DVD Review: "Fighting"

Released to the theaters in April, Dito Montiel gives us his second attempt at directing. "In New York City, a young counterfeiter is introduced to the world of underground street fighting by a seasoned scam artist, who becomes his manager on the bare-knuckling brawling circuit." Let me begin by saying one thing about this movie... "Don't!"

Maybe I went into the movie expecting a bit better story, maybe a better plot, or maybe just better fight scenes. The fights were filmed in the latest style of being so close to the action you can't really tell whats happening, let alone who's hitting who.... until the final fight scene, in which case, they zoomed out and we saw a semblance of more realistic action.

I think part of my problem was that I went in thinking it would be more MMA style fighting and not so much bare knuckle brawler type fighting. I was so impressed with how Jeff Wadlow had turned "Never Back Down" into this generation's "Karate Kid," I went in thinking maybe they can do this one with the same delivery and yet still make it "edgy." Boy was I wrong, I basically saw this generations "Lionheart," without the cheese of Van Damme. or the spectacular fighting. This was more like two 10th graders in the gym locker room between classes.

Let me talk about Dito Montiel for a bit here. The man tried hard to give the regular feeling of a "heart felt" story. Having given Channing Tatum's character a similar conflict with his father like that of the Sean Faris' character in Never Back Down, i was instantly turned off by this theme of "angry at my father"... Maybe being writer and director of the film was too much for Dito. I do believe that Dito did a great job of casting Luis Guzman as Martinez. He plays smarmy underworld criminal very well, and he gives you that flamboyance and panache you only get from Male Latin Actors.

The main female character, Zulay Velez, portrayed by Zulay Henao, was one bright spot in the movie...




And at first I couldn't figure out why they named the character after her... Till i saw the scene where they turned her into the stereotypical NY Puerto Rican Girl, living with "Abuela," being a single mom and, of course, washing her hair in the sink..... WOW... really? To make it worse they gave her the big hoop earrings with her name across the hoop... I think in order to save money on props they asked her to bring her real ones, and they renamed the character after her. She was smoking hot, and possibly the most believable of all the actors in their roles.

Channing Tatum as Shawn MacArthur was.... horrid. He's a terrible actor, completely incapable of carrying a movie. Now i know why they brought back Dennis Quaid for more scenes in GI Joe in order to put him more towards leading man. Channing Tatum couldn't lead a wet dream staring him. He may look good with his shirt off to the ladies, but seriously he was so systematic in his acting it was hard to believe he was anything more that a BTWDG. Big Tall White Dumb Guy. Granted his character was a wrestler and that helped his believability, but his range of emotions was never believable to me. The one thing I've always looked for in actors is whether they make their character have a weakness, something that almost anyone can relate to. Tatum had nothing of that, Terrence Howard did, but his role wasn't really necessary after he introduced him into the fighting circuit. they could have had him text him all the info and that was that. There was no need for him to be in the movie, except to parallel Lionheart a bit further.

Overall it was a total non-thinking movie. Fights, "underworld bare-knuckle fist fighting", and a hot chick. On a scale of 4 stars i'm giving it 1/2 a star as i should have watched whales humping for an hour and 45 minutes as opposed to this garbage.

Judgement:

Good mood to blood Boiling in .35 secs

Morning all, its been a quiet week here at the home.... Weekend went well, can't complain, i'm actually in the process of writing a few articles at the same time, as i get writer's block, i just change stories until i figure out how to finish the other one....

But i came into work , and in a span of 2 min, totally pissed myself off. I made myself a major sandwich, a manly sandwich, with like 4 or 5 different lunch meats and 3 different cheeses. Left that on the counter at home, i'm going to have to drive home to get it during lunch.... Let the pressure valve begin rising...

And while i'm on Facebook on my IPhone while walking over to desk... i found out my ex-girfriend was in vogue. I am yet to find the picture because i think it's this month... And i will be posting it when i find it.

God knows i am furious at this, *smacks self* "You really screwed that one up!" That was my brain not my friends...

The Hangover....

So, as you see above, The Hangover, has been in theaters for almost 2 months now, and still making everyone laugh. I myself have seen it twice. And before last night, i thought, if i experienced a quarter of what they did in one night, i can die a happy man. Well, last night, while having some drinks with a few esteemed colleagues, the conclusion was reached. We too would have the same sort of night, and probably more hectic, illegal and chaotic. We admitted that the Mike Tyson tiger would have been kinda hard, but we would have settled for stealing a penguin from the Flamingo hotel. Only after filling the hot tube up with ice and cold water. Can you imagine walking into a hotel room and having a penguin waddling around and trying to catch him to begin with!!!! Now that's hilarious comedy!!!!
What's probably worse is everyone of us last night knew exactly who would marry the stripper and who would get stuck on the roof after he passes out. I guarantee that a baby in the closet would be the least of our worries!!

Mondays Suck....

Well after an interesting and yet short weekend, Monday has once again been that demon which reminds us of our responsibilities. But due to some very hilarious antics all piled up after each other, i must admit that i was totally slacking on updates this weekend. So i will bring up a couple of key points from the weekend....

Points of interest from the weekend:

1. I love it when a boyfriend becomes so jealous that he "tries" me, not because i am paying attention to his gf, but because his gf is paying attention to me... Maybe if he wasn't wearing an Ed Hardy Sports Coat......
2. The Beach Boys would have been jealous from all the Hawaiian shirts we busted out on Sunday at Hooters. Sample:

3. I'm a firm believer that if i am at home and my girlfriend is there, it is perfectly acceptable for me to ask her to get me a beer. God knows I am probably doing something manly, like sanding, sawing, chopping, digging, or any number of things. But, it is in no way right for a man to ask his woman to get him a beer in public, let alone make her pay for it. This is in NO WAY RESPECTABLE, get your own fucking beer bastard.
4. Customer service that rots. Nothing is worse than people who work in customer service and they put themselves on too comfortable a level. Like instead of the standard, "..and can I have your name please?" they say, "Hey what was your name?" Or even better, instead of saying "Can I place you on hold one moment please?" he says "Hold Up." Go play in traffic.
5. The boyscout speech. "It's not you, its me" I forgot who I was talking to recently that their significant other gave them this speech, God that's such a cop out... I should know, I've used it in the past!

Don't get even, Go mad........

So AMC has a show called Mad Men which was nominated for 13 bajillion different awards, critically acclaimed, and yet still wasn't canceled, a la Arrested Development. Entering its 3rd full season, Mad Men is offering a "Casting Call." The person who wins, gets a small walk on roll on the show. As it turns out, a good friend of mine has entered, and is now asking for your my help, which in turn means I ask for YOUR help! You can only vote 1 time per day from each computer.... i know sucks.. But i am asking that you vote 5 stars for my buddy R. Fiallo. here is the link

Mad Men Casting Call

A thank you of sorts....

I will begin this post a bit differently than the rest, this is a big humongous thank you to the ladies and women of this world. I know that I come down hard on women for some if not most of the things you all do. But I have to admit, we don't appreciate you as much as we should. You get all dressed up and look pretty and sexy for any myriad of reasons, sometimes sacrificing comfort for it, and we don't acknowledge your efforts often enough. So again Thank you.

Now, don't let this get to your head!

Great find by one of our readers..

To the Belen Class of 1997

Whether everyone got along or not, we all feel the loss more or less the same. Some of us having spent 7 years together at Belen, we spent more time with each other than our actual blood family. We became a family of over 160, everyone that passed through those halls and shared the class of 97 spirit. We weren't all "jocks", or "nerds", or "quiet ones", or even "popular ones", simply put we were brothers. And the loss of 1 always reminds us of that bond we all share being class of 1997. Rene B put it best on Cal's page, a piece of me is gone with Cal, and we'll never get it back. I hope I am not the only one that thinks this way...

A somber day...

"Because we do not know when we are going to die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well and yet everything happens only a certain number of times, and a very small number really. How many times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood? An afternoon that is so deeply a part of your being that you cannot conceive of your life without it? Perhaps 4 .... 5 times more. Perhaps not even that." Taken from Brandon Lee's final interview, while making The Crow

I sit here, saddened and completely at a loss. My day started just like any other Monday, me fighting the sunlight coming through the corner of my window. Hitting the snooze button about 3 times, before finally crawling out of bed and wandering around the house for about 10 min while the cobwebs in my brain get shaken loose. I got dressed went to work and arrived like any other day. 10 min after i show up, my cell phone rings, which for me usually means I'm getting bitched at for something i forgot. My friend Alex was calling, dude he must be calling about the party this weekend.

Me: What's up bro?
Alex: Dude have you checked your email?
Me: No, why?
Alex: I got an email from the Alumni association, Cal Acosta died this weekend... This is the first i hear of it.
Me: what the fuck? are you fucking serious?
Alex: bro check your e-mail, see if your mom has heard anything through the alumni grapevine.
Me: Yea I'll call you back!

I hang up my phone, and instantly scramble to check my yahoo mail. I've since switched my main email to gmail, but my yahoo account is more for all of my alumni association emails, High school, Fraternity, etc. Probably the reason I don't check it as often. I open it up and sure enough its there. my mouth still hasnt closed, and i think i may have not have taken a breath in around 45 seconds. My hand starts shaking as I go to login to Facebook, i remember reading a status update from him last week about Burn Notice. I get to his page and its like reading a goodbye card from over 40 people to him. Of course, i instantly want to know details of what happened, and the journalist in me takes over, i start asking around, trying to get information from anyone who i know would have solid confirmed information.
The next person i speak to is Nick, who had gotten the call in the morning from his cousin. information starts pouring in from all the different sources. The picture is almost crystal clear. except there is one problem, It is a very hard pill to swallow. Not Cal, he was always so happy, he never looked like anything would get to him....
In an effort to not create a biased and or post false information, i will give that information which i know to be certain. Cal was at Sunset Place, there was an incident with his wife(this is still somewhat speculative, but the story has been confirmed by 3 different independent sources), he then walked to the top floor of the parking garage and jumped.... This is all that i will post as i cannot confirm or deny actions i did not witness, and at this point anything else will be hearsay and purely speculative. I do not want to smear anyone in any way shape or form, if someone feels that i have, i want you to know that is not my intention, and please accept my sincerest apologies if you feel that way.
Ultimately, what demons he fought, whether permanent or temporary, only he and God know what they were. I pray for him and his family and cannot express any more emotions than those that his closest friends have already expressed on his page.

"I will always love u bro. U will always be loved and we will meet again one day." - Mike Sotelo
"cal, a piece of heart was broken this afternoon but you will always remain one of my original "big brothers". i love you and will miss you always,"-Jeannine Riesco
"Breaks my heart to hear this kind of news. Hands down the nicest guy I've ever met. My prayers go out to you, your wife, family and friends. Rest in peace." - David Hernandez
"Cal...I love you man..A piece of me has left with you and will never come back." - Rene Barasoain

Their sentiments are exactly how i feel. one of the nicest guys I've ever met, always a smile on his face. I'll miss you big guy, see you on the basketball courts during lunch........

An exerpt from my Saturday night.

1:41 So as I sit here with friends at gatsbys, I am people watching the group of four next to me. A guy sitting next to a girl in yellow sitting across from another guy. Next to the douche across from her, is her best friend who is hitting on said douche. Meanwhile, the yellow top girl is getting hit on by the guy next to her, but she isn't paying attention to him. She is too busy playing footsie with douche across from her. Now I sit here and laugh because does her friend know she is playing footsie? It looks like her friend is really into this guy, isn't she just being a heartless bitch by trying to take this guy?
1:46 Now I just witnessed the yellow top feed the douche ice. What's funnier is the guy next to her is undetered he is still trying. My hat goes off to this guy for his determination. As well as to the girl for her complete and utter whore ability to keep him interested while hitting on the guy across from her. The body language is clear enough that any sane man would figure out that she isn't interested and yet he is blinded by the "I'm getting laid" mentality.
1:51 yellow top just kissed Mr. Determination. While tapping her foot at the guy in front of her. Could this be a prelude to some debaucherous type of incident that the average man has only seen in Internet porn? She may just be trying to be turned into an Eifel tower? She is around 21 years old and not at all unattractive, I'd definitely have to kick her out of bed for eat chcken wings without napkins though.
2:01 Mr. Determination just started playing air drums in an attempt to impress yellow top. I'll pause so you can insert the your own douchebag comment.... He now has his arm around her while her leg is reaching out for the guy in front of her. While sitting there, her arm is reaching out on the table trying to reach out for him. Bon Jovi's Livin' on a Prayer just came on the speakers, Mr. Determination squeezed her close and she winced the sort of wince you see from a three year old being force fed asparagus.
2:08 the couple across from her left the table for God knows what reason, and she started making out with Mr. Determination... This girl has totally confused me in about 1.3 seconds....
2:10 the other couple came back and the make-out session completely stopped! The douche across from her looks like he got fired from american eagle outfitters, the guy next to her looks like a reject from pit bull's posse.....
2:12 The douche just started playing with her foot.... This is fucking hilarious!!!!! He's massaging her calf, while the other is determined to get laid!!!! Now, she can't stop rubbing her foot on his leg, but his friend doesn't stop. I've thought about how maybe they might be good friends, but the googley eyes she gives him tell me so much more! Meanwhile, I've informed my group of the situation and evertime something happens we all start cracking up. If the chick in yellow wasn't so ditsy, maybe she'd pickup on the fact that we all see through her cunty ways!
2:16 douche just asked me for a cigarette. Him and yellow top just started sharing it, so me being the nice guy, and let's face it, hoping to keep them around for further entertainment, said sure. Immediately, they start playing footsy and are "having a moment." Mr. Determination wants to interupt it as soon as possible, so he takes her cigarette and takes a drag, trying to stake claim to more than just her. Instantly they are playing with the cigarettes in the ashtray, having the tips touch as if the cigarettes were kissing. Excuse me while I pick myself off the floor from the hysteria that this is causing me.
2:22 footsy continues. The girl next to the douche has given up. All forward advancement has ceased, and I believe she may be checking out my friend Ed. Mr. Determination just walked away and the footsie intensity has increased. Now he's rubbing her hand. I really hope one of these poor schleps gets laid. She just called the other one into the bathroom, something tells me they will come back and switch seats lol!
2:26 the guys just talked it over and Mr. Determination called out his boy. I think it's been cleared up. They came back from the bathroom and took their original seats, interesting, possible orgy? I think my head hurts from figuring this out! I will walk away before my head just combusts.
EPILOGUE:
After spending a wonderful 2 hours with a friend from Boston who I barely get to see, I leave and begin the trek home with my comrade in arms, Ed. We've been discussing the incidents of the evening and apparently at one point the girls cleared the confusion up with hand signals, man I wish I would have caught that! At the end of us being at the table next to them, I couldn't help but crack up, throwing every possible footsie reference I could. Eventually, they left and my outside entertainment was gone. I do have to say, this emphasizes why I write this!! I can't believe such mayhem would ensue from a simple gathering. Although I admit, it provided plenty of entertainment for me and my friends! Now I can't help but wonder, if this is the future of this town? Do the generation after us really have their heads this far up their ass? I pray this was just a bad representation of the generation to follow....