Philly mob story gets fictionalized for 'Blood Betrayal'

Award-winning filmmaker Rob Child ventures into another medium with his first work of literary fiction, Blood Betrayal. Based on the memoirs of retired FBI Special Agent Charles "Bud" Warner, Blood Betrayal takes place in the heat of the Philadelphia Mob crisis in the mid-'80s, with a a case that earned Warner national acclaim. This might be a fictionalized account of Warner's story, but some quick research will show who the characters are really based on.

Following the release of crime boss Nick Scarponi, Special Agent Frank Murray (based on Warner) is prepared to tackle the crime boss once again. Eventually, Scarponi keeps finding ways to bring attention to himself; two of his goons attack Frank's police friend Center City Charlie and then he puts out a hit on someone trying to take over the family business.

Menawhile, Frank gets close to capturing con man Nick "The Crow" Consiglioni who's trying to extort money from a waterfront development pie through the lead development firm. Congilioni slips through Frank's fingers and flees the country with the money. This is the final straw for Frank as his life begins to spiral out of control. Will he ever get the chance to take the mob down?

Blood Betrayal is a swift read, quickly running in and out of subplots and racing urgently to the end. Is that a bad thing? Not really, but it's not good either. The main problem is that it doesn't give us enough time to relate to or get involved with any of the characters.

The first in a series from Child, Frank Murray comes off as a bruting, no non-sense agent with a soft spot for his family. That's pretty much all we know about him. Sure, it quickly establishes who he is, but finding out how and why he became like this would have added a new layer of depth to the book. Had he been involved with the Italian mob before locking Scarponi away? Has he always been a tough-as-nails agent? 

Based on his screenplay of the same, Blood Betrayal reads like a screenplay, with locations being established at the start of every new passage in the chapters. This isn't shocking considering that he has written many films and documentaries in the past — even garnering an Emmy nomination this year for his historical docudrama The Wereth Eleven. It's obviously a familiar style for him to work in, and I think it works in the book considering what the story is.

Blood Betrayal is not a masterpiece, nor a train wreck. The story is quite intriguing and has moments of greatness — chapter 7 in particular — which elevates this book into good territory. As a guy who loves going downtown, it was easy to visual all the places Child mentions. But it also made me think, "Wow, did all that stuff really happen here?" 

Grade: B-

Note: Blood Betrayal is available as an e-Book only. It can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon

Festina Ismajli

my princess has turned 17! whatchu tlkin bout!!

my girls!!

we iz glowin in the dark

yes we iz rockin
yes we iz partying
yes we iz doin our thaaang!

tell me suttin bout zoneclub!!

Music Monday: No Doubt wants us to "Settle Down" with their new single

It's been nine years since their last single was released, but now No Doubt is ready to pick up where they left off with their latest single, "Settle Down."

The first cut from their sixth studio album Push and Shove (due out in September), "Settle Down" is the band's first studio collaboration work since their last album was released in 2001. Taking the Sade route, the long absence —due in part to singer Gwen Stefani's solo career from 2004 to 2008 — probably won't affect die-hard No Doubt fans, who will welcome this track.

What starts out as a tour through Middle Eastern landscapes, the band jumps right back into their rockin' ways. Gwen's vocals still sound sharp and are instantaneously recognizable in standard No Doubt fashion. Even 10 years later, it's still easy to distinguish Stefani's vocals between her pop-infused solo work from her staple No Doubt sound.

Anywho, "Settle Down" is a safe, but good note for No Doubt to return with. Fusing their 90's funk sound from "Just A Girl," with their early '00s work on "Underneath It All," this is a sure fire head start back into the mainstream.

This is also one of the band's longest tracks ever. Just barely 6:00 in length, the track doesn't overstay its welcome or feel drawn out, but is a celebration for what fans have been missing for over 10 years.

Can't wait to hear what else they have in store!

Family family family

Family party's are always the best way for everyone to get together!! xxx

Her 20th is a 2day thing fo sho!!

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Exclusive: Director Ben DeJesus on "John Leguizamo's Tales From a Ghetto Klown."

            

John Leguizamo prepares for his show Tales From a Ghetto Klown.
Photo courtesy of Ben DeJesus

           “It was one of the most rewarding experience of my life,” said Ben DeJesus on working with John Leguizamo on the documentary, “John Leguizamo’s Tales From a Ghetto Klown,” which chronicles the actor’s return to Broadway with his one-man show.

            Premiering in March 2011, Tales From a Ghetto Klownmarked Leguizamo’s first show on Broadway since 2002. The documentary shows the rehearsal and preparation for Leguizamo’s show, from Broadway to Colombia.

            A fan of Leguizamo’s since a student at Rutgers University, DeJesus’ opportunity to work with him was a bit of a chance encounter.

            “David Chipel brought me in to do viral videos and that’s when I met John. We hit it off right away. A few months later, John began writing and rehearsing his show.

“I would come in and bring my camera and start shooting to get some B-roll. Then I asked, ‘Hey, can I come back tomorrow?’ and then the next day, ‘Can I come back tomorrow?’” Eventually, it turned into a full-blown project.

            Production on the documentary occurred off and on for two years starting in 2010, and was slated to end on the show’s last night on Broadway.

            “We had over 100 hours of footage, and the doc was going to go until closing night. We took it another eight months when going to Colombia.”

            Funding for the project came from a grant through Latino Public Broadcasting, beating out hundreds of other projects for the prize.  The project was then brought to Donald Thoms’ attention, director of arts programming at PBS.  In January, Thoms’ decided to speed up the production process to have the documentary play as part of their summer arts festival.

            “John Leguizamo’s Tales From a Ghetto Klown” marks the first full-length documentary for DeJesus, whose previous credits include music videos for notable Latino acts Chino y Nacho and Don Omar.

            DeJesus got his start in TV production with an internship at MTV. Starting out as a production assistant, DeJesus worked his way up to writer on the show “Cribs.” With TV and music videos being short productions, the transition to documentary features is more of a labor of love.

            “I came from television. That style has a quicker gratification, then you’re on to the next one. With documentaries, you’re really sculpting something much bigger. I wanted to take my time and to make it as best as possible. You can’t rush that in documentary.”

            The final product shows how much DeJesus really cared about the project. From buying tickets to his Broadway shows and then waiting by the back door of the theater to shake his hand, it’s safe to say that his first documentary was a dream come true.

            For now, DeJesus is continuing to work in television, and is looking for his next documentary.

            “It’s a labor of love and I have room for more.”

            “John Leguizamo’s Tales From a Ghetto Klown” premieres on PBS July 13 at 9 p.m. A DVD of the film is available for purchase on PBS’s website.

My baby's 20th bday!!

they want that cake cake cake cake cake

Happy birthday my boo
Jehona Rukovci.....
hope you live to be 100 and your amazing pre-bday cocktail was lovely!!
best way to wait until midnight to celebrate it how we do!

Tommorow is a different story guys... HOLD TIGHT!!

Music Monday: P!nk roars back with new single, album news.

 
It's been two years since P!nk has put out any new material when she released "F***** Perfect" and "Raise Your Glass" as singles from her greatest hits album. But now she's back with a single from her latest album due out in September.

"Blow Me (One Last Kiss)," from her upcoming sixth studio album The Truth About Love, is a typical P!nk track, complete with roaring vocals and vengeful lyrics about moving on from your significant other. Can't say it's good or bad, it's just P!nk.

Similar to previous songs in mood and composition, "Blow Me" is almost like the prequel to her other hit "U + Ur Hand," where both are about leaving without regret and a guy being stuck on his own. Tired of fighting? Call it off, P!nk style.

It's a good track to sing along with, but that one part in the chorus sounds like the old cassette tapes that whirred loudly when you sped rewound it while it was playing. Or like when the tape would spit out all over the cartridge when it malfunctioned. Oh, memories of the '90s.

Anyway, it's good to see P!nk back doing what she does best, kicking ass and not caring! The Truth About Love will be released September 18.