Boondock Saints "Overrated"? I Don't Think So.

Have you ever overheard someone's conversation and heard something you definitely didn't want to hear? This was something that happened to me just the other day.  I was sitting in the Ground Floor of the library at the school which I attend, Hofstra University, and I heard these two kids talking about films.  Considering it's a place where silence is a rule that should be followed during one's stay there, this conversation was all everyone who didn't have headphones in their ears heard.  Boondock Saints came up, and my head perked up from my laptop, right away.  For you see, this cult classic is my favorite movie of all time.  But then one of the boys talking said three words in the same sentence as this movie title that I completely disagree with one hundred percent.  What he said was: "Boondock Saints is so overrated."  It took all the strength and willpower I had in me to get up, walk over to the opposite side of the room, and prove that kid wrong.  So, I'll just be putting my two cents in on here, proving why it's not overrated, and is one of the best films..ever.

First of all, the way that Boondock Saints was not thought to become a big deal like it eventually did.  When it was released almost thirteen years ago in 1999, it was only released in a few movie theaters for a rather short period of time.  And some of them were even paid to be released in them by Troy Duffy, the director himself.  Because it wasn't out for that long, not a lot of people got the opportunity to actually go out and watch it, and the reviews it was given..weren't that supportive.  Duffy wrote the script (this very script being the first one he has ever written), and directed it himself.  It didn't get much buzz when it was released in theaters, so it didn't really blow up until it started going on video sales.  It grossed about fifty million dollars that way, and  Boondock Saints developed a huge cult following.  This movie developed such an awesome fan base, and the cast and crew were really taken back, for this was something that definitely wasn't expected.  Duffy made a hell of a screenplay, and it was thrown around from company to company, and it luckily picked up.  He's definitely one of those people that have that rags-to-riches kind of stories, and I think that's really inspiring.

Second, the story that it has is great. It's nothing something that you see a lot. For those of you who haven't seen the movie, it's about two fraternal twin brothers, known as the Saints later on, Connor and Murphy MacManus who live in Boston, and in their own words, the two "destroy what is evil, so what's good may flourish".  They kill members of the Mafia and others that do evil acts upon others, due to a message that they got from the big man upstairs: God. The two brothers Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus) get help from their friend Rocco, who works for the Italian Mob of Boston to get the names and locations of those they need to do away with.  There are plenty of twists and turns all throughout, and it's also known to have some comedic aspects to it, too.  The characters are all very unique, and all have a very funny side to them, which is yet another reason why this movie is so great.

As I said before, this movie has some lovable characters in it.  All are great actors and make their characters very realistic, and likable.  The brothers, their friend Rocco, and even three stooges Detectives, Dolly, Duffy, and Greenly (who develop a more important and funny role in the second film, which in my opinion is just as good) are all such great characters, the brothers being my favorite obviously.  Although the cops are out to get them, they too, make themselves hard to hate, because they're so funny.  Il Duce is someone who is seen as this horrifying and evil guy, but in reality, he's their father, and he goes from being this scary guy to a father protecting his boys, and supporting them in their fight to rid the world of the bad.  One of my favorite characters in..anything, is FBI Agent Paul Smecker (played by Willem DeFoe).  He's so clever, so smart, and very good at what he does.  Something great about this movie, is that you see that Smecker kind of suffers, as the film goes on, because he's supposed to stop what the brothers are doing..to catch them, and arrest them.  But he begins to believe that what they are doing is right. They're destroying all that's bad in their community with one kill at a time, and he has a battle with himself about it.  I love the different plots throughout this movie, and how everyone comes together in the end.  What the cast and Duffy do with these characters is something really special, and not something you see all that often.

Now, Boondock Saints isn't a movie I see as overrated according to that kid in the Ground Floor of the Library.  I see it as a cult classic, that should be seen by everyone.  No matter how many times I watch this movie (and even the second one that stays so true to the first), I find something new and great about it.  I can't do that with a lot of films.  I think it's great that everyone can do it with this one.  This film has always been really special to me, and I can quote it like it's my job.  I know every line, and I know the prayer (considering I'm a MacManus..no seriously that's my last name.  The first A was taken out of our name when our ancestors came to the US from Ireland.  Awesome, right?).  I always say that no one can do the prayer but me, because I "share that bond with the MacManus clan", according to my friends that dig the movie like I do.  Also, I don't consider it overrated, simply because it's a movie that no one can ever really get tired of watching.  It's got everything from guns, to comedy, to drama, to Willem Defoe dressing in drag! I mean, where else are you going to see that man dress in Drag!? It's my favorite movies, and it's a classic.  And this screenplay and this whole film was created by a man who made his living as a bartender.  He has never even written anything like this..ever.  His first time writing a script, and it turns into one of the greatest cult classics, ever.  If you haven't seen this movie, then you must! If you have...then you must know what I'm talking about.  So, seriously? Overrated? I don't think so.  If you're still thinking that, why don't you make like a tree..(and if you've seen the film, you'll definitely know the rest).  I mean, you're entitled to your opinion. I'm just putting in my two cents, and showing you why saying that it's overrated would be wrong.

Sunday, Bloody Sunday: Why I Watched The Walking Dead Instead of The Oscars.

Unlike millions of people last night, I spent my Sunday night watching zombies roam the Earth on AMC's The Walking Dead instead of watching Hollywood's elite give each other golden statues at the Oscars.  I did watch the Red Carpet part on E! News to see the fashion, and who was wearing what.  But I clicked the 4 followed by the 3 on my channel changer the very moment the eight turned into a nine on the clock in my cell phone.  Why? Because The Walking Dead is one of the greatest shows that has ever hit television.  And after watching last week's episode, I knew for a fact that I couldn't miss this one, on the night that it happens.  And I am so glad that I didn't.  This episode was seriously one for the books, and definitely one of the best episodes that there ever was in the whole series. 

It threw me through so many loops, and I was honestly on the edge of my seat the entire time.  I had no idea what was going to happen, and the whole conflict between Rick and Shane is so complex, and so scary.  This new world that they live in has completely warped their lives, and the friendship that they had before.  The brawl that begins between the two is one to remember, and gets very intense very fast.  Walkers are thrown into the mix, and both of them get very close to not making it out alive. And this episode was quite zombie infested: just the way I like it! I love the action. I love the zombie killing! Rick most definitely has one of the greatest kills in Walking Dead history after putting the barrel of his gun into the mouth of a walker he previously killed, to put a bullet into the head of another.  The amount of zombies thrown into this episode definitely makes up for the lack of them throughout some episodes in the series.

Another crazy event from last night's episode, Andrea did something that I seriously didn't expect, as well.  She certainly got some respect points from me, and I'm pretty sure from everyone else, too.  Andrea ripped Lori apart, and most definitely did put her in her place.  It is a common fact that absolutely no one likes Lori Grimes, wife of the big bad sheriff himself.  The fact that Andrea stood up to her, and questioned her role in the group of survivors is something very significant.  Their conflict is very similar to the conflict of the male main characters of the show.  Lori is basically a female Rick (only people actually LIKE Rick), and Andrea is a female Shane (well, not a lot of people like either one as much as they used to).  The fight between Rick & Shane, I'm team Rick. The fight between Lori and Andrea, I'm team Andrea! This episode totally changed my views on these four characters.  Lori shows that she's taken a trip back to a time when women didn't have the right to do anything but clean and cook for the men coming home to them, which results in me losing any bit of respect that I had for her.  Andrea at least branched out from the other women's lifestyle, and is independent, strong, and great with a gun.  I just can't believe Lori had the will power to tell Andrea that she would rather her do laundry and clean, then protect the group from walkers.  It's unbelievable, really.  I didn't even get to everything that happened last night on the show..and a whole lot did happen!

As you can see, I regret absolutely nothing about missing the Oscars for this awesome episode of The Walking Dead.  I'm praying long and hard for this week to go by fast, so that Sunday comes and I can get my daily dose of Daryl Dixon & some good ol' fashion zombie killing.  If you haven't started watching this show, or started reading the comics..definitely get on that. You won't regret it.

Taking Back Sunday's Self Titled Album, Taking Me Back To The Early 2000's One Track At A Time.

Taking Back Sunday is a band that I can consider one of my favorites since I was about twelve years old.  The fact that their newest album is the first album to come out with their original line-up from their first album, made me extremely excited.  The reason why I say the line-up from their debut album is because even before their album came out, the five people in the band were not the original five.  There have been eleven different people in this band from the early 2000's to now.  The only consecutive members are Eddie Reyes (rhythmic guitar), Adam Lazzara (lead singer), and Mark O'Connell (drummer).  However, Shaun Cooper (bassist) and lead guitarist and co-vocalist John Nolan came back and were back in action. 

When I first listened to their self-titled album, I was disappointed. I guess it was because I went into the listening of this album, thinking that I would be very similar to their first album, Tell All Your Friends.  But it was very different.  I wasn't very happy with it, at first.  But as time went on, I would listen to it in small doses, and it eventually did grow on me.  I listened to each song, and they all did have something special about them. Something I loved. Let me just take the time out to go over each song, just so you can see where my head is at in terms of what I feel about this album.

1.  El Paso: The first song on their album, and definitely my favorite.  This is what first hits my ears when I press that little play button.  And the moment I heard the three drum hits in the beginning along with the guitar riffs, I was listening, and I liked what I was hearing.  And when the chorus hit, I was so excited.  I felt an old school TBS vibe from the anger seeping from the track.  I absolutely loved it, and the song got even better after that.  Everything from the harmonizing vocals, to the screams, to the heavy guitar..it was all screaming (not literally, of course) "we're back, and we're better than ever."  The drum part on this track is most definitely my favorite on the whole album. It was a great song to start out with.
2. Faith (When I Let You Down): Now I knew that this song would definitely be the "hit song" on the record.  It would be the one I would hear on the radio for some time, and I knew this the moment the vocals came in.  It just has that kind of ring to it.  And I really did like it.  Lead singer Adam Lazzara's voice goes so beautifully with the screams of John Nolan, one of the two guitarists and vocalists of this awesome band, during the chorus.  The lyrics are so great in this song, and when you hear John screaming Please while Adam sings it out, I get chills no matter how many times I hear it.  However, it didn't give me that feeling of Old School Taking Back Sunday coming out to play for all of their fans.
3. Best Places To Be A Mom: This is definitely one of my favorite songs on the album.  I feel like it really shows off the talent that the band has in writing lyrics for their music.  Also, it definitely gives me that vibe of Old Taking Back Sunday, because to me, there's nothing really quite like it.  And the fact that John Nolan and Adam Lazzara are back together and writing songs together makes me so happy.  They're making me remember what I loved about them in the first place.  And in terms of the musical aspect of this song, I really love the guitar part in this, and I absolutely love their harmonies.  The two voices go together so well, and it makes me so happy that they're back together.  
4.  Sad Savior: The beginning of this song reminds me of an old fifties tune.  It has a new flare to it, though.  And much like Best Places, the lyrics are great! I really dig the sound of this song, and I think that it's definitely something out of their comfort zone.  I like that the pace of the song changes, and I really dig the gradual change from something quite soft, to something powerful and in your face.   That's the band that I knew and loved when I was just a wee teenager, and I really enjoy the fact that really shined through in this song.
5. Who Are You Anyway?: I thought this song started out at a pretty great tempo, not something that I'm used to hearing from Taking Back Sunday. It was very upbeat, but moderately slow..but then it picks up, and turns into something sounds very familiar.  It goes back and forth like that throughout the whole song, but I don't mind it one bit.  I think they went down a very creative path with this song, and I think that it has a kind of pop-y aspect to it, but not enough to make their fans question the path that they're going down. This track is one of those that's kind of in the middle between something heavy like El Paso, and one of the lighter tracks like Since You're Gone. But I did like it. It wasn't my favorite, but I like it.
6. Money (Let It Go): I really dig this track, for so many reasons. I absolutely love the raw vocals throughout the whole thing.  And I obviously love the fact that I can most certainly feel the old Taking Back Sunday vibes just seeping out of this track.  And I was completely sucked in by the awesome bass line intro.  It's not something that they lead in with all that often (that thing being a bass line), and I think that it was an awesome start to a great song! I loved the power within every instrument: voice, guitar, bass, drums.  And much like the last song, I like the different flavor that they gave their fans with this song..a different side of them.  And I like that they showed us that without losing touch with their roots. 
7. This is Now: I love the constant back and forth vocal action between John Nolan and Adam Lazarra on this track.  Although, I do feel like this song is a bit repetitive, I really like the sound of it.  I think that Adam sounds great on it, and I really do love the part of the song when it's just him.  It's barely a whisper, and then it goes right back into sounding loud, and powerful, and basically saying 'LISTEN!' And I really think this is the only track that I feel Adam sounds exactly like he did about a decade ago. It's incredible how ageless his voice is, and I feel like this track definitely shows it.  Other than the vocals, I love the change of dynamic in this song. I love how quiet it can possibly get, and how loud and in your face it gets within the next minute.  It's really something special.
8. It Doesn't Feel A Thing Like Falling: The drumming in this song is definitely one of my favorites next to El Paso.  I think that the context of the song, and what the song is actually what gives me the vibes of them getting in touch with their old roots.  I love the part about two and a half minutes into the song, with the repeating of 'like falling', and I love the way John and Adam's voices mesh once again.  I mean, I don't really like that there is some synth. in this song, but I really do love the heavy guitar and how it kind of over powers it.  
9. Since You're Gone: This may be a bold statement to some, but this may be one of my favorite songs by them, ever.  I just love what the song is about, and I love Adam's voice so much in it.  I love the lyrics, and I think that it shows the romantic side of Adam that I absolutely love.  It's about how he's taking his love for granted, and now that she's gone he realizes what he's missing and how much he really wants it back, and how sorry he is.  Much like the way he says 'please' in Faith, he screams and pleads for the girl to 'come back'.  When he screams slash sings those two little words, it honestly pulls at my heart strings.  It was so beautiful, and I really feel for him, which is really what he wants for his fans to feel about their music.
10. You Got Me: This song starts out with a catchy guitar riff, and as I continued listening to the song, I realized that it had a very emotional message and meaning to it.  I loved what the song was about, and I loved the sounds.  However, as much as I do love the sound..I do feel like it's a bit repetitive.  It sounds exactly the same throughout the whole thing, and it stays at the same dynamic the whole time.  I would have wished that it didn't stay at a consecutive seven or eight. I really wish that they pumped it up a bit.  It is a good song, though! Not my favorite on the album, but I do dig the sound of it.
11. Call Me In The Morning: The conclusion. The last song.  And I must say (no pun intended); it made the album end on a good note.  This wasn't something I was expecting at all. I definitely wasn't seeing the album end with something THIS mellow.  I honestly do love this song, though.  I love how it gradually gets more powerful and more loud as it goes on.  I love that it ends on such a sweet note.  Call me in the morning, call me when you're home, I know what you've been through, don't let go. It ends with the phrase don't let go.  I am totally aware that they definitely didn't make a song as pretty and romantic as this about their fans.  But, what I got from that part of the song is that Taking Back Sunday (all five lovely members of it) don't want us to stop loving them.  We're all getting older, and they don't want us to let go. And I don't think I ever will.

Throughout this whole album, I feel like the vocals on Lazzara's part sounds like he's pleading, begging his fans to listen to their voice, to listen to what he actually has to say.  This album is their first album with the original line-up since their first album that came out a bit over ten years ago.  I think that this album is definitely something that says that they're growing as a band.  They're here to stay, and I'm really happy about that.  They have been my favorite band since I was in seventh grade, and I regret nothing about that.  They've greatly impacted my life, and I honestly can't wait for the day that I can hear these songs for myself live.


I actually saw Taking Back Sunday when they performed at my school for our Fall Festival.   They performed two of the songs off their newest album, and they were You Got Me and Faith. I will not lie, and I'll say that when I heard Faith for the first time LIVE, I cried a little.  Because watching them play it, and watching Adam and John sing it..it really did look like they were begging. Begging for their fans to not lose their faith in them.  I know I won't. 


This album made me feel young again (not to sound cheesy or anything like that), and I really took a turn down Memory Lane while listening to it. It was truly a great album, and on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd probably rate it an 8.5 or a 9.  Taking Back Sunday is here to stay, and this album totally proves it.

Whitney Houston: A Fallen Diva.

I may be a bit late on posting this, but a music icon left us just the night before the Grammy's: Whitney Houston.  She was only forty eight years of age.  She was found in her bath tub the night of Clive Davis' birthday bash, and the night before the Grammy's.  The party for the Godfather of Whitney's only child himself was still going on while people were investigating the death of this lovely icon within the same hotel. 

Being a person who loves music and singing more than just about anything, she was one of my idols.  I grew up listening to her hits like I Will Always Love You, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Miracle, The Greatest Love Of All, and so much more. 

She is someone who has battled so many different obstacles and has overcome so many different fears and other conflicts throughout her life.  She left behind a daughter Bobbi-Kristina and a legacy that will surely live on forever.

This woman was once filled with life, and had one of the most beautiful voices ever known to man.  Her awesome talent is shown through this music video, right here.  It's definitely up there as one of my favorite songs.  Don't ask me why, I guess it's because it's one of the very few songs that will make me get up and dance.  Her voice is so beautiful, and admired by so many, and if you listen to her other songs, you'll definitely see why.  She's a woman who has contributed so much to the music community, and will be missed.  Rest In Peace, Whitney. We will always love you.

The Vow: A Film I Vow to Never Be Fully Satisfied With.

The Vow is one of those typical romantic movies that boys reluctantly took their girlfriends too go see as an obligation: that obligation being that it was Valentine's Day.  I went and saw this film the day after what some people would call THE worst holiday of the year with two of my friends. Now, I know that the movie is actually based on true events.  I loved the story, but I just absolutely loathed the ending.  There was really no resolve.  I'm not going to ruin it for anyone, but my friends and I were disappointed enough that we won't watch it again.  A: It ended too abruptly, and B: it was just too bittersweet.  I really didn't know what to feel except just down right angry.

The story is about a guy and a girl who find each other and fall in love.  The two are absolutely head over heels in love with each other, and they even get married.  However, tragedy unfolds, and everything changes within one night.  A truck hits the back of the car while the two are in it, and Claire (Rachel McAdams) wasn't wearing a seat belt, and suffered greatly from the accident.  She lost her memory, and loses all memory that she has with her dear husband Leo (Channing Tatum), and the wonderful life she had with him.  The story unfolds, and it's about her finding out why she leaves the other life she remembers, for the life that she forgot about and really wants to have back.

There were plenty of things that I really did like about the movie, though. Like Channing Tatum.  I really didn't like him all that much, until I saw this movie.  He's pretty much the whole package.  He's extremely handsome, very funny, musically inclined, and just so sweet. And I loved Rachel McAdams, too. But I have always loved her, and everything that she's done.  The chemistry between the two is really great, and I thought their relationship was so cute.  It was really the ending that made me so mad about the movie, though.  The casting was great, and the story was great...it was all about the ending.  The ending really did throw me off, and I just feel like they could of ended with something more than what it actually ended with.

Safe House: Not So Safe.

Ryan Reynolds & Denzel Washington in
Safe House (Picture by Google)

Friday Night, I went with the very same group of friends I saw The Grey with to see Safe House with my expectations being extremely high.  But sadly, I wasn't all that impressed.  Denzel Washington (as always) delivered his audience with an awesome performance, but he was really the best part about this whole film.  Ryan Reynolds, and other members of the cast were good too, but they were really over shadowed by the greatness that is Mr. Denzel Washington.  It just wasn't properly cast, I believe.  The actors are all talented, but some of them were out of his league, I think.  Washington gave one of those awesome performances when one would play a bad man, and yet you're rooting for him the whole time.  The movie did have a very interesting story line, but it didn't really deliver the performance that I was expecting from it, at all.

Here's a summary about the movie: Denzel Washington plays a man named Tobem Frost, a man convicted of treason and betraying his country.  He's taken to this Safe House where Ryan Reynold's character Matt Weston, where a breach of the security system happens. The two men escape, and they flea from the scene.  The CIA, who Weston works for believe that his intentions aren't as pure.  There was a whole lot of action, and there were some very cool fight scenes.  Washington and Reynolds both go toe to toe with some villains throughout the  there are a bunch of twists and turns in this story, but what made me upset was that they were very noticeable.  I saw some of the things that occurred in the movie from about a mile away, and was able to predict the outcome about fifteen minutes before the scene actually happened.  It was one of those movies.  But it was also one of those movies that made you question the motives of our government, and what our government could possibly be capable of.  The movie was still good, but I don't see what the huge build-up was about! This movie got so much buzz from everywhere. The trailers would play about every commercial period, and I thought it was going to be this incredible movie. It felt very..Man On Fire, based on the trailer, and I didn't get that when I saw the movie.  I'll say that it was good, though. I just went it with expectations that were very..very high.

The Grey? More like The Great.

The survivors (Picture founded on Google).

On a cold Monday night, I went with about four of my friends to see the film The Grey.  Now I only know that it's February, but I can say with the utmost confidence that The Grey is definitely one of the best films that will ever come out this year.  This movie is definitely not what I was expecting it to be, at all.  It has all the elements that are needed to make one really awesome movie.  It has action, drama, humor, great characters, and a whole lot of suspense.  There wasn't a single moment throughout this movie that I wasn't on the edge of my seat.  There were plenty of twists & turns and action packed scenes, throughout this whole movie.   There was no way that I was able to sit all the way back in my chair.  The story line is incredible for this movie, as well.

Liam Neeson, the main character (Picture founded on Google).

The Grey is based off a short story written years ago, called Ghost Walker.  Liam Neeson plays John Ottway, a man of mystery who is on a plane in Alaska with a oil drilling team that crashes due to the wrath and fury of Mother Nature.  The seven men that survive the plane crash are left in the wilderness to survive and fight not only Mother Nature, but the wolves that surround them that are protecting it, and themselves from what they think are intruders.  The viewers watch the madness unfold as their journey to survival continues on.  The story gives a very realistic view as to what would happen in situations like the one that the seven men face, which in my opinion makes it even more scary and suspenseful.   This movie is definitely a 'must-see' for all.  You'd be missing out on something really great.