Early Sneak Peek trailer released for Ridley Scott's "The Counselor"

When it was announced that Ridley Scott would take the helm for a Cormac McCarthy novel's translation to film, many wondered just what it would be like. "No Country for Old Men" was a divine masterpiece, and this tale of a lawyer in too deep with the drug trade probably will be as well. Many have questioned the cast of Pitt, Diaz, Cruz, and Bardem's ability to shine; I have no doubt that it will. Drug dealing tales are always fast paced and salivary; the double crossing, hot locations and briefcases full of contraband will always tide the viewer over. Yes, Penelope has been in other drug movies (Blow); but this one should have a certain kick to it to get viewers excited. When I read McCarthy's "Cities of the Plain" I was engrossed; the desperado entity meeting all the other elements involved should create wonderful fireworks for a film.

Surfing without Paddling; attractive even if Cheating

Everyone on a surfboard has imagined at one time not having to do the hard work of paddling out, turning around and sometimes.... just waiting for a long time for a wave. Even though it could be considered not purist, so could the use of jet skis, which really enable pros to go where they want to in the water right away. This battery powered motor is built into some surfboards, at a cost of close to five thousand dollars. A bracelet remote controls the motor, which also kills automatically upon wipeout. Long ago the valiant riders of the South Pacific and California would have scoffed at this, but at speeds of up to 12 mph; you'll have a little bit of arm power left to sling the cooler of beer close to the campfire later.

Depression Era Gem: "Road to Perdition"

Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law are at the forefront of this story about a connected man and his son who are on the run and in search of those who murdered the rest of their family. After finishing "American Beauty", director Sam Mendes wanted to have something that focused more on imagery and not as much diolouge; this was part of it's criticism, but also part of it's acclaim. Tom Hanks is Michael Sullivan, who works in Rock Island, a smaller city in Illinois crime ridden 1930's. Tyler Hoechlin is the child actor who plays Sullivan's son, a twelve year old who witnesses a murder.

The party who was in charge of the witnessed murder kills Sullivan's wife, and other son, and the two head out to Chicago to seek work with Al Capone and find the wherabouts of the murderer, named Connor. Before all this we get a glimpse of life before the incident, and Paul Newman is excellent as the local Rock Island crime boss. When the Capone crew is asked permission to work for and kill Connor, they do not oblige, putting Michael and his son is a predicament. They begin robbing banks that house Capone's laundered money, in hopes of making an exchange.

Some people did not enjoy Jude Law cast as a henchman hired by Capone to kill Sullivan, who broodily photographs his victims. For a few reasons I highly enjoyed him in this, he seemed a little crazy and not as hard edged as some gangsters. There is a scene in a diner where he begins to actually talk to Sullivan and his son, and they quickly realize its a setup. Sullivan teaches his son to drive the getaway car, and the movie shifts gears into a bit of a father/son classic. When i first saw this, I did not know it was based on a graphic novel, which has got to be kind of a nice specimen, a gangster novel instead of monsters and superheroes for a brief change.

Sam Mendes had attempted to make a gangster film here that avoids the same themes as others, and I widely think that he has. It is a bit hard to re watch because of the somewhat surprise ending and some drawn out moments. Some critics felt detached from it, like they did not have the ability to care about the characters. 2/3 of the way through, Sullivan is injured and the two have to stay with a couple on a farm; at this point we see some wonderful things happen; that engrossed me a bit more in the relationships. This is one of my favorite roles for Tom Hanks, who is known as a a take him or leave him actor.

There are some great scenes of the 1930's car rolling through the Midwest, and with that moving car, there is a theme of comfort, as if Sullivan, the boy, and the car are one. The best thing about this is that if you are able to be pulled into it quickly enough, it sticks with you; and there are some cold sensations that the winter, rain, and robberies conjure up in you. When you as the viewer ride with Sullivan and his son in the old car, there is a bit of foreboding doom. But there is also a glimpse of a land with promise; that was being eaten by the economic and criminal cancers of the era.

Horror Movie list from the 1970's!

The 1970's were a very defining time for horror. While there were some movies that didn't meet the bar, this inclusive list is full of a lot of the ones that did. "Young Frankenstein", "Halloween", "Piranha" and "The Swarm" are many of the fun ones on the list. Sometimes the long pauses, imperfect editing, and glitches of the genre have a lot to do with these great movies. This was the decade where a lot of real terror came to screen, and of course launched the slasher films in higher volume. From big blockbusters like "Alien" to other treasures like "The Brood", it's one fine period of horror that could be known as the best. It doesn't always take computer generated effects to get you to jump out of your seat! Here is the website with the list:

100 great 1970's horror films: 

Great Vintage Venice Beach Photos

This website shows vintage surf shots of Venice Beach, in a collection by David Scott. A place where the Lords truly ruled the pier, the atmosphere was not always picture perfect, and somewhat of an attitude was always present. In ways it does not look exactly the same now, but you can still feel some of the old spirit lurking. Just like a wave that has not quite manifested yet, it's not always a bad thing to lurk. The website is:

click here for Venice beach shots

Ace does fly High indeed; in Scorsese's "Casino"

It's a harrowing thing to be told of all the secrets of the desert and threatened to be buried out there yourself. The 8th film by Scorsese featuring the iconic Robert De Niro as Sam "Ace" Rothstein, "Casino" is the story of a gambling professional hired by the Midwest arm of the mob to oversee the fluid operations of the Tangiers in Las Vegas. The outfits overseen by the character in real life were the Stardust, Hacienda and Fremont casinos in the newly booming desert empire in the 1970's.

What many claim is Joe Pesci's maturely signature role, he plays the true enforcer behind the scenes, making sure that the mob gets money off the top and everyone stays in line. Rothstein's wise move of always making the right bets for the mob in the beginning really pay off (for a while) as making him a golden child of the teamsters, who are not allowed to go past Kansas City to make money.

Full of wonderfully crafted scenes that guide you through the operations, security, lavish entryways and valet areas of the casinos, the narraration splits between De Niro and Pesci perfectly, as Pesci's temper really, really starts to get the best of him. To say the least, he stomps on, intimidates, steals money from, and extends his smart middle finger in the direction of anyone who crosses him. "Goodfellas" is an obvious gangster masterpiece, with the same craft of showing you the players like illustrious mobbed up individuals with their own unique traits. The sheer fact that the blinking lights, rows of slots, and violent humor gets to go a step further here with the locale make it that much better.

 The issue of very lax gaming laws in the 1970's is the reason why Rothstein is allowed here in the first place; you could at that time operate while your license was pending. As in many other epic plots, a woman enters the scenario and changes everything. When I first saw the film I thought Sharon Stone was not going to belong, that she was hideously miscast. Nope; she is a hustler named Ginger who as Rothstein tells us "can keep a man up for days before sending him home broke and disheveled".

A hybrid of true gold digger with another bipolar side possessing a bit of heart, her ex boyfriend Lester (James Woods) is a constant thorn in Rothstein's side, and he cannot see her attraction to the loser who sometimes "doesn't have enough gas money to pick up his own check". Her and Rothstein marry, and she eventually goes down a path of addiction and deceit. Many other scandalous things happen and red flags are raised on Rothstein's gaming license; with a true to life ending of what usually happens when you try to cheat the establishment. Full of music like the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and The Moody Blues, there is a hardcore type of jangling going on here that can make you feel like you are eating a steak buffet at 4 in the morning.

 "Casino" is one of those depressing tales that doesn't depress you all the way, watching someone take over like Rothstein is a cinematic adventure. Webs of production don't get spun like this every day in Hollywood, and it is a trademark; a homage to a bustling time when you could stand up straight and take what you wanted if you had the balls to.

Rewind to the Masterpiece about Replicants; "Blade Runner"

Los Angeles in 2019 is portrayed by Ridley Scott here with such painstaking effort that it could be said there are few films on the planet that trump it. Performing at not so hot levels in the theaters; it has since been recognized as a nearly immaculate cult classic. Dustin Hoffman was originally sketched in the storyboards, and was thought to be the pick, but Harrison Ford became the lead man after his performance in "Star Wars" and his keen interest in the story.

As so many great films are, it was plagued from the beginning; and also took a risk with lesser knows actresses Darryl Hannah and Sean young. Even Scorsese himself was a bit interested in the root derivative of the idea, the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Lighting instructors everywhere praise the film for its neon look, futuristic stark visions, and success with the constant element of rain.

Harrison Ford is Rick Deckard, who is brought in to hunt down replicants, robots built for menial tasks that are not supposed to be back on Earth after four years of existence. One of them has shot an interviewer in a questioning, and he is flown over a futuristic array of pyramids to investigate. On the ground, there are Japanese sushi bars, modern urban decay, and technical gadgets which do resemble those of present times. We are shown that Rachel, (Sean Young) is a replicant who believes her memories are real, and is upset at the suggestion they are not.

On the new blu ray that has just been released with many versions and workbook saga and a documentary, it is shown that Sean Young was cast perfectly; Ridley liked her iciness and she was almost just like a doll. Rutger Hauer plays a great villain in this movie, laughing demonically with streak blonde hair and having an amazing standoff with Deckard in the end. When interviewed, Hauer says it was hands down his favorite performance and movie.

What audiences saw as flaws were pacing, introduction near the middle of a strange array of puppets and different feel in the cast. With the action not being constant even having a perfect standoff in the end, there are some identity confusions; and those who get frustrated with the typical A to Z plot did not understand the symbolism. The parallels to the future, and warnings about a world where the lower class is breached from any hope by means of technology, scanners, and profile tests were very landmark at the time. The true achievements of "Blade Runner" are the futuristic flying scenes, Deckard wistfully wondering what his journey will end like, and the portrayal of a world full of spinner cars and devices that were painstakingly invented by the crew.

 As the spinners fly by the sides of buildings with an almost 1984 or "Brazil" themed warning of some sort of colonization, it was evident that Ridley Scott really was "exploring pain" since just witnessing his brother's death. Pitted up against "ET", "Star Trek II, the Wrath of Khan" and "The Thing" was another reason why this sci-fi film was a bit disappointing at the box office. Re visiting it now is always a treat, and the driving element of Deckard questioning if whether he himself is human wins the serious viewer over. So far ahead of it's time and so delightfully grim; I cannot shun this film by giving it any less than the full five stars.

online hotspot; Girl on a Board

Every once in a while you need to look at a website that is far from the norm, inspiring, and not monotonous in the least. Girl on a Board definitely measures up. Dedicated to girls everywhere who surf and skateboard, this was created by Lucy Bleu, who started skating when she started walking. Interviews, scene babes, and custom building instructions are just a fraction of the fun you will find on this blog. Originally appeared on hypursuit, a lifestyle and diversity blog I write for.

Like Catnip for the Sci-fi Connoisseur, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" still amazes; 35+ years later

Released in November of 1977, "Close Encounters" is one of those movies that invoked so much magic and awe in the audience, it left them driving home wistfully thinking of their own origins; and the entire galaxy. Richard Dreyfuss plays Roy Neary, an electrician in Indiana who sees UFOs while on a night call and is mesmorized by them completely, following them until it even derails his marriage. Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, and Gene Hackman all turned down the part, originally thought by Speilberg to be played by Steve Mcqueen. While on the set of the masterpiece "Jaws", Dreyfuss slowly coaxed Speilberg into being the leading man for this gem as well. In the beginning we are shown some ww2 planes left in the desert strangely, minus the pilots.

Then, we are shown the predicament via air traffic control of two planes having a near collision with a UFO, startled. 3 year old Barry in Indiana is woken up when his battery operated toys start moving on their own, and goes out the door to chase the beings. In one of the best moments in movie history, Roy is stuck at a railroad crossing looking at his maps when a ufo slowly buzzes over and shines a light directly on him. the crossing sign shakes, the truck battery goes awry, and he is genuinely terrified. Some highway patrolmen chase the UFOs, and another grand scene with them flying through the toll booth is shown. Eventually Roy becomes so obsessed that he makes a model of Devil's Tower in his basement, where the United Nations has constructed a communications center and landing pad. Roy is accompanied by Jillian, a woman who also is interested in the UFOS, to the landing site to witness a final spectacle of interstellar wonder.  

People in the industry joked that the 3.3 million dollar effects budget at the time could be used to make an entire other film, but if you go revisit this classic, you will be glad they stuck with it. Jillian is Barry's mother, who has been taken by the aliens. When they sneak onto the landing site, the night sky by Devil's Tower with the lit landing pad looks like a perfectly painted surreal setting, and hints of global governance tell us that even back in 1977; the whole world would attempt to join over events concerning interstellar peace. When the craft lands, the beings are somewhat like the "grey" aliens portrayed in later films, but curiously friendlier. The missing airline pilots along with young Barry are released, and a few other choice events happen.

Said to be a homage to his younger days when Speilberg saw meteor showers with his father in New Jersey, this film is almost like a child's dream; wherein all elements of hostility are ruled out in the end. If you revisit this film you undoubetdly may drag along a bit in the middle; but as many masterpieces the beginning and end are essential. "ET" was a bit more lovable and may have had more heart, but "Close Encounters" is the big daddy of the alien genre; and many buffs will raise a glass to it for decades to come.