Because all men know that there are unwritten rules about talking to men that you don’t know at urinals, once I reached the sink I asked, “So what did you think of the film?”

The stranger gave a short response without making any eye contact, “I didn’t like it.”

“May I ask why?” I enquired.

“I go to the movies to escape,” he said, “and that was just too real for me.”

“Fair enough.”

Obviously his words stuck with me.  I mean, here we are about twelve years later, and I still remember them.  But make no mistake; my view regarding his opinion has changed over the years.

On that night and for quite a while afterward, I was honestly a little creeped out by the stranger’s remarks.  I remember thinking to myself…so does that mean that all “old men” just walk around fantasizing about high school girls?  Gross.  Are they not able to make the mental connection that the young women that they are attracted to are the same ages as their own children?  Double gross.  Do they not realize that this makes them appear publicly as “perverts?”  Triple gross.

I didn’t realize, like Jane and Ricky, just how young, and naïve some of my opinions were.  I did not, at that time, have enough life experience to see the full perspective on many of the film’s situations. 

American Beauty--Dreamworks Entertainment

Somehow…someway…mom and dad were right.  It’s like they knew when they told me over and over again, “You’ll understand when you get older,” that some type of magic buzzer of awareness would go off in my head sometime during my late 20s/early 30s.

Even though it is not talked about often in the media, many if not all men gauge their degree of self-worth on the sexual appraisals they receive.  Tell them they have a small penis—they feel worthless.  Say that you didn’t have an orgasm—they feel useless.  Regularly find reasons to avoid intercourse (headaches, exhaustion, “it’s Tuesday,” and more)—they feel cast away.  Choose to display that you no longer find your mate attractive anymore—they will be devastated.  And the list of potential examples could go on and on.

One scene from American Beauty explains quite a bit about the current status of Lester and Carolyn Burham’s relationship.  It is the perfect scene that backs up Lester’s earlier statement of, “She wasn’t always like this.  She used to be happy…we used to be happy.”  The scene takes place directly after Carolyn (Annette Bening) catches Lester (Kevin Spacey) masturbating while he thinks she’s asleep.

“Lester I will not live like this…this is not a marriage!”
“This hasn’t been a marriage for years, but you were happy as long as I kept my mouth shut.”
“Don’t you mess with me mister, I will divorce you so fast it will make your head spin.”
“On what grounds?  I’m not a drunk.  I don’t fuck other women.  I don’t mistreat you.  I’ve never hit you.  I don’t even try to touch you since you’ve made it so abundantly clear just how unnecessary you consider me to be.  But I did support you when you got your [real estate] license and some people would think that entitles me to half of what’s yours.”
“Oohhhh.”
“So…turn out the light when you come back to bed.” 

American Beauty--Dreamworks Entertainment

Lester’s smile reveals how relieved his character is to finally say these things.  But this scene also teaches us something else that is very important.  Lester stepped aside for a significant amount of time and put Carolyn’s needs and/or career aspirations ahead of his own.  We learn that Lester supported Carolyn while she was getting her real estate license.  It appears that he gave her space so that she could focus on her career, and by doing so it changed her.

We get a deeper look at this as Carolyn and Lester enter a local realtor business function.  At the event we hear her explain to her husband, “My business is selling an image, and part of my job is to live that image.”  And suddenly for the viewer a number of things make more sense…the appearance of their house, the difference in the quality levels of the cars that they drive, and more.  As time goes on it becomes more and more clear that Carolyn feels that Lester doesn’t contribute to her “image” in a positive way.  In fact, she even instructs him in front of one of her colleagues, “Honey, don’t be weird.”  You can even see with how the shot is framed (on a small flight of stairs) so that Lester is even being devalued visually.  He is positioned as the lowest person on these stairs, next our vision ascends to Carolyn, and then finally to Buddy “The Real Estate King” Kane (Peter Gallagher) at the top. 

After becoming a successful businesswoman, Carolyn began to fail to see Lester as a strong and powerful male figure in her life.  When it comes to physical attraction, it is no secret that many women are attracted to successful, powerful, or at the very least confident men; Carolyn Burham shows that she is no different when she tells Buddy, “I am in complete awe of you.”  

American Beauty--Dreamworks Entertainment

“There happens to be a lot about me that you don’t know, Mr. Smarty Man,” Carolyn says to her husband in one scene.  Yeah, no shit.  Having her secret affair allows her to find romantic, emotional, and sexual fulfillment from 9-to-5 while at the same time she is able to keep up her façade of a marriage that maintains her “image of success” every evening.  Carolyn is living a double-life that illustrates what Lester says later in the film, which is:

“Our marriage is just for show—a commercial for how normal we are.  But we’re anything but.”  

American Beauty--Dreamworks Entertainment

Once her infidelities are discovered, Lester boldly and correctly tells her, “No-no.  You don’t get to tell me what to do…ever…again.”  At this point Lester decides that he is going to change his life.  He determines that he has been hiding behind his own depression and that he is going to take better care of himself.  He begins working out, lifting weights, running.  He realizes that if his wife is no longer attracted to him that someone else will be.      

That brings us to Lester’s fantasy-based attraction for his daughter’s friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari).  Does Lester look at Angela in such a sexual way because he’s a pervert or a pedophile?  Not in my opinion.  He looks at her that way, because she looks at him in the flirtatious manner that his wife used to.  Angela interacts with him in the same way that he, in fact, wishes that his wife still did.  Angela looks at Lester the same way that Carolyn now views Buddy.  After so much neglect, Angela could’ve been any woman of any age and Lester would’ve reacted the same way.  He just wanted to feel alive again through physical human interaction. 

At this point you may be asking, “Tim is there something that you want to tell us?  Why do you understand this so much?”  And the truth is that 12 years ago when I watched this film, I looked at the world from a perspective not so different from Ricky—I was buying time, and was doing what I was told until I could get out on my own—a feeling shared by many-a-teenager.  But nevertheless the motion picture did have an effect on me and ever since I have been trying to see the world as Ricky did.  At times I am so direct with people by telling them exactly how I feel that it makes them uncomfortable.  And like Jane they say, “He’s just so confident.  That can’t be real.”  But I’ve learned that an unabridged level of truth in all of one’s relationships is paramount to maintaining those life-connections. 

No longer a 19-year-old, I am now a man in his 30s with a wife, son, (another child on the way), a mortgage, and more.  So mom, dad, you were right…I am older.  I do understand.  I have now been around enough people in this world to know why this film was, as that stranger put it, “too real.”  But just as the last line of the film says if you have no idea what I’m talking about, “don’t worry…you will someday.”

I will not tell you “my story” about that day.  Where I was, what my thoughts were, or what I experienced that day is not important.  It does not matter, and there’s no need for it to be read or heard by a larger audience.  Period.  What I can tell you, on this the 11^th day of September 2011 is that this blog site is largely devoted to film.  Because of that fact, I will take this opportunity to tell you that you should watch one of the most powerful films that I’ve ever seen: 9/11.

In this film, two French filmmakers set out in May of 2001 to begin a documentary about becoming a New York City firefighter.  That’s right, I said May of 2001.  And so throughout the summer these filmmakers followed a particular firefighter through the academy, to his firehouse assignment, and waited for his first fire so that they could finish their documentary.  Firefighter Benatatos was assigned to a house long before September.  But every time that he was on duty, it seemed that the firehouse wouldn’t get any calls that involved real fires.  Sure there was a gas leak here, a car accident there, but no significant blaze that these filmmakers could end their film on.  As the days went on it would feel like they were waiting for something bigger.  The date of that first fire would be the morning of September 11, 2001.  Their film would instantly have a much larger purpose than they originally intended.  Their film about one firefighter would now be a much larger piece about the events of that day, events that many news crews running cameras that day wouldn’t see.

What makes this film stand out amongst all of the different films, footage, and documentaries that exist about that day?

-It contains the ONLY KNOWN FOOTAGE of the first plane hitting the World Trade Center.

-It contains footage from inside the towers that day.

-It also contains footage from inside the plaza after the towers started to collapse.

It aired for the first time on CBS one year after the events of that September morning.  My now wife (she was my “girlfriend” at that time) and I watched it and both of us became overcome with emotion several times throughout the film.  It is filled with vivid and disturbing imagery that preserves the true horror of that day.  After its completion, the host of the TV special, Robert DeNiro announced that the documentary would be available for sale and that the profits would all go to benefit the families of the victims of 9/11.

I immediately left for the store and purchased it that night.

CBS plans to air it again tonight, ten years after we were attacked by our own planes, on our own soil.  It will be an update…a look back paired with a “where are they now” type of thing, I’m sure.  I can’t speak to what they will be airing tonight, as of course, I haven’t seen it.

But I do know, that someday, my children will ask my wife and me about that day.  They will ask us if we were scared, what it was like, or what we were thinking.  The will ask us other questions about what happened afterwards, and how that 2001 day led to a tomorrow that isn’t here quite yet.  When they’re old enough, I’ll pull out this film.  We can all watch it together, and discuss that no matter how memorable these images are that love is always the most powerful message anyone can deliver.

See this film, if you have any way at all to do so.

God Bless All Whom Have Been Touched By This Day.  And God Bless America.

So…it probably goes without saying that when Rescue Me premiered on the FX television network back in July of 2004 that I was interested before it even began.  Plus, with the popularity of shows like Law & Order, CSI, and others paired with my enjoyment of films like Backdraft I was intrigued by the possibilities of a firefighter television drama.  (And personally having a father and grandfather who spent time fighting fires as well as my prior interest in pursuing a degree in fire sciences didn’t hurt its chances either….) But in my opinion, the creators of the show made a very wise move, they realized that in a world where 9/11 was still trying to scab over, the wisest thing to give television audiences was good old fashion comedy (with an occasional pyrotechnic or dramatic twist).

Any (good) cast, regardless if it is for a film, a Broadway play, television show, or even a short story functions very much like a human body.  There is usually a head (or star) which in this case would obviously be Leary.  Then there are arms which primarily exist just to interact with other things and/or serve as comic relief (Mike Silletti played by Michael Lombardi & Sean Garrity played by Steven Pasquale).  Just like any good body, a valuable cast also has legs which take us to the different paths in life that we could encounter (Janet Gavin played by Andrea Roth & Sheila Keefe played by Callie Thorne).  But anyone with even a moderate understanding of anatomy knows it is the spine that makes the majority of actions possible.  The spine holds the body upright, is directly connected to the brain, and is what allows other parts of the body to function as they should.

“You coming Tommy, it’s a fire and we’re all invited?!”

The spine of Rescue Me, and the primary reason why I have continued to watch the show over these last seven years, is the character Lieutenant Kenny Shea, a.k.a. “Lou,” played by the immensely talented and hilarious John Scurti.

The more I see of the show, and the closer I look, the more I am convinced that Lou is the perfect character.  Lou has many different dynamic levels to his personality and the show’s writers have used them with the perfect sense of balance. Just as you would need your spine to walk up a flight of stairs, or throw a baseball, the many sides of Lou’s persona have facilitated the forward motion of Rescue Me’s storylines over the last seven years. Whether it is a need for sensitivity, wisdom, sarcasm, vengeance, defeat, or just plain old friendship…Lou is the person you want answering the call…and Rescue Me’s team of writers have made that abundantly clear.

“You know I can’t believe this kid.  He gets asked to do 3-ways.  He’s got a mother-daughter-combo-plate going.  You know, I never thought I’d say this, but when I die, I’d like to come back as your penis.”

Make no mistake, the majority of Lou’s actions are driven by his many impulses. Lou not only loves his pursuit of cupcakes, cigars, and copulation he makes the world around him aware that those are the things he lives for. Lou says what he wants (and often what we all wish we could) say; he does what he wants to do. It seems that in this fictional world of the firehouse for 62 truck, Lou is able to live in a world that appears to have significantly fewer social boundaries compared to the everyday world that many of us call home. But the important thing is that when Lou sees something he wants, he goes after it.

After taking a bite of a piece of chocolate pizza, “I have just seen the face of God.“

There have also been many moments over the last seven years that Lou has also been a beacon of wisdom for the characters of Rescue Me. Like the show, the wisdom Lou has provided has ranged in its level of seriousness from ways to successfully pull of various schemes, to counseling fellow firefighters about rashes, to issues with alcoholism, divorce, gender roles and more. But in other moments, when the writing staff takes those few lines to comment on life and it’s many gifts or issues it is often Lou whom gets the privilege of delivering such monologues, like the following clip for example:

All comedy aside, Lou‘s character has also been used to discuss some serious issues. After the Vietnam war ended, it began to be acknowledged more and more often that the horrific events that our soldiers witnessed through war left scars on them that would take years to heal long after the bullets stopped flying. After 343 brave New York City Firefighters gave their lives at Ground Zero that September morning, it became more common than ever to view our emergency personnel as heroes. But if you asked people on the street if they associated the word fragile with their heroes you can guess what the answer would be. But again, the writers again used Lou to comment on society. The Lou we’re introduced to in season one of Rescue Me is one that secretly writes poetry that he hides from his fellow crew members. Why does he write it? Lou uses metaphors and similes in order to help his character cope with some of the horrific images he witnessed in downtown New York that day. From someone who was living in Ohio, far from those events that shocked the world that day, this was the first time that I was aware of anyone discussing, post 9/11, that many of these firefighters that were heroes that day, may also need a little saving from what they have witnessed.

Speaking about acupuncture:  “Yeah I almost had that procedure done.  They wanted to put needles in my eyeballs.  But instead of acupuncture, they called it marriage.”

Why am I giving Lou (and in a way John Scurti) so much love? Well, now that this week’s episode has aired there are only two episodes left of this fantastic series. Was it raunchy at times? Yeah. Did it push the envelope, even for a cable series? Definitely. But it has been worth every episode. If you haven’t watched this show over the last seven years, all the prior seasons are already available on DVD. The final season is released on Blu Ray and DVD on September 13, 2011. The point is that I entered the fictional NYFD company of 62 truck as a Leary fan…but I’m leaving a Scurti fan, and I think you will too.

The official trailer can be viewed now at http://thedarkknightrises.com

Here’s a step by step breakdown of what we see in this trailer:

-The trailer starts with the same billowing blue explosion-like flames that appeared at the beginning of The Dark Knight behind the Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures logos.

-Then the words “Every hero has a journey” appear on screen.

-Next we hear the Liam Neeson/Ra’s Al Ghul’s quote from Batman Begins, “If you make yourself more than just a man…” as Bruce Wayne heads towards the glaciers from that film.

-Then the words “Every journey has an end” appear on screen.

-Ra’s quote continues, “If you devote yourself to an ideal, then you become something else entirely…a legend, Mr. Wayne, a legend,” while we see images of Bruce standing in the Batcave followed by Batman riding the Batpod (the final image of The Dark Knight film).

-Then we see our first glimpse of new footage.  Commissioner Gordon appears in a hospital bed speaking to someone off screen.  His breath and speech appear to be labored, and his first words are, “We were in this together, and then you were gone…” followed by the shot of Gordon destroying the Bat-signal at the end of The Dark Knight.

-Gordon continues, “And now this evil rises.” Then there is an image of what appears to be someone climbing out of an old well, “The Batman must come back,” as we are shown Bane doing push-ups in a prison cell.

-Bruce’s voice comes from off screen, “What if he doesn’t exist anymore?”

-Gordon responds, “He must,” as we see an image of Bane’s face that shakes into brief focus, “He must.”

-Then the camera zooms into the center of the film’s poster image to reveal the title, The Dark Knight Rises.

-This is followed by a brief scene depicting Batman backing up like an intimidated fighter as a huge Bane is seen moving towards him.

-The screen then goes black and the words, “The epic conclusion to the dark knight legend,” appear followed by the expected “Summer 2012.”

So, what does this tell us?  What jumps out at me almost immediately is the fact that it appears that Gordon now knows that Bruce is Batman.  Or does he?  Well we do know that the voice we hear is Bruce’s because it doesn’t have that mouth-full-of-sharp-marbles sound that Bale’s Batman has been known for in this franchise.  But is it really Bruce sitting there, or is Nolan screwing with us with audio from different scenes spliced together?  For a while I tried to reason it out and thought could he be talking to the mayor, or one of his lead detectives?  But the more and more I thought about it, since this is Nolan’s last bat-flick I think it is completely reasonable that Gordon could discover this information.

Then there’s the person climbing out of the well followed by Bane doing push-ups in a jail cell.  My suspicion is that these two images were paired together to intentionally confuse.  I believe that it is in fact Bruce Wayne that is crawling out of that well, and that it is the same well he fell down as a child.  Nolan has stated that this film will bring this trilogy full circle, “Why do we fall Bruce…so that we can learn to pick ourselves up.”  When a trilogy is completed it is often the messages from the first film that are reinforced with higher meaning to close the series.  The last time we saw Bruce emerge from this well he was being carried by his father, it makes complete sense that he would now be forced to emerge on his own.  By showing a flash of Hardy doing push-ups behind bars it shows me that they are running with the popular Bane back-story of being a prison inmate that was experimented on while incarcerated.  Many will want to mistakenly connect these two images as two takes of the same person.

Next, the zooming into the poster image/title screen tells us what we already know about this third and final Nolan bat-flick…that Gotham, just like Bruce, must fall so that it can learn what it needs to pick itself up.  That is why the camera appears to be rising while the city is falling, in my opinion.

Finally, we see what appears to be about 2-3 seconds of the middle of Batman getting his ass kicked by Bane.  This is why I think we are shown the scene of Bruce having to climb out the well.  I believe that Bane discovers the Batcave, beats Bruce on his own turf and through the process the entrance back into Wayne Manor is destroyed…so in order to get help he must emerge from the well he once plummeted down (out of the Batsuit in case he is spotted).   It is just a theory, but who knows.  It may not be the Batcave since you can see someone else in the shot in the right background (or this is an early production shot and hasn’t been fully edited yet and that person in the background will be removed later.

The thing that worries me the most is what appears in print.  “The epic conclusion to the Dark Knight legend.”  One of my main concerns ever since word got out that Tom Hardy would be playing Bane is that they would pursue the Knightfall storyline (where Bane breaks Batman’s back).  Nolan has insisted before production began, and now in print during his first teaser trailer that this will be the last Batman movie.  Is this because when the credits roll there will no longer be a Batman?  Only time will tell.  Either way, the trailer did exactly what a “teaser” is supposed to do…it’s getting us to ask questions, discuss the film, and get excited for what’s to come.  And that’s exactly what I am…excited for the build-up that is coming over the next 368 days.  Trust team Nolan, it looks like they’re already off to an amazing start, and still have over a year to go.

What are your thoughts after watching the trailer?  I’d love to hear what you think in the comments section below.  And as always, thanks for reading.

Whether the bloodshed is fact or fiction, nowadays we nearly always expect to find a camera lens or an Anderson Cooper type in a foxhole or on the battlefield.  This is most often the case because we have become increasingly more voyeuristic each day.  Unfortunately, it is the capturing of the extremes of humanity…the greatest love or even the greatest violence that has the highest potential to stand out and grab our full attention.

As the son of a Vietnam Veteran, I would say that I have a delicate relationship with war.  Like any son should be, I am and will always be curious about my father’s experiences.  This inquisitive position regarding my father’s tour serves two means.  The first is to learn about the events that shaped him into the heroic man that he has been in my life.  The second is to take that same knowledge and use it to choose paths that assist me in avoiding some of the anguish that he has experienced.

On many occasions I have asked my father about the year that he spent in Vietnam.  The stories he tells are mostly about the off-duty time that he spent with his friend Mark—not the stories one would expect to hear—about the death, the bloodshed or the loss of fellow soldiers.  I already knew that his tour wasn’t all sunshine and roses, the items that returned home with him easily tell that story.  A necklace made of bullets that all jammed in his weapon, some handmade enemy weapons, and more.  The darkest story that he would be willing to tell would be about his trip home…as one of the few live passengers in a coffin plane headed back to the states.

Not until I reached my thirties would I understand how strong the desire to protect one’s son could be.  It isn’t that he doesn’t have those gory and awful stories to tell.  It’s that many soldiers whom are fortunate enough to make it home hope that their sons (or daughters) won’t have to see or experience such things.  So needless to say, I haven’t learned about the horrors of war because my father fought to spare me from it.

But that hasn’t stopped my curiosity.

Other than the love a well told story, another reason that I gravitate towards the world of film is because I am a very visual person.  I often crave knowledge and understanding but I am in tune well enough with my sense of self to know that I comprehend a great deal more when I can see it.  Because of this, it most likely goes without saying that if there is a war film out there…I have probably seen it.  Films depicting the conflicts during the Middle Ages, the American Revolutionary War, the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and even more have all spent time being aired on my home theater system so that I can study the interaction, the losses, the victories, and defeats.  And after them all one stands out as being what I can imagine as the purest, most realistic depiction of war.

Saving Private Ryan

Now, I will openly acknowledge the fact that my father did not serve in World War II, the war that this film depicts.  But regardless of what continent or country it takes place on, the main elements of any war remain the same.  I sit here on our Country’s Independence Day realizing that it would be a film that would show me the horrors that my father as well as so many other fathers have fought to protect their children from.

The violence.  The image above depicts a soldier who has had his arm blown off in an explosion on the beaches of Normandy.  He is in a state of shock and even while heavy gun fire and further explosions occur all around him he stands, in plain sight, looking for his severed limb—numbed by the malice all around him.  This entire battle scene will remain engrained into my memory for most certainly as long as I live.  Yet when Spielberg said, “Cut” the dead and wounded were able to stand and walk off set, unharmed.  I can only imagine what seeing such horrors actually happen feet or even inches away would be like, and hope that I never have to experience such things.

The desire for revenge.  After seeing your brothers killed right in front of you it is reasonable to assume that one’s goals could shift and change.  After Germans kill unarmed Medic Irvin Wade (Giovanni Ribisi) it becomes abundantly clear that Capt. John H. Miller’s (Tom Hanks) men are going to take the life of a German who has surrendered, purely out of a desire for revenge.  After losing friends in nearly every outbreak of gunfire, it seems completely possible for a desire to seek vengeance to surface in many.

Not every man is able to fearlessly charge up the hill into certain death.  That takes a special type of person.  Upham (Jeremy Davies) depicts this element perfectly in the film.  Any person who had machine guns firing and bombs exploding all around them would have reason to hide.  Preservation of self is in fact the first instinct that many individuals feel when in danger.  That’s why someone who is drowning will pull you under in order to save him/herself.  The fact that this film depicts this side of the battle landscape illustrates what a complete picture it tries to show.

In the photo above, Wade is discussing regret from his childhood.  He recalls how many times when he was younger his mother would return home and he would pretend to be asleep.  He knew that all she wanted was to know how his day was and yet he would play opossum.  Now on the other side of the globe and unsure whether or not he’ll be able to correct this mistake, he struggles with regret.  Often when individuals face death they reflect on what they wish they could do better if given the chance.  How many soldiers, like Wade, left home to never have the chance to correct the mistakes made before the war.

As I’ve said, wars have been fought since the dawn of time.  But I believe that it is Saving Private Ryan that shows those whom have not fought for freedom the most accurate (fictional) pictures of war that have ever been depicted.  I feel that too often we forget what others have had to witness and do for our freedom.  Seeing it depicted in this way makes me that much more grateful that my father and thousands of other Americans have fought to protect me from such evils.  And I believe, that all those whom live in this country should, on this day, July 4^th and on every other day take Captain John Miller’s last words to heart.  He whispered to Private Ryan,

“Earn this.” 

And so I ask, are you living in a way that honors those whom have died for you?  Are you living in way that shows that you are grateful for your freedom?  When was the last time that you thanked a veteran?  Are you attempting to earn the gift of liberty that you’ve been given.  Take a moment to reflect today in between all the hot dogs, cold beer, and fireworks.  Because if you remember the fireworks that you’ll see today, which are the most recognized symbol of this holiday, are to represent “the rocket’s red glare” that the living witnessed during the war for our freedom.

When should a hero, or even a villain for that matter, ride off into the sunset and never been seen or heard from again? Is there a specific time, or age? If our heroes linger too long, do they become less heroic? Or, is it dependent on the individual character that is being portrayed? Here are my thoughts.

When standing in line at their local cinema many men gravitate towards action/adventure films.  Why?  Because this genre consistently shows what a large percentage of them want to see: attractive women, explosions, and a heroic figure that because he saves the day/planet will therefore be adored by said attractive women.  They often don’t require much thought from their audience, and also don’t always have interwoven themes with deeper meanings…but then again, they’re not supposed to.  They commonly aren’t nominated for Oscars like their more artsy counterparts either, but they nearly always achieve their end goal…to entertain.

At the end of this past April a news story broke regarding Arnold Schwarzenegger’s plans for life after being the “Govenator” of California.  No, I’m not referring to the article talking about him fathering a child outside of his marriage to Maria Shriver.  It was an article about his desire to play a T800 (also known as the Terminator) again in another installment in one of the biggest, most successful movie franchises of all time.  In fairness…this role has, in my opinion, given more fame to Arnold than any of his other cinematic endeavors.  But I feel that by reprising this role, he would be making a mistake that would tarnish the character took his fame to the next level.  The thought process detailed below had led me to believe that it is the character that dictates when our heroes should walk away, not just the age of the actors portraying them.  Allow me to explain.

To begin, the important question becomes who could you compare Arnold to?  Who has taken on similar movie roles over the years?  Who is in a similar place in their career…but I didn’t have to look far.  Enter Sylvester Stallone.  Take a look at these numbers:

Sylvester Stallone
Born: July 6, 1946
Age as of famous franchise film release dates:
Rocky: (12/3/1976) 30 years old
Rocky II: (6/15/1979) 32 years old
Rocky III: (5/28/1982) 35 years old
Rocky IV: (11/27/1985) 39 years old
Rocky V: (11/16/1990) 44 years old
Rocky Balboa: (12/20/2006) 60 years old

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Born: July 30, 1947
Age as of famous franchise film release dates:
The Terminator: (10/26/1984) 37 years old
Terminator 2: Judgement Day: (7/3/1991) 43 years old
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines: (7/2/2003) 55 years old
Estimated release date of untitled Terminator project: (7/3/2013) 65 years old

So here we have two famous men.  They are roughly the same age (born one year and 24 days apart).  They both have landed lead roles in multiple action film franchises (Stallone: Rocky, Rambo, and more) (Schwarzenegger: Terminator, Conan, and more).  Both are known for their muscular physiques (even though Arnold is taller than Sylvester).  Both actors have also attempted in recent years to reprise the roles that made them famous.  But, what sets them apart?

When I went to see Rocky Balboa at my local theater, I was fully prepared to laugh as though it were a comedy.  I didn’t see how the story was going to allow for a 60-year-old man to be a feasible contender against a current Heavyweight Champion…Rocky, or no Rocky.  But when the credits rolled, and I stood up from my seat I realized that the film wasn’t about claiming that Rocky was still the same fighter that he was 30 years prior.  It was impossible for him to be…he is a man who is now over 30 years older than when we first watched him step into the ring with Apollo Creed.  It was about honoring the character, and giving the franchise a chance to end on high note—not the wet fart trombone sound that was Rocky V.

So throughout the film there were countless references to Rocky’s age as if to blatantly say to the audience, “we see his wrinkles too.”  It was noted that he was older than the people coming into his restaurant.  He was older than people he’d speak with at his local pub.  He was older than the “champ” he’d face in the ring.  Make no mistake…the writers made it abundantly clear that if this franchise’s main character was anything in this sixth installment, he was old.

Now, let’s take a minute to look at Arnold’s most famous character, the T800.  Unlike Mr. Balboa, the T800 is a cybernetic organism, or more specifically, “living tissue over a metal endoskeleton.”  But it is also important to note that the T800 was not one of a kind…SkyNet/Cyberdyne Systems made thousands, if not millions of them.  For those who don’t know, in the first film the T800 was sent back in time with orders to “terminate” Sarah Connor.  In the second film the leaders of the resistance were able to somehow reprogram a T800 and send it back in time to protect John Connor, the only son of Sarah, who would one day lead the human resistance against the machines.  Film 3 becomes another instance of sending yet another reprogrammed T800 back to the past to protect John.  That’s where I believe the problem begins.

To be clear, Arnold plays a cyborg, not a man.  To see an older version of this model of cyborg in each Terminator film, in my opinion, is a mistake.  If SkyNet is continually making these killing machines, then seeing ones with age spots, wrinkles, and poorly dyed hair would be the equivalent of Ford still making ’92 Escorts, but intentionally having each one leave the factory with a little more rust creeping up from the rocker panels.  An aged Arnold playing the T800 in each film ruins the image of the character simply because he wants to continue acting and refuses to be loyal to the same character that made him an international star.

Now a boxer who is 30 years older, and wants to see if he still has some “gas left in the tank” feels nostalgic.  But, a robot that is three decades older, to me, feels as though it should be shut down and never rebooted.

Some may read this and think that I’m pandering ageism.  I disagree.  To reiterate, my point is about being able to still be faithful to the character over time.  Another quick example is Indiana Jones.  When the fourth movie of that famous franchise premiered a few years ago, many moviegoers such as myself, were excited to see Harrison Ford don the fedora once more.  When Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull didn’t perform as well as predicted, some critics stated that Harrison was too old to still carry the franchise.  I disagree.  It had nothing to do with age.  It was Spielberg’s need to bring his inescapable obsession with aliens into this franchise that ruined it.  In fact, the older I get the more I’m surprised that there weren’t aliens in Schindler’s List and The Color Purple.  Or were there?

Are there heroes or villains that you think should walk away because they are no longer able to remain faithful to their characters?  Let me know, in the comments below.  Or, if you don’t have your own, tell me what you think of my hypothesis that Arnold should terminate himself from the franchise.  And, as always, thanks for reading.

This is where at least a few readers and/visitors may hope/assume that this post is going to be about porn, nudity, or at the very least sex scenes. To the readers looking for that post…sorry you won’t find what you’re looking for here.

The aspects that made me rule the other performances in my previous post as “creepy” were the personalities of the characters being portrayed and their interactions with those around them. So in order to make this an even playing field, actors discussed here will need to be judged by the same criteria. With that in mind, I’ve assembled an unnumbered top 5 list of the characters that, at least for me, have made the actors playing them more appealing.

Joan Holloway
Played by Christina Hendricks
Mad Men
Nowadays the “spunky red-head” has practically become a cliché in modern television/film; but make no mistake, Joan Holloway is the mold that all others should be judged by. What makes this character so attractive? Joan KNOWS that she is a beautiful woman. People, who haven’t seen the show, may be wondering…is she some size 0 that is so tiny that wardrobe has to get her costumes from the junior’s section? And to answer that question, no, no she’s not. Yet her confidence drifts through their office’s air like an expensive perfume. Any time she enters or exits a scene it is obvious to the viewer that every “Mad Man” in her world (with the exception of Salvatore, of course) would gladly sync their wristwatches to her hourglass figure, that is, if they could. To demand that audiences notice her even more, Joan is nearly ALWAYS in a solid color, and in every shot that she’s appears it is nearly always the most vivid color on screen.

Besides her physical sex-appeal, her role as an authority figure in this 1960s “man’s world” is highly attractive. Joan habitually exploits both her figure and knowledge of the advertising industry machine to her advantage. In an office full of timid women, Joan is the assertive one who calls the shots. Whether it is showing a new girl the ropes, putting someone in their place, or even applying a tourniquet…Joan regularly rights the ship’s course. Even though Christina Hendricks is without a doubt an attractive woman, it is the confidence that viewers witness in Joan Holloway that takes her up to the next level.

Sara Thomas
Played by Kate Beckinsale
Serendipity
I’m sure that there are at least a few people who when they see that Kate Beckinsale made this list will be unhappy that I am not discussing her role as the vampire Selene in the Underworld films. Probably because that’s the role where she jumps, bounces, and bends in tight black leather for approximately two hours. But even though there’s no skin-tight wardrobe, the Sara Thomas that we’re introduced to in the film Serendipity somehow manages to show audiences a great deal more.

Sara reveals an innocence that instantly draws me in. Audiences learn right away that one of the key aspects of Sara’s personality is her strong belief in the power of fate and how it can change one’s life for the better, or worse. Her acting is so strong in this role, that I would wager that one could watch this entire film without sound and would still be able to follow Sara through her many stages of love, hope, doubt, disappointment, and more. There’s a line in the film that Jeremy Piven delivers to John Cusak, that is, “You know the Greeks didn’t write obituaries. They only asked one question after a man died, ‘Did he have passion?’” And that is exactly what makes Kate more attractive, the passion that she shows for life and all of its many chances through her portrayal of Sara Thomas.

Trinity
Played by Carrie-Ann Moss
The Matrix
Okay, maybe there will be someone on this list who appears in tight black leather after all…so sue me. There have been maybe hundreds if not thousands of films that have included a line similar to, “You can do anything you put your mind to.” But The Matrix takes that idea and really runs with it. In many ways, Trinity is living her life (inside the Matrix) as many of us should be…with the belief that anything is possible. Her “mental projection of her digital self” nearly always wears tight dominatrix-like apparel that will flatter her figure. Often I’ve wondered if it’s purely for fashion or for increased aerodynamics when she sails through the air in between buildings. But, like all the characters that appear on this list, she doesn’t appear hear just because she may be “pretty.”

To live the way in which she does in the film, audience members learn that she had to let go of all “fear, doubt, and disbelief” and it shows. Yoda would be proud…Trinity doesn’t try, she does. That means walking into a fight outnumbered and remaining unharmed, flying helicopters that she has no clue how to pilot, defying gravity…you name it. Some may say that this is very similar to Joan Holloway (above) and I would disagree. They’re quite different. Joan is a confident woman who values herself. Trinity’s beliefs go beyond the self…she views the world as a magical place that’s filled with people capable of incredible things…if only they’d believe. How odd, her name is Trinity and her main goals are saving people and helping them find a sense of faith. Hmmmmm…. It is her unyielding devotion to others (and okay, maybe a dash of tight-black-leather-badass) that makes her character attractive. Because in other great films that she’s appeared in, like Memento for example, I do not feel she comes across as attractive as she is as Trinity.

Janet Gavin
Played by Andrea Roth
Rescue Me
Often times whether we’re watching characters on a big or small screen, there are at least a few elements that feel “too cushy and perfect” to be real. Because of this many programs, like Rescue Me for example, have taken huge strides in making their characters as gritty and real as basic cable FCC guidelines will allow. As the series has progressed through the last six seasons Janet Gavin becomes increasingly more attractive, not because she’s some unattainable fantasy woman, but because of her realism.

There are days when Janet is impulsive and like many people, tries to erase a day with a bottle. When she feels an overwhelming need to obtain physical affection she’ll sometimes make a more than obvious gesture (see image if you’re unsure and still need an example). Her children, relatives, husband, and others put her into challenging situations and viewers see her just as stressed as they expect her to be. Viewers also see her make mistakes, experience regret, and wish that she could even change the past. She is one of the best characters on television right now, mainly because she doesn’t appear like a lady from a Resolve commercial that always says, “That’s okay,” to everything going wrong in her life. Now…don’t get me wrong…impossible women from parallel universes can be just as attractive as the next. But sometimes, a woman who is real, relatable, and yes…even flawed can be even more desirable because you know she’ll understand you and all your faults too.

Inga
Played by Teri Garr
Young Frankenstein
Any time you sit down to watch a Mel Brooks film, you should be prepared to laugh uncontrollably until your sides hurt…and Young Frankenstein is no different. But Teri Garr places me in an interesting predicament in her role as Inga. I say this because I have never been attracted to Teri Garr. I found no attraction in her role in Mr. Mom. I experienced no tingles when watching Tootsie. I had no desires for a Close Encounters of the Third [or any] Kind. But in Young Frankenstein, it changed.

In Young Frankenstein, Inga’s playfulness simply kills me. Many of her lines in this film are incredibly flirtatious. Her bashful delivery of the line, “Oh, thank you, Dr.” in response to Dr. Frankenstein’s comment about the castle door’s “knockers” is priceless. Dr. Frankenstein’s fiancée, Elizabeth, appears to be quite a bit uptight. In a refreshing contrast, Inga appears to be refreshingly fun. It appears to the viewer that Inga allows each line of her dialog to kind of hang in the air for a moment so that she could allow it to go both ways. For example, when she asks the Dr. if he’d like, “a roll in the hay,” a viewer like myself feels as though Inga could play it off as though it was sexual or completely innocent. One of the best parts of Inga’s character, in my opinion, is getting to choose how you wish to take each of her lines of dialog. And remember…anyone who appears to be a good time…is always that much more attractive.

So there they are…the top five characters that I find attractive. Now keep in mind these weren’t simply the five celebrities I find most attractive. (That would’ve been an entirely different list of completely different people.) Does this make you think of any specific characters that you’ve been attracted to? Use the comments section and let me know. Or take a moment to tell me what think of my top five. And as always, thanks for reading.

“How would you like to come over Monday night for dinner and a movie?” She asked.

“That sounds great,” I replied.

“I was thinking about making ‘Rhino Rump’ and renting The King’s Speech, does that sound okay?”

“Even better,” I responded, “I still haven’t seen it. I’ll be there at 6.”

To clarify, the “she” in this scene is my mother, and no…we didn’t have the behind of a rhinoceros for dinner. Allow me to explain.

Every parent has at least one memory they will always remember from those many nights spent at the family dinner-table. When I was probably 5 or 6 years old my mom made a meal that our family had never eaten for dinner before. It was a casserole containing cooked cabbage, ground beef, onions, tomato sauce, and probably a great deal more. Now, even Betty Crocker herself will tell you that casseroles are a great way to feed a family on a budget. But that night, I surely didn’t care what Ms. Crocker had to say, and I certainly wanted nothing to do with this new dish.

I did something that night that I had never really done before…I refused to eat. Hard to believe, I know. If you know me well, you most likely are aware that there are few things I have trouble consuming. But when my parents asked me that night why I wouldn’t eat my dinner…

“It tastes like rhino rump,” I replied. And after a few minutes of their laughter, that casserole had earned itself a new name that has stuck like glue ever since. But…like so many times in my life, I needed to trust my mom. Because that dish that I turned my nose up to that night is now one of my favorite things that she makes. I’m yet to find it on the menu of any restaurant that I visit. I haven’t seen it at any of the potlucks that I’ve been to. There are just some things that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s true, your tastes do change over the years. And if there’s anyone who understands what you’re going to like, it’s the people whom you inherited your tastes from in the first place.

When my mother was a teen she was quite interested in Hollywood. She would cut out pictures of her favorite stars from magazines like “Look” and “Life.” She has always loved the telling of a good story whether that is on a stage, a screen, or a page (especially if it was written by someone she knows). It is because of her that I love movies, books, and even writing. I owe everything to her, and many people who know me may not realize that some of the biggest parts of my personality are all because I am my mother’s son. So, when she asked me to watch The King’s Speech I immediately paid attention.

Soon after Geoffrey Rush appeared on screen I was blown away by his performance as Lionel Logue. Lionel stressed one thing with those whom he interacted with above all else…being equals. Because when two people are equals they can challenge each other to excel, support each other in times of need, and listen without outside issues becoming a factor. The two men, Lionel and Bertie, knew that they could approach each other with their issues. They knew that they could learn from and lean on each other when necessary. Was it always easy? No. Were there mistakes that were made along the way? Absolutely. But by building that level of trust it made one thing possible, and others whom have seen the film have already read the last screen before the credits which read:

“Lionel and Bertie remained friends for the rest of their lives.”

When the credits began to roll, she asked, “So…what did you think?”

“I absolutely loved it,” I responded.

Then she said, “I knew that you would, you’ve always been hungry for a friendship like that.”

My mother and father had gone to a local theater to see this film when it was first released. (Something I haven’t really been able to do much since Owen was born.) And it spoke to her, just as it did to me. She saw how I have tried to create relationships like what was depicted in the film, just as she has tried to do the same in her own life. And she knew it would be good for me, in a way that’s more important than eating your vegetables.

And that’s the point—we may not always realize it, but it is our mothers that always know what we want and more importantly need. Often they know it before we even realize it. Sometimes it’s a new dish. Maybe the next time it’s a film that she knows will speak to you in a way that you need to hear. Other times it may just be an ear. Either way, always remember that regardless of what’s on the menu, pile on the helpings as long as there’s an opportunity to be served. Because no one will ever be able to make “Rhino Rump” like mom does.

But sometimes, if a person plays a villain too well it can cause audiences to see that person as an antagonist long after the credits roll. For instance, how many projects have you seen Billy Zane in since he appeared in Titanic? Or when was the last time you watched a preview that featured Jason Isaacs as the male lead in that new romantic comedy? Could it be because their performances (as assholes) were so believable that millions of moviegoers are prone to still view them as jerks in other roles? I think so.

A similar scenario occurred when I went to the theater to see Road to Perdition a few years ago. I know what you’re thinking, “This is totally where he talks about how creepy Jude Law was in that movie as an assassin/corpse photographer.”

Sorry boys and girls…wrong answer.

The person that was able to get under my skin in Road to Perdition was Connor Rooney (Daniel Craig). In the film, Connor is the only son of a 1930s small-town mob boss (Paul Newman). Connor makes it abundantly clear with each action that he may be an adult, but he surely hasn’t grown out of his “only child syndrome.” To explain, here’s a passage that I found regarding the difficulties that spoiled only children can face in adulthood if they aren’t properly disciplined:

Spoiling only children in their early years tends to create characteristic reactions that persist, fixed, into later life. These can cause significant social problems. Spoiled children may have difficulty coping with situations such as teachers refusing to grant extensions on homework assignments, playmates refusing to allow them to play with their toys and playmates refusing play-dates with them, a loss in friends, failure in employment, failure with personal relationships, and girlfriends or boyfriends refusing to engage in sexual activity. As adults, spoiled children may experience problems with anger management, professionalism, and personal relationships.

Even criminals have rules that they live by. But Connor had lived for so long under the protection of his father that he believed that the rules didn’t apply to him—that he could regularly act without consequence. That is, until he crossed the line. Conner did something he had always done…he created a mess for someone else as a distraction to cover-up his own mistakes. To do so, he killed John Sullivan’s (Tom Hanks) wife and child.

I’ll admit that over the years I’ve most likely watched hundreds of movies/TV shows that have involved some type of gunfire and/or violence. Regardless if it is a police drama, a western, a heist film, or others one rule nearly always remains…“no women and no kids.” When he killed Mrs. Sullivan and her son, it wasn’t just Connor’s actions that upset me, but how easily they came to him. Without thinking, without any conscience, Connor instinctively lashed out because he knew that if there was a public mess to clean up… people wouldn’t stop and look at him. That bold sense of reckless selfishness is what got under my skin…and it has festered there ever since. Disturbing? Yes.

So when I heard that Daniel Craig was to be the new 007 in a reboot of the James Bond franchise I told myself, “Nope…I can’t go see it. I just don’t know if I can erase the images of Connor Rooney from my mind. The way he casually killed that mother and child…I just don’t know if I can watch it.” But recently after quite a bit of convincing from a coworker, (thank you John by the way) I gave in, sat down, and watched Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace—the first two Bond films with Craig as their star.

Not to worry, I’m not going to get into the argument of…“is Craig better than this Bond or that one?” Because the truth of it is, my philosophy is that each man who has filled those shoes has had their own strengths AND weaknesses. But I am starting to believe that Craig’s Bond is the most believable, mostly because he’s the first special agent protagonist with a dash of villain inside.

The 007 viewers get in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace in a way is quite similar to Connor Rooney. Again Craig portrays a man who is impulsive, reckless, violent, vengeful, and at times mistake-prone. Now to be fair, to feel any of those emotions, or to act in any of those ways, is what makes us human. The difference is that audience members get a secret agent that is forced to be accountable for his mistakes. Craig’s Bond is also a man that obviously has a heart, conscience, and is capable of experiencing/showing regret not just rash outbursts of hatred and violence—that is what makes the difference.

The message here is that Daniel Craig is an incredible actor that I didn’t see coming. I now know that any performance I see him in will be just as convincing as his dark, sweaty, and cold-blooded Connor Rooney. But as long as he’s working for MI6, or has any other role, I’ll be standing in line at the box office from now on. And you should too because you’ll be surprised, pleasantly surprised.

“Mom, why can’t I have G.I. Joes like Rusty, and Nicky, and John (other boys in my neighborhood) do?”

“Because of Vietnam,” she replied.

“What’s a Vietnam?” I asked.

“You’ll understand when you’re older.”

And that, for many years, would be the end of the discussion.  Whatever it was…I knew that it was serious, and that it was bad.  This view would also be confirmed for me outside the home because when I would go play with other boys in the neighborhood their parents would ask why I never had any of these toys.  I would tell them, “My mom says it’s because of Vietnam.”  The adults seemed to somehow understand and would never say another word about it. 

In adolescence I would learn it was a hard time for my father, as well as my mother, and oldest sister.  My father won’t speak about most of what went on during that year.  But the stains on a few of the possessions that returned with him say enough about what he had to do in order to make it home.  From what I’ve been told, my mother sat each night, in my grandparents’ living room, a child on her hip, counting the days.  My grandfather somehow thought each night he was preparing/protecting her by saying that my father wasn’t coming home.  Once his tour was complete, he would arrive at that house on Liberty Street and his daughter would point to a man in a year-old photo and tell him that was her father. 

I am here because he survived.  I am here because he made it home.  I couldn’t be more proud of him and other veterans everywhere for serving our country.  But, for his little boy, war and war-like violence quickly became the monster under the bed, or at the very least was added to the list of things to be frightened about like strangers offering candy.  Now, as an adult, I know how much war has changed my life and I never had to try to survive it, or had to experience loss because of it.

For approximately 3,520 days, thousands of people have known that someone they loved was taken from them because of another individual’s hatred.  Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and more weren’t pointing rifles, or throwing grenades…they went to work just like any other day.  Others were traveling to destinations that they would never arrive at.  And all that pain and loss was delivered to the front door of America, a place known worldwide for welcoming others, because of a terrorist by the name of Osama bin Laden.

The families of those lost on September 11, 2001 will have to continually and publicly relive their pain.  Children are going to have to study how a parent or other family member died in their history classes. When the calendar rolls over each year there will always be people talking about that Tuesday September morning. More and more anniversary television programs and conspiracy theory websites will continue to be made.  The “Where were you when…” questions will continue to be asked of our generation just as I have asked my parents about the Kennedy assassination(s) and my grandmother about the attack on Pearl Harbor.

But, I wasn’t in New York City on that day. I was not at the Pentagon. I was not in the field where flight 93 would crash in Pennsylvania either. I didn’t have to fight for my survival that day, or run from shattering buildings.  I can only imagine the visions, horrors, heartbreak and more that people who experienced the nightmares of that day in person. I only know what it feels like to lose family members due to the passage of time, not a national tragedy.  I can’t imagine the pain of experiencing a loss with the knowledge that it occurred because of anger or hatred.  My heart, thoughts, and prayers will be with those directly affected by the events of 9/11 for the rest of my life.

Because the terrorist acts that 2001 day, were unmistakably, acts of war…my fears were that my country would force me to follow my father’s footsteps.  Call me a coward if you will, but my fears were that his nightmares would also become mine, or that unlike my father I wouldn’t return.

When President Obama announced late Sunday evening that Osama bin Laden has been killed by a elite team of U.S. Navy S.E.A.L.S. I felt several emotions.  Now a father myself, a part of me did feel as though the world my son is living in would be a little safer.  But I would be lying if I didn’t tell you that I’m not already thinking about what actions bin Laden’s followers may be considering/planning to avenge their leader’s death.  I also was hopeful that the families of 9/11 victims would find some relief in knowing that this terrorist would no longer be able to cause other innocent people to be harmed.

But I noticed that I felt two emotions that I didn’t expect.  I respected that President Obama wanted him captured, alive if all possible, so that bin Laden could be forced to answer for his crimes.  His capture would also definitively prove that this global threat had been permanently defused.  He could’ve handled the mission by having the facility leveled; but he didn’t.  I haven’t seen one of our nation’s leaders LEAD in such a long time (roughly 11 years or so) that it nearly caught me off guard.

The second reaction that I didn’t anticipate was my disappointment with those individuals “celebrating” this killing.  Make no mistake, I am thankful that he can no longer harm innocent men, women, and children.  But, as a man who is trying a little harder each day to live as one of God’s children, I can’t understand “celebrating” any killing at all.  I’m not claiming to know God’s thoughts, but I can’t imagine His reaction to that would not be positive.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with my views or not, one thing is clear…like other cowards who have tried to lead through fear he refused to be taken alive.  This means that however Sunday’s events made you feel, the world has one less monster under its bed.