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End of The Summer Recommendations

Another Summer has passed and to be honest with you, it's one I'd like to forget. The world has lost Robin Williams, as well as my best friend, and it feels like nothing will ever be the same. As far as the blog is concerned, I've spent much of my summer in quiet solitude, relying heavily on my vast collection of media to keep my mind occupied. Twenty-One reviews this month is the most for a single month, in almost a year, and I've got a huge list of things I've watched, just waiting to be reviewed. As the worst Summer imaginable has come to an end, most of my regulars will know that September 1st means it's time for my end of Summer recommendations. I hope it helps you find something you'll love! Thank you for making this blog what it is and for my part, I will continue to inform you on what's worth watching and what you should skip!

Movies:

2 Guns

Home Front

Thor: The Dark World

The Rock

Wolf Creek 2

The Place Beyond The Pines

Argo

Tv Shows:

Homeland

Hannibal

Criminal Minds

24: Live Another Day

Books:

The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (Book #2 of The Maze Runner)

The Death Cure by James Dashner (Book #3 of The Maze Runner)

Pines by Blake Couch (Picked up by FOX for 2015 mini-series)

The Mammoth Book of Time Travel Science Fiction by Various Authors

Music:

Isolate & Medicate by Seether

Fuck EP by Buckcherry

The Hunting Party by Linkin Park

Savages by Theory of A Deadman

Team EP by Local H

A Document of Dissent by Anti-Flag

R.I.P. Ultimate Warrior

There are three men responsible for making me a life long wrestling fan, Hulk Hogan, Bret "Hitman" Hart, and The Ultimate Warrior. Because of these three men, I still watch wrestling to this day, even though it has become a sixth grade soap opera with more talking than fighting. 

In 1987, right at the height of Hulkamania, came a new wrestler, a man who seemed like he would fit in better in a mental hospital than in a wrestling ring, that man was the Ultimate Warrior. He came sprinting into the ring, wearing bright colors, and screaming non-sense, but this man could do something that even Hogan couldn't, and that was fire up even the toughest crowd, just by making an appearance.

For five years, the Ultimate Warrior was a cash cow for the WWE, while being one of the worst technical wrestlers on the roster. Much like Howard Stern, people tuned in to see the Warrior just to see what he would say or do next. It was this unpredictability that made him something special. 

While he was awful by technical wrestling standards, the man was always full of energy and good for a laugh. When I think of the Warrior I will always remember two things. His ridiculous promos, where he would talk about the sun, the moon, and the Gods above, and of course his psychotic behavior in the ring. Who can forget how he would run into the ring and then bounce from rope to rope, over and over again, delivering half a dozen clotheslines at once?

The Warrior could have been even bigger than Hulkamania, but unfortunately for him, the man behind the make-up, Jim Hellwig, was almost as crazy as the character he portrayed. He was often critical of his employer, saying and doing things that one shouldn't do in any type of business and this resulted in him being blackballed from pro wrestling. For nearly 15 years, the man who legal changed his name to Warrior, was considered to be a menace, criticizing the sport and his former colleagues, while filing lawsuit after lawsuit against Vince McMahon and the WWE.

It was only a few months ago that McMahon reached out to Warrior in an attempt to reconcile these difference and to allow the Warrior to take his rightful place in the WWE Hall of Fame. A very much humbled and toned down Warrior signed a legends contract and was inducted into the Hall on April 4, 2014.

On April 7, the Warrior made his first appearance on Monday Night Raw in 18 years to do something we never thought he'd do, thank the fans for making him the man he was. In a sense it was the perfect way to say goodbye to the WWE Universe. During that appearance, I did notice he was winded walking out to the ring and had a hard time shaking the ropes the way he once did, but who would have expected what happened next?

The very next night, while leaving his hotel the Warrior collapsed and died from an apparent heart attack at the age of 54. Many people believe that we have a purpose in life and move on once that purpose has been fulfilled. It's almost as though now that Jim made peace with the WWE and finally acknowledged the fans as the reason for his success, his mission in life was complete and he was able to move on peacefully to the next world. 

The Ultimate Warrior helped to make wrestling more than just an Olympic sport. He brought intensity and style to the sport and changed the face of the WWE forever. As someone who followed his career through all the ups and downs, I am really going to miss the unique character of the Warrior and the strange man behind his creation, Jim Hellwig.

Thoughts On The Walking Dead

As the cult phenomenon, The Walking Dead enters it's 4th season, it is pulling the highest ratings that cable television has ever seen. The critics are raving about how wonderful, original, and shocking this show is, but that's the thing, it's not...

I am a fan who has seen every episode and while I enjoy it, it is anything but original and there are very limited places the show can go and only three possible ways the show can eventually end. Maybe the other critics haven't watched as much Science Fiction as I have, few have, but the truth is that following the original story of the first graphic novel, (basically season 1 of the show) The Walking Dead has been taking ideas that have already been done and are re-packaging them.

I'll get back to that, because it all comes back to the basic problem with this show...

Given the story they have, there are very limited places to go and the creators can re-package and re-write it as many ways as they'd like, but the fact is that show is about a group of people trying to survive at the end of the world. Whether it's in a trailer park, on a farm, or in a prison, it is the same story being repeated. People are trying to survive the walkers and each other. They face hardships and people die, but soon new people take their place and we re-live it all again in one big cycle. This is why the show is aired once a year instead of seasonally. How long do you think it will take before people get tired of seeing the thing over and over again?

Okay, so it's repetitive, people like continuity, that's why there are so many sequels, but what about originality?

All I hear about this show is how refreshingly original it is, but outside of the make-up and the gore they get away with on prime time television, there is nothing original here anymore. Ever since the end of the original novel, the start of season 3, they have been stealing ideas from other shows!

Two towns of survivors, fighting with each other over control of land and resources, after a disaster that has ended the world as they know it....Sounds an awful lot like Jericho, Season 1, Part 2... What about the Governor? He was a great character, but anyone who is a fan of Star Trek will remember a very similar leader from DS9. Now, season 4 has started and there is a trader in their group! Besides being painfully obvious who it is, it's also a theme we had 8 episodes into Lost.

The show is repetitive and unoriginal, so why do we watch it? The answer is simple, we have invested the time in it and want to see what happens to our favorite characters, but as I see it there are only three possible ways for this show to end...

Either the walkers start to heal as in Warm Bodies or they all start to die for real as in 28 Weeks Later. Once that happens, the group can move into an abandon town and live happily ever after. Scenario number two, everyone dies and becomes walkers at the end. I think we've all seen that before and know exactly where. Finally, the artsy answer, it was all a dream and Rick awakes from his coma to find the world is safe and sound and he's a changed man.

Either way, all three endings have been done and all three endings will be obvious and disappointing to a large majority of the fan base. Look, I'm not trying to rip the show, I watch it with you every Sunday, but the fact of the matter is, while the ratings are enormous, the show ran out of ideas two years ago, it's limited in how it can end, and the true appeal is nothing more than blood and guts mixed with the oldest theme in the book, who lives and who dies.

AMC is putting all their eggs in the Walking Dead's basket, cancelling shows like The Killing and promoting the Walking Dead, months before it airs, instead of promoting new projects like Low Winter's Sun that aired ahead of it. Every commercial set, every promo, even the website is all Walking Dead and now their even talking about a sequel, featuring another group in a different area of the country at the same time. While I agree with them riding the wave of success, eventually people are going to get sick of seeing the same thing over and over and what's AMC going to be left with? No Killing, No Low Winter's Sun, Breaking Bad and Mad Men are done, and pretty soon, I think it'll be back to 30 year old movies and reality TV.

Just one man's opinion... Please feel free to leave your own in the comments....

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Coming Soon...

Seriously... I can't wait! Generally I hate super hero movies, but I've always loved Batman!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year!

No matter what religion you are, this is a time for family, friends, and loved one, and I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Monthly Poll

Our last poll was in August and we asked you what your favorite Leonardo DiCaprio movie was, the overwhelming winner getting 23 of 80 votes was....

TITANIC

Not my choice, but not a surprise either....

This month we've got a new poll for ya! This month we'd like to know...

What's your favorite scary movie???


Log into Facebook to vote and to comment!

My 9/11 Story

On September 11, 2001, I was off from work and decided to sleep in. As is the case when I don’t have anything else to do, I slept until about 11. That is when the phone rang. It was my doctor’s secretary saying my appointment for a routine physical had been cancelled and she didn’t know when I could reschedule. I asked her, “why not?” Her reply; “Have you turned on your television at all today?”

I turned on the TV and to my horror saw the two main towers of the World Trade Center crumbling to the ground. I knew none of my family or friends were in that area, yet still I was speechless. My first thoughts turned to the thousands of people who might have been in those buildings and then to who and why.

About 10 minutes later, I got another phone call. This one was from the woman I baby-sat for. She said that she and her husband were all right, but because of the tragic events they were stuck in Manhattan and could I be there when their kids got home from school.

The children came home, knowing their parents were all right, but it didn’t stop them from asking a million questions, most of which I couldn’t answer. Then a thought occurred to me. If these kids are that frightened and upset, what are the kids who lost somebody like and who is around to answer their questions?

Over the next couple of days I looked online for ways that I could help. I’m not particularly strong and I’m not the bravest person in the world, but having worked for The Boys and Girls Club and in various rec. centers and camps since I was 15, I knew I could do something. About a week later, a doctor and family friend who worked for South Nassau Communities Hospital called me and told me about the 9/11 Family Center they were opening in Rockville Centre.

The Center, as it would be come to known, started out as a place for anyone affected by 9/11 to come in and talk to a psychiatrist, social worker, or crisis counselor for free. It was also just a place where they could drop their kids off for a while and maybe even get them to talk to somebody.

For the next eight months I volunteered, almost eight hours a day and it was nothing like I thought it would be. My expectations were of depressed kids and kids crying out of control, but on the surface, just days after losing a loved one, these kids seemed like normal kids. Over my time there, I would learn that kids grieve differently than adults and I would have to interpret their behavior to find out who was more affected than others and who needed someone the most.

One child who stood out to me the most was a 3 year old boy whose father was a fireman. For confidentiality reasons, I can’t use his name. However, this young boy seemed to me to be absolutely oblivious to what had happened. For days I thought he didn’t know or understand what it meant that daddy wasn’t coming home.

Then one day his mom said she was going to get something at Rite Aid and would be right back. She wanted to know if I could keep an eye on him for 20 minutes, I said no problem. Literally two minutes after his mother left, he ran to the back to show her a picture he had made. When he didn’t see her, he said “Where’s mom?” and I told him she went to the store and would be right back. He dropped the picture, grabbed hold of me as hard as he could, and just let out the most horrific scream you have ever heard and then broke into tears. This wasn’t just your typical baby crying; this kid was absolutely terrified, and it was then I realized, not only does he know about his dad, but he must think the same thing just happened to his mother.

There are dozens of stories like that, but as the months went by and things started to settle down, so did the kids and their families. They will never be over what happened, but the initial shock of the situation had worn off and we started planning trips and events. Eventually I would receive a paying job and become the Youth Activities Director, a position I held for the next three years.

Those kids started out to me as a random group of victims that I was trying to help, but they became family members. Every time they cried, I wanted to. Every time they felt pain, I felt it. Working there wasn’t just another job. For the first time in my life, I feel like I was actually making an impact on the life of another human being. It was a feeling I have tried to duplicate in my everyday life, but so far I haven’t been able to. While I feel really good about myself for having worked there and for everything I did, it wasn’t about me and if I could, I would trade it all for the lives of their loved ones back or even to just give them the chance to say goodbye.

Monthly Poll

In July, I asked you what your favorite Disney movie was.

94 of you answered

....and the overwhelming winner is

Finding Nemo!

The poll question for August is...

August is the month for Leo's...so what's your favorite Leonardo DiCaprio movie?

Monthly Poll

We have a new poll up on Facebook! You can check off one of the existing answers or add your own. Lets see if we can do better than the 115 responses we had on the last poll, and while you're there be sure to like us!

What is your favorite Disney movie?

A Commentary On Ryan Dunn

Several weeks ago, Jackass Star, Ryan Dunn, was killed in an accident on a Pennsylvania highway. It was later determined that the crash was related to alcohol and obsessive speed. Since then, friends and family have been opening up and speaking about what a great friend and person he was.

I didn't know Ryan. He could have been the greatest guy and friend in the history of the world, but it doesn't change what happened. Dunn was idolized by millions of kids, and while Jackass stars are often put down and ridiculed, there are a lot of positive attributes to look up to. They're courageous, outgoing, have a terrific sense of humor, and they are unique, doing what they want, and not just what's popular. On the other hand, they also have negative qualities, such as taking unnecessary risks and abusing drugs and alcohol.

My question to the friends and family of Ryan Dunn is, if he was such a great friend and loved so much, than why didn't someone take his keys? I suppose it's because they've seen him and everyone else do it for years without any consequences. Well, just how many times can you get bombed and get behind the wheel before the inevitable happens? 

I'm sure Ryan was a great guy and deserved every bit of love and respect he got, but that night who was he thinking about? With these celebrities, the truth is that they always come first. It doesn't matter how many friends they have, how much their family loves them, or how much their fans look up to them. They come first and foremost, and I can promise you that when Ryan Dunn put the keys in the ignition, he wasn't thinking about his friends, family, or fans.

People keep saying what a tragedy this is, and anytime someone dies in the prime of their life, it certainly is, but I keep asking myself if a bigger tragedy was averted by Dunn's death. What if a 21 year old kid at the bar that night saw Dunn get behind the wheel in that condition and arrive home fine? What if they then heard the tale of how even completely wasted, the big celebrity got up to 140 on the highway? They'd be tempted to do it themselves, just to prove that they were as cool as Dunn, and what if instead of losing control and hitting a tree, they hit a family of 5 that had the misfortune of changing lanes in front of them on the highway?

Like I said, Ryan Dunn could have been a great guy, but what kind of guy gets bombed and drives 140 mph, putting 1000s of lives at risk? It was stupid and selfish and when the media say so, it's because people, kids especially, need to know just how insane and how dangerous it is. Rather than jumping down the throats of the media to defend their friend, the stars of Jackass should be saying he's a great guy, BUT he did a stupid thing. Just lashing out and telling people to shut the fuck up and then posting tributes left and right just isn't the right thing to do. In life, Ryan Dunn may have been a hero, but he didn't go out like one and his actions shouldn't be ignored.

Facebook Privacy?! New Policy is a joke!

Facebook is a social network site. It is designed to let us share information, thoughts, ideas, and much more with our friend, no matter how close or distant they are. The whole idea behind it is to be open with people and get to know them better.

So, the whole idea of "Facebook Privacy" seems idiotic to me. This is a place where millions of people WILLINGLY post their phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, and other personal information publically for anyone to see, yet they are worried about privacy!?

Here's an idea... If you're so worried about your privacy, limit what you put on your profile! Just because theres a space there that say "Address" or "Phone Number" doesn't mean it's required information!

However, In response to the idiots, Facebook has now instituted a new policy for ALL of it's users (not just the one's under 18). Now you are ONLY allowed to add friends who are either friends with someone you are already friends with or who show up in your friend finder.

So you're telling me, if I go out to a bar and meet someone and maybe hook up, I can't then go home and add them to my facebook, unless they are already friends with someone I know?! What if I get a new co-worker or want to add a distance cousin?? How about follow a celebrity I like? Or a friend from a mutual intrest group on facebook? I can't add them!?!

You may think I'm joking, but I'm not! Go ahead, search a random name,  try to add them, and see what comes up.... THIS

Do you know this user personally? To prevent misuse of Facebook, this request can't be sent. To learn more, please visit the Help Center. If you believe you're seeing this message in error, you can report the problem.

Ok... report the problem! You get an automated response that sends you right back to the help page.

If I were 15 and trying to add someone who's 40 (or vise versa)... This might be a good idea. I got this message trying to add an old friend from high school, who had moved, and apparently only recently joined facebook. He only has like a dozen friends, none of whom I know, so I was unable to add him and keep getting this message.

This is fair? Facebook has almost a billion users. How many of them do you think are under 18? Maybe 200,000 or so? So why is the minorities safety, taking priority over everyone elses ability to fully use Facebook properly?

I think this new policy is great for under aged kids. Their profiles should be protected and should be private, but applying this rule to everyone is just fucking stupid! Do you remember when Myspace wanted to be more private and you had to know everyone's last name or email address, and then type in a long ass code? ...well how'd that turn out? Do you use your myspace anymore? Does anyone who isn't in a band?

This is a bad move for Facebook! It playcates the idiots who CHOOSE to reveal too much information and protects people who aren't children and don't want to be protected. I don't post my personal information and I want to meet new people, I want people to add me, that's part of the reason I joined! It's what apps and groups are based on.

It's a bad move and the beginning of the downfall of facebook. Remember you heard it here first.

Justin Bieber Hit In The Head With Water Bottle

Justin Bieber Hit With Water Bottle - Watch more Funny Videos

These days Justin Bieber is everywhere! Fan, hater, or otherwise you can't go anywhere without hearing or seeing him. Persoanlly I have nothing against the kid. He's got a great voice and has courage enough to go out and follow his dream, I admire that! In this video you see a fan (or someone's boyfriend who was dragged to the show) hit Justin in the head with a bottle. The video is hilarious for it's slapstick value, but also for the fact that you see Justin immediately drop his stage personality and become a scared teenager. Right there, just like that, on stage and in front of everyone, the Bieber becomes real.