Review: UP IN THE AIR

Almost nothing happens in this movie, but for some reason I was completely enthralled for the entire thing. I guess that makes it pretty good.

Up in the Air isn't a movie with a gimmicky plot idea like most movies. Jason Reitman's newest is more of a story about a singular man and his job, much like his previous movie, the terrific Thank You For Smoking.

Review: THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

Lets get this out of the way; I had been waiting for this film since the day I first heard rumor about it back in 2005. Disney hadn't done a traditionally animated film since 2004s Home on the Range which was awful and after that the studio that started the art form of animation shut its doors and threw out all their machinery, set on only making trendy computer generated films from that point on.

Review: THE IMAGINARIUM OF DR. PARNASSUS

So. Where do I begin?

The film is about a man, Dr. Parnassus, who used to be a monk, but after making some deals with the devil, he is reduced to a street performer who rides around London in a weird cart, attempting to convert corrupted souls into righteous ones by using a mirror and a world of imagination.

Early Review: THE LOVELY BONES

Watching Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones is like dreaming. Sometimes you feel like what is happening is of the most dire importance of your life, and other times you are barely paying attention. Sometimes you begin to space out as the scenes drag on, and other times your leg jerks uncontrollably as your brain experiences psychological panic. And every now and then, you go from idea to idea, scene to scene, and though everything seems disconnected and random, you never really think about it until you have woken up.

Review: SHERLOCK HOLMES

As the rather pleasant ending credits role at the end of Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, you do not see a title that says, "Based on the novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle". Rather, you see a title that says, "Sherlock Holmes and John Watson created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle". It says that for a reason, and anyone who dares to tell me this movie was no good because it was very different than Doyle's novels can bugger off.

Furry Vengeance

You know what... I'm a huge Brendan Fraser fan, and I was going to try to justify this at first... but no.

It just looks awful.



Try again... Dr. Doolittle 2

Wilder's Picks - The Best of '09

Hey internet,

Seeing that 2009 is coming to a close, and I write for a movie blog, there seemed only one thing appropriate to do.

Here are, in my opinion, the top ten best films of 2009. Keep in mind that I HAVE NOT SEEN Inglourious Basterds, Moon, or The Hurt Locker. I imagine all of those belong somewhere on this list in place of some, but I simply have not seen them.

Ehem.


10) Avatar

Read Jose's review here.

Snicket Sequel Still a Possibility... Sort of

This movie may still be made yet. Director Brad Silberling and Jim Carrey are both on board for a sequel, but Silberling fears that the children may have gotten a bit too old. So, he has proposed his idea for a sequel.

With a surprising twist.

"But it's taken so long for this one to happen, and Olaf is still stuck in the makeup trailer and everyone else, and so Lemony Snicket basically tells you, 'Unfortunately, enough waiting: No, we're going to have to tell you the real story.' Boom, you dial through a soundstage door, and you're introduced into a stop-motion universe, and actually that's my hope is for the next film, that it can be stop-motion."

Stop-motion? I don't know. On one hand, I think it's a ridiculous idea to make a sequel to a live-action film a stop-motion film. On the other hand, I have to admit that the visual style could serve the content of A Series of Unfortunate Events extremely well.

Silberling directed the first film so beautifully, that I'm going to go ahead and put my faith in him with this. We'll see how it pans out.

Actress Brittany Murphy Dies at 32

Some extremely sad news for you folks today.

Actress Brittany Murphy was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles this morning, and pronounced dead on arrival after going into cardia arrest.

More news as it unfolds.

Review: AVATAR

Coming out of the theater after watching Avatar, I found nothing to complain about. It is not just Cameron’s mastery over technology that makes Avatar great; it is his ability to use technology as a vehicle for great storytelling. Avatar could not have been told without the technology employed and the technology could not have found a better story to makes its debut. Here is why:

Ladies and Gentlemen...

... Iron Man 2.

Hot Tub Time Machine Theatrical Trailer Surfaces

I can't wait for this.

RED BAND - Youth In Revolt

Funny or Die has added the Red-Band trailer for Miguel Arteta's Youth In Revolt.

FINALLY.

Youth In Revolt Red Band Trailer - watch more funny videos

Deathly Hallows First Look Surfaces

Woot!

Here's an exclusive first look at David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Sorry I can't embed.

New Youth In Revolt Trailer

Weeeeee.



It's funny, I really thought that Michael Cera would be incapable of playing this character, but looking at these trailers, I get goosebumps at how true to the character he is. The whole thing seems like a great service to C. D. Payne's masterpiece.

Can't wait.

Greenberg

Oh this looks great. Nice to see Stiller in a role like this again.

Review: 2012

So Roland Emmerich got tired of destroying Manhattan and decided to do the same to the rest of the world. I can safely say he does a much better job when he thinks in larger proportions. 2012 is the Godfather of disaster movies; earthquakes destroy Los Angeles and half of California with it; a volcano erupts and consumes most of the Midwest; tsunamis consume the Himalayas, and the Earth takes an 180˚+ turn turning Michigan into the South Pole! (I'm not joking this actually happens). Of course Emmerich does not expect us to believe this could actually happen, which is good since last time he spent too much time on the "sciency/I want to make this plausible" bullshit it kind of ruined The Day After Tomorrow. 2012 does have "scientific" briefings, which is a bit of a shame but I will get to that later. But first thing's first.

Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Ok, so here's the thing. This is easily my favorite version of the story I've ever seen. It's really, really good.

But I'm just so sick of this story!

Review: THE BOX

Well I'm definitely going to have to watch this one again.

Once again, Richard Kelly has given us a total experiment in how much the mind can handle in a film. Fans of his infamous cult film, Donnie Darko, will be in for a treat as they watch The Box take them on a long, twisting track of a movie that only leaves you with one thought at the end.

Tucker & Dale vs Evil Trailer Surfaces

What a fantastic take on the serial killer genre.

FINALLY A Kick-Ass Teaser

About time.



And be sure to check out my early review.

Kick-Ass hits theaters April 16th.

Review: THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS

I often forget why George Clooney is so famous. Every now and then when a trailer for one of his movies pops up, I think to myself, this guy?

This Is It: Jacksons Final Bow

One of the greatest entertainers of all time was taken from us earlier than expected. He was on his way back to the top after years of being out of the public eye and This Is It is the proof.

This Is It is a collection of rehearsal and behind the scenes footage for an upcoming tour. New footage was shot to accompany the live experience that even included 3D elements. The dancers were the best in the world and the live musicians were top notch. His main guitarists ripped on the guitar during a part to let them shine, but the solo for "Beat It" was made even more insane by lead guitarist Orianthi Panagaris. The new accompanying videos for "Thriller", "They Don't Care About Us", "Smooth Criminal" are also a wonder to watch. The footage shot of all of this was going to be a part of Michaels personal collection.

Review: WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Some people will argue this is the best film thus far of 2009. I am almost inclined to agree.

Spike Jonze did an absolutely superb job on this one folks, and I really mean that. Where the Wild Things Are captures all the spirit of its childrens book counterpart without any of the cheesiness you would expect, and a surprising amount of drama. Who knew that Hollywood still has the ability to produce raw emotion?

Toy Story 3 Trailer Appears!

I think it speaks for itself.

THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF PRINCESS AND THE FROG

Disney has released the 1st 5 minutes of their new feature - PRINCESS AND THE FROG.

The work is still unfinished, but now we can finally see what Disney has in store for us this Christmas.

Enjoy. Small Spoilers may ensue.

AstroBoy New Trailer

This looks amazing. In pretty much every sense of the word.

Review: PROTEKTOR

Most war movies, particularly World War II movies, present themselves in a real documentary like style, which is difficult to digest and places the viewer in an uncomfortable situation. The best example might be Polanski’s The Pianist, where we follow the life of … (Adrian Brody) during the Wolrd War as he runs and hides from the Nazis and is aided by a sympathetic German soldier. Protekor takes a radically different path delivering a highly stylized vision of Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia.

Transylmania Trailer

What do you think? Looks like an original twist on the horror meets teen comedy genres.


Could be funny.

Review: ZOMBIELAND

I used to think that the people behind popular reality television were the most brilliant people in the world. Here was a group of people who bent marketing over, and spanked it. They provided content that fed off of exactly what they knew the viewer wanted.

Before Zombieland was released, I thought no one would top them in that regard.

Review: I HOPE THEY SERVE BEER IN HELL

After I returned from the San Francisco premiere I procrastinated writing this review to let it stew over for a day and I've found it didn't make a difference.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell is, for those of you not currently 18-25 years of age, based off of the best selling book by the same name. Perhaps the most reprehensible piece of popular literature I've ever read, the novel is a compilation of the many adventures of one Tucker Max (the author and main character of the book). Tucker is a prick. Tucker thinks with his dick. And Tucker sticks anything and everything because he is slick. He also may be a genius; the single greatest embodiment of self indulgence ever documented. And, as he points out, it is the fact that he is shameless enough to share these things with us that we forgive him and even admire him.

Review: SURROGATES

Just like when I saw I, Robot, when I left the theater I had one thought. Great sci-fi still exists.

It doesn't have to be hot women in tight suits fighting robots, it doesn't have to be a man who can teleport. It can be somewhat simple, and like all great sci-fi, if it uses the world it presents you with to make stinging social commentary, it can be a solid movie.

Review: COLD SOULS

Paul Giamatti plays Paul Giamatti in Cold Souls; a quirky yet subtle satire of a culture that needs a full aisle of different painkillers, antidepressants, and other assortments of quick-remedy pills at the supermarket because it believes a pill can solve everything.

I Hope They Server Beer In Hell

The trailer for the upcoming movie by Tucker Max, based on his book of his real-life adventures. I wish I could tell you all about some of them, but it surely is not material for this blog. Check out the Red Band trailer as well.

THE MOVIE WATCH FORUMS!

HOUSTON, WE HAVE FORUMS!

REGISTER, AND HAVE FUN!

Robert Zemeckis Helms Motion Capture Re-make of classic "Yellow Submarine"

Is Robert Zemeckis out of his mind? First of all, motion capture is going nowhere. Secondly, who wants to see these ugly-as-hell versions of The Beatles in 3D with realistic rendering?
Heres what Zemeckis himself had to say:

Yellow Submarine is one of the greatest fantasy films of all time, and making this new 3D performance capture movie is a dream come true for me. With the latest advances in technology, we will be able to take moviegoers on a voyage unlike any other, and bring new excitement and dimension to Pepperland and the various sea worlds they encounter. I’m thrilled to be working with the good folks at Apple Corps and our partners at Disney on this epic retelling of one of my all time favorite films.

Seriously. Everyone at Disney outside of the Feature Animation division seems to have gone crazy lately. Marvel Acquisition, Live-Action Beauty and the Beast, Disney Channel "Teen Boys" network, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, National Treasure 3, Wild Hogs 2 and now this. Yeah, I'm sure all will end well, right?

Review: EXTRACT

You know what would be totally sweet?

If Mike Judge made a different movie.

He's a really funny guy with a great take on the world, but it's gotten to the point where I feel like all of his movies are the same. After Idiocracy flopped, I wouldn't be surprised if he went and tried to write something similar to his cult classic, Office Space. In fact, it's so similar that it just irritated me for most of the movie. If it were not for some really good performances, I might have hated it.

New Princess and the Frog Trailer

It's long, and maybe a bit "spoilery" - but oh man, it just makes me want to see the movie even more.

The Princess and the Frog Official Internet Trailer - The best bloopers are a click away

Black Dynamite

Here's the trailer for Scott Sanders' new Blaxploitation parody, Black Dynamite.



Oh man, I can't wait for this.

Review: 9

I may be a bit forward, but this may be one of the best movies I've ever seen.

Ever since I saw the cast list for this movie, I was excited. I had not seen the short, but was excited for the story. Ever since the first trailer was released, the excitement kept building. After Comic-Con, I knew that this movie was something special. This film is one of a select few that don't need to be placed in a category other than, "good." It has elements of science fiction, action, drama and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Brief Interviews With Hideous Men

This looks interesting.


Hmm.

Review: WHAT GOES UP

What an insightful film.

For those of you who don't know; the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded during take off in January 1986. All of its crewmembers died including a High School teacher from New Hampshire. Christa McAuliffe was going to be the first civilian in space; she was a hero to anyone from her hometown in New Hampshire; her High School had organized parades and a musical number in her honor; after the accident she was buried with pomp and decor.

This movie is not about her.

Review: DRAG ME TO HELL

There are times in which we can all enjoy a good bad movie. There are even some great bad movies that we can all enjoy; The Mummy Trilogy is probably the best example of the latter. But there is a fine line between a good bad movie and a bad movie that you simply happened to enjoy one day. I think that the difference lies in the filmmakers’ love for film or over their love for money but I might be a bit optimistic for saying so. Nevertheless a key difference is that good bad movie knows exactly what it is and what it wants to achieve regardless on whether it was made for money or love.

Beauty and the Beast Upcoming Live Action Musical

I'm sorry and I know this next phrase is a big ol'e out of character statement for The Movie Watch... but:


WTF

So, awesome composer Alan Menken, who did every animated movie musical you have ever loved recently announced that he is doing the next two Disney movies (musical style)!

That's awesome.

“ … I am preparing the soundtracks of two Disney animated feature: Rapunzel and The Snow Queen, in addition (to) a live-action musical film about Beauty and the Beast, plus a new (Broadway) musical that will debut in fall 2010, Leap of Faith.”

But. WHAT? I'm sorry, but isn't there a Beauty and the Beast movie already, and isn't making a new one LIVE ACTION and with THE SAME SONGS a little redundant and blasphemous? I think so.

I'm sorry, but while everything else on that quote is awesome, whoever greenlit the live action Beauty and the Beast movie, is the biggest idiot around town.

Early Review: KICK-ASS

It's been a very long time since I've seen a movie that so 100 percent succeeds in exactly what it wants to be.

Kick-Ass is a movie that is extremely difficult to put into one category. On one hand, it's a tender tale about your average high school guy who just wants that girl to notice him. On another hand, it's a super hero tale and all of its necessary subplots; revenge, loss, agony, and victory. And then again it's as gory as any Tarantino film around.

YOUTH IN REVOLT TRAILER SURFACES!

Since this is already my 600th post on the film, you can expect many more.

As far as I'm concerned, this movie looks perfect. And this is coming from the one of the biggest fans of the book around. Hopefully they won't make the Francois personality the actual plot of the big, since it is just a couple chapters worth of plot, but I CAN'T WAIT.

Review: INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

Ok so before I even get into the meat of this review I need to explain one thing. This film gets two grades. The first grade is the one that this review focus's on, and that is the quality of the movie in its own little fictional Tarantino universe. That grade is a 5. The second grade is for the film goer that follows history so closely that he/she will never understand how something can be 'based on' or 'inspired by'. That grade is a 1. And, if you are the person who picks history over entertainment, I suggest you go home and read your 10th grade history book instead of seeing this.

Make your choice.

James Cameron's: AVATAR Sneek Peek Review

The footage was incredible. Too bad its not online to post. Also, if it was, I wouldn't post it because the small screen would do it no justice.

There was a 15 minute IMAX preview today of the film, which included seamlessly amazing CGI backgrounds and Rendered animation. The first few minutes were a little awkward looking, but as soon as your brain accepts the CGI as 'real' it becomes the most stunning realistic animation you have ever seen in your life.

So far, the story seems to be about a man who has no use of his legs, getting an Avatar - thus- getting a second chance at walking life. Then a war happens at some point and I assume he has to pick sides.

It will be very interesting to see how the film is when it opens on December 18th, but as of now, it's looking pretty damn good.

The Wolfman

Annnnnnnnnnnd here is the trailer for Joe Johnston's The Wolfman.



Oh lord, I can't wait.

First Trailer for James Cameron's Avatar

Wow.

Sorry I can't embed.

Review: DISTRICT 9

Using human-to-alien relations, as a metaphor for human-to-human relations is nothing new. H.G. Wells first introduced the concept when he wrote War of the Worlds; in this book aliens do onto Earth as Europeans did unto Africa. For its time the book was revolutionary and it truly did change they way people views Europe’s role in history. More than 100 years later things have changed; no one is going to see District 9 and think much differently about apartheid in South Africa, most people wont even see the most obviously blatant parallels. For most District 9 will simply be another Sci-Fi action flick. Unfortunately this undermined District 9’s potential to the point the film does not know whether it is a serious metaphor about alien refugees in South Africa or if it is another Sci-Fi action flick done in a pseudo-documentary style.

Review: THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE

This movie was almost there. It just about had everything it needed to be great. In most cases, this would only set a movie back a couple notches, but in a film like The Time Traveler's Wife, all the pieces need to be in order; no matter what order they are in.

Legion

This is literally the most confusing trailer that I've ever seen.



WHAT IS THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

Review: G.I. JOE: RISE OF COBRA

I was quite lenient when I gave Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen a 3. So, I guess it is appropriate to do the same for G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, since both films share a similar background, being based of a toy line, and because when you go see these movies you go without high expectations only expecting some decent entertainment, big explosions, sexy women, a bit of farce, and some cheesy romance subplot. Like Transformers, G.I. Joe has all of these. But in my opinion it does a far better job with them. Here is why:

Review: The Hurt Locker

If you want to know what watching this movie is like, take that split-second rush of exhilaration and terror you experience when you stick your hand into the garbage disposal to get something and it comes on just as you withdraw your hand or when you're driving too fast and almost hit someone in a cross walk, then fill an Olympic diving pool with it, put on a lead suit and slowly lower yourself in until it closes above your head and all you're left with is that emotion and the sensation of sinking...endless, timeless sinking.

Review: MYSTERY TEAM

As an aspiring comedian, seeing Derrick Comedy rise to the world view strikes me deeply and with good reason. Derrick Comedy is without a doubt the funniest comedic group on the internet and maybe even in live comedy.

Review: GOMORRAH

Organized crime is not a job; it is a lifestyle. It is also not the glamorized, conformable style that Hollywood has romanticized for years. No… it is a grim, dangerous and unhappy way to live. And most of the time the people involved have no other choice but to follow such lifestyle. Gomorrah is the work of Italian filmmakers trying to show what life in the criminal world is really like. The film is based on fact.

Hot Tub Time Machine Teaser Trailer surfaces

I'm not sure if this movie looks ridiculously stupid or just plain ridiculous. I'm a sucker for Animotion, especially in trailers, so I remain cautiously optimistic...

Film Review: PUSH

So it might be a bit late for a review because Push came out in theaters a few months ago but it just came out on the iTunes store & rentals; so I think a late review is fair game in this case.

As a super-powered hero movie Push is not the best. But as a thriller it rocks… big time! Remember Minority Report? That movie kept you hooked because there was know way to know what was going on at any point. Yet at the end everything came together through a very neat and clever twist. Push plays very similarly to that other SciFi thriller… but with a big difference: this time the characters are actually interesting.

Review: HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

I realize this may get me avada kedavrad, but I almost wish I had gone to see I Love You Beth Cooper instead, so unsatisfying is this movie. The last time I felt this...bland...after a film was after seeing The Golden Compass in 2007, a film that Half-Blood Prince's problems bear a striking resemblance to.

Despicable Me

Well... if this trailer told you anything. I missed it.

Pandorum Trailer

This looks to me like an offshoot of a zombie movie. On Serenity.

In other words, it looks awesome.

Old Dogs

Fine. It's a Disney Family Comedy. I know. But I did giggle a lot while watching this trailer. And I love Robin Williams - and face it- he looks hillarious in this.

Review: I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER

I love you, Beth Cooper.

I love you because you made this movie bearable to watch.

This movie so desperately wants to be great. It's got all the ingredients; a decently likable cast, good direction, a fun soundtrack, and even some truly heartwarming moments. The only problem is that it never really finds its own voice or style. It's got some great stuff going on throughout but when the credits role, all you can think of is how you just wanted a little more.

Review: ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS

Third time IS the charm.

As a small practically independent studio Blue Sky has learned a lot in the last few years. They began with Ice Age, an entertaining and somewhat whimsy film about friendship. It was a noble attempt but Toy Story, another “road film” about friendship it was not. Next they came up with Robots, which sadly was a step down from Ice Age. But last year they came up with Horton Hears a Who, which delivered genuine entertainment, was rendered beautifully, and did not shy away from deeper meaning. The whole family could enjoy it at an equal level. Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs s stands more or less at the same place Horton Hears a Who did, though a little less deep and a little more whimsy, but certainly above all the previous installments of the franchise. What makes this film so effective is that it knows what comedy is about and how animated worlds, such as those made by Disney in its earlier years and Pixar, work.

District 9 Full Trailer

I can't even find the words necessary to describe this movie.

Sorry I can't embed.

Surrogates

It's hard for me to express how good I think this movie is going to be.

SURROGATES trailer in HD

Couples Retreat

I think this movie looks a lot like Forgetting Sarah Marshall.... at least location wise. But still, it looks funny as hell.

Poster in Revolt!

The poster arrives!



I know I'm always blogging about this movie, but I loved the book so friggin much.

GAH, I can't wait.

Review: TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is the movie with the lowest I.Q. that has even been made. But I think it is safe to assume that if you are going to see a movie based in a toy line, about giant robots smashing each other, you are not expecting to find anything intelligent, logical, coherent or challenging in it. Therefore I will not be as harsh as I would like to be as I review this film.

Cold Souls

Paul Giamatti plays Paul Giamatti in a movie that looks pretty out there and pretty damn funny. If you like dry, existential humor. And oh boy do I ever!

How We Talk to Children

Meanwhile: at the staff meetings of every animation company that isn't Disney/Pixar...

SUIT: Okay guys, I got an idea for a character.
SUIT 2: Let's hear it.
SUIT: Well, I figure to play off of our playfully obnoxious male character, we get a sexy, capable female character that never-the-less finds the protagonist's block-headed incompetence charming.
SUIT 2: I like it, IF we can play this summer's popular hit song and have her introduced in slow motion at the same time.
SUIT: Brilliant. It's funny, because they're all hamsters!

Then...

SUIT: Okay guys, I got an idea for a character.
SUIT 2: Let's hear it.
SUIT: Well, I figure to play off of our playfully obnoxious male character, we get a sexy, capable female character that never-the-less finds the protagonist's block-headed incompetence charming.
SUIT 2: I like it, IF we can play this summer's popular song hit and have her introduced in slow motion at the same time.
SUIT: Brilliant. It's funny, because they're all in the Ice Age!


It's called the Shrek effect, and it's a natural reaction to our society's increasingly self-conscious mentality. Shrek is not a bad movie. It is not bad because it was, at the time, somewhat unique, and not to mention it parodied what it loved, much in the same way The Princess Bride did, albiet much better. The problem here is most studios have lost the ability or the balls to tell a story and not apologize about it.

What is apologizing? It is winking at the audience. It's saying "Don't take us seriously, we don't take ourselves seriously." Since when was this necessary for every movie PG and under? While studios like Ghibli and Pixar continue to hold their head up high and tell whimsical stories without fear of being too earnest, Dreamworks, Fox, Sony, and even Disney have succumbed to the mentality that telling an actual tale is SO last century.

So we have pop songs playing over fairy tale proceedings. Pop culture references from fish who live under the sea. Princesses that know the cliche of the tale they are currently experiencing. We have lazy characters and even lazier storylines. Is telling stories simply not fun anymore? Should movies directed towards children and families just be a collection of brain-dead skits and jokes and farts? Tell that to anyone who's seen The Lion King. The Land Before Time. Tell that to Disney pre-2000, or Pixar, or Ghibli.

So while watching Up, Pixar's latest film, who, by the way, have batted 10 for 10 as far as I'm concerned, I was glad that the children and families around me enjoyed what was simply a good story well told. The film did not shy away from harsh topics, and meaningful themes, and did it with class, grace, and playfulness, without overt displays of sex or violence. In other words, it was a film the whole family could enjoy on an equal level. What saddened me was the previews before the movie. Films that aspired to nothing more than to distract children with pithy jokes and bright colors, while attempting to satisfy adult sensibilities with out-of-context references to current events and innuendos. G-Force, Ice Age 3, okay, these are simply the latest pieces of bile to come out of studios that just don't care anymore about making quality. But Cloud With a Chance of Meatballs? The children's book reeks of melancholy and meaning, even while maintaining a whimsy that would quench any thirsty imagination. The movie looks like a product, made by a robot, packaged to do character A and plot arc B with joke C.

The world is what we make it to be. If we coddle our children, talk down to them, expect them to not be ready for any sort of meaning, then that is what they will become. Children are actually more sensitive to important themes and drama, why not give them the best entertainment and art have to offer, instead of giving them the scraps?

Review: YEAR ONE

20 years ago, this would have been the funniest movie ever made.

Unfortunately, it's 2009, and an awkward Michael Cera and a crazy eyebrowed Jack Black are not enough to keep this movie's humor from being very, very outdated.

Teaser Trailer: The Last Airbender

HAHA! The teaser for M. Night Shyamalan's take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, is here. Tell me this movie doesn't look awesome.




Can it be Summer 2010 yet?

Zombieland

AHHHHHHH.



Also, Bill Murray.

The Time Traveler's Wife

The first official trailer for New Line Cinema's The Time Traveler's Wife, based off of Audrey Niffenegger's best selling book, is now online.



Rachel McAdams is the best looking person on the planet.

Marty's and Leo's Next Film:

Here is the trailer for Shutter Island:

It doesn't look like your typical Scorsese or DiCaprio film. But I am excited anyway since I loved all the movies they have done together so far.

Final Final Final Final Trailer

Internet-

The final final trailer for the Independent AD Documentary is here.

Enjoy.

Review: WHATEVER WORKS

It's as simple as this: Fans of Woody Allen's old comedies will be in for a giant treat. If you are not too familiar with his old stuff like Annie Hall and Manhattan, you may not enjoy it as much.

What we have here is another odd love-ish story about Boris Yellnikoff. It's Larry David basically playing Woody Allen. He's uptight, quirky, neurotic, and absolutely ridiculous. It seems to me, that this was a part Allen had written for himself, but never got to play. Or, who knows, maybe he just felt nostalgiac about the characters he used to play, and thought David would work.

Review: AWAY WE GO

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes.

This is what I'm talkin' about.

Finally, a movie that's simple. It's so simple. It's perfect.

Sam Mendes' Away We Go is a story about finding what is right and not settling. That is, until you settle down. It's very simple, but fantastic. It's fantastically written, it's fantastically acted, and every scene in the movie is just right.

Jose's Opinion: X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE and STAR TREK

A few weeks ago when we published the reviews for X-Men Origins Wolverine and Star Trek, I was astonished to find out that my colleagues had given high ratings to both. For one thing I had never thought much of Star Trek as a franchise and I was not expecting much from Wolverine after the X Men The Last Stand disaster. Nevertheless I was willing to give both films the benefit of the doubt. After all there was no reason for either to be bad, they were both based on franchises with solid rich mythologies; Star Trek is known for its hopeful philosophy on mankind while X Men grounds itself with discussions on segregation and the nature of humanity. Well I think that neither mythology could have anticipate the power that corporate conglomerates will one day exercise over entertainment, or how it will reduce the mythologies under which pop culture once grounded itself to mere action flicks appreciated because they are simply fun and/or pretty.

SPOILERS AHEAD

REGARDING: X-Men Origins Wolverine

After watching this film, I read some reviews of what professional critics though about it. It seems most agree with me: this movie sucks. I disagree – however - on the reasons on why it sucks. Most seem to think that since Wolverine (AKA Logan AKA Jim Howlet) can’t die there is no way we can care for him as a character; this would therefore render any plot useless, which means that both character and plot can therefore only serve as a vehicle to hold pretty and exciting action scenes together. Because the film accomplishes and delivers this and never attempted to be anything else many think it deserves praise. I think these are very low standards; I also believe Wolverine can be one of the most tragic, if not interesting, characters conceived. And if Christopher Reeves managed to make a good movie about Superman, the lamest and most one dimensional of all superheroes, we should be able to make a good movie about Wolverine.

For starters, I think the film should have recognized that not being able to die is not cool but quite the contrary. Imagine how horrible it must be to fall in love just to watch you lover grow old and die while you stay young and continue to live. If every year seems goes by faster than the previous imagine how time will fly once you reach 170; life no matter what will become dull, monotonous and most importantly tragic. In this film Wolverine escapes when he hears his memories will be erased. This makes no sense; having your memories erased would be an excellent way to “die”, start all over again, and not carry the burden of 170 years of memories. It would have been much more interesting if Wolverine had actually volunteered to have his memories erased; that would make him a hell of a good character. But it is not the fact that he wants to keep his memories that truly bugged me, after all memories are experience and experience is knowledge and some have claimed knowledge is true pleasure (I personally disagree but it doesn’t change it from being valid opinion); what truly bugs me is why he wants to hold on to his memories. He thinks his girl id dead and he wants to remember her. Ok this is stupid, for some one that has lived 170 years and has looked like Hugh Jackman for the last 145 having a 6-year girlfriend should mean absolutely nothing; he probably has had enough time to go though very single type of relationship possible! Twice! The fact that the girl happens to be alive, tricked him to fall in love with her with psychic powers and that he still loves her after that is too much for me to forgive. The least interesting thing of all is that by the end of the film Wolverine has lost all his memories all his past and therefore we are left with an empty character when we started with a one-dimensional character. As I said, this is not a very interesting film.

In the comics, and the Singer films, Wolverine tends to become a sort of father figure to the younger X Men particularly Rogue, Kitty, and Jubilee (who was never in the films). This makes sense he is a man without a past trying to create a new life for himself starting with a family: the fact that he grows fond of young girls can be interpreted in Freudian using Elektra complex or other sick ways; it doesn’t matter which my point simply is that Wolverine is an interesting character, which this movie made no justice to. It would have been much more interesting to see a film in which Wolverine is trying to figure out his past: Why he voluntarily gave up his memories? Does he really want/have to find out? Or could he learn to live with the mystery understand that it was probably for the best and start his life anew with his adopted family in the Xavier Mansion? My friends, I must say that could be a hell of a character sketch.

REGARDING J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek

Oh My God! It so looks pretty! That is the only compliment I can give this movie. For a film targeted at a male audience ages 15 to 25 it is too girly a compliment to consider it a good one. Yes the special effects are fantastic and the photography is beautiful and the costume designs quirky, cliché but effective. I don’t think – however – that this is enough to recommend a movie as a must see experience.

I do not know much about the original Star Trek franchise; I do – however – know that it was deeply rooted in a hopeful and humanistic philosophy in which people will one day place aside their differences and explore space together rather than against each other. I also know that it always attempted to stick to plausible technologies, or at least pretend it was, and to a strict science fiction world. J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek fails on all these points.

The original humanistic view of the show was somewhat naïve; it explains why the crew is mad up exactly of: a white American (Kirk), a black female American (Uhura), a Eastern European (Checkov), an Asian (Sulu), a British (Scotty) and an alien with weird eyebrows and ears (Spock). For the 1960s this was progressive for the 21^st century this is very out dated (it would need a Middle Easterner and Mexican/Cuban crewmember as well to reach our PC standards). Humanistic hopeful views have been replaced by trans-humanistic realist views. It would have been quite interesting to adapt Star Trek in this direction rather than making it simply into another action/ adventure space operetta. We fear and know today that if all of humanity joins together in a hippie yay-yay manner that we would loose much of our diversity and identity and that inter-racial mixing will give us all a brownish beige skin color; in short Checkov’s and Scotty’s accents would not be around in the 23^rd century. And although I am 100% all for world peace and inter-cultural exchanges and relations, I also agree with the post-modernistic view that in the long run it might result in monotony, boredom, and drive-thrus all across Earth or the galaxy; either way, it is not fun. But we can also have a more Huntigtonian view in which our cultural divisions will remain no matter what; however if this is the case we probably would not be able to unite peacefully no matter what. But no matter the view taking either side would have made this movie much more interesting and thought provoking.

Instead we are given the most one dimensional, idiotic villain ever thought out by human literature. Can’t Kronos simply acknowledge that he has arrived to a time before his planet was accidentally destroyed? And instead of hunting down the only one who can help him and destroying the two most advanced planets in the galaxy could he not come to his senses and warn the galaxy of what is about to happen? And maybe with the extra time and second chance he was given save his planet? Could not Eric Bana, who plays the villain read the script in advance and tell Abrams how retarded his character is? And demand some changes?

From the final result I guess not.

In the matter of technology I just have many questions but I guess the most important one is: if you have the ability to teleport a person from the space ship into a planet and vice versa, why would you ever under any circumstances parachute them down to a giant space drill when you could simply teleport them with more accuracy and better results? You would spare one man’s life in the process.

Oh, just how shallow have we become to rate such trash as “recommended” or “must see”? Fellow Cinephiles, I implore you. We must demand better movies; we must not pay to see such trash in theaters; we must not buy the two disc special edition of a movie we know its bad only for the commentary, which will probably be just as bad. If we continue to accept such trash they will continue to produce such trash and make tons of money from this practice.

And don’t say I am asking for too much for a superhero or action movies: I think Iron Man and The Dark Knight, which came out last year, are the proof that superhero movies can be though provoking and have depth. We’ve also had X Men 2, the first two Spiderman film, the first Hellboy film, the first two Superman films, Ang Lee’s Hulk, the Tim Burton Batman Films, and maybe one or two more. So no asking for a good Wolverine movie is not too much. And we have the original Star Wars and Serenity to defend the Space Operas. As well as, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Sunshine, Minority Report, Knowing, and many, many others defend the strict SciFi thrillers.

I award X Men Origins Wolverine with a 1 “broken” and Star Trek with a 2 “mediocre”. They deserve nothing more.

Oh and by the way, I don’t know what they did to Wolverine’s claws but they looked really fake in this movie compared to the others.

The Hangover

Hey guys, remember, Mark already reviewed The Hangover, so be sure to check that out.

R. I. P.

This is a dark day for Kung Fu.

David Carradine, Kung Fu legend was found in his hotel room yesterday in Bangkok. Apparently, he hung himself.

Rest in peace.

Hurwitz to Direct?

More AD movie news.

So, in the last update I said that Ron Howard would be directing the Arrested Development movie.

Well, now it seems that Mitchell Hurwitz himself, the creator of, and genius behind the show will be making his directorial debut.

It seems a lot of changes have been going on, which is good. That tells me the movie is actually being worked on.

Look for the Arrested Development movie 2010.