When this movie was first announced, I didn’t really expect it to be a great movie. I expected it to be an average comic book movie that people would overhype.

Boy was I wrong.

From start to finish, The Avengers brings plenty of action. For fans that haven’t followed any of the latest Marvel movies, they may be lost on a few of the punchlines. Yet, those punchlines don’t make the movie, so even casual fans can keep up with the pace of the movie — which is oftentimes quick.

Also, those who haven’t learned to stay at the end of Marvel movies will also be lost as to how Loki survived after his encounter with Thor, which Marvel doesn’t even explain in this movie. It’s like he magically reappears. Aside from that plot hole, everything else flows.

I wasn’t left wondering, “Well what happened to…” or Did he ever do….” or anything. Instead, I left with a smile on my face. Growing up, I didn’t read many comics, but I knew who most of the characters were. So, characters like Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America weren’t new to me. However, Black Widow and Hawkeye were new to me.

None of the actors/actresses playing the superheroes disappointed. The hilarious lines and scenes were plentiful in this movie, and it helped to have an audience laughing along with some of the more corny scenes and lines.

The visuals in Avengers were highly believable. There wasn’t a time I thought, “Well this is very fake.” Everything looked real and sounded real, which is a great nod, as most superhero movies have that one scene — or two — where you realize that it’s all fake.

The storyline delivered. While there were a few slow moments, the movie didn’t drag on forever, despite it’s 2.5 hours runtime. In fact, the film never felt like it ran too long. It felt just right for these superheroes, leaving me very, very impressed.

For those that like extra scenes, make sure to stick around for two scenes — one during the credits and one after the credits. The first one alludes to a definite sequel coming in the near future, while the last one is a great comedic scene, one that won’t disappoint.

Overall, I have nothing negative to say about this movie, which is rare. I’m left thoroughly impressed by Marvel’s ability to pull off such an astonishing film, while not tiring out the viewer. Great job Marvel and crew. You deserve the accolades this film will receive.

Rating: 5/5

Worth getting there early for: There are a few trailers that people would love to see on the big screen. They include The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spiderman, and The Expendables 2. There’s nothing like seeing these trailers on the big screen — period.

Tupac came back — sort of. A hologram using Tupac’s likeness and image appeared with Snoop Dogg during Coachella 2012.

Twitter, Facebook, and other social networks were bombarded with posts about how real the hologram seemed. The hologram offered a full 3D version of Tupac performing “Hail Mary” — a song that was released after his death, and later performing “Gangsta Party” with Snoop Dogg. The hologram moved almost flawlessly with the live band backing up Tupac — or the hologram.

What really amazed most of those who saw the hologram live is when “Tupac” said, “What the f— is up, Coachella?!” Tupac also interacted with Snoop Dogg onstage as well, making the hologram seem a little too realistic.

Coachella’s cameramen also made the performance seem a little too real when they zoomed in on the hologram, showing how detailed the hologram really was. What stood out most to me was the fact that Tupac’s eyes seemed legit — which was very creepy.

Also, to see the hologram “breathing” was very surreal. You could see the stomach go up and down as Pac performed. The details of the tattoos was also very on point. It’s as if they scanned Tupac’s body for the tattoos, which to me is incredible.

Only one major flaw — which can also be seen as minor — occurred during Tupac’s appearance. At times, he seemed to be gliding across the stage. It could’ve been shoddy camera work or just that the technology for the hologram hasn’t advanced enough to prevent that from happening.

One moment that seemed surreal was to see Snoop Dogg standing next to “Tupac.” It seemed almost as if a dream was occurring in real-time. The interaction — if you can call it that — between the two was effortless and totally in sync. It didn’t appear over-rehearsed, but it was very well planned.

While it was a feel good moment, one can only think into the future when holographic technology is used irresponsibly. Whatever the case may be, the holograms definitely excited many old-school hip-hop heads.

There is so much information and advice coming out on love these days. From Tyler Perry to Steve Harvey, there’s something for everyone that wants to give advice on love. However, I’m seeing too much of that advice break away from the fundamentals of love, which is leading to many broken homes, broken hearts, and broken friendships.

According to DivorceRate.org, almost half of marriages end in divorce. The rate is alarming, and more people are feeling the pressure of finding that special someone. There’s also a lot of emphasis on getting someone to settle down with so children can be raised.

That’s all fine and dandy, but why is love so hard to obtain? Why is it so hard to be happy in a relationship? Simply because the fundamentals are being ignored.

One of the main fundamentals that’s being ignored is compatibility. A lot of relationships turn sour after the “honeymoon stage” because people aren’t compatible. They were never meant to be together in the first place, and the relationship is mainly built on lust or the fact that’s the best either was able to do at that time.

This leads to friction down the road when one or both ends up wanting someone else or they just grow tired of each other. The best way to figure out the level of compatibility is to take the relationship slowly. Build a friendship and then work on the love part. This leads to the next fundamental.

There’s no reason to marry someone that you can’t see as a best friend. The person you love has to be someone you can talk to about nearly everything. They also have to be a person that you can lean on heavily in a time of need.

If the person you’re with is not your friend, there’s a huge chance that you’ll seek that friendship in other places, which could lead to infidelity. Also, without a true friendship in the relationship, there’s no easy way to work out the problems and become better acquainted.

A main fundamental is honesty. There are lies being told in so many relationships that it’s ridiculous. If you don’t like someone, come out and say it instead of cheating on them with someone else. It’s better to be honest; sure it’ll hurt for a while, but it is a lot better than leading them on.

If more honesty were exercised between people, there would be a lot more happier relationships. Be honest with your spouse/significant other and make sure that you demand the same thing back. If they are unable to give it back, then you may need to move on.

One of the final fundamentals for today is patience. Some people will let their relationship implode over the first problem. Hardly any marriage has ever been picture perfect from the start. It took time and work and patience to work through everything and every issue.

Every relationship/marriage will have some sort of patience test — whether it’s a short one or long one. The key is to beat the odds and conquer the test. The easiest thing to do is quit, and most people take the easy way out. Remember the old saying: “Good things come to those who wait.”

I think if these fundamentals of love were followed, people would be a lot more happier and having healthier relationships. Going back to the basics of love could make life a lot easier and without a lot of heartbreaks. There is one last fundamental that doesn’t really need any explanation though.

Love yourself first.

Associated Press photo

I’ve been trying to stay away from this subject for a long time, ever since I found out about the alleged bounty system that existed in New Orleans. After the NFL issued major punishments — the most glaring including a year ban for Head Coach Sean Payton and an indefinite one for Defensive Coordinator Gregg WIlliams, I watched Saints fans on Twitter implode.

There were allegations of a fix being in place. There were death threats. There were cries that the punishment wasn’t fair. There were even excuses, the most popular one being: “It’s football! They get paid to hit one another!”

The problem is that the NFL was correct in their punishments and I — a diehard Saints fan — agree with the punishments.

Before I get tarred and feathered, let me explain why I agree with the punishments. The NFL had been investigating a bounty system in New Orleans for a long time. When the first inkling of a system existed, the NFL asked the Saints, General Manger Mickey Loomis, Payton, and Williams to end the bounty system.

They ignored the memo and continued on.

While the Saints ended up winning a Super Bowl in 2010, the NFL put a more stern eye on the Saints. They noticed the brutal hits levied upon Brett Favre and launched a more serious investigation. During this time, they found out the bounty system still existed, which likely pissed off NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

I don’t think Goodell had a problem with players hitting each other, and neither do I. However, I was raised to have good sportsmanship. I’ve never, ever tried to injure anyone in a sport, because it’s not the right thing to do. The Saints knew this, as well as Goodell.

So, when the issue arose again, Goodell had no choice. He had to act swiftly and decisively. The only choice that would scare teams into dismantling bounty systems were the actions he took, issuing punitive suspensions and fines.

It does hurt my team, but I can’t say I’m shocked by it. I’m moreso disappointed in Williams for initiating a program and at Payton for allowing it to continue, despite being told by Goodell, Loomis, and team owner Tom Benson to end the practice.

As far as the excuse that it’s football and players are paid to hit each other, well, it’s a stupid excuse. Players are paid to hit each other, not injure each other. No one can look at the Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints game in 2010 and not agree that the Saints were intentionally hitting Favre after the whistle. If there was ever a game where there appeared to be a bounty system, it was that one.

Favre took such a beating, play after play. It was no longer about sportsmanship, but more about injuring Favre and getting him out of the game. It’s a cheap and cheating way to win, one I’m never a fan of.

While many fans are upset about the punishment, it is a fair one. No coach, player, or administrator should ever be behind a deliberate ploy to injure other players. It’s not right. It’s not fair. It should not be tolerated.

As for angry Saints fans, how would you feel if someone intentionally injured Drew Brees just to collect an extra $5K? What if his career was done?

The shoe on the other foot wouldn’t fit as nicely, would it?

Since we all were babies, there was an indication of success in everything we did. Whether it was first place, straight A’s, or saving a specific amount of money. Success always varied, but it’s something that we always tried to achieve.

The problem with success is that some become obsessed with achieving it — from throwing people under a bus to cheating others out of an opportunity. The obsession of succession can be one that leads to a life of depression. Yet, most people will still go to great lengths to achieve it.

The problem with success is that it’s a word that takes on many definitions. One definition of success could be have $10,000 in the bank by next month. Another definition could be finishing an XBox 360 game. Another definition could be learning how to drive.

Success takes on many different meanings depending on the person who’s out looking to complete their goal. The problem, however, arises when people try to base their success off of other people’s success.

For example, if John Doe goes out and sells 33 cars for the day, why should I base my success off of his achievement? While it’s nice to have a goal to beat, it shouldn’t be a basis for success. Chasing after someone else’s success can lead you to a life of unhappiness, since it’s a goal you may never obtain.

Instead, set goals within your perspective. Don’t set a goal that is ridiculous — ever. Retiring a millionaire is not a ridiculous goal. However, retiring a billionaire while working a 9-5 job is a ridiculous goal. The very elite few can work a 9-5 job and retire a billionaire. However, everyone can retire a millionaire working a 9-5 job, if they are wise with their money.

Another thing that most people fail to note is that success is based on THEIR terms. It’s not based on mine, the government’s, or their parent’s. While most parents do impose their definitions of success on their children, only their children can really decide what’s successful to them.

I’ll refer to a classic television show for this example. Theo Huxtable was an average kid. He got in trouble, he did stupid things, and he had some cool, yet weird friends. His parents — Claire and Cliff — got on Theo every time he brought home a bad grade. They punished him for what they called lack of studying and effort.

Later in the series, Theo was diagnosed with dyslexia. The way his parents imposed success on him was not obtainable without additional help — which he didn’t have. A C to him back then was an A. Now, with additional help, he was able to accomplish his parents goals of success.

The key to this example is the joy when Theo realizes he was correct when he stated that he just couldn’t do better like his parents believed he could. He made sure to note that his parents grounded him for something he couldn’t control. Interesting.

Once again, don’t set your goals of success off of another person’s standards. You can model your goals and visions around a role model, but don’t expect to accomplish exactly what they did. You’re only setting yourself up for failure. We are all different for a reason.

The best way to set a goal is to define what you believe is successful. Not your mom, not your dad, not your best friend, not your dog, but you! Once you define your means of success, then you’ll have a greater chance at achieving the goals you set.

Opportunity always arises. Everybody on the planet has an opportunity at some point in time. It’s just about seizing that moment. – Kim English of Mizzou’s men’s basketball team after winning the Big 12 Championship.

Everyone has a chance to seize the moment, seize an opportunity to do something major in their lives. Everyone wants to be remembered for something — whether negative or positive. Why you want to be remembered is important, but the more important thing is are you ready to seize your chance when it comes?

One example I’ve heard used a lot lately is the LSU-Alabama BCS Championship game in January. About 60 days before that game, LSU beat Alabama in a highly defensive battle. Alabama could’ve easily rolled over and let LSU beat them again. They could’ve not seized their moment.

Instead, they came in ready to play. They knocked LSU out the game early and kept them out. Alabama are now the national champions, and they earned it. But, what if they just let the opportunity pass them by? What if they just expected to lose?

Seizing the opportunity is about taking chances. Remember, you’re one thought away from a change in your life. So, don’t write something off because you’ve heard other people talk bad about it. Don’t let your fear of things that are normal in life stop you from taking that opportunity and conquering it.

Opportunities come and go. If you take too long to seize the opportunity, it will pass you by. It’s happened to me countless times — from relationships to job offerings to photographic moments. The thing that hurts the most is knowing that I had a chance to capture that opportunity and make the most out of it.

However, you can’t live in regret too long, because you’ll be sulking and miss the next opportunity. Here’s the thing about opportunities. Each one is unique. Each one can be a positive one or a negative one. It’s up to YOU to decide. Don’t let past experiences stop you from taking an opportunity.

Here’s a personal story about me taking a chance on an opportunity. One of my first “official” girlfriends is someone I met online via HBCUConnect. Things started out fine, but it didn’t end well when I was accused of cheating, even though I wasn’t.

Moving on, I ended up following someone on Twitter. Things were cool, and she was very interesting. So, I took the opportunity to go meet her in Raleigh, NC. Now, we are a year and a half into a relationship, and things are going very, very well.

But what if I let that opportunity pass me by? What if I had not taken a chance to see her, despite everyone telling me that things like that never work out? Where would I be now? Where would she be? Would we even be happy? There’s no telling.

There are plenty of opportunities going on around the world today. There are some for marketing a product. There are some for job opportunities in cities you can’t pronounce. There are relationship leaps that you can use to take it to the next level. There’s always an opportunity going on somewhere.

But, the question remains: Are you willing to take a risk? Are you willing to seize the moment? Are you willing to make a change in your life to accomplish your goals and dreams? Are you willing to live your life on your own terms? Are you going to let others prevent you from achieving happiness?

The answer should be a resounding NO.

Seize the moment! Seize the opportunity! Sieze control of your life!

Welcome to “One Thought Away” — where I will share the lessons I’ve learned through life and the observations I’ve made to be a better person. This week’s topic is “positivity.”

Every time I log onto Facebook, I’m bombarded with statuses of people being upset, angry, hateful, spiteful, sad, and so many more negative feelings. It saddens me because I know that there shouldn’t be something everyday consuming so much of their mind, eradicating positive feelings.

Then again, I can understand. A while ago, I used to be one of those people. I felt like the world hated me. I didn’t think that anyone loved me or cared for me at times — despite me having plenty of people to call on. I was a miserable human being.

But despite that, I never tried to commit suicide. Suicidal thoughts were normal, and are in countless Americans, but I never actually picked up a knife or anything of that sort. The thoughts did keep me insane, but I never lost my sanity.

The changing point came when I realized how much of my life I wasted being miserable. I was a senior in college, and I kept making myself the victim of plenty of personal circumstances. Then, something in me snapped. I kicked myself in the butt and realized that life wasn’t so bad. With a roof over my head and the ability to make life better everyday, why complain?

As time went by, I strengthened my mind. I started realizing that it’s my thoughts that shape my perspective and actions. And the same thing applies to you.

If you think negatively, you’re going to act negatively. If you think positively, you’re going to act positively. There’s no quick fix if you’re a negative person; it takes time and effort — oftentimes, more time than most want to put in.

But if you want to start a change, you can do so in these five steps:

1. Compliment yourself everyday.
Too many  times, we are the main source of self-doubt in ourselves. It’s easy to uplift others, but it seems hard to uplift ourselves. Time to break that cycle. There’s something you like about yourself. Find it and compliment yourself for it. Maybe you’re a nice person. Maybe you can rap good. Maybe you can beat someone in a video game. No matter what it is, compliment yourself.

2. Stop expecting the world out of yourself.
There are times I see people beating themselves up over a simple mistake that no one would have noticed otherwise. Yes, you should point out your mistakes. But, don’t crucify yourself. You aren’t perfect. Even Jesus — God’s son — wasn’t perfect. President Bill Clinton wasn’t perfect. Your idol or superhero wasn’t/isn’t perfect either. So, you will make mistakes. But get over it. Don’t let it consume you.

3. Compliment others.
It’s great to give yourself a compliment everyday, and you should. However, compliment others. See someone having a baby? Send them a message congratulating them. See someone feeling down? Let them know you are there. See a nice photo of someone? Say something nice! Complimenting others will make you feel good about yourself and others feel good about you.

4. Pray and/or get into self-motivation media.
I can’t tell you how many times a prayer has lifted my spirits. If you’re not a spiritual person, then listen to a self-motivation tape. There will be new lessons learned and new phrases that you can apply to your everyday life. There are plenty of such videos on YouTube and countless books available through Amazon.

5. Have fun!
Life is hard, but don’t let it be that hard. Enjoy life a little bit. Make sure you aren’t burning yourself out with any project. If you are, take a break. Go smell the flowers, walk a dog, sit and watch a movie — anything to relax. Today’s world is a busy one, but that doesn’t mean you need to be busy 100 percent of the time.

These are some steps that can lead you down the road to positivity. However, it means nothing if you don’t change your thought process. You must conquer yourself and begin to THINK more positively or else you’ll do these steps for nothing. Your perspective is always determined by your thought process.

So, become a positive thinker and change your life. Don’t be afraid of changing; it’s for the better good! So take action today. Become a better person, a happier person, and develop a positive mindset. Thanks for reading.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

- Will Rogers

It didn’t take long before the world was gripped with shock. Legendary icon Whitney Houston passed away Saturday, Feb. 11.

It shocked me. Whitney Houston helped my mom get through a lot of things in life, so I grew up on Whitney. All the crack jokes that were made about her weren’t really my cup of tea. I preferred to remember her as the legend she was.

When she was belting out “I Will Always Love You”, it was a stirring thing to hear. Her voice carried in ways that none of the current mainstream artists can carry. The only one that’s close to her — in my opinion — is Beyoncé. Yet, no one could pull off such stunning vocals.

A personal memory I have of Whitney is from the soundtrack to Waiting To Exhale – a classic film. On the soundtrack, there’s a song entitled “Exhale (Shoop Shoop).” While my mom was getting through her divorce, it brought a lot of pain to her heart. But then, Whitney sung the first lines off of the song:

Everyone falls in love sometime
Sometimes it’s wrong, and sometimes it’s right
For every win, someone must fail
But there comes a point when
When we exhale (yeah, yeah, say)

That made her smile, and get over most of the pain she felt from the proceedings. Even though Whitney had a hard life, she still made others overcome their depressions, anxieties, and fears. “Exhale” remains one of my favorite Whitney Houston songs to date.

I also remember her coming out with several other songs after that, especially “Heartbreak Hotel.” That song helped me through several times when I was hurt and heartbroken. It’s amazing how she had songs to relate to anything.

Whitney’s personal life was plenty of comedian fodder, but her struggles hit home for most. It was sad to watch such a great talent waste away before your eyes, almost daily. She went from revered icon to revered joke of the industry.

Yet, recently, she cleaned up her act and was preparing to release a album of new music and was seemingly on the right path.

Unfortunately, her body had already suffered too much damage. She slowly fell out of the mainstream picture, and no one had hardly heard of her — until now. Her death is one that hurts due to my connection with her music. Now, I must go back and listen to her and remember her as one of the greatest vocalists of our generation.

RIP Whitney Houston. You will be missed.

Anytime Denzel Washington is in a film, you can bet that it’ll be a good one. Whenever he’s a bad guy in a film, you know it’ll be better than good and hope it’s on a Training Day level.

With Safe House, Washington plays Tobin Frost, an international bad guy. He’s wanted on four continents for a variety of charges. His demeanor is one that oozes a troubled character that knows how to manipulates people.

Ryan Reynolds plays Matt Westin, a CIA agent that just wants his fair shot. Instead, he’s cramped in a safe house for most of the day with no visitors. His girlfriend has no idea why he’s always working, and neither does he. He finally asks his superior for a shot, and his shot turns out to be Frost.

But Frost has many enemies, and it ends up making Westin a vital part of it. The movie spirals crazily into action and drama, which kept it interesting for me. As soon as you think you know what’s going on, something changes.

The camera work of the film is quite shoddy though. Some shots are out of focus and very grainy, which can be a hinderance to a good scene. Other than that, the acting is pretty spot on, specifically by Reynolds.

Washington is pretty stellar as a bad guy — as always, and his studying of a sociopath made all the difference in the world. Washington and Reynolds made a great team, and it showed thoroughly on the big screen.

The plot was pretty solid, but the twists are very predictable. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out the next step, but there are a few surprises to be expected.

Washington and Reynolds should be applauded for their work. It’s exceptional, but their teamwork couldn’t overcome some mediocre camera work and a predictable plot.

Rating: 6.5/10
DVD value: Medium
Replayability: Medium

The Super Bowl Halftime Show is one of America’s most consistently boring modes of entertainment. An overly cautious NFL and broadcaster generally makes the shows overly censored and edited to enjoy.

But this year, there was a “finger malfunction” — as the media is calling it.

During the halftime show, Madonna had Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. join her on stage during her performance. Things went pretty well, including a cameo by the Southern University Dancing Dolls as cheerleaders.

During M.I.A.’s verse, she took a step back, placed a foot on a raised platform and flipped off the camera. It happened so quick that no one in the house even noticed.

However, the NFL and NBC noticed quickly and issued apologies blaming each other.

“The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing and we apologize to our fans,” said Brian McCarthy, spokesman for the NFL, which produced Madonna’s halftime show.

Not to be outdone, NBC issued its own statement.

“The NFL hired the talent and produced the halftime show,” NBC spokesman Christopher McCloskey said. “Our system was late to obscure the inappropriate gesture and we apologize to our viewers.”

I’m still not sure what the hoopla is over the whole middle finger gesture. Is it obscene? Absolutely. Is it something to be up in arms about? Not at all.

I’m pretty sure the young bucks have seen worse on television shows that center around sex and cuss words anyway. Reality TV anyone?

It’s sad though. More media attention has been focused on M.I.A.’s finger than the message at the end of Madonna’s show, which said “World Peace.”

The message got a huge ovation from the audience, and Twitter was abuzz about it. Yet, the news media quickly picked up on M.I.A.’s finger being flipped and hardly anything has been written about the world peace message.

That’s a sad truth, a very unfortunate one at that. It seems as if world peace is not as important as a middle finger that has America “incensed.” There were insults flung around — including calling M.I.A. “ghetto” — and people saying that she should be “blacklisted” from performing.

I don’t see why there’s a huge deal about a middle finger. From the things I see on TV — from sexual scenes, cursing that would offend a sailor, and insults that shouldn’t ever make the air — a middle finger is the least of America’s worries.

Maybe, in all this fighting, World Peace can get some kind of ally to put it on the forefront again.