In Depp Analysis, Heard Nothing

I find this to be fascinating and a disaster at the same time. I'd wager most Hollywood marriages end in divorce. No shocker regarding Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. But this stuff is still going on. Proceedings came about in 2017 and it's escalated. The Sun, a paper out of the UK, put out an article in 2018 calling Depp a "wife beater". There has been leaked audio of Heard saying she beat him up and that no would believe him. Alleged stories of severed fingers. Both are pieces of garbage in my opinion. I truly believe they both hurt each other physically.

For this month, a libel case against The Sun resulted in a Depp loss and being forced to step down from Fantastic Beasts 3, Warner Brothers adaptation of JK Rowling's work. But Heard hasn't had any punishments and continues to have work with Aquaman 2 when that films next year and a couple other projects. That's why a petition on change.org that has been around for a couple years has blown up over the last month and reached over a million and half signatures. Pretty big altogether.

I do think a decent majority of signings are from Depp fans. But I also think a number of it has to do with regards to domestic violence and the double standards regarding women who abuse. The petition creator, which is a woman by the way in Jeanne Larson, talked about in the description of it the hypocrisy. Heard hides behind movements like MeToo and pretends to be a victim. She isn't. I think Depp hurt her, but I also think she isn't completely innocent either. For her to say the petition is a paid campaign is horseshit and that people have no basis in reality is ridiculous. This isn't a slap on the wrist thing. Not to mention there was a time when she abused another partner long before meeting Depp.

I can't claim that I've seen this in real life, but stuff like this hurts and upsets people who have gone through it. And it's cunts like Heard who make it harder for actual victims to bring up domestic violence without fear of being a liar. No one wins. Hollywood bats a blind eye. And women can skew things to make the media sympathize with them. Not all, mind you, but it's still dangerous.

Unless things escalate, there's nothing Warner Brothers can do with a firing of Heard because of contracts. But they are also being tone deaf on it by not taking the petition and the cases seriously. They compared the situation with Captain Marvel, which isn't even a good comparison. Brie Larson is a sexist bitch, but there are actors that have issues with the media. Very different from domestic violence. Hugely different. The studio also has ideas on making a Mera film, which is the Aquaman character Heard plays. If people didn't want to see Birds of Prey, why would anyone want a stand alone film of this? This isn't like Marvel.

Aquaman 2 has the potential to underperform when it comes out Christmas 2022. This long fight between Depp and Heard isn't over yet. Far from it. Pending what happens for December, that petition could make Warner Brothers think a little more seriously. Either way, both should not be in the Hollywood spotlight for the next couple of years.

YouTube Videos: Nov 20-26

 

Toy Story at 25 Thoughts

The leading type of animated film now these days are computer generated imagery, or CGI. Back in the 90s, it was more traditional, hand drawn animation. It's very easy to forget how ambitious Toy Story was when it released around Thanksgiving 1995. Let's just say that people expected it to flop. Nobody took it seriously as a contender. Low and behold, highest grossing film of 95, huge critical acclaim, the rise of Pixar, and a very strong franchise.

It has a very simple plot and moves by at a very fast pace. A group of toys, led by cowboy doll Woody. In comes the flashy new one, Buzz Lightyear. Things get out of hand, and the two have to get back to their child owner. There's more to it, but basic. No filler, no side plots. Plenty of visual stuff, quotable lines, tons of humorous moments. What also works that even though it's a Disney film, it doesn't follow the tropes associated with them. No romance as your big plot line, no singing, no sappy stuff. A film that can be enjoyed by both kids and adults.

As I said, it was ambitious. At 30 million, it was cheaper than what The Lion King's budget was the year prior. They did get some big names, but it wasn't all top of the line names outside of Woody and Buzz. They found ones they knew could create the film into a memorable one. It holds up in many ways and the score is still fantastic to hear. This is still my favorite of the Disney CGI films. It paved for more Pixar films, competitors in Dreamworks and Blue Sky (though Blue Sky is Disney owned now due to buying Fox), and the decline of traditional animation in film.

The appeal for Toy Story knows no bounds. You want a franchise with lots of respect and memorable, this is one of the few that has that. Give each one a watch. There is tons of enjoyment you'll get out of them and for different reasons. 

Xbox 360 at 15 Thoughts

I'm not big into Microsoft's home consoles like I am with their computers. But I do have some good memories of playing the Xbox 360 for a good seven years or so. It was a push to a new generation when it came out around the end of November 2005. Easy to develop games for, smoother playability, lots of digital stuff. You get the good with the bad that includes the Red Ring of Death, scratched discs, squandering what they had in 2010. However, you can't deny it being a great system to have.

My first experience with it was in 2009. I was not too familiar with the Xbox brand. My older brother had an original Xbox, but didn't play it except once or twice. I do remember commercials for 360 within the first couple years, especially the Game Fuel Mountain Dew ads and Halo 3.That game was the first title I experienced on 360 with the multiplayer via system link. Seven of us played and I was not good. About a year later, my younger brother and myself get our own 360. Get a handful of titles, including some Call of Duty games and GTA IV, 2010 was pretty good.

With being away at college, my opportunities of playing it were on specific weekends I came home for a couple years. Played a lot of The Simpsons Game, Dead Rising, Call of Duty single player from Modern Warfare to Black Ops. Little bit of Forza. Played a lot of GTA IV for about six months going through the single player. Invested until 2016 into other games, especially when I got my own 360 in 2014. Fallout, The Orange Box, Sonic Unleashed and many more. I haven't played much of it since due to playing more PlayStation 3 and 4, but it was still a great experience.

You look at it, and it paved the way for online being what it is with its pros and cons. Extra content, various apps, multiple things. But I do wonder if it could have kept the same pace from 2011 to 2015/16 like it did its first five years and continued with bringing big exclusives of their own. It's still hard to believe that it has reached 15 years old. And it still gets support from Microsoft despite no one making titles for it since 2017. The legacy will still go on and people have not given up on it being their main machine. Still plenty of practical use for a lot of ways besides gaming.

Panic Buying 2.0

It's back.

The second wave of high cases has come for the United States. Lots of coronavirus infections and its that wave again of people buying everything again at a huge bulk. Especially being this close to Thanksgiving.  Can't blame them a little bit. At my work, we got a couple dipshit college girls who might test positive because they wanted to be selfish and drink at a bar instead of getting their buzz at their home. Just not a good sight now.

Don't go overboard. It won't be like what happened back in March. If you think you're low, get your hands on what you need. What is essential, get it. If there is something that isn't important, have patience and wait it out unless you're desperate. Try to shop early if you think there won't be any huge crowds at seven or eight in the morning. Know your entrances and exits in stores. Know where you can get tested if there comes a point where you might potentially be exposed.

We can get through this. Just follow guidelines. Take it seriously. 

YouTube Videos: Nov 13-19

 

The McMahon Effect

You get a look at what Vince McMahon has done in 2020, and it's obvious it's a very bad year. The XFL faltered, health issues all around, and the way he has run WWE. I'm not into wrestling. Never really have. Seen YouTube videos of old matches, though. It's a "sport" that never caught my attention. But his firing of one of the wrestlers shines a light into how bad it has gotten and scares other wrestlers to speak out publicly.

The latest firing is a result of Thea Budgen, who goes under her wrestling name Zelina Vega. Within the last month or two, WWE has forced their wrestlers to stop using sites like Twitch. I don't know if it's a money thing or power for McMahon to do whatever he wants, but it has not been met with anything good. The last couple months have also seen Andrew Yang go after them for the company's actions. Saraya Bevis, who goes by Paige, has spoken out about it and the greediness of WWE. With how things sound, it gets more concerning.

There is no union in the WWE. Obviously, wrestling can be damaging physically, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically. But not having one is awful. Vega has gotten support. The fact that SAG-AFTRA president Gabrielle Carteris supported her says a lot. You'd wish other wrestlers would come out publicly with what is going on, but I think there is fear. Fear that if they say something, McMahon would go after them and potentially fire them. I keep reading that they are independent contractors. If they truly are, why force them to stay with WWE? Think about some of the wrestlers that could have had health insurance and some of this other stuff back in the day. They are wearing their bodies out for entertainment. 

I don't know what WCW or ECW was like back then, but I would think it had better support of their wrestlers more than WWF/WWE. I would think smaller ones and some of the competitors like NXT and AEW do a much better job. I think McMahon is out of touch with how things work now. They haven't been big in a very long time since the early Cena days. Too many controversies, too many bad moments. How much more will it take before the company craters? If it doesn't, fans should hope a new CEO will take over and not act like McMahon. 

Geeks and Jocks: Episode 50

Up to the 50th episode. 

https://anchor.fm/ryan-sullivan1gaj/episodes/Episode-50-I-Must-Break-50-emjugo

Rocky V: 30 Years Later

Even with it being a sports film, Rocky was a drama at its core. An up and comer who gets his big chance against the heavyweight champion. Working for a loan shark, finding the beauty in a shy woman, dealing with an arrogant trainer. Yet, he still chugged along and the film wasn't about winning. It was about making a name for yourself and defying the expectations of many. That's why it was a huge hit in 1976. The second, while not as good, still retained being a great drama. With the third, it was more over the top, and even more ridiculous with the fourth.

When you get to Rocky V, it goes a different direction, and that's what angered movie goers and critics back in November 1990. Following his match against Ivan Drago in the Soviet Union, Rocky Balboa is back in Philadelphia. Things do not go well. He has no money and he can't box due to brain damage. In a way, it tries to go towards the route of the first film, but in a different manner. He is like his old trainer, Mickey, and trains Tommy Gunn, played by real boxer Tommy Morrison. But that relationship gets soured and turns into a street fight at the end, probably the film's most iconic moment.

This was a really bad period for Sylvester Stallone. From 86 until his comeback with Cliffhanger in 93, he wasn't wowing critics. With Rocky V, it lacks any of the charm the first two had. It's not a bad idea to end with what began. Going back to your roots, when done right, is fantastic. It tries to juggle many things. The relationship between Rocky and his son (played by Stallone's son, Sage). Dealing with the financial situations with his wife Adrian. Tommy Gunn and the betrayal. It wasn't developed altogether.

Most networks avoid airing it most of the time. It has its moments, but you won't have the same reactions in the first two films. The impression also being that it would be the last film until speculation in the early 2000s probably didn't sit well. Rocky Balboa captured that dramatic feeling when it came out in 2006. What I think is that people wanted Rocky to bow out on a good note and with V, it didn't feel like a good bowing out. It focused on the idea of boxing, but also Rocky's personal stuff without the juggling issue. Creed 1 and 2 also follow the same template

It's not a completely horrible movie, but it's not a must watch either. There were good ideas, but they felt like they were thrown out the window. But hey, the redemption is there with the last few films that have been made the last 14 years. As long as they know what makes Rocky and Creed tic,, they can avoid disasters like this.

Home Alone: 30 Years Later

If you grew up in the 80s, chances are you saw a movie or two from writer John Hughes. His teen comedies are still remembered. The Vacation films that were based on stories he wrote at National Lampoon have aged well. He knew how to write fantastic characters. His output was about two films a year from 1983 through the end of the decade. But his biggest film came in November 1990 when Home Alone came out. This was one of the more dominant films, staying number one for almost three months and the highest grossing domestic film of that year. What was so special about it that made people ignore the mixed/kind of negative reviews?

Its a very simple premise. Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is tired of his family treating him like crap. A scramble to the airport following leaves him all alone at his home while they head for Paris and figure out mid-flight he's not around. He enjoys having some fun, but must fend for himself. The Wet Bandits, Harry and Marv (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) are robbing the neighborhood and only the eight year old can save his home from being flooded.

Pretty basic. I think what helps is that it wasn't geared greatly towards adults. It wasn't exactly fantasy driven, though the slapstick is like The Three Stooges and a more successful Wile E. Coyote. This was a pure comedy. Nothing scary like Gremlins. Nothing to drive it towards a PG-13 rating. For the most part, a cleaner (though there is cursing and the slapstick violence) driven movie that knew when to be funny and when to have serious parts. Reminds me a bit of Hughes' Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Very down to earth.

As the film goes on, Kevin realizes how much family does mean to people. Has a friendship with a neighbor who he thought killed people and reveals to him his own family problems. You add in John Williams' score, and it's widely regarded by people as one of the great holiday classics. The house used is one of the more iconic ones in film. I think what most miss when trying to imitate is the kind of heart that it had. The selling point is the slapstick and traps, but its also that Christmas feeling. We all have our flaws, but there can still be good that can come out of it. That's how I look at why it was a huge blockbuster. It's also not heavily dated, but the concept has, and that shouldn't be a knock if one were to review it today.

Home Alone hit all the right buttons for most movie goers and families. Give at least the first two films a chance. Hughes knew what he wanted and succeeded on what was needed for a family film.