I Am Number Four (2011)

Hollywood’s infatuation with beings from another world continues to populate theaters with films about aliens and invasions and alien invasions. Before we get a chance to feast our eyes on the much anticipated Battle: Los Angeles, we get to past the time with the film adaptation of the teen fiction novel, I Am Number Four. Not so much as a straight out invasion story right off the bat but a “good-guy alien running for his life” story. A slight change from always having the protagonist of the story be the human race which is usually fighting a losing battle.

Number Four/John Smith (Alex Pettyfer) looks like a normal teenager who has a pretty easy time getting blondes in bikinis to invite him for night-time rendezvous’ in the ocean. His secret is soon out when one of his kind, Number Three, is found and murdered by a group called the Mogadorians. That secret being that he is from another planet. Yes, an alien with special powers that he hasn’t quite come to master full control over just yet. Sound familiar? No? Ok, I’ll keep going. John is one of nine toddlers who were sent to Earth along with their protectors for their safety. Three are now dead, leaving six remaining. His guardian, Henri (Timothy Olyphant), also from the planet of Lorien is his sole adult influence and protector makes the decision it’s time to pack up and leave, again, from their home of Florida after a small mishap with that same blonde in the bikini exposes his true identity. Still not familiar? Ok, continuing on.

Read On...

Television, how I’ve missed you so

            I used to revel in the idea of rushing home to watch cartoons after school as a kid.  Even more so about the notion of waking up early on a Saturday morning to flip through the abundance of animated entertainment that was on T.V.  I would provide you with a list of 'toons that I so coveted but that might literally take a week or so.  But amongst the top would have to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the original one, even though I did watch the new one as well) and probably X-Men. 

To the disappointment of my parents, I allowed the glow of the tube to shower over me quite often.  I just loved to watch T.V.  You can imagine how the “school week” rule threw a monkey wrench the size of Kim Dash’s ass in my plans to watch all of my shows.  The rule clearly stated that during the week, no television was to be watched.  My brother and I could go outside and play after we finished our homework but no television watching.

Our way around this was to record every show that we wanted to watch during the week and play them back during the weekend.  After the amount of hours that we packed onto one tape was watched, we seldom had time to do other things.  Especially when Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers came out.  For some reason, we thought that show was pure gold.  ~Looks off into space reminiscing: *Pink Ranger*~  

Read On...

Black Swan (2010)

Met with critical acclaim after it was first released at the 67^th Venice International Film Festival in September of 2010, Black Swan has since gone on to gather even more fame and hype.  Mostly due to its’ combination of elegant dance and the deep psychological portrayal of a person under pressure to simply be perfect.   Natalie Portman headlines a film filled with sex, drugs, emotional & physical stress and just plain paranoia.

Nina (Natalie Portman), an aspiring and paralyzingly-timid ballet dancer, competes and is ultimately chosen to dance the lead role in an upcoming production of the classic Swan Lake.  In order to completely pull this role off, she must take on the duties of portraying two characters.  The first persona that she must accept is that of the White Swan, a role in which the ballet director, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel), finds her perfect for.  Her desire to be perfect in every move and motion plays directly into what is needed to be a great White Swan.  The White Swan’s evil twin, the Black Swan, is slightly more difficult for her to grasp.  She isn’t used to dancing with the recklessness and abandon that is encouraged to dance this role.

Read On...