Veronica Mars

The story of Veronica Mars is very cool!

It was a TV show for 3 seasons, starting in 2004. It achieved critical success but a very small, yet loyal audience. Turns out that this audience wasn't just loyal - they were rabid!

Not willing to let go, this small cult funded its movie through a kickstarter-type campaign. And in 2014 Veronica Mars: The Movie debuted.

Very loyal! Very cool!

Based on the idea that such dedication surely can't be misplaced, and on a recommendation from Sezduck (not in that order), I embarked on the journey...

And found it sucks. Just kidding. It's great! But I think it needs to be seen in order. Her story is very cool (see what I did there?):

Veronica (Kristen Bell), in Season 1, is a high school student in the town of Neptune, CA. Her best friend is killed so she uses skills gleaned from her father (ex-sheriff, now PI) to try to catch the murderer. Basically, she's Nancy Drew - in the 21st century using current technology. Lots more is involved, of course. Yes, it does get soap opera-esque here and there, but it also has lots of acerbic wit and gets dark. Dark! Season 1 ROCKS!! Must-see!!

Season 2 is a little more disjointed and soap opera-ish, but it still ROCKS!! In an effort to boost ratings they have some fun cameos. Kevin Smith plays a clerk (HA!) and Joss Whedon pays homage to Smith by playing a clerk (HA HA!!). I liked parts of 2 better than 1! As a whole, I'm not sure which I'd choose. Too close to call. Must-see!!

Season 3 is very disjointed, sometimes hard to keep up with the details, but I still looked forward to seeing that Netflix envelope in my mailbox. Still good! Worth watching!

The Movie: 10 years go by for the characters, 7 years for fans but only 2 days for me! I was really expecting something to knock my socks off and didn't get it. Looking back, and watching it again, I realized that my sights were set way too high (and maybe lack of sleep had a part). But it's still Veronica! It's still good! Maybe better than Season 3?

So, thanks for the suggestion, Sezduck! Best stuff I've seen in a while!

Inequality for All

I'd consider this documentary a must-see no matter what part of the political spectrum you see yourself on - Left, Right, somewhere in the middle, or even on the fringe.

Inequality for All, 2013, is Robert Reich making a plea to America: please, decrease the wage inequality - the drastic amount more that the top money makers profit as apposed to the "working class".

This isn't "Class Warfare." It's simple economics. Societies run better when the Middle Class earns a comfortable wage. The MC spends most of the money in the market and thus keeps the system going.

There's plenty of proof. Lots of graphs and stats (perhaps a little too many, in spots?), and historical evidence to back up the claims. And they interview Conservatives and Liberals alike. Fox News and Jon Stewart's Daily Show make numerous cameos. 

Unfortunately, when you (meaning me) agree so much with a documentary it's hard to say anything more about it. (I'll) Let the movie speak for itself! 

Broadway Idiot

In 2004 the band Green Day released an album called American Idiot, a rock opera (a la The Who's Tommy) that went platinum. It's a scathing indictment of post-9/11 America. If you already know this and like(d) it rent Broadway Idiot! Now! 

If you didn't know and/or like the album you may still like this documentary. It does explain the concept.

The album inspired a Broadway musical. And this movie is the transition from album to Broadway hit.

This movie is rated R for bad language throughout - songs especially. But my fave is on opening night: "What the *^#& is Donald Trump doing here?!" 

Me - being a casual fan of the band, and a little more eager fan of this album, and a tiny bit theater geek - loved this movie! It made me wish I had seen the theatrical production when it was in town.

As much as I liked the album, I (just from what was shown in this documentary) like the stage version better. A) it points out, subtly, how great an album it is: Lyrically, they didn't change a thing. Musically, they just enhanced what was already there by adding voices - strings, chorus, piano, female vocals, etc. And what was on the album was good enough to go to Broadway with just a little tweaking.  B) The added story lines to turn the album into a musical. I think it works much better following 3 protagonists (plus a couple very necessary, very good lesser characters) rather than just 1. 

It also pointed out a big limitation in (pop) punk rock. All I felt from their album was the rage and angst. The stage version made me feel a lot more. 

But it also made me appreciate the album more at the same time. 

Defendor

Here's an alternative to all the millions of superhero movies out there: 2009's Defendor.

Woody Harrelson plays a man who believes his mission in life is to fight crime - dawn a superhero's uniform to take out the city's evil villain. A crooked cop stand in his way. But he makes headway when he befriends a young prostitute. 

I was expecting a dark comedy (like Kick-Ass - highly recommended!). But it's more of a drama with a few very funny moments. 

The entire cast is great. Writer-director, Peter Stebbings is good in both roles. 

It's not a 5-star movie, But I'd recommend it. 

I rarely like sequels better than their originals, but Red 2 is one of the few! I was on the fence about even seeing 2, based on the first.

What's better than that? You don't even need to watch the first Red to follow this cool little espionage romp.

It's about an ex-CIA agent (Bruce Willis) - having marital issues with his civilian wife (Mary-Louise Parker) - who's forced out of retirement to retrieve a missing nuclear device.

Red 2 is funny. The cast is amazing: Willis, Parker, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, & more. And the action is good. 

My biggest problem with the 1st Red was it's action. It's one thing to make a funny espionage and/or action flick. Just don't make light of the action scenes, in my opinion. (Not even the "best shot in the world" can shoot out an incoming RPG with a handgun, Red! I get it, it's supposed to be funny, but come on.) 

Red 2 takes it's action a lot more seriously. There's some good martial arts in this one. And there's only one instance that I said, "Eh, that's NOT gonna happen." But it was kinda a fun stunt anyway, and I overlooked the impossibility rather easily.

Rent Red 2 for some fun!

Gravity

In a radical departure from this blog's mission statement I'm recommending a movie that's in theaters right now. And you need to see it NOW. You'll read why... 

It's called Gravity (2013). And it makes the most out of a minimalist plot: survival in outer space for astronauts after a catastrophic accident. For those of you who can't watch sci-fi without a big-named franchise attached (Bug, Sezduck), replace "catastrophic accident" with "nefarious Klingon attack" in your mind.

The cast is even more minimalist, but excellent. Sandra Bullock is very good as the Mission Specialist (there for her technical expertise; not a "real" astronaut). But George Clooney nails it! He plays the veteran astronaut perfectly! Ed Harris lends his voice to Houston's Mission Control (kinda sorta reprising his role from Apollo 13). 

Gravity's soundtrack is good (not perfect) - wonderfully non-existent in large chunks. And rightfully so.

It's not the best movie ever. And it won't ever be mistaken for a documentary. But...

See this now! Before it leaves the theater! And splurge for the 3-D!! I won't say it's the best visual effects ever (honestly, I was expecting a little more early in the film), but really good. And, probably the best 3-D movie I've seen. The reason why: they use it to tell a story - not to be just something kinda cool to look at.