Not Your Average Geeks
Movies
Inception = Incredible
Jul 19th
Pancho and I, on an impulse, decided to catch Inception early (9:40am early!) Saturday morning. I have to admit that I was incredibly surprised the theater had an IMAX showing that early; and I was even more surprised at the number of people in the theater. Settled in my seat, it was time for the movie.
We showed up a bit late, meaning we missed the previews (sad face) and I think the first 5 minutes of the film. I don’t think either were super important as we were able to get up to speed very fast. Spoiler free review after the jump. More >
I want one of Weta’s Rayguns to hang over my mantle
Jul 19th
I also want a mantle. But when get a place that has one, one of these will hopefully take the place of honor above it.
Based in New Zealand, the Weta Workshop is a, “multi-award winning conceptual design and physical manufacturing facility servicing the world’s entertainment and creative industries.” They have been creating props, costumes, and creatures for movies like Avatar, King Kong, the Lord of the Rings, and District 9 for over a decade.
A couple of years ago they started making these awesome retro rayguns. Some of the coolest are one-of-a-kind, so you’ll have to act quick. The guns aren’t cheap, (they seem to run anywhere from $600-1500 for most), but they ooze sci-fi style, and if I had the spare scratch, I’d have to look long and hard at getting one to spruce up the living room and increase my geek-cred. For now though, I might just try my hand at making a DIY version…
Predators hits the mark
Jul 13th
I probably saw Predator when I was 10 years old or so. Everything about that movie was awesome. Arnold at his best, ol’ painless, “Get to da CHOPPA!”, it had it all. I also loved Alien and Aliens, and had a stash of Colonial Marines comic books (I remember this one specifically) that I read over and over again. All of this only served to make Predator II, AVP, and AVP 2 that much harder to watch.
When Predators was released last week, I heard all the reviews say that there was finally a sequel that stayed true to the original, and I was cautiously optimistic. When a couple good friends backed up those claims, my hopes grew a little more. When I saw Predators Monday night, I was sold.
From start to finish, Predators stays true to its roots and evokes the same 80′s action movie emotions that the original did. It also incorporates references and homages to the original without being ham-fisted about it.
I was a little nervous about Adrien Brody playing the action hero, but he pulls it off convincingly, as do most of the rest of the cast in their roles. The death row inmate and doctor (Walter Goggins and Topher Grace respectively) provide some much needed comic relief in a few scenes, and the Yakuza enforcer played by Louis Ozawa Changchien is silently menacing. The only dull spot is the Russian Spetsnaz trooper, who is played competently, but whose background is awfully stereotypical.
Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios did great with the predator’s effects, with my only complaint being the explosion visuals in a certain scene involving a claymore. All in all, I definitely recommend seeing Predators in the theatre if you were a fan of the original. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
The Death of James Bond
Jul 7th
According to the Mirror, a site I read for the first and last time today, the James Bond franchise is dead. Apparently, MGM is having a bit of a cash crisis due to a number of poor film development choices.
I say it’s about time! I can only hope they sell the intellectual property to someone who can do the name justice. Goldeneye was fantastic. Every bond movie after that was a complete waste of time. When money dictates artistic endeavors, you are guaranteed to end up with a formulaic product that is composed of boobs, explosions, cars and guns. All great things, but are infinitely better when weaved into a proper story.
I can honestly say, with every truthiness bone in my body, that I could write and direct a better product than what was presented starting with Tomorrow Never Dies.
Serious, MGM, I’m here waiting for your call. All I ask for is 5% of the gross. That’s pure commission. How can you pass that up?
The unfortunate collateral damage to come out of all this is the death of the in-production possible smash hit, The Hobbit.
-Sim
Toy Story 3, aka Pixar at their best.
Jun 23rd
Run, don’t walk, to your nearest theatre and see Toy Story 3. Preferably in 3D.
On Father’s day, after I cooked some excellent slow cooker chicken fajitas for my parents, the three of us went to see Toy Story 3.
It was definitely the best of the series, and I’d go as far as saying it cracks my Top 10 movies of all time list. I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seemed that they used a lot more real toys in this latest installment. This led to nonstop, “Hey I had one of those!” moments for me. Hell, they finally had Lego in the movie, as well as Duplo!
Toy Story 3 also takes on a darker tone than its predecessors at times. It may be scarier for kids that way, but it definitely worked better for me. One great scene emulates classic escape films like The Great Escape
All Pixar films have a short that comes before the movie, and Night & Day, which came before Toy Story 3, was one of my favorites. It really takes advantage of the 3D effect, and was really just icing on the cake.
Go see Toy Story 3. I really can’t recommend it enough.