Hammer Time

Despite the big box office for Fast Five last weekend, it was this weekend that the summer movie season officially began and like it has for quite a few years now, it started with a comic book movie. This time around, it's Thor, the god of thunder who gets a chance to shine on the big screen. Thor may not be as well known as say, Batman or Spiderman, but still has a rich mythology that gets properly introduced in this film.

Given the lesser name recognition, Thor certainly had an uphill battle. First there's the issue of non-fans. With most comic book heroes, unless they are really well known, the director has to find a way of staying true to the character's history, while also making the film accessible to people who are not as familiar with him. Thor's story is more problematic given that it deals with two worlds. A lot of Thor's story involves his battle and interactions in his home world of Asgard. But since Thor will eventually join forces with other human heroes like Iron Man and Captain America, the film must also find a way to have him come to Earth and begin to establish relationships with characters there. Finding the right balance on both of those issues is not easy. The fact the film was being directed by Kenneth Branagh, a man not known for making these type of films just added to the likelihood of failure.

But I'm happy to report that Thor manages to overcome those obstacles and deliver a mostly entertaining film. A large part of this is thanks to a winning performance by Chris Hemsworth in the leading role. Hemsworth (last seen as Kirk's father in the Star Trek reboot) is not just some himbo that has the right look. In battle, he comes off looking mightly, but he's also adept with the lighter, humorous scenes. Those scenes typically come during his interactions with a group of scientists who find him in New Mexico after Thor's father, Odin (played by Anthony Hopkins) banished him to Earth. Hemsworth's plays particuarly well with Natalie Portman, one of the scientists who not surprisingly finds herself smitten with the Norse god. The two have a nice chemsitry together and I would have liked for there to have been more scenes between them as their pairing felt a bit rushed.

The rushed nature is due to the fact that half of the film takes place is Asgard, Thor's home world. It is there that we're introduced to a whole host of characters, including Loki (played by Tom Hiddleston), Thor's brother who resents the power and favor Thor has earned. These scenes will likely confuse a lot of non-fans, but Branagh does his best on drawing from his Shakespearian roots to makes the themes played out in these scenes to be as relatable as possible. Credit also to the director for avoiding the cheesiness that can often coincide with scenes involving rainbow bridges, gatekeepers, and frost giants.

While I enjoyed Thor, I also couldn't help still feeling frustrated. This is yet another film heavy on exposition and light on action. While there are certainly some decent battle scenes, including a brief but effective sequence involving an entity known as The Destroyer, there really isn't an engaging conflict to sink your teeth into. Similar to the first two Iron Man films, the concept of defeating a bad guy is secondary to having characters go through a trial to discover themselves. And to think, we've got to endure this again with Captain America later this summer. And it may not even get better once next summer's Avengers movie happens because most of that will likely be spent on having the heroes learning how to work with each other. Internal conflict is fine, but at some point, I just want to see good and evil duke it out in a blaze of glory. That's why The Dark Knight remains the apex of these films because it put the conflict between Batman and the Joker in center stage.

Those who were already fans of Thor from the comics will be very pleased with this film. From all that I've read and personally know about the character, those involved with the film have done a nice job of staying true to the character and making him come to life. For outsiders, there is certainly enough here, particularly the scenes on here for you to enjoy and be able to watch the film without feeling lost. Everyone needs to realize though that this is ultimately still another piece in a larger puzzle. If you can accept the lack of payoff here and the teases of bigger things to come, then you'll be in for a fun time at the multiplex. Thor isn't quite a god amongst comic book movies, but director Kenneth Branagh makes a heroic effort to have this film be as enjoyable as it is. Grade: B

Tribe Watch (Week 6)

Record: 22-11

Standing: First in the AL Central

I'm more upset with the team than I should be right now and that's because of a tough luck loss we had today. The Angels managed to get all the little bounces going their way and some tactical errors on our end led to a frustrating defeat. But on the positive side, we managed to go .500 on the road trip, which is exactly what I wanted us to do when I previewed this West Coast trip last week. The Indians faced some tough pitching this past week and we're in every game. I like how this team isn't giving up in games, which makes them exciting until the very end. And after an off day tomorrow, the Indians come back home to play and see if they can continue to build on their 13-game win streak at Progressive Field. It should be interesting as they'll be taking on a couple of teams who have been surging as of late - the Tampa Bay Rays and the Seattle Mariners. We've proven we can play well against Seattle already, but Tampa is more of a mystery. We'll be facing more tough starting pitching from them, but we've played well against them in the past, so hopefully that continues again here. Maybe if we do well, we can finally get some national recognition for our success. Then again, maybe it's better if we don't have the national spotlight on us. No need to put an unnecessary target on our backs. Whatever happens, you know I'll continue watching. Go Tribe!!

Sein language

I've got no real reason to post this other than it's hilarious and I hadn't seen it in a long time. It's segment from Conan's old show involving people auditioning to replace Seinfeld. I can't tell you how many times my friends and I repeated the phrase "What's the deal with corn nuts?" after we saw this.

NMR: The Green Hornet

For everything that this movie does right, it does twice as many things wrong. Based on an old radio superhero, this modern telling of The Green Hornet, could have been so much better than what it was. There are a lot of likable actors in the cast including a star-making turn for Jay Chou, as the Hornet's sidekick Kato, Christoph Waltz hamming it up as the villainous Chudnofsky, Tom Wilkinson as the Hornet's late father, and even James Franco shows up in a fun cameo as a drug dealer. But all of the good they bring to the film is undone by Seth Rogen as the titular Hornet. He is beyond unlikable in this film. His sophmoric antics and unappealing attitude towards those around him make you wish that the movie was about Kato and not him. Rogen can be funny, but he was not only miscast here, but since he co-wrote the film he also didn't do a decent enough job making the character work. Visually, the film is also a mixed bag. Thanks to the ingenuity of Kato, the Hornet is equipped with several cool gadgets and a suped out car known as the Black Beauty. All of them are interesting and offer interesting takes on similar movie gadgets. However, director Michel Gondry goes overboard on the special effects to the point where they actually detract from the film instead of add to it. In particular, the scenes depicting Kato analyzing how to attack bad guys before he actually does is unnecessarily elaborate and technical. The way Guy Ritchie did this in Sherlock Holmes was much more effective. The Green Hornet character is interesting and worthy of a film adaptation. However, despite some appealing aspects in this film, the bad simply outweigh the good here to merit this film a recommendation. Those who opt to give it a view will likely feel stung. Rating: ** 1/2

Eagleton deleted scenes

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NMR: The Dilemma

I actually saw this in theaters back in January, but never got around to doing a review then, so I figured I would just do one now to mark its release on DVD/Blu-Ray. Given that it stars Vince Vaughn and Kevin James, this thing is seriously devoid of laughs. Instead of letting these guys be their natural, funny selves director Ron Howard explores some dark issues relating to fidelity and addiction. With a film like Parenthood, Howard was able to yield laughs out of the relatable events that the characters were involved in. Here, he's stuck in this limbo between realism and broad comedy and it never finds the right tone. For instance, amongst the scenes we see Vaughn struggling with finding a way to tell his friend that his wife (played by Winona Ryder) is cheating on him, we have these unnaturally bawdy scenes involving Queen Latifah. The most frustrating thing of all for me was that most of the dramatic tension could have easily been resolved had the characters just actually taken the time to talk with each other. By now you should know how much that irks a communication major. It's a cheap and lazy ploy to keep the story going. The likeable leads (which also include the engaging and sexy Jennifer Connelly) are able to keep the film from being utterly terrible, but they all deserve better material than what they are working with here. There's no dilemma here, you can take a pass on this movie. Rating: ** 1/2

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

With all the big news happening lately, let's not let this momentous occurence be ignored. Last night, the Beardocalypse took place as Will Ferrell got rid of Conan O'Brien's beard. I know a lot are upset by this, but frankly I never dug it so I'm glad it's gone. Check out all the hilarity that happened before the noteworthy shave.

Tribe Watch (Week 5)

Record: 19-8

Standing: First in AL Central

Ask and ye shall deliver. In my post last week I mentioned that we had two big series against divisional rivals that we needed to do well in and boy did we ever. Sweeping both series, the Indians are on a huge roll right now breaking or trying all sorts of records. The way we won each of the three games against the Tigers in comeback fashion was not only amazing to watch, but also critical in helping this team build character and become a legitimate playoff threat. But having a great April means nothing if you can't play well in the other months. So now as we head into April, we can only hope that Tribe will be able to keep up their winning ways. They get a different test of sorts this week as they head, once again, back out west for a road trip that features series against both Oakland and the Anaheim Angels. The supposed blueprint for a playoff team is having a winning record at home and play .500 on the road. So if we can accomplish that and split these series, I'll be perfectly happy for that. I only hope that I can stay up long enough each night in order to see that happen. Given the way they are playing, I think I'll find a way.

Number crunching

Check out what happens as this Price is Right contestant celebrates his $1.00 spin on the big wheel. (Sorry for the poor quality, I'll repost if I find a better one later).

NMR: Tron: Legacy

I had hoped that I could watch the original Tron before seeing this sequel, but of course Netflix sent me this one first instead. As it turns out, it didn't really matter since story doesn't really play a large role in this film. It doesn't take much to get caught up with what had happened in the first one here. And then as far as the actual plot for this film goes, it's flimsy and pedestrian. Clearly, the filmmakers hoped that the film's visuals would serve as enough of a distraction to make people ignore the lackluster story. And for a lot of the film, it does work. The video game world offers up unique visuals and scenes like the ones on the bikes are really enthralling. Unfortunately, there's not enough of those action scenes and eventually this video game world becomes boring and redundant. It's just the black, white, orange scheme everywhere. Credit goes to Jeff Bridges for not only coming back for this sequel but doing everything in his power to lend it some gravitas. Garrett Hedlund, who plays Bridges' son in the film, is devoid of any charisma and it's even more apparent whenever he's in scenes with the infinitely more talented Bridges. Whether you watch this film or not depends on what you value more - your eyes or your brain. There's nothing intellectually stimulating about this film, but for the most part it does offer some decent eye candy that will no doubt look great on HD TVs. As for me, I just wish technology could help improve the story as much as it did the visual effects. Rating: ***

Soulmates deleted scenes

I'm a little behind. Here are the deleted scenes from last week's Parks and Recreation.

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Great Scott

Just thought I would share some quick thoughts on Steve Carell's final episode as Michael Scott on The Office. I will admit that it was sad to see him go and I think the episode struck the right tone in emotion. I liked how Michael had some interaction with each of his employees before leaving and each meeting did a nice job of truly reflecting the relationship that character had with him. Whether it was maintaining a hatred of Toby, laughing off how much Oscar doesn't value him, playing a father figure to Erin or being so emotionally connected to both Jim and Pam. I also really enjoyed Michael acknowledging that this whole thing is supposed to still be a documentary before off-mic giving us one final "That's what she said".

The Office will certainly miss Carell's presence, but I also think this gives them an interesting opportunity to reinvent themselves by bringing in a new character or two. Let's just hope that permanent person isn't Will Ferrell, who has thus far been a disappointment in his three episodes. I love Will, but he's been more of an annoying distraction rather than a comedic boost during this story arc. His character is ill-defined and all over the place. In some ways, his screentime has taken away the significance of Carell's departure. Then again, maybe in some perverse way, that was the intention of bringing him on. Next week will be Ferrell's last episode, but then things get real interesting for the finale, which features several big name actors including Jim Carrey, Ray Romano, Ricky Gervais, James Spader, and Will Arnett all coming on to apply for the job. I'm not sure I'm convinced any of them are staying on full-time, but it should be fun to watch. In the meantime, I, along with all the Office fans, should thank Steve for seven wonderful season of awkward, but hilarious humor that will go down in the annals of one of the greatest TV characters of all time.

Hogwarts and all

Are you ready for the end? Here's the first full trailer for Part 2 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

A new Wii? Oui!

Looks like gamers can expect a new console from Nintendo sometime next year. Here are a few more details on the system from Mashable.com:

Nintendo has confirmed it will launch a successor to its popular Wii gaming console in 2012.

As of March, Nintendo has sold 86.01 million Wiis since 2006 when the console was launched. However, in 2010 the company sold only 15.1 million Wiis globally — a 25% drop from 2009 when it sold 20.1 million units.

The company also revealed its yearly financial results for 2010, marking a big drop in net profit — $825 million — 66 percent less than in 2009.

The declining Wii sales paired with the shoddy financial results make this a perfect moment for Nintendo to announce the next version of Wii. A “2012 launch” is as vague as launch dates come, but Nintendo promised to have a playable unit, as well as more details and specifications of the upcoming Wii model, at the E3 Expo, which is June 7-9 in Los Angeles.

NMR: The Tourist

Given the star power that this film boasts, it should have been way better than what it was. Not even the high-wattage status of Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp can save a film mired by a weak story and glacial storytelling. This, like last summer's Knight and Day, is an action comedy which features an average nobody unwittingly being paired with someone who is running from the law whose intentions aren't exactly clear. Unlike the aforementioned film, The Tourist is light on laughs and action. The film strolls along expecting us to come along for the ride simply because it involves these big name stars. It doesn't help that all of the extras in the film stare awestruck at the two leads as if they were looking at the real people and not their characters. Meanwhile, actors in supporting roles like Paul Bettany and Timothy Dalton get absolutely lost in the shuffle. There is an attempt to salvage things at the end by throwing in a couple of twists, but by that point the audience has already figured them out or they simply don't care. Don't get fooled by the A-list names attached to the film, the B-level story makes this a film you can skip. Rating: ** 1/2

Oh Brother!

Check out Paul Rudd in his latest film, the indie comedy Our Idiot Brother.

Tribe Watch (Week 4)

Record: 13-8

Standing: First place in AL Central

The Tribe certainly ended the week on a down note losing their last three games. However, the good news is that we still remain in first place and we were competitive in every game, except for one this week. I want to believe that this is not just a hot start, but a sign that this is a team that could compete in postseason this year. But for me to be convinced, the Indians are going to have to start playing better against their AL Central rivals. Currently, we have a 3-6 record against them, which is not good. We'll certainly have a chance to improve that though this week as we are back home playing against Kansas City and Detroit. Those teams are tied for second place, each a game and a half behind us. Playing well against them could give us some separation in the standings as we head into the month of May. Let's just hope the weather behaves and allows them to play ball because win or lose, I love watching the Tribe!

Special delivery

Here's the first trailer for 30 Minutes or Less. I like the pairing of Jesse Eisenberg and Aziz Ansari, but I have never found Danny McBride funny, so this one could go either way for me. Feel free to make up your own decision on it though. Warning: NSFW!

Train of thought

It seems lately, the only movies I see at the theater are twisty sci-fi films. That's ok though when they are of the quality of last month's The Adjustment Bureau or the latest film I saw, Source Code. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, the film does a nice job of keeping the action going while also keeping the audience guessing.

Based on previews alone, the film seems very straightforward. A soldier by the name of Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) is tasked with stopping a bomber who has boarded a train looking to blow up Chicago. However, what appears to be a routine mission is anything but. For starters, the bomb has actually already gone off. Through technology and sci-fi magic, Stevens is able to go back before the bomb exploded in hopes of discovering who the bomber is. For some films, that would be enough of a twist, but that's not good enough here. Needless to say, the story is even more complicated than that, but I won't spoil them for you here. Just be aware that there's a lot more going on in this film than what the previews might suggest.

The film is directed by Duncan Jones, who is beginning to develop quite the resume. Jones, the son of David Bowie, first entered on the scene with his 2009 film, Moon. That film was a smaller, creative film that explored the isolation of outer space and the effects that has on an astronaut. Once again Jones plays with the ideas of perception and reality here and for the most part it's sucessful. Even while working with a large budget, Jones is able to ground his film and let the storytelling remain the focus.

Selecting Gyllenhaal for the lead character was also an effective choice. He does a nice job of conveying the sense of confusion that his character, along with the audience, is experiencing as he tries to deal with his mission. Along the way, he encounters several people who help him out with varying levels of success. On the government side of things Vera Farmiga plays an office in charge of giving him his orders, while Jeffrey Wright (unnecessarily written as a cripple) is the man who developed the technology that allows Stevens to go back in time. As for on the train, Stevens meets Christina Warren (played by Michelle Monaghan) believes he is someone else. The two actors play well off of each other and it's interesting to see their characters develop a bond even as disaster is immeninent.

Where the film begins to fall apart slightly is in its climax. Credit to the writers for not taking the cheap ambiguous route with the film's storyline. But by not only offering up explanations, but also extending the film beyond the mission, the film creates more problematic questions. There are some plot holes that could have been avoided had the film not been so forthright with the capability of this technology. These questions become so nagging, that you end up leaving the theater only focusing on them instead of the fun ride you had throughout the majority of the film.

The film does offer up enough twists and turns though to still recommend it. While I think it's good enough to seek out still in theaters, it's also a film that may be better served to watch in the comfort of your own home so that you have a better opportunity to process everything that's happening. As a bonus, if you're a fan of the show Quantum Leap, you'll definitely enjoy this movie as there are a few shoutouts to the sci-fi drama. Source Code requires some patience, but if you're willing to take the ride, you won't need to travel back in time to correct your mistake. Grade: B

Mixed media message

So this is really cool...there's a new videogame out called Portal 2. I'm not familiar with the game itself, but apparently, as part of the game there is an interactive trailer for the new film, Super 8. It's not a straightforward video showing clips from the film. Instead, it's a playable video game level where the action is connected to what will happen in the film. It's hard for me to explain, so I'll just suggest you watch the video below. This trailer doesn't really offer up any new details on the film, but is still a very slick way of advertising the film in a non-traditional manner.