​To start off today’s blog, I would like to have you think of a movie that you really were excited to see. Have you ever been so excited that you were always thrilled to see a new trailer, or a new commercial? Did you go to see that movie, only to find out that you had hyped yourself too much, only to be let down by the time it was over? For me, that movie was “Spider-Man 3”. Oh “Spider-Man 3”. The film that put the series to a screeching halt. But is it as bad as fans and critics say? Let’s look back at this film.
          With the success of the first two movies, it was no surprise that this series wasn’t a fluke. Fans alike knew that there would be more movies to come involving the friendly web head. It seems slowly but surely, news would come out about “Spider-Man 3”. The hype reached an all-time high when it was announced that Venom would be featured as one of the villains. I was excited hearing that news because Venom was to me one of the best comic book villains and the black suit story arc is one of the best storylines the comics had to offer.
          I still remember back in 2006 being at one of my friend’s houses, and he had found a teaser trailer that had leaked online. Sure, the quality was fuzzy and the sound kept going in and out, but once the trailer ended the anticipation was high for both of us. Being major fans of the series, we felt that there could be no wrong with this one.
          “Spider-Man 3” was the first time I ever bought advanced tickets for a movie. Even though I was still in the small town I was in to see the first movie, it honestly didn’t bother me. This was also the first time I had taken a girl to see a movie with me. She was my prom date, and an excellent friend that I keep in contact with. Honestly, I think we were one of the few people in the theater, which was shocking since it was on opening weekend. Guess most people had seen it on Friday and Saturday.
          So, sitting in the theater, once the previews ended, the music started and the wait was finally over. That famous Spider-Man score that I had heard so many times was music to my ears. And then it changed abruptly showing images of the alien symbiote. It was then that I knew that the movie was going to be different from the previous two.
          So about two and a half hours later, the movie ends. My friend and I looked at each other and we were both like, “Well, that was good. I guess”. I don’t know, something about this movie felt more bittersweet rather than a final conclusion. I should point out that this was the first Spider-Man movie that I did not go see this in the theater. I had always meant to go see it a second time in the theater, but just never got around to it.
          This was the film that easily divided the fans of Spider-Man. A lot of people loved it, and a lot of people hated it. For me, I tend to fall in the middle. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it. There are a lot of things I like about the movie, and there are a lot of things I dislike about the movie. So, let’s go into the pros and cons of “Spider-Man 3”, starting with the pros.
          First off, the action scenes are amazing. While it may not top the train scene from the previous film, the action is top notch from beginning to end. The scene with Peter and Harry swinging and fighting each other kept me on edge. The subway scene with Spider-Man and Sandman was entertaining and very intense.
          Second, I thought some of the performances were exceptional. I don’t feel the need to talk about the main cast, but the actor that stood out to me was Thomas Haden Church, who played the Sandman. He’s a villain who you feel sympathy for. He has a daughter who is very ill, and while he has his flaws, he cares for her deeply. The scene where he becomes the Sandman is very moving emotionally. I just wish he had gotten more screen time. The film sure could have used it.
          Now onto the cons. First off, there were way too many stories going on. It felt like ten different plots, and the studio decided to cram every single one in. One subplot would be introduced, then on to the next scene, and that would come back like forty-five minutes later. I think the film would have been more focused if like half of them had been cut out.
          Second, some of the scenes felt half assed. For example, there is a subplot where Harry gets hit in the head during the fight with Peter and gets amnesia. This is a cliché that I can’t stand in movies and or tv shows. It’s like, ooh we must conveniently serve the plot. Then he gets his memory back, and threatens Mary Jane. For some reason, she just forgets her boyfriend is Spider-Man. She just couldn’t tell him to kick Harry’s ass?
          Also, there are certain scenes that just make me cringe like the whole scene where Peter Parker walks down the street like he is in “Saturday Night Fever”. He’s gazing at all the women, and thinks he is God’s gift to them. Then there is the infamous jazz club scene. If there is one scene that makes me embarrassed, for me it is that. It is out of place in the movie, no one does that in real life, and had no place being in this movie.
          So, I kept asking myself, why did this movie feel like a giant mess? I think it is because all throughout production, everyone kept saying that this was the last movie that they were going to. We were promised closure, and a wrap up to the trilogy. I feel that this one had the most hype out of all the films we had gotten so far.
          Then as the film premier got closer and closer, I started to notice a change of heart as I watched the interviews. People would ask them, “Is there going to be a “Spider-Man 4”? The cast and crew would just kind of wave it off and say, “Well. You just never know”. That to me signaled that even they knew that “Spider-Man 3 could have been done a lot better.
          So, despite all the subplots and stupid scenes, I think the film is ok. It is not the worst film I have ever seen in my life, but it could have been so much more. Let me know what did you think of Spider-Man 3? Leave it in the comments below.

​“He knows a hero when he sees one. Too few characters out there, flying around like that, saving old girls like me. And Lord knows, kids like Henry need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people. Setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams.” Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to my reflections on “Spider-Man 2”.
          With the success of the first movie, it was obvious that not only would we get a sequel, but other comic book adaptations as well. In 2003, we had three comic book movies. There was “Daredevil”, “X-Men 2”, and “Hulk”. “Daredevil” was mediocre in fans eyes, although I highly recommend the director’s cut. “X-Men 2” proved to be entertaining and enjoyable than the first. And “Hulk” let’s just say was underwhelming. In 2004, we had “The Punisher” released. I think that one is underrated.
          Which leads me to “Spider-Man 2”. This one I have a lot of memories with. For one, this was one of the first movies that I saw on opening day. What I remember about that was going to see it with my sister, my friend, and his family. We went all out, by getting there early, and getting a good seat. In fact, it was more packed than the first one.
          I also remember one specific moment in this theater. Sitting next to me was this lady and her son. If I had to guess, he was probably around seven or eight. I remember thinking, “Crap. He’s probably going to ask a bunch of questions and scream loud whenever Spider-Man is on screen”. To my amazement, he was quiet the entire time. He never moved, nor did he make a sound. He was that enthralled. To whoever that lady is, you raised your child right. I hope he rewards you in your old age.
          The second reason that this one is more memorable to me is this was the first movie in which I saw multiple times in the theater. For three weeks in a row, I saw this movie with multiple people. The first time I already mentioned. The second time was with my cousins. The third time I saw the movie with my Dad. It was a nice little routine. If I could drive and had more money at the time, I probably would have seen it every week if I wanted to.
          The third reason is that this one feels like more than just a comic book movie. “Spider-Man 2” feels like an actual film. After a while, you forget that you’re watching a guy spinning webs through New York City. It even touches people who aren’t superhero fans. My grandparents even told me they liked the movie because it was so much more, especially with the drama between Peter, Mary Jane, and Harry.
          And while we are on the characters, let’s focus on the villain, Otto Octavius. Alfred Molina does a phenomenal job as this character. What I liked him was he was of those rare comic book villains who isn’t too flashy or too cheesy. It was a pleasant change of pace from ones we had gotten previously. All he wanted to do was conduct his experiment because he had nothing else to strive for.
          The action sequences are much better this time around. Like the bank sequence including a hilarious cameo by Joel McHale. Or what about the hospital scene when the surgeons are trying to remove the tentacles from Octavius? But I can’t do a reflection without bringing up the train sequence. It is easily one of the best action sequences and it still holds up to this day thirteen years later. I can’t do the scene justice. Go and watch it.
          Now if you look at lists of top superhero movies, you will find this usually in the top three or even at the top of the list. The late Roger Ebert, who didn’t really care for the first one too much, said that “Spider-Man 2” was the best superhero movie he had seen since the first “Superman”. That’s putting the movie with some good company. But is it the superhero movie?
          There is a lot of factors that put it in it’s favor. For one, it does something that a sequel rarely does, and that is improve on the original. Second, the stakes are higher than ever, plus you are left wondering what is going to happen. And third, it doesn’t feel like it drags on. It is everything you could ask for in a movie.
          If you have gotten this far and still haven’t seen this movie, then what are you doing? Go see “Spider-Man 2”. Or if you haven’t seen it in a long time, re watch it again. After all, this will be the last good one of these we will see for a while. But that’s another story.

​“Who am I? You sure you want to know? If somebody told you that I was just your average ordinary guy, not a care in the world. Somebody lied”. These were the opening lines to the 2002 hit “Spider-Man”. It is hard to imagine that 15 years ago, this film came and amazed audiences. This was a movie nearly 20 years in the making, and it got it right. But what was it about this film that stood out? Well, that is what we will be focusing on in today’s reflective entry.
          To research today’s post, I had to look back and figure out how I got into Spider-Man. Like most people my age, I discovered the web head by watching the 90s cartoon that aired on Fox Kids. It had a really kickass intro, and the animation was superb for the time. I always looked forward to hearing that theme music every single time. Even though my favorite superhero is Batman, Spider-Man is a close second. I think the fact that he is a teenager and not an adult makes him relatable more to kids, and plus the fact that he wears a mask that covers his face makes him feel like that anyone could be him, regardless of background.
          When the first movie came out, superheroes movies weren’t as big a cash grabs as they are now. Before Spider-Man, the Batman franchise had flamed out. And the Superman franchise had flamed out. If you were making a superhero movie in the 90s, it was doomed to fail. But in the late 90s and early 2000s, there were two specific ones that did lay the groundwork in some way. Blade in 1998 and X-Men in 2000 in my opinion did make room for superhero movies to be profitable, and “Spider-Man” just built on top of it.
          I still remember going to see this movie on opening weekend. It couldn’t have happened at a more appropriate time. Five months prior, I had moved to a small town and was feeling awkward of sorts. Plus, the fact that I was thirteen and had acne didn’t really help much. That opening scene when Peter is chasing the bus and everyone is laughing at him, I could easily relate to being laughed at.
          What really made me realize that I knew I was going to be in for a great movie was the theme. Danny Elfman’s score is superb. As far as superhero themes go, it is right up there with John Williams’s score for “Superman” and Danny Elfman’s score for “Batman”. Once you hear that score, you know exactly what movie you are going to be watching.
          There are so many positives in this movie, but to me the first that needs to be discussed is Tobey Maguire. As of this writing, I think he is the best version of Peter Parker and Spider-Man that we have had so far. He captures the essence of the role, and does a magnificent job. I know that there are countless memes online of his emotional scenes, but at least he shows emotion and not just standing there like a robot.
          The supporting cast is also amazing. Kirsten Dunst, who I’m normally not a fan of, does a superb job as Mary-Jane and the scenes between her and Maguire feel very genuine and not forced. James Franco is great as Harry Osborn, and you can feel for his character because he does feel tossed aside at times. “Don’t tell Harry” becomes a common line throughout the film. That quote needs to be placed on a t-shirt if you ask me.
          But if you have a great hero, you need a great villain. Willem Dafoe delivers as Norman Osborn, and the Green Goblin. It’s amazing how he can switch from the mild-mannered Norman to the psychotic Green Goblin. His best scene is when Norman has realized he is responsible for some deaths, and the Green Goblin side is telling him to keep doing it.
          And while we’re on the casting, can I just say something about J.K. Simmons? Man, does this guy steal the show as J. Johan Jameson. I found myself laughing at every scene he was in. I really can’t picture anyone else as this character. He thinks Spider-Man is a public menace, and wants nothing more to have him be more and more exposed on his front page. “If he doesn’t want to be famous, then I’ll make him infamous!”
          I think that of all the Spider-Man films that have been released, I feel that this one has gotten the most crap. People tend to complain about things such as the effects and the dialogue. I think that this movie has held up well on both counts. The effects didn’t bother me that much because I was so enthralled in the story. If you have an exceptional story, everything else doesn’t seem to matter.
          The dialogue didn’t seem to bother me either. Some have complained that it is cheesy. Well, if you think about it, the dialogue is supposed to be cheesy. I mean come on. The story is about a teen who gets bitten by a radioactive spider and he gets the ability of a spider. When you say it like that, it does sound cheesy in in of itself.
          But every time I watch or even think about “Spider-Man”, it honestly puts me in a good mood. Regardless if I am in a bad mood or not, I always feel satisfied whenever I finish the movie. It’s the kind of movie in which no matter what you’re doing, you should stop and watch it.
          Those are my thoughts on “Spider-Man”. I think that this film does deserve more recognition. Not only did it prove superhero movies could make millions of dollars, but I think there is another thing it did that people do tend to forget. What it did was renew faith in the American spirit. It came out seven months after 9/11. Spider-Man himself is an American icon. I feel that it made people feel comfortable and it gave people something to believe in. I know it sure did for me. 

​“Love and Marriage. Love and Marriage. Go together like a horse and carriage. This, I tell you brother. You can’t have one without the other.” If these lyrics sound familiar, you heard these from either one of two sources. There is old blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. Or you heard it from the intro to the show “Married with Children”. For me, it is the latter. Today’s blog, I will focus on this iconic show and how it has influenced me in life. Don’t worry. There is something deep I promise.
          It is hard to believe that 30 years ago this past month, “Married With Children” debuted. Television would never be the same after that. The premise focused on the dysfunctional family known as the Bundy’s as they go through everyday life. The father who didn’t know best, Al was a former high school football star turned shoe salesman. Peggy, the mother, was no June Cleaver. The daughter, Kelly, was as dumb as a bag of hammers. And the son, Bud, basically was a nightmare version of a kid brother.
          I remember the first time I recall seeing an episode of “Married with Children”. I was around 9 years old, and it was part two of a three-part episode entitled “The England Show”. The premise of the episodes focused on the Bundy’s going to England and how supposedly there was a curse on a small village and the way to break the curse was to kill Al and Bud. It’s a little odd when you read it like that, but after seeing these episodes, I was drawn to the show. The only downside was that I learned about the song “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred. Nine-year-old me started singing I was too sexy for anything and everything.
          As the weeks progressed, I began to watch more episodes and was oddly drawn to the show and its characters. I found myself laughing at the crude humor. Even though I didn’t get the jokes half the time, it was a lot different than what I was watching back then. You didn’t exactly see this kind of humor on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network, that is for sure.
          As I reflect back on this show, I have thought of several reasons on how a silly show like “Married With Children” has influenced me growing up. The first is that like I mentioned earlier, it was a lot different than a lot of other family shows I had watched. The family shows I watched up until that point were “Full House” and “The Brady Bunch”. Those shows were happy go lucky, and all their problems were wrapped up by the end. With “Married with Children”, their problems barely got solved, if any at all.
          The second was that is helped me get more into the works of Frank Sinatra. Every time I watched an episode, I always looked forward to hearing that classic song. It also helped with the fact that my grandfather was a Sinatra fanatic, and I think he took notice. He had his own local cover band, entitled The Dukes of Swing. In fact, they once let me sing “Love and Marriage”. When one of the band members asked me how I knew about the song, I mentioned “Married with Children”. I don’t think he was impressed.
          Another reason I look back with fond memories is that this show lead into my fascination with redheads. For years, I would always say it was Lindsay Lohan from her “Mean Girls” days that started the love. But it was Peggy Bundy. While Christina Applegate was one of my first childhood crushes, as I’ve gotten older I have grown more of an attraction to Peggy. I guess it was just the way this character was written. And how she always knew what she wanted, even though Al could not perform to satisfy her needs. I think I will just leave it at that.
          But the ultimate point as to why I still love the show is a little more personal. Before I wrote this post, I kept asking myself “What was it about this show that I couldn’t get enough of? Why did I drive my family crazy with its constant references? And why does it mean so much to me?” Well, I finally came up with the answer. “Married with Children” saved me from ending my life.
          This may take some explaining. When I was 12 years old, my life was turned upside down. In a matter of six months, my parents divorced and I moved to a new area. I had gone from a large city to a small rural community in a different state. It was a culture shock that is for sure. It was the kind of area in which if you weren’t born there, best of luck to you. It was the lowest of low. I honestly didn’t want to go on with my life anymore. But what really helped was the fact that every day after school, I could come home, and “Married with Children” would be on TV. It was a good escape for a two-hour period.
I also looked forward to the summers, in which I could watch more episodes throughout the day. I looked forward to summers at my grandparents, because that is when me, my sister, and some of my cousins got together. That one cousin whom I have mentioned in previous blogs, we would watch endless shows staying up late after everyone had gone to bed. We had to keep the noise down, yet we would still laugh.
As the years progressed, things did get better over time and I wanted to keep on living. Late last year, I ended up buying the complete series on DVD. Around this time, Alamo City Comic Con was coming up and David Faustino, who played Bud Bundy, was going to make an appearance. I knew that the trip wouldn’t be complete without meeting him.
When I went to the comic con, it was pure perfect timing. Out of all the cons and celebrities I have met, David Faustino surprised me the most. I had read various posts that he was odd and or rude. I didn’t get that impression at all. He was very generous, and we even got to talk for a few minutes. I told him about watching the show got me through a tough time. He said that a lot of people had said that to him over the years, and that it made him feel good that the cast and crew touched a lot of people. It felt good to know that I wasn’t alone.
After that, I began to start the complete series box set, which Faustino himself autographed for me. It took me about four months to complete. Keep in mind, I didn’t watch episodes every day. When I finally finished it, I began to feel a sense of relief leave my body. It was like that sorrow that had been with me all those years ago, was finally being put to rest. For anyone that has felt like that, it is one of the best feelings in the world.
And this is what “Married with Children” has meant to me growing up. This is dedicated to the creators, writers, and actors that were a part of this iconic show. I hope that it is never forgotten. If there is a way I can end this blog, I would have to paraphrase a quote from Al Bundy: “The fact that I haven’t put a gun in my mouth, makes me a winner!”

​Reflections on: Beauty and the Beast
          It is a tale that is old as time. True as it can be. If you grew up in the 90s and were a Disney fan, you knew which movie this was from. That classic film is “Beauty and the Beast”. It was one of the most successful animated films of the decade. Not only was it successful at the box office and with critics, but it was the first animated film to be nominated for best picture. With the live action adaptation, out, I figured it would be time to do a reflection piece on it. Because despite it being one of the few that I watched the least growing up, it is one of those that had a profound effect on me. One that I didn’t realize until a few years ago.
          The tale begins when I was a young child. I remember that me and my sister had numerous forms of entertainment. My mom and dad would buy us several Disney VHS tapes. You know the kind. The ones that came in those clam shell cases. Those were so bulky. The movies ranged from live action to animation. We even had some of the Disney princess movies, which included “Beauty and the Beast”. I remember watching it as a kid, but like I said, we only watched it briefly.
          I think one of the reasons we didn’t watch it that much was because my sister was a tomboy. She wasn’t a fan of the Disney princesses. Instead we watched some more classics which included “Aladdin”, “The Lion King”, “The Fox and the Hound”, “Toy Story”, and “Oliver & Company”. Films like “Beauty and the Beast” got pushed back on the shelf and collected the most dust. Because of this, the movie got pushed more and more out of my mind as I entered those dreadful teenage years.
          “Beauty and the Beast” didn’t enter my mind again until I started college. This was around the time that I got my Facebook profile and started to discover all the various apps. Does anybody else remember the flixster app? It was an app in which you could rate movies and write mini reviews. You could see how your friends rated movies as well. “Beauty and the Beast” popped up on my list of films to review. My cousin, the one whom I mentioned in the Madonna blog, gave it a perfect score. That really surprised me because I didn’t think he would enjoy that kind of film given the subject matter.
          The second time “Beauty and the Beast” came back into my life again was in 2012. This was during the 20th anniversary, and Disney decided to re-release it in the theaters. It was an event, because it was going to be in 3D and would feature some new songs that were not included in the original version. As a film fanatic, it peaked my interest. Sadly, I missed out on seeing it in the theaters. I guess it was because I didn’t speak up and was more worried about other things. It’s one of those times in life where you can use the cliché saying, “Life Happens.”
          The third and final time it came into my life and stayed was in 2014. I had just graduated from college, and entered my first relationship. My ex was a Disney fanatic, and had a good collection of Disney movies. There was a routine we had where every Saturday night, we would watch a new Disney movie. Naturally, I noticed “Beauty and the Beast” in the collection. But curiosity got the best of me and I decided to purchase it myself.
          Watching the original in 2014, I had a sense of nostalgia come flow over me. It was like watching it for the first time all over again. I came to admire not only the story, but the animation as well. In today’s world of CGI animation, I almost forgot what traditional animation looked like. I even enjoyed the songs featured in the film. Probably my favorite of the songs was “Be Our Guest”. I mean, you can’t deny Jerry Orbach. I even forgot some of the much darker scenes, such as the scenes with the wolves and the creepy person that oversaw the mental asylum.
          But to me, the best aspect of the film were the characters. Belle to me is the best Disney Princess there is. I think she is the best because she is searching for something else that life has to offer her, and doesn’t care what others think. The Beast was fascinating because he started off shallow, and thought no one would love him for his outward appearance. As someone who grew up self-conscious, that really hit close to home.
          I even liked the fact that the film took its time with Belle and the Beast as well. They didn’t fall in love right away. Just by the montage of scenes, you knew that they had to take the time to get to know each other. As a viewer, we don’t know how exactly this time took. It could have been weeks, or even months. Unlike other Disney movies, when the characters fell in love after three days or so, this was a breath of fresh air. Overall, I came to love this version and now it is one of my favorite Disney movies.
          I think why this one has influenced me the most over other Disney movies is because it brings up differences. Belle is seen as different than what the other girls are in the town are supposed to be. She doesn’t fall for Gaston, and really doesn’t care what others say about her. The Beast goes through the most character development, because he starts off selfish, and because of the curse, he must learn to love one that has inner beauty. This is a great message to show people because beauty is inner. I think in today’s world, we judge way too much on outer beauty, but forget to focus on inner beauty. That is a wonderful message that should be out more. At least that is what I took from the movie.
          I saw the new one recently. I was initially skeptic because I felt that this was just going to be a cash grab of all the remakes of the animated classics. “Maleficent” I thought could have been better. “Cinderella” was a good one, but I think it played too safe. “The Jungle Book” was entertaining in many ways. “Beauty and the Beast” I must say, I was impressed by how this new one turned out. It was much better than what I thought it was going to be.
          Emma Watson was perfect as Belle. At least to me, she embodied the character of Belle perfectly. Dan Stevens as the Beast was excellent. As soon as the movie started, I had a big smile on my face and it didn’t leave my face until I left the theater. The musical numbers were wonderful in their own ways as well. It felt like I was a watching an actual play come to life. Although if someone were to ask me ten years from now which one I preferred, I would stick with the animated version.
          Overall, this is what “Beauty and the Beast” means to me. It is more than a movie to me. It influenced me on how I view the world and even relationships. I hope to find a woman who differs from the norm, and follows her own heart. To me, what’s on the inside is where the true beauty lies. Because as they say, it’s a tale as old as time. 

​To start off this blog, I would like to ask you the reader to think about something, be it a movie, a show, a singer, or a book, that is very important to you. Now I would like for you to think about how did you get into that? Were you influenced by your friends or your family? Perhaps you saw something on TV that inspired you to learn more about that specific thing? Now I would like for you to think about something that you discovered purely on your own. What was that one person or thing that you discovered by myself with no outside influences? For me, that somebody is Madonna. And this is my story on how I got into the Queen of Pop.
        The story starts off pretty simple. I was 12 years old, and my Mom got me a People magazine about the 80s. The magazine touched on a lot of things throughout the decade. It focused on world leaders, significant events, and even popular music and TV shows. As I’m skimming through the pages, I get to the halfway mark and come across a section about you guessed it Madonna. I was captivated on how she looked. I was like, “Who’s that girl?” She was unlike anybody I had ever seen before. To me, she was beautiful. I turn to my Dad and was like, “Who is Madonna?” And he just said bluntly, “Oh just some slut.”
        After that brief conversation, I just slowly put her in the back of my mind and just forgot. I moved to a new area shortly after, and focused on fitting in my new surroundings. It was around this time that my cousin invited me to go see the new James Bond movie, “Die Another Day”. It was a mediocre movie, and the theme song was pretty hideous on its own. But I saw Madonna had a cameo and was like, “Hey there she is again.” Seeing her in the film made me forget about Bond surfing that’s for sure.
        My next moment of hearing Madonna again didn’t occur until I attended a wedding of a family member. Somebody there decided to sing of all things “Like a Virgin.” Talk about your fair share of awkwardness. If anything, it got people talking about the song in general. I was not familiar with this song, but I presumed that it had to be pretty iconic. Even though it probably wasn’t the right song to sing, it did make a good memory for a pretty kickass reception. But still, my encounter with Madonna was slowly starting to begin.
        Throughout high school, I would occasionally hear one of her songs on the local radio station in the small town I was living in. It seemed like clockwork every morning, the song “Borderline” was always playing. It was one of the last songs I listened to before I rolled my ass out of bed.  At night, some of her softer ballads like “Secret”, “Take a Bow”, and “I’ll Remember” played weekly. It was then that I wanted to listen to more songs. So it was a trip to the library to search for one of her CDs. I found one of them in the catalog, when one of my friends came up behind me and said, “I hope you don’t plan on checking that out”. Being a self-conscious teen, I just played it off and said no. What’s funny is that I don’t even talk to that friend anymore.
        After I graduated high school, it was off to college in a bigger city than where I went for high school. Having a broken CD player in my car, I relied on the local radio stations for my music entertainment. Madonna would once again be played on my way to and from college. The three songs that played the most were “La Isla Bonita”, “Cherish”, and “Don’t Tell Me”. The first two especially helped me provide an escape from the real world struggles. You could imagine my disappointment when I found out “La Isla Bonita” was not a real place (I only kid). Now “Cherish” always wanted to make me go swimming. For some reason, “Don’t Tell Me” always made me want to drive through Oklahoma. Don’t ask me why. That’s the effect of music I guess.
        While I was going through my college era, I noticed that some of my coworkers were also fans of the queen of pop.  I would notice that one of them would post some of her songs on their Facebook and even did a top ten list of his favorite songs of hers. I would comment on some of the postings because some of the songs I was not familiar with. Those songs in particular would be from her “Ray of Light” era. It introduced me to another part of her discography that I didn’t even know about. Songs from this particular album included the title track “Ray of Light” and “Frozen”.  These comments lead to a friendship that still exists to this day.
        After I graduated college, I really didn’t keep up with Madonna too much. I think at that point, I was focused on trying to further myself in life. It was around this time that I had entered my first relationship. I obviously could tell that she was not a fan of hers, so I didn’t bring it up to her that much. She probably would have thought it was too weird. Then again, she watched “Keeping up with the Kardashians”, so her argument would have been invalid. So hey, that is a win for me right there.
        After the first relationship ended, rather than taking the time to reflect, I entered into another relationship pretty quickly. Once we got to know each other and started dating, we began to discuss common interests. Naturally, Madonna came up into our conversation. Turns out she grew up near the town Madonna had lived in as a young one. The spark for the Queen of Pop had come back into my life once again. My ex had even told me of a biography that was entitled “Life with my Sister Madonna”. She had said that out of all the books written about her, that one was the most accurate because it was written by her brother Christopher. I know the reaction to the book was pretty mixed, but I still haven’t read it. But I am sure that it is a good read with a lot of insight into her early life.
        As the second relationship progressed, I began to re discover my fascination with the Queen of Pop. Whenever my ex and I would go hang out, I always tried to look for something Madonna related. That was when I realized that she had her new album released entitled “Rebel Heart”. I didn’t do too much information on it because I was skeptic by the album cover. But as they say, don’t judge a book by its cover. It would take a while before I got ahold of the actual CD.
        Things progressed within the relationship, and it even led to an engagement. Of course, like all couples, we had our fair share of problems. But I was comfortable around her. I was able to tell her things I hadn’t told anyone else. And of course being comfortable around her, I told her about my fascination with the Queen of Pop. She was very supportive, and even said she would burn me a CD of some of her songs. Needless to say, I never got that CD from her ha.
        Though I must admit when you are a fanatic over something, it can sometimes lead to guilt. When you hang out with people, you find yourself tempted not to bring it up. Towards the end of my relationship, I found myself bringing up Madonna with every conversation. Luckily, I had caught myself and would stop myself before it slipped out. But she even had several things that she was a fanatic over, so I guess you could say there was a double standard. We both were so much alike in that way, that we even found ourselves asking each other what you would do with your crush. At first it was funny, and then it got a little weird after a while. That game got old really quick, at least for me it did. Looking back, I wish that I had spoken up a little bit more.
        Right around the time of the engagement, I saw that Madonna was on her more recent “Rebel Heart” tour. I didn’t even keep up with the tour sadly. I didn’t find out until the last minute that she was coming to my town. I was vastly disappointed that I didn’t find out sooner. Even my friend, the one whom shared his favorite songs on Facebook, got to go to the concert and said it was a fun time. That is why going to see her live in concert is on my bucket list. Even if I have to go far to see the show, I will go see it. If you’re reading this blog post, hold my word to it.
        After that, things started to go south. To make a long story short, my engagement fell through. I guess my ex and I had different views about marriage. She ended it, and I was left feeling numb. It is the kind of feeling in which the wind is knocked out of you. Well, to take my mind away from it, I turned to Madonna’s music once again. I had just picked up her “Music” album and decided to give it a shot. On the CD was a track entitled “Nobody’s Perfect”. It was about a person who admitted that they made a mistake in a relationship. After listening to that song, I knew that things were going to be ok with time.
        But there is one specific song that I have been leaving out until now. It is my favorite song of hers, and it is the one that has impacted me the most. That song is entitled “Express Yourself”. I love this song because of the many messages it provides throughout the song. With lyrics such as “don’t go for second best baby” and “you deserve the best in life”, it helped me realize that what I have done in life is settle, especially in relationships. What I took away from it was that I need to look out for my needs first, and to never be afraid of anything. I rarely say this about music now, but that song was in my opinion perfect. It was simply perfection.
        And that is how I got into Madonna, aka the Queen of Pop. I guess she was a bigger influence in my life growing up then I had realized. When I think of how I have evolved over the years, I have changed for the better. I have decided to go for the best in my life, do things my way, and not give a damn what others think of me. I guess that is how Madonna has felt throughout her thirty plus year career. If I ever met her, I guess the only thing that I could say to her would be: Thank You. Thank you for continuing to be a positive influence in my life. Your music got me through some tough times in my life. I guess there is no better way to end this blog than saying; “Get into the Groove” and “Come join the party. It’s a celebration”. Keep on Madonna. I hope to see you live someday.
       
       
       
       
        

Reflections on: Doug
          “Dear Journal, it’s me Doug. You’ll never guess what happened today.” If you are familiar with this saying, you like myself probably watched the Nickelodeon series “Doug”. It was one of the first cartoons along with “Rugrats” and “Ren & Stimpy” that not only helped start a new network primarily made for kids, but still continues to this day as new generations of kids are discovering these shows and more.
          Growing up as a kid, there were several shows that I  didn’t watch because my parents didn’t have certain channels like Cartoon Network. So of course, if you don’t have access to certain shows, you watch the same ones over and over again. If anyone needs a refresher, “Doug” was about the trials and tribulations of an 11 and a half year old boy named Doug Funnie as he goes through various events of growing up, such as moving to a new town, dealing with a bully, and having a first crush.
          “Doug” was very important to me because I remember it being one of the first shows watching as a kid. I think I enjoyed it because it was different from all the other nicktoons out at that time. While a lot of the other ones tried to push the boundaries as much as they could, “Doug” just focused on trying to tell a good story. It was also one I could relate to as well because I myself felt like Doug and sometimes I still do.
          Growing up, I’ll admit I was an awkward child. I didn’t play sports, but yet I was on the creative side. I was more of a reader, and not an athlete. I usually stayed inside, and spent a lot of time in the backyard. Like Doug, I had an active imagination. But also like Doug, I tended to overthink things a lot. I took things really personal, and was really gun shy, especially around girls. But I think by finding solace in this show, I was able to realize that I wasn’t alone, and that there were others out there like myself.
          This leads me into my favorite episode of the series, which ironically was the first episode I ever saw. It was called “Doug’s In the Money.” In the episode, Doug and his dog Pork chop are going to the bank, and come across an envelope full of money on the street. Doug decides that the right thing to do is to turn the money into the police. His friends and his family give him a hard time for not just keeping the money for himself.
          A month goes by, and no one claims the money, so the law says that Doug gets to keep the money. Just as he is at home counting the money, on the TV is a lady on the news who says she lost the same amount of money that Doug just got. He is distraught with the decision, until he decides to returns the money to the lady. He thinks he will get a reward, but all he gets is a pack of gum in return. Yes, that is right. All he gets is a pack of gum. But his sister Judy decides to treat him with a shake afterwards.
          I think this episode really reflects the theme of the show, and that theme is honesty. This show tries to teach kids the value of honesty and its many meanings. Even if you may not get what you want out of life by being honest, you can at least feel better about yourself knowing that you did the right thing. Or at least that is what I tried to get out of the show. But you don’t have to take my word for it.
          So, those are my thoughts on the Nicktoons series “Doug”. I feel that while the animation has aged a little bit, the message is still timeless. It is just a simple cartoon trying to tell a good story. I feel that is something that is sorely lacking in today’s animation world. Thankfully, Teen Nick keeps the reruns going. If I ever get married and have children someday, I will be sure to introduce them to this show. I just hope they get a lot out of it as I did as a child. “Doug” has a special place in my heart that can never go away, and it never will. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5upVqLXdhw
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​When I was a kid, my parents took me and my sister to the movies all the time. I still have a bag of all my old ticket stubs saved at my mother’s house. Granted, movie tickets were less expansive back in the 90s. I would have to thank my parents for me being interested in movies as an art form. Earlier this week, I came across one of those movies on TV. It was one I hadn’t fully seen all the way through since I saw it 20 years ago. That movie in question was “Matilda”.
          It is hard to believe that this movie has turned 20 already. Based on the book by Roald Dahl, the film stars Mara Wilson as Matilda Wormwood, a rather extraordinary child who is mature beyond her years. She can read at higher levels, and can multiply big numbers in her head. She doesn’t exactly have the greatest home life as her parents, (played by real life couple Danny DeVito and Rhea Pearlman), constantly belittle her and mistreat her. When Matilda gets the opportunity to go to school, she finds a confidant in her teacher Miss Honey, but gains an enemy in the school’s principal known as the Trunchbull.
          As I was re watching this movie, I felt a wave of nostalgia come over me. It perfectly captures the mindset of children who feel ignored and neglected in a world that can be big and scary. But it also showed children that if you stay true to who you truly are, you will meet people who will love and accept you no matter your circumstances.
          I feel that this movie came out at just the right time as well. In the mid to late 90s, there was a huge ad campaign to get kids to read. You couldn’t open up a magazine or see a commercial on TV promoting how reading is fun and can open up your mind to new worlds. Various celebrities did these ads, and a lot of children’s shows promoted reading as well. I feel that this movie also inspired a lot of kids to read, especially young girls.
          This film, I also feel gave some kids motivation to succeed, especially if they didn’t get the attention they deserved. Look back at the kids you knew in elementary school. Don’t you think you might have met a few like Matilda growing up? They were very bright, but they didn’t exactly have the greatest home life growing up. If you got invited to their house to hang out, you felt like Miss Honey in the scene where she goes to Matilda’s house to talk to her parents. You feel a sense of fear not knowing what to expect when you walked in the door.
          That brings me to another point that is special about this film. One of my favorite characters in this film is that of Miss Honey. She was such a gentle soul. The kind of person who treated every person she encountered with respect and dignity, regardless of who she or he was. In a way, I think Matilda and Miss Honey both fill a void in each other’s lives. Each is looking for someone to bond with, and I think the scenes where they are bonding is one of the hearts of the movie.
          I also noticed how dark this movie could be at times. Danny DeVito is famous for doing comedies with dark tones, so after watching a few of his films, this one is no exception. I think a film with this dark humor for children could not be made today. The scenes with the Trunchbull abusing some of the kids, such as swinging a girls pigtails and making a kid eat cake, would probably be edited out.
          There is another good element about this film, and that is the villain known as the Trunchbull. We don’t really get a lot of backstory on this character, and I think it makes it better that way. Pam Ferris plays this character very well. It is over the top at times, but you can tell that she is having a lot of fun with this roll, and that fun transcends onto the audience.
          I think this film does have a lot of staying power. It has not aged at all, and I think kids who feel misunderstood today should view this movie. It has the perfect viewpoint of a child’s mind, and I think it is one that should never be forgotten. Give it another watch, and I don’t think you will regret it.
          I dedicate this blog post to my own personal Miss Honey. You may not read this, but you have helped me get through a hard time in my life this year. And for that, I thank you. 

​How do you top box office hits such as “Superman: The Movie and “Superman II”? The answer is you don’t. That’s right. We have made it to “Superman III”, the film in the series in which most fans would say in that the series took a nosedive, fell down a tree, and hit every branch on the way down.
        If there was anything the series had done up to this point, is that it always set the perfect mood. The films would start out in space, and have a kickass score to boot. But the third film begins in well an unemployment office. When I saw this for the first time, I literally thought I rented the wrong movie by mistake. I’m like this isn’t a “Superman” movie at all. This just feels like a dumb comedy. (That’s irony at its finest).
        Then the music and credits come on and wow does it miss the mark. It’s like a comedy sequence, but without the laughs in it. I honestly don’t understand what it had to do with the plot. It is just a bunch of slapstick sequences, one of which involves Superman saving a man from drowning in his own vehicle because the driver ran into a fire hydrant.
        So in the film, we are introduced to a slew of new characters. The first is Gus Gorman, played by legendary comedian Richard Pryor. Now we all know Pryor is an icon in his own right. Here he plays Gus Gorman, a down on his luck computer technician who somehow knows how to build a super computer that can control the weather. He says that he just does it. I felt bad watching Pryor in this movie. Some of his dialogue just felt like it was written for a young kid, not an adult.
        The second major character we are introduced to in this film is Ross Webster played by Robert Vaughn. To me, he was the weakest part of this movie. I wasn’t really impressed with this villain. He had weak motivations. It had something to do with being in control of the world’s coffee supply. Oh and of course he wants Superman dead for no real reason.
        Last is Lana Lang, played by Annette O’Toole. To be quite honest, I really enjoyed this character. She is Clark Kent’s friend from back in Smallville. Kent goes back for a high school reunion, and they rekindle their friendship. I really enjoyed the scenes between Reeve and O’Toole. It felt genuine to me. Not knowing all of the behind the scenes drama, I liked the fact that the writers decided to focus on a new possible love interest instead of just relying on the same old Lois and Clark bit we had previously seen.
        Now you as a reader are probably wondering why I haven’t mentioned Christopher Reeve all that much. Well once again he does a great job as both Superman and Clark Kent, but he doesn’t have a whole lot of screen time as much as Richard Pryor does this time around. For a lot of the time, it felt like I was watching two movies.
        But I must say, this film has my favorite scene of the whole Superman franchise, which says a lot because I consider the first one the best. There is a part in the movie where Gorman and Webster come up with a fake Kryptonite and it turns the Man of Steel evil for few scenes. He ignores children, gets drunk, and has sex with random women. Okay the latter is implied, but it is obvious.
        Evil Superman eventually goes to a junkyard, and his personality splits in two. There is a good fight scene between the evil Man of Steel and Clark Kent. I thought this was portrayed very well, and it was great to see Superman have an inner battle with himself. I think the film would have been better if this bit had been a focal point of the movie, rather than a villain trying to get a bunch of coffee.
        Overall, I would still consider “Superman III” a disappointment. With the way the first two films were so well put together, more effort should have been put into this one. But I would still say check it out for the junkyard fight scene.
        Well, before I review “Superman IV”, I feel I owe it to myself to review something a bit more positive. So my next review will be focusing on another movie before we get to that train wreck. Stay tuned……..

​Superman II was released in 1981, and it was a real miracle that it got made all together. There were a lot of problems behind the scenes with the director, Richard Donner, and the producing team of the Salkinds. Donner was fired from the movie and Richard Lester was brought on to complete the project. Lester came from a comedic background while Donner took a more serious tone with Superman. Some of Donner’s footage ended up in the film however. But how is the movie as a whole? Let’s find out.
          The film begins with a recap of part one. Then it takes us to the present time and Superman has to prevent a terrorist attack in Paris and of course save Lois Lane. He throws their bomb into space and it sends a wave that breaks General Zod and his crew from being banished into the Phantom Zone. It paid off that these characters were introduced in the first movie so that we as an audience would know who they are. Could this have possibly been an introduction to how cinematic universes were started?
          The three villains are known as Zod, Ursa, and Non. Their powers are as equal if not greater than that of Superman’s. But they want to use their powers for evil rather than good. And if that isn’t crazy enough, Superman decides to tell Lois that he and Clark Kent are one in the same. He takes her to the Fortress of Solitude, gives up his powers, and they go all the way literally.
          I have to say this movie was a bit more of a mixed bag when I re watched it again for this review. I know that may seem like an unpopular opinion, but it just didn’t leave much of an impression as when I first watched it fifteen years ago. But the pros did outweigh the cons.
          First, Christopher Reeve once again does a great job as Superman and Clark Kent. I could tell he was slowly getting into the role and evolving as a character much like the audience was evolving watching him. Terrence Stamp is perfection as General Zod. I like the approach his character was given by not being so over the top. Instead, he shows no sympathy for the damage he and his crew have done to Earth. Also, the action scenes were good despite some of the effects being a little dated. It was nice to see Superman fight someone in a movie at that time.
          There are however some parts that make the movie stick out and heavily edited. First, Lex Luthor is back again, and there really is no need for him to be in this movie. He breaks out of jail, goes to the Fortress of Solitude, tries to make a deal with Zod, and that’s it. That is not to say Gene Hackman does a good job once again, it is just there was no need for Lex to be in this movie.
          Also, some scenes just make the background characters in this world look stupid. There’s a scene in the movie where Clark and Lois are at Niagara Falls, and there is this kid who is hanging on to the railing trying not to hold onto it. His mother isn’t even paying attention. Like an idiot, he falls and of course Superman saves the day. Then during the big action scene in Metropolis, there is a woman who is trying to use her body as a shield to protect her baby from flying debris. Why she didn’t run away is a mystery to me.
          Despite my problems with this movie, I still thought Superman II was an okay movie. I have to say the last part with Superman carrying the American Flag back to the White House made me feel really patriotic. Who would have thought three months after seeing it, the collapse of the World Trade Center would occur. It was one of the first things that popped into my head and comforted me during that tragic day. Always reminds me how the Man of Steel is part of American culture and always be.