Sunday, July 28, 2019

What The F*ck Is This Sh*t: Cats Trailer (2019)

I love musicals. Many people don't. Which means that a lot relies on the movie adaptations, which if fail, Hollywood leaves out several years before making another musical movie, which leads me restless and sad. Thankfully lately they have been on a roll, especially some that are made directly for movies (and are as such better made than some transformed from stage like Les Mis...). The reason I love movie musicals so much is because I know that there are some musicals that I will NEVER see on Broadway and I will NEVER see on London's West-end. But there is something magical about movies, the big screen, and if it is in the right hands, you have the same kind of magic as you would have listening to those majestic songs live. Theaters are mostly against recordings of the stage performances, which I find to be equally important, and not the cause for less people going to theaters lately. And again, if recorded/directed by the right professional, the stage performance is the best thing someone who will never see the big shows can ask for. In 1998 Cats already had one of these performances, it is one of our family favorites, and we watch it every year around the Christmas season. So we thought, if that is the base of the movie, how could we NOT be excited about it coming to the big screen?

And then...

Then this happened.

And I don't understand how it happened.

Cats (2019)

What is that? What am I looking at? Is it the worst Halloween costume ever made? When I put on cat ears I am more believable, seriously. What is the point of CGI here? What incredible technological revolution are they trying to sell me? Because 1, I ain't buying, and 2, would rather ask them to go back in time and decide not to do this. Why aren't they in real make up, like the cats in the stage musical? Why couldn't they even try to imitate cat noses? Why is there NO effort to hide their human characteristics? And when posing this question I realized: it was more important to showcase how many famous people are in this movie than to actually disguise them AS THE ANIMAL THAT THE WHOLE MUSICAL IS NAMED AFTER.

I have come to the point where I think that the weirdly moving animatronic cat from the original Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (1996) is well made. Look at it. Just look. It's terrible. And it got slightly better with each season, as at first it looked like something a truck had ran over, not to mention, that it was OBVIOUS when they cut to an actual cat. It sometimes ran left and right, or the aunts would pick him up and they would still dub a voice over him, while the cat was NOT into being held by anyone at any point during the shooting. It was just funny, a puppet, a stupid badly made puppet, animatronic even at some point, I am sure, thus the change from season to season, but it served its purpose: it looked like a f*cking talking cat. 

Hell, even this complete and utter nightmare is more cat like:


This performance by Mike Myers in The Cat In The Hat from 2003 received 3,9 rating on imdb, and I can tell you that even if the plot is beyond stupid, looking at it now, the cat is clearly not the worst part of that movie.

And I don't want to bring up well made cat costumes, I want to point at how, the BAD ones are SUPERIOR to the mess that this movie is. Not to mention the casting, WHY is the male cat, who has fathered hundreds of cats now a woman? And I AM a woman, not a misogynist, I can complain, because the lyrics just don't make sense no more! The only new thing about this movie is the fact that they are truly cat sized in our world and seeing just those two minutes... I could not care less.

Because you know what also looks better than this? THE ACTUAL CATS MUSICAL THAT WAS TAPED BACK IN 1998!


Even at the risk of never getting a Wicked movie (which some 5 years later after its first announcement still has no cast...), and with the risk of people getting too critical with musicals again, I am advising everyone to stay the f*ck away from this mess, because I am done with CGI, with green screens, with whatever technology, when I know that there are perfectly skilled and award winning make up artists out there that should be doing this. Look at this musical, these are not actors in suits, these are cats, believable cats and well... if you ever wondered what Judi Dench or Jennifer Hudson would look like in a fur coat, now you know. Yey.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Blogger: De, Egy Karkötő Meg Tudja Menteni A Világot

Scroll down for the English version!
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Senki nem fizetett nekem azért, hogy leírjam ezeket a gondolataimat, de nem bírtam ki, mert elegem van abból, hogy ha valaki megoldást mutat annak beleköpünk a kezébe.

Egy számomra azelőtt ismeretlen magyar blog oldalszerűség megosztott egy cikket, aminek semmi más célja nem volt, mint az, hogy minél több klikket kapjon a címével, egy Amerikai cégről írtak, a 4Ocean-ről, akik éppen a világ tengereit és rakpartjainak a tisztításával foglalkoznak. 

4ocean.com
Nagyon kellett koncentrálnom, hogy ne menjek át bunkóba ebben a bejegyzésemben, mert rendkívül feldühített a cikk, ugyanis csak arra koncentrált, amire akart, és annál könnyebb dolog nincsen, mint információk kihagyásával félre vezetni emberek százait.
A cég újrahasznosított műanyagból készült karkötők eladásával finanszírozza a munkát, amit végez. A legnagyobb baja mindenki az, hogy mennyi pénz megy a cégben, miközben sokan önkéntes jelentkezők. Itt hozzátenném, hogy nem mindenki... sőt, rengetegen fizetett dolgozók. Nem beszélve arról, hogy olyan helyeken dolgoznak, ahol a minimálbér, mondjuk amit csak a mi országunkban kapnak, az egy elképzelhetetlen összeg számukra. Instagramon és Youtubeon is konstans tartják a kapcsolatot a követőikkel és az adományozóikkal, valami, ami minden olyan cégnek, akik csak a pénzedre pályáznak nem prioritás.

Az én kérdésem az, minden kritikustól, hogy akkor mutassanak rá arra a zöld, környezetbarát projektre, ami INGYEN VAN. Nem tudom, mi a baj azzal, hogy valakik egy olyan programon gazdagodtak meg, ami jót tesz a bolygónknak? Semmi nincsen ingyen ebben a világban, és ha megnézzük, hogy az Amerikai kormányt, hogyan befolyásolja a pisztoly és a olaj lobbi, én nem hibáztatok cégeket, akik a kormány segítsége nélkül kezdenek el dolgozni valamin. 

Kérdezném azt, akinek a pénzzel gondja van, hogy megnézte-e valaha bármelyik videójukat, amit az olyan állatmentő és megőrző egyesületek készítettek, akiknek az adományuk többségét adják? Én tengeri teknősök és egy Hawaii fókáknak a mentésére küldtem nekik pénzt, ami után két videó is készült, hogy milyen hálásak voltak az adományokért, amit kaptak, és senki nem tartott pisztolyt a fejükhöz, hogy azt mondják, hogy hálásak... Főleg mert ez a Youtube csatorna olyan ezreket tud elérni, amit az ő kis mentő szolgálatuk sosem tudna. Nem beszélve arról, hogy minden 30mp videótól a 4 percesig, oktató videókat töltenek fel, és be is mutatják azt, hogy a Te pénzed mire lett fordítva. Nekem megér 20 dollárt akkor is ha esetleg 19 abból egy ember zsebébe megy, mert közben látom, hogy oktatják a világot arról, hogy a műanyag milyen károkat tesz. Valami, amiről az oktatásban még MINDIG nem esik szó, véletlenül sem.

Igen, szerintem egy karkötő, ahogyan a reklámjuk is mondja, meg tudja menteni a világot. Nem tudod, milyen messzire jutott a szemeted, mert eszedbe se jut, hogy egy nagyobb eső és a csatorna milyen messzire tudja elvinni a szemetet. Én horrorral nézem a videókat, ahol bemutatják, hogy egy teknősbéka beléből miket szednek ki, de ha valaki azon gazdagodna meg, hogy egy olaj földet örököl senki nem turkálna a zsebében, "Ügyes voltál Feri!" és mennénk tovább. Nem gusztustalan? Nem szomorú, hogy a pénz vezet mindent és ezért nem fordítunk környezetbarát programokra? Hogy, ami csak 10 év múlva termel profitot azt a tervezetet meg se nézik? De ha valaki bemutatja, hogy a környezetvédelem is jövedelmező, akkor nem nyugszunk, míg nem húztuk le a leplet az állítólagos csalásról! 
A youtube kommentemre reagáltak.

Én elhiszem majd, hogy ez a cég átver engem, amikor tényleg egy bíróság elé kerülnek, és nem buta magyar honlapokon látok cikkeket, vagy vlogokat, amik csak a klikk számra mennek rá. Addig is, senki nem állítja meg ezeket az embereket, hogy kitalálják azt, ami az ő zsebükbe nyomja a pénzt és megmenti a bolygónkat. Én tudom, hogy nem vagyok erre képes, szóval legalább nem állok annak az útjába, aki ezt teszi helyettem, sőt, támogatom is mert nem bírok ki még egy fotót egy bálna beleiről, és nem tudom más, hogyan bírja. 

Én azt tudom tanácsolni mindenkinek, hogy ne higgyen el mindent, amit elsőre olvas. Főleg ha egy olyan cégről van szó, amiről senki csak egy kis buta magyar blog mond rosszat. Sőt, a "ezt átverés?" youtube videók, amik készültek is arra jutottak, hogy "nem". Ezek után meg azt mondanám, hogy ha valakit irritál, a sok reklám, amit lát a 4Ocean által a Youtube videói alatt, akkor ne álljon meg ott, hanem nézze meg a többi videóikat. Nézze meg, hogy hány cégnek segítenek, nézzék meg hány ezer ember jelenik meg a tengerpartokon és takarítja szívesen az utánuk hagyott mocskot. Nézzék meg azt is hogy instagramon hány ezer ember hálás a karkötőért, amit kapott, hogy nem csak egy csekket küldött, hanem kapott is vissza valamit, valamit, ami onnantól kezdve minden beszélgetésnek a része lehet, és ő maga is oktathatja az embereket körülötte.

Nem arról van szó, hogy egy karkötő egyedül mit tud tenni, hanem az, hogy ha összefogunk mind, akkor mit tudunk elérni és sajnos materiális emberek vagyunk... igenis jólesik, hogy kapunk valamit cserébe a segítségért, amit nyújtunk, de számít ez, ha legalább segítettünk? Túl sok kárt tettem már én is, mire megtanultam, hogy oda figyeljek arra, amit hagyok magam után, és itt nem a gyerekeimről van szó, hanem az én életemről is még. Valamit tenni kell és most. Szóval mi lenne ha hagynánk azt dolgozni, aki helyetted, igen te, aki ott ülsz és olvasod ezt, helyetted is arra törekszik, hogy jobb hely legyen a földünk?

És ha ez a cég nem szimpi, semmi baj: mások is próbálkoznak, mint The Ocean Cleanup, avagy bármelyik állatmentő cég, ami a partnerjük volt - nekik lehet külön is küldeni pénzt vagy jelentkezni önkéntesnek. Merjünk utána nézni a dolgoknak! És értsük meg, hogy a karkötő egy mentalitás, amin jó lenne ha mind osztoznánk, hogy jobb legyen a világunk!
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One Bracelet CAN Save The World

Nobody paid me to share these thoughts, but I couldn't handle being quiet anymore when I keep seeing people spit in the hands of those who are looking for solutions.

Some Hungarian blogish site decided to write a click-bait article, with the intent of ruining the image of the 4Ocean cleanup company and their sale of bracelets made form re-used plastic.

I really had to concentrate on not using fowl language, because the article made me really pissed off. But I feared that my message would get lost, so I want to remain strong. Most important thing is that we need to remember that with lack of information, it is very easy to mislead people.

The company finances the work it does by selling bracelets made of recycled plastic. The biggest problem for everyone is how much money goes into the pockets of the founders of the company, while many workers are volunteers. Here I would add that not everyone is a volunteer... most of them are paid workers. Not to mention that they work in places where the minimum wage in their country is unthinkable. On Instagram and Youtube, they keep in touch with their followers and donors, something all charities that want your money never do.

My question is, for all the critics, that they point to the green and environmental project that is FREE. I don't know, what's wrong with being enriched with a program that is good for our planet? Nothing is free in this world, and if we look at how the US government is influenced by the gun and oil lobby, I don't blame companies that start working outside of the government and without their help. The $20 are worth it for me, even if some of it goes into the pocket of the founders, because I see that they teach the world what damage plastic is doing. Something that is still not always discussed in education, not by a long shot.

I'd like to ask those who are caught up on the question of the money, if they have ever actually seen any of the videos that were posted by the companies they are collecting donations for? Any of those animal safety and preservation companies that nobody would know about, had it not been for the audience that 4Ocean already has. I sent them money to save the sea turtles and the Hawaiian monk seals, after which two videos were made, where the workers at the preservation sites showed how grateful they were for the money they received, and no one held a gun to their head to make them say it. Not to mention that every 30 second video, up to the 4 minute ones, are training and educational videos and a demonstration of what your money has been spent on.

Yes, I do think a bracelet, as their advertisement says, can save the world. You don't know how far your garbage has gone, because you don't think how far the rain and the water-ducts can take the garbage away. I look at the videos with horror, showing you what a turtle has in their stomach, but if someone gets rich off an oil field they inherited, no one would rummage in his pocket, "You did good Johnny!" and we just go on with our lives. Isn't that disgusting? Isn't it sad that money drives everything and so we don't invest in environmentally friendly programs? That something that will only make a profit in 10 years is not even considered? But if someone demonstrates that environmental protection is profitable, we won't rest until we uncover that alleged fraud!

I will believe that this company is ripping me off when they really go to court, and I see more than articles from blogs on silly Hungarian websites that just look to be click-baits. In the meantime, no one is stopping you haters from finding green solutions yourself. I know I'm not capable of doing this, so at least I'm not causing obstacles to those who ARE tying to make changes, and I will also support it because I can't look at another photo of the disgusting waste they take out a whale's stomach. I don't know how others can look away.

They answered one of my comments.
I can advise everyone to not believe everything they read. Especially when it comes to a company that people are trying to make look bad with ZERO success so far. I would say that if anyone is irritated by the many advertisements you see for 4Ocean on your Youtube videos, don't get irritated, investigate! Click on their page and look at their other videos. See how many companies they help, see how many thousands of people appear on the beaches and clean up the dirt left behind. Look at how many thousands of people on instagram are grateful for the bracelets they've received: we are not just sending them a check, but also getting something back that can be part of every conversation from now on, and we can educate people around us.

It is not just what a bracelet can do alone, but what we can do together, and no matter how much we work together, we are still material people ... it does matter that we get something in return for the help we provide, but isn't it more important that at least we did something? I have done too much damage myself, by the time I learned to pay attention to what I leave behind as far as trash is concerned, I feared it might have been too late. Something has to be done and now. So how about we let work the person who, instead of you, you sitting there reading this, is working on making our Earth better?

And if this company isn't to your liking, no problem: others like The Ocean Cleanup, or any of the animal rescue companies they've partnered with - you can either send them money or volunteer. Let's dare to look at things closely! And understand that bracelets are a mentality that if we all shared we could make our world a better place!

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

What's Next On My List? Teen Wolf

We had a VHS tape of this movie and growing up I think I watched it at least once a month. I just want to be writing about things that I love lately, even if others do not agree. Maybe this will change your mind!

Scott is in a hard place, he is not excelling at school and his basketball team keeps losing. After a series of weird incidents, Scott goes home to find out that he is going through a lot more than just puberty. He turns into a werewolf, and his father greets him as one as well, telling him that this curse has been in their family for generations. Scott breaks out in one of his basketball games and he is first received with fear by many, but with admiration by some others. The fame of the wolf changes him, but his closest friends remind him that he does not need the wolf to be more, he already is.

Years later the CW remade it into a TV show  with the same title, Teen Wolf (2011), that I have never seen. I was told it was good, but the reason I never got around to it, is because this movie now has a reputation for being cheesy and stupid and I am not really on board with that... first of all, yes, I might have nostalgia goggles on, but if the concept of a movie was able to yield 6 seasons of one of the most watched shows after 2010, then maybe it isn't that stupid... Second, this movie might have the best soundtrack of any 80's  movie ever made. I waited for years, and it actually wasn't until Youtube that I finally got around to finding all the songs. And I will share the best one with you! Finally, I just love the casting in this movie. They cast the nerd, the cool one, the cheerleader, the jock, everyone so perfectly, the onscreen chemistry was off the hook; and Michael J. Fox was such a good actor, that when it came around to Back To The Future, they re-started shooting with him and worked around his schedule to make sure he could be the lead. There is a lot of trivia around this movie that is fun to investigate, I would invite everyone to do so!

Watch it? I do think people don't understand the underlying message: it is a coming of age story. It is based in fantasy, but most movies are. To me the fact that the TV show was such a success shows that this movie was ahead of its time. We now love vampires and werewolves and all kinds of monsters that appear in our otherwise very boring reality. I still adore this movie, the soundtrack will stay with me forever. I do recommend it if you wish to know what kind of awesome movies give inspiration to Hollywood producers today.


Until the next item on my list!
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Scott Howard - Michael J. Fox
Harold Howard - James Hampton
Stiles - Jerry Levine
Lewis - Matt Adler
Pamela - Lorie Griffin

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

What's Next On My List? The Wedding Date

When this movie came out in 2005 I watched it twice in the theatre: I was looking forward to it since the first trailer came out and I was not let down. It just came up in a conversation with my sister and I decided to write down a couple of thoughts and the reason why I find this to be one of the best romantic comedies out there.


Kat goes back to England for the wedding of her little half-sister, but her ex-fiancée is the best man and she has not moved on as much as she wishes she had. She decides to hire an escort for the weekend, Nick, in order not to appear hung up on her ex. The two spend hours talking about relationships and the future, which brings them closer together. Finally, Kat learns why her ex left her, but just in time to realize that she is ready to move on from that relationship.

This was one of those few movies that gave me even more than I expected. For the first time in my life, I watched a movie two times at the theater and wished to own it on DVD as fast as I possibly could. The reason I decided to talk about it, is because it came back up in a conversation with my sister and I had to admit that this is probably one of the only romantic comedies that taught me something. Our main character cannot move on from her her ex and their engagement, because she does not want to. Nick tells her, that every woman has the love life she wants, and it took me years to learn that, but it is true: the moment you learn to care about yourself and to love yourself, the only person you are going to share your heart with will share that same respect for you. Our main character decides, that her narrative isn't that of the bride left at the alter, but that of the woman who seeks happiness in life. And she isn't the only one that learns a valuable lesson. Her sister Amy evaded the truth at the risk of losing the love of her life, but not only does it catch up to her, but she realizes that living in a lie is tearing her apart inside. Sometimes you need to trust the people in your life to love you, even if you are not perfect. And what I actually like the most in the movie, is that one person, the one whose presence almost ruined the life of two smart women, as he learns absolutely nothing. Now, I do believe that people can change, but they do only when they want to. The lead women in this story wished to wake up to a better day and as such they have taken command. Now, you cannot change those who don't want to, but they also create their own misery, it is nobody's job to save them.

Watch it? I think it is going to be an eternal favorite of mine. There is this infinite number of romantic comedies out there that have absolute no value other than entertainment. And that is fine, but that is also the reason why we do not re-watch them anymore, just once. That is why this one stands out, the story does hold incredible moral lessons that have, truly helped me for one in learning to love and care for myself. No other romantic comedy ever held such an important role.

Until the next item on my list!
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Kat Ellis - Debra Messing
Nick Mercer - Dermot Mulroney
Amy - Amy Adams
Edward Fletcher-Wooten - Jack Davenport
Jeffrey - Jeremy Sheffield
Victor Ellis - Peter Egan

Thursday, July 4, 2019

What's Next On My List? The Emperor's New Groove

Probably the best Disney animated cartoon ever made in the history of time. Seeing that this year I have already started reviewing animation that was highly underrated, I thought it would be stupid to leave this one out.


Kuzko, the emperor, is in danger, as his second in command Yzma wishes to get rid of him for good. By accident, instead of the poison meant for him, he is administered a potion that turns him into a llama. Kronk, Yzma's right hand, after a series of mistakes, does not end Kuzko, but leads him onto the path of Pacha, a good hearted man who decides to help him get back home.

I remember when my brother got me this on DVD, and I had no idea what to expect. Despite the fact that I think it is one of those cartoons that was meant for a more mature audience, I know that I loved it as a kid. Somehow the jokes of Kuzko breaking the fourth wall resonated with me very well at that age, and I think it might have been the first time I saw that and couldn't help but laugh. So as far as the storytelling it concerned, to me it was revolutionary. Coming back to the characters themselves: We have seen other instances of villains being blinded by power, so that alone is nothing new, but the overall moral message was delivered well: all the money in the world cannot bring happiness.
The tale of the prince/princess/emperor getting stranded with the common folk and learning humility is one of the most reused stories of all time. However, none of those stories have these villains. Yzma might be the funniest character to ever appear on the TV screen. I get her motivation and I get her fuel for power, and I don't necessary want her to win, I just love how she just plays with the audience the same way Kuzko does. Her interactions with everyone, from Kronk, to Pacha's children was very well made. And of course I enjoyed how her attitude changed toward Kuzko from the beginning to the end of the movie. Voiced by the wonderful Eartha Kitt, she was simply the greatest villain ever made, and she was most certainly my favorite over the years.

Watch it? I think this movie got a bigger following in the years coming after its release. And I am always happy to hear how many of my friends also loved it. It is actually my sister's favorite too, and how can you not want to adopt llamas after this? I want one JUST so I can name it Kuzko. So go watch, watch and watch! And keep asking yourself, why do they even have that lever?

Until the next item on my list!
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Kuzko David Spade
Pacha John Goodman
Yzma Eartha Kitt
Chicha Wendie Malick