Richie Keen’s “Fist Fight” is pretty much just a remake of “Three O’Clock High,” this time around it’s amped up to a lighter tone and steeped in hazy intentions. “Fist Fight” could have an important message to tell, but the commentary about public education, class overcrowding, and the under appreciation of teachers is lost in a flurry of empty sub-plots, pointless gags, and under developed characters. “Fist Fight” could have worked since the film itself does garner some laughs every now and then, but it never can figure out if it wants to make a social statement, or if it merely just wants to show Charlie Day and Ice Cube engage in a huge fist fight by the climax. For all intents and purposes, “Fist Fight” works in some areas, setting itself up as a teacher’s nightmare fueled by anxiety of unemployment and poor work conditions.
Tag Archives: Adventure
Inhumanwich! (2016)
If you’re a fan of rampaging monster/sci-fi movie tributes like “The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra,” or “Stomp! Shout! Scream!” then you’ll definitely love what David Cornelius has cooked up for film lovers. “Inhumanwich!” is a fun and sharp black and white send up of classic sixties monster movies that embraces its low budget working around the limited scenery and small cast to deliver one really fun and funny seventy five minute film. David Cornelius who wrote and directed the film obviously has a keen knowledge of the space exploration horror films, as he conjures up films like “The Blob,” “Robot Monster,” and “The Creeping Terror” for some really good material.
Be sure to Buy Felix Vasquez’s New Book “Orphan Sword”!
If you’re looking for some quick action packed reading this weekend, be sure to pick up my newest novel “Orphan Sword.” It took me two years to properly develop, and write, and it’s the first in what I will hope to turn in to a series. It was originally conceived as a web comic book and was turned in to a novella, changed quite drastically.
“When enigmatic young homeless drifter Noah Grey arrives in Centurion City, instead of finding the answers about his past involving being orphaned at a young age, that he so desperately wants, he finds a sinister presence is kidnapping the homeless in the shadows. When his friend Lucinda becomes a victim of the kidnappings, Noah is forced to use the martial arts and lightning quick sword skills he honed throughout his life to bring her tormentors to justice.”
“Orphan Sword” is an action thriller that is heavily influenced by fiims “Zatoichi,” and “The Man with No Name” series, comic books like “Daredevil” and “Shang-Chi,” and a plethora of other movies and TV series I love. I hope you have a good time reading it, and of course, all money for sales goes toward my goal of buying that purple monkey dishwasher.
Southern Comfort (1981): Collector’s Edition [Blu-Ray/DVD]
With the eighties came a lot of frustration about the Vietnam War and the hell that many people had to endure to fulfill the political goals of the US government. Walter Hill’s “Southern Comfort” isn’t precisely about the Vietnam war but it is a allegory for the Vietnam war right down to the very final scene. “Southern Comfort” is a startling and often surreal survival thriller, set amidst a seemingly serene Louisiana Outback during the Vietnam War. With the Louisiana National Guard stationed in the bayou, they’re set to take part in mandatory maneuvers.
Snatched (2017)
This trend of comedies involving multi-generations where younger actors and or comedians team up with older actors and or comedians has worn thin. Seth Rogen and Barbara Streisand, Zac Efron and Robert DeNiro, I get it, it’s not funny. “Snatched” is another in a line of this growing sub-genre, where we spend ninety minutes noting how old one character is and how young the other is. Will they ever get along? Will they reach a firm understanding and common ground? Of course they’ll learn to love one another by the time the movie ends, and there will be some kind of self-sacrifice, and we’ll probably get a sequel. This time around it’s Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn, both of whom have zero chemistry. They have so little chemistry it’s unpleasant. Their chemistry and lack thereof derives no laughs in what is a joyless sitcom that transforms in to a dark comedy about kidnapping, torture, xenophobia, third world countries, and human trafficking.
DC Superhero Girls: Intergalactic Games (2017) (DVD)
For parents looking to introduce their tween children to lighter superhero fare before giving them heavier doses of superhero drama, “DC Superhero Girls” is a nice animated introduction. Based on the hit toy line, “DC Superhero Girls” is set in the superhero high school, where DC Universe’s most powerful superheroes attend to learn how to fight crime. The movie is mostly centered on the female superheroes from the DC Universe including young Wonder Woman, young Batgirl, Supergirl, Bumblebee, Katana, Poison Ivy, and class clown Harley Quinn.
Wonder Woman (2009): Commemorative Edition [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]
My only hope is that when DC’s live action debut of “Wonder Woman” finally arrives, that they’ve taken notes from Bruce Timm and Lauren Montgomery’s animated depictions, because they remain some of the best iterations to date. DC and Warner have yet to churn out a cinematic masterpiece in the last five years, but they’ve done remarkably well in the animated department in the past. “Wonder Woman” is one of their crowning achievements as an exciting, action packed, and engaging look at the Amazonian warrior’s battle against her uncle, the god of war Ares.