Iron Man: Flash, Glitz, and Rust

I'll be frank. I went into Iron Man 2 expecting to be disappointed.

Let's be honest. Sequels aren't always what the originals were. There are few exceptions. To name a few sequels that are better than their elders I can name off hand: The Dark Knight, The Empire Strikes Back, The Two Towers and Return of the King. That's barely a hand full. It is a rare occasion for a sequel to out shine its predecessor.

Thankfully, I was not wholly disappointed by IM2. But it didn't live up to the first.

The pacing of the movie was nice. It moved along fast and kept me ready to see what would happen next.

Tony Stark dying was unnecessary. I didn't like the direction of the plot, but I saw why they did it. I just didn't like it. Seemed like a cop out to make him discover a new technology. I think they could have taken a more creative direction. Oh well, it was what it was.

My biggest let down of the movie was that there was not enough of Scarlett Johansson. She was smokin' as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow. The only bone I have to pick with her performance is the lack of a Russian accent. I mean the character is Russian for Pete's sake. I'm going to assume this dropping of the ball is due to Jon Favreau, and not Ms. Johansson.

Here are a few things that I enjoyed about IM2:

A) Gwyneth Paltrow rocks a pair of heels. I don't think there's anything more sexy than a woman strutting in a pair of stiletto heels. They make my heart thumpety-thump-thump just a little harder than normal.

B) IM2 was a visual spectacle. I enjoyed the final scene where Tony and Rhodes team up for the big battle. The chase scene was especially enjoyable. Great special effects. You get your moneys worth.

C) Mickey Rourke. Even when he looks like trash his talent shines through. I can't really imagine anyone other playing the part of Whiplash.

**Spoilers Ahead**

D) I could really care less for the Avengers movie. I'm very doubtful that I'll even see it when it comes out. However, I did like the homage to Thor after the credits. It makes me look forward to the movie debut of the Norse God of Thunder.

**End of Spoilers**

Despite the things that let me down about IM2 I enjoyed myself. The movie makes my top five. Here's my top movies for 2010:

1. Robin Hood

2. How To Train Your Dragon

3. Shutter Island

4. Iron Man 2

5. Date Night

6. The Crazies

7. Kick-Ass

8. Alice in Wonderland

9. Book of Eli

10. Remember Me

11. Valentine's Day

12. The Bounty Hunter

***If you'd like to enlarge the picture of Pepper Potts just click on it.

Next in line on my To-See list:

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I Suck Because I'm Not Stephen King

I haven't blogged in a few days. For that I apologize.

Everything has been nice in my neck of the woods. I've started working on a new MS. I'm falling in love with the characters. They're awesome. Maybe I'll be able to share this story with you one day.

On to the bloggage.

This is somewhat of a sequel to a blog I posted a few weeks ago. It was entitled *Life's Worth Living Even If It Sometimes Sucks*. If you'd like to read that post kindly click on the title.

Anyway . . .

A man I greatly admire, Dr. James B. Richards, once said, "Life isn't fair."

He's right. Life. Isn't. Fair. Sometimes it just plain out sucks. Other times life doesn't just suck. There are times when you'll feel like you suck. When those times come there's no reason to down yourself, or lock yourself in a closet. Feeling like you suck is a fact of life. There's nothing you can do about it. When the sucky moments come they might as well be embraced.

I'm not saying you should dig a hole of misery. That's missing the point. Place your emotions on a petri dish, and examine them under a microscope.

Why do you feel like you suck?

Are you doing something to make yourself feel like you suck?

What can you do to change the feelings of suck-ass?

As I mentioned earlier: I'm working on a new manuscript. I get up every morning at 8 and am excited to take the first two hours of my day and write. I've been discovery writing. If you don't know what discovery writing is it's simple: I'm planning nor plotting anything. I sit down, read my previous work, take pen in hand and dive the depths of my imagination.

Yesterday, I believe, I started reading Stephen King's "It". Thus far, phenomenal read. It's the only book I've read that's freaked me out. Great feeling.

Before I sat down in front of the laptop to type these words I was reading "It". While reading King's tale I started to get that sucky feeling. I started comparing my work to SK's work. I felt like a major suck-hole.

>>>Pardon Me For This Short Commercial Break<<<

Some time ago I decided I wanted to make my living in the arts. As a writer. Becoming published isn't easy. You actually have to write. Everyone that dreams of getting published would increase their chances if they would actually sit down and write. That's why there's not more published writers. After that there's the whole business side of things: finding an agent, finding an editor and publisher, etc.

Starting out, I had no set scheduled and wrote at sporadic moments. I dealt with feelings of suckage. I would think, I'm never going to make it as a writer. If I could ever get published my dreams would come true but that probably won't happen. Those feelings were pretty easy to deal with once I actually started writing. Every day. All the time. The only love I have besides my wife is writing.

There's nothing that can talk me out of making my living as a writer. No matter how hard I have to work or how long it takes I will be published.

You will see a book, that I have written, on a book shelf in a book store all over the world.

>>>End Commercial Break <<<

Stephen King has become a personal hero. I love the down-to-earthness of his prose. I read his dialogue with eagerness. His imagery is vivid and I see every word he writes. So . . . when comparing my works to his I tend to think, Holy shit, I'll never be this awesome.

When I think that way it's really easy to set the pen and notebook aside and wallow it the suckness. But I don't do that. I examine my feelings and determine why I feel like I suck:

1. Stephen King has been perfecting his craft for longer than I've been alive.

2. Stephen King understand his craft better than I do.

3. I'm not Stephen King and I have my own style. My own voice. I have my own technique of telling tales.

4. I admire Stephen King's work but I don't want to be Stephen King. I want to be Mark Westmoreland.

I'm getting better and better at what I do. I'm understanding my art better and better everyday. My ability to tell stories is improving, and has come a long way. One day someone will admire me the way I admire Stephen King.

Whenever you feel like you suck and want to quit: Don't. Find out why you feel the way you feel and if there's anything you can do about it at all. Do it.

Thanks for reading this lengthy post. I try to keep them short so consider this an exception and not the rule.

Until next time,

Adios and via con dios.

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Life Reflections: Farewell to Lost and One Year of Wedded Bliss

Part One:

O, Lost, Fare thee well

Last night I said goodbye to a dear friend. Lost. 

I don't believe it was the best episode of the six seasons, but it was satisfying. 

There are some things throughout the years that I think I would've done different. For example:

(a) I never would have explained the origins of the Island. I thought it was unnecessary. One of the charms of the show was that you didn't exactly know what the Island was. Purgatory? Heaven? Hell? Part of developing the character of Jacob - which I will talk more about in point b - you had to deal with the Island. That's when one of the most shameful stories of Lost was told . . . the Light. Watching the backstory of Jacob and his younger brother was interesting, but it was a downer when you find that the power behind the Island was a light. I mean this is the show that dealt with time travel, alternate universes, physics, relativity, and other awesome concepts. Why trash those great stories with a light. I would have rather been left in wonderment of the Island than have know about the Light.

(b) I would have left Jacob an non-tangible character. Why did Jacob even need to be brought into the foray? I was content watching Ben talk to his imaginary friend or deal with Richard as the go between. I didn't need to see Jacob. It took away from the concept that the Losties were dealing with a higher power. I didn't like the thought that Jacob was just another dude. I always enjoyed wondering whether or not Jacob was God.

(c) Why the hell couldn't it have been a thousand years family feud between Jacob and Esau! I will go on in blissful ignorance believing that it was so.

It's time to move on, now. I don't know if I'll ever find a show to replace Lost. It was a worthy investment of my time.

Goodbye, Lost.

Part Two:

One Year of Wedded Bliss

If you knew me and knew my personality you'd be surprised that I was even married. Really. I'm a pretty hard dude to get along with at times. I'm a slob. Spend a lot of time doing nothing but reading and writing. It took a special woman to come along and decide I was worth marrying. Thank God we found each other. 

Being married is awesome. I wouldn't change the past year with my wife. I wouldn't marry another woman. She's the best.

These are some of the best things about being married:

(a) Always having someone to come home to/be with. Spending my time by myself got old after a while. It's nice to have someone to hang out with.

(b) It's nice that someone is not a family member and is genuinely interested in what I'm doing with my life. She cares about the fact that I want to be a writer. She's supportive of that dream. She likes the fact that I have high aspirations. That's cool.

(c) Someone to make babies with. The person you exchange vows with you want them to be a great parent. I can say that the woman I married is going to be an awesome mom. One day I look forward to having chil'ren with Sunny D. 

We have an awesome life together.

I look forward to years and years and year and years with her. 

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The Thievery Of Robin Hood

These are the kinds of stories I like: Stories that have clanging swords and the twang of bow strings. Stories that are epic with heroes that triumph and beautiful heroines that rise up in a time of need. I like stories with grand battles where evil is crushed. I like stories that take place in ancient lands where magic is as common as breath. 

Robin had a combination of all of these except magic. That is okay. 

I let go a sigh of relief when I found that Kevin Costner did not reprise his role as the Hood. 

I don't know if Ridley Scott was setting history straight or spinning a new tale, but he told a damn good origin story. 

These are the type of roles that I enjoy Russel Crowe in most. When I want to see a common man rise to heroic heights Crowe does not disappoint.

I've never been remotely attracted to Cate Blanchett but she carried dignity and class as Maid Marion, and that was sexy. 

Robin's Merry Men had me laughing in their drunken exploits and cheering in the heat of battle.

You won't be disappointed by Robin Hood. The movie has stolen my number one spot for my favorite movies of 2010. 

1. Robin Hood

2. How To Train Your Dragon

3. Shutter Island

4. Date Night

5. The Crazies

6. Kick-Ass

7. Alice in Wonderland

8. Book of Eli

9. Remember Me

10. Valentine's Day

11. The Bounty Hunter

Do yourself a favor. Take a trip to Nottingham and enjoy Robin and his Merry Men. You'll thank me.

Until next time,

Adios and via con dios

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Life's Worth Living Even If It Sometimes Sucks

We have a new member of the Madhouse. Everyone say hello to Tara by visiting her blog. You can jump there by clicking *here*

Now, on to the madness:

Sunny D has a friend going through a hard time.

She put as her face book status:

Life: 1. ______: 0.

I know everyone has felt that way. I have. To try and cheer her up I look for a quote. I sifted through a bunch of quotes . . . a bunch of very bad quotes. Who could've known there would be so many bad quotes? I even google searched, "funny quotes about life." After reading some of my results I thought, I'm not trying to get this girl to jump off a bridge. There just weren't any that were "haha, make you slap your knee" funny. I guess that's what you get for trying to be thoughtful.

Anyway, I took matters into my own hands, took a trip to www.thinkexist.com, and found this one:

Don't worry about life, you're not going to survive it anyway.

It's kind of morbid. I doubt she'll shoot herself. It made me laugh but I have a weird sense of humor. In the end the bell rings true. You're going to die one day so on your way out make sure you give life one helluva punch to the face.

Don't give up - life's not over until you're dead.

Give it your all - what else do you have to give?

Enjoy the ride - life's worth living even if it sometimes sucks.

Besides . . . the suckage can only last so long. Suck something long enough and it will blow, and that's when the good things happen. Then everyone is all smiles.

Until next time,

Adios and via con dios

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A Date to see Date Night

Hope all mother's reading this have had a nice mother's day. The wife and I took my mom and sister to Baker's St. Pub and Grill. 

We discovered this place a little over a week ago and we've been there three times since. Fantastic food and drink. Our first go round I had the Black and Bleu Burger. No lie, one of the most delectable burgers I've ever had. Just thinking about it now I begin to salivate.

Our next visit Sunny D and I had drinks and an appetizer. The name of the appetizer has just slipped my mind, but trust me, it was hella good. 

Today I had the Baked Potato and Cheddar Soup. I'm already planning for my return visit so's I can devour the soup. Forever and ago I discovered the broccoli and cheddar bread bowl at Penera Bread. I have since been faithful to this soup and have not strayed to others. Now, I have found a companion for my broccoli and cheddar and the two soups shall enjoy a holy matrimony in my belly.

Afterwards, we hit up Barnes and Noble - my own Fortress of Solitude - and I bought The Regulators by Stephen King. Every time I stop by BandN I browse through the Cormac McCarthy books and drool. I want to read All the Pretty Horses like I want to breathe.

Onto my movie review.

Unplanned and a departure from my To See list Sunshine and I checked out Date Night. I swear to Betsy that Steve Carell is the funniest s.o.b alive. If you haven't seen this movie finish my review, leave a nice comment, and check it out. Take a belly of laughs with you because you're going to need. Hang around for the blooper reel too. 

I look forward to any creative endeavors Steve Carell and Tina Fay may join in. Date Night sky rocketed to the top three of my 2010 Movie Rankings. 

Understand that my ranking system is solely based on entertainment value, and whether or not I would consider a reviewing.

Here's how this year's rankings stack up:

1. How To Train Your Dragon

2. Shutter Island

3. Date Night

4. The Crazies

5. Kick-Ass

6. Alice In Wonderland

7. Book of Eli

8. Remember Me

9. Valentine's Day

10. The Bounty Hunter

I still plan to see Iron Man 2 this week. Honestly, I don't foresee it cracking my top five. The only thing that could heft it towards the top is this pretty lady . . .

*gasp*

*pant*

*sigh*

Until next time, ladies and gents,

Adios and via con dios

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Did Kick-Ass Kick Ass?

Yesterday I had two of my wisdom teeth pulled. I'm not hurting as bad as I thought I might be. I haven't even had any swelling. The doctor provided me with some handy drugs. That's nice. I was awake for the procedure, and no lie, it was pretty cool. The only thing I didn't enjoy was having needles stuck into my gums and my tongue. That sucked.

So . . . I took yesterday and today off. I slept most of the day yesterday. Four hours total. It was pretty nice. Today I woke up and didn't do a whole lot of anything. That's what made me decide to go catch a movie. I've been planning on seeing Kick-Ass for a couple of weeks but hadn't got around to it. I finally did.

My thoughts.

I'm kind of disappointed. Wasn't what I was thinking it would be.

The highlight of the movie was Hit Girl. Watching a foul mouthed twelve year old kick the crap out of a bunch of men was fun.

McLovin' a.k.a Red Mist was not so fun. Sadly I think Super Bad may have type cast Christopher Mintz-Plasse (for me).

The protagonist Kick-Ass/Dave Lizewski was somewhat boring.

Nicholas Cage gave one of his best performances in a long while. Cage is a comic book lover and seriously shamed himself with his Elvis impersonating Ghost Rider. Gladly he redeemed himself with Big Daddy.

I wish the movie had been more about Big Daddy and Hit Girl than Kick-Ass. They're where the movie is at.

Where does Kick-Ass come in on the rankings . . .

1. How To Train Your Dragon

2. Shutter Island

3. The Crazies

4. Kick-Ass

5. Alice In Wonderland

6. Book of Eli

7. Remember Me

8. Valentine's Day

9. The Bounty Hunter

Next week I may check out Iron Man. Not because I'm excited about seeing but because Scarlett Johansson is in it.

Until next time,

Adios and via con dios.

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Little Green Men

Before I share this week's short story I would like to welcome Nisa to the Madhouse.

She has one of my favorite blogs and definitely an awesome blog title. Really wish I could steal that one. You can check it out by clicking on these words *Wordplay, Swordplay*. Her Ten Word Tuesdays are always my favorite posts. Do yourself a favor and mosey on over that way.

This week's short story is probably my favorite that I've written. Hope you guys get as much enjoyment reading it as I did writing it.

Little Green Men

"C'mon."

"I don't wanna."

"Come on."

"I said, 'no.'"

"Listen. If they were gonna kill us - ah - we'd be dead already. Now, let's go!"

"I'm not going. You go on. Die by yourself."

"I swear to God, Julia. I'm going to grab you by the hair and drag you out in the middle of that field."

"Barry, you touch my damn hair and I'll kill you."

"You know what? I'm going. See you in another life, Julia."

"No, wait . . ." Julia reached out for Barry. She caught empty air is all. Julia tried to peer through the bushes but there was nothing to see.

#

Julia wondered how long she'd been hiding. She saw a man wearing a red shirt in the middle of the field. That was Barry. He'd been standing there since he'd left her. Julia thought about going to him but she wouldn't. She'd seen movies. She wasn't stupid. All you had to do was watch t.v. You'd find out that when a big ship hovers in the sky bad things happen. She stayed where she was. Julia wasn't moving. Let Barry die by himself.

#

Barry wanted to take Julia by the hair and drag her out here. Things like this never happened. How could she miss out on it?

Would anything happen?

Barry thought he had been standing here for a while. He kept standing. The longer he stood the longer nothing happened.

#

Julia was almost asleep when Barry's head popped through the bushes. She screamed.

"Be quiet."

"You're not dead?"

"No, I'm not dead."

"Where's the aliens?"

"Stupid things wouldn't come out. I even yelled for them. You didn't hear me?"

"No."

"Oh well. Let's get outta here. I want a beer."

#

Little green men stood at the transport station. They looked into a screen that showed Barry and Julia. They were walking away from the field.

The smallest of the little green men looked at the tallest of the little green men and thought, Do you think it is wise for us to leave the ship?

The tallest of the three little green men thought back, I sense no harm.

The shouting man could present danger. The smallest of the little green men thought this to no one in particular.

The thought hung. Neither the tall little green man nor the medium-sized little green man thought back. Little green men can go for long periods of time without thinking to each other.

Finally, the medium-sized little green man thought, You two can go out to your sure destruction, but I'm staying here.

Like a candle being snuffed out the alien ship winked out of Earth's atmosphere.

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