Tag Archives: movies

Comedic relief.

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Daily writing prompt
What villain actually had a good point?
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Thinking about this automatically took me to movies, or a series. If I had read more, a book. Marking a villain as an aspect of a plot. Good, bad, comedic relief. You know. Formulaic.

And even though I backburnered this one, at least that was my intention, things crept into my noggin making me view this conundrum otherwise. The good, the bad and the comedic relief are not merely consigned to the silver screen – if that is even a thing any more – or to a binge worthy series.

Villain was born of a late Latin word and eventually evolved to mean a scoundrel or an individual with base instincts. At least that is what Al said. So a scoundrel or one with base instincts can share a good point.

Huh.

I guess there may be a minute glimmer of truth in some of the things they might point out, intended to bring more harm to the target in a deeper fashion. There is only so much damage they can inflict from a physical sense. But way more of the psychological, emotional and spiritual side.

I think villains take aim at a remaining shred of honesty or integrity that lay in the “hero”, to impart even more pain and suffering. Think about it. A villain telling you that you are worthless, have no value and will never amount to anything. And if that already is an element of the hero’s esteem, and the villain knows it, the knife not only went in, it was twisted three hundred and sixty degrees.

Now that is one base, scoundrel.

I used to turn it into two of them by listening and believing what the villain shared. My aim now is to use these instances as a reminder of what I am no longer.

A base scoundrel.

They may choose to point out my shortcoming and the fallacy of a life ill lived as a way to induce more self-destruction on my part.

But I am not taking the bait and I will no longer succumb to that element of psychological torture.

I will defend myself against the villain.

Their diatribe of hurtful intended good points will be met with the weapon of their surrender.

Comedic relief.

At least he is cultured.

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Daily writing prompt
Emperor Palpatine has announced open elections for a new Emperor — and he’s nominated Darth Vader. You get to nominate one challenger.
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I wonder how many know this trilogy the way I remember.

Anakin turned away from good and thought he had found his way in the dark. Perhaps it was ego. Maybe no true sense of self so he enabled others to define him. Myriad reasons I am sure. But upon encountering his son, the seed of doubt was planted. “Is this me?” “Why am I doing this?” “Don’t I have worth?”

At his end, the facade falls away. Anakin is seen for who he truly is. A complete wreck. A lost soul. A father that simply wanted to know his son. So that both could have the life they were destined to live.

In that, Anakin found true joy.

Had they left “A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi”, you would have had something as profound as “The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King.” Huh. Both stories end upon the return of a Jedi or king. A semblance of divinity. In essence, the restoration of genuine truth.

I guess where I am going with this is that for some reason, we just cannot leave well enough alone these days. They continue to make new renditions ad nauseum, forever diluting the intense honesty of the orginal message. It all gets lost in the process. We all become Darth along the way.

Movies apart, this is where sports has now gone in my estimation.

All show, and no real go. Nevermind the athletes that have trained and sacrificed their entire existence JUST to play. Ah, they will get over it. We know what we are doing.

So what if we turn everything into some political sounding board, add games at the expense of rest to enhance the brand, employ technology to constantly spot mistakes made by officials and make any type of behavior on of off the field of play acceptable provided they get a foul.

Oh, then let kids market themselves to the highest bidder so they can be not a star, but THE star. So what if that impacts the rest of the team. You know, those men and women that busted their asses just to play. Remember them? Oh, they aren’t on a commercial yet. They just keep the whole thing moving in the right direction.

Seems Darth is everywhere.

I used to think of it one way. But I guess I must be wrong. There is “me” in team. Just me. Meat too. But only baloney anymore.

Sorry folks.

So lets go back to a galaxy far away and to Anakin.

Considering the times we live in, there is no sense in answering this prompt with any depth regarding one of the greatest stories shared on a big screen.

So my nominee to face Darth in the election?

Yogurt.

At least he is cultured.

Yawn.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a show that had the perfect series finale?
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I guess to me, a series is more than just a television show.

I would have to include things like Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny and Tex Avery, or Johnny Quest cartoons. Add in the Stooges. Svengoolie then on into actual series, like MASH, ER, All in the Family, Cheers, The Bob Newhart Show, Home Improvement, Seiinfeld, NYPD Blues, and the like. (there are WAY more.)

Back in the day? The Johnny Carson Show, the Carol Burnett Show, the Dean Martin Show, the Dick Cavett Show, and others. Off shore? Monty Python, Dave Allen, Bernard Hill, Bean. Movies? Star Wars, LOTR, Indiana Jones.

I cannot say I ever sat through an entire series via the boob tube. Star Wars and LOTR yes. But shows, nope. I think what tends to happen over time, is that things change. Maybe writers, artists, producers, characters and perhaps just the creativity are elements that are very challenging to maintain. Sprinkle in ego, and voila, you may end up with something never intended.

So like my cartoons?

They just lost me. Generational most likely. Too generic and not violent and sarcastic enough any more. So if an old school one is on, I will hunker down to chuckle.

But new ones? Nope.

Curly, Larry and Moe?

24/7. Later Shemps, Joe and Curly Joe? Uh, uh,

TV shows?

Trapper went home and Henry perished in a plane crash. I left too. Archie was less obnoxious when Meathead left and Edith passed. Diane left the bar, new romances began, and Woody took center stage. Michael left the office. Why would they want someone else to be Frank Drebbin? Something else shinier always catches my attention. Figures. Attention span of a gnat.

These days?

The Pitt led to a return to Madmen, and Ray and the Barones are always in the background. Bla, bla, bla.

But other than LOTR and StarWars, I have never watched an entire series. With regard to Star Wars, 4, 5 and 6 were way better than 1, 2 and 3. What were they even thinking. Obviously in a galaxy far, far away.

But I digress.

Yawn.

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.

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Daily writing prompt
What movies or TV series have you watched more than 5 times?
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Oh my.

From a cinema perspective, I have seen the original Star Wars trilogy – Episode IV: A New Hope (1977), Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), and Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) – starting first in the theatres first and then on to watching at home in various ways, more than a dozen times.

I saw the first three Lord of the Rings – The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King – when they opened in the theatres, and at least a half dozen times on the home screen now. Sort of jumped in when Titanic appeared, and have been watching that one when it surfaces during an evening of dead sea scrolling. Deadpool is up there, The Dark Knight, and the like are in the five plus crowd.

But by far, the most watched movie for me, spanning decades is:

I always find something different in it. The scene where Harry exalts his brother: “A toast to my big brother George: The richest man in town” still brings tears. Just did now. I will watch that one all the way to the end. Literally and figuratively.

TV shows?

That gets a little more complex.

Growing up in the suburbs, Sunday nights on the local WTTW station meant joining the circus.

Being that it was on Sundays meant me and my brother would watch it religiously. That is simply a pun. God, you know me.

Later in life, it became AFV, replacing the Pythons, every Sunday evening.

The ones where people get the crap scared out of them are the best. Kids in the flour bags and make up drawer a close second.

But this is where it gets tricky.

I have always loved the original Tom and Jerry cartoons. Tex Avery and Looney Toons close second and third. But then newer iterations get mixed in, like Shemps and Joes. But I could watch Tom, Jerry and Butch whack each other all day.

But by George, the longest running favorite of mine ever, though they are technically shorts, are by far, Moe, Larrry and Curly.

I have been watching them since my preteens and still watch them every week in my mid sixties.

We used to go to midnight Stooges festivals at the local theatre during highschool. And they have found a place on Me TV, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM each Saturday night. Leading into Svengoolie, another one I used to enjoy on WFLD back on the day.

In short, it’s a wonderful life when you can spread out and pick two.

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.