Inside the Brain of E.C. Henry

Furiosa and the Apes of a Post-apocalyptic Box Office

Well, we're at Memorial Day weekend, 2024; and typically this is high season for the movie box office in the U.S.

Feels like over the past 5 years or so, this hype has really been missing.  There are several factors for that, imo.  This year, I actually did pay to see two offerings that Hollywood thrust on the masses to kick off the 2024 movie going season: Furosa: A Mad Max Saga; and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.

Neither of these entries were especially good.  Of the two, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga was the decidedly better of the two.  But that's not saying much because Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes was a complete missfire.

The funny thing is the origin of both of these series were a couple of the best movies of all time, imo: The Road Warrior (1981) and Planet of the Apes (1968) were iconic movies in their time.  The problem is, you can only milk the same cow for so long.  And both of these franchises have been milked dry.  Which brings us to one of the contributing factors for a box office in decline:

Hollywood doesn't make original stories anymore. 

Rather, whatever they dump on us, it's off some kind of past product: Barbie: a movie made by in large due to the success of Barbie dolls in the past.  Mission Impossible 709, Oppenheimer was a biopic, the 3rd wave of Halloween movies, the 3rd wave of Planet of Ape Movies, the 4th wave of Batman movies.  

To be honest I didn't go into either Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga nor Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes with much of an open mind.  I expected bad. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has a very uninspired story: an ape survives his villages conquest by a bigger tribe of apes, then when attempting to free captured villagers finds a plan by the conquesting village to open a depot of past human weaponry that will help their leader achieve further conquests and solidify his power.  Furiosa's story fails in that it relies way to much on the past mythology of Fury Road (2014), and that post-apocalyptic world isn't enough to sustained interest, as the screenwriters didn't introduce enough new stuff -- especially late in the movie where Furiosa really falls apart.  Chis Hemsworth's "Dementus" character never registered a good villain.  Furiosa starts out more good than bad, but once a the Mad Max clone character of Pratorioum Jack comes into the story -- about at the halfway point, the story starts to go down hill, until by the end Dementus' demise doesn't make much sense.  The storytelling in the last third of the movie really left a bad taste in my mouth.  

One of the saddest things about the Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the digital artwork of the talking apes themselves.  I would have rather seen the actors in ape costumes from the original franchise (1968-1973).  If you can't even get that right, you are screwed in a movie like that.  The story follows one ape, who seeks to free survivors from his village after it is attacked by a rival village who has a leader want to "open the vault" on the sea coast that is rumored to have technology that will help him do further conquests and solidify his power.  The quest is rather dull with no real elaborate battle scenes.  The talking human girls plight is poorly expressed as well.  Hopefully this we be the last Planet of the Apes debacle that Hollywood makes.  This idea is toast, burnt toast.

I guess I would be remiss if I didn't touch on Anya Taylor-Joy's portrayal of Furiosa.  She looks mad for most of the scenes she's in.  At the ACT II break-point she literally rips her arm off to escape Dementus and his gang.  Then at Imortan Joe's hang-out she make a robotic prosthetic for herself.  This is shown, but is still totally unbelievable. 

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga also suffers from alters in time from the timeline of events that The Road Warrior set into play back in 1981,  In between movies you are expected to now push OUT the evens in Furiosa something like 45 years since the collapse of modern civilization, YET everyone is riding around in supped up monster cars and motorcycles.  This requires a significant suspension of belief.  You gotta go with it, yet what you see doesn't feel plausible.  The Road Warrior you can buy into the fall of civilization and rise of barbarian gang, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga; not at all.  

Stop ruining my legacy - last, parting message from the Humungus

So as the box office numbers continue to be bad, know that are a direct reflection of the CRAP Hollywood is producing.  It's just bad movies, bad stories at the story level.  This is stuff that people who do this for a living should know better.  It's like nobody cares about the final product anymore.  

Hollywood is too infected by the Democratic party, and woke ideology too.  I think that has a way of rearing its ugly head in terms of what gets greenlit. There is less reason for optomism than ever before.  Those at the heads of the studios aren't choosing good stories to  produce, and the effect of this is a post-apocalyptic box office!

Best Female Voice in the History of Rock

Anne Wilson of the Rock band, Heart

Would love to talk a lot about this lady, but truth be told I never got into Heart's music as a kid.  Also, after reading her story, there's NOTHING I want to talk about her.

But in listening to Heart's music -- which really spanned from 1976-1993, this lady: Anne Wilson, really proved she was talented vocally.  So much so that after consideration I've tabbed Anne Wilson as the best female voice in the history of rock.   

(slightly >) Christie McVie of Fleetwood Mac, I really did love her voice 

> Anne Lennox of Eurthmics 

> Belinda Carslile, who had the best happy music of any performer, just didn't have the vocal raw goods

> Tina Turner, who definitely deserves an honorable mention!

> Adele, who was more opraetic than a rocker.

>> Chrissy Hydnie of The Pretenders fame

>> Madona the material girl who actually did show signs of having a good voice in the 90s

>> Cheryl Crow, who was probably a better overall performer: singer/lyrics/music videos; but never blew me away with her vocals

>> Pat Benetar of early 1980s fame

>> Shena Easton who was fairly popular in the 1980s

> Deborah Harry of Blondie fame

> Gwen Steffani, who may have rank higher if she didn't do such shitty music with No Doubt

>>> Joan Jett, who really had a lousy voice

>>> Stevie Nicks who always sounds slurred when she sang.  Most overrated performer of all-time, imo.  Totally outshined vocally by Chritine McVie -- who was also in Fleetwood Mac

>> Alanis Morrisette of mid-1990s fame

And lastly...

>>> Taylor Swift who can't hold a candle to Anne Wilson from Heart

When talking about the music group Heart, a lot of people like to play up that it's headlined by two sister Anne and Nancy Wilson.  I could care less.  True Heart was definitely a rock back with headlined by two women, but I never got into Nancy's act.  

Maybe it's best to just enjoy the performer's art and delve too deeply into who they are personally.  I had read that Anne struggled with her weight for years and was abusing cocaine and alcohol until recent and the woman's in her 70s now!  #yikes !

Probably best to just sing along and enjoy the artistic talent she was blessed with.  Anne Wilson of Heart, best female rock vocalist of all time -- but not best overall female vocalist.  For when you consider Christian contemporary that opens up a slew of other female acts, one of which I featured on this blogsite a while back, and I'm talking Christine Dente from the Christian contemporary band, Out of the Grey; which had its run in the early to mid 1990s.  Since I could only find two music videos from Out of the Grey, and both of them were to lesser songs of theirs that I wasn't to high on.  Here's a reminder of what they were capable of and one my favorite Out of the Grey songs: 

Compare that to one of Anne Wilson better efforts here --

In the side-by-side comparison I'd go with the HEAVENLY voice of Christine Dente over the power rocker that Anne Wilson clearly was.  There is something about Christine's voice that is transcending.  I think she has the best voice of any woman EVER!  That's right even out of the limelight for sometime, Christine Dente put enough out there for all to consider, and during her reign she honored  Jesus Christ .  Something I don't think Anne Wilson, Taylor Swift, or even Adele can say they did  So in the end...

Heaven wins!

Did do a Google search to see what Christine's up to these days.  Turns out she's got a blog of her own: Christine Dente's blog.  I was reading a little bit about her and found out one of her kids is now 25 years old!  Wow, I remember at the end of one her concert sets where she said she and her husband Scott had to end their act so they could put their kids to bed.  That was back in the 1990s.  Foggy memory to recall, as I can only remember her saying that, then walking off stage.  But oh that voice!  Wish Christine Dente have recorded more music.  I find peace when she sings. 

Intercessory Prayer

For the past two months I've been going to my church on Monday mornings in devoted prayer.  I originally started doing this in hopes of meeting people.  Unfortunately I'm the only one whose shown up for this, YET it is on the church calendar as an event, every Monday morning, 9:30-10:30 a.m.  I'm guessing that at one point in my church's history there was a gathering of devout housewives who met during this time, but as of spring 2024, no one was participating in this -- except me now!  Over this time period I've also attended a couple prayer services on Sunday nights.  The first of which did attract a few participants, but last Sunday I and a pastor in charge of the church was the only one who showed up to this.

Okay, so what do I do for this hour? 

So far I've knelt at the altar and sought God and taken a "let the Holy Spirit lead me" approach.  Praying for people I know, our county, various political issues, countries, believers in the persecuted church (typically authoritarian regimes). 

Last week, after this hour-long dedicated prayer sessions, I actually felt like I just got out of the gym.  Most times after prayer I do feel spiritually uplifted, and it reminds me of when Moses spent time with God, then came down the mountain and the people noted the radiance about him.  I've noted a lifted and radiant countenance about my mother sometimes when she's returned from a gathering of her life group, and some of the bible studies that she attends. 

Meeting with God in ways that He's ordained has some really cool, unintended consequences -- a lifted countenance, and a spiritual glow. 

I can't say you always get that going to church.  But sometimes it does happen. 

Things of the spiritual are sometimes hard to "lock down" and explain.  All I can say is that there is a spiritual dimension to PRAYER that I'm discovering and increasingly aware off -- and that's the presence of God when you pray with an earnest heart.

My prayer life is becoming increasingly important to me.  Lately, I've been dedicating more time to it realizing its importance.  Feeling its affect on me, personally.  And hollowing out more time in my day for it. 

Praise be to the Lord!  Thanks to Him.  I feel like I'm going through a spiritual growth spurt right now. 

The funny thing is, it's so easy to spiritually stagnate.  I guess it's because we live in the flesh, and face and ever changing world that makes it difficult to grow at even, spiritual rate.  This world and the kingdom of God are oftentimes at odds.  Praise be to the Lord that He is so open to us human being who fluxuate in their spiritual lives so much.  Praise be to the Lord who provided Jesus to satisfy the requirements of the religion.

Honoring Jesus is and important foundational approach to take if your want to grow spiritually.  He is the vine, we are His branches.  For apart from Him we can do nothing.  So as I seek to grow spiritually and in prayer, I've always gotta be humble and center that around my devotion to the Savior.  To Him be the glory!  Jesus always does things the right way, and is the perfect representation of the Holy Father.  

So hard to do and get off track in that regard; not regarding the Lord the way we should.  It's not about me, it's about Him...

I had a pastor once describe the clumsiness of life illustrated in the way human beings walk: one foot forward, not stable again until both feet are on the ground.  Moving forward means having to cope with times of instability.  The very act of moving forward is one of faith.  But we can't be stagnant if we serve the living God.  

Do I pass the daily test of staying in the faith?

Well, I love the Lord.  And need to realize their will be good days and bad days.  So long as I live in the flesh sin is usually present, and temptations of various kinds about.  Thankfully the Lord is longsuffering and kind.  Realizing that I need His grace foremost of all.  

There are so many cool things about the Lord.  Besides intercessory prayer, lately I've been getting into the prophets as well.  Recently I read the book of Daniel in its entirety.  Talk about a guy who had a wild life, it was the prophet Daniel.  He lived in a time where the nation of Israel was conquered by the Babylonian Empire.  Daniel was looked on with favor, and enjoyed a high position.  But early on Daniel obstained from eating choice food from special provision from the king, choosing instead to eat vegetables and water.  God honored that, and Daniels devotion to the Lord while in the midst of living amongst foreign oppression.  Anyway, I find the life of Daniel as recorded in the bible a great study in how to maintain one's religious integrity amidst the constraints of a corrupt society.  

Lotta good stuff in the bible, stuff worthy of study and consideration.  

To God be the glory.

May He reign in your life in a greater way.  And may we all grow in the faith, and may the Holy Spirit equip and guide us in service of the Jesus' kingdom.  For His is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever and ever.  Amen!

  

Surviving Bad Role Models

Ahhh, Motley Crue, the heavy-metal band that rose to prominence in the 1980s.  There was time when they were a role model of sorts for me, never had the same hook as Def Leppard had; but there was a time when I admired them.  Admired them so much that I was swayed by buddy I had from the fishing boat to travel down to L.A. to see all the strip clubs they referred to in one of their most famous songs: Girls, Girls, Girls.   Perhaps its only fitting that a band like this would have a song like that, as with their long hair, and spandex, they kinda look a bunch of guys in the midst of a conversion to be girl!  Jokes on them, I guess.  A lot of old Motley Crue group pictures from the 1989s goes look like a Satanized version of Road Warrior extras. 

Truth be told it was Def Leppard who had the biggest influence on me as young, impressionable mind.  I think a lot of that came from the fact I was 13/14 when Def Leppard really took off during the MTV era of the 1980s with their Pyromania release.  Of course it was with that release that came the God mocking song of Rock of Ages:

Didn't see how bad this song was until I got saved.  Then once I did, threw all my heavy-metal music in the garbage.  If memory serve me right I think I had enough secular music to fill two garbage bags...  Hmmm.  Still, during some of my fleshly runs in the mid-1990s, I went back to my old idols.  But the Lord had made and impression on me by this point, and now I knew that a lot of heavy metal music was filled with music and lyric more attuned to the demonic.  Slang by Def Leppard came out and I bought it, only to later punch the album when I came to my senses. 

The thing is to a teenage boy growing and forming his opinions, you don't have the discernment to know how bad the stuff is.  I just thought Joe with this heavy-metal hero, ignoring the Satanic robed people on one side, people in the hell in between, and the band playing on the other side.  Rock of Ages is a mockery of God.  The lady bound to the cross is meant to distract you, from later burning the cross as seen in the video.  The whole song as an angry filled tyraid meant to work you in a frenzy, and drive you lighting things on fire.  Anyway, everything works together for an evil purpose.  YET this one of the earliest rock-n-roll song that I gravitated toward, liked, and let shape my life for many years.

It's easy to find heros who were really villains in heavy metal music.  Look at David Lee Roth.  Most of Van Hallen's stuff is fun and light.  But one of their earlier song was Running with the Devil.  And then there is the fact that David Lee Roth had a cocaine problem.  And later I read that Eddie did cocaine with son, Wolfgang. 

The funny thing about heavy metal is that is starts out looking so promising.  But then as these groups go on tragedy and recompense catches up with them.  The drummer for Deff Leopard looses his arm.  One of their key guitar players: Steve Clark; dies of alcohol poisoning.  Heroine use plagues Motley Crue.  Eddie and Valerie divorce.  All members age.  Some not so well --

Hi, I'm Joe Elliot in 2024.  What do you think of me now, E.C.? 

Yikes!  I've seen other pictures of Joe Elliot doing podcasts recently, and in them he looks like of the founding fathers of the U.S.  George Washington look-out!

Oh how times changes.  Speaking of change.  Lets see how the front man of Motley Crue turned out --

Looks like the fat toad, and grossly aged version of the former heavy-metal hearthrob who had sex with a lot of women, as highlighted in the Netflix movie, The Dirt; which depicted Motley Crue's rise in the 1980s.  

Now in defense of these two men, we all age.  It's just a part of life.  But one of the classic mis-directions of heavy-metal music is the con that the fast lifestyle of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll is the religion their followers should strive for.  Dependence on Jesus is never emphasized.  Why?  Because these men are all living for the flesh, and the all the here-and-now that a contract with the devil affords.  And when you're young you're more apt to get roped into this and let this become your substitute for a having a relationship with God.  Listen to Poison's song Give Me Something To Believe In.  That a heavy-metal lament intended to justify no going to God.  A song with on the same album they back with the outright Satanic song of Flesh and Blood (Sacrifice).  There was a time when I was on the fishing boat where I would play that song over and over again, never considering how dark it is.  

Okay, so things didn't turn out well for Vince Neil and Joe Elliot, what about Diamond Dave?

Wow, gone is long hair, wild jumps and antics.  In is the age spots and short-hair.  But hey, he's on a point and he's pointing and laughing at you like you're the schmuck and he's the one in the catbird's seat who all the right decision in life.

Now that I am born again I view Def Leppard, Motley Crue, and Van Hallen with a RADICALLY DIFFERENT perspective than I did when I was 13 years old.  In retrospect I feel that all three of these influences lead me and other to life a reckless life.  I believe all three have performed gateway to the demonic music, and NONE have sought to honor the Lord in their art.  

I don't think any of these three are "idols" to me.  Two of three were at one time.  Def Leppard DEFINITELY.  Motley Crue sorta.  Van Hallen never.  

The funny thing is you see proofs in these bands lives over the years that proves their not even the best of friends to their own!  After Steve Clark died Def Leppard included the song White Lightening on their Adrenalize release.  That song is so gross, it has the band singing about their diseased friend saying that White Lightening is coming to claim him, or in other words Steve Clark's departed soul belongs to the devil because he died due to alcoholism.  Van Halen had their outs with David Lee Roth and for a while Sammy Hagar was their front man.  Vince Neil lost a child and blamed God for that.  You talk about rich.  Here the guys is for years strutting around stage playing up the devil, living like a delinquent in orgies and booze, then the guy points his finger at God!  Yikes!  Hopefully Vince matures and turns back to the Lord in a state of humility.  

I guess knowing this now I have some ammo to pray for Vincent Neil Wharton: married four times, father of three children -- though one died at a young age.  As for David Lee Roth, he never left much of an impression with me.  He always came across as a brash, boisterous guy.  I guess that's the coked-out Diamond Dave just before his solo career ended in the late 1980s.  As for Joe Elliot, I'm over him being my heavy metal hero.  And I know I need to be careful with Def Leppard's music as that was a former idol of mine.

Band pictures like this will ALWAYS bring back strong memories for me.  I still remember playing the Hysteria tape over and over in my player before Pour Some Sugar on me took off.  Still remember Animal playing in the lounge at Green River Community College back in 1987, when I was wearing my turtleshell after I had back surgery.  There is no way of escaping one's past.  At one point I was a heavy-metal fan so immersed in the stuff I dressed like these guys and try to emulated them in my own way.  Thankfully, Jesus got me before I nearly made the biggest mistake of my life; suicide.    

Jesus Christ >>> Joe Elliot

I can say that now.

Tap me on the shoulder 1983-1991, and I'm not sure I would say the same.

But the Lord is good!  I had a praying mom, and she literally called Lazarus forth -- when I was at my worst.  So many don't make it out of their teenage years to see the other side of the equation.  Heavy-metal music is anti-god, pro devil.  Still, the trick with it is to love God more than loving them.  Let no idol take root in root in your heart.  Even if it's some raspy, heavy-metal headliner who is older than you and poised to be a good enough mentor -- to take you to hell!

Don't think we've ever mocked angels and the the supernatural?  Check this out: