Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Biff sings!

So, Tom Wilson, the actor that played Biff in Back to the Future is a standup comedien! That's cool, althought he will never get rid of the Biff stigma. Anywho, here is a video of Biff singing about all the questions he always gets. Check it out!

Thursday, December 24, 2009

A couple of Dicks gets a trailer

The Kevin Smith movie that used to be called a Couple of Dicks now has a new title, Cop Out, and a new trailer. It looks pretty funny, but I have to admit, I'm not super excited yet. What do you think?

Apparently the title change was neccesary to run commercials for the movie, and the title change was the result of Smith saying "changing the title just feels like a cop out, man." Yeah, that's the stuff legends are made of.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Chuck - John Casey presents

For all you Chuck fans out there, this is a hilarious character video called "John Casey presents: How to be a deadly spy." This is reason number one why Adam Baldwin is the friggin' man! Don't worry, this has nothing to do with any episode of Chuck, so there aren't any spoilers. Enjoy!

Avatar Wars

Check out this "trailer" for Avatar Wars. Basically, it's a pretty well cut trailer showing CG characters versus the classic human actors. This is really funny!

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Avatar review

avatar1
With all the hype over Avatar, and people claiming that it will revolutionize movie making, and that it’s the biggest thing to happen to cinema since Star Wars, there is no way Avatar can live up to that kind of hype, right? Well, maybe it can.

Every great movie has a tale of sorts behind it. We all love to hear how there was blood, sweat and tears involved in the making, and that it was a true miracle the movie happened. Avatar is no different, there were tales of how acclaimed director James Cameron had worked on it for years, waiting for technology to develop so he could push the bar that much higher and deliver Pandora. Fortunately for us, the time had come, and Cameron did just that, push the bar higher than it ever has been before.

Avatar’s plot maybe secondary in the film to the planet itself, it is still very important, and actually helps evoke plenty of emotion in the movie. Our hero, Jake Sully starts off with a recovery from an accident that leaves him with two useless legs and a dead brother. Since his brother was involved in the Avatar program, the company recruits Sully to take over at the last minute. Sully agrees and finds out he is set for Pandora in an attempt to convince the local species, the Na’Vi to move from their village so it can be mined. Once Jake Sully takes over the body of this remote controlled Na’Vi, he meets the tribes princess, Neytiri, he learns that the Na’Vi aren’t necessarily the monsters he was told they were, and the line between his mission and what is right starts to blur as he discovers an amazing culture and a more amazing planet. I know what you are thinking, it is a cross between Dances With Wolves and FernGully, but the movie manages to add much more depth than either movie.

Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully and shows why he is this year’s main star. Zoe Saldana plays Neytiri and is absolutely incredible and is easily the films shining star. The film also has good performances from a great Sigourney Weaver and the guy that plays the villain, Col. Quaritch, played expertly by Stephen Lane. The main character in the movie, however, is the world of Pandora. Normally, the environment is not a character, but here, it is, with everything alive and beautiful, which plays into the story perfectly. At one point, Sully and Neytiri are running through the tree tops at night with the ground glowing beneath them and bugs flying by them and you realize this planet is alive, and is beautiful.

The movie tops out at 2 and a half hours and it never seems like it. Throughout the movie, the 3-D is never gimmicky, it simply adds layers to the movie which further enhances the immersion in this new world. The characters start out 2-D and pretty quickly develop into great characters, especially the Na’Vi. While the story is good, this movie is all about showing you a new world, and the experiences we share while Jake Sully learns what beauty and danger Pandora has, and the film truly delivers in this area, and it’s here I thought I had never seen anything so amazing, and truly thought filmmaking just took a giant step forward.

Overall, I would agree completely with Steven Spielberg who said it best, I haven’t felt this kind of amazement since Star Wars. This is a wonderful movie and will change the world of moviemaking as we know it. It was truly refreshing to see something that isn’t a rehash, remake, or a sequel, rather something I’ve never seen before. I highly encourage everyone to see it in 3-D at the theaters, because the beauty may lose some of its glimmer on DVD.

Overall, easily a 9 out of 10

Friday, December 18, 2009

Jack Bauer interrogates Santa Clause

Yes, you read that right, Jack friggin' Bauer is trying to get the truth out of Santa Clause! I don't have to say anything else...

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Shrek Forever trailer

Well, we are coming to the end of the series, and if you believe that, I have some land for you. But, after the mediocre Shrek 3, I am interested to see if they can redeem themsevles. So, here is the trailer, let me know what you think!


Iron Man 2 trailer is up

If you haven't seen this yet, I want you to promptly slap yourself in the face (don't ask me how, just do it). Either way, here it is for your entertainment pleasure. I can't wait for May, now!

Monday, December 14, 2009

Hoppers 2009

The Hopper Awards, the single greatest award a movie can ever hope to achieve is finally here. So, without any further delay, the winners are....

Best Director - J.J. Abrams
With 2009's Star Trek being the huge success it is, and due to the massive scale of the movie, I'm choosing J.J. On top of the hugely successful movie, which is also my top pick for 2009, he is also producing Fringe, which is a great TV show.

Best Actor - Sharlto Copley
The guy who carried District 9 to the success it was. Granted he had help from some truly amazing special effects, this guy was absolutley amazing. I still just want to hear him drop the F-bomb 20 or 30 more times.


Best actress - Katie Featherstone
That's right, you just asked 'who,' but with performances like the underfunded blockbuster Paranormal Activity, she will soon be a household name.

Breakout star - Bradley Cooper
After Wedding Crashers, you may have still had some questions about whether Cooper could hold a movie on his own, but after the smash hit, The Hangover, Cooper is quickly becoming the top name on everyone's list.


Biggest letdown - Terminator Salvation
This franchise is known for the adrenaline pumping action, the chase scenes, the drama, the time traveling, and of course, the Governator. The McG film, however, didn't have any of those. Terminator 2, especially is one of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time. This years edition didn't see the traditional chase. Instead, it saw Christian Bale as a mediocre John Connor, and Sam Worthington as something completely unrelated to anything we've known. It also saw Star Trek's Anton Yenchliv as soon to be father Kyle Reese. The movie was convoluted, and messy, and only barely entertaining. The franchise deserved so much more.

Well, there you have it, some more Hopper Awards are coming, and of course, some more movie geek goodness. So, until then, let me know what your picks would be in the comments section!

Friday, December 11, 2009

The Hoppers 2009

The end of the year is near, and with it comes list after list, counting down everything from music, to the top news stories to the best celebrity scandals; but there is only one award that counts, the Kevin's Movie Blog Awards, also known as The Hoppers. The Hoppers are kinda like the Oscars, except real people actually consider movies, not politics, and there will be no Clint Eastwood worshiping. So, with that said, I present the top movies of 2009.

10) The Cove
A Documentary about dolphins being slaughtered in Japan, the movie decided it would be so much more. The movie had interesting characters, some amazingly beautiful and tragic cinematography and elements of true drama and suspense. The movie entertained the audience and still made them stand up and ask what could be done; a sign of a good documentary.

9) G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
This adaptation of the 1980's animated childrens movie saw cheesy over the top effects, crazy fight scenes and women in tight leather beating the crap out of each other, which naturally earned it a spot on the list. This movie was pure popcorn entertainment and made no apologies for it. Will you be smarter after this movie? No, but you will have a good time. And, isn't that half the battle?

8) Night at the Museum 2: Battle at the Smithsonian
This one could be the most debated on the list, but I had a great time at a fun, action packed movie that has Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, Einstein and Amelia Aerhardt, along with a hilarious General Custard and some egyptian pharoah guy. The movie had great one liners and was completely entertaining all the way through.

7) Watchmen
The movie based off a graphic novel was faithfully adapted. The problem is, once the fan boys got what they wanted, they didn't know what to do with it, and apparently no one else did. This movie was harsh, brutal, and filled with anti-heroes all around, and that is what made it truly unique among super hero movies.

6) District 9
Neil Blomkamps inexpensive sci-fi blockbuster blew everyone away with the amazing special effects, heartfelt story, and lets not forget, one of the breakout stars of the year, Sharlto Copley, this movie was everything so many sci-fi films that came before it were; good. I loved this movie, and look forward to what such a talented director has in store next.

5) Taken
The movie exploded onto screens early this year and showed the once Jedi Liam Neeson was still able to kick some serious ass. This movie was a nonstop action movie that kept audiences on the edge of the seat from beginning to end. The best part of this movie was possibly the trailer, featuring an amazingly bad ass speech from Liam Neeson, followed by the words "good luck," which sent chills down the spine of the audience. This is what an action movie should be. It's good to see Hollywood can still blow shit up without Michael Bay.

4) Hangover
The top R-Rated comedy of all time, this little movie came out of nowhere (a trend in 2009) and became a huge phenomenon. The movie deserved all the success it got, as it was completely hilarious from beginning to end, ushering in a new group of actors to take the reigns of comedy in Hollywood, including Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifinakis and Mike Friggin' Tyson.

3) Paranormal Activity
Anyone who knows me, or has followed my movie blog knows this movie scared the crap outta me. The interesting first person camera style made for an incredibly real feeling movie that, coupled with an incredibly ending made for the scariest movie of the year, and in my opinion, of all time. The movie also shattered the previous record, held by The Blair Witch Project for making the most money, mainly due to the fact the movie was only shot for $15,000.

2) Zombieland
I loved this movie. There, I said it. I completely marked out over the zombie movie that made me laugh throughout the movie, and made me cheer for Woodey Harrelson all over again. I think this movie was meant just for me, and entertained me like few have. While Shaun of the Dead maybe the reigning king of zomedies, this movie challenged that idea, and made you think twice about that distinction, which is really saying something.

1) Star Trek
This may not be a surprise to you, but I love sci-fi, I love action, and I love a good movie. The 2009 reboot-ish of Star Trek was all those things and more. This movie made Star Trek relevant and cool all over again, while bringing the die hard trekkies along for the ride. I thought this movie did everything right, and almost nothing wrong and showed that no role, no matter how iconic is completely irreplaceable. I look forward to J.J. Abrams followup, and in the mean time, look forward to anything that stars this young, talented cast. 

So, there you have it, the best movies of 2009. However, stay tuned, there are still a few more awards to give out, so don't nobody go nowhere.

3 Guys & Glee ep. 13 "Sectionals"

Here it is, the podcast that launched a thousand ships. Ok, that was some chick named Helen, but if she had a podcast, it would be a lot like ours.
In the podcast, we talk about the season finale of Glee, the music, what is up next, and of course, our love of Leah Michele.
So, if you haven't already, give us a listen!

3 Guys & Glee - The Podcast "Sectionals"

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Top 10 of the past decade

The past decade has seen many great movies; the Star Wars saga was completed with episodes two and three, Harry Potter shattered all kinds of records and put what will be a 7 movie series into history, there were remakes, reimagineings, sequels, and more remakes and even James Bond himself saw a makeover. While there are many, many amazing movies that came out over the past decade, I’m going to list ten of my favorite. They may or may not be the best, but, they’re my favorite. So, let me know what your list would be in the comments section!

10) Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
The first true blockbuster for Johnny Depp, and who could imagine anyone else but him as Captain Jack Sparrow? Keira Knightly and Geoffrey Rush also made a great appearance in a beautiful, action packed movie that had great actors, great scenery and a great soundtrack. While the sequels didn’t quite live up to the first, this movie is one of the best ever.

9) Star Trek 2009
While I feel slightly guilty for putting such a new movie on the list, this movie ranks as one of my favorite sci-fi movies of all time, so I got over it. While I enjoyed the show, I never thought the Star Trek movies were any good until now. Thanks to J.J. Abrams, Star Trek can be cool again, for a whole new generation.

8) Shrek
Who can forget the Dream Works smash hit that mocked all the fairytale creatures, and the company who made them, all while having great heart, and something kids would like? Shrek was one of the greatest animated movies of all time, and even though it looks like the franchise will be run into the ground, we still have the first movie.

7) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
I can’t tell you how many times I have used lines from this movie as Facebook status updates, and all my friends chime in with other quotes from what is possibly Will Farrell’s greatest movie. I loved this comedy, and all the characters in it, and if it’s on tonight, I will watch it again for the fifty-something-ish time.

6) Spiderman 2
This is the franchise that showed truly how to do a comic book movie. There were others that invented the formula, sure, but Spiderman perfected it. The sequel with great villains, a torn hero, and an amazing fight scene is still one of the greatest comic book movies ever.

5) Memento
Back when Christopher Nolan was just some guy who did American Psycho, he did a movie that blew your mind, and made you do a double take on the entire movie with your jaw open. The movie was shown in reverse, revealing a complicated murder, and a man with a really weird problem. This is my favorite Nolan movie to date, and one of the most genius screenplays in history.

4) V for Vendetta
Sure the Wachowski’s would end up on this list. Unfortunately, the sequel’s to my favorite movie ever, the Matrix, would not make the list, but this movie, that stars Natalie Portman and a constantly covered Hugo Weaving is absolutely brilliant and has some of the best, most heartfelt dialogue ever, all while showing an interesting view on government and terrorism.

3) Serenity
Are you surprised? I admit it, I’m a Sci-Fi junkie, and this is Sci-Fi’s masterpiece. The movie by Joss Whedon, based on my favorite short lived show, Firefly does everything right, innovative, and funny, all while giving the perfect amount of screen time to some truly wonderful characters. If you’re going to do a sci-fi movie, take notes on this one.

2) Shaun of the Dead
Remember when zombies just hung out at the mall? It’s amazing this movie, with the help of two of the best characters in cinema changed all that and begged you to question whether dogs really can look up (they can). This movie made zombies popular all over again, and while they still were scary, they proved in the right hands, they can also be friggin’ hilarious. There have been many attempts to duplicate this movie, and none have gotten close to this, besides maybe, Zombie Land.

1) Ocean’s Eleven
I have seen this movie probably more than any other. Any time it’s on TV, it is what I’m watching. I can easily quote the movie from front to back, and still enjoy the tale of the awesomely cool Danny Ocean, and his eleven comrades and their crazy heist. While the sequels failed to achieve the epic quality of chemistry, this movie has, there are very few others who have. I would put this movie up against Casablanca in that regard, and happily debate the merits for years to come. (Sounds like another column to me)

Friday, December 4, 2009

Check it out

So, there is a new site that is still in the beta stages, but sounds like they are well on their way to being a daily go-to time waster. The site is http://www.movieclips.com/

The site boasts clips from thousands of movies, and is continually getting more clips from additional studios, so when you want to broadcast your mood on your facespacey's or your tweety pages, you can pick a movie clip that clearly announces your mood.

For me, it's 5' o'clock on Friday, so, I'm thinking maybe the ending to Breakfast Club, what do you think?

Thursday, December 3, 2009

3 Guys and Glee Podcast Ep. 12 "Mattress"

glee

If you haven't heard the podcast yet, here it is. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Iron Man 2 poster

If you haven't seen the new Iron Man 2 poster featuring Iron Man and War Machine yet, it's worth your time. Check it out!


Iron Man 2