The Card: Borussia Dortmund vs Brigsby Bear; Ozzyman & Hilton vs Wilde & Swift

I left my Hot Topic credit card at home, which is probably a good thing, but missing out on $75 of Hot Cash seems to be fumble on my behalf. Feels like it, but I may only have the space for one Funko Pop! in my 18 boxes of 17 toys (19 if you include the wrestling themed box, 20 if you count the ones on display) so it is a good stopping point. Either hold out for a Rei or Squirtle, or find a job that offer printer paper boxes to claim. That may have been the best thing about the I Hotel, but that probably is not indeed.com appropriate.

And with that said, you know I can never just return the particle board palace that Peter Fox built. It would be nice to recoup some income, but I think that I will manage Wizard World somehow. No need to go back to my blogs trashing the place and editing the comments out. Sadly, on a Sunday this slow, that would prevent me from needing to write despite a lack of movies to review or something driving me to satire.

It is July 21 if your are wondering when this is being written. The 19th and 20th involved 12 hours of driving and weather that prevented further exploration of Northwest Indiana. You get to bed at 2 am to wake up at 8 am, you have not met the sleep quota for a "vacation" day. Especially when an hour of driving was taking detours to try and kill a fried chicken craving of mine to no avail. Hence, I went to bed before 10 pm to conclude the quest that witnessed a worthwhile defeat of Liverpool FC.

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I gotta love my girlfriend, she was so dedicated to my love of Newcastle United and disdain for my family's team, she thought that the guys in yellow were the Magpies the whole time. Wearing my 2009-2010 Alan Shearer kit probably helped maintain a level of confusion. In the end, I hope she had fun, instead of giving me lip service the only way she can which her misspelling of Dortmund on her Facebook post about the trip suggests.

It is a long way around to say, "Brigsby Bear" will be next week. As for my satire, Twitter is trying to kill it.

You get the idea for something to rant about, and you do not want to lose it, so you get those 140 character out there as fast as you can. 280 sounds nice, but when your greater social media presence is on Facebook, you better make it small enough that you can put the white text in front of a colorful background.

Do hashtags even work on Facebook? The phone app does not lead me to believe that. Why are Area 51 memes so important that the migration to the less Russian-influenced social network must be placed on hold?

Scarier yet, am I to expect an email from the class of 1999 reunion committee? I do not remember giving them my address. Damn you Zuckerberg!

Then again, one of them may have stole it after reading my request for ideas about how to promote "Main Event of the Dead," my pro-wrestling zombie comedy script. You could have at least faked it and asked for a treatment if you were going to use russthebus07@gmail.com for your own gain?

I suppose it just took a little warming up to get me truly ranting about something, but with the Internet the way it is, Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde could not leave a literary footprint on today's world.

The wisest minds as social media sensations. You might get "Dorian Gray" and "Gulliver's", but those Irishmen would have probably coast on YouTube after that. It makes me rethink my "Ozzyman Reviews" fandom. How active on Twitter is George RR Martin? Are his little birds the reason for the book delays?

You can say something funny like, "here is the nutritional value of one Irish newborn," but if there is no reaction, you will not be inspired to walk it back to produce the long form. I think that is how Twitter has ruined my blogging.

When I think back to the #Hasttag Wars from "@midnight," I got a satisfactory amount of likes, but there was not anything to expand upon. The only rant I could go on would be about somebody winning #WorseStarWars (thank you DiHard for @Midnight Hashtag Archive) with OBGYN-Kenobi since that had been on a T-Shirt Hell product for years. Would that really be of interest to anyone except the bitter losers like myself? Perhaps it is just the feeling of being born to lose at times, but I doubt there are many losers like myself.

I suppose Wilde would have been a YouTube sensation, or would he just be forgotten because of the vacant girls competing against him? His feud with Perez Hilton would be awesome, but when you got so much substance, resist the likes.

In the end, I wonder how these great mics (It is a vanilla-on-vanilla insult. I am at least a quarter-drunk myself. Old wrestling gimmicks die hard.) would have the opportunity to write all these ideas down. Life lack all the conveniences of today. My bitching of a 14-hour Sunday would fall upon deaf ears at that time. Of course, there were probably a lot more deaf ears to fall upon in the age of bleedings and mercury, but I will digress.

Is it the distractions that are really screwing up creativity in general? Is it spirit-crushing capitalism? If only they were around to give us some insight. Provided they did not have a phone to dick around with (imagine Wilde dicking around).

So, yeah, it is the distractions.

Post Script: In the end, I may have ordered nine Pops [two for my nephew], when they extended the redemption time an additional two days, bleeding into an odd three-day off stretch. Just an indication that I am not working enough to have two jobs.

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Schrodinger's Cat: Rationalizations of an Existentialist (Part 17: Final Exit Strategist)

I know I'm writing this a day early, but after ending last night in utter desperation, I better try to extinguish my angst before it consumes my entire 16-hour work day.

Where my head is at right now, this maybe the last plea for assistance in producing "Main Event of the Dead," my Troma-quality concept about never-would-be wrestlers accepting the challenge (and the gratuitous nudity opening credit sequence) of facing undead grapplers with ridiculous, border line offensive gimmicks.

It must solely be me that this concept has no support. Wrestlers should always ask about work, but no one has asked. Surely there are some film nerds in Peoria (why am I limiting myself when I'm suppose to have "friends" from the Iowa border to Ohio's, Minnesota to Cairo [Illinois]) who want to work on something that isn't a documentary. But, I totally incompatible with the world as I recently found out, so maybe I am the only person who thinks this is worthwhile. The seven know that I am the only one who believes that. Or at least I did.

It seems my honesty is not only unappreciated, but criminal.

Rationalization 52: You're Not Wrong, Only an Asshole Would Think That.

Society does not want to just fuck the dissenters, they want to do it in the most uncomfortable way.

I'm looking for any escape from my depression any chance I can do something I love. But because I wrote something about how it is wrong celebrating a bad wrestling promotion (there isn't a WCW tribute promotion), I cannot participate there.

That blog did not insult anyone, it just stated that to act like a promotion with no professionally trained talent made a difference in the business disrespects the business I dedicated the most in the area towards.

But, everyone took it personal it seems.

In 2006, I seemed to be the only person who cared about the well being of friend with a heroin addiction. She thought (and was right) that I would pay for heroin addiction until she was ready to quit. Even as I went bankrupt, I could not criticize her for not being ready. Or could I criticize her for all the squatters that came with her and stole from me. And in the end, she got cleaned up for a dead beat.

To be more fair, she got cleaned to have a child. If raising and loving that child is her sole purpose for being, I have to respect that. I have to respect her more than the person who triggered why I'm trying to determine whether or not I can end it all before or after I get full-time employee benefits at my current job.

Last night, I caught up with a friend who is planning to put her wants ahead of her family. She seemed pretty dedicated to going through with her plan since. When I stated my opinion that she was gambling the state of her family, she constantly insulted me to ignore reason.

But I had to try to tell her to at least consider the right route to take. I did it without insulting her, I just told why I and how I think the action she wanted to take is just an escape. Still, I knew her well enough that she may chastise me and cost me our friendship and my relationship with her family. If I did not attempt to get her to think things through, how could I live with myself?

Rationalization 53: All Good Deeds Will Be Punished.

The problem is that I cannot live with myself. It was the only relationship I had that I thought I should always be able to count on. Someone I should always be able to contact when I am down and visa versa.

Should I have considered the lack of the friendship commodity before I acted? Maybe I had too much faith she would understand I was trying to be supportive of her, not her plan.

My family may care, but they have not believed in me since I decided to head for a career in entertainment. Damn near half of them tell me my problem is being myself, and last night was further verified that the positive opinion would be filibustered. I have a handful of friends, but circumstances dictate that they cannot be that close with me.

I feel alone with a lack of feedback and a lack of support for what I want to do. I do have another route to pitch to my family, but after being told by every other person who cares (or thought they cared) that I am incapable of succeeding or being liked, what's the point?

Maybe I just have poor taste because I like who I am. Sadly, I do not think I can be that I can be happy on my own. Sarte said, "Hell's being stuck in a room with your friends." At least he was implying some variety.

So I either need a fool proof "Final" exit strategy or multiple personality disorder.

Or a lot more cats, enough to inadvertently smother me. Then again, that will further the cats are assholes concept.

I cannot do anything right.

reddit.com/r/disney/

July 2009: Just because it's Michael Jackson doesn't make it 80's

Stuck inside because I don't have any money to go outside...or a good cause to beg for money. My apologies to The Goddamn Pimps, but it is just too much trouble to start a credit card tab at SOP's on a Saturday night.

The Peoria Theater cannot draw me out with their 80's double feature of "The Goonies" and "The Wiz". I am not objecting to the prior. That's grounds for taking "my child of the 80's" card away, and no matter how many times I wreck that edition of Trivial Pursuit, it won't be given back.

Of course, The Goonies, is everything that is good about the 80's. The only things missing from it are Corey Haim and a young black midget. That would have made the film perfect if it had Tony Cox ("Bad Santa") and Anne "Mama Fratelli" Ramsey kicking around Robert Davi and Joe Pantoliano. Imagine a Sloth/Cox showdown. The film was already 114 minutes long, may as well make it an even two.

Stevens Spielberg and Chris Columbus owe us six extra pages of ethnic and childhood obesity jokes. Why did they hold back? Chunk and Short Round are immortalized by you guys. They should be more than happy with further ridicule for eternal glory. Then again, Columbus has never been daring, but for the garbage that was only redeemed by Jonathan Ke Quan released a year earlier, Steve owes us ("The Color Purple" was not enough, especially for putting your name on the Bayformers franchise).

Or they owe Quan at the very least. The picture of him on IMDb is twenty-four years old. He still works on films. Can you just throw the Database some change to at least be a little more accurate for his sake?

I guess in year 1 AMJ (After Michael Jackson), some would argue that the King of Pop's presence would make The Goonies a project that Orson Welles would have happily ended his career on. And when I heard that the Peoria Theater was trying to attach "Moonwalker" to it as a double feature, I could see their point. Hell, I've been looking for an excuse to wear my pleather attire and make up at one time.

Sadly, there is no domestic DVD or BlueRay release of the 80's clas...tour de...puppet show. They could have asked the Peoria public to bootleg the film, but instead they settled on The Wiz.

If you want the night to still be about the 80's, get a copy of "The Lost Boys". It is a good Joel Schumacher film, and it has both Coreys. There is nothing 80's about The Wiz, an ethnic misinterpretation of a Broadway show.

I can claim it is a misinterpretation because I have heard of plenty of high schools with a 99.7% white campuses who have put it on. It is either a misinterpretation or us white devils shamelessly stole something from the black man yet again. Wasn't Michael Jackson enough?

There maybe 80's musicals that you could match up in a double feature with The Wiz. "Xanadu", "Can't Sop the Music"...all right perhaps I should appreciate them trying to put a good movie with MJ's only true cinematic work...outside of Moonwalker of course.

But when you think of 80's musicals, you think "Top Gun", "Flashdance", and "Footloose". Us children of the semi-attractive Linda Hamilton (she just got too butch for me, damn you Skynet), are not about big numbers and show tunes. Just because it has Michael Jackson in it, doesn't make it part of the Paramount musicals.

I wish the Peoria Theater well in their double feature and plan to be there for "Song of the Dead "and "Mil Masceras versus Aztec Mummy". Hopefully, you will not have a crowd that will be polarized between films about two totally different ethnic experiences: The minority scarce 80's and the Blackploitated 70's.

Perhaps I am just not of an open mind, or maybe I just want to guarantee I would enjoy my six hours of sitting. If only the hard liquor was not so expensive.

Slayers: The Motion Picture...for the Wannabe Anime Expert

characterdesignreferences.com

"Slayers" is another series I knew I would have to check out sooner or later. You can call me cheap, but with a series that has so many videos, I figured I would wait for the release of one full story in say 90 min. It is not the first time I've done this, and I won't quit this practice which has only back fired on me once with "Macross 7: The Movie" (30 minutes in full length, anta baka?).

For a more in depth review (i.e. second guessing myself), check out AnimeFlow.

Never mind how I finally sampled this series, but the bottom line is I saw this film and really enjoyed it. You can't help but like the characters of Naga and Lina, so, like "Tenchi Muyo!" they are the main draw to the series. Also like Tenchi's movies, if you are looking for a long running story (episodic) this isn't it. Slayers is a great comedic picture with a decent, but cluttered story which maintains one's interest. I probably won't buy too many of the videos in this series, but one or two might be worth getting. Especially when I have a little sister who acts a lot like Lina. Thank god she doesn't check out my pages^_^.

Check out the rest of this critique at AnimeRuss.blogspot.com - For those curious about anime but hate the geeks.

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90 min. Netflix: "The Girl from the Naked Eye" A Stuntman's "Sin City"

I do not know how I managed it (of course once you state that, you immediately realize it is the need to get out of Champaign hospitality all together), but life may finally be straightening out for me. It is a good vibe despite I still need to sell $50 of video games to be caught up with this paycheck's bills while fearing the lack of hours post Prime Day when it comes to my retail work.

With my parenthetical about the hotel scene in Chambana, thanks should be given to the previous night that lacked a houseman to assist me. This allows me my "quiet" night (there are still a handful of kids and no standby laundry behind the desk, so if there is a run of pool towels, my mood will be shot) to actually write a blog instead of cutting together the previous weekend's work to coincide with whatever trending event is going down. That being said, it makes me think I should have further exploited #FightForTheFallen, but I do not want to promote myself over a charity event. Seeing my initial numbers, that was a bounce off the foot. Boing!!!

It was a lot of misses and annoying children yesterday. After watching a flick that I do not want to be too harsh on before going into work, this result should have been expected.

I suppose it is a good thing that "The Girl from the Naked Eye" saw the light of day. Jason Yee was an acclaimed martial artist who wanted to make it in movies, so producing your own screenplay seems like a good idea. It is what I am doing with "Maine Event of the Dead" my low budget, pro-wrestling zom-com (feel free to request a treatment by emailing russthebus07@gmail.com), so I cannot discourage this approach to fame. Too bad I lack the wrestling acclaim (thanks mental illness and other people's drug addiction [I wonder how I screwed up not getting the junkies' leader's profile to stay up when I moved everything from GoDaddy to Hostgator...or did the new server frown on pooplist.html]).

One think my film will wisely lack is having a production company with the word digital get a title card before the picture. It just screams, yes this is done on the very cheap. Then again, I am not trying to hide the thrifty nature of my flick, so Bentlight Digital, email me at russthebus07@gmail.com if you want another project to get behind.

Check out the rest of review at "Ninety For Chill: A More Acceptable Runtime

Schrodinger's Cat: Rationalizations of an Existentialist (Part 16: Peoria Approved Ninja Turtle)

Main Event of the Dead: Peorian Approved???

Over the past couple days, I finally received some local feedback for my "@midnight: Hash Tag Wars" efforts. Some of this feedback coming from one of the initial (if not current) promoters of Sky Pro Wrestling. I doubt the other parties involved in the operations of that promotion will acknowledge that my creative abilities should trump personal feelings to open the door for involvement with their product, but it's good to know that there may be some interest by those the film's production was originally designed for.

"Main Event of the Dead" maybe the ideal project for the Peoria wrestling scene. In the vain of the original ECW, it emphasizes showcasing the wrestlers strengths, and hiding their weaknesses. Actually, we aren't hiding the weaknesses, just covering it up with Karos Syrup and comedy.

As long as my script is funny enough and their spots are cool enough, inability to act can't bring this project down.

I still need to tweak the original script, but I do have a treatment that showcases the evolution of the project that I would be happy to share if requested (email russthebus07@gmail.com).

Once I (we) get the ball rolling on the project, I'll be more than open to tweaking the suggestions of those involved. Not to say that it needs much though since if I can get my tweets favorited by strangers. If I can make 80 people to laugh with stuff like:

• Pre-Med Who #BadPrequels
• Cat's Rule Everything Around Me #RuinARapTrack
• Show and Tell You Boss's Embezzlement Activity #LameOfficeHolidays
• Meet George Jetson and His Boy L. Ron Hubbard #RuinACartoon
• And a Splash of Water Wednesday #AlcoHolidays
• Kim-Jong Illinois State #FailedColleges

Surely I can deliver a laugh of minute. Almost double that since the script is just under 50 pages.

Still, I need help promoting the film. So if you have some suggestions before we Kickstart it, let me know.

Right now my ideas are (that I can pay for):

• Drawn Movie Poster with zombie wrestlers and stereotypical international gimmicks.
• Have a famous wrestler read press release.
• Have a hot chick read press release.

All those options are better than just plugging in #MainEventoftheDead during the "Wars" on @midnight.

I'm not looking for money right now, just support I can count on you to know that after I get the money, we can make the movie. I'll be upfront, if my project gets to the Kickstarter stage but no one is there to help make it, I am sitting on the cash until it can be shot.

If you can wait on Ryan Reynold's "Deadpool," you can wait on "Main Event of the Dead." Why would you want to do either (burn Van Wilder, burn)?

May 31, 2014

Busy season at the hotel, that was my immediate blame for not writing a complete blog this week. Curse my honesty, and my inability to wake up before 2 pm on Saturday.

At least give me a "D" for effort, I shut off the video games at 3:15 am. Or have I just got tired of "Minecraft?" Better not open up any of the $400 of stuff I've yet to play. Thank the seven I have not gotten into the current generations. Or am I just being cursed for buying the Wii U?

Alright, the "D" effort is for just making it to work on time. I just didn't have the time to make myself lunch.

And of course I'm cursed for that. No lunch, means I had to order from 225. It actually means I had to middle class starve since I was driving quite a bit and and couldn't appreciate the meal. At least the over tippers made it worthwhile...as it is soon to be spent on fast food once I leave work.

I can't win. The back and forth of the previous paragraphs is evidence of that. Every negative had a positive, and an inevitable negative. If we assume the pattern maintains its consistency, a positive would follow. So, if I'm not a loser, I'm Pi.

Curse my diabetes, I can't have much pie. Never had much of a taste for the traditional dish (I'd just assume have a can of the filling), but I have to even sustain from the pseudo-Italian classic, pizza.

Rationalization 50: You Can(not) Be a Ninja Turtle.

Tell a kid that, and see the heartbreak. Sums me up doesn't it. And Michael Bay will fuck the ideal up further.

June 7, 2014

Here's hoping some rationalization comes to me, or why did I return to this blog. Fulfillment is the "F" I'd like to feel. Failing to not make anything of this blog reminds me that I'm defined by a four-letter F-word.

Aside from the weekly plea to help make my movie, there is not really anything I can do to improve my situation. All I'm left with is trying to be comfortable with my situation not getting worse. Still, I don't like there not being anything to address.

Rationalization 51: Some Final Exits Do Not Apply.

Well, I have a plan B, but as we determined that I'm 3.14..., success and failure is determined by whether or not I die on a high note. So, check off using an E-string to hang myself with, at least at this point. My angst dictates that I can't leave the douche bags with a laugh.

I'm missing out a lot on current events. It's either I'm too self absorbed, or I am suffering from absolute attention deficit disorder. This means I have an inability to pay attention, which sucks. At least typical ADD would let me better relate with our feline friends. There is just something so cute about being distracted by shiny objects.

If I had actual ADD, that doesn't sound like a bad way to die. If your too busy being in awe of that red dot on your chest, you won't know your dead until the bullet exits the back.

I could go on to an anti-gun rant and tell of my 11 a.m. wake up call that further inspired my interest in the topic, but I've filled the page.

Starship Troopers and How I Learned to Appreciate the 2008 Election.

First off, with all of my anime reviews I'm trying to save before Geocities gets shut down, I've come across a lot of MIDI files used for background music. Since every time I start up Firefox with one of my sites loaded, there is a constant reminder that I better get this midi up before Jarvic Cocker haunts me. He's a weird British Indy guy, so I don't think he knows the difference between live and dead.

So here's a link to Pulp's Disco 2000 in all it's keyboard glory.

Now on to more pressing manners. Fascism, is it as glamorous as Paul Verhoeven's "Starship Troopers", or is Obama right in vetoing the F-22 budget? Or could it be the charismatic president's elaborate scheme to lead us into a Federal world?

As for the F-22, no matter my love for dog fighting movies (reminds me that I have to truly compose my "Iron Eagle IV" review) and the inevitable "Rise of Cobra", there is no reason to believe our fighters need to be updated. The Thunderbirds are still F-16s, the Blue Angels are F-18s, and B-52s have successfully maintained a fear of nuclear holocaust since 1964.

Also, the most effective tanks have been the same since the 70's. Thank you Military Channel's "Top 10 Infantry Vehicle" show. You prevented me from settling on watching horrid Michael Jackson covers.

The point is, the weapons we have are superior to all of our threats, so why try and further brutalize them. They actually may make war less brutal, but you can't say it is okay to not give the guys in the caves a chance to face Mecca and offer one last prayer for 71 virgins and a slut they can study from.

If you want to use new weapons, find a tougher opponent. For someone who loves the science of noble destruction, I am pissed that we haven't encountered "The Rise of the Machines", and the bugs aren't sending asteroids to reinvigorate the human and more importantly the patriotic spirits.

Patriotism, the concept to encourage people to act like Casper Van Dien to sign up for duties against the bugs. I haven't seen STIII, but I hope for Casper's sake, it was filmed instead of taped. The guy has done enough SyFy originals. Give him the glory of digital celluloid, please.

Or a reality show. Denise Richards can be considered less talented than her ST costar (CVD at least got to be in a Tim Burton flick), but because she's an air head, E! is taping. All I want is that we offer a struggling performer the same chance to avoid crappy made for DVD (that do not feature Bruce Campbell) movies without fucking Charlie Sheen.

Let me get back on the topic. Patriotism is not what made Starship Troopers, so cool. It was fascism, and Troopers found all the points to sell testosterone filled teenagers in what was the beginning of "South Park" Republican movement.

There are some elements I thought were kind of cool. You serve, you vote. I use to thing that it sounded fair. Those who risk their neck, deserve more than I do. The problem is, the servicemen all seem to develop biases that favor the concept of protecting Dick Cheney from Google Earth.

A society based around the concept that force is the most effective way to control. Thus, we would be led to believe that the stronger culture is the better one. Tolerance would be down, along with the number of Asians of any kind.

Just an observation, but I cannot remember seeing any Arabs, Indians, or East Asians in Troopers.When I take the time to look at the cast, I do not see many Jewish-sounding names listed. And then your lead's last name sounds very Reichish "Van Dien".

The director of the film loves to hide satire into every project, but he always seems to push that envelope too far. I guess the problem is that he tends to make his films so enjoyable, that you forget that, we cannot condone this.

This is where I thought of how great it is to have Barrack Obama in office. It presents a world of kill crazy right wingers, and a New World Order that did not feature Muslims. If that wasn't 1998 to 2005's general attitude in a nut shell, I don't know what is.

Obama, a well-educated man who thinks the government should serve it's people, like most of our Ivy League scholars and artists. A man who realizes some changes that lead towards socialism are needed to make our country stronger. Of course, socialism tends to be a policy that walks beside fascism (i.e. The National Socialist party of Germany of 1933-1945).

Could Obama be leaning towards a government that will pick and choose what the country needs? If that is possible, we better hope the bugs wait till 2016 just in case.

Or we get organized to encourage anarchy. Sadly, most of us are smart enough to realize that hypocrisy. That's why we need the machines to destroy us.

So this turns out to be a blog about buying Cyberdine stock. It is an investment for our future.

classicpostercollector.com

The Last of the Evangelion Manga Reviews (at least till I dig out Books 3/4 from storage)

Issue 11 --- Issue 12

It was tough for me not continuing with the "Neon Genesis Evangelion" manga. Unfortunately, I had difficulty with Viz delivering the issues. They were kind of enough to take care of the issues, but I thought it maybe wiser to quit subscribing and leave the series on an up note.

Actually, I thought I knew how it all ends (I went to the trouble of watching a Chinese subtitled version of the first movie), so what was there going to be to really surprise me besides more Pen Pen revelations?

Shortly after this, I spent two weeks in London. Man do they know how to treat an otaku. I loaded up on anything Eva. Post cards, original alternate universe manga, the toys (which I unfortunately had to open to pack), and mouse pad. They also have a lot more anime magazines on the dark island, and in trying to catch up with "Perfect Blue's" release, I read a lot of them. Evangelion still being the hot topic, there were articles about Eva's voice cast, the movies, and the manga. A manga that was based on the TV series.

Check out the rest of this critique at AnimeRuss.blogspot.com - For those curious about anime but hate the geeks.

www.reddit.com/r/evangelion

90 min. of Prime: "Death Warrant" Coincidentally the Dog in the Flaming Room Meme

It definitely felt like a busier week for me. Going out to see fireworks, that is definitely busy work.

Please pardon my lack of patriotism. Forgive me for watching fireworks with my English Football tattoos exposed due to my Marty Scurll and Zack Zabre Jr. tank top. But listen to me about how The American Revolution was nothing more than a ploy to serve the rich. I do not know if I can flush that one out into a great piece of satire at this point, so that indoctrination will be for another time.

Regardless, God Save the Queen and Fuck the Video Assisted Referee (any good ref could have seen the offsides and the penalty).

On the topic of great foreign things that have fallen on hard time (I cannot wait for the Prince Charles take on "JVCD"), Jean-Claude Van Damme was one of those. As an action star, not an actor of course. If you have a writer as wise as David S. Goyer who knows how to justify an Los Angeles cop with an accent, you are in for some good stuff. If only I had those details before I accidentally came across the ridiculous finale of "Death Warrant" on cable.

10 years later, as someone who appreciates the Zack Snyder's DC trilogy, I can revel in the ridiculous premises that Goyer lays out. If only "Superman" had Van Damme's personality, I think everyone would agree with me that "Dawn of Justice" and "Death Warrant" can only be regarded as classics.

After single-handedly avenging his fallen partner, Quebec-transplant Louis Burke is the buzz of the L.A.P.D.'s homicide division. Being able to defeat the psychotic giant known as the Sandman, the governor and attorney general believe he can handle an undercover assignment in a state prison. He is a Quebecer. How would any inmates know who he was? This makes him the ideal person to determine who and why the new straight-laced inmates keep getting murdered. Or does this make him the ideal target.

The guards are in on this game and the governor may be as well. With Burke only being able to trust Amanda, his liaison, and Tisdale, his adolescent hacker pal, he will need to stick his neck out and ally himself with the wisest and most ambitious inmates to take down this conspiracy. All while praying that no seemingly invincible cons who he had busted get transferred to this clink.

"Death Warrant" might be the last great crazy script from the 80's era of action. Eventual TV great, Deran Sarafian's direction is the only thing that hinders the film. Well, that and most of Van Damme's costars acting down to his level.  Acting to the lead's capabilities is great when it is Keanu Reeve in a "John Wick" film, and you are portraying a criminal mastermind. Doing so as a somewhat ordinary person against a Belgian martial artist is comical.

But with all the stuff Goyer throws into his script, comical is not necessarily bad. It is like "Commando" with a lead who has more to say than just one liners. That either means we have a better story than the Schwarzenegger vehicle or far too low of a body count. Whatever you think, both are ridiculous, and that is what you want from 80's action, provided the effects are up to par, which they are.

To further get your attention, you get great supporting characters, some of whom you are just glad to see. Like Joshua John Miller, the boy who played Homer from "Near Dark." It is just good to see he did not leave his talent behind.

Robert Guillaume is not as powerful as Morgan Freeman's Red, but he gives a wise performance that is wise in so many ways. Wise that knew what kind of movie he was in. Wise that he knew how to be a relatable every man to help guide us through this tale. This wisdom must have passed on to his role as the original Rafiki.

This feature also has the best villain in a Van Damme film next to "Bloodsports's" Chung Li. Patrick Kilpatrick as the Sandman is like have an actual speaking version of Li. He is huge and menacing and his dialogue makes about as much sense as Bolo Yeung's most iconic role. Fortunately, the creepiness gives him a supernatural nature that you buy in on. Not until JVCD faces Dolph Lundgren do we get such a satisfactory adversary, and I love "Lionheart."

If I am overlooking one flaw, it may be the trangender prisoners portrayal, but this was a prison movie from before we considered all rape to be bad. What I am saying is, it is from a time where we had no clue on how to be woke. Should we remake this flick (with Van Damme as the Guillame role), I am sure we would find performers who can make this work. Would they want to is a totally different question.

Transgender hooker, hormone-driven hackers, inflammable giants and Jean-Claude Van Damme make "Death Warrant" a spectacle not to be missed. It is good for noise and it must be great with a few drinks. The story is something to be awed by and I am surprised there has not been a new take on this.

It is "Bloodsport" meets "Batman vs Superman." Who would not want to see an hour and over done CGI removed from that? Feel free to use that for the "4K 30th Anniversary Edition of Death Warrant." And email me at russthebus07@gmail.com for a treatment of my Pro-Wrestling Zom-Com, "Main Event of the Dead" while you are at.

I mean, Orion/MGM did distribute "Mac and Me." Surely I can do better.

imdb.com

Schrodinger's Cat: Rationalizations of an Existentialist (Part 15: If Hank Jr., Ain't Ready, You Ain't)

Perhaps I should start a Kickstarter to get the funds to start an Main Event of the Dead, LLC. If the Facebook friend who only has an intro video can reach $333 (a head of allotted schedule [he should only have a 250]), I should at least try to scam the tax man with my monthly payments to my domain host. Until we have a uniform international government, do not tax the Internet.

Eventually, to sell my horror/comedy motion picture, "Main Event of the Dead," I will need that paper work to sell this feature (if Troma doesn't jump on distribution). So if my tale of desperate workers versus Zombie Canadians, Hobos, and Obese SES members isn't enough to get your support, I'm sure Main Event of the Dead, LLC will have other endeavors, sure to make a return on your investment.

Still, getting the word about this project is the most important think, so if the 25 readers could spread this along their Facebook pages (get on the Twitter and follow @MainEventZombie), we can get to the point where I can further finance this project beyond the $8.95 a month I spend for the maineventofthedead.com domain and the occasional eBay "prop" purchase.

Maybe this would let me write off my WWE Network subscription as research.

Of course I'm working too much to fully enjoy my subscription. If only I had some paid time off, I can justify my need to put another 17 hours a week at another job to make ends meet. When you take into account what account I work on for my 8:30 to 5 employer (never thought my commie loving ass would say it, but fuck you Jane Fonda), it hurts. Not as much as the emotional pain I've gotten by realizing, or should I say...

Rationalization 47: You Feel Just in Your Indifference.

Of course, who among those that have expressed the basis of support for this rational will find it difficult to hear about my thoughts on it. One was a reader who told me that how I act is undeserving of support (remind me not to stand up to their next significant other who attempts to abandon them in a tough spot). The other, doesn't believe blogs should exist, and told me that my biggest problem is that I let people know I'm sad.

It'll be tough to go full coffee cat on them, but if they tell me that I'm not worthwhile, and to live with it, they have no right to input.

Then again, one does take the time to give me feedback. Yes, it supports those who are indifferent to me, but it's better than having me on a friends list, and only giving a shit when I say something liberal.

So, I better come up with a clever Michael Sam reference in the title to draw that attention.

Rationalization 48.A: The Narrow Minded Will Keep You Down

I'm not trying to say I relate to the first NFL Draftee. It maybe fair to say, I am nothing like the guy. I had never earned acknowledgement as the best of any kind of athlete. I'm a WASP (it just doesn't sound good to be a WAS since I dropped the Protestant). I am still looking for that guy who is worth shagging, and my love for the female form (and feel) keeps putting that as a lower priority.

Rationalization 49: I May be a Narcissist...Obviously not THE, even though I do share Buffalo roots that Lex Luger has (it's two degrees).

I seem to be attractive to women with men's hairstyles, but not men with men's hairstyles. The more offbeat the style the woman has, the sexier they become. As a guy with an offbeat hairstyle (and style in general), I am just thoroughly impressed by any person who can do it better than I. What guy can do it better than me? Girls on the other hand...

And it usually becomes a "Pink Triangle" scenario. "Pinkerton" maybe Weezer's best album. The "blue" album is definitely THE album, but you need something to wash "Beverly Hills" from your memory.

Rationalization 48.B: Did the Mind Narrow Because of Sports?

The reason I'd like to address the Michael Sam situation is because, I've been so down, only my frustrations with society have gained any of my attention. Right now listening to ESPN Radio is like living back at home, where Fox News is the only channel unless ID: Investigation Discovery had an exceptionally arrogant murdered being profiled.

It is great that Michael Sam was drafted, but only great. We cannot use any greater adjective until he makes the team. And there is no reason he should not make the team, and I think the NFL knows that. So they're out to create reasons to call him just a gay guy and not a football player.

There are 1,696 players per season in the NFL. Surely, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year gets a spot. Outside of the 792 guys who get cards, I bet the rest are interchangeable. I was never PWI 500, but the other top 1196 wrestlers, I belonged. If Tim Tebow got a spot, and he was never good at his position, surely a guy who can play a non-coverage position (and only missed the top pick's bench press by two reps) should get a job. The only reason Tim Tebow got drafted in the first round was because his celebrity demanded it.

Michael Sam is celebrity, but since he will not pray (and that may only be because the defense does not get that many touch down opportunities), it does not count. And because he is part of a despised minority by the typical Tebow fan, it is a bad idea to give him the same respect. Tim Tebow got to start games. Michael Sam may not be a starter, but it is only appropriate to give him a spot on the roster. That would seem like a seventh of Tebow's reward of celebrity.

Instead, the NFL is going to do anything to make him fail. I was offended that they weren't behind the OWN proposed documentary based on their claims that Sam will not be focused on football. It is being assumed that Sam is just going to make his NFL career about his sexuality despite four years at Missouri that says otherwise.

The NFL thinks they are taking the stance of keeping the desperate out of the league. And sports media is behind that stance because if Sam has a TV show, the NFL becomes a spectacle. What the fuck is the Super Bowl? Fuck, that is all the NFL is.

I like to see amazing plays, enough that I watch the league, but there is no substance besides the spectacular. If there was, they would be playing year round like REAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS.

Then again, the problem is not that Sam will not make the team. The NFL cannot let it get documented with anyone else's camera. And since they control the sports media, no Sports Network will risk that either.

Maybe I should be disappointed in Oprah Winfrey for backing down. Of course, you can YouTube her frolicking with Paula Dean.

Battle Angel - Hopefully James Cameron Will Do This Title Some Good.

"Gunnm" was probably the most popular manga when distributors started importing Japanese comics to the States.  The manga was so popular and adored by the biggest celebrity advocates for the product that James Cameron will attempt to adapt it to the live action format in 2011 (realized in 2019).

I have a good feeling that this project will be better than "Titanic (more fun, not as good).  "Aliens" happens to be my favorite film of his, and if Gally (the lead), is Ripley tough, how will the sham of a best picture hope to compare?  Just hope he doesn't take her to the point of Linda Hamilton nuts or Jessica Alba too hot to focus on talent (Of course, neither since Robert Rodriguez directed).

Episodes: Rusty Angel - Tear Sign

When one sees the hype there was about the "Battle Angel Alita" manga you'd figure the anime just had to be good. Well this is one of the rare times I felt disappointed in one of my purchases. I'm sure the manga is good, so when you watch this film, you are left to wonder how is that*.

Maybe it was trying too hard, maybe it was trying to package too much into two episodes, or maybe there is just something that the manga had that we'll never see animated. It is probably a mixture of the three, and after you watch it a second time, you won't be as harsh on it.  Then again that may have been me just being prepared for the disappointment.

There are a lot good things in this series, but it does seem to be a little confused about what it wants to be: very, very dark or bittersweet. This wasn't received well in Japan, and I can see why. Maybe if I was a fan of the manga I could offer a better opinion. All in all, its a chance purchase for the buyer. Maybe that is why I started so many of the sentences with maybe^_^

Check out the rest of this critique at AnimeRuss.blogspot.com - For those curious about anime but hate the geeks.

After These, Just One More Set of Evangelion Reviews

Issue 9 --- Issue 10
What kills me about re-archiving stuff from my Evangelion web pages is this.

I leave their tabs open when I close Firefox, so the Midi's start blaring when I open it back up. It's imperative that I post these reviews up since the midi from this one is Black Sabbath's "Paranoid". I can't let this song get ruined like I allowed a couple of Road Warrior marks ruin "Iron Man".

Stage 9: The Trial of a True Fan

Check out the rest of this critique at AnimeRuss.blogspot.com - For those curious about anime but hate the geeks.

www.artstation.com

AAW presents Never Say Die 2019...A New Slogan for Impact

I suppose it should just be my manta after failing to request the following Saturday morning off. I just have to make it till 2 pm tomorrow, and I can breathe and...watch more wrestling. At least it feels like I am sticking it to WWE by catching up on AEW: Fyter Fest.

Then again, seeing a lack of standing room occupancy at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park makes one fear for the indies. It maybe a great time for wrestling since a lot of the former/current AAW stars were involved with Ring of Honor's "Best in the World" pay-per-view and other mid majors were probably involved in counter programming. Still, we are Americans, and with so much stuff that is beamed into our homes, why watch Sami Callahan, The Rascals, and LAX in person for $20 (girlfriend of a wrestler discount) when they can stream Impact steams at $7.99?

My response is, "that Impact needs to die," but why would I want to limit the boys? Because Danny Daniels and Arik Cannon know how to use them and probably pay them better. If we do not attend indies, Impact will probably further abuse our favorites. They would benefit by having fewer places for talent to work. With Anthem never seeming to have their feet under them, you know they will not help the overall business.

The crowd was not as big as AAW's shows since their expansion renascence (when they started frequenting Logan Square in Chicago and moved away from the Berwyn Eagles Club), but the action was solid. Nothing that topped the low-end of four stars, so not necessarily memorable. For me, the biggest disappointment was failing to grab a $30 WWE 1997 Owen Hart shirt from a vendor. What made matters worse was my girlfriend (whose ticket I paid for) said, "Well, I would have bought it for you."

When it comes to personal victories, just getting to attend my old training grounds and see some familiar faces was great. And it is cool that tape traders have all but moved away from DVD. There is hope that I can get my girlfriend and parents to catch up with the times. If wrestling is about DVD production, so should you. I know my mom hates the thought of being associated with the marks.

Paco and Ace Romero defeated Ace Austin and Clayton Gainz

This was a solid opener. I am not a fan of how tag matches seem to abandon getting both babyfaces in before the heels lay in the heat, but Acey Baby needed to have a bit in the gas tank. Austin and Gainz had difficulty with rope-based attacks, but I think that may have been on them more that the ropes. It may not be my place to say, it has been four years since my last bump. Austin and Gainz were still able to keep the match moving in spite of those issues and they kept to few false finishes to not spoil the night for everyone else.

"Galaxy's Greatest Alien" Kris Statlander defeated "Hell's Favorite Harlot" Priscilla Kelly

It was kind of a pity for their to be only this much female talent involved on the card. Both performers were good, but seemed slow in their movements at points. Props to Kelly preventing a wardrobe malfunction from hurting or her pride or the match. Finish was solid, so the "Please come back chants" were earned.

Jake Something retains "The Heritage Championship" over Trey Miguel

This was one of the most solid matches of the night. It was great cruiserweight versus heavy action. Miguel announcing that his father just beat cancer made sure both guys walked out with a pop, and I admired Something for securing his with a knockout forearm from a handshake. Do not trust anyone who shakes with the left hand or does not drink.

Jacob Fatu defeated Kongo Kong

Fatu is as solid as anyone from the Tongan/Samoan line and the sky seems to be the limit for him, especially with Armando Estrada as his mouthpiece. It makes me wonder why Roman does not have a Jimmy Hart or Lou Albano descendant (may I suggest "Wrestling with Wregret's" Brian Zane). Too bad the luster from the attraction that is Kongo Kong seems to be lost with this pinfall. It is just my bad for not getting around Chicago enough to see him versus Callahan.

Loser Leave AAW: Jimmy Jacobs with the assistance of Josh Briggs forces Mance Warner out.

By no means a technical masterpiece, but I love it whenever guys give everything to entertain the crowd. The only problem with the match is that a brawl like this make Sami's brawl seem redundant.

Josh Briggs defeats Spider Nate Webb.

With Nate Webb, you are guaranteed a fun match.

Myron Reed defeats Curt Stallion via an inadvertent assist by Eddie Kingston.

I think the show finally felt long by this point and having the bout depend on an angle took away from what could have been a great showcase of sport. On the flip side, Kingston came through in showing his dedication to the craft when Stallion joining Jake Something in choke slamming him through the back of two, back-to-back, unfolded chairs.

Sami Callahan retains the Heavyweight Championship over Ace Romero.

Nice and hard hitting, but I think three years is too long for the Death Machine to be on top.

LAX retains the Tag Team Championship over The Besties in the the World and The Rascalz.

Once the match broke down into a tornado situation, the action made you forget all the lapses in logic. The Rascalz should not have laid their hands on LAX as they isolate Davey Vega from Mat Fitchet. When the Desmond Xavier was pinned by Fitchett, Zachary Wentz was pinning a member of LAX. An ECW referee would have counted both falls leaving the Besties winners by default. At least it looks like they are on the path back to the belts, so it all worked out in the end.

AAW: Art, Wisdom and Other Things Randy Doesn't Understand

I think it is difficult to argue the statement that All American Wrestling provides Chicago with the best wrestling. It does not have the perceived outlaw persona of Freelance Wrestling or Resistance Pro, and that is because it does not need it. You buy a ticket, and you are rewarded with the best wrestling showcase the region has to offer.

AAW currently seems to have an over abundance of riches. It may sound foolish to say there is a downside to showing off the best, but the promotion seems to lack identity. The best wrestlers will inevitably get signed to exclusive deals. When that happens, the most talented members of the undercard should be expected to step up to fill the vacant roles. Unless you can just find main eventers from other territories which is what the promotion that developed Tyler Black is ironically doing.

AAW feels like a YouTube Wormhole that you can check out in person, instead of a team you come to cheer on. As pro-wrestling’s premier Cubs fan, I loved cheering on the team for 36 years as they developed into world champions. There were times that I wished ownership would just buy a title, but if that occurred, I would then be bitching about any time they did not win a title. That would make me a Yankee fan who is not from the five boroughs. To those fans, they are not your team.

Who can stand someone who does not think you need to work to win? As a jaded Gen-Xer, that may come across as a implied question about the younger generation, but the wrestling audience right now is millennials. AAW seems to have their fingers on the pulse of the audience, and the dollar makes anything tolerable.

Art is either a luxury or a gamble, and taste determines what you want. I am always trying to create, and the money I spent on failing to produce my motion picture “Main Event of the Dead (I am willing to send out treatments of the zom-com pro-wrestling screenplay. Send me an email at russthebus07@gmail.com)” shows that I like to gamble. This may leave me predisposed to be frustrated at the lack of AAW creative direction. But, the less work you put into make money, the wiser you are. So perhaps you can argue that RPW and FLW may provide better wrestling, but Danny Daniels and AAW demonstrate the wisest wrestling.

The Card:

Paco defeated Connor Braxton.

Jake Crist picks up the win from Myron Reed, Laredo Kid and Joey Janella. With all of the dives, did the AAW faithful catch all at least four Ace Crushers.

Trevor Lee steals one from Colt Cabana. I feel when you face Cabana, you should not focus on your own comedy style. Lee should have been bringing out his X-Division stuff for his opponent to work against. That brings out the best in Cabana.

Davey Vega & Alex Daniels score the fall against Detective Dan Barry & Lt. Bill Carr, and Trey Miguel & Stephen Wolf. This is where the show started to feel redundant. The crowd may have been thinking the same since “…Dive” was the only chant they brought to this match.

Keith Lee earns the hard fought win over Donovan Dijak. This match completed the Rip Roger’s Indy Equation. If “Both These Guys” and “Fight Forever” were not shouted in the first four match were expressed here. It is just proof that AAW’s booking is superb. Lee vs. Dijak was 20 minutes of showing how bumps are overrated. I need to rewatch Lance Storm and Jerry Lynn. Did Dijak have to suffer so many chops to get away from flat backs?

Michael Elgin teaches Former World Champion FKA Jack Swagger what the indies are all about. This match shows why all Indie shows need an intermission. Elgin is awesome which makes up for Swagger being behind the Indy curve. Better placement of the bout could have hid this better from the audience. If Swagger goes to NJPW and catches up with the style, WWE will regret how they let a wrestler with a football player structure leave the company.

AR Fox and Rey Fenix retain the AAW Tag Team Championship from Lio Rush and Shane Strickland’s challenge. I think this could have been the main event instead of another one of Sami Callahan’s brawls. If I was able to get away from the hospitality business more often, I might see that Callahan fighting a challenger all over the venue is not the only main event AAW has to offer.

This was Rush’s debut, so I understand his team not getting the win, but I am getting worn out seeing how the luchadors from Lucha Underground will not take falls. Bringing in a gearless Juventud Guerrera to do the favor for the holder of the “Bestest in the World” does not shake this vibe. But the money that Penta and Fenix bring to the promotion may be why every AAW show is otherwise loaded. I do not think I can win an argument of wisdom versus art.