It's on in the Amazon.
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2011. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2014
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
The Undefined Gamer: "Pokemon: Black 2/White 2" Review
Oh no! They're running out of colors to use for titles! God help us!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Awfully Direct: Valentine's Special 2013: "My Future Boyfriend"
In the name of Valentine's Day,
I suffer at the hands of ABC Family.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
The Undefined Gamer: "Happy Feet Two"
Because penguins in a kids film hasn't
been totally over done!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Christmas Extrava-Christmas: "A Madea Christmas"
Cinema Won closes out Christmas
with one of the worst things ever made.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Christmas Extrava-Christmas: "The Smurfs Christmas Carol"
The Undefined Gamer vs The Smurfs.
My money's on the Smurfs.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Friday, September 16, 2011
2011 Fall TV Review: Part 1
Right now, all of the big 5 networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox and The CW) are returning from their summer hiatuses with shows new and old. Over the next couple weeks, I will review the return and pilot episodes of these show and give my personal opinion about what you should watch this new year.
RINGER: (Tues. 9, CW, New) Sarah Michelle Geller returns to TV in the new CW series about a woman who steals here better-off twin sister identity after the sister dies. The biggest thing the show has going for it is Geller. Her return is very welcome and fortunately, she is steller in the lead role. Her preformence sucks you right in and makes you want to know what happens next. The same can't be said for the story however. The whole pilot seems rushed, as if the (sometimes overly) complex plot is too much for the show to handle. Geller's character, Bridget, never really is believeable enough. Her motavations for taking her sister life doesn't really make sense. However, Ringer has a way of just sucking you in and for that it gets a 4 out of 6.
H8R: (Wens. 8, CW, New) H8R has a very good premise. Find a celebrity's most vocal "hater" and force them to spend a day with said celebrity. Unfortunately, the too-hip-to-be-good show squanders it's awesome premise by screwing up one part of that premise: the celebrities. The pilot episode's "celebrities" are a former Bacholer and Snooki. Nathan Fillion they ain't. The show feels like it's trying so hard to impress the teenage audience that the whole thing come across as fake (like Snooki. BAH-DUM-PA!). The show is most likely scripted as the "ordinary" people are just a little too writers-room witty for their own good. Still, H8R might be able to work if it can get real celebrities, but, untill then, H8R, gets a 2 out of 6.
UP ALL NIGHT: (Wens. 10, NBC, New) Man, does this show have a talented cast. Chrisitna Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph star in this NBC comedy about a couple who try to raise their first-born daughter, while dealing with the own personal lives as well. The cast make this show very funny and enjoyable from the get-go. The show's one big problem however is Raising Hope. You see, everything Up All Night does, has been done before and done better on Raising Hope. In the end, Up All Night may just be Raising Hope's leftovers, but there really isn't a moment where the show isn't at least enjoyable. 4 out of 6.
FREE AGENTS: (Wens. 10:30, NBC, New) Following Up All Night is this clunker. Staring The Simpsons funnyman Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn. The show is about two recently single people that work together after they have a one-night stand. The only real shining light of Agents is Azaria. He play pathetic and funny well. The rest of the show however can be summed up with the phrase "Well, it didn't suck too much." The show doesn't offer up anything new or particularly interesting. Instead, Free Agents lands firmly in Bland territory, and it ain't getting out any time soon. 3 out of 6.
I will have Part 2 up hopefully next Tuesday. Until then...
See you later.
P.S. TV, please don't bleep swear words out of scripted shows. It's not edgy, it really freaking annoying.
RINGER: (Tues. 9, CW, New) Sarah Michelle Geller returns to TV in the new CW series about a woman who steals here better-off twin sister identity after the sister dies. The biggest thing the show has going for it is Geller. Her return is very welcome and fortunately, she is steller in the lead role. Her preformence sucks you right in and makes you want to know what happens next. The same can't be said for the story however. The whole pilot seems rushed, as if the (sometimes overly) complex plot is too much for the show to handle. Geller's character, Bridget, never really is believeable enough. Her motavations for taking her sister life doesn't really make sense. However, Ringer has a way of just sucking you in and for that it gets a 4 out of 6.
H8R: (Wens. 8, CW, New) H8R has a very good premise. Find a celebrity's most vocal "hater" and force them to spend a day with said celebrity. Unfortunately, the too-hip-to-be-good show squanders it's awesome premise by screwing up one part of that premise: the celebrities. The pilot episode's "celebrities" are a former Bacholer and Snooki. Nathan Fillion they ain't. The show feels like it's trying so hard to impress the teenage audience that the whole thing come across as fake (like Snooki. BAH-DUM-PA!). The show is most likely scripted as the "ordinary" people are just a little too writers-room witty for their own good. Still, H8R might be able to work if it can get real celebrities, but, untill then, H8R, gets a 2 out of 6.
UP ALL NIGHT: (Wens. 10, NBC, New) Man, does this show have a talented cast. Chrisitna Applegate, Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph star in this NBC comedy about a couple who try to raise their first-born daughter, while dealing with the own personal lives as well. The cast make this show very funny and enjoyable from the get-go. The show's one big problem however is Raising Hope. You see, everything Up All Night does, has been done before and done better on Raising Hope. In the end, Up All Night may just be Raising Hope's leftovers, but there really isn't a moment where the show isn't at least enjoyable. 4 out of 6.
FREE AGENTS: (Wens. 10:30, NBC, New) Following Up All Night is this clunker. Staring The Simpsons funnyman Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn. The show is about two recently single people that work together after they have a one-night stand. The only real shining light of Agents is Azaria. He play pathetic and funny well. The rest of the show however can be summed up with the phrase "Well, it didn't suck too much." The show doesn't offer up anything new or particularly interesting. Instead, Free Agents lands firmly in Bland territory, and it ain't getting out any time soon. 3 out of 6.
I will have Part 2 up hopefully next Tuesday. Until then...
See you later.
P.S. TV, please don't bleep swear words out of scripted shows. It's not edgy, it really freaking annoying.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
You Should Get That Looked At: "Contagion" Review
SPOILERS MAKE PEOPLE SICK. MILD SPOILER WARNING HERE. POSSIBLY.
The reason Contagion was for me a highly-anticipated film was mostly not about it looking great, but more about the fact the September and October of this year are wastelands of nothing. Other than the occasional bright spot like the upcoming In Time or Killer Elite, the next two months are filled mostly with sequels that shouldn't have been made (Paranormal Activity 3), new films that don't look like anything to look at (Real Steel) or "blockbuster" movies deemed unfit to run in the summer (The Three Musketeers). So, when Contagion, the first honestly good-looking film of the fall was released, I could not wait to see it.
Turns out I probably should have.
Contagion is not a great film. Contagion is, however, not a bad film either. Contagion, like this summer's Cowboys and Aliens, walks the line of greatness, but never actually crosses it. The biggest problem is that the film focuses not on what would happen if a virus sweeps the world, wiping out a good chuck of the population and the panic it creates, but rather on the politics behind a virus that sweeps the world wiping out half of the population.
Of the three major plots that take up this movie, only one follows the story of a regular man (Matt Damon). His story is one that, if given the time and focus that it deserved, could have made for an incredible film. His story follows Damon as he tries protects his protect his daughter from the virus. What make this story so interesting is that Damon's character is immune to the virus. The film rarely touches upon the great fortune and burden this would put on a normal everyday person, who is watching the people he knows and cares about die around him, but he himself can't get sick and can't do anything to help them.
Instead, the movie shoves this point aside to tell the dull tale of Laurence Fishburne, a member of the CDC as he leads a team to try and figure out just what the virus is. This leads to problems however, because his team is so large that the film can't handle all of the many different storylines going on. This causes the editing to jump all over the place making characters disappear for a majority of the film and creating various plot holes.
The final of the three storylines is Jude Law's. He play a blogger as he tries to prove that the virus is just, like, one big conspiracy, man. The weakest of the plots, it kind of makes sense, but it still is tough to follow. There is never really anyone to root for and I think the film attempts to add in a twist at the end, but it mainly fall flat on it's face because, for me at least, I didn't realize until I really thought about it that the film hadn't been setting it up from the very beginning.
And while all of that sounds bad, Contagion makes things even more confusing because the film is just so well-made. All of the actors are bring their a-game, and while I don't think we'll be seeing any of them nominated, I for one, wouldn't at all be surprised if they did. Plus, the film is well written and does from time to time suck you into the story. But, where the film really stands out is the at times beautiful cinematography and direction by Steven Soderbergh. The film really does look nice and is enjoyable to watch.
Contagion is a very odd specimen. Never has a bad (or more rather, bland) movie been so well made, at least that I've seen. The acting, writing and, above all else, directing is just top notch. However, the editing leaves the film with several plotholes and the story never feels as exciting has it should have or could have been. It's just a well-made missed oppertunity.
CONTAGION GETS A 3 OUT OF 6.
See you later.
The reason Contagion was for me a highly-anticipated film was mostly not about it looking great, but more about the fact the September and October of this year are wastelands of nothing. Other than the occasional bright spot like the upcoming In Time or Killer Elite, the next two months are filled mostly with sequels that shouldn't have been made (Paranormal Activity 3), new films that don't look like anything to look at (Real Steel) or "blockbuster" movies deemed unfit to run in the summer (The Three Musketeers). So, when Contagion, the first honestly good-looking film of the fall was released, I could not wait to see it.
Turns out I probably should have.
Contagion is not a great film. Contagion is, however, not a bad film either. Contagion, like this summer's Cowboys and Aliens, walks the line of greatness, but never actually crosses it. The biggest problem is that the film focuses not on what would happen if a virus sweeps the world, wiping out a good chuck of the population and the panic it creates, but rather on the politics behind a virus that sweeps the world wiping out half of the population.
Of the three major plots that take up this movie, only one follows the story of a regular man (Matt Damon). His story is one that, if given the time and focus that it deserved, could have made for an incredible film. His story follows Damon as he tries protects his protect his daughter from the virus. What make this story so interesting is that Damon's character is immune to the virus. The film rarely touches upon the great fortune and burden this would put on a normal everyday person, who is watching the people he knows and cares about die around him, but he himself can't get sick and can't do anything to help them.
Instead, the movie shoves this point aside to tell the dull tale of Laurence Fishburne, a member of the CDC as he leads a team to try and figure out just what the virus is. This leads to problems however, because his team is so large that the film can't handle all of the many different storylines going on. This causes the editing to jump all over the place making characters disappear for a majority of the film and creating various plot holes.
The final of the three storylines is Jude Law's. He play a blogger as he tries to prove that the virus is just, like, one big conspiracy, man. The weakest of the plots, it kind of makes sense, but it still is tough to follow. There is never really anyone to root for and I think the film attempts to add in a twist at the end, but it mainly fall flat on it's face because, for me at least, I didn't realize until I really thought about it that the film hadn't been setting it up from the very beginning.
And while all of that sounds bad, Contagion makes things even more confusing because the film is just so well-made. All of the actors are bring their a-game, and while I don't think we'll be seeing any of them nominated, I for one, wouldn't at all be surprised if they did. Plus, the film is well written and does from time to time suck you into the story. But, where the film really stands out is the at times beautiful cinematography and direction by Steven Soderbergh. The film really does look nice and is enjoyable to watch.
Contagion is a very odd specimen. Never has a bad (or more rather, bland) movie been so well made, at least that I've seen. The acting, writing and, above all else, directing is just top notch. However, the editing leaves the film with several plotholes and the story never feels as exciting has it should have or could have been. It's just a well-made missed oppertunity.
CONTAGION GETS A 3 OUT OF 6.
See you later.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
2011 Summer Movie Recap
I was just going to say by favorites and least-favorite films of the summer, but, I figured why not just talk about all of the movies that came out this summer that I saw, starting with...
THOR: A truely fantastic superhero movie with a great cast boosted by one of the best story adaptations ever. 5 out of 6.
KUNG FU PANDA 2: Talk about a surprise! This is the perfect example of how to make a sequel. It's bigger, riskier and, above all, better than the first. 6 out of 6.
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS: While easily the best of the X-Men movie, the film lacks something to truely maki it memorable. Still, a great movie in a weak series. See the full review at my blog. 5 out of 6.
SUPER 8: Man was this a great movie. The action was great, the characters wer great. Overall, this is a very underrated film. 6 out of 6.
CARS 2: Pixar may have focused too much on humor and too little on story, but this film was just a lot of fun. Full review at blog. 5 out of 6.
TRANSFORMERS: DRAK OF THE MOON: The first Transformers was great, the second was good, but the third is the same as all of the other and is really uninteresting. Full review at blog. 2 out of 6.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2: While yes, the film is a fitting end to the series, it isn't very accessable to those who haven't read the books. Full review at blog. 4 out of 6.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER: Easily the best superhero film of the summer, the movie was just awesome from start to finish. Full video review on blog. 6 out of 6.
COWBOYS AND ALIENS: Firefly is an example of western/sci-fi merging gone insanely right. This film is an example of western/sci-fi merging gone horribly wrong. A major bore. 3 out of 6.
CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE: A sweet, very funny movie that balences a large cast nicely.Full review on blog. 5 out of 6.
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: Another big surprise, the film managed to be a great action movie and a great drama at the same time. 6 out of 6.
Overall, this has been one of the best summer for movies in a long time. And now, let me give out my top 3 best and worst list of the summer.
THE BEST:
1. Super 8
2. Kung Fu Panda 2
3. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
THE WORST:
1. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
2. Cowboys and Aliens
3. Green Lanturn (I didn't need to see it to know it sucked.)
THOR: A truely fantastic superhero movie with a great cast boosted by one of the best story adaptations ever. 5 out of 6.
KUNG FU PANDA 2: Talk about a surprise! This is the perfect example of how to make a sequel. It's bigger, riskier and, above all, better than the first. 6 out of 6.
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS: While easily the best of the X-Men movie, the film lacks something to truely maki it memorable. Still, a great movie in a weak series. See the full review at my blog. 5 out of 6.
SUPER 8: Man was this a great movie. The action was great, the characters wer great. Overall, this is a very underrated film. 6 out of 6.
CARS 2: Pixar may have focused too much on humor and too little on story, but this film was just a lot of fun. Full review at blog. 5 out of 6.
TRANSFORMERS: DRAK OF THE MOON: The first Transformers was great, the second was good, but the third is the same as all of the other and is really uninteresting. Full review at blog. 2 out of 6.
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2: While yes, the film is a fitting end to the series, it isn't very accessable to those who haven't read the books. Full review at blog. 4 out of 6.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER: Easily the best superhero film of the summer, the movie was just awesome from start to finish. Full video review on blog. 6 out of 6.
COWBOYS AND ALIENS: Firefly is an example of western/sci-fi merging gone insanely right. This film is an example of western/sci-fi merging gone horribly wrong. A major bore. 3 out of 6.
CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE: A sweet, very funny movie that balences a large cast nicely.Full review on blog. 5 out of 6.
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: Another big surprise, the film managed to be a great action movie and a great drama at the same time. 6 out of 6.
Overall, this has been one of the best summer for movies in a long time. And now, let me give out my top 3 best and worst list of the summer.
THE BEST:
1. Super 8
2. Kung Fu Panda 2
3. Rise of the Planet of the Apes
THE WORST:
1. Transformers: Dark of the Moon
2. Cowboys and Aliens
3. Green Lanturn (I didn't need to see it to know it sucked.)
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