Cocaine Bear

2023 Universal Pictures

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 35min

Comedy ~ Horror

Starring: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ray Liotta.

“It’s like cocaine Christmas, and the bear……..it loves, I mean LOVES cocaine!”

I’ve been bypassing this movie for awhile now. I thought it looked like it might be a little too silly for me to watch. But I kept seeing it listed lately and saw that Elizabeth Banks directed it, so I gave it a go. I am a big Elizabeth Banks fan and when I saw it was based on a True Story that clinched it. I love the True Story movies and this is based on a real bizarre True Story, so bizarre you wouldn’t believe it could be true.

In a nutshell, A Lawyer turned drug smuggler dropped a bunch of duffel bags of cocaine out of a plane into the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. He then jumped out of the plane but his parachute malfunctioned and he splat landed on an old-timers driveway in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Three months later they found a dead black bear with a million dollars of cocaine in his system next to one of the duffel bags in The Chattahoochee National Forest. The rest of the cocaine was never found. The bear has been nicknamed Pablo Escobear and Cokey The Bear by KENTUCKY FOR KENTUCKY, the bear’s new home. The write-up on their website tells the bizarre tale and I couldn’t have told it any better:

If you’re into urban legends, chances are you’ve heard about the Cocaine Bear. He was an American Black Bear who happened upon a ton of cocaine that was jettisoned from an airplane — and not only did he find it, he ate it. Lots of it. It’s a tale too wild to be fake, and we’ve got the full story of how exactly Cocaine Bear came to be. There’s even a movie about Cocaine Bear.

But we’ve got the real Cocaine Bear. We here at the Kentucky Fun Mall obtained the actual Cocaine Bear taxidermy and have put it on display for everyone to enjoy. You can come to see him, take some pics, and grab your very own Cocaine Bear merch while you’re here. Read on to learn more about the bear, his story, the movie, and all the sweet Cocaine Bear merch you can handle.

Where did Cocaine Bear come from?

To truly understand Cocaine Bear, you need to know his whole story. Here’s a quick summary:

In the late 1970s and early ‘80s, a man named Andrew Thornton II was practicing law in Kentucky. But he wasn’t just a lawyer — he used his knowledge to begin stealing weapons and smuggling drugs. In 1985, Thornton died while on a coke-smuggling run when he jumped out of his plane and became entangled in his parachute. When he was found, he was wearing body armor and night vision goggles. He was carrying cash, knives, guns…and a duffel bag with 75 pounds of cocaine in it.

Now, here’s where it gets even better (yes, it gets better): Three months later, a dead bear was found in Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest. The bear had overdosed on cocaine that Thornton had dropped from his airplane. In fact, he had eaten enough of it that its stomach was “packed to the brim” with cocaine.

After the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s medical examiner had performed a necropsy, he contacted a friend who did taxidermy. He had the bear’s body stuffed and gave it to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, where the Cocaine Bear taxidermy stood in the visitors’ center into the early 1990s.

Sometime in the early ‘90s, the park and its facilities were evacuated ahead of an approaching wildfire. The employees took the artifacts with them and put them in temporary storage in a nearby town. Of course…they went missing.

The Cocaine Bear surfaced next in, appropriately enough, Las Vegas. Country star Waylon Jennings had found it, bought it, and gifted it to his friend Ron Thompson as an inside joke. When Thompson died in 2009, his estate went to auction and the bear was sold.

When we got wind of this, we contacted Nellis Auction House on the off chance we’d be able to figure something out. And we did. We found out who (and where) the bear had been sold to…and we contacted him. Sadly, he had passed away, but we were able to speak to his wife, who told us we were free to take Cocaine Bear off her hands for the low, low price of zero dollars (plus shipping). So we brought him home to the Kentucky Fun Mall.

And now you know.

Is the movie Cocaine Bear based on a real story?

Well, yes and no. The movie Cocaine Bear is loosely based on the true Cocaine Bear tale, but it takes a few liberties to tell a dramatized version. Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the movie follows a group of people who find themselves in the path of a 500-pound bear who had just ingested a full duffel bag of cocaine, leaving the creature to complete a cocaine-fueled rampage across the forest. Locals and tourists find themselves joining together to survive the bear’s attack.

The film’s cast includes Keri Russell from the hit TV drama Felicity, who takes on the role of Colette Matthews. Actor and rapper O’Shea Jackson, Jr. (we like to call him “Lil’ Ice Cube”) is playing a character named Howard. Other featured actors include Christian Convery-Jennings of Netflix’s Sweet Tooth, Alden Ehrenreich from Supernatural, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson from Modern Family.

Whether or not you decide to take in the movie, you can make a trip today to visit the Cocaine Bear back at the Kentucky Fun Mall. Here, you can see the animal in its full glory and learn more about his long, strange tale.

And there you have it courtesy of Kentucky For Kentucky

Did I like the movie? Yes I did. It is bizarre, funny and horrifying all at the same time. I even jumped a few times as I was surprised by events that happened, just like a true horror movie would do ya. I think Elizabeth Banks did an excellent job with the movie. This was also Ray Liotta’s last movie filmed before he passed away and the movie is dedicated to Ray. There are a few bonus scenes as the credits roll so stick around for them.

Yes, give it a go, watch it.

Two Thumbs Up!

Self Reliance

2024 Hulu

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 25min

Comedy ~ Thriller

Directed by: Jake Johnson

Starring: Jake Johnson, Biff Wiff, Anna Kendrick, Natalie Morales, Mary Holland, Emily Hampshire, and Christopher Lloyd.

“Surviving is all about the company you keep.”

Jake Johnson stars (and directed in his directorial debut) as Tommy Walcott. On his way to work, a limo pulls up beside him and Andy Samberg rolls down the window and asks, “Do you like Limos?”. Tommy says yes and Andy Samberg invites him into the limo. Andy then tells Tommy he has been hired to read him words from a card telling him he has been chosen to “Be in an adventure” or he can leave the limo. Tommy decides he wants to continue with “An Adventure” and Andy and the limo driver drop him off in front of an old warehouse. He follows the arrows through the empty warehouse until he comes upon two men waiting for him.

They explain to Tommy that we was chosen to participate in a Dark Web Reality Game Show. They tell him that if he chooses to be a contestant he could win a million dollars. All he has to do is not get killed in the next thirty days. There will be killers hunting him and that he must survive for thirty days and he will win the money. The killers are also instructed not to put anyone else in harm’s way, so they can only kill Tommy if he is alone. Tommy sees an in and decides he can surround himself with people 24/7 for the next thirty days and agrees to participate.

He starts with his family who soon grow tired of him and within a couple of days hires a bum raiding a dumpster named James (Biff Wiff) to be his constant companion. He places a Craigslist ad looking for other contestants and meets Maddy (Anna Kendrick) who says she is also a contestant. Tommy, James and Maddy set out for the remainder of the thirty days to spend every minute together. Dealing with the reality of constantly being in each other’s space, and avoiding assassins dressed like Mario, Michael Jackson, Sinbad, Ellen DeGeneres, a Cowboy and a Sumo Wrestler.

I’m not familiar with Jake Johnson, I watched it because I saw Anna Kendrick and Andy Samberg was in it. Alright, I thought, that ought to be good. I was pleasantly surprised to see Christopher Lloyd, always a pleasure to watch. In the beginning it had me hooked on the premise and I waited for the hilarity to begin. About thirty minutes into it I started to get bored with it, I made it through but it was anti-climatic. I thought that sure was a waste of time, I had high hopes given the star power. It was nice to see Andy Samberg but it was brief and not very funny. Anna Kendrick I expected more of but it was the movie role, she is always great.

The one person who had my attention and I wanted to know more about was James played by Biff Wiff. I am not familiar with Biff Wiff and couldn’t find a whole lot of information on him. Other than his real name is Gary Crotty. Strange……

Anyway I’m not a fan of this movie, a little too stupid and boring for me. It just fell flat, not really funny. Not a comedy and not thrilling either. Just a complete waste of time and a letdown waiting for the star power to shine through the muck.

But it never did.

Two Thumbs Down.

A Little White Lie

2023 Saban Films

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 40min

Comedy

Directed by: Michael Maren

Starring: Michael Shannon, Kate Hudson, Don Johnson, and Zach Braff.

“I only wonder if your little deception plays out as a comedy or a tragedy……… Is there any difference?”

Michael Shannon stars as Shriver, an alcoholic handyman living in an apartment building in New York City. One day he receives a letter from Acheron University in California, sent by an English Professor and organizer of the school’s annual Literary Festival Simone Cleary (Kate Hudson). She had sent numerous letters to different Shriver’s around the country trying to contact the writer C. R. Shriver. C. R. Shriver was infamous for writing a very popular novel titled The Goat twenty years ago and then disappearing without a trace. She has invited Shriver to attend their annual Literary Festival as the main guest, all expenses paid.

Shriver decides it is worth a free trip even if he must impersonate a writer and has never written anything in his life. As the movie progresses we see Shriver argue with his alter ego about his lie and deception. Shriver drinks a lot and becomes drinking buddies with another of the school’s faculty T. Wasserman (Don Johnson). As the deception continues and Shriver is threatened by exposure, the drama and comedy grow. The question you ask as the plot thickens is, Who is the real Shriver? Is it Michael Shannon? Or is he just a drunk imposter? The other writers at the literary quickly realize that their is something off about the man who says he is the writer Shriver.

Shriver in German means writer, a bit of tongue in cheek in the plot. The movie is based on the 2013 Novel by Chris Belden titled Shriver. It is a bit of a satirical look at writing and fame, and all the pompousness of being a “Writer”. I loved watching Michael Shannon in this, he kept me guessing as it played out. And it was definitely a different role for him. Don Johnson is ………typical Don Johnson, Kate Hudson was good as Simone Cleary. It was nice to see M. Emmett Walsh as Professor Arthur Baldwin and Peyton List was interesting as Sophie Firestone.

It starts out a little slow but I couldn’t look away wondering where it was all going. As it moves along it keeps you wondering who is the real writer Shriver. It is a comedy and a funny look at the world of writing. I liked it. I really liked Michael Shannon in this as well as the familiar faces of Don Johnson, Kate Hudson and M. Emmet Walsh.

Is it a Hollywood Blockbuster? No. Is it for everyone? No. But if you have any interest in writing, reading Novels or Michael Shannon it is worth a watch.

So what is that? One or two thumbs up? Or how about a pair of eyes…..worth a watch? A New rating system is mandatory……….so says I

Bobby

Barbie

2023 Warner Brothers Pictures

Rated: PG-13

Length: 1 hr 54min

Comedy ~ Fantasy

Directed by: Greta Gerwig

Starring: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell.

“Barbie has a great day everyday, Ken only has a great day if Barbie looks at him.”

Barbie opens with a scene of little girls playing with baby dolls, narrated by Helen Mirren. She explains the history of dolls for little girls and how there were only baby dolls in the beginning. You could only take care of the baby dolls and they never grew up. Then along came Barbie, designed and created by Ruth Handler and manufactured by her Toy Business Mattel she owned with her husband Elliot. Barbie hit the market in 1959 and changed the toy doll market. There have been over a billion Barbie’s sold and over 125 different models. Barbie was named after Ruth Handler’s daughter Barbara, and Ruth got the idea after watching her play with paper dolls and role-play adult scenarios. After a brief history we land in Barbie Land where……..

Barbie (Margot Robbie) is waking up to her best day everyday, in her pink bed, in her pink playhouse, in her pink neighborhood, in her pink world. All the other Barbie’s wake up and wave to each other as they go about their jobs and lives in the Barbie dominated Barbie Land. Where Ken (Ryan Gosling) and all the other Ken’s try to get Barbie’s attention, feeling inadequate if they can’t. Ken was introduced by Mattel in 1961 and was named after Ruth Handler’s son Kenneth. Ken is starting to have serious doubts about his life and his role in Barbie’s female Barbie dominated land, as she hardly ever wants to spend time with him. All Ken wants is to get close to Barbie and be her boyfriend but she is always too busy being spectacularly Barbie.

When Barbie starts to have mortal feelings about death and notices uncharacteristic changes in her appearance, she decides she needs to go see Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) and get her advice. Weird Barbie has been abused by her owner and her hair is chopped, her face is painted weird colors and she is in a permanent “split” position. Weird Barbie tells her that she has to go to The Real World and find the human that is playing with her in real life or that things will get worse for her, she might end up disfigured like Weird Barbie. Barbie decides that that is what she must do, says goodbye to all the Barbies and set out in her pink Corvette.

As she leaves the Barbie Land border she is surprised by Ken who was hiding in the back seat. She agrees that she might need his help in the real world and lets him come with her as they travel by Corvette to Speedboat to Rocket Ship to Tandem Bicycle to VW Camping Van to Snowmobile, which is the only way to get to the real world from Barbie Land. They emerge roller blading in Venice Beach in brightly colored outfits and quickly get into trouble as they are unfamiliar with the workings of the real world. Barbie is uncomfortable with all the male attention and wolf-calling while Ken is basking in all the attention he never got in Barbie Land.

And what follows is the journey through the real world trying to find her owner as Barbie deals with feelings she never had, and Ken discovers that men have the upper hand in the real world. He decides that that is the way things should be in Barbie Land, that Barbies should be there for Kens and not the other way around. Which leads to pure turmoil in Barbie Land as Barbie is trying to right things with her owner so she can return to normal as Normal Barbie. It is an interesting look at the Barbie phenomenon and culture, and also the role of men and women in our society. And how that role is changing and how we perceive each other as men and women.

I am a guy and was never into Barbie or Ken but it was part of the culture growing up. It is not something I would have watched, but given my new role as Movie Reviewer I felt it necessary. I am glad I did, it is an interesting story and is thought provoking on the whole Male/Female stereotypical roles in society aspect. One woman’s desire to build a toy doll more realistically adult for her daughter changed the toy doll industry and helped transform women’s roles in societies by their portrayal of Barbie’s different professions and material success by Jobs previously held only by men.

And you have to love the star power. Margo Robbie did a great job as Barbie, and Kate McKinnon as weird Barbie was humorous but great, but Ryan Gosling as Ken, awesome! I felt his pain, he made me laugh, he must have had a great time playing Ken because it shows in his performance. So yes, I’d say even if you hate Barbie it’s worth a watch.

There is a Netflix Documentary about the addition of Black Barbie to the Mattel Barbie line in 1980. Thanks to three black women who worked at Mattel and were instrumental in making Black Barbie become a reality. It is Titled BLACK BARBIE.

There is a “Selfie” generator on The Official Barbie Website where you can take a selfie with Barbie, just for fun.

Two Thumbs up.

Red One

2024 MGM Amazon Studios

Rated: PG-13

Length: 2 hr 4min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Christmas ~ Comedy

Directed by: Jake Kasdan

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, J. K. Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Nick Kroll and Kristofer Hivju.

“Last night, Red One, also known as Saint Nicholas of Myra, was abducted from the North Pole Complex. And you’re gonna help us find him.”

J. K. Simmons stars as Saint Nicholas of Myra, code-named Red One by his security detail who follow his every step in and out of the North Pole. It is Christmas Eve and Nick, as everyone around the North Pole Complex calls him, is getting ready for his yearly marathon of delivering Christmas Cheer and presents to everyone around the world. He’s doing some last minute working out, lifting weights and bulking up on carbs or should we call that Christmas cookies. The entire complex is a beehive of activity as they prepare for the yearly run, it’s crunch time.

Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson) is the head of Nick’s Security team and has taken a moment for himself outside before the action starts. He is standing in front of Saint Nick and Mrs. Claus’ (Bonnie Hunt) original small cabin, the area roped off as a major landmark in the complex, when he notices lights going off in the new high rise building that houses Nick and Mrs. Claus (Code-named MC) and all operations. Callum checks with part of the security detail in the building and starts asking for Red One’s location. Frantic as no one can find Nick, Callum makes his way to Red One’s living quarters and finds the window open. He rushes to it and sees a Snow vehicle racing away and orders his team to lock the dome and complex down.

Whoever kidnapped Saint Nick gets away and Callum notifies Director Zoe Harlow (Lucy Liu) of M.O.R.A., The Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority, about the incident that now threatens to keep Christmas from happening around the world from. Zoe decides that they need to enlist the help of Jack O’Malley (Chris Evans), better known as “The Wolf”, a world renowned cyber hacker infamous for being able to find anyone and anything worldwide. They bring him in and find out that he is unwittingly responsible for identifying and selling the secret hidden location of Saint Nick and the North pole. Director Zoe decides that Jack is going to help them locate Nick and his kidnapper, accompanied by Callum.

And what follows is the globe-trotting chase to find Saint Nick and bring him back before Christmas. It is a journey through Norse legend and folklore. There is the legend of Grýla, the shape-shifting Winter Witch with thirteen shape-shifting sons who chase evil children. And the legend of Krampus, Saint Nick’s adopted Evil Brother who developed The Naughty List against Nick’s better judgement and along with his ex-wife Grýla sought to punish the children on the naughty list. There are also hell hounds, Ogres, Trolls, evil snowmen, elves, Polar Bear security forces, giant Reindeer and a high tech sleigh the likes you couldn’t even dream of.

It is a hilarious Christmas Adventure through Christmas lore filled with action and one-liners like “I love the kids, it’s the grown-ups that are killing me.” It is a different take on the whole Santa Claus and the North Pole theme, the Nordic folklore tends to give it a darker feel. The North Pole, it’s operations and look are definitely more high tech than we are used to. J.K. Simmons being the Buff muscle-strapped Santa working up to the big night, complete with infinite Santa wisdom was a good choice. Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Bonnie Hunt and Lucy Liu were all good in this. The best part of the movie is the end. At the very end they show Santa, Callum and the Christmas team travelling all over the world doing their thing. It is a unique look and take on the whole operation.

So that’s a yes for me, something a little different in the Santa Movie category.

Two Thumbs Up!