Television Series Recommendation: Cobra

I was recently at a Fry's Electronics store with my friends and brothers, when one of my friends made an incredible discovery: There was a complete series of a TV show from 1993, called "Cobra" (it only ran 22 episodes), and it was on sale for only $8.99 plus tax. This is taken directly from the back of the case:

"Robert "Scandal" Jackson, Jr., is an ex-Navy SEAL who went A.W.O.L. after refusing to blow up an enemy command center housing civilians. He disappeared to the wilderness of Alaska, changing his name and appearance, and became a teacher in a small Inuit community. But a part of his past caught up to him and he was shot in the face, his comatose body left for dead. He awoke in the hospital three weeks later and found himself with a new face and a new chance at life, thanks to a woman named Danielle LaPoint.

Danielle offered him a job with "Cobra," an undercover anti-crime agency that provides justice for victims who haven't benefited from the system. Scandal is reluctant to leave his Alaskan life behind, but then her boss, Dallas, Cassel, makes him an offer he can't refuse: the chance to catch the man who murdered his father five years earlier. From behind the wheel of his classic AC Cobra, Scandal dispenses justice in the fictional Bay City."

Needless to say, my friend purchased the series. When we returned home, we watched the 2-part pilot immediately, as we were extremely eager to see the fictional Bay City, and experience the adventures of Robert "Scandal" Jackson, Jr.; we were not disappointed.

Everything about this series is entertaining. The early '90s music, the episode plots, and the dialogue are all absolutely hilarious. It also has perhaps the most amazing title sequence that I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. Observe:



If you're the kind of person who enjoys watching bad movies from time to time, while mocking them and pointing out their flaws, then "Cobra" is a show for you. Check it out; you will be entertained.

Movie Review: Iron Man 2

Two years after the original Iron Man was released, Tony Stark has finally made his return to the big screen. Can the movie live up to the excellent first film?

Let me get this out of the way at the beginning of this review: I am an enormous fan of the first Iron Man movie, so I'm sorry to say that the second film is poorly executed at times, and doesn't match the quality of the first film. That's not to say that the film isn't entertaining, though; I had a good time watching it, despite it's flaws.

What doesn't work about the movie? Well, the basic story isn't particularly compelling or interesting, and the villains have about as much character as a turkey sandwich. There are also several scenes which should have been eliminated the instant somebody read them in the script, the most prominent of which is a scene that takes place around 45 minutes into the film which was particularly cringe-inducing. Pretty much every problem rises from the script itself, and is not to be blamed on the director or actors. The executives stupidly decided to switch writers, and they payed the price, as the new ones tried to do too much in this movie, and thus took too much time away from the best thing about the Iron Man series: Tony Stark.

What works in the film? The dialogue is still mostly very strong and witty. The standout scenes remain to be the ones where Tony Stark is interacting with Pepper Potts, as their chemistry on screen is outstanding. Tony Stark is still a lot of fun to watch as well, and the acting is pretty much good all around. There are some good action sequences as well, but I honestly enjoyed the first film's actions sequences more, as they had more weight and drama behind them.

In the end, Iron Man 2 is a pretty good movie that has moments of greatness which shine through at times. Despite its flaws, it's still worth watching for Robert Downey Jr.'s excellent performance, and some good character moments. I can only hope that Iron Man 3 will be more consistent, and that it will recapture the brilliance of the first film.

2 1/2 out of 4

My Most Anticipated Films of 2010

Only one of the films that I've been really looking forward to this year has been released, and luckily, Kick-Ass was anything but a disappointment. But what other movies are coming up that show promise? Let's take a look at my most anticipated films of the year.

Iron Man 2

Let's face it: If you didn't like the original Iron Man film, you're pretty much a moron. So go away. I make a habit of not speaking to morons. Anyway, the first film was great, and the trailer for Iron Man 2 looks pretty awesome, so I'm really looking forward to it's release at the end of the week.

Inception

Christopher Nolan is easily one of the best directors working today. He has yet to make a bad film, and I seriously doubt that he'll start with Inception. Not very much is known about the plot, but I find it very refreshing that they're not giving away the whole story in the trailers for a change.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

I actually haven't yet read any of the books (Ok, I've read the first 5-10 pages of the first one), but I plan to check them out sometime after the film is released. Edgar Wright, the brilliant director of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, has yet to associate himself with any film or television program that wasn't awesome, so I have high hopes for the film, which releases in August.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One

I really loved the book, and I hope that they'll be able to successfully translate everything well from the book onto the big screen.

Machete

This movie has the potential to be one of the most entertaining experiences that we will ever enjoy in our sad little lives. Check out the original trailer on Youtube. Just Google "Machete Trailer."

True Grit

I will watch anything that the Coen brothers write and direct. Why? Because they've made as many good films as Tiger Woods has banged women (Oooh, how topical of me). But forced pop culture references aside, the Coens are easily some of the best directors to have ever worked in Hollywood, and it's nearly always worth it to see any film that they direct.