Sunday, March 30, 2014

The Walking Dead Season Finale Review. (No Spoilers)

    After 6 long months of good acting, great stories, and lots of gore. Season 4 of The Walking Dead has officially come to a close with an exciting cliffhanger to keep people buzzing. For those of you who haven't watched the last episode, I won't spoil it for you but I will say that this episode takes a dark turn for Rick and the group. Every year it seems that the series finds a new way to become darker and more violent which is amazing considering  how violent it's already been. There's always a new way exposed on how to kill a zombie and survive what some would believe a "Zombie Apocalypse."
     A lot has happened during this season that closed chapters in certain people's life and made them more human than they were before they joined the group. We got a deeper look into Michonne's and Daryl's character that shed light on their past. We finally saw the end of the Governor at the hands of Michonne after he beheaded the beloved Hershel. The prison which kept the group safe was destroyed and other beloved characters we're lost as the survivors made their way to Terminus. If you don't know who made it then this is where I'll stop so you can enjoy the show.
    My favorite part of this season is Rick kind of becoming the bad ass we all knew he could be if properly motivated. When you see the final episode, you will know how much of a bad ass he can be. Ever since the beginning of this season, Rick has been on the end of several ass whippings so it was nice to finally see him give one. Next season, we will definitely see a more fierce side of Rick that we've never seen before which will be exciting. The only question to ask now is what can possibly happen to them that's worse than what they've already been in?
    The answer clearly is, we don't know. If there's one thing that The Walking Dead is good at is shocking the fans by throwing a curve ball. There will be new kinds of zombie killings, new characters that will be coming to light and no doubt we will lose someone we care about. Personally, I'll be alright as long as nothing happens to Maggie, Daryl, Rick and Michonne. But we will have to wait until the series returns later this year.
    The series will continue next October obviously starting immediately where this episode leaves off which is good and bad for fans of the franchise. Good because everyone whom the fans wanted to survive still are and will be there next season. Bad because like football season, it's going to be half a year before anything happens and that wait is going to really suck. This will probably be worst waiting period ever because of how this episode ended but there's one thing we can all agree on. The next season is going to be epic!

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Tribute to Robin Williams


A Brilliant Robin
Ever since you and Mindy met,
I have never been able to keep my eyes off you.
When I saw you sail in with Olive
and flex your big forearms,
I knew you were a brilliant Robin.

I never needed toys
cause I watch you for amusement.
I never had to go fishing with grandpa
because I was watching a king on the screen.

The way you made us laugh with Comic Relief.
It was like watching poetry in motion,
like you were the leader of a dead society.
And you touched our hearts with more than comedy.

You’ve been everywhere from cold Moscow
to seeing a good morning in Vietnam.
Just to see you do what you can do
is a real awakening.

The way you can change colors
by turning into a big blue clown,
making dreams of a pauper come true
easier than saying Bibidy Bobidy Boo.

You’ve even changed sexes,
and proved that being an old lady
can be funny and lovable.
It’s almost like you have artificial intelligence.

Then, there is your voice
that hides so many others.
If I didn’t know any better Jack,
I’d say you were a machine covered in furry skin.

You can’t be real.
It’s like you popped out of Neverland
because you never get old in spirit.
There’s always a fresh joke for you to tell.

No birdcage can hold you.
I would have an easier time
trying to catch air with hands.
Your humor is what dreams can come.

You have done so much a man can do.
It’s almost like you have Insomnia
because you never seem to sleep.
You should be man of the year.

If there was a museum of you,
I’d wait all night there with happy feet.
I’d take a picture of you,
and rush it to one hour photo.

I hope somehow I get to meet you someday.
So, until then I will say thank you for everything.
You are a brilliant Robin, and, until there is another,
Good Hunting Mr. Williams.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

When a Joker is above a King

No Love for The Joker
By
Anthony Labson

What makes a Joker more of a man
Than a king?

A king has hundreds of people
that serve him, prepare his food,
clothes him, cleans him,
and gets everything he wants.

Covered with jewelry, surrounded
by stone walls and steel.
He can start wars with whomever
And take other people’s land.

The people he conquers become his slaves
and he uses glory to explain chaos.
For that his name will go into the record books
and generations will remember his name.

A king’s ambition for power and the
preservation of his legacy is his only concern
even at the expense of the people “He” serves.
A Joker doesn’t need all this.

All a joker asks for is a smile
and he is willing to get it by his own
expense if necessary.
For that, you call him a fool.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Muppets Most Wanted Review

    Well since Kermit and Muppets returned in the feature The Muppets, the famous Jim Henson creations have been pushed back into the public mainstream. Mixing old fashion elements with new characters and a new direction, the Muppets have seem to catch it's former glory. If you decide to go with the family then please be sure to get there early because there is a good short film included staring the characters from the Pixar film Monsters University. With the sequel Muppets Most Wanted the film continues where the last one ended. 
    Kermit and the gang now hot off their first film become persuaded by a manager, Dominic Badguy played by Ricky Gervais, to go on a world tour. While on this world tour, Kermit is set up to by a look a like frog known as Constantine and is taken to Russia to serve Constantine's prison sentence. While Kermit finds a way to escape, Constantine uses the world tour as a cover to steal from wealthy institutes with his partner Dominic that leads to an ultimate heist. The only one that seems to catch on about what's really going on is of course Walter who was the star of the last film along side Jason Segel and Amy Adams.
    When Walter convinces only a few of the gang to trust him and head for Russia in order to free Kermit before Constantine's plan comes to fruition which would lead to the end of the gang's comeback. With a variety of music numbers and celebrity cameos, this sequel doesn't overlap the last movie but is just as good. The running time of the film is two hours but with the comedy and the musicals, it made the film feel as though it was shorter. Of course being a Disney film and it's the Muppets, it's a great film for the kids and the parents will enjoy as well.
    The Muppets have been a big part, not just with my generation but now with this new generation as well. The miracle with this is, The Muppets have never really changed though the world around them certainly has. With other characters that have adapted with the times like superheroes and old film reboots that are changed to fit the new world's needs, the look and purpose of each muppet still stays the same. Keeping the Muppets original is what's contributed to their regained popularity. This film will give the film Divergent a run for it's money on opening week but I have no doubt that Muppets Most Wanted will take the number one spot.  
    This movie gets a 10 out of 10 because of the fact that it's a family film that's made for everyone of different generations. The story is fresh, warm, and while this is a musical, there is more story this time than there was in the last film. Again if you decide to go then please make sure you get there before the short film starts, it was very entertaining. I didn't stay to see if there was anything after the end of the film but I did stay a little during the credits and there was some entertaining stuff. Muppets Most Wanted will be Disney's next biggest draw in since Frozen in my prediction.

Monday, March 17, 2014

200 Posts Ago

    2 years ago, I decided to go back to my passion after believing in a "fool's dream" to become a successful writer. My passion for it always came from a line I heard when I was a child by the late great actor Sir Peter O'Toole in the film Man of La Mancha. As Miguel De Cervantes, he said,  "Reality! A stone wall crushing the human spirit. Poetry demands imagination and with that imagination, we may discover a dream." Those words always stayed with me because it speaks a universal truth.
    That truth is this, Reality will not always be a friend to us and I learned that lesson hard during the Great Recession. I graduated Nova Southeastern University and couldn't find a job anywhere so I stopped writing and got a full-time job. I'm grateful for what I have but the fact is that I had a whole missing in my life, I feel like I have more to offer. As the years went by and more and more opportunities opened up for writers such as self-publishing, I decided to go back to what I know best and I can honestly say I've never been happier. Thanks to my full-time job, I am now able to make money while at the same time, chasing my dreams on my own terms.
    I started writing my novels and producing them on eBook formats and gradually setting them up for print but there was something missing. The one thing that every writer should have in order to connect with other people and that's a blog. Truth is this is my biggest challenge as far as being a writer because if there's one thing about a blog that can make things difficult, it's always having to have something to say. You have to constantly have something to get people's attention whether it's advertising your product or simply to say hi and get personal.
    Now I've reached my 200th post and I've been viewed by so much in just 2 years, I feel very accomplished even though I know I haven't hit the hard part yet. I'm doing everything I can to get my name out there because I know I have something to offer both in literature and in film. I mean it when I say on my web pages that I think creativity is at an all time low and we need fresh ideas to get things moving again. There are hundreds of writers out there like me who have ideas to contribute and we have a right to contribute but unfortunately some are just comfortable with what's already been done. Why shouldn't it because it was successful the first time so why not a second?
    Hopefully one day you will hear my name and read my work so that one day I can contribute, bringing creativity back. With everything that is going on in the world today, with the threat of stone walls being raised once again, maybe it's time to use our imagination again. I have used my imagination and I have discovered my dream which is why I'm here writing about it. Until the next is written.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

A Cold Is Coming?

    After World War 2, it seemed that the fear was over and human beings had seen the worst of humanity but unfortunately things didn't go the way I'm sure most people would want. More wars followed but none more terrifying than the Cold War. A period in time where people lived in fear everyday for decades that they would wake up and the skies would be filled with mushroom clouds. Where everything that was important to us disappears and a mere fight for survival arises. The world as we know it covered in nuclear fallout.
    Another Cold War is a definite possibility considering everything that's happened as of late and if there's one thing I've learned from History, events have a habit of repeating themselves. Here is what we know for sure as of now. Russia has invaded a section of the Ukraine known as Crimea and hasn't moved so far. This is Russia's response after a Pro-European union overthrew the Pro-Russian president of Ukraine and imposed it's own president. America and Europe have already posted sanctions against Russia but no military muscle has been flexed yet. Both sides are barking but thankfully, nobody has taken a bite.
   Ukraine however is standing guard waiting for something to happen as Crimea recently voted to break off from Ukraine and join Russia. Whether or not it will be honored is one thing but it's clear that Ukraine does not have the military might to compete with a superpower like Russia. Now the next question is why should that concern the U.S. or the rest of the European Union? Well for the United States, it means they could be sending more troops away from home because the countries that surround Ukraine like Poland. Under the N.A.T.O treaty, the United States is obligated to defend them against any invasion.
    For the rest of Europe, with the addition of losing a potential ally, the other concern for them is one of the most valuable resources on the planet. Oil, Europe gets half and if not then most of it's oil from Russia so if Europe interferes with this then Russia could deal a serious blow to Europe without having to fire a single bullet. Things aren't clear right now but due to the fact that Crimea has elected to break off, maybe this will calm the tensions but the fact remains, Russia is at Ukraine's door. Tensions have never been this high in years and everyone involved has their eye on this country. This could be the first step.
    The step down a slippery slope that could lead to another 40 years of fear. It's a terrifying reality that is happening whether we want it to or not and anything can happen at this point. Some say that this was bound to happen because of old seeds that were planted years ago and others say that there is hope for both sides. Looks like all we can do is wait and see what happens but hopefully we will learn from History. I've never seen a mushroom cloud except on the silver screen and I like to keep it that way.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Faith In The Force

    Now I have to admit that I wasn't a big fan of the last three Star Wars movies. Episodes 1-3 to me weren't as captivating as it's predecessors for several reasons to me. I won't waste time writing about that because it would take the whole blog but the main complaint for me is, you know what's going to happen. I'm not a fan of prequels because of the fact you already know how it's going to turn out so what's the point of watching it. I let it go with Star Wars just because I wanted to see Yoda kick the crap out of people and watching him fight was very entertaining.
    Overall however, the last three to me were a bomb but if you disagree then that's fine because I disagree with how everyone seems to be reacting to the new Star Wars films that will be coming out in the near future.  True fans of the franchise were worried off the bat after the announcement that Disney had acquire the rights to Star Wars. The thoughts of Mickey Mouse's hand holding the Death Star made some fans shaky but this gives the franchise more confidence because honestly, it's Disney. This is a company with arguably the deepest pocket in the world and that opens a lot of doors to advance the franchise.
    The next announcement that only shook the faith of Star Wars fans was the announcement that J.J. Abrams, the director of the last two Star Trek movies will be directing. This crosses a line between two franchises that are at odds with each other and I understand this but think about this. This is a director that brought Star Trek back from the dead, he made me a fan of that franchise. J.J. Abrams is a more than capable director of restoring Star Wars to it's former days of glory. It's going to be nice seeing a Star Wars film where you have no idea what is going to happen.
    Now I will share one concern that many fans are having and that's the lack of cast members announced. Many are hoping that originals such as Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher will be reprising their roles as Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia. The only recent announcement is that Adam Driver, actor known for his roles HBO's Girls will play the villain in the new saga. I don't know much about the man but like before, I'm willing to give him the benefit of a doubt. I wait until I see a trailer before I come up with an idea of how I will like or dislike something.
    I do believe however that fans of the franchise will have to let the old stuff go because it seems clear that Disney will be making this for the new generation while catering a little to the old. That might be the main problem with making these films. The ideas are still being processed and nothing seems to moving forward yet which makes me believe that Disney is taking it's time with this to which I'm grateful for. When it comes to a popular franchise like Star Wars that has a very dedicated fan base, you need to do the job right. Disney has a reputation of doing the job right and they've hired the people who can deliver the goods in terms of science fiction.

Healing a Broken Heart



Healing a Broken Heart
By Anthony Labson
Why do you do this to yourself?
You rather live with heart ache
and never know joy or passion
because you can’t get out of this hole.

You were dragged down
by an iron ball and
got wrapped up in the chains.

You sunk down to this level
and you never left.

You drown yourself in drink
and spend more time in the past.
Your children only know dysfunction
and every day you become a stranger
to them.
Well I’m here now
and I want to give you hope.
If you’re so scorned and don’t trust me
then that’s fine but here is my hand.

What do you have to lose?

Sunday, March 9, 2014

300: Rise of a sequel

    When the first 300 came out years ago, it was a major surprise blockbuster even though it got bad reviews from critics. But if there's one thing the critics and everyone else will always disagree on is action movies and movies based on graphic novels. After that, stars likes Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Dominic West, and Michael Frassbender really started to shoot off and become superstars. Zack Snyder went on to also create other comic adaptions like his popular Watchmen and the most recent Man of Steel. So it's only logical that a sequel should come forward and by the end of this sequel, it's only going to continue.
    There's one problem however with making a sequel to this movie, for anyone who knows the story of the famous 300 Spartans and the battle of Thermopylae, every Spartan gets killed. So how do you continue a story about the 300 when all of the 300 are dead, create a story that takes place during the events of the Thermopylae. The film focuses around the character Themistokles, played by Sullvian Stapleton, who is a famous Athenian warrior who sets out to challenge the Persian navy. While the 300 Spartans are making history by holding of King Xerxes, Themistokles faces off against the commander of the Persian navy Artemisia, played by Eva Green. Artemisia is a character with a very dark past that in a way makes you sympathize with the character but her blood lust removes that very quickly.
    Much like the 300, Themistokles is greatly outnumbered both with ships and has to rely on his cunning and creative tactics in order to destroy the thousand of ships attempting to burn Greece to the ground. Just when all hope is lost, word of the fall of the 300 Spartans reaches Themistokles and he uses it to his advantage. Using the tale of the 300, he unites Greece in one more final stand in order to repel the Persian invasion and send them back across the ocean. This movie can only be described as short but sweet filled with action, blood and carnage. At the end of this movie you can be promised two things, there will be blood and there will be another sequel.
    I agree with the critics on one thing and that is the exaggeration of how the Persians are portrayed but again this is based off the graphic novel and this is an adaption so I let it go. Do I think this movie was better than the first, no. Honestly it was like seeing 300 all over again as far as fighting against overwhelming odds and fighting for "Freedom" but the only difference is that it's over the sea rather on land. If you have the opportunity than watch it in 3D because it's awesome with the fighting sequences. The fight choreography was spectacular, you couldn't turn away when it comes to watching Themistokles fight.
    The movie is rated R for obvious reasons such as the blood, gore, intense violence, language and graphic sex scenes including rape. It's a very intense movie that doesn't disappoint fans of the franchise while it's not the best of the two, it's still fun to watch if you're an action junkie. With a running time of about a hour and 45 minutes, it's very fast pace and I wouldn't recommend eating or drinking because if you have to run to the bathroom, you will miss something you'll want to see. Overall, this movie to me gets a 7 out of 10 because while again it felt like watching the first movie, it was still a fun sequel.    

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Ode to my dog, my friend.

Sample from my ebook, "Madness in a Recession" available on Kindle, Nook and in print everywhere else.


Storm

I can’t believe it’s done.

With the touch of a needle,

my best friend is gone.

Somehow, that same needle punctured

 my heart.

 

I got you when you were a pup.

And for 13 years, I saw you grow

into a beautiful pure black Labrador.

The kind you would see in a show.

 

There were great times,

like running alongside you early in the morning,

throwing the ball around the yard,

showing you off to everyone and bragging,

playing tug of war with the rope.

 

But there were bad times,

like you barking in the middle of the night.

Your barks would sound like thunder.

Not to mention the hours of life used

picking up after you went inside the house.

 

But this moment is the worst.

When I realized that your time was coming,

I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t like it.

But I loved you too much

 to see you suffer.

 

I hope I did some good in staying with you

in that silent, ice-cold room

and talking to you so you wouldn’t hear

that silence till the end.

 

Oh, how I cried when I looked into your eyes

and told you “I’ll be seeing you again.”

I wonder if you knew what was coming.

Either way, I hope you knew my heart broke

for the first time that day.

 

I lost my first best friend.

His name was Storm.

And he was the best dog in the world

hands down.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Leo: The Cold Killer Synopsis

Do people ever really change? When they do, what causes that change? An inspirational song, a meeting with a random stranger, or the love of a friend or partner? Finally when that causes is gone and that person isn’t inspired anymore, can they keep the change or do they go back into their state of familiarity. That’s the main focus of the main character in this trilogy. Leo Clarkson, a professional killer whom goes through a rapid transformation in order to save a life instead of taking one. This time, Leo is trying to save someone’s life instead of taking it.

Being hired by the most powerful mob boss in New Orleans, Tony Giovanni, Leo is contracted to kill one of the people committed to putting him behind bars, Sara Casserly. Leo finds that the contract is harder to carry out when he realizes that the person means something to him. Because of the personal history the two share, Leo goes against everything that a professional should do and fights to protect her from the crime lord. Now Giovanni must call upon another professional to handle the situation before Leo attempts to kill him and save Sara from a grim fate. With Leo fighting the odds and his own personal battle, he must find a way to show that this time he can be a hero, not a killer.

This is the first part of The Leo Trilogy. Enjoy what you read and hopefully by the end we will see if Leo, a man who has only known violence and death can find salvation and peace. It will be a long journey but at the end of it all, we will see how one person can change a person for the better. The real question is, will Leo be able to be the hero he wants to be or go back to being a ruthless killer? Enjoy Leo: The Cold Killer and if you like what you read then keep in touch when part two, Leo: Government Issue is released.

Until the next is written.