“Something about the deep blue crisp Autumn sky,” Ben stared up into the heavens mumbling to himself. “The blue goes on forever.”

Escape at Dannemora is a 7 episode real-life prison escape thriller TV series written by Brett Johnson and Michael Tolkin and directed by Ben Stiller (Night at the Museum). Starring Patricia Arquette as Joyce ‘Tilly’ Mitchell who worked as the manager at the prison sewing shop. Benicio del Toro as Richard Matt and Paul Dano as David Sweat who were lifers at the prison as well as workers at the sewing shop and that’s where the drama starts.

The Irishman, Martin Scorsese's latest, has been described as his 'magnum opus.' It has been in development hell since at least 2004, but it wasn't until Netflix brought the rights to it in 2015 for an astronomical 159 million dollars, that the project finally took flight. It drew further attention by reuniting the legendary director with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci for the first time since 1995's Casino, and more still with the addition of Al Pacino, who had never worked with Scorsese or Pesci before. This titanic assembly of talent built up a tidal wave of expectations for the finished product, and given Scorsese's remarkably consistent track record and reputation as arguably the greatest American director of all time, it was likely that the film would be on par with previous works such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas.

The Irishman is streaming on Netflix. If you know either who Robert De Niro or Martin Scorsese is and you like their movies, you are welcome, go watch it! But be warned, it’s very long, three and a half hours long. I personally managed to finish it in two days and numerous settings, thanks to the pausing button.

Released: 27th November 2019 (Netflix)

I had been browsing on here for a while and I thought it would be a good idea to share a personal story. A bit of a disclaimer: though I remember parts of the experience, there are parts of it that were a complete blur to me, so please be patient.

Alcatraz

In the 1980s crime in New York City had reached almost epidemic proportions. Apparently, New York was suffering by increased immigration and as a result a much younger population and, added to that, New Yorkers were hit hard by welfare cuts. It wasn’t safe to travel the subway and you would be advised not to go to certain areas, particularly after dark. Yet, by the end of the 1990s the city had cleaned up its act and saw a dramatic fall in the rate of crime.

So... when I saw this dramatic re-telling of the ordeal of the Central Park 5 being advertised on Netflix, I was already pretty sure that it was going to be must-watch television. I was also extremely apprehensive about seeing the events through the eyes of these five kids (now grown men) and being able to emotionally process it all. The case (and the legal and societal issues it brings to the forefront) kind of hits close to home for me as a parent, and as an African-American man. I'd seen the Ken Burns documentary on the Central Park 5 a while back, so I was already very familiar with the case, and some of the very problematic issues it brought to the table for the American public to address. Systemic racism, classism, and lack of accountability for law enforcement and agents of the legal system were all things that were at the forefront of the documentary. Ava Duvernay did an excellent job of showing the social and personal toll this case had on these men and their families, as well as the greater impact that the institutions of the law and media played in that accrued trauma. Every episode of this mini-series was visceral and traumatic. Whether it was the very public shunning of Yusuf Salaam, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, and Raymond Santana upon their release from custody as adults, to the entire fourth episode being devoted to the ordeal of Korey Wise's experiences at Riker's Island as an adult, the entire progression of the series takes a huge emotional toll on the audience watching it.

I am a criminal, I heard that so often that I believed it. My mother told me that my father was killed in a shootout with the police, so I grew up with this idea in my head of who I was based on things I was told. Turns out that my father died almost thirty years after my mother told me that he did. I grew up dirt poor and my step father was physically abusive to me and my sister. We moved to a new city every couple of years, I always felt that I did not fit in. Kids, being who they are, would tease me about my Goodwill clothes and my parents ugly car. I started to steal candy from the local store early on and I learned that if I gave candy to the kids that they would like me or at least pretend to. As I got older I began to associate money with acceptance. I never felt like I was good enough for people to just like me, so I bought friends often by stealing and hustling.

13. Montauk Beach Home—Bernie Madoff

WARNING: This case involves shocking violence against two children, by another child. This isn't for the faint of heart.

Once, Oscar Wilde wrote "Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth."

They’re bestsellers for a reason

I usually review science fiction novels here. But when I came across Pushback, an adrenaline pumping mystery novel by John Stith, who wrote Red Shift Rendezvous, one of my all-time favorite science fiction novels, hey, how could I resist? Besides, the who dunnit of mystery and detective fiction is a close cousin of the what dunnit of science fiction.

"Lord forgive them. They don't know what they are doing," those are the last words of convicted murderer Larry Swearingen. In July of 2000, a jury found Swearingen guilty of raping and murdering 19-year-old Melissa Trott. Crimes he adamantly denied committing, despite the "mountain of evidence" against him.

Note: This story contains accounts of murder, necrophilia, and cannibalism, each as disturbing and gory as the other.

Historically, society has attempted to discourage crime by making the punishment so horrible that nobody would want to take the risk of committing a crime. In an age where people aren’t afraid of death what can be done to scare them? What can we do in America where inmates consider lumpy potatoes to be "cruel and unusual punishment?"

In addition to being a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Norman Mailer was an attempted murderer who used a a penknife to stab his wife, Adele Morales, in 1960. This resulted in him being involuntarily committed to Bellevue Hospital for 17 days, and also three-years' probation. In other words, he had a criminal history. This may be why he empathized with Jack Henry Abbott. Mailer helped publish Abbott's 1981 memoir, In the Belly of the Beast, collected from their correspondences as Abbott served time. Though Abbott had been found guilty of forgery, bank robbery and murdering another inmate, Mailer thought he had potential as a great writer. As it turned out, In the Belly of the Beast would make Abbott a one-hit wonder. Not only was his followup sort of a flop, but Abbott foolishly threw it all away not long after being freed in June of 81.

There's a tenet in the North American legal system with which we are all familiar: innocent until proven guilty. We are told we shouldn't openly vilify those who are awaiting trial, even when there is such an overwhelming amount of damning evidence that the person in question should immediately be placed in jail.

With a short description of a rainy, cloudy day with no sun, Star says that he had a beautiful day. Earlier, he journeyed to Lake Lenier for some R&R. He sums up by saying he enjoyed his life that Sunday. Soon, the tone becomes more serious. The story of the shooting of the unarmed woman by police in Fort Worth, Texas enlivens Mr. Torain. Star reverts to the old adage, that there’s something in the water down there in Texas. Of course, he doesn’t mean this literally, but it stirs the pot. In another story, a Dayton, Ohio man was shot down in his attempt to rob a store.

In the 1980s crime in New York City had reached almost epidemic proportions. Apparently, New York was suffering by increased immigration and as a result a much younger population and, added to that, New Yorkers were hit hard by welfare cuts. It wasn’t safe to travel the subway and you would be advised not to go to certain areas, particularly after dark. Yet, by the end of the 1990s the city had cleaned up its act and saw a dramatic fall in the rate of crime.

I'm sure you have seen the news about Natalia and how there is a big debate about whether she is a teenager or a grown woman. Before I saw The Dr. Phil Show I kept flipping over in my mind; she's a child, not an adult. After watching Dr. Phil, I still keep arguing with myself. I don't understand how a 16-year-old girl could say she's never had a period; that seems a little odd to me. Could any conditions delay puberty by that much? It seemed to me when doctor Phil asked about her previous families, Natalia was maybe willfully holding back specific details. Like when her former foster mother said she couldn't do it anymore after Natalia broke her siblings' arm. It would seem to me that maybe she does have past of aggression, and perhaps that's why she could not make it work with other families. I felt that Natalia looked older than 16 in presenting herself older than 16. Now I know that some teenagers appear to be older than they are because of life experiences. Still, there's usually a personality flaw that tells their age. And I did not see that in Natalia's case, but I am no expert by any means. I think perhaps Natalia's appearance may have hurt her in the long run on The Dr. Phil Show.

Star shines at the outset of the show with a question about squabbling in a mall. Mr. Torain wants to know who assisted the young woman to the mall. He also wants to know if there is a heterosexual adult mixer down in the Atlanta area. The other topic includes Steve Harvey’s daughter Lori Harvey, who allegedly tried to flee from the scene of a collision. Some guesswork comes into play on Star’s part as he says that Harvey must have said about his daughter that “God will handle this.” Mr. Torain would like to know if Lori tweaked on a substance prior to getting behind the wheel. He declares the exit of Bucwild from the rehabilitation “program” a “nightmare.”

“Something about the deep blue crisp Autumn sky,” Ben stared up into the heavens mumbling to himself. “The blue goes on forever.”

"While the gasoline is plentiful. Bullets are cheaper when you are preparing for war."

"A care package dropped off by a drone of some kind lands a suit for Toni Cipriani. The mobster never fully became accustomed to technology. With skepticism high, Toni Cipriani opens the package. A tailored suit with a note attached reading “bulletproof in time of need.” The mobster suited up, a custom two-toned ski mask with a giant letter “T” outlined the suit. Packing up MP5 clips along with as many armor piercing shotgun rounds into a duffel bag. As Toni Cipriani loaded up his black matted sports car, the ideal battle format was simple; engage the federal agent targets and flush the streets out with bullets."

I had been browsing on here for a while and I thought it would be a good idea to share a personal story. A bit of a disclaimer: though I remember parts of the experience, there are parts of it that were a complete blur to me, so please be patient.

Growing up, I’ve always enjoyed watching documentaries about America’s top deadliest gangs and movies based on famous criminals for doing illegal activity. Usually in these types of cases, majority of the time, a man is in charge when it comes to gangs or smuggling drugs into the United States, but however, that is not the case in this true crime story. Majority of people who will read this, probably never heard of a woman named Griselda Blanco, who is well known for trafficking cocaine into the US. Honestly, I’ve never heard of her and if I have then I don’t remember, but I ran across a post on Facebook last week about the actress, Jennifer Lopez, who is reportedly suppose to play Blanco in an upcoming movie based on the drug trafficker’s life. If there is a movie coming out about Blanco’s life story then I definitely want to see it, and if you are familiar with her, I’m sure you would like to see it too. But anyway, let’s get into the case.

"It's hard for me to believe that a human being could have done what I've done, but I know that I did it." - Jeffrey Dahmer.

If you Google the phrase "private prisons," a lot will come up. You can read news articles for days. People for and against these private prisons have made sure the topic stays in the news cycle. And it definitely has stayed in the news. The topic of private prisons can be confusing and overwhelming, and if you are someone who doesn't know a lot about private prisons or how they are funded/run, you may be wondering, "are there really that many private prisons and prisoners in the US that this should be such a big issue?"

Dear Readers.

It's taken me awhile to open up about something that most people in society shun and this will be by far one of my most honest posts yet.

Although sexual harassment is prohibited by law, a host of cases in this regard are recorded each day. Even after adopting all the necessary measures at both national as well as international level, sexual harassment has not yet been eradicated completely.

Kenny Joe Johnson

Alcatraz

The Irishman, Martin Scorsese's latest, has been described as his 'magnum opus.' It has been in development hell since at least 2004, but it wasn't until Netflix brought the rights to it in 2015 for an astronomical 159 million dollars, that the project finally took flight. It drew further attention by reuniting the legendary director with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci for the first time since 1995's Casino, and more still with the addition of Al Pacino, who had never worked with Scorsese or Pesci before. This titanic assembly of talent built up a tidal wave of expectations for the finished product, and given Scorsese's remarkably consistent track record and reputation as arguably the greatest American director of all time, it was likely that the film would be on par with previous works such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas.

The Irishman is streaming on Netflix. If you know either who Robert De Niro or Martin Scorsese is and you like their movies, you are welcome, go watch it! But be warned, it’s very long, three and a half hours long. I personally managed to finish it in two days and numerous settings, thanks to the pausing button.

Released: 27th November 2019 (Netflix)

Escape at Dannemora is a 7 episode real-life prison escape thriller TV series written by Brett Johnson and Michael Tolkin and directed by Ben Stiller (Night at the Museum). Starring Patricia Arquette as Joyce ‘Tilly’ Mitchell who worked as the manager at the prison sewing shop. Benicio del Toro as Richard Matt and Paul Dano as David Sweat who were lifers at the prison as well as workers at the sewing shop and that’s where the drama starts.

Throughout the 21st century there has been a rise in the lazy, formulaic crime procedural spearheaded by CBS that has seen a rise in dull, rather cookie-cutter television filled with bland performances and wholly expected narrative outcomes. This was an unexciting transition for the broadcast television landscape but with the rise of streaming these shows are generally passing out of favor now that audiences have so much more choice. These shows' ratings dwindle due to the fact that there's no incentive to watch a show live anymore when the narrative outcome is so unsurprising, and there's a dearth of other options available to watch. To achieve success with this sub-genre, these tiresome conventions must be challenged and subverted; otherwise, people will lose interest. From its first episode, The Sinner achieves this immediately. A conventional procedural may open with the victim meeting their end and then the remaining minutes of the episode follows the team of protagonists doing their job so the criminal is caught and everything is wrapped up tidily, ready for next week's episode. While it's true that the show's opener shows the crime committed very soon into the first episode, the circumstances are changed and the narrative conventions are upended. As we see the perpetrator of the crime commit the criminal act before us there is no question of who, and she is quickly apprehended so there is no rush to capture the criminal either. Instead the focus is on why this inexplicable crime was committed as it appears that there is no circumstance apparent that would lead protagonist Cora Tannetti do such an act to a man she has no apparent connection to. The crime itself surpasses our expectations by being actually shocking in a genre that has become so exploitative. There's also such a palpable atmosphere when Cora repeatedly stabs an unknown male on a family day out to the beach in front of numerous spectators and her own infant child. Whoever selected the song "Huggin' & Kissin'" by Big Black Delta has a gift for selecting such evocative and moody music that becomes more emphatic every time it's played throughout the series. This song is a striking cue that brings back much of Cora's repressed turmoil that wounds her so tightly and the majority of the narrative is about her resurfacing her own suppressed traumas so that she can make sense of her inexplicable crime.

With only one episode remaining of the current season, the created Batman prequel series Pennyworth edges ever closer to the season finale. The ninth episode, the Rob Bailey-directed “Alma Coogan,” picks up the story shortly after events depicted in the previous installment.