Here's a quote from Vince McMahon yesterday regarding the Survivor Series, one of the original big four PPVs created back in 1987.
We think that Survivor Series is obsolete, as far as that title is concerned. It was something that worked many, many years ago, in terms of a creative standpoint, various teams competing. That really is not advantageous as the consumer now looks as what actually they are buying. And it's such a broad ... Survivor Series yes, many years ago, was one of the original four pay-per-views, but it's outlasted its usage and it is one of the things in terms of rebranding, this year and going forward, that will be rebranded. No longer will we have that title, Survivor Series.
This comes after PPV buyrates for the fourth quarter were revealed showing that the Survivor Series had less buys this year in comparison to the previous year, while all the other off month shows that had changed to those gimmick PPVs (Bragging Rights, Hell in a Cell, etc.) had gone up.
This is depressing for several reasons. First, I hate to see the end of one of the big four, especially that show since I loved the original concept for the show. While it hasn't been booked very well in recent years, I still believe the concept could work. Second, that buyrate data is not only disappointing, but I believe misleading. A show featuring multiple Hell in a Cell matches sounds appealing, but was terrible in its execution. Plus there was two PPVs in October, people could have been tapped out financially, resulting in many people not buying the Survivor Series in November. This is just a bad business move all around and indicates the WWE is heading in the absolute wrong direction with how to present PPV shows.
I typically don't go for the war films, but considering this is the movie that everyone seems to think has the best chance of beating Avatar at this year's Oscars, I figured I would see what all the hubbub was about.
The film centers primarily around a group of U.S. soldiers in Iraq who are responsible for finding bombs and disarming them. Naturally, this provides the film with several tense moments. And a lot of credit goes to Kathryn Bigelow for creating a wonderful sense of anxiety in these moments. She gives each scene a sense of realism without overdoing it on the melodrama. I would have absolutely no problem with her winning for Best Director (which would be unique because a) a woman has never won that award before and b) her ex-husband is James Cameron).
Another refreshing aspect of this film is that it takes a very apolitical stance. This isn't some conservative propaganda film nor is it filled with a bunch of liberal sermonizing. It's an honest look at the tremendous dangers that our soldiers still face while fighting overseas. For that reason, I enjoyed this film a lot better than some of the other recent movies that have dealt with this subject.
However, I cannot completely endorse this film for the simple fact that the environment that this film takes place in is so foreign and unengaging to me. I cannot understand why anyone would put themselves at risk like that, nor can I fathom why anyone would prefer living like that than at home with a family, which we see in the lead character, William James (played by Jeremy Renner). I felt uncomfortable and sad throughout most of the film.
I applaud the craftsmanship of the film, but I can safely say that I'll never watch it again. If you're enjoy checking out each year's Best Picture contenders, then I would certainly suggest you seek this one out. However, if you typically don't care for films about the Iraq War, then I doubt you'll want to see this one either. Grade: B
I don't know if this will be for everyone, but I found it interesting and wanted to share it. It's a student made video that attempts to parody The Office while commenting on how instructors use (or don't use) technology in their classroom. I think the video only moderately succeeds at being a parody and social commentary, but it does provoke some good debate on the topic; a topic that I'm thoroughly interested in. Feel free to share your own thoughts on it as well.
Here's a pair of films featuring a couple of funny guys trying to do some serious business.
Big Fan: This film stars Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens) as a huge New York Giants fan, who has a chance encounter with his favorite player and ends up getting assaulted by him. Being the huge Giants fan that he is, he refuses to press charges in fear of hurting the team. This is billed as a dark comedy, but I failed to really see the humor in any of it. This is a bleak, albeit fairly realistic examination into the level of fanaticism displayed by certain people. I thought the acting was solid here, but the story was fairly empty. I would have preferred an exploration of this issue beyond the protagonists' perspective, but we never get it. It tries so hard to give a tragically ironic finish, yet it lands more with a dull thud than with any reverberance. Grade: C
Taking Woodstock: Here we have Demitri Martin (who you should definitely see in his weekly show on Comedy Central) playing a dramatic role in Ang Lee's drama about the organization of Woodstock. I didn't think it was possible, but somehow a film about Woodstock was made without featuring one performance. Instead, we get a lot of broad, unfunny characters running in and out of the film without any true insight as to why they're being included here. The only one that receives any depth is Martin's character, but I found him to be completely unengaging. Eugene Levy brightens things up but he disappears far too quickly from the film. This felt like I was on one bad trip and I was just waiting for the buzz to wear off. Definite recommendation to avoid. Grade: D+
Without a horse in the race for this year's Super Bowl (as is usually the case, thank you very much Cleveland Browns), I didn't really care too much about the game. That left me with the Super Bowl ads, which this year I thought were fairly disappointing. Not a lot jumped out at me as being particularly memorable. However there were a couple of bright spots...
Chevy Chase seems to be everywhere these days, but it was nice to see him reprising one of his classic roles, Clark Griswold in this ad for homeaway.com
There's actually an extended version of the commercial, a mini-movie of sorts, which you can also check out here.
However, my favorite spot came early in the night with this Snickers ad featuring Betty White. Even at her advanced age, she can still go and be just as hilarious as any of today's funny ladies.
By the way, if you're interested, there's currently a petition floating around Facebook trying to get Betty White to be a host on SNL. I think this is a fantastic idea, so add your name to the list and let's hope it comes to fruition!
Hopefully the movies reviews are going to keep coming in at a regular pace. If you're unfamiliar with this movie, it was a sci-fi flick starring Bruce Willis that came out last fall. Based on the trailers it appeared to be a mix of The Matrix and I, Robot. While that was true from a plot perspective, this movie fails to reach any of the intellectual highs that those films had.
The story centers around most people using robots to do their daily functions while everyone controls them from the comforts of their own home. When a cop (played by Bruce Willis wearing a variety of laughable wigs) discovers that someone can be killed as a result of their surrogate robot being destroyed, he investigates who's behind it before the entire population is put in danger.
The film initiates a lot of interesting questions, both technological and philosophical, but never really explores them. At under 90 minutes, the film barely has enough time to get any action in, let alone delve into the significance of the world it has created. The film does provide some comic relief, however it appears to be more of the unintentional kind. Most of it comes from Ving Rhames playing a radical leader who's trying to end the usage of surrogates. Despite wearing dreadlocked hair and a bushy beard, it's still clear it is Rhames, which makes it difficult to take anything the character says seriously.
Surrogates is a fun diversion, but nothing more. It wouldn't have been worth a recommendation in theaters, but is harmless enough to be enjoyed on the small screen. If you enjoy Willis or the sci-fi genre, this is probably worht a rental. Grade: C+
Here's a new trailer for his upcoming film Cop Out, co-starring Tracy Morgan. This one is a red band trailer and whole hell of lot funnier than the original one that was released. Check it out for yourself:
I have so many other movie review yet to do, but I just saw this one and figured I would do a quick write-up for it instead since it's still fresh in my head. As most probably now, the zombie genre is not one that I'm particularly fond of. Yet, for whatever reason, the trailer for this film really captured my attention, so I thought I would give it a try. Turns out my instincts were right as this is a very fun film.
The premise is simple enough, Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg are two of the few remaining humans left on a planet inhabited by zombies. On their way to seeking sanctuary from the flesh craving monsters, they come across a pair of sisters (played by Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin) and team up as they head to an amusement park that they believe is zombie-free.
While the main characters are engaging and funny, the real delight of this film comes from a cameo by a well-known actor. The surprise is too good to reveal here, so I'll keep mum. Just trust me that this person's appearance is worth the price of admission alone.
Oddly enough, my largest complaint about the film is that it had a few too many dead spots, which certainly isn't good when the film is only an hour and half long. I was expecting a more consistent level of thrills and scares. Instead, the film moseys along and takes time to ponder the meaning of life in between blowing off the heads of the living dead. Even with the lulls, the films has enough to easily make me recommend it for a rental. I'm also hopeful that a sequel will be in the works that will up the ante from this one. Grade: B
So Lost finally made it's big return this past week and, not surprisingly, I'm just as confused as ever, but in a good way. The two hour premiere packed a whole lot in it that will probably take a couple more viewings for me to figure it all out. We certainly got a fair share of answers (What happened to Cindy and the kids, the Man in Black is also Smokey, what was in the guitar case), but also a new slew of questions(What did Juliet mean by 'it worked', how did Sayid survive, what the hell is going on with these 'flash sideways'). It was also cool to see so many past characters return (Leslie Arzt, Boone, the marshal, Frogurt!)
I could spend days discussing everything, but I did want to give a special shout out to Terry O'Quinn, who is doing some of his best acting work recently. Portraying the menacing Man in Black, while also displaying the kind, vulnerable Locke in these flash sideways has been quite impressive.
Lastly, check out this video showing the opening scene from season 1 side by side with the way the season opened this year. There are some key differences between the two that I'm sure everyone will be deciphering from now until the series ends in a couple of months.
Yes, it time once again for perhaps my favorite pay per view of the year, the Royal Rumble. This year seems to have a more wide open field with regard to the potential winner, so I'm definitely intriqued. And if you need any more convincing as to why this match is so awesome, here's this year's new promo video counting down the ways.
Some quick thoughts on the return of a few of my favorite shows:
Chuck: I've been very pleased with how they are handling Chuck's new abilities. But what pleases me even more is the success it's having in the ratings thus far. The show has done a nice job of staying true to its roots, while still expanding. The additions of Brandon Routh and Kristen Kreuk has been handled well so far and I look forward to seeing how they'll play into the whole scheme of things as the season progresses. Overall this show has one of the most likeable casts around and you should be doing yourself a favor and checking out this show if you haven't already. Grade: A-
24: As the clock ticks again, I find myself a bit frustrated. It seems that they have some decent elements in play here: Jack looking to get out of the world saving game, the suave Middle Eastern leader with mysterious agendas, Renee turning more into Jack with each passing minute, Freddie Prinze Jr. trying to be a badass, etc. Yet after five episodes, not a whole lot has happened yet. I'll forgive the slow start if they are able to kick things into high gear as the day goes on, but right now I'm beginning to get concerned that this season is looking more like the terrible season 6 rather than their successful rebound season last year. Only time will tell...pun intended. Grade: C+
And don't forget, we still have more TV returning in the upcoming month as Lost (Feb. 2), Important Things with Dimitri Martin (Feb. 4) and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains (Feb. 11) all kick off their new seasons shortly.
So I know I'm chiming in on this way late, but I obviously wanted to comment on the whole Leno/Conan debacle. Certainly everyone came out a loser in this situation. Conan got a raw deal, however, I can't say that I was overly thrilled with his Tonight Show. Conan felt completely out of place in L.A. So let's hope that he moves back to NY with whatever new show he decides to do. As for Leno, he comes off like the petulant brat who constantly needs to be coddled. Seeing NBC continue to cater to his unfunny ass is wholly depressing. Which brings me to NBC and their bungling of this situation. You'd like to think that hopefully they've learned their lesson after this, but given that they committed similar mistakes when Leno first took over the Tonight. I could continue ranting about this, but I think I'll let this video do a better job of summing up the situation. It appears that Conan has some powerful fans.
This review for Sherlock Holmes is long overdue since I saw this film over Christmas break. Luckily, I enjoyed the film enough that a lot of it remains fresh in my head.
As you probably recall, I had at the beginning of last year put this high on my must-see list for '09. I've always been a fan of mysteries, and while I've never read any of Arthur Conan Doyle's books, I felt knowledgeable enough about the Holmes series to know this would be right up my alley. The fact that they chose Robert Downey Jr., hot off of Iron Man and Tropic Thunder, to play the super sleuth was just the cherry on top.
Downey, of course, is brilliant once again here. He immediately immerses himself into the character and really looks like he's having fun playing the intelligent, yet stand-offish Holmes. However, this portrayal would not have worked as well unless he had a proper Watson to play off of. Thankfully, Jude Law was up to the task and has great chemistry with Downey. Their love/hate relationship provides some of the film's best moments.
As many people probably picked up on, their relationship is very similar to the one you see between TV's House and Wilson. These two characters know each other so well, which allows each of them to perform better at their job, even if it means they torment each other in the process. The comparison to House shouldn't surprise anyone as the creators of House molded their character the show off of the original Sherlock Holmes character. Certainly, if you're a fan of the medical mystery show, you will appreciate the banter that's exhibited between the two leads in this movie.
While the film packs plenty of comedy, it also has its fair share of action as well. Certainly one of the biggest concerns people had before the film opened was seeing clips of Holmes involved in some bare knuckle boxing fight scenes. While it seemed a bit out of character, I felt within the film's central story it worked really well. What is nice about these fighting scenes is how we see Holmes dissect the fight to know exactly where to attack his opponent in order to win every time. Watching these scenes was akin to watching a technical wrestler in WWE pick apart his opponent. I always love when people display intelligence in a fight rather than just put on a display of senseless brutality.
As for the film's central mystery, it can be certainly be confusing at times as it centers around black magic, resurrections, and secret societies. While some may get annoyed at feeling lost while trying to follow along, I certainly appreciated the vagueries. The one thing I hate is when I can figure out how a movie will play out within the first twenty minutes. And for those who are patient with the story, they are rewarded as Holmes is of course able to figure everything out and then explain it to us so that it all makes sense.
The one fault I had with the film was the underutilization of Rachel McAdams' character. She plays Irene Adler, a thief/former love interest of Holmes, who's the only person who can seemingly match wits with him. In the time she is on the screen she is riveting, but her scenes are too far and few in between. Given the way the film played out, I'm hoping that she might return of future films. And speaking of which, I also tip my hat to this film for laying the groundwork for a sequel. Without giving too much away, the film does a nice job establishing a central story for the next film if they choose to make it. Based on the financial performance of this one, I'd say that is almost a certainty now.
Now as I said at the top, I'm an admitted mystery fan, so maybe this film worked for me more than it will for others, but from my point of view, this was completely satisfying. Even my initial concerns over the fact that the film was directed by Guy Ritchie were unfounded. He delivers a fast-paced, action-filled film that also has plenty of funny moments. If you've already seen Avatar twelve times and are ready for an alternative, still seek this out at the theaters. Otherwise, make sure you check it out once it comes out on DVD. There's no mystery about this one, it's a winner. Grade: A-
While he never really made much of a presence in the WWF, this is undoubtably a huge blow to the country of Finland. I can't believe we're only a few weeks into the new year and we already have yet another wrestler under 50 passing away. When is this trend going to stop?
Here's a pair of movies I caught recently through Netflix that not only feature main characters making questionable decisions in their lives, but also represent two cases where I incorrectly predicted the quality of the films.
Extract: This movie just kind of sits there and doesn't offer much of anything. There are a few laughs, but when you boast a cast with the likes of Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, JK Simmons, Ben Affleck, and Kristin Wiig, you expect it to be a whole lot more funny. Director Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Office Space) has always been good on depicting varying levels of stupidity in his characters. While most of the characters exhibit stupidity here, I didn't find myself amused by their cluelessness like I have with some of his other stuff. A major disappointment here and not worth a rental unless you work in a factory and can perhaps appreciate better that environment being represented here. Rating: **
Sunshine Cleaning: Here, the opposite effect occured, as I was initially skeptical of how good this movie would be. It seemed to have all the makings for an annoying indie film. Quirky town, down-on-their-luck characters, dyfunctional families, etc. However, this one managed to avoid the cliches and deliver a strong, albeit small film. Amy Adams and Emily Blunt star as a pair of sisters, who decide to go into business for themselves as crime scene cleaners. This new employment opportunity provides them with a new outlook on life and allows their family to grow stronger as a result. Along for the ride is Alan Arkin, terrific as always, as the girls' father. Despite Arkin's presence and the word 'sunshine' in the title this nothing like Little Miss Sunshine, which was so nauseating in its attempt to be edgy and cool. This is a simple, yet engaging story that makes you want to see more of these characters even after the film ends. Don't dismiss it like I did and give this one a watch. Rating: *****
Here's the list of the 20 competitors for the upcoming season of Survivor consisting of former castaways along with my analysis on the choices and their odds of winning:
Heroes
Rupert Boneham (Previous seasons: Pearl Islands, All-Stars) Rupert's always been a good guy, but perhaps too nice to win this game. We've seen him come close in his previous two outings. I just don't know if he's gained that killer edge to put him over the top.
James Clement (Previous seasons: China, Micronesia) I'm a little surprised he was brought back for a third time. He's obviously got superior physical strength, but I just don't see him playing the social game well enough to make it far.
Colby Donaldson (Previous seasons: The Australian Outback, All-Stars) One of the few returning castaways from an early season. Colby was a strong player back in the day, but we've seen a lot better contestants both physically and socially come along since then. It's hard to believe, but he may be an underdog considering some of the large personalities on both tribes.
Cirie Fields (Previous seasons: Panama, Micronesia) I don't know why they keep bringing her back. I've never been fond of her or her gameplay. She seems to always do well, but I can't understand why. Let's hope the same doesn't hold true this time around.
Amanda Kimmell (Previous seasons: China, Micronesia) Here's a unique case. This is Amanda's third time and she still has never been voted off once. She also has never won. Something's gotta give this time. If she makes it to the finals, lets hope she's finally figured out how to properly win over the jury. If I had to guess though, my bet is on her finally seeing her torch snuffed out.
Jessica “Sugar” Kiper (Previous season: Gabon) I had concerns that Sugar would be real irritating when I first saw her. Then she ended up getting crapped on by everyone around her, making her extremely sympathetic. It remains to see whether that will hold true again this time around. She may be a bit too naive to win it all.
Stephenie LaGrossa (Previous seasons: Palau, Guatemala) I really liked Stephanie in her first go round and then she became somewhat unpleasant in Guatamala. In neither case did she win. Win or lose, I hope we see the likeable Stephanie reemerge this season.
James “J.T.” Thomas (Previous season: Tocantins) An obvious strong player who was instantly likeable as well. They may make him an instant target, since they may want to eliminate the previous winners early. If he hangs on to the merge, he's got a good chance of making it all the way.
Tom Westman (Previous season: Palau) Tom just bulldozed through the competition in Palau, but I have a feeling he may have a more difficult time here. He's one of the oldest competitors, so I'll be watching to see if he can still hang with the big boys or if he'll just become the grumpy old man.
Candice Woodcock (Previous season: Cook Islands) Here's the first big 'huh' of the game. I had to go back and look at who this was. Even after seeing her picture, she still didn't strike me as anyone I wanted to see again, nor did I feel she's worthy of being a hero. I worry, just like with Amber during the All Star season, someone unworthy of being included in the cast will end up winning this thing because everyone else is so concerned with eliminating the big names.
Villains
Tyson Apostol (Previous season: Tocantins) Tyson was kind of outshone by other larger personalities on his own season, so I wonder if he'll be able to make himself known here or if he'll just fade into the woodwork. I don't think he has the same level of savvy as some of his teammates to survive past the merge.
Randy Bailey (Previous season: Gabon) I had high hopes for him being a standout personality during his season, but he kept to himself more than I would have liked. Despite his gruff demeanor, I actually liked Randy and hope he does well here.
Sandra Diaz-Twine (Previous season: Pearl Islands) I could have done without her being brought back. She was an undeserving winner back in Pearl Islands, so I would hate to see here go far again. I have a feeling that with so many strong men on this team, she'll go quickly.
Danielle DiLorenzo (Previous season: Panama) Basically the same comments I had about Candace apply doubly here. A major 'who???' factor here. I have to believe she only got in because they couldn't get Richard Hatch out of jail in enough time and they figured they'd rather see her naked than him. I pray to go she doesn't win either.
Russell Hantz (Previous season: Samoa) I really want him to do well after getting snubbed last season. This guy is amazing at game play. On the plus side, since this season was filmed right after Samoa, none of the other castaways should know much about him. However, the fact that he was so upset about losing last season makes me think he didn't go far this time around. Let's hope that's not the case.
Jerri Manthey (Previous seasons: Australian Outback, All-Stars) I'm not crazy about Jerri, but she's likely to make for good TV. It sounds like she's decided to embrace her inner bitch this time, which will be more tolerable than her trying to act nice and still coming off like a bitch. My guess is she's too unlikeable to win, but stranger things have happened.
“Boston” Rob Mariano (Previous seasons: Marquesas, All-Stars) Boston Rob irritated me both times he was on Survivor, but then I found him to be quite fun when he did the Amazing Race. Hopefully, he'll be more entertaining than annoying. He's proven to be pretty successful, but I wonder if he still has enough new tricks up his sleeve to maintain his dominance.
Parvati Shallow (Previous seasons: Cook Islands, Micronesia) I still can't believe she managed to pull off the victory in fans vs. favorites. I don't consider her to be a smart player, but we've seen that isn't always necessary to pick up a victory in this game. I have a feeling she'll find it's more difficult for her this time now that's she's already won.
“Coach” Benjamin Wade (Previous season: Tocantins) I'm really looking forward to seeing what the Dragon Slayer will do this time around. Some people who were outspoken in their previous seasons try going the opposite way if they play the game again, but somehow I don't see him doing that. If he becomes too intolerable, he'll get a quick boot. But finding that right alliance may allow him to coast to the finals.
Courtney Yates (Previous season: China) She was so mean and nasty, I can easily see why she was brought back on the villains side. However, I've gotten to see her doing some stuff on Entertainment Weekly with their Survivor reporter, Dalton Ross, and she's pretty hilarious on there. Oddly enough, I might be rooting for her this time around.
And now here's a video previewing the upcoming season that aired during last night's People's Choice Awards:
Sony has decided to push back the start of production on Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 4, a Sony source confirms to Variety. (The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.) The film, starring Tobey Maguire and directed by Sam Raimi, was to have begun shooting in February. The studio does not yet know when the film will get rolling, according to the reports. Last month, Raimi and co. hit the pause button on pre-production in order to do further work on the script. It is now unliklely that Spidey 4 will meet its announced May 6, 2011 release date.
Some curious new promos photos for the upcoming final season of Lost have just surfaced. Call them images from 'The Lost Supper'. Check them out and analyze their meaning(s) below.
