Trailer Tuesdays 8/13/13

Hello there. Have you missed me? I sure have missed you!

HER (11/20/13)

Wow. I dig this trailer. I dig it a lot. It looks fantastic. Joaquin Phoenix looks like he brought his 'A' game as usual, as well as Spike Jonze. It looks like a very interesting concept as well. This just went up on my top ten most anticipated movies for the rest of the year.

PHILOMENA (11/1/13)

DAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMME Judi Dench... That's all I have to say about this. Looks good.

THE MONUMENT MEN (12/18/13)

George Clooney, Matt Damon, John Goodman, Bill Murray... what more do you need? This looks like a different kind of War movie and it looks interesting. Can't wait to see it.

CBGB (10/11/13)

A movie about Rock 'n' Roll's most infamous club with the most infamous toilet. Starring Alan Rickman and a slew of other celebrities, this seems like it's going to be a fun movie.

ENOUGH SAID (9/20/13)

This is James Gandolfini's second to last movie. It's such a shame when actors die before they are able to see their work. He will be missed.

ALL IS LOST (10/18/13)

A lot of people don't like movies where there is only one character with nothing but his thoughts for the majority of the film. I personally love them. It's one of the best ways to see who that character really is, and see how he or she thinks. I can't wait to see this one.

MAGIC MAGIC (8/28/13)

I'm glad to see Michael Cera doing something different. He looks creepy as hell in this movie. Although, I don't have much hope for the movie as a whole.

AMERICAN HUSTLE (12/25/13)

In David O. Russell's follow up to "Silver Linings Playbook" he brings back Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence as well as Christian Bale and Amy Adams from his film "The Fighter". It looks very different from "Silver Linings Playbook", but it looks equally as good.

LONE SURVIVOR (1/10/14)

This has a lot of actors I love in it. I'm a little skeptical about a January release which to normal people sounds like crazy talk, but trust me. Bad movies come out in January for the most part, but I think this could be the exception of next year.

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY (12/25/13)

People are freaking about this because they think Ben Stiller is trying to out do Danny Kaye, which is completely ridiculous. The two movies, although based from the same short story, look completely different. Ben Stiller is one of the most underrated Actor/Directors out there. He has such diversity in his work. He's done ridiculous comedies with "The Cable Guy" "Zoolander" and "Tropic Thunder". He's done action movies. He's done quirky comedies like "Greenburg" and now he's making what seems to be a deep, thoughtout drama about a man who wants more with his life. Even if this ends up being a disappointment, I have so much respect for him trying. This is my most anticipated movie of this year.

Trailer Tuesdays 6/4/13

Starting today, I'm going to try doing weekly trailer updates every Tuesday and call it Trailer Tuesday. So grab a Taco on Taco Tuesday and watch some Trailers on Trailer Tuesday. Lets see if I can keep my word on this.

PRISONERS (9/20/13)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!! This will be released on the Weekend of my Birthday! And this is the first legitimately decent looking thriller of 2013. With a star studded cast of Hugh Jackman, Terrence Howard (Who is a jerk in real life, but a great actor), Viola Davis, Maria Bello and my boy Paul Dano! I have great expectations for this movie. Hopefully it lives up to them.

MACHETE KILLS (9/13/13)

The second installment of a series based on a fake trailer in "Grindhouse", "Machete Kills" looks... interesting. I wasn't a huge fan of the first one with the exception of one scene which I can't find. I'm not thrilled that Lady Gaga is in it, or Charlie Sheen (Esteves). I am, however, excited for Mel Gibson.

AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS (8/16/13)

Wow. No words can describe how excited I am for this movie. This trailer is better than most movies are as a whole. With a killer cast including Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara and Ben Foster, I could easily see this being one of the best movies of the year!

PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS (8/7/13)

I actually really enjoyed the first one. I though it was very underrated. And from what I can tell from this trailer, it's going to be just as good if not better. After seeing Logan Lerman in "The Perks of Being a Wall Flower" I've become a bit of a fan of his.

DON JON (10/18/13)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is starring in his writing and directorial feature debut.  It definitely looks very interesting. But I don't know if I can stand 90 minutes of the Northern Jersey accent. Accents can kill a movie for me. That's one of the main reasons I wasn't a fan of "The Fighter". The Boston accent used by that many annoying people drove me crazy. I'll definitely be seeing it either way.

ABOUT TIME (11/8/13)

Brendan Gleeson's son is in this. That's all I really care about. Oh, also Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy. Definitely looks interesting, though I feel like it's been done before. If it has, I can't remember where. I'll still see it. One of the pluses of getting free movies!

THE WORLD'S END (8/23/13)

:) YES YES YES YES YES!!!! Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freemen, Eddie Marsan, Paddy Considine, Mark Heap, Edgar Wright... Need I go on? I've been waiting for a movie from these guys since 2007 when "Hot Fuzz" was released! Can't wait!

INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS (12/6/13)

You can't go wrong with The Coen Brothers. Really, you can't. Their worst movie is still better than most Directors' best movie. And there really aren't many other Directors you can say that for. I'm glad to see an original story by them again.

WE'RE THE MILLERS (8/9/13)

It's no secret that I don't care for Ed Helms... He almost deterred me from seeing this movie. However, the young man that plays Kenny, his name is Will Poulter and he stars in one of the most underrated movies of the last 10 years, "The Son of Ranbow". If you haven't seen it, check it out. Also, he looks hilarious in "We're the Millers".

THE KINGS OF SUMMER (LIMITED RELEASE 5/31/13)

I'm disappointed that this is only limited release. I hope it expands soon, because it looks to dang good not to see in theaters. It's got Ron Swanson!!!!

Thanks for reading! Tune in next week for more trailers. Unless I suck and forget to do it.

Ironman 3

Ironman 3.

It's that time of the year folks. Summer movies are finally back in season, for better or worse. And who better to open up the summer than Marvel, with Ironman 3?

Tony Stark is back and this time he is facing the Mandarin, a terrorist who wreaks  on the United States with a series of bombings. When the attacks get a little to close to home for Tony Stark, and his friend and body guard Happy is put in the hospital, Mr. Stark threatens the Mandarin. And the Mandarin responds how most terrorists would respond. By shooting missiles at his house in a fly-by shooting.

Thugg Lyf3!

This marks the second time director Shane Black has worked with Robert Downey Jr. The first time being in 2005s "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang", a very underrated movie in my opinion. With the opening scene, it is very apparent that the two films share a director. And I mean that as a good thing.

It's been a long time since I saw "Ironman 2", but I don't remember being that thrilled with it. "Ironman 3" brings back the smart-assery that is Tony Stark and also brings back some of the emotion I felt was missed in the second chapter.

With a perfect combination of drama and comedy (in my mind at least), "Ironman 3" is a great start to a action filled summer movie season.

My Grade: A-

The 'Mikey Awards' Nominees (Also known as the 'I Have No Life Awards')

Here are my nominees for 2012... Not that anyone cares.

Best Picture
Argo
The Cabin In The Woods
The Dark Knight Rises
Hitchcock
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Lincoln
The Perks of Being a Wall Flower
Seeking A Friend For The End of The World
Seven Psychopaths

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Logan Lerman, The Perks of Being a Wall Flower
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained
Sam Rockwell, Seven Psychopaths
Christopher Walken, Seven Psychopaths

Best Actress  (Combined in one, because I'm rarely impressed with actresses, only because very few good characters are written for them)
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings playbook
Zoe Kazan, Ruby Sparks
Helen Hunt, The Sessions

Best Director
Ben Affleck, Argo
Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight Rises
Drew Goddard, The Cabin In The Woods
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Thomas Hooper, Les Misérables

Best Screenplay
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained
Chris Terrio, Argo
Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard, The Cabin in the Woods
Tony Kushner, Lincoln
John J. McLaughlin, Hitchcock

Best Original Score
Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek, Tom Tykwer, Cloud Atlas
Alexandre Desplat, Argo
Nathan Johnson, Looper
Danny Elfman, Hitchcock
Mychael Danna, Life of Pi

Best Animate Film
Paranorman
Wreck-It Ralph
Frankenweenie

Best Short
Paperman
Curfew

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

"Some men are just to interesting to die".

That is the theme of the book Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. But that theme is lost in its translation to screen. I still really enjoyed it. It was just different. But I realized something after pondering on the movie for a few minutes after I saw it.

The book is far to deep and filled with character development (I know, hard to believe, but it is) for the average movie goer, and to completely ridiculous for the philosophical thinkers of the movie world. So it puts itself in a pickle. And justifiably so, it goes for the easier target, the action-seeking-summer-movie-goers.

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is exactly what it sounds like. It is a retelling of history in which the great 16th President is, in fact, a vampire hunter. The vampires or the nation, who mainly live in the south, use slaves to feed off of. Abraham finds himself in a pickle when he seeks revenge on the man who killed his mother when he was 8 (historically accurate... just in case you care).

He soon finds himself under attack from the man he thought he just killed via a bullet in the eye, however, this man is a vampire. He is saved by a man who followed him from the bar named Henry Sturgess. The man trains him to hunt vampires and Mr. Lincoln uses his talent while gaining political popularity and becoming the great man we all know and love!

Now, the book is so different, I find it hard to compare the two. The are both great in their own ways. The book is more historically accurate and has a deeper undertone than its theatrical counter part. But, as I said, the book is to deep for some and to ridiculous for others and just right for a few insane people such as myself. When it comes down to the wire, you gotta make your money back and then some. So, they changed it.

The changes made it a fun, adventurous movie that I feel, those who don't care for history (also known as fools) will still enjoy it. There is a specific antagonist in the film, which is not in the book. Rufus Sewell (The Illusionist) plays a very sinister leader of the vampires known as Adam. Which leads me to believe he was the first vampire. Adding this character made the on screen transition more smooth, since most people don't like films in which there isn't an obvious villain.

I guess, within all of this rambling, I am trying to say the differences made for this movie were necessary. That is what many people do not realize. Not everything is about pleasing the fans of the book (although I was pleased with the movie). The fans of books are just a small percentage of who the studios are trying to target. They are trying to open people up to the movie who have never heard of it before.

I loved the book and really enjoyed the movie. Can't we all just get along? I'm talking to you book purists! It's ok if the movie isn't exactly like the book!

My rating: B

Breaking the Curse: The Character Trap

I haven't posted in awhile for a few reasons. Number 1, This month has been terrible for new releases, in my opinion. Nothing, other than The Avengers has peaked my interest enough to go spend $10.50 to go see it. Number two is that I haven't really had any topics to write about. I recently watched the entire Mission: Impossible series for the first time, but that wasn't enough to write anything anyone would want to read. But now I have something to talk about. There is one major problem with Blockbusters.

That is the fact that the main stars from them (if it is one of their first major roles) have a hard time breaking from the character, making it hard for producers and directors to visualize them as another character. Mark Hamill is the perfect example of this. He was relatively unknown on the Big Screen when he starred as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode IV. He had a successful stage career prior to it, but nothing really other than a few TV gigs that paid the bills.

Everyone knows that he hasn't done much other than voice acting since Star Wars. Luckily he's talented enough to get a lot of jobs doing that. But what few people know is the amount of rolls he was turned down for because he was Luke Skywalker. He was the most famous person to ever play Mozart in the play Amadeus, next to Tim Curry. And when that play was being prepped for the silver screen, most people, including Hamill, thought he would play the title role.

But there was just one problem. Despite having played Mozart on Broadway for years, Mark Hamill had a ghost following him, named Luke Skywalker. The producers did not want Mozart to be played by the famous Jedi. So they went with Tom Hulce, who was eventually cursed by the role of Mozart, mainly because he played him so well. He even received an Oscar Nomination for the role.

Mark Hamill was one of the Lucky ones. At least the films and character that cursed him are loved by nearly every single person that watches them. He is still remembered today despite his lack of on screen appearances. Not all are as lucky.

Now, it is extremely early to say he is in the character trap, but  will bring him up regardless, because the beginnings of the curse are afoot. Robert Pattinson is close to being type cast as a emotionless vampire in a terrible franchise. The only fans of these film will one day grow up and realize how bad they are. There is no escaping it. At least I hope that happens.

Call me crazy, but I don't what Robert Pattinson to be forever known for that crappy role in that crappy movie based on that crappy book. I think he deserves more. Think about it. What was he doing prior to Twilight? A couple Harry Potter movies, but his role was not that impressive and easily forgettable to the majority of the audience, since most of the audience didn't read the books. You can whine all you want, but thats a fact.

And before that, he had a few roles, but nothing that really gave him that green light to producers and directors to start casting him in other roles. Twilight was the first. And if anyone reading this is thinking "I still wouldn't take a role in that dumb movie even if I was starving to death", you're lying. If someone offered you $2 million to be the leading role in a movie when no one knew your name, and you wouldn't take it, you are an idiot and deserve to starve. Plus he's made $12 million for the subsequent 3 sequels.

I know I would do it in a heart beat. I don't blame Mr. Pattinson at all. But that's not why I want him to be successful. I want him to be successful after Twilight because of what he's doing outside of Twilight.

He played the great artist, Salvador Dali in Little Ashes. He starred along side Reese Witherspoon and, more importantly, the great Christoph Waltz, in Water for Elephants. He also worked with director David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises, The History of Violence) in Cosmopolis which premiered at the Cannes Film festival this year.

My point is the guy is taking risks. Most people his age would just try to do more block busters. They would use the role that gave them fame as a reason they are entitled to roles. But he is doing things that are usually done by actors twice his age. He is taking roles in films that would be considered more "artistic" than they would money makers. And I respect that. Who couldn't respect that? It seems like he is praying for the day he's finally done with Twilight so he can create a name for himself and not a name synonymous with crazy, crying and screaming teenage girls.

I hope he can do it.

No specific release date has been given at this time, but Cosmopolis is scheduled to come out this year.

Stan Lee Cameos

I'm just going to get right to it. Stan Lee's cameos in Marvel movies are terrible. They weren't that bad until the train wreck that is Spiderman 3. After that, with the exception of The Incredible Hulk, they have made me want to jump off a bridge.

There are a lot of people that do cameos in movies. One of my favorite directors, Alfred Hitchcock, is known for them. But the difference between the two is subtlety. The reason I have hated almost every one of Stan Lee's cameos since Spiderman 3 is the fact that they might as well be slapping you in the face.

Stan Lee's cameos used to be subtle. In X-Men he was just a hot dog vender. In Spiderman he saved a little girl! In the first Hulk, he was a security guard walking out of the building Dr. Banner worked in. A bit obvious, but you know what? I'll take it. But then you have Spiderman 3. Not only does he walk up next to Peter Parker and look at the same news feed that our hero is, but he also delivers a completely cheesy and unnecessary line.

"You know. I guess one person can make a difference. 'Nuff said."

SLAP! "Hey did you know Stan Lee is in this movie?" said the studio executive desperate for a gimmick.

One of the first things they teach you in film school is to never do anything that will remind your audience they are watching a movie. Now there are exceptions to the rule, like if you have a character that breaks the fourth wall on purpose and what not, but these cameos are on a whole other level.

Hitchcock's cameos were classy. He never made a big deal about them. He was always in the background somewhere. Never in the foreground. He would always walk on screen and walk off with out a word, or the camera would pan past him.

M. Night Shyamalan, a little less subtle, but he always gives himself roles that move the story forward. They are necessary roles. The give the story some development.

If Marvel just went back to giving Stan Lee background roles, things would be better. The only thing that bugged me in The Avengers other than an awkward shot (just nit picking right there) was Stan Lee's cameo. I instantly rolled my eyes as he came on screen and shook my head after he delivered his line.

Please, Marvel! Don't be so obvious when throwing Mr. Lee into your films!

Super Hero Movies

As I sit in the first lecture of my last month of classes, with senior-itis having already been a factor in my focus since late March, I was looking at fandango.com to figure out what movie I should see this week.

Now for many of you, the obvious choice would be The Avengers. And why not? It is the epitome of a weekend movie. There are Super Heroes, explosions, and of course, Scarlett Johansson. I will definitely see it eventually, but the excitement for it is not as great as it would have been a few years ago.

My excitement was absent for Thor and Captain America last summer as well. This got me to thinking. Why am I not nearly as excited for Super Hero movies as I was when Iron Man or The Dark Knight came out? The only Super Hero movie I am even somewhat excited for is The Dark Knight Rises. But the others have me looking for something else to watch the weekend they're released.

I have come to a few conclusions. The one thing that has changed for me between now and 2008 is the fact that I no longer work for a movie theatre. When I worked for the theatre, I didn't have to worry about sold out crowds, or even having to pay to see it. I would get an after hours screening of it, with just me and my friends from work, the day it came out. The annoyance of being crammed into the theatre and people taking up my elbow space, and whispering to each other distracting me from taking in the great visuals.

I have been spoiled with my movie going experience. The $10 ticket that everyone else had to pay while I was seeing everything for free makes me feel like I am putting a down payment on a car that might break down on my way out of the lot. The great thing about not having to pay for a movie ticket was the fact that if I didn't enjoy it, it didn't matter. Now, I have to carefully choose what movies I decide to pay to see.

That brings me to why I skeptical about paying to see a movie most people love.

Super Hero movies have  lost their flare to me.

Before you close out this blog out of disgust, hear me out. I have always enjoyed Super Hero movies. Even since I've lost interest I have still enjoyed them. Captain America was the best one I had seen in a long time! I love that movie.

But I have noticed something. The studios try to pump them out so fast, and don't take that much time on them that they have all become very formulaic. They all follow the same plot points, and have the same structure.

Some of you may be thinking to yourself "Well, all movies are like that", and for the most part, I would agree. But Marvel and DC Comic movies do it with such force that they might as well be sitting next you you, nudging your arm, saying "You see what we did there?". They are recycling movies, but inserting different characters and settings.

Here is the outline for almost every Super Hero movie that has been bade in the past decade.

• Introduction of the main character. He's either a nerd or a rich giant douche.
• He is in love with a girl that is either way out of his league, or don't want anything to do with him because he's a douche.
• Something happens to him that makes him have super powers (usually involving radiation), or something terrible happens like his parents dying, or being kidnapped by terrorists.
• He decides to become a hero, and tries to change things.
• Insert montage of him being awesome!
• Best friend, brother, or well trusted colleague becomes the villain.
• Villain kidnaps someone close to hero. Usually the girl.
• Hero struggles to defeat villain before ultimately winning.
• Happy times occur. Girl realizes she loves him, etc.
• Hero rides off into the sunset.

The most different movies in this genre are Captain America and Ironman. They manage to have certain things that make it feel fresh. And can I just say, Captain America had a great ending?!

"I are you gonna be ok?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I just.... I had a date"

So good.

All in all, I will definitely see The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises in theaters. But I will more than likely wait a few weeks until the crowds have died down. Crowds suck.

The Avengers opens this Friday, May 4th.