Finally we have been given a glimpse of the fantastic world that Tim Burton is creating for Alice in Wonderland. From the few short minutes ( a minute and 34 seconds to be exact) we can already see what to expect in March of 2010. Dear, sick, twisted, Burton has his claws all in this beloved tale and is sure to make it darker, creepier, and more enjoyable than has ever been done before.

I have but one bone to pick with the cinematic genius. Has he made the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) the main character, not poor little Alice? After all it is called Alice in Wonderland not the Tale of the Mad Hatter. But I suppose I will jut have to wait and see what he does…

Take a peek!

Well I had the trailer for about an hour, but then Disney pulled some strings and claimed copyright infringment.

Now you can only watch the trailer on youtube…

So here you go

Alice in Wonderland Read the rest of this entry »

It seems that vampires are on the rise, at least in books and movies. The dark demons of the night have come from Bram Stoker’s monsters to the romanticized images of today. They have shed their evil tendencies in favor of love and beauty. So it comes that television networks are hopping on the bandwagon. HBO has produced a show that is sweeping through the teen generation. It’s name: True Blood. It’s aim: to bring a sexual image of the vampire to the Twilight stricken masses.

Combining good southern courting and light weight porn, this show seems to have everyone asking for more. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say, “OMG did you see the last episode?” or “True Blood is the best show on Tv!” How can so many people  be so enthralled with such a corny show. I am not sure what it has that is lost on me, but whatever it is it has both boys and girls swooning over it.

Sookie’s southern accent and morals plus her constant twitchy-ness made watching almost nauseating. If you then add on the nymphomaniac brother and the constant parade of bare breasts, True Bloods becomes impossible to sit through.

So I ask, you avid fans of True Blood, What makes it so great?

1…2…3…4…5…and finally 6! Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince came to theaters on July 15 at 12:01. The long awaited continuation of the seven movie series premiered and as all the other movies before it, the 6th fell short. Very short of the expectations of avid Harry Potter fans. Dramatically shortened, lacking key information, and containing scenes completely unconnected to the book. I suppose it is unrealistic (after seeing the previous five movies) to expect the sixth to fill the rather large shows made my J.K. Rowling. But you would think they would make an attempt.

Contrary to the reviews of most newspapers I have read, I found the sixth movie to be just as bad as the 3rd and 5th (the 4th was tolerable.) My problems with this film begin with its lack of information and ends with it’s failure to capture the beloved characters that make the books.

If you hadn’t read the books than you would honestly have no idea what was happening. Each scene appeared completely unconnected to the last. They jumped quickly from one to another leaving only questions and confusion. I have read all the books and so obviously understood what should have been happening, but I could only pity the poor souls who went to the movie blind, having not every cracked open the book. How lost they must have been.

Even from a cinematic point of view this movie was less then passable. Sure it was visually stimulating with the intense scenes of Quidditch and computer generated destruction (the London Bridge, Diagon Alley, etc.) But looks can’t carry a movie. You easily become bored with flashy appearances, after all every other movie made in the 21st century uses them. A movie needs some substance, which Harry Potter 6 was obviously lacking.

So our favorite wizards are getting older and that opens a whole new area for the exploration of romance. But this movie took it to the extreme. The sexual innuendoes were off the scale. In the books the romance has something pure and adorable, but in the movie it was about as basic and sex oriented as they could make it. The seductive way that Jinny tied Harry’s shoe, with just her and his crotch in frame, was nauseating. And Ron running up to Harry saying “So did you guys do it?” meaning: “Did you guys throw away the potions book?” Its quite clear what reaction that line was intended to get.

Finally the characters, which they butcher every time. My dear Dumbledore, what did they do to you. I know that J.K. Rowling announced that she always thought of him as gay (personally I was going for asexual) but I can see that orientation too. However this movie really latched on to that description and made him quite a bit to familiar with Harry. Not to say in an inappropriate manner, but in the books he kept his distance. Overall the only characters I really enjoyed were Hagrid and Ron. Both underwritten and under-used in the story, but definitely the most interesting and unique.

However it wasn’t all bad. I will end with a few complements. The scene with the horcrux and the inferi captured the haunting darkness of the situation and was perhaps my favorite part of the film, excluding Ron of course. The inferi especially were terrifying. I jumped near out of my seat when they first appeared despite the fact that I knew they were coming.

So go see Harry Potter and the Half Blood there isn’t really a way to avoid it. Its going to be talked and you wouldn’t want to be left out of the discussion. Maybe you will like it more than I.

Hopefully the seventh is better (after all it comes in two installments.) But my hopes aren’t high.

Tragedy seems to be sweeping through the celebrity community. First Ed McMahon, then Farrah Fawcett, and now MJ. Three deaths with in just a few days.
It is so sad that one of the most famous singers of all time has left us at the still youthful age of 50. Whatever his life may have been and whatever we may have thought, today is a tragic day. He set a precedent of artists and revolutionized the music industry.
RIP Michael Jackson.

A tribute:

At 12:01 (12:06 for me as my particular theater was having ‘technical difficulties’) Transformers 2 opened to the public. The masses came in droves, bringing in a whopping $16 million in the first night alone. (Assuming that all the tickets were $8 exactly that means that 2 million people went to see this movie on opening night!!)

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen could be categorized as nothing but an action flick. BOOM! BANG! POW! Every shot was a masterfully crafted mix of special affects and death defying stunts. From the ever shifting metal bodies of the transformers to the ridiculously large explosions, Transformers was without doubt an eyeful. Full marks on their creative genius and computer generating skills.

As for the actual plot and content of the film. It was predictable with passable dialogue, but it is an action flick and so these minor flaws are almost expected. It had a pleasant and entertain plot. It didn’t keep you on the edge of your seat, but it did keep you laughing and waiting for more. The acting was fine. It was the actors that were important. A shirtless Shia LaBeouf for the ladies and Megan Fox in short shorts and slow motion for the guys. But like the first movie, you leave the theater having spent 2 1/2 entertained and engrosed in the lives of alien robots.

I don’t think you can really escape seeing this film. It isn’t one to write down as the best movie ever made, but is fun, lively, and over worth watching. So I recommend you take $8, head down to your nearest theater, and watch how Earth was saved from heaps of scrap metal by an alliance between a college kid and robots.

If you need any refresher of what to expect, here is the trailer:

Oh, I also thought you ought to know that Transformers 3 is set to come out in July of 2011. What more could they make a movie about?? Honestly!

A stand up guy, a regular Joe, and the man beside Johnny Carson (for the most part), Ed McMahon had quite the life. His life ended at the age of 86 on  Tuesday in Los Angeles. Ed was the world’s most famous sidekick, Robin to Johnny’s Batman. He will be missed by many who knew and loved the Carson Show.

And now an exert from his life:

I am in no manner a fan of Will Ferrell. His commedic style is perhaps the least intelligent. Will Ferrell is the bottom of Hollywood’s film industry, but still he is cast in movies. His most recent was Land of the Lost, a spoof on all action Tomb Raider style film. Usually I refuse to go to movies about him. In fact I walked out of elf half way through. But this movie I had no choice but to sit through. And you know what? I almost kinda sorta possibly liked it just a little bit.

Sure it was gross, unappealing, spoofy, and yes Will Ferrell did take of his shirt (eww), but it did a fine job of being what it was meant to be. Stupid. So stupid you couldn’t help but laugh at it. From the caveman guy named Chaka to the backpack size mosquitoes this movie was funny. It had me laughing, cringing, and completely repulsed, but unable to look away.

The Land of the Lost will not ever go down as one of America’s accomplishments in filming, but it was at the very least entertaining.

Hats of to you Will Ferrell, you did okay on this one.

They are without a doubt the hottest teen band in a long time. Girls from ages 9 to 18 are swooning over these lyrical heart-throbs. Committed Christians these three boys have vowed to stay virgins until they marry (much to the disappointment of many of there fans I am sure). Sex is just not brought up around them, but it seems there mother will open up about their ’sex-lives.’

“They are men.”

“They have desires.”

“They have testosterone.”

Imagine your mom telling the world the most intimate details of your intimite life…EWW!!

Now watch what she had to say…

To all fans of adventure, intrigue, and hot & steamy Miami spies have I got the summer show for you. Burn Notice is returning to U.S.A. tonight (June 4th) at 9:00 and promising more mystery, more action, and more BANG for you time (literally). Michael has just broken free of all protection, opening the floodgates for all hell to break loose. Tonight burned spy, Michael Westen, will search for answers amist the troubled Miami waters. He is smooth, calm and collect. He has been a Texas rich boy, to a russian mobster.

So if you like cute, goodnatured television tune or TV to the U.S.A. network and get to know this spy and his friends.