Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington), an inmate at Attica, is secretly let out of prison temporarily so he can try to convince his son to attend Big State University, the governor's alma mater. Time is running out for Jesus Shuttlesworth (Ray Allen), Jake's son and the top high school basketball player in the country. Jesus has yet to pick a university and he less than a week to decide.
The relationship between father and son is complicated by their shared past. Before he went to prison, Jake pushed and bullied Jesus to improve his basketball game. He is in prison for accidentally killing his wife when she tried to stop him from harassing their son.
Jake is promised by the warden that the governor will grant him early parole if he can get his son to attend Big State U. Jake does what he can to talk his son in to attending Big State but he is just one of many people whispering in Jesus' ear. Many people (family, friends, strangers) are trying to push him one way or another: his girlfriend, his uncle, his coach, an agent who wants to represent him.
There are two story lines running concurrently through this movie. The first consists of the attempts by Jake to repair his relationship with his Jesus. The second is how Jesus deals with the pressure of being the number one high school basketball player. When I first saw the movie, when it was originally released in 1998, I was much more focused on the second story line, possibly because I was very much interested in men's college basketball at that time. My interests in watching college and professional sports have diminished greatly since then and this time around it was the first story line that loomed larger for me.
There are a number of familiar faces in the movie, some are regulars in Spike Lee movies, some are not. Rosario Dawson, in one of her first roles on the big screen, plays Lala, Jesus' girlfriend who introduces him to an agent. Bill Nunn plays his uncle who is very interested in getting paid for helping to look after Jesus and his sister since their mother died and their father went to prison. There are a few professional ballplayers (John Wallace, Rick Fox) mixed in the cast and several college basketball coaches playing themselves. Milla Jovovich plays a prostitute who lives in the apartment next to the one where Jake is staying. John Turturro plays the head coach at Big State U.
I had completely forgotten about the score for the movie which mostly consists of music of Aaron Copeland. The juxtaposition that music with this story were truly inspired. Spike Lee, in all fairness, does a great job with the music selections he makes for his movies.
I am glad I chose to watch this movie again. It probably isn't everyone's cup of tea but it also isn't run of the mill.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Luke Cage 1.12
Soliloquy of Chaos
Like the last one, this episode picks up where the previous one left off. This time Luke is in chains after surrendering himself to the police. Just before they load him in a paddy wagon, Misty surreptitiously encourages Luke to make a run for it. When the vehicle is stopped at a light Luke breaks free and takes off running. He gets stopped by a cop who remembers him from Pop's Barber Shop. For a second it looks like the cop is either going to shoot him, with Judas rounds, or call for backup but he let's Luke go.
What doesn't make sense is why the paddy wagon stopped for the red light. If they have an important prisoner in the back then I would think they should have the lights and siren on and be going through red lights. I guess the reason they stopped could be because the two officers in the front seat were too engaged in conversation to remember to follow protocol.
Early the next morning Luke stops a hold up at a small convenience store. Method Man, who later talks and raps about the experience on a radio program, is in the shop when Luke walks in and stops the attempted robbery. He helps Luke out by switching hoodies with him and spreading the word about Luke's actions. Soon black men all over Harlem are wearing hoodies with holes in them which helps to confuse the cops. The Larry Davis reference was appropriate but went over my head until I did a Google search.
Shades is in police custody but Misty and Inspector Ridley can't get anything out of him. Eventually Stryker sends a lawyer to bail Shades out of jail. Zip and a couple of Styker's thugs pick up Shades. It looks like they are taking him to meet Styker but then Zip tries to kill him while the other two stand around and watch. Shades manages to get his hands on a gun and kills all three.
Misty gets a bigger role this time around. She bounces around trying to piece things together. She gets a call from Candace, who wants to come clean and testify against Mariah and Shades. Alex, Mariah's assistant, has been keeping an eye on Candace from a distance and reports back to Mariah on her meeting with Misty. Later Misty secretly meets with Luke to compare notes.
Domingo decides the time has come to take down Diamondback. He and a bunch of his boys go to Stryker's warehouse armed to the teeth. Despite having him outnumbered and outgunned, Domingo and his crew end up on the losing side of the fight.
The episode ends with most of the major players converging on Pop's Barber Shop: Luke, Misty, Mariah, Shades, Diamondback. Mariah and Shades want Luke to take down Stryker. They try to bribe Luke with a file on him that should help him to clear his name. Misty wants to arrest Shades and Mariah. Before the conversation gets very far Diamondback shows up in a new suit. Shades tries gunning him down but the suit seems to make him bulletproof. Diamondback says he is the angel of death just before he and Luke charge one another and the episode ends.
Claire did not appear in this episode. She was mentioned at least once. I assume that she will be back in the final episode of the season.
There is some evidence that Misty's arm was injured but by the end of the episode it is hardly apparent that she was injured badly in the prior episode. I suppose there is no telling what may happen to her in the final episode of the season. Maybe they're saving the injury that costs her an arm for the first season of Iron Fist.
There's a lot going on this episode. I'm not sure if everyone is going to survive the end of the season but I will be very disappointed if they don't resolve things between Luke and Stryker. There is some hint that they might be setting things up for the return of Mariah in season 2.
Once again I am very impressed by the music and the way it is used throughout the episode. I wasn't blown away by Method Man's performance at the radio station but it worked very well with the images that were used as he spit lyrics about Luke and Harlem.
Like the last one, this episode picks up where the previous one left off. This time Luke is in chains after surrendering himself to the police. Just before they load him in a paddy wagon, Misty surreptitiously encourages Luke to make a run for it. When the vehicle is stopped at a light Luke breaks free and takes off running. He gets stopped by a cop who remembers him from Pop's Barber Shop. For a second it looks like the cop is either going to shoot him, with Judas rounds, or call for backup but he let's Luke go.
What doesn't make sense is why the paddy wagon stopped for the red light. If they have an important prisoner in the back then I would think they should have the lights and siren on and be going through red lights. I guess the reason they stopped could be because the two officers in the front seat were too engaged in conversation to remember to follow protocol.
Early the next morning Luke stops a hold up at a small convenience store. Method Man, who later talks and raps about the experience on a radio program, is in the shop when Luke walks in and stops the attempted robbery. He helps Luke out by switching hoodies with him and spreading the word about Luke's actions. Soon black men all over Harlem are wearing hoodies with holes in them which helps to confuse the cops. The Larry Davis reference was appropriate but went over my head until I did a Google search.
Shades is in police custody but Misty and Inspector Ridley can't get anything out of him. Eventually Stryker sends a lawyer to bail Shades out of jail. Zip and a couple of Styker's thugs pick up Shades. It looks like they are taking him to meet Styker but then Zip tries to kill him while the other two stand around and watch. Shades manages to get his hands on a gun and kills all three.
Misty gets a bigger role this time around. She bounces around trying to piece things together. She gets a call from Candace, who wants to come clean and testify against Mariah and Shades. Alex, Mariah's assistant, has been keeping an eye on Candace from a distance and reports back to Mariah on her meeting with Misty. Later Misty secretly meets with Luke to compare notes.
Domingo decides the time has come to take down Diamondback. He and a bunch of his boys go to Stryker's warehouse armed to the teeth. Despite having him outnumbered and outgunned, Domingo and his crew end up on the losing side of the fight.
The episode ends with most of the major players converging on Pop's Barber Shop: Luke, Misty, Mariah, Shades, Diamondback. Mariah and Shades want Luke to take down Stryker. They try to bribe Luke with a file on him that should help him to clear his name. Misty wants to arrest Shades and Mariah. Before the conversation gets very far Diamondback shows up in a new suit. Shades tries gunning him down but the suit seems to make him bulletproof. Diamondback says he is the angel of death just before he and Luke charge one another and the episode ends.
Claire did not appear in this episode. She was mentioned at least once. I assume that she will be back in the final episode of the season.
There is some evidence that Misty's arm was injured but by the end of the episode it is hardly apparent that she was injured badly in the prior episode. I suppose there is no telling what may happen to her in the final episode of the season. Maybe they're saving the injury that costs her an arm for the first season of Iron Fist.
There's a lot going on this episode. I'm not sure if everyone is going to survive the end of the season but I will be very disappointed if they don't resolve things between Luke and Stryker. There is some hint that they might be setting things up for the return of Mariah in season 2.
Once again I am very impressed by the music and the way it is used throughout the episode. I wasn't blown away by Method Man's performance at the radio station but it worked very well with the images that were used as he spit lyrics about Luke and Harlem.
Thursday, December 15, 2016
NewsRadio 2.11
Station Sale
Mr. James announces his intention to sell WNYX to Robertson Communications. It turns out that his desire to sell is based primarily his interest in Jane Robertson, CEO of Robertson Communications. She is the latest target to Jimmy's desire.
The A story, described above was a little too sentimental for me. The B story, in which Matthew handcuffs himself to a chair in a misguided attempt to protest Mr. James plans to sell was moderately funny but not enough to make up for the schmaltz in the other story line.
Not my favorite episode by a long shot.
Mr. James announces his intention to sell WNYX to Robertson Communications. It turns out that his desire to sell is based primarily his interest in Jane Robertson, CEO of Robertson Communications. She is the latest target to Jimmy's desire.
The A story, described above was a little too sentimental for me. The B story, in which Matthew handcuffs himself to a chair in a misguided attempt to protest Mr. James plans to sell was moderately funny but not enough to make up for the schmaltz in the other story line.
Not my favorite episode by a long shot.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Halt and Catch Fire 2.08
Limbo
Just as everything is starting to look up for everyone (Joe, Cameron, Donna, Gordon) things come apart.
Mutiny throws a party for their customers/users. Cameron is reticent to come out and mingle but when she finally does she starts to see that it was the community and not the games that mean the most.
Joe and Sarah got married between the end of the last episode and the beginning of this one. They go on a honeymoon, which transpires off camera. Joe's father-in-law hires someone to take Joe's place. Joe tries to be helpful, he seems reluctant to leave. He and Sarah have plans to move to California. After a night of partying which ends with them having sex in the server room at Westgroup, Joe discovers what his replacement is up to, stealing Mutiny.
Gordon has problems of his own that for the most part don't involve the others. The guys working for him quit. Gordon starts to suspect that an former colleague from their days at Cardiff has stolen his idea about building his own computer. He breaks into the guy's garage. It turns out the guy didn't steal his idea, Joe is just a bit paranoid and gets arrested for breaking and entering.
Donna, Cameron, and the rest of the crew at Mutiny are devastated by the theft of their network by Westgroup. Joe tries to apologize and explain that it isn't his fault, but they don't want to hear it and kick him out of the house.
This was a riveting episode. I can't wait to see where the show goes from here
Just as everything is starting to look up for everyone (Joe, Cameron, Donna, Gordon) things come apart.
Mutiny throws a party for their customers/users. Cameron is reticent to come out and mingle but when she finally does she starts to see that it was the community and not the games that mean the most.
Joe and Sarah got married between the end of the last episode and the beginning of this one. They go on a honeymoon, which transpires off camera. Joe's father-in-law hires someone to take Joe's place. Joe tries to be helpful, he seems reluctant to leave. He and Sarah have plans to move to California. After a night of partying which ends with them having sex in the server room at Westgroup, Joe discovers what his replacement is up to, stealing Mutiny.
Gordon has problems of his own that for the most part don't involve the others. The guys working for him quit. Gordon starts to suspect that an former colleague from their days at Cardiff has stolen his idea about building his own computer. He breaks into the guy's garage. It turns out the guy didn't steal his idea, Joe is just a bit paranoid and gets arrested for breaking and entering.
Donna, Cameron, and the rest of the crew at Mutiny are devastated by the theft of their network by Westgroup. Joe tries to apologize and explain that it isn't his fault, but they don't want to hear it and kick him out of the house.
This was a riveting episode. I can't wait to see where the show goes from here
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Rick and Morty 2.07
Big Trouble in Little Sanchez
Rick takes Beth and Jerry to couples therapy on another planet. The couples therapy works but not really as Beth and Jerry inadvertently destroy the couples therapy business and solve the issues in their marriage in the process of preventing super-powered versions of themselves from killing the originals. The super-powered versions of Beth and Jerry were freaky looking.
Back on Earth, Summer convinces Rick to create a teenage version of himself to help them find an destroy a vampire. Tiny Rick, as he calls himself, gets the job done but then wants to stick around. Summer has to convince Morty, who likes having Tiny Rick around, to team up with her to convince Rick that Tiny Rick has to go.
Excellent episode but probably not my number one favorite from this season.
Rick takes Beth and Jerry to couples therapy on another planet. The couples therapy works but not really as Beth and Jerry inadvertently destroy the couples therapy business and solve the issues in their marriage in the process of preventing super-powered versions of themselves from killing the originals. The super-powered versions of Beth and Jerry were freaky looking.
Back on Earth, Summer convinces Rick to create a teenage version of himself to help them find an destroy a vampire. Tiny Rick, as he calls himself, gets the job done but then wants to stick around. Summer has to convince Morty, who likes having Tiny Rick around, to team up with her to convince Rick that Tiny Rick has to go.
Excellent episode but probably not my number one favorite from this season.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Ant-Man (2015)
Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) has just been released from prison. He tries to go straight but after getting fired because he is an ex-con he agrees to help Luis (Michael Pena) and his gang break into the home of a rich man. The house they break into belongs to Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the inventor of Pym Particles, who was once the superhero known as Ant-Man. Lang breaks into the vault in Pym's basement but there isn't any money there, just the Ant-Man costume.
Pym and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) recruit Lang to become the new Ant-Man. They need his help to take on Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), Pym's evil protege, who is trying to replicate his mentor's technology and sell it to the highest bidder.
Overall a decent movie. The special effects were good. I liked the premise and the flashbacks to Pym's time as the original Ant-Man. My problem with the movie, mostly the ending, is that everything happened way too quickly.
If it wasn't for the humor I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the movie as much as I did. The humor was much better than the action. Both Rudd and Pena were very funny.
I had a hard time buying that Paxton (Bobby Carnivale), the cop who is married to Lang's ex-wife, would change his mind about Lang that quickly near the end of the movie without some hesitation.
I was disappointed that they teased us with the appearance of the original Wasp (Janet van Dyne) and then didn't have her show up again. According to Pym she is gone but I've got a feeling she will be back, probably in the next movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp, which isn't due to be released until 2018.
Pym and his daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly) recruit Lang to become the new Ant-Man. They need his help to take on Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), Pym's evil protege, who is trying to replicate his mentor's technology and sell it to the highest bidder.
Overall a decent movie. The special effects were good. I liked the premise and the flashbacks to Pym's time as the original Ant-Man. My problem with the movie, mostly the ending, is that everything happened way too quickly.
If it wasn't for the humor I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the movie as much as I did. The humor was much better than the action. Both Rudd and Pena were very funny.
I had a hard time buying that Paxton (Bobby Carnivale), the cop who is married to Lang's ex-wife, would change his mind about Lang that quickly near the end of the movie without some hesitation.
I was disappointed that they teased us with the appearance of the original Wasp (Janet van Dyne) and then didn't have her show up again. According to Pym she is gone but I've got a feeling she will be back, probably in the next movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp, which isn't due to be released until 2018.
Friday, December 9, 2016
Luke Cage 1.11
Now You're Mine
This entire episode takes place inside the club, Harlem's Paradise. Picking up exactly where the previous one left off Luke and Misty escape from behind the bar. They barricade themselves in the kitchen. While Stryker is pulling his resources together, Luke takes them into the basement through a secret passage. For a while they are safe down there as Stryker blows up the kitchen with what looks like a 40mm grenade.
Claire is still upstairs and has become a hostage, one of many still in the club. She meets Candace, the hostess who used to work in the club and was coerced into saying she saw Luke kill Cottonmouth. Candace has a theory about where Luke and Misty have gotten to which she shares with Claire. Somehow Claire convinces the guards to let her go down to the basement to get Candace's medication. Claire takes down the guard who is sent to keep an eye on her and makes contact with Luke and Misty after he punches his way though a wall.
One aspect I had a bit of a problem with is how everyone stayed so far apart from one another. I would think that Diamondback would have his men looking high and low for Cage. I was also a little surprised when he didn't recognize Claire, at the time she became a hostage, although later on he remembers her.
Stryker does his best to convince the cops who have surrounded the club that Luke Cage is the one behind chaos in the club. Inspector Ridley is on the spot and in charge of the police response to what's going on inside Harlem's Paradise but they don't see any real action.
She isn't seen in this episode but behind the scenes Mariah has gone to the mayor and convinced him to arm the police with rounds that are effective against Luke, Judas rounds, which are similar to the ones that Diamondback shot him with a few episodes back. After killing one of the hostages with his power glove Stryker leaves Luke to face the cops. Luke turns himself in and is arrested despite Misty's protests that he is innocent.
It looks like Misty is going to lose the arm, despite Luke and Claire's best efforts. There were moments in this episode when Misty looked a little too fine for someone who has had one of her arms shot to pieces. I think that probably isn't the actor's fault as much as it is that of the team doing makeup for the show. I'll be disappointed if there isn't a brief appearance by Danny Rand, somewhere in the last two episodes, stepping in to offer her the resources of Rand Industries to replace her arm.
More is revealed about why Stryker is out for revenge against Luke. Maybe it isn't new information but they seemed to put it very succinctly this time around. It is now clear why Luke's half-brother hates him so. I get a definite Jacob and Esau type vibe from their relationship. Also revealed, first in an off-hand remark by Luke and then more explicitly by Diamondback, is that Luke served in the Marines and was in Force Recon,
Shades has a great line which is a call back to Different Strokes, although he delivers it very differently from how it was delivered on the classic sitcom.
The assistant ADA from the Season 2 of Daredevil, Blake Tower, shows up for the first time since that season. According to imdb, it looks like this is his one and only appearance in this season of Luke Cage. There was a Blake Tower in the comic books but he was white. He first appeared in Daredevil (1964) 129. He also had a few appearances in Power Man and Iron Fist, including the final issue of that series, 125. Most of his appearances in comic books were in the 1970s and 1980s.
Despite my nitpicks I really enjoyed this episode. I loved the tension, not knowing exactly how things would turn out.
This entire episode takes place inside the club, Harlem's Paradise. Picking up exactly where the previous one left off Luke and Misty escape from behind the bar. They barricade themselves in the kitchen. While Stryker is pulling his resources together, Luke takes them into the basement through a secret passage. For a while they are safe down there as Stryker blows up the kitchen with what looks like a 40mm grenade.
Claire is still upstairs and has become a hostage, one of many still in the club. She meets Candace, the hostess who used to work in the club and was coerced into saying she saw Luke kill Cottonmouth. Candace has a theory about where Luke and Misty have gotten to which she shares with Claire. Somehow Claire convinces the guards to let her go down to the basement to get Candace's medication. Claire takes down the guard who is sent to keep an eye on her and makes contact with Luke and Misty after he punches his way though a wall.
One aspect I had a bit of a problem with is how everyone stayed so far apart from one another. I would think that Diamondback would have his men looking high and low for Cage. I was also a little surprised when he didn't recognize Claire, at the time she became a hostage, although later on he remembers her.
Stryker does his best to convince the cops who have surrounded the club that Luke Cage is the one behind chaos in the club. Inspector Ridley is on the spot and in charge of the police response to what's going on inside Harlem's Paradise but they don't see any real action.
She isn't seen in this episode but behind the scenes Mariah has gone to the mayor and convinced him to arm the police with rounds that are effective against Luke, Judas rounds, which are similar to the ones that Diamondback shot him with a few episodes back. After killing one of the hostages with his power glove Stryker leaves Luke to face the cops. Luke turns himself in and is arrested despite Misty's protests that he is innocent.
It looks like Misty is going to lose the arm, despite Luke and Claire's best efforts. There were moments in this episode when Misty looked a little too fine for someone who has had one of her arms shot to pieces. I think that probably isn't the actor's fault as much as it is that of the team doing makeup for the show. I'll be disappointed if there isn't a brief appearance by Danny Rand, somewhere in the last two episodes, stepping in to offer her the resources of Rand Industries to replace her arm.
More is revealed about why Stryker is out for revenge against Luke. Maybe it isn't new information but they seemed to put it very succinctly this time around. It is now clear why Luke's half-brother hates him so. I get a definite Jacob and Esau type vibe from their relationship. Also revealed, first in an off-hand remark by Luke and then more explicitly by Diamondback, is that Luke served in the Marines and was in Force Recon,
Shades has a great line which is a call back to Different Strokes, although he delivers it very differently from how it was delivered on the classic sitcom.
The assistant ADA from the Season 2 of Daredevil, Blake Tower, shows up for the first time since that season. According to imdb, it looks like this is his one and only appearance in this season of Luke Cage. There was a Blake Tower in the comic books but he was white. He first appeared in Daredevil (1964) 129. He also had a few appearances in Power Man and Iron Fist, including the final issue of that series, 125. Most of his appearances in comic books were in the 1970s and 1980s.
Despite my nitpicks I really enjoyed this episode. I loved the tension, not knowing exactly how things would turn out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)