I Love Israel: Israel confirms it will extend support to families of four Filipinos who died during attacks by Hamas

Welcome back readers, fellow people of faith and supporters of Israel. Last time around, I magnified a GMA Network news report about Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirming that Filipinos present in Israel are being taken care of as the Jewish State’s war with Palestinian terrorist group Hamas goes on. The latest news that Filipinos should pay attention to is the Israeli government’s confirmation of extending support to the families if the four Filipinos (identified as Grace Prodigo Cabrera, Loreta Alacre, Angeline Aguirre, and Paul Vincent Castelvi) who lost their lives when Hamas launched its attacks on Israel, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…

In relation to the above news, we Filipinos should thank the Jewish State for the assistance and other forms of support for Filipinos there in Israel who got affected by the continuing attacks by the terrorists. We should also thank the Lord God for the thriving Israel-Philippines ties which for me are truly essential and more Filipinos should value the said ties. Having been to Israel myself (click here, here, here, here, here and here), I witnessed the Holy Bible coming to life at the Holy Land sites our pilgrimage tour group visited and I developed love and support for the Jewish people in accordance to God’s Word. As my faith in the Lord is unbreakable and uncompromising, I will always stand united with Israel.

As Israel and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) keep on fighting the terrorists not only in Gaza but also in other parts of the country (across borders with nations that somehow accommodated the terrorists), we who believe in the Lord should keep on praying to Him to ensure Israel’s victory, to support the Jewish people, to support the families of the Filipino victims as well as others who became victims of terrorism. Pray also for the innocent and dissenting Palestinians who did not want to be part of the evil activities of Hamas and the Palestinian Authority.

Be aware that the United Nations (UN), Hamas, Iran, the Democrats, the Palestinian Authority (PA), the woke, Black Lives Matter, the socialists/Communists/Marxists/liberals, the anti-Semitic mob, the climate change extremists, the LGBT mob, the diversity zealots and their inclusion counterparts are all doing the dirty works of Satan. Those are the worldly forces who do not even realize that they have been consumed by evil and they have members who decided to become evil. Along the way, the evil legacies (anti-Israel) of Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton and murder Yasser Arafat are still being felt.

That being said, supporting Israel and the Jewish people with God watching us is the right, the moral and holy thing to do. We need to keep on praying to Him for Israel and if God commands you to do something in serving him, do it without hesitation. Ask the Lord how you can support the Jewish State and help contribute to Israel’s next victories while putting out the fire of hatred around the world. For insight about Israel’s place under the Lord and why victory with Him (crushing evil) is inevitable, refer to the holy scriptures below…

Genesis 22:1-18 (AMPC)

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut. The Lord is faithful and He is capable of winning battles and wars that are too great for us to deal with. Have unwavering faith in Him knowing that victory is His that we can be part of.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your enlightenment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

I Love Israel: Ambassador Fluss confirms that Filipinos are being taken care of in Israel as war with Hamas goes on  

As some of you are already aware, I fully stand with Israel which is directly connected with my uncompromising faith in the Lord. The October 7, 2023 attack on Israel committed by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas is the main cause of the state of war. No matter what the terrorists and their Leftist siblings do, nothing will stop me from supporting the Jewish state as its military campaign against Hamas continues. The Palestinian terrorists are guilty of infiltration, torture, kidnapping, murdering and damages of property in Israel.

Unsurprisingly, there were also people of different nationalities in Israel who got negatively affected by Hamas. There were already a few of my fellow Filipinos there who lost their lives and the Philippine embassy has been working hard to ensure the safety of other Filipinos present.

Here is a bit of good news – Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Ilan Fluss confirmed that Filipinos present in Israel are being taken care of, according to a GMA Network news report (which referred to an ANC interview).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…

To my fellow Filipinos reading this, I encourage you to accept the truth that Israel is the land God designated specifically for the Jewish people (read Genesis 35:10-12) and His command must be without hestitation. If you want to be blessed further by the Lord, do so by loving and blessing the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3). I did my part when I was in Israel. Also, let me remind you all that the ties between the Jews and Christians are truly biblical!

In relation to the news report about the state of Filipinos in Israel, we here in the Philippines should thank and bless the Israelis in return for taking care of them as the war goes on.

We live in a very divided world. Around the world, Leftist forces have been supporting evil forces like the current regime of Iran which is known for supplying and arming the Palestinian terrorists and other terrorist groups around the Middle East. Leftist forces have been supporting the Palestinian Authority and other enemies of Israel. The Leftists and terrorists always go together and their anti-Semitism is clearly obvious. Hamas is purely evil and they are being protected by not only their fellow terrorists but also by mainstream news media outlets who are linked with Leftist forces and people who hate Israel and the Jewish people. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority and other pro-Palestine groups will do anything to mislead people and undermine Israel’s war campaigns against the terrorist group Hamas.

With all that said, it is a must we pray to the Lord God in support of Israel and believe that He will guide the Israeli forces to another victory which means finishing off Hamas. Read Joshua 11:1-20 in the Holy Bible for relevance and truth.

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful, you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel and love the Jewish people no matter what. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

In ending this I Love Israel piece, posted below are Israel-related videos for your enlightenment.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Carlo Carrasco’s Movie Review: Sound of Freedom (2023)

Welcome back, readers and movie enthusiasts! Chances are you must have heard about the controversy and debates over Sound of Freedom, a movie about the child trafficking which was made years ago but only got released this year after overcoming many hurdles. The film starring Jim Caviezel as real-life hero Tim Ballard and directed by Alejandro Monteverde, was released at a time when wokeness in Hollywood got so feverish a lot of movies were no longer interesting for me.

In case you missed the news, the low budget Sound of Freedom performed beyond expectations in the American box office and has since been making waves gradually in cinemas around the world. The film opened officially here in the Philippines on September 20 and I finally saw it in the local theater.

With regards to the controversy about Sound of Freedom, I urge you to reject the Leftists’ constant ranting against it and make the effort to see it yourselves. If you take into account the conceptualization of the movie, it is almost a decade old now and efforts to write the script happened years before QAnon even started (for context, watch Midnight’s Edge video by clicking here). Blatant accusations of QAnon conspiracy theory against this film are simply false and officially denied by Tim Ballard. Communist-filled Hollywood (Commiewood) and the woke mob are simply lying to stop people from seeing the movie.

With those details laid down, here is my review of Sound of Freedom.

The official movie poster.

Early story

The story begins in Honduras when a pretty lady visits the home of a father who has one young daughter and one young son, and convinces him to have them audition into modeling. The audition happened in a different location (filled with the man’s two kids and many others) and as the father was not allowed to be present, he was asked to return in the evening. By the time he returned, the place was empty and the children were kidnapped. They secretly shipped to another country.

In America, Tim Ballard and his time successfully apprehended a man for possessing and distributing child pornography. Tim’s teammate points out to him that although they have arrested many child predators, they could not even save a single child from exploitation and abuse…

Quality

I will start first by saying that this movie was not made to entertain viewers but to emphasize the real-life problems of child trafficking, kidnapping, the abuse of minors, sex trafficking and why slavery today still has many millions of victims (including minors).

This movie closely examines the struggles that come with fighting the syndicates (that kidnapped children and sell them) and the customers (who paid to illegally acquire children for their wicked desires) as told through the eyes of Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel) who is clearly feeling the heavy stress of his US Homeland Security job (which takes a lot of strength, sacrifice and sheer will to do). Ballard himself has many kids with his faithful and supportive wife (Mira Sorvino) and therefore he can easily relate with the parents whose children got kidnapped and sold in other countries.

Caviezel is mostly subtle with expressing Ballard’s emotions as well as his verbal expressions with the other people he interacted with. This is not to say that Caviezel’s act is wooden, rather he is straightforward with portraying a man who feels disturbed by the collective stress of his duty (but still far away from the breaking low-point). Even though he is getting worn down, Ballard’s sheer determination to save a specific kidnapped-and-abused daughter for a Honduras-based father is nicely captured by Caviezel.

The efforts of fighting the criminals who pounced on children involves a lot of hurdles to overcome. I’m not just talking about Homeland Security agents taking down people in America who engaged in child pornography but also going after the very criminals overseas who kidnapped children, shipped them from one nation to another and sell them as “models” to pedophiles. As such, Ballard’s efforts involves spending time overseas (away from his family), making local connections and secretly working his way into different locations where the risks of getting killed are high.

Again, this tale is not about entertaining viewers as it works on emphasizing to them how extremely difficult it is to bring down the criminals in real-life. The good news is that this film is nicely directed by Monteverde whose cinematic style is simplistic and yet engaging to watch. There is a clear subtle approach on showing what little violence the film has. As for scenes of child abuse, there is nothing graphic to see (left ambiguous) nor was there anything intense about them. While I am certain that some parts of the story involved liberties in order to establish a functional cinematic narrative, this movie strives hard with realism while also avoiding becoming preachy with its message (expressed in subtle fashion) about human trafficking, child slavery and the business involving pedophiles and kidnappers.

Conclusion

Sound of Freedom was clearly made to inform the world that children are still being kidnapped, used for illegal transactions, transported around the world and sold to the predators. This real-world problem continues to happen somewhere every single day and there are simply not enough law enforcers who could fight the criminals and rescue the kidnapped minors. Nor do the law enforcers have the resources to stage major rescue operations while facing off with armed criminals and their bodyguards.

While it is told through Tim Ballard, this movie is not about him and his profession. It is about the extreme difficulties that law enforcers – both domestic and overseas – have to go through to save the very young victims. The story was told with consistent realism and subtlety which make it very believable to watch. Jim Caviezel is indeed a solid performer and his portrayal of Tim Ballard will easily remind you that true heroes are the ones who bravely face tremendous odds to achieve their goals (for good) while still maintaining their sanity no matter how hopeless the situations appeared.

Sound of Freedom is a cinematic call to action to make others aware about the ongoing menaces of sex trafficking, kidnapping, abuse of minors and the cartels (demonic people) that profited from their evil trade. Like Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, this film was made for reflective viewing and not for amusement. Indeed, God’s children are not for sale and this is the truth that the bashers of this movie do not want you to realize. There is also the biblical truth to the popular quote from the film. Read the holy scripture below…

To put things politically, you must be wondering why the Satanic Left – Democrats, Communists, socialists, Marxists, liberals, the SJWs and the woke extremists – keep on bashing and hating Sound of Freedom. Here is why…because the Leftists are themselves pro-crime (example: “Defund the police.”) and they have made efforts to weaken law enforcement which emboldened the criminals such as robbers, murderers, kidnappers, smugglers, rapists, terrorists, molesters, illegal immigrants and, of course, the pedophiles. The Leftists are clearly wicked and they are lots of them present not only in government but also in showbiz, the mainstream media and other sectors of societies. The Leftists care less about the children and nuclear family, and this is why they want more drag queens and homosexuals to go after the children without law enforcers blocking them. The Leftists are okay with children getting kidnapped, abused and raped. In short, those in the Left are okay with being evil and doing what Satan wants.

I saw Sound of Freedom at the local cinema.

The Leftists are very afraid of Sound of Freedom and remember that it is the one notable movie that almost never got released. That being said, you must watch the movie whenever you have chance to do so.

Overall, Sound of Freedom (2023) is recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at Cloak & Dagger (1984)

Welcome back my readers, fellow movie buffs and 20th century pop culture enthusiasts! Decades ago, I got to watch the movie Cloak & Dagger when it was first released on home video. As time passed by, I got to replay it on cable TV and DVD. I have yet to see its 4K Blu-ray disc version (note: you can order it here) Starring Henry Thomas (the star of Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial) and Dabney Coleman, Cloak & Dagger was one of those American movies that did not succeed in movie theaters but found its audience on home video, cable TV and free TV.

The 1984 movie was released at a time when video games gradually made its way into motion pictures in varied ways just before Nintendo started reshaping video gaming. Back then, I was very young and already got into playing games on console and at the arcade which helped me relate with the video game elements of Cloak & Dagger. In case you are wondering, the filmmakers and Atari, Inc. itself collaborated together. There may be some among you who never saw this 1980s flick and some of you may be wondering what is significant about Cloak & Dagger and why is it the topic of this retro movie review.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Cloak & Dagger (1984) directed by Richard Franklin and written by Tom Holland and Nancy Dowd inspired by the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” written by Cornell Woolrich. This movie is the 4th cinematic adaptation of the said short story.

The movie poster of Cloak & Dagger (1984)

Early story

The story begins with Jack Flack (Dabney Coleman) overcoming Soviet guards to enter a place to retrieve top secret documents from incoming people. It turns out that Jack Flack is nothing more than a fictional character imagined by a young boy named Davey (Henry Thomas) who keeps on immersing himself with flights of fantasies, loves playing games and believes that real life is filled with enough opportunities and places to play. In the presence of game store owner Morris (William Forsythe) and his little blonde neighbor Kim (Christina Nigra), Davey boasts a lot about Jack Flack as if he was a real-life hero and even talks to him as his imaginary companion that no one else could see nor hear. Inspired by the said character and the world of espionage he always imagined, the boy carries with him a black water pistol for a “gun” and a softball for a “grenade”.

Morris then sends Davey and Kim out to do a real assignment – an errand to travel within the city going to a certain company and retrieve something for him. Afterwards, the two commuted and entered a building which Davey does with his fantasy of espionage and infiltration burning in his mind. Leaving Kim on the ground floor, he climbs up the stairs until he reaches a certain window and sees something sinister going on in the next level as reflected on one of the windows outside.

Suddenly a door opens near him and a wounded man slowly hands him an Atari 5200 cartridge titled Cloak & Dagger, tells him to bring it to the FBI, and mentions “one million three hundred twenty nine.”

The door near them suddenly opens with two armed men emerging. Right in the presence of Davey, they opened fire at the wounded man who fell down to his death. Davey just became the witness of an actual murder and becomes the target of the two gunmen…

Quality

Henry Thomas and Christina Nigra as Davey and Kim respectively.

To get to straight to the point, I can declare that this movie is very clearly a spy thriller designed to engage both children and adults. It took the key concept of the short story “The Boy Cried Murder” and implemented it into its very own tale that happens to be set during Ronald Reagan’s America (the 1980s) with elements of video games, espionage and even murder mixed together.

The story told through Davey was crafted to be entertaining while keeping viewers in suspense as to how the overly imaginative young boy would deal with real-life danger and consequences as he became the target of murderous men who would not stop at all. Davey is clearly in danger for much of the movie and you will get to sympathize with him and wish he should stop being obsessed with fantasy so he could overcome the trials that were happening. This is, indeed, a well structure and nicely directed work by Richard Franklin who seem to be inspired by past works of Alfred Hitchcock (note: Franklin directed the sequel to Hitchcock’s classic Psycho).

As mentioned earlier, this movie was made to engage both children and adults. Cloak & Dagger is not exactly a wholesome viewing experience as its presentation has always been quite intense because of on-screen violence that was executed carfully. There are guns, shooting and even killing in this flick which proved to be integral to the overall presentation and clearly added to the thrill factor. You will get to see getting Davey shot at by the armed henchmen (Eloy Casados and Tim Rossovich) who clearly do not give a damn of shooting a minor as they are so focused on their mission. Looking at the henchmen in this film, I can imagine them as traitorous Americans conspiring with their nation’s foreign enemies such as the Soviets, the Iranians and the Palestinians. Along the way, there is the clear villain named Rice (Michael Murphy) who has this subtle touch of evil as well as a good amount of sleaziness in him. While the violence is intense, it does not necessarily push this film into rated R territory.

Michael Murphy as the sleazy villain who is willing to kill Davey even though he is a minor.
The two henchmen about to commit murder in the presence of Davey. There is evil visible in their faces.

Henry Thomas really shines as the protagonist here. While Davey here shares a few elements with E.T.’s Elliot – struggling to move forward with the absence of one parent and adjusting his life with what he perceives to be the best ways possible – he truly dramatizes how weird and wild he could be living his life with a very loose grip on reality. For him, local society in San Antonio, Texas, provides him a huge playground for his spy game and he sure distracts people as he walks by them talking to his imaginary friend Jack Flack. Still, there are key parts of the story in which Henry Thomas convincingly dramatizes Davey who feels lonely inside as he misses his late mother and is unable to spend quality time with his father. Thomas also acted with intensity in the scene in which he makes a trade with the villain and also during his last face-off with him in the 2nd half of the film. Henry Thomas really was a good youth actor and his performance here is often overshadowed by his role in Spielberg’s E.T.

Dabney Coleman on the other hand plays both Jack Flack and Davey’s father Hal. Coleman is quite versatile playing different characters here. As Jack Flack, he fits in excellently into Davey’s uncontrolled belief of espionage as he gives him advise which were taken seriously leading into danger. Of course, advising Davey does not really mean the fictional spy cares for him on a personal level and you will eventually Flack’s true value before the film ends. Flack’s final moments could inspire you to re-examine the true meaning of heroism. As Hal, Coleman convincingly plays the father who has been so busy working in the Air Force as an air traffic controller, he has been unable to spend quality time with his son and the recent death of his wife really took its toll on their family. Compared to Jack Flack, Hal is indeed caring towards his son but his hectic work schedule prevents him from bonding closely with him. Coleman delivered a fine performance during the scene when Hal explains to Davey what real-world heroism is and that not all heroes just shoot bad guys. There definitely are helpful values on parenting within Hal.

Henry Thomas and Dabney Coleman are really convincing as son and father.

Thomas and Coleman artistically have really fine chemistry together as the father and son (Hal and Davey) and as the wannabe adventurer spending lots of time with his action hero (Davey and Jack Flack). Considering Davey’s obsession with fantasy and the attention he pays so much to Jack Flack, he was practically living with idolatry and foolishness. If you observe closely, Davey is very lively with Flack and not so lively with his father.

Even though this movie is fictional, it still dramatizes that parenting will never be easy. That being said, this should inspire parents and also incoming parents to prepare themselves on nurturing their children and ensure they help them understand the differences between reality and fantasy.

Video game elements

Screenshot from the Cloak & Dagger arcade game. This game can be played nowadays through Antstream Arcade on Xbox consoles.

To make things very clear, Cloak & Dagger (1984) is not an adaptation of the electronic game that was released the same year. Rather it has the Cloak & Dagger game as a key plot element in the form of an Atari 5200 game cartridge (referred to as a “tape”) which the movie dramatizes to be real.

As a kid, I got to play arcade and console games a lot. As such, seeing Davey play the Cloak & Dagger game on his Atari 5200 as well as gameplay footage was a very entertaining viewing experience for me the first time I ever saw this movie. It was a scene I personally related with.

In real life, however, the Cloak & Dagger game from Atari, Inc. was released only in the arcades as the efforts to create a port for the Atari 5200 never got fulfilled. That being said, it was through very clever film editing that video footage of the arcade version were inserted into the scene in which Davey played the Cloak & Dagger cartridge on his console in the presence of his father. To clarify things, the Atari 5200 was a commercial failure in real life and it seems that making a console version of the arcade game did not make business sense to Atari, Inc. at all.

If you want to play the Cloak & Dagger arcade game in your home right now, you will need an Xbox console and Antstream Arcade ($30 for 1-year subscription, $80 for lifetime pass). Cloak & Dagger is just one of over a thousand games available through Antstream Arcade and you can learn more by clicking here and here.

Conclusion

Henry Thomas as an armed Davey.

I have seen Cloak & Dagger (1984) many times throughout my life from childhood and to adulthood. I can clearly say that this 1980s movie is still really good to watch as its appeal to both children and adults remains strong and intact. It is a medium-paced spy thriller that not only follows a young boy who witnesses and murder and gets into danger (note: even his neighbor gets involved) but also dramatizes (in entertaining ways) how dangerous situations can get when you are living with uncontrolled personal fantasy and interacting with a heroic friend who does not really exist. Considering the time this movie was released, I am delighted to tell you cautious readers that there definitely is no wokeness nor were there any traces of political correctness that got in the way of its presentation. Going back to the parenting aspect of this film, it is made clear that children need their parents for moral support and there is absolutely no way that games, fictional heroes and geek culture could ever be good alternatives. Like the adults, children should never lose their grip on reality and should be taught that uncontrolled fantasy can lead to real-life danger. Very clearly, director Richard Franklin and the crew did a fine job telling a solid story and emphasizing the main characters while also providing suspense, action and thrills.

Considering all the mixed elements it has, Cloak & Dagger (1984) can be engaging towards parents, their children, fans of espionage and people who love video games. Finally, I should state that the City of San Antonio in the Lone Star State of Texas is indeed a great location for filmmaking and viewing.

Overall, Cloak & Dagger (1984) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 7

Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Raiders of the Lost Ark videos

If you are feeling nostalgic about the Indiana Jones franchise and want to revisit the very first movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, then you are not alone. The new movie Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (made by the woke Disney company and handled by the unpopular Kathleen Kennedy with James Mangold as director) turned off a lot of long-time fans and this incidentally created renewed interest about the very first movie from 1981. For the newcomers reading this, Indiana Jones is the joint creation of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas and they eventually collaborated together in making four Indy movies from 1981 to 2008. To learn more about Raiders of the Lost Ark and how the movie came to be, watch the videos below…

#2 Starfield is approaching and you can prepare yourselves for it

Starfield, the epic sci-fi role-playing game (RPG) from Bethesda (Skyrim, Fallout 4), is coming out on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass with an official release date of September 6, 2023. For those of you who missed out on the recent Xbox Games Showcase, you can still catch up and learn more about the Xbox-exclusive Starfield by watching the videos below…

#3 Planetshakers’ Worthy is the Lamb music video

Recently, Planetshakers released online the music video of their worship song Worthy is the Lamb (note: Words by Noah Walker and Andy Harrison, Music by Joth Hunt). The said song is indeed holy, beautiful and will help you move closer to the Lord. Just take note that this Planetshakers worship song is not to be confused with Hillsong Worship’s song with the same title. Watch the official Planetshakers music video of Worthy is the Lamb and the story video below…

#4 Get ready for Forza Motorsport (2023) this October

It took Team Xbox and Turn 10 a long time but they finally revealed that their much-anticipated Forza Motorsport (2023) will be released on October 10, 2023 only on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC plus Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. In relation to the announced release date, Turn 10 released a new trailer as well as an in-depth examination of the game. Watch the following videos of Forza Motorsport (2023) below…

#5 A look back at Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures

For those of you who are still feeling nostalgic or still craving for more Indiana Jones-related content, be aware that way back in the mid-1990s, there was an official video game of the cinematic icon – Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures. While I myself played the Super Star Wars games on the Super NES back in those days, I never got to play Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures which itself was an official adaptation of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and made with side-scrolling adventuring in mind with a few Mode 7 sections set up to prevent the game from being too repetitive. Check out the following videos below…

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

A Look Back at The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1 (1983)

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back fellow geeks, pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! I want to make things clear to all of you that when it comes to movies, Indiana Jones is truly an American icon who will be remembered for a long time thanks to the combined works of the legendary creative team of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford.

I love watching the films Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). While the respective qualities, artistry and fun factors of those films varied through the years, there is no denying that those are cinematic adventures worth replaying.

In case you are wondering, I have no intention to watch Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) since that movie was specifically handled by Kathleen Kennedy whose leadership of Lucasfilm (under the Disney banner) ruined Star Wars since 2015. It does not help that the new movie was not directed by Spielberg and clearly it does not involve George Lucas on the creative side. I should state that I reject wokeness, political correctness and identity politics which defined Kathleen Kennedy’s handling of Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

That being said, now is a good time to back into the 1980s when the Indiana Jones entertainment franchise was still new and creatively expanding into other forms of media. In fact, Marvel Comics started publishing an Indiana Jones comic book series between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1, published in 1983 by Marvel Comics with a story written and drawn by John Byrne with ink work by Terry Austin.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Indiana Jones (wearing formal attire for his academic profession) attempting to whip a small stick off the mouth of Miss Greebly who was standing very still. Jones’ superior Dr. Marcus came in to witness the stunt.

Shortly after, Jones and Marcus meet with former student Charlie Dunne who reveals to them he and his sister Edith learned the location of the Ikons of Ikammanen. Just seconds after stating he could prove that the ikons exist, Dunne suddenly gets hit on the back with a knife.

With Dunne suddenly killed and the discreet killer already gone, Jones and Marcus examine the content of the victim’s bag and find a map of coastal Africa, a photograph of a temple and an address…

Quality

Indiana Jones and Edith on a dangerous search.

I will start by stating the obvious thing about this comic book…it looks and feels like a genuine Indiana Jones adventure with clear inspiration taken from the 1981 movie. The basic elements are here: Indy does research and some detective work, he travels overseas searching for answers, faces danger along the way, and gets involved in a series of unexpected events. The good news is that John Byrne crafted a fun and high-quality literary adventure featuring the cinematic icon.

This comic book has an original story concept and deliberately the narrative flowed at a medium pace which allows build-up to immerse readers into the details, followed by some bouts of pay-off to entertain readers. I also like the way the narrations laid down the details with the intention of helping readers understand not only the situations, locations and people, but also giving them unique perspectives about Indy himself. The dialogue was well written and clearly believable. When Indiana Jones explains details, he really uses the knowledge he gained through academic research as well as recollections from his past expeditions or adventures.

I should also state that Byrne gave Indiana Jones, the other characters and locations stylized looks. I don’t mind Jones not resembling Harrison Ford at all but Byrne still made him recognizable in his own unique way. There were some location images that looked pretty detailed.

Conclusion

And just like that, Indiana Jones takes a leave from academic work for his next adventure.

The best way to describe The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1 (1983) is this…John Byrne and his team succeeded in making this a fun read inspired by elements of Raiders of the Lost Ark. The story has a strong adventure feel with Indy having a strong presence and the introduction of new characters were executed smoothly. For a launch issue, this one is indeed engaging to read and it succeeded in convincing me to anticipate the next issue. Ultimately it is clear that John Byrne really is an effective Indiana Jones storyteller.

Overall, The Further Adventures of Indiana Jones #1 (1983) is highly recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Parañaque abortion clinic raided and seven suspects arrested!

There is no denying the fact that abortion is definitely wicked as it is the murder of the unborn child. Very shockingly, a secretive abortion clinic in Parañaque City was uncovered and raided by elements of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) resulting in seven suspects – almost all were Chinese nationals – arrested for their involvement, according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Inquirer news report. Some parts in boldface…

Six Chinese nationals and one Filipino were arrested by police for allegedly conducting abortion procedures and selling abortion drugs in Parañaque City, said the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Tuesday.

According to the NCRPO’s police report, the seven were arrested in Tambo, Parañaque City, after weeks of surveillance.

NCRPO said the arrest stemmed from an informant alerting the police of the sale of medications used in abortion and their purported performance of abortion procedures.

Arresting officers seized one package of 25 milligrams (mg) of mifepristone tablets, one box of 100 mg cefixime dispersible tablets, and one pack of Golden Throat Lozenge and metronidazole tablets.

The suspects are now in the custody of NCRPO to undergo investigation. They will be charged with the illegal practice of medicine contained in the Republic Act (RA) 2382 or the Medical Act of 1959 and violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act also known as RA 3720.

Meanwhile, GMA Network released their own news video about the same raid which you can watch below…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? Are you concerned that there could be even more secretive abortion clinics operating elsewhere within Parañaque City? Did you notice the presence of abortion-related drugs circulating within your local community? Who do you think is the mastermind behind the raided abortion clinic?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan bets warned about dealing with Communists

The highly anticipated Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will happen nationwide on October 30 and the Philippine National Police (PNP) issued a warning to candidates about engaging with Communist elements, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine National Police (PNP) warned on Monday, May 29, those who aspire to run for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to refrain from engaging with communist rebels, particularly in seeking assistance to ensure victory.

PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. said there are laws that could be used against those who would be found to be dealing with the local forces of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) such as the Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

Acorda is particularly referring to the direct payment by candidates to the CPP-NPA, through the permit to campaign and permit to win for the barangay and SK elections scheduled in October this year.

“Let me caution candidates who will fall for this election racket of the CPP-NPA that any form of monetary or material support to the CPP-NPA, a terrorist organization, is tantamount to ‘terrorist financing’ that is punishable under Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020,” said Acorda.

“And if the donor or giver is an incumbent Barangay or SK official, the crime is further aggravated by willful disloyalty to their Oath of Office,” he added.

The Chief PNP, however, said they do not foresee serious security problem for the barangay and SK elections.

The elections for sets of officials for the 42,022 barangay across the country will start with the 90-day election period on Aug. 28 until Nov. 29.

“This early, we do not foresee any serious peace and order concerns on a national scale in the barangay and SK elections. The actions of some remaining active guerilla fronts of the CPP-NPA are closely being monitored for possible conduct of atrocities,” said Acorda.

“Security measures are now being prepared regarding this,” he added.

For the newcomers reading this, the 2023 BSKE will take place on October 30 with voting hours set for 7AM to 3PM.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are you concerned that the Communists, the Marxists, the socialists and other Leftists out there will negatively affect the BSKE by engaging with the candidates? Are you hoping for a free and honest BSKE election? Do you think it is possible for Democrats in America to be funding their Leftist partners here in the Philippines?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Better than Streaming: Jesus Revolution Blu-ray now available!

Welcome back, fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs! If you are into films about faith and Lord Jesus told through an American perspective, then you should check out Jesus Revolution on Blu-ray disc format which has been available in the market since April 25, 2023. It also emerged as a top-selling Blu-ray disc release and you can order it online right now!

Jesus Revolution Blu-ray cover.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the description of Jesus Revolution as well as its official trailer…

In the 1970s, young Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) is searching for all the right things in all the wrong places: until he meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a charismatic hippie-street-preacher. Together with Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer), they open the doors of Smith’s languishing church to an unexpected revival of radical and newfound love, leading to what TIME Magazine dubbed a JESUS REVOLUTION.

Posted below are the technical details about Jesus Revolution Blu-ray disc as sourced from the Blu-ray.com page of the movie

Video

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs – Blu-ray Disc, Two-disc set (1 BD-50, 1 DVD), DVD copy

Digital, Digital HD, Digital copy included

Packaging – Slipcover in original pressing

Playback – 2K Blu-ray: Region A

While I have not seen Jesus Revolution in the local cinemas, I myself am interested in buying the Blu-ray disc soon. I am a person with unbreakable faith in Jesus who is truly the Lord and Savior! More on the what the movie has to offer, its release is timely as America has been so divided as many people moved away from the Lord to embrace evil elements such as critical race theory, homosexuality, LGBTQ culture, transgender concepts, abortion, anti-police movements, anti-Semitism, terrorism, illegal immigration, witchcraft, Communist/socialist/Marxist ideologies, negative elements affecting churches, vandalism of places of worship, Satanic values inserted through entertainment media, and a whole lot more. Watch the related CBN News videos below…

By today’s standards, the social unrest America had during the Vietnam War era looks smaller compared to what has been going on over the past few years. People are getting divided over race, gender, social class and a whole lot more. As such, Jesus Revolution has something that viewers can reflect about.

More importantly, all these matters should remind you all that you must seek Lord Jesus first, behold His light shining through the darkness, and come to Him wholeheartedly to repent and submit to Him to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. With unbreakable faith in the Lord, you can become a part of His fearless and aggressive church.

When it comes to restoring people and societies from the damage caused by evil forces, only the Lord can provide restoration and healing. That being said, you must praise the Lord and have unwavering faith in Him no matter what happens. Being a worldly person means living with unholy elements. A lot of people may not realize it but it is clear they need Jesus in their lives and in their societies! Learn from the holy scriptures below…

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (NASB)

Jesus once again addressed them: “I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.”

John 8:12 (MSG)

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (NKJV)

Jesus Revolution movie poster.
The other movie poster.

You can order Jesus Revolution Blu-ray right now by clicking https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Revolution-Blu-ray/dp/B0BV7CQF16?tag=bluray-021-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. If you want to support my website, please consider making a donation. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/.

A Look Back at Armorines #3 (1994)

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the early 1990s and explore a part of the Valiant Comics shared universe through the Armorines monthly series.

In my previous retro review, the armored Marines and their US Navy SEALs counterparts encountered mutated sharks as they struggled to accomplish their mission. Along the way, one of the Armorines literally got swallowed by a huge, organic object that went directly to him during the struggle.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Armorines #3, published in 1994 by Valiant Comics with a story written by Jorge Gonzalez and drawn by Jim Calafiore.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins deep under the sea as the Benchley explodes and falls down further as a result of the mission. Gunny finds himself falling down as well as he no longer has his ballast and propulsion unit. Fortunately, an armored teammate of his saves him and pulls him up to the surface.

Several kilometers away from the site of the ill-fated Benchley, a huge organic-looking object enters the large hole on the side of a derelict ship. Strangely enough, the interiors have an alien design and the organic-looking object turns out to be a ship of its own. Two human figures with unnatural physical features come out of it and told their alien-looking troops to enter the refrigeration unit to “bring the ‘meat’” to Chantilla.

Inside the refrigeration unit filled with lots of dead human bodies, the armed aliens approach the Armorines suit only to find it empty. As they did not bother to search around to find answers, the Armorines pilot cleverly concealed himself among the other dead bodies pretending to be dead. He gets up after the aliens leave…

Quality

The first display of the Armorines in action without the aquatic environment.

After a good amount of build-up executed by the creative team in the first two issues, this particular comic book served as a big pay-off as well as a creative build-up of its own with the future events in mind. In fact, the sci-concepts introduced here along with new figures of opposition (specifically the humans with physical aquatic features) really lifted the storytelling to a whole new level of imagination laced with intrigue. Instead of seeing armed terrorists or an opposing force with military hardware to counter the high-tech Armorines, we see people who have a sinister plan, have been organizing violent operations on Earth and are of alien origin. These aliens, who are even studying human characteristics, were involved in conflicts with X-O Manowar and Turok elsewhere within the Valiant Comics shared universe. In fact, the two individuals who arrived early in the story came from their act of destroying X-O Manowar’s armor (read X-O Manowar #28). I should also state that the duo of Gonzalez-Calafiore cleverly emphasized the aliens’ plan to weaken the coordination and security of Earth’s forces so that they can escape undetected. What is even more intriguing within this comic book is the visualization of the aliens’ secret scientific developments and experiments on Earth.

Going back to the Armorines, you will see them in action without the aquatic environment. The way the creative team showed the Armorines in action against their alien counterparts turned out to be entertaining to read.

Conclusion

Given the fact that Democrats in America today love illegal immigrants so much, can you imagine them and their hordes of woke/socialist/Communist/Marxist/liberal/LGBTQ/transgendered voters welcoming aliens from outer space and allowing them to do bad things against humanity here on Earth? Imagine Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton making secret deals with these aliens.

I can say that Armorines #3 (1994) is a well-executed story that successfully paid off what was built in the first two issues and raised the stakes further with sci-fi concepts and a force of opposition that made impact elsewhere in the Valiant Comics shared universe. As I enjoyed this old comic book, I am looking forward to the next issue.

Overall, Armorines #3 (1994) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco