The Purge: Anarchy Review

Written by Stu Cooper

The Purge: Anarchy is officially my dark horse pick for film of the summer! In 2013 a film called "The Purge" was released and became quite the financial success. The plot revolved around "New Founders" of America making a new ritual where once a year, all crime would be legal. This event is called "The Purge". The premise is certainly frightening and gives way to infinite possibilities. Unfortunately the first film restricts itself to a lame home invasion plot that is poorly executed and even features someone getting lost in their own house. I really felt disappointed by the film. I went into "The Purge: Anarchy" with very low expectations. It's 2014, which means that's only a year between films. Typically when a sequel is ordered so quickly, it means danger. I am kind of glad I had low expectations because as a result, this film hit me like a sack of bricks! I absolutely loved this film and it surpassed the original in every way possible.

The film follows several different people and begins just 2 hours before the annual purge. This installment takes place in 2033. I think the near future is a good choice because it makes the political themes grounded in reality, which works to it's advantage as the film progresses. The cast of characters includes a waitress named Eva (Carmen Ejogo), her teenage daughter Cali (Zoe Soul), a young man named Shane (Zack Gilford),his wife Liz (Kiele Sanchez), and a police Sergeant named Leo (Frank Grillo). Each of these people have separate paths, but they all converge thanks to the purge. First you have Eva and her daughter, who live in the projects and due to medical expenses, they are barely getting by. Then you have the young couple who are going through a separation and are on their way to a relatives for protection from the purge. Then you have Leo the Sergeant who is dealing with the death of his son, and vows to exact revenge. Thanks to a range of mishaps and encounters with well equip psychos, the group ends up on the streets. I don't want to say the circumstances that land them there because they are critical to the "scare factor" of the film. The Sergeant reluctantly offers help to the group, and that's when the movie really kicks off.

Frank Grillo really steps it up in his role as Leo. I was already a fan of his work thanks to his appearance in The Winter Soldier but he really showed in this film that he could lead a group of actors, and take the starring role. I've heard rumors that he is supposed to be the main villain in Captain America 3, and after this film I'm sold on his ability to be bad-ass. The Sergeant is your classic tragic hero. He is a man who is filled with despair, anger, and thoughts of revenge. His character loses his son due at the hands of another, and he is using the purge as an excuse to take his revenge. This guy just doesn't want to take revenge, he wants to dominate. The early scenes of his character depict him armoring up, loading his assault rifle, putting on a bullet proof vest, and then he hits the streets in an armored vehicle that looks straight out of "Mad Max". A wrench is thrown into his plans when he encounters a group of innocent people (the ones mentioned before) and opts to guide them through the purge safely. He is a reluctant guardian angel, and often reminds me of "The Punisher". Seeing this character fight was certainly a highlight of the film.

The film really introduces A LOT of heavy political themes. The biggest theme revolves around class warfare. Civilians are starting to figure out that the Purge is targeted towards those who cannot protect themselves, the poor. A rebel group forms and through a series of viral videos, threatens to interfere in the Purge and make the rich pay for their blood lust. This brought a very real and often uncomfortable tone to the film. I felt like this situation may be exaggerated, but it is commentary on a very real class war going on in America right now. The story really pushes boundaries when it comes to vilifying the government. The government is really the main villain of the film. Without giving away too much, let me just say that big brother is watching and no one is safe. Eva the waitress and her daughter experience this conflict with the government first hand. The class warfare also comes up when a rich hunting game takes place, in which people bid on victims to hunt. It is very similar to the way a lot of sex slavery is handled in real life. Yet another disturbing tie to reality that makes you think of the real life villains that exist out there.

Not only do these strangers all deal with a series of psychos but they deal with a level of violence that rivals "Grand Theft Auto"! The way the city of Los Angeles is setup, it really feels like a video game battleground. I'm not sure how they got the streets so empty, but there are some beautiful and incredibly eerie shots of the empty city. It really makes you feel like this world is real, and adds to the tension. You could actually say this situation is more dangerous than "Grand Theft Auto" because in that game the cops at least try to stop people. If you're a fan of the GTA games, I have a feeling you'll love this film even more than the average viewer.

The film really touches on a lot of political themes, hits you in the face with a Tarantino level of violence, and throws together a team of unknown actors that fit together perfectly. The combination of those three things is what made this film good. I can't recommend this one enough. The great thing about this film is that it is also a stand-alone film. You don't have to see the original to grasp the sequel. "The Purge: Anarchy" is a gritty, brutal, emotional ride. I enjoyed the film so much, I'm actually looking forward to watching it again. If you like chaotic action films with a heart, this one delivers.

Transformers 4: Age of Extinction Review

Written by Gidget

Transformers 4: Age of Disappointment?

Let me begin by saying, I have always been a huge fan of the Transformers Franchise, minus Revenge of the Fallen (the one we don't talk about). And seeing shots from my hometown was beyond cool-especially knowing Mark Wahlberg probably had his muscular arms out in the open for all of us to see... However, I'm afraid I wouldn't deem this my favorite Transformers Film.

When mechanical “wizard” Cade Yeager (Wahlberg) stumbles upon an old, beat down truck, he quickly realizes, much to the dismay of his daughter Tessa (Nicola Peltz), that he has found a Transformer; not just any Transformer, but leader Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen). Prime is badly injured after a United States led attack on all Transformers: Autobot or Decepticon. Though they find the leader of the Autobots, the Yeager's, along with Tessa's unknown boyfriend Shane (Jack Reynor), soon find there's a reason the Autobots, namely Optimus Prime, are being hunted, and that their enemies are large in number.

If you're looking for what one always looks for when seated in a Transformers Movie Theater, which is, robots fighting robots, while smashing into buildings-you will not be disappointed. Age of Extinction offers the most action packed shots and sequences of, I believe, the entire franchise. Combined with satisfying deaths and kills. Guns, swords...robots turning into guns...robots turning into dinosaurs (?). If there's one thing Michael Bay is best at, it's action packed robot carnage, along with the occasional carefully placed product or ad, hidden behind an American Flag. The film offers the typical gun and air fight, along with new alien territory in the form of a mysterious Transformers' origin prison, run by the most badass nemesis (his face literally turns into a gun) known as a “bounty hunter.”

Along with this Autobot Bounty plot comes two others: a new breed of Transformer has been created by humans, and sleek looking Galvatron (voiced by Frank Weller) has served as only a body for reincarnated Megatron (He's baaack). And of course the usual human v. human/robot/universe plot comes into play with the aid of a bad guy played by Kelsey Grammar ('Merica). And yes, there are three subplots. Not to mention the whole, 'my daughter is going through teen angst and hates me' thing (which Bay spends about five minutes explaining to audiences what the Texas “Romeo and Juliet Laws” are). However, other big names who stood out in their roles include Stanley Tucci, Bingbing Li and even John Goodman (voicing Autobot “Hound”).

I lied earlier: another thing Michael Bay is great at is allowing leading ladies to be the best, most basic, damsel's in distress they can be. You go, girl! You hide behind that car, even though you maybe should've hauled ass ten minutes ago. If it hadn't been for Bingbing Li being a total badass in heels, we would've had to watch Peltz simper and whine like the world was crumbling just to annoy her.

Besides a few campy scenes along with some dialogue that would make Joel Schumacher cringe, Transformers serves it's purpose: as Entertainment and nothing more. Optimus Prime is at his baddest and Wahlberg certainly puts screaming Shia Lebouf (God rest his mainstream acting career) to shame. Giving Transformers: Age of Extinction a merciful 3 out of 5 stars.

Youtube Gem: Real Life Peter Griffin

Written by Stu Cooper

If you've gotten on the internet this week you've probably ran into this guy. Robert Franzese is a cosplayer who bares a striking resemblance to Seth MacFarlane's icon cartoon character "Peter Griffin"! Not only does he resemble him physically, but he can imitate the Peter character to perfection.

The judges in the video don't seem too impressed, not sure what that's about because this is a home run! The man behind the character is a cosplayer from Long Island who usually does G.I. Joe cosplay. He decided to give Peter a try and it's gone viral. Enjoy the video and let's hope we see more in the future. Also his faces during the photos at the end of the video are priceless!

You can find "Real Life Peter Griffin" on Facebook: Real Life Peter Griffin

You can also find him on Youtube: Robert Franzese Youtube Channel

July 4th Countdown: The Top 5 Patriotic Wrestlers

Written by Stu Cooper

If there is one thing in american pro wrestling that stands out, it's the rabid patriotism. You could not watch an 80's or Early 90's WWF pay per view without hearing the words "America" about a thousand times. Since then the patriotic american gimmick has been fairly prominent in professional wrestling. Not to mention the countless tributes to the american soldiers, the desert storm/gulf war storyline, and most recently the resurrection of the Russia vs. America cold war feud. These kinds of gimmicks can be traced back almost to the birth of professional wrestling. Showing pride in your homeland seems to be the go-to gimmick for a lot of pro wrestlers throughout history. Since today is July 4th, I have decided to honor some of these patriotic wrestlers with a Top 5 Countdown. There is literally hundreds of patriotic wrestlers, so I really tried to focus on the wrestler's overall impact and their usage of patriotism. Let's get into it!

5. The Patriot

"The Patriot" was a wrestling superstar from the 90's who dressed in Red,White, and Blue from head to toe. "The Patriot" was a walking US flag. He had the USA mask, the USA tights, and even named all of his moves after American things. My favorite move of his would have to be the "Patriot Missle"! The man under the mask is Del Wilkes, a man who started out in the AWA under his real name, then later became wrestling police officer "The Trooper". Soon after his run as "The Trooper" Wilkes started wrestling as "The Patriot". He began working for Global Championship wrestling where he won the TV title. His popularity began to soar after this and he was soon wrestling in All Japan and WCW. While in WCW he tagged with Marcus Bagwell to form a very cheesy tag team called "Stars and Stripes". Bagwell must have had a fetish for patriotic tag teams because he also went on to be in a tag team called "The American Males".

In 1997 Wilkes entered the WWF and began feuding with Bret Hart. Hart was in the midst of his Pro-Canadian heel turn, so it became a USA vs. Canada feud. The two had several matches including the obligatory Flag match. The most notable match-up between the two was at WWF Ground Zero: In Your House where "The Patriot" and Bret met one-on-one. Unfortunately soon after this Wilkes would get injured and with the Attitude era on the rise, he really didn't fit in. He was released from the WWF in early 1998. Since then Wilkes has retired due to a broken collar bone but just like the Doink gimmick, many wrestlers around the country wrestle as "The Patriot". Wrestler Tom Brandi claimed for years that he bought the gimmick from Wilkes and that's why he uses it, but Wilkes denied the claim. Funny thing is I can actually remember going to a local bingo hall indie in Georgetown,Kentucky when I was a teenager and I got very excited because I saw "The Patriot" was on the card. I couldn't believe Del Wilkes was coming to such a small town to perform in front of 15 people. I was quite shocked when he came out and he was about 4 inches shorter than Wilkes, 50 pounds lighter, and much hairier. Needless to say, I was disappointed.

4. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan is perhaps one of the most memorable patriots in pro wrestling due to his longevity. Duggan started out in Mid South wrestling where he picked up the idea of using a 2x4 as a weapon/ringside companion. After wrestling in Mid-South and UWF, Duggan was hired by the WWF. Duggan's debut feud was...you guessed it, a Russia vs. America feud with Nikolai Volkoff! In the weeks leading up to Wrestlemania 3 Duggan would save several wrestlers from Volkoff and would interfere a few times. Later in the year he competed at The Survivor Series. Not too long after this Duggan actually won the first ever Royal Rumble. This didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but in retrospect it was the beginning of a long tradition that became one of the most beloved wrestling ideas ever.

Duggan would continue to be a regular in the mid-card where he would feud with legends like The Honky Tonk Man and Andre the Giant. Duggan never really ascended to main event status, but that seemed to be by design. Duggan often served as "The Hype Man" for the faces in the company. This is what led to the chants of "U-S-A" and "HOOOOOOO". Duggan never held any titles in WWF and really began to sink down the card as the 90's approached. In 1993 he would have a mini-feud with the Japanese Monster "Yokozuna" but soon after this he left the company. After WWF, Duggan moved onto WCW where he did the exact same gimmick for the next several years. He would hold the US Title and TV title in WCW. I can actually remember towards the end of WCW he had a long feud with this Cuban guy on Saturday Night, and they had flag matches against each other on a weekly basis. There was also a short time period where Duggan betrayed his country and joined Team Canada...but let's pretend he just did it to bang Major Gunns and that's it. After WCW closed "Hacksaw" began showing up on Old School events and various legends matches on WWE television. He is now a regular cast member of the WWE's reality show "Legend's House" and is still a proud American.

3. "American Made" Hulk Hogan/Mr.America

If you live on the planet Earth, you've probably heard of Hulk Hogan. He is one of the biggest icons in entertainment, and certainly in professional wrestling. Hogan is part of a select few in wrestling that have actually transcended it. So it's no shocker that he is on this list. If you grew up in the 80's or early 90's you probably got to witness the shirt ripping, the leg drop, or you caught Suburban Commander on TV.

Hogan did not start out as The Hulkster. He began his career working for various territories in Florida and Alabama. He had a short run in the WWF, and then found fame in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Afterwards he played a pro wrestler named "Thunderlips" in Rocky 3. I personally love that character and I often whip out the term "ultimate meatball". Soon after this he re-signed with WWF and began his run as "The Hulkster". It started out with just the red shirt and eventually evolved into full blown mania after he defeated Iron Sheik for the WWF Title. Now the patriotism came in shortly after this when Hogan began cutting intense hype filled promos, encouraging people to support the troops, take vitamins, and workout. These promos came to their peak around the time of the Gulf War when Hogan feuded with turncoat Sgt.Slaughter.

After his WWF run he switched over to WCW and for a short time tried to carry the "American Made" gimmick over. Fans were tired of it and began booing him and this led to his eventual heel turn. You could say his involvement in the N.W.O could disqualify him but he really wasn't against the country, he just wanted to rule it BROTHER! Hogan would return to WWE some years later and in possibly his most patriotic moment ever, dawned a mask and called himself MR.AMERICA! It was absolutely absurd, but very patriotic.

2. "The Olympian" Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle is another obvious choice on this countdown that couldn't be ignored. This man oozes Americana. Angle started out as a very successful NCAA Amateur Wrestler. After college he went on to win a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics despite having a severe neck injury. It was truly an incredible feat. Soon after this, Angle started showing interest in pro wrestling. He appeared on commentary for an ECW show but left the show after he witnessed the Sandman/Raven crucifixion angle. It wasn't until 1999 that Kurt Angle began competing for the WWE. He instantly made an impact with his smartass prideful olympian persona. Angle would come to the ring dressed in red,white, and blue and would often wear his Olympic medal to the ring. His patriotism was certainly part of his gimmick, and it was glorious. He used his look and smug attitude to move through the ranks and became a hated villain.

Angle was a instant success and within a year he won almost every WWE title available. Later in his career he would compete in TNA and Japan. One thing remained the same no matter what his character was doing or what company he was working for, and that was his love of America. In his promos and interviews Angle would constantly remind the audience and viewers at home that he was a Olympic Gold Medalist for Team USA. He would often wear sweatsuits covered in the colors of the flag. The medal he wore became a source of inspiration for him and would often serve as bait in a storyline. A wrestler stealing it was often the start of a grudge. In one case "Stone Cold" Steve Austin actually threw the medals off a bridge. Angle somehow recovered them shortly after.

1. Sgt. Slaughter

It's time for the number one entry in the Film Enigma Patriotic Wrestler Countdown. Number one is none other than Sgt.Slaughter! This one might actually be considered controversial because Slaughter actually turned on the country during the Gulf War but since it was such a short period of time, I let it slide. Slaughter began as a bad guy managed by "The Grand Wizard" but in 1984 he showed up to defend America's honor against the Iron Sheik and that's when his path to patriotism began. Slaughter feuded with Sheik all over the world for the next year. The feud peaked when the two sold out Madison Square Garden when they competed in a "Boot Camp Match". The "Boot Camp Match" would later become a signature match for Slaughter. Slaughter left the WWF after a dispute involving his role in G.I. Joe but he would keep the Sgt.Slaughter persona for the rest of his career.

Let's talk about the reasons why I chose Slaughter to be the top patriot in the countdown. Slaughter really used the patriotism gimmick to it's fullest potential. Before Hulk Hogan, he had the crowd in the palm of his hand. The point where I believe he transcended the others in the countdown was when he began appearing on the "G.I. Joe" cartoon and toy-line which was wildly popular at the time. Slaughter even voiced his own character on the cartoon. It doesn't get much cooler than that. Slaughter became a recognizable figure among most children as a result. After this the Iraqi controversy comes into play.

After a run in the AWA, Slaughter returned to the WWF. When he returned "The Hulkster" was the king of the mountain and he was also the one waving around the American flag like Slaughter did before. Slaughter returned as a villain in 1990 during The Gulf War and revealed himself to be an Iraqi sympathizer. This started one of the craziest angles of the early 90's, possibly in history. Slaughter got a lot of heat for this, and supposedly received death threats from patriotic Americans. I would say this is grounds for disqualification but Slaughter says in interviews that he had a very hard time delivering the anti-american promos. The program would end in 1992 and Slaughter would go back to his old Pro American Drill Sgt. routine. Slaughter has actually been a good guy ever since. Slaughter used the patriotism to push him to the top of the wrestling world AND the cartoon world. That's something special.

I hope you enjoyed the countdown. I ran a little bit longer than I originally planned but I feel like the information is important to include. I had a lot of honorable mentions like Jack Swagger, Bob Backlund, Craig Pittman, and others but I had to keep it simple with just a top 5. Please LIKE, SHARE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE if you like what you see. Have a safe and happy 4TH OF JULY!