Thursday, December 22, 2016

Everybody Loves A Winner, Movie Reviews

Well life is short and so are winning football teams, especially when they are part of the neighborhood almost 7 days of the week.  There use to be one game on Sunday in the pros, one game on Saturday in college and in high school Friday night lights became famous in West Texas.  Now, in 2016, we have nearly 7 days a week of football all combined.  The high schools still own Friday night, except for the playoffs on the journey for the State Championship.  Since I have been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys(funny thought, even though they played their early games in Dallas, Irving and Arlington, Texas are really considered their homes). Since 1960 I have seen some very interesting football.  My loyalty stayed with them as my pro team to watch, cuss, clap or jump up and down over.  With college teamsI have been a Texas Tech fan since I was 10 but when choosing my college to play college football for, it was the University of Houston.  Even though I was offered a one year scholarship to Tech I found the 5 year deal to U of H much better, plus I was able to “get away” and see what the rest of the world offered. Then to complicate my loyalty even more I transferred to UT-Arlington(Arlington State College) and played three years after 2 years at Houston.  But, Arlington dropped football many years after I graduated, and has never resurrected it.  When it comes to High School I still like to watch my High School team, the Littlefield Wildcats. 

 Now to my point!  I have found as I have aged that I do not enjoy getting upset with one of my teams for losing, nor do I like the mood it puts me in, so I adopted a new policy on these matters a few years ago.  Here goes, my new policy became very simple, if my old traditional teams started losing or playing bad I just looked around and found a winner I could enjoy.  That turned into a win, win.  Example, the Dallas Cowboys, after winning 5 super bowls in their early history, went on a downward slide.  This became very frustrating to me so I adopted the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots as my pro favorites.  They have won recent Super Bowls and make me happier after a game.  In college I have done the same.  Texas Tech is my home team but lets‘ me down nearly every year so I always have the U of Houston to fall back on.  In High School my old High School wins consistently so I watch them, plus I have a few other teams I watch.  Bottom line here is that I always have a winner going with this system!  I recommend it for everyone!

Movie Reviews:

“Allied” ***** This is an excellent movie with very good acting and a great story line.  Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard offer great performances, as a team of undercover agents during the War.  While they are not representing the same countries they are teamed together for one mission.  This is a movie of love, intrigue and surprising ending.  The plot is well done but the story line becomes very interesting to the point of the audience figuring out what the conclusion will be.  Be prepared to wonder or even guess within yourself how it will end!  Rated R: Violence, sexuality/nudity, language and drug use.

“Arrival”, *, What a waste of great acting by Amy Adams and the other actors.  This is supposed to be a sci-fi movie about aliens who come to earth and have a problem communicating with the earthlings.  There seemed to be some confusion on why they were here and what they planned to do.  Adams is a language authority who is hired to figure out exactly what is on their mind.  From that point on it never made any sense and wondered around in never never land of nothingness.  I would not waste my money on this movie!  Rated PG-13 Strong language!

“Bad Santa 2”, *,  A sequel of sorts to Bad Santa, starring Billy Bob Thorton, Kathy Bates, Tony Cox(Shorty), and teenager Brett Kelly.  The weak story line is similar to Santa 1 in that this motley crew, using the Santa Claus cover, is planning on stealing a large sum of money from a non-profit organization that raises money for kids.  The early one liners are disgustingly funny but it tapers off from there.  Some of the scenes are beyond reproach in crudeness, and only the actors saved it from a complete walk out before the less than intriguing ending.  Hoping that no parents took their kids to this disaster and hope even more there is no Santa 3!  Rated R+, Language, sexual content, and violence.  

“Bleed For This”, ****, One of the best true professional fight movies I have seen.  This is the story of Vinny Pazienza(The Pazmanian Devil) played by Miles Teller who after winning two World Boxing titles is in a terrible auto wreck.  While breaking his neck he is told he may never walk again, much less fight again.  But with supreme desire to return to boxing he asks for training help from one of the best trainers in the business.  Step by step he works his way back and is able to regain the title.  This is a very enjoyable fight movie and one that exemplifies determination and ability to make the body do something the experts said couldn’t be one.  R:  Language, sexuality/nudity and some accident images.  

“Hacksaw Ridge”, *****, This is a true, great war movie directed by Mel Gibson and starring Andrew Garfield as patriotic and courageous Army medic Desmond Doss. Due to his desire to save lives and in spite of his religious beliefs,  Doss volunteered for combat service in the US Army during WW II. However, he refused to carry a gun into combat, again based on his religious beliefs.  As a medic his goal was to save lives instead of take them.  Due to his courageous actions to save his injured fellow soldiers during battle, he was later awarded the Medal of Honor.  Rated: Graphic war violence including grisly bloody images.  

EA, SH.......:)!


greerman