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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

New Action photos of Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman

Looks like they've tweaked the costume and I have to say it look a hellva lot better than the previously released shot....

Colors have been muted and the red boots are back.....



Adrianne Palicki in costume



Stunt Double in costume

Quick video from someone in the crowd...



Costume was always going to be problematic much like the Captain America one but this looks a lot better in my opinion.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

MOVIE REVIEWS: STIEG LARSSON’S DRAGON TATTOO (THE MILLENNIUM) TRILOGY [Bluray]

MOVIE REVIEWS: STIEG LARSSON’S DRAGON TATTOO (THE MILLENNIUM) TRILOGY [Bluray]

ON DVD



The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo



Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her beloved uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and the tattooed and troubled but resourceful computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) to investigate. When the pair link the disappearance of Harriet to a number of grotesque murders from almost forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. The Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.

Director: Niels Arden Oplev

Cast: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter Haber.

Release Date: Mar 19, 2010 Rated R for disturbing violent content including rape, grisly images, sexual material, nudity and language

Runtime: 2 hr. 32 min.

Genres: Art House/Foreign, Suspense/Thriller


The Girl Who Played With Fire



The second installment of author Stieg Larsson's best-selling "Millennium" trilogy gets translated to the big screen with this tale of a prominent magazine publisher who launches a comprehensive investigation into Swedish sex trafficking and political corruption. The publisher of "Millennium" magazine, Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) has built an empire on his ability to shake up the establishment. Approached by a young journalist with evidence that high-ranking Swedish officials are involved in sex trafficking and crimes against minors, the incensed magazine publisher launches a comprehensive investigation that threatens to implicate some of the most powerful politicians in the country. Noomi Rapace and Alexandra Eisenstein co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Daniel Alfredson

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Annika Hallin, Per Oscarsson, Lena Endre.

Release Date: Jul 09, 2010

Rated R for Brutal violence including a rape, some strong sexual content, nudity and language

Runtime: 2 hr. 9 min.

Genres: Suspense/Thriller

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest



Author Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Trilogy" winds to a close with The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, director Daniel Alfredson's adaptation of the best-selling novel following punky protagonist Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) as she fights to prove that she's innocent of committing multiple murders. As Lisbeth lies in intensive care, the corrupt officials in high office attempt to take advantage of her incapacitated state by accusing her of murder. But fiercely independent Lisbeth isn't about to play the scapegoat, and the more her accusers work to ruin her life, the harder she and her loyal friend Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) must push back to prove them wrong. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Daniel Alfredson

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Annika Hallin, Per Oscarsson, Lena Endre.

Release Date: Oct 29, 2010

Rated R for Strong violence, some sexual material and brief language

Runtime: 2 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Suspense/Thriller

REVIEW:

The cinematic adaptations of late Swedish author Stieg Larsson Millennium trilogy are truly impressive works on various levels. The quality of the films do vary but the characters and cast all do such a wonderful job that it’s hard to be thoroughly engrossed in the overall story. The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo functions best as a standalone film, if you watch it on its own and enjoy the characters there are two more films waiting for you. If not, then you’ll probably enjoy a familiar if well done thriller with a strong cast. The Girl who Played with Fire and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest are far more intertwined with Fire being the best of the three films in terms of story and intrigue, mainly because it focuses more on Lisbeth. In the role of Lisbeth Salander, Noomi Rapace just owns the screen every moment she’s up there. She gives Lisbeth a perfect blend of strength, alienation and scarred psyche. Rapace makes the character readily interesting and always the most engaging of the characters throughout the span of the 3 films. Michael Nyqvist doesn’t fare quite as well with her performance as Mikael Blomkvist. Nyqvist is up and down throughout the series, occasionally fully committed while at other times almost sleep walking through scenes. Story wise, the first 2 films offer the most intriguing plots while the finale lacks the proper send off the series deserves, adding in an ambiguous nefarious government entity that’s never fully explained. Directors Daniel Alfredson and Niels Arden Oplev display wonderful talent behind the lens and shoot the films with distinctive style and vigor. An American remake of The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo is already shooting with David Fincher directing with Rooney Mara cast as Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as Mikael.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo B+

The Girl Who Played With Fire A

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest C+

Series as a whole B-

Sunday, March 27, 2011

MOVIE REVIEWS: PAUL

IN THEATERS

PAUL



Two average sci-fi geeks get caught up in the ultimate interplanetary adventure after picking up an extraterrestrial during a road trip to Area 51 and becoming the targets of a nationwide manhunt. Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are two British sci-fi geeks on holiday in America. After a trip to Comic-Con to meet their favorite author, Adam Shadowchild (Jeffrey Tambor), Graeme and Clive load up their RV and hit the road for a tour of some of the most famous UFO hotspots in the American Southwest. They know we're not alone in the universe, but they won't be satisfied until they get a firsthand glimpse of the famed Area 51. However, somewhere deep in the Nevada desert, the two UFO enthusiasts narrowly avoid crashing into a speeding car when they happen across a most unlikely hitchhiker. Paul (voice of Seth Rogan) is a pint-sized alien who has spent the last 60 years in Area 51. He's been cooped up in the care of the U.S. Government for far too long, and he's starting to get a little homesick. Though Graeme and Clive are more than willing to help their wisecracking new friend get back to his mother ship, Special Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) of the FBI is closing in fast. And he's not the only one; in their race to get their new friend home, Graeme and Clive have also become unwitting kidnappers, and the enraged father of their not-so-unwilling captive, Ruth (Kristen Wiig), is determined to rescue his daughter at all costs. Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, and David Koechner co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Greg Mottola

Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig

Release Date: Mar 18, 2011

Rated R for Language, including sexual references, and some drug use

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Paul is kind of a difficult film to review, mainly because of Pegg & Frost previous cinematic gems. Their first outing without Edgar Wright in the director’s chair is still lots of fun filled with scifi allusions and nods and winks but it feels like it’s missing something. It’s strangely broad and unfocused, Pegg & Frost are allowed to fade into the background way too often. Director Greg Mottola seems unsure of how do deal with the script and actors so he just plays it safe for the most part. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are always fun to watch on screen and this is no different. Seth Rogen does solid work as the voice of titular alien but in all honesty he’s pretty much playing a character we’ve seen him play countless times and it’s kind of hard not to think of Roger from American Dad! as you watch Paul’s antics. Jason Bateman mastered the art of playing the straight man and it’s a bit of a shame he’s not allowed to stretch his comedic legs a tad more. SNL players, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader have a bit more to do and they’re both good fun in their roles. Paul isn’t quite up to Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz standards but it’s still a fun and capable comedy.

B-

MOVIE REVIEWS: SUCKER PUNCH

IN THEATERS

SUCKER PUNCH



The story of Alice in Wonderland receives a hyper-violent makeover in Watchmen and 300 director Zack Snyder's fantastical tale of a young psychiatric patient who escapes into a vivid world of fantasy after being committed to a mental hospital by her abusive stepfather. Set in the 1950s, Sucker Punch takes viewers on an incredible journey into the mind of Babydoll (Emily Browning), who finds herself at the mercy of her malevolent stepfather after her mother passes away. With no remaining family and no friends to turn to, her stepfather has her committed to a bleak mental hospital, where she is scheduled to receive a lobotomy in five days. As the procedure draws near, Babydoll creates a phantasmagorical alternate reality in which she must seek out five items in order to secure her freedom. Should she fail, her mind isn't the only thing she stands to lose. Abbie Cornish, Vanessa Hudgens, Carla Gugino, and Jon Hamm co-star in a film co-written by Snyder and Steve Shibuya. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director : Zack Snyder

Cast: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung

Release Date: Mar 25, 2011

Rated PG-13 for Thematic material involving sexuality, violence and combat sequences, and for language

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

I have a serious confession to make. I’m a nerd. It’s something I’ve come to accept over the years and ultimately embrace. Using that old adage that it takes one to know one, it’s not a stretch to say that Zach Snyder is also a nerd. Sucker Punch is his masturbatory love letter to his 13 year old self. Barely coherent with just the slimmest shred of a plot he moves the show forward by showing us what has been knocking around in his head for years. By strapping the storyline with a faux female empowerment theme he forgives himself for the cosplay fetish videogame he puts on screen. At the very least, the action is well executed and fun to look at. In fact it’s so well done that you could skip the “real world” segments and not miss much. The ensemble cast is uniformly stiff probably because Snyder didn’t demand much out of them and mostly just wanted them to look sexy and cool during the endless “money shots” and upskirts he had planned. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of Snyder and thought his cinematic version of Watchmen was an underrated gem. The aptly named Sucker Punch is nothing more than Chicago meets Cosplay, nerd porn that will send launch leagues of teenage boys into puberty. For the rest of us, well there are better ways to spend 2 hours.

D

Monday, March 21, 2011

First Look at Adrianne Palicki in the New Wonder Woman costume

First official photo of Palicki in the redesigned Wonder Woman costume and at first glance I was a bit taken a back at how brightly colored it is.

I was expecting them to mute a lot of the colors with darker variations, esp. since it's supposed to be a non campy take, but after looking at it I kind of like it......



thoughts?

Sunday, March 13, 2011

MOVIE REVIEWS: BATTLE LOS ANGELES

IN THEATERS

BATTLE LOS ANGELES



A Marine platoon fights to prevent the city of Los Angeles from being overtaken by a race of highly advanced alien invaders in this epic sci-fi action thriller from director Jonathan Liebesman (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning) and producer Neal H. Moritz (I Am Legend, Fast & Furious). After decades of speculation about life on other planets, the people of Earth discover that extraterrestrials really do exist when destruction rains down from the stars on cities all across the globe. When the alien warships descend upon Los Angeles, however, the ferocious invaders discover that humankind won't go down without a fight as a gruff Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his fearless troop of jarheads point their weapons skyward and make one last stand for the entire human race. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Jonathan Liebesman

Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Ramon RodrĂ­guez, Bridget Moynahan, Ne-Yo

Release Date: Mar 11, 2011

Rated PG-13 for sustained and intense sequences of war violence and destruction, and for language

Runtime: 1 hr. 56 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure

Review:

Battle Los Angeles blast on the screen in an endless overlong barrage of explosions and firefights that seem intent on beating you into submission. Borrowing heavy doses from Black Hawk Down and War of the World, everything about this film is clichĂ©d and unoriginal. The insane part is that Jonathan Liebesman seems to believe that if he gives you enough shakey shakey cam action you’ll forget about all that. Liebesman does his best Michael Bay impression whenever he’s not shooting near carbon copy scenes stolen from Black Hawk Down. Characters are incredibly generic and uninteresting. Aaron Eckhart’s square chin and grave voice tries his best give this story some heart and emotion but the script is so incredibly weak that there’s only so much he can do. Michelle Rodriguez and Bridget Moynahan show up to remind that this is a big budget movie but aren’t asked to anything more than shoot and look concerned. These type of films can be fun but even mindless fun needs some substance.

D


Friday, March 11, 2011

[Trailer] Super 8

Full Trailer for JJ Abrams new film....




TV SHOW REVIEW: The Walking Dead: Season One Blu-ray

The Walking Dead: Season One [Blu-ray]



Police officer Rick Grimes leads a group of survivors in a world overrun by zombies.
Cast:

Andrew Lincoln - Rick Grimes

Jon Bernthal - Shane Walsh

Sarah Wayne Callies - Lori Grimes

Laurie Holden - Andrea

Jeffrey DeMunn - Dale Horwath

Steven Yeun - Glenn

Chandler Riggs - Carl Grimes

Norman Reedus - Daryl Dixon

REVIEW:

The first season of The Walking Dead, based on the graphic novel of the same name, comes to the small screen with a palpable sense of heart and devotion to creating well rounded character that inhabit this post apocalyptic world. It succeeds from the opening episode, showing you that there so much more here than your basic zombie brain smashing, which it does still do. The characters are rich and intriguing; the acting from the cast is mostly pitch perfect. The ensemble as a whole work well together with Lincoln and Reedus being real standouts with fine performances. The overall feel of the show reminded me quite a bit of old school Stephen King, mainly The Stand (the Book), with a group of regular individuals being thrust into an insane situation. The characters are the focal point and with Frank Darabont, whose given us some of the best King big screen translations, at the helm for the first episode and as a producer overall, the show never loses its focus and quickly creates an immersive viewing experience. An impressive feat considering there are painfully few episodes in this first season, 6 in total. There are a few unavoidable faults, mainly due the genre being so well worn that it’s general tropes are 2nd hand knowledge for the most causal fan. Some situations will feel terribly familiar for most genre fans, I even noted a few musical cues, which are incredibly similar to motion pictures 28 days in particular in one sequence, that seemed to be acknowledging the fact that this isn’t new territory they are treading on. Still as a whole this show is impressively well done and should appeal to a lot of people, even those who think that the zombie genre is silly.

A-

Friday, March 4, 2011

[Trailer] Apollo 18

From Cannibal Holocaust thru Blair Witch and now Paranormal Activity, I've always been a sucker for found footage horror flicks, I like the sci-fi/history spin here....



Thursday, March 3, 2011

[Trailer] Insidious

I have no idea if this film will be any good, Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are positives, but I just found the trailer extremely intriguing and well cut...



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