tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60206401859528594972024-02-20T15:07:44.258-05:00Toxic FletchMovie Reviews, Retro Pop Culture, Gaming, Geek Stuff, Curiosities and MoreToxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-68579019979823722932019-01-25T15:24:00.000-05:002019-01-25T15:24:34.092-05:00Movie Review: Trouble (2013)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Trouble (2013) - USA - Comedy - NR (PG)</div>
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Independent Short Subject - 12 mins</div>
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Wesleyan University Senior Thesis Film</div>
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Written and Directed by Daniel 'Danny' Witkin</div>
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Starring Bennett Kirschner, Max Carpenter, Timothy J. Cox, Chelsea Marino, Khaching Tölölyan, Peter Rutland, Daniel 'Danny' Witkin, Piers Gelly, Adam Johnson, Aaron Khandros, Peter Myers, Henry Molofsky, Adam Rotstein, Benjamin Soloway</div>
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*This review is dedicated to the memory of Karen Kelly.. wherever and whoever you are. Otis sends his love.</div>
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The feel of an 80s teen comedy with a wicked and fresh sense of humor.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0LEUBXYZXsfZmbbjJ05TXy-Wz83rsTD-m0N2QR4fJgPpEa3_gWNANKdGVhnd_yJFrRQ0f9CYQBxmXGadpBnV4Qm7Cry3wsZP6ohrqwiLoKOc5mzHSke30e4hCH6mFFz0Vp5b9f4eYRya/s1600/Trouble_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="929" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0LEUBXYZXsfZmbbjJ05TXy-Wz83rsTD-m0N2QR4fJgPpEa3_gWNANKdGVhnd_yJFrRQ0f9CYQBxmXGadpBnV4Qm7Cry3wsZP6ohrqwiLoKOc5mzHSke30e4hCH6mFFz0Vp5b9f4eYRya/s320/Trouble_Poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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At St. Sebastian's Quiet School for Disreputable Youth they teach teenage boys about character. Once there, you will not leave until you are an adult. Isaac has different plans.</div>
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Filmmaking has many venues. Chief among those is not Hollywood as far less than 1% of films made every year come out of or are even associated with Hollywood. Even national cinemas like Bollywood don't make up a majority of films made every year. It is the independent filmmakers at the grassroots level making films at their own expense making the majority of films, and of course among those are film school and college students making films for their classes, or in this case as a college thesis.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXkd8WbYRL8LDb80qA5VRb29gz7fe-OnznPpeEH26JKCNsrdl3-35UZ5rICsEpCGUGKDJkUir2fXFDs1nzt-I_CflxJkHFfpIxOWPo5QkmkjxDrmlmnRYs1FN4x8zM2uihtZQKBQh_J1G/s1600/Trouble_2013_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXkd8WbYRL8LDb80qA5VRb29gz7fe-OnznPpeEH26JKCNsrdl3-35UZ5rICsEpCGUGKDJkUir2fXFDs1nzt-I_CflxJkHFfpIxOWPo5QkmkjxDrmlmnRYs1FN4x8zM2uihtZQKBQh_J1G/s320/Trouble_2013_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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There is an 80s teen comedy feel to Trouble. But that's where it parts ways and goes off into its own direction being set in a school for wayward teenage boys. If discipline and abasement were not enough in the daily curriculum, bullying by one's fellow students is served up for lunch and dinner. Not an enviable situation for anyone and one which sets up a plot for our protagonist Isaac to get out of.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQREUZyK29eF_F00jjSxGTN6DH3bSemmSMbh7l-WQSCNIPsWpRqjRLWA1pUDqKmxn8vd3Bm1GamQJ7eFsdSe33iNyuNVrJI4KPnRRmPxSa6tbppXN5KqzLRJWwnc2ZNpE07QnXEIADSYwD/s1600/Trouble_2013_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQREUZyK29eF_F00jjSxGTN6DH3bSemmSMbh7l-WQSCNIPsWpRqjRLWA1pUDqKmxn8vd3Bm1GamQJ7eFsdSe33iNyuNVrJI4KPnRRmPxSa6tbppXN5KqzLRJWwnc2ZNpE07QnXEIADSYwD/s320/Trouble_2013_2.jpg" width="320" /></a>A different story combined with a shrewd character in Isaac make for a fun and funny experience. Dark it is in places, but certainly not uncomfortable as Danny Witkin handles black comedy with deftness and his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.</div>
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Bennett Kirschner and Max Carpenter deliver in their performances. I don't know their backgrounds and experience, but they certainly handled their roles in Trouble well, being awkward in uncomfortable situations when need be and on key when need be. They deliver and make this film a treat.</div>
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Timothy J. Cox is expectedly on top of things.. err.. no, really.. no pun intended. His haughty carriage and disavowing expression sets the atmosphere for the other actors in which to work. He's not just a character but a necessary ingredient in the backdrop of the film and paints it splendidly.</div>
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There is a continuity error that stands out to me, but I shall not mention it because if you don't catch it.. who cares? It's just a note to the director that it is noticeable.</div>
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Trouble is a film that brings back the fun of a teen comedy and twists it into its own character (okay.. pun intended that time).</div>
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My Rating: 4 Fingers</div>
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Get into Trouble on <a href="https://vimeo.com/64203955" target="_blank">Vimeo</a>.. err.. I mean watch the film.</div>
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Check out Timothy J. Cox on his <a href="http://www.timothyjcox.com/" target="_blank">Website</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/officialtimothyjcox/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/TimothyJCoxAct" target="_blank">Twitter</a> page.</div>
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Check out Danny Witkin on his <a href="https://www.facebook.com/danny.witkin" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/dzwitkin" target="_blank">Twitter</a> page.</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-56132238563753253312019-01-16T22:59:00.000-05:002019-01-16T22:59:37.902-05:00Continuance Pictures Wants to Make Your Horror Movie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Continuance Pictures, producers of the upcoming horror film ISOLATION, have announced a new film initiative - that could help budding filmmakers get their film off the ground! </div>
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The 'CONTINUE' initiative has been inspired and encouraged by horror maestro Jason Blum. Continuance's Tristan Barr and David Gim were speaking to Blum (“Halloween”, “The Purge”) at the recent Busan Film Market where he inspired the prolific producing unit to get a film fund going.</div>
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“Jason gave us incredible advice on shooting with low budgets and testing contents with short films”, says Barr, co-founder of the company.</div>
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The chat led to a new film initiative, in which budding filmmakers will have the chance to produce their own short with feature film or TV series potential. At the same time, the company has also announced a new horror movie, which Barr will helm.</div>
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Through their new initiative, Continuance Pictures will foster the untapped creativity of new writers, directors and producers by assisting them in the development and production of a film through a short film initiative.</div>
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“The initiative is a pragmatic approach to filmmaking in the digital age”, says Barr, whose film ‘’Watch the Sunset’’ was one of the most celebrated Australian films of 2017. ‘’The initiative will connect emerging talent to the film industry and other creatives through investment and opportunity.’’</div>
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Continuance Pictures is a global company, with connections in Asia and Australia - they are a partner of former CAA and Sierra Infinity fixture Ina Petersen, who last year launched Inner Voice Artists, a Los Angeles-based international management and production company, and are currently working with Korean partners on “Isolation”, a horror story which Barr will also write and direct.</div>
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“Isolation” tells of the lone survivor of a plane crash who encounter a demon being while lost in the wilderness.</div>
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Continuance Pictures launches the “Continue” short film initiative this month, offering emerging talent the opportunity to prove themselves on the world stage. With an aim to inspire innovation and harness the potential of the current media landscape, the new studio will foster a creative culture in which bold choices are rewarded.</div>
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“As a filmmaker, there is nothing worse than receiving a “rejection letter” and not understanding why. Through this process the team at Continuance Pictures we are attempting to provide feedback to applicants to build working relationships and ongoing opportunities for the future.”</div>
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The short film initiative assists in the creation of acclaimed short films and their submission to film festivals around the world. These short films can then be used as a proof of concept, convincing larger studios and investors of the potential of related feature-length films, television series and franchises.</div>
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Adds Barr, “As I have learnt with Watch the Sunset, momentum is such an integral part of the process of surviving in this business. We will be capitalizing on festival screenings with meetings in the marketplace with the already developed feature script of the project.”</div>
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‘’Watch the Sunset’’ was an 83 minute, one-shot, low-budget feature film that Barr wrote and directed and was highly-regarded at festivals and was named one of the top 5 films of the year by local critics. Barr says “Creating low budget short films empowers creatives by giving them creative control and the chance to prove themselves on the world stage.”</div>
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Continuance Pictures plans to support local and international creators through their short film production initiative. The purpose of the ‘Continue’ Short Film Initiative is to create acclaimed short films that can be used as a proof of concept for feature-length productions and franchises.</div>
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The initiative allows larger studios to grasp the potential of a project and the creators. Writers, directors and producers can submit their projects via the Continuance Pictures website.</div>
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“Continuance Pictures are strong supporters of diversity in the media, and this is reflected in our selection process,” explains Gim. Each submission is reviewed and judged based on a range of criteria, including diversity, creativity, originality, and budget considerations.</div>
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Continuance Pictures are looking to offer qualified, high-concept proposals up to $10,000 to spend on the production’s budget. Writers, directors and producers who have bold and innovative ideas are invited to submit their scripts to the Continue Short Film Initiative via the Continuance Pictures website before 5 pm AEDT on the 1st of February 2019.</div>
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Go to their website <a href="https://www.continuancepictures.com/short-film-submission/" target="_blank">here</a> to submit.</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-90733302949426656682019-01-12T14:59:00.000-05:002019-01-12T14:59:20.049-05:00Movie Review: Doll It Up (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Doll It Up (2018) - USA - Comedy - NR (PG13)</div>
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Independent Short Subject - 8 mins</div>
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Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts</div>
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Directed & Written by Yalan Hu</div>
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Starring Timothy J. Cox, Devin Craig, Wayne DeBary, Jeff Mandel, Natalie Doll, Dorri Doll</div>
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A rollicking comedy with a truly 'inflated' sense of humor helmed by the wonderful comedic talent of Timothy J. Cox.</div>
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Gunther has a problem.. he's a man. To complicate this problem, his wife is a doll, literally. When his interest for a new doll gets a rise out of him (shaddup) can he just cast aside his old doll?</div>
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Timothy J. Cox is no stranger to the indie film scene. He's been in about every film ever made (that might be just a wee bit of an embellishment on my part). From his masterful performance in Matthew Mahler's To Be Alone, and with no dialogue mind you, to performances in Here Lies Joe (not me), Dark Romance and an appearance on the TV show Bull his capabilities as a serious actor are well accomplished.</div>
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On the flipside, he is just as talented when it comes to doing comedy and it's always a pleasure to see him doing comedy. Especially so when he has the opportunity to chew the scenery, and in Doll It Up he has scenery for breakfast. I had to do screencaps on my second viewing because I was laughing too hard to concentrate on anything else.</div>
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Doll It Up is Yalan Hu's directorial debut; according to IMDb (please correct me if I'm wrong). She has a strong sense of composition, putting the scene elements right where she wants them and keeping the viewer attuned. Her story structure is good in this as, without an introduction to this strange allegory, we get it. And of course her sense of humor is overboard.</div>
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Doll It Up certainly has a point. But its one weakness is the comedy overshadows that point. I give Hu extra credit for the final scene in which she creatively re-emphasizes the point. I find myself at 3 Fingers plus on a rating, but I'm going to give it a little nudge for Hu providing me with enough ammo to pick on Tim on social media for a good month at least. ;)</div>
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My Rating: 4 Fingers; that's 8/10 for you IMDb weirdos.</div>
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You can find Yalan Hu on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/angel.hu.1232" target="_blank">Facebook</a>.</div>
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Timothy J. Cox has his <a href="http://www.timothyjcox.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and you can find him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/officialtimothyjcox/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TimothyJCoxAct" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-82578231085349854262019-01-11T13:07:00.000-05:002019-01-11T17:10:18.339-05:00Movie Review: The 6th Friend (2016)<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 6th Friend (2016) - USA - Horror Thriller - NR (R-LV)</div>
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Directed by Letia Miller</div>
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Written by Jamie Bernadette</div>
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Screenplay by Jamie Bernadette and Letia Clouston</div>
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Starring Jamie Bernadette, Chantelle Albers, Dominique Swain, Monique Rosario, Tania Nolan, Jessica Morris, David Villada, Tina Cole, Matt Clouston, Benjamin Adamson</div>
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Perhaps the most successful marriage of a psychological thriller and slasher flick with more than a few tricks up its sleeve to boot.</div>
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Six women get together for what promises to be a vexatious gathering at an isolated cabin in the woods as they not only carry with them the memory of a tragic night 5 years past, but that very memory may have a score to settle.</div>
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Psychological thrillers and slasher flicks many times have intersecting elements. Successfully marrying these two sub-genres would seem to be a given, and yet when attempts have been made the end result is more decidedly one or the other. The 6th Friend breaks that mold.</div>
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The standard mold of a slasher flick is the flashback to a previous incident and then bring that fully into the present so at the outset we understand the threat. The 6th Friend takes a different trek by building the past concurrent with the present, not only keeping the viewer guessing as to the exact nature of what had happened but upping the tension by keeping a certain element of the unknown always present as the story unfolds.</div>
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Nothing is delivered up front in the story but rather uses the characters and their interactions with each other to evolve it. This has the benefit of making the characters feel real and developing a harmony within the story.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_zFtxdeGZkv0UWKWf2rjOHVkdJ4SGyZrIWkYusw487Rt5r053q4ykvUUdjs31qTyYXOIoqFnQBjYYSsoE_2HGFx2dm6frqkbMIXJvy_DqsHaqH8y1hlp7javMnFgDdFwbamX_U25IwfQ/s1600/The6thFriend-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="1277" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_zFtxdeGZkv0UWKWf2rjOHVkdJ4SGyZrIWkYusw487Rt5r053q4ykvUUdjs31qTyYXOIoqFnQBjYYSsoE_2HGFx2dm6frqkbMIXJvy_DqsHaqH8y1hlp7javMnFgDdFwbamX_U25IwfQ/s320/The6thFriend-2.jpg" width="320" /></a>A fluid screenplay moves things along at a natural pace. At the outset it is a slow burn to build the story, then fuel is thrown on the fire as the story takes off on its own. Dynamic direction keeps things moving where even in moments when things are perceivably slow it does not allow the viewer to linger idly.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaSuBWLdNrlQVBd-eOuB55Z4a6QLdgBrD4tJNo-dWFjOBf2XgOm06IxHp_TjpvPGoVc51ys1gMjTBWAZCY_SPOdYRUHWIAi4egJJF_U5lasB57I1V8S5uiosJOpMllxBf6tIyXbq6kPvL/s1600/The6thFriend-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1276" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaSuBWLdNrlQVBd-eOuB55Z4a6QLdgBrD4tJNo-dWFjOBf2XgOm06IxHp_TjpvPGoVc51ys1gMjTBWAZCY_SPOdYRUHWIAi4egJJF_U5lasB57I1V8S5uiosJOpMllxBf6tIyXbq6kPvL/s320/The6thFriend-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>Playing to the tension is a feeling of not knowing what is and what is not real. As a bonus an element of media consciousness plays out in the story, and how you want to interpret that is up to you.</div>
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I do feel that this film will strike a chord better with women than with men. Without divulging anything, certain elements men are just not going to get in general. It's difficult to feel terror when what causes that terror does not specifically apply to you.</div>
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In the end result The 6th Friend is ultimately a successful horror thriller; keeping the viewer guessing while scaring them at the same time, with a little something extra that may leave them wondering just how real is real.</div>
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My Rating: 4 Fingers; that's an 8/10 for IMDbers.</div>
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Find out more about The 6th Friend on the film's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/The6thFriend/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/the6thfriend" target="_blank">Twitter</a> pages.</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-27834260843011960602018-12-06T07:00:00.000-05:002018-12-07T23:22:07.457-05:00Movie Review: Intensive Care (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Intensive Care (2018) - USA - Action Comedy - NR (PG13)</div>
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Directed by Jared Bentley</div>
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Starring Tara Macken, Jai Rodriguez, Kevin Sizemore, Jose Rosete, Leslie Easterbrook, Darrin Dewitt Henson, Gunnar Sizemore, Austin Pollard, Ela Gavrila</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcjl6_rD2bqXjipAhyphenhyphenZkxjvBl82i7Udw3Ak-36NQktLvz_O3loEzp9iDKgiipLibSL8kC2YrXrjGEbDq56GFcoixO9aUDI8mSS__XlnEsIsovVX78f3y5DYEC4wqhmfMxvjn8ynOYyVvY/s1600/Intensive+Care_Poster+Alternate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="766" data-original-width="575" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMcjl6_rD2bqXjipAhyphenhyphenZkxjvBl82i7Udw3Ak-36NQktLvz_O3loEzp9iDKgiipLibSL8kC2YrXrjGEbDq56GFcoixO9aUDI8mSS__XlnEsIsovVX78f3y5DYEC4wqhmfMxvjn8ynOYyVvY/s200/Intensive+Care_Poster+Alternate.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
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Dumb, dumber and dumbest meet even dumberest in this comedy of errors masquerading as an action thriller, and yet it strangely succeeds.</div>
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An ex-special forces soldier takes up a new profession as a caregiver for a rich elderly woman. A seemingly innocuous job turns potentially deadly as thugs break in with the intention of robbing the woman but end up with more than they bargained for.</div>
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If the plot seems basic and especially in the category of 'seen it before', well it is. There's nothing new here from the standpoint of ex-whatever fighting machine having to face-off against a threat that we haven't seen in any number of Steven Seagal, Jean Claude Van Whatshisname or any action star's glut of dime a dozen movies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZtQxKZiwP4bDqSZif417dEmPtKlaSNMh6NtExPs4Y-C1K0aa8U5fHMlOsSiMv8MgvxT-yTaHMhAzjD0tvkjPDFpKYMN3UDslYxkuNl5nF2TV0hh12aOnn2ET6IxSY-kGB_KWFBfuNQTE/s1600/IntensiveCare-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZtQxKZiwP4bDqSZif417dEmPtKlaSNMh6NtExPs4Y-C1K0aa8U5fHMlOsSiMv8MgvxT-yTaHMhAzjD0tvkjPDFpKYMN3UDslYxkuNl5nF2TV0hh12aOnn2ET6IxSY-kGB_KWFBfuNQTE/s200/IntensiveCare-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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In actuality this film seems confused at the outset as to what it wants to be. The setup is basically an action movie. The IMDb page lists it as a action/horror/thriller. But past the half hour mark, and I was less impressed with it up to that point, it takes a turn into an action comedy, and that alone saves it.</div>
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The filmmaking is competent, the acting is competent, as a matter of fact on the whole it's pretty competent and that's about the best thing that can be said about it. Yet the humor and action keep it going, even if at times it is interrupted by "WTFs" on the part of the viewer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQWkQb94qYto705TZZbjIPh2TjWY7qxsET-UbslLA-Rqi8eZoUC8gQ8S3wqzVkqCSp9u3mWy7POmE4mhtiOTboo8pZRPBdqHJdgBB90J-whOT68aHvUOfYwB8ZclqQgiETezzzRv9yqfs/s1600/IntensiveCare-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMQWkQb94qYto705TZZbjIPh2TjWY7qxsET-UbslLA-Rqi8eZoUC8gQ8S3wqzVkqCSp9u3mWy7POmE4mhtiOTboo8pZRPBdqHJdgBB90J-whOT68aHvUOfYwB8ZclqQgiETezzzRv9yqfs/s200/IntensiveCare-3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Throughout the film I had gone from a rating of 2 fingers during the first half hour to upping that to 2 Plus. My thoughts were it at least maintains itself. But then that became an important distinction as, with as basic of a premise and setup as it has, it rolls with its humor and action and is actually watchable and even enjoyable throughout its 80 minutes. There is an additional post-credits scene which nicely sets it up for a potential sequel.</div>
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My Rating: 3 Fingers; that's 6/10 for IMDbers</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-21614557372372148482018-12-04T08:00:00.000-05:002018-12-04T08:00:05.490-05:00The Great Indie Film Promotion!<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well.. I might be overselling it.. just a wee bit.</div>
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A few problems have arisen over the past several months in trying to get indie film promotion and networking moving forward. At the heart of most of this is sucky internet. As of late I've actually had a good connection. Why? I don't know... but I'm going to follow the old standby of not looking a gift horse in the mouth.</div>
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Additionally just the scope of indie film. Big Hollywood is easy to promote as their output and associated output is far less than 1% of the films made every year. Even if you eliminate national cinemas from the pool the majority of films made every years are by indie filmmakers. That's a hell of a lot films and filmmakers.</div>
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Participation is also a key factor. Not everyone is Timothy J. Cox or Kate Davies-Speak. I'd be willing to argue nobody is. Both of them have been instrumental in the promotion of indie film. Timothy J. Cox actively promotes films he is in and the works of others. Kate Davies-Speak uses her social media, I'm most specifically familiar with her Twitter activity, to engage those in indie film to share among themselves and promote each other. Her #ShowreelShareDay and #TrailerShare days have encouraged me to use the indie film community, whether they know it or not, to promote themselves.</div>
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I've mentioned the use of hashtags before for different promotions. What I'm aiming to try now is to build this to a weekly indie film promotion where filmmakers, actors, reviewers and others can share links to trailers, interviews, reviews, and have others retweet their links.</div>
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Weekly? A bit too much? Not really, because my ultimate goal is to build this to a daily promotion. Obviously I can't do that on my own. But Hollywood gets almost by the minute promotion, and much of that is given to them for free. But ask someone to do that for indie films and many will want to charge for it. Yep... throw free money at the rich and charge the working class.</div>
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My intention, at least in this function, is to get others involved with promoting indie films. Ideally those who will be open to having a regular social media promotion. That could be a day a year, a day a month, but eventually those days add up and over time that could build into a daily promotion. As the promotion builds we will eventually trend the hashtag, and if it builds to the point it gets in the top 10 then it will be getting more attention due to that, and that certainly is a goal.</div>
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I am going to start of the promotion on Thursdays. Probably beginning around 9 a.m. (East Coast/New York time) and continuing throughout the day till like 11 or midnight. I fully expect the first time, or first several times to flop. It takes a while to build up anything and I will start with promo tweets for a handful of indie films throughout the day. Of course anybody else who tweets the hashtag with their own promo tweet will be retweeted by me and hopefully others.</div>
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The hashtag is #MyIndieFilmPromotion</div>
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I will be tweeting and retweeting from two Twitter accounts: @SexAndBloodShow (shut up... I've already commented it was a poor choice for a Twitter url) and @MIFilmAdvantage.</div>
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The reason for Thursday is to keep from conflicting with my work schedule and Thursday is not the weekend, not the first day of the week and not a church day. I'm wanting to keep it on a day when people will less likely be occupied with something else.</div>
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What to share?</div>
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Pretty much anything that helps promote your film or a film in which you are involved or someone's film you are trying to promote. Trailers, IMDb listings, interviews, reviews, etc. If they'll fit in a tweet, by all means include them all. You can also add up to 4 images in a tweet too if you want to include posters, screencaps or other promotional materials. Sometimes when I have promoted films in the past I would create an image with a summary of a film, cast, etc. so I could include more about the film beyond the Twitter character count.</div>
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A few things to note:</div>
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Filmmakers - Often when I try to collect info for promoting films on Twitter with a Tweet. Rather than actually 'reply' with info like I've requested most just click on 'like'. If I want to actually collect any info then I have to search it out as a result. This is time consuming. Nobody knows your film, cast, social media links, etc. better than you. Not only will providing information help me out, it's a good habit to get into when it comes to soliciting reviews as it helps out the reviewer. What you can provide in a minute or two can take somebody else an hour or longer to have to search for it.</div>
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Reviewers - Let me be specific about what is and is not indie film. Indie film is not made with millions of dollars with big name actors. Indie film is individuals and even small companies making their own films. The United States has a problem with multi-million dollar movies masquerading as indie films because they are not made by one of the Big 6 studios. You are welcome to join in and help to promote indie films, but if you are confused about what they are and instead use the hashtag to promote bigger studio films you will be asked to stop.</div>
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Why this particular promotion?</div>
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As I've mentioned, internet has been a problem here. I've at least had a fairly consistent connection, but bandwidth often sucks. As I have been using mobile internet more, it does not require as much bandwidth as my computer does. This is a way for me to become more actively involved in promotion that I can also do on a phone or tablet.</div>
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I will tweet about the date of the first #MyIndieFilmPromotion rather than springing it on you. You don't have to specifically tweet within the hours I am. I will search the hashtag and retweet any tweets. You can also use a tweet scheduler online or a social media hub to schedule tweets. Any retweets are encouraged and very much appreciated.</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-57496407573932573012018-09-29T12:25:00.000-04:002018-09-29T15:02:20.601-04:00Movie Review: Gunderson's (2011)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Gunderson's (2011) - USA - Comedy - NR</div>
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Short Subject - Dial Tone Pictures - 14 mins</div>
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Written by Phil Primason, Max Azulay, Mallory Westfall and Matt Porter</div>
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Directed by Matt Porter</div>
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Starring Max Azulay, Timothy J. Cox, Dan Azulay, Jeremy Fernandez, Eoin Cahill, Mike DeGasperi, Nicolina Capitanio, Jeremian Fox, Alex Michaelopoulos, Lexie Morin, Daniel Murphy, Phil Plucinski, Yemaya Rich, Robert Rossi, Cody Schmidt, Cassidy Steinhilber, Marley Sternberg, Linsay Tierney</div>
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Not quite fully erect but it's enough to get the job done.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMLcRQ2SgKEoDSRFWrXOwXEc7apJ1v3vRdn9Rtg2JFLGPSFI0sHHJURjyjrzsZCh7HGQNR1EWXDDJZiRuQurDW5E9h45KoWbbas6o45AaJfMhtxYNrKfFyWuje8cq8zrqOkXBaO7EIEpX/s1600/Gundersons_5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMLcRQ2SgKEoDSRFWrXOwXEc7apJ1v3vRdn9Rtg2JFLGPSFI0sHHJURjyjrzsZCh7HGQNR1EWXDDJZiRuQurDW5E9h45KoWbbas6o45AaJfMhtxYNrKfFyWuje8cq8zrqOkXBaO7EIEpX/s320/Gundersons_5.jpg" width="320" /></a>Starting his first week of teaching health class as a substitute teacher at middle school, Max discovers he has a sexually transmitted disease called Gunderson's. Gunderson's may only have one symptom but the consequences of having it may be more trouble than the symptoms.</div>
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Gunderson's strength is in a talented cast, not lacking in production values and a natural sense of humor infused in the dialogue. Max Azulay and Timothy J. Cox, if I could just remember their characters' names, are wonderful in their respective roles as teacher and principal. Timothy J. Cox shines as an over-bearing principal and takes the opportunity to chew the scenery in a most delightful way. Max Azulay evokes a natural responsiveness in his scenes coming off as a real character and not as an actor portraying a character. The hallway scene between Cox and Azulay is classic and I get the feeling at least some of Azulay's responsiveness in the scene is him trying to hold it together while Cox pushes his buttons as he can do so well.</div>
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Another of the charms of this short film is a wonderful group of young actors playing the students. There are enough students in the classroom to make for a full class. There are no shortcomings in making this feel like any average school day or classroom. What interaction there is between Max and his students is well played.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVag8UCn7O6USneiDoahg-XCxGkKisAsJtVbaWzDZtQKdeegM-EIhYzCFHTjF-CrTwSAzQR7WnDP3ir7hi64-xRSwt8WXFubm0_lKk0xxHIiNLR1BQS2BZmbwUU_NL-CzRcKXg-tihTLJ5/s1600/Gundersons_6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVag8UCn7O6USneiDoahg-XCxGkKisAsJtVbaWzDZtQKdeegM-EIhYzCFHTjF-CrTwSAzQR7WnDP3ir7hi64-xRSwt8WXFubm0_lKk0xxHIiNLR1BQS2BZmbwUU_NL-CzRcKXg-tihTLJ5/s320/Gundersons_6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A downside for me is that Gunderson's feels incomplete. Don't get me wrong, it successfully tells a story, but it is quick in doing so. I felt like I had started down a trail and abruptly came to the end of it and wondered what I had missed. I found myself wishing there was more.</div>
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Gunderson's, for me, may be lacking in its story development but it does ultimately succeed. It provides humor and tells it in an entertaining way.</div>
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My Rating: 3 Fingers Plus; that's a 7 out of 10 for IMDbers. I would give it more if there was more.</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-16374239459479448672018-09-08T16:43:00.000-04:002018-09-09T20:27:35.285-04:00The Coming Blacklist: Sites You Should Block<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will be adding a page to this site. It's a page that's not going to make some people happy. It's simply a page containing a list of websites you should avoid.</div>
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Let me be as up front with something I have said till I'm blue in the face:</div>
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ONLINE ADS ARE THE NUMBER ONE SOURCE OF MALWARE INFECTIONS!</div>
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I have stressed this time and again. If you don't use an ad blocker (and dammit, they're free! <a href="https://adblockplus.org/" target="_blank">Adblock Plus</a>), you are putting your computer at risk. And yet people gleefully surf the web without an ad blocker. And when their computer gets infected they are at a loss to figure out why. For those people, please reference the previous statement.</div>
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Are the ads the problem? No. It's the source of the ads where the problem lies. The majority of online ads are third partied from ad providers. Not all ad providers allow the ads they sevre to be third partied to them, which makes it safer. But enough do, and don't give a damn from where it is coming, what scripting is being used, or what kind of special delivery of malware is being made via a browser visiting a site running their ad scripts.</div>
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Years ago almost everyone I knew with a computer had their computers infected by a fake anti-virus malware that would tell the computer user their computer was infected (well that sure as hell was correct, they infected it), and of course offer to remove the infection for a price. Most of those computers had to have windows re-installed; and one had to have the hard drive replaced. Which computer didn't get infected? The one running an ad blocker.</div>
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The internet has evolved from the days of simple HTML sites. The advances in scripting has allowed considerable interaction with websites making it easier to use them and allowing the website to be more useful. The danger from loading a website in your browser has evolved just as well.</div>
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Not all websites with ads or ad providers have malicious intent, nor represent a threat. Sites such as Google (and their associated services), Amazon and Facebook source their own advertising. In order for their ads to be a threat their own servers would have to be attacked. Such companies, being that the internet is their business, have firewall teams to protect their servers and deal with problems.</div>
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Most of us with our own websites do not have that capability. Yes, the hosting providers do protect their servers and have the people to deal with problems. But a blogger or webmaster pasting code into their webpages does not. What that code is serving has nothing to do with the hosting provider; they have no control over it.</div>
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Advertising has been around for a long time. Ads in magazines and on television are not a threat to anyone (unless you're stupid enough to swallow their BS). Online ads are not the same thing.</div>
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The list I have referred to is a blacklist of websites that either request for you to disable your ad blocker or add them to your whitelist, or, especially, sites that won't allow you entry unless you disable your ad blocker. This is usually given with a BS spiel about how ads make the internet happen and how you are stealing money from these poor greedy bastards by using an ad blocker rather than being truthful and say they don't give a damn about the risk to you so long as they make a few pennies before your computer crashes and burns.</div>
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Some of these are big websites with a long standing brick and mortar business like national newspapers. Some are popular websites started by fans in some hobby, say like horror movies, and have grown into an authority site. But it seems like 90% plus of the internet has ads, and many of the bigger sites don't need them as their income comes from sources other than internet ads, they're just being greedy by using the 'accepted norm'.</div>
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The blacklist will just be a suggestion of sites to boycott/block, unless they remove their walls and warnings in which case they will be removed from the list.</div>
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I'm not suggesting avoiding all sites with ads. I'm just strongly suggesting you use an ad blocker to protect your computer and blacklist those sites that want you to do otherwise.</div>
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If after all this talk, and I can be quite long-winded, and you get your computer infected and have not used an ad blocker, please reference the all caps message above one more time.</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-89617363635105150642018-09-03T19:47:00.000-04:002018-09-03T19:47:30.650-04:00Movie Review: Far from the Apple Tree<div style="text-align: justify;">
Far from the Apple Tree (In Post) - Scotland - Thriller - NR</div>
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Directed by Grant McPhee</div>
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Written by Ben Soper</div>
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Starring Sorcha Groundsell, Victoria Liddelle, Lynsey-Anne Moffat, Margaret Fraser, Adrienne-Marie Zitt, Scarlett Mack</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydw_V-68flOHHDb1D-YtSfS8qSUDdSUB4BeJtwCNgc_RPRmfbpL1Iqk1XewS5_jYtRMVNWrYglJthRjhgHpwdiEOKf8oqUg978wY_rFCaTGFGZlqAIRkDc_XTjJXRv-2EYknd51bjwfMm/s1600/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1280" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydw_V-68flOHHDb1D-YtSfS8qSUDdSUB4BeJtwCNgc_RPRmfbpL1Iqk1XewS5_jYtRMVNWrYglJthRjhgHpwdiEOKf8oqUg978wY_rFCaTGFGZlqAIRkDc_XTjJXRv-2EYknd51bjwfMm/s320/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A tour de force of visual indulgement with more up its sleeve than it lets on.</div>
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Attending an art exhibit, Judith not only becomes enthralled with a work, the artist herself takes notice of her. Agreeing to become the artist's archivist and protege to eventually show her own work, she discovers many films and videos of the artist's daughter, perhaps not coincidentally to whom she bears a resemblance... and develops an obsession.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWv6Bw7zeEp8mYSlw6Z4RtQCvC8xiNHGkYcA2gEU5jcqiqhxjvqlVokZIwaPM88daK2AZuly8KEK9WGtZvJwX5j3F-0TpEvwKQo-5oxanuv8K4S2CFse9BIJmjNkST-tQlfQwmLWydn91m/s1600/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1280" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWv6Bw7zeEp8mYSlw6Z4RtQCvC8xiNHGkYcA2gEU5jcqiqhxjvqlVokZIwaPM88daK2AZuly8KEK9WGtZvJwX5j3F-0TpEvwKQo-5oxanuv8K4S2CFse9BIJmjNkST-tQlfQwmLWydn91m/s320/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Akin to Grant McPhee's directing style that I first saw in Night Kaleidoscope, the first foray into Far from the Apple Tree is like being dropped into the middle of a situation you don't understand. Your natural survival instinct tells you to get out, yet something compels you to stay. To follow the narrative you have to go into the next room. Perhaps you might not want to, but yet again you're compelled to do it, because you have to know. You may even end up back where you started, momentarily, but that's part of the journey.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTZJSM7OaBqV77g1j4e27mwBsmVwOl_sRuNuElYqzKOc2nNUpDVudf9dyM_2CMrq9Jr0c9td4x_yjgXT3wkAd2FDekT8cIYPv_kO7lQNBiBLNRu6WaeiHmUm4fqVYAPsGMbdo_nllhcrv/s1600/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="1279" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTZJSM7OaBqV77g1j4e27mwBsmVwOl_sRuNuElYqzKOc2nNUpDVudf9dyM_2CMrq9Jr0c9td4x_yjgXT3wkAd2FDekT8cIYPv_kO7lQNBiBLNRu6WaeiHmUm4fqVYAPsGMbdo_nllhcrv/s320/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Where this story is going to end up is foreseeable. How it's going to get there... well that's a different case entirely, and it's the journey that's the story. Grant doesn't just take the road less traveled, he goes where there was no road and builds one with his narrative. Linear the story is, but pastiches of past, present and who knows when invade each moment onscreen.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7sDF61eXDOA8AYQyVztjskdew3kaKFsZ5fcVVIsXJlC9nz-pLYWKo-n177xLS_c2EBt11Qg1ms32xS0qi2i4FdSel0rqd1pYrl-hw89rMWVwiqd64vmhlT2QMsDWse4wr7CEj3xRESQ1/s1600/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="1280" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7sDF61eXDOA8AYQyVztjskdew3kaKFsZ5fcVVIsXJlC9nz-pLYWKo-n177xLS_c2EBt11Qg1ms32xS0qi2i4FdSel0rqd1pYrl-hw89rMWVwiqd64vmhlT2QMsDWse4wr7CEj3xRESQ1/s320/Far-from-the-Apple-Tree-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Visually, and you don't know how complex that singular term is in relation to this film until you have seen it, there are elements that reminisce of satanic and witchcraft films of the 70s with an austere and muted presence. Elements that hearken to giallo in untransfixed vision underplayed by a melody of a lost childhood. And full of esoterica brimming the lid off of this cauldron of visceral extrapolations. And yet I may have just been describing the passage of only 20 seconds.</div>
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A relatively small cast delivers good performances throughout. Sorcha Groundsell as Judith immerses herself in her role and likely will be a rising star soon enough. Victoria Liddelle compounds her role as a character who wafts between impassive and receptive. Her character's intent is not for me to tell but for the viewer to decide.</div>
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From my first viewing I was at a solid rating of 4 fingers. The story is complete which alone would have me giving it a 3, and the journey Grant takes us on abrogates the nominal in narrative to traverse its own original path, taking my rating up to 4. It would be nice if things were so simple, huh? A trivial question, so I thought, that I posed to Grant just out of curiosity... well the answer floored me. I shall not reveal what that is, but the performance and production that colluded to carry that out, that takes it up another finger.</div>
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My Rating: 5 Fingers. I give it a high five!</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-30069540557711251002018-08-09T18:54:00.000-04:002018-08-10T09:41:12.110-04:00Movie Review: Five Fingers for Marseilles (2017)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Five Fingers for Marseilles (2017) - South Africa - Western Thriller - Not Rated</div>
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Directed by Michael Matthews</div>
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Written by Sean Drummond</div>
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Starring Vuyo Dabula, Zethu Dlomo, Kenneth Nkosi, Jerry Mofokeng, Mduduzi Mabaso, Lizwi Vilakazi, Hamilton Dhlamini, Dean Fourie, Kenneth Fok, Anthony Oseyemi, Warren Masemola, Garth Breytenbach, Aubrey Poolo, Brendon Daniels</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHA-httCQJ8ezOhhNc8TeqfTyrb2gbUckEWX2HRvmfksoQkdg_jRqeBDamYRr9S1lMRs3HrIB4Ga1yDkvwBJhf8vN0U_43D_LXemZ2vXJAutCDhyiNXjUuXIkJSA0lE9bL3jZkL-mZVuJw/s1600/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHA-httCQJ8ezOhhNc8TeqfTyrb2gbUckEWX2HRvmfksoQkdg_jRqeBDamYRr9S1lMRs3HrIB4Ga1yDkvwBJhf8vN0U_43D_LXemZ2vXJAutCDhyiNXjUuXIkJSA0lE9bL3jZkL-mZVuJw/s320/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
A compelling film filled with stunning sights and sounds that from opening shot to final frame moves like an unstoppable locomotive.</div>
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Five boys in the township of Marseilles in South Africa form a pact to fight against the corrupt police oppression. They call themselves the Five Fingers, vowing not to become like their oppressors. But one day one of them crosses a new line in defending one of their own resulting in the death of two police officers. A self-imposed exile from Marseilles for him leads to a life of crime and violence, until some 20 years later he returns to Marseilles, a stranger, in what seems on the outside to have won the fight against oppression. But what lurks within, even within themselves, is a greater threat than what they overcame. Will he and his brothers in the Five Fingers be able to stand together... or apart?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7K6LhMl4HRhFmFVy4fTiUBdQK7iuSj_6GpKNRJH7R_0EpVkqN0NRkvDsGcPAT9bbRmpaZLmAuA4hiBNaTBjA7E9_dOd48lj0hBRCQa8c0603EMNq0ljlKt6PjWXLwiftbtHjkDDrnB60/s1600/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="1280" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7K6LhMl4HRhFmFVy4fTiUBdQK7iuSj_6GpKNRJH7R_0EpVkqN0NRkvDsGcPAT9bbRmpaZLmAuA4hiBNaTBjA7E9_dOd48lj0hBRCQa8c0603EMNq0ljlKt6PjWXLwiftbtHjkDDrnB60/s320/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Struggle is a word for many of us that we can only imagine... for others, that word is life. Oppression is a privileged tool of conquerors and raiders throughout history. Keeping people in check with brutality and despoiling of their property and goods is a significant part of that history and of colonization. The oppressors may have brought their names and infused their ways on a people, but within churns a spirit that was there long before they came. Dress them in different clothes, teach them a new language, a different religion, but inside people know who they are and that can't be taken away.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj89VxQ4BaA4xkK4O9TajIASb9F6vqD1vt7INI9It6ok-QHZRaHWT4LVdYjdMY3pMWPjWbkXIuWIakXpKPxSBwDaPiEwlv6d1mTL0o1Z8E7KYseUXsRd17SA8yLAo6JTnkhNYVU0EXzno/s1600/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="1279" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMj89VxQ4BaA4xkK4O9TajIASb9F6vqD1vt7INI9It6ok-QHZRaHWT4LVdYjdMY3pMWPjWbkXIuWIakXpKPxSBwDaPiEwlv6d1mTL0o1Z8E7KYseUXsRd17SA8yLAo6JTnkhNYVU0EXzno/s320/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Opening upon a simple shot of the plains, the air is brisk, the sky is clear and a crackle in a voice sets the tone for what will follow. The narrative is a delight of sight and sound, not telling its story but revealing it. Filled with character and stylings, and permeated with a dynamic soundtrack ticking the mood, unveiled before the viewers eyes and ears is a visceral symphony. A contemporary western set in South Africa it is, but you haven't seen this before.</div>
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The story itself is highly allegorical. Most potent of these is the Christ figure represented by the central protagonist of the story, Tau, as well themes of crucifixion and resurrection. Ironically, central to the antagonist is one of entrenched legacy. The mixing of a western with socio-political and spiritual themes dates back to the beginnings of cinema. Perhaps that's why this seems such a good fit for Five Fingers for Marseilles.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVHmLZgY4tRlxXn5z7J2snEZUp3ilkCQRikIaktW3lFEUd3EwqX_zFTbvjkvfhOz3VUy8mTUCh9Y5NRaNMCB3ubPtUHk1HZ-z5umjevLHGFTXlEm7_b4emEt5MOKawmVcbLvKNwOxzP06/s1600/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="539" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyVHmLZgY4tRlxXn5z7J2snEZUp3ilkCQRikIaktW3lFEUd3EwqX_zFTbvjkvfhOz3VUy8mTUCh9Y5NRaNMCB3ubPtUHk1HZ-z5umjevLHGFTXlEm7_b4emEt5MOKawmVcbLvKNwOxzP06/s320/Five-Fingers-for-Marseilles-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
For me the final act fizzles a bit. Yet it ups its pace at the same time, so it's give for take. From opening frame to closing shot Five Fingers for Marseilles is consistent in its delivery. So compelling it is that it grabs you by the [please insert preferred genitals here] and doesn't let go. A complete story it is, but just as ambiguous in places it is that too. This works well for it as I can't tell you what you should make of this. Five Fingers for Marseilles provides the ingredients for you to savor for yourself.</div>
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Five Fingers for Marseilles features a wonderful South African cast, and obviously a skilled crew. Sight and sound are beautiful to behold. The music throughout is tempestuous. It is subtitled, but this keeps the film text in check as even with reading the dialogue you can get a feel for what the actor is saying without having to understand the words.</div>
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My Rating: 5 Fingers<br />
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You can find out more on the film's official <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fivefingersformarseilles/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/fivefingersfilm" target="_blank">Twitter</a> pages.<br />
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Watch the official trailer on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWT0hJhMZwk" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-88269384988070358112018-08-01T08:00:00.000-04:002018-08-01T08:29:10.610-04:00An Interview with Bigfoot Erotica Author Virginia Wade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganyYBYJ6Kop2GpjHRobFrNwF0mDDgy9jrwOPaASfSr9BPXdlRO-IP7uxnkT2OODmzVpJ-62j_0DG_J6JE5vhXWzwN-rtKsuDlGj24S3DHwXZr-TwNpfyD_5GJ_buyGiIHnYToXD_06ZST/s1600/virginia-wade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEganyYBYJ6Kop2GpjHRobFrNwF0mDDgy9jrwOPaASfSr9BPXdlRO-IP7uxnkT2OODmzVpJ-62j_0DG_J6JE5vhXWzwN-rtKsuDlGj24S3DHwXZr-TwNpfyD_5GJ_buyGiIHnYToXD_06ZST/s320/virginia-wade.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Some of the damnedest things come out in politics. Most especially with this current administration we've had strippers and playmates and pussy grabbing... oh my!</div>
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But Bigfoot erotica?</div>
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A congressional race in the state of Virginia and a candidate named Cockburn (really?!) tweets about her opponent and his alleged interest in Bigfoot porn with a picture taken from his Instagram page (now private) of a Bigfoot with an enormous and censored... shall we say organ?</div>
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Of course social media ran with this, myself included. And of course with the number of news articles popping up online about this, many can't help but mention Virginia Wade, the best known author of Bigfoot erotica with 16 books in her Cum for Bigfoot series alone. And naturally I couldn't help (honest, ah couldn't) but chide her about being a bad influence on politicians.</div>
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For those of you not familiar with Virginia Wade the author, let me introduce you to her.</div>
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Virginia is, or has been, a stay at home mom of two children, now grown. She is also a mother of an autistic child which any mother of an autistic child can relate to. Brought up as an army brat her childhood and teen years were spent in many places, but now she makes Colorado her home. Her father helps out in editing her writings while her mother, a German teacher, has translated her writings.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_AhBJklZSWWYqrWn7RV-a23AXNJHScCxMP5vYPG-AK-w8hG9RxT287km7mk82gM0BL0CB2jWYIU-epn_z76AM6TjiEP9QhzNBAWHWc18dJX8jHcWl1WpH_hMww3DKAiJbOinlOpCkC5zf/s1600/Bigfoot-Erotica-Virginia-Wade-Author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_AhBJklZSWWYqrWn7RV-a23AXNJHScCxMP5vYPG-AK-w8hG9RxT287km7mk82gM0BL0CB2jWYIU-epn_z76AM6TjiEP9QhzNBAWHWc18dJX8jHcWl1WpH_hMww3DKAiJbOinlOpCkC5zf/s320/Bigfoot-Erotica-Virginia-Wade-Author.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Writing can be profitable for a good writer who not only finds their niche but also gets out and promotes themselves. "Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door", a saying attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson in part is true, but should be appended "but only if you tell them about it."</div>
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Her better mousetrap is erotica, and more specifically Bigfoot and monster erotica. Known for not only fringe premises like sex with aliens, demons, an assortment of movie monsters, and even a murder mystery where the weapon was a dildo, her trademark fun approach to storytelling and sense of humor brings her readers back.</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: Why Bigfoot? With a variety of potential human companions in erotica, what interested you in writing about Bigfoot instead?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: I had already written about Tarzan and Jane and my version of Jane Austen, with the Filthy Classics, so it made perfect sense to tackle Bigfoot. It was a crazy idea, and I ran with it.</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: Cryptozoology in essence has been around since cavepeople. Imagining what was beyond the known world, and the creatures that inhabited it, has sparked many a journey. Your Bigfoot fiction most definitely has its readership. Is it this age old curiosity, or what is it, that attracts readers?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: It might be a healthy curiosity about Bigfoot’s sex life, and what that might entail. He is especially well-endowed, after all. Sex is one of his favorite things, that and food. His needs are few, but they drive him to take risks, especially when it comes to kidnapping young ladies for his pleasure.</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: Porsche and Leonard are the two main characters in your Cum for Bigfoot series. Writers often, if not to some degree always, put a little of themselves into their work.</div>
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(1) Are there any inspirations for Porsche and Leonard from your life or people you know?</div>
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(2) Considering that question and knowing that, compared to you, your husband is a big guy, has this been an influence, or pointed out to you if it wasn't?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: I think it’s most women’s wish to have some strong, big guy protect and care for them. Real life expectations might’ve gotten mixed in with the fiction. Leonard, although insatiably horny, always took very good care of his women.</div>
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I didn’t model Leonard or Porsche after anyone in particular.</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: Vampires, werewolves, demons, the Invisible Man, you've written erotica involving many of the standards in the monster codex, and of course not so standard too. Kind of like the Universal Monsters of erotica. Have you been influenced by movies in your writings?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: I’m sure I have. Watching Pride and Prejudice inspired me to want to know how Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy behaved in the bedroom. The Filthy Classics sprang from that.</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: Being I brought up monster movies, your new Sasquatch series brings into being a lab created Sasquatch. A spin on Frankenstein? Why a new Bigfoot series?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: I wrote it for the fans. It had been years since I had published monster sex, so I wanted to put something new out there that didn’t have anything to do with the original series, yet there would be more Bigfoot sex.</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: Bigfoot and politics. Aside from that run for the presidency in 2015/16 you made*, is Bigfoot erotica being discussed in the light of congressional campaigns, or any political campaign, something you would have ever anticipated?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: No. I’m as shocked as anyone else that we are mixing politics with monster sex, or maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.</div>
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*Virginia didn't actually run for president. Another erotica author created a Twitter account and ran a tongue-in-cheek campaign for her.</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: I understand since the political race in Virginia (What a coinkydink!) brought up the subject of Bigfoot erotica that you've been getting some mention in blog articles, tweets (ah swears I don't know who's been doing that), and interview requests. Have you been getting much attention as a result of this?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: I’ve had several requests for interviews in the last two days. Older interviews I’ve done are swirling around Twitter and other social media sites. Sales are up too!</div>
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<b>Fletch</b>: Cum for Bigfoot has been your trademark series with 16 books. It's been a while since number 16. What have you been writing lately?</div>
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<b>Virginia</b>: In January I published Namaste with Sasquatch, which is a 4-part series of Bigfoot erotica set at a yoga camp in the Rocky Mountains. A new group of young women discover the pleasures of being kidnapped and seduced by Bigfoot.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifll7H7xvkDdIw1xcWoiEREeqOKaN6nsEK3VFxUjPkyvHjSondnI2wfModzqFKL3RWlmYRYFV0ewkDGhFTuTtHC5JSvVxxu9k9P-qIH1X5uXT_Ap4IsVls_krPx1j2PmBcQ4w-7LNEvHgl/s1600/Namaste-with-Sasquatch-Virginia-Wade-Erotica.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifll7H7xvkDdIw1xcWoiEREeqOKaN6nsEK3VFxUjPkyvHjSondnI2wfModzqFKL3RWlmYRYFV0ewkDGhFTuTtHC5JSvVxxu9k9P-qIH1X5uXT_Ap4IsVls_krPx1j2PmBcQ4w-7LNEvHgl/s320/Namaste-with-Sasquatch-Virginia-Wade-Erotica.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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You can find Virginia Wade on <a href="https://twitter.com/VirginiaErotica" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/virginia.wade.52" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. Check out her books on <a href="https://amzn.to/2Au1Apd" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/VirginiaWade" target="_blank">Smashwords</a>. Her series include Cum for Bigfoot, Namaste with Sasquatch, The Coven, Cum for the Viking and her Stacy stories. Individual titles include Cum for the Invisible Man, Who Killed Cole Custer in the Library with a Dildo?, Bred at Bible Camp, Breeding the Lusty Babysitter, Pride and Penetration, Cum for the Phantom, Cum for the Demon, The Demon in Alice, Crissy's Naughty Daddy, Sweet Melissa, Dirty Preacher Daddy, Island Curves (A BBW Romance) and many others too numerous to mention.</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-30781238643202354732018-07-22T18:33:00.000-04:002018-07-22T18:33:19.299-04:00A Plea for Sanity: Buy a Book<div style="text-align: justify;">
Before the internet there was a wonderful invention called a book. When we needed to know the meaning of a word we looked it up in a dictionary. We could learn about history and the people who populated it in an encyclopedia.</div>
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Oh... there's an online encyclopedia for that today? Well those encyclopedias we used were written by people studied in their particular fields, not by Billy Joe Jim Bob Jr. who gets his facts from a bathroom stall.</div>
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The internet used to be called the information superhighway, but has more realistically become the misinformation superhighway. Somebody starts a rumor and before the internet when we were kids we could ask our parents if it was true. Somebody starts a rumor online and people gobble it up and accept it as fact, pell mell.</div>
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What got me thinking about this was the latest definition floating around the internet about the word "tag" meaning "touch and go". Look it up in a dictionary and you will not see that as a definition. But you will see it floating around online as though it is fact, even though you can just go to the page about it on <a href="https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tag-acronym-touch-and-go/" target="_blank">Snopes</a> to get the lowdown on this latest internet misinformation.</div>
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I just wonder where we are headed as a generation brought up on the internet. Our parents would tell us not to get into cars with strangers... and today there is Uber. Somebody would write about someone giving good head on a bathroom stall... and today there is Facebook. And of course with Fox News and a compulsive liar for a president facts just aren't what they used to be.</div>
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If you want to know something about a car you ask a mechanic. If you're concerned about your health you go to a doctor. If you want to know about poverty and homelessness you sure as hell don't ask a rich person. But the age old warning of not accepting candy from strangers has faded, and the internet is filled with candy and almost all of it from strangers.</div>
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For goodness sake. Don't take your advice from Facebook, Twitter and fools. Look it up. Find it for yourself. A good place to start is in a book or a library... not a bathroom stall.</div>
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Fletch </div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-37490063224321227892018-05-15T16:02:00.000-04:002018-05-16T23:49:52.321-04:00Indie Film TV: Coming to a Browser Near You... Sort of<div style="text-align: justify;">
Friday Night Indie TV</div>
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A new project I'm working on in the vein of my Friday Night 80s Party I used to run. Looking for it to be a six hour block of programming to be tweeted on Friday nights from 6pm to midnight E.S.T. featuring short indie films, web series, and a feature length indie film; all available to watch for free on YouTube, Vimeo or other video sharing sites.</div>
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What started this?</div>
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Frankly myself becoming sick of network TV. With what seems like a pell mell cancellation of shows and changes in shows without one ounce of regard for the fans, network TV has picked up bad habits from "big retail". Network TV's response of "we don't answer questions about our program changes" (paraphrased) illustrates without a doubt that the viewer does not matter and the viewer is just someone to be played like someone being sold a used car or time share.</div>
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There are far more indie filmmakers, and I mean FAR more, than there are big studios. No, indie filmmakers are NOT investment firms that spend millions to make a film strictly for a return and call themselves independents. Indie filmmakers work out of their homes, even rent time in small studios, and investments are small and only offset what they have to spend out of pocket often putting it on a credit card. </div>
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Far more filmmakers are making better and by far more original films than what is coming out of big studios. It may not be as high gloss and CGI filled as what Hollywood wants to force feed you, but all that gloss and CGI is replaced with things like story, heart and sweat.</div>
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With all of what is being produced by indie filmmakers, and there is a gargantuan lot that is being produced by indie filmmakers, and ignored by self-ploclaimed Roger Ebert wannabe film critics (and if I hurt anybody's feelings with that... GOOD!), why not organize some of that content into a programming block like TV does?</div>
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True. This is not a TV network or channel. But it is a basis that maybe someone else can build on and rather than the usual star and smug filled content big studios and networks want to proffer, they might be able to run with it and provide an indie only web channel. Just a thought.</div>
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My initial idea for a block of programming, naturally likely to change, is to have:</div>
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1) A horror show/hour featuring several short subjects.</div>
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2) A comedy show/hour featuring several short subjects.</div>
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3) A non-themed showcase featuring other short subjects.</div>
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4) A regular web series episode</div>
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5) A full length feature film for the Friday Night Movie of the Week</div>
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6) A video podcast review or interview show.</div>
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I would also like to fill in gaps with music videos from up and coming indie bands and some retro TV commercials just for fun.</div>
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In addition to the block of tweets on Friday nights I also want to set up a blog specifically for the show in which I'll post each week's programming block so you can access it anytime at your leisure.</div>
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This is not content exclusive to me. These are shorts and films that you could find on your own if you knew what to search for and where to search. I'm just doing the work in putting it together and hopefully will be able to depend on indie filmmakers to provide me with links to their films I can use. This is simply another way to help promote indie film and at the same time give a finger to network TV.</div>
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This will take some time to set up, most especially with my internet being as poor as it is. Right now I'm looking at it being a few months away. I'll keep you updated.<br />
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*Addendum - I cannot use VOD, Prime or any other paid or subscription services for this. The idea is to make it like a block of TV programming someone can just tune in and watch. This means free to watch and publicly accessible videos only. The advantage to you as a filmmaker is getting your work seen and also being introduced via this promotion to people who may not be familiar with you or your work.</div>
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Fletch</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-48669212292436727512018-05-02T13:27:00.000-04:002018-05-02T13:27:09.944-04:00Reviews and Indie Film and Root Canals, Oh My!<div style="text-align: justify;">
The past few months have not been very productive. I have a better internet connection, for now, than I did. It's still not up to par like it should be. Some changes have come about causing delays, and I've made some decisions that hopefully will get me back to a more productive status and more regularly promoting indie film and filmmakers like I used to do.</div>
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I had planned to get a newer model laptop in May. As what seems to be the norm every time I try to get ahead so far this year I get kicked back. This month, actually two weeks as of this coming Friday, I've had a dead nerve crop up in a tooth. I have been able to stay the infection and the pain. An extraction of the tooth itself is not costly but the x-rays are and I can't afford that. And a root canal would be even more expensive, and the one time I had one done it went south six months later. Certainly my own treatment has worked, but for how long I don't know. I'm putting off getting the laptop, both because I've had to spend more these past two weeks to treat the tooth and am trying to set something aside in case I need to seek emergency treatment.</div>
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This year so far has completely wiped me out with what seems like an unfortunate surprise coming every month which has cost me, and how in the hell I made it through April with this month's expenses... well, I sort of didn't because I had to borrow from my neighbor to make it through.</div>
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I'm wanting to get a newer laptop because it will just make things easier. This one I'm using, as I've said in a previous article, has a busted screen and I'm using an external monitor with it. Having to keep it in a certain position to do his also requires having my head tilted down to use it. Not normally a problem but it did become such with the tooth problem as the position of my head increased the pain. I recently reviewed a film and it took me three hours or better to screencap it, having to step away from the computer ever now and then to ease up the pain.</div>
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As I said the tooth issue for now is resolved as best I can do and I need to focus more on how to be more productive. I have come to realize that my improvised method I used before is not working too well as I just got into a routine of trying to do everything I could, and when I hit a wall when my internet got interrupted, well there was no plan I was using and trying to get back to what I was doing has been like looking at a blank page and not knowing what to write.</div>
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For now I think after having written a few reviews again, I was afraid I had forgotten how, I need to plan a minimum of a review a week. This is less than I was doing before, but then I was trying to keep up a ridiculous goal for myself in how I review movies and just kept falling behind.</div>
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With a regular routine of reviews I think that will help to keep my mind more focused, certainly more than constantly trying to play catch-up with a queue that has gone from backlogged to one that could support several reviewers for months. Movies I need to get reviewed include Sarah's Room, Whatever It Takes, and The Misguided; all of which have been in limbo review-wise.</div>
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With regard to the indie film site I am going back on, for now, asking filmmakers to submit their own film listings. Without me completing already submitted listings and listing films for filmmakers, there is not really that much for a filmmaker to go on for an example of what to do, and the more listings there are on the site, the more valuable of a resource it is to filmmakers. Again, if you are a filmmaker, these listing are for you to be able to use them as presskits for reviews and the promotion of your films, and they cost nothing.</div>
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Listings do take a while. Even with submitted listings, as often the very important social links are not there, and that was my fault because of the template not having been mobile friendly, it can take an hour or better for me to complete the submission, per submission, having to search for those links on my own. If I have to create the listing on my own then it can take quite a bit longer depending on what kind of resources I have to start with, like stills, and having to search out information on various sites. </div>
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Of course this stresses the importance of My Indie Film Advantage and the listings as anybody reviewing a film has to go through this same process if this information is not made available to them, and if their site is generating any income due to them keeping a steady flow of new reviews on it then they aren't going to go through with hunting it down because it's a waste of their time. It also stresses the importance of social media to those in indie film as it seems kind of contrary at the least to want to promote your film and yet people can't find you.</div>
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The film listings are the tip of the iceberg. Things are going to take a while. Magic doesn't happen online. A neighbor of mine had asked me to set up a website for him to promote products he sells. I set it up, but he thinks somehow his products are going to show up magically, even though I keep telling him he has to list his products and upload pictures to get them on the website. Websites don't build themselves, they have to be built.</div>
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One thing I'm going to do is put together a listing of filmmakers and actors which I can also divide geographically and I'll see if I can also work something in that includes by genre. Now this is a personal project that I'm hoping will allow me to better organize listings on the site. It's not an easy project as if you could well imagine what such a listing of Hollywood types alone would entail, then consider how many more indie film types there are than Hollywood types. That's something, among other things, that makes me want to smack self-proclaimed film critics in the head every time they snub an indie filmmaker with an attitude like they only review "real", to be read as "mainstream", movies when far less than 1% of movies made come out of Hollywood. Yes, far less than 1% doesn't sound very "real" to me.</div>
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Keeping things on a schedule, such as reviews, ideally will allow me to focus better and keep regular updates on the sites rather than always playing catch-up and falling behind. If I get ahead of what I have planned for a week then maybe I can add an extra review or film listing.</div>
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I also need to get back to the indie film promotions on social media. I've been thinking of creating a unique hashtag for some of these promotions. This is not an original idea, just more borrowing on something that has been used fairly regularly, but trying to make it more specifically ours to allow filmmakers to promote each other more efficiently, and therefore promote themselves in the process.</div>
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One of the first hashtags I'm wanting to create is for crowdfunding. An obvious obstacle to getting a film made is funding for it (like anybody needs to be told that). With the huge number of indie filmmakers out there, there ought to be a way to network to get each others' crowdfunding efforts spread farther. I want to come up with a simple hashtag that has not been used so that when others see it they will know, if they're paying attention, to retweet it. To make it successful I will have to promote it regularly to get others to recognize it, but with the idea that retweeting it for someone else is going to get theirs retweeted when they are seeking funding.</div>
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I am not "the source" for networking. Just someone seeking to find ways to network others. I will keep updates coming on this blog and on My Indie Film Advantage. And as always, if I have made sense, it is most likely purely by accident.</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-43199204665765940892018-05-01T12:50:00.000-04:002018-05-01T12:50:26.284-04:00Movie Review: The Jurassic Games (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Jurassic Games (2018) - USA - Sci-Fi Action - NR (L-V)</div>
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Directed by Ryan Bellgardt</div>
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Starring Ryan Merriman, Adam Hampton, Perrey Reeves, Erika Daly, Katie Burgess, Luke Wyckoff, Cate Jones, Kyle Penington, Rett Terrell, Dylan Cox, Tiger Sheu</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHo6QJH8CQeJcjPusTq5v07BU6umj1q4lmJPi7GltxJEhUXzNxGoz4Yp-APyJcF8Ga1feJ_iYtLZk7aj6sxFlNfrILs-C2HgdOQVFxvqurlq1skaoQoaZPjCKzazPUIKJNef8VfafNSoDG/s1600/jurassic-games-2018-04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHo6QJH8CQeJcjPusTq5v07BU6umj1q4lmJPi7GltxJEhUXzNxGoz4Yp-APyJcF8Ga1feJ_iYtLZk7aj6sxFlNfrILs-C2HgdOQVFxvqurlq1skaoQoaZPjCKzazPUIKJNef8VfafNSoDG/s320/jurassic-games-2018-04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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A tech savvy update of the last man standing theme lethally injects fun into the worn premise of reality games while giving a sardonic poke in the eye to commercialism.</div>
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In the near future the popular TV show is The Jurassic Games in which ten death row inmates compete with the grand prize being freedom for one of them, but immediate execution of the other nine. The twist is they are competing in a virtual reality world populated by dinosaurs. The other twist is one of them may be innocent, but what is the chance of them surviving not only against man-eating lizards but also against nine of society's worst denizens?</div>
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Sound familiar? Well yes, it is. Many of us have seen Death Race 2000 and The Running Man. And many could argue, and are probably right, that today's reality TV overload is a retooling of not only those films but earlier "last man standing" films as well; The 10th Victim (1965) and The Challenge (1970), e.g. So is The Jurassic Games in the sense it's convict against convict against their environment. But added to that is that extra Jurassic element so popular in a certain series of movies (gee, the name escapes me) and a virtual reality world where anything can happen.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJroYEeWCMq-OYChnpFe_s2k0nFTFOuOputjuhOGk37tcfVeuyE-d0PK3iSaOyfLYm6uzg403DUGp8jgc0YrHqhqkVajP6dtTSVrB5NIZIrVHrnYGanrHXpRCrUPg2Vj09cWMRvjpSjNZ/s1600/jurassic-games-2018-03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJroYEeWCMq-OYChnpFe_s2k0nFTFOuOputjuhOGk37tcfVeuyE-d0PK3iSaOyfLYm6uzg403DUGp8jgc0YrHqhqkVajP6dtTSVrB5NIZIrVHrnYGanrHXpRCrUPg2Vj09cWMRvjpSjNZ/s320/jurassic-games-2018-03.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Like its predecessors there is a dystopian element of a corrupt government, though it is comparatively underplayed in this in favor of focusing on the consumerism of bloodlust and the commercialism which drives it. The game show element takes front and center with the gloss and glam of network TV production as a wrapper for the carnage of entertainment. In front of the cameras the host of the show is smooth and charismatic, as is the presentation, but behind the scenes the producers may even be worse than the killers in the game.</div>
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Two performances that help drive this movie are Ryan Merriman as the host of Jurassic Games and Luke Wyckoff as the cannibal. Merriman panders to the audience while his composure is cool and his confidence high, and brings to life that all too smug and insincere TV host like we see on entertainment shows. Wyckoff plays a character you wish would die horribly from the moment you first see him; a disgusting performance for sure and one that rises to a high point in low-life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo2t6DcIUuGxzeWpypJV5en87oyzSTUp7fcqntb_DKe4HrEKScuwuZ2EmuR52W3ar1Ynnirc649RFKGX2NVP4tge8NQq8ELCcZ2Bnn_T01yyYzXMj-ZN2qbsH-5qs8-C9n-kn76uX6KOM/s1600/jurassic-games-2018-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="1280" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo2t6DcIUuGxzeWpypJV5en87oyzSTUp7fcqntb_DKe4HrEKScuwuZ2EmuR52W3ar1Ynnirc649RFKGX2NVP4tge8NQq8ELCcZ2Bnn_T01yyYzXMj-ZN2qbsH-5qs8-C9n-kn76uX6KOM/s320/jurassic-games-2018-01.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The characters in this are near as one-dimensional as the ones in one of this film's predecessors, Jurassic Park. This conflicted me in my rating. Certainly I would give it a 3 or better in my first response. Then the disposability of the characters struck me as intentional. It fits right in with the satire of commercialism at the heart of the film. Deep it is not, and off the shelf it is in many places, yet contrarily these very elements work for the film rather than against it. With a presentation that moves swiftly and Ryan Merriman's performance leading the way, The Jurassic Games is simply a fun movie that succeeds in making a point, maybe even despite itself.</div>
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My Rating: 4 Fingers</div>
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Get more information from their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheJurassicGames/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page.</div>
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Follow Ryan Merriman on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRyanMerriman" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-6960753716218149042018-04-26T14:44:00.000-04:002018-04-26T14:44:00.724-04:00Movie Review: Butterfly Kisses (2017)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Butterfly Kisses (2017) - USA (Maryland) - Documentary Horror - NR</div>
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Directed by Erik Kristopher Myers</div>
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Featuring Gavin York, Matt Lake (himself), Eduardo Sánchez (himself)</div>
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Want to scare the hell out of yourself?</div>
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No need to bother... this film will do it for you.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaE2NPTkalwLYmpYRQjD8_gCZ-95Q1461FdvSIYHtQHQpkRSTG8mvgV9KZHot3PaKx-JyUoSGzL_x6342Rm1Vap8-PyYBWL59fGGagX6thJqkdDoi_6xUsJ6s7kGNsJUplXU-kW11Le3C/s1600/BKtunneltom2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaE2NPTkalwLYmpYRQjD8_gCZ-95Q1461FdvSIYHtQHQpkRSTG8mvgV9KZHot3PaKx-JyUoSGzL_x6342Rm1Vap8-PyYBWL59fGGagX6thJqkdDoi_6xUsJ6s7kGNsJUplXU-kW11Le3C/s320/BKtunneltom2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In an unusual move on my part, being I don't believe I've done this before, I am changing the usual format of my review. Mainly because this is how I wrote my review and feel the more freeform style fits better with film I'm reviewing anyway.</div>
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Fear's greatest resource, the very essence of its existence, is the unknown. From childhood we scare ourselves with stories. We tell of legends and folk tales of things that will happen if we say someone's name so many times and look into a mirror. It's amazing how many legends involve mirrors and reflections, the ability to catch a glimpse of something that nobody else sees. But in today's high tech world of digital video is it possible to catch that fleeting moment of the unknown beyond the mirror? Or like a reflection in a mirror will others not see the same thing?</div>
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Gavin more than asks that question as he is about to come face to face with it. A filmmaker whose very existence is doing wedding videos stumbles upon a box of older digital video tapes. On the tapes is a story about to unfold of two film students exploring a local legend called Peeping Tom, and of the tragic consequences of encountering it. Or is it?</div>
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Found footage films are nothing new, especially in horror movies where the mystery behind the found footage has something even more frightening to reveal. First used as a plot device in the 1980 film Cannibal Holocaust it would come into its own sub-genre with the wildly successful 1999 film The Blair Witch Project.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHil9SFuAnPVIQB6xOegiasV0hLb1oO1BzZb-RWaX5y5GK-RJoJRepRa5nYAYa1-5oMTcyMIa5rLu63P9Rj4IyK8N_MHH_A88g3GUGmQ-kM7zj9ITxGp_u6kU5zHbHG186Wkj3JYeVPU_Y/s1600/BKhaveyouseen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHil9SFuAnPVIQB6xOegiasV0hLb1oO1BzZb-RWaX5y5GK-RJoJRepRa5nYAYa1-5oMTcyMIa5rLu63P9Rj4IyK8N_MHH_A88g3GUGmQ-kM7zj9ITxGp_u6kU5zHbHG186Wkj3JYeVPU_Y/s320/BKhaveyouseen.jpg" width="320" /></a>"Found footage" though is not really an appropriate category for Butterfly Kisses as it takes a different approach in documenting Gavin's excursion into making a found footage film based on this box of tapes he claims to have found that were made 10 years previous and had its own investigation into the supernatural involving this folk/urban legend known variously as Peeping Tom or simply Blink. And that "claims to have found" becomes a central part of the documentary for as compelling and frightening as is the footage, getting people to believe him, and even the audience to believe him, is an additional tension beyond the horror of the story at hand.</div>
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Gavin faces many obstacles in trying to get support for his film project in even the most basic level of getting people to believe him. You know you are up against a wall when believers in the implausible, between marathon sessions with boxes of Twinkies and recounting past glory days as 8th level paladins and wizards, mock you.<br />
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The found footage itself is analyzed by various experts in their particular fields including video editors, psychologists, as well interviews are conducted with noted folklore expert Matt Lake, author of Weird Maryland and others in the series, and Eduardo Sánchez, director of The Blair Witch Project.</div>
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In taking in the subject of a legend, of folklore, perhaps even more than ghosts, you may have to ask yourself if you believe in non-corporeal entities? Legends are at their core simply that... stories. It's hard to pin an origin on a legend or even associate it with an historical context or person. It is simply other-worldly.</div>
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Ghosts are one thing. Lots of people believe in spirits that walk the earth. Of course lots of these same people believe in fairy tales and things like god. And that's despite that the two beliefs are diametrically opposed. There is a potential of psychometric imaging of events, especially tragic events, but events have no consciousness, and for a spirit to have a will and an intent there would have to be a consciousness.</div>
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But what about something that never existed outside of tales and legends? Something that existed, was invented perhaps, out of stories and fears, and things we use to scare little children under the pretense to get them to behave rather than admitting to feeding our own sadistic cravings. Is it possible for something to spring from a collective consciousness?</div>
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D. Scott Rogo was a psychical research investigator and journalist, as well a contributing editor to Fate magazine. He purported certain theories of sightings being a projection of the observer and was generally open-ended about survival of consciousness after death, preferring to examine the evidence itself rather than pell mell taking the evidence as certifiable proof. He also researched into the question of whether religion can be something we're born with.</div>
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If religion through the ages can be infused into our genetics, we can project very real, to us, corporeal images and even interactions into a physical plane, is it feasible life, essentially consciousness, can be given to a folklore? Of course we'll never be able to ask D. Scott Rogo his opinion on this question as he was murdered in 1990 at the age of 40...</div>
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...and it has never been solved.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNI6fVIgksTAbJxuiaU0VlTemKLu-8SjKgehfKQc3ZaUpqjbnG2H6mOSzkqgqETpAc2eaSJ-EVpe6SVtRv5aYsv53TB-znZUHyDiRwsh7WaJhxyTZMRDAm6HWMJptuBeHgg_hND79KmIF/s1600/BKmotelroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrNI6fVIgksTAbJxuiaU0VlTemKLu-8SjKgehfKQc3ZaUpqjbnG2H6mOSzkqgqETpAc2eaSJ-EVpe6SVtRv5aYsv53TB-znZUHyDiRwsh7WaJhxyTZMRDAm6HWMJptuBeHgg_hND79KmIF/s320/BKmotelroom.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Butterfly Kisses stays true to its documentary format as everything on screen is on camera or otherwise part of the documentary. There is a vague linear timeline in that the events concerning Gavin follow chronologically, but to up the tension the documentary takes forays into different aspects of the found footage exploring angles from a hoax to terrifying moments that will bring you out of your seat. I would highly recommend emptying ones bladder before sitting down to watch the film.</div>
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It is a tense and frightening film that will not only render killing somebody who tries to sneak up on you while watching it as justifiable homicide, maybe even a misdemeanor, it may even have you questioning just how real the unreal can be. And unlike so many horror films that have a good build-up and sputter out in the end, Butterfly Kisses is consistent throughout.</div>
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My Rating: 5 Fingers, I give it a high five!</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-20084397481665959212018-04-18T16:52:00.000-04:002018-04-21T12:27:38.271-04:00Movie Review: Bus Party to Hell (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Bus Party to Hell (2018) - USA - Horror Comedy - Mature (Most Definitely)</div>
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Directed by Rolfe Kanefsky</div>
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Story by Michael Mahal and Sonny Mahal</div>
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Starring Tara Reid, Sadie Katz, Stefani Blake, Shelby McCullough, ViDonna Michaels, Devanny Pinn, Richard Hochman, Ben Stobber, Demetrios Alex</div>
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*Though IMDb and some other sites list the year for Bus Party to Hell as 2017, I have opted to list it as 2018 being it was not released until April 13, 2018 and the copyright in the screener I have also lists it as 2018.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuImAu_NNTubCGkJw6WDAkCvLf4QUMLBTRjwQXDNYamK8a4grr28ZoqJzBC66763lfRH8hNypLJ4bPb5Fp5iVca_rHFH7pLvDS7ibcasTi3hz4ozeojC8DLT4OaKaFIqQjxb32z04dVI-/s1600/BusPartyToHell-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiuImAu_NNTubCGkJw6WDAkCvLf4QUMLBTRjwQXDNYamK8a4grr28ZoqJzBC66763lfRH8hNypLJ4bPb5Fp5iVca_rHFH7pLvDS7ibcasTi3hz4ozeojC8DLT4OaKaFIqQjxb32z04dVI-/s320/BusPartyToHell-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Not just a bus ride but a fun ride of a movie overflowing with comedy and brimming with more breasts than you can shake... well something at.</div>
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A young woman hitchhikes to Las Vegas, dropped off by a disgruntled ride coincidentally as a bus is boarding to take people to the Burning Man festival. Offered a free ride she accepts, but that free ride may be more costly than anything she could have paid as, taking an off-road detour, the bus and riders become stranded and bombarded by a large group of cultists.</div>
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It's Race with the Devil meets Mad Max with more tits and cheese than the state of Wisconsin. Completely tasteless and with its tongue not just firmly planted in its cheek but permanently stitched there, Bus Party to Hell makes no apologies for itself at any point in the film. It is here to do one thing and that is entertain the right audience. If you like comedy, horror and lots of tits (and frankly on that last point...who doesn't) then you're in for a treat as it doesn't let up on any of those ingredients.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYULlIcSOZbtCpx4NFxxg9xk4FyQX41_wusIP-68OgiACqMKjpzdz8MHivBj0J7fpHpNuDAdXQdXLPxnmKpevd0T7jdjPDPDtbNRmrk_1JAl28ekGwhJZVnYEaaXlW3bxoP8WMoVdffOh8/s1600/BusPartyToHell-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYULlIcSOZbtCpx4NFxxg9xk4FyQX41_wusIP-68OgiACqMKjpzdz8MHivBj0J7fpHpNuDAdXQdXLPxnmKpevd0T7jdjPDPDtbNRmrk_1JAl28ekGwhJZVnYEaaXlW3bxoP8WMoVdffOh8/s320/BusPartyToHell-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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From the outset it's obvious that the objective of this is to have fun. There are things that make little if any sense but will still garner a laugh, and at that point you don't give a damn whether it made any sense or not. The performances in this are B-movie all the way. Nobody in this is trying to do Shakespeare but they are simply having fun and keeping the humor rolling with good performances that consistently hit their mark. Its big strength is the humor in which the jokes fly faster than the women in this take off their tops.</div>
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Added fun is the homage to horror films throughout. Certainly the inspiration from Race with the Devil is the first thing you notice, and of course the Mad Max influence and even Burning Man influence. But, whether intentional or not, I picked up on references to Night of the Creeps and The Lair of the White Worm. What you might pick up on in it may make it more fun for you.</div>
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I do need to point out that 'right audience' thing again. There are beheadings, tits, disembowelments, tits, lots of blood, tits, gore... oh, and did I mention tits? In addition if you are particularly bothered by snakes, spiders or tits (yeah, I just couldn't resist mentioning that again), then this may not be your cup of C... err... I mean tea!</div>
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Throughout the film I was at a rating of 4 just from an entertainment perspective. Certainly it should fall somewhere between a 3 and 4. But to grade it on anything other than what it aims to be and succeeds at, and that is just being sleazy fun, would be nitpicking. So I'm sticking with my original feeling.</div>
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My Rating: 4 Fingers<br />
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You can get Bus Party to Hell on <a href="https://amzn.to/2HhQZwx" target="_blank">Amazon Video</a> and most video on demand services including Playstation, XBox 360 Live, Verizon, Dish Network, Insight, AT&T and more. Check with your provider.<br />
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Find out more on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/buspartytohell/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/smahal1" target="_blank">Twitter</a> (Sonny Mahal) pages. If you are a reviewer you can contact them via these pages for a screener.<br />
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Follow the stars on their Twitter pages: <a href="https://twitter.com/TaraReid" target="_blank">Tara Reid</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DevannyPinn" target="_blank">Devanny Pinn</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/sadie_katz" target="_blank">Sadie Katz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/StefaniBlake_" target="_blank">Stefani Blake</a><br />
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If you have seen Bus Party to Hell and liked it, give them a rating on the film's <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6360872/" target="_blank">IMDb page</a>. You don't need an IMDb account; you can sign in to IMDb using your Facebook, Google or Amazon account.<br />
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If you are a reviewer, here is a poster and some additional stills you can use for reviews:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_mDRr6SLq_jBAsBXdupEQVSWZ2ejg-Pe3L-AstZ_WEkJEDVzxw7lEctz0HEvqn9_vXIBErT9i9oqTGk2MtDMzM9AEQbbiYTURorFCvy3x9Yter1cbFSalZUhA-1feEaxOLO8x4PbM_PD/s1600/BusPartyToHell-Poster2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="540" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_mDRr6SLq_jBAsBXdupEQVSWZ2ejg-Pe3L-AstZ_WEkJEDVzxw7lEctz0HEvqn9_vXIBErT9i9oqTGk2MtDMzM9AEQbbiYTURorFCvy3x9Yter1cbFSalZUhA-1feEaxOLO8x4PbM_PD/s200/BusPartyToHell-Poster2.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-12814128105181351782018-04-14T16:55:00.000-04:002018-04-14T16:55:08.791-04:00A Hopeful Solution for Computer Issues<div style="text-align: justify;">
While trying to get back into the swing of things with an at least better internet connection, but still limited on bandwidth compared to what it was, I'm looking to get some much procrastinated organization done. </div>
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I've been lazy for some time with using this busted laptop connected to an external monitor. It's not for lack of having an alternate computer; I have at least enough in my closet to put together three desktop systems, plus a few laptops. </div>
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I've been putting off doing a mass transfer of all the files I've collected, created and composted on this machine. In addition to the file transfers I also have multiple accounts I'm signed into. With my Google account in particular I don't want to chance signing into it on a different computer as the last time I did that they forced me to change my password and jump through other hoops just to get access to my account again. Being this blog and other blogs of mine are part of my Google account, getting locked out of it would basically finish my online presence.</div>
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What I'm considering doing, if it's doable, is a browser backup. Basically backing up cookies and saved passwords so that ideally I can transfer them to the new computer and not have to sign into accounts all over again. I don't know if I can do that but browsers do store files in the Windows system and I know the files are there. It's a matter of duplicating them or perhaps a browser plugin that might specifically do that.</div>
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I had been considering getting my desktop computer up and running. One issue is space. The computer desk is there. Presently it has stacks of DVDs on it, imagine that, and no place for them to go. And that's the lesser of the stacks of stuff I have to go through to get the space organized before I can setup the desktop system.</div>
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The other issue that has come to light recently with the warmer temperatures we've had is remembering how warm it can get in this room with but a single output vent. There is hardly any ventilation in here and running a desktop setup in the summer would probably turn this room into an oven.</div>
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This home is used as a warehouse, so there is plenty of product in here, on shelves and anywhere else it will fit. This home has central air, but it is ill-equipped to handle a warehouse, being that matter absorbs heat and it's not just a case of cooling the air but of also cooling the product that is stored in here. This is something I have not been able to get across to the people who work here during the day as I try to impress upon them not to shut off the A/C because if it gets warm in here and it's hot outside I cannot get it cooled back down effectively and it works the A/C unit harder. Never let people who wear jackets when it's in the 70s near a damn thermostat.</div>
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The idea of doing an indie film podcast has been put off until winter. At that time I can setup my desktop and audio equipment and not have to bother with the heat so much. I will probably have to record marathon podcast sessions, doing several within the same week for later publication.</div>
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For the time being my focus has shifted from getting the desktop setup to getting a new laptop. This current model is old and busted. I have to connect an external monitor to use it, and there's not enough space to keep it connected. Though I have a good laptop, it's a beast and is more of a desktop replacement than something you would want to carry around. I'm looking for a more portable and comfortable solution that would make it less of a chore to get online and get some work done.</div>
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Getting a newer laptop is the first step in getting myself back into a better position to be more useful. The second step of doing the transfer is likely to cause some downtime of some kind or the other; not like that's going to be very noticeable anyway with what little I've accomplished over the last 2 months. During the transfer my internet access will be limited to my Android phone/tablet and netbook. That's certainly not device poor, but none of them compare to accessing the internet on a normal computer, and are very slow comparatively.</div>
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I live in the dark ages computer-wise. My desktop I plan to setup for winter runs on Windows XP, as does this laptop. Vista sucked to high heaven, and unfortunately that crap is on one of my laptops, and the programs I most prefer are older programs that run very well on XP, and I'm afraid some of them won't run on a newer system with the current Windows. I may get a secondary computer with a newer Windows install to use mainly for internet and some newer programs that won't run on XP.</div>
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The transfer is becoming more necessary as this old laptop has been a trooper, but with a busted screen if I have an issue with it that forces it to start in DOS or maintenance mode, I won't be able to see the screen as the monitor requires Windows to start before it's activated. Getting the files off of it and transferring them to a new computer before that happens is key.</div>
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I hope to be able to do this sometime in May or June. I also hope to be able to find the drivers for the wifi adapter or else I'm going to have another problem with which to deal.</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-2240026106415295232018-03-15T14:39:00.000-04:002018-03-21T16:34:51.552-04:00Smartphones and The New Universal Incompatibility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Smartphones have most definitely been an eye opener. Things I'm used to on a Windows computer are vastly different, largely due to size differences, or just simply not being there. If you have a Windows computer or laptop you have basics like Textpad and Wordpad built in among other basic programs that make it usable right out of the box. Then along comes Android.</div>
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Being based on Linux, Android has adopted Linux's most universal feature; a lack of user friendliness. Linux itself is not an operating system but a kernel upon which other open source software is used to build a system. Red Hat, Ubuntu, MEPIS, Fedora, and SUSE are operating systems or distros of Linux. There are hundreds of distros of Linux, most can be downloaded for free to install as an OS, and they vary widely by their bits and pieces included which make up the distro.</div>
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Android uses a modified Linux kernel with bits and pieces added to it to make up the OS. What's standard for those bits and pieces I don't know, but apparently the ability to natively edit text files is not. I'm sure Google has a service online you can use to edit text files and documents, which would fit with what seems to be their philosophy (I don't speak for them) of keeping you connected to them so you don't stray. Certainly Android exemplifies this philosophy as about the only thing guaranteed to be included in Android are ways to connect you to Google.</div>
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Google is simply a monopoly and they intend to keep it this way as any successful monopoly would. This is not news to anybody. Monopolies will always exist despite the best efforts of some to break them up. This is part and parcel of societies raised on monotheistic theology. We are raised from the time we can utter a word to accept a singular authority. Monotheism was never about any god but was instituted as a way to keep people under greater control. The proliferation of monopolies like Walmart and Google is a result of this as we unconsciously flock to whomever is number one, without reason or rationale.</div>
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Android is what it is. It is a shrewd marketing ploy on Google's part that allows others, due to profit for them by using a free OS for their devices, to automatically create shrines with an instant connection to Google. Greed has a tendency to override reason and phone providers have freely optioned to stick with using their phones as Google shrines and as a result we're stuck with either the poor operating system that Android is or the other shrine that is iOS. Both are too freely controlled by their respective and intrusive motherships.</div>
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Poor operating system? Android reminds me more and more of Windows 3.1 every time I use it, with the exception that Windows 3.1 was friendlier and better. A lack of multi-tasking, a lack of basic features such as multiple file selection when doing a copy and paste, and no guarantee that you can open a simple text file without having to install software for it. Sure, there are online forums where you could probably go to find a workaround for such issues, but the overriding important part to that is it's not consumer friendly; it should not be up to you to make your phone more usable but to the provider of the phone.</div>
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There are apps available for Android that can be used to read and edit text files. <a href="https://apkpure.com/ted-text-editor/fr.xgouchet.texteditor" target="_blank">Ted Text Editor</a> and <a href="https://apkpure.com/jota-text-editor/jp.sblo.pandora.jota" target="_blank">Jota Text Editor</a> are among the best choices as they lack the BS so prevalent in Android apps such as ads and are basic and small apps that are easy to run without hogging system resources. And yes, some providers include a note taking app that may allow you to at least read if not edit a plain text file.</div>
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What brought about this rant over a lack of a universal way to read and edit plain text files in Android out of the box? I've been involved in a conversation about how we should distribute the bulletin for the indie film site and what file format to use. I found myself asking about the compatibility of certain files with Android and what apps are available to read them. I have come to the conclusion that there is only one file format that you can be guaranteed to be able to read on Android or any smartphone, Android or not, and that is an HTML file. Every smartphone has a web browser.</div>
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It should be an embarrassment to Google that Android does not by default have a way to read and write plain, emphasis on 'plain', text files. This hearkens back to the days of 8-bit computers in the early 1980s when even something like a basic text editor was a separate program you had to load from a floppy disk.</div>
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Oh sheesh, Google! Really? Your shrines don't even have the friendliness of Windows 3.1? And this is an advancement... how?</div>
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As I said, it is what it is and we're stuck with Android if you want an affordable, to be read as 'cheap', smartphone or tablet. With adding apps, and one has to be very careful about those, you can get a lot of use out of an Android device. There's a lot of pure BS out there in the Android marketplace, more than I've ever seen in any one place on the internet outside of a warez site, but there are some genuine and useful nuggets to be found if you don't mind the stench of the trek.</div>
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Once again my smartphone consciousness has been upgraded and something I had come to assume with my desktop experience doesn't apply to smartphones. I sometimes do interviews via email and have traditionally sent out questions in RTF format, my preferred document file, so the interviewee can just type in their answers, save it and send it back to me. The assumption was that RTF files were compatible with the basic editor on any computer...</div>
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Ooops!</div>
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If Android is included in that equation it suddenly changes. Another realization on my part and I have to adjust the way I do things to more accommodate smartphone users. I have never been one to ever suggest someone install software. If I send out a document I want it to be as universal as possible. Adapting to smartphones unfortunately means that file format has to change to HTML and I have to adjust my interviewing to be even more basic allowing the use of the email text itself and even DMs on social media.</div>
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Thanks for making that possible, Google (sarcasm).</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-74760358180646341642018-03-13T14:01:00.000-04:002018-03-13T14:01:00.304-04:00Movie Review: Never Leave Alive (2017)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Never Leave Alive (2017) - USA - Action - Not Rated (PG13)</div>
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Directed by Steven LaMorte</div>
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Written by J. Amanda Sabater</div>
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Starring John Hennigan, Michelle Taylor, Eric Etebari, Joseph Gatt, J. Michael Evans, Alistair McKenzie</div>
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Despite a good cast, they can't rescue this script lost on Gilligan's Island.</div>
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Rick Rainsford is an international celebrity, of sorts. He is a big game hunter who gets his face on big magazine covers, and often gets his foot stuck in his mouth while using it as a vodka chaser. While on a cruise with a close friend the ship is bombed even worse than Rick resulting in him and a reluctant female companion being stranded on a remote island only inhabited by two strange Russian men. Rick finds himself not being the great hunter this time, but rather the game being hunted.</div>
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If the setup in the plot summary I have laid out does not spell out The Most Dangerous Game, perhaps the production company that made this calling themselves The Most Dangerous Game or even the poster invoking those very same words will tell you exactly what this story is; the umpteenth hundredth remaking of The Most Dangerous Game.</div>
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Another wrestler I'm not familiar with, being not a fan of the sport, John Hennigan does succeed in bringing a charismatic presence to the screen. What most works for this film is the cast. It probably doesn't hurt that it's a small cast. And also interesting in Hennigan's role is that despite being a wrestler, unlike the usual wrestler becomes movie star transition, his role does not depend on his physical prowess nor is his character a powerhouse in confrontations.</div>
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Despite Hennigan's and the rest of the cast's success in their roles, especially Eric Etebari as an obsessed villain, what does not work for this film is the script becomes as lost as our wayward castaways. The idea of playing off the charismatic and awkward pairing of Hennigan and Michelle Taylor as frictional survivors is understandable and the two of them do a fine job at that, but the script lingers on this and paints our pair as noisy, clumsy and accident prone and makes one wonder how in the hell they could have survived the suburbs let alone a tropical island.</div>
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The production is a mixed bag from very good to lame. Story elements and contraptions straight out of Gilligan's Island do not help it with its lingering script to boot. This may strike someone as humorous but the story is not played for humor even if our castaways at times are. The contrast between the villain playing it straight and Burns and Allen castaways remind me more of the Gilligan's Island episode where Rory Calhoun plays a strictly serious big game hunter hunting Gilligan than The Most Dangerous Game.</div>
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The script and production bring this down to 2 Fingers for me. The cast gives it a boost. Not enough for me to recommend the film, but enough to say it might be worthwhile viewing just for the cast.</div>
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My Rating: 2 Fingers Plus; that's 5 out of 10 for IMDbers.</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-12541682192889281652018-03-01T15:44:00.000-05:002018-03-01T15:44:11.404-05:00Getting Back on Track and Other Thoughts<div style="text-align: justify;">
I had said in a conversation with Lisa on Twitter that getting back on a roll is akin to going through physical therapy. Not including the painful part of it some complain about but the 'use it or lose it' aspect of life. </div>
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When we do something regularly we don't have to think about it, it's just routine behavior. Interrupt that routine and getting back on track can be a challenge. Unlike work, life doesn't have a timeclock that reminds us when it's time to clock in, take lunch and clock out.</div>
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I was just hitting a stride when my internet got interrupted. I had already been running behind, especially on movie reviews, with working on the new indie film blog, developing a shared indie film review blog, and the usual stuff I do on social media such as picking on... err.. I mean promoting filmmakers... ahem.</div>
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Everything was thrown out of whack by my temporary loss of internet, and looking at my laptop screen my mind just goes blank. Additionally having to resort to using a smartphone to connect to the internet, for what little I could accomplish, has also given me a few things to think about concerning presentation; unfortunately despite that latter sounding like some clarity may come with it, it has only added to the fog of my mind that was already thickening.</div>
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This article may actually succeed is having no point. It really is just trying to write something to get the gears spinning again. Plus it fits my usual style anyway of not having a plan, I just make it up as I go; yes, occasionally there are bodies to clean up after the fact.</div>
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What's this dang thing called a smartphone?</div>
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Despite appearances I'm not a complete novice concerning smartphones. I don't use one myself, for a phone, as I find them inconveniently large; I prefer something I don't have to remove from my pocket or belt to sit comfortably and what I do use is the smallest 'sort of' smartphone available with a 3.2 inch screen I keep in a clipcase on my belt, and it's about the size of a pack of cigarettes, 100s that is, case and phone.</div>
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I did consider a smartphone. I actually bought several different models of Android phones to test them out, being as a chain grocery had some killer deals at the time with their shoppers' card which put them around $10 each. I even looked around online and ordered one after researching different models. I settled on one of them and activated it, and what followed was not a love affair I tells ya.</div>
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Somebody, probably several somebodies, once told me I have a problem accepting things. Of course the response, more a rant, that followed along the lines of not being told what to do and not marching to the same drummer that would have likely made Saul D. Alinsky proud might have been a little over-the-top for them.</div>
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I know what I want in a phone and smartphones were not providing it. Of course I'm willing to adapt... a phone to my needs that is. My first cellphone was either a flip-phone or candy bar phone (slightly longer than a flip-phone with the keypad on the front). This one company I worked with years ago provided their managers with Blackberry style phones; put a keyboard on the front of a phone and people go crazy with texting. I would call them back after receiving a text, on my phone with only a numeric keypad, and say something along the lines of "here's a radical concept, it's a phone, call me!"</div>
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Trying to deal with people texting me I checked into other phones and found a Samsung slider phone; it's basically a candy bar style phone with a keypad on the front but also has a slide out keyboard for texting. I loved that phone. It eventually started having issues after several years of use and I had to look for a replacement, and quickly. Another slider phone was not an option anymore and I started looking at smartphones and their on-screen keyboards. </div>
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Do I need to tell you how much hate I developed for an on-screen keyboard?</div>
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Were on-screen keyboards made for children? They must have been. Type... nope wrong letter. Backspace... what the hell did I just do? Oh geez... I just wanted one letter. Wait... that's not a period, the screen's dirty. And on top of that holding the dang thing to the side of your head while you're building up a sweat then pulling it away and... ewww, that's disgusting! Obviously smartphones come with their own etiquette, that must unfortunately be discovered.</div>
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Being I have always used a pay-as-you-go phone I'm used to having my days and minutes left featured on the screen. Not with a smartphone. Oh, in order to be able to check my minutes I have to install Google Services updates, set up and account on Google Play for my phone, and now stuff is constantly running in the background and what seemed like a good phone has become crap. Lovely!</div>
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Amazingly, the smallest smartphone, sort of, I found had the easiest to use on-screen keyboard. I don't know why. You'd figure a 4 to 5 inch screen phone would have a better keyboard than a 3.2 inch screen phone, but I found this small model to be easier to use for texting. It also displays my minutes and days left right on the screen, and I don't have to regularly clean the screen after using it. It doesn't use Android but the same type of Java based system that my slider phone used so lots of things you can do on a smartphone can't be done on this. The main thing is, though, I can make and receive phone calls and text people with it and it doesn't fall off my belt or require me to take it out of my pocket to sit in my van.</div>
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With all of this testing of smartphones, what happened to them? Well I still have them. They make great alarm clocks. Some of them are even handy for a power outage to use for watching videos. One even came in handy when I lost my internet as a way for me to go to the other side of the house where I could connect to the neighbor's wifi with it. Interestingly that model was one I specifically bought as a portable media player with no intent to use it as a phone, especially as it is locked into Verizon and can't be changed to a different service.</div>
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"Well I don't take advantage of smartphone sales because if I don't have the service it's no use to me."</div>
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Really?</div>
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One thing I found out early on with Android phones is that you don't need to activate phone service to use them as an Android tablet. When you first turn one on, after charging it for twice the recommended time of course, it is going to prompt you to set it up as a phone. At this stage it will either give you a 'skip' option, or just use the 'back' icon/button (the U shaped arrow) to back out of it and just set it up as an Android device. Now you have an Android tablet. If you pay attention to sales at places like Kroger you can get one pretty cheaply with your shoppers' card. Net10 and Tracfone models are easy to disable the phone service on them.</div>
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Not having been a smartphone user I was not aware what's involved with using the internet on one. I have used an Android tablet for internet, but keep in mind it has a 9.7 inch 4:3 ratio screen that's actually bigger than my netbook with its 9 inch screen; I bought it for a pdf reader because the active screen is the same size as a hardcover book and I can read it in vertical format like a book. But the little smartphone screen by comparison feels like being trapped in a box, yet this has become a standard for how a lot of people are using the internet.</div>
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Weirdos! ;)</div>
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Like learning to use a computer, using a smartphone or Android tablet is its own learning curve. I got used to using a laptop, but exploring the internet on a phone and tablet is both a different world and one not too different as I'm finding out. Certainly a smaller working window and an on-screen keyboard are the biggest differences. </div>
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The layout of a mobile website versus its desktop counterpart is starkly different at first. I would not say they are the same where features are concerned as what I have been discovering is that some features of a desktop are simply missing because they probably are not very practical on a mobile device. Getting used to the different layout I have come to learn that a lot of the features for, say a social media site, are there, they are just setup differently.</div>
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Yes, some websites I've seen are a joke being a mobile site. Sure, they'll fit your screen, but they want to try to load as much crap onto your mobile device as they want to on your desktop, and mobile devices don't even come close to the capacity and capability of desktops. This is most evident on a tablet, or I guess an HD phone (I don't know as I don't have one), when websites without a defined mobile site decide for you whether you'll get a mobile or desktop site.</div>
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Mobile web browsers are just as responsible for that as the sites themselves. As I've been learning a bit about mobile browsers and testing several of them, many have a 'force desktop' option, but not necessarily a 'force mobile' option to prevent a desktop site from loading. Though many of them do have an option to customize the user agent; a string of text a dynamic website uses to identify your browser and connect you to an appropriate version of the site for your browser. I used to play with the user agent a few years ago on a slower netbook to force a desktop or mobile site to load. I need to investigate user agents for mobile browsing more.</div>
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Years ago when I was working on my own websites and blogs, and when mobile sites were still called wap sites, one of the features I would try to incorporate into my sites was a mobile option. I don't bloat my sites. Not just for mobile users but I live in a small town where we're not even up to the bottom rung of priority for ISPs, so internet service at its best leaves a lot to be desired. So I try to make my images I use as light as I can and I don't use much if any of an image for headers or background.</div>
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The speed of a site loading is one thing. The other thing I had not considered though is content. I did have a mobile counterpart site to this blog just a year or two ago, but the service went down. I would post short reviews and quick articles on it. Things really did come to light when I followed a link on Facebook to an article. The site loaded just fine, but the article was so long that I gave up reading it. It would have been obviously fitting for a desktop, but on a mobile device it was finger flipping hell.</div>
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I'm sure this article is not mobile friendly. Since I had a mobile specific blog not long ago, I've decided to set one up again, but I'm just simply using Blogger this time. It'll have an even lighter weight template than this one, I'll re-institute my short review format for it (reviews in 2 to 4 paragraphs strictly), and use it for my shorter pop culture posts. It's called A Little Less Toxic. It's just a template right now. I'm not aiming to go all mobile on my blog, but rather to be more mobile friendly in some form; not only in designing a site to be more mobile friendly but also writing the content for that goal too. Yes, seems odd saying that in an article this long. ;)</div>
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Things are still slow on my side of the internet. I have a connection for now, but it is very slow. I'm using mobile sites where I can on my laptop to speed things up. Other than what I have already downloaded, I do not not have reliable enough of bandwidth to download movies for review, so my reviewing days are effectively on hold.</div>
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This also affects working on the new indie film site. Yes, I'd love to get more done on it, but it is time consuming to do screencaps and upload them to film listings. Especially being that this is something filmmakers can do themselves and that is the point of the site is to have a way for filmmakers to be able to promote their films without it costing them anything. </div>
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But I can't light a fire under someone's ass so I'm trying to get film listings posted with what I have available to set as an example of what can be done with the site. Any help in getting films listed would be greatly appreciated. It's not to be mean, but the point of film listings on the site is to provide a useful resource page that can be used as a presskit for promotion. Without links and posters/stills, it's not that and I won't publish any listing that's not complete at a minimum level.</div>
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Fletch</div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-38558324781600875592018-02-01T13:32:00.000-05:002018-02-01T14:25:34.701-05:00Movie Review: Paura Tutto (2014)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Paura Tutto (2014) - USA - Horror Comedy - Not Rated</div>
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Independent Short Subject - Mordacious Films - 11 minutes</div>
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Directed by Mykee Morettini</div>
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Written by Peter Dorman and Mykee Morettini</div>
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Starring Mykee Morettini, Kelli Alden, Peter Dorman, Matt Kormanik, Mia Morettini, Rae Erin Walsh, Jagar Davis<br />
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A different animal for sure (the film) Morettini succeeds in bringing our worst nightmare to life... resurrecting the 80s.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxnOOKhFtzgolCWM3LzoC6IfbDWDY1PFxscSLM_nTHXz2NtM_p7c914ExQeqqTMtiMsT4u116Mkt-vp5OwsuKyhMsyzdSEWe4M4tzK3My-PGtppA3szPAvbqkvJ93dWYZNUSEoKro3Y3P/s1600/Paura_Tutto_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxnOOKhFtzgolCWM3LzoC6IfbDWDY1PFxscSLM_nTHXz2NtM_p7c914ExQeqqTMtiMsT4u116Mkt-vp5OwsuKyhMsyzdSEWe4M4tzK3My-PGtppA3szPAvbqkvJ93dWYZNUSEoKro3Y3P/s320/Paura_Tutto_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's 1985 as a high school outcast teams up with a psychic with no name (I believe there was a song about her) to track down a physical manifestation of fear that is killing off the senior class in alphabetical order.</div>
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Paura Tutto is its own original animal. It tells a story, but not in the usual fashion. Parodying Italian horror movies of the 80s, complete with made-up screen credits to fit the theme, it proceeds as an extended trailer, as though for some lost film of the time, yet tells its story via the parts and narration of the trailer ..err, film ...err, trailer ...err, something.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJ8TWW7THMuc2E1du428G8Nvln10L_i470wTmaVIpaRVSMDflDcEUDpwvHElt5GNIk49POV3xTeSWrGYsomEuiqHQTqKy-zlP4FNlKm_DwaZM_arCg5W3A_5B2gvootlVTLcBJAjHaxdl/s1600/Paura_Tutto_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikJ8TWW7THMuc2E1du428G8Nvln10L_i470wTmaVIpaRVSMDflDcEUDpwvHElt5GNIk49POV3xTeSWrGYsomEuiqHQTqKy-zlP4FNlKm_DwaZM_arCg5W3A_5B2gvootlVTLcBJAjHaxdl/s320/Paura_Tutto_4.jpg" width="320" /></a>True to its roots Paura Tutto is presented complete with film grain and deterioration. Washed out frames abound, as does out of sync dialogue. And bad fashion trends? Oh yeah, it's got it too. If you were to view it without any knowledge this is a contemporary parody you would probably think this was the genuine article from the 1980s.</div>
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Through its stylizing it is not the most coherent presentation of a story, humorously that is very much inline with the very films it mocks. From an opening scene that sounds like it fell out of Doctor Butcher M.D. to headbands, boomboxes, and gaudy gore effects, the 80s are alive and well... but not for long. ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIfoLC4AkJA5hOzE7vaywboeSTdgCgQCLXKVmeAsH6gq6lPph9TyStQCYx0KCBJCcCSjBKlM1qk9dkmiqFyHLMQAmLROLN4c6010Bx6jlQrfXIGFhnXkuxB8Sa7cVbJrNGKpiVSMtK4Au/s1600/Paura_Tutto_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIfoLC4AkJA5hOzE7vaywboeSTdgCgQCLXKVmeAsH6gq6lPph9TyStQCYx0KCBJCcCSjBKlM1qk9dkmiqFyHLMQAmLROLN4c6010Bx6jlQrfXIGFhnXkuxB8Sa7cVbJrNGKpiVSMtK4Au/s320/Paura_Tutto_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Being its own unique animal it's not easy to rate a film like this. Certainly there's no contextualization for comparison. The only way really to rate it is in looking at what it aims to accomplish and how well it did at that. Paura Tutto does have the advantage, in the way Morettini has done this, of anything that could be perceived as a failure or weakness on the part of the film could just as much be intentional as it certainly would fit with its subject matter. Complete it is, even though it its presented as a promotional piece for a film. Any lows it falls to are also its high points. In that respect it accomplishes apparently what it set out to do... confuse the hell out of a movie reviewer trying to rate it. So I'll give it an extra notch for that.</div>
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My Rating: 4 Fingers</div>
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Watch Paura Tutto on <a href="https://youtu.be/txy60k3EdhQ" target="_blank">YouTube</a></div>
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Find Mykee Morettini on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/michaelmorettini" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MykeeMorettini" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-10843793770843872172018-01-31T21:17:00.000-05:002018-02-01T01:58:18.694-05:00Movie Review: Dance Baby Dance (2018)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dance Baby Dance (2018) - USA - Dance Drama Comedy - Not Rated (Family)</div>
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Written and Directed by Stephen Kogon</div>
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Starring Stephen Kogon, Beverley Mitchell, Hayley Shukiar, Carlos Alazraqui, Lisa Brenner, Clare Grant, Isaiah Lucas, Jim O'Heir, Jim Nowakowski, Paula Bellamy</div>
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A simple story with an energetic spirit makes this a fun, uplifting movie that will put some feel good in your step.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaNkTybxXwczH5dMotjunORaTbh32Ub_V8cJnmMlAsMynV5zS-u5vsb3rITRkMfAPaYNenb9E_1qfbOXDJdq7qzx5OKJBz5sfBjsqxLLTPRehF6MwXNnlXAcr3P8prf5syncSnm6BcFwb/s1600/DBD_Poster_lo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="607" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzaNkTybxXwczH5dMotjunORaTbh32Ub_V8cJnmMlAsMynV5zS-u5vsb3rITRkMfAPaYNenb9E_1qfbOXDJdq7qzx5OKJBz5sfBjsqxLLTPRehF6MwXNnlXAcr3P8prf5syncSnm6BcFwb/s320/DBD_Poster_lo_2.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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Years ago Jimmy Percer had a dream of being in the spotlight as a dancer. Of dancing before an audience. And Jimmy was good, but knee injuries got in the way of his dreams. Now in his 30s, considered too old to be competitive, he's going to give it one more shot. With his skill and enthusiasm, something's gotta give... so long as it's not his knee or mounting family problems.</div>
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The opening to Dance Baby Dance ideally illustrates the energy and enthusiasm ahead in this film. With the focus only on the character of Jimmy (Stephen Kogon) breaking into a tap dance routine on the hardwood floored dance studio to upbeat, pumping music, one can see the skill which lies ahead and feel the tempo that's going to set its pace.</div>
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Up front, this is no gritty street drama with gut wrenching melodramatics. On the flipside of that it is innocent and even sappy in its characters and storyline; these aren't hardened characters like you'd even see on a TV show but more like an afterschool special. This does not take away from it as its charm is in focusing more on the upbeat aspect of fulfilling ones dream even when life sometimes tries to get in the way.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8hlzW5XaMBC5y5aL5jtsz6QnJVmWV5VnEsjgGp_riHiESS1zpfbyteSy3r5tVMOve0MbaioIrNSm-TROIil7oemK2T8DkD-zbzsglQQCnZV-vMYCMZbmagfoecVKKj-6V6y9McibPpbH/s1600/Dance_Baby_Dance_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8hlzW5XaMBC5y5aL5jtsz6QnJVmWV5VnEsjgGp_riHiESS1zpfbyteSy3r5tVMOve0MbaioIrNSm-TROIil7oemK2T8DkD-zbzsglQQCnZV-vMYCMZbmagfoecVKKj-6V6y9McibPpbH/s320/Dance_Baby_Dance_2.jpg" width="320" /></a>There are occasional weaknesses in this. Early on the camerawork doesn't quite frame the dancers as well as it could. Nobody is out of frame, but often they aren't fully in frame either. This disappears in short order. The lighting and lens flare of the dance competition itself is probably its biggest weakness. The part the film has been building to is an at times, frequently as a matter of fact, murky affair. Even with the lens flare the energy of the dance competition is not diminished.</div>
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The strengths of the film lie in its likeable characters and of course the dancing. The storyline is not complex, in other words it's predictable, but it succeeds in knowing where it's going and not taking unnecessary detours, but rather throw an occasional challenge at the characters while maintaining its energy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVGL2bh7loSgM1wVFubuwcH677jEeBOee8ZoqxV7874fLG8E9QILasW1cUQzDxh7vdfuhC22EQ26BZP5tpJNmT2aMxVFKphukdEqfsxAmX1IhfUGAWpxxMh0h4hmqDfHn8P9_0F5cUG8e/s1600/Dance_Baby_Dance_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibVGL2bh7loSgM1wVFubuwcH677jEeBOee8ZoqxV7874fLG8E9QILasW1cUQzDxh7vdfuhC22EQ26BZP5tpJNmT2aMxVFKphukdEqfsxAmX1IhfUGAWpxxMh0h4hmqDfHn8P9_0F5cUG8e/s320/Dance_Baby_Dance_3.jpg" width="320" /></a>Stephen Kogon plays his role as Jimmy as a positive spirit with a smile a minute attitude. Hayley Shukiar is wonderful as Jimmy's sarcastic niece and combatant in personality. Carlos Alazraqui brings a lot of experience (over 300 credits on IMDb) to the role of anti-social Hector, and has fun with it. Jim O'Heir is a wonderful addition to the cast and a very recognizable character actor many may remember from his role as Jerry Gergich on Parks and Recreation. And Beverley Mitchell as Jimmy's wife Tess brings a balance that not only keeps Jimmy from being a bit much at times but keeps the film grounded.</div>
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You know where this film is going and even though the plot throws a few roadbumps in the way for the sake of story it doesn't get in the way of keeping up the energy. At keeping the story moving I would give it a 3, but with its contagious enthusiasm and uplifting spirit I'll take that up another full notch because I thoroughly enjoyed myself.</div>
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My Rating: 4 Fingers</div>
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Watch it on <a href="http://amzn.to/2FyYnT8" target="_blank">Amazon Video</a> (free with Prime)</div>
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Check them out on <a href="https://twitter.com/DBDTheMovie" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dancebabydancethemovie/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or their <a href="http://www.dancebabydancemovie.com/" target="_blank">Website</a></div>
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Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-24469690310726773472018-01-22T20:27:00.002-05:002018-01-22T20:27:33.173-05:00Starting A New Movie Review Blog and You're Invited<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been lax on getting reviews published this month due in part to other projects I'm working on, and now I've apparently lost my mind in wanting to start another movie review blog?</div>
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Well I'll have you know I lost my mind long before this. Uhm, wait, that didn't sound right.</div>
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In all actuality I had started a blog to use as the grassroots indie film blog I've written about on this here blog. It's primary purpose was to help indie filmmakers reach out to reviewers by providing a directory of reviewers as well a screeners newsletter to be emailed to reviewers. Well a filmmaker and myself joined forces to combine our ideas into a single blog, and I had already come to the conclusion that the one Blogger blog I had set up was not going to be able to do what I wanted to do.</div>
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While we have been occupied with getting the joint venture blog up and running, I have an unused blog sitting there. Being I've already set it up as an indie film blog, why not turn it into a review blog and let others post their reviews there?</div>
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I think it is most ideal for those reviewers who use social media to post their reviews, whether because you don't want to bother with your own blog or because you've never used a blog before and the prospect seems daunting. Of course any reviewer is welcome to join the new blog. I'll update everyone with the blog address in about 2-3 weeks.</div>
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I'm rather informal in how I run things and especially don't like asking anyone to go out on a limb, jump through hoops or pick your comparison.</div>
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The new blog will not have a standardized ratings system. That means bring your own ratings system you've been using and are most comfortable using, or none at all if you don't use a ratings system. Though I did think of standardizing a ratings system, how someone reviews films in a personal choice and trying to make someone change the way they review I feel will cramp their style.</div>
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Obviously this may cause a little confusion on the part of a reader. I have set up a review ratings page where I will list every reviewer's ratings system, if they have one. I think most reviewers give an idea anyway what their rating means.</div>
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You're not on your own. If you are experiencing any difficulty in formatting your post, getting images in your posts, or especially getting them where you want them, ask me and I'll help.</div>
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You post for a while and decide you want to do this on your own blog? Super! If you need any help getting your own blog up and running I'll be happy to lend a hand, and I'll even link to you and post about it on my social media to help get you some traffic.</div>
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You haven't reviewed indie films before? Well, they're movies; I'm sure you've heard of those. I've seen films from 2 minutes long to... infinity and beyond! Well, long movies. With budgets from $100 to several hundred thousand. Most of the films that will apply to the goals of this blog will have been made under $100,000 as a budget. This is the grassroots level of independent films. Compared to Hollywood films this is not even the cost of a day's work, but you'll be amazed at what talent and determination can accomplish.</div>
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Don't know where to find them? That's why I'm here. Bring your own indie films to review or I'll be happy to put you in touch with filmmakers and provide screeners (a 'for review' copy of the film) for you to review.</div>
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If this interests you, contact me on my <a href="https://twitter.com/SexAndBloodShow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JoeFletcherMartin" target="_blank">Facebook</a> page or you can <a href="mailto:joefletchermartin@gmail.com" target="_blank">email me</a>.</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6020640185952859497.post-25341782450885530522018-01-13T08:55:00.000-05:002018-08-01T00:34:27.847-04:00Interview with Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter Star Tracey Birdsall<div style="text-align: justify;">
Born in Van Nuys, CA and raised in Burbank, CA the blond, beautiful and voluptuous Tracey Birdsall might in the traditional Hollywood world of typecasting be dismissed as a California girl, but Tracey is not your typical California girl and is shattering barriers of presumption proving there really is no such thing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnPiSIWLJmhf46_8M0h50lwOMTgpWp6fvqtgRkk_Gc0-wxr2UHbiQMVcSQCBypzLOiuZH9G3d7gcNlD8DV9Me-_DtlwKLqclUM1HQ0h_YMBSiZnsZEM8dpGOmM5V6K3a49EIQwn30UCaS/s1600/Tracey_Birdsall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWnPiSIWLJmhf46_8M0h50lwOMTgpWp6fvqtgRkk_Gc0-wxr2UHbiQMVcSQCBypzLOiuZH9G3d7gcNlD8DV9Me-_DtlwKLqclUM1HQ0h_YMBSiZnsZEM8dpGOmM5V6K3a49EIQwn30UCaS/s320/Tracey_Birdsall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now into her 50s she has not lost one ounce of luster and is pulling off roles once traditionally the domain of male actors while being able to compete with 20 something actresses.</div>
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The youngest of three sisters Tracey was studied in dancing and singing, taking part in musical theater in her formative years. It wasn't long until commercial work came her way as a teenager being seen in such product commercials as Sunkist, and in television in the soap opera Loving and the dramatic series Hearts Are Wild. But her shining moment is now as she breaks through age and gender barriers in film as a pioneer for others to follow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtfgf9IflEfsxwzrucY2fCcZtY95DtXdQWnUnDxP4D28CapK9dQhP-SjzH1C5HxOl5ztaGrnUz36P4uzLsJQtVo3fQNyxGCqP_qUknpBH4ssayOtXW6YRZxODMyN7REH_jlv15uDFeA0L/s1600/Rogue_Warrior_Robot_Fighter_Poster_lo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="616" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBtfgf9IflEfsxwzrucY2fCcZtY95DtXdQWnUnDxP4D28CapK9dQhP-SjzH1C5HxOl5ztaGrnUz36P4uzLsJQtVo3fQNyxGCqP_qUknpBH4ssayOtXW6YRZxODMyN7REH_jlv15uDFeA0L/s320/Rogue_Warrior_Robot_Fighter_Poster_lo.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter is a perfect example of breaking barriers. A role which would have traditionally been a man's role with a beautiful woman as eye candy hanging on his arm instead now has the beautiful woman for sure, but she happens to be the tough as nails leading character as well.</div>
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In this interview Tracey talks acting, her role in Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter and what's on the horizon for her.</div>
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<b>Why acting? What is it about this game that fuels you?</b></div>
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People fascinate me. The joy of creating a character and bringing it to life right down to the minute mannerisms excites me. I love the process of creation, development, birth (as in birth of a character), and living that life and experiencing it. It’s not only a skill, but also a passion. It drives me, inspires me to do more and be more, at the same time as it puts me in a position of transparency – but as another human – complete with strengths and vulnerabilities of varying degrees. It’s really quite a fascinating experience, so I choose to go through the hundreds of hours of preparation to do all over again… like a child in an amusement park – enthused with the possibilities and also the unknown.</div>
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<b>Is there anyone in particular whose career you've either idolised or even unconsciously tried to mimic?</b></div>
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To mimic? No. That would take the fun out of doing the work. Other actors whose performances involve living the life of the character to the extreme inspire me. Getting a new script delivered to me that seems impossible to my brain at first, also excites and inspires me. I love most performances of Daniel Day Lewis, Meryl Streep, and recently that of Leonardo DiCaprio. I don’t idolize anyone; moreover, I compete with myself to always work harder than anyone I know. I do think it’s possible that those whose performances I appreciate do the same.</div>
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<b>Do you consider yourself a 'type' of actor?</b></div>
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I have a branding duality – but much of that has been attained by successfully going off-type. I was always the girl-next-door (now the girl-next-door grown up), with an edge of badass – which comes from both my tomboyish ways and my action roles in sci-fi. My edgy-sassiness in comedy is a far cry from my sci-fi persona, but I revel in the joys of both extremes. My type stretches again as my character goes to a dramatically darker place in the up-coming sci-fi time travel thriller The Time War, which will baffle people in comparison with my more sexy intelligent grown up girl-next-door character in the up-coming comedy Who’s Jenna…? I revel in challenges from type, and get the opportunities to stretch. </div>
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<b>What sorts of roles do you find you're usually brought in for?</b></div>
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I’ve been working for about five years straight so I haven’t had a chance to “go in” for anything actually. I usually get sent scripts to see if I would be interested in doing them. I’ve been brought in for the whole gamut throughout my life, with a pretty fair distribution between comedy and drama in both auditions and bookings. Ironically enough, the one “type” I never got booked for (and rarely brought in for) was that of the “mom.” Although I am a mom in real life, that was never my “type” which was confusing to me for many years. I have been the spunky step-mom and the trophy wife who couldn’t contain herself, but just being a mom was never my type in the eyes of casting. We have to see ourselves how others might see us, and expand upon that with opportunities… to help them see which ways we can stretch… always one of my favorite things! Let me do something I haven’t done before and I’m very happy.</div>
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<b>What's been your favorite role to play so far and why?</b></div>
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Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter was my favorite “released” role to date, as it utilized so many of my strengths and expanded upon them (and I loved the action) – along with my vulnerabilities which also stretched to all new levels in living her life. Unreleased would be the upcoming The Time War, as it was an almost impossible role given time travel and living the lives of various versions of myself throughout time… an absolute monumental task that took 220 days of shooting over three years. Such an amazing experience…</div>
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<b>Has that been the movie that's also opened doors for you?</b></div>
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Every film and opportunity opens multitudes of doors and opportunities. It’s always that way. Rogue Warrior definitely expanded upon my branding, which has led to The Time War which will also expand upon it. When you work with every cell of your being with skill and more time commitment than was ever required of you to bring characters to life, doors do open; it’s just a fact of life.</div>
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<b>As the year ends and a new year begins, what do you hope for for 2018?</b></div>
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I just want to work and live the lives of characters that I create. That said, I would love to parlay what I do back into the realm of television, as it seems to be the way of the future.</div>
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Tracey's film Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter is available in select stores and online! You can always find it at: </div>
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<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/rogue-warrior-robot-fighter/id1260105835" target="_blank">iTunes</a> - <a href="https://play.google.com/store/movies/details?id=acZuLSHl9gM" target="_blank">Google Play</a> - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acZuLSHl9gM" target="_blank">YouTube</a> - <a href="http://amzn.to/2FyoOZO" target="_blank">Amazon Video</a> - <a href="http://amzn.to/2FxCeFN" target="_blank">DVD</a></div>
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Find out more about Tracey by checking out her:<br />
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<a href="https://www.traceybirdsall.net/" target="_blank">Website</a> - <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0435942/" target="_blank">IMDb</a> - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traceybirdsallofficial/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/traceybirdsall1" target="_blank">Twitter</a> - <a href="https://www.instagram.com/traceybirdsall1/" target="_blank">Instagram</a><br />
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Thank you, Tracey!</div>
Toxic Fletchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07835426665364547302noreply@blogger.com0