A Movie I Wish I Saw In Theaters---Yes Yes, to No- No “Notorious”

Notorious is about the short life of rapper Christopher (Biggie Smalls) Wallace . I like rap music, but bios about rappers is another story. I saw “Notorious” on DVD and I must say it was very good. When they make movies about real people you should read about them before you see the movie, for they add or take out things that didn’t happen in their lives. He grew up poor, became a drug dealer, then a rapper. Jamal Woolard as Biggie is fantastic---he gained weight for the role and did a very good job. Always talented Angela Bassett is even better as the mother of Biggie. She could have her own biopic made of what she went through besides raising her son.

Newcomer Naturi Naughton plays Lil Kim. She got the skank part right, but the relationship with Biggie was a little bit more complex---that’s why the real Lil Kim didn’t like the movie and the way she was portrayed. The entire cast was fantastic. In a comment about Biggie one person said he got what he deserved. Well, every rapper, rock star and most actors would be dead then. It is rated R so there is nudity and very foul language-be prepared. If you saw it in the theaters good for you. The DVD has the extended version which I saw, but no extras.

Jonny Quest News

 My sources say that Zac Efron (“High School Music”) is going to play Jonny Quest---yeah, I know, but at least it will probably be made now. They hope to get Dwayne Johnson to play Race Bannon. To play Dr. Benton Quest my choice is Bruce Harwood (“Lone Gunmen”) and for Hadji, Dev Patel (“Slumdog Millionaire”).  

Fast and Furious---Just The Way I Like It!

        The gang is back together in “FF-4”. It feels more like the sequel to “The Fast and Furious”in 2001. Plot is not the main ingredient in these kinds of movies, what is are hot cars, hot women and two hunks: Vin Diesel---one cool badass dude---and Paul Walker. The women Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster are good but eye candy. All four were in the original. The opening sequence lets you know what fun you are going to have for the rest of the movie. I do hope there is a “Fast and Furious 5”!

P.S.:  YEAH--Here Comes Fast and Furious 5!!!--- If your on the PC a lot you already know that they are going to make FF5 with Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. It is set in Brazil---no release date yet.

Knowing---Know That It Will Be At Your Video Store Soon!

       Nicolas Cage stars in “Knowing” end of the world picture. If you saw the trailer a young girl in the fifties writes a page full of numbers and Cage’s son gets after 50 years. It tells about disasters that will be coming. Parts of the movie are very suspenseful---especially the airplane crash---much more graphic in the movie. The special effects are great and the music is impressive but the plot you have seen in other movies. In short if you like Nicolas Cage and disaster movies you will like this---if not, please don’t bother.

Punisher War Zone 2008, and More Punishment

I got the DVD of “Punisher-War Zone.” I saw the movie in theaters and I am one of the few folks who loved it. I bought the two discs and usually I don’t but this time it was good just too short. There has been 3 movies and I enjoyed them all. Each actor brings a different feel to the character Frank Castle.

Punisher-1989 starring Dolph Lundgren, directed by Mark Goldblatt. He was imposing and intense at times. Not a good actor but acting is not a requirement in an action B-movie.
Punisher-2004 starring Thomas Jane, directed by Jonathan Hensleigh. In this movie Jane’s Punisher was thinking man and compassionate person. It tells how he became a DEA agent to vigilante. John Travolta was good as the villain Howard Saint but he was invented-not in the comic book. (at least to my knowledge)

Punisher: War Zone-2008 starring Ray Stevenson directed by Lexi Alexander. Stevenson version is amazing. He looks like he stepped out of the comic book! He is tall, menacing, intense, non-talking killing machine!! The villain is Jigsaw ( Dominic West) and he is from the comic book and his brother Looney Bin Jim (Doug Hutchison). West and Hutchison over acts which is good to silent assassin Stevenson. Director Lexi Alexander( it is a woman!) does a great job. There is a lot of neon color. Maybe she has seen a lot of anime-beauty before bloodshed!! I wish they would make more movies on DVD. I sure would buy them.

Who Would Win? Punisher Vs. Rambo 

Who Would Win? Three–way dance---Dolph Lungren Vs. Thomas Jane Vs. Ray Stevenson