Anne Hathaway and James Franco to host 2011 Oscars

It was announced today Anne Hathaway (Love and other Drugs, Get Smart) and James Franco (Spiderman, Pineapple Express) would be hosting the 2011 Oscars. It's a move that could be brilliant, considering the demos for last years Oscars heavily favored the older crowd with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin hosting. Clearly, they're trying to add a younger audience with the two sexy stars. But, will it be a smart idea?

The formula for the Oscars usually favor a comedienne like Billy Crystal or Whoopi Goldberg, or Johnny Carson, Robin Williams or last years tag team of Martin and Baldwin. It's been done before with Hugh Jackman hosting the 81st Academy Awards show, which I thought was good, but this is two inexperienced hosts hosting the biggest night in Hollywood, and while both are incredibly talented and like able, I am wondering if they're experience will shine through, or will it make for an awkward 15 hour show.

The other issue is that both actors could conceivably be up for an award. Franco should be a lock for his portrayal in 127 Hours, while Hathaway could benefit from the lack of female star power and get a nod for Love and Other Drugs. How awkward would that be to have to present a trophy to themselves, or worse, someone else. I guess it's a good problem to have, but an issue, nonetheless.

What do you think, is this a good move? Will you tune in this year?

RIP Leslie Nielsen

By now, everyone has heard the news of the passing of one of cinema's greats, Leslie Nielsen. Generally, they are accompanied by quotes from so many of his movies; a reference to not calling him Shirley, and a sad smile, signifying a longing for the great cinematic personality.

Nielsen was born in Canada in February of 1926 and died November 28 from complications of Pneumonia. He is survived by his fourth wife Barbaree and two Thea and Maura.

He was best known for his comedy roles in movies like Airplane or the movies based on the TV show, Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad. He also did tons of other comedies, like one of my favorites, Spy Hard, and he's famous for delivering hilarious lines, and side-splitting prose with a deadpan straight face. It always amazed me Nielsen could say the things he said like his life depended on it.

It may surprise some that before Airplane, Nielsen did quite a bit of serious work, including some stage work and serious roles in movies like The Poseidon Adventure and Forbidden Planet. Before that, he was a radio announcer, and before that, served in the Royal Canadian Airforce. Nielsen was clearly a man of many talents, and it almost seems a shame we remember him for not wanting to be called Shirley.

For me, my favorite Nielsen moment comes from Airplane, where he gives Ted Stryker the "win one for the Zipper" speech, but it's so hard to narrow it down to one.

Yahoo! has some of the five most memorable moments of the stars life HERE for your viewing pleasure, but they don't do the star justice.

Rest in peace, Leslie Nielsen!

What's your favorite Leslie Nielsen moment?

Box Office Report - Harry Potter beats Tangled

It's the weekend of the family movies, or, rather, Harry Potter and the family movies. The seventh Potter movie dropped an average 60% to rake in $50.4 million, beating out the Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore voiced animated film Tangled, which did a respectable $49.1 million. Megamind is still doing strong in third place. Faster premiered in seventh, with a dismal $8.7 million.

What did you see this weekend?

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part I - $50.4 million ($220.4 million total)
2. Tangled - $49.1 million ($69.0 million total)
3. Megamind - $12.9 million ($130.5 million total)
4. Burlesque - $11.8 million ($17.2 million total)
5. Unstoppable - $11.8 million ($60.7 million total)
6. Love and Other Drugs – $9.9 million (14.0 million total)
7. Faster - $8.7 million ($12.2 million)
8. Due Date - $7.3 million ($85.0 million total)
9. The Next Three Days - $4.8 million ($14.6 million total)
10. Morning Glory - $4.0 million ($26.5 million total)

Kevin Smith to retire?

Kevin Smith is one of the more known filmmakers in Hollywood. He's known for making some incredible, honest, funny movies, and his outgoing attitude towards his fans. He's currently working on a movie called Red State, and after a brutal battle with critics after his last movie, Cop Out, he's not all that happy with movie critics. He's got some truly interesting ideas for distribution on Red State, though.

Overall, I hope Smith doesn't retire. He's a breath of fresh air with his honesty. Whether you agree with his opinions or not, which I don't, you have to respect him coming right out, sans sugar. So, check out what he told to /Film regarding the whole thing.

This isn’t news. Y’know what is news? That RED STATE podcast – and we give it away every week FOR FREE. Y’know what else is news? That Richard Kelly podcast. That’s one INSANELY juicy and useful document if you’ve ever been interested in making a film, or even if you’ve just wondered about the vagaries of the movie biz.

But THIS “retirement” crap? Not news so much as another sad example of how fucking lazy movie pr ess has become: they cannibalize stories by other writers just to have something to post on their own blogs. Yours was the only website that bothered to go DIRECTLY to the source, Peter – other cats ran articles without even tossing a Tweet my way to check veracity. And I answer Tweets like I answer the dinner bell: often & much. While sweating. And already eating something else.

I’ve always said (since CLERKS, even) that I’ve got about ten films in me (that info might even be on my Wikipedia page). And COP OUT notwithstanding (solely because I didn’t write it), HIT SOMEBODY is the 10th film I’ve got in me. At this moment in time, I’ve got no other flicks I wanna make. The musing about a possible return visit to the View Askewniverse with a third CLERKS is something I’ve been doing since CLERKS II, but I’ve always opened said musings with the disclaimer “If I ever wanna make a flick about being in my 40′s, I’ll think of Da nte & Randal first.” There are no concrete plans for a CLERKS III.

The author of the Boston Phoenix piece did a really nice job of not hyping that throwaway factoid in the article and turning it into the exact piece of specious bullshit “news” the websites you mentioned are trying to create of it.

You want REAL Kevin Smith news? Listen to HOLLYWOOD BABBLE-ON tomorrow morning and I’ll tell you who the lead in HIT SOMEBODY is gonna be. Or download the RED STATE OF THE UNION podcast this Tuesday and find out what actors passed on the flick! THAT shit’s Kevin Smith news, son!

But if you can’t wait ’til then? If you’ve GOTTA have some Kevin Smith news to hold you over? Here’s something that’s not so much news as my stated intentions for RED STATE: if it gets into Sundance, my plan is to pick the RED STATE distributor right there – IN THE ROOM – auction style. Might even bring up a professional auctioneer to make it fun and unintelligible. And if you’re a multi-millionaire who can’t make it to the first screening of RED STATE, fear not: maybe we’ll set up an eBay page for the post-screening bid-calling as well.

See? With a little diligence on a newsie’s behalf, not only did he get to the bottom of his story, he got some exclusive shit nobody else has as well! And it’s not like Peter’s got a secret line to me. I’m WAY reachable. I’m so tired of doing lazy fucker’s jobs FOR them – especially when they’re the same lazy fuckers who’re screaming “YOUR MOVIE SUCKS!” a month later anyway. Some of your peers need to act a little less entitled and a little more Sciretta.

Harry Potter plays Daniel Radcliffe

In one of the funniest interviews I've ever seen, we see Daniel Radcliffe confess that he is actually Harry Potter, and that he only plays an actor named Dan. Apparently, Dan is a fun character to play. This is a hilarious video. Thanks Funny Or Die!

I Am Harry Potter from Daniel Radcliffe

Movie Review - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1

The series taken from the beloved children's books and adapted into the biggest movie franchise in history is coming to a close with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. As sides clash, characters embrace their destiny and studios rake in the dough, we get the feeling something special is ending. So, where does the seventh Harry Potter movie rank in the series?

The second movie picks up some time after the events of the previous film, with the gravity of the situation in full force as the Minister of Magic (Bill Nighy) tries to convince everyone, including himself that everything is ok. As a result, Harry's relatives pack up and leave; Hermoine leaves her parents, making them forget their daughter ever existed, and Ron is left contemplating whether his family will make it out alive as they gather for a wedding.

Once we get the intro, we are treated to one of the best action scenes in franchise history as Harry's friends try to transport their most valuable cargo to a safer location. Things go terribly wrong; brooms fly, and good and evil do battle in the skies as Harry tries to get away in Hagrid's side car. This was my favorite part of the movie with some great scenes, and gorgeous action shots. We get a quick lull in the action before another death eater attack leaves Hermoine, Ron and Harry on their own, and on the run.

As someone who has never read the books, I always feel like there are stories hinted at that are never fully realized in the movies, and this one is no exception. Dumbledore's mysterious past is referenced, but left in the background. There were hints to movies past, from mention of the Basilisk in Chamber of Secrets, to the Sword of Gryffindor, and the golden snitch from the first quiddich game.

The actors only get better with age as you get the feeling Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint are as comfortable in their characters shoes as they are in their own. Radcliffe especially flexes his acting chops with several scenes of intensity in a CGI heavy scene. Ralph Fiennes has a more commanding performance than the last movie, playing the dark lord himself, and Helena Bonham Carter shows her normal crazy side in a rather brutal scene involving Watson's Hermoine.

This movie shows it's no longer for kids with torture, death, and a pretty hot scene involving Harry and Hermoine. While there are several bright spots in the series, Goblet of Fire being my favorite, this has to be lower on the list for me. The grayness in the movie, meant to enforce the weight of the world left me depressed. There were some amazing, beautiful, dramatic scenes, but at 2 hours and 36 minutes, I started to notice the length at times, specifically in the middle.

With the action packed beginning and the dramatic end, littered with just a hint of humor, like scene with multiple Harry's, or any time they change shape, the middle, with all its scenery, and emotion packed dialogue dragged. It seemed they just teleported from one beautiful location to another without any point or purpose with tidbits of swords and the origins of magic spread throughout their travels, with the radio spreading news of death in the background the whole way.

Overall, any Harry Potter fan will be flocking to see this movie no matter what I say, and the movie will set box office record after box office record, but in the end, I don't think this will be my favorite. With the grim feeling, and depressing backdrop, this movie won't beg for the repeated viewings the others will. Either way, Harry is more than worth your time. It's beautiful, wonderfully dramatic, with a hint of humor and some nicely done action. See it; if for nothing else, to see the buildup to the ending we've all waited for since meeting that young boy all those years ago.

EDITORS NOTE: This also appeared on Creative Loafing's website HERE and SpoilerTV's website HERE. Check out the comments from these great communities.

Movie Review - Faster - Starring Dwayne Johnson

There was a scene in a movie called The Rundown, where famed action star turned governor Arnold Schwarzenegger wishes upcoming action star Dwayne Johnson good luck in passing, as a sort of passing of the torch to the next great action star. No longer The Rock, Johnson took the torch and did movies like the Tooth Fairy. Faster looks to be a return to form for the great action star, but will it be everything we wanted? Well, it's not what we expected.

Faster involves three characters, all having a bit of a connection with a bank heist turned double-cross, resulting in Johnson's brothers death. As the movie begins, we see Johnson get out of jail and making a B-line to those who killed his brother. We also meet a rich boy turned hitman, only looking for a challenge in life, and finding one in his latest hit; Johnson's character, and finally, Billy Bob Thornton's cop character, trying to hunt down the murderer of several men before more are killed.

First off, this is not what I expected from the action packed trailer. The movie was not nearly as much action as it is a suspense movie with guns, and lots and lots of shots of Dwayne Johnson looking stern. The movie seemed to be a series of scenes involving either Johnson driving to his next hit, or the quick, in and out hit itself, with really very little else. The action shots seemed really off, with director George Tillman Jr. (Men of Honor) going with a shaky cam style with lots and lots of quick cuts.

The idea on whether Johnson's character should kill the people involved with his brother's death is one the movie likes to play with. Instead of some movies showing the soon-to-be victims as total D-Bags in an effort to make the audience feel better about their impending doom, the movie shows them as family men; fathers and husbands. This makes every hit more tension filled and more ethically murky. Sure, we are reminded of the events that lead to Johnson's brother's death, but then we are shown a good, reformed, apologetic guy. This movie uses this to great effect in one scene involving Lost's Mr. Ecko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), where the murderer turned priest wants nothing but forgiveness, and the back and forth between the two is incredible, with the debate on whether he should be executed or not.

The character of the rich mogul turned hitman is terrible, and has nothing to do with the story. It involves a guy similar to Johnson's characters moral struggle on whether to pull the trigger, although with different reasons. Either way, the character does very little, and has a totally anti-climactic ending. Thornton's drug using cop is an interesting character, however, and his ties to the murder is interesting, as he plays a cop looking for retirement. He's partnered with Carla Gugino, and as such, makes a good, and very murky character in a movie filled with them.

If you were looking for a good action movie involving a great '71 Chavelle, a promising action star, some gorgeous women and Billy Bob Thornton, then you will be disappointed. If you go in with little expectations, you will get a movie with some great scenes chained together in a movie with sloppy action shots, a stern-looking Dwayne Johnson and a great scene with Mr. Ecko. Overall, it's more of a rent then a movie theater event.

Disney done with Fairy Tales? Please no

In a terrifying article from /Film, they quote Disney's head of animation as saying "Tangled will be the last fairy tale produced by Disney’s animation group for the foreseeable future." The article goes on to question whether fairy tale stories are still relevant, along with looking at some of the previous Disney films that haven't exactly rattled the box office cage. While all this is true, this can't happen.

First off, I am not sure if "Disney Animation" and "Pixar Studios" which Disney owns are considered the same thing, which could mean that all Fairy Tale creatures, both benevolent and and benign will be handled by Pixar, as apposed to Disney. However the possible astrix goes, this is a dark day indeed.

Some of the greatest cinematic memories I have from my childhood involve Disney. I mean, you had the classics like 101 Dalmatians, and Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast, and my personal favorite Lion King, and Aladdin, amongst so many others. It's a staple of youth, and to not add any new ones is silly. These movies are like the theme parks themselves, they take you to another world of magic, and wonder, and can make anyone, no matter the age feel like a kid, and while I'm not talking about the end of that per se, it sure feels like it.

Now, the article also has a Facebook exert saying that it's a bunch of bologna, but the quote, if you trust the L.A. Times, came from somewhere, which means the idea is being tossed around, and I don't like treasured cinematic movies like Disney fairy tales being toyed with. Do you?

WTF news of the week - Abraham Lincoln comes to the big screen

Sadly, I'm not talking about the adaptation of the book Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. I'm instead talking about a rather bizarre project, helmed by Stephen Spielberg, doing a biopic on the 16th president. According to Yahoo, Spielberg had Liam Neeson cast as the $5 bill guy, but with Neeson dropping out after years of inactivity, it seems Daniel Day-Lewis is cast.

Am I the only person that doesn't see it? I mean, I guess he could look sort of like him, but I don't know if I care to see him as the president, let alone a biopic of the guy. While Lincoln's presidency is one of the more famous in history, I just don't know how they would make it interesting.

I'm not hating on the film before it's started, nor am I saying it will be boring, and with Spielberg helming the film, if it ever gets off the ground, it certainly has a good director at the helm, but from the little I've read, I'm left totally uninterested.

What about you, would you like to see an Abraham Lincoln biopic? And what about good old' Daniel Day-Lewis as Lincoln?

p.s. yes, I used Abraham Lincoln from Star Trek as the image. What of it?

Box Office Report - Harry Potter blows up the box office

There was a little-known movie that came out this week. Something about a guy named Harry Potter...

The movie blew away all other Harry Potter opening weekends with $125 million, easily beating out Goblet of Fire, which had about $102 million. Megamind came in a very distant second, but still good enough for second place with $16.2 million.

So, what did you see this weekend?

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part I - $125.1 million ($125.1 million total)
2. Megamind - $16.2 million ($109.5 million total)
3. Unstoppable - $13.1 million ($42.0 million total)
4. Due Date - $9.2 million ($72.7 million total)
5. The Next Three Days - $6.8 million ($6.8 million total)
6. Morning Glory - $5.2 million ($19.9 million total)
7. Skyline - $3.4 million ($17.7 million total)
8. Red - $2.5 million ($83.6 million total)
9. For Colored Girls - $2.4 million ($34.5 million total)
10. Fair Game - $1.5 million ($3.8 million total)

Doctor Who Christmas special - Trailer

I got into Doctor Who a year or so ago, and have since caught up with the new incarnation of Doctor Who, starting back in 2005. I know, as a sci-fi geek, I should go back further, because, well, most of that stuff is the father of modern science fiction, but it's not easy to tackle. With that said, the most recent season of Who is possibly the greatest season of TV I've ever seen. Matt Smith is incredible as the Doctor, and it's left me anxious for more.

So, check out the trailer for the Christmas episode. When he says "I'm the ghost of Christmas past" well, my inner geek does cart-wheels.

Red Riding Hood trailer - starring Amanda Seyfried

Check out the new trailer for the Catherine Hardwicke directed Red Riding Hood. According to the Yahoo! article Leonardo DiCaprio thought of the idea, as opposed to the Twilight director. I like the idea, and of course, Amanda Seyfriend is extremely hot, and it's got the staple of any good movie; Gary Oldman, but is this too sparkley for you? Let me know your thoughts.

100 things I like about Cinema

As I was browsing through some blogs today, I came across a really great post on a blog called thedroidyourelookingfor (seriously, the name alone is worth clicking on). The post, instead of talking about how bad the movie season was, or the most hated character in all cinema, or how he hated Harry Potter, he listed 100 things he loved about movies. It was refreshing to say the least, and it was really well done.

Now, I am in no way trying to copy his list, but, I would like to think I’m more inspired by the list to make my own. Now, it’s not done yet, not by a long shot. It turns out, coming up with 100 things in one sitting isn’t the easiest thing to do; not because there aren’t 100 things, just that my brain doesn’t have quite enough RAM for the job.

So, here’s what I’ve got so far. What would you add?

1) Quan-Su means like free beer or something
2) Calvin Klein is written all over his underwear
3) He’s a scruffy-looking Nerf Herder
4) He can’t see us if we don’t move
5) How cool it was when Max turned into a silver Nerf Ball
6) That McCrowski picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue
7) The two suns on Tattoine
8) I wasn’t even supposed to be here today
9) Here’s lookin at you kid
10) The scene where the guys are singing in the boat and the barrel pops up
11) How the sun is in your eyes before Mal moves and says “I aim to misbehave”
12) When the explosion in the fake town blows up the horse and the guy
13) Any Schwartz joke
14) When George Clooney says the words “Jedi Warrior” and Ewan McGregor looks puzzled
15) The Dude
16) When Gwenyth Paltrow realizes she left the lens cap on the whole time.
17) The Jungles of Pandora
18) The flying monkeys and that crazy music!
19) The train battle in Spiderman 2
20) The way Christopher Walken says “Ping-Pong”
21) The fact dogs can look up
22) When the beautiful Enterprise rises up through the red fog stuff
23) Every time Indy uses a whip
24) When Indy pulls out a gun and shoots the sword wielding fiend
25) When Simon Pegg drop-kicks that old lady in the name of the “greater good”
26) The car chase in Bad Boys 2, where they wreck a boat

Sometimes, paper can make you happy

I've said multiple times that whether a review or story of mine is in the paper or not, it's aways about what will get more exposure, and often times, being on the website is just as good, if not better. Having said that, there is something gratifying about seeing a review of yours in print...

Page 52 of this weeks Creative Loafing:

photo courtesy of Jasandra

Jon Favreau's Cowboys vs. Aliens teaser trailer

There has been talk about this movie for some time, and frankly, the title alone is worth checking out, until you see the cast that includes Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde, among others, and you see it's directed by Hollywood's next big thing, Mr. Jon Favreau, then it's required viewing. And, finally, you see the trailer, and you wonder, is it everything you hoped for? The answer: Oh yeah!

Zombie outbreak? What would you do?

So, my girlfriend did a post on her blog, YouthinkitIspeakit.tumbler.com where she talked about what she would do in a zombie Apocalypse, and yesterday, I was on Gizmodo.com, where we talked about if an aircraft carrier was a good idea or not during a zombie apocalypse. So, with all this talk of zombies, I thought I should get my ideas down on paper.

Alright, so, ideas of being on an aircraft carrier are good, and so is a bunker, but I think those are only good for limited times. My idea comes from the original Swiss Family Robinson, where they defended their island from pirates by holding out on an acropolis on the top of a hill. It got me thinking that's not that bad of a strategy. You need something you can escape from easily, so, that seems to be a good shot. I really want some coconut bombs, though, just sayin'.

I think the other idea that could work comes from Jaws, in a floating island. Wrap some boats together, and you can move the island anywhere you need. I mean, I like the water, but the bad part is you can go anywhere in an emergency, can you?

Alright, so, just make sure you have weapons, and not guns, guns are only good for crazy humans, no, make sure you have some blades, explosives, and be sneaky, remember zombies are dumb, and you aren't!

What would you do?

The full video to the Biff Tannen Museum

Alright, some may say that I'm obsessed with Back to the Future. Well, you know what I say? That I'm obsessed with Back to the Future. So, with that in mind, here is the full video to the entrance to the Biff Tannen museum seen in the alternate 1985 of Back to the Future II. We only get a glimpse or two in the movie, so it's good to see the whole thing. Only real movie geeks will find this interesting, I guess, but that's what I am, so I loved it.

Box Office Report - Megamind still dominates

Megamind dropped a mere 35% to rake in an additional $30 million to take the top spot. The film had a budget of $130 million, so it looks like the Will Farrell movie will be a success. Unstoppable had a respectable opening of $23.5 million, althought, it could be tough to make up the $100 million budget, while Skyline already surpassed it's $10 million budget with $11.7 million.

So, what did you see this weekend?

BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. Megamind - $30.1 million ($89.8 million total)
2. Unstoppable - $23.5 million ($23.5 million total)
3. Due Date - $15.5 million ($59.0 million total)
4. Skyline - $11.7 million ($11.7 million total)
5. Morning Glory - $9.7 million ($12.2 million total)
6. For Colored Girls - $6.8 million ($30.9 million total)
7. Red - $5.1 million ($79.8 million total)
8. Paranormal Activity 2 - $3.1 million ($82.0 million total)
9. Saw 3D - $2.8 million ($43.5 million total)
10. Jackass 3D - $2.3 million ($114.7 million total)

Psych Season 5.5 Trailer

USA Networks has a direct line to my heart. It seems everything they do, from Burn Notice, to Monk, to White Collar, to Covert Affairs, Royal Pains, and especially Psych are some of my favorite shows on TV. My favorite of all of them, Psych involves an observant slacker who has convinced the police department he's psychic, and solves cases for them. There is tons of witty lines, and some genuinely smart writing. This season has been the strongest by far, and this trailer for the remainder of the season looks amazing.

And yes, that is Ralph Crane-Kick Macchio.

TV Review - Glory Daze - Ep. 1.1 Pilot

I’m sure by now, everyone has seen the movie Animal House, or the hundreds of movies it spawned, like American Pie. Well, have you ever thought ‘gee, that would make a sweet show, but they should do it in the ‘80s, when everything was cooler?’ Well, if you did, then you should check out Glory Daze on TBS, starting Tuesday, the 17th, at 8 pm.

The show starts off introducing a few freshman to the campus, which fit the archetypes perfectly. We have the Asian, the jock, the geek and the guy trying to get laid. After a really funny scene with Brad Garrett as a parent, we get a scene to establish we are still in school with a hilarious professor played by Tim Meadows (SNL, Ladies Man). Finally, we get to the freshman trying to find a fraternity to pledge. They come upon what might as well be called the Delta house from Animal House, which includes a giant beer bong, people smoking pot, hot women and all around Tom Foolery.

After one of the freshman, Eli gets stoned on pot, he steals a painting of the Delta house’s patriarch, and puts the painting in the hall of fame, only to get him and his friends arrested, which is finally what gets them into the house, by pulling a great prank.

Now, if it sounds clichéd, that’s because it is. This show has nearly every scene from Animal House in the pilot, from the fraternity, to the hint they are on academic probation, to the wise cracking, wise guy at the head of the house. It’s all here, littered with some great ‘80s music and a good performance by Mike Reno, played by Callard Harris.

It was a fun pilot with a young, talented cast, but I have no idea where they will go from here. They’ve used most of the Animal House gags up, and now, I have no idea what is next for the freshman pledges, or the house, but it’s worth another episode or two to see what they come up with.

EDITORS NOTE: This post appeared on Creative Loafing's pages HERE, and SpoilerTV's pages HERE. Check out these two awesome communities and what they have to say.

Movie Review - Unstoppable

Back in 1994, there was an action movie about a bus held hostage, and was unable to stop without explosion. The movie I’m talking about is Speed, and not since then have I been on the edge of my seat for so long and so tired after my movie going experience. Unstoppable will grab you from the very beginning and won’t let go to the very end.

Unstoppable is a movie based on true events that stars Denzel Washinton (Training Day) and Chris Pine (Star Trek) as two train workers who, along with train boss Rosario Dawson must stop a runaway train that is unmanned, and heading right for a residential neighborhood before is over turns, killing hundreds.

The movie is an excellent action movie because it increases the tension at a steady rate throughout the movie, building on the basic premise of a runaway train, until the stakes are incredibly high, and the characters are at their peak, working to stop a train before it’s too late. By the time you get to the ending, the tension will leave you gripping your seat, or your girlfriend, and not letting go to the credits. Some of the events seemed over the top, not that they jumped a bus over a freeway or anything, but the events I scoffed at were ones that actually happened, and by the end it had you believing peril could come to anyone.

I really enjoyed the characters in the movie because of the authenticity presented. These characters didn’t seem like 2D characters, with one being a hero and the other being a young guy wanting to be a hero. Washinton’s Frank is an experienced train driver who is tough, but a nice guy, despite having some family issues. While Denzel is Denzel in this movie, it doesn’t come across as the over-bearing hero, more like a genuine railroad worker. Chris Pine, who became famous for his role as Captain Kirk is the even more flawed individual who has family issues, and is reluctant to be a hero. He screws up, and starts off as kind of a jerk, but is a truly genuine character just trying to put his life back together.

I also found the interpretation of the events interesting. The company in charge of the trains was portrayed as greedy and simply interested in what would be of the most profit to them without considering peoples lives. The most interesting interpretation, however, was the media and their flair for drama. At several points throughout the movie, we see news feeds of events depicted in the movie and the events are incredibly dramatized, and presented in an almost silly manner, adding a near comedic tone to the film.

The cinematography is very Tony Scott, with frantic camera movements nicely paced to increase the action when needed, and some of the shots were incredible as the two trains met in an attempt to stop the runaway train. The trains looked incredible and any train enthusiast will have a great time just with the scenery.

Even though I was hesitant when the movie started with the words “based on true events,” the genuine characters, the insane amount of tension, and the great action made this movie a must see film that kept me on the edge of my seat through the credits, and left me exhausted by the end. I recommend this to anyone.

EDITORS NOTE: This also appeared on Creative Loafing's site HERE

November 12, 1955 - A day we will never forget

It was the day of the famous Hill Valley Lightning storm, remember? Yeah, it struck the old clock tower and the thing hasn't run since. Donations to the Hill Valley Historical Preservation Society have been space so far (some cheapskate gave a measly quarter), so we're asking for everyone to dig down deep and find some money in your wallets so we may once again know the time in Hill Valley.

By the way, if you've made it this far without knowing what I'm talking about, I congratulate you on your patience, but I'm disappointed in your lack of Back to the Future knowledge. Today was the year the climax of the movie, the famed clock tower lightning strike happened.

We will never forget...

Photocopy Romance - filmed at 325 copies a minute

Check out this really cool video from Never Hide Films called Photocopy Romance. As a filmmaker, you are always thinking about the best equipment to use to film your next masterpiece, but as these guys prove, you can use anything, even a photocopier. Yes, you read that last part right, they actually used a photocopier at 325 copies a minutes (it's roughly 583 copies) to make this movie. How creative, right?

a Movie Geeks humility

Every now and then, us movie geeks like to think we know it all. Sure, we seen thousands of movies, and know how many times the F-word was used in The Usual Suspects, or the fact they were going to use a refrigerator instead of a Delorean in Back to the Future, but sometimes it escapes us that there are still millions of movies to see, and trivia to learn. Sometimes, us movie geeks need to find our humility.

Fortunately, David Thompson is here to ensure the Lord doesn't smite us for our lack of humility by offering up a simple challenge: answer these 50 movie trivia questions, and win a prize. Sure, there's the almighty Google, but that would be silly, I mean, we're movie geeks, we know shit. So, here's the questions. Upon first glance, I only knew four off the top of my head. Humility indeed. How did you do?

1. Who said, “I know things about people, Lily?”, and in what film?

2. Who played Louis Mazzini, Jeeves and Lord Byron?

3. Which actor made at least one film with Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Rene Clair and John Ford?

4. She was born in Assam, India and he was born in Hampstead. What did they do together, and who are they?

5. What film did Upton Sinclair pay for?

6. Name a director who has filmed material from Ed McBain, Dostoyevsky and Shakespeare.

7. Who is the link in Stavisky, Reds and Beat the Devil?

8. Who won the Sarah Siddons prize?

9. Find the thread: James Jones, Michael Ondaatje, Colette?

10. Who had an Uncle Jack and an Aunt Fanny?

11. What’s the common element in M, Caught, Body and Soul?

12. What’s the link: L’Atalante, On the Waterfront, Long Day’s Journey Into Night?

13. What’s the bond between The Third Man and Johnny Guitar?

14. Of what movie was it said, “Gable’s back and Garson’s got him!”?

15. In the Cut and Panic Room – who’s the missing link?

16. Ulverston, Lancashire and Harlem, Georgia – how are they joined?

17. Who taught Alec to ride?

18. Who said, “I’d like to kiss you, but I just washed my hair”?

19. Who stayed a little too long to watch a pretty girl dance?

20. He made only five films and all were nominated for Best Picture. Who is he?

21. What’s the link: The Small Back Room, Out of Africa, The Age of Innocence?

22. On whose map might you find Santa Rosa, Bodega Bay and San Juan de Batista?

23. He worked with Cecil B. DeMille, Orson Welles and Jean-Luc Godard?

24. St Petersburg, Pompeii, the Jungle – who could have been in all those places?

25. How might you link Shirley Temple and Truffaut’s Day for Night?

26. Who played the second Pharisee, Captain von Rauffenstein and Max von Mayerling – and in what films?

27. In what film do we meet Jimmy Gator, Earl Partridge and Frank Mackey?

28. He played a judge, a lawyer and a man in prison. Who is he and what are the films?

29. How do you link Charles Boyer and Anton Walbrook?

30. Who is famous for 26.6 seconds of film?

31. What would you find about 15 miles south of Fairvale?

32. Who had just a drunk, a cripple and a kid to do the job?

33. Who said, “Movies bore me, especially my own”?

34. What role links Melville Cooper, Alan Rickman, William Lowery and Peter Finch?

35. Who wanted his $93,000?

36. What is the link between Robert Morley and Jim Broadbent?

37. Who were Victoria Page, Vicki Lester and Victor Laszlo?

38. Who was Roger O. Thornhill, C.K. Dexter Haven and Jerry Warriner?

39. What links Sunrise and A Place in the Sun?

40. The following contended for this part: Vivien Leigh, Loretta Young, Joan Fontaine, Margaret Sullavan. What was the name of the part?

41. What links Max Ophuls, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Stanley Donen and Jacques Demy?

42. Who played President Andrew Johnson, Joe Starrett and Webb Garwood?

43. Who played Sid Vicious and Joe Orton?

44. Who said, “Nobody’s perfect!”?

45. Three producers had these middle initials – F, B, O – who are they?

46. What’s the link for Chuck Barris, Chris Kelvin and Ryan Bingham?

47. When did two people tie for an Oscar and who were they?

48. In what film was Charles Palantine running for election?

49. Who had the key to Walter’s sharp practice?

50. Who remembered a girl on the ferry over to Jersey in 1896?

Movie Review - Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

With the impending huge movie review of Harry Potter coming up, I wanted to get some practice in. So, I decided to go punch a goat. When that failed, I pulled up Netflix and found a movie I haven't seen yet to review. I found Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Here's the review:

There have been tons of versions of Alice in Wonderland, and everyone has their favorite. Was it the classic animated Disney version? Was it the classic '80s made-for-TV version? How about the Whoppie Goldberg one? Are you one of those pretentious people who say the book? Either way, you are familiar with the tale, and Burton adds to the list without asking you to forget your favorite in a creative movie that I can only describe as fantastical.

The movie begins with a much older Alice, played by Mia Wasikowska. Alice is stuck in a life she doesn't want, and is set to marry a man she doesn't love, when an all too familiar rabbit pops up and Alice takes that iconic tumble down the rabbit hole to "Underland." There, she meets with some old friends in the Mad Hatter, played amazingly by Johnny Depp, the Red Queen, played by a big headed Helena Bohnam Carter, and the White Queen, played by Anne Hathaway. Alice is charged with slaying the Jabberwocky and overthrowing the Red Queens reign of terror.

I really enjoyed the inside joke of the Red Queens big head, and her fake court. I liked how Alice was able to win everyone over by being the only sane person in the bunch, while being kind to everyone. And, of course, the Mad Hatter was incredibly entertaining. I still don't know why he would occasionally turn Scottish, but it was so different, it was very enjoyable.

So few movies are fantastical simply to be fantastical, and this movie is just that. The story doesn't ask you to forget those iconic incarnations of the famous story, while building it's own story that has all the same elements we know and love, such as the tea party, the cake to make you big, or the drink to make you small, and the card soldiers serving the queen. The special effects were extremely beautiful and startlingly different from what you would expect from Burton. There was tons of CGI, with very little practical effects, but it fit wonderfully with the fantasy in the movie.

The movie has everything you could ask for in a wonderful movie; great, over the top characters; beautiful special effects; a light, very subtle soundtrack and a lesson about being yourself. It was a wonderful addition to some classic renditions of the one of the more bizarre, yet well known children's stories of all time.

New Tron: Legacy trailer is awesome

The original Tron movie, despite it's dated graphics is still one of the more beloved nerd films of all time, so when it was announced that Disney would be making a sequel, there were some people questioning whether they could pull it off. It's pretty obvious by the most recent trailer that they can.

The new trailer for Tron: Legacy breaks down the plot nicely. It looks like Flynn (Jeff Bridges) gets sucked back into the computer world and abandons his son (Garrett Hedlund), only to have his son grow up and follow his father into the world of a computer. Somehow, this incredibly lucky computer has a digital Olivia Wilde and a cool looking young version of Flynn.

The visuals look incredible, and are a vast improvement over the innovative but dated original. The soundtrack sounds an aweful lot like Inception, but maybe it's just me.

Overall, this trailer proves why this movie is at the top of my most anticipated list.

Capt. Mal vs. Han Solo

Over at the SyFy mecca Blastr, they have a blog up talking about a nerd argument, pitting fictional character versus fictional character, beloved icon versus beloved icon, smuggler versus smuggler. I'm talking about Captain Malcolm Reynolds of Serenity (Nathan Fillion) versus Han Solo, Captain of the Millennium Falcon (Harrison Ford). Now, usually, I don't put much stock in such debates; no one wins, and it just seems so lame, but, it can make for a fun debate, and I'm curious what the peeps think about this one.

So, on one hand we have Mal Reynolds, Captain of Serenity. It's tough because he was on a TV show, and only one movie, compared to Solo's three movies, but one thing you can say about Mal is that he is always the same character; he is the rogue smuggler, or as he is described in the pilot to Firefly entitled Serenity, "a hero in a den of thieves." He has no problem killing people if they threaten his crew, which Blastr's article states, and there is never any debate that Mal shoots first, and often.

Of course, you also have the Scruffy-looking Nerf Herder. He is the quintessential scoundrel and rogue, and is one of the more beloved characters in all of Sci-Fi. He doesn't have a big crew, just his faithful side-kick Chewbacca. The character is known to be a good smuggler, and often only does things for the money, which is a good sign. He finally go a bit soft by the time the Ewoks showed up, but even in his soft times, he helped blow up a death star ... again.

So, I like them both, and I would've liked to have seen more of both characters, but sadly, there will be no more of either. I think since Mal was formed from Han Solo, I have to go with Han, despite the fact he was lightened up and turned into a softy. I think Mal does the better job, and is far better written, but Han wins by default.

What do you think? Han or Mal?

Box Office Breakdown - Megamind dominates

It was a busy weekend with Megamind coming in first place and Due Date coming in second place. Both of which I reviewed this week, and both of which were no surprise. I was kinda surprised with For Colored Girls coming in third place, and I think everyone is surprised with how good Red is doing.

So, what did you see this weekend?


BOX OFFICE TOP TEN
1. Megamind - $47.7 million ($47.7 million total)
2. Due Date - $33.5 million ($33.5 million total)
3. For Colored Girls - $20.1 million ($20.1 million total)
4. Red - $8.9 million ($71.9 million total)
5. Saw 3D - $8.2 million ($38.8 million total)
6. Paranormal Activity 2 - $7.3 million ($77.2 million total)
7. Jackass 3D - $5.1 million ($110.8 million total)
8. Hereafter - $4.0 million ($28.7 million total)
9. Secretariat - $4.0 million ($50.9 million total)
10. The Social Network - $3.6 million ($85.0 million total)

Reel Terror video

Awhile back, I participated in the wonderful Creative Loafing Reel Terror Film Festival. It was a blast, with a great turnout that hopefully will be more frequent. Here is a video of the event, including some of the scenes from the live Podcast I participated in.

Analyzing Back to the Future's ending

Well, this kind of thing is something I should film for my first movie. It's just some people talking about the ending to one of the greatest movies of all time, Back to the Future. The way they do it is kind of edgy, but they over think the heck out of it, to the point it's hilarious. Check it out, maybe it'll make you think next time you watch the time travelling escapades of Marty McFly.

Movie Review - Due Date

Due Date brags that it has two of the most popular actors in Hollywood, and it puts them together in a road trip type movie. If you have seen the trailer, you were probably thinking about the hit The Hangover, and not just because both movies star comedian Zach Galifianakis (yes, I did have to look up how to spell it). But will Due Date be the amazing comedy The Hangover is? I don't think so.

The movie is like so many of those road trip type stories, where the odd couple have a date to get across the company and the wacky shenanigans get wackier and wackier before they stop arguing and form a bond. This movie is no exception, as Robert Downey Jr.'s character is trying to fly home to be with his wife (Michelle Monagahn) for their childs birth when he bumps into Galifianakis's character. Once they are kicked off the flight together, Downey Jr.'s character reluctantly joins up with his odd new friend to drive to Los Angeles.

The good in the movie is obvious in the acting chops of Robert Downey Jr. He is amazing in nearly everything and this movie is no exception. His reactions to the increasingly bizarre events, including a conversation about what not to say on a plane, Galifianakis and his dog masturbating and the two getting high, Downey Jr. is a pleasure to watch. He is the only one that can still be a pleasure to watch, despite his character being a total d-bag. At no time is his character really endearing, or even really a nice guy, in fact, he is often a total jerk, insulting people, and spitting on dogs, but Downey's charisma shines through, and as a result, it's a pleasure to watch.

Galifianakis is his usual self, the same from The Hangover, and every other movie I've seen him in, so if you like him, or his Between Two Ferns segment, and if you were looking for the wolf pack of one, then you will enjoy him as well here as a simple, nice guy trying to make it to Hollywood, one drug house at a time.

The bad in this movie has to do with the fact that we have seen it all before, many, many times before, and the jokes were just not that funny. I admit, I chuckled quite a few times, but I never actually laughed out loud (or LOL as those wacky kids say). The plot was very predictable, and the events very obvious. The drug references and the sex references were kind of surprising, but not in the good way, and any time you see a large bearded man and his dog masturbating, you have to shake your head.

Overall, this wasn't a bad movie. The actors are enjoyable and some of the jokes were funny, but if you've seen the other road trip movies out there, or didn't like The Hangover, then you will want to skip this movie.

EDITORS NOTE: This also graced the web pages of Creative Loafing HERE.