People with guns collection # 78 - Year End Bonus!

1/3/75 - Detroit: Lynne Larivee, of Troy, Mich., could be imagining herself another "Bonnie" of Bonnie and Clyde fame as she readies her machine gun in the bullet-ridden "Godfather" car at the 23rd annual Autorama Custom Car Show 1/2. The show is the largest custom car and hot rod show in the world. The "Godfather" car, a 1941 Lincoln Continental, was riddled with over 200 bullet holes as the Godfather's son, Sonny Corleone was ambushed at a tollbooth, triggering a war between different gangs. Over 400 custom cars, hot rods, dragsters, antiques and racing cars will be shown 1/3 - 1/5.

Your Friday Flashback - 1981

Your Friday Flashback - 1993

Your Friday Flashback - 2003

Your Friday Flashback - 1978

Your Friday Flashback - 2005

Your Friday Flashback - 1998

Your Friday Flashback - 1985

Your Friday Flashback - 1976

Your Friday Flashback - 1968

Your Friday Flashback - 1959

Friday Funny

Your Friday Flashback - 2000

Your Friday Flashback - 1996

Book Review - Wolverines: Reflections on Red Dawn

Wolverines: Reflections on Red Dawn by Ryan Lewellin is a collection of essays about the 1984 version of Red Dawn and is more for true fans of the film. It is a short book and available through Kindle only. I found it to be entertaining and certainly worth the 2.99 asking price. In my opinion any author that can tie this film with The Bible, On Guerrilla Warfare by Mao Zedong and Afghanistan's problems (both past and present) is worth at least a look.

Your Friday Flashback - 1988

Your Friday Flashback - 1977

Mini Movie Reviews

Yes, it's time for more mini movie reviews and I'll keep 'em short and sweet. I've also devised a new rating system, no more letter grade or stars. My new ratings get to the heart of the matter, is it worth your money or not!

The Artist (2011) - Wonderful silent comedy/drama written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius. It concerns two Hollywood actors at the end of the silent era, one star quickly on the rise and the other on their way down. This was a treat for me since I've enjoyed silents ever since watching old Lon Chaney horror films as a kid. Unless you just have some irrational hatred of silent movies you will love this too.

WORTH THE FULL PRICE
RENT CHEAP
SEE IT IF FREE
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME


Harry Brown (2009) - Entertaining picture that proves Michael Caine is still at the top of his game. Caine plays an elderly widower living modestly in a high crime area. Criminals rule the streets and honest people are afraid to leave their homes at night. When his best friend is murdered and the police won't help he takes matters into his own hands, recalling the special skills he learned while serving in the Royal Marines.

WORTH THE FULL PRICE
RENT CHEAP
SEE IT IF FREE
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME


God Bless America (2011) - Writer/Director Bobcat Goldthwait's commentary on modern America society disguised as a buddy road movie. Middle-aged man dying of cancer and an anti-social teen girl traveling across the US, killing anyone that annoys them, which apparently is nearly everyone. This is enjoyable enough, if not a little on the preachy side, even so still worth a look.

WORTH THE FULL PRICE
RENT CHEAP
SEE IT IF FREE
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME

Memo to Hollywood

Dear Hollywood directors, producers, sound editors, whoever.

For years I have put up with your firearm inaccuracies. Guns that never have to be reloaded. Shotguns that can send a 200 pound man flying 20 feet across the room. Automobile gas tanks that can explode on contact with one magic bullet.

I've put up with these mistakes (and many others) because I know you know nothing about guns. I put up with your blunders because it's only entertainment and I shouldn't let it bother me. In certain cases, like mindless action movies, it probably even makes for a better (or at least shorter) film.

But there is a new one you're using that does bother me. In fact it's killing me. I feel I'm going to go mad every time it happens. I don't know if it has just now become popular with you guys or I just now noticed. I've seen it used in numerous TV shows and movies recently and it is driving me nuts. I'm talking about this asinine practice of inserting the sound of a gun being cocked with a striker fired pistol.

Listen, I know you probably won't get this. I don't know if you care to get this or are even smart enough to get this. I'm going to try anyway. Striker fired pistols can't make that sound. That sound you're editing in is made by a gun with a hammer. It is an entirely different kind of mechanism from a striker fired gun, which cannot make that sound. The absolute worst example, the one that nearly causes me fits, is when someone takes their striker fired gun (usually a Glock), puts it to the head of our hero, then you hear that distinctive clicking sound of a single action revolver. I'm not even going to go into why the guy has to constantly cock his gun every minute or two. But when said guy is using a modern auto pistol and it's making the sound of a revolver that dates back to a hundred a fifty years ago, well it's just too much for many of us.

So here's a simple rule that will make your production a little more real. It might even save gun nuts like myself from having a stroke. Check your bad guy's gun for a hammer, if it doesn't have one it can't make that sound!

Thanks for listening.

Movie Review - Hugo

I saw the latest Martin Scorsese offering Hugo after it came out in the theaters last month, but things have been hectic around here and I'm only now getting around to the review (sorry). I won't keep you in suspense, its great! The movie is still running at a few theaters and if you have the chance to see it there you should. It's just a beautiful film to look at and on the big screen you can wonder at every detail. If you can't see it now at least do so when it is available to buy or rent, it is that good. Hugo is suitable for adults and all but the smallest children. The film stars Asa Butterfield (The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) as the title character, an orphaned boy living in the walls of a Paris train station. He must solve a mystery and Chloë Grace Moretz (Let Me In, KICK-ASS) helps in his adventure. But if anything Hugo is Scorsese's homage to early cinema and his love of it clearly shows throughout. I enjoyed this immensely and believe you will too. More to the point I felt it was worth every penny of the admission price. Highly recommended!