Machete Film Review from Back-in-the-Day

 A Reprint From a More Innocent Time

A 13-year-old post from the days when I reviewed films I'd never seen.

 

A breathtaking film, Machete is director Robert Rodriguez homage to beloved children’s tale Charlotte’s Web. Set in the southwest, the film employs the subtle storytelling and layered characterizations that have built Rodriguez’s reputation as the David Lean of Texas. Teen heartthrob Danny Trejo portrays Machete, a blade-packing, Wilbur-like character. Forced to move about like a runt pig in order to remain alive, Machete lives on the allegorical chopping block. In a deft choice, Rodriguez crafts a web of racism and corruption that only Machete can slice. Rotten Senator McLaughlin (Robert DeNiro) is the anti-Charlotte. He is assisted by Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey), a hate-filled businessman who kills illegal immigrants and grinds their bones into bone powder. But Machete has his own Templeton the Rat—Shé (Rebecca Rodriguez). Shé is a taco-truck driving revolutionary who hopes to reclaim Texas for Mexico. Once back in the right hands, Texas will be transformed into a paradise, modeled after the Swiss-like order and civic honesty of Tijuana. Rich with themes of loyalty and undying friendship, Machete, not surprisingly, includes a scene at the Texas State Fair. There, Machete wins a blue ribbon for throwing knives at a spinning target on which is tied a pretty girl in tights (Lindsay Lohan). I believe E.B. White would heartily approve.

Reposted: Sept. 09, 2010

Animaniacs Celebrates 30th Anniversary

 Yes, I recall it well. The 10th or 13th of September, 1993. A big party on the Warner Bros. lot. Free food.

In honor of the event, here's a festive tune from the olden days.

rainbowzzzzzzzz

Hallow Mass Update

COMING THIS SPRING!

Igy Hotarubi Pinterest

Following an inquiry or two, I've committed to writing and publishing Volume II of my Lovecraftian horror trilogy: "The War on Death" Hallow Mass by spring 2024. 😬🙏 As illustrated by handy emojiis, fear and hope collide in my aging head. What if I botch the attempt? One promising backstop is to insert a financial penalty for NOT finishing, such as taking out advertising in advance of publication. Yeah. I like it. Now to work.

I'm also writing a horror/suspense novella which should publish in ebook form by Christmas. On top of that, I'm collating my notes from Ireland and hope to put out a short non-fiction book on my pilgrimage by next March. 

So many projects. I'm bound to complete one.

Available in durable ebook and softcover

AI Celebrates Based Book Sale

AI weighs in with a song of praise for Hans G. Schanz Based Book Sale. All kinds of libertarian and conservative fiction and a bit of non-fiction await you in ebook form. All .99 or free! Sale ends Tuesday.

beatbot.fm

 

9/11 Recalled: 2023

K called from Florida, "Planes crashed into the World Trade Center and one of the towers just fell." Unemployed in Los Angeles and half asleep at 7:30 AM, I shuffled downstairs to the TV, past Joy as she prepared for work. At first, all I saw was a dirty cloud obscuring southern Manhattan. Then a stunned announcer said the second tower had just collapsed. Joy joined me, work forgotten as we learned of the attack.

Other friends phoned throughout the day. Paul Rugg speculated about the pilots of the doomed aircraft, certain they weren't Americans forced to crash. TJ, a Vietnam vet, was incensed at the footage of jubilant Palestinians with their candy and AK-47s. He wished he could gift them with a nice buttering of napalm. In a grim mood, I agreed.

Watching TV and power-chewing Nicorette, I mostly felt numb — except when the subject was jumpers. Then I felt horror. Go to work, sip coffee, joke with your pals, then decide whether you'll suffocate, burn alive, or leap a quarter mile to certain death. Questions of etiquette arise: jump solo or hold hands with a co-worker? Perhaps several of you link arms and form a chain, finding courage in numbers. Or do you clutch a table cloth and step into the air, desperately hoping it slows your fall?



The journey takes ten seconds.


Air velocity rips away your shoes.


You explode on impact.


I will always be haunted by the jumpers of 9/11.


Oceans of paper were blasted from the towers, filling the New York sky like the Devil's ticker tape. Invoices and wedding invitations floated down to gray sidewalks.

My friend Cathy, who worked in D.C., reported chaos as the government sent everyone home at once following the Pentagon attack. One jammed intersection turned scary as a man leaped out of an SUV brandishing a pistol and attempting to direct traffic.

Being murdered is not a heroic act, though it can be. Flight 93 passengers fought back and died, saving many more in their sacrifice. North Tower Port Authority employees rescued over 70 people before perishing.


There were many heroes that day.

My sister Mary Pat and I had dinner at a coffee shop. She was passing through town, leaving a job in Mountain View, CA to return to Phoenix. Depressed by the day's events, our meal was not jolly.

Later, Joy tried to give blood, but the hospital was overwhelmed with donations and refused.

Vulnerability, grief, dismay, anger.

Such a beautiful morning with a sky so blue.

(Photos from: Little Green Footballs.)

Repost: Sept. 11, 2008

Update: Strange to reread this. TJ died in 2009 and K passed away just over a year ago. My wife, Joy, and I are doing well, as is Paul Rugg who now rides the train. 

Repost: Sept. 11, 2013

Update: I had cancer surgery last year, but recovered. My wife is doing well and my sister battles her own health woes. I have not heard from my friend Cathy in a few years.  Paul Rugg continues riding the train in addition to being a voice over machine.

Repost: Sept. 11, 2015

Update: Paul Rugg's daughter was not quite two years old on 9/11/01. Now she is a freshmen in college. I have retired from TV animation writing, though, as stated elsewhere, I find retirement to be indistinguishable from unemployment. (Save for a small annuity.) And very soon, I shall ride the train to see my sister. (Explanatory post t/k.)

Repost: Sept. 11, 2017

Update: Ten years have passed since I composed this post, 17 years since the incident. Alas, the greatest hit to our nation continues to be a colossal security apparatus that can't seem to function without monitoring everyone's communications, then lying about it. I'd rather not comment on airport theater. Still, my wife remains gainfully employed and I'm racing to complete a dystopian thriller by Christmas. Amidst the great events, the little things carry us forward.

Repost: Sept. 11, 2018

Update: About to publish a softcover version of my prostate book. Meanwhile the Afghanistan Forever War continues. I refuse to believe that for almost 20 years, there's been no better way of fighting the Taliban than sending billions to Pakistan to provide hiding places for them while they infiltrate Afghan government forces and assassinate our advisors. The Byzantine Empire lasted over a thousand years battling multiple enemies on different fronts, employing a combination of diplomacy military prowess, and strategic alliances. With the entrenched, consequence-proof dimwits we have infesting Washington D.C., we'll probably end up surrendering to the Taliban.

Repost: Sept. 11, 2019

Update: How odd to stand on the threshold of twenty years. Given the riots and chaos of the pandemic, the blithering repose of local government re. small-business-killing lockdowns, the event is passing with barely a mention. If I hadn't spotted a NatGeo special on the Twin Towers, I might've forgotten myself. Interesting health issue, with cataract surgery, an upcoming new crown—for a tooth—and the results of a biopsy for skin cancer. Paul Rugg works on a Henson TV show, and his daughter nears the end of her undergrad studies. My sister continues on with NPR in the unburned portion of the Pacific Northwest. I will publish a book of my short stories by Christmas. Joy's work will soon restore her full pay, slashed during the lockdowns. Since South Dakota never locked down at all, shouldn't their population be deader than the Sioux at Wounded Knee? Not all experts are experts.  

Repost: Sept. 11, 2020

Update: 

What I wrote sarcastically in 2019 came true. A devastating mortifying defeat. 

Repost: Sept. 11, 2021

Update: Paul Rugg's daughter was recently married. Paul and his wife are moving to Virginia to be somewhat near her. I've just finished a book on my thirteen-year journey to run a marathon and am preparing for a trip to Tennessee. Perhaps I'll also depart from the once Golden State, a large garbage can with palm trees.

Repost: Sept. 11, 2022

Update: When I hear politicians say we'll stay in Ukraine "as long as it takes," I wonder if it'll be 20 years and end in a disorganized rout that makes the withdrawal from Vietnam seem dignified. Paul lives in Virginia when he's not traveling to various comic-cons and hobnobbing with fans from his distinguished animation career. Joy and I just returned from Ireland with fond memories and COVID. I'm working on a book about our pilgrimage.  

Repost: Sept. 11, 2023

 

Big Based Book Sale

 

Click Aether Czar for books!

Heed Aether Czar:

Bypass the cultural gatekeeping, support non-woke authors, and get yourself some great books from both established and emerging talent for only $0.99 – many titles free!

The sale starts Thursday, September 7, 2023, 12:00 AM PDT and runs through Tuesday, September 12 to celebrate BasedCon a gathering for authors and fans of science fiction and fantasy who are tired of woke propaganda.

UPDATE: BasedCon sale working just fine. My $.99 ebook Jury Doody sits at #2 on Amazon.

Yes, I'm Stll Running v.2

 Not lately, however. Between illness and vacation, I've fallen out of my exercise routine. But nothing fires up the running engines than a goal. And so I signed up for the Rose Bowl Half-Marathon in January and am considering the LA Marathon in March. 

But first, I need to blow off the dust and cover a few miles. 

RunningGearLab

Neo-Paganism in The Black Demon

Cinematic Spoilers Ahead!

 Wow, it's been awhile. I've been vacationing in Ireland and laid up with COVID for two weeks. But here I return with my dear friend, Chat GPT v.3.5 I've asked Chat to examine the giant shark film The Black Demon and  "Expand on neo-pagan undertones, particularly the protagonist's family gathering in a circle to pray to the Azetec weather god.

Chat felt that:

Certainly, the inclusion of a family gathering to pray to the Aztec weather god in "The Black Demon" adds a significant layer of neo-pagan undertones to the film's narrative. This scene not only serves as a symbolic moment within the story but also highlights the connection between characters, their ancestral beliefs, and the primal forces of nature. Here's an expanded exploration of this aspect: 

 **Cultural and Ancestral Connection:** The family's gathering to pray to the Aztec weather god reflects a connection to ancient cultural and ancestral beliefs. By incorporating neo-pagan elements, the film emphasizes the characters' ties to their heritage and the importance of preserving and honoring these traditions. 

 **Reverence for Nature:** Neo-pagan beliefs often center around a deep reverence for nature and its elements. The act of praying to a weather god underscores the characters' acknowledgment of nature's power and their desire to seek its favor. This not only adds depth to their spiritual practices but also highlights the primal relationship humans have with the natural world. 

 **Harmony and Balance:** Neo-paganism often emphasizes the idea of balance and harmony between humans and nature. The act of gathering as a family to collectively offer prayers aligns with this concept, illustrating a desire for a harmonious coexistence with the natural world and its forces. 

 **Connection to Inner Selves: ** Neo-pagan beliefs frequently encourage individuals to connect with their inner selves and embrace their true natures. The family's prayer ritual could be interpreted as a moment of introspection, where characters align themselves with the rhythms of nature and confront their inner desires, fears, and hopes. 

**Transcendence of Time:** Neo-paganism often challenges linear perceptions of time and instead views existence as cyclical. The use of ancient rituals and gods in the film can symbolize the cyclical nature of human experience, suggesting that the struggles and beliefs of the past continue to shape the present. 

 **Conflict with Modernity:** The inclusion of neo-pagan undertones can also serve as a commentary on the clash between modernity and traditional belief systems. In a world dominated by technology and secularism, the family's practice of ancient rituals highlights the tension between preserving cultural heritage and adapting to contemporary norms. 

 Incorporating the family's prayer to the Aztec weather god not only deepens the film's exploration of neo-pagan undertones but also enriches its themes of connection, spirituality, and humanity's relationship with the natural world. This scene becomes a focal point where the characters' actions reflect a broader exploration of ancient belief systems, primal instincts, and the enduring significance of tradition in a rapidly changing world.

A sequel is rumored in the works. This time, when the Aztec weather god sends another big shark, the family fights back by cutting out the hearts of their neighbors on an obsidian altar in order to appease the surly deity.

Gays, Nazis and Chat GPT

 What a heady combination. I simply had to experiment. Here's what Chat GPT did with my request for an inspirational YouTube script about gay Nazi Ernest Rohem.

John P. McCann Channel

Dystopian Capitol of the Pacific Northwest

It's a toss-up, but Portland brings home the win with Seattle a close-second.  

John P. McCann Channel

Yes, I Still Run

 Hard to believe. This YouTube business, plus my latest book, are chewing up all my time. I'm attempting to branch out into different markets for my books as well as crank out audiobooks.

Meanwhile I'm still running. Not much, usually three days a week. I fell on a run back in April and broke my left hand. (My first broken bone since 2017.) It's healing slowly. We have a big vacation planned for this summer. Afterwards, I should have just enough time to train for a late-November, early December marathon. I'm thinking something local, perhaps the Santa Clarita race. I won't be setting any new prs, but I'll be content with another medal.

letsdothis.com

 

Happy July 4th!!