Kevin's Korner - 6.27.2011

Welcome to another Kevin’s Korner, your source for all kinds of geeky stuff. I am your geek leader, Kevin Hopp, and I have some fun stuff, like a story about a weird Doctor Who fan, the new Harry Potter website, a first look at Bilbo Baggins; along with an interesting debate on geeks lately; a great trailer of the week and so much more. Thanks for being in my Korner!

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

Did Ebert cross the line? – I couldn’t avoid this story. 411mania had the story on earlier last week, that famed movie critic Roger Ebert tweeted after hearing about Ryan Dunn’s auto fatality that also killed his passenger that “friends don’t let Jackass’s drive drunk.” The tweet seemed to anger a lot of people, and jokes about “jaw flapping” ensued. There were others who argued that he was right, saying the guy was drunk (it was later confirmed over double the legal limit) and he killed someone, which means no sympathy. There have been arguments everywhere online about this. Ebert later sort of apologized, but the war rages on. In my opinion, he was right, but it was shitty timing. Show some respect to the family who didn’t hurt anyone, and wait until the guy is properly mourned before a preach session from your horse is done. Is he right? Absolutely, the guy drove drunk and killed someone, but it was incredibly insensitive to people who lost someone important to them.

Captain Kirk Arm Wrestles Captain Kirk – Somewhere, every trekkie or “trekker” as some prefer to be called, are either screaming about which one is better, or totally wetting themselves in delight. The photo shows Chris Pine and William Shatner, who both played Captain James T. Kirk. The later of which, just announced he would not make an appearance in Star Trek 2. And, just so you know, my money is on the Shat.



Companion Panties? This guy has 94 of them – I couldn’t make this up if I tried, but a fan of Doctor Who started collecting companion panties. He has branched out to include any woman that contributed to the nearly 50 year run of the show. Just in case you were wondering, he does have Billie Piper’s (Rose) panties too. I think I’ll just stick to my replica sonic screwdriver, thanks.

Speaking of Doctor Who – Check out this amazing picture of merging some of the more interesting characters with that of Charlie Brown Christmas. They are two of my favorite things, so I couldn’t resist showing it off.

Fox got the can from Spielberg – Megan Fox has had some huge speculation over her shit-canning from the Transformers trilogy. Everyone thought director Michael Bay got pissed that she criticized him and fired her, when it was actually producer Steven Spielberg, who has been pretty quiet over his involvement, which resulted in the starlet’s termination. Apparently, he didn’t like the comment that compared director Bay with Hitler. It can’t be good to piss off Spielberg if you want to get ahead in Hollywood.

IPhone users could get disabled at concerts, maybe theaters next? – If you own an IPhone like I do, this story may make you a little concerned. Apple applied for a patent awhile ago, with details just being released that would allow someone to disable your camera. The idea is that concert runners really don’t want your videos online, and with an infrared beam, they could disable the video/picture function on your phone. I think it’s ridiculous, and silly, and I would be pissed, but it got me thinking; what if they could do the same thing with movie theaters? It may make things easier, I suppose if there is a way for theaters to disable your camera or other functions on your phone. What do you guys think? Huge invasion of privacy, or a chance for peace?

Bilbo Baggins…impressed? – Finally, we get an image of Bilbo Baggins from the upcoming The Hobbit. I’m not a huge fan of the trilogy, but does this get you excited for the movie?



Miss America is a Star Wars geek – Miss USA let it slip a few days ago that she was a Star Wars geek, among being other things. This had apparently upset many self-proclaimed geeks for some, really stupid reason, saying there was no way a beauty queen could love Star Wars. She was put to the test for Access Hollywood (video HERE), and while the questions were extremely easy, she thought the same, and had plenty of confidence with the answers.

My question is what’s the big deal? If she says she’s a Star Wars geek, friggin’ take her at her word. She wants world peace, damn it! I don’t know why the thought of Miss USA claiming she loves Star Wars would be upsetting to some. I, for one, think having a geek representative that is so famous and hot is a good thing. Would you prefer the stereotypical fat, smelly, immature kid with thick glasses that talks kinda like Urkel? No, of course not, go for Miss USA!

So, Pottermore is an online forum/store? – Harry Potter fans having been anxiously awaiting the announcement of Pottermore, and what exactly it would be. This week, we got our answer, sort of. The good news is, it isn’t a phone, like some were claiming, and it isn’t really an MMORPG. It sounds like, according to the video from author, J.K. Rowling, that it’s an online experience, designed to get people to get out there and read the books…again. It’s also going to be the only place you will be able to buy e-book versions of the 7 books. It just seems really underwhelming, if you ask me. I am all for encouraging kids to read, but my understanding seems more like a Harry Potter themed Amazon. Anyway, the website officially opens in October.




Finally, Checkov gets a star – It was announced this week that Star Trek alum Walter Koenig would get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It’s about time, right? I mean, after nailing that Russian accent, he went on and did…well, he did….ok, he really only did Star Trek related stuff, but still, he’s earned a spot in pop culture lore, and that’s pretty awesome. Still, all I can think about is that episode of Futurama where Koenig talks about after Star Trek, he became a real human being, with keys and everything.

Cars 2 to be Pixar's first “rotten” movie – According to Rotten Tomatoes, it appears Cars 2 will be Pixar's first “rotten” movie according to the rating site. The film currently sits at “33% fresh,” showing most critics don’t really care for the film. It’s surprising, considering Pixar’s track record of smash hits that resonate well with film critics. While the Tomatoe-ometer should be taken with a certain grain of salt, and everyone’s opinion is different, the film does look to be more commercial and less fun than previous films.

Apollo 18 gets a new trailer, the audience gets ill – The new Apollo 18 trailer hit the web this week, and while it looks kind of creepy, it looks like Blair Witch Project in space; which, by the way, is exactly what I thought the second movie should’ve been about (it’s a natural progression). It may be an unfair comparison, but the shaky cam style of shooting became synonymous with the movie after it became a legend, going from a small budget to making tons of money, surpassed only by Paranormal Activity, which used the same technique. But, are audiences tired of the technique?

I suppose the box office would say no, given the success of movies like Cloverfield, The Last Exorcism and the second Paranormal Activity, but it seems any movie that uses that style is automatically put into an almost “cheap scare” category. While I loved Cloverfield and liked both Paranormal Activity movies, it doesn’t seem this has too much new to offer. Would you go see this movie?

Muppets announce tribute album track list – Any fan of the Korner has obviously figured out I am a fan of the Muppets. I’m not apologizing. Tell me I’m 12 years old all you want, I like the Muppets. Well, apparently, there’s a tribute album coming out August 23rd with some great artists covering some famous songs. I can’t wait to hear Haley Williams and Weezer cover “A Rainbow Connection.” Check out the rest of the list.

OK Go – 'Muppet Show Theme'
Weezer and Hayley Williams – 'Rainbow Connection'
The Fray – 'Mahna Mahna'
Alkaline Trio – 'Moving Right Along'
My Morning Jacket – 'Our World'
Amy Lee – 'Halfway Down The Stairs'
Sondre Lerche – 'Mr Bassman'
The Airborne Toxic Event – 'Wishing Song'
Brandon Saller and Billy Martin – 'Night Life'
Andrew Bird – 'Bein' Green'
Matt Nathanson – 'Hope That Something Better Comes Along'
Rachael Yamagata – 'I'm Going To Go Back There Someday'

Out on DVD Today –
Or, will Vanessa Hudgens ever be in anything successful besides High School Musical?

Sucker Punch
Beastly
Season of the Witch
Barney's Version
The Warrior's Way

Box Office Breakdown – Cars 2 wins…ish.
Cars 2 debuted in first place with $68 million, which is pretty good, but quite a bit less than expected. Bad Teacher came in second, but the big story is Green Lantern, which had a huge 66% drop from last week to land in third. Either people are listening to the critics’ par or sub par reviews, or they really just don’t like the trailer. Either way, it’s pretty ugly. And, yet, there’s news that WB is going forward with a sequel. Figure that one out!

What did you see this weekend?

1. Cars 2 - $68 million ($68 million total)
2. Bad Teacher - $31 million ($31 million total)
3. Green Lantern - $18.4 million ($89.3 million total)
4. Super 8 - $12.1 million ($95.2 million total)
5. Mr. Popper's Penguins - $10.3 million ($39.4 million total)
6. X-Men: First Class - $6.6 million ($132.8 million total)
7. The Hangover Part II - $5.9 million ($283.9 million total)
8. Bridesmaids - $5.4 million ($146.7 million total)
9. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - $4.7 million ($229.1 million total)
10. Midnight in Paris - $4.5 million ($28.6 million total)


Trailer of the Week: Captain America –
I haven’t been super excited about Captain America until now. This trailer makes me think this movie could be more than just an attempt to bring some nostalgia to Captain America readers; it could be something pretty good. What do you movie goers think?

Korner 9

Welcome to another Kevin's Korner. This week has all kinds of fun, geeky stuff. I'm still trying to get over the geek-tastic Doctor Who episode, and there are some bits of news this week that made my inner geek do cart wheels. So, without any further B.S., here's the news...

I'm in the news business, and business is a boomin...

Killer Clowns are back! - The epic, epic movie, Killer Clowns from Outer Space is one of those movies that are probably only enjoyed by the fans of the FAIL, like me. It was a wonderfully ridiculous movie before the latest renaissance of bad movies was popular. Well, now, there is news that a sequel to the cotton candy epicness has been written, and is simply looking for some funding. Does anyone have, oh, say, fifty bucks?

Favreau and Downey discuss Iron Man 3 - There is a great interview up with Iron Man one 1 and 2 director Jon Favreau, along with Robert Downey Jr., as they talk about handing the reigns over to Shane Black for the third movie. Favreau sarcastically talks about how his character deserves a way bigger part, and how he deserves a raise, and the struggles of a post-avengers Iron Man "what do you do, pretend they all just lost each other's cell phone numbers?" It presents an interesting problem, to be sure, but it sounds like Black, who directed Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is already talking to Favreau, which is a very good sign.

8 actors you never even know voiced a character - Over at one of my favorite blogs, Cracked.com, they have a great post about 8 actors you never even knew voiced animated characters. If you are a hardcore TV buff, you probably know most of them, but I bet there is one or two that can surprise you. Check it out HERE.

Meet Curly - Check out the latest photo of behind the scenes of the Three Stooges. We finally see a bit of Curly going on. What do you think? Is this going to be a huge bomb, or a goldmine?

The fall of Comic Con? - This story is a little worrisome. It was made known that certain marketing companies will not be marketing certain movies at this year's San Diego Comic Con happening in July. Big movies like The Dark Knight Rises and Avengers will not be making an appearance at this years con. It leaves movies like Twilight and Cowboys vs. Aliens (who announced they would premiere the movie at the convention) as the conventions headliners. If I had spent the large amount of money on airfare and a pass, I would be a bit upset by the no-shows of the biggest movies of next year.

I'm wondering if this new model, or realization will be contagious. The articles I'm reading are blaming movies like Tron: Legacy and Scott Pilgrim because of the very large marketing attempts, with poor box office results. It makes me wonder why Twilight is even showing up. Everyone knows their die-hard fanbase of swooning "team Jacob or Team Edward" fans will blow up the box office, so why market it? Also, if big movies like the Avengers and the third Batman do well at the box office, does it prove you don't need comic con? I would say it does. And, let's face it, those movies will almost certainly do well at the box office.

I would say this is possibly the start of the end of the overly crazy comic con. I'm sure anyone who has been there would say it's not a bad thing to go back to more of the comic base, but it makes me wonder if there will be anything popping up to take its place, or if the Internet will be the main source of movie marketing. Thoughts?

Super 8 easter eggs - This post is only for the people who saw Super 8, and does have some SPOILERS AHEAD. You have been warned. In a few posts online, there was talk of a certain entry in the credits of a pretty well known actor, Bruce Greenwood. You may be like me and say "I never saw him." You would only be about half right. Greenwood has an interview up about his part in the movie, which is really interesting, because his part is, shall we say right in front of your face...for a moment or two, anyway. There is also a great post up at /Film talking about some of the little easter eggs in the film, such as a Slusho sign and more. Check it out HERE.

There are now 5 ... maybe 6, ok, 7...up to 10 nominations for best picture - If you haven't heard this news, or even if you have and don't understand, let me explain...no time for that, let me sum up..so, in an effort to create more drama, and in turn, make more than 2 people watch the Oscars, the committee has decided "5 to 10 movies can be nominated." This means if there is a crappy year, only 5 get nominated, while a good year could have up to 10. I can see where they are going, here, because "Academy Award Nominated" still has a lot of pull, and it's silly to give it out to a film that is truly not worthy, but the excitement geeks like me had, that our favorite films could receive a nod has now taken a hit. Will it create more drama? I actually think it will have the opposite affect, in that now, there's less of a chance a little-known movie has a shot, and it could leave people still feeling alienated from the committees tastes.

The Doctor is in, for now - In some seriously horrible news, we found out this week that Doctor Who will not have a full series next year, as they gear up for their 50th anniversary in 2013. While it should be a monumentus anniversary, it means fans of the show will get even less than the poultry 13 episodes we get this season. While it isn't known how many we will get, it doesn't matter, I'm still going to be upset I now have less of the Doctor. I suppose there is Torchwood: Miracle Day to comfort me, but damn it, BBC, get your act together.

How Thor should have ended - There is another video of How it Should Have Ended up. The group, who has done videos for Terminator and Back to the Future set their sights on Thor. There may be slight spoilers if you haven't seen the movie, but if you have, you'll find this pretty funny:





Amazing Wedding Cake - I'm getting married in under four months, and you can be sure this wedding cake was in the discussion. It's possibly the greatest rendition of the Millenium Falcon you will see, and it looks delicious. Want one? Me too!

The Dark Knight Rises has surprise guest shoot some lines - In a possibly huge SPOILER moment, the third Batman film has a very surprising guest shoot on set the other day in Liam Neeson. If you've seen the first in Nolan's trilogy, you will know Neeson played Ra's Al Ghul, the mentor and later villain of Bruce Wayne/Batman. It's not know if this is a flashback scene, or something else, but you can bet fans are going nuts over the news. This just adds to the list of questions on this film, supporting my theory that it's the most anticipated movie since Episode 1.

Jurassic Park 4 won't go away - There is a story on the interwebs this week about how Steven Spielberg is talking with scriptwriters on a way to reboot Jurassic Park. You may remember I reported I a few weeks ago that actor Sam Neil said that it would be wrong to continue, since special effects creator Stan Winston, and writer of the novels Michael Crichton were both dead. However, there is still talk, if a way can be found to reboot the franchise. So, after the last movie, is a reboot in order? I would say it's the only way to continue after the events of the second and third movie. That being said, I don't see where you can go with Jurassic Park that would bring something fresh to the table. The special effects from the first film still hold up incredibly well, and the story was adapted very well. So, what new could you bring without making it look like one of those campy SyFy movies?

Video: is too nerdy a bad thing? - In this hilarious video, it proves the age-old adage 'be careful what you wish for,' especially if you wish for a hot nerdy woman. I am not sure, but I think I should be worried I knew exactly what they were talking about in this video, except I do like Halo, and I'm not apologizing.





Pottermore coming soon - J.K. Rowling has setup a website called Pottermore that promises something big coming soon. There is no word as to what it is. Author of the Harry Potter books has said it isn't another series of books, but fans are wondering if it's the official encyclopedia they have heard about, or something else. Gizmodo was posting a rumor of a possible Harry Potter phone last week, while others were hoping for an MMORPG. A few fansites have seen the page, and all they can say is that it's amazing...yeah, that does a lot of friggin' good. What do you think it is? Apparently the release date is the birthdate of a prominent character in the books.

The Avengers won't be in 3D - According to twitter, the Avengers film will not be in 3-D, depsite having Iron Man 2, Thor and Captain America all showing up in 3D. Now, the tweet, from the Incredible Hulk himself has said that they won't film in 3D, but I guess that isn't saying they can't convert it, which would be a shame, because I haven't seen any conversion that's been worth a damn. I hope they don't go 3D at all, Thor was useless in 3D, along with most of the movies out there trying to make a buck.

Box Office Breakdown -
Green Lantern, in no surprise at all, took first place. There was a surprise with how little the film took in, with a measly $54.7 million. The film came in under both Thor and X-Men: First Class for its first week. The film has gotten very polarizing, but overall mediocre reviews. It's not a good sign, when the film will have to work very hard to get back the $200 million budget. Mr. Poppers Penguins also opened this week, in third place, with $18.2 million, not bad, considering the small amount of marketing, and the crappy trailer.

1. Green Lantern - $52.7 million ($52.7 million total)
2. Super 8 - $21.3 million ($72.8 million total)
3. Mr. Popper's Penguins - $18.2 million ($18.2 million total)
4. X-Men: First Class - $11.5 million ($119.9 million total)
5. The Hangover Part II - $9.7 million ($232.7 million total)
6. Kung Fu Panda 2 - $8.7 million ($143.3 million total)
7. Bridesmaids - $7.5 million ($136.8 million total)
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - $6.2 million ($220.3 million total)
9. Midnight in Paris - $5.2 million ($21.8 million total)
10. Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer - $2.2 million ($11.2 million total)

DVD's out this week -
Unknown
The Adjustment Bureau
The Eagle
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules
Happythankyoumoreplease

Trailer of the week - Harry Potter
In this final trailer for the final Harry Potter film, we get a beautiful wrapup of what's happened with a really dramatic look at things to come. I think this trailer is about as good as anything for building anticipation, which is already extremely high; I mean, it's the final movie of a very long, very solid series.

A Wedding to Remember Part IX: Zombie Marilyn

We have just over four months until the big day. Excitement has nearly boiled over, lately has we try to work out every detail in preparation for the prime day in our lives. Invitations were made, we registered at Bed, Bath & Beyond (which was so much fun), we figured out what I'm going to wear, and we even have almost paid off our honeymoon. Things are going splendidly! The problem now, is waiting for the four months to get here, which I know will be here before I know it. But, I can't help but notice, a tough, but very promising sign...

It just so happens today is the birthday of Marilyn Monroe. My soon to be sister-in-law posted a quote from Ms. Monroe that kinda had an impact at just the right time; "... if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." I was thinking about this quote all day. I've seen my amazing fiancee go through some crazy stressful stuff lately. We joined a boot camp work out that starts at 5 am. Now, I know, I'm nowhere near my best, in fact, I'm about as far as I can be at 5 am, or at 5:30, when I'm trying to run a mile. Her, on the other hand, just continues to go, completely unaware of the sheer amazement I have for her.

My gorgeous future wife decided that she wanted to look better for her wedding, while I was wondering what was beyond perfection, she was signing up for a boot camp class. I later joined her, as I realized that I wanted to be sans the flab for my wedding, and working out together could be motivational. I was right, I've been very motivated. While I am still flabby, I feel like this effort could truly pay off...hopefully. As far my fiancee goes, she looks better than ever, and just increased my love of her.

My future wife has gone through health issues, money problems, planning a wedding, job concerns and on top of all that, has to deal with my less than stellar moments. When I saw that today, I realized that I'm seeing this amazing woman at a time where anyone else would be at their worst. Her? Nope, she's still the same woman I have dreamed of marrying for the past 7 and a half months. It put a smile on my face as I realized that if this is a time where most are at their worst, and I'm still here, not just here, but smiling and feeling blessed, than are we ever lucky, because this road we are on together will be filled with love and happiness; I mean, I love her through good times and bad, right? Isn't that part of the traditional vows? It's so much easier than I thought it would be. Now, I suppose I should work on the whole "obey" part ... or I can just erase that out of the vows. It could be easier.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I deserve this beautiful, amazing woman, but I am saying that going through highs and lows together has made me appreciate her even more. So, it's back to getting centerpieces done, and wine bottles ready, as we enter a very exciting, very busy stretch towards a wonderful day. The best part is that there is no worry of things to come. While things could always get worse, and I hope they don't, I feel like if this is a sample of what our life will be like, then I say bring it on, I'm ready to go.