Saturday Morning Central » Movies

Help Me Save Scott Pilgrim with Horrible Night and GEEKSOAP

Tommy — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:30:22 +0000

Rant

I’ve had several drafts of wordy Scott Pilgrim vs. The World reviews saved, but each one ends up being angrier than the last. Why am I angry? Because this is the type of movie that Hollywood should be making for my generation, but it’s currently drowning at the box office and as a result and we’ll probably end up with more Transformers, GI Joe, and Monopoly movies instead.

I heard it best described as “An Epic for the Nintendo Generation,” and that’s about right. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, quit what you’re doing right now and go to the theater. Don’t wait for it to hit DVD/Blu-ray, don’t illegally download it, go see it. It is brilliant in every way, and chances are, if you read this site much, you’ll love it.

/Rant

Sorry, I had to get that out of my system. Now on to the exciting news! My friends and fellow Indianapolis-based geeks from Horrible Night and GEEKSOAP are teaming up with me to do what we can to give Scott Pilgrim a little box-office boost in our hometown. If you’re in the area, we’re hosting a Scott Pilgrim screening this Thursday, August 26th. You can find more info and RSVP at the Facebook Event page. If you show up, you can get a sweet discount code from GEEKSOAP.

Horrible Night also has a #SaveScottPilgrim contest running right now that could get you a free copy of the Scott Pilgrim game. They’ve also written up a few more reasons why we need to band together to save this movie.

I’ll be sure to post some pictures/video from the event if any are taken. If you’re in another state but wish you could come, why not host your own screening? Chances are, this won’t be in theaters for much longer. Geeks: unite!

Batman Under the Red Hood Blu-ray Review

Tommy — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:57:52 +0000

The DC Animated Universe movies are getting better. Green Lantern: First Flight was OK. Superman/Batman Public Enemies and Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths were better than I thought they were going to be. Batman Under the Red Hood held my attention through two viewings in the course of a few days, and so far is my personal favorite.

That really surprises me seeing as how much I love the Kenvin Conroy/Mark Hamill animated Batverse that started in my childhood and has continued up through the Arkham Asylum game. Under the Red Hood feels like a self-contained Batman story though, and can get by with a new voice cast.

Speaking of the voice cast, it features Bruce Greenwood as Batman, Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood, John Di Maggio as the Joker, Neil Patrick Harris as Nightwing, and Jason Isaacs as Ra’s al Ghul. Bruce Greenwood is solid as Batman, but it took me a while to warm up to Di Maggio’s Joker. After a while it started to warm on me, and definitely felt like a mix of Mark Hamill and Heath Ledger.

The story and action was mature enough without coming across as gratuitous or Hey This is a PG-13 Movie Folks! Some people would say the plot was predictable, but it was still fun to watch and was done well.

The Blu-ray looks and sounds great, and the bonus features are up to par with the previous DC animated films, meaning they come with the standard documentaires and bonus episodes. The DC Showcase short this time around is Jonah Hex, which got a big Meh from me, but if you’re a fan of the character you might like it more.

This movie makes me excited about the upcoming Batman: Year One film they’re working on, but it also makes me more optimistic about the entire series. I really enjoyed this one.

Want to help out SMC? When you buy stuff through my affiliate links, I get a tiny portion of the sale that goes towards getting new stuff to review and hosting contests!

Yogi Bear Teaser Trailer

Tommy — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:15:56 +0000

There happen to be a lot of trailers I’m dying to see right now. Green Lantern, Thor, Captain America, but instead the interwebs grace us with this, a trailer for a movie no one asked for.

Yogi Bear needs to star in a live-action movie about as bad as Alvin and the Chipmunks, Underdog, George of the Jungle, Dudley Do-Right, and Marmaduke did. The really weird thing about this is that Dan Aykroyd’s Yogi impression isn’t that great, while Justin Timberlake’s Boo Boo is pretty awesome. Regardless, a good Boo Boo impression by a pop singer won’t make this movie any better. Also, where’s Cindy Bear?

Just in case I ruined your day, here’s a classic Yogi Bear short.

Yogi Bear will be out on December 17th, just in time to put a damper on your holiday spirit.

Via SlashFilm

Michael Bay to Ruin New TMNT Film

Odin is Ready for his Close-Up

Tommy — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:33:23 +0000

On the heels of SDCC 2010, we’re already getting a lot of sneak peeks at the geeky goodness that will be flaunted at this year’s convention. Marvel’s upcoming Thor movie by Kenneth Branagh is one I’m very interested in. Not because I’m a huge Thor aficionado, but because I’m curious as to how they will pull it off and make it look like a part of the modern Marvel movie universe. I’ve been pretty impressed with the glimpses we’ve had of Thor so far, and now we get our first look at Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Tom Hiddleston as Loki.

I like the direction they’re taking with these costumes, and I can’t wait to see the sets and production design that will accompany them.

Via SuperHeroHype

Chris Hemsworth Looks like Thor

First Impressions: Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern

Tommy — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:21:10 +0000

At first I hated the thought of a CG costume, but this new photo of Ryan Reynolds as the Green Lantern has me very intrigued. I love how it looks alien, and I think the CG may actually be a great idea for this particular superhero movie. Green Lantern, like the upcoming Thor, will be a bit of a departure from the average moviegoer’s idea of a modern superhero movie, so lets hope they get it right.

What do you think?

Batman Under the Red Hood Blu-ray Review

More Harry Potter Ultimate Editions Coming in October

Tommy — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:53:58 +0000

Back in December you got to witness my descent into Harry Potter fanboyism thanks to the Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets Ultimate Edition Blu-rays I reviewed. Fast forward a few months and the wife and I are certifiable Harry Potter geeks, eagerly waiting for the last two movies to hit the screen and eventually our media center, to complete the collection.

The Ultimate Editions are pretty awesome, and actually worth the double (or triple) dip if you’ve already bought the films before. Now, Blu-ray.com is reporting that the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Goblet of Fire are coming out in Ultimate form on October 19th. Prisoner of Azkaban is our favorite of the series, so I’m pretty pumped.

They will continue the Creating the World of Harry Potter documentary by adding Part 3: Creatures and Part 4: Sound & Music, which both should be very interesting. Each one will come in a sturdy box filled with collectible cards, photo books, and more.

Sign me up!

Alice in Wonderland Blu-ray Review

Tommy — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 21:16:49 +0000

I’ve always liked Tim Burton movies. I realize the beef a lot of people have with his films, but I have always enjoyed them. Although his style may be getting a bit predictable, he seems to have fun making them and it comes through on the screen. That can definitely be said about Alice in Wonderland.

It’s one of his most heavily-stylized movies to date, to the point where it makes you wonder why he didn’t just animate it. They went as far as enlarging the Queen’s head significantly, replacing Crispin Glover’s body with CG, and using mainly CG sets and background characters. Still, it gives the movie a unique (if cluttered) look.

The performances are all pretty good, and my wife and I were happy to see Alice was a strong female character. She even gets to don a suit of armor and slay a beast at the end, and it’s pretty awesome. A lot of people hated this movie, but I think Alice in Wonderland is pretty entertaining.

The Blu-ray

Disney still seems to be leading the pack when it comes to their Blu-ray releases. Alice in Wonderland contains some pretty good behind-the-scenes features as well as DVD and digital-copy versions of the film. Even though I don’t use those much, they do come in handy, like when I take the DVDs to watch with family when there won’t be a Blu-ray player.

This movie is pretty dividing with movie fans, so you probably know if you want to buy this already. If you were a fan of the film, this Blu-ray is definitely worth getting.

Disclaimer: This review was based on a free review copy. Read my blog disclosure statement for more.

Back to the Future Coming to Blu-ray on October 26th!

Tommy — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:53:04 +0000

Wow, it’s about time. I just got an announcement in my inbox this morning that Universal is going to be releasing the 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Trilogy of the Back to the Future films on October 26th. It’s going to include two hours of new bonus features, including a six-part documentary with new interviews from the cast and crew.

Here’s a breakdown of the new features exclusive to the Blu-ray, from the press release:

U-CONTROL – Universal’s exclusive signature feature allows viewers to learn more about their favorite film without ever leaving the movie.

Setups & Payoffs: As you watch each of the three films, each “set up” showcases items in the scene that prepare you for a future plot point. When you get to that moment in the film, the “payoff” is shown to complete the correlation.
Storyboard Comparison: Compare key scenes in the movie with the original storyboards.
Trivia Track: Get inside trivia and facts while you watch the movies.

BD-LIVE: Access the BD-LiveTM Center through your Internet-connected player to get even more content, watch the latest trailers and more!
My Scenes: Bookmark your favorite scenes from the movies.
pocket BLU™: USHE’s groundbreaking pocket BLU app uses iPhone®, iPod® touch, iPad®, Blackberry®, Android™, Windows and Macintosh computers and more to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-rayTM player and offers advanced features such as:
- Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.
- Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in their favorite episode.
- Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or to stream from anywhere there’s a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy exclusive content on the go, anytime, anywhere.
- Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to Blu-ray™. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their device.
- Keyboard: Enter data into a Blu-ray™ player with your device’s easy and intuitive keyboard.
Archival Featurette Back to the Future Night: Hosted by Leslie Nielson, this original 30-minute special aired on NBC prior to the first television screening of the Back to the Future.

And the rest of the bonus features will be on the Blu-ray and the DVD (I’ve left out anything that’s not new):

Tales from the Future: New six-part retrospective documentary featuring interviews with Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Director Robert Zemeckis, Producers Bob Gale and Neil Canton, plus Executive Producer Steven Spielberg.
- In the Beginning . . .: Delve into the genesis of the project, casting, re-casting, the DeLorean, sets and overall pre-production.
- Time to Go: Production stories through the release of the first film.
- Keeping Time: The score and the songs of the Back to the Future Trilogy.
- Time Flies: Learn more about how the sequel came about, the futuristic look, the special and visual effects, recreating 1955 and more.
- Third Time’s the Charm: Learn about building a western town, Doc Brown’s love story, the casting of Mary Steenburgen, the train sequence and completing the Trilogy.
- The Test of Time: Back to the Future becomes a phenomenon! President Reagan quotes the film, the Back to the Future ride opens at Universal Studios theme park and fans rebuild the iconic DeLorean. The film’s cast and crew take a look back and discuss why these beloved movies live on.
The Physics of Back To The Future: A discussion with celebrity best-selling author and physicist Dr. Michio Kaku about the overall appreciation of the science in the Back to the Future Trilogy

With Back to the Future and The Lord of the Rings on Blu-ray, I think it’s safe to say that George Lucas better get his act together and get that other trilogy out in HD sometime soon.

Michael Bay to Ruin New TMNT Film

Tommy — Fri, 28 May 2010 13:56:52 +0000

Oh great, it looks like Paramount has handed over the new TMNT live action movie to production studio Platinum Dunes. Dunes was created in 2001 by non-other than Mr. Lets-Ruin-Your-Childhood, Michael Bay, along with a couple other guys.

Thankfully right now Bay is just listed as a producer, but the prospect of a cool new TMNT movie is getting a lot more grim for me. Lets just hope Nickelodeon realizes the gold mine they have with Alex Deligiannis as an employee, and let him create an awesome 80s-throwback cartoon.

Via /Film

Avatar Blu-ray Review

Tommy — Wed, 26 May 2010 22:26:20 +0000

This has been a long-time coming, but I just recently got my hands on a copy of the Avatar Blu-ray/DVD Combo from Fox. It’s a bare-bones release with no special features (the “ultimate” edition is coming out around the holiday season this year) but if you’re a big Avatar fan, it’s still worth a purchase.

I enjoyed the film quite a bit, and I think a lot of people who hate on it do so just because it was so popular. I applaud James Cameron for creating original ideas in a time when every other movie is a sequel, prequel, or based on a game or toy. It doesn’t have the worst dialogue or story, and the world is very believable and enticing once you get in. I’ll admit, Unobtanium is the worst name ever for a mineral, but I’d still pick Avatar over Transformers or GI Joe any day of the week.

If you’re a fan of the movie, but you hate the idea of double-dipping at all, you’ll want to hold off until the holiday season. After they’ve re-released the movie in an expanded form in theaters, there will be an ultimate edition that will have hours of bonus features and extended sequences. That being said, I didn’t want to go seven or eight months without being able to see it again, but I also got it for free.

The video and audio quality are great on the Blu-ray though, so if you’re in the mood to watch it before the extended version comes out later this year, you should pick it up.

Disclaimer: This review was based on a free review copy. Read my blog disclosure statement for more.