MTV Is Dead: March 2017

Saturday, March 25, 2017

Contributors

Updated 9/6/21

Image result for two cartoons in a movie theater

John Zenoni

John is an Italian-American gym rat, concert-lover, avid reader, husband, father of two and popcorn-addict. And somehow he still manages to find the time to see almost every movie that comes out. If they'd let him he'd rent a room in a theater just to cut down on the travel time.

Terrance Elmore

Terrance is a published author, poet, podcast host, movie buff and lifelong Eddie Murphy fan. He graciously finds time in his busy schedule to pen reviews for this blog.

Daniel White

Daniel is a lifelong cinephile and lover of classic films.

Ran

Ran is a 6'2'', 217-lb African-American ex-comic-book-addict, ex-gamer and movie-lover who hates 3-D, behind-the-scenes featurettes and E.T.. He owns an impressive library of Blu-Rays and DVDs that he never watches. A Star Wars movie with an R-rating would be a dream come true for him.

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Coming to and Leaving Netflix in April 2017

Leaving Netflix

Last Chance Movies and Shows (last chance for now, anyway)

April Fool's Day is your last chance to Netflix & chill with a gang of movies, including Ferris Bueller's Day Off, five Superman flicks, Tommy Boy and the classic Menace II Society.

April 1

Ally McBeal: Seasons 1–2
Amadeus

Angel: Seasons 1–5

Better Off Ted: Season 1

Barbershop 2: Back in Business
Boogie Nights

Bones: Seasons 1–4

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Seasons 1–7
Caddyshack

Chaplin

Dollhouse: Season 1

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Firefly

House, M.D.: Seasons 1–8

Lie to Me: Season 1

Menace II Society

Resident Evil: Extinction

Rosewell: Seasons 1–3

Snow Day

Stomp the Yard

Superman II

Superman III

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace

Superman Returns

Superman: The Movie

The Agony and the Ecstasy

The Boys from Brazil

The Escapist
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Loft

The Princess Bride

The Riches: Seasons 1–2

The Usual Suspects

The X-Files: Seasons 1–9
Tommy Boy

Vanilla Sky

April 3

Collateral Damage

The Circle

April 7

Legit: Season 2

Wilfred: Season 4

April 9

Hero

April 10

Legit: Season 1

Flower Girl

April 14

The Lazarus Effect

April 15

A Fantastic Fear of Everything

April 17

American Dad! Season 6

April 26

The Nutty Professor 2: Facing the Fear

April 30

Under the Tuscan Sun

The Mirror

Born to Defense

The Defender

Coming to Netflix

New and Returning Movies and Shows

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April 1

A Weekend With the Family

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Across the Universe

An American Tail

An American Tail: Fievel Goes West

An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster

Boy Bye

Born to Be Free

Cool Runnings

Good Witch: Season 2

Gremlins

Only for One Night

Richard Pryor: Live & Smokin’

Scooby-Doo

Schindler’s List

Something’s Gotta Give

Thunderstruck

Wynonna Earp: Season 1

Trouble With the Curve

Tropic Thunder

The Tenth Man

April 2

The D Train

April 4

Chewing Gum: Season 2 – Netflix Original

Louis C.K. 2017 – Netflix Original

April 6

The BFG

April 7

El Faro De Las Orcas – Netflix Original Film

Dawn of the Croods: Season 3 – Netflix Original

The Get Down: Part 2 – Netflix Original

Win It All – Netflix Original Film

April 8

Kubo and the Two Strings

April 10

Documentary Now!: Season 2

April 11

Kevin Hart: What Now

April 12

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: Season 2

April 14

Chelsea: Season 2 – Netflix Original

El Elegido

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return – Netflix Original

Sandy Wexler – Netflix Original Film

April 15

Disney’s Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

Slam – Netflix Original Film

April 18

Lucas Brothers: On Drugs – Netflix Original

April 19

A Plastic Ocean

April 21

Bill Nye Saves the World: Season 1 – Netflix Original

Girlboss: Season 1 – Netflix Original

Hot Girls Wanted: Turned On: Season 1 – Netflix Original

Sand Castle – Netflix Original Film

Tales by Light: Season 2 – Netflix Original

The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show: Season 4 – Netflix Original

The Prestige

Tramps- Netflix Original Film

April 22

The Great British Baking Show: Masterclass: Season 1–3

The Secret Life of Pets

April 23

Liv and Maddie: Season 4

Phantom

April 24

Long Nights Short Mornings

April 25

Queen of Katwe

The 101-Year-Old Man Who Skipped Out on the Bill and Disappeared – Netflix Original Film

Vir Das: Abroad Understanding – Netflix Original

April 26

Real Rescues: Season 6–7

Trust

April 27

Las Chicas del Cable: Season 1 – Netflix Original

April 28

A Murder in the Park

Casting JonBenet – Netflix Original

Dear White People: Season 1 – Netflix Original

Rodney King – Netflix Original Film

Small Crimes – Netflix Original Film

April 30

Sofia the First: Season 3

The Best TV Shows of 2016

Boyz N the Hood Poster - Click to View Extra Large Image

Boyz N the Hood's 25th Anniversary

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March 2017 Movie Trailers

"A Dog's Purpose" Movie Review

by John Zenoni
Originally published 1/18/17

To be honest I went into the movie "A Dog's Purpose" without expecting much because I am not a big fan of animal movies per se but it was a free screening so I figured why not. I have had animals and do love them but I am not one to go crazy over them. Plus, most films that have animals as the central characters just always seem corny or lacking in depth.

Well, I left the theater feeling overjoyed with this film. Is it the best movie I have ever seen or is it Oscar material? No...however, the way the film was made in terms of the plot, the use of the animals (and especially the main dog, Bailey) and the acting by those in the film was wonderful. It just made you feel good about life, about the ups and downs we experience but most importantly about the relationship that people have with their pets and each other. I know the phrase 'life affirming' tends to be a cliche but in this case it definitely applies. I love the director Lasse Hallstrom and with this film I was not disappointed.

Updated 2/5/17

Finally, the REAL truth comes out about the handling of the animals during the filming of this wonderful movie. I am glad to see that an independent study was done and those behind the shameful tactics to alter facts have been proven wrong...not every movie that has animals in it is going to be one that promotes abuse or neglect of animals...

Sunday, March 19, 2017

About Us

Ran started this blog in order to get the word out about good, and especially, great movies to real people. Lots of good stuff goes unnoticed and underappreciated by mainstream media outlets.

At the same time, plenty of suck-ass movies get promoted by those same outlets as the best thing since medical marijuana. He also noticed that most film critics seem to be tailoring their reviews only to other critics or editors in the hopes of landing another job.

We just wanna separate the great movies and tv shows from the dishwater and let you know what you'll have a ball watching and what B.S. you shouldn't even bother slipping into your PS4.

Feel free to leave your 2 cents in the "Comments" section under the articles and like, share, tweet and pin us. Any questions or if you just wanna get in touch -- e-mail us at: ranyoungnoble@gmail.com

Friday, March 17, 2017

The 17 Best Irish Movies of All Time

After your eat your Lucky Charms and drink your green beer while listening to House of Pain's "Jump Around" on repeat, celebrate St. Patrick's Day by watching these movies. I'm not Irish -- I'll probably be wearing black.

17. The Boondock Saints

Watch a couple of multilingual, tatted up Irish twins (literally) from Southie shoot up Boston's underworld on a Blues Brothers-style mission. The Walking Dead made Norman Reedus a mainstream star but The Boondock Saints made him an underground movie legend to millions of fans.

16. Manchester by the Sea

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"Manchester by the Sea" is definitely a work of art for many reasons. This is a gut-wrenching film that encompasses everything - great directing, scenery that is just beautiful, a storyline that is believable and captures you and pulls you in and, oddly enough, humor as well.

But what I really find amazing about the film is that of the performance by Casey Affleck. Every once in a while an actor delivers a performance that is just enthralling and makes you feel everything seen on screen. In the most recent times a few actors bring this to mind - Idris Elba in "Beasts of No Nations", Lupita Nyong'o in "12 Years a Slave", Charlize Theron in "Monster" and Heath Ledger in both "Brokeback Mountain" and "The Dark Knight." I am sure there are others but those are the ones most recently come to mind. Casey Affleck is the latest to give his all and he gives a performance that is both funny, touching and sad all at once. There is a part of the storyline that I cannot mention as it would give away too much but what he does and goes through is achingly difficult and explains his behavior.

All of the other performances in the film are great as well and I cannot imagine the Academy not bestowing many Oscar nominations on this film. I know many will find it slow and perhaps boring - as there is no fast paced action in it - but every once in a while it is nice to put away the 'popcorn fluff' and watch a grown up film. Excellent - A!

- John Z.

15. Kill the Irishman

The craziest thing about Kill the Irishman is that it's based on a true story. 1970s Cleveland was out of control. And the most out of control dude around seemed to be Danny Greene. In the middle of a war with the local mafia he even gave an interview to a tv station in front of his home -- and used the moment to talk sh#t to and threaten the hitmen looking for him live on the air. Now that's gangster.

14. The Devil's Own

The Devil's Own is the only movie on the list about an IRA member. Native Irishman Francis "Frankie Angel" McGuire moves in with his New York-bred sponsor and police sergeant Tom O'Meara and all hell breaks loose.

13. Miller's Crossing

A dedicated manipulator, Tom Reagan maneuvers the Prohibition-era Chicago underworld like a gangland Machiavelli. As he's reminded throughout the film, Tom is the quiet type. But Miller's Crossing practically shouts: "Never trust anybody."

Miller's Crossing is the Coen brothers' take on the heyday of Irish gangsters -- Prohibition. Bootleggers, Tommy Guns and mob hats. How can you turn that down?

12. Black Mass

The Departed is very loosely based on crime boss Whitey Bulger, who was #2 on the FBI's Most Wanted List for years. Second only to Osama Bin Laden. Black Mass is a lot truer to Bulger's story. It's also one of Johnny Depp's best movie performances.

11. The Cotton Club

The Cotton Club is Francis Ford Coppola's non-Godfather gangster movie. All of the action, involving real-life 1920s bootlegers Lucky Luciano, Owney "Killer" Madden, Dutch Shultz and Bumpy Johnson, revolves around the real-life segregated Harlem nightclub of the same name. In those days the very popular club featured an all-African American roster of performers, such as Cab Calloway, but only whites were allowed to patronize the place. A segregated club in Harlem -- the virtual capital of African-America. Can you believe that sh#t? F'd up but true.

10. Sleepers

Like State of Grace, Sleepers also features The Westies. But Sleepers is better -- even without Gary Oldman.

9. The Public Enemy

This movie provided the template for Irish-American gangsters. James Cagney at his Cagney-iest, Humphrey Bogart as a villain and possibly the first instance of somebody getting mushed in the face on camera. It's all here.

8. Million Dollar Baby

When Girlfight was released at the turn of the century, it received widespread critical acclaim and caused Hollywood to sit up and take notice of then-newcomer Michelle Rodriguez. But if you've never seen a film depicting the world of boxing from a woman's point-of-view and you find yourself curious, skip it and see Million Dollar Baby instead.

Though not a biopic like Cinderella Man, Million Dollar Baby is based on short stories by Jerry Boyd, a boxing manager and "cutman" (the guy who treats the fighter's lacerations, swelling and bleeding in the corner, between rounds). It's the story of Margaret "Maggie" Fitzgerald, a 31-year-old waitress who takes home the scraps that customers leave on their plates. Her dream is to defy the expectations of her community and family, and for women of her background and upbringing, by embracing her passion -- boxing. To this end, she pleads with misanthropic Frankie Dunn, trainer, cutman and owner of flea-bag Los Angeles gym the Hit Pit, to train and manage her. Frankie's closest friend and only employee is long-retired contender Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris. "Scrap", for short, empathizes with Maggie in ways that Frankie never could and speaks up for her to his old friend in a way that Maggie never could.

At one point, Dupris knocks out Shawrelle Berry, an African-American boxing hopeful, for beating up "Danger", a potential-challenged, white, aspiring boxer who announced on his first day at the gym that he didn't have a problem with "niggers". I'm not quite sure whose idea it was (director Eastwood, screenwriter Paul Haggis or writer Jerry Boyd), but this seems like an obvious attempt to send the message: "See? Not everyone uses racial slurs maliciously! Can't we all just get along without political-correctness?" Riiight.

Million Dollar Baby is all about second chances. Frankie gets a second chance to become a great trainer; "Scrap" gets a second chance that I won't spoil for those who haven't seen the movie; and Maggie gets a second chance at a fulfilling life. When the dust had settled at the 77th Academy Awards, Morgan Freeman ("Scrap-Iron") had won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor (after going home empty-handed his first time around for 1987's Street Smart); Eastwood had won his second Oscar for Best Director for his second collaboration with Freeman; and star Hilary Swank had won her second Oscar for Best Actress.

Ironically, though 2006's Invincible was based on a true story, Million Dollar Baby seems to be the more realistic of the two over-the-hill amateur athlete-overcomes-the-odds films. One of the many aspects of Baby that adds to the realism: two generations of a white family participate in welfare fraud.

Apparently, some have assumed Baby is the "female Rocky". It's not. DO NOT watch this film expecting to see Raquel Balboa. But do watch this film. It's probably the best movie of 2004 (Yes, it's better than Sideways).

7. The Fighter

The Fighter is one of the best films set in the Boston area that doesn't belong to the crime genre and hands-down the pinnacle of Mark Wahlberg's collaborative efforts with director David O. Russell. Wahlberg was so committed to the role that he had a boxing ring built in his home and consulted eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and his coach Freddie Roach.

The movie is loosely based on the lives of two former professional boxers -- "Irish" Micky Ward and his older brother Dicky Eklund. Most of the focus is on Ward's career in the ring (and time off from his career) in the 1990s. In fact, the movie opens during his respite from the fight game, working on a road-paving crew with Eklund in their native Lowell, Massachusetts, located 30 miles northwest of Beantown. Ward's professional trajectory is hampered by injuries, failing self-confidence and family -- including Eklund.

Eklund, a former Welterweight champion and Ward's trainer, also suffered from a crack cocaine addiction. He was even featured in the 1995 HBO documentary, High On Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell. His habit led to prison time in the mid to late 1990s. During his career, Eklund lost a 10-round decision bout to boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard. All of these stages of Eklund's life are depicted in the movie.

The film ends before Ward's trilogy of bouts with hall of fame boxing champ Arturo Gatti -- the fights for which he's best known. But the movie would've been far too long had that story been included. This does, however, present the possibility of a sequel.

6. Good Will Hunting

No disrespect to the dead, but this is the only Robin Williams movie I'm willing to watch. And he really did deserve to win that Oscar for his work in this classic about a Boston thug who also happens to be a genius. What's Matt Damon's best role? Jason Bourne or Will Hunting? You decide.

5. Snatch

Snatch is director Guy Ritchie's best movie and the jewel in Jason Statham's crown. Brad Pitt's accent in his first movie as an Irishman (The Devil's Own) was suspect. This time it's so thick you can't even tell what he's saying half the time. But it's great. "One-punch" Mickey is unforgettable.

4. Angels with Dirty Faces

The ending of this movie disturbs the hell outta me. But everything up until then it's incredible.

3. Warrior

Warrior is the MMA version of Rocky. But waay better. It's even set in Pennsylvania.

2. The Departed

Did you know that The Departed is a remake? Yeah, Martin Scorcese took a break from La Cosa Nostra to remix the Hong Kong movie Infernal Affairs into an examination of Boston's Winter Hill Gang. Honestly, I didn't respect Leonardo DiCaprio's skills until this movie. Romeo + Juliet? The Beach? This Boy's Life? Gilbert Grape? Titanic? You can keep all of that. But The Departed got my attention. And Scorcese threw in little details of Boston history like the 1970s busing riots that stemmed from the desegregation of the public school system.

1. The Town

Ben Affleck decided not to direct his upcoming movie The Batman because of the disappointing reception he got for the last flick he directed and starred in -- Live by Night. But the first movie he pulled double duty on -- The Town -- makes the best argument for why he maybe should call the shots when he jumps back into the Batmobile. Yeah, Argo won the Oscar for Best Picture but it sucks compared to this movie. The trailer might lead you to believe that it's just a heist film. No. The Town is so much more. The movie explores an entire subculture in which the criminals in one Massachusetts community approach robbing banks as though it were any other legitimate trade. Never mind car-jacking. The stick-up kids in Charlestown jack armored trucks. By the way, there's a scene on the extended edition dvd/blu-ray that contains some racist comments. It was wisely deleted from the theatrical version.

- Ran Britt

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