Box Office breakdown

Saw 3D came in first place with a very mediocre $24.2 million, beating out its main competition in Paranormal Activity 2, which got $16.5 million. Red is still doing good, but I'm amazed at how Paranormal Activity 2, with its mere $3 million budget.


BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. Saw 3D - $24.2 million ($24.2 million total)
2. Paranormal Activity 2 - $16.5 million ($65.7 million total)
3. Red - $10.8 million ($58.9 million total)
4. Jackass 3D - $8.4 million ($101.6 million total)
5. Hereafter - $6.3 million ($22.2 million total)
6. Secretariat - $5.1 million ($44.8 million total)
7. The Social Network - $4.7 million ($79.7 million total)
8. Life As We Know It - $4.0 million ($43.5 million total)
9. The Town - $2.0 million ($87.6 million total)
10. Conviction - $1.8 million ($2.4 million total)

Move Review - MegaMind

Despite my jovial manner, I'm not a kid, nor did I attend the screening of MegaMind with one. While you would've thought I would be out of place and looking a little creepy, the movie surprisingly made me feel right at home, making me realize I was seeing an adult movie cleverly disguised, much like one of MegaMinds disguises, as a child's movie.

The movie takes many very familiar elements from movies like Superman and adds in a lot of pop culture elements, the voices of Will Farrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill and David Cross and creates a fun story, albeit a slightly complicated one for the younger audience.

The idea is that Farrell's MegaMind and Pitt's MetroMan are sent to earth from a dieing world into separate places. Megamind lands in a jail and takes the part of villain to MetroMan's hero. Once MetroMan is gone, in a slightly disturbing death scene, Megamind realizes he no longer has a challenge, so he creates a new hero, from a lonely camera guy, played by Jonah Hill, only to realize his creation is a terrible villain. Now, the once great super villain must put on the cape and be a hero, with the help of a journalist and love interest, voiced by Tina Fey.

I saw the movie in 3-D and was blown away by how good it looked. Sure, there were some gimmicky shots like spiders and popcorn being dangled in front of the audience, but the movie did a really good job of keeping the effects subtle and beautiful. The little things like the hair on MetroMan's head, or the water surrounding MetroCity, or the building landscapes all looked crisp and clear and stood out with the 3-D glasses.

The soundtrack was the best part, however, with an extremely lively selection of songs by the likes of AC/DC and Michael Jackson to name a few. The songs really added to the story, and every time MegaMind made a flashy entrance, the music only added to the enjoyment.

The characters were extremely cliched, but it was part of the slightly different take on the genre the movie used. In the movie, we weren't cheering for the perfect, Superman-esque hero, or the lonley, pathetic dork-turned Superman, we were cheering for the evil super-genuise who only wanted to win one battle, and be the one to get the girl. The eventual role reversals were really interesting and quite different as we see the villain reluctantly be forced into the role of hero.

While I truly enjoyed the movie, I was left wondering if some of the more complex plot points were wasted on my tiny friends watching the movie with me. While I couldn't seem to tell if they got it, I can say the audience was completely silent for the entire hour and a half of the movie, which probably says something right there. Megamind is a very entertaining movie for the whole family, and one you shouldn't feel uncomfortable going to, no matter your age.

EDITORS NOTE: This review appeared on SpoilerTV HERE, and Creative Loafing HERE

Sanctum Trailer

In a previous post, I was just talking about James Cameron, and I come across a trailer for a movie called Sanctum, which Cameron produced. The movie apparently uses the rig he developed for Avatar in a movie that looks intense to say the least.

I've Scuba dived in a cave before, and found it creepy, but this movie looks to take it to a whole new level. If they can capture that eeriness, this movie could be really good. I'm a little leery on the "based on a true story" thing, but we'll see I guess.

What do you think?

A geek flow chart - Movie geeks aren't at the top?

Avatar 2 & 3 are announced as Cameron's next project

It was announced today that James Cameron's next project would be the next two movies in what will be an Avatar trilogy. It wasn't much of a surprise, given the movie made more money than any other movie in history (excluding inflation). So, the question is, what do you do for an encore?

The problem with doing a movie that blew away theater goers as Avatar did is that studios want you to do it again and again. Sadly, those expectations are rarely met. Especially with Avatar, I think it will be more than a bit tough due to the most mentioned part of the movie; the special effects. The 3-D immersion was something we had never seen in movies, and the CGI was beautiful, creating a living, breathing world that took my breath away, but when we go back to Pandora, I will be ready this time. So, how will my mind be blown?

Don't get me wrong, this is a good problem to have, but it's a problem nonetheless. Cameron has said he hopes to go into the oceans of Pandora for the second movie, and of course, he will use his 3-D rig, developed for the movie. So, we should be able to expect more of the amazing special effects, the only thing left for mind-blowage would be an incredible story. The previous film had a good story that I found engrossing, but left some wanting more. Is this the one area the second movie can improve on? Sure, but will it help? I don't know, either way, they should be out around 2014, and they will make crazy amounts of money.

Are you looking forward to going back to Pandora? Do you think it's possible for the second movie to be better than the first? Sure, Spiderman 2 was, and Cameron's second Aliens was a good sequel, but will Avatar 2 be added to the list?

Christopher Nolan dishes on third Batman film

It’s hard to remember a movie that has as many rumors flying around as the current Batman franchise does. Since the previous film The Dark Knight was released, and gained critical and financial acclaim, audiences have wondered what the third movie could entail. Rumors of different actors for Batman, every different villain you could think of and a love interest for Bruce Wayne are among the hot topics. Well, thanks to /Film, we have an answer or two.

The third film will be called The Dark Knight Rises, according to director Christopher Nolan. He also said we are able to rule out the Riddler, a popular rumor for the main villain in the third movie. Rumors of Inception stars Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt circulated for the role, but with the character out of the running, along with Mr. Freeze, it leaves us wondering who will be the villain. “We’ll use many of the same characters as we have all along, and we’ll be introducing some new ones," Nolan cryptically exclaimed. Because that’s a lot of help.

So, who would you like to see as the villain of the third Batman? And, what do you think of the title?

John Landis calls Inception unoriginal - I need to vent

This isn't going to be the well thought out, masterfully constructed blog post you are used to on this site. Stop laughing, I'm serious. ... No, really, stop laughing. Anywho, this post is about me venting over news that director John Landis (Blues Brothers, Psych, Oscar) was quoted as saying smash hit Inception was "interesting enough..., but not original."

Now, I have no problems with someone saying they don't like the movie. Inception will be one you either love or hate, and it's easy to see both points of view. I personally love it, but as I said, I can see the other point of view as well. What I do have a problem with is calling the movie unoriginal. With all the sequels, reboots, prequels, and adaptations for old TV shows, I find it unacceptable to call a movie like Inception unoriginal. Does it take plot or character elements from another source? Sure. But what story in history hasn't? The Bible took elements from Mayan stories of a great flood and fires before it, along with Homeric tales being taken from rumored other stories that have vanished over the centuries, and it's hard to get much earlier than either of those. Star Wars took multiple story lines from multiple other movies and stories, along with The Matrix taking elements from philosophy, the Bible and other Sci-Fi tales, but no one calls those unoriginal.

It's hard to find anything truly original, because so many stories have been touched on. If you look hard enough, you will find something familiar in everything. So, when something that was written from scratch, was designed from scratch and has no noticeable previous media influences is created, we should celebrate, because at least it isn't Charlie's Angels 3, or another Hulk reboot. It's a direction Hollywood should start going in, where people sit down to create new ideas, not rehash old ones, but it doesn't seem to be a common trend, and that is commendable.

What do you think? Are there really no original ideas anymore? Is Inception unoriginal? Sound off.

Netflix streaming out-does DVD's for first time ever

DVD, Netflix

1997-2010

Netflix DVD's were a fine companion for many Friday nights. Seeing Netflix come in my mailbox was always a treat, and having them sit on top of my box was a site of pure joy. Netflix started off simple enough, with modest means, quickly taking over for it's blue cousin, Blockbuster, destroying everything, including its red cousin, Red Box. Netflix DVD passed unexpectedly in the third quarter of 2010. Survived by a loving internet streaming family and hundreds of thousands of fans. Services will be held at a later date.

Pretty good obit, right? It's a gift, really. You may be asking why I am writing an obit for Netflix DVD's. The reason is because for the first time ever, Netflix streaming out sold the DVD counterpart. It's a huge deal because it seems to be a sign of things to come for the company and the industry as a whole.

So, are you contributing to the alarming trend of DVD's being dead? Do you like the streaming or do you think DVD's are alive and well?

Indiana Jones in 3-D?

Alright, enough is enough. It seems like every other day, I read about some beloved franchise getting dusted off and converted into 3-D. This week, the news in one of my favorite franchises of all time, Indiana Jones. The question is, will people go see it.

Reports surfaced this week that claimed Lucas and Speilberg were looking into converting the beloved series just as Lucas is doing for Star Wars currently. Apparently, according to the article, this isn't the first time they have looked into resurrecting a franchise. The article states they played around with cleaning up Jaws, but thought better of it. I assume someone showed them Jaws 3.

I suppose I should be happy this re-release will bring an amazing movie like Raiders of the Lost Ark to a new generation, but maybe I still have a slightly bitter taste in my mouth after the dreaded fourth Indiana Jones movie. I also don't think 3-D will add anything to the movie, and if not done well, could take away from the story.

What do you think?

A new trilogy in the works for Star Wars?

Star Wars fans are a die hard bunch. Ever since Return of the Jedi was released, and the fans were, uhh, graced with the presence of Ewoks, they have longed for a proper sequel to their beloved franchise. Sadly, they got Jar-Jar Binks and the prequels, but even that train wreck wasn't enough to dissuade them from their dreams of sequel heaven. There's been talk of the infamous episodes seven through nine for years, and now the rumors resurface, as the Star Wars geeks freak out.

/Film is reporting a rumor that has been denied by Lucasfilm that a planned trilogy is in the works and will be released after the six movies are released in theaters in 3-D. The rumored story will be quite some time in the future and have nothing to do with the Skywalker family, at least no one we know.

The good part about a storyline having nothing to do with the familiar characters is that Lucas doesn't have to play puzzle master, leaving some fans yelling "convenient," like they did with the prequels. This would give Lucas a fresh start in a very large universe. I don't know, however, how the Jedi would fit into a world so much farther in the future. It would seem to me the logical progression would be that the Jedi council and any remaining Jedi would just get pushed aside, similar to Paganism. I mean, they were responsible for the years of the dark times in the universe.

What do you think, does this sound like a good idea to you? What kind of stories would you like to see?

Do you have a "calm down Movie"?

For the second time in two years, I exited a movie and headed home in dread. Interestingly, the dread was due to a movie called Paranormal Activity, and lately, the sequel to the movie. Once I got home, there was an uneasyness in the air as I pet the dog, put down my keys and turned on every light in the house, and looked for a flashlight or two, just in case. As I sat down, unable to go to bed, I thought of 10 or 20 movies I could watch to help erase the thoughts of terror in my head. Last week, my sister saw the first movie and came up with a movie or two, and now, I'm going to add to the list. What movies would you choose to calm those frayed nerves?

Muppet Treasure Island - Alright, shut up, I like that movie! I know the music, and Kermit is an extremely versatile actor. The movie is light, has no scary elements to it, and will leave you singing Cabin Fever, ahh!

Back to the Future - Like the go carts in Clerks II, this movie takes me back to a simpler time. It's funny, isn't really heavy, and I can quote everything in the movie. On top of that, the themes are engaging, and the characters are good enought to take your mind off any para raptor.

Blazing Saddles - This one seems like an easy one. AFI's number two funniest movie of all time, this movie will make you laugh, from the Camp-Town Ladies at the beginning all the way to the great pie fight at the end, this movie will prove laughter can get rid of any thoughts of terror.

Balls of Fury - The title alone probably gives away the reason. Sure, there is a lot of comedy on this list, but in my opinion, comedy is the exact opposite of terror, and the best medicine for a creapy evening. This movie has Christopher Walken as a Chinease guy, a whole bunch of blind jokes, and a great parody of Enter the Dragon with ping-pong, or as the Chinease call it Ping-Pong. Besides, it has the Dragon; the least intimidating ping-pong player of all time.

Oceans 11 - This one is a bit different. Sure, it's comedy, but it isn't the silly slapstick of the previous two. This one has so many quotable moments, and funny parts, from the beginning with Danny Ocean and Rusty, to "the little Asian guy" to the amazing finale. It's a fun movie I could watch, and have, over and over again. There's also a bonus here that this movie is always on TV.

The Replacements - This is what I used last year, actually, and it worked well. It's a fun football movie that has the little guy winning in the end; what more could you want? The movie has some great moments that are funny, and also very heart-felt, along with that one scene where the team gets a penalty when a cheerleader smacks the other on the ass (quality TV).

So, there you go, your remedy to Halloween, and the scary movies playing during the season. If you have another remedy, let me know!

Inception 2 - Secret of the Ooze

Ever since the huge hit that was Inception came out, there has been talk of a sequel. If you've seen the movie, you know that story-wise, it doesn't make sense, but we all know Hollywood's love of money, and considering the movie is up to $810 million so far, before it even hits store shelves, the movie is a huge financial success. So, will a sequel be made? The answer is yes, apparently, if Warner Bros has anything to say about it.

There are several reports that Warner Bros wants to make a sequel, but it is highly unlikely director Christopher Nolan would return, given he has expressed several times that the project is done. So, given Warners wants more money, and Nolan doesn't want anything to do with it, will the studio get a new director? I would say most likely not, since Nolan is pretty much heading all their biggest projects, including directing the third Batman flick, and overseeing the Superman flick. I doubt they wouldn't want to piss of the man in charge of the company's future.

However, if there were to be a sequel, what would you do? Suffice to say POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!

The most obvious route to me would be to follow another member of Cobb's team after the job depicted in the first movie. It would be an easy move because Tom Hardy, Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon Levitt's characters were so interesting, and not touched on too much, that seeing that story line unfold could be quite a lot of fun. Gordon-Levitt's character was described several times in the film as the best in the business, so it would be interesting to see why. It would be a smart move because you would never have to mention Leonardo DiCaprio's Cobb, which would leave the impact of the ending intact, and audiences looking for any tidbit or clue as to the outcome.

So, that's my idea for a sequel that should never happen, and hopefully won't, but that's not to say there isn't talk of one.

TheHopp.NET blogtastic project

Here is the video for DAY 1 of the project.

Box Office Report - Paranormal Activity 2 dominates

Paranormal Activity 2 blew away expectations to land in first place with $41.5 million, setting a record for horror movie premieres. The original blew away all expectations, but steadily grew in money week after week. While the second has a very promising start, I don't know if it will be able to maintain the huge box office dollars, despite great reviews (including one from yours truly).

Jackass 3D dropped an expected 60% to come in second, with Red coming in third. Not a bad box office weekend for films.

What did you see this weekend?


BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. Paranormal Activity 2 - $41.5 million ($41.5 million total)
2. Jackass 3D - $21.6 million ($87.1 million total)
3. Red - $15 million ($43.5 million total)
4. Hereafter - $12 million (12.3 million total)
5. The Social Network - $7.3 million ($72.9 million total)
6. Secretariat - $6.9 million ($37.6 million total)
7. Life As We Know It - $6.1 million ($37.6 million total)
8. Legends of the Guardian: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - $3.2 million ($50.2 million total)
9. The Town - $2.7 million ($84.6 million total)
10. Easy A - $1.8 million ($54.8 million total)

Movie Review - Paranormal Activity 2

The first Paranormal Activity was the surprise hit of 2009. The movie shocked Hollywood execs after making crazy amounts of money with a budget of only around $12,000. I heralded the movie as one of the scariest movies I had ever seen due to the dramatic tension-filled buildup, and the philosophy of less is more, building up to a shocking ending. With as much hype as the first garnered, there is no possible way the sequel can be anything but a way to make more money, right? Wrong.

The first movie setup some rules, such as waiting for the now iconic bedroom cam signifying something terrifying is going to happen, along with most of the events happening at night. The sequel smashes those rules and amps up the terror as the film uses a clever story of security cameras being installed after an alleged break in. With the security cameras and an addition of a handheld camera, we see a family with an interesting relation to the events to the first film as something terrible unfolds before the audiences eyes.

The movie did some really clever things like interweaving the story of this movie with the first. As a result, both movies are scarier. The film also took advantage of some of the primal fears we have, such as something in the basement, fear of the dark, and afraid of being alone. The script was also more complex with more characters, like the father, who was pretty funny and quite genuine; the mother, who is also Katie's sister; the younger daughter, who was also convincing, and the maid, which was a bit silly.

While the first filmed had some jarring moments, there were probably only two or three, leaving the tension and eerie events to sit, leaving it a bit more cerebral. The second had some cerebral elements, but the jarring moments were much more frequent with three or four moments that scared the crap out of the audience, leaving the theater buzzing with an uneasy laughter that few movies can reproduce.

With all the brilliant things the movie did, I think the movie abandoned the steady incline of tension the first one had, and started off a bit slow, setting the premise and the rules, only to notch the terror up to an 11, and kept it there until the end of the movie, which left the possibility of a third movie open, without it being necessary.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie, and thought it did a good job of amping up the terror, and being a great compliment to the first film, which is required viewing for this film. The storyline was original and fresh, and the jump scares were effective over and over. While I was blown away with the first, I really enjoyed the second as a solid scary movie. I will be telling my sister not to see this movie, because I just don't her nerves can take it.

Reel Terror Film Festival - A Night in Review

On Saturday, horror came to Tampa Bay with the first ever Reel Terror Film Festival. Reel Terror was an opportunity for horror film fans to come together to see some of the best horror films from local filmmakers, generally those who are just trying to make a film not because of money, but because they love to, which is more than refreshing in this day and age. Creative Loafing had some interesting and surprisingly well done movies, a few panels of filmmakers, a first ever life Reel Projections podcast (which I participated in), along with awards and fun.

There were some pleasant surprises in movies, which included the short film Risen, a film about a Ted Bundy esque killer in the middle of a zombie uprising. The shots were clever, along with the performance of Al Mauro, who played Henry, the killer.

Other great films include 2:22, a beautiful short film about a woman who wakes up in a fog, naked and sick, and recalls the terrifying events of the night before. The movie had a great performance, along with some great sound and visual effects. I also enjoyed Wine, a perfectly short film about a wine connoisseur with a bizarre taste in wine. Another memorable short was Simone, about a woman who wakes up after a lesbian filled evening and finds the results of her fun.

There were plenty of other films there that showed, above all else, a passion for film. The audience also seemed very excited to see the films and mingle with the films makers and stars, some of which were on hand to promote the movie, but most of which just seemed excited to be with others who enjoy film.

Overall, it was a really fun experience that I hope will be an annual, or even semi-annual event that had everything a film fan could want.

The Hopp.NET blog-tastic project!

Yeah, that's what I'm calling it. I spent all day thinking of that title, so shut your face!

Anywho, the Blog-tastic project is basically a way for me to get my lazy ass in gear. In case you haven't noticed, I haven't spent the time I should here lately, and I haven't been able to figure out why, or how to fix it.

So, a few weeks ago, a good friend of mine, Rabid Nick Refer started "Project Blackout" where he quit social media for a week. He had me hooked when he said he would be "unplugging from the Matrix." As a result, he had a daily video, talking about how he did. It was inspiring.

So, while I'm not doing anything nearly that motivational or inspiring, or even that creative, I have decided that as of Sunday, I would dedicate a bit more time, and promise a minimum of two blogs and a video each day for one week.

Now, sure, it sounds easy. That's because it is, but it's hard doing it every day. And, I'm not talking about those little posts that present a really cool trailer, I'm talking about the writing that makes TheHopp.NET the best movie site on the web...that is run by a guy named Kevin...from Florida...that has the word 'Hopp' in it...that uses the word "blog-tastic"... alright, you get the point.

The video each day will be the third post (minimum) and will talk about whatever I want to talk about. Don't worry, it'll be mainly movie related; it'll talk about how easy or hard it was to come up with the material and maybe anything else I couldn't get a full post out of.

So, there it is, my vow to begin The Hopp.NET's Blog-tastic Project! Get excited. Tell your friends. Your mama too.

Movie Trailer - Scream 4

Yes, you saw that correctly, there is a fourth Scream movie. The fourth film has Wes Craven return to the innovative horror franchise along with Courtney Cox, David Arquette, and Neve Campbell. The film boasts quite the talented young cast in a movie that promises to be the "passing of the torch" kind of film for the franchise that plans on a second trilogy.

So, what do you think, innovative, or a lame attempt at making money?

Movie Trailer - Paul

Nick Frost and Simon Pegg are back. After tackling zombies in Shaun of the Dead and action movies in Hot Fuzz, they are turning their sights on aliens in Paul, directed by Superbad director Greg Mottola.

The latest comedy is about two comic-book geeks who travel across the U.S. to visit the famed Area 51, only to encounter a real life alien (voiced by Seth Rogen). Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Jane Lynch and Sigourney Weaver also star in the movie that hits theaters March 18, 2011 in the U.S.

Check out the trailer that hints at the plot, but not the comedy that is sure to ensue and let me know what you think in the comments section!

I also shared the Paul goodness with Creative Loafing HERE.

Jackass is king in the box office

Action comedy Red had a good showing with $22.5 million, but it was Jackass that dominated the box office with an impressive $50 million weekend. It's nearly double that of Jackass 2, and quite an impressive start for a movie with a budget of $20 million. Also, the Social Network continues strong in third, showing a mere 29% drop in numbers, which is way below average for a films third week.

Overall, it looks like there were quite a few people in the theaters over the weekend. So, what did you see?

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. Jackass 3D - $50 million ($50 million total)
2. Red - $22.5 million ($22.5 million total)
3. The Social Network - $11 million ($63.1 million total)
4. Secretariat - $9.5 million ($27.5 million total)
5. Life As We Know It - $9.2 million ($28.9 million total)
6. Legends of the Guardian: The Owls of Ga'Hoole - $4.2 million ($46.0 million total)
7. The Town - $4.0 million ($80.6 million total)
8. My Soul To Take - $3.2 million ($11.9 million total)
9. Easy A - $2.7 million ($52.3 million total)
10. Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps - $2.4 million ($47.9 million total)

More Back to the Future goodness

I am sure it's clear I am a huge fan of Back to the Future by now. So, as a fan, I was really happy to see this cool little interview with Michael J. Fox and Leah Thompson, talking about their experiences during the movie. I have to say both seem like class acts. I actually got a chance to see Leah Thompson at Comic Con, and she is as nice as she seems in this video, and Fox is just a total class act, which always makes him fun to watch.

Anywho, check out this cool interview.

Tom Hardy cast in Batman

This year, movie fans were treated to a little known movie called Inception. It was heralded by critics (especially me) as an amazing movie, a visual treat, and a mind-altering experience. One of the many reasons the movie was so good was the cast, including relative unknown (sure he was in Star Trek: Nemesis, but it wasn't his fault) Tom Hardy. Well, apparently, the audience wasn't the only one that was pleasantly surprised by Hardy, as director cast him in his latest flick. You may have heard of it; Batman 3.

There is no word yet on who Hardy will play, but I'm glad to see him get more roles. After Inception, he was offered pretty much everything, but Batman is pretty much it when it comes to movies lately. There was also a rumor going around at one point that his Inception co-star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt would join him as the Riddler. The villain front has been pretty quiet lately, and there is a rumor for every person in Hollywood, but it seems pretty plausible at least.

Since we're talking Batman, can you think of a more anticipated movie? There are a few extremely anticipated movies in history, and few have lived up to the hype, do you expect Batman to be one that does, or is it impossible with this kind of hype?

A Back to the Future fans wet dream

I admit it, I'm obsessed. The car, the hoverboard, Einstein, the Libians, the Flux Capacitor, and 1955, all of it, I can't get enough. I'm talking about one of the greatest trilogies of all time, Back to the Future. This year is the 25th anniversary of the start of the franchise that made Deloreans and Michael J. Fox infamous. We've already had the announcement of the Blu-Ray set coming out, along with the the movie being shown in select theaters on the 23rd and 25th of October, and we've already seen the long lost Eric Stoltz footage; well now, we get a unique tribute in the form of a remade trailer just in time for the Spike TV Scream awards. The trailer shows Fox back in the jean jacket as Marty McFly as an advertisement. I have to admit, there was some girlie screamage going on, but I tried to contain myself. Honestly.

Here's the trailer. WARNING: Your inner geek will have a geek-gasm.

Bumblebee gets taken out...for real

As filming of the third Transformers flick, now known to be Transformers: Dark Moon, they had a bit of a booboo on yesterdays set. Apparently, a police officer was responding to a call and somehow made it through the barricades setup for filming and crashed into the famous Camero, doing significant damage. Other than Bumblebee, no one was hurt, but the good news is it's all on video. It's ok, you can click...who could resist seeing an accident. I dare you to turn away!

And Spiderman's new villain is ...

It was announced today that Rhys Ifans (the kicker in Replacements) will be the main bad guy in the Spiderman reboot opposite of Andrew Garfield's titular character. This news comes a week after it was announced Emma Stone (Easy A, Zombieland) would play the love interest, Gwen Stacey.

What was not in the announcement was what character Ifans would play. There has been tons of speculation, but no hard evidence. The most popular idea is Doctor Connors/The Lizard, but I simply don't seem Ifans play a dedicated scientist very well. My guess would be he is the guy that kills Uncle Ben and happens to have some link with Spiderman, such as being The Vulture or something along those lines. I am hoping for a Goblin-free movie, personally, but I can't think of anything else Ifans could be. Look for more information coming soon.

Who do you think Rhys Ifans could be? Do you have a villain you would like to see?

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 - Not in 3-D

Good news for Harry Potter fans as the premiere date for the latest movie gets closer, it was announced that despite several press releases stating it would be in 3-D, the movie will not be in 3-D when it hits theaters in November. I say this is good news because the "up converting" that has been done to the summer movies have left less than stellar results from fans and critics alike.

I am wondering, however, why there will be no 3-D action. The film technique revived by James Cameron's Avatar, has increased box office dollars quite a bit, and is likely the reason Avatar beat out Titanic for top spot in the dollar category. Since we all know it's all about the Benjamins, either someone stepped in to ensure the integrity and quality of the film, or they had a problem up converting. The latter would be surprising, since the Potter franchise has been a huge cash cow, and likely something studios would ensure would be the best it could.

So, are you happy it's not in 3-D, or do you like those funky glasses?

Movie Review - Red

As you go through movie blog after movie blog you will see or hear about the summer movie season that was. Some will bring up the one or two blockbusters like Inception that did well, but for the most part, they will tell you it was pretty terrible. Well, I'm here to say the discussion isn't done yet, because Red came to the party, just a bit late. So, does that mean it was bad? Not hardly.

Red is a movie starring Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Karl Urban and Mary-Louise Parker in a movie that is half Space Cowboys and half A-Team and all fun. The movie is about retired CIA operative and super-spy Frank Moses (Willis) as a guy flirting with an ordinary life, and an ordinary girl (Parker), when out of nowhere, his ex-company, the CIA decides he knows too much and tries to kill him. The kill-sqaud is lead by Karl Urban, who will stop at nothing to kill Moses, and his old team, consisting of a mental patient (Malkovich), a female James Bond (Mirren) and Morgan Freeman. Now, they must clear their name before they get dead.

The casting in this movie is right on. Sure, Willis is his normal self, but every character is so colorful, and look like they are having so much fun, it is impossible not to join in. The action is silly and over the top, but really well done, and the comedy is pretty even, just look for Malkovich; when he's on screen, it's a guaranteed laugh. Urban does a good job as a tough guy, and even Ernest Borgnine and Brian Cox add to the fun. Finally, Parker is quite adorable as the innocent girl looking for adventure, and finding it in a bunch of geriatric CIA operatives.

The movie may have been a bit long, and slowed down a bit about three quarters of the way through, but overall, it was a great time and deserves to be compared to nearly any summer movie you saw this season, and often will win the comparison. It has a great cast, and the fun is infectious. Sure, there are smarter movies like Catfish or Social Network that deserve to be praised for their greatness, but every once in awhile, you've gotta have a little fun, too, and Red will deliver that last bit of summer fun.

This also appeared on Creative Loafing's website. You can check out the Loafy goodness HERE.

Superman movie gets new director and a lot of questions

Fans of Superman have something to look forward to, and that’s a new Superman movie, but the premise, and director have some wondering if it’s a smart move. Either way, WB is putting a rush on the property in an attempt to start production before 2011 so they don’t lose the rights to the franchise.

The first big announcement is Dawn of the Dead director Zack Snyder will be directing the reboot/sequel movie with Christopher Nolan helping with the project. You’ll remember Snyder as the director of 300 and Watchmen, and while both had varying degrees of success, he wasn’t WB’s first choice. Apparently, Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky was the first choice. I think Snyder is an interesting choice, and while Aronofsky has the bigger name, this could very easily make or break the director.

I’m sure there were plenty of reasons to choose Snyder to helm such a big movie, but reports are saying the main reason is due to the script being rushed, and not completed, and WB wanting to go through with the movie and not wait for someone to redo the script. Apparently they are counting on Snyder to rework the script and shoot the movie, which could be interesting. The movie is set to revolve around Clark Kent traveling the world as a journalist, trying to decide whether to become Superman or not and will feature General Zod as the villain.

There aren’t many clues as to who Snyder could be looking at to wear the cape, but rumors are swirling, and it seems Superman Returns star Brandon Routh is not one of them, despite doing a respectable job in the previous movie. WB show Smallville is ending it’s series this year, maybe they’ll get Tom Welling, which would be kind of fitting, considering the end of Smallville is said to have Welling’s Clark Kent pickup the Superman costume.

So what do you think of Snyder as director? Who would you cast as the big, blue boy scout?

Check out the post, and comments on Creative Loafing's site by clicking HERE.

Emma Stone in Spiderman Reboot

So, a quick news tidbit for your hungry appetites today... Emma Stone, who played in Zombieland, and who is fresh out of Easy A, is set to star as Gwen Stacey opposite Andrew Garfield in the reboot of Spiderman.

The story is said to revolve around a younger Spiderman than in the last movie. Apparently, Peter Parker and the gang are still in high school during the movie, which makes more drama as Parker tries to juggle the CW-ism, along with being a super hero. Gwen Stacey, you'll remember made an appearance in the third film, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Stacey is the unachievable woman that Parker can't ever quite get with, mainly due to his wall-crawling duties getting in the way.

There were also rumors about Mary Jane being in the movie, but I'm sure she won't be the main focus yet, as we've all had plenty of the redhead.

So, I think Emma Stone is adorable, and she clearly is on fire with some great performances back to back, but I'm still not sure about a Spiderman reboot. I don't think we need one yet, nor do I think Garfield can pull off a high school looking Peter Parker. But, I've been wrong once or twice before, so what do you think? Ready for the reboot? The hot Emma Stone?

DVD Review - Monk series box set

When Creative Loafing's own Joe Bardi asked me to review all 5,480 minutes of acclaimed USA Network's TV show Monk, I jumped at the opportunity, but when I heard it came out on October 5th, well, I got a little worried, canceled all my plans and picked up a case of Red Bull and hand sanitizer (to get into the mood). Sure, I've seen the occasional episode of Monk, what USA Network fan hasn't, but, how do you review an entire series without watching every single episode? The answer is you couldn't, which meant, clearly, I had my work cut out for me as I pressed play on season one, knowing I had an additional 7 seasons and plenty of bonus features to go.

The British have Sherlock Holmes, and we have Adrien Monk, an ex detective who has many issues, including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and a phobia of just about everything. Despite his near lack of ability to have a normal life, he has exceptional observational skills that are way beyond normal. Monk used to have his compulsions under control until the murder of his wife Trudy when he became catatonic for three years. Now, as the series starts, Monk is getting back on his feet with the help of an assistant, and taking cases for the San Fransisco Police Department in an attempt to get his badge back. And, as each episode begins, we see the crime, and Monk's incredible observational gifts attempt to solve the crime, and ultimately solve the most important crime; his wife's death.

As a fan of any other show on USA, like Psych, Burn Notice, or any other detective show, you can see Monk creating the template for nearly every detective show since. The creation of this template is quite exciting, and the dynamic between Monk and his assistant, either Sharona (Bitty Schram) or Natalie (Traylor Howard) is also incredibly original and very similar to Sherlock Holmes and his Watson, or even a bit of Doctor Who and his companion.

First off, the box set is very well designed, and looks good. It's not quite as original looking as, say the Lost box set, which looks really amazing, and has some cool crap inside, but it's something that will look good on your book shelf. On top of the 32 discs, it includes a book with cute tidbits of information on Monk, along with trivia and a list of 38 of Monks phobias, including number 22, "Touching," and number one, "germs."

Some of the special features are quite good, as they interview the actors, show the process of creating and writing Monk, and the basis for Monk's OCD. There is also a special feature about why Monk won an Emmy, what happened before the series started, and what kind of obsessive compulsories the cast have. They are all relatively short, but seeing these master actors perfecting their craft is very entertaining. There is also a great episode commentary for the two-part series finale that is a must see for any Monk fan.

So, here are some of the episodes on the list that you must see. Whether you are someone like me, who has never gotten into the show, or someone who saw every episode and wants to catch up with the best parts of Monk.

Mr. Monk and the Candidate: the two hour pilot episode that started it all off sees Monk and Sharona solving the murder of a senate candidates body guard. This episode was really well written and starts things off perfectly.

Mr. Monk Goes to the Asylum: Monk is losing it and is confined to an insane asylum, but it doesn't stop him from solving a murder. The episode was great because it focuses on the dramatic and sad truth regarding his loss of his wife, but at the same time is incredibly funny.

Mr. Monk Takes his Medicine: My favorite episode that sees Monk take some medicine that essentially turns off his OCD, but at the cost of his incredible deductive skills. The line "you're bringing The Monk down, man" says it all.

Mr. Monk and the Red Herring: The first episode of Natalie, and an unfitting sendoff for Sharona, the episode is a fun mystery that has Monk realize he can't live without an assistant.

Mr. Monk Gets Drunk: This episode is another great way of showing that our hero is flawed, and questions the sanity of Monk. I always feel sad for him as we often wonders if he is completely crazy, and you are never quite sure.

Mr. Monk and the Leper: An episode shot totally in black and white, and the DVD also has the color version, the episode is shot quite uniquely, and offers a great mystery involving a leper, which Monk easily identifies with.

There are another six or seven more that are truly worth mentioning, but I'm going to skip to the end of the series, Mr. Monk and the End, Part 1 & 2. The finale sees the conclusion to Monk's wife, Trudy's murder, as Monk is poisoned and dyeing. It's a great two-parter, as you see an incredibly dramatic conclusion where you aren't certain of anyones future until the end as we get a really good send off to a great group of actors.

There are also some great episodes involving some wonderful guest stars, starting with my favorite, John Turturo (Monk's brother); Tim Daly (playing himself, and great for anyone who saw Wings), Sarah Silverman (an obsessive Monk fan), Andrew McCarthy, Craig T. Nelson (the guy from Coach plays a judge), Alfred Molina, Snoop Dogg, James Brolin, Brooke Adams, and Tim Curry, amongst others.

I learned a lot about Monk, including liking Sharona more than Natalie as Monk's assistant; Lt. Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford) doesn't really have a purpose; seasons five and six show a bit of bitterness for Monk; Tony Shalhoub is amazingly talented; every episode makes me feel kinda sorry for Monk and finally, that I should invest in more disinfectant wipes.

The DVD picture quality came across as kind of grainy, which I thought would end in season one, but continued throughout all 8 seasons, which was noticeable on my HD TV, but the sound quality was quite good, as was the special features and the presentation. However, at $190.99 on Amazon.com, I think the price needs to drop a bit before I can recommend this set. Once it hits around $150, which I'm sure it will be by Christmas time, it will be a must-have for everyone.

This review also appeared on Creative Loafing's website. You can see the wonderful page by clicking HERE.

Movie Review - Catfish

With a tagline of "Don't let anyone tell you what it is," it makes for an enticing movie, and a very difficult movie review. Sure, I would love to discuss what the movie is about, but clearly the tagline prohibits me from doing so, and really, I think it made for a more interesting experience going into the movie with very limited preconceptions.

The movie trailer gives certain preconceptions of my mystery, lieing and betrayal, and when you see what the movie is about, you'll see why the trailer is so brilliant. At first, I thought the trailer completely misrepresented the movie, and I was sort of angry. Then, I thought about why they would do that, and the answer fit in perfectly with the themes of the movie, and finally, I think there was a bit of things that I assumed about the trailer, and it turns out I was wrong, which is even more intriguing, considering it rarely happens anymore.

The movie is a documentary, I think. There seems to be quite a bit of debate online, but it is billed as such. The cinematography was pretty amateur at best, and terrible at worst. The music was very artsy and seemed to imitate the traditional documentary music you see in every documentary (I'm thinking about one where the guy thought his dad was a building). The characters the documentary follows feel very genuine, which leads me to believe it's real, or they are talented actors, and I'm likely to go for the real end.

Overall, the theme of the movie, which I can discuss, is about the people we are when we are online. The simple theme alone is enough to invoke thought. I mean, think about it, are you yourself when you are online? Are the people we are talking to who we think they are? It's an interesting question, and it's a bizarre answer in this movie.

I think this movie will be one of those that you either love or hate, depending on what your preconceptions of this movie are. Either way, it's an intriguing documentary, and if you're up for that sort of thing, you will love this movie.