Shut Up Wesley Week: The Icarus Factor

And a fine greetings to you all for Day 4 of Shut Up Wesley Week. Well we have seen our wee fledgling interfere with plans, takeovers and possibly even have time to moon over girls but... does Wesley know what to do with with Lt. Worf? Such an imposing man must be difficult to read at all times so why not read up on his culture? Commander Riker attending his very estranged father's command is coming to terms with things left unsaid and whether or not his is ready to command his own ship. This is The Icarus Factor.

Did you have it lanced, Wesley?

Commander Riker has been offered a difficult assignment as the new captain of the Aries exploring a frontier in unexplored space. His father former Starfleet tactical Kyle Riker (Mitchell Ryan of North and South, Northstar, Lethal Weapon, Santa Barbara, Renegade, Speechless, Dharma & Greg and Justice League) comes with Will's transfer orders and beaming with pride that he will be tackling his first major assignment without having to answer to anyone but Starfleet. Will Riker feels differently about the Enterprise and finds value in his work, his crew and his career at current. Kyle tries to mend fences as neither of these men have really spoken to each other for a very long time but Will feels too little too late.

So then he says, Klingon bastards killed my son.  I did not understand.

Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn of ChiPs, Gargoyles, Aaahh!! Real Monsters, Cow and Chicken, Star Trek: Deep Space, Superman: The Animated Series, Forgotten Realms: Baldur's Gate II- Shadows Amn and The Super Hero Squad Show) feeling irritable and stringent to be lost in his duties, only Wesley seems to really notice something is bothering him. With the advice of both Data and LaForge, Wesley looks into Klingon culture studying up on it half the night to discover that a time honored tradition will pass Worf by and disrupt his spiritual path to being a true warrior.

With the information at hand, Wesley, Data and LaForge wish to attend a holodeck version of the 10th year of ascension where a warrior moves to a higher spiritual plateau but they are keeping a secret from Worf.

Will and Kyle meet up several times in this episode and each attempt always ends in snark, disgruntlement and both men having the need to be right. Pride goeth before a fall, fellas. With that in mind, Dr. Pulaski and Counselor Troi tries to reach both men with little to no success and feel that only the boys can sort out their own issues and hopefully their collective counseling has reached them if only on a minute level.

Will Riker and his father come to some terms? Can Wesley and his conspirators pull off the surprise party for Worf? Will Picard ever get a girl?

A few points of interest now. All the Klingon costumes were already made for Star Trek V: The Final Frontier but most of the boots hailed from The Planet of the Apes TV Show shot many moons ago also through Paramount. John Tesh co-host for Entertainment Tonight volunteered to act as a holographic Klingon in the ritual filming.   

Damn that Romulan Ale goes right through you.

Shut Up Wesley Week: The Child

Greetings folks of the trek and welcome back for Day 3 of Shut Up Wesley Week. We are jumping ahead to Season 2 as Dr. Beverly Crusher has been made Head of Starfleet Medical and transferred off the Enterprise. Now Wesley is a full Ensign must decide if he stays or transfers from the Enterprise as well. Coupled with the fact there's a baby on the way for Counselor Troi. This is The Child.

Whoopi, what is love?

With Dr. Crusher reporting to Starfleet to head the Medical division, The Enterprise must rendenvous with Starbase Tango Sierra then head off to Audcet IX to collect samples of a plague that is rampant in the Rahcelis System. It seems to ravage the plasma in a humanoid's body sot that could be bad. Lt. La Forge has just been made chief engineer and is busily constructing the containment module in the cargo bay as his team has just squeaked by the deadline. A energy particle moving spratically through the ship lands in Counselor Troi's (Marina Sirtis of Death Wish 3, The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Gargoyles, Star Trek: First Contact, Net Games, Mass Effect, Young Justice and A Dark Reflection) quarters.

The crew receives their new chief medical officer Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur of Star Trek, The Survivors, Born Free, L.A. Law and Batman: The Animated Series) who has already torqued Picard off by not checking in with him and discovers her in Ten Forward where she decided to relax prior to such obligations.

I swear I am not the father, Doctor.

On the way to Ten Forward Picard bumps into Wesley who will be joining his mother shortly and the Captain apologizes for the delay to visit with her. Picard points out that in Starfleet, assignment changes does frequent often and it is going to be up to him on choosing what assignment fits his potential future better and that there are plenty of good ships out there. Wesley simply points out those other ships will not be the Enterprise. Even Picard has to agree with that beaming with pride in the young man and his performance. Troi is pregnant from the entity that entered and is a rapid growth and the birth is a matter of hours. The concerns of the crew is obvious but Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes of Paper Dolls, North and South, North and South, Book II, Gargoyles, Star Trek: Insurrection, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines and The Glades) who had a previous relationship with the Counselor is showing signs of jealous and loss of what could have been.

Does the child pose a threat to the ship and its crew? Will Wesley come to terms with a new assignment or fight to stay on the Enterprise? Can Pulaski endear herself to the crew?

A few points of interest on this episode. Frakes returned to rehearsals at the start of second season with a beard with he fully intended to shave off but the producers like it and asked him t keep it which he did through the rest of the show's running. This is the first time seeing Wesley in uniform after graduating from cadet.

Marina Sirtis refers to this episode as her least favorite having to wear a fake belly filled with birdseed and had to be careful how she moved so the seeds would not shift and make noise. This is also the first appearances of both Dr. Pulaski and Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg).

Ahhh!! Creeper face going there, Riker!

Shut Up Wesley Week: Datalore

Welcome back readers of mine for Day 2 of Shut Up Wesley Week. A brief break into the week as my co-host and I were recording another Rotten Ramblin' On podcast and if you haven't already heard it, give it the once over but please excuse the chirping birds that I COULD NOT drown out no matter how much I tried with Soundforge. That being said we travel on with the crew of Enterprise D to the thirteenth episode of Season 1 to Omicron Theta (CRONNNNNN!!!!!!) to the site of Data's birthplace as it were. The same place 26 years ago the crew of the USS Tripoli science vessel surveyed and came back with an android. This is Datalore.

Data, did you just beef?

For some nagging reason or plot device, Lt. Cdr. Data (Brent Spiner) has been given the memories of 411 colonists and does not know why but wishes to investigate. As this is in route to the Starbase the Enterprise is set to get computer dianostics, Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart of Dune, Excalibur, Safehouse, X-Men, X-2, Star Trek: Generations and Blunt Talk) sees no reason to skip shedding light on this mystery. With the away team on the surface. They soon discover what once was a thriving farmland seems almost barren and desolate. Think Death Valley. As they progress, La Forge (LeVar Burton) notices a rock formation that looks man made and nothing shall escape the awesome might of his banana clip, ah I mean visor. Finding a fully-functional laboratory and papers clearly showing this once housed Dr. Noonan Soong who developed his positronic brain that processes all of Data's functions and memory. Furthermore they encounter a disassembled android of Data's exact likeness. The crew head back to the ship with boxes of Data clone.

Here is where we will be rid of that accursed ring!!

Later in machine shop, a team of engineers go to work rebuilding this android under the supervision of Lt. Cdr. Argyle (Biff Yeager of F/X 2, The Golden Girls, Batman Returns, Scrubs, Gilmore Girls and Hart of Dixie) and they believe that he has the same parts as Data but they need comparative information to do a thorough examination. In order to check his vital circuitry Data tells Dr. Crusher of a guarded secret of having an off switch and asks her to keep it confidential. Seems rational or he would just get interrupted every time he had a dispute or query.

This new android calling himself Lore claims that Data was built first as Lore has an easier grasp of contractions, emotions and almost human interaction, the very concepts that elude Data. Claiming Data's lack of perfection annoyed Dr. Soong and he created Lore. Lore acts dodgy, states he is programmed to serve but there is a hint of disdain in his voice and he has some sort of twitch around his eye seems to occur often...(probably when he attempts to decieve.) Similar to each other, Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher(Wil Wheaton) can see many distinctions of difference and unknowingly irks Lore.

A conflict in Lore's quarters allows Lore to incapacitate Data and swap uniforms so none are the wiser but "Data" claims Lore has behaving most erratic and tells Wesley that he had to shut "Lore" off by the same means he wanted private as though this is just one of those things. Wesley convinced this is a load of Targ (Klingon pet lizard dog species) droppings presents his case to his mom and the Captain. The captain seems vexed with Wesley and dismisses his concerns stating to not question superior officers without having facts rather than a hunch or gut instinct.

Lore is later discovered speaking with a crystalline entity that wiped out the colonists according to Lore it attacked them unprovoked... methinks otherwise as Wesley is convinced that Lore is playing them for suckers. Can Wesley be vindicated? Will Lore slay the humans? Can Data stop Lore?

A few comments on the episode. Michael Dorn stated in many conventions including the one I attended as a wee lad, that Season 1 was all about how can we smack around Worf including the slap down of Lore vs. Worf. Many a trip to "Planet Hell" as the cast called it.

The line, "Shut Up Wesley!" is spoken by both Captain Picard and Doctor Crusher in this episode has become the catchphrase of the fans that found young Crusher irksome in the source of photo memes, video clips and even horrible remix music. Honestly with such history Wil should just title a book Shut Up Wesley as a memoir but that is just one fellow's opinion. 

Scram kid, yer botherin' me.

  

Shut Up Wesley Week: The Naked Now

Welcome readers to Day 1 of Shut Up Wesley Week. As promised there will be disgruntlement aimed at the adolescent trekker of the stars. I felt it proper to hit up the third episode of first season fresh from the adventures at Farpoint station and the enigmatic Q we continue on our journeys. This is The Naked Now.

Wes, that is an unlicensed nuclear accelerator.  Be careful.

Off to rendezvous with a science vessel recording a super giant about to collapse in a matter of hours. However the seemingly drunken and nearly pornographic messages sent from the S.S. Tsiolkovsky has the Enterprise a bit baffled. Only after hearing what sounded like an emergency bulkhead removed and blowing folks into space the crew thinks something is amiss. With the ship in tractor beam the away team heads to the science vessel to investigate. Then Lt. La Forge (LeVar Burton of Roots, The Midnight Hour, The Supernaturals, Reading Rainbow, Captain Planet and the Planeteers and Transformers: Rescue Bots) encounters a frozen body that carried some virulent disease that seems to inhibit the capacity for rational thought and dulls morals... i.e. too much liquor. Unknowingly carrying this virus, he meets with Wesley (Wil Wheaton of The Last Starfighter, Stand by Me, Toy Soldiers, Deep Core, Python, Neverland, Eureka and The Legion of Superheroes) showing off a homemade tractor beam and an audio recorder with the Captain's voice that La Forge infects the precocious lad as well.

I see a bald spot, Data. Report to mechanical for a touch up.

Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden of The Hunt for Red October, Star Trek: Generations, Marker, Mad About You and Franklin& Bash)cannot explain why the decontamination system didn't isolate and eradicate this virus, nor can she account for what it is but only its symptoms are similar to an incident of a viral outbreak on the Enterprise under Kirk's command (Would have shot the little Irishman that wouldn't stop singing. Hell, I wanted to blast him out an airlock.) and hopes that could produce a cure.

With Lt. Yar (Denise Crosby of Arizona Heat, Skin Deep, The Flash, Key West, Red Shoe Diaries, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and The Walking Dead) also infected by the virus she finds comfort... in the android Lt. Data's (Brent Spiner of Night Court, Corrina Corrina, Gargoyles, Independence Day, Star Trek: Enterprise, Fresh Hell and Warehouse 13) arms and his... fully functional techniques. With the ship having technical errors left and right it is only a matter of time before the Supergiant goes off and with the lack of a capable crew leaves the Enterprise vulnerable to be turned into the contents of tinned potato salad. Wesley heads to Engineering to stir up trouble and cause some hijinks.

Can the crew and ship be saved? Will the virus ravage them all? Will little Timmy be transported from the well that Lassie left him to die in?

And now some trivia! Oh get over it, this always happens.

Gene Roddenberry had hope recycling the scripts from the original Star Trek with a bigger effect budget would boost some ratings but the fans were not overtly thrilled with the remake of The Naked Time that he scrapped that plan to make episodes too closely similar to the originals.

This is the first time Captain Kirk is referenced by name in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Wesley's re-imagined repulser (or Repulsor) beam seems almost borrowed from Sulu re-modulation of the ship's tractor beam during Who Mourns for Adonais but again this was a 14 year-old that created it so don't get it twisted, trekkers. Sheesh, some people.   

KNEEL BEFORE YOUR NEW MASTER!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Shut Up Wesley Week!

Welcome back my fine cadre of readers to the week. What week will it be? Glad you all collectively asked as this week will be Star Trek themed. Yes, space... Okay, I am not writing that lengthy babble for the final frontier out but you get the general idea.

Jeepers, this sweater is itchy.

Now before you all start rolling your eyes , I decided that we would look at a character. While I have already had a week for the actor in question showing his ranging in acting, voice acting and writing we are not looking at Wil Wheaton but in fact, his Star Trek character that was beloved by many and loathed by others. A genius IQ at a young age attempting to bond with his peers all the while working with adults. The isolation alone should be enough for a young lad to feel out of place. Constantly annoying adults with thought provoking questions and coming up with solutions prior to them did utter the wrath of, "Shut up, Wesley!"

This week we show when Wesley Crusher has been vital to the mission in spite of senior officers not taking it in to account. Also I felt bad for Wil having a character that apparently was not allowed to screw up. As you progress through the seasons, you see Wesley had more hurdles than most of his peers EVER had to contend with, and frankly the pressures of being mature before your years can be stifling to you as a gifted youngster that also received this with only academics thankfully. Another blessing to my folks for not enrolling me into some ridiculous higher learning program that would have driven me to a bell tower with a high-powered rifle.Guess that is life in the 28th century.  No art, comedy, written works for you Earthers.  Just get out there and plunder, er I mean explore strange new worlds and new civilizations.    Wil Wheaton may finally come to terms with what is genuinely, a cool gig for a Trekkie to be on. With this in mind, we look at Mr. Crusher and his many life's conflicts and difficulties.

Hmm, wonder what I would look like with a beard?  Can I grow a beard?

Blog #325!!! Wil Wheaton Week: Legion of Superheroes

Good day and hello to Day 5 of Wil Wheaton Week and many are no doubt asking, “Jake is there anything else you want to touch base on?”  As luck would have it yes there is.  Wil Wheaton has had a voice-over career for over a decade now ranging from video games, independent cartoons via web and CW based cartoons.  I thought it might be nice to explore into one of those cartoons for two reasons. One it was a bit shocking finding a predominant character being helmed by Wil and two I love the obscure DC comics titles.   So stitch up that spandex, grab your flight ring and get ready for action.  This is Legion of Super Heroes.

Fear not Brainiac for I too was a child star!

Lightning Lad: Where’s Spoiler when you really need him?

It is the 30^th Century and a super villain gathering known as the Fatal Five has been slapping around the Science Police, the primary law enforcement on Earth.  An autonomous collection of young heroes known as the Legion of Superheroes; ranging from different planets in the Galactic Federation and allowing to be among fellow teens and harness their powers for the good of all.  With a skeleton crew watching over New Metropolis the team members are concerned they lack the necessary firepower to take on the Fatal Five.  Brainiac 5, the team’s resident tech whiz informs the group they can time travel and acquire a temporary legionnaire from Smallville.  

Okay, this is the last time I am showing you how to program the DVR.

That’s right teen gang the group is off to require Superman (would have been Superboy but there were some financial and copyright issues DC was stuck with).   So young Clark Kent/ Superman (Yuri Lowenthal of Rave Master, Dungeon Seige, SSX 3, Duel Masters and EverQuest II: Desert of Fire) tends to an accident in his hometown when he is greeted by Saturn Girl (Kari Wahlgren of Marvel Super Hero Squad, X-Men: Destiny, Spider-Man: Edge of Time, Fate/Zero), a telekinetic/telepath combo, Bouncing Boy (Michael Cornacchia of Hot Parts, Reservoir Dogs, Happy Feet, Wasting Away, L.A. Noire and Last Call) a lad that alters his body density and Brainiac 5 (Ada, Wylie of The Swan Princess,  Hey Arnold, Gilmore Girls and Superman/Doomsday) a living robotic humanoid that happens to be neon green with blonde hair.  Yeah he kinda stands out.   The trio persuades Clark to join them in their adventures as their time machine will get him right back the very same minute he left.

Primary leader Cosmic Boy (Wil Wheaton) is out helping other planets with little to no defense of their own and Lightning Lad (Andy Milder of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Weeds and Austin & Ally) is second-in-command is left in charge of which he is not thrilled with.

Grasping new fangled technologies such as a flight ring that translates almost any language into English, creates a life support force field for being in space, the air and underwater and heck the coffee pots must be baffling, Clark finds this timeline to be fascinating and makes new friends almost overnight.  Finding out that he will one day be the driving force that helps create the Legion of Superheroes is a bit overwhelming but hey take it in stride, kid.

Want some? Roll for initiative, tin man!

Wil Wheaton Week: Toy Soldiers

Welcome back readers for Day 4 of Wil Wheaton Week and I think this is a good example of his yesteryear work yet again.  As Wil himself confirmed this was the first film he made where he did not require adult supervision.  A hallmark for any child actor deemed mature enough in of itself but also a movie that provided a great deal of entertainment.  So prep those lacrosse uniforms, light some cherry bombs in the toilets and sneak a bit of booze on campus.  This is Toy Soldiers.

 

Sam Wise and Wesley are baffled.

Ricardo Montoya: It’s the first rule of prep spoiler etiquette. When you’re in a basement with no windows, don’t fart.

 A prestigious prep school known as Regis School which consists of lads on scholarships to children of influential standing and prominent in society ranging from international banking to politics; this all boys school has of course its share of troublemakers.  The most notorious are a gang of kids led by Billy Tepper (Sean Astin of The Goonies, Like Father Like Son, Rudy, Courage Under Fire and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) his best buddy mafia kid Joey Trotta (Wil Wheaton of Flubber, Fag Hag, The Girl’s Room, Deep Core, Book of Days, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Ghost Recon 2), wise ass Snuffy Bradberry (Keith Coogan of The Waltons, Gun Shy, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, The Power Within and Just a Little Harmless Sex), jock Ricardo Montoya (George Perez of Manhattan Merengue!, Tin Cup and Selena)  and rebellious Hank Giles (T.E. Russell of Trespass, Gladiator, Swimming with Sharks and City of Angels). 

These devious pranksters are hellbent to make the headmaster and dean’s lives very interesting. Dean Parker (Louis Gosset Jr. of An Officer and a Gentleman, Iron Eagle, Enemy Mine, A Good Man in Africa and Stargate: SG-1) sees great potential in Billy and wants him to clean up his act by putting him on restricted duty.  Joey’s bunkmate has been whisked up by the US Marshal’s service in protection of the boy and his family by a potential threat due to a trial his father is prosecuting one radical freedom fighter Enrique Cali.

No, I am not Hans Grubber!!!

Violence beseeches the private school in the form of guerilla trained terrorist group led by Enrique’s son Luis (Andrew Divoff of The Hunt for Red October, Wishmaster, A Low Down Dirty Shame, Air Force One, CSI: Miami and Lost), a man driven by purpose and conviction with nothing to lose.  The kids are captured, herded and told behave or they will get shot or if they tamper with the explosives rigged all over the school campus they will explode taking all their friends and classmates in a huge fiery death.

Our young hellions begin to conspire together to try to get the word out to any member of authority handling this case from how many men they are facing to what positions they hold and even what armaments they are carrying.   While the FBI is frantically trying to slash through the red tape and arrange transport for Enrique they realize these monsters will get away scott free by doing this. 

Hmm, wonder how I would look in a beard.

I had just a few comments to make on the film.  While the director Daniel Petrie Jr. is primarily known as a producer and writer (Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy, Turner & Hooch and Shoot to Kill) this was his first motion picture under his directing helm and scoring as much talent for this very dramatic albeit a bit unrealistic film, I was deeply impressed.  Yes the notions of teenagers fighting harden commandos in a life and death struggle is a bit farfetched but altogether still entertaining.  Lot of comedy attached to an otherwise dark powerful film.

Wil Wheaton Week: Python

Howdy all you fun fans and greetings to Day 3 of Wil Wheaton Week.   Well not everything Wil has worked on has been stellar, original or genius for that matter.  Every once in a while you just need to work and what could be better than a CGI- Creature Feature?  Yeah that will never come back to haunt you as your friends tease you mercilessly.  So grab a firearm of unlimited ammo, run like a ninny and use bogus scientific facts to back it up.  This is Python.

 

Yikes, that is quite the do.

Tommy: Dude, you got me out of bed for a spoiler?

Well let’s just jump right into our film with an atypical cargo plane C-123 in a crazy rainstorm and the vast airmen of two…? Huh?  A large wooden box of cargo unknown gets busted open and the plane crashes in what looked like the hills of Vietnam but low and behold it looks like it landed around Tarzana.  But enough of that nonsense, let’s follow the bicycle cardio nut John Cooper (Frayne Rosanoff of To Protect and Serve, Longshot, Close Call and Hollywoo) with his eco ways demands his brother Brian (Chris Cooper of Lexx, The X-Files, Power and Beauty, The Recruit and The Line) close down and clean up the family plant and they have conflicting ideologies of what the family business should be…yawn.   Unnecessary back story and attempting to make one dimensional Johnny Boy deeper and let’s get back with our creature feature.  

What's a nudity clause, Dana?

The snake handler and resident mad scientist Doctor Anton Rudolph (Robert Englund of Eaten Alive, A Nightmare on Elm Street, V, Downtown, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, The Mangler, Justice League and Spectacular Spider-Man) explains the faux pas of the amazing species of mammoth python of inconsistent power scale and properties and how valuable an military asset this would be to Agent Bart Parker (Casper Van Dien of Starship Troopers, Shark Attack 2, Sleepy Hollow, Watch Over Me,  Monk and Born to Ride) NSA go to man with the constantly altering southern accent.  I kid you not it sound Cajun at one point then something around Tennessee.  It was very painful to listen to.   

  But hey we forgot all about Johnny and his amazing story arc.  John and his buddy Tommy (Wil Wheaton of The Good Things, Fish Don’t Blink, Neverland, Naruto, Eurkea and Big Bang Theory) a salmon pink dyed hipster who is all about the Benjamins via real estate.   If he can just be raking in the cash like he wants to he can treat his girl right and blah blah blah.  I won’t lie that was a fierce hairdo and seeing him as this twenty something directionless goober was a complete change of pace.

Now I have just a few critiques of our thrilling movie.   CGI was fair but our snake could go break neck speeds of 50 mph but managed to slow down just enough for our one dimensional characters to flee from its grasp.  It could bash through steel doors yet could not leave the confines of a wooden crate without a bit of assistance.  The prosthetic tail used in a few gore gags; well I saw the strings to put it bluntly.   The deputy that NO ONE liked wasn’t even worthy of an on screen death.  That part did make me laugh quite a bit there.   Yes Johnny boy somehow not attacked in the last reel or even scarred with acid from the snake during the climatic end.  Still at the end of the day this was a B-Movie worthy of mockery and a paycheck for those actors including our boy.

I think I just wet 'em.

Wil Wheaton Week: Stand by Me

Welcome back readers for Day 2 of Wil Wheaton Week and of course we will speak about a film that captured our imagination and hearts and caused a lot of young boys to swear.  No seriously the Christian Moralition actually got into the MPPA’s butt about the vulgar language mouthed by these youths.   Yes it is a bit sad and pathetic but it happened dammit.   So let us venture with 4 young boys who are in search of adventure, discovery of self and even a dead body.   This is Stand by Me.

 

Beats doing a film with Dennis Miller!

The Writer: Now he said, “Sic’em boy!” But what I heard was, “Chopper! Sic spoilers!”

From the fevered and demented mind of Stephen King and brought to life on the screen via director Rob Reiner (This Is Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, When Harry Met Sally, Misery, A Few Good Men and The American President) gives us the tale of four boys in Castle Rock Oregon during the Labor Day weekend in the far away time of 1959.  The gang consists of Gordie (Wil Wheaton of EverQuest II, Rainbow Six: Lockdown, Grand Theft Auto IV, Ben 10: Alien Force, Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Fallout: New Vegas) who is a clumsy bookworm with a pension for telling and writing stories who is constantly ignored by his father who put Gordie’s brother Denny (John Cusack of Better Off Dead, One Crazy Summer, Say Anything, Grosse Pointe Blank, The Thin Red Line, Must Love Dogs and 1408) the football jock that died in an accident and truly connected best with Gordie than anyone else.  Gordie's best friend Chris (River Phoenix of Explorers, The Mosquito Coast, Little Nikita and Sneakers) whose entire family consists of thugs, thieves and general criminals and is tired of being lumped in with them or even labeled the same as.  Teddy (Corey Feldman of Gremlins, Lost Boys, License to Drive, Voodoo and Bordello of Blood) a squirrelly kid that is mentally and physically scarred by his father who had to be institutionalized and lastly Vern (Jerry O’ Connell of Sliders, Scream 2, Mission to Mars, Las Vegas, Crossing Jordan Do Not Disturb and Piranha 3D) a slightly overweight kid that ends up the butt of many jokes. 

Wait, I'm gonna be buff and marry a supermodel? Whatever future boy!

Hanging out in their tree house Vern tells his buddies about his older brother and buddy talking about dumping a stolen car and stumbling on the body of a missing boy that was in the papers.  The four of them get the bright idea to hike out, find the boy Ray’s body and become local heroes.

I could totally play Indiana Jones!

Lying to their collective parents about going out to camp; our stalwart foursome follows the train tracks to where Ray would be lying.  Taking a short cut through the junkyard the lads find the steadfast protector dog that is the fear of all boys this age as he is known to go for the balls and we ain’t talking tennis or baseballs. 

A few notes on this particular movie now if you will.   From the soul bearing throughout this film to the amazing performances in such young actors you could almost feel the camaraderie in the group.   They are typical boys growing up trying to figure out what to do with their lives, where they go from here and what is waiting for them later on.

Now I am sure the nitpickers that have reviewed this film prior want to point out the flubs or goofs like seeing 1980s cars in the background in and around the junkyard or seeing Topps baseball cards before they were created but you know what?  This is a great, clever film and I really don’t give enough of a crap over minor mess ups.

I DIDN'T GET MONSTER SQUAD!!!!!!

Wil Wheaton Week: The Buddy System

Howdy all and welcome to Day 1 of Wil Wheaton Week and I have dug through the archives of both memory and IMDB to bring us Wil’s first major film role after the TV movie known as: Hambone and Hillie.  I recall viewing this particular movie of topic with my folks and thoroughly enjoyed it so yes like myself, it is also dated.  So grab some S’mores, toast them by a fire and take in this light hearted romantic comedy.  This is The Buddy System.

No I don't want candy or a ride ya perv.

Tim: I said he could follow me home and that you weren’t really seeing anybody and you know…spoiler

Precocious Tim Price (Wil Wheaton of Stand by Me, The Curse, Toy Soldiers, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Teen Titans, Legion of Superheroes, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and The Guild) doesn’t live in the best neighborhood, has a tendency to speak whatever is on his mind and lives in a single parent environment.  

His mother Emily (Susan Sarandon of The Front Page, Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Witches of Eastwick, Bull Durham, Thelma & Louise and The Client) is struggling to become a court reporter but manages to flunk her test every time due to nerves and frustration.  Forced to live with her mother (Jean Stapleton of Bells Are Ringing, Something Wild,  All in the Family, Archie Bunker’s Place, Lily Dale and Michael) who showers her boy with affection but somehow has forgotten her own daughter at times.  To keep her son in a great school they have lied on the address to where they live but Tim is lonely and can’t have friends over to visit or even play after school. 

So I am thinking a career in Sci-Fi...too obvious?

Joe (Richard Dreyfus of American Graffiti,  Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jaws, Stakeout, The American President and Mr. Holland’s Opus) an aspiring Great American Novelist/ Inventor and the truant officer the school is hip to the big fib and catches Tim in the act of checking the mail.

Being a sly rascal (euphemism big pain in the tuckus) Tim thinks this is an opportune time to get his mother dating again since his father walked out on him given the guy she is on and off seeing is in Tim’s eyes a bit of a peckerhead. 

Joe is having his own dating hell as he and his self-obsessed girlfriend Carrie (Nancy Allen of Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out and Robocop) keep a steady diet of on and off relationship and strikes up a friendship with Tim and starts to feel genuine emotions for Emily but hang on kids because we need the cliché twist whether or not he should stick with the old girlfriend or pursue this new and amazing relationship with Emily and Tim.

Well at least I am not starring in a film with a Sheen. Phew!

I have just a few side notes about the film itself.  The director Glenn Jordan (The Promise, The Typists, Particular Men, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Echoes of Darkness, Barbarians at the Gate, Jake’s Women and A Streetcar Named Desire) is known primarily for doing dramatic and heart wrenching TV movies and while foul mouthed Wil was a bit of a shocker for the audience it was also true to life that an eleven year old boy would swear up a storm. The timing and reaction between Dreyfus and Sarandon felt like a couple with all the ups and downs. You can really believe what you see on the screen and Wheaton’s performance just steals the movie.  I feel the comparison to the Good Bye Girl and The Buddy System is a bit unfair but I cannot speak for all viewers.

Wil Wheaton Week

Greetings readers I have a bit of an unusual week ahead of us but this should be no real surprise for the lot of you.  I felt I would pay attention to a man who formally a child actor, stemmed away from the scenes for about 5 years only to pick it back up in his adult years.  His characters have warmed hearts, sadden many and downright annoyed others.  I speak of none other than Wil Wheaton.  

Cmdr. Riker, some wheat grass should help that bowel issue.

Now I am sure many of you are asking, “WTH are you bothering us with this, Jake?”   From voice over works, TV and film, Wheaton has managed resurrect his walk of life and carry on when many believed it improbable.  Very simply put few people outside of Jackie Coogan and Dick Van Patten have managed to salvage their careers to the lengths that Wil has and I feel we should take a glance at his works of yesteryear and today.