American Sniper

According to CinemaBlend.com, Steven Spielberg is set to direct American Sniper, "an adaptation of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle's autobiography that Bradley Cooper acquired nearly a year ago, intending to produce and also star."

CinemaBlend.com, also writes, "Having tackled World War II many times, World War I in War Horse and the Civil War in Lincoln, Spielberg will for the first time be telling a story about modern warfare, following Kyle's life as a sniper in the Iraq War. He was dubbed the "Devil of Ramadi" by Iraqis and, according to the title of his book, was the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. "

It will be very interesting to see how Spielberg does with a modern war film. I believe that he will make it a masterpiece. Bradley Cooper seems to be an interesting choice for the role, but we will see.

Iron Man 3: China

Source: CinemaBlend.com

Interesting!  China has added two scenes to Iron man 3.  *SPOILER ALERT BELOW* *SPOILER ALERT BELOW*

Don't continue reading if you don't want to know how the movie ends!

According to CinemaBlend.com:

The Hollywood Reporter has done some digging and has discovered that there are only two extra scenes included in the China version that weren't included in the cut everyone else in the world gets to see. The trade says that the first scene features the character Dr. Wu (Wang Xueqi) making a telephone call from his office in Beijing while a TV in the background shows Iron Man "cheered by schoolchildren in one of the Chinese capital’s landmarks." The other is an extended version of Tony's surgery at the very end of the film and has Dr. Wu talking about the surgery with an unnamed assistant (played by X-Men: Days of Future Past's Fan Bingbing).

So it doesn't look like they're adding much.  I think it's innovative, but also a bit weird that China is adding scenes to movies.  China added scenes to 21 & Over, as well.  This reminds me of Italy forbidding the import of Western movies, but in a different way.  I wonder if we'll see any Man of Steel: China Version?

Natalie Portman!, Natalie Portman!, Natalie Portman!

Source: CinemaBlend.com

I don't know if any of you can guess by my title or not, but Natalie Portman is one of my favorite females...(cough)...actresses, ever!  According to CinemaBlend.com, she is set to play Lady Macbeth in "See Saw Films' adaptation of Macbeth."  She will be opposite Michael Fassbender, as well as, his lady.  CinemaBlend.com also writes:

Macbeth's cast is already remarkable. Making this project even more enticing is that its buzzed about script will be directed by Justin Kurzel, who won notice with his true-crime drama Snowtown, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011.

 So, we have two incredible cast members, along with an incredible cast and director.  This sounds like it will be an incredible film.  Natalie Portman just makes me want to see this film even more too!  Also, Macbeth should be going into production sometime later this year.  This one is way too far off, I wish it was being released this summer!

Gears of Hollywood?

Source: CinemaBlend.com

CinemaBlend.com is reporting that a Gears of War movie is in the works.  As an adaptation of the video game Gears of War, this film could be big.  As a tie-in with our Movie History: A Survey text, Universal is in a first-look deal with Scott Stuber, the guy handling production duties for the Gears of War film.  Stuber has worked on Ted and Safe House.  However, it is important to note that no studio has committed to making this film.  

Video game movies don't always have the best success rate, so it's interesting to see which studio picks this project up.  I can see Universal making this movie, as they have had some incredibly visually stunning films in the past.  We'll just have to wait and see.  In the meantime, I should start playing Gears of War.

Things Aren't Always Dandy in the Film World

In an interesting case, filmmaker, Michael Costanza, is suing Paramount Pictures, as well as, producers of the Paranormal Activity franchise.  Big surprise.  Michael Costanza is the writer and director of the no-budget 2002 independent horror film, The Collingswood Story.

Michael Costanza's claim tells, according to CinemaBlend.com, "...he presented sections Collingswood to the studio in 2010 for a pitch meeting that ended with his material being turned away, and that portions of the fourth entry of the found footage horror series are almost exactly the same as the ideas he brought to them."

Costanza is suing for unspecified damages.  Part of the suit includes Paramount destroying all material based on any of his concepts.  Michael Costanza can be best described in the immortal words of George Costanza,"I'm like a weed Jerry." I find this law suit credible and quite humorous.  I'll have to see both films and see for myself, whether or not, Paramount Pictures used his ideas.

J.J. Abrams and Star Wars: Episode VII?

CinemaBlend.com features an article on their websites which discusses an interview with J.J. Abrams.  Katey Rich, from CinemaBlend.com, writes, "...While responding with simply a smile when asked about details for Star Wars Episode VII, and insisting over and over again that there's no way he can share details about a movie that doesn't exist yet, he did talk about the relief of having George Lucas around as a consultant-- especially after making Star Trek years after creator Gene Roddenberry's death..."  This could be a really incredible Episode 7 if J.J. Abrams is at the helms.  It would be weird to not have George Lucas direct the movie, but I want a new Star Wars film; it's been too long since the last installment.  J. J. Abrams states in the interview:

I meant if I viewed this from a fan’s point of view—and no one’s a bigger Star Wars fan than I am—or from a legacy standpoint, it would scare the hell out of me. But instead of trying to climb this mountain in one giant leap, I’m just enjoying the opportunity and looking to the people I’m working with. I’ve known Kathy for years. I’ve worked with the screenwriter, Michael Arndt, for a long time. I’ve known George for a number of years and he’s now a friend. Even if this wasn’t Star Wars, I’d be enormously fortunate to work with them.

I'm excited to read follow up details in the future about Star Wars: Episode VII.

Zombieland: The Series

Zombieland is one of my favorite movies of all time, so when I saw that they made a series out of it, I was pumped!  The film is a guide on how to survive a zombie invasion, while it stands as one of the most creative recent movies.  I had a bit of fear when I found out it was being made into a series.  I was hoping that the show wasn't completely awful compared to the movie.  After watching the trailer, it looks like this series is going to be awesome.  Amazon is hosting the show on their website with the Prime Instant Video service.  You can watch for free over at Amazon right now.  Eli Craig is directing this series adaptation.  Now, I should warn everyone, they changed the cast.  Woody Harelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, and Jesse Eisenberg are now out; Kirk Ward (Tallahassee), Maiara Walsh (Wichita), Izabela Vidovic (Little Rock), and Tyler Ross (Columbus) are now in.  The film has such incredible script writing and directing, along with editing; I'm glad they're keeping this series going.

The Lone Ranger

Well, in the long line of remakes, this one seems to be one of the more interesting ones.  The Lone Ranger, directed by Gore Verbinski, is set to be released on July 3rd.  The first thing I noticed about the movie poster: Disney.  I don't know how I feel about Disney making this film, mainly because it could be a total disaster with them putting the film out, or it could be a success.  Some Disney films are great, while some are just sub-par.  Now the big news: Johnny Depp is playing Tonto in this adapation.  I think him playing this role will save this film.  Armie Hammer will be playing John Reid / The Lone Ranger.  This film could be a hit, but we will just have to see.

Not for a While

Since we've studied crime films of the past, I wanted to talk about somebody making a film of the Boston Marathon attacks.  I do believe someone will make a film about the terror, but I really hope it isn't for a long time.  Dennis Lehane was interviewed by CNN, and he said that he will not be writing a story about this event.  Movies based on a true story can be quite popular and entertaining.  I have yet to see Zero Dark Thirty and I know that some things in the film can be fictionalized.  If they ever do make a film about Boston, I hope they don't fictionalize it.  If they end up making a film, it shouldn't be for years.  Also, I think movies can help us heal in this tough time.  I don't think I'll be watching any violent films for a while.  I just can't do it.  Comedy films are therapeutic, though.

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Movies and Sports as an Escape

Sports and movies can be used as an escape for people after extremely tough times.  I wanted to relate the escape of movie watching these days, to the escape years ago.  All throughout the years, movies have been an escape from the real life we all know too well.  This is one of the things that I love most about movies.  After I'm done watching a film or sporting even, I feel refreshed and my mood is much better.  Movies have been doing this for people since the very first film was created.  I find it very cool how all of the films we read about and all of the movies out currently, relate immensely in this way.  During these tough times in Boston, I plan on watching some Bruins, Red Sox,  and Celtics games, as well as some classic flicks.

Boston Attacks, Man of Steel Trailer #3

Let me start this off by saying that I'm praying for all of the families and friends of all of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, including all Massachusetts citizens.  It was truly a sad day yesterday, but Boston is strong, and we will prevail.

As for media for the day, the 3rd official Man of Steel trailer was just released and it looks to be the best yet.

The 3rd official trailer shows a lot more film footage than the previous trailers.  Russell Crowe is perfect for this movie, as well as Kevin Costner, and the actor who portrays Superman/Clark Kent, Henry Cavill.  Thee are some dramatic scenes in the trailer and some comedy thrown in as well.  I'm excited for this film, although it's hard to be at this time.

The State of Movies

I wanted to reflect on how I've felt about the state of movies this day in age.  First, I don't know how I feel about all of these horror movie remakes.  Some have been good, but others have been awful.  I don't know how I feel about Rob Zombie and his Halloween reboots.  I hope Carrie turns out to be a good film, and if it doesn't, it will further my feeling of horror movie remakes.  Some films have been good lately, such as, The Dark Knight Rises, Skyfall, Ted, the Taken series, and others.  Some, on the other hand, have been brutal.  With a new Scary Movie coming out, I keep feeling like films lack creativity and style these days.  There are a lot of great films, but some just feel cookie cutter.  Where is the creative film making?  I want originality!

Buckwild Canceled

MTV's newest hit, Buckwild, has been canceled.  After just one season, the show could have been a hit, but after the death of three cast members, MTV decided to pull the show.  The deaths were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning during an SUV ride through the mud.  Buckwild featured West Virginians partying hard in the best southern ways.  Many people don't realize the danger of carbon monoxide.  My mind immediately recalled the deaths of several Massachusetts residents during the blizzard in February, due to people starting their cars with snow blocked tail pipes.  MTV was hoping to make up for Jersey Shore's absense, but this is an unfortunate event.  So the question remains: what will be the next big hit on MTV?

Man of Steel - TV Spot #1, In Theaters June 14th

So it's been announced that Man of Steel, the latest endeavor into the superhero genre for Christopher Nolan, is coming to theaters June 14th.  The latest TV spot for the film is featured above, which I should tell you, looks really cool!  This definitely feels like a darker take on the Superman story.  The movie was written by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan.  Nolan is noted most recently for his epic Dark Knight trilogy.  I feel like Nolan is exactly what the Superman films need.  I've loved all of the older Superman movies and TV shows; I just think that a darker and more modern take on Superman is the right move.  There are some big name actors and actresses in the film, such as Amy Adams, who plays Lois Lane in the new film.  This was a very good choice!  Russell Crowe portrays Jor-El (I can't remember who that is), and Kevin Costner takes on the role of Jonathan Kent, Clark Kent's father.  The role of Superman/Clark Kent is done by Henry Cavill, and sadly, I don't know much about this guy.  He seems to fit the role perfectly, though.  I'm really excited about this film and June will be here before we know it!

Carrie 2013

Well, there's a new Carrie coming out this October and much like my other posts, I hope it will be good.  There has been so many horror remakes lately; I can't keep up with them all.   Chloë Grace Moretz plays Carrie White, in the remake.  The trailer looks really good, and I'm glad this doesn't look like it will be another crappy remake of a classic film.  Chloë Grace Moretz looks like she will have a major performance in the new version of Carrie.  Kimberly Peirce is taking over directing duties and if the movie is anything like the trailer, it's going to be very well shot.  I'm excited for this one!

British Censorship?

While watching some British TV shows on Netflix, something hit me!  British television doesn't seem to have the same strict censorship that American shows have.  The Brits don't seem so strict about things such as swearing, nudity, and smoking.  Some American networks, such as FX and Comedy Central, seem to be following in this British idealism.  In one respect I find their free-spirited television method refreshing, but it also feels different for me.  I have a feeling that American networks will be following the format of FX, and showing more and more crude themes.  This just seems to be the way the country is heading, for better or worse.  I love American TV shows (Seinfeld being my favorite), but I also love British ones as well.  Their sense of humor is a bit different across the pond, but I like that!

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SEVENDUST, 'BLACK OUT THE SUN' - ALBUM REVIEW

Hard Rock pros, Sevendust, march on with new album Black Out the Sun. 

Source: Metalsucks.net

Consistency: a tough task for any band to pull off.  Consistency, along with always keeping their music fresh and relevant, are exactly what Sevendust has done over their illustrious 20+ year career.  Every album that the band has put out has been quality work and their latest record Black Out the Sun follows that pattern, precisely.

After the departure of founding member and guitarist, Clint Lowery, Sevendust remained at form and put out three quality albums.  However, something was missing from their sound (no disrespect to fill-in guitarist Sonny Mayo).  The full tone of Lowery's guitar distortion was not there, and his guitar tone is one of the defining elements of Seasons, Home, Animosity, and the self-titled Sevendust album.  When Clint joined Dark New Day, that full-bodied guitar tone went with him, helping create one of the best sonically sounding and impressive debut albums out there; this of course being Twelve Year Silence.  When Lowery returned to Sevendust in 2008, the album Cold Day Memory marked a return to the Sevendust sound that I grew up with.  That album was one of the best full-band-back-together albums I have ever heard.  Black Out the Sun takes all that to another level with Lajon Witherspoon (lead vocals), Clint Lowery (lead guitar, backing vocals), John Connolly (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Vince Hornsby (bass), and Morgan Rose (drums, backing vocals).  I was hoping for a heavy, yet melodic sound to the new album and that's exactly what Black Out the Sun delivers.  This record honestly sounds like it could have been released during the Animosity era, which makes me ecstatic.

Sevendust fully went back to their roots on Black Out the Sun, and the acoustic 80's metal-esque intro track, "Memory," introduces the album perfectly.  Starting the album off with acoustic guitar was very refreshing.  Every first song on a Sevendust album, has been over the years, extremely solid and one of the best tracks on the track list.  In this case, the first song is "Faithless," and right from the aggressive opening, it becomes clear that it's one of the heaviest and downright impressive tracks that the band has ever written.  While staying old-school, the track feels fresh, and the chorus features a melodic element similar to Animosity.  "Till Death" follows suit and delivers a heavy, thrash metal, and Home-like experience.  The track truly shows the skill and musicianship of every member in the band.  The lead-in to the second verse is one of my favorite moments on the album.  "Mountain" is a fury of blues inspired, drop-A guitar riffs, with soul-driven vocals that will have you singing the chorus for months.  The song feels like a new venture for the band; a direction that really pays off.

"Cold as War" is reminiscent of "Crucified" off their 2001 Animosity album.  The opening chorus' guitar riff and soaring vocals throughout the track, were what stood out to me.  The title track, "Black Out the Sun," starts off with a lightly overdriven guitar intro that leads into a riff that could have been taken directly off Animosity (it's one of the best riffs on BOtS).  The song is a personal one for the band, pertaining to the passing of Lowery's father.  My prayers are with the entire Lowery and Sevendust family.  You can hear the emotion beaming off the lyrics, vocals, and guitar work.  The title track has a very strong chorus and the guitar solo, including multiple harmonies, is just plain beautiful (especially the blending of the guitar notes and vocal note on the last chorus' line of "Why did you black out the Sun").  The end riff-age of the song is truly special, as well.  The whole track is one of my favorite Sevendust moments.

"Nobody Wants It" has an old-school Sevendust feel, consisting of heavy guitar riffs, and a melodic, Seasons-esque chorus.  The key modulation on the final chorus is a great touch, setting up an extremely heavy ending.  Beautifully overdriven guitar arpeggios, ultimately, help make "Dead Roses" one of the most melodic songs on the new album.  The chorus is fast and melodic, which adds another element to the record.  The first single off the album, "Decay," does not disappoint.  With a palm-muted, groove-driven verse, and a chorus that sounds directly off Home, "Decay" is one of Sevendust's most impressive singles to date.  The tune has one of my favorite endings, as well.  If you want two songs that sound like they're from Animosity, then look no further than "Dark AM" and "Picture Perfect."  The verses and choruses on both tracks feel new, but could have easily been recorded in the early 2000's.  Both songs have immensely strong opening riffs, verses, and choruses.  "Picture Perfect" boasts one of the most melodic choruses on the album, which pleases my melodic side.  The bridge is also one of the best bridges that Sevendust has ever written; it's filled with so much emotion that I keep repeating it over and over.  "Got a Feeling" reminds me a lot of previous tracks, such as "Angel's Son" and "Skeleton Song."  Clint's vocals are incredible on this song, along with Lajon's amazing bridge melodies.  Also, there is such beautiful guitar work that leads into the thought-provoking line, "God really knows us all."  The closing track, "Murder Bar," finishes this album off the right way: heavy.  This song delivers, with a high energy verse (sounding like old-school Sevendust), a heavy chorus, and an aggressive breakdown.  The drum and guitar work really shine on "Murder Bar," and the second verse features musicianship that is rare these days.

Sevendust has delivered another quality album with Black Out the Sun.  The repeat value is high on this one, while the record retains the heavy and melodic elements of previous albums in their catalog.  I initially won't rate this one as high as Seasons, Animosity, and Home, but after a month or so of listening to the album, it might garner a higher rating.  Ultimately, I would compare Black Out the Sun to Cold Day Memory, maybe even rate it a step higher.  Black Out the Sun is right up there with the Sevendust greats, culminating as a mix among Animosity, Home, Seasons, and Cold Day Memory.


Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Purchase Black Out the Sun from SEVENDUST.com, Best Buy, Amazon , or iTunes.

Track Listing:

1. Memory
2. Faithless
3. Till Death
4. Mountain
5. Cold as War
6. Black Out the Sun
7. Nobody Wants It
8. Dead Roses
9. Decay
10. Dark AM
11. Picture Perfect
12. Got a Feeling
13. Murder Bar

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Alfred Hitchcock

After reading about this amazing director I wanted to write about him.  He directed over 60 films and appeared in cameo appearances in his works.  Many of the work he did in the past can be seen in films today.  I remember him most for directing Psycho back in the 60's and he definitely had a unique style to his film directing.  The new television show Bates Motel is based on the Psycho book.  He is truly a director for aspiring directors to look up to.  Check out IMDB.com for a complete list of everything he's worked on.

Arrested Development - Season 4

One of my favorite shows (along with Seinfeld) over the years has been Arrested Development.  After the abrupt cancellation of the comedy, I was obviously saddened.  Not many shows can match the comedic humor and flow of Arrested Development.  Now that the show is back for a 4th season, I'm very excited.  Season 4 will be airing on Netflix in May, with all 14 episodes available at the same time.  The movie, however, is still in the works.  I'm pumped for a movie of the show, but I don't know what to expect from it.  A new season will be amazing; in the future a movie will be equally amazing too.  

Grown Ups 2

While watching the Lakers game tonight, I saw an ad for Grown Ups 2 come on the screen.  I remember seeing the original Grown Ups movie in theaters when it came out.  I'm a big time Adam Sandler fan and I liked this movie.  I don't think it was his best movie to date, but it had it's funny moments.  I don't exactly know how I feel about a second run at it.  In one respect, I think it will be cool, but I also have a feeling it could be a massive failure.  I hope they don't try and force the jokes, but instead, they should just let the comedy flow naturally.  Thankfully, the cast is returning, which is very good news for the sequel.  Time will tell, but I hope the film is good.

G.I. Joe 3?

Variety reported today that the G.I. Joe movie franchise is getting a third installment. Paramount had no comments on the reports. I have yet to see the second G.I. Joe, but the first one was awesome. They got some major stars for the second installment, such as The Rock and Bruce Willis. I'm excited they're making a third installment. Do you guys think the big stars help or hurt the franchise?

Clint Eastwood As Jersey Boys Director?

The big rumor out there is that Clint Eastwood might direct the newest adaptation of Jersey Boys.  According to CinemaBlend.com:

          With Jon Favreau as director and a shift from Sony to Warner Bros., it looked like a fast track to  
          success, but then the film went into turnaround, and only the crickets’ songs could be heard. But
          sources are telling The Hollywood Reporter that Clint Eastwood is finally postponing his
          troubled A Star is Born remake on purpose, and that is in talks with Warner Bros. and GK Films
          to step in as direct. Without confirmation, this is of course still just a rumor, so if it turns out to be
          false, we don’t want anyone crying, big girls or otherwise.

I'm curious to see if Eastwood get's the job and if so, exactly how the finished film will be.  He's an awesome director, so I'm sure it will be a hit.

42

Anyone that knows me, knows that I'm a big sports fan.  So of course, I'm pumped for the new 42 movie that chronicles Jackie Robinson's signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  This film looks like it's going to be really good and the screenshots I've seen really give the movie an old look.  The movie is set for an April 12th release and it's directed by Brian Helgeland.  While Brooklyn Dodgers hat logos look just like the Red Sox's, I know I'm going to enjoy this film.  I like the title of the film as well, mainly because it has a cool feel to it.  I hope the final product is enjoyable and factual!

Evil Dead Remake

Well, a remake of Evil Dead is coming out April 5th, which makes me want to discuss horror movie remakes.  I haven't been a fan of some horror movie remakes, including Rob Zombie's current Halloween flicks.  I usually feel that something is lost in the modernization of older films.  You just can't replicate the original Halloween, it's just wrong.  I hope the new Evil Dead does well and I hope they don't change too much from the original.  What do you guys think of remade horror films or remade films in general?

Olympus Has Fallen

 

So the new movie Olympus Has Fallen is out now and I'm wondering how it is.  The movie got a 50% rating from critics and a 79% rating from users, on rottentomatoes.com.  That's kind of how I expected the film to do.  The trailers and commercials looked cool, but I didn't know if the full version would stand up or not.  I don't always listen to film critics, so I would probably fall in the 79% rating.  It seems like Morgan Freeman is in every movie nowadays and I'll have to see how he is in this film.  The theme of Olympus Has Fallen is a bit fantastical for sure, but it's not entirely far fetched.  The theme certainly wouldn't be presented in the 1900's, that's for sure.  If anyone has seen it, let me know how it is!  I'll be checking it out soon enough too.

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Home Theater and 9.2 Surround Sound

As a tie-in with our chapter 9 readings in our text, I wanted to talk about home theaters and 9.2 surround sound.  Widescreen projectors and TVs are the norm now and home audio is continuing to get better and more advanced.  The new 9.2 surround sound setup is the wave of the future, but available now.  The "9" in 9.2 refers to the speakers only, not subwoofers.  The added two speakers of 9.2 channel are the upper front speakers.  The ".2" refers to two subwoofers.  The 9 speakers include two front (left and right) speakers, two upper left and right speakers (left and right) one center speaker, two side speakers (left and right), and two back speakers (left and right).  The back speakers can be at ear level but I believe they should be above ear level, and the side speakers should also be above ear level.  The new upper front speakers add a level of musical and special effect soundtrack depth to the front sound field.  I have 7.1 surround sound and I'm amazed at all the new technology that has come out over the last few years.  It seems like just yesterday I bought my reciever and now they have 9.2 ones out.  I find it amazing that many years ago color TV was the newest thing, now 3D is available for home use.  We have come a long way and it's only getting better.  The diagram below shows a 9.2 channel setup.

 

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The Departed...A Remake?

When I first saw The Departed, I had no idea it was a remake of a 2002 Hong Kong film, entitled, Infernal Affairs.  Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak, Infernal Affairs is a movie with a fun play-on-words title.  The literal Chinese meaning of Infernal Affairs is actually "Unceasing Path."  Director of The Departed, Martin Scorsese, along with the help of re-writer William Monahan, made the Chinese classic into an American classic.  I felt that this tied in perfectly with our foreign film sections in our text.  I've never seen Infernal Affairs, but The Departed is one of my favorite films of all time.  I was surprised to learn that the film was a remake, but Scorsese had a great idea to make this movie.  The Departed stands as one of the best adaptations/remakes in recent history.

Man of Steel

So I'm pretty pumped for this movie!  During The Dark Knight Rises an interesting trailer was shown, and, at first, I had no idea what film it was for.  Towards the middle I knew that this was a trailer for a new Superman movie.  The style of the trailer looked a lot like the style of the Batman movies by Christopher Nolan; dark, edgy, and more serious.  I'm excited to see a new adaptation of a classic super hero.  Already, I can tell that the Superman suit is much darker and more Spider-Man-like.  There is texture to the material and reminds me of Batman's suit in the Christopher Nolan trilogy.  Man of Steel also seems to follow Clark Kent from boyhood all the way up to his Superman days.  I loved the previous Batman television shows and films (with the exception of maybe one of them), and I feel that this movie will be awesome.  Check out the latest trailer below and let me know if any of you guys are excited for this film as well!

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

Some of you may know this or not, but I'm a big Steve Carell and Jim Carrey fan.  Of course, I'm very excited for the new magician movie, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone movie, which puts Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi as rival magicians to Jim Carrey's character.  The trailer for this film looks hilarious and I hope the movie is even better than the trailer and commercials.  I've loved Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, and Jim Carrey's movies in the past and I hope their roles are equal or better than their previous roles.  Anyone else excited for this film?  P.S.  The glass box in the air scene looks awesome!

Hollywood in Massachusetts

I've been excited about movie studios coming to Massachusetts for a while now.  My hopes were dashed when the creation of the film studios in Plymouth were put on hold, but now I've heard that it may be happening again.  I'm not sure on the exact current status of the studios being built here, but I think it's been long enough.  Also there were talks about a studio at Southfield in Weymouth.  Of course, traffic is going to one of the more annoying aspects of having movie studios here.  With all of the movies being filmed here recently, such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and Here Comes the Boom, as well as, movies The Departed and The Town, I think it makes sense to have some movies studios here in MA.  What do you guys think?

What's Your Favorite Horror Film?

It seems that I'm always posting at the same time on here, pure coincidence, I swear ha ha. After reading the "Horror Movie" section in chapter 7, wanted to ask what everyone's favorite horror movie is.  I found it interesting how horror movie actors didn't make as much as other genre's actors in those days.  Not so much the case these days with all of the horror movies released.  So what's everyones favorite horror movie film?  Mine is probably the original Halloween.  It's such a classic movie.

The Departed

As a tie in to chapter 7 in Movie History: A Survey, I wanted to talk about the film The Departed.  I re-watched this movie on TV the other day and own the DVD and Blu-ray of this great film and I thought of it immediately when reading chapter 7.  "The Gangster Film" section of chapter 7 may not refer to this type of film exactly, but I often relate them to each other.  Of course, The Departed is a newer film and is a remake of the 2002 Japanese film, Infernal Affairs, but I find similarities between this movie and the movies of the past decades.  The plots are similar and most of the mobsters die at the end.  There are differences though, including the more brutal language and scenes in this movie.  I found it to be one of the most abrasive films I've ever seen, with excessive amount of swears.  All of the swears and violence do add a level of realism to the film which I really liked.  Anyone else feel the same way?

In honor of 50 years of the Bond films, I thought I'd blog about Agent 007.  As a tribute to one of my favorite Bond movies of all time, Goldeneye, the above image seemed perfect. I got the Bond 50 set on Blu-ray for Christmas, which also includes every 007 movie (with the exception of the Thunderball remake), a placeholder for Skyfall; and a bonus disc filled with behind-the-scenes content, Bond featurettes, and Skyfall behind-the-scenes special features.  It really is an amazing set, while the Bond movies look incredible on Blu-ray.  The audio and visual quality are unsurpassed when it comes to Blu-ray (well not unless you have the RAW footage).

Which brings me to Skyfall!  I was very impressed with Skyfall and the Skyfall Blu-ray.  It had a good plot, with the classic 007 novelties: girls, villains, and gadgets.  While the gadgets were toned down for this movie, the Bond girls are as beautiful as ever and the villain is scary psycho.  The Blu-ray is top notch quality and delivers true audio and visual excellence.   A beefy DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack and MPEG-4 AVC make this Blu-ray truly shine.  Since I'm taking a film history class, I wanted to talk about how the new Bond film compares to the older ones.  Simply put, it does!  Daniel Craig is magnificent in this film and is just as entertaining as Bonds of the past.  There are some really visually impressive scenes, such as the ice/snow scene, the opening blurry/narrow lens scene, and the introduction of the villain.  These scenes are shots that stuck with me and made an immediate impression.  Check this Blu-ray or DVD out.  What are you guys' favorite Bond flicks?

PAPER 1 DONE!...FILM CENSORSHIP

So I've finally finished Paper 1 in Film History class.  It was a tricky one, I must say.  Putting all of my information together and comparing/contrasting the different points was tough!  I used censorship as my main basis for my paper and I found some interesting information.  Censorship of film has a colorful past and folks back then didn't like homicide very much, it seems.  They didn't want any homicide scenes on film, nor any arson or poisoning either.  I found this a bit humorous and interesting.  Look at the movies of today and look at how much these themes are used: regularly.  We have come a long way from the censorship of that era, but there still is censorship in movies today.  All of this reminds me of a certain documentary I watched last year about film ratings.  I can't remember the exact name but it was something like "This documentary is not rated."

BACK IN ACTION! - MY TAKE ON 1913

Well it's been quite a while since I've posted on here.  Since my last post there has been an NHL lockout and the Bruins have only lost two regulation games.  It's been a rather eventful fall and winter.  Included in this fun is my Film History class which I've been enjoying.  Winter Storm Nemo has left me finding time to read and study.  Our first paper is due by the end of the week and I've been trying to find newspaper articles from my birthday month of March.  The only tough part is that they have to be from 1913.  I stumbled upon a few good ones and I was intrigued by the newspapers from back then.  The pictures look so foreign in their low quality appearance and the grammar of the text is far more eloquent.

I found a broad range of articles, scaling from how films are evil, to a couple's encounter with a wild animal.  It was so interesting to see how folks back then were concerned about the content in the films in that era.  They would probably pass out at the sight of some of today's gory and obscene films (reminds me of a new absurd comedy commercial I saw on TV tonight).  I'm all for comedy films, but some studios just take it too far and it just ends up being dumb and good for only maybe one laugh.  All of the articles were extremely interesting and seeing these newspapers from a century ago transported me back in time.  Do a quick google search or use http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.