2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (CBS)

CBS announced its 2013 - 2014 primetime schedule today! You can check out the full announcement below:

CBS unveiled today its new 2013-2014 schedule, featuring eight new series - five comedies and three dramas - to build on the strength of America's top-rated network. Five of the new series will premiere in the fall and three at mid-season.

CBS will finish the current season as the top-rated network in viewers for the 10th time in 11 seasons, #1 in the adults 25-54 demographic and #1 in adults 18-49 for the first time since the 1991-1992 season.

For next fall, the Network is increasing its comedy lineup with four new comedies, expanding its comedy block on Thursdays from 8:00-10:00 PM and creating an encore hour for comedy broadcasts on Saturdays.

The new comedies are THE CRAZY ONES, a single-camera comedy from executive producer David E. Kelley starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar; THE MILLERS, a multi-generational family comedy from executive producer Greg Garcia starring Will Arnett, Margo Martindale, Beau Bridges and JB Smoove; MOM, an edgy family comedy from executive producer Chuck Lorre starring Anna Faris and Allison Janney; and WE ARE MEN, an ensemble single-camera comedy starring Tony Shalhoub, Kal Penn, Chris Smith and Jerry O'Connell.

Two new dramas have been scheduled for Mondays at 10:00 PM. HOSTAGES, the serialized suspense thriller from executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer starring Toni Collette and Dylan McDermott, premieres in the fall, building to a season finale in January. Soon after, INTELLIGENCE, a high-octane action drama starring Josh Holloway, Marg Helgenberger and Meghan Ory, moves into the time period for the remainder of the season.

The freshman series will be joined by 20 returning shows including NCIS, the season's most watched show; THE BIG BANG THEORY, the season's #1 comedy in viewers and demos; 60 MINUTES, the season's #1 news magazine; and ELEMENTARY, the season's #1 new drama.

The other returning series include: HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, 2 BROKE GIRLS, NCIS: LOS ANGELES, PERSON OF INTEREST, SURVIVOR, CRIMINAL MINDS, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, TWO AND A HALF MEN, UNDERCOVER BOSS, HAWAII FIVE-0, BLUE BLOODS, 48 HOURS, THE AMAZING RACE, THE GOOD WIFE and THE MENTALIST.

In addition, the proven hit returning comedy MIKE & MOLLY, starring Academy Award nominee Melissa McCarthy and Billy Gardell; the new steamy legal drama RECKLESS; and the new romantic comedy FRIENDS WITH BETTER LIVES are set for mid-season.

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
2013-2014 PRIME TIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM WE ARE MEN (N)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS
9:30-10:00 PM MOM (N)
10:00-11:00 PM HOSTAGES (N) / INTELLIGENCE (Mid-Season) (N)

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (NT)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM THE MILLERS (N)
9:00-9:30 PM THE CRAZY ONES (N)
9:30-10:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM UNDERCOVER BOSS
9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
8:30-9:00 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST

News promo

Attention all San Diegans? Diegoians? Diegos? Everyone! Here's the newest teaser trailer for Anchorman 2. The setup is the same as the teaser that came out around this time last year, but the Channel 4 news team has some new (stupid) stuff to say.

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcment (ABC)

ABC unveiled its 2013 - 2014 primetime schedule today! You can check out the full announcement below:


Continuing to deliver some of the most compelling and heartfelt series on television, ABC is adding fourteen new shows to its established slate of programming. Paul Lee, President, ABC Entertainment Group, will unveil the network's new lineup to the advertising and media communities this afternoon at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall.

"We are taking some big swings with groundbreaking shows this season, and staying close to our roots with smart and sophisticated storytelling. ABC is known for its combination of innovation and stability, and our new schedule reflects that. We're bringing back the shows that viewers have embraced and enhancing the lineup with a slate of exciting new series," said Lee.

New series for the 2013-14 season are "Back in the Game," "Betrayal," "The Goldbergs," "Killer Women," "Lucky 7," "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," "Mind Games," "Mixology," "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland," "Resurrection," "Super Fun Night," "Trophy Wife" and new alternative series "The Quest."

"America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Castle," "Dancing with the Stars," "Grey's Anatomy," "Last Man Standing," "The Middle," "Modern Family," "Nashville," "The Neighbors," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Shark Tank," "Suburgatory," "The Taste" and "20/20" will return.

"Dancing with the Stars" will now air from 8:00-10:00 p.m., on Mondays, integrating the performance show and results show into one night and making each episode action-packed event television.

ABC has also picked up Pixar special "Toy Story of Terror," starring the original voice cast from the hit film.

A balanced slate of new series and returning hits delivered strong results for ABC in the 2012-13 season. ABC claims 6 of the Top 20 broadcast dramas for the season in Adults 18-49, with "Grey's Anatomy," "Once Upon a Time," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Castle" and "Nashville." ABC is the No. 1 network on Friday nights this season in Adults 18-49, growing 13% to deliver its top rating on the night in 4 years - since the 2008/09 season.

Fall premiere dates will be announced at a later time. Please note shows picked up but not listed on the schedule will debut later in the 2013-14 season.

ABC's fall primetime schedule is as follows (all times listed are Eastern);

MONDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
10:00 p.m. "Castle"


TUESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D."
9:00 p.m. "THE GOLDBERGS"
9:30 p.m. "TROPHY WIFE"
10:00 p.m. "LUCKY 7"


WEDNESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "The Middle"
8:30 p.m. "BACK IN THE GAME"
9:00 p.m. "Modern Family"
9:30 p.m. "SUPER FUN NIGHT"
10:00 p.m. "Nashville"


THURSDAY:

8:00 p.m. "ONCE UPON A TIME IN WONDERLAND"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Scandal"


FRIDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Last Man Standing"
8:30 p.m. "The Neighbors"
9:00 p.m. "Shark Tank"
10:00 p.m. "20/20"


SATURDAY:

8:00 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"


SUNDAY:

7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Once Upon a Time"
9:00 p.m. "Revenge"
10:00 p.m. "BETRAYAL"

Lost in space

After a year long delay, we've finally gotten our first glimpse at Alfonso Cuaron's (Children of Men) new film, Gravity, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Check it out for yourself below.

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (FOX)

Kevin Reilly, Chairman, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, today unveiled the FOX primetime slate for the 2013-2014 television season to the national advertising community during its annual Programming Presentation at the Beacon Theatre.

This season, we will strategically launch five inventive live-action comedies, four distinctive dramas, our first-ever event series, as well as some innovative new digital initiatives, across the week and throughout the year," said Reilly. "We're making the biggest investment in original programming in our history to ensure that FOX continues to engage viewers and move the culture more than any other entertainment brand."

FOX 2013-2014 SCHEDULE (All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY

8:00-9:00 PM Bones (fall) / ALMOST HUMAN (new; late fall)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW (new; fall) / The Following (midseason)

TUESDAY

8:00-8:30 PM DADS
8:30-9:00 PM BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
9:00-9:30 PM  New Girl
9:30-10:00 PM The Mindy Project

WEDNESDAY

8:00-10:00 PM The X Factor (fall) / American Idol (midseason)

THURSDAY

8:00-9:00 PM The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM Glee (fall) / RAKE (new; midseason)

FRIDAY

8:00-9:00 PM JUNIOR MASTERCHEF (wt) (new; fall)
9:00-10:00 PM SLEEPY HOLLOW encores (fall)

Late Fall:

8:00-9:00 PM Bones (late fall)
9:00-9:30 PM Raising Hope (late fall)
9:30-10:00 PM ENLISTED (new; late fall)

SATURDAY

7:00-10:30 PM FOX Sports Saturday
11:00 PM-12:30 AM ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF

SUNDAY

7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall)
8:00-8:30 PM THE Simpsons
8:30-9:00 PM Bob's Burgers
9:00-9:30 PM Family Guy
9:30-10:00 PM American Dad

Scheduling to be announced for the following new series slated for midseason: "Gang Related" (New), "Surviving Jack" (new), "Us & Them" (new) and "Murder Police" (new).

The final countdown is on

It's hard to believe, but we are less than two weeks from getting new episodes of Arrested Development!! And now for the first time, here's a trailer of what you can expect from Season 4. I'm going (frozen) bananas with anticipation!

2013 Fall Television Schedule Announcement (NBC)

NBC has announced a new lineup of primetime shows for the 2013-14 season that includes popular returning series, fresh new comedies, compelling new dramas and the latest season of "The Voice."

Highlights of the year-round schedule - which will be bolstered in February on the heels of the Winter Games in Sochi, Russia - include "Believe," a new drama from J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuaron; the return of three-time Emmy winner James Spader in action thriller "The Blacklist"; and a comedy lineup that includes new series from "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood" executive producer Jason Katims, Will Ferrell, Bill Lawrence, Sean P. Hayes, and a return to NBC of one of the biggest TV stars of any generation, Michael J. Fox.

The new comedy additions are "Welcome to the Family," "Sean Saves the World," and "The Michael J. Fox Show" as well as midseason comedies "The Family Guide," and "About A Boy."

The new dramas are "The Blacklist," "Ironside," and "Dracula," plus mid-season dramas "Believe," "Crisis" and "Crossbones."

NBC has also ordered dramas "Chicago PD" and "The Night Shift" and comedy "Undateable" as unscheduled midseason series.

New alternative series premiering during the 2013-14 season include "The Million Second Quiz" and "American Dream Builders." Returning to the schedule are "The Biggest Loser" and "The Sing-Off." "Food Fighters" has been ordered as an unscheduled midseason show.

Scripted series returning include "Grimm," "Parenthood," "Law & Order: SVU," "Revolution," "Chicago Fire," "Parks and Recreation" and "Community."

Pick-up decisions on "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Hannibal" are still to be made in the next few weeks.

"The Voice" will kick off its fifth season in September on Mondays (8-10 pm. ET). The current cycle of "The Voice" has been primetime's #1 show of the week on the Big Four networks, excluding sports, for four of six weeks thus far in adults 18-49.

The announcements were made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

"The overriding strategy this year was to develop enough strong comedies and dramas to take advantage of the promotional heft of the Winter Olympics and devise two schedules for the upcoming season: one for fall and a slightly different one for midseason. I'm pleased to say that our development groups - headed by Jennifer Salke (scripted) and Paul Telegdy (alternative/reality) - really delivered," Greenblatt said. "This is the most robust and highest-testing slate of new shows we have had in years."

Greenblatt continued, "And aside from our Olympics planning, we also wanted to create better flow and compatibility on each night, and deploy our strongest lead-in ('The Voice') to maximum effect.

"Sunday in the fall remains the night to beat with 'Sunday Night Football.' After football and the Olympics are over, we will launch two classy, attention-getting dramas in February: 'Believe' from J.J. Abrams, and 'Crisis' starring Dermot Mulroney and Gillian Anderson. We think it's time for big dramas again on Sunday nights. And leading into these dramas at 8 p.m. will be an exciting home renovation competition hosted by Nate Berkus called 'American Dream Builders.'

"Monday and Tuesday will again dominate with 'The Voice.' Our highly anticipated new James Spader drama 'The Blacklist' deserves to go into the 10 p.m. slot on Monday, and we're moving 'Chicago Fire,' a show we really believe in, to 10 p.m. on Tuesdays to benefit from 'The Voice' lead-in that will be at 9 p.m. in the fall. "

After the Olympics, however, 'The Voice' moves back to 8 p.m. on Tuesday so that we can launch two of our strongest new family comedies in the 9 p.m. hour: 'About a Boy' and 'The Family Guide.' Landing more comedy on the schedule is important and using 'The Voice' as a lead-in after the Olympics is the strongest way to do that.

"I believe we'll have a more compatible Wednesday line-up with three dramas: 'Revolution,' 'Law & Order: SVU' and 'Ironside,' starring Blair Underwood, which is another new show we've very high on.

"Thursday will have a family theme, starting with a two-hour comedy block from 8-10 p.m. anchored by strong stars: Amy Poehler in 'Parks and Recreation,' Mike O'Malley in 'Welcome to the Family,' Sean Hayes in 'Sean Saves the World' and the new 'Michael J. Fox Show.' Then at 10 p.m. 'Parenthood' moves in to top off the night with what I know is the best family drama on television.

"On Fridays, anchored by 'Grimm' at 9 p.m., we will have a more fun genre night with the limited-series 'Dracula,' starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers at 10 p.m. In the spring, 'Crossbones' - with John Malkovich as the infamous pirate Blackbeard - replaces 'Dracula,'" said Greenblatt.

Jordan Wertlieb, President of Hearst Television and Chair of the NBC Affiliate Board, commented, "This schedule is another example of NBC's continued commitment to restoring prime time to its traditional leadership position. I am sure the investment in partnering with some of the most recognizable names in television will be obvious and exciting to the affiliates."

NBC Fall 2013-14 schedule (New shows in ALL CAPS)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. - "THE BLACKLIST"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "The Biggest Loser" (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. - "The Voice" (New time)
10-11 p.m. - "Chicago Fire" (New Day and Time)

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Revolution" (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: SVU"
10-11 p.m. - "IRONSIDE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation" (New time)
8:30-9 p.m. - "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY"
9-9:30 p.m. - "SEAN SAVES THE WORLD"
9:30-10 p.m. - "THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW"
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood" (New Day and Time)

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. - "DRACULA"

SATURDAY
Encore programming

SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 p.m. - "Football Night in America"
8:15-11:30 p.m. - "NBC Sunday Night Football"

NBC MIDSEASON 2013-14 SCHEDULE (New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)

MONDAY
8-10 p.m. - "The Voice"
10-11 p.m. - "THE BLACKLIST"

TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "The Voice"
9-9:30 p.m. - "THE FAMILY GUIDE"
9:30-10 p.m. - "ABOUT A BOY"
10-11 p.m. - "Chicago Fire"

WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Revolution"
9-10 p.m. - "Law & Order: SVU"
10-11 p.m. - "IRONSIDE"

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. - "Parks and Recreation"
8:30-9 p.m. - "WELCOME TO THE FAMILY"
9-9:30 p.m. - "SEAN SAVES THE WORLD"
9:30-10 p.m. - "THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW"
10-11 p.m. - "Parenthood"

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
9-10 p.m. - "Grimm"
10-11 p.m. - "CROSSBONES"

SATURDAY
8-10 p.m. - Encore and specials programming
10-11 p.m. - "Saturday Night Live" (Encore)

SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. - "Dateline NBC"
8-9 p.m. - "AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS"
9-10 p.m. - "BELIEVE"
10-11 p.m. - "CRISIS"

For information on NBC new shows, click here.

Agents of change?

You'll be getting a lot of TV news from me this week as the networks announce their upcoming fall lineups. One show that we already know will be on the fall lineup is the spinoff to the Avengers franchise, focusing more specifically on the group known as S.H.I.E.L.D. Set to air on ABC, you can already get your first, albeit extremely brief, look at what you can expect from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 6)

Record: 20 - 15

Standing: Tied for first in the AL Central

Wow, another amazing week for the Indians. Two weeks ago they were in languishing in last place and have now won 12 of their last 14 games and have now gotten into a first place tie with Detroit. The past week began with an impressive four game sweep of the A's. The series wasn't without some controversy, however. A blown call by the umpires in Wednesday's game earned national attention and potentially cost Oakland the victory in that game. Then the Indians got a big test this past weekend as they faced the Tigers in Detroit. After dropping the first game, the Tribe came back and won a couple of close games on Saturday and today. Winning close is an extremely good sign that this team can be competitive for the whole season and potentially have success if they make the playoffs. One of the things that has been so remarkable during this good stretch by the Indians is their ability to get big hits with two outs. You gotta love a team that never says die and believes they are in every game regardless of what the score is. The Indians will look to maintain their momentum as they deal with another busy week. It all begins with a traditional doubleheader tomorrow against the Yankees to make up a pair of games that were washed out a few weeks ago. The Indians will then make a brief two game visit to Philadelphia to play the Phillies. We handled the Phillies when they played in Cleveland a couple weeks ago, so they'll no doubt have revenge on their mind. Then the week will wrap up with a trip back home to play against the Seattle Mariners. Whenever we can beat up on a team managed by Eric Wedge, I take extra glee in that. Things are starting to get really exciting in Cleveland, so let's show this team that we're behind them. Despite their impressive play, the stadium hasn't been very full. Let's hope that begins to change. Go Tribe!!

O Captain, My Captain

Here's the first trailer for Captain Phillips. Based on the real life events about Somali pirates overtaking a U.S. ship. The film stars Tom Hanks and is directed by Paul Greengrass. Based on what I've seen here, they can already take all my money...I'm in.

Restarting the clock?

From EW.com

No one wanted to say goodbye to Jack Bauer, so why not have him return?

Fox is in talks to bring back Kiefer Sutherland the long-running action drama 24 for a limited run. Since the network is revving up a division that will eventually churn out event miniseries like a remake of Shogun, a revisit to the successful 24 franchise could be just the ticket.

Insiders caution, however, that talks are early. If the dream becomes a reality, the series’ longtime executive producer Howard Gordon — who reportedly pitched the return in the first place and has since moved on to Showtime’s grown-up domestic terrorism hit Homeland — would return with the show.

Though the series ended in 2010, Fox’s sister studio 20th Century Fox didn’t want to see the franchise go away. There were talks to make the series into a movie but it never took off. Sutherland has recently starred in Fox’s Touch, which is not expected to return for a third season.

Can I be Franco with you?

Between Two Ferns is back! Episode 16 features Zach Galifianakis sitting down with James Franco and a surprise musical guest.

Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: James Franco from Zach Galifianakis

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 5)

Record: 14 - 14

Standing: 3rd in AL Central (Four games out of first place)

Last week went about as well as you could hope for with a baseball team. The Indians rattled off six wins in a row before losing a close game to the Twins on Sunday. Those wins came in all forms; they won big, they won close, and they were clicking on all facets of the game. Their performance last week showed what this team is capable of. And the scary thing is that they did so without being at full strength as Michael Bourn remains out with his finger injury and Nick Swisher sat a few games with a sore shoulder. When the Indians are at 100%, this could be a competitive team with the best in the AL. However, one week is not a large enough sample size to convince me they can do this on a consistent battle. The good news, or bad news depending on how you look at it is that they'll get a chance to really prove themselves this week as they face a couple of very good teams. First, they'll play a four game set at home against the Oakland A's, who surprised everyone last year and have continued to play good baseball to start this season. Then they'll head out onto the road to play the Detroit Tigers, who currently lead the AL Central and have been just as hot as the Indians recently. Playing good baseball against those two teams will go a long way to convincing everyone that these guys are for real. Of course, pitching remains key. Last week our starters had solid starts and we'll need for that to continue or else we could be in store for a very painful week. The uncertainty makes for some very exciting baseball and I can't wait to watch it all. Go Tribe!

Playing it safe

For those who know what a big baseball fan I am should not be surprised to hear that the first movie I've managed to see at the theater features the story of one of the most important figures of America's pastime. 42 tells us the trials and tribulations that Jackie Robinson faced as he became the first African American player to play in the Major Leagues. Relative newcomer Chadwick Boseman stars as Robinson and does an impressive job of portraying this complex, engaging figure. Through his performance we learn why Robinson not only had the skills to play professional baseball, but the resolve to be able to endure the extreme levels of prejudice he faced by breaking that color barrier.

The film primarily centers around the years of Robinson's initial entry into baseball. This proves to be a double-edged sword. While it makes the storytelling more focused, it also limits the story. I would have appreciated to learn more about Robinson's youth. Both to see the difficulties he faced growing up and also to see how he gained his athletic skills. After a quick montage covering the events that led to the end of World War II, we are thrust right into Robinson playing for the Negro leagues. The film also ends before Robinson won a World Series, which seems like the typical Hollywood way to finish the story.

The depiction of those events may have helped because what is presented turns out to be a relatively thin, simplistic story. Given that we know he successfully crossed that color barrier, the adversity and hatefulness he deals with because of his race become a bit repetitive. The fragmented way that these trials are depicted prevent the film from having any dramatic heft. It seemed clear that the film wanted to be as honest in its portrayal of Robinson as it could. As far as I could tell, they get all of their baseball history correct. Writer and director Brian Helgeland should be commended for providing us with a historically accurate film, it's just a shame that the story he told couldn't have been more compelling or deep.

Where the film lacks in a compelling narrative, it certainly makes up for in acting. For the first time in a long while, Harrison Ford gives a performance that does not feel phoned in. Playing Dodgers owner Branch Rickey, Ford nails each of his scenes causing an added level of electricity to the film whenever he was on screen. I also really appreciated the performance by Nicole Beharie, who plays Jackie's wife, Rachel. She has terrific chemistry with Boseman and also shows us why Rachel Robinson was such an important presence in Jackie's life. You also get fine work from a number of supporting actors including Alan Tudyk, playing a nasty racist who also manages the Phillies. Tudyk is known mostly for good guy roles, but he lets it all hang out here in displaying the type of bigotry that Jackie too often had to deal with when playing baseball.

For as much as I would have liked a deeper story, it's tough to really dislike this film. Robinson's story is so uplifting that you can't help but be inspired by seeing what he overcame. And if you're a baseball fan, watching a film like this can also reaffirm your love for the game. You can see that Branch Rickey brought Robinson in not as a stunt or to be a pioneer, but simply because he believed in having the best players having the chance to play this game. This is a movie to see not as a critic, but just as fan of baseball or inspiring stories.

There will probably be very few films this year that will make me feel as good leaving the theater as 42 did. I can look past a lot of its flaws and appreciate finally seeing one of the game's greatest figures have his story told on the big screen. I don't see how anyone couldn't have a good time watching this movie. I believe the fact that the audience that I saw this with gave the film a round of applause after it was over, despite the fact that the movie is now three weeks old shows you the power it has to move viewers. Do yourself a favor, grab some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and enjoy this heartwarming tale of the old ball game. Grade: B

Thinking outside the Xbox

Check out what those crazy guys at Microsoft have come up with now for the latest in video game innovations. Introducing IllumiRoom...

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 4)

Record: 9-13

Standing: Last in the AL Central (4 games out of 1st place)

We're almost a month into the season and it's still tough to get a real beat on how good this team is. This week was particularly tough to gauge their quality given how few games they played. The Tribe only played 2 out of their 3 games against Chicago due to rain and they managed to split that series. Then after a scheduled off day on Thursday, they were rained out in Kansas City on Friday. To make up that game, a double header was played yesterday. Thus far, the Royal have taken 2 out of the 3 games we've played against them, but this is a four game series that ends tonight, so if the Tribe wins that one, they'll have split with KC as well. A win would give us a 5-4 record on this road trip and if they can play .500 on the road, I'll always be fine with that. Right now, the troubling factors are the team's overall record and their sporadic hitting. Those issues are interconnected as better hitting should lead to more wins. I'm far from pushing the panic button on the season just yet, primarily because there have been so few games with our regular lineup. The injury to Michael Bourn has caused changes in the lineup that have forced guys to bat in spots that they don't normally hit. I think if we can get a healthy roster, we'll be in much better shape. Bourn should be back this week, so let's hope that's the start of something positive. Looking ahead to this week, after finishing up with the Royals tonight, we come home for our first interleague series of the season, playing a two game set with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Tribe will have another off day this Thursday and then play the Minnesota Twins over the weekend. Both of those are winnable series if we play well. Let's hope that the end of April marks the end of bad weather and the start of some great baseball. Go Tribe!

Bringing the thunder

Just as the excitement for the upcoming Iron Man 3 hits its peak, we get reminded that there are other Marvel franchises gearing up for new stories as well. Here's your first look at Thor: The Dark World set to come out this November.

RBR: This is 40

Like many, I've been a huge fan of Judd Apatow's work over the years. He was on an incredible role until Funny People, which was one of the most disappointing films I've ever seen. It was my hope then, that he could get back into his groove with his latest, This is 40; a film that allows him to go back to his roots somewhat by taking a couple of side characters from his film, Knocked Up and putting them center stage here. The two characters are Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann's Pete and Debbie - a married California couple struggling with the problems associated with middle age. And if this film is to be believed, there are a LOT of problems as you reach mid-life including financial woes, sexual frustration, tensions with parents, tensions with kids, and an overall sense of fulfillment in life. As someone who has not yet hit 40, I can't speak on this with any expertise, but I couldn't help feeling as I watched this film, that the problems that these characters go through are not representative of most people at that age. It's not that people in their 40s don't deal with these issues, it's the specifics behind the depiction of these problems that seem out of touch. The Apatow films that work for me have always seemed to have its humor grounded in reality, whereas I didn't know who this film was meant to speak to. Part of the problem is the film's narrative structure. For the first half (of this unnecessarily 2+ hour film), there doesn't seem to be any organization whatsoever. It's just a compilation of small scenes that either touch on a problem or go for a laugh. By the time the film makes an attempt at getting to a central story there's just not enough to hang on to for it to work. There are admittedly some funny scenes in the film. When you're working with a funny cast, that also included Albert Brooks, Jason Segal, John Lithgow, Robert Smigel, and surprisingly Megan Fox, it's only natural that some laughs will develop. However, nobody outside of the two central stars are given enough to do. Those characters definitely needed more screen time. Not just because they are deserving of it, but also because Rudd and Mann's characters are so mean and depressing for the majority of the time that they are together that we needed more of buffer between their scenes involving them hanging out with other, more enjoyable people. While This is 40 does not sink to the level of Funny People, it has to be considered a disappointment. For as talented as he is, I think it's become apparent that Apatow is not as successful tackling more mature subject matters like he's attempted to do in his last two films. It seems like he wants to move away from the arrested development/man-child storylines, but he should also realize he should stick with what works. Rating: ** 1/2

Patton's speech

Hopefully you saw last week's episode of Parks and Recreation, which featured guest star Patton Oswalt playing a concerned Pawnee citizen who decides to filibuster the city council in an effort to stop certain charter laws from being changed. The focus of his filibuster was his proposed script for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII movie. If you missed it, you should certainly check out the episode, since it was fantastic. In the meantime, you can watch below the equally amazing uncut version of the entire filibuster that was done in one take. It's a thing of pure nerd awesomeness.

Tribe Watch '13 (Week 3)

Record: 7-10

Standing: 4th in AL Central (3 games out of first)

The Indians got off to rough start last week as they were swept at home by the Boston Red Sox. Credit bad starting pitching, anemic offense and an emotionally motivated opponent as the key reasons why the Indians couldn't do much against Boston. The weekend helped turn things around, however, as the bats came alive on Saturday. The Indians put a 19 spot on the scoreboard against the Astros. Our newest acquisitions, Mark Reynolds, Nick Swisher, and 42 year old Jason Giambi, were all major players in that outpouring of offense. Thankfully Saturday's performance didn't result in an immediate power outage on Sunday as the Indians were able to hit four more home runs in order to win by one and take two out of three from Houston. Hopefully the Tribe can carry that momentum with them as they now continue this road trip by heading into Chicago to take on those nasty White Sox. We played Chicago very well in Cleveland and I'd love to see more of the same to start this week. Cleveland will then finish off their road trip by heading to Kansas City for a weekend series. No matter the month, games against divisional opponents are critical, so it will be vital for the Tribe to have a good week. As the Indians hope to gain ground within the AL Central standings, I'll be cheering them on all the way and I hope you will too. Go Tribe!

Dead and loving it

R.I.P.D. is based on a graphic novel and from the look of this first trailer, this could either be a wild, fun ride or an unmitigated disaster ala Jonah Hex.

Rescuing Heroes?

Could Heroes actually be getting a relaunch just three years after its cancellation? If reports are true, it sounds like this show, like so many comic book superheroes, may be coming back from the dead. Here's the report from TVLine:

Save the cheerleader, launch a new programming initiative?

MSN, which is making a big push into original programming via Xbox, is in talks to revive NBC’s superhero drama Heroes, TVLine has learned exclusively.

Details remain sketchy, but sources confirm that MSN is interested in relaunching the once red-hot NBC Universal franchise with new stories and heroes, while mixing in cameos from the original series’ cast (schedules and interest permitting). The talks are said to be in the preliminary stages.

In February, MSN hired former NBC development executive Jada Miranda to oversee production of its fledgling Xbox entertainment studio under ex-CBS president Nancy Tellem (who came on board last fall).

Heroes‘ four-season run on NBC ended in February 2010.

Super trooper

For certain films, I find myself on the fence as to whether or not I actually want to see it and it usually takes a really good trailer to convince me. Well the latest Superman movie, Man of Steel was one of those movies and the latest trailer has won me over. I'm now ready to see Superman take flight again. If you haven't seen it yet, here's the trailer for you to see.

Tribe Watch (Week 2)

Record: 5-6

Standing: 3rd in AL Central (1.5 games out of 1st place)

Similar to week 1, the second week of the season saw a mixed bag of results for the Tribe. Things looked pretty bleak early on in the week as the Yankees dominated us for the first two games of the series. Mother Nature thankfully cut that attack short by raining out the remaining two games of that series. We can now look forward to a doubleheader in May against New York to make up those games. The back end of the week was more promising as we took two out of three from our rivals the White Sox. Justin Masterson showed true ace material in his complete game shutout win on Friday and the bats came to life in Saturday's game. Though they lost on Sunday, the team has to feel positive by an improved performance by Brett Myers. Starting pitching is going to be so critical for this team. If they falter, things fall apart. When the pitching is strong, we have a very good chance of winning each of those games. As we head into this third week, the Indians will begin with an emotional series against the Boston Red Sox. Not only will it be the first time that Terry Francona manages against his old team, but the tragic events of yesterday will still be weighing heavily on everyone's mind. After the Boston series, the Indians will head out onto the road for a lengthy trip that begins with a weekend series against the Houston Astros who more closely resemble a AAA team than they do a major league team. Hopefully we can dominate them to help improve our standing in the division. One final note is with regard to injuries. Every team is suffering from them and the Indians are no different. The catcher position seems to be particularly plagued with both Carlos Santana and Lou Marson ailing. The Tribe actually had to make a minor league trade earlier this week just to gain some additional emergency backups. Center fielder Michael Bourn will also miss some time thanks to a finger laceration he received in Sunday's game. Thankfully most of the team's injuries are minor, so we can just hope for a speedy recovery so that our team can get back to playing at full strength. No matter who's out on the field, though, I'll always be ready to support my team. Go Tribe!

Vroom Vroom

Gentlemen start your engines and rev up for your first look at Ron Howard's new racing drama, Rush based on the real life rivalry between two Formula 1 racers.

RBR: Hitchcock

During Oscar season, there was surprisingly very little discussion about this film, which features previous Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren and is based on one of the most famous Hollywood directors of all time. It turns out that the reason for the lack of buzz is quite simple. Despite its pedigree, this is a rather pedestrian effort. Hitchcock plays more like a made-for-TV movie that just got lucky in scoring an incredible cast. The film focuses on the noted director's effort to make Psycho. On the way to making his most successful film, he faced several roadblocks including a lack of studio support, protest from the ratings board, and a wife, who's become frustrated with a lack of recognition for her collaborative efforts in his success. A lot of these problems seem rather interesting and yet the film opts to merely gloss over a lot of them for more melodramatic moments dealing with a possible affair between Hitchcock's wife (Mirren) and a charming writer (Danny Huston). I'm far from an expert on Hitchcock and his film and yet I felt like this film didn't really reveal anything that I didn't already know or suspect about his work. The two leads turns in excellent performance, as expected but they are working with substandard material here. Fans of the late director will no doubt be disappointed in this less than revelatory film and younger fans will likely struggle to stay engaged in this story. It's a shame that a film based on a master of suspense is filled with very few surprises. Rating: ** 1/2

Privileged planet

Fans of the sci-fi film District 9 have been anxious to see what director Neill Blomkamp has in store for a follow up. Well wait no more as here's the first look at his new film, Elysium due out this August.

Tribe Watch (Week 1)

Record: 3-3

Standing: Tied for second in AL Central

I'm running short on time so this will have to be brief, but I wanted to get this out before today's home opener. As you can expect with a .500 record in their first week, there was a mixed bag of results for the Tribe as they kicked off the 2013 season. I think, however, that looking at the result of the past week, that there is more positive than negative to take away from their performance. First of all, the Tribe went .500 on the road against two teams that many predict will be at the top of the AL East, so there's no shame in that. The wins that the Tribe had were also pretty impressive in that they beat BOTH reigning Cy Young winners within the span of 6 days. The offense was certainly on display in those wins as well with the team showing both power and clutch hitting. We did get shutout two straight games, but it is was understandable because they had a long flight to Tampa and the Rays have very good pitching. As for our pitching, I was pleased by the performances of our #1 and #2 starters. For us to have any chance at competiting this season, both Masterson and Jimenez need to pitch well. The back end of our rotation and our long relievers have some question marks that give me some concern, but nothing too grave just yet. We'll need a larger sample size before we can truly make any determinations. Hopefully the Tribe can feel positive about their efforts and take that good feeling into their performance this week as the Tribe plays at Progressive Field for this first time this year. First up is the dreaded New York Yankees, who are really struggling thus far thanks to injuries and old age. On paper, we should play well against them, but when it comes to the Yankees, they are never as bad as they seem. Then it's a weekend series against the even more loathesome Chicago White Sox. Of course, divisional games are crucial no matter when in the year they occur, so let's get off to a good start by beating up on our rival. There's a lot to be excited about in Cleveland right now, so let's all get behind this team and watch what could be a very magical year. Go Tribe!

2 tickets to the Guns show

Here's a trailer for the new action comedy 2 Guns starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. This looks like it could be a lot of fun, particularly during the dog days of summer.

Roger Ebert (1942 - 2013)

Film critic Roger Ebert dies at 70

I was unable to post this news yesterday, but this is too important for me to ignore it altogether. Roger Ebert, along with his late TV film critic partner Gene Siskel, had a profound impact on my love of movies, criticism, debate, and entertainment in general. Over the past several years on this blog, I've made an attempt at sharing my love and analysis of the films I've seen. With Roger's passing, I'm struck by a couple of thoughts. One is that being able to effectively evaluate a movie on its strengths and weaknesses is not as easy as it looks. That's why Roger was so special. He made it look so easy that he spawned a whole society of wannabe critics. Sites like Rotten Tomatoes would not exist without Roger making the art of movie criticism so appealing. But the other thought is that while I could never hold a flame to the writing ability of Roger, that's ok. Roger always said that one of the tips to being a critic is to review that movie through your voice. He can be proud of the fact that he pioneered a culture that could articulate what they did or did not like about their movie-going experience.

As much as Roger will be remembered for his writing, I will admit that I have a fonder appreciation for his TV show with Gene Siskel and then later on, Richard Roeper. Particularly with Gene, he had a remarkable chemistry that made you instantly interested in listening to whatever film they were reviewing. I recently saw a video (thanks courtesy of the great archival site siskelandebert.org) where they reviewed the film My Dinner With Andre. In his review, Roger said, "Although you see two people on the screen, in your mind you're also seeing these strange and wonderful scenes and experiences." I thought the same thing while watching those two review movies. They brought the movies to life as they reviewed them. Listening to them was never boring or a chore. We shared in their joy when they got to talk about a movie they loved. We also listened with glee as they would hilariously pan movies that were truly awful. All the while, they never robbed us of wanting to go see the movie itelf. Hearing their critiques always made me more invested in wanting to see the movie myself to see if I would agree or disagree with their assessment.

It will be tough not having a go-to voice anymore for a critique of a movie. Even if I didn't always share the same sentiment as Roger on a film, I wanted to hear what he had to say. With his passing, I hope that the love of movies and of movie criticism will continue on for many generations to come. I'll do my best to continue to share my thoughts on whatever I see and I'm thankful for the archives of Roger's work that will continue to inspire me to share my love with anyone else who wants to listen. Rest in peace Roger. Enjoy your balcony seat in the sky.

RBR: The Master

I actually watched this several weeks ago, but have had difficulty finding the time to write this review. And I don't mean that I haven't had any free time, it's that this movie had a more profound impact on me than most that it made it more difficult to put my thoughts into words. This is the latest film by noted director Paul Thomas Anderson, who also helmed films like Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood. Once again he displays visual mastery with the way he depicts the action that unfolds on the screen. He also has another sprawling, yet captivating narrative that establishes interesting characters that equally puzzle and fascinate audiences. Anderson seems to frequently tell stories that rely on the theme of mentor/protege and in this film, that relationship is brought to the forefront. The Master earned a lot of buzz prior to its release when it was believed that this film was intended to be a scathing commentary on Scientology. While some parallels can be drawn, I found myself not really caring whether or not this was based on any actual group and was instead just invested in these particular people. Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of a group referred to as The Cause, who takes Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), a Naval veteran struggling with issues of anger and alcoholism, under his wing. As we listen to Dodd and watch the way Freddie follows him, it becomes apparent that this movie is more than just determining whether or not Dodd is a charletan. This is about control and the tenuous nature of staying in control. When do we let others control us and when, if ever, do we take control of our own lives? The answers aren't always clear and Anderson doesn't make it any easier for us to try and find out those answers with the way he presents this story. Certain scenes take on an almost dreamlike state to make you further distance you from a grounded reality. This is not the easiest film to follow, but those who are up for a challenge will be greatly rewarded. The film looks great, is filled with terrific performances (included an understated performance by Amy Adams playing Dodd's wife), and gives you plenty to think about long after you've finished watching it. I can't say this is a movie that I eagerly want to watch repeatedly, but if I get a chance to see it again, I feel I will no doubt uncover even more about what's going on than I did in my first viewing. It's a shame that this did not get even greater recognition during the awards season, because it's certainly worthy of it. Fans of Paul Thomas Anderson need to do themselves a favor and check out this spellbinding film. Rating: **** 1/2

Chain of Fools

The cast of This is the End decided to get in the holiday spirit and offer up a new "trailer" to promote their movie. Check it out below.

This is an ad for MoCoCo

From EW.com:

Top-rated late-night host Jay Leno may be in danger of losing his job. But his modestly rated former Tonight Show rival Conan O’Brien just got a renewal on TBS.

The cable network has renewed Conan through 2015, adding another year onto the show’s current deal (which originally expired in April of 2014).

Conan averages 906,000 viewers per episode. TBS points out the show averages a younger median age (38) than any late-night talk show. “When we invited Conan O’Brien to come to TBS, we knew he would bring with him a passionately loyal following of young adults,” said Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TBS. “Conan and his colleagues at Team Coco have gone far beyond that by making Conan the top late-night brand in the digital arena. We are proud to extend our relationship with Conan as he continues to forge the future of late night. I just wish we didn’t decide to tell him on April Fools’ Day.”

Claws for concern

Iron Man isn't the only Marvel superhero gracing the screen this summer. Wolverine is back as well and this time he's fighting ninjas. Check out the first full trailer for The Wolverine

Red Skull out, Redford in??

From EW.com

The new Captain America film is probably the most unusual of the upcoming wave of Marvel sequels, since — thanks to the first film’s climactic time-jump forward — most of the original supporting cast probably won’t be returning. (Although since the movie is subtitled The Winter Soldier, there’s probably at least one supporting cast member returning, NO SPOILERS.) But the film could be adding a genuine film legend to its cast. EW has confirmed the news, initially reported by the Hollywood Reporter, that Robert Redford — Oscar winner, Sundance founder, Sundance Kid — is in negotiations to join the cast of the Star-Spangled Sequel.

It’s unclear at this point who Redford would be playing, though THR indicates that he’d be playing Nick Fury’s boss. (Combined with the Variety report that the film would prominently feature Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow and Cobie Smulders’ Maria Hill, Cap 2 is shaping up to be a stealth S.H.I.E.L.D. movie.) Presumably he’s not playing the President, unless there’s an election in the Marvelverse after Iron Man 3 (with President William Sadler.)

RBR: Wreck-It Ralph

Having now seen both this and Brave, I'm convinced now more than ever that last year there was some kind of Freaky Friday situation going on over at the Disney animation studios. With a beautiful young girl at the forefront and a cheesy 'be careful what you wish for' lesson, Brave felt very much like your standard Disney princess fare. Meanwhile, Wreck-It Ralph is the type of story that features colorful characters and imaginative settings that have set Pixar apart from its competition for over 15 years. This is the story of Ralph, a bad guy character ala Donkey Kong in a classic 80s style arcade game. Tired of his repetitive depressing lifestyle, Ralph seeks a change by finding a way to turn himself into a good guy. To do so, he leaves his game and ventures through a number of other video games including a Halo-esque first person shooter and the pink-tinged, candy-coated racing game, Sugar Rush. What helps elevate Ralph above other more standard animated films is that this is not just Ralph's story with all other characters merely serving as window dressing and/or comedy props. The film features several subplots where we delve into characters' backstory. I also like that the villainous King Candy's motives are not apparently clear. It makes the eventual reveal that much more satisfying. You also have some quality voice work here. John C. Reilly is perfect as doltish Ralph who can come off as equal parts menacing and sweet. Sarah Silverman lays on the sugary sweetness as Venelope, a wannabe racer in Sugar Rush. And Jack McBrayer and Jane Lynch also fit perfectly in the roles they are given. It's quite clear that the people behind this movie are big video game fans. There are several homages and in-jokes to the gaming world. They also amassed an impressive collection of real video game characters like Sonic, Bowser, and Q-Bert, who show up in various cameo roles. This is a film that succeeds largely to its wide appeal. It offers plenty for kids to enjoy, but it also maintains an intelligence level that doesn't insult adult audiences. Thus far, this is the best animated film of 2012 and is definitely worth a rental if you missed it when it was in theaters. Rating: **** 1/2

Life imitating art?

I won't post the whole article here, but you can click on the link below for a fun article where a Yahoo reporter talked with several of the players on the Cleveland Indians to ask them to compare themselves to the various characters in the classic movie, Major League. Despite a number of new faces on the Tribe this year, it sounds like this group has already bonded well and ready to have as much success as their film counterparts did. One can only hope!

The 2013 Cleveland Indians imagine themselves as the Indians from 'Major League'

Gru back

Villains rule the day once again as Gru and his minions are back once again in Despicable Me 2. Here's the first full trailer for the animated film set to come out this summer.

'Bond 24' update

From Reuters:

Movie studio MGM said on Tuesday it expects to release the next James Bond movie within three years, and hopes to announce soon a new director after Sam Mendes decided to move on.

In a conference call with investors, MGM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Barber said the studio was developing the screenplay for the next, 24th movie in the 50-year-old franchise about the British secret agent.

"We are very excited about the franchise, we look forward to announcing a director soon," Barber said.

"We are currently developing the screenplay and working with our partners. We look forward to developing the script soon and signing a director. We are hoping within the next 3 years it will be released," Barber added.

He gave no details on casting but Daniel Craig has already signed on for two more films in the lead role as the suave 007 agent.

The 2012 Bond film "Skyfall," starring Craig, made $1.1 billion at the global box office and impressed critics. But Britain's Mendes said earlier this month that he wanted to focus on his theater projects for the foreseeable future.

Barber said Mendes "did an amazing job on 'Skyfall'. We are very thankful for the work that he did."

Privately-held MGM jointly produced "Skyfall" with Sony Corp's movie studio arm.

MGM said on Monday that "Skyfall" and "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" had helped bring a three-fold increase in its 2012 net income.

Trek-ing crew

I was remiss in not posting this last week when it hit the web, so if you haven't seen it yet, here's the latest trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness

RBR: Arbitrage

For as much as I love movies, I can't say (yet at least) that I'm an expert when it comes to old movies. So when I hear comments suggesting that a film like Arbitrage is "Hitchcockian", I can't really have an appreciation for that. The good thing is that you don't need that background to recognize that this is an excellent thriller on its own. This is the story of Robert Miller (played by Richard Gere), a hedge fund magnate who's trying to secure a deal to sell his company as he moves into retirement. While initial impressions suggest Miller has everything going for him, there are a lot of secrets lurking beneath the surface that Miller is trying to keep hidden. There is no secret that Miller is a guilty man and yet the film remains compelling to the point where you find yourself conflicted as to whether or not you want him to be caught for his transgressions. A lot of the credit goes to Gere who gives one of his best performances ever. He handles the complexities of the characters with ease as he transitions from aggressor to avoider based on the conflict he's facing. There's also a nice supporting performance by Tim Roth playing a New York detective investigating a car accident that he believes was caused by Miller. I was really invested in this film up until the very end. Director Nicholas Jarecki, who up until the final scene had shown some real talent as a director in his first feature film effort, drops the ball with a disappointingly anti-climatic finish. The ambiguity of the final scene cannot even be justified as ambigiuous for the sake of mystery. The film ends in such a way that you feel as if there was some sort of technical problem that caused the last five minutes of the film to be accidentally lopped off the reel. Despite the letdown of its conclusion, Arbitrage is still a film worth seeking out, especially given that it did not garner much attention from the public during its limited release in theaters. I think you'll agree that checking it out will be a sound investment of your time. Rating: **** 1/2

Hang in there baby

It appears that the Wolfpack are set to go out with a bang and take the place where it all began with them. Here's your first look at The Hangover Part III.

Bounty fare

I'm a latecomer when it comes to the appreciation of the work by Quentin Tarantino. While most discovered and embraced his approach to filmmaking with movies like Resevoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, it took me until 2009's Inglorious Basterds to see how talented he is. The way he is able to pay homage to film genres while also subverting them with anachronistic soundtracks can be quite entertaining. He also has the capability of writing dialogue that is equal parts hilarious and horrifying, while wholly captivating. In his latest effort, Django Unchained, Tarantino's style is once again quite apparent.

Paying tribute to spaghetti Westerns, Django is the story of a dentist-turned-bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (played by Christoph Waltz) who locates and frees a slave named Django (Jamie Foxx). Schultz needs Django's help in locating his latest bounty. Successful in their mission, the two form a bond and work together in trying to free Django's wife (Kerry Washington), who's currently the property of a Southern plantation owner by the name of Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio, in a delightfully against-type role for him).

Each of the film's primary cast members brings a great deal of energy to their roles. Waltz is terrific again here (and deserving of his recent Oscar win) as man who's hunting people for more noble reasons than he was in Basterds. It was also enjoyable seeing DiCaprio playing someone so slimy and evil. And I should also point out Samuel L. Jackson, who is perhaps even more diabolical than DiCaprio's Candie, playing a slave who sees through Schultz and Django's act of deception. There are also a handful of cameos, some more recognizable than others, from a host of actors who add just a little bit more to each of their scenes.

I must admit, however, that for as entertaining as everyone is here, I felt something lacking in a lot of the scenes of dialogue. When watching Basterds, there were several scenes of dialogue that left me as a viewer white-knuckled in fear sensing something terrible was going to occur. In this film, none of the scenes ever reached that same level of anxiety in me. This time, Tarantino seemed much more impatient at getting to the payoff instead of properly building to it.

With this being a Tarantino film and all, the payoff to those interactions is, of course, bloodshed. You could probably fill 100 bathtubs with the amount of blood that spills in this film. And it's not just the blood that is in excess. The last third of the film is pure action that grows tiresome, especially after intergral characters are killed off prior to the film's ultimate climax. Any enjoyment from these scenes does not stem from watching Django exact revenge, but rather from appreciating Tarantino's effort to write fanfiction about a dark time in our country's history.

Django Unchained is a Tarantino film through and through. In this case, that means having to take the good with the bad. For all the juicy characters and bloody action that he offers, you also have to deal with his inability to curb his impulses and recognizing that there can be too much of a good thing. Those who are fans of his will no doubt enjoy this latest entry, even if they see it as not being on par with some of his other efforts. For those who are unfamiliar with his style, this is probably not the best entry point. His depiction of violence can be a jolt to the system and it is not as successfully offset with engaging dialogue as it is in his past films. Django is a bloody good show, it's just too bad it could have been so much more than that. Grade: B

Downey, but not out

It's a sad state of affairs at the box office when you can say that this is the best things that's been shown on screen in 2013. Here's the newest trailer for Iron Man 3

Sam won't play it again

From EW.com:

Despite Skyfall being the most commercially successful James Bond movie ever, director Sam Mendes won’t be returning for Bond’s next go-round.

Mendes’ rep confirmed the director’s statement in Empire magazine, which explains that he will not direct James Bond’s 24th adventure.

“It has been a very difficult decision not to accept Michael [G. Wilson] and Barbara [Broccoli]’s very generous offer to direct the next Bond movie,” Mendes said. “Directing Skyfall was one of the best experiences of my professional life, but I have theatre and other commitments, including productions of Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and King Lear, that need my complete focus over the next year and beyond.”

But while Mendes said he won’t be directing 007′s next picture, he didn’t rule out a return to the franchise later on. “I feel very honoured to have been part of the Bond family,” said Mendes, “and very much hope I have a chance to work with them again sometime in the future.”

RBR: Taken 2

The first Taken film was pretty stupid and forced audiences to severly suspend belief when it came to its story. But what ultimately made that film a winner was the testosterone-fueled emergence of Liam Neeson as an action star. There was a certain joy watching him cut down foreign bad guys with reckless abandon. If this sequel had managed to give us another dose of that, this would have been fine. Instead we get an even dumber film that also lacks the satisfying action sequences needed to offset its stupidity. This time around Neeson and his ex-wife (Famke Janssen) are taken by the living family members of the people he killed in the first film. Of course, daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) is along for the ride as well. Kim is the source of a lot of the film's problems. First there's the disorienting fact that this character is supposed to be a teenager despite the fact that the actress playing her is 30. The film doesn't help this problem by shoehorning a ridiculous subplot involving Kim learning how to drive, which of course will come into play as the film progresses. Not only does Kim need to drive, but she also needs to display some of Neeson's "particular set of skills" for him while he's abducted. This includes recklessly throwing grenades on the rooftops of Turkey so that she can find him. Again, all of this would be forgiven if the action was satisfying. However, director Oliver Megaton, taking over for Luc Besson, once again displays his inability to film a fight scene that doesn't include at least 50 edits. In the first film, Neeson was filmed in a way to make it look like he was a believable bad ass. The use of quick shots in this one makes it seem like they are trying to mask the abilities of a senior citizen. Taken 2 is a complete downgrade over the original film and just makes your head hurt as you watch it. This one gets an easy thumbs down from me. Rating: * 1/2

Second Chance

The first Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs left me somewhat disappointed, but its sequel was inevitable. Looking at the first trailer, I'll admit, I do have some optimism as there appears to be some creativity put into both the jokes and creation of the "food monsters". Check it out for yourself below and see if you think this has a possibility of being better than the first.

RBR: End of Watch

Films depicting the lives of cops in Southern California are nothing new and yet more continue to get made because they typically offer an effective mix of drama, action, suspense, and character study. This remains true in End of Watch, which follows two cops (played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena) as they deal with guns, gangs, and drugs. One of the things that allows this film to rise above the familiarity of the genre is the performances of its two leads. Gyllenhaal and Pena not only bring an authenticity to their roles, but you also truly feel the bond that has been established between these two "brothers", which is how they refer to each other. We really see who these guys are both in and out of the uniform as he film also takes the time to develop characters for their respective mates (Anna Kendrick nicely plays Gyllenhaal's wife). One of the biggest issues of debate surrounding the film is the decision to present this story from a documentary/found footage perspective. On one hand, I feel that this has now become a tired narrative approach that we've seen too often recently. In the particular film, I'm torn on how its used. At times, this approach creates some interesting angles to depict the action, but in other instances I think it handicaps the film's ability to properly tell the story. Ultimately, I would not cite this a reason to skip the movie, but I would be very interested to see how much the film would change/improve if it had used a more traditional filmmaking style. Ultimately, the strong performances and compelling story win out here to make this a much better film than I had anticipated. If you had previously ignored it because of its generic title, familiar storyline, or shaky cam style, don't let that deter you from checking it out now on home video. This is solid cop thriller that will instantly suck you in to its story. Rating: ****

Don't Cross the boss

I know I'm a little late to the game in posting this, but it was too good to ignore completely. A couple weeks ago on Saturday Night Live, they did a movie parody of Tarantino-esque revenge films, called "Djesus Uncrossed". The subject matter is so irreverant that I'm probably going to hell for enjoying it, but it's also so spot-on and hilarious, that it deserves the recognition. Since many of you have likely seen the original skit anyway, I've posted the web-exclusive director's cut version of the trailer below instead.

RBR: Robot and Frank

This small independent dramedy is set in the not too distant future where robots have been designed with the capacity to serve humans as caretakers. Frank (played by Frank Langella) is given one of these robots after his son (James Marsden) grows concerned about Frank's decreasing mental health. Langella, playing the grumpy old man well, is initially resistant to the idea. However, when he learns that the robot enables him to return to his roots as a cat burglar, he warms to the mechanical man. Langella also develops a relationship with a local librarian, played by Susan Sarandon. The film is similar to another independent film that Sarandon was in last year, Jeff, Who Lives At Home. Both are pleasant films that delve into the family dynamic but never quite reach the emotional or narrative heft in order to make them truly great films. I thoroughly enjoyed myself as I watched Robot and Frank, but the whole film has such a light and airy feel to it, that I could never truly get invested in what was happening. I will commend the film for offering up a twist at the end that I did not see coming. Any time a film can surprise me, I am appreciative. This is a simple film that offers a unique story and solid acting, with maybe the exception of Liv Tyler who plays Frank's daughter. If you were to miss this film, it would not be any great loss. But if the premise intrigues you at all, you'll likely enjoy giving this a view. Rating: ****

Ship ahoy

I'm happy to see Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson together again in a comedy - I just wish that the trailer for their latest film, The Internship didn't feel like a 2 minute commercial for Google.

RBR: Paranormal Activity 4

If you recall, I began to warm to this horror franchise with its previous effort. It felt like not only were they giving us some insight into the backstory of this spirit that haunts and kills unsuspecting victims, but they were also finding ways of sticking to the formula of the franchise while still offering some innovative ways of providing the audience with some legitimate scares. It is because of the promise that #3 showed that makes this latest entry so frustrating. This is the epitome of a film treading water. Nothing feels fresh or original here. The scares are telegraphed, no real advancement to the story is made and none of the characters are very compelling. This time around, the film centers around a teenage girl and her suburban family who are asked to babysit a creepy neighborhood boy. Being a teenager, she has to of course record all aspects of her life, so that's how we get all of the paranormal activity documented here. I highly doubt I'm spoiling anything by saying things don't end well for her or her family. And I think that's one of the biggest frustrations I have currently with this franchise - the fight has been so one sided. In most horror films, while the ghost/monster/psychopath goes on a tear of destruction, they usually get defeated or at the very least suffer a setback by the end of the film. To this point, no one has gotten the better of this witches' coven or the spirits they conjure up. I'm ready for some payback at this point. I do believe that this franchise still has life in it, but if the next film once again offers up the same old scares with nothing fresh to offer then I just might have to call it quits on this series. Unless you're looking for a scare, you're not missing anything by skipping this film. Rating: ** 1/2

Take that Barbara Walters

After a nearly year-long hiatus, the awesome "Between Two Ferns" is back with a two-part, star-studded affair with Zach Galifianakis interviewing several Oscar nominees. Enjoy the hilarity below:

Between Two Ferns: Oscar Buzz Edition Part 1 from Zach Galifianakis

Between Two Ferns: Oscar Buzz Edition Part 2 from Zach Galifianakis

My faith has been re-Bourn

Despite the fact that the Cleveland Indians' pitchers and catchers already reported to Spring Training, it appears that the Tribe isn't finished making off-season moves. And this latest one is a doozy as they have signed free-agent All Star center fielder, Michael Bourn. This is a deal that in past years the Indians would never have made, so I'm thrilled to see them be so aggressive. They also signed Jason Giambi and Dice-K to minor league deals. While both of those guys are nowhere near as good as they once were, if we can get anything out of them, it's another plus for this team. For more on the Bourn signing, here's the report from SI.com:

Criticized for not spending enough on free agents in recent years, the Indians splurged on another star.

The club agreed to terms Monday with outfielder Michael Bourn on a four-year, $48 million contract. It's the second major deal this winter for the Indians, who signed free agent Nick Swisher to a four-year, $56 million contract in January.

Bourn, who was an All-Star with Atlanta last season, must pass a physical later this week in Goodyear, Ariz., before the deal can be completed. Bourn batted .274 with nine homers, 57 RBIs and 42 steals last season for the Braves. It's not yet known when Bourn will have his medical exam.

As long as there isn't a hang-up, the 30-year-old Bourn, who has remained on the market all winter, will move into the Indians' starting lineup. The speedster played center field last season and would give an immediate boost to a Cleveland team that has reloaded with the acquisition of Swisher, manager Terry Francona and starter Brett Myers. Fox Sports first reported Bourn's deal.

Bourn, a two-time All-Star, Gold Glove winner and three-time steals leader in the NL, had also been pursued by the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.

Getting Bourn will cost the Indians picks in June's amateur draft. But it's a small price for a player who will help them score more runs, improve their attendance - Cleveland averaged just 19,797 fans at home - and maybe even close the gap on Detroit in the AL Central.

The surprise signing caught one of Bourn's new teammates off guard. "Did we just sign Michael Bourn?" second baseman Jason Kipnis asked on his Twitter page.

Bourn, a .272 career hitter in seven seasons with Philadelphia, Houston and Atlanta, could wind up in a starting outfield alongside Swisher and Michael Brantley. The Indians also acquired center fielder Drew Stubbs in a trade with Cincinnati, giving Francona options and depth. It's possible Swisher could be moved to first or even be used as the club's designated hitter. Mark Reynolds, also signed during the offseason, can play first or DH.

The deal for Bourn also comes after the Indians signed slugger Jason Giambi and pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to minor league deals this last weekend. Matsuzaka must still pass a physical with the club.

The Indians collapsed in the second half last season, finishing 68-94 and 20 games behind the first-place Tigers. Manager Manny Acta was fired after Cleveland lost at least 90 games for the third time in four seasons.

But beginning with the hiring of Francona, the Indians have shown they're not going to sit around and wait for things to improve.

Fur beta kappa

School is almost back in session for Mike and Sully. Here's the new trailer for the Monsters Inc. prequel, Monsters University

RBR: Hotel Transylvania

One good scary-themed kids movie deserves another I suppose. This one centers around a Dracula who is overprotective of his daughter trying to shield her from human beings by keeping her in a hotel he built as a getaway for monsters. The dracula is voiced by Adam Sandler and his usual gang of cronies make up the majority of the voice cast. Guys like Kevin James, David Spade, Jon Lovitz, and Steve Buscemi are all here as monsters. Things run afoul when a gawky human teen, voiced by Andy Samberg, stumbles into the hotel unknowingly. In a lot of ways, this movie plays exactly the opposite of Paranorman. This is fast, loud, and in your face constantly with noise and action, never relenting for a minute of its hour and half run time. A little of that goes a long way, and yet buried amongst it all is a handful of decent jokes and sight gags that admittedly made me chuckle. It also has the father/daughter storyline that, while played too many times before, is tried and true in its effectiveness. This is far from a perfect film and certainly not the best animated film even this year, but it certainly has much more mainstream appeal and will likely offer something to everyone whether you're a kid or just a fan of Sandler's comedy. It manages to scare up just enough laughs to make it worthwhile as a rental. Rating: *** 3/4

Dawn of a new Millenium

This is only fan-made and nothing official, but seeing this poster for the future Star Wars movie has the inner geek in me all excited. Check it out for yourself:

RBR: Paranorman

Thanks to the success of Pixar, we are inundated these days with computer animated kids films, so it's refreshing to see someone take a more old school approach to animated films. Using stop-motion technology, Paranorman tells the story of a young boy who has the ability to see and talk to dead spirits, which makes him an outcast in his town. The animation here is superb, but it's the only thing notable about this rather thin tale of acceptance. The film can be rather slow at times and is awfully morose for supposedly being a kids film. I found myself bored or depressed rather than engaged while watching most of it. I give the film credit for getting its message across in a way that is organic to the story and doesn't feel like ham-fisted proselytizing. And yet, I felt no emotional connection to the story or the primary characters. Those who are fans of this style of animation should definitely give this a watch as the film looks great, but from an entertainment perspective the film lacks more body than the zombies it depicts on screen. Rating: *** 1/2

Iron thrill

You saw the Super Bowl spot, now see the full extended trailer for Iron Man 3 right here.

Thirty shades of grey

The moral ambiguity in real life historical events seems to be a big theme among this years Oscar nominees. This is perhaps no more true than in Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, which depicts the events that ultimately led to the finding and killing of Osama Bin Laden. Covering nearly a decade of history, the film claims to be giving an accurate representation of these events based on CIA reports, even if they do not always paint our country in the most favorable light.

The first half of the film focuses on the investigation and interrogation of several suspects hoping that they will divulge information on Bin Laden's whereabouts. Most of the film's controversy centers around the fact that the questioning of these suspects reportedly also involved torture tactics like waterboarding. Bigelow pulls no punches in her depiction of these scenes, which can often be difficult to watch. And yet, the film doesn't try to make the argument that torture is effective. Ultimately our discovery of Bin Laden was more due to dumb luck of finding key information in a lost file than it was by anything given up by detainees who were tortured.

Let me be clear that I in no way support these torture tactics, and yet from the perspective of the film's narrative I had almost wished that the torture had been more successful. The film spends a long time depicting the various dead ends the CIA deals with in trying to find Bin Laden. The resolution to this just falls flat and disappointing. I understand that history can't always provide the perfect Hollywood story, but I question why the film chose to spend so much time on this part of the story when it doesn't provide a proper payoff. I should also mention that the storytelling is also hurt by the fact that Bigelow chose to place the date on the screen before each key event. If you're someone who follows the news at all, then you would immediately recognize the dates and understand what was about to happen before it actually did occur on screen.

At the center of this investigation is a woman named Maya, played by Jessica Chastain. Maya may be a real life figure or an amalgam of many individuals involved. Chastain does her best to illustrate the steely resolve of this woman. She is committed to solving this case and will not let anything stop her. As strong as the performance is, I also would have liked more insight into what was driving her. Obviously, there were other people besides her who wanted to see Bin Laden dead, so what made her go on despite the numerous setbacks she deals with. Had there been more background on her personal life or even her career prior to 9/11, then I may have appreciated her determination that much more.

But for as frustrating as the first half of this film is, it turns around in the second half as it shifts towards planning the attack on the compound that is believed to be housing Bin Laden. At this point, the drama is ratcheted way up and is utterly captivating. It begins with the quest to get some sort of tangible evidence to confirm that he is actually inside this building. As the film progresses to Seal Team Six's actual raid, you find yourself getting completely caught up in the story, even though you know exactly what is going to happen. Though I wouldn't go so far as to say it is exploitative, I was actually surprised with how much of Bin Laden being killed was depicted. Some will find some catharsis in this, while others may cringe at the cold savagery of the events.

This is not the easiest film to watch and I certainly don't see myself seeing it again, especially any time soon. However, there's no denying that Kathryn Bigelow is a talented director. In both this film and her Oscar winning effort for The Hurt Locker she has proven that she knows how to effectively present this particularly period of our history. She finds a way of making you feel as if you're are right there amid all the action. And while some will criticize her and the film for its debated accuracy, I believe that a film like this should be seen so that productive conversations can be had both about the actions of our country and the film itself. I applaud the director for her effort to bring this subject matter out of the dark and into the light. Grade: B

Worst week ever

So there was a news story about a 70 year old liquor store owner in Syracuse who was shot in the eye. He's managed to recover and is already back to work. The remarkable thing about the story though is that he claims getting shot was not the worst thing that happened to him that week. To find out what was worse, watch the video below and you'll see why I chose to mention this story here on the blog.

RBR: Trouble With the Curve

Before I get to the review, I just wanted to say that I was disappointed in myself for the lack of posting I had in January. So to make up for it, I've decided to do a little experiment. I'm going to see how many days in a row I can post a new movie review on here. My goal is to go at least a month, but we'll just take it one day at a time. And now on with the review...

At this point in his life, Clint Eastwood doesn't need to still make movies, but I'm certainly glad he does. In Trouble With the Curve, he plays Gus, a baseball scout who's struggling to keep his job as his eye sight begins to fail him. To ensure a successful scouting trip, Gus' daughter (the always adorable Amy Adams), who has an, at best, strained relationship with her father decides to go on the road with him. Being a fan of baseball, I always appreciate when it's the central focus in a film, but this is not one of the better depictions of the sport. Here, it pretty much serves as a backdrop for the father-daughter story. I'm perfectly fine with that though because I was engaged by that story. Adams gives a wonderful performance and Clint has the crabby old man part down to a tee by now. You also have likeable performances from Justin Timberlake as a young new scout and John Goodman as the head of scouting and Gus' best friend. I wish the film had a few more surprises. It is patently obvious how every storyline will play out 30 minutes into the film. Even someone with as bad of eyesight as Gus would be able to see what's coming. Thankfully the amiable cast and the usage of baseball make this an enjoyable film, especially on the small screen. If you happened to miss this one in the theaters, like so many people did, I suggest you give it a shot now that's out on DVD and Blu-Ray. This isn't a home run, but I'd say it's at least a satisfying double. Rating: ****

Are you ready to binge view?

Speaking of Netflix, they are set to have a potentially big weekend ahead of them. While a lot of buzz has naturally been about the upcoming fourth season of Arrested Development coming in May, Netflix is releasing a new series, starting tomorrow (February 1st) called House of Cards. It's a political thriller starring Kevin Spacey. Like the new season of AD, all episodes for this show will be released at once. If it's successful, it could be seen as a transformative moment in TV. This act of 'binge viewing' as opposed to weekly episodic TV (I believe I have to pay Michael Cole a royalty check for saying that) may just be the wave of the future. Whether you choose to watch these episodes all at once or periodically over time won't matter though if the show isn't any good, so let's hope this is some good quality viewing. You can get a sneak peek of what you can expect with the trailer posted below.

NMR: Everything or Nothing

Prior to the release of Skyfall last November, a documentary was released celebrating the world of James Bond in honor of the film franchise's 50th anniversary. The documentary is now available on Netflix Instant View which enables me a chance to finally see it. Given that this documentary did not receive a lot of fanfare or even a theatrical release made me worried that it would either be hatchet job or look cheap. Thankfully neither are true. I actually loved this depiction. While I certainly knew a lot of the information, I was pleasantly surprised that it did give insight into the franchise that I was not previously familiar with. It goes into a lot of detail about Albert Broccoli, the producer of the Bond films and his often contentious relationships with others associated with the films. We also get some insight from the various men who have played Bond. One of the things that struck me about their comments is that each of them, regardless of how long or successful their tenure was as 007 absolutely loved playing the role. You could tell that for each of them, this was more than just an acting job. The success of these films is nothing short of spectacular and you truly get a sense while watching this film as to how they've managed to keep the franchise alive all these years. Some of it was luck, but it also took a lot of talented people with a devotion to this character to constantly being driven to wanting to always make the best film possible. While Bond fans should absolutely check this out, I do think that those who don't care much for the series would still find the film interesting as well. Not too many franchises can say they've been around for a half century, so why not check out what make this one so unique. Rating: *****

Dying is easy, math is Hard

In anticipation for the new Die Hard movie set to come out in a couple of weeks, the Internet has once again come through in the awesome department by creating these thorough infographics for the previous Die Hard films, which go into painstaking detail about all of the statistics that make up the world of John McClane. Posters have only been made for the first three films, but I'd imagine one for the fourth will be out shortly. Check these out in all of there wonderful geeky glory.

The Force is strong in this one

Sorry Star Trek fans, J.J. Abrams has decided to jump off the Enterprise and board the Millenium Falcon. For more on Abrams deciding to direct the new Star Wars film, here's the story from The Wrap:

J.J. Abrams will direct the next "Star Wars" film for Disney, taking stewardship of one of Hollywood's most iconic and lucrative film franchises, an individual with knowledge of the production told TheWrap.

"Argo" director Ben Affleck was also in contention, another individual with knowledge of the talks told TheWrap.

Ever since Disney bought Lucasfilm last year and announced it would make new "Star Wars" films, fans, members of the media and industry executives have speculated about which director would take the job. Abrams' name always came up, but he told Entertainment Weekly in November that he wasn't going to take the job.

He did say "Star Wars" was the first movie that "blew my mind" in terms of special effects.

Lucasfilm Chief Kathleen Kennedy has been courting Abrams, one of the most successful directors and producers in Hollywood -- and a man beloved by fanboys. He runs one of the industry's top production companies, Bad Robot, and created or co-created television franchises like "Lost," "Fringe" and "Alias." He has also directed film spectacles "Mission: Impossible III," "Star Trek" and "Super 8."

The lure of the Jedi was too strong, and it will no doubt complicate his relationship with Paramount, where Bad Robot is a top supplier. Abrams has been feverishly working on "Star Trek Into Darkness," his second Star Trek film since he rebooted the franchise in 2009. "Into Darkness," still in post-production, opens May 18.

Though he has several producing jobs in front of him, Abrams had been uncommitted as a director. He will have to jump right into "Star Wars," which Disney has slated for a 2015 release. "Little Miss Sunshine" screenwriter Michael Arndt is penning the script.

Reached by TheWrap, Lynne Hale, spokeswoman for Lucasfilm, declined to comment immediately. Neither CAA, which represents Abrams, nor Bad Robot immediately responded to requests for comment.

RBR: Premium Rush

2012 was quite a year for Joseph Gordon Levitt who costarred in blockbusters (The Dark Knight Rises), Oscar contenders (Lincoln) and had a breakout performance in Looper. However, I doubt he's as proud of this film about a bike messenger who's being chased by some bad dudes in the streets of NY. On one hand, I do have to give the film some credit by offering up something different in the action/chase genre. However, watching this film it becomes clear why bikes are not used more often in action films. The first chase scene offers something fresh and new, but it gets tiresome very quickly. The repetitive nature of the bike scenes make this film feel like it's 3 hours long when it's barely half that time in actuality. The director's attempts at playing with the narrative timeline don't help matters and only make the story more muddled. The fact that the film's climax involves a flash mob should tell you everything you need to know about whether or not this film for you. In case it's not clear, this is not the film for me. The lone salvation is Gordon Levitt, who remains a likeable presence on screen despite the lackluster material he has to work with here. Hopefully his other successes in 2012 will allow him to pass over projects like this in the future. Rating: ** 1/2

Odds are you'll have fun

It's January, which means it's once again time for the Royal Rumble. To get ready for one of the most entertaining matches of the year, you can watch the video below and see what makes this match so special...by the numbers.