Welcome back to another edition of 3 Guys and Glee. This week’s episode is entitled “Ballads,” not to be confused with mallards, and was appropriately named due to the number of songs sung in the episode. So, let’s get into the songs, the drama, the ultrasounds and, of course, the Glee.
When Fox’s Glee premiered, CL readers (OK, Lily the intern) demanded a goofy podcast talking about the show, the songs and Bruce Springsteen. Now, we make good on this demand:
Click here to listen to 3 Guys and Glee, the Podcast with Kevin Hopp, Rabid Nick Refer and Jimbo.
This week’s episode is entitled “Wheels,” so let’s take a look shall we?
This week has been exciting for movie fans, with the release of three interesting trailers: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the Angelina Jolie spy flick Salt and the Clash of the Titans remake starring Sam Worthington.
Check them out after the jump!
Last week I posted a column about how I thought DirecTV had taken their ad campaign a bit too far by using a scene from Tommy Boy featured dead actor Chris Farley. In the article, I had said that while I wouldn’t stop using DirecTV if I had it (which I don’t because satellite TV sucks in Florida), I don’t particularly find the commercial to be in good taste. There were several comments on Loafing’s website, some positive and others telling me to suck it. There was also a comment released by David Spade’s crew to People Magazine saying, “That [DirecTV] would include Tommy Boy in that [ad campaign], I thought was very flattering.” Spade added, “Oh, my God if [Farley] was here, I guarantee he’d be stoked that this little movie is included,” Kevin Farley, Chris’s brother says it “shows him doing what he loved to do most, making people laugh.”
Yesterday, I found a great post on /Film about the whole mess, which includes a video that might just be next for DirecTV. The clip uses several now dead celebrities — including Heath Ledger, President Kennedy and Jesus Christ. The video is meant to be funny and illustrate a point, but I’m sure some will find it offensive. However, the point is made, and in my opinion, there’s no difference between what is done in this spoof and what is shown in the Farley ad.
Check out the Heath Ledger/Jesus Christ DirecTV ad after the jump …
Welcome to a very special, spook-tacular edition of Kevin’s Korner. This week, as we get our costumes ready, our tricks perfected and our tolerance for candy pushed to its peak. Plus, I have some great movie news, including scary tale involving a Spider-Man villain, the newest film from the Broken Lizard crew, and so much more. So, grab some candy corn and read on. And have a great (and safe) Halloween!
Paranormal Activity has been a huge success created on a miniscule budget. As with any from-out-of-nowhere hit, the urban legends related to the film are growing in popularity on the Net. By now you may have heard that Steven Spielberg was locked in his house for hours after watching the DVD, and was so freaked he brought the movie back to Dreamworks in a garbage bag. Well, that one turns out to be true. In addition, Spielberg offered a suggestion for tweaking the ending of the film, which P.A. director Oren Peli followed. (Duh!) Spielberg’s ending is the one you see in theaters today.
Last week, as the buzz around P.A. grew, the original ending of the film (shown at festivals earlier this year) hit the Internet. It’s obviously spoiler-ific, so if you haven’t seen the movie, skip it. You’ve been warned.
To see the original ending to Paranormal Activity, click below …
Recently, DirecTV brought out its newest commercial in the campaign that has featured a scene from a famous movie, re-edited into a pitch for satellite TV. (You know, like this one …) The newest clip features the movie Tommy Boy, and has caused a bit of a stir as it features Chris Farley, who you’ll recall died of a drug overdose in December of 1997. So, are people being a bit prudish about this or did DirecTV actually commit a no-no?
Check out the DirecTV ad after the jump and vote whether you think the ad is kosher:
And now, the article you’ve waited all month … err, all week … err, all day … well, you’ve waited long enough, it’s Kevin’s Korner (Insert applause here). This week we have all kinds of fun movie news, a trailer and a bit of a rant. So buckle up, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride; well, not really, but you get the idea.
If you missed it, The Cove is a documentary about the Japanese town of Taijii — the scene of a brutal, annual hunt and slaughter of dolphins. The film is much more than a collection of horrifying images; it’s also at turns beautiful, suspenseful, and even comical. (The Cove is also one of the first movies I reviewed for Creative Loafing, which means it holds a special place in my heart.) I got a chance to talk to the director Louie Psihoyos and star Rick O’Barry about the film. Their mission was simple: Stop the needless slaughter of dolphins. Today, it looks like they have been successful.
It’s October, and do you know what that means? OK, yes, it is the season of post-season baseball, but I was talking about Halloween. More specifically, I’m talking about a steady diet of scary movies regularly consumed by cinema fans in honor of our annual festival of the dead. After watching more than my fair share of fright flicks over the past few days, I’ve put together a list of my picks for the five scariest movies ever. Be sure to include your top 5 in the comments section, and let me know what you think of my selections. And please, if you see me out in public, keep the whole ‘Kevin screams like a girl’ thing to yourself!
Ladies, gentleman and movie geeks, Kevin’s Korner is back, and better than ever. This week, I wrap up some news found floating around the Interwebs, check the box office tally *cough Zombieland cough*, sample what’s out on DVD, throw in a mild rant and top it all off with the hotly anticipated Trailer of the Week. So, let’s get going with the good stuff, shall we?
MOVIE NEWS
A Pryor Engagement: It was announced that Eddie Murphy was going to portray Richard Pryor in a biopic entitled Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? for Paramount. Now, unfortunately, Paramount and Eddie Murphy have backed out because they apparently don’t like each other very much. Alas, the show must go on, now with Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company backing the film and Marlon Wayans in the lead role. Despite Wayans doing a good job in G.I. Joe, I simply don’t see him as the lead in a movie like this. I guess we’ll see …
The scariest movie of the year, Paranormal Activity will continue to expand to more theaters this weekend after stellar reviews — especially from yours truly (check it out here) — a successful “demand it” viral marketing campaign, and grosses of $535,000 last weekend in just 33 theaters convinced the studio that they have a winner on their hands.
Paranormal Activity has already been bumped to over 40 theaters, with more to come this weekend. Additional screenings have been scheduled at Tampa’s AMC Veterans theater to go with the midnight showings already set.
The film has been a huge success largely due to the “Demand it” marketing campaign which asked fans to beg theaters to book the film, compounded by word of mouth through Twitter with TweetYourScream. The film was shot for roughly $15,000, but don’t let the price tag fool you. If you’re looking for a great scary movie, I encourage you to check Paranormal Activity out … if you’ve got the guts.
A MacGuffin is a term coined by famous director Alfred Hitchcock (and used continuously by George Lucas) to define a plot element, generally an object, that drives the characters and the story. To illustrate, I compiled some of the most famous MacGuffins. Check my list out, and let me know all good ones I missed by leaving a comment!
7) The Matrix – The Matrix
This one is debatable as a true MacGuffin, because it’s not necessarily an object, but an environment. However, throughout the movie, the question “what is the Matrix” is asked, and answered with varying layers, with the ultimate answer establishing it as a MacGuffin. My head hurts.
When I was 6 years old, I saw Jaws for the first time and was truly terrified that my trip to the beach the next day would be my last. Despite my love of the water, I still feel the terror that movie caused. Now, 20-something years later, I have experience true terror yet again. This time, though, the scare isn’t in the water; it’s in the bedroom. The movie: Paranormal Activity.
I saw reports that claimed Paranormal Activity was the scariest movie some people had ever seen, so I sought out the flick and “demanded it” on the the film’s website. Sure enough, the movie came to Tampa (your welcome), but only for a midnight showing. After seeing the movie that only cost a small amount to make, I was truly terrified and amazed at something as simple as a shadow or a random light turning on could be so scary.
Oh, and what’s-her-name looks to be along as well. Ya know who I’m talking about, right, that hot chick? I know no one has heard of her, but she is hot, and has a big mouth, and looks good standing over the engine of a car … Megan … oh, yeah, Megan Fox.
Details on Transformers 3 after the jump …
That’s right, film fans, the director of A History of Violence and The Fly is getting back to work on a remake of The Fly. Generally, remakes are done to bring fresh blood and a new take on a classic story to audiences who may not have seen it, but Cronenberg seems to just want to get back to work on one of his greatest hits.
The original, starring Jeff Goldblum (I thought he was dead) and Geena Davis came out in 1986 and was a huge hit, netting over $40 million. With special effects the way they are these days, Cronenberg could make a very different movie.
So, after seeing District 9, which bears similarities to The Fly, do you think anyone will want to see the remake? It will be really tough, in my opinion, to make a movie that will top District 9, quality wise.
So, lets indulge in a bit of fantasy casting. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy Tuesday, and welcome to Kevin’s Korner, the column that hasn’t been purchased by the Mouse — yet. This week, we have all kinds of great news, including Mickey and Spider-Man, Iron Man 2 info, another Bad Boys, Rambo and Fantastic Four movie, and a bit of Smurfing, along with a great trailer for Boondock Saints 2, some pictures and the box office report. So, what are you waiting for, read on!
Welcome back Psych fans to the review of episode 4, The Devil is in the Details… and in the Upstairs Bedroom. This week, the crew investigates a murder where all the clues lead to a possessed girl. That leaves Father Westley (Ray Wise) to exorcise the demons while Shawn comes to grips with the paranormal.
According to the announcement of a surprising deal, Disney has purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 Billion. Let me say that again: the Mouse now owns Iron Man, X-Men, Spider-Man and the rest of the thousands of Marvel characters. “This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” said Robert A. Iger, President of The Walt Disney Company.
Welcome back to Kevin’s Korner, that little spot on Daily Loaf dedicated to giving you all the movie news from the past week. So, lets look at a week dominated by Basterds, Angelina Jolie, Batman 3 and remakes.
Famed movie buff and A-list director Quentin Tarantino recently released a video listing his 20 favorite movies released since he became a director 17 years ago. When the list hit the Net, some movie geeks heralded the films as the 20 greatest movies ever — but this is a list by a movie guy for other movie guys. Tarantino famously worked at a video store and his appreciation of movies is legendary, so as a movie fan, I decided to take a close look at the list and delve deeper into the Tarantino 20. I was familiar with most of the titles, but I told a friend that I hadn’t heard of some of the movies on the list. After they asked me to return my movie-buff card, I quickly went to Netflix and looked up the more obscure titles.
Howdy partners. Welcome to my third review of Psych, this week’s episode entitled “High Noon-ish.” In the latest installment, Shawn and Gus help Lassiter find out who is sabotaging an old west attraction called Old Sanora. Let’s take a look and see if Psych is getting back to its roots and finding its footing in season four.
Happy “Avatar Day” everyone, and welcome to another installment of Kevin’s Korner, where I, Kevin, give you more movie news than you could shake a wet noodle at — along with some box office info, a DVD release list, and, of course, some Avatar Images and the trailer itself. So, grab a drink and celebrate Friday, the day the world sees what James Cameron has been doing for the last 10 years.
Welcome Psych fans to my recap of the second episode of this season, entitled “He Dead.” This week’s show revolved around a murder, of course. There were also plenty of wise-cracks, ‘80s references and, oh, Rachel Leigh Cook is back.
After Shawn and Gus find a downed plane, the pilot uses his dying breath to ask Shawn to find out who killed him. Once Shawn and Gus are on the case, they find the pilot’s dysfunctional family and his golf buddies, all of which reveal a motive. The journey to solving the case has never been as funny, such as when Shawn opens his big mouth and ruins the pair’s relationship with the pilot’s wife.
In remaking the 1973 Wes Craven classic The Last House on the Left, director Dennis Iliadis tries to scare us like Hollywood used to with this story of a vicious crime and a family that seeks bloody revenge. The movie comes out on DVD today, so let’s find out if it’s worth your hard earned cash.
The new marine doc The Cove takes you on an aquatic journey with elements of suspense, horror, tragedy and beauty that serve as a wake-up call to a problem that seems insurmountable: the systematic murder of dolphins by humans. I can tell you from personal experience that seeing The Cove will change you.
The film begins with seemingly paranoid animal-rights activist Richard O’Barry, a man who appears to blindly charge into situations hoping only to make a big stink and “change the world.” As the movie progresses, however, you start to learn more about O’Barry. Turns out he was in charge of capturing and training dolphins for the TV show Flipper. After a horrific event, something inside him snapped, and O’Barry realized he had become a torturer of dolphins.
I recently got an e-mail reminding me that it’s been 10 years since I graduated high school. So, when I sat down to watch 17 Again, I realized I wasn’t exactly the target audience. Still, I was hoping for something to identify with beyond a Zac Efron love-fest and a bunch of 20-something actors playing teenagers. Fortunately, Matthew Perry is in this movie.
Halo is one of the biggest video-game franchises of all time. When Peter Jackson announced he would bring the beloved franchise to the big screen, geeks everywhere were transformed into little kids on Christmas Eve. Sadly, the holiday quickly morphed into a trick-filled Halloween as first Jackson’s financing fell through, then Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro tried and failed to get the project off the ground. Hopes of ever seeing Master Chief at the multiplex were looking pretty grim. That is, until now, for Halo has a savior and Spielberg be thy name!
My favorite psychic crime fighting duo is back and better than ever for a fourth season of USA’s ’80s-obsessed mystery show, Psych. This is a show that will have you catching up on your Reagan-era trivia (rest in peace John Hughes), deleting those DVR’d episodes of the Mentalist, and asking yourself one question: “Are you a fan of delicious flavor?”
Happy Friday, everyone, and welcome to another edition of Kevin’s Korner, the column that gives you all the movie news you need — plus some you never knew you wanted. This week, we have Lindsay Lohan casting rumors, TV news, a hilarious Seth Rogen rejection video, the can’t-miss trailer of the week and much more.
So please check it out and enjoy!
Ridley Scott, director of the first Alien movie, has signed on for a prequel in an attempt to rejuvenate the franchise after two horrendous Alien Vs. Predator movies. Scott’s a talented guy, and he did a great job with the first Alien movie, but I have to wonder what the story is going to be?
Welcome back to another edition of Kevin’s Korner, where I wrap up all the big movie news into one neat package (sorry, no bow). After last weekends Comic-Con, there is plenty of news, trailers and rumors running around, so I’ll address a few. Also, Harry Potter got beat down by some rodents. Who would’ve predicted that?
Today, we get our first look at Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a new video-game-to-film adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal. Don’t let the fact its based on a video game fool you, though; the pictures, courtesy of Empire Online, look great.
Prince of Persia is about an adventurous prince named Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal) who teams up with Tamina (Gemma Arterton), a feisty and exotic princess, to prevent a villainous nobleman from possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can reverse time.
The video game was incredible, so let’s hope some of that rubs off on the movie.
More pictures after the jump …
With the sequel/reboot Fast & Furious arriving on DVD today, I decided to take a look at what the release brought to the table to see if it’s worth buying it, Netflixing it or simply waiting for it to appear in endless reruns on Spike. The film’s tagline is: “New Model, Original Parts.” Let’s have a look under the hood …
Last month, it was reported Futurama was coming back to cable TV after a six-year hiatus. The return was said to be due to stellar DVD sales, and Comedy Central planned to bring everyone back for an all-new 13-episode season. Obviously, ‘Rama-heads were jumping up and down in excitement, and as a huge fan of the show, I was with them. That is, until last week, when The Hollywood Reporter reported that contract talks with original voice actors — including Billy West (Frye), Katey Sagal (Leela) and John Di Maggio (Bender) — had broken down and that the show would be returning but with different actors.
Participate in my online poll of Futurama fans after the break …
This week, I’m starting a column called Kevin’s Korner (yeah, I know that’s not how you spell “corner,” but work with me here). In this weekly column (I hope), I will highlight some of the news circulating on the Internet that wasn’t covered by the incredibly talented writers here at Creative Loafing. This week, we have some movie news, the trailer of the week (it’s a must see!), and some other fun stuff, including the first look at Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2.
So, click the link below and check it out. I would appreciate any feedback in the comments section.
Finally, Empire Strikes Back has come to Harry Potter, in every way imaginable. Follow me back to a world of witches, wizards and teenage hormones and find out if the latest installment of Harry Potter is worth comparing to the greatest Star Wars movie of all time, or at least if it’s worth the price of a ticket. Read the rest of this entry »
Speculation over the casting for DC Comics Green Lantern had been raging all week, with names like Jared Leto, Nathan Fillion, Ryan Reynolds, The Hangover’s Bradley Cooper, and even Justin Timberlake being tossed around. In a move that could provide more drama than the movie itself, DC announced Ryan Reynolds will slip on the ring for the character of Hal Jordan/The Green Lantern.
For news and reviews of all the summer’s biggest movies, check out CL’s Movies & Television site.
The trailer everyone has been waiting for has hit the Internet. By now, you’ve seen the pictures of Megan Fox sans apparel on the set of Jennifer’s Body, and heard about the movie’s nude scenes. From the looks of the just-released Red Band trailer, the movie may actually turn out to be more than just one of those skin flicks you fast-forward to the good parts.
The plot seems simple enough: “A newly possessed cheerleader turns into a killer who specializes in offing her male classmates. Can her best friend put an end to the horror? ” The script, written by Juno scribe Diablo Cody, looks to be entertaining. Overall, I expect this to be a fun slasher flick with some edgy writing and some serious eye candy … consider me in!
Check out the trailer (NSFW) after the jump!
Be sure to check CL’s Movies & Television site for reviews of this summer’s biggest movies.
There is only one genre that is able to entertain us, capture our imagination and provide a glimpse of the world after the machines take over and enslave mankind. Of course, I’m talking about Sci-Fi. The genre has many different subsections, and Wikipedia can fill you in if your curious about what constitutes “science fiction.” For my purposes, a Sci-Fi movie is one that includes some combination of time travel, space adventure, futuristic ray guns and aliens. All of the following movies have proved influential on the genre and society in general — not to mention my childhood.
So, here’s my Top 15 Sci-Fi movies of all time, starting with one honorable mention. Please let me know what you think in the comments section!
It was announced today that instead of the normal five nominations for best picture, the biggest award ceremony in all of cinema, the Academy Awards, will now feature 10 nominees for the highest honor.
The awards, which will take place on March 7th, will now offer double the choices, apparently due to the number of award-worthy Blockbusters last year — especially The Dark Knight. Most critics and fans were upset the highest grossing movie of the year, and one of the most acclaimed, didn’t even receive a nomination.
The Academy also said they wanted to start recognizing some foreign films, animated films and even comedies, which tend not to fare well at the awards ceremony.
Read the rest of this entry »
Pictures from Tim Burton’s new project Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bohnam Carter and Anne Hathaway, have made their way to the Internet.
The photos give an idea as to what to expect, and this isn’t your typical retelling of Alice and the rabbit hole. It seems that director Tim Burton is giving Alice the Willy Wonka treatment, and things look to be taking a turn for the dark.
I, for one, enjoy the dark surroundings when they have their place, but I would hope for something different from Burton this time around. I see Helena Bohnam Carter and Johnny Depp as the same dark characters in the same dark surrounding as Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, but with different titles. After Charlie, I started to feel a little hesitant about Burton messing with stories and movies I treasured as a kid. The retelling of Willy Wonka made a good amount of money, but it wasn’t up to the childhood memory I treasured. I hope the same doesn’t happen with Alice.
So, take a look at these new photos and let me know if your excited about a darker turn at Alice, or your like me and hope Tim Burton goes for Beetlejuice 2, instead.
More photos after the jump …
[Editor’s Note: This is the first post by new CL film contributor Kevin Hopp. Kevin has been writing about film on his own site, Kevin's Movie Blog, and we’re excited to add his perspective to CL’s film and television coverage.]
Ghostbusters, Stripes, Caddyshack, Analyze This — all have Harold Ramis to thank for the classic comedy and the great memories. So when Creative Loafing asked me to review Year One, the latest movie written and directed by Egon himself, I jumped at the chance. I’m a huge fan of comedy, and the work of a director and writer like Ramis, one who has repeatedly produce comedy gold, has to be worth checking out.
Does Year One deserve to be in the same sentence as Ghostbusters and Analyze This? Read on …
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