Monday, June 30, 2008

Repo: The Genetic Opera Trailer...



This film has five things going AGAINST it...
1) Darren Lynn Bousman
2) Paris Hilton
3) Darren Lynn Bousman
4) Paris Hilton
5) From the Producers of Saw

This is low on my list for movies to see this year, but it seems like it could be a little bit interesting. I need to see more, and maybe this trailer looks better on the big screen, but right now, I really don't think this will work. The premise is decent and could be interesting, but Bousman REALLY scares me, and I personally don't find any of these actors appealing. What do you guys think?

BIG NEWS...

Hey guys, I have the joy of telling you all about a great story. Well, I have good and bad news. Lets get to the good first. We finally have the first trailer for the upcoming James Bond film, James Bond: Quantum of Solace...check it out!
http://www.moviefone.com/movie/quantum-of-solace/26922/trailer?trailerId=2150289

Alright, so the trailer isn't anything amazing, but it's something, and that's what counts. Plus, the bad guy is Matthew Almariec from the Diving Bell and The Butterfly, so he will be stellar. What do you guys think??

So, here's the bad news. I actually have two things. First off, let me thank Comingsoon.net for this bit of news about a certain group of warriors and a possible return to film...

Variety says that Legendary Pictures has confirmed last week’s reports that it is developing a 300 follow-up for Warner Bros. that Frank Miller is writing and Zack Snyder is intended to direct. Miller is writing the graphic novel the project will be based upon, although at this point it’s not clear whether it will be a prequel or spin-off.

Snyder won’t officially commit until after he sees Miller’s take, but he’s definitely interested, says the trade. “The vision of Frank Miller’s universe that Zack Snyder brought to the screen in ‘300′ is unlike anything ever seen before,” said Legendary’s Thomas Tull. “We want to be certain that the story originates with Frank and be as compelling as the first.”


I'm not even going to get started, but I actually would like to pose a simple question. 300 was...

A) Great (5 on a scale of 1-5)
B) Good (4)
C) So-So (3)
D) Mediocre (2)
E) Bad (1)
F) A waste of celluloid (0)

I will reserve my answer for a while, but I would like to hear why you think the way you do.

Finally, and probably the worst, here is the first poster for the upcoming film, Saw V...





These just keep getting worse, so my hopes for this gorno flick are below 0. Really, go see Funny Games if you want your torture fix. At least that movies got a fucking point behind it. Even if it is extremely anti-American, just like EVERY other film made outside the U.S. Why do people find pleasure in watching people beind tortured and dismembered for no aparent reason? Are these films appealing to any of you any more? Is this a film you look forward to, and if so, why? This is a judge free area, I am just wondering what the hell I don't get, and hopefully never will.

Alright, thats all for now, come back later for my top 10 films about voyeiurs...

Go see something good!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Box Office...new releases...


Hey peeps, what the hell is going on?! It's good to be back, and I have the pleasure to give you this weeks box office top 10...

1.WALL-E
2.Wanted
3.Get Smart
4.Kung Fu Panda
5.The Incredible Hulk
6.The Love Guru
7.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
8.The Happening
9.Sex and the City
10.You Don't Mess With the Zohan

Wall-E smashes with 63 million bucks...Wanted was no slouch either though as it grossed roughly 51 million dollars, and some of that happened to be my money...you can expect a review of that action packed kick to the collective groin of society tonight or tomorow afternoon...



Here are the upcoming, noteable DVD releases, for this Tuesday, the 1st of July...

- City of Men...It's the sequel to City of God, BUT Fernando Merielles isn't directing, so it may not be good, but I would say that you should all give it a shot. It's gotten good reviews, and you all should check it out...

- Drillbit Taylor...probably Owen Wilson's worst starring role...it's just a really bad movie, avoid at all cost...

- Tyler Perry's Meet The Browns...Eh, I didn't see it, but it ruled the box office and it got solid reviews, so for a comedy, I say give it a shot...

- Vantage Point...DO NOT SEE THIS MOVIE. This is a really cheap attempt at a Rashomon remake for a political age, and it really doesn't work. Just read my review for my full thoughts on it...

Mad Men Season 1 also comes out this week AND a great double feature, Shane and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance come out on a special edition DVD, so check those out as well.

DVD OF THE WEEK

~My Blueberry Nights~
This is a film from visionary director, Wang Kar Wai, and is his first English language film, and stars Norah Jones. This film is worth seeing if only for the Cat Power soundtrack. It's gorgeous, the performances are great, the story is compelling and it's the briskest two hours you'll spend. This is easily in my top 10 of this year so far, so take that for whatever it may mean, but all I am saying is GIVE THIS A SHOT.


Again, it's summer, so there won't be a lot out at the theatres this weekend, but we do have a couple. Hancock is the only big release, which I will be seeing, and Kabluey, (Anna Lisa, where are you?) opens up in limited release. So if its around you, go check out both those films.

Alright guys, come back later for my review of Wanted!

Go see something good!!!

Wanted...




Alright, so I had a little vacation this weekend. Relaxed, hung out with some freinds from college, swam, camped, and got my face kicked in by a certain Angelina Jolie vehicle. Wanted comes to us from acclaimed Russian director, Timur Bekmambatov, whose "Watch" series (Night Watch, Day Watch, and the currently in post production Twilight Watch) are the highest grossing films in Russian history. This is his first English language film, and stars Angelina Jolie, and my boy, James McAvoy. Now, does this pedigree equal a solid film?

Wanted is the story of a young guy, Wesley Gibson, who is stuck in his dull life, which includes back stabbing best buddies, cheating girlfriends, bitchy bosses, a rather boring job, and a father who was the greatest assassin the world had ever known. Now, that last part is discovered by our hero in the begining of the film, and send his life in to a spiral. He discovers that his father was part of a group of assassins known as the Fraternity, led by Morgan Freeman's Sloan. They "restore the balance of power in anyway they need to". Once this is discovered, Wesley begins to train to find and kill the man who offed his father. However, things don't go to plan and this film has it's fair share of twists. It also has it's fair share of enjoyable moments, and keeps you in, and on the edge of your seat.

First, this film is based on a graphic novel of the same name, that is not all that similar to the film. After dinner the night I saw the film, I had the chance to take a gander to take a look at the source material, and was rather turned off by how mysoginistic and over the top violent that the novel was. The film only took the names and the very basic plot line from the graphic novel, and it's a great thing, because if they had stayed extremely faithfull, like say, 300 (which I despise), it would have been to much and not nearly as fun. The film really is a kick to the mouth. It's like watching a fireworks show (thank you Clover). You are blown away for a while, then there is a finale that is over the top, and then it's done, and it seems like it only went for about ten minutes. This was the briskest two hours I have felt in the theatres in a long time. Everything here is over the top and you really have to go with it. This is a perfect example of a film that, if you can't suspend your disbelief, then you will HATE this film. But if you allow yourself to watch this specticle, then you will have a complete and utter blast. The performances are standard for an action film, but I was suprised with how well James McAvoy was. He played the nerd turned ass puncher really well, and he's a great actor to boot. Jolie and Freeman were fine, and it was nice to see a little cameo by the great Terence Stamp. The mythology is fun to get into, but thats another example where you really just have to go with it. All of these positives said, there were a couple flaws that I noticed.

The biggest problem is the middle of the second act. It just really kind of dragged on, and sort of hindered my experience, and was not helped by a twist, that caused a large amount of innocent beople to die. That whole scene, and I even remember turning to my girlfriend and saying "they just killed a shitload of people", and it really bugged me. It seemed like it was there just to simply play into a plot twist. Just lazy screenwriting to me. Other than that, there aren't many problems. Common is not very good, some of the lines are horrible, and a few of the action sequences are repetative. However, this film is unapologetic about what it is, and you have to love that. If you can suspend your belief and just let yourself go along for the ride, than you will have a blast. It's a heavy metal rocker jamming out on a 500 pack of red bull. It's going to polarize people, so if you see it, leave a comment!


ALright guys, I'm back for the week, so expect a DVD review, news, and a top 10. What should the top 10 be???

Go see something good!!

Thursday, June 26, 2008

New Death Race Poster...


I personally can't stand this poster, and it could be due to two things. One, I have more contempt for this film than most other ones that will be coming out this year. Two, the poster just really stinks. I've never been a fan of floating head posters, so this just doesn't do anything really for me. What do you guys think?

Kung Fu Panda is getting a sequel as Kung Fu Panda 2 has been greenlight by Dreamworks...Lets just hope they keep it clear of the Shrek disease...

This is all I have until Sunday, so I hope that you guys have an awesome Friday and Saturday, and I hope to get some comments on this poster and the last post for my top 10 Robot/Space films...also, leave a comment if you see Wall-E or Wanted this weekend and let me know what you think! Have a good one guys!

Go see something good!!

Top 10 Space/Robot Films...



Simply put, in honor of Wall-E's release tomorow, here are the top 10 Space films/Robot Movies ever made...


10. Star Wars Episode V
9. Aliens
8. Sunshine
7. Terminator 2
6. The Iron Giant
5. 2046
4. Metropolis
3. Alien
2. Solaris (Tarkovsky's...I have this right now from netflix, and it's pretty brilliant...)
1. 2001: A Space Oddessey

What are your favorite Space or Robot films???

Go see something good!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Brick DVD Review...just a few thoughts...




Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation.


Film noir set in highschool. This is the best way to describe exactly what Brick is. It's comperable to The Maltese Faclon meets the Breakfast Club...Chinatown meets Heathers...Does this result in a great film though?

Brick is the story of a teenager, Brendan, who is attempting to get at the bottom of an ex-flames disapearence. He trys and trys to get to the bottom of it, and as he does, he urnavels a tale of drugs, lost love, and murder. Thats really all I want to say, or really can say without ruining anything, so lets get down to the review.

First off, let me get this out of the way. I've seen this flick a few times, and this review is based on my last viewing. What I mean by that, is that this film gets better, and the viewer gets more after every viewing. The biggest inovation about this film is the dialouge. Just like basic film noirs, it has stylized dialouge, but here, it's damn near a new language. However, it's not so over the top and out there, that you can't understand it, but it is a little difficult to get used to, if you are not acustomed to noir dialouge. It's a real blast to listen too, and works amazing in this film. Also, the look of the film is amazing. It was made for right around 500,000 bucks, by a guy named Rian Johnson, who will later this year be releasing The Brother's Bloom, a con movie that I have right near the top of my most anticipated films list. And Brick is the reason why. This film is amazing. It's a smaller film, so it doesn't have the most amazing pallette, but this film is all about the editing. From the fades into and out of focus on a clock to show a passage of time, to garbage bags siginifiying something bad is happening, it's a stunning film, even on the low cost. Also, with the dialouge comes these performances, and all of which are really top notch, especially in the lead. All the performances are great, and they all give this dialouge a true voice and style. The story is completly compelling, and it will really keep you into this story, even if you are a little lost with the dialouge. And this film truly gets at what it's like in highschool, but in a very stylized way. Not so much in the content, but in the characters and their emotions and mentality.

This is almost a perfect film, and really, I can't think of something bad to say. The performance of Brad Bramish is annoying as hell, but it fits the type of character he plays. Also, it can be really rough to completly understand if you don't pay complete attention to it, and even if you do, the dialouge can lose you easily. However, if you just pay a little attention, than you should have some fun with this amazing addition to the cannon of recent new age noir films such as Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, and Sin City. Please, if you know what's good for you, you will give this great film a chance. You won't be sorry.

Brick - 9/10

Alright, so tomorow will be the last post or posts here until Sunday afternoon, as I am taking a little hiatus out to Duffstock to hang out with some friends and just relax for a few days. I'm still going to try to see Wanted or Wall-E, so if I do, you can expect a full review of those on Sunday. Also, I was thinking of maybe starting something like a marathon kind of thing, but it would be like a DVD a week, for a month, based on a genre or style. It's just an idea, but it could be cool, so expect something to that end starting in July.

Thats all! Go see something good!

Poster, and a ton of news...

Hey guys! Here are some headlines for this hump day, the 26th of June...

- Pierce Brosnan and Nicholas Coppolla, oh, I mean Cage will star in the next film from Pianist director, Roman Polanski...Hey, Cage has been good when he is put with the right director. Take Wild at Heart for example...David Lynch keeps Cage's ass in check, and so should Polanski...I like Brosnan, just not as Bond, so while many people may not like this pairing, I think it has potential...What about you guys???

- The script for the upcoming sequel to School of Rock, penned by Mike White, is complete, as stated by the writer himself...is ANYONE looking forward to this? Linklater better be behind this one...or else it's not getting this money...

- Thanks to Comingsoon.net for this info on Steven Spielberg's next project, following Tintin...oh, and the first stages of production for Lincoln have started too...

- Alright, so all I am going to say about this next thing, is it's the poster for Rob Zombie's next film, Tyrannosaurus Rex...

51% Motherfucker...nice Robby...I'm sorry, but if I see a trailer for this, and it is anything like Grindhouse, and it's say, a trucker flick where the truckers fight Dinosaurs...I'm in, and I'll be in my seat opening night...what about you guys??



- The last thing is this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-D3c25_3l8&eurl=http://www.themovieblog.com/



That link right there is to the first trailer for Guy Ritchie's next Gangster flick, RocknRolla. I personally love Guy Ritchie (when he does genre flicks), although, people say this reminds them of Snatch, which I sad to say, have never seen. I know, shoot me now. However, Revolver was solid, and Lock Stock is brilliant, and this looks like more of the same, so I'm pretty excited for this movie...





I'm starting Brick right now...I've been having a hankering for some noir, so it was either Brick or Blood Simple, and I saw BS the other day, so Brick it is...and it's bloody brilliant, so for you guys, you can probably expect a DVD review for Brick sometime tomorow, or maybe even tonight, who knows...but thats all for now!





Go see something good!!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Two brand new posters...Reviews and Netflix updates...

Hey guys! Here are two brand new posters, for G.I. Joe and The Day the Earth Stood Still...


I personally don't like either of them...I think the G.I. Joe poster is really just a still from the film, one of the ones released a few months back, and with a lame logo added to a corner. The DTESS poster is decent, it isn't anything to write home about though. However, both of these films have a long way to go before I can start to be excited about them...what do you guys think???

Alright, so I am just about to head out to my local Wal Mart to pick up an Alfred Hitchcock collectors set, that includes 20 of his older and lesser known flicks. Hopefully, over the next few days, I'll check some of these out and be able to give my thoughts on some of this icon's earlier work. Also, here is an updated list of my next ten Netflix films, all of which I am looking to review for you guys!

1. In The Bedroom
2. M
3. Blue Velvet
4. Tape
5. Magnolia
6. Mon Oncule
7. La Haine
8. The Devil's Backbone
9. Blow Up
10. Hiroshima Mon Amor

This should be fun to talk about...I've seen a few of these, but in the case of like Mon Oncle and Blow Up, these are films I NEED to see, and therefor, I will...so expect a great amount of DVD reviews when I get back from my weekend getaway...

Come back later for more news and a top 10...what should it be???

Monday, June 23, 2008

R.I.P.




Hey guys. George Carlin, comedic genius and cultural icon has passed away at the age of 71. He died due to complications from heart failure...may this icon rest in peace...This is just another brick in the wall of shocking deaths throughout this year so far, and may this man be remembered as the genuis he truly was.

Go see something good...like one of his videos...many of which are currently on youtube...

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Box Office...New Releases...Top 10 Anticipated films for the rest of the year...

Hey guys! I have a lot to talk about today, so lets just get into it with the box office stats from this past weekend...

1.Get Smart
2.Kung Fu Panda
3.The Incredible Hulk
4.The Love Guru
5.The Happening
6.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
7.You Don't Mess With the Zohan
8.Sex and the City
9.Iron Man
10.The Strangers

Get Smart made only 40 million bucks...this was one of the slower weekends of this summer...Love Guru BOMBED with 14 million bucks...thank you all for not seeing it...Kung Fu Panda is still number two...it's a good movie, and so is the Incredible Hulk...

Here are the upcoming, noteable, DVD releases....

~ 10,000 B.C. - Skip it...go see Independence Day...
~ Definitley, Maybe - Saw the trailer for this again the other day, and I must say, I'm kind of interested...rent it with a loved one and you'll have a good ol' time...
~ The Spiderwick Chronicles - Go see Neverending Story...
~ Charlie Bartlett - Rent this, if only for Robert Downey Jr's amazing performance...and Kat Dennings is kind of foxy...Rent Charlie Bartlett, and BUY Rushmore...
~ Persepolis - Please, go see this flick, it's a heartwarming story, and the animation is so fun to watch. Read my review of it, and then go from there...

~DVD PICK OF THE WEEK~
In Bruges

I'm not going to say much, because I want everyone to see this movie. Say you have a blender, and you take Pulp Fiction and Lock Stock, and then lower the quality a little bit, and then you get In Bruges. It's a great movie that I actually just saw this afternoon, and it comes out this tuesday, so check it out. It stars Colin Farrel, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Finnes and comes to you from a great playwright, Martin McDonagh. Give it a shot...

New Theatrical Releases...
This week we have Wall-E and Wanted. Family film vs. balls out action movie. However, I am not sure what I will have for you this weekend in terms of a review. Wall-E looks to be the better film, and one of the better ones this entire year, but I may go out to see Wanted, just because early reviews of it have been amazing. Doesn't look like it will be good, but it may be a better review for when I come back from my vacation this weekend. So, you can expect a review of either Wall-E or Wanted on Sunday...go see both of them...

Okay, so I just did my top 10 films so far this year, and here is my top 10 most anticipated films coming out from July 1st, to the end of the year...



10. The Brother's Bloom
9. Milk
8. The Changeling
7. The Dark Knight/Gotham Knight
6. The Spirit
5. Tropic Thunder
4. Blindness
3. W
2. Burn After Reading
1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button


That's all for now...come back tomorow for more news and a top 10!

Go see something good!!

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Enjoy...

Burn After Reading International Trailer...



This is the second (third if you count the redband trailer) for the upcoming Coen Brother's film, Burn After Reading. This is such a great trailer, and it really has me excited to get out and see this movie, if it's possible to get me any more excited...Really guys. What more do you need other than, Clooney, Pitt, Swinton, Simmons, and the Coen's in a dark comedy. Watch out for this one when it gets released sometime in Septemer...

The Spirit Talking Poster...


How to get this to work...

1. Click on the photo
2. Roll your cursor over the respective photos inside of the poster...

If that doesn't work, then use this link and go through the page...thanks to comingsoon.net for this piece of info...

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=46187

I think this is such a cleve and fresh idea, and I could not be more excited for this flick. What do you guys think???

Friday, June 20, 2008

Some news...

Hey guys! I hope everything is all well and dandy wherever you may be, and I thought that these few pieces of news may just brighten this already gorgeous day just a little bit...

- First Kill Bill 1 and 2, and now, Inglorious Bastards 1 and 2. Yes, Quentin Tarantino's next, hotly anticipated film, Inglorious Bastards, will be a 2 part tale. I don't know what makes me more happy, the chance to see two Tarantino films in the span of what looks to be about 6-7 years, or this fucking movie is FINALLY IN PRODUCTION!!!

- Josh Brolin is rumoured to be at the top of the list for possible Snake Plisskens...thank god! Fuck off Gerard Butler...

- It looks like Kevin Smith's next film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno, is looking at a possible NC-17 rating..

- The Acadamey of Motion Picture Arts and Science has made a rule change for The Oscars...now films can only have two songs be nominated for best Original Song...

- A Wanted sequel is already in production...the script has begun being written...roughly two weeks before the FIRST film is released...

- Finally, another Burn After Reading trailer is out...check it out here...
http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=227&task=videodirectlink&id=1208

I can't wait for this to open...this and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will prove all haters of Brad Pitt wrong...hopefully...

If you have seen the BAR and CCoBB trailers, which do you think will be the better film???

Thats all for now! Go see something good!!!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

The Incredible Hulk...current Top 10...


What is in the water over at Marvel Studios? Seriously. Let me explain. Before this year, Marvel had simply sold their properties to studios to finance and create for film. However, with Iron Man, they began to finance and create films based on their properties, from the ground up. First Iron Man, and now The Incredible Hulk. Does this film live up to the pedigree that Marvel has so far?

The Incredible Hulk is the story of Bruce Banner, a scientist who is accidentally caught in a horrible accident that gives him superhuman strength, and this film is about his struggle, against some pretty heavy odds (an egocentric general and an ever more egocentric soldier) to control and cure this "disease". Elizabeth Ross is his ex flame, and he comes back to his home town to find her and find his cure. However, the general and soldier come looking for him, and it seems that there was much more to this so called accident than was originally thought.

Now, that all said, was the film up to par with Iron Man? Not totally, but it is damn close. The film stars Edward Norton as Bruce Banner, Liv Tyler as Betty Ross, William Hurt as Gen. Thadeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, and Tim Roth as Emile Blonsky, and all of them give great performances, especially the lead, Norton. He plays the introverted scientist with issues so well, and you really buy that there is something deep inside this guy that is boiling within, just waiting to lash out. You also buy that he really cares and loves Betty, who has a new love in her life. Tim Roth and William Hurt just eat up their roles, and really seem to have fun playing these outlandish characters, Liv Tyler gives the most lackluster of the perfomances, and it's mainly due to the fact that Jennifer Connelly was amazing in this role in Ang Lee's Hulk, and Tyler doesn't quite live up to her. She is fine, but I've seen better. Even the smaller character's are great, and they even have a Stan Lee cameo, that is INVOLVED WITH THE PLOT.

Also, Louis Letterier is brilliant behind the camera, especially in those opening scenes in the Brazillian Favelles. There are some shots during that opening that rival anything I saw in Iron Man, and I may actually give the edge to The Incredible Hulk in the direction. The ending fight secuence is also very well done. It isn't like Transformers where there is no straight on shots of the characters, and in TIH, you get a sense of a person behind the Hulk. While Norton is somewhat lost once he changes, there are moments (a great scene in a cave for example) that really show that there is indeed a man behind this beast. Hell, even the very end Tony Stark cameo is amazing. However, there were a few flaws that sort of hindered my experience.

The biggest problem with this film is the script. I thought I would never say this, and some of you know why, but I really hope that in the sequel, they give more leway to Mr. Norton. Or at least let Letterier and Norton have more control. I've seen articles saying that the studio (Universal) wanted to see a shorter cut, and that Letterier and Norton had a great, about 2 hour and 20 minute cut that they felt would work, but the studio didn't greenlight it. And the film suffered, especially in the sequence where Banner says he needs to go home, and then it cuts to him in his home looking for Betty. I really wanted to see more of the psychological part of the story, and see him wander and try to get home. It really got me out of the film. Also, while the Hulk is a billion times better than Ang Lee's version (which I actually like, quite a bit), there is just something cinematically off about the Hulk, and the attempts to put him on film and t.v. It just doesn't seem to work, and while there are moments, it seems to put you out of the movie, or at least it did for me, just in one or two scenes. But really, this is a great film, and you should all give it a chance!

8/10

Alright, that all said, does it make my top 10 films of this year so far???

10. Charlie Bartlett (Robert Downey Jr. gets this one on the list...)
9. Cassandra's Dream
8. Speed Racer (fuck you, I like it!)
7. Smart People
6. The Incredible Hulk
5. My Blueberry Nights
4. The Orphanage
3. Iron Man
2. Funny Games
1. Paranoid Park

How about the 10 WORST Films I've seen so far!
10. Vantage Point
9. Stop-Loss
8. Cloverfield
7. Untraceable
6. Mad Money
5. Never Back Down (Although, this is still kind of entertaining...)
4. Strange Wilderness
3. The Happening
2. Prom Night
1. Meet The Spartans

Alright guys...the reason I'm doing this list now, is because I will not be around the weekend of June 27th, the actual end of the month, and I would like to get some feedback on movies you guys have liked and disliked this year.

Thats all for now! Come back later for some more news and maybe a DVD review...

Go see something good!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Top 10 True Stories...Thoughts on Reservation Road...




Alright, so this is a tough top 10 to really do. There are so many classic and soon to be considered classic films that have been based on actual events (and not like The Strangers style "based on true stories"), which led to many of these said films getting left off. However, I tried my best to get this down to ten, so here it is...

10. Adaptation
9. Goodfellas
8. Elephant
7. Ali
6. Lawrence Of Arabia
5. Schindler's List
4. Ragging Bull
3. Reds
2. All The President's Men
1. Zodiac

Alright guys, there's a lot of great films I left off, what are your favorite Biopics/True Stories??

In other news, I watched something pretty interesting last night, and would like to just say a couple of things about it. The film is called Reservation Road, and stars Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, and the best actress in Hollywood (and I will fight anyone who thinks differently), Jennifer Connelly, and is a story about a man (Phoenix) and him coping with the death of his son. His son was attempting to release a jar full of fireflys, when he was accidentally hit by Mark Ruffalo's character. I don't want to get into the story a lot, so here is the IMDB page on the film... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0831884/ ...

If that sounds interesting to you, than please check this movie out. The film comes to us from Terry George, the director of the great film, Hotel Rwanda, and, while not as good as that, RR fits nicely into his canon. It is a gorgeous film and while the story is definitley not a fun one to watch unfold, I was completley engaged from begining to end. It's a story about the frailty of human life, and what one will or would do in the most heartwrenching of circumstances, and it is a solid neo-morality tale. Also, while this may be a back handed compliment (more on why it may be in a minute), the way George is able to make the viewer think about who he or she is "rooting for" is really startling. However, there are a few flaws.

Mainly in a single performance, Joaquin Phoenix. He is so over the top, and almost annoying, that I found myself becoming enfuriated by what he was doing to cope with the death of his son. He slowly begins to neglect his family, and more and more he becomes detatched from the rest of his life, until it all culminates in a really solid ending. Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Connelly are also really amazing in this film. Their performances almost overshadow Phoenix and really bring out a few of his flaws. Their are some improbable plot twists, but I went with them, and they kept me more engrossed into the film. A few scenes here or there (one in Phoenix's class room for example) are pointless and slowed the movie down a bit as well. All of this said, it's a solid movie, and is out now on DVD, so you should give it a shot.

Alright, that's it for now...come back tomorow for some news, and maybe a special something...(Two/Face anyone?)...


Go see something good!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Some news...

Hey guys! I have quite a bit to get into, so lets just go ahead a get started...

- As some of you may know, Lawrence Kasdan, writer of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark, has signed on to pen the script for the upcoming adaptation of the cult classic, Robotech...

- Robert Downey Jr. is in talks to star in Dreamworks/Universal's possible tentpole film, Cowboys and Aliens, based on the graphic novel of the same name...

- The upcoming Astro Boy adaptation has finally had it's voice cast announced...Thanks to comingsoon for the info

Slated for worldwide theatrical release in 2009, "Astro Boy" will feature the voices of Academy Award®-winning actor Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy and Eugene Levy with Freddie Highmore in the title role. David Bowers is directing ASTRO BOY from a screenplay written by Timothy Harris, with Maryann Garger producing.

What do you guys think??

- In uncalled for remake news, Nick Cage and Eva Mendes are set to star in the remake of Bad Leiutenant...if anyone has seen that film, than you know why this is not going to work...I love the original too, it's just like the Death Race 2000 remake...why Hollywood, why?

- Finally, I am sad to say the FX genius, Stan Winston, has passed away. He won Oscars for Aliens, T:2, and Jurassic Park, and he will be sorely missed, he was 62...

Alright you guys...come back tomorow for more news, and maybe a top 10...

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Weekend Box Office...new releases, a game, and a poster...



Hey guys! Today is a big day, so I'm going to just get into it...here are the top ten films from this weeks box office...

1.The Incredible Hulk
2.Kung Fu Panda
3.The Happening
4.You Don't Mess With the Zohan
5.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
6.Sex and the City
7.Iron Man
8.The Strangers
9.The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
10.What Happens in Vegas

The Incredible Hulk grossed roughly 53.5 million bucks...a little lower than the early tracking numbers, and much less than the tracking earlier this week, which called for close to Iron Man numbers. Speaking of Mr. Stark, Iron Man grossed another 5 million big ones, bringing it's total, domestically, to right around 290 million dollars. Nice job RDJ. This is actually not the worst list in the world. Hulk is getting solid reviews, Panda is great, Indy 4 is good, Iron Man is really solid, and The Strangers is a solid horror flick. Also, with some of the recent DVD releases, and smaller indie flicks that are out, this is a great summer for flicks...

Here are the big upcoming DVD releases for this tuesday, June 17th...

- Fools Gold...Matthew McConaughey in a rom...why delve into this...skip it...
- Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins...Martin Lawerence comedy...in other words, skip it...

~~PICK OF THE WEEK~~
BE KIND REWIND
Not the greatest movie ever made, but a really heartfelt comedy starring Jack Black and Mos Def, coming to us from visionary director Michel Gondry. I personally would say get The Science of Sleep and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind before this flick, but if you just want a funny movie with a real heart of gold, than give this a shot. You won't be dissapointed. Go read my review of it in the note, Be Kind, Rewind...

Alright, so we only have two wide releases for this upcoming Friday, both of which are not high on my anticipation list. Get Smart stars the *cough* overrated *cough* Steve Carrell, and the gorgeous Anne Hathaway in an adaptation of the cult 60's television show of the same name. It looks decent, but in a summer with other solid films, it's just not high on my list. The other film is The Love Guru, aka Austin Powers 4, and I'm not going to really start on this film, but I just will not see it, and neither should you...

Finally, I have two things to tell you guys about. First off, there is a new poster, or really a character banner for the upcoming film, The Spirit, and this time, it's got the seductive, yet lackluster actress, Scarlett Johannsson.


I think Scarjo is gorgeous, and in certain films (Ghost World, The Prestige, her little part in The Man Who Wasn't There) I think she can be a really solid actress. I hope she does well in this film, because that poster is amazing.


The other thing is another game for you all to come join me on. It's called the Hollywood Stock Exchange, and all you have to do is log on, sign up, and pick your movies. You can pick films, actors, directors, and other stocks for awards and the like. It's just like the normal stock exchange, but instead of floundering tech companies and real money, you get to pick floundering box office bombs (Speed Racer anyone?) with fake moolah. Also, if you get enough money, you can purchase some HSX schwag to wear or use. Here's the site, and come check it out!

http://www.hsx.com/

Alright, thats all I've got right now...some come back later for some more info!!

Go see something good!!!

Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Happening...my review...





Alright, so here's the deal. M. Night Shyamalan, to me, is horrible overrated. Sure, he's done the Sixth Sense, but his last two films, The Village and Lady in The Water have both been mediocre to really bad. Here, let me rank his films from best to worst, in my opinion

1. Unbreakable
2. The Sixth Sense
3. Signs
4. The Village
5. Lady in The Water

The first three are really good movies, but the last two are not up to snuff. However, when I went into The Happening, I had high expectations. Would they be met, or would the Happening join the Village and Lady in the Water at the bottom of the M. Night canon?

The Happening is a story about a mysterious airborn disease that has begun to wipe out populations of people in the Northeastern coast towns in the United States. Elliot Smith is our main character, and he is a science teacher at a school in upstate New York, and he is told that the government believes it is an elaborate terrorist attack. However, as the scale of the attacks increase, that seems highly unlikely. There are three stages of symptoms when suffering from this mind altering disease. First, slurred speech. Second, paralasis. Finally, death. As people begin to flee for the state line, more and more people die, until the truth behind the disease is discovered.

So, what was good about this film. Well, first, the chemistry between Elliot Smith, played by Mark Whalberg, and Alma, played by the gorgeous Zooey Deschanel, is great. They are husband and wife who are having problems, and it feels like they really do care for each other. Also, the movie is entertaining. Although that's a backhanded compliment, because this may be one of the worst films I have seen all year long.

The film has two main problems. First off, it looks dated. It feels as though M. Night made this film about three or four years ago, and just had it sitting in his refrigerator and decided to release it now. There is one shot in the film, where a group of people are looking at a camera phone and are watching a video of a man being eaten by lions, and it may be one of the laziest and sloppy made shots in film this year. That brings me to another point. The deaths in this film are really pointless. People who are suffering from the disease kill themselves in the last stage of the said disease, and M. Night decides that he must show each death, in detail. The most blatant example is near the end, where a man turns on a tractor/lawn mower, and lays down until he is ran over. Now, the thing with this is that he pans away after the mower is turned on, to look at Whalberg's face, and then goes right back to show the man dying. There is no point behind it. Sure, it's to show the extent of the problem, but the opening does such a better job of it, that some of this near the end is really bothersome. The final problem, well, big one anyways, is the script. This is one of the very few examples that I have seen that I really have noticed the script during the film. I mean by that that the dialouge in the film was b-movie esque, and thats not giving B-Movies enough credit. Sure, it's how some people talk, but when accompanied by intense close-ups used to highten drama, it's laughable.

The problems in the script also led to problems in the performances, especially by the little girl, Jess. She has her moments (a really touching scene with Mark Whalberg in a diner), but when it comes to drama, she really lacks. The two main characters are great though. Whalberg is funny, and Deschanel is just sweet enough, and she has some great moments. There is also some really interesting science behind it. I would write all about it, but I figure, some news articles would be better suited to do this. Here are a few websites to check out if this is something that may interest you...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070223-bees.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_Collapse_Disorder

That all said, the film was entertaining, and the opening is great. So this film gets a...

.5 out of 10.

It's not the worst movie of the year, but thats not saying much...it's the second worst. It's better than Meet The Spartans. Barely. This IS M. Night's worst film. Do not see this movie. Go see Invasion of The Body Snatchers, The Birds, or even I Am Legend. All of these films talk about similar things or have similar plot elements, and are much better films then The Happening.

OH! When the tagline for a film is self referential, then you know you have a problem. We've Sensed it...We've seen the Signs...now, it's Happening. Really M. Night? Don't see this movie. Rent Funny Games, and see what violence is like when it has a point behind it.

Some news...

Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, I had a long day tomorow, and today my be even longer. Here are a few pieces of news that you all should know about...

- James McAvoy will NOT be playing Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming Hobbit film...

- The teaser trailer for the new Punisher film Punisher: War Zone, is up now...



What do you guys think? The first film was not one of my favorites, so I don't have high hopes for this one, although Marvel is at the top of their game right now, so who knows...

- Speaking of Marvel, they have a short list for possible people to play Captain America, and guess who's at the top...Leonardo DiCaprio...Discuss...


Alright guys, thats all for now. I saw the Happening last night, and I will be checking out the indie thriller, The Collective at 11:30, so later today you can expect a full review of The Happening (I have a bit to say about that), and my thoughts on The Collective. So come back later for more!!!

Go see something good!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Some news...a game for all of you to play...

Alright, today is a slow ass news day, so here is all I have for you guys and gals...

- Jack Black has dropped out of the Todd Phillips comedy Man-Witch...

- Here is the first poster from the upcoming Edward Zwick film, Defiance...

- Okay, so Frank Darabont, director of The Mist and the Shawshank Redemption penned a script for a version of Indiana Jones 4, called Indiana Jones and the City of Gods. Apparently, the said script has leaked online. I have not had a chance to read it, as no links are available at the time (the studios have taken the script down), but if the script does get released, you can bet your asses that I will post a link for all of you to read...

Alright, so that's all of the news I have today. However, I do have something for all of you to do for me...

So, I don't know if you all have heard about this, but there is a little thing called Fantasy Moguls, where you pick 8 films, and you gain points based on reviews, box office, and other stats. Now, being the movie guy I am, I want to spread this fun game and I ask for you all to come and join my league.

http://www.fantasymoguls.com/

The info
League Name: I ARE MOVIES
Password: baboon (I got the name I Are Movies from Cow and Chicken's I R Baboon, so thats why it's baboon
Game: Ultimate Moguls

That's all you should have to do...sign up, click the Ulitimate game, and then put in the league name and password. Do that, and begin picking your 8!

You must sign up by Saturday, so get to it!

I will be getting out to quite a few movies this weekend, so you can expect a review of at least The Happening of Saturday, along with possibly my brief thoughts on a film festival movie or two, and a review of The Incredible Hulk. It looks like I may save the Incredible Hulk until next weekend, but with rumors going around that Captain America is in that film, I may see that opening day. More news tomorow too!

Go see something good!!!!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Some news...Transporter 3 Teaser...

Hey guys...here are your headlines for this, Wednesday, June 11th...

- There WILL be a Hugh Hefner Biopic coming soon...my boy Robert Downey Jr. will star, Brian Grazer will produce, and Brett Ratner will direct. More news on this flick as it develops...

- Speaking of upcoming movies...check out this new poster for a certain remake...


Oh yes indeed, a Robocop remake...what do you guys think???

- The only other really big piece of info is the newly released Transporter 3 Teaser...



I must say, as far as action movies go, these films are right up there in my top 5 of current action films...Statham, while not the greatest actor, is a damn good action star, and he's amazing in crime/gangster movies, so I am looking forward to this flick.

Thats about it for now...come back later for a review of Ang Lee's The Hulk and more news!!

Go see something good!!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Top 10 Bad Guys...

Hey guys! Just thought I would drop in with a new top 10. In honor of this weeks release of The Happening, I have made the top 10 film Bad Guys. Now, some may ask, why because of The Happening? Well, I can't wait to see what M. Night has in store for us as the villian or villains behind the air born attacks that are the basis for the story. Hopefully it's good, just like these!

10. Norman Bates (Psycho)/Darth Vader (Empire Strikes Back)/ Hannibal Lecter (Silence of The Lambs) (CLICHÉ TIE)
9. Hans Beckert (M) (Just got this movie the other day in my Netflix queue…TERRYFIYING, but brilliant)
8. Satan (The Excorsist)
7. Gaear Grimsrud (Fargo)/ Anton Chigurh (No Country For Old Men)/ Loren Visser (Blood Simple) (Coen Brothers Three Way Tie)
6. Amon Goeth (Schindler’s List)
5. Bill The Butcher (Gangs of New York)
4. Scar (The Lion King)
3. Frank Booth (Blue Velvet)
2. John Doe (Se7en)
1. HAL (2001)

Alright, thats all for right now...come back later for more news!!!

Go see something good!

Monday, June 9, 2008

A Ton Of News...

Hey guys...I have a lot of stuff to talk about, so lets just get into it...

- Leonardo DiCaprio is working on a biopic of Atari founder Nolan Bushnell...thanks to Yahoo! for the info...

The actor will star in and produce “Atari,” a project about the godfather of the video game industry, Nolan Bushnell. The engineering student, puzzle-lover and game enthusiast went from fixing broken pinball machines to launching Atari Corp., a video game manufacturer, in the early ’70s. Its first product was a little game called Pong that transfixed kids in suburban rec rooms across the country and led to hundreds of millions of dollars worth of video game sales.

Within a few years, he sold the company to Warner Communications for $28 million. During the next three decades, Bushnell started many other tech ventures and also created Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theaters.





Sounds really interesting...I don't know that much about the guy, but I like DiCaprio, and it sounds interesting, so I'm in...More on this as it develops!!

- Midnight Meat Train WILL be released in theatres on August 1st...

- Iron Man 2 filming will begin in March of 2009...

- So, Transformers 2 got a subtitle earlier last week, and it's meaning has finally been discussed...Thanks to IGN...

The site points out this entry on the Fallen, which reminds us that “the robot who would become the Fallen betrayed his creator by siding with Primus’s dark twin, the malevolent planet-eater, Unicron. In the final battle between Primus and Unicron, the Fallen fell victim to the same fate as his master, sucked through a black hole into another dimension. However, while Unicron emerged into another universe, the Fallen was not so fortunate, finding himself trapped in the ‘underspace’ between dimensions.”

Fanboys, discuss...

- Paramount has begun going around talking to the cast of Jumper on a possible sequel...

- A new pic from the set of the sure fire turd that is Death Race, the remake of the CLASSIC Death Race 2000 has been released...





Alright, so that's the main news I have for today, now, a couple of new posters have been released, and I would like to hear some thoughts on them...







Me personally, I HATE spoof movies, and I hate them more when they start spoofing POSTERS. I love the new Spirit poster, but I still want to see more, preferably a new trailer. What do you guys think??

Come back tomorow for some more news, and a top 10!!

Go see something good!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Hulk TV Spots...With a special cameo...



Alright guys, in the second spot, we finally get a little glimpse of Tony Stark, aka, Iron Man. Looks like he could play a helper to the bad guys, which could cause an interesting twist at the end...can't wait for this flick...Go check it out this Friday!


Go see something good!

Weekend Box Office...new releases...


Here is the final talley for this weekend's box office...

1.Kung Fu Panda
2.You Don't Mess With the Zohan
3.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
4.Sex and the City
5.The Strangers
6.Iron Man
7.The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
8.What Happens in Vegas
9.Baby Mama
10.Made of Honor

The Panda made bank...60 million bucks even...Zohan made 40 million dollars, and both films smashed their expected totals. Interesting note, Indy 4 and Sex and The City switched spots this week, with Sex falling a whopping 63 percent . Looks like the film won't have legs for the long hall we call summer. Or maybe it was just that it may not have been a good movie. Ladies, whats going on?

Here are the upcoming releases on DVD for this tuesday, the 10th.

- The Bucket List...a buddy comedy for the early bird special set. Not the greatest of reviews, but good message. Skippable, although I love the cast...

- Jumper...A horrible action adventure movie starring the robot that we know as Hayden Christensen. Skip it at all costs.

- The Other Bolyen Girl...a solid costume drama starring Eric Bana and Scarlett Johannson. It's got a horrible title, but is a pretty decent movie. Rentable, but that's about it.

- Witless Protection...why does Larry The Cable Guy have a carrer?? Someone answer me that please.

~~PICK OF THE WEEK~~

- FUNNY GAMES -
I just did a post on this flick, so I'm going to keep this short. This is one of the most intense films I have seen in a long time. It will polarize people, and is easily in the top 5 films I have had a chance to see this year. Please, rent or buy this, and then tell me what you think!


Here are your upcoming releases for this friday, June 13th...

-The Happening...Horror film from M. Night Shamalyan. I don't know a ton about this movie, and most people don't so, I'm interested in it, so check it out!

~~PICK OF THE WEEK~~

-THE INCREDIBLE HULK-
This is the only other movie coming out, so there's this or the film festival. However, the reviews for this film are coming out, and seem to be really solid, and they are clocking it at huge numbers...Iron Man numbers. So, just go out, and say, have a double feature with The Happening.

Alright guys, thats about it for right now...come back later for more news and notes!

Go see something good!!

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Funny Games vs. The Strangers...


Hey guys! So, during my review of Kung Fu Panda, I ended the post with an apology to director Bryan Bertino, who was at the helm of The Strangers. In the apology, I said that the film was really similar to Funny Games, and in that comment, I have been asked to go into it in deeper detail.

So, when I say "It's not an amazing movie, but if you can't handle Funny Games, but like the plot, check The Strangers out", I mean a couple of things. With the Strangers, the plot is that this couple goes out to a cabin, and begin to be terrorized by a group of people. The story unfolds, and "the Strangers" terrorize the couple in a deeper, more violent manner as the story goes, until ultimatley they are caught and the "game" is over. Now, with Funny Games, you get the couple and their son, who go into their summer home, and begin to become terrorized by a duo of kids. Now, as in the Strangers, the terror increases as the story goes, until the "game" ends. The plots to me seemed really similar. Also, they both open with interaction between the two groups of people (the couple and the family), which really helps the viewer become emotionally attached to them.

Also, and I think this may be the root of the question that sparked this post, Funny Games is INSANELY dark. It may be one of the darkest, and most emotionally effecting films I've seen in a long time. There is one shot for example, of Naomi Watts, struggling to get untied, and just the strain on her face, the tears running down her cheek, makes it almost unwatchably uncomfortable. Oh, did I mention the shot runs for about three-five minutes. There are many shots like that in FG. The ending is also really intense, and the setup right before it will polarize everyone who watches it. Thats just not the type of film The Strangers is. It's a dark film, but it doesn't play so much on the psychological aspect of the terror. It's a conventional horror film that plays for the "scares". They have very similar plots, but when taken as films, are really almost two different genres.

There is one other, really big difference. There isn't much in way of interaction between the two groups of people in The Strangers, which does hinder the terror that is felt in the theatre. The film is scary, but in Funny Games, the two kids who terrorize the family have personality, and dare I say charisma. Hell, the main kid, played by Michael Pitt, talks directly to you in the theatres. Also, Funny Games is a much more cinematic film. I think I said this in my review, but it's like Michael Haneke hung out with Gus Van Sandt the whole time while filming, and during down time, watched A Clockwork Orange. It's a long and almost lyrically shot film, and that really increases the horror that the viewer will feel. It's not that the Stranger's isn't scary, it is, it's just a different style.


So, all in all, the films are different, but the plots just seemed very similar to me. Really though, Funny Games comes out on DVD on Tuesday, so check that out, and go see the Strangers, it's a solid, hollywood horror film.


Check out their respective trailers...

FUNNY GAMES...



THE STRANGERS...





Hopefully this has cleared up any thoughts!

Go see something good!!!

Kung Fu Panda...The Review...


So, people like to bring carry out into the theatre now. I walk in and sit down to watch this flick, and I am shocked to see a group of like 30 people sit right behind me, open up a styrofoam box thing, and start munching on food. Kung Pow chicken needs to stay the hell out of the theatres. They also sounded like parrots on crack when they laughed, but thats not why I'm here. Here's what I thought of the Jack Black vehicle, Kung Fu Panda.

Kung Fu Panda is the story of a chubby Panda, Po (Jack Black). Po is a lazy noodle chef, who has a massive love for Kung Fu. One day, the local Kung Fu Master, Master Shifu, and a wise old turtle, Oogway, are forced to pick the person who will be the Dragon Warrior, the greatest Kung Fu Master of them all. He is forced to do this, as one of Master Shifu's former students, Ti Lan, escapes from prison. At the end of the fanfare, Oogway gets up to pick the DW, and it is none other than our hero, Po. This forces Shifu and the Furious Five (a group of trained kung fu masters), to do the impossible. Train a panda to do kung fu.

So, what was good about this flick. Well, there is quite a bit to talk about. The biggest thing is the look of this film. This is an absolutely gorgeous film. It comes from Dreamworks, the studio behind the Shrek films, and this looks a billion times better than those movies. The thing with animation is, you can't do photo realistic yet. Shrek tried, and it looked like garbage, Beowulf tried, worked for the most part, but still flawed. This film doesn't go for that look, and it really works. The action scenes also look stunning, if really really repetative. This is like the 300 for the Barney set. Hell, the normally boring opening to Dreamworks flicks, the little guy fishing on the moon, was done brilliantly. Also, the thing that I thought the studio did well, was they nullified the normal reasons why I hate Jack Black. While there are moments, he is normally subdued (or as much as Jack Black can be), and that makes Po more loveable. You feel a sense of sympathy for him, and thats needed in this story, whose moral basis is self esteem, and believing in yourself. Overall, this film was good, but there were a couple of flaws.

The biggest problem I had was the voice acting. The thing I don't get with Dreamworks and other studios who do animation, is why do you need big stars to be in your film? Take Pixar for example. This studio bases their voice acting on the character, as their biggest star has probably been Tom Hanks in the Toy Story films. In Kung Fu Panda, the biggest star, Angelina Jolie, barely talks, and I couldn't really even tell it was her. This isn't really a problem with the film, it's just something that bugs me. I can't get out of the fact that that is Angie doing a quadruple backflip and then kicking a guy in the face. Then again, the four year old this is marketed at doesn't know who she is, so I'm just out of the demographic. This film, while gorgeous, isn't very original. It's really just a mash up of, The Matrix, The Madagascar Movies, old Bruce Lee movies, and a moral. There's a little bit of lazy writing, some cheap jokes, and an unoriginal premis, but that said, this was the briskest 92 minutes I've had in a long time, so it's still a good movie.

Where do I come out on this? While flawed, this is still a solid animation film from a normally lackluster studio, and it's a perfect kids movie. Go see it, and if you have a kid, you should already be there.

Grade: C+

Alright guys, that's all I have for right now.

I need to apologize to Bryan Bertino, the director of The Strangers. That movie WAS really solid. Everyone, if you haven't seen it yet, give it a shot. It's the guys first movie, and after reading a great article he wrote for Moviemaker magazine, I have a lot of respect for the guy. It's not an amazing movie, but if you can't handle Funny Games, but like the plot, check The Strangers out.

GO SEE SOMETHING GOOD!

Friday, June 6, 2008

Some news...

Hey guys...today is also a really slow ass day, so heres what I have for all of you amazing people on this dark and gloomy day...

- Sam Raimi is in talks to come back for Spiderman 4...Thats said to be the only way the original cast will also be back...hmmm, stay tuned for more...
- Bernie Mac and Alec Baldwin have joined the cast for Madagascar 2....
- In it's first week of rentals, Rambo has grossed roughly 20%, 8.6 million dollars, of it's theatrical gain...interesting...
- Transformers 2 has a title...Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen...
- Keira Knightley is set to star in My Fair Lady...

Thats about it for today...Come back tomorow for more info...

Go pop in the Layer Cake soundtrack, and go see something good!!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

W Teaser Poster...

Alright guys, here it is...the teaser for the upcoming film, W...


Wow. I really like this. It's simple, right to the point, and those quotes are plain hilarious. Also, it gives us an insight into the film he's going to make...this won't be a moderate film. This will get really interesting come release time...Although it's not what I thought would happen...I thought the poster would be much more contrasty, kind of like the Scarface Poster, say, a black Background with a red W in the middle...that's what I had in mind, but this is pretty damn sweet...

Really, there is no other news today...outside of new photos from the Transformers 2 set, but who wants to see that? So, come back tomorow for more news and notes...

Go see something good!!

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Some news...

Hey guys! Here are a few pieces of news from today...

- Guy Ritchie is set to direct an adaptation of Sherlock Holmes...thoughts??

This would be right up his alley...a tad bit slow, but that would be a good idea for a guy who only does gangster flicks, and shitty romance movies...

- 15$ Dollars...thats the price tag behind the first photos of Brad and Angelina's twins...good god...

- Seth Rogen WILL be the Green Hornet in an upcoming film...

- Check this little piece of news out...thanks to /film for the info...

David Goyer’s Supermax, which now looks to have broader box office potential after the success of Iron Man, has been retitled Green Arrow. The well-reviewed script, which sees Green Arrow facing off in a high security prison with DC villains like The Riddler, is by Justin Marks, who wrote the aforemenioned He-Man script that’s driving the Internet nuts right now.

Sweet stuff right there...Who do you guys want to see as the Riddler?? Lets get the casting started early!

- Beverly Hills Cop 4 is set to be a PG-13 film...

Thats all I have right now...Come back tomorow for more news!!!

Go see something good!!!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

AFI's top 100 Movie Posters...some notes...

So, in honor of this boring ass day, I decided to just search, well, stumble, through the caves of wonder that we call the internet, and in my search, I fell onto this brilliant diamond in the rough...

http://www.moviegoods.com/afi_top100a.asp?affiliateID=41&adID=12266

This is a link to the list of AFI's top 100 Greatest Movie Posters of All Time...

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I am a really big fan of marketing, and especially movie posters. Most of these are older posters, more classic films, so most of these I haven't seen. However, they do have some of my faves on there. That said, they don't have my favorite, and I'm sure they don't have yours, so heres the question...

What is YOUR favorite movie poster ever made???

I have a few, but here's my favorite right now...


It's from a great Sam Peckinpaw film called Straw Dogs, and this poster kicks ass...That stark black and white...the stare on Hoffman's face...the sheer intensity of the shot is so damn good...

What's your favorite?


All that said, there are a couple of small pieces of news to note...

-The Simpson's cast just signed a four year deal...does anyone still watch this show?
-Thanks to comingsoon for this piece of info....


Lionsgate announced today that it has acquired U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to Transporter 3. Jason Statham returns as iconic action hero Frank Martin in the third installment of the EuropaCorp-produced series. The announcement was made today by Lionsgate’s Jason Constantine, head of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Tom Ortenberg, President, Theatrical Films.

Olivier Megaton directs from a script written by Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen. The movie is produced by EuropaCorp, TF1 Films Productions, Grive Productions and Apipoulai Production, in association with Current Entertainment. Besson produces for EuropaCorp. Lionsgate will release the film at Thanksgiving, on November 26, 2008. The film will be distributed in Canada by Maple Pictures.



Transporter 3?!?!?!? I loved the first two, but another one is not needed...Luc Besson IS helping to write it...so I'll give it a shot...

-Alfred Molina has joined the cast of Prince of Persia...
-And finally, the team that wrote Iron Man has gotten the rights to adapt the Robert Ludlum (Bourne Series) novel, The Sigma Protocol...can't wait...



Alright guys...go rent something good for this rather rainy day...

Monday, June 2, 2008

Top 10 Films based on TV Shows...

Hey guys! In honor of Sex and the City and how damn well it did it's opening weekend...here are the top 10 films based on television shows....

10. The Crow
9. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theatres
8. The Fugitive
7. The Untouchables
6. The X-Files
5. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
4. Southpark: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
3. Mulholland Drive
2. Batman Returns
1. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

There ya go...what are your top 10?

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Waterfront Film Festival...

Alright, so here's the thing. The weekend of Friday June 13th, is going to be a monster weekend. We have two anticipated releases in theatres, the Incrdible Hulk and The Happening, and it also marks the begining of the Waterfront Film Festival. Now, here is the program for the said festival.../

https://www.waterfrontfilm.org/index.php?p=2&s=3

Since Hulk and The Happening are being released that weekend, I am going to try to get out to two of the festival movies. I plan on getting to American Son, and the second one is probably going to be the Collective. I will be probably getting out to both The Incredible Hulk and The Happening, so you can expect a shit ton of reviews that weekend. Kabluey is a possiblity, and I'm Rick James sounds like it could be fun.

THIS weekend marks the unofficial end to award season, with the MTV Movie Awards. Now, I would give you my picks for the awards, but when they nominate Transformers for Best Film, than they loose my respect, so forget that. Oh, and Mike Meyers is hosting, so it's bound to blow. I'll still watch though...they have Coldplay performing...

Does anyone else think that their song in the iTunes commercial sounds a billion times better in the commercial than as the normal song? That shit's boring as hell, but it's amazing in the commercial...

I'll be back with my weekend box office post...so come back later...

Go see something good!

Weekend Box Office...

Hey guys!! Here is the top 10 box office list for this past weekend...

1.Sex and the City
2.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
3.The Strangers
4.Iron Man
5.The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
6.What Happens in Vegas
7.Baby Mama
8.Speed Racer
9.Made of Honor
10.Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Sex obviously sells...55.7 Million dollars worth...Iron Man is STILL number 4...Go check out Speed Racer...your mind will explode in a skittles induced combustion...

Here are the upcoming DVD releases for this Tuesday, June 3rd....

-The Eye...Jessica Alba...now heres a question to you all...is she the worst actress in hollywood...this critic says yes...
-Flawless...Demi Moore film...skip it...
-Meet The Spartans...worst. film. ever.
-Semi Pro...See this film for ONE reason...and his name is Will Arnet...fucking brilliant...
-Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show...A cool little documentary on a comedy tour where Vince Vaughn and some of his buddies went across the country on a stand up comedy tour. I like Vaughn, and Justin Long is in it, so I say give it a shot...

~DVD PICK OF THE WEEK~
Control
-This film is a biopic about the lead singer of the great band, Joy Division, Ian Curtis. The film is shot in GORGEOUS black and white by famed photographer Anton Corbjin, and is probably the second best film about Joy Division (24 Hour Party People is better), and this was easily one of my top 15 films from last year. Sam Reily is amazing as Curtis, and this film is amazing and a sure fire hit for any fan of music...check this one out...

Here are the major wide theatrical releases for this week...

-You Don't Mess With The Zohan...Adam Sandler in a Judd Apatow produced and written by comedy...skip it...
-Kung Fu Panda...Scadoosh...the end of that new trailer is the only reason I want to see this movie...skip it unless you like animated movies

~Theatrical Pick of The Week~
Mongol
No one will see this movie. And thats a damn shame. It is a story about the life and times of Genghis Khan, and it really looks amazing. It is a sweeping epic from Sergi Bodrov. Just check out the trailer, and you'll see why I can't wait for this to get a DVD Release


...look for it to possibly come to the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in GR later this year...

Alright guys...that's all I've got for right now...this looks like it may be a slow week, so I will try to get a couple of DVD reviews on here, and then this weekends big review is up in the air....

What would you guys like me to review?

Zohan
Kung Fu Panda
Something else?

Happy Birthday Morgan Freeman! oh, and Hedi Klum too!!

Go see something good!!

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