Machete - the 2010 film you aren't expecting

So I have been a bit busy covering the Health Care Reform debate over at my political blog (VASS). But now its time to get back to more simple and pleasant things.

Though I’m not sure that Machete is simple, or pleasant. This is a film that you will likely be hearing a lot about as 2010 approaches. And there will be no lack of coverage by critics big and small. (and if you are wondering, the film has nothing to do with the character from the Spy Kid’s films.)

The reason is that the film is directed by Robert Rodriguez. The cast for this action film will include: Lindesy Lohan, Jessica Alba, Don Johnson, Steven Segal, Cheech Marin, Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez (no relation), and Robert DeNiro (in roughly order of their acting ability). Talk about a wild mix.

The star of this film is also quite different from what most Americans would expect. It’s Trejo as a former Mexican Federales. The bad guy is pretty much everyone, but basically DeNiro as a corrupt elected official (as if there are non-corrupt ones). Everyone else is in and out of the film adding their own flair and crashes, bashes and explosions to the story.

The big question is if this can work. Can a film starring a Mexican, with an American bad guy, hold up? The fact that there will be some martial arts fighting, a couple of young starlets likely in tight nothing, and lots of gunfights will not hurt a bit.

I say that the film will work. Director Rodriguez has more than proven that films starring, and entirely comprised of Hispanic/Latino characters (other than the bad guys) can be huge hits. He has also proven his ability to do a decent film with a good helping of explosions and adult fare (think Sin City). The only place I would worry about this film would be the writing.

Simply put, if you see this film hit in January 2010, it will likely be a horrible flop. If it comes out in April, which I think it will, then that means it all came together great. A mid-summer release means they really nailed it.

Personally I hope it is a good film. Danny Trejo has put in his dues over the decades and having a leading role that works would be a nice feather in his cap. And if you are wondering who he is, well you have seen him. He was the original driver with DeNiro in Heat, he was the uncle in all 3 Spy Kid’s movies, he is Enrique on King of the Hill, he is a bartender on the Young and the Restless.

He has been in 69 movies and television show over the past 25 years. Many actors never even get to do that many films in a lifetime. Not to bad for a former drug addict, ex-con, and prison welterweight boxing champ. Like I said, he has paid his dues, worked hard, and earned the shot at a leading role. So I want to see him do well in this chance.

Paris Hilton home free - 6.7.2007.1

I cannot believe the penal system in California. I know that the legal system is flawed, at the least. It’s no question that the poor, African Americans, Latinos and Hispanics, and celebrities or entertainers all receive treatment that is completely different from each other. This has never been more apparent, and insulting, than in the treatment of Ms. Paris Hilton.

African Americans and Hispanics/Latinos are very familiar with the skewed judicial system in America. It starts from interactions with police officers [not all officers but more than a handful are more than willing to use excessive force and assume guilt without provocation] and it just gets worse from there. The Rodney King beating, the Sean Bell murder, the Amidu Diallo incident are all just a few examples of what happens far too frequently on a daily basis throughout the nation.

Then the court system takes its turn. Routinely Black Americans, and many other minorities and the poor to a somewhat similar degree, receive guilty verdicts far in excess of the average for any other group. The comparison of similar charges have shown for decades in multiple studies that Black Americans are convicted far more readily than other racial groups. Statistically this is beyond just chance, the bias is acknowledged on a governmental level. The sentencing of African Americans exceeds those convicted of similar crimes by a decade on average, to my knowledge. [If there is a lawyer or researcher that can provide a more definitive answer, please contact me with that information.]


This is bad enough, but then we often see celebrities and entertainers that get to have the same charges as the average American, but they receive a slap on the wrist. R. Kelly has delayed his trial for sex with a minor for 5 years, Snoop Dogg was not allowed to travel to England because of the fight he had in an airport, multiple rappers, musicians, and actors get to avoid jail, repeatedly, for drug convictions by going to rehab facilities. Various celebrities and entertainers of all types in the entertainment industry have been given the least harsh treatment by the law that we could not. Just think of what happened to R. Kelly, Mr. Sean Penn, Mr. Christian Slater, Mr. Tom Sizemore, Snoop Dogg, DMX, Mr. Bobby Brown and his estranged wife Whitney Houston, Mr. Mel Gibson, Mr. Charlie Sheen, Sir Paul McCartney, Ms. Michelle Rodriguez, and so many others it would be a post of its own.

But then there is Paris Hilton. Given that this silver-spoon trust-fund inept woman only qualifies for this list as she is famous for being clueless and exceedingly rich. Even so, she was convicted and sentenced to 45 days in jail. Maybe the jail sentence wasn’t fair, but I know if I were sentenced to go to jail for 45 days, my family couldn’t get an opportunity to meet the governor to get me pardoned. Political pressure could not be applied in my benefit. Hell would sooner freeze over than I would be released to home confinement. Especially if I only served roughly 3 days of the full sentence.

Continued in part 2 ...

Breaking the law entertainer-style

I am amazed at times by the actions of entertainers these days, and even moreso in cases by the reaction of law authorities in these cases. By example I mean Mr. Daniel Baldwin, who was not charged with a felony though he was arrested with drug possession and drug paraphernalia. Now perhaps Mr. Baldwin did not have enough cocaine to justify the felony charge, and perhaps he is not large enough of a star to merit the same kinds of leeway given to other big name entertainers, but somehow I doubt that. Were I, a Puerto Rican Black African American male with a clean record and prior service in the military, in the same circumstances I feel confident that the charge would be a felony. But as I said, perhaps I’m wrong.

Of course I’m not an entertainer. But were I, or a friend of mine who has gotten a drunk driving charge as a better example, it would be nice to be able to get the minor slap on the wrist that Ms. Michelle Rodriguez has received. While Ms. Rodrigues did serve 4 days in jail, her choice instead of 240 hours of community service, and a fine of $500 it does not compare to the suspended licence, $1000 fine, ~30 hours mandated drunk driver counseling that my friend received. My friend is a Black African American male. Perhaps the fact that this was in New York State that made the difference. Of course he wasn’t on a 3 year probation from a prior drunk driving charge either.

And there is my favorite entertainer a rapper. This time it happens to be Snoop Dogg, otherwise known as Calvin Broadus, and occurred internationally. What did snoop do you wonder? He and his associates assaulted police offices, resulting in 6 officers receiving minor wounds and cuts, and verbally abused employees of a duty-free shop and British Airways. Why would they do this? Because 3 of the associates did not have first-class tickets and were rightly denied access to the first-class lounge. Who do these guys think they are? If its such a big deal, why didn’t they just upgrade their tickets to first-class. And what gives them the right to abuse people for doing their jobs. And while throwing what I perceive as a tantrum the decide to pick a fight with the police. Now honestly does anyone who may read this think that a fight with officers over being denied entry where they shouldn’t be is worth it? Do you think that you would get out of the situation on a bail withing less than 24 hours? And for those of us that are Black African American, Hispanic or other minorities do you think that the cops wouldn’t have retaliated. I’m sure it would be explained as injuries due to resisting arrest or accidentally falling down some stairs, but I don’t doubt for a second that there would be repercussions. Hello Mr. Rodney King and Mr. Amadu Diallo.

I can see why some entertainers think they are better than average when these kinds of incidents, or others I have mentioned and the multiple others that I haven’t, occur and the reactions they receive. And some take it to an extreme I just don’t understand, like kanye west and his personal view of Jesus Christ (his picture portrayal on the cover of Rolling Stones I believe).

Of course some entertainers just think they deserve recognition because they are a big fish in their small pool. Like 50 cent [I still find that name annoying, 3rd grade english reminds us that it should be 1 cent or 3 cents but when have rappers needed english] who believes he is put upon due to Ms. Oprah Winfrey not inviting more rappers on her program. How the fact that Ms. Winfrey has not asked 50 cent to be on her show affects him or his career is sheer hubris to me. And how dare he, in effect, demand that Ms. Winfrey change how she does her work. If 50 cent does not realize it Ms. Winfrey makes over $50 million a year, is a media mogul and well respected. She does not need him, and picking on her viewers is just sour grapes to me.

The same can be said of Ludacris [another name I just won’t go into] who like many rappers, including the above mentioned 50 cent, believe they are actors on par with the likes of Mr. Denzel Washington or Ms. Halle Berry. In this case the statement was that Ms. Winfrey didn’t give enough time to ludacris, keeping it for herself (how dare she), and focusing to much on his main career of rapping. Perhaps when ludacris makes 10 million a picture and can be nominatied for an Emmy or an Oscar, Ms. Winfrey will focus on his acting, I think.

But I think all entertainers need to get off their high horses. Whether they get paid to play a game, sing a song, or play pretend they are being paid for work that is far less strenuous than working in a steel mill or a waitress in a diner. Their pay is also significantly greater. Considering that and the fact that far more often than not they receive slaps on the wrist when they deserve far harsher penalties for breaking laws, entertainers should stop acting like children. Or is it our fault for treating them like spoiled brats with a silver spoon?

This is what I think, what do you think?