Tag: Movies

Coffee Talk #230: Airplane Movie Review!

I’m about to hop on a flight back to Los Angeles, but before I do that I wanted to talk with you about two movies I saw on the way here: Cyrus and Grown Ups. I enjoyed both movies in very different ways. Here’s the lowdown (not D.Lo Brown style):

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Big Ben’s return, whether or not I should stalk the freshly single Christina Aguilera, or NY pizza totally ruling, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’m about to hop on a flight back to Los Angeles, but before I do that I wanted to talk to you about two movies I saw on the way here: Cyrus and Grown Ups. I enjoyed both movies in very different ways. Here’s the lowdown (not D.Lo Brown style):

Cyrus: I really wanted to see this movie in theaters. I’m a fan of John C. Reilly (best sidekick actor ever!), I was curious about Jonah Hill in a dark role, and Marisa Tomei is hotter now than she was 15 years ago (plus, she’s super talented). The three of them were fantastic, the script was an interesting blend of romance and dark comedy, and some of the conversation scenes were filmed in a really stylish way. Cyrus hits different emotions that rarely come together. Off the top of my head, I can’t think of a movie that’s a romantic comedy, a dark comedy, and a drama at the same time — very cool and very different. It’s surely not a mainstream flick, but I enjoyed it immensely and regret not seeing it in theaters to give it some support.

Grown Ups: This movie, on the other hand, should not be seen in theaters. Having said that, I enjoyed it too and was surprised at the three or four times I laughed out loud. It’s certainly not a good movie, but there’s some funny writing and great delivery. In a way it’s kind of like the original Ocean’s Eleven (the Frank Sinatra one); you know it’s not a good movie, but there’s something entertaining about watching a bunch of good friends working together. Plus, I admire Adam Sandler for serving up strong comedies, dramas, and action movies (okay, two out of three). Plus (again), I have to support Rob Schneider for being part Filipino.

Anyway, those were the movies I caught on Saturday morning. Any of you see anything interesting lately?

Coffee Talk #229: What Kind of Headphones Do You Use?

Whether it’s playing games, listening to music, or watching a movie, a good pair of headphones can drastically alter your experience. Today I’m going to talk about the headphones I use and get some recommendations from you.

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Christina Aguilera being single, your ALCS/NLCS predictions, or touchscreen phones having more bacteria than urinal handles, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Whether it’s playing games, listening to music, or watching a movie, a good pair of headphones can drastically alter your experience. Today I’m going to talk about the headphones I use and get some recommendations from you.

I’ve been using the same headphones for the last eight years and am extremely happy with my gear. At home, I use Grado’s SR125 open-ear cans; they offer incredible sound quality at an incredible price — the SR 125s sound as good or better than cans that cost two to three times as much. On the road, I opt for in-ear headsets with foam tips. The foam tips completely rule at blocking out airplane noise. My Etymotic ER-4Ps offer a perfectly balanced sound, while my Shure E4Gs offer more bass and a sound most people prefer for pop music.

What kind of headphones do you guys and dolls use?

Netflix for PlayStation 3 Will Go Discless on October 18

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that Netflix for Playstation 3 will no longer require a disc starting October 18, 2010. A few other features have been added as well. Here are the bullet points from the press release:

Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that Netflix for Playstation 3 will no longer require a disc starting October 18, 2010. A few other features have been added as well. Here are the bullet points from the press release:

  • Movies and TV shows from Netflix will be accessible from PS3’s XMB menu under a new Netflix icon under the Video category. To access Netflix, PS3 owners will need to sign-in with their PlayStation®Network account.
  • Support for Dolby Digital Plus 5.1-channel surround sound will enable users to experience premium-quality audio.
  • A new user interface, including the recently added search functionality, will deliver a much richer and faster browsing experience, making it easier to find the specific titles you’re looking for or to discover new content.
  • Some movies and TV shows will be viewable in 1080i resolution, offering an enhanced visual experience as more consumers adopt HDTVs.
  • The amount of time to start playback will be improved.
  • An increasing number of movies and TV shows will be viewable with subtitles or alternate audio tracks.

This is certainly more convenient than using a silly disc, but I mostly posted this story because the word discless sounds funny.

Faster Trailer (Starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson)

Here’s the trailer for Faster, starring former WWE Superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. It shows off his natural chops as an action star, but is darker than his other movies. There’s blood, shooting, stabbing, and more. While I think The Rock is a fantastic comedian, most people prefer him as an action star. Faster looks like a great movie for fans of The Rock.

Let me know what you think of the trailer when you have a moment.

Napoleon Dynamite…the Animated TV Series?!?

It’s been six years since Jon Heder charmed America as the awkwardly lovable geek Napoleon Dynamite. Heder will be putting on the moon boots once again, but this time the liger-loving nerd will be hitting the small screen in an animated series on Fox. According to E!:

Fox has ordered up six episodes of the half-hour sitcom and the original main cast is said to be onboard for voice work. The O.G. players included Efren Ramirez as Pedro, Tina Majorino as Deb, Aaron Ruell as Kip and Jon Gries as Uncle Rico.

Although I think the movie is a bit overrated and hated that people kept quoting it for like 18 months, I’m a fan of the film and Heder. It’s not great, but Napoleon Dynamite was fun and a nice debut for writer/director Jared Hess. I had a good time seeing the movie with this completely hot programmer chick from Double Fine. Hmmm, perhaps I like the movie more than I ought to simply because of Anna. Ha!

Anyway, are any of you psyched for Napoleon Dynamite cartoon?

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(Not a) Review of Superman/Batman: Apocalypse

Thanks to RPadholic Tokz_21, I finally got around to watching Superman/Batman: Apocalypse. Following up the excellent Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, the latest DC Comics animated movie dazzled me. As a fan of Jeph Loeb’s work on the Superman/Batman comics (not to mention a fan of hot blonde Kryptonian girls), I knew I’d enjoy this movie, but I was surprised that it exceeded my expectations. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse has it all — great story, beautiful art, and visceral action. Here are some random thoughts on the movie.

Here’s a spoiler-free summary before I really get into things. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is about a naked hot female Kryptonian girl that crash lands in Gotham Bay. After injuring some civilians and damaging public property, Batman decides that he doesn’t trust the girl. After meeting Superman, the girl claims to be his cousin — Kara Zor-El. Things get wacky from there and all kinds of different locations are visited before epic fights with epic villains ensue. Now let’s get to the spoiler-riddled part of the review!

I was absolutely floored by the movie’s art, which surprised me because I’m more into plot and dialog when it comes to comics. DC has usually done a great job with its animated movies, but Superman/Batman: Apocalypse takes it to another level. The artists and animators did a masterful job contrasting the movie’s various locations. Dark areas like Gotham and Apokolips played off light locations such as Metropolis, Paradise Island, and The Fortress of Solitude. The artists also got to draw traditional superhero costumes (Supes, Bats, Wonder Woman, etc.) and funkier Jack Kirby Fourth World characters like Big Barda, Granny Goodness, and Mad Harriet. The variety and quality of the art is outstanding.

As for the story, it’s mostly good. It’s based off of the excellent “The Supergirl From Krypton” storyline by Jeph Loeb. While it’s not as good as the fantastic Batman: Under the Red Hood, I enjoyed it a great deal. Part of it is because I enjoy how DC’s “big three” — Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman — play off of each other. Part of it is because I love Kirby’s Fourth World stuff. I was psyched to watch a movie with Darkseid, Big Barda, Granny Goodness, and The Female Furies. I marked out when Barda opened a closet and Mister Miracle’s costume was there. I loved the plot in the comics and liked the movie adaptation. That said, the storytelling has its flaws.

One reason the Superman/Batman comics work so well is its use of inner monologue. In the books, the thought bubbles are often more important than the spoken words. Reading what Superman and Batman actually think of each other is a different and highly entertaining. All of this is lost in the movie, which is understandable. The pacing would be dreadful if one-third of the movie consisted of characters thinking. However, a vital element of the comics was lost in translation.

The voice acting has a weak spot that can be jarring. Kevin Conroy and Tim Daly are excellent as Batman and Superman, respectively, but they’re always awesome. Andre Braugher, Susan Eisenberg, and Julianne Grossman put in strong performance as Darkseid, Wonder Woman, and Big Barda. The weak link is Summer Glau, who plays Kara/Supergirl…rather poorly. She’s the movie’s central figure. Everything revolves around her. When you have a bunch of strong voice actors playing off of a weak one, it drags the whole performance down.

There was one scene that I absolutely loved in the comics and completely worked in animated form. I marked out when Batman played Darkseid into surrendering. It’s such a cool moment — the human outsmarting the god. Andre Braugher’s concession speech is delivered perfectly.

At the end of the day, I really enjoyed Superman/Batman Apocalypse, but I don’t think that most people would enjoy as much as I did. The Fourth World characters were a big reason this movie was so much fun for me. Most people probably don’t give a damn about Stompa or Lashina and couldn’t point you to Armagetto or Necropolis on a map of Apokolips. Casual fans would prefer Superman/Batman: Public Enemies or Batman: Under the Red Hood. I’m hoping that some of you will give this movie a shot. The art is so good, the action is fantastic, and the story is enjoyable. Plus, Big Barda and Supergirl are total hotties.

“Off With Her Hair!!!” Keira Knightley Gets a Bob (Plus a Poll!)

What’s with all these hot British movie stars chopping off their hair? First Emma Watson gets a pixie cut and now Keira Knightley gets a bob. She looks like Justin Keeling…a really pretty boy. I am so not digging this trend. I’m scared of what will happen next. Hopefully it stays on that side of the pond. If Scarlett Johansson gets a Mohawk then…I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’ll be crazy!

Ah screw it. Let’s have a poll.

[poll id=”76″]

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Zack Snyder to Direct Superman Reboot, General Zod Rumored

The Superman reboot already got my attention with Natalie Portman being rumored to play Lois Lane, but the news of Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) directing the film and (especially) the movie including General Zod really has me psyched. Here’s the latest from Heat Vision Blog:

Zack Snyder has been chosen to direct the new Superman movie, which Christopher Nolan is producing for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures. Negotiations began earlier today.

Nolan, who revived Batman, teamed up with David Goyer for a new a way to revive the last son of Krypton. Despite grossing $200 million domestically, the last movie, 2006’s Superman Returns, was considered a disappointment and a hoped-for franchise launch never flew off.

Goyer is writing the script, which is rumoured to have, like Superman Returns, a Richard Donner Superman connection. In the movie’s case, it’s a villain connection: General Zod.

“Come Son of Jor-El! Kneel before Zod!!!” Whether it’s Terence Stamp’s excellent portrayal in Superman II or the Zod in the comic books, I love this character. I hope the rumor pans out. As for Snyder, I have mixed feelings on him. I thought that 300 was a fun and dumb movie. I’m a huge Watchmen fan and while I imagine making a movie based on one of the most complex graphics novels in history is a supreme challenge, I thought that his Watchmen movie was only half good.

What are you thoughts on Snyder directing the film and the possible inclusion of Zod?

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Today’s Poll: Emma Stone’s MJ vs. Natalie Portman’s Lois

It’s the battle of the superhero-love-interest hotties! In the red corner is Natalie Portman. A Harvard graduate that’s best known (by geeks) from the Star Wars movies, Portman is rumored to be playing Lois Lane in the Superman reboot. In the blue corner is Emma Stone, who made millions of moviegoers crack up in Superbad and The House Bunny. The word on the street is that Stone has been offered the Mary Jane Watson role in the Spider-Man reboot.

Who will be the better love interest?!? Vote and discuss (please)!!!

[poll id=”75″]

Emma Stone Offered Mary Jane Watson Role in Spider-Man Movie

According to Deadline, Emma Stone is Sony’s choice to play Spider-Man’s love interest, Mary Jane Watson. I love this girl. She’s spunky, cute, and funny. One of my friends thinks I’m nuts on this, but I think her voice is totally sexy.

Superhero movies are getting some total hotties! First Natalie Portman as Lois Lane opposite Superman and now this! Hmmm, methinks I should have a poll. In the meantime, let me know what you think of Stone as MJ.

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