Alex J. Cavanaugh's Blog, page 43

The Amazing Spider-Man II Movie Review, A to Z Challenge Reflections, and Ninja News!

Movie Review – The Amazing Spider-Man II
Caught it Friday in 3D. The plot follows an Oscorp employee’s transformation into Electro and Peter and Gwen’s on again, off again relationship.
The action scenes are great and there is a lot of snarky humor. There is a lot of slow-motion, bullet-time style action, which the 3D takes advantage of.
There are three villains, but the main focus is on Electro, and you see far more of Harry than you do the Green Goblin.
This film isn’t as good as the first one....

Retro A To Z Challenge: Z – Zombieland 2009 (plus May Movie Preview and a Book Award!)

Zombieland – 2009
Funniest zombie movie ever! Columbus has his rules for living in Zombieland (remember to double-tap) and Tallahassee is on a quest for Twinkies. Add trouble in the form of two women, Wichita and Little Rock, and you’re set for a hilarious adventure. Also briefly featuring Bill Murray as himself. (Shame about that double-tap rule.)

2009 fun facts –
*Average income - $39,423.
*Cost of a movie ticket - $7.50
*Captain Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger made a successful crash landing...

Retro A to Z Challenge: Y – Yes 1987 (plus May Movie Preview and Lord of the Clones!)

Yes – Big Generator – 1987
Their follow up to the hugely popular 90125, this album is every bit as brilliant. It had so many standout tracks – Love Will Find a Way, Shoot High Aim Low, Rhythm of Love. Like its predecessor, this album owed much of its success to the influence of guitarist Trevor Rabin.

1987 fun facts –
*Average income - $24,350.00.
*Private 1st Class Army income - $9.385.20.
*Average cost of new car - $10,305.
*Cost of gas - .89 cents
*The US population was estimated at 244.6 Mill...

Retro A to Z Challenge: X – X-Files 1998 (plus Odd Thomas Movie Review)

The X-Files Movie – Fight the Future – 1998
After years of watching the series, fans finally got a big screen version. It focused on the main mythos of the alien colonization of earth, complete with spaceship at the end. (Which of course, Scully didn’t see!) The film was true to the series while placing the X-Files on a much grander scale.

1998 fun facts –
*Average cost of new house - $129,300.00.
*Average Income - $38,100.00.
*Cost of Gas - $1.15
*Average cost of new car - $17,200.00
*First C...

Retro A to Z Challenge: W – Whitesnake 1984 (plus R.I.P.D. Movie Review and Ninja News)

Whitesnake – Slide It In 1984
Greatest Whitesnake album ever! People tend to gravitate toward the over-commercialized album that followed, but the infectious groove of this bluesy rock album is superior. And yes, every song title is a dirty double entendre.

1984 fun facts –
*Cost of a new home - $86,730.
*Average income - $21,600.
*Cost of a movie ticket - $2.50
*Cost of a new Corvette - $23,392.
*The first commercial CD players became available
*The MTV Music Awards debuted
*Dan Marino passed for...

Retro A to Z Challenge: V – Vanden Plas 2006 (plus Godzilla and Ninja News)

Vanden Plas – Christ-O – 2006
An amazing concept album, it interprets the story of the Count of Monte Cristo. X is the detective trying to track down Cristo-O after several vengeful murders, and it’s the development and arc of the characters that makes the story. If you are a fan of prog rock, Vanden Plas is an amazing German band.

2006 fun facts –
*On May 28, Barry Bonds broke Babe Ruth’s record with 715th home run
*Pluto was downgraded from Planet to dwarf planet
*The one billionth song was purc...

Retro A to Z Challenge: U – Underworld 2003 (plus updates on Godzilla, Jurassic World, and Bioshock Movies)

Underworld – 2003
Released in January, usually the dumping ground for movies, this film was a complete surprise. Following a war between vampires and werewolves, it featured a sexy, leather-clad Kate Beckinsale. (I still want that outfit for my wife. She still says no.) Three sequels have followed (with another in the making), but nothing beats the fun and adventurous original.

2003 fun facts –
*Cost of a new house - $246,300.
*Cost of gas - $1.83
*The Do Not Call Registry was implemented
*The Co...

Retro A to Z Challenge: T – Terminator II 1991 (plus some Awesome Challenge Themes)

Terminator II: Judgment Day – 1991
Released seven years after the first movie, this sequel was bigger than life. It was the first movie to cost over $100,000 million to make, and the budget showed in its amazing special effects, most notably the T-1000 made of liquid metal. Ground breaking effects snagged four Oscars for this film. Hasta la vista, baby!

1991 fun facts –
*Cost of a new house - $120,000.
*Average income - $29,430.
*Cost of gas - $1.12
*The Soviet Union ceased to exist when Gorbach...

Retro A to Z Challenge: S – Star Trek Generations 1994 (plus new Edge of Tomorrow Trailer and Poster)

Star Trek: Generations – 1994
The seventh Star Trek film, Generations passed the torch from the original cast to Next Generation. Captain Picard and the Enterprise must stop Soran and they receive help from a long-dead Captain Kirk. Three more Next Gen movies followed, including the amazing First Contact.

1994 fun facts –
*Cost of a new house - $119,050.
*Cost of gas - $1.09
*Cost of a movie ticket - $4.08
*The first genetically engineered tomato was created
*America’s baseball season was cancell...

Retro A to Z Challenge: R – Rush 2002 (and Lone Ranger Movie Review)

Rush – Vapor Trails 2002
This album marked the return of the band after a five-year hiatus. In 1997, drummer Neil Peart lost his daughter, and the following year, lost his wife. He took time off and travelled across North America on his motorcycle, which he chronicled in his book, Ghost Rider. The result was an incredible and deeply personal rock album.

2002 fun facts –
*Cost of a new house - $228,700.
*Cost of gas - $1.61
*The Mars Odyssey found signs of water on Mars
*Serena Williams won both W...