Couples Retreat trailer

Hey movie geeks! So, I came across this trailer tonight and had to share it. This cracked me up.
When you get the likes of Jon Favreu, Vince Vaughn, Malin Akerman, Kristen Bell, Jason Bateman, and Ken Jeoeong (the naked guy from The Hangover), this movie is a must see. The sheer chemistry alone is enough for the movie, let alone the slightly interesting premise.

So, check this out, and join me in line for the presale of the tickets.

Top 15 Sci-Fi movies of all time

That's right, all the best Sci-Fi movies, now on one list for your viewing pleasure.

As is the normal for Kevin's Movie Blog, I have posted a list along with a friend, Brian. This is a Creative Loafing list, so, here's the link:

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/06/30/the-top-15-sci-fi-movies-of-all-time/

And, here is Brian's link, check it out, and let me know what you think:

http://impoetry.livejournal.com/149536.html

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen review

Happy Monday movie geeks!
I saw Transformers 2 on Saturday, and I wanted to give you my opinion about the movie. I have read reviews that said "horrible," "worst movie ever," and "absolutely terrible." So, does Michael Bay's newest explosion fest earn those wonderful words of encouragement? Not quite.

The movie revolves around Optimus Prime leading a group of Autobots and human soldiers to hunt down the remaining Decepticons and eliminate them. During that time, Sam Whitwicke (Shiah Lebeuf) is off to college without his insanely hot girlfriend, Macaleh (Megan Fox). Meanwhile, the Decepticons are trying to resurrect Megatron (voiced by Hugo Weaving) so they can destroy the solar system and serve a new, mysterious Decepticon called the Fallen. Sam touches a piece of the all-spark cube from the first movie and quickly becomes the key to finding what the Decepticons and Autobots are after. For the finale, everyone collides in Egypt for a final showdown.

First off, despite some of the really, really harsh reviews, I want to say this movie wasn't that bad. It was a typical summer blockbuster popcorn flick that had crazy amounts of explosions, hot actors and robot fights that were unlike anything seen on the bigscreen. The special effects were incredible, and truly, nearly saved the movie. There is one scene at the beginning beginning that introduces Optimus that is breathtaking. There is also a great fight scene between Optimus and 3 other Decepticons that had me blown away.

Also, besides the special effects, they did try to make it a bit easier to tell who was who in this film, but it was still tough during some of the fight scenes. I would also say the movie was simply more than the first one, in every way. There was more screen time and dialogue for the big draws, the robots than the first film, there was more character development than the first one and there was more action.

Now, that being said, the bad parts of the first movie were worse in the second one, as well. Shiah Lebeuf's parents were terribly annoying, and they added another annoying character in Sams college roommate. The worst part, however, were the twins, Sideswipe and Mudflap. These characters were described as the Jar-Jar Binks of Transfomers, and I think that is completely accurate. As far as racial stereotypes, they seem to focus on it, without going to offensive.

Besides the really annoying characters, Michael Bay's technique of a series of incredibly quick, nauseating shots was in full swing in this movie, making it hard to keep up with the action. While this technique is often very effective during an action scene, separated by long shots to calm the audience back down, that does not happen here, it is nothing but quick cuts that leaves the audience a bit green around the gills and very dizzy by the end. I don't have any problems with the technique, but when you have incredible, groundbreaking special effects, why cut the movie so the audience can't sit and appreciate them?

So, is this movie the worst movie of the year? Absolutely not. Is this movie going to win any Academy Awards, especially since there are now 10 slots? Absolutely not. This movie is simply one giant, 2 and a half hour explosion of fighting robots and stuff blowing up, so as long as your not looking for a smart movie, you'll be ok here.

I would encourage you to take some Dramamine if your going to the IMAX version of this movie, or maybe just drink enough so you get dizzy, and if your lucky, it will counteract the effects of the movie.

Overall, I enjoyed what was simply a fun, stupid popcorn movie.
I give it a 6 out of 10

FUN FACT: Attending a preview of the film, Steven Spielberg is reported to have said upon seeing Devastator in the Giza Guerrilla, "That is fucking awesome!" Michael Bay was proud of the fact that he could make the normally well-mannered Spielberg swear.

Thinking out loud

Well, all you wonderful movie geeks, and loyal readers of Kevin's Movie Blog, I have an idea I'm working on for a weekly column. The column would be about some random movie that maybe has been lost in obscurity and I bring it out and review one each week. Ya know, there could be some '80s blockbusters, some more obscure titles, and I will really try to mix up some movies I haven't seen, along with some classics maybe we have forgotten about.

So, look for that this week, maybe, if I get some time, and let me know what you think. And, if you have some great ideas for a classic that has been forgotten (it doesn't have to be super old, but it does have to be something Netflix carries) then let me know and I will put it on the list.

Until then, movie geeks, have a great weekend!

Trailer of the week time!

Happy Friday, movie geeks! Thanks for checking out Kevin's Movie Blog. I know I may have missed a week or two, but its time to get back to the trailer of the week, where I pick a trailer and, well, I talk about it.

Today's trailer is from the highly controversial director, M. Night Shyalaman, or as he is known, the Shamhammer. The movie is called The Last Airbender, which is based off of an anime series, which is supposed to be amazing, but, unfortunately, I haven't seen it. If any of you have, leave your thoughts in the comment section.

The trailer is a tease for what is to come, and while Night's movies have shown a steady decline since the Sixth Sense, I have always appreciated what he has tried to do. I think the Shamhammer has some great ideas, and some really bad ones (I'm thinking about the movie with the homicidal plants) but I think he has some great camera and lighting work, and an ability for suspense, I just don't know if he should be writing and directing a movie.

This trailer has an amazing, epic feel to it, with the kid literally blowing me away with his cool stick o' doom, all the time, showing a huge fleet of unknown people coming to kill him. I don't know much more than that, but it makes me really want to find out more, which is exactly what the trailer is supposed to do. I will caution you, while the Shamhammer's trailers are always amazing, they are also known to be a bit misleading, so, don't think we know all there is to know just yet.

Without further delay, I present the teaser trailer for The Last Airbender.

Amelia Aerhardt gets an actress..unfortunetly

So, it was announced that a biopic of one of the most famous women in all history, Amelia Aerhardt is being made. When I heard that, I thought that was great news, cinema could use a strong female character right now. I have to admit, I instantly thought of Amy Adams and her great portrayal of the character in Night in the Museum 2, say what you want about the movie, I liked it, and she is adorable in everything. So, needless to say, I did have high hopes for a great movie, the likes of Aviator, or some other great biopic I can't think of right now.

Unfortunately, my hopes were shattered when I found out the lead role was going to Hillary Swank. For those of you who don't know, I am not a fan of hers, not even close, in fact, every time I see her act, I want to find the nearest baby and smack it. But, the movie is coming out, with Richard Greer in the role as the husband...Mr. Aerhardt.

Hopefully, they can find another famous female and make a movie with a good actress for cinema to have a strong female lead, but until then, we have Amelia.

Racism with robots?

I know I haven't posted as much as I normally do, but that is because I am really trying to step up the quality of the next post or two. Anywho, this post on Yahoo, /film and The Movie Blog all got me thinking if there was a real problem, or if movie people got all up tight.

The post is about the two robots, Skids and Mudflap appearing as the comedic relief in Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. These two robots have been compared to Jar-Jar Binks of Star Wars fame, but the way they talk, and their mannerisms are what is brought into question.

The articles all describe the robots the same way, which cracks me up, "They both speak Jive, and one has a gold tooth." Now, basically, what they are trying to say is both exhibit behavior of a stereotypical, gangster, gold tooth and all.

Now, this has me thinking, is this a lame, lazy bit of script writing, or has the movie community just gone soft? Since I haven't seen the movie yet, although I plan on rectifying that soon, I would say the movie community has gone soft.

I mean, really, get a life. Sure the stereotypes are lame, and sure its Michael Bay's way of getting kids to identify with robots without explosions, and sure its a pretty terrible way, but if you think its offensive, I want you to head-butt the monitor your looking at until your head hurts. People always complain about how America is too PC until a robot looks like someone else, then we start talking racial stereotypes. Since no one on the planet is a ghetto robot, its just silly.

While they may be annoying, they should not be considered offensive, and people need to get a life and move on. So, there is my rant for today. What do you think, is this offensive, or do the writers of these articles need a good pimp-smack?

I am on a roll!

I have posted another post to Creative Loafings Website, this one is about an interesting bit of news reguarding the Academy Awards. As usual, I would appreciate any support.

Here is a tease for the article:
It was announced today that instead of the normal five nominations for best picture, the biggest award ceremony in all of cinema, the Academy Awards, will now feature 10 nominees for the highest honor.The awards, which will take place on March 7th, will now offer double the choices, apparently due to the number of award-worthy Blockbusters last year — especially The Dark Knight. Most critics and fans were upset the highest grossing movie of the year, and one of the most acclaimed, didn’t even receive a nomination.The Academy also said they wanted to start recognizing some foreign films, animated films and even comedies, which tend not to fare well at the awards ceremony.So, now the Academy may start to recognize a movie not directed by Clint Eastwood. Can you think of any movies so far that deserve a nod?

And, here is the link to the rest.
http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/06/24/and-the-academy-award-nominee-for-best-picture-is/

So, check it out, and let me know what you think, and as always, stay cool, movie geeks!

Star Trek...well, 2, Part Deux

There has been a ton of talk since the critical praise of J.J. Abrams Star Trek about a sequel. The question has always been, do you go for a new story, or do you rehash something from the original series. And, I swear, if someone mentions "V-Ger," I will smack them in the face.

It would be interesting to see what the writers come up with, as far as an original story goes, but if you are going to rehash an old story, I would have to go with one of two stories, or, better yet, a combination of the two.

The first, The Doomsday Machine.
This episode deals with Kirk, Spock and the rest coming upon what is a pretty much unstoppable solar system killer. Every effort the Enterprise makes to stop it is denied. On top of that, the Enterprise rescues a captain from another ship, the Constellation, and a power battle ensues with Kirk and a crazy captain. This episode has all the right mix of drama, a big scope, and some character battles, allowing for a great symmetry between whats going on in the ship, as well as outside the ship.
Here is the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKRKg0FA5YA

The second, Balance of Terror.
This episode truly shows Kirk as a shreud Captain in an almost Hunt for Red October sense, as he battles a Romulan commander testing a new ship with a cloaking device, who is just as shreud as Kirk. In the original series, the Romulan is played by the same guy who later plays Spocks father, Sarek.
Here's a preview, for some reason, I can't find the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-9WqidMjuk&feature=related

The reason I pick these two is simple. At this point, there is no Klingons, and the Vulcan's have their own issues, so both Kirk and Spock truly hate the Romulans for what Nero did to them. I think this would be a great way to show some biggetry, which must be overcome, and a great personal conflict for each. On top of that, you are still not really sure Kirk should be the Captain of the flagship of the federation, and this will show the metal he is made of.

So, what do you think, should there be a completely new story, or maybe a rematch with Kahn? Let me know what you think!

Who quotes more, Men or Women

So, I want some help with this one. I read an article saying there are differences between the way men and women perceive movies. Generally, the article states, that women perceive the movie as a whole better, and grasp the concepts of the story better. Men, on the other hand, have a tendency to see the movie in smaller terms, and remember scenes and more particularly movie quotes better than women, and as a result, are better at quoting movies.

Let me start off by saying that either some of the women in my life are anomalies, or this isn't correct. My sister can quote movies just as well as I can, and sometimes better. I work with someone who is female who is often better than I am at quoting movies, and I am pretty good. I know several other wonderful women who can stand toe to toe at DVD Screen it and come out with the movie quotes before I can...sometimes. So, I am not sure the movie quoting is true.

As far as having a different experience, however, I generally agree some men perceive the movie a bit differently than some women (I use the term "some"). Often, you will see the women get the overall story arch and grasp the concepts behind that quicker than some men, while men will sometimes grasp the nuances of the script as related to a specific character.

So, the question remains, do you think there is any truth behind these alleged findings, or does sex not even contribute to your movie experience? I would be interested in knowing, because I may have to expand on this one..

Let me know, and stay cool movie geeks...cause it's hot as heck out there today!

The Spoiler SWAT Team

Check out this video from Collegehumor.com. It deals with those people that don't want to know what happens before getting to watch that priceless episode on your DVR when you get home.

Me, personally, I have the patients of a two year old on crack, and can never wait, so I say spoil away, but, I won't share it unless asked. But, here's what would happen if I did!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Pictures of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Finally, pictures are released from the new Alice in Wonderland. Pictures include Anne Hathaway, Helena Bohnam Carter, and Johnny Depp.

Check out my new blog for Creative Loafing at the link below. Once again, I appreciate the support!

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/06/22/pictures-of-tim-burtons-alice-in-wonderland-with-johnny-depp/#more-21777

Year One bombs, The Proposel Wins!

Happy Monday, movie geeks!
To start things off this week, we're going to look at how last week went for some new movies and some old ones.

The Proposal got first place with a decent $34.1 million, which isn't too shabby, considering the film only had a budget of $40 million. Once again, both Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds show they can bring in the crowd.
The Hangover, one of the funniest movies of the year took second place on its third week with an impressive $26.8 million, which is amazing considering the total is over $150 million for a movie with a $35 million budget. Clearly there will be atleast 10 more of these made in the coming years.
Disney/Pixar's Up got a handsome third place, showing the movie has some real staying power with a total of $21.3 million.
Year One comes in a dismal fourth place with $20.2 million, which could struggle to get its $60 million budget back.

Star Trek is still in the seventh spot, refusing to drop out of the top 10 with a $4.7 million dollar showing. Clearly the new trekkies are just as passionate as the old ones.

So, now, that we know how last week did, its time to put on the Great Kevini hat of predicting stuff. (I'm still working on the name) Transfomers 2 is set to be released on Friday, which will pretty much desimate the movies I listed above, but how high will it go? The first movie got a $70 million opening weekend, and considering sequels generally do better, I'm going with a $86 million opening weekend.

So, given all the hype, are you going to brave the predicted crowds, or are you waiting?
I don't know if I can wait, but if the crowds are bad, I may have to pull a week-day viewing next week.

My first post for Creative Loafing is up!

Well, not the movie Up, its actually Year One, and it is now online.

Also included is a trailer for the movie, and a link to this blog, which is awesome. I was very happy to get the opportunity to write for a blog like Creative Loafing.

So, I hope you get the chance to check this out, and once again, I appreciate all your support!

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/dailyloaf/2009/06/19/movie-review-jack-black-and-michael-cera-in-year-one/

Zombie Land Trailer

So, I admit it, I am a huge zombie movie fan. I think most of them have become copies of Dawn or Day of the Dead, but every once in awhile, you can find a really fun zombie movie. After Shawn of the Dead, it seems everyone finds zombies funny, and generally, the fun has gotten watered down. This particular movie seems to bring the fun back. How can it get any better than Roy Munson, himself (it's a Kingpin thing) killing zombies? The answer is it can't!

Michael Bay done with the big booms and the big robots?

Just a week before Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is unleashed upon theaters, Michael Bay now is quoted in an interview as saying he is done with the Transformers world, and he wants to focus on some other movies, preferably ones that don't have lots of explosions. No, seriously, that is what he said. A Michael Bay movie without explosions is like an Oreo without the cream filling.

Alright, the thing is, he pulled this crap last time, whining about being too tired, blah, blah, blah. I say, quit being a wussie, and suck it up, he's getting paid more money than God to do this film. I think this is just another way to ensure he gets a ton of money for the next picture.

I just think this is in incredibly poor taste, and bad timing. I mean, the movie hits theaters in a week, and you are already saying your done with the franchise, and you deserve the money. I mean, really? This week should be all about promotion of a huge franchise that should take top spot of the year, not crying about how hard it was.

Oh well, I still admit that I am a big fan of Bay, despite this theatrical performance. His movies always deliver solid results, and are often a great ride. Sure there was Pearl Harbor, but for every Pearl Harbor, there seems to be a Bad Boys 2, and that movie is all kinds of awesome.

So, what do you think, should Bay stay with the boom-booms, or should he try his hand at the drama? Maybe mix the two?

Got it! A love scene in the middle of an explosion, or maybe some guy crying about never learning to read in the middle of an explosion, or...a director who gets paid bajillions to direct a movie, crying during an explosion....I'm calling Hollywood right now....

Mission Impossible: The journey to my first blog

"Your mission, should you choose to accept it," the message said, "is to get to the Year One prescreen and make it out alive." Truly an impossible mission, I thought, but my middle name is Danger, so I took the job. "Bill sent me" the message told me was the password, before a big puff of smoke came out of my computer and the 'self destruct' message came across the screen. "Damn," I thought, now, I need a new computer. I didn't know who Bill was, or why he was sending for me, I just knew that if I wanted to wake up tomorrow with the world still spinning, the Red, White and Blue still waving and the ideas of truth, justice and the American way still standing for something, I better complete my mission.

So, I got in my car and headed off before petting the dog and taking a big gulp of coke. This could be the last time I get to do either, so I better make it good. I walk out, and what was a day of sunshine had turned into a dark and stormy night. "They aren't going to make this easy," I thought. I started my trek toward the goal, dodging and weaving people who obviously didn't want me to make it there alive. In the rain, the crash of lightning and thunder, amidst the stupid drivers, I was forced to wait, growing more anxious by the moment, waiting for my break to cut through. I tried to focus on my objective, but it was growing increasingly difficult. Finally, I squeezed through, and made my move. "This'll be one for the record books" I thought as I bit my lip and mashed the gas.

I arrived at the massive complex that hides my objective. I make my way for the door, when, out of nowhere I am ambushed. There were a lot of them, far more than I had thought. I should have brought more ammo, but there was no time to worry about that now. I gave them a fair warning that their day would end, and my mission would be complete. "Bill sent me," I said with a commanding authority of a street mouse on his last breath. The head guard seemed to not care about this Bill, or why he sent me because he pointed to another guard, this time, one much bigger. After going through the motions again, I was trapped. I was captured, and without warning put into a long line of people waiting to be tortured. My time would come, and when it does, I will face it like a man.

"A man could go crazy, waiting like this," I thought as the hours went by. I kept trying to focus on the mission, but all I could hear was the screaming coming from somewhere in front of me. I still couldn't figure out who Bill was, but at this point, getting out alive was the most important thing.

When my time came, I was relieved and happy and quickly sprang into action. I charged in, waiting for the opposition, which was relatively light. I took out the first wave, but the second wave was much tougher. Finally, I took my seat, and waited to see how tough this mission would be. As the light finally flickered on the screen in front of me, I realized this mission wouldn't be easy. I leaned back and tried to reserve my strength for what would be the fight of my life.

At that point, my mission became very clear; it was mission impossible, not just mission tough...that crap is for wussies. The next two hours went whirling by, and as I sat there, I was truly working at my peak, no one else could have done what I had to do. I realized why Bill had sent me, because I was the best, and he knew I would get the job done.

Finally the lights were on, and I felt rescued. I bolted to the exit, dodging people wondering who this man was and how he survived. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of an interview. I don't do what I do for fame, I do it for the pride of serving my country, and for the good of all mankind.

It was late, still raining, but there was an eerie calm when I got home. I had no idea how to file my report on the happenings of this night. Everything I would type simply couldn't give the events justice, no matter what I did. When I looked over at the clock, I realized I couldn't give any more to this mission. There will be other days, and other missions and I know that when I wake up tomorrow, the world would be waiting for me, so I took comfort in that.

So, there I sat, waiting for a phone call as to the next mission, and hoping they wouldn't blow up my phone when the message self-destructed.

I wish more theaters would do this

So, Tampa Theater is cashing in on the summer rush to the movies with an interesting twist I really wish more theaters would do, they're airing the classics, for movie geeks and people who want to see the classics the way they were meant to be seen, on the big screen.
Some of the classics include Casablanca, Citizen Kane, To Kill a Mockingbird and several others. According to the website, it is $8, which includes a tour of the theater before the movie, along with a chat about the movie afterwards.

Here is the link, if your interested in knowing more: http://www.tampatheatre.org/
It's just good to see a movie theater doing more than just showing the latest blockbuster, they're going back to their roots in cinema.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Very few movies risk having Dick Van Freakin' Dyke be a bad guy that steals from a loser, played by Ben One Look Stiller, surrounded by Ted Kennedy, a dinosaur, Indians, cowboys, and a slapping monkey. The movie was Night at the Museum, and it took so many risks, it turned heads as a fun family movie with action and a bit of crooked history in the mix. The movie grounded itself in reality and dared to go into the fantasy at night. The second movie leaves the reality, Mr. Freakin Van Dyke and picks up Hank Azaria, Amy Adams and Abraham Lincoln in a one-liner fest that will leave you howling with laughter and forgetting the real world that is promised to return at dawn.

The story picks up with our reluctant hero, Larry now a successful inventor. Larry left the museum behind him until he finds out the museum was packed up and sent to Washington, D.C. In an act of redemption, Larry goes in to release his friends and is caught up in some of history's most significant figures in history, and an evil Egyptian Pharoah who wants to bring armies of the undead back to life, with the help of Al Capone, Napoleon and Ivan the Terrible (which should be Ivan the awesome, but whatever).

First off, you won't hear me complaining about how easy it was for Larry to gain access to the secure archives of the Smithsonian, because if thats the only thing you find wrong with a world of dinosaurs, talking statues and a giant squid, well, there's issues. Ben Stiller, despite the fact he was technically the lead, took a back seat in the entertainment department to the many, many other characters. Hank Azaria played a great badguy, who was a laugh a minute, Owen Wilson was back as Jebediah, Robin Williams had a small part as Teddy Roosevelt and the star of the movie was easily Amy Adams, who was her usual adorable, eye catching self as Amelia Aerhardt.

I loved the special effects and costumes, and they really extended the cast a whole bunch to give it a truly larger than life feel, with a mix of modern and past references that were hilarious. The writing truly gave a great experience with so many one liners, it was hard to keep up. Previously, the movie was ground in reality with a very real bad buy in Dick Van Dyke, and the hesitant hero, Larry. The second movie has a larger than life badguy, and a very clear, quiet hero who is sure of himself and deadly with a flashlight.

The one downside to the movie is there were so many funny characters, there simply wasn't enough time to explore any of them. Even our hero, Larry was unclear in his motivations. Amelia Aerhardt had a love story that seemed kind of useless, and the characters from the first movie, characters that you truly come to like also take a backseat for new, shinier characters.

The movie, overall was very enjoyable with plenty of laughs for kids and big kids alike and is truly worth a turn in theaters and will be a must buy upon DVD release. It wasn't perfect, but in a fantastical world of dinosaurs, Egyptians, dead presidents and Darth Freakin Vader, it's a fun ride.

I give it a 8 out of 10

FUN FACT: This is the 2nd time a movie has featured both Abraham Lincoln and Napoleon. The first was Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989).

Two new bits of sequel goodness to get you to hump day!

There are reports coming out today on two big sequels, and it seems to be good news. I'll let you decide!

The first bit of news comes from the Nuked Fridge front in the form of a Shiah LeBeuf interview, where he is recorded as saying his buddy and mentor, Steven Spielberg just got a story down for the fifth Indiana Jones movie, and is working on putting that together. Pretty big news, I just hope they can come up with a better story, and a much, much better McGuffin...Mr. Lucas!!!

The second bit of info is regarding the movie currently sitting in the top spot at the box office. That's right, I'm talking about the hilarious comedy, The Hangover. Apparently, the sequel has been greenlight, and they hope to start filming by February, which seems pretty quick to me, but more Hangover goodness is wonderful news. I hope they can get everyone back, and if so, I have no idea what kinda crazy adventures those guys can get into next, but it ought to be pretty darn funny!

So, is anyone interested in a new Indy movie after the last debacle? I think I would be, but I don't know how they would work it, considering the ending of number 4. I would prefer not to have a two hour Shiah fest, but given Harrison Fords age, I don't see another choice. All I ask is, don't do a prequel or a reboot, or a re-anything...that's so played out!

Where are the big, bad summer blockbusters?!?

Just a random post for the day, but I was just wondering where all the big summer blockbusters are? Star Trek was an excellent movie, and its working on $250 million in domestic box office dollars, which isn't bad with a budget of $100 million. For all you math majors, that's a hefty profit. Anyway, I digress, where I was going is, where is the movies that destroy box office records, like Spiderman, The Dark Knight, the first Transformers; the movies that are talked about at the end of the year for making companies stupid amounts of money?

So, far, this year, the big box office talk is Star Trek, with a measly $250 mill, Wolverine bombed, Terminator Salvation bombed, Watchmen bombed, Angels and Demons bombed, Land of the Lost bombed and G.I. Joe looks to be a bigger failure than HD-Dvd, so, does this leave the door open for Transformers 2, or is it going to be another underwhelming performance on an underwhelming year?

My guess would be that it will have a huge performance, probably in the neighborhood of $90 to $100 mill for the first weekend, and it ought to show up well, but, probably less than the first Transformers, and at the end of the year, when we are talking about blockbusters again, Star Trek will be at the top of the list as the fan favorite. And, money wise, I think Transformers will take the top spot, followed by Harry Potter and Star Trek will round out the top three. It will be interesting to look at the year totals compared to last year; I imagine the difference will be quite staggering, and not just because the Dark Knight had over $600 million.

What do you think, is it that there are just too many good movies this year, and we are too poor to see them all, or is it there just isn't that many good movies this year?

Well, I am pretty poor, and there were a lot of hyped movies this year, but there was very few movies that had The Dark Knights kind of caliber, even Star Trek was compared to Iron Man, which is a compliment, but Iron Man still had a crap-load less money at the end of the year. I would say it is probably a combination of the two.

As always, I welcome your opinions, and until the next post, stay cool, movie geeks!

How to sex up a trailer!

Now, we all know Harry Potter is a family movie right, with the wizardry and the family values and the murder, the sex...wait, wait, wait...it's not a family movie? Ok, I guess it borderlines on the tween crowd, and does its best to bush the line as far as it can. Apparently producers wanted to ensure they get the more grown up crowd to take interest in the new Harry Potter, so they threw this trailer together.

I feel so dirty, I mean, it has cute girls, and guys wanting to get lucky, and kissing, and a broom launch that is so obviously a metaphor for something else, I mean, the entire trailer is all about sex. I feel like the title should be "Harry Potter 6: Harry gets Lucky." It just seems like a desperate move to me, I mean, its obvious kids will be there in gaggles, but, this trailer shows either your worried they will have forgotten about Harry and are too worried about Bella and her fangy boyfriend, or your just desperate for more money. Either way, this whole trailer just feels like one of those $20 woman that sit on the corner of Fourth Street and ... ... and, never mind. Anyway, it just feels dirty. Check it out, and let me know what you think.

Terminator Salvation review

The fourth movie in the series by director McG (yeah, I know, its a stupid name) has had serious controversy and rumors of crap since its inception. Terminator 3 was terrible, and it had a hot, female Terminator and 'Mr. Terminator' himself, Arnold Schwartzenager, so without either of those, there was no hope it would succeed. On top of that, the ending was released online, and, without going into spoiler world, let's just say it got people infuriated. After it was announced they weren't going to go with the ending that leaked, based on peoples reactions, people really started to get nervous. On top of all that, reviews came out that were more ruthless than the terminators themselves; so, am I going to say the same thing, not so much.

The movie is set 8 years after Judgement Day and the events of the third movie. It involves John Connor, as just a symbol, not the head of the revolution. Humanity is right on the verge of extinction, but the small amount of resistance left has a plan, but its really up to Connor to not only find the teenager, Kyle Reese (played brilliantly by Anton Yenchliv) who will one day be his dad, but also stop Skynet from killing humanity. Along the way, he finds Marcus Wright, a man who last remembers being executed several years before Judgement Day, and lets jus say, Marcus has a few secrets, no one, not even he knows.

Now, the movie was not as bad as everyone made it out to sound. Sure the movie had faults, and the script had more than a few bullet holes, but there was some incredible action, and some bright spots in Kyle Reese and of course, Marcus's character. Christian Bale's John Connor was exactly what he needed to be, and was played as expertly as you'd expect from Bale. Let's face it, it's not much of a stretch for Bale's usual character, but its still done well. The CGI was beautiful, and frightening, the world that exists is beautiful and kind of depressing and there were lots and lots of explosions.

The bad parts in the movie were as I said, the script. It seems like there were several instances where they weren't sure where to go with the story, so they just blew stuff up. The final showdown involving Connor just seemed like the first and second movies, with nothing new. Finally, some of the dialogue seemed forced, and unnatural for the talented actors in the movie.

That being said, I am not one of those people who require a Citizen Cane movie every time I go to the theater. All I want is some entertainment, a simple escape from the everyday life. That is what I got in this movie. It was good fun, not the most intelligent movie out there, but good fun.

I give this movie a 6 out of 10

Fun Fact: Old recordings of Sarah Connor are played in the film, with lines nearly word-for-word from The Terminator (1984). Linda Hamilton voiced the lines herself in an uncredited role.

The Hangover review

I realize that if your the type of person that was interested in the trailer, you are probably not going to care what I think, you probably have already seen it. But, since I saw it, and loved it and enjoyed it with my friends, I wanted to give you my opinion anyway...ya know, just so ya know.

The Hangover synopsis is simple: four friends celebrate one of their owns last day of being single in Vegas with a great bachelor party, so great that when they wake up the next day, no one can remember anything and the groom-to-be is no where to be found. Now, three friends must trace their steps to find their friend before the wedding.

I always hate it when I see the trailer and laugh my ass off, so I have to go to the movie and see what other shenanigans are in store; when I get to the theater, it is two hours of letdown, with one minute and thirty seconds of fun; the same fun that was in the trailer. I can safely say this is not one of those movies, they truly save some of the best parts for the movie. The characters are funny, the writing is crisp, and the setups are hilarious. The best part of the movie is the mystery, however. About half way through, you are truly trying to figure out what happened and put the pieces together to find the groom.

My favorite character in the movie is Mr. Chow, an Asian mobster who gets tangled up in the crazy night, and afterwards wants the money the group stole from him. This guy has some of the best lines in the movie and is pure comedy gold the whole time. My favorite line is of Zack Galifinakis's Alan trying to negotiate with him saying "it's ok, I hate Godzilla too!"

Overall, I have to say I loved this movie. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard for so long in a movie theater, I mean, it was solid laughs from the beginning, all the way through to the credits. I highly enjoyed everything and recommend it to anyone who is in the mood to laugh. I also recomend to enjoy it with some friends, because the quotes in the movie will offer many laughs at the bar later.

I give it a 9 out of 10

FUN FACT: The foul-mouthed band featured near the end of the movie is the "Dan Band", the same band from Frank's wedding in the movie Old School (2003).

Buffy The Vampire Slayer movie still has nothing to do with Whedon

It was announced the director of the original Buff the Vampire Slayer, starring Kristie Swanson and Donald Sutherland look to reboot the dead franchise. Normally, the legion of Buffy fans would be excited, but when it was announced movie script writer and TV series creator Joss Whedon would not be included, everyone freaked out. On top of that, TV Buffy, Sarah Michelle Gellar was not invited back for the movie...now, the fans are murderous.

So, after hearing that, the directors and producers, wanting to try and salvage the idea before it got started, asked Joss Whedon to come in and consult on the movie. Whedon was very professional at the slap in the face and said it would probably be best if he didn't touch that project, and he said he wished them luck.

Personally, I take that as a very nice way to extend the old middle finger at the insult. I mean, the movie was pretty bad, and the only reason the franchise continued was due to Whedon's passion and amazing creative talents; and to just deny him like that is silly, but to come to him, after hearing the fans would burn a building down if they didn't is just pathetic. So, despite the fact a Buffy movie sounds like a good idea, I hope it doesn't happen, not without the people who worked so hard to get the now loyal fanbase.

Something to make you smile

Happy Friday Movie Geeks!
I'm in a good mood this morning, so I figured I would try to spread the wealth.
I hope this makes you smile.

Megan Fox is all CGI - Here's the proof

Alright, so this video uncovers the true nature behind Michael Bay's character and the 'artificial Megan Fox.' I knew it wasn't possible to have someone so hot in real life!



Alright, so, it's fake, but it was so incredibly hilarious! Apparently, it came from Landlinetv and these guys did a great job. Just something to make you laugh today!

Top 10 heroes in all cinema!

So, for some time, a fellow movie geek and friend of mine have argued over the best villains. Well, we settled that in a previous post, and I won, so, now its time for the other side of the coin. I think you'll find our lists a bit different, and it all goes back to what you definition of a hero is. For some, it's the guy with the cape and tights, for some, it's someone who whoops up on everyone else with serious style, and for me, it's one who sets the best example; who shows the best parts of mankind in not only heroism, but bravery, selflessness, love, and honesty; someone who is unfaltering in those characteristics. With that being said, I will link to my friends blog, please check them both out and see what you think... and now, on to the show....oh, and please turn of your cell phones, silence is golden....you know the drill.....

"We need a hero. Courageous, self-sacrificing people. Setting examples for all of us. Everybody loves a hero. People line up for them, cheer them, scream their names. And years later, they'll tell how they stood in the rain for hours just to get a glimpse of the one who taught them how to hold on a second longer. I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams."

Aunt May had it right, heroes are the main reason a film is made. The journey the hero has to go on, and the struggle the hero has, is the reason for the movie and is the key ingredient in the story.

So, why is it I had such a hard time thinking of a great, note-worthy hero. I started thinking about some of my favorite movies, and they just didn’t seem to fit what I thought a great hero was. Here is what AFI has as their definition of a hero:

For voting purposes, a "hero" was defined as a character(s) who prevails in extreme circumstances and dramatizes a sense of morality, courage and purpose. Though they may be ambiguous or flawed, they often sacrifice themselves to show humanity at its best.

So, given that definition, looking back at heroes, it was tough to think of quite a few prime examples. For example, I didn’t think Luke was a great hero, for reasons I’ve already talked about, I also don’t think Han Solo should be on the list because he is what is referred to as an anti-hero; often more fun, especially in today’s society, with all their flaws, but ultimately, not what I am looking for on this list (Han, did shoot first, after all).

So, here is what I came up with, let me know what you think, and if I left off a good one.

10) V - V for Vendetta - This one I struggled with. At first, it can be argued his motivations were purely vengeance, which is hardly the qualities of a hero. However, as part of the amazing journey of this character, his motivations shift to saving a human, and then, its more about saving everyone from the government that holds them captive. Every list has to have a controversial entry, and here’s mine…fire away!

9) Superman - Superman- The true, blue boyscout. I just recently did an article about how this guy is dead, but that doesn’t make him any less a hero. This guy is flawless, in every sense of the word, which is why he is so low on the list, there is really, very little he is sacrificing by going out and battling evil, I mean, it’s not like they can kill him. That doesn’t stop the act from being noble, however, and that earns him a spot on the list.

8) James Bond - There is no one that that is consistently cool, suave and sophisticated while saving the world from crazy villains and world conquering companies. He has his flawes, in his drinking and womanizing habit, but when the world is about to end, there is no one else you wanna count on to bring the world back from the brink.

7) Rick Blaine - Casablanca - This one was tough for me. He is by far, one of my favorite heroes, but I kept going back and forth on whether he was an anti-hero, or a hero. I came to the conclusion that he started off as a hero, got dumped by a crazy woman (haven’t we all been there) and became a hero at the end, again. Rick was willing to sacrifice everything, including his life for what everyone thought would be love; but at the end, you find out, its more than love…he sacrifices even his love for what is right. If that isn’t a hero, I don’t know what is.

6) Batman - The Dark Knight - This is another one I questioned, but ultimately decided was worth a turn on the all time greats list. Originally, Batman’s motivations were strictly revenge. However, there is a moment where his motivations change from just getting his parents killer to saving a town from crime, and ultimately, itself. Batman differs from some, because there is no superpower, there is just determination, and some really cool toys; and that’s the main reason he deserves to be on the list.

5) John McClane - Die Hard - If I had thought John McClane was simply doing his duty, he would never be on this list, but duty stopped before this guy got on the plane; that’s why John McClane is on this list, he willingly goes after the badguy to save everyone, including Lewis from Hans.

4) Spiderman - Spiderman 2 - With a motto like “with great power, comes great responsibility,” how could I not include him? Spiderman is the perfect hero; self-sacrificing, noble, willing to give up everything he is for people who don’t like him. The best part is, at the end of the day, he’s just a normal guy, trying to make it in this world.

3) Harry Potter - Harry and the one-eyed snake - Harry is another perfect hero. He is noble, brave, honest, and is everything a hero should be. On top of that, he is thrown into a wondrous world he is unaware of and is instantly charged with stopping evil from getting into that world, even when people don't believe him...after all, he is just a kid.

2) Thomas “Neo” Anderson - The Matrix - Neo is the one, the one true savior of mankind, and truly the best part of mankind. Neo is willing to do whatever it takes to rescue everyone, he is often in a world that truly is out to get him, but he is always more focused on what is good and right, no matter the cost. I mean, the story is an adaptation of biblical references, how much more of a hero can you get, than the savior of all mankind, a modern-day Jesus Christ?

1) WALL-E - Wall-E - A little robot, originally programmed to collect garbage for a trashed Earth, WALL-E came way beyond that programming. He became more human than the humans that were left and not only showed everyone how to be a human, but he saved the population and the Earth…I mean, who else saves the planet and the population? That and he found love with a robot named Eve, of which he was willing to sacrifice it all.

Here is my friends blog, with a very different list. http://impoetry.livejournal.com/145647.html

Nice work! I like some of your choices...now, the battle has begun!

The Rumor Mill: G.I. Joe

This is one of those rumors that seems to be building some steam, and has some credibility behind it, but, it's still a rumor, so take it as you will.

So, after the terrible response to the trailer for G.I. Joe, they decided to show what they had to a test audience to see if the outcry of suckage was based on the trailer, or the movie. The results were reportedly the lowest scores of any film that particular company has ever seen. The fallout seems to be pretty intense; apparently the producer said "go Joe" and fired Steven Sommers, the director and hired someone to come in and try to re cut the movie to salvage some hope. The response from the cleaner was simple, "it can't be done."

Now, this could be just rumor, or it could be fact; I mean, the trailer, casting and script look absolutely terrible, so I do believe the studio started freaking out after seeing the trailer, but I do think, without reshoots, the movie could be unsaveable. I guess we'll see in upcoming weeks, but there is almost no hype for a movie of such magnitude, so, now, we just sit back and watch the big, fat, bellyflop of G.I. Joe.

Futurama is coming back!

You read that correctly, the animated series from the creator of the Simpsons was canceled over 6 years ago by the devil, known as FOX. Now, like Family Guy, the series has been saved by DVD sales and Adult Swim ratings of the show. As a result, Comedy Central has ordered 26 episodes of the show. Good times.

Futurama is my favorite animated show. The show was consistently funny, and generally had some good social and political commentary. The story was centered in the year 3000, and it follows a lazy slacker pizza delivery guy from back in the 1990's who gets frozen and thaws out in the future. After awaking, he seeks out his relatives, an old professor who runs a deliver company called Planet Express. The company consists of a one-eyed mutant female, who kicks all kinds of butt, named Leelah, a Jamaican bookkeeper named Hermees, a robot with a drinking and steeling problem named Bender, a dumb doctor that is a crab, named Zoidberg and a rich Asian human woman named Amy. Together, they get into all kinds of shenanigans.

So, I'm very happy it will be back. It's amazing how DVD sales have saved several TV shows, and is now starting to bring shows back from the dead. Just think of all the possibilities these new found powers could bring....

Fantasy Casting - The Jetsons

Meet George Jetson....do do dodoo...Alright, most of you guys probably don't really know the Jetsons theme song, but I'm sure you've atleast seen the show once or twice. There is serious talk about a script being done, and casting getting ready to start for a live action Jetsons Movie.

I always liked the Jetsons just because its basically the same social attitude as back in the '70s, except its set in the distant, cool future with flying cars, and all kinds of really cool gadgets. Granted, the stuff they had was kinda goofy versions of stuff I can download an IPhone app for, but it was cool when I was a kid. Now, who are we gonna cast as the Jetson family?

George Jetson - Will Ferrell - I know Land of the Lost blew and all, but I think if you can put some sort of reigns on Farrell's wackiness, he would be perfect. Between Land of the Lost and Bewitched, maybe third time is a charm.
Jane Jetson - Amy Adams - This woman is amazing in everything. She is adorable, she has great range and should be in more movies. I think she can do the sweet American Mother-type thing justice.
Judy Jetson - Hayden Panitierre - This is another girl who just oozes charm. She has the ability to do the perfect teenager bit well, as she has demonstrated in I love you Beth Cooper, and Heroes. No, we aren't saving the cheerleader to save the world...stop it!
Elroy Jetson - Freddie Highmore - If anyone says Zach Efron, I will punch them in the face. Alright, this one has me stumped. I don't know any little kids. The only one I could think of is getting a bit old, but its the kid from Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Both movies, Freddie showed a lot of promise. Hopefully this movie can get made before the kid picks up a nasty crack habit.
Mr. Spacely - Danny Devito - This one is a no brainer. I mean, short, loud, annoying, in the original movie, you just knew the boss was from Jersey, and here ya go, proof!
Rosie the Robot - Queen Latifah - You may have to go CGI here, but Rosie always had a bit of an attitude, but was loving and caring, and the Queen could do that perfectly, and no, I will not refer you to Taxi Cab for reference. Your welcome.

So, there ya have it. The Jetsons in a nutshell. If you ever saw the movie that came it, it taught us one thing, you must have an '80s rock anthem for the theme song and soundtrack...trust me, it just works.

So, did I get it right, or did you think of something better? If you say Megan Fox for Judy, be prepared for some slappage; this is a family movie!

100 Best movie quotes...in 200 seconds

This video is great, it has some great editing to it and has many of the best quotes. I don't neccesarily agree with the order some of them are in, but they are all great!
Check it out, I am sure you'll love it!

Are we to blame for the Suck that has invaded Hollywood?

In many of my posts, I suggest my readers (both of 'em) to "stay cool, movie geeks." According to one article, it's an insult, for movie geeks are the reason the suck has invaded such franchises as X-men, Terminator and others. So, could it be true? Could it be that our geekiness and total movie knowledge has corrupted the very thing we geek out over?

There is a great article on Cinematical, done by a more talented writer than I, that claims the charge of Hollywood suckification (you know you like that word) is wrongfully placed on movie geeks by a column on The Guardian's website. The article goes on to say that the masses are more responsible for the poor movie quality of franchise movies like Terminator: Salvation and X-Men Origins: Wolverine because they are the ones that are easily persuaded by trailers and marketing etc. I don't agree with this, either.

The responsibility for the ending of Terminator: Salvation was that of the director, and more likely, the Hollywood execs. They thought the masses would enjoy a much tighter, cleaner ending than the one originally laid out. The movie geeks did freak out about the ending, but I think that was just a sample reaction of the audience they sought, and in their infinite wisdom, they figured out, an ending that they thought would result in a better reaction. Unfortunately, they were only partially right, the original ending would have resulted in disastrous reviews, but the ending they chose was too far the other direction to be considered good. Therefore, their over-reaction to a movie geek freak out is the problem.

So, next time someone blames a movie geek for the problem of movie geek related movies, tell them to blame the Hollywood filmmakers for over reacting to an audience. A wise man once said to "give them what they want, but only enough to keep them coming back for more." I don't know who it is, maybe it was Keanu Reeves, or maybe it was Socrates, but, either way, the theory is sound. Maybe Hollywood should think about that.

I would also say there are very few movies truly made for the movie geek in this day and age. Sure, there are often tips of the hat to true movie-goers, but I think the smart movie makers are gearing the movies toward the masses, as opposed to the movie geeks. I would think J.J Abrams Star Trek is a perfect example. While the movie had many little rewards for the movie geek, the movie was catered to the casual movie-goer. And, look how the movie did...far better than any other Star Trek movie, all of which truly catered to the Trekkie community.

So, what do you think, do the movie geeks need to bare the responsibility for the poor movie quality of the movies, or is it something else?

Until we have the answer, stay cool movie geeks!

Harry Potter musseled by big, giant robots!

Harry Potter fans will have to wait to see the newest movie in IMAX theaters two extra weeks. If that makes you unhappy, you can blame Michael Bay, Shiah Lebeuf, Megan Fox, and Optimus Prime. Apparently, Transformers has a contract with IMAX for full coverage for 4 weeks, no matter what. That is well and good, but after two weeks of running, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince was scheduled to be released. Since Paramount and Transformers have a contract, poor Potter will have to wait, which will seriously hurt box office numbers and IMAX numbers for Harry Potter.

So, will you wait the extra two weeks to go see Harry in an IMAX screen, or considering the delay and the extra money, is it just too many reasons to not see it in IMAX?

Personally, I am not a fan of IMAX, mainly because the theater is not that much better, nor is the picture. I don't like paying $10 for my movie ticket and downright refuse a $15 bill for a movie, unless its one for the record books. So, to add a delayed viewing of a movie I am super-excited to see just concretes my decision of no IMAX.

A few tidbits to keep you up to date

Well, I will dispense with the pleasantries and get right into the wonderful world of movie news.

• Spiderman 4 has some news. Kirsten Dunst has signed on for the fourth film, despite everyone else crying, begging and pleading for director Sam Raimi to get someone else. There was also talk of a Morbius storyline, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside. The film is currently scheduled for a 2012 release.
• Will Ferrells Land of the Lost could be the summer's biggest flop with a mediocre $19.5 million, which was good enough for third place.
• Up maintained first place in the standings for a second week with a stellar $43.7 million.
• Star Trek continues to bring in the mulah with a fifth place finish of $8.4 million.
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is pushing IMAX numbers today, by announcing that the IMAX version will actually be longer than the standard theatrical version, with extra robot on robot carnage.
• James Cameron and Kevin Eastman are on board for a Heavy Metal remake. So, you can add that to the long, long list of Hollywood remakes.
• They have renewed contracts for several Saw stars, including Tobin Bell for a total of two more movies, provided Saw 6, due out late October does well. So, that means there is a good chance we will see Saw 8 in two years....just incredible.
• Along with adding another movie to a series, Monsters, Inc. gets the sequel treatment. The film is scheduled for a 2012 release. I can't wait, I loved Scully, and I thought that old lady popping up everywhere was hilarious. I also thought the premise had so much potential, so I think this is one of the few sequels that needs to be made.
• On the "movies that I hope and be never see the light of day" list, John Stamos is trying to get the one good thing he ever had back. It is reported he is trying to revive a script for a Full House movie. That's, right, Michelle, Danny, Joey, Jessey, Stephanie, and the rest would be back for a movie. Haven't all of them been locked away in drug rehab or an eating-disorder clinic? I mean, besides John Stamos, it seems like all of them have hit bottom, who would wanna see that?
• Finally, if it is officially announced, Terminator 5 is supposed to shoot a major part of the film in London, possibly for a modern-day angle in the story. From what I've heard, the praise has been of short supply, and so has the money. I would say this film better get some money fast, or it will never see a 5th installment. Thanks McG. This week, the film earned $8 million, to bring its total to $105 million. With a budget of over $200 million, it is going to be tought to get that back.

So, that's the news. Now, go out there, and give that Monday hell!

And, don't forget to stay cool, movie geeks.

Uwe Boll. Live or Die?

Uwe Boll is a man who has gotten pretty famous as of late, but not in the way most directors want to be famous, Boll is famous for making movies based off of video games; and the movies suck. The movies Boll directs are so bad, there is a petition on line with thousands of signatures asking for Boll to stop making movies all together. Surely he can't be that bad, can he?

Some of Uwe Bolls movies include House of the Dead, BloodRayne 1, 2 & 3, Alone in the Dark, and Postal, to name a few. Forget the Tomatometer, or the IMDB rating, these movies were so terrible, they don't have a number low enough for most of these movies. I have seen a few of these movies, and I have also seen the top 5 worst movies on IMDB's list, and I would have to say, a few of them belong on this list.

So, should you sign the petition now to have Boll booted from movie making, of course not. Boll generally gets bad scripts, bad premises and poor amounts of money, so there is some of the terribleness that is not his fault. That being said, I just saw Postal (don't watch it, please) of which Boll wrote the script, had a role in the movie, produced and directed. You can't get any more control than that. Without a doubt, I can tell you the movie was one of the worst I've seen. I mean, it's just bad, stupid, lame...take your pick.

Now, I like terrible movies as much as anyone else, so, I think Uwe Boll movies have their place. At least you know what your getting yourself into, I just encourage everyone to not actually pay to see one of his movies. Maybe work out some sort of barter system, to where someone gives you a million dollars, or a cherry pie or something; in return, you see one of his movies. See how that works?

I read somewhere, Uwe Boll was compared to Ed Wood, the lovable director who was famous for terrible movies way, way back in the day. He was so famous, he would later be portrayed by Johnny Depp (take that Uwe Boll). I would say this is probably a pretty good comparison. Uwe Boll understands, I think that his movies are not the same type of movies that make billions of dollars in the theaters, and they are not the same movies that win Academy Awards. Boll is even fine making fun of himself on the internet and in his films. I think he has good ideas and works hard to get his name out there, even if it takes a boxing match to do it. I just think, in all his efforts to become the modern George Lucas, he is more comparable to Ed Wood, than anything else.

I do think Uwe Boll has his place in Hollywood, but I think it should not be at the same table as Steven Spielberg and the like; maybe they have a kids table, or a weird, mutant, film-makers table that would be more to his liking (ironically, that table does sound fun).

Censors are getting stupid

Alright, so I have to comment. I was watching a pretty bad movie on Sci-Fi this morning. I love bad movies, partially because you can see what they did wrong, which makes you appreciate it when a film does something right. It's also comical, so, it's a good thing, especially in the morning.

Anyway, I digress. So, the scene involves these kids in an Egyptian Tomb, whatever. For some reason, they decide its time to whip out the wacky tobackey. After they light the joint, they bring it up to their mouth, and when the joint touches their lips, BAM! a censor smudge over the joint. The censor smudge disappears as soon as the kid removes it from his lips. This action continues for several instances. The entire time, I am yelling WTF?!

I am one for non-censorship. I think it should be clear what you are getting yourself into, and if it is not your cup of beer, then change the effing channel; don't ruin it for the people that either want to see it, or don't mind seeing it, just don't make the judgement for me.

I also think, censoring movies for television, time, swear words, nudity, drugs, smack talking against FOX, and anything else they don't like, waters down someones creation, and I don't like it. It would be like editing out this post, putting a piece of tape over the Mona Lisa, take your pick, it's messing with someones creation. Another great example, besides this hilarious one, was the dubbing over Samuel L. Jackson's famous quote in Snakes on a Plane, mentioning monkeys and Monday to Friday planes. I mean, really, first off, it doesn't make sense, and secondly, does that really hurt anyone who is going to be watching a movie like Snakes on a Plane to begin with?

OK, that was my rant, I'm moving on, I just figured I would share. Do you have a great example of stupid censoring? I know there has to be plenty out there. Do you think it's justified?

...as the Star Wars fans cry

You have to check out this trailer released at this years E3 gaming convention for Star Wars Old Republic. Now, before you cry fowl over this being a game trailer on a movie blog, I'm posting it because, not only does it kick all kinds of ass, but there are columns and posts and Tweets everywhere from Star Wars fans crying and wishing this would have been the basis for the prequels.

Could you imagine this scene on the big screen with dozens of Jedi and Sith battling on an epic scale? I'm pretty sure Star Trek would've just given up and say "eff it, you win."

But, no, the prequels were the underwhelming films they are, but at least we got 2009's Star Trek.

What I miss in Cinema-The Godzilla complex

Sure we have superhero movies, people flying everywhere, plenty of psycho killer movies, tales of the weird, and robots everywhere, but do you know what I miss in cinema lately? Giant Monsters, that’s what.

That’s right, I said it, Giant Monsters, the type that can squash a building with a single hand, hurl cars and trucks miles away and make a whole city scream out of sync with their lips and run in terror. Those movies used to be the perfect escape from a stress filled existence back in the day; lately, there have been the cheesiness, but not the monsters themselves.

Sure we had Cloverfield, but that was the beginning of 2008, Shirley its time for another one to come around. For decades, the Japanese have had their monster in Godzilla, but can you think of very many giant monster movies, let alone ones that are any good…I’ll let you think for a sec….done? Well, here’s a couple I thought of. Let me know if I missed any.

10) Stay Puft Marshmellow Man - Ghostbusters. I know this guy didn't have much screen time, but what is a monster list, without the big sailor that stomped on a town. I realize he's not that badass when Bill Murray was one of the ones that took him out, but he's still freakin' awesome. Remember, if someone asks you if your a god, you say yes!
9) Mothra - Godzilla Vs. Mothra. Seriously, it is a giant moth, how scary is that? Darn scary, especially if your Godzilla. Ok, I admit, the little Chinese girls that bonded with the moth were actually scarier, but this guy started out as a worm thing that changed into the giant moth that saved Japan, cool, huh?
8) Giant Squid - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Do you know how deep 20,000 leagues is? Yeah, you don't, do you, well this guy does, and he isn't too happy your little Captain Nemo is down in his turf. Come on, don't lie, you know this thing gave you nightmares as a kid. What? It didn't? Why am I the only one with that problem?
7) Big anus monster - Evolution. Ok, I know that isn't the name, but this poor thing had a Head & Shoulders enema from David Freakin Duchovney. It's enough to make anyone cranky, trust me...wait, not that I know or anything.
6) Giant Spider - Eight Legged Freaks. David "WWF Champion" Arquette saves the day, now that is scary. I don't know what it is about spiders, but even in this movie, it gave me the willies. Fortunately Scarlette Johansen was in this flick to save the day, but there is something pretty creepy about a giant tarantula coming at you, along with some leaping spiders, isn't there?
5) Stumpy Graboid - Tremors. It's a monstrous worm with no eyes, and snakes for a tongue that goes after 7 degrees, himself, Kevin Bacon; can it get any cooler? These things are patient, but have a real problem with boulders. This movie is a great example why you should always have remote controlled trucks and C4 hanging around at all times.
4) Kong - King Kong. Whether it's the new one, where he whoops that T-Rex's butt, or it's the old one, its clear this monkey wants just one thing, a really hot blonde; hey, can you blame him? This guy is so tough, he's even fought Godzilla to a stalemate and smacked around some planes.
3) Rexy the T-Rex - Jurassic Park. I call him 'Rexy.' Anywho, everyone remembers the seen with the ripple in the water glass, and the giant T-Rex gobbling up Jeff Goldbloom; those were the days. This movie still stands the test of time with amazing special effects. The giant T-Rex does redeem himself for not finishing off Jeff Goldbloom by saving Sam Neil from the Raptors.
2) Clovey - Cloverfield. Not only does this thing eat Hud, it has those creapy crab-things falling off it. The monster was also responsible for decapitating the Statue of Liberty along with destroying nearly every building in New York City, which clearly gives it points in my book. This movie was the kind of monster movie I hoped for, and I hope to see a sequel soon, so hurry up, J.J.
1) Godzilla - 29 movies. I'm not just talking the Matthew Broderick Godzilla, but every Godzilla. Originally a metaphor for the U.S., Godzilla did more than just stomp buildings and make people run for cover, he stomped his way into our hearts. It was never clear whether he was to save the city, or destroy it, but he had some great battles with some other monsters.

So, what do you think, is it time for another monster movie, or what?!?

Youtube to premiere its first full-length movie

A documentary called Home will be the first on Youtube to be available the same time as the theatrical version. This is a big move by Youtube to increase profits and advertising rates in an attempt to get some of its market share back from rival Hulu. Don't expect any mainstream blockbusters to be on the list just yet, but it is a step in the right direction.

This idea is good and all, I'm happy anytime anyone makes it easier for people to see movies. I also think this is a great way to combat piracy. The one thing I don't like, though is there are commercials, placed at random intervals without any regard to the particular scene in the movie. I guess the real question will be, does anyone actually care about this, or has Youtube come and gone the way of Napster.

I, personally use Hulu any time I can, but Youtube just has so much content, it will be hard to avoid. I am not one who will watch a movie on my computer, however. There is something to watching a movie on a TV, or especially in theaters; the experience will always be better. Will this really be an alternative to trekking to the movie theater or your Netflix queue? I would say it probably will be, for a pretty large group of people, provided the commercials and pop-up ads don't get too extensive.

For me, I'll stick to my DVD's, thanks. How about you, if there is a movie on Youtube, will you watch it or stop by your local Blockbuster or put it in your Netflix queue?

THE Final Destination

Here is the trailer for the fourth Final Destination movie, and just like the last movie, it looks to be in 3-D. This time, however, Death looks to strike at a NASCAR race.

I have loved these movies because there is something creapy about an unseen killer; something that that can never be stopped or bargained with. Besides, the first one, especially had some great death scenes that came outta nowhere. I'm a little concerned about Death coming to a NASCAR race, I mean, that premise sounds a little...stupid, doesn't it? Anyway, check out the trailer, let me know what you think!

The Final Destination trailer in HD

Will Farrell, Genius or idiot?

You either love him for such witty quotes as "Great Oden's Raven, that hurt," or "We're going streaking," or my personal favorite "Dear Lord baby Jesus;" or you hate him for quotes like "I invented the piano key necktie," and "he's an angry elf."

With Land of the Lost coming out tomorrow, love him or hate him, you have to admit, Will Farrell will get people in the seats; more importantly, he drives DVD sales. His choice of roles, latley has left something to be desired with many of his roles being pretty much identical. So, will this remake of a 1970's TV show scream redemption for the SNL alum, or will it be just another Bewitched remake that makes you shudder at the sheer volumn of film wasted? My guess would be the latter, but I'm still going to find out.

Rotten Tomatoes has a feature about the top 10 rated Will Farrell movies. While I can easily agree with just about everything on the list, I want to look back at a couple of hits, and a few misses.

Hit: Anchorman. My favorite. As Ron Burgundy, he expresses the perfect amount of comedy and stupidity. The entire movie seems to be written to be quoted, and is a pure joy to watch over and over.

Miss: Cruious George. This movie was just so bad, it made little money, and was pretty much ignored by everyone. Those who did see it wish they were one of those who ignored it.

Hit: Night at the Roxburry. Basically one big SNL skit, it pairs Farrell with SNL partner Chris Katan for a great satircal movie that is perfect to put on in the background, because you can jump in at any point and not miss any plot, and its so easy to quote the entire movie.

Miss: Bewitched. I'm not sure who I hated more in this, Nicole Kidman or Will Farrell, or maybe that guy at Blockbuster who reccomended it. The movie was just annoying and it put Farrell into a Dick York/Sergeant type of role that not only made poor use of his talent, excentuated his annoying-ness.

Hit: Talladega Nights. As much as it pains me to admit, I'm a NASCAR fan. I don't go to the races or anything, nor do I own any apparel, but I do happen to tune in and watch the cars go round and round..so what? Get off my back. Anyway, the movie has a great cast, some great one-liners and is one of the few racing movies that wasn't annoying.

So, are you a big Will Farrell fan, or is he pretty much movie suicide? If your a fan, which is your favorite Will Farrell movie?

David Carradine has died

The acting legend behind Kung Fu has died in Bangkok on Wednesday, reports are saying.

He was 72.

There are reports out of Thai Land saying it was an apparent suicide, but there are no details currently. I will update this post when I hear any confirmations.

Here is his IMDB page, you'll find a long list of accomplishments!

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001016/

Scream 4?!?

So, I'm trying to think of a subtitle...work with me here..."Scream 4, Scream harder!"
What do you think, catchy, right? What about "Scream 4, now there are no rules!" or my personal favorite "Scream 4, secret of the ooze." "When you Scream no one can hear you scream!" I know, I know, I am the man.

Ok, back to the business at hand. It has been reported by /Film and Cinematical that Courtney and David Arquette are on board, along with Jaime Kennedy and writer of Scream's 1 & 2 Kevin Williamson. There is speculation that the movie will be set 10 years after the last movie and our favorite crew will be back at it again. No mention on Neve Campbell's character, Sydney Prescott.

Scream was a huge hit and one of the better modern horror movies out there in my opinion, but is there any possibility of resurrecting any of that goodness for a fourth film? I mean, if you look back through the history of horror, there were very few movies that were worth their weight after the second, let alone the third.

I would say this will be ultimately a failed attempt, but an attempt I wouldn't mind. I mean, it can't get worse than Scream 3, and the first movie came out all the way back in 1996...shirley it's time for a remake. I know, I know, don't call you Shirley.

So, what do you think, a worthwhile endeavor or just another flop in the making?

Great Andy Sanberg video:

Cool guys don't look at explosions from the MTV movie awards.
Ya know, I never watch the MTV movie awards because its really only meant for tweens who like Twilight, apparently, but between Bruno Teabagging Eminem and this beauty, maybe I should start. My favorite part is the cameo from one of my favorite directors...and he's on keyboard!!

MTV Shows

Something to make you laugh

Just something to make all you movie geeks smile!

Some movie tidbits for this week

Consider Kevin's Movie Blog for all your cinema information. Here's some movie news, just little things that I have found along the way you might find interesting. As always, I welcome a comment or four.

• Disney/Pixar's Up smashed the Box office with an impressive $68.2 million in the bank. Night at the Museum came in second with $25 million, and Drag Me to Hell came in third with $16 million.
• There is a lot of talk about Ryan Reynolds and his passionate involvement in a Deadpool spinoff movie. Mr. Johansen said that we was working hard to make sure they stayed as close to the comics as possible and couldn't wait to get started filming. Just so we're clear, it's a spinoff of a spinoff...how many before we get dizzy from all the spinning?
• The next terrible idea to be turned into a movie since Battleship was Waldo, as in "Where's Waldo?" That's right, that is the next movie to be put in pre-production.
• Brian "I love to ruin franchises" Singer (that's what they call him!) was quoted saying he was intertwined in the X-men franchise and can't wait to get back to that universe in some respect. He also said he was still trying to work with studios to let him do the next Superman movie, which hasn't been completely killed just yet, apparently.
• Gore Verbinski, the famed Pirates of the Caribbean director seems to have pulled out of a movie called BioShock, based off the video game. The movie was shelved several months ago, and now, without a director, most likely Uwe Boll will step in instead (ok, I made that last part up, but it could be true, and if it is, you heard it here first!)
• Next up for Hollywood's remake list is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The same people that made the original movie, starring Kristie Swanson are giving it another try, except, this time, they have no intention of bringing on Sarah Michelle Gellar or creator/writer/director Joss Whedon, which obviously upset many fans of the show, including Anthony Stewart Head, the guy that played Giles on the show. He has said he wouldn't want to be a part of it, nor watch it without bringing back Gellar, and especially Whedon.
• Finally, Tony and Ridley Scott have confirmed they are in the process of gearing up for an Alien prequel. Nothing more has been said about it, but the latest attempt to revive the dead franchise has been whispered around the water cooler for some time now.

So, there ya have it, a few little things to recite to impress your non-movie fans.

Stay cool, movie geeks!

Human Target trailer looks great!

Here is a trailer for the new show, premiering on FOX in January of 2010. The show is called Hard Target, which is based on a a comic book, and is looking very impressive. Check it out, and wonder how long it will take before FOX screws it up.

And, by the way, is Tricia Helfer in everything a geek would be able to get his hands on? I mean, Battlestar Galactica, the BSG prequel, Burn Notice, Chuck and now this...this woman is a geeks fantasy!

Christopher Titus Live ROCKED!

I know this is a movie blog, mainly, but the other word "Kevin's" means I can post this post anyway. Besides, Christopher Titus was in a few TV shows, including "Titus" oddly enough. He was also in Killer Clowns From Outer Space so it's not that far of a stretch. Anywho, I got a chance to join my sister and brother-in-law for a wonderful night in Tampa for his stand up, and it was great!

For those of you who don't know, Titus is one of my favorite stand up comedians, I can pretty much recite all of Norman Rockwell is Bleeding without trying. He just recently had a Comedy Central Special called Love is Evol, which was also hilarious. Last nights stand up was a mixture of old and new bits with an unparalleled energy and delivery. Titus had incredible energy onstage, and thanks to a fairly cozy venue, was able to interact with the audience and provide a very entertaining, side splitting evening for all.

The stand up often focused on Titus's personal life, which is generally full of drama, and is always entertaining. My favorite bit was regarding him trying to impress his current girlfriend by "acting cool," which, according to the comedian is not a good idea. After pulling myself off the ground from laughter, he mixed politics and parenting, divorce and love, Ice Cream and Outer Space and it was great! He also focused on that little voice inside us all he calls "your inner retard," which was done so well and made everyone not only laugh, but empathise with the comedian.

An interesting little tidbit, he mentioned he was working on a new TV show he was hoping to have out for mid season (probably March-ish) which really got the audience wanting more.

So, it was a great night, if you got a chance to go, let me know what you thought. If you didn't get the chance this weekend, I highly encourage you to check it out next time he's in town.

Drag Me to Hell review

Did you see the trailer with the fly going up the girls nose, and the ensuing scene that makes you jump right out of your underoos? If you thought that was creepy, just wait for the rest of the film.

Sam Raimi. The name will bring up one of two trilogies in your mind. If your a movie geek, you'll probably be thinking of the Evil Dead trilogy; if your a typical person, you'll probably thinking Spiderman, and if you are a movie aficionado, maybe you'll think The Quick and the Dead, or Darkman films; either way, you'll instantly be thinking of a quality movie that will bring a smile to your face. So,when it was announced Raimi would be "getting back to his horror roots" with Drag me to Hell, a lot of people turned to pay attention. So, did he forget how to do the horror he is so well known for, or did he just get better with time? The answer is: he's sharper than ever!

So, Drag Me to Hell is very similar to Evil Dead with its twisted brand of humor and bone chilling horror. The movie revolves around Christine (played wonderfully by Alison Lohman), a bank teller looking to get promoted past a coworker who is very good at brown-nosing. In order to get her promotion, she wants to show her boss she can make the tough decisions, and does so by denying an extension on a really creepy old Gypsy lady. As a result, the Gypsy lady curses her after one of the best fights in cinema history. After her curse, Christine gets tortured by an evil spirit and finds out, after three days of torture, the spirit will drag her to hell. What results is an eerie, sometimes funny journey from a sweet, innocent girl to a desperate, frightened woman, willing to do anything to avoid the depths of hell. Oh, and the Mac guy, Justin Long is there too as her loving, supporting boyfriend who uses Macs a lot.

This movie really had two main characters, Christine Brown, and the soundtrack. The sound was foreshadowing, bone chilling and intense and was very much a part of this movie. The movie started off slow and did a perfect job of escalating the thrills and chills steadily higher to an amazing climax that will leave you laughing and shocked, all at the same time. There is no question Raimi used his budget to the absolute extent (as he is known to excel at).

My favorite scene was an exorcism of sorts involving 3 mediums, our hero Christine, and a goat. Now, if that doesn't make you smile, the events of the exorcism and the characters reaction to the evil spirit (including the goats) were perfect in every example. The scene shows a perfect mix of dark humor and terror.

I really think it was obvious this movie was made by a passionate movie buff for other passionate movie buffs, with obvious and inventive movie tricks and tidbits throughout the movie, which made it truly enjoyable to watch. I truly think this movie will have a cult following the moment its released on DVD.

I give it a 9 out of 10. Definitely worth a theater visit, and wait for the special feature DVD, Sam Raimi always makes it worth the extra few dollars.


FUN FACT: The car driven by the old Gypsy Lady is director Sam Raimi's car, used in Army of Darkness, and is the same car driven by Uncle Ben in Spiderman.
Apparently, Sam Raimi asked Bruce Campbell to have a small cameo in the film, but Campbell was too busy in Miami, filming episodes of USA's Burn Notice.