So.... yeah.....

I'm back... again.  It has been difficult to get back on this horse, but I am determined to try again.  Why do I keep trying you ask? Mostly because I am an idiot.  But also I just refuse to let something that I actually like to do (like watching movies, stalking Melinda and eating raw quail) fall by the wayside. This return to a regular posting pace (let's say once a month and if there are more frequent posts.... hooray!!) also includes something new... mainly this. 


I will always look to post a rant, rave or opinion on this site (summer movies!... video games!... sports!... books?... random opinions no one has asked me about!), but you will see less short stories. But that is, again, because of this.


And oh yeah, watch this space too...

Looking to the Future

The summer movie season is just about over, and I have to say that it has been a tad disappointing.  While I have enjoyed Transformers 3, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Thor, I still feel short-changed. I know I still have Captain America and Cowboys & Aliens to look forward to, but this summer just felt kind of... lacking. Summer used to be the go to time for Hollywood, when each week there was a new movie to see. And the movies were blockbusters! Films like Sucker Punch and Battle: Los Angeles would have been locks for a summer release in the past but after seeing them both, moving them to earlier in the year was probably the best move, considering the competition they could have faced.

But with summer films about to ride into the sunset, what's left? Do I just hibernate until next April or May? I say thee... NAY! Here are a few movies that I am looking forward to for the remainder of this year starting with:

August - 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: When I first heard about this movie I was on the side of "Why in the hell are they doing this!?" But after seeing the trailers, I have to admit that my curiosity has been piqued. Hoping to see some apes kill James Franco in very painful ways.

Colombiana: Zoe Saldana killing guys and looking sexy doing it. Hell, if the movie just had her reading a cereal box to herself, I would still pay $10 to see it.

September - 

The Killer Elite: JASON STATHAM! CLIVE OWEN! Hopefully Robert DeNiro channels the character he played in Ronin and not some of the other crap he has been in lately.

Moneyball: Film based on the book about the Oakland A's manager that puts together a great team on a shoestring budget ("shoestring" by professional sports standards)

The Thing: I'm still on the fence for this.  Liked the original, loved John Carpenter's remake.  This movie is a prequel, not a remake.... I hope it's good. I really do, especially since this wasn't necessary to make.*

December - 

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol: I loved the third one, and from the trailer Brad Bird's live action debut looks pretty good. 

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows: The first one was just plain fun. Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law had great chemistry and I am glad to see them return. Also nice to see that Guy Ritchie was more than Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch (not that those films were not great, just nice to see that he can also do a good action film).

* = I know that no movie is truly necessary. But when you decide to make a prequel to a classic movie whose remake is also a classic, there is a lot to live up to.

Thanks to Trailer Addict for the movie trailers

Scorched Earth, TV Style

The network Fall TV schedules are being announced over the next few weeks at the "up fronts", and the television landscape is a-changing. Many shows that were new this season have been cancelled. So many shows have been cut down, it looks like a crime scene. Take a look (new shows this season in bold):

Better With You (ABC)
Breaking In (Fox)
Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
The Cape (NBC)
Chaos (CBS)
Chase (NBC)
The Chicago Code  (Fox)
The Defenders (CBS)
Detroit 1-8-7 (ABC)
The Event (NBC)
Friday Night Lights (NBC)
The Good Guys (Fox)
Human Target (Fox)
Law & Order: Los Angeles (NBC)
Lie to Me (Fox)
Life Unexpected (CW)
Live to Dance (CBS)
Mad Love (CBS)
Medium (CBS)
Mr. Sunshine (ABC)
No Ordinary Family (ABC)
Off the Map (ABC)
Outsourced (NBC)
Perfect Couples (NBC)
Running Wilde (Fox)
$#*! My Dad Says (CBS)
Smallville (CW)
Traffic Light (Fox)
V (ABC)

Yup most of the shows were new this year. And they will be replaced by other shows next year, that may be even worse. Some of the older shows, like the horrible Smallville or the pretty damn good Friday Night Lights, were allowed to actually come to a conclusion before the sets were struck and the lights turned off for good. But there were some other shows that showed promise or were just fun that I am sad to see go: The Good Guys, Human Target, The Chicago Code and even Mr. Sunshine. I think that those shows, even as mid-season replacements or even if moved to different time slots could have found an audience if given more of a chance. By me, they will be missed. It's too bad that everything nowadays is "now now now" not " let's try and help it." Unless your name is Chuck.

Of the returning shows, (you can view the entire list of returning, on the bubble and the dearly departed here) I have to say I was happy to see that Supernatural is coming back. That was a show that I expected nothing from when it debuted, and was more than pleasantly surprised. This was a show that actually got better each year and has been a joy to watch.  Of course all of Fox's animated lineup is returning, though I feel that The Simpsons need to be put down. I feel like they have been slipping a bit each year, and better to go out on top that to overstay your welcome.  sadly, also returning is a ton of reality TV... damn you Real World!!! Damn you to hell!!!

My Return, Just In Time for Summer...

First, I would like to say thank you to the guys over at From the Boss's Desk. Reading their excellent blog has prompted me to get off my ass and post something. If you are into film and video games, I urge you to give their blog a look. 

As the summer movie season has begun, please allow me to give you a brief rundown on the films that I am most excited about, and one movie that I saw last night.

Thor:  I have to say that is was pretty friggin' good. The hammer Mjolnir was tossed, Frost Giants were smashed, Loki was tricksy, Sif was hot and Volstagg ate. The entire cast did an excellent job, there was the now traditional after credits teaser and even a cameo appearance by another Avenger. This picture was a good start to the summer season.

Green Lantern: Director Martin Campbell saved James Bond, and I think that he will perform magic with Green Lantern. While this will be another one of those origin movies, the trailer has shown a lot of things that hint they have a grander plan for any future films if this thing franchises out. I am keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel, because I would love to see some of the more recent Lantern stories on the big screen.

X-Men - First Class: I originally hated the idea of this movie. The last couple of X-Films were god awful, and I didn't think this was going to be any better.  But thanks to Layer Cake, Stardust and Kick-Ass, director Matthew Vaughn has earned the benefit of the doubt. The trailers have been better than I have expected, and January Jones is playing Emma Frost. Plus there is Kevin Bacon! An X-Men movie with Kevin Bacon!! If that doesn't say summer movie fun, I don't know what does.

Super 8: I have no idea what the hell is really going on in that movie, but it looks like there is a monster/alien that will be killing folks. Good enough for me. Plus J.J. Abrams has shown me that he is better than the crap fest that was every season of Alias after the second one and that Lost abomination.

Captain America - The First Avenger: Hugo Weaving is playing the Red Skull.  If Pee-Wee Herman were playing Cap, as long as Weaving is the Skull the studio would still have my $10.

Hangover II: I that lightning can strike twice.  The first one was hysterical, but to avoid disappointment, I am keeping my expectations in check.

Transformers - Dark of the Moon: The first Transformers movie was fun, the second one... not so much. The recent trailer looks to have the franchise back on track and if this is the final film (at least directed by Michael Bay) then it appears that things will end on a high note.

Cowboys and Aliens: How can anyone not want to see this? The trailer looks amazing, Harrison Ford looks like he's the bad guy, and how in the hell do cowboys beat aliens in the first place? I have no familiarity to the comic book, graphic novel or whatever that the movie is based on, and have stayed away from it on purpose. I am actually going into the film blind, and could not be happier.

Dad

My father, Craig Dennis Thigpen, passed away on July 13th 2010. I thank him for the memories that he has given me: 

watching Bruce Lee Week with him and my brother... Old English Pizza... my first comic books... introducing me to Doctor Who and Buffy the Vampire Slayer... taking me to see the NBA in it's prime (Magic, Bird and Jordan)... my first NFL game (so what if it was the Falcons?)... teaching me to fight dirty, "helping" us with our school projects... watching him dote on his grandchildren... watching the NCAA tournament and the term "start up the bus"... his catch phrase "the thing about it is"... how proud he looked after my high school graduation... going to Gullifty's... going to Erol's and Movies Unlimited to rent movies for the weekend... the family slide shows with popcorn... the Kappa Bug... going to his office in the PSFS building for the first time... introducing me to Pat Metheny, Miles Davis and John Coltrane... Thursday nights at the supermarket... the horrible video and the "Is this live?" comment... 

I will cherish these memories and many more for the rest of my life. I hope that I made him proud of me, as I was always proud of him. I just wish I had the chance to tell him that, and that I loved him, as I don't think I have told him enough. I know that he knew it, but I wish I got to say it just once more.

Not The, but A List...

We love to list things.  I think we do it so we can have something to argue about.  No matter who compiles it, we flock to the lists and then the debate begins.  “Why wasn’t this person/movie/team included?” “How did person/team/movie make this list?” the arguments go on and one.  Some of these list are very well done (Empire’s 500 Greatest Movies of All Time list comes to mind and can be experienced right here), others not so much (Entertainment Weekly’s various attempts at the same type of list). 

I had a subscription to EW once, and I hated it.  They seem more interested in making nice with the actors and studios than actually giving you any real information on anything interesting.  The potential for great things is there, but just has never been realized.  It’s too bad.  I think that they could be the US equivalent of Empire if they really tried, but it will never happen. EW's most recent list is at least interesting.  EW has listed (according to them) The100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years.  The characters are from movies, TV and video games.  Why did they do this?  Your guess is as good as mine.  You can buy a copy of EW to read the reasoning behind the list (then tell me because I refuse to buy the magazine) or view the entire list here.  Here is the top 20:

20. Ally McBeal from Ally McBeal
19. Morpheus from The Matrix series
18. Sue Sylvester from Glee
17. Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider franchise
16. Bridget Jones from the Bridget Jones series
15. Shrek from the Shrek series
14. Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski from The Big Lebowski
13. Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean series
12. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully from The X-Files
11. Cosmo Kramer from Seinfeld
10. SpongeBob SquarePants from SpongeBob SquarePants
9. Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City
8. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs and its sequels
7. Edward Scissorhands from Edward Scissorhands
6. Rachel Green from Friends
5. The Joker from The Dark Knight
4. Tony Soprano from The Sopranos
3. Buffy from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series
1. Homer Simpson from The Simpsons

Wax on, Take off the Jacket...

But first…

The Empire Strikes Back turned 30 this month.  I can remember going to see it for the first time, how excited that I was.  I was trying hard to imagine what would happen, trying to put together what I saw in the previews into some type of coherence, to give me a clue as to what to expect.  What I got was so much more, and it was one of the best movie going experiences of my young life.

Saying all of that, I am not one of the people that took Star Wars as a religion or swear by the original 3 movies as the Greatest Trilogy of All Time.  I would say that Empire is the best of the series (and I am including all six films), but the best trilogy of films is something open to debate.  I just wanted to acknowledge Empire’s anniversary.

The remake/reboot train in Hollywood is still barreling down the track, and next up  is The Karate Kid.  The original movie was released back in 1984 (and the name The Karate Kid is a trademark of DC comics for the character of the same name for those who didn't know) and can basically be described as Rocky Jr.  The plot revolves around a boy forced to move from New Jersey to California with his mom, and while trying to adjust to life in his new surroundings he falls in love with a girl that as an ex boyfriend that has a black belt and bad attitude.  The bully and his friends proceed to beat up on our young hero until a janitor proficient in the martial arts takes pity on the hero and trains him.  This culminates in a battle between hero and bully in a local martial arts tournament.  If you can’t see how this movie ends, there is just no help for you.

The new version sees the lead character move to China.  So this kid looks like he will be a true fish out of water, having to deal with not only new surroundings but also a new culture.  He too gets beat up by bullies, and is saved then trained by a guy that looks to be a janitor as well.  There are also scenes of a tournament in this film as well.  Again, if you cannot see how this is going to end…

It has been 26 years since the original, and that means that there is a whole generation of kids that have no idea who Ralph Macchio/Daniel-san is.  It is possible that the parents who remember the original fondly will show it to their kids before or after seeing the new one, but I doubt that will happen.  Fans of the first will see some similarities in the training (“Put on the jacket/Take off the jacket” as opposed to “Wax on/Wax off”).  There will be a kid getting beat up by other kids for reasons that only make sense to other kids (usually the bullies).  There will be some type of message that you can take away from the film at the end.  But beyond those things, I am sure that this movie will make its mark in its own way, maybe not distancing itself from the original but doing something to establish itself as “new” somehow.  I wish it the best. 

If this movie does well, there will be even more remakes/reboots on the horizon.  It will just become a question of whether a film is too "sacred" to be touched.  And in Hollywood, there is no such thing as sacred.