My Proverbial Turkey Pt. 1

I'd give a longer intro but I must be quick: Here are just a few things to be thankful for this November....the rest I'll have to tell you this weekend AFTER I go and spend Thanks-giving with the greatest family ever (not biased.)

Thor 2: The Dark World

Set after the events of "The Avengers," Thor is face with a threat of....Dark Elves (something about that name is strange to me) taking over all Nine Realms (including Earth) with some magic darkness powder. King Odin has shut down all entrances to Asgard to protect his people, but Thor believes there is another way to stop the Elves. In order to do that, he must enlist the help of his adopted brother Loki (aka the Young Snape), who is in prison for his crimes. The sibling rivalry is real. TOO REAL. And the entire movie I was on the edge of my seat begging them to just STOP HATING EACH OTHER CUZ YOUR SIBLINGS AND SIBLINGS ARE FOREVER! Besides that, the effects were dope, the humor was witty and light-hearted. And I love the onscreen chemistry between Chris and Tom as brothers with issues, real issues, like "I'm adopted and never felt part of this family while you just got a ll the glory and didn't care about me" kind of issues.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Digging the "fake promo within a real promo" concept here. Promoception...

I saw this movie in X Plus in my theater, which is a beautiful 64 speaker surround sound system powered by Dolby's. (HYFR HYFR) Although I did have to stick paper in my ears so my eardrums wouldn't explode, I did enjoy the experience and it did enhance the movie. Which is about Katniss and Peeta trying to convince the world they are really in love, failing miserably, and forcing President Snow to create a special Hunger Games where the only people who can be reaped are.....every visitor from the past 75 years. DUN DUN DUN!!!!! In addition, since Katniss and Peeta's stunt with the berries in the last movie, a rebellion has begun within the districts, defying the Capitol and its dictatorship, using Katniss's mocking jay pin as a symbol of their attempts at a revolution.
In a nutshell, the effects, the plot, the underlying message, and the acting all gelled perfectly together. Whoever did the casting for this movie was brilliant. I for one could not see anyone other than Lenny Kravitz playing Cinna. What's more, all the cast members have the kind of onscreen chemistry that makes you forget it's not real. I for one am excited for the last installment.

Love Story By Erich Segal

"Love Means Never Having To Say You're Sorry."

It's not even 200 something pages and this book will forever be engraved into my mind. It dives immediately into the 1960's, when Oliver Bennett the Preppie jock meets Jennifer Cavalleri the Snotty Bookworm. Opposites attract, attraction becomes love, and the whirlwind romance becomes marriage. Sounds like it's been done before, but given that this book was released in the 1970's, I highly doubt you've read a version of romance like this recently. The dialogue is intriguing, the banter between the two lovers biting and humorous. THe pace of the book going the same way the pace of all-consuming love does, and it all feels so real. I can't give away the ending--I won't. But I can tell you you will never forget tho book when you read it. As the description says, "Love Story makes no claim to showing where it's at. Rather, it simply shows how it feels."

The Child Who By Simon Lelic

I picked up "Love Story" in the first pace because I was looking for something to take the taste out of my mouth from reading this book. That is not an insult to the book, rather a compliment to how strongly I was impacted by it. In most basic terms, the story is about a 12 year old boy charged with killing an 11 year old girl. The entire little community is out for blood, but the one man who takes his case is determined to look into the whole story--why would a 12 year do it? What led him to such a point? Problem is, the rest of the community doesn't want those questions answered. They want the boy in jail. And now this attorney is being made a target if he doesn't drop the case, putting everything he loves--including his own family--in jeopardy. 

It's not an easy book to read. But I believe it is an important one. Asking the kind of tough questions no one wants to hear in the throes of grief and tragedy, the most important one being: "Who is truly responsible when one child kills another?" I found out just who in this book. It's worth the taste in your mouth afterwards to read it now.

Almost Human

I will be curling up to Michael Ealy this winter. 

It premiered last Sunday and Monday on Fox 5. It's in the far future, about a damaged Cop getting back into the game and getting used to the addition of Robots as partners within the FBI. Or is it CSI.....whatever. the Point is, he has to partner with a particular kind of robot to help him get the job done. And he gets Dorian, a robot that was rejected by the FBI for its excessive emotions. Sounds kinda hilarious? That's because it is. But it's also attention-grabbing. I suggest it to anyone whose Monday night's have a hole where 24 used to be. :)


Tune in soon for Part 2! Enjoy your thanksgiving!

-CDM

Nostalgia Nougat

Now...

And Then...

I'm feeling.....nostalgic today.
This Friday, "The Best Man Holiday" is real eased, and all over America people are reminiscing about 1999, when the original movie was released...Nia Long's short hair, Morris Chesnut's grin, Terrence Howard being a lovable jerk, Taye Diggs being the center of all the problems.....ah, good times.
This little bout of nostalgia inspired a deeper one for me, for all my childhood movies. The ones I'd watch as a child on VHS (remember that?) from morning til night on weekends. The ones we make memes about now cuz they're that famous. And the ones with the best musical numbers, because let's face it, that's the best part.
So here are my Top 7 Movies That'll Hold A Place In My Heart Forever.
Note: I purposely spent extra time looking for the dopiest posters for each movie. Below is what I found. :)

The Lion King

If for whatever reason you haven't ever seen this movie, then you have been so deprived of a beautiful experience that all of humanity weeps for you. This is one of those "Disney Renassance" movies (as most of this list will be) that hit me in my little child heart! To watch a young cub traumatized by the death of his father, find his way to the throne after years of trying to run from his destiny, it's just....beautiful.
Most Memorable Moment: Mufasa's Ghost.

A Bug's Life

The first thing I think of when it comes to this movie is the caterpillar who just wanted to be a beautiful butterfly. The main character Flik has the same mindset. He's waiting for his chance to rise above simple worker in his ant farm, and bring his big ideas to the forefront. Especially to keep those Grasshoppers-With-Control-Issues from reaping the benefits of the ANTS' hard work! Flik is the underdog-turned-hero, and who doesn't love a good underdog-turned-hero story?

Most Memorable moment: Flik's Speech--the one that changes everything.

Tarzan

Phil Collins. Made. This. Movie. I know that's a pretty strong statement given how he had nothing to do with the script or the animation and whatnot, but the first thing I think about when I think of Tarzan is the music. As Tarzan the jungle man grows from boy to man, he is comforted by Phil Collins (You'll Be In My Heart), encouraged by Phil Collins (Son Of Man), joined in discovery by PHil Collins (Strangers Like Me), and the movie's overall message is summed up by Phil Collins (Two Worlds, One Family.) And I remember those songs over anything else. So Yeah, Phil Collins made this movie. And Terk.

Most Memorable Moment: Doo Bop Shi Du

Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Michael J. Fox goes on a quest to find the lost city of Atlantis, and not only finds that, but actual surviving people who have questions about their past as he does; meanwhile the crew that has accompanied him on his quest is out for more than a discovery (meaning they want to sell ish for money. typical.)
Now, there are certain things I have issues with this movie about, but let's talk about what I love. I love the visual effects from the start scene to last. I love the musical score even though it wasn't a musical. I love the adventure of going under the earth to find Atlantis. I love Sweets and Mole and Milo and Audrey's two for flinching and Vinny blowing things up. I love that LOBSTER even though it's a heartless killing machine. And I absolutely adore Kida ( especially cuz she's voiced by Cree Summer, who played Freddie from A Different World).

Most Memorable Moment: Kida's Transformation

Mulan

How many of these kind of Undercover Woman movies did we see as a kid in the 90's? WE had enough of the princess-gets-saved-by-prince stores to last us 1000 lifetimes. But every once in a while, there's a story about a girl who goes undercover as a male for noble reasons bigger than herself, dealing with the gruesome workouts and tough talk that comes with being one of the guys. I guess if being one of the guys means you learn to kick high and punch hard then it must be worth it. Especially if you get to do it al with an Eddie Murphy Dragon. And Shang.

Most Memorable Moment: I'll Make A Man Out of You

Toy Story

"You Got A Friend In Me.....You Got A Friend In Me..." Just hearing that in my head makes me want to sob for all toy-humanity. That's my whole childhood put into one series. Imagine having toys like Woody and Buzz Lightyear fight each other for your affections while you're sleeping. Imagine having an army of little army toys ordering around the other toys in your absence? And then adding more toys in the second movie that were gonna go in storage? And then ever MORE toys that were doomed to a child's daycare until they came up with a clever plan for escape, all to get back to their rightful owner? AND WOULD IT NOT BE AWeSOME TO TALK TO THEM YOURSELF?? We all loved that idea....until we grew up. Like Andy did....in the last movie....(sniffle)

Most Memorable Moment: Revenge On Sid

Shrek

This is the movie I got the actual CD Soundtrack to. To this day I can recite every word to every song that takes us through the journey of the badass ogre who just don't give a f*ck. He's perfectly happy in his muddy secluded little home, only seeing on on a quest to save the stuck up princess because the little bitty King promised him money for it. And with Eddie Murphy as the kickass donkey ("On the road again, I can't wait to be back on the road again..") YOu already know you're in for rib cracking laughter sessions. I think I'll go watch it now.

Most Memorable Moment: The whole escape from the dragon thing

Excuse me while I go and....watch....all of those movies.

- CDM