Movie Review Madness: Deadpool

From the opening credits to the final post credit teaser, Deadpool is snarky, spiky, and hilarious.  This is the anti-Marvel super hero who protests, “I’m no hero”. Instead self-mockery has him busting the fourth wall. He turns and talks to his audience, lets us in on the joke. Ryan Reynolds has finally received the perfect role. He can show off those abs as he’s tossing a Sexiest Man Alive magazine. He voices a smirk with every line and we eat it up. This is a perfect date movie – action, crazy violence, and Reynold’s butt. Deadpool is very, very R – do not bring your children.

Director Tim Miller keeps things hopping. We meet Deadpool as he’s shooting up some bad guys. Flashback to Wade Wilson, a slick mercenary diagnosed with cancer. He’s got the perfect girlfriend, Vanessa (lovely and smart Morena Baccarin) – a montage of their “fun” together is a highlight reel of HOT holidays. Trust me. Wade turns to evil Ajax (Francis played by Ed Skrein) to cure his cancer, but alas he is turned into a mangled face cancer-free mutant. Wade dons his red spandex, becomes Deadpool and seeks revenge for losing his face and (perhaps?) his girl (his choice).

The whole time he’s shooting or sword slashing, he’s mouthing commentary – lots of culture references along with a Hugh Jackman/Wolverine salute. It’s all in good fun. I keep using that word because this movie does not take itself seriously. It’s truly crazy amusing, fast paced, nutso entertainment.

February (or any month you see it) just got FUN.

Valentine

Happy Valentine's Weekend

special hug for Ray


(for very funny Anti-Valentines - check out www.rawknrobin.blogspot.com )

Maverick Speaker Series - Ron Paul

A week ago Tuesday evening, Ray and I headed to The University of Texas at Arlington for another segment of the Maverick Speaker Series. This one presented former Texas Congressman, Ron Paul. In a one hour speech he discussed "Liberty Defined and The Future of Freedom".

Interesting man of conviction. He has been a "consistent spokesman for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency." (from the program blurb)

I have to say he was like a grandfather rock star to the students in attendance. It was an enthusiastic group with plenty of applause for his tag lines. He told the kids they were inheriting a mess, but it could be cleaned up with common sense. He's an advocate of personal liberty and feels that concept has been hijacked from its true form.

In one hour, he could not flesh out major policies. However, he gave salient points to consider and in an ideal world, a lot of it made sense. He talked fast and threw out a lot of history and where things went right and wrong (in his opinion). My head was spinning by the end - I needed more time to ponder a lot of his theories.

Bottom line - the talk made me think, it made Ray and I talk, and I assume students came away with a reason to do some research and dig deeper into America's issues. It was good to get out of the house on a Tuesday night and meet a maverick - Ron Paul.

Poem - Yellow Splash

yellow splash

amidst crunchy brown grass

flower stalks bent after

february freeze

shed shriveled leaves

forlorn garden remnants

gasp, surprised by tepid days

shocked by bitter cold nights

wind chill factor fury

yellow burst blazes

blisters raw winter canvas

one dandelion

smile

by Joanne Faries

Be a Doll

Here I am with Dolly. Apparently she was a favorite friend back in the day. But after those very early years, I was not infatuated with dolls or remember playing with them much. I was certainly not a collector.

I remember Thumbelina. She had a wind-up key and from the commercials she should have been kicking her legs and practically rolling over and standing up. False advertising and major disappointment when mine on Christmas morning barely stirred.

Most of my dolls ended up with bad haircuts. I was not handy with scissors anyway. I cut what I knew. Looking in the mirror, all I saw were crooked bangs. I cut 'em, as I saw 'em. My mother wasn't pleased.

As for Barbie, I probably owned one, but it's not memorable. She did not influence my life. Thus I read the 2/8/16 issue of Time Magazine with curiosity. Barbie is on the cover and there's a whole discussion about American beauty, culture attitudes (now there's curvy, tall, and petite sizes), and the message being sent to impressionable brains by a doll.

But, face it  - Barbie means bucks for Mattel Corp. If she ain't pulling in the dough, she has to be put out to pasture or reinvented.

And for kids today...do they care about the tangible product or.....is there an app for that?

So - what are your thoughts on Barbie? Were you a doll (or action figure) connoisseur?  Any favorites?  And how many of you flung your toy from a catapult or had it careening in a toy car off a ramp you created?

Movie Review - Room

Room is absolutely Oscar caliber. Wow. The book was excellent and now the movie brings it to the screen. The author adapted the screenplay and that bodes well for quality Wow – I am still blown away.

The premise – a young girl (age 17) is abducted and stuck in a garden shed that’s on lock down. She bears a baby from her kidnapper and we first meet them both in “room”. He’s turning five and she’s twenty-four. Brie Larson (Joy) deserves an Oscar hands down. Jacob Tremblay (Jack) deserved a nomination.  The performances are touching, nuanced, and amazing.

She’s raised this boy without the “father” seeing him or being involved. She puts up with Old Nick’s visits and forced sex.(The boy goes to the closet).  She only has a skylight and television to remember the outside world and freedom. Now that Jack turns five she knows he is her link – her chance for them to escape. She has to explain concepts of the real world. At first he doesn’t grasp it, but then thinks things through. He’s reading Alice in Wonderland and she equates some of the concepts.  She works up an escape plan (I won’t give away details). And it works (this is not a huge reveal) but has consequences.

The second part of the movie is about re-adaptation to the real world for her, and new adaptation to a whole new world for Jack. Who does better?  I’m sure you can guess but the journey is fascinating and well done. Joan Allen as Joy’s mom is always excellent. She thought she lost her daughter and now she’s back. There are lawyers, media,  etc to deal with. The world has moved on while Joy was stuck in the “room”.  For Jack, that was his “world”.

Room is touching and gives one perspective. I can’t emphasize enough how well acted this movie is. You feel for Joy. And Jack is a revelation. ..he’s a newborn at age five.  Wow. I keep saying Wow. Trust me – join me in saying Wow! It’s a tough subject and yet (I’ll give this away) it ends well. There’s hope for all.

such a gorgeous weekend

 Holy cow - it was perfection in North Texas this weekend. Up in the 60s or more.  Clearest blue skies and minimal wind

 We're talking lawnmowers and leaf blowers - no snow blowers, obviously  - sorry my Northeast friends

 Local Chisholm Park in Bedford.  Above - a wood duck - such pretty colors.
 Fat ducks thanks to all of the bread folks throw in the pond.

Ray and I got in our steps and enjoyed the calm.