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Friday, June 5, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Movie Trailer: The Final Destination
The Final Destination trailer in HD
"...Death Saves The Best for 3-D."
riiiigghhht. It sure looks that way.
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Conversations on the Craft - Zach Galifianakis
Zach Galifianakis again demonstrates his comedic brilliance in this hilarious video from Funny or Die. Here, Justin Bartha speaks with Zach and it leads to many many laughs.
Enjoy!
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TV Trailer: Mad Men Season 3!
RIP David Carradine
Hollywood has lost another great one.
David Carradine, star of Kung Fu and Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2, was found dead of an apparent suicide in his Bangkok hotel room. He was shooting his latest film, Stretch, in Thailand. He was 72 years old.
Our thoughts go out to his family.
David Carradine
December 8, 1936 - June 3, 2009
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Wednesday, June 3, 2009
E3 Video: Assassin's Creed 2
The first one was simply gorgeous but suffered from extreme repetitiveness, still it was a lot of fun to play. I can only hope they fix the repeat issues with this sequel.
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Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Wednesday June 3rd
Hey gang,
Just to let you know that tomorrow (or today, or yesterday, or weeks ago depending on when you read this), Wednesday June 3, there will be little, if any, updates. That is because yours truly will be attending a taping of The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien!
I won't be at a computer from 12pm until sometime in the evening.
Regular updates will resume on Thursday!
Your Pop Culture Beast,
Garon
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A Wonderful Creation
I know I'm a little late to this party- and that my opinion seems to be in the minority- but I'm a really big fan of "Parks & Recreation," the new show from the makers of "The Office." It is by no means a perfect show, but it has real potential. I'll talk about the show as a whole another day. Right now, though, I want to single out my favorite aspect of the show.
Every once in a while, a character will come along that is so unquestionably complete, so beautifully realized, that I find I can't stop thinking about said character. I would include such characters as E.B. Farnum ("Deadwood"), Bunk ("The Wire"), Dale Cooper ("Twin Peaks"), Ben Stone ("Law & Order"), George Costanza ("Seinfeld"), and Jack Donaghy ("30 Rock").
The latest addition to this list is Ron Swanson, played in "Parks & Recreation" by Nick Offerman. In a show with characters that we've seen before and feel somewhat familiar with, Ron is very refreshing. At a glance, Ron seems like a sitcom cliche: the grumpy, put-upon boss who really, deep down, has a heart of gold. Upon closer inspection, however, we find that Ron stopped caring about his job long ago. He hates the idea of government interference, and yet he himself works as a low level government official. He is quick to discuss his political philosophies, and even quicker to talk about the shortcomings of others.
In those few scenes where he comes out of his office and has to actually do his job, Ron's face is frozen in a mask of misery. As he gives an introductory speech that is meant to honor a hated colleague, Ron chooses to merely state facts. "Marlene is a woman. She has worked in the government for three decades. Thirty years." And so on.
Ron's one moment of heroism comes when he stands up for his subordinate, who has broken an insignificant rule. As she is questioned about her actions, Ron expresses his frustration at the proceedings. Finally, after comparing the discussion to North Korea and Communist China, he storms out, bringing the subordinate with him. It's an exciting moment, as we feel that this man's true colors have finally come to light. A moment later, however, we realize that his anger came more from his philosophies than any affection he might feel for his employees.
It's a realization like this that makes Ron Swanson such a complete character. Played by Nick Offerman with a perpetual scowl, Ron is a much-needed component to a show about government. He represents those officials that have absolutely no faith in the system in which they're employed and, as such, stopped trying to make any sort of difference long ago. Of course, he does recognize that other people have not yet come to the same realization as he, and will show some support for them.
Offerman finds and hits exactly the right notes for this character. Ron's station in life has left him with frustration and rage, which Offerman wisely keeps below the surface, bubbling to the top only when he can't stand it anymore. Perhaps Offerman's best moment comes during the questioning in which one of the officials brings up some questionable behavior of the city planners. Ron responds with a look of absolute hate and gives the official a dead-eyed stare as he states, "That's not my department." He looks as though he could literally reach across the table and choke the official to death, but it's delivered in a calm, matter-of-fact way. Offerman has yet to miss a beat. In a perfect world, Offerman would be nominated for a Supporting Actor Emmy. He probably won't, though. This kind of subtlety isn't often rewarded.
I'm excited to see where "Parks & Recreation" goes from here. I care about the characters, to the point that I even find myself caring for the incredibly inane goal they have set for themselves. I am eager for the next season, not only to see what happens, but also to see Ron Swanson sigh wearily through it all.
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Blu-ray Review: Taken
Taken
Written by: Luc Besson & Robert Mark Kamen
Directed by: Pierre Morel
Starring: Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Leland Orser, Radivoje Bukvic, Mathieu Busson, Holly Valance, Katie Cassidy, Xander Berkeley, Nicolas Giraud, and Maggie Grace
Blu-ray specs:
1080p High Definition 2.40:1 Widescreen
English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Spanish/French 5.1 Dolby Digital
English SDH, Spanish Subtitles
Bonus features: Includes both the Theatrical and Extended Cut of the film, Audio Commentaries from the Director, Cinematographer, Car Stunt Supervisor, and Co-Screenwriter. Le Making Of featurette, Avant Premiere featurette, Inside Action Side-By-Side Screen Comparisons, Black Ops Field Manual, Digital Copy of the Extended Cut of the film.
From the box:
When his estranged teenage daughter is kidnapped in Paris, a former spy sets out to find her at any cost. Relying on his special skills, he tracks down the ruthless gang that abducted her and launches a one-man war to bring them to justice and rescue his daughter.
Click the Rawr! for the complete review!
Taken is better than it has any right to be. From the first time I saw the incredibly effective trailer, which is basically one scene from the film rapid cut with glimpses of Liam Neeson committing random acts of violence. The effectiveness of this comes completely from Neeson's delivery of the lines featured on the cover of this Blu-ray release: "I will find you. I will kill you." His delivery makes you want to stand up and cheer.
That's pretty much the feeling you get throughout the entire film. You might hate yourself for doing so, but you can't help but love the movie. It's a lot of fun watching Liam Neeson go all Jason Bourne on his quest to rescue his daughter. The difference here is that Neeson seems to do it with a bit more gravitas than Matt Damon. There is more of a sense of purpose here.
The acting here is pretty standard. No one really stands out over Liam Neeson. It's his show and he relishes it. I can honestly say this is my favorite movie of his (granted I haven't seen many). Maggie Grace spends most of the movie crying (not even that well either). I didn't even realize who she was until a week later when discussing it with a friend.
The action is top notch and gloriously shot and it makes the guilt for loving a movie as seemingly throw away as this easier to bare. The script is by the numbers but Neeson and director Peirre Morel make the most of it.
The film looks great on Blu-ray, that's too be expected. The bonus features are a little blah. Nothing really special here. The film comes with an extended version except I'm not sure what exactly extended about it. I read there was some more violence added in but I couldn't tell where or what it was.
Taken is an exciting film that is well worth the price and certainly a nice addition to any collection and while it isn't a brilliant film, it's one of the funnest you'll see this year.
Taken is available on Blu-ray and DVD now.
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Monday, June 1, 2009
Blu-ray Review: True Blood Season One
True Blood: The Complete First Season
Written by: Alan Ball, Charlaine Harris, Brian Buckner, Raelle Tucker, Alexander Woo, Nancy Oliver, and Chris Offutt
Based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris
Directed by: Michael Lehmann, Scott Winant, John Dahl, Daniel Minahan, and Alan Ball
Starring: Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Chris Bauer, Carrie Preston, Michael Raymond-James, William Sanderson, Adina Porter, Alexander Skarsgård, Lois Smith, Kristin Bauer, Lizzy Caplan, and Nelsan Ellis
Blu-ray specs:
1080p Full HD Video 16:9 1.78:1
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 DTS Digital Surround, Spanish 2.0 DTS Digital Surround
English, French, Spanish, and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired.
Bonus Features:Lafayette dishes various characters, learn how True Blood's vampires were made, Hints and FYI's that pop up to unravel mysteries, Animated Maps of Bon Temps, Vampire Documentary, Tru Blood commercials, Vampire rights PSAs, six audio commentaries with the cast and crew including Executive Producer and Creator Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, and Stephen Moyer.
Looking to fill that void where a sex filled vampire dramatic series belongs? Look no further than HBO's exquisite True Blood. This show can only be described as a hell of a fun watch that's made even more so by a gorgeous Blu-ray presentation.
Click the Rawr! for the full review.
True Blood follows the exploits of telepath Sookie Stachkhouse (Anna Paquin) who has fallen in love with the new guy in town, Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), who also happens to be a vampire. Her small town is growing more and more nervous as a string of gruesome murders continue and the main suspect happens to be Sookie's brother, Jason (Ryan Kwanten) .
The first time I watched this show I wasn't into it. It seemed a bit over the top to me. So I opted out. After hearing so much praise and love for the show I decided to give it another chance. This is after I had begun reading the books the show is based on, which I enjoy. Maybe it is a different state of mind or maybe it's my enjoyment of the books, but this time around, I found myself completely and totally enthralled by this show.
Let's start with the cast. They're brilliant. They all embody these characters perfectly. There isn't a bad performance in the bunch. Anna Paquin brings Sookie's innocence to life in ways that build upon the books. Some characters have been expanded from the books, namely Tara (Rutina Wesley) and Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis), both of which are among my favorite characters on the show.
The first season stays pretty close to the first of the Sookie Stackhouse books so I pretty much knew the what was going to happen. This did nothing to detract from my enjoyment of the show though. It was great to see the stories come to life and I can't wait to see where they go with it.
The show looks wonderful on Blu-ray. Crystal clear and gorgeously shot. Every color explodes off the screen. There are extremely benefits to this clarity. I'll let you watch the show and figure out exactly what, or who, I am referring to. The special features are a bit underwhelming. It's mostly fluff and some commentaries. I'd rather learn the history of characters from the show rather than having it laid out for me in a special feature.
Overall, True Blood is the most fun you'll have watching a TV show. It's funny, scary, sexy, a little bit cheesy, but completely addicting. Forget Twilight, True Blood is where it's at.
True Blood is available on DVD and Blu-ray now. Go pick up a copy and watch. You'll be able to finish in time for the Season 2 premiere on June 14 on HBO.
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TV Clip: The Best of Whose Line Is It Anyway?
The Best of Whose Line Is It Anyway? arrives in stores on June 9th. To celebrate the release, check out this hilarious clip featuring the immensely funny Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles.
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Movie Trailer: The Twilight Saga - New Moon
THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON trailer in HD
Just a little teaser trailer for the next chapter of The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Enjoy it.
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