Rocky
(film review)

I don't think the film "Rocky" is as appreciated in todays society as it is deserved to be. It's an amazing film with a fine story and some amazing characters. The film series has become somewhat of a punchline as the years went on. More of a cliche, except by those who remember its purity and substance when it was first released.

Rocky is a down and out boxer from the poor streets of Philadelphia who falls in love with a local girl, and by sheer happenstance finds himself in the fight of his life against the reigning boxing champion of the world. Seems like such a simple premise, yet so much was happening between all it's characters, that the film never got dull or over the top.

Stallone out did himself and surprised everyone when he delivered this outstanding performance. How could you not root for this guy and feel his despair, pain and dreams as his life was happening.

His supporting cast was nothing short of excellent. A great mix of very different characters. A drunk, loud, jealous brother. An extremely shy woman, with a heart of gold underneath all her insecurities. An over the top glory hungry boxing champ. An old disgruntled trainer with dreams of managing a champ.

I don't think people appreciate the very real fact that it took Stallone a few days to write this script or how he had to fight the studios to let him play the lead. How different this film would have turned out if the studios first choice, Ryan O'Neal, played the lead role.

Will Stallone ever play a finer role than he did in the original Rocky? Probably not. He was "Rocky" in every way possible, and it was amazing for him to have let the viewers experience that for ourselves.

Basic Instinct
(film review)

I never tire of this film. Seen it a number of times. It's an excellent story with some very fun characters.

Michael Douglas is perfect as the dark, recovering drug and alcoholic edgy cop, Nick Curran, who falls for the wrong person. Nick is continualy in trouble with internal affairs and has a very bad habit of shooting his weapon and killing people on the job. He is nicknamed, with strong affection, as "Shooter".

Sharon Stone's film career flew after the release of "Basic Instinct". What a great role for her playing the sexy, manipulative, dominant, intelligent, and seductive Catherine Tramell. Director Paul Verhoeven calls her a devil. She might be. Her eyes are amazing. You never quite know what exactly she is thinking.

Douglas is in charge of finding the killer of an aging rock star. His search leads him to Stone and there the cat and mouse game begins. Douglas and Stone's characters both lie, cheat and manipulate the people around them throughout the movie, all to maintain the upper hand. They have much in common, which leads to a torrid, hot love affair. As the stakes grow and the body count gets higher, the final conclusion leaves you scratching your head and questioning "who exactly is the killer"? To this day, my friends and I still debate as to who the real killer is. In Paul Verhoeven's commentary, he says very plainly who the killer, but it is still fun to play "what ifs".

The DVD has some great special features. Two commentaries, test reels, storyboards, deleted scenes, but the fake "ice pick" pen that comes with the DVD should be enough for any real fan to want to buy this film.

JLA Vol. 7: Tower of Babel
(comic book review)

Batman is the weakest of all the members of the Justice League, because he is simply a human being with no powers. Yet, he is the best and most dangerous superhero out of all of them. That is awesome!!!

Tower of Babel show exactly why Batman is not a man to be looked over, but feared. He compulsively fight crime to the nth degree no matter the cost or who he alienates. Probably the most amazing attribute about Batman is his amazing brain. Forever strategizing how to maintain the upper hand over his enemies... and his friends.

Batman keeps a cool distance over his friends because deep down he believes that one day there is a strong chance he will have to take them out. Does it make him a bad, untrustworthy person? That is the issue the members of the Justice League have to come to terms with.

Batman's ingenious ways to defeat all of the JLA have fallen into the hands of one of his worst enemies, Ras Al Ghul. Every JLA member is incapacitated, and Batman is to blame.

A great read with dire consequences in the end. The question ultimately is... is Batman wrong for doing it? It is for you to decide.

Excalibur
(film review)

This is an amazing movie, but it's the soundtrack that really does it for me. It just adds to the richness of the characters and their storylines. The fight scenes are so much more intense hearing Wagner's music in the background.

Excellent acting job by Nigel Terry portraying King Arthur at 16, all the way to his death as an older man at the hands of his only son. The rest of the cast was equally good including many film newcomers such as Liam Nisson, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren and Gabriel Byrne. All very popluar actors today and they can all credit this fine movie as their stepping stone.

I was particularly impressed with Sir Launcelot's character, portrayed by Nicholas Clay. In my opinion, he captured the true essence of what I pictured Launcelot to be. A pure of heart hero, with a fighting ability 2nd to none in the world, and whose soul is forever tormented because his one true soul mate is marriad to his best friend. A great tragic story. Excellent acting.

This movie has always been one of my favorites, even when I had first viewed it as a young boy many years ago. To this day I still consider it one of the best.

Superman: Birthright
(comic book review)

Superman is the classic all American hero whose origin desperately needed a new millenium upgrade. Superman : Birthright does exactly that without compromising any of the critical fascets that makes Superman the great hero we are all familiar with, while adding new twists to keep any reader glued to the pages wondering what will happen next.

The book starts on Superman's homeworld, just before the planet explodes, and allows you to feel the heartache and desperation Kal-El's parents go through in sending their only child off into the unknown universe alone. You feel for his earth parents, and their fear of Clark's secret being known, and possibly having their adoptive son taken from them.

Lex Luthor has always been an intriguing villian, and he is never more so compelling, and brilliant, and dark as he is in this book. Lex's genius is the key in helping Superman understand his true origin and background, which Lex also uses to his advantage to make the citizens of the world fear and distrust the man of steel. It's a great plot, in the story, which just intertwines the two bitter enemies even more.

This book is a classic story re-told, and upgraded wonderfully. It's a great read, and comes highly recommended.

Self-Inflicted
(book review)

I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. (I've read it twice.)

This is a story of a man, Jason, trying to protect his soul mate, Sloan, from being killed n her past lives by a psychopath. The details and lessons the author puts in the story during Jason's many past life regressions are deep and valuable.

With each of his five regressions, Jason begins to understand and embody what the true meaning of life is all about. He learns love and compassion are the ultimate answer. A love of life, a love of self and a compassion toward everyone.

He begins to understand that people themselves create their own misery or personal hell. Your thoughts are what define you and your life.
Anyone who is open minded, looking for truth and has enjoyed reading books like, "Conversations With God", "Many Lives, Many Masters", "Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting" will love Self Inflicted.

Give Self Inflicted a chance. You'll have a good time, learn a lot and feel good about yourself.

Marvels
(comic book review)

First off, let me say that I absolutely love the realness of the art work in this comic graphic novel. AMAZING!!!

What a gift it is to have a written comic story that rivals the great artwork.

I thoroughly enjoyed Marvels. I love the concept of seeing the birth of superheros, in the Marvel Universe, through the eyes of a photo journalist. An everyday guy like you and me. From it's beginnings with the battles between the original Human Torch and the very angry Sub Mariner, up until the very sad tragic death of Gwen Stacy at the hands of the 1st Green Goblin.

Everything else in between those two story plots are just comic genius. An accurate timeline of Marvel events happening to every and all Marvel characters. A great example is while the Hulk was on a rampage in Washington, Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Girl, of the Fantastic Four, were in the middle of getting marriad, and the Wasp was promoting her own clothing line on Broadway... etc. It took an erratic Marvel comics history and put order back in.

Upon reading the series, I kept recalling all these stories I had read as a child. To see them all combined, backed by beautiful artwork, all through the eyes of on outsider was sheer pleasure.

I highly recommend this graphic novel for old and new fans. Very smartly written. Very beautifully drawn.