Chevy bolt

From EW.com

Community will be losing a cast member, and it’s… the one that you were thinking: Chevy Chase. The 69-year-old actor, who stars as the wealthy, grumpy and bigoted Pierce Hawthorne, is exiting the NBC ensemble comedy by mutual agreement, sources close to the show confirm. (Deadline first reported the news.)

It’s not exactly shocking news, as Chase has endured a rocky relationship with the series that he does not always speak warmly about. He engaged in a feud with series creator Dan Harmon that went public last year over an expletive-laced voicemail message that Chase left Harmon. (Harmon was dismissed from the show last spring.) Last month, production was interrupted when Chase, reportedly unhappy with the material he was shooting, used the N-word in an outburst while trying to make a point about the direction of his racist character.

After having its Oct. 19 premiere date postponed, Community finally returns to the air on Feb. 7 to kick off its fourth and possibly final season with 13 new episodes. Chase will appear in all but two of them — which have yet to be filmed — and he will be seen in the season finale, which has already been shot.

The new showrunners, David Guarascio and Moses Port, had sounded optimistic when talking about Chase earlier this fall. “The truth is we’ve had a very easy working relationship with Chevy, maybe just because it was so volatile before, there’s no fight left,” Guarascio told EW with a laugh. “We sat down, had a real nice lunch… And so it’s been really easy for us. He also says what he wants to say and does what he wants to do, and you just can’t control any of that aspect of it.”

A Hitch in time

This trailer has been out for a while now, but I'm just getting around to post it. There may be a late entry into the Oscar race as this film about famed director Alfred Hitchcock's effort to get Psycho made seems to be just the type of film that the Academy loves. The fact that it stars award winners Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren only helps. Anyways, you can check out the trailer below.

RBR: The Amazing Spider-Man

The fact that I waited until home video to watch this movie shows you the lack of urgency I had in seeing a reboot of this franchise. Despite having the story told to us a mere 10 years earlier, we once again sit through the origins of young Peter Parker getting bit by a spider and losing his uncle leading to his transformation into Spider-Man. This time around he's played by Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) who gives us a more rebellious than nerdy take on the character. One deviation from the previous origin story is that this one focuses on Peter's romance with Gwen Stacy. She's played by the always charming Emma Stone. Both she and Garfield give good performances although I don't necessary buy them as high schoolers. The biggest problem for me is that my familiarity with the story left me focusing on smaller details that irked me. For instance, the film takes place in New York, yet you would think that this is some post-apocalyptic version of the city considering how few people we actually see in the city outside of the primary characters. I also noticed the financial cheats the movie takes by having so much of it filmed in the shadows. You don't need a whole lot of CGI detail when everything is pitch black. Apparently all of the money was spent on the cast and it was not money well spent. You get distinguished actors like Sally Field and Martin Sheen to star as Peter's aunt and uncle and then waste them. Sheen unsurprisingly is killed off early on and Field more surprisingly disappears halfway through the film only to make a token appearance near the end. Director Marc Webb attempts to bring some gravitas to the franchise with his indie filmmaking style, but frankly it just wasn't needed. Flaws aside, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man films actually felt like a comic book come to life. For all the realism that this adaptation offers, it equally saps the fun out of the story. This is a wholly unnecessary film (except for the people at Sony who needed to make it in order to prevent the rights from going over to Disney/Marvel) that doesn't need to be seem. It's harmless enough as a rental, but not a film that you need to go out of your way to see. Rating: ** 1/2

Fool's Gold

I try to pride myself on being a Bond expert, but apparently there was a "lost" James Bond film that is now only coming to the light of day. From Funny or Die, I present to you To Have and To Gold

Lost Bond Film with Chris Kattan from Chris Kattan

Falling upward

There are other movies I have yet to review, but there was no way I was going to wait on this one. Waiting it seems is all I have been doing when it comes to James Bond lately. Fans like myself have eagerly anticipated the 23rd film, Skyfall. At the very least, we've been waiting at least four years since Quantum of Solace, but given the failures of that film, it's felt even longer since we've had a true Bond film.

Since taking over as 007, the Daniel Craig era has been a time of transition. Beginning with Casino Royale the origins of Bond and how he became the spy we've come to know have been developed. In this latest film, which also marks the 50th anniversary of the film franchise, there are questions as to the relevancy of this man. Has James Bond become too old or out of date in a new world of terror and threats? I think it's clear by the end of the film that while there is always a need for adapting to changing times, there is also something timeless about this character that is not only capable of still saving the world by giving audiences what they want.

As I mentioned earlier, the last film was a disaster in many ways, so I had a checklist of items that I wanted to see in this film in order for me to be satisfied that this franchise wasn't in trouble. Thankfully practically all of those items were accomplished. For example, Daniel Kleinman was brought back to create a proper title sequence after the visual eyesore that was seen in the previous movie. We also have a more traditional title song which actually includes the title in it thanks to British songstress Adele. And we also begin to see some longtime characters receive re-introductions. Ben Wishaw gives us a fresh take on Q, the man responsible for all of Bond's gadgets. I liked the back-and-forth he and Craig have in this film and while no one could ever replace the great Desmond LLewelyn, I look forward to see this Q in many more films to come.

Now in his third try, Craig gives his most comfortable and developed performance to date as Bond. He seems to have a clear sense of what he wants to do with the character. His take is uniquely his own while still being respectful of the character and the men who have played him before. While there's always going to be that damaged aspect of his character, I was so pleased to see him infuse more humor into the performance as well as reignite his appetite for women after pining over just one for the past two films

While Craig has a standout performance, this film is as much about M (Judi Dench) as it is about Bond. Her character, and mi6 as a whole come under heavy scrutiny after a hard drive containing a list of all agents, their current locations and real names is stolen. The amazing Ralph Finnes plays Mallory, a man who's asked to watch over M and help her clean up this mess.

We learn that the man responsible for the stole hard drive is a former agent named Silva, played by Bardem. Bardem, who won an Oscar playing the villanous Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, creates a wholly different, yet still highly memorable bad guy here. He's equal parts crafty and creepy. The monologue he delivers upon first meeting Bond is one of the best scenes in the entire film.

There are several great scenes in this film though thanks largely to the great direction by Sam Mendes. He, along with cinematographer Roger Deakins, give us one of the most beautiful Bond movies ever. The use of rich colors, beautiful landscapes, and well choreographed action scenes make this film a visual delight. I would gladly have Mendes return for another entry if he's interested (Just as long as they never contact Marc Forster ever again).

If I have a complain about this film, it is that at times it does not necessarily feel like a Bond film. For instance, the story is rather insular. The villain's attacks are aimed at mi6 rather than toward the world at large. It doesn't really feel like Bond is saving the world this time. Also, the franchise still feels compelled to thematically and narratively borrow from other franchises. Not only are there traces of the Bourne franchise again, but this time I also felt that they were trying to replicate the success of The Dark Knight. Certainly there is worse material that they could be borrowing from, but with that said, I'd still like for them to be confident in their own franchise and stay true to what has made them successful for so many years.

I think most importantly is that the film has a terrific finish that is not only moving but without giving too much away, puts some key pieces in place that ends this transition stage and allows Bond to finally get back to business. The final scenes have me extremely excited for the next installment. Thankfully, we know that 'James Bond will return' and this time it will only be a two year wait.

Skyfall is a must see for both Bond fans and novices alike. For the purists, this is a great installment that more than makes up for Quantum of Solace and for the newbies out there, this works equally as well as a straightforward action flick that is likely to send your adrenaline soaring Sky high. Grade: A-

Bad medicine

The subject matter of Side Effects doesn't exactly seem like it would be the type of film that I would gravitate toward, but given that this is being directed by Steven Soderbergh, I'm inherently interested in it. Here's the first trailer to watch and see what you think.

RBR: Safety Not Guaranteed

Quirky is an understatement when it comes to Safety Not Guaranteed a small indie film about a trio of magazine workers going to investigate an odd ad in the personals from a man looking for a companion to time travel with him. The film's title comes from a line included in the ad. Aubrey Plaza from Parks and Recreation stars as one of the curious trio and quickly becomes fascinated with Kenneth (Mark Duplass), a man who is both odd and ernest in his belief of being able to go back in time. With a runtime of barely 80 minutes, the film is brief and yet still offers some fully developed characters. I was engaged by both the central story, as well as the subplots involving the other two magazine workers and was really curious as to how they would resolve this story. Unfortunately the ending is rather disappointing. They wanted a magical ending to this offbeat love story, but I feel they would have been better to opt for something more down to Earth. If a strong ending is important to you, you're best to skip this insignificant film. But if you enjoy being charmed and appreciate good performances, then you may find yourself seeing this as a small treasure. Rating: *** 1/2

Stand up guy

One of my favorite comics right now, Louis CK, hosted Saturday Night Live. As usual, the show was a mixed bag of duds and highspots. But the clear winner of the night was the parody of Louie, CK's hilarious show on FX, with the comic playing Abraham Lincoln instead of himself. If you didn't see it, check it out below and if you did see it last night, still watch the video because this is the special director's cut version of the skit.

RBR: Dark Shadows

Certain movie stars seem to gravitate towards particular directors. This is certainly true for Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, who have collaborated on a number of great films. But with their latest effort, Dark Shadows, there are signs that they may be due for a break from each other. Based on a cult favorite horror soap opera from the 1960s, Dark Shadows revolves around Barnabas Collins and his family. Collins is turned into a vampire after spurning the advances of a witch. Buried for nearly 200 years, Collins is dug up in 1972 and has to deal with living in a new world while trying to bring his family back into prominance. My description of the plot barely scratches the surface of what's going on in this film and that's one of the problems. There are a ton of subplots, none of which are the least bit interesting. The film meanders from one plot to the next only to try and cram resolutions to all of them within the last 15 minutes. I kept wondering what the point to all of this was. The humor falls flat, the scares are mild at best, and the sexual escapades are more cartoonish than enticing. If there's a strength to the film, it is its look. Of course, with Tim Burton directing, that's almost always going to be a given. In this outing, however, it's all style and no substance. I fail to see how this movie appeals to anyone. Fans of the original show will no doubt find this to be an injustice and the film offers nothing that would attract new fans. If you're a fan of the Depp/Burton team, skip this disappointingly dull effort and rewatch one of their earlier films instead. Rating: **

That's Despicable

We're getting more and more previews these days for movies coming out next year. This time it's a teaser for the sequel to the surprise animated hit, Despicable Me.

When you wish upon a death star

It's the news that has all the Jedi Knights in a frenzy. From EW.com...

The force is strong with Mickey Mouse.

In one of the most momentous entertainment industry acquisitions of the last 30 years, the Walt Disney Company announced on Tuesday that it is purchasing Lucasfilm in a stock and cash deal valued at $4.05 billion. The sale includes plans for Star Wars: Episode VII, which is in early development, aiming for release in 2015. Walt Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger announced in a shareholder conference call that the studio also intending to release Episode VIII and Episode IX. “Our longterm plan is to release a new Star Wars feature film every two to three years,” he added, noting that the deal came with “an extensive and detailed treatment for the next three movies.”

“For the past 35 years, one of my greatest pleasures has been to see Star Wars passed from one generation to the next,” said Star Wars creator and Lucasfilm CEO George Lucas in a statement. “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.” Iger said Lucas began considering retirement four or five years ago, and the two began informally discussing Disney acquiring Lucasfilm a year and a half ago, although they only got serious more recently.

Veteran producer Kathleen Kennedy, who recently became co-chairman of Lucasfilm, will become the studio’s president, reporting to Disney studios chairman Alan Horn. She will executive produce the future Star Wars films, with Lucas serving as a creative consultant. In a video released by Disney (and embedded below), Lucas says he and Kennedy have already been working on future Star Wars films with unspecified writers. “We have a large group of ideas and characters and books and all kinds of things,” Lucas said. “We could go on making Star Wars for the next 100 years.”

The deal also includes plans to incorporate Star Wars into Disney’s TV, parks, and games businesses, as well as acquisition of Lucas’ companies like Industrial Light & Magic, Skywalker Sound, and Skywalker Ranch. Standing distribution deals with Fox and Paramount will play a factor for Disney in monetizing the previous six Star Wars films and last four Indiana Jones films, respectively.

The purchase marks a clear desire by Disney to expand further into the tent-pole feature film business, with Pixar Animation Studios and Marvel Studios moving into the Mouse House over the last decade.

Crossing Paths

A few years ago, In Bruges, a humorous take on the hitman film gained cult status with viewers and high marks from critics. Now director Martin McDonagh has reteamed with Collin Farrell (as well as an even wilder supporting cast) to once again mine comedic gold from the action thriller genre. In his latest, Seven Psychopaths, McDonagh throws a lot at you and even when if it's not always coherent, it's consistently entertaining.

This is not the type of film that can easily be summarized in a simple sentence. What you should know is that there are a pair of two-bit crooks (Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walken) who kidnap dogs in order to return them and cash in on the reward. The scam is effective until they steal the Shiz Tsu of an unbalanced mob boss (played by Woody Harrelson) who will stop at nothing to get his precious pooch back. Farrell, who is also friends with Rockwell, is a struggling screenwriter who's working on a new film, conveniently named Seven Psychopaths. His efforts to write that film provide a meta-narrative throughout the movie as we discover which of these characters are actually psychopaths. Here that may sound confusing, but discovering who the psychopaths are in the film is a lot of fun

A movie like this is truly a film lover's dream. On one level you've got a lot of terrific actors hamming it up here. Rockwell has played this loose cannon character before, but still finds way to make it feel fresh and engaging. And it's a joy to see Christopher Walken just be his usual self on the big screen again. The man's acting style though often parodied and imitated, is uniquely his own and he once again steals the show here.

These actors are also able to give fine performances because of the script that they are working from. In addition to having a lot of funny lines, the screenplay is filled with incisive commentary on the screenwriting process. At one point, the characters talk about the difficulty in writing decent roles for women and then we see throughout this film that the female characters are underwritten and barely have a presence in the film.

Being in the mindset of a psychopath does have it drawbacks when it comes to story construction. The film's narrative can often be as schizophrenic as the characters it represents. The film goes off on a lot of tangents that never really seem to fully connect to the central story. For as funny and or engaging as these tangents are, they can also be equally frustrating as you try to make sense of everything.
Quentin Tarantino's success with films like Resevoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction produced a lot of check knock-offs that could not match the sheer bravado he displayed on the screen. With this film, however, McDonagh has succeeed whether others have failed. This is quite the gonzo trip of wisecracks and gore. I can guarantee that if the film sounded at all intriguing to you that you will be highly entertained by this.

Seven Psychopaths may not have mass appeal, but is nothing short of a success. I never thought I could associate myself with anyone who could be known as a psychopath, but I would gladly enjoy watching more adventures with this group of psychos anytime. If you're looking for a bloody good time, then Seven is your lucky number. Grade: B+

Scientific Myth-od

I neglected to post this a few weeks ago when it first debuted online, but felt it still deserved acknowledgement. This is a pretty dead-on parody of Mythbusters from the folks at College Humor. It also manages to take a jab at religion as well. Check it out.

CollegeHumor's Favorite Funny Videos

Beat the clock

The words 'time travel' can evoke a wide array of emotions in people. Some marvel at the thought of being able to into the past or future. Others who have seen movies depicting such science fiction know the narrative and linear headaches such an undertaking can produce.

In Looper, the latest film from director Rian Johnson (Brick, The Brothers Bloom), both the wonder and frustration associated with travelling through time are on full display. The plot is not the easiest to explain, but I'll give it my best shot. The film is set in the not so distant future where time travel hasn't been invented but eventually will. In the film's future where time travel does exist, murder is forbidden, so people are sent to the past to be 'eliminated'. They are killed by 'loopers', a hired group of individuals who are informed of where their time travelling target is set to arrive so that they can be immediately killed.

One of the interesting things about the film is that eventually all loopers will kill off their future self. The film centers around one of these loopers named Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Problems arise when he is unable to kill his future self, played by Bruce Willis (Gordon-Levitt went through extensive makeup in order to come off as a reasonably younger version of Willis). Willis' escape not only creates the possibility of timeline alteration, but puts Gordon-Levitt's life in danger as his mob boss (played fantastically in a small role by Jeff Daniels) wants him killed now as well.

At this point, the film appears to set itself up as an interesting chase picture. However, instead of going that conventional route, we learn that Willis has some big plans now that he is in the past that send the film in a whole new direction. Without going into too much detail on it, it creates a plot twist that I wasn't expecting and one that I'm not entirely sure I appreciate.

What I can divulge is that while on his quest to hunt down his future self, Gordon-Levitt comes across a young mother (played by Emily Blunt) living on a Kansas farm. Despite playing a role that you would not expect from her, Blunt delivers a captivating performance and proves to be a great addition to the film. But the role her and her son play in the story is one that I was at best, confused by, and at worst, greatly disturbed seeing unfold.

As the film shifts towards Willis' plan, the film also slows down considerably. This is a move that I don't have a problem with in theory. I can appreciate when a director wants to let their story breathe and allow for characters to develop. The problem with that shift in this film is that it leaves the viewer too much time to begin asking questions and poking holes in the time travel rules that were established in the faster-paced first half of the film.

I will credit Johnson, however, for imbuing the film with a unique visual style. Choosing a location like Kansas to set this film feels fresh and interesting. He also creatively weaves symobolism throughout the film that helps establish what he's trying to say with this admittedly difficult to follow story. I've seen each of Johnson's films so far and while each of them have their flaws, it's clear that he has some distinct talents that separate him from most other directors.

Looper was one of my most anticipated films this year, so I may be judging it harder than it deserves. There's plenty to like about this film and I applaud those involved for trying to create something new and engaging. Ultimately, though I can't help but feel let down by its unexpected narrative shift and unresolved subplots. I may find though that my criticisms may soften if I watch the film again. While time travel doesn't exist for us yet, thanks to the beauty of home video we have the ability to go into the past and watch films like these over and over again in hopes of discovering something new each time. Grade: B+

Tony Express

Hard to believe, but it's already time to start thinking about summer 2013. After the big success of The Avengers this year, everyone's anxious to see what will happen to these characters next. Well, you can get your first glimpse at one of them with the newly released teaser trailer for Iron Man 3.

Fall TV Report: Freshman shows

I am WAY behind on a lot of my blogging. There's several things I could post, but I'll begin with a discussion of the few new shows that have caught my eye.

Elementary - I'm a big mystery fan and there's no greater sleuth than Sherlock. He's very hot right now with the Robert Downey Jr. film franchise and a successful BBC series as well. This latest entry, starring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as a female Watson has not been the slam dunk that I had hoped for and I think part of the problem is the network its on. CBS has a slew of succesful shows, but they are all very familiar and routine. In the first few episodes, the stories told haven't been anything that couldn't have been used on CSI, or NCIS, or The Mentalist, or... shall I go on? I want more brain-testing mysteries and more idiosyncrasies on display by Holmes. I do have some hope that things can improve as this past week's episode was the first one that felt like Holmes and Watson were an actual team instead of making Liu completely superfluous to the story. True Holmes fans will likely be disappointed, but for everyone looking for another solid crime series, this will do just fine. It's been picked up for a full season so look for this to stick around for a while.

Go On - It's the lone new sitcom that has appealed to me in the least and had any success (moderate though it may be) in the ratings. The premise for the show (Matthew Perry attends weekly group therapy sessions to deal with the death of his wife) is relatively fresh and unique. It's also has an amazingly talented cast of comedic actors including Julie White, Brett Gelman, John Cho, Bill Cobbs, and a few others who you'd likely recognize if you saw them. But for all that this show has going for it, I feel like it really hasn't maximized its potential. Some shows struggle initially until it finally finds its voice. I'm hoping that's the case here. I enjoy seeing these characters, I just don't laugh as much as with some of my other favorite sitcoms. Given the lack of other options, I'll stick with this one for now.

Revolution - I had some serious reservations about this one. I've been burned by one too many Lost clones in recent years and feared I would do the same with this one. Shows like this have great setups and no follow through. Then the audience erodes and the series gets cancelled before the viewers who stuck around can get any answers. Well I'm happy to report that thus far this show has bucked that trend. From a viewer standpoint, it's been a huge hit for NBC and has already received a full season order. From my perspective, the show is far from perfect, but solid enough to have captured my interest. Instead of having everything hinge on one singular mystery, the writers have created a lot of different stories that are each intriguing. I'm also pleased that I don't really hate any of the characters to the degree that I want them killed off each episode. The show has so far also done a decent job of keeping the story moving so that you feel like you learn or accomplish something new each episode. I think the success this show has seen will allow the people behind this show to have the confidence to continue to move forward at an appropriate pace and deliver quality entertainment that can last beyond just one season.

Those are the only new shows that I'm regularly watching. Last Resort is one that I still hope to catch, but I'll have to do so through On Demand because I have too many other things airing at the same time that it does. I watched the premiere of Animal Practice and it is disappointingly awful. Everyone else seemed to agree because NBC has already cancelled it. I've seen parts of The Mindy Project and Ben and Kate, but neither of those seemed to be targeted for me. If you've seen any other new show, feel free to chime in and offer your thoughts.

And Django was his name-o

Here's the latest trailer for Quentin Tarantino's new film, Django Unchained set to come out this Christmas.

RBR: The Five-Year Engagement

Some pairs just seem like a match made in heaven. But as we all know, looks can be deceiving. This is true for the characters in The Five-Year Engagement. Tom (Jason Segal) and Violet (Emily Blunt), are a couple who seem to be deeply in love at their engagement and yet struggle to actually tie the knot. This idea is also applicable to the film itself - a movie that has a great cast and setup and yet can't turn that into something successful. This is certainly through no fault of the casting. Segal is his usual doughy, loveable self and Blunt is consistently charming (As a side note, she is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses who has shown tremendous range in her past few roles). Rather, this movie commits a few of my 'mortal sins' when it comes to filmmaking. One of them is the reliance on cliched characters. I mean how many times do we have to see the 'lecherous older male professor' character. Maybe given my profession, I'm more sensitive to this cliche than others, but it just felt unoriginal and you knew every beat to that character's story arc. The other sin committed here is poor communication. I had expected this film to be about a series of events that conspire against the film's leads, preventing them from getting hitched. Instead, there's really on one primary issue here and it could have been resolved or dealt with in much more succinct manner. It should not have taken five years to arrive at the resolution they come to by the movie's end. It's feels more like a six months to a year issue at best. And while the timeline in the film doesn't feel very long, watching the film feels like five years of the viewers' time has passed. More time was needed in the editing room for this film. Somewhere buried inside is a good film. The cast and everyone else involved is too talented to turn in an effort like this. As it stands, this comes off as a disappointment. Rating: ** 1/2

Yippee ki YAY!

Believe it or not, John McClain is back for another Die Hard adventure. Here's your first look at A Good Day to Die Hard

Fran-tastic news

From SI.com

Terry Francona is getting back with one of his baseball families.

Francona, who guided the Boston Red Sox to two World Series titles, has been hired as manager of the Cleveland Indians, a team that collapsed in the second half this season after a promising first four months. The sides continued working Saturday night on the length of Francona's contract.

The 53-year-old will be formally introduced as Cleveland's 42nd manager during a Monday news conference at Progressive Field.

"I'm really excited," Francona said on the air as an ESPN analyst, his job for the past season. "People who don't know me may have thought I was looking for something different."

The Indians chose Francona over Sandy Alomar Jr., who served as the club's interim manager for the final six games after Manny Acta was fired on Sept. 27. Francona and Alomar, who spent the past three seasons as a coach in Cleveland, were the only candidates to interview for the Indians' opening.

Alomar has been offered a spot on Francona's staff, most likely as bench coach.

The Indians have always held a special place for Francona. After he was fired as Philadelphia's manager, he worked in Cleveland's front office as an adviser in 2001. He also spent a portion of the 1988 season on Cleveland's major league roster and his father, Tito, played with the Indians from 1959-64.

Francona has stayed close with Indians president Mark Shapiro and general manager Chris Antonetti over the past decade. He said the chance to work with them again is what intrigued him most about the Cleveland job, which will have its challenges because of a much smaller payroll than he enjoyed in Boston.

"It's a good story, almost a family feeling," Francona said after his interview on Friday. "I don't think you can take a job because of that, but it still means a lot to me. Because of Chris and Mark and my relationship, I am excited to try to tackle, or attempt to tackle, every challenge that comes our way and do it together."

There are some major challenges in Cleveland, where fans have been waiting for a World Series winner since 1948.

The Indians were a major disappointment this season, going 68-94. They were within 3 1-2 games of first place on July 27, but went 5-24 in August - the worst month in the franchise's 112-year history - and finished 20 games out in the AL Central. Acta didn't get to finish his third season with the club.

"We have better talent than our record shows," Antonetti said earlier this week.

With shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, second baseman Jason Kipnis, center fielder Michael Brantley and catcher Carlos Santana, the Indians have a solid core of young position players to build around. Cleveland's bullpen was the strength of the team this season, but All-Star closer Chris Perez caused distractions with his comments and actions.

The Indians lacked a proven power hitter - DH Travis Hafner was injured much of the season - and it remains to be seen if Cleveland owner Paul Dolan will spend in free agency to add talent.

Francona interviewed with the Indians one day after Alomar, a six-time All-Star catcher for Cleveland and fan favorite. Alomar managed the Indians to a 3-3 record after Acta was dismissed. Alomar will likely be courted by other teams seeking a manager. He interviewed with Boston last year before the Red Sox hired Bobby Valentine.

Francona spent eight seasons with the Red Sox but was not brought back after the club fell apart down the stretch in 2011. This season, Francona worked as a TV broadcaster and said it was while preparing for telecasts that he realized how much he missed managing and being around players.

"We appreciate Terry's great contributions to our baseball coverage and we wish him the best,"? ESPN said in a statement, adding Francona will appear as a guest analyst during the network's World Series coverage.

Francona has managed for 12 seasons in the majors, compiling a 1,029-915 record.

"I played for Tito (Francona) and everybody knows his track record is a good one," said Indians pitcher Justin Masterson, who was with Francona in Boston for 2008-9.

Antonetti said part of Francona's appeal was how he developed young players like Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester as they came up through Boston's system.

"In addition to that, he's a great communicator and an accomplished leader," Antonetti said.

America's scariest home videos

Turn out the lights because here's the latest trailer for Paranormal Activity 4

Adios Acta!

From SI.com:

CLEVELAND (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians have fired manager Manny Acta after the team collapsed from contention.

Acta, hired by Cleveland in 2009 after two losing seasons as Washington's manager, couldn't stop the Indians from falling to last place in the AL Central. They were within three games of first place on July 21 before losing 21 of 25 and eventually sliding all the way back to last. It certainly wasn't all Acta's fault, but there were times when the Indians seemed to be going through the motions and a lack of effort isn't a positive reflection on any manager.

Acta went 214-266 in nearly three seasons with the Indians, who are just 21-50 in the second half this season. He had one season left on his contract.

The Indians announced Acta will not return in 2013 on Thursday, an off day before opening their final homestand.

Bench coach Sandy Alomar, a former Indians player and fan favorite who could become Cleveland's next full-time manager, will replace Acta for the last six games of 2012.

The Indians said the search for a new manager will begin immediately. Acta's coaching staff will remain intact for the rest of this season.

Indians general manager Chris Antonetti thanked Acta for his service.

"Manny's passion for the game, positive attitude and tremendous knowledge of baseball helped guide us to a number of high points during his tenure," Antonetti said in a statement. "Managerial changes are never easy or taken lightly, but as we approached the end of the season and turned our attention to assessing the year, we determined a change was necessary."

Earlier this month, owner Paul Dolan said he was not considering a managerial change, but the Indians continued to stumble and left the club with little choice. Dolan indicated the decision was made by Antonetti, who is in his second season.

"I have great respect for Manny and appreciate the effort he exhibited not only leading our team, but also the contributions he made in our community over the past three years," Dolan said in a statement. "I fully support Chris' decision to make this change and am confident that he will lead a tireless search to find the right individual to lead the club to our ultimate goal of winning the World Series."

Acta maintained a stoic attitude during the Indians' freefall and insisted he wasn't concerned about his future but only about developing young players.

It didn't help Acta that several Cleveland players underperformed while others couldn't stay healthy. Former All-Star center fielder Grady Sizemore, who was signed to a one-year, $5 million free-agent contract in November despite missing most of the past three seasons with injuries, never got healthy enough to play. Designated hitter Travis Hafner missed several months with a bad back.

And Antonetti's major acquisition in 2011 of ace Ubaldo Jimenez failed to pay dividends, as the right-hander went 9-17 with a 5.55 ERA.

After winning 80 games in 2011, the Indians entered the season with high hopes. It seemed as if they were in position to compete for a playoff spot before their inexplicable collapse, going 5-24 in August.

Frack attack

There's a late entry into this year's Oscar race, but given the pedigree associated with the cast and crew, it could very well play a role in this year's awards season. Here's your first look at Promised Land starring Matt Damon and John Krasinski (The Office) and directed by Gus Van Sant.

Fall TV Report Card (Thursdays Part 1)

Some of my favorite shows on Thursday got a jump start and premiered last week, so I'll review those now and the ones that debut tonight will be recapped later on.

The Office - After struggling to deal with the loss of Steve Carrell last season, this show promises a renewed sense of focus as it heads into its final season. This first episode nicely sowed some seeds for the end game of several of the key characters like Jim and Dwight, which I appreciated. The humor in the episode though was a mixed bag with a handful of decent lines but still too much wacky, physical humor that has weakened some of the characters (Kevin should be dim, but not THAT dim). This show can never recapture the glory of its early days, but it appears that they are going to do their best to give this cast a proper sendoff that will allow us to still think fondly of the show even after it is gone. Grade: B

Parks and Recreation - Last season ended with Leslie's big victory, winning the race for councilman. So in typical mockumentary fashion, we can't let the characters' wins last for too long as we saw here in the opener. Leslie got a wake up call while visiting Ben in Washington about how much she's been a big fish in a small pond for a long time. The storyline was well done, but didn't produce enough big laughs for me. Meanwhile Ron's attempt at throwing a barbeque went in typical fashion. Oddly enough, Rob Lowe's Chris brought the biggest laughs for me from this subplot. It's so nice to see him really integrate into the world and return to his happy self after being depressed for most of last season. Though their time was brief, April and Andy always bring the laughs and I wish we could have seen more from their time together in the nation's capital. I'm not sure if this worked well as a season premiere, but given the Washington bigwigs that had cameos in the episode, I can see why they went with it. I'll definitely be anxious to see everyone back in Pawnee sooner rather than later. Grade: A-

Bond countdown: The Man With The Golden Gun (1975)

Fall TV Report Card: Wednesdays

Hump day is a slow day for me TV-wise so there won't be much to this post, but things will surely pick up as I go over the rest of the days of the week.

Survivor: Phillipines - Despite the fact that the show once again brought back returning players, there's a freshness to that twist this time. Each of the returning players are individuals who previously left the game for medical reasons, not because they were voted out. This then truly becomes a case of 'what if?' It should be very interesting to see if they remain healthy how far they can go. Thus far, Russell Swan already looks to be in trouble given his bossy nature and weak tribemates. Jonathan Penner isn't too well liked on his tribe either, but he's smart enough to find a way to stay in the game for a while. Plus his tribe looks strong, so they may not be visiting tribal council for a while. Then again, if teammate and former Major League Baseball MVP Jeff Kent's knee is seriously injured, that could dramatically alter the game. Finally, there's Michael Skupin, the infamous Survivor player from Season 2, who severly burned his hands after passing out by the fire. That had been one of the most infamous moments in Survivor history and yet, looking at his performance thus far in this new season, you begin to look at that injury in a new light. In a matter of days, he has suffered a minimum of four minor injuries to himself. I don't want to call the guy accident-prone, but it's looking more and more like that with each passing day. He, however, has the strongest standing within his tribe as he's already been pulled into an alliance. You get the sense though that he would rather be aligned with a different member of his tribe, Lisa Welchel, better known to most as Blaire from The Facts of Life. Though she claims to be a huge fan, it appears that the elements of the game are already getting the best of her. She'll need a dramatic turnaround if she hopes to stay in the game for long.

Overall, while it's way too early to judge how this season will play out, I think they've got a good cast of people who look like they're actually capable of competing rather than just being there because they look pretty or will cause trouble. I also like the Phillipines location, which allows the show to have some more challenges in the water - something that's been lacking in the past few seasons. I also enjoy the three tribe split that they've gone with this year, even if I know it won't last too long if for no other reason then the numbers just won't allow it. Here's hoping to a good season full of outwitting, outplaying, and outlasting. Grade: A-

Bond countdown: Live and Let Die (1973)

RBR: The Lorax

Filmmakers have been relying on the work of Dr. Seuss for several years now as a means of easy children's entertainment. While some of them turned out well, this latest effort from Universal Pictures' Illumination Entertainment is a mixed bag. The Lorax is one of Seuss' best stories and has a comendable message about the environment; a message that undermined by the slick commercialism that surrounds both the promotion and execution of this film. It's hard to pay attention to characters preaching the value of saving trees when you're focusing on which celebrity voice is saying it or how good the Lorax themed pancakes at IHOP are. That's not to say that the film doesn't have its appeals. The filmmakers effectively bring the world created by Seuss to life in rich, vibrant, candy-coated colors and they manage to include a couple of catchy songs in as well. I also enjoyed Danny Devito's performance as the titular creature and wished that he was featured more prominantly in the film. This, though, points out another major issue with the movie - while the central story is solid, it's noticeable how much filler they needed to add in order to turn this into a 90 minute movie. Kids will surely enjoy this film even if they don't quite get the key message in the same way as if they had read the book. Adults, however, will struggle to find much to appreciate here and will be dismayed that someone has ruined another one of their beloved kids' tales. Rating: ** 1/2

Beat this

Actor, meat eater, and the manliest-man on this planet, Nick Offerman, aka Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation shares with us some beat poetry about one of his most favorite things - bacon. Enjoy!

Some Bond Like You

We got confirmation today of something that had been widely speculated for months now - British songstress Adele will be performing the theme song for Skyfall. Here's more on the story from showbiz411.com:

I think I can confirm for you what I said some months ago–Adele is performing the theme song for “Skyfall,” the 23rd James Bond movie. As far as I know the song is called “Skyfall.” I think if anyone else had sung the theme song this year it wouldn’t have made sense. Adele’s sound is the quintessential James Bond sound. She joins Shirley Bassey, Paul McCartney, Carly Simon, Rita Coolidge, John Barry, Duran Duran and others on the long list of pop stars who’ve immortalized James Bond in song.

“Skyfall” will be Adele’s first new single since her album “21″ sold 7 billion copies in 13 different galaxies. The movie opens in London the last week of October, right when Adele will give birth to a baby, as well. The good news is, this should be an actual song with a melody and a hook, unlike recent tortures.

Bond countdown: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Wii got a release date

From ew.com:

Nintendo announced the official release date for its new console, the Wii U, which made a big splash when it was announced at E3 and made a smaller splash at E3 2012 — meaning that the device will either be an underdog success story or a hubris-soaked fall from grace. The Wii U will officially begin the eighth generation of console gaming on Sunday, Nov. 18, assuring that your Thanksgiving family reunion will be dominated by your mouthy nephew explaining how to use the touchscreen and then laughing when you talk about the good old days of controllers that only had two buttons, dagnabbit.

There will be two different Wii U packages available. The Basic costs $299 and comes with a GamePad, a console, and a crushing sense of inadequacy. The Deluxe, meanwhile, runs to $349 and comes with more memory, a charging cradle, a copy of Nintendo Land, and the need to assure yourself that Nintendo Land was totally worth the extra cost. Nintendo’s press conference also featured an in-depth look at launch titles like Super Mario Bros. U and LEGO City Undercover, along with official announcements about the release of Bayonetta 2 and The Wonderful 101, which stole our hearts when it was still called Project P-100 at E3. Nintendo also introduced “Nintendo TVii,” an entertainment service which will allow you to watch all your favorite TV shows on your console — certainly the most exciting announcement of 2005.

Presidential order

Here's your first look at Daniel Day-Lewis as Honest Abe in the upcoming Steven Spielberg historical drama, Lincoln

RBR: The Hunger Games

So there's this little movie called The Hunger Games, anybody here of it? Of course you have and seeing as how I'm probably the last person on Earth who hasn't seen the movie yet, it's probably futile to do a review. And yet here it is anyway. I began with a natural aversion to the film given what I felt was undue proclamation of its greatness before it even came out. Like the Twilight franchise, I'm naturally skeptical of the quality of anything coming out of the YA genre of literature. But unlike Twilight, this at least had a core premise that interested me, hence why I actually decided to give it a look.

If I could summarize my thoughts in the film in once sentence, it would be this: This is a good movie, that could have been a great movie. Having not read the books, I'm not quite sure if the film's faults are the result of the director's adaptation of the novel or a weakness in the source material. The film centers around a wealthy, vindictive capital city that forces young representatives from its poor, outlying districts to compete in a battle to the death. The first hour of the film devotes itself to the preparation, training, and theatrics that are associated with these games. Most of this is good, engaging stuff. As the film shifts to the games itself, it becomes an increasing frustrating and unsatisfying film. I sat there befuddled as to why the focus was on the character of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). Her story arc feels empty without getting a sufficient perspective from the viewers of these games. Not enough time is spent on either the rich Capital citizens, nor the lowly people of her district to make me invested in seeing her, or anyone else for that matter, succeed in this contest. Instead it's a dull, exploitative exercise in survival of the fittest.

You compare this to a film like The Truman Show, a movie with a similar theme of big brother watching over and profitting from the televising of other's actions. In that film, you really got a sense of the motivations from everyone involved. Here it's unclear as to why the Capital has any investment in who wins. We see people involved manipulate how the game is played with no explanation why. Likewise, we're meant to believe that Katniss winning is significant and will have some ramifications, but this also is unclear.

However, like I said this is a good movie. You get some decent performances from guys like Woody Harrelson, playing a former winner of the Games who now mentors current contestants, and Stanley Tucci, as the disingenuous talk show host overseeing the festivities. I also felt the movie clipped along at a good pace, never feeling slow. Finally, the romantic subplot does not overtake the film as I feared it would. Ultimately, if you haven't read the book, I don't think there's enough here for you to appreciate why this film has become such a huge sensation. And if you have read the book, well then you've already seen this movie, in which case my opinion doesn't matter. I can only hope moving forward, the film discovers where its narrative value is at and focuses on that. Rating: *** 1/2

Bond countdown: On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

After some technical difficulties, I'm starting my James Bond retrospectives back up again. In order to get through all of them before Skyfall comes out, I'll be aiming to do about 2 a week, so check back frequently for more retrospectives over the next couple of months.

Cross to bear

Like many, I had trepidations about the continuation of the Bourne franchise without Matt Damon as the amnesiatic assassin or Paul Greengrass as director. But to the studio's credit, The Bourne Legacy is not simply a lazy or spiteful reboot like Sony did with Spider-Man. Instead they created an expansion of the universe created by Robert Ludlum's spy novels and attempted to look at the story from a different perspective.

That perspective comes from Aaron Cross, (Jeremy Renner) an agent of Operation Outcome, a separate group from Treadstone, which Bourne belonged too. A key difference between the two groups is that Outcome agents have been put on a pill regimen to medically enhance their abilities. The film opens during the timeline of the last Bourne film. We see from new footage different government officials reacting to Bourne's efforts to expose Treadstone. Realizing that the operation is blown, the CIA decides to pull the plug on all their operations. A team led by a retired Air Force colonel (played by Edward Norton) is tasked with eliminating all of their agents. Cross is fortunate enough to escape and begins his quest for determining why the government is now trying to kill him.

All of this set-up is terrific. The film nicely weaves the events of the previous film into this story and justifiably establishes a reason why there would now be someone else wanting to exact revenge on our government. The scenes establishing Renner's character are also well done. He's currently training in Alaska, so we get several instances of him battling the elements before dealing with the government, including a fight with wolves that was on par with the action scene earlier this year in The Grey

Unfortunately, the movie loses steam in the second half. Cross' character seems more intent on getting a fresh supply of the pills that give him his abilities than he is about exacting revenge. We get a lot of scenes with him talking about the pills, showing the effects of withdrawl, and looking for the pills and none of it is particularly engaging. Helping him in his quest is a doctor played by Rachel Weisz who originally gave him the drugs. She's being hunted by the government as well after she managed to escape an attack on her lab. Weisz is fine here, but I never saw any chemistry between her and Renner in the same way that I did between Damon and Marie (Franke Potente) or Nikki (Julia Stiles).

Pacing also becomes problematic as the movie progresses. After a series of conversations bog down the middle of the film, we get an overly long action sequence at the very end of the film. Not only should there have been a better balance between the action and dialogue, but the film's final action sequence comes off as anti-climatic. I expected more to come and yet shortly after the chase sequence finishes, the credits begin to roll.

Though frustrating, the film's abrupt ending left many doors open to be explored down the line in yet more Bourne films. I know I am interested in seeing more. Although admittedly, it's more of an interest in seeing the characters established in the first three films, rather than anyone new in Legacy That not only goes for Damon, but also people like Joan Allen and David Straithairn, who have little more than cameos in Legacy As for the new characters, Renner was fine when it came to the action, but he still strikes me as a better sidekick than leader (see The Avengers and Ghost Protocol). Edward Norton is always an excellent actor, but we didn't learn enough about his character here to care whether or not he returns.

The Bourne Legacy is a difficult film to rate because a lot hinges on whether or not anymore films in the franchise will be made. If this is it, then the film feels like an underwhelming and unnecessary capper. If this is a jump start to a new trilogy, then you can appreciate what it was trying to set up. For now I'm giving the film I mild recommendation for its ability to nicely integrate the storyline of the original trilogy and for whetting fans' appetites for the possibility of more adventures with Treadstone, Outcome, Blackbriar and the rest of the shady CIA operations. If fans of the franchise come in with lowered expectations, they'll likely enjoy this latest spy thriller. Grade: B

RBR: Bernie

From time to time, a movie comes along that gets undeservedly ignored by the masses and Bernie is one of them. The movie, directed by Richard Linklater, does a interesting documentary/mockumentary hybrid of a true story about a well-liked funeral director from a small town in Texas accused of murdering a mean old woman he befriended. Jack Black plays the funeral director and gives a terrific performance - probably his best since School of Rock, which coincidentally was also directed by Linklater. Shirley Maclaine is great as well playing the mean widow. You also have a fun performance from Matthew McConaughy, who plays the slick district attorney out to prove that Bernie is a fraud and a murderer. One of the best parts of this film is that they got real citizens from Carthage, Texas to do the talking head segments of the film. In doing so, you get a much greater sense of the true affinity these people had for Bernie and the cognitive dissonance they went through after he's accused of the murder. Between the unique nature of this crime story and the engaging performance, the film sucks you in immediately and you become equally invested in the outcome of this story. Please do yourself a favor and seek this one out at Redbox, Netflix, or on demand. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Rating: ****1/2

2012 Fall Movie Preview (December)

DJANGO UNCHAINED (December 25)
Plot: Set in the South two years before the Civil War, "Django Unchained" stars Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles - dead or alive.

Quick thoughts: I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Quentin Tarratino's work (I'll admit I still haven't see Pulp Fiction) but I absolutely loved Inglorious Basterds, so I'm excited to see what he does for a follow up. Having a pair of Oscar winners as the leads and Leonardo DiCaprio in the mix hamming it up seems like a recipe for success to me. This isn't the most conventional Christmas movie, but it seems like it'll certainly be a nice gift for all moviegoers.


THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (December 14)
Plot: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Giant Spiders, Shapeshifters and Sorcerers. Although their goal lies to the East and the wastelands of the Lonely Mountain, first they must escape the goblin tunnels, where Bilbo meets the creature that will change his life forever... Gollum. Here, alone with Gollum, on the shores of an underground lake, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of guile and courage that surprise even him, he also gains possession of Gollum's "precious" ring that holds unexpected and useful qualities... A simple, gold ring that is tied to the fate of all Middle-earth in ways Bilbo cannot begin to know.

Quick thoughts: While three of the four movies on this month's list were no-brainers, I struggled with the final one. I ultimately chose The Hobbit because it will no doubt be the 'biggest' of all the movies I considered. While I admired the filmmaking of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the story did not capture my interest like so many other people. While I doubt I would be rushing out to see this on my own, I have friends who are huge fans of anything Tolkien, so I'll no doubt be checking this one out as well later this year.


JACK REACHER (December 21)
Plot: Six shots. Five dead. One heartland city thrown into a state of terror. But within hours the cops have it solved: a slam-dunk case. Except for one thing. The accused man says: You got the wrong guy. Then he says: Get Reacher for me. Sure enough, ex-military investigator Jack Reacher is coming. He knows this shooter, a trained military sniper who never should have missed a shot. Reacher is certain something is not right, and soon the slam-dunk case explodes. Now Reacher is teamed with a beautiful young defense lawyer, moving closer to the unseen enemy who is pulling the strings. Reacher knows that no two opponents are created equal. This one has come to the heartland from his own kind of hell. And Reacher knows that the only way to take him down is to match his ruthlessness and cunning, and then beat him shot for shot.

Quick thoughts: After last year's fourth Mission: Impossible film, I learned never to question Tom Cruise's ability when it comes to action films again. So even though he doesn't exactly match the description of Jack Reacher as author Lee Child has established him in his series of novels, I have all the confidence in the world that Cruise will be able to pull the role off and deliver another terrific thriller.


THIS IS 40 (December 21)
Plot: Writer/director/producer Judd Apatow ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Funny People") brings audiences "This Is 40," an original comedy that expands upon the story of Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) from the blockbuster hit "Knocked Up" as we see first-hand how they are dealing with their current state of life.

Quick thoughts: It's been three years since Judd Apatow directed a film and even longer since he directed a good one. I'm anxious to see him return to greatness and based on the trailers, he's got a shot with this one. 40 was a lucky number for him when he did Virgin with Steve Carell, and Rudd and Mann were the best part of Knocked Up, so let's hope that all adds up to a winner here.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
Les Miserables (December 14)
Monsters Inc. 3D (December 19)
Zero Dark Thirty (December 19)
The Guilt Trip (December 25)

Paths to greatness

I noted earlier this week in my Fall Movie Preview that Seven Psychopaths the latest film from In Bruges director, Martin McDonagh was a 'possible film of interest' for me. But after seeing this latest trailer, I'm thinking it might just be a must-see. See for yourself below, but warning - it's a red band trailer, so it's NSWF.

2012 Fall Movie Preview (November)

FLIGHT (November 2)
Plot: "Flight" tells the redemption story of "Whip" (Washington), a commercial airline pilot who pulls off a heroic feat of flying in a damaged plane, saving 98 lives on a flight carrying 106 people. While the world begs to embrace him as a true American Hero, the everyman struggles with this label as he is forced to hold up to the scrutiny of an investigation that brings into question his behavior the night before the doomed flight.

Quick thoughts: There are few people who have as consistent of a track record when it comes to good films as Denzel Washington, so I would expect nothing less here again. As usual he's chosen a film with a storyline that feels both fresh and familiar. As an added bonus, this marks director Robert Zemeckis' first effort behind the camera for a live action movie since 2000's Cast Away - another film that I loved. If it doesn't quite get up to the level of Oscar contender, I have no doubt it'll at leas serve as solid entertainment.


LINCOLN (November 9)
Plot: Steven Spielberg directs two-time Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis in "Lincoln," a revealing drama that focuses on the 16th President's tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln pursues a course of action designed to end the war, unite the country and abolish slavery. With the moral courage and fierce determination to succeed, his choices during this critical moment will change the fate of generations to come.

Quick thoughts: Unlike Flight, this one has all sorts of crazy high expectations when it comes to the awards season. You have Daniel Day Lewis completely transforming himself into the role of Honest Abe. Plus you have Steven Spielberg going back to his sweet spot of the historical genre. I'm sure some will be bored by the subject material, but I can't wait to be riveted.


SKYFALL (November 9)
Plot: Daniel Craig is back as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007 in "Skyfall," the 23rd adventure in the longest-running film franchise of all time. In "Skyfall," Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Quick thoughts: Do I really need to say anything here? It should be pretty obvious at this point, that I'm dying to see this film. These last two months before its release will feel painstakingly long, but I know it will be worth it. Thankfully I've got all the previous 22 films to help me through the wait.


WRECK-IT RALPH (November 2)
Plot: Walt Disney Animation Studios take moviegoers on a hilarious, arcade-game-hopping journey in "Wreck-It Ralph." Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) is tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix (voice of Jack McBrayer), the "good guy" star of their game who always gets to save the day. But after decades doing the same thing and seeing all the glory go to Felix, Ralph decides he's tired of playing the role of a bad guy. He takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a game-hopping journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove he's got what it takes to be a hero.

Quick thoughts: Disney cartoons that are not made by Pixar can often be hit or miss. Having said that, they certainly have a unique hook to the story they're trying to tell here by having it set within the world of arcade games. If the film is intelligent and appeal to adults and kids alike, then this could be a major winner at the box office.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
Anna Karenina (November 16)
Life of Pi (November 21)
Rise of the Guardians (November 21)
Silver Linings Playbook (November 21)

RBR: The Dictator

After becoming a pop culture sensation with Borat and then bombing hard with Bruno, I wasn't sure what to expect from this latest entry from Sasha Baron Cohen as an evil dictator from the fictional nation of Wadiya. Now having seen the movie, I'm still not quite sure what I saw because I felt like I saw an unfinished product. With cheap production values and an under 80 minute runtime there wasn't much to enjoy here. Occassionally some of Cohen's political barbs scored a laugh, but most fell flat and too many of them were unnecessarily repeated. I'm not sure if we needed every well known song used in the film to be converted into some Middle Eastern version of the song. As for the rest of the cast, the talents of Ben Kingsley and Anna Faris get wasted here. About the only person who seems like he's trying is Jason Mantzoukas, playing a nuclear scientist who is frequently at odds with Cohen's character. But even there scenes don't seem to reach their comedic potential as their back-and-forths get truncated before they can really let loose. There's no doubt that Cohen can be very clever and funny, but most of the material in here feels like he's just going for obvious sterotypes for cheap laughs. While its not completely devoid of laughs, this still feels like a major disappointment. If you want to see this, wait for it to come out on cable; by that point, they'll have probably edited it down to under an hour. Rating: **

2012 Fall Movie Preview (October)

BUTTER (October 5)
Plot: A tale of competition at its most cut-throat, "Butter" surveys the raw ambition of Laura Pickler (Jennifer Garner), the wife of Bob Pickler (Ty Burrell), Iowa's long-reigning champion butter carver. For 15 years, Laura has relished her high-profile role as the beautiful, loyal helpmate to her affable, artistically gifted husband. But when Bob is pressured to retire and allow someone else a chance at glory, an indignant Laura decides to enter the competition herself. She is first in line on sign-up day, only to see her odds of victory fall below 100% with the arrival of an unlikely yet formidable contender: 10-year-old Destiny (Yara Shahidi), the African-American foster child of local couple Julie and Ethan (Alicia Silverstone and Rob Corddry). And that's not all. Bob's would-be mistress, bad-girl stripper Brooke (Olivia Wilde) also declares her candidacy, as does his #1 fan, Carol-Ann (Kristen Schaal). Facing three opponents, mocked by her stepdaughter Kaitlen (Ashley Greene) and furious with her husband, Laura resolves to do whatever it takes to win. And if that means resorting to sabotage - and recruiting her dim-witted former boyfriend Boyd (Hugh Jackman) as a co-conspirator - then so be it.

Quick thoughts: This film better turn out to be good after I've been talking it up for nearly a year. I like the cast and it is certainly one of the quirkier ideas for a film to come out recently. This will likely live and die by its political satire. In an election year, this is either going to be lovingly embraced or quickly rejected - like butter so often is in most people's diets.


TAKEN 2 (October 5)
Plot: Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills, the retired CIA agent with a particular set of skills who stopped at nothing to save his daughter Kim from Albanian kidnappers. When the father of one of the kidnappers swears revenge and takes Bryan and his wife hostage during their family vacation in Istanbul, Bryan enlists Kim to help them escape, and uses the same advanced level of special forces tactics to get his family to safety and systematically take out the kidnappers one by one.

Quick thoughts: Though the first film had its flaws, there is no denying the sheer joy of seeing Liam Neeson unleash a violent assault on anyone who dares cross him. In this second outing, I can hope they will build upon the story created in the first and make an even better film. But even if they ends up being nothing more than another couple of hours of Neeson kicking ass, I'm thinking most people will be just find with that.


ARGO (October 12)
Plot: Based on true events, "Argo" chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis--the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades. On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA "exfiltration" specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.

Quick thoughts: Argo is very high on my list of most anticipated films this fall. Affleck has shown a real talent behind the camera in his previous efforts, so I'm expecting more of the same here. It doesn't hurt the film's story, which is based on true events, is something I find very compelling. Hollywood and politics don't always make the best pair, but I think it will work out real well here.


PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 (October 19)
Plot: The continuing exploits of suburban houses being haunted by a disturbing ghostly presence.

Quick thoughts: Who would have thought I would ever be this excited for the fourth film in a horror franchise and yet here we are. The cleverness of the third film coupled with the new details in the series' mythology have whetted my appetite to see what they have in store for us next. Anyone who has been a fan of this franchise will no doubt be eager for even more answers the film's central wiccan family.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
Here Comes the Boom (October 12)
Seven Psychopaths (October 12)
Killing Them Softly (October 19)
Cloud Atlas (October 26)

Making an impact

This may not be popular amongst sports fans, especially with football ready to begin again, but Head Games, a documentary on concussions in sports, seems like it will be an important film everyone should see. Wrestling fans will also note the presence of former WWE superstar Christopher Nowinski in this film. Watch the trailer below.

2012 Fall Movie Preview (September)

This week I'll be looking at the top films I'm looking forward to over the next four months as well as identifying some other big releases set to come out soon.

HOTEL TRANSLYVANIA (September 28)
Plot: Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can live it up, free from meddling from the human world. But here's a little known fact about Dracula: he is not only the Prince of Darkness; he is also a dad. Over-protective of his teenage daughter, Mavis, Dracula fabricates tales of elaborate dangers to dissuade her adventurous spirit. As a haven for Mavis, he opens the Hotel Transylvania, where his daughter and some of the world's most famous monsters - Frankenstein and his bride, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, a family of werewolves, and more - can kick back in safety and peace. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem, but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

Quick thoughts: After a rough stretch of bad movies, Adam Sandler hopes to turn things around in the friendly environment of computer animation. Though the basic story isn't novel (over-protective dad can't let go of his little girl), the setting lends itself to a number of wild and colorful characters. Opening a month before Halloween, this will no doubt be a big hit with kids.


LOOPER (September 28)
Plot: In the futuristic action thriller "Looper," time travel will be invented, but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When the mob wants to get rid of someone, they will send their target 30 years into the past, where a 'looper' - a hired gun, like Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) - is waiting to mop up. Joe is getting rich and life is good, until the day the mob decides to 'close the loop,' sending back Joe's future self (Bruce Willis) for assassination. The film is written and directed by Rian Johnson and also stars Emily Blunt, Paul Dano, and Jeff Daniels.

Quick thoughts: I took an interest in this film fairly early on and with each preview I've seen or read, it has continued to build. I always appreciate films that come up with novel or unique plots. And you gotta love this cast. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has already had quite a year and this one might just end up being his best one yet.


THE MASTER (September 14)
Plot: Set in America in the years following World War II, a charismatic intellectual (Philip Seymour Hoffman) launches a faith-based organization and taps a young drifter (Joaquin Phoenix) as his right-hand man. But as the faith begins to gain a fervent following, the onetime vagabond finds himself questioning the belief system he has embraced, and his mentor.

Quick thoughts: This one has really been generating some Oscar buzz, particularly after its first trailer was released. Though still a lot is unclear about this movie, it appears that it will be in some way based on life of Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard. That will no doubt create some controversy. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, who also directed There Will Be Blood, this will be if nothing else, captivating.


TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE (September 21)
Plot: Gus Lobel (Clint Eastwood) has been one of the best scouts in baseball for decades, but, despite his efforts to hide it, age is starting to catch up with him. Nevertheless, Gus, who can tell a pitch just by the crack of the bat, refuses to be benched for what may be the final innings of his career. He may not have a choice. The front office of the Atlanta Braves is starting to question his judgment, especially with the country's hottest batting phenom on deck for the draft. The one person who might be able to help is also the one person Gus would never ask: his daughter, Mickey (Amy Adams), an associate at a high-powered Atlanta law firm whose drive and ambition has put her on the fast track to becoming partner. Against her better judgment, and over Gus's objections, Mickey joins him on his latest scouting trip to North Carolina, jeopardizing her own career to save his. Forced to spend time together for the first time in years, each makes new discoveries, revealing long-held truths about their past and present that could change their future.

Quick thoughts I can't help the fact that I'm a sucker for baseball movies, so I immediately wanted to check this one out. The fact that it features Clint Eastwood in front of the camera for the first time in four years just sweetens the deal. Now that the Cleveland Indians have given up their season, this may be the only good baseball I have to look forward to for the rest of the year. Last year's baseball movie, Moneyball, topped my 'best of' list. I'd have no problem if this accomplished the same feat this year.


OTHER POSSIBLE FILMS OF INTEREST
The Words (September 7)
Finding Nemo 3D (September 14)
End of Watch (September 21)
Won't Back Down (September 28)

Doc-topussy

From comingsoon.net:

MGM, Columbia Pictures, Passion Pictures and Red Box Films announced today their new feature documentary Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007 directed by Stevan Riley (Fire in Babylon), produced by John Battsek (One Day in September, The Tillman Story) and Simon Chinn (Man on Wire, Project Nim) to coincide with the 50th anniversary of James Bond films on October 5. Country specific release plans to be announced shortly.

"Everything or Nothing" focuses on three men with a shared dream: Bond producers Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman and author Ian Fleming. It's the thrilling and inspiring narrative behind the longest running film franchise in cinema history which began in 1962. With unprecedented access both to the key players involved and to Eon Productions' extensive archive, this is the first time the inside story of the franchise has ever been told on screen in this way.

Director Stevan Riley follows a story that begins with a ground-breaking spy thriller and continues six Bonds and five decades later. While Bond was saving the world from chaos and catastrophe on screen, this compelling documentary draws back the curtain to reveal the battles, threats and real stakes unfolding behind the camera.

Butter late than never

This film was filmed two years ago, screened at the Toronto Film Festival last year and now finally seems to be set for release to the public. Here's a trailer for the satirical film, Butter starring Jennifer Garner, Ty Burrell, Hugh Jackman, Olivia Wilde, and Rob Corddry.

Dope for a better tomorrow

As the presidential campaigns kick into high gear, the nation's attention is firmly entrenched in politics, so what better time than now to poke fun at the election process? The Campaign sets out to do just that as funnymen Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis square off as opponents vying for a North Carolina Congressional seat. With a comedic pairing like that, you would expect big laughs, but like most politicians, these two are unable to make good on their promises.

Ferrell plays Cam Brady, a four-time Congressman who doesn't think twice about his actions since he believes he'll be running unopposed. Enter Marty Huggins, a Southern simpleton who gets coaxed into running by the nefarious Hotch brothers, who want a man they can control in office so that they can get away with running sweatshops in the U.S. The brothers are played with mustache-twirling evilness by Dan Ackroyd and John Lithgow. They are a thinly veiled parody of the real-life Koch brothers, but I found myself comparing them more to the evil rich old men from Trading Places

Both men begin to go all out in order to make sure they win. This should have made for some comedic gold, but in this Olympic year, its a bronze, at best. Part of the problem is one that plagues so many comedies - advertising fatigue. Several of the film's best jokes have been played to death in trailers and television ads. Half the fun in a good joke is the surprise it provides and that gets taken away when you've seen 40 times before. Something like Will Ferrell punching a baby felt fresh seeing it in the trailer, but comes off flat by the time you see the movie.

The bigger issue though is the film's attempts at mocking the political process. If you pay any attention to the nation around you, you not only know how politics work, but you also know the humor that can come from people trying to run for office. Hardly anything offered in The Campaign feels fresh or original. Shows like The Colbert Report offer more biting satire and witty insight into election coverage on a nightly basis than this film can muster up throughout its entire runtime.

Perhaps the film's biggest misfire is focusing on how political candidates are mere puppets for people with real power and wealth. That's not necessarily the wrong approach but when you've got Ferrell and Galifianakis as your leads, the focus should be on them and the characters they create. We really don't get much insight into who these men are or why they behave the way they do. I think this could have been a much sharper film if they had made these two campaigning against each other for a smaller, local office. This past season of Parks and Recreation proves that small-town elections can produce big laughs. Taking that approach not only yields good laughs, but it also allows you to focus more on the characters and the community, whereas the approach they took here just makes you depressed as you realize that too much of what they're doing here is actually happening in real campaigns.

Perhaps I'm being too hard on the movie. After all, despite my criticisms about the choices they made, Ferrell and Galifianakis are still very funny here. Even when a script isn't as sharp as it could be, these two talented guys find a way to milk laughs out of everything. Those who are less concerned with political commentary and just looking to laugh should have no reservations about checking this out. You'll likely also enjoy the efforts of a lot of the supporting cast, including Galifianakis wife, kids, and pets who have some hilarious skeletons in the closet.

Like most candidates that we support, The Campaign is flawed and far from perfect. But you also realize that it's a better choice than most other options. That said, we also cannot be complacent and just blindly accept everything that's offered to us. We know these guys can do better and we should always demand the best from them. I think that's a platform we can all support. Grade: B-

Mo' Schmo

Spike TV is reviving the ingenious Joe Schmo Show, a fake reality show where everyone is an actor with the exception of one unsuspecting rube. For this latest incarnation, the premise is a competition to find the next bounty hunter. Contestants will engage in contests involving interrogating suspects and defusing bombs. Once again, Ralph Garman will be playing the smarmy host. If you saw the original series, you should be very excited by this news and if you never caught it, you can begin to familiarize yourself with what to expect with the trailer below previewing the upcoming season. Look for the Joe Schmo Show to return sometime in early 2013.

Preview Joe Schmo's Return in The Full Bounty
Get More: Preview Joe Schmo's Return in The Full Bounty

RBR: American Reunion

I have a special affinity for Jim, Stifler, and the rest of the East Great Falls gang given that like them I too am a Class of '99. So I was really happy to see everyone (and I do mean everyone, unlike some of the sequels) back for this latest adventure. Each of the main players has a storyline and I appreciated how true they stayed to character. Despite a new director and writer, there is a clear appreciation for the original film and making sure that this sequel does it justice. And while there are plenty of sex jokes and gross-out gags, there is a realization on both the characters and the filmmaker's end that they cannot be doing the same things that they did in high school. The characters have (mostly) matured and in real life there have been other films which have taken the R-rated comedy crown. While some may criticize this film for not being able to sufficiently up the ante, I was perfectly all right with that. What this film does is give us a new glimpse into the lives of these characters that we've come to love, while still providing a hearty dose of laughs. In terms of the American Pie films, this is a significant upgrade over the disappointing Wedding film, but probably doesn't rank as high as either of the first two films. Those is truly a film specifically for those who love this franchise. If, like me, you're one of those people, then you'll really enjoy revisiting these characters one more time. Rating ****

Scout's honor

While most have been anxiously awaiting the long return of Batman, another tough guy has been off the screen nearly as long. That's right, Clint Eastwood is back. This time he is teaming up with America's pasttime. Given how terrible the Indians are these days, it looks like this is the only baseball I'll look forward to watching in September. Here's a look at the first trailer.

RBR: Casa de mi Padre

Try to follow me on this one...Casa de mi Padre is a Spanish langauge film (with subtitles) about a pair of brothers trying to take over their father's estate while dealing with a murderous drug dealer that stars Will Ferrell. The film uses a standard Mexican melodrama plot while parodying the genre. OK, now if you're still with me, then it's likely that you'll want to check out this movie. This is one of those high-concept, lowbrow films that will only speak to a very small portion of the population. I can appreciate what they were going for here and give Ferrell a lot of credit for choosing such an anti-mainstream picture. With that said, the film pulls its punches. Yes it mocks the cheesy visual effects typically seen in these films and contains endless songs that may or may not be connected to the story, but ultimately it's too respectful of the genre to truly be considered a parody while being too irreverent to actually pay homage. A film like this certainly works better on the small screen as it feels like an extended SNL skit. The film has it's share of laughs but in the end you feel somewhat ambivalent and confused as to what you actually saw. If you're willing to put up with reading for 85 minutes, then you may want to give this a rental but the film is so inconsequential that you won't be missing anything if you opt to skip it. Rating: ***

The new Normal

After going back in time with the third entry, the story appears to be moving forward now in fourth Paranormal Activity movie. Here's your first look at the movie, which is set to come out this October.

Into the Knight

A staple in comic book storytelling is to stack the odds against the hero so that it seems impossible for him to come out victorious, only for him to do just that. Director Christopher Nolan was placed into a similar situation when tasked with trying to bring his Batman trilogy to a close. After the success of 2008's The Dark Knight, high expectations were set for the follow-up. When you add in tragic real-life events that create an ominous setting around the film, it seems nearly impossible for the film to be well received and yet like any good hero, he found a way to succeed.

The Dark Knight Rises begins eight years after the events of the previous film. In the wake of Harvey Dent's murder, the streets of Gotham have been cleaned up and Batman has vanished after taking the fall for Dent's death. With the Caped Crusader not needed, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) struggles to find meaning in his life and ends up being a Howard Hughes-esque recluse. Of course, this being Gotham, an evil presence is always lurking somewhere. Enter Bane (Tom Hardy), a man with a metal breathing mask who is hellbent on anarchy and destruction.

While Bane is a new character, we quickly learn that his origins, as well as his motives, are strongly connected to storyline elements established in the first film of this trilogy. Nolan and his brother, who co-wrote the script, do a great job of having characters and themes introduced in Batman Begins come full circle here. This is not to say that this film in any way feels like a retread of the earlier film.

In fact, Bane is not the only fresh face that is part of the crowded cast. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays John Blake, a young cop who becomes allies with Commissioner Gordon (the always terrific Gary Oldman). Though a new character to the Batman universe, he fits right in, thanks in part to a great performance by Gordon Levitt, and in some ways serves as the soul of the film.

One of the most heavily discussed additions to this film was the casting of Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. Fanboys were quick to complain about this decision, but they couldn't have been more wrong. She nails the character and brings an energy to the screen in each of her scenes. You would have thought that after being wrong about casting Heath Ledger as the Joker, people would learn to trust Nolan's judgment. Though I don't believe any plans are in place, I would have no problem if they wanted to spinoff her character into its own franchise.

Despite all of these characters, the film still centers around Batman, even if he doesn't necessarily have a tremendous amount of screen time. Nolan has always been equally interested in both Batman and Bruce Wayne and in this film, we see that before Batman can truly be back, Bruce Wayne has to come back as well. Those looking for endless scenes of Batman fighting bad guys may not appreciate what they get here, but in doling out those scenes sparingly, we get a much stronger payoff by the end. The last third of the movie is particularly strong. I wasn't exactly sure how things were going to play out, but I loved every minute of it. It's thrilling, exciting, moving, and altogether satisfying.

If there's a criticism to made against the film, I could argue that it's not as 'fun' of a movie, especially in comparison to The Dark Knight. That may not be a fair comparison though given the tonal differences between the two films' villains. Plus, Return of the Jedi offers a valid case as to why it isn't a good idea to close your trilogy on merriment. This is a film that's highly ambitious, especially in trying to tackle topical themes like greed, fear, leadership, civil discontent, and corruption. As much as I liked it, I feel that I and a lot of people will continue to appreciate it more on successive viewings.

Commissioner Gordon said that Batman was not the hero Gotham needed, but the hero they deserved. Fans of this franchise deserved a satisfying conclusion to this story. Thanks to Christopher Nolan and his extraordinary cast, they have gotten just that. Grade: A-

Sky high

In the meantime while you're waiting on my next James Bond retrospective, you can enjoy the latest trailer for Skyfall, which looks AMAZING. It's becoming increasingly difficult to contain my excitement for this film.

Broken Bond

Wanted to put a quick note here...I haven't forgotten about my James Bond retrospectives. I learned that the service I was using to create them (VoiceThread) only allows users the ability to create 5 presentations for free and then you have to pay for a membership. I'd like to avoid that if I can, so in the meantime I'm trying to find a new way, aside from a purely textual one, to do them. Hopefully I'll come up with a solution soon. But until then, just hang tight. As they say, James Bond Will Return!