Pizza Wars: then & now

 

    I've talked about this subject before, but now...we have to look from the past to see if these pizza chains have changed within the years that they have started to become known.

   Every state is different. One state, like Ohio, can crave a Donino's pizza while another, like Texas, might like Little Creasers. Different places like different pizzerias. Which would be a huge contender in the near future?

  Within the years to come, more pizzerias are opening up, and most of them are just doing delivery. Back in the 70's, 80's and 90's, most pizzerias were sit down places that have salad bars, video games for kids and much more.

 Pizza Hut was one of those places that would have sit down places where you get your pizza in the restaurant. Now, it seems times have changed, and people are on the go. Most of the Pizza Hut sit down restaurants are now being converted into pick-up and delivery only. 

  Papa Johns, Hungry Howie, Marco and many more pizzerias are starting to get into the pizza wars as well. A few of those pizzerias aren't in every state, but they too are considered the big dogs when it comes to making pizzas that are better than Pizza Hut, Dominoes and even Little Ceasar. Giving those three a run for their money

 

   Some underdog pizza chains are trying to compare themselves to the big boys while Pizza Hut, Dominoes and Little Ceasars are still on top. With different verities, crusts, deliveries and much more, pizza wars are becoming more intense within each year.

  Sometimes I feel...the homemade touch is the best as I haven't been ordering from the big chain pizzerias in years. Don't order from Pizza Hut, haven't with Dominoes in years and....I vaguely remember having Little Ceaseres. Maybe once, I don't know.

    The pizza Wars might now be a strong as they were back in the 80's and the 90's. Now, more deliveries, less sit-down restaurants, and most of the pizza restaurants have gone digital with using apps on phones. It seems the war on pizza has died down and it's all digital to every pizzeria, even if it isn't Pizza Hut or Dominoes

Nobody asked for a live action Loud House!

 

  For fans of cartoons, some people that work for the Network decide to make the cartoon a live-action show. Some people are a little...apprehensive on the idea. Will it work, or should it just stay a cartoon?

 Nickelodeon has made live action cartoons before. Starting out with a live action Fairly OddParents. Having good actors portray the characters. I....on the other hand, grew out of Fairly OddParents. Thinking the show has been dead in the water since they introduced the dog. When they to live action...it failed.

 Loud House became a live action show after it's start on a Christmas Movie that was only seen on Paramount+ (which I don't have and not getting). It had mixed ratings. I decided not to see it since I thought the cartoon had more depth in the show.

      There are some pluses with the Loud House Live action show. Or as it's called: Loud House even louder. For one, the voice of the dad portrays the father in the show. The actors playing Lincoln and Clyde are good. What are the negatives then?

 First off, before that movie came out, Loud House did another which was all animated. It involved the family learning they are Scottish royalty. However, someone who works at the castle, wants to banish the Loud Family out of Scotland. It has good songs, good voice acting (by actual Scottish actors), and I think this movie was better.

  I think these actors are ok portraying a cartoon family. I just feel this wasn't needed. I believe some cartoons should stay a cartoon. But at least...there is one worse cartoon/live action remake of a tv show that is five times worse than this one. That cartoon makes the live action Loud House... look watchable in comparison.

 Around the same time, there was another cartoon that became a live action show. However, this one is worse. Why? Well first off, It's the Fairly OddParents where Timmy is grown up and his two kids can see his fairy godparents. The kids are live action, while Cosmo and Wanda are cartoon.

  What's worse is...there is no humor, they use a laugh track for desperation. Even the kids playing Timmy's children seen uninterested in being there. I gave up on that show a long time ago. Nickelodeon is starting to go downhill.  Even new SpongeBob episodes are starting to lose quality in fans.

   Nickelodeon is so desperate in finding a way to keep its station alive. Unlike Cartoon Network which crumbled into little pieces, Nickelodeon is hanging on to hope with a yellow sponge and a streaming site helping out. I know there are better shows out there, but this is not one of them. I even think Loud House cartoon is struggling with certain episodes. 

To me, I don't like the live action as much as I do the cartoon, but there are some positives to it. Having good actors, good stories, making it feel like an actual cartoon. In other wors, its hit and miss, but did anyone really ask for this? I don't think so

Gangs of New York...based on truth?

 

  Going through some movies I like, one of them is "Gangs of New York" starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Daniel Day Lewis. 

    But is it based on truth? Well, there is such a thing called Historical Fiction and this one of those movies based on the past New York of the 1840's.

 Dead Rabbits was a termed used in the movie that would refer to a criminal street gang from the 1830s to the 1850s in New York. They were named after the rabbits that were killed and placed on their skewers. They had the nickname of "Mulberry Street boys" and some characters in the movie are based on real people.

 Many of them were actual pick pocketers that would steal from rich and give to one man to survive another day. Characters like: Boss Tweed (played by Jim Brodabent) was based a real politician. Daniel Day Lewis' character Bill the Butcher was based on a real person named WIlliam Poole who was ruthless and bloodthirsty as he was in the movie.

  In the movie, there is a place called the Five Points. In the movie, it was where the fights would begin and end. Where the Dead Rabbits and the Citizens of New York would fight to the death. In reality, today it is Civic Center to Chinatown. But back in the 1840's, it was something different. 

 The riots in the movie were real based in those days. Even though, the movie they used other effects to signify death, in reality, it was bloodier than anyone ever thought. The Roach Guards were considered a violent Irish Gang, and it all began when the Bowery Boys headquarters were destroyed beyond recognition. 

 Sometimes, reality and fiction cam be only a mirror image of themselves. Daniel Day Lewis' character, Bill the Butcher, was considered the head of the Bowery Boys. Violent, would get his way, and kill if anyone tries to stop him.

Back in the 1840's, William Poole was leader of the Washington Street Gang. He soon would be leader of the Bowery Boys who would fight the dead rabbits to the death. Leo's Character, where he plays a young boy who lost his father to Bill the Butcher, was just a figment of a creative writer's imagination. 

 Amsterdam was not based on a real person, but Leo portrayed him as people believed to be a real person. That what Historical fiction does. Play with your mind to believe what is real, and what is not. His character comes back to form the Dead Rabbits and seek revenge on Bill the Butcher who killed his father Priest Vallion 

 In reality, the Dead Rabbits, The Five Points, Bill the Butcher...all truth. But there were other gangs as well. The Gopher Gang, which was considered an Irish American gang that would grow to control most of Manhattan back in the 1840's. young boys were also demonstrating by robbing who would end up passed out or dead on the streets.

 In the movie, they don't show too much of the history, but if you listen to what Leo says when he narrates, it is as if you were a history book of New York in the bast 1830's to 1850's. This movie, directed by Martin Scorsese, what New York was like before all the buildings were put in place.

  In the end of the movie, Leo's character defeats Bill the Butcher. In reality, William Poole was killed by a gunshot wound, not a stab wound. He explains in his final words that this war was meant to be fought so they would be forgotten in the years to come. New York is now New York because of those wars.

 Much of this movie was based on reality. Especially during the fighting scenes between the Dead Rabbits, the Bowery Boys and the Forty Thieves. Near the end of the movie, the battle between Good and Evil take place as well. At the end, good wins (I think) And it's true what Leo said at the end...that no one would remember them after they were gone.

   All I know about this movie is...it is based on truth, in other words...Historical Fiction with great actors.

     The characters they portrayed were either real or fictional, but the battles that they fought...were 100% real. And with the music in the end, it is true. They were the hands...that built America.

Movies that should NEVER get rebooted

 

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   Ever seen a TV show or movie that is redone differently? If so, what would you think? Some movie goers have given up on creativity and just let perfectly good movies be redone without anyone noticing. Some might be a hit while others...fail in comparison to the original. But there are some movies out there that should NEVER go through that. 

  Who Framed Roger Rabbit was made in 1988, and it has been known as a gem to many people. Sadly, we lost Bob Hoskins who played Detective Eddie Valient. His goal is to find out who would kill a cartoon creator and frame a cartoon rabbit for the murder. It should not be made or rebooted anyway. It's just perfect the way it is. If anyone thinks it's a good idea to make a rebooted version, they should just watch the original instead.

 Shawshank Redemption is based on a Stephen King novel made into a movie in the early 90's. Morgan Freeman narrating his life in prison and meeting an inmate who has plans to escape and see freedom again. The acting, perfect, the story...heartbreaking yet has meaning and is based on the book. Just because IT was redone recently doesn't mean every one of his novels should be redone. He tried that with Carrie, and that failed.

   Another Stephen King novel named "Stand by me" is based on four boys who decide to look for a dead body, only to find out that they have changed after their search. The actors portraying the four boys were brilliant. Three of them still alive, and if they want to remake this one...they have angry fans waiting for apologize by whatever jackass brought it back as a reboot.

 Mrs. Doubtfire brought the laughter and the drama for this movie of a family going through a divorce. Robin Williams portrays himself as Mrs. Doubtfire, an old nanny, that is taking care of his three kids in secret. We already lost Robin Williams, and we don't need to have this movie be tarnishing the memory of him. Just let this movie stay the way it is and never....ever be rebooted. 

   Sadly, this one might become a reality. There is the works of re-tooling Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Will Smith and Kevin Hart. How would I feel about seeing that one? I don't think I would like it. Seeing the original with the late John Candy and Steve Martin always made me laugh and cry. Seeing the hurt in John Candy's eyes as his character has gone through tragedy and wants to make a friend.

  One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is based on a book. Being made into a movie in the 60's. Jack Nicholson portrays a man who ends up in a mental ward. Sadly, never seeing the whole movie, I can't give my take on how it was. But I could tell if it was being retooled, it would fail in a heartbeat.

   Back in the late 1930's there was a movie called "Wizard of Oz" and it was extravagant. Having both black and white as well as color mixing into one motion picture pf a girl trying to find home.  I've seen parodies, cartoon specials, hell even tv shows making Wizard of OZ references. What I haven't seen, and hope to never see, a remake of this movie. Yes, we know almost all the characters (expect maybe two) have passed away, but if this remade today, they would all be rolling in their graves.

  Sorry, but when you make a great movie, you have only one rule to follow. NEVER GET A REBOOT. The Big Lebowski is one of those movies. Starring Jeff Bridges and John Goodman, this movie made in 1998, has stood the test of time as being a treasure. To some people, it's fine the way it is. To others, they just see it as a gem. I think this is one of those movies that needs to stay the way it is.

 We have seen thousands of movies being redone or retooled into something either good, or horrible. It's a flip of a coin for the movie generation that can't find anything new to write about. Being a writer, I know sometimes it can be hard of creating something new for the next generation. Why Disney movies are becoming live action and failing at the same time. Those movies mentioned, are the ones that should stay the way they are. END OF STORY

What happened to Cartoon Network?

 

    Back in my day, when I was young, we had a few tv stations Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and much more. While I have given up on Disney Channel, I still watch a few episodes on Nickelodeon...not a lot, one Network I have given up on (as well as others) is Cartoon Network

  Cartoon Network started around 1992 but didn't get its official start of the show was around 1997. Before then they would show repeats of Tom and Jerry, Droopy, Scooby Doo: Where are you, Flintstones and many other classic cartoons. 

 Around the mid 90's Cartoon Network had a show called "What a Cartoon" They would show small clips like "Dexter's Laboratory", "Johnny Bravo", "Powerpuff Girls" and other cartoon shorts. Some would not make the cut. One of them was created by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. Sadly, his did not get chosen, but because of this, Family was Born.

    

    By the end of the 90's and early 2000's, Cartoon Network was still pumping out new shows like Ed, Edd n Eddy, Samuri Jack, Courage the Cowardly Dog and many more. When 2008 came around, there were other shows, but it seemed to make the station weak. I'm not saying Steven Universe or Fosters home, and Adventure Time had anything to do with Cartoon Network's fallout.

They called it CN Real and well; it was a real disaster. Some shows like Teen Titans, whatever happened to...Robot Jones and much more were trying to save Cartoon Network. They even changed their logo around. I stopped watching the station after Ed, Edd n Eddy left the show. It kept its repeats on 

   Cartoon Network also had Adult Swim that also went downhill when Cartoon Network was starting to fail in reaching audiences. Shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Birdman, Home Movies, Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken. If it weren't for those last two shows, Adult Swim wouldn't still be surviving now.

   It seems, as I get older, things start to change. I don't watch a lot of TV like I used to. I ended up just watching streaming sites or YouTube to make me happy. With everything changing, some networks try to stay strong to survive and it seems some stations...like Cartoon Network, are trying to kill what little they have left.

 Destroying shows is what they are now known for, and what they are giving us, is not worth the watch. Rebooting Thundercats, but making it look NOTHING like the 80's cartoon as well as trying to reboot Powerpuff Girls by replacing the main voice actors with teenagers that can't act. Nickelodeon is starting to do that now with Rugrats. Changing the adult voice actors (mostly some of the original actors are dead)

  Even some good shows from Cartoon Network get updated and get worse. Instead of Teen Titans, we had Teen Titans Go! which was horrible to any viewer as well as destroying the reputation of the original creation. 

  Some people were not pleased, and now with it passing 30 years, Cartoon Network is starting to show its end.

   Unlike Nickelodeon and Disney, they are still alive within their streaming sites, but it seems Cartoon Network only has HBO Max to keep them alive. However, HBO Max is getting rid of some of their shows. 

  Saying goodbye to a network is not so bad. Some things are meant to end. Tv shows and stations being one of them as if some stations just have given up. Nickelodeon also changed their logo as well as Disney. But now...it seems, Cartoon Network's time is ending.