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Airplane! (1980)
Airplane! (1980)
1980 | Comedy
Surely you can't be serious?
Film #6 on the 100 Movies Bucket List: Airplane!

Airplane! is a well known comedy classic, but for me I’m ashamed to admit that aside from the infamous “Don’t call me Shirley” line, I could barely remember a thing about this film. Airplane! is undoubtedly the mother, and master, of all comedy spoof films. Written and directed by Jim Abrahams and David and Jerry Zucker, this focuses Ted Striker (Robert Hays) who despite his fear of flying boards a plane to win back his girlfriend Elaine (Julie Hagerty), only to wind up having to ensure the plane lands safely when the pilots get sick.

The plot is definitely basic, but what it lacks in proper story it more than makes up for in laughs. I’ve never seen a film so chock full of jokes and gags, and in such a wide variety too. This features everything from subtle(ish) background jokes to witty and smart dialogue and obvious physical humour, and aside for a few misses, the majority of these jokes land perfectly. There’s the crude and hilarious auto pilot scene, to the incredibly funny and smart lines like when stewardess Elaine asks Doctor Rumack (Leslie Nielsen) about the onboard illness, “A hospital? What is it?”, to which he replies “It’s a big building with patients”. There’s something incredibly simple about the humour in this film that works so well, and yet aside from those few misses, it never resorts to crudeness that becomes disgusting and overbearing like most modern comedies do. These gags paired with the spoofing and sending up of disaster movies (plus many other genres) is a winning formula that has been emulated many times over by the likes of The Naked Gun and Hot Shots films since this was released in 1980. Admittedly there are some jokes that nowadays would be considered unacceptable and would never see the light of day, but fortunately these are a small minority and don’t spoil the overall enjoyment of the film, even now 40 years later.

The cast excel too in pulling off the over the top cheesiness you’d expect from a parody, and this is no mean feat. Whilst Julie Hagerty and Robert Hays do well as the main characters, it’s the smaller supporting roles that really stand out especially as they appear to have been given the best lines. You have Leslie Nielsen as the deadpan Doctor Rumack who delivers some hilarious dialogue with such a straight face, Lloyd Bridges as Steve McCroskey with his immortal lines beginning with “Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop…” and my absolute favourite background character Johnny (Stephen Stucker) who has some of the funniest moments you’ll ever see from such a minor character. And a notable mention has to go to Otto the automatic pilot, who even gets a feature in the credits.

Airplane! is a rightful comedy classic that could beat modern comedy films hands down, and it truly is a shame they don’t make spoofs like this anymore. It’s hilariously funny, right until the very end of the credits and an entirely unforgettable comedy experience.
  
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Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
2021 | Action, Adventure
Life for Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is complicated thanks to his dual life as Spider-Man and the challenges of being in High School. Unfortunately for him; his best intentions are about to make things much worse in "Spider-Man: No Way Home".

Taking place where "Spider-Man: Far From Home" ended; Peter must deal with his secret identity being leaked by Tabloid Journalist J. Jonah Jameson (J. K. Simmons); and the throngs of people, helicopters, and protestors who follow his every move and camp outside his home.

As if this was not bad enough; being accused of being a murderer has drawn the attention of the authorities which further complicates his life as does returning to a school where everyone knows his identity.

Desperate to get away from the constant scrutiny and observation; Peter seeks out Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and asks him to cast a spell that would make the world forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man.

Strange agrees but mid-spell Peter requests that there are some exemptions from the spell which include his Girlfriend MJ (Zendaya); his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei); and his friend Ned (Jacob Batalon).

Strange agrees but in doing so; complications arise which allows entrants from other dimensions to enter their realm. Soon Peter is accosted by villains whom he does not know but seem to know him; that is until he is unmasked and they have no idea who this Peter Parker is before them.

As more villains arrive; Peter learns of their fates in their natural dimension and is determined to save them and give them a second chance which puts him at odds with Doctor Strange who says they must go back to whatever fate they had.

What follows is a descent into humor and darkness as Peter despite his best intentions sees the situation go from bad to worse and he must fight to stay true to himself and save the day.

The film is a difficult one to review in the fact that there are so many surprise guests, twists, and turns that it is challenging to not reveal anything but suffice it to say that fans should absolutely enjoy it.

The film takes its time getting to the action as it has a very slow and deliberate climb and Director Jon Watts is confident enough in the characters and premise that he allows ample time for the characters and setting to build and be established before he gets to the action.

While there is considerable fan service in the film; it never once seems like it is pandering and it all fits very well within the story and the MCU and opens up numerous possibilities for the future.

There is a mid-credit scene and a post-credit scene which is basically a trailer and both are very engaging in terms of the possibilities as Marvel has again shown that their plan of interwoven stories and characters continues to deliver and that Spider-Man still remains as popular and engaging as ever.
  
FF
Far From the Tree
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I thoroughly enjoy the way, Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant capture the true essence of African American female relationships in their books. Far from the Tree was no exception.

Ronnie and Celeste are sisters that have never really gotten along. Odella, their mother is also not the easiest to get along with. When the three are brought together in the same house after many years of being apart, their relationships start to take on a whole new meaning. Following the death of Will, the husband and father who had always been around to love and support them, the women are forced to examine their lives and make some hard decisions in order to move forward and grow.

Celeste, married to Everett, who is a doctor, has never been satisfied with their simple lifestyle. She has always wanted more for them even though she has never had to want for anything.

Ronnie, who has been a struggling actress in New York and fools herself and her family into thinking that she has it all together and is doing great. She actually has had more addresses than acting roles.

Odella, who had run from her past for so long that when it comes rushing back at her, she is overwhelmed by it all.

Together these women learn to love themselves and one another again.

There are talks that this book may be made into a major motion picture. I would be the first in line for a ticket. I would love to see who they get to portray the characters.
  
Pet Sematary (2019)
Pet Sematary (2019)
2019 | Horror
A Boston doctor moves his family to what is believed to be a quiet town in Maine. He soon discovers that the town has a secret past and supernatural powers. A good horror movie requires an atmosphere and a good movie based on the book makes you want to read the book to see what was left out. Neither requirement is met in this version of "Pet Sematary." The setting of the atmosphere I may have missed due to longer credits attached to "Shazam" that my gig required me to view. When I entered the theater, the family was already in their Maine house. In the short time I was not there, two things were established, the gas trucks that constantly careen through the town, a ominous sign of accidents to come and the family move to Maine to get away from the hustle of the city. The shadow of death could not have come until I was already in the theater. This aspect of the family dynamic was firmly established later when Ellie sees an animal dead on the road. The titular pet cemetary was also introduced while I was in attendance. The directors did not set up any foreboding specters for the cemetary or the family past, a sign of people in need of paying attention to their own creation. Throughout the film, there should be moments that terrify you from Church to the zombie child to Judd's mysteriously dead wife. None of these approach master level suspense.
  
Sunny Side Up
Sunny Side Up
Daniel Stallings | 2018 | Mystery
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Cruise of Murder and Bullies
Liam Johnson is thrilled to have landed a job on the prestigious Howard Cruise Line as a waiter. His family needs the money he will be making. However, he quickly discovers that his boss hates him and some of the customers he must deal with delight in making his life miserable as well. That doesn't prepare him for finding the body of one of the passengers dead on the Sunbathing Deck. The ship's doctor is quick to rule it an accidental death due to sunstroke, but Liam isn't so sure. Several things about the scene are off. Can he prove it was murder before the cruise ends?

I really thought this book sounded like fun, but it turned out to be much more somber than I was expecting it to be. Liam faces quite a bit of abuse and bullying over the course of the story, and I didn't find it that fun to read. Even his friends on the ship turn on him regularly. The mystery is well put together with plenty of clues. I did feel things were a bit overly complex, but the clues were all there when Liam explains things at the end. This books definitely falls on the traditional side of the spectrum with a smattering of language and talk about sex (but nothing on the page) that keep it from being a true cozy. This wasn’t' truly a bad book, but I did hope for something sunnier when I picked it up.
  
2T
2 To The 6 - Single by Unchained
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Unchained XL is a UK-born “Afro-roots hip-hop” artist and producer with Nigerian roots. Not too long ago, he released a music video for his “2 to the 6” single.

“Already got labels tryna doctor me. If you can’t beat ‘em then join ‘em that’s their philosophy. You can try to change the tides, however obviously. It never works out how you want it like democracy.” – lyrics

‘2 to the 6’ finds Unchained XL dropping a thoughtful 64-bar verse in the main room of Black Orange Studios.

The likable tune’s cryptic title refers to the mathematical expression 2^6 (2 raised to the 6th power), which equals 64, representing the number of bars.

‘2 to the 6’ contains a relatable narrative, supreme rap vocals, and lush instrumentation scented with an Afrocentric hip-hop fragrance.

Also, the song covers a range of hard-hitting topics such as issues of racism, corruption, and economic injustice.

Unchained XL sneaks in a few references to various icons such as Nigerian filmmaker, Genevieve Nnaji (Lionheart); British Nigerian artist, “Burna Boy”; “Split” main character Kevin Crumb; and famous inventor, Thomas Edison.

The progressive emcee writes songs of protest, social commentary, and everyday experiences through the lens of a ‘third culture’ African migrant.

He draws inspiration from Afrobeat legend and political icon Fela Kuti, as well as artists like M.anifest, Antibalas, and A Tribe Called Quest.

2018 saw him touring the UK with shows in London, Bristol, Sheffield, Leeds, and Cardiff. Also, he performed alongside artists such as Mungos HiFi, Afro Cluster, and Eva Lazarus.
  
Doctor Sleep (2019)
Doctor Sleep (2019)
2019 | Horror
Atmosphere (3 more)
Acting
Effective Horror Moments
Special Effects
Might be an idea to rewatch the Shining first (0 more)
I was a bit dubious about this sequel to The Shining. I didn't think Kubrick style was really something that could be reproduced. Luckily the film mainly does it's own thing but when it does call back to the original film I felt it did succeed.

I've seen some people complain abouy Rebecca Ferguson being wrong for the role of villain but I have to disagree. She does behave animated and feels less serious in some scenes but this does fit her character. She is powerful being that has lived longer than natural and feels she has little to fear, so it makes sense she would be overly confident and nonchalant.

Overall this film succeeds as a sequel. It gives us answers about what happened to the characters of the first film while having it's own plot and themes that connects to the original without relying on it too much. However some references may go over your head if you've not seen The Shining for a while.

It was a bit jarring to have people playing Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall but they did give it their all.

Doctor Sleep is a horror film that has more than just the usual jump scares. It's atmosphere and sense of foreboding are what truly sold me on it from the very beginning of the film. (I will never look at a shower curtain the same way again.)