I Don't See The Big Deal With 'Gone With The Wind'

Maybe it's just me, but movies aren't supposed to be real, right?  Some are based on true stories, but a movie is still entertainment when it's all said and done.  So, why does a movie need a disclaimer before it's aired on HBO Max?

'Gone With The Wind' is one of those movies that critics have raved about for decades.  I've never seen the movie nor do I care to do so.  It's just not my thing.  However, I have read about how black people were depicted in the movie as "willing slaves" or "incompetent".  Because of this, we end up with this movie that's been around since before my dad was born coming with a warning label as if we're incompetent as well.

Now, because I've not seen the movie then maybe I don't understand the extremes of which the slaves may have been depicted.  However, I don't think that you throw a disclaimer on it because of it.  Does that mean that we'll have disclaimers for music videos that show women being degraded by men?  Do we have a four minute speech at the beginning of "Old Yeller" because of what people may perceive as animal cruelty?

Look, slavery happened.  And it infuriates me to know that people were treated like that.  My people.  But, TV is make-believe.  The reason why 'GWTW' hasn't bothered me in my 48 years on this planet is because I haven't watched it.  And that's what I would advise people to do if they feel outraged about how blacks were depicted in this film.  Just don't watch.  Don't even sweat the "gone with the wind plantation" mentality.

Who cares if some white people watch it and get their jollies from seeing black people mistreated?  They were racists anyway if they got enjoyment out of that, so why make a big deal out of people who probably aren't going to change?

I don't want to see lengthy disclaimers in front of my movies due to racial insensitivty, excessive violence, gratuitous booty shots, or whatever.  No apologies in front of "A Time To Kill" or "Mississippi Burning" or whatever unflattering movies that may be out there.  And there are thousands of them.

Most people generally know what they are getting when they sit down to watch a movie.  And if they don't know and happen to get a few minutes into it to discover that there's something about it that they don't like then they can change the channel.

Maybe there's a discussion that can be had about whatever was unpleasing about the movie, but please don't force movies to do this regularly.  Let these movies serve as talking points for productive discussions about racism.  Although I appreciate the effort, but disclaimers still won't change the systemic racism in this country in my opinion or even come close.  That's an entirely different discussion.

Spouses Have To Evolve

I just had an interesting conversation with a friend about how some long-term marriages can sometimes fall apart.  So many of us have the misconception that once you're married, you're safe.  After "I do", then you think that you can just sit back and relax forever.

Well, that's not the case at all.  It's safe to say that if your marriage makes it long-term (10 years or more), that you're well beyond most incompatibility issues.  However, there are long-term concerns.  Most of them center around evolution or the lack thereof.

Although "love is blind", we shouldn't be.  Some of us don't change, yet we fail to pay attention to our spouses changing.  My friend said that, "it's important to grow individually and collectively.  If only one person is growing, then they outgrow the other."

Very true.  Marriage is a journey.  You may have to do something different stylistically, intimately, or even open your mindset to change in order to keep up with your spouse.  For example: let's say that you marry someone who at one point, just like you, loves to eat junk food and sit on the couch and watch movies.  For ten years, this is what the two of you enjoy.  However, now you're approaching your 40's and your spouse starts to get concerned about health issues.  So, they join a gym and work out regularly.  If you choose to not evolve with your spouse, then you run the risk of an eventual issue in the marriage.

Is one spouse wrong for wanting a healthier lifestyle?  No. Is the other one wrong for wanting a more relaxed lifestyle?  No.  But, odds are, they will clash at some point.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that the saying,"you should accept me for who I am" applies to both spouses and not just for the one who refuses to change.

Why Was "Hidden Figures" Not in My History Books?

I finally took the opportunity to watch the movie "Hidden Figures".  It's a movie, based on a true story, that follows the lives of three women, who lived in Virginia, who were key components in the success of the NASA space program in the 60's.  Not only was working in prominent roles at NASA a rarity for women, these women were also black, which makes it even more of a phenomenon for the early 60's.  As I watched this movie, my heart swelled with pride to see these black women blaze the trail for many others to come.

Well, maybe they blazed a trail locally.  Because I don't recall ever hearing these ladies mentioned in my history books.  12 years of school and NASA's space program didn't mention one woman until Sally Ride.  Where were the names of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson?  These women were part of the reason we ever got an American into space at all and they can't get any love in history books?

What would it have meant to thousands of young, black kids, especially girls, across the country to know the accomplishments of these three ladies?  Let me retract that.  There were actually as many as 30 black women who worked for NASA during the first orbit around Earth.  They were referred to as "computers" because of the type of work that they did.  Either the state of Virginia has a surplus of super-intelligent black women or the school system has done us a disservice of informing us of minority accomplishments.  I'll go with the latter.

This movie showed how black people were able to overcome the mistreatment that they received while still outperforming their white counterparts.  Something that a lot of us still deal with today.  We've all heard the phrase, "you have to work twice as hard to get half of what they got."  This movie is a prime example of that.

I would encourage anyone to watch this movie.  It doesn't matter your race or gender.  It's something that everyone can get something out of.  What these ladies did should have been celebrated since the launch and should be a part of American History and not just NASA's history.  Yet it took 44 years of my life to even hear about this story.

And it makes me wonder how many Native Americans, Asians, Latinos, etc. have been left out of the history books, too.  I guess we'll never truly know, but thanks to director, Theodore Melfi, for telling this story.  It's a shame that only one of the three ladies involved was actually alive to see it.

Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.

Never See A Marvel Movie with a Non-Fan

(written 5.8.16)

Okay, so I've been waiting to see Captain America 3 since it was announced a couple of years ago.  I'm a single guy, so I found myself in a situation in having to find someone to watch the movie with me.  After all, I've never been one to do movies solo.  So, I decided to call a few people to see if they were available.

I called and asked one lady if she was interested and she told me "no."  She wasn't into comic book movies.  I appreciated her honesty.  I don't know if she's ever given the Marvel movies a try or not, but I guess she knows her limits.

I texted another young lady and she was busy attending a Beyonce concert in Houston and wasn't able to go.  Beyonce is a ticket just as hot as Captain America around these parts.

So, the 3rd time's the charm, right?  Yeah. that's what I hoped.  Worst. Movie. Experience. Ever.

Never see a Marvel movie with a non-fan.  Just don't do it.  I asked her if she'd ever seen any of the other Captain America movies and she said "no."  I should have hit the eject button at that point.  When people don't understand the backstory to characters and the concept of super powers, then it can get very annoying in the theater.

"How can the red head survive these fights without super powers?"

"Does Captain America's shield give him powers?"

"Why is Spider-Man a boy?  Wasn't he grown in the last movie?"

"Jeremy Renner doesn't do anything except shoot arrows?"

Well, that one is a legitimate question.

Anyhoo, the questions became so much for me to handle that I simply asked her to take mental notes and I'd answer the questions after the movie.  That was also a waste of time.

Needless to say, she thought that it was the worst movie she'd ever seen.  I thought that it was an awesome movie.

Memo to self: when you see X-Men this weekend, take someone who has seen and enjoys Marvel movies.

(Full Movie) "Palmos - The Demon Inside" via @HorrorSociety

I don't watch too many horror movies, especially those with a lot of gore.  But for those who are into it I wanted to direct you to one of my sponsors, "Palmos - The Demon Inside."

Alex likes to party, smoke weed and have some fun. One day walking by the street he is possessed by a powerful demon, now that he became a vessel he is going to infect people all over the globe with a demonic virus that transforms people in self mutilating paranoid freaks.

This movie has a lot of great special effects and gore for those who aren't too squeamish!  Click the play button below and enjoy the full length movie!  You can also visit their website for more information on the movie and the Horror Society!

Weekend Report Card #MayPac #KentuckyDerby #Avengers #NFLDraft

This has been one of the greatest weekends in quite some time. So much has happened since Friday night and now that the weekend is almost over, I'm just as tired as if I worked all week. I've been sitting around trying to think of a more active weekend then May 1st - 3rd of 2015 and I just can't bring anything to mind. Why was this weekend so great?

Friday night for me started with "Avengers: Age of Ultron." I grew up as a huge comic book fan and I've come to love their movies. I saw "Avengers" in 2012 and I've waited patiently for this sequel and it finally arrived. Unlike most sequels, I wasn't worried about being disappointed because every Marvel Comic movie has been done to perfection since "Iron Man" debuted in 2008. The original "Avengers" movie from 2012 became my all-time favorite movie after seeing it and let me say that the sequel is an extremely close second! An awesome movie that non-comic fans may not appreciate, but those who are familiar with the characters will enjoy.

Grade: A+

After sleeping until 9 AM, I spent Saturday morning cleaning for the most part. I did a lot of moving, discarding, and rearranging. Later that afternoon, I fired up the grill and started to throw down on some vittles. Chicken legs, turkey burgers, hot dogs, and pork chops made up the BBQ roster. As I prepared, I peeked inside at the TV from time-to-time to see if the 141st Kentucky Derby had started.
Dating back to my youth, the Kentucky Derby was always a big deal. I was around 6 years old the last time a horse won the Triple Crown in horse racing. So I'm always excited to see the first leg of the Triple Crown races to see who will be the horse to watch. The Kentucky Derby is generally one of the most exciting two minutes you'll ever see in a "spectator sport."

I would have liked to have seen more action towards the front of the pack, but the race basically came down to two horses. It was neck-and-neck down the stretch before American Pharoah pulled off the victory by a length. American Pharoah will be the horse to follow as they move on to the next leg of the Triple Crown in a few weeks.

Grade: A- 

The NFL Draft was going on throughout the day on Saturday. I didn't take the time to watch it, but I was elated when I found out that a friend of mine had a stepson get drafted by the New England Patriots. Congratulations to Matthew Wells, Mississippi State linebacker. I hope that the Patriots get good use out of your versatility.  I only hate that my Cowboys didn't see his potential, but I am happy with their draft.  Training camp is just around the corner and Preseason will be here in just a couple of months.  I can smell the tailgating in the air already!

Grade: Gotta give an A+ when someone you once saw play in high school makes it to the NFL. 

Lastly was the Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao fight. "The Fight of the Century" as dubbed by the promoters. Well, the actual fight didn't live up to its name, but the hype surrounding it most definitely did. This was probably the most anticipated fight in the history of boxing. For six years people have asked for this fight and last night it finally happened. Here's my take on the fight: I enjoyed it. Many loyal boxing fans did. I saw a lot of negative comments on Facebook and Twitter about Mayweather "running" from Pacquiao.

Unfortunately, people watch too many mixed martial arts and Rocky movies and assume that every title fight is a war. That's not necessarily the case. You're not supposed to get hit in boxing. Muhammad Ali most famously said, "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee." Not "stand toe-to-toe and swing for the fences." And if it's good enough for Ali then it's good enough for me.

Mayweather dodged Pacquiao's punches, landed punches of his own, and got back out of Pacquiao's way. I can't blame the man for doing what boxing was based on: "make him miss then make him pay." Everyone knows Mayweather's style so I don't understand the complaining. It's like buying an ice cream cone in the summer and getting mad because it melted before you got home. You should have expected it. Was this fight worth the $99 I spent? Absolutely not. However, very few fights in the history of boxing would have been.

Grade: B+ 

As you can see, I had a very active Friday and Saturday. Today is my grandmother's 92nd birthday, so I will be going to see her to celebrate her being blessed with another year on this earth. My god daughter has a dance recital in a few hours, so if I'm lucky then I can get that in as well. This has really just been an awesome weekend.

50 Shades of Hype

Let me first say that the title is not in reference to the movie itself. It's in reference to the critics who have come out against the movie... I saw "50 Shades of Grey" last Friday. It's not the type of movie that I'd see at the theater, but I was out with The Lady and she had interest in it. The night before there were local news stories galore of people boycotting the movie because it promoted domestic violence. Well, to those people I have to say, "you obviously didn't see the movie."

I think that they're basing that complaint on either what they've heard or read. There were people who said that the movie promoted lust and sin. Well, to those people I have to say, "you're absolutely right." LOL! However, so do a majority of primtetime TV shows you same critics enjoy. John 8:7 much? Be consistent is all I'm saying. No one likes a "hypo-Christian" (hypocrite).

As far as the movie goes, I actually enjoyed it. I've never read the book nor do I have a desire for that, but the movie was a solid 7 out of 10 for me. The first hour was really good as the characters developed. The second hour kind of dragged on a bit too long for me, but it wasn't bad by any means. It just kind of lost my interest for a bit. However, I think that the average person would enjoy the movie as the main characters both played their roles very well. I would definitely be interested in the sequel.

To speak on the domestic violence angle, there wasn't any. Maybe the book plays out differently, but the movie didn't have any domestic violence or degradation of women whatsoever. Everything was consensual and nothing was ever forced. In fact, Christian Grey, the lead character, constantly gave Anastasia Steele options to leave at any time if she didn't approve of something. Aside from some "stalkerish" tendencies Christian had, the movie wasn't something worth protesting in my opinion.  Again, I'm a guy, so take it for what it's worth. However, The Lady seemed to agree with me on that point.

Now, the sex. I know that's what a lot of people who have yet to see the movie want to know the most about. In my opinion, the sex was no more than what I've seen in movies like "Fatal Attraction" with Michael Douglas or Glenn Close. It definitely wasn't as graphic as Lisa Bonet and Mickey Rourke in "Angel Heart." I still have nightmares about that one. It was just movie sex. Not as bad as Cinemax, but bad enough for those under 17 to not be allowed to see it. No frontal nudity or anything.  In fact, if it weren't for the nudity, this movie wouldn't have been any more provocative than an episode of "Scandal" or "How to Get Away with Murder."

So, let's do away with the "50 Shades of Hype" for those trying to condemn this movie. It's just a movie. And if you are chomping at the bit to criticize it then can you at least see it first? Do what a majority of social media participants don't do and make an informed decision.

Is Marvel Comics Going for Shock Value?

I've been a fan of Marvel Comics since I was a kid.  In fact, I still have a ton of comics that I would love to sell if anyone is interested.  Let me refocus on my blog post and get dollar signs out of my eyes.

A lot of comic book fans are purists and hate to see the slightest deviation of their beloved characters.  Well, Marvel has taken deviation to an entirely new level with what they have in store for Thor fans.

Thor the God of Thunder will soon be Thor the Goddess of Thunder.

That's right.  The most masculine guy with long hair in all of Marvel Comics is getting a sex change.  Well, I actually don't know how they plan on writing her into the story, but know that "he" is soon to be a "she."

I wonder if Marvel is doing this for shock value.  Changes like this grabs headlines and there's nothing wrong with a little buzz around your product even if it's from angry purists.  Another alternative could be that maybe they're trying to bring in a female fan base.  After all, girls probably read a lot more than boys these days.  Either way I'm guessing that Marvel will want to keep from causing confusion and this will be a temporary move until the Avengers movie comes out in 2015.  It would be extremely odd to have Thor as a woman in the comics and a man on the silver screen.

In any event, I don't care about this one way or the other.  If I were 8 years old again and still reading comics regularly then I'm sure that I would be pissed.  But, Marvel can do no wrong when it comes to making money, so who am I to question their decision making.

I will admit that the change caught me completely by surprise though.  And I thought Archie Andrews getting shot was a shocker.  The next thing you'll be trying to get me to believe is that Captain America will be replaced by a black man.

  OH, SNAP!

#T2Q's Toss Up Thursday, 1/23/14 (PHOTO)

What I Learned from The Best Man Holiday Movie

Normally, I reserve taking a trip to the movie theater for action films.  I just feel like I can get more bang for my buck to see/hear explosions on the big screen.  Comedies and dramas seem more appropriate for Netflix at home.

However, since I'm in a relationship now, those decisions aren't always mine.  So, when something comes out that she wants to see, then I make it my business to give her the same courtesy of going as she does for me.  This recently included the movie, "The Best Man Holiday."

It's a sequel to the 1999 movie, "The Best Man" which was about some dude who got married to a woman who cheated on him with his best friend.  Well, there was more to it than that, but I don't want to get into all of that.

Anyhoo, this movie has been rated only 5 or 6 stars out of 10 from most movie review websites.  I tend to disagree.  This movie had everything: singing, comedy, drama, tragedy, and even action.  

Because of the ratings, this movie will probably not win any major awards.  The actors, who were all on-point, will not be walking the red carpet with any hardware for their efforts either.  Mainly because most people prejudge this movie before even walking into the theater.  After all, it's a "black movie" to most of the critics.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  You could have substituted any race in this movie and it would have still been virtually the same.  

What I got most from the movie is that TBMH really taught some life lessons throughout those 123 minutes.  I can say that definitively because it hit really close to home in regards to one of the main plot lines.

* SPOILER ALERT * (skip to the Spoiler Alert ending if you plan on seeing this movie)

It hit close to home for me because it involved a man on the verge of starting the "cruise control" part of life who lost his wife to a slow death -- cancer.  Morris Chestnut's character, Lance, had to learn how draw strength from his wife's suffering.  She taught him how to love, forgive, and appreciate.  He did everything that she said because he knew that she was telling him "the right thing."  You tend to take things a lot more seriously coming from the mouth of someone who is dying.

* END OF SPOILER *

The viewers of this movie will learn that, too.  At least I hope that they will.  Too often I see people who don't appreciate what they have in their family and friends.  They take people for granted with the utmost of confidence that they'll always be around.  They treat people poorly not thinking of how that person could be gone with the next breath.  They dismiss opportunities to spend time with someone because they assume there's always tomorrow.  They never miss a good thing until it's taken away from them.

That's not me.  Although there are some things I would do differently if I had a do-over with my mom and The Mrs. if they were still alive, I have no regrets.  I enjoyed them while they were here and never stopped showing my appreciation.  It doesn't mean that I didn't have lapses.  There were times I could have been a better son/husband.  But, I'm human.  Those things will happen.  I've learned from those lapses and it has made me a better son to my father and I'll be an even better husband when that time comes.

The main thing is that now that they're gone, I can look myself in the mirror and say with confidence that I showed them that I loved them both.  For those of you who have never lost a parent, child, close friend, etc., can you do the same?  

If someone in your household died tomorrow, can you honestly look in the mirror and say that "I gave them 100% of me?"  Will they take their last breath knowing that you love them?

Think Like A Woman

"Think Like A Man, Too" arrives in 2014.

I saw this movie on Blu Ray a few months ago and it was pretty entertaining.  The story wasn't bad and it had a lot of funny parts.  The ton of product placement in the movie got old, but that's just the world we live in these days.

However, what I didn't like about the movie is the message that it sent: the movie, like the book, basically insinuates that if a woman thinks like a man, then she can find a good one.  Well, I think that's the farthest thing from the truth if I ever heard it.

Don't get me wrong.  There is something to be learned from the movie.  Most of it are things that the average adult should know already, however, sometimes we all need to get back to the basics on things.  Dr. Phil wouldn't have a job if it weren't for people needing the basics from time-to-time.  But, when it comes to what a man wants...

A man wants a woman who thinks like a woman.

I mean, surely that makes sense right?  If a man wanted a woman who thought like a man, then he would probably date a man.  A woman who is plotting and scheming her every move based on how I would think probably shouldn't be with me in the first place.  After all, if you have to keep a step ahead of the man you're dating to prevent him from getting over on you, then he's not a good guy in the first place.

Dating can be pretty hard.  Finding two people on the same page isn't easy and I get that.  Men have so much leverage these days because there are plenty of women willing to make things easy for us.  That makes it harder for the respectable women to date and that's a shame.  The respectable woman has to either wait on a man to decide that he's not about the games any more or work twice as hard to get his attention.

I know that it sounds like I'm hating on the movie, but I'm not.  The movie isn't bad.  However, it's just that: a movie.  It's entertainment.  Yet, I've seen so many women, especially on social networks, treat it as if it's a documentary.  All of them are pretty much still single, too.

Do you feel like "thinking like a man" can help you land a good one (or change a bad one)?

Kung Fu is Life

My favorite kung fu movie of all-time!

I treasure a lot of things from my youth.  I only needed a few things to make me happy: football, comic books, and kung fu movies.

What was so enjoyable about kung fu movies was the fact that there was never a complicated plot.  In fact, 90% of those movies from the 70's and 80's had the same plot: student cherishes master, master gets killed by his rival, student goes into the woods and trains until he's good enough to avenge his master's death.

Simple, right?  Mix that simple plot in with mind-numbing action for two hours and it's a young boy's paradise!  I spent my Saturday afternoon's from noon to 2 PM watching "Blackbelt Theater."  A different martial arts movie every week.

Flash forward to 2013 and as a 41 year old man, I haven't grown out of my love for kung fu flicks.  I can appreciate Jason Statham movies, but modern day martial arts movies are completely different from old school kung fu movies.  Most of the kung fu movies that I enjoyed took place in some ancient time in Chinese history.  No guns, cars, or anything like that.  Primitive weapons like blow guns, spears, swords, and other things that encouraged a lot of hand-to-hand fighting.

However, one of the most intriguing parts of these old movies were the supernatural effect!  Seeing these people do things like leaping 20 feet in the air or catching arrows being shot at them is what attracts most kids.  It gives the characters super hero elements that young kids like me could enjoy.  In fact, I was probably close to six years old before I was smart enough to realize that all Asian people didn't have some sort of kung fu ability.  I thought that it was taught in schools over there like the alphabets were taught here.

Needless to say that I was disappointed when I got to 2nd grade and met my first Asian friend.  He couldn't even break through when we played "Red Rover" at school.  I guess he should have spent his Saturday afternoons watching "Blackbelt Theater."

They don't make too many kung fu movies any more.  Recently, I got to enjoy "The Man With The Iron Fists" starring RZA, Russell Crowe, and Lucy Liu.  It was a pretty good movie which took place before modern times.  Mix in the fact that the RZA pretty much did the entire soundtrack for the movie and you have a perfect combination for me: Wu Tang Clan and kung fu.

"Out of my way!  It's a tax free weekend at the mall!"

"42" Isn't Black History... It's American History

I recently saw the movie based on Jackie Robinson's life, "42."  For those born under rocks, Robinson is credited with breaking the color barrier in America's Game, Major League Baseball.  Now, I'm not one to do movie reviews, but this movie was so important to me, that I felt compelled to blog about it.  I grew up a Los Angeles Dodgers fan in the 70's, not even knowing what Jackie had done as a Brooklyn Dodger in the 40's.  In fact, I was almost in my teens before I really knew the story of Jackie Robinson.

I'm not going to literally break down plots or spoilers of the movie, but I do want to discuss what the movie represents: "42," written and directed by Brian Helgeland, didn't simply present the movie as a focus on Robinson's life.  He presented the movie from multiple perspectives so that anyone could appreciate it.  "42" isn't black history, it's American history.

If you go to see this movie, and I hope that you will, then be prepared to pay close attention to everything.  Not just what Jackie went through, but how it affected everyone around him from family to teammates.  By the time the two hours and eight minutes are up in this film, you will have experienced the following:

• How Jackie felt just simply trying to play the sport that he loved as a black man.
• How black people once encouraged one another to succeed.
• How athletes once inspired youth based on their on-the-field play and not their off-the-field style.
• How many white people wanted to see change in the U.S. in regards to racial equality.
• How a man benefited from and showed love to a loyal and confident wife.
• How racism is a learned behavior.
• How Jackie's teammates unfairly suffered simply from being on the same team as a black man.
• How one man's bravery literally changed the lives of millions.

Now, that's saying a lot, but that's exactly what I got out of this movie and more.  Will the movie win an award?  Well, Harrison Ford wasn't too shabby and may be considered for an Oscar.  Chadwick Boseman was great as Jackie Robinson and Nicole Beharie was flawless as his wife, Rachel.  My longshot to win an award is the sportswriter, Wendell Smith, played by Andre Holland.  I truly enjoyed his role in the movie.

Jackie's life didn't just change baseball.  It changed the country, just as a lot of historical moments in sports have.  We may not have seen Arthur Ashe or Tiger Woods had it not been for Jackie Robinson.  Sure, someone would have broken into those sports, but it may not have been them.  It may have come later had Robinson not already set the stage.  

In fact, one reason I'm not a fan of Tiger Woods to this day is because of Jackie Robinson.  Back in 1997, Tiger was invited to be the speaker at the 50th Anniversary of Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball.  President Bill Clinton invited Tiger to attend the event with Jackie's widow, Rachel, and be the guest speaker.  Tiger refused because he was going on vacation with his friends.

Excuse me?

Jackie Robinson was the difference between Tiger Woods putting on grass instead of cutting the grass.

Reread that sentence again and think about it for a second.  Robinson paved the way for people like Tiger and to me, nothing short of Armageddon should have prevented Woods from standing on that podium next to Rachel Robinson and honoring the man who set the standard.  Tiger can play in a white man's sport and win an event, which is ironically called "The Masters," because Jackie opened the door.  In fact, Tiger had won The Masters just two days before the Robinson anniversary.  The timing would have been perfect.  But, he was "tired" and wanted to relax.  For that, I will forever smile when he loses a Major event on the PGA Tour.

I have a poster of Jackie Robinson that will go up in my man cave as soon as the frame arrives for it.  I'm not a new fan of Robinson.  I've had his jersey for as long as I can remember.  But, this movie not only made me a bigger fan of his, but it rekindled my affection for baseball as well.  A sport that I'd left for dead after the 1994 strike.

Jackie Robinson became much more than a player.  He became a hero.  He became an icon.  He became a source of inspiration.  America can still be a great country if we simply had some people brave enough to spark change.  That includes removing the teaching of racism in this country.  Pee Wee Reese, Jackie's teammate, once told him that, "maybe someday, everyone will wear number 42 so that we can't tell each other apart."

He never knew those words would be prophetic.

Every April, every team wears #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson

I Can't With Movies

"Stop with the saturation, creep!"

Back in the Summer of 1987, I had my driver's license and freedom to pretty much go to the movies as I pleased. There were 44 movies released in the Summer of '87 and I saw quite a few of them: "Predator," "Dragnet," "Robocop," "Superman IV," and "The Lost Boys."

 Well, fast-forward to 2012 and I don't go to the movies as often as I once did. Mainly because I'm older and I'm sick of crying babies, cell phone conversations and people talking to the screen.

However, even if I did want to attend more often, I wouldn't know how I would keep up with all of the movies that are being released these days. Like I said earlier, in 1987, 44 movies were released for the entire summer (from June 1 - August 31). Just last year, there were 44 movies released before June 13th! 

44 movies in 13 days?  How in the world am I to keep up?  I like having options, but only if they're quality options.  Choosing from three quality things is more satisfying than choosing from six mediocre things.

I subscribe to HBO, Showtime, Hulu Plus, Netflix and Crackle yet I can't find the time to watch the movies that are being released week after week, after week.  So often, people ask me things like, "Yo, Q, did you check out the latest "Final Destination?'"

Me: "There's more than one?"

I can't keep up!  Not only are there a lot of movies, but there are a lot of sequels to these movies as well.  Do we need multiple versions of movies like "American Pie" or "Scary Movie?"  I just found out today, when researching for this blog, that there was a 4th "Jaws."  I had no idea because when it comes to keeping up, I can't with movies.

Everything is becoming so saturated these days.  1,000+ TV channels to watch with most of them sharing some of the same programming. Thousands of internet radio options with different versions of similar genres.  Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Classic Jazz and Metro Blend?  Really?

Double digit number of talk shows from "The View" to "The Chew."  Even the names aren't creative any more.  FOX created FX and now FXX?  That's flat-out laughable.  Even shows that I once enjoyed like "Law & Order" (4 spin-offs), "C.S.I." (2 spin-offs) and others just couldn't get by with only one.

I can't keep up with it all! The reason we're not as good as we used to be in this country is because we rarely take the time to perfect something. We get it started and once it's up-and-running, before maximizing it's abilities, we move on to something else to make more money.  That's why Pizza Hut started selling chicken wings and your car only gets 22 miles per gallon, but will allow you to check Facebook messages.

Do you think we have more quantity and less quality in entertainment these days?

"Q... Thank, Q..."

I'm an avid television watcher. When I was a kid, I had favorite characters that I enjoyed watching whenever I got the opportunity. All kids are impressionable and I wanted to be some sort of super hero or good guy when I grew up. Because of that, I absolutely enjoyed movies where these guys would either get the girl, kill the bad guy or both. However, although I could appreciate the efforts of many fine actors who has graced the big screen, there was only one who I thought stood alone when it came down to best action character of all-time....

Clint Eastwood's character as "The Man With No Name" in the "A Fistful of Dollars" trilogy was one of my favorites while growing up, but can't compare to my #1.

Sylvester Stallone's character as "John Rambo" from the "Rambo" series was a lot of fun to watch, but still can't compare to my #1.

Can you name them all?  Most won't know the 2nd from the left.

Bond... James Bond. (Bond fanfare plays) Six people have played Bond in all of these movies dating back 50 years ago today to 1962's "Dr. No." I've seen all of these movies multiple times, but to be honest, I always feel the need to watch them again whenever a marathon is available for me to do so.

This character was the ultimate idol for a male kid. He had the clothes, cars, gadgets, fighting skills and the women. Did I mention that he had the women? Bond Girls, as they're so affectionately called, had not only a prominent role in these movies, but some of the most interesting names as well:

Dr. Holly Goodhead
Plenty O'Toole
Honey Ryder
Strawberry Fields
And every man's favorite, Pussy Galore.

Yeah, you read that correctly. Click the link if you don't believe me. At one time, an actress' career was elevated to an entirely new level once she became a Bond girl. Kim Basinger and Teri Hatcher's careers both soared after appearing in Bond movies. Being a Bond girl isn't that big of a deal these days since the younger generation doesn't embrace the Bond movies as I once did. I can't necessarily blame them too much given the number of new action heroes on the silver screen for them to idolize. They could feel the same way about "The Bourne Identity" or "The Transporter" series as I once did as a kid about the Bond movies.

Every now and then, Bond movies will mix in flashbacks from the past. (1962 meets 2002)

Another thing that Bond movies had was music. The coolest theme song ever, in my opinion. The most dramatic and recognizable fanfare whenever he had a "Bond moment" and did something super-cool. To top it off, the theme songs for his movies are usually pretty memorable. "Nobody Does It Better" by Carly Simon, "A View to a Kill" performed by Duran Duran and "Live & Let Die" by Paul McCartney.  Now Adele is in the mix for the newest movie "Skyfall."

And for those of you who are also Bond fans, I know you would probably ask my opinion on which actors played Bond the best:

1. Sean Connery - the total package
2. Roger Moore - very humorous, but not quite as smooth as Connery
3. Pierce Brosnan - very smooth, but not quite as humorous as Connery

Worst one? Timothy Dalton by a landslide! I would have rather watched Seth Rogan play Bond than Dalton.  'Nuff said.

My favorite character of all-time has been around for what will be 23 movies when the next installment, "Skyfall," comes out. I'm hoping that this movie will be successful and springboard the character of James Bond for another 50 years. How awesome is it that "Skyfall" will be released the weekend of my birthday?

Who is your favorite recurring movie character of all-time?

Talk 2 Actress, @ElinaMadison!

Air date: Wednesday, August 22nd, at 10 PM EDT / 7 PM PDT

Stream live from the interactive chat room or call (347) 202-0215 to speak with Hollywood film star, 

Elina Madison! 

Elina's portfolio of work has earned her the moniker of “Scream Queen” of the silver screen, but she's much more than that!  She's an actress, a producer and writer who has appeared in more than 80 films.  She will soon be seen as the desperate mother and abused wife, Lorelei, in "Huff" with Charlie O’Connell, (September 2012) and playing the beautiful and loyal wife of Dracula in Creep Creepersin’s "Dracula" (January 2013).

Here's your chance to join our chat room or call in to speak to her about any of her upcoming roles or her career.

Follow her on Twitter @ElinaMadison

For more information on Elina, contact Jey Associates!

Elina Madison is from Cheyenne, Wyoming and lives in Los Angeles. She has a successful career in film and television and has worked with incredible directors such as David Lynch on "Mulholland Drive" and Tom Hanks on "That Thing You Do". Recent work includes feature films "Huff", "Chop" and the ensemble character study "Small Town Saturday Night" starring Chris Pine and John Hawkes. She also co-starred in the Award winning feature film "Barracuda". She has starred in numerous horror genre films such as the classic "Miners Massacre", "Creepshow 3", "Petrified" and the remake of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" as well as producing and starring in "Corporate Cut Throat Massacre".

Elina has also starred in her share of comedies such as award winning "Kissing Cousins" and "Stand Up", as well as taking a dramatic turn in independent films as the lead heroine Minty in "Minty: The Assassin". In television, she has guest-starred on Emmy nominated "Brothers & Sisters" and NBC’s "Las Vegas" as well as working on shows such as "Mystery ER", reoccurring on "Untold Stories of the ER", National Geographic, Nickelodeon and The Discovery Channel as well as numerous other films and television programs and several local and national commercials.

Women in Action

Things have changed since I watched television on a 19-inch Magnavox color TV back in 1978. My father, brother and I would watch a lot of movies when there weren't any sports on. I became a huge fan of action movies. I was either watching Clint Eastwood shoot a bad guy in a Western flick or checking out Charles Bronson blowing up some low lifes in the city streets.

However, around the early-to-mid 80's, I started seeing a new trend in action movies like "Alien," "Halloween," and "Nightmare on Elm Street." I started seeing females with the leading role in action movies. Back then, there weren't too many women in action movies. Sure, you had Pam Grier in the 70's and Cynthia Rothrock in the 80's, but there just weren't too many options at the theater to see women who consistently made action flicks. Most of the time, you had to catch these ladies via Blockbuster video.

In 2012, we now have a plethora of females who kick butt for a living in the movie theaters. Most of us are familiar with Angelina Jolie's track record. The sultry actress, with the lips that would make a lollipop weep tears of joy, is probably the most popular female action hero at this time. With movies like "Wanted," "Salt," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and the "Tomb Raider" series, she's leading the pack when it comes to being a leading character in great action movies. By the way, if you haven't seen "Wanted" yet, then do yourself a favor and put it in your Netflix queue now. It's "The Matrix 2.0."

But, I have some other favorites that I enjoy seeing on the big screen as well. You have probably heard of all of them or maybe saw them without knowing who they were.

 Michelle Rodriguez

Why no one has developed a series of movies starring Michelle in a leading role is beyond me. She has the toughness and edginess that makes her the female version of a Jason Statham. With roles in "Machete," "Fast & Furious," "SWAT" and "Girl Fight," Rodriguez normally takes a "tomboy" approach to her roles and pulls it off nicely.

Zoe Saldana

This lady is blowing up these days. She's starting to appear in blockbuster movies on a regular basis. With flicks like "The Losers," "Avatar" and "Star Trek" to her credit, she is on her way to be one of Hollywood's highest paid ladies. Saldana has even recently landed a starring role, in a movie worthy of a sequel, "Colombiana." What started as an appearance as an uncredited extra on "Law & Order" back in the 90's has turned into millions.

Devon Aoki

She's very close to being my favorite, but that lack of a mainstream, leading roles prevents it. Aoki, who is trademarked with that permanent scowl in each movie, doesn't have the acting talents of some of the more well-known actresses. But, despite being limited in the types of roles she could play, has the potential to be a huge star with the right script. She wasn't that appealing to me in "2 Fast & 2 Furious," but her roles in "DOA: Dead or Alive" and "Sin City" were right up her alley. Hopefully, the Sin City sequel, scheduled for release in 2013, will finally put her on the map.  She's an assassin movie waiting to happen if anyone is willing to give her the opportunity.

Guys, who is your favorite female action star? Ladies, who is your favorite male action star?