Looking to God

Black Widow

Posted on June 12, 2013June 12, 2013 by Jack Flacco

Making her first appearance in the film Iron Man 2 as Natalia “Natasha” Alianovna Romanova, also known as Natasha Romanoff, and reappearing in The Avengers, Black Widow dominates the screen as the female superhero with a dark history.

Past Women Who Wow Wednesday posts have focused on female characters that could empower women into becoming better in whatever position life has given them. But after having thoroughly researched Black Widow’s record, this writer is at odds with placing this woman on a pedestal.

What can one say of Black Widow’s behavior that in some form or another wouldn’t cause someone to cringe? Definitely not the following:

In Ultimate Marvel, Romanova is a former KGB spy and assassin
Genetic or cybernetic implants make her a formidable combatant
The woman is known for killing her ex-husbands
Responsible for the death of Hawkeye’s wife and children
Publicly revealed Bruce Banner’s connection to the Hulk
Collaborated with the Liberators in their invasion of the U.S.

There’s more, yet that would involve divulging major plot points in Black Widow’s history. Suffice it to say she leaves much to be desired on the honor and trustworthiness scale.

However, when she appears in Iron Man 2, she’s Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johansson), Stark Industries’ replacement for personal assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) who moves into the company’s CEO position. No one knows what to make of the redhead until S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury reveals Natalie Rushman is covert operative Natasha Romanoff, planted to monitor Iron Man, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.). You see, Tony’s dying, and she needs to keep him from harm’s way. Natasha also injects Tony with a special serum to slow the palladium poisoning he’s been experiencing due to his use of the arc reactor that keeps him alive.

In the movie The Avengers, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind where Black Widow’s loyalty lies. From the very first frame, we see her in a quandary. A Russian general is about to interrogate Natasha as three soldiers stand in the wings. She dispatches them whole—tied up, no less. The information flows from the general’s mouth.

Yeah, but can anyone trust her? Nick Fury can. He trusts her with the most important assignment of all—bringing in Bruce Banner. No other Avenger can do what she can. Nick doesn’t trust anyone else to do what she can. One wrong move and Bruce turns into the big green guy. No doubt, she did it. She brought him in without a fight.

Once on the helicarrier, her next assignment gets more complex. Interrogate Loki. What’s your plan? Of course she didn’t ask the direct question. Through subterfuge and ploy, Natasha discovers Loki’s nefarious design to deploy Hulk to do his dirty work. One problem, though: When Bruce Banner does turn into the big green guy, Natasha is the only one to delay the inevitable—the absolute destruction of the ship.

When the final battle occurs in New York City, Black Widow’s the only one who understands someone has to close the portal spewing the Chitauri upon the earth. Iron Man’s pathetic attempt at brutal stoppage does not work. Thankfully, she follows through with her genius plan and saves the city from destruction.

No matter what her past, Black Widow has redeemed herself with The Avengers.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you seen The Avengers? What did you think of it? Do you know of Black Widow’s past?

Monday Mayhem

Classic Literature Zombie Style II

Posted on June 10, 2013June 9, 2013 by Jack Flacco

A few months ago, I wrote Classic Literature Zombie Style, a post dedicated to classic literature benefiting from a zombie facelift. Many folks liked it, participating in adding their own version of books with a zombie twist. For this Monday Mayhem, I thought I’d add a Part II to the series and see where it takes us.

Are you ready to enter the world of zombie literature? Well then, what are we waiting for? Here is my version of classic literature zombie style:

Moby Dick and Zombies—Ahab’s sanity: “The undead’s madness deceives the soul. When you think you are fed, it transfigures you further into some hideous creature also known as—human.”

Emma and Zombies—Emma talking to Harriet about Martin: “I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a monster of bountiful means cannot cleanse the entrails of its screaming victim, it is not a monster fashioned from death, but human. Of course, do not imagine that I want to influence you.”

Dracula and Zombies—Van Helsing criticizes his protégé: “Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all. How can it explain the lust of the flesh, the drinking of the blood and the craving of the sinew if a dead man cannot walk? Is there no vampire that can stop the undead?”

Frankenstein and Zombies—Victor warns Walton: “How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who uses that knowledge against the spawns of the grave. For the grave dwellers hearken to no one and they will devour those who so foolishly perceive their homes safe.”

The Great Gatsby and Zombies—Nick: “There are only the hunted, the hunting, the eaters and the eaten. No more, no less. The dead walk among us.”

Of Mice and Men and Zombies—Crooks talking about loneliness: “A guy needs somebody. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference if he’s dead and risen from the grave, festerin’ at the jaw, chewin’ at the maggots, long’s he’s with you. I tell ya, it don’t get too lonely with the dead walkin’ ’bout.”

The Scarlet Letter and Zombies—Roger tormenting Arthur: “No creature, for any considerable period, can say it is not a zombie. Its hunger betrays it and its countenance screams its identity.”

To Kill a Mockingbird and Zombies—Atticus: “You never really understand a person until you rip his eyes out from its sockets. Until you search inside of his stomach and twirl it about.”

Little Women and Zombies—Louisa May Alcott: “I want to do something splendid…something heroic. I want to tear the lungs out of a zombie and hang them on a tree. I want to disembowel the creature until the branches are covered with its dripping intestines.”

Lord of the Flies and Zombies—Jack: “We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not human. We’re zombies, and the zombies are best at everything.”

Your turn, have a go and try a few. See if you can add to this list.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Do you have a quote you like best? What is it that you like about zombies?

Freedom Friday

Village Global

Posted on June 7, 2013November 8, 2013 by Jack Flacco

I tend to save Freedom Friday for the day I post about stuff that goes on in my life, observations, food, you know, stuff. Today’s no different. Let me tell you what my wife and I had the privilege of attending last Sunday. Thrilling doesn’t even cover it.

In April, Evert Houston, an Executive Producer at Blue Flame Collective, a Toronto-based film production community he co-founded along with Executive Producer Oliver Ward, approached me about one of my photos I had taken a few years back of the Monument to Multiculturalism in Toronto. He was thinking of using the shot for their Village Global short film festival advertisements, itinerary and such.

Of course you know what pops into my head first. How much? But as he went on to describe the film festival and how it represented the unique multicultural diversity Toronto has to offer, I thought to myself, there’s no way I’d pass up a chance to be part of this growing community of artists with the common goal of celebrating the city’s rich ethnicity.

I stopped him mid-sentence and said, “I’ll give you the answer you’re looking for. Yes.”

From there, my wife and I received a personal invitation to attend the exclusive premier of twelve short films presented by Blue Flame Collective in the heart of Toronto on June 2nd.

The festival was by invitation only. We had no problem getting in since our name was on the list. Associate Producer and actress Farah Merani greeted us with an incredibly warm smile, then introduced us to actress Janice Giles who gave us a quick orientation of the area. It was so much fun meeting them knowing we’d see them shortly on the big screen.

My wife managed to grab a seat close to where the hustle and bustle took place. I found it exciting to hear the conversations around me about projects, future projects, and plain ol’ banter going on. Seated next us was Justin Sanchez, Writer / Producer / Director and star of the short film The Lingering. Later in the intermission, I expressed to him my deepest admiration of his work.

I won’t get into all the films we saw because there were a dozen in all, but I will say this: all of them were unique in their own way. The ones that stood out the most to me were We Each Have Our Armies by Bobby Del Rio, about the trials of an interracial relationship, and Just a Prayer by Farah Merani, about a woman’s personal struggle with the choices she makes in life. Each had controversial themes. Each presented a surprising resolution to their conflicts.

As mentioned, the event had a dozen films in all. Six presented, then after a short intermission, the final six closed the festival. We stayed for the whole thing, enjoying the talent Toronto had to offer.

You know, it’s wonderful to live near an area rich in culture and diversity. It’s even more wonderful when that culture and diversity reflects in the art of film.

I would like to thank Evert Houston for his invitation and for the opportunity to meet face to face. My wife and I definitely had a lot of fun.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you ever been to a film festival in Toronto? What was it like?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

Rose

Posted on June 5, 2013June 7, 2013 by Jack Flacco

Velvet crimson hair. A delicate smile. A dreamer. Rose DeWitt Bukater, Women Who Wow Wednesday’s paradigm of perseverance. The actress. The horseback rider. The spitter.

When Rose walks aboard the Titanic, who many call The Ship of Dreams, for her it is anything but. She likens it to a prison where her soul cries out for freedom and there is no escape. Her fiancée, Caledon Hockley, a man of wealth and viable means, promises her the world if she wouldn’t deny him. His wish? Open your heart to me, Rose. The price sounds too costly.

Enter Jack Dawson, the free-spirited young man who would change Rose’s life forever. He travels from place to place on tramp steamers and such. He won his ticket on the Titanic in a lucky hand of poker. A very lucky hand. They meet in the moonlight, she, wanting to take her life, he, wanting to save it. Give me your hand. You don’t want to do this, he says. Come on. One more step and she would’ve found herself floating in the middle of the Atlantic with the water so cold it would’ve hit her like a thousand knives. You saved me, Jack, in every way a person can be saved.

Rose meets Jack in First Class, among the most important on the ship. His art captivates her. Her cheeks grow hot at his drawings of the women. Did you like this woman? I think you must have had a love affair with her. Not at all, he says, just with her hands. She was a one-legged prostitute. Rose melts knowing she promised her heart to Caledon. All the wedding invitations have gone out, there’s no escape of the inevitable. She has to marry him.

Do you love him? Oh, Jack, what a silly question to ask. It’s simple, do you love him or not? Rose props her head high, and declares her departure. Wait a minute, it’s First Class, he has to leave! Not before he teaches her how to spit. Strange kids. On the First Class deck, he aims for the sunset bathed ocean. It went far. They’re one. No denying they belong together.

But then there’s Cal. Caledon. What to do? Rose’s heart tears from knowing if she gives him up, she’d be giving up her security. He’s been good to her. If you don’t break free, Jack says, your heart will die. Maybe not right away but the fire will eventually go out. Rose makes her decision. It’s not up to you to save me, Jack. For both our sakes, leave me alone. As strong as she tries, she can’t muster the courage to ignore Jack. Nothing can quench the fire within her not to be with her secret lover.

When the iceberg finally hits, they can smell the ice. But Rose had decided. When the ship lands, she will disappear with Jack. Before that happens, he will have to free himself. Cal frames him with stealing The Heart of the Ocean diamond. Into the belly of the ship Jack goes, handcuffs and all.

As the ship sinks, Rose’s desperate search for Jack leads to a water-filled grave. Where, oh, where has my Jack gone? In the bowels of the beast, her back against the wall, the vessel groans. She will find him. She will rescue him just as he had done for her. Except this time, she will never doubt him again. Ever.

Rose eventually finds Jack, rescues him from his watery prison, and he leads her to the top of the ship where they consummate a promise of life. Whatever you do, Rose, don’t let go of my hand. We’re gonna make it. Trust me.

I trust you.

The ship bobs for a bit. Stays still. Then flounders. In a rush, waves swallow the couple whole. A few minutes later, the ocean regrets taking the lovers and releases them to the surface.

On a scrap of debris, Jack asks Rose one thing of her. With every last trembling breath he can collect, promise me you will survive. That you will never give up. No matter what happens. No matter how hopeless. Promise me now, and never let go of that promise.

I promise.

Never let go.

I promise. I will never let go, Jack. I’ll never let go.

Monday Mayhem

Zombie Apocalypse: How?

Posted on June 3, 2013June 4, 2013 by Jack Flacco

Ever see dominoes at work? One goes down, they all go down. Not much can stop the chain reaction of pieces toppling each other once it begins. It’s over when every single piece lies on its back, shattered from its organized state. This Monday Mayhem post will look at the collapse of civilization by the hands of the undead. Of course zombies haven’t taken over. Yet.

Many empires and regimes have crumbled due to discontent of the masses, an all-encompassing geological disaster or a biological catastrophe so grand no one was left to record it. Sometimes the combination of the three had triggered the ruinous tragedy. Aside from the history lesson, the ancient civilizations of Assyria, Egypt, Greece, Rome and countless of others have long since disappeared. The lot having suffered rebellions, invasions, earthquakes, plagues. Other than a handful of monuments, and artifacts, not much is left.

What would life be like if a real zombie apocalypse were to take place? Experts have discussed this topic to death (no pun intended). Is it a wonder? It’s a fascinating topic. The destruction of life on this planet, ushering in a new breed of organism higher than humans in the food chain. Let’s have a go at a few scenarios in order to inspire some conversation.

The Plague—A hospital somewhere in the United States receives a patient with flu-like symptoms. In their care, the victim, Patient Zero, experiences convulsions, pale skin, and blood oozing from the ears. Patient Zero dies. The doctors order the body to the morgue. The hospital has yet to enact any quarantine protocols. One of Patient Zero’s former attending doctors begins to feel feverish. It’s only a fever, nothing to worry about. The doctor drops on the waiting room floor and convulses. Blood runs from the ears. Whatever Patient Zero brought into the hospital is now airborne. Still, no quarantine. Back at the morgue, Patient Zero suddenly rises from the table and lunges at the orderly who was prepping the body for an autopsy. Death comes fast. In the waiting room, the doctor also dies, but not before having breathed on a dozen or so patients. One of the patients makes a run for the doors. Her arm is broken. She doesn’t care, no way is that thing that killed the doctor going to kill her.

The hospital finally enacts quarantine protocols. Rubber gloves, masks, segregated sections. It’s too late, though. The whole hospital is contaminated, and what became of Patient Zero soon takes hold of the others. The woman with the broken arm dies in an alley. She rises again to join her brothers and sisters flooding the streets from the hospital exits. The pangs of hunger dictate their walk. One at a time, the dominoes fall. A hospital becomes a school. A school becomes a government building. Within a week, mile after mile falls in the hands of the zombies seeking meat. Within a few months, United States, Canada, and South America lay in ruins. Europe soon falls.

The Parasite—Having prepared his BBQ’d meat, potatoes and vegetables, a man sits to eat at the balcony table with the view of the city as his entertainment. He ingests the meal, cutting the morsels in measured pieces. The knife has trouble with one portion of the meat. A little undercooked. He’ll be fine. After dinner, the man lays down on the couch only to wake up three days later, disoriented by a terrible throbbing headache. He wobbles from his condominium to the street in a state of confusion. A little girl approaches him on the sidewalk from the opposite end. The man attacks the girl, biting her in the shoulder. To escape, she scratches his face and runs.

The bite pounds on the girl’s shoulder causing her to go numb in a park under a tree. Parasitical eggs from the man’s saliva enter the girl’s blood stream to lodge in her brain. She blacks out. Her young age causes the eggs to hatch quickly and mutate. She hops to her feet. Disoriented, she finds her way to a school. There, the biting starts. One child at a time, the parasites feed on the children’s brains until the parasite mutates further to crave flesh.

Like dominoes, society falls.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Do you think these scenarios are so far-fetched that they can’t happen? Do you have scenarios of your own?

Freedom Friday, Photo Opportunities

Weekend Getaway

Posted on May 31, 2013May 8, 2017 by Jack Flacco

I’ve sat here for the past fifteen minutes trying to come up with a witty and funny intro to last weekend’s getaway I spent with my wife in Barrie, Ontario. But the more I tried, the less I accomplished. I suppose trying too hard, if that is possible, makes for an unproductive experience. In some ways, I can see why.

Welcome to my Freedom Friday post where I talk about whatever comes to mind. And what’s on my mind at this moment is last weekend. What did we do that was so special? My wife and I loaded the car, dropped the kids at friends, and spent three days away from it all. We enjoyed a mini-vacation, if you will, without the cares and worries of life’s little inconveniences. You know the ones. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, dusting, shopping, mowing the lawn, washing the windows, picking up and dropping off the kids to their activities, and a myriad of life’s other chores we do, but have only so many hours in the day to accomplish.

When we arrived at our hotel last Friday night, I unloaded the car while my wife took care of our room. The first thing that’d happened, which set the tone for the rest of our stay, was my wife’s chitchat with the desk clerk led to a free upgrade to the room. There was a lacrosse tournament happening that same weekend, and rather than have us stuck on a floor with partying teenagers, the desk clerk booked us in the honeymoon suite complete with a king-size bed and Jacuzzi. When I say Jacuzzi, I mean hot-tub-in-the-center-of-the-room Jacuzzi. It gets better.

Our hotel was close to the highway, making it easy for us to travel from one activity to another. Most of our time, however, we spent in the throes of relaxation. The word downtime comes to mind. It doesn’t even come close to describing what we experienced. Believe me, a weekend without the kids does not inspire a time of planned recreation.

Inside the hotel room, we dropped our bags on the spot and left for dinner. We have a special restaurant we visit whenever we’re in town called Ling’s Cuisine. I can describe their food as delicious, yet somehow the phrase needs some work. Beyond delectable? How’s that for a description? Their atmosphere is quiet, and their service is perfect. Their servers know their menus, having the ability to recommend plates and understanding their ingredients. For instance, I didn’t know what tobiko was until our server said they were flying fish eggs. The eggs don’t fly, it’s the fish that breed the eggs that fly. Good to know, anyway. I ordered a couple of plates of salmon maki while my wife chose a Miso (vegetable) soup and Salmon Teriyaki. As we enjoyed our dinner, my wife nodded regarding the couple behind me. They, too, were enjoying time alone. They had a full bottle of white wine with their meal. By the end of the evening, it was all gone. She smiled at me knowing where they were going.

Our Saturday consisted of waking up late and heading to the pool. The water was cold yet manageable. I spent most of my time in the hot tub gazing out the ceiling windows into the clouds. One cloud in particular caught my attention. It was the puffy white kind set on a crystal blue background. It shifted. First, it turned into a genie, then it became a cowboy. As the minutes passed, it became apparent it was disappearing before my eyes. It sparked a thought. Our lives are like the clouds, passing so fast that one day we’ll also disappear into nothingness. One day we’re here and the next—poof—we’re gone. Well, that was the morbid portion of my post. I also do song and dance on demand and recite funny limericks.

That afternoon we headed to Boston Pizza, a Canadian gourmet pizza franchise that also specializes in serving gluten-free pizza. My wife was happy, and as I said once before—happy wife, happy life. This time our conversation centered on how nice it was not to have any responsibilities for the weekend. Both of us had dopey eyes for most of the meal. Boy, we thought, we should do this more often. Amazing what alone time will do. You young parents will know what I mean when you’re away from the kids for some time. It’s like a natural sedative.

For our Saturday night entertainment, we enjoyed that wonderful Jacuzzi and went back to Ling’s. Good things go a long way. You know, it’s funny. We were driving to the restaurant and I notice a biker in all his glory on this amazing-looking bike. I mentioned this to my wife, telling her how much I admired it. She said, “Yeah, Jack, but it isn’t a Harley.” I thought, who is this woman who I’ve known for almost half my life. Is there something she hasn’t told me about her past? How does she know what a Harley looks like?

On Sunday, we wanted to head over to see the new Star Trek movie Into the Darkness, but we had the complimentary breakfast in the guest lounge downstairs, and went back upstairs in the serenity of silence instead. Without a doubt, we got our money’s worth from our room. The explanation I have for you there is when you get free time away with the person you love most in this world, you don’t want to spend it watching a movie. So we sat next to each other on the bed reading.

And, as the cliché goes, all good things must come to an end. We got back home late that evening after having treated the kids to the Sushi Garden. I guess you can say we all enjoyed a sushi-filled weekend.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you ever gone on a getaway weekend with your love? What did you end up doing?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

Mrs. Smith

Posted on May 29, 2013May 28, 2013 by Jack Flacco

How would you feel if you realize your marriage was sputtering as a balloon losing air? For the women: what if your marriage was with Brad Pitt? Do you think you’d try to save it? For the men: how about if Angelina Jolie was your wife? Would you like one more chance to make it right?

From the start of the film Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play the namesake couple seeking help for their floundering marriage. Looking at them, you wouldn’t think they needed counseling. They look incredible together, even though the chill in the air could freeze anything within the radius of a few feet.

As part of this week’s Women Who Wow Wednesday series, today’s highlight is Jane Smith. Be forewarned, if you haven’t seen this movie, spoilers lie ahead.

Meeting for the first time in Bogotá, Colombia, Jane approaches John on the run from the Columbian authorities. The attraction couldn’t be more genuine. Locked in a hug, the sound of sizzling fills the room. Without waiting, they marry. As the years move along, Jane becomes the perfect wife. Her home, immaculate. Her cuisine, extraordinary. Her marriage? Not so much.

In the whirlwind of their short courtship and subsequent marriage, Mr. & Mrs. Smith forgot one crucial element for making their relationship work. Honesty. They didn’t confess their innermost thoughts to one another. And—they didn’t tell what line of work they were in. Oh, they rehashed some made up story about working in an office, but they didn’t tell the whole truth. In essence, they lied to one another. Then they wonder why their marriage is sinking faster than an anvil placed on floating paper.

The truth? Both John and Jane are assassins. Pretty good ones, too. They work for competing agencies, vying for the same contracts in their small, niche industry fishbowl. When a mission Jane has assigned goes afoul, she discovers the reality. Her husband’s working for the other side. He has to go. At least, this is what her agency wants. Unbeknownst to her, John’s agency has a similar contract. She has to die, too.

One evening, as the Smiths have dinner in their lovely suburban home, a lively discussion ensues. Well, not that many words pass between them, but they sure know how to communicate. From one corner of the house to the other, their communication consists of firing at each other with live rounds of ammunition. Vases blow. Furniture explodes. Walls collapse. Still alive, baby? Your aim’s as bad as your cooking, sweetheart. And that’s saying something!

A few more attempts on her life, and Jane’s had it. She wants John taken out. Not so fast, there’s the small matter of what the agencies have done to perpetuate this hatred between the couple. Purpose-filled, analytical, she later learns the agencies played them against each other in an effort to even out the playing field once they were gone.

They take a last stand, and they eventually find themselves in marriage counseling once again. This time, they’re gushy-eyed all over each other. Their marriage survives intact.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale October 22.

Have you seen Mr. & Mrs. Smith? What did you think of Mrs. Smith?

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