In Case you Didn't Know....Bad Boys is a Classic

Bad Boys starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith and directed by Michael Bay was released April 7th, 1995 and just celebrated it's 25th anniversary. Reading behind the scenes stories of the film, it comes across as a movie that wasn't suppose to be successful. Decades later people still love the film and yes the term "classic" gets thrown around alot, but I believe the film is a classic here's why.

Bad Boys is one of those films I look back as that has stars in them before they were stars. In this case Martin and Will were stars, but they were not the mega stars they would later come to be. Will Smith was mostly known as the clean cut rapper Fresh Prince and star of the TV show Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Martin Lawrence was the star of his own self-title TV sitcom Martin and the first host of the HBO series Def Comedy Jam. He was also the hottest Black comic of the early to mid 90's. Joe Pantoliano who played Captain Howard was always that guy you saw in movies that played his role well, who years later people would come to hate as Cyper in The Matrix. Tea Leoni has had a solid career but nothing superstar worthy.

Bad Boys took the buddy-cop odd couple formula popularized in the 80's by 48 hours and Lethal Weapon, and turned things up bringing that formula to the 90's. Martin Lawrence is the high strung family man Marcus Burnett, while Will Smith is the laid back smooth ladies man Mike Lowrey. It doesn't take itself too serious and try to be something it is not. 

The funniest scenes in the movie to me, are the one's where Marcus and Mike knowing one another for years. Are able to bicker and reflect real annoyances they have with one another to distract those around them, long enough to get out of a jam. The chemistry is displayed at the very beginning of the film when they use that method to get out of an attempted carjacking. The two have viewers really believing they've known each other for years and know how to get on one anothers nerves.

The action scenes are typical Michael Bay action scenes, before he was given budgets to just create utter nonsense. My favorite action scene in the film, is the foot chase through the city of Miami which honestly is the scene that probably convinced producers that Will Smith could be a formdiable, marketable action star. 

There in lies why Bad Boys is a classic. The story is an typical cop plot, but what it done for the careers of it's major players. It helped Martin Lawrence gain more roles and more clout in Hollywood, giving him the ability write, direct, produce and star in A Thin Line Between Love and Hate a year later. It made Michael Bay the new Hollywood IT boy for large explosive films such as Armageddon, The Rock, and The Transformers movies whether you love them or hate them. It led to roles for Will Smith such as Independence Day and Men In Black, which made him a box office draw off name alone. Eventually Will and Martin joined the $20 million a film club and Bad Boys is the catalyst that sparked those opportunites. 

Bad Boys also bought the buddy cop formula back that gave films like Rush Hour and The Other Guys a chance to succeed. A second film was released in 2003, and earlier this year the third film in the series Bad Boys For Life released with a box office take of $290 million in the U.S. box office. Along with mostly positive or netural reviews from film criticss Which proved after a 17 year hiatus, Bad Boys as a franchise is still well loved and the groundwork was laid way back in 1995. That my friends makes Bad Boys a classic.

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Top Ten Pro Wrestling moments of the decade

The 2010’s are coming to an end and a lot can happen in ten years. Especially the fast-paced world of professional wrestling where things change on a whim. Below are ten moments I believe helped define professional wrestling this decade.

10. WWE Network

It's no secret Vince Mcmahon has always aspired to be known as more than just a wrestling promoter, and for his company the WWE to be known as a entertainment entity not just a pro wrestling or 'rasslin organization. In the 2010's those plans begin to come to fruition with reality shows featuring members of the WWE roster, YouTube channels, and more recently podcast. The biggest project that has led to that movement in my opinion is the WWE network. On Februrary 24, 2014 the WWE network debuted as subscription based streaming service. For $9.99 a month viewers could watch old episodes of Monday Night Raw, Monday Night Nitro, documentarys, interviews, and most importantly current monthly pay per views. The WWE network was a game changer taking the model Netflix had and catering to wrestling fans. Since the WWE network debut, other organizations have joined in the streaming game. Ring of Honor with Honor Club, Impact Wrestling with Impact +, New Japan with NJPW World and a assortment of other indepdent streaming services. Changing the way wrestling fans consume content.

9. Impact Wrestling is Reborn

TNA wrestling debuted in 2002 as an alternative to the WWE. For seventeen years despite several failures and near closures, it has continued to chug along as the little engine that could. Experiencing growing pains and mismanagement, from the Carter years, the failed planned merger with Global Force Wrestling, and the Corgan era. In early 2018 new owners Anthem Sports & Entertainment hired industry veterans Don Callis and Scott D’Amore to lead Impact Wrestling, and despite some missteps here and there they have found a core group of wrestlers to build around, and turned Impact around for the better.

8. The Rock returns to WWE

February 14, 2011 Monday Night Raw, the arena blacked out as anticipation mounted for the host of Wrestlemania 27. As the beat dropped and the familiar sound of “If you Smell……” hit the arena, the crowd erupted as one WWE’s biggest stars ever The Rock returned home after 7 years away. The Rocks return as a host led to matches over the next couple years with John Cena, The Miz, CM punk, and winning the WWE championship one more time. All the while continuing to be the most electrifying man in sports entertainment. After initially shying away from the WWE as he transitioned to Hollywood, returning only helped his star rise which he is greatly benefitting from today.

7. Women’s Revolution

For years TNA knockouts division took women’s wrestling seriously and was the forefront of the womens revolution. Showcasing talent such as Gail Kim, Awesome Kong, ODB, and Angelina Love and Velvet Sky. Unfortunately due to the stigma against TNA many folks did not witness some of the great female wrestlers on their roster. Meanwhile indepedent organizations such as Shimmer and Shine were all female promotions highlighting the best female talent in the business.In 2015 after years of squash diva matches and bra and panties match, fans took to social media with #givedivasachance. That sparked WWE to finally give divas a chance, and that has led to women main eventing episodes of RAW, pay per views, and Wrestlemania. An all-female pay per view in 2018, Mae Young Classic, and singles and tag team championships. As WWE built their female talent up, other organizations such as Ring of Honor also built up their female talent. Shows such as the return of Women of Wrestling (WOW) have put a renewed focus on Women’s wrestling. 

6. Daniel Bryan wins WWE championship

Daniel Bryan is one of the best technical wrestlers on the planet. In 2013 his quest to regain the WWE world championship was consistently thwarted by Mr. McMahon and company as he did not fit their “image” of a world champion. That all changed when fan support called for Daniel to be giving a fair shot, and no matter how much the WWE brass tried to resist they finally couldn’t. The Yes Movement was strong and at Wrestlemania 30 April 6, 2014 Daniel Bryan won the WWE world championship.

5. AEW is born

January 1, 2019 on the popular YouTube series Being The Elite standing outside of the Tokyo Dome. Cody, Adam Page, and the Young Bucks officially announced a new wrestling event "Double or Nothing" and with it the formation of All Elite Wrestling. Backed by the Khan family, owners of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and with signings of some friends from ring of honor such as SCU, recent WWE release Pac, indy star Britt Baker, and  living legend Chris Jericho, and later on Jon Moxley. AEW was hailed as the first true competition to the WWE, backed by deep pockets and with a television program on cable network TNT debuting in October. AEW has set a solid foundation, it’ll be interesting to see what the next full year in operation will bring. 

4. Alternative wrestling

In the early 2000s as the Attitude era faded, WCW and ECW both folded consumed by the WWE. In their absence TNA was born, as well as a little company out of Philadelphia called Ring of Honor. Entering the 2010’s the same 3 organizations stood, neither TNA or Ring of Honor able to financially compete with the WWE. In 2011 Ring of Honor was purchased by the Sinclair Broadcast Group, and during the later part of the decade off the star power of the Elite (Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Marty Scrull, Adam Page etc.), Briscoe Brothers, Jay Lethal, Flip Gordon and SCU among other went to new heights. In the meantime, other organizations that provided an alternative to WWE appeared such as Major League Wrestling (MLW) and overseas juggernaut New Japan Pro wrestling were more accessible due to technology. Financially backed by smashing pumpkins Billy Corgan the prestigious wrestling organization NWA returned. The rise of streaming and social media led to independent organizations such as beyond wrestling, progress wrestling, house of glory and pro wrestling guerilla found their footing and audience in the crowded pro wrestling landscape. 

3. Kofimania

Earlier this year WWE veteran Kofi Kingston was a last-minute replacement in a gauntlet match for Mustafa Ali. What then occurred was a show stealing performance and fan support that led to him winning the WWE championship match against ironically Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania 35. In that two-month span Kofimania ran wild as fan support got louder and louder for Kofi. His win meant so much as the first African born WWE world champion, and leading hope to little Black kids that they one day can be world champions. All over social media you saw joy and industry veterans such as MVP and Shad Gaspard cry tears of joy for the win. Kofi held the championship for 180 days and Kofimania wasn’t just a win for Kofi Kingston it was a win for the culture.

2. CM Punk PipeBomb

The Best in the world, the voice of the voiceless, the second city saint, straight edge as it gets. June 27, 2011 CM Punk ended Monday Night RAW with his infamous Pipe Bomb, that blurred the lines between fiction and reality in the ever-gray area of professional wrestling. The promo had everyone talking "was it real?" did he really go off script? What happens next? That led to the summer of 2011 being the “Summer of CM Punk”, including winning the WWE championship at Money In the Bank and leaving WWE shortly after. His return was much too soon, but thats another article for another day. The pipe bomb cemented his role as the anti-establishment and hopes that a new attitude era was on the rise with CM Punk taking over Stone Cold Steve Austins role. The industry has grown in different ways, but hasn’t gone to the heights in popularity that it did with the attitude era, however CM Punk status as a legend grew that night. 

1. ALL IN

The idea that begin from a comment made by Dave Meltzer to a fan on twitter that Ring of Honor could not sell out a 10,000 seat arena. Cody Rhodes took that bet and sparked the eventual formation of AEW, ALL IN held September 1, 2018 in Chicago, IL. Fully self-funded by Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks, the event was a wrestling fans dream. After announcments here and there on Being the Elite, the trio held a press conference at Pro Wrestling Tee's store May 13, 2018. The press conference announced talent such as Tessa Blanchard, and lucha legend Rey Mysterio Jr. would be joining the show. Tickets were released later that day and sold out in mere minutes displaying the excitement around this event. Throw in the new wrestling convention founded by wrestling podcast star Conrad Thompson, Starrcast held in conjunction with the event that allowed many fans to really interact with stars and legends.  Independent wrestling store Pro Wrestling Tees held meet and greets at its location. Wrestling panels and after-partys were also apart of the fray. With talent from Ring of Honor, Impact, CMLL, AAA, New Japan,MLW, NWA, and the independent circuit, ALL IN had something for everyone. The card was a success, the ppv buyrate was a success and ALL IN weekend was wildy successful. Being in the atmosphere among pro wrestling fans, and seeing a simple idea grow into this mega success was great. It’s something I’m happy to say I experienced first hand and definitely defined this decade in wrestling in my opinion. When the wrestling culture comes together it's nothing that can stop it.

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WWE! Shake Things Up

After a few months of some abysmal Monday Night Raws, full of lackluster matches, illogical segments, characters fans were tried of and plenty more. Amid harsh criticisms from fans and sagging ratings, Vince McMahon and family decided to return to TV this past Monday to shake things up. Promising new stars, new match ups, and that fans were the authority they promised they heard the fans and things were going to change.

For now it looks like their sticking to truly making a change. I just finished a Fan Council survey from the WWE on changes I would like to see on the programming. For the most part they did the right things on Raw and Smackdown this week, we'll see if they stay true to their word going forward. For now here are three things I think could help the product and switch things up.

1. It's been the main crying point of fans for a few years now, make Brock Lesnar defend the damn universal championship. The Universal Championship only being defended 4 or 5 times a year severely devalues the championship and the wrestlers purpose of fighting for the top spot. If in the eyes of the McMahons Brock is a "special" attraction, and their willing to pay him millions of dollars to work a handful of times a year that's fine. However instead of making him the champion and letting the title disappear for months at a time. Use his special attraction status to build up some superstars who could use a rub from working with him. Much like many guys of the attitude era begin to move to the side for the ruthless aggression era guys, it's time Brock pays it forward and does the same. If he doesn't agree he can always make fighting in the UFC a full time job again.

2. The McMahons should really limit the amount of time they are on screen. We know their the owners of the WWE and they have been fixtures of WWE television for 20 years now, every one of them have flipped between face and heel authority figures and that path has been beaten to death now. In fact and this is not just limited to the WWE but authority figures in wrestling period really need to take a backseat. That character has been done to death and many times especially with the McMahons as authority figures they overshadow the superstars. Create one General Manager/Commissioner  type figure who works as a liaison of the McMahons who oversees both brands. Their sole purpose is to make appearance for special announcements and restore order when things seem to get out of hand.

3. I often try to avoid comparing the product today to the attitude era, they were two different time periods with different rosters and agendas. The attitude era was great for many reasons, and one often overlooked reason that the current era could really benefit from. Is during the attitude era if you were on TV, Raw, Smackdown, Sunday Night Heat it was for a purpose. There were the main angles featuring the likes of Stone Cold, The Rock, D-X etc. Then there were smaller angles that were just as important Jeff Jarrett berating women until Chyna came to the rescue, X-Pac humanizing Kane. Val Venis tryna keep his willy intact after sleeping with the wrong woman. They all served their purposes no matter how outlandish some of the stories were. People cared about the entire roster from top to bottom. With a influx of talent and the brand split there isn't much reason fans should not care somewhat about every single wrestler on the roster during Raw and Smackdown.

I'm just a fan offering my two cents on how WWE can improve their product. These are a few things I feel would make the product better. I'll continue to watch and suffer through some rough times and wait for the tide to turn. In the meantime maybe WWE will hire me, a guy can dream.

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