Flying high

I had to make a quick post to give my support to the Flyers as the compete for the NIT championship tomorrow night. Now I realize that many basketball teams would rather lose in the first round of the main tournament than win the NIT, but I still think this is a big deal. What makes this even bigger is the fact that they are taking on those scumbags from UNC. Oh how sweet it would be for me to see my alma mater take down the team I despise the most. I'll definitely be watching the game and I hope all of the Flyer Faithful will be as well. I also hope I can get some support from my NC State brethern as well. They are always up for an opportunity to root against the Tar Heels. So everybody cheer on UD and let's bring home the championship!

Happy Hour deleted scenes

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Wrestlemania XXVI predictions

So it's time once again for the biggest show of the year, the granddaddy of 'em all, Wrestlemania and this year I'm pretty darn excited. Not just because I'll actually get to watch it with a group of people this year, but because for the first time in quite a while, the WWE had done a really good job in building up most of the matches, giving the show that big-time feeling that it needs. Here's hoping the rest of you are just as excited and if not, perhaps my preview of tonight's show will convince you.

Career vs. Streak: Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker
Let it be known that I'll be rooting all the way for Shawn to win this one. I've long been a proponent for keeping the streak alive, but this year is different. I don't want Shawn to retire and let's face it, streaks are meant to be broken. The reality though is that in wrestling a retirement can be reversed, the streak cannot. For that reason, I feel the Dead Man will somehow pull out the victory.

WWE Championship Match: Batista (champ) vs. John Cena
This has actually been a well built feud. You know it's good when I want to see a John Cena match. Part of the strength of this feud is that they've actually made Cena look vulnerable, making you question the outcome. Wrestlemania is all about good prevailing over evil, though so I see Cena winning the title. The only difference this time is that I won't mind seeing him get the win.

World Heavyweight Championship Match: Chris Jericho (champ) vs. Edge
This too has a nice story surrounding it, dating back to last summer. If given time, this could be one hell of an awesome match. I do have some concerns about how healthy Edge is coming off that injury, but if he's ready to go, this one could be an instant classic. Frankly, I like both of these guys so I'll be happy either way. I'll pick Jericho to find a sneaky way to survive, but I won't be surprised by either man winning.

No Holds Barred Match: Bret "the Hitman" Hart vs. Vince McMahon
If you're any kind of wrestling fan, you know the story here. This will not be a mat classic, but certainly could be a fun garbage brawl. I'll pick Bret here as logic dictates the only way that this match should end is by having Vince tap like a little girl while in the Sharpshooter. However, it seems like that moment would be more awesome if it took place in Canada. I don't know how long Bret is committed to doing this though, so I'll say his happy moment comes here.

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
From my perspective, this match has 9 midcarders and Christian. For that reason, he seems like the only logical choice here to get the win. Of course, the purpose of the match is really not about who wins, but how many highspots can they cram into this thing. And with guys like Evan Bourne, Shelton Benjamin, and Kofi Kingston involved, I'm sure those spots will not be in short supply.

Triple H vs. Sheamus
It feels strange seeing HHH in such a low-profile match at the big show. But it's also kind of nice to see him take a back seat for once. I'm not entirely convinced in the drawing power of Sheamus, but he's HHH's buddy in real life, so I'm sure Trips will do everything in his power to make him look strong. For that reason, I'll call Sheamus with the upset victory here.

Triple Threat Match: Randy Orton vs. Ted Dibiase vs. Cody Rhodes
The only real dud on the card. In a match that I'm dubbing the "Megadouches Explode", I really don't care who wins or loses. I've given up faith in them being able to properly build up Dibiase or Rhodes as legitimate threats. For some reason, fans seem to be trying to make Orton a face again, which will likely be a disaster. I'll say Orton gets the win, but really who cares?

Unified Tag Team Championship Match: ShowMiz vs. John Morrison and R-Truth
This is the only match that feels like it's more of a TV type match than a Wrestlemania match. Still, I'm glad they found a way to get these guys on the show. Miz has really developed his persona and wrestling skills and having him team with Show only improves his profile. There's still more to do with that team, while Morrison and R-Truth have only begun teaming for this match. For that reason, I see a fairly easy win coming for ShowMiz.

Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk
The stip here is that if Rey loses, he has to join Punk's Straight Edge Society. Punk's got one of the best characters going right now and I would hate to see his momentum stalled with a loss here. It could be a lot of fun seeing Rey forced into this group against his will. If Rey wins, that kind of ends this story and does no one any good. For the sake of good storytelling, I'm picking Punk to get the victory.

10-Diva Tag Team Match
Certainly a bathroom break match, but on this loaded card, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'll pick the face team to win here, not just because it's Wrestlemania but because I find most of the heel divas to be pretty loathsome and worthless. As long as they don't blow too many spots, this will be fine.

And there you have it, a 10 match show along with a lot of the extracurriculars that are associated with Mania (i.e. celebrities, Hall of Famers, etc.) I'm really excited to see how the show will look in Arizona too. All indications are that the stadium's roof will be open, which should create an awesome atmosphere. I hope everyone enjoys the show and reverts back to that 10 year old mark that we all have inside of us.

The clock expires for 24

Looks like I've got to do yet another TV eulogy this week. News came down yesterday that this would be the final season of 24.

I certainly have mixed feelings on this. Running for eight seasons, the show had a good run. The past few seasons have seen some highs and lows, so to think that the show could continue at the level of quality that we came to expect from the first few seasons is a bit of stretch. Certainly, the structure of the show prevented it from naturally evolving. As cool as the real time gimmick was, it was also a burden that forced the show to become repetitive over time.

Now the question turns to how the show will end. They still have the remainder of this season, plus at least one feature film in the works. I think I and most fans will want to see a happy ending for Jack Bauer. To put him through all the hell that they have these seasons, it would be cruel to kill him off, no matter how more realistic that ending would be. I look forward to seeing it play out and I'm thankful for the entertainment Keifer and the rest of those wacky CTU agents and/or moles have provided me over the past years.

Trailers: heroes vs. villains

Check out the latest pair of trailers to hit the net:

In Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Michael Cera meets the girl of his dreams, only to find out that he must battle her 7 ex-boyfriends who are all out to kill him. While it doesn't appear Michael Cera is doing anything new in the character department, at least this time he gets to display hyper-kinetic fighting skills while playing it.



I've already shown teasers for Despicable Me, but now we finally get the feature trailer. Don't confuse this with the similar MegaMind, which I also recently featured here on the blog. In that one, Will Ferrell plays the villain who tries to do good, here it is Steve Carrell

The balcony is closed

Surprising news today as it was announced that At the Movies, the film criticism show originally started by Siskel and Ebert, will be cancelled. The show had gone through some rough times in recent years. After Roger Ebert left the show due to his medical problems, his current co-host Richard Roeper tried to keep the show alive with a rotating set of guest hosts. Then the show's producers made the suicidal decision to make the show appealing to a younger crowd by hiring Ben Mankewitz and Ben Lyons, who had no business being anywhere near that show. His reviews consisted of a bunch of cliches that you could have easily found simply reading my movie reviews. I thought the show had finally rebounded this past fall when it went back to its roots and brought in legitimate critics, A.O. Scott and Michael Phillips, who were bringing back intellect and class to the program. However, ratings apparently never rebounded and now the show comes to an end after being on the air since 1980.

Personally, even in the face of the Internet and sites like Rotten Tomatoes, I still feel there is room on television for a show of movie reviews. I think two aspects are key in what the show would need to include: 1)two or more individuals who have really great chemistry together that allows them to argue with each other while still exhibiting friendship/camraderie and 2)a show that allows them to actually analyze and investigate what makes a film so great or terrible; sometime more than a two line blurb that somehow boils down the essence of a film. For anyone considering starting a new film review show, I suggest following a model similar to ESPN's Pardon the Interruption. There is a perfect example of how to successfully do a show where you can have argument without it resorting to callous name calling, yet still provides well-rounded analysis of all the topics in sports. Create a show like that, only centered around movies and you should have something that people would be interested in watching.

For more on the cancellation of At the Movies, I suggest you check out Roger Ebert's blog entry, where he basically provides a eulogy for the show and gives his take on the current state of film criticism in today's society.

NMR: Island castoffs

Here's a pair of films I caught last weekend that have connections to another film I recently saw, Shutter Island.

Mystic River: This one had been floating around in my queue for a while and I finally decided to call it up to the big leagues and give it a watch. Like Shutter Island, Mystic River is a film adaptation of a Dennis Lehane novel. And once again, the Boston, or should I say Baaaahston, influence is heavily felt. At times, the film's story is engrossing. But it's also a frustrating film experience, not just for the uncomfortable story elements, but because it's one of these films that prepares you for one ending so much that you know that won't be the ending and instead something worse will happen in the conclusion. I liked both Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon's performances in this film, yet its Sean Penn's overt emoting that ends up meriting him the Oscar for some reason. Perhaps most noteworthy for me is that this film marks the first time I've disliked a Laura Linney performance. She's always so spectacular, but here she has a small role and is unlikeable in the small time she's on the screen. You would certainly have to be in the right mood to see this film, but if you find yourself in that situation, you'll probably enjoy the performances and the film. Rating: ***

Cape Fear: I also sought this out since it was another film being directed by Martin Scorsese. Made in 1991, this stars Robert De Niro as Max Cady, a recently paroled rapist who's out to make his defense lawyer's (played by Nick Nolte) life a living hell since he failed to get him an innocent verdict years ago. There are some terrific scenes throughout most of the picture as you watch De Niro's character be so clever in getting under Nolte's skin without doing anything illegal. On the flip side though, I wondered at times how Nolte's character could be so dense and not realize he was playing right into Cady's game. The climax of the film is a bit too long and overwrought, but overall this is a solid thriller and worth a view if you've never seen it before. Rating: ****

New Leads deleted scenes

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NMR: District 9

I actually rented this film back in January but just recently realized I never did a review for it on here. This is typically a film I would have skipped, but when it generated such high praise and even Oscar talk (ultimately resulting in a Best Picture nomination), I figured I would give it a try. I can definitely see why it earned the adulations that it did. It is very creative in its storytelling, while also making some poignant remarks about how we treat other human beings. However, some of its creativity began to wear thin on me as the film progresses. It changes narrative styles throughout; sometimes it is shot in a faux-documentary style, other times a straight action thriller. I also wished they would have had a stronger finish. The way the film ended left everything a little too conveniently wide open for a sequel, whereas I would have preferred they concluded on a powerful image that would stick with you well past watching the film. I think on the sheer ingenuity of the film's storyline, it's worth checking out. However, I'm unlikely to watch it again anytime soon. Grade: B

Mind-blowing or mega-disaster?

Here's the teaser trailer for Dreamworks' latest computer animated feature, Megamind, that boasts quite the all star cast.

Real recognizing real

I finally got a chance to see a movie in the theater again last weekend and with slim pickings for me, I opted for Martin Scorcese's Shutter Island. I've had my eye on this movie for a while, since it was originally supposed to be released last October. My suspicion is that the studio felt the combination of Scorcese and Leonardo DiCaprio gave this film a legitimate shot at contending for some Oscars. However, once they saw the film they felt it would get ignored and opted to push it back to save everyone involved from embarassment.

That reasoning makes it sound like this is a bad film, which it's not. It does, however, have the tough burden of being a Martin Scorcese film. When you're called the greatest living director, your films tend to be viewed from a skewed perspective. While this is a decent film, it pales in comparison to some of Marty's past work.

The fact that it is merely a popcorn film rather than a cinematic masterpiece is a bit surprising considering the source material. Shutter Island is based on a novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. Lehane's previous books that were turned into films, Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone, each earned high praise, even though they were directed by a couple of guys more noted for their acting than their direction. So for Scorcese to not to turn this into a gem is a disappointment.

Instead of dwelling on Scorcese, however, let's focus on what happens in this film. The premise here is Leonardo Dicaprio is a Boston marshall who has just teamed up with a cop played by Mark Ruffalo to investigate the disappearance of female mental patient from a psych ward located on the titular island. Given the security of the facility and where she was last seen, her escape seems highly improbable. The mystery quickly shifts away from this missing female and more onto what exactly is going on at this mental hospital.

Those watching will be quick to determine that not everything they are seeing is real. So like most, I begun to try and figure out what the twist/resolution to this story would be. Without giving it away, I guessed what it was fairly correctly at an early point in the film. This proved to be a frustrating experience as I then had to sit through several dialougue-heavy scenes that never really amount to anything, regardless of if you've solved the twist or not. It's a shame too that these scenes feel like such a waste though, considering they typically featured quality acting from the like of Ben Kingsley, Patricia Clarkson, Jackie Earle Haley, as well as DiCaprio and Ruffalo.

Interspersed throughout the film are also scenes involving Dicaprio's character having dreams/hallucinations/flashbacks to his life as a solidier in World War II and with his now deceased wife. Those with his wife (played by Michelle Williams) are hauntingly beautiful, yet the war sequences come off too crass and gruesome. I would have rather that aspect of the story be eliminated altogether because they really have no major significance on the outcome of the story. While these scenes are a mixed bag, I will credit Scorcese for the mood he creates in all the scenes taking place at the psych ward. The general spooky nature of this facility combined with the severe storm that hits the area during the film create a wonderful atmosphere.

Going back to the film's twist, though, whether or not you figure it out, you're likely to still be thinking about it long after the film is over. There is an ambiguity to the resolution of the story that makes you question what you just witnessed. You'll likely enjoy discussing with anyone else who has seen the film the implications of the final scenes. Often, an ambiguous ending can leave me, and many others feeling frustrated. However, this film's conclusion offers a different kind of conclusion. Its ambiguity doesn't lie in what will happened, but rather with what happened leading to this point. I'm sorry if that's not clear, but explaining it any further would ruin the film for those that haven't seen it yet.

Shutter Island can be a frustrating film at times. There are a lot of dead spots along the way, some of which never get satisfying payoffs. However, if you stick with it, the film's conclusion will offer you plenty to mull over. Based on the strength of the finish and the fine acting performances, I say there's enough here to recommend it. I enjoyed it enough, but it's nothing I'm crazy about (get it? crazy...psych ward, anybody?) Grade: B-

St. Patrick's Day deleted scenes

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NBC Thursday sitcom comings and goings

Some big casting news from some of my favorite Thursday sitcoms:

First, there are some big changes coming to Parks and Recreation. In terms of additions, news broke last week that both Adam Scott and Rob Lowe would be coming onto the show for brief stints starting later this season. Both of these guys can be very funny and I believe will fit seemlessly into the show. Parks and Rec. is also losing a cast member. Over the weekend, it was announced that Paul Schneider, who plays Mark Brandanowitz, would be leaving the show at the end of the season to pursue a film career. You can read executive producer, Mike Schur's thoughts on this move here. Personally Schneider's character is the weak link on that show, so to see him leave is no great loss. It just allows for more time and focus on the characters that I actually enjoy.

Over on The Office, they have some casting news of their own. EW is reporting that Amy Pietz (Caroline in the City, Aliens in America) has been hired on for a multi-episode stint for later this season. The report offers no details on what her role will be, but many are speculating that she might be a new love interest for Michael. If any new details come to light on this, I'll be sure to share them with you here.

NMR: Capitalism: A Love Story

Right-wingers beware! It's Michael Moore again. Yes, this is his latest documentary dealing this time with our current financial crises. Once again he's on a crusade to correct the wrongs in our country, yet I felt this time he pulled his punches. The film features a lot of his trademarks (the incorporation of old media footage, ambushing executives at their place of business, hard luck stories, etc.), yet most of them did not strike the nerve as effectively as they have in his previous films. Perhaps he feels beaten down by all of this or perhaps this is just too complex of a problem to address in a two hour film. Regardless, the end result just isn't as impactful as I felt it should have been given the gravity of this situation. I believe what I found most frustrating is the lack or answers or explanations to all of the problems he points out. For instance, he discusses the terrible 'Dead Peasants' policy that allows certain corporations to profit from the deaths of their employees. Moore clearly illustrates how such a practice should never have been put into play, yet we get no sense as to why it was allowed to happen, other than greed. That wasn't a good enough answer for me, yet I realize that there may be no better reason out there. At the end, he makes a plea for all of us to 'do something', yet he paints a world in his film that makes you wonder if we ever can. Despite his optimism that change is coming with the Obama era, real world events suggests that things may continue to stay the same for a long time. Overall, the film was good enough to keep me engaged, but certainly not as strong as some of his past work and is only recommended to those that really enjoy his work and/or this subject. Grade: B-

The Delivery deleted scenes

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NMR: 2012

2012 might as well have been called 'disaster smorgsbord'. It basically takes elements from all the classic disaster films (Earthquake, Posideon Adventure, Towering Inferno, The Day After Tomorrow) and throws them all in here, yet fails to capture any of the charm that those films had. Now at times, the visual effects are cool, but there is nothing there to support them. The film centers around John Cusack and his family as they try to avoid death and get on one of the arks the government has been created to save as many people as possible. The problem is that I found none of the characters overly engaging or likeable, so I had no rooting interest in whether or not they lived. A lot of the film's problems would not have seemed that bad had it not been for the fact that the movie is over two and half hours long!!! I hope the real end of days (if it actually happens) goes a lot quicker. There are certainly other films which can provide you with better eye candy, so I don't see any reason why you should bother with this one. Grade: D+

Iron sharpens iron

In case you didn't stay up late to watch Jimmy Kimmel's post-Oscar special (and I don't blame you if you didn't) then you missed the debut of the new Iron Man 2 trailer. If that's the case, then here it is for you to enjoy.

NMR: The Invention of Lying

Despite not being enamored with Ghost Town, Ricky Gervais' first attempt at an American film, I decided to give him another chance with his latest comedy that came out last fall. In general, this is a stronger effort. The premise here is that everyone tells the truth until Gervais' character becomes the first person to lie. This produces a very funny first half of the film whether we see everyone being brutally honest with each other. As the film progresses however, it falls into all too familiar romantic comedy territory as Gervais uses his new found knowledge to help him win over Jennifer Garner. The film also delves into some deep religious issues that produces some funny moments, but also annoyed me since I am religious and it's clear the film tries to make a mockery of it. I think there's enough funny material to make it worth a rental, but it's by no means a great film. Grade: B-

Lost and found

Here's a couple of interesting Lost-related items that I recently stumbled upon while surfing the interwebs...

First, a really cool image from a site called Simpsons Punx, where someone has Simpson-ized the Lost cast:



Then there's this video from the "Where do they find these things" file. It's a prison training video staring a very young Michael Emerson (aka Ben Linus). It's clear that he hasn't quite honed his skills of persuasion yet, but it's fascinating to watch all the same.


Finally, I just wanted to add my two cents on the most recent episode. Man, what an intense finish there. It seems like the war that's been teased for a while is finally starting to come to a head. Right now I would not want to mess with Flocke (aka the Locke Ness Monster). The other thing that I think we're beginning to see is that this Flash Sideways world may be part of the stakes of this war. Depending on which side wins, the Sideways world may or may not become the reality for our castaways. I'm really digging seeing all of these former faces pop up, even when they are scumbags like Keamy. I cannot believe we only have 12 more episodes left. It's going by way too quick, but I'm certainly enjoying every minute of it.

Skits incredible

So I was all set to post a couple of videos from this past week's SNL, because for the first time in a while I thought the show was really funny. Then, I come across a video today from Funnyordie.com, which blows it out of the water. Check out this impressive collection of talent, as former SNL members reunite in this political skit:

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

I've also included the SNL skits here, since they still made me laugh, even if they don't have the comedic talent that the above film has.

NMR: Who's hungry?

Here are a pair of food and drink documentaries that I recently caught through Netflix's Instant Viewing:

Food Inc.: This is yet another documentary that attempts to expose the harsh realities of how our food is prepared. What makes this one a step above most is that it doesn't resort to gross-out visuals of animal cruelty to get its point across. Instead, it delivers a well-reasoned argument that everyone should pay attention to. Sadly, they also point out how helpless the public is in trying to get any of these practices changed or stopped. This documentary is actually up for an Oscar this year and I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up winning. At times, the subject matter can be a little difficult to swallow (no pun intended), but it's a well made film worth checking out. Rating: ****

Beer Wars: Here, the focus is on the smaller craft beers and their struggle to compete against the big giants (Bud, Miller, and Coors). As someone who enjoys tipping one back from time to time, the subject matter certainly engaged me. I was also surprised to see how many of the beers referenced in the film I knew and/or have drank. Despite the engaging topic, the film has two major negatives against it. First, it's apparent the woman who made the film is more knowledgable about beer than she is about making films. The film just came off looking amateurish at times. The other problem is that it heavily focused on the founder of Dogfish Head beer and I've never enjoyed any of their brews. It made me tough to sympathize or root for him as he told his story. Still, if you're at all interested in beer, this is a short little film that will likely hold your attention, even if it doesn't necessarily tell you anything that you didn't already know. Rating: ***

More great moments in television news

Apparently Aussie newscasters can be just as clueless as the ones in the U.S.