tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69504804942539561652024-03-05T19:25:43.642-08:00In the Name of a GeekMovie Reviews, Thoughts, Musings, and More by Patrick 'PJ' CampbellPatrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-73933591269324142282013-05-13T18:03:00.000-07:002013-05-13T18:04:13.482-07:00First Look at Fox's Fall TV Batch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is always a very exciting time of year for fans of television shows, but at the same time, not so great, because some people lose their favorite shows. While I'll mourn the loss of some shows, there's always more to look forward to by the time Fall rolls around, and this year is no different. All the networks seem to have some great shows to look forward to, but right now it's time to take a closer look at Fox, and what they'll be offering viewers next year for the 2013-2014 TV season. </div>
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We've got a new J.J. Abrams produced series starring Karl Urban, a new comedy from the guys who brought us 'Parks and Rec', and starring Andy Samberg, a new twist on the Sleep Hollow legend, and more. Hit the jump for trailers for the new shows, the full Fox line up, and my thoughts on their newest shows. </div>
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Now, I'll tell you right now, I'm definitely a sucker for J.J. Abrams. I love a lot of the shows he's produced, and all the movies that he has directed. So of course, naturally, I've been curious to see how his newest show would turn out. I was even more excited about it when I found out that Karl Urban would be the star of the series, because he's one of my favorite actors in the business right now. So I'm definitely happy to report how great 'Almost Human' looks. The show looks to be a great new sci-fi series, which is giving me strong 'I, Robot' vibes, mixed with what made me love 'Fringe'. This definitely looks to be one of the more ambitious series to come to the networks this year, so I'm really hoping it'll start strong and keep going. I'd hate for this to be another 'Alcatraz', that starts strong, and ends on a cliffhanger, and then gets cancelled. The cast really looks like they're having fun, so I'll definitely be tuning in.</div>
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Described as a modern–day supernatural thriller based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, it follows Ichabod Crane as he partners with Sleepy Hollow’s local female sheriff to solve the mysteries of a town ravaged by the battle between good and evil.</div>
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This is one that caught me a bit by surprise. I know it's from Robert Orci and Alex Kurstman, and the pilot is directed by Len Wiseman, I wasn't expecting the series to look so...well, fun. It's definitely a different take on the tale, that's for sure, but what is interesting is the very 'National Treasure' feeling underneath what feels like a new version of the TV series 'Supernatural'. This honestly looks like something that was born out of 'The Twilight Zone', and I'm really kind of digging it. The problem is, I'm not sure it can last longer than one season, or if it does, how long can it go? It's a great concept, but one that seems more fitting for a miniseries on AMC or HBO. But the one thing this has going for it, much like 'Grimm' and 'Supernatural', is a procedural element, and audiences love themselves some procedurals. CBS practically lives off them, so that bodes well for this series. All and all, the pilot does look promising, so I will definitely be tuning to check it out. </div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Brooklyn Nine-Nine</span></div>
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From Dan Goor and Michael Schur, the Emmy Award-winning writers/producers of “Parks and Recreation,” and starring Emmy Award winners Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE is a single-camera ensemble comedy about what happens when a detective who doesn’t take anything seriously gets a new “by-the-book” boss who wants him to grow up and respect the badge. BROOKLYN NINE-NINE is produced by Universal Television and 3 Arts Entertainment. The series is created and written by Dan Goor (“Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Parks and Recreation”) and Michael Schur (“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation”). The series is executive-produced by Goor, Schur and David Miner (“30 Rock”). The pilot was directed by the team of Phil Lord and Chris Miller (“21 Jump Street,” “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”)</div>
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I didn't even know this show was coming, but as a fan of everyone involved, now I'm greatly looking forward to it. I'm already missing Andy Samberg since he left SNL last season, so it's great to see he'll be back on a weekly basis once more. This show looks like it's going to be much better than it deserves to be, in all honesty. It definitely shares the quirky side of 'The Office' and 'Parks and Rec', while featuring a lot of the randomness of 'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs', which makes it that much more exciting. Plus, from a cast featuring everyone from Terry Crewes, to great character actor Andre Braugher, and a cameo from funny man Fred Armisen, this looks to be one very promising, as well as one very funny, series. I really hope it finds a solid audience, because I'd really love to see this one continue.</div>
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Focuses on the key life moments for Gavin and Stacey, who try to maintain their relationship while combining their polarizing families' lives.</div>
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Another one of Fox's new comedies that I knew nothing about, and then I saw the trailer and fell in love with the oddball, quirky, BBC and Steven Coogan produced TV series. Starring Jason Ritter, the son of John Ritter, who I've come to very much enjoy in his roles in 'Parenthood', as well NBC's short lived 'The Event', and the incredible adorable Alexis Bledel, I can't help but hope this show will take off. But honestly, the quirkiness aside, looks so similar to what we've seen before, I'm afraid this may not take off at all, and will be Cancel Bear food by the end of the fall. But maybe, just maybe, this show will find a vocal audience who will watch the series and keep the ratings high enough to keep it on the air. I really hope it does, because it really looks like a show that could do very well when it finds its footing.</div>
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Follows the chaotic world of criminal defense lawyer Cleaver Greene. Brilliant, iconoclastic and innately self-destructive, he has a mind-numbing lack of discretion and a total inability to pause before speaking his mind. From bigamists to cannibals and everything in between, the clients Cleaver loves most are those whose cases appear to be utterly hopeless without him realizing that he, himself, is perhaps the most desperate case of all.</div>
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This is one I really want to love, and I probably will, but honestly, I'm not sure it'll last longer than the season. Greg Kinnear looks to be on top of his game, and with a pilot directed by Sam Raimi, who directed the original 'Spider-Man' trilogy and this year's 'Oz the Great and Powerful', people will almost certainly be tuning in. The problem is, I'm not sure after the pilot episode, exactly how the show will maintain its viewers. It looks promising, but the deadbeat lawyer can only be played so many ways before it gets stale, but then again, I could have said the same thing about 'House' years ago. This definitely looks like it has potential, but it seems more of a cable series than a network series, and I'm just not sure it'll survive the season. Watch with caution, it may be gone before you know it.</div>
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Two successful guys in their 30's have their lives turned upside down when their nightmare dads unexpectedly move in with them.</div>
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Ah, Seth MacFarlane, we meet again. Apparently I'm one of ten people in the world who isn't completely infatuated with his work. While I've enjoyed some episodes of 'American Dad', and 'Ted' was much more amusing than I was expecting, MacFarlane's comedy just doesn't work for me. So to see that he has a new show on Fox, where he's made his home on television over the last few years, isn't very surprising. I love the case, which has Seth Green, Giovanni Ribsi, Peter Riegert (Who can forget him from 'The Mask'?), and Martin Mull, as two very different dysfunctional father and son pairs, but honestly, I didn't laugh much at the trailer. The typical MacFarlane humor seems in place, and fans of his work are sure to jump at it, but honestly, it's just not doing much for me. I'll probably tune in for the pilot, but after that, I probably won't stick around. I have a feeling this one will actually do pretty well for itself overall, so fans can probably rest easy of an early cancellation imminent in the show's future.</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Enlisted</span></div>
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Centers on Sgt. Pete Waits who, after a stint in Afghanistan, is stationed at a small military base in Florida to tackle the toughest job of them all leading his dysfunctional brothers' squad.</div>
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Finally, we reach the last comedy for Fox's fall comedy schedule, 'Enlisted'. Honestly, this looks sort of like a TV version of 'Stripes', and while I like some of the cast, I just don't know it'll make it past the fall. The trailer had some funny parts, but military comedies don't always seem to work, so this show already has an uphill battle. This could be a fantastic show, but right now, it merely looks like an amusing way to spend half an hour, but one that will quickly be forgotten. </div>
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I have to say, most of Fox's fall line up seems pretty solid, and I like what I see. The other half could go either way, but that doesn't mean they aren't trying to up their game. There definitely seems to be a lot to look forward to, which is great. 'Almost Human' definitely tops that list for me, so I really look forward to seeing how it turns out. This isn't Fox's strongest fall line up, but it's not their weakest either. I definitely look forward to seeing how it plays out. Check out their full schedule below, and let me know which new Fox show are you looking forward to the most, I'd love to hear from you! </div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FOX FALL 2013-2014 SCHEDULE</strong></span><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET/PT)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MONDAY</strong><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8-9 PM Bones (fall) / ALMOST HUMAN (late fall)<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9-10 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW (fall) / The Following (midseason)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">TUESDAY</strong><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8-8:30 PM DADS<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8:30-9 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9-9:30 PM New Girl<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9:30-10 PM The Mindy Project</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">WEDNESDAY</strong><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8-10 PM The X Factor (fall) / American Idol (midseason)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">THURSDAY</strong><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8-9 PM The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9-10 PM Glee (fall) / RAKE (midseason)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">FRIDAY</strong><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8-9 PM JUNIOR MASTERCHEF (wt) (fall)<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9-10 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW encores (fall)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Late Fall:</span></em><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8-9 PM Bones<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9-9:30 PM Raising Hope (late fall)<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9:30-10 PM ENLISTED (new; late fall)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">SATURDAY</strong><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />7-10:30 PM Fox Sports Saturday<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />11 PM-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;"><strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">SUNDAY</strong><br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />7-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall)<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />7:30-8 PM The OT (fall)<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8-8:30 PM The Simpsons<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />8:30-9:00 PM Bob’s Burgers<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy<br style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />9:30-10 PM American Dad<span id="more-497383" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;">Schedule TBAs: GANG RELATED, SURVIVING JACK, US & THEM, MURDER POLICE</span></div>
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-19333434917251404942013-05-13T16:23:00.002-07:002013-05-13T16:39:50.086-07:00First Look AT NBC's New Fall TV Series Batch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's that time a year again, folks. We're at that moments where one season of TV winds down, and we look ahead to see what the networks have to offer us this fall. Out the gate, we've already got some great looking shows from the networks, but lets take a look specifically at what we've got coming from the Peacock network. A few new ensemble comedies, one featuring the return of Michael J. Fox to TV screens, a remake of a classic procedural series from the 1960s, a new take on Dracula, and a few new thriller starring James Spader. </div>
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It's been no secret that NBC has been struggling in the ratings, so it really seems like they're trying their hardest to find a solid footing with this new season, and from the looks of it, some of their pilots seem very promising, while others not so much. Hit the jump for the trailers for each of these new series, and leave your thoughts and comments below on the new shows. What are you most looking forward to on NBC this fall?<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The Michael J. Fox Show</span></div>
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Probably the show I'm most looking forward to next season on any network, Michael J. Fox returns to television in 'The Michael J. Fox' show, which is loosely based on his life, and his battle with Parkinsons Disease. Michael J. Fox has been my favorite actor for a long time, and every TV show he has starred on has been very strong, as well as incredibly entertaining, and this trailer promises much more of that. It looks like a very fun, exciting, and just overall entertaining series, and I'm so glad to see Michael J. Fox will be back entertaining me on a weekly basis. It feels much like those classic sitcoms of yesteryear, which seems to be the way that NBC wants to with their newer comedies.</div>
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Centers on Sean, who must figure out how to parent his 14-year-old daughter, who just moved in, while navigating a temperamental new boss at work.</div>
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Sean Hayes is returning to NBC as a single, Gay, father who is trying to take care of his daughter, while dealing with his seemingly overbearing mother, and awful new boss at work. The trailer definitely has some good laughs, and it looks to be, as 'The Michael J. Fox' series above, more in the vein of the more classic sitcoms we had years ago. I'm not sure if this one will take off, but maybe being on Thursday nights, with this new block being bookended by returning hits 'Parks and Rec' and 'Parenthood', the series will find an audience. I remain optimistic for it.</div>
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Chronicles how cultures collide when a white family and a Latino family are bonded together by their children who fall in love followed quickly by an unplanned pregnancy.</div>
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I'll be honest, this trailer doesn't do much for me. It made me smirk a few times, but not much else. It seems too much like everything else we get on TV, and that's not a good thing. Could it work? Sure. Especially being between 'Parks and Rec' and 'Sean Saves the World', but I'm thinking this might be shuffled quickly off the schedule by the end of fall, where 'Community' will replace it. </div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Dracula</span></div>
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From NBC: The series introduces Dracula as he arrives in London, posing as an American entrepreneur who maintains that he wants to bring modern science to Victorian society. In reality, he hopes to wreak revenge on the people who ruined his life centuries earlier. There's only one circumstance that can potentially thwart his plan: Dracula falls hopelessly in love with a woman who seems to be a reincarnation of his dead wife.</div>
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While I'm not hugely into the Dracula stories outside of the original black and white classic film starring Bela Lugosi, this series definitely piques my interest. The cast looks strong, and I'm definitely curious to see how the show plays out. It could be on of the stronger offerings by NBC this fall, so I'll definitely be giving it a chance.</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Ironside</span></div>
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Centers on Robert T. Ironside, a tough, sexy and acerbic police detective relegated to a wheelchair after a shooting who is hardly limited by his disability as he pushes and prods his hand-picked team to solve the most difficult cases.</div>
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A remake of the Raymond Burr classic from the late 1960's, 'Ironside' actually looks to be one of the more interesting procedurals in recent memory. Blair Underwood, the man who now plays Ironside, looks absolutely phenomenal in the role, and I have to say, it'll definitely be interesting to see how he does. My only worry, is not only with the many procedurals we already have on TV, but for many, sadly, the changing of ethnicity won't help it, which is a shame. I don't want this to disappear as quickly as USA's remake of 'Kojak', which starred Ving Rhames a few years back. This looks to be a character driven procedural show, and those are the best kinds worth watching, so I'll definitely be tuning in. I think this looks to be the third best show that NBC will be debuting this fall, right behind 'The Michael J. Fox Show', and our final entry on this list.</div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The Blacklist</span></div>
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The pilot revolves around Raymond "Red" Reddington, the world's most-wanted criminal who mysteriously turns himself in and offers to give up everyone he has ever worked with. His only condition is he will only work with a newly minted FBI agent Liz Keen (Blue Bloods' Megan Boone) with whom he seemingly has no connection.</div>
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Now this is one series I can't wait to see. I'm a huge fan of James Spader, because the man can absolutely act, and this looks to be one where he's really going to get to show off his acting prowess. The show is giving me a strong 'Silence of the Lambs' vibe, which is very interesting and exciting, and Spader looks to be chewing up every scene he's in. It's going to be a very interesting show, and with 'The Voice' as its lead in, the show has a very good chance of doing very well next season.</div>
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So that's your first look at some of what the Peacock will be offering this fall, and I have to say, it looks to be one of it's strongest candidates for new series in quite some time. I think there is a good chance this could be the year the NBC starts getting out of their ratings slump, but they need to make sure to get people's attention and make sure they know these shows are coming. Thankfully, landing Michael J. Fox's new show should help them in that department, and it'll be very interesting to see just what the network pulls off next year.</div>
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Now take a look at how the schedule will look for the 2013-2014 TV season, and leave your thoughts below! Which show are you the most excited for?<br />
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<strong style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NBC FALL 2013-14 SCHEDULE</strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">MONDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">TUESDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-9 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser” (New Day and Time)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-10 p.m. – “The Voice” (New time)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire” (New Day and Time)</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WEDNESDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-9 p.m. – “Revolution” (New Day and Time)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THURSDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation” (New time)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood” (New Day and Time)</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">FRIDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “DRACULA”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;">Encore programming</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black;">7:00-8:15 p.m. – “Football Night in America”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8:15-11:30 p.m. – “NBC Sunday Night Football”<span id="more-497045" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></span></div>
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<strong style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">NBC MIDSEASON 2013-14 SCHEDULE</strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">MONDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">TUESDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-9 p.m. – “The Voice”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-9:30 p.m. – “ABOUT A BOY”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9:30-10 p.m. – “THE FAMILY GUIDE”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire”</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">WEDNESDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-9 p.m. – “Revolution”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">THURSDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">FRIDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “CROSSBONES”</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SATURDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-10 p.m. – Encore and specials programming</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “Saturday Night Live” (Encore)</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: black; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">SUNDAY</span></strong><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">8-9 p.m. – “AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">9-10 p.m. – “BELIEVE”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: black;">10-11 p.m. – “CRISIS”</span></div>
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-30106900762964189842013-05-01T09:06:00.001-07:002013-05-01T09:10:42.735-07:00'Iron Man 3' Review - Marvel's Most Well Made Film to Date is the Most Personal <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"Big man in a suit. Take that off, what are you?", Captain America famously quips at Tony Stark in 'The Avengers'. A throwaway line to some, but one that holds more significance than many originally imagined. Just what is Tony Stark without his suits? Is he really Iron Man, or is it that suit that makes him Iron Man? That line was just a hint of what we could expect from 'Iron Man 3', Marvel Studio's first film of their new Phase 2, and the first film following the mega blockbuster, 'The Avengers'. Director Shane Black, who's credits include writing the first two 'Lethal Weapon' films, as well as directing Robert Downey, Jr. in one of his comeback films, 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang', decided to explore that very question, while sending Tony Stark through an emotional wringer that will change who he is, and how he sees himself, forever.<br />
<a name='more'></a>Following the events of 'The Avengers', Tony Stark finds his life is in dismay. He's not sleeping, and he's now realized he's not the center of the universe, and in fact, he's nothing compared to a man who turns into a monster, a Super Soldier, or a DemiGod. He's confined himself to working on his suits, trying to make himself feel important and needed. But when an attack by the villainous leader, the Mandarin, hits too close to home, Stark finds himself on a revenge mission against the man who is causing fear across America.<br />
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'Iron Man 3' finds itself in a very tricky situation. The film has brought a new director and writer into the fold who hasn't been involved in the series before, while also trying to be a follow up that is worthy to stand in the shadow of last year's 'The Avengers'. Thankfully, Marvel Studios was up to the challenge, and 'Iron Man 3' proves not only to be a spectacular follow up, but what may be the studio's strongest film to date. Shane Black, along with screenwriter Drew Pearce, have found a way to really dig into just who Tony Stark is, and that's what makes the movie work. So much time has been spent about what the suit means for Stark, and what it makes him, but this film decides to go in the other direction. Taking away the suit is something that makes Stark very vulnerable, sort of taking him back to the beginning of the first 'Iron Man' film, where all he has was a box of scraps, and he had to use his genius to save himself, and the day. This is the perfect story to use following 'The Avengers', because it feels like the most personal we've seen for the character. We've dealt with him trying to save his own life, and getting past his issues with his father, but we've never seen him this beat up and shaken.<br />
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Thankfully, even with a serious undercurrent like that to the film, it's not light on humor, thanks to Shane Black's fantastic dialogue. If you've ever seen any of his previous films, you know how excellent it can be. Lots of one liners and quips, and great banter between characters. This has been evident in everything from 'Lethal Weapon', to 'Monster Squad', and even 'Kiss Kiss Bang Bang'. Black's dialogue and feel for the world seems so natural for these characters. It just flows so well. Stark is more off the cuff than normal, which makes sense with where he is in his life, and Black's black humor really fits him. Black also fills the movie with so much great action, it's safe to say it may be the best action in the 'Iron Man' series to date. Many have said that the films have always seemed to be a bit anti-climatic when it came to their final third act showdowns, but thankfully that doesn't happen here. They went all out, and it's quite a wonderful spectacle. While it may not be as epic as the grand Manhattan finale of 'The Avengers', it's an exciting and fun finale fitting for this film, and it's one you soon won't forget.<br />
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One thing that the Marvel films has always excelled at, mostly, has been their casting. 'Iron Man 3' really is no exception. Once again, Robert Downey, Jr., who has now dawned the suit for the fourth time, seems to feel more comfortable than ever, and he's really given some excellent material to work with. He gets to explore parts of Stark's feelings we haven't seen before, and he this really seems to be the best he's been in the role. The entire cast really does shine though, although sadly, Don Cheadle's Col. James Rhodes seems to get the short end of the stick, because with the very Tony-centric story, we don't get a lot of time for what's going on with his character. When he's on the screen, he's nothing short of great, and his chemistry with Downey, Jr. is excellent, but he really isn't in it too much, which is disappointing. But new to the series stars Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley are what everyone really wants to know about. Peace is great as Aldrich Killian, a man from Tony's past who seems to want to throw a monkey wrench into Tony's life. He plays the role so cool, calm, and collected, he's just plain fun to watch every time he's on screen. But it's Sir Ben Kingsley as the film's villain, the Mandarin, who steals all the scenes he's in. Kingsley absolutely chews up the scenery, and brings to life one of the best villains the Marvel Cinematic Universe has had up until this point. It's a truly great performance, and it's great to see Kingsley bringing the character to life.<br />
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'Iron Man 3' isn't just a great summer blockbuster, but a great film overall, and one that just begs to be watched again and again. Bolstered by an excellent cast, a very intriguing story, great dialogue, and a lot of humor, this is the Marvel Cinematic Universe at its finest. While it may not be the most fun film in the series, it's a perfect followup to 'The Avengers', as well as being the strongest, and most well made film to date. Shane Black really brings this series to great new levels, and it shows that fresh blood for this franchise was just what it needed to grow. This is definitely one film not to be missed.<br />
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4.5/5<br />
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-55393371595947112822013-04-08T21:10:00.000-07:002013-04-09T08:01:18.073-07:00Remembering Roger Ebert, Beloved Film Critic and a Personal Hero<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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There aren't enough words to describe what the passing of Roger Ebert made me feel. I found out in the final minutes of my lunch break at work, thanks to some fellow film bloggers on twitter. My twitter was overrun with condolences and grievances, and my heart sunk. I couldn't believe it, I didn't want to believe it. Roger Ebert, this brave and wonderful man, who had been publicly fighting cancer over the past few years, had seemed so strong in his final days. His final blog post, just two days, prior said he was going to be taking a "leave of presence", where he would take the time to review the films he wanted to review, while focusing on new things, including a new site, while fighting his resurgence of cancer. Some days would be better than others, some where he'd talk about what it's like to fight these things, and other days where he'd just geek out hard over a great film he just saw. He seemed in such high spirits, and in closing, he left this final note, which as beautiful as it was then, seems even sadder and more prophetic now:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i>So on this day of reflection I say again, thank you for going on this journey with me. I'll see you at the movies.</i></span></blockquote>
I'm not sure if he knew this would be his final piece, but those closing words now make me choke up and bring tears to eyes. The man who made me want to work to become a film critic, and helped me completely embrace my love for film had sadly passed away.<br />
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Back in the stone age of the internet, when dial-up modems rained supreme, my parents hadn't decided to move to the high speed internet yet. So for a young kid, it meant that there really wasn't too much too do on the internet. Around this time, my love for cinema and movies grew, thanks to a healthy dose of classic Hollywood fare, with a quite a few cinema outings a month with the family. Maybe my parents shouldn't have taken a six year old to see 'The Rock', but hey, I wasn't complaining. But all the times I wasn't doing homework or re-watching my VHS copy of 'Back to the Future', I was sitting on the website for 'At the Movies', a site dedicated to Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel's TV show where they reviewed films. The site had many of their oldest episodes up, and you could either watch them or listen to them, so you can imagine with dial up internet, I was sitting listening to reviews instead of watching them. I'd stay up until odd hours of the night, with headphones plugged into the computer, listening as Siskel and Ebert would banter back and forth about what they liked or disliked about films, sometimes vehemently so, but not in a malicious way, but more in a brotherly way.<br />
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Of course, because of my infatuation with listening to them, I got many complaints from my parents about friends trying to call the house and getting a busy signal, since I was clogging the phone lines listening to these two men talk about film. Didn't they understand it was for the love of cinema that I was doing this? Frankly, I figured they should have been happy that this is what I was spending my time doing, not looking up other things on the internet. The "Two Thumbs" system quickly became my standard for choosing films I wanted to see, and even at a young age Siskel and Ebert were my go to guys to tell me what films to watch. When Gene Siskel died, I wasn't sure what was going to happen to 'At the Movies', but Ebert made sure that the show would keep going. He knew we needed his opinion on film, and he'd make sure we have it. I loved the Ebert an Roper years. These were the years I'd set my VCR to record their late night episodes, and then watch them early the next morning. The more I watched these new episodes, and continued going through the archives on the website to listen to the older reviews, it quickly became clear to me that I was listening not because of Siskel and Roper, both exceptional critics in their own right, but because of Ebert. The way he talked about film was captivating, and he made me realize that it was ok to like movies. In fact, it was ok to absolutely LOVE movies, and that I shouldn't be ashamed of it, and that I needed to embrace it, use it, and learn from it. This began to change my life, and my outlook, forever.<br />
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Throughout middle school and high school, I'd start writing movie reviews for extra credits in classes, on myspace and facebook, and anywhere anyone would let me post one. I loved movies, and I wanted to be heard just like Ebert was. I wanted people to know what I felt about movies, whether they wanted to listen or not. I'd spend hours endlessly reading Ebert's books, going on the Chicago Tribune site and reading old archived reviews of his, just to see what he thought of films, and if our opinions lined up or not. At that point, my parents were really happy we had finally moved over to a high speed internet that didn't tie up the phone lines, because the older I got, the more time I spent on the computer researching and taking in Ebert's thoughts and words. For me, the experience was nothing short of wonderful and magical, and it helped me learn to discover and love so many films I probably wouldn't have seen at that age, all because I spent so much time wanting to learn and be like Ebert. This man lived my dream every day, and he was so much like me, it seemed.<br />
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In 2002, Ebert was diagnosed with cancer, but after the first surgery, and while undergoing all his rehab, he still stayed dedicated to the arts he loved so much. But in 2006, the unthinkable happened, and Ebert lost his voice. It was a devastating blow to the film community, and I wasn't sure how this would change his reviews. It felt like I was losing a mentor. But it didn't stop Ebert from writing about what he loved, and thanks to the internet, it seemed that Ebert had become even louder and more vocal than ever. Thanks to his blog and social networking, Ebert's film reviews, views, and opinions began reaching an even bigger audience than ever before, and it seemed that not even the loss of his voice could keep him down. It was so remarkable, and he seemed so incredibly strong. Even when many thought he would be down and out, he rose to the challenge and accepted the hand that life had dealt him, and did what he could to make it work. His passion for film never died out, and it was an amazing site to behold. As the years went on, I never thought that his sickness would get the best of him, but sadly, on April 4, 2013, at the age of 70, he finally succumbed to the cancer he'd been fighting for so many years. It shattered my heart into a million pieces, and I fought back tears in the work area, because this extraordinary man, and my hero, had died.<br />
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This will be one of many obituaries and remembrances online after the passing of this legendary, and incredible, man. His power, influence, and reach is far greater than many of us probably know, and I can't thank him enough for showing me that it was ok to embrace my passion for film, and to try to use to my advantage. It's because of him that I've chosen to pursue this life path, and I hope to one day become a full fledged film critic on a weekly basis, not just when I have the time, or when I receive a copy of a film to review on blu-ray or DVD. I'm working my way up to do do that, and I'd want nothing more than to make him proud, even if he never knew me. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Roger Ebert, for what you did for me. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, thoughts, and insanely wonderful insights you gave us all. Your presence in the film community will never be forgotten, and I hope that film critics will continue to do well to uphold the standards you set. I know that I'll try. Thank you for including me on your journey to the movies, and I'll always have an empty seat next to me in honor of you. Rest in peace, Mr. Ebert.<br />
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-21584365798398001772013-03-08T10:19:00.000-08:002013-03-08T13:39:02.444-08:00'Oz the Great and Powerful' Review - A Wonderful Return to the Land of Oz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The world of Oz is about as synonymous with fantasy as Middle Earth, Hogwarts, and Narnia. Created by L. Frank Baum, it's a place full of magic, whimsy, darkness, and wonder, everything that you need to make a compelling world to draw people in. Over the years, we've had many attempts at bringing the world of Oz to life on film, most notably in the 1939 classic, 'The Wizard of Oz', starring Judy Garland. But Oz has had a level of difficulty since then on screen, with many of the other tries at bringing the land to life flailing and never taking off. But in Hollywood, it's not usual that we see things lay dormant too long, so it was only a matter of time until we saw Oz again. Now it's Disney's turn to take a swing at the wonderfully whimsical world, bringing us a prequel story about how the wonderful Wizard known as Oz became the man we see in 'The Wizard of Oz', and daring to make a film that'll leave a lasting effect on audiences of as the Judy Garland classic.<br />
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'Oz The Great and Powerful' follows the story of Oscar Diggs (James Franco), who goes by Oz, who is a traveling carnival magician whose life revolves around the art of illusion, always trying to be a step ahead of everyone else, and pulling a veil over their eyes, be it the audiences who come to see his show, or the people in his personal life. But when Oz gets trapped in a tornado, he wakes up to find himself transported to a world that couldn't be more different from where he came from. He's found by a young woman named Theodora (Mila Kunis), who's father was the King of Oz. When she learns the man's name is Oz, she tells him of a prophecy of a man who was to fall from the sky, with the name of their land, who would save everyone from the Wicked Witch. Oz doesn't necessarily believe this to be true, he goes along with the charade that he is indeed that man.. Aided by a flying monkey named Finley (voiced by Zach Braff), and a small China Girl (voiced by Joey King), Oz embarks on an adventure that not only will change who he is, but also the land of Oz, forever.</div>
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It really is gutsy to try and follow up on a classic film like 'The Wizard of Oz', which is considered by many to one of the greatest films of all time. Thankfully, Disney wanted to make sure they made the best movie possible, so they made sure to hire a great director who could bring the world to life in a whole new way. For many, the name Sam Raimi will always be linked to the original 'Spider-Man' trilogy starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, or the cult horror/comedy trilogy of 'The Evil Dead' and 'Army of Darkness', starring Bruce Campbell as Ashley Williams. All of Raimi's films have always had a distinct feel to them, featuring worlds that were always a bit over the top and fantastical. It's his strange and eccentric style that made him a perfect fit for the world of Oz that L. Frank Baum created. You can tell by watching the film that Raimi is just having a ball in the land of Oz, because it gives him the chance to be surreal, over the top, tongue-and-cheek, and even a little frightening, which is something he's always excelled at. Raimi brings so much life to Oz, making it feel like a very real and living place, something that makes the film stand out. His intent to build real sets, instead of just using green screen for everything, also helps make the world feel real. Raimi has really managed to bring Oz to life in a new and exciting way, and you can really tell that Raimi loves the world, and how well it compliments him.<br />
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Raimi has also managed to put together a rather excellent cast with the film, led by James Franco, who he is reuniting with for the fourth time following their work together on the 'Spider-Man' trilogy. Franco is good as Oz, the troubled man, who has been living a life that has been nothing more than lies and illusion. He's a very good leading man, and I really enjoy him as Oz, but you can definitely tell that the part was originally written with Robert Downey, Jr. in mind, because much of the character's dialogue reflects that. But Franco is still able to carry the film very well regardless, and he pulls off one of his best characters to date. I very much enjoyed Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz in their respective roles as the three witches in the film. Without going into detail about which witch is which when it comes to the actresses, they are all very impressive, bringing a very cool old school Hollywood actresses vibe to their characters. They also bring lots of energy and fun to the characters, and you can tell that they're genuinely excited to be in the film. But the two stand out performances in the film actually come from the two actors who aren't physically present for a good portion of it, and that's Zach Braff and Joey King, who play Finley the Flying Monkey and the China Girl, respectively. King proves to be one of the best talents in her generation, and really brings the China Girl to life just with her voice alone. She brings so much emotion to the character, it's hard to imagine she's just barely breaking into the business. She definitely has a bright future ahead of her, so it'll be great seeing what she can do. As for Braff, his character Finley ends up stealing the show. The amazing thing about Finley, is just like the China Girl, is that a bulk of the role is all through the voice work that Braff did for the character. He brings so much character to Finley, it's impossible not to fall in love with him. The use of facial capturing was used as well on Braff while he was doing the voice work, so the expressiveness that Finley brings to life is actually Braff's, which is absolutely incredible. The character is is just so well rounded, and while he acts much as the comic relief, there's also a lot of heart and emotion built into him, making him more than just one dimensional.<br />
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That's actually something that stuck out about all the characters in the film, that all of them were more than just one dimensional cut outs, having fully fledged story lines and emotions. Raimi managed to find a perfect balance to all the characters, and they all play well into each part of the story without feeling out of place. The whole film is actually very well paced, for the most part. It has an excellent first act, and while the second act drags a bit in the middle, it's nothing that really hurts the film. It was thoroughly entertaining at every point, giving the story time to breathe instead of rushing it. The third act is actually quite excellent, bringing the whole film to an exciting finale that sets up the future of the land of Oz in cool ways.<br />
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One thing that was very appreciative was the lack of fan service in the film. While there are some subtle nods to characters and events the Judy Garland film, this film sets out to tell a different story, not one that just leads up to that one. So unlike most prequels that lead us directly up to the moments of the original film, this one doesn't take the time to cater and just be a longer set up for what is to come, but focuses on this story and its characters, setting up their world and future, while other moments that play out do lead to other things that may have happened in the 1939 classic. It's good to see the film wanting to be its own thing instead of trying to be the 1939 film, which is something that Raimi and those involved tried very hard to make sure of. One excellent moment, that is a play on the musical, involves the munchkins breaking out into song, much to the surprise of Oz, who isn't quite sure what to make of it. Danny Elfman, who composed the music for the film, makes a clever song for them, and it's hard not to break a smile during the scene. The other nod, and one that works very well, is that the film starts in black and white, and then makes the shift to color, while also shifting from the original 4:3 academy aspect ratio, to the full widescreen we're used to seeing with films these days. It's a beautifully put together transition, and it works very well. One word of caution for parents, Raimi made sure that his signature horror style made its way into this film, and there is a few scary moments in the film featuring the evil flying monkeys that may scare younger kids. It's nothing intense, but it may unnerve the little ones, so be warned.<br />
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'Oz The Great and Powerful' is a wonderful return to the land of Oz that really makes one hopeful for the things to come. Bolstered by an excellent cast and director, the film is the first great film of 2013, and one that will be fun to revisit for years to come. It works as a great companion piece to the 1939 film, but is able to stand proudly on its own as well. It'll be a great way for new fans to fall in love with the land of Oz if they haven't already, while making others remember why they loved Oz to begin with. The film features a great adventure, the perfect amount of comedy and drama, and some very good little moments featuring Raimi's famous scare tactics. It's not a dark retelling of Oz, nor is it an instant classic. It's a movie made for children inside of all of us, in hopes of sparking the magic we used to have when we were young. The film definitely plays well for both the adults and children, with a little something for both. Hopefully this is going to the beginning of new series of Oz films by Disney, and it would be great to see Raimi, Franco, and the others return for another spin this wonderfully magical land.<br />
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4/5<br />
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-36522877724611736042012-12-16T18:41:00.000-08:002012-12-16T19:36:57.014-08:00'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' Review - It's Always Fun to Visit Old Friends on New Adventures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been over a decade since moviegoers last set foot in Middle Earth, the world J.R.R. Tolkien created back in his first novel, 'The Hobbit' in 1937. After the massive success of Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, it was only a matter of time before we saw 'The Hobbit' on the big screen. After years of development, and originally being a producer only role on the film, Peter Jackson stepped back behind the camera to bring us back to Middle Earth in the original first chapter of this epic saga. In a move that has become very popular in Hollywood, 'The Hobbit' isn't being told in just one film, but being split into multiple films to tell the story, turning it into a new trilogy. Bringing back some of the fan favorite actors from the original trilogy back, while bringing a whole new array of actors in as the new characters, Jackson has brought us back to Middle Earth in great fashion, but can it live up to the expectations fans have put into their heads for many years, while living up to the previous series? That's what many want to know, but the answer isn't a simple yes or no.<br />
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Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is a mild mannered hobbit who lives a carefree life in his hole in the ground in the Shire. But when Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen) arrives one day asking him to go on an adventure, his life will become never be the same. When a company of thirteen dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), sets their sites on going to the Lonely Mountains, the remnants of their race's destroyed kingdom, Bilbo is enlisted to help them on their journey. Bilbo decides that a life of adventure is exactly what he wants, and agrees to join them on their mission, which will eventually lead them face to face with Smaug, the dragon who destroyed the dwarves' kingdom. This journey will set events into motion that will forever change the characters, and Middle Earth, forever.<br />
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Waiting to finally see 'The Hobbit' on the big screen really set the expectations for this film at an all time high, especially coming after the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy. Fans may want to temper their expectations going into 'An Unexpected Journey', because this isn't a simple adaptation of the book. Jackson and his team have dived into the appendices of 'Return of the King' to pull more material that happens during the time of 'The Hobbit' to bolster the story, hoping to expand the story to fit it over three films. Unfortunately, at least thus far, adding material to the story doesn't necessarily help it, and ends up making the film feeling bloated, overlong, and simply unfocused on the core story of 'The Hobbit', making it take a backseat to some of the new subplots that the behind the scenes have cooked up. There seems to be a desire to link this story to 'The Lord of the Rings' films, more so than in the original story. Exploring things like The White Council, as well as the addition of the Pale Orc, Thorin's arch nemesis, may be interesting subplots, but they really drag down the film. The whole middle of the film feels a bit overlong as they begin exploring these plots in such great detail, and really took focus away from Bilbo and his journey, as well as changing the entire tone of the story from a whimsical kids story to a more serious take on it. Not completely serious, mind you, but more serious than the initial tale. </div>
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Thankfully, even with those changes, 'An Unexpected Journey' manages to be a very good film in its own right. With Martin Freeman leading the film as Bilbo Baggins, the film sits on his shoulders, as well as those of Ian McKellen and Richard Armitage, who all help carry the film. Freeman has been a character actor for many years that many may recognize, but has recently gotten critical acclaim in the role of Doctor John Watson in the BBC series 'Sherlock'. There are few actors who completely disappear into character and become that character, and thankfully, Freeman is able to do just that as Bilbo. He's excellent as the titular hobbit, and really captures the magic of the character from the novel, bringing him to life perfectly. It's really just excellent casting, and one of the best since Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. Bilbo is just such a wonderful character, and Freeman plays him with the wide eyes and wonder that you'd expect the character to have, leaving his safe life behind for a new adventure. This role is going to fully land Freeman on the map for those who don't know him yet, which is excellent, because more people should really appreciate his acting. Sir Ian McKellen returns for the fourth time to play the great wizard, Gandalf, a role he made famous in 'The Fellowship of the Ring' almost a decade ago. It's great to see him returning to the role once again, and it really seems like one that was tailor made for him. He's just so great as the character, and it's nice to see him having a bit more fun in the role this time around, with the slightly lighter tone. But he still brings gravitas and importance to his character, especially in the scenes featuring the White Council, where you can see the more withered and older side of this great man begin to show through. There's no one else who could do the role the way McKellen has, so it's really nice to see that didn't change all these years later. His chemistry with Freeman is nothing short of excellent, and they play off each other wonderfully, and you really believe there's a great friendship, and appreciation, for each other between them. Gandalf never would have chosen someone he didn't believe in for this quest, and you can see just why he would ask Bilbo to that person.<br />
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Finally, we can talk about Richard Armitage as Thorin, who really stood out in his role as the tortured and haunted dwarf leader. He, like Freeman and McKellen, really brought Thorin to life in the exact way the character was in the novel. It's rather excellent casting, and you can't help but feel for him after the losses he's faced in his life, and having the rest of the future of his face on his shoulders, as it were. If there's one thing Jackson knows, it's how to cast the roles in his films, and it's great to see that he managed to get three excellent actors to really sell these roles. One who will also be hugely convincing in their role is Andy Serkis as Gollum, who returns once again, in what is the films best scene. It's amazing seeing how far the effects of the character have come, and how easily Serkis slipped back into the role as the rather disturbed character. He just oozes the creepy, strange, yet rather entertaining characteristics of the character so well, and you can't help but feel uncomfortable and worried for Bilbo as he deals with the rather strange character. The whole scene between Bilbo and Gollum is really the best scene in the film, and as fans of the series know, one that will set many events in the future into motion. It's executed absolutely perfectly, and it's scenes like this that really elevate the film. As for the many supporting actors as the rest of the dwarves, while they're all quite good, we aren't given a whole lot of time to get to know the different characters. They all stand out by their appearances, but unfortunately, they all begin to bleed together in their characteristics. It really makes one hope that we'll eventually get to know them more over the next two films in the series, so that they don't feel so one dimensional later, but for now, they're entertaining characters, and very well acted, but nothing really sets them all apart to make them standout.<br />
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If there was one thing that was most disappointing about the film, it's the move from extras to CGI when it came to some of the creatures. In 'Lord of the Rings', the pure scope and size of the films were so epic, and it helped in the many scenes featuring orcs that they were all extras in makeup and costumes, so it's a bit jarring to now have the orcs as completely CG characters now. It never looks bad, in fact, the effects are quite good, but it's definitely a noticeable difference, and it definitely makes you wonder why they decided to take that route instead of using extras this time around. The creature effects in the film are excellent across the board though, and it's really just amazing how far they've come over the last decade. Jackson's Middle Earth is really something to behold, and it's great to see the sweeping New Zealand landscapes once again on the big screen. The cinematography is absolutely breathtaking, really making the film feel huge and epic, and it's good to see that Jackson and Andrew Lesnie haven't lost that touch from the original series. It just goes to prove that Lesnie is still one of the greatest cinematographers in the business right now, and that none of his films should be missed for that reason alone. He did an amazing job with the 3D as well, which is a major plus. It really made parts of the film feel incredibly immersive, especially many of the scenes inside Bilbo's home and scenes inside the Goblin tunnels, that stuck out the most. It really added quite a bit of depth to the proceedings, without feeling incredibly gimmicky, and it actually benefited the film. It doesn't make or break the film, but it didn't hurt it, which is a major plus.<br />
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The action in this film is few and far between, but the wait makes each set piece worth it. While not nearly as exciting as some of the final war scenes in 'Return of the King', which isn't surprising, many of them in this film are a bit more fun. One in particular is the scene set inside the Goblin mines, which is a bit reminiscent of the Moria scene in 'Fellowship of the Ring' that is really a lot of fun to watch, and brings some of the whimsy feeling of the original novel to the screen. It's very fun to watch, and in 3D, even more so. There are some excellent action sequences in flashbacks regarding Thorin's past as well, and those felt very huge and epic, really reminding me of 'Return of the King' and 'The Two Towers', specifically the scenes at Minas Tirith. Once again, Lesnie brings some amazing visuals to all these scenes, really making them pop. It's really good to have him return to make these films feel like they fit into the same mold of the original series. Howard Shore has also returned to score the films, and that's a great thing as well. The cinematography and music were two of the things that really made the original trilogy standout, and it's great to have these returning components to the series, making them mesh with the original series. Shore does an excellent job once again, really crafting the mood and feel of all the scenes in the film, making what is one of the best, and most sweeping, scores in recent memory.<br />
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While 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' may not be a perfect return, or even the best of the Middle Earth series thus far, it's not a slouch either. Taken as it's own thing, it's very good, but could be slightly trimmed down a bit to cut some fat off the run time. Led by an excellent trio of actors, an excellent score, and some absolutely breathtaking cinematography, it alone makes returning to this world absolutely worth it. It's good to see Jackson back in fine form, but a less is more approach for the next two films may be something he should think about. Overall, the film sets up what should be a rather fun trilogy down the road, and it's nice to revisit some old friends again. Even a decade later, Middle Earth is still a place that many can call home and enjoy new adventures in.<br />
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8.5/10</div>
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-75820496783625506332012-09-30T19:55:00.001-07:002012-10-01T08:10:04.745-07:00'Looper' Review- What Would You Do to Save Your Future?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many have been eagerly anticipating Rian Johnson's followup to 2008's 'The Brothers Bloom' for quite some time now. It feels like it's been at least two years since word first broke of this film entering development, with many hints, set pictures, and interviews trying to get the fans excited for his newest film. Expectations have been high, and thankfully, the film delivers on its promise. Johnson has crafted a gripping, powerful, and dark time traveling sci-fi tale that shows just how far a man will go to save his future. But what if there are two of that man, and they both want very different futures? That is the question that 'Looper' asks, while delving into the deepest and darkest side of human emotion, while winding through violence, mystery, and ultimately, greed.<br />
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In the near future, time travel hasn't been invented yet, but in thirty years time, it will have been. It's used as a black market tool for criminal organizations when they want to make people disappear. They send the criminals back in time, where a group known as Loopers, kill the criminals and then discard of the body, making the person disappear forever. Eventually though, the Loopers time must come to an end, and their future selves are sent back in time, being killed by their past selves, ending the loop. But when Joe (Gordon-Levitt) lets his future self (Willis) escape, he must hunt his future self to end the loop. But letting him go has put Joe on his boss, Abe's (Daniels), radar, and now everyone is out to get both versions of himself. But future Joe is on a mission to fix his future, and he won't let anyone, not even his past self, stand in his way.<br />
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Johnson has really created something special here. His future doesn't look like the ones we normally see, full of neon lights, flying cars, and cities that reach incredibly sky high, or even down deep into the ground. This future is actually very much like our present, but much more dank and dark. At least in the city that we spend much of our time. It's a seedy, dark, and quite frankly awful looking place, where many of the lowest of the low live, where if you cross the wrong person you'll get shot. This future is all a character of its own in the story, one that really moves and breathes, creating something truly terrifying and beautiful at the same time. In a world like this, violence is one that reigns, and Johnson does an excellent job with that. He's crafted some truly great, and small, bursts of action throughout the film that really play like the 80's action movies that Hollywood has seemingly left behind, but is trying to return to. It's the intense, brutal, but not grotesque violence that you can't help but love, and Johnson absolutely nails it. He has an excellent eye for action, and it would be great to see just how well he could pull of a full fledged action film if given the budget. One scene in particular, featuring Future Joe where he takes on an army of Abe's man is a truly excellent crafted sequence that really shows just what Joe is capable of if he's pushed to his limits, and Johnson doesn't hold back. That alone really makes the sequence fun, and strangely beautiful.<br />
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<span style="background-color: black;">This world is also inhabited by some very interesting, and deeply flawed, characters, who are brought to life by Johnson's excellent cast. The cast Johnson has gotten here is excellent, and they all get their moments to shine. Joseph Gordon Levitt is excellent as the younger, drug addicted Joe, who's life is completely flipped upside down when his future self arrives. I can't believe how well Levitt pulled off being a young Bruce Willis, from the way his voice influxes down to his mannerisms. It's really remarkable, and frankly, one of the best performances Levitt has given in his career. Johnson really knows how to bring the best out of him, and it's nice to see them working together again. Then there's Bruce Willis, who gives the best performance he has given in years as the older version of Joe. When we see his story, it's told in a very moving and beautiful montage with no dialogue, and Willis carries the whole thing on just expressions and movements, and it's incredible. This is all the promise that Willis showed when he first came on the scene, and while you can always count on Willis to be Willis, here he's being a completely different character. There's a moment in the film, where future Joe does something so morally twisted, it brings him down to his knees in the pain he's caused, and Willis absolutely owns that moment in a way I haven't seen him do in so long. It's heartbreaking, moving, and beautiful all at once, and shows just how incredible Willis can be when given the right direction and material. This is a career high for him, and it's nice to see that Willis has two of these this year now, with this and 'Moonrise Kingdom' under his belt. Hopefully this is a career turn for him, and we'll be able to get more movies like this, because this is when Willis truly shines. Then there is Emily Blunt, who plays a young, single mother, who has a farm that she runs on her own, while taking care of her young son Cid. Blunt is excellent in the role, but is sadly given the short end of the stick, because her character is more one of convenience than one who truly has an arc. But even so, she really does shine as the hurt and burned out Sara. You can't help but feel for her character, who has gone through so much, even if much of it was caused by herself, and you want to help her. She shares excellent chemistry with Levitt, and some of the best scenes are when they're together. The most impressive performance though comes from young Pierce Gagnon, who plays Sara's son Sid. His performance is pure magic, and terror, all in one. This kid just knows what to do, and how to do it, and his character is one of the most interesting to watch in the film. The quiet moments he shares with Levitt are incredible, but his extreme range as his anger builds in later scenes is truly shocking. He's so scary and deranged, it's very reminiscent of Harvey Stephens' role as Damien in the original version of 'The Omen'. Johnson couldn't have picked a better younger actor for the role, and it'll be truly something to watch young Mr. Gagnon to grow as an actor over the coming years.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>The best thing about 'Looper' though, is the fact that while it's an action and mystery filled film, it's not one that makes those front and center. This is a real nice slow boil film, which really works in its advantage. Letting the movie really take its time to tell its story really make the twists and turns, and the eventual dark side the characters delve into, really matter, and you can't help but feel for them. The movie has a just about perfect pace, but many may find the scenes with Levitt on the farm with Sara and Cid to slow down the film's pace. It isn't anything too radical that makes the movie slow to a crawl, but it definitely does slow it down enough that some may get antsy to get back to Older Joe's side of the story, before it all comes to a head. This, for many, may be the film's biggest point, but it holds enough emotional punch and character moments that it works. So much of what is seen during those moments on the farm really make us care and really know these characters, so that when the final part of the act plays out, it really feels real, and everything plays out in an outstanding, and moving, manner that feels satisfying.<br />
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Rian Johnson's 'Looper' is something very special. While many sci-fi movies of this nature would put the action and mystery up front, Johnson wisely pushes those to the back burner, focusing on characters and story first. Held up by an excellent cast, many giving some of their best performances to date, really sets the movie apart from others, with Willis and Gagnon really coming out on top. Full of excellent action, enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat, and a truly thought provoking script that will leave many talking and thinking about the movie days later, 'Looper' stands above many of its sci-fi counterparts, leaving many in its dust. This is one that many will fall in love with, and it deserves all the love and admiration it can get.<br />
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9/10<br />
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-53460444716118524532012-08-07T12:02:00.000-07:002012-08-12T11:43:52.190-07:00'Total Recall' Review - A Slick, More Serious Take on the Phillip K. Dick Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it was announced that 'Total Recall', the 1990 action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, was going to be made, many were very upset by the thought. But I was actually excited by the idea As fun as Arnold's movie may be, it's not exactly how I imagined "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale", the Phillip K. Dick short story the movie was based on, being. So for me, this was a chance for the movie to return the roots of the story and start again. And while they're very similar movies, the new version of 'Total Recall' goes for a more serious take on the material, and I think it works in the film's favor. The film, directed by Len Wiseman ('Live Free or Die Hard, 'Underworld') and starring Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Nighy, and Bryan Cranston is not only a visual treat, but it's a fun take on the material that put a smile on my face from ear to ear from beginning to end.</div>
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Doug Quaid (Farrell) is a mild mannered factory worker who isn't terribly happy with how his life has turned out. While he's married to the woman of his dreams, Lori (Kate Beckinsale), he can't help but feel there's more to life than what he has. They live in a rundown apartment in The Colony, one of the two only inhabitable places left on the planet. Not helping matters, he's having a recurring nightmare where he's some sort of secret agent, and he and some woman (Jessice Biel) are being chased through a building, where he is captured and taken away by a group of cops. Doug decides that he'll go to a Rekall clinic and get some new memories, making is life a little more exciting. But when a simple trip to Rekall turns into a hellish nightmare of gunfire, Doug doesn't know what to do. But is the shootout real, or is it all in his mind inside the Rekall clinic? Suddenly, Doug's world is turned upside down, and he's not sure what's real, and what's Recall.<br />
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There was one thing out the gate I was really excited about with this movie, and that was seeing Colin Farrell back as a leading man, and he did not disappoint. I've been a big fan for a long time, so I was excited to see him coming back for a big budget action film where he could be the star. He's really good as Doug, the man who's life is falling apart around him. For me, I could believe he was a man who had no idea if he was a secret agent or not. The moment things go wrong inside Rekall, you can really feel his confusion and panic as he finds himself in the middle of this gunfight. Farrell plays the role perfectly from there on out, and I couldn't help but feel for him. He wanted nothing more than to have his life back the way it was, but to have it all taken out from under you in one swoop, and now to be unsure if it was real or not, that'll mess with your mind, and that's what is so perfect about his performance. Farrell plays it well, and it doesn't seem forced. He really got into the character, something I'm very glad to see, and gave it his all. But he's not the only one I enjoyed in this. I was rather taken with Jessica Biel's character of Melina. I thought she was really good as Doug's friend and partner, the one guiding him through this nightmare. I liked the chemistry between the two, and I could believe there was an actual relationship there between the two, something that's very important to make me care about what's happening. Biel has come a long way since I saw her on '7th Heaven' years ago, and it's great to see her not only really utilizing her acting skills, but getting to be in a big budget film like this as a leading lady. </div>
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I enjoyed Kate Beckinsale in the film as well, as the character Lori. She was a good foil for Doug and Melina, and she milks the scenes she's in for all they're worth. I just wish she had had a little more to do other than just the bad guy, because there was a moment where I thought we might see a more sympathetic side from her, but it never materialized. And then there's Bryan Cranston, who absolutely kills as McClane, the big bad guy who is bent on invading The Colony and destroying it. It doesn't matter what Cranston does, he's gold in it. He was definitely having fun while he was filming this, which is blatantly clear. He just chews up his scenes, and is a bit over the top, and I couldn't get enough of it. This year seems to be the year of Cranston, with him popping up in so many movies, and I for one couldn't be happier. Bill Nighy has a small part, but sadly, he's underused and we don't get to see him much. That was a great shame, because I love Nighy, and I think his presence could have added more to the film.</div>
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Len Wiseman's direction, as always, is competent. He's not doing anything to set himself aside from other directors, other than maybe the bluish tint that seems to be present in all his films, and in a way, that sort of hinders him. I liked all the action scenes in the movie, particularly the first gun fight, one inside the elevator shafts of an apartment complex, and the whole last twenty minutes or so. But there isn't anything that really sets his action scenes apart from any other action director like James Mangold or Justin Lin. I thought he did a much better job of that in 'Live Free or Die Hard' than he did here. Again, that's not saying his action scenes are bad, far from it. I just wish they had a more personal feel to them. That said, I love the visualization of his future in the film. I love the mix of 'Blade Runner' and 'Minority Report' that the film has, which makes it a visual treat. I couldn't help but be in awe of how The Colony and The United Federation of Britain look. It was visual eye candy, at least for me. </div>
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The one thing I find interesting is that while the first film really plays with the idea of what's real and what's recall, this one doesn't play with that as much. Here, it's still a focus of course, but it's a lot less mind bendy here. And I actually like that more. The idea that there really is a reality to everything that's happening adds more to the movie for me, because it means there are more stakes to everything. </div>
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While 'Total Recall' may not be perfect, it's still a solidly entertaining and fun film that really takes 'We Remember It For You Wholesale' in a different direction. While both it and the original version are similar, they are two completely different styles and tones, which really makes them different movies. Bolstered by a strong cast led by Colin Farrell, 'Total Recall' is exactly what I was hoping it would be and more. With a more grounded and less over the top take on the story, this one stands out and works better for me. I'm very curious to see what the Director's cut version will like look when it comes out on blu-ray. </div>
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7.5/10</div>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=e3eb99e5-99a1-45b3-bc7a-6e087fb10076" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-25437253381896422012012-07-04T12:35:00.002-07:002012-07-04T12:39:06.492-07:00'The Amazing Spider-Man' Review - The Spider-Man Movie I've Been Waiting For<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PNXQVtKq1RAVT2bsU5SuGIsc8KcqA4-ymWroP8a2e06_WlHLYRDPDji9frzsysGBwSsKvN35ZmDZz45SOk7CtFdp4sc7uyqDyJZx82kCC9e6xiWK0hkT27ITQRYdAA_ay14AlEbhNoM/s1600/Spider-Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9PNXQVtKq1RAVT2bsU5SuGIsc8KcqA4-ymWroP8a2e06_WlHLYRDPDji9frzsysGBwSsKvN35ZmDZz45SOk7CtFdp4sc7uyqDyJZx82kCC9e6xiWK0hkT27ITQRYdAA_ay14AlEbhNoM/s400/Spider-Man.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Words can't express just how impressed I am with Marc Webb's 'The Amazing Spider-Man'. Many will say that Webb's film is unnecessary reboot, coming just a mere five years after Raimi's final outing, 'Spider-Man 3', but I don't agree. Not only is 'The Amazing Spider-Man' my favorite of all the Spider-Man films so far, but it also one of my favorite comic book adaptations to date. Featuring excellent direction by Webb, an outstanding cast, a strong script, and a great score, there is very little to not love about this movie. This is the movie I've been waiting for since I discovered the Marvel comics as a kid.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>When Peter Parker's parents leave him at a young age, he is taken in by his Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen). As the years pass, Peter (Andrew Garfield) still has many unanswered questions about why his parents left him. But when he discovers his dad's old briefcase, he uncovers more then he could have ever anticipated. Following the clues, Peter meets with his father's old work partner, Doctor Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans). But the trip doesn't go exactly according to plan, and Peter is bitten by a genetically altered spider. Given powers beyond his wildest dreams, Peter begins to use his love for science and newly given powers for good, and begins going after small time crooks to find the man who killed his uncle. Peter ends up being noticed by the NYPD, in particular, Captain George Stacy (Dennis Leary), father of Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), who wants nothing more then to bring the masked vigilante to justice. But when a new villain, The Lizard, emerges and threatens the safety of New York City, Peter will stop at nothing to bring him to justice.<br />
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The thing that really stuck out to me about Webb's version immediately was the characters and their interactions. These aren't just cardboard cutouts, these are real, fleshed out characters. Webb made sure that not only do these characters feel real, but their interactions do as well. That's part of what made him so perfect for the role. Especially the brilliant interaction between Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Their chemistry is just palpable, oozing off the screen. Anyone who saw Webb's film '(500) Days of Summer' knows that he knows characters and interactions, which is I'm sure why Columbia Pictures hired him to do the film. He focuses so much on these aspects, it really sets this film a part from many other comic book films. The scenes between Peter and Gwen are so beautifully done, that the chemistry between them feels real. It feels like a real connection, and that awkwardness we all feel with our first love. That aspect of the film is handled so carefully, and is easily one of the many highlights. Many forgot that at the core of all of Spider-Man's stories, there is always a love story. As much as people want to scream that this version is the 'Twilight' version of the character, a comparison I absolutely loathe, it couldn't be farther from the truth. This is one aspect of the comics that has been transferred over and given center stage, and it works.</div>
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But this wouldn't work if it wasn't for Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, who are both absolutely perfect for their roles as Peter and Gwen. Andrew Garfield, for me, IS Peter Parker. He just so perfectly embodies the character, it's one of the best casting choices I'm happy I've gotten to witness. He loves the character, and it shows. Everything from those wonderful and awkward high school scenes, to the smaller and more intimate scenes between Peter and Gwen, or Peter and Aunt May and Uncle Ben, or just as the quipping version of Spider-Man, he's nothing short of excellent. Then we have Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, who I've been a fan of for a long time. I really enjoyed her in things like 'Easy A', 'Zombieland', and 'Superbad', and I'm glad to see her really get to shine in this. She's perfect as Gwen Stacy, and you can't help but love her. She's a smart, strong, and sassy girl that really stands out. No more are we stuck with the damsel in distress character that Peter has to save time and again, but we have a character who is strong on her own and wants to fight as well. Stone is just perfect all around as the character, and as I've mentioned before, her chemistry with Garfield is just excellent. These two together are nothing short of incredible, and they alone make the movie worth watching. </div>
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But I can't forget about the rest of the cast. Martin Sheen plays Uncle Ben with so much sincerity and honesty, I couldn't help but love his version. All his small scenes with Peter really stuck with me, and I couldn't help but love him. He's such a great presence, and his work with Garfield is just outstanding. When Uncle Ben loses his life at the hands of a gunmen, I couldn't help but fight back tears, even though I knew it was coming. Then we have Sally Field as Aunt May. She's a much stronger character this time around, and less of a damsel in distress as well. I really enjoyed her in the role, and I just wish she had had a bit more time on screen to shine. There is a scene between her and Peter when he comes how late one night that really stands out for me, and again, just goes to prove that Webb was the correct choice because all these little scenes with the characters and their interactions were nothing short of spectacular. And of course I can't help but mention Rhys Ifans who plays Doctor Curt Connors. I thought Ifans was very good in the role, and I really liked how he was a respectable scientist who wanted to help the world who descended a bit into madness to become more than human. His screen time with Garfield is great, and I especially like when they're working on the serum together at Oscorp. The hope in his eyes when they may have found a way to bring limbs back is one of my favorite moments in the movie. He's just great in the role, and I really liked how he was handled. But last I'd like to talk about Dennis Leary as Captain George Stacy, who may be one of the best supporting characters in the film. He's almost like this films J Jonah Jameson, who is bent on bringing Spider-Man to justice. He's just so good in the role, and you couldn't help but root for him every time he was on screen. He also serves some of the best comedic moments in the film, which shouldn't be surprising for many. He just really gets a chance to shine, and a scene between him and Gwen in their apartment hallway where they talk about hot coco may be one of my favorite scenes in the movie. </div>
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One of the most interesting aspects of the film, besides the character interactions was the small plots dealing with Peter's parents and Oscorp. While some may be upset that the whole story with Peter's parents isn't dealt with in just one movie, Webb has already said that the storyline will play out over three movies. I like that it's playing a big part on this new take on the character. Which leads me to Oscorp side of the story. It's interesting to see it played this time more as a very powerful, and evil, company and organization. I'm very interested to see how this plays out over the next few movies. Especially with it seemingly playing on the fact that Norman Osbourne is more of a 'Wizard of Oz' type character who is behind the curtain pulling the strings. The set up for an eventual Goblin storyline is beginning as well, and I can't wait to see it play out, especially now with Gwen Stacy is in the mix. There is so much set up for future movies, but without taking away from this film, which is really great. It really makes me hope that the next film gets to be even stronger, now that the origin story is finished. I can't wait to see where it goes. </div>
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Since this is a Spider-Man movie, you really can't talk about it without talking about the action, which there is plenty of here. I'm so glad that Webb decided to shoot the movie in 3D, because it really made him think about how he was going to shoot and frame the fight scenes, which really works in this movies favor. The action scenes are nothing short of great. There are a few fights between Peter and the Lizard, but my favorite two being the fight inside Midtown High and the climatic final battle on the Oscorp building. Webb has a very strong sense for action, and the way the camera moves and pans really gave the action scenes room to breathe so we could take in what was happening. There isn't once where you have to question what is going on, it's all clear as day. And that's a good thing. Far too often in movies I find myself scratching my head at exactly what's happening, be the shots zoomed in too much, or the camera is moving to much. None of this is a problem here. These action scenes are gorgeous and look great. It's very impressive, especially considering Webb really only had one indie romantic comedy under his belt. Then there is the score of the film. It really worked for me. The only downside is there isn't an iconic theme for Spider-Man in the film. I'm hoping that they find one for the second one, because Spider-Man, just like Batman and Superman, really deserves to have something that I can hum that makes me think of the film. But other than that, the score really worked in the movie's favor. </div>
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'The Amazing Spider-Man' is much different then the many superhero movies that have come before. Focusing more on character than action really strengthens the film and separates it from the pack. With an outstanding cast that really gets to shine, excellent action, a good story, a good score, the film delivers in every way. I am thoroughly impressed by what Sony has done, and I'd say it's probably the best Marvel comic film done outside of Marvel Studios, right up there with X2. By sticking to the comics, 'The Amazing Spider-Man' really shines overall. I can't recommend the movie highly enough, and I can't wait to see what the sequel brings. This is the Spider-Man movie I've been waiting for, and I'm glad to say it's finally here.</div>
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9.5/10</div>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=668e2ecb-dd81-45a1-b6d8-9537aa28de58" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-4372873124347831182012-06-23T21:51:00.001-07:002012-07-02T22:31:05.207-07:00'Brave' Review - Pixar's Moving and Beautiful Tale of Family Soars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgnC6gc0bjpUxfMwRHuU7YeM0FnXSDoG-2bqdQKzRa8WmJA9HnZw_fs_1L8aQc0J2PImNudQPOBq-JfVjGoHKb4hWkB2bN2T56VtyK8b1oU0Soa9pLVz767nzfmm9p9XYbdFHBy4ZcYA/s1600/Brave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgnC6gc0bjpUxfMwRHuU7YeM0FnXSDoG-2bqdQKzRa8WmJA9HnZw_fs_1L8aQc0J2PImNudQPOBq-JfVjGoHKb4hWkB2bN2T56VtyK8b1oU0Soa9pLVz767nzfmm9p9XYbdFHBy4ZcYA/s400/Brave.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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When I see the name Pixar, I know that their is quality behind the product. Their are few studios that can hold a candle to the output that Pixar has put out the last twenty five years, be it films or shorts. This is their thirteenth film, and once again, Pixar knocks it out of the park. Many expected that 'Cars 2' was the beginning of the downfall of the company, but that couldn't be farther from the case. Pixar's newest film, 'Brave', is full of the things that I've always loved about their films such as humor, an amazing cast, beautiful animation, adventure, and plenty of heart, while bringing something new to the table: a fairytale. This is, for me, not only one of the strongest films in Pixar's filmography, but one of my personal favorites. </div>
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<a name='more'></a>The Scottish kingdom of DunBroch is thriving. With the noble King Fergus and his wife, Queen Elinor, at his side, the kingdom couldn't be in better hands. Merida, their daughter and headstrong princess, wants nothing more than freedom. She loves her family, but her mother's constant nagging is driving her to a breaking point. When the Lords of three different clans are invited to the castle, they are asked to bring their first born sons with them to present and compete for Merida's hand in marriage. Completely appalled by this, Merida competes with her own hand, which begins to put the country into turmoil. She escapes into the forest, hoping to change her fate somehow. Coming across a witch, she makes deal that can do just that. But things don't go as Merida was hoping, and she finds that her family is much more important than she had believed, and that being selfish to make things the way she wanted may not be the way to go about things.<br />
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First and foremost, I can't help but point out just how gorgeous the film looks. This is Pixar at its absolute best, which is nothing more than breathtaking. They've come along away from their 'Toy Story' days. The characters are all incredibly well animated and really look great. For their first fairytale, they really got the look and feel of them. Everything from the Scottish hillsides, the castle, and the forest are nothing short of stunning. I just can't speak highly enough of how beautiful the movie really looks. I shouldn't expect any less from Pixar, but they manage to surprise me more and more every time. </div>
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The film is very well directed by directors Brenda Chapman ('The Prince of Egypt') and Mark Andrews, in his feature film directional debut. Andrews replaced Chapman back in 2010, when Brenda couldn't see eye to eye with Pixar, but without her, the movie wouldn't have existed. She conceived the story and began production on the film, and I think the two of them really brought this movie so beautifully to life. Usually when movies go through changes like that, it doesn't bode well for the film, but for me, 'Brave' wasn't hurt by the changeover, and in fact, I think it could have helped it. The idea is nothing short of wonderful, and I'm glad that these two really pulled out the stops to pulled this off. While many will say the twist half way through the movie, which I won't reveal here, is predictable, I beg to differ. I think it works really well for the movie. It's also great that going into the movie, I didn't know much about it from the trailers. Nothing was spelled out, keeping the mysteries and questions about the movie up until the opening logo of the film. It's not many times that I get to fully experience a movie like that, and I'm glad to see I did here, and it worked. </div>
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I can't really talk about a Pixar movie without bringing up the score, which Patrick Doyle has done here. It's an incredibly moving score, and it really compliments the movie well. The Scottish music just sores and breathes life into the film, really making it almost its own character. It's just beautiful and sweeping, something I could listen to over and over again. The movie is also chock full of humor and emotion. Much of the humor comes from Merida's little brothers, King Fergus, and the Three Lords. They really lighten up the movie, which is actually slightly darker for Pixar standards, but not by much. The comedy is great, and thankfully, doesn't feel out of place. But where there is humor, there is also a lot of heart and emotion. I'll admit that I began to tear up, and maybe even shed a few tears, by the end of the movie. I really connected with Merida and her story with her parents. The way it plays out is so beautiful and moving, and I feel like it's hard not to connect and feel something for it.</div>
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But a Pixar movie doesn't work without a great cast, and what a cast they've assembled here. First, we have Kelly Macdonald ('Boardwalk Empire', 'No Country For Old Men') as the headstrong Princess Merida. She is fantastic as the character, and brings so much life to the spunky and wonderful character. I completely fell in love with her character, and a lot of that has to do with Kelly's fantastic voice work. But the great casting doesn't stop there. Her father, King Fergus is played by non other than Billy Connolly ('The Boondock Saints' films, 'The Last Samurai'), who is probably my favorite supporting character in the movie. His hilarious, but when he has to be serious, really delivers. Connolly is just a great actor, and I loved what he brought to the character. Then there's Emma Thompson ('Harry Potter' series, 'Nanny McPhee') as Queen Elinor. She really brings a strong, loving, but stern voice to the family, and she's great as the character. The problem is, I can't help but hate her at points, because maybe she is a bit too overbearing, but that's the character. And Thompson is great at doing it, which means she really pulls it off. Then we have some great supporting cast including Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, and Kevin McKidd as the Scottish Lords. I loved their characters, and each got a moment to shine, especially Ferguson as Lord Macintosh. I just can't get over how great the cast is. It really helps elevate the movie, and they're all so great in it, that I think they may be one of my favorite voice casts in a movie period. I loved them all so much in it.</div>
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'Brave' is a wonderful film, and one of Pixar's best. It's just another strong film out the gate for the studio, which proves to me that they're still one of the strongest ones in the business. Many are already saying that the downfall of Pixar has begun, but I couldn't disagree more. Despite what the naysayers say, 'Brave' is a strong film with an excellent cast, an amazing score, beautiful animation, and so much humor and emotion. This is Pixar at its finest, and I can easily admit this is one of my favorite Pixar films, period. Some may not agree, but if a movie can really touch your emotions the way it did for me, I think it has done its job, and I can't ask for anything more from it. In the end, I'm glad to report that Pixar has once again knocked another film out of the park. I can't wait to see what they do next year with 'Monsters University'. </div>
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9/10</div>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=1457b06e-9a40-404e-b38c-3b20ddc67d97" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-21608737650348163882012-06-23T20:30:00.001-07:002012-07-05T15:52:00.536-07:00'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' Review - A Bloody Fun Revisionist Take on American History<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhR2wUtj_nLn0QpLdbk5qeIMyTn2jbmTKeip9AIotaPPoXdMeXkst-05FRzBgyajN89Dh3kEeWhEh5utghFo2gy09rcrc82oAF-0WlZCBk6LitiRRj9jz5dSx7RrOxHvdb8nzWACIDOCo/s1600/abe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhR2wUtj_nLn0QpLdbk5qeIMyTn2jbmTKeip9AIotaPPoXdMeXkst-05FRzBgyajN89Dh3kEeWhEh5utghFo2gy09rcrc82oAF-0WlZCBk6LitiRRj9jz5dSx7RrOxHvdb8nzWACIDOCo/s400/abe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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"History prefers legends to men. It prefers nobility to brutality, soaring speeches to wild deeds. History remembers the battle, but forgets the blood. However history remembers me before I was a President, it shall only remember a fraction of the truth..." So begins the opening monologue of director Timur Bekmambetov's adaptation of the Seth Grahame-Smith's novel 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'. The film follows the secret history of Abraham Lincoln, America's sixteenth president, whose life has been haunted by the undead. As a fan of the book, I couldn't wait to see the movie, but I was cautious going in to believe it could meet my expectations. But thankfully, director Bekmambetov, stars Benjamin Walker, Dominic Cooper, Anthony Mackie, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, producer Tim Burton, and author Grahame-Smith have made a thrilling, fun, and stylish movie that really fires on all cylinders and never really disappoints.<br />
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When Abe's mother Nancy is taken from him at the age of eleven by the hands of a vampire named Jack Barts, Abe lives with the guilt and pain for years. But as the time passes, the pain becomes a build up of anger and revenge, and he wants to get the man that caused her death. Nine years later, after the passing of his father, Abe (Walker) seeks out to confront Barts, only to discover that the man has been hiding a horrible secret: Barts is a Vampire. When Lincoln discovers this, his plan goes horribly wrong, and he's saved by a man named Henry Sturges (Cooper). Sturges reveals that vampires are very real, and that Barts was only the beginning. Taking Abe under his tutelage, and he trains him in the ways of vampire hunting. But as the war they've waged with the vampires wages on, it begins to cross into Lincoln's personal and professional life, something he never expected. </div>
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For me, 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' is not only great as an action movie, but also as a historical adaptation. Seth Grahame-Smith, who wrote the novel and the film, did a lot of research on Lincoln's life to make sure the story was as close to historically accurate as possible. And the work shows. The movie rockets through Lincoln's life in many of the most important events that history knows him for, while giving us a substantial look into his secret history as well. While the book could flesh out both more, the movie really does a good job of balancing both out well. I feel like the movie could have maybe been twenty or so minutes longer, just to really delve into the more of Abe's personal life and his interactions with his friends Will (Anthony Mackie) and Speed (Jimmi Simpson), and his wife Mary Todd Lincoln (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). But for being just under two hours, the movie really does zip along through Lincoln's entire life, and we get to see him go from the small town boy to the leader of the United States.</div>
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The movie wouldn't work nearly as well if it wasn't for the cast, who really bring these historical characters to life. First and foremost, I can't help but praise Benjamin Walker's performance as Abraham Lincoln. He does a great job as Honest Abe, playing him from the age of twenty until the end of his life. He really becomes the man we've all grown up reading and learning about, completely down to his voice. I was very impressed with him, and he has quickly become an actor I'll be keeping an eye on. Dominic Cooper, who plays Henry Sturges, is also really quite good. His chemistry with Walker is great, and the two really play well off each other. Cooper really plays the secretive, smart, fast talking, yet caring friend, well. I couldn't imagine anyone else in the role. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was quite good as Mary Todd Lincoln, even if she isn't given a ton to do throughout the movie. Since the movie is so short, she and the other supporting characters don't get a ton of time, but the time they get gives them a chance to really stand out. Anthony Mackie, who plays William H. Johnson, is also very good. His screen time is spent mostly with Walker's Lincoln, and the two really work well together. Mackie also adds some good comic relief that worked in the movies favor. Of course, I can't leave out Rufus Sewell who plays the movies big bad, Adam. He's great as the bad guy, playing him just the right amount of sophisticated yet creepy, but he isn't given enough time to really get fleshed out. He basically plays the Bond villain bent on global domination, because he feels that Vampires deserve their due and he wants the USA for himself. But that's really about as much as we learn or know about the character, and not much more. I think there is a stronger bad guy on the cutting room floor, which I'm very curious to find out about once the movie hits home video. </div>
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Thankfully, even if the big bad isn't fleshed out a ton, there are a lot of henchmen that Lincoln gets to take on that made me look past that. We never learn much about them, but watching Lincoln take them all out is quite fun. I really like Timur's style, and I feel like it works perfectly for this movie. The slow motion, while many might think is over the top, actually works in the movies favor for me. It really gave me a chance to enjoy the fight scenes and enjoy the visuals. Two scenes in particular, one featuring Abe and one of his marks fighting during a horse stampede, and the finale on board a moving train really stick out to me. The fight scenes were slick, fun, and strangely beautiful in their violent glory. Walker seemed to be having a ton of fun as Abe, and it really shows. He really threw himself into the action scenes and the character, and it all works. </div>
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'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' isn't going to be for everyone. But I think those that can look past just ridiculous how the movie is will really enjoy it. While it isn't a perfect movie, it's a lot of fun. The actors are all great in their respected roles, although I can't help but think that they could be even better if they were given extra time to shine. But all that aside, they're still very good, and on top of the action and historical accuracy of the film really help elevate this from what could be a huge train wreck. The blending of history and fantasy really works, and Grahame-Smith's witty script and dialogue really keep the movie going quickly as it rushes forward. This, for me, was just a really great time at the movies. Going in with an open mind will really help people enjoy it more. It's a perfect summer movie, and I can't wait to see it again. </div>
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8/10</div>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=1457b06e-9a40-404e-b38c-3b20ddc67d97" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-16509845481036963032012-05-25T21:32:00.002-07:002012-06-24T19:20:50.079-07:00'Men in Black 3' Review - A Great Sequel to Finish the Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's hard to believe that it's been fifteen years since Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones graced the screen in those black suits and shades in the first 'Men in Black' film. The film was an instant hit with audiences and critics alike, and helped solidify Will Smith's fame as a box office star. It's been ten years since we've last seen the men in black suits, and I was almost beginning to think that 'Men in Black 2' was going to be the end of the series. But if you know Hollywood, nothing that's worth money is left alone for long, and this series is no exception. After a rather turbulent and unusual production, including a long hiatus and an unfinished script, 'Men in Black 3' arrives this weekend hoping to win over audiences once again in the way the original did. Bringing back Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as Agent J and K, as well as director Barry Sonnenfeld in the director's seat, and a turn by Josh Brolin as a young version of Agent K, 'Men in Black 3' while not a perfect movie, is a vast improvement over its predecessor and a fun way to spend a summer afternoon at the theater. Especially considering the circumstances.<br />
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When an evil alien murderer, Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement), escapes from a maximum security prison, he seeks revenge against the man who put him there and took his arm, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones). Looking to rewrite history, Boris goes back in time and kills Agent K, erasing the future version from existence. Agent J (Will Smith) is the only one who realizes that K has been erased from existence, and in an effort to save him, J goes back in time to save his partner. But nothing is as easy as it seems, and J teams up with a young version of K (Josh Brolin) to save the future.<br />
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I was always hoping that we would get a third 'Men in Black', but as time passed after the second film, I started to think that there was a chance it wouldn't happen. While the first remains one of my favorite science fiction/comedies of all time, the sequel, while fun, was a step backwards for the series. I was really hoping the film would deliver for me in a way more like the first and less like the second, and I can absolutely say that the third film delivers, and is a huge step up from the second film. The film is not only incredibly fun and full of the 'Men in Black' style humor, but this movie was actually surprisingly heartfelt in a way I never expected. But the movie wouldn't be nearly as good if it wasn't for the cast behind it, and thankfully, everyone involved delivered.<br />
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It's great to see Will Smith finally returning to not only movies, but the summer blockbuster. His absence, at least for me, has been a sad thing, and I definitely missed having him on screen. So I'm glad to see that his return is in one of his most famous roles, and he slips right back into as if he hadn't left it. His Agent J is an older, more tired version though, who is looking for more out of his friendship with Agent K now. He doesn't want it to be just work related, something K doesn't seem to understand. Tommy Lee Jones plays K just as well as ever, but he's much more tired and burned out this time. K is hurting, and it's a bit sad really. He's not the K we've grown to love, and the one that J knows either. But the chemistry is still there, and so undeniable, which just goes to show why these two have become one of my favorite duos in cinema. But it's Josh Brolin who really shines as Agent K in the past. He's perfected Tommy Lee Jones' K absolutely perfectly. It's honestly almost scary how well Brolin slid into his role, because you'd think they really found a way to get a young Tommy Lee Jones in the movie. Everything from the facial expressions to his voice is just dead on, so much so that his chemistry with Will Smith is exactly the same. It's honestly one of the best performances I've seen where one actor takes over for another, and his performance alone makes the movie worth a look.<br />
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The supporting cast is good, but underused. I enjoyed Emma Thompson as Agent O, but she's only in the movie for about ten minutes, which just wasn't enough. Then there is Alice Eve, who plays the young Agent O who is barely used in the movie period. I really wish that they'd explored the relationship between her and Agent K more, because I can just imagine the comedy that would have come from her and Young K flirting. It would have been absolute comic gold. Jemaine Clement as Boris, the movie's villain. Jemaine is good, albeit a tad creepy and over the top, but that is easily the point of the character. He's just a sleazy, dark, murderous alien set on revenge, and it's a very interesting role for Clement. My favorite supporting role was really more of a cameo, and that was Bill Hader as Andy Warhol. It's a great little scene between Hader, Smith, and Brolin that is one of the best parts of the second act. It's just very entertaining and I very much enjoyed it. Hader is comedic gold, and I'm wondering how long it'll be until the rest of the world realizes it as well.<br />
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I was definitely glad to see that the movie kept its humor from the first two in tact, but not so over the top like the second. This is much more like the first movie in that department. I really do like the story, but I'll definitely say that the second act seems to drag a little, which I assume probably has to do with script not being finished during production. It's not a fatal flaw against the movie, but it definitely hinders it. That being said, the meandering second act is absolutely made up for in the fantastic third act, that not only is a fantastic close for the movie, but it also brings the series full circle in a way that I hope they don't try and make another. It's a perfect ending point for the series, with an incredibly surprising twist at the end that I didn't see coming. I actually felt my jaw go a bit on the ground, and I have to say, it's a great pay off. It's this surprising twist, that really plays on the emotions of those who love the series, that really elevates the final act into solid gold. Like I said, it's definitely a fitting end to the series, and I hope that they don't mess with it after this.<br />
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Sonnenfeld really did a great job directing under the circumstances, and I think he really pulled together a solid movie against the odds. He keeps much of what fans love about the first two, such as an appearance from characters such as the Worm Guys, that really makes this a treat for fans of the series. I also have to add that Rick Baker's creature designs in this film are completely incredible, and by far some of the best designs I've seen in quite some time. Baker proves once again why he is one of the best in the business, and his designs are just great to look at.<br />
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'Men in Black 3' may suffer from an overlong second act, but that doesn't hinder the movie too much in the end. Has it been too long since the last one? Maybe, but I feel like the wait between the films may have worked in its favor. Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and Josh Brolin are all great, with each of the actors playing K are a perfect match with Smith's J. The movie is all the right parts humor and action, while also adding a rather wonderful heartfelt twist to it. With help from solid direction, the movie beats the odds from such a troubled shoot and ends up coming out on top. While it isn't the first movie, it's definitely a step up from the second, and an absolutely fitting sequel to the original, and a solid finale to the series. This is great summer entertainment, and a perfect way to spend the afternoon this summer at the theater.<br />
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8/10<br />
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=1457b06e-9a40-404e-b38c-3b20ddc67d97" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-86908019920659179242012-05-21T13:17:00.000-07:002012-05-21T14:40:13.566-07:00Celebrate 50 Years of Bond With This New Blu-ray Set September 25<br />
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I'm a huge fan of the James Bond franchise, I always have been. Going back to when I was young, my dad would show me the older Sean Connery movies, and I instantly fell in love with the suave and cool super spy who worked for M16. Over the years, I fully immersed myself into the world including the books, games, and whatever else I could get my hands on. I loved watching the different things each actor would bring to the role, because each being so different. The six actors, including Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierece Brosnan, and Daniel Craig all brought something new to the role that the previous ones hadn't. Not many movies series last as long, or as well known, as the Bond franchise, and the lasting power really shows how fun, exciting, and timeless the series really is. </div>
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I've owned the series many times over, first on VHS, and twice over on DVD, and I have the select few that are on blu-ray. So I'm pleased to see that Fox is releasing this exciting new box set for blu-ray for Bond fans of all ages. The Bond 50 box set features all twenty two of the official James Bond films (Sorry, Connery fans, but Never Say Never Again is not included.) starting from 'Dr. No' and ending with 'Quantum of Solace'. It even includes the video blogs for this years upcoming film, 'Skyfall', which sees Daniel Craig return for the third time as Bond. I am definitely excited for this, and I can't wait to get my hands on it. It's going to be a fantastic set, and I can't wait to really dig into it's new special features. Hit the jump for the full press release and a look at the special features. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 24px;"><b>CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF 007 WITH THE EXPLOSIVE</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 24px;"><b>GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY BLU-RAY COLLECTION</b></span></div>
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<b>LOADED WITH EXTRAS, THE DEFINITIVE JAMES BOND COLLECTION<br /><br />ARRIVES THIS SEPTEMBER FEATURING<br /><br />ALL 22 FILMS TOGETHER ON BLU-RAY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER</b><br />
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Includes Videoblogs Filmed on the Set of SKYFALL</div>
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For a Behind-The-Scenes Look at the Latest Film with Cast & Crew Interviews</div>
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Announcement Coincides With Anniversary Screenings of Classic Bond Films</div>
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Taking Place This Week at the 65th Cannes International Film Festival</div>
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All the Bonds. All the girls. All the action. All in high-definition. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment mark James Bond’s monumental golden anniversary with the release of BOND 50, the complete Bond experience showcasing all 22 classic films on Blu-ray together for the first time ever, neatly packaged into one cool, sleek collectable box-set. The collection will be available beginning September 24 in the United Kingdom and September 25 in North America with additional international markets to follow that week. BOND 50 marks the debut of nine James Bond films previously unavailable in high definition Blu-ray and comes with a dossier of more than 122 hours of bonus features.</div>
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Set for release just prior to the theatrical premiere of SKYFALL, BOND 50 will offer a look at the latest Bond film through videoblogs shot with the cast and crew. The BOND 50 collection also provides two all-new pieces that spotlight the history of 007. “The World of Bond” takes a look at the style and attitude that is signature to Bond; pulling together the cars, the women, the villains and the music that have been a staple of these films for the past 50 years. “Being Bond” profiles the six distinguished actors that have had the honor of portraying 007.</div>
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Additional bonus content in the BOND 50 collection includes cast and crew commentaries, the behind-the-scenes making of each film, in-depth interviews with every actor that played Bond, a closer look at the exotic locations as shot on-the-set, the women of Bond, the villains of Bond, Bond’s cars and gadgets, music videos and much, much more!</div>
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Special Features:</div>
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· <b>DISC TWENTY THREE – Bonus Material</b></div>
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o NEW – The World of Bond – the 007 films have a look, style and attitude that is signature Bond. From the cars, to the women, to the villains and even the music, Bond films stand apart. The World of Bond takes the viewer through the best of five decades worth of classic James Bond in one thrilling montage. The World of Bond showcases the fascinating and entertaining interplay among unforgettable moments of danger, seduction, adventure and a dash of that distinguished humor that fans have cherished from the beginning up until now. To add to the experience, The World of Bondfeaturette will also offer a Pop-Up Trivia option to challenge even the sharpest of fans with little known facts and interesting trivia from the Bond Universe.</div>
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o NEW – Being Bond – there’s only one James Bond – but he’s proven too much for only one actor to play the role. In the franchise’s 50-year run, six distinguished actors have taken on the part and secured a spot in cinematic history. Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig each reflect on the impact and importance of taking on such a famous role. With this piece, gain insight into what each actor brought to the character and discover how they shaped the world’s most timeless secret agent. </div>
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o SKYFALL Videoblogs – behind-the-scenes look at the making of SKYFALL from the cast and crew</div>
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· <b>DISC ONE— Dr. No (Over 3 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Terence Young and cast and crew</div>
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o 6 Featurettes</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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o Photo Galleries</div>
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· <b>DISC TWO— From Russia With Love (Over 3 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Terence Young and cast and crew</div>
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o 2 Featurettes</div>
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o Animated Storyboard Sequence</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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o Photo Galleries</div>
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·<b> DISC THREE—Goldfinger (Over 5 hours of content)</b> </div>
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o Commentary with Director Guy Hamilton</div>
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o Commentary with the cast and crew</div>
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o 3 Featurettes</div>
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o Original Screen Tests with Theodore Bikel and Tito Vandis</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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o Original Publicity Featurette</div>
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o Original Radio Interviews With Sean Connery</div>
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o Photo Galleries</div>
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· <b>DISC FOUR—Thunderball (Over 6 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Terence Young</div>
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o Commentary with Editor Peter Hunt and Screenwriter John Hopkins</div>
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o 4 Featurettes</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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o Photo Galleries</div>
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· <b>DISC FIVE—You Only Live Twice (Over 4 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Lewis Gilbert and cast and crew</div>
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o 4 Featurettes</div>
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o Animated Storyboard Sequence</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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o Photo Galleries</div>
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· <b>DISC SIX—On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Over 4 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Peter Hunt and cast and crew</div>
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o 4 Featurettes</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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o Photo Galleries</div>
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· <b>DISC SEVEN—Diamonds Are Forever (Over 4 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Guy Hamilton and cast and crew</div>
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o 3 Featurettes</div>
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o Deleted Scenes</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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· <b>DISC EIGHT—Live and Let Die (Over 7 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentaries with Director Guy Hamilton, Roger Moore and Tom Mankiewicz</div>
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o 3 Featurettes</div>
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o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
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o Photo Galleries</div>
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· <b>DISC NINE—The Man with the Golden Gun (Over 5 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Guy Hamilton and the cast and crew</div>
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o Commentary with Roger Moore</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 2 Featurettes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Photo Galleries</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC TEN—The Spy Who Loved Me (Over 5 hours of content)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director Lewis Gilbert and cast and crew</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Roger Moore</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 3 Featurettes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC ELEVEN—Moonraker (Over 5 hours of content)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director Lewis Gilbert and cast and crew</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Roger Moore</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 4 Featurettes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailer</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Photo Gallery</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC TWELVE—For Your Eyes Only (Over 7 hours of content)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director John Glen and the cast and crew</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Roger Moore</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Producer Michael G. Wilson and crew</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 4 Featurettes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Animated Storyboard Sequences for Snowmobile Chase & Underwater</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Music Video performed by Sheena Easton</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Deleted Scenes and Expanded Angles</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailer, TV and radio spots</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Photo Galleries</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC THIRTEEN—Octopussy (Over 6 hours of content)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director John Glen</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Roger Moore</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 4 Featurettes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Screen Tests with James Brolin</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o "All Time High" Music Video</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailers</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC FOURTEEN—A View to a Kill (Over 6 hours of content)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director John Glen and the cast and crew</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Roger Moore</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 4 Featurettes</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o A View to a Kill Music Video performed by Duran Duran</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailers and TV spots</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC FIFTEEN—The Living Daylights (Over 5 hours of content)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director John Glen and cast and crew</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 3 Featurettes</div>
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<br /></div>
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o Deleted scenes with introductions from Director John Glen</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o The Living Daylights Music Video performed by A-Ha</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailers</div>
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<br /></div>
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· <b>DISC SIXTEEN—Licence to Kill (Over 6 hours of content)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director John Glen and cast</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Producer Michael G. Wilson and crew</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o 3 Featurettes</div>
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<br /></div>
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o Licence to Kill Music Video performed by Gladys Knight</div>
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o “If You Asked Me To” Music Video Performed by Patti LaBelle</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Opening Titles Sequence</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailers</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Photo Galleries</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC SEVENTEEN—GoldenEye (Over 5 hours of content)</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director Martin Campbell and Producer Michael G. Wilson</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o 8 Featurettes</div>
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o Deleted scenes</div>
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o GoldenEye Music Video performed by Tina Turner</div>
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· <b>DISC EIGHTEEN—Tomorrow Never Dies (Over 9 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Roger Spottiswoode and Dan Petrie, Jr.</div>
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o Commentary with Vic Armstrong and Producer Michael G. Wilson</div>
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o 2 Featurettes</div>
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o Interview with Composer David Arnold</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Deleted and Extended Scenes with introduction from Director Roger Spottiswoode</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o Tomorrow Never Dies Music Video performed by Sheryl Crow</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o The James Bond Theme (Moby's Re-Version)</div>
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· <b>DISC NINETEEN—The World Is Not Enough (Over 6 hours of content)</b></div>
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o Commentary with Director Michael Apted</div>
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o Commentary with Peter Lamont, David Arnold and Vic Armstrong</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o 4 Featurettes</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Opening Titles Sequence</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o The World Is Not Enough Music Video performed by Garbage</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Deleted, Extended and Alternate Scene</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailer</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o Photo Galleries</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC TWENTY—Die Another Day (Over 8 hours of content)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Director Lee Tamahori and Producer Michael G. Wilson</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o Commentary with Pierce Brosnan and Rosamund Pike</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o 5 Featurettes</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o MI6 Datastream Trivia Track with Branching Video</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Opening Titles Sequence</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o Photo Galleries</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
· <b>DISC TWENTY ONE—Casino Royale (Over 1 hour of content)</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o Becoming Bond</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o James Bond: For Real</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Chris Cornell Music Video</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
·<b> DISC TWENTY TWO—Quantum of Solace (Over 1 hour of content)</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o 2 Featurettes</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
o "Another Way to Die" Music Video</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
o Original Theatrical Trailers</div>
</div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-81758529469761414902012-05-10T19:22:00.003-07:002012-05-10T19:29:00.953-07:00'Dark Shadows' Review - A Misguided Fan Tribute That Doesn't Quite Know What It Wants to Be<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZTXRFdrXfDAzxiK48hyphenhyphenSdjlLO8k3vCZBozwZdOp1vSpokqTiUHLJr7N6EI0__jr4E0kvi-S4P3ukYkuE-qvr4j6OtQKpDsCU8A84js8r50F0DCqk0r5PT6AsPoL5127d3P0urFczBHc/s1600/Dark+Shadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuZTXRFdrXfDAzxiK48hyphenhyphenSdjlLO8k3vCZBozwZdOp1vSpokqTiUHLJr7N6EI0__jr4E0kvi-S4P3ukYkuE-qvr4j6OtQKpDsCU8A84js8r50F0DCqk0r5PT6AsPoL5127d3P0urFczBHc/s400/Dark+Shadows.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've always been a fan of 'Dark Shadows', ever since I was young and sci-fi channel would air reruns of the cult soap opera from the 1970s. It was something I really looked forward to watching whenever it was on, and while cheesy now, it still had great storytelling and fantastic characters, especially in the late Johnathon Frid's Barnabus Collins, who would go on to become what the show was best known for. There have been two tries at bringing back the franchise since it went off the air, neither of which gained any traction. One of them, the series from the nineties even featured a young Joseph Gordon Levitt as the young David Collins. But some things are just better left alone, and sadly, the same can be said about this newest try at recreating the cult favorite. This time, we have Tim Burton at the helm, with a script written by Seth Grahame-Smith, and starring Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, and Jackie Earl Haley. The formula sounds like it should be a real winner, but needless to say, the film feels more like a mediocre fan film with a big budget than the great adaptation that it could have been. </div>
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Barnabus Collins (Johnny Depp) is a young playboy with no cares in the world. Coming from a wealthy family that started a fishing company that made their town grow, with the town eventually becoming known as Collinsport, Maine. Barnabus begins having a relationship with one of his families maids, Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), but when he breaks her heart because he doesn't love her, he doesn't realize he is about to unleash the power of a witch. She kills Barnabus' parents and his new love, Josette du Pres, and then curses him to spend the rest of his life as a vampire. Turning the towns people against him, they bury him alive. Two centuries pass and the Collins family has faded into obscurity. But when a group of construction workers unwittingly uncover Barnabus' grave, they unleash the vampire from his resting place, and he looks to bring back his family's name, and bring down Angelique for what she did, once and for all.</div>
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With Depp and Burton being huge fans of the series, I didn't worry too much about them taking a shot at bringing it back. In fact, I thought it had the chance to be something really special. I thought Burton was the perfect person to tackle the material, or at least the Tim Burton of the 80s and 90s. But unfortunately, the movie just doesn't work as well as I think everyone involved was hoping. There are definitely some brights spots in the movie, particularly from the cast. Depp is actually quite good as Barnabus Collins, which was a nice surprise. He actually pays nice homage to Johnathon Frid, and it wasn't the Jack Sparrow act that it could have become. Depp loves the character, so he really went out of the way to make sure he didn't phone it in, so I'm glad to see he's turned out a performance that was actually different, and on top of that good, compared to some of his recent output. And a hero is only as good its villain, and thankfully Eva Green delivers in spades, even if she isn't given the best material to work with. I really liked her in the role of Angelique, and she really pulled off off the insane, broken hearted, vengeful witch well. She has great chemistry with Depp on screen, and it was fun watching them together on screen. But the standout for me is Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the family matriarch. She is the brightest spot of the movie, playing as our eyes into this crazy and twister world. I haven't seen her in much recently, but having her back on screen was just so much fun to watch, and she excels as Elizabeth. A scene towards the end of the movie has her wielding a shotgun as she comes down the stairs of the mansion is one of my favorite scenes in the movie, and the way she plays it is perfect. She's probably my favorite part of the entire movie, and I'm hoping we see her back on screen again soon. </div>
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But for those three great cast members, the others are all terribly underused and really hold no barring on the proceedings. People like Jackie Earle Haley, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Helena Bonham Carter pop in and out of the movie, for no reason really, other than being a big name in the grand scheme of things. But their characters are never developed, and they really feel unneeded. Unfortunately, that isn't the worst of the movies problems. The biggest problem is that the movie doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Does it want to be a serious version of the series, or does it want to be more of a tongue and cheek version with a lot of comedy? I couldn't tell you, because the movie tries to play both parts and it hurts it terribly. The tone of the movie is all over the place, and after starting incredibly serious, it deviates into a tongue and cheek, Tim Burton style dark comedy, only before going back to more serious waters by the end of the film. Because the tone doesn't know it wants to be, the story falters as well. We are given no time to develop any of the characters, and there are many scenes that frankly, just don't need to be in the movie. It almost feels as if the script was only half complete when it went into production. I couldn't tell you what the story was supposed to be, or who we were supposed to care about, because the movie doesn't really tell us that. It just rockets along from random scene to random scene, hoping that the audiences will buy into it without a strong narrative. I'm honestly shocked because Seth Grahame-Smith's book 'Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter' doesn't have any of the same problems with characters, plot, or tone that this has.</div>
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The comedy, at times, works in the movies favor, but at other times falls completely flat. The movie is set during the 1970s, so a lot of the humor comes at the expense of the decade. But some of the other jokes feel far too modern and don't fit in the movie, making the joke falter, garnering almost no laughs. The second act is the one that is hindered the most by this when the Collins family begins to make their movie back to the public eye. There are a few more serious, dramatic, and "scary" moments scattered throughout the second act that really shine, but when thinking about how bogged down it becomes, it's a bit hard to appreciated. Those serious times really are the best part of the film, especially a scene when Barnabus discovers someone in the family has betrayed him. The scene plays out exactly as the type of thing I'd expect to see from the series, and it really worked in the movie. But sadly, these scenes are just to far and between to elevate the movie. By the time the movie gets to its third act, it goes completely off the rails with an ending so incredibly anticlimactic that I couldn't believe what was happening. A last minute, out of left field revelation of one of the characters falls completely flat, and they rush towards and ending that ends with hopes of a sequel. Honestly, with the quality of the movie, I really don't see a sequel being necessary, unless it's a major step up from what we were given this time. Also,Danny Elfman scored the movie, but I honestly don't remember the music, meaning it was incredibly unmemorable. The only music I remember from the movie was the great 70s soundtrack they played throughout the movie. That's one of the shining aspects of the movie, featuring music from Alice Cooper, The Carpenters, and so much more, and they all work great in the scenes they're in. </div>
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It honestly feels if Burton just didn't know what he wanted to do with the movie. I'd love to see what the script looked like just to see where the problem truly lies within the film. I truly wanted to love this movie, but unfortunately because of a rocky story, a tone that was all over the place, and characters that I could honestly care less about, the movie falters. It doesn't know what it wants to be, and frankly, Burton doesn't seem to know, or care, either. The final version of this movie feels like a rough cut of the film, and there is a great movie underneath all its problems. But sadly, we'll probably never see it. This is was a misguided work of love that turned out to be nothing more than a big budget fan film. I wish I had better news, but unfortunately I don't. I'll just let 'Dark Shadows' live on in my life as the original TV series, and this new movie version will just be another failed attempt at recapturing the series' original magic. </div>
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6.5/10</div>
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=48e98e2f-a8dc-4543-b799-2fc31b54288a" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-12180908555172150762012-04-15T10:12:00.006-07:002012-06-24T19:22:39.963-07:00'Marvel's The Avengers' Review - Marvel's Best Film is Epic, Exciting, Fun, and the Best Comic Movie to Date<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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"And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born—to fight the foes no single super hero could withstand!" Those were the opening words of the first ever Avengers comic book that debuted in 1963. Then in 2008, Marvel placed the first building block of their Marvel cinematic universe in an after credits stinger in Iron Man. Featuring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, he confronts Tony Stark in his house to talk to him about The Avengers initiative. Marvel had set their goals high, and after five movies and four years of work later, we've finally arrived at the film that everything was building to: The Avengers. And let me say, the wait has been well worth it! Marvel Studios, with the help of Joss Whedon, has given us not only what could be the greatest comic book movie yet, but one of the best action/adventure movies in recent memory.<br />
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After being cast out of Asgard, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has become increasingly deranged, becoming obsessed with obtaining power and becoming King again. Feeling wronged for losing his throne, he comes up with a new plan, one that sees him becoming ruler of Earth. Enlisting the help of an alien army, Loki sets out to take his new kingdom. But Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has other plans. Scared that a day would come when only one hero wouldn't be enough to save the world, he has devised a plan that would take a group of Earth's mightiest heroes and bring them together as one team. Against the orders of his superiors, he calls upon Captain America (Chris Evans), Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) to aid him on his mission. Thor (Chris Hemsworth), learning of his brothers scheme, is quickly sent back to our world to stop him, coming in direct conflict with the team. Egos and belief collide between the team, but they must learn to work together as the world is on the brink of war, or let it fall into the hands of Loki.<br />
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That is a very basic synopsis of the movie, because for all intents and purposes, I'm going to try and discuss this movie while staying mostly spoiler free. This may not be an easy feat, but I can try. When Marvel first started working towards making an Avengers movie, I was hesitant to believe it would happen. I mean, this is a massive crossover movie, with so many characters and variables. How do you make that happen? This was one of my favorite comic book series growing up, and one I still regularly read, so of course my expectations were incredibly high. But Marvel quickly found a way to silence any doubt I had in the movie by hiring none other than Joss Whedon to write and direct the film. Whedon is best known for his television work on things like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and my personal favorite, Firefly. These shows all had great ensemble casts, and Whedon always found a way to balance every character among the action, and every character got to shine. So hiring him to do The Avengers was one of the best things Marvel could have done. And let me just say, he delivered in spades.<br />
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There is not a moment in this movie where I felt that a character was ever under utilized or didn't get to stand out. Having all these characters in a movie like this is a tough balancing act, especially one with this much action, but it works. There is enough smaller character moments and scenes with the characters, it never seems to take a backseat to the action. The dialogue between the characters is really strong as well. Whedon has always been great at that, and it just soars here. He really understands the feelings that these characters have for each other, and he really delves into that. Especially between Stark and Rogers, where we see there is always going to be a rift on how they work and view each other. This is something that comic fans know all too well, and leads to the inevitable Civil War story line.<br />
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For those who were worried that this was just going to be Iron Man 3, don't be. This is far from being that way at all. This isn't the Tony Stark show featuring his amazing super friends. This also isn't Captain America 2 or Thor 2. This is really it's own beast. The movie plays strongly off the events of Thor, Captain America, and to a lesser extent Iron Man 2, but this never feels like it's a sequel that focuses only on that. We see Steve dealing with that fact that he is feeling alone in the world, and how hard it is for him to being here now, knowing all his friends are gone. He is a man out of time, trying to make sense of it all. It also deals with the Tesseract cube, as was hinted at in the after credits scene of Thor. We still have the sibling rivalry between Loki and Thor, and we have the budding romance of Pepper and Tony at the beginning of the movie. But then the movie moves away from that and really becomes it's own standalone movie.<br />
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Honestly, this movie wouldn't work nearly as well if it wasn't for the amazing cast that they've assembled. Downey, Jr., Evans, and Hemsworth have all proven how great they are as Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor already in their standalone movies, and they just mesh so well together here that you can tell that they loved working together. They're just so good together, and they really bring the dynamics of these characters to life. I really liked Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury this time around, because he's finally playing less of the caricature of himself and really become Nick Fury. He really shows he's the man with the power here, and one who holds the world's safety on his shoulders. It's weighing on him, but he knows it's his job and he'll see it through. And of course, Clark Gregg steals every scene he is in as Agent Phil Coulson, one of the best Marvel players in this whole cinematic universe. He shares some great scenes with Chris Evans, where Coulson's man crush on Steve Rogers begins to show. It's really funny, and sort of nice too. Because it shows, even on the brink of war, these characters are still human, and they have lives outside of this. It's a very humanizing moment for them, and we can relate to it. Cobie Smulders is also very good in her first Marvel film as Agent Maria Hill. She's very good at playing the by the books agent, who really doesn't agree with Fury's idea of this Avengers team. She goes along with it, but she doesn't like it, and questions him time and again. She really holds her own against Jackson in their scenes together, and I can absolutely see why she was chosen for the part.<br />
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I really liked Renner as Hawkeye and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow as well. They don't seem nearly as out of place as many may fear, and they're given some great material to work with. And the relationship between the two is very poignant, and really makes them relatable. They're both partners who would always do whatever it took to help the other. But the biggest two standouts for me in this were, once again, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner. Hiddleston once again just tears up the screen as Loki, and this time he's more unhinged than he was before. He really plays the broken man who has nothing left to lose very well, and he takes it to a whole new level this time. He is crazed for power, and he'll stop and nothing to become King, no matter what the cost. He is also shares scenes with every character in the movie at one point or another, really trying to play the mischievous and psychological side of Loki that isn't played on much. It's great. But Ruffalo is quite the standout as Bruce Banner, the third actor to get a shot of it on the big screen. Fans who worried that he wouldn't pull it off and that he couldn't replace Norton, cast all those fears aside. Ruffalo IS Bruce Banner. He owns the character in a way that no one has before since Bill Bixby. He was absolutely the right guy for the job, and he brings a very new take on the character to the big screen. Living with this side of himself that he just wants to hide, he has locked himself away from the world, going to the farthest reaches hoping he can run away from it. He's very damaged, but he just wants to help people, and so he does. I hope and pray that Marvel and Feige decide to do a new Hulk film with Ruffalo in the lead, because this is the best version of not only Bruce on screen, but of Hulk as well. This is the Hulk we've been waiting to see. One that just oozes the incredible strength and power, and that could level entire buildings with one leap or punch. He's also much smarter this time around, meaning Hulk is becoming more aware, which is a great angle to play. This is, in my opinion, the best Hulk so far, and they've really done him justice this time around.<br />
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Speaking of the action side of the movie, it's completely chock full of it, and it's great! Some were worried that not being shot in scope would hurt it, but it doesn't at all. There is a reason for this. The action is plentiful, and there is a lot of vertical action and big set pieces that actually look better shot this way than they would have in scope. This has the best comic book action of any film I've ever seen. Seriously, Whedon and company went all out, especially over the last half hour of the movie. I know that some feel that the Marvel action movies don't usually have great third act battles, this is the movie you've been waiting for. It's just so massive, and you're going to be blown away by the sheer scale of it. Seeing these characters fighting together was so cool, and my inner geek was freaking out over it. But the last half hour aren't the only action scenes. There is so much action throughout, you'll be on the edge of your seat for a lot of it. This is the best action movie I've seen in years.<br />
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One thing I really loved was that Whedon didn't skip on his sense of humor. The movie is genuinely funny in all the right places without feeling out of place or bogged down by it. Whedon has always had a great sense of humor, and his shows and comics were always full of it. It really worked well in this movies favor. I don't want to say too much, because I feel like the best comical moments will work better not knowing about them ahead of time. I'm surprised how none of it has really made itself into the trailer, but that may be because they want to make sure a lot of the stuff stays a surprise. And that's not just the humor. There is so much in the movie that you would have no idea was in the movie because it isn't in the trailer. That's huge for a film of this size, and I'm glad to report that there are plenty of fun and surprises in the movie that you haven't seen, or that have even been hinted at by the trailers. That's very important to me, and it was great to go in and see so much was hidden from us.<br />
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The nice thing for fans of the movies up until this point, Whedon has made sure that any loose ends you might have been worried about are covered here. Why doesn't Thor see Jane in the movie? It's dealt with. How does Thor come back to earth? Answered. Where did Loki go after he fell into the nothingness in Thor? Yep, they deal with that as well. There are no loose ends here, which was nice. My only minor nitpick involved Thor coming back to Earth. We're told that Odin used dark power to send him back since the Rainbow Bridge still hasn't been rebuilt and there is no way between the different dimensions now. But the problem is, we're only told about it. I was really hoping the scene would be featured where we see Odin and Thor learn of Loki's evil and see them work together to send Thor back. I can't help but wonder if this was ever filmed or not, because it really seems like something that we should see. Honestly, it's a minor nitpick in the grand scheme of things, because I felt like that was the only part of the movie that really should have been explained.<br />
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I liked Alan Silvestri's score in the movie, but it's not his best work. It really does work for the movie though, and I especially enjoyed the music during the final battle. He really did it well. The cinematography is really, really well done though, and it's plenty cinematic and doesn't look like a TV show as many had feared. It really looks great, and the scope and action really feels huge. They did a great job making sure it felt like the other movies, while making it seem bigger and it's own thing at the same time. But it definitely falls into line with how the other movies look and feel. That's one of the best things about these movies, is how consistent they've been across the board and how they really all look and feel similar. As for the 3D, it really didn't add much to the movie for me, but the IMAX did. This is the way to see the movie. Sadly, the only way to see it in IMAX is 3D, so it's a catch 22 of sorts. I really feel that the IMAX made the film more epic than it already was, and it's definitely the way to see the movie.<br />
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The Avengers hits all the right notes, and then some, for the fans of the comics, while still being hugely fun and entertaining for movie fans who may not know the comics as well. With an incredible cast that meshes very well across the board, intense action, and very funny as well, while also hitting all the right emotional notes to play on the audiences feelings, the movie just delivers. This is not only what I consider the greatest comic book movie to date, but the most fun as well. After this, it'll be interesting to see how comic book movies will follow. Do they try and top the action and excitement of The Avengers? Time will tell. The Avengers is the absolutely best way for us to start this summer movie season, and I can't wait to see it again. This is an early contender for my favorite movie of the year, and it's safe to say that it really is my favorite comic book film. Whedon and his cast have absolutely knocked it out of the park, and it's going to be huge. Fans and audiences alike are going to love it.<br />
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10/10<br />
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=1457b06e-9a40-404e-b38c-3b20ddc67d97" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-85879641087232939122012-03-31T22:17:00.177-07:002012-06-24T09:06:41.535-07:00Archaia Comics: An Amazing Comic Publisher You May Never Heard Of<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8w_l6TplToanB17in2xwNHEZwxKmX9R7jXvKj9fkvD33r7fIoRIAKTDOINDipOdfGGDrrltsie7knFvgiGTvSwV-7oG1pDAZMiBHy1cUfZ0CfhSKD6Uu4ryxAOck3_Wfh3SZayK8_m6U/s1600/archaia.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8w_l6TplToanB17in2xwNHEZwxKmX9R7jXvKj9fkvD33r7fIoRIAKTDOINDipOdfGGDrrltsie7knFvgiGTvSwV-7oG1pDAZMiBHy1cUfZ0CfhSKD6Uu4ryxAOck3_Wfh3SZayK8_m6U/s320/archaia.png" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Up until WonderCon, the only one of the titles that I'd heard of, from very far corners of some of my geek circles, was the Mouse Guard series by David Petersen. But I never ventured off into the realm until last month when I came across the Archaia booth. As I searched through the different graphic novels they offered, I began wondering why I had never really heard of them before. The incredibly intriguing thing, and the thing I love the most, is how much creative freedom their creators are given. Many of their titles are fully drawn and written by the creator, while others work with only their closest collaborators. It gives these books a very different feel from the major comic publishers. There's no crossovers that connect the different series they offer, no real publisher interference that you seem in some cases, nothing like that. This is real, unadulterated, creative freedom at it's finest. It's made me really fall in love with this publisher and the things they put out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYFgaDdkV_QMxqR30RNqVAiJ9Bwh75OYNi2iOEDH3e4WN8298sVvNvdd8U3D6unoBNo6-FKD4G2Me_l62nid8uzkf0tgQRJwlc_-fm922r4R7u8X4VsUYF5y8QWbuUf8vmIb-mtH0tXI/s1600/fraggle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilYFgaDdkV_QMxqR30RNqVAiJ9Bwh75OYNi2iOEDH3e4WN8298sVvNvdd8U3D6unoBNo6-FKD4G2Me_l62nid8uzkf0tgQRJwlc_-fm922r4R7u8X4VsUYF5y8QWbuUf8vmIb-mtH0tXI/s320/fraggle.jpg" width="320" /></a>The thing that initially drew me to them was when I took notice of their line of Jim Henson property comics. As I walked by, I noticed that they had a series of Fraggle Rock books, and as I continued to look around, I realized that wasn't the only Henson property that Archaia had. They were also doing series for The Storyteller, a prequel for The Dark Crystal, and have begun work on a prequel for Labyrinth! Having access to the Henson vault in the way they do really helped put this company on the map for me, and to have them getting to continue some of my favorite TV series and movies of all time, it was hard not to fall in love with this company. The series are handled with great care, and are all signed off by the Henson estate, meaning they have their official seal of approval. That's a big deal, and It really makes this books that much more special. But these are the only Henson titles that Archaia has. There is one very interesting book that you should definitely pique the interest of fans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJGdqu_E5j-kQRjFdt_k9PFnui-HWCTBbdDNQCG5tLmgBVEx1jrfNnqMNVqpbxeU4JgxZi3ARv0nFxFSIJTOs5PIDiatdo8ArsgLnSx15ISz455xETCBSpbAZAnhzn6Fs43acF_dPWJ8/s1600/tale+of+sand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJGdqu_E5j-kQRjFdt_k9PFnui-HWCTBbdDNQCG5tLmgBVEx1jrfNnqMNVqpbxeU4JgxZi3ARv0nFxFSIJTOs5PIDiatdo8ArsgLnSx15ISz455xETCBSpbAZAnhzn6Fs43acF_dPWJ8/s320/tale+of+sand.jpg" width="224" /></a>The comic in question is called Tale of Sand, and is actually an Jim Henson's unrproduced screenplay he had been working on when he passed away. The Henson family actually gave Archaia the rights to finally see Henson's final work brought to life, and it's quite the interesting read, and would have been an excellent movie. The story revolves around a man who wakes up in the middle of a small town, not sure where he is, who begins a journey across the midwest, where people and things are after him. It's a very bizarre and cool tale in only the way a Henson tale can be, and is very much like a Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas style tale that I absolutely fell in love with. For Henson fans, this is a huge deal to finally get one last glimpse into the mind of a creative genius, and I can personally say it was great to have one final Henson story to read. The writing in the book is actually from his scribbled notes of his original script, which makes the story much that better to read. And as of this posting today, it has been nominated for five Eisner awards! This is definitely something everyone should check out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoQRrCdsSTftl14902zEfBg51EivmWtjIDqJuPhhx5Yfu-ABRK_V-8a5rY4QKuSCNIJf3WsOocJ59yknN1NBrYAk1MN90H9FG9_oaIrKz1XJpSMChWzEWghbyJrb-Qv5Pz22lOba9OnM/s1600/dark+crystal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoQRrCdsSTftl14902zEfBg51EivmWtjIDqJuPhhx5Yfu-ABRK_V-8a5rY4QKuSCNIJf3WsOocJ59yknN1NBrYAk1MN90H9FG9_oaIrKz1XJpSMChWzEWghbyJrb-Qv5Pz22lOba9OnM/s320/dark+crystal.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
The great thing though is, even with all these great Henson titles, there is so much more than just that to choose from. Archaia really does some great work on titles you wouldn't see at some of the bigger publishers. They're very big on being creator friendly, and it shows. The heart and soul that these creators get to put into their series' of comics feels real and authentic. Many of them do all the writing and art themselves, while others work with very close friends on the material, getting the best possible outcome and creating the story they wanted to tell. There's so little interference, and it's great. And with no big crossovers or things that like that done by the company, none of the comics are forced to go in a certain direction to end a certain way. It's all natural feeling, and the comics all come to a proper closure. For me, it makes these comics really stand out, because with this much heart, soul, and freedom put into the comics, so much of anything is possible in the realm of what can be produced.<br />
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One of the most popular titles in the Archaia line is the title I mentioned earlier in my post, David Petersen's Mouse Guard. This is a series set in an a sort of alternate version of the early 1100s, where the history is very similar, but the world is full of animals instead of humans. Among all these animals and creatures is a small group of mice, known as the Mouse Guard, who took an oath to protect their fellow mice from anything. It's a fun and exciting read, and one of the most interesting stories I've read. It's a bit of a Lord of the Rings in style, and it's also very much family friendly and is something that everyone in your family could enjoy. They'll quickly follow in love with the characters in the story and Petersen's storytelling. It's definitely one of their most exciting series, and I definitely recommend it.<br />
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Another title I've quickly fallen in love with is Royden Lepp's Rust. This is a very cool tale about the Taylor family, who after a war between man and machine, live on their family farm and are having a hard time making ends meet. One day, a young man named Jet Jones comes crashing into their farm house. But he isn't alone. Quickly following behind is a giant robot that is after Jet, but why, we don't know. Jet quickly defeats the robot, but the mystery still lingers over exactly who Jet is, why the robot is chasing him, and why is he there now? The comic reads as a pulp fiction style adventure, with enough mystery and intrigue to keep you hooked. Lepp does all the art and writing himself, and it's brilliant. The comic is like a mix between Iron Man and The Rocketeer, and it looks like an old serial from the 30's and 40's. The art is completely sepia toned, with a very cinematic widescreen feel. The first volume, subtitled Visitor in the Field, really has me hooked, and is the first in a four part series. I can't wait to see where it goes.<br />
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Then we have a Roddenberry productions produced comic, Days Missing, which is one of the most intriguing science fiction tales I've read in some time. The story follows a man on the outside of time, who is an immortal that watches the world. He's been there since the beginning, and he changes the course of history by simply taking days out of history, changing the events of the earth forever. But we don't remember these days. There's no records of them, nothing that we remember. But now, we may be seeing what we missed. It's a very, very strong sci-fi story with the big moral questions that only Gene Roddenberry would ask, like he did in things like Star Trek. Things like do you let one person to die to save a thousand? It really makes you think, which is a very high compliment. This reads much like a look into Roddenberry's mind as Tales of Sand was the last look into Henson's. It's really a very interesting series, one that sci-fi and Roddenberry fans alike should pick up to read.<br />
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And deeper into the rabbit hole of the Archaia series you go, the more things you begin to find. Tumor, one of my favorite books by them, is like the old film noir films. Set in LA, it follows a private detective named Frank Armstrong who has an inoperable brain tumor. But as his final days begins, he is working on one last case, and he wants to make sure that this time, he will save the girl. But things aren't all well, as his senses are failing him and he begins to blackout during the story. Can he piece it all together? It's a great read, but one more for teens and adults. I'm a sucker for things like The Maltese Falcon, and this is right up my ally. We don't get a lot of stories or movies in this vein anymore, so I was glad to discover this one.<br />
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If you like Rod Serling, then you should look into Moon Lake, which is from the mind of Dan Fogler. It is a bit like Rod Serling's Twilight Zone, if it was on acid and a bit deranged. It's goofy and fun to read, but it's definitely bizarre, sort of weird, and great. It's an anthology book, and I almost hope one day Fogler will decide to do another. We have Okko, which is set in feudal Japan, but with a twist. It follows a group of demon hunting samurai who are on a mission to save a man's sister. It's very cool, very dark, and very much for mature audiences. A personal favorite of mine is Revere, which is like Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, but follows Paul Revere, who is a monster hunter, as he fights a war against a supernatural killer who has been attacking the people in Boston. It's some of the most fun I've had reading a comic in quite some time.<br />
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Of course, there is also Return of the Dapper Men, which is in a world where time has stopped. But one day, a group of mysterious dapper men arrive, and they are bent on setting things right. It almost feels like the inside of a Tim Burton dream, and it's quite the fun read. These are just a few of the titles that Archaia offers! There are so many more, including Conspiracy of the Planet of the Apes, which takes place during the original 1968 film, The Engineer which is a very Mike Mignola style and steam punk like book, The Grave Doug Freshley which is about a cowboy who is outrunning Death, the greatest gunslinger of all, and Syndrome, which is like a twist on The Truman Show, if the show was about a serial killer and the people in the town had no idea. The things that this company produces just really blow my mind. It's interesting seeing how many different stories they have told. No two comics they have done are the same. It's really remarkable.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBTfZHwq2bGeMakLGTyIRrCkjDfNC_ArFs00HhYAcmujkh1ITj3nrVGD7kayzOZqBgmn8-l38osDnmedN2hdkQSHVbpf4-lQNdjt2rljOM6M2sAeYGhkiKAYGCAC_0cLI0mQdEO114M8/s1600/dappermencvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBTfZHwq2bGeMakLGTyIRrCkjDfNC_ArFs00HhYAcmujkh1ITj3nrVGD7kayzOZqBgmn8-l38osDnmedN2hdkQSHVbpf4-lQNdjt2rljOM6M2sAeYGhkiKAYGCAC_0cLI0mQdEO114M8/s320/dappermencvr.jpg" width="276" /></a>Seriously, I could go on talking about the many titles that Archaia offers all day. I've become fully immersed in their back catalog of titles since WonderCon ended. They're such a great company, and the work they do is unparalleled by any of the big companies right now. Their books are the nicest printed books on the market, and they all come in beautiful hardcover bindings. When you open the books, from the first flap, you become immersed in the world that you're about to read. They set the tone quickly and sweep you off your feet into a new place. And these look great on a shelf together! These aren't cheap hardcovers, they're really nice. Like I said, they're some of the nicest books on the market right now.<br />
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With all the creative freedom the creators are giving, and the some of the nicest books you can buy, Archaia comics is really a company you should be looking into. They're a company that, I hope, many will learn about over the next few years, because they're definitely doing work that rivals their biggest competitors. Whenever I see a title from Archaia now, I'll know that it means there's quality behind it, and I can't wait to continue sifting through their catalog and discovering some new gems. Many of their comics, including Mouse Guard, Rust, and a few others have already been optioned to be films over the next few years as well. People are beginning to take notice of the awesome storytelling that Archaia is doing. Honestly, in all of this, I just hope I've convinced at least some of you to go out and try some of their comics. That's all I ask is that you give them a chance. Because frankly, they deserve your time and acknowledgement. If you want to look for yourself to see what they've got, check out Archaia.com, or find them on twitter at @Archaia, and on Facebok at Archaia Entertainment. Seriously guys, you won't regret it.</div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-48746124195875618932012-02-26T15:02:00.003-08:002012-02-26T15:24:17.986-08:00Academy Awards 2012 Predictions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtUp1-vMg6h1VpDoXyc0uqVPcyPNial2JQbAGM8yfAAP7Re9a7qCF9-F4GSHZAHFpXeA5xgiUK1ZcxsnQ1GOJ3rOGGVfR_gByE8L-9NvqYRzTUpOO0oG7SZjwM66esxbe3WpHUpUVlI8/s1600/oscars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUtUp1-vMg6h1VpDoXyc0uqVPcyPNial2JQbAGM8yfAAP7Re9a7qCF9-F4GSHZAHFpXeA5xgiUK1ZcxsnQ1GOJ3rOGGVfR_gByE8L-9NvqYRzTUpOO0oG7SZjwM66esxbe3WpHUpUVlI8/s400/oscars.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>With the Academy Awards being tonight, I've compiled a list of what I'm thinking will go home with the little gold Oscar statue tonight. Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below on my blog, as well as what you think will or won't go home with things tonight. And follow me on Twitter (@pj_campbell) as I live tweet tonight's show!<br />
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</div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div><ul><li>Best Picture - 'The Artist'<br />
This movie will be the easy pick this year for the Academy. It's swept so many award shows tonight, there is no way this movie doesn't win. Personally, I'd like to see 'The Descendants', 'Midnight in Paris', or 'Hugo' go home with the award, but it just isn't going to happen.<br />
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<li>Best Director - Michael Hazanavicius, 'The Artist'<br />
Again, there is just a no way Michael doesn't get the award tonight. He's a lock for it, even though I'd like to see Alexander Payne get the award for 'The Descendants'.<br />
</li>
<li>Best Actor - Jean Dujardin, 'The Artist'<br />
He's a popular choice and he's being winning a lot of awards, so I just don't see him not getting it. The only person who may be able to win, and could be the shocking twist and upset to many, is George Clooney for 'The Descendants'. But as much as I'd love to see Clooney win, I really want to see the underdog, Gary Oldman, get the award for his incredible work on 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'. He gave an amazing performance, which may be his career best.<br />
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<li>Best Actress - Viola Davis, 'The Help'<br />
There is no way she doesn't go home with it. She's a lock, at least for me. Everyone loves the help, and they want to see her win. And I do too. She's who I'm picking for the win this year.<br />
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<li>Best Actor in Supporting Role - Christopher Plummer, 'Beginners'<br />
Plummer was fantastic in 'Beginners', and I just don't see him not going home with it. The only other person I see possibly going home with it is Max von Sydow for his great role in 'Extremely Loud and Incredible Close'.<br />
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<li>Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Octavia Spencer, 'The Help'<br />
She's destined to win this. Everything points to her taking home the award tonight, and I just don't doubt she will. She's getting it.<br />
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<li>Best Music - 'The Artist'<br />
The whole movie is a silent movie, and the music makes it. It has to get it.<br />
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<li>Makeup - 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'<br />
The 'Iron Lady will probably go home with the award, but I really want to see 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2' go home with the award. It's one of the only things that the final 'Harry Potter' got nominated for, sadly, and it deserves a win. I'm hoping it goes home with this.<br />
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<li>Costume Design - 'The Artist'<br />
The costumes in 'The Artist' are really, really awesome. I just don't see it not getting it. The only other movie I'd see it possibly going to is 'Hugo', which I think will be sadly looked over this year at the show.<br />
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<li>Writing (Original Screenplay) - Woody Allen, 'Midnight in Paris'<br />
Allen won't get best picture or director, but he'll at least get best screenplay. The academy loves him, and they'll give him this one. Not to mention, 'Midnight in Paris' is one of the best written movies of the last year, just fantastic film.<br />
</li>
<li>Art Direction - 'The Artist'<br />
I just have a feeling it's going home with it. I'd like to see 'Harry Potter' get it, but that won't happen.<br />
</li>
<li>Cinematography - Robert Richardson, 'Hugo'<br />
One of the few things I think 'Hugo' can take home tonight. 'Hugo' had one one of the most breathtaking opening shots in recent memory, and the entire movie matched that in the excellent cinematography that Richardson brought to it. 'The Artist' may get this tonight, but my gut is on 'Hugo'.<br />
</li>
<li>Best Film Editing - 'The Artist'<br />
It's a silent movie, so editing is key to make it work. it's definitely getting it.<br />
</li>
<li>Documentary Short - Saving Face<br />
</li>
<li>Foreign Language Film - 'A Separation'<br />
</li>
<li>Animated Film - 'Rango'<br />
It was the best animated movie of last year next to 'The Adventures of TinTin'. The lack of 'TinTin' nomination to me means that 'Rango' will get the award. None of the other animated films are nearly as good as this one.<br />
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<li>Short Film, Animated - 'The Fantastic Flying Books of Morris Lessmore'<br />
This one was really just grabbed me, and I think it will grab the Academy too. I just don't see it not going home with it.<br />
</li>
<li>Writing, Adapted Screenplay - 'The Descendants'<br />
'The Descendants' has to go home with something, and the amazingly adapted screenplay will be the thing it goes home with. At least I hope and pray it does.<br />
</li>
<li>Sound Editing - 'Warhorse'<br />
I am really leaning on this guy to win tonight. I loved the sound editing on this guy, and it was really well done. It's really a toss up between this and 'Hugo' though, but I'm giving 'Warhorse' the benefit of the doubt. But I really wish 'Drive' would get the award, but the Academy has overlooked the movie, so I just don't see it going home with it.<br />
</li>
<li>Sound Mixing - 'Warhorse'<br />
Generally, the movie that gets editing gets mixing too. So I stand by 'Warhorse'.<br />
</li>
<li>Visual Effects - 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'<br />
Best visual effects of last year, hands down. It has to go home with this. If Andy didn't get best supporting actor, it deserves something.<br />
</li>
<li>Documentary - 'Paradise Lost 3'<br />
This is a toss up, but since the movie is about freeing people wrongfully accused of murder, I think it'll go home with it. That's pretty interesting subject matter and seems like an Academy choice.<br />
</li>
<li>Music, Original Song - 'Man of Muppet', 'The Muppets'<br />
There's no way it doesn't. It's an amazing song and blows the one from Rio out of the water.<br />
</li>
<li>Short film, Live Action - 'The Shore'<br />
It was the most cinematic and I think it connects with older Academy goers.</li>
</ul></div><div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=f7995e69-0038-4ef4-a97d-b6ebe90fb625" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-82292863662960056512012-02-24T14:44:00.004-08:002012-09-30T21:44:01.004-07:00'John Carter' Review - A Perfect Return to Pulp Fiction Adventure and Science Fiction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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For over a hundred years, Edgar Rice Burroughs' eleven book 'Barsoom' series, which began with 'A Princess of Mars', has been an inspiration for many of our most well known science fiction films, and has become a small staple of popular culture. Things like 'Star Wars', 'Avatar', 'Flash Gordon', 'Buck Rogers' as well as authors like Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. Clarke have all been inspired by Burroughs and his many characters and their adventures on the planet Barsoom, or as we know it as, Mars. But no character from the series has become more popular over time than John Carter, the hero of many of Burroughs' 'Barsoom' novels. Hollywood has spent many years of attempting to bring John Carter and Barsoom to the big screen, and now Academy award winning director Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, Wall-e) and Walt Disney Pictures have worked together to finally give this series it's due on the big screen. Stanton has managed to bring the incredible world Burroughs envisioned all those years ago to the big screen in a true pulp fiction style adventure that fans and newcomers alike will fall in love with. This is science fiction, as well as action and adventure, at its finest.<br />
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John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), a once Confederate soldier, is a man with nothing to lose. He dreams of finding a gold in the Arizona territory so he can spend the rest of his days as a rich man. But in the midst of a struggle with some Apache Indians, Carter finds himself transported to new world known as Barsoom, or as he knows it as, Mars. Because of the gravity differences, Carter is now stronger, faster, and can jump higher than anyone else on the planet, which makes him a target as an ally for some, such as Prince Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) and Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe), or an enemy for others. But Carter soon realizes there is more happening on Barsoom than some may realize, and finds that he may the only person who can save the planet and it's people from complete destruction.<br />
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For Stanton being a first time live action director, he absolutely nails it. 'John Carter' has been Stanton's passion project for a long time, and it really shows. Being a huge fan of the source material, he makes sure that this is a movie that fans of the series will come to love and embrace, while also catering to an audience who may not be familiar with the material or the character. But the most important thing he did is take material that's been borrowed from so heavily over the century and make it new, exciting, and fresh. Sure, we've seen stories like this many times before, but this is also the original, so it's hard to fault the film for that. He's taken a plot that has been so heavily borrowed from before and made it incredibly fun, and you forget that you may have seen things similar to it before. Stanton finds the perfect balance between action and character development, which is something many directors seem to miss. The action, while not long, is great, especially considering it's Stanton's first live action film. It's well spread out throughout the film, but the moments without it are never boring. Fora movie that's two hours and twenty minutes long, that's a build deal. The breaks in action are used to really get to know the characters and their struggles, as well as what makes them tick and what motivates them. Stanton wants to make sure you know these characters, and that you care about them. If you don't, then this movie wouldn't work. <br />
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For any of these characters to work though, you have to make sure you have actors that you can convey the emotion that you want and bring them to life. And luckily for Stanton, he has found a cast that is perfect across the board. First and foremost, there has been a lot of backlash against the casting of Taylor Kitsch as John Carter, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Kitsch is absolutely perfect as the hero, and he really brings the character I've loved for so many years to life on the big screen. Stanton wouldn't cast just anyone as these characters, so trust when I tell you that he's found the perfect Carter. Kitsch is not a one dimensional actor, and he brings a lot the character, where we can see the pain behind his eyes from his past, and his uncertainty of the future and what it holds for him. On top of that, he brings the wonder and excitement of John to life in this new place. He is the audiences eyes into this new world, and he's perfect at it. But this movie isn't just about Taylor Kitsch. This movie has an excellent supporting cast. Lynn Collins is great as the beautiful and feisty Prince Dejah Thoris, the Princess of Mars. Much like Kitsch, we learn to love and care about Dejah early on, and how all she wants to do is save the people of Barsoom from their uncertain fate. What's also important is that she and Kitsch have great chemistry together, and we really believe about the love and care between these two characters as the movie progresses. This movie wouldn't work without their relationship being believable, so I'm glad to see it come to life here.<br />
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Those two aside, I must not forget about about Willem Dafoe as Tars Tarkas, the Thark leader, and the man who finds John Carter. Dafoe is great as the alien being who befriends Carter, and really makes us feel for Tars. He is just as human as he is alien, even behind the motion captured CGI. Dafoe is a great actor, and he really brings Tars to life in a way that many actors wouldn't be able to. For me, his performance reaches that of Andy Serkis' in 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' for one of my favorite motion capture characters. I'd like to give a shout out to Mark Strong, who is a presence throughout the movie, and one that really stands out. I really liked Strong here, but I won't go in to too much detail about his character or who he is. But Strong was really quite good here, and he is quickly becoming an actor I will go out of my way to say. And last but not least, I have to say how much I loved Bryan Cranston's brief role at the beginning of the film. Cranston is such a terrific actor, and his ten minutes in the film he really shines.<br />
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One thing that really stands out to me is Michael Giacchino's score of the film. It's sweeping and epic and really helps elevate the movie. I've found over the past two days since seeing the movie, I have been continually humming the movie's theme. It's very memorable, which is needs to be for a movie like this. A truly great movie has to have a memorable soundtrack, and Giacchino absolutely delivers that here. He has become one of my favorite music composers, and I find I'm always looking forward to what he does next. If we do get to see the 'Barsoom' series continue, I hope that he will be a part of the series that stays with it. His music really did help make the movie. There is also a perfect balance of humor in this movie. It's got many funny moments, but nothing that takes away from the movie, or anything that becomes terribly annoying. That is always a concern I have going into movies like this, but it isn't a problem here. As far as the 3D goes, it really doesn't add much to the film and just makes it look darker than it should. It's a decent post conversion job, but I'd suggest seeing it in 2D instead of 3D.<br />
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I also have to say, as a fan of the book series, I really was pleased to see that it sticks to the source material wherever possible, and only deviates when it will work better for the movie. Stanton makes sure, as I said before, that fans of the series will embrace this movie, and he does an amazing job doing that. I never thought I'd see the 'Barsoom' series so well done on the big screen, but Stanton has done it in spades. He's brought a childhood fantasy to life in a way many books don't get the chance to.<br />
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This is filmmaking at it's absolute finest. A riproaring adventure that takes you to a whole new world, and you forget about everything else around you. The cast, many that are up and comers, as well as great character actors throughout, really help bring the movie to life. From beginning to end I was glued to the screen in this world. Everything from the sweeping score, great direction, amazing cast, and fun action and adventure feel of the movie reminded me of days long gone from Hollywood. Movies that are made as pure escapism fun in a pulp fiction style adventure. 'John Carter' is a return to the Hollywood we all fell in love, and I can't recommend this movie enough. For me, this must have been what it was like seeing 'Star Wars' for the first time on May 25, 1977. I love this movie more than I've loved any other movie in a long time. Go see it, and I hope you fall in love with it as I have.<br />
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9/10<br />
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Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-4422892647965685242012-02-19T00:02:00.000-08:002012-05-26T08:50:49.079-07:00'Chronicle' Review - A Brilliant Take on Found Footage and Superheroes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When anyone utters the words found footage when talking about movies, I become very hesitant of the film. I'm not usually a fan of found footage features, with a select few such as 'Cloverfield' and 'Rec'. But the idea of a found footage movie dealing with superheroes had me very intrigued, especially one written by Max Landis, the writer of one of my favorite novels, 'World War Z'. Directed by new comer Josh Trank, 'Chronicle' not only is one of the best superhero films that's been made, but also one of the best uses of found footage that's been used.<br />
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High school student Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) doesn't have the easiest life. He gets picked on at school, his fathers an alcoholic, and his mother is sick. To help himself cope with what is going on, he decides to begin filming everything he does. One night when he's at a high school party with his cousin Matt Garetty (Alex Russell), and Matt's friend Steve Montgomery (Michael B. Jordan) a whole out in the middle of the forest. They decide to investigate and the next thing they know they have psychic powers. They begin to mess with their new found abilities and discover just what they can do with it, and how having them can lead to a downward spiral.<br />
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Honestly, 'Chronicle' is some most fun I've had at a superhero movie in a long time. This was such a well thought out film, with a really great story and three very well cast and written characters that elevate this movie ahead of many of the more recent films in both genres. Josh Trank has proven to be an exceptional director on his first outing, and I'm already looking forward to seeing what he does next. Trank knows character, story, and special effects. He's brought an old school approach that makes the film work even better. By using practical effects, the movie works even better.<br />
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But the thing that Trank and Landis do the best though is their attention to the characters. They make sure that we understand and care about Andrew, Matt, and Steve and understand all their feelings and motivations. These are three of the most relatable characters I've gotten to watch in quite some time. They really feel like real high school students that you could have been with. All three of the actors are faces I've seen before, and I've enjoyed them all in the various things I've seen them in. But here is the first time I've really gotten to enjoy them and see them shine. Dane especially, who plays Andrew, gets to play so many different sides to the character, he's just a joy to watch. To watch his gradual decent is really interesting, and he pulls it off really well. He and Alex who plays his cousin Matt have great chemistry, and it seemed very natural. Especially towards the end. But my favorite character is definitely Steve, played by Michael B. Jordan, who I've come to love over the last season or two of 'Parenthood'. He is very charismatic, and I absolutely loved him every time he was on screen.<br />
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What really impressed me though, other than the characters, was the special effects. Trank used a lot of practical effects to create his characters super powers. That added a lot of extra realism to what they were doing, and for me, worked better. Nothing looked nearly as CGI and fake as many the times things like that can. Trank really has a great eye for effects and knows how to utilize them properly. He also has a great eye for action. The final act of the film, set in Seattle, is one of the most intense and cool fight scenes I've seen in a superhero film. And doing it in a found footage style was even more interesting, as it cut from things like news casts, to cell phone videos, to security cameras. It was just really fantastic and fun to watch.<br />
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'Chronicle' is not only one of the best found footage films that's been made, but one of the best superhero movies as well. It's made me fall in love all over again with the genre, and shown that not all superhero films have to be cookie cutter and by the book as many can be. With an excellent story, a great cast, and outstanding special effects, 'Chronicle' is the first truly great film of the year. Josh Trank has proven to be an upcoming director to really watch, because he's proven he's definitely got the talent to do great things. I know rumors are swirling about a sequel, but I don't want it to happen. I'd love to see this movie stand on it's own as it is. It just works too well to have a sequel. I can't recommend this movie enough.<br />
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9/10<br />
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=0576b3cb-6da5-4eb0-8e38-5ad9f4c12adc" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-49164129128796693672012-02-18T21:57:00.001-08:002012-02-26T11:36:04.315-08:00'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance' Review - An Unfortunate Misstep For the Marvel Character<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4cTvhWIBhHn-vi0PQAx_G7Nup-m8gnu2q2y6Ig-wcu0qK_NcaYX9dkIn3GCGYGLzAKFY6-sOfctNITboZrz0F8ncQ4mZqkQWEIl891E-PgZNcC9488qiA5VTWvRbwyTKi5pk41gpkZs/s1600/ghost+rider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4cTvhWIBhHn-vi0PQAx_G7Nup-m8gnu2q2y6Ig-wcu0qK_NcaYX9dkIn3GCGYGLzAKFY6-sOfctNITboZrz0F8ncQ4mZqkQWEIl891E-PgZNcC9488qiA5VTWvRbwyTKi5pk41gpkZs/s400/ghost+rider.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's been five years since Marvel comics Ghost Rider last graced, or crashed and burned in some eyes, in Mark Steven Johnson's movie 'Ghost Rider'. The movie starred Nicholas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a man who makes a deal with the Devil to save his father, only to become cursed as a flaming skull vigilante known as Ghost Rider. The movie did well at the box office, but was considered by many to be a wasted opportunity to bring the character to the big screen. Now Sony has gone back to the character to try again, with the duo behind the 'Crank' series, a new take on the character, and Nicholas Cage back as the anti-hero. But unfortunately, the movie falters out the gate and never quite recovers during it's short running time, making 'Spirit of Vengeance' a very disappointing return to the character.<br />
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'Spirit of Vengeance' is a little hard to describe. It picks up years after the original, but in a way, pretends the original didn't happen. So essentially, this a reboot, but with Cage returning as Johnny Blaze. None of this really makes any ounce of sense, which isn't surprising because the narrative of the film follows the same trend. The movie follows Blaze trying to stop a child of a gypsy becoming the anti-Christ, while trying to get rid of the Rider. And that's about all the structure of the film is. The next ninety minutes is a string of bad dialogue, weak and badly directed action scenes, and over acting from all involved. And there in lies many of the films problems.<br />
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In order for any story to work, you have to get to know the characters and get to know their motivations. But in this movie, there isn't any of that. Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the duo behind the 'Crank' series, have no idea what these characters should be doing. They're more focused on their chaotic and frantic filming styles and being extreme than the dynamics of the characters and the story of the film. They admittedly didn't know much about the character, and even chose the villain because they thought he looked cool in the comics. That should explain quite a bit of why the film feels so disjointed and doesn't really work.<br />
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The acting is subpar at best, with Cage being over the top as usual. His phoned in performances are becoming tiresome, and I can tell that Neveldine and Taylor tried pushing Cage to his utmost insane. It just didn't work in this movie. The supporting cast, including great actors such as Idris Elba, are given close to nothing to do and sleep walk through the movie. The only good thing I can say about the cast is that Cage and Fergus Riordan, who plays the young boy Danny, do have great on screen chemistry and look like they had fun working together on the film. Oh, and if you look closely towards the end, you may recognize Christopher Lambert, of 'Highlander' fame as a tattooed monk towards the end of the film who is giving nothing to do.<br />
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What really bothers me more than anything, is this could have been a fun, grindhouse style, B action film in the hands of these directors, and the movie doesn't even reach that potential. The directing duo's style just doesn't work with this character. The action scenes are all over the place and you don't really get a great idea of what's going on. The Rider shows up, wrecks havoc, pees fire, and vomits bullets on people, but his presence is so minuscule throughout the movie. So the fact that the few scenes that the titular character shows up in aren't that fun is really disheartening. And I want to know why every time they're any place, it looks like the middle of no where. The movie feels incredibly cheap. If Sony wasn't really willing to put the time and money into the film, they should have just let the rights lapse back to Marvel and let them do it correctly.<br />
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'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance' is a missed opportunity on so many levels that makes the first movie look like an Academy Awards nominee. The acting is over the top, and not in a good way, the story is non existent, and the action is chaotic and terribly staged. By the time the movie was over, I couldn't wait to leave. The ninety minutes dragged for what felt like three hours, which is an even worse sign. It's hard for me to remember the last time I looked at my phone so many times while seeing a movie, hoping it would be over soon. At this point, I pray that Marvel gets the rights back from Sony and can reboot the character properly. I highly doubt we'll be seeing a third film with Cage as the anti-hero. I'm very, very disappointed in this movie and wish I could say it was better than it turned out and really wish I could say this is the take on the character I had been hoping for.<br />
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3/10<br />
<div class="zemanta-pixie" style="height: 15px; margin-top: 10px;"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=dd5cebb2-b848-4e88-bc11-3940ed83c99d" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-22206073768521086362011-07-09T00:58:00.001-07:002012-04-15T12:28:38.952-07:00Torchwood: Miracle Day - 'The New World' Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.boomtron.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/torchwood-miracle-day-jacktop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://www.boomtron.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/torchwood-miracle-day-jacktop1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Two years ago, the fate of Torchwood was up in the air. After the incredibly shocking finale of Children of Earth, Torchwood's series three miniseries, it almost seemed as if the show may be ending on a dark, and final note. Where did you go from there? Jack (played by the incredible John Barrowman) left earth and was on the run, trying to atone for his sins. Gwen (played by the always gorgeous Eve Myles) and Rhys ( the always dependable Kai Owen) were now parents of a little girl. And the Torchwood Hub was quite literally destroyed. It seemed as if Russel T. Davies, the creator of Torchwood, and the man who revived Doctor Who for the BBC, had penned his last adventure featuring Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper. But here we are, for the first time in two years, with the continuing adventures of what's left of the Torchwood team, fighting what may be their biggest threat yet. Did the co-financing of America hurt the return of the critically acclaimed British series, or did it manage to move across the pond in tact? Find out after the jump.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">A convicted child rapist and murder named Oswald Danes (Bill Pullman) is strapped to a chair, about to face the fate he created for himself. He is injected, but some how survives. That same day, FBI Agent Rex Matheson (Mekhi Phiffer) is impaled by several large metal rods, only to wake up in the hospital alive when he should most certainly be dead. But it's not just a freak accident for these two men. Across the world, no one dies for a day, The day becomes known by all, as the Miracle Day. And in the middle of it all, the the now defunct Torchwood becomes the target of an investigation by two FBI agents who think they hold the secret to what has happened. As Jack catches wind of the situation, he destroys all evidence leading back to him or his former team, and sets out to protect the last member, Gwen Cooper, from the events that are about to transpire.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There was quite a bit of worry in the fan community over the fact that Torchwood: Miracle Day would be co-produced by the American production company Starz. Fans worried that it would turn out to be very Americanized, somewhat like the ill-fated 1996 Doctor Who television film that starred Paul McGann, co-produced by Universal Studios. Another shocking turn of events had the show being moved out of Cardiff, which many fans, myself included, became very nervous about. Torchwood set in the USA? That just screamed blasphemy. But all fans can breathe a sigh of relief, because Torchwood's integrity is still in tact, and the show has never been better. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Miracle Day, in my opinion, is the beginning of what could be the strongest series of Torchwood yet. It hit all the right notes with me, and really has me anticipating what we have to come. This is the first of a ten part series, and Miracle Day does a great job at being the set up for what looks to be a fun, globe trotting affair. Torchwood's very distinctive vibe has absolutely survived the move across the pond. There is definitely a bit of a '24'-like undertone as well, with a government conspiracy and cover-up, but it's not too much. To me, they found a perfect balance to make it appeal to the original fans, and bring in new fans as well. That said, I find that the producers wanting to make this a stand alone series that new fans could jump into, while slightly accurate, is off. I found that the series may be hard for new fans to completely understand. There are lots of little winks and nods to the previous series, while also making very important connections that aren't dealt with much. That may change over time, but this is important information that only fans of the prior series' will understand, and new comers may scratch their heads at. Everything from why Gwen and Rhys are on the run, to what exactly Jack is and what his true abilities are. It is a big deal, and seemed sort of passed over to me, but I have a feeling it will be much more front and center later into the series. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I must say, the cast that they were able to acquire for the new Torchwood so far is quite good. Of course, we have the return of the series star, John Barrowman, as Captain Jack Harkness. Barrowman has been front and center every season so far, and each season he gets to bring a new layer to Jack. But Barrowman plays Jack so comfortably and well that you'd swear it hadn't been so long since he last played the character. He just oozes the headstrong, cocky nature so well and really brings Jack to life. We also get the return of the always lovable Eve Myles as the tough as nails Gwen Cooper. Her character has come a long way from the naive officer thrown into this world of aliens and conspiracy. She is now a tough, gun totting gal who wants nothing more than to be with her child and husband, but also deal with the world's new mystery, no matter the cost. It's a real dilemma for her, and it shows. Mekhi Phiffer's FBI agent Rex is a character I really look forward to seeing. He plays the part very well, and is very convincing as a man who is tortured by the fact that he should be dead. The pain he feels emotionally, not just physically, just comes pouring out. The scene in the hospital where he realizes what has happened to him, for me, is one of the strongest scenes in the episode. Phiffer just knocks it out of the park, and you can't help but care for his character Rex. For me though, the standout here is Bill Pullman. I have been a fan of Pullman for a long time, and his character Oswald couldn't be further from anything I've seen him previously play. The character is sleazy, evil, and just a bad, bad guy. But he also comes off as a genius, getting himself freed from prison after his attempted execution. Every time he is on screen, I couldn't help but feel a chill. He just plays the character in a way that got under my skin, and I'm glad he was able to pull it off that way. It was a standout in the episode so far. I look forward to seeing where his character goes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
One thing I have to say for Miracle day is I LOVE the story so far. It's very interesting. The idea that no one is dying is very, very, well done here. Not only do they deal with that, but they're also dealing with the idea of what repercussions if brings to the world. Yes, people may not be dying...but children are still being born. Within weeks, the world will be overpopulated even more and there will be a shortage of food. And what happens to these people when the miracle ends? Do they all die like they should have? So many questions to be answered and so much to deal with. I look forward to seeing the conclusion of it.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Torchwood: Miracle Day is an incredible continuation of the series that I did not expect. With nine more episodes left in this particular series, it'll be interesting to see exactly where Miracle Day goes. I really look forward to seeing how Jack's new found problem causes, and how the world will be affected by this new Miracle Day. It's a true testament to Russell T. Davies' writing and characters that they have survived the transition over seas and have not been terribly altered or fix. While not a perfect jumping point for new fans of the series, I definitely see it becoming a fan favorite and obtaining new followers for the series. Next Friday can't get here soon enough, and should fill the void for Doctor Who fans waiting for this mid season break to end. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">8/10</div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-86006045695388733032011-06-29T17:44:00.004-07:002012-06-24T19:23:47.391-07:00'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Review - An Unexpectedly Solid Sequel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Picking up a few years after the events of Revenge of the Fallen, Sam (Shia Labeouf) is now out of college, living with his new girlfriend Carly (played by new comer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"> Rosie Huntington-Whiteley), and looking for a job. The Autobots, working for the US Government, are off doing different missions without Sam, making him feel as if he's no longer important to them, or the world. But when a secret hidden by NASA comes to surface, the fate of the world falls into the hands of Sam and the Autobots for one final time.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">When it comes to summer blockbusters and action movies, you can't get much bigger than Michael Bay. No one can stage action and explosions quite like he can, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon may be his masterpiece. And part of that falls on the fact he shot the movie in 3D. For the first time, I feel the need to say that 3D is an absolute must when watching this movie. Bay put James Cameron to shame with his use of 3D, and 3D also taught Bay how to really shoot action. With 3D, you really have to slow down your camera movements and really stage the action so you don't get blur and capture that 3D aspect. This taught Bay how to really execute action scenes in a way that was comprehensible and absolutely breathtaking, really taking his abilities to a whole new level. This is the Michael Bay I wanted to see when I first saw Bad Boys and The Rock in the early </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">nineties, and I feel like he has finally delivered on his ultimate promise of being one of the world's greatest action directors. The set pieces this time are just incredible. The last hour is some of the most intense, over the top, and exciting action I've ever seen in any movie. Bay really went big. Autobots and Decepticons alike die, humans are incinerated, and Chicago is absolutely reduced to rubble. This is actually a fairly intense movie, and I feel the need to say some kids might find the film too intense, so parents may want to head caution with younger ones. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">After the massive backlash Revenge of the Fallen had taken, Bay and LaBeouf both </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">publicly came out, admitting the movie wasn't what it could have been. They promised a bigger, better, and epic finish to the series they started four years ago. And I have to say, I'm very impressed with the time and care they took with this go around. For me, Dark of the Moon delivers in almost every aspect that the first movie did, and then some. Many great character moments, big action and adventure, but scaling back the globetrotting ways of Revenge of the Fallen really made this movie stronger. The small character moments and heart were really what was missing from Revenge of the Fallen, and I'm glad to see that they went back to that. Without those elements, you're left with a lifeless film with no soul, something Dark of the Moon thankfully avoids. </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Shia LaBeouf is quite good as always as Sam, the movies hero. He gets more depth this time as a bit of a forgotten and unknown hero of the world. It was nice to see his character giving some time to really breathe and show emotions between the shouting and yelling that he does later in the film. We really need to be able to connect with his character to connect with this world, and in every way they have let us connect to him. But many people will want to know about </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Megan Fox's replacement in this film. I enjoyed her much more than I enjoyed Megan Fox in the previous two films. She actually has a bit of acting quality and real emotion, other than just being eye candy as Megan Fox. She also has better chemistry with Shia than Megan did. I actually believed their relationship, and wanted them to be together. I found myself really rooting for them. Once again, Josh Duhamel and Tyrese reprise their roles of William Lennox and Robert Epps, respectively. Neither are given a lot to do this time around, but both are adequate in the confines of the movie. I wish we had gotten to see a bit more of them or they were given more to do, but the movie isn't really about them so I understand. John Turturro also returns as Seymour Simmons, and as always is played completely for comic relief. I enjoyed his role quite a bit, and wish he had a bit more to do as well. But he gets more screen time then Duhamel and Tyrese.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">But of course, this is a movie about Transformers and it's about time I talked about them. What I really liked about this movie is that Bay finally gave the different Autobots personalities and really gave them time to be characters and show each of their personalities. And for the first time, Optimus Prime finally gets to be the full badass he deserves to be. One of my favorite aspects of the movies for me as well was always the relationship between Bumblebee and Sam, which is fully put to the test this go around. A scene towards the end of the film shows how much they really care about each other, and how far each is willing to go for the other. I was glad to see that really touched upon and really wish they had more time for it in the series as a whole. Leonard Nimoy is really, really good as the voice of Sentinel Prime, one of the elders and survivors of Cybertron. It was a very interesting character for Nimory, and they didn't digitize his voice very much and you can really tell it's him. And last, but certainly not least, we did have the return of Megatron, who is always trying to take over the world. But hey, at least he's consistent in his plans and never gives up. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 19px;">The film is paced rather well, as it clocks around two hours and twenty minutes. The movie moves briskly, never dragging and always entertaining. Nothing I really shook my head at this time around or thought should have been left out. The score this time seemed non existent to me, but maybe I was just so focused on the action that i didn't notice it. But many of the scenes seemed to have no background music to them. I will say that I'm glad that Bay didn't overuse the Linkin Park song in the film this time around. It's only use a few times, and at parts where it actually fits. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">With incredible action, the best use of 3D I've seen for any movie, and a straightforward story, Dark of the Moon comes as a big sigh of relief and proves to be one of the best films of the summer. It just oozes fun, excitement, and everything a summer blockbuster should be. Michael Bay has made his masterpiece in the form of one of the biggest popcorn movies of the past few years. The cast and crew really went all out in their final outing in the Transformers universe, and I for one was glad to be a part of it. I honestly don't feel the need to see another movie. This is a great conclusion for the series, and hope we don't see another for quite some time. </span></span><br />
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/?px" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=1457b06e-9a40-404e-b38c-3b20ddc67d97" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-58051340062024499542011-06-09T21:01:00.001-07:002012-06-24T19:27:00.692-07:00'Super 8' Review - An Incredible Nostalgic Adventure of Family and Friendship<div style="text-align: center;">
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I won't beat around the bush about this: I LOVED Super 8. From the opening moments of seeing the Amblin logo back on the screen, the music, the atmosphere, and the characters I couldn't help but have a big grin on my face while watching the movie. These are the kind of movies I grew up on. The Spielberg produced and directed films of the 80's which had amazing casts, great stories, and incredible special effects for good measure. If you put ET, The Goonies, and Close Encounters in a blender, Super 8 would be the outcome. Hollywood doesn't make movies like this anymore, and this was a big gamble for Paramount and those involved, and I'm glad to say that they hit this one out of the park. This is a very special little movie, and the must see of the summer.</div>
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When a group of kids sneak out in the middle of the night to film a scene for their zombie movie, they never could have expected what would happen next. While out at a train stop, they see a train coming down the tracks. Down on the opposite side, a truck turns on and goes head on for the train, knocking it off the tracks while the kids watch. Stuck in the middle of the destruction, the kids try to hide what they've seen from their parents and the town. But when military forces start showing up and all the dogs in the town go missing, the kids start investigating the situation on their own. But what they discover is much scarier then any of them could imagine, and the fate of their town lies in their hands.</div>
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I have to say, ever since the teaser appeared last year in front of Iron Man 2, I couldn't wait to see this. I was so intrigued by the idea of of Spielberg and Abrams working together that my thoughts were just reeling at the possibilities of what was they could do. Spielberg is arguably my favorite filmmaker of all time, working with Abrams who to me is one of the golden children of Hollywood now. He is always thinking outside the box and creating things that are different. What the two have created here is a wonderful nostalgic love letter to Spielberg's films of the 80's, and a gateway for a younger generation to discover the classics. Super 8 is two very different movies put together. What it appears to be is an alien attack on the small town, and while that is a part of the film, the heart and soul of this film is a childhood adventure, the love for making movies, and searching for family and closure.</div>
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Let me begin with the cast, wow. I love the fact that Abrams and Spielberg got a cast of relatively unknown's for the main group of kids. And what's more than that, they can all act. And well. Especially the two main kids played by Joel Courtney as Joe Lamb, and Elle Fanning as Alice Dainard, respectively. This movie hinges on loving these characters, and wanting to see them succeed in their goal to finish their movie, but also coming closer together. And I can't say Joel and Elle deliver in anything less than spades. I couldn't help but fall in love with these two characters. Joel comes from a broken home where he and his father (played by the always incredible Kyle Chandler) barely know each other and are just seeming to get by after an accident months earlier. Oh, and on top of this, his father is also the town deputy. Elle comes from a home where her single alcoholic father is nothing but an angry and emotionally abusive person who has lost everything that it means to live. When Joel and Elle first meet, their is definitely a something off between the two. Elle isn't trusting of him because he is the son of the town deputy, but after the accident, the two begin coming closer together. It is very real friendship, and really shows what your first summer teenage crush was like. They share what is arguable one of the best scenes in the movie together when Elle sneaks into Joe's room in the middle of the night. They stay up late talking and really open up to each other, and the emotions are real and deep. You couldn't help but feel for them. Both of them are actors to watch, and I for one hope they have long careers after this. </div>
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The rest of the cast of kids are great as well. What I love is that even if they don't have a ton of screen time, they all have quirks and traits that will make you remember them. There is Charles, their director and the foul mouthed one in the group, much like Mouth in The Goonies. A fun character, and the exact opposite of Joe in every way. But they are, and always will be, best friends until the very end. Then there is Cary, Preston, and Martin, but I won't delve too much into their personality quirks. It's better to see it for yourself. For me, one of the best things about the movie is seeing one of my favorite actors, Kyle Chandler, front in center in a leading role. Usually a character actor in movies, and mostly known for the television shows Friday Night Lights and Early Edition, I've always enjoyed his work. And Chandler plays Joe's emotionally traumatized father Jackson perfectly. The two barely know each other, and have only grown farther apart after an accident months before. As the situation in the town gets more out of control, everything begins falling on him as well, stressing their relationship even more. Chandler has always been an actor I've loved watching, and he just kills here. People need to take notice of him and really give him more love in films. A scene towards the end of the movie when his character finally gets into hero mode got a cheer from the audience and really blew the movie wide open for me. I demand more movies with Kyle Chandler as the main character, Hollywood, take note!</div>
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The story of this movie is incredibly beautiful and intimate. Where many movies would be focused on the special effects and the alien, this movie was focused on the characters and their relationships. The chaos just happens to be where these relationships are developing. For me, there is nothing better than a real movie with characters, and it makes you really miss the days of 70's and 80's filmmaking where that was a primary goal. As we've moved farther down the road with CGI and special effects, movies are becoming less about characters and story and more about spectacle. That makes this movie that much more special. The fact that it captures the magic and feel of those Spielberg films where we believed an alien could make a boys bike fly, a Delorean could travel through time, and a group of kids could go on an adventure to find pirate treasure really makes me pine for more movies like this. A lot of that credit goes to Michael Giacchino, the composer of the film. He really brings the mood and atmosphere to this movie with the music in the film. And it really feels like a John Williams score of Spielberg's movies as well.<br />
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And of course, I have to talk about Abrams' direction of the film. He really has his own visual style, but he also tried to replicate the look and feel of The Goonies and E.T., but with more lens flare. I was just blown away by the man's attention to detail and how closely he made it feel like one of those movies while still keeping his own style intact. Quite frankly, it was brilliant. Not only is this movie a grand adventure, it's also incredibly touching. I mean, I'll be honest, I teared up a little at the end. These characters are so easy to relate to, it's impossible to not feel something towards the end. And between all these action packed and emotional scenes, there is humor. And I don't mean a little humor. I laughed a lot, from little things from the things that characters were saying to random background characters actions. This movie is a perfect balance of absolutely everything. Abrams to me, is the ultimate showman of his generation, much as Spielberg was in the 80's. He knows what audiences want, and delivers on his promise fully. I love the small things he added as the movie as well, from passing references to Three Mile Island before it's meltdown, to posters for Star Wars and love for all things monsters that really gives the movie more personality to the decade. Also, there is a nice little nod of the movie within the movie to a very popular and iconic zombie director that I really loved, which I won't give away here. I just really liked the way Abrams handled the movie. I also really liked the design of the monsters, and love that you never really see it until the end of the movie. It really added to the ominous nature of the film.<br />
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Super 8 is an incredibly magical throwback to what is arguably the greatest decade for film and one of the world's greatest filmmakers. With an amazing cast, a great story, and a great score, there is no way to not recommend this movie. This is a movie that makes me demand from Hollywood we go back to what made filmmaking special. The movies like this that really make us emotional and feel for the characters on great adventures. Abrams is a director I always loved, and he has solidified his status as one of my favorite directors of the new age of Hollywood. This is an incredible movie, and gets my highest recommendation. This is the must see movie of the summer, don't miss it!<br />
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10/10<br />
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PS -Am I the only one who sees the resemblance between Spielberg and Abrams?! The two look so incredibly similar, I'm starting to think Abrams is Spielberg reincarnate...<br />
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=e1d61609-4b72-48ba-8acb-dc2cf5fe3223" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-80984413210503554982011-06-04T11:39:00.003-07:002012-06-24T19:26:37.039-07:00'X-Men First Class' Review: A Return to Form for a Broken Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been eight years since I've truly loved an X-Men movie. I'm a fan of the comics and I've been burned many times over the past few years by the series. So going into this, I was expecting the worst. The ads have been awful, the behind the scenes sounded disastrous, and the movie just seemed rushed. It wasn't since Bryan Singer's X-Men 2: X-Men United came out in 2003 that I really loved an X-Men film. Singer got the universe and the characters and took the series to new levels after the first movie, paving the way for a great third and final movie, but when 2006 came around Singer was gone and the series nearly imploded on itself with X-Men: The Last Stand. Fox decided to try and take the series in a new direction with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was also poorly received by fans and critics a like. It seems Fox realized what it was missing in the series without Singer and brought him back as a producer and got Matthew Vaughn, the director of Kick-Ass, behind the camera for this movie. The movie these two have crafted is really, really well done. Between the cast, story, and score, the film truly brings like to what I thought was a dying series. So much so that X-Men First Class has made me fall in love with the X-Men universe all over again, and may be the best movie in the series.<br />
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America, 1962. The county is in a state of fear over the Russian's threat of nuclear war. The CIA are in the middle of investigating the situation when they realize there may be a mutant behind the events. Not sure what to do, they turn to the only man they know who knows about genetic mutation, Charles Xavier. During a raid on a boat, Xavier saves the life of another mutant by the name of Erik Lensherr and the two start an incredible friendship that is destined to shatter. The CIA commissions them to find some mutants and create a team to fight the threat and stop nuclear war before it happens. <br />
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What makes this movie, more than anything, is it's leads in James McAvoy as Charles Xavier and the incredible Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr. I never thought I could see anyone else as Erik after Sir Ian McKellen's turn as the character in the first three X-Men films, but Fassbender has proven to be an incredible choice for the role and given McKellen a run for his money. Fassbender plays Erik as a truly tortured soul looking for redemption, closure, and vengeance on what happened to him while he was young in Poland. But for all of his pain, he is also a cool, calculating, and intelligent individual who is also a bit like James Bond. Fassbender's Erik is just truly great to watch. He tears up the screen in every scene he's in and was just a perfect choice for the role. One of his best scene's comes in a bar in Argentina where he faces some of his demons. When asked who or what he is, he coldly looks at the man and says "I'm Frankensteins monster. And I'm looking for my creator." and it's just terrifying. You can see the anger in his eyes and the pain he feels, and Fassbender just oozes Magneto in the role. McAvoy is also quite good as Charles Xavier, who is not near the man we have come to know. This Xavier is a bit of a womanizer and a partier, but still highly intelligent and looking for the good in people. He is very caring and compassionate and bent on helping the other mutants in the world to help them feel that they aren't alone. McAvoy is a great precursor to Patrick Stewart's Xavier, and he brings a lot of charisma to the role in a way Stewart never got to do. But McAvoy and Fassbender together are incredible and really bring this friendship to life. They anchor this movie down and bring new life into the series.<br />
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The supporting cast is quite as good as well. Rose Byrne is good as the CIA agent Moira MacTaggart, who is also Charles' love interest. She and McAvoy have great chemistry together and I always enjoyed them as they were on screen together. Kevin Bacon is also quite good as Sebastian Shaw, the head of the Hellfire Club and a link to Erik's past. It's the first time in a long time I've really liked Bacon in a movie, and he didn't play it over the top. He plays the role with so much class you can't help but love him in it. January Jones plays his right hand women Emma Frost, and she is decent enough in the role. Not great, but I've never found her to be a great actress. The standout for me though was Jennifer Lawrence as the young Raven, or Mystique. Jennifer brings so much charm to Xavier's longest and most faithful friend, but so much hurt and pain at being different and not feeling accepted. She really is great and I liked her much more than the quiet and cold Mystique from later in the series. When Erik begins to talk to her and get in her head, you can see her being split between Erik and Charles and where her allegiance should lie. And last but not least is Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy, the man who will become Beast. Hoult is just a fantastic Hank McCoy, and has quite the side of a tortured scientist and man who is scared of never being accepted for what he is. He and Jennifer share a lot of screen time and are very good together. I'd love to see more of them together in later movies.<br />
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One thing I really loved about the film was the tone and feel of it. With the movie being set in the 60's, it gave them a chance to really play with the decade a bit. From the fear of the nation, to the language, to the look and clothes, they just nailed the decade. There is a scene towards the beginning of Erik sneaking onto a ship that just oozes the feel of a James Bond movie, from the look and feel of the scene. It was brilliantly done. The films action is also quite good. The scene in the trailer of the team fighting in the ocean is really incredibly staged. Every one of the characters gets a chance to show off their powers and really gets a time to shine.<br />
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But what was better was that the movie didn't focus on just the action, but the characters and story. That is what this series should be built on, and they went back to the foundations of it. Singer had a lot of control on the movie, because the one thing he brought to the series was brilliant characters and an underlining social commentary. Everything from racism to slavery is dealt with with ease. A lot of that comes from Matthew Vaughn, who I am now realizing is a director to watch. He truly has an eye for characters and story that the audience can connect to. Without that, this series falls apart, as The Last Stand and Wolverine did, but Fox seems to be learning from their mistakes which is a great sign. One one the most remarkable scenes to me was the opening of the film, which Vaughn reshot shot for shot, of the Concentration Camp scene from the opening of the first movie. It's nearly identical and perfect, just with new actors. I was very impressed by his eye for detail in it. The score is quite good as well. It really fills out the scenes and brings quite an epic feeling to many of the scenes. They even use a bit of of the old X-Men theme song at one point which was a nice touch. There is a few cheesy lines of dialogue, but being X-Men, I come to expect that. It's nothing that phased me on how I felt about the overall movie.<br />
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Also, on an interesting note, X-Men Origins has basically been written out of the continuity. They disregard it completely, certain characters are used in this one that goes against that films events. It seems Fox listened to how upset fans were with the movie and have rewritten the history, which isn't surprising considering Wolverine 2 was going to disregard the first film as well. So if you start thinking about the continuity too much, it may drive you crazy, so don't. Just know that Wolverine is no longer part of the canon. That much is for certain.<br />
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X-Men First Class is everything I've been wanting from an X-Men movie for a long time. I never expected to love this movie as much as I did. It is just incredibly well done, well acted, and well written. This is easily one of the most surprising movies of the year for me so far. The advertising campaign is not doing this movie justice at all and I highly recommend you look past it and check it out. Fans of the series should love it, and it should also pull in a new crowd as well and give it new fans. Walking out of the theater, I was immediately wanting to see a sequel with this cast and these characters. I hope so much that we see another First Class movie. This movie really is just great. I highly recommend it. <br />
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<a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://www.zemanta.com/" title="Enhanced by Zemanta"><img alt="Enhanced by Zemanta" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/zemified_e.png?x-id=f45228a7-540c-4619-84dd-feaa3423af7e" style="border: none; float: right;" /></a></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6950480494253956165.post-89049897869088088192011-05-28T23:38:00.000-07:002011-05-29T10:57:27.950-07:00What Does the Future Hold For Marvel Studios Post 'Avengers'?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://geektyrant.com/storage/page-images/MarvelStudios.jpeg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1292061214644" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="http://geektyrant.com/storage/page-images/MarvelStudios.jpeg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1292061214644" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Back in 2008, Marvel finally broke the shackles that had been holding them back from making great movies based off of their films. Recovering the rights to man of their characters (minus the big hitters of Spider-Man, X-Men, Fantastic Four, DareDevil, and Ghost Ride), Marvel started their own production company so they could make their own movies based off their own characters. First up to bat was their adaption of Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr., that came out to critical and audience acclaim. For those who stayed until the end credits, they were hit with a stinger with Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, director of SHIELD, who came to Tony Stark to talk to him about The Avengers Initiative. After four years and five movies of ground work (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America), Marvel's gamble for the ensemble film The Avengers will hit screens next May. So after that, what is in store for fans and audiences alike, and what does Marvel have in store for us? My thoughts and more after the break.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">The scene that started The Avengers movement: </div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">So with The Avengers a year away, and the film being a surefire hit, where will Marvel go from here? There is a lot of rumors floating around the internet right now, most of which comes stems from things that Marvel President Kevin Feige has been saying in interviews. So here's a look at some confirmed projects, a few rumored, and my ideas for where to go.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Confirmed Projects</b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Iron Man 3</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/images/iron-man-header2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/images/iron-man-header2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Iron Man 3 is already slated for a 2013 release, a year after The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr. will return as Tony Stark and the film will be written and directed by Shane Black, writer of Lethal Weapon and the director of Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Very little is known about the film so far, but the film will take place after The Avengers and not feature any of the other major heroes from the Marvel Universe. Shane Black has shown time and time again what a great writer he is, and Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang is one of the most underrated films of the 2000's, so it's great to see him working again with Downey Jr. on a big tent-pole action film. Black has stated he aims to make the movie a "technological thriller in the vein of Tom Clancy" which may be a very good way to go with the series. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Edgar Wright's Ant-Man</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ant_edgar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://thefilmstage.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ant_edgar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">One film that has been in the pipeline over the past few years has been Edgar Wright's (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Scott Pilgrim vs the World) adaption of Ant-Man. Again, very little is known about it, but Edgar has turned in two drafts of the script and Marvel is very enthusiastic about it. Now that he is done with Scott Pilgrim, Edgar is focusing his efforts on the project and it will be his next film. Very little is known, but he says it will not be a comedy and will take the character seriously. Rumor is we may here hints towards Hank Pym in the upcoming Avengers film, but he will not be seen on screen until Edgar Wright's film. We don't have any of the cast yet, but I do have an idea of who I'd like to see as Hank Pym:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>John Krasinski</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.film.com/wp-content/uploads/2002/08/17381594-17381596-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://www.film.com/wp-content/uploads/2002/08/17381594-17381596-large.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Krasinksi was originally courted by Marvel to play Captain America, so Marvel obviously has shown interest in working with him. This would be a great chance for him to do something different and break his image as Jim Halpert in The Office and really become a bigger star. I'd really like to see him get the chance to take the role.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Captain America 2</b><br />
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</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Captain America hasn't even been released yet but the sequel is already in the scripting stages. The rumor is that the script will take place in two different time periods where we see more of Captain America in WWII and how something that happens then plays a part in the story arc of whats happening in present day America, while also dealing with him coping with being in a new time period. Very much looking forward to it.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>RUMORED PROJECTS:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">From here, we'll talk about some of the projects rumored from Marvel themselves, but have no confirmation as being made.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Thor 2</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6BYU02dy380/TcWINnIJSmI/AAAAAAAAAsA/BXmi2U38Ik4/s1600/thor-chris-hemsworth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6BYU02dy380/TcWINnIJSmI/AAAAAAAAAsA/BXmi2U38Ik4/s320/thor-chris-hemsworth.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div>With Thor's worldwide success last month, Chris Hemsworth and Kevin Feige have both been very open about discussing the possibilities of the sequel. Hemsworth himself put on Twitter: "Believe it or not folks, Thor 2 is happening!" The rumor is that the film is already in early development at Marvel with a 2013 release date in mind. There is also already rumblings of who the villain(s) might be in the film, that Natalie Portman will be returning, and that Kenneth Branagh is being courted to return as director. I'm hoping now with the origin behind them, they can jump even more deeply into Thor's core mythology and explore more of Asgard. And make sure the next movie is longer! The first could have benefited from an extra ten or fifteen minutes of story to flesh out the secondary characters.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Avengers 2 and 3</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJw3TcnVEexzD3FAuA8lJbPYvEEl31KaZv1r_p6ipifM6JPti7S6FofcYgqJoe4OesWGAR5FvK2SIQBJRWOV9Y12e7EHsh5iI9xvbVzDwK8XnxhDiPCa2NADDGfid13Aip8SSzkuSNik/s1600/The+Avengers+2012+Marvel+Movie.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJw3TcnVEexzD3FAuA8lJbPYvEEl31KaZv1r_p6ipifM6JPti7S6FofcYgqJoe4OesWGAR5FvK2SIQBJRWOV9Y12e7EHsh5iI9xvbVzDwK8XnxhDiPCa2NADDGfid13Aip8SSzkuSNik/s320/The+Avengers+2012+Marvel+Movie.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Avengers is rumored to be the setup for a bigger story to take place over three movies. This has been confirmed by Evan's as well who has said he's signed for three Captain America films and three Avengers films. I guarantee Whedon and Marvel have an story arc in mind already and are setting it in the first film. Guess we'll see how it plays out.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Hawkeye: Agent of SHIELD</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://screencrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/jeremy-renner-hawkeye-4-5-10-kc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="http://screencrave.frsucrave.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/jeremy-renner-hawkeye-4-5-10-kc.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">For everyone who saw Thor, many fans were excited to see the first glimpse of Jeremy Renner as the character Hawkeye. He will be built upon in The Avengers, so for the next year that little cameo will have to do. Feige has said that there are early thoughts being kicked around for Hawkeye to get his own film post Avengers, but very little is known about it right now. Would it be an origin? Or would it take place after the events of The Avengers? Only time will tell...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>SHIELD Film</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mtv.com/movies/photos/i/iron_man_2_flip/14_sam_jackson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.mtv.com/movies/photos/i/iron_man_2_flip/14_sam_jackson.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">A SHIELD movie has been something that has talked about since the end of the first Iron Man. The rumored film would star Sam Jackson, and most likely Scarlet Jo again as Black Widow, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson. I think it would be interesting seeing a movie based around those characters and seeing a spy film set in this Superhero universe. Seeing them fighting Hydra agents in the modern time frame really would be awesome. I would love something like that. The one thing I ask is that Sam Jackson tones down being Sam Jackson and really tries to up the acting as Nick Fury. That would really help him sell the character to me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Luke Cage</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.profilebrand.com/imgs/layouts/49comics/2389/2389_L-luke-cage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="http://www.profilebrand.com/imgs/layouts/49comics/2389/2389_L-luke-cage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Another character Marvel has been talking about for a while has been Luke Cage. Another movie that would break the typical superhero mold and would be more along the lines of a detective/action film, Luke Cage would revolve around a wrongly accused man who is sent to prison only to get out and begin fighting the injustice in New York city. There are many actors who have been talking with Marvel about doing a film, from Tyrese to Michael Jai White, and most recently <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Isaiah Mustafa. Who as it turns out, as of just a day ago posted a teaser trailer with him as the character online. Could he be farther into talks with Marvel than we were originally led to believe? Here's the teaser, and I have to say, I'm impressed and would love to see it happen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
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<b>Doctor Strange</b><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">And last but not least is the rumored Doctor Strange film. This has been a movie Feige has been talking about since Iron Man came out and has really been wanting to get made. This would take Marvel into the supernatural relm as Doctor Strange goes into other dimensions and plains of reality, deals with demons and ghosts and much more. Most recently, Patrick Dempsey has been rumored to be in early talks with Marvel to get the role of the Sorcerer Supreme. An interesting choice for sure, and a good way to get some people people into the theater that wouldn't normally watch comic-book movies. If they get the right writer and director, this movie could be mind blowingly cool. I'd love to see<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><b> </b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Guillermo del Toro </span> take a shot at the character. He would make the film a visual masterpiece and really bring a new look to the Marvel Universe. Since he's working with Marvel right now on a new Hulk live action TV series, I'd really like to think that he might be willing to jump into doing a movie for the studio, and this would be perfect for him.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So there you have it. A look at what's in store for us over the next few years with Marvel. It'll be interesting seeing them diving into some new characters and branching out into new territory. I'm very much looking forward to seeing where they go with their films.</div></div>Patrick 'PJ' Campbellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05977193862969338177noreply@blogger.com0