Movies Archives - Page 7 of 46

Guardians of the Galaxy Trailer (I Am Groot!)

Even though it stars the talentless hack known as Batista (Drax the Destroyer), I’m rooting for Guardians of the Galaxy to succeed. I’m a fan of the Brian Michael Bendis comics and the movie has several enjoyable performers that compensate for Batista’s formidable sucktitude. The new trailer (embedded below), has me cautiously hopeful for the movie. Check out the clip and let me know what you think (please!). For now, I shall break down why I’m cautiously excited for Guardians of the Galaxy.

Gamora: Zoe Saldana is a sexy woman. Zoe Saldana in green body paint playing a universally feared assassin takes her sexiness to a new level. I want to see her slice, dice, and kick ass…while being an alluring shade of green.

Star Lord: I like Chris Pratt. I enjoyed his supporting roles in Moneyball and The Five-Year Engagement. Even though he’s the leading man in Guardians of the Galaxy, he’s surrounded by actors and actresses that are way more famous and accomplished. Since he’s liberated by being under the radar, I’m hoping that he’ll give a surprisingly strong performance as head honcho Peter Quill.

Groot: I kept waiting and waiting for an, “I am Groot!” utterance in the trailer. It never came. That just makes me want the second trailer more. Ha! A friend of mine was saying that Vin Diesel’s best roles are ones with a limited vocabulary. I’m hoping he can get as much mileage from “I am Groot!” as he did saying “Hogarth” in The Iron Giant.

Rocket: In a stroke of genius, Guardians of the Galaxy has one of the hottest leading men in Hollywood (Bradley Cooper) doing voiceover work…as a talking raccoon with a ton of attitude. That’s just funny. On a more serious note, this is the character that will probably make or break the movie for me. Rocket is a tough one to pull off. It would be really, really easy to get too comical with him. I’m anxious to see if the movie delivers the blend of attitude and heart that Bendis deftly portrayed in the comics.

Rhomann Dey: If you’re a comic-book purist then John C. Reilly doesn’t make any sense for this character. At all. That said, he’s frickin’ John C. Reilly! I am of the opinion that he should be in every movie.

While I’m excited for Guardians of the Galaxy, I don’t expect it to do as well as Marvel’s previous comic-book adaptations. These characters aren’t as well know as The Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, or Thor. People that are unfamiliar with the comics will see a talking tree and a talking raccoon, which will lead to many WTF moments. It also has Batista, a person that’s terrible enough to keep away millions of moviegoers. Still, the trailer was fun and the source material is excellent. I’m hoping that Guardians of the Galaxy will rock.

How about you? What do you thing of the trailer? Any moments stand out for you? Any predictions on how Guardians of the Galaxy will do at the box office? Shout it out in the comments section (please!).

Coffee Talk #614: Who’s the Best Mortal Kombat Sonya?

My friend Justin and I have had several arguments about the hottest Mortal Kombat Sonya. In the red corner, there’s Bridgette Wilson from the first Mortal Kombat movie. In the blue corner, there’s Sandra Hess from Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. To me, the answer is a no-brainer, but I accept that not everyone has the same opinion. So let’s break it down and examine which actress makes the sexier Mortal Kombat Sonya. After you’ve made up your mind, please vote in the poll below…continued

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, Chris Paul’s triumphant return to the Los Angeles Clippers, the start of the Sochi Olympics, or Marcus Smart’s war on fans, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend Justin and I have had several arguments about the hotter Mortal Kombat Sonya. In the red corner, there’s Bridgette Wilson from the first Mortal Kombat movie. In the blue corner, there’s Sandra Hess from Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. To me, the answer is a no-brainer, but I accept that not everyone has the same opinion. So let’s break it down and examine which actress makes the sexier Mortal Kombat Sonya. After you’ve made up your mind, please vote in the poll below.

Bridgette Wilson: This lady gets mad bonus points for starring as Miss Veronica Vaughn in the legendary Billy Madison. She also gets additional points for her roles in Saved by the Bell and Last Action Hero. A former Miss Teen USA, Wilson did an adequate job in the Sonya Blade fighting scenes in Mortal Kombat. Objectively, Second Sonya kicked more ass. Subjectively, her body of work made her my pick. Going against her is the fact that she married tennis legend Pete Sampras. Sampras’ uncanny resemblance to Eugene Levy means Bridgette Wilson finds Eugene Levy sexy on some level. Yeah, that’s kind of weird.

Sandra Hess: This Swiss beauty dropped out of the University of Zurich’s law school, so she’s smart and beautiful. Her fight scenes in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation were more impressive than Wilson’s, showing a sexy flexibility and the willingness to fight in mud (for no apparent reason). While her body of work isn’t as impressive, she does get some nerd points for starring in Beastmaster III and playing Viper in Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. On the plus side, she did not marry Pete Sampras. While she’s objectively more beautiful and had a better run as Mortal Kombat Sonya, it’s tough to compete with Veronica Vaughn.

Your Turn: Kindly give this hugely important matter some thought, vote in the poll below, and explain your choice in the comments section when you have a chance.

[poll id=”191″]

Coffee Talk #613: Best Super Bowl XLVIII Nerd Movie Trailer

Confession: I totally missed most of Super Bowl XLVIII. Part of it was because I was bummed about the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman and part of it was because jet lag was totally kicking my ass. The thorough thrashing of the Denver Broncos performed by the Seattle Seahawks didn’t help keep me awake. That said, I did manage to catch the three Super Bowl XLVIII nerd movie trailers: The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Transformers: Age of Extinction. The trailers are embedded below for your viewing pleasure, followed by some commentary and a poll. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these Super Bowl XLVIII nerd movie trailers. Kindly comment and vote when you have a moment…continued

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, adjusting (sadly) to life back in America, IHOP vs. Denny’s, or remembering your favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman movie, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Confession: I totally missed most of Super Bowl XLVIII. Part of it was because I was bummed about the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman and part of it was because jet lag was totally kicking my ass. The thorough thrashing of the Denver Broncos performed by the Seattle Seahawks didn’t help keep me awake. That said, I did manage to catch the three Super Bowl XLVIII nerd movie trailers: The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Transformers: Age of Extinction. The trailers are embedded below for your viewing pleasure, followed by some commentary and a poll. I’d love to hear your thoughts on these Super Bowl XLVIII nerd movie trailers. Kindly comment and vote when you have a moment.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2: This lengthy spot was full of fun bits and full of elements that have me worried. The CGI effects for Spider-Man and Electro were sweet. Andrew Garfield seems to be doing better with the role (liked him as Spider-Man, but thought he was too cool as Peter Parker). Having too many villains (Electro, Rhino, Green Goblin) worries me. Will the movie be too unfocused?

Then there’s the “spurned lover” aspect of Electro, seen in such movies as Batman Forever (Riddler), The Incredibles (Syndrome), and most recent Iron Man 3 (Aldrich Killian). That’s been done do death. Lastly, as a comic-book fanboy, I don’t really like Harry Osborn as the Green Goblin. That role will always be Norman Osborn to me.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: This was easily my favorite Super Bowl XLVIII nerd movie trailer. I’ve been high on this movie for months and this extended trailer just cements my fandom. The Winter Soldier is a great character and the trailer makes him look like a total bad ass. It was cool seeing more of 8-Mile’s Papa Doc as Falcon and seeing Scarlett Johansson is always an excellent thing.

While Chris Evans is a way better Captain America than I ever expected him to be, this movie is all about the villain. And really, aren’t the best superhero movies defined by their awesome villains? The trailer is full of acrobatic action, collateral damage (loved seeing the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier crash into that building), and tense moments. I’m totally psyched for this movie.

Transformers: Age of Extinction: Ah, another Michael Bay disasterpiece. On the plus side, it has ~~Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch~~ Mark Wahlberg. Unfortunately, it has Optimus Prime riding around on Grimlock as if he were a trusted steed rather than a fierce Dinobot. Yeah…no.

Your Turn: Now it’s your turn to vote. Kindly pick your favorite Super Bowl XLVIII nerd movie trailer in the poll below and explain your choice in the comments section.

[poll id=”190″]

Coffee Talk #610: Most Wanted Nerd Movies of 2014

Now that we’ve discussed our favorite 2013 movies and our most wanted videogames of 2014, it’s time to talk about the most wanted nerd movies of 2014. On the plus side, 2013 had all sorts of movies for comics, fantasy, and sci-fi fans. Unfortunately, many of them were merely good and few of them caused true nerdgasms. On paper, 2014 looks promising. There are loads of comics, sci-fi, and fantasy films slated for release, packed with phenomenal casts and crews. Below is a list of nerd movies that I’m looking forward to. After you check it out, please share your most wanted nerd movies of 2014…continued

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, the Chicago Bulls’ rebuilding phase, the best complement to peanut butter, or the triumphant return of Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier — The trailer for this movie looks sick and I’m a huge fan of the comic-book version of the antagonist. With some luck, Winter Soldier could surpass Loki as Marvel’s coolest movie bad guy.

X-Men: Days of Future Past — The source material is awesome and Bryan Singer has shown skill at being respectful to the source while deftly adapting it to the big screen (let’s all pretend his Superman didn’t happen). Awesome mutants, menacing sentinels, and Peter Dinklage should make this a fun flick. That said, I am concerned that time hopping, alternate realities, and time stream alteration could make this one a mess.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 — The first movie was utterly charming and I’m hoping for more of the same in the sequel. Plus, dragons are awesome.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes — I loved the first movie. It was smart, the acting was great, and the special effects were excellent. My concern here is that the director worked on Felicity. That show sucked.

Muppets Most Wanted — After years of being shelved, Jim Henson’s Muppets made a triumphant return in 2011. Accompanied by Tina Fey and Ricky Gervais, I’m hopeful that the Muppets will smash it once again.

The Knights of Badassdom — Peter Dinklage and Steve Zahn awesome. LARPing is hilarious. Put it all together and you should have a sweet nerd movie. As an added bonus, the movie was directed by a former G4tv coworker of mine.

Hercules — No, I’m not talking about the one starring the Twilight guy. I’m talking about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s movie. As a WWE mark, I need to support The Rock’s quest to become America’s best action hero.

Lucy — Scarlett Johansson as a drug mule turned superhero? I’m down! Actually, I’m down with most things Scarlett Johansson.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For — The first movie was stellar — arguably the best pure comic-book-to-movie adaptation ever made. The second movie brings back the scintillating Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson, and Jaime King. I’m curious about recasting Miho with Jamie Chung, as well as Lady Gaga’s cameo. Creator Frank Miller is assisting Robert Rodriguez as director, so it should be another faithful adaptation.

Guardians of the Galaxy — I’m a bit torn about this movie. It’s a difficult book to translate to the silver screen. I mean, two of the main characters are a bad-ass raccoon and a repetitive tree. The source is lots of fun and I want the movie to kick ass…but it also stars WWE Batista. Part of me wants the world to see him as the utter fraud of an entertainer he is — that guy sucks at everything (except, perhaps, writing unintentional funny autobiographies).

Amazing Spider-Man 2 — The first movie was fun for me, but not great. I’m hoping that the cast and crew does a better job the second time around. The acting talent is immense and Spidey special effects are always fun. Will the gang have the stones to kill off Gwen Stacy?!? I’m anxious to find out.

RoboCop — The costume makes the titular character look like a Japanese sex toy. Let’s forget about that and look at the tremendous supporting cast: Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earle Haley, Jay Baruchel, and more. That’s a crazy amount of talent!

Transformers: Age of Extinction — Yeah, these movies are pretty stupid (Michael Bay’s specialty), but the upcoming Transformers flick has two things going for it — Mark Wahlberg and (rumored) Dinobots! Me Grimlock wants to see this one (when it’s available digitally)!

Now it’s your turn. Kindly share your most wanted nerd movies of 2014 in the comments section (please!).

Coffee Talk #608: Your 2013 Movie of the Year

Now that we’ve discussed the 2013 game of the year, it’s time to talk about the 2013 movie of the year. There were a lot of nerd movies released in 2013: The Wolverine, Kick-Ass 2, Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, and more. Most of these movies were okay for me; I liked a lot of them, but didn’t really love any of them…except for one. Despite being panned by many longtime fans and despite getting shredded by butt-hurt science fundamentalists, I super-enjoyed…continued

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, Anderson Silva’s impersonation of Mr. Fantastic, hoping that Sierra breaks up with Alex, or the best type of donut, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

JJ Abrams’ reinvigorated the Star Trek franchise in his initial reboot and his fun take on the beloved sci-fi universe continues in Stark Trek: Into Darkness. I really love his modern twist on Star Trek; it’s fun, clever, and current. Thanks to some space-time manipulation, the new Star Trek isn’t beholden to the previous works. This has freed the new writers and directors, and I’ve been digging what they’ve come up with.

Star Trek: Into Darkness is fun and fast. It doesn’t confuse the audience with overly complicated science fiction. The cast is great and I could write a paragraph about each of the leads. Naturally, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are the top dogs. Those cats excel as Kirk and Spock (though I will always think less of Chris Pine for sleeping with the dreadful Olivia Munn). Simon Pegg is a wonderfully hilarious Scotty. Newcomer Alice Eve…is one of the sexiest humans that ever existed; she’s beautiful, she’s incredibly smart, and she has that alluring accent — just…wow.

A few of my friends have bagged on the actual science in Star Trek: Into Darkness, especially in the opening scene. To this I say, “Who gives a sh*t?!?” The opening scene was so much fun! The action and humor were fantastic. I don’t care that you can’t stop a volcano from exploding with a cold-fusion bomb and that you shouldn’t submerge a spaceship. That scene rocked and set the tone for the movie.

To sum it all up, Star Trek: Into Darkness was my 2013 movie of the year because of its clever writing, deft directing, strong performances, sweet special effects, and outstanding use Alice Eve.

Now it’s your turn! What was your 2013 movie of the year? Kindly share your feelings in the comments section.

Harry Potter: The Early Years

Fabulously wealthy Harry Potter author JK Rowling has announced that she’ll be involved with a play based on the titular wizard’s early years living with the Dursley family. Rowling will be a co-producer for the Harry Potter play and will consult with the writers, but will not write the script herself. Writers and directors are being considered, with the project moving into development next year. Here’s a clip from the announcement:

What was it like to be the boy in the cupboard under the stairs? This brand new play, which will be developed for the UK theatre, will explore the previously untold story of Harry’s early years as an orphan and outcast. Featuring some of our favourite characters from the Harry Potter books, this new work will offer a unique insight into the heart and mind of the now legendary young wizard. A seemingly ordinary boy, but one for whom Destiny has plans…

Uh…what? This seems like a missed opportunity. It would have been awesome to explore the Harry Potter world when Voldemort was running wilder than Hulkamania. It would have been cool to learn more about the original Order of the Phoenix. The books have so many interesting adult characters and it would have been fantastic to see them in their primes. Instead, we’re getting a tale of Harry Potter’s life in the cupboard. The books already tell enough about that stage of Harry’s life: it was crap.

On the plus side, I imagine that a large chunk of the play will be Harry talking to himself while locked in the cupboard. At least production costs will be cheap.

Hopefully my initial feelings about the play are dead wrong and the writers can work some magic to create a heart-tugging experience. What’s your first reaction to a play based on Harry Potter’s life living under the stairs? Does it have potential? Or does it sound ridiculous? Please leave a comment and let me know.

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Paul Rudd is…Ant-Man

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paul Rudd has been cast as the titular character in the upcoming Ant-Man movie. Rudd is famous for his comedic (and bromantic) performances in Anchorman, The 40-Year Old Virgin, I Love You Man, and more. Ant-Man is famous…well, he’s not really a famous Marvel superhero, is he? The casting is interesting; Ant-Man is an unusual character and it’s surprising that he’s getting his own movie, while it’s equally surprising that Rudd will don some spandex and play a superhero on the big screen. It’s so wacky that it just might work!

For those of you that haven’t been keeping up with news on the movie, Ant-Man will be directed by Edgar Wright. The English director is best known for Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the big-screen adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. While many comic-book fanboys expect a healthy dose of comedy, I’m hoping that the quirkiness behind the humor permeates Ant-Man.

So what are the chances of the following exchange happening in a future Avengers movie?

Ant-Man: Do you know how I know you’re gay?

Captain America: How?

Ant-Man: You had a little boy as a sidekick and crashed an airplane into some ice instead of making out with a hot British chick.

(It’s early morning and I have jet lag. I’ll come up with a much better joke later.)

My initial reaction is, “I don’t know about this one.” To me, Ant-Man (the Hank Pym version) is notable for two reasons — being one of the smartest men in the Marvel Universe and being an abusive husband. I can’t see Rudd being a genius or a wife-beater, let alone both.

Anyway, please let me know what you think of Paul Rudd as Ant-Man in the comments section. Are you intrigued by the casting? Or do you see him as too much of a comedian to play a superhero (even a tiny one)?

Ant-Man is slated for a July 2015 release.

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Gal Gadot Cast as Wonder Woman (Superman vs. Batman)

According to Deadline, the search for Wonder Woman is over. The ridiculously lovely Gal Gadot has been cast as Diana of the Amazons in Superman vs. Batman. Many of you are familiar with Gal Gadot from the Fast & Furious movies. She was also Miss Israel 2004 and served two years in the Israeli army. So yeah, she’s a stunning actress/model that kicks all kinds of ass. Gal Gadot makes sense as Wonder Woman, don’t you agree?

Of course some comic-book fanboys will be disappointed with the casting. Jaimie Alexander (Sif in the Thor movies) was rumored to be in the running for the Wonder Woman role. Alexander (not the daughter of Jason Alexander…despite what I tell people IRL) has already shown the ability to kick ass while looking beautiful on the big screen. That said, there are some moviegoers (like RPadholic N8R) that hate when an actor or actress plays multiple superhero roles. It can be disconcerting.

Personally, I’m jazzed about the Gal Gadot casting. She’s gorgeous and can beat me up. That’s just…hot. How about you? What do you think of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in Superman vs. Batman? Excited? Disappointed? Ambivalent? Kindly share your thoughts on the Israeli beauty playing the Amazonian princess in the comments section.

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Jackie Chan Police Story Reboot Trailer

Jackie Chan’s Police Story series showed the action-movie legend at his comedic best. The four movies were loved by Jackie Chan fans for their mix of acrobatic stunts and goofy gags. Chan dazzled in these flicks with his inimitable physical comedy. The 2013 Police Story reboot is very different — stunningly so. One of the first things you’ll see in the trailer (embedded below) is Chan plugging someone in the head. This isn’t the cornball Jackie Chan that has entertained moviegoers for decades. This is a darker and grittier version that will surprise many of his fans.

The tone of the Police Story reboot is a really interesting move on Chan’s part. He’s obviously older and can’t do many of the stunts that carried him through dozens of films. Mixing in excellently-choreographed telegenic martial arts with an edgier tone could be a brilliant way of reinventing himself. I’m guessing that it will play well in Asian markets, while the reactions in the West will be mixed. Many American moviegoers aren’t familiar with Chan’s earlier work and will remember movies like Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon. They only know the goofball Jackie Chan and perhaps the Police Story reboot will be too much of a shock for them.

Naturally, I want your take on the Police Story reboot. What do you think of pissed-off, bad-ass Jackie Chan? Do you buy into the character? Or are you waiting for Chris Tucker or Owen Wilson to show up for some juvenile humor?

X-Men Days of Future Past Trailer (Bryan Singer)

Embedded below is the trailer for X-Men Days of Future Past. Somewhat based on the classic Chris Claremont X-Men storyline, the movie blends elements of Bryan Singer’s X-Men films and the more recent X-Men First Class. Singer is back in the director’s chair X-Men Days of Future Past and is joined by actors from all the previous films. Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Patrick Stewart (Professor X), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Halle Berry (Storm), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), James McAvoy (young Professor X), and Michael Fassbender (young Magneto) are just some of the actors in the star-studded cast.

If you’re not familiar with the original story, it involves time travel, giant mutant-hunting robots, alternate futures, and timeline manipulation. It sounds confusing, but it boils down to a future X-Man going back into the past in order to avoid a horrific future. While the basic premise of the movie is the same, longtime X-Men fans will be able to spot several differences in the trailer alone. Character roles, team composition, and various interactions are some obvious, but understandable, differences. Naturally, any excuse to give Hugh Jackman more screen time is a good thing for attracting mainstream viewers. While comic-book fanboys will likely take umbrage to the Hollywood-influenced rewrites, general moviegoers aren’t likely to complain (or notice).

My excellent friend and fellow comics nerd Paul Semel is approaching the movie with caution. He loathed X-Men First Class and is afraid that X-Men Days of Future Past will have many of the elements he hated about that movie. I’m way more optimistic than he is on X-Men Days of Future Past’s potential. The source material (though altered) is great, the director is solid, and the cast is outstanding. The danger is that multiple time jumps and a large cast of characters will add up to a Giant-Sized X-Men mess, but I have faith in Bryan Singer.

How about you guys and gals? What do you think of the X-Men Days of Future Past trailer? Are you more excited for or afraid of the movie?