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The "Make Cage Strange" Campaign!

12/1/2014

Update: As I'm sure most of you have heard by now, Marvel has cast actor Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange for their upcoming film. While I was hoping Nicolas Cage would get the part, I knew he never had a fighting chance. Still, to be perfectly honest, I think Benedict Cumberbatch is a wonderful choice. He hadn't really been in talks to play the part at the time of my campaign, but if he had been, he would have deservedly been one of my top candidates. Cumberbatch is a gifted and charming young actor, and I have no doubt that he will do the part justice. He's well on his way to becoming one of the movie industry's leading men and I'm very happy for him.

I had a lot of fun with this campaign, as I'm sure you can all tell. While I recognize the absurdity of it all, I was sincere in my belief that Cage would have been a great choice. I think it would have been a lot of fun to see. With Cumberbatch, I expect we'll get a much darker and more sinister film, which I worry might not mesh as well with Marvel's typically light-hearted movies. Though I for one wish Marvel movies would take things a little more seriously, so perhaps this will be a step in a more favorable direction.

I'd like to thank you all for your support. I appreciate your help in promoting this campaign, and I'm glad many of you enjoyed it. I think the highlight for me was the commonly repeated reaction of "But he's already strange!" Haha, that he is. Nicolas Cage, I love ya, and I wish you could have seen this. I'd love to know what you thought about the whole idea.

Well, Marvel, it's your barbecue, and it tastes good, so I'm just gonna leave this right here:

5 Minute Movie Guy
12.1.14

Hey guys! Today I'm launching my first ever Twitter campaign! It may be completely ludicrous to think this proposal could ever become a reality, but I'm taking my best shot at it. Perhaps you've heard the news that Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator, Walk the Line, Her) was in talks for the role of Marvel's Doctor Strange. Well, that deal fell through. Phoenix has never done a sequel in his career and was reluctant to sign onto a multi-film deal. While most actors would be jumping at the bit for an extensive contract with Marvel, it seems he didn't want to be chained down to the Marvel Universe. In his absence, I thought long and hard about other possible choices. That's when I came to my conclusion: It has to be Nicolas Cage! Doctor Strange must be played by Cage!

I want Marvel to cast Nicolas Cage as Doctor Strange. That's the entire point of my #MakeCageStrange campaign. It is to encourage Marvel to consider Nicolas Cage for the role. I know Cage is not the most well-received actor in Hollywood these days, given the plethora of bad movies under his belt, but hear me out on this one because I think I might just be able to convince you that he's a perfect candidate for the coveted role.

As you may or may not know, Doctor Strange is getting his own stand-alone movie in 2016. Let me emphasize that this is a big role to fill. Strange is going to have to be able to stand on his own with the big boys like Iron Man and Captain America. Not only that, but Doctor Strange will be involved in several other Marvel movies from here on out, so making the right casting choice is crucial. Doctor Strange is a lesser-known Marvel hero who has not yet been introduced into the Marvel movie universe. In order to achieve success, I believe this role will require three things, and they are as follows:

First and foremost, it has to be someone famous. This is not the time to bring in newcomers. This needs to be a well-known actor who has established themselves over a successful career. Given that most people aren't very familiar with Doctor Strange, it's going to require some star power to get people out to theaters to see it. Nic Cage has that power. He's a household name and his big movies draw in big crowds. Sure, he's had a lot of box office duds of late, but that's because he's been signing onto a lot of dumb movies. This one won't be. If Marvel can turn the barely known Guardians of the Galaxy into the biggest movie of the year, they can make Doctor Strange a huge hit if they make the right moves.

Secondly, it needs to be someone who can actually act. Doctor Strange is a complex character, so star power alone won't be enough. Oh, you think Nicolas Cage can't act? Tell that to his shiny, gold Oscar. He's a two-time Academy Award nominee and four-time Golden Globe nominee. Yes, he's had plenty of hilariously over-the-top performances in bad movies, but whether or not most of us care to admit it, Nicolas Cage is a talented actor. I happen to think his eccentric acting style would be ideal for a character like Strange. Personally, I kind of like Cage's crazy, unique style. At the very least, he's always fun to watch. Nicolas Cage playing a crazy, supreme sorcerer? It sounds to me like a role he was born to play.

Lastly, it needs to be someone you can count on doing several films. We know how these Marvel movies work. This isn't going to be a one-and-done character. We're going to see him several other times, and therefore Marvel shouldn't take a gamble with this casting choice because it's someone they're going to be stuck with for the next 5-10 years. As crazy as it may sound, I think Nicolas Cage is actually a pretty safe bet. He's an established actor, he works well with others, and he's done plenty of sequels in his career. I think he could clearly use the work too, as having such a steady line of work would keep him from doing so many lousy movies. I say it's time we give Cage a chance. Who's with me? #MakeCageStrange

With Joaquin out of the picture, the race for Strange is heating up by the day. More and more actors are being considered for the part. I'm going to reveal who the top contenders are and give my opinion on whether or not I think they would be up to par. The panel of candidates includes Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyer's Club, Interstellar), Keanu Reeves (The Matrix, Speed), Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, Drive), Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain), Jared Leto (Dallas Buyer's Club, Requiem for a Dream), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Training Day), Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Big Fish) and Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis, Drive).

Those are currently the top 8 choices for the role of Doctor Strange. As you can see, Nicolas Cage is not among yet them, so I'm trying to change all that with this campaign. In the meantime, let's break down these contestants. Right off the bat, I can tell you that very few of them fall into my recipe for success. I would argue that Matthew McConaughey, Keanu Reeves, Ryan Gosling, and maybe Jake Gyllenhaal are the only ones with serious star power. That's not to discredit the other guys in any way. I'm not trying to hurt anybody's feelings here. Sure, they're all good actors, but is everybody going to rush out to see a Doctor Strange movie starring the guy who played Obi-Wan in the Star Wars prequels? Probably not. Jared Leto and Oscar Isaac are both very hot right now, but casting them is too much of a gamble. If it wasn't a stand-alone Doctor Strange movie, I'd be more open to it, but that's just not the case. I like Ethan Hawke, but he's never carried a blockbuster by himself before, and I just don't think he's intimidating enough for the character. Sorry guys, you're all cut. If this was a supporting role, maybe you'd have a better chance.

That leaves McConaughey, Keanu, Gosling, and Gyllenhaal. I think most people would argue that Keanu Reeves doesn't have the acting chops to pull off the role. I'm reluctant to agree, but the point is certainly noted. People aren't going to be quick to buy into Keanu playing a brain surgeon turned sorcerer. I'm a big fan of Keanu, but when he acts weird, I find it to be more uncomfortable and awkward than interesting. I'm crossing him off the list. Matthew McConaughey is probably the most sought out actor in the world right now, but can anyone seriously see him playing Doctor Strange? I'd love to see him in a Marvel movie, but I just don't think this particular character fits him. I don't doubt his ability to make it work, but I'm ruling him out.

Only 2 actors remain; Ryan Gosling and Jake Gyllenhaal. Honestly, I'm skeptical about both of them. I think each of them could probably do the character justice, but I'm just not sure the film would be a hit. Gosling's star power comes mainly from being a heartthrob, but he definitely broadened his fan base with Drive. Gyllenhaal has had a successful career, although his blockbuster film Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was a major box office bomb. Of the two, I'd rather see Gyllenhaal in the role, and since he's looking like a strong Best Actor contender this year with Nightcrawler, I think that could certainly work in his favor.

At this point, you might be asking what Nicolas Cage has that these guys lack. Well, to be honest, I think the guy is just a master at being weird. "Strange" is the most appropriate way I can describe him as an actor and even as a person. Cage is strange in the most fascinating and peculiar ways, and that carries over to many of his roles. He's crazy and he's odd, but he's also a whole lot of fun. There's just something about his no-holds-barred approach to acting. Love him or hate him, he's always entertaining, and he's always up for anything. He's also arguably a more bankable and well-known star than any of the other choices (aside from perhaps Keanu Reeves). Cage as Strange is the kind of casting that people would just have to see to believe. The kind of move that makes you simultaneously go "Oh no they didn't!" and "Oh my God, I gotta see this!"

Mel Gibson aside, nobody does crazy better than Nic Cage. Surely he would take the role very seriously, knowing how big these Marvel movies are. I think he would even surprise a lot of people with a stand-out performance. I'd like to make it clear that I am well aware that Nicolas Cage already plays Ghost Rider. However, history shows that this does not matter to Marvel. Chris Evans was Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four before he was Captain America, and Ryan Reynolds was Green Lantern before he was Deadpool. The key difference here is that Ghost Rider exists in his own Marvel universe, so there's no chance of these characters crossing paths. That should in no way be an issue. Plus it just means Marvel already has experience working with him.

Still need convincing? With Cage's acting ability, I am confident he could manage to capture all the subtle nuances of Strange's character, and heck, Nicolas Cage even looks the part. Good ol' Nicky Blue Eyes has quite a resemblance to Doctor Strange, and unlike several of the other candidates, he seems to be about the same age. Plus, it would be another role where Nicolas Cage would have awesomely bad hair, and who doesn't want more of that amazingness? I would love to be able to see Doctor Strange fly off the handle in fabulous Nicolas Cage fashion. After all, let's face it. Doctor Strange would be his best if he was... UNCAGED!

Post by 5 Minute Movie Guy.

@Marvel We want Nicolas Cage as Doctor Strange! Make Cage Strange! http://t.co/jULQkm8oN0 #MakeCageStrange #DrStrange pic.twitter.com/XJJfrF64RX
— 5 Minute Movie Guy (@5minutemovieguy) October 20, 2014

Nicolas Cage needs this. We need this. And Marvel, you need this. Make it happen! If you want to show your support, spread the word. Retweet and favorite this tweet on Twitter if you can. Also, I added a picture on Facebook that's embedded above. Please like it and share it, to help me reach my goal of 1,000 likes! I appreciate all of your support! As I said before, the list of candidates is growing by the day. Now is the time to act. Help me push this, and perhaps together, we can #MakeCageStrange!

5 Minute Movie Guy
10.20.14

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A Disturbance in the Force

11/27/2014

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Two weeks ago it was announced that J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Wars: Episode 7 film would officially be titled Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It appears they’re ditching the episodic numbers that were introduced alongside the first prequel, Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, and personally I’m totally okay with that. It made sense to start numbering the movies back when they did the prequels so that everyone would be clear on the order (after all, I’m pretty sure it was the first movie prequel trilogy ever) but I don’t think it’s really necessary anymore. What I’m not okay with, however, is the subtitle they’ve chosen. Initially I was indifferent, but the more I think about the title, the more I have a bad feeling about it.

First of all, allow me to express that I think it’s a pretty lazy and uninspired title. It is way too similar to the title of the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, and yet it’s far less cool. This marks the first time a Star Wars movie has ever referred to the Force in its title, and still they couldn’t manage to think of a better name than the one from that lousy video game? I'd say that’s a little disappointing. Although that’s not the real problem here, so let’s just push that nitpicking aside and analyze the title a bit deeper.

The real issue with “The Force Awakens” as a title is that it seems to show a misunderstanding of the Force as we know it. The title appears to suggest that the force has become dormant after Return of the Jedi, and knowing what we do about the Force, that simply cannot be so. The Force is around us in all things. It exists whether we can harness its power or not. It doesn’t just go away. It's like the essence of life itself - the cellular energy that connects us to our world and to each other. To say that it awakens is to either alter the very meaning of what the Force is or is to misinterpret it altogether.

If we examine the aftermath of Return of the Jedi, it leaves us with Luke Skywalker as the only known remaining jedi. Is it possible then that by being the only jedi left, Luke could lose the power to wield the Force? That without a villain to bring balance to the Force, his connection to it could dissipate? That the Force would need to be awakened? I find that possibility highly unlikely and considering that we know from the extended universe that Luke’s son becomes a jedi like his father before him (and his father before him), that idea seems quite impractical.

Perhaps the title is saying that the Force itself isn't being reawakened, but that it's awakening in our young new jedi. I can somewhat go along with that, but even if that's the intent of the title, it's an awkward and poor choice of words. When Luke Skywalker was training with Yoda on Dagobah, would we have said that the Force awakened with him? No. It was always within him. Just in that moment, he learned how to control it. He learned to "use the Force". That same logic would apply to his children as well, would it not?

The problem with the title is that the possession is misplaced. We might refer to that pivotal moment with Yoda as "Luke's Awakening", though it is not the Force that's being awakened but rather Luke's interaction with it. If they were to call it "The Force Awakens Within" instead, it would make more sense and alleviate this issue. While I'm not suggesting that's the alternative title that should be used, it would remedy this problem since it makes it clear that the force is being awakened to someone, rather than the flawed idea that the entire Force is being reawakened itself.

I'm not typically one to make much of a fuss about such things, but this is Star Wars. It's a big deal. With the trailer coming out later today, it doesn't seem there's any chance of the title being corrected, but perhaps we'll get a better understanding of it. I think J.J. Abrams is a great director and I trust that he knows what he's doing, but I do think his choice of subtitle is a bit flawed.

Regardless, I'm truly excited to see the trailer when its released later today. Even as a huge Star Wars fan, I really never thought the day would come when we'd see a sequel to the original trilogy. I'm glad it's finally happening (with the return of the original stars, no less) and I'm confident that the series is in great hands with Disney. When this film comes out next December, it will have been 32 years since Return of the Jedi first came to theaters. That's a really long time ago. I sure can't wait to see what lies on the horizon in a galaxy far, far away.

J.J. Abrams, may the Force be with you...

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Back in the Saddle Again!

11/18/2014

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People of the Internet, I am alive!

Sorry about my extended absence. My computer monitor had been on the fritz and decided to stop working entirely the morning after Halloween. Without it, I had no way of working on the site, which, to be completely honest, was quite liberating and enjoyable. It was a much needed break. No offense to you guys, of course, but working on my website nearly every day for almost 6 months has been pretty a exhausting endeavor. Don't get me wrong, as I do enjoy this site immensely, but trying to keep up with the movie industry almost entirely by myself is clearly a pipe dream.

In other words, I've decided that it's in my best interest to cut back on some things on the website. I put a great deal of time and effort into this site, and yet I wish I had more to show for it. I've got a pile stacked with dozens of reviews to finish, and yet most of my free time is spent working on movie pages or image galleries (while data shows that very few of you actually look at them anyway). Therefore, I will no longer be creating movie main pages. It really pains me to do this, but it simply takes up far too much of my time, and truthfully they don't get a lot of page views or interaction. I'm proud of them, and won't be deleting the ones that have already been made, but it's pointless for me to continue doing them when my time would be better spent in other areas.

I will still continue with the galleries, however, although that's primarily because searching for high quality movie stills online is actually just as time consuming as taking the screenshots myself. That may sound hard to believe, but often times the search results are slim pickings. Doing it myself means the images are all great quality and the same size, and I can take whatever pictures I want, which comes in really handy when I need them for use in my features.

A few blog posts ago, I announced that I would be creating a discussion forum for the website, but considering that my website now allows for full implementation of Disqus, I'm opting to use that instead. I encourage you guys to sign up for Disqus, since it's a great and popular discussion tool that can be used on many websites. However, if you don't want to make a Disqus account, you can always comment through your Facebook, Twitter, or Google accounts instead. Pretty convenient, right? Previously I had two different comment systems in place on my website, and I kind of hated that because it was clunky and unprofessional. Now I've transitioned the site entirely to Disqus. On the downside, that does mean all of the previous comments on the website are no longer visible, although I still have access to them, so they're not lost forever. Additionally, I learned that I've been setting up Disqus all wrong, so that problem has been addressed and mostly fixed. I hope you'll all be pleased with that change.

It goes without saying that I've struggled to stay on top of the constant influx of movie news. This is not a dedicated movie news site and I never actually intended for it to be. Perhaps one day the site will be able to manage that, but that would require a fully functioning staff with paid employees and the site isn't there yet. Fortunately I've had the help of friends Hannah and Ammy to get more news to you, and I'm truly grateful for them volunteering their time to write news articles when they can. In order to alleviate the burden of so much news, I've been thinking about making a weekly news feature where I can briefly discuss some of the week's big movie announcements, without having to give each news piece its own separate article. This idea isn't set in stone, but I believe It would allow me to talk about more movies more quickly, while allowing me to continue to place emphasis on the news I find most interesting.

Pick My Flick is running very late this month. but in its defense, there aren't very many exciting picks for you to vote on this November beyond the films I've already decided to see. Currently I've already seen Big Hero 6, Interstellar, and Dumb and Dumber To. This week, I'll see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, and then I'll give you four movies to vote on. I've decided this month's Pick My Flick will only have a 7-day voting period, but you will be able to vote every 24 hours. I hope that works out for you guys, and at the very least, I hope it will please my nagging sister.

In my off-time, I watched a few movies at home, which I had started writing about here at length. However, if I'm gonna write that much, I might as well turn them into reviews rather than allowing them to get lost in a blog, right? For the record, I watched Man of Steel, Dredd, and Prisoners. Maybe these movies can help me get my Rear View Reviews section finally up and running.

When I started 5 Minute Movie Guy, my main interest was in writing reviews and blogs. Since then, things have grown to the point that I've been struggling to just stay afloat. While it may appear that I'm taking some big steps backwards, it should at least give me more time to get things back and track so I can start moving forward again. I am sorry about any inconvenience and sincerely appreciate your continued support.

Oh, and one last thing...

Check out my brand new HP monitor with 25 inches of widescreen HD glory! I bought the largest size I could fit within the space of my desk, and look! It fits...

LIKE A GLOVE!

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Happy Halloween!

10/31/2014

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Good evening, boo-friends and ghoul-friends! It is I, 5 Minute Movie Guy, wishing you a hauntingly good Halloween! May your costumes cause screams, and your makeup haunt dreams! Unless you are, a princess, of course, then I withdraw my words to offer remorse! The day's almost over and will soon come to and end, but alas it's this night when the real fun begins! So stay up late and have a good fright! It is but once a year we have Halloween night! As your night is filled with candy and scares, do try to remember that Twix are best shared. ;) Happy Halloween, everyone! Stay safe and have fun!

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Adventures at AMC - Part 2

10/24/2014

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Well I surely didn't expect this next installment of "Adventures at AMC" to come so soon. It's been only 3 weeks since my initial AMC blog. After what I witnessed tonight, I've decided that I should write about it, despite my own reluctance. This isn't a happy story. I don't think it's very funny either. It's much more serious than last time, and my hesitancy comes from the tremendous guilt I feel over what occurred tonight. Rather than keep it all to myself, I think it's more important for me to use this a means to publicly hold myself accountable for my inaction, to discourage myself from allowing something like this to happen again.

Before I get started, I'd just like to say that I don't in any way mean to disrespect AMC theaters with these stories. I enjoy their theaters and even consider many of their employees to be friends. I am in no way trying to criticize or belittle them, but simply am sharing the bizarre stories that have occurred during my visits to their theaters. I'm bound to run into some strange things late at night at the movies, or anywhere for that matter. These instances are far from the norm, and I don't intend to discourage any of you from going to AMC as a result from my rare and unusual adventures.. I know it will still continue to be my theater of choice. With that out of the way, let us begin, shall we?

Tonight started out like a typical Thursday night for me. Right after work, I headed straight to AMC to catch a flick. My favorite day of the week to go to the movies. I went and saw The Judge, since it was clearly going to win Pick My Flick. Yes, I told you that I'd keep the voting open until the 25th this month, but considering the movie was winning by such a wide margin, I decided to take my chances and just go see it. Sorry, I know that's kind of cheating, but I also know I'm not going to randomly get that many votes in a day to turn the tides of the poll. People have been telling me great things about the movie, and just the fact that it has Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall was enough to make me want to see it. Unfortunately, I found it didn't quite live up to my expectations, but it was pretty good for the most part. A good cast kept it entertaining, but it was never great.

Anyway, so I walk into the theater, and it's empty, and it completely smells like marijuana. Great. And I'm the only person in the whole theater, so naturally I'm paranoid the next people to come in are going to think that I'm the one that smells like weed, despite the fact that I am very much drug-free and alcohol-free. I always hope for an empty theater anyway, but because of this, I was hoping for it even more than usual. There has actually only been a single time in my life where I was alone in a theater, and it was with my cousin. We saw Iron Man 3, and it ended up being one of the greatest movie experiences of my life. While I'd argue that the movie wasn't great, it was definitely funny, and was even more enjoyable with my cousin. What still baffles me to this day is that we saw this hugely successful movie on the Monday after opening weekend, and nobody else was in the theater. The movie went on to gross $400 million in the US, and $1.2 billion worldwide, making it the 14th most successful movie in box office history, and yet THIS is the movie that nobody else watched that night? I've seen so many less successful movies in my life and still there is always at least one or two other people there. Somebody always walks in during the previews, and that's exactly what happened last night, but those people have nothing to do with the story. The real story here doesn't begin until after the movie, as I'm exiting the theater.

I'm usually the first person to walk out of the theater once the credits begin to roll. My brother-in-law insists on sitting through the credits as a way of showing respect to the people that worked on the movie, but I'm not worried about all of that. I don't even like waiting through the credits for a post-credit scene because I think it's typically not worth it. I usually watch movies late at night, so I just want to hurry up and get home. I even play this odd little game in my head where I try to get completely out of the movie theater before anyone reaches the escalator that leads to the exit. Just vanishing without a trace; unseen. I guess I'm kind of weird like that. Though that's not quite what happened last night.

So I reach the escalator in good time. I can see there's a guy just getting off the escalator to exit as I'm getting on it. I'm checking out the movie posters and cutouts on display, and then notice the man ahead of me is pushing himself up off the floor. Uhhh... what? Did that guy just randomly do a push-up before leaving the theater? What a weirdo! (Says the guy who tries to leave the theater undetected). Usually I walk down the escalator, but I stopped and just rode it along, keeping my distance from this dude. The theater is on the third floor of the mall, so there's an escalator to leave the theater, and then two more to get down to the ground floor and exit the mall. I'm approaching the 2nd escalator as he's just getting off of it, and he's kind of wandering around clumsily. That's when I realize something is very wrong with this dude. He's totally drunk. He wasn't doing push-ups. He was picking himself up after eating it on the floor. The third escalator is turned off, so I watch him bounce back and forth against the sides while he tries to walk down the escalator stairs. It was like watching a bowling ball bouncing back and forth between bumpers. I can't believe he managed to make it all the way without falling on his face.

I can see a security guard in the distance, back on the third floor, halfway across the mall, watching from a distance. I wave him over, to let him know to come down or send somebody over to deal with this drunk guy. I watch the guy walk right into the closed glass doors of a shoe store and almost fall down. It's more sad than funny. He keeps on going, though, walking towards the exit, using the wall to help him keep his balance. At this point, I'm about 15 feet behind him, cautiously trailing him. I don't think he notices me at all. He has a cell phone in his hand, and keeps holding it to his ear like he's waiting for someone to pick up, but he never says a word. He stumbles through the exit doors and makes it outside. I follow.

He's still on the phone, walking around like a Drunken Master. His ability to keep from falling is almost skillful. As the man starts heading towards the outdoor patio area of a restaurant, I notice there's a security guard in a truck parked outside. I walk over to notify security about this guy and he informs me that he already knows and he has it under control. Okay, so I leave the guy alone for the security guard to deal with, and proceed to walk across the parking lot to my car. I keep looking back to watch. The security guard pulled the truck forward to get a better view of the guy, and then got out. I'm slowly walking backwards, nearing my car, and the drunk guy walks right past the security guard, and hurries through the parking lot, coming my way. The lone security guard is standing idly and watching. The drunk guy seems to have found his footing and is walking steadily. A car I had walked past beeps and lights up. He had just unlocked his car remotely. He's going to try to drive away in his condition. I'm waiting for security to do something, but he just continues to stand there and watch from a distance as the drunk guy gets closer to his car. That's when I should have taken action and stopped the man myself. But I didn't. He got into his car and drove off. The security guard jumped back in his truck and made a haphazard attempt to block the car's exit, but he managed to drive past him and drive away.

My reluctance to act could have cost someone's life. This guy could have killed somebody. Somebody I know. Somebody I care about. While yes, this was the security guard's job and he failed to stop it, that doesn't excuse my own inaction. As a human being, I have a responsibilty to help and protect others. I could have stopped him easily. Anybody could have. He was drunk out of his mind. He could hardly walk. But I let him get in his car, and I am at fault for that.

I don't know if security called the police, but I never saw them. For the record, the guy's driving was actually quite normal. I didn't think he'd even make it out of the parking lot, but he managed to do it just fine. Still, that doesn't make any of this okay. He was far beyond the legal intoxication limit and should never have been behind the wheel of a car. I don't know if he made it home, or if he crashed or got pulled over, or what. I think that's what makes it all the more troubling for me. Not knowing what happened as a result of my inaction, but knowing that I could have prevented any potential tragedy from occurring at all if I had just taken it upon myself to handle the situation responsibly. I have to be able to stand up for what I know is right, no matter what.

You guys will probably laugh at this, but when I find myself in these kind of situations, I ask myself, "What would Tom Cruise do?" WWTCD? What would T.C. do? You know what T.C. would do? T.C. would Take. Control. That's right. Take control. It means to take control of the situation. Take control of your own actions. Take control of your life. That's what T.C. means to me. It's become something of a personal motto, but I don't always heed its call, like I should have done tonight. I always want to be the hero. I look up to guys like Tom Cruise, and Sylvester Stallone, and Mel Gibson, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Guys who play the hero in the movies. Yet in my own life, I so often let that moment to rise pass me by. If I want to be like them, then, crazy antics aside, I need to act like them, and I need to take action. I need be responsible, confident, and courageous. So not only is this a message for myself, but I hope it may also serve as a message for you. Do what you know is right. Trust in your judgment, and don't be afraid to act. Your very own inaction could end up costing lives.

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Adventures at AMC!

10/3/2014

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Nights like last night make me wish I had a smart phone. I wish I could have live-tweeted the play-by-play of what was going on in the theater prior to my late night viewing of Gone Girl. I arrived at the theater around 9:45 for a 10:00 show. Nothing was playing on the screen yet. Normally there's commercials and special features playing, but nothing this night. It's not the first time I've encountered this during a late night showing at AMC, but it's always a little weird, especially when you can hear all the little conversations going on around you. I carefully picked my seat, being unsatisfied with the seating arrangement of this particular theater. 2nd row from the front of the back section, right in the center. Two gossiping girls were in the row in front of me, off to my left, while a couple was seated in the row behind me, off to my right.

As I sat there, soaking in the uncomfortable silence of the moment, I pulled out a box of Milk Duds that I had hidden in my pocket. I've never actually snuck in candy before. I just happened to have some candy left over from a giant gift basket I received as a graduation present. I had noticed a few days prior that the remaining candy was close to expiring, and Milk Duds are my favorite movie theater candy, so I decided to do it. Seriously, I was the kind of kid who would keep his Halloween candy all year long, or at least until my brothers raided my candy stash. I don't think I in any way constitute a hoarder, but I guess I've just never seen the point of rushing through something good. I like to savor things. Hence Milk Duds being my favorite. They're the one candy that will last you the entire length of a movie. Wink, wink! ;)

Okay, getting back to the story. There I am, sitting in the dark, about to enjoy Milk Duds for the first time in easily five years. I don't normally eat or drink anything in theaters. Eating leads to drinking, and drinking leads to needing to pee, and needing to pee leads to either missing some of the movie or sitting through excruciating torture while desperately waiting for the movie to end. You know what I'm talking about! Not to mention that a small cup in a theater is like an outrageous 32 ounces! Nobody could survive that! It's like an evil theater ploy to make you have to pee so you'll miss the best part of the movie and you'll have to come back and see it a 2nd time. Am I right or am I right?! This is the REAL reason why movie ticket sales are down this year. People have had enough of this outrage and are opting to watch movies at home instead, where they can pause and pee freely!

You'll have to pardon my rambling. It's late and I should probably be sleeping right now. Anyway, as you can imagine, I like to avoid that situation entirely and just take my movies a la carte. Just me, and the movie, and my complete undivided attention. (Speaking of that, I also have this thing about exit signs. It totally bothers me when exit signs are visible in your peripheral vision while you're trying to watch a movie. Look, we know where the exits are. In case of an emergency, I'm sure I could find a way out. If they're going to be visible, can they at least dim them when the movie starts like the rest of the lighting? That would be great.) Okay, okay, back to my story. I open my box of Milk Duds, and it appears I'm too late. They're clearly already old and bad. I had no choice but to ditch the box. Serves me right for sneaking in candy, I guess.

So there I sit, sans Milk Duds. Still nothing on the screen. In front of me, the two girls are quietly gossiping amongst themselves about the fact that Ben Affleck has a full-frontal nude scene in the movie. I found out about this myself just a couple days ago and wasn't so thrilled about having to see it. Still, I can respect any actor who actually has the courage to do that. It really takes some balls. (Ha-haha-haha.) Meanwhile, I could also hear the couple behind me quietly arguing with each other. I try to mind my own business, but its persistent. It goes on for several minutes and it's actually sounding pretty juicy. I think they might be breaking up in that very moment, in a movie theater before the movie, of all places. The guy's voice is starting to crack. I think he's crying. Awwwkwwward! She gets up and walks out. That's when I notice she's easily got 20 years on him. I sat there wondering what was more awkward; what just happened, or the fact that I was about to see Ben Affleck's batarang. Oh man. I had enough of all that. It was time to switch seats.

I worked my way down to the front section, which disappointingly only had 2 rows. I typically favor the back row of the front section. I find most people are afraid to sit anywhere in the front section, thinking it's too close. However, the back seats are usually far enough away that you can see the whole screen comfortably, without having to sprain your neck or turn your head to see the whole picture. In a big theater, the front section is usually 10-15 rows deep, so the back rows are the ideal distance from the screen. Provided that it's more than a few rows long, there are actually some major perks to the front section. First of all, since you're looking up at more of an angle, the seats usually recline. Nice! Also, I find that the temperature is much cooler. Heat rises, so the elevated back section can get pretty warm, especially when it fills up with people and becomes crowded. And most importantly, hardly anyone ever goes to the front section at all. It's where I go and I usually have the whole section to myself. I can sit there undisturbed. I don't hear the other movie-goers, nor do I have to deal with people walking in front of me or distracting my field of view. It's great. You should try it. But don't all of you try it at once because then it would be crowded like the back section and that would just ruin the whole appeal.

Anyway, these front seats? They were actually too close. Not to mention there was like a plate of nachos or something stuck to the back of a chair just a few seats away from the center seat I chose. The cleaning crew must have missed that one. Kind of gross and smelly. Now I'm stuck in a bad situation. I'm already the guy who got up and switched seats, which makes it look like I'm a jerk who is annoyed by the people around me. I wouldn't be surprised if the gossip girls were gossiping about it. To switch seats again would just make me look like a weirdo. So now I'm stuck here, about to watch a 2 and a half hour movie, and I'm way too close. I need to get out of this. It's too close for comfort. It's a neck-ache waiting to happen. I need a plan!

10:02. The screen is still blank. The movie should have started already. This is a chance for me to get out. I walk out of the theater room, looking for an employee to notify them that the movie hasn't started. He tells me they'll get to work on it right away, so I head back in and go back to my original seat. Mission: accomplished! Switched seats twice without looking like an idiot (well... I hope so, anyway). The guy behind me still sits alone. A lot more people have come in at this point. More than usual for a Thursday night opening. (Another pro-tip: movies now open Thursday night starting as early as 8:00 PM rather than midnight. Most people don't seem to be aware of this as the theater is usually pretty empty on Thursday nights, while it's much more crowded on Friday nights. Take advantage of this if you want to get a jump on seeing movies early and avoiding the crowds.)

10:10. Everyone is wondering why the previews haven't started. There's probably around 20 people in the theater at this point. All these people showing up "late". No respect for the trailers. Oh well. Today they get a free pass. I've become a little more relaxed in my need to see the trailers these days, considering I've seen most of them multiple times now (from posting them on the site, taking screenshots, and just going to the show every week). I'm never one to ask for handouts, but at this point, the thought of complaining to get a free ticket next time is crossing my mind. I should clarify that I have nothing against AMC. Since starting the site, I've gone exclusively to AMC, choosing between three of their theaters in the area. I usually have a good experience, but strange and comical things do happen at theaters sometimes.

10:15. Gone Girl begins. No previews are shown. Finally, I can sit back and watch the movie. Once I get this blog posted, I'm gonna go straight to writing the review, so look for it soon. All I'll say here is that it is as good as you would expect from director David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo). I expect it to get a lot of Oscar nominations come March. Easily one of the best of the year. Some of the audience whined about the ending hitting so abruptly, but I thought it was great. Like Se7en, it has the kind of ending that will have you thinking about the film long after you see it.

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Dodgers and a Movie!

9/9/2014

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I had a pretty awesome and eventful Saturday this weekend. Started my day off with an 8 mile walk/jog at the beach with my sister's family and their friend in preparation for the half-marathon we're doing next month. It was a nice day at the beach. I even got to see some dolphins out there! Then my sister, her husband, their infant son and I joined my dad to go to Dodgers game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It looked like the game was going to go into extra innings when the Diamondbacks tied it up 2-2 in the 7th. The Boys in Blue, however, came back swinging, and answered with 3 runs in the 8th to win the game 2-5.

My dad's been taking me and my sister to Dodgers games since as long as I can remember (he's been a season ticket holder for over 30 years), so it was a pretty special occasion to have her son James there at the park with us for his first ever ball game. I'm sure little James will grow up watching the Dodgers just like me and my siblings did, and I think that's really cool. While I'm no longer the most dedicated baseball fan, I still certainly have a love and respect for the game. I was happy to see my favorite player, Andre Ethier, get to pinch-hit for a chance to retake the lead in the 7th inning. Ethier hasn't been playing, since he's fallen out of the Dodgers current rotation, so I was pleased to see him even if it was just for one at bat. Being the clutch player that he is, it looked like he was gonna deliver too. He hit it way back, and the ball looked like it was headed over the wall, but it unfortunately fell short. Regardless, the Dodgers still pulled out the win. It's exciting to see the Dodgers doing so well as they approach the playoffs. They currently have the best record in the National League. Here's to hoping they can go all the way!

Even though it was a night game and we got home late, I still took a trip to the theaters to see Forrest Gump playing in IMAX at an 11 o'clock show. The Best Picture winning film was remastered and re-released in theaters exclusively for IMAX to celebrate its 20-year anniversary. It's crazy to think it came out that long ago. Considering it was so late at night, I had to go it alone to see it, but I didn't mind. Forrest Gump is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I wasn't going to let anything cause me to miss the chance to see it on the big screen. I actually never saw it in theaters when I was a child. It wasn't until probably 10 years later that I fell completely in love with it, so I'm grateful to have been given this opportunity to relive the life of Forrest Gump in theaters.

There weren't many people in the theater with me, and considering that IMAX costs $18 a ticket around here, I can understand why. Most of us have already seen the film, and likely even own it too. For me, however, this was a special experience that I couldn't pass up. Plus I even got a poster of the above image for being an AMC Stubs member. Pretty sweet deal, right? It was well worth the ticket price and the movie looked better than ever. While I won't be writing a review of the movie, I am planning on creating an expansive special feature some time down the road that will express all the things I love so dearly about it. If you missed the chance to see it this weekend, it's still playing in IMAX theaters until Thursday. If you've never seen it, well, what are you waiting for? It's a film that might just change your life. It has certainly changed mine!

Thanks for reading! I have to get some sleep now. Got a morning run planned for 7:00 AM! Wish me luck!

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Happy 50th Birthday, Keanu Reeves!

9/2/2014

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Keanu's 50?! Whoaaaaaaaa! Excellent!! The always cool, immortal time-traveler/actor Keanu Reeves turns 50 years-old today, and yet the dude still doesn't look a day over 30. While Keanu's often ridiculed for having lackluster acting abilities, I've always totally loved the guy. He has long been one of my favorite actors and he's truly always fun to watch. Regardless of what some people may think about his talent, there's no arguing with his results. He's been one of the most successful actors in Hollywood, starring in the Wachowski's blockbuster series The Matrix, as well as classics like Speed, Point Break, and the Bill and Ted movies.

Keanu may be getting older, but he doesn't appear to be slowing down. Last year he made his directoral debut with Man of Tai Chi, which was well-received by critics. It'll be interesting to see if he ventures deeper into directing at this point in his career. Either way, I'm confident he'll continue to find success, and always look forward to whatever he has planned next on the horizon.

It was also announced last year that Keanu and Alex Winter would be reprising their roles as Ted "Theodore" Logan and Bill S. Preston, Esquire in a most triumphant return to the Bill and Ted series with Bill and Ted 3. Unfortunately, however, there hasn't been a lot of news about that film in quite some time, and in the land of Hollywood, no news is typically not good news. I really hope the idea hasn't been scrapped considering both of the original stars agreed to return to it. Time will tell, but it's not looking good right now. No matter what happens, I respect Keanu even more for still being willing to poke fun at himself by returning to his iconic, bonehead role. He's a man that truly has no fear!

Happy Birthday, Keanu man! And remember... 50! Stay above 50! ;)

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I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts...

8/30/2014

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Well, not anymore. I mean, there was a time, yes. Like when my dad took me with him to see Ghostbusters II in theaters when I was 4. All I know is, I was terrified. Granted, it's a pretty frightening movie for a child. I mean, jeez, the last time I saw Vigo, he still creeped me out! Truth be told, I don't really remember that traumatic movie experience. I just remember my dad teasing me about it years later, whenever he would watch The Ghostbuster movies at home. I also remember regularly having nightmares about Slimer. Just take a look at the guy! What 4-year-old wouldn't be scared out of their mind by him?

Don't laugh, but even more commonly, I would have nightmares about the crocodile from Peter Pan. I would have this recurring dream where the crocodile would burst through the wall of my room (like the Kool-Aid guy if he was a giant, menacing crocodile) and would eat me. This one dream haunted me over and over throughout much of my childhood. Though there was one distinct change about the crocodile's appearance that made him even more horrific in my nightmares. He would glow in the dark with the same green glow as Ghostbusters' Slimer. It was like a hybrid of my two most feared foes! Slimer and the Tick-Tock Croc combined!

Well, that was a long time ago. I don't have those nightmares anymore. I don't believe in ghosts anymore either. All things considered, I think I've managed to come out of this okay. However... to this day, I've still never seen either Ghostbusters film in full. 5 minutes here and there, in typical 5 Minute Movie Guy fashion, but that's about it. Well, now is my chance to change all of that. The original Ghostbusters film is in theaters this weekend only, to celebrate the film's 30-year anniversary. I think it's time for me to face my childhood fears head-on! I'm going to watch the movie on the big screen some time later today. Consider this a tribute to the recently passed Harold Ramis, as well as a long overdue viewing of a classic. Ghostbusters, my life is in your hands!

Oh, and by the way.... Thanks, Dad...

5 Minute Movie Guy
8.30.14

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Born to Run!

8/27/2014

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Today I signed up for the Long Beach International City Bank Half-Marathon 2014! This will be the first running event I've ever done, and it's only 45 days away! I'll be joining my sister, Katrina, her husband, Matthew, and their newborn son, James. We've gone walking/running three times now, and I'm really getting ready to pick up the pace. I'm gonna be a running fool for the next couple months to get myself prepared for the event. Truth to be told, I've never been much of a runner. I enjoy it a lot more than my lungs do, that's for sure. Regardless, I'm excited to be a part of this and look forward to building up my endurance and conditioning. It should be a wonderful and rewarding experience. Maybe I'll see you there at the finish line!

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