Kevin's Korner - 5.31.2011 -

Welcome to another edition of Kevin’s Korner, the spot for everything geeky. It has been an interesting week, with tons of stuff going on. This week, there’s my rant on theaters screwing patrons, Rated R movies, Star Trek 2 info, some trailers, the box office report and a bit of fun.

So, on top of my usual news-finding expedition, I have started a boot camp fitness class. I’m getting married in a few months, and I was hoping to look a little less… flabby. So, the good news is, I’ve worked my butt off; the bad news is that it’s at 5 am, which means I’ve been method acting for the next Romero movie. Anyway, enough about me, let’s get to the news…

I’m in the news business…and business is a boomin’

Sucker Punch adds R-rated version to Blu-Ray – Sucker Punch was released to poor reviews, and mediocre box office numbers. Apparently, Zack Snyder is hoping, by giving an additional 18 minutes of film for a Blu-Ray version will change the perception of the film, along with the MPAA rating. I don’t think a rating necessarily means a better quality film, but it seems that an almost fetish movie like Sucker Punch could benefit from a few rougher scenes.



Movie Goers kept in the dark - There was an interesting piece in the Boston Globe last week about movie theaters, and how little light there is. You can find the article HERE, but the gist of the story is that as movie theaters go over to digital projection, many are buying a Sony projector that does both 2D and 3D projection. However, there is a lens that is required for the 3D projection of a film. When you project in 2D, you are supposed to take the lens off. The study among the theaters, at least in Boston is that that isn't being done, which means an 85% darker screen. The person the article interviewed said that theaters don't care, because it takes too long to switch out.

As I go around to different theaters, you can often see a difference in brightness between theaters. The 3D to 2D difference is pretty obvious, but even the 2D to 2D difference is noticeable. Is it enough to where I can't see the movie? No, but is it the way the director and producer and everyone else who worked on the movie intended? No way. I'm a big proponent of keeping films exactly how the directors had intended, which is exactly why I still go to a theater in the first place, because watching a film at home is not how the director intended; I don't care how big your TV is.

For me, going to a theater is an experience. The situation of the speakers, the smell of popcorn, the size of the screen and the projector its projecting on are all part of an experience any good director thinks about before shooting the first scene. I love that experience. While it can make or break a movie, there is nothing like going into a theater and sharing an experience of an amazing movie with an eager audience. That moment is what movie theaters need to be focusing on, and I think adjusting the film in any way, which includes making it much dimmer takes away from that experience.

Star Trek 2 could come … late – I am a huge fan of J.J. Abrams Star Trek. While I also loved all the Star Trek series, I can say most of the movies were nowhere near the top of my greatest of Sci-Fi list. So, when this new film came out, I was excited. Well, there has been talk for awhile about a sequel, and now, details emerge, saying a script is nearly done, and that Abrams is still deciding on whether to direct (the latest rumor is that he’s read the rough draft and will direct). However, with a release date of the summer of next year, it could be too late. Latest reports are saying that the studio is considering a December release of next year to ensure Abrams and crew have enough time for a high quality film.

Universal, Orlando is getting Despicable Me ride - What used to be Jimmy Neutron is getting a makeover for next years Despicable Me ride. The ride takes the family into Gru's secret lab and turns everyone into minions, easily the best part of the film. I really liked the movie, but it always makes me scratch my head that they do this now. I mean, the ride won't be out until next year, which will mean two years removed from the movie. Unless there's a sequel on the way (knowing Hollywood, there probably is), it seems like they're backing a movie that's come and gone.

Torchwood: Miracle Day trailer - If you've ever seen



Sam Neil: No Jurassic Park 4 – Every once in awhile, we hear ramblings of a fourth Jurassic Park movie. Recently, actor Sam Neil, who played Alan Grant in the movie shot that down, saying the story is over, and with special effects designer Stan Winston and author Michael Crichton deceased, that is probably the end of that. I loved the first Jurassic Park, and I actually liked the third movie as well, and if they had a good story, I would love to see another great dinosaur movie, but I agree with Neil, the story is done.

The ‘tons of grains of salt’ category – The latest rumor is that The Guild star, Felicia Day will have an appearance in The Avengers movie as a SWORD operative. After checking with Wikipedia, it sounds like if there is a SWORD operative in the movie, it lends credence to the idea of having aliens as the bad guy (the rumor is Krulls at this point). While director and writer and all around good guy Joss Whedon has worked with Day before on Doctor Horrible’s Sing Along Blog and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this rumor seems pretty fishy so far. It’s still fun to think about.



Super 8 has high critical reviews so far – Super 8 is one of my more anticipated movies of 2011. I’m a huge J.J. Abrams fan, and bring him together with Steven Spielberg in an almost homage piece to Close Encounters just sounds amazing. The trailers look incredible, and the secrecy behind the flick has my curiosity at an 11. Despite having an embargo up on reviews, critics who have seen it have tweeted high marks so far. It just leaves me even more excited.

New most anticipated film: Shark Night 3D – If you haven’t seen the poster, or trailer yet for Shark Night 3D, you should. I’m a huge fan of cheesy movies, and especially cheesy shark movies, but this one looks to take itself fairly seriously. It looks like some bad guy puts sharks into a lake at the same time some scantily clad teenagers are looking to party. Isn’t that always the case? Anyway, this looks like it could be all kinds of fun.




Sub Zero vs. Scorpion – Episode 7 of Mortal Kombat: Legacy has Scorpion battling off against Sub Zero in a heck of a fight that really leaves me wanting more. Like in all of these videos, it seems like things cut off just when it’s getting brutal. This is quite the departure from the last time we saw the two battling in the second Mortal Kombat movie. In the name of Lucas, that was bad.



Megan Fox wants to be Carrie? – Transformers hottie Megan Fox has made it public that she has a huge interest in starring in the remake of Carrie. Considering the actors amazing amount of depth, it has most confused and somewhat paranoid over the idea of Fox ruining an iconic character. In fact, there’s actually a PSA out, making it clear that nothing has officially happened yet. I would try to say that she at least draws in a crowd, but given the horrible box office numbers of anything not named 'Transformers' and considering Jonah Hex was a horrible movie, I doubt she even has that.

Grillenium Falcon is 2 parts awesome, 1 part nerf herder – Check out this massive mobile grill, called the Grillenium Falcon. I really have nothing else that can capture the awesomeness of this.

An R-Rated Riddick? – Vin Diesel was talking the other day about how he may have to take a pay cut for his next Riddick movie, but he also said they were kicking around the idea of making the next film a solid R. I don’t know if that can save the series or not after that dreadful previous film, but I actually kind of liked Pitch Black. As I've said before, though, a rating doesn't make a film, but I think the nature of the character would probably do better with an R-rated movie.

Back to the Future True Ending - I realize there are tons of videos out there about Back to the Future, and what should or could of happened, and this is one of those, but I can't help it, I love the whole trilogy and even mocking it is pretty sweet. So, take a look at what really happened to poor, poor Biff Tannen. Take a look HERE.

50 hours of Star Wars TV sit on the shelf – Star Wars creator George Lucas sat down with G4 the other day and among the revelations was that he already had 50 hours of film shot for a live action Star Wars TV show that is supposed to take place between the third film and the fourth. Apparently, the cost is too high for the show, currently, so Lucas is trying to find away of reducing the cost, while keeping up the high quality. (How many of you rolled your eyes at the words “high quality” just now, eh?)

Disney wants Seal Team 6 trademarked - Disney finally relinquinshed their request to copyright "Seal Team 6" after the elite squad was credited with finding and killing Osama Bin Laden. The Navy then filed a claim to the name as well, and fearing a PR backlash, or maybe the Mouse is just being kind, they allowed the Navy to have the trademark. I understand it's smart business to seek out a trademark for anything popular at the moment, I can only imagine a Disney movie called "Seal Team 6" with a bunch of animated seals (like, real seals...the fish-eating kind) that go around all A-Team like and help people. It could've been gold, people.

7 Movie Easter Eggs - I loved Cracked.com. They have the best lists, and their writing makes me laugh every time. So, when I saw something movie related, I was in blogging heaven. This list is about 7 hidden moments in film, or "easter eggs." There are some really good ones here. If you are a hardcore movie geek, you may already be aware of them, but they're still fun to look at.

World War Z starting?
http://www.slashfilm.com/world-war-shoot-june-ripd-shoot-september-adds-jeff-bridges/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+slashfilm+%28%2FFilm%29

Total Recall has some hot casting - Len Wiseman's (Underworld) remake of Total Recall is moving forward with an interesting, and hot cast. It was leaked that Wiseman's wife, Kate Beckinsale would play Quaid's normal world wife, originally played by Sharon Stone. Jessica Biel will play Rachel, the girl Quaid meets in his spy life. Billy Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3) will play Quatto, the leader of the resistance, with Colin Farrell will play the role made famous my Arnold Schwarzenegger. While I don't think this movie necessarily needs to be remade, if Wiseman has a script with a unique view of the movie, then, I'm cool with that. The special effects in the original have not aged well, but the story is a lot of fun. What do you think, would you be excited to see this movie?

MIB 3 photos
http://www.411mania.com/movies/news/187688
MIB 3 photos - I actually really liked the first two Men in Black films. Sure, they were cheesy, and silly, but I went into it looking for some light entertainment and that's exactly what I got. Now, the third movie is coming out, I'm pretty excited about it. There are some photos released this week, showing Agent J, Will Smith and a young Agent K, played by Josh Brolin, who is playing a younger version of the role Tommy Lee Jones started. The film has Agent J going back in time and meeting up with a young Agent K, to stop some alien bad guy. I can't believe how much Brolin looks like a young Jones.

Check out the other photos HERE.

Box Office Breakdown -

The Hangover Part II set a box office record for R-rated comedies by bringing in an impressive $86.5 million, to easily take first place. Kung Fu Panda 2 came in second with an expected $48 million, and the fourth Pirates movie came in third with a respectable $39.3 million, which is about what the other films were making in their second week. Overall, a pretty big box office this weekend. What film did you contribute your dollars to?

1. The Hangover Part II - $86.5 million ($118.1 million total)
2. Kung Fu Panda 2 - $48.0 million ($53.8 million total)
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - $39.3 million ($152.9 million total)
4. Bridesmaids - $16.4 million ($85.0 million total)
5. Thor - $9.6 million ($159.7 million total)
6. Fast Five - $6.6 million ($196.0 million total)
7. Midnight in Paris - $1.9 million ($2.8 million total)
8. Jumping the Broom - $1.9 million ($34.2 million total)
9. Something Borrowed - $1.8 million ($34.8 million total)
10. Rio - $1.8 million ($134.8 million total)

My thoughts - Kung Fu Panda 2

I could go on and on about how sequels and how, by definition, are inferior to the originals. I even have a very short list of the exceptions to the rule; movies like Terminator 2 and Bad Boys 2. Kung Fu Panda 2 is nothing like any of those movies, other than the fact it is better than the original. Given the flawless nature of the first one, with a combination jovial innocence, a great lesson and some beautiful animation, the second movie had some large, panda-sized shoes to fill.

The second movie starts sometime after the first, with Po the Panda (Jack Black) continuing his training under the guidance of Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), along with the fab five (monkey, snake, mantis, crane and tigress). However, when an enemy from Po's past tries to take over China with a weapon that not even Kung Fu can stop, the Dragon Warrior must master even more if he can stop Shen (Gary Oldman) and find his own origins.

I went and saw the movie in 3D, which has some good and bad. At points, the 3D enhanced the action with a bit of depth, that made the kids in the audience smile with amazement. However, there are moments where the incredible animation, and the meticulous detail is hazed over due to the 3D. There are points where you could see and count the hair on Po's head, which allows you to really appreciate the hard work of the film.

This film is possibly darker than the original, with the badguy err, uh, the peacock having a dark side, but one that is rateable; he just wanted his parents to be proud of him, something similar to our hero's feelings, looking for his real parents. The five are really entertaining, and we get a little bit more from them this time around. The good and bad part about them is the voice casting being very recognizable in Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, David Cross and Seth Rogen. It's good because they have a certain charisma that shines through with every line. The bad side is that you realize and start thinking about the star, and not the character in the film. It's hard to see the Tigress, because you are thinking about Angelina Jolie's sexiness.

I may not be the target age of the movie, but I truly enjoyed the movie. It had some serious heart, and a couple of touching moments, with Poe trying to come to grips with his past, and accept who he is. The film also had tons of stylized action and plenty of slapstick comedy. There wasn't too many one-liners, as much as the silly slapstick, which had me audibly crack up a few times.

Overall, it was a blast of a movie that can stand toe to toe with the first one. The voice casting was enjoyable, and easily recognizable, and it had plenty of fun, along with some action and beautiful animation. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a family friendly comedy.

DVD's to hit the shelf today -
True Blood: Season 3
Drive Angry
Passion Play
Barry Lyndon

Trailer of the Week -
Yes, I know, it's another muppet trailer, but I love the muppets, and I think the trailers are just so creative. It seems to me that movie trailers are so cookie-cutter as of late, that all you can hope for is a glimpse of good CGI, with everything else being completely predictable. These trailers kind of spoof that.

Movie Review - Kung Fu Panda 2

Credited cast:
Angelina Jolie ... Tigress (voice)
Gary Oldman ... Lord Shen (voice)
Seth Rogen ... Mantis (voice)
Jean-Claude Van Damme ... Master Croc (voice)
Jackie Chan ... Monkey (voice)
Jack Black ... Po (voice)
Dustin Hoffman ... Shifu (voice)
David Cross ... Crane (voice)
Lucy Liu ... Viper (voice)
Michelle Yeoh ... The Soothsayer (voice)
Dennis Haysbert ... Master Oxen (voice)
Victor Garber ... Master Thundering Rhino (voice)
James Hong ... Mr. Ping (voice)

I could go on and on about how sequels and how, by definition, are inferior to the originals. I even have a very short list of the exceptions to the rule; movies like Terminator 2 and Bad Boys 2. Kung Fu Panda 2 is nothing like any of those movies, other than the fact it is better than the original. Given the flawless nature of the first one, with a combination jovial innocence, a great lesson and some beautiful animation, the second movie had some large, panda-sized shoes to fill.

The second movie starts sometime after the first, with Po the Panda (Jack Black) continuing his training under the guidance of Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman), along with the fab five (monkey, snake, mantis, crane and tigress). However, when an enemy from Po's past tries to take over China with a weapon that not even Kung Fu can stop, the Dragon Warrior must master even more if he can stop Shen (Gary Oldman) and find his own origins.

I went and saw the movie in 3D, which has some good and bad. At points, the 3D enhanced the action with a bit of depth, that made the kids in the audience smile with amazement. However, there are moments where the incredible animation, and the meticulous detail is hazed over due to the 3D. There are points where you could see and count the hair on Po's head, which allows you to really appreciate the hard work of the film.

This film is possibly darker than the original, with the badguy err, uh, the peacock having a dark side, but one that is rateable; he just wanted his parents to be proud of him, something similar to our hero's feelings, looking for his real parents. The five are really entertaining, and we get a little bit more from them this time around. The good and bad part about them is the voice casting being very recognizable in Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, David Cross and Seth Rogen. It's good because they have a certain charisma that shines through with every line. The bad side is that you realize and start thinking about the star, and not the character in the film. It's hard to see the Tigress, because you are thinking about Angelina Jolie's sexiness.

I may not be the target age of the movie, but I truly enjoyed the movie. It had some serious heart, and a couple of touching moments, with Poe trying to come to grips with his past, and accept who he is. The film also had tons of stylized action and plenty of slapstick comedy. There wasn't too many one-liners, as much as the silly slapstick, which had me audibly crack up a few times.

Overall, it was a blast of a movie that can stand toe to toe with the first one. The voice casting was enjoyable, and easily recognizable, and it had plenty of fun, along with some action and beautiful animation. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a family friendly comedy.

Movie Review - Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

All week, I have been talking about whether the fourth Pirates movie would be any good. I was thinking it would hopefully be the Return of the Jedi of the great Pirates of the Caribbean movies; others told me it would be one of the god awful prequels, ya know, the one with Jar Jar? Finally, when the 3D glasses went on and the lights came down, I instantly realized we were all wrong.

The fourth Pirates movie has a change of directors from the previous three, from Gore Verbinski to Rob Marshall, and yet, the movie didn't have the feeling of being a leftover, in fact, it was quite the opposite; shed of the greater story arc in the previous three, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides stands solid on it's own and is the New Hope for the series.

The fourth movie begins with another grand entrance of the great Jack...uhh, excuse me, Captain Jack Sparrow. He's up to his usual; getting in trouble and smarting his way out. This time, he meets a sexy female pirate, one of whom he has met before, and get's entangled with Captain Barbosa, Blackbeard the Pirate, The British and Spanish Navies, all of whom are looking for the fountain of youth.

First off, I heard one comment that stuck with me, "depth? I hope you weren't looking for depth in this movie." The person was right; this movie didn't have the massive depth and many story lines the previous had. I actually thought simplifying it, more than the third movie, helped the movie embrace what it is, and greatly helped the pacing and characters of the movie, but you won't be finding multiple layers here. While you have characters after different things, and their motives may not be clear, we know the end is the fountain of youth.

That being said, each character was thoroughly enjoyable. Depp has never been better as the pirate who is always in the middle of these feuding factions. Penelope Cruz's Angelica was great, and a solid match for Captain Jack in both sword play and wit. You also have Captain Barbosa, played brilliantly by Geoffrey Rush. He's my favorite throughout the series, and the characters progression from beginning to end is excellent. This film also introduces a new villain in Edward Teach aka Blackbeard. Ian McShane plays the cruel pirate with a swaggering ease. He is a great villain, but an even better pirate. We also have a mermaid, who was hardly Disney's Little Mermaid, played by Astrid Berges-Frisbey, who sort of added a small, and totally satisfying love story. All these characters were solid in their writing and interpretation, but were all there to give a grand arena for Depp to play in, and play he did.

The movie kept the comedy the predecessors had, and perhaps executed it better (there's one remark about a missionary that had me in tears). The film was plenty dark, pushing the limits of the PG-13 rating, with plenty of sexual tension between Cruz and Depp, and the mermaids, along with some great action, and some elaborate sword fights; oh and there were zombies. This movie, like the others, isn't for little kids, but it's something adults and teenagers will love. The film never tries to be too serious, or dramatic, in fact, quite the opposite, the film uses these dramatic scenes to do the opposite of what you would think to great comedic effect.

I have to say, I loved this film. It's somewhere between the first outing and the second, in terms of quality. It remembers it's a film based off a theme park ride, and has tons of fun with the amazing characters and settings it puts on screen. If you are looking for that fun popcorn flick, then look no further, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will keep you fully entertained for the full 2 hours.

Kevin's Korner - Thor, Chuck, FOX, Terminator and so much more!

Welcome to Kevin’s Korner: your weekly dose of some seriously geeky stuff. This week, we have a religious debate, talk about spoilers, Mortal Kombat, Terminator and a very interesting trailer of the week. Check it out!

Before we get into the news, I wanted to thank everyone who commented on last week’s first installment, and everyone who dropped me an e-mail. I am so excited to be writing for 411mania.com, and I really appreciate the warm welcome. With that said…

Everybody wants some – It’s the news!

Pagans say Thor didn’t look like that – While I don’t want some sort of religious crusade to come down on the Korner, I can’t help but shake my head when I read that Pagans were upset and are protesting at the portrayal of Norse gods in the movie Thor. Apparently, the look and attitude of the gods they worship was offensive to them, and they are boycotting now.

Sure, you could say if Jesus Christ was portrayed as a super hero with a big gun, that happens to look like Jean Claude Van Damn, people would be upset, and that shouldn’t be any different, and you are right. So, I’m just going to tell everyone who could be offended to get over it. It’s a movie, not a documentary, and if you are offended, don’t go see the movie, or read the comic it was based off. Seriously, there are worse travesties in this world to spend your time bitching about.

Mortal Kombat – Have you seen the latest Mortal Kombat: Legacy installment? Instead of a movie, the production company, decided to go with 10 minutes webisodes that feature a new, different look at the familiar characters. It started off with a rough, gritty Sonya Blade and Jax squaring off against Kano. After that two-parter, we saw a bit of Johnny Cage, and finally the next two parter involves Kitana and Mileena with a mix of anime and live action shots. The series has been very gritty and very refreshing. Check out the youtube channel by clicking HERE.

Han Fucking Solo Ice cube trays – Does the headline really need any more explanation? I think not. As of June this year, you will be able to own ice cube trays that portray everyone’s favorite scruffy looking nerf-herder, frozen in carbonite. Isn’t that awesome? I can think of nothing more deliciously geeky, than walking into your house on a hot, summer day, and throwing some frozen Han into your ice tea. Yeah, stay cool Star Wars fans. … see what I did there? Because cool, like awesome and cool, like frozen ice….nevermind.

Tarantino eyeing Gaga – There’s very few people who aren’t eyeing Lady Gaga, but it was rumored this week that director Quentin Tarantino is talking to the pop singer about a role in his recently rumored spaghetti western Django Unchained. Among the many rumors about the film, Will Smith is also being rumored as approached for a role. Could you imagine Gaga in a traditional quick-draw scene, 10 gallon hat and all? I would assume the conversation between the two started off “I love your music, now let me see your feet.”

Terminators are now well funded – Since the rights to the Terminator franchise were up for grabs, there has been a small bidding war going on to see who would get the rights. When the dust settled, Megan Ellison came up with the rights to the franchise. The rumors lately have been interesting, with The Governator showing interest in the franchise, and Justin Lin directing. There was even a rumor that said the entire cast of Terminator 2 would return. Hopefully, they can have some good ideas after the fourth film.

Maquis killed Bin Laden – This story just makes me laugh. Apparently, a German news channel was talking about how an elite group of Navy Seals broke in and killed Bin Laden. The funny part is the logo that was on the screen next to the reporter. It was a fan-made insignia for the Maquis, a group of rebels in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and also Deep Space Nine. Yeah, so, they apparently, beamed down, and shot Bin Laden with a phaser and beamed back up. Stealthy, eh?

Best casting ever - I usually don't bring up too much about casting, because casting doesn't always make a movie, but sometimes, a cast can be enough to bring me to the theater, despite the film. I admit, The Expendables cast was enough to get me to the man-tastic film; another was Ocean's Eleven. Seven Psychopaths looks to be the next film, with the casting of Christopher Walken, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockewell and Colin Farrell, in a dark comedy from Martin McDonagh, the writer and director of In Bruges. I am sure everyone is with me in saying Walken is a legend and everything he touches is gold, but after seeing Moon, I'm the biggest Rockwell fan you will see. I also thought Farrell was surprisingly good in In Bruges. With all these big players, consider me there.

It’s a bad day to be a FOX fan – FOX has canceled beloved shows Human Target, Breaking In, Chicago Code, Lie to Me and Traffic Light. I actually liked all those shows, which means nearly every show FOX puts on that I like has been horrifically chopped down (yeah, I'm not forgetting about Firefly ... ever). You still have Fringe and Bones, and there are some really interesting shows FOX picked up, like J.J. Abrams Alcatraz and Terra Nova. The latest news is that Breaking In may not be all dead, just mostly dead. So, there’s a ray of hope in the darkness that is FOX.

Chuck gets fifth and final season – The little show that could got a 13 episode season to finish out its life. There was no Subway sandwich effort this time, as NBC picked up the show for one more season, meaning syndication and a great chance to say goodbye. The show has had a small yet loyal fanbase for sometime. I’m extremely happy Chuck is getting one more season, and I’m also happy they’re making it the last. This way, it doesn’t end on some cliffhanger (Chuck’s season finale is called “Chuck vs. the Cliffhanger"), it ends the way the writers want. This way, the season can go out on a big bang, and offer closure to fans who hung in there for five great seasons. The bad news is, they’ve moved it to Friday’s, meaning it seems like the network just wants to be done with it.

USA -1, Vader -0 – In a bizarre story, Hayden Christensen, the guy who, for some, ruined Darth Vader lost another battle this week, this time, against USA Networks. The case was thrown out against Christensen, who claimed his idea for a concierge doctor was stolen, and turned into USA’s comedy Royal Pains. Apparently, saying you have an idea doesn’t mean anything, but if it did, then I had the idea for Star Wars.

NBC says no way to Wonder Woman – After years of development, execs say no to a pilot for the DC heroine. It isn’t hard to believe, with multiple script changes, and a costume change after fanboys cried like their x-box had been taken away. Apparently, the show had recently undergone a re-shoot to add more action, but that was enough. Execs have said it had nothing to do with the terrible costume, and that it was just not a fit for the image of the network.

My Rant:

Spoilers - Lately, spoilers seem to be everywhere. Every day, show details or behind the scenes photos or copies of scripts leak, causing movie producers and TV writers to pull out their hair. In fact, Doctor Who creator Steven Moffatt said that the fans who leaked last season’s finale of Doctor Who were horrible people who are not fans, and he even said he wished they wouldn't watch anymore. As I reported last week, a few pages of script from the Avengers actually caused the movie to be shut down while the pages were changed. Spoilers seem to run rampant, lately, and yet, it's hard to look away.

I admit, I'm a spoiler junkie. Every time I see spoilers I have to read them. I can't wait to see what happens to my favorite characters on the big screen or the small screen. I feel so happy when I read the juicy detail, until I actually see the event play out, and I realize it would've been so much sweeter to be surprised. Does it stop me? Absolutely not.

You can say my patience is just too low, or I'm immature, but the thing that makes me different from the people that leak scripts is that I don't go out telling the world of my new found knowledge. I try to respect people’s wishes of being surprised. I don't even like to talk about the end of the movie until I hear you've seen it. That's the difference; if I can't control myself, that's fine, but don't ruin it for everyone else.

All that being said, I refuse to look up spoilers for Doctor Who, although I love fan speculation, and I also refuse to read anything on The Avengers. I think the buildup is so big, and my anticipation is getting bigger and bigger with every movie, that the movie will be the event I hoped the Star Wars prequels were. It will be like a giant bat-signal in the sky for movie and comic book geeks, and I don't want that precious moment spoiled. Will I be able to resist? I hope so, but it's tough.

So, what do you think? Are you a spoiler fan, or do you avoid them like the plague? Sound off in the comments!

Box office Breakdown –
Thor continues to dominate with a meak dropoff of 45%, well less than any other Avengers installment. The movie is also coasting on solid critics reviews, which helped it top this week’s female Hangover comedy, Bridesmaids.

1. Thor - $34.5 million ($119.3 million total)
2. Bridesmaids - $24.4 million ($24.4 million total)
3. Fast Five - $19.5 million ($168.8 million total)
4. Priest - $14.5 million ($14.5 million total)
5. Rio - $8.0 million ($125.0 million total)
6. Jumping the Broom - $7.3 million ($26.0 million total)
7. Something Borrowed - $7.0 million ($25.6 million total)
8. Water For Elephants - $4.1 million ($48.5 million total)
9. Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family - $2.2 million ($50.2 million total)
10. Soul Surfer - $1.8 million ($39.2 million total)

DVD Releases –
Here’s the latest releases to DVD:
The Rite
The Other Woman
The Roommate
Vanishing on 7th Street

I saw The Rite in theaters, and I thought it was ok. Anthony Hopkins is always a pleasure to watch, but the exorcism tale was nothing new. The end was quite eerie, but otherwise, if you’re looking for a scary movie, you should probably look at this week’s The Roomate. The performances, from what I’ve seen in the trailer look downright terrifying!

Trailer of the Week –
This movie has Hugh Jackman as a boxer in a world of robot boxing. When he finds a long shot robot, he helps train the robot to win, but in doing so, learns how to win himself. Or atleast, that’s what it looks like. I am totally intrigued by this film. It looks like Transformers with good acting, and a good script, and some heart. What do you think?

Interview - Colin Quinn

Colin Quinn has been descirbed as a Rabble Rowser, a talent, and a comedien, or more often, the smartest comedien. Now, he brings his own brand of comedy to Treasure Island on May 13th. I had the pleasure of talking to Mr. Quinn about everything from comedy, to Bin Laden to Jersey Shore, and I can't wait to check out his show. Check out the interview.

Kevin Hopp: Thank you for taking the time to talk to me. I wanted to start off by asking you about your standup, Long Story Short.

Colin Quinn: Well, it's a different type of comedy. Very different from just a normal standup. There's so much you have to do different, from queue's to lighting, but it was fun.

KH: I read the show was directed by Jerry Seinfeld. Is it hard taking direction from another comedien?

CQ: No, in some ways it's easier, because we're both after the same thing. We're all about the laughs, and getting laughs at all cost.

KH: Is it tough doing the same show every night?

CQ: Yeah, sometimes it's tough, especially when you do three shows on Saturday. It starts to look a lot like work sometimes, you know?

KH: Was the show scripted?

CQ: Yeah, the show was completly scripted.

KH: So, no going off script? Was it hard to not add anything?

CQ: No, you can't go off script. That's what every comedien asks me, is it hard to not go off topic, and it's not easy. Especially with everything going on right now. It takes a lot of self restraint.

KH: So, would you do it again? And if so, is it a big difference between TV or movies?

CQ: Yeah, I would do it again, it's a lot of fun. The good part is, when you deliver a joke, you don't have to wonder if the audience will find it funny, you know right away, for better or worse.

KH: So, your coming down to do a comedy show in Treasure Island on the 13th. What is the show going to be about?

CQ: Well, it's going to be about everything that's going on right now. The war, Bin Laden, Politics, all that stuff. I find the stuff that's actually going on is more funny than anything you could write.

KH: So, is it family friendly?

CQ: It's clean, I just curse a lot.

KH: So, I have to ask, and it's not just because you are known for your amazing SNL Weekend Updates, but what do you think of this Osama Bin Laden thing?

CQ: I like the fact that everyone is celebrating about his death. And Pakistan not even realizing he's there. I think it's totally real, I think we're trying to be sensitie, and not show how proud we are. We don't want to gloat, because other countries are trying to be like us.

KH: So, they announced they won't show the photos of Bin Laden, do you think they should?

CQ: I think they should. Maybe give the guy his own Facebook page.

KH: So, what is a Rabble Rowser?

CQ: I don't know why I've been called that, but I like it. If you're doing comedy correctly, then you're going to get people's attention. That shows your being current, and your doing it correctly.

KH: So, what kind of comedienes influence your comedy?

CQ: Well, I love George Carling and Richard Prior. Those are two of the best. Carlin, for the socio-political, and Prior did the anthropology, the stuff about human behavior. Combining them is the trick.

KH: So, last question, I read that you're a fan of Jersey Shore? I admit, I stayed away like it was the plague, until my girlfriend got me hooked.

CQ: That's true, it's crazy TV. I love Snookie.

KH: Well, Mr. Quinn, thank you so much for your time, and I can't wait to see the comedy show on the 13th.

CQ: Thank you! I'm looking forward to it!

Kevin's Korner - A whole bunch of good shit

No, it isn't microscopic creatures that live in your cells called midichloriones, it's Kevin's Korner! Duh. Welcome to another post of the Korner, where I wrap up all the movie and TV news from the past week into a nice, neat, slightly sarcastic package. No, it's ok, you don't have to thank me. This week, all kinds of crazy stuff happened, including celebrating Star Wars day on May the 4th (ya know, "May the Fourth be with you") and plenty of casting news. I also have the box office breakdown and a trailer of the week. Check it out, and thanks for being in my Korner.

You know you want it, it's the news (with totally real photographic proof)...

Star Wars Blu-Ray release date and info - I'm a huge Star Wars fan. Yes, that means that you'll often hear me talking about Han shooting first, or how the prequels were just a wreck, compared to my coveted original trilogy, or how Jar Jar was the devil with floppy ears, but it also means I gladly look to spend stupid amounts of money on the saga. So, when May 4th came, we saw the release date of September 16th in the States and September 11th internationally for the Blu-Ray version of the saga, I was extremely excited. We also had some special features announced, along with audio commentary, on top of the news that we get 40 plus hours of special features, along with the beautiful high definition movie. It's also interesting to note you can buy the movies three ways; the original trilogy, the prequels, or the whole set. I would assume this was done for all the people who hated the prequels, and have no desire to spend money on them again. Come on, I know you're out there.

We finally get to go to the Cabin in the Woods - It seems that the almost forgotten Cabin in the Woods is finally going to see the light of day. The rumored release date is October 28th. The film is directed by Drew Goddard (writer of Cloverfield), written by Goddard and Joss Whedon and stars Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Kristen Connolly, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford and Brian White. It looks like, with the success of Thor, studios are thinking Hemsorth's name will bring in some dough. I'm just interested to see what Whedon can do with a movie script.

'Kill Bin Laden' film being fast tracked after Bin Laden, well, dies - Oscar award winning director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) has been setting up pre-production on a movie about a mission to kill the terrorist leader right after September 11th. Obviously, with the events of late, the movie may get a script adjustment or two. Apparently, because Bigelow did a movie about events in the desert, she's automatically qualified to do another. When this comes out, is there any doubt it will be nominated for an Oscar? I say no.

Truth, Justice and the ... well, not American Way - The big blue boyscout has had a busy year. Besides having a movie coming out, the DC comic book hero celebrated his 900th issue with a 100 page compilation of Superman stories done by different artists and writers. One of the stories, however, is the one that everyone is talking about. In the story, Supes stands between protesters in Syria for 24 hours, and afterwards renounces his American citizenship to avoid getting the U.S. in trouble. Since, there have been headlines of Superman renouncing his citizenship, and even The Colbert Report was getting into the act. Before anyone gets too upset, you need to realize it was a small, lame story from a guest artist that has nothing to do with the continuity of the story. That being said, I'm sure Superman fans will be talking about it for years to come, mainly as the story they refuse to acknowledge.

The Avengers are Shut Down after script leak - Don't worry, you won't see the leaked script photos from me, mainly because I don't want to see it myself. After seeing Thor, I'm very excited for The Avengers, and I think it ought to be a huge event. It's the buildup we've been waiting for since the first Iron Man movie. Apparently, someone didn't feel the same way, and got their hands on Samuel L. Jackson's script, or atleast a few pages. As a result, shooting was stopped while the script pages were adjusted.

The Fresh O'Meter gets stale - News came this week that Warner Bros. has bought Flixster, and with it, the movie rating site Rotten Tomatoes. The site is known for having reviews of movies from fans and critics, and the Fresh Meter, witch accumulates the critics reviews into a number that gives readers a clear idea on whether to see the movie or not. However, with a movie studio now owning the site, the question is whether that number will be as sacred as it used to be. In journalism class, I learned all about ethics and conflict of interest. I see no difference between those lessons and this situation. It's clearly a conflict of interest, here, and while it accumulates numbers based on critics, it doesn't mean there is no way that number can't be tampered. Now, will it? I seriously doubt it. Rotten Tomatoes works off a reputation, and I doubt they would do anything to jeopardize that. That being said, I now doubt that number a bit more, especially if it's a WB movie.

Now, before you get all upset, and tell me that site is hardly holy, and cite some crazy critic, let me say I understand movie opinions are all just that; opinions. But, Rotten Tomatoes is pretty particular about who they call a critic, and the culmination of their ratings are a good tool to use while judging on whether to view the movie or not. Also, WB was looking mainly for the Flixter system, and it seems like Rotten Tomatoes was hardly the target of the purchase.

Paranormal Activity 3 gets director and October release date - The Paranormal Activity franchise is pretty famous for essentially coming from nowhere. The first movie had a ridiculously low budget, and made over $100 million in theathers. The movie broke barriers in marketing and distribution, and on top of all that was scary as hell. The second movie also did pretty well, but was way more commercial. The third movie looks to take it back to the basic roots by hiring Catfish directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. Catfish was famous for being a highly debated documentary. If you haven't seen it, you should, given this day and age. Whether the documentary was real or not (I tend to believe it is) it was still a pretty decent movie. With an up and coming pair of directors who have a new take on the movie, there is no telling what we could get. But, I will be there, come October.

Iron Man writers rebooting Tomb Raider - I was saying the other day that the one thing I wanted to see in Hollywood was a reboot. I mean, you never see those, and I figured it would be refreshing. Like a gift from Heaven, it was announced the writers of Iron Man Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby would be writing a reboot script for Tomb Raider. Haven't you always wanted to know how Lara Croft became a sexy, sexy Indiana Jones? Of course you have, and we shall have it!

Tarantino has Spaghetti Western script - Djano Unchained is the title to the newest script by famed film buff Quentin Tarantino. It has been described before as a spaghetti western that takes place in the south, and the only name attached to the project is Inglorious Basterds star Christoph Waltz. The plot has been described as "It’s a western whose lead character is a former slave who is in league with Waltz to save his wife from an evil plantation owner." It could be interesting to see what Tarantino does with the genre, which hasn't had many successful movies lately (True Grit being one of the few). It's also rumored that Tarantino is meeting with Will Smith for a role in the film.

Forget the year of the Cock - Blastr has a new zodiac up that replaces the old Chinese zodiac with something a bit more modern; the geek zodiac. So, give it a look and see what geek icon you are.

DVD Releases -

No Strings Attached
Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Black Death
I Saw the Devil

The Box Office Breakdown - It's Hammer Time -

Thor rocked the box office, and came in number one with $66 million. Believe it or not, the movie has the second highest opening in the month of May, second to Fast and Furious -er-er.

1. Thor - $66 million ($66 million total)
2. Fast Five - $32.5 million ($139.9 million total)
3. Jumping the Broom - $13.7 million ($13.7 million total)
4. Something Borrowed - $13.1 million ($13.1 million total)
5. Rio - $8.2 million ($114.9 million total)
6. Water For Elephants - $5.6 million ($41.6 million total)
7. Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family - $3.9 million ($46.8 million total)
8. Prom - $2.4 million ($7.8 million total)
9. Soul Surfer - $2.1 million ($36.7 million total)
10. Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil - $1.9 million ($6.7 million total)

I actually really liked Thor. I thought the script was a little weak in places, but did a great job of putting the God of Thunder into a world with Iron Man and the Hulk. I thought the fight scene with the ice giants in the beginning was incredible, and wish we would've had more of that. They also did a good job of creating a true threat to a god. I also thought the actors all really seemed to enjoy their roles, and they all put a lot of themselves into the role. It leaves me extremely excited for the Avengers now.

What did you think of Thor? What else did you contribute your hard earned George Washington's to over the weekend?


Trailer of the week:
Green Lantern Theatrical trailer 2 -I actually getting exited about this film. I wasn't before, but with this trailer, and the obvious attempt to get the effects better than the original trailer, I have hope for this movie. If nothing else, it looks to be an entertaining popcorn flick. What do you think?

Movie Review - Thor - Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins

As Marvel gets closer and closer to the Avengers, we see these different characters in different worlds come together, and each piece we get makes me think, like the characters themselves, that this Avengers thing could be something truly special. Marvel steps closer with Thor, and tackles the problem of how you bring the god of thunder into the real world of Iron Man and the Hulk and Captain America, and what does he have to fear. Like so many other things, Marvel does this expertly.

Thor, played wonderfully by Chris Hemsworth is a prince in a realm of powerful Viking-type guys. As his father, a bearded Anthony Hopkins trains Thor and his brother Loki to be king when he's gone, we realize that Thor just yearns for glory and battle, and is not a good leader. When he goes and starts a battle with some ice giants, we get a great action scene that leads to Thors banishment to Earth. With Thor's powers gone, he can only claim command of thunder and a big hammer by being worthy. He meets a hot scientist, played by Natalie Portman and agents from SHIELD, a government agency that seems to be hearding up heroes. When Thor's world is threatened, Thor must become worthy of the power he commands and save our world and his.

The problem with Thor is similar to that of DC's Superman, in that how do you create a threat to a God, someone who is pretty much immortal. Marvel does this pretty well by having a storyline of Loki trying to take over the throne. When Thor is banished, he becomes vulnerable, and a hero that is identifiable. Once he has his powers back, he is a badass that the audience connected with. While these events seem to rocket by and Thors grasp on becoming a good guy seems almost too quick, it's good to see the hero become the true character his powers and the audience deserve.

The action is uneven in the movie, but the action scenes we see, especially when Thor wields his hammer are incredible. Bashing ice giants with a big magical hammer is incredible and something I wouldn't have minded seeing more of. Finally, when Thor is banished, he takes on a more rumbling fighting style that is equally impressive. You can see that a lot of dedication went into this movie, with regard to the action scenes, especially with that of Hemsworth (the guy was actually too large for his suit at one point) and when you see that kind of dedication, it makes the movie that much more enjoyable.

Portman's scientist is very one dimensional, but it's impossible for me not to love her. It's a testament to Portman, more than the writing. She is strong in her determination to prove her scientific theories and finds a fallen Thor as the way to answers. Her chemistry with Hemsworth's commanding performance as the god of thunder is really enjoyable, and I actually wish I could've seen more of it. While Portman’s story just seemed to get in the way, at times of the bigger picture, her onscreen presence kept me interested.

Overall, it's a very simple story of a god who fell, only to seek redemption after finding love and going back to save his people. The difference is that Marvel successfully puts a god into the world of Iron Man and The Hulk with very subtle ways; it's a mention of Tony Stark, or a reference to a missing gamma radiation scientist that gives a great feeling of continuity and geek fodder to tide us over until Captain America later this summer.

Thor is the official start to the summer season with a very entertaining popcorn flick. It's got something for everyone, from a ripped, shirtless Chris Hemsworth to a nerdy hot chick in Natalie Portman to lots and lots of people getting hit with a hammer. It's good fun, whether you’re a fan of the comic or not. If you’re like me, and excited to see The Avengers, be sure to stay through the credits for a scene that sets up a possible plot in the movie.