The Taking of Pelham 123 *review*

The Taking of Pelham 123 is a 2009 thriller film, directed by Tony Scott, and starring Denzel Washington, and John Travolta. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Morton Freedgood (writing under the pseudonym John Godey), and is a remake of the original 1974 film adaptation, which was also remade in 1998 as a TV movie. Production of the film began in March 2008, and the film was released on June 12, 2009.^[2] Four heavily armed men, led by the mysterious Ryder (John Travolta), board the New York City subway 6 train departed from Pelham Bay Park Station at 1:23 p.m., and proceed to take control of it.

Meanwhile, MTA dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) is assigned to the Rail Control Center, due to an ongoing investigation that he took a bribe to recommend a Japanese car manufacturer for the next subway car contract. The group then uncouple the front car from the rest of the train and hold the passengers in this front car hostage. One of the hijackers, Bashkim (Victor Gojcaj), kills an undercover police officer in the course of the action. Ryder and a former MTA train operator named Ramos (Luis Guzman) settle down in the front of the car, while the other hijackers watch the hostages in the back. They demand $10 million in ransom money to be paid within 60 minutes. For each minute past the deadline, one passenger will be killed. Garber and Ryder exchange conversations through the microphone, while Ramos and Emri (Robert Vataj) set up a wi-fi booster apparatus to enable Ryder to access his laptop in the tunnel to watch the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunge nearly 1,000 points during the next hour.

Unknown to him, one of the male passengers has an active laptop with a webcam, that was casually knocked to the floor, facing the car's interior previously when they took their hostages, which simultaneously reconnects using that same wi–fi link; reestablishing a previously used videochat to his girlfriend's desktop; when she returns to her PC, she sees the hostage situation through her webcam and provides the live feed to a local television station. Garber agrees to have the city pay Ryder the $10 million ransom, after the Mayor (James Gandolfini) is intercepted by his staff aboard a train in the Bronx and is transported back to RCC.

NYPD Emergency Service Unit Lt. Camonetti (John Turturro) enters RCC, and Garber's boss, who has a rocky relationship with Garber, orders Garber to leave the premises. Camonetti takes over the hostage negotiations, infuriating Ryder, who demands that Garber be put back on the mic and that he will speak only to Garber. When Camonetti refuses, explaining Garber has already left the building, Ryder shoots and kills the train operator. Camonetti immediately has Garber brought back on the mic, talking to Ryder, while he sets up a sniper unit in the tunnel where the car is stuck, ordering all officers not to fire until told to do so. Camonetti is puzzled as to why Ryder will only talk to Garber, but when he learns about Garber's bribery investigation, he asks Garber to consent to a search of his home; Garber agrees. Ryder learns through news reports about Garber's alleged bribe in Japan and forces him to confess by threatening to kill the boy with the laptop. Garber explains his action by saying he needed the money to pay for his kids' college educations, and that the Japanese company had been his first choice anyway. Meanwhile, a rat on the roadbed crawls up an officer's leg, causing him to discharge his sniper rifle, killing Ramos and leaving the hijackers without an experienced train driver.

The money is transported uptown to Grand Central, and Ryder demands Garber to personally deliver it within 7 minutes. Garber accepts a concealed pistol from a police officer, then delivers the money. Ryder orders him to operate the train to another location, where the hijackers exit. To ensure that the police go to the wrong location, Ryder uses a special mechanism to lock the driving lever in the full-speed position, bypassing the dead-man's switch and causing the train to head towards Coney Island at high speed.

The MTA are unaware of the mechanism holding the driving lever down and believe the hijackers and Garber to still be inside the train. Garber escapes from the hijackers and follows them to the emergency exit inside an abandoned subway station underneath The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Inside the hotel, Ryder splits away from Bashkim and Emri, who are surrounded outside the hotel by police; as they both reach for their guns and begin shooting, the police open fire on the two of them, killing them. The runaway train is tripped by a red signal one station away from Coney Island and the train comes to a halt safely. Ryder boards a taxi with Garber in pursuit. Ryder checks his laptop, where it is revealed that he has short–sold the market and invested in gold, earning him a profit far larger than the ransom money. Ryder goes to the Manhattan Bridge, where he leaves the cab, due to heavy traffic, and uses the pedestrian walkway on the bridge. Garber confronts Ryder on the bridge where Ryder demands Garber kill him before the police do. Ryder gives Garber 10 seconds to shoot him. When Ryder finishes counting to 10, he takes out his gun, but Garber gets the first shot out. Before Ryder dies, he calls Garber is his "goddamn" hero.

The mayor thanks Garber for saving the hostages, and promises that the city will support him in the bribery investigation. The Mayor then offers Garber a ride home in his car along with the escort service. Garber refuses the offer, saying the subway is faster. When he is taking the ride, he sees the empty compartment of Pelham 123 and he smiles.The last shot of the film shows Garber walking into his home.

I found the movie very enjoyable, the subway ride was unlike any I have ever taken. Although the movie was remade twice (2) the added updates with the cell phones and laptops brought the movie right up to date. This movie is well worth the time that you will spend watching it. I give this move 4**** stars.

To see more of what’s on your mind click here

Watch The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Movie Trailer - Watch a funny movie here

The Blind Side * My Review*

The Blind Side is a true story of Michael Oher as a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home who is taken in by the Touys, a well-to-do white family who help him to live up to his potential. The Touys taking in Oher immediately help to change his life and give him new direction, but the presence of Michael Oher in the Touy family help to bring the family closer as a unit. The family goes through ups and down but they face it together. This is a great movie to take the family to see.

Don't be surprised if you see several people in this movie get an Oscar, the first would be Sandra Bullock for her moving performance as Leigh Anne Toughy, and Jae Head as the young SJ, Shawn Junior. When you leave yu will be glad that you did come to see the movie.

This is a great family movie I give the movie 3 stars

The Blind Side - Official Trailer (HQ) - The top video clips of the week are here

To see more did you know that trivia click here

Why are these Black women alone?

I wonder why sometimes when I see some black woman who are a tri-fecta (they are attractive, have income and a prosperous career), that they are content on being alone. They have made up their minds that nothing is wrong with waiting for Mr. right. The concept makes sense, I mean why settle for something less than what you think that you deserve. So lets look at it from this point of view. Some of these women have been in and out of relationships for years now because he does have fit the criteria that she had set fourth, and she is not willing to settle !

Now this is a bright ideal that I came up with, if you can look pass the oblivious, height, weight or income you may have an opportunity to find happiness. Lets face it no relationship is perfect and even if you find that perfect one on paper, income, looks and he wants the same thing as you do, is their a chance he still might have faults? So you spent your whole life waiting for this peach and in reality he really is a lemon. Do you kick yourself for waiting for so long or do you try to make lemon aide and keep on,keeping on?


Maybe from my point of view as a man I really can relate to what they are saying and why they are saying it. Maybe if these women lower their bar, so that some of these good men can get to them, they may have a chance for love. Then again if you keep looking for that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, you may never find it, and you will still be alone!

To see more of whats on your mind click here

Invictus, will win an oscar or two

The true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa's rugby team, Francois Pienaar, to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa's underdog rugby team as they make an unlikely run to the 1995 World Cup Championship match.

This movie Invictus was everything I expected and a little more. From the minute I started watching the movie I forgot that I was watching Morgan Freeman and kept thinking Nelson Mandela. The deep and conceptual thinking of Mandela made me respect him even more as the story unfolded. The precision placement of the music made you want to cry one minute and stand up and cheer the next moment. Clint Eastwood has done it again with his vision to see a story and make you feel it, from beginning to end. Matt Damon was equally impresses as the Francois Pienaar.


I maybe going out on a limb, but after what I saw my words should be etched in stone that this movie will win at least 2 Oscars. One should be for best Actor and Best Director, of course I would not be surprised to see it win more! Make some time and see this one you will be glad that you did. 4 stars ****
To see more of whats on your mind click here.

Husband dies on the day of wife funeral

Husband dies on day of wife's funeral

Stan and Mary Trueman on their wedding day.

February 27, 2002

I saw this story about a husband who could not live after his wife had died. I was touched that a man loved his wife so much that he literally will himself to die. You see in today society we live our life by the minute. It very seldom that you see a marriage last 5 years, then again 50 years is inconceivable! If only the world we live in today knew what this kind of love is, it would be a better place.

A DEVASTATED husband collapsed and died on the day of his beloved wife's funeral.

Tragic Stan Trueman died yesterday (Tuesday) as his wife Mary's body was being taken to Stockport crematorium on a horse drawn carriage.

The 76-year-old, who lived with his wife for 50 in Lower Bredbury, had been too sick to attend her funeral. He died at home.

Animal lover Mrs Trueman, 74, spent much of her life caring for animals so it was a fitting send off when her coffin was carried by the horse drawn carriage.

But daughter Mary Wood, who lives on the Bridgehall estate, was devastated after hearing the awful news her dad had died.

She said: "He was really poorly yesterday so we were expecting it. But for it to happen on the same day as the funeral was a real shock.

"He was diagnosed with liver cancer five weeks ago. When they both knew how ill they each were, they seemed to give up."

Mary's mother's coffin was carried on a 100-year-old carriage made by famous Birmingham carriage maker John Marsden. It was pulled by two horses used in the recent funeral of Reggie Kray.

Both the horses and the carriage were specially brought up to Stockport for the day from Cambridgeshire.

The coffin was collected at Unsworth's funeral directors in Bramhall before it was taken to St Joseph's Church on St Petersgate and then down the A6 to Stockport Crematorium.

Mary is now planning an identical funeral for her father - also an animal lover.

She said: "It was a beautiful ceremony and I want exactly the same for my dad because he was also a horse fanatic and loved everything old fashioned. We want to give him exactly the same send off."

Mary added: "The horse drawn carriage was my father Stanley's idea. He was a very old fashioned person who loved tradition so I organised the funeral on his behalf.

"This is the way my mother would have wanted her funeral. She lived for her family and was a devoted animal lover who sponsored horses at the Redwings stables in Norfolk."

Mary's family asked that flowers were not given at the funeral and instead asked for donations to be made to the Redwings stables.

Chris Unsworth, of Unsworth funeral directors in Bramhall, said: "Passers-by bowed and took their hats off as a mark of tribute."

To see more of what’s on your mind click here

The 6 Month Rule will never work!

That's right some women believe that you should wait at least 6 months before they have sex with a man. I believe that you should never waited longer that a month?

Why a month, to find out if you are compatible in bed??? Does that sound shallow to you? Lets look at it from this point of view, they have great conversation look good and you have waited a year to find out they are a dude in bed.

Now of course you could terminate the relationship but since you have invested your time and effort you tough it out.

Now Murphy Laws always knows how to throw you the right person at the wrong time and that's where cheating comes in.

Here is the solution if you found out in a week that he or she was a dude you can cut your losses and move on!

Unfortunately we do not live by the same ideals and views that our parents and grandparents live by. So the six month rule sounds good on paper but realistically speaking it only works if you actually found Mr or Ms right. If not you may have wasted your time.

Remember work fast but move slow!

To see more of what’s on your mind click here

Lock his ass up!

A So. Fla. Man Asked Cabbie For A Ride To Memphis, Then Refused To Pay

A South Florida cabbie was tricked into making a 20 hour trip from Miami to Western Tennessee over the weekend. And he ended up getting stiffed, not getting a penny for his efforts.

CBS4'S Stephen Stock spoke with the cab driver victim by telephone and his colleagues on the streets about getting shorted on a very long trip.

From 7 at night to 4:30 in the morning, 6 days a week for 29 years Jean Desir has driven a taxi on the streets of Miami.

Despite two robberies, one at gunpoint, and countless riders who've stiffed him on fares, this past year has been toughest of all economically.

"This year has been really really hard," the 54 year-old said, "really hard."

That's what makes the story of Desir's fellow taxi-driver so tough to swallow this holiday season.

Police say Miami resident Luciolo Perez convinced a cabbie from Flamingo Taxis to drive him to Memphis, Tennessee. That's a 20 hour cab ride to the middle of the country.

Then police say Perez stiffed the driver of $3,000 in cab fare, plus expenses such as gas and meals, which the cabbie paid with his own credit card.

CBS4 News spoke by phone with the cab driver, who drove this taxi half way across the country and back.

His name is Lelis Almeira.

Almeira refused CBS4's request for an on-camera interview, saying he was tired frustrated and angry and, "I just want to put this incident behind me."

"(The money came) out of his own pocket," said Almeira's colleague at Flamingo Taxi, Joel Lubin.

That's why Flamingo Taxi dispatcher Lubin is angry too. He said that a scam such as this hurts drivers especially hard, given the tough economic times they've suffered through this year.

"He didn't have to do it," Lubin said. "He spent all his money for the expenses. He put everything for meals on his credit card expecting to get paid."

CBS4 reporter Stephen Stock asked: "And this happens?"

"This happens," Lubin said. "He's kind of lost faith in humanity. And I don't blame him."

"We ain't going to promise something we don't have," said the woman in Memphis whom Perez had traveled to visit, Nellie Rose.

Rose insists she didn't have the money and made that clear to Perez.

"I don't know why the cab driver and him came on (to Memphis).That's between them," Rose said.

Memphis police arrested Perez and charged him with theft over $1,000.

Now, in addition to trying to find $3,000 in cab fare, Perez must find enough money to bond out of jail.
To see more of whats on your mind click here.