Brightburn
R rated
Just saw trailers, not the movie.


(posted to Andre Black Nerd - video published on 05/29/2019)

Everyone seems to be saying this (so I will too), great premise with kind of a weak follow through. Wish there was more "origin" info on the baby's arrival, plus more than just an immediate transition from bullied child to villainous psychopath. I know puberty is a scary time, but there needs to be some sort of arc to hold my attention. Well two good things happened;  Andre got to see an R-rated movie and the Gunn family got work.

Aladdin (2019)

PG  (viewed in 3D at theater)

Disney's live action remake.

My biggest fear (Will Smith's Genie) about this remake was my biggest source of entertainment. There were a few (maybe ?) Guy Ritchie-isms, some fast/slow cinematography and that "Thanos" moment, but overall I had a good time.

I enjoyed this movie. What surprised me, after the trailers, was how much that I enjoyed Will Smith's performance in this film. I was more interested in his character's arc than the others in the cast. It was a great cast, but Will Smith was definitely MVP. However, the supporting characters, whether human or CGI, all had their moments. Who knew that Jafar had a backstory which led him to where we see him now. Due to scheduling (mine), the only performance I could see was 3D. Maybe it was the movie theater's tech, but I felt that the 3D cost did not transfer to superior viewing quality.

Slavery



Posted to Philip DeFranco You Tube video --Why is Harvard Being Sued Over This 169-Year Old Slave Photographs -- 05/09/2019


On a micro level, proving the actual ownership of the photos would be difficult with the information presented in this video.  However on a macro level, the ownership of these photos should not belong to a single individual or even to a family. Somehow all photos should be saved in a single location, perhaps one per [former slave owning] state, with any income earned, excepting maintenance/upkeep for that particular location and staff, be applied to educational scholarships to anyone proving slaves in their lineage.  All that being said, while my ancestors were not treated kindly, to the best of my knowledge none were slaves. Educating these descendants of slaves making this modern generation both financially and personally independent, may be the best reparation that can be provided.

Peter Mayhew
May 15, 1944 - April 30, 2019



Peter Mayhew's spirit and energy was not contained by his Chewbacca persona. He imbued a well-crafted suit with a  persona;  a creature of great nobility, kindness  and humor. It makes me sad that CG matched with voice actors is now so proficient, that we may not see this "joining" ever happen again.