey7rKi4S0MlcUg/s297/blackcommander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="297" height="625" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQF55uTBfQjFw9Dmdsi58HCFr49lDyzBxwMP9v5Idqjup-e9-xu4Xn1iIY0kOkvKY8au6l0Aq3AaqAxBPG3nqawi2lKcUFPzd9HdIkxc1BhUgzDCDtTeFz85ChTqSgeU2RVHVszILIxKj_MSknJDIGRelc7xAv5KAA6PjCRM2Eb94ey7rKi4S0MlcUg/w640-h625/blackcommander.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>The toyline, despite its cool potential, did not live up to the expectations of many quality- and unlike its competitor Kenner, who manufactured the Star Wars toys, there was no solid backstory or lore for Super Joe. And let's not forget how Mego's Micronauts outsold Hasbro's ambitious series. Super Joe was canceled during a span of one year which must be Hasbro's most short-lived toyline in G.I. Joe's history and that's very unfortunate because there was something cool about the Super Joe line, like the accessories or what little of them were innovative like the Sonic scanner and Helipak that is operational when plugged into the jack of the power vest. This one-two puncher "coulda been a contender."</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>A New American Hero!</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w_IZ364KedO9LmZsSM9KhUxbjvtqoKZlRxlR-XOODAOEv6lBY7Kzo62c53nciwdwhfMFulu1QmFqczF2a_qnDKz0dnisDWZnRjvnccWXG2DASU2VcrK5suLTioeE93Henp4PrZdKFaA7LGjzsZsRI_oEjO2gxc2sm8NOcq99LLaG0pGmI4JRXrtDx2MV/s1920/Snapshot_896.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1w_IZ364KedO9LmZsSM9KhUxbjvtqoKZlRxlR-XOODAOEv6lBY7Kzo62c53nciwdwhfMFulu1QmFqczF2a_qnDKz0dnisDWZnRjvnccWXG2DASU2VcrK5suLTioeE93Henp4PrZdKFaA7LGjzsZsRI_oEjO2gxc2sm8NOcq99LLaG0pGmI4JRXrtDx2MV/w640-h360/Snapshot_896.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Spurred by the success from Kenner's Star Wars line, in 1981 Hasbro decided to revive the G.I. Joe brand, by launching an all-out marketing assault thanks to Ad agency Griffin Bacal, Marvel Comics, and Toei Animation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z6febnAyifwkRMHwFsxxBevtQ2BHCAEBP1Dgi94D_G9sThL3UP5JmAFpGxb7SMzevO8LjcPLWLZkp3mB0lf5BGLKsqWeolRGINbDdk6FE4_of4948VQycGiiR3uBq-FDMJty8Rr2CXCr7rX9zxMdWagLJ1kGusUrbJS6RLnYXDeylRCsU2MFX-urx9jM/s1920/Snapshot_900.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Z6febnAyifwkRMHwFsxxBevtQ2BHCAEBP1Dgi94D_G9sThL3UP5JmAFpGxb7SMzevO8LjcPLWLZkp3mB0lf5BGLKsqWeolRGINbDdk6FE4_of4948VQycGiiR3uBq-FDMJty8Rr2CXCr7rX9zxMdWagLJ1kGusUrbJS6RLnYXDeylRCsU2MFX-urx9jM/w640-h360/Snapshot_900.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>In an age of patriotism and regulations that allowed Toy companies to promote their products during children's programming, G.I. Joe was reinstated but not as a Combat Soldier, Adventure Team, nor Space Superheroes, but instead, a special missions force dedicated to fighting terrorism. This bold new concept utilized science fiction tropes with a standard action premise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqxm4yJT9qRNY5_Wc0OXQjt6QwJymMwcsMTr3GNAO1Y9-oVHVL_aofRewi7yeZYGJ680JXkD8eNSki8a1tdsl1Yh4GQ2KgDMgWyr5hWRc590J1BurdU_7MVhtSU8jvbUSpqrK7G0eyB96Gk_zi6m3To1Q65bCcJwehb25szvycOdJ_15xeMZElmCgKsn3/s1920/Snapshot_897.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqxm4yJT9qRNY5_Wc0OXQjt6QwJymMwcsMTr3GNAO1Y9-oVHVL_aofRewi7yeZYGJ680JXkD8eNSki8a1tdsl1Yh4GQ2KgDMgWyr5hWRc590J1BurdU_7MVhtSU8jvbUSpqrK7G0eyB96Gk_zi6m3To1Q65bCcJwehb25szvycOdJ_15xeMZElmCgKsn3/w640-h360/Snapshot_897.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>The concept was spearheaded by Bob Prupus and Kirk Bozigian who came up with the idea to market the toyline via comic as he remembered reading a DC Comic called G.I. Joe as a kid. G.I. Joe A Real American Hero is to this day, the most popular action figure series from Hasbro's militaristic brand. With the figures' size being further scaled back, it was easier to create vehicles and players from an armored fortress headquarters to a Space Shuttle that among a huge assortment of vehicles and figures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOOWZ6erBrACf7GY0pUbgbPSgX7ZMLtjUzCNHgh_SRB_R6nJAAf25MI3SC8T1k9IvW0eT9VwnmSCxbvvkzc_iMIOzTd4dHnbUqQPAVFCsltakuoyD5EKcBfftnyz6K8Bl49RRtJWXAyou1hVvIPVy7uLWqmAdFWVWAgIt3S-ayI9gz1Ahlb101_6h5N1_/s1920/Snapshot_898.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoOOWZ6erBrACf7GY0pUbgbPSgX7ZMLtjUzCNHgh_SRB_R6nJAAf25MI3SC8T1k9IvW0eT9VwnmSCxbvvkzc_iMIOzTd4dHnbUqQPAVFCsltakuoyD5EKcBfftnyz6K8Bl49RRtJWXAyou1hVvIPVy7uLWqmAdFWVWAgIt3S-ayI9gz1Ahlb101_6h5N1_/w640-h360/Snapshot_898.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>1987 was a banner year for G.I. Joe among the Defiant space shuttle Hasbro experimented with bizarre ideas like Cobra La, mysterious warriors from an ancient reptile civilization or a new unit heavily influenced by science fiction called: Battleforce 2000 A secret force for G.I. Joe with vehicles that can transform and merge into a makeshift armed fortress. It was as if Hasbro was flipping the bird to Kenner's MASK! Battleforce was a great concept, but Joe purists and collectors thought of it as too gimmicky and far-fetched. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t__FCQfc7QI" width="555" youtube-src-id="t__FCQfc7QI"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>Needless to say, it didn't last over a year. Then came August 1994, where at the 30th Anniversary of the G.I. Joe convention, pen pal and VP of Hasbro at the time, Kirk Bozigian, made a startling announcement. The Real American Heroes were "retired!"</div><div>At the auditorium there was a collective of sighs and disappointment. The end of an era. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>"Don't call it a Comeback"</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gx8TCklTFF7teKQo5dzJlH4Meu18z0wRtu-_ksRD0QLgUUqsZBdvDUXEHMd4y1Aky8a7jSg7x0e6IZexbaZAzB3fpRDgT3G6EmCi5AWe4VKpZ4fxEG9It11ZZdjlTFA3IxPGWLOCSTTv_1jqgiQnlpUxifCQDYRC_4JS559eRrB5oCCz9iSsSwoS-j2h/s2000/F8377_DIO_GIJ_CS_THR_KEATS_032_2000x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gx8TCklTFF7teKQo5dzJlH4Meu18z0wRtu-_ksRD0QLgUUqsZBdvDUXEHMd4y1Aky8a7jSg7x0e6IZexbaZAzB3fpRDgT3G6EmCi5AWe4VKpZ4fxEG9It11ZZdjlTFA3IxPGWLOCSTTv_1jqgiQnlpUxifCQDYRC_4JS559eRrB5oCCz9iSsSwoS-j2h/w640-h640/F8377_DIO_GIJ_CS_THR_KEATS_032_2000x.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>After several attempts to revitalize the iconic toy brand, Hasbro struck gold during 2020 with G.I. Joe Classified which are highly articulated 6-inch scale action figures. Prominent characters like Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Roadblock, Duke, (Who were also featured in Konami's G.I.Joe Arcade Game) were released through retailers and the Hasbro Pulse digital storefront and well received by collectors, fans and nostalgic.</div><div>As of this writing there are well over 150 figures including repaints, with even more to come.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4E3W4hyphenhyphenNe7njYLSWelotser3Hjey6ucYBgaA_kIA-Sk_VH91WjQvhU96qVb7RD8lC3LRRKCDA_Yv1V783QQgFGoqH3WwmuGPtWMGIMQb7a6zNqdUvNzuV1vMCdfvqZDqwrc18ua2zWHFIqgbQeMOl2R4g1jHu01Q3NqnXLwTJ7qpQmWoxGfzbpJReRFL/s1920/Snapshot_815.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif4E3W4hyphenhyphenNe7njYLSWelotser3Hjey6ucYBgaA_kIA-Sk_VH91WjQvhU96qVb7RD8lC3LRRKCDA_Yv1V783QQgFGoqH3WwmuGPtWMGIMQb7a6zNqdUvNzuV1vMCdfvqZDqwrc18ua2zWHFIqgbQeMOl2R4g1jHu01Q3NqnXLwTJ7qpQmWoxGfzbpJReRFL/w640-h360/Snapshot_815.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>G.I. Joe overall, was the gamechanger of toys for boys! The Godfather of action figures inspired the Mego World’s Greatest Superheroes collection, Star Wars, Micronauts, Masters of the Universe or so many other plastic playthings throughout the decades!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqZip6RCO95pMH-BK5nGtRHMMaVmI4a_ATQKZCfA9g8pC-NKCoSCjzGhQGorb_wsiaD7u9bOrrlSGCtigFfeDxkLxbjYC-8MiVczeDHNOXaF_yQxxW8tV00XhTLr7p0AMfRlGISgZow8wIe5sj-PFhRVDWgO4Hyjng_uNQzvUSqozfF9qUWIzfqGWgCRq/s1920/Snapshot_894.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqZip6RCO95pMH-BK5nGtRHMMaVmI4a_ATQKZCfA9g8pC-NKCoSCjzGhQGorb_wsiaD7u9bOrrlSGCtigFfeDxkLxbjYC-8MiVczeDHNOXaF_yQxxW8tV00XhTLr7p0AMfRlGISgZow8wIe5sj-PFhRVDWgO4Hyjng_uNQzvUSqozfF9qUWIzfqGWgCRq/w640-h360/Snapshot_894.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>G.I. Joe proved that a franchise based on a toy can become a pop culture phenomenon by expanding to other entertainment platforms from comics, animated series, videogames and even live action movies, G.I.Joe was and still is there!</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy 60th Birthday!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So, I guess the "G" now stands for, Geriatric?</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhof7EHkpmhsQPYa6hJMCjFl5xNWxurZwCd_fVvfyErWNsfnNQTDOQZXMGOPcfsCKzYIfXb5ebszjV-Qtk9-WBrXmK3ZUbvRaRzsxJebPmwbsMQVcKPkJmJAFhl29ebWFufLcv3nj9O29DcWd4j-UC4kxbnMVkxEssjnbIlXDsjUwLWM7O9GzSiSqUyVwrH/s1920/Snapshot_918.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhof7EHkpmhsQPYa6hJMCjFl5xNWxurZwCd_fVvfyErWNsfnNQTDOQZXMGOPcfsCKzYIfXb5ebszjV-Qtk9-WBrXmK3ZUbvRaRzsxJebPmwbsMQVcKPkJmJAFhl29ebWFufLcv3nj9O29DcWd4j-UC4kxbnMVkxEssjnbIlXDsjUwLWM7O9GzSiSqUyVwrH/w640-h360/Snapshot_918.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-78655528954526740482024-01-27T07:17:00.000-08:002024-01-27T07:17:03.832-08:00Why 80's Cartoons were so Rad!<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/QIkMxTONkyg?si=jy2HlfzmGgdY3Oje" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div>If you were an 80's kid or teen, i'm sure you remember the good ol' days of Saturday Morning Cartoons. Jan and Stalks discuss their favorites and not so faves in this nostalgia based segment of Reel Talk!</div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-38819416378439350042024-01-21T05:46:00.000-08:002024-01-21T06:13:47.290-08:00Season 2 of Reacher, was a Sh!tshow<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJdLRIse2Nu91qPP0_DTmA9hJ8kf9HJIFC6kf5cK86TMDY1IFUClPgLagIj6792YGsGes-dC1ExabD2nfDkQgjWDkQ0kFcu7zp5PlOCb7pCEJ3G-6eWPMpjqvwLyQd_wo63t6Brtk_kzOXUZvFj03X0_Ik6m7hxbmdIg4GVdKVlrHblK9kCnzW2ykxNHo/s1920/Snapshot_830.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFJdLRIse2Nu91qPP0_DTmA9hJ8kf9HJIFC6kf5cK86TMDY1IFUClPgLagIj6792YGsGes-dC1ExabD2nfDkQgjWDkQ0kFcu7zp5PlOCb7pCEJ3G-6eWPMpjqvwLyQd_wo63t6Brtk_kzOXUZvFj03X0_Ik6m7hxbmdIg4GVdKVlrHblK9kCnzW2ykxNHo/w640-h360/Snapshot_830.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>So, now that I finished the second season of Amazon's hit series Reacher, I'm even less than impressed. In the season opener, we see one of Jack Reacher's former squad mates of the Special Investigations Unit "Swan" get thrown off a helicopter from say, 3000 feet? This of course, has our or rather your hero Reacher (Alan <b style="background-color: white; color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 17.5px;">Ritchson</b>) seeking revenge when going after former Police Detective Shane Langston played by typecast baddie Robert Patrick.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBW52hsXxzZL3p63S_J0L09VXz6TYb-eRb_OwLn7H9ClObPrhAWbcQV3PN47WxL63Ejl-BpWeui-g0wSKpkeYolLiEB1AibtMiy_J98zzASPXW5S1QrwE7eQyWUohR-y3yQmMOU62hRXiYdUxKW4kkhSsNqa-jrF6_R6p_3y6e2w5nLuBwWv9ZptdCZJO/s1000/TCDREAC_ZU045.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvBW52hsXxzZL3p63S_J0L09VXz6TYb-eRb_OwLn7H9ClObPrhAWbcQV3PN47WxL63Ejl-BpWeui-g0wSKpkeYolLiEB1AibtMiy_J98zzASPXW5S1QrwE7eQyWUohR-y3yQmMOU62hRXiYdUxKW4kkhSsNqa-jrF6_R6p_3y6e2w5nLuBwWv9ZptdCZJO/w640-h360/TCDREAC_ZU045.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Throughout the 8-episode season, I found myself looking at my phone when not rolling eyes where we see the unstoppable Reacher beating up bad guys including Black carjacking thugs or drug dealers in stereotypical fashion. When Disney CEO Bob Iger vowed to stop further messaging in future projects, he was referring to oversaturated identity politics. Meanwhile the message that Skydance and Jeff Bezos from Amazon are sending what would be some <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/07/20/1188966935/jason-aldean-try-that-in-a-small-town-song-video" target="_blank">"try that in a small town"</a> scenario when you have a hulking white dude who walks as if he's constipated, taking down some black muggers threatening a white family. While this scene may easily appeal to the Fake ass Alpha-Male MAGA opioid crowd, it’s lazy storytelling at best as with the rest of this drawn-out season.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rJGBVNRwl_U" width="592" youtube-src-id="rJGBVNRwl_U"></iframe></div><div>This time, Reacher gets by with a little help from his friends including Frances Neagley (Maria Sten) who serves as the more standout supporting characters, also there's another typecast actor who debuts in this series, y'know the bald-headed Cop who has that Staten Island Goomba accent? I'm sure anyone can recognize him from his appearances in The Wire, Ray Donavan and so forth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zfnfcq26Sc2pvRlUq1yc9u7ONdKGxkSVE9T1d923hzmCmqo8RtFuxm9tMRDMrhmPR0pECMnkdxJGR4lWqoAeJnVuhT2GrFv0JBmqTKIOVb9UmfxhzeXNzHHL5K5Zkc6m_G7KK7fbNUXk-UBBUy9CaAXxHg_NA2J5Si2Iz3Q0m9yS2mJN3Hfe-_A0UQsP/s676/REACKK.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="676" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zfnfcq26Sc2pvRlUq1yc9u7ONdKGxkSVE9T1d923hzmCmqo8RtFuxm9tMRDMrhmPR0pECMnkdxJGR4lWqoAeJnVuhT2GrFv0JBmqTKIOVb9UmfxhzeXNzHHL5K5Zkc6m_G7KK7fbNUXk-UBBUy9CaAXxHg_NA2J5Si2Iz3Q0m9yS2mJN3Hfe-_A0UQsP/w640-h360/REACKK.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Season 2 is further bogged down by acting and production reminiscent to the Arrowverse CW shows including unnecessary flashbacks which attempts to add story context but fails. And speaking of “CW” aside from DC CW stalwart Ritchson (Smallville and Titans) Malcolm Goodwin from I Zombie, reprises his role as Oscar Finlay as a cameo appearance. Still emasculated under the towering presence of Reacher, but whateves. </div><div>Ritchson's lines are cheap dialog and overall, the appeal of his fictional character is aimed toward a certain demographic. Some men want to be like him, and then there are some men that want to be <i>with </i>him, if you know where i'm going at. (LMMFAO)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndT_vJCpSjY5K8btDt3H7iUUJ13qh3Sl7knJ-8wsDDtzN42hhI04URJOATtYdafp4tNNahb4HJA5yQXLHTg88gwad3aET4XX-_3Gdsm4_zEn1gdvua0v3WpmPIp75_F2gP2s_wC6knE_QUoElAlX-F7ua-5LD0cVp6a9BMCV8YQmeG5YxEVavBPKdwzxN/s1024/r1-1024x576.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndT_vJCpSjY5K8btDt3H7iUUJ13qh3Sl7knJ-8wsDDtzN42hhI04URJOATtYdafp4tNNahb4HJA5yQXLHTg88gwad3aET4XX-_3Gdsm4_zEn1gdvua0v3WpmPIp75_F2gP2s_wC6knE_QUoElAlX-F7ua-5LD0cVp6a9BMCV8YQmeG5YxEVavBPKdwzxN/w640-h360/r1-1024x576.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: center;">Caption: "I can't believe that we have to rehearse from this shitty script!"</div></span><div><br /></div><div>Reacher is one dimensional and lacks the nuance of heroes such as the Punisher who goes over the edge yet relies on shoehorned retribution scenarios such as two accomplices from Langston's organization who are allowed to fly away, that is until Neagley fires a SAM bazooka to blow them away.</div><div>But that's not before an uninspired needledrop of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit." Reacher asks Neagley, “No Jimi Hendrix?" Neagley replied: "Swan is right, Hendrix is overrated. "</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEA4HbNjQs02xez61Q5QUjtf6m-KiKy0VWZKyms07ROJ6geTQSTr7g-67LBWPS7Xk-hJPy9HG1j1QU0fccv1Klu3L3cpn69E0x1MPtEPeBsb2MCkOfi_E8oHQxvnW2EdKQPoOsZsZULD6N2xuIkqLXSCnBzmDh5eyvzIB_asA8PT7htBvIJxM7GJoFveC/s958/960x0.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="958" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSEA4HbNjQs02xez61Q5QUjtf6m-KiKy0VWZKyms07ROJ6geTQSTr7g-67LBWPS7Xk-hJPy9HG1j1QU0fccv1Klu3L3cpn69E0x1MPtEPeBsb2MCkOfi_E8oHQxvnW2EdKQPoOsZsZULD6N2xuIkqLXSCnBzmDh5eyvzIB_asA8PT7htBvIJxM7GJoFveC/w640-h324/960x0.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>Afterwards Reacher and the gang of four arrives at a diner that would work as a parody of a fucking Denny's,commercial, followed by Reacher being altruistic by giving away the recovered 65 million dollars, then goes on a bus to nowhere, where some old passenger out of nowhere, what he was up to in the big city, Reacher just says "Visiting family." while Lynyrd Skynyrd's ‘ aptly put, Simple Man’ rolls out the credits.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3UbCzw-533IrbKAvpMmmsluggQgbL6TWrDEm05NQ5eIYfPZ_thbLq6E6bJWNq5Ew7D1TW_GiaQ16GXHWi8NaNiOQHTmQvl4t_A4aZ-h6UMg5mxGG4sGiR4g68Meo9zFHh9HJCdnmgLz3UCwkrU-XF3tI_2heQsYp6r2hATaxJjhs-LBFncveJd_FwW_6/s1280/reacher-season-2-official-trailer-654a4809aad93.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt3UbCzw-533IrbKAvpMmmsluggQgbL6TWrDEm05NQ5eIYfPZ_thbLq6E6bJWNq5Ew7D1TW_GiaQ16GXHWi8NaNiOQHTmQvl4t_A4aZ-h6UMg5mxGG4sGiR4g68Meo9zFHh9HJCdnmgLz3UCwkrU-XF3tI_2heQsYp6r2hATaxJjhs-LBFncveJd_FwW_6/w640-h360/reacher-season-2-official-trailer-654a4809aad93.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Who writes this shit other than series developer Nick Santora, and a few other hacks like Scott Sullivan? And this serves as one of the reasons why I didn't really care for the WGA strike. Season 2 of Reacher was more like, a "Reacharound" which i'm sure his biggest fans wouldn't mind to have one.</div><div><br /></div><div>That said, here's some bad news and good news: the bad news is that Season 3 is already in the works, the good news is, I won't be watching it!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-3664634570571175462024-01-19T13:20:00.000-08:002024-01-19T14:50:14.408-08:00RIP Zombie 2 Actress Tisa Farrow (1951-2024)<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPNmel1dlf6jIXti9ykSiVKdf_sEI9wTHWMJNchl3XJP3rtZ6f2e9eryc-zPfGbxDxglYkcMpxMxKbVokC0qBnQYCilDeHl7nZqnDIxg4a7O1TqiquFHFe9LOLWaAMMeJ-PPAepSixIUsaZdpGdMB7LSQ-FFZU-7t9W42I98aRmqtYO6mG2IJDd7esOny/s3840/tisa%20z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1612" data-original-width="3840" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPNmel1dlf6jIXti9ykSiVKdf_sEI9wTHWMJNchl3XJP3rtZ6f2e9eryc-zPfGbxDxglYkcMpxMxKbVokC0qBnQYCilDeHl7nZqnDIxg4a7O1TqiquFHFe9LOLWaAMMeJ-PPAepSixIUsaZdpGdMB7LSQ-FFZU-7t9W42I98aRmqtYO6mG2IJDd7esOny/w640-h268/tisa%20z.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This news came late a few days later. Actress and sister of Mia Farrow, Tisa Farrow has passed away at the age of 72.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGo-EabkamL-eSJZ_m4blho4SFOzMcFXN9lbSrkQEz8fXfA9vgCU8gKxsDMCdiZ3lQd7dI8V3qLcjk1R7YyzjmS2pWePI1NoxIYJxgyzB016L6AutykIKShOLdMH-aupYBbKG8qDh_5cgzHBgXcmTFFkRJbbgKEdRtfgj53GlpHCSkfoImKwsJp7PYhI_/s1600/zom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGo-EabkamL-eSJZ_m4blho4SFOzMcFXN9lbSrkQEz8fXfA9vgCU8gKxsDMCdiZ3lQd7dI8V3qLcjk1R7YyzjmS2pWePI1NoxIYJxgyzB016L6AutykIKShOLdMH-aupYBbKG8qDh_5cgzHBgXcmTFFkRJbbgKEdRtfgj53GlpHCSkfoImKwsJp7PYhI_/w640-h360/zom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>While she only had very little screen time in cinema, Ms Farrow's most famous role was in Lucio Fulci's 1979 gorefest shocker, Zombie which was one of the scariest films I saw. Farrow played as protagonist Anne Bowles, a young woman who along with reporter Peter West (Ian McCullough) travel to a Caribbean Island of Matul to investigate the mysterious death if her father only to discover that the island has been overrun by the living dead.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgjOTx6kTszEF9Vq301w42h1Uo1Ul86Lj53HxjBXH3pcxBFg13vY66nLR8Ry6qf_zwbzNpvF_oIWDTP95WZl61dD5jgX4wixE8UpF28nRC1lpNF_zlJKRl5vr4EpSyQdS_iIBFY_lqLy_zjaAyppqSHoxR8pu3lmZ22_kLUBduyFgxlNi55LHiVSGuEy5/s1346/Tisa%20Farrow_Zombie%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1346" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgjOTx6kTszEF9Vq301w42h1Uo1Ul86Lj53HxjBXH3pcxBFg13vY66nLR8Ry6qf_zwbzNpvF_oIWDTP95WZl61dD5jgX4wixE8UpF28nRC1lpNF_zlJKRl5vr4EpSyQdS_iIBFY_lqLy_zjaAyppqSHoxR8pu3lmZ22_kLUBduyFgxlNi55LHiVSGuEy5/w640-h276/Tisa%20Farrow_Zombie%204.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Sometime during the 80's after a handful of films, like Anthropophagus and The Last Hunter, Tisa retired from acting altogether and worked as an emergency nurse for 27 years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BlnuNjrSDRE" width="548" youtube-src-id="BlnuNjrSDRE"></iframe></div><div>It has been mentioned that Tisa could not find acting work due to her association with Mia, who was often hated. Prior to acting Tisa appeared in the June 1973 issue of Playboy where she posed semi- nude.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0lMxaVzxZ5MQfhzu8r9N3qugTYFDJy7o-W1YloJGthop4bIxqjL0_mn59KJIfNmLNCkuzzDGQv0E9ZE79O8xzFBHeXNxOo4DJuxm3cekU0IbA1J0EVqo-wO5gUqoCuJFjVTlonb3uVsuOGgD5SeGV4_NYPQDgBPaeYCLVkym9tk6xiT3RrkZ-E4zQ3xd/s620/tisa.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="620" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja0lMxaVzxZ5MQfhzu8r9N3qugTYFDJy7o-W1YloJGthop4bIxqjL0_mn59KJIfNmLNCkuzzDGQv0E9ZE79O8xzFBHeXNxOo4DJuxm3cekU0IbA1J0EVqo-wO5gUqoCuJFjVTlonb3uVsuOGgD5SeGV4_NYPQDgBPaeYCLVkym9tk6xiT3RrkZ-E4zQ3xd/w640-h440/tisa.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>Both Mia and Tisa appeared in very iconic horror films while Rosemary's Baby is more familiar with cinephiles, Zombie went on from being labeled a video nasty, to highly regarded as influential especially when it comes to succeeding Zombie movies or even videogames like Resident Evil. For what short appearance onscreen Ms. Farrow has left a lasting contribution to horror.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rest in Eternity</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDba4PeDMMUPdxKfUhM_ugSMzVCufksiFqHb3ESsFdz6hpgIPl6efxZdCAH6ZTmNhQhSVMrJJqFc-2FjukTRq3i_aN19XfzhhfmtzRyOO1lCEy1RHMNUyaLQRFNZd6S1QR8QrKdVLC7ezwMvHow8NLbvfot6qJMIIj-rquhsHh91b18T3IvBvBgjHB3nw/s1920/tis-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWDba4PeDMMUPdxKfUhM_ugSMzVCufksiFqHb3ESsFdz6hpgIPl6efxZdCAH6ZTmNhQhSVMrJJqFc-2FjukTRq3i_aN19XfzhhfmtzRyOO1lCEy1RHMNUyaLQRFNZd6S1QR8QrKdVLC7ezwMvHow8NLbvfot6qJMIIj-rquhsHh91b18T3IvBvBgjHB3nw/w640-h360/tis-.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-61189956355307402202024-01-15T01:45:00.000-08:002024-01-15T01:45:39.587-08:00The Boondocks MLK episode, is one of the best "What If" scenarios!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://dfwfis.prod.dtvcdn.com/catalog/image/imageserver/v1/service/episode/EP007753880008/keyframe-ci/640/360" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://dfwfis.prod.dtvcdn.com/catalog/image/imageserver/v1/service/episode/EP007753880008/keyframe-ci/640/360" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Today marks the legendary Civil Rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who as with Malcolm X, Stokely Carmichael, and Fred Hampton paid the ultimate sacrifice for Black equality and justice but in the 2006 Episode of the acclaimed animated comedy series, The Boondocks, titled "The Return of the King" things were slightly different in an alternate "reality" King did survive the assassination attempt on his life only to come out of a coma after 30 plus years King has a hard time adjusting, where his views are deemed archaic, to the extent of facing hostile backlash in a post 911 world just for speaking noble albeit outdated views.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.arkrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Screen-Shot-2018-04-06-at-5.01.31-AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="800" height="452" src="https://www.arkrepublic.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Screen-Shot-2018-04-06-at-5.01.31-AM.png" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Robert and the idealistic activist Huey Freeman sees MLK at a book signing and is inspired to bring him back into the public spotlight after facing scorn from his misappropriated "Turn the other cheek" comments and his disillusionment of Black culture (i.e. Thug culture.) Although King comes off a bit too naive whether it’s public relations or technology (he's seen having a hard time operating an iPod.) he is aware of how Movie studios and corporations like Apple or McDonald's exploit his image without King being the recipient of any profits. King is persuaded by Huey to start a grassroots political party but unfortunately, MLK went out to contact a "promotion firm" which brought out the worst stereotypes of Black people, hoodrats, ratchets, gangstas, Pulpit hustlers, and THOTS.</div><div>Infuriated with everything he witnessed after waking up from his coma, King lashes out at the partygoers: "Will you Niggas please shut the hell up?!?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QHCSL-AKd3w" width="578" youtube-src-id="QHCSL-AKd3w"></iframe></div><div>King's tirade was hysterically funny and there is a merit of truth. King questioned, "is this what I took those ass whippings for?!?" </div><div>King leaves the event and the United States to live the rest of his life in Canada. King's speech motivated many across the country to act via uprisings.</div><div><br /></div><div>Underneath its satirical premise, this episode was rife with social commentary if not poignant, and despite the controversy that soon followed (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr referring to some Blacks as "Niggers.")</div><div>The Return of the King was a "teaching moment" as it laid all the cards and basically told the black community to wake up from their own "coma" and take responsibility while adhering to accountability.</div><div><br /></div><div>In some ways, this episode foreshadowed events like the uprisings that have occurred after George Floyd's murder, where then President Donald Trump threatened the activist protesters with tear gas.</div><div>Yet the orange hypocrite encouraged sedation on January 6th, 2021.</div><div>While Oprah did not run nor win the 2020 Presidential election, another shameless bootlick Kamala Harris, was voted in as the first Black Vice President and should Joe Biden give up the ghost, she would take her place as the de facto President of the United States.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/00keVWv7JdN7GO6n09QHJqh/hero-image.fill.size_1200x675.v1623368405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="450" src="https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/00keVWv7JdN7GO6n09QHJqh/hero-image.fill.size_1200x675.v1623368405.jpg" width="800" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Although the episode was a fictional account, truth be told that the majority of Black Americans do not embrace hoodrat culture and King's "speech" echoed the thoughts of most if not many within the Black community. </div><div><br /></div><div>The other truth is how the marginalized community was plagued with Heroin and Crack, brought in courtesy of the United States government to further suppress them, and then there is Gangsta Rap that promoted thug culture, misogyny, drugs and black on black violence.</div><div>While this genre was an opportunity for talented rappers to escape poverty, its marketing by Recording companies exploited the black community and opportunists like Lyor Cohen and Jeffrey Heller may he rot in hell, took advantage of this.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, if King or Malcolm X survived their assassinations, would things would have changed for the better, as in equal equity, reparations, and further means of empowerment? Possibly. One can only dream.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-88434367647224955442024-01-08T07:03:00.000-08:002024-01-08T07:03:26.944-08:00And Now, Bop's Best (and Worst) of 2023!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUQNx0DK433Cj3C6BQazothoFi2aQgdW9-oR83BLPd0p1w58mw5OPzlmsphUMlXVCOaZC5lNnFnyN7fACPEYia6DeE6samSGPJtlJRx_CVaijb_mTRq5EPKZnJbi2BapRLt_IqWq0u1MIY7nUs2UeKf51TRKQhHLHk8TTNkgcVUFlfLtl_z6ev65JdjQg/s1920/Snapshot_809.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUQNx0DK433Cj3C6BQazothoFi2aQgdW9-oR83BLPd0p1w58mw5OPzlmsphUMlXVCOaZC5lNnFnyN7fACPEYia6DeE6samSGPJtlJRx_CVaijb_mTRq5EPKZnJbi2BapRLt_IqWq0u1MIY7nUs2UeKf51TRKQhHLHk8TTNkgcVUFlfLtl_z6ev65JdjQg/w640-h360/Snapshot_809.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>If there is one thing I have seen for the past few years, it is that humanity has really dumbed down.</div><div>There is no limit to the stupidity I am witnessing daily. Imagine having no internet for more than a week. I could totally live without the net, but when I have to finish a best of before the end of the year and I can’t finish it and upload it and the morons at support say they can only send a technician on January 2 you wonder: “Who the fuck pays those helpdesk morons and why the fuck is there no customer service that makes sure people are not without the internet for more than 2 days instead of 7 days?” People get paid for a job, while they absolutely suck at it. Rant aside let’s get this show on the road.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>DOCUS</b></div><div><br /></div><div>I only saw one documentary.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Best</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>The Lost Century And How To Reclaim It</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MEeXQ1MOUv9qMFFiHOcdZgeHo97YMgoNCvGtzGi_RgRPEVuZsPUB5ydPb8lr3BgIfMP4CO9UR9GvOK_vpCxT6KPxqFFreLgR-sTS-6YNPADIT2WDaoDK_tUe-nUu_F1brgsnPY5RekRJKSUjdBUq8bhiKL-OPNcYDn2BQwI_m3iztEpo_G2RNpz1RfH7/s1353/lost%20century.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1353" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-MEeXQ1MOUv9qMFFiHOcdZgeHo97YMgoNCvGtzGi_RgRPEVuZsPUB5ydPb8lr3BgIfMP4CO9UR9GvOK_vpCxT6KPxqFFreLgR-sTS-6YNPADIT2WDaoDK_tUe-nUu_F1brgsnPY5RekRJKSUjdBUq8bhiKL-OPNcYDn2BQwI_m3iztEpo_G2RNpz1RfH7/w640-h340/lost%20century.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to the internet we are starting to find out how the world really is and it is often not a pretty picture. This documentary showed, how there are some very despicable humanoids trying to sabotage the good life people could be having.We are not allowed to live a good life, so you better make the best out of it by yourself.</div><div>This documentary gives you a very good view of who the saboteurs are and you wonder: “Why are they not in jail by now?”</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>TV SHOWS</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Shit!</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b>Copenhagen Cowboy</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkH-162u8-hbTLZozelN6A_2yN21hyyHqG9LkJwsAolzgfkkJeVWPiKuOQil-q0ttFLGrVUM8PrEvz1TAjLuPDkQEuHcbx8TQ5ydL_2HHBr0Q2juW62uOqhllanOyoSwMHrg9-_TSAFoDav7fzpWPFVdSHTegVEp4Hn6zhE0INthX3-o4TjeroJwYKlnlS/s1200/copenhagen%20cowboy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkH-162u8-hbTLZozelN6A_2yN21hyyHqG9LkJwsAolzgfkkJeVWPiKuOQil-q0ttFLGrVUM8PrEvz1TAjLuPDkQEuHcbx8TQ5ydL_2HHBr0Q2juW62uOqhllanOyoSwMHrg9-_TSAFoDav7fzpWPFVdSHTegVEp4Hn6zhE0INthX3-o4TjeroJwYKlnlS/w640-h480/copenhagen%20cowboy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>What the fuck was this pretentious piece of shit? The first episode makes you think it’s gonna be something interesting and then it turns out it is as pretentious as it can be be. Not only that, but what the fuck have I been watching? It seems Refn took all drugs known to mankind and came up with this dreck. What the fuck happened to Refn? Dude hasn’t made good shit since the awesome Pusher trilogy. This show was a perfect example of style over substance and is a missed opportunity.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b>Man Like Mobeen season 4</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4hlnpkdGp1RSnXMxtEIgx_0WlZRzrg9Exe3hytUdvzRGnOQF3vIEEZFp9fvvBwCYofEz3WPmhP-LeE-gFUJpO361e2-6s1JJ5_-Eo6YxO6Yt53a1sqUBkUtvhSOA9IWq_8GFlLZzMhNy0Nxl-tK16vYsQ21XE4ymbszt4RzVUu1OaRStJhNAAzVrtP_v/s1000/mobeen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4hlnpkdGp1RSnXMxtEIgx_0WlZRzrg9Exe3hytUdvzRGnOQF3vIEEZFp9fvvBwCYofEz3WPmhP-LeE-gFUJpO361e2-6s1JJ5_-Eo6YxO6Yt53a1sqUBkUtvhSOA9IWq_8GFlLZzMhNy0Nxl-tK16vYsQ21XE4ymbszt4RzVUu1OaRStJhNAAzVrtP_v/w640-h360/mobeen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div>Man, talk about fucking up a show. Man Like Mobeen started out entertaining in season 1,</div><div>it continued in season 2. Then season 3 took a big nose dive and season 4 was utter crap.</div><div>What started out as a comedy turned very serious in season 3 and continued in season 4.</div><div>I lost time I will never get back. Fuck this shit.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Blood Coast</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwU3slzgZyV4IBOOdLHWnr3ATyheStEU4cL96w9FzRvauOYjuhcdLGvUPXb3kIezHrvGuIgh6Wgr_BkrLjTwHbUuGwARWYMPoCx6S0YWN8O_yniCoImhYZpt8jPRBNAwqV2VvDXH7oncoEjBOvbaWY2HdfgXpXOZd-rrBs3dGmVYcX430wl2SIByHWt0h/s1000/blood%20coast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrwU3slzgZyV4IBOOdLHWnr3ATyheStEU4cL96w9FzRvauOYjuhcdLGvUPXb3kIezHrvGuIgh6Wgr_BkrLjTwHbUuGwARWYMPoCx6S0YWN8O_yniCoImhYZpt8jPRBNAwqV2VvDXH7oncoEjBOvbaWY2HdfgXpXOZd-rrBs3dGmVYcX430wl2SIByHWt0h/w640-h360/blood%20coast.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Oliver Marchal, creator of Braquo, for a change, disappoints this time. There is not a guy who does gritty police drama better than Marchal. The grittiness often shown in his TV shows is what makes him the best. Somehow the French can’t stop making shows about Marseille. I find the city Marseille very fascinating, but if only a small thing of what they show in this show is true, Marseille has turned into a shithole. This was one very violent show and looked very promising until they totally fucked up the end. The end was a big anti-climax. I don’t know what the fuck he was thinking ending it like that after the set-up had been really good. And the ending was also an open ending. Needless to say I won’t check out season 2 if it ever comes. This was just a complete letdown.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b>Barracuda Queens mini-series</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mNZAvoZSeeZ31MebH5OQMgMvWmr_wIiN3NPShyphenhyphenW_o9CZTrqBsAU2R_VZkYieBl924yxokllV1HA-_lnAypI0P46lx16h936lvyFkznCCm8k5ONZhGEXZsl8uinb-7W16ixAes9vSPA9ewn3QQDAVvy5K4zDO6khj83hPp1tONSxk3sxT143rhPdrw6Cn/s900/barracuda.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mNZAvoZSeeZ31MebH5OQMgMvWmr_wIiN3NPShyphenhyphenW_o9CZTrqBsAU2R_VZkYieBl924yxokllV1HA-_lnAypI0P46lx16h936lvyFkznCCm8k5ONZhGEXZsl8uinb-7W16ixAes9vSPA9ewn3QQDAVvy5K4zDO6khj83hPp1tONSxk3sxT143rhPdrw6Cn/w640-h360/barracuda.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>What a shit show this was. I expect this show to influence girls and women so much that they will start to do utter stupid stuff just like in the TV show and end up in jail. Well, good riddance if it happens. So many morons today.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Good</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Twisted Metal season 1</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGNGcZ3rUJXaU4pcmNfXijFetOq3BXpAN4M0n71e-iIM9zT_XPS1rawKL-8o707zZxJlnfSty69hGK0h6ipQ7BBhPHyR8SFDwKLhAPLmiFrNGbdV_fP_MdTduTk8IItzbd0s381ZCMKYy964qhprO9kAXjwfejnR8ZbmLqu5GQPl30KbhEsfjErvm8nSq/s3000/twisted.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="3000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGNGcZ3rUJXaU4pcmNfXijFetOq3BXpAN4M0n71e-iIM9zT_XPS1rawKL-8o707zZxJlnfSty69hGK0h6ipQ7BBhPHyR8SFDwKLhAPLmiFrNGbdV_fP_MdTduTk8IItzbd0s381ZCMKYy964qhprO9kAXjwfejnR8ZbmLqu5GQPl30KbhEsfjErvm8nSq/w640-h360/twisted.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>Now, this was the surprise of the year. I wasn’t interested in seeing a game adaptation,</div><div>but due to the fact that all my shows finished their seasons and I wanted to watch</div><div>something I gave this a chance. Boy, Neve Campbell didn’t age well. But then again,</div><div>she is not the star of the show. This show was Blood Drive lite, but damn, it was a </div><div>very entertaining Blood Drive lite. Good laughs, absurd situation, absurd action</div><div>and just one big road trip. I hope season 2 continues to be good too.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Reacher season 2</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/reacher-season-2-657b70f74237b.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/reacher-season-2-657b70f74237b.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While season 2 hasn’t finished yet, I can say it won’t get into best of 2023 territory. It will be good territory. Alan Ritchson is killing it as Jack Reacher, but the story is not really moving forward. Jack Reacher never disappoints when people get the shit smacked out of them, but it is not happening enough. Robert Patrick plays the baddy in season 2 and I hope he gets his comeuppance. My wish for season 3 is that Alan Ritchson gets reunited with Christina Ochoa, since they were such a great team in the legendary cult classic Blood Drive, but this time Christina Ochoa as the big bad.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Les 7 Vies de Lea</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QcytvCdJF1IPB57Is-1H6njaY55dB00YFmWaOpu1CYnZSOKcmv2_r0CGmilk6FeSRKsDkduL3ZiM-g8aVHqJab0k8gNJhYzhnXgY-EwyYK6Dx5T1Cglewn09CG5yTqsDKOhXx1VB4rY0Gz9N-US6X4zy4gk70IFt6stLN4EUXuQX6DzDdyRkVHFFjIUZ/s512/lela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="512" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1QcytvCdJF1IPB57Is-1H6njaY55dB00YFmWaOpu1CYnZSOKcmv2_r0CGmilk6FeSRKsDkduL3ZiM-g8aVHqJab0k8gNJhYzhnXgY-EwyYK6Dx5T1Cglewn09CG5yTqsDKOhXx1VB4rY0Gz9N-US6X4zy4gk70IFt6stLN4EUXuQX6DzDdyRkVHFFjIUZ/w640-h360/lela.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Leave you brains at the door when you start watching this fantastic TV show. Some things are just not logical. A girl wants to kill herself but fails. She finds something that puts her on a mystery trail to solve a murder. Every time she goes to sleep she ends up in a different person who knew the murder victim when the victim was alive. That way she tries to solve the murder and save the victim. I can’t spoil the ending, but damn if it wasn’t one of the most unexpected and great endings ever in TV show.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Warrior season 3</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xs1jeO-WlUYm1z78STcNkf-tMkLsZ8GL73HjlwNr39EK0nq4Eq_U-K2aVL7zS62vPDuFYc_pwcbxwOnQkBDNetXcY_o-NALO3Cr0QtbDqTYkSOkkD4jvptV57Ao6_V-8s5d0ysFItfcyjVS32e24UIiFDSOceKQmC6zcP_CIW0V5NfZ5xvDWRZYJgD8y/s828/warrior.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="610" data-original-width="828" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xs1jeO-WlUYm1z78STcNkf-tMkLsZ8GL73HjlwNr39EK0nq4Eq_U-K2aVL7zS62vPDuFYc_pwcbxwOnQkBDNetXcY_o-NALO3Cr0QtbDqTYkSOkkD4jvptV57Ao6_V-8s5d0ysFItfcyjVS32e24UIiFDSOceKQmC6zcP_CIW0V5NfZ5xvDWRZYJgD8y/w640-h472/warrior.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>They had to go and stink it up and succumb to the Alphabet mafia. Granted, they already</div><div>started that in season 2, but now they went farther. Leave my favourite TV shows alone, you</div><div>motherfuckers!!! If you fast forward that crap there was fortunately enough story left to</div><div>make this a better than average season. Tensions rose high and shit hit the fan. The season</div><div>finale was a shocker in more ways than one and I am curious to see what they are gonna</div><div>do in the last season. I also wonder if any of you noticed Shannon Lee have a cameo.</div><div>Instead of giving her something good they gave her a lame ass role.</div><div>And what’s the worst now I just found out? Warrior got cancelled after season 3. MOTHERFUCKERS!!!! Yes, Netflix has picked up the 3 seasons and there is hope the streaming numbers might entice Netflix to order a season 4. I won’t keep my hopes up, because the taste of today’s Joe Blow viewer is non-existent.</div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b>Contra Las Cuerdas season 1</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauzr-oBJF9y2Pb_UZ7FkKjyG6nn19GGS8RflQM_5zv7ETZ_D4yxKzLmc7z88fXV9x3E8xwZg3yayQ7G-3v3in5kZ3DHnh4lpQWjR-F1JoNHSEBVCPWjvxf7kabQoKtSnwr-seSgsLNbggSpEkptzlnaKudrULDy5biw4Ik2j3lmeZ_28-Xl7PW4OShCKR/s730/contra.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="485" data-original-width="730" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauzr-oBJF9y2Pb_UZ7FkKjyG6nn19GGS8RflQM_5zv7ETZ_D4yxKzLmc7z88fXV9x3E8xwZg3yayQ7G-3v3in5kZ3DHnh4lpQWjR-F1JoNHSEBVCPWjvxf7kabQoKtSnwr-seSgsLNbggSpEkptzlnaKudrULDy5biw4Ik2j3lmeZ_28-Xl7PW4OShCKR/w640-h426/contra.png" width="640" /></a></div><div>I am a big pro wrestling fan, so I had to be all over this show. This is such a little fun show about Lucha Libre, which is Mexican wrestling. A woman who is released from jail wants to win back her daughter by becoming a Luchadora, a female wrestler. However, during her jail time her daughter was with the father and another woman, who turns out to be a big female Lucha Libre star. This show was made with a lot of love for Lucha Libre and it shows. Another surprise is that it was agenda free. It wasn’t even that girl power shit (FUCK YOU, SPICE GIRLS!!!!!). If you like pro wrestling and especially Lucha Libre you need to see this. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Braqueurs season 2</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14HuGC5yIjPPvxbNaA74ItwMsoiwA_luI85yyex5aI_M5E21A-9SgMkKxo62WXr3_hmMpWVGhFbel7gTcPSSKmla6zqpLyeT6mCEbnY_Xu03btMu6mxKFOb_YAEAbYQ2FrBpbU7meJzH7BIWy2GTf2eL03cptHMazr4gbFTgI8Yg9twBcj-QhoqimKmUD/s2800/braqueurs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1868" data-original-width="2800" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14HuGC5yIjPPvxbNaA74ItwMsoiwA_luI85yyex5aI_M5E21A-9SgMkKxo62WXr3_hmMpWVGhFbel7gTcPSSKmla6zqpLyeT6mCEbnY_Xu03btMu6mxKFOb_YAEAbYQ2FrBpbU7meJzH7BIWy2GTf2eL03cptHMazr4gbFTgI8Yg9twBcj-QhoqimKmUD/w640-h426/braqueurs.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I found out this show is called Ganglands on non-Dutch Netflix services. Fucking</div><div>morons. The suspense was killing me. When was season 2 gonna be released?</div><div>It looked like it took an eternity and basically it did. Season 2 was not as good as</div><div>season 1 but damn if it wasn’t violent and suspenseful. The ending was a bit open</div><div>and Iooked like it was the end of the show. I can live with it, but I would be game</div><div>for a season 3. Special mention to Joaquim de Almeida for appearing in season 2</div><div>and playing a despicable character which is his trademark. If they ever make</div><div>a Metal Gear Solid movie and Hideo Kojima is not directing it, the makers and</div><div>directors of Braqueurs are the people for the job. Best tactical action ever in a TV show.</div><div>That’s for sure. And did I mention the soundtrack? It was fantastic. I creates a tense</div><div>atmosphere. Image and audio merged together perfectly.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Top Boy season 5</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_2BCJ8quNtqBp9j130sZG-j0e97H6cIWY3MH8PT0LvB_pSjqIb2Ah_FBSHsRMQtsVeRa1dKJdclpZigWEygaQv3vepcgxSJAa-4vV42I-UBLxy0apXdbcB8PZxjDHv1t1Z7skQ175J-cKi8zEX12xxyx1FaDzwJLXAIMLoqj7MTXf1YQyHjnOoxH08yR/s1280/top%20boy.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq_2BCJ8quNtqBp9j130sZG-j0e97H6cIWY3MH8PT0LvB_pSjqIb2Ah_FBSHsRMQtsVeRa1dKJdclpZigWEygaQv3vepcgxSJAa-4vV42I-UBLxy0apXdbcB8PZxjDHv1t1Z7skQ175J-cKi8zEX12xxyx1FaDzwJLXAIMLoqj7MTXf1YQyHjnOoxH08yR/w640-h360/top%20boy.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>England’s superior answer to the Wire, Top Boy boy, had its last season. I didn’t</div><div>expect it to end the way it did, but damn, the lead up to the end was great.</div><div>Some strange character decisions they made put the season into good category</div><div>instead of great category. Nevertheless, Top Boy is one of those hard-hitting, urban</div><div>and raw TV shows that you will miss if you blink an eye. This was a great ride overall.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Reservation Dogs season 3</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHgG_j0pmeuHfbXJRsVMb4EVNh0pevxvOMVV1zQmIiHJzKL64Iih3ukzzgS2wv97qNAlaed0860VbGKbySPRRvxipsqlehAeaMYKKqBTCw2RA8010biAiFMFTD1G1RZPnEOVV6rc5nqKTXD2_oKpPkxC737z-SbdypIPk0IIR3_VhiPj0Q6mzAoiMlieM/s1296/reservation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="730" data-original-width="1296" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBHgG_j0pmeuHfbXJRsVMb4EVNh0pevxvOMVV1zQmIiHJzKL64Iih3ukzzgS2wv97qNAlaed0860VbGKbySPRRvxipsqlehAeaMYKKqBTCw2RA8010biAiFMFTD1G1RZPnEOVV6rc5nqKTXD2_oKpPkxC737z-SbdypIPk0IIR3_VhiPj0Q6mzAoiMlieM/w640-h360/reservation.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I am so gonna miss this show. This was the last season and it was a bit of a hit</div><div>and miss season. Some things were really awesome and even touching and</div><div>some were just utter stupid. However, this is one of those shows that has a lot</div><div>of heart. The characters were often hilarious and so down to earth. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Dark Winds season 2</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkBQT5MgCzmbCk5KWXSO3snC7GsPvjoFaQV_mBgefkKyiPNJoxQDmp9CQnEhx77q45fdJZ1sF-QUBCBUKHf6gIN74Dy70JiUDjv-jJzFFDRa2f_WNu5jL1m927aCfNYFz-b5rMNzw-2F-QOzuAlMZgqRPRyE_9mwRxq_MW8hsWpEGeRsORVrCKflnCYhC/s1280/dark%20winds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkBQT5MgCzmbCk5KWXSO3snC7GsPvjoFaQV_mBgefkKyiPNJoxQDmp9CQnEhx77q45fdJZ1sF-QUBCBUKHf6gIN74Dy70JiUDjv-jJzFFDRa2f_WNu5jL1m927aCfNYFz-b5rMNzw-2F-QOzuAlMZgqRPRyE_9mwRxq_MW8hsWpEGeRsORVrCKflnCYhC/w640-h360/dark%20winds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I started this show after a buddy told me that Zach McClarnon, who plays a hilarious</div><div>role in the aforementioned Reservation Dogs, had his own show. I was not prepared</div><div>for how great season 1 was. Season 2 was a bit less, but still good. This is a show</div><div>with a fantastic cinematography and great characters. Can’t wait for season 3.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Ferry The Series</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziPme9dfKh2b9WpkaDmbEUceQEDX-mdZ11yhgApGWrwHLaA8mrhKSQB9rseUqjDd1bdXefoKXy5JlwImsBs_-4xncYWdNSIiY9cLUNvRE_QfGLTYnJzZmjscNEwBUl-MZNYjLfq1e-cOqbjAnglHhZ_FP6srd_5EvM5Onoxg2fCZCHKLUN2qpMMOgcENp/s1000/feryy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziPme9dfKh2b9WpkaDmbEUceQEDX-mdZ11yhgApGWrwHLaA8mrhKSQB9rseUqjDd1bdXefoKXy5JlwImsBs_-4xncYWdNSIiY9cLUNvRE_QfGLTYnJzZmjscNEwBUl-MZNYjLfq1e-cOqbjAnglHhZ_FP6srd_5EvM5Onoxg2fCZCHKLUN2qpMMOgcENp/w640-h360/feryy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes in life, when something gets released I am on it as fast as possible. This happens with Scott Adkins movies, an Oliver Marchal movie or TV show. It also happens when there is another Undercover Universe series. That Belgian-Dutch team up is something that they should have done years ago when they produced crap after crap. Ferry The Series is about the rise of Ferry Bouman as the god of XTC-dealers. Just like Ferry The Movie, Ferry The Series is a prequel to the Netflix hit Undercover, that still a lot of people haven’t checked out. And that is a shame. It is so good. Ferry The Series didn’t disappoint at all. It was in the good territory and that is good enough for me. Undercover is the standard, so you’d better give it your best.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Heels season 2</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQHNCpFZ6hw13KAp7YUU6CJiYgrE2UiqvctmayesuZA1CUydPYlea4YhxTc5yjc1FxLcKhIDH6wk2JKofZyY7nIUFvrijd-3ohLMtKL6Lhk6eJJYyVSQwrHpZmNpS0iAvZ117k643R4mExskKxlzY06Fe2iKvpm5pV1vgNYyVFeiFt8zf6Da0tIsI-drw/s400/heels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="262" data-original-width="400" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQHNCpFZ6hw13KAp7YUU6CJiYgrE2UiqvctmayesuZA1CUydPYlea4YhxTc5yjc1FxLcKhIDH6wk2JKofZyY7nIUFvrijd-3ohLMtKL6Lhk6eJJYyVSQwrHpZmNpS0iAvZ117k643R4mExskKxlzY06Fe2iKvpm5pV1vgNYyVFeiFt8zf6Da0tIsI-drw/w640-h420/heels.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a show no one watches. It is about pro wrestling. I am surprised that hardly any pro wrestling fans is watching it. And that is a shame, because Heels is much better than current pro wrestling. I was totally invested in the Heels storylines, while current pro wrestling storylines suck. Pro wrestling has gone down the toilet and I wonder if it ever will get back to greatness. And to make things even worse, Heels got cancelled after season 2.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Het Gouden Uur</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw7QvkQtDBV4apb8y_3Dx4BOKrisrQ_YsawDE1aPjssmsKg3NoLbkpVKyNy_-eDAM4YCvbXh_AbVJANMiIT-cxwQiRl0zxzOaGwbIO0RDOHoaVg0YFhGPaqJCDQx2CghZ7nRB6JH07mMIfwRxN3WJJ8NtySxejNATvg4soxDUkNc1Z-o3pMouaoJVgZ48/s1250/gouden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnw7QvkQtDBV4apb8y_3Dx4BOKrisrQ_YsawDE1aPjssmsKg3NoLbkpVKyNy_-eDAM4YCvbXh_AbVJANMiIT-cxwQiRl0zxzOaGwbIO0RDOHoaVg0YFhGPaqJCDQx2CghZ7nRB6JH07mMIfwRxN3WJJ8NtySxejNATvg4soxDUkNc1Z-o3pMouaoJVgZ48/w512-h640/gouden.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div>I don’t know what’s in the Dutch waters lately. After the great Ferry The Series this year, I didn’t expect to watch any other Dutch production. Apart from the Undercover Universe, current Dutch and most past Dutch stuff is utter crap. One thing is for sure. This 6-part mini-series is the reason, people voted most for a right-wing party in this year’s election. The premise is that the Netherlands are under attack by an Afghan terrorist. This show started out very intense in the first few episodes and built up to something very promising when in the last episode they took a big nosedive. Had they done well in the last episode this would have been one of the best series of this year. A Dutch series. What a bizarro world. Mind-blowing. Even if it was a fear-mongering attempt.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Best</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Power Book IV : Force season 2</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFHytKdjVIgJNZ_fZbjfaatGfz-JQQOvWpvQGJNp_r070B0sSgXhNE5j2ERNnHnQkkGkXAHH4nMrqLQQo0I4Cy2KvOIyj4SQ8IjxRU-1t2ZorYrrHEzFL8EArCvDpkr62iWGVH0c8z33PG53HK5zIzv_LUF3PiXBNPgqh1ckPVepa0WgGGnpbkgEVk_v_/s2560/power.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnFHytKdjVIgJNZ_fZbjfaatGfz-JQQOvWpvQGJNp_r070B0sSgXhNE5j2ERNnHnQkkGkXAHH4nMrqLQQo0I4Cy2KvOIyj4SQ8IjxRU-1t2ZorYrrHEzFL8EArCvDpkr62iWGVH0c8z33PG53HK5zIzv_LUF3PiXBNPgqh1ckPVepa0WgGGnpbkgEVk_v_/w640-h360/power.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Joseph Sikora struck gold with the badassness that is Tommy Egan. Easily the breakout star</div><div>of the TV show Power, Sikora’s Tommy Egan spin off was what fans waited for. After a mediocre season 1, season 2 put the pedal to the metal. Holy shit. How awesome was it? Tommy Egan is this smart calculating, sometimes even cold, motherfucker who only wants one thing: to make money. The problem is that people he wants to make money with are either volatile, stupid or dangerous and he has to deal with all that. It is a surprise he has no headaches with all the shit hitting the fan. I hope they continue this series for a long time and if they ever want to make a serious Spiderman movie instead of the dreck we have been fed lately, Sikora would be a great Tombstone.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Ted Lasso season 3</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYUhU3VAtXjAUMJzZ5YBSuFS3fN6EDeVzl6x8l7__kz8_f5VsA4_AiHr6K3p9nvZvtAVr1hwpxanSmg_2ROWDa1hnhTIrZCP6GCIDnsjVpv-GH2CF_QBl03NNhRvynF4S3uGHraTbI9ViEPSg4UW0NBH_iiCDWjaZiVfCPt1WytEOFpQ1FFOQ2yDhjSqu/s856/ted%20lasso.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="856" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYUhU3VAtXjAUMJzZ5YBSuFS3fN6EDeVzl6x8l7__kz8_f5VsA4_AiHr6K3p9nvZvtAVr1hwpxanSmg_2ROWDa1hnhTIrZCP6GCIDnsjVpv-GH2CF_QBl03NNhRvynF4S3uGHraTbI9ViEPSg4UW0NBH_iiCDWjaZiVfCPt1WytEOFpQ1FFOQ2yDhjSqu/w640-h360/ted%20lasso.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It was a long wait for Ted Lasso season 3, the last season of one of the best TV shows ever.</div><div>If this show doesn’t make you laugh you have no soul and no sense of humour.</div><div>Granted, it is about football (soccer), so Americans don’t get it. However, it is a popular show in the States and I can understand why. It has very likeable characters, good life lessons, positivity and humor. Americans definitely won’t get half of the funny things in the show if they didn’t follow football,</div><div>but there is still enough humor and story that even the biggest layman of football can enjoy.</div><div>I was a bit pissed off that they succumbed to the LGBTQ-agenda, but I didn’t expect them</div><div>to spin it into a taboo that is actually present in today’s football. The creators of the show did</div><div>fantastic research and even managed to make Dutch characters actually speak Dutch instead of German. Jason Sudeikis immortalised himself as Ted Lasso and will never have a better role. Brendan Hunt was fantastic as coach and probably won’t ever have a better role. Brett Goldstein will forever be known as the grumpiest footballer ever and he even said he would love to play that role for the rest of his life. Hannah Waddingham showed that you can have class even if you are not the prettiest around and she and Sudeikis were the heart and soul of the show. Season 3 had fantastic closure and I still hope they will ever make a movie. Football is life and so is Ted Lasso. One of the greatest TV shows ever. They went out with a bang and entered my top 10 TV of shows ever. A masterpiece if I ever saw one.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>MOVIES</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Shit</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>AKA</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt6c9FrZf9Mk8Jxd5Dy4OcG5jnnFUOs_-rHBRnNG0vs3_fsqaiQiRdLaKmnOl58JrYZc-qaVVtfoJAUyoTO8ezwN2gsOfCvlfsCnz5MHC2kcbU80RT_VKgzFNjV8pJ4ayQkhULwVrKYt_Am_d1gU4HP2Y7O1Hha5_AeyL4jsNt4Vb49HBhsOUdz9HvOwG/s3840/aka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDt6c9FrZf9Mk8Jxd5Dy4OcG5jnnFUOs_-rHBRnNG0vs3_fsqaiQiRdLaKmnOl58JrYZc-qaVVtfoJAUyoTO8ezwN2gsOfCvlfsCnz5MHC2kcbU80RT_VKgzFNjV8pJ4ayQkhULwVrKYt_Am_d1gU4HP2Y7O1Hha5_AeyL4jsNt4Vb49HBhsOUdz9HvOwG/w640-h360/aka.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Normally the French are not so politically oriented in their movies, but this was the exception.</div><div>I quit this after about 10 minutes. It was as if I was watching a Hollywood movie. When</div><div>French movies start to resemble Hollywood movies I don’t want any piece of them. Fuck this shit.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Fast X</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4nT2CbFw3VslJFiY_pqyIDJQmkqh4AnN7LxR1xZzbyN00mmfPYZNax8pDdf5Ktx-EZ1vjxMexdAT_XbGP1ApfQ8_6hgZQH-6BIiJ2OQ4PDHiaMutT4zZJJ-4tYFmDiqpHrZoJ5RdeWzv9BUibaatc0zOXgEJvV-_9UBmFeOGiuNYsJ_1uUPG46DITrWq/s1200/fast%20x.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4nT2CbFw3VslJFiY_pqyIDJQmkqh4AnN7LxR1xZzbyN00mmfPYZNax8pDdf5Ktx-EZ1vjxMexdAT_XbGP1ApfQ8_6hgZQH-6BIiJ2OQ4PDHiaMutT4zZJJ-4tYFmDiqpHrZoJ5RdeWzv9BUibaatc0zOXgEJvV-_9UBmFeOGiuNYsJ_1uUPG46DITrWq/w640-h360/fast%20x.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>Vin, Vin, Vin. Dafuq you are doing? Fast X introduced the Disney level of shittiness.</div><div>Yes, I know Diesel has it in his contract to mention the word family multiples times</div><div>during the Fast movies. But this…. this was Disney Brady Bunch shit. Fuck Torretto’s kid. Fuck Brie Larson, I am a big Fast And The Furious fan, but man, did they fuck up this movie. The movie started out great with the bomb chase in Italy, but after that the movie took a serious nose dive.</div><div>Jason Momoa is the worst villain Fast And The Furious ever had. It was the lamest</div><div>over the top acting ever and yet everyone is singing their praises for his character in the movie.</div><div>What the fuck is wrong with those people? Jason Momma’s character killed the movie, just like fucking annoying Torretto’s kid. And to top it all of the ending was a to be continued. They Lord Of The Rings-ed the fucking movie. I am glad I didn’t see it in the cinema, because I would have been seriously pissed off. I hope Diesel gets his shit together and we get a proper send-off for Fast And the Furious. Fast X was definitely not it. It’s the worst movie in the franchise. Fuck this shit.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Leave The World Behind</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cMVBi_e8o-Y" width="555" youtube-src-id="cMVBi_e8o-Y"></iframe></div><div>This movie was hyped to the moon that I got curious. What a fear-mongering piece of shit movie this was. If I had known that war criminal Obama had put money into this I would have side-stepped it like a turd on a sidewalk. Julia Roberts played a Karen and Ethan Hawke played the bitch boy. I don’t know what it is with Hollywood that they emasculate men so much these days, but damn if I wasn’t hoping Ethan Hawke would backhand Julia Roberts. It didn’t help the kids were annoying too. Those 4 acted such unlikeable people, that one would wish a horrible death upon them. The concept of the movie was not bad, but man, if snippets of Friends was not a sign of the apocalypse, I don’t know.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Good</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Day Shift</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWD5OhHrYERR8HXINkUsyzuLq63yJsKzgX4zS19FiKMkPRCoudU1AX-R119A7iSRb29_BB8blwRoNRW7G_Cud2oGra5j72_0v6I_IVbB8Rh4VPnSToewhdAlsKpl0ZmrfHzhUJ3tyAxNYSEAUkOmp10FqaEEePJWLz1P58zyTnGqRHvAi4KlpEt5GSTIK/s1280/dayshift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWD5OhHrYERR8HXINkUsyzuLq63yJsKzgX4zS19FiKMkPRCoudU1AX-R119A7iSRb29_BB8blwRoNRW7G_Cud2oGra5j72_0v6I_IVbB8Rh4VPnSToewhdAlsKpl0ZmrfHzhUJ3tyAxNYSEAUkOmp10FqaEEePJWLz1P58zyTnGqRHvAi4KlpEt5GSTIK/w640-h360/dayshift.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>This was a big surprise. I didn’t expect much from it. I am fed up with vampires and shit, but this movie had a nice spin on it. It also helps that Jamie Foxx doesn’t suck and that there is a cameo by Scott Adkins.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>John Wick 4</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFskOiI4YxZdDdymHiupJwNNxXVqSyOmyz3hMXE4HW9_YK8cZHoMMC0ML_sQ2d6y0rFoWCm5j4gLmkrkdZ8vgUbhFAjEloJc89ZElxFMMoTk9Hw26R3HKttru11eZlrnliuavIhBdPaURWZcmrB6mbLI23fBQBKxrDVhkcNNYSMnh-Fn7MjX3RwqtSDhM/s1920/wick4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFskOiI4YxZdDdymHiupJwNNxXVqSyOmyz3hMXE4HW9_YK8cZHoMMC0ML_sQ2d6y0rFoWCm5j4gLmkrkdZ8vgUbhFAjEloJc89ZElxFMMoTk9Hw26R3HKttru11eZlrnliuavIhBdPaURWZcmrB6mbLI23fBQBKxrDVhkcNNYSMnh-Fn7MjX3RwqtSDhM/w640-h360/wick4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, I want to know why John Wick 4 needed to disrespect The Warriors. Heads should roll for that.</div><div><br /></div><div>Second of all, the Fast And The Furious movies always get bashed because the action is unrealistic. WTF would you call John Wick 4 then?</div><div><br /></div><div>John Wick 1 is still my favourite. 2 and 3 were dreck. 4 was a John Wick on steroids. Holy shit, how much action was there? Keanu and co delivered.Donnie Yen played Daredevil and I don’t understand why it was needed for him to be blind. Marko Zaror got the opportunity to get some of his shit in and that is cool. Scott Adkins seemed to have a lot of fun in playing a fat fuck who can also kick some ass. He totally cracked me up with his character. However, there were a few things that annoyed me in John Wick and took me out of it a bit. One was the fight with Scott Adkins. The fight was in a disco and they are beating the shit out of each other. Meanwhile, all the people in the club kept dancing. There is no club in the world where everybody would stay if such a big fight started.Another annoying thing was the Champ’s d’Elysees car-gun-whatever-the-fuck fight. It was creative, but unrealistic AF. And don’t get me started on that Marquis motherfucker. Who the fuck casted that wimp? The dude was totally unconvincing as the bad guy. Instead of having a martial arts legend be the bad guy, they chose such an annoying loser wimp. I couldn’t take that guy seriously for one second. It was very eerie to see Lance Reddick get shot.I also don’t like the fact that Clancy Brown didn’t get his due for what he represented. And why did Lynn Thigpen V2 get a fucking metal ring in her nose? WTF??? My favourite action scene was the Osaka hotel fight. That was some serious shit. I also liked the Hotline Miami homage. That was done fantastically. If you don’t know what Hotline Miami is, it is one of the best action games ever and also the game that will make you throw away your joystick lots of times.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIupcYJ2889ZBl9L3is_vRq0rOyHDQERjcJInxfWCZguOHLYdUFWu16H23hG_SbgJwSldR3r69C-7qw2piwyWj3HErz2BgBBKL2aXjIywKMX1beKO1wWfkPAMDcZLY0xZWu_46_-pbWcJ4ko9ckm28YnW8cFNM-qlu-7gbFpdqBTjiQqbR3_e3jsJnfuZ/s3840/mimp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPIupcYJ2889ZBl9L3is_vRq0rOyHDQERjcJInxfWCZguOHLYdUFWu16H23hG_SbgJwSldR3r69C-7qw2piwyWj3HErz2BgBBKL2aXjIywKMX1beKO1wWfkPAMDcZLY0xZWu_46_-pbWcJ4ko9ckm28YnW8cFNM-qlu-7gbFpdqBTjiQqbR3_e3jsJnfuZ/w640-h360/mimp.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I don’t like Tom Cruise. At all. Looking at how Alan Ritchson from Blood Drive fame is killing it with Reacher, I wonder why the fuck Cruise ever had to make those Reacher movies. I guess a Napoleon complex is prevalent. I loved the first 2 Mission Impossible movies, but 3 and 4 sucked so much I had no interest in watching the rest. Then there was someone I don’t remember who told me I should definitely give this movie a shot, so I did. And I was pleasantly surprised. I have to commend Cruise on not being a bitch to the Alphabet mafia, so that was a big plus. What surprised me more is that I never watched the clock once while watching the movie. Cruise and co managed to keep me interested. However, the end was not to my liking. Why the fuck does it have to be continued? We are not in a fucking TV show. We are in a fucking movie. Knock that to be continued in movies off (I am looking at you, Fast And Furious)!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Furies</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCleCGQmJ-yviUXrvaB-qfPtH4eAjfs-iGtN-z_EFNg4rPODHv_CIvoYu04Qs4cysnc2SI7yti61Bta1AVDjYOUzzVqTHGGaem-Dkr-52jkqldvvMCjIjUUsJzFIoJ_AYqXn3iTB3qQFJ3qWIVh_LbhZbQ2I8HZiXjOnc9wdZ6tnKPtb0gJZq-wYRZIQE/s1062/furies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="850" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNCleCGQmJ-yviUXrvaB-qfPtH4eAjfs-iGtN-z_EFNg4rPODHv_CIvoYu04Qs4cysnc2SI7yti61Bta1AVDjYOUzzVqTHGGaem-Dkr-52jkqldvvMCjIjUUsJzFIoJ_AYqXn3iTB3qQFJ3qWIVh_LbhZbQ2I8HZiXjOnc9wdZ6tnKPtb0gJZq-wYRZIQE/w512-h640/furies.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>This Vietnamese movie is directed by Veronica Ngo. If you don’t know who she is watch Furie.</div><div>This was a heavy movie. Heavy in the sense that life is not very easy and that when the going gets tough, you fuck people up, because you need to survive. It is a shame it is hard to find out which Vietnamese movies are good. Vietnamese cinema is a hidden gem. </div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>Diabolik 2</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCzJBt79__VFvPLmcYtxasuE6p1c5lAyskpF4USUjwk6yge0rITrOUt5JoBxLYKalP4mADOirsCd78YaE2GQzYHXdi_qwzS69v8sh_hat9s6E-QO8CfXBi4TN1s4qH9TydG45JvQ_G7i6-pSl3f20zXqH6C7YZug58snSXFhoTfLxViSIb9wuEgJns9gO/s1200/diabolik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="840" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfCzJBt79__VFvPLmcYtxasuE6p1c5lAyskpF4USUjwk6yge0rITrOUt5JoBxLYKalP4mADOirsCd78YaE2GQzYHXdi_qwzS69v8sh_hat9s6E-QO8CfXBi4TN1s4qH9TydG45JvQ_G7i6-pSl3f20zXqH6C7YZug58snSXFhoTfLxViSIb9wuEgJns9gO/w448-h640/diabolik.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I waited like a bitch for this to be released and it didn’t disappoint. What was weird is that Diabolik was played by someone else now. The Diabolik movies are an acquired taste and do a good enough of a job of portraying a good Diabolik. I just wish he was more violent and mean, because in the comic he is. I can’t wait for part 3.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Alibi.com 2</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Lb9b81x4YUePvaBbTDqLfTMOlQvZs2_8Y9D47Y7nBI1nlUHgmUOn3UHeB8M3rdAy6s7g__Z_Yp_6JsPM2pMtkzQXXXA3dWwlUCl6uUnIRelHLg4jPpU_SaN6xIFDXgq_8wAJpNHlCR-Gku9SKZ2e9YiH5EHkvz-WzKTlBqKuHB6lpksKMWeeombBA_NC/s732/alibi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="732" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Lb9b81x4YUePvaBbTDqLfTMOlQvZs2_8Y9D47Y7nBI1nlUHgmUOn3UHeB8M3rdAy6s7g__Z_Yp_6JsPM2pMtkzQXXXA3dWwlUCl6uUnIRelHLg4jPpU_SaN6xIFDXgq_8wAJpNHlCR-Gku9SKZ2e9YiH5EHkvz-WzKTlBqKuHB6lpksKMWeeombBA_NC/w640-h426/alibi.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Philippe Lacheau and his crew did it again. They made another comedy with plenty of laughs. Shit comedy is easy. Good comedy is hard. Philippe Lacheau and crew do good comedy. I hope there will be a lot of movies to come from that crew and I hope he never sells out to Hollywood. </div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Rise Of The Foot Soldier : Vengeance</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>Another installment of the Rise Of The Foot Soldier movie series. Craig Fairbrass is one of those English actors who are just cool. His movies are always entertaining, but I am still waiting for the ultimate Craig Fairbrass movie. This movie is a revenge movie and it was good, but I expected just more violence. There was violence, but I expected it to be more extreme. Craig Fairbrass needs a signature role in which he goes totally apeshit. Had this movie had violence in the style of Avengement this would have been one of the best movies of the year. Now it is just a good movie.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Best</b></div><div><br /></div><div>There was nothing best. This was a sucky year for movies. I hope 2024 is a good year. I have high hopes for any Scott Adkins movie, Constantine 2 and maybe there will be a nice surprise movie.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>REMARKABLE PEOPLE</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Djokovic "GOAT!"</b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEIJ4NdeTye_mT8dSPF_Z0IS68YJe-nXByF2BH7Ux18j6jXnfahAmYp2Z8YwCwvystblgkV0MTvPEoEJM23VlV5gV78cQqdgDLrvJN-BFn-dQbdIvDY7vwlWDXYGSpGvgfWj78Q4t8QW4d1x3Aa2K_HGG5I4O_nr3dIBdTPi2YC0A5zUqypWV0UxB5ewE/s1278/djokovic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1278" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfEIJ4NdeTye_mT8dSPF_Z0IS68YJe-nXByF2BH7Ux18j6jXnfahAmYp2Z8YwCwvystblgkV0MTvPEoEJM23VlV5gV78cQqdgDLrvJN-BFn-dQbdIvDY7vwlWDXYGSpGvgfWj78Q4t8QW4d1x3Aa2K_HGG5I4O_nr3dIBdTPi2YC0A5zUqypWV0UxB5ewE/s320/djokovic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div>After the utter disrespect that was shown him a year ago by the Australians but also the world, Djokovic just went on and on and became the greatest tennis player ever this year. Poetic justice. He won in the US under the watchful eye of one of the biggest criminals in human history, Bill Gates. A bigger fuck you he could not have given to Gates, Moderna and all the other scum of the earth. You can ban him from not playing but his legend will be growing. Djokovic is now on par with Muhammad Ali as the greatest role models ever. Bar none.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Kid Rock</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8BNaD54Xelw" width="479" youtube-src-id="8BNaD54Xelw"></iframe></div><div>I have no interest in alcohol. I don’t drink it and I don’t need it.</div><div>Some people say they need it to relax. There is something seriously wrong with you if you can’t relax without alcohol. Yes, I know it gives some people beer muscles but that should not be a reason to drink it. However, Kid Rock cracked me the fuck up with his video on Bud Light. Now, that was making a point. How Americans can accept, that their beloved Budweiser gets anally raped is beyond me. I don’t drink but i do say too: “Fuck Anheiser-Bush and fuck Bud Light.”</div><div>Need I say more? What I do need to say is :”Kid Rock = legend”.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Denver Nuggets champ Jokic</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqURcKg5e3T2Qb3AB-EDaDgVaAaIL-Uoj39X8rRi-57WhJAMWsA8G8BZFYbcANm1rghJhcllvd1Wpzfm1zLznuExqm-Ry6Vr4I83Kfx2mkNMbL_mWaMVqoHLFIRDvTqVHQpzDGnSPbK1Bmy9cQXDegujZUWAgntdIwGDKJUj92F1WE0MJ5h0dqFSLCdz4Y/s1600/jokic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqURcKg5e3T2Qb3AB-EDaDgVaAaIL-Uoj39X8rRi-57WhJAMWsA8G8BZFYbcANm1rghJhcllvd1Wpzfm1zLznuExqm-Ry6Vr4I83Kfx2mkNMbL_mWaMVqoHLFIRDvTqVHQpzDGnSPbK1Bmy9cQXDegujZUWAgntdIwGDKJUj92F1WE0MJ5h0dqFSLCdz4Y/w640-h360/jokic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I haven’t been watching NBA in years. Last stuff I watched was the second run of Jordan</div><div>at the Bulls. My faves the Pistons were a shell of their former selves. Them came the Shaq and co era and somehow I didn’t care.There were no Pistons and there were no Bulls. And then I saw the NBA Play Off finals this year. Someone i know hyped up Jokic as being one of the best current players. I never heard of him before so I was curious. I saw this guy lumbering all over the court and thought :”That guy???? For real????” But damn, if that motherfucker was not efficient. After the finals it seemed he had broken a record and he continues to break records. One thing I do have to give him, he is a great playmaker. He reminds me of Magic Johnson with all those freaky passes, but scores way more. And his team is supporting him well. I am curious to see if they reach the play-offs again. We might be in for some great basketball in the coming years.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Hakimi</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cm31rWSat6OjvHjc50Jj3rCIFa3JUGLiO15Tt8xWsxiHDSgHTy9iBjrL3Cf9nBsMwN5QKfOgr96zAGCBybZA1_gLlMbM6DFaPZ5aOodoeDooJd2pOLlBx1rIZzOPjDRlJ9V0snd_SCJceBFgniYmmkXi-cDlNQJfUaEpBLBpVZxVugaIN-P9RV3HvJdK/s2583/hakimi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2583" data-original-width="1694" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cm31rWSat6OjvHjc50Jj3rCIFa3JUGLiO15Tt8xWsxiHDSgHTy9iBjrL3Cf9nBsMwN5QKfOgr96zAGCBybZA1_gLlMbM6DFaPZ5aOodoeDooJd2pOLlBx1rIZzOPjDRlJ9V0snd_SCJceBFgniYmmkXi-cDlNQJfUaEpBLBpVZxVugaIN-P9RV3HvJdK/w420-h640/hakimi.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Achraf Hakimi was just too funny. You probably don’t know him but he is a football player.</div><div>He got very rich after Paris Saint Germain signed him. Then his wife divorced him and</div><div>wanted 50 percent of his fortune. But what had Hakimi done after the start</div><div>of his football career, that hardly anyone knew? He gave most of his money to his mother</div><div>and only kept a very small part. Also, his monthly salary went to his mother and he </div><div>hardly kept any money himself. He also bought his mother houses and put her name on</div><div>the contract. So the golddigging bitch got peanuts, because his fortune was very small. FUCKING HILARIOUS AND FUCKING GENIUS. This entertaining story deserved a mention in</div><div>Bop’s best of 2023.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>CM Punk!!! CM Punk!!!</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H1MBYsVamBQ" width="528" youtube-src-id="H1MBYsVamBQ"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Holy shit moment of the year!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Shit hit the fan in All Elite Wrestling this year. Punk returned after the media scrum fiasco, but was set up by the lesser forces to snap and slap Luke Perry’s son around. You can’t make that shit up. Punk, being fed up working with children, had enough. Following that altercation Tony Khan, AEW’s owner, fired CM Punk and suspended Luke Perry’s son. And guess what happened? WWE snatched Punk up which lead to a thunderous ovation, when CM Punk appeared at the WWE Survivor Series PPV in Chicago. I personally thought he would not return to the WWE, but I guess they offered him so much money he could brush his pride aside. Despited pro wrestling being totally shit these days, Punk might be able to make it interesting again. I, for one, am excited as long as he plays the bad guy.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>R.I.P.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>We lost some very loved and interesting people this year, which is a shame. The entertainment some of them provided will never be duplicated</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2023/01/rest-in-eternity-lisa-marie.html" target="_blank">Lisa Marie Presley</a></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3i66EHsh2ubTOdfd1jvu_TXeeoXTeKz5rQeTIg6ZSBbAY4rPKz9fRMMnPdwLuu6Kertz1NRDZ9UCc86UerhEfQiVBk1AuddsJ0ZehmsPOCTXyUlHgXa-N8UpbCI-Ls3O3lINJNHH1TCKKnkR-o6oAuxm6tDRpqKwWU3Hz5GoAgSgR6_O-bDb_cDWx4QU/s2383/lisa.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1787" data-original-width="2383" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3i66EHsh2ubTOdfd1jvu_TXeeoXTeKz5rQeTIg6ZSBbAY4rPKz9fRMMnPdwLuu6Kertz1NRDZ9UCc86UerhEfQiVBk1AuddsJ0ZehmsPOCTXyUlHgXa-N8UpbCI-Ls3O3lINJNHH1TCKKnkR-o6oAuxm6tDRpqKwWU3Hz5GoAgSgR6_O-bDb_cDWx4QU/w640-h480/lisa.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>The daughter of the King and at one time together with the innocent Michael Jackson. That’s right, innocent.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Lanny Poffo</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtUzvFxSDChmIFnSESK4yYGpNBj0hDq9RwaMuZNkT_DaqNVZWSOfNktpeIQF8dMgaMklDqopjQ0LSdFe9fbEsYQNvbdr_0IzFlGJX8WYSonjvW4JKp-3obYs91dTwqkjpDNUuDuVip2d-s9RltCej4opgB5ZQKv6x4fpH8uLkae3wTa8X8D1hUt2zS4yy/s1200/lanny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtUzvFxSDChmIFnSESK4yYGpNBj0hDq9RwaMuZNkT_DaqNVZWSOfNktpeIQF8dMgaMklDqopjQ0LSdFe9fbEsYQNvbdr_0IzFlGJX8WYSonjvW4JKp-3obYs91dTwqkjpDNUuDuVip2d-s9RltCej4opgB5ZQKv6x4fpH8uLkae3wTa8X8D1hUt2zS4yy/w640-h336/lanny.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Macho Man’s brother is no more. He had no problem living under the shadow of his brother, but he became memorable himself. If you ask people to mention memorable wrestlers from the 80s Lanny’s name comes up various times. They don’t know his name, but say that guy with the frisbees and the poems.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Raquel Welch</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWB3HJAsVd30D90BlCTmEa5HGDcNMJrWmv0vmaPgAs-ngDvnPDglJap7mopEeZT4SVpaya9D1nXv_IGHWv2ZAjuRChzZWedv5u-jzS30Wx3qN2TqQjtKvVcaKjKeIdDs-XcfgRpYtp8cpW9mvJjUJ6eq0MYmETKgSuBJ2-TrGmqs2MQePQITU5Iy-SpyyM/s1280/wlech.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="854" data-original-width="1280" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWB3HJAsVd30D90BlCTmEa5HGDcNMJrWmv0vmaPgAs-ngDvnPDglJap7mopEeZT4SVpaya9D1nXv_IGHWv2ZAjuRChzZWedv5u-jzS30Wx3qN2TqQjtKvVcaKjKeIdDs-XcfgRpYtp8cpW9mvJjUJ6eq0MYmETKgSuBJ2-TrGmqs2MQePQITU5Iy-SpyyM/w640-h428/wlech.jpg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Quite a woman of the 70s. Not all her movies were great but her screen presence was.</div><div>They don’t actresses like that anymore.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b>Gina Lollobrigida</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplpzaQy8wPcik-5x-rxMCqjcosozkucVQFsqniMJOcD5aFY2Mmj_fSqpjceMDoni1vmUF2jegnrrWkfz8V_woRv22nZ0RmVml-Eq5DhQHIAp8dPfSjaJQXFFtTWaf74FRh-h9RWD79UKaGXf2Ga0d1W_BkXbcxxAcoo-guXoR5MMJQ8toIvqASeM_P7C0/s1200/gina.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplpzaQy8wPcik-5x-rxMCqjcosozkucVQFsqniMJOcD5aFY2Mmj_fSqpjceMDoni1vmUF2jegnrrWkfz8V_woRv22nZ0RmVml-Eq5DhQHIAp8dPfSjaJQXFFtTWaf74FRh-h9RWD79UKaGXf2Ga0d1W_BkXbcxxAcoo-guXoR5MMJQ8toIvqASeM_P7C0/w640-h640/gina.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>One of the most beautiful women to ever grace the silver screen. Nuff said. And if your name is Esmeralda chances are your parents were fan of Gina.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Al Brown Valchek</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGObsgMzvGH0c_3JCNjfRghQEpxLMEi9WvtAGdSuCjHXBnUHthnlTAXwn-CC8cNmZOdxKUusTqeoCm21Y5KO-czLuAmspLHoJQc_-SYTizT9VoLtqdpi8AG_qBb8v8r3b7la8rnRnPlzpUJ1nJu4sJZ2D3cjg-TGAruj8fH0R5kjmabV57r13iBaGytgO/s1920/valcheck.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGObsgMzvGH0c_3JCNjfRghQEpxLMEi9WvtAGdSuCjHXBnUHthnlTAXwn-CC8cNmZOdxKUusTqeoCm21Y5KO-czLuAmspLHoJQc_-SYTizT9VoLtqdpi8AG_qBb8v8r3b7la8rnRnPlzpUJ1nJu4sJZ2D3cjg-TGAruj8fH0R5kjmabV57r13iBaGytgO/w640-h360/valcheck.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If you ever saw The Wire you will definitely remember that ugly mutt faced creepy,manipulating political player cop Valcheck. Al Brown played a despicable character in The Wire and immortalised himself. Not many actors can claim that.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2023/03/lance-reddick-1962-2023.html" target="_blank">Lance Reddick</a></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJJnAMZgJ9Q9rSqREhXxmg9NIKMp6bV83mm1Bus1tLKBiQSJuvinPD3HZusOIcHRuYJdzwbbp6xYlpgdyIBfrdpyelP0bGdxkOB_INrgA8zV8gADIRZvM_sq5j-YHoWYYGoE_0MfWK5IQqwoZbdDtedtP-r7OY2AYWs88Itr0nSRa60XI7bfeGl3Omg/s639/NYPICHPDPICT000008405123.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="639" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcJJnAMZgJ9Q9rSqREhXxmg9NIKMp6bV83mm1Bus1tLKBiQSJuvinPD3HZusOIcHRuYJdzwbbp6xYlpgdyIBfrdpyelP0bGdxkOB_INrgA8zV8gADIRZvM_sq5j-YHoWYYGoE_0MfWK5IQqwoZbdDtedtP-r7OY2AYWs88Itr0nSRa60XI7bfeGl3Omg/w640-h426/NYPICHPDPICT000008405123.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>This one came out of nowhere. He gets killed in John Wick 4 and dies just days before the premiere of John Wick 4. That was very eerie. Most people will probably know him from The Wire, but damn if he didn’t stick out in the John Wick universe. You can’t imagine the Continental without him.</div><div><i><b><br /></b></i></div><div><i><b><a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2023/05/tina-turner-1938-2023-rip-queen.html" target="_blank">Tina Turner</a></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXJp5QrlV8zG0sO57-sTJDBDH-LoW-Y8K8CvaFAPOXqXDQoD3-mtOst6_bcU2wm73clyYR-mpYK9KEYhqpfnPV6Cl-EYo01CnevT6_DbnW8JAge6epDXfhfDTVrDmdUMVBo-7B5BHud7LHVfgUqXIJc6WHCel9JSOwPTzko5hzYEJssULcpmdC3CdwQ/s640/Snapshot_436.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKXJp5QrlV8zG0sO57-sTJDBDH-LoW-Y8K8CvaFAPOXqXDQoD3-mtOst6_bcU2wm73clyYR-mpYK9KEYhqpfnPV6Cl-EYo01CnevT6_DbnW8JAge6epDXfhfDTVrDmdUMVBo-7B5BHud7LHVfgUqXIJc6WHCel9JSOwPTzko5hzYEJssULcpmdC3CdwQ/w640-h360/Snapshot_436.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>I don’t need to tell you about her. If you need to ask, you don’t deserve the answer.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2023/05/ray-stevenson-1964-2023-man-of-action.html" target="_blank">Ray Stevenson</a></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajUcCR7ykd1TqggkOD1AIdG8x9SrZWa03uq0w6yRb9tmR6v5keYPPtzaAg7xRWz3Z7r5djhUPJ_Fs4mmAxPxX0txI73z6fElZCvk5-WPjMm10pSLjPtF2rsPfmh0c3IpQU9YZ9XzExjodzE1bVpNPYNLZnMoelrqbzOGC9sH1-1o6dlelnCp7S_aBlIAY/s6000/stevenson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiajUcCR7ykd1TqggkOD1AIdG8x9SrZWa03uq0w6yRb9tmR6v5keYPPtzaAg7xRWz3Z7r5djhUPJ_Fs4mmAxPxX0txI73z6fElZCvk5-WPjMm10pSLjPtF2rsPfmh0c3IpQU9YZ9XzExjodzE1bVpNPYNLZnMoelrqbzOGC9sH1-1o6dlelnCp7S_aBlIAY/w640-h426/stevenson.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>WTF? Just WTF? This one came out of nowhere. He was such an important character in The Accident Man movies and now, if there ever is an Accident Man 3, Stevenson is not there anymore. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Iron Sheik</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4qZ306M728aPpxUDMZVA4Gr6iasU42OF_owGi0r6u883RLY94VPALhE-2f0Dht40i9iKgs74h9Kt6Db_IcAUBYvN2QiyMjrJySzN1KJZcq4Y5eoJV_hAqGpd1IbsX8thJK7hYB8n8Cc0RhGgK0o3nLH3k5lKt-JH4xZbiNYUqzxSgJ3MFRaAWCeS2qfN/s480/sheik.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc4qZ306M728aPpxUDMZVA4Gr6iasU42OF_owGi0r6u883RLY94VPALhE-2f0Dht40i9iKgs74h9Kt6Db_IcAUBYvN2QiyMjrJySzN1KJZcq4Y5eoJV_hAqGpd1IbsX8thJK7hYB8n8Cc0RhGgK0o3nLH3k5lKt-JH4xZbiNYUqzxSgJ3MFRaAWCeS2qfN/w640-h480/sheik.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Iran number one. Russia number one. USA. Hak ptuaaaaaah. If you don’t know what this is you are not a wrestling fan. It is one of the most hilarious things ever to be seen and heard. Iron Sheik is the bad guy who made Hulk Hogan famous. Never did I expect his words would ring true today. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Bushwhacker Butch</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UX9oH9ywgHGEgNVFmkTDI00cJ6AQu_uB_6kcbAk8VYYQS0x_WqCj9GLFhfJp-pFPwbpTnlzJpuahDqinXg6IvHXDqX39qOfDIsXVx3Hi-OExKbM2M7vEiirpzJ7I1D63eW0uR85ttSaLNE556_7a-C6raTtun082p5CY9mZ-0rHGl5gvlG4lt6koXZDE/s1600/butch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5UX9oH9ywgHGEgNVFmkTDI00cJ6AQu_uB_6kcbAk8VYYQS0x_WqCj9GLFhfJp-pFPwbpTnlzJpuahDqinXg6IvHXDqX39qOfDIsXVx3Hi-OExKbM2M7vEiirpzJ7I1D63eW0uR85ttSaLNE556_7a-C6raTtun082p5CY9mZ-0rHGl5gvlG4lt6koXZDE/w640-h360/butch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the bloodiest wrestlers ever, but when he and his tag team</div><div>partner came to the WWE, WWE made them to be child friendly characters</div><div>called the Bushwhackers. They were lovable, they were crazy and they just put a smile on your face, including mine.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Superstar Billy Graham</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCMBR_ODq8dnht24XNjMq4ORlXExrwrXlX7qMoLKRUG5YMePxVhK1prsPjUYiJDOkz-NVCfP3oNhEH3CWMrHK5UHBpt3OlVTVnCQs6xzRc7lXIOLlROt8LPzi7eqED3ymR-p676RBxCq02RON4AA769fWsha_x1CMOYhjOxcJeOMDJoNMr6vyjeZuYxJR/s838/superstar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="486" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCMBR_ODq8dnht24XNjMq4ORlXExrwrXlX7qMoLKRUG5YMePxVhK1prsPjUYiJDOkz-NVCfP3oNhEH3CWMrHK5UHBpt3OlVTVnCQs6xzRc7lXIOLlROt8LPzi7eqED3ymR-p676RBxCq02RON4AA769fWsha_x1CMOYhjOxcJeOMDJoNMr6vyjeZuYxJR/w372-h640/superstar.jpg" width="372" /></a></div><div>Where do I need to start? This guy is such a legendary wrestler that a lot of wrestlers copied him. Not only that, it seems even Japanese game makers were inspired by him and added him as a nameless character in a game. Without Superstar Billy Graham there would not have been a Jesse Ventura or a Hulk Hogan and without Superstar Billy Graham there would not have been a WWF/WWE. He was that important.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Ryuichi Sakamoto</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhzzj41YxmKjx05ZTehVTdWc8ZzeUnzBAnNyck4K4JSYVXiE5FHjVNS2QTqWG14SPYgvKXL7dWGh16qKm-HBFiA9iY_7-T_746JaVtn353DtZmQMzjLsqGDWAyMiF7J7r0LHCNsuhwswGNYQPD3N4qILeGy35jV_GitOfSzGcioVGlTU4pmAn99RtBQU-/s1200/sakamoto.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhzzj41YxmKjx05ZTehVTdWc8ZzeUnzBAnNyck4K4JSYVXiE5FHjVNS2QTqWG14SPYgvKXL7dWGh16qKm-HBFiA9iY_7-T_746JaVtn353DtZmQMzjLsqGDWAyMiF7J7r0LHCNsuhwswGNYQPD3N4qILeGy35jV_GitOfSzGcioVGlTU4pmAn99RtBQU-/w640-h640/sakamoto.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Good musical artist. One of his works even got added as a soundtrack in the legendary game International Karate. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oliver Frey Zzap64 covers</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3fMgKXfI3UcYt4Do6OBhCYyfFjJLpT5ITo0gX4C6rsoICuBGIHQ9zVRP9s5FAXyp6nT7SU1g-MWyxIPcIOSZZMW6vG4q4q0aLJz0UZ8TZg2ltwSnHoPKdlt6CeChKTuPOSFgeZOsscd69N37kC7NHKX52EQbG-BwxIvpe2Ibg7ViEsI7nFDbiWu9zclG/s645/frey.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="645" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3fMgKXfI3UcYt4Do6OBhCYyfFjJLpT5ITo0gX4C6rsoICuBGIHQ9zVRP9s5FAXyp6nT7SU1g-MWyxIPcIOSZZMW6vG4q4q0aLJz0UZ8TZg2ltwSnHoPKdlt6CeChKTuPOSFgeZOsscd69N37kC7NHKX52EQbG-BwxIvpe2Ibg7ViEsI7nFDbiWu9zclG/w640-h502/frey.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If you live in the States you will probably never have heard of ZZap64. ZZap64 was a cult</div><div>magazine focusing on the Commodore 64 games computer. Why was it so cult?</div><div>First of all, the Commodore 64 was a gaming computer that had an immense catalogue </div><div>of games. A lot of creative was put into the games, which is why anyone who lived the Commodore</div><div>64 will forever have great memories of it. Second of all, the Zzap reviewers were absolutely</div><div>funny motherfuckers either praising or lambasting games. Add to that the people could write letters</div><div>to them and funnier shit even ensued when readers and reviewers took the piss out of each other.</div><div>The Zzap magazines were also not cheap, so I had choices to make. Thankfully, one of my buddies</div><div>was a rich brat so he bought them monthly and loaned the to me. Those magazines are legendary.</div><div>And now this brings me to Oliver Frey. As far as I know he did all the covers of Zzap64 and they were so amazing. It is a shame a book with his art never got published. To me he is one of the most inspiring and best artists I ever saw and his ZZap64 covers became legendary.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some covers:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvqHgeFeQ7oXyoOaAC8Nmr-z-OvpGg9tLeNQLERws1jBRnUb5wPpwJ_5Hugv2Y7AbuhfkuOHs4ufNEOcbPdgPKv-jzzcdgD3oBvqDd6n5UdQqm1ryImLt7QNhGVp3bMDgxneawlie3agzxjy1DjKoFrHYoAmjE7ocWs7PdJ47fjgd_w0IWK_cX0_h-rVm/s1067/zzap%20cover%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvqHgeFeQ7oXyoOaAC8Nmr-z-OvpGg9tLeNQLERws1jBRnUb5wPpwJ_5Hugv2Y7AbuhfkuOHs4ufNEOcbPdgPKv-jzzcdgD3oBvqDd6n5UdQqm1ryImLt7QNhGVp3bMDgxneawlie3agzxjy1DjKoFrHYoAmjE7ocWs7PdJ47fjgd_w0IWK_cX0_h-rVm/w442-h640/zzap%20cover%201.jpg" width="442" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8_sekdJSK8vP8v16caC5sH6v8rMcJ994Olx_CKLcxrZLMfWwYk6zVmLHGsoQb_BBU7UojH7gRGf8olc_F1dY6UBZFgTh3nD6P6LOtNIzoTCFSM4tZAGjhSIse3t1bnQJtgoXY7M8na0PvBznZacsivzXyLNCPVH2jISYL4NWdOhak6LMu6a9b1or55zF/s942/zzap%20cover%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="663" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ8_sekdJSK8vP8v16caC5sH6v8rMcJ994Olx_CKLcxrZLMfWwYk6zVmLHGsoQb_BBU7UojH7gRGf8olc_F1dY6UBZFgTh3nD6P6LOtNIzoTCFSM4tZAGjhSIse3t1bnQJtgoXY7M8na0PvBznZacsivzXyLNCPVH2jISYL4NWdOhak6LMu6a9b1or55zF/w450-h640/zzap%20cover%202.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WHH3vBmqV0iJq1yumfEeGlNojkEYpTzLIbbd2kr0YicWZBKeIa4muCivyIevxVVPKI6YcjBCHsEEC6z5NP_Q0_uLmBOlDmziWc1ppMIEnuqwTis5E9qI5ue7oOaEThnI2sDptTdmMf1T3GbuaFuiR4s2q_oGgA-3dUfrF2LVUD2IbnJF0jq_1quMN51q/s942/zzap%20cover%203.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="664" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WHH3vBmqV0iJq1yumfEeGlNojkEYpTzLIbbd2kr0YicWZBKeIa4muCivyIevxVVPKI6YcjBCHsEEC6z5NP_Q0_uLmBOlDmziWc1ppMIEnuqwTis5E9qI5ue7oOaEThnI2sDptTdmMf1T3GbuaFuiR4s2q_oGgA-3dUfrF2LVUD2IbnJF0jq_1quMN51q/w452-h640/zzap%20cover%203.webp" width="452" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Roger Kean Zzap64 founder</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uNeSwgv81pnkS6LwKlKDfmX58gcfamlYOnahzK6BYRVjjVZMw4DD7SMkm8DJKEHzzycAHAESlqQdJRatvoc6u1Ysi-AOCOBSLMC1eXjey-iUPupVCn2JuyUVvPA-MLsK9h22q7TIp7aeeNWBuSZdfpJSKqa6tQN9o_eNGxpspEaqw2qdACwn7R1bfwtU/s1280/kean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uNeSwgv81pnkS6LwKlKDfmX58gcfamlYOnahzK6BYRVjjVZMw4DD7SMkm8DJKEHzzycAHAESlqQdJRatvoc6u1Ysi-AOCOBSLMC1eXjey-iUPupVCn2JuyUVvPA-MLsK9h22q7TIp7aeeNWBuSZdfpJSKqa6tQN9o_eNGxpspEaqw2qdACwn7R1bfwtU/w640-h360/kean.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When you have an idea and it turns out so great, you are a legend in my eyes.If this guy didn’t have the idea Zzap64 would have never come the cult magazine it was.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Archer Maclean IK+ creator</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-shwQr-70DaNGCQRKX5jNQTLkz4LITfe8KMr4-vEFGbmZYAaqqmX_m5n1illaghxDecShvEXhp113y3ymnEARt5CqLyzgB7nUBj50iBuAopE7W23ANay1gjBE1shStGZSfMZvh4UGcikSCNg-xXsUAZsbkprN-sr67PGFS6bWymccy66nUkzaRGFFttwz/s780/archer.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="780" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-shwQr-70DaNGCQRKX5jNQTLkz4LITfe8KMr4-vEFGbmZYAaqqmX_m5n1illaghxDecShvEXhp113y3ymnEARt5CqLyzgB7nUBj50iBuAopE7W23ANay1gjBE1shStGZSfMZvh4UGcikSCNg-xXsUAZsbkprN-sr67PGFS6bWymccy66nUkzaRGFFttwz/w640-h480/archer.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>If you don’t know what IK+ is you suck. IK+, aka as International Karate + was a legendary</div><div>fighting game and sequel to the legendary game International Karate. Both made by Archer McLean. The fun thing about IK+ was, is that 3 persons were involved. 2 were human players and 1 was a computer player. The goal was to knock the stuffings out of each other using karate rules. This was so much fun especially when you got to the harder levels and the computer levelled up as a tough motherfucker. Archer Maclean programmed that madness and that is what he left to this world. I am sure he did more good things, but the International Karate games are his magnum opus.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zRFZS9wzt7s" width="537" youtube-src-id="zRFZS9wzt7s"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2023/06/thank-you-john.html" target="_blank">John Romita</a></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsi8bswgUwdzo2reF7wugWYyJyZMTzbcL0eK_QFj2uF_Dr8-5cP19DPamUGFsf-G_xfED11BYsqqEgMEEE91ajoRKYUMajsytkgjfGA4XqAiZSUTTSgTACQN6JcBJe3FwYGIyiFNdK-xwJjpUPElqjoS2UkFOoxccfCI0oxGF8CfATvf-4n1LFOVab8A/s640/Snapshot_447.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsi8bswgUwdzo2reF7wugWYyJyZMTzbcL0eK_QFj2uF_Dr8-5cP19DPamUGFsf-G_xfED11BYsqqEgMEEE91ajoRKYUMajsytkgjfGA4XqAiZSUTTSgTACQN6JcBJe3FwYGIyiFNdK-xwJjpUPElqjoS2UkFOoxccfCI0oxGF8CfATvf-4n1LFOVab8A/w640-h360/Snapshot_447.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>The ultimate Spiderman artist to me. What else can I say?</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Terry Funk</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4nbQ_15eodF8qVUiTWT7YZ2ikZ6QNoo_FzTeQlBjYtb1_WSL7b_NmTb-c5fh-nSL_4oM8cPx7esHUt7dHgLyJy_ku3WF5iFf-e_jZrIOf8FJWB2qoBH8lTT1nLY-OfAJvFR7xIn67cLOLz3vzFF5lJl1aHY3-GDKkk-d2F_NJV2x4qs4PjzeQtKyEBbr/s828/terry%20funk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="828" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4nbQ_15eodF8qVUiTWT7YZ2ikZ6QNoo_FzTeQlBjYtb1_WSL7b_NmTb-c5fh-nSL_4oM8cPx7esHUt7dHgLyJy_ku3WF5iFf-e_jZrIOf8FJWB2qoBH8lTT1nLY-OfAJvFR7xIn67cLOLz3vzFF5lJl1aHY3-GDKkk-d2F_NJV2x4qs4PjzeQtKyEBbr/w640-h426/terry%20funk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Legendary wrestler who even had a few roles in a few Stallone movies.</div><div>He had a long-spanning pro wrestling career, but he put ECW on the map and he didn’t need to. I think there is not a wrestling fan who hated Terry Funk the person. Terry Funk, the wrestler, is a different story and that is why he was so great.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Killer Khan</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjSj8ThZcPLHSfg9-CzDmhEdjETYvTcwkT4H3w5GyZi4WahtbaQ4DwUYkAV5KQ-HSCHs-xAkh6DPGcRkWCI-8siXLKse-RsZtZsv5lY5CLUukG33dyPGNLnk_oYnha2ytQygxNQwksieo61D5cAW5s37R6eyr2wJeCI6rmNnmQcOchfF3mfNqQsFNEe8P/s1280/khan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjSj8ThZcPLHSfg9-CzDmhEdjETYvTcwkT4H3w5GyZi4WahtbaQ4DwUYkAV5KQ-HSCHs-xAkh6DPGcRkWCI-8siXLKse-RsZtZsv5lY5CLUukG33dyPGNLnk_oYnha2ytQygxNQwksieo61D5cAW5s37R6eyr2wJeCI6rmNnmQcOchfF3mfNqQsFNEe8P/w640-h360/khan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Back when I thought pro wrestling was really WWF villain Killer Khan scared the shit out of me as a kid. He was mean, he was tough and he spat green mist into people’s eyes. Then he disappeared from the WWF never to be heard from again. He played his role as bad guy to the t.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2023/10/keith-giffen-1952-2023.html" target="_blank">Keith Giffen</a></b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvHIi30zt8Ho_qfAmPy5POL1ix23AnL9RiueAfGCuE6-yWlaZ55pY_Tj64wTZfYZu7_LrhnkxNTm257QP23mEsV_TWzTwIMf_HUeyw9j6vQOsoIEtkHnFvGi1rciUqMvoBoa91b49-t9ogC5LDVEsfpPjMTuYPEEF4XHZTcz1PWPV1-rLEfoGPH4BWpgc/s1920/giffen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvHIi30zt8Ho_qfAmPy5POL1ix23AnL9RiueAfGCuE6-yWlaZ55pY_Tj64wTZfYZu7_LrhnkxNTm257QP23mEsV_TWzTwIMf_HUeyw9j6vQOsoIEtkHnFvGi1rciUqMvoBoa91b49-t9ogC5LDVEsfpPjMTuYPEEF4XHZTcz1PWPV1-rLEfoGPH4BWpgc/w640-h360/giffen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The madman behind Lobo and the funny motherfuckers Justice League is no more. One of my favourite writers ever. And to my shock a year before Alan Grant died, so we will never ever see another Grant/Giffen/Bisley team up, which is a shame.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLgluH74ywL9Zs777a7bh_hxW-EnaFQDE1XVCD5KlWe6SbVPzBnhKujt5_b2xK5UvJuU_YcBSoBG4PnpCVNFA41THgUuidR7utfRy3_tTvVTMXKYNTq78cXvCROSxD04Iw1AuvmSBKaiWj4rsr0H4DPBl9a6_lU25Ao2KWheoz-Wg69ER6hHI4evmEfzL/s1000/lobo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="653" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLgluH74ywL9Zs777a7bh_hxW-EnaFQDE1XVCD5KlWe6SbVPzBnhKujt5_b2xK5UvJuU_YcBSoBG4PnpCVNFA41THgUuidR7utfRy3_tTvVTMXKYNTq78cXvCROSxD04Iw1AuvmSBKaiWj4rsr0H4DPBl9a6_lU25Ao2KWheoz-Wg69ER6hHI4evmEfzL/w418-h640/lobo.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">caption Legendary comic</span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabwjv9fRISKF5fwXtFOoPP3agtJtBrdBBDr_7ACYO702b1emEVsaCIeHE21Q8WWq46znXjYT_z5wbf1SW42eIL1hvWkgkelKpNmnZkUU1T4nKxl3lMJHFt5ZQmcKi9D7NmVuqEXliXEmvvaGZiUUbk-j3s7KmzLwGX3k4F4DMJo7oTcu-HCILXerTvzKU/s466/jli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabwjv9fRISKF5fwXtFOoPP3agtJtBrdBBDr_7ACYO702b1emEVsaCIeHE21Q8WWq46znXjYT_z5wbf1SW42eIL1hvWkgkelKpNmnZkUU1T4nKxl3lMJHFt5ZQmcKi9D7NmVuqEXliXEmvvaGZiUUbk-j3s7KmzLwGX3k4F4DMJo7oTcu-HCILXerTvzKU/w412-h640/jli.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">2 characters Giffen brought to life with words</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2023/10/richard-roundtree-1942-2023-rip-legend.html" target="_blank">Richard Roundtree</a></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwY6hscsQcdj02MaKosQZJYhj8J_VtUWpl3N0K_z1rKecVQAo47lHxP8uI6c7-jjQIuctDc2I9XcvK6nlCDba9ZIGsuyujV6TS81JElG2IFKwAfNgRh-9-thd30GvYvS5gRi7IXH6RuNbPTG9nVtUziU3vCDY200HfQ9PkvFk1LLAwOD5RYbyK87I9OpC/s640/rr2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwY6hscsQcdj02MaKosQZJYhj8J_VtUWpl3N0K_z1rKecVQAo47lHxP8uI6c7-jjQIuctDc2I9XcvK6nlCDba9ZIGsuyujV6TS81JElG2IFKwAfNgRh-9-thd30GvYvS5gRi7IXH6RuNbPTG9nVtUziU3vCDY200HfQ9PkvFk1LLAwOD5RYbyK87I9OpC/w640-h360/rr2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Shaft? Need I say more. One of the most charismatic actors ever in Hollywood was none other than Richard Roundtree. The man was cool AF. Other people have written better pieces than I could do. I can only say he was badass and his Shaft trilogy is a great time piece.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I am tired. If you read until here, thank you. it took me, once again, a lot of time to compile this, i.e. writing from January till the beginning of January (no thanks to my internet provider).</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-47313300802555146962024-01-08T05:02:00.000-08:002024-01-08T08:13:41.494-08:00The Most Disappointing Films of 2023!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6siqVpx5mQLIV7Bt8-2x5CBJo_BURyEhnNo29qYMWTjT8LiMX9xytwL7gbK9pYVvgdu90p4XEf24y9LoB4TuCywJQ4Gc7L6WKLDVn4rkXYeI1GVRu4pig2es2mJ27XM_XUjDxSscS8V5uztCe0Om3bpAae7h8wvzL7ePgB4fDUuQtZoDbkrybEtTW8qJ/s750/648b63d651ea980019d68dc5.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="750" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM6siqVpx5mQLIV7Bt8-2x5CBJo_BURyEhnNo29qYMWTjT8LiMX9xytwL7gbK9pYVvgdu90p4XEf24y9LoB4TuCywJQ4Gc7L6WKLDVn4rkXYeI1GVRu4pig2es2mJ27XM_XUjDxSscS8V5uztCe0Om3bpAae7h8wvzL7ePgB4fDUuQtZoDbkrybEtTW8qJ/w640-h338/648b63d651ea980019d68dc5.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><div><br /></div><div>It's still January which means it’s the time of the Year where I rank the most disappointing films, I have seen in 2023. While other sites or what have you, listed theirs, I would be remiss if I didn’t take the traditional dive into films, I either despised or cringed at for being the colossal failures they were. Some of those listed are not necessarily bad films to others perse, but your mileage of course may vary. And with that out of the way, let's get to it!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny</i></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="294" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KS5pu0_IUUs" width="541" youtube-src-id="KS5pu0_IUUs"></iframe></div><i><br /></i></b></div><div>In the worst Indiana Jones sequel since Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Indy is portrayed as a grumpy curmudgeon enthralled in a artifact that was smuggled by his Goddaughter</div><div>And while I admired the Sixties setting, and its subtle nods to events from the decade, there was wasted opportunity when you have cringe inducing dialog wasted supporting characters even a farfetched time traveling scene. Dial of Destiny's only saving grace was the first 10 or so minutes that served as the prologue for this train wreck.</div><div>I expected better from James Mangold.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Rebel Moon</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="305" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wn8SA4dmZTs" width="529" youtube-src-id="Wn8SA4dmZTs"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>What was to be Director Zack Snyder's answer to Star Wars, is instead a squandered project lacking any true effort from the infamous filmmaker.</div><div>The story is bland, the characters are generic if not cookie cutouts, and I had problems with weak dialogue which had me laughing at times. While some of Rebel’s aesthetics were palatable, it lacks thematic effect when compared to the original Star Wars trilogy, and less engaging than even JJ Abrams' films aka "Reylogy" well except Rise of Skywalker. Unless the impending Director's cut can redeem this colossal failure, Rebel Moon beats out Army of the Dead as Snyder's worst movie. I kind of have buyer's remorse for wasting my money and time on Netflix .</div><div><br /></div><div><i><b>Blue Beetle</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="319" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x6IxW4Gioiw" width="547" youtube-src-id="x6IxW4Gioiw"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>DCU's first Latino Superhero movie featuring Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai) unfortunately failed to break the Comic based studio's losing streak brought on by a recent string of flops and Blue Beetle can be added to the "F group" thanks to silly tropes, a misused Jack Kirby concept, dull comedic scenes with the exception of George Lopez, and Susan Sarandon whose portrayal as the main baddie, was very uncharismatic.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>The Flash</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ssUpS39XFjI" width="518" youtube-src-id="ssUpS39XFjI"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>As if controversial Ezra Miller didn't have enough problems, what may be seen as his last appearance in cinema, The Flash, is the final nail in the troubled actor's coffin.</div><div>Despite an entertaining premise, and special CGI cameos and appearances, including Michael Keaton resuming his iconic role as well, you know..The Flash was offset by ridiculous comedic timing and a annoying doppelganger also played by Miller so it's twice the aggravation.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Ant Man Quantumania</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNncS1iBqUw4owRiSqmmN8KqyseoiDzj3vBm50_6Uo_Tz146MZbOpOS51Q_w_YxjGa-R0P7PpjyRBXk8fgwPZJIqgDWK1i2HWInVQ5L2S_qs5IgwYG0ks1-0zbM3lNASdrkyy0WGX0GBGMEGcMi5iYaEdcwz82wrhzgUp4_HJT6Aif9CVdvX7-Z39tzly/s645/ffcf3e5c36012eb6f8e1b997011bb758.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="645" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNncS1iBqUw4owRiSqmmN8KqyseoiDzj3vBm50_6Uo_Tz146MZbOpOS51Q_w_YxjGa-R0P7PpjyRBXk8fgwPZJIqgDWK1i2HWInVQ5L2S_qs5IgwYG0ks1-0zbM3lNASdrkyy0WGX0GBGMEGcMi5iYaEdcwz82wrhzgUp4_HJT6Aif9CVdvX7-Z39tzly/w640-h360/ffcf3e5c36012eb6f8e1b997011bb758.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It seems that the once great Marvel Cinematic Universe has now imploded starting with the Phase Four era and showing no signs of progression.</div><div>Case in point "Ant Man Quantumania" a boring follow-up to the once exciting and whimsical movie starring Paul Rudd, now in the third and hopefully final installment of our pint sized Superhero, who faces a new threat-Kang the Conqueror and while the controversial Johnathan Majors delivered a good performance as Kang, the majority of this sequel was bogged down to ridiculous comedic scenes including the very disappointing appearance of MODOK, who was far less threatening than the classic Jack Kirby and Stan Lee Captain America comics. While the first Ant Man movie had plenty of charm and well-balanced humor and heart, Quantumania was a poorly rushed production with lame CGI and a lamer script. And just when I thought Love and Thunder was among the top 5 worst MCU movies, well it is and Quantumania sits right next to it.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Shazam! Fury of the Gods</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTZmOTE2MGQtMzg5NC00OGUwLTgyYTctMDQ1YTM5YTU3YTdjXkEyXkFqcGdeQWRvb2xpbmhk._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="360" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYTZmOTE2MGQtMzg5NC00OGUwLTgyYTctMDQ1YTM5YTU3YTdjXkEyXkFqcGdeQWRvb2xpbmhk._V1_QL75_UX500_CR0,0,500,281_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>How I loved the first <a href="https://www.popticnerve.com/2019/04/shazam-review-superhero-tale-of-soul.html" target="_blank">SHAZAM</a> movie only to be very disappointed in the follow up sequel, which is Deja Vu regarding WW 84. Zachary Levi reprised his role as the titular Superhero but has his "Marvelous Marvel Family" accompany him for another adventure this time, it's against Helen Mirren as a vengeful ancient goddess whose magic was stolen from them long ago. While the premise sounds entertaining, the overall movie was a dumpster fire whether it’s the storyline, not enough character development compared to the first SHAZAM outing, and a wasted cameo appearance from Wonder Woman herself, Gal Gadot. Now instead of bringing back the "SHAZENGERS" a team up between Shaz and WW, hell, even Isis would’ve been a better option, if there's a solid script.</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>The Marvels</i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="291" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zDWtrSvb3lw" width="571" youtube-src-id="zDWtrSvb3lw"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>And speaking of "Captain Marvel" out of all the disappointments, The Marvels tops the list and is also one of the worst films of 2023. While Dud of Destiny is a close second, the flashback prologue at least counts as a saving grace. Same goes for Quantomania when you have the "former" actor Jonathan Majors delivering a decent performance based on what he had to work with. As for the Marvels, I really can't think of any redeeming qualities for this Nia Da Costa directed Dumpster fire.</div><div><br /></div><div>While Iman Vellani was the standout here despite me not investing time into her Ms. Marvel series, where Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau was underused. And then there were a few things that annoyed me whether it’s the Singing planet scene or worse, the "Memories' needledrops which includes a scene with Flarkens that was a lame in-joke to "Cats." DaCosta needs to try much harder in order to stay relevant. After disappointing entries such as Little Woods, Candyman and now The Marvels, I think Nia should prioritize her craft or just make a career change.</div><div><br /></div><div>So here was my short list of disappointing films from last year. Disagree? Feel free to discuss.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Note: </b>As of this writing I haven't bothered to watch Exorcist: Believer as it would obviously be too easy to trash. Ergo it's a no brainer.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-26196728469178827492024-01-08T04:31:00.000-08:002024-01-08T04:31:17.391-08:00David Ayer Throws in the Towel regarding his Suicide Squad Director's Cut!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SA4CgkXWL_dbkRspApM4ksLqAwKcuFl-aRM1FICj-vE5TCJYclK4tfMjn8-X4cr1S1hf8DdpeGRZynhNrAtELiTyPFHUMQWtMiTbrsjNDWOHZy_pPbdN8JC7Ln4jUsd_FsALB5Wg_HmonGkmMlD06OPCEgEiSfbPZRiFPCfvPI7hhWDHoCjQcGkRur2R/s1920/Suicide%20Squandered%20ayer-1-Thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SA4CgkXWL_dbkRspApM4ksLqAwKcuFl-aRM1FICj-vE5TCJYclK4tfMjn8-X4cr1S1hf8DdpeGRZynhNrAtELiTyPFHUMQWtMiTbrsjNDWOHZy_pPbdN8JC7Ln4jUsd_FsALB5Wg_HmonGkmMlD06OPCEgEiSfbPZRiFPCfvPI7hhWDHoCjQcGkRur2R/w640-h360/Suicide%20Squandered%20ayer-1-Thumbnail.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Filmmaker David Ayer has garnered spotlight and a modicum of praise during the early Aughts from writing screenplays for Training Day, Dark Blue and Fast and the Furious, and from there he directed hidden gems such as Street King's, End of Watch, Sabotage and Fury.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, his career hit a snag after the negative reception from 2016's Suicide Squad which the Director often mentioned how his project was "sabotaged" thanks to studio interference, which forced him to add needledrops along with bad character arcs and other problems. Ayer claims that his original cut was much different than what was shown at the theaters.</div><div><br /></div><div>After Warner Brothers caved in on demands for a finished Justice League cut from Zack Snyder, Ayer had hopes that his version would get its day ergo the social media trend, ‘Release the Ayer Cut’ unfortunately Warner Brothers did not comply with the wishes of Ayer or cinephiles altogether. Especially after Ann Sarnoff, WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group chairwoman, had previously made a firm statement.</div><div>that WB had no intention of developing Ayer’s cut of Suicide Squad.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj127JfkPEpMsi3A2iDgkfK5ySKmltDgABkhSz-2B7ntvxYOddWacb08ZsxB8RCwLq0XNIEHgN2Znp7ib9fkgg5PjAW8RSMrJ-8_NOVti5zlaWgmyFHsDl7cbJmAIGsbkBBly9aAMuleBBX0mTmQPVixyRItnWeC_wR_7xZ92tjhDfv7Ud2jwsl6izoEYp5/s574/ayer%20done%20with%20dc.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="574" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj127JfkPEpMsi3A2iDgkfK5ySKmltDgABkhSz-2B7ntvxYOddWacb08ZsxB8RCwLq0XNIEHgN2Znp7ib9fkgg5PjAW8RSMrJ-8_NOVti5zlaWgmyFHsDl7cbJmAIGsbkBBly9aAMuleBBX0mTmQPVixyRItnWeC_wR_7xZ92tjhDfv7Ud2jwsl6izoEYp5/w640-h638/ayer%20done%20with%20dc.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Ayer had previously posted on X giving in the towel of dashed hopes: “I’m done with DC”. He was then asked if he was still going to push for an ‘Ayer Cut’ release of “Suicide Squad” he said:</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote><i>“Nope. Done and done. Very sad. You’ll be fine after a good cry. I feel healthier. It’s a wound that needs to heal. Nothing about the situation feels good. Studio has no interest in releasing it. It’s time to run and not look back.”</i></blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>It's unfortunate that we may never get to see what Ayer's unrestricted and unbutchered version would have been like but I'll tell you this, it has to be way better than the theatrical release.</div><div><br /></div><div>Suicide Squad should have been grittier and more uncompromising. Kind of like an ensemble team of antiheroes in the vein of an Escape from New York vibe. While James Gunn went on to develop the soft reboot which was more successful than the 2016 adaptation, it somewhat deviated from the John Ostrander source material. That's just my opinion.</div><div><br /></div><div>Ayer's latest project the Beekeeper starring Jason Statham will arrive in theaters this January.</div></div><div><br /></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-50473739132211420022023-12-27T08:43:00.000-08:002023-12-27T08:43:58.582-08:00SEGA, "Don't Call it a Comeback!"<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9lq4ziq8ZTUKlnk9OL8xLUGucSMIXCYNiuolsQ76nNJDqxEvja9BvQtxI4k0_vQNHPc8QwnKW_OZR07iMdsRC2KTZ83IC6nDjIttPbE99URZP2w6sgz_w-DE2h_NtLkRYR5b9criGZ2KuhuUvo7FvE6veDM3oDc3oyFw5FrFRELMgUXYFBsm_dIzKA99/s1920/Snapshot_765.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9lq4ziq8ZTUKlnk9OL8xLUGucSMIXCYNiuolsQ76nNJDqxEvja9BvQtxI4k0_vQNHPc8QwnKW_OZR07iMdsRC2KTZ83IC6nDjIttPbE99URZP2w6sgz_w-DE2h_NtLkRYR5b9criGZ2KuhuUvo7FvE6veDM3oDc3oyFw5FrFRELMgUXYFBsm_dIzKA99/w640-h360/Snapshot_765.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>When the trailer for Sega's upcoming titles premiered during the 2023 Videogame Awards, the crowd went nuts! Whether you're a Gen Xer who was around the glory days of the Sega Genesis Ora retro gamer, you had to be aware of the Japanese developer's iconic intellectual properties from Golden Axe, Shinobi and Streets of Rage which the latter was rebooted on modern consoles not too long ago.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPB_D1qJD_ewyaCVRhqdJVzKdDF272qHh4i0R_cX50NH0zxI3ZDpdeThMU-N1nUzqUMeeSjPlqt8CyERLRnWOMtZKN6xsoq7bCX5cPw2kWBrwM7X1JHeiSg4l4h4cfDKk5PhQKc0Ai5zynq1LSoDarB3K6OqPNgAK2iABwJOQDIHlEphoEe-ZnzbFxFHs/s1920/Snapshot_752.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPB_D1qJD_ewyaCVRhqdJVzKdDF272qHh4i0R_cX50NH0zxI3ZDpdeThMU-N1nUzqUMeeSjPlqt8CyERLRnWOMtZKN6xsoq7bCX5cPw2kWBrwM7X1JHeiSg4l4h4cfDKk5PhQKc0Ai5zynq1LSoDarB3K6OqPNgAK2iABwJOQDIHlEphoEe-ZnzbFxFHs/w640-h360/Snapshot_752.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>So now that there is plenty of enthusiasm with Sega's properties getting the reboot treatment, a few questions come to mind, and the main one is "when?" There was no mention of when these titles will drop, it's development cycle, or how soon but after a lengthy hiatus, I'm glad to see Sega back in the game sorta speak.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszCb6Ri3b3arIek8RXEvfu1S1bfKQANnQq3fM3cBqNFkflMlrl8P_VfkZaRth3QCFoNFftUaaslZ1T4f9ZUOVm2Tno_raejFIEOw17A7fTEmnvpXIjK-n8Cn-9AHw5Bn-d23K7YWXE-5-rVuBPkCZ_a5lGu8WFesmkR73ul1ejn2Fpg2R8uCNCUO0Jf-4/s1920/Snapshot_754.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszCb6Ri3b3arIek8RXEvfu1S1bfKQANnQq3fM3cBqNFkflMlrl8P_VfkZaRth3QCFoNFftUaaslZ1T4f9ZUOVm2Tno_raejFIEOw17A7fTEmnvpXIjK-n8Cn-9AHw5Bn-d23K7YWXE-5-rVuBPkCZ_a5lGu8WFesmkR73ul1ejn2Fpg2R8uCNCUO0Jf-4/w640-h360/Snapshot_754.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>From what I have seen from the trailer, I can't wait to get my hands on the new Shinobi that looks like some Metroidvania game but I'm sure Sega will throw in "Roguelike" mechanics since it's all the rage, whatever.</div><div>Golden Axe in 3D? The last time that happened, Beast Rider was a dumpster fire to some, and a hidden gem to others. So hopefully this remake will live up to this trailer.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmVRJ5wWfJV845lGTqPfMKHQl92_0-E5D3B16yS2mraUui5rLAWpzqAS-K56OhrURxT9qIraSJdLjurfbZQ41k_cqfsZBSPHRw2MZrdaZvS_rlyhD18oyOlX_2kLkZSD4CKnHRkanQHz4Zp_aDyXc6FYYAvuGHfmDAENlrzH-69PRl0I-mYhKNbqV00Qn/s1920/Snapshot_759.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmVRJ5wWfJV845lGTqPfMKHQl92_0-E5D3B16yS2mraUui5rLAWpzqAS-K56OhrURxT9qIraSJdLjurfbZQ41k_cqfsZBSPHRw2MZrdaZvS_rlyhD18oyOlX_2kLkZSD4CKnHRkanQHz4Zp_aDyXc6FYYAvuGHfmDAENlrzH-69PRl0I-mYhKNbqV00Qn/w640-h360/Snapshot_759.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>And making the move from two-dimensional gameplay to 3D, as with Golden Axe, is yet another Streets of Rage reboot! This game shows potential to be something great if not stepping out of its side scrolling beat em up confines.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjuY8UGlNmRRvi5WaNLw33kycUYOrByVD717oY512_ovXG5NfU8QATvmt30rmkZ_ac3mmV0NyjYDRv3GIeaGM0DJaQxGXleqPtJziif2mG4L4VOPRyITWOSIHsm-nmHtHK5s4Oxsisk4TCRR6jXN8A4ntMUmZz3QBBYb-8FoeCUnCRHy3vM2RFCgoIgvs/s1920/Snapshot_758.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjuY8UGlNmRRvi5WaNLw33kycUYOrByVD717oY512_ovXG5NfU8QATvmt30rmkZ_ac3mmV0NyjYDRv3GIeaGM0DJaQxGXleqPtJziif2mG4L4VOPRyITWOSIHsm-nmHtHK5s4Oxsisk4TCRR6jXN8A4ntMUmZz3QBBYb-8FoeCUnCRHy3vM2RFCgoIgvs/w640-h360/Snapshot_758.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div>Now should these titles become successful, there could possibly be wiggle room for more games based on their Intellectual properties.</div><div>Imagine an off the rails Space Harrier shooter , Afterburner in the vein of Ace Combat, Outrigger with Gears of War style gameplay, Eternal Champions as an Mortal Kombat contender, Chakan the Forever Man mirroring Bloodborne’s aesthetics, or how’s about E Swat now that Robocop Rogue City is a hit.</div><div><br /></div><div>The possibilities are endless and since it's less likely that Sega will come out with another console, their legacy can still go on through their vast library of games aside from Sonic of course.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="317" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bU39hQCnU6U" width="554" youtube-src-id="bU39hQCnU6U"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-43640552931837934312023-12-26T14:12:00.000-08:002023-12-26T14:12:22.440-08:00Exploring Unconventional Christmas Movies that Redefine Holiday Cinema<iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/uc0X5yf4Z4o?si=vyhvZGNBR_t0gtXI" width="480"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><div>While your traditional Christmas themed movies come to mind, its the Non-traditional Films that are gaining more recognition in today's world.</div><div>In this Video Essay, we'll explore the correlation between unconventional Christmas films and the holiday itself.</div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-52674953711381462772023-12-25T11:40:00.000-08:002023-12-25T11:40:09.697-08:00Die Hard: The Ultimate "Christmas" Movie!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvByxDl9_c_dRd9Yodfls5oYVRBWAG5C2PFcB3qdPqjWNLeKaQrOP1HYtvpsFvYJWJPzpt21ijNO4w6rCxTr7TcecYtIJv8no85u0T_uH_aHUlwvTcmUbR7wv_YrJysiKTH11qn70zxlYyhvYi_z0jaKvEjrSPt4qJlTwl9Ow6T6cECtVneVl3RUpuu7vt/s1920/diehard%20gif-1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvByxDl9_c_dRd9Yodfls5oYVRBWAG5C2PFcB3qdPqjWNLeKaQrOP1HYtvpsFvYJWJPzpt21ijNO4w6rCxTr7TcecYtIJv8no85u0T_uH_aHUlwvTcmUbR7wv_YrJysiKTH11qn70zxlYyhvYi_z0jaKvEjrSPt4qJlTwl9Ow6T6cECtVneVl3RUpuu7vt/w640-h360/diehard%20gif-1.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div><div>With Christmas approaching and news that 1988's action movie Die Hard is now being reshowed in theaters, it's time for a revisit, after 7 years since I last watched this debated " Christmas" classic .</div><div>The plot isn't as straightforward as most would perceive, sure you have terrorists holding office partygoer’s hostage in a high rise building during Christmas eve, but it somewhat stops there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSFCQovsyPJN9QBBfDbThMXiqBNL2_Zqa7PyWzon9nIdeOxGwXq08IWsB2wKb82qOOBmjtahIQonybYK1KT0RBWw5Zwd7nH6gNurFipEy6BmBBx3TB4tmBLmf-M_ngreOUrj1ss1Bhs3Lk_X6c9w-TMlLZtxP5s_2uztJJpKpMQd8iufu1tPtXujQpJNt/s4028/MV5BYjU2YTlhYzUtM2FkMC00ZTc3LWE3MGItZWUxZDM4NDg0YzY3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDc2NTEzMw@@._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2692" data-original-width="4028" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSFCQovsyPJN9QBBfDbThMXiqBNL2_Zqa7PyWzon9nIdeOxGwXq08IWsB2wKb82qOOBmjtahIQonybYK1KT0RBWw5Zwd7nH6gNurFipEy6BmBBx3TB4tmBLmf-M_ngreOUrj1ss1Bhs3Lk_X6c9w-TMlLZtxP5s_2uztJJpKpMQd8iufu1tPtXujQpJNt/w640-h428/MV5BYjU2YTlhYzUtM2FkMC00ZTc3LWE3MGItZWUxZDM4NDg0YzY3XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDc2NTEzMw@@._V1_.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>When our protagonist and unlikely hero NYPD Detective John McClaine played by a younger Bruce Willis, arrives in Los Angeles to reconcile with his estranged wife Holly since she's been "moving on up" the corporate ladder, the Holiday Party at the Nakatomi Plaza gets crashed by uninvited guests and it's all up to McClaine to "save the day."</div><div>What made Die Hard such an instant success was that it avoided the tough macho archetype as witnessed in Stallone's Rambo films, instead we have McClaine as your everyman with no special forces background, using what wit, skills and smart-ass quips he uses in order to survive this high rise nightmare.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsWh-6dI2Gp4-BpDfS_zfQ66rvsqk6NTu5E-VTPFTV_XFbdHa3Lf7UuT_j4Y0VkXKNICdqtHrc2HtBSx21_ZmdcZfRWYR_Zn_pvCpqo7kfwcvprT2wT_s2lhVW3UKo9eQ8LLU69RYN9zOrhS3gP_iLFbom9S8RNKAZHeGlSpJRZilUjq8Pu1mYEdQ3BZz/s540/tumblr_186d4fed5ddc33f14a25e8022dd1aa6a_07694b54_540.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="540" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBsWh-6dI2Gp4-BpDfS_zfQ66rvsqk6NTu5E-VTPFTV_XFbdHa3Lf7UuT_j4Y0VkXKNICdqtHrc2HtBSx21_ZmdcZfRWYR_Zn_pvCpqo7kfwcvprT2wT_s2lhVW3UKo9eQ8LLU69RYN9zOrhS3gP_iLFbom9S8RNKAZHeGlSpJRZilUjq8Pu1mYEdQ3BZz/w640-h474/tumblr_186d4fed5ddc33f14a25e8022dd1aa6a_07694b54_540.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Die Hard was the gamechanger that took the motion picture industry by storm. with spectacular action sequences, tense moments, a plot twist, Willis' banter especially during the exchange between McClaine and Gruber and a niche plot device inspiring dozens of films when adapting the hostage action formula whether its Speed, Under Siege, Air Force One, Passenger 57 and so forth.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGdZhHlkwIwdrAmHzzuvaBvh_96_DKHoJ2Z5m72R98onj4jdi9GTu3z_nXfobPecQw-f9PyNwuKhAoE3M1s2SZAK1sMlyhmSi1I7crs_bvvjQdQav4YKfkgRx37sAtIymCP3PpsGoEKkKtsrhNlA7H9SXnqsZSou9j_tjPSWINZBeAjvE4mS6porCKJR1/s1400/1_Tz8tMfBdeaNNpPQ38lGd6A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1400" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmGdZhHlkwIwdrAmHzzuvaBvh_96_DKHoJ2Z5m72R98onj4jdi9GTu3z_nXfobPecQw-f9PyNwuKhAoE3M1s2SZAK1sMlyhmSi1I7crs_bvvjQdQav4YKfkgRx37sAtIymCP3PpsGoEKkKtsrhNlA7H9SXnqsZSou9j_tjPSWINZBeAjvE4mS6porCKJR1/w640-h340/1_Tz8tMfBdeaNNpPQ38lGd6A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div>Alan Rickman without a doubt delivers a breakout performance as one of the best villains in Cinematic history. Gruber, a charismatic criminal mastermind is cunning as he is ruthless where the game of Cat and mouse is played as Hans sees John as a major "fly in the ointment, a pain in the ass."</div><div>Reginald Johnson as Sgt Al Powell is McClaine's sympathetic ear where the two form a friendship via walkie-talkie. Powell has a backstory that explains why he resists having the urge to fire a gun, which pays off in the very end.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.hobbydb.com/processed_uploads/subject_photo/subject_photo/image/34050/1512090981-2252-5055/Al_20Powell_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://images.hobbydb.com/processed_uploads/subject_photo/subject_photo/image/34050/1512090981-2252-5055/Al_20Powell_large.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>There are scenes from the movie that demonstrate that Gruber's terrorists are not the only jerks in this movie, when you have an incompetent LAPD Deputy Chief Dwayne T. Robinson who is Gung ho as well as trigger happy FBI agents, Johnson and Johnson (And like the namesake baby powder, both are toxic!) An opportunist employee Crisis actor, Ellis followed by Richard Thornburg, is an opportunistic News reporter played by William Atherton who endangers Holly's chances of survival just to make headlines.</div><div>While Die Hard is now codified as one of the best Christmas based films alongside Gremlins and Home Alone, it's also part "Survival Horror " when you have McClaine utilizing resource management and tactics to outwit his pursuers while trying to prevent the hostages and especially Holly from being casualties as Gruber plans to kill them all by detonating the C4 explosives as a means to cover up his escape.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPwiSiahYaD3NaDAmog4MsSjUq9gOOHfOKX0FE5oOt0rc-FjOw3dls3qEcLxbL4IvjCX4H91o-s1EZJFVlKpc4KvxndK_uV9-6bcBpC48yNrcbdhS9ZJOQ1MbiEBpkhIZhmXDjlaStCyvKgi0CV_L9Ot9UFuzbq9V0C60Q9GyDh0bCSqwzZAkMufDjVmZ/s2000/die-hard-christmas.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMPwiSiahYaD3NaDAmog4MsSjUq9gOOHfOKX0FE5oOt0rc-FjOw3dls3qEcLxbL4IvjCX4H91o-s1EZJFVlKpc4KvxndK_uV9-6bcBpC48yNrcbdhS9ZJOQ1MbiEBpkhIZhmXDjlaStCyvKgi0CV_L9Ot9UFuzbq9V0C60Q9GyDh0bCSqwzZAkMufDjVmZ/w640-h320/die-hard-christmas.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div>While Lethal Weapon, another action movie with a Christmas setting came out a year earlier, Die Hard was the film which set the precedent for your unconventional Christmas Movies with Lethal Weapon, Batman Returns, Iron Man 3, and The Long Kiss Goodnight following suit. 35 years in, and this movie is still a fun ride start to finish!</div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-44985645359901748182023-12-23T15:00:00.000-08:002023-12-24T00:52:59.889-08:00Rebel Moon (Review) A Caravan of Cringe!<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/rebel-moon-everything-we-know-1.png?width=1200&height=1200&fit=bounds&quality=70&format=jpg&auto=webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="800" height="340" src="https://assetsio.reedpopcdn.com/rebel-moon-everything-we-know-1.png?width=1200&height=1200&fit=bounds&quality=70&format=jpg&auto=webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Minor Spoilers</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><div>It seems after visionary filmmaker George Lucas created his Magnum Space Opera Opus Star Wars, nearly every director wanted to make their very own sci fi epic be it James Cameron's Avatar, or the Wachowski's Matrix franchise. So now it's Director Zack Snyder's turn with his very own franchise builder Rebel Moon.But instead of coming up with something more original, Snyder takes it upon himself to borrow directly from the source, as in the “force” as in Star Wars?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/6582ec437b44a9e768931c25/rebel3/960x0.png?format=png&width=960" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/6582ec437b44a9e768931c25/rebel3/960x0.png?format=png&width=960" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In this somewhat anticipated Space Epic series, set in an alternate galaxy, our story begins when the Motherworld, a "Galactic Empire" ran by oligarchs sends their conquering army the imperium to plunder the crops on the planet Veldt, Admiral Atticus Noble arrives to "negotiate" with the harvesting villagers in a "you know where this is going" buildup reminiscent to the Inglorious Basterds' opening. But instead of Hans Lander we have the head Space Nazi in charge Atticus dressed up like Erwin Rommel attacking defenseless villagers to the extent of murder and attempted rape that is until our main hero is Kora, no not that Korra, but a former soldier who sought refuge after a brutal past only to defend the villagers. Fed up with the imperium's acts of oppression, Kora (Sofia Boutella) becomes this unifier by assembling various warriors to rebel against the imperialist forces of the Motherworld. But not all in one chapter of course.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.zenfs.com/en/nerdist_761/9669a7ff663ffd4119199bf6686b4281" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="800" height="361" src="https://media.zenfs.com/en/nerdist_761/9669a7ff663ffd4119199bf6686b4281" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Snyder is very unapologetic when it comes to referencing Star Wars, and it shows when both Kora and Gunner enter a "Cantina" with full harassment trope in tow, followed by a Han Solo archetype Kai played by Charlie Hunnam, who has his own Millennium Falcon followed by his Irish brogue that’s cringe inducing as with the film's overall dialog. And at times, what substitutes for dialog is plenty of "screaming" or extended diatribes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.nme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/rebel-moon-1@2000x1270-696x442.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="696" height="406" src="https://www.nme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/rebel-moon-1@2000x1270-696x442.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The similarities between Rebel and Star Wars primarily Rogue One, doesn’t end there, we have a native American like warrior called Tarak who sounds awfully familiar to "Turok" as I'm the Dinosaur Hunter. Tarak doesn't do much throughout the movie except serve as eye candy for the ladies or the LGBTQ crowd while Djimon Hounsou as General Titus is also pushed aside making more room for Kora's uninspiring story arc.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/RBM_20220623_21185_R_CC.jpg?w=1581&h=1054&crop=1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="426" src="https://www.rollingstone.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/RBM_20220623_21185_R_CC.jpg?w=1581&h=1054&crop=1" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Once the action starts 38 minutes in, it doesn't really matter at that point because the first 38 minutes could’ve been focused on better things like "quality storytelling?"</div><div>While there were predictable outcomes in Rebel Moon, some questionable scenes just came out of nowhere, like Gunner being sexually assaulted.</div><div>You'll also find a blink and you "won’t" miss it Star Trek Nemesis shoutout. Now unless I'm mistaken, there was a hidden anecdote during a scene where our protagonist is trying to recruit more warriors such as Darian Bloodaxe, for her fight against Noble's forces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://media.gq-magazine.co.uk/photos/64e5fa64a9fc6233561ec49d/16:9/w_2560%2Cc_limit/Rebel_moon_0002_Layer_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://media.gq-magazine.co.uk/photos/64e5fa64a9fc6233561ec49d/16:9/w_2560%2Cc_limit/Rebel_moon_0002_Layer_3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While I get how Zack is trying cram as much backstory as allotted within this 2 hour and 15-minute movie I can do without the preamble flashbacks.</div><div>The visual effects fit within the confines of this film's budget but it's the Director's signature trademark stylized aesthetics that adds more flair during the action sequences. In some ways, it’s like watching a movie based on the Playstation game Killzone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dexerto.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://editors.dexerto.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/15/rebel-moon-part-1-review.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://www.dexerto.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=3840,quality=75,format=auto/https://editors.dexerto.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/15/rebel-moon-part-1-review.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>In my opinion, Rebel Moon is on the same cringe level as JJ Abrams Rise of Skywalker, you're better off waiting for that Director's cut to see whether there have been significant improvements or better yet, rewatch Rogue One. Y'know, the superior Star Wars film from this decade. It's unfortunate that the same director who gave us great films such as Dawn of the Dead, Watchmen, Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman....OK, the last one is highly debatable, has ended what remains of his illustrious career with this Caravan of Cringe. Rebel Moon is a "Rebel with a pause" as in pressing the pause button for extended laughter at this dumpster fire! That said, my apologies to Rotten Tomatoes for questioning their credibility on this movie only.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-74952639404464607662023-12-23T08:42:00.000-08:002023-12-23T09:04:00.446-08:00Are Scalpers taking the Fun out of Everything?<script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mhZjQWBgimwlAjUl2KG5KixLwk5CVNDQ5Xan3M6rD4_PF8pYjqauZE7sBnTFKAli_93PvFwwV3xl4Q50SUv5z-nHqVoFbjvdeTG5IC0A-0w8DlEtNkgi4eHY4jc9LTlSfq39gHjXID3befVnMZaPdER8u4yAakp6j07JIZyHTFYqF42VEp7n8i-dylDa/s1920/Snapshot_712.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6mhZjQWBgimwlAjUl2KG5KixLwk5CVNDQ5Xan3M6rD4_PF8pYjqauZE7sBnTFKAli_93PvFwwV3xl4Q50SUv5z-nHqVoFbjvdeTG5IC0A-0w8DlEtNkgi4eHY4jc9LTlSfq39gHjXID3befVnMZaPdER8u4yAakp6j07JIZyHTFYqF42VEp7n8i-dylDa/w640-h360/Snapshot_712.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><div>It's Christmas time and you know what that means right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Say, little Mikey wanted a Gaming console or a particular action figure, he's keeping his promise by getting good grades, helping out with the chores and being respectful to his parents and in out of return, you try to award him that Christmas gift he so anticipated, only to find out that it has been sold out due to some grinch of a motherfucker purchasing mass quantities of the item in question.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfcieKpcNsdF7kcvOE6ufe1HhUY4UsPOa_0HpOMI4rpwcYxil_a2TPminOsoYhu_hPPtbARKlPBdR0Ru-nGv4m7gmEDQlU6A-jnW06exBKbErHdXN8Ic9Nj9YX1i3AAAgIsLy0zj6Ho05-WZ_cw67GFnGROgVvQxH0K_-nVFaNZtwf2JKMthXOrjbG4kR/s1536/7dm2e3vylwy51-e1606211019901.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1536" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfcieKpcNsdF7kcvOE6ufe1HhUY4UsPOa_0HpOMI4rpwcYxil_a2TPminOsoYhu_hPPtbARKlPBdR0Ru-nGv4m7gmEDQlU6A-jnW06exBKbErHdXN8Ic9Nj9YX1i3AAAgIsLy0zj6Ho05-WZ_cw67GFnGROgVvQxH0K_-nVFaNZtwf2JKMthXOrjbG4kR/w640-h402/7dm2e3vylwy51-e1606211019901.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Out of desperation, you look on eBay or even Wal-Mart for restock availability only to find that the item is there BUT, marked twice or even thrice the regular price it was going for.</div><div>Well, you're left with only two options, and none are good. Suck it up and pay the seller's asking price or, if you can't afford it due to limited funds, deliver the heartbreaking news to your child who has been good for the longest.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiklCGoq0h-sBHfW1UBpyWTWGLdIvBJJExYGF5iZggsG-xaDdK_f0y6izG39vy61B2eR0a0fhdkjBLSh9SJT3FasQRu_TgjZ1aZFyODW52_7hD2S7_jhv_D849EXeEv6mbHmhMIa4APyTcHJOgDOAVnQBxcaerlRVrOgicQ4Kg0hCjB8-fYfV9X_wt2of/s850/PS5-scalpers1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="850" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiklCGoq0h-sBHfW1UBpyWTWGLdIvBJJExYGF5iZggsG-xaDdK_f0y6izG39vy61B2eR0a0fhdkjBLSh9SJT3FasQRu_TgjZ1aZFyODW52_7hD2S7_jhv_D849EXeEv6mbHmhMIa4APyTcHJOgDOAVnQBxcaerlRVrOgicQ4Kg0hCjB8-fYfV9X_wt2of/w640-h360/PS5-scalpers1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>On the surface, some would say that scalping isn't that big of a deal, but when it comes down to those from the working class lacking a huge amount of funds, while trying to make ends meet, is a big deal!</div><div>Yeah, I get how some are using this method to make a fast turnaround, but when it comes to merchandise that's high in demand and you scarfing all the consoles, graphic cards or those G.I. Joe Classified figures for flipping out of greed, you're a grimy bastard.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97IAR427g5Yhr64lVpjru-PQapBOsMS2aH1NPnkjlAg062Cmn-7OPrjACAl83zEMuQ8DKiuYyQ1YlF25ucD0GhdWd3qXFIQr3pQGsOiceq7PW65gpxG-W_HiNvJlBHHb7jm88QtU8aAmevDBGIKzlWwozwnvgvkfxJDP13Stwz7AT3fEm4FHyBzUg46Hq/s2048/20210222_131922.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1852" data-original-width="2048" height="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi97IAR427g5Yhr64lVpjru-PQapBOsMS2aH1NPnkjlAg062Cmn-7OPrjACAl83zEMuQ8DKiuYyQ1YlF25ucD0GhdWd3qXFIQr3pQGsOiceq7PW65gpxG-W_HiNvJlBHHb7jm88QtU8aAmevDBGIKzlWwozwnvgvkfxJDP13Stwz7AT3fEm4FHyBzUg46Hq/w640-h578/20210222_131922.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Not too long ago during the pandemic, "thanks China " the availability for Playstation 5, Xbox Series X consoles and Graphics cards were faced with heavy scarcity issues where some shady individuals used bots to purchase them as soon as they were restocked from Best Buy and so forth. There was even a case where some Gen Z shit managed to purchase a lot of Playstation 5 consoles that were in huge demand, sold them At a higher price of course, and made well over a million dollars.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSuIQwPXX2pmRvgLT4Mbx5SDkZ-W0JBz4K6qIqEvb4qbJjMo9sNlM4tW5msAXrDGWkNlw7FgNZHQwywyboDCRpLyTpj_39cHuvrW7Is6VG1SuWcg107W6l7-ZxxMd-on3-OH2cSdZCKrXrX8KzAwsWhXsldL_DRDtZpnemDQk00-Y4MEiDkHrW-azubh5/s1500/77778_03_scalpers-selling-unreleased-geforce-rtx-3060-for-750-costs-330_full.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTSuIQwPXX2pmRvgLT4Mbx5SDkZ-W0JBz4K6qIqEvb4qbJjMo9sNlM4tW5msAXrDGWkNlw7FgNZHQwywyboDCRpLyTpj_39cHuvrW7Is6VG1SuWcg107W6l7-ZxxMd-on3-OH2cSdZCKrXrX8KzAwsWhXsldL_DRDtZpnemDQk00-Y4MEiDkHrW-azubh5/w640-h426/77778_03_scalpers-selling-unreleased-geforce-rtx-3060-for-750-costs-330_full.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>This is where some will @ me with "don't hate the player, hate the game." (No pun intended) well, I hate both. While most were stuck indoors due to the Covid lock down, they were searching for some form of escapism from a dangerous contagion. And was devoid of that break in solace. It didn't stop there, scalpers were selling fucking toilet paper, bottled water, and sanitizing wipes for a lot of money. One seller had his huge inventory of toilet paper and wipes confiscated for taking advantage of the pandemic related scarcity while others were stuck with the thousands of dollars products since people weren't that desperate to buy into the scam. As of this writing, in demand items such as the Playstation 5, Series consoles and graphics cards are readily available. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04QW01P7sBK5e7esCuL7Yw3xMmb9HwcukYrFagKAIWSE7rHrS1Nc8u7UZ6NRVqWftdJCf51p92tP_ATz48Xos10UV0Yq_9lmcFnneUjHJ2_ojMBPKjpPO_NCWJxVYeZT3YydFuNCdh_i-6DL6w4BUSRtItIjXX_vvl97II0Ij36Xu1nLCgzCM2LOwpzF-/s2000/F7730_DIO_GIJ_CS_FTSY_PROUST_377_2000x.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1999" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04QW01P7sBK5e7esCuL7Yw3xMmb9HwcukYrFagKAIWSE7rHrS1Nc8u7UZ6NRVqWftdJCf51p92tP_ATz48Xos10UV0Yq_9lmcFnneUjHJ2_ojMBPKjpPO_NCWJxVYeZT3YydFuNCdh_i-6DL6w4BUSRtItIjXX_vvl97II0Ij36Xu1nLCgzCM2LOwpzF-/w640-h640/F7730_DIO_GIJ_CS_FTSY_PROUST_377_2000x.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Some of those Marvel and G.I. Joe figures are somewhat of another story. Try purchasing a "Snake Eyes" classified or certain troop builders and see what comes up. However, there are some resellers who offer their figures at a decent, i.e. affordable price because they are part of the collecting community, and they have my utmost respect, so I encourage any buyer to continue patronizing their business.</div><div>The scalpers market is still a thing and it's not just limited to rare toys and collectables like fucking Funko pops, there's limited edition foodstuffs- from Blackberry Ginger Ale to Kahlua flavored Coffemate!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiE3W5_y9WcdVjUIJ-TIl_OHvLVBjtFGjqTXCeaTyzkNvnVEpuhpGDW7rK_fA-ZIP6bfRTD2hc5EewzQPo5HrTYeDP80RpzbrBm5h-uqSz73jCv9ASSQLzOvDe4AKX0R8WUunvmmAMua0xBdg4bAc34AfQidweBhe4D8ydqvdrAYpmoE07v3Q6Fw0Y9CJ0/s640/kal%202.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiE3W5_y9WcdVjUIJ-TIl_OHvLVBjtFGjqTXCeaTyzkNvnVEpuhpGDW7rK_fA-ZIP6bfRTD2hc5EewzQPo5HrTYeDP80RpzbrBm5h-uqSz73jCv9ASSQLzOvDe4AKX0R8WUunvmmAMua0xBdg4bAc34AfQidweBhe4D8ydqvdrAYpmoE07v3Q6Fw0Y9CJ0/w640-h640/kal%202.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>But do you want to know who's really at fault aside from the customers who can easily avoid paying exorbitant high prices?</div><div>It's retailers like Amazon and Walmart that give third-party resellers the freedom to scalp in exchange for selling fees. Now as far as I can recall, selling concert or sports venue tickets is considered illegal, so what's really the difference between selling a $1000 ticket for a Taylor Swift concert, a Jets vs Bill's game....scratch that, the Jets suck. Or a $1000 RTX 5030 GPU?</div><div><br /></div><div>In the case of the latter, i'd rather wait 3 years and get it much cheaper!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1658958006625696573.post-81273649680530319012023-12-21T06:37:00.000-08:002023-12-23T08:43:22.610-08:00And now, its Kim’s Top 11 films of 2023! <script async="" src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphuo691HVDYA3phHitSbayrxQ37jEWBfOE_LusqfUdfZQNxtxUXsTMV9voCfvdQAdESHZWEVlt1ei4Zdl-yvl6Ke6WA7kTsTEsmaceNOCRQyDtWJm3XeS4xCeCSVEKJYdkcbV7DMOXhsZg-d7hRAW-hAOq47oC_KdTQUvOq2yjb9dNQdV1u5eUApa1DWY/s1920/Snapshot_711.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphuo691HVDYA3phHitSbayrxQ37jEWBfOE_LusqfUdfZQNxtxUXsTMV9voCfvdQAdESHZWEVlt1ei4Zdl-yvl6Ke6WA7kTsTEsmaceNOCRQyDtWJm3XeS4xCeCSVEKJYdkcbV7DMOXhsZg-d7hRAW-hAOq47oC_KdTQUvOq2yjb9dNQdV1u5eUApa1DWY/w640-h360/Snapshot_711.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div><blockquote>It is my honor to reintroduce our special reviewer, good friend and fellow left-hander Kim J. For this segment. For those of you who may be unaware, Kim is a talented artist, writer, a man of conviction. (Kinda like me) He was a frequent collaborator and editor of the Supernaughts ,Talkbacker and even appeared on a few of the Overground Podcasts. He is a fan of obscure (i.e. Underrated) films from the 80’s and up and is an avid collector of physical media. With that out of the way, give it up for Captain Finland himself, Kim!</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Hi, it's me, the Finnish man who is rarely seen anymore and lives buried under a workload soooo thick I wonder if I'll ever see the sun again. But enough about me and my 99 problems. Let's get to 11 things that are definitely not my problems. Our gracious webhost Stalkeye, was kind enough to ask for my input so here goes.</div><div><br /></div><div>As always these are not in any particular order, as I don't believe in picking any one before the other - and there are 11 because I don't go with norms, either:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>OPPENHEIMER </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF0Xw2b3Z2OtAPgNsBBegRXXfZkSstGUc5RhEEXpnTV8g41xkxkmYLoZrKYWVjPwKGQ-0oOMGwurGpyAo1RSrhttZ2Hd_YbbsOZ78K4sjZ_RVSjbWUcoya3CvI2cEfWGgjaCreVGCzRLGqprhThOFDljOIaadhdMZ980RoHlDLfmX_Oe5ThyxahbXEEfE/s1500/first-movie-poster-for-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLF0Xw2b3Z2OtAPgNsBBegRXXfZkSstGUc5RhEEXpnTV8g41xkxkmYLoZrKYWVjPwKGQ-0oOMGwurGpyAo1RSrhttZ2Hd_YbbsOZ78K4sjZ_RVSjbWUcoya3CvI2cEfWGgjaCreVGCzRLGqprhThOFDljOIaadhdMZ980RoHlDLfmX_Oe5ThyxahbXEEfE/w640-h360/first-movie-poster-for-christopher-nolans-oppenheimer.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The fact that a three-hour esoteric study of mankind’s penchant for self-destruction becomes not only Christopher Nolan's biggest-grossing movie but also one of the biggest of the year altogether can mean only two things: there's a little bit of hope for cinema yet, and whoo boy did Warner Bros. screw up big-time for letting their relationship with Nolan go sour with the botched release of Tenet...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9m9SWh7H3lKDfivROfuRLudlIP1ap7adtisxm-M_LmofcFZPeCASJQtyd3lUEkf0jve65CyxgOFJb8hibT1icokAUxq2ikEIirFYV_uEN7siKc6bkfhEzPrgHoG8ydMpzq6OjtDVr2qe5FRY72kT-B7BXIP3_yBJfRdfRJ_FgxbG1m_dUgfIFW1J9PQR/s1000/148c4ac7-aa5c-4635-9db6-87f4bcf1ab48.sized-1000x1000.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="419" data-original-width="1000" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz9m9SWh7H3lKDfivROfuRLudlIP1ap7adtisxm-M_LmofcFZPeCASJQtyd3lUEkf0jve65CyxgOFJb8hibT1icokAUxq2ikEIirFYV_uEN7siKc6bkfhEzPrgHoG8ydMpzq6OjtDVr2qe5FRY72kT-B7BXIP3_yBJfRdfRJ_FgxbG1m_dUgfIFW1J9PQR/w640-h268/148c4ac7-aa5c-4635-9db6-87f4bcf1ab48.sized-1000x1000.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Spider-verse movies from Sony are hands-down the best Spider-Man movies ever made so far. This is f*cking ART, on the grandest of scales. And kudos to the filmmakers for also showing to the other superhero movie-factories how you do the whole Multiverse-thing properly.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>EVIL DEAD RISE</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicelbo0yMouLAF_oyO-dWFh5BnVWZEOQZoyGcmh9PLTwIrVEPn73_WvcS9QmieM8AAMSDvwl_1DknTCDwrxrm1ckfjKSpvXm8db3cvJiQiseVGWQSkz318dpR4qROIkzf7m-Fohg0dy_2pZh1YBE4Gai4QsDiicDkeOfWE-MmU7ao8sBq3kh4xsYt_pxdr/s1049/evil-dead-rise-red-band-trailer-1050x591-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="1049" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicelbo0yMouLAF_oyO-dWFh5BnVWZEOQZoyGcmh9PLTwIrVEPn73_WvcS9QmieM8AAMSDvwl_1DknTCDwrxrm1ckfjKSpvXm8db3cvJiQiseVGWQSkz318dpR4qROIkzf7m-Fohg0dy_2pZh1YBE4Gai4QsDiicDkeOfWE-MmU7ao8sBq3kh4xsYt_pxdr/w640-h360/evil-dead-rise-red-band-trailer-1050x591-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My expectations were low, but holy shit if this didn't turn out to be a gore-filled rollercoaster thrill-ride very much respecting the lore created by Sam Raimi & co. in the preceding decades, from the wild visuals and bloody effects to absolutely brilliant sound-design.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4oOuKUHObJKeRUmfT5bbecQ4CX1hyz-162_knpgtGGouI4KUvbASEZwA3e3vS8io21ur_cabUBnUoqwfWV_skifTBTRA4RPQxRobE2mkSSUZ-lkUTx302PBwhRZkyTpXlgcKctX-Sr3WKkr9-Cw0AqCVZd5sD7L0kuowUKpDt03D-cq59cnHs77Xq-JP/s1920/John-Wick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1920" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4oOuKUHObJKeRUmfT5bbecQ4CX1hyz-162_knpgtGGouI4KUvbASEZwA3e3vS8io21ur_cabUBnUoqwfWV_skifTBTRA4RPQxRobE2mkSSUZ-lkUTx302PBwhRZkyTpXlgcKctX-Sr3WKkr9-Cw0AqCVZd5sD7L0kuowUKpDt03D-cq59cnHs77Xq-JP/w640-h426/John-Wick.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Two words: Donnie. Yen. It's like a "duh!!!" answer to the question: "what could the 'John Wick' universe need to really spice it up?". Donnie Yen is the answer. Not only does he hands-down almost steal this movie, he also gets the best part he has yet had to play in a Hollywood movie. Don't get me wrong; his turn in Rogue One was already a step to the right direction but what he does here is finally what all of us fans of his Hong Kong-work have been wishing for. Oh - and the rest of the movie is pretty f*cking great too.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1tHsXEyCltbVvZlYlmq2aBST73ejxf0go43uRtlMWNHLK47RjCMoSdy_O2g-H98ow2LdDpQ7JQcc5B2y4kapO8kB6j0NHhSCee0idDlJN0i_BelenIwrU2QqV8h5p1boh1pAjbVmHfJQmgiGQXsGMUxsIXLtO3kkpNXOF7dfddHn6VbPbV9HiOdRNHt3/s802/mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-one-pic-64b1bcfec78e7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="802" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1tHsXEyCltbVvZlYlmq2aBST73ejxf0go43uRtlMWNHLK47RjCMoSdy_O2g-H98ow2LdDpQ7JQcc5B2y4kapO8kB6j0NHhSCee0idDlJN0i_BelenIwrU2QqV8h5p1boh1pAjbVmHfJQmgiGQXsGMUxsIXLtO3kkpNXOF7dfddHn6VbPbV9HiOdRNHt3/w640-h362/mission-impossible-dead-reckoning-part-one-pic-64b1bcfec78e7.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>While John Wick 4 was more of a more close-and-personal type of action, Dead Reckoning was the best action spectacle of the year. The train sequence in the end alone goes to my list of the most nail-biting sequences of the year.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>THE KILLER </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOCShTFrMa6S917AHvZNkSRWFvVdhlvhCV-2RkybW8ZxPjj9vcK4uYgSvTLDJmW5Npoe67FW2QrEbhQVx7EtSzJBfcWsRXZiz4rAu0LOPQf2ItNCo0EgRC8ajTEslKP4R4H4kYItYWfEbfDsePm4oS2dHCbeKcJ00_mD4uoX5zw3jzIozxgfC2PlDEucI/s709/960x0.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="709" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTOCShTFrMa6S917AHvZNkSRWFvVdhlvhCV-2RkybW8ZxPjj9vcK4uYgSvTLDJmW5Npoe67FW2QrEbhQVx7EtSzJBfcWsRXZiz4rAu0LOPQf2ItNCo0EgRC8ajTEslKP4R4H4kYItYWfEbfDsePm4oS2dHCbeKcJ00_mD4uoX5zw3jzIozxgfC2PlDEucI/w640-h310/960x0.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Now - this is David Fincher going back to his roots. Right to the Fight Club-era Fincher, where he keeps dismantling genres but with a more satirical and charcoal-black sense of humor instead of the pure nihilism of Se7en. I can almost hear Fincher pitching this to Netflix, going "Okay, I'm gonna do John Wick - but it's gonna be <i>my</i> version of John Wick.. ". And I feel that like with Fight Club, a lot of viewers might misunderstand this movie because it's funny as shit if you have the proper mindset </div><div><br /></div><div><b>NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTe87hFGiDLKTWDSvemEwMZwzK1Hu_qy0i7RyHXgYRKzME4A75oBAJVe6zh5Kz5vp826SKLlt_xUD3OAng5JOB8g6DzKYcCz5KMS6syprgqYFqrSi0ODgrajdRn2ScrdhEtA11gQ6m0TAQO17KQ3X7EIhyphenhyphenv7GV97FZpckVrM_TT-GN9mfBx7ELFoFrz3-/s1000/No-One-Will-Save-You.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTe87hFGiDLKTWDSvemEwMZwzK1Hu_qy0i7RyHXgYRKzME4A75oBAJVe6zh5Kz5vp826SKLlt_xUD3OAng5JOB8g6DzKYcCz5KMS6syprgqYFqrSi0ODgrajdRn2ScrdhEtA11gQ6m0TAQO17KQ3X7EIhyphenhyphenv7GV97FZpckVrM_TT-GN9mfBx7ELFoFrz3-/w640-h360/No-One-Will-Save-You.webp" width="640" /></a></div><div>An alien invasion-movie where the heroine only speaks like five words during the entire runtime? Oh hell yes - that's right in my wheelhouse (speaking of the same wheelhouse, I know John Woo's Silent Night is out there but it's definitely not out HERE, so I'll probably only see it next year. It would most likely be on this list otherwise).</div><div><br /></div><div><b>FALLEN LEAVES</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa6A4wAnVABCAKEKCdSBnCCGLUowwyWfJZL4G0rqcYt32U08_C2mkIe_5fpSek6aO5hwIVdYb0_1nOFHnhhIXfm9J2dOnoZ5ccC0sN05pQlczMbiCTDNGz8AOp5GVxZXfRWKbgrCpb2CuIMFGPAS8sj8slUwS-GCGddBGCY9bxAcH__o1UEQvzKQJmISi/s2048/17fallen-leaves-print-fhwm-superJumbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1367" data-original-width="2048" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa6A4wAnVABCAKEKCdSBnCCGLUowwyWfJZL4G0rqcYt32U08_C2mkIe_5fpSek6aO5hwIVdYb0_1nOFHnhhIXfm9J2dOnoZ5ccC0sN05pQlczMbiCTDNGz8AOp5GVxZXfRWKbgrCpb2CuIMFGPAS8sj8slUwS-GCGddBGCY9bxAcH__o1UEQvzKQJmISi/w640-h428/17fallen-leaves-print-fhwm-superJumbo.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Ah, speaking of proper mindsets. This one is a purely Finnish thing. The movies of Aki Kaurismaki go SO deep into the Finnish psyche that I'm always surprised anyone else in the rest of the world gets them. But this one has been collecting awards and audiences, so what the hell do I know?</div><div><br /></div><div><b>ASTEROID CITY</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxb9t3Tr1_f-wmjBsaX9hVUHDRkTuPeNjJmLjgq_v_oMDoR8bzP01a_HHCairoLl0VbJL0a6gHnhPb6FoMi8GwdsBKuJp7gZJbD6JNeshTz-c3dtK5Qf7Z8O-_j78sMEOUHEj2SneDcAdkaP3KQTE2J3WRZwmTOk7YT-M02GvlOzGizYkJ1LX_kQeHmY0F/s349/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="349" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxb9t3Tr1_f-wmjBsaX9hVUHDRkTuPeNjJmLjgq_v_oMDoR8bzP01a_HHCairoLl0VbJL0a6gHnhPb6FoMi8GwdsBKuJp7gZJbD6JNeshTz-c3dtK5Qf7Z8O-_j78sMEOUHEj2SneDcAdkaP3KQTE2J3WRZwmTOk7YT-M02GvlOzGizYkJ1LX_kQeHmY0F/w640-h266/download.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>I'm an Anderson-head. Have been since a friend showed me The Royal Tenenbaums all those years ago and I was like "whoa, whT the hell is THIS...?". And when Wes Anderson made the most Wes Anderson-y film he has made in a while, you goddamn right it was gonna be on this list.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 3</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMixU5Xp3HziqThqAs9HkZI6UYFJm-KPizXCjyJLIbwtsF86HeEu0w-CHY8ftXSKMUrq-5kE5HsgviTQ1R9zpoNA1BBAk7T0BQGQjnEavJ59oJ8n0Zxj0KQwb3RglEmOM0xTQp29SVMVEO7kT4wS4_79zE8WuSfkHwNM4QgrNkNAcz_MFRgAitt1B2v5C9/s1280/zzfmbYvshXz8NJFreUVfhg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMixU5Xp3HziqThqAs9HkZI6UYFJm-KPizXCjyJLIbwtsF86HeEu0w-CHY8ftXSKMUrq-5kE5HsgviTQ1R9zpoNA1BBAk7T0BQGQjnEavJ59oJ8n0Zxj0KQwb3RglEmOM0xTQp29SVMVEO7kT4wS4_79zE8WuSfkHwNM4QgrNkNAcz_MFRgAitt1B2v5C9/w640-h360/zzfmbYvshXz8NJFreUVfhg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The best thing in the whole of Marvel's Phase five. Or Phase four for that matter, counting all the movies, streaming series and whatever other media there was. James Gunn left the MCU pretty much the same way he entered it: HIS way. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5CwRVWAKE0jXNwqoyAwoyUEVB2JDhLDuLDuonpOR-7pDwsVJ8yiTpXMbBxJVsn52MbZO0Bvr_hDfSdSHrcm17FeIf9HVWHLDBY1ADnzUEfJbM-tJe7nsZBITrj8J-6juoJT72Q_sdadTmC1DYXxNIAt6qpEun9n1zWEJXKjlb1EFi_jCiJAMip1oLDG0/s1875/tryyoo.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1250" data-original-width="1875" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5CwRVWAKE0jXNwqoyAwoyUEVB2JDhLDuLDuonpOR-7pDwsVJ8yiTpXMbBxJVsn52MbZO0Bvr_hDfSdSHrcm17FeIf9HVWHLDBY1ADnzUEfJbM-tJe7nsZBITrj8J-6juoJT72Q_sdadTmC1DYXxNIAt6qpEun9n1zWEJXKjlb1EFi_jCiJAMip1oLDG0/w640-h426/tryyoo.webp" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>I don't wanna really write about this one any more than to say: the best way to experience this movie is the way I did - completely in cold. No trailers, no TV spots, no reviews, no interviews, no articles. You wanna watch this without knowing ANYthing about it. Trust me. So, there was my list. These opinions are meant to only reflect the opinions of the individual who wrote this list. Everyone else is free to form their very own opinions and they may vary. Hell - even my opinions may vary if I see some more 2023 movies that weren't on my map...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Kim J.</div></div>Poptic Nervehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15703549117859143637noreply@blogger.com0