Another Descent Into...
My Life-
This week has been a good week. I have a brand new job as an associate writer for dollarbinhorror.blogspot.com. My first review for Ms.Rhonny Reaper's site, He Knows You're Alone, is on there right now as well all my future horror movie reviews. Give it a read, if so inclined. In other news, two good friends of mine have begun the next phase of their lives. One recently had a baby boy. The other recently engaged. I'm happy for both of them. I pray for the both of you, your journeys are as beautiful as you imagined them to be :-)
My Bucket List-
I was inspired by fellow blogger and writer, Chris Jacques of http://xtopherjacques.wordpress.com/ to come up with a bucket list. You know? A list of things you wanna do before you die? Some are simple, others I feel are a bit out in the ether, but then again, so am I....
1) I wanna attend a Pittsburgh Steelers home game
2) I want to be able to tell my current job to smooch my hairy white heinie on the day my first novel is published...which given my work rate will be by the time I reach Strom Thrumond's age....
3) I want Jon Bon Jovi to deliver my first published novel to my ex-wife.
4) I want bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley to deliver my first published novel to my ex-fiance
5) I want to travel into outer space
6) I want to meet Stephen King and thank him for providing me a toolbox
7) I want to read the Harry Potter stories to see what all the hype was about
8) I want to make amends with my father
9) I want to punch Eli Roth in the face if The Cinema Snob doesn't do it first
10) I want to be a non-cliched serial killer in a horror film
11) I want to write a Star Trek novel
12) I want to tell whoever the President of the United States at the time I tell them....Elvis says Hi!
13) I want to have a huge bbq with all my adopted family, my sibs, my mothers, my girlfriend, my literary sibs
14) I want to guest star on Rifftrax15) I want to be on The Jim Rome Show
I'm sure there will be additions to the list but it's a good start....
Lakeview Terrace(2008)-
Ok, Tuesday night I wanted to watch something different from the land of Netflix. Something maybe a bit more mainstream with someone who is just...just....just awesome. Enter:Samuel L. Jackson, Mr. Mace Windu, John Shaft himself. Well his body of work speaks for itself. KICKASS!!!!With Lakeview Terrace, SLJ is a veteran African American L.A.P.D. officer and a no-nonsense single father of two children: Marcus (Jaishon Fisher) and Celia (Regine Nehy). As his kids go to school the new neighbors are moving in. It turns out that the new homeowners are a married interracial couple, Chris and Lisa Mattson (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington), who are recently married and buying their first home.
Chris’s first exchanges with Turner have somewhat hostile undertones, with Abel making comments on Chris’s smoking and listening to hip hop music. The following night, Chris and Lisa have sex in their swimming pool. Unbeknownst to them, Abel's children are watching. Abel arrives home to see this spectacle, and is upset. He installs home security floodlights, and they shine into Chris and Lisa's window, keeping them awake and irritating them. When Chris has the opportunity to discuss this, Abel claims that the lights are to prevent crime and says that he will shut them down, but constantly claims that he is delayed.
Chris and Lisa have dinner with Lisa's father, who tells them they could choose to move away, if they wish, because acrimony with police officer may mean trouble for them. There conversation eventually leads into a heated exchange between Chris and his father-in-law, indicating problems between the two since he got engaged to Lisa.
Abel attends a housewarming party hosted by Chris and Lisa. He is garrulous but has an edge, and criticizes Chris and his friends for their liberal tendencies, on things from the environment to police brutality. As he leaves, Chris tells Abel that he is taking offense to him, but does not plan to move. One evening, they hear noises downstairs, and find the tires of Chris' car slashed. They suspect Abel. They call the police to come, but are able to do little.
As the feud between the neighbors continues it also causes problems between Chris and Lisa. The situation is leaving them stressed and they can’t decide on when they want to have children. Chris now buys his own floodlights, and shines them into Abel's bedroom, as a way of taking matters into his own hands. Lisa soon reveals that she is pregnant. This brings a rift into their marriage. Chris does not want to have children yet. Lisa skipped birth control pills to force the issue. She thinks Chris is being shortsighted, and he leaves for work angry.
Chris and Abel continue their feud with Abel hosting a bachelor party (while the kids are away with their aunt) and Chris installs plants at the fence between their houses, which leads to an almost violent exchange between the two neighbors. Later Chris goes to a local bar, and as he finishes his drink, Abel enters tells Chris that he lost his own wife, when a car hit her on a highway. Abel makes a last cryptic comment about his wife, wondering what she was doing out in that area, at that time with her white boss, when she was supposed to be working (implying she was being unfaithful to him).
Wildfires rage in the hills surrounding the community. The neighbors attend a barbecue in a home down the hill. Abel's informant Clarence Darlington (Keith Loneker) is sent to trash their home. Lisa goes home early surprising him and they struggle, which leads to her falling on her head. Chris races home when he hears his burglar alarm go off with a frustrated Abel following him. Chris rushes to the injured Lisa, and Abel comes upon his hired criminal trying to escape and shoots him three times in the chest, killing him.
The wildfires are not contained and the neighborhood is instructed to pack a few things and leave their homes. Abel watches from his home nearby. He is hosing off his roof and does not want to leave. He enters the Mattsons' home, hoping to retrieve Clarence's cell phone because he is afraid his call to the perpetrator could be traced, implicating him in the break-in. Before he can find it, Lisa and Chris unexpectedly return from the hospital and Abel returns to his home. Chris thanks Abel for helping him, tries to express a sense of community with Abel. When Chris and Lisa are packing to leave, Chris discovers the cell phone under their bed, and picks it up. He dials the last number logged on the phone and hears Abel answer. Chris realizes Abel is responsible for the break-in. Abel comes over with his gun drawn, trying to convince him that the perpetrator was a police enemy and was trying to set Abel up. He and Chris struggle and Chris tells Lisa to take the car and perp's phone and get the police. Abel shoots Lisa's car and she crashes into a parked car. Chris tackles Abel and gets his gun, then runs to help Lisa out of the car. This leads to a standoff, with Chris holding Abel's gun and Abel now holding a second gun from his leg holster.
The police arrive, and Abel hides his gun behind his back and tries to convince them Chris is unbalanced. Chris won't drop his weapon until Abel puts his down and Abel insists that he is unarmed. Chris finally throws Abel off, by asking about his wife's death and how he was not able to recognize that she had become unfaithful to him. Infuriated, Abel shoots Chris, but is then gunned down by the police officers. Chris is in the ambulance and has a gunshot wound to the chest, but he is OK. He and Lisa talk about their pride in their home, neighborhood, and soon to be family.
The movie itself is average, nothing to write home about. It's a bit refreshing when the theme of racism is reversed though and SLJ holds the film together, but other than that, the ending is totally unrealistic cuz no one...I mean no one can kick SLJ's ass...NO ONE especially someone from Berkley!!!! The psychological angle is done quite well, good horror movie quality. Sadly, the cliches are abundant and drag the film down.
7.5/10
The Cinema Snob-
This week's tasty serving of Senor Snob features legendary action star Pierre Kirby...WHO?...Oh yeah right. Well here is your first lesson on the mythological beast himself...
Alright, Pierre Kirby is so bad, the Snob did a whole week of episodes devoted to him last year but for today I will present you with this....American Commando 3: The Savage Temptation....
Late.....
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