4K Television Buyers Guide

 

In recent years, 4K Televisions, and 4K content, has become more accessible. Much of our popular content, especially feature-films, is available in this highly advanced format. With the higher resolution and greater color gamut, our favorite movies have never looked better. While I have advocated the use of lower quality formats for image capture in most situations, and continue to do so, I find that 4K television are a worthy consideration for image viewing. Especially for non-4K content. 

If you are considering upgrading to a 4K television, here are some guidelines and recommendations to consider. 

It’s all about the color

While the increased resolution is part of the attraction for 4K televisions, it is, in actuality, not the most perceptible difference. The real fascinating feature is the extra amount of color information 4K Televisions can produce. 

Every electronic device that works with images, be it cameras or screens, can only see a limited amount of colors within the visible spectrum. Some devices are capable of seeing a wider variety of color possibilities than others. Regardless of your preferred format of physical media (be it DVD, BluRay, or the new 4K UHD format), the increased amount of color information within the 4K screen will make your content come to life in a way rarely seen in other viewing formats. 

Before the pandemic, I had the opportunity to test this theory. While at a friends house, we watched one of our favorite films, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, on his recently purchased 4K Television. While we were enjoying the movie with popcorn and good root beer, I was entranced by how the film seemed to pop off the screen. The colors looked more textured and seemed to have no issues often associated with compression found on some forms of disc media. 

Naturally, I assumed that since we were watching the movie on a 4K Television, we must have been watching a 4K UHD disc. So, imagine my surprise when I saw the disc jacket for the film, and discovered it to be a standard DVD. 

With the extra amount of color information, the 4K Television added a bit of panache to the DVD. Granted, it wasn’t an extreme difference, but it was enough. 

HDR

Another top-selling feature of 4K Televisions is something called HDR. For those of you who don’t know, HDR stands for “High Dynamic Range”. It refers to how well an image can retain detail in the brightest and darkest parts of an image. Pretty much all 4K televisions are capable of displaying HDR. However, much like Baskin Robins Ice Cream, there are more than one flavors of HDR. Some can deliver more striking images than others, but are not absolutely required for the best image possible. 

Here is a short list of the most common flavors of HDR and what they offer for image quality, 

HDR10

All 4K Televisions support this flavor of HDR. It is standard issue and looks pretty damn good. 

HDR10 + 

A slightly more advanced version of the standard. However, it is only offered by Samsung and Panasonic devices and, as of this writing, only a handful of 4K UHD discs. 

Dolby Vision

The most advanced flavor of HDR and arguably the most popular. However, due to its licensing agreements, it tends to make devices that support it needlessly extra expensive. Also, to my knowledge, none of the 4K Televisions on the market can take full advantage of its capabilities. 

The most important thing to remember is, regardless of how many additional flavors of HDR your devices can display, HDR10 will always look astonishing. 

You’ll need some new HDMI cables 

While standard HD televisions do not require special kind of HDMI cables for connecting to your media device, 4K Television do. Because of the extra amount of information and detail being communicated between the devices, stronger HDMI cables are required for the best possible viewing experience. When you take the plunge for a new 4K Television and 4K UHD disc player, be sure to also pick up a few of the recommended HDMI cables to go with them. They will be well worth it. 

Personal recommendations 

If you decide to invest in a 4K Television, be sure to upgrade your sound system first. Most 4K Televisions tend to have built-in speakers that, while technically usable, are not on par with the visual quality of the screen. A decent sound bar or a good surround sound system will suffice.   

Furthermore, I recommend models built by Samsung, LG, and Panasonic. Avoid models by Vizio and Sony. 

There you have it. I hope you find this guide helpful on your quest for a brand new 4K Television. Happy Hunting! 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.   

Uncle Frank - A Charming and Relevant Story

 

Stream it on Amazon Prime 

As I have stated on this blog many times before, I find human sexuality to be one of the most fascinating aspects of our strange existence. It’s something that every human being has in common in one way or another. While we as a people should be united by our interesting (if occasionally strange) sexual identities, we are sadly and consistently divided by them. There is a great deal of inhumanity in denying the existence of a fellow human being for such a petty and unreasonable perception of our sexuality. While some of us are fortunate enough to live in places where such discriminations are minimal and discouraged at best, there are plenty of other places where it is less so. In my opinion, it is important to always be reminded of the many aspects of the human condition that are under needless attack, why it is horrible, and what can be done to fix it. Such is the case with todays film, Uncle Frank. A heartwarming story about a man, his niece, and his partner, facing a challenging task together as a family. 

Set in the year 1973, the story follows a young girl named Beth (Sophia Lillis), a country girl from South Carolina who just moved to New York for college. Her Uncle Frank (Paul Bettany) happens to be a professor at her school. The two of them have always gotten along well and enjoy each others company. One night, Beth decides to surprise her uncle with a visit to his apartment during a party. When she arrives, she discovers that her uncle is gay by meeting his partner, Wally (Peter Macdissi), a friendly and flamboyant gentlemen. 

Beth has no problem with this at all, but Frank has never come out to the rest of the family, as his father found out first and disowned him. Not long after Beth’s discovery, Frank gets a phone call from his mother saying his father has just passed away. Unable to get a flight, the three of them decide to drive down to South Carolina together. Now, Frank must face the possibility of finally coming out to the rest of his family, and deal with whatever repercussions may occur therein. Will they all be just like his late father and hatefully disown him, or will they see past their prejudice and let love reign? 

Uncle Frank is a delightful film in all the right ways. While it tackles a relevant subject matter, it maintains a much needed sense of hope and encouragement. The film recognizes that when tackling a situation as heavy as this, it’s important to maintain a sense of entertainment value, since it’s still a movie. Much of the films entertainment value comes from the witty writing, lovable three-dimensional characters, and lovely period-appropriate production design. 

The cast is loaded with talented and capable actors. Paul Bettany delivers his usual professional conviction and Sophia Lillis is remarkably charming in her role. The MVP award must go to Peter Macdissi as Uncle Frank’s energetic and adorable partner. Some may claim that his performance comes off as “stereotypical”, but I must respectfully disagree. Sometimes, in this crazy world, we all need a fabulous friend. 

Writer/Director Alan Ball, whose previous works include American Beauty and Virtuoso, delivers a heartfelt story that deserves to be seen. Like many of his previous works, it has something important to say about people and society, and it does so in a way that is both challenging and pleasant to watch. 

Uncle Frank is the perfect brand new movie to kick off the holiday season. It will resonate with you in more ways than one, so be sure to check it out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

How I would have written IT: Chapter 2 (Part 2)

Hello everyone, 

This project is a little late. I intended to release this little essay on Halloween; however, due to unfortunate circumstances, I could not do so. Therefore, it is my pleasure to share it with you now. 

I should also tell you that this is a long one. Probably the longest piece I have written on this blog. There was a lot of ground to cover with this film's rewrite, and I did my best to keep this summary as brief as possible. 

I hope you will enjoy what I have come up with for part two of my rewrite. 

Last year, I laid down the foundation for my interpretation of IT: Chapter 2. The time has come for me to conclude this thought experiment with Part 2. If you have not yet read the first part of this little writing project, or if you need to reread it to refresh your memory, I will provide a link to it below. 

 

Rewrite Part 1 

 

Now, let’s get started. 

 

    Having established our heroes, they all take their anticipated (albeit dreaded) return home to Derry, Maine. They all meet up at a Chinese Restaurant, where they eat, drink, and reminisce about old times. The Losers Club celebrate their reunion with laughter, half-eaten food, and empty beer bottles. All seems lovely until the very reason for their gathering rears its ugly pale-faced head. 

 

    Fortune Cookies start coming to life, with horrendous looking monsters emerging from their shells. At first, everyone is shocked and a bit surprised. Until one of them remembers that it’s not real and proclaims such out loud to the whole group. Soon, they all calm down and ignore the miniature terrors crawling and flying around the table. As they shriek and claw on the table, trying ever so desperately to get a rise out of our heroes, they don’t flinch. In fact, after a moment, they start to laugh. They can’t contain themselves as to how ridiculous this whole thing is. Then, after a moment, the monstrosities fade away, looking pitiful and disheartened. 

    The group leaves the restaurant as Pennywise looks on from a distance. He is agitated beyond belief. How could they not be scared of him? Pennywise thinks out loud to himself. Soon, he realizes that he has to change his strategy with The Losers Club. He had been preying on kids for so long that he hadn’t needed to improve his planning. Now, he must reassess his approach. In the meantime, he decides the enlist some outside help. 

 

    We then cut to a flashback taking place just after The Losers Club defeated Pennywise the first time. 

 

    Young Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton) washes out of the Sewers and into a creek. Covered in mud and blood, he shuffles his way back to his home, like a dog with his tail between his legs. Along the way, Henry passes by his car, with his murdered friends still inside. For those who don’t remember, Henry murdered his father, and likely his posse, moments before he tried to kill The Losers Club. Upon arriving at his home, the police arrest Henry. All the while, he is seeming looked down upon by a Red Ballon hovering over him. 

    We then cut back to the present day, as an adult Henry (Teach Grant) spends his days in a mental hospital. As Henry sits in a drug-induced daze, he looks out the window to see the same Red Balloon from all those years ago. Henry suddenly jumps into a frantic rave of terror. The orderlies grab Henry by the arms and drag him back to his room, locking the door behind them. The Red Balloon remains outside the window, appearing to inch closer and closer. Henry cries out for help out the door, looking away for a second. When he turns back, the Red Balloon is now in the room with him. Henry leans against the door, paralyzed with fear. Soon, the Red Ballon is a few inches from Henry’s face. Suddenly, it pops, and his old knife falls to the floor—the same one he used to kill his father and friends. Henry picks up the blade, and the door behind him has miraculously unlocked itself and opens. A mischievous grin crosses Henry’s face. 

 

    The Losers Club all meet up in Ben’s hotel suite, where he lays out his years of research. Ben summarizes his finding showing that Pennywise has been around for a long time. Possibly millennia. Beverly backs up Ben’s theories by recalling some of the images she saw when under Pennywise’s hypnotic spell. However, her recollections are hazy and incoherent. Ben decides to try something. While learning Tai Chi, he learned some meditation techniques to help the mind rebuild fractured memories. Reluctantly, Beverly goes along with it, as she is the only one who would likely have the best answers they need. 

 

    With Ben’s help, Beverly falls into a deep trance. She walks through and witnesses her memories like an unseen Ghost wandering the streets. She recalls the moment Pennywise hypnotized her with his three glowing orbs floating inside his large and sharp-toothed mouth. Suddenly, Beverly is floating in space. She sees precise yet quick flashes of Pennywise’s history. His landing on Earth during the time of the Dinosaurs. The many shapes he has assumed throughout his existence, how he came to prefer Pennywise's persona as his favorite, because of how easy it was to lure children - not to mention the superior taste of their fear. 

 

    After Beverly gives the rest of the gang a quick rundown of her visions, depicted in the film as a jump-cut since we have already seen her sights, the group has a bit of trouble taking in the weight of what they’re facing. In particular, Eddie returns to his room to relieve some of his stress by washing his hands and face. Shortly after Eddie gets inside his bathroom, he turns around to find Henry in the bathroom with him. Before Eddie can muster a sound, Henry stabs Eddie across his mouth through both cheeks. After a few more cuts and a quick scuffle, Eddie gets the upper hand and Shoves Henry out the window. Ben, who came down to check on Eddie, finds him huddled on the bathroom floor. Ben then looks out the broken window and sees Henry walking away toward his car. Ben also notices a Red Balloon floating just above the vehicle. 

    Suddenly, Ben has a quick flashback to Henry's cut up as a kid. He remembers the car passing by, apparently ignoring his situation. He then recalls seeing the same Red Balloon floating inside the rear window. From there, Ben puts two and two together. 

    Ben realizes how much influence Pennywise has had over the entire town all along. He tells his friends as such. They all recall similar instances where they didn’t understand the behavior of the adults at the time. Eddie then recalls the weird TV show his mom used to watch, where some random woman would tell kids how much fun it is to play in the Sewers. The same program that told Henry to “kill them all!”. 

    Mike realizes that with Pennywise’s influence over the town, he most likely won’t get any assistance from the rest of the police force, let alone any city officials. They’re all going to have to face Pennywise alone…again. Only this time, they will be more prepared. Mike asks Billy to come with him to the Police Station. They’re going to “borrow” some weapons and tactical gear for their showdown, and he needs another set of hands to help collect them all. Stanley goes out to the pharmacy to get some medical supplies for Eddie while the others stay behind to tend to Eddie’s injuries, in whatever way they are able. 

    As Mike and Billy head out the door of the Hotel, they run into a young boy. Let’s name him Jackson, a reference to the young actor Jackson Robert Scott who played Georgie. From their encounter, we learn that Jackson is a young boy Mike is helping to take through a Big Brother mentoring program. Jackson takes a liking to Billy, recognizing him as one of his favorite writers. He asks for his autograph, and Billy inclines. Somehow, Jackson reminds Billy of his little brother. Mike advises Jackson to stay safe as he and Billy ride off in Mike’s car. 

    Richie is tending to Eddie’s wounds with some vodka he finds in the mini-fridge back inside the hotel suite. The two of them start connecting in a way they haven’t before. Richie reminisces about a time he thought someone was flirting with him at the arcade as a kid. Except, he read the signals wrong and was pushed away by the other person. Eddie assumes it was a girl, only for Richie to confess that it was a boy. Eddie takes a moment - he has no idea how he should respond. Then, Eddie is about to say something, then Beverly comes back in with some more towels. 

    Stanley makes his way to the pharmacy, collecting medical gear. While there, he notices a Red Balloon at the other end of the aisle. Stanley reminds himself that it’s not real and goes about completing his task. After paying for his goods, he turns to see the Red Balloon floating by the pharmacy entrance. A moment later, another customer, who doesn’t see the Red Balloon, enters through the door, as the Red Balloon floats its way outside. Relieved, Stanley walks out. Only now, he has somehow magically transported from Derry, Maine, to Nazi-occupied Germany. He looks around and is shocked to see a Star of David stitched on his jacket. A group of Nazi soldiers see him and begin chasing him. Stanley runs away as the Nazis start shooting at him. Stanley turns a corner and finds himself outside Auschwitz. He hears screams and the sound of gas running. Suddenly, a blinding light burst from behind him. Stanley turns and sees a speeding train with Pennywise riding the very front coming right towards him. Stanley ducks in terror. Suddenly, the vision is gone, and Stanley finds himself standing in the middle of the road. A set of car headlights flashes at Stanley as the driver yells at him to move. 

    Mike and Billy have made it to the Police Station Armory. The two of them are stuffing duffle bags of weapons, ammo, and grenades, along with body armor and riot shields. The two of them discuss with each other if they think they can kill Pennywise this time. Since they hurt him the first time, maybe if they keep going, they’ll kill him. Except, considering how old Pennywise is and that he’s not of this Earth, it seems more likely that they can’t kill him. If so, what will they do then? They can’t come back in another twenty-seven years to take him down again. They decide not to think about that right now and head back to the Hotel with their arsenal. 

    We then cut to a local Baseball game. A little girl with an unusual birthmark on her face sits in the bleachers watching the game with one of her friends. A moment later, the birthmark girl sees what looks like a Firefly buzzing around her. She follows it, almost hypnotized by its glow. The Firefly seems to be leading the birthmark girl under the bleachers. Deep inside, she stumbles upon Pennywise, who charms her with his usual tactics of appearing child friendly and mystical. They have a little conversation with each other. A moment later, the friend notices that she’s missing and gets up to look for her. Pennywise is pretending to sympathize with the birthmark girl and lures her closer. Then, right now, Pennywise lunges at the girl with his many sharp jaws; the girl’s friend finds the spot and witnesses Pennywise eating the girl. Terrified, the friend runs away. 

    The next day, Mike gives the rest of The Losers Club a crash course in weapons, shooting at bottles and paper targets in a remote area outside of town. Stanley respectfully declines, preferring to practice with his sword. At Mikes’s insistence, Stanley does, at the very least, take a small revolver, just in case. While everyone is training, they make small talk. Eventually, the conversation leans towards rather or not, they can kill Pennywise. They deduce that since they seriously hurt him the last time, he has to die if they hit him harder and keep going at it for long enough. At least, that’s the hope. 

    The Losers Club heads back into town to get something to eat. After dinner, they overhear some kids heading to the town fair. Mike is surprised at first, considering the murder he already checked out there, thinking it should stay closed since it’s a crime scene. Then, he remembers when they figured out Pennywise’s influence over the town. Suddenly, Mike has a terrifying realization. He never told Jackson to avoid the fair because he thought it was still closed. Mike runs off to the festival, as Billy follows. They say to the rest of the gang to meet them back at the Hotel. 

    The fair is alive as if nothing terrible had happened. Kids are laughing and enjoying themselves. Mike and Billy arrive desperately, trying to find Jackson. Eventually, Mike and Billy see Jackson entering the haunted maze. Billy goes after Jackson while Mike finds whoever is in charge, hoping to use his police influence to shut down the fair again. Billy runs through the maze, searching for Jackson. As Billy goes deeper inside, he eventually sees Jackson. He runs straight for him but runs directly into a glass wall. Suddenly, Pennywise is there and surprises Jackson with his Deadlights, placing Jackson in a catatonic state. Billy tries his best to break through the glass and rescue Jackson, but it’s no use. Billy can only watch as Pennywise doesn’t kill Jackson but takes him along as they vanish into the shadows.

    Mike is arguing with the fair manager, reminding him of the murder that happened not too long ago. The manager informs Mike of the Mayor’s orders to clean and reopen the fair for the sake of the town’s revenue. Disgusted, Mike insists that the manager close the festival, or he’ll have him arrested for obstruction of justice and altering a crime scene. Before the conversation can go any further, Billy reunites with Mike and informs him of Jackson’s disappearance. Mike is beside himself, but Billy reminds him that Jackson is likely not dead yet. They can still save him. 

    Mike and Billy return to the Hotel. Mike tells everyone to gear up, proclaiming, “It’s the time!” Everyone takes up their weapons. Eddie picks up a few grenades. They all head down the street towards the old house Avengers-style.  

    Jackson wakes up inside Pennywise’s lair. Jackson is scared out of his mind. Suddenly, Jackson can hear a voice. It sounds like his father. Confused and terrified, he runs towards the distant sounds. Jackson progresses deeper and deeper into the pit, still hearing his father’s voice. 

    The Losers Club make their way into the sewers where they confronted Pennywise before. Mike leaves glow sticks marking their path. Suddenly, they hear Jackson’s voice and start following it. Mike continues to mark the trail with glow sticks. 

    Jackson finds himself in the deepest point of the hole. There he finds unusual rock formations. Seemingly non-euclidean. Suddenly, Jackson sees his father standing before him. His father begins ranting about how his death was his fault. Jackson steps back in total terror as the vision of his father morphs into Pennywise. Jackson leans against a rock wall as Pennywise opens his sizeable fanged mouth, revealing his Dead Lights. Jackson falls into a trance; his eyes are void, and his face expressionless. Pennywise is about to go in for the killing bite. Suddenly, Pennywise gets shot in the back by a shotgun blast from Mike. The Losers Club has arrived. Pennywise runs off into the shadows. Mike goes to check on Jackson while the others give chase. 

    Pennywise toys with the others with his usual scary shenanigans, trying to separate the group. 

    Mike holds Jackson in his arms. Mike tells Jackson how much he cares about him and that his father’s death was not his fault. This show of affection reawakens Jackson from his catatonic state. Mike gives Jackson a retractable metal baton and instructs him to make his way to the surface by following the glow sticks. Jackson is afraid to leave Mike behind, but Mike insists that he get himself to safety. Reluctantly, Jackson does as he’s told and runs away. 

    Pennywise faces off against The Losers Club, morphing into all kinds of monsters and inhuman shapes. All the while getting shot at and occasionally stabbed or slashed by Stanley.  Although none of The Losers Club, save for Mike, has had any real formal training in weapons or combat, they seem to be handling themselves reasonably well. Even so, Pennywise is not going down smoothly. 

    Jackson is making his way through the tunnels. Soon, he finds his way to the exit. Before he leaves, he turns back to where he just came from and thinks. 

    Eventually, the whole gang meets up back at the center of the cave. Pennywise is still toying with them all, darting here and there, constantly changing shape. The Losers Club runs out of ammo, and they can’t tell if they’re making a dent. Suddenly, Pennywise surprises them with a sudden burst of Red Balloons floating everywhere, obscuring their sight. Without warning, Pennywise gets the upper hand and grabs Billy from behind, holding him tightly in front of him while on a small mound. Pennywise tells the others to drop their “toys,” as he wraps his claws around Billy’s neck. Reluctantly, they do so. Pennywise gives a little speech about how much he missed them and thought of nothing but his revenge—claiming that they can never kill him. He is too old and powerful for anything to destroy him, and as long as the children of the surface continue to fear him, he will always have power. He is claiming that they are all weak and useless to do anything about him. Suddenly, Pennywise is violently struck from behind, causing Pennywise to release his grip on Billy. As Pennywise fumbles, we see that Jackson is the one who hit him. 

    Jackson confronts Pennywise as he morphs into the shape of his dead father. The Losers Club pick up their weapons and aim. Pennywise tries to get inside Jackson’s head, but Jackson stands his ground and beats the ever-loving crap out of Pennywise. With one massive blow, Pennywise falls forward, rolling down the mound. The Losers Club open fires, unleashing every last bullet. Pennywise lays before them, weak and broken. Everyone looks on as they try to determine if they’ve won. Eddie starts proclaiming how badass they still are and how much Pennywise sucks. 

    All of a sudden, Henry pops out of the shadows and stabs Eddie in the gut. Eddie falls back as blood spills out from his belly. Henry starts swinging away at The Losers Club, who are now completely out of ammo. Jackson hides from the chaos, a little scared again. The group tries to find an opening to take Henry down. Richie goes straight for Eddie and drags him away from the madness, trying his best to help him. Pennywise seems to be absorbing the sudden burst of fear from Henry’s wildness. Feeding on the alarm, Pennywise slowly grows into a near-giant creature. NOT LIKE A SPIDER!!! His head opens wide, revealing his many sharp teeth and glowing Dead Lights, his arms change into long spiky bending talons like a Praying Mantis, and his legs grow longer and bulkier.  He has become a Tank of a monster. 

    As the Losers Club scuffle about evading Henry’s advances, Pennywise grabs Henry and holds him up. Pennywise proclaims he doesn’t need him anymore as he bites off the top half of his body. The Losers Club have now collectively lost their shit again. Pennywise feeds off their fear even more. 

    Richie looks on as he stays right by Eddie, still weak from the stab wound. Eddie tells Richie that he loves him and that he is sorry. Eddie pushes Richie aside as he goes straight up to Pennywise, trying to get his attention. Pennywise sees Eddie and picks him up, ready to take another bite. But Eddie has a surprise, as he reveals a handful of grenades without their pins. Eddie drops them down Pennywise’s throat, and a few seconds later, they explode. The rest of The Losers Club had found cover before the blast and were lucky to have survived. When the dust clears, The Losers Club sees Pennywise on the ground - blown to pieces with only his head, chest, and one of his arms still somewhat attached as the rest of his physical form is slowly chipping away into the air.

    Pennywise seems incredibly afraid this time. The Losers Club, along with Jackson, circle Pennywise, proclaiming how unafraid they are. Without any hesitation, Stanley takes out his sword and cuts off Pennywise’s arm. Then he stabs Pennywise in the chest a few times. After a few strikes, Pennywise proclaims that they will still never kill him. Stanley retorts by saying they don’t need to kill him. Because they will continue their work by preparing and training the next generation of kids and ensure they pass it on to every future generation until, eventually, Pennywise will be afraid of the kids. Then, with one final burst of strength, Stanley cuts off Pennywise’s head with the sword. Pennywise’s head, along with the rest of his body, fades away into dust. His pure form, the three Dead Lights, floats into the center of the cave and forms themselves into a cocoon. 

    Silence. 

    Jackson dashes toward Mike and hugs him. The rest of The Losers Club join in for a group hug. Soon, they make their way outside and to the lake where they went swimming as children. Jackson joins them, becoming the first new member of The Losers Club. 

    Montage: 

    The Losers Club celebrates their victory at the Chinese restaurant once again, as they also mourn Eddie's loss while remembering his bravery. Soon, they all return to their lives. 

    Sometime later, Jackson is at school. The day has ended, and everyone is heading home. As Jackson walks down the school hall, he sees one of his classmates crying in the corner. He goes over to see if he can help. We discover that the little girl is the friend who was killed by Pennywise under the bleachers. The girl tells Jackson how she tried to tell someone and get help, but no one would listen or believe her. Jackson knows just what to do. He takes the girl with him to see Mike. Jackson explains that she has something to tell him and that he may have found another potential member for The Losers Club. 

THE END

Run - Puts Mommy Dearest to Shame

 

Stream it on Hulu 

This one is, admittedly, a bit late. Although it was released on Mother's day, I did not hear about or see it until yesterday. Which, now that I have watched it, makes me wish I had seen it and reviewed it on its initial release. Because This has to be one of the scariest and most intense films I have seen all year, and I watched Antebellum. 

The story follows Diane (Sarah Paulson) and her daughter Chloe (Kiera Allen) living a decent life at their remote home in the countryside. Chloe was born prematurely and has grown up with a series of medical issues. Including diabetes and using a wheelchair. Despite these challenges, Diane has done all she can to help her daughter live a full and happy life. Chloe has grown up into an intelligent young girl with aspirations of going to college despite her challenges. However, things take a strange and disturbing turn when she begins to question some of her medications. With no internet or cell phone at her disposal, Chloe uses her wits to find the truth about what she has been taking all this time. Will the truth be nothing more than another development in her treatment, or will it prove itself to be something more sinister than she could have imagined? 

This film is a well-crafted edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller. It's a clever combination of Rear Window and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? with a dash of Mommy Dearest for good measure. If you have seen any of those films, I assure you, Run one-ups them all somehow. That's not to say that any of those aforementioned classics are bad, just that they now have some decent modern competition. 

The writing is where this movie shines the brightest. Penned by Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian, whose previous work included the suspense thriller Searching (which I have not seen yet), the script's best aspect is the character of Chloe. Who is, hands down, the smartest and most badass character I can remember seeing in a horror film. Despite her disabilities and other handicaps, she succeeds in overcoming all of them with her wits, insightful mind, and determination. Even when it seems as if there's no way around an obstacle, she finds one like a champion. If this character was pitted against an unstoppable horror slasher icon such as Jason Vorhees, I'd put my money on Chloe. 

While it may contain many familiar elements of other classic thrillers, its presentation is still uniquely executed enough to stand out. This is one film that is sure to scare the whole crowd at your next Halloween party. Check it out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Thankful Treats - Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

 

Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Apple TV 

The late John Hughes has become a household name in 80s cinema. Over the course of his career, until his untimely death in 2009, Hughes created some of the most memorable and cherished films of my childhood. From the near-fantastical care-free adventures of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to the timely and sympathetic commentary on adolescence in The Breakfast Club, John Hughes was a storyteller who sought to remind us of the better things in life and to find our own joy. In that way, he was a lot like the equally talented and optimistic Frank Capra. You know, the guy who made the greatest Christmas movie ever, It’s A Wonderful Life? 

 

While Mr. Hughes did provide us with some of the best Christmas classics, including Home Alone and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, he also created one of the few pieces of essential watching for Thanksgiving, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. This is not only a wonderful pick for traditional holiday watching, but it’s also probably my favorite film of Mr. Hughes. 

 

Released in 1987, the story follows a man named Neal (Steve Martin), who is on his way home to spend Thanksgiving with his family. However, after several unfortunate events, including a few missed flights and some misplaced papers, Neal finds himself tracking cross-country on the road. All the while, reluctantly accompanied by a shower curtain ring salesman named Del (John Candy), who often means well but seems to make things worse. Now, Neal must survive the trip to get to his family, all the while trying his best not to lose his sanity. 

 

This movie is a comic gem. One of the high points of the film's comedy is its unique use of physical gags. While the writing and performances provide some witty and side-splitting jokes, the bulk of the film's humor comes from clever editing and insightful use of costumes & props. For example, a minor spoiler, early on, there is a scene when Del steals a cab from Neal. Later on, in the next scene, Neal sees Del in an airport waiting lobby and recognizes him. The film showcases this recognition in an incredibly clever way.

 

Allow me to show you.

This is one of the most clever bits of visual storytelling I have ever seen put to film. While it all chalks up to putting on a costume from earlier and placing a taxi door in front of Del, it serves as a perfect way to showcase Neal’s mental act of recognizing Del from earlier in the film. This kind of quick-cut editing to seemingly out-of-place elements to present a character's mental and emotional state is a masterclass of cinema's golden rule: show, don’t tell. These quirky and typically silly visual bits are sprinkled throughout the movie, making it a truly wonderful experience. 

 

The performances from the two leads are what ultimately sell the story. They have remarkable chemistry and feed off of each other's energy incredibly well. While they deliver their well-written dialogue with conviction and nuance, their sense of comedic timing is pitch-perfect, which makes their occasional turns to the more dramatic scenes all, the more impactful. It’s much like the Robin Williams masterpiece, Mrs. Doubtfire, where they have the opportunity to showcase their talents as both comedians and dramatic actors. 

 

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles is not just a perfect Thanksgiving movie; it’s a fantastic film overall. It’s loaded with charm, clever visuals, and classic moments that have aged remarkably well. Put this movie on while you wait for the turkey to cook. It’ll make it taste all the better. 

 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

 

Retro Review - Highlander

 

Stream it on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, and Tubi. 

Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube. 

“In the end, there can be only one.” 

                                        -Sir Sean Connery 

As promised in my retro review for Finding Forrester, in honor of the late Sir Sean Connery, I shall now review another one of his many gems, Highlander. 

The Cannon Group was an independent film company which was responsible for a ton of crazy films that most of you likely enjoyed in your youth. Founded in 1967 by Dennis Friedland and Chris Dewey, they kicked off their early years by producing english dubs for soft-core Swedish porn. Later on, they would start producing their own content, maintaining an extreme low-budget policy for all of their movies, earning them a greater deal of prestige and financial success than most Hollywood studios at the time. 

Although, it wasn’t until Cannon’s acquisition by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus in 1979 that the film company really took off. Under their management, they produced some of the most memorable (if unintentionally goofy) and entertaining movies of the 1980s. Including Breaken’ 2: Electric Boogaloo, American Ninja, and the live-action feature-film adaptation of Masters of the Universe. Cannon would continue to produce low-budget schlocky movies until its untimely demise in 1994. 

Amongst all of the films in Cannon’s library, Highlander is arguably their best achievement. Even though it has some less-than-stellar makeup effects, occasional audio inserts that are painfully obvious, and one too many compromised shots with things such as lighting gear in the frame, none of that ever matters in the grand scheme. Because the movie itself is incredibly awesome! An epic tale of conquest, survival, honor, and love the likes of which you almost couldn’t find anywhere else. Plus, the film is aware of how cheesy it is, but rather than try and compensate for it, the movie embraces its cheesiness and has a blast. Its a delightful Red Sangria made with a fine Pinot Noir. 

Released in 1986, the story follows an antiques dealer named Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) operating in New York city. However, unbeknownst to nearly everyone in his life, Connor has a big secret; he’s immortal. Connor was born in Scotland in the year 1518. Upon reaching proper age, he died in battle against an invading force lead by a ruthless warlord known as The Kurgan (Clancy Brown), who is also an immortal. Death by an immortal grants your own immortality. After waking up from the dead, Connor is exiled from his village, and seeks a new life for himself. He finds it with his lover, Heather (Beatie Edney), and all seems stable. That is until the two of them are visited by a mysterious and flamboyant stranger calling himself Ramírez (Sir Sean Connery), who informs Connor of his immortality, and must now learn the ways of their culture and survival. 

Of the many fascinating aspects of this films creation, Sir Sean Connery’s performance is, by far, the most engaging. Due to the tight budget and shooting schedule, the filmmakers only had Mr. Connery available for one week. Like any of his other roles, Mr. Connery plays Ramírez with enthusiasm and conviction. Probably the most iconic part of Mr. Connery’s performance is his opening monologue at the beginning of the film. Apparently, he recorded it in his bathroom at his house, creating a beautiful and ominous echo effect. A fantastic example of how you can make something epic out of the ordinary. 

The sword fight scenes are appropriately entertaining. While they’re not as well choreographed as any of the lightsaber duals from Star Wars, nor as poorly improvised as the sword fights from Bloodrayne,  they are executed with enough commitment for proper entertainment value. Almost like watching kids play fighting; it’s too charming and silly not to enjoy. 

Director Russel Mulcahy, also known for Ricochet, the 1994 feature-film adaptation of  The Shadow, and a few episodes of the television series Teen Wolf, seems to specialize in silly over-the-top entertainment. Creatively, the man is unchained and clearly knows how to have fun with his material. While I would not claim the man is a genius, nor do I sing praises of all his movies, I believe he was the right man for Highlander. I can’t think of any other director at the time who could have treated this material with the amount of bombast it requires. 

Highlander is a rare masterpiece of cheesy schlock. It knows what it is and doesn’t try to be anything else. It’s loaded with heart, sweet goodness, and bad-ass moments. If you haven’t seen this gem yet, I encourage you to check it out as soon as you can. They don’t make them like this anymore. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Love and Monsters - Too much fun to miss

 

Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, Apple TV, and YouTube. 

Of all the ingredients necessary to make a movie, let alone a good one, there is one element that has the power to surpass all of them, and make a decent movie great: charm. A film can have less-than-stellar effects, occasionally sloppy writing, and a few actors who shouldn’t give up their day job. As long as there is a sense of effort and an air of enthusiasm. Todays subject, Love and Monsters, does not have any of the aforementioned negative qualities, and is loaded with tons of charm to boot. This is a must-watch for 2020. 

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where the Earth has been overrun by giant monsters wiping out 90% of the population, humanity has resorted to hiding in underground bunkers and colonies. One survivor is a young man named Joel (Dylan O’Brien), who has been living his life in slow motion for the past seven years. His two forms of solace are chronicling the various creatures they encounter, and occasionally talking to his girlfriend in another colony eighty miles away. One day, Joel decides that he’s done waiting, and is going to brave the surface world to reach his love. Despite not having proficient survival skills and a tendency to freeze-in-place when confronted with danger. Against the odds, Joel embarks on his quest, making some friends along the way, including a kick-ass dog named Boy (more on him in a minute), and maintaining a healthy dose of optimism. 

This movie is an absolute blast! The characters are likable in textured, the writing is witty and clever, the direction is on-point, and the overall message about survival and adapting to change is well delivered. 

The special-effects are what ultimately sell the story. While the majority of it was likely CGI, it was so seamless and well layered into the environment, they succeeded in making you believe the creatures were real. Not to mention the designs of the monsters, while probably not entirely unique, succeed in feeling alien yet familiar. They does more than just increase the size of an established Earthly creature; they have personality. 

The MVP award must go to the films best character, Boy; the dog. 

Not only is this dog incredibly adorable, he’s the most bad-ass character in the whole film. My only real nitpick is one little aspect the writers appear to have overlooked. Without spoiling too many details, Boy seems to have a subplot pertaining to an item he refuses to give up. It’s heavily implied that it has to do with his previous owner, and the story suggests that it’s building up to an arc for him. Sadly, it doesn’t go anywhere. Although it’s not a deal-breaker, I would have liked to have seen where it might have gone. 

I will spoil one aspect about Boy that I know some of you are wondering. He does not, I repeat, does NOT die.  

Love and Monsters is the kind of fun film that can only arise from optimism and joy. It is overflowing with tons of entertainment value that is too good to ignore. This movie is well worth the price of admission. Check it out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

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Retro Review - Finding Forrester

 

Rent it on Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube. 

On October 31st, 2020, renowned actor, Sir Sean Connery, best known as the first James Bond, passed away at the age of 90. Sir Sean Connery was a titan of stage and the silver screen. In addition to establishing the standard for portraying agent 007, Sir Connery created a plethora of memorable performances throughout his career until his well-earned retirement in 2003. Among his accomplishments are the role of Indiana Jones’s father in The Last Crusade, King Arthur in First Knight, and Ramírez in the cult-classic Highlander (which I will cover later on this month). 

In honor of Sir Sean Connery’s memory and legacy, I thought it would be a nice idea to take a look at one of his last films. I say “one of” because todays subject, Finding Forrester, is only his second-to-last film. However, considering the movie he did afterwards, it is preferable to behold Finding Forrester as is “actual” last film. I won’t go into details about that particular movie, suffice-it-to-say it is not worthy of Sir Sean Connery’s legendary status. 

But I digress. Let us now discuss a better memory of Sir Connery’s talents. 

Released in 2000, Finding Forrester is a story about creativity, talent, and friendship. Set in New York, the story follows a 16-year-old boy named Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown), who enjoys playing Basket Ball almost as much as he loves reading and writing. His incredible talent, accompanied by his impressive test scores, land him a special scholarship to a prodigious private school, where he may have a better opportunity to hone his craft as a writer. At around the same time, Jamal encounters a bitter old man, whom he later discovers is world-famous author William Forester (Sir Sean Connery). Mr. Forester has been living in solitude for over thirty years, and, despite his literary acclaim, has only published one book. Upon making this discovery, Jamal and William strike a deal: William will tutor Jamal in writing, and in return, Jamal will remain silent about their arrangement. From there, the two of them build a unique friendship that neither one of them could have ever expected. 

The main attraction to this film is the performances. As you would expect, Sir Sean Connery brings his stellar charisma to the role; carrying the emotional weight of his characters past on his shoulders. The film also boasts an overall impressive cast of talented actors: featuring Anna Paquin as Jamal’s love interest, F. Murray Abraham as a dubious professor, and Busta Rhymes as Jamel’s older brother. Even so, the most impressive and memorable performance comes from Rob Brown as Jamal Wallace. 

At the time, Rob Brown was a promising high-school athlete, who originally auditioned as an extra for the film, and only to pay off an outstanding cell phone bill. However, director Gus Van Sant was incredibly impressed with Rob Brown’s natural charisma, and decided to cast him in the lead role. Despite never having any kind of formal training in acting, Rob Brown delivered a stellar performance. And, in doing so, reenforced the notion that raw talent can come from anywhere. 

Finding Forrester is the kind of “feel good” movie that has genuine heart. It has a level of grit and conviction to it not often found in cinema today. It is the perfect kind of farewell film worthy of the late Sir Sean Connery. Check this one out if you haven’t already. 

Rest in peace, Sir Sean Connery. You will be missed. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.