City on Fire (1987)

This is one of Chow Yun-fat's earlier movies and, not surprisingly, it's in Chinese. If you watch, be prepared to read subtitles in English. It's overall a good movie. Certainly was not prepared to see Chow Yun-fat's bare backside, though

Summary

-An undercover officer looking to retire is drawn into one final case - investigating a gang of jewel thieves planning to rob a jewelry store

Cast

-Chow Yun-fat: Ko Chow

-Yueh Sun: Inspector Lau

-Danny Lee: Fu

-Carrie Ng: Hung

-Roy Cheung: Inspector John Chan

-Lau Kong: Inspector Chow

Did You Know?

-Quentin Tarantino used this film as the inspiration for his film Reservoir Dogs

-In the scene where Ko Chow escaped from the police by jumping from the second floor to the eave on the first floor of the building and then down to the ground, that was not done by a stuntman; it was actually done by Chow Yun-fat himself. A stuntman had done a practice of this before shooting while the director had set up tatami mats and safety boxes for protection to keep things safe. These safety measures were hidden using specific angles

-Chow Yun-fat and Danny Lee appeared in another movie together. John Woo's 1989 film The Killer. Chow Yun-fat plays a hitman while Danny Lee plays a police officer

-In the scene where Ko Chow (Chow Yun-fat) is running along Nathan Road to escape the police, the scene was filmed when director Ringo Lam put the camera in a van and suggested Chow Yun-fat to follow the van driving along the road

13 Going on 30 (2004)

This is one of my favorite movies

Summary

-Geeky, unpopular girl Jenna Rink makes an unusual wish on her 13th birthday. It comes true when she wakes up to be a 30 year old woman working for a successful fashion magazine

Cast

-Jennifer Garner: Jenna Rink

-Mark Ruffalo: Marty Flamhaff

-Judy Greer: Lucy Wyman

-Andy Serkis: Richard Kneeland

-Kathy Baker: Bev Rink

-Phil Reeves: Wayne

-Sam Ball: Alex Carlson

-Joe Grifasi: Mr. Flamhaff

-Mary Pat Gleason: Mrs. Flamhaff

-Lynn Collins: Wendy

Did You Know?

-The first scene Mark Ruffalo did was the "Thriller" dance. He was terrified of doing the dance, but Jennifer Garner had "infectious" enthusiasm, so he went through with it. Andy Serkis was in London at the time and had to do the scene separately

-Christa B. Allen was chosen to play the 13 year old Jenna Rink. Jennifer Garner was happy because she felt that Allen really symbolized Garner at that age. Later on, Allen would appear in the 2009 film Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, playing a younger version of Jennifer Garner's character

-When Jenna Rink, at 13 goes into the closet for "seven minutes of heaven", there are actual photos of Jennifer Garner in her younger years on the back of the door

-As Jenna Rink softened and came closer to her true self, her clothing colors became warmer thanks to production adjusting her wardrobe. While Lucy Wyman (Judy Greer) gets more ruthless, her fashion style becomes more aggressive

-A lot of the child-like observations Jenna Rink had were completely improvised by Jennifer Garner. For example, when Alex Carlson (Sam Bell) wanted to play sexual games with Jenna, she suggests Battleship instead

-There is a photo of Madonna on Jenna's vanity table on the day of her 13th birthday. When she is 30 years old, she has that same photo, only now it's signed in her work office

-When Jenna Rink's secretary answers the phone, there is a man on the other end saying "Put that little b---- on the phone. Tell her to call Todd." This is director Gary Winick's voice

-Sean Marquette, who played young Matt, wore a fat suit for the movie

-At the time of filming, Jennifer Garner was 31 years old. She spent time with teenagers to remember how to behave as one

-The celebrities on Poise's Wall of Shame are real celebrities

Tootsie (1982)

This film was actually funnier than I initially thought

Summary

-Michael Dorsey is an out of work actor. The only way he can get work is to disguise himself as a woman to get work on a daytime hospital drama

Cast

-Dustin Hoffman: Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels

-Jessica Lange: Julie Nichols

-Teri Garr: Sandy Lester

-Dabney Coleman: Ron Carlisle

-Charles Durning: Les Nichols

-Bill Murray: Jeff Slater

-Sydney Pollack: George Fields

-Geena Davis: April Page

Did You Know?

-Initially, Dorothy Michaels did not speak with a Southern accent. While doing research, Dustin Hoffman felt his voice fall more closely into a female pitch while doing the accent

-Most of the dialogue from Bill Murray was improvised

-In a 2014 interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Geena Davis told him that Tootsie was her very first movie and that she was young and inexperienced. Dustin Hoffman acted as a mentor to her. He gave her advice. One tip he said was "I know you're going to move to Hollywood and be successful, and your co-stars are going to hit on you, and you should not sleep with your co-stars. It's a bad idea. So here's what to say. When they hit on you, say 'I would love to', be very flattering, 'but I'm afraid it would ruin the (on-screen) sexual tension between us.'" Geena Davis used that on Jack Nicholson later when he hit on her and he was impressed, wanting to know where she had gotten that line

-When the crew had bad news to give Dustin Hoffman, they would only give it to him when he was dressed as Dorothy Michaels, because they said he was "much nicer as a woman"

-At her parents' evening at school, Dustin Hoffman passed himself off as his daughter's Aunt Dorothy. His performance was so perfect that no one suspected anything was out of the ordinary

-The clothing Dorothy Michaels wore almost always covered Dustin Hoffman's 16'' neck and Adam's apple

-The insane ways that Michael Dorsey gets fired or quits from a production were actual events that happened to Dustin Hoffman

-After playing the role of Dorothy Michaels for the first time, Dustin Hoffman went home and burst into tears, confessing to his wife that playing the role of a woman forced him to face his own sexist perceptions of women that he didn't even realize he had

-Director Sydney Pollack and Dustin Hoffman fought intensely over the littlest things that even Hoffman suggested Pollack playing his agent George Fields so they could use that energy in the film, and perhaps give Pollack a chance to vent

-The first time Michael Dorsey is waking up to play Dorothy Michaels, there is a photo of Dustin Hoffman's mother next to his alarm clock

-To do research for his role, Dustin Hoffman watched the 1978 film La Cauge aux Folles and the 1963 TV program General Hospital

-The breasts Dorothy were prosthetics that had came from a shop specializing in post-mastectomy care and cost $175 each

-Cher and Olivia Newton-John were considered for the role of Julie Nichols

-Sir Michael Caine, Dudley Moore and Peter Sellers were offered the role of Michael Dorsey

-When Michael Dorsey is auditioning for roles, he says he can do shorter. In real life, Dustin Hoffman is only 5'6''

-The film got its name from Dustin Hoffman's mother Lillian Hoffman, who gave her son Dustin the nickname "Tootsie" as a child

-Despite smoking indoors being a banned act today, at the time the film was released smoking was still permitted indoors where it is now banned

-Artist Andy Warhol appeared as himself and went uncredited

Sea of Love (1989)

This was the first movie Al Pacino made, after taking a four year break from film after 1985's Revolution. I thought it was very good. I will warn you, though. If you don't like nudity or foul language, this may not be the film for you

Summary

-A detective, who also happens to be an alcoholic, is investigating a series of murders tied to lonely hearts ads in a newspaper. And he falls for a woman who might be the prime suspect

Cast

-Al Pacino: Frank Keller

-John Goodman: Sherman Tuohy

-Ellen Barkin: Helen Cruger

-Michael Rooker: Terry

-William Hickey: Frank Keller Sr

-Richard Jenkins: Gruber

-Paul Calderon: Serafino

-John Spencer: Lieutenant

-Damien Leake: Ernest Guy

-Zachary Michael Simmons: Ernest's Son

-Patricia Barry: Older Woman

Did You Know?

-When Al Pacino's character Frank Keller is trying to court the character played by Ellen Barker, he is rudely bumped into by someone on 5th Avenue. Director Harold Becker stated that this was not in the script. It was completely authentic, caused by a real New York resident. Al Pacino includes this moment into the film and continues on without missing a beat

-The "Meet the Yankees" breakfast that the police use to apprehend criminals was based on a real event

-When this movie is shown on television, Lorraine Bracco was shown as Al Pacino's ex-wife. Her scenes were cut from the final product of the film

-At the time of this film, he was living with his good friend Diane Keaton, She had found the script for this film and convinced him to do it. He was still hurt from doing the 1985 film Revolution and was not sure he wanted to make a return to films. Keaton had informed him that he was not an A-list actor anymore, that offers were not coming in very often, but this was a film he was meant to do. Not only that, he was also going flat broke and going through tax problems stemming from financing a film called The Local Stigmatic with his own money and also not making films for four years. He finally agreed to do this film and it helped him immensely

-Richard Price, who wrote the novel this film is based on, wrote the screenplay with Dustin Hoffman in mind. With him wanting too many re-writes, Al Pacino took over the role instead

-This was Al Pacino's first film after a four year break. His last film before this was 1985's Revolution

-Michael Rooker was cast in this film after his role in the 1986 film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

-This movie is credited with being the film that pulled Al Pacino out of a bad string of movies he had made during the 1980s

-This film was the fourth out of five films Al Pacino had made with Martin Bregman. They are 1973's Serpico, 1975's Dog Day Afternoon, 1983's Scarface, 1989's Sea of Love, 1993's Carlito's Way

-During the undercover scene where Al Pacino and John Goodman's characters are working, that restaurant, O'Neal's, was a real New York City restaurant, owned by actor Patrick O'Neal. It was located near Lincoln Center and closed in 1993, just a year before Patrick O'Neal's death in 1994

-Both Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin attended the same high school, the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts. This high school was also featured in the TV show and film Fame

-During the scene where Frank Keller is trying to convince his lieutenant to let him do the sting operation without a wire, he says "What is she gonna do, confess? Shoot me? We're in a restaurant!" Ironically, Al Pacino, who played Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, appeared in a scene in the first film, where he shoots a cop in a restaurant, which was also said to be impossible

-In a 2007 interview, Ellen Barkin revealed an unknown secret about her love scenes with Al Pacino in the film. She stated that while he is normally a cocky, outgoing actor, when the cameras started rolling, he became shy and bashful. "We never talk about that scene. Al was very shy. I don't think he's comfortable with those kind of scenes. I am. At the time I was anyway. Now I wouldn't be, but I thought it was a good icebreaker in those days."

-Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin starred in another movie together. Ocean's 13, where he plays Willy Bank and Ellen plays his right-hand woman

-Any interior shots were filmed in Toronto while exterior shots were filmed in New York City, most of them being filmed in the Upper East Side

-It was not a mistake that Frank used an incorrect last name in his newspaper personal ad. A police officer undercover would never use their real last name

-In the fancy restaurant scene, the strolling violinist is playing "Strangers in the Night". This song was also featured in the 1983 film Scarface, during the scene showing the shootout

-This is one of four films written by Richard Price, but starring Samuel L. Jackson. They are 1995's Kiss of Death, 2000's Shaft and 2006's Freedomland

-John Spencer played another police lieutenant in the 1989 film Black Rain

Rambo III (1988)

This is the third film in the highly successful Rambo series, starring Sylvester Stallone

Summary

-Former Vietnam vet John Rambo leaves a peaceful Buddhist monastery in southeast Asia to rescue his former mentor from Russian commandos in Afghanistan

Cast

-Sylvester Stallone: Rambo

-Richard Crenna: Col. Sam Trautman

-Marc de Jonge: Zaysen

-Kurtwood Smith: Griggs

-Spyros Fokas: Masoud

-Sasson Gabay: Mousa

-Doudi Shoua: Hamid

-Marcus Gilbert: Tomask

-Alon Aboutboul: Nissem

Did You Know?

-Throughout the movie, if you look closely, you can see scars on Rambo's body. Such as the scar on his right arm from 1982's First Blood, which was caused by falling through the trees. Or the small scar on his right cheek, caused by a heated knife scraping his face in 1985's Rambo: First Blood Pt. II

-The last film in the Rambo series to star Richard Crenna as Col. Sam Trautman. He died on 1/17/2003 before a fourth film could be made. The 2008 film Rambo is dedicated to him in memory

-One scene shows Rambo playing a sort of polo-like game on horseback. In real life, Sylvester Stallone has experience riding horses. He's been riding horses since he was a child and even competed in polo matches starting at age 11. The game he plays is a popular game all across southern Asia called buzkashi

-Masoud (Spyros Fokas) is a reference to a real life figure named Ahmad Shah Masoud, a leader in the Afghan resistance against Russia, the minister of defense in Afghanistan and a leader in the resistance against the Taliban regime

-At the monks temple in Thailand, where Col. Trautman finds Rambo, it was a real temple in Thailand undergoing renovations. Director Peter McDonald stated that many of the monks there were not actors in costume, but actual monks from that temple. They were paid to appear as extras. He went on to say that he was delighted to give money to people who really needed it, as opposed to people who had too much of it

-Rambo is seen wearing the green charm necklace Co Bao from Rambo: First Blood Pt. II was wearing, that he put on after she died. In this film, he gives the necklace to Hamid before leaving Afghanistan

20 TV Shows That Are Still Popular

There are tons of TV shows out there to watch. Nothing beats the classic ones from the 1970s-1990s. They still hold up to this day. Thomas West, a writer for the MSN.com page YardBarker, has compiled a list of 20 TV shows that are still popular

Ironically, I actually watch quite a few of these shows. Such as The Golden Girls, I Love Lucy, The Carol Burnett Show, Scooby Doo, Where Are You?, Murder, She Wrote

1. The West Wing

-This political drama gives a good side to government. It shows that there are people who work in government offices who really do have the best interests of the people as their top consideration. This show is a great reminder of alternative options to handling situations

2. The Nanny

-It's a pretty hilarious sitcom. There was humor all around, from Fran Drescher's character to the kids, and there was romance between Fran Fine and her boss Mr. Sheffield. Then, of course, was the long running rivalry between C.C. and Niles. Overall, the show had a good heart as well

3. Maude

-Bea Arthur is mostly known for playing outspoken, sarcastic Dorothy Zbornak on The Golden Girls. Prior to this, she starred on the 1970s television show Maude, as an outspoken feminist. She played a fiery feminist not afraid to speak her mind about the issues of the day, including abortion. And who doesn't love Bea Arthur?

4. All in the Family

-This 1970s-era television show dealt with all of the issues in the world at that time, such as gay rights, feminism, abortion, etc. There was an almost constant battle of the wits between Archie Bunker and his  daughter and son in law. The issues they debate about are still hot topics to this day and it makes the show feel relevant

5. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

-For many who grew up in the 1990s, Will Smith will always be The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. There is a strong sense of culture clash, as Will's character came from the working class area of Philadelphia and suddenly finds himself in the affluent area of Bel-Air, California. His humor is constantly present, making the show funny and also an overall good show to watch. It even spawned a new spin off called Bel-Air

6. Seinfeld

-There is not really much of a premise or plot to the show. It's a show about nothing. Somehow, it's found popularity with people. It's still popular thanks to streaming services. The characters still resonate with people, despite going off of the air nearly thirty years ago

7. Star Trek

-This is one of the most influential sci-fi shows around. It still holds up well to this day. The costumes and special effects seem incredibly outdated, especially in a world that now uses CGI and AI to do special effects. But, it's the outdated costumes and special effects that people love most. The show provided something that was joyful, exciting about the extents that it would go to regarding progressive points of view. It's from a time where things were far simpler. It's still popular to this day and finding new fans almost constantly

8. Scooby Doo, Where Are You?

-There have been few animated characters who have had a long, successful career. One of them is Scooby Doo. He is one of the most successful animated characters, inspiring spin off TV shows, television movies, such as Zombie Island, Alien Invaders, etc. Airing in the late 1960s, the show featured a cowardly Great Dane and five kids solving mysteries the old fashioned way, with clues and investigations. It's a reminder of the days when Saturday morning cartoons were a tradition with kids while others love the simply fun of an old fashioned mystery

9. Gunsmoke

-One of the many Western television programs on TV, they were quite popular in the 1950s. While many of the shows have been long since forgotten, Gunsmoke is not one of them. This show ran twenty seasons, from the 1950s to the 1970s. Today, it might seen as old fashioned, but it still holds up well. Many love the show for the great performances of James Arness, Milburn Stone and Amanda Blake

10. The Jeffersons

-This show was a revolution in TV. Staying on the air from 1975-1985, it showed an upwardly moving black couple and their family. It showed this family in a positive way in an era where black actors and actresses often got stuck in typecast roles. The show appealed to many because of the heartfelt and humorous relationship between Louise "Weezy" Jefferson and her husband George, played by Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley. To this day, this show is still popular and is also gaining new fans

11. The Carol Burnett Show

-This show is still popular thanks to streaming services. When it aired on TV, it was sure to be a night of laughs and music. The lady for whom the show is named, Carol Burnett, starred in sketches along with comedic actors Harvey Korman and Tim Conway. Many of the sketches are still remembered to this day, like the spoof of Gone with the Wind. In the case of the show, it was Went with the Wind. And there were so many guest stars, both actors, actresses and musicians, that everyone loved to see who was going to turn up in a sketch, from Julie Andrews to Jim Nabors to Maggie Smith to The Jackson 5 and more. Each episode of the show would end with the current guest star signing their autograph in a book for Carol. This show even inspired a spin off called Mama's Family, starring Vicki Lawrence as the titular Mama. Carol Burnett would appear from time to time playing Eunice

12. The Mary Tyler Moore Show

-Despite being something straight out of the 1970s, and a second wave of feminism following, the show is still popular. It was revolutionary at the time because it featured an unmarried, independent w

13. Designing Women

-Similar to The Golden Girls, this program, created by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, focused on a group of four women who run a design firm in Atlanta, Georgia. This show dealt with touchy topics, such as HIV / AIDS. It was on TV during the 1980s and 1990s and is still a beloved TV show to this day

14. Cheers

-Everyone knows the iconic theme to this show centered around a Boston bar. This show was the very definition of workplace sitcom. It centered on Sam Malone, a bartender running a Boston bar and the various people who enter and leave the bar. Despite being on in the 1980s, it seems dated by today's standards. It's still popular for those looking for a good laugh. And some can even quote the show, like people quoting Norm by saying "It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear"

15. M*A*S*H

-This TV show was based on a book of the same name. It told the story of a medical unit in Korea during the Korean War. It found the right balance between drama and comedy, creating tear-inducing laughing and heartbreaking grief. It's easy to see why this show still holds up today

16. Murder, She Wrote

-This show takes place in the Maine town of Cabot Cove. It centers on a murder mystery writer named Jessica Fletcher who always manages to find herself at the center of a juicy mystery. Angela Lansbury plays this role perfectly. There's just something about this show that people love. Whether it's the cozy, timeless feel of it or that it's good old fashioned detective work, this show never gets old

17. The Twilight Zone

-Rod Serling and his show The Twilight Zone, have remained one of the most thought-inducing programs out there. Each episode had a moral to learn. So it was as much educational as it was entertaining. Rod Serling had the ability to take anxieties people felt and turn them into stories that were terrifying to watch for the time. When you watch it, it takes you back to 1950s era America and the concerns plaguing the world at that time and their relation to current events

18. Kolchak: The Night Stalker

-This was a short lived television series. It had just 20 episodes. Despite its short run, it did make an impact on some people. It was said to have even inspired The X-Files. Darren McGavin played the title character and the stories were quite scary for the time period. While it doesn't rely on special effects, it relies on an eerie atmosphere, which is the reason it's still entertaining to watch

19. I Love Lucy

-Two of the most remembered episodes of this program were "Lucy Gets a Job" and Lucy Does a Commercial." There's no doubt Lucille Ball was the genius of comedy in the 1950s. She was thrown into superstardom with her program I Love Lucy. Despite airing in the 1950s, something about the show just makes it loveable. Her comedy style was hilarious, joyful and a refreshing change. Lucille Ball is a master of physical comedy as well as sarcastic remarks and facial expressions. It's no wonder the show is still highly popular, thanks to streaming services allowing people to re-discover this show and new fans to discover the show

20. The Golden Girls

-No one can deny the comedic genius of Bea Arthur (Dorothy), Estelle Getty (Sophia), Rue McClanahan (Blanche) and Betty White (Rose). Despite going on the air in 1992, the show was funny, heartfelt, with great actors and actresses, and politically relevant for the time period. They often discussed issues that were just as relevant then as they are now, from same-sex marriage to care and concerns for the elderly and the problems with aging. They tackle these issues with comedy, and cheesecake, of course