Movies and Shows

Violent Night: On The Verge Of Something Great

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I remember a time when movies were fun without being overly stupid. Where even movies with serious plots found time for comedy and silly movies had serious moments. Violent Night is action packed, but not overbearing, funny without being cringy, but most importantly fun

The plot is very simple. A group of highly trained mercenaries attempt to rob a rich family during their Christmas party. Santa, who is depressed about how the true meaning of Christmas is dying, is in the middle of delivering presents when the robbery happens. From the trailer, this looked like John Wick in a Santa Clause outfit and for most of the movie it’s the opposite, but when Santa finds the Christmas spirit again and taps into his Viking Heritage, he goes on a killing spree, brutally killing all the mercenaries with a sledgehammer and with Christmas Magic.

Was this an Oscar winning movie? No. Was it one of the most entertaining movies of the year, that didn’t try to shove a political message down my throat? Absolutely yes. David Harbour, who played Santa Clause, wants to see this made into a series where Santa goes against other mythical creatures like the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.

So if you’re looking for a movie that makes you laugh, fills your blood lust and makes you feel something, then check out Violent Night.

Art from Dream by WOMBO AI Art

Simptastic Joe

Wrestling

Powerhouse Hobbs Wins Kinda

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Great….Powerhouse Hobbs beat Wardlow…..in a no DQ match….with help….showing that AEW doesn’t believe in him to be a real champion. Tell me in wrong? Tell me why it makes sense for Powerhouse Hobb’s character that he needed help to beat Wardlow? Couldn’t he have just beaten Wardlow on his own? Maybe just countering Wardlow’s Powerbomb Symphony and hitting his finisher? Maybe Wardlow vs Samoa Joe could’ve had Wardlow with some kind of injury and Hobbs took advantage and won on his own. Anything is better than Hobbs getting help from QT Marshall. Now the story will be Wardlow trying to regain the TNT title from Powerhouse Hobbs by first running the gauntlet of QT Marshall and whoever this new group brings in.

Artwork is AI Generated using Dream by WOMBO

World War Joe

Wrestling

Quick Thoughts: Revolution Predictions

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Zero Hour

Varsity Athletes & Ari Daivari vs Mark Briscoe & Lucha Brothers

Easy prediction. Mark Briscoe will continue his winning streak. Thinking maybe the finish would be the Lucha Brother’s finisher and then Briscoe hits the elbow drop to get the pin. Will it lead to anything? probably not, but the fans want to see Briscoe rack up some wins.

Winner: Mark Briscoe & Lucha Brothers

“Jungle Boy” Jack Jerry vs Christian Cage

This is Jack Perry’s time to steal the show. He’s been stale lately, but I think that’s due to Cage’s recovery time. Luchasaurus will be a factor. I think he is also poised for a singles run, but can he really make that push without Cage as his manager? I do wonder if this match will bring Luchasaurus and Perry back together. If Cage accidentally hits Luchasaurus costing him the match and then Perry comes to his aid after a Cage assault. Would Perry and Luchasaurus be better as a tag team now than as singles competitors in a crowded roster?


Winner: “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry

Chris Jericho vs Ricky Starks

Another match to Starks to steal the show. Jericho is with AEW to help develop stars and Starks is a star on the rise. I didn’t like Starks getting a match against MJF early on, I would’ve saved that for after this PPV, but this night should start Starks push towards some serious gold. Everyone is banned from ringside…..riiiiiiigght. I wonder if Starks will get some backup in this match, but I wonder if Starks could be hurt from outside help.

Winner: Ricky Starks

AEW World Tag Team Championship

How did AEW go from one of the strongest Tag Divisions in the wrestling world to this? Does anyone want Orange Cassidy or Danhausen to win this one? How about Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal? I’d rather see The Gunns vs The Acclaimed in a regular tag match than this.

Winner: The Gunns

AEW Woman’s World Championship

Winner: Jamie Hayter

No real description needed. A bathroom break match.

Samoa Joe vs Wardlow

I don’t see this feud ending tonight. I see Powerhouse Hobbs in a Triple threat against these two with Hobbs winning the title. There does seem like a lack of story with Joe and Wardlow going into this match. Joe’s heel turn was too fast and we should’ve seen this team do more than a few Dynamites. I’d love to see this match be a 20 minute brawl. Just two mammoths destroying eachother in endless stiff shots.

Winner: Samoa Joe  

AEW World Trios Championship

The House of Black is one of the most underutilized factions in AEW and tonight is the night for them to get the respect they earned. The Elite will give them one of the greatest matches of the year, but they need to go their separate ways. Not end their friendship, but the Young Bucks need to save the tag division and Kenny Omega has to have some great one on one feuds.

Winner: House of Black

Texas Death Match

I have a love/hate relationship with Jon Moxley. Sometimes I’m thinking “Wow can’t wait to see him” and others times I’m thinking “Really? You gave the belt to this guy again?”. Maybe my biases with Moxley are because I want to see the rest of the roster get a push and prime time booking, but I cannot deny the type of worker Moxley is. I imagine Jim Cornettee just clutched his chest right now.

This match is about building Hangman Page up. I do wonder

Winner: Hangman Page

AEW Championship

I’m nervous reading that Bryan Danielson wants this match to go on first so they don’t lose the crowd. I thought they would be happy to have a full hour to make one of the greatest matches of their careers. The big question is who will interfere to help MJF retain the title? Obviously, his whole character is based on others helping him, which is weird since AEW wants to make him a believable champion.

The Firm is still a factor…I think…or will there be someone else helping him? Can Claudio turn on Danielson? Yuta? I mean it didn’t make any sense story wise for William Regal to turn on Moxley, but it happened. The interference will be the talk of the night more than the actual match.

Winner: MJF

Joe

Wrestling

The Tragic Tale of Baron Corbin

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I know that Baron Corbin is a good wrestler. You know that Baron Corbin is a good wrestler. I don’t think the WWE knows that Baron Corbin is a good wrestler. Corbin made his debut in NXT about 10 years ago, and since then he hasn’t made an impact in the WWE. He won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal (which means nothing now), he was a United States Champion (I don’t recall any big moments from it), he won the Money in the Bank Briefcase (lost it due to punishment) and won the King of the Ring (which means nothing).

You have a guy of Corbin’s size, very athletic, unique look, fun move set, can portray a bunch of different personalities and you not only leave him on the bench, but do everything in your power to make him look like a joke every time he’s in the ring.

Lone Wolf gimmick was good. Seeing Corbin lose all his money and then become rich was entertaining, but it didn’t lead to any World Titles. It didn’t lead to any big factions. He teamed with Madcap Moss, but that ended pretty quickly.

If Corbin does get released or decides to not accept a new deal, I’d like to see him join Impact Wrestling. There he can battle guys like Joe Doering, Black Taurus and most importantly Moose.

Whatever happens with the rest of Corbin’s career, I just hope he’s utilized properly. I think he can do great things in wrestling, but I don’t want to see him reduced to a jobber and a stepping stone for future world champions.

Artwork from Dream by Wombo

Joe

Movies and Shows

Kotaro Lives Alone: How To Break Hearts

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Netflix has no right messing with my soul like this. The clip they show look like a silly show about a child who lives alone in an apartment complex who does random shenanigans. Seems like a fun show to watch where you can turn your brain off and relax. Then episode 3 comes around and you find out that Kotaro’s mother is dead, her life insurance is how he affords the apartment, but he’s not told she’s dead and its from a generous donor, and he has a restraining order against his abusive father. 0-100 very fast. Thank God its only 10 episodes and doesn’t look like its being renewed for a second season.

The rest of the show is sadly an attack on the soul. You find out Kotaro spent a lot of time homeless and was eating tissues and leaves to survive. Kotaro does help his neighbors out with their problems.

Karino, an artist, Kotaro helps learn deadlines and responsibilities. Tamaru, he helps repair the relationship with his son. And Akitomo, he helps her run away from her abusive boyfriend. The show’s goal is to show people what really matters in life. Love and family.

Kotaro and Karino have a good father and son relationship. Karino becomes one of the best father figures in anime I’ve ever seen and in the final episode, hides a terrible secret from Kotaro. That his mom is dead. He gives Kotaro hope that they might one day meet and makes sure he will protect him from his abusive father and his past.

The show is highly rewarding, but incredibly sad. One of those shows where you cry in the end, but it’s a happy cry, because you know Kotaro will never be alone or unhappy again. And maybe that’s why I’m glad the show might not continue. We don’t need 10 seasons of him getting better. We can watch the final credits roll and know its going to work out for him.  That he will get the love from his neighbors that blood relative could never give him. And maybe that’s the best kind of ending.

Artwork from Dream by WOMBO AI Art

Simptastic Joe

Wrestling

Cameron Grimes In Limbo

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Cameron Grimes has been patiently waiting for his Main Roster call up and I don’t see that happening anytime soon. I don’t recall a moment of Grimes in NXT that screamed he’s going to be a top star. That’s not an attack on his ability, but on the creative team.

Grimes played an old timely coal miner in NXT and then was showered with money when he joined forces with Ted DiBiase, which eventually dissolved into nothing. Or is still going on…like I said Grimes was very forgettable in NXT.

If he does go to the Main Roster after WrestleMania, it should be a total character change. Go full heel, attack a mid-card champion, probably join someone like Bray Wyatt or bring back AOP. Whatever the case, don’t make Grimes have to go out on his own and build himself up. Put him in a faction, take the pressure off him, build on some big matches and then off to the singles division starting with a Money in the Bank match or a multi-man match. Not original, but it’s effective.

Where do you see Grimes going on the Main Roster and who would he fight first?

Simptastic Joe

Wrestling

Buddy Matthews Wins Gold…Kinda

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Congratulations to Buddy Matthews for winning the AEW…..TNT…..FTW…..ROH…..the MCW World Heavyweight Championship. Yes, you read that right folks. Buddy Matthews, one of the most talented wrestlers on the planet, just won the MCW Championship…. yikes.

I remember a time, not too long ago, when Matthews was in the WWE destroying everyone in the Cruiserweight Division and then went to the main roster, teamed with Seth Rollins and was released. THEN, showed up in AEW and teamed with Malakai Black and Brody King to do essentially nothing. Am I crazy for thinking Matthews is a superstar talent? Is it possible that these big named companies are just dropping the ball on him?

I’d like to read a quote from Matthews after winning the championship when he was asked when he will be returning.

“It’s all about the travel – it’s how many times I want to jump on a plane and travel 30 hours. To see my family is everything, and my WWE schedule was very hectic. Not that this one isn’t, but AEW – I’m very fortunate to work for a company that allows me to go and see my family. Pop over, and help these guys. It’s really cool to come and do that”

Translation:

Thank you AEW for giving me a contract where I have to wrestle 17 times a year and get to go to the indies and across the world to put together an audition tape for the WWE, Impact Wrestling and NJPW. If Tony Khan can’t find a way to make Buddy Matthews a relevant star in AEW, then he doesn’t deserve to have him.

Where do you think Buddy Matthews should go?

Picture from Dream by Wombo AI

Simptastic Joe

Wrestling

Mark Briscoe: What’s Next?

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Mark Briscoe is dealing with real life issues that are more important than wrestling. In no way am I trying to be disrespectful to him and his wrestling ability.

With the tragic passing of his brother Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe is on the verge of fading into irrelevancy and unemployment. The Briscoe Brothers were one of the best tag teams in pro wrestling. And the only reason they aren’t a household name is because they had the misfortune to be employed by Ring of Honor.

For those of you that don’t know, mainly because ROH isn’t on any tv channel and the company is terrible at trying to grow the company, The Briscoe Brothers have held the ROH Tag Team Championship for 12 times. Jay has held the ROH World Championship 2 times in his career while Mark has held 0 individual titles.

Jay had IT, Mark does not. Jay can be the top of a company, he could deliver promo, he looked the part, could sell a move, great finisher, there was nothing Jay couldn’t do in the world of wrestling. Mark is good, but not great. Teaming with Jay took a lot of pressure off Mark, which is why they were such a successful tag team.

Mark acts like a wild animal in the ring. He doesn’t wrestle, he fights. Which obviously is his character, but it doesn’t look good in long matches or against top talent. Jay has been at the top of the company. Put on great matches against Adam Cole, Samoa Joe, Jay White, Bandido and a ton of other opponents I watched in preparation for this article.

What happens to Mark now? Where does he fit in on AEW? As I said before, a successful singles career is not in his future. Are you going to team him up with someone? Who? Now the WWE has given us some interesting tag pairings that looked strange at first, but were successful. Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre, Team Hell No, Ricochet and Aleister Black, The Bar were all fun to watch.

Who does Mark team with? I’ve looked through the AEW roster, I don’t see any pairings that work. The only thing that would work is some big faction, maybe Lance Archer, Mike Bennett, but the more I write this the more ridiculous it sounds.

Mark was his own unique character. Teaming with Jay fit the theme they were trying to portray. There is nobody in wrestling that I think fits with Mark. And now that Jays gone, Mark is lost in the shuffle. Looking at the current AEW roster I found 60 wrestlers more equipped the be the head of the company in some capacity over Mark and none of them seem to mesh with Mark in a tag or faction capacity.

Tony Khan is doing a terrible job at managing his 5 shows. Dynamite, Rampage, Dark, Elevation and ROH are all clumped into one roster and you might go weeks before a feud or one of your favorite wrestler is on tv. For Mark to survive in the company, he needs to be placed at the top of a show and be on a roster of wrestlers that aren’t head and shoulders above him.

Where do you think Mark Briscoe is going in AEW and how would you book him going forward?

Simptastic Joe