Edited & Directed By: Igal Hecht 

Story By: Igal Hecht, Jake Neiman & Jian Magen 

Cinematography By: Igal Hecht, Jon Corbin, Jesse Cappe & Elad Winkler 

Featuring: Bret Hart, Jim Duggan, Hulk Hogan, Dwayne Johnson, Nikolai Volkoff, Jake Roberts, Jim Ross, Jimmy Hart, Seth Green, Jack Black, Mick Foley

Filmed extensively between 2006 and 2014, this is a touching story about the unlikely revival of a former wrestling superstar. At age 72, the Sheik has embraced an unlikely new career as an outlandish social media sensation; known for hilarious outbursts and massively popular antics. Watch as we recount the Sheik’s one-of-a-kind life journey.

The film explores the Sheik’s personal relationships with those closest to him, and those who know him best: his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his contemporaries and colleagues. Interviews were conducted with the Sheik’s family, Wrestling and Iranian historians, friends, and over 25 wrestling superstars.

This documentary is an entertained subject in itself, though it seems more interesting and devoted to people into wrestling especially the 80’s era WWF (now WWE) now while it might be almost a wet dream for those fans. This is still a compelling look at an athlete who stood for the American Dream. Though his public persona was supposed to be as an enemy of it.

Throughout the tale, we see and hear how great he is and was. As we also witness and hear him at his worst. We learn about personal triumph as well as tragedies, especially the one that truly devastated him and continues to haunt him. Though it gives a fair view of him. Knowing it is being made who handles his business affairs. You can’t help but feel it is stronger weighing in on the positive.

One of the pleasures of this film is not only catching up with him but also seeing the ring legends talk about him with such admiration and to actually see these co-workers of his. Who I remember as Titans of the ring. What they look like now is shocking and amazing. It is also an element that is entertaining and jolting for the audience that only adds or gives the people (audience) partly what they want. It makes humans of them all. It reminds you it’s a job for them, but they also know the joy, entertainment, and melodrama they bring to an audience who most know that it is fake, but still, get lost in the fantasy. These men were heroes to more kids and teens in their youth. One of the first live physical examples of a superhero and an equally built supervillain.

The film also gives the audience a glimpse behind the curtain of the 80’s wrestling scene where the business and sport were coming more into the mainstream and though the theatricality has always been there this was when it was beginning to turn into more of an entertainment circus. More acts then it seemed athleticism to a degree. It also lets you learn more about the real people and personalities behind the masks.

This was nostalgic for me because even though I wasn’t a die-hard wrestling fan yet at the time. It was becoming more and more noticeable on my radar. The Iron Sheik I remember for just at the time being the embodiment of all evil and wondered why didn’t the government step in at the time. Keep in mind I was only 7. Even though he was still a villain. I believe I kind of recognized him more as an actor pretending to be a heel, because of two instances. One I used to watch the Saturday morning cartoon HULK HOGAN’s Rock and wrestling and realized that he came off more as a buffoon than a seriously dangerous threat, plus he would be interviewed live-action in character. If he hated America and Hulk Hogan so much why would he be on his cartoon show? Yes, I had some logical skills at the time. (Though still thought if I fake got hit by a car and my female crush see it. She would Come to my aid and nurse me back to health and in that action, we would fall in love)

Secondly reading about how he got busted with drugs with all AMERICAN Hacksaw Jim Duggan blew my mind. Because hacksaw wasn’t a traitor. So that must be they were friends like co-workers and ever since then the illusion was shattered. Though I will admit in my teen years that didn’t stop me from getting carried away in the hoopla of supposed beef and fights in wrestling believing the performance full-heartedly.

The film also shows the influence The Sheik had on many wrestlers and how he might have been the one to really fuel the fire of hulk-amania.

What really hurts to me is that always when it comes to wrestling documentaries is that they never include Mean Jean Okerlund.

Grade: B

Directed by: Walter Hill
Written By: Larry Gross, Jeb Stuart & John Fasano
Based on characters created by: Roger Spottiswoode, Walter Hill, Larry Gross & Steven E. De Souza
Story By: Eddie Murphy
Cinematography: Matthew F. Leonetti
Editor: Donn Aron, Carmel Davies, Freeman Davies, & Tim Ryder

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Nick Nolte, Andrew Divoff, Brion James, Kevin Tighe, Brent Jennings, Ed O’Ross, David Anthony Marshall, Bernie Casey, Tisha Campbell

With a pending old debt from the past and the genuine threat of losing his badge for good, the tough and gruff San Francisco police officer, Inspector Jack Cates, pushes his luck and turns to his reluctant former partner, Reggie Hammond. Having spent seven long years in jail after the events of 48 Hrs, Reggie is about to taste the air of freedom, when an attempt on his life drags him into a new circle of violence, as Jack is almost obsessively trying to prove that the elusive criminal mastermind known as the “Iceman” exists. But, this time, the odds are against the mismatched duo. Will Cates clear his name?

A sequel that seems on autopilot. As everyone including behind the scenes seems less engaged. Even as most of the original team returns.

This film feels more comedic but also more like a chore. Even as the film has more action and the same level of violence. Though it still ends up feeling less hard-hitting. 

The film seems to hit the same beats as some scenes feel repeated. Though this film has virtually no thriller elements. It just feels like a retread of the original only with some Different faces. Which makes it feel familiar and adds nothing as there are no surprises. 

The villains are related to the main villain from the first film seeking a kind of revenge. So again it seems hell-bent on reminding us of the first better film

Nick Nolte seems more here only for the paycheck as he comes off on autopilot. While Eddie Murphy has fewer places to go with his character though at least his character has a kind of side mission that ties into the film minorly. 

The screenwriters think they are smart by having the main villain who is behind all the menace of the first film And second is not only a dirty cop but a supporting character from the first film. Who somehow Murphy’s character recognizes immediately at first sight. 

Figuring this works because they shared no scenes in the first film but it still feels illogical and a kind of a cop-out. Yet once again ties itself to the first film. 

Even another scene where they go to a cowboy redneck bar and Eddie Murphy takes control. Only to less effective as we have seen it before.

Again at least Eddie Murphy tried but is more on cruise control. He still is at least fun there but this film reeks of a kind of desperation. A disappointing reunion. Where they try to look like they are having fun. But the longer you spend with them you can feel the low energy 

It just feels like the film is missing things. As it feels like there are plenty of things cut out. As it was rumored there was a longer cut of the film up to a week before the film was released and then the studio decided to cut it down. So that it could play more times a day in theaters in the summer. 

The film is loud and tries to hit like a sledgehammer but is unfortunately instantly forgettable 

GRADE: C

Directed By: Michel Gondry (INTERIOR DESIGN), Leos Carax (MERDE), Joon-Ho Bang (Shaking Tokyo)
Written By: Michel Gondry (INTERIOR DESIGN), Leos Carax (MERDE), Joon-Ho Bang (Shaking Tokyo)
Interior Design Based on The Graphic Novel “CECIL and JORDAN IN NEW YORK” by: Gabrielle Bell
Cinematography BY: Masami Inomoto (INTERIOR DESIGN), Mitsuo Hirada (MERDE), Jun Fukumoto (Shaking Tokyo)
Editor: Nelly Quettier (MERDE), Michel Gondry (INTERIOR DESIGN), Joon-Ho Bang (SHAKING TOKYO)

Tokyo is a city of transitions in three short films. A young woman who finds her life useless experiences a metamorphosis. A disheveled Caucasian emerges from a manhole to face arrest, trial, and execution; he calls himself “Merde” and speaks a language only his look-alike attorney understands. Is he human? A recluse experiences human contact when a pizza-delivery girl faints at his door during an earthquake. He conquers fear to seek her out. A chair, a corpse, a hermit: sources of urban connection?

I don’t know if I’m right but the three short films that make up this anthology seem like films that are entertaining to the directors but to the audience not so much. They seem like larks to explore a foreign city and use it as a grand scheme to explain being an outsider sometimes in your homeland at least that’s what it feels like they are saying. Other than being over the top pretentious.

INTERIOR DESIGN

this is the first short and it follows a down and out a couple. He’s a filmmaker. She is his girlfriend and feels more and more useless as her despair grows. She finds herself transforming into a chair. She finally starts finding herself useful and able to give the proper support. This film feels like a punchline to a joke no one presents. While the special effects are inventive as usual from Mr. Gondry. I still found the film a disappointment. I really wanted to like it as I am a fan, But like the rest of the shorts, i found it extremely dull and boring.

MERDE

This short which is like a human spoof of Godzilla as a Disfigured Frenchman in a green suit terrorizes Tokyo. He seems to be unstoppable and possibly Schizophrenic. No one seems to identify him or understand him. It’s almost like the ugly American stereotype. This one started well with a lot of energy and humor. that the former short lacked. It seems like it was for nothing as this one fizzles out and soon makes no sense. It offers no explanation things just seem to happen.

SHAKING TOKYO

The last short has moments of intriguing ideas. A man who’s afraid to go outside, He’s Agoraphobic. Meets a delivery girl who faints in his apartment after an earthquake. He notices she has buttons tattoed on her skin that seem to control her. He feels a connection and he finally decides to venture outside. This was shockingly the best short. maybe because it was so low key. It didn’t try to use a grand or shocking idea as a jumping-off point. Plus it was romantic. It had great ideas but moved so slow that it felt longer then it should

GRADE: D