Pokemon Double Feature

In celebration of the release of Pokémon Sword & Shield for Nintendo Switch, I will do two reviews of two great Pokémon movies: Detective Pikachu and Pokémon 2000: The Power of One.

     Welcome to the world of Pokémon! In the first live-action/animated Pokémon movie based on the hit spin off game, Detective Pikachu captures the legacy of both Pokémon and classic film noir tropes. The film stars Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu and Justice Smith as Tim.
    Our story begins on February 6th, when Mewtwo was created and first caused havoc to the Pokémon world. Its wrath caused a famous detective named Harry Goodman to disappear. After hearing about his dad's death, Tim Goodman is prompted to find out what happened. While on his mission, Harry's old Pokémon partner, Pikachu, joins forces with Tim to solve the mystery. They venture in Rhyme City in Kanto, where trainers and Pokémon live in harmony. Along the way, Tim and Detective Pikachu uncover shocking truths and plot twists.
    At first, I wasn't crazy about the movie because I thought it wasn't going to do well. But when it came out this past summer, I heard great things about it. So, I gave it a watch and instantly, I loved every part of it. I loved how realistic the Pokémon look in the movie. And I especially love how Detective Pikachu notices the plot twists in the situation going on. Detective Pikachu holds the love of Pokémon that has been going on since Pokémon's debut in Japan in 1996. Without a doubt, it's a video game movie worth watching.

   Parents Guide: The movie is rated PG for thematic elements, action/peril, suggestive content and rude humor. There was a part where Pikachu mentions nipples. There's language in the movie. Some hells and two damns and one almost use of the S word. There's also one drug reference. The appearance of Charizard might be frightening to younger viewers. And there's at least one jump-scare in an investigation scene. 

    Did You Know?: Justice Smith's (Tim) favorite Pokémon is Totodile. Justice Smith was actually one year older than his character. Alex Hirsch (Disney's Gravity Falls) was approached to write the screenplay. But he left production to pursue other projects. The movie, Se7en, was the inspiration the interrogation scene with Mister Mime,

And now for my favorite Pokémon movie so far in my life:

  In this Pokémon movie, Ash Ketchum becomes a true hero as he makes all the difference in the Pokémon world. Originally released in Japan in 1999 as The Power of One, and released in the USA one year later as Pokémon the Movie 2000. 

    An evil mastermind kidnaps the three legendary bird Pokémon: Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, in hopes for controlling the Pokémon world. Meanwhile, Ash, Misty, Tracey and their fellow Pokémon visit the three islands each bird Pokémon came from for an island tradition. They discover the evil genius' plot and are prompted to put an end to this. And, surprisingly, Ash's rivals, Team Rocket turn good and help the heroes save the world. Can Ash Ketchum save the world before it's too late? Watch it and see.

    What I don't understand is that the critics are giving this Pokémon movie a low score. It may not be like they expect it to be, but the Pokémon fans seem to love it. I love it, too. In fact, I got this movie on VHS. (I still own a VCR.) What I love about this movie is the story, because it sounded like an epic, Pokémon wise. Sure, it's not as epic as The Ten Commandments, but to me, Pokémon 2000 is epic in its own way. But, I think you should give this Pokémon film a chance and decide whether or not it's a movie worth watching. 

  

Parents Guide: The movie is rated G. Nothing much to worry about, except for some kissing scenes and violence. So, this movie should be okay for younger viewers. 

Did You Know?: The movie reveals the first names of Professor Oak and Ash's mom: Samuel and Delia. Patrick Stewart was considered for the role of Lawrence III (The Collector). The 2016 Blu-Ray and DVD release of this movie excludes The Pikachu mini-movie, Pikachu's Rescue Adventure. This angered a lot of fans claiming that the movie is incomplete.  

Pokémon Sword & Shield is now available in your nearest video game shops for Nintendo Switch. Gotta Catch 'em All!  

Anger Management

  Do you got problems with your anger? Well, I don't know about you, but Adam Sandler's Anger Management was somewhat helpful. I emphasize somewhat. The film stars Sandler, and Jack Nicholson (The Shining and Batman) as Dr. Buddy Rydell, Sandler's therapist. 

   After a misunderstanding on an airplane that goes crazy, mild mannered Dave Buznik (Sandler) is ordered to attend anger management sessions with Dr. Buddy Rydell (Nicholson). Later, Dave got into another mishap and goes to court once more. To avoid jail, Dave must have Dr. Buddy to help him regain his temper. But, Dr. Buddy's strategies seem to be a little too crazy for Dave. But let's see how he can handle that.
   The movie's okay, but in most scenes, it's a bit too much. There were a lot of sex references and I, for the most part, can't handle that.  But most of the comedy is okay. Like I said in my Billy Madison review, I'm not big on Adam Sandler, but his stuff is okay, except for Jack and Jill and Eight Crazy Nights. I do like the fact that Jack Nicholson is in the movie. He's a great actor and he's a legend, well, to me he is. In conclusion, this movie could be toned down a little. So, for the first time on my blog, I'm giving out a 50/50 rating.

  Parents Guide: This movie is rated PG-13. Lots of sexual references and content in the movie. There's talk about private parts, pornography and other sex related stuff. There's also a lot of profanity in the movie. One F-bomb at least.  There is some violence, but nothing bloody. So, obviously, not for little kids.      
        Did You Know?: Eddie Murphy, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, and Bill Murray were considered for the role of Dr. Buddy Rydell. This was the final film of Lynne Thigpen. The cars used in the movie are a 1993 Saturn SL2 and a 1995 Land-Rover Range Rover County LWB Series I.

Easy Money

   Question: If you were to give up gambling, drinking, and eating pizza for a whole year for $10 million, would you do it? Let's see if old Rodney Dangerfield, the man with no respect, can do this in his classic comedy: Easy Money. Also starring Joe Pesci (Raging Bull and Home Alone), Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jeffery Jones (Ferris Bueller), and in her first big break, Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight). And theme song performed by the great Billy Joel.
    To inherit $10 million from his mother-in-law's will, Monty Capuletti (Dangerfield) has to curb his vices for a whole year. That means no gambling, no drinking, no smoking, and no eating pizza. Monty's pals, including Nicky (Joe Pesci), thinks he should do it. Others think he can't. What do you think? Can he make it a whole year without doing those unhealthy stuff? Watch the movie and find out.
    This is an underrated movie, if you ask me. I, for one, think it's hilarious. Rodney Dangerfield was a very funny man. I've seen him in Caddyshack and Back to School, I even seen his appearances on Johnny Carson. My favorite parts of the movie were the race track scene where Joe Pesci attacks a horse racer for forfeiting the race, and Rodney performing "Funiculi Funicula" at the wedding after party. It's a great 80s comedy next to National Lampoon's Vacation and Ferris Bueller. I'd say give it a watch if you're into comedy and money.

KA-CHING!!

    PARENTS GUIDE: This movie is rated R. There are some sexual references in the movie including talk about foreplay. There was even a scene where we see a woman's breasts, but only for about 15 seconds. There's some slapstick fighting. Lots of profanity in the movie including the F word. The characters, especially Dangerfield's character, drink, smoke weed and more in the movie too. So, basically, not for kids.

   DID YOU KNOW?: Rodney Dangerfield said that his character in the movie was based on his real life self. Bill Murray (Ghostbusters) was considered to be in the movie. The scene where Dangerfield saw his female neighbor topless was different in the trailer in which the woman was wearing a bikini top.

"I tell ya, I get no respect. No respect at all!"

Did "Big Bang Theory" Actually Ruin "Raiders"?

    On Thursday, October 10th, 2013, CBS aired the 139th episode of its popular sitcom, "The Big Bang Theory". The episode is called: "The Raiders Minimization". In this episode, Sheldon (Jim Parsons) shows his girlfriend, Amy (Mayim Bialik), "Raiders of the Lost Ark" for the first time. Amy said she enjoyed it, despite the "glaring story problem". Story problem? That's right. According to Amy, "Indiana Jones plays no role in the outcome of the story. If he weren't in the film, it would turn out exactly the same." With that being said, Amy's theory ruined "Raiders" for Sheldon.
    Did we ruin "Indiana Jones" for you? Hope not, because this is supposed to be interesting. On June 28th, 2015, I published a review on "Raiders of the Lost Ark". I, as you know, gave it a thumbs up. I said it was a movie worth watching, a major masterpiece. I still stand by that opinion. But after watching the part in "BBT" where Amy shared her theory about the movie, I was like, "She's right!"
   Sure, "Raiders" is the love child of Spielberg and George Lucas, like Sheldon said, but apparently, Spielberg and Lucas didn't notice this error in their story. Now, you might disagree on this statement, but if you really think it over carefully, you'll see that "Big Bang Theory" has a point.
    To me, I feel the same way I always feel about "Raiders" after watching that episode. So, Amy's point did NOT ruin the movie for me. If you haven't seen the movie, stop reading this and go rent and watch "Raiders of the Lost Ark".
      One last thing, don't let this ruin "Raiders" for you. It's still an enjoyable story.

            Dedicated to Mayim Bialik, the actress for Amy Fowler, for pointing out this glaring story problem and to the writers of this episode.

Mr. Saturday Night

    I love stand-up comedy, and sometimes I wish to do stand-up for everyone. It could happen, you'll never know. Anyway, this movie deals with having a career in comedy. Basically, it's a struggling success story. Ladies and gentleman, I present to you Billy Crystal as Mr. Saturday Night. Not only did Billy star in this movie, but he also wrote and directed this movie. Also starring David Paymer in his Oscar nominated role, Julie Warner, Helen Hunt (Mad About You and Twister), Ron Silver, and a small appearance by the late Jerry Lewis.
    This is the story of Buddy Young Jr. (Billy Crystal), a comedian who's been beloved by everyone but is struggling in the middle. Nowadays, he performs for small crowds in nursing homes and everyone thinks that Buddy needs to retire. Buddy, however, disagrees. As he looks for opportunities, Buddy realizes that people have forgotten all about him and his golden years.
    One word: underrated. This movie needs more attention and more praise. I sure loved it for the comedic humor of Billy Crystal and the feels of drama in most of the scenes. One example of a dramatic scene was the death of Buddy's mother, who loved her children very much and supported Buddy and his brother/manager, Stan (David Paymer) throughout their life.
    Oh yeah, Buddy and Stan's relationship as brothers and partners was heartfelt too. Let me elaborate on that: Buddy and Stan have been doing comedy ever since they were kids and they made their family, especially their mom, laugh out loud. But when Buddy decides to go solo on their first big break, I felt bad for Stan for feeling, you know, left out. I mean, he wanted the fame, too. And for the rest of Buddy's career, they had some sort of a struggling relationship. But, without giving it all away, they make up.
    What I also loved about the movie is that the late Jerry Lewis made a brief cameo in the movie. Jerry Lewis is my favorite old time comedian, and he does the kind of comedy you don't see anymore. Nowadays, comedians talk about sex and drugs, and that's not right.

    Parents Guide: This movie is rated R for mostly language. There's no sex stuff in the movie. There's a scene where Buddy and Stan have a non-bloody fist fight on the stairs. There's a lot of smoking in the movie. The F word is constantly used in the movie, too.

Robocop

    The future of law enforcement is here as I review the original Robocop, directed by Paul Verhoeven. Starring Peter Weller (Buckaroo Banzai), Nancy Allen (Carrie), Kurtwood Smith (Red from That '70s Show), and Dan O'Herlihy. This classic sci-fi, crime, action movie is one of the greatest movies of 1987. It spawned a great franchise including two sequels, a cartoon series and a remake in 2014.
    Our story takes place in the futuristic city of Detroit, and it's full of crimes everywhere. A company had recently developed a huge crime fighting robot, which unfortunately had a dangerous "glitch". But the company found a way to turn things around when a cop named Alex Murphy (Peter Weller) got seriously killed by a gang of criminals led by Clarence Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith). Murphy's body was reconstructed and put in a steel machine and is now known as Robocop. Robocop is very successful around the city. But his number one priority is to get revenge on Boddicker for killing him in the first place.
     I think this is one of the greatest crime movies I've ever seen. Robocop is also another movie that deals with dystopian dynasties, like a previous movie I reviewed, Pleasantville. What I like the most about the movie is the concept of it. A robot policeman, knowing every crime going on and everything. The action is amazing too. Bloody, but amazing. This movie might be similar to James Cameron's Terminator movies, I think. Maybe I'm wrong, but you be the judge.

         Parents Guide: This movie is rated R for language and bloody scenes. The scene where Murphy gets killed by Clarence and his gang is very graphic. There's also some drinking and drug use, for example, there's a scene with a man with two woman sniffing cocaine with straws. And also, there is a scene where two men try to rape a woman.
  Did You Know?: The screenplay had been rejected by almost every big director in Hollywood. Kurtwood Smith originally auditioned for the role of Dick Jones. The Robocop suit was the most expensive item on set, costing about $1 million. The special effects were done on a Commodore Amiga computer. The repeated line on the TV, "I'd buy that for a dollar," came from a short story called "The Marching Morons" by Clive M. Kornbluth.

History of the World Part I

   If you think you know your history, think again. Comedy legend Mel Brooks shows his satirical take on history in History of the World Part I. Written, directed and starring Mel Brooks. Also starring Dom DeLuise, Gregory Hines (in his film debut), Carol Burnett's Harvey Korman, Sid Caesar, Madeline Kahn (a Mel Brooks regular) Cloris Leachman, and narrated by film legend Orson Welles (Citizen Kane).
     The movie is told in vignettes starting with the dawn of man. Stories include a controversial musical number about The Spanish Inquisition, a brief parody of Moses and the Ten Commandments, the "truth" about the Roman Empire, and the weirdness of The French Revolution. Now, you may be asking if there's a Part II. Well, there isn't. Although, they show at the end what could be a part two showing some more controversial stuff such as a figure skating Adolf Hitler.
    This parody comedy is like any other Mel Brooks movie, hilarious! I laughed a lot while watching. There were a lot of scenes that Brooks got away with that would've got him in trouble today, for instance the Inquisition song. I love the fact that they break the fourth wall in the movie. (Brooks does that a lot in his movies). I've seen other Mel Brooks movies such as Space Balls, Young Frankenstein, and Blazing Saddles, but I honestly can't decide which one is better.

PARENTS GUIDE: This movie is rated R. There is a LOT of sexual innuendos throughout the movie. There is some comical violence. There is a lot of uses of the F word, and there's a character called "The Piss Boy". So, this movie is mostly aimed for adults. Children wouldn't understand this movie at all.

DID YOU KNOW?: Richard Pryor was originally cast to play Gregory Hines' role of Josephus. Orson Welles agreed to narrate the movie with a price of five thousand dollars per day in exchange for his services.  Josephus claims he's from Ethiopia. When he was asked what part, he answers "125th Street" which is considered to be the Main Street of Harlem. John Cleese turned down to be in the movie.

The most controversial musical number in the history of movies.

The Iron Giant

     From the director of The Incredibles, comes one of the greatest animated film of the 90s. From Warner Brothers Animation, The Iron Giant, directed by Brad Bird. Starring Eli Marienthal as nine year old Hogarth Hughes, our main hero. Also starring Jennifer Aniston from the show Friends as Hogarth's mom, singer Harry Connick Jr. as short tempered beatnik artist Dean McCoppin, Christopher McDonald from Thelma and Louise as Kent Mansley the crazed federal government agent, Frasier's John Mahoney as the General, and of course, Vin Diesel as our main focus, The Giant.
    Our story takes place in Rockwell, Maine in 1957 during The Cold War. One night, Hogarth Hughes was watching a late night movie on television when suddenly the TV antenna was mysteriously damaged. Thinking it was done by invaders from Mars, Hogarth goes out to investigate in the forest. There, he befriends a giant robot that had crashed into Earth from outer space. Meanwhile, the  government agent, Kent Mansley, is destined to find the giant and do what it takes to destroy it. With Hogarth's bond with the robot, he had to act fast to protect it. So, he hides the giant in a scrapyard owned by an artist named Dean. Will the friendship between the boy and the giant robot last forever? Find out while you watch this.
    So awesome! I freaking love this movie. It's one of my all time favorites. I love the fact that WB not only used traditional animation, but also computer animation to emphasize the movie. The animation, in one word, is breathtaking. What I love most about The Iron Giant is the story, because it makes you laugh, it gets you on the edge of your seat, and it'll also make you cry a little. I have pin badges based on the movie, and one of them has the quote: "You are who you choose to be". That's the message in the movie. Remember that.

             

                  PARENTS GUIDE: This movie is rated PG for language and some violence. There is a scene where the boy and the giant witness a shooting of a deer. And there's a scene where Mansley threatens to take Hogarth away from his mom by grabbing his face. There is a few uses of the word "damn" and the phrase "Oh my God!". The climax of the movie is really emotional, so get your tissues ready. 

      DID YOU KNOW?: The last name of Hogarth is named after the author of the original children's book, Ted Hughes. Sean Connery (the original 007) and James Earl Jones (Mufassa from The Lion King) were considered for the role of The Giant. Alec Baldwin and the late Burt Reynolds were considered for the role of Kent Mansley. Brad Bird and producer Alisson Abbate did not get along during production. 

"You are who you choose to be." 

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

      They say that money is the root to all evil. They say that money doesn't grow on trees. And they say that money can't buy happiness. But money can give you one heck of a comedy. This epic comedy, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, will make you laugh your socks off. This movie features an all-star cast. I'll only name a few. We got Spencer Tracy (Father of the Bride), Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, and Jonathan Winters.
      So here's the story: after hearing about a buried treasure with $350,000 from a dying man (played by Jimmy Durante) who literally kicks the bucket, a group of motorists decide to race for it. We follow these crazy people such as two dimwits played by Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett, a furniture mover (Jonathan Winters), an entrepreneur for a seaweed company (Milton Berle) with his wife and stubborn mother-in-law (Ethel Merman), a dentist and his wife (Sid Caesar and Edie Adams), a greedy motorist (Phil Silvers), an English man (Terry-Thomas), a surfer dude momma's boy (Dick Shawn), and a police chief (Spencer Tracey) who watches the race for the treasure. These people race by land, by car, by sea, by plane, and by bicycle. It gets more exciting by the minute watching these hysterical characters doing the most crazy things for a fortune that might not even be there. You'll be on the edge of your seat, laughing all the way, wondering who will get the money first. Watch it and find out.
     Phenomenal, epic, exciting, hilarious! This movie is everything. I like the old time humor used in the movie such as Jimmy Durante literally kicking the bucket before dying. The part that stands out to me the most was the climatic ladder scene, where all the men try to hang on but fail and comically get hurt, which goes to show that greed can get you into trouble, in this case: you get hurt in the end. The letterbox format, Cinerama, is so big that it's almost like you can see everything on screen. I for one love letterbox formats because it's like you're watching a movie screen in a theater.

$$KA-CHING!$$

         Parents Guide: This movie is rated G, although there are a few uses of the word hell. There is a scene where a man and woman do exotic dances in bathing suits. The people falling off of the ladder can be somewhat violent such as Buddy Hackett and Mickey Rooney bouncing on the power lines and getting electrocuted. You be the judge of that.
       Did You Know?: Don Rickles really wanted to be in the movie but was never approached. The airplane hangar scenes were shot at what is now called The Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa California. The role of the husband and wife (Edie Adams and Sid Caesar) were originally written for Mickey Rooney and his former partner Judy Garland (The Wizard of Oz). Due to the cancelation of The Judy Garland Show, Garland declined to be in the picture. Mickey Rooney ended up playing the character Ding Bell. One of the animators who worked on the title sequence was Peanuts animator Bill Melendez. The fire chief was played by Disney Legend Sterling Holloway (the original voice for Winnie the Pooh).

Iconic!

Do the Right Thing

WARNING: Contains Spoilers!

   One of the problems we face today is racism. It's a problem we've been facing for the last few centuries now. And it bothers most people like me. In honor of Black History Month, I'm going to review the movie that is so inspiring and meaningful to both black and white people, Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing. Featuring Danny Aiello, Rosie Perez, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Bill Nunn, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson (in his film debut), and the late Robin Harris (the creator of BeBe's Kids). 

    It's the hottest day of the summer in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Sal Fragonie owned a pizza shop that has been active for 25 years. Throughout time, Sal's neighborhood has changed due to the fact that most of the population has African Americans and Hispanics living in town. For a while, his neighborhood was an Italian neighborhood. Mookie (Spike Lee), Sal's delivery boy, is the voice of sanity and the face in the crowd. Mookie's friend, Buggin' Out, starts a complaint about the pizza shop not having pictures of black people on the Wall of Fame. That's where the fire ignites. Radio Raheem, another well known citizen, was told if he didn't shut off his obnoxiously loud boom box, he wouldn't get any service. And that's where Buggin' Out takes it from a slow burn to a fuel filled rage. So, he boycotts the pizzeria. With the hot temperature occurring, most of the citizens' attitudes flare until it gets out of control. The citizens then go to the pizzeria and try to take out their animosity on Sal. This is where it becomes to get intense. Raheem physically attacks Sal, and when the cops respond, they accidentally beat Radio Raheem to death. This bring the agitations of the neighborhood to a climax. They descend as a mob late one night on Sal's pizzeria. Sal and his sons were about to go home. The mob abused and threatened them. It was becoming clear that some members of the mob were itching to resort to physical violence against Sal and his sons. Thinking fast, Mookie, makes a desperate attempt to take the focus off the men and put it on the shop by heaving a garbage can through the window. The mob responded by destroying the pizzeria with Sal and his sons left unharmed. This represents the irony in the movie title. On one hand, Mookie does the right thing by saving Sal and his sons from harm. But on the other hand, vandalism is never the right thing. Audiences are left to determine for themselves exactly what the right thing is.  

  To me, this movie is very inspiring. It deals with the problems of racism. It still goes on today, unfortunately. The cinematography was very epic, with the angles being unexpectedly tilted and all. The part that stands out to me was Radio Raheem's story of love and hate, how the fight between those two never end. I was also blown away by the climatic mob scene (which by the way gets very intense and emotional). The depictions of the characters were so authentic, I felt the pressure building up in me. The characters' stories pretty much makes you think about their problems and desires to make the world a better place. This is the kind of movie that you need to take notes on and pay extra close attention. 

                     Parents Guide: This movie is rated R. It has very colorful language and racist insults like the offensive N word. Around 240 uses of the F word. And there's some violence in the movie such as a boy almost getting hit by a car and a ruckus being started in the pizzeria. 

                           

                         Did You Know?: Spike Lee wrote the script in just two weeks. The lines of the corner men were ad-libbed. The title comes from the Malcolm X. quote: "You've got to do the right thing." James Earl Jones (Mufassa) was originally offered to play Da Mayor. There were 74 musical artists mentioned by Samuel Jackson's character including Little Richard, The O'Jays, and Marion Williams. This movie is included among the AFI's 1998 400 movies nominated for the Top 100 Greatest American Movies. 

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

They got no money, no tickets, no drivers license, and no fear.

     Picture yourself in 1964. The Beatles have arrived in America for the very first time. What if you had the chance to sneak out of your home to see John, Paul, George and Ringo in person? That'd be awesome, huh? Well, that's what these teens did in Robert Zemekis's film, I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Starring Nancy Allen (Carrie and Robocop), Wendie Jo Sperber (Bosom Buddies), Bobby Di Circco, Marc McClure (Jimmy Olsen in Superman), Eddie Deezen (voice of Mandark in Dexter's Laboratory), and featuring radio DJ Murray the K, swinging soiree. This movie is for all Beatle lovers out there.
     It's February 1964. The Beatles just arrived in New York City to perform live on The Ed Sullivan Show. With the word being out, Beatlemania is going on all around the country. Our story begins in Maplewood, New Jersey, where six teens plan to sneak out of town to go to the hotel that The Beatles are staying at. Let me tell you about some of teens. First is Rosie (Sperber), a HUGE Beatles fanatic who has a major crush on Paul. Next is Pam (Allen), a shy girl who plans to elope. Janis, a girl who hates the Beatles and thinks they are encroaching more talented musicians. And Grace, a girl who works for the school paper, looking for a big break.  The girls hatch a plan to go to NYC to meet The Beatles. Pam didn't want to go, due to the fact that she was getting married, but her friends made her go. The girls convince Larry DuBois to "borrow" his dad's Cadillac in order to take them to the hotel The Beatles are staying at.  Later, the teens are joined mid-trip by Tony Smerko, the local bad boy in town who thinks that The Beatles suck. When the teens arrive at the Plaza hotel, cops are patrolling the area. So, it's every teen for themselves as they go on their own adventures such as Rosie meeting another Beatle fanatic, Richard "Ringo" Klaus, who claims he knows EVERYTHING about The Beatles. To see if the teens get to meet The Beatles, watch this movie.

"YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!!! I WANNA HOLD YOUR 'GLANDS'!" 

    As a die-hard Beatles fan, I LOVE IT!!! I especially love the story, these kids sneaking out of town to see The Beatles perform on Ed Sullivan. If it were 1964 now, I would run away from home to see Paul McCartney. What else I love about this movie is that the reactions to The Beatles from all the girls in the crowd is accurate. Girls were hysterically mad for The Beatles. I'm not kidding. Also, I loved the character of Rosie, because she loves Paul like I do. Paul is my most favorite Beatle! And of course, I like this movie because Robert Zemekis (Back to the Future, Roger Rabbit and Forest Gump) directed this. Robert Zemekis is one of my favorite movie directors and I hope to meet him someday.

Parents Guide: Rated PG. This may not be suitable for children. Rosie is so in love with Paul, she wants to have sex with him. There's some mild profanity in the movie. One use of the phrase "pussy-whipped". So parents who are Beatles fans, watch this with your children for advisory. 

Did You Know?: This was Robert Zemekis's director debut. According to the audio commentary, Nancy Allen was only 27 when she made this movie. First film produced by Steven Spielberg. The working titles for this film were "Beatlemania" and "Beatles 4ever!". 

In March, I Wanna Hold Your Hand will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray by The Criterion Collection. 

PAUL McCARTNEY FOREVER!!!

One last thing, show your kids Beat Bugs on NETFLIX. 

All You Need Is Love! 

A Hard Day's Night

See how they fly, I'm cryin'! 

    It was 55 years ago today that The Beatles came to America to play. To celebrate, I will review the band's first movie ever, also turning 55, A Hard Day's Night. Starring, of course, John, Paul, George and Ringo. Also starring Wilfrid Brambell as Paul's Grandfather, and Norman Rossington as the boys' fictional manager, Norm. Features 12 Beatles songs including "A Hard Day's Night", "And I Love Her" and "Tell Me Why".
    The movie follows The Beatles who leave home from Liverpool to London to perform a live concert on national TV. Tagging along the ride is Paul's mischievous grandfather who claims to be "very clean".  But the boys try to escape their boring work and try to have some fun until it's time for the concert.
     I actually grew up with this movie. I am a massive Beatle maniac, and I love their music and their wit. What I love about the movie is that it shows The Beatles' childish side, like John playing in the bathtub and George making funny faces at the camera during a press conference. As a kid, I always got a kick when Paul's Grandfather first spoke "Hello" to John. It was the way the Grandfather spoke that got me. In my opinion, Paul's Grandfather reminds me of the Chief Blue Meanie from another Beatles movie, Yellow Submarine. Let's not forget the songs. A few of the songs are number one hits such as "A Hard Day's Night", "She Loves You", and "Can't Buy Me Love". I think it's safe to say that "And I Love Her" is my favorite song in the movie, because it's one of Paul's greatest love songs.  For parents who watch Beat Bugs with their children, introduce them to this movie with John, Paul, George and Ringo.
 

             PARENT'S GUIDE: Even though this is rated G, there is some language in the movie and some suggestive stuff that your kids won't understand. In one scene, Paul mentions something about an orgy. Not much violence to worry about. So, in my opinion, I think this should be rated PG.

            DID YOU KNOW?: The characters of Norm and Shake are loosely based on The Beatles' friends Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans. Originally, the studio considered to dub The Beatles' voices with American actors. Paul angrily replied: "Listen, if we can understand cowboy talk, our fans can understand Liverpool talk!" Wilfird Brambell, who played Paul's Grandfather, was 30 years older than Paul.

I've Just Seen a Face!

This is The End

     Picture this: it's the Apocalypse in LA. How will America's greatest celebrities be able to survive the end of the world? The answer: watch Seth Rogen's This is The End. Starring, as themselves, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill, and special appearances by Emma Watson, Michael Cera, and Rhianna.
      Jay Baruchel just came to LA  to have fun with his friend Seth Rogen. But Seth persuades Jay to come with him to James Fanco's super housewarming party. Jay reluctantly agrees to go to the party filled with a bunch of celebrities such as Rhianna, Kevin Hart and Emma Watson. Already, Jay felt uncomfortable. While stepping out to a convenient shop with Seth, all hell breaks loose! The Apocalypse occurs! A sinkhole opens outside Franco's house and swallows several of the celebrities. Now, Seth and Jay and the others including Danny McBride (who came to the party uninvited), have to band together in attempt to survive the end of the world. Only question is: will they survive each other?
      This movie is so original. It's a bit raunchy, but that's what you expect from a Seth Rogen movie. I love the fact that all the actors play fictional versions of themselves. I especially loved Danny McBride's performance. He was dark and funny at the same time.The story itself is perfect. Six celebrities trying to survive the end of the world. It works! The scene where the guys do the drugs with the popular song (at the time), Gangnam Style, was unexpected.  I've seen other Seth Rogen movies like Sausage Party and The Interview, but I think This is The End is Rogen's best work. But I haven't seen Superbad or Pineapple Express yet. But I hear that they're cult classics. Oh, by the way, there's a surprise guest at the end of the movie. I'm not gonna tell you who it is. You just have to watch the movie and find out.

Did You Know?: Danny McBride, in real life, isn't a dark person at all. He's actually a sweetheart. The paintings seen in Franco's house were actually painted by Franco himself. The role of Emma Watson was originally written for Mila Kunis (That '70s Show and Family Guy). According to Seth Rogen, fifty percent of the movie was ad-libbed. Originally, Seth Rogen wanted to use Prince's hit song, Purple Rain, in this movie. But he couldn't get the rights. 

Parents Guide: It's rated R. Definitely not for children. It has raunchy humor such as sexual references. Lots of F bombs and major profanity. There's a scene where Michael Cera slaps Rhianna's butt. (Not really, though.) Also, there's lots of weed smoking and some jump scares. 

I wanna dedicate this review to Seth Rogen and all of his costars for making this movie. 

Boyhood

The 12 years of Mason Jr. (2002-2014) 

     From the director of Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, comes one of cinema's greatest achievements: Boyhood. Nominated for 6 Oscars including Best Picture. 97% Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. 100% score on Metacritic.com. Boyhood is a film like no other. It took 12 years to complete. The film stars Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke (Training Day and Before Sunrise), and introducing Ellar Coltrane as the focus of our story.
     This is the life story of Mason Jr. (Coltrane), from his early childhood to his arrival at college. Filmed over the span of 12 years, Mason grows up before our eyes as he journeys through rough stages in his life like his parents' divorce, bad stepparents, falling in love and breaking up, and fighting with his older sister. Mason shall face the reality that his parents won't be together when it comes to divorce, and find his artistic voice and achieving his dream one step at a time, and also face ugly truths.
    Ever since this movie came out in 2014, I wanted to see it. Now, it's 5 years later, and I finally got to see how amazing it is. I can't believe it took that long to make a movie like Boyhood. I mean, no other director has done this before, until Richard Linklater proposed the idea in 2001. I say that it worked. It's amazing how the story progresses as the years literally pass and the actors age.
    The part that gets me was at the end of the movie when Mason leaves for college and his mom has a mental breakdown, because she was afraid of this day to come and after all that she's been through, she doesn't know what to do. This made me cry. And it worried me about when my time will come when I leave home to start a new life. After I watched the movie for the first time, I asked mom how she would feel when that day in my life comes. She replied that she would be very sad. I don't blame her.

Parents Guide: This movie is rated R. There is some sexual talk in some scenes. Major profanity in the movie. Like about 40 or more F bombs. There's a lot of arguing and there's a scene where it's implied that the stepfather hit the mother badly. In another scene, the drunk stepdad throws dishes at his wife and children. There is a scene where Mason gets bullied. There is also some drinking and cannabis smoking in the movie too. And of course, at the end is the mom's breakdown that I recently mentioned above. 

Did You Know?: The movie has no original score. The music is all popular songs. The film takes place from 2002 to 2013. There are 143 scenes in the movie. Each year of Mason's life is covered by an average 14 minutes of screen time. 

The eyes of a child. 

Bewitched

      Classic TV shows are my favorite kind of shows to binge on. Andy Griffith, Dobie Gillis, Family Ties, and Dick van Dyke. Of all the ones I mentioned, the one I like best is the original Bewitched from the 60s. In 2005, a movie remake of Bewitched was released starring Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge! and Eyes Wide Shut) and Will Ferrell (SNL and Elf). It's loosely based on the beloved TV classic we all know.
      Isabel Bigelow (Kidman)  is a modern witch who just moved in to California. She has an objective to live a normal life (kind of like Samantha in the original show). Meanwhile, an egocentric movie star, Jack Wyatt (Ferrell), is having some trouble in his career. Most of his movies bombed miserably. So, Jack tries to revive his former prestige by playing Darrin in a reboot of Bewitched. Jack suggested to cast an unknown to play the part of Samantha. After some bad auditions, Jack runs into Isabel. He is immediately attracted to her for the fact that she bears a resemblance to Elizabeth Montgomery, the original Samantha.   Jack becomes convinced that Isabel can play the new Samantha in his remake. It was fun filming the show until Isabel learns about Jack's real intention. But there's another problem, Isabel is also in love with Jack and she can't decide whether or not she should tell him the truth about her being a witch.
    I can tell that they were trying to make a memorable movie out of a TV classic, but they didn't do a great job. The reason why I watched this movie in the first place was because Nicole Kidman was in it, and she's my favorite actress. Nicole Kidman's performance was good, but Will Ferrell's performance was too much! Literally. Near the end, Steve Carell (The Office and Despicable Me) plays Paul Lynde's character, Uncle Arthur. He does somewhat of a good job, but I think he was trying a bit too hard. If I were to change this movie, I would find someone else to play Will Ferrell's character. Someone like Jimmy Fallon or Dax Shepard. Although there were some laughs in the movie, I have to give this movie a thumbs down. (Sorry Nicole!)

DID YOU KNOW?: Broomsticks were sent out to movie theaters to help promote the movie. Before Nicole Kidman was cast, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Aniston (Friends), Uma Thurman, and Teri Hatcher (Coraline) were considered for the lead character. Mike Myers (Wayne's World, Austin Powers and Shrek) was another consideration for the movie. 

PARENTS GUIDE: There's some references to sex every here and there. Major profanity is included in the film. Not much violence to be concerned about. This movie is rated PG-13.