31 (a.k.a. Thirty One)

31 (2016). This is another one of Rob Zombie's takes at making/directing a 'horror' movie.

From the visionary mind of Rob Zombie... This is how the synopsis on Amazon Prime video starts.

I have to say that to make crap like this it doesn't take much vision and I wouldn't call the mind that creates it as visionary.

I wasn't much impressed with House of 1000 Corpses or The Devil's Rejects. Brutal killings and gratuitous blood does not a good movie make. There has to be some substance and story. Even low-budget films have some form of decent acting.

FINAL VERDICT: I gave it time and a chance and it just couldn't give me a reason to even like it for just the 'horror' of it. I really think that anyone who would find this movie or the two I mentioned worth anything at all have to have something wrong with them. This is a hard, HARD pass for me!

Update on my Kicker HP402B CUSH Full-Size Headphones, Black

I posted a few years ago about my Kicker HP402B CUSH Full-Size Headphones, Black. I believe my overall opinion was that these were pretty darn good for the cost that I paid. I still feel the same. I used them quite a bit over the years and after roughly five year, they finally fell apart. Actually and literally.

First, the peeling of the head band started. Then the peeling of the ear muffs. And finally one side fully snapped apart. Funtionally as far as sound, they still worked but obviously they could no longer be worn. You can see all this in the images below.

   

So, I finally had to just pitch them in the garbage. It was a sad and quiet day but I had to move on. :-)

Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (2019)

Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (2019). Watched this to see if Dave could cleanse my funny senses after watching Bill Burr.

I read an article written about this show on how the author and I guess some others didn't like his "shock" comedy regarding a few topics like Michael Jackson's child molestation accusers or the #MeToo movement.

C'mon people. It's comedy. And if it's something Dave truly believes, well this is America and it's his fucking right and privilege to have his own fucking opinions. Just like others have the right to fucking feel differently.

As Dave says, "You people watching on Netflix, remember you clicked on my face!" Meaning they made the choice to watch. And for the audience at the venue, they made the choice to purchase a ticket to watch someone who they should be familiar with regarding his comedic style.

FINAL VERDICT: I recommend it. It's probably not as funny as some of his other shows but it's still worth a watch. He makes some valid points for his comedic opinions which I'm sure at least 40% or maybe more of people in attendance or watching on Netflix have similar points. Anyway, take his show as comedic opinions, laugh or don't laugh, and then move on.

Bill Burr: Paper Tiger (2019)

Bill Burr: Paper Tiger (2019). Was trying to find a good stand-up comedy to watch and Netflix had this as a recommendation. I think I remember previewing one or two of Bill Burr's previous shows but I don't think I found it too entertaining as I don't remember the name or anything from the show. However, I thought I'd give him a(nother) chance with this new special.

After starting and painfully completing this special, I must say that I just don't think Bill Burr is very funny. I pushed through this one thinking it would get better as I didn't have much else to do at the time of viewing. It had its moments even if they were very few and far between. It was just kind of painful to maintain my focus and interest.

I know people that think he is funny. I just haven't found him as such. Anyway...

FINAL VERDICT: For me it's a pass. If you already like him, then you'll probably like this one. Again there were moments of funny but I think they could have been combined into a twenty-minute (generously measured) highlight reel.

Enter the Fire (2018)

Enter the Fire (2018). I was browsing through Amazon Prime Video and this movie showed as recommended for you.

I took a look at the plot summary, saw that Lou Ferrigno was in it and thought surely it couldn't suck suck, right?

I was wrong!

The acting wasn't so bad but the fight scenes were just disastrous. It was almost like some of them were the rehearsals and the director was like, "Shit, we are getting close to budget so let's use those clips to save on time and film."

The cut from scene to scene was amateurish. It's like cut was said but they kept the part in where the actors relaxed and were out of character before fading to black and the next scene.

FINAL VERDICT: This is a hard pass! Think of every other fight film you've seen and you'd still have seen better films than this one.

Zalman ZM-NCI500 Notebook Cooler

I purchased the Zalman ZM-NCI500 Notebook Cooler from Frys.com. Two of them actually. It was on sale with their email coupons: Regular price is $19.99 each. Promo code price is $4.99 each. For that price I thought I could try this product!

I've used the Zalman Notebok Cooler for about a month now. In my non-scientific testing, basically daily use, it seems to do what it says it'll do: it blows air and is fairly quiet.

I mainly purchased this because I have two laptops: a two-year old Dell XPS 13 and a ten-year old ASUS G50VT-X5. The ASUS internal cooling fan is piss poor and I previously replaced it but do not want to spend another $30 or so to replace again even if I could find a replacement as the first one was hell to find. The Dell XPS fan is still pretty good but for some reason recently, the fan occasionally runs high. I'm not sure if it's programs running in the background or what. I've blown it out with compressed air, checked running programs and it still runs high for a few minutes...on occasion.

The ASUS is basically where I back up my files to so it's not really for everyday, typical use. I used to have it set on a Vornado table fan but where it sits now I do not have room for the fan. So now it sits on the Zalman Notebook Cooler. I can't say that I have really noticed any extra cooling but I do know it must work as the ASUS typically overheats and shuts down automatically without any fan/cooler underneath it.

The Del XPS is my daily use laptop. I take it to work and it sets on my desk and I'm usually remotely logged into it through my work computer or it's on almost all evening when I get home. While at work, I sit it on the Zalman Notebook Cooler. Occasionally, I do hear the XPS fan rev up but typically when I just turn it on. I believe it's because the virus scan runs as soon as the computer is booted and logged into. After that, there is the once-in-a-while revving which I do not know what causes it. So with the XPS I really haven't noticed much of a difference other than the fan doesn't rev as much as it used to but that could be either something 'fixed' with the XPS or the cooler is actually doing a good job.

Again, I figured for $4.99 this was worth trying out. So far, I can't complain but I also can't say, "Run out and buy this!" I do know that I probably wouldn't pay $19.99 for it when I can get a Vornado for like $30 and it has three speeds and would definitely cool any machine!

Rocketman (2019)

Rented and watched Rocketman (2019) yesterday.

I don't recall ALL the hype but I did hear that it was a pretty good movie and even Sir Elton himself approved.

I've always liked a lot of Elton's music. I didn't really know his background because most of the time I don't care about such things of musical artists. I just like and listen to their music. However, the way this movie was written and directed, it made me interested in Elton's 'life' history.

The seemingly raw, natural talent he had to put music to lyrics was pretty cool to learn about. And you could tell that the songs had some personal and emotional basis to them...like was Bernie writing them about Elton only or did he himself experience much of the same turmoil. I don't know. I just know this has to be the reason so many people can connect, feel connected, to the songs.

I could go on and on I guess but I'll digress.

FINAL VERDICT: I would definitely recommend this movie especially for those who grew up when music was music and not the SHIT (most of it) it is today!