Movie Recommendation - JD's Revenge

There are a lot of reasons why a Black actor, in a 1976 Blaxploitation horror film, would not get nominated for an Oscar, but if such a thing were possible, Glynn Turman would have gotten the Oscar for his portrayal of Isaac, a man possessed by a long dead mobster, out for revenge. The story and production values of this film are excellent. I'm sure way over, in quality, compared to whatever budget this film got, but the unforgettable thing is Glynn Turman's acting. Without any special effects he changes, right before you eyes, into an entirely different man. His face seems to take on a new bone structure and his change in persona is epic.

It is absolutely intriguing to see the transformation as Turman goes from a college student working his way through college as taxi driver, to J.D Walker, a slick hustler, from the 40s, who was killed after witnessing his sister's murder. As Isaac is taken over by JD he also inherits his mannerisms, hair style, and psychopathic behavior. JD sets out for maniacal revenge against the still living murders of his sister.

One of the reasons that I really enjoy a film like this, is that it's a time capsule that shows where a brother stood in the world of 1976. It gives me insight in a world outside my own. You get a chance to see how things have changed and how they've stayed the same, because one thing films do is reflect the real times they're made in. It's like, you can look at some Sci Fi films and know they're from the 80s, because the wardrobe people just took the clothes, kids and rock stars were wearing at the time, right off the rack. Then sewed some extra braiding on for the officers uniforms and spikes on the bad guy uniforms. It was an easy time for budget cinema sci fi. 

This film hits on all cylinders. If you are a fan of excellent cinema, you owe it to yourself to watch this flick.

The film deals with harsh themes and violence so I would not say it was appropriate for younger viewers. Picked up at the  Berryville Public Library.

Full description of film on Wikipedia @

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._D.%27s_Revenge

Recomended Movie: Compañeros (original release title: Vamos a matar, compañeros)

Lovers of Spaghetti Westerns Rejoice! If you have not seen Campaneros! recently, or not at all, check out this film. Franco Nero and Tomas Milian play off each other perfectly and who can resist a one armed Jack Palance. One armed because his companion hawk freed him from crucifixion, by eating his arm off. Jack Palance is a totally whacked oil company enforcer. Who uses every evil torture, including a big fat starving rat in a basket. This movie has scenes that will blow your mind and make your jaw drop.

Spaghetti Westerns, Godzilla, and Kung Fu movies were the only reason I knew there we're any foreign films when I was growing up in a world film with 3 and a ½ TV Stations: The networks and PBS on the UHF if you got the foil wrapped, just right, on that thick wire loop screwed in to the back of the TV, just below the rabbit ears brown flat wire.

So in Junior high school, when my father was transferred to Sasebo, Japan, a whole world of cinema opened up to me.  Without American TV to fill my life, I spent most of my time just wandering around Sasebo. Sometimes with some Temp friends, (When you moved as much as we did, you understand after 2 years you're never going to see the people you're hanging out with again). Other times I'd wander alone because I liked to study things and that just made me even weirder to the other military brats, so I spent a good deal of time by myself.

The crime rate was basically nonexistent, so even though I was only 12, I had free rein in the town. I took cabs, rode my bike all around town, or walked for miles exploring the city. I spent a lot of afternoons in Japanese Movie Houses. Instead of multiple screens, these theaters played different movies in a single large theater. It was possible to go into the theater at 10 o'clock in the morning and not get out until 7 or 8 at night, without seeing the same movie twice. When Enter the Dragon, with Bruce Lee, came out it was only a double feature and I sat and watched it 3 times. I can't even remember what the other movie was, even though I watched it twice, But, Enter the Dragon, I still check out that movie every year, or so. We returned to the States in the summer of 74 and it wasn't until I got old enough to drive and find an art-house theater that I was able to see foreign films with any frequency again and when VHS came down the pipe I really started exploring the world through film.

I especially like to watch good lower budget foreign films that are shot on location. The backgrounds are real and there's a lot of gabbing a handy person who actually does, whatever it is you want to get on the screen, from bull fighting, to cooking in an authentic way, or just sitting on a bench feeding pigeons. If the film is historical you get to see history from their perspective. So you get to see some reality of the country that the film came from. How they see the past. A good example of this is Marketa Lazarov̀a a 1969 Czech master piece about a feud between two rival medieval clans. It is a gritty, believable, look at medieval life in somewhere other than Britain, France, or Venice. I'll be recommending that film soon.

See all Recommended Movies on Alexander's Blog: My52Pickup

"Companeros" poster by Source. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Companeros.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Companeros.jpg

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

I have been excitedly anticipating One Plus One by Jojo Moyes for months. Moyes has become one of my favorite authors, since reading Me Before You. (Which if you have not yet read, you simply MUST!)

One Plus One follows the story of Jess, Nicky, Tanzie and Ed on a road trip to a math Olympiad. Jess is a single mom, determined to stay positive for the sake of her children. Nicky feels like an outcast and is bullied by the neighborhood kids. Tanzie is a math genius, which makes her feel a bit odd. Then the family meets Ed, who's dealing with a crisis of his own. They make an unlikely crew but together they embark on a life changing journey. The characters and the struggles are quite relatable. Moyes has a talent for writing stories about ordinary people dealing with life. It's a touching story and a very satisfying read.

Available at the Berryville Public Library. (Including a copy signed by the author!) The Berryville Public Library also has Me Before You and the Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes.

Somebody Up There Hates You by Hollis Seamon

SUTHY (Somebody Up There Hates You) is what 17 year old Richard Casey suffers from.  He is in the hospice ward of a New York hospital, waiting to die.  He has cancer, really, but refers to it as SUTHY syndrome.  He's had chemo, radiation and many surgeries but he is still a teenager and tries to make the most of life on the hospice ward.  The quirky characters like Sylvie, the harp lady, Uncle Phil, Edward, and Sylvie's fire-breathing father, make this story enjoyable given the macabre circumstances.  As expected with SUTHY, the language is surly and profane at times.

Available on Audio CD at the Berryville Public Library.

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry is an exciting roller coaster ride from start to finish.  Sixteen year old Cady wakes up in a cabin not knowing her name or where she is.  She hears a man say "Take her out back and finish her off."  As she is being dragged off into the woods, Cady unleashes power she didn't know she had and knocks the man unconscious, finds the keys to his car and drives away.  As she's driving, she takes inventory:  she is sore, swollen, has a loose tooth and two of her fingernails have been pulled out. 


Who are the men chasing her?  Why are they framing her for a man's murder?  Where is her family?  Who is she???  With the help of a 17 year old McDonald's employee, Cady learns who she is, bit by bit until it all comes crashing down on her in an exciting ending!

Available on Audio CD at the Berryville Public Library.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Cath and Wren are twin sisters heading off to college and for the first time in life beginning separate adventures.  In high school the sisters had done everything together, shared a room, shared clothes and they wrote fan fiction* together. But Wren decides she’s ready for a change and tells her sister she doesn't want to share a dorm room and is ready to develop an identity as an individual.

Upon arriving at college Cath’s social circle begins to expand. Reagan, her roommate, who would have preferred a private room. Reagan’s friend, Levi, who keeps popping up everywhere! And then there’s Nick, from her Fiction-Writing class, who she meets for late night writing sessions in the library. Meanwhile Cath continues to dedicate the majority of her free time to writing fan fiction without the help of her sister. On top of that, Cath’s faced with a host of family issues.

Cath’s freshman year challenges her to reevaluate her priorities and embrace a reality where she can’t control the ending.

Rowell’s writing is delightful. I loved this book. One look at the cover and I had already decided this has to be the cutest book ever. I was not disappointed. After finishing Fangirl, I was excited to read Rowell’s other books: Eleanor & Park and Attachments (which is available at Berryville Public Library).  Both are great books, which I also recommend. Rowell’s characters are endearing and real. I look forward to reading all her future works.

*Fan fiction, or fanfiction (often abbreviated as fan fic, fanfic, or simply fic), is a broadly defined fan labor term for stories about characters or settings written by fans of the original work, rather than by the original creator. From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_fiction). 

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Counting by 7s will make you feel good. It is a heartwarming story of triumph over tragedy.

Willow Chance, is twelve years old and lives with her adoptive parents. She has difficulty making friends and navigating social situations. Willow’s parents are tragically killed in an accident and her world is turned upside down.

An unexpected group of people, including a taxi driver, a Vietnamese family and a counselor, come together to care for Willow. The characters’ lives are transformed throughout their journey to save Willow.

I could not put it down. I read it in a few hours; it is so well written and I had to know how the story would end!