Dec. 30

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Here's some movies and a special about and that take place at New Years time. Enjoy:






Everybody be safe and look forward to a great 2009! If you're looking for Best of and Worst of 2008 lists, go somewhere else - what's the point of being redundant.


'Terminator' locked up in film archive

Arnold Schwarzenegger has earned a spot in the halls of Washington, but not because of his political career. Instead, the former actor's turn as a robot from the future was enshrined in the Library of Congress as the National Film Registry announced Tuesday that "The Terminator" is among the 25 films that have been selected for preservation in the Registry in 2008. Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names 25 films to the Registry that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant. The choices aren't necessarily considered the best American films; they are chosen by Librarian of Congress James H. Billington on the advice of the Film Preservation Board and the library's motion picture staff because the selections possess "enduring significance to American culture." James Cameron's 1984 "Terminator," in which the future governor of California's cyborg utters the classic line, "I'll be back," was cited for "blending an ingenious, thoughtful script ... and relentless, nonstop action." "Terminator" was one of several fantasy features that made the 2008 list, along with James Whale's "The Invisible Man" (1933) and Ray Harryhausen's "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" (1958).


SAG Awards actor/actress nominees

Contenders include Ledger, Winslet and Pitt:

Actor
Richard Jenkins "The Visitor"
Frank Langella "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn "Milk"
Brad Pitt "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke "The Wrestler"

Actress
Anne Hathaway "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie "Changeling"
Melissa Leo "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep "Doubt"
Kate Winslet "Revolutionary Road"

Supporting Actor
Josh Brolin "Milk"
Robert Downey, Jr. "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman "Doubt"
Heath Ledger "The Dark Knight"
Dev Patel "Slumdog Millionaire"

Supporting Actress
Amy Adams "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Kate Winslet "The Reader"

Ensemble Cast
"Doubt"
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"Slumdog Millionaire"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"


New Unborn Sites Now Live

Rogue Pictures has just launched a new YouTube channel and MySpace profile for the supernatural thriller The Unborn, including a feature that will allow users to freak out their friends by including them in a terrifying demonic possession video, Rogue announced. Users can personalize the video with a friend's name and photo, and the video will be uploaded to YouTube and sent to the friend.


SCREENWRITER MICHAEL JELENIC DISCUSSES "WONDER WOMAN"

Writer Michael Jelenic makes the leap from animated television to feature-length films with his script for "Wonder Woman," the next entry in the popular series of DC Universe animated original PG-13 films. Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation are set to release the all-new film on March 3, 2009, distributed by Warner Home Video. The film will also be available OnDemand and Pay-Per-View as well as available for download day and date, March 3, 2009. Jelenic is well-known for his work at Warner Bros. Animation, providing the clever words to series like "The Batman," "Legion of Super Heroes" and the newest Dark Knight animated series, "Batman: The Brave and the Bold." Jelenic stepped away from his laptop to be both brave and bold in answering a few questions about the thoughts behind the words and story of "Wonder Woman," the challenges of pleasing every fan, and the un-coolness of working in the comics realm.

More News:

Studios happy with Christmas presence

ABC cranks out 'Lost' Season 5 trailers

'Valkyrie' could bode well for UA

Playwright and Full Moon Entertainment writer Greg Suddeth dies at 55

Golden Globe actor/actress nominees

Nominees vie for first SAG Award as lead performer

Time Warner may drop MTV, VH1

Wire's Midseason TV Preview, Part 1

New Watchmen Featurette!

We Have New Fringe Info

Webber Conjures Phantom Sequel

Disney posts new trailer for its upcoming fantasy movie G-Force

CONTEST!!! Paramount Home Entertainment DVD Giveaway on IESB! Eagle Eye and Ghost Town!

New Image from MONSTERS VS. ALIENS!

International One Sheet For 'The Horsemen'

First Clip From 'Bloody Valentine' Teases 3-D Capabilities

The Ladies of DreamWorks' 'The Uninvited'

Latest Norway Horror Addition, 'Hidden'

'Ghosts of Goldfield' Coming from North American Pictures

On the Set of 'Trailer Park of Terror'

Several New Stills From 'Red Sands'

'Attack of the Giant Leeches' DVD Art and Trailer

Flavor Flav Hosts 'Nite Tales' DVD on February 8th

Watch This: Andy Warhol Interviews Steven Spielberg

Night of the Living Dead Megos Now Shipping!

Von Trier's Antichrist in Post; More Plot Details!

Fincher, Pitt talk

DVD Straightjacket - Resident Evil: Degeneration

Synopsis:
Seven years have passed since the incident in Racoon City. Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, the stars of the RESIDENT EVIL 2 videogame, are about to find themselves on the verge of another viral disaster. The Umbrella Corporation has inadvertently unleashed the G-Virus on the Hardardville Airport, bringing about an onslaught of zombie hordes, terrifying creatures, and a biological abomination the likes of which have never before been seen.

Special Features:
The Generation Of Degeneration featurette, character profiles, voice bloopers, a fake Leon interview, five trailers, two Resident Evil 5 trailers and previews.

Review:
I saw this video, Resident Evil: Degeneration, released a while back while I was walking through Best Buy and – because I thought the Resident Evil Trilogy starring Milla Jovovich wasn’t all that bad – I looked it over. Oh no – I certainly didn’t BUY it. It had stinker written all over it. But I did start asking my movie geek friends for a little 411. It soon became evident that nobody had taken a chance on it – so, when I saw it at the video store, I rented it (Fully expecting disappointment).

Well, I’m happy to report, it wasn’t horrible.

I guess it’s important to note that this computer animated film version of Resident Evil is no continuation of the Milla trilogy. It is, however, a continuation of the Resident Evil game cinematics and it follows the further adventures of Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they try to avoid becoming T-virus zombie meat. By the way, what’s with the “S” part of Leon S. Kennedy? I mean, do I really go around introducing myself as Elbow “P.” Murderpants? I’m hoping if Leon’s character actually does come to fruition, (with the help of Jensen Ackles) in Resident Evil: Afterlife – he’ll drop the S. (so to speak).

Remember a few years back.... how they started portending that “one day” there would be virtual actors who were as popular as real actors, but wouldn’t command the ridiculous salaries and lavish dressing-room perks? Well, obviously the day hasn’t come yet, and we can see why in films like this. Even the most impressive CGI and animation has trouble with the human form. At the end of the day, people look fairly fake and their dialog syncs-up like a bad Godzilla film voiceover. The movement is still stiff, and the skin, though looking more life-like every year, is still strange.

Nevertheless, despite the computer limitations, Resident Evil: Degeneration unfolds into a reasonably entertaining little short, especially if you’re a fan of the game. It’s a survival horror flick that moves along at a pretty good pace and provides fairly constant action. Admittedly, as with all Zombie movies, you can tell where the plot twists will check in, and you can tell which characters will be eaten. But that’s expected. The voice talent is not as bad as some Japanese animated productions – with one notable exception – the voice of the little girl. This voice is like fingers on a blackboard and is clearly not that of a real child. It makes you beg for the child’s zombie-handed-demise. Mercifully, the character has limited screen time and you are spared relentless suffering.

All this said – please don’t think I’m suggesting this is a great film. It just has some redeeming qualities that bring it up a few notches and make it watchable…if you’re in the mood for some animated zombie violence. (Review by Elbow Murderpants from Bien Agiter!)

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Dec. 30

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Fox will fight for 'Watchmen' delay

Warner Bros.' message to Fox regarding "Watchmen" copyright infringement can be summed up this way: Bring it on. In a defiant statement issued Monday, Warners said it was prepared to go to trial or to appeal last week's ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess, who stated that the studio had infringed on Fox's copyright in making the adaptation of the Alan Moore superhero graphic novel. "We respectfully but vigorously disagree with the court's ruling and are exploring all of our appellate options," the studio said. "We continue to believe that Fox's claims have no merit and that we will ultimately prevail, whether at trial or in the Court of Appeals." Fox, meanwhile, is looking for an injunction against the March 6, 2009, release of the movie.


Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov join forces to produce wunderkind director Shane Acker’s 9 - trailer online

A new era in animated storytelling begins on 9.9.09. Visionary filmmakers Tim Burton (The Corpse Bride, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory) and Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Nightwatch) join forces to produce wunderkind director Shane Acker’s distinctively original and thrilling tale. 9 stars Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Martin Landau, Christopher Plummer and Crispin Glover and features the music of Danny Elfman. When 9 (The Lord of the Ring’s Elijah Wood) first comes to life, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world. All humans are gone, and it is only by chance that he discovers a small community of others like him taking refuge from fearsome machines that roam the earth intent on their extinction. Despite being the neophyte of the group, 9 convinces the others that hiding will do them no good. They must take the offensive if they are to survive, and they must discover why the machines want to destroy them in the first place. As they’ll soon come to learn, the very future of civilization may depend on them.


New Images from Harry Potter plus a few words from Yates and Radcliffe!

In the latest issue of Empire Magazine the biggest movies of 2009 are profiled including Transformers 2, Sherlock Holmes and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Director David Yates talked about the sixth film in the series, "It's all storytelling. In all honestly, I do the same thing [on this] as I've always done. You can't really change your way of storytelling just because the film's bigger." The aritcle says, "He's even added at least two sequences invented for the movie, taking down a London landmark in the first few minutes and burning the Weasley home later on." Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe chimes in, "I hope everyone gets that we're all taking it seriously, that we're not just dossing. We're not making these films becase we have to, but because we want to make something great. We're not going to put most of our year into doing something if we don't think it's going to be very good!"


Devastator News and No Megatron Says Bay

The Empire Magazine images from TRANSFORMERS REVENGE OF THE FALLEN were great, along with the USA Today ones. But, we didn't get much info in regards to fanboys' inquiries from the USA Today article. Empire rectified that in their print article on newsstands now with Optimus Prime on the cover.


First Gory Images From 'My Bloody Valentine 3D'

B-D reader Joey M. sent us a link to a whopping six new images from Lionsgate's My Bloody Valentine 3D, which feature your first gory images, along with two new looks at the killer. In the remake directed by Patrick Lussier, Tom (Jensen Ackles) returns to his hometown on the tenth anniversary of the Valentine's night massacre that claimed the life of 22 people. Instead of a homecoming, Tom finds himself suspected of committing the murders.

More News:

Trio to present at Golden Globes / Spielberg honored

Paramount rakes in foreign revenue

Cinematographers honor CBS shows

BBC wins ratings race with 'Wallace'

Stamps celebrate great TV moments

Watch Coraline Featurettes!

Knight Topped Good SF Year

Video Chronicles Fanboys Battle

Watch The New Lost Promo!

Insane Violence Peeks Its Head in 'My Bloody Valentine'

First Casting Call For Rob Zombie's 'H2'

New Poster and Images From French Horror 'Humans'

George A. Romero's 'Deadtime Stories' Volume 2 Wraps

2009 HORROR MOVIE PREVIEW: VARIOUS STUDIOS

Fortress Features 'Tease' 1980's Teen Horror Film

Hi-Res Look at 'Midnight Movie'

North American Pictures Releases 'Dark Reel' DVD and Blu-ray

Wormwood Down the Pub - One Shot coming Dec 31

Wulf and Batsy - Why Aren't You Reading This

Clive Barker's The Thief of Always Comes to Iphone

Why We'll See 'Watchmen' on March 6th

Could the Harry Potter Series End Early?

Live In NYC? Want To Start Off The New Year With A Little David Fincher?

Teaser for SubHysteria

First Horrorfest Theaters!

Everyone Knows Tony Stark Is Iron Man

New Image From Up

Celebrate Easter Blu-Ray Style With The Robe

FOX JOINS THE TWITTER REVOLUTION

Justin Theroux on Iron Man 2

Capone sits with Jason Isaacs for GOOD conversation about HARRY POTTER, GREEN ZONE, and how to love Paul W.S. Anderson!!!

Northlander interviews MARTYRS' Pascal Laugier - and he spills about his HELLRAISER remake!!

Vern has read Stallone's THE EXPENDABLES!!!

Do you like to talk during movies - I have an article for you to read!

‘Felix, What Are You Going To Do????’ Amazon Unbox Gives A Free After-Christmas Web Gift To BATTLESTAR GALACTICA Fans!!

Blu-ray SERENITY!! SIMPSONS!! OFFICE!! MARS!! NIP/TUCK!! 24!! EXOSQUAD!! VOLTRON!! XY!! Auld Lang HercVault!!

CONTEST!!! PINEAPPLE EXPRESS Blu-Ray Prize Pack Give-Away!

Dec. 29

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New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Here we go with week 3 of our list of comic books coming out this week. We will begin on Wednesday of this week our regular post of new titles. We got a little behind because of the holidays. As you can see, there are tons of good superhero titles hitting shelves today as well as movie tie-ins. You've got all kinds like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Batman, Army of Darkness, and Captain America just to name a few.

Sneak Peek (Click on headline to see the rest):
Farscape #1, $3.99
Indiana Jones And The Tomb Of The Gods #3 (of 4), $2.99
Star Wars Knights Of The Old Republic #36 (Prophet Motive Part 1), $2.99
Batman #683 (Alex Ross Regular Cover), $2.99
Push #3 (of 6), $3.50
Army Of Darkness Ashs Christmas Horror (One Shot)(Dave Simmons Regular Cover), $4.99
Hulk #9 (Arthur Adams Regular Cover), $2.99
Captain America Theater Of War America First (One Shot), $4.99
Wonder Woman #27 (Aaron Lopresti Regular Cover), $2.99
Flash #247, $2.99


Disney jumps ship on next 'Narnia'

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" will have to sail without Disney. While declining to elaborate, Disney and Walden Media confirmed Tuesday that for budgetary and logistical reasons the Burbank-based studio is not exercising its option to co-produce and co-finance the next "Narnia" movie with Walden. The third entry in the series, based on the classic books by C.S. Lewis, was in preproduction and set for a spring shoot for a planned May 2010 release. The development puts the participation of the talent attached in doubt. Michael Apted was on board to direct a script by Steven Knight. The key players of the second installment, "Prince Caspian" -- Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell -- were to return for the third film. It is rare for a studio to pull out of a planned trilogy in midstream, but the number-crunching showed a franchise on a downward trend. "Lion" roared to $292 million domestically and another $453 million internationally in 2005. This year, "Prince Caspian" grossed a healthy $141 million in North America and another $278 million internationally, but that was well off the "Lion" take.


Eartha Kitt dies at 81

Eartha Kitt, who used her seductive purr and sultry style to charm audiences as an actress, singer and cabaret star, died Thursday of colon cancer. She was 81. The cancer was detected about two years ago and treated, but it recurred after a period of remission. Kitt recently had been treated at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. "She came back strongly; she had been performing until two months ago," said Andrew Freedman, a longtime friend and publicist. "We had dates booked through 2009." Among Kitt's hits was the Christmas tune "Santa Baby," lending poignancy to her Christmas Day death. The song went gold this year, and she received the gold record before she died, Freedman said. Slinky and catlike, Kitt described herself as a "sex kitten": She followed Julie Newmar in the role of Catwoman on the TV series "Batman" during the 1960s.


Fox has stake in 'Watchmen,' judge says

The judge presiding over Fox's suit against Warner Bros. over the latter's Zack Snyder-helmed action film "Watchmen" has issued a ruling that Fox has a copyright stake in the planned March release. "Fox owns a copyright interest consisting of, at the very least, the right to distribute the 'Watchmen' motion picture," U.S. District Court judge Gary Feess said in the ruling. The preliminary ruling throws a wrench into Warners' planned release of the Legendary Pictures-produced movie. Fox and Warners had been prepping for a Jan. 20 trial date, but the ruling could force Warners to settle -- likely in the form of payment -- if it hopes to put the film in theaters. Fox developed the project but eventually passed; "Watchmen" moved around to other studios before Warners picked it up and greenlighted it. The tale is based on Alan Moore's graphic-novel serial about a band of heroes.


A Few More TRANSFORMERS 2 Images Have Arrived!

It's definitely been the week of TRANSFORMERS 2 now with even more images from the film being released. Empire Online released the first three, USA Today had two great write-ups on the film and now three more images! In the sequel, humanity is still trying to sort out which Transformers can be trusted and which mean to exterminate humans. Authentic military personnel were hired to show just how they might actually handle an over-the-top situation like an alien robot invasion. Much of the plot remains under wraps.

More News:

Cool yule for 'Doubt' and awards films

'Madagascar 2' tops hale overseas b.o.

Film critics' top 10 lists all over the map

Whedon's Dr. Horrible among AFI's top moments of 2008

Rising at 'Bedtime'

L.A. ride of 'Valkryie'

China to miss out on 'Dark Knight'

Marley breaks Dec. 25th records

Time Tight For Watchmen Settlement

Watch The New Lost Promo!

Empire Exclusive Transformers 2 Images

Bruce Boxleitner Returning for Tron 2.0

Majel Barrett Roddenberry Memorial Service to be held on Jan. 4th

More TRANSFORMERS REVENGE OF THE FALLEN Goodies!

Fox, Depp & Jackman Top the Fandango 2009 Hot List

First Two 'Underworld: The Rise of the Lycans' TV Spots

Pascal Talks 'Hellraiser' AND 'Martyrs' Remakes

First Look at 'Fading of the Cries'

Set Visit: Jackson Rathbone on the Set of 'Dread'

2009 HORROR MOVIE PREVIEW: LIONS GATE FILMS

Mandalay Pictures Gets 'Wicked Smart'

2009 HORROR MOVIE PREVIEW: WARNER BROS. / NEW LINE

Thomas Jane to Direct and Topline 'Devil's Commandos'

'My Bloody Valentine 3D' Official Website Launched

Eleven Bloody Stills From Lionsgate's 'Kill Theory'

Platinum Dunes Blog: Fuller Talks Ms. Voorhees, Little Jason and More!

Lobell's Ghost is 'Condemned'

2009 HORROR MOVIE PREVIEW: SONY PICTURES / SCREEN GEMS / COLUMBIA

Crazy Hi-Res Look at 'Sack Head' Jason Voorhees!

2009 HORROR MOVIE PREVIEW: PARAMOUNT / DREAMWORKS PICTURES

Official Website Launched For 'Offspring'

The Trailer For 'Mutants' in Finally Here!!!

'The Thing' Prequel Plot Details Revealed...

Trailer Debut For 'His Name Was Jason'

Lionsgate Gives 'Daybreakers' a September Release

Stage 6's 'The Lodger' Hitting New York & Los Angeles Theaters

Anchor Bay Releasing 'Walled In' on DVD

Danger After Dark Snags Korean Horror 'Epitaph'

2009 HORROR MOVIE PREVIEW: DIMENSION FILMS / MGM

'Imago Mortis' Trailer and Poster

First 'Street Fighter' Trailer Now Online!

Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov join forces to produce wunderkind director Shane Acker’s 9 - trailer online

International Teaser for 'From Paris with Love'

Cinematical Interview: 'Valkyrie' Producer and Writer Christopher McQuarrie

Sci-Fi Channel Snags '100 Feet' and 'Mutant Chronicles'

Cinematical Set Visit: Inkheart

The Geek Beat: Holiday Heroes

RZA Talks 'The Last Dragon' Remake and Rihanna

You Jive Turkeys Best Get Ready To Experience Some BLACK DYNAMITE!

First Look at NECA's Resident Evil 5 Figures!

Plot Details for Jack Brooks 2

Something Familiar About This Alien Uprising

Hot Toys Predator Action Figure Image Blow Out!

8 Films to Die For Soundtracks Available in January

Two Offspring Stills

Murphy Riddler Rumor-Starter Not Giving Up

What Could Have Been: Hepburn As Peter Pan

Kevin Durand Says No Thanks To Smokin Aces 2

See Philip Seymour Hoffman As Penguin

CB Interview: Tom Cruise And Bryan Singer

The Men Of Valkyrie Talk Hitler

Sandra Bullock Chasing The Expendables?

Valkyrie May Break The United Artists Bank

Green Hornet May Lose Its Kato

New Monsters Vs. Aliens Trailer

Clarifying That Matrix Edition's Contents

Trailer And Behind The Scenes Look At Season 7 Of 24

Video Clips From 24 Season 7 Premiere

Cast Video Interviews From Season 7 Of 24 - Part 2

Cast Video Interviews From Season 7 Of 24 - Part 1

More MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D Pictures

Screenwriter Eric Roth Exclusive Collider Interview – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Composer John Ottman Exclusive Collider Video Interview VALKYRIE

THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE Update – Exclusive Collider Video Interview

THERE'S NO STAR WARS MUSICAL

CONTEST!!! DEATH RACE DVDS

SuperHeroHype - Director D.J. Caruso on Y: The Last Man

Watchmen First Look in Theaters

Exclusive New Spirit Featurette!

Bedtime Stories Review

Synopsis:
Hotel handyman Skeeter Bronson's life is changed forever when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. He attempts to take advantage of the phenomenon, incorporating his own aspirations into one outlandish tale after another, but it's the kids' unexpected contributions that turn Skeeter's life upside down.

Review:
I’ve always been a pretty big fan of Adam Sandler and his movies. Even the ones most people detest. I was hooked from the first time I saw Billy Madison. Yes, I am a huge fan of stupid and juvenile humor and won’t apologize for it. He just has that certain something that gives him the talent to play it extremely stupid or as a shy everyman underdog.

Basically, Bedtime Stories is an Adam Sandler movie with the vulgarity toned down. He takes all the best parts of himself and his shtick (or whatever you want to call it) and cleans it up for the whole family. You’ve seen traces of the guy Sandler is playing in this film in The Wedding Singer, Spanglish, and Big Daddy. He’s very likeable and always has the best intentions, even if he doesn’t always know how to translate it in his life. As usual, a couple of his buddies show up in different roles, such as Rob Schneider (The Waterboy, 50 First Dates, and a few of his Happy Madison films) and Allen Covert (The Wedding Singer, Billy Madison, Big Daddy, etc). The other supporting roles are all filled out by some very talented and well-known actors such as Courteney Cox (Friends, Scream trilogy, Ace Ventura – Pet Detective) Keri Russell (Felicity, August Rush, Mission Impossible 3), Guy Pearce (Traitor, The Time Machine, The Count of Monte Christo), Richard Griffiths (the Harry Potter movies, Sleepy Hollow, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear), and Jonathan Pryce ( Pirates of the Caribbean movies, The Brothers Grimm, Tomorrow Never Dies).

The movie overall for me was a disappointment. I really was expecting a little more from the story. I don’t think they went as far as they could have with the imagination aspect and it coming to life in reality. You just keep feeling through the movie that there must be something else that is going to happen, but it never does. The film had it’s charming moments, but it just didn’t quite pay off in the end. I believe this might be the first in what could be a very lucrative career in family films for Sandler. He’s already shown promise in the arena, but this really is the first film he’s done for a true Disney fanbase. He just has that goofy persona that children and the kid’s in all of us wish we could hang on to into adulthood. (Review by Eric Shirey)

The Spirit Review

Let's get the synopsis for the film out of the way and then get to the meat of it: "Adapted from the Will Eisner's graphic novels, The Spirit tells the story of a man who fakes his own death and fights crime from the shadows of Central City. The Octopus -- who kills anyone unfortunate enough to see his face -- has other plans. He's going to wipe out the entire city. The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from the city's rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront...all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill the masked crusader."

I've been waiting a long time to see Frank Miller's version of The Spirit. I'll start off by saying that. I have done my very best to ignore all the negative chatter and writing about it. I wanted to believe that if one person truly did respect creator Will Eisner enough and was even a friend of the late comic writer, it would be him. I don't know why I would think that. Miller had actually gone on record stating that he really doesn't like the way the original comics were colored and such, which to me is part of their glamour and history. The only real reason Miller even took on the job of making the film, was to selfishly keep someone else from doing it - or :ruining it", as he more or less said.

Well, he didn't really destroy The Spirit or bring shame upon Eisner or his creation. What we have with The Spirit movie is another rather lackluster superhero movie for people to not really get into. Let's just say Miller didn't help push the cause for anyone new to run out and pick up a copy of The Spirit Archives to get educated on the great American hero. I think most people who see this are going to walk away going, "Eh" and forgetting about the film almost immediately while heading to Blockbuster to rent Sin City or 300.

Did the movie suck? No. Was it cheesy with goofy dialogue? Of course it was. It was a movie about a comic book character from the 1940's made to feel like a comic book. Does that work for everyone? No way. There are a lot of people out there who don't think comic book dialogue translates well on film. I'm not going to argue about it, disagree, or agree. That's just the way it is.

So you ask, "Is this movie worth seeing?" Well, if you're a fan of The Spirit and the way it was written, you should definitely see it. It's fun and quirky, just like the comics. If you're expecting some serious, dark, brooding superhero film like The Dark Knight, The Incredible Hulk, or The Punisher then this is probably not going to be your thing.

In the end, what I really wish is that Miller maybe have helped produce the film and let someone who truly loved the look and feel of the original comics take the director's reins and really go with it. Maybe even kept The Spirit in his original time frame or something. That would have been different and set it apart. I think it has been proven time and time again, that period pieces really can work. Maybe it's time to let a comic book hero be where and how he used to be. Just some ideas. Now I'm just rambling. (Review by Eric Shirey)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Review

Benjamin Button, as a short story is boring and high-handed. The movie is the exact opposite. This is one of the few instances in film history where an adaptation is actually better than a revered classic. Directed by David Fincher of Fight Club and Se7en repute, the film is just like those films - big, stylish, and messy in a good way.

Fincher takes the story of Benjamin Button, who is born an old man and ages backwards to infancy, and manages to never lose your attention for a minute, even though it runs 2 and a half hours. The movie winds in and out of Benjamin's life, finding the intriguing and beautiful parts while touching on the lives of those around him as well. These are the most interesting parts of the movie: the strange little characters that pass by with their own lives and stories. The best character in the movie is Captain Mike, who Benjamin comes upon while crewing his tug boat. He is vulgar, dirty and endearing. The performance is a lot of fun to watch.

The movie is a masterpiece and it looks amazing. Brad Pitt delivers a great, understated performance that harks back to his role in Meet Joe Black. Cate Blanchett is absolutely gorgeous, and I don't even find her attractive usually. She expertly handles the immaturities of youth and the wisdoms of old age. To me, what's even more amazing than the old age makeup is how young they manage to make Pitt and Blanchett look at certain points. For two stars north of forty, it's pretty amazing to see their faces unweathered and unblemished, looking 18 or 20 again.

I think a lot of people are going to badmouth this movie and I've already seen several reviews that call it the most overrated film this year. I have a feeling it's going to get a lot of award noms but few wins, and I absolutely disagree with this. I have seen it twice and been completely engrossed in it both times. It is the purest, most emotionally visceral experience I've had at the movies all year. (Review by Jonah Schrowang)

Dec. 24

Merry Christmas to all!!! We will return to regular posting on Monday, December 29th. Go hang out with your family and watch some cool Christmas movies. We have posted some snippets of some cool Christmas movies below to get you in the mood. First, check out The Spirit Christmas comic movie I made. I thought it was cool, especially with the movie opening tonight.



Christmas Vacation Trailer:


Silent Night, Deadly Night Trailer:


A Christmas Story Trailer:


Japanese teaser trailer for Silent Night, Deadly Night 2:


Jingle All The Way trailer:


One of my favorite scenes from Silent Night, Deadly Night 2:


Home Alone trailer:


Christmas Evil clip:


Original 1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas trailer:


Black X-Mas Trailer:


Elf trailer:


Bad Santa trailer:


The Santa Clause trailer:


The Grinch trailer:

Valkyrie Review

I was one of those guys who used to think Tom Cruise was a pretty boy lame-o that never did anything of merit. I really don't know why. Maybe it was the "punk" thing to do at the time or something. I have to say that I'm glad in life that you always seem to get a chance to prove yourself wrong and realize that you really are an idiot who needs to open his eyes. You know, I really can't think of a single Tom Cruise movie I hated. Not one. Now I can add another one to my list - Valkyrie.

As usual, I'm going to let someone else (Jarodsu from iMDB) provide the synopsis for the film and then go from there: "At the height of WW2, a group of high-ranking German officers hatched a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and seize power of the military command in order to end the war. The operation was codenamed "Valkyrie", for the emergency plan that was meant to be used in case of a revolt against the Nazi government. This plan had been modified by the conspirators to ensure their success." Will it lead to their victory?

No matter what you think of Tom's personal life and wackiness he seems to air in public, there is one thing that is absolute. The man never gives a lackluster performance. He pours his heart and soul into every role he takes on. It's no different with his role as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg. You can literally feel him digging into the mind of the character and really exploring the passion of this man's beliefs. Cruise played the role so well and convincingly that you completely forget he's not using a German accent five minutes into the movie.

The supporting cast is a regular who's who of quality veteran and new names in the business, including Terence Stamp, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkerson, Eddie Izzard, and more. Each of them shines and gives a most powerful performance in the time their character is allotted. Tom Hollander, who played the vicious and slimy Lord Cutler Beckett in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, has the role of Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg - Attentat and brings that same kind of charisma to this performance as well. David Bamber, who plays Hitler, is very convincing and really captures the essence and characteristics that you would imagine the man having. He is a frail and paranoid little man. But he is powerful and very stern as well. I think it was a perfect performance.

Bryan Singer, as usual, directs this with fierce conviction and manages to keep the suspense built, even though most people already know how this is going to end. That's the true stamp of a great director. The man really knows how to balance suspense, romance, and adventurism all in the same project. He seems to have a fixation on the evils of Nazism. I myself can think of three films where he explores this right off the top of my head - Apt Pupil, X-Men, and now Valkyrie. Valkyrie almost feels like a strange kind of companion piece to Apt Pupil in a way.

If you're into war movies or just good suspense and thriller films, I would definitely suggest Valkyrie. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is also thought-provoking and educating while not losing any of its entertainment values. (Review by Eric Shirey)

Dec. 23

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The Tale of Despereaux Review

Synopsis:
Tiny and graced with oversized ears, Despereaux was born too big for his little world. Refusing to live his life cowering, he befriends a Princess named Pea and learns to read (rather than eat) books -- reveling in stories of knights, dragons and fair maidens. Banished from Mouseworld for being more man than mouse, Despereaux is rescued by another outcast, Roscuro, who also wants to hear the tales. But when the Princess dismisses Roscuro's friendship, he becomes the ultimate rat and plots revenge with fellow outsider Mig. After Pea is kidnapped, Despereaux discovers he is the only one who can rescue her...and that even the tiniest mouse can find the courage of a knight in shining armor.

Review:
I'm almost positive that there is a new animated family film coming out just about every weekend. The quality of the films, in my opinion, are pretty hit and miss. It seems like most are just sub par with a nugget of goodness being hidden every once in a while. I really wanted The Tale of Despereaux to be one of those films. Especially with such a stellar cast of voices like Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick, Kevin Kline, and Harry Potter's female friend, Emma Watson.

The film just never really gets going in my opinion. It just left me with this real bland taste in my mouth. It didn't seem to challenge my mind or stand out as anything special. It was just there. Like a time-filler for parents who need someplace to take their kids to get them out of the house.

I can't really pinpoint why I felt this way. It had action. It was funny in all the right places. The main rat villain Botticelli, was actually pretty cool, with his cool Nosferatu-looking long-button coat and evil elongated kind of face. The voicing was even good. Something was just not clicking, though. One of the things that just seemed kind of out of place (which is probably in the book, so I don't know how it could feel out of place in the movie) was the soup Genie named Boldo. I know that it seems like I'm just picking random things out of the air, but it was the only "magical" thing in the movie. My kids and wife liked it, so maybe it just isn't for me.

Well, it's like I always say. You win some… you lose more. It's not like they're going to stop making these things. I'll just continue doing my job by trying to warn you about the ones that will make you feel like you're being put through Chinese water torture. (Review by Eric Shirey)

Dec. 19

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