Poetry: "Conspiracies" A work in progress

Poetry: "Conspiracies" A work in progress

Conspiracies oft go all the way to the top

But don't try telling that to a cop

For your freedom it may stop

And in a strait-jacket you may flop...

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Red"

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Red"

Character(s)/Actor(s): Frank Moss (Bruce "Die Hard" Willis), Sarah (Mary Louise "Weeds" Parker), Joe (Morgan "Shawshank Redemption" Freeman), Victoria (Helen "The Queen" Mirren), Marvin (John "Being John Malkovich" Malkovich), Cooper (Karl "Star Trek" Urban), James "The Warriors" Remar, Richard "Jaws" Dreyfuss, Ernest Borgnine, etc.

Bruce Willis plays Frank Moss, a retired C.I.A. agent who not only has a difficult job adjusting to retirement, but he and several of his aging former colleagues are all branded as "RED" or "Retired, Extremely Dangerous" by the powers that be. Moss and friends become targets of a seemingly endless wave of government assassins led by an agent Cooper (Karl Urban). Frank goes on an unannounced visit of Sarah, a pension customer service rep (Mary Louise Parker) he often calls just to talk and he abducts her to save her life. These "RED" former trained killers are very hard to kill and won't go away quietly. Meanwhile, Moss, Sarah, and his ex-spy friends travel all over to survive and they even break into the highly secure Central Intelligence Agency headquarters. This movie was over the top and highly implausible, but Willis and his fellow targeted retirees are fun to watch. John Malkovich was a hoot as Marvin, a paranoid old man who was once frequently dosed with LSD while an agent. Unless you don't like action movies with a certain amount of comic relief, you should enjoy this movie.

Poetry: "Tempus Fugit" [Time Flies]

Poetry: "Tempus Fugit" [Time Flies]

Tempus Fugit

Time does fly

Like an airplane in the sky

If it crashes you may die

Ere your loved ones say goodbye... (tbc?)

Essay: Too Many Movies To See"

Essay: "Too Many Movies To See"

I try to see at least one movie a week. Sometimes I see several in a week, but since I have cable tv I don't see as many films as I used to. Until recently, if I really enjoyed a movie I would see it a number of times before it went to home video. I have seen "Raiders of the Lost Ark" about 15 times, I have seen the "Planet of the Apes" movies at least a dozen times. I have seen "Goodfellas" about 8 times, I'm not exactly proud of it, but I have seen the notorious "Showgirls" about 5 times. These days certain movies I really want to see I never get to see in theaters because if a movie isn't popular in its opening week it may get pulled a week or so later to make way for other films. For instance, I never got to see the superhero movie "Kickass" in a local theater because it got pulled so fast. Most recently, I really wanted to see the vampire movie "Let Me In" but in the week it was there I saw "The Social Network" and "Case 39" on my only days off from work. Chances are, "The Social Network" will be playing at least 4 weeks at my local theater, while if I wanted to see "Let Me In" the only place it was playing in my area was thirty some-odd miles away with one show at 11:50 p.m. when I'm very likely to fall asleep during some or much of the movie. In fact, I originally planned to go but I was too tired to make it. I suppose I'll settle for when its on home video or cable, but I shouldn't have to. Fortunately, most movies are just about as good on the small screen, except for epics such as "Lawrence of Arabia" or certain big action films. If a movie nut like myself can't see all the films I would like to, perhaps movie distributor's should slow down with how many films are out there to see.

Poetry: "Living On Fumes", "Truants"

Poetry: "Living On Fumes"

Living on fumes

I'm financially doomed

Bankruptcy looms

So sweep me away with a broom.

"Truants"

Truants who are AWOL from school

Oft grow up to be fools

They think they're so cool

But they're from the shallow end of the pool... (tbc?)

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "The Social Network"

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "The Social Network"

Starring: Jesse "Zombieland" Eisenberg (Mark Zuckerberg), Justin Timberlake (Shawn Parker), etc.

Based on the true to life story of how a nearly friendless computer nerd at Harvard University around 2003 became the youngest billionaire in history soon after founding the popular Facebook website. It started out at Harvard and gradually proliferated to other colleges and eventually to millions of computer users around the world. Much of the movie takes place in disciplinary hearings against Zuckerberg, but he eventually has the last laugh. Along the way, Mark's evidently sole friend helps him fund the venture, but the friend and several other Harvard-based rivals sue him over the idea. Eisenberg gives a potentially award-winning performance, and surprisingly, popular singer Timberlake was also excellent as the hard-partying Shawn Parker, founder of the notorious Napster music-sharing website. Parker gets involved in Facebook, much to the chagrin of Zuckerberg's best friend and business partner. This movie was really interesting and fun to watch, somewhat similar to the earlier movie "21" about M.I.T. students who start card counting in Las Vegas.

TV Worth Watching: "Boardwalk Empire"

TV Worth Watching: "Boardwalk Empire" TV MA for Violence, Nudity, Profanity and Sexual Situations On Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO

Executive Produced by: Martin Scorsese ( Director of"Goodfellas", "Taxi Driver", etc.)

Starring: Steve Buscemi ( "Fargo"), Michael Pitt, Gretchen Mol ("The Notorious Betty Page"), etc.

In the 1920s in Atlantic City, New Jersey, local politician Nucky Thompson (Steve Buscemi) attends a woman's temperance [anti-alcohol] meeting when Prohibition is about to become the law of the land. Little do these women know, Thompson is or will be heavily involved in the bootlegging business and will do almost anything to keep the liquor and the money resulting from illicit booze flowing. He has many policemen on his payroll, but there are certain FBI agents who would love to put him out of business and maybe even behind bars. Before long, he starts to associate with well-known gangsters like Lucky Luciano and a young Al Capone. It is amazing what Nucky seems to get away with, and that's what makes this show so fun to watch. I predict that Steve Buscemi will be at least nominated for an Emmy or a similar acting award for this role. If you can afford HBO, this show is reason in itself to get it.

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Devil"

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Devil"

Dir.: M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense")

Starring: Bokeem Woodbine, etc.

Soon after a person commits suicide by jumping off a building five people: a security guard, a mechanic, a sleazy salesman, a young woman, and an older woman; become trapped in an elevator. After awhile, strange things start to happen, they turn on each other, and then they start to die one by one. One of those on the elevator is the Devil in human form, who is there to torment the others, who each have done terrible things to other people. Meanwhile, an alcoholic detective is on the scene, who is still grieving the death of his wife and son by a drunk driver several years before. I have seen similar movies before. I enjoyed this movie, especially guessing who may be the Devil in human form. The "Sixth Sense" and "Signs" were better movies, but this is one of M. Night Shyalaman's better movies.

Poetry: "Como Usta, Kinichiwa" A work in progress

Poetry: "Como Usta, Kinichiwa" A work in progress

Como Usta, Kinichiwa

Tell me how you've been

Later tonight it's a time for sin... (tbc)

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Case 39"

Sci-Fi Bri's Movies: "Case 39" Rated R for Violence and Disturbing Images

Starring: Emily Jenson (Renee' "Chicago" Zellweger), Doug (Bradley "The Hangover", "Alias" Cooper) ,

Detective Mike (Ian "Kings" McShane), Lilith Sullivan (Jodelle Ferland), etc.

Emily Jenson (Renee' Zellweger), a harried but caring social worker with child protective services, reluctantly takes on another case of Lilith Sullivan, a seemingly sweet little girl who shows signs of parental neglect. After meeting with the girl's parents, Emily has a feeling in her gut that the girl is being physically abused. During a late night trip to the girl's house with a detective friend (Ian McShane) in tow, she hears screams and catches the parents trying to kill their own child. After the parents are put away, Ms. Jenson agrees to take in young Lilith until a suitable foster family is found. Soon afterward, Emily's friends start to die in strange and terrible ways, plus tragic circumstances also befall many of her young clients who are in therapy with the little girl Lilith. Lilith may or may not be truly evil or diabolical. Soon after taking the girl in, Jenson starts to act erratically and may be going insane. Showing a little girl being thrown into an oven will be too disturbing for many moviegoers, but horror movie fans will likely enjoy this film.

Poetry: "Fake IDs and Spelling Bees" A work in progress

Poetry: "Fake IDs and Spelling Bees" A work in progress

Fake IDs and Spelling Bees

Burger King and party brie

Words by Goethe and abscessed teeth

Dirty jokes and secondhand smokes... (tbc?)