movie – Looking to God

Nick Persons

Posted on December 30, 2015December 27, 2015 by Jack Flacco

Have you ever wanted something so much that it actually becomes a quest? And no matter what anyone says, the determination wells up in you to ignore the obvious in order to push forward—even if it will kill you.

No one fits the description better than Nick Persons (Ice Cube) from the movie Are We There Yet? If anyone deserves a medal to commemorate his willingness to do anything as a means to prove he can, it’s Nick. What better way to introduce today’s Wednesday Warrior than to say Nick Persons deserves that medal?

Not many people liked the film Are We There Yet? On IMDB.com the movie comes in with a piddly 4.5 rating, and its critic Metascore is even worse at 27. Awful, is how some viewers found the movie.

However, my kids and I have found the movie so funny, at the same time, so outrageous that we watch it at least once a year during this time between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Why? The story is thin, the characters are abrasive and the plot is wanting. But the situations are so darn hilarious that if you were a parent, you’d know that in hilarity there is always an ounce of truth.

Okay, enough with the intros. Let’s get to Nick and his passion to get things done.

As the owner of a fine collectibles shop, Nick takes pride with his new ownership of his dream Cadillac. The truck is his reward to himself for all those years working late into the evening and on weekends to make his business a success. So, why not flaunt his success with a new Caddy?

Then he meets the woman across the street, Suzanne Kingston (Nia Long). I wouldn’t call it a meeting—it’s more like a lightning bolt struck him several times to remove his sense of intelligence. He comes back to reality when he sees the worst thing ever hitting his vision. In his words, “She’s a breeder.” Two kids belonging to her appears in his sights.

So far, Nick isn’t the most admirable person in the world. However, it isn’t until he offers to take Suzanne’s kids on a cross-country jaunt in his prized Cadillac that he becomes a true hero.

Through several incidents, such as little Kevin (Philip Bolden) crashing the passenger door into a metal pylon, spilling grape juice all over the white interior, the kids locking Nick out of his car and driving off with his prized possession in the heat of a wild chase, does Nick continue with his trip, never surrendering. He simply rises to his feet and continues on his way, in spite of the fact his Cadillac looks more like something that belongs on the top of a junk heap.

Oh, yes, Nick will do anything for the woman who makes his heart melt.

Yet, when it comes down to measuring Nick’s progress as a human being, his relationship with the kids provides him with the greatest growth as a character. If it isn’t for the kids, he wouldn’t have known what being a parent actually means.

For this reason, Nick is an admirable man—for changing and realizing there’s more to life than being a self-centered egotist.

Besides, no one other than Nick could have withstood the mess the kids made of his new Caddy. There’s a medal in there somewhere.

Get the Ranger Martin trilogy now!

Have you seen Are We There Yet? What do you think of Nick?

Wednesday Warriors

The Grinch

Posted on December 16, 2015December 16, 2015 by Jack Flacco

How the Grinch Stole Christmas is not a film one would typically view during a summer vacation. If the title isn’t a hint enough, the story is a Christmas movie with all the frills intact. You have decorations. You have presents. You have a tale about a place called Whoville and its villain, a greedy creature that lives in the mountains preparing an assault on an unsuspecting populace.

I’m one of those people who doesn’t pay attention to reviews before watching a movie. If anything, I ignore what people say about a film until I see it and make up my own mind about whether I like it or not. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is one of those movies you either love or hate. After reading the reviews on IMDB.com, I’m glad to have watched it first in order to form my own opinion. I love the film. Some may disagree with me, but that is an opinion.

We can agree to disagree.

The Grinch (Jim Carrey) isn’t the kind of creature you’d find in any ordinary story. Then again, this story isn’t ordinary. The plot focuses on the Grinch finding fulfillment in hate. The Grinch hates Christmas. But there is more to it than simple hate. He despises Christmas. He loathes it.

With that knowledge, how on earth would I even consider the character the Grinch a Wednesday Warrior?

He lives in the town’s dump. He eats rotten onions as a snack. He has all sorts of bugs running around his teeth—if you’ve seen the movie then you know what I mean. He sabotages children’s toys.

Oh, the Grinch is a real winner, for sure.

Yet, despite the relative evil twinkling in his eyes, the Grinch has more going on in that noggin of his than few may suspect. Somehow, little Cindy Lou Who (Taylor Momsen), the daughter of the town’s postmaster, has grown quite fond of the menace and believes he has a heart—even if it is two sizes too small. She sees something in the Grinch others can’t comprehend. It may have to do with him having rescued her from the jaws of the mail-processing machine. Or, it could be that she finds him to be someone willing to make a change for the better.

Now, if you’ve seen the film, I won’t spoil it for anyone else. We know what happens. If you haven’t seen it, the Grinch is a character worth studying. His traits at first may appear unsettling, but there’s a reason for that. Not everything is what it seems, and this is the reason why critics either love or hate this film.

The Grinch is a reflection of those lost before found, taken before brought back, hated before loved. Whatever anyone thinks of the Grinch, it is nothing in comparison to his redemption, which ultimately deals with the changing of that heart two sizes too small to a real heart.

But really, isn’t that the essence of good character—to change after realizing what once was, was wrong?

Get the Ranger Martin trilogy now!

Have you seen How the Grinch Stole Christmas? What do you think about the Grinch?

Wednesday Warriors

Kevin McCallister

Posted on December 9, 2015December 8, 2015 by Jack Flacco

One man, alone, abandoned by the country he loves. Oh, wait, we’re talking about that Home Alone character who sets traps throughout his house to keep the thieves at bay.

Yeah, okay, I’ll go with the “One man, alone…” quote.

Or how about if I make up my own? One warrior stands alone, grappling with destiny, vowing to defend the land he loves.

Maybe not.

Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is the troublemaker. The set-apart. The brat. The night before leaving on vacation, he becomes a sore spot for the rest of his family. In a moment of anger, he says to his mother that he wishes he could wake up and find everyone gone.

The next morning, Kevin’s words turn into reality. He awakens to an empty house and with nothing to do other than to call for a major party.

Cue the required jumping on bed, eating anything and everything he can get his hands on, splashing aftershave on his face for the first time, using the stairs as a toboggan route, playing with firecrackers, and watching all the stuff on TV his parents would take a conniption if they found out.

As fun as it seems, and as happy, as Kevin is to know that he doesn’t have his parents or his obnoxious brother to deal with, he has another problem on his hands. Thieves, who have been casing the neighborhood, have marked his home for a score. In spite of the lights going on like clockwork every night, The Wet Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) have left Kevin’s house last on their list of homes to burglarize.

Yet, Kevin isn’t dumb. He knows a threat when he sees it. The Wet Bandits are a threat. His first round meeting his foes, he uses his intellect and some good ol’ fashioned fun to distract the pair from entering his home. His technique is a simple one: use mannequins to scare off the intruders.

Of course it worked. Who would stick around with a house filled with guests dancing to the groove of 50’s Christmas music?

It doesn’t end there. After a failed attempt at casing the joint once more, the crooks promise they will be back. And Kevin vows he will be ready.

Well, that’s a short summary about Kevin McCallister, the little boy who defends his house from intruders during Christmas time.

The other part of the story, which is more personal, is that the movie is also one of the first films my wife and I went to see before getting married. Every year now, my family and I sit down to watch this treat of an extravaganza as a wonderful tradition and reminder of our courtship.

All right, back to Kevin. He’s smart, funny, and quick on the draw. He’s your regular kid, but with a bit of an attitude. If I were to ever want someone to defend my home against intruders, I’d certainly get Kevin to do it for me.

Having said that, I want to watch Home Alone once more.

Get the Ranger Martin trilogy now!

Have you seen Home Alone? What do you like most about Kevin?

Wednesday Warriors

Buddy the Elf

Posted on December 2, 2015December 1, 2015 by Jack Flacco

From the North Pole, where Santa prepares for another Christmas, the elves’ manufacturing machine churns out toys 364 days in the year. That fateful day, Christmas Day, the elves receive a few hours of rest as their reward for a year well done. From there, they begin the cycle again, pressing toward another tight deadline, another joyous Christmas with all its splendor intact.

What better way to usher in another Season’s Greetings than to focus attention on Buddy (Will Ferrell), the holiday warrior in the film Elf who sees things differently than the rest of us?

Buddy isn’t a normal Santa little elf. In fact, he isn’t little at all. At the height of well over six feet, he’s got his brothers and sisters beat. His feet are too big for his bed. His appetite is even larger, consuming a vast amount of candy that would choke anyone into an early grave. And his spirit for the season is equal to that of Santa’s.

Buddy is a warrior for Christmas.

Elf's version of the Christmas spirit — Elf’s version of the Christmas spirit

However, one day Buddy realizes he’s not like the other elves. Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) tells him he’s not an elf at all. That’s when he sets out to find his true parents across the northern tundra, through the great Canadian Rockies, traveling to New York where he finds clues that lead him to his real father.

Only, his real father, Walter (James Caan), is not who he imagined him to be. As a big publishing executive, Walter’s goal with his book company is to make as much money in the industry, despite if he has to cut a few corners—or throats—to get there. The spirit of Christmas definitely does not live within Walter.

Once Buddy meets his real father, he doesn’t let his dad’s preoccupation with his job get to him. Determination sets in for him to show his dad what a wonderful time of year it is instead. Selfless acts of kindness, like staying up all night to decorate the apartment, comes easy to Buddy. Hauling a tree into the apartment and decking it from from top to bottom with homemade decorations is what Buddy’s good at.

Yet, Walter doesn’t appreciate his son’s passion for the day. He wants nothing to do with his son other than for his son to disappear from his life.

Unaffected by his dad’s rejection, Buddy carries forward to bring back the spirit of the season to shoppers everywhere. His sudden interest with a department store and the endless possibilities he has at his disposal to create a Christmas wonderland excites Buddy to pull another all-nighter. The next morning, the entire children’s department becomes a wonderful destination for parents and kids everywhere.

The story doesn’t end there. Buddy’s unwavering belief in the spirit of Christmas, and its effect on those it comes in contact, to change them, provides him the inspiration to spread cheer toward everyone, including his father.

Buddy is more than a two-dimensional character. Buddy represents someone with absolute faith in the power to move crowds into a call for action. As lighthearted as the film Elf is, the underlying message it delivers, that of tolerance and forgiveness, makes for fun moments of entertainment laced with a few lessons for those in need of a positive role model.

The film is correct in saying Buddy isn’t an elf. He’s more than an elf. He’s a character filled with hope—hope for the future, and hope for a time when the spirit of the season will flow year-round.

Get the Ranger Martin trilogy now!

What do you think of the film Elf? What do you think of Buddy’s positive attitude?

Monday Mayhem

What Scares You?

Posted on October 5, 2015October 4, 2015 by Jack Flacco

Somehow, whenever October rolls around, I feel a definite shift in people’s attitudes. I think a lot of it has to do with Halloween coming at the end of the month. I also think the time change at the beginning of November has people thinking of the darker evenings. For some, it brings SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and for others, the shorter days can prove a great motivator to flee for warmer climes.

However, for today’s Monday Mayhem, I’d like to concentrate on one thing: Horror movies.

For some, Horror movies can be a sensitive subject. Depending on the story, the film can act as a portal for demon possession. Don’t ask me where I read that. I just did. I can’t blame anyone for thinking that. If you’ve seen The Exorcist, you would think there is more to that film than the simple possession of a little girl on screen. I saw it when I was ten years old. I couldn’t sleep for a week. Years later I read somewhere that two main characters connected with the film died unexpectedly shortly either before or after the premier. Reports surfaced that during the film’s run, certain members in the audience passed out in the aisles while watching the film. Stationed outside movie theaters were ambulances waiting for more and more victims. A few of the cast members once said they believed the set was haunted.

The Sixth Sense had a similar effect on audiences, but in a different way. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched that movie. I would consider the flick a perfect case study for writers who want to learn about plot, pacing, character development and escalating action. The film also sports an ending that few, if any, could have guessed. I know I didn’t have a clue.

I consider The Sixth Sense a Horror movie, but not in the way that others might consider it Horror. The escalating images of dead people with its eerie musical cues and scenes written in the Hitchcock style, makes this film more than an ordinary Horror film. It’s scary, not because of what you see, but because of what you don’t see.

The whole Horror genre nowadays has changed. More and more filmmakers attempt to outdo each other with graphic scenes of gore that would even make a serial killer take notice. As the audience desensitizes to yesterday’s splatter count, they also want more. Gone are the days when a filmmaker could get away with not showing the murder. In fact, if I may be so bold in saying, today crime films can fit into a category all on its own for being a cross between the Detective and Horror genres. Throw in a couple of demon possessions and there you’d have the perfect genre.

Nevertheless, knowing all this, I have a question for everyone—and I’m genuinely curious about your thoughts about this subject.

What scares you?

What I mean is, what really scares you?

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RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

What scares you?

Wednesday Warriors

Josh Kovaks

Posted on September 9, 2015September 8, 2015 by Jack Flacco

Tower Heist is one of those movies you can plop on the couch and immediately know who the players are and what they’re after. Reminiscent of the lighthearted caper Ocean’s Eleven, the film features an all-star cast portraying a quirky set of characters out for revenge. Not only is the movie a popcorn feature with all the expected thrills of a heist tale, but it also has a wonderful ending that is much too good to spoil.

With that intro out of the way, Josh Kovaks takes top billing for today’s Wednesday Warriors.

As great as Tower Heist is, critics didn’t like it. Yes, it is light. Yes, it has a few ridiculous plot holes. And yes, the acting could be better. But because it doesn’t take itself seriously, and some of the story elements are not as tight as one would hope, it doesn’t mean the plot isn’t good. On the contrary, holding it together is a lead character so unbelievable that Ben Stiller makes him believable.

Ben Stiller [Photo Credit: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.]

Josh Kovaks is the manager to a New York apartment building whose employer (Alan Alda), who Josh admires, becomes the center of an FBI fraud investigation. When Josh discovers the apartment’s employees have fallen victim to their employer’s Ponzi scheme, he takes it upon himself to seek revenge against his once-beloved idol. Adding further to his motives, this happens after one of the elderly employees attempts to take his own life soon after finding out his retirement nest egg has vanished in the scheme.

From the very beginning, the audience gets to know Josh as a determined boss who leads his team with the goal of making the tenants’ stay more enjoyable. He memorizes silly facts about wines so as he can make recommendations to those with the financial means of appreciating his taste. He also takes the time to get to know each guest under his care—a trait the tenants find comforting. Under Josh’s watch, he is aware of everything, and everything that happens, happens for a reason.

Like other good caper films, Josh goes on a mission to recruit those capable of pulling off the impossible. In this case, he and his crew will need to break into his former boss’ penthouse to rip off what is supposedly a bucket of cash, ready for transport. The trouble with the plan is finding where his former boss had hidden it.

Although Josh has a hard time attempting to pull the plan together, nothing compares with him trying to keep the other members of his team from bailing on the plot or betraying each other. The people problem is what has him losing sleep.

Overall, in spite of the obstacles, Josh delivers on his promises to his team—even if it’s not in the way the audience quite expects it.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

Have you seen Tower Heist? If so, what did you think about it? What do you think of Josh?

Wednesday Warriors

The Joker

Posted on July 1, 2015June 30, 2015 by Jack Flacco

The whole world has gone crazy. One day, I’m everyone’s best friend. The next day, I belong in an insane asylum. Call me unconventional. Do you know how I got these scars?

I robbed a bank. Everyone thought I was crazy then, too. But I’m not the guy who walks around without any spare change in his pocket. The jingle you hear are the knives hitting against each other. Everything has a price.

What’s a guy gotta do to get a laugh around here? Did you know if I slice someone’s jugular no one would turn around, but if I were to kick a dog on the street everyone would think I’m cruel. You know what’s cruel? Having fancy toys and not sharing them with anyone. The Bat Man is the one you should be after. He’s a selfish human being. I may not look pleasant, but I don’t have to hide behind a mask. The Bat Man hides his face. He’s the coward. He’s the evil one. Do you know how I got these scars?

Anarchy is relative. Fight against an oppressive government, you’re a hero. Fight against the current government, you’re a rebel. I’m neither. I like to think of myself as the harbinger of happiness. Anyone who says they’ve got happiness figured out is a liar. I have happiness figured out. All I have to do is stare at myself in the mirror and that smile I have pasted on my face makes me happy.

Why so serious?

I once told a woman my father beat my mother. I thought it was the prettiest thing to say to a lady. You can agree. Or not. I visited a man at Gotham General Hospital after a bomb blast ripped apart his face. He didn’t appreciate me being there. I gave him an opportunity to end my life by the barrel of a gun. He flipped for it. I’m still alive. I tucked myself into a body bag to make a statement. The neighborhood boss in charge didn’t know what hit him when I popped out like a jack in the box to slice his jugular. No one turned around. Do you know how I got these scars?

I like purple. I think the color suits me. Green hair on me also makes a statement, even if others might find me repulsive.

Chaos makes the world go around. I think chaos should be a credited college course. Professors could hand out a gallon of gasoline and a match as part of the curriculum. Wouldn’t that be something?

Why so serious?

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale now.
RANGER MARTIN AND THE SEARCH FOR PARADISE, on sale October 20.

What do you think of The Joker’s maniacal ways? Do you think he’s a man fit for society?

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