Archive for ‘Bonus Materials’
112 items.
The trailer for new Will Ferrell “dramadey” Everything Must Go showed up online a couple of weeks ago, but I’m just getting around to it now. Actually, it’s been occupying my mind-grapes for that long, so I take that as a good sign. Check it out.
Ferrell plays a borderline alcoholic whose wife throws all of stuff out on the lawn, changes the locks on his house and walks out on him. Sucks to be him. As you can probably predict, great personal growth befalls Ferrell’s character when he decides to sell all of his possessions and separate himself from the failures of his past life.
The movie looks pretty straight forward. But as someone who deeply enjoyed Stranger Than Fiction, I’m looking forward to Everything Must Go because it seems to have a similar feel. How much of that can be contributed to Ferrell dialing it down a notch is purely conjecture at this point.
I know Ferrell is an acquired taste and that any movement into dramatic territory will be immediately dismissed as a craven attempt at legitimacy by his detractors (See Also: Jim Carrey). But what do you think of what you’ve seen so far. Is it worth a look?
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The new trailer for X-Men: First Class hit the internet today. Take a peek, won’t you?
Here is what X-Men: First Class gets right:
- Casting of James McAvoy
- Casting Michael Fassbender
- The design of Magneto’s helmet
Here’s what X-Men: First Class gets wrong:
- Everything else
Thoughts?
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The full theatrical trailer for Transformers: Dark of the Moon is almost good enough to make me forget that ridiculous title.
Almost.
I gotta give credit to whoever cut this trailer. It actually makes me excited to see the movie. It hits all the right beats and does a good job of making me feel like something is actually at stake. They certainly aren’t trying to play the cutesy-clever card like they did with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Watch the full trailer for that one, if you don’t believe me.
Boy, Shia LaBeouf sure likes to shout “OPTIMUS!” a lot, doesn’t he?
What’s your reaction to these two trailers?
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Trailers are popping up all over the internet this week, signaling the oncoming rush of summer blockbusters. Once Thor hits theaters next week, all bets are off.
Case in point, the new trailer for Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Or, as I like to call it, HP7.2 (so geeky!)
I have a history of “Meh” when it comes to the Harry Potter films. It’s always been kind of peripheral to my interests. I never read the books, I never got swept up in the hype. I’ve seen the majority of the movies, but DEFINATELY lost interest after the sprawling mess that was Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire.
I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in the theater, but I don’t remember it. I waited until Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince came out on DVD, but I don’t remember it. I didn’t bother seeing Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 2 at all.
I’m not curmudgeonly about it. I want to care. I just… don’t. For some reason, these films fail to connect with me. Maybe because they feel so repetitive? Or maybe they’re too British? And yet, that hasn’t stopped me from enjoying nearly a half century of James Bond films? What gives?
At any rate, here’s the new trailer. It’s… confusing.
Have you figured out what has me confused? Why did the people who cut this trailer together feel the need to include the same audio clip of Ralph Fiennes yelling “NYYYAHHHHHHH!” five different times? FIVE! What’s up with that? This is your last movie, people. Let’s go out with some class, can we?
Fiennes’s performance as Lord Voldermort has been the only interesting thing about the last 4 movies. The way this trailer is cut makes me kind of hate it now.
What’s your thought to the the new HP7.2 trailer? Are you prepared for the franchise to end? Leave your comments below.
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The following is a supercut of each of Bill Paxton’s lines as Pvt. Hudson from James Cameron’s Aliens condensed into one handy YouTube video.
Considering that the summation of Paxton’s performance can be distilled to roughly 6 minutes, I think it’s a compliment to him as an actor that he could create a character so indelible in our minds that people are still quoting “Game over, man! Game over!” over 25 years later.
When you think about it, there are very few protagonists that experience the character arc that Hudson does in traditional action movies. Most characters from that era were either superheroes or cannon fodder. Hudson was a little bit of both. Chest-puffing bravado at the outset, a pants-wetting fatalist after the first attack and a hero resigned to his fate by the end. In many ways, Hudson would act like we would in that situation and I think that’s why Paxton’s interpretation of him stays with us.
God be with you, Pvt. Hudson, you glorious coward.
Thoughts?
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Last night I had an opportunity to see Thor, which I was excited about because the last film I saw in the theater was Cedar Rapids and that’s kind of pathetic.
On the whole, I would say that I found Thor extremely entertaining and it was perhaps helped by my diminished expectations of the film.
I will say that at nearly 2 hours long, the film never dragged for me. And despite the final conflict feeling a little slapdash, I definitely wanted to see more!
I’ve talked with a few people in the comments section of the last two comics about my concerns the Thor is another set up for The Avengers in a similar vein to Iron Man 2. It is and it isn’t. The film tells a crafty origin story that is unfortunately a little light on Asgardian ass-kicking. A little too much time spend on Earth in civilian clothes is good for character development, but it didn’t exactly send my geek heart racing.
But, like I said, the film is entertaining and well-crafted. I can’t criticize it for what I wanted it to be. I can only criticize it for what it is. And I would say it’s pretty darn good!
The following are some random thoughts and observations about Thor. Let’s see if any of them ring true to you, shall we?
- It’s easy to see why Chris Hemsworth was cast as Thor. He is confident, likable and not at all the dumb jock that I kind of think of Thor as being.
- That said, whatever color they dyed Hemsworth’s beard and eyebrows was really distracting in close ups.
- I kind of wish they had Hemsworth wear Thor’s winged helmet for more than one scene.
- Director Kenneth Branagh did an admirable job with the direction, providing a few fake out moments and non-linear storytelling devices that kept me engaged throughout.
- Let it also be known that Kenneth Branagh never met a Dutch angle he didn’t like. This film is littered with them, but it works. It adds to the aura of comic book dramatics without going overboard like Ang Lee’s Hulk did.
- People credit Branagh for bringing “Shakespearean gravitas” to the movie. But the fatherly themes in the plot are so pronounced, I wonder if anyone would be making that observation if, say, Martin Campbell were directing.
- Natalie Portman is very, very pretty.
- Why the hell is Natalie Portman in this movie? I mean, I know she’s no stranger to big-budget science fiction and fantasy (Hello, Queen Amidala!) but at this point, a movie like Thor seems a little below her station, don’t you think?
- There is almost no need for Kat Dennings’ character except to provide comic relief, but she makes the most of every scene she’s in and damn near walks off with this movie. I was more interested in the things her character had to say than anything Natalie Portman’s character had to say.
- I love that Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson is running around in the background. Gregg plays him perfectly with a touch of playful impatience.
- Everyone caught Jeremy Renner’s cameo as the future Avenger Hawkeye during the scene where Thor first tries to reclaim his hammer, right?
- Jeremy Renner kind of looks like Daniel Craig’s younger brother to me. They both have a heavy brow.
- Even though I know Ray Stevenson (who most recently played The Punisher) was the actor who played Volstagg, every time I saw him on screen, I was convinced it was Chris Noth.
- Hey, is that Renee Russo as Thor’s mom? Long time, no see!
- Yes, Anthony Hopkins kills it as Odin. But he could do a role like this in his sleep.
- I feel like I’m supposed to say something about Tom Hiddleston as Loki. He did a good job making him a sympathetic villain at the outset, but kind of tipped over into cartoonish super-villainy at the end.
- The Destroyer is awesome and I want an action figure, please.
- RE: The Destroyer “Is that one of Stark’s?” “I don’t know. That guy never tells me anything.” The humor in Thor was pretty sharp.
- Bonus points for the Donald Blake reference – Thor’s mortal alter ego in the early comics. Kudos for the writers for not getting bogged down in that and telling a straightforward original story. Well, as straightforward a story about inter-dimensional warriors using weapons crafted with equal parts magic and science as you can.
- I was also very impressed with how the effects department brought Thor’s unique powers to the screen. They could have easily had him hitting stuff with his hammer or call down lightning and leave it at that. But having him take flight, carried behind Mjolnir was very well done. Similarly, Thor twirling Mjolnir around by the strap was something I didn’t think they’d be able to translate from the comics as well as they did.
- Production design for this movie is off the charts. From the costumes, to the Frost Giants, to the rich detail and rendering of Asgard – these images were truly otherworldly and God-like.
- With this in mind, the fictional town in New Mexico where Thor lands looks faker than fake. In fact, I’m not sure there were even any roads that lead to or from that town. It literally looks like it sprung up overnight by a Hollywood construction crew.
- Did anyone else find the use of the Foo Fighters song “Walk” over the end credits completely out of place?
- Stick around after the credits for a bonus scene. I probably don’t have to tell you that, but it doesn’t hurt to remind you.
That’s all I’ve got on Thor. It’s quite a bit, actually! What are your thoughts? Leave your comments below!
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There’s so much I want to say about this trailer. But if you haven’t seen it yet, I don’t want to be the guy that ruins it for you.
Sit back, relax, watch the trailer and then wonder silently why Hollywood hadn’t gotten around to making a movie like this sooner.
Leave your comments below because I DESPERATELY want to talk about this trailer with someone! SPOILERS AHEAD!
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After generating some buzz a few months ago, a trailer for Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop finally hit the web this week.
The film is a documentary lensed by director Rodman Flender capturing O’Brien’s 32 city music-and-comedy “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour” from last year. Flender is a friend of O’Brien’s, but from what I’ve heard, the documentary is not a whitewash of the events that transpired after Conan left The Tonight Show. It’s supposedly a very real look behind the scenes at the frustration and depression that motivated Conan to throw off the shackles of convention and do his own thing, lest he be remembered as a late night footnote.
One of the reasons Conan O’Brien has so many fans is because his experience is relatable to a lot of people who have had something taken away from them. It stings like a mother and a small part of you wants revenge.
While the trailer creates the false narrative that Conan’s tour has the potential to fail (C’mon, really? It sold out in record time.) It looks like it does a good job of capturing Conan’s anxiety as a performer. Can he pull it off? For his own sanity, he has to. But is this need to perform as altruistic as it appears on the surface or is Conan forcing himself back into the limelight to fill a void within himself?
I’m personally really looking forward to finding out. Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop hits theaters on June 24. You can visit the official web site here.
What’s your take? Leave your comments below!
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If you’ve been following this blog at all, then you know that I’ve been having a good time taking the piss out of X-Men: First Class for the last couple of months.
Some of it I think was deserved. While I will admit that the marketing for the film has gotten better in the last few weeks, this movie was practically tripping over itself as it tried to make itself look appealing to an audience who had become VERY skeptical of 20th Century Fox helming another X-Men movie after the debacle that was Wolverine: Origins.
I will admit to having my bias. Wolverine: Origins was a colossal cluster eff because the producers of that film essentially decided to throw out three movies worth of continuity and start over with their own while still trying to toss in callbacks to the original films. It was a sloppy mess and it didn’t make very much sense.
On the surface, X-Men: First Class appears to do the same thing. As any comic book geek worth their weight in adamantium will tell you, the first class of X-Men was Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Iceman, Angel and Beast. Not Banshee, Havok, Beast, and Mystique.
But, in truth, the film is a slave to continuity in an unexpected way. Very easily you can see the rag-tag group of mutants Professor X has grouped together to be the beta version of the classic X-Men lineup. The film appeared to have ignored the fans to service its own selfish whims. When really it creates a foundation for the X-Men franchise that could potentially pay huge dividends going forward.
In other words, X-Men: First Class is an reboot of the franchise with a head on its shoulders. It does this by answering questions you never thought to ask like “How did the X-Men get their hands on a super-sonic jet?” or “Where did Magneto get his helmet from?” or “When did Mystique decide to align with Magneto and why?”
The film also creates relationships where you don’t expect them. I was kind of confused by the relationship between Professor X and Mystique at the beginning, but ultimately, it works. That detail plus several others ALL work because the film sets rules for itself and explores those areas carefully. We’re not confronted with a big crazy monster at the end just because the heroes need something to fight. The characters have motivation and the stakes feel real.
There are a couple of duds and dead ends in he film, of course. January Jones as the telepath Emma Frost gives the worst performance in the movie. She’s wooden and unconvincing – an unfortunate prop to hang lingerie from.
In fact, most of the bad guys in the movie don’t really go anywhere or do anything. The sword-wielding teleporter Azazel I think gets two lines in the whole movie. Another baddie who and create massive winds (apparently Riptide) doesn’t speak at all. It feels like a waster opportunity.
Kevin Bacon doesn’t exactly bring the aristocratic smarm to Sebastian Shaw that I would have liked but they put an interesting spin on the character that makes him more of a hidden threat.
The film’s best performances go to it’s two leads – James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. They bring a noble conviction to their roles that makes them a pleasure to watch. They have a natural chemistry that I hope can be bottled and recaptured in a second movie very soon.
Fassbender in particular makes Magneto a tragic figure. Driven by hatred and revenge, we don’t really fault him for his negative world view. Like every great (potential) villain, he is the hero in his own story.
There was talk of a Magneto: Origins movie at one point. We see a little bit of his origins in this movie. Or, at least what became of Magneto during the time between his experiences as a child in World War II and his time with the X-Men.
I will say this… Erik Lehnsherr: Nazi Hunter is a movie I would totally pay to see.
Believe the hype, people. X-Men: First Class is the real deal.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over here in the corner… eating crow.
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On the invitation of a friend, I went to see The Hangover Part II this week.
Up until I received his invitation, I was content to let the second installment in this forgotten weekend franchise slip blissfully below my radar. The trailers and advertisements for the film looked painfully reminiscent of the original film and reviews since then have all but confirmed it. The film has only been in theaters for two weeks, but it’s staleness is already legendary.
But, hey. When a buddy calls to see a movie, you put aside your reservations and go. It’s the Bro Code.
I suppose the same could be said about The Hangover Part II. Good will among those who saw the original movie was so strong, a sequel was all but demanded by the powers-that-be. When it was first announced, people were pretty excited. But as footage started coming out, that enthusiasm waned – and rightfully so.
It’s unfortunate that director and co-writer Todd Phillips couldn’t come up with something more than copying and pasting the original Hangover script into a new document, performing a Find and Replace on “Vegas” for “Bangkok” and sprinkling in a few “I can’t believe this is happening again!” exclamations from his characters.
Is it wrong to admit that I kind of hate these characters now? In the original Hangover, The Wolf Pack was an oddball assembly of guys who you at once celebrated and sympathized with. For all intents and purposes, they were regular guys caught in extraordinary circumstances who managed to emerge unscathed with a hell of a story to tell.
I think that was part of the appeal behind the original Hangover. Most people wouldn’t want to be caught up in the whirlwind those three guys found themselves in. But everyone kind of wishes they had a story like that. It would fuel late-night B.S. sessions for the rest of your life.
But in the sequel, you kind of sit back and think to yourself “How could these morons get wrapped up in this again? Haven’t they learned anything?”
To their credit, Ed Helms sheepish dentist Stu seems to have learned something from the original outing. He puts a napkin over his orange juice to keep people from giving him roofies. He barely invited Bradley Cooper’s Phil or Justin Bartha’s Doug to his wedding. The mentally deranged Alan played by Zach Galifanakis was deliberately kept at arms length.
But there wouldn’t be much of a movie if the lead characters exhibited any common sense. So, before you know it, the gang is flying off to Thailand where Stu’s fiancee’s family (conveniently) calls home. Wackiness ensues.
It’s not worth going into the plot because it’s a deliberate facsimile of the original. After having ONE (!) beer on the beach together, Phil, Stu and Alan wake up in a dingy hotel in Bangkok. What follows is supposed to be a fun mystery as the guys untangle where they’ve been so they can find Stu’s soon-to-be brother-in-law – lost during the previous night’s revelry.
Yes, there are a few laughs in the movie – due largely to Galifanakis, who can extract laughs out of the most droll situation with a simple, doe-eyed thousand yard stare. His potent combination of inadvertent malevolence and wonder are the only things that keeps the movie on two feet.
Recognition should be afforded to Ken Jeong as Mr. Chow. He shows up early in the film and I felt immediately agitated by his presence. But he is dispatched of fairly quickly. The laughs he earns when he re-materializes in the third act all but negate the nattering annoyance I felt in the first act.
Overall, however, I found myself feeling exceedingly impatient with the proceedings. I wanted the guys to get their next clue and move things along so we could get to the inevitable slideshow of photos capturing their raucous night. And after the photos materialized – like clockwork – I felt insulted by the whole affair. Ashamed that I had put down good money to see a movie I pretty much already owned on DVD back home.
Much like visiting Bangkok itself, I felt very unclean after spending time watching The Hangover Part II.
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