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!

Steel-ing a look

Here are the two version of the trailer for the new Superman film, Man of Steel that were released last week.

RBR: Project X

Like Chronicle this comes from the growing 'found footage' genre. While this film, about a trio of high school boys who throw a party that grows out of control, doesn't use as many cheats in order to have the narrative device work it still doesn't use it in a way to convince me it was the best approach to tell this story. Said story is pretty straightforward and familiar, but I do appreciate the amped up level of chaos that develops as result of this birthday celebration that was initially meant for a 'small group of people'. I did find though that there was far too many montages of kids partying to the latest radio hits for my liking. I can't complain about it too much though since you should expect style to win out over substance in a film like this. Ultimately I would have dismissed this as harmless entertainment were it not for one character. The best friend of the party host is so vile, unappealing, and lacking any redeeming characteristics that it became cringeworthy whenever he appeared on screen. It's as if he took all of the worst characteristics of Jonah Hill's character from Superbad and amped them up to the max. I wished for sufficient comeuppance for his character and it never suitably comes which was wholly disappointing. Young viewers will no doubt have a good time with this fantasy bash, but older viewers will likely struggle to find anything worthwhile here. Rating: ** 1/2

Deja view

Feel like every movie you see is exactly the same, well here's your proof...

Every 3D Movie is the Same - watch more funny videos

RBR: Wanderlust

The thought of a gang of old, out of shape nudists running is not going to appeal to a lot of people, which is probably why more people didn't see Wanderlust when it came out this past winter. That's a shame because amid the skin and flab lies a pretty funny movie. Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston play George and Linda, a Manhattan couple who flee the city after hitting financial hard times. They end up (after a disasterous visit with George's brother, played hilariously by Ken Marino) staying at a hippie commune called Elysium. There they encounter several odd characters who enjoy life without a care in the world. The cast includes a whole host of funny people including Alan Alda, Justin Theroux, Malin Ackerman, Kathryn Hahn, Joe Lo Truglio, and bunch of others who typically show up in director David Wain's films (Wet Hot American Summer, Role Models). Virtually everyone in the cast produces at least one laugh out loud line and most usually have many. Where the film suffers a bit is in its story. There's very little resemebling a plot here. Marital strife and land deals are sorta addressed, but really that all takes a backseat and this is meant to be a showcase for these talented actors to let their freak flag fly and find the humor in it. Not all of the jokes work here, but the ones that did made me laugh very hard. If you appreciate the type of humor that Wain offers, you'll really enjoy this movie. Rating: ****

Bond countdown: You Only Live Twice (1967)

RBR: Jeff Who Lives at Home

In the opening moments of the film, Jeff (Jason Segal) tells the audience how much he loves the movie Signs and how amazing it is that it's filled with these seemingly random events that all come together with a purpose in the end. This is one of those 'sledgehammer of plot' moves that I can't stand. With such a scene, I now know I'll be sitting for the next hour and a half watching these characters do random things only for all of them to add up to something in the film's climax. And yet, I still couldn't help but enjoy this movie for the most part, primarily because of the winning performances by the film's leads. Jeff is a 30-something guy who still lives in his mom's basement and has no real goals or ambitions. Segal isn't really breaking new ground with this character, but he knows exactly how to play it to make us still like him. Ed Helms plays Jeff's brother and he's married Judy Greer. Their relationship problems drive the film's story and again their talents get you invested in how things will play out for them. Jeff's mom is played by Susan Sarandon. She has an odd subplot involving a secret admirer. Frankly if it had been anyone other than Sarandon in the role, I probably would have suggested that they eliminate that part of the film entirely, but it was nice to see her in a film like this. There's nothing new or fresh offered here, but because of the talents of these great actors, I found myself wanting to hang out with them and see what they were going to do next. I also was moved by the way they had everything come together in the end even if I hated the fact that they told me it would happen in the beginning. If you're looking for a smaller film and you like these actors, there are a lot worse films you could choose to watch instead. Rating: *** 1/2

Jack and thrill

Jack Reacher is a popular character in a series of books by author Lee Child. Upon hearing that the series was receiving a film adaptation, I decided to start reading the books. I've finished the first two and while I can't say it's my favorite series of books, they are good reads, particularly for the summertime. Reacher is a former military policeman who now just travels around the country and always seems to find himself in the thick of someone else's problems. The character has a lot in common with 24's Jack Bauer with his sense of patriotism and violent tendencies. For the film adaptation, Tom Cruise has actually been cast as Jack Reacher. This has angered a lot of fans of the franchise as they feel Cruise does not resemble Reacher in any way. While I would agree with their assessment, I won't care too much so long as the film is good. We'll have to wait until December though to make that determination. In the meantime, you can get your first glimpse as to what we can expect with the recently released trailer, which I'll post below.

RBR: Safe House

Familiarity breeds contempt as the old saying goes. In Safe House, there's a lot of familiarity to the story. While I would not go as far as saying that I have contempt for the film, I am disappointed, they couldn't do more here or at least create a more intelligent script. The story centers around Tobin Frost (played by Denzel Washington), a former CIA agent who is now believed to be a traitor to the United States. After remaining off the grid for nearly a decade, he shows up at a safe house in Cape Town, South Africa where a wet behind the ears agent (Ryan Reynolds) is tasked with keeping him alive while everyone else seems to want him dead. Once again, I fail to see the appeal of Reynolds as an actor. Though this is far from his worst performance, he still comes off as unconvincing in this role as a novice agent. On the other hand, Washington manages to rise above the mediocre material and deliver antoher compelling performance. I would have liked for there to have been more engaging dialogue between Washington and Reynolds' characters, but the film opts to pad its run time with several chase sequences and gun fights instead. I also felt that there was information pertaining to several characters' motivations that should have been revealed sooner. I get trying to build some suspense, but in this case it prevented me from becoming more interested in the outcome of the people in the film. Safe House is a perfectly serviceable action thriller, but it had the potential to be so much more. Washington is the only real stand out here, so if you're a fan of his, I'd definitely recommend you check it out. Rating: *** 1/2

Bond countdown: Thunderball (1965)

I'm hoping these will begin getting posted with more regularity again. Here's my take on Thunderball from 1965.

Tribe Watch (All Star Break)

Record: 44-41

Standing: 2nd in AL Central (3 games back)

The Indians appeared to be finishing up the first half of the season strong only for things to go awry on the last day. First the good news...the Indians managed to take two out of three from the Angels and then were poised to win the series against Tampa Bay until they coughed up a big lead on Sunday and ended up having to settle for a split. Still, the last three series of this first half featured the Indians playing some of their best baseball. We'll need to continue playing like that if we want to remain in the race for the AL Central title. Speaking of which, despite our improved effort we were unable to make up any ground in the standings as those damn White Sox had been nearly unbeatable for the past couple of weeks. Let's hope to God that they suffer a setback in the second half of the season. But they certainly won't be our only concern because don't look now, but the Tigers are only a half game behind us and 3.5 games back of first place. At this point, it definitely looks like a three team race, but who will take it is anybody's guess.

Looking ahead, there will certainly be some interesting storylines that will play out. One will be what, if any moves, will this team make before the trade deadline. Given our standing, we are certainly in a place to be buyers, but will our cheap owner actually cough up any money to get someone that can significantly help this team down the stretch. Another question is what we can expect from two wild cards who are currently missing in action - Grady Sizermore and the man formerly known as Fausto Carmona. Both could return this season but it remains unclear how much they can really help us if they do return. Lastly, will be if we can get consistent play from our current players. We've seen everyone on this team produce, but so far it's been spotty. We need to find a way to have everyone clicking at the same time and if we do, I like our chances. It should definitely be a fun second half and I'm excited to see it play out. Things get underway this Friday when the Indians head out onto the road and play a weekend series in Toronto. Enjoy the All Star break and Go Tribe!

Wham, bam, thank you ma'am

Apparently at the big fireworks show in San Diego, they shot their entire wad prematurely. Check it out below:

Trouble bruin

Seth McFarland is nothing if not a multitasker. Most know him for being the creative force behind three of FOX's wildly popular Sunday animated shows (Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show). He's also been known to dabble in music, releasing an album recently of him crooning like Sinatra. In his latest effort, Ted, he's the writer and director, as well as provides the voice of the titular talking teddy bear. With his first foray into film, McFarland proves he's can successfully bring his brand of comedy to the big screen.

The film is about a boy named John Bennett, who after struggling to make real friends, wishes that his stuffed teddy bear could come to life. Lo and behold, his wish comes true and the two become best friends all the way into adulthood (Mark Wahlberg plays the adult John). The pair become quite the duo of raunch and debauchery as they drink, smoke weed, and curse up a storm (and curse at a storm even, given their fear of thunder). All of this comes at the dismay of John's longtime girlfriend (played by Mila Kunis), who would like to see him settle into adulthood.

With a film like this, you come for the premise and stay for the jokes. In the case of this film, the humor is a mixed bag. What was remarkable though was that as I sat in a crowded theater, there were really no jokes that fall flat. McFarland's humor is a scattershot attack on everything, which resulted in every joke earning laughs, but not from everyone in the crowd. I for one really enjoyed a running gag about Tom Skeritt, that few other people seemed to appreciate, yet there were other jokes that earned big laughs from other viewers while I saw the punchline coming a mile away. I can't guarantee you'll laugh at everything here, but you're bound to find at least a few jokes that tickle your funny bone.

Of course this wouldn't be a Seth McFarland production if he didn't bring along a number of the people who have worked with him on his tv shows. Alex Borstein, Patrick Warburton, Patrick Stewart, and a whole host of others (plus Kunis) all contribute to the hilarity in some form or another. In addition, there are several other familiar faces new to the McFarland universe including Joel McHale and Giovanni Ribisi, plus some other surprise cameos that I won't spoil here.

But for as much as I laughed, there are still some weaknesses. For one, as much as I like Wahlberg and Kunis individually I didn't find them to have particularly strong chemistry and they just didn't have an overall good fit. More importantly, the film struggles from a narrative perspective. The central theme of growing up and choosing love over friendship doesn't feel particularly fresh and has been done better by other films. You also have the ADD nature to McFarland's storytelling that is problematic in his TV shows as well. Thrown into this film are subplots involving Kunis' lecherous boss (McHale) and a stranger (Ribisi) obsessed with having Ted be a toy for his son. Each of these serve as a distraction rather than an enhancement for the central plot. Lastly, while I respect McFarland for wanting to have this truly be his film, I did not think much of his work as a director. The film has somewhat of a cheap look to it and it could have come off so much better in more capable hands.

In the end though, most people are not coming for cinematography and in-depth plot development, so the film's weakness are not likely to keep people away from seeing this film. What you get here is basically an extra long episode of Family Guy with no restraints as to what can be said or shown. For most, and that includes myself, that's certainly enough. If the previews don't make it clear enough, this film definitely earns all of its R-rated, so leave your morals at the door when you watch this movie. McFarland lets the fur fly here and the result is a bear-y funny movie. Grade: B

Tribe Watch (Week 12)

Record: 40-38

Standing: 2nd in AL Central (1.5 games back)

I was almost ready to write this team off for this season after they got swept by the Yankees earlier this week. All facets of our game looked bad, but in particular the offense was non-existent. However, as if often the case in baseball, things turn quickly. The Indians managed to recover by taking 3 out of 4 against the Orioles and had solid hitting in each of the four games. On the roster front, it was another good news/bad news situation. On the positive side, it appears Travis Hafner will rejoin the team on Monday, which could provide a boost to the offense. However, during the Baltimore series young third baseman, Lonnie Chisenhall was hit by a pitch that broke a bone in his arm. After having surgery the report is that he'll be out 10-12 weeks, which pretty much means he won't return this season. Though the Indians are still in second place, they could put themselves in a good position heading into the All Star Break if they manage to play well this week. They return home to play a couple of tough opponents. First up will be the Anaheim Angels. We were fortunate enough to play well against them earlier this season when they were struggling. It'll be interesting to see how we fare against them now that they have had a resurgence. We'll then finish off the first half of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays. They have been bitten by the injury bug all season long, yet have still managed to play well so we can't let our guard down against them. And of course, the trade deadline is still looming, so it should be interesting to see what, if any, changes are made to the roster in the coming days. All of it makes for some exciting baseball that should be fun to watch. Go Tribe!

Twit Nick

Curious about what's going on in the lives of today's young female celebrities but don't want to join Twitter? That's no problem no thanks to Nick Offerman, who will gladly share with us what they're tweeting while he does some woodworking. Courtesy of Conan

RBR: This Means War

This is another sad example of when bad movies happen to good actors. I love Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine and Tom Hardy are both rising stars, yet being in this film did not of them any service. The ridiculous set up involves Pine and Hardy playing CIA agents who are also friends and also just happen to be dating the same girl (Witherspoon). They decide to use all of their available spy tactics in order to be the one that ultimately wins the girl. Their efforts are stalkerish and mean, yet are meant to be played for laughs. Meanwhile, Witherspoon's character doesn't come off well either as she's never upfront to either guy about seeing someone's else. We also have to trudge through several unfunny scenes involving her receiving advice from Chelsea Handler, who's stiff delivery grates on you quickly. About the only funny line in the film comes from Chris Pine who confuses Handler for an old man (How is that there's only a one year age difference between Handler and Witherspoon?) The implausibility of the story may have been tolerated more had it not been coupled with the poor direction of McG. Action scenes are edited at a dizzying pace and every shot in the film apparently required a bright light to be shone in the background. I'm not there will be many people tempted into seeing this because of its cast, but do yourself a favor and skip it. Rating: **

Scariott Hotel

Here's a trailer for the upcoming animated film Hotel Transylvania featuring the voice work of Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, and Selena Gomez.

RBR: 21 Jump Street

The last thing we needed was yet another movie made based off of a TV show, but at least 21 Jump Street has the courtesy of acknowledging this fact and having some fun with it. There is plenty to like here as Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum have fun playing cops who go undercover as high school students in order to bust a drug ring. A lot of that comes from them going against their original roles in high school (Tatum hangs with the nerds, while Hill buddies up with the cool kids). Even though the film yields some decent laughs, I also grew frustrated with the fact that the film felt that it was more clever than it really was. Several jokes are included that try to mock cop movie cliches, but most of them have either been done before or just didn't work in their execution. There's a running gag about expected explosions that never really pays off. I did appreciate the fact that they rounded out the cast with several funny people who helped give the film a bit more credibility. Nick Offerman, Rob Riggle, Ice Cube and Ellie Kemper all briefly show up and do their best to milk the most out of their screentime. I'm sure those in high school particularly found this film funny, but as I get further away from that period of my life, I find it more difficult to relate to what they appreciate. This is far from a perfect film, but I do give them an A for effort. Given the poor execution though, it's actual rating is much lower. Rating: *** 1/2

Bond Countdown: Goldfinger (1964)

RBR: The Grey

Speaking of Liam Neeson, he pops up in this thriller from earlier this year to again prove himself to be the most unlikely action hero perhaps in the history of film. I mean, who seriously predicted this would be the go-to guy for the bad-ass in action flicks? And yet, once more we see him as the best thing in an otherwise mediocre film. The setup here is that he along with six oil workers survive a plane crash in Alaska and then must work together to find rescue before being killed by omnipresent wolves. Director Joe Carnahan does a nice job with each scene featuring the wolves making them suitably terrifying with a few surprising scares that you don't necessarily anticipate. What doesn't work though is the inevitablilty of the plot as we see these survivors get picked off one by one until we arrive at the expected showdown. The film also decides to adopt a philosophical preachiness to the narrative which I didn't find to be needed and/or effective. Still, Neeson gives another strong performance and the atmospheric feel of the film sucks you in, causing you to fear for your own life at times. This is a mixed bag that earns a mild recommendation from me. Rating: *** 1/2

Taken for another ride

The man with a particular set of skills is back and ready to kick more ass. Here's your first look at the trailer for Taken 2

Tribe Watch (Week 11)

Record: 37-34

Standing: Second in AL Central (0.5 games back)

After getting swept the week prior in Cincinnati, the Indians gained a measure of revenge this past week by sweeping the Reds in Cleveland. That proved to be the high point for the week as we not only had won 3 games in a row, but also climbed back up into first place. Sadly, things went downhill from there as they lost the last two out of a three game series against the Houston Astros and fell back into second place. The Houston series was particularly frustrating as the bats went dormant once again against a less than stellar pitching rotatation. In addition, we saw a recurring problem from both Jeanmar Gomez and Derek Lowe. Both pitchers pitched well early on, but got hit bad as they went through the lineup the second and third time. Given that Lowe's a veteran, we can hope that he'll be able to recover from this. As for Gomez, it seems as if he needs to be either sent back to the minors or converted into a long man in the bullpen. In other disappointing news, it was announced yesterday that the longtime Boston Red Sox slugger Kevin Youkilis had been traded to the Chicago White Sox. While I do not necessarily think the Indians needed to get him, the absolute LAST place I wanted him to wind up was in Chicago. If he provides them with any sort of offensive productivity, it could be really harmful to our chances at competing with them for the AL Central title. Despite that, we shouldn't dwell on the negative. Remaining positive will be key as the Indians continue their 10-game road trip with visits to New York for a three game series against the Yankees and then a four game series beginning on Thursday in Baltimore against the Orioles. Those two teams currently sit in first and second place respectively in the AL East. We cannot afford to lose much ground heading into the midway point of the season, so this could be a make it or break it week for the tribe. Now that the NBA season is over and the people of Cleveland can stop dwelling on Lebron, our focus should be on the Indians and rooting them on to victory. Go Tribe!

Party Monsters

Here's your first look at the prequel to Monsters Inc., which looks at the lives of Mike and Sully back in their college days. Called Monsters University, the trailer is barely a minute long and I already like the film better than Cars 2

Pyr gathering

I know I've discussed this possibility before, but it finally now seems like a revival of The $25,000 Pyramid is going to happen. Here's the latest news on the reboot, courtesy of Buzzerblog.

It’s been an exciting few days for game show fans. First we had the announcement that Mike Richards would be the host of GSN’s revival of the classic game show The Pyramid. The reports are saying the look of the show retains a classic, familiar feeling so many of you will be happy about that. Now we’ve got some information on the new pilot. I think you’re all going to be very excited for the show.

The game is played like the old version. Two teams compete in two games per show. You have seven clues to convey within 30 seconds. The main difference is how money is handled. Whenever you go to the titular Pyramid you play for a base of $10,000. In the main game if you score a perfect 7-out-of-7 you earn a $500 bonus plus you play for $5,000 more on the Pyramid. So one perfect round means you win $500 and have a chance at $15,000. Two perfect rounds is $1,000 and a chance at $20,000. A perfect game means you win $1,500 and play for $25,000. Of course no perfect rounds mean you play for the base $10,000. There are no bonus categories such as Mystery 7 or 7-11. If you can’t beat the Pyramid you get money for each box you do beat. In order, from left to right, the first row is worth $100, $200, and $300; the second row is $400 and $500; the top box is $750.

So that’s what we have. It looks like, wisely, they are going with the retro looking set. The reception to Mike Richards has been positive also. We’ll have more later but we just wanted to be sure that you knew the details before we head out for the rest of the weekend. Feeling good about this? I know I am. I admit I had some major fears after how GSN handled the recent revival of Lingo. However, this looks to be exceptional and with Michael Davies and Embassy Row in charge that really shouldn’t be a shock. We hope to see it soon.

RBR: Chronicle

Whenever you read a biography of a superhero, two of the common dossier categories listed are the character's strengths and weaknesses. Watching Chronicle, it became apparent that this film about high school kids who develop super powers has its own well-defined strengths and weaknesses. The biggest detraction is its use of the 'found footage' storytelling device. Instead of enhancing the story like it does when used in the Paranormal Activity franchise, Chronicle feels stifled by this form of narrative. Scenes necessary for the story suffer from the lack of plausibility behind why they would be filmed by the characters in the first place. I also had problems at times empathizing with the drama of high school students, but that's more my issue than the film's. As for the film's strengths, it's premise is the primary draw. Though we've seen plenty of movies featuring superheroes and comic book characters, this still feels fresh. There is an authenticity to the way they portray what would happen if teenagers were able to obtain super powers. I also really loved the film's climatic scenes between two characters with these powers. They pull no punches going at each other and the end result is one of the most satisfying superhuman battles ever filmed. If a show like Heroes had been able to pull off scenes like the one in this low-budget film, it may have still been on the air. Going back to the film's premise, though, that is really the key to whether or not you'll seek this out. If you find it intriguing, then I definitely would recommend you give this watch. If there's no interest in seeing these kids fly and move object with a flick of their wrist, then you can skip this and not miss much. Rating: *** 3/4

Tribe Watch (Week 10)

Record: 33-32

Standing: Second in AL Central (1.5 games back)

This has been a pretty dismal week for the Tribe as the only managed to get one victory. The week began with a rough time in Cincinnati as the Reds swept us. Then we returned home and only got one win against the Pirates. Once again, pitching problems plagued this time. Both Cincinnati and Pittsburg seemed to hit off our pitchers at will. While our hitters could be doing more, this team will live and die by our pitching, so they need to start getting their act together if we have any hopes of contending. If there's a silver lining after such a pathetic performance, it's that the White Sox played just as poorly and thus we did not really lose any ground in the standings. We can't expect that to always happen, so we need to start winning again. We'll get a chance for some revenge against the Reds this week as they come to Cleveland for a three game set. Then we head back out onto the road this weekend for a set against the Houston Astros, a team that isn't very good. Capitalizing on weaker competition will be important. Plus it'll give us an opportunity to do some advanced scouting since Houston will become a part of the American League next year. As interleague play wraps up, I'll be watching to see if we can end this stretch of games on a positive note. Go Tribe!

Bond countdown: From Russia With Love (1963)

Tribe Watch (Week 9)

Record: 32-27

Standing: 2nd in AL Central (0.5 games back)

While far from a great week, there was definitely an improved effort from this team in comparison to how they had played the week before. The Indians managed to score two series victories, taking two of out three from both the Tigers and the Cardinals. Both of those teams, while struggling, are solid opponents so it was nice to come away with wins against both of them. Most notably the pitching was much better this week. Ubaldo Jimenez had two quality starts in a row, which is positve to see. Sadly, the guy who probably had the best pitching performance, Justin Masterson, came away with a loss on Saturday due to the Tribe getting shut out for the first time this season. Of course, I would love to see the Indians continue to improve on offense. Now that we're in the middle of interleague play, it means we'll be playing several games without the luxury of a DH, so each of our positional players need to pick up the slack when it comes to the bat. Michael Brantley and Jason Kipnis (who hit the game-winning 3 run home run today) have been great at the plate, but guys like Carlos Santana really need to start having more quality at-bats so that we're not constantly leaving guys on base. Speaking of interleague play, it continues to roll on this week as the Indians will head to Cincinnati to play their cross-state rivals the Reds for 3 games. Then it's finally back home to take on the Pittsburg Pirates in a three game set. Teams that do well during interleague play typically find their way into the post-season, so let's hope the Indians can continue their winnings ways against these National League teams. Go Tribe!

Wreck in effect

A big week of trailers continues with the first look at Disney's latest animated effort, the video game themed Wreck-it Ralph. Check it out below.

Creation story

Much ado has been made about Ridley Scott's latest film Prometheus as to whether or not it is a prequel to the beloved Alien franchise. Whether it be fans of the original series or those just curious about the mystery surrounding this new movie, this has become one of the most anticipated films of the year. Of course, with that anticipation comes the possibility of disappointment if it fails to live up to expectations. Thankfully, this film manages to satisfy those expectations, even if it doesn't fully address everything that some may have wanted the film to do.

Prometheus is about a pair of scientists who believe they have discovered the beings responsible for the creation of the human race and set off on a space voyage along with a crew of several other travelers to the moon that they believe these beings are on. Of course, like most sci-fi space explorations they get more than they bargained for once they begin exploring this distant land.

One of the early signs that there is a connection between this film and the Alien series is the presence of an android on this space flight. David (played by Michael Fassbender) is perhaps the most compelling character in the film. He's not only integral to the interactions the humans have with the beings they encounter, but he also posits some of the film's most compelling questions. At times, David's motives are a bit unclear. The fact that he's a robot, and thus possesses no human emotions, only complicates matters. At times this can be frustrating. But ultimately, I think what it does is spurs healthy debate amongst those who enjoy and want to discuss this movie in great detail.

David's motives are not the only aspect of this film that is left unanswered. The film addresses but does not give clear answers to some major philosophical questions including 'where did we come from' and 'is our fate entirely in our control?'. It should come as no surprise that one of the film's co-writers is Damon Lindelof, who wrote for the TV series, Lost The Lost DNA is felt heavily throughout the film as it not only deals with those eternal debates but only tackles things like daddy issues and infertility.

Again, if you have someone who is willing to engage you on these topics after seeing the film, they make for a rich cinematic experience, but I would also imagine that there will be plenty out there who find their addition to the film's narrative unnecessary. Some people are simply looking for a film that features gooey creatures bursting out of people's chests and scaring the bejeebus out of audiences. Thankfully, the film offers plenty of that in here as well. Let there be no doubt at this point, that this IS an Alien prequel both in story and in spirit. There are plenty of frightful moments in this film that leave many of the human characters in great peril. Without giving too much away, one of the film's best scenes involves Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) attempting surgery on herself in an awesomely squemish sequence. After all these years, Scott still knows how to craft a good creature feature.

While it's hard to overlook it when we're talking about film featuring tons of slimy aliens, there is several noteworthy acting performances as well. As noted above, Fassbender is great as David as he continues to deliver one fine performance after another. Charlize Theron as the corporate-minded executive who oversees the Prometheus flight gives a nice, steely performance. I also really liked Idris Elba, who has a number of great lines as the hard-edged captain of the ship.

In the end, Prometheus may have been a bit too ambitious trying to tackle larger issues than were necessary for a series like this. But it's hard for me to fault them for that. A little mythology never hurt anyone and we could use more film that inspire discussion rather than the mindless dreck that only appeals to those who like to see things go BOOM. The film, with its impressive visual look, really attacks you from all senses and leaves you satisfied. And just like the evil creatures who haunt our protagonists here, once you get a taste, it'll leave you wanting more. Grade: B+

Double your pleasure

There was actually some notable happenings over the past week's worth of episodes on The Price is Right. On Monday, there was the first "perfect show" (all 6 pricing games won) of the season. Although some debate the verity of the perfect show label since one of the games 'won' was someone getting 'only' $10,000 on Plinko when they could have won $50,000. Then on Wednesday, we saw perhaps the contestant of the year in Henry, an 85 year old who tripped on stage and lost a tooth, yet kept a great attitude throughout. You can watch his appearance here. On Thursday, a contestant gave Drew a Brook Jacoby baseball card, which probably doesn't mean a lot to most of you, but does to me since he was my favorite Cleveland Indians baseball player growing up. The week was then capped off with the debut of a brand new pricing game, called Double Cross. You can watch its debut playing down below.

RBR: The Woman in Black

Credit Daniel Radcliffe for trying to work on another film as quickly as he could after the Harry Potter franchise in order to sustain an acting career in a post-wizard world. It's just a shame that he couldn't have attached himself to a better film. There's no sense of magic found here, in more ways than one. This period horror film slogs along at a glacial pace that tested my patience. Unlike The Others, a film that used its setting to add to the mystery and scares of this story, The Woman in Black merely includes it as a way to mask the fact that this is a very pedestrian ghost story. Director James Watkins fails to effectively film the film's key scary moments. Scenes that should send chills down your spine barely even register a notice here. Meanwhile, the answers to the mysterious happenings come too late in the film and by that point, you simply don't care. I hope Radcliffe, who does the best with what he's given here, can continue to have success in Hollywood, but if that is to happen, he'll need to find more inspired material than this. Rating: * 1/2

The plane truth

We got more trailers coming at ya. This time it's a preview for the first live-action film directed by Robert Zemeckis in over a decade. Flight is the fictional tale of a heroic effort of a pilot (Denzel Washington) to avoid a tragic plane crash that gets marred by the discovery that the pilot had been drinking prior to the flight and may have caused the accident in the first place.

RBR: Man on a Ledge

The subtitle for this review should be 'when good premises go bad'. This is one of those films that you best leave your thinking cap off because if you try to think about anything that is going on here, you'll just give yourself a headache. The setup is this - a man (Sam Worthington) wrongfully accussed of stealing a diamond escapes prison and then attempts suicide by jumping off a hotel in New York. This is no ordinary jump, though. It's all a big diversion as the accused man's brother attempts to clear his name. The cast is rounded out by a number of likeable actors including Elizabeth Banks, Anthony Mackie, Ed Burns, Jamie Bell, Titus Welliver, and Kyra Sedgwick. Sadly, each of them is either underwritten as a character or gives a laughable performance thanks to the weak script. Not even Ed Harris can do much playing the slimly rich guy who framed the man on a ledge. The story moves along at a nice pace but nothing really works as the story is filled with contrivances and plot holes. Like the suicide attempt itself, the film serves only as a mere diversion. The audience is left watching, waiting for something exciting to happen but gets disappointed when nothing pans out as you would have liked. Rating: ** 1/2

Unchained melody

Check out the first trailer for Quentin Tarantino's latest, Django Unchained, which is set to hit theaters this Christmas.

Tribe Watch (Week 8)

Record: 28-25

Standing: Second in AL Central

The Indians' performance this week did nothing to really motivate me to do this write up, but here I am anyways. This week the Tribe saw themselves fall out of first place, partially because those nasty Chicago White Sox are red hot and partially because we only managed to win two out of six games against Kansas City and Minnesota - a pair of divisional opponents that we need to beat. While our offense continues to struggle due to some key injuries, the bigger issue was the pitching. A staff that looked dominant against the Tigers has really faltered the past three series. If we want any chance of competing in this division, both our starters and middle relievers need to step up their game. We have another off day tomorrow and then head out onto the road for a lengthy trip. It will begin on Tuesday with a stint in Detroit. This weekend interleague play will resume as we square off against the Cardinals. At this point we can't afford to lose any more ground in the standings so we'll need to play competitive against this pair of decent teams. June has not been a good month in recent history for the Tribe, so let's change that up this year. Since the Indians won't be playing many home games this month, everyone needs to do their part in rooting on this team from their living room. Hopefully if we send good vibes their way, they can regain their winning ways. Go Tribe!

Bond countdown: Dr. No (1962)

We're about 22 weeks away from the newest James Bond film, Skyfall, so I've decided to once again look back at the past Bond films leading up to the new one. I wanted to do something different this time so that you wouldn't feel like I was simply doing a repost of my past thoughts. So I've decided to use Voicethread, which allows you to create audio commentary to images. Simply press play on the presentation below and you'll hear my thoughts on anything and everything that I found to be notable on that particular Bond film. Since this is my first outing using Voicethread in this particular manner, my commentary may sound a little rough, but I'm hoping that I'll improve as I get more comfortable sharing my thoughts in this manner. Certainly I would love to hear anyone and everyone's thoughts on both the films and my opinions on them, so sound off in the comments below. And without further ado, here's my take on the first Bond film, Dr. No

RBR: Haywire

MMA fighter Gina Carano makes her screen debut in this spy thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh. Carano does need to do much in the way of acting here, but shows enough screen presence to suggest that she may have a future in Hollywood. Her cage fighting experience, however, is put to good use here as she has several impressive scenes where she is handily beating up men twice her size. While Carano may not have much experience in front of the camera, Soderbergh certainly has plenty behind it and his style is felt throughout the entire film. His trademark touches work both in the film's favor and to its detriment. The film is very stylish with its beautiful shot locations and omnipresent soundtrack. As far as the film's plot, the minimalist approach taken her is a bit disappointing. Don't expect much in terms of freshness when it comes to this story about a spy who's been burned by their own organization. This is Jason Bourne lite in more ways than one. If you're a person who favors style over substance, you should really enjoy this film. For those who like a little bit more meat on the bones when it comes to story, then you may be left feeling hungry. I like the film's look and its cast (Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, and Bill Paxton all show up in small roles) but I would have prefered a bit stronger narrative connecting all of Carano's asskickings together. Rating: *** 1/2