This month’s movie pick is probably in bad timing. But, “f*ck all that feelings sh*t”. This movie is probably not to some of yous taste or interest. You will probably be entertained or annoyed or you just might be like me and be on that timing. No, I’m not gonna give a whole Big Boss monologue. This is the Retro Movie of October 2025.

The Spook Who Sat by the Door is a 1973 action crime–drama film based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Sam Greenlee. It is both a satire of the civil rights struggle in the United States of the late 1960s and a serious attempt to focus on the issue of Black militancy. Dan Freeman, the titular protagonist, is enlisted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in its elitist espionage program, becoming its token Black person. After mastering agency tactics, however, he becomes disillusioned and drops out to train young Black people in Chicago to become “Freedom Fighters”.

Directed by Ivan Dixon, co-produced by Dixon and Greenlee, from a screenplay written by Greenlee with Mel Clay, the film starred Lawrence Cook, Paula Kelly, Janet League, J. A. Preston, and David Lemieux.

Sometime in the 1970’s in Chicago. After the approval rating in the African American community takes a nose dive for a U.S. Senator, the Agency decides it would be good optics for the government as well for itself to go out and publicly recruit African American males to join the CIA. With no intention of passing any of them they begin scouting in the inner city. To their surprise one recruit actually makes it through the training. Dan Freeman who unbeknownst to the Agency (Nowadays this would be impossible with social media and digital footprints), Freeman happens to be a Black Nationalist.

The idea of the Agency recruiting from the population isn’t hard to believe. There have been numerous occasions of people being covertly recruited or claim to have been recruited since the beginning of the Cold War. Especially with all the projects such as MK ULTRA.

Back to the plot – Freeman is a Black Nationalist and the Feds don’t know it. After passing his training, Freeman impresses his handlers. However, he is placed in the basement as file clerk and routine tour guide for visitors to project the image of inclusivity. This doesn’t last long before Freeman comes to the reality that he is a Token. (To be honest he most likely was aware this would happen from the start). Freeman keeps a low profile as he completes the Guerilla Warfare training in weapons, subversion, communications and you get the point. When he learns what he needs to learn he quietly resigns and returns to social work in Chicago.

Freeman has the intention of using what the government has taught him and turning it back on them. This is called BLOWBACK. He starts training local youths the same techniques he learned from the government and begins his insurgency for Black Liberation.

After its release the film was pulled from theaters and banned for a time by the FBI for its political tones and themes. Especially since the Civil Rights movement was still fresh in the minds of the inner cities and there were a lot of African American veterans returning home to a country they fought for and  experience the same racism and poverty that existed before the war; a lot of veterans with military training in guerilla warfare and weapons. The idea that this film might spark the idea for revolt and self-determination was just too scary for the powers that be that happen to be Ofay. Shame because, I wish this flew below their radar and more people were able to watch it.

“Tim Reid, whose company helped to release Spook on DVD, said to the Los Angeles Times in 2004: “When you look back at the times…Martin Luther King was assassinated, Malcolm X, Bobby Kennedy. Black people were really angry and frustrated; we were tired of seeing our leaders killed. What do we do? Do we have a revolution? There is nothing that comes close to this movie in terms of black radicalism.””

I mean if you remember how the proto-dudebros were all charged up after watching 300 for the first time enough they adopted it’s imagery, themes and masculinity(?) like cosplay, tribal tattoos and fake muscles shirts. It would’ve been interesting if THIS film had a longer life in the theaters – Could’ve been interesting.

Regardless of their attempts, enough people did watch it and it gained Cult status over the years before the original film reels were found and restored for the public.  

“Nina Metz wrote in the Chicago Tribune: “For years it was only available on bootleg video. In 2004, the actor Tim Reid tracked down a remaining negative stored in a vault under a different name (‘When they want to lose something, they lose it,’ Reid told the Tribune at the time) and released it on DVD.”  In a 2004 feature for NPR, Karen Bates reported that the director of the film, Ivan Dixon, admitted that United Artists would not show the film in a way that would allow its political message to come through when clips were viewed prior to the film’s public release. “Dixon says when United Artists screened the finished product and saw a Panavision version of political Armageddon, they were stunned.””

So f**k all that interference and here is for your pleasure or discomfort is the controversial, thought provoking and inspiring – 1970’S The Spook Who Sat by the Door, directed by Ivan Dixon.

Stay free, Stay Strapped, Read more, Learn Real History, Build your bodies and Minds, Question authority, Buy physical media, practice your aim, sharpen your punches and conceal your knives, know the law and the law won’t trick you. Stay fresh, smart and always keep your finger on that damn REWIND button.

Movie link: https://youtu.be/HG-56GKbPtk?si=C53B1Pwf0122h5IU

Back from the ether and here on the nostalgia streets with another bundle of retro content to think back on.

Currently streaming on Amazon Prime is the recent film by Hideaki Anno (Evangelion, Shin Ultraman, Shin Godzilla) and the newest live-action interpretation of the beloved Kamen Rider franchise.

Sosuke Ikematsu stars as our masked rider, Takeshi Hong. Hong is a motorcycle enthusiast that after being abducted experimented and turned into an augmented hybrid cyborg that is enlisted in the fight against an evil organization of “Augs” threatening to take over the world by any means necessary.

The film does start off slow and will have moments where the characters and story can breathe and flesh themselves out. But, make no mistake this is an action movie. In fact – this is probably one of the best superhero films on the year (in my opinion). The action is brutal and visceral and well filmed; the whole movie is filmed very well with decent pacing. For a live-action Japanese movie Shin Masked Rider is outstanding.

Based on the manga by Shotaro Ishinomori , this entry in the franchise celebrates 50 years of Kamen Rider that consists of numerous television series and feature films. It was released in Japan on March of 2023, earning $16 million dollars making it the highest grossing film in the series and receiving positive reviews from critics.  

Currently available to view Free on Amazon PRIME with original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles optional.

Shin Masked Rider is a definite recommendation and worthy of your time.

Stay Tuned tomorrow for the return of the Retro Movie handpicked by yours truly. Until then, stay cool, stay dry and always keep your finger on that REWIND button.  

2023’s DRAGON COP is, in the words of it’s creators, “A love letter to 80’s/90’s Hong Kong and U.S. martial arts movies”. And it succeeds in doing so.
I can’t tell you how good and refreshing it was to see this movie after months of enduring bad and worse made films on my Prime account.

Dragon Cop’s eye for cinematography surpasses and triumphs over other independently made action films. A really well lit and good looking movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and doesn’t handicap itself on puns and humor. Did I mention already that the action scenes are good too. Yes, there are actors in this film that can really execute choreography with precision. For being a short campy film, this is entertaining. Mixing elements of Martial Arts, Buddy-Cop films, Action films with straight to VHS levels of dialogue – It rocks. 

To summarize it in laymens terms, imagine your favorite Hong Kong Cynthia Rothrock film mixed with equal parts Lethal Weapon, Loaded Weapon 1, Replacement Killers, Showdown in Little Tokyo, Triple Impact (1992) and good splashes of Albert Pyun. 

The only negative I can take away from this film is that it is too short. Yes, Dragon Cop is actually the best possible trailer you could have for a full blown feature film/follow-up sequel. As you read this, the Mase Brothers are hard at work on Dragon Cop 2: Dragon’s Revenge. Absolutely something I am looking forward to seeing once it is completed.

I was blessed to be able to speak with the Mase Brothers about this project via social media and ask them a few questions.

I wanted a powerful theme for Dragon Cop like it was done in the movies of the 80s, and its title « Rise Of The Dragon » takes up all the codes of the genre! He really has an amazing voice. There is also talk of developing other songs in Dragon’s Revenge, the sequel to Dragon Cop, where the Colombian composer and longtime friend Meteor (already present on Cyborg Deadly Machine) will also be invited. I like being able to work with several artists from different countries, it’s really great and it would be impossible without the internet. In any case, I recommend that you go and discover its fabulous artists who are absolutely talented and quite unknown in the end.

Cronenberg drops us into the seamy world of television broadcasting which Channel 83 executive Max Renn (James Woods) navigates as he receives a morning brief via video. We instantly see he lives an untidy life, but he’s still committed to looking for the next shocking thing to host on his channel. He’s tired of the soft but still scandalous fare that is scouted for programming. He doesn’t know how much his life, or at least his mind, will change when he’s introduced to Videodrome. This possibly pirate broadcast features material beyond the tasteless, verging to the illegal. However, Max soon learns that once viewed, you become part of Videodrome and Videodrome becomes part of you, perhaps to fatal consequence.

While critics praised the film, the material was likely too weird and extreme for general audiences. Budgeted just under six million dollars, the film failed to recoup its expenses. Still, the resonant themes combined with the compelling acting of the leads and the imaginative visual effects has turned Videodrome into a true cult classic. Often, people assign that identifier to any movie that gets an updated media release. How can a film that focuses on the dead media of VHS say anything to a world of multiple streaming options?

Max Renn is an unsavory character, but Cronenberg doesn’t present him as fully unlikeable. Supposedly he has no limits, but even he’s taken aback by the actions of the mysterious Nicki Brand (Debbie Harry), even as he’s further drawn into seductive visuals of Videodrome. Nicki, introduced to Max on a hosted debate/discussion, reveals herself to be a woman of contradictory layers. Seemingly, she’s the voice of reflection concerning whether society has become overstimulated by the media landscape, but she reveals herself to be a woman of masochistic impulses.

As the attraction of Videodrome draws her in, Max becomes the voice of hesitation. However, it’s too late, as Max learns that Videodrome is more than entertainment, Nicki is both more and less than she seems, and there are greater ideological forces wanting use Videodrome to transform society. Max Renn, as an audience surrogate, is confident in knowing who he is at the start but uncertain of what’s physically tangible and mentally possible by the conclusion.

What most would remember about Videodrome are the odd and often disturbing visual effects. In one bizarre scene, a cold inanimate television set becomes a stirring fleshy object, inviting intimacy with Max. Is it alive, or is it part of Max’s increasingly off sense of reality? Even Max himself becomes an object of mutation as orifices appear without prompting and technology merges with his body. Media prophet Dr. O’Blivion speaks of “The New Flesh.” Max, whether he wants to or not, becomes the latest subject of media/technology/body evolution. At the end you may not understand fully what you’ve seen. The images, being both realistic in composition and fantastic in their presentation, will leave an impression.

Composer Howard Shore’s stylistic choice of music is interesting. He’s known for writing bombastic scores whether working with Cronenberg or with other directors. This time he decided for a more minimalistic approach. Though still utilizing traditional instrumentation, he has overlayed it with synthesizer tones. Rather than dramatic highs and lows, there’s a pulsating droning that occasionally falls away for a plangent flourish of strings. The music serves the film, and there’s nothing incorrect about the placement in the scenes. However, the synthesized orchestra may disconcert the listener. Possibly that was Cronenberg’s and Shore’s intention, but it also likely means for most people that this score won’t be on listening cycle outside the film, unlike other science fiction films and horror films of the 1980s.

Finally, the story development leads to two conclusions that may seem contradictory. First, one can appreciate the various themes that Cronenberg throws to the audience. What are the effects of media on humanity, especially involving extreme content; can one lose touch on reality as one delves further into video world; will increasing immersion in technology mutate us into something beyond what we know is the normal expedience?

However, the second conclusion is tangent to the first. There may have been a surfeit of themes to develop within the film’s running time to the viewer’s satisfaction. By the end, all gives way to Max becoming “The New Flesh” through a series of action sequences. We’re not even sure if he has agency in doing so. Cronenberg’s intentions for Max’s outcome may have influenced his plotting. That still might not be enough for the viewer who feels there’s an unbalanced ratio of questions to answers.

Now that we’ve been in the internet age for decades, Videodrome has the ostensible appearance of quaintness. For many, however, the digital world increasingly has taken the place of reality. This film invites us to reflect on who or what controls what or who as technology, especially as a means of entertainment, becomes ever more intertwined with humanity. Cronenberg presents ideas that he might not fully flesh out. Still, having something to mull over is better than just relying on visual effects to capture your audience’s attention.

We begin mid-conversation between scientist Seth Brundel (Jeff Goldblum) and reporter Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis) at an expo for researchers and inventors. Seth nonchalantly mentions that unlike the others, his invention will transform the world. Though she should exercise caution, Veronica is intrigued and brings back the mysterious and awkward Seth back to his place. Her doubts are soon shorn when he demonstrates his teleportation pods are not a gimmick. It’s a reality, that if publicized, would change the transportation world.

The only hiccup is that device cannot process “the flesh,” metaphorically and literally. Living material is not able to teleport successively. After Veronica helps him understand the flesh through connection, he’s able to solve the conundrum. Soon after though, this connection to another human leads to the sticky business of emotions that Seth has shut off for years. With a flare-up of anger and jealousy, he commits an error of judgement. The results are a genetic abomination and a tragedy for both.

Cronenberg’s most commercially and critically acclaimed film was surprise hit for 1986. Previous science-fiction horror remakes such as John Carpenter’s The Thing had lackluster response from both the audience and critics at the time. One would likely have predicted that the grisly fly transformation effects and dour ending would’ve dampened the box office. Instead, people praised the make-up. They also seemed to relate to the story of losing a loved one to a terminal disease, even with it wrapped in a fantastical package. The world seems to have changed much from 1982.

The relationship between Seth and Veronica is a draw for audiences, especially for those more inclined to dismiss the horror and science fiction genres as juvenile, or even worse, as junk. We don’t know what to feel when we first come across Seth. He’s not conventionally attractive per Hollywood standards, though there’s a spark of charm. He’s boastful, but his awkward nature somehow prevents this from tipping into an ugly arrogance. His behavior with Veronica when she first comes to his place would normally come across as creepy. However, he doesn’t attempt to make a first move romantically. He’s so unaware that he forgets that she came along as a journalist. He just wants to confide something important with another. His interaction with Veronica shows that he’s lived an isolated life, either by choice or social neglect.

It helps that the film sets up a scuzzy antagonist, Stathis (John Getz). This former boyfriend of Veronica and somewhat stereotypical corporate type provides the ick factor to keep us on Seth’s side. (It’s a fact in 80s movies that if you’re a professional with a beard, you’re distrustful). Though even he has a side that may prove to be a surprise to the audience, being part of the resolution to the escalating tragedy of Seth’s transformation.

Besides Cronenberg’s direction, Howard Shore’s score elevates the material beyond semi-remembered b-movie schlock. Shore pulls away from the synth soundscapes of the previous Cronenberg film Videodrome. He decides to flood the audience with an operatic-instrumental orchestration from the titles onward. Depending on the scene, the music whips our emotions from wonder of discovery to tension of frayed love to despair of biological terminus. Even though the sudden start and sharp end of the film could make the story seem like a slice-of-life narrative, the music transforms it into a 20th century tragedy. Just as in Classical Greek tragedy, where fate and the gods punish characters for their hubris, Seth is led down a similar path. It’s no wonder that the director later adapted the film into an opera.

There’s not much more that one can say about the make-up effects than already said. They are grotesque and especially in the final stage, out-of-this-world. However, Cronenberg never neglects the human element. What does that mean? We will likely never come across a man genetically spliced to a fly. However, it’s almost definite that we’ll see a friend or family member decay either due to disease or old age. It may not be as alien and dramatic a transformation as we see with Seth, but it’s a transformation from what we once knew, nonetheless.

At every stage of his change into the creature, we still see the once briefly happy and awkward man trying to poke through. Even though we know he no longer can fit with this world, we’re still sad to see the person that was Seth Brundle go. At the end, there’s still a personality within the insect.

The Fly is a cautionary tale, but the lessons are unlike that of the original 50s film. Yes, hubris in scientific endeavors may lead to unexpected, even unwanted results. This film, however, is warning that there must be a balance between technology and the heart (or the flesh). Seth is stunted socially until he meets Veronica. With her touch, he can make the final touch on his discovery. However, a life of withdrawn emotions has not prepared him when feelings break free, and he cares for an actual person. This lack of emotional control is just as harmful as living without emotion. It ends up costing Seth. The paradox is that during the journey to becoming a fly, Seth embraced more fully what it means to be human.

It’s been what – a month, since we’ve sat down with each other? I know, feels like forever. But, this month I have a goodie of Retro Movie Review in the chamber for this month, it just won’t be this review here.

I stumbled upon Kung Fu Mobsters on Instagram. A passion project of James Mosher (writer, producer, star) and directed by Juan Alam with music and SFX by Tigerstyles. A schlocky indie movie made by friends and associates full of tongue & cheekiness and the cinematography of a Troma film. Imagine ‘No Retreat No Surrender'(1986) mixed with Dolemite and the charm of Hong Kong Phooey. Yes, this something you’ve never seen before. Yes, there will be moments that make you twist your head but, there are some amusing moments doesn’t matter if they are scripted or imporv’d.

This is probably my favorite moment :

This the kind of movie you’d see late night on Public Access or MNN. A passion project that I bet was one helluva a fun experience to film. A family coming together and making something out of nothing. And for that I say, “Good shit”.

The Cons-
However, a lot of the editing is choppy. There are random moments when the camera cuts between takes and disoriented my concentration. The fight choreography are definitely on par with some 70’s blaxploitation fights but, a lot of the fight sounds and impacts weren’t punched in leaving some of the battles feeling a flat. And the pacing in the third act does drag.

Overall, I dig the motivation and intention of this film. Support the small artist. Hollywood is in disarray and flaccid. So, go out and search online and support real people trying to create authentic projects. The movie is shlock but, it’s fun. And whats wrong with fun if you can have it?

KUNG FU MOBSTERS is available on dvd only from the producers and director at the moment. No updates as of late whether it will get a wider distribution or be available for streaming. KUNG FU MOBSTERS is only $10; Contact : JEMTV1 on instagram for further information about this film and its sequel.

Keep and open mind and Rewind.

It’s post 9/11 and Giuliani had already finished gutting and renovating damn near the entire city into a playground for corporate real estate and snotty new residents from other states coming to claim the remnants that gentrification left behind.

Nocturnal activities were still there under the surface and by nocturnal animals. The thieves, the junkies, the drunk, the desperate, the horny, the lost, the abandoned, hookers, after-hours workers and the graffiti writers. Fuck Giuliani, Diblasio, Cuomo and all the like. The whole table is broken so, why bother trying to take a seat at it; start making your own. Seize your day. 

State Your Name is a 2005 graffiti film directed by OZ. Featuring footage and interviews with writers: Nov York, Noxer, Skuff, (R.I.P.) KEZ5, DG, KET, JA, QUEST, JEZ, GOUCH, KMS CRUE, RISK 9, SEN4 and more and more. Simplicity at its finest.

Keep your finger on that REWIND Button.

Babylon (1980)
directed by Franco Rosso.  Written by Franco Rosso and Martin Stellman (Quadrophenia), and shot by two-time Academy Award winner Chris Menges  (The Killing Fields), Babylon is an incendiary portrait of racial tension and police brutality set in Brixton, London. The film, anchored by Dennis Bovell’s propulsive score, is partly based on Bovell’s false imprisonment for running a Jamaican sound system, Sufferer’s Hi Fi, in the mid-70s.

We constantly hear stories and watch films about Thatcher-era Britannia from the early Punk-era to the mayhem in the football stands.  Skinheads, Suedeheads, Rudeboys, New Romantics, Yardies, Casuals and the like; diversity and culture brewing from the melting pot that is the streets of England. One group to have a major influence on culture in Britain was the first and second generation of British Jamaicans. Jamaican style and music was a crucial inspiration to working class youths of the era; early Rocksteady rhythms of the Bob Marley & the Wailers, Desmond Dekker, Derrick Morgan, Symarip and The Ethiopians, sweeping into the hearts & minds of British working-class youths. Later, Sound System culture and eventually DUB with remixes and arrangements from King Tubby, Lee Scratch Perry, Scientist, Mad Professor and others were the rage. It wasn’t just cool, it was ITAL. It wasn’t just the Beatles and Bowie, it was Spliffs, Ganja, Rastafarianism; it was Black and Caribbean and unapologetic/authentic.  

Babylon was a renegade film showcasing how those sounds woven themselves into the fabric of British youth in opposition of racist pushback from ignorant conservative norms of the time. The time of filming was especially ripe in the center of racial tensions. Production headquarters were in an abandoned warehouse and most of the shoot locations in Brixton were kept under wraps from the media and general public due to the themes depicted in the film.

This is considered one of British cinemas best features and has been praised by critics including myself since its release.

I being a former Fred Perry fresh-cut at one time and growing up during heated racial tensions in NYC can fully identify and relate to the confusion, aggravation and disillusionment of the main characters. This film is independent filmmaking at its finest; made exquisite by its soundtrack provided by reggae and dub artists such as Yabby U, I-Roy, Aswad, and Dennis Bovell.

Total runtime is 95 minutes.

Highly recommended for fans of Beat Street and Coolie High.

Stay Fresh, Stay Cool, and Stay Safe out there. But, always, always keep your finger on that REWIND button.

                                                       ABOVE THE RIM (1994)

The last film in Barry Michael Cooper’s Harlem trilogy Above the Rim (94) was directed and co-written by Jeff Pollack with a screenplay by Cooper adapted from a story by Benny Medina. Above the Rim stars Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur (Juice, Bullet, Gridlock’d), Leon Robinson (Five Heartbeats, Colors, Cool Runnings), Marlon Wayans (Requiem for a Dream) and Wood Harris (Paid in Full, Dread, HBO’s The Wire). Distributed by New Line Cinema and premiering on March 23, 1994.

This Retro Pick of the Month is a coming-of-age story about a talented and promising young man named Kyle Watson (D. Martin) living in Harlem with potential to get a basketball scholarship and likely a future in the NBA. He must choose between working hard to better himself or falling victim to the allure and pitfalls of street life. Between the encouragement and tutorship of a security guard named Shep (Leon Robinson) or the manipulations of a local hustler named Birdie (Tupac). It’s a tug of war over the soul of a young man learning to become his own man.

Above the Rim was filmed on location in Harlem with some locations as Manhattan Center for Science & Mathematics in East Harlem, Howard Bennett Playground on 139^th street and the legendary Rucker Park. With a soundtrack featuring hits by SWV, the Dogg Pound, Nate Dog & Warren G, the Lady of Rage, AL.B. Sure! and Tupac Shakur.

A basketball movie that was made during the second wave of Black Exploitation cinema, also known as the Hood movie craze of the nineties, after the success of John Singleton’s Boyz in the Hood (1991) and the Hughes Bros’ Menace 2 Society (1993). It was during this time that we were blessed with Cult Classics like New Jersey Drive, Juice, Fresh, New Jack City, Belly, Clockers, South Central, Deep Cover, Sugar Hill, Hangin with the Homeboys, and you get the point. It was a great time for variety with stories about US, the sons & daughters of the ghetto, with no pandering and no ulterior motives or tokenizing. Hollywood was eager to green light new auteurs and stories while profiting from black dollars at the cinema. That is until the 2000’s came and well let’s try to forget that nosedive; I’m looking at you No Limit films and SOUL PLANE.

It’s a time capsule of Nineties nostalgia and HipHop culture. It was the last film released during Tupac Shakur’s lifetime. It is a story about US about US.

Other remarkable recommendations: SUGAR HILL (1993), JUICE (1992), Cooley High (1975), He Got Game (1998), Fresh (1994), Straight Out of Brooklyn (1991).

This movie reminds me of nothing less than my classmates from OUR LADY of LOURDES School on W. 143^rd street (Sugar Hill, Harlem) class of 1996. I Love Yous all.

Stay fresh, Stay Fly and always keep that finger on the REWIND button.

What can be said about the new Matrix movie that hasn’t already been said about Peeling paint, toe nail clippings, dripping faucets and hiking in the dark? The film is a yawn fest; a series of unimpressive scenes and bad cinematography built on the wobbly foundations of some interesting, although poorly executed, ideas.

Yes. It is bad. Although not as catastrophically bad as Wonder Woman 84, the recent Mortal Kombat or Bill&Ted 3, It still is bad and another reason for Hollywood to stop with the nonsense of rebooting films that need no rebooting or making sequels to films that need no sequels. They need to slow their own role and suppress their hubris. It’s not a factor of what Lana was thinking that is at fault. It is the factor of Hollywood wanting this to be made. In the Matrix Resurrections there is a scene early on in the film where (spoilers) the new Smith is in a meeting with Thomas Anderson instructing him that Warner Bros is interested in making another Matrix project whether the creators are involved or not. Yes, this movie is meta. If this was taken from an actual event in our reality and Lana had intention of sabotaging the franchise to keep it out of corporate hands then, by all means, she has my respect as a creator. Some of the earliest cringe moments that happen at the beginning of the film happen during the writers room montages; again possibly Lana letting us know how desk geeks, white shirts and corporate where brainstorming in a think tank on how to revive the franchise. Soulless hacks with not a creative bones in their bodies throwing around ideas based on algorithms, market testing and what works for other franchises such as the monolithic MCU.

The Matrix ended with Revolutions.

Resurrections attempts to reintroduce all those emotions and connections you had with the original film. Grave robbing you of your nostalgia while gaslighting you to accept the nonsense that follows.

Neo is now back in the Matrix. Constantly having to be rebooted every time he resists the new version of the matrix’s programming. How did he survive? The machines brought him and Trinity back. Why? because somehow his source code was imprinted onto her and together through the power of love can only exist close to each other but not too close otherwise the union would be catastrophic. The reasoning behind this? After Revolutions – a large number of humanity unplugged from the original version of the program resulting in an energy shortage and Civil War among the machines; many machines now sympathetic to humanity after witnessing Neo’s sacrifice to save Zion and the Machines work to help humans under threat of death while others have reorganized to maintain the system and supress humanity; Neo and Trinity are essential and repurposed to sustain the new fascistic machine power, they are super batteries.

The film had some promise and interesting ideas for I’d say the first 1/3 of the film. Ideas wasted. Bugs is a new character that could’ve been better served if not drowning in all these new characters, remixes and tech mumbo-jumbo.

Can’t say much else. The fight scenes are boring. The editing is choppy. The camera is shaky. The pacing drags along like a dirty mop. Nothing feels at stake. The Oracle is gone. The Architect is gone. However, Smith is still there, Morpheus is a program that Neo subconsciously creates and some of the exiles including the Merovigian still exist. Why havent these programs just been deleted. Especially Smith after all the havoc he caused in the previous two films. I don’t know. And the Merovigian, smh, is now an exile program dressed like he fell out of Oscar the Grouch’s trashcan that only serves as a comedic throwback during a throwaway action set piece the contradicts the climax of the film. Wasted and embarrassing.

Let’s talk about the fact that this is an R rated movie but, it feels like a PG cash grab. There’s cute machines, little machines that fist bump and lots of humor. Yes, humor in a Matrix film. Remember that film trilogy about a dystopian future where Machines have exterminated half of humanity and are growing them in vats to serve as fuel; locking them into a computer simulation without their consent or knowledge while the surviving members live in exile underground with the constant danger of genocide at any moment? Yeah remember that movie? Well here is a sequel but, this time with jokes and stuff.

Long story short: If this was a self-sabotage by Lana Wachowski then I salute her. But, if not then she is part of the problem in Hollyweird.

My Conclusion is  – It’s bad. I can’t recommend anyone pay money to sit in theaters to see this. If you have to see it go home and watch it on HBO MAX or stream it illegally.

A big disappointment but, not the worse of the worst.

Be warned.

Keep it safe. Mask up. And always keep your finger on that REWIND button.

Okay. It’s late night and I’m in the beginning of an insomnia stretch.  After a few viewings of the new film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s DUNE directed by Denis Villeneuve on HBO MAX, I can finally sit here and review this bittersweet, epic of an incomplete retelling.

So you’re thinking – “Is it good?”

Well, yes and kind of yes. See it is a very well made film. The visuals are magnificent. I’m serious, the visuals are magnificent. The cinematography by Greg Fraser (Rogue One, Zero Dark Thirty) really does contribute to the world building and overall experience of this space opera about rival houses battling over dominion of the galaxy and the most precious resource to humanity the Spice Mélange.

House Atredeis and its patriarch Duke Leto Atreides, his concubine the Bene Gesereit Jessica and their son Paul Atreides have been gifted by the Emperor of the known Galaxy with the reins of Spice production on the only planet that produces it , the desert planet ARRAKIS. The previous overseers, House Harkonnen, were brutally industrialized and equally brutal on their workers. House Harkonnen’s base planet is Geidi Prime; a barren planet that earns its status in CHOAM with export made possible on the backs of slave labor. House Harkonnen is headed by the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.
Duke Leto (Oscar Isaacs) from the very beginning is faced the obvious obstacle of being “fucked”. Meanwhile, the Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) is busy preparing her son, PAUL (Timothée Chalamet) for his future as the leader of House Atreides. After a meeting with Bene Gesserit Gaius Helen Mohiam, she has to hasten her training of her son for dangers that lie ahead of him on the new world of Arrakis; dangers such as fulfilling Spice Production Quotas, gigantic Sandworms, attempting to build a relationship with the Fremen, and terror attacks by remnants of House Harkonnen.

The film compared to the previous adaptations – the 1984 David Lynch film and the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries which in spite of a low budget wasn’t that bad. This film falls somewhere in-between.

The David Lynch film although deviated from the source material in many ways still tells a complete story; it just happens to be a bunch of exposition stuffed into two hours.

The television mini-series is the more complete translation of Herbert’s three books from Dune to Dune: Messiah and Children of Dune. The budget was lack luster and the costuming atrocious in the first 3 part DUNE mini-series but, Children of Dune the follow-up miniseries redeemed this years later. The special effects were primitive and resembled cut-scenes from a WING COMMANDER PC game. Paul Atreides was played by a noticeably older actor but, performed well.

The new film is a visual buffet of sound and images. It is marvelous. The casting was well executed and perfect. The film all just falls into place. The world building is without pretentions and paced so well. I love how technology is portrayed and the details and exposition are implied without being spoonfed to the viewer. Denis actually trust the audience to be intelligent and think about what they see, a quality that is lacking in 99% of Hollywood directors. But,….

The Negatives – The damn score is really distracting. There are times when I’m engaged with what is going on and salivating at the experience only to be thrown out of the movie by random throat singing and bagpipes in other scenes. The score is almost trash and self-indulgent. Hans Zimmer is accomplished and has delivered in his craft as a composer with films like Pirates of the Caribbean, Intersellar, The Dark Knight trilogy and Blade Runner 2049. Unfortunately, he falls short here. I tried watching the film for a second time but, couldn’t get passed the score. Finally it was the third try when I learned to just let it play and reexamine the film as it is.

Another negative is – The wait to see PART 2. I know the book is too much for one movie and the studio needed to be confident the franchise would turn a profit before signing off on a sequel. However, I do not understand why a script for a second film was done before or during filming. The film makers knew they wanted to finish the story. So why not have the second installment locked and in the chamber? It makes no sense to me. Now I have to wait two years for a DUNE part 2 of 2. This might’ve been okay back in the day when franchises like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter were built on frenzied fans lining up at theaters for every new movie. But, this is 2021 and audiences are accustomed to binge-watching and instant gratification. It all just seems like they jumped out the window to film and promote an incomplete film with no knowledge of if they’ll be able to finish it. Lucky for us the film performed very well this year, earning over $300 million dollars with part 2 already green lit and the director already being quoted in interviews as being interested in filming a third film based on Dune: Messiah and completing Paul Atreides story.

So far this film gets a hard 4.5 out of 5. Let’s see what they do next. Oh, wait Part 2 doesn’t premiere till late 2023 – Fcuk me right.

The spice is vital to space travel. The spice expands the mind. The Spice is life. The spice must flow. Keep your steps without rhythm and keep your finger on that damn REWIND button.

The Many Saints of Newark is a 2021 American crime drama film directed by Alan Taylor and written by David Chase and Lawrence Konner. A prequel to Chase’s HBO crime drama series The Sopranos, it takes place during the 1960s and 1970s in Newark, New Jersey. The film follows a violent gang war from the perspectives of mobster Dickie Moltisanti and his teenage nephew, Tony Soprano, in the midst of the city’s 1967 riots. It stars Alessandro Nivola as Dickie and Michael Gandolfini as Tony, the character originated by his father in the series, with Leslie Odom Jr., Jon Bernthal, Corey Stoll, Billy Magnussen, Michela De Rossi, John Magaro, Ray Liotta, and Vera Farmiga in supporting roles. 

 I don’t really have a lot to say about this movie. I was hyped to see this with all the production details and marketing from HBO and the cast. I was excited to see what the advertisements said would be the “Origin of Tony Soprano”. Did we get a young Tony Soprano? Yes. Was it what we were expecting? No.

Instead we got a one-shot story about Dickie Moltisanti; the father of Christopher Moltisanti. Although the character was interesting in his own way, it wasn’t interesting enough to carry the whole film.

The casting was superb. Everyone fit their roles playing younger versions of the despicable Soprano family from the groundbreaking HBO series. More than the others, I was ecstatic to see Stand-Up comedian and Actor Joey “Coco” Diaz in a supporting role as Pussy’s father, Buddha.

I have to say there was a lot to be desired.
Maybe this would’ve been better presented as a mini-series instead of a feature film. I’m not enraged. This wasn’t an unbearable viewing. This wasn’t Wonder Woman 84′, now 84 was a bad movie.
I’m not angry with the production; just disappointed without holding a grudge.
This was an ambitious project after-all. Could you really condense everything you loved bout the show and have these characters exist in just a 2Hour runtime? I just feel like the main character they chose to focus on was a bit of a letdown. Instead of following a young Tony enamored by the lifestyle of his father, uncle and more importantly his Uncle Dickie – you just get Dickie. Dickie unhappy with his father. Dickie wanting to sleep with his new stepmom, Dickie showing off, Dickie being a fun guy, Dickie drinking, Dickie, Dickie, Dickie. Did we get a resolution to setups and questions from the series about him – No. I mean you do find out who really killed him? Yes but, the answer you get just seems like a really cheap twist.

The only fact you learn by the end of the film is “Dickie is just as much a fuck up as his kid, Chrissy”.

Tony doesn’t even get that much screen time til maybe the third act of the film. And the film presents Tony as just a kid trying to be a tough guy like his Uncle. Shit, AJ in retrospect seemed more centered than Tony by the end of the film. Which kind of cheapens a solid performance by Michael Gandolfini in the role that made his late father famous.

To me the movie should’ve followed the younger versions of Livia and Johnny Soprano. Those two were the best parts of the film. Vera Farmiga did one hell of a job playing Livia as the self-absorbed, mentally complicated and manipulative bitch Livia always was. Jon Bernthal played against her wonderfully. Why would Johnny want to come home first after getting released from prison when Livia was there waiting for him? Jesus Christ, do you blame him for having a girlfriend on the side? The best scene is when they were driving home after a double date with Dickie. Shame they didn’t have more screen time; same with Corey Stoll’s performance of Uncle Junior.

Subplots were whatever. Soundtrack is pretty good. Cinematography is well done.

Just a shame that it didn’t feel satisfying when it was all done.

One and a half Thumbs up & 2.5 stars out of 5.

Stay away from a theater purchase on this one. Just watch it at home on HBO MAX.

Stay safe. Stay Healthy. And always keep your finger on that REWIND button.