Big D's Top 5 Favorite Flicks In The Past 5 Years

Tetro

Tetro is the story of two estranged brothers. The younger brother goes in search of his older brother to find out why he dropped off the face of the Earth. After their reunion the family's secrets are gradually exposed and Tetro's private world, the older brother played by Vincent Gallo, spins in an uncomfortable and dramatic direction. With the exception of flashback scenes, the film was shot entirely in black and white. Though it was written and directed by established legend Francis Coppola, it still has a very artsy and independent movie vibe, but its not pretentious and its engaging. Its a simple but touching story that's beautifully shot with an equally beautiful score. 

There Will Be Blood

I personally thought 'Blood' was/is an Oscar-worthy and entertaining movie. But some of my friends and family who've seen it disagree. The common phrase is "I don't get it.". Personally I don't feel like there's anything to necessarily "get" after watching 'Blood'. To my interpretation there's no profound underlying message. For those who haven't seen it its a period film that takes place at the end of the nineteenth century in California and its a look into the world of oilmen through the perspective of the wealthy and very cold prospector Daniel Plainview played by the master himself Daniel Day-Lewis. If you're looking for clear heroes and villains in this movie, there aren't any except for maybe Plainview's loyal son. I suppose what makes the picture so appealing for me are a bunch of little things. The story for one is good. Its sinister with a soundtrack to match. Its unique in that its an American story that's not often told, which I tend to enjoy for that reason alone, but at its heart it is about the clash between two very selfish individuals driven by greed and power through different devices. 

Star Trek (2009)

I've been a die hard and loyal Star Wars fan since I was seven or eight. None of the Star Trek shows or movies with the exception of one or two ever really interested me growing up, not to mention the school stigma that goes along with being a Trekkie. And then I saw this movie and I have to say I was very impressed with damn near everything about it and I now wish the last Star Wars trilogy had been made using Abrams and his team, who is a big Star Wars fan himself. I love sci-fi and this film was top-notch in my book. Can't wait for next year's sequel. 

Inception

I believe I was told by Mr. Shane or Brent Vanoy once that I looked like Leo and that's honestly one of the best compliments I've ever received. Dicaprio impresses me more and more and Inception is my favorite film of his yet. As far as sci-fi or any genre goes really, its one of the most original movies I've ever seen and I love the ones that get very cerebral and make you use your head. Just talking about it makes me want to pop it in and watch it again. Was he dreaming the whole time? Who knows. I usually get annoyed at open-ended stories with no plans of a sequel but I don't think they could have ended Inception in a better way.

The Dark Knight

As much as I loved 'Rises' I decided to go with The Dark Knight because 'Rises' is a little too new right now and because I believe Ledger's performance will go down in history as one of the greatest of all time, at least as far as twenty first century Hollywood is concerned. I've been a Batman fan, perhaps a more casual than deeply knowledgeable one, for most of my life too. This Nolan trilogy has easily been the best take on Batman thus far and its hard to beat the Joker vs. Batman dynamic so that's probably a big reason why the second act was so well received and remains unsurpassed by 'Rises' in box office profits. 

'Paradise' Lost

In Prometheus news, a sequel rumored right now to be called 'Paradise' is scheduled for a 2014-2015 release and director Ridley Scott is reportedly "very excited" about getting started. Damon Lindelof who cowrote Prometheus with Ridley as of right now is out of the next project so they are still searching for a replacement. As I've said before, I was pleased with Prometheus overall and I really look forward to the next movie. I assume characters David and Shaw will be the only human figures, with the introduction of a lot more engineers and their biological terrors. I gave Prometheus a pass on some of the unanswered questions considering there will be a next film, maybe three. But I'd really like to know how the derelict space ship from the first Alien movie crashed on LV-426 (LV-223 being in Prometheus and not Alien) and why there were eggs on board with more complex species and not vases like the ship in Prometheus. So hopefully questions like those will be answered eventually. Maybe we'll see a "return" of the xenomorph that bursts from Kane's chest back in the film from 1979. Fingers crossed.

Jurrasic Park IV

I don't know how many of you are fans of the Jurassic Park movies or care to see a fourth but it looks like a fourth is green-lit and scheduled for a 2014 release. Steven Spielberg will only be producing and will not be involved in the writing or directing in anyway. Mark Protosevich, who screen wrote 'Thor' and 'I Am Legend' is set to write the screenplay for this fourth installment, according to Spielberg himself. It will be a sequel and not a prequel. This is about as much as I could gather thus far so early on but I am personally a big fan of the first Jurassic Park movie as well as 'Lost World'. Jurassic Park was revolutionary not only for the special effects of the time but because it was an original concept. What separated it from the stop motion animation black and white monster classics like King Kong was that it brought the modern and prehistoric ages together in a very realistic albeit horrifying way. You even felt a sympathetic connection to many of the dinosaurs even when it was clear they didn't belong. Spielberg and the producers really did their homework on this one and consulted with expert paleontologists so you were given a legitimate demonstration of why humans came after and why the two species never could have coexisted. I can't believe its been over twenty years now since I first saw it because it still seems new to me but all and all a very enjoyable picture and hopefully the fourth will strive to return to that place that made the first so successful.

Another Glimpse of Lewis As Lincoln

Courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, here is a new picture of Daniel Day-Lewis in character as Abraham Lincoln. 'Lincoln', Spielberg's next big film about the 16th president is coming to theaters next year. I am still in awe looking at it, as if it were an actual new color photograph of the president himself. Daniel is amazing...

Risen

Well I have to say 'Rises' was well worth the wait. I'm feeling like the members of MHB that I went with enjoyed it overall, too. When I went into work the next day and eventually discussed the movie with a couple of work buddies who are die hard comic book guys, I realized I had to walk away before I got too annoyed.  There's no pleasing some people, but I've come to the conclusion that there really is no pleasing the hardcore comic book readers when it comes to the movie adaptations. My friend Steven, who is a huge Joker fan, really liked this one but still favors 'The Dark Knight'. As for me, I can't rank Nolan's three at this point in time. They're all connected but there are things in each of them that really stand out and shine. As for 'Rises' the fight between Batman and Bane underground was easily the best scene and I loved the beginning sequence with the plane because it was a lot like a James Bond opener. The ending was great too because plot-wise everything was resolved leaving nothing open for Nolan but at the same time sort of inviting other filmmakers to give Batman a try. A writer for Rolling Stone made a really good analysis of the Nolan trilogy which was along the lines of: In a post 9/11 world, Batman took on the role of a soldier, very much so in 'Rises', fighting terrorism and like the events of 9/11 he's fighting it or dealing with it in his own backyard. 'The Dark Knight' raised the issue of whether or not it was moral to use technology to spy on people to ensure their utmost safety, which is what we're dealing with now with things like The Patriot Act signed by Bush and continued through Obama. But anyways, awesome summer movie and in general. Great cast, Gary Oldman awesome as always, Marion Cottilard and Anne Hathoway smokin' as always. Another great score by Zimmerman.

Big D's Top 5 Sci-Fi Flicks

2001: A Space Odyssey

Admittedly when I watched 2001 for the first time back in high school, I fell asleep within the first half hour. That doesn't sound like very good praise for a film you consider to be part of your top five favorite science fiction movies but when I sat down to watch it again I realized that it was because I wasn't used to 2001's speed and style. I grew up watching the fast paced and action packed Star Wars and loud, obnoxious cartoons. The movie has a very slow pace with little dialogue so its the visuals that keep you watching throughout the first forty five minutes or so. But unlike many movies that make the mistake of putting more emphasis on visuals and less on acting or story, 2001 succeeded in all three. Written by scientist and sci-fi author Arthur C. Clark and legendary director Stanley Kubrick, 2001 one takes you on a journey from man's fragile beginnings to its encounter with a mysterious alien technology in the depths of the solar system.

 Blade Runner

Like THX-1138 or John Carpenter's The Thing, Blade Runner has become sort of a cult sci-fi movie for the past thirty years. Set in a highly polluted and overpopulated near future in Los Angeles, Blade Runners like Harrison Ford's character Deckard are paid to hit the streets and hunt down fugitive synthetics, advanced robots who'll do anything to delay their own destruction. Blade Runner is very cerebral with elements from other films like Taxi Driver and The French Connection. The world of Blade Runner was what certain demographics and crowds were looking for who were tired of the warm-hearted feel good blockbuster that was E.T.. 

Alien

For many years I've put Alien on a very high pedestal. Story-wise it really bordered on being a B movie, but it was the cast, the acting and visually striking sets and star monster that elevated the picture into something that was far from mediocre and revolutionized horror and sci-fi. With an eerie yet beautiful score that wasn't overly present, slow and simple camera movement and a Hitchcock-esc method of letting the audience scare themselves, Alien was a departure from the kind of sci-fi audiences had been getting for quite some time and it opened a lot of doors for other filmmakers. I loved the whole underlying dynamic of  the antagonist Weyland Corporation acting as the man behind the curtain or puppeteer pulling the strings so to speak. Prometheus was a great compliment to this movie and I'm very much looking forward to the sequel.

A.I. : Artificial Intelligence

In my opinion Spielberg is at his best when he's doing sci-fi and this is my favorite Spielberg sci-fi movie. The story was originally the brainchild of 2001 co-writer Stanley Kubrick and he had intended on directing the movie that was to become A.I. but passed away before he got the opportunity. He asked Spielberg to do it and after a lot of back and forth between the two directors over who was right for it, Spielberg finally agreed to make the movie for his dying friend. I'm sure A.I. would've been great had Kubrick directed it but Spielberg did an amazing job. Most of the sci-fi I love, as you can probably tell, deals with the philosophy of having robots who look just like us also walk among us as equals and I've always been fascinated with that dilemma of whether or not man is going to far with technology. Haley Joel Osment really showed his acting chops here and I wish the movie was more widely recognized and accepted. A very intelligent and beautiful story all around, check it out.

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Last but absolutely not least we come to the masterpiece that is Empire, my number one fav. If you ask most Star Wars fans what their favorite Star Wars episode is, you get the answer "Empire!". And for good reason, you're entering a story in which the universe and characters have already been established so there's little need to explain much beyond the iconic opening plot scroll in space. For me Empire has everything I want in a sci-fi movie, or most movies for that matter. I've seen it so many times I can replay it word for word, scene by scene in my head without error. How do you like them nerdy apples? But seriously, I think it strikes a chord with a lot of people in the way that many second acts do. Its when everything goes to Hell and the antagonist gets the upper hand. In this case the antagonist happens to be my favorite character and Empire was the ultimate Vader comeback. What really did it for me was that Lucas took a back seat and hired a director that understood what this movie needed. If only Kershner had directed Revenge of The Sith. 

"Andy!" - Aunt Bee

I know this is primarily a movie blog but I wanted to pay tribute to a huge tv icon that passed away on the 3rd. I didn't watch the Andy Griffith show growing up but I started watching it a couple of years ago and even more so with my dad when I would stay with him throughout the week. Mayberry was definitely like the world of Leave It To Beaver in the sense that you knew no place could be that perfect but there was a part of you that wished your town or your world was. And sitcoms from that era are nothing like they are now. Old schoolers like my grandparents see that as a bad thing but I've always tried to look at social change with optimism because it is inevitable whether you agree with the change or not. But I can watch Andy Griffith and sometimes laugh just as hard as I do when I'm watching a sitcom like Seinfeld or Friends and I think that says a lot considering, again, the social changes. I love the above picture because its such a classic, iconic image of an American father and son and it reminds of when I was Opie's age and my papaw or my dad from time to time would take me fishing. I was never good at it but I didn't care. I was with the most important men in my life and that was all that mattered. R.I.P. Andy. It almost feels like we lost a president or something.

So far this week I went and saw two movies. One of which was Brave and the other being Ted. So far this has been a great summer for me and Ted really delivered while Brave did not. Brave was a pretty short film and just didn't do too much. I'm a big fan of most Disney movies and most Pixar movies but this one really let me down. There was very little comedy and the story wasn't really anything new. Just your typical rebellious girl character who is great with a bow and arrow ( yes this is actually a typical character) and nothing new in the princess who doesn't want to be promised to some guy without choosing. Disney did actually do a good job not giving away too much of the plot in the trailers so I will give them credit for that. The movie has been well recieved though so I wouldn't be surprised if that flaming red hair makes it on screen for a sequel.

The picture above should tell you all you need to know about this movie. It totally lived up to all the hype and all of my expectations. I absolutely loved the little, filthy, foul mouthed teddy bear and I am not ashamed. Even Wahlberg gives his best to be funny and doesn't do a half bad job. I don't want to give away too much of the funnier things and appearances in the film but I highly suggest everyone get out there to see this movie. Enjoy it and leave the theatre with the satisfying feeling in your mind from knowing it is sure to get a follow up film after the great weekend that Ted had.

"World domination, same old dream. Our asylums are full of people who think they're Napoleon...or God." - James Bond

Daniel Craig's Bond is in serious need of a comeback. Quantum of Solace wasn't bad but it was no Casino Royale either. I do like that the last two film's stories are connected and I am pretty sure Skyfall is a continuation of that. In the 60's when Sean Connery was Bond, each movie had a villain that belonged to the same terrorist organization called SPECTRE. Other than that each Bond movie pretty much stands on its own. For the most part I love all of them. Die Another Day and Connery's final but unofficial Bond movie Never Say Never Again are my least favorite. Never Say Never Again was garbage actually. Daniel Craig has been a great James Bond so far. Better than Brosnan and almost as good as Connery but the thing about Connery is he automatically gets credit because he was the first and set the precedent. 

You can definitely tell that American interest in this British agent has dwindled in the past twenty years. The production company responsible for the making of so many of these movies has faced bankruptcy and the few head people who have been involved in the Bond movies since the 60's have had trouble finding the right directors and writers. I like the direction these last two movies have taken. I didn't like the Roger Moore era of gags and I thought his movies were too lighthearted. I would like to see a return of the characters "Money Penny" and "Q" though. But the girls are always beautiful, the stories are engaging and the action scenes are impressive as hell. 

This is my current ranking of all the men who've played 007 so far:

1. Sean Connery
2. Daniel Craig
3. Pierce Brosnan
4. George Lazenby
5. Timothy Dalton
6. Roger Moore

Finally

What was once years of internet rumblings about a bio-pic constantly being put on hold by Spielberg is now a green-lit film well into pre-production. I thought Liam Neeson was a good choice but when he backed out of the project and my favorite actor of all time got involved I was very excited and thought "My God, of course!". Titled 'Lincoln', the film will cover his road to the presidency and how the Civil War defined it and him. Mary Todd, his wife, will be played by Sally Fields and rising star Joseph Gordon Levitt will play their eldest son Robert. Soon I'll be making a trip to the theater to check out Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Why? Because its about Abe killing vampires, that's why. There aren't a whole lot of people talking about 'Lincoln' yet but I predict they will by the beginning of next year. As you can see from the above photo, Lewis has the likeness pretty down pat and judging from his performances as the Butcher and the very cold Daniel Plainview from 'Blood', his performance as the sixteenth president will be a must-see for anybody who's a fan of the actor or the man himself. This film is largely based off of Doris Kearns Goodwin's 'Team of Rivals' which I've read twice and absolutely love so I see great potential here. Lincoln is one of the most admired and beloved figures in all American history. He's a pop culture icon and its about time we got a modern movie where he's finally front and center.

BD's top 10 NES games part deux

Ninja Gaiden:  first off  this game is really fucking hard and you only get like 3 men and 1 continue which is bull shit.  I thought ninja gaiden had great graphics and awesome cut scenes, it has been credited for being one of the first games that tried to be someone cinematic. All around fun and easily makes my cut. 

Duck Tales:  Laugh if you must but anyone who has played this will agree that its alot of fun.  It has a Mega-Man format which makes since for a Capcom game.  Running around as a rich bastard duck beating the shit out of enemies with your cane is pretty awesome.  DT has a bunch of secrets to find along with good boss battles and catchy music which makes for a great game

MEGA-MAN: Im not going to pick one certain game from the series because i really like them all.  MM gives the player alot of satisfaction because you start out as a turd armed only with a pea shooter that makes it hard as hell to beat the bosses.  The great thing is when you do beat one and get there gun all you need to do is figure out which boss that new gun will literally beat with like 6 hits.  All the bosses are unique and difficult and like I said just a great deal of satisfaction when you beat'em.

DOUBLE DRAGON II:  Most people seem to like the first DD more and I agree its a very good game but I always leaned towards this one since you could play with 2 players at once.  This was one of the first games I remember beating and the cool thing was I did it with my dad as my partner in crime.  Great game play, semi difficult levels and karate what more could you ask for.

DR MARIO:  Last but not least is Dr. Mario.  The wife and I go through phases when we will play the shit out of this game against each other.  There is alot of strategy involved and its a very addictive game.  I will also say there aint many people out there that can hold a candle to me in this game.

Well thats it.  I plan on doing a top 10 for Sega, SNES and maybe another system but we shall see.

I actually beat all of the games on the list except for Ninja Gaiden and maybe a Mega-Man or two

There and Back Again

I don't know how many of you are Lord of The Rings fans and if you're not I apologize beforehand for nerding up MHB lol. I myself am really looking forward to this next prequel and pleased that many actors from the trilogy are reprising their roles. Martin Freeman, star of the British series of The Office and movies like Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, will be playing the young Bilbo Baggins. I think The Hobbit will do very well in December. The trilogy made a ton of money and received many Oscars and having read the books, I can say Peter Jackson did an awesome job at adapting the story onto film. The Hobbit the book is something I try to read once if not twice every couple years. Unlike the trilogy it is geared more toward children but is still very enjoyable. From the looks of the trailer and behind the scenes stills, visually its going to look as if it was made right after Return of The King, as if they just kept on filming. As for the overall mood and how much they were able to fit from the book, we'll just have to wait and see. But I can't wait to see the chapter 'Riddles In The Dark' (when Bilbo first meets Gollum) brought to life on screen.

Early batch of Amazing Spider-Man reviews are in, round one goes to Spidey.

As The Telegraph (4/5) puts it, "the film’s second half offers more than enough bungee-swinging through Manhattan’s concrete canyons, immaculately rendered in vertiginous, silky-smooth 3D, to satisfy thrill-seekers of either sex. What’s refreshing is how Webb makes those action sequences count: with a plot that rests almost entirely on the romance between his two leads."

Time Out London (4/5): Webb and the film’s writers have done a smart job of making a snappy blockbuster with few obvious pretensions: ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ is light on its feet and feels both intimate and expansive, smoothly making the transition from hanging out in school corridors to hanging off the sides of buildings. Webb offers no radical rethink about how to craft a comic-book summer movie, but still he delivers a enjoyable rush over a patchwork of genres – romance, action, sci-fi, horror and comedy (there’s almost one for every leg of a spider) – while avoiding bumps at the joins... ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ feels like a romcom upgraded to include 3D and industrial cobwebs.

The Guardian (4/5): "Webb successfully treads a fine line between keeping the hardcore superhero-movie fans happy and injecting a dose of meaningful affect... In re-engineering Parker into the introspective, uncertain male more typical of his previous film, Webb is aided by a terrific performance from Andrew Garfield, who brings a genial unflappability that allows him to negotiate the often-ludicrous demands of the superhero plotline... It's the successul synthesis of the two – action and emotion – that means this Spider-Man is as enjoyable as it is impressive: Webb's control of mood and texture is near faultless as his film switches from teenage sulks to exhilarating airborne pyrotechnics.

SFX (4/5): Even when he’s hunting down villains, he’s still just a teenager, living in the real world, dealing with everyday problems, and the film captures that enduring Spidey spirit perfectly... the broad strokes are familiar, but the details are intriguingly shuffled, amended, expanded and reinvented... Andrew Garfield is brilliant. Whether his slightly less nerdy, but slightly more nervy Peter Parker is better than Tobey Maguire’s is debatable, but his Spider-Man is magnificent... Emma Stone is possibly even more impressive as Gwen Stacy, mainly because she triumphs over a rather blandly-written role... There’s a brilliant score from James Horner too. For the first time in many a year, you may be humming a superhero film theme tune on the way home.

Total Film (4/5): "A young buck made testy by grief, a rebel without a comb, Garfield nails all bases here, star DNA aglow. Stare-y eyes melting, he’s winningly earnest; lithe of physique, he delivers in the dust-ups; blithely gatecrashing Gwen Stacy’s bedroom, he gives good dreamboat.  And like any story worth telling, this one’s still 'all about a girl'... Enter Emma Stone, weapon of sassy destruction as arch and direct, confident yet relatable first Spidey-love Stacy... The wall-to-wall ruckuses leave the “untold story” of Peter’s parents largely untold, its threads left loose in a fashion that frustrates given how many story strands here were unthreaded in 2002... It isn’t perfect but this reboot’s wins outweigh its wobbles. The leads charm, the action crackles and the grooves are well-laid for part two. Untold story? Next time, then."

London Evening Standard (2/5): "Director Marc Webb aims for a new realism, stripping away the brio of Sam Raimi's 2002 version with Tobey Maguire.  He also dispenses with much of the character and sass that always made this character fun. It's not Garfield's fault: he is a convincingly troubled, inarticulate Peter Parker, a springily athletic Spider-Man, and has awesome hair. His greatest enemy is the script. That, and the rather wearisome 3D.  Webb's film is slow on plot, skimpy on character development... Webb saves up most of the emotional punch for a downbeat, wet-eyed ending in which Garfield and Stone are superb."

Taken 2 Trailer International Trailer!!

More chduly TDKR posters arrive!!

Am I wrong or do these just scream the 1998 Batman and Robin movie?

First Judge Dredd Trailer has arrived

Red Band trailer for The Babymakers

The latest from the Broken Lizard crew.

Kristen Stewart Hollywoods highest paid actress

I have no problem with this, it's not her fault if teenager worship her shitty Twilight franchise. I'll be interested to see how the rest of her career shakes out, I've seen two Twilight movies and they are geniune trash but I didn't find anything too wrong with her in the role of Bella. I've always appreciatted the fact that she's looked miserable all these years when talking about the part or being  drooled over by the Twihards. She didn't set me on fire as Snow White either but again she didn't do anything to offend me either. Jurys out.
Highest paid actresses 2011

1. Kristen Stewart - $34.5 million

2. Cameron Diaz - $34 million

3. Sandra Bullock - $25 million

4. Angelina Jolie - $20 million

5. Charlize Theron - $18 million

6. Julia Roberts - $16 million

7. Sarah Jessica Parker - $15 million

8. Meryl Streep - $12 million

9. Kristen Wiig - $12 million

10. Jennifer Aniston - $11 million

On a related Kristen Stewart note the first trailer for the final Twilight film was released today. Feel free to watch it and feel sorry for a generation of kids who despertately need to be introduced to a real vampire film like The Lost Boys.

Jim Carey drops out of Dumb and Dumber sequel

FUCK!!!! Click here for more

B.D.'s top 10 NES games Part 1

I recentley watched the 100 greatest video games of all time on G4 and it got me thinking about my favorite games for all the systems that I have had over the years starting with my NES all the way to my XBOX 360.  Im going to start with the NES. These arent in any order just my 10 favoirite.  Lets start with 5 of them

  MARIO 3:  By far was the NES game I played the most and at the time blew the doors off everything else.  Not only did you get the great side scrolling action that the franchise perfected but it was full of secrets that made you feel like a pimp when you discovered them.  I remember getting the leaf that turned you into a racoon and some how you could fly.  Why a racoon suit made you fly I have no idea but it was fucking awesome. By the way I knew how to get all 3 whistles.

SUPER-C: This game was awesome.  I actually played this before I ever played Contra and I think its alot better.  Super C had great levels and the weapons were bad ass.  It was truley a game that was more fun with a friend playing along side you, if you got the spread gun and your partner got that machine gun it was curtains for those aliens.

MIKE TYSONS PUNCH-OUT: 007-373-5963 thats the code that takes you right to the man himself.  I think its funny that code is still in my brain over 20 years later.  The best part of this game was the characters, guys like Glass Joe, Piston Honda, Bald Bull ect.  I can proudly say that I actually beat Tyson a time or two and it was glorious.  GO LITTLE MAC!!  By the way I always thought little Macs trainer looked like Carl Winslow from Family Matters.


WWF WRESTLEMANIA:  Not much to say about this one but i think it was one of the first games I ever owned and at the time I loved it dearly.  I have recentley played it and its fucking terrible but ill never forget it.  Just like He-Man it was awesome at the time but it was just because I was like 5 or 6 years old.


TMNT ARCADE:  I think this has to be a fav of anybody thats ever owned an NES.  Great two player action, awesome levels and it even had a Pizza Hut tie in wich was the first time I ever saw advertising like that in a game.  Anybody could be decent at this game if they hit the buttons fast enough but the cool thing was that you could actually get really good with certain turtles. I was best with Donatello and sucked with Raphael.