Rich Monetti
Bio
I am, I write.
Stories (712/0)
Daddy Stingray Returns with his Sweet Talkin' Symphony
Who knew that without Daddy Stingray the world we know would barely exist. All the more remarkable since his musical sting and songwriting only blesses us every 15,000 years. In the desolate interim, Daddy Stingray lives in a cave nestled beneath a volcano. But he does at least make frequent appearances as Dave Hoffman - father, husband and entertainment scene professional.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Beat
Before Christmas Hopes to Raise Awareness on Child Labor
In America, we know that significant change has occurred in China since the days of Tiananmen Square. There’s rich people, capitalism, and a mountain of US debt owed to the mainland. We even get to meet people who have achieved a Chinese dream of sorts and tell us the tales firsthand. They are educated, successful, and have the freedom to travel back and forth. This is called progress. But the dictatorship still rules, and despite the tip of the iceberg that is the new China, much is left obscured.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Geeks
'Jackie Brown' Is So Down
Pam Grier takes on some serious legends in Jackie Brown. Samuel L. Jackson menaces, Robert De Niro boils over and Michael Keaton hems in on the legal end. Nonetheless, this fearless anti-heroine outmaneuvers the trio and shows who should have gotten the moniker of Wonder Woman in the 1970s. But let’s wait a minute. She has a long sordid association with known felons and dupes her way into half million dollars of blood induced, drug money. Should we really celebrate her? Hell yeah.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Geeks
Top Five Star Trek Movie Denouements
One of the enduring components of Star Trek are denouements that either bring the science fiction back down to earth or make you feel that much closer to the stars. They can even rescue a bad episode and discard the belief that an hour was just wasted. So how have the movies done in that regard?... Here’s my rankings.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Futurism
Israeli Survivor of Munich Olympics Shares Story
Recently at Chabad of Bedford Hills, Dan Alon recounted his ordeal as an Israeli athlete at the 1972 Olympic Games, and the pain he kept silent for the next 35 years. But the tragedy that took the lives of 11 fellow Olympians had a simple message that endures for all Jews, and anyone who values humanity.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in The Swamp
Five Movie Deaths that Made Me Shudder
Shudder — tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion. Movie deaths such as Leonardo Dicaprio’s sudden death in The Departed certainly take you aback. Nonetheless, the turn of events don’t rise to the level of the definition above. The same goes for the iconic ending of Fredo in The Godfather. You hope against hope that Michael will exempt his own brother from the Mafia code of loyalty, but the gasp does dissipate as the cost of doing business.
By Rich Monetti6 years ago in Geeks
Ray Milland Dials M for Murder Without Messing His Suit or Moving a Hair out of Place
There was a time when murder and infidelity was civilized and didn’t require a lot of blood splatter to get the point across. Alfred Hitchcock can definitely remind if you choose in Dial M for Murder.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Geeks
The Message in 'Children of Men' is Buried too Deep to Be Found
Children of Men never fails to receive huge accolades as one of the best science fiction movies ever made, and when those same writers explain it to me, I am persuaded. But that’s not how it works. There’s way too much misdirection in this film to give rise to the subtle messages it seeks.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Futurism
Ranking the Relative Evil of 'Pulp Fiction' Characters
Pulp Fiction isn’t necessarily strong on a central plot that ties the story together. It can almost be described as a movie about nothing — except with some serious degenerates. I prefer, a day in the life of a bunch of bad people, and after 23 years, I thought it’s time to rank the relative evil of these devilishly wonderful characters.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Geeks
Armageddon: The Best Worst Movie Ever Made
“Miss Stamper? Colonel Willie Sharp, United States Air Force, ma’am. Requesting permission to shake the hand of the daughter...of the bravest man l've ever met,” William Fichtner delivers the gasp worthy line to Liv Tyler in Armageddon. Obviously not in a good way, the straight faces abound makes one wonder what kind of internal calisthenics the cast and crew had to exercise to keep from cringing. They had probably built up quite a resistance by this final indignity, but the Bruce Willis blockbuster actually does a marginal job rescuing itself. So if you do decide to drill down with these makeshift astronauts, coming out the other side actually feels ok.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Geeks
The Transporter: Refueled Is More Noxious than Energized
If you’re looking to make hay with the latest version of The Transporter, then letting loose over an extra-large popcorn provides all the refueling needed to pay up for a summer time reboot. But Hollywood knowing that, the chances that they’ll leave you sputtering the fourth time around are pretty good. This especially since the second or third time wasn’t the charm either.
By Rich Monetti7 years ago in Geeks