Super Bowl Movie Spots!

Enjoy a few of the trailers that appeared during yesterdays game.  It's not all of them but this is probably the cream of the crop as far as the movies go.











Also for fun check out the incredible Lea Michelle singing America the Beautiful.

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Blu-ray Review: You Again & Secretariat

You Again
Written by: Moe Jelline
Directed by: Andy Fickman
Starring: Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman, Kristin Chenowith, Victor Garber and Betty White
Special Features: Deleted Scenes, featurettes, Funny or Die interview spoof and a DVD copy of the film. Blu-ray exclusive features include more deleted scenes and bloopers.

The horrors of high school come back to haunt Kristen Bell as her brother is set to marry her nemesis in the funny rom-com You Again.  Also it has Betty White in it.

High Art it is not but I actually really enjoyed this movie.  Sure, it's pretty standard romantic comedy snark but the cast brings it to another level.  This is an extremely talented group of women who turn what could have been a barely passable cookie cutter movie into a really funny and enjoyable one.

I've said it before but Kristen Bell elevates any movie for me and this one is no exception.  A bonus though is that this cast has great chemistry.  They all feed off each other well and it gets pretty funny as each generation of women comes face to face with their enemies.  I do wish there was more with Cloris Leachman and Betty White though.  The two of them together would make for some hilarious scenes.

The Blu-ray looks great.  Sharp colors, great sound.  For this type of movie its really an indulgence though to be honest.  The special features are pretty standard.  Deleted Scenes are okay.  The Funny or Die stuff is pretty funny.

If you aren't a romantic comedy fan or a fan of one of the wonderful actresses that make this movie worthwhile, you probably won't enjoy it all that much.  It has some great laughs and some great moments with Kristen Chenowith who appears in a role that barely passes cameo.  Great charm and great chemistry make this worthy of a watch.  It's nothing to original and certainly changes no games but it will make for a great date night movie with your significant other or a fun movie to watch with the family.

Personally, I really got a kick out of it.

You Again

Pop Culture Beast Rating

7/10

Secretariat
Written by: Mike Rich based on the book by William Nack
Directed by: Randall Wallace
Starring: Diane Lane, Margo Martindale, Dylan Walsh, Nelsan Ellis and John Malkovich
Special Features: Deleted Scenes, AJ Michalka music video, featurettes, Exclusive Blu-ray features include additional deleted scenes and featurettes, commentary, a multi angle simulation of Secretariat's 1973 Peakness Run and a DVD version of the film.

If you don't know what the movie is about from the cover up there then you probably will never watch this movie anyway but to quickly summarize:  it's a horse racing movie.

Unfortunately, it's just an okay one at that. 

First off, it looks great on Blu-ray but that's to be expected right?   The crisp picture doesn't do much to make up for the rest of what's going on.

Secretariat is overly slow, only adequately acted, and is so predictable you could sit down and write the script before you finish watching the movie.

Still, I'm a sucker for animal movies and I'll admit to getting slightly caught up near the end I just wish everything up to it was better.

Not even one of the best parts of True Blood, Nelsan Ellis, could elevate this one past a snooze fest.

It's not terrible and I can imagine that a lot of people will absolutely love this movie.  Alternately, a lot of other people won't.  I fall a bit closer to the latter.  I didn't hate the movie, I just doubt I will ever watch it again.

The special features are just as underwhelming.  The interview with the director and Penny Chenery is interesting, more so than the movie turns out to be, but that turns out to be the cream of the crop really.

Secretariat would make for a good family movie night, if your pickins' are slim.  It's that safe kind of inoffensive movie that mom and dad can be comfortable watching with the kids.  I'd bet the kids want something a little edgier though.  Like You Again.

Secretariat

Pop Culture Beast Rating:

4/10

You Again and Secretariat are available no on DVD and Blu-ray!

Don't forget you can pick up these titles and any titles we cover from the Pop Culture Beast Store!

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Movie Poster: Captain America - The First Avenger

Marvel.com has premiered the first poster for their upcoming Captain America film.  I admit I kinda like it.  I think it might be more effective with out the text in the middle or maybe with something different but I still dig.

What do you think? 

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Blu-ray Review - Buried

Buried
Written by:  Chris Sparling
Directed by:  Rodrigo Cortes
Staring: Ryan Reynolds

Special Features: Unearthing Buried: The Making of Buried, Original Theatrical Trailers, and a DVD copy of the film.

From the box:

Paul Conroy is not ready to die.  But when he wakes up six feet underground with no idea of who put him there or why, life for the truck driver and family man instantly becomes a hellish struggle for survival.  Buried with only a cell phone and a lighter, his contact with the outside world and ability to piece together clues that could help him discover his location are maddeningly limited.  Poor reception, a rapidly draining battery, and a dwindling oxygen supply become his worst enemies in a tightly confined race against time; fighting panic, despair and delirium, Paul has only ninety minutes to be rescued before his worst nightmare comes true.

90+ minutes of Ryan Reynolds in a box making phone calls. Sounds like a dud right?  Well, no not at all.  Buried takes one location and turns it into a tense and thrilling ride.

The strength in this film lies with Ryan Reynolds captivating performance.  It's extremely believable and is one of his best performances yet.  Of course, credit must be given to Chris Sparling who, despite shooting himself in the foot with his recent letter to academy members, turned in a really great script.  There are a couple instances of lackluster dialogue and maybe a scene or two that doesn't work but over all Buried is a success.

Despite nearly 100 minutes in one location the movie never feels slow and you are never bored.  The tension ratchets up constantly to a nail biting edge-of-your-seat climax that will leave your jaw unhinged.

The blu-ray is light on special features but the picture and sound, sound being extremely important in the movie, are both great. 

It really is a testament to Ryan Reynolds to be able to carry this movie from beginning to end.  Every frame is him, every moment is him.  I'm not sure many actors would have been able to pull this off.  It's an intense role in a very intense film and he delivered quite well.

It was a bold undertaking that turned into a great success as Buried delivers great thrills and makes for a great watch.

Buried is available on Blu-ray and DVD now!

Buried

Pop Culture Beast Rating:

8/10

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt Comes to Gotham!

The internet is all aflutter now with the news that Joseph Gordon-Levitt has joined the cast of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises.  No word yet on who he will be playing (although he's been rumored as The Riddler for quite some time). 

Hopefully, official confirmation and a character name will come soon.

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Movie Trailer - Bridesmaids

I hesitate to call this the "female hangover" but it might be.  It looks really funny though and anything with Kristen Wiig involved is a must see for me.

What do you think?

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