The Hunger Games are happening this month. Are you excited? I am! Got my District 11 t-shirt, and my Capitol Colors nail polish will be mine once I figure out where to buy ’em. Okay, I’m a little obsessed. But it’s all in good fun.
You know what else is fun? Advance screenings. And we can win an advance screening if we Tweet loud & clear. Wanna know what to do (and how to score some tickets)? Here’s the dish….
Leap Year Day — yay! Really, really rainy day — boo. But if you’re holed up inside today never fear; there’s a reason to be happy that you’re near your computer. A new trailer for The Avengers will hit on Apple’s movie trailer website at noon. That’s right, take yourself away from the wet and remind yourself that movie blockbuster season is only a heartbeat away.
Titanic. A huge, long movie about something we already know. And ain’t it awesome? Okay, if you didn’t shed a tear at the end of this film, I don’t wanna know you because you’re dead inside.
For those of you that are looking forward to seeing this film back up on the big screen — and in 3D no less! — there’s a treat in store. Advance “sneak peek” showings will be playing here in the Baltimore area on April 3rd at 6:30pm. You can hit up Fandango for tickets; it’ll be playing at Cinemark Egyptian, AMC Lowes Whitemarsh and AMC Columbia.
Me? I’m in it for the groovy glasses. You get special collectible 3D glasses if you make it to one of these, don’cha know. But what am I doing blabbing about this, when I can give you a peek at the actual press release? Here you go….
Ever wonder what it must be like to be a part of the United States Navy’s SEALs (Sea, Air, and Land Teams)? Act of Valor gives you an up-close and personal look at their life, in what the filmmakers are calling “cinematic nonfiction”. Like television shows such as Law & Order, CSI and Body of Proof, Act of Valor is based on real-life events. But unlike those shows, this film showcases real-life, currently active-duty SEALs in the storyline, doing what they do best. It’s a riveting film that kept this “thought I’d seen it all” action-genre fan on the edge of her seat. Is it top-notch storytelling and grade A acting? No, but if you’re expecting award-winning performances from non-actors you be trippin’. What it is, is a whole lot of fun that left me with a warm fuzzy feeling about being Amuuuurincan. It also gave me even more respect for the men and women of today’s Armed Forces. Hooyah!
Mmm, awards season. I watch ’em on tv and I love every second. Okay, the commercials aren’t as awesome as the ones they show during the Super Bowl, but otherwise I’m hooked lock, stock & barrel.
But maybe you have a way to vote and aren’t just a part of the crowd. For one awards ceremony, it’s time to gear up, not give. I’m talking about the Harvey Awards, kudos that are given to “recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art”. Bonus; the Harveys are given out during the Baltimore Comic-Con (which is September 8th and 9th of this year).
If you’re worth your weight in comic books, you’re looking forward to May 5, 2012. That’s this year’s Free Comic Book Day, the day that everyone gets to read comic books, regardless of ability to pay. Hey, they’re free y’all! It s a great way to take a look at a series that is just starting up and/or not typically your type. Plus, you can grab comic books for the little ones, because it’s not all teen and adult stuff! I’ve been snagging the yearly Owly, which is just about the cutest young’uns comic I’ve ever seen….
As FCBD has gained momentum, so it’s appeal has crossed over to the masses. Which means get to your favorite comic book store early to snag the ones you want. Also, some comic book stores have a limit on the number of individual titles you’re allowed to pick up, and almost all shops have a “one per person” rule so everyone can join in on the fun.
Not sure you can make it this year (or just want to read something new Right Now)? Never fear, the folks over at Dark Horse have a tantalizing peek at their giveaways this year. Check out the first few pages of Buffy and The Guild; hey, it’s a PDF, so you can save it & read it later…or again and again.
Want to know what else will be on offer for this year’s FCBD? Check out the list, and make sure to check back because there’s always a few extra add-ons as the big day nears. Enjoy!
Yeah yeah yeah, so we mostly do movies ’round here. But if I’m not staring at moving pictures at least once a day I ain’t happy. My latest pilot that has drawn my attention: The River, from ABC Television. So when I got their “Valentine’s Day card”, I had to share:
Clicky…if you dare! (Cue eeeeevil laughter)
Here’s hoping your plans this February 14th are a lot less spooky. Unless y’know, that’s your thing….
Valentine’s Day. The time when all us chicks drag our poor, unsuspecting fellas to the multiplex so we can bond over a sappy love story. Or rather, the time of year when gals drag their guys to the multiplex for a sappy love story on pain of not being able to watch March Madness in peace, let alone get a little Barry White time, knowwhatI’msayin? I tend to be the weird chick that would rather head off to a slasher flick than subject myself to boo-hooey romance — except for Notting Hill and The Holiday, because they’re awesome and stop looking at me like that — so it was with great trepidation that I headed into the theater for The Vow. I like Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls and Midnight in Paris are two favorite films of mine), I like Channing Tatum (uh, hello; Step Up is old school fun). I like movies based on real events. And I like The Vow.
It’s amazing that a movie based on a real-life couple’s struggle to find their way back to each other didn’t end up a complete schmoopfest. Don’t get me wrong, this movie is firmly in the romance genre, and it may even be considered a graduate-level romance flick for die-hard romantics only. But it’s also a well-crafted, beautifully acted piece of filmmaking that stands out in the pre-Summer Blockbuster wasteland of late Winter movie releases. The Vow could have easily been a Lifetime Original Movie in multiplex form, something producers threw money at in the hopes people watching the film in theaters wouldn’t notice they could see the same exact movie at home for free. Instead, The Vow has a layered storyline that goes beyond it’s one-note beginnings and does something many romance movies forget to do; it entertains.
Superheroes! Zap! Biff! Pow! They seem so put-together when they’re covered in spandex, but as we all know from Smallville, it takes a while to get from having powers to being super. Chronicle is the latest “Found Footage” film to hit the theaters, and it shows three boys trying to become super-men after they get their powers on. It’s a film with tons of trippy, amazing scenes of superhero derring-do, but all the special effects in the world can’t cover for a weak storyline. As a wannabe comic book nerd, I’m bummed that a movie that came up with such a great premise failed to deliver a movie I cared about past the closing credits.
Remember high school? You either hated it, or it was the Best Time Ever and now you’re pumping gas or ghostwriting YA novels. Andrew, the male version of Carrie White of his local high school, has just bought a camera and has decided to film his day-to-day life. Cool burnout cousin Matt thinks that’s a lame way to hide from the world (and hey, it kinda is) but since Matt has no real interest in spending time with his cuz beyond the token morning ride to school, it’s a non-issue. That is until senior class uberdude Steve finds something in the woods during a party Matt dragged Andrew and Andrew’s camera to. When these three guys head down the rabbit hole — literally — they find something way cooler than Peter Parker’s radioactive spider. The next day, they’ve got powers. Powers that seem to get stronger and stronger every day. But the guys react to these powers differently; wanna guess what happens when they stop getting along?
How do you review a movie that wasn’t great, but didn’t suck? A movie that pulled you in, but not far enough in that you were absorbed? A film that wasn’t bad, but didn’t feel like it was made for you? Such were the questions I asked myself before I sat down to review The Grey, a movie about a group of men trying to survive in the cold harsh winter (of their discontent) of Alaska, wolves circling around them ready for dinner. It’s an interesting character study, with the group of tough guys slowly breaking down one by one. But gorgeous views of Alaska and the well-done animatronic wolves weren’t enough. For me, I wanted more.
The Grey is a man vs. nature film, and you need to be a dude (or in a dude frame of mind) to really get into this film. Or perhaps it just that this film suffers from a lack of dramatic structure. You can easily pick out the movies director/screenwriter Joe Carnahan (The A Team, Smokin’ Aces) loves as this movie unspools. Go ahead; you won’t miss much if your mind wanders. The Thing (scary!cold), Alive (dudes survive a plane crash!), Ghost and the Darkness (scary!animals), Wolfen (wolves! eek!), Solaris (dead wife visions!) Cliffhanger (daring feats of ice bravery!) But I like to think of The Grey as Deliverance. With wolves. Cue the banjo music…oh wait, wolves don’t have opposable thumbs. No wonder they’re pissed.
