Movie Review: Ghostbusters (2016)

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Remember when Jay-Z said “ladies is pimps too”? Well, now ladies is Ghostbusters too. For the first time in 27 years, a full-length Ghostbusters film is in theaters, and the foursome of paranormal investigators and eliminators is played by an all-female cast, and the world is better for it. While I want to spend the majority of this review discussing the actual movie, I feel obliged to address the obnoxious political tantrum that has been thrown over this film’s existence. No, not liking or even wanting to see the new Ghostbusters because of your allegiance to the original two films, or because you harbor some illegitimate fear that your childhood will be “ruined” does not make you a misogynist. Conversely, not liking or wanting to even see the new Ghostbusters because you feel that women should not be Ghostbusters, or that they are incapable of being scientists (even just on film) or are similarly unable to be funny, then indeed, that makes you a sexist asshole. Moving on. Continue reading →

The Toy Chest: Mattel Ghostbusters Egon Spengler

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Welcome to the first post for Ghostbusters Week here at The No Seatbelt Blog! Due to my love for all things Ghostbusters, I have decided to dedicate an entire week to the franchise here in my little corner of the Internet – you’ll read about the movies, the toys and memorabilia, and more! I’m kicking off the week with the story behind one of my favorite action figures, the 12″, fully-articulated figure of Egon Spengler, everybody’s favorite nerdy Ghostbuster. Continue reading →

The Beer List: Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

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I’ve been waiting a long time to write about this one. For many beer connoisseurs, the 120 Minute IPA from Dogfish Head is the Holy Grail. Or perhaps, as the guys from Hot Tub Time Machine would call it, the “great white buffalo.” Kept “in the back” under lock and key by liquor stores, and furiously sought after by the truly dedicated, this Imperial India Pale Ale from Delaware’s brilliant Dogfish Head Brewery is not so much a beer as it is an experience. Continue reading →

Movie Review: Independence Day: Resurgence

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We always knew they were coming back, and I sincerely wish they didn’t. I rarely, if ever listen to the critics before a movie that I’m interested in comes out. Negative reviews are no deterrent for me, but as far as Independence Day: Resurgence is concerned, this is one time when they should have been. This is the year in which the world declared in one voice that this was a sequel that was not only twenty years too late, but was also stripped of everything that made the original 1996 blockbuster so great. Continue reading →

For Unlawful Carnal Composition: The Starting Line- “Bedroom Talk”

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When a young Kenny Vasoli, bassist and lead singer of Pennsylvania pop-punk mainstays The Starting Line sang the words “I’m gonna tear your ass up like we just got married,” parents of the band’s teen and tween fans were sent into a seething rage. Granted, those lyrics, which led the chorus of “Bedroom Talk,” came from more than a bit out of left field when compared to the band’s previous writing. Vasoli snapped back, addressing a scathing letter to those self-righteous parents, asserting that it was more than perfectly reasonable for a 20-year old dude to have finally had sex, and then decided to sing about it in his rock band. I was a huge fan of The Starting Line throughout my college years, so I was privy to their lyrics about broken relationships, falling in love, and the general angst that becomes your companion as you grow up. Continue reading →

The Toy Chest: Metals Die Cast Captain America and Iron Man

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Being the toy fanatic that I am, I always love finding new lines to start collecting. Recently, in my Internet and social media stumblings, I came across a line of small collectible figures called Metals Die Cast by Jada Toys. The California-based company is well-known, I’ve learned, for their awesome die cast car models, which are a must for collectors who are into authentic, spot-on replicas of their favorite rides.  Continue reading →

The Beer List: Victory Kirsch Gose

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Happy Beer Day! Welcome back to this Sunday’s edition of The Beer List at The No Seatbelt Blog! The summer is in full swing, and it’s time to celebrate with a great seasonal brew from Victory, one of my favorite breweries. Let’s take a trip back to last October, when I attended Octoberfest Live in Philadelphia. It was there that I sampled Victory’s Kirsch Gose for the first time, and I was not only surprised that Victory’s stand at the venue had this beer out during that time of year, but I found this sour cherry beer to be so refreshing even on such a cold, windy day spent mostly in an open parking lot. Continue reading →

Movie Review: The Shallows

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We’ve seen the classic shark-attack movie Jaws, in which an entire shore town has an inordinate amount of trouble killing one man-eating beast. We’ve seen Deep Blue Sea, in which intelligent and genetically-modified sharks break free of their captors and start striking back. Now we have The Shallows, a refreshing suspense flick that pits scrappy surfer and med student Nancy (Blake Lively) against one terrifying and relentless shark. Continue reading →

For Unlawful Carnal Composition: AC/DC- “You Shook Me All Night Long”

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I’ve never truly liked AC/DC. Save for a few of their songs that I’ve grown to like, I could just never quite get there as a fan. However, as I’ve gotten older and my musical taste has somewhat matured, I’ve developed a fairly profound appreciation for classic rock, and AC/DC’s storied catalog certainly fits that bill due its longevity and sonic style. Continue reading →

The Beer List: Ommegang Abbey Ale

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It’s good to finally be back with another review on a fantastic beer. Welcome to the first new installment of The Beer List, fresh off the months-long hiatus I took from The No Seatbelt Blog. My weekly review will now resume its sud-soaked residence on Sundays at noseatbeltblog.com! I’ve made it no secret here that I love the world-class beers that Cooperstown, New York’s Brewery Ommegang churns out, and that for my money, there is not a more delicious type of beer than the Belgian. If the United States wasn’t privy to this style of brewing, well, I’d have to pack up and move to Belgium. Maybe not, but you get my point.  Continue reading →