Saturday, February 28, 2015

The Makers Of Vampires Suck Return To Parody Fast & Furious In Trailer For SuperFast. God Help Us All.

Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. Two filmmakers who have had a massive impact on pop culture for all the wrong reasons. I've only seen one of their films (The Starving Games) and it was more than enough to convince me to stay far, far away from the rest of their work. But never fear folks; they have returned to deliver their take on the Fast & Furious franchise, in a film called SuperFast, which has a trailer you can watch (or don't. Please don't.) below.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Come On And Grab Your Friends...And Go See The Adventure Time Movie!

I've always thought Adventure Time would make a damn fine, with my dream scenario being that Guillermo Del Toro would handle a ballsy live-action version of the program. The next thing has just been announced though, as Deadline reports an animated feature film based on Adventure Time is in development.


Blade Runner Review (Classic Write-Up)

The most notable visual aspects of film noir are some of the more distinctive ever put to cinema, and it's quite a treat to such unique attributes put into the sci-fi realm of Blade Runner, a 1982 film that constantly surprised me in it's innovation. It uses those aforementioned tropes of film noir to create a future, set in 2019. overwhelmed with uncertainty (and rain, there's lots and lots of rain here).

Thursday, February 26, 2015

A Look At Will Smith's Career Of Aliens, Explosions And Jaden Smith

An actors career is kind of like a story in and of itself; full of twists, turns, surprises, victories, highs, lows, it can be as compelling as any given film an actor can take part in. A good example of this is Chris Pratt, a scene stealer from Parks & Recreation who went on to appear in three Best Picture nominees in a row, then star in two $250 million movies in 2014 and solidify himself as the go to movie star of the modern movie era. Now that's the kind of rags-to-riches story anyone can find interesting!


Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Snow White & The Huntsman Prequel Adds Emily Blunt & Jessica Chastain, Toys With My Emotions

I've always found the 2016 feature The Huntsman, a prequel to 2012's Snow White & The Huntsman, to be a peculiar project. I didn't hate the aforementioned fantasy film from three years back, and it did make almost $400 million worldwide, but I didn't feel like it had that much of a fanbase to warrant a continuation. Apparently, it has, with the project being developed for several years now and finally being released next year, specifically on April 22, 2016.


Monday, February 23, 2015

Can We Start Giving Superhero Movies Some Respect: Part Two: Electric Insult Boogaloo

Well hey! Like anything that's successful, here's a sequel to my earlier editorial surrounding the topic of giving superhero movies some respect. It's a subject that I'm not alone in advocating for, as someone very high up in the industry has spoken out in favor of giving superhero films some respect from people. What's triggered this kind of chitter chatter, and this editorial sequel, you ask?

Still Alice Review

Still Struggling
Family life is very rarely idyllic paradise. There's always some kind of fraught conflict existing between spouses, siblings, parents and their offspring that can range from the mundane to the cataclysmic. Having a mother diagnosed with a familial form of Alzheimer's is obviously the kind of development that can change a families entire outlook on life, and as for the mother, her life will never be the same. 

The Five Best 2015 Oscar Acceptance Speeches

Last nights Academy Awards ceremony was a predictable affair, with great films like Selma, Whiplash and especially Boyhood not getting as many awards as they deserved. In the end, Birdman took home the Best Director and Best Picture award, and while I wasn't a huge fan of the film (I found it audacious, but lacking in substance) I'm glad something a bit more unorthodox won at least. But that doesn't mean there weren't highlights of the ceremony, especially when it came time for Everything Is Awesome to be performed!

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Up In The Air Review (Classic Write-Up)

An Air-Raising Adventure
I've always liked George Clooney, but watching Up In The Air for the first time this evening allowed me a chance to realize what exactly makes me gravitate towards the guy. Here's a shocking twist: Clooney has charm, charisma, good looks, a dapper personality and a persona that exudes confidence. But he uses those aspects of his personalities in his films not in roles covered in poorly executed storytelling tropes, but to uncover the vulnerabilities of the characters he portrays, and that's never more true than in this 2009 Jason Reitman feature.

2015 Is The Year The Oscars Officially Lost Credibility

There's a headline that's bound to get chuckles from many readers, particularly those who've seen the various choices that the Academy Awards have made over the various years. Going back all the way to the 40's, one can see various winners of awards like Best Picture that feel ridiculous in retrospect, but those feel almost quaint compared to what the Academy Awards has become in recent years. Crash winning Best Picture? Happy Feet winning Best Animated Feature? Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side winning Best Actress? What the hell kind of wins are those?


The Rock Review (Classic Write-Up)

Rock N' Roll All Night
Watching The Rock is like stepping into some kind of super warped time machine, one that takes it's viewer into the wonderful world of 1996. Here is an age where Michael Bay was a promising director coming off the previous years hit Bad Boys, and was making easily his most audacious project yet; The Rock, an action feature that has Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery teaming up to take down Ed Harris, who has taken the entire facility of Alcatraz (it's also referred to as, cue dramatic music, THE ROCK) hostage. Oh, and did I mention the villain has numerous deadly bombs with him?

Friday, February 20, 2015

First Image Of Aquaman From Batman V. Superman Revealed!

We've still got more than a year to go until Batman v. Superman: Rise Of The Dawn Of The Age Of Justice arrives into theaters (it opens March 25, 2016), but the very first image of Jason Momoa as Aquaman has been shown off. That's the image above and it's...decent. The costumes from this movie, solely in image form (seeing them in motion whenever a trailer is released will be a better barometer for success), have been a mixed bag, for me at least.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

What Happened To 3D?

If history has taught us one thing, it's that there's one tactic Hollywood knows how to do perfectly; run something well-liked into the ground.  This doesn't always happen to elements audiences take a shine to, but boy howdy did it ever happen to 3D. A novelty in 2009 has morphed into an everyday part of 2015 moviegoing. Not a beloved part per se, but it's certainly there, if only because international audiences love the format. We credit Avatar for bringing 3D into the mainstream, and that's true, but it actually wasn't the first film to utilize the format. Far from it.


Fifty Shades Of Grey Will Continue To Be The Box Office Winner This Weekend (Box Office Predictions)

It's really no question of who wins this forthcoming box office frame; Fifty Shades of Grey's record breaking $85 million opening weekend means it'll have no trouble securing a lead over the three new releases this weekend. Still, let's take a gander at those aforementioned newcomers, as there's certainly some variety in terms of genre's and stories among them.

The Graduate Review (Classic Write-Up)

A Graduate Of Great Directing
Who doesn't worry about the future? It's such a chaotic element, as unpredictable as a hurricane, it's only natural to be worried about the possibilities that the future could bring. Now that he's graduated from college, Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), is consumed by worrying about what he'll do with his life now. From the first frames of the film, this sort of internal conflict is apparent through the recurring use of close-up shots of Ben's face that emphasize his inner turmoil as well as the similarly prominent use of Art & Garfunkel's The Sound Of Silence.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Final 2014 Oscars Predictions


I must say, the announcement of the nominations for this years Academy Awards ceremony really took a spring out of my step. While it was great to see notable filmmakers like Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater receive long overdue recognition in the Best Director category, the lack of nominations for excellent people like Gillian Flynn, David Oyelowo, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ava Duvernay, and of course, a movie like The LEGO Movie just helped reinforce how out of touch the Oscars are with recognizing truly great cinema.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

John Oliver Is Coming Back For Two More Seasons!

In a short period of time, John Oliver has quickly become one of the most notable personalities on television, with his HBO program Last Week Tonight With John Oliver using the venue of late night television to address serious problems the world if facing in a humorous, but effective manner. John's an incredible dude, and I'm so happy to hear he's gotten not just a season renewal, but a renewal for two more seasons!

Better Call Saul Episode One Review

I freely admit I was nervous about Better Call Saul, a spin-off program derived from the Breaking Bad character Saul Goodman (played by Bob Odenkirk). Spin-offs have had mixed results on television, and that kind of track record left me skeptical about this shows chances for becoming something notable, especially since, if it was truly a stinker, it might tarnish the legacy of Breaking Bad, one of the greatest television programs of all-time.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Her Review

What? Is She Funny Or Something?
Some people spent last night going to parties, or going on dates, but me? I was the coolest dude on the planet, because I spent the evening alone watching the best movie of 2013: Her. Rewatching the film for the first time since it's theatrical release only reaffirmed my praise for this modern masterpiece, which is one of the best artistic depictions of the deeper intricacies of love and human connection ever brought to life.

Guillermo Del Toro+Gothic Imagery+Awesome Cast=Crimson Peak Trailer

The works of Guillermo Del Toro thrive on captivating imagery, and it looks like his next film, Crimson Peak, will follow suit. There's some top-notch talent in here (Jessica Chastain and Tom Hiddleston? Be still my beating heart!) and it looks like he's pulled out some extraordinary visuals here. Not too surprising on the latter, but it's still awesome to watch. Check out the teaser below!

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Kingsman: The Secret Service Review

On His Kingman's Secret Service
There's a self-referential streak in Kingsman: The Secret Service surrounding the tone of spy movies in the past and present that starts with Harry Hart (Colin Firth) feeling current spy movies are too serious for his taste. It's an interesting gag, mainly because Kingsman feels like it's combination of the older James Bond films (which director Matthew Vaughn heavily hearkened in his last movie X-Men: First Class) and the more entries in the spy genre. The over-the-top style and more light hearted tone found in earlier spy films is found in spades, as is the sleek modern action of more recent adventures starring the likes of Jason Bourne.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery Review (Classic Write-Up)

You've Got The Touch...You've Got The Austin Pooooooowweeerrr
In an interview given a few months back, Daniel Craig noted that the primary reason elements like Biofeld, Q or fun gadgets had been seen in Bond films was that Austin Powers had parodied such tropes of the James Bond features in such a well-known manner that they couldn't use them, at least for the time. I find it interesting that Skyfall managed to incorporate some of Bond's most well-known aspects once again, suggesting that Austin Powers grasp on pop culture had faded enough for 007 to fight bad guys in elaborate lairs again.

Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone Go To Hawaii In Trailer For Aloha

There's few actors I like more than Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone. I'd add Bill Murray, Rachel McAdams, Danny McBride and John Krasinski to that list too. So why does a film, called Aloha, that unites all these actors together look so....cookie-cutter? No really, this trailer plays more like a parody of the conventions of these kind of dramedy features instead of an actual concrete tease of a film. Check it out for yourself below.

Fifty Shades Of Grey Will Tie Up Victory At The Box Office With Ease This Weekend (Box Office Predictions)

And so, one of the most anticipated features of 2015 arrives this weekend. Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele finally debut in the widest opening weekend theater count for an R-rated movie, an appropriate milestone for a hugely anticipated feature. But how high can it go? And will Kingsman: The Secret Service manage to drum up respectable business as well? Let's take a look at this Valentine's Day weekend, shall we?

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Who Should Play The New Spider-Man?

A barrage of questions hinge on the extraordinary news that Sony and Marvel Studios are teaming up to incorporate Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with him popping up in an MCU movie before his own solo feature in July 2017. But here's the million dollar question everybody's wondering...who should play the legendary web-crawler?

What 2015 Movies Could Hit $200 Million? (Part Two)

With The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water waaaaaay overperforming with a $55 million opening weekend, it looks like that undersea fella could hit $200 million in it's final gross, becoming the first movie of 2015 to accomplish that task. That got me thinking about what other films could hit that mark at the domestic box office, and I've compiled part two (part one can be found here) of a list of 15 movies that are likely to hit that mark, as well as a notice on the individual likelihood of each movies chances at hitting that prestigious $200 million mark.

Spider-Man's Back Home At Marvel Studios....Now What?

This morning, I woke up, and as usual, checked my phone, seeing what was new on the interwebs. The first app I opened was Instagram, where I saw a post declaring that Spider-Man was back home at Marvel. It took a few moments for my brain to register this...was this real? Am I dreaming? A quick check on everywhere, from Slashfilm, to Comingsoon.net, told me that this was no dream. This was an all-too real reality.

Your neighborhood friendly Spider-Man is swinging into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.


Monday, February 9, 2015

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou Review (Classic Write-Up)

This Is The Dawning Of The Age Of Aquatic
The films of Wes Anderson have covered a surprisingly wide spectrum of storytelling, whether it be the mid-life crisis of Fantastic Mr. Fox, the young rebellious couple in Moonrise Kingdom or the art caper that The Grand Budapest Hotel focuses itself on. Anderson has a knack for creating unique tales that make use of great actors and his distinct visual style. The story of The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou is a decent enough foundation for a feature, though the film winds up feeling a bit undercooked as a whole.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

What 2015 Movies Could Make $200 Million? (Part One)


With The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water waaaaaay overperforming with an estimated $56 million opening weekend, it looks like that undersea fella will hit $200 million in it's final gross, becoming the first movie of 2015 to accomplish that task. That got me thinking about what other films could hit that mark at the domestic box office, and I've compiled part one of a list of 15 movies that are likely to hit that mark, as well as a notice on the individual likelihood of each movies chances at hitting that prestigious $200 million mark.

Jupiter Ascending Review

Jupiter Girls, You Make The Rockin' World Go Round
One element that really makes certain pieces of great sci-fi, well, great, is it's ability to translate everyday emotions and worries into a heightened and entertaining environment. The grandaddy of sci-fi cinema, Star Wars, is centered on the universal hope that we all have of wanting to defy expectations and become something great. Sure, there's Wookies, TIE Fighters and a rapscallion Harrison Ford running around, but the plot's centered on a very relatable theme.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water Review

That's The Night The Lights Went Out In Bikini Bottom...That's The Night That They Hung An Innocent Sponge
Few pieces of pop culture have left such a lasting impression on my generation than Spongebob Squarepants. The first three seasons are endless in their absurdity and quotes ("What's a gorilla doing underwater?"), and the first movie was similarly successful in employing those elements to notable success. Since the release of that first feature, the show has tanked in terms of quality, thanks to the shows creator leaving and much of the writing staff of the first few seasons similarly jumping ship.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Sex Tape Review

I Just Watched Sex Tape! (SEX!) It Wasn't That Goooo-ooood!!
I'm pretty the entire existence of Sex Tape came when Columbia Pictures executives were trying to pitch new projects for Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel to star in after the success of the 2011 comedy Bad Teacher. One of the ideas mentioned was "a comedy about a sex tape" and they worked backwards from that phrase to conjure up a story. That's my theory for this features origins, and I'm sticking to it. After all, this films slipshod quality does a fine job supporting my claims.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Mamma Mia Review (Classic Write-Up)

Yooooouuuu Can Jiiiii-iiiiiive
The world of music is a complex one filled with wonder and beauty. It's the kind of medium for artistic expression that allows for a wide gamut of ideas and tones to be crafted, perfect for telling stories of all shapes and sizes. Over the career of any given singer or band, the discography of any musical entity is bound to have tunes with a humongous range of ideals. Some songs could be sad, some could be happy, and ABBA certainly took advantage of all the possibilities that music offered to create a massive amount of famous songs.

Spongebob Vs. Channing Tatum Vs. The Dude Makes For A Huge Box Office Weekend (Box Office Predictions)

Three new nationwide releases are coming out this weekend in an effort to take American Sniper away from the number one spot it's held for three straight weekends. Spongebob should accomplish that task with ease, though the other two new releases of the weekend will face more difficulty in this frame.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Love Is Strange Review

Come And Get Your Love
What a true title. Love is, indeed, strange. It's a concept that's inspired all forms of media ranging from poems to paintings to web shorts. In the realm of cinema, the best movie of 2013, Her, showcased love's strangeness in a beautiful manner, and now another very high quality feature has come around to prove such a point. Love Is Strange centers around the romance between Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina), two men who have been together for multiple decades.

The 25 Best Films Of 2014

Yes, I'm aware of it being 2015, but I wanted to have enough time to watch every possible film from 2014 before compiling my Top 25 of the year list. I've put the best movies of the year in this list in alphabetical order, with one exception. I do have a favorite movie of 2014, but you're gonna have to read on to find out what that and the other 24 films are! Let's dive into the cinematic treasure trove that was 2014, shall we?

The Despicable Me Minions Meet Sandra Bullock In New Minions Trailer

Illumination Entertainment's 2010 debut feature Despicable Me showed a lot of promise for the company, which Hop pretty much failed to live up to. Their third feature, The Lorax, had it's charms, but also had a clumsy script to hold it back. Despicable Me 2 is what really made me doubt the companies capabilities of creating more compelling features, as it just felt like a lazy cashgrab with no depth or interesting humor. A new entry in their biggest franchise, Minions, just dropped and fails to stir my confidence. You can watch it below.

Monday, February 2, 2015

My Three Favorite Movie Ads From The 2015 Super Bowl

Well, aside from that Left Shark, this year's Super Bowl was kinda dull in the non-Football department. The ads were more somber than memorable (that Nationwide commercial being a poster child for the widely prevalent overly dramatic ads this year), but at least three cool movie ads got to be played during the affair.