The Family

         Robert De Niro returns to the mobster genre as Giovanni Manzoni or Fred Blake in The Family.  He and his family have been in witness protection for years after Manzoni turned in his fellow mobsters.  Now they travel the world due to various incidents the family causes as they try to stay out of sight from their new enemies.
        The Family possesses a wonderful set of characters and moments, but ultimately falls short of the bill.  The plot begins to drag int he middle and relies too heavily on coincidence to not only get the family in trouble, but to also help them escape their problems.  It's dry and dark humor the entire way through.  Don't expect to laugh out loud in the theater, but don't be surprised when one choice word brings a smile to your face.
      Check out The Family when it reaches the dollar theater.

3/5 Stars

Is it worth it all?

      I've been away for a week on vacation to Europe.  A few of those days were spent in Paris.  The Louvre was a must do on the list.  I later began to re-think that decision.

      As evident from the start of the grand museum, the Mona Lisa is one of the biggest attractions.  Signs are posted every twenty feet directing you to the destination.  It's difficult to miss, even in the giant maze they have built.  You finally arrive at the room, and the words start coming into your brain, "Is it worth it all?"

      Is this really a mob of fans I have to fight through to see the Mona Lisa?  Have they dreamed of the moment they got to see the Mona Lisa up close (or within fifteen feet)?  Or are they doing it just to say they saw it?

     Like many things in pop culture, the idea of the Mona Lisa has grown far better than the painting.  It's no longer about seeing the painting for yourself.  It's about fighting through the crowd, earning that front row spot.  

     The grueling crowd allows little movement.  A handful of people will even get to second base by the time you make it to the front and back.  And it's all for the glory of taking a picture.  Again, "Is that worth it all?"

     I've seen the Mona Lisa hundreds of times.  Heck, I saw it a dozen times on my walk to the room.  The only difference in image quality was... this one was less?  It's the original.  I get it.  But in the day and age of copy and paste where does original really fit in?  

     Popularity has killed the museum experience.  So many paintings are lost because there is no space to simply soak in what you are looking at.  The crowds rumble in your ear, body heat warms the entire area, and every second somebody is having their picture taken in front of the picture you want to look at.  

     If you ever get the chance at a museum, find paintings you've never heard of before.  Discover something new.  Don't struggle against the crowds because the popular painting is around.  Take a look at it sure, but don't forget that there are hundreds of works of art that can tickle your fancy, and with some luck there will be fewer people so you can actually enjoy yourself.  Discovering art is meant to evoke wonderful emotions in yourself, not make you want to rip somebody's camera out of their hand because they smell when their arm is lifted.

    Never be afraid to look at the less beaten paths in art.  You may find something you like.

p.s. one of my favorites of the day.  The Monkey Painter by Alexandre Gabriel-Decamps

Riddick

                      The Furyan is back in his third installment (fourth if you want to count the animated movie, Dark Fury [heck, five or six if you want to count the games as well]).  This time around they'r ditching the Chronicles part and going just for the simple title, Riddick.  It's a bold effort that ultimately was left lacking.

                      Vin Diesel and company have cerntainly learned from their mistakes from the second film Chronicles of Riddick.  They've instead returned to the simpler formula that Pitch Black had involving a series of survivors against the darkness of the planet they are on.  

                      This isn't the same planet.  Riddick takes place shortly after Chronicles left off.  The Necromongers have abandoned their new ruler to die on this lonely planet.  Riddick then lives in solitude on this planet for possibly years.   The time table is visible through a dog he adopts as a puppy.  It grows up between scenes.

                     After all this time, Riddick finally realizes true danger is coming in the shape of a storm.  Creatures are swarming within the rain.  He now has to find a way off.  Ridick makes his presence known and the bounty hunters are on the way.  It becomes bounty hunter versus bounty hunter versus Riddick in a dash to the spaceship with vicious aliens surrounding them.  

                     The opening starts off slow.  It's Riddick alone on a planet with a few animals.  A tiny flashback breaks it up showing us what happened before the film that lead him to near death.  It's a lovely scene of man versus nature, but it's not what you'd expect from a rated R action movie.  

                    Finally the movie picks up once the bounty hunters arrive.  Riddick is up to his old tricks, killing and getting into everybody's head.  

                    Then the action starts and it dies down quickly.  The monsters despite being the entire trailer are only in the second half of the film.  They aren't the crutch of the story they are just an obstacle.  The heart of the story is Riddick being hunted by the bounty hunter, Johns.  A name that might be familiar to Riddick fans.  But what attention the middle of the movie gathered is all lost as Riddick deals with his enemies unspectacularly.  

                     It's a strong film without a story to hold it up.  Maybe they'll do better with another one.  

3/5 stars

I'll Buy That For a Dollar

Atomic Blue: MEXican Wrestler

        In the spirit of the El Santo lucha libre films from the 60's and 70's comes the 1999 classic Atomic Blue.  When there is nobody to turn to you, it's time to look to the heroic actions of the mysterious masked men in the ring.  Atomic Blue, or Azul Atomico as they call him in the film, is here to save the day!
        The movie centers around the young boy Nick.  His neighborhood is being evicted because of a new highway system wanting to be built.  (Which in LA might be needed).  Nick's older brother is the most vocal of the bunch to put a stop it it.  He's the most vocal only because he speaks English when his neighbors do not.  One of the developers not wanting to go to court sends out his gang of thugs to handle the situation.  Nick's older brother is quickly disposed of, being fatally shot.
       Now follows the convoluted timeline that leads us to the end of the film.  Non of the characters seem to really care that the son died.  Only Nick, is doing anything about it.  Maybe some time has passed.  We don't know.  The next time the rest of the family is met they are debating whether or not wrestling is real.
      Azul Atomico is brought into the fray when young Nick asks for his help.  Azul reluctant at first then has a win during his wrestling match and I guess in his adrenaline high heads out to Nick's house to find out more about the situation.  While he does try to do it secretly the blue mask really throws off the rest of his downplayed outfit of leather jacket and beret.
      Upon word of Azul's aid the developers send out their thugs to handle the situation.  They are no match for our hero.  Then to further up the ante a bounty his put on Azul's head.  The bounty takes mere seconds to get everyone's attention.  Wrestlers from all around the world now want a piece of Azul.
      During one of these dangerous matches, the only one shown, Nick is kidnapped.  Azul discovers the plot and naturally he and his manager go out to a club.  There they do a little drinking, dancing, fighting off the bounty before Azul finds out where Nick is being held.  He's told by none other than Mexican Elvis.
     The climax comes when Azul must finally beat down the thugs, and the developer himself.  When all is said and done somehow them fighting and putting the developer in a trash can means the neighborhood his safe.  Azul Atomic walks off into the darkness.
      Maybe the creators of Atomic Blue should have followed a little more with the old lucha libre films.  Instead of having a developer be their main bad guy and just go with the ridiculousness of it all and bring in some sci-fi/fantasy elements.  Atomic Blue vs the monster under the bridge!  Oh well.

     It was worth a dollar.