The Green Bee! ...Er Hornet!

Pleasant surprise... this movie doesn't suck! When I saw the trailer for the first time late last year I had doubts. I envisioned a typical serious take on the Green Hornet, just with a modern audience in mind; an upgrade on a classic hero and probably a fresh franchise in the works. Well I got that, just not the way I expected.

I have to admit I muddled myself up a little bit before hand cuz I read Kevin Smith's new comic based on the character before seeing the movie. I forgot it wasn't his story haha on the screen. Still a fine read and I'll have to add that to my collection soon enough.

Anyway the title of this post is a refference to the joke Britt (Seth Rogen) makes about the new green thug in town. Well actually he was serious, "His name is easy: THE GREEN BEE!". Slight paraphrase but he's kind of an idot sometimes and that's the best he could come up with for his own alter ego. Kato (Jay Chou) saves him some embarrassment by renaming him the Hornet.

But that right there is one of the elements that makes this movie fun. Loads of humor throughout! I read a lot of the dialogue was improvised too, and I don't know how much percentage-wise but I thought that was cool and maybe its what makes it fresh.

Which reminds me this is definitely a buddy film! Britt and Kato's friendship is great to watch from infancy to maturity... not so much on Britt's part but he's getting there, seriously. Their crazy plans are awesome, their fighting over the new girl (Cameron Diaz) is awesome, the cars are awesome and Kato's fighting is, you guessed it, AWESOME.

The plot is Britt's dad is a jerk who wants his son to man up and take on responsibility. Britt resents his dad cuz he thinks pop never believed in him anyway (the first 5 minutes set that up and it's disappointing to watch young Britt) so he's just becoming what dad really thinks of him. Then his dad dies and everyone sees him as this great guy who Britt never knew and it confuses the heck out of him. What he needs is coffee! Come to find out Kato, the family mechanic, also built a sweet machine to make the best cup of Joe ever! He's also a "human Swiss-army knife". After venting over Mr. Reid wasted both of their potential they save a couple after a night of shenanigans and suddenly they think they can take on crime: Britt's power + Kato's genius = ... I don't know, oh yeah, something awesome LOL.

They run up against a pretty neat villain (Christoff Waltz) who has sort of an origin story over the course of the movie too which is handled in an interesting way. It's cool to watch him grow and kind of actually go through what Britt and Kato go through in the beginning, that feeling of wasting away, only this time as a criminal who isn't taken seriously, versus a son. Plus I liked his official villainous epiphany at the end ^_^

So for me, The Green Hornet is my Kick-Ass. That movie is ok but TGH is the normal guy becomes a superhero in the 2st century movie I was looking for, though I admit I am biased cuz I get pseudo-powers and sweet car to go with it. Plus its definitely a superhero movie whereas Kick-Ass disses orthodox hero movies.

But of course I loved this, I love conventional heroes so, yeah.

It's a pretty stylistic movie. The fights are cool and they borrow the adrenaline-spike from Wanted only more toned down and literally hands on lol. I saw it in 3D and it's cool during the fights but the movie didn't really need it.

Britt and Kato posing as bad guys to beat bad guys is a darring idea but I get it, though maybe at a second viewing i might get more of an idea as to why the two really choose to do that. Or it really was boredom and adrenaline junkiness that made them done masks and drive a souped up car. They were pretty aware of the corruption in the city, maybe not Gotham City corrupt but in

trouble nonetheless.

Cameron Diaz I kind of forget is in the movie though her character is needed, maybe they should of given her more screen time or more presence? I don't know. I didn't dislike her but maybe she was just outshined lol. These two knucleheads really do need a level-headed person to help them understand organized crime, fists and toys are only gonna get you so far. Maybe Diaz will do more in a sequel?

And I'll end with that hope. This story ended nicely and the writers don't come off like they are really trying to make a second one. It's more you know that Britt, Kato, and Lenore (Diaz) will be keeping this up for a while and are getting a system together as they rebuild after all the chaos in this installment. I enjoyed the heck out of The Green Hornet and yeah I hope another one comes out but I'll def buy this on dvd and get K. SMith's comic sappy-A.S.A.P.

Oh I lied, I'll end with Jay Chou's music video for his song Nunchucks at the movie's end credits. sorry I couldn't find one with english subtitles, but it's a fun song. Enjoy!

EL FIN

Ehh... persevering...recovering... a sliver of hope...

So I've been working A LOT... ok simply more than I used to, like one extra day. Thing is I work in the mornings now, 7am and I'm not used to getting up early, like at dawn maybe idk lol everyday. Welcome to adulthood right?

Lately work has been testing me, situations, stressful, between-a-rock-and-a-hardplace type situations, managers yelling and lecturing situations. Situations where your limits are tested... where you just want to hit somebody and leave destruciton in your wake.

Well today was one of those days.

It was supposed to be a "whatever" day really because in my head I'd been working my tail off all week and all the excitement this week was all centered on a big catering event today anway. But like a million employees were called in today, I of course was one of them but it wasn't really a big deal... until later.

Basically i got overwhelmed with some orders and ppl got stressed out and before you knew it everyhting had gone to Pot.

Thing is... I know where I could have done better and how I could have avoided the mess, but sometimes the craziness of work just sweeps you out to sea, if you will. But I know that that doesn't have to happen, it was just a bad patch. It just sucked. The day before something like this happend to another employee too :-/ And it didn't help that someone thought I was refusing help to gt out of that bad spot quick and in a hurry... made me look profoundly irresponsible so that pissed me off too >_< ... but its ok I'm cool with her all the time and she was just crazy confused like me and the PRESSURE was on like Donkey Kong.

One of my managers told me its never any[one's] fault and that we gotta focus and support one another and be aware when things start to get "tight". So I wasn't really in trouble at all it seems but I still feel a little crappy.

Its funny though because things at work... environmentally... or maybe just mentally... have been so weird. People have quit, had disputes with leadership, resources haven't been pooled efectively and sometimes the store goes without in times of great need (not to sound so dramatic)... its just been pretty distressing lately.

A lot of workers seem fed up to. I think that's why some have quit... some of the things were understandable others not so much. Its like some weight has been breaking the backs of us at work and ppl are throwing up their hands in surrender, poppin' off and takin' off. And I've def felt that way but something has been holding me back. But the temptaion doesn't go away but its infecting every1. Like ever1 feels they aren't protected or being taken care of so they take what they feel is theirs or has been denied them and then proceed dramatically out the nearest exit.

And treating others right is one of our cornerstones!

And sometimes I feel really confused. Like sometimes i feel like "what has my job done for me lately"... like I feel really selfish sometimes and others its like I'm bending over backwards to help others put myself 2nd. Ppl know I try to serve others and that I try to be respectful and nice and just a regular guy... no drama. But I've been tempted lately to just go off! And that stresses me out even more... supressing it all and directign it elsewhere. I mean one time I was so like vexed and pissed off at someone I was shaking... and at first I thought I was scared of them and their next remark... then I realized I was scared of how i might react and that scared me even more.

So when I was informed that I'd bet getting of work almost 2hrs early I was out of there. I went straight to Borders to unwind and, breezed thru the Kick-Ass comic. The [one thing] I took away from that book was to keep on getting up no matter how hard you're knocked down. Period. Just get up.

And then I was reminded of IPeter 4:19, "So those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

Continue to do good.

That gives me a little comfort. If my Heavenly Father is protecting me thru the barrage of stress and revealing what i'm really made of underneath it all then I know I'll learn what to do in these tight spots. I'll admit it right now I've learned VERY slowly that its ok to keep my cool and get thru to resolution when things get really bad. Thing is i know what i am capable of. I know what I can do and its better than most think, and those who have thought of it tell me so, few of em but they see all the same.

So I'm gonna stick it out hold on tight to God's leg thru this storm and see what's on the other side.

Pray for me cuz I'm diving back in.

Later.