The Good News…

/ / Uncategorized

For you fans of iPods and downloadable tunes there’s tons of fun news for you today.  In the US, Cartoon Network and CNN have brokered a deal to have their programming available on Apple’s iTunes.  Shows like The Venture Bros., Sealab 2021, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Johnny Bravo will be available for a $1.99 download charge.

Don’t fret UK users, because Coca-Cola is teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony.  Coke announced plans to launch a new music website in Europe that is integrated with Apple’s iTunes music store available to users in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the UK.  Coke is also running a promotion in the UK where packs of Coke and Diet Coke will have codes allowing you to download up to five free songs (per person).

Not quite all.  Verizon has announced its new music phone called – Verizon Chocolate.  The phone will compete with Apple for your download music fun.  It can store up to 1000 songs.  We’ll see, once released, if the world still loves Apples, or if a new Chocolate treat will take a bite into the iTunes business.

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For you fans of iPods and downloadable tunes there’s tons of fun news for you today.  In the US, Cartoon Network and CNN have brokered a deal to have their programming available on Apple’s iTunes.  Shows like The Venture Bros., Sealab 2021, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Johnny Bravo will be available for a $1.99 download charge.

Don’t fret UK users, because Coca-Cola is teaching the world to sing in perfect harmony.  Coke announced plans to launch a new music website in Europe that is integrated with Apple’s iTunes music store available to users in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the UK.  Coke is also running a promotion in the UK where packs of Coke and Diet Coke will have codes allowing you to download up to five free songs (per person).

Not quite all.  Verizon has announced its new music phone called – Verizon Chocolate.  The phone will compete with Apple for your download music fun.  It can store up to 1000 songs.  We’ll see, once released, if the world still loves Apples, or if a new Chocolate treat will take a bite into the iTunes business.

The Good News… Read More »

MTV Video Music Awards

/ / Music News & Reviews

Shakira and The Red Hot Chili Peppers?  Sounds like a spicy Mexican dish, but not here.  Both recieved seven nominations for this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, leading the pack on all the would be award winners.  Who else was nominated you ask?  Take a look at the full list inside.

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Take a gander at who made the cut this year.  Winners will be announced August 31.  Have an opinon you just have to share?  Think you know who should win?  You can go to to MTV.COM and cast your votes.

Video of the Year:
“Ain’t No Other Man” by Christina Aguilera
“Dani California” by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira
“Hung Up” by Madonna
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco

Best Male Video:
“Gold Digger” by Kanye West
“Touch It” by Busta Rhymes
“What’s Left of Me” by Nick Lachey
“What Your Know” by T.I.
“You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt

Best Female Video:
“Ain’t No Other Man” by Christina Aguilera
“Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson
“Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira
“Hung Up” by Madonna
“Promiscuous” by Nelly Furtado

Best Group Video:
“Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley
“Dance, Dance” by Fall Out Boy
“Dani California” by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco
“Move Along” by The All American Rejects

Best Rock Video:
“Dani California” by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco
“The Kill” by 30 Seconds to Mars
“Miss Murder” by AFI
“Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day

Best R&B Video:
“Be Without You” by Mary J. Blige
“Check On It” by Beyonce
“Shake It Off” by Mariah Carey
“Unpredictable” by Jaime Foxx
“Yo! (Excuse Me Miss)” by Chris Brown

Best Hip Hop Video:
“Gold Digger” by Kayne West
“My Humps” by The Black Eyed Peas
“Rompe” by Daddy Yankee
“Stag Fly” by Three 6 Mafia
“Testify” by Common

Best Pop Video:
“Ain’t No Other Man” by Christina Aguilera
“Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira
“Hung Up” by Madonna
“Promiscuous” by Nelly Furtado
“Stupid Girls” by Pink

Best Dance Video:
“Buttons” by Pussycat Dolls
“Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira
“Hung Up” by Madonna
“Promiscuous” by Nelly Furtado
“Temperature” by Sean Paul

Best Rap Video:
“It’s Goin’ Down” by Young Joc
“Ridin’” by Chamillionaire
“Touch It” by Busta Rhyme
“What You Know” by T.I.
“Window Shopper” by 50 Cent

Best New Artist:
“The Adventure” by Angels And Airwaves
“Bat Country” by Avenged Sevenfold
“I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! At The Disco
“Run It” by Chris Brown
“SOS” by Rhiana
“You’re Beautiful” by Chris Brown

MTV Video Music Awards Read More »

New on DVD

/ / Home Video

We’re here to keep you informed on hot choices for renting or buying new DVD releases. Released this week: V for Vendetta, The Shaggy Dog, What the “Bleep” Do We Know, Inu Yasha Fire on the Mystic, Dallas Season 5 and Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 5.

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Here’s what is getting released today on DVD:

Film:

V for Vendetta – Here’s what I learned from V for Vendetta: 1. I never, ever, want anyone to try and make The Watchmen into a film, 2. Even when you gut a great graphic novel of some of its best material it can still come out well on screen, and 3. I have an even deeper appreciation for Sin City.  The Wachowksi adaption (Moore pulled his own name off the project) isn’t the graphic novel but it does have something worth watching.  I would have preferred a more faithful adaption to this remodeled version but what we do get is still quite good; sadly though the source material demands it to be great.  My immediate reaction to the film mostly positive yet conflicted and wistful of what could have been. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on V for Vendetta.

The Shaggy Dog – The tagline for this film is “Raise the Woof.” If you think that’s incredibly clever and hysterically funny than this film is for you.  If however your age includes more than one digit and you don’t suffer from some kind of mental deficiency you may want to pass on this dog.  And this movie is a dog.  One very stupid dog.  Of course being neither mentally challenged nor a child the film isn’t geared towards me and I do believe young children will enjoy the obvious jokes of Tim Allen running around and acting like a dog for almost 100 minutes.  Me, not so much. Get the rest of Alan’s opinion on The Shaggy Dog.

What the “Bleep” Do We Know?! – Down the Rabbit Hole Quantum Edition – Part philosophy, part special effects, and enough to blow your mind as this film looks at a world where quantum uncertainty is demonstrated.  Everything is alive, and thought can change any apect of reality.
Animation:

Inu Yasha The Movie 4 – Fire on the Mystic Island – Wacky anime film about demons, Gods, and four children who take them on.  Presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

TV:

Dallas – The Complete Fifth Season – All 26 episodes of the Ewings and their soap-operatic lifestyles.

Curb Your Enthusiasm – The Complete Fifth Season – Larry David and Co. come together for another 10 episodes of off kilter fun and laughs.

New on DVD Read More »

This Week

/ / Film News & Trailers

So what’s out there this week?  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this Friday which include some animated animal mischief on the farm, Will Ferrell as a NASCAR driver “who can only count to #1,” Robin Williams caught up in a “real life” Twilight Zone-type adventure, and a British horror flick about the dark things found at the bottom of a cave.  All that and more; read on…

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  Want to know more?  Just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look?  Just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby

Will Ferrell and NASCAR, need to know more?  Ferrell goes behind the wheel in the starring role as a great, but dimwitted (what else?), NASCAR driver who gets a run for his money when a French Formula One driver (Sasha Baron Coen) shows up to challenge him.  John C. Reilly stars as the teammate and best friend.  Written by Ferrell and Adam McKay (the pair gave us Anchorman).  This movie’s been promoted non-stop over the past few weeks, but can Ferrell and McKay get the same laughs without the likes of Steve Carrell, Paul Rudd, and Christina Applegate?  Check back Friday for the review.

Barnyard: The Original Party Animals

Ever wonder what farm animals do when no one’s looking?  Well here ya’ go.  Animated misadventures of a cow named Otis (Kevin James) and his wacky pals who party and enjoy playing tricks on humans.  That is until the coyotes show giving them much bigger concerns.  The likeable, fun comedy also stars the voices of Danny Glover, Courteney Cox, David Koechner, Andie MacDowell, Wanda Sykes, Dom Irrera, Jeffrey Garcia, Madeline Lovejoy as the adorable Tweety-like chick, and Sam Elliot as the serious leader (and darn good singer) of the Barnard.  Check back on Friday for the review.

The Night Listener

Popular radio host Gabriel Noone (Robin Williams) deals with a recent break-up (Bobby Cannavale) and begins reading a new book about the wild “true” experiences of a dying boy (Rory Culkin).  Gabriel begins a phone relationship with the boy and the woman who takes care of him (Toni Collette), but begins to have doubts about his story and suspicions on the boy’s identity which leads him on a dark journey to find the truth.  Interesting idea even if it doesn’t quite pan out.  The film is directed by Patrick Stettner (The Business of Strangers).  Check back Friday for the review.

The Descent

British horror flick from last year (already available on DVD in the UK) follows a group of young women on a cave expedition that goes horribly wrong when they discover strange people-eatin’ monsters.  Sounds kinda’ like last year’s hysterically bad The Cave, but it did turn out to be a hit at Comic-Con and has some nice press behind it.  Also this new print has a different ending for American audiences.  Shauna Macdonald, Natalie jackson Mendoza, Alex Reid, Nora-Jane Noone, and Saskia Mulder star as sexy monster food.  The film was written and directed by Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, Combat).

Quinceanera (limited)

A big hit at this year’s Sundance (it won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize) tells the tale of Magdalena (Emily Rios) who is thrown out of her home on her 15th birthday when her parents discover she is pregnant.  With nowhere else to go she moves in with her uncle (Cahlo Gonzalez) and an estranged gay cousin (Jesse Garcia).  Written and directed by Richard Glatzer (The Fluffer, Grief) and Wash Westmoreland (The Hole, Animus).  The film gets a limited release today with wider distribution in the coming weeks; check you local listings to see when it’s playing near you.

This Week Read More »

Too Cool For its Own Good

/ / Movie Reviews

Style in a film is a very fine issue.  On one hand, it always helps to throw in some sparkle to keep the viewer’s attention, plus there’s the whole trying to add artistic merit issue.  But on the other hand, too much of a different feel in a film can alienate a viewer.  Unfortunately, Miami Vice isn’t just the latter, but the director takes it so far that it’s like a spit in the face of storytelling.

Miami Vice
1 & 1/2 Stars

I really wanted to like Miami Vice.  I was the only person in the realm of film critics that I knew who didn’t think it looked like a stinker.  I like Writer/Director Michael Mann, and I like that he took an approach with Miami Vice that few other directors would have the balls to, let alone the creativity.  But after both of the films hours (with change), it’ll wash over you how boring and ungripping the movie is.

The New Don Johnson?

Miami Vice‘s story is easy enough to understand on paper: Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx are detectives narcing it up in Central America hoping to catch a Drug Lord that killed some co-workers.  But on the case Farrell’s character falls for the enemy’s assistant (Gong Li.) 

Only it doesn’t come out that easily in the film.  The actors linger uneasily in the shots as they spew dialogue without any real verbalization, just dropping the lines.  It’s not a sign of bad acting, the characters are just too point-blank to carry any emotion in what few words they say; and because of that it’s difficult to tell what those words falling out of their mouths mean 90% of the time.

Another problem with this innate lack of feeling in the dialogue is the extreme difficulty it presents of relating to any of the characters.  I’m no man of publications such as US Weekly or OK!, But I can honestly say I care more about what the tabloids write-up on Farrell and Foxx than these characters.  Mann’s script just never decides to take a chunk out of character development, or even character creation.

Instead of delivering a fully-developed script, Mann decides instead to go for a visual flair that easily makes more of an impact on the final product than the any of the actors or the story.  But for what it’s worth, it’s damn cool. 

Mann used simplistic, hand-held digital cameras that give off more grain than Farrell’s unshaven face in the movie.  That, in addition to the shaky camera movement, make the film seem more authentic and believable, like just maybe that isn’t actually Jamie Foxx, it’s a real-life cop doing his real-life job on the real-life streets.  I don’t normally like the now-popular technique of shaky camera movement (enough of it on a big screen can upset by stomach,) but it’s used about as well as possible by Mann in Miami Vice.

The only problem is, the cinematography is too cool.  It’s like those iPod commercials: watching a black silhouette groove to the beat over a cornucopia of colors is a great way to spend 30 seconds, but if you had to watch it for over two hours it would become daunting.  The same goes for Miami Vice, the look is just too much and too different to allow the viewers to appreciate anything else in the film.

There are a couple of intense action sequences, and Mann should be commended for trying to do something different; but in the end Miami Vice is just grade-A style vomitted beyond appreciation over a few reels of film.  Too much of a good thing isn’t good.

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