There's guy TV, and then there's guy TV. And, then there's SPIKE. Possibly the oddest thing to come out of the, "what intensely guy thing could we put on television," brainstorm session is Deadliest Warrior. Odd perhaps, but the show is a hit, and it's hard to deny the watchability. In each episode, two of history's fiercest warriors are thrown into the ring to see who comes out on top. Well, … [Read more...]
There's a certain old school charm about Edge of Darkness, which is otherwise a rather run of the mill suspense "thriller." Mel Gibson is Thomas Craven, a Boston detective with a lot of years on the force, and less than ten minutes into the film his daughter is gunned down while standing right next to him, on his own front porch. It's pretty easy to assume, especially since the gunman yelled, … [Read more...]
Ahh... the internet. Well, that and the fun and fury of looking through lenses and/or irrationality. If you aren't familiar with the latest uproar, that which involves Kristin Chenoweth and Newsweek writer Ramin Setoodeh, I'd like you to take a moment to catch yourself up. Setoodeh wrote an article titled "Straight Jacket" which you can read here. The subtitle of the article is "Heterosexual … [Read more...]
David Tennant and Patrick Stewart star in a Hamlet production with a modernized look and feel, and if not for the fact that the praise had already come in like a landslide for the stage interpretation, this filmed effort would probably be getting a lot more attention. While a variety of other productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company have made their way to DVD, they are often very directly … [Read more...]
If it were up to me, Alan Wake would, in a variety of ways, represent the future of gaming. A new standard in immersive gameplay, the title has you playing as author Alan Wake during a vacation gone horribly wrong, and events unfold with the style and suspense of a television show. In fact, the game is broken up into episodes, and as you progress to the next installment, a "Last Time on Alan Wake" … [Read more...]
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time looks to be a film that may win me over to some degree. Despite my general disinterest in films developed from video games (films made in order to facilitate video games are enough for me), and the overall kookiness of the "Sands of Time," it actually looks like there might be something to this one. Plus, I rather like Jake, and good for him. At first the … [Read more...]
Of all the comic book turned animated series efforts of the last dozen or so years, none stands out quite so much as X-Men, and you can now complete your collection with Volume 5. While there have been bigger productions in the comic world, and some would argue the merits of the Batman series, X-Men handled its own complexity so well, and offered up so many characters, that it rebuilt the idea of … [Read more...]
There's a unique sense of fun about the first Iron Man movie, and it's enough to largely overcome whatever difficulties may be present. The villain is overdone. The message of peace overwrought. Generally, the script could have been tweaked. None of it matters a great deal though, because the experience of muddling along with the world's biggest playboy as he comes to terms with having the … [Read more...]
In celebration of Frabjous Day and the upcoming Blu-ray™ & DVD release of ALICE IN WONDERLAND on June 1st, Walt Disney Studios is asking America to “Show Us Your Best Futterwacken!” For those who haven’t seen the film, this is the crazy, awesome dance performed by The Mad Hatter. In the world of Alice’s Wonderland, the Futterwacken is a dance of unbridled joy. The contest … [Read more...]
Mystery Team is making its way to DVD shortly, and I've got a new clip to share. Frankly, I normally wouldn't bother, because the clip is pretty well covered in the trailer anyway, but I'm actually pretty anxious for this one. Also, since this coincides rather nicely with the astoundingly awesome episode of Community last night, I figured I'd go ahead and give you a look. Stay tuned for a … [Read more...]
Written and Directed by Stan Foster, Preacher's Kid is a story inspired by the biblical Prodigal Son, and though delivered through a modern perspective, it's surprisingly true to the concept. It's surprising, because it's a story without answer or direction, and one that focuses on a concept which all but forces audiences to demand both. LeToya Luckett stars as Angie, daughter of a preacher … [Read more...]
So far, my experience has been that Community is pretty solidly in the love/hate arena of television. I haven't heard anyone describe it in any way other than polar extremes. I actually find myself in the love camp, and one of the things I love about the show is the variety of oddness to be found. Part of the extra oddness comes by way of the webisodes the show puts together, and Danny Pudi (Abed) … [Read more...]
It may just be the season of movies that surprise me. There seem to be an awful lot of movies that don't appeal to me on the horizon, except that most of them are somehow finding a way to appeal to me. It may have started with the actors, the premise, or both, and none of them are remotely likely to be the next greatest thing, but I'm getting sucked into the idea that they might be fairly … [Read more...]
There isn't much that piques my interest in a cursory glance at Letters to Juliet. I do have to admit that I rather like Amanda Seyfried, especially since following up Mamma Mia! with Jennifer's Body, and Big Love doesn't hurt her in my eyes either. Then again, we're closer in temporal location to Dear John, and with another (apparently) treacly love story. Here's the quick rundown … [Read more...]
The 1994 effort to bring Iron Man to the public was possibly a hopeless cause, at least using the approach it did, but it was a treat for fans, and will likely find a new lease on life now that the films have given the public some exposure. Available now on DVD, the 3-Disc set brings you every episode of Iron Man The Animated Series. A show that was pretty obviously put out with fans in … [Read more...]
Ready to watch Doctor Zhivago again? The classic film can be a tough sell in the revisit department, but it's well worth it. It's hitting stores today in a 45-year Anniversary edition Blu-Ray and DVD, which are loaded with special features, but what I want to draw your attention to at the moment are the On Demand and Download possibilities. The alternative viewing market is skyrocketing, and … [Read more...]
