It’s happening less and less frequently these days, but every so often I’ll have an “A-ha!” moment when coming across new music. Tampa, FL’s Midnight Vice manage to have that effect, much as many of the bands who came before them that so obviously influenced them (namely Enforcer).
They waste no time here on their debut effort, instantly starting things off with the adrenaline-fueled “Strike in the Night.” “Baptized by Fire” is another strong number, but the real highlights are the slightly cryptic “Mysteria,” and the epic “Spellcaster” (it’s bridge and eventual breakdown midway is truly something to behold).
I might be “getting up there” as they say age-wise. But this is the type of music that makes one still feel alive and (almost) ready to roam just about any dark alley late at night, or take on an army completely solo (take your pick). Either way, this is what heavy metal is, was, and always will be about in my book.
Here’s about as much that I honestly knew about Minecraft (the game) prior to entering the theater for A Minecraft Movie this past weekend; it was some sort of building block game that also included zombies and various other animals and weird creatures in it that my kid just ate up (and seemingly had to have anything Minecraft related) around six or seven years old at the time.
And here’s what I know about it now after watching the film on the big screen – still not much! That does not mean I didn’t find the new film starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black to be a fun ride of sheer video game escapism entertainment, similar to 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie (which coincidentally also featured Black in a voice role).
The simplest breakdown of the film’s events involves nerdy outcast Henry (Sebastian Hansen), his newly acquired friend and washed-up video game Champion Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (played brilliantly by Momoa), his older sister Natalie (Emma Myers), and their realtor Dawn (Danielle Brooks) all getting zapped through a portal into another world (or “Overworld”) after Garrison locates a magic orb and crystal that previously belonged to Steve (Black) in this very magical land (are you following me yet?).
Meanwhile good guy Steve, who’s been imprisoned by the evil piglin ruler of the Nether Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House) believes he needs to get these items back in order to rescue his wolf and faithful companion, Dennis, back from Malgosha. There’s plenty of fish-out-of-water jokes and running and screaming as events rapidly unfold along the way, but surprisingly it never loses its viewers’ attention.
Many critics have so far described the film as “mindless” or even a “cash grab” (what movie isn’t though?), but at the end of the day, it still maintains its heart. I may not have been much of a Minecraft connoisseur prior to going into the film per se, and I may have found some of the crowd interaction more distracting over anything else, but after catching it this past weekend, I can definitely say I’m willing to give it a try now more than I’ve ever been.
Few artists ever achieve the level of greatness that Actor Val Kilmer was able to in his sixty-five years on this planet, but for over four decades, the world was able to witness that greatness firsthand with awe.
As a child of the ’80s, I simply grew up watching Kilmer’s movies. His first role in 1984’s Zucker/Abrahams/Zucker parody flick Top Secret! was a staple on Comedy Central back in the day, while his follow-up to that, 1985’s Real Genius, was another cable TV mainstay on stations like TBS and TNT, and remains one of my personal favorites to this day.
In 1986, Kilmer played bad guy Lt. Tom “Iceman” Kazansky opposite Tom Cruise in the massive blockbuster hit Top Gun. With its stellar aerial shots and rocking soundtrack featuring Kenny Loggins, it was a surefire hit of the time, one that I would often overplay on a dubbed VHS tape much to the chargin of my brothers and sisters.
1988’s Willow directed by Ron Howard and co-starring Warwick Davis of the Star Wars universe, was a fantasy film for the ages, part Masters of the Universe, part Lord of the Rings, and remains another standout role in Kilmer’s flimography.
His follow-up to this, 1989’s oft-forgotten neo-noir piece Kill Me Again, segued him into the role as legendary rock frontman Jim Morrison in 1991’s The Doors. Kilmer’s notority seemed to blossom after this, while also spawning my personal love for the rock biopic sub-genre.
1992’s Thunderheart and 1993’s The Real McCoy may have each paled in comparison, but his portrayal of Doc Holliday in 1993’s Tombstone helped solidify it as one of the greatest modern western films to date. An appearance in the ensemble flick True Romance (his third of 1993), would pave the way for yet another one of his most memorable roles, as Batman/Bruce Wayne in 1995’s Batman Forever (coincidentally the first film of his I would see on the big screen).
Heat (also 1995), The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) and The Saint (1997) were a few more notable appearances prior to a period of more obscure features (although his role as the villain Dieter Von Cunth in 2010’s MacGruber contained its own level of brilliance).
But by 2015, things began to look grim for Kilmer, with rumors of a tumor and eventually throat cancer becoming a reality, and chemotherapy and two tracheotomies taking enormous tolls on his health.
By the time the long overdue Top Gun sequel Maverick appeared in 2022, fans caught a glimpse of what life was really like for the actor by that stage, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the theater by the time Iceman’s funeral is reached.
I didn’t know Val Kilmer on any sort of personal level, but for nearly my entire life, he has simply been there – as both an artist on the screen, and as a figure worth looking up to – much like fellow Actor/film legend Gene Hackman (who unfortunately I was unable to write a similar tribute piece for after his passing last month due to my own recovering at the time from surgery).
But mourn these men not because we knew them, but because they brought a joy to our own lives we would’ve never known without their existence in it. Rest in peace Gene and Val – your legacies will live on for a lifetime in each of our memories.
Sometimes we don’t really put too much thought into who the artists we’ve watched or listened to for the majority of our lives really are until we actually take the time to get to know them. Entrances and Exits, the memoir from Seinfeld alumni Michael Richards (a.k.a. “Kramer”) is a prime example of this.
With a foreword from longtime cast member and fellow comedian Jerry Seinfeld kicking things off, its clear from the get-go readers are in for a hell of a ride. Everything from his unusual upbringing, his fascinating days in the military, to his time spent rising through the funny guy ranks and to eventual household name status via the aforementioned Seinfeld, are included here – warts and all.
The story involving his mother keeping the truth from him most of his life about his “father” is an especially heartbreaking one. And yes, he discusses in great detail that regretful night of his at the Laugh Factory all those years ago in 2006 (we all make mistakes in this thing called life, but its whether or not we learn anything from them that really counts).
It’s easy to cast stones on the things we judge based solely on a surface level – actually digging deeper and learning something for ourselves is the harder part indeed. If you’ve ever been a fan of Richards’ work in any way at all over the years, it is definitely worth taking that leap into his life story.
A brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal, each students at the same Illinois high school that couldn’t be from more opposite sides of the spectrum if they tried, forced to spend a Saturday in detention together for their own unique offenses.
Originally released on February 15, 1985 (but taking place on March 24, 1984), The BreakfastClub was Director/Producer/Writer John Hughes’ magnum opus, portraying the American teenager at the time so accurately that it struck a cord so deep within audiences (grossing over $51 million domestically) its fabrics have remained a staple within pop culture (and our lives) in the ensuing years since, often quoted, imitated, or parodied.
Anthony Michael Hall played the “Brain” with a penchant for good grades and computers, Emilio Estevez was the “Athlete” pushed to the breaking point by a controlling father, Ally Sheedy was the “Basket Case” outcast ignored by the world, Molly Ringwald was the preppy “Princess” with everything seemingly handed to her in life, while Judd Nelson was the “Criminal” that no parents wanted to see their daughters bringing home.
Photo of actress Molly Ringwald as Claire in The Breakfast Club spotted at a local clothing store (Revolve) on 8/2/23 (from the author’s personal collection).
These unique characters – as well as the actors playing them – were each relatable enough in their own ways that nearly any teen could find at least some part of themselves in them, even more so once the nickname the “Brat Pack” was coined to define the young cast and several of their contemporaries (Andrew McCarthy, Demi Moore, and Rob Lowe were a few more to fit in this club, among others). And who could forget the Simple Minds hit and the film’s theme song, “Don’t You Forget About Me?”
At the time of its initial release and ’80s prime, I was still just a kid grade school. But with four older brothers and sisters in either middle or high school, I was very much aware of the influence of The Breakfast Club, and I can distinctly remember going to one of said siblings’ schools at the time (namely Overbrook High School in New Jersey, coincidentally where I also attended preschool) and feeling as though I was in a John Hughes movie myself with the students we would come across there.
Today, the legacy of The Breakfast Club is just as strong as ever; one year while doing some back-to-school shopping with my own teenager at a local resale clothing shop, various images from the film were scattered about different areas (see above), and not even a week ago I was picking up a Funko Pop! figure of Nelson’s John Bender character (see below). The film has clearly endured for decades, and no doubt will for decades more to come; in the words of Hall’s own Brian character…”Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.”
John Bender Funko Pop! recently spotted on a store shelf on 3/21/25 (courtesy of the author’s collection).
Nearly 40 years after Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) ushered in the golden age of animation revival, Warner Bros. has released its first fully animated Looney Tunes feature film.
The long road toward this milestone is one of constant studio re-branding and mixed results. Space Jam (1996) originated from the highly popular ’90s Nike commercials, featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny. Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) continued the trend much later, for some reason with LeBron James in the lead.
Among these live-action animated crossovers, Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003) (directed by the great Joe Dante) was ultimately disappointing. All were not without charm or technical merits, but the latest incarnation returns to the basics. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie successfully captures the original Looney Tunes spirit, delivering pure escapist entertainment to audiences of all ages.
The new science fiction comedy stars Porky Pig and Daffy Duck as lifelong friends born on the same farm. Petunia Pig (Porky’s love interest) is a welcomed addition of a Looney Tunes character rarely seen since the 1940s. The rest of the cast consists of humans and a gleeful, villainous alien billed as “The Invader” fantastically voiced by Peter MacNicol.
Kids will surely enjoy the onslaught of jokes, zany humor, and vivid animation. Adults and animation buffs alike are bound to find something worthwhile. Of course, one’s enjoyment may rely on how well the film represents the Looney Tunes brand. It doesn’t always hit the mark, but it does evoke the iconic pairing of Porky and Daffy from some of the greatest cartoons ever made.
The 1950s shorts Robin Hood Daffy, Rocket Squad, and the Duck Dodgers series, to name a few, were nothing short of brilliant thanks in part to legendary animators Tex Avery, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, Chuck Jones, and Robert McKimson. The Day the Earth Blew Up pays tribute to their legacy with a traditionally 2D animated film released outside the saturated realm of CGI.
In 2023, Warner Bros. inexplicably shelved their live-action animated Coyote vs. Acme film, leaving an uncertain fate for future Looney Tunes projects. The Day the Earth Blew Up was originally supposed to be released streaming on HBO Max before being given a theatrical release. The made-for-streaming feel is undeniable, but the film rightfully deserves its place on the big screen.
The film’s golden-era aesthetics, impressive art design, and quality animation are a visual triumph. Despite some unevenness, it remains a fitting tribute to an increasingly lost art form. Emmy Award-winning voice actor Eric Bauza, known for voicing numerous Looney Tunes characters over the years, lends his talents to both Porky and Daffy. While he does fine, he steps into the unique legacy left by the inimitable Mel Blanc.
The premise follows Porky and Daffy as two perpetual screw-ups about to lose their home. In need of quick cash, they get jobs at the local gum factory. They soon discover an ominous intergalactic conspiracy involving tainted gum that leads to mind control of the population. Naturally, all hell breaks loose, and the world’s fate is in their hands.
The character portrayals are not without their flaws, particularly Daffy. While Porky plays the familiar good-natured straight-man role, Daffy comes off as a bit one-note. Any trace of his occasionally sharp-witted and cunning personality is mainly gone. In its place, his unrestrained, boisterous chaos dominates the film’s 90-minute duration.
Despite its modernized approach and occasional stumbles, the movie offers plenty to appreciate. Its bold vision, deep affection for the source material, and skillful blend of humor and heart showcase the power of artist-driven storytelling.
The Day the Earth Blew Up is an absurd and wild ride that hopefully encourages the making of more Looney Tunes features to come.
There’s a handful of bands around these days that have caught the attention of rock and metal fans the world over (myself included) due to their abilities to not only rock as hard as the groups that came before and influenced them, but also create their own unique styles and sounds. Sweden’s Crazy Lixx are undoubtedly one of those acts, so when the chance to talk to band founder and Vocalist Danny Rexon presented itself, I leapt at it.
With a new album having just recently dropped, naturally one of the first things I had to ask Danny was how he felt the band’s latest effort, appropriately titled Thrill of the Bite, has been received so far. He told me; “It feels really good! We’ve had a lot of really great feedback, and looking at the numbers in both terms of video plays and streams and everything leading up to the release, everything has been very good. So it looks like early indications are that it’s going to be our most successful release that we’ve done in terms of the financial side of it at least.”
And as far as how he fells Thrill… stacks up alongside past releases? “You know, bands always tend to say that their latest release is the best one, so I’m going to leave it up to the fans to decide. I personally think that there’s a lot about this album that is an improvement on earlier works, but of course it’s also a matter of subjective; it’s a subjective thing what kind of songs you like and the production and everything, but for me personally I think it ranks quite high and by the numbers you can also see that the audience tends to agree.”
In terms of how the recording process went down, he filled me in; “We always record separately. We have done that for many years now, so we don’t meet up to do each other’s parts, but rather we record our own things in our own home studios and then as a producer I put it all together and make it into a coherent thing.”
I was also curious how the band found its newest member, drummer Robin Nilsson, to which he filled me in; “So Robin was a person that has figured in our scene as to say for many years, both as a drummer for his other band Cruel Intentions, but also as a session drummer for a lot of bands. So we knew of him and we were acquainted with him, we met him on tours and stuff like that, on festivals, so we knew what kind of guy he was and we knew that he was musically up for the challenge. He was actually the first one that we contacted and tried out, so there were never any real tryouts with other people.”
As a huge fan of the band’s inventive music videos (including their latest ones, “Little Miss Dangerous” and “Hunt For Danger”), I also wanted to know more about their creative processes. He enlightened me; “So, we the band, do a lot of the work when it comes to the music videos. Basically we hire a guy to do the actual filming since we’re in front of the camera, so we have a guy showing up with the gear and doing the actual filming. But other than that, all the concepts, the scripts, most of the sets, a lot of the lighting, the contacts with the different actors or actresses and clothing, everything falls on the band. So it’s very much a DIY thing when it comes to music videos, so there’s a lot of work that we put down to make them look the way they do and then afterwards I do the editing and cut the video into what you finally see. So yeah, we’re very involved in it and do most of it ourselves. They were both filmed in or around my hometown of Malmö, Sweden, and that’s usually the case. We don’t have the budgets to be able to travel far.”
He continued; “I’ve always wanted to do a video with a desert setting that you see a lot of it, especially with the American bands from the ’80s. But the geography around here just doesn’t look like that, so that would have become quite an expensive trip for us to do. But who knows, maybe in the future. But as for now, we usually tend to stay quite close around these parts, southern Sweden.”
I’ve often heard the term “sleaze rock” to describe the sound of Crazy Lixx, but in comparison to many of their contemporaies (who often take things to over the top, crass levels), I never felt this was a fair analogy. I inquired Danny’s thoughts on the matter, and he informed me; “I think for every genre, there are things that just become very stereotypical, and I think for our genre, the stereotype is probably a lot of focus on decadence and partying, and blatant references to sex or something like that. So I tend to stay away from those. The song can still be about those things, but I think it’s better to kind of hide them in metaphors or make it interesting in some way, rather than just being very outspoken about it, because I think that falls flat. And you can see that in a lot of the bands, I would say a lot of the poorer bands around that time, that ultimately the only thing they ever sing about is drinking and doing drugs and girls. The sex, drug and rock and roll myth. So yeah, I try to stay away from those.”
He continued further; “Also, I’d say I try to not be overly political or ideological for that matter, because I think that’s usually just divisive for the audience to be. And maybe if you’re a punk band, that would serve you right, but not for me.”
With Friday the 13th: The Game, recently making news again after its online service shut down at the end of last year, I was also interested in some insight on how the band originally got involved with contributing music to it, and how big of a fan of the series Rexon personally was prior to it. He told me; “When it comes to the movie series, I was actually more into the Nightmare onElmStreet franchise. And of course, the character of Jason is so iconic, so I was very much familiar with them. But in terms of the movies, I wasn’t the biggest fan. But of course, it was very cool to get the opportunity to do that, since it was at the time a official licensed Friday the 13th product.”
He reflected further; “So we are now a part of the whole legacy and a part of the (Friday the 13th) franchise. Even if legal matters have been complicated after that, from what I understand. But yeah, we got involved basically because the team behind The Game, the producers of The Game, they had a programmer on their team that was a fan of our music. And when they started working on The Game, they decided quite early on to make it an ’80s setting. And the initial plan was to license music from that era, like, you know, real music from that era. They were in touch with Alice Cooper about “The Man Behind the Mask” and stuff like that. But they figured very quickly that it was just too expensive. So instead, they started reaching out to contemporary artists, but that had a very retro sounding style. So they had a bunch of synth wave there, I know, some like ’80s flavored pop, and of course, also us doing the rock side of it.”
He concluded; “So it was pure luck, I guess. Someone on the team knew about us and they suggested reaching out to us about it. And I ended up writing three songs with The Game in mind. And it was a bit tough, because I was also told that I couldn’t make any really blatant references to Jason or Friday the 13th, because the license didn’t cover that. So I couldn’t name him, I couldn’t say, you know, Crystal Lake or whatever. I couldn’t do his iconic sound that he does. So I had to kind of beat about the bush and still make it about him. So that’s something I think you can hear in the lyrics as well. It’s pretty obvious what it’s about, but I don’t say it out loud.”
I also inquired with Danny if there were any bands on his bucket list he’d still like to share the stage with, and he filled me in; “Well, one of my dream come true bands that was on my bucket list was Kiss, but I think that maybe that opportunity has now passed. But that’s one of my favorite bands that I would really like to have had the chance to play with. Another one would be Iron Maiden, even if I’m not sure that their audience is like, you know, totally geared towards our music. But as a big fan of the band, that would be awesome as well. We haven’t actually toured a lot with bands, so apart from festival stages, I can’t really say that we’ve had the opportunity to play with any like, you know, dream come true bands yet. But I may be setting the bar quite high, because a lot of my favorite bands are quite big bands. For some reason, I’ve always been very into the ones that were very successful, you know, your Bon Jovi or Def Leppard or you know, Alice Cooper or whatever.”
As far as any upcoming gigs go? “We have a lot of stuff in the pipeline. A lot of stuff is already confirmed, but we can’t reveal it yet, because we’re waiting for the festivals to do that. But we’re looking at coming to the US finally. Well, we’ve been there before, but it was quite a long time ago, and we’ve only played, you know, the Monsters of Rock Cruise, which is not really mainland USA. But now we’re going to do a trip that will incorporate a few gigs on land this time. So that’s looking promising. And as I said, you know, we’ll be announcing a lot of stuff in the coming weeks, I assume. So it’s going to be a good summer.”
And lastly, I asked Danny what the future holds for him and Crazy Lixx. He stated; “I think, you know, I’m happy if we just keep growing and keep getting opportunities to come out and play to more people, visit more countries. And, you know, when you start out as a young person with a band, you have plans of world domination. And at some point, you kind of, you know, take a step back and realize what you can realistically achieve. And for me, it’s always been the goal of having this band or music in general as my, you know, my livelihood. And that has become the case in recent years. So I’m very happy with the situation as it is.”
He ended by saying; “And even if the band would just stay at this level, I’d be happy and content. But of course, I want it to become bigger and achieve more success. So we’ll see what happens. I have a good feeling about this album, and maybe we can build something from it. But you never know.”
It’s no secret I’ve always held a special place in my heart for the likes of Doom Metal acts such as Saint Vitus, Trouble, or Pentagram, and the minute I heard the latter would be releasing their tenth studio album, I knew the chances were good that what they would be putting out would be, well, Lightning in a Bottle.
Sure enough, the moment the sludgy opening riffs to “Live Again” began kicking in, I knew it was music to my ears instantly. Tracks like “Solve the Puzzle,” “In the Panic Room,” and “Dull Pain” only further cement this.
Legendary frontman Bobby Liebling, currently at the helm of a completely new band on this record, may just now be making waves among legions of youth after recently going viral online. But for those of us who have already been there for a good chunk of the ride, we already knew how awesome he was. Welcome aboard.
With the likes of All That Remains and now Killswitch Engage each releasing new music, 2025 is shaping up to be a great year for metal (specifically NWOAHM) already.
The moment I heard and saw the video for lead-off single “I Believe,” I too quickly became a believer that Killswitch have still got it nine full-length albums in. This merely scratches the surface though on the album’s ten tracks.
“Abandon Us” opens up the record in true KSE fashion, while “Aftermath,” “Forever Aligned,” and “The Fall of Us” each contain their own moments of unbridled fury and greatness.
There’s a certain nostalgia that comes to me when listening to bands like Killswitch now, similar to the feeling one might get while hearing the many acts that came long before them. No doubt this music unites, and even as I write this very article from a hospital bed two days after having surgery (which is another story in itself), I somehow don’t feel completely alone in the universe right now.
After a lackluster season or two (especially the forgettably generic Season IV), the writers of CobraKai were thankfully able to return the show to form just in time for its sixth and final season.
Unlike previous seasons, this one was broken into three, five-episode parts that actually started as far back as last July, and finally culminated this past February 13. Once again the usual faces – including cast from the original Karate Kid film series Daniel (Ralph Macchio), Johnny (William Zabka), Kreese (Martin Kove), Chozen (Yuji Okumoto), and Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) – are all back on board for another round.
At the offset we find the next generation of fighters, lead once again by Miguel (Xolo Mariduena), Robby (Tanner Buchanan) and Samantha (Mary Mouser), headed to Barcelona to take part in a premiere international tournament known as the Sekai Taikai. Along the way there’s plenty of subplots involving individual journeys and self-growth, including one that finds Daniel digging deep into the past of his late mentor Mr. Miyagi (originally played by Pat Morita, who makes an appearance by the end of the season via some questionable CGI).
By the time we make it to the final episode, the nostalgia is on point (complete with a full montage featuring Joe Esposito’s “You’re the Best” from the 1984 original), leaving fans primed for the upcoming Karate Kid: Legends film no doubt.
