Slim/Athletic

Temporary Hiatus

2009-07-01T08:05:00.003-04:00

As much as we love posting here, JR and I have had to put the demands of Slim/Athletic on the back burner for now, as we're both focusing on other projects. In time, we will return, if not in 2009, certainly in 2010, hopefully with good news! Until then, thanks to everyone who has posted and read this blog, we'll see you soon!

David Lynch's Moby Music Video

2009-06-30T16:24:00.004-04:00

Moby's new album "Wait for Me" was released today to some solid reviews. Check out David Lynch's contribution to the album with his music video for the appropriately titled track "Shot in the Back of the Head."

Kevin Costner: Friend to Airport Staff the World Over

2009-06-24T10:32:00.004-04:00

In an intriguing career path turn, Kevin Costner is doing (dialogue free) commercials for Turkish Airlines now. Warning: Viewing the spot above may make you more privy to impregnating airline stewardesses with only your charming smirk. My favorite part of this spot is when the director has Costner rudely interrupt a family taking a picture; while the father is trying to snap a photo of his family, Costner slides in to the background with them, posing with the mother and 2 children. When the father shoots an inquisitive "what the hell was that" glance at him following the incident, Kev gives him a smug pat on the back as if to say "Go fuck yourself buddy, I'm Kevin Costner." Enjoy!

Via Professional Travel Guide

Moneyball Strikes Out

2009-06-22T16:17:00.003-04:00

The Moneyball movie has been put on indefinite hold days before shooting was scheduled to begin, as sources cite a last minute Steven Soderbergh rewrite as the prevailing reason. The film adaptation of Moneyball was to bring sabermetric baseball to the mainstream and star Brad Pitt as Billy Beane as the GM of the Oakland A's and Demitri Martin as his assistant Paul De Podesta. The film was also reported at different points to have signed real life baseball players David Justice and Scott Hatteberg to star as themselves in the film. As a baseball fan, this is disappointing news, as I feel Steven Soderbergh's stylistic approach would have suited the material well.
Via AP

Trailer Talk: Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island

2009-06-11T10:41:00.016-04:00

Shutter Island was directed by Martin Scorsese and, as I’m sure you’re surprised to read, stars Leonardo DiCaprio in a filmmaking partnership that has become so inextricable that you could base a law school entry exam logic question around it (“Marty Scorsese is making a movie. It is being released after 2001. Who will it star in its lead role? A) Leonardo DiCaprio, B) Anyone else). While some of the imagery put on display in the trailer is cool (did it remind anyone else of Silent Hill? What if Martin Scorsese directed that movie?), I can’t help but be pessimistic. With all due respected to the greatness that is Martin Scorsese, the movies he’s put out there in the last decade, while admirable technical achievements like The Aviator and Gangs of New York, haven’t had the same emotional gravitas like the films that made him a household name to begin with. This may in part be due to his insistance on casting DiCaprio in all of his lead roles of late, even going so far as to liken him to Robert De Niro (Why? Because their last names both start with “Deh?”) I want to be proven wrong, but a little variety probably wouldn’t kill Marty in the casting department.

The L.A. Times explores Ferrell's Flattening

2009-06-10T12:29:00.002-04:00

By now you've probably already heard that Land of the Lost was devoured by its competition this past weekend, being namely The Hangover and Up. Land of the Lost reportedly cost over $100 million to create (what the fuck?) and only raked in $18.7 m in its opening weekend. Patrick Goldstein explores why what went down went down last weekend and discuses whether Ferrell's career as a bankable movie star is on life support in his Big Picture editorial here. Thanks to friend T.J. for the tip.

Weekend Weightlifting: The Hangover Certified Fresh, Land of the Lost, Not So Much.

2009-06-05T17:09:00.007-04:00

The much ballyhooed weekend is upon us, and the two flicks with the most promo-buzz are Bradly Cooper starmaker The Hangover and Land of the Lost, which is apparently trying to outdo Will Ferrell's last movie, Semi-Pro, in crappy reviews. The fact that Ferrell's career seems to be on the "quality skids" lately doesn't seem to slow him down much. It's hard to really articulate why the movie-star version of Will Ferrell is so popular, but I guess his hits are so fantastic and fondly remembered that his more sucktastic movies are forgiven. The "Adam Sandler effect", if you will. The Hangover is directed by Todd Phillips, the same guy who ironically minted Ferrell's box office cred in Old School. Looks like this weekend, if you're looking for a new comedy it's best to go with the castle's architect, not its jester. Raise the bridge, Ferrell fans!

Carradine in 'an auto-erotic sex game went wrong'?

2009-06-05T09:48:00.002-04:00

An interesting piece from Washington Post correspondent Tim Johnston. Do you think this kind of game can lead to an accident? Or suicide?

Via WP.

David Carradine is Dead - A Mystery?

2009-06-04T11:23:00.004-04:00

The Kung Fu and Kill Bill star reportedly died in Bangkok. Sort of creepy that he recently acted in a film called My Suicide.

Is this method acting gone sour?

Via Gawker.

Promotional Materials for Spider-Man 4, Other Movies, Posted

2009-06-03T09:32:00.005-04:00

Most of these aren't anything to write home about, but ain't it cool news has posted images of posters of a few upcoming blockbusters, including Spider-Man 4 and Iron Man 2 The most interesting one seems to be from a DreamWorks computer-animated film called Oober Mind, which has a look that comes off as Incredibles-ish with a dash of Alex Ross. You can check out the rest of the posters here.

JJ Abrams Jams with Andy Samberg and Will Ferrell at MTV Movie Awards

2009-06-01T00:42:00.007-04:00

Amid the fairly forgettable "Cool Guys Don't Look At Explosions" performed at tonight's MTV Movie Awards was an unforgettable JJ Abrams keyboard solo. Wearing cool-guy shades with neon green frames, JJ Abrams showed 'em how it's done. Check it out below:

MTV Shows

Hulu Launches Remote-Friendly Desktop Application

2009-05-29T13:19:00.011-04:00

Hulu Launched its "Hulu Desktop" application earlier this week, and if it comes as advertised, it certainly solves one of the biggest gripes about watching TV on your computer: sitting hunched over your computer is up there with laying on hot coals as one of the least comfortable ways to watch Movies or TV shows. To allow for you to kick back and watch at your cushioned seating arrangement of choice, the new application allows you to use your mac or PC remote to navigate Hulu's menus. Watch the video below for more details:

Could "Up" Disappoint at the Box Office?

2009-05-29T09:14:00.002-04:00

Of course it's tempting to say no, since it's a Pixar movie with really high reviews in 3-D (the first Pixar film of its kind) no less. By comparison, I'm not sure it's really penetrated its intended psychography like Monsters vs. Aliens did from a marketing standpoint. Monsters vs. Aliens gave away free 3-D glasses for an ad that was run during the Super Bowl, trumpeted that it was also available to be seen on IMAX (pre-Azizgate brand besmirchment) and opened against weaker competition like The Haunting in Connecticut and Knowing. At that point, even though M v. A opened to less stellar reviews at RT (71%, at RT, consensus being that the movie was kind of weak depth-wise) the movie still opened with a $58.2 m weekend and has grossed $193,706,544 to date. Up on the other hand, hasn't had the same promotional force behind it that Monsters vs. Aliens did, (although Disney did buy out Rotten Tomatoes' front page today...) and his opening against tougher competition, Sam Raimi's horror flick, Drag Me To Hell, also sporting stellar reviews as of this writing. While DMTH is rated R, the films are still competing for some of the same audience. WiseFlicks gives UP a W score of two stars out of five based on their unique aggregate system, compared to DMTH's 3 stars. Time will tell, but this weekend should be interesting on a number of levels.

Slim Shady's Short

2009-05-26T14:28:00.005-04:00

8 Mile alum Eminem is testing his comedic chops in Eminem,Where Have You Been? (above) a short film that will air during the MTV Movie Awards on May 31st. Eminem also has a cameo in the Apatow/Sandler/Rogen flick Funny People. This could get...interesting?

Via Rolling Stone

Reviewing the Reviews: 'Terminator Salvation'

2009-05-25T23:26:00.004-04:00

Stop the human-terminating machines – and blow up any scrap of metal that moves (or fires lasers, rockets and bullets).

McG seemed to be dealing with a plot that centers on that simple objective in Terminator Salvation. So, he had a ton of room for ear-shattering action, which makes the film the best of the Terminator series yet. The choppy plot is forgivable.

A few comments on reviews out there:

"I can't complain about Terminator: Salvation(Warner Bros.) on the grounds that it's too loud, too long, and too full of airborne fireballs and 50-foot-tall cyborgs." – Dana Stevens, Slate

The take: Come on, those 50-foot-tall cyborgs had the most harrowing lasers in the movie. What about the Terminators that looked a metallic Jesse Ventura in Predator? Cheeseballs.

"... mainly: can someone explain to me why a techno-overlord like Skynet would build a machine that they can't control?" – Jessica Barnes, Cinematical

The take: Skynet wanted to trap John Connor and Kyle Reese so Marcus could kill them – did anyone else gather that when Dr. Krogan talked about his infiltration function? Maybe the Terminators evacuated the place before Connor and Marcus arrived, hoping to reprogram Marcus into a Connor-killing bot. It did seem a little too easy for Connor to get in and make some noise.

"... efficient, reasonably swift storytelling — the movie, less than two hours long, is densely populated with semi-important characters and crammed with exposition and incident, but it rarely feels busy or talky — and a mastery of the vernacular of chases, fights, explosions and crashes." – A.O. Scott, The New York Times

The take: The first hook of the movie stems from the brilliant helicopter crash, in which one should almost feel like they're falling with Connor. By the end of the movie, you may want to ask him: How lucky are you?

Museum has better Friday Night than Terminator

2009-05-23T13:33:00.002-04:00

Internet darling Fox has something to crow about: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian took in $15.3m last night, slightly edging Terminator: Salvation's $14.9m. This seems only appropriate considering the reviews for NatM were slightly less sucky that T:S's. Terminator:Salvation is still on course to win the weekend with $28.3m.

Via Variety

Tracking Reviews: Terminator: Salvation

2009-05-19T16:18:00.005-04:00

While Terminator:Salvation is a virutal shoo-in to win the weekend, the debate on whether it's any good rages on. Here's the latest:

Our friends at Wiseflicks (best described as an original movie tracking system that pools the sentiments of critics, the everyday film viewer and unaided social media) currently rank the film as a 4/5 based on the criteria listed above. More in depth information on their rating attributes used can be found here.

Rottentomatoes currently has the movie pegged at a frighteningly low 27%, although only 5 "top critics" have been sampled so far (3:2 or 40%).

Trailer Talk: Sherlock Holmes

2009-05-19T09:50:00.003-04:00

The trailer for Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes hit the internet yesterday, and while it looks better than I had originally feared, it seems to set a tone more in the vein of Wild Wild West than Arthur Conan Doyle's books. While the sets, costumes, and atmosphere appear to be generally up the right alley, the characters and action seem out of place for what many relate to with Sherlock Holmes. Downey seems to be channeling some form of womanizing, Johnny Deppish caricature and Jude Law appears to be playing himself. (Why not get a character actor like Phillip Seymour Hoffman to play the role?) I'm not claiming to be some all-knowing Holmes purist, but consider one brow of concern raised.

Morning Workout: Bad News Monday?

2009-05-18T08:49:00.006-04:00

Just a few sets today.

Angels and Demons actually won the box office this past weekend, barely beating out Star Trek for first place ($48m vs. $43m). People, you don't owe Tom Hanks and Ron Howard anything. If they make a bad movie, don't buy the tickets they sell for it at your local AMC. Use that money on a fruit smoothie, only good reviews for those!

Speaking of Tom Hanks, he made a surprise appearance on Will Ferrell's hosting turn and Alex Trebek/Celebrity Jeopardy reprisal on SNL on Saturday. Check it here.

Here's a Terminator:Salvation review from Reuters. The review basically says the movie is stale and lacks the "fun" Arnold Schwarzenegger brought to the title role. While it's pretty evident that the reviewer forgot how much of a letdown Terminator 3 was (Arnold's "fun" didn't save that one) the writer makes some good points (I haven't seen the film yet, by the way) and confirms some of my fears.

Ordered a Papa John's Pizza Lately?

2009-05-15T08:00:00.005-04:00

All over the box. Ah, pizza and action movies. With The Dark Knight and Terminator:Salvation also making pizza pals, it's like the 80's all over again.

IMAXgate: Fun with Google Maps

2009-05-14T17:27:00.002-04:00

Need to be sure you're seeing your movie of choice at a real bonafide IMAX? Check out this link.

Jock Itch: Will Terminator:Salvation Suck?

2009-05-14T12:52:00.009-04:00

(Insert witty caption here.)

Terminator:Salvation is almost upon us, and while there is excitement in the air, the film is frustrating me, and it's not even out yet. Why? Because I can't figure it out. And I'm skeptical.

Should we care?
Don't get me wrong. I understand the story, it's complicated only by its inconsistencies. For example, if the events of Terminator 2 are to have transpired, this movie, along with Terminator 3, shouldn't exist at all. What bothers me is that I can't tell if this entry, which hits theatres Friday, May 21st, will A) be a genre redefining actioner, or B) be a generic post-apocalyptic Mad Max wannabe that wouldn't have gotten any press at all if it wasn't part of the Terminator franchise. The trailers certainly don't help me form any consistent opinion: with the exception of adrenaline laced Trailer 3, which blasts Nine Inch Nails' "The Day The World Went Away" against scenes of Christian Bale's take on John Connor screaming "We are all dead!" and hating on Skynet, the trailers, including the recently released 4 minute clip/trailer hybrid are an unimpressive hodgepodge of barren landscapes, admittedly cool looking machines/Terminators and pretty white people all covered under a gritty screen filter and a desolate, washed-out color scheme. But is there anything else to it?

Come with me if you want to live.

The story is different this time, kind of. (Spoilers if you haven't seen the trailers): John Connor is still forced to team up with a machine to fight the bad machines. What worries me is the rest. I'm a pretty staunch believer that a hero is only as good as his villain makes him, and this time, the villain (as far as I can tell) is just Skynet, the faceless computer network sending droves of machines to eradicate the remaining human resistance. And then there seems to be a subplot involving a pocket of kids trying to find John Connor? Are we going to follow their perilous journey in a hapless hobbitt Lord of the Rings-style quest to find Zion, I mean, John Connor's network, leaving John Connor to act as a Neo-in-the-Matrix sequels style leader of the human resistance figurehead who is light on screen time?Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

Last minute changes

Never a good thing. Reports of final alterations to the film have been streaming in as recently as this year, including a digitized Arnold and a Linda Hamilton voice over. What does this say about the script? Combine that with fact that Christian Bale doesn't seem to be aware that Arnold Schwarzenegger actually played the good guy in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and we may have a recipe for blah.

I hope I'm wrong, and this thing blows our minds, but I can't help but come into this thing feeling unsure.

What are your thoughts, loyal readers? Are you gungho for this flick or are you approaching it with reserved, cautious, hopeful optimism? Is it even on your radar?

Deadpool Film Dead Yet? Not Even Close

2009-05-12T22:19:00.006-04:00

The conversation about Deadpool's forthcoming movie is seven pages deep over at Marvel.

I'm erring on the side of this guy:

"I would rather have them make a funny Deadpool movie then another Nazi movie about Magneto. Seriously I'm sick of Nazis. Definitely put the mask on though and get rid of all powers besides teleportation maybe toned down and regeneration. Also I didn't see the Logan at the bar easter egg."

A funny Deadpool movie. Can there be anything else? No – just an action-packed Marvel movie loaded with quips that squash any lingering dramatic tension. But at least no one-liner in his movie will be worse (I hope) than Ah-nold gasping "I need a vacation" after blowing away T-1000 in Terminator 2.

Moneyball Movie Tidbits

2009-05-12T13:56:00.005-04:00

Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle has posted an interesting interview with Scott Hatteberg (a baseball player playing himself in Moneyball) among others for Steven Soderbergh's upcoming adaptation. The piece is written from the perspective of the baseball players taking on acting in the film. Oakland A's GM Billy Beane (whom Brad Pitt will portray in the film) reportedly had no interest in playing himself, indicating that he was not "qualified." I wouldn't have minded seeing him take the role for a spin. Check out the article here.

The Dark Knight: 1960's Bam, Pow Version

2009-05-10T19:01:00.008-04:00

A pretty awesome take on what The Dark Knight might have looked like if it were a movie made during Adam West's tenure as the Caped Crusader by College Humor was posted on Bat-Blog a few weeks ago. Check it out below. Whap, Urrrk indeed.

The 9 Critics Who Didn't Like Star Trek

2009-05-08T16:41:00.003-04:00

Look, we're hip now, see our movie!

This isn't a flame hitlist trekkers, but feel free to dive in to what the 5% of critics pooled at Rotten Tomatoes who didn't like the flick had to say. One already has 135 comments! (filled with love, I'm sure.) Check it here.

Katie Holmes to Act in Movie

2009-05-07T11:25:00.005-04:00

Don't be afraid of the Dark (Knight?): Katie Holmes is on board to star in the thriller Don't Be Afraid of the Dark which was co-written by Guilermo del Toro and directed by his "protege" Troy Nixey, a comic book artist who has worked on assorted books, including Batman, ironically the character that probably put a bump in Katie Holmes' career in Batman Begins. Hopefully Nixey does a better job directing than Frank Miller! Via Variety

The video game is better than the movie?: So seems the case with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, whose video game rating is much higher than its film brother's on Metacritic.

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas: From the WTF department comes A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas. No word yet regarding the inclusion of a 3-D blunt. Via sigh, The Blogfather

Wolverine Week Continues

2009-05-05T12:14:00.002-04:00

To Japan We Go: Wolverine 2 is likely to take place there. Via CHUD

A Twilight Triumph: Twilight leads the noms with 7. Only at the MTV Movie Awards, but hey, celebrating what's happening in youth culture is what they're there for...Via Coming Soon

Inception indeed: Two more aboard for Nolan's next masterwork: Ken Watanabe who joins an already ridiculous cast including Joseph Gordon Levitt, Cillian Murphey, and Ellen Page. To say that I'm stoked for this movie is probably the understatement of the year. Via THR

Reviewing the Reviews: 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'

2009-05-04T23:14:00.004-04:00

For days I've watched the Metascore of Wolverine fluctuate, and today it's an interesting 44.

Metacritic is a decent place to mine reviews of games and films. Here, I'll look at some of the reviews from the heavyweights.

"How does all this play out for those of us – i.e., me – who have not been staying up nights fretting over the origins of the X-Men and Women? The answer is: Fairly well. " – Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor.
The take: He didn't bother to read the Origin series detailing Wolverine's past. Trust me, guy, the father is kinda scary in the comic book. A must-read before seeing the movie, I say.

"Despite a couple of "Nooooo" yowls, Wolverine is well-acted, with spectacular action and witty one-liners." – Claudia Puig, USA Today.
The take: The dialogue between The Blog and Wolvie was pretty awful, especially the whole "bub" misnomer.

"He never says anything witty, insightful or very intelligent; his utterances are limited to the vocalization of primitive forces: anger, hurt, vengeance, love, hate, determination." – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times.
The take: Yeah, the "Vicccttorrr" howls get old fast, but any Wolverine follower wouldn't expect an intellectual Wolvie in this movie (or the three others).

"Look Out, It's the Beastly Boys" – Bob Mondello, NPR.
The take: Sorry, I almost vomited when I read this headline, so I didn't read this review. A sorry attempt to avoid a pun concerning Wolverine's claws.

"The director, Gavin Hood (“Rendition”), has mastered a standard vocabulary of digital effects, including the inescapable scene of men crashing through a window, and has added faintly ridiculous new feats, such as Jackman’s leaping onto an airborne helicopter and shearing off the blades with the cutlery springing from his fists." – David Denby, The New Yorker.
The take: As usual, the suspension of disbelief required when reading comics should be applicable to Wolverine. Which means that, yes, it is a popcorn movie – but shouldn't all action movies be that way?

Wolverine Rips the Naysayers a New One

2009-05-04T11:46:00.002-04:00

Wolverine wins in a fight against pirates, according to The Carpetbagger. See, no one really cared (or noticed) how badly Gavin Hood skimmed the X-Man's childhood.

Speaking of Hugh Jackman, he's in the forthcoming Disney movie Ghostopolis. Thanks for the news, Headgeek. Via AICN.

IFC loves Step Brothers and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? A nice break from breaking news, eh?

Ben Stiller says he will Help Me Spread Goodness. We wish that meant shutting down The Blogfather. Via Variety.

Wolverine a Bust and More!

2009-05-01T08:13:00.005-04:00

The reviews are in, and they ain't pretty, bub. Even with a Rotten Tomatoes score low enough to make all but the most die hard of wolvie fans want to retract their claws (38 percent as of this writing) it's still probably safe to say that the flick will handily take the weekend box office. That being said, the Clawed One deserved better than this.

IESB has your Emo Robot needs covered with this pic of Optimus Prime in a cemetery. Cue MCR and gravestone busting fight scene.

Speaking of Transformers 2, check the new trailer and then try to tell me how Summer 2009 is not going to be known as "Robot Summer" after Terminator:Salvation drops. This trailer makes me want to watch this toy commercial, and I wasn't even into the show/toys as a kid. We're only missing Voltron now to complete the Triforce.

Wolvie in Japan? Thumbs Up!

2009-04-30T10:12:00.003-04:00

Not The View: Fly me to England for some Mystery Movie madness. Vue Cinema promises secret screenings worth your while. Via Filmstalker.

The Wrestlers: Variety says the indie film scene is getting no love from the recession (slow news day!). Time to use that master's degree.

Jackman's Japan: Wolvie would like to see a sequel to his solo film set in Japan. It's impressive that HJ can stick with a character for this long – eat it, Batman! Via Splash Page.

Gawk at Hollywood and Drop Dead

2009-04-28T12:02:00.002-04:00

Advertorial: The Blogfather tries to make ad revenues soar with something that barely resembles a column, "This Week in DVD". Via Slash Film.

Claws In: Wolverine's bout with Mexico City and swine flu. Ouucccch. Via Variety.

Drop Dead Film: Russell Brand has been dreaming of Mickey Fartpants again. Drop Drop Fred could come back! Via Total Film.

Crowded Pools: Our favorite Hollywood sage is keeping up with all the media mergers. A Gawkerized Hollywood Reporter? Via Thompson on Hollywood.

Huh?: Spike Lee Directed a Kobe Bryant Documentary?

2009-04-27T09:37:00.004-04:00

So it is, with the hilariously named Kobe Doin' Work. Check out the trailer at Apple here.
The film is featured as part of a collection of select Tribeca Film Festival trailers featured on Apple's website. You can check the rest out here.

Bioshocked

2009-04-27T08:26:00.006-04:00

Bioshock has been put on hold in its pre-production stage to allow for cost-cutting measures to be evaluated. If this movie gets Mortal Kombat: Annihilation quality CG, it's better that it doesn't happen at all. Via Variety

Tyson's Tally: Tyson made $85,982 over the weekend in 11 New York and LA theatres. Not bad for the champ. No word if they're handing out temporary face tattoos at the box office. Via Variety

Obsessed with Crap: Despite its lousy 30% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Obsessed raked in 28.5 mil over the weekend. Good job America.

Review: State of Play

2009-04-24T15:48:00.010-04:00

State of Play is not a bad film. In fact, as a standard mid-nighties Grisham/Clancey-esque thriller given a face lift to incorporate blogging and the current well-publicized plight of American newspapers, the film is actually pretty good. But don't expect much more. The lead performances are all shaped by talented hands, namely Russell Crowe's unsexy old school reporter Cal Mcaffrey, Helen Mirrin as his boss, Rachel McAdams as blogger and Mcaffrey's apprentice in journalistic intrigue Della Frye and Ben Affleck as Rep. Stephen Collins who is always under some form of emotional distress in the film, unlike the rest of the characters who actually seem to be able to enjoy themselves every once in a while.
The film doesn't take itself too seriously, and many times even falters to display unintentional humor, such as Australian Russell Crowe trying to represent a fallen African-American known only as "D'Shawn" on D'Shawn's cell phone through Crowe's own faux American accent. I was the only one who lol'd in the theater at the sight of Russell Crowe saying "Hey, this is D'Shawn" into a cell phone whilst driving, mind you, and I don't know why no one else joined me. Other odd quirks included the well disguised Jason Bateman as the hilariously eurotrash
marketing exec Dominic Foy. I say well disguised here because even though I wondered aloud to my friend while watching "is that Jason Bateman?" we both left the theater under the impression that it wasn't. Well played sir.
Finally, the main antagonist in the film is so intense that the character is hard to take seriously, and it doesn't help having a friend next to you exclaim " and Wolverine jumps into action!" while the antagonist in question is on screen antagonizing Russell Crowe. The fact that the screening I attended was an 11:40 PM showing probably didn't help matters either.
To conclude, for a film that I showed up late for and fell asleep during, it's somewhat obvious that I can't submit this as a serious review-that being said, don't expect too much and you'll have a good time.

CGI Schwarzenegger to Terminate Once More

2009-04-23T12:23:00.006-04:00

Have you ever wanted a CGI Schwarzenegger to complete your living room display? Terminator: Salvation has you covered. In the movie anyway. Via IESB

Cowabunga, Dude. A Live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is on its way to the silver screen in 2011. Don't forget to grab the ooze. Via BBC

Toy Commitment Story: Instead of reading a script for Toy Story 3, Tom Hanks was shown the entire film in the form of moving storyboards, voices and sound effects. This is how you reel in a star. Via Blogfather

Money Ballin'

2009-04-21T08:58:00.007-04:00

Money Martin: Demetri Martin has been cast to star in Steven Soderbergh's Moneyball, the film adaptation of the excellent book by Michael Lewis chronicling the adventures of Oakland Athletics GM Bill Beane (Brad Pitt in the film) as he tries to utilize stats 2.0 (aka sabermetrics) to out-scout and out-win richer teams. Demetri Martin will play Beane's Harvard grad assistant. Scott Hatteberg and David Justice have signed on to play themselves. Via Variety

Yearning for Youkilis?: Red Sox fans may want to keep their eyes peeled for the possible appearance of a Kevin Youkilis look-alike in Moneyball, as Youk is featured prominently in the book as "the Greek god of walks."

Angels and Boring? IESB has 8 film clips from Angels and Demons here, if you care.

Terminator: Salvation Score Revealed? Maybe, in this trailer for the videogame.

Fox Messes with Wes Anderson

2009-04-20T14:17:00.001-04:00

Hey, Joe: A novel about the G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra movie hits stores ... before the movie debuts? Via Superherohype.

The Fox and Fox: 20th Century Fox messes with Wes Anderson's The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Family dollars rule. Via Cinematical.

Grubby actors: IFC asks if playing a mentally challenged character is an Oscar-grubbing move. For Rourke, a dirtball works just fine. Via IFC.

Lord of the E-books: Tolkien's books have finally been converted to e-books. They're only a few years late – no big deal to the movie industry, right? Via THR.

YouTube, Pirates Finally Apprehended, and State of Reviews

2009-04-17T10:45:00.005-04:00

Your Tube No More: YouTube is reportedly making deals with Sony and Lionsgate to bring full-length movies and TV shows to its service to compete with sites like Hulu. Doesn't this drastically change what YouTube was supposed to be all about to begin with, i.e. "you"? Via Rotten Tomatoes and THR

Movie Pirates Beware: The minds behind The Pirate Bay were just jailed for a year. Now if we could only do something about the actual pirates that shoot rocket launchers at our ships and hold people for ransom threatening to kill them...Via Reuters

State of your Weekend? State of Play is holding up surprisingly well with an 83% positive review rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Hopefully this one won't disappoint.

Yes, Will Ferrell Drank Urine

2009-04-16T11:27:00.001-04:00

French Frenzy: All eyes are on Cannes now, and we know no one stands a chance against Quentin Tarantino. Via Variety.

Smelling Green: Warner Bros. is allowing $150 Million for the filming of Green Lantern in Sydney. Via The Blogfather.

Land of Urine: Will Ferrell got urine-drunk during his Man Vs. Wild adventure, a PR stunt for Land of the Lost. Via Vulture.

State of Crowe: After watching State of Play, Steven Zeitchik questions how journalism is portrayed in film. Ugly. Via THR.

Michel Gondry, Transformin Trailers and Crashing with Mediocrity

2009-04-15T11:37:00.006-04:00

It's a box within a box, but this box looks bigger than it actually is!: Michel Gondry has launched his appropriately odd site. Via Rottentomatoes

New Transformers Trailer: A new trailer for Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen will be attached to X-Men: Origins: Wolverine. Almost time to transform that hard earned money into tickets and popcorn folks! Via IESB

Crash most rented DVD on Netflix? Since it came out in September of 2005, yes. Why? Who the fuck knows. Grabbing the Orville Redenbacher's and saying "Honey, I rented Crash" sounds better than "Honey, I rented the Unbearable Lightness of Being" on snuggle-on-the-couch-with-your-hugmuffin-date-night, I guess. Via EW

Will.I.am Can Teleport – Great Job!

2009-04-14T12:25:00.002-04:00

L.A. Sucks?: Well, maybe not. But filmmakers have been opting not to shoot in the (sexy) city lately. Is New York next? Via The Carpetbagger.

McG's Awakening: He just might ready to direct the Broadway smash hit Spring Awakening. Oh, we can never enough teasers in this world, can we? Via Filmstaker.

Ford Tough: Harrison Ford basically told Shia LaBeouf to stop being a wuss and get back to Transformers 2. Via Vulture.

Where'd John Go?: will.I.am gets a fair shake on The Splash Page in a profile of X-Men Origins: Wolverine character John Wraith.

Vampires Attack Tony Blair and More!

2009-04-13T10:41:00.007-04:00

From Werewolf to Vampire: Michael Sheen, the guy who played Tony Blair in "The Queen" and who was also, apparently, a werewolf in all 3 Underworld flicks, is going to be in New Moon. Naturally, Mandi Bierly is all over this. Via Variety

Tony Blair 2: Michael Sheen is also reprising his role as Tony Blair in The Special Relationship, due out in 2011 in the UK, which also is rumored to star Julianne Moore as Hilary Clinton and Dennis Quaid as Bill Clinton in "a dramatization that traces former U.K. prime minister Tony Blair's relationships with Bill Clinton and George W. Bush." Haven't heard much on this one for some reason. Via IMDB

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Internet: Rotten Tomatoes reports that Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World's o fficial website is up and running.

Cera and Black Are PG-13 Kinda Guys

2009-04-10T10:15:00.005-04:00

Big, Black and White: A Venom movie would probably amount to a ton of CGI. Boo to that. Via Filmstalker.

Apatowvision: Michael Cera won't be in an R-Rated movie about the bible just yet. Year One is PG-13. Fitting for him, right? Via The Blogfather.

No Kevin James?: Observe and Report might be a tad suck-y. But AICN exclaims that it's, um, "the most important comedy in years." Via NYT.

Clip du PopWatch: Margaret drools over Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter mocking Billy Bob Thorton. Via EW.

Verbinski a Pirate No longer, Hugh Jacks Up, Hit the Anvil, and Doubt

2009-04-09T10:32:00.005-04:00

Arrrrr. Count the pirate puns! Gore Verbinski will not be on board for the 4th Pirates otC film-deciding instead to focus on the film adaptation of kickass game Bioshock. A good decision, as this ship should have sailed a while ago. Via Variety

Hugh Jackman doesn't tweet. But he has a team that does it for him so that you can think that he does! Twitter is cool, man. Via IMDB

Tomato Watch: Anvil: The Story of Anvil has a 98% positive review on RT. Hannah Montana The Movie, in case you were wondering, does not.

Doubt is out on Blu-ray to fulfill all of your high def needs for displaying suspected pedophilia and shrewd nunnery in crystal clarity.

Morning Workout: Wolverine Has a Broken Heart

2009-04-08T10:44:00.001-04:00

Out of breath? Wuss.

Go Green: The first trailer of the new Green Lantern animation movie is up. Via AFI.

Sad Wolvie: Pirates have broken Wolverine's heart. Can good reviews of his new movie mend it? Via Vulture.

Zombie's Ugly Man: Michael Myers is expected to be mask-less in the next Halloween movie. Yuck. Via The Blogfather.

My Umbrella Romance: Universal is adapting My Chemical Romance lead singer Gerard Way's comic The Umbrella Academy. Smart move: Constantine writer Mark Bomback is on board. Via Total Film.

Morning Workout: Rogen Everlasting, "EXCLUSIVE!!" Terminator:Salvation Footage, Star Trek Reviews, and Strange Days for the MPAA

2009-04-07T11:08:00.005-04:00

Wasn't Observe and Report supposed to be a huge disappointment? Despite negative early film festival buzz, the flick currently has a 73% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

And how was it? I will terminate that stuffed crust pizza! Pizza Hut is on board to promote Terminator: Salvation and give away a VIP premiere trip. More importantly, the website is touting "34 days until you can see the exclusive footage here." Viral marketing buffs may remember that Domino's Pizza had a similar ploy with The Dark Knight,-the footage they revealed turned out to be one of the film's better-known trailers. What is it with Christian Bale actioners and pizza all of a sudden?

Star Trek rocks. While an oxymoron, so is the early buzz for JJ Abrams' franchise relaunch after a surprise screening in Austin. Via the Blogfather.

The MPAA is honoring Martin Scorcese with a humanitarian award. Weird. Oh, that's right, Scorcese gets his R ratings for violence, not sex. Via Variety.

Morning Workout: 'Wolverine' Pirates Are Scared

2009-04-06T09:42:00.003-04:00

We'll be watching baseball today, too. But ...

Claws Out: The Beat has an excuse to post photos of naked Wolverine, thanks to Roger Friedman's review of the leaked X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Press goldmine!

Wolvie or Die: Empire tricks us into watching a parody of the aforementioned movie.

Viva Variety: Tim Gray got a promotion at the magazine. Do you care?

Elbow Drops: The Wrestler will be ringside at Wrestlemania 25. Hardcore match, anyone? Via THR.

Roger Friedman: Smartest Guy in the Room

2009-04-05T20:11:00.003-04:00

What were you thinking when you wrote a column about the leaked X-Men Origins: Wolverine? You must be scared of The Blogfather (er, Slash Film), too.

Even in this get-up-right-now-or-you-suck-shit age, bloggers seem to have a sense of honor when holding off on leaked movie reviews. Especially when they read about the FBI tracking down the pirate and their accomplices.

Via The Carpetbagger.

SNL & Seth Rogen - Possible Flop?

2009-04-05T19:53:00.003-04:00

I definitely agree with Mr. Alaska that "The Fast & Bi-Curious" was a riot on SNL last night. So what about the rest of the show? It seemed pretty much every other sketch had – or even lacked – a punchline. I don't think we can completely blame Rogen, who works better under an improv situation or an Apatow-approved movie.

My fav of the evening:

The one that made me cringe centered on Rogen under fire when he accidentally slipped "You're the One that I Want" into a corporate project package. Funny - it's not even a clip on Hulu or NBC.

The Fast and the Bi-Curious

2009-04-05T12:53:00.004-04:00

If you missed last night's SNL, you missed this vid:

Take that, $30 million Friday box office haul!

Morning Workout:Bay on 3-D, The Last Airbender and Faster and Furiouser

2009-04-03T10:56:00.004-04:00

The Pot Calling the Kettle Black: Michael Bay dismisses 3-D as a gimmick. Via Collider

Want pics from The Last Airbender? The Blogfather has them.

Why So Many Screens? Because Fast and Furious may rake in $48 mil this weekend, that's why. Via Blogfather

Trailer Talk: Anvil!: The Story of Anvil

2009-04-02T17:01:00.004-04:00

Dreams. We all have them. Some of us fail and end our pursuit. Some of us succeed. Some of us pursue them to our graves. Above lies the trailer to the snappily named Anvil!: The Story of Anvil, a documentary that seems to have a very good chance wrench the guts of many-a dreamer out there. There's a good chance this should be on your "can't miss" list.

Morning Workout: Men in Black 3? Crazy

2009-04-02T10:02:00.001-04:00

Robots are Colliding: At USA Today and Yahoo!!. Check out the list of bots in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen . Via Cinematical.

Passion of Rourke: Ole Mickey will star in the indie drama Passion Plays with Megan Fox. Via THR.

Galaxy Defenders: Men in Black ... 3? Via Total Film.

Cannes Goods: Quentin Tarantino plans to screen Inglourious Basterds at the French film fest. Maybe 1994 all over again? Via Thompson on Hollywood.

Trailer Talk: "Is Anybody There?"

2009-04-01T16:48:00.006-04:00

The description:

Sir Michael Caine gives one of the finest performances of his career as a retired magician who reluctantly enters a family-run old age home in John Crowley’s IS ANYBODY THERE? Set in a seaside English town circa 1987, IS ANYBODY THERE? charts the unlikely friendship that develops between Caine’s proud, acerbic old performer and the death-obsessed young son (played by SON OF RAMBOW’S Bill Milner) of the home’s overwhelmed owners. Written by Peter Harness, who draws from his own experience growing up in a retirement home, IS ANYBODY THERE? brings a rich humor as well as a rigorous honesty to its portrait of different lives colliding under one roof. With a supporting cast that includes Anne-Marie Duff (THE MAGDALENE SISTERS), David Morrissey (THE DEAL), Rosemary Harris (SPIDER-MAN) and Leslie Phillips (VENUS), IS ANYBODY THERE? tells a charming story about growing up and growing old, and the unpredictable adventures that happen along the way.

This flick could be quite good-the trailer finds itself bordering on sappiness but rescues itself at the end. It's not life altering, but not all trailers have to be.

Morning Workout:Robert Patrick/Terminator, Wolverine Gets Leaked, and Kevin Spacey At It Again

2009-04-01T08:37:00.004-04:00

T-1000 Part 2: Robert Patrick is in talks to reprise his role as everyone's favorite liquid metal assassin in the next Terminator film (after Terminator:Salvation). There's been speculation in the past that Robert Patrick may (Spoilers?) actually return as the human that the T-1000 was based on. Cool. Via IMDB

Wolverine's Leak: X-Men Origins: Wolverine has reportedly leaked onto the internet. Devin Faraci explores why. Via CHUD

Kevin Spacey Goes Indie: Kevin Spacey will produce and star in the "indie" (TM) comedy Father of Invention. No word yet on the inclusion of the Postal Service or Iron and Wine in the soundtrack...Via Variety

FX Will Be Home to DreamWorks Animation TV Premieres Through 2012

2009-03-31T21:39:00.003-04:00

It's all in the title. Probably a good move by FX considering its really sweet (read: not really) slate of programming. Via Variety

The Workout: Star Trek 2, Hanna, Ice Cube and Crowe

2009-03-31T13:28:00.005-04:00

Fuck your regular sleep cycle.

Starry Sequel: J.J. Abrams is already plotting a sequel ... to Star Trek? You're a soldier, dude. Via Filmstalker.

Achy Breaky Girl: Here's hoping Hanna Montana is a one-off. Via Slash Film.

Ice and the new 'Ride': Ice Cube is starring in the new action comedy Ride Along. Via Variety.

The Crowe: The Vulture plays nice and calls Russell Crowe a poet – we'll buy it. Via Vulture.

New Fidelity Investments Ad Directed by 3:10 to Yuma Director James Mangold

2009-03-31T12:05:00.004-04:00

3:10 to Yuma and Walk the Line director James Mangold directed this spot for Fidelity Investments. Not being a real expert source on James Mangold's visual style, I can't say that I notice anything that really translates over from his film work, however the spot seems effective enough in getting the message across.

No Sponsor Slant: The 'Satan' Podcast

2009-03-30T23:29:00.005-04:00

Matt Singer and Alison Willmore stick their nose up just a little at the upcoming movie C Me Dance – a movie "we're probably not going to see." They have no interest in most religion-heavy films.

However, they're interested in the way Satan is portrayed in films ... "crazy Satan," like Al Pacino in Devil's Advocate. Download their ramblings here. Good one?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince X360 Trailer

2009-03-30T19:10:00.002-04:00

Check it at IGN here.

Morning Workout: Brick live!, Busta and Travis Transform, and Burton loves 3-D

2009-03-30T09:26:00.004-04:00

Brick live on stage: Some random high school is adapting Brick to be a high school play. Pick your battles wisely, high school drama teacher of random high school. Via Blogfather

Love Transformers AND Soundtracks? You might be in luck-Busta Rhymes and Travis Barker are working on a track together for Transformers 2. What do you mean last minute? Via IESB

3-D is Good for Anything: So says Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton in a new interview. As much as I love your work Tim, I think even you'll admit that Edward Scissorhands and Batman would not have worked well in 3-D. Via IESB

A $58.2 Million Weekend: What a Super Bowl Ad in 3-D Will Get You

2009-03-29T13:47:00.005-04:00

Despite generally mixed reviews, the CG slugfest Monsters vs. Aliens took in almost $60 million this weekend. The marketing team really sold the movie based solely on its 3-D alone, wisely, I might add-since the flick's concept it pretty forgettable at face value. Variety also correctly points out that theatres are able to charge more for a ticket to a 3-D movie which only means one thing-more 3-D movies/other hooks to get people off the bootlegs and into theatres jumbo popcorn and sodas in tow. No word yet if Showgirls 3-D will be hitting multiplexes in 2009. Via Variety

WB's Wonder Woman Flick Looking for a Director

2009-03-28T22:59:00.003-04:00

Looks like a Wonder Woman movie just might happen-while I think Warner Bros. time and money could be better spent investing in a different female heroine (Catwoman relaunch anyone?) Wonder Woman could do well assuming there is genuine interest out there in the character-which I fear to be scarce...the team behind it will have to drum up something special in order for this to fly with moviegoers. Via IESB

Jock Itch Relief: EW's Owen Gleiberman

2009-03-28T19:23:00.004-04:00

EW isn't my punching bag today (maybe because I'm tired).

Owen from the PopWatch blog has interesting re-review of Wall Street – he's looking for its relation to today's economic crisis. Do you see a reflection?

What I got from it: Fire all executives that resemble Michael Douglas' character – and do something worse if they ever say "Greed is good."

Script Girl Just Wasting Your Time?

2009-03-28T19:06:00.003-04:00

The gimmick just doesn't work. Apologies to the actress. In this get-it-now-right-now age, this video was passé before the 28th. Let's try doing something besides skimming this week's news – how about some opinion?

Via AICN.

I'm sure SG appreciates all the comments.

Hot Toys 1:6 Scale John Connor

2009-03-27T19:12:00.005-04:00

Definitely Professional.

Try not to buy this, I dare you. Let's just let the pics speak for themselves and bask in the glory of Bale the Plastic Cyborg Killer. Check out the rest of the gallery here.

3-Delicious: AMC Adding 1,500 3-D Screens

2009-03-27T12:31:00.000-04:00

If you haven't seen a 3-D feature in theatres lately (or ever, like me), this should help your cause. AMC is expanding to ultimately be able to feature at least one 3-D screen in every AMC theater, according to Gerry Lopez, its CEO. Via THR

Morning Workout: Kick-ass Houdini, Ricky Gervais, Marvel Writers and Saving Private Ryan

2009-03-27T10:23:00.001-04:00

Sweatpants are cheap.

Kick-ass magic: A Harry Houdini action film? Filmstalker is sorely disappointed.

Office Space: Ricky Gervais will have us peeing our pants with the film The Men of Pru. Insurance! Via Variety.

Marvel This: Marvel Entertainment is roping in writers for its film division. We're all wondering if the WGA will frown on this. Via The Blogfather

Text Me: Orange Film Studios gets ridiculous with its latest baby Saving Private Ryan's Number. Via Total Film.

Join the Cult, Lose at the Oscars?

2009-03-27T00:58:00.003-04:00

Cinematical stays in top form again with the latest 400 Screens, 400 Blows column. It's interesting to think that films later reaching cult filmdom do fare poorly at the Oscars. Tonight's columnist seems to suggest that The Wrestler is equally important as Citizen Kane. Time will tell. Here's hoping Rourke doesn't ruin it with his upcoming roles.

Help: Bob Mondello's Eyes Hurt

2009-03-27T00:46:00.003-04:00

The NPR reviewer basically hated Monsters Vs. Aliens – this a slow week for movies, so he had nothing better to do than pick on a PG movie. Which is fine. In the the form of text. Mondello's audio reviews are pretty dry. He really sounds like a guy trying to mumble something funny in his sleep. Just a wake up a little, dude.

Two bits from the story I enjoyed.

"With all that going on — not to mention a five-eyed squid who wants to rule the world, Stephen Colbert as president, and a 3-D battle that flattens the Golden Gate bridge — you'd think Monsters vs. Aliens would be plenty engaging.

"Instead, it's mostly an excuse to hop from one depth-perception exercise to the next. And once you've seen a couple, they're not really reason enough to keep watching."

Jonathan Nolan Co-wrote Terminator:Salvation Script with Christian Bale?

2009-03-26T17:21:00.005-04:00

So infers the exclusive McG interview at Rottentomatoes:

"(RT)You've got a really talented team of writers on board.

McG: Yeah, we wanted it to be written with the deftest pens possible. There's a writing team called Ferris and Brancato that wrote the original draft. Then when I got involved, I brought in Paul Haggis, we worked for about 2 months on the script, with Christian as well. He taught us a great deal about character. Then we brought in Jonathan Nolan -- who wrote the Batman pictures, Prestige, and largely Memento. So it's a very cerebral bunch that's here to make a film of the highest quality. "

This only makes me want to travel into the future to see this thing that much more. That's a pretty impressive pedigree to have on board a picture not exactly known for its writing. You can check out the rest of the interview here.

"Terminator:Salvation" Xbox 360 Hands-on

2009-03-26T16:51:00.002-04:00

IGN has it. Ch-ch-check it here.

Morning Workout: Taking Woodstock, Transformers and Cartoon Network

2009-03-26T11:00:00.005-04:00

Ang Lee and Demetri Martin FTW: Trailer for Taking Woodstock is up. Looks good with a dose of "meh." Via Blogfather

"Autobots, Etc!" There was a prequel comic to Transformers 2. It has details about the movie. Via IESB

Cartoon Network has a lot going on. Including live action flicks based on hit TV shows brought to you by Hollywood directors...Via IESB

Trailer Talk: "Where the Wild Things Are"

2009-03-25T17:35:00.009-04:00

By now you've probably seen the trailer for Spike Jonze's adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are-if you haven't, check it below(along with my timecode commentary):

:26-Cool opening line.

:33-Wow, this alternate version of Arcade Fire's "Wake Up" does indeed work well here.

:49-Was there a single mom/divorce subplot in the book? (serious question)

1:02-Vote Barack Obama!

1:21-I know it's hard to create hair after CGI hair on these wooly monsters-but even though these things don't exist, I feel like they don't move very realistically (like watching cartoon characters) kudos for using muppetry when possible though...

1:24-Hot Topic, thy 2009 merchandising opportunity.

1:42-That poor kid actor, that costume can't be easy on ye (did they have to size up while filming this thing? he's a growing boy!)

Whether this movie is only going to be good based on its stunning cinematography alone or the coveted superbadass good that so few films reach will have to be uncovered by time, you don't need me to tell you that this one will probably be remembered. Remember, shoot-people-at-the-movies crowd, leave the piece at home, there will be kids at this one so let's call a truce, get some popcorn and enjoy ourselves!

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Hitting Blu-ray June 7

2009-03-25T13:06:00.003-04:00

The Blu-ray disc will include featurettes, trailers, and an exclusive peek at Final Fantasy XIII. While largely uninitiated in the FF universe, I can appreciate the film's impressive CG visuals and am interested in checking it out on Pretty-ray.

Via 1UP

Morning Workout: Mars, Clinton, Memoirs and an Action Figure

2009-03-25T10:22:00.001-04:00

Not from Mars: Writer Rob Thomas doesn't have high hopes for a Veronica Mars movie. Just a year too late, man. Via New York Post.

Clinton Crazy: Dennis Quaid will play Bill Clinton and tango with Michael Sheen (Tony Blair) in the upcoming HBO film The Special Relationship. Please, don't make this American Dreamz 2. Via The Blogfather.

Same movie, no vampires: Well, kind of. Robert Pattinson may star in Memoirs – "a pair of star-crossed lovers who fall in love but must deal with family tragedies that threaten their relationship." Easy money. Via Total Film.

Toy Story: Tom Hanks is pitching a movie about '70s action figure Major Matt Mason. Via Variety.

Zack Synder Took a Beatdown Today. Poor Guy.

2009-03-24T22:57:00.003-04:00

All the bad press surrounding Zack Snyder and Watchmen seems pretty unfair. Did the film buffs expect Watchmen to be Hollywood's stimulus package? Did the success of The Dark Knight set up Watchmen for disaster? Give me an answer.

So, of course, questions are surrounding his next project, Sucker Punch. Vulture asks, "Will anyone pay money to see a film whose premise sounds like a Terry Gilliam fever dream?" That was a good slam, but a little bandwagon-y if you ask me.

And then ...

"Considering Mr. Snyder’s film cost at least $150 million to produce, plus the untold millions that were spent on marketing—not to mention the legal fees that Warner Brothers had to pay even to release the film—$115 million won’t even pay for a DVD featurette on Dr. Manhattan’s penis." Via New York Observer. Read more of it if you want to confirm that the Observer hates blonde women.

New Toy Story Video Game on the Horizon

2009-03-24T21:41:00.003-04:00

Even though this screen cap of the original Toy Story video game is begging for a hilarious caption from yours truly, I will find the strength to resist the urge, somehow. I am truly a hero. Instead I will write about a new, Wii-exclusive (wait, what?) video game based on the venerable franchise, titled "Toy Story Mania," which brings the Disneyland/Walt Disney World attractions home so kids can harass their poor, recession-stricken parents until they take them to see the real thing. Even though this is a complete cashgrab, I will buy this game (I may or may not have collected the complete basic set of movie trading cards from Toy Story. I may or may not have also saved up wrappers from the cards to earn the privilege of purchasing the binder to store those same cards which I may or may not have purchased. So do I just send the check to California or what?) Via IGN

They Don't Call Him Blogfather For Nothin': The Dirty Garage

2009-03-24T21:24:00.004-04:00

The Dirty Garage - watch more funny videos

The Blogfather had the inside track on this hilarious Funny Or Die vid "The Dirty Garage," a wonderful parody of such mumblecore stereotripe (see what I did there? Totally fucking Diablo Codied that word. Yeah, motherfucker etc.) as The Puffy Chair. Sorry, it's the only one I can name off hand and with good reason-and it's not because ordinary 20-somethings who wear hoodies all the time are extremely interesting.

Make a Movie: Here Comes the Thai Spider-Man

2009-03-24T15:00:00.001-04:00

Somchai Yoosabai is the Thai Peter Parker.

"An unusual disguise [Spider-Man!] has helped a Bangkok fireman rescue an eight-year-old boy who had climbed on to a third-floor window ledge, Thai police say."

I'm guessing this guy is much tougher than Toby Maguire.

Via BBC.

Today's Workout

2009-03-24T13:23:00.004-04:00

The ShoWest Award has another recepient! This time Mr. Americanflagdrapedexplodingtransformertrappedonanotherplanet himself, Michael Bay! Mr. Bay receives the award for "Excellence in Filmmaking." Via IESB

Kevin Smith knows the dark side. Of the internet, that is! Whahaha! Check it out his Lee Stanhan interview here. Via the Blogfather.

Cravin Chronicles? IESB's got your covered with some Chronicles of Riddick sequel info. Enjoy!

Yahoo! There is Trouble with Movie Lists ...

2009-03-24T00:15:00.002-04:00

The authors always miss something. And then they're tasked with putting out fires on the film blogosphere. ("Those damn bullies!" I can hear Variety saying.)

Yahoo! has published its 100 Movies to See Before You Die. Of course, it has some flaws.

My questions: 1. Where's Easy Rider? 2. And why would you leave out Taxi Driver and A Clockwork Orange? 3. You really think The Matrix is better than Fight Club?

It's Simple: Russell Doesn't Like the Meathead Crew.

2009-03-23T23:50:00.006-04:00

Oh, wait, I mean The Expendables. Kurt Russell gave up the tough-guy mentality a looooonnnnngggg time ago – Vanilla Sky seems like his official departure from it. And don't even think that he was tough in Death Proof.

I think Kurt, who turned down an Expendables role, realizes that a movie with Jason Statham, Jet Li, Sylvester Stallone – the movie's director – and other ass-kickers will have zero substance. He needs to save his energy for an Oscar nod. Not guns and muscles.

Filmstalker feels a little different about this news. An excellent opportunity? Really, guy?

I'll say this: If someone makes a Metal Gear Solid movie, please pay millions for Russell. The eye patch says it all.

Morning Workout: Green Lantern News, True Grit, Terminators and Twitter Stalking

2009-03-23T10:14:00.004-04:00

Ah, Mondays are achy...

Green Lantern Beat: Ryan Gosling as the Green Lantern? Nahhhh. Via The Beat.

Wild Western: The Coen brothers are updating True Grit, which won John Wayne an Oscar. Via Variety.

Terminate This: The ending of Termination Salvation has changed. Thanks, hostile fans! Via Total Film.

Tweet, Tweet: The Blogfather is updating his list of important actors, directors and writers on Twitter. 20 more names? We're impressed. Via Slash Film.

Warner Bros. to Release DVD's by Customer Request

2009-03-23T08:02:00.004-04:00

In an attempt to make everyone happy, customers can now browse through WB's vault of previously unreleased classic films. By visiting www.warnerarchive.com, customers can choose from having their movie sent to them as a DVD or as a digital download. There are currently only about 150 titles to choose from, but Warner intends on boosting the selection at a rate of 20 movies a month. Sounds good...Via LATimes

Variety's Peter Bart: Film Blogging "reminiscent of the early days of tabloid journalism."

2009-03-22T14:50:00.003-04:00

Unlike his contemporary below, Peter Bart has decided to take off the gloves in his column "Hollywood's blog smog," in which he accuses bloggers of "cyber-bullying" and says that the act of blogging "carries an ugly subtext." I'm curious what prompted this flurry of recent writing about blogging by Variety. Are the kids making too much noise in the garage?

Variety's Mike Fleming's Film Blog Analysis

2009-03-22T14:45:00.004-04:00

Mr. Fleming's interesting and fairly unbiased take on the life and times of a print journalist who competes with and works in today's film blogosphere. Check it out here.

Demme's Third Neil Young Film to Be Shot Outdoors?

2009-03-22T13:27:00.004-04:00

Last night SXSW-ers saw the world premiere of Jonathan Demme's Neil Young Trunk Show, which seems like another intimate look at the rustic singer-songwriter. (A doctor looks at his fingernails! Oh, man!) You might have been there – how was it?

Demme barely confirmed that he will make a third Neil Young doc. Here's hoping it's an outdoor concert.

Via Rolling Stone.

Alyssa Milano in Ghostbusters The Video Game

2009-03-21T10:42:00.005-04:00

In what has become a bit of a cool twist, IGN reports that Alyssa Milano has a prominent role in Ghostbusters the Video Game that wasn't even on her radar 3 months ago and has the video (above) to prove it. This might explain why her voiceover animation looks rather blah. Anyway, fingers crossed on this one.

IESB Hooks Up the Net With 14 New "Terminator:Salvation" Screen Caps

2009-03-21T10:25:00.004-04:00

IESB has 14 new screen captureish pics ranging from interesting to kinda blah. Check them out here.

Rorschach's makes WALL-E Scary!

2009-03-20T11:18:00.004-04:00

Something to laugh about on this boring Friday morning, eh? Maybe this would have secured WALL-E a Best Picture nom. Via Awards Daily.

Morning Workout

2009-03-20T09:07:00.006-04:00

Kill Bill in 1 Minute: The Blogfather posted this vid as a video of the day.

Plans for the Weekend?: I Love You, Man is certified fresh. Knowing, on the other hand, is not.

Superhero Confessions? CHUD found the documentary Confessions of a Superhero on HULU. Check out their analysis and the documentary here.

Jock Itch: EW Pays Someone To Give Opinion On Nudity in Watchmen

2009-03-20T08:13:00.005-04:00

Slim/Athletic's favorite punching bag Entertainment Weekly allowed Mandi Bierly to post her article Watchmen and other movies that shouldn't have shown breasts just because they could. Are you serious? Who the fuck are you to decide, Mandi Bierly, whoever the fuck you are? Here are some awesome excerpts from this masterwork, followed by my commentary below:

"Those of you who've seen Watchmen, answer me this: Were you distracted by Silk Spectre's bare bosoms during her love scene with Nite Owl? Days later, I'm still annoyed by them.

Oh my God, you were "annoyed" by Silk Spectre's nudity? Well, I'm sure Zach Snyder is very sad to hear this. And yes, everyone is going to be distracted by a LOVE SCENE. That. Is. The. Point.

I don't like when films show breasts just because (a) they've got the R-rating, so they can..."

I'm not sure what Mandi Bierly is trying to communicate here, but I think she's saying that Watchmen got the R rating before Zach Snyder put the nudity into the movie. So does she think the MPAA just mails ratings before the movie is even finished being produced? The MPAA is pretty crappy, but I don't think it's that crappy.

...and (b) straight men are the presumed audience."

Straight men will always be the main audience for movies like this. Even if you, a presumably heterosexual woman, did not enjoy the shots of Malin Akerman's breasts, who is to say there wasn't a homosexual woman out there or even (gasp!) right next to you in the theater who did? You're just stirring the pot for hits to the ol' PopWatch blog now aren't you?

" Am I just saying this because I've never read the comic? No. I've talked to someone who has, and she agreed that director Zach Snyder milked the scene to the point of absurdity. (I wasn't sure whether I was laughing at it or with it.)"

Well Yee Haw! You fucking talked to someone who actually did take the time to read the comic and they agreed with you? Jesus why didn't you fucking say so earlier?

"Why didn't I even mention the skin we saw on Patrick Wilson during that Silk Spectre/Nite Owl love scene? Because that's how distracted I was by Malin Akerman's breasts!"

So wait, you were into Malin Akerman or you weren't?

"So, back to my questions: Were you distracted by Watchmen's graphic sex scene? And what other films do you think bared all when they didn't need to?"

Please, anyone who reads this, post on the article's comment section to voice your choices for movies that "bared all when they didn't need to."

Chris Pine Or Not ... Does Green Lantern Have Broad Appeal?

2009-03-20T00:33:00.004-04:00

Maybe it's too early to tell. But I've never really viewed Green Lantern as a character that enamors the fanboy and fangirl masses. Perhaps because of the lack of media hype and play he gets in DC Comics these days? He's miles and miles and miles away from Batman.

I'd take Jon Hamm over Chris Pine if I had pick one to don the Lantern's gear. Hamm's broad physique makes him a striking resemblance to the Alex Ross-imagined Lantern.

Quick thoughts from others:

AICN

The Blogfather

MTV

"G.I. Joe" Footage Disappoints Dark Horizons

2009-03-19T22:26:00.003-04:00

Dark Horizons has a detailed description of a G.I. Joe five-minute sizzle reel that was screened in Sydney Tuesday night. The boys didn't come away impressed. Via Rottentomatoes

Morning Workout: Windertech, SXSW/Ohio, Up and Hollywood Pension

2009-03-19T11:23:00.001-04:00

The Blogfather should go ahead and buy a Windertech. Via Slash Film.

SXSW loves Ohio film. Awards, man! Via IFC.

If you really love Pixar, you'll buy a ticket to Cannes. Up is showing! Via Hollywood Elsewhere.

Hollywood's ready to bitch about shrinking pension funds. Via The Carpetbagger.

"Super Size Me" Now On Hulu

2009-03-19T08:29:00.004-04:00

If you never checked out Morgan Spurlock's take on America's fast food fascination, now's your chance to do so for free. Imperfect, but worth the time, Spurlock's documentary is a reasonable exploration of why Americans eat what they eat and the companies that profit from our unhealthy lifestyles. Keep your ears peeled for the random song with the lyrics "Rock and roll McDonald's." Hilarious to me for some reason.

Seth Rogen Must Bow Down to Kevin James!

2009-03-19T00:03:00.003-04:00

Poor Seth Rogen.

Here's more proof that Observe and Report makes Paul Blart look like a god in a mall cop uniform: "The Austin crowd loved it. Not all crowds will. It's weird. Paul Blart would probably walk out of this movie."

That comes from EW's observations at a SXSW screening of O & R.

Via PopWatch.