Posts

Showing posts from October, 2011

"Puss in Boots"

Image
You may know the illustrious Puss in Boots from the Shrek series, where he simultaneously managed to steal and also charm with his wide, innocent-eyed look. Now, he has his own movie, and while I thought I would miss Shrek and the gang, Puss brings along a new set of characters that are just as funny and enthralling. The back-story of Puss (voiced by Antonio Banderas, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger ) has never been revealed until this film, but soon he has cause to share it with us. He grew up in an orphanage in the small town of San Ricardo, taken in by his "mama" (voiced by Jessica Shulte, Megamind ), and it was there that Puss met the boy who was soon to become his best friend: Humpty Alexander Dumpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis, The Hangover Part II ). The two of them plotted to leave the sleepy little town as soon as they were of age, and they played a few small tricks on people when they were younger; however, when they became older, Humpty began to escalate his

"In Time"

Image
I love dystopian books and movies - those set in the future with a corrupt or unfamiliar government/life system - and In Time fits the mold exactly. I had been wanting to see this film ever since I first saw its trailer, and luckily it did not disappoint me. Will Salas (Justin Timberlake, Friends with Benefits ) lives his life on a day-to-day basis in the impoverished city of Dayton. When he wakes up each morning, the first thing he does is check his arm to see how much time he has left that day. Between rent and food payments, he and his mom (Olivia Wilde, Cowboys and Aliens ) barely have enough time to get through the day. In the future, time has replaced money as currency. Want a cup of coffee? That will be four minutes. It was three minutes yesterday, but today is four, due to inflation. Today is Will's mother's 50th birthday, and also the day that his life is going to be irrevocably changed, though he doesn't know that yet. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Syl

"The Rum Diary"

Image
The Rum Diary is based on the novel of the same name by Hunter S. Thompson, and is considered a prequel of sorts to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), also written by Thompson. I haven't read the book, and thus have no basis for comparison, but the movie was 120 minutes of drawn out, pointless scenes, save for the beautiful scenery and the outfits worn by Depp and his cohorts. The film was shot a while ago and has been shelved for a few years, though Johnny Depp looks timeless as always, and it makes me wonder why the studio execs finally decided to drag it into theaters. The movie wasn't really a drama, and wasn't really a comedy either - though it certainly tried to be - and it leaves the audience wondering exactly what it's trying to accomplish. Kemp (Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean ) has just moved to Puerto Rico to work for The San Juan Star . His boss, Mr. Lotterman (Richard Jenkins, Let Me In ) hardly runs a tight ship, and Kemp has the time to purs

"Chimpanzee" to be released in theaters April 12, 2012

Image
I received the one-sheet from Disney Nature today for this and had to share - the chimp on the poster is SO cute! Movie Details: Disneynature takes moviegoers deep into the forests of Africa with “Chimpanzee,” a new True Life Adventure introducing an adorable baby chimp named Oscar and his entertaining approach to life in a remarkable story of family bonds and individual triumph. Oscar’s playful curiosity and zest for discovery showcase the intelligence and ingenuity of some of the most extraordinary personalities in the animal kingdom. Working together, Oscar’s chimpanzee family—including his mom and the group’s savvy leader — navigates the complex territory of the forest. The world is a playground for little Oscar and his fellow young chimps, who’d rather make mayhem than join their parents for an afternoon nap. But when Oscar’s family is confronted by a rival band of chimps, he is left to fend for himself until a surprising ally steps in and changes his life forever. Directe

"The Three Musketeers" (2011)

Image
There have been numerous reincarnations of The Three Musketeers over the years, but the newest version is likely the most fun. You have Orlando Bloom and Milla Jovovich as villains, and a motley crew of others representing the good and the bad people of France. Add some 3D effects, which means swords clashing in your face, as well as giant ships used for "air travel," and voila! You have yourself an exciting, action-packed film. The Three Musketeers (Luke Evans, Matthew Macfadyen, and an almost unrecognizable Ray Stevenson) are no longer in their prime, and thus spend most of their time moping around. The young D'Artagnan (Logan Lerman, Percy Jackson and the Olympians ), a wannabe Musketeer whose father was one, travels to France to meet them. Instead, he stumbles upon each of them individually, not knowing they are Musketeers, and manages to anger them all. He challenges each to a duel, and when they all meet in the town square they reveal that they are Musketeers. Th

Win "Winnie the Pooh" on DVD/Blu-Ray!

Image
You can win a copy of Winnie the Pooh , which is out on DVD and Blu-Ray on 10/25, over at my Examiner page! The contest ends on Sunday, October 30th, at 7pm EST, so check it out before then. To enter is easy, all you have to do is "like" the contest post and then send me an email. Here's the link: Winnie the Pooh contest .

"Answer This!"

Image
I was fortunate enough to attend the world premiere screening of Answer This! at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor last October, and since then I have been waiting for the film to be picked up for wider distribution. Wrekin Hill Entertainment has picked up Answer This! , and to celebrate that, there was another red carpet premiere screening at the Emagine Royal Oak this past Thursday, October 13. I was interested in seeing if the distributors had made any changes to the movie, and if they had, they are little; however, the movie was just as good as I remembered it. Paul Tarson (Christopher Gorham, TV's Covert Affairs ) has lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan his whole life. He grew up there, went to the University of Michigan as an undergrad, and has spent the past eight years there working on his thesis in graduate school. His father, Elliot (newcomer and former UM professor Ralph Williams), is a Bible Studies professor at UM, and has just told Paul that he needs to finish his thesis

Ann Arbor plays itself in "Answer This!"

Image
As a University of Michigan alum, part of the reason I really liked the feature film Answer This!  was because most, if not all, of it took place in Ann Arbor, and locations were easily recognizable. The locations in Answer This! included: University of Michigan locations: -The Cube (see above poster) - near the Union on campus. -School of Natural Resources and the Environment - where English 401 classes are held. Paul (Chris Gorham) and Naomi (Arielle Kebbel) meet in the Diag (center of campus) right outside this building; she is trying to find the building, which, of course, is right in front of her. -Angell Hall - Paul's English 401 discussion class is held here. -Rackham School of Graduate Studies - a memorable scene with Paul and Naomi was here. What was pretty funny was that they enter the front doors of Rackham, and walk through a library's reading room - actually the fabled Law Library reading room - and then end up in the stacks, which are actually in the Grad

"Answer This!" premieres to sell-out crowd at Emagine Royal Oak

Image
from answerthismovie.com The cast and crew of Answer This! returned to Michigan yesterday for a red carpet premiere at Emagine Royal Oak. In attendance was Arielle Kebbel, one of the stars of the show, and Chris and Mike Farah, the writer/director and producer of the movie, respectively. Ralph Williams, the former UM professor who plays Chris Gorham's father, was also in attendance; Chris Gorham, unfortunately, was in Europe filming Covert Affairs . Motor City Trivia table For the general audience, the movie started at 8pm, but for those who had purchased the $75 VIP tickets, to benefit local charities, the party started at 6:30, on the 2nd floor of the theater. Dinner and drinks were served, and Motor City Trivia was in attendance as well to get the party started with some one-on-one trivia. Arielle Kebbel arrived later, around 7:30, to mingle with the crowd, and the Farah brothers were in attendance there as well. Before the movie started, Ralph Williams came to the f

"Footloose"

Image
There have been a lot of remakes and reboots in 2011 so far, but the most fun has to be Footloose . The original, with such household names as Kevin Bacon, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Lithgow, and Dianne Wiest, came out in 1984, and was a great movie, so a lot of skeptics were worried that the new Footloose wouldn't live up to the original. This film definitely pays homage to the former version in some scenes, while making it more modern, and the dancing scenes in it are phenomenal. Ren McCormack (Kenny Wormald, "Center Stage: Turn It Up") moves from Boston to the small town of Bomont to live with his aunt and uncle (Ray McKinnon, "Dolphin Tale") after his mother passes away. Bomont is very different from Boston, and they have a law that says that no minor shall engage in public dancing, which is a problem for Kenny since he loves to dance. When he meets the preacher's daughter, Ariel (Julianne Hough, "Burlesque"), he finds that she and her frien

"The Big Year"

Image
The trailer for The Big Year was very vague, but with a cast including Jack Black, Steve Martin, and Owen Wilson, it didn't have to be specific - people will go see it just because of these three comedic headliners. Because I went into the film with no expectations whatsoever, I was pleasantly surprised with what I found, although the first half of the movie was funnier than the second. "The Big Year" is a contest in which "birders" - people who bird-watch - try to sight the most species of birds that they can in the time span of one calendar year. The reigning champion, Kenny Bostick (Owen Wilson, Midnight in Paris ), previously had spotted 727 birds, and that is the number to beat, and he is thinking of doing another Big Year so that his record will remain untarnished. His competition includes Stu Preissler (Steve Martin, It's Complicated ) who is about to retire - for the second time - and who is thinking that this is "his year" to win; and B

"The Ides of March"

Image
What makes the Ides of March impressive is not that George Clooney directs, or that a good portion of it was shot here in Michigan, but that the cast as a whole works so well together. The story helps, too, of course - what really goes on behind the curtains during elections? - but the main star of this film isn't Clooney. The collective stars are Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood, and an increasingly conniving Paul Giamatti. Governor Mike Morris (Clooney, The American ) is running for president and has a superb support crew, including his campaign manager, Paul (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Moneyball ); his press secretary and one of the best "media minds" in the country, Stephen (Ryan Gosling, Crazy, Stupid, Love ); and a dedicated group of interns (Evan Rachel Wood, TV's True Blood , and Max Minghella, The Social Network ). Morris just has to win the state of Ohio, and then North Carolina will follow suit; it's all falling into place, or so

New images from "The Avengers" released

Image
Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Chris Evans (Captain America) in The Avengers Disney released two new pictures from The Avengers  today, which will be in theaters on May 4, 2012. More information about The Avengers can be found below: Cast:                             Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy    Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan SkarsgĂ„rd and Samuel L. Jackson Director:                        Joss Whedon Producer:                      Kevin Feige                   Executive Producers:      Alan Fine, Stan Lee, Jon Favreau, Patricia Whitcher, Louis D’Esposito                     Screenplay by:               Joss Whedon                                          Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety a

More Disney/Pixar films to be released in 3D

Image
Hot off the presses: Disney/Pixar will be releasing four more films in 3D, due to the success of The Lion King that was recently re-released. Beauty and the Beast, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Little Mermaid will all be released in 2012-2013. In addition, the planned sequel to  Monsters, Inc., Monsters University , will be in theaters five months after the film is re-released in theaters. Monsters, Inc.  is one of my favorite Disney/Pixar movies, so this is great to hear! What are some of your favorite movies you'd like to see re-released in 3D? Check out the full press release below for more information: DISNEY AND DISNEY • PIXAR FAVORITES POISED TO RETURN TO THEATERS IN 3D ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘Finding Nemo,’ ‘Monsters, Inc.’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ Will Make 3D Theatrical Debut in 2012 and 2013   BURBANK, Calif. – October 4, 2011 –  On the heels of the phenomenal success of The Lion King 3D – which will cross the $80 million mark at the domestic box offic