Who wants a complete makeover?

It appears that the syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is getting an overhaul when it returns next month. Here's a breakdown on the new rules, courtesy of Buzzerblog:

Who Wants to be a Millionaire will be getting an all new look when the new season debuts September 13th in syndication. The long running quiz show hosted by Meredith Vieira is nearly getting an all new game, allowing contestants to win more money than ever before with an unpredictable first portion consisting of the first ten questions. If the contestant makes it that far, though, the Millionaire everyone knows comes into full force, placing the contestant just four questions away from the $1,000,000 top prize. With anything like this I’m expecting some sort of knee-jerk reaction and I’m hoping it doesn’t happen because after you dissect all the information and think about it, it sounds pretty good. I have to be honest…I think I really like this. Reasons why I do after the rules.

First off, the clock is removed from the game. The first round of the game will consist of the first ten questions valued from $100 to $25,000. The values specifically are $100; $500; $1,000; $2,000; $3,000; $5,000; $7,000; $10,000; $15,000; and $25,000. Before the game the order of the questions and the dollar values attached to each is randomly shuffled. So that means each contestant will be getting a different game each time. That first question may be for $100, or it could be for a huge $25,000. It could be the easiest question or it could be the hardest. No one knows the value of the question until the player has given his or her Final Answer. If a contestant answers correctly the value of the question is added to the contestant’s bank. If a contestant does not know the answer, that person can walk away with half of the bank during the first ten questions.

To help the contestant out, three Lifelines will be given. The only surviving Lifeline is Ask the Audience. The other two are called “Jump the Question. If the contestant is afraid of the question the contestant may “Jump” it, which will bypass the question but he or she can’t bank the question value. So again, the three lifelines are Ask the Audience and two Jumps.

If the contestant can make it through the first 10 questions, the contestant is guaranteed $25,000 to fall back on like always and is now just four questions away from the top prize. This portion is called “Classic Millionaire” and runs like always The $50,000 question has been removed and the Final Four are $100,000; $250,000; $500,000; and $1,000,000. The contestant can leave with his or her bank (or whatever dollar value that person is on), but if a wrong answer is given the contestant drops back to $25,000.

Not only that, if you can get through the first ten questions without using any of your Jumps, they will be used in the upper tier. So, for instance, if you get through the first 10 without using a single Jump, your bank will stand at the max of $68,600 and you bypass the $100,000 and $250,000 question; going for $500,000 automatically.

Another huge change is the iconic set is getting revamped. Some new lights and large 18 foot wide high definition monitors are placed around the set. The most startling change is the removal of the Hot Seat, so contestants and Meredith are on their feet in the central hub the entire time, moving about the set. As a side note also, the show will celebrate its 1,500th episode on November 5th, 2010.

So that’s the new game. And again, I have to be honest, I really like it I think. This is coming from a big fan of the show, too. The show reached a point of no return last season. No one was winning much. The contestants constantly walked away early because of the larger money chain so it never got to the exciting part. People were too afraid to use Double Dip. Ask the Expert was completely useless. Something had to happen. Do I think it’s as good as the original ABC game? No, that’s nearly impossible. But I do think this is better than what we’ve had the past year or two, which got extremely stale and predictable.

I like this because it does add a lot of excitement and unpredictability. The Jump does this especially, because you have to be really careful and play the odds of what dollar value you’re getting rid of. Ask the Audience was the only useful Lifeline left so I’m glad they kept it. The main game, while mixing it up, is still the Millionaire standard of answering multiple choice questions. That hasn’t changed. You just don’t know what you’re getting and it makes the walk-away decision much more crucial because staying in the game just one more question could net you well over $10,000 more. The only thing that confuses me is getting rid of something as iconic as the Hot Seat, but it’s not like that matters in the long run so that’s far from a deal breaker.

And here’s what I like the most. I feel the million is able to be won. The past few years have felt nearly impossible to win. Right now I feel like someone could actually win this.

“I feel as though we’ve really upped the ante this year on Millionaire. Every question counts and contestants will have to apply more strategy to see which risks they’re willing to take,” said Millionaire host Meredith Vieira. “Millionaire will look a lot different this year, but the foundation of the show remains intact. Millionaire is the show that gives regular folks a chance to win extraordinary money and we’re staying true to that premise,” she added.

I'll reserve judgment until I actually see the gameplay, but it does intrigue me. The thing I'm most concerned about is getting to see the higher value questions so that I can have a challenge while I watch. If this new format does that, I'm all for it.

Cop honor

As summer begins to wind down, I'm doing my best to see as many more films as I can because I know school is right around the corner. This time it's the lastest Will Ferrell comedy, The Other Guys.

It's been no secret that many people have been disgruntled with many of Ferrell's recent comedies, feeling that they have not lived up to the man's talent. I'm pleased to report that this movie has Will back in top form once again; it's the best he's been since at least Talladega Nights - and since I wasn't exactly a fan of that film, I'll say it's the best he's been Anchorman. Ferrell plays a cop who's never seen any action on the streets and is content with simply doing the grunt paperwork that none of his fellow 'real' cops want to do. This attitude particularly frustrates his partner, Terry Hoitz (played by Mark Wahlberg); he's a guy who wants to be in the thick of it all, but has been sidelined due to him accidentally shooting Derek Jeter.

Initially there isn't a need for them to be out in the field, since supercops (played by Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock) handle all of the big cases. While their appearance is brief, I did love the presence of these two guys on screen and the havoc they caused in order to catch the bad guys. Since we couldn't have a film featuring the main characters doing paperwork the entire time, Ferrell and Wahlberg soon find themselves working on a case involving the shady dealings of an investor (played by Steve Coogan).

As the two leads uncover clues, we get a lot of banter and bickering between them. Reminiscent of many past cop movies, these two guys can't get along. But the film does a nice job of playing with that notion since usually the bickering is a means of two guys trying to prove who's tougher. Here neither of these guys are all that manly, so watching them defend themselves while also trying to tear the other one down, yields a lot of laughs in the film.

Other sources of hilarity comes from a few more side characters like Michael Keaton, who plays the police captain. In addition to dealing with bumbling cops, he's having to take a side job at Bed, Bath, and Beyond in order to put his bisexual son through NYU. Funny stuff. There's also Eva Mendes playing Ferrell's 'thankless' wife. The gag here is that Ferrell seemingly doesn't realize what a catch she is, yet she's still extremely attracted to her.

One of the most impressive things about the film is it's joke callbacks. Given my penchant for Arrested Development, I always love when comedy writers can reference previous jokes and continue to bring fresh takes on them. The film does a really nice job with this, which helps keeps the laughs coming throughout the film.

It should be noted though that this is not a pure comedy. There's a lot of action and story here that makes the film seem almost at times like an actual police thriller, rather than a comedy. They seemed to want to include a lot of homages to cop movies, yet not all of them played for laughs. This makes the film a bit longer than it should have been and gives it an odd pacing. However, whenever the film started to lose me, it didn't take long for them to win me back with another great gag or one-liner.

Many will be surprised to see the film take such a hard stance against the economic situation we are actually facing in our country; particulary during the closing credits as they reveal several alarming statistics about our national banks and the bailout they received. Since the cops are dealing with a white collar crime, it somewhat fits, but still seems out of place in this film. However, any opportunity I get to learn something new about the world I live, I appreciate it.

I find myself eager to watch this film again. I feel that I may have missed some small nuances or subtle dialogue that will yield more laughs upon a second visit. While some films can be funny, you also know that those laughs won't be there on repeat viewings. I don't believe the same will hold true here. This is a robust film that offers a great performance from Ferrell and provides enough other talented people around him to make this a very enjoyable film. It does a nice job of paying homage to the police films that came before it, while also adding a new wrinkle to make it feel fresh. This is a nice late summer treat worthy of a viewing if you get the opportunity. Grade: B+

Runaway train

One of the few movies from my original Top 30 of 2010 that I haven't really talked about much since is Unstoppable, the new thriller that once again reteams Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott. The reason being is that there just hasn't been much to say, until now. Here's your first look at the trailer, which also stars Star Trek's Chris Pine and Rosario Dawson.

NMR: Hot Tub Time Machine

In a similar vein to Snakes on a Plane, the title ended up being better than the actual movie. This had a lot of potential and hardly utilized any of it. Instead, it borrowed ideas from a ton of other better movies and then relied on gross-out gags to get them the rest of the way. Perhaps this movie could have been better, but they advertised the hell out of it and as a result I felt like I had already seen most of the movie. A key factor in films is the 'hang out' factor in that you should ask yourself did you enjoy hanging out with these characters and would you want to continue to hang out with them. That would be a big, fat NO from me for this movie. All of these guys are losers and not in the loveable sort of way. Most of the time they are miserable in the 80s and when they are having fun, it's not the sort of fun I would like to have. Another problem is the major plot holes found in this movie. I know it's a comedy and it shouldn't matter and that there are always going to be logic gaps when dealing with time travel, but in this case some simple tweaks to the script could have improved things greatly. There are only two things that save this film from being a complete disaster; first is the shout out they give to Cleveland sports and second is Crispin Glover's presence in the film. Glover was not seen in any of the commercials and his whole subplot is hilarious. It seemed that the only times I laughed out loud was when he was on screen. For the rest of the movie, I need my own time machine so I can go back and warn myself not to watch this disappointment. Rating **1/2

Just in the Nic of time

The new crop of Survivor castaways was announced yesterday and EW.com revealed some interesting details on these contestants and other twists in store for the new season.

Two-time Super Bowl winning coach Jimmy Johnson headlines the new cast of Survivor: Nicaragua when it premieres Wednesday, September 15 on CBS. The former coach (who also won college championships as both a player and a coach) and current Fox football analyst will join nine other contestants over the age of 40 on the Espada tribe to take on 10 contestants 30 and under in Survivor‘s second old vs. young battle (Survivor: Panama was split into four tribes divided by both age and gender). The younger La Flor tribe features Survivor‘s second amputee contestant, Kelly Bruno, who lost her right leg to a birth defect when she was six-months old (Survivor: Vanuatu also featured a contestant with an artificial limb, Chad Crittenden). “We don’t really look at Kelly as ‘let’s do another amputee,”’ Jeff Probst told EW.com while on location during filming. “When Kelly came in, it wasn’t that she had [an artificial] limb. It was that she was so charismatic. I hope Kelly lasts a long time because that’s somebody I would want in my foxhole with me.”

The old versus young division is not the only twist this season. At the very opening, Probst will reveal to the contestants a brand new item: the Medallion of Power. The Medallion can be used by a tribe to give itself an advantage in an immunity challenge, but once used, it goes over to the other tribe to use when it sees fit. “The Medallion of Power is designed to give you power at challenges,” explains Probst. “And our job is to make sure that the advantage is enough to tempt you — not so much that it’s a landslide, but enough that you go, ‘I’m not sure we should take it. Maybe we should, maybe we shouldn’t.’”

Also, expect fewer hidden immunity idols to be played on Survivor: Nicaragua, or at least expect them to be a bit harder to find. “This season we have made changes to the hidden immunity idol,” says Probst “The only way you’re gonna find it is to decipher these cryptic visual clues. So it’s a bit like a visual riddle, and the audience will get to play along. And the first set of four clues is very difficult. The next set will be a little easier, and then by the third set, you should find it.”

Below is a video from CBS that highlights some of this season's contestants. You can also watch individual videos of each castaway here.

Feel like a 'New Man'?

Many are anticipating the final season of Lost to come out on DVD/Blu-Ray later this month. A lot of that anticipation has to do with the fact that a 12 minute epilogue, titled 'The New Man in Charge', will be included on it that promises to answer some more questions and reveal more of Ben and Hurley's time on the island. Well while you can't see the whole thing yet, a small clip has been released to give you a taste of what you can expect. See for yourself below.

On the Fringe of a new TV season

Like so many of you, I'm anxiously awaiting the new fall TV season to get here. Since we still have a little over a month to go, I figured I would share something with all of you to help satiate that need in the meantime. Click on the link below to check out this video from EW.com where Jasika Nicole shares some big scoop on what we can expect to see happen on Fringe's third season.

Exclusive 'Fringe' video: Scoop on this season's mind-blowing twist!

A hunger for more

I'm trying to be a little bit quicker on the turnaround for the reviews of the films I saw in theaters, so here we go with my thoughts on Dinner For Schmucks.

Once again we're treated to the pairing of Paul Rudd and Steve Carell. After working so well together in both Anchorman and The 40 Year Old Virgin, they're brought together once more in Dinner For Schmucks - a funny, albeit confusing film.

Rudd plays Tim, a businessman in a thankless job who's always striving to get ahead. He gets that opportunity when his boss (Bruce Greenwood) invites him to a dinner at his house. The catch, however, is that everyone invited has to bring along the biggest idiot (the word schmuck, oddly enough, is never uttered in the film) they can find for the amusement of the dinner guests. Enter Steve Carell, who plays Barry, a weirdo who recreates famous works of art using dead mice as the figures - his mouseterpieces, as he calls them.

Again these two comedians play well off of each other, although Rudd is playing much more of a straightman here. We move from one set piece to the next as Carell finds new ways to get under Rudd's skin, while making us laugh. Carell actually gives a very good performance here. While some of his more recent efforts have failed to make him the funny, likeable guy that made him so appealing in the first place, this film does a nice job of reminding us why he's such a comedic talent.

And if these two guys weren't enough, we're also treated to several scenes featuring Zack Galafianakis as Carell's boss, who also claims to read minds. We quickly learn that this guy has more screws loose than Carell's Barry, which results in big laughs for the audience. The films gets just the right amount out of Galafianakis' character - he's effective without overstaying his welcome.

The film's problem is not its humor. I found myself laughing out loud several times and the film managed to save enough funny parts that were not revealed in the film's trailers or commercials. Where the film slips up is in its message. For two hours, we're asked to sit and laugh at the various idiots who are put on parade for us (one word of note though, the titular dinner doesn't actually occur until late in the film's second half). Then at the end of the film Rudd's character comes to realize that we shouldn't be laughing at these people. He chides his boss and his fellow co-workers, but he might as well be talking to the audience as well.

Further compounding the problem is that most of the 'idiots' didn't really deserve to be laughed at in the first place. Take Carell's character; yes, the notion of using dead rodents as artwork seems really odd, but the craftsmanship is really excellent. You almost admire someone who puts that much work into something they love. Had his art looked like something a 2nd grader would make AND used dead mice, but still thought they looked amazing, you could see why someone would mock that. The same holds true for many of the other guests at the dinner.

So as I sat watching and laughing, I also wondered what the point of this movie was. Given that it was a remake of a very famous French film, it seemed that there needed to be a more clear or relevant purpose seen for doing this film for American audiences. Watching this film is akin to being served French toast, salmon, and jelly beans for dinner - everything is delicious on its own, but it doesn't exactly make for a good meal.

Your enjoyment of this film will truly depend on what you have an appetite for. If you're looking a rich film experience that appeals to your intelligence and your sense of humor, then you may leave feeling unsatisfied. If however, you're looking for a couple of hours of some easy laughs, then you'll be wanting a second helping of Dinner For Schmucks. Grade: B

King Louie

So news came out today that FX has renewed comedian Louie CK's show, aptly titled Louie for a second season. I got to know Louie from his stint on Parks and Recreation last season and have enjoyed the first few episodes of this new show. It's a mix of Louie's CK and some small vignettes/stories. For a summer series, it's been a nice breath of fresh air. If you are looking for some laughs, you might want to check this show out. And if you're not familiar with Louie's style of comedy, check out this video below from an appearance he had a few years ago on Conan O'Brien's show; it's a good representative of his brand of humor.

NMR: Saint John of Las Vegas

While it didn't register on most people's radar when it was released last January, I was excited about this little indie based on it's solid cast (Steve Buscemi, Sarah Silverman, Romany Malco, and Peter Dinklage) and quirky subject matter. Based on Dante's Inferno, the film focuses on Buscemi's job as an insurance fraud investigator and the interesting people he meets while working on a case. All of this sounds great on paper, but was pretty terrible in its execution. This supposed comedy barely offered any laughs. Even worse is that this film really moves slow and it's only about 80 minutes long!! At best, this could have potentially worked as a pilot for a television show, but I'm not sure I would have stuck around for another episode even if this were the case. This one is a total skip. Rating: **

Fey-ning interest

Check out this awkward video of 30 Rock star Tina Fey from the 90s as she shills for Mutual Savings bank.

Tina Fey Commercial - Mutual Savings Bank @ Yahoo! Video

NMR: The Book of Eli

At this point I've grown a bit weary of all the post-apocalyptic films that Hollywood is offering, but this one is not terrible. In essence it plays more like a Western than an armageddon film. Starring Denzel Washington, as the man tasked with protecting a book and Gary Oldman as the man desperate to get it, these two great actors give strong performances. One of the things I didn't care for though is the disconnect between the film's message and the amount of violence depicted. This is one of the most graphic films that uses the word of God as its crutch. How much you like this film will most likely depend on your feelings on the film's ending. It provides a twist that is both clever and befuddling at the same time. I legitimately did not see it coming, so kudos to them for that. But the more I thought about what happened, the more I felt it made no sense whatsoever. At times, this film is very engaging, but the sum of the parts here doesn't add up to a whole lot. Rating: ***

Dinner theater

Steve Carell has been everywhere lately doing publicity for Dinner For Schmucks and thankfully one of his stops was a visit to the Between Two Ferns set. Check out the profanity-laced and hilarious video between the two costars below.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Steve Carell from Between Two Ferns

NMR: Girl power

Here's a pair of films I recently caught about varying forms of female empowerment.

Whip It: I don't know what was the deal with this film but it took forever for this to arrive from Netflix. I swear they only had one copy of this film for the entire country. And of course, it wasn't worth the wait. Directed by Drew Barrymore, this film about a female roller derby offers no surprises. It hits all of the typical sports cliches, which at times are enjoyable but also nothing new. The film sports a decent cast, which made the film a draw in the first place, but Barrymore lacks skill as a director. The same immature, carefree attitude that she embraces in life is represented here in her work. The one nice thing about this film is seeing Daniel Stern working again - where the hell has he been for the past decade? If you enjoy sports movies, there's enough here to make this a pleasant outing. Rating: ***

The Brave One: This 2008 Jodie Foster thriller misses its mark. It's meant to show a woman's ability to bounce back from a mugging that ended up costing her fiancee's life. As it turns out, this plays more like a female version of Dirty Harry. While seeing thugs getting their comeuppance can be fun, the way it's down here is both ludicrous and too gritty. Foster's acting, as always is solid, but she is let down by the material. I also liked Terrance Howard as a cop who befriends her. If they had been given better subject material, this might have been worth your time, but sadly you should skip this one. Rating: **

Dream deconstruction

Still confused by Inception? Well maybe this infographic will help makes things more clear for you. Or maybe it will just make things more confusing. That's the crazy thing about dreams. For a larger view, just click on the image.

Jhonny Be Gone

Ever since the All-Star Break it seems that the Cleveland Indians have been making some smart moves that have been paying off. They've been bringing up some of their younger talent, playing loose and the result has been more winning. Well now they've gone and made the best move yet - from SI.com:

The banged-up Detroit Tigers acquired third baseman Jhonny Peralta from the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday for minor league left-hander Giovanni Soto.

Detroit also received cash considerations in the trade. Peralta will fill-in for Brandon Inge, the Tigers' injured third baseman.

"I was trying to do something to help our ballclub and do something to stay in this," Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said before the game against Tampa Bay. "We think this helps our ballclub with a solid big league player. We've got a lot of young players. Right now it gives us another veteran in our lineup."

Dombrowski said Inge (broken left hand) and second baseman Carlos Guillen (strained right calf) could return in the next two weeks. Outfielder Magglio Ordonez (broken right ankle) is expected to be out six to eight weeks.

Detroit manager Jim Leyland, after the Tigers were beat 7-4 by Tampa Bay, said Inge will start at third when he returns and that Peralta will get playing time at shortstop and DH.

"I think it sends the right message to the team," Leyland said of the trade. "We're going to do something."

The Tigers started Wednesday third in the AL Central, four games behind the Chicago White Sox.

Peralta, who might join the Tigers for Thursday's day game at Tampa Bay, was in the lineup for Cleveland's game against the New York Yankees on Wednesday, but was pulled around 6 p.m. He's batting .246 with seven homers and 43 RBIs in 91 games.

The 28-year-old Peralta is in the final season of a five-year, $13 million contract. He's making $4.6 million this season and the club has a $7 million option for 2011.

"The stark reality was we had come to the decision we were not going to pick up his option for next year," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said.

The 19-year-old Soto has spent the entire season at Class-A West Michigan and will be assigned to Class-A Lake County. He is 6-6 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts.

"We're trying to make some moves that maybe help us a little bit. I don't have anything else right now," Dombrowski said.

Infielder Luis Valbuena has been called up from Triple-A Columbus to take Peralta's roster spot.

Shapiro said infielder Jared Goedert, who is batting .304 with 17 homers at Columbus, will be called up this season.

"We wanted to take a look at some of our internal alternatives at third base for next year," Shapiro said.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Peralta, Detroit designated outfielder Wilkin Ramirez for assignment.

All I can say is good riddance to a fat waste of space. I've been begging this organization to drop this bum for years and they've finally heard my pleas. All it took was for the team to hit rock bottom for them to do it. In the meantime, I think this is the start of our move back to greatness. Hey, a man can dream, can't he?

NMR: Green Zone

I'm finally starting to play catch up with all the spring movies that have come out on DVD. This one starred Matt Damon in yet another collaboration with director Paul Greengrass. Unfortunately, this one does not yield as good of a film as their previous efforts together in the Bourne franchise. The biggest problem with this film is that it can't figure out whether it wants to be a realistic depiction of the events that have taken place during this second Gulf War or if it simply wants to be 'Bourne goes to war'. It makes a political stance about the lack of WMDs in Iraq and the error in going to war for insufficient reasons, but yet it doesn't really reference any actual figures involved with the war. What we're left with is a mix of sermonizing and shaky cam action scenes. Having said all that, this is not necessarily a bad film. Damon and Greengrass are both skilled enough at what they do to make this an enjoyable ride. Most will also agree with the message of the film, even if they didn't do a decent job supporting it. There have been a lot of bad movies made about the Iraq war, but this isn't one of them. So while it's somewhat disappointing, it's a better choice than most of the ones out there. Rating: ****

Mind heist

So of course I'm still thinking about Inception and one of the things that I failed to praise in my review was the riveting score by Hans Zimmer that's heard throughout the film. One of the pieces was also used in one of Inception's trailers as well. I'm not the only one to take notice of it apparently as there is a new Internet fad where people are using the music to create trailers for other films/shows. Below are four of my favorites that use the music well and have it sync up nicely with the images used.

MotherChucker

Big news coming out of Comic-Con today regarding the upcoming season of Chuck and specifically the announcement of who will be playing the superspy's mom this fall. Here's EW.com with the report:

The search for Chuck’s mom has officially been terminated, and with good reason: Linda Hamilton has already landed the part!

The erstwhile Sarah Connor will make her first appearance as Zachary Levi’s MIA spy mama Mary Bartowski in Chuck‘s fourth-season premiere on Sept. 20. (Hamilton’s hiring is slated to be announced at Chuck‘s Comic-Con panel this morning.)

“We’re always looking for guest stars who will be great in the part, but who also speak to our audience and feel like it comes out of the universe of our show,” says exec producer Josh Schwartz. “If Chuck and Morgan were watching Chuck, they would be excited about Linda coming on board.” Adds fellow EP Chris Fedak: “Chuck was certainly a Terminator fan, and Morgan was a Beauty and the Beast fan.”

But Schwartz is quick to add that Hamilton brings more to the role than just a fanboy-friendly resume. “Obviously her body of work was important to us, but also knowing what this part was and the intensity that we were going to need from someone, Linda was a natural fit. She’ll be [kicking ass] right out of the gate.”

“The mystery surrounding Chuck’s mom is at the heart of the season, and there are going to be some shocking surprises in the first episode,” previews Fedak. “By the end of the episode we are going to turn everything on its head with regard to who she is.”

NMR: Bonus Nolan

Most people probably believe that Christopher Nolan's first film was Memento, but you would be wrong. Turns out he made a small independent film back in 1998 called Following. The story involves a man who has a bizarre habit of randomly following people out of curiosity and his habit ends up turning his life upside down when he meets a small time crook. It is clear very early on that a lot of the themes that are present in all of Nolan's films began here. The story is very unique, but this is the definition of shoe string budget. Shot in black and white, the film doesn't have a great look, but Nolan's certainly does the best with what he has. This is not a film for everyone, but if you're a really big fan of his work, this is worth a watch, if for no other reason than sheer curiosity. The film is currently available for Instant Viewing on Netflix. Rating: ****

Buried treasure

So I saw Inception last Saturday, but I held off on the review in hopes that I would actually get to see the film again. Since that hasn't happened yet, I figured I might as well and do this write up now before it gets too late.

Director Christopher Nolan has quickly gotten the reputation for being one of the most inventive filmmakers of this era, so it's saying something when I tell you that this may be his most creative yet. This mind-trip of a film will stick with you long after you leave the theater. At one point in the film, Cobb (played by Leonardo Dicaprio) says that an idea is the most persistent thing in the world today - once it enters your mind, you can't get rid of it. Well this movie is certainly reflective of that. It will leave you guessing as to what you are seeing on the screen is real or not.

Trying to explain this film is somewhat difficult given that I don't want to give too much away (the less you know going in, the better) and because it's not an easy concept to explain in the first place. The premise though is that Cobb has the ability to enter someone's dream and steal secrets and thoughts that are trapped in that person's subconscious. He, along with his crew, are hired by a Japanese businessman (played wonderfully by Ken Watanabe) to head into the mind of one of his rivals.

Soon things get real crazy as they are able to enter into dreams of dreams and dreams of dreams of dreams. This multi-layered approach requires your full attention, but the viewer is also rewarded. One of the best things about this film is that it works on several different layers. If you're not into the head games so much, you can also enjoy the film for its action as Cobb's team tries to commit this heist. One of the best scenes in the entire film is the anti-gravity fight scene that takes place in a hotel hallway. Wonderfully shot, the scene is enthralling and clever all at once. And you'll appreciate it more when you read how this was done using old school filmmaking instead of using a bunch of CGI.

There's also a romantic subplot interwoven into this film as well. As Cobb tries to pull off his caper, he also is trying to deal with the death of his wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard). Her presence has a profound effect on Cobb and how successful he is in doing his job. Just as we've seen in many of Nolan's films, this is ultimately a story about a man, his obsessions and the toll that obsession has on him and everyone around him. We root for him to overcome his demons, even though we realize it may not be possible.

Of course, the part most everyone is already talking about and will be for a while is the film's final shot. I obviously don't want to say what that involves here, but I absolutely love how much fervor and discussion it has generated. To me, I find that to be one of the marks of a great film. When just a simple image can generate such passion and theorizing from audiences, you know you've done a good job. I know I will want to discuss the meaning behind the shot with anyone and everyone that's willing to talk about it with me.

I'm glad to see that this film has already done well at the box office, but if you're still on the fence, let me give you that last shove. Go see this movie! And if you've seen it once, see it again. Like most of Nolan's films, viewers are rewarded with repeat viewings of the film. There are plenty of films that are suitable as passive entertainment, but there are only a few films that can enthrall your eyes and your mind and every other part of your body like Inception does. It's the type of film that most people in Hollywood can only dream of. Grade: A-

Scooby Doo Dis

Apparently, a new version of Scooby Doo debuted on Cartoon Network recently and as Joel McHale of The Soup points out here, they've decided to throw in some social commentary to these new episodes. Take a look.

NMR: Que Cera Cera

Youth in Revolt: This is a bizarre coming-of-age film that couldn't really seem to find the right tone. Part of the problem is that it reportedly had been sitting on the shelves for a while before getting released and the marketing behind it focused on aspects that do not play a large role in the actual film (like Zack Galifianakis' presence). At times the film wants to play like a realistic portrayal of teen angst, and then other times it tries to have a whimsical, fantasy feel too it. While it boasts an impressive cast (besides those mentioned already, Fred Willard, Justin Long, Jean Smart, Ray Liotta, and Steve Buscemi all show up at various points), that actually works against the film. None of it feels very real when all of these big names keep popping in to scenes. The film has a few funny moments to avoid it from being a complete waste, but for the most part this feels like been there, done that (better). Rating: ***

Paper Heart: Released in 2009 this is documentary with fictional elements. It centers around Charlene Yi (Knocked Up) and her quest to not only find out what love is, but find love for herself. Along the way, she meets Michael Cera and they begin a (real?) relationship. The concept sounds interesting, but it doesn't work in its execution. If this is an actual relationship between these two, it's too intimate of a subject for it to be captured on film. And if it's a phony relationship, then why put on the pretense of it being real? The other parts of the film where Yi interviews other strangers and friends about their feelings on love feel too random and disjointed to draw you in. While some may find the central actors appealing, their quirks were too much for me and ruined the film. Rating: **

Boston baked Bens

Here's a pair of trailers featuring Ben Affleck in his native Boston. Both seem to be striving to make a splash come awards season, but I have my doubts as to whether either will actually succeed. Take a look for yourself and see what you think.

How bout them survivors?

Some interesting, and frankly shocking news about who one of the new castaways will be on this upcoming season of Survivor taking place in Nicaragua. From dallasnews.com:

Jimmy Johnson won a college football championship and two Super Bowls. But can he survive in the wilderness?

The former Dallas Cowboys coach will be a contestant on the CBS reality show "Survivor: Nicaragua" this fall, a source close to Johnson told the Dallas Morning News.

The series is being taped in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. Filming started at the end of June, according to local reports.

The filming schedule will leave Johnson plenty of room to return in time for the NFL season. Johnson is an analyst for the Fox NFL Sunday studio show.

Johnson, 67, will be one of the oldest contestants to ever appear on “Survivor,” one of his favorite television shows. The Miami Herald reported last year that he was almost a contestant on "Survivor: Gabon" (which aired in 2008), but he failed a physical. He has lost weight since.

Johnson coached the Cowboys from 1989-1993 and won back-to-back Super Bowls. He also coached the University of Miami, Oklahoma State and Miami Dolphins.

"Survivor: Nicaragua" will be broadcast in September on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. (a switch from its Thursday time slot in recent years). CBS usually releases a cast list a few weeks before the first episode.

"Survivor" throws contestants into the wilderness with little or no supplies and food. Contestants face physical and mental challenges and are voted out by their tribe members. The last remaining contestant after 39 days earns the title of Sole Survivor and wins $1 million.

Social gathering

The teaser came out a few weeks ago and now here is the first full trailer for the upcoming film on Facebook's founders called The Social Network. The subject seems a little too recent to be made into a film, but this still intrigues me nonetheless.

NMR: Genre du jour - 80s comedies

Here's a trio of films that are shockingly now over 20 years old (That makes me feel old).

Bachelor Party: I know this is supposed to be only of the classic 80s comedies, but I did not enjoy this at all. I found most of the characters to be unlikeable and annoying. And I didn't get the humor in most of the pranks they pulled. The only bright spot was seeing that Tom Hanks was clearly a star in the making. He's the only thing tolerable in this film. It's interesting to note that I did not care for this or the classic 70s comedy, Animal House. Yet, I love more modern ones like Old School, American Pie, Wedding Crashers, and The Hangover. I wonder if there is something about needing to be young in the era the film was made in order to appreciate this genre or if these more recent films are actually better than these supposed classics. Rating: **

The Dream Team: A wasted opportunity here. The premise offered a lot of promise - a doctor takes four of his mental patients to a baseball game, but ends up getting attacked, leaving the patients to fend for themselves in New York City. Instead of really trying to have fun with this notion of nutcases loose in a major city, the plot resorts to tired cliches involving corrupt cops and silly chases. Instead of depicting true mental illness, the four patients (played by Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle, and Stephen Furst) just come off as mildly annoying. This is pretty standard fare. Rating: ***

Parenthood: Finally, we get a winner. This is a wonderful film showcasing a variety of familial situations. On paper, the characters seem like they'll be cliches, but the wonderful cast makes them fully realized and true. Credit to Ron Howard who is able to balance the large cast and give each of them significant time to allow their story arcs play out. While I doubt this will encourage me to see the new NBC drama based on the film, I can now see why they would want to develop it into a series. Of the three, this is the one I'd recommend you check out if you've never done so before. Rating: ****

An appetite for change

I know I'm a few days behind on this, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to post this hilarious video from this past week's ESPY awards featuring Steve Carell and Paul Rudd spoofing the Lebron James 'Decision' special.

*cue losing horns

It appears The Price is Right has lost its voice. The news below comes from Buzzerblog and pretty much expresses the same sentiment that I feel regarding this unfortunate news.

Sadly, news was confirmed today that Rich Fields is no longer the announcer for the long running CBS daytime game show The Price is Right, hosted by Drew Carey. Rumors about this have been swirling for around two months now. Rich has been the announcer of the show since 2004, taking over for the deceased Rod Roddy. I wish Rich the best. He’s a great friend to the site and unbelievably nice.

On-camera auditions will take place the first few weeks of the new season of Price which begins in September. New tapings start next week and hopefully we’ll hear back. And just before the deluge of questions come on: I truly have no idea what happened. I’m usually in the loop for this stuff, but I’m stumped on this one.

One more request, also. The show’s not going to suddenly self destruct so I’d really like to kindly ask people to not do the usual Price thing where something changes and there’s a witch hunt against Drew and doom being spouted left and right. Be supportive and wish Rich your best. He reads and your messages are welcome.

I know these rumors have been around for a while. I have a rule that I won’t post rumors about people like this. It’s just without taste to post rumors about someone’s career. It’s confirmed now, and I hope to see Rich somewhere else soon.

Reynolds' wrap

Here's your first look, courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, at Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern, which comes out in theaters next summer.

Save the Date

Check out the first trailer for Todd Phillips' (The Hangover) latest comedy, Due Date, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Zack Galifianakis.

Hulk clash!

Looks like Bruce Banner is getting another facelift for the upcoming Avengers movie. From comingsoon.net:

Edward Norton will not be reprising his role as Dr. Bruce Banner, reports HitFix, who say that Marvel Studios plan to cast a new actor in the part.

The report theorizes that a deal could not be made, despite Edward Norton wanting to join the ensemble cast that will include Robert Downey Jr as Iron Man, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Chris Evans as Captain America.

Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige confirmed the report with the following statement he sent to the site:

"We have made the decision to not bring Ed Norton back to portray the title role of Bruce Banner in the Avengers. Our decision is definitely not one based on monetary factors, but instead rooted in the need for an actor who embodies the creativity and collaborative spirit of our other talented cast members. The Avengers demands players who thrive working as part of an ensemble, as evidenced by Robert, Chris H, Chris E, Sam, Scarlett, and all of our talented casts. We are looking to announce a name actor who fulfills these requirements, and is passionate about the iconic role in the coming weeks."

Marvel Studios is planning a May 4, 2012 release for The Avengers.

NMR: Defiance

If you're unfamiliar with the title, this was the WWII film released a few years ago starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schrieber. It's clear watching the film that they had high expectations for this to compete during the awards seasons, but it's so far away from being an award-worthy film, it's not even funny. The film hits every single cliche from the war genre and each one feels more false than the previous one. Despite some quality actors trying to turn in good performances, nothing around them works. This is based on a true story, but everything you see on screen feels like a manufacture of the Hollywood machine. It's a shame seeing talented actors wasted like this, but they are and everything can go ahead and skip this one. No history lesson will be learned here. Rating: **

Stephen v. Steven

In case you missed, you can check out below the awesome highlights of Steve Carell's recent visit to The Colbert Report with his old Daily Show chum, Stephen Colbert.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
The Carell Corral
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Steve Carell
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes 2010 Election Fox News

Emmy please!

So today the Emmy nominations were announced. You can read the full list here. Here are some quick thoughts I have based on the list...

- Overall, I would have to say that this was one of the least offensive list of nominations in quite a few years. Particularly on the drama side of things I felt almost all of the categories had worthy nominees, even if there were some omissions.
- The comedy side of the nominations was a little less appealling. I still don't get the appeal of either Glee or Modern Family, but I'm not blind so I fully expected to see them get as many nominations as they did.
- Happy to see Amy Poehler get a nom for Parks and Recreation, but sad that it failed to get any other major nominations. Where's the love for Ron Swanson?
- Disappointed that John Noble (Walter Bishop on Fringe) didn't get a nomination, but when you look at the other nominees in his category, it's hard to pick someone there who didn't deserve one. With Lost now done, hopefully that will open up some room for him to get a nomination next year.
- Speaking of Lost, it was nice to see them get plenty of recognition on their way out. On top of Ben and Locke getting noms in the supporting category, Matthew Fox picked up his first nomination in the lead acting category.
- Shocked that Survivor did not get a nomination for best reality show for it's Heroes vs. Villians season. How it didn't get chosen over Project Runway or Dancing With the Stars is baffling.
- As usual there was the usual Emmy darlings that had no business getting nominations; I'm talking about picks like Tony Shaloub for Monk and Jon Cryer for Two and Half Men.
- And in some small sense of vindication, Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show got a nomination for Best Comedy/Variety Program and Leno's did not. The Emmy's air on NBC this year, so it should be interesting to see what happens when Conan comes back to his old network for one night. You can watch that and all the other festivities when the Emmys air on August 29th.

Come on!

I got hopeful that this was a real trailer for the Arrested Development movie, but apparently I made a huge mistake. Instead, this fan-made trailer is cut so as to make the movie seem like it would be an action thriller instead of a comedy. Nicely done, but I so wish it would have been the real thing.

NMR: The Wolfman

This oft delayed film turned out to be not as bad as I feared. While it covers a lot of familiar territory (let's face it this isn't an original idea), I give director Joe Johnson for giving this film a great look. The way he depicts foggy old England creates an eerie atmosphere that is perfect for this film. Benecio Del Toro is fine as the Wolfman and Anthony Hopkins hams it up as Del Toro's father in a way that only he can do. Emily Blunt is beautiful as always, however I didn't necessarily buy the romance they try to create between her and Del Toro. As for the action, for every scene that's done effectively, there's another scene that comes off very cheesy. In the end, this will probably only be appreciated by those who enjoy films from this genre. Rating: ***

Happy 4th!

Enjoy your holiday everyone! Be safe and don't do anything stupid like this guy.

NMR: Genre du jour - 90s sci-fi

I don't know what it is about Dayton, but ever since I've moved back, my Netflix service has been lacking. I don't get new releases immediately like I used to when I was in NC. As a result, I've been catching up on a lot of older movies that I never had a chance to see when they were first released. Today, it's a pair of science fiction films from the 90s.

Stargate: It's a wonder how there have been multiple, successful spin-offs television shows given how underwhelming I thought this movie was. Everything pretty much felt phoned in here. They started off with an interesting concept (finding a portal that can send you through time to different universes) and then did nothing with it. I felt like I could predict how everything would play out well before it happened. This movie seemed to just borrow ideas from other, more successful sci-fi films and try to pass them off as fresh. I would imagine most of the visual effects look good for the day, but now they come off looking bad as well. A definite disappointment here. Though I've never seen an episode of the spin-off shows, it sounds like everyone would be better to just watch them instead. Rating: **

Demolition Man: Starring Sly Stallone and Wesley Snipes, this is one loud, noisy sci-fi/action picture. On one hand, I'd like to credit them for some inventiveness in the way they depict the future as this utopian, pacifist place, but I found the execution of this idea to be irritating after a few minutes. There are also some subtle jabs at 90s culture in the film, but sadly those feel dated now. Once you strip that away, you're left with the action sequences between Stallone and Snipes which were run-of-the-mill and unengaging. I wish I could have liked this film better, but time has not aged it well. Rating: **

Starry Knight

If there's one theme that we can take away from this summer's crop of films, it's that everyone seems to want to play it safe and revert back to their regular old roles. There's the 80s nostalgia films, the endless sequels, multiple movies involving computer generated animals talking, and even Russell Crowe reverted back to historical action pieces. So it should come as no surprise to see Tom Cruise jump on the bandwagon by doing once again what brought him to the dance - playing the macho action hero. From Top Gun to the Mission: Impossible franchise, Cruise has spent nearly 30 years succeeding at wowing audiences.

In his latest, Knight and Day, Cruise once again comes out guns ablazing with a whole lot of stuff blowing up around him. For a long time, I never understood Cruise's appeal. I always had an odd disconnect with his films where I would typically love the story but absolutely loathe his character. Here, I was pleasantly surprised by the likability of his Roy Miller character; a man who's intentions are unclear throughout most of the film. Is he a spy for the government, a traitor, or someone just mentally unstable?

Cameron Diaz, who plays June Havens, asks herself these same questions as she unwittingly globetrots around the world with him trying to avoid danger. While there are many points in the film where it seems unlikely that she would continue to just go along with everything that's happening, Diaz has a winning chemistry with Cruise, so you're happy to see her play a happy (albeit sometimes drugged) camper.

Your enjoyment of the film will likely hinge on whether you buy into their relationship. The plot is barebones and used to basically loosely connect the multitude of action sequences in the film. If you care, Cruise is trying to protect the first perpetual motion battery from falling into the wrong hands. Never once did I really care what happened to the battery, but I found myself consistently entertained by the various perilous situations it led to for the two leads as they try to keep it safe.

Director James Mangold, who also did 3:10 to Yuma, keeps the film moving along nicely. Just as he did in his western, he knows how to set up a decent action piece and then just let his actors do the rest.

Perhaps a weak summer movie season this year has allowed me to see this film as being better than what it is, but I'm not going to let that bother me. This is pure escapism, which is perfectly acceptable in my book for a summer movie. It doesn't strive to be anything more than to keep you entertained for two hours. While this material could have suffered with weaker talent on screen (as proven by Killers), Cruise and Diaz still have enough star power to make this an enjoyable romp. Cruise, in particular, seems to be having fun playing a slightly askewed version of past characters. He doesn't take himself as serious here and accepts the preposterous nature of the events unfolding. It's just a shame that it took for everyone else to stop taking him seriously for him to stop himself. That aside, this is fun time at the movies and a better option than most of the dreck that's being offered in theaters right now (Yeah, that's right I'm looking directly at you Twilight!) Grade: B

Holy shot!

There are no words to describe this. Just enjoy!

NMR: Splice and dice

Since I saw Splice a few weeks ago, I decided to check out a couple more films featuring its stars, Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley; both of which were available for instant view on Netflix.

The Jacket: I remember when I first saw the advertisements for this back in '05 that I was really intriqued and thought it could be a decent thriller and yet somehow I never got around to seeing it. Sadly, I probably was better off skipping it as this is a major disappointment. The film squanders it's potential and comes off very hokey. It's never made clear whether Brody is actually time-travelling or just hallucinating when he's in the jacket. Keira Knightley is also horribly miscast here and gives a poor performance. Her relationship with Brody never comes off as believable. The only interesting thing here is an early appearance by Daniel Craig. However, it took me almost the entire movie before I even realized it was him. Rating: **

Go: Sarah Polley is part of a large ensemble from this 2000 film that has fun with its narrative. Instead of telling a linear story, it tells the same story three times from three different perspectives. When a film does something like this, it lives and dies by its gimmick. Luckily this one holds up nicely and doesn't really leave any gaps or continuity errors that I could pick up on. The film also features a wide array of actors who were relative unknowns then, but have gone on to more successful careers. I also liked a lot of the sly humor that's sprinkled throughout the film. My biggest complaint about the film is that the context with which the film takes place in is heavily rooted in sex and drugs. A large rave is a central location for the movie. While I'm no prude, I didn't really appreciate it here and felt it was part of a culture that I'm not really associated with. Given that it is a rave that most of the characters attend, the film already feels dated too. Big points for its inventiveness, minus points for its crass culture, which results in a rating of ***.

In for a Harry ride

You're probably sick of trailer posts by now, but this is one I couldn't pass up. Here's the first official trailer for both parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Will The Office soon be Scott free?

From eonline.com:

If you happen to see Steve Carell in the next few days, knock him over the head, will ya? Out of love? 'Cause clearly his brain has gotten all jumbly.

One of TV's best comedic actors of all time has just confirmed to us that he is indeed leaving The Office this May—argh!—and get this, seems to think no one will care...

E! News hit the red carpet for Steve's new movie Despicable Me last night, and Steve made it clear he was not joking when he told BBC Radio he would leave The Office after the coming 2010-2011 season.

"I just think it's time," Steve told our Kristina Guerrero. "I want to fulfill my contract. When I first signed on I had a contract for seven seasons, and this coming year is my seventh. I just thought it was time for my character to go."

But according to Steve, The Office could go on without him. "It doesn't certainly mean the end of the show. I think it's just a dynamic change to the show, which could be a good thing, actually. Add some new life and some new energy...I see it as a positive in general for the show."

A positive that Michael Scott could be leaving Dunder Mifflin for good? Anyone else having a problem seeing that? Still, Steve, doused in Eau to Humility, had this to say about the attention he's receiving for his exit: "I didn't see it as a huge thing and I certainly didn't anticipate any sort of hubbub over it. I'm just not going to extend my contract, but I didn't see it as a huge deal. And the show is great, and the ensemble is so strong, and the writers are great, so it's just one part of that ensemble drifting off. They've incorporated so many new characters and so many new, great storylines that I have no doubt it'll continue as strong if not stronger than ever."

Color me gullible, but that sure doesn't sound like the usual bargaining ploy to me. So file this one under Dammit! 'Cause Steve Carell sure seems dead serious he plans to leave The Office.

Anyone else not agree with Steve that this is no big thang? Can you see the show living on without him?

Like

Yet another trailer for you to enjoy. This time it's David Fincher's (Zodiac, Seven) latest. It's a biopic about the founders of Facebook. It doesn't sound like it would translate well into a whole movie, but if anyone's capable of doing it, it would be Fincher.

Handle With Care

You'll forgive me if I begin to gush during this review for Toy Story 3; I have a tendency to do so when I see films that are this good. It should come as no surprise that Pixar has once again delivered an amazing product. While I may not have appreciated all of their recent films equally, I have always been impressed with the care that is put into each film. Whether it's the heart-breaking tenderness of Up, the poignant themes of WALL-E, or the visual majesty of Ratatouille, each Pixar films finds new ways to dazzle the eye and move your heart.

This time around, we once again see growth; both figuratively and literally. Near the beginning of the film we learn that Andy, child owner of Woody the cowboy and Buzz Lightyear, has now grown up and is ready to head off to college. This is not only a major moment in Andy's life, but for his toys as well. They now face a change of scenery as well either leaving with Andy for college, being sent to the attic or gasp possibly being thrown out. Dealing with this change becomes a major focal point of the film and is handled well. It doesn't seem silly at all for the audience to be invested in the fates of these toys. Having two previous great films before it, we know the bond that exists between Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang with Andy. Both the characters and the viewers quickly realize that it's difficult to let go even when its necessary to move on.

The film also shows growth in the sheer size of its cast. Along with all of our favorite toys from the past two films, we meet an entire new crop of playthings when the gang gets sent to Sunnyside Day Care Center. There they meet Lotso-Huggin' Bear (voiced by Ned Beatty), who is the de facto leader of all the toys there. We also meet some other interesting characters including a deformed baby doll, a sassy octopus, and a Ken doll (voiced by Michael Keaton in a terrific performance). As we begin to get to know these new characters, we learn that they aren't as cheerful as they appear. The movie soon turns into a prison break caper that is a lot of fun, thanks primarily to its ability to take a plot mostly seen in adult thrillers and have it work so seemlessly in this children's movie.

Despite the large voice cast, I was pleased to see that it did not result in any one character getting the shaft. All of the terrific voice actors have the opportunity to contribute to the story and provide some great one-liners. Everyone seems to be having a great time returning to these characters, which doesn't surprise me in the least. And while it can be a thankless role, I definitely want to point out Tom Hanks' performance as Woody, which remains the emotional core of the film. He finds the perfect way to blend youthful exuberance with touching pathos as he interacts with everyone and organizes the plan to reunite them with Andy.

I mentioned the sentimentality of the film a couple of times now, which is one aspect that is getting brought up in national news. Many adults are finding themselves becoming emotional during the film, particularly in the film's closing moments. I too will admit to getting a little misty as I watched these toys progress to the next chapter in their lives. We learn that while individuals may grow up, there will always be a love for toys whether you're 8 or 88. While they may just be hunks of plastic or fabric, they have the ability to unlock our imagination and let us reclaim that youthful spirit. Thankfully, this film has been able to do the same thing.

One thing I want to point out is that I saw this film in standard 2D and loved it. While I can't personally attest to it, I have read other reviews, which said they felt that the 3D version really didn't add anything to the experience. It's up to you how you want to view it, but it seems you may want to just save yourself the few extra dollars and see it on a normal screen.

In hindsight, it would have been easy for the Pixar people to return to this franchise simply for the money grab. Instead, they maintained their level of quality and maturity and developed a worthy close to this franchise. I'll need some successive views to determine if this one is the best of the three, but I can say for certainty right now that it is as good as the first two entries. If you have seen and enjoyed their first two outings, I strongly encourage you to seek this one out as well. And if you've already seen it, consider going a second time. From what I've read, there are several easter eggs sprinkled throughout the film referencing Pixar films of the past and future (you can seen an image of a new character for the upcoming Cars 2 on a poster in Andy's bedroom). No matter what age you are, you're never too old for toys and you won't be too old for Toy Story. This is once again another masterpiece from our friends at Pixar. Grade: A

Seeing Red

The trailers keep rolling in. This time it is for a comic book adaptation starring a bunch of wise old veteran actors that could be a lot of fun.

NMR: Edge of Darkness

This was touted as Mel Gibson's return to acting since he last starred in Signs back in 2002 and I would imagine most people were disappointed with it. While it's a perfectly fine revenge thriller, there's nothing really special here. The title is particularly misleading I feel, since Gibson's character never really comes close to hitting the 'edge of darkness' in his quest to find his daughter's killer. I was expecting more Jack Bauer levels of anger and torture as he sought revenge, but they weren't forthcoming here. Instead, we get another shady Blackwater-esque government-funded organization as the villain and Gibson dutifully hits all the right beats in obtaining justice. I liked Martin Campbell's (Casino Royale) direction here as he made the film more lively, rather than another one of these washed-out, murky, film noir wannabes. I also appreciated Ray Winstone's performance as a man hired to help cover-up the incident. Edge of Darkness is an enjoyable enough 2 hours making it all right for rental, just don't expect an instant classic. Rating: ***

What the Fock?

Here's your first look at the latest Meet the Parents sequel, Little Fockers, due out this Christmas.

It Blinded Me With Science

A few weeks ago, I actually saw the film Splice. It's not a movie I would typically see, but I had a friend who was excited about it and I decided to be a good friend and tag along. Since this is already quickly vanishing from theaters, I figured I better hurry up and do a review for this.

Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley star as a couple of scientists (and lovers), who, in response to their funding being cut, decide to attempt to develop a creature that has a Heinz 57 mix of DNA, including some from humans. Their experiment leads to the creation of Dren (that's 'nerd' backwards) an awkward creature that the couple decides to secretly tend after since they can't make their discovery public. The commercials for this film mislead you to believe it is a standard creature feature where the experiment would begin terrorizing everything in sight until it can finally be killed.

Instead, the film becomes a psychological exploration into the two lead characters and how their history has an impact on the way they attempt to domesticate this creature. As we learn more about these two, we begin to see Dren as more human than either one of them. This results in seeing both lead characters display some odd and, at times, uncomfortable actions and interactions with Dren. All of this may not appeal to mass audiences, but it certainly is thought-provoking. So much so, that I was actually appreciating the film for its unconventional approach to familiar material.

Unfortunately, things go awry in the film's final act where the film seemingly works itself into a corner that it can't escape. As Dren grows, it develops new abilities and the film begins to take on more of that creature feature film. With only a few human characters introduced throughout the film, the impact of Dren's terror is obvious and uninteresting. The film then takes a really wild turn with its final twist that comes off as hokey and insulting rather than the poignancy that they were hoping for. This last part of the movie really ruins what had been a solid thriller.

The film's overall premise is too strange for me to give a general recommendation, even if the climax had been stronger. However, it does provide a number of watercooler moments that make it a film worth talking about afterwards if you're one who is inclined to see it. Since the film basically bombed in theaters, if you have any interest in seeing it, wait for it to come out on DVD. However, most people can skip this odd film experiment that went horribly wrong. Grade: B-

What to see from E3 on Wii

Last week's E3 convention had its share of big news regarding the video game industry. While many may be talking about the Microsoft Kinect or Playstation Move, I was more interested in what Nintendo had to announce for their system. Below are trailers for two of their more interesting titles.

First is Wii Party, which is a mixed blessing. On one hand it finally brings a new party game to the system, but sadly it's not with Mario characters, but rather your Miis. In addition, it doesn't appear to have online capability, which is what this genre of games is sorely needing. Still, it's hard to mess up a party game, and if the gameplay is solid, I'll most likely be picking it up. Check it out below:


Then the big news was the announcement of a brand new Goldeneye game for the Wii. As the trailer below indicates, Goldeneye 64 is one of the greatest shooter games ever, particularly for multiplayer. I never really had much of a chance to play the 64 version, but being the Bond fanatic that I am, I am especially excited to pick up this version. And unlike Wii Party, this will have online capability, which has everyone chomping at the bit to get their hands on this. The video below offers you a sneak peek at what you can expect.

This post is brought to you by....Christ I can't find it. To hell with it.

News hit today that there is discussion about reviving the Major League franchise. Given how terrible the Indians have become again, I'd say it's about time. Here's the story from Comingsoon.net:

David S. Ward, writer/director of Major League, tells Moviehole: "We're actually talking about doing one right now. I've written, what I see, as 'Major League 3.' We're putting that together as we speak - in fact, next week I'm off to talk to James Robinson at Morgan Creek about it.

"It's 20 years later, and Wild Thing comes out of retirement to work with this 19-year-old player," Ward added. "We've actually got three new characters in the new film. And if the new film is popular, they could carry the franchise on."

Though Ward hopes to get Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen and even, Wesley Snipes back for Major League 3, he's so far only spoken to Charlie Sheen about it.

"He's excited to do it if and when it happens," said Ward. "But he can't shoot it this year, because he's back doing 'Two and a Half Men,' but we could potentially shoot it next year - in his hiatus from the show."

Stiller silliness

I'm not sure how I missed this when it was first released back last March, but here's the latest installment of Zack Galifianakis' awesome series Between Two Ferns, with special guest Ben Stiller.

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: Ben Stiller from Between Two Ferns

NMR: The Road

I initially had high hopes for this film when I first learned about it. However, my anticipation for it waned with every delayed release to the point. Even with my low expectations, this one still managed to underwhelm me. On a positive note, the cinematography depicting a post-apocalyptic world is impressive. Nothing else really works here. The story doesn't feel orignial and also feels underdeveloped. This is most likely due to it being an adapatation of a popular novel (by author Cormac McCarthy). There were many points where I felt the book most likely developed the characters better to make you care about them. Here, I never felt a vested interest in whether the man (played by Viggo Mortensen) and his son survived their perilous situation. Perhaps worst of all is the film's attempt to bludgeon its themes over our head. We didn't need multiple scenes involving the son asking his father if they were still the 'good guys' to tell us that armageddon causes people to develop shades of grey personalities. This really deserves only about two and half stars, but since Netflix doesn't offer that option, I'll be kind and say Rating: ***

I smell a rat

So The Price is Right unveiled a new pricing game today called Rat Race. I think it's unique while borrowing strong elements from past games. You can see the debut playing of it below and if you're interested in seeing what into making this game, you can check out this video on priceisright.com

Can't myth moments

Tonight Mythbusters ran a 2-hour special celebrating their 25 Best Busted Myths. If you didn't catch the show, here's the list along with the episode in which the myth aired:

25. Can a 1967 Chevy take off with JATO rockets? (Jet-Assisted Chevy, 1st myth ever)
24. Can a tree be cut down using a machine gun? (Viewer's Special 2)
23. Can a bullet fired straight up in the air kill someone on the way back down? (Bullets Fired Up)
22. Can a JATO rocket launch a car through the air? (Special Supersized Myths)
21. Can an unamplified human voice shatter a wine glass? (Breaking Glass)
20. Did the Confederates really build a lethal steam-powered machine gun? (Confederate Steam Gun)
19. No myth, just a montage of the crazy costumes the crew has worn over the years
18. How can someone escape from a sinking car? (Sinking Car)
17. Can a sonic shock wave shatter glass? (Curving Bullets)
16. Do bulls in a china shop really cause complete destruction? (Red Rag to a Bull)
15. Is it possible for pants to spontaneously explode? (Exploding Pants)
14. Will duct tape plug holes in the bottom of boats and can you create a working sail-boat out of it? (Duct Tape Hour)
13. Can an airplane toilet create enough suction to cause a person to become stuck on it? (Biscuit Bazooka)
12. Theories that the Apollo moon landing was faked are tested (NASA Moon Landing)
11. Will a pack of sharks ignore a person who is playing dead? (Shark Week Special)
10. Can you ignite your own flatus? (Never before seen on air, but done as part of the Franklin's Kite episode)
9. Is it possible to water ski behind a rowing eight? (Break Step Bridge)
8. What caused the Hindenburg to explode? (Hindenburg Mystery)
7. No myth, just a montage of the crew's favorite one-liners
6. Was it possible to survive an escape from Alcatraz? (Alcatraz Escape)
5. Will a car dropped from 4,000 feet fall faster than a speeding car? (Demolition Derby)
4. No myth, just a montage of all the accidents/injuries the crew has suffered over the years
3. Two revisted myths tied: Is the compact conundrum of a two-truck head-on collision a myth? (Demolition Derby) and Can a rocket powered snow plow split a car in two? (Myth Evolution)
2. Can a lead balloon fly? (Lead Balloon)
1. Can hardened cement be removed from a cement truck using explosives? (Salsa Escape)

No surprise what came in at number one. I'll also note that while these myths were singled out, they mentioned many more myths along the way. Some of the omissions that I would have liked to see mentioned include Pop Rocks and Soda and the Phone Book friction myth. I know everyone has their favorites though, so please share your own below.

Crowd control

Man, the wave has nothing on what these Korean soccer fans can do. I may hate soccer, but even I have to admit this is pretty darn cool.

NMR: A Serious Man

Boy did I struggle with this one. In recent years I've gained an appreciate for the Coen brothers' films after enjoying both Burn After Reading and No Country For Old Men. However, this one was a different case. A lot of the same themes (dark humor, the random nature of life, idiotic people) all remain here and the film is expertly made, its subject matter was just too narrow for me to appreciate it. Centered around a Jewish man and the struggles he endures in both his personal and professional life, I just found myself unable to relate to the character or the context. If, however, you can relate to their culture and you have an appreciation for the Coens' work, then you'll probably really enjoy this. This is a total skip for everyone else though. Rating: **

Lost in space

For those of you who were unsatisfied by the way Lost ended, maybe this video, a smash-up of Lost and Star Wars, will suit you better.

Lost Wars: Because Adding Jedis Can Fix Anything -- powered by Cracked.com

Wahoo Wrap-Up (Week 9)

Record: 21-34, Last in the AL Central

So things seem to have hit rock bottom this week. We were beat soundly in our recent series with the Yankees and the Tigers, showing just how far away we are from competing against the American League's top teams. Of course, one of those games was the "imperfect game" which was the epitome of pathetic offense. If that wasn't bad enough, news then came that Grady Sizemore's surgery will keep him out for the rest of the season. Thankfully when things looked bleakest, along came the Chicago White Sox which seems to the cure for what ails us. We took the first two of the series against them and should have won today had the bullpen not blown it. It's pretty sad though that more than a third of our wins have come against the White Sox. If only we could play them all season long. Instead, this week we have a four game against the nasty Boston Red Sox and then officially open up interleague play with the Washington Nationals. There's a possiblity we may even see last year's #1 draft pick Stephen Strasburg in that series and if he's as good as many people think, we may be on the wrong end of another perfect game. Still though, I gotta remain loyal to my team and I gotta say, Go Tribe!

Hallow victory

So here's a nice two for one...a pair of previews for the upcoming final Harry Potter film(s). The first is an unoffical trailer that I somehow missed when it hit the net late last year. The second debuted tonight on MTV's Movie Awards show. Both seem to adequately show the epic nature that the book had. Time will tell whether it's able to successfully finish off the series.