Denzel Washington-Man on Fire (2006) Review

Another Denzel Washington masterpiece was produced in the year of 2004. The name of the film is "Man on Fire", and it's my favorite Denzel Washington movie. It reveals some of the harsh facts about the kidnapping rates in Latin America, and how smart some criminals really are. If you are a fan of action or adventure movies, or you are just in the mood to watch a top quality movie, you should watch "Man on Fire". One forewarning about the movie, the first hour builds an emotional connection with all of the characters, and the second hour is when all of the action takes place.

Like I mentioned earlier, the movie takes place in Latin America, and a family assigns a bodyguard named Creasy (Washington) to protect their daughter Pita (Dakota Fanning) from being kidnapped. Pita is a swimmer on the school team, a great person in the community, just as you would expect. The movies places an emotional connection with Creasy and Pita, which progresses throughout the film.

Then comes the dark side of the movie, the second half. This is where all of the action comes to life. It all starts with Pita getting kidnapped, and Creasy wanting to take revenge. He vows to kill every single person involved in the kidnapping. In doing so, he finds out an array of things. Each thing he finds out, brings him closer to the unimaginable truth, and it's shocking ending, which is for you to find out.

In conclusion, Man on Fire is a very unique film, unlike many pointless action films. It has a great message, which shouldn't be missed. Another trait that makes this movie great, is that it's based on a true story. The movie contains some great acting, and features the likes of Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, and Marc Anthony. Everyone does a great acting job, and no one contradicts each other. It seems as if they picked the perfect cast. I think that this is one of the most underrated movies of 2004. If you ever have a chance to watch it, I would strongly recommend it.

Review written by Josh

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The Top 20 Football Players Turned Actors

Football players are extremely popular among fans of the game. After their playing days are done, many go onto coaching, announcing, or other careers that keep them in the public eye. Many also go on into the field of acting.

Here is a look at the top 20 football players turned actors

#20 Bill Romanowski - Bill Romanowski played football for 16 years for the 49ers, Eagles, Broncos, and Raiders. Following his career he has appeared in movies such as The Longest Yard and Benchwarmers.

#19 Bill Goldberg - Though his football career was not much to speak of, Bill Goldberg made quite a splash in the acting world. He first became famous in the world of professional wrestling, but would go on to appear in Universal Soldier: The Return, The Longest Yard, and a number of television shows

#18 Brett Favre - Brett Favre is sure to go down as one of the best quarterbacks of all time. While he doesn't have an extensive film career, it is impossible to ignore the large role he played in the hit comedy film There's Something About Mary, starring Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller. The dance scenes at the end are worth seeing against and again.

#17 Bo Jackson - One of the greatest running back careers was cut short when Bo Jackson suffered a career ending hip injury. He would go on to appear in a number of television shows and movies including Diagnosis Murder, Married with Children, The Chamber, and Moesha.

#16 Mike Ditka - Famous for being both a great tight end and a great head coach, Mike Ditka would go on to also make quite a few acting appearances including in Third Rock From The Sun, Kicking & Screaming, L.A. Law, Coach, and Cheers.

#15 Ed Marinaro - Ed Marinaro appeared in two Super Bowls for the Minnesota Vikings and also played running back for the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks during his pro career. He would go on to appear in a number of hit television series including Laverne & Shirley, Hill Street Blues, and Sisters.

#14 O.J. Simpson - O.J. Simpson won the Heisman Trophy and then was the first person to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season in the NFL. He went on to appear as a guest star in a number of television shows and also appeared in a wide variety of commercials. His most famous role though was probably as Nordberg in the Naked Gun movies.

#13 Merlin Olsen - Merlin Olsen was a Hall of Fame defensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams, and was one of the players that quarterbacks during the 1970s feared the most. After his playing days were finished, he appeared on Little House on the Prairie and then his own show, Father Murphy.

#12 Joe Namath - Broadway Joe Namath was the face of the American Football League in the 1960s and hero to New York Jets fans every where. He appeared in a number of movies and television shows including the A-Team, Brady Bunch, C.C. and Company, and he even guest hosted an episode of the Tonight Show.

#11 Lawrence Taylor - One of the greatest linebackers of all time, Lawrence Taylor is another of the famous football players who have gone on to have a credible acting career. He has appeared numerous times as himself on both television and in film. His other roles include The Waterboy, Shaft, and Any Given Sunday.

#10 Bubba Smith - Bubba Smith was a great defensive lineman for the Colts, Raiders, and Oilers. He achieved more fame after his career by appearing in a large number of very popular series of beer commercials for Miller Lite. He is also known for playing officer Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movies.

#9 Alex Karras - Alex Karras was a legendary defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions. After his career he went on to appear in Blazing Saddles and was Emmanuel Lewis' dad in the television show Webster.
#8 Howie Long - Howie Long played 13 seasons with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders. Since then he has appeared in television commercials and movies like Firestorm and Broken Arrow.

#7 Dick Butkus - One of the most feared linebackers in football during his playing days, Dick Butkus would go on to have a decent acting career. He played in the films Any Given Sunday and Blue Thunder, as well as the television series My Two Dads.

#6 Terry Bradshaw - Many fans don't know it, but Terry Bradshaw has not only been honored with a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but also with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His film roles include Cannonball Run, Hooper, and Failure to Launch.

#5 Carl Weathers - Carl Weathers played linebacker in both the National Football League and the Canadian Football League. He has one of the most famous roles of any former football player, having played Apollo Creed in a number of the Rocky movies starring Sylvester Stallone.

#4 Fred Dryer - Fred Dryer played 13 seasons in the National Football League and was one of the most respected defensive ends of his era. He had one of the bigger hit television series of any football player, starring in the lead role of Hunter eight seasons in the 1980s and early 1990s.

#3 Fred Williamson - Fred Williamson played defensive back during the 1960s and upon his retirement he moved into acting almost immediately. He has had roles in Starsky & Hutch, Original Gangstas, and From Dusk Till Dawn in recent years, but is probably even more famous for the many films he made in the 1970s that were part of the blaxploitation genre.

#2 Woody Strode - Woody Strode is not a name recognized by most football fans. He played collegiately at UCLA, on the same team as Jackie Robinson, and then went on to play just one season in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams in 1946. He was one of the first African American athletes to appear in the National Football League, and he would later play professional football in Canada too. He had a long and impressive film career, even being nominated for a Golden Globe award for his performance in Spartacus. Other movies and television shows he appeared in include Stagecoach, The Ten Commandments, The buccaneer, Pork Chop Hill, Rawhide, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Daniel Boone, How The West Was Won, The Dukes Of Hazzard, and The Quick And The Dead.

#1 Jim Brown - Jim Brown is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and is widely considered the best running back ever. He had a very successful acting career following his retirement from the NFL. He appeared in The Dirty Dozen, The Running Man, Original Gangstas, Mars Attacks, and a number of 1970s films that were part of the blaxploitation genre. He also appeared quite a few television series including T.J. Hooker, Knight Rider, Highway to Heaven, Police Story, The A-Team, ChiPS, and I Spy.

Check out more information on football players movie careers at IQFB.com! IQFB is a great place for football trivia of all kinds. IQFB... Get Football Smart!

How to Make a Movie

In this article I will be talking about the many roles and challenges you face in making your own movie. We will talk about everything from how to write your own script and directing your film, to producing and finding the cost to finance your video. Each of these are all important roles when it comes to making your own movie.

First I would like to talk about writing your script. I feel this is your foundation; everything is built around your story. You want to brainstorm lots of ideas create the purpose of your story. What is the goal or plot of my story, how are your main characters involved in this. It helps to create an outline and lay out how your events will unfold on paper. You want to include details like your setting, the time of day, and your characters actions. Don't be afraid to show your work to someone who's had writing experience let them critique it and remember it's just their opinion.

Before we can talk about producing and directing your film you need to figure out how you will finance it. Now if you have an unlimited budget then you have little to worry about but if you're like the rest of us this could and can be a huge factor in creating your own movie. There are typically four methods for financing the production of a film, I will discuss two of them; government grants and tax schemes. Many governments run programs to subsidize the cost of production. Some states provide a tax credit that can cover part or all of the film cost that are filmed in the state. Governments provide these in hope it will attract individuals into their area and raise employment levels. Many countries introduced legislation that enhanced tax deductions for owners or producers of films. Governments are realizing these tax deductions are an inefficient way of supporting the film industry.

Now we can get into your production. You already have your script so your next step is hiring your cast and crew. So once you have your casting call you decide your actors and give out their roles. You may negotiate salary but most will work for scale (actor's minimum wage). Sit back and let your crew begin shooting your film. You will have tons of footage to go through as you begin your post-production editing, but this is mostly done by your editor. Once you have your final cut your best chance is distributing your movie to a prestigious film festival. Studios send there reps to seek new films.

There are many roles and responsibilities a director has and it can be very difficult. There's tons of behind the scenes work involved with directing a film. You need to be on top of everything as everyone is looking up to you. You will be creating all the aspects of the movie as you draw out each scene and break down the script into sections. Track your characters emotions and express each of these elements with your actors, tell them what you expect from them. You're there to observe and give notes on every scene give direction to your actors keep there characters on role. Spend time on rehearsal and preproduction and just keep a main over view on your team of actors. Now after reading this it won't guide you to creating your own blockbuster hit but I hope it helps you to understand the roles in making your own video.

Hello my name is Steve Bean. I work with Octo Interactive. We are an Orlando Fl Video Production Company that specializes in Web Video Production (321) 338 - 2962

The Blaxploitation Era - Can You Dig It?

Blaxploitation films. They mean many things to many different people, whether positive or negative. Regardless, you cannot deny the fact that the so-called Blaxploitation film genre was very much the first form of entertainment to gleefully celebrate the culture of African-Americans in what was, up to that point, a landscape dominated by squeaky clean Caucasian depictions of life and society in America.

The term Blaxploitation itself, as you may have gathered, was created by combining the words Black and Exploitation, being that the genre was supposedly the Black spin on the already existing Exploitation film genre.

Interestingly, a vast majority of the filmmakers and actors who were a part of the Blaxploitation movement resented the term, which was created by Hollywood bigwigs; which is understandable, considering that the Exploitation genre was quite seedy and almost the black sheep of the film industry, including such down 'n' dirty sub-genres as 'women in prison' films (The Big Doll House, Caged Heat) and 'Nazi exploitation/Nazisploitation' films (Ilsa, She Wolf of the SS).

In the minds of the Blaxploitation purveyors, exploitation was an incorrect term to use, as the films were made by Black people (who were paid for their work) for Black people (who enjoyed watching the films); sadly though the White-owned film studios/distribution companies still profited more than any of the Black actors or filmmakers.

The genre was for the most part born out of necessity, the necessity to voice/display the thoughts and feelings of Afro-Americans. Melvin Van Peebles' definitive classic Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971) is widely regarded as the opening shot from the Blaxploitation cannon; although 1969's Putney Swope, directed by cutting edge filmmaker Robert Downey Sr., which follows the journey of a Black man (played by Arnold Johnson) on the executive board of an advertising firm and his rise to power, can also claim status as a pioneer.

Following on from Sweetback's searing portrait of African-Americans life, the monumental Shaft, from the revered Gordon Parks, continued to push the envelope both artistically and creatively. It also, for the first time ever, established strong African-American leads (in this case Richard Roundtree) who were bold and articulate at the same time.

Both Shaft and Sweetback put race issues under a never before utilised microscope, thus changing the dichotomy of the American film industry and then society. Political and social statements were not the only subjects on the agenda though, as films such as Superfly (1972) and The Mack (1973) introduced the slick-talking pimp persona to mainstream American culture. Releases such as these, in addition to the groundbreaking Hustler's Conventions album by former Last Poets member Jalal Nuriddin (Lightnin' Rod) and the literary works of rehabilitated pimp Iceberg Slim, are responsible for creating Hip Hop music's eventual obsession with pimp/mack culture.

As Quentin Tarantino exclaimed of his movie going experiences in 1970s Southern California, Blaxploitation ushered in a new era, described by some as 'Black Hollywood'. Despite the abundant (and unexpected) success of Blaxploitation projects, the films came under attack by the likes of Jesse Jackson and the NAACP, who took to task the films' portrayals of Black America, claiming that they perpetuated negative stereotypes and built negative images of African-Americans; the same line of fire Hip Hop culture would fall under years later.

Once the Blaxploitation formula proved successful it didn't take long for the major studios, who usually then delegated it to their low budget/indie division, to begin churning out every film and scenario they could think of, such as interracial female fugitives on the run chained together (Black Mama, White Mama). Even Shaft found his way to the motherland for Shaft In Africa (the Shaft franchise was clearly running out of steam by this point).

The pre-existing 'women in prison' motif was somewhat given the Blaxploitation treatment as well in pictures like Cleopatra Jones and Foxy Brown, starring Tamara Dobson and Pam Grier (a veteran of 'women in prison' flicks) respectively, which centered around a female lead who could stand up against her oppressive male counterparts in her quest for justice and equality.

Certain films were not only insulting to the senses but also managed to make 'worst film of all time' lists by countless critics. The lowest is arguably The Thing with Two Heads (1972), where the head of a dying White bigot is grafted onto the body of an able bodied African-American (with hilarity not ensuing!)

Also at the bottom of the barrel is the hilariously bad kung-fu/Blaxploitation hybrid Blackbelt Jones, starring Enter The Dragon's Jim Kelly, which features not only some of the most ridiculous dialogue in film history ("That son-of-a-bitch just threw his panties at me") but also some of the most unconvincing and weak martial-arts sequences in film history.

Whether people wanted to see a full length feature about a Black version of Dracula or not, that's exactly what moviegoers got in 1972 with the release of Blacula, who was "Dracula's soul brother".

Despite the varying quality of Blaxploitation films there was always one constant, an accompanying killer soundtrack, that in many instances overshadowed and outdid the images on display. Ironically enough two of the worst films (Black Belt Jones and Blacula) possess two of the best soundtracks. Other monumental soundtracks include Willie Hutch's The Mack (with the track I Choose You most recently sampled by UGK for International Player's Anthem), Isaac Hayes' Shaft, Curtis Mayfield's Superfly and Barry White's Together Brothers.

Much like the 'women in prison' and 'spaghetti western' genres, both also Tarantino favorites, Blaxploitation had a short shelf-life. Although if you examine many of the genres greatest creations you will see a parallel between the extravagance and fast living of the films with the demise of the genre itself, it couldn't last forever at the rate it was growing and expanding, which was not anticipated by many, if any, at all.

Along with jazz, blues and the poetry of performers like Gil-Scott Herron and the Last Poets, Blaxploitation very much was the genesis and lay the groundwork for Hip Hop music and culture; not only in its tales of getting over and out of the ghetto and the enjoyment of material items, but also in its tales of Black pride and messages of both a social and political nature. Now can you dig that?!

By Andrew Hickey (Contributor and Content Manager) [http://www.planeturban.com]

Science Fiction Films Capture Fans' Imagination

When speaking of the various movie genres, the one that has probably thrilled more audiences than any other is science fiction. Science fiction can be difficult to define due to the fact that it includes a wide range of sub-genres and themes that can be both suspenseful and thought-provoking. Perhaps one of the easiest to understand definitions comes from Rod Serling whose stated definition is "fantasy is the impossible made probable, while science fiction is the improbable made possible".

Science fiction in films is nothing new and has existed since the early years of silent cinema when Georges Melies' 1902 film A Trip To The Moon dazzled audiences with its trick photography. The 1930s brought larger film budgets to the movie industry benefiting fans of the genre. The first feature length sci-fi film by an American studio was the generally unfamiliar title Just Imagine. More notable American made films in this genre during the 1930's include King Kong, and Lost Horizon.

Many of these films produced not only a great storyline, but also a classic movie character. Two of these unforgettable classic characters come from the blending of two genres - science fiction and horror. They would be Mary Shelly's Frankenstein (1910), and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1912).

Today many of these films are based on comic book characters. This is nothing new. In 1934, comic strip characters entered motion pictures in movie serials. Two good examples of this include Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon (both played by Buster Crabbe). The similarity extended beyond the actor playing the role, as each of these characters were space heroes, and each had a movie that was similar in title. Buck Rogers Conquers The Universe was released in 1939 and Flash Gordon Conquers The Universe was released in 1940.

For a period of time, the general public looked upon science fiction movies as being juvenile, and as a result there were no more big-budget sci-fi films produced after 1936. However, this all changed in 1950 with Destination Moon, the first sci-fi film to be made in color. The 1950's brought a resurgence of popularity to the science fiction genre with some of the most famous and entertaining science fiction movies ever being made came during this time. Some of these titles would include the classics The Day The Earth Stood Still, This Island Earth, and one of my personal favorites Forbidden Planet.

Carl DiNello is an Article Author and Blog Owner whose passion is Hollywood history and those movies from the 1920's - 1950's that make up this rich history.

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What Makes A Good Movie

Art is reflection of our society and life and movies are often regarded as modern expressions of art. They make us laugh and cry and we often love to quote them, they edify us enlighten us.

Every year numerous movies are made in the entertainment industries but all are not liked: some top the charts while others are kicked out of the box office. Some become the hot topic of discussion for the critics while others just escapes their notice, in short some get a thumps up while others a thumps down.

But how many of these, which get a positive feedback, are actually good movies? Well it is not that simple to answer, as it seems. The topic is very much subjective. What seems good to some may not be the same for the others. What appears enjoyable to a few others might be enjoyable for others. Then what exactly is a good movie? To generalize it, we can say that those movies, which are liked by the mass and not by some class category of people, could be considered as a good movie. But what are the traits that are needed for a movie to qualify as a good one. First of all a movie should provide good entertainment. They are of course others:

Touch our feelings: A movie should touch our heart and make us talk or think about it instead of just becoming a time pass. It should have the capacity to teach and inspire us and provoke us emotionally.

Educative: It should be able to let us know about something new. Nowadays movies are considered to be one of the most effective educational tools used to teach or educate people regarding certain issues. In short a good movie should have some educative value for the masses.

Mirror of the society: A good movie must also provide some elements of encouragement and inspire people towards successfully overcoming barriers. Movies are regarded as the mirror of life. Every story of a movie is more or less inspired by our life, by what happens around us.

But this is not all; there are some other factors also which contribute in making a movie, to be considered as good. Following are the points:

The Plot: This is the most important part of the movie. Without a good plot a movie fails to attract and retain the viewers in the theaters. Even if they were drawn to it initially for some reasons, people would loose interest sooner than later.

The Characters: The second most significant factor of any good movie is the characters of the story. Without them there would be no story and no plot. Characters should be such, that the audience likes them. Be it a positive character or negative one. They should have some qualities to which the people can relate.

Actors: We need good actors to make a good movie. Actors, who can justify the characters and make them, come alive in front of the audience. They must be able to portray the characters well so that people say that the characters are made keeping them in mind. They should blend themselves into the characters.

Script: Without dialogues movies look dead. Script is the life of movies so they should be very strong and appealing. They can even make people come and see the movie repeatedly.

Last but not the least, visual display of a movie with beautiful scenes and sceneries can also influence and draw people to the theaters.

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Third World Cop is a Great Movie to Learn How to Speak Jamaican

I recently watched the film Third World Cop and I must say it is a great film for the student of Jamaican Patois or anyone that wants to learn to speak Jamaican. The movie is based in Kingston, Jamaica, and has an all Jamaican cast that is made up of famous dancehall artists like Elephant Man and Ninjaman and many prominent Jamaican actors and actresses. For anyone that has seen Dancehall Queen, many members of the cast also play a role in Third World Cop such as Paul Campbell, Mark Danvers and Audrey Reid.

The movie is the story of a police office from Kingston who goes by the name Capone (Paul Campbell). Capone is transferred from Port Antonio back to Kingston in an effort to breakdown the organized crime occurring in the Dungle neighborhood of Kingston, where Capone is originally from. Upon his return to Kingston, Capone is given the assignment to investigate gun smuggling into the neighborhood. When Capone goes to the Dungle, he learns that his best friend's little brother, Ratty, is a huge community leader. Although, Ratty is a hero in the community, he is much more involved in the underworld dealings than people would like to believe. When Capone learns that Ratty is involved, he does everything he can to stop and help Ratty and also stop the criminal kingpins arming the neighborhood.

I do not want to give too much of the movie away because I truly think it holds a special place for the person looking to learn how to speak Jamaican. No, the movie will never be a Hollywood blockbuster and it is not the best film quality, but there are so many other gems in this movie. From a language perspective, this movie is in the top 5 for Jamaican Patois. The language largely used throughout the film is Patois and the DVD allows you to use subtitles, so this really helps in building your understanding. The most famous patois expression in the movie is "We run tings, tings nuh run we." The pronunciation is that of native speakers so you hear the words in the right context and emotions. You also see people greeting each other and just having everyday interaction. This is invaluable and makes the film well worth watching.

From a cultural standpoint, the film also sheds light on the "bad man" element of Jamaica. This is a recurring theme in many Jamaican films. A "Bad Man" is a gangster for all intensive purposes and many of the Jamaican movies that are not focused on Rastafari put emphasis on the gangster element of Jamaica. Along with the "bad man" you see the role of the police in Jamaican society and how much respect or lack thereof the community has for them. Finally, like most films based in the developing world, there is a glimpse into the struggle of people trying to make something of themselves, but still being held down by other forces.

All in all, I say this film is well worth your time and really worth buying. As mentioned, the film is invaluable in learning to speak Jamaican. I would highly recommend this film.

Ras Zuke is the author of The Rastaman Vibration - The Definitive Source for learning about Jamaican culture, Reggae Music and how to To learn more about Jamaica, Dancehall Reggae, Reggae, Jamaican Culture and how to Speak Jamaican Patois, visit http://www.SpeakJamaican.com