alpepper
member since 12/22/2003
I'm a guy
About me: My interests are (in no particular order): #1) Tae Kwon Do #2) Sports. #3) The Military. #4 Computers. #5) Writing. #6) Texas Hold 'em. #7) My wife, 2 kids, Lhasa Apso, chihuahua, and 20 or so goldfish.
User Votes: 4000 Helpful / 25 Funny / 23 Agree / 1 Disagree
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Activity for alpepper

591 days ago

  Not the worst thing you can do, unless the audience within earshot would be greatly offended (i.e., launching F-Bombs with a lot of children nearby, is the handiwork of an ignoramus)

While I was in the Navy, on board all-male ships, in the pre-Tailhook, pre-PC era, the use of salty language was somewhat accepted and expected.  However, when I got onto shore duty later in my career, I started receiving complaints from civilians when I used an invective at an inappropriate time. I eventually realized I had to squelch that stuff.  Today, I just don't care to hear it anymore -- especially in movies.

But I'll never forget the sailor who rattleed this gemstone off when he was told that the chief was holding up liberty, "F--K the F--king Mother F--ker! Sheeeeeyiiiiiiit!" I am amazed it has not yet made into bartlett's Familiar Quotations.

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2 Helpful / 0 Funny / 0 Agree / 0 Disagree

591 days ago

Middle of the pack Pixar fare.  Better than Monsters Inc. and Cars, but behind Nemo and Toy Story 2.  [Bug's Life is still my all-time Pixar favorite].

Ratatouille had a cute storyline and impressive CGI, but it was not particularly funny.  One other gripe: Having once had the onerous (and horrifying) task of deratting our cramped under-the-house crawlspace, I don't find rats cute and endearing. 

  

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5 Helpful / 0 Funny / 1 Agree / 0 Disagree

636 days ago

  As I have seen the original Rocky over 10 times and can recite almost every line, like so many Rocky Horror revelers at a midnight airing at the Cineplex, there was smart money that I was going to enjoy Rocky Balboa.

The movie did not disappoint.  I'd rank it as the second best of the six Rockys.  What made it particularly enjoyable was the way it tied all the loose ends from the original Rocky of 30 years ago.  We get to meet Spider Rico and Marie (the little brat who told Rocky to screw himself in the original) again.  While both were not particularly likable in the original, they are redeemed in this one by Rocky.  Paulie is still around.  He remains a character you love one minute, and then detest later.  Alas, poor Adrian has died from cancer.  She still plays a prominent role.  Our hero has risen from the depths of despair in the bleak Rocky V and is something of a worldly philosopher, who owns a somewhat successful Italian restaurant.  His Legacy is intact.

An interesting twist (which actually occurred in 1970 between Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali) shows Rocky beating the current champ in a computer simulation.  Well, Yada, Yada, Yada and Rocky is pitted against undisputed champ Mason Dixon (played competently by Antonio Tarver).  One thing I always wondered was why every boxer Rocky ever fought had a cartooney name (except for Ivan Drago, I guess).

The training montage, culminating with "Gonna Fly Now," is always inspiring and never fails to bring a frog to my throat.  The fight between Balboa and Dixon is not totally absurd and the result, while meaningless in terms of winning and losing, shows Rocky delivering his latest message, "You're never too old to have a dream."

Rocky Balboa brings a good closure to the genre.  The fact that the movie was even produced was something of a Rocky story as numerous producers rejected the script.

 

 

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4 Helpful / 0 Funny / 1 Agree / 0 Disagree

647 days ago

Of all the Ian Fleming Bond novels (the only ones that count), Casino Royale was always my favorite.  Surprisingly a feature movie of the novel was never made until 53 years after the fact (The Peter Sellers monstrosity of the 1960s does not count).  Casino Royale did not disappoint .  Nor did Daniel Craig, who I would rank as the second best Bond portrayer (Sean Connery will always be #1).  The movie stayed quite faithful to the book.  The only major change was changing the high-stakes card game from Baccarat (who even plays baccarat anymore) to Texas Hold'em.  The Hold'em hands were a bit far-fetched (Rounders features the best depiction of the tension involved in high-stakes poker), but served its purpose well.  The action scenes were creative and compelling.  My one gripe is the portrayal of Vesper Lynd.  She is much more compelling and racier in the Fleming novel.  I also thought the actress portraying her was a bit mousy, and the romantic interludes before the final climatic scene was a bit tepid.  But Casino Royale delivered the goods and was a much-needed reinvogoration of the Bond genre, which seemed like it was on its way out.
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5 Helpful / 0 Funny / 0 Agree / 0 Disagree

654 days ago

Comment Icon alpepper commented on a review of Blackjack in Casino Games:
Hi Occasionalplayer: I played two casinos in the Caribe. One was in the Bahamas, I think it was called the Crystal Palace. All they had were 10 dollar tables and I did not do well. I also played in San Juan, at the Dupont hotel. I recall having a better run of cards there. The island of Aruba has several casinos with blackjack as well, as my brother has told me. Good Luck/AP

772 days ago

Affectionately known as "UltimateBEAT." You'll lose with some of the sickest beats you can imagine. It also has a reputation for being one of the toughest sites to win on because of the high level of competition. I've been playing it for a couple of years and I have not had much success. The ring games are tight, yet agressive once you enter a pot. Tournaments are equally tough. My best cash was a 3rd in a $20 Limit Tournament for a $350 score. But I haven't hit for much else other than some Sit&Gos.; I did qualify for the finals of one of those million dollar freerolls, but couldn't play because of a "family thang." I keep playing UB because I like that you can pay by check (one of the only onlines sites that lets you do that). I also like the nice interface and the fact that they don't use hideous avatars (just empty seats). The key thing is I have been successful when I've played in real live tournaments and ring games at casinos. So playing with the sharks at UB keeps my edge, I guess.
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3 Helpful / 0 Funny / 0 Agree / 0 Disagree

808 days ago

Surprisingly good movie. I can emphasize with old Magellan that taking a 3-year old to this movie is tantamount to taking a member of Hell's Angels to watch the Tony Awards (where they have an award for best performance by a straight person). My kids are a bit older; and though they were pretty steadfast that they did not want to see Happy Feet because they thought it was for babies (which was my thought too), Wifey insisted and we were all pleasantly surprised. This one differs from the recent rash of very mediocre CGI movies. The animation was visually impressive. The story was quite good too. Best way I can describe it is to say (pardon my math) it was one-half "March of the Penguins," one-half "Billy Elliot," and one-half "An Inconvenient Truth (due to its ecological theme)." It was surprisingly political on the Blue-statish side. I found the notion of the U.N., doing something for the world, more absurd and preposterous than the notion of Penguins being able to sing Prince's "Kiss." The music was good, as the theme of the film was that all penguins have a "Heart Song" to attract it's mate. Except for our hero Happy Feet, who can't sing, but dances like a Soul Train dancer with a rattlesnake in his pants. It seems the Penguins are fixated on 1980's tunes (Hey, so am I). The usual band of acting heavy hitters were out for this one [It seems that every swinging "u-know-what" in Hollywood has to do an animated flick these days]. Hugh Jackman seems to be in everyone of these. And of course, the King of animated movies, Robin Williams, is so over the top here, they had to give him two characters. But I confess, as much as I wanted to hate it and lambast it, Happy Feet is worth a see.
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5 Helpful / 0 Funny / 0 Agree / 0 Disagree

823 days ago

Another CGI stinker. Will somebody tell Hollywood that computer animated films have not only jumped the shark, but have jumped into the jaws of a shark. Here we have a movie about British mice (I thought they were rats), who live in a mouse-designed metropolis that would be the envy of any Sim City player. The mice build boats, skyscrapers, and even doomsday devices designed by Frogs. A pampered mouse from Kensington is flushed down the toilet and not only adapts to the sewer society, but gets the girl and saves the mouse-world from the evil toad played by Sir Ian McQueer. If this doesn't sound plausible to you, then you have no imagination. As with most of these Computerized "FAMILY" films, I rolled my eyes often, dozed off often, and checked my watch often. The only amusing aspect of the film was that the slugs are cute and humorous. The should have just made a movie about the slugs and called it, Slugfest. I'd say I've only seen three memorable CGI movies: Shrek, Bug's Life, and Toy Story 2 (though Nemo was not too bad). There is another wave of CGI stinkers coming, including (get this) TWO movies about penguins.
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833 days ago

Wade, Shaq, J Williams, Haslem, Riley...I don't see any reason why they can't repeat.
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833 days ago

This one is good, real good. Quite funny and entertaining. Betty is really homely as sin. But she is smart and resourceful and ends up always saving the day for her boss, who works as chief of a fashion magazine. Betty always outwits her three advesaries: Vanessa Williams, who wants Betty's boss to get fired and always tries to undermine him; a dumb mean blonde who works as the receptionist; and a queerer than a nine-dollar bill personal assistant to Vanessa William's character who savages Betty's personna.

Infinitely funnier than "Just Shoot Me."

It's based on a hit show aired in Latin America. Selma Hayak is the brains behind this show. She even airs in cameos where she is the star of a campy Telemundo-type Spanish soap opera, and is only seen through the television in Betty's house.

It is actually beating Earl and The Office in the ratings. I think The Office is funnier. But Betty is funnier than Earl.
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