Live action Casagrandes?

 

   The Casagrandes are the spin-off show of Loud House. A story about a pre-teen girl named Ronnie Anne and her entire family. Having a mother, her brother (who is her uncle), his wife and their four children. One of them having down syndrome. 

     I might have talked about that show before. I'm not sure, but I found out that in the future, they might be doing a life action version of the Casagrandes. Question....did anyone ask for this?

  Although I'm not a huge fan of the Casagrandes as I am with the Loud House, but the show is entertainable. Mostly revolving around Ronnie Anne making friends, enjoying skating, trying to get out of trouble once she's in it. Whatever. It's similar to Lincoln Loud and his interesting adventures.

   Recently, I found out the Casagrandes have done a movie, thank God cartoon and not live action, where they head to Mexico and encounter a curse. I don't know much about it, but it will be out on Netflix in late March. 

   Ronnie Anne's Aubeulo runs a small market that Bobby is part owner of. She gets a new friend who is part Asian from her father's side and well.... some of the episodes are worth watching. 

   The show seems watchable and some of the Loud family does appear. Especially Lincoln and Lori who is Bobby's girlfriend. Sometimes they have to save themselves from trouble or even zombies from Lucy's book and much more. Carl, one of Ronnie Anne's younger cousins, is known for causing trouble and even making mischief happen. 

    Unfortunately, the Casagrandes could not rake in enough views like the Loud House and the show was cancelled in the end of 2022. Even if they are ending the series with a movie, does it mean the show is ending too??? Well....hearing rumors of a live action Casagrandes in the works might give it another boost.

 Although I'm not a fan of the live action version of Loud House, it doesn't mean it's not horrible. It wasn't needed.... that's the thing. It is getting ok reviews. Passible maybe, but it doesn't mean it isn't getting the best reviews either. 

   They have some of the voice actors of the show in there. Like the father, a news woman and even Lincoln's principal (or any of the younger kids since Lincoln looks fourteen to me)

'

   Just because one thing worked doesn't mean it is needed. We were fine having a movie end the series. Would the movie be any good? Well, it has the same formula as the cartoon Loud House Movie which was not bad. Had great story with a villain and even having the Louds visit Scotland where Mr. Loud's ancestry is from. 

    I don't know if it's a good idea to make a live action Casagrandes when the tv show is already over. But....Nickelodeon is not what it used to be when I was a kid. Ever since a yellow sponge took over the airwaves in 1999, Nickelodeon has certainly changed.... for the worst.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

 

   When I was little, I learned to read at a young age. The book that helped me.... was "Cat in the Hat" (as well as "Go dog Go" and "One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish" All of them written by Dr. Seuss who would be celebrating his 120th birthday today. Who was he, and why were some of his books recently banned, and what was considered the worst movie based on his books that his widow would not allow another one of his books be made into live action? Well.... here are some answers. 

 Born Thedore Seuss Gisel, Dr. Seuss lived a normal life. His father used to run a brewery until prohibition forced for his father to close the brewery. His mother was mostly a homemaker. He started drawing since back in the prohibition days, there wasn't much to do as well as the stock market crashing around that time as well.

 The first book he wrote was: "And to think I saw this on Mulberry Street."

  Recently, they have been banning some of Seuss' books with that one being one of them. There were others banned as well like "Scrambled Egg Supper", "If I ran a Zoo", "And to think I saw this on Mulberry Street." and many more. Back when I was little, they were just wholesome books. Sure, I never read the ones that were banned (except for the first one) but it seems a lot of people these days are becoming more sensitive, and many books are being banned. Thank God I was a child back in the 80's and 90's.

  Dr. Seuss has written many children books over the years. He sadly passed away of jaw cancer in 1991. His now deceased wife has kept his stories as well as having March 2nd be the day known for his birthday. It's also known as "Read Across America Day" a day, mostly in schools, where teachers take the day to read books (mostly by Dr. Seuss) to the kids.

   Now.... time to talk about the movies. First off, I don't think Dr. Seuss had any desire to have one of his beloved books be turned into a movie. A few had cartoons that followed the book formula. From Cat in the Hat to the Lorax. Soon, Ron Howard, decided it was best to make the Grinch into a live action Movie starting Jim Carrey. 

   Well.... it wasn't the worst, but it didn't seem as if it was needed. Jim Carrey portrayed the Grinch. He did fine, but the make-up seemed a little... too much. 

  But it wasn't the worst, just not needed. A few years later, Mike Myers decided to portray a live action Cat in the Hat and that movie bombed! Big time! That was the movie that made Dr. Seuss' widow outrage saying that no other Dr. Seuss books should become live action movies. I guess that worked, but it didn't mean some companies would go for a cash grab on making one into a 3-d animated movie with celebrity voices people can recognize.

    One monstrosity was.... The Lorax.

   One of my favorite books when I was little, and they made a small 30-minute cartoon that stuck to the message of the story. That greed is not good, and that bad people will make bad decisions. This one makes it more about jokes and selling merchandise. The polar opposite of the Lorax would do. Danny DeVito, who I like, voices the orange furball and well... the movie is a total mess. If you have ever read the book, stick to the small 30-minute cartoon that came out around the sixties. You'll love that one more than whatever Sony dished out.

   I don't want to badmouth all Seuss movies that came out. There might have been one that isn't that.... horrendous. It isn't good, but out of all the other movies, it somewhat stuck to the book without damaging Dr. Seuss' reputation like all the other movies have. It's called "Horton hears a Who." An elephant, voiced by Steve Carell, hears something so small that it's sits on a flower. 

  It's ok. There are some things in the movie that didn't need to be added but compared to the Lorax or the live action Cat in the Hat, it's worth seeing.

 Whether it's in the books, the cartoon or the not needed movies, Dr. Seuss has not died on us. I will still continue to enjoy his stories as well as the cartoons, and I guess movies. Happy heavenly birthday to one writer who will be remembered by children young and old. Even if the movies aren't as great as the book or cartoons are.... it doesn't mean we won't stop reading or watching them anytime soon. 

The End of February

 

    It's short, yet it feels so long. As if....it lasts forever. Every February is different every four years.

 This year, we have 29 days. It seems as if every February is different. When it's near the end, it feels as if it won't leave. At all as if it gets colder one day, warmer the next and everyone feels as if they want Spring to come sooner than later.

 Early Easter, Late Thanksgiving this year as Easter is on the last day of March. Does it mean it will be forgotten? Maybe, maybe not. But with Easter closer and February on its way out.... would it mean summer is around the corner? 

 The leap day is coming. Were you born that day? A few people were and only celebrate their birthday once every four years (alternating Last of February first day of March) For them, they feel as if they don't age, but they do. 

 It'll start to feel like spring soon. Maybe now even with temperatures getting warmer and rain about to appear. Does it mean it will be March showers bringing April Flowers? LOL, I don't know, but we are in for a wet March when that time comes. February meant love and presidents. While this coming month has Leprechauns and Easter Bunnies. 

  Cadbury Eggs are famous around Easter time, and they already are here. Yes, it's true. Easter candy has replaced the Valentine candy since Mid-Feb. Peeps, Jellybeans, Chocolate bunny rabbits and much more. Easter Baskets replace hearts as one month replaces another.

  Welp, alls well that ends well for another month. A short one it was, but it didn't feel that way too many. March does give us snow, but rain and sun. Does it mix up once the 21sth of March arrives? Like many, we can't wait for warmer weather, but we don't want it to get too warm, or we're going to be whining for cool air instead of heat. Goodbye February, see you next year.

Goodbye, Carl Weathers

 

  He had many names. Greef Kargo, Apollo, Chubbs even Combat Carl. His actual name was Carl Weathers. Why am I blogging about him? Well...on February first of this year, he went to the great sky above and we lost a legend.

   Born on January fourteenth in 1948, Carl Weathers lived most of his childhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. His father was day labor while his mother wasn't much in the picture. He succeeded into sports with Wrestling, Boxing and even football. Yes, before he got into acting, Carl Weathers used to play football for the Oakland Raiders.

  However, his dreams of going pro ended when he suffered an injury to his ankle injury. He ended up tripping and falling ruining his ankle and the chance of him ever playing football again. But he didn't give up with sports. Thanks to one movie, his career of boxing would take off thanks to Sylvester Stallone and the hit movie 'Rocky' which came out in 1976.

 HIs character was named Apollo Creed and in the first movie...his goal was to defeat Rocky in boxing. He defeats Rocky but they end up reconciling and became friends afterwards. Until...one of the sequels, Rocky 4, he ends up killed in a boxing ring fighting a Russian Boxer named Drago. Even if his character is dead, it doesn't mean his career portraying Apollo was. He ends up having a son who also wants to go into boxing with the help of Rocky. 

  Car Weathers has done TV as well. Whether it's a guest spot or a main character. He was in Starsky and Hutch as well as Barnaby Jones. But there's one role I will remember him in the most. His character does end up dead in it...but it was movie that made us realize Carl Weathers does have a funny side.

  Not many people are fans of Adam Sandler movies. Some of them...are passible, but this one is my favorite. I've blogged about Adam Sandler's movie choices and in this movie 'Happy Gilmore', Carl Weathers character is named Chubbs. A former golfer who helps Happy train to be a great golfer even if Happy doesn't want any help. He lost his hand to an alligator and Happy decides to thank him by showing the head of the alligator that took Chubb's hand. Let's say...it didn't end well for Chubbs. Happily, he ends up in Happy's happy place. 

 Even though I wasn't a fan of the predator movies, he starred as a character named Al Dillon. He and Arnold Schwarzenegger go to find predators like aliens or something like that. When he died, Arnold made a loving tribute to someone he would call his best friend and great partner. Many tributes poured out from Silverster Stallone to Adam Sandler

   In a short Toy Story Horror tv episode, Carl Weathers voiced a character named Combat Carl, and the junior as well. This was when the third Toy Story ended and, and they were just about to do a fourth (they should have stopped after the third) In this one, the toys Woody, Buzz, Jesse and more are in a motel with their owner Bonnie. They end up going missing and Jesse is the only one that could save them, only she has a fear of claustrophobia and Combat Carl needs to save her and get her to save her friends.

   It was pretty good.

   Carl Weathers was also in a few Star Wars miniseries or movies. One of them being the Mandalorian where he portrayed Greef Karga. His role was not only to help the Mandalorian, but his mission was also to protect baby yoda 'aka Groku'

   He returned each season and his character benefited from helping every character good or evil. I guess now...his character will be killed off and replaced by someone else. I don't know why, but when I was young and becoming a fan of Star Wars, I would always confuse Carl Weathers with Billy Dee Williams who played Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars universe. 

  We are going to miss him and always remember that he is still alive in the tv shows and movies with the characters he portrayed. They even use his voice as audio for the Creed movies. Each and every one. Recently, in a Super Bowl ad, he was considered the coach to help Payton Manning (I forget) to help kick a field goal before the Super Bowl started. They dedicated the commercial in his memory. We'll miss you Carl Weathers, but you'll never be forgotten.

Remember Waking Ned Devine?

 

   There are many independent films out there and some aren't mention much because of it. This is one of them. The real reason with this one though is because of where it was filmed. Filming took place in Ireland and in 1998, we were all welcomed to seeing a film called "Waking Ned Devine." What was this film about? 

  Well, it was originally about a few people in Ireland waiting to find out who would win the Jackpot lottery of over millions of dollars (different currency in Ireland of course) There are only fifty-two people in the small town of Ireland and all fifty two of them were playing to find out who would in it big.

    Nobody wins, and everyone goes back to their dreary lives...or so they thought.

 Jackie O'Shea and Michael Sullivan are good friends and Jackie's house is where they had the drawing for the winning numbers. However, someone does not show up. His name...Ned Devine. When there is a plate of chicken left. He realizes Ned Devine did not show up to the party. When he and Mihcael decide to visit him...they find him dead.

   How did Ned die? Well, the mystery of who won the money in the lottery is solved when they see Ned holding the winning Lottery ticket and died of shock. Not knowing what they were going to do, Jackie has a dream of him and Ned on a boat as Ned says that he should split the winning lottery ticket with the whole town. However, they had to find a sneaky way to keep the ticket without the commissioner of the lottery know the real truth.

  There's also a B plot story involving a young woman falling in love with a man who also used to be an old flame with the name of Finn "Pig" who is considered a pig farmer. There are other people in the village that think it's a good idea to keep the money and find a way to show Ned Devine is still alive. They decide to make Michael O'Sullivan portray Ned. 

   There is one old woman who believes that what Jackie and Michael are doing is wrong. She's considered the Karen of the film. (Back before the name Karen was a bad thing) She wants to find the man from the Lottery and tell him the truth that Ned is dead and they should keep the winning ticket, or something like that.

  There are funny moments like the man who works with the Lottery has an allergy when he arrives in Ireland. Michael portrays himself as Ned fooling the Lottery guy as he has to be on a vespa naked going from house to house saying that Michael is the man that is dead. At the funeral, Jackie O'Sullivan makes a eulogy and when the man arrives.... he says something nice about Michael that he never had the heart to say before.

   The funeral happens, the woman who wants to stop the whole travesty ends up getting thrown off a cliff as she tries to call the Irish Lottery to tell the truth, and the ruse works. Even the pig boy ends up getting the young woman in the end. There are some songs that come with it. My favorite is called the Parting Glass. Played at the end of the movie as Jackie, Michael, Finn and a young boy all lift their drinks to the sky and toast Ned.

   I wish this movie was talked about more because it's very good. Sadly, most of the actors that played the lead roles have passed away. Some of the actors are still alive and well...I part my glass to them with this movie being really good. Even the songs were good in the soundtrack. Find a way to get the songs on line if you can because it is very good. To Ned Devine, a movie that is definitely underated. 

Dragons give good luck

    I'm not big with the Chinese New Year as I am with original Astrology. But this year....is the year of the dragon. Dragons are supposedly creatures that appeared around the Middle Ages. Burning castles and breathing fire.  

    Sometimes they would burn down cities ala game of thrones. But are they good luck?

  Mostly any of the symbols in the Chinese Zodiac is considered good luck and fortune in their world. For us, Dragons have a mysterious way of bringing good fortune anywhere you go. The year of the Dragon might not be the luckiest symbol, but it's a symbol that brings a fortune for anyone that believes in good luck.

    In the Chinese Zodiac, there are different versions of the Dragon. Sometimes, it would be fire. Other times water or earth. This year, it's wood. Some people that are professional wood carvers would carve Dragon statues out of wood. They are pretty amazing depending on who carves. But what is the Wood Dragon?

     Wood or Wuxing as they call it, considered no matter what animal, has the strength and flexibility as well as warmth and generosity to grow and needs water for the growth. I'm not that good at predicting what wood dragons or pigs or oxeas need as I do with the twelve signs of Astrology.

 While the signs change by month, in Chinese New Year, they go by years and animals. We might one day go by water barrier and the next fish. One year it'll be an Ox the next a Rabbit. Both Zodiacs have similarities and differences. They also have water, earth, air and fire.

   In the Chinese Zodiac, they believe their animal brings good luck to whoever it falls on. For people born in the year of the dragon, they have a higher belief that there will receive good luck while others born on another animal believe otherwise. They say the golden dragon has good luck, but do rats or Oxeas or any other animal under the Chinese Zodiac?

 

 Maybe not every animal in the Chinese Zodiac brings good luck, but if you fall under the sign of that animal, it could mean the year will give you good luck as well as happiness. But I can't be the one that thinks if you were born under that animal, and it comes around later...you will be blessed with good fortune.

     They say the history of the dragon is mystical while others believe dragons belong in fairy tales. Does it mean this coming year will bring good fortune for anyone? No one knows, but I believe the spirit of the dragon and if it brings good luck or not is sacred. In my opinion, during the Chinese New Year, on the year of the dragon, brings brighter lulck to anyone who believes in it.

Who will win the super bowl?- POEM

 

Kansas City'

or

San Francisco

who

will

win

the party begins,

endless amounts of food,

drinks,

games.

and much more

Two teams

One in the West,

and the other

in the Midwest

San Francisco,

and 

Kansas City

both,

have won before,

as both,

are considered,

not the favorite,

in other states,

except their own

San Francisco,

has won

five times,

and we don't

need another win

from them 

again

Kansas City won

last year 

and a few years before that

three times,

another team,

we don't,

want to see win

To me,

either team,

is ok, 

but not worth,

a

super bowl win

do the colors,

on the logo,

matter which team,

will win?

Some thought it did,

and some thought,

it would be Baltimore,

to win it all

The year of Taylor Swift,

they say,

as she dates,

Travis Kelce,

from the Kansas City Chiefs,

is she a good luck charm,

or bad voodoo

She will be there,

by the start,

of the game,

in the players only box,

but,

who will,

win?

Commercials also matter,

as well,

as food,

for they,

not only have celebrity endorsements,

but,

they bring in,

the big bucks

Some good,

some bad,

but so many,

celebrities,

in each,

ad 

who will win,

take the trophy,

and walk away,

a champion,

to me,

this year,

I don't care,

do you