"I have doubts about my sanity, the Kennedy assassination, the moon landing, but this..."

No doubt about it. Major Crimes has managed to do what few shows before it have been able to pull off. Shows have survived the loss of their lead, but the remaining years were usually something lesser than it once was. That's not the case when The Closer lost its lead actress/character. The title was changed, and with just a few cast tweaks the series returned as Major Crimes, and I dare say it’s a much better show than its predecessor. 

How do you create world peace? Well, according to Bordering on Bad Behavior, you take representatives from three countries and lock them in a room together for six hours with unlimited booze and marijuana. I recognize half of you who see this as a ridiculous idea; however, I know that there are plenty of you who have likely considered this as an option (maybe not the booze and weed part, but the isolation for sure). Well, if you want to know if the idea has any real traction as an option, this movie is your opportunity to see, because despite being crude and possibly offensive in some areas, it speaks some real truth.

So here’s how it starts: Bob (Tom Sizemore) is a member of a United States Army unit posted at a top secret communication outpost in Israel. After years of service, he is disillusioned by the experience, although he does maintain his strong patriotism and love for country. Now a mere 24 hours away from completing his assignment and returning to his unit, he simply plans to kick back and get drunk. Enter Ari, a newly assigned member of the Israeli Special Forces now working at the communication outpost. From the very second they meet, the two are instantly antagonistic to one another. For Ari, Bob represents all the traits he despises about the opposing country; laziness, involving himself in the matters that don’t concern them, and arrogance. For Bob, Ari has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.

La cena delle beffe, or The Jester’s Supper (1942), is an Italian period drama that was produced in Cinecittà (Cinema City). Before WWII and its aftermath, Italy’s film industry was more like what you would see in Hollywood during the same time. Spanning from the 1930’s to the early 1940’s, this movement was characterized by light comedies and historical films. The Jester’s Supper is no exception, telling a tale of a love triangle, vengeance, and madness. Directed by Alessandro Blasetti, The Jester’s Supper follows the drama between Neri (Amedeo Nazzari), Giannetto (Osvaldo Valenti), Ginevra (Clara Calamai), and their love affair. Gianetto and Neri are rivals who compete for the love of the beautiful Ginevra, but when Neri succeeds in taking Ginevra for his own, Gianetto finds a new love in vengeance. Swearing to win Ginevra back, Gianetto develops a plot to frame Neri as a madman so he will be incarcerated, leaving Ginevra to himself. Ridden with guilt, Gianetto releases Neri, prompting Neri to seek his own revenge.

If you watch this movie for nothing else, it has to be for Amedeo Nazzari’s acting. Known to Italy primarily as a hero, Nazzari is cast in a role of a villainous, arrogant playboy with many friends and thugs. While this casting may be against his typical roles, he stops at nothing to deliver his best performance. Though falsely accused of being mad at first, slowly throughout the film you watch him sink into an actual madness. The range of emotion that Nazzari is able to portray is incredible: Arrogance, anger, sadness, defeat, and madness. Nazzari’s presence took me by surprise, much like Toshiro Mifune’s did when I first watched Rashomon years ago. I’d go as far as to say that Mifune watched The Jester’s Supper in addition to the behavior of lions to prepare for his iconic role in 1950’s Rashomon.

"Meet the Robertson clan. They turned duck calls into a multi-million dollar empire.  But running a family business is tough when the family just wants to run wild." 

The Robertson family is quickly becoming the most recognizable family on TV, considering they are flooding the stores with their books, DVD’s, and many other products you can find at Wal-Mart.  I can’t help but think this is a family that is doing everything right, and good for them for the success they’ve managed. Seeing a positive reality show is refreshing, and the fact that it’s not filled with backstabbing and manipulation just allows it to stand out from everything else.  Every episode continues to try to deliver some life lesson or attempt to show the value of a wholesome family environment.  Is it hard to relate because we’re following a multi-million dollar family?  Surprisingly, this might be the most relatable family to hit the TV screen.