Rock 'n' Roll Reviewed

 Long before Covid-19, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome panicked many souls from 2002-2004. 

On July 30, 2003, 490,000 fans gathered in Toronto for 12 hours to watch 14 bands, headlined by the Rolling Stones to show the world the SARS disease was not as dangerous as advertised. 

Peace, love, food, water and toilets was all there for the nearly half a million music drenched fans from start to finish. The Toronto police said they made fewer arrest at 2003s "Toronto Rocks" then the usual downtown Saturday night festivities. 

Rush did a fantastic instrumental of the Rolling Stones, "Paint it Black," and Justin Timberlake co-sang with Mick Jagger on "Miss You."

Rush saned keyboards for all four songs they performed, and the trio definitely held their own with the mighty Rolling Stones.

The Rolling Stones teamed with ACDC, and nailed B.B. King's 1964 blues tune, "Rock Me Baby."  

The Rolling Stones doing their six songs along with the tunes by Rush was more than enough to make "Toronto Rocks" worth watching and owning.  ACDC was disappointing to me only because of their song selections, "Back in Black" and "Thunderstruck." 

"Rock Me Baby" and Rush's "Freewill" blasting on a quality sound system seize my senses with every view. "Toronto Rocks," a solid three and a half stars. 

Mark Izzy Schurr 

 

Modern Moron Political Book Review

 An election for president was held on Nov. 3, 2020, Joe Biden won, Donald Trump did not, that is the truth, and any claim to the contrary is untrue, Republican, lawyer and political commentator, Chris Christie said.

Trump's speech about election fraud was untrue and rambling. As a lawyer, you cannot bring an indictment before you present the evidence, and that's exactly what Trump did when he said he won the election, Christie said.

I'm still no fan of Christie, but to my pleasant surprise, he's not an idiot. 

"Republican Rescue" is among my top four political books, an easy four-star rating for sagaciously expressing opposing points of views and opinions without pissing me off. 

Chapter 13, "Q AMOK" was my favorite part of "Republican Rescue." Christie said we need to renounce conspiracy theorist and truth deniers, the ones who know better and are just plain nuts. We need to discredit the extremist, Christie said.

QAnon theories are baseless, fact less, absurd and dangerous, Christie said. Too many politicians don't want to upset the truth deniers, QAnoners, The White Supremist and the wild extremist. (Christie)   

In 1983, then Michigan Senator, Daniel Patrick said everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but not their own facts, and Christie illustrated this quote marvelously in "Republican Rescue."    

Christie said Big Media and elites with far too much power are a serious threat to society and big business dealings, and I agree.   

Republicans will like this book because it rips President Joe Biden and the sub-par way Democrats run government. From my own personal experience, and everything I've read about politics; both the Democrats and Republicans have no handle on inflation or violent crime. In this less then 300-page book, Christie crunches the numbers on these issues and a lot more.

Digital soldiers have caused too many Americans to embrace dark fantasies. People are blinded by ideology and become too loyal to their tribe. These people are adamantly convinced all their prejudices are justified and deny anyone's truth's.   

November, 2021s "Republican Rescue Saving the Party from Truth Deniers, Conspiracy Theorist, and the Dangerous Policies of Joe Biden" would be a great read for English students from 6th grade through college in my humble opinion. 

It's easy for me to fly off the deep end of verbal rage when it comes to politics and Christie knows how to talk to everyone, regardless of their political and personal believes, a skill I envy. 

Mark Izzy Schurr  

"Union Depot," a Hidden Movie Gem

The two Daisy's, aka prostitutes, Jill Dennett (left) and Mary Doran in 1932s, "Union Depot," seen scouting out the arriving fleet of sailors at the depot.

This movie has a lot going on. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Guy Kibbee play two vagabonds who steal a violin case full of money, and when Fairbanks falls for Joan Blondell, the story really starts to cook.  

Joan Blondell rocking the hat in "Union depot 

Blondell as Ruth in "Union Depot"  

Down on her luck Ruth, Blondell is desperate for fast cash and agrees to have sex with Fairbanks for the right price, and he's more than willing to do the dance with no underpants with her. At the last minute, Blondell can't hook herself, and Fairbanks still agrees to help her out with her financial woes. 

"Union Depot" is a very clever love story, and definitely not a Steo typical Hollywood love affair. When Fairbanks gets involved with Blondell, he's also forced to deal with her psychotic stalker. Fairbanks is also accused of murder and counterfeiting large sums of money. On top of all this, the armed owner of the cash wants his stolen loot back. 

The tangible endeavors of reciprocated love mixes well into this crazed cocktail of an intricated storyline.       

"The more you see, the more you wanna see," Fairbanks said to Blondell in the above picture. Drama and comedy worked extremely well in this four-star Pre-Code classic. Where I'm going there ain't no winter, snow or ice, only beautiful gals singing love songs Kibbee said in a drunken Stuper. 

Mark Izzy Schurr   

A Modern Moron Vintage Movie Review

 

Grand theft, excessive boozing, prostitution and murder seeps into the tangible and cerebral joys of reciprocated love between the two genders in 1934s, "He Was Her Man."

This was the last of seven movies James Cagney and Joan Blondell made together and it didn't disappoint. Cagney is Flicker Hayes who is released from prison and his former baleful cronies want him dead. The first picture above is Joan Blondell from this film, explaining why Hayes (Cagney) falls in love with her. 

Rose (Blondell) is set to marry her fiancée Nick, then she meets Hayes, and becomes his cover for the men wanting to kill Hayes. The killers are looking for a single man, not a couple. Blondell and Cagney settle in a coastal town near San Francisco, where her future husband Nick lives. Nick is a fisherman so he's gone a lot, and Hayes doesn't object! 

The first time I watched "He Was Her Man," I was pulling for Blondell and Cagney to end up together. Flicker Hayes falls fast for Rose, and it's clear she likes him as well, but she also wants to marry Nick. The story is perhaps as old as time itself, two men who want the same woman, and she truly likes them both. 

Which man winds up in the throngs of love, complete with all the lascivious and delicious desires granted by the babe Blondell? The storyline is very solid, even today, and "He Was Her Man" is a true Pre-Code Hollywood classic  Three stars easy for this after hours vintage black and white movie. 

Mark Izzy Schurr    

Cosmic Conundrum

Given the power to murder on a planetary scale, Morg is a manic without conscience or restraint. His power coupled with his depravity makes him the most dangerous creature in the universe. Morg has begun his trek throughout the cosmos's as he journeys to Earth, and thus the romance between Shalla-Bal and the Silver Surfer is immediately halted. (Ron Martz) 

Behold Shalla-Bal. She treads upon a world of withered weeds and ashes, but the touch of her foot turns weeds into flowers and where she faces, the sun shines. The gift she has brought is the gift of life. Though my body returns to its prison Earth, my heart will be with her forever. (Essential Silver Surfer, vol. II)

The people who like me the most don't even know me. The writers and artist do their artwork and create stories only I like, and I really appreciate this!  

Mark Izzy Schurr

 

Santa Sensation

 More than seven decades upon its release, 1947s "Miracle on 34th Street" has definitely withstood the test of time.

To this day, "Miracle on 34th Street" is the most original story of Santa Clause I've ever seen. Santa Clause portrayed by Edmund Gwenn has been in and out of mental institutions because he claims to be the actual Kris Kringle, and he's deemed non-violent with a delusion for good.

Natallie Wood was 8-years-old in this movie and like her screen-mother, Maureen O' Hara, she doesn't believe in Santa Clause. O' Hara plays Doris Walker, the department store manager who hired Kris Kringle and soon questions her own choice because she doesn't want her daughter Susan (Wood) believing in Santa Clause, and the new Santa she hired is very convincing or perhaps the real Santa himself which makes for a great family Christmas tale.  

Kris Kringle (Gwenn) becomes the New York Macy's department store Santa Clause and Mr. Macy himself doesn't care that his new Santa thinks he's Saint Nick himself, but Kringle ends up on trial for lunacy.

The New York Supreme Court judge and Mr. Macy themselves are extremely reluctant to claim there is no Santa Clause in a court of law because of the ramifications it might cause in the world of business. 

Lawyer Fred Gailey defends Kringle and uses the U.S. Post Office as competent authority that Santa Clause does indeed exist. Four stars easy for this Christmas classic. 

Mark Izzy Schurr 

    

Debauchery & Debacle in "Bad Santa"

This 2003 R rated Christmas movie is two years away from officially being a classic. 

I've watched this movie every year since its release, and I still laugh out loud upon every viewing. 

Tony Cox and Billy Bob Thornton are thieves who pose as an Elfe and Santa Clause during the Christmas season so they can rob various department store safes every December. The above picture is the actor Brett Kelly who plays the bullied Thurman Merman in "Bad Santa." 

Willy (Thornton / bad Santa) and Merman become adult and child counterparts. Upon their first meeting Thornton asks if he was dropped on his head, and Merman replies; "How could they drop me onto my head?"

"No, not onto your head, goddamn it, are you fucking with me?" Thornton said.

Bad Santa is very blunt with the kid Merman and says he got sick because he loved a woman who wasn't clean, so yes, this movie is not fit for all ages or those opposed to crass and dirty humor.

The sexy Lauren Graham is the one adult who has the potential clean up the booze laden bad Santa and restore some conscience in his soul. John Ritter did a fantastic job as Bob Chipeska, the department store manager. 

Chipeska, (Ritter) is a very straight-laced fellow who refuses to cuss or talk about sex candidly, and this adds to the guffaws in this flick. Chipeska frequently tattles on bad Santa to the store's security chief Gin, Bernie Mac who also nailed his role.  

Lisa Ross is the one stripper, Tiffany who is topless in "Bad Santa," and Thornton asks her if she wants to play hide the Nazi, an obvious reference to intercourse. Excessive alcohol use, fornication, nudity and profanity are needed in "Bad Santa" just as it's needed in "Animal House." Four stars easy for this movie. 

Mark Izzy Schurr