Unhook the Stars

Unhook the Stars is, I think, a charming movie with a great female leading cast of two. Gena Rowlands is a woman I know from The Notebook, while Marisa Tomei is no stranger to the big screen either with films like My Cousin Vinni and Untamed Heart.

This film is about Mildred (Rowlands), an elderly woman with a kind heart and mother instincts. But when her own daughter finally goes out into the world, she is left with the same predicament that many parents who spend much of their lives with children have-- no one left to care for. That is, until she finds Monica (Tomei), a young mother who's dirty bag husband leaves her to take care of and provide for her son, J.J. As the relationship grows between the two, Mildred and Monica, in typical fashion, learn from one another.

Now this is a movie back from 1996 when I was around six or seven years old. But man, did I love this movie even back then. I know I mainly write about movies I like and why, and I promise that soon I will get to something I hate with a passion, but for now, deal with me.

The movie starts off showing that Mildred, or Millie, is indeed too kind for her own good and often stepped all over as she goes about doing her daughters paper route early in the morning moaning "the last time... really the last time" showing she had done it multiple times before. I personally love Gena Rowlands and see her as a mothering figure in real life, but having read things of her off screen, as good of a mom as she was, she wouldn't be that type of push over outside the movie world! But she plays the character with the beauty and grace only an older actress, and real mother, can accomplish.

Mildred's daughter is one of the "irresponsible and free spirit" types that didn't want to go to school. She disrespects her mother and I hate that type of character because it is to close to how people treat their parents nowadays and for a long time now, without respect or gratitude.

The first time you see Monica she is getting ready for work, walking out on her husband who comes out of his house nearly naked. They are fighting, probably with their son watching from a window or something, yelling and screaming, cussing and bad mouthing each other. Marisa though, man.. I do not miss seeing her with blonde hair. She pulls it off, but barely in my opinion.

Anyway, Millie's daughter leaves with her boyfriend. Obviously a bad idea from the start since its practically running away from her problems, but Millie hugs her even through her yelling, telling her good luck and that she still loves her. Then the boyfriend actually has the nerve to come in after the daughter walks out and tells Millie that he's sorry about it all, that he didn't want to get in the middle of it and to 'take it easy'. I mean really? Then why even go inside and talk to her at all?

Well, Monica shows up early the next morning after her night at work while Millie is delivering her daughters last set of papers. She nearly crashes into the house, drunk and is yanked inside by her husband who has obviously been brutal to her before with the fear in her eyes. But let's face it, Monica is obviously not an A+ parent herself what with the drinking and all.

Anyway, the next morning or later that morning, unsure, Monica comes over all bruised up, ringing Millie's doorbell. Apparently, since they are neighbors, she figured she could come over and burden the neighbor lady. Well, she says her jerk of a husband left town and she needs her to look over J.J so she can go to work since she works the split shift. J.J is a very quiet boy who eventually opens up to both Millie and his mom.

Quick note, too, that this was the boy who played J.J.'s first film, Jake Lloyd. He did a great job, even merely being quiet. He stopped acting, or so it seems in 2005 but can be seen in movies like Jingle All The Way, Madison, and the voice of Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars video games following his feature as Anakin Skywalker in Phantom Menace.

Back to the movie, Millie eventually keeps watching J.J. taking him to and picking him up from school so his mother doesn't send him off to his grandmother.

Well, it is revealed later that Millie also has a son who is married. They come over for Thanksgiving and he seems to be more of a snobby but loving son. You can at least tell this one appreciates his mother. Her daughter however, does not show up. Monica comes over and announces she can not stay, that she has a date, but the look on her poor sons face just makes me wanna cry. Why not spend the holiday with her son??

Well, the phone rings for Monica 'cause she obviously thought it was okay to forward her calls to her neighbor, and he dumps her on her date. Well, Millies son announces that he got an offer for a new job but its in a different state. He offers to take Millie with him and his wife, so they can be close since his sister is no longer around. She says yes, but because she says yes, her son suddenly turns around and says that she needs to take her time to think about it and not rush into the decisions. This shows me that although he cares about his mother and wants to make the good gesture of inviting his mother out to stay with him, once she says yes, he is thinking "oh crap, I didn't think she would leave her long term home, memories, and actually want to come to a nice city with good weather and beautiful scenery". Some son, in the end, right?

Then, after J.J's birthday when he gets bike from his "Auntie Mildred", he gets to take over the paper route that was once his daughters, to make a little extra money for himself.

I do think the character Monica is a strong willed one though despite her failed attempts at trying to prove she is the perfect mom. She makes mistakes but when her husband comes back, telling her that she is the only one for him from outside the house as she hides behind the front door, she doesn't give in. She knows hes bad for her and remains quiet, proving she can make the best choices when they really count.

One night, Monica gets a babysitter and decides to take Mildred, the perfect house wife, out on the town. To a rowdy bar where she is used to drinking. Wow. It must have been terribly awkward for her. However, she does pick fun at the fact that when her husband was alive in her younger days she could drink more then him and "he was a very large man". Haha, I think it is cute the way she tries to fit in to everything. She tries so hard to make everyone her friend. Well, at this bar she meets a large, exotic german.. or Russian.. I think German, who is one of Monica's friends. He is young, maybe in his late thirties, early forties, but can't help but stare at her like hes in love. This makes her think about her age and wonder what could someone see in her. I think this part actually opens her up a little more which is important to her character.

In the bar scene, Monica says she still loves her husband. But if he hit her once he will keep doing it and she can't have that. So she has been busting him trying to punish him so that when she does accept him back, if he does, he won't do it again. Mildred tells her that love is like a weed. Temporary but if its there it is easy to ignore. If you really try though, you can get rid of it for good, and it won't come back.

Later, Mildred goes out to see her son who has accepted the job in San Fran and through discussion has decided that if his mom likes it out there, to keep her eye open for a place in case she wants to move out there. He even shows her that the full upstairs of their new condo can be hers. Bathroom, bedrooms. I can not make this guy out. I know he loves his mother but would he really be happy if she said yes and moved out there? Or is it another ploy just to be the good and perfect son? Ugh, I hate unreadable types. Then at lunch they reveal that her son's wife is pregnant and that she will be a grandmother. Then, the real motive is revealed in the kindest way her son can. She can move out and help because his wife knows nothing about babies. When Mildred realizes this, she says no. I gotta hand it to her for the lesson building motherhood. She claims she doesn't think she could handle anymore babies right now, and as honest and loving as the wife seems to be in understanding it, her son takes it badly and Mildred basically says she gave him too much attention growing up and spoiled him into getting his way. He can't understand why she doesn't want to move out and help them, instead stay where she is helping the woman he calls a "Tramp" and her kid. Mildred knows why.. cause they need her more.

When Mildred returns, Monica has her husband back after taking Mildred's advice. They are going to try it again because J.J needs a father and tells Mildred that she is off the hook for watching him. She says Mildred still can if she wants, but Mildred understand that the boy needs his father and understands that she might not always be needed by someone, or the right someone.

In not being needed anymore, Mildred heads back to a bar, taking solace in a drink or two. Double Vodka Martini being her drink of choice. It is slowly revealed that maybe she wasn't the best in the attitude department when she was drinking. Having no one to care for, she slowly dwindles back into the alcohol world, yearning for the need to be wanted.

One night she comes home after drinking, her daughter sitting in her living room in the dark and tells her mother that she wants to come home. She got a job, and is beginning to grow up. Mildred tells her that she is selling the house after getting an offer and Mildred tells her that the house is a part of her past that she has held onto for a long time. When asked what she is going to do, Mildred says she doesn't know. Her daughter leaves, peaceful in the fact that things are going to change.

Near the end, things seem to be going good for Monica. Her and her husband are finally working while Mildred is busy packing and about ready to leave her beautiful house. Man.. I really want this house. Well, Monica is talking and talking trying to keep herself from getting emotional over Mildred leaving. It's a touching scene that makes you want to cry over the pure aspect of it. J.J and his dad come over so J.J can her can talk, he can say his goodbyes, both parents worried that their little boy won't be able to take it. He sits down with her and tell her thank you for being there for him and his mom. She tells him he doesn't have to say anything if he doesn't want to, because she knows how he feels and he knows how she feels, that she loves him. When he asks if he is ever going to see her again, she says "I sure hope so". I love this part because knowing that this little boy is in his first movie, he plays this part so well and so heart breaking at the loss of his Auntie Mildred. Sitting in the back yard, reminiscing over memories, he stares at her and after a while says "Well, goodbye." like a real grown up man, and he runs off.  How can that not break your heart?

Standing outside the moving truck, Monica and Mildred share their last moments together. Monica gets teary eyed, knowing how much this woman truly helped her and her family.

Mildred's daughter takes Mildred to the airport, leaving her daughter with some money, and not one word as to where she is going. Miami, San Fran. It is a mystery that only Millie knows about.

In the end, that is where it all matters. When you see these two woman who have grown and grown together. One taking off on her own, the other becoming more responsible and a better mother. They helped each other. There was real chemistry in the cast and the movie couldn't have ended better with the symbolism that everything will be okay but as much as we don't always want them to, change happens and sometimes its our choice that it does.

Coyote's Comparison; Willy Wonka vs Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was a dear childhood book for many who traveled through the pages to the amazing and mischievous Chocolate Factory of Willy Wonka and his Oompa Loompa's.

The book was written in 1964 by Roald Dahl about an poor but lucky boy named Charlie Bucket.
There was also a sequel to the book; Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator that was written by Roald as well and published in 1972, a year after the first film adaption Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder, came onto big screen. Dahl had planned to write a third book to the series but it was never completed-- with that information who wonders what the third book would have been like, hm!?

Well, on to the subject of this blogs first comparison writing!

 VS



Overviews
        Both movies do follow the book's storyline. It is about a boy named Charlie Bucket who, down on his luck, happens to find the last of the five Golden Tickets that the mysterious chocolatier Willy Wonka has sent out after many years held up within his factory. The other tickets were found by children as well, albeit they all had better conditions of life then Charlie ever dreamed of having. These children were; Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregard and Mike Teavee.
         Upon entering the factory many mishaps happen after a while, perfectly fitting the flaws in each spoiled child. Augustus gets swept away by a chocolate river that he gorged himself upon, Veruca's greed for a goose, or a squirrel, proves to much for her, Violet can't help but chew on forbidden gum and Mike Teavee want's to be the first person sent by television, or Wonka-vision in this case. Charlie and his grandfather, in the end, end up winning more then just a promised lifetime supply of chocolate (a prize I wish I had won at times). Charlie also won ownership of the Factory as well. As Willy Wonka put it in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, "I can't go on forever, and I don't really want to try. So who can I trust to run the factory when I leave and take care of the Oompa Loompas for me? Not a grown up. A grown up would want to do everything his own way, not mine. So that's why I decided a long time ago that I had to find a child. A very honest, loving child, to whom I could tell all my most precious candy making secrets. "         Now each movie goes into different detail. While Willy Wonka tells about his adventures in the land of the Oompa Loompa's and how he got them, Charlie's Willy Wonka shows more detail, in a rather hilarious way. The detail goes even further in Charlie's Willy Wonka by showing some of Wonka's childhood with a dentist as a father while Willy Wonka makes the movie all about the factory and Charlie Bucket.
Comparison To Story
         I have read many online comparison's of each movie to the book, not to mention what parts of the book I remember myself, and I have to say that even though I favor the first movie and it does follow parts of the book, the second movie, sadly, does insert more from the book then the first one does. The squirrels instead of geese, the way they exit the factory, some things that are said or shown. These are in the second movie while fewer but still similarities that are not in the second movie but in the first are shared from the book as well.
Details
     As most of you know, the book is called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but only the re-make was named directly after the story. The first adaption was going to be called such, but a chocolate company was making Wonka bars that were due to be released about the same time as the movie, so to boost sales of their chocolate and candy, the movie was renamed. Before release though the company found out that the chocolate was not staying solid on shelves and began melting, so the movie was released before the chocolate so they could fix the issue. This was not the only chocolate company with this issue, by the way.
     There are many differences in details between the movies. For instance, in Willy Wonka, Charlie does not have a father, while in Charlie, his father works in a factory putting lids on toothpaste.
     In the first adaption of the film, Charlie and Grandpa Joe drink Fizzy Lifting drinks while in the remake, they remain closer to Charlie's character in the book as he remains honest and a good, whole hearted child.
     There is the obvious difference in the movies when the spoiled brat Veruca wants a goose that lays golden, chocolate eggs while in the second adaption she wants a nut chucking squirrel.
     While in Willy Wonka, Gene Wilder portrays the proper adaption of Willy Wonka as a bit older man (though Gene Wilder was no cane-walker himself), Charlie's Willy, portrayed by Johnny Depp, makes him younger and more eccentric.

There are plenty of more differences ranging from words said in one movie and not the other, the fact that you can see the children coming out from the factory in the Charlie one and all the way to how well and how differently the movies portrayed the book.
    
Actors
    The biggest differences in the movies is, of course, the actors. Obviously the same actors were not going to be used for the re-make, but an interesting fact is that almost none of the child actors from the first one continued on with an acting career much after the movie, nor did most of them have any real acting career before hand. Before starting, I must add that in all of these characters where I show what is different or the same, I have to admit that I fully like the children in the first movie better. They gave realistic performances and even the rotten eggs came across true to form on screen, while in the re-make everyone seems so forced in character and it doesn't have the same flow.
     Peter Olstrom played Charlie in WWCF while Freddie Highmore played him in the CCF version. While both Peter and Freddie played convincing, good hearted children as Charlie Bucket is I will have to go with the original every time. Peter had the act down and it came across less like acting and more real when he played the character then Freddie, not that I do not like his acting in some of his other movies. Finding Neverland for one, another Johnny Depp movie as well, I might add.
      Veruca Salt was played by both Julie Dawn Cole and Julie Winter. In both movies she is accompanied by her father, who needs to give her a good smack in the ass every now and then, but instead caters to her needs and desires. Whether it be trying to get her a golden egg-laying goose or a nut-chucking squirrel.
       Violet Beauregard is portrayed by Denise Nickerson and AnnaSophia Robb. In both films, she is the competitive little girl who took up a world record for gum chewing. She is rude and lacks certain manners, but in the first film while she is a bit of a portly girl who is accompanied by her business-grabbing father, in the second rendition she is a skinny, athletically advanced girl who is brought to the chocolate factory by her mother.
        Augustus Gloop, in both films, is not only a heavy-set eater but also accompanied by his mother. One could old guess from seeing the first one that if he had brought his father he would have eaten the factory itself. I have to say though, the second Augustus was terribly more creepy then the first.
         Then we come to Mike Teevee, or Teavee as the spelling is changed for the second movie. The character was played both by Paris Themmen and Jordan Fry. While in the first movie Mike is obsessed with TV and has a problem with authority not to mention a love for guns that his father said he can't get until he is a whopping 12 years old, but in the second one he is obsessed with video games (changing with the times, I guess) but is also a rather smart boy who created a math formula to devise where the ticket was located! (Cheating much??) This time though he is accompanied by his dad and not his snooty mother.
    

Willy Wonka, in both movies, however, left their mark as the character in their own ways.
     After the re-make was made, Gene Wilder made his feelings on the re-make well known. Slamming it and calling it an insult, but that didn't mean that many people did not like the re-make better then if not the same as the first one, if not only for their love of Johnny Depp. I mean, come on, Tim Burton was directing the re-make. Who ELSE would he get to play his Willy Wonka, the eccentric chocolatier, other then JD?

     While Gene Wilder played a very gentle and alluring, albeit sometimes creepy and strange, Willy Wonka, Johnny Depp added a boyish and down-right, sometimes, unlikeable aspect to the man.
       Each Willy made their memorable entrance though into our hearts the first time we watched the movie. Gene Wilder had our sorrows at the poor, hobbling Wonka until he surprised us to life and made the movie a bit more exciting with his rolling entrance that Gene Wilder, himself, asked to put into the film before he even accepted the role he was asked to play.
        Johnny Depp however, made us think he was going to pop out of a very, very creepy display that began to catch fire and melt, and cracked us up by popping up next to the children with a bit of logic. How could he watch the show from the stage? Good appearance right? And it made some logical sense too!
        I think I speak for a lot of people though when I say that comparing the creepiness between both Wonka's, Johnny Depp won by a land slide. His looks matched up with his germ phobias and odd facial twitches made him a great deal more terrifying then the gentle Wonka who terrified us by taking us through the black hole on the way to the Cream Room.

Overall, I think both movies are good. While the first movie shows a kind hearted but stressed Willy Wonka, trying to test each child for their good souls, the second shows a scary and evil Wonka in Depp's portrait of him. I mean, lets face it, Gene's Wonka accepted the fat that the children were going to ignore him and they would be punished, and he was a bit sarcastic about it, but Depp's character flat out enjoyed the torture the children put themselves through. The colors in the second movie are also a lot brighter and might capture the attention of a child more, but the songs and likable characters in the first movie are sure to overwhelm the kiddies as well.

In my opinion, the classic wins every time (regardless of how big of a Johnny Depp fan I am), but don't let that stop you from liking who you like or hating who you hate. If you have not seen the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory though, I highly suggest you take a leap back in time, sit down with the family and a bag of popcorn and let the film role. I hope it captures your heart like it did with my family and I!

Insidious

On Friday, September 13th, 2013 Insidious 2 came out. The question is, have you seen the first one yet?

When I first watched Insidious, I freaked out. I love scary movies but a lot of the time, lets face it, some movies under the 'horror' and 'scary' genre's are really none of the above. Insidious however, is one of the movies that freaked me out the first time I saw it.

It wasn't the random popping up of creatures from the long screen shot into darkness that got me like it does in some movies. You know, that moment where the movie is literally set up to tell you that something is going to jump out at you, your nerves just have to guess when? No, this time it was the amazing camera angles where the demon face would be there one moment and not in another or the sudden rush of adrenaline you got when everything seemed normal and it didn't seem like it was supposed to be a particularly scary moment but that, in itself, made it terrifying and unexpected when something actually happened.

Insidious came out in 2010 and was directed by James Wan. The story is about a family who is trying to help their son who went into a coma suddenly after an 'unknown' incident in the attic. However, you find out later that the story has nothing to do with a haunted house nor did it start with the son, Dalton, himself-- but with his father.

Some of the actors and actresses in the movie are pretty well known. Patrick Wilson (Phantom of the Opera, Watchmen, Lakeview Terrace) plays the father and the man with a suppressed past; Josh Lambert while his wife Renai Lambert is played by Rose Byrne (Xmen; First Class, 28 Weeks Later). For the part of the son, and played quite well considering the fact that you are dealing with a kid who spent a lot of his time filming without much to do, was played by Ty Simpkins a child actor who first appeared on television when he was only 3 weeks old! Man, talk about talent! He has appeared in other movies such as War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise and Iron Man 3 with Robert Downey Jr.

I am a big fan of scary movies that can scare the crap out of you. I mean, that is what a horror flick is supposed to be. Not necessarily all the gruesome killing and naked women found murdered everywhere but to scare you with a good story and adrenaline pumping anticipation. This movie does that for me. Now, everyone has different tastes in horror movies but I am really looking forward to seeing the second chapter to Insidious.

Has anyone seen that preview where one of the first audiences to screen it was wearing heart-rate monitors? Does anyone know if that was true 'cause man I agree with the kid on the screen, "How scary is the movie that they make you wear heart rate monitors (for an audience screening)".

Not to mention it is done by some of the people who worked on the Paranormal Activity movies and, I know I know "totally fake", but damnit I love the movies and they still creep me out. But that is for another blog post!

See Insidious before Insidious Two. It will help with the story line holes you feel when watching the second one!

Flashback Friday; Grease

Alright everyone, it is time for a Friday Flashback! Back in 1978 the movie Grease first made its debut on the big screen with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as the infamous Danny Zuko and Sandra "Sandy" Olsen.

Directed by Randal Kleiser and with a cast not only including JT and ONJ but also Stockard Channing as the brutal Betty Rizzo, Jeff Conoway as the hotshot Kenickie, DiDi Con as the loveable Frenchy and others such as Barry Pearl, Michael Tucci and Kelly Ward as the goofball greasers with Jamie Donnelly and Dinah Manoff as the sexy Pink Ladies.

Sidenote: I can remember watching this movie when I was super young with my family and asking my other "What's a pussy wagon?". Nothing says 'That's a conversation for another time' like your mother telling you not to say that word. Haha

Anyway, this movie which was produced by Paramount Pictures was based off of Warren Casey and Jim Jacob's 1971 musical of the same name. Man, a musical that become a major and unforgettable motion picture after only 7 years? Must have been a big hit on stage too!

The movie is about two high school lovers in the 1950s that meet over summer vacation before their senior years thinking that they will never see each other again when Sandy says that she is returning to Australia. Instead though, her family ends up staying and she gets enrolled at Rydell High School.

Danny Zuko is the leader of the schools Greaser group known as the T-Birds. A bunch of goofball punks who try and act like the coolest guys in the school. Their main goal to get laid and to be as far away from the stereotypical Jock as possible.
 

Rizzo is the leading lady of the Pink Ladies. Sort of a 'Greasers for Girls' club at school and used to be involved with Zuko. Well, when Sandy comes to school, one of the Pink Ladies, Frenchy and an adorable character that DiDi portrayed with love and adortion, tries to get Sandy into the group. When Sandy mentions her summer romance with a boy that goes by the same name at Rydell, Rizzo gets jealous and shows her that Danny goes to that very school. This meeting happens to end horribly as Danny has a "reputation" to maintain and the type of girl Sandy is-- pure and sweet, just doesn't fit into it.

The rest of the movie, along with the other characters hooking up, revolves around Danny trying to make up for the mistake he made and to let Sandy know just how much she means to him. By the end of the movie Sandy makes a decision that to be with Danny she needs to change; this is about the same time Danny makes the decision too. With a beautiful final number that will have you dancing around you living room, Sandy shows up in a leather leotard showing she can be a real greaser girl while Danny shows up in a jock sweater.
Well, as you can guess, in the end they are together in a.. well I am not sure how or why the car they drive off in suddenly flies but hey, whatever!

I love this movie. I really do. Not only am I a John Travolta fan but this movie, accompanied by rockin' tunes, is a classic tale of love and how people should be accepted the way they are, not needing to change to be with the person they care about or to impress anyone.

Now what I find interesting is that John Travolta is the reason Olivia got cast. It was at his urging that she be his Sandy. Both were star struck by the other which made for very believable romantic friction in the movie. Olivia did not act much before the movie, which really doesn't show on screen at all. She seems professional and I loved the acting, even if just playing the part of a doe-eyed school girl with her eyes on the bad boy.
Henry Winkler, who many of the classic tv-show watching fans out there might know from Happy Days, was originally asked to be Danny Zuko. However, having played the bad-boy, leather jacket wearing, type of guy twice before (Happy Days and The Lords of Flatbush) did not want to be known as only "that type" of character so he turned down the role. I have to say that as much as I loved The Fonz, I just do not think Henry Winkler would have been good for the part of Danny. John played the role amazing well and if he is remembered for anything, I know it will be for Grease.

Beginning: I love how the movie starts with a cartoon trying to show off the personality of each and every main character. I especially adore the credits to the character Sandra Olsen as a Cinderella type character with the birds bringing her a gown and a faun being in the background. This really bolds the point later about the transformation she makes much like Cinderella opening from her shell of a house girl to a beauty at a ball. Sandy does the same when she opens up from wall flower to greaser girl.

Sequal: Now, I don't know about you but I am NEVER happy when they make a sequal to a classic unless it was meant to have one from the beginning. To me, the only reason it is even called a sequal is because it has the same basic storyline, not to mention DiDi reprises her role as Frenchy. The movie was okay, but making a sequal to classic movies like Grease or Dirty Dancing staring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, it just doesn't make sense. I know I know, directors and producers are thinking "Man, that was a big hit! Lets make a sequal!" You know what that does? That says you have a lack of imagination and want to get in on someone else's money maker. There are people out there who liked the second Grease, even better then first one for many of them. Me? Give me the classic anytime and keep that low-budget "sequal" away from me and my family!

Well, I hope you enjoyed the first episode of Flashback Friday. Stay tuned next week for more blasts from the past!

Revolution

Warning; I have not actually finished watching this. I am still in season one that was just recently added to Netflix, but who's to say I can review something I am currently watching? I still have opinions right? RIGHT!?

Okay, haha, let's get started.

First of all, I have to say, Billy Burke!? Yes please! As some of you might know from looking at my book list I am indeed one of those people who liked Twilight and I first saw Billy Burke, at least I think it was the first real time I saw him, as Police Chief Charlie Swan of Washington. I loved him as a concerned father and now as a bad ass, co-establisher, ex-general of the Monroe Republic? Not to mention, boy can the guy swing a sword or what?

Okay, okay back to Revolution.

The main idea of this story; at least in season one, is that for some reason all of the power in the WORLD has been shut off simultaneously. The show takes place fifteen years later with flashbacks of certain times before or after the blackout to describe the stories of several main characters. Little by little everything is pieced together into one full picture, but the picture is never complete. 'Cause you see, there is always something that just comes up that makes you think, "wait.. what?". I love that in a show. Just when I think I have everything pieced together I am stuck thinking 'now how the hell did that fit in there?". The main cast in season one begins with Charlie, a young woman who had to watch her mother walk off and never come back that is raised with her father and younger brother in a community on the Monroe Republic. Her father is actually the brother to Miles, the co-founder of the Monroe Republic gone AWOL. Now, the general is Miles best friend Sebastian "Bass" Monroe. And man does this guy need a hug.

Reguardless, Monroe sends people to retrieve Charlie's father because he knows how to turn the lights back on supposedly. But in a battle that occurs whole Charlie isn't around, her father gets shot and her brother is taken hostage instead. Charlie is told to find Miles who can help get her brother, Danny, back. He also gives a pendant to a man named Aaron who is like.. the creator of Google, or something. Turns out, the pendants can actually turn on some power. Weird right? Well, throughout the first season things are explain as to why the power shut off, how these pendants work, that Monroe isn't the only bad guy out there, or the only land owner and more.

I love the cast of this show too. Some of the cast members include Billy Burke, Tracy Spiridakos, Giancarlo Esposito, Zak Orth, David Lyons and Elizabeth Mitchell.

The story line is pretty good, I think, and shows what life might be like without electricity. Overgrown places, different parts of America dealing with it differently, governments starting and others trying to get America back to the way it was.

I do however wonder- what do the rich and famous do when the power goes out? It's probably only me who thinks that, but really! Trace Adkins, Johnny Depp, Claire Danes-- what do these people DO!?

Anyway, I recommend the show and I haven't even finished the first season yet. So far, there are only two seasons out, so I haven't missed to much yet and I look forward to seeing the end of the story. Not because I want it to end so soon, but because I very much want to see the finished puzzle!

American Horror Story; Murder House

I would like to start off by saying that this is the creepiest TV show I think I have ever seen.

Now that that is out in the open, I will move on. I found this first season on Netflix a while ago but it took me until now to really finish it. With season three, and a new story, coming out soon I expect season two, Asylum, to be added to Netflix within a decent amount of time and I wanted to see the first "story" all the way through.

Also, a tid bit of information that some of you might not know. This was created by the same people who wrote Glee. Yes, Glee. Okay so they wrote Nip/Tuck too but come on, Glee!? Mind blowing, isn't it?

Alright. The beginning of this tale is this; basically there is a haunted house that a woman, her cheating husband, and their teenage daughter move into. Through the series you meet many of the victims that were murdered in the house and at times it is hard to tell who is living and who isn't. There is a man in rubber, a screwed up teen named Tate, a messed up family next door and really there is just a LOT going on. You really don't want to miss an episode if you can make it through the first few.

What I really like about the idea of the American Horror Story is that every season is it's own story. There are, I guess, only going to be three seasons. American Horror Story; Murder House, American Horror Story; Asylum, and American Horror Story; Coven.

This first season is quite sexually based but still has its form of "class". American Horror Story has actually been pretty well received on television despite, or probably because of, its gruesome, confusing, sometimes disgusting and completely 'out there' appeal.

Now, the writers and producers Murphy and Falchuk began this project before Glee began production. They wanted to do something completely different and opposite from what they had been writing before that which was soon going to begin production and boy did they hit the nail on the head-- sometimes literally speaking with AHS.

Posted on Wikipedia, it says "In November 2012, FX chief executive, John Landgraf described the unique format of the series stating, "The notion of doing an anthological series of miniseries with a repertory cast – has proven groundbreaking, wildly successful and will prove to be trendsetting."

 

Well, I certainly like the idea of each season being its own story, even if I do not particularly like the story itself. The idea is good, in my opinion, and sure it will probably satisfy that sick curiosity inside us all, but personally I am looking forward to season two over season one.

As for the actors, some of them might look familure from movies despite it being a TV show. I know right away where I recognized Dylan McDermott, the man who plays the cheating husband and psychiatrist in season one from; The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, though he is no stranger to television having appeared in shows such as Ally McBeal, Dark Blue and Big Shots. Joining the cast is also Connie Britton, Evan Peters, Kate Mara and other selective actors.

Also a note for those who plan to watch season two and three? Some actors may appear again but remember, the first season is its own story so they will be reappearing as different characters, creatures, etc. I look forward to it.

My personal draw toward the first season; you know, what really kept me going through it, was the teenage Romeo and Juliet type relationship between Tate and Violet. Tate is a teenager with his own secrets that you find out about later in the series, and Violet is a stressed out, dark-sided teen who has had to deal with moving, her fathers infidelity, a haunted and messed up house not to mention the potential and awaiting divorce of her parents. Later on she also has to deal with her mother getting pregnant again and her father committing her mother to a psych institute. However, through hard times you see that this messed up kid who began the series as a patient of Mr. Harmon, grow to find true light in the darkness of his life. Now, I use the term Life loosely, but reguardless he is there for Violet no matter what, even keeping the darkest information from her to spare her any anguish until it is to late. Tate lasts most of the series and finally his end is met only because of something he told Violet to protect her from spirits in the house that harassed her. Poor Tate.

The ending of the series was way more screwed up then it had any right to be, but at the same time, it was decent. It shows a family that went through so much there and met their end there. Then, they turn around and make sure the same thing does not happen to others.

I find it weird how ghosts are incorporated though. They do not appear unless they want to, which is fine, I get that. They can't leave the grounds which I get too, but how they can deal with physical things. Sex, objects, hiding how they obviously died. Even the maid aged back and forth. Sometimes it just seems more out there then the last time I looked at it.

Well, Asylum, we are waiting for you to enthrall us. Come now and hold nothing back.

                             

I Love You, I Love You Not

I Love You, I Love You Not; An Unforgettable Journey Of Discovery.

So true. I watched this movie the other day on Netflix after seeing it floating around for a little while. I first saw Claire Danes in the modern-day adaption of Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio. Jude Law, well who doesn't knot Jude Law? Sherlock Holmes as the incredible Doctor Watson, The Holiday along side Jack Black and Kate Winslet. Such a good actor. This is the first time though I saw him as a teenager. Then Jeanne Moreau. This was the first film I had seen her in but her portrayal as a European-born, Jewish Grandmother who had been through the holocaust and survived was a beautiful and moving character to see. I must admit, I cried in the end.

The story is about a young girl, Daisy, who goes to a prep-school and likes a boy she watches everyday, Ethan. He is the captain of the lacrosse team, student body president, and the picture perfect guy who brings Daisy out of her wall-flower shell. Of course though, things start to take a change after Ethan finds out her grandmother was one of "those" woman who came to his class and talked about life in the camps in Germany. Daisy learns more about herself and that even nowadays people can deal with the same separation of classes and status's that people back then did. All and all, I have to say I saw the heartbreak between Ethan and Daisy coming the moment he told her that "I would never hurt you. I wouldn't even know how", and of course the final nail in the coffin was when he wanted to further their relationship and she asked him to wait. She wasn't exactly liked by his friends not only because of her jewish status because she liked to read in the middle of Central Park instead of run around half naked throwing a Frisbee around. But still, in the end it just goes to prove that segmentation can happen even today, and it makes you take a look at your life.

The movie hit me a little in the personal section of my life because of my own families past in the holocaust, knowing that I had relatives that had to deal with Nazi officers, Concentraition Camps, and other things back then. But I think this is a good movie overall, esp family wise, to really teach teens not to be judgmental of others. It isn't right.

A good movie for the family to help learn and bring people together. Not to mention a good movie to remind you, hug your parents, grandparents, or whoever you love and hold dear every time you can. You never know when they will be gone.

Riddick

One name. One name and this movie should already have your attention. Vin Diesel.

Another actor I am a fan of, Vin Diesel as been in a lot of movies I have watched from action and no romance like Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, the new Riddick movie, to comedy like The Pacifier. I love these movies and I love this actor. However, it doesn't mean I can not be a good critic.

A lot of people watched the trailer of Riddick and thought, "Man, that looks identical to Pitch Black." Well, sort of.

The similarities are there. Riddick being on a planet where the creatures attack mainly at night and they are worse then the people actually left on the planet, the main male casting, the same ruthless attitude.

But in other ways, the movie is pretty different. For starters, Riddick got to this planet not as a prisoner, but as a leader who wanted to get away from the community who now bowed to him like a king. He went to the planet because he was looking for his home world Furya and Vaako, played by the over loved Karl Urban (who was the new Judge Dredd in the recent remake.) said that was the one and only he knew where Furya was since all the maps of where it was located has since been destroyed. Well, some things occurred and it turned out it wasn't Furya but Vaako's way, or the other Necromunger's way of getting rid of Riddick "once and for all". Yeah right.

Anyway, I also like this movie because it shows Riddick's caring side. He, at first, captures his wild puppy for none other then experimentation, but in the end it grows to be his friend and companion. And then, heres a sad spoiler.. GETS SHOT! In front of him! I mean how horrible is that? Poor Riddick.

The cast of this movie deal with NO innocent persons either like the first dark planet one did but two groups of well trained Mercs. One being lead by the father of the guy who captured Riddick in Pitch Black. I love how that came around to mean something later. Whew. Anyway, more a cast members included; Katee Sackhoff who plays a badass lesbian merc who can teach a man a lesson-- but eventually succumbs to Riddick's brutal charm, Dave Bautista, Raoul Trujillo and many more. But in typical fashion, the movie doesn't revolve around a huge number of A+, we see them everywhere, actors.

This movie does have a lot of breast action though. I mean really, you turn here, you turn there and you see some woman's breasts. The reason I like Riddick films so much though is it is about the storyline, about Riddick, about the fight, not an action movie filled with drama, heartache, romance, but just plain action! It is a pure action film that should be seen, in my opinion.

Well, that is my review of Riddick and I honestly think it should be seen. This one has a lot stronger language then the others and like I said, a bit more nudity-- not that the others had a lot of that-- but even with its similarities to Pitch Black, it still works, and do not worry they DO explain how Riddick went from the next general to the Underverse to back on a deserted planet. They don't leave you hangin'. I do wish we had gotten to see the Underverse though, I think that would have been interesting.

Well, until next time. You keep what you kill. -winks-

Tah.

The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones.

And for my first review;

Alright, so I want to start this off by letting everyone know, Yes! I have read the book. In fact, I have read almost all of them save for the most recent that has come out and that is because it has been sold out nearly everywhere, including online. I love them dearly and I think I have come to know the characters very well. No, I have not hit the Infernal Devices series yet but  want to read those consecutively and without the Mortal Instruments series on my mind. Then, after the Infernal Devices I will be reading the series that Cassandra Clare is working on that comes after the Mortal Instruments series titled The Dark Artifices.

 

Okay, now that I have that admittance out of my system we can start on the movie.

First, let me say that I know how hard it is for people who read the books and love them to no end come in and see a movie made about their book. They can be harsh, judgmental and very brutal when it comes to casting, storyline, visual effects. However, I am one of those people who understand that the movie is BASED on the book, not the book itself. I do however, take solace in the fact that Cassandra Clare was pleased with the director and production managers rendition of the book. With that in mind, as a birthday present to myself, Derrick and I went to see the movie.

Casting; I loved it! Now yes, Lily Collins would not have been my first choice for Clary Fray because I pictured someone more red-headed since it says that she has fiery hair. But hey, Lily Collins did a pretty good job as Clary and she is a beautiful but modest person. And lets admit it, she rocks the dark, thick eyebrows. Wish I could get mine like her. I also admired the casting of Robert Sheehan as Simon; he pulled off the geeky best friend but still had that sort of sex appeal where you could understand why Clary might like him or have a chance of liking him eventually. Alec, let's face it, not entirely what I had in mind because I was thinking someone a little less muscled reguardless of Shadowhunter status but man, he is gorgeous. No wonder Magnus wants to hook up with him. (Very pleased with the Magnus and Valentine casting too by the way) Isabelle, well, I pictured her a little more sexy. I mean, don't get me wrong, Jemima West is beautiful but just NOT what I had in mind for Isabelle. Now for Jace. Oh dear god is it time for Jace. Bestill my heart, the decided to go with Jamie Campbell Bower. At first they were going to go with some actor named Alex Pettyfer. Now I do not know who that is off hand but I am sure he is a nice guy. I looked up a picture of him and yeah he's cute, but I did not see Jace in him and I do not think he would have been right for the role. When I saw and heard Jamie Bower as Jace, my heart sunk deep into my chest. He is, in my opinion, the very actor form of Jace Wayland. The accent, the looks, the 'I'm the most beautiful man on the universe but also the most self conscious" attitude. Perfect and that choice alone for an actor as the main lead role makes me want to go see the movie over and over and over and over and.. well, you get the idea. Haha.

Storyline; I think they followed the storyline pretty well for basing it off the book. I will have to re-read back over the book to see what they left out, but I am pretty sure it was a bit. The revealing, or plot, to make Jace and Clary believe they were related was okay but it was much more emotional in the book. I love at the end of the movie how Jace says he doesn't believe it, but in the book he is pretty damn distraught over the fact that he is having a Star Wars moment with his sister and that he loves her so much. Reguardless, they did good. I did recently hear that the second movie has been pushed back though because the script was not following the book at ALL, which they wanted to stick close to, but as sad as I am that they pushed it back, knowing that they will be making three movies cause they have contracts for three (later decided whether or not they want to make the rest since it was originally supposed to be a three book series) then I can wait and see a movie that took a bit longer to come out because they want to do the movies and books justice.

Visual Effects; I LOVED them. Okay, so the werewolves looked a little bit like the ones from Twilight, but what do you expect with CGI? Not that I am complaining, personally I am a Twilight book and movie fan. But the transformation of broken down building to cathedral-like Shadowhunter base was so beautiful, and the fighting scenes? Nice! I can not believe Jamie learned to actually do that front flip onto the table.

Mix of Serious and Comedy; It was perfect. The fighting met the male prospective, the romance met the female prospective and I think the comedy brought them both together. I cracked up when Jace flipped onto the table, stabbed his sword not only through the vampire but the table itself and the face he mad when he heard Clary and Simon scream from under the table where he was at? Priceless. Not to mention the sarcasm in the movie, mainly from Jace to Clary in the friction of her relationship with Simon. -Swoons-

Alright, enough of my ranting. Really though, I think that director Tarsem Singh did a wonderful job and I do hope they do a good job for the rest of the series.

Alrighty, rant over.. now I will leave you girls with a sexy image of Jamie Campbell Bower; whom by the way, has been in Sweeney Todd as Anthony also all three of the big Book to Movie Motion Pictures of our generation;
Harry Potter- Young Gellert Grindlewald
Twilight- Caius of the Volturi
City of Bones- Jace Wayland

Enjoy... <3

Welcome One And All!

Welcome one and all
to my new blog,
Coyote's Commentary!

   I was recently introduced to one of my friend's blogs; Geeky Cat, and I must confess, I was most entertained and found myself reading through two and a half months of blogs she had made in one night just so I was caught up on all the details she had to offer. Not to mention her blog on gaming introduced me to a new game I wish to try, Dark Souls.

      While reading her blog, and thinking about the novel I have been writing lately, it made me think about starting my own blog. This one, however, about the hundreds of pieces I tend to watch a year; accumulating from shows, anime and movies. I always used to critique them on Facebook where I am an avid poster. Now though, I think I have found the reason for my blog.

Now, I have some reasons why you will have to bare with me;

      First, we do not have cable. We don't find it particularly needed except in the case of our favorite shows. Other times it is mainly just a waist of the extra money. So we, my fiancee Derrick and I, have joined the crowed of people who learn patience through Netflix. We might be a season behind everyone else but that does not mean that we do not have feelings on the shows we watch.

      Second, if you are the type of person who likes consistency than you are on the wrong blog, my new friends! I go back and forth between movies I find on Netflix, Anime's, Shows which are, like previously stated, probably one season behind what is actually on television, and then occasionally the new movies that come out in theatres. Not to mention I plan on extending the blog to occasionally games, books, music videos or new songs we come across, events in our area of Illinois, restaurants in our area we dine at and possibly more. I'll learn to make different pages for those of course... I hope.

 

      Finally, if you want a blogger who posts everyday, then I might also not be the one for you. I will however swear to all you faithful readers that I will blog as often as I can, whether it be at three in the morning or two in the afternoon. Who knows, I might even turn you onto a show you might want to see.

Spoiler Alert!
      You will get some. I can not promise details will not be given away on anything I watch. In fact, I will probably be giving away much. But, I will make it as informative and entertaining as possible! So stick with me and if you see me start to talk about something you are watching and have not yet gotten too, I would stop reading and wait for the next post to come out.

In return for this information, I hope to find some dedicated followers who will also join in with the critiquing of personal feelings towards things I post about. Remember, these are personal feelings and nothing personal to those who like or dislike something I write about so keep the comments clean and happy and we will get along great!

Call me Ashli, Ash or just The Coyote if you prefer.


Now, let's get started!