BULLY

2001
Based on a true story.
Director:  Larry Clark
Writers:  Jim Schutze (book)
           David McKenna (as Zachary Long) and
          Roger Pullis (screenplay)
Starring:  Brad Renfro and Nick Stahl

Let's be blunt here...this is a fucked up story.  It is true, therefore, it must be told.  Now, I watched this film quite a few times years ago, however, I recently watched a documentary on it.  Thanks to the Biography channel (YOU ROCK!), I knew just from reading the description that it was the same story.

Oddly enough, the stories from the movie and documentary drifted apart in certain aspects.  Primarily, the focus on who the victim is and who the "real bad guy" is differs here.  I know films can fabricate issues in stories and still slap the "this is based on a true story" sticker, attracting a wider audience, however, I just don't see why they would have to fabricate a story that is already outrageously bloodcurdling.  Let me discuss a little of each so you can tell me what you think...

The gist of the story goes a little something like this.  There are a group of teenage friends who are abused physically, sexually, and verbally by one of their own.  It is disturbing to watch, yet even more confusing to grasp the concept of why this "bully" remains in the friend category for so many people.  I pondered this until they all murdered him.

The movie really makes the murder of the "bully" seem justified, especially for the main character, who is the "bully's" best friend.  The movie shows mild slashes of brutalization towards the best friend.  This abuse includes random punches to the face, peer pressure, and absolute loss of control that is surrendered to manipulation.  Just to get a glimpse of what I'm referencing, the most disturbing scene contains the bully violently interrupting the best friend having sex with his own girlfriend to rape her.  The best picture I can paint for you of this bully is visualizing that douche bag you see at the bar every weekend who is obnoxiously violating every girl's personal space, and multiply him by 4,738.

The documentary on the other hand, declined to mention the intensity of the abuse the bully submerged his so-called friends in.  If I recall correctly, there wasn't even any mention of the numerous rapes he committed throughout the film.  It makes me wonder if he even was the monster that the movie easily convinced the viewer to hate.  Perhaps the documentary only relied on the words of the bully's family, forcing them to neglect the acknowledgement of the defensive, justifying words from the guilty gang of friends.  I distinctly remember one policeman's statement from the documentary.  He blatantly claimed that this group of people, or malicious killers depending on who you ask, would have killed regardless of the circumstance.  He claimed that if it wasn't the bully, these losers in his eyes would have murdered someone else.  He truly believes they are animals with that crooked "Ted Bundy" look in their eyes.

In my opinion, the reasoning behind the murder of Bobby Kent remains a mystery.  We all are aware of the power behind peer pressure mixed with anger, but this story is pretty hardcore.  In the case the movie has more truth intertwined in the story, I can see how this situation could come about.  Bullying and its effects, especially recently, has unfortunately intensified.  As much as I believe that two wrongs don't make a right, this story reminds me of some episodes of Oxygen's "Snapped", where battered wives are abused and mutilated to the point where murder is the one and only escape from the fatal darkness.  Although the documentary would naturally be looked upon as holding more truth than some movie, something inside tells me there's more to this story than the loving families of all those involved will ever know.  With everyone either dead or rotting behind torturous bars, will we ever know the secrets that hide behind the curtains of what happened the night of July 15, 1993?

  

HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME STAR FOR DANNY

So I have been interning for Starline Films for years now.  Each year I nominate Danny Aiello to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in the hopes of him finally receiving a well deserved Hollywood Walk of Fame Star.  This is my third, consecutive year pulling an all-nighter a few days before the deadline, sifting through web sites in between draining my cell phone battery with e-mails and phone calls with Aiello's publicist and the creator of Starline Films.

I truly, fucking love this entire experience.  Although technically anyone can nominate a celebrity to receive a star, this not-so-free nomination could cost the sponsor (in this case, Starline Films) $25,000 if the nominee wins.  This astronomical figure covers the creation, installation, and maintenance of the star, which by the way, only consist of terrazzo and brass.

Anyway, with this said, if and WHEN Danny wins, it means celeb party time!  And I don't mean tequila body shots off of Aiello party time..I'm thinking more the "Hey you should act in my movies for free:)" party time, AKA networking and eventually getting paid to do what I absolutely love everyday.  Cross your fingers that 3's a charm in this nomination process...

Oh, if you're interested in checking out more about the stars, check out this site... Hollywood Walk of Fame Star.

MOB WIVES

Who is this D'Rita D'Avanzo?  I love her.  She is everything I daydream about when producing possible character profiles for mafia movies.  I don't even care if the show is based on fabricated bullshit or not, because all I know is I want her in my movies!

I believe this show recently premiered.  According to my DVR, three episodes aired so far.  To be honest, the show isn't great.  I've definitely seen worse, but I would be lying if I said each episode keeps me intrigued until the end.  D'Rita is the reason I still have a series recording set up:)

There are four lead ladies who are connected either by their father or husbands.  Besides D'Rita, there's Renee and two other women whose names I can't even recall.  Renee is too much...enough said.  She reminds me of Danielle from NJ Housewives, and that completely drains my interest for her.  Some would argue that her type of drama makes the show, but ultimately, it's the show's biggest flaw in my opinion.  I feel like Renee gets the biggest paycheck for her acting, unlike D'Rita.  Honestly, I feel like D'Rita missed the "this is a scripted reality television show" memo, and signed up to actually reveal personal horror.

D'Rita really looks like she should have starred in Goodfellas or The Sopranos.  The first time I saw her, I created this assumption of her lifestyle.  Her long red hair flatters her slightly aged face appropriately.  I find her to be gorgeous, but even I can't ignore the mild wrinkles that probably formed as a result of some cocaine issues in the past.  Even her voice stresses smoking abuse.  Her tough, Italian attitude always flares through her personality and mannerisms.  She looks like she won and lost some fights in the past.  I can also see her pulling a "Karen Hill" and screaming psychotically at the first realization her husband was cheating, and routinely flushing drugs and hiding a gun in her panties before the raids.  

But if the show really holds some truth, I can't help but to wonder how and why these ladies are still alive and haven't been whacked already.  I don't think having your own reality television show that revolves around your mafia infested life is in the Witness Protection Program's contract.

The show drops some hardcore names of people who were indeed noted for their organized crime.  One of the main characters is the daughter of the infamous Salvatore "Sammy The Bull" Gravano, whose ratting ways caught the public's attention.  And for those who weren't aware of his cooperation with the FBI, well they probably found out when Peter Maas decided to publish a book on Gravano's life.  I just don't understand how they are getting away with this.  Is this made up and D'Rita is a notable actress, or is this shit for real?

Well anyway, fuck the show's creditability.  It's worth at least one viewing, and VH1 reruns are played quite often.  If you are familiar with the show, let me know your thoughts on it...

SCRE4M

2011
Director:  Wes Craven
Writer:  Kevin Williamson
Starring:  Neve Campbell, David Arquette, and Courteney Cox

YES!  I've been an original fan since 1996.  I can still recall the first night I watched it.  I had to be eleven or twelve.  A neighbor spilled the blood on the first gory ten minutes of the film to me, so I knew it was one of those movies that could only be endured to its maximum with the lights out.  Although I do remember it was a bootleg, beings how I watched it in the comfort of my own bed while others traveled to the movie theater, I honestly do not remember if it was a VHS tape or DVD.  You know you're old when you own a movie on DVD and VHS:)

I fell in love with this movie because it slices a new light into the horror genre.  The overwhelming comic relief alters the emotional effect it has on the viewer.  The story almost made me want to live in "Woodsboro" just to hang out with the characters, whether they were psychotic or not.  Can you honestly say you would not have attended Stu's party in the first film?  Most horror films splash me with sympathy for the victims and fill my stomach with that awkward feeling of fear for the possibilities of what can happen in real life.  Scream stands out in this sense because it intertwines horror with comedy while throwing in intense and suspenseful scenes.

Although the original is unmistakably the best, I have some honorable notes to mention for the second film.  I dig the music almost as much as the original movie soundtrack.  The "ear slashing" movie theater murder opener is epic.  The scariest and most suspenseful scene is delivered in this sequel.  When Sidney and her friend are being escorted to an unknown place by the two cops, Ghostface interrupts their plan and kills the two cops.  The two girls get trapped in the back seat after the car crashes and the killer, who was driving,  is temporarily knocked out.  The only way out of the car is to climb over the limp, masked body.  Watching two girls attempt this makes you unnervingly squint knowing the killer just has to wake up any second.

This movie also does an amazing job framing different characters throughout the story, leading the viewer to accuse the wrong people.  As a result, the killers' true identities are especially surprising.  Not to mention, the twist that reveals the killers' identity is not only off the top, but also is believable and makes perfect sense, unlike the third sequel.

Scream 3 sucked.  Period.  I can still remember the excitement that tossed in my stomach the night I stood in line on opening night.  Beings how I had to live up to my crazy reputation, I dressed up as Ghostface.  Unfortunately, a cop made me remove my mask before I could even enter the theater.  That shitty buzz kill foreshadowed the disappointment the movie had in store.  I recently discovered why that movie sucked so bad.  The entire film series was directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, however, Scream 3 had a lot of writing influence from Ehren Kruger.  Thankfully Kruger only wrote bits for Scream 4 which were uncredited to him, may I add.  Perhaps he got caught up writing a fucked up sequel to Nightmare on Elm Street?

I must be honest, my expectations for Scream 4 were not high at all.  I wanted to see it for sentimental reasons, and I am sure as hell happy I did!  I found the multiple opener twist satisfying and enjoyed the few cameos made by some familiar faces from some favorite television shows.  Above all, I found the ending twist quite tasteful.

My favorite scene probably consisted of 4,839 gallons of corn syrup/fake blood.  Olivia's death scene is classic because her friends watch helplessly from a window in the house next door as she gets slaughtered.  When help finally arrives and the bedroom door of the crime scene is first revealed, the walls are literally painted red.  Don't worry, it's not the overwhelming gore that tickles my interest.  It's the fact that the crime scene has a familiar look to it.  It reminds me of Tina's last breaths in Wes Craven's Nightmare On Elm Street.  Now that's symbolism, baby!

SERIAL KILLERSSS

This is one of the many blogs to come in the future on this topic.  I have a strange penchant for researching and educating myself on the history of serial killers.  I know it's weird, but it is indeed harmless.

The fact that people can actually create such gore without remorse fascinates my mind.  In reality, there are many things I can easily say I was born without motivation for.  Things such as bungee jumping 800 feet, flying to the moon, studying medicine, and violently butchering innocent victims are not in my future.  In the case I did succeed in bungee jumping, I suppose I would feel somewhat of an accomplished feeling, if not dizziness.  On the other hand, I don't believe sleeping would be an option for me any longer after committing a heinous crime.  Needless to say, I do agree with the general majority that serial killers deserve worse than rotting in prison for the rest of their lives.

Today, my attention is on Jack The Ripper as a result of my poor choice of a DVD selection this morning.  I opened up The Lodger today without expectations of being satisfied, nor scared.  (Although I did nap in the middle of it and dreamed someone was in my apartment.  It was a rather rocky afternoon greeting for me.) This 2009, book-based story is pretty much a waste of time.  I do admit I was intrigued to find out who the killer was in the end.  Believe it or not, I wasn't too disappointed with the ending twist.  Ultimately, your time will be better invested with From Hell if you're looking for a Jack The Ripper based flick.

Jack The Ripper lurked the dark streets of the Whitechapel district of London in 1888.  Apparently, his true identity is still unknown, but we can thank newspapers for naming this killer Jack The Ripper, The Whitechapel Murderer, and Leather Apron.  The Ripper is notorious for slicing the throats of quite a few prostitutes before surgically removing female organs.  I do believe I have read that there is no record of him being a sexual predator, however, he is noted for being intelligent considering he performed such surgery.  Some also believe he sent letters to the police and newspapers, although others brush them off and threw them in the hoax pile.

I suppose this killer lucked out as a result of the lack of technology and forensics in the time period.  I am skeptical that we will never really know the truth due to all the possible fabrication infested into this story.

THE FIGHTER

2010
Director:  David O. Russell
Writers:  Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, and Keith Dorrington
Starring:  Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, and Melissa Leo

This movie is based on the true story of Micky Ward and Dicky Eklund.  These half brothers and boxers are well known as a result of their fight through poverty, drug abuse, and all the problems that arose from them.  Oh, and because an awesome movie was recently released on DVD that sheds awareness and shines a spotlight on their bruised faces.

My heart was touched by this movie for several reasons.  First, thanks to my Dad, I love boxing and was instantly intrigued by that alone.  I have always drawn attraction to movies based on wicked and bloody fight scenes.  My Dad informed me that Ward indeed went on to fight Arturo Gatti a few times, winning and losing.  I also learned from him that Gatti died two years ago.  Although it was ruled as a suicide, there is some controversy that his wife pulled a "Courtney Love" and killed him.

Melissa Leo is now on my top actress list (this list consists of people I fantasize working on the set with on a daily basis).  Her performance playing the role of the mother, Alice Ward, yanked my attention.  Her white trash attitude and mannerisms are critically credible.  The scene where she and her six or seven daughters pile into her Hot Wheels sized car to initiate a screaming match and cat fight with Micky's girlfriend, is a perfect visual to express her lifestyle.  This cigarette crazed lady was more notable than her sons in my eyes.

Alice's neglect to acknowledge her oldest son's crack addiction filled my heart with sympathy for her.  The way she failed to show weakness from society's opinion of the problem is priceless.  Micky reacted differently to the problem, like one would hope he would, however, his decisions and actions halted Dicky's high.  Micky's love for his family and his refusal to box outside Dicky's corner squirted tears from my eyes.  It's a must see!

And ladies, don't throw in the white towel just yet.  There is a small love story that takes place right outside the ropes.  Let's just say the key to this girl's heart is a ring of course, but not the diamond type.

SHAMELESS

2011 TV Series
Creator:  Paul Abbott
Starring:  Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, and Justin Chatwin

It's SHOWTIME!  I loooooove this show:)  I think it is realistically entertaining as a result of EVERY character profile being executed.  Every fan must be absolutely in love with at least one character.  Overall, I definitely see award nominations in Shameless' future!

Every obstacle this family has to face wows me.  Even more intriguing, each episode keeps me pondering how the hell they are going to attempt rescuing themselves by the end of the episode.  The season finale left off with some pretty fucked up issues they need to clean up in season two.  It's going to be a dreadful year waiting for the Gallagher's return.

I appreciate the originality in the character profiles.  Even though their dysfunctional family life is emotionally draining, I dig the unique story that revolves around them.  My favorite character is Fiona, played by Emmy Rossum, but I must admit, William H. Macy deserves an award for playing Frank.  Frank is the drunk, selfish, irresponsible, lazy, repulsive, and the absolute antonym of a model father.  The viewer naturally hates him, but must at least credit his acting ability.

I can't decide which couple deserves the crown for most entertaining.  Kevin and Veronica or Ian and Mickey.  The neighboring couple won my heart over in the beginning, but nothing beats the jail scene where Mickey strongly advises Ian to remove his fucking hand off the window after threatening his life with violence in exchange for Ian's affection.

There is a place in my heart for every character, but I must vent a couple things.  Lip is my least favorite character.  I'm still debating if it's a result of his shitty attitude or his flavorless looks.  Something about him distracts me from having the ability to admire Jeremy Allen White and his character.

Karen is also on my shit list.  I find her sudden transformation into super slut to be rather disturbing, and even more visually disturbing than when she and Lip are expressing the definition of "friends with benefits".  Laura Wiggins is definitely more attractive with long, blonde hair and when she's not straddling Frank.  Ugh!

Finally, I must give a shout out to Emma Kenney for not only earning respect for playing the charming role of Debbie, but also being a rock star in real life.  A friend of mine recently ran into her, and I am so proud of you, Emma!