Housewives mopping, dusting and blogging sums us up. Our launch pad was VH1's Mob Wives. We've added ID's I Married A Mobster, other shows & mafia/gangster movie commentary to our blogging mix. Basically we are 'Miserable Often Bitchy Wives' (+one male), a blogging cocktail of the shows & movies we love to watch. It's our opinion and we're sticking to it.
Follow us on Twitter @ ChiaraSoprano1 or @undabawse.
Cataleya is 9 years old when a mobster kills her parents in front of her. Under her uncle's training she becomes a professional assassin. On her down time, she picks up the hobby of tracking down and killing those who killed her madre y padre. It reads like a great movie to me.
The icing on stop is Zoe Saldana plays the killing machine. The cherry on top is Columbiana is written by the writers of Taken. I love Taken. Check out the video trailer yourself. I have a feeling this is a movie Love Majewski of I Married A Mobster & Drita D'avanzo of Mob Wives could both get into. Don't ask me why, I just have a hunch.
So will you drop $10 to see Columbiana on the big screen? I can tell you now, I will!
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A young Rita rides with her beloved father Don Michele.
As every man knows there is always a woman who is nagging in the background. For me the one is Mob Mistress. She likes to dictate what I blog about. (It is probably good that she does. If not I'd probably only blog about how I want to run off (with Karen Gravano of Mob Wives and Jacqueline Laurita of The Real Housewives of New Jersey). I digress. As you some have read I like watching movies. The mistress of the blog asked if I had ever seen "The Sicilian Girl." Of course I hadn't. She would pick one of the few movies I have not watched.
Today I made an appointment with Netflix and "The Sicillian Girl." The original title of the movie is La Siciliana Ribelle which translates to The Sicilian Rebel. I prefer the original title. I think it's a better fit for the film than the American title. But hey what do I know?
The movie is based on a true story of Rita Atria who took on the mafia. It covers the lengths she went to in order to find justice. In a society or lifestyle which does not believe in legal forms of justice. She went against the omertà of the mafia by utilizing the police to help her get justice.
The body of Nino
Why does Rita need justice? The movie starts out with Rita as an eleven year old girl in the mid 1980s. She lives with her parents and older brother in Balata, Sicily. She is a typical daddy's girl who follows and idolizes her father. Daughter and father go places and experience their community together. Rita's mother seems jealous of their bond. Rita's father is Don Michele Mancuso who is a respected person in the community. He's not your local grocer. He's a wise guy. He believes in the old ways of business talk first but will utilize the whole eye for an eye saying. He uses violence & kills only as a last resort. There is a fire, a man named Nino has been murdered. A village boy Vito is instructed to take Rita away from the murder seen. Nino's brother and daughter ask the Don for justice.
We fast forward to a procession during a feast; we first see his power as their family walks through the village. Don Michele meets up with Don Salvo Simi. You get the feeling they respect each other. They are equally cautious with one another. Shortly after, we see the man Bellafiore who committed the murder. He has the murder victim's daughter with him. Salvo requests to have a talk alone with Bellafiore. He doesn't understand why Michele is upset over the murder of a peasant. He brags how the victim's daughter is a virgin. He even offers her to Don Michele to enjoy. He also shares with Don Michele that the wind is changing. He suggests he sell his land in order to fund a drug business.
We see Bellafiore in the mist of raping the young woman. The next thing we see is the Don with his men taking care of Bellafiore. The police investigate the murder of Bellafiore. They ask questions. The Chief Prosecutor Borsellino laments, "...you keep living behind the guise of justice and protection from the Mafia. You will never have any justice."
We flashed forward to Rita with her father Don Michele, once again. She is riding her new bike while Don Michele and Don Salvo are discussing business. The discussion pertains to drugs. Don Salvo wants to leap into to drug business full throttle. Don Michele does not. As they finish their conversation, we see men all around, shots ring out. Don Michele is shot. Rita screams for help. In a neighborhood controlled by gangs, her screams go unanswered. People turn a blind eye. Rita runs to Don Salvo, not realizing he has a hand in the murder of her beloved father. She believes him to be a family friend. Her brother Carmelo tells her to never go to him again. Rita is told Don Salvo is the one who murdered their father. They both pledge to get justice. As time goes on, little Rita begins writing in her diary about the people in her village.
We now move forward to 1991. Rita is 17 years old and her brother Camelo tells her it is time to get their revenge. Carmelo goes to the waterfront. Later we hear that there is a body in the water. Rita goes quickly hoping to see Don Salvo, finally avenging the death of her beloved father. Instead she finds that Carmelo has been killed. The boy Vito is now a man. He and Rita have been boyfriend/girlfriend since the night of Bellafiore's death. She loves Vito and wants to spend her life with him. The twist thickens. Vito works for Don Salvo. The drug business is good money for a young man. Rita seeking justice finds Chief Prosecutor Borsellino in Palermo. He does not want to help because it is the mafia. He discovers Rita has some valuable information. Information that leads to a major police sting confiscating Don Salvo's drugs. Don Salvo tries to figure out who ratted to the police. Vito (the little bitch) tells Don Salvo that Rita went to the police in Palermo.
I know some of you may be planning on watching this movie on Netflix. So not wanting to spoil The Sicillian Girl, I suggest you stop reading now.
From this point forward, we see Rita who in the protection of the state. Rita becomes Silvia Bonura the daughter of shopkeepers. The Chief Prosecutor is trying to build a case against the Mafia. He utilizes the jounals that the Rita kept for many years as the basis for his case. Rita for once seems happy but she is alone. She had to leave Vito her first love behind. She left her mother who did not seem to want her anyway. As we progress towards the trial Rita finds another friend Lorenzo who likes her in Rome. She seems happy for a moment. She seems to be living life. However, in the bliss of a blossoming romance, she withdraws. One doesn't know if it's because of her feelings toward Vito or the knowledge she will not live long.
Rita returns to court with the gun of Don Michele and her brother Carmelo.
The trial of Don Salvo and his gang begins. Rita begins to give her testimony. The defense produces a witness who claims Don Michele raped her many times. The witness is Nino's daughter who Don Michele Mancuso saved from being raped by Bellafiore. The strategy is to bring discredit the information written by a little girl long ago. The Chief Prosecutor asks her to look back and acknowledge her father was also a killer. She meets with her mother who confirms the truth of who her husband and son were. We also understand what the barrier is between mother and daughter. The mother resents how both men protected Rita from the truth. How her daughter was protected from the ugliness of the lifestyle while she washed blood stained clothes of their victims. We get a glimpse of Vito with a bomb maker.
In court the defense has made it seem as if Rita is delusional and ratting out her father. She returns to court to add to her testimony. Rita owns the truth; her father and brother were killers. They were no better than the filth now on trial. Afterwards, Rita meets with the Chief Prosecutor; they embrace. She knows that they will get a conviction now. As they depart for the night, you get the feeling someone is going to die. As the Chief Prosecutor leaves the courthouse, we hear a large explosion. He is killed. Rita has no one left. Her mother has turned her back completely. She, by tradition, is a victim of the Mafia lifestyle and ways.
Rita is moved to a new hiding place. Lonely she reaches out to Lorenzo and then her mother with no luck. Finally she calls Vito, thinking she can trust him. He shows up at her hiding place. They embrace, kiss and make love. They both profess their love for each other. Vito asks Rita to take back all of her testimony. He wants her to say it was just an imaginary tale from a little girl. Vito claims he can save her. He wants to marry Rita, making her a proper woman. Vito said that he had Don Salvo's word. Rita is pissed. If she does what Vito asks the Mafia will not be brought to justice. She is angered that Vito would talk of loving her when his loyalty truly lies with his boss, Don Salvo. With the Chief Prosecutor dead, she knows that she will not live for long. Knowing her death with Vito in her room ensures justice will be brought down on Don Salvo, Rita takes her life by jumping off the balcony. She frees herself and guarantees justice is done for her family and so many others.
Rita Atria, a young women who laid down her life for justice.
Now I really loved The Sicillian Girl. It takes a strong girl with deep convictions to go against a way of life. Even though she killed herself, I think that she was finally free of a lifestyle she did not choose for herself. She became a champion for the people who hated the rise of the Mafia in Italy and the importing of drugs into the country. From beginning to end Rita demonstrated an incredible will and strength. It is subtitled in Italian. I highly recommend the movie! You will not be disappointed, even if you read this entry with the spoiler. If you've already seen this one or take my advice in the future, please let me know what you think of The Sicillian Girl. I appreciate all feedback. My wife keeps on watching this movie. I have a funny suspicion, she has a thing for a couple of the Italian cops; Women!
Now many of you only drop by to read about VH1's Mob Wives series which I can appreciate. The ladies do a great job giving you information relevant to the show's cast and their lifestyles. If you don't know, these ladies are diggers. I have watched the show a few times. This may read like blasphemy but I really cannot get into it. It could be due to my missing a couple of episodes. Maybe I just can't relate to the women. Which is probably a good thing because I am 100% all man. I was asked to contribute to this blog strictly based on my encyclopedia type knowledge of pop culture, movies and music. My memory is serious business. I can read; I can watch; I can listen whether books, movies, albums, newspapers, magazines and remember all sorts of details.
I happened to be listening to the Howard Stern Show on Sirius XM. He was reading an advertisement for a little movie called "A Prophet". The ad said the movie was comparable to "The Godfather". I hate when a movie is compared to a classic. Most of the time, it will never stand a chance living up to the comparison. The advertisement mentioned it's Academy Award nomination for best foreign language film. It is a French movie with subtitles. One day I was fooling around with my Netflix queue. I came across "A Prophet". So I said why not. At a minimum, it would be fun to see if the French can make a gangster movie.
I've watched "A Prophet" twice now. Once for enjoyment and the second time for some of the themes that ran throughout. The thread through this movie is one we see with the Mob Wives; loyalty. Loyalty is near and dear to many. It's everything for some.
A quick rundown of the movie, the movie's central character is a French Arab named Malik. He is sentenced to 6 years in prison. He's in prison for fighting cops. Malik is 19 years old with no family and no real identity. All he wants to do is serve his time, and eventually move forward with his life. As in most prisons there are separate factions which run the prison. The factions are the Corsican mob and the Muslims. The Corsican mob boss in prison is Luciani. He is an older gentleman who is probably going to die in prison. It appears the Corsican mob is the dominating faction in the prison. While the Muslims seem very united. We're not given a clear view of the Muslims beyond their loyalty.
Malik is jumped for his shoes in the prison courtyard. The Corsicans witness the incident. They approach Malik with a job. He is asked to kill a Muslim witness named Reyeb. Malik is conflicted. He does not want to kill. He does not want to kill a fellow Muslim. In the end, he has no choice. The job completed; he earns the protection from the Corsicans. Malik is looked at only as a dirty Arab. He does not get the respect from the mob. He is their bitch boy for lack of a better term. He appears fiercely loyal. Whatever is asked of him, he does.
Malik has visions of Reyeb in his cell. Many may interpret this as a haunting of his first murder. I see this in a totally different way. Reyeb had been trying to find a friend in prison. Reyeb tried to get Malik to understand his Muslim heritage. The brotherhood which can be strong if they remain loyal to each other.
Luciani begins trusting Malik with bigger assignments. Malik develops relationships outside of the mob. As Luciani trusts grows, Malik begins identifying with his Muslim roots. He meets another Muslim who pushes Malik to education. The Corsicans' oppressive hand has no interest in Malik or any other Muslim's education. They know the tide will turn with knowledge. Malik appears closer to Luciani than the other Corsican soldiers. He does not ask Luciani for anything. He does not burden the boss.
The one thing that I loved about the movie was Malik's loyalty. He was loyal to whoever. Maybe he used them but it was never obvious.. He created a bond to the Muslims by giving money. Luciani trusted him enough because of his loyalty. Malik began handling big business. Malik was loyal to his friends who helped him along the way. He made money with a drug dealer. He supported Ryad because he showed him education. The viewer watches Malik do bad things. Yet most who watch will love this character. Malik is fiercely loyal. He just kept everything quiet and he made his way. He raises to power. He becomes stronger than the Corsicans. He is respected. Yet to the Corsicans after all the jobs and time spent with him, Malik is only a dirty Muslim.
I understand the comparison to the Godfather. I don't know if "A Prophet" will ever be seen as a classic in the states. It's a little seen movie. It's a foreign film with subtitles. I love the movie. I watched it last night again for this post. I saw things; I hadn't caught the first time around. It's a great mob or gangster movie. I know you read. So grab your reading glasses and pop some corn. "A Prophet" is the next best thing to having a French lover whisper sweet nothings in your ear. Let me know your thoughts on the movie if you've seen it or after you watch it. I'd also like your recommendations on some great movies. I wonder what the ladies of Mob Wives would say about this movie. Loyalty comes out of their mouths every Sunday @ 8PM/7PM central as if they get a buck everytime they say the word.
Lately, I have been busy with all this writing. I have a tendency to write as I speak which does not always work for the reader. It is a good thing I have a ghost editor to fix my mistakes. And make sense of my barely passed the 10th grade education.
On with this blog, pissing off people is something I have knack for. I had a friend who used to say that it was better to be pissed off than pissed on. I guess that is true except in the case of those who like golden showers.
Scarface, the classic movie by Brian DePalma will be the topic of this post. I have watched Scarface a few times. It is quite possibly the most quoted movie in rap lyrics ever. Many of those same rappers have shrines in their homes to this movie. I love the movie. It's a long movie for me. I find it slow in some places. So it can take me a few sittings to watch the movie in it's entirety.
For those who have never seen this movie, it is about a Cuban refugee Tony Montana. Tony ends up in Miami and works his way up the drug dealer gangster food chain. It is a real rags to riches story, the pursuit of the American dream in Reagan era economics. Tony Montana was a real bad ass. He was a cold-blooded killer. He knew how to reach to the top through any means necessary. There is one small fact that many people seem to overlook.
TONY WAS IN LOVE WITH HIS SISTER.
Many will debate that Tony was just an overprotective big brother. I disagree. There was a strange sexual tension between Tony and his younger sister Gina. He was protective and looked after her throughout the movie. It seemed like a benign relationship. It almost was more of a father daughter type relationship. There is never a mention of their father in the movie. Their relationship seemed harmless in the beginning. He would give her money & buy her things. Yet, he had a mean streak when it came to Gina. There is a scene where Tony sees his sister dancing with a guy. They head off to the restroom to make out. Tony the God good big brother follows them into the restroom. He beats the dude. He yells at Gina. I can see the overprotective brother looking out for his younger sister. There is something not quite right with this scene. You can feel the possessive tension.
Tony's right hand man in the movie was Manny. Throughout the movie Manny stood by Tony's side and had his back always. They reached for the top together. One would think that if anybody was good enough for Gina, Manny would be the guy. But sadly, that is not the case. Tony finds out that they are together. He flips out. Tony kills Manny, he sister's husband. If that is not envy and jealousy, I don't know what is.
Finally, we come to the end where Gina confronts Tony. She basically lays it out. Gina knows her brother wants her. She throws herself @ him with gun in hand. Before Tony denies her accusations for a moment we see his lust for her. Moments later, Gina is killed by those trying to kill Tony.
Tony was in love with his sister. If the scene had been different we may have saw a another side to Tony. Instead we overlook his faults and possible incestuous love of his sibling. We instead as a viewer focus on his hardcore gangsterism. He went out like a champ, killing many of the guys who ended up succeeding in killing him.
I challenge you to watch the movie from my perspective. You may have a different opinion of the hip hop hero Tony Montana. Here's the scene which reveals my perception of his lust for his sister. I hope you enjoy even if you disagree.
First off, I guess I should do a quick introduction. I am an average man who works hard and plays hard. I am not a writer like the Mistress or Chiara. I do not have their wit and style when it comes to writing. I am straight shooter who will pull no punches. I have opinions on many things. I will share with anybody who dares to actually read. I am excited that the Mistress has allowed me to post my thoughts on the "Mob Wives" and other shows. Now here comes my first attempt to share my thoughts for you to consider, enjoy, disagree or whatever you choose. I actually don't give a fuck. Now on to my thoughts about mob and mafia movies.
Growing up, I watched every movie that dealt with the mafia. I have spent weekends watching "The Godfather" trilogy. I have lumbered through Scarface and Goodfellas. Now I will share some thoughts on it. In the movie, "Scarface", there are many quotes that I can think of that have molded me into the man that I am.
The first one is this: "All I have in this world is balls and my word." This is appropriate for any man worth his weight. The man can be the don or just an earner; this quote applies.A man is only as good as the word he gives. If I am a liar and a snake then I do not command the respect of other people. Nobody would be willing to listen. If I am not honest then I cannot be trusted. That is why when I give you my word you know that you can trust it. The second part of the quote deals with my balls. If you think of the Greek statues of nude men specifically David you'll see a small penis and adequate balls. The true measure of a man is the size of his balls. It is a sign of masculinity. A signal if you will that I am ready to impregnate the entire population of women in the world. A man who is gutsy is referred to as having big balls. You are a man if you are willing to stand up for what you believe in. This is why in my line of work I do speak my mind and stand behind my balls. This is a quote for all men to live by.
Another quote is, "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer." This is great because you have to keep an eye on your friends but a closer eye on your enemies. They are trying to cause your downfall. They will rat on you and hit you when you are not looking. This is the reason why I feel you need to keep your enemies closer.
Today, I was talking to some of my earners. One brought up the scene in which Manolo and Tony are hanging out on a beach in Miami. Manolo tells Tony that American women like when you flick your tongue rapidly while trying to hit on them. Tony calls Manolo sick for doing so. In the movie it is a funny scene because this fails miserably for Manolo. However, I understand his point. American women want a bold man. They do not need a man who is weak or afraid. They want a person who is strong and willing to be straightforward when it comes to decision making and sex.
"Never sit with your back to the door." Now this should be easy to understand but I will give you my everyday explanation. You have to always be aware of your surroundings. You have to keep your head on a swivel. You never know when somebody is trying to cause you or your family harm. I live by this day in and day out.
There are many examples of how the mob life has affected me and my everyday activities. I could go on and on. But I think you get the idea. We have all been influenced by these movies and television shows.
Now that I gave you a bit about my philosophy, I look forward to forcing my opinion on you about a few shows. Stay tuned for my next post about the Housewives of New Jersey season opener.
