What NOT to watch on Netflix: Spider-Man Unlimited

Talk to any of your friends with Netflix Instant Streaming and they will give you 3-4 movies and a couple TV shows they have burned through and will say "You just HAVE to watch it it's great!"  And if you are like me, you know a good group of people who you value their opinion, and when they tell you you must watch House of Cards, you do it without asking questions.

Unfortunately, there are a bunch of garbage shows or movies that can easily clutter your homepage and distract you from getting to what you want to, or "MUST!", watch.  And there aren't enough people telling you what is worth watching.  Here's a suggestion of what you can avoid wasting your time with.

Spider-Man Unlimited

Thankfully the series actually WAS limited...

Airing all 13 episodes, Netflix brings us the first and only season of Spider-Man Unlimited.  Running from 1999-2000, Spider-Man Unlimited opens with astronaut John Jameson headed to another planet scientists have discovered called Counter-Earth.  Joining his ship, however, are Spider-Man's enemies Venom and Carnage, who have jumped on and are plotting to take over Counter Earth, all while Spider-Man is being blamed for communication being cutoff between Earth and Jameson.  When an emergency broadcast from Jameson comes back to earth, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man commandeers a second space ship to go bring back Jameson and clear his name.  Bringing along a new, more-advanced suit, Peter Parker must go to a strange world and come back safely, while leaving behind Aunt May and MJ.

 Why you Should Avoid It

1) Lack of an Ending

Getting axed by the network because it couldn't put up numbers on level with Pokemon and the newly released Digimon, it was aired later with all 13 episodes, the final episode ending on a giant cliffhanger.  Which is never resolved...

Many scripts were written for a second season to follow up this edition of the web-slinger, but none were ever made and so, we are left with an ending that could piss off enough kids to bring them back for a following season.  If you are looking to deeply invest your time in this, don't expect a return of satisfaction.

2) Spidey's New Suit

Deadpool meets Spiderman?

Amidst his dash to outer-space, Spider-Man talks about his new suit, which just happens to be able to counteract the symbiotes, Venom and Carnage.  Also, Spidey adds GPS tracking chips and a few other gadgets to his arsenal that he can fire against his enemies.  While the suit looks like a cool re-imagining of our famed wall-crawler, I don't think I'm ready to accept the fact he just happens to have this suit on hand and doesn't use it until now.  Why wouldn't he utilize a suit that can make him invisible and other things ON EARTH?

But this plot point of the series only stems from the show's lack of rights to use the original suit because of the Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movie coming out in 2002.  The suit wasn't the only thing, however, that was limited by the film...

3) The Enemies

Also, because of the film, Spider-Man was forced to face villains that weren't from around the block.  Despite the Green Goblin and the Vulture showing up (who look the exact same aside of color), they are actually heroes in this Counter-Earth, helping the human race.  Spider-Man's biggest enemies include the High Evolutionary (the man who created Counter Earth), the Knights of Wundagore (animal-like humans from the beastial race, second in command to the HE), the line up of robots made by those in power, and of course Venom and Carnage.  

Venom and Carnage are on their own mission throughout the entire process and rarely interfere with the web-slinger and the group of rebel humans he is involved with.  In this series, they also have the ability to liquify as though they don't have human hosts.  As for the High Evolutionary, we don't really see him in person for some time, let alone see his powers used or at work.  In most episodes, it is just Spider-man versus the beasital Knights of Wundagore and their robot police force.  All of which is lackluster...

Summary

If you are looking to be nostalgic at all, instead of wasting your time with this half-hearted mess, watch Spider-Man: The Animated Series which originally aired 1994-1998 and was leaps and bounds better of a show in terms of story and characters.  After muscling through all 13 episodes of this faint childhood memory, this is definitely something not worthy of your attention, even if you enjoyed it as a child.

What are your thoughts?  Did you watch this as a kid and think otherwise? Or do you agree this is something better left to your past?  Let me know!

Iron Man 3- The Late Review- (Spoiler Free)

After seeing a pre-midnight screening of the movie (11:30 start time?... odd, but I'll take it), here's a (spoiler-free) collection of thoughts about Iron Man 3.

7.7/10 on IMDb

The third installment of the Iron Man franchise follows Tony Stark as he goes head-to-head with The Mandarin.  Following the events in New York City (cough, "The Avengers", cough), he must confront his past and take responsibility for his actions.

Tony Stark: The Man Behind the Machine

When we meet up with Tony in 3, he is having trouble dealing with life after NYC, which is a great setup.  If they would skipped over how he was dealing with almost dying, I would have been a little very upset.  I don't care how good shawarma is, this guy is gonna have some serious issues coming back from that wormhole.  Gladly, they discuss this topic and focus on who Tony is if you take away all his fancy gadgets, which is great and more and more superhero films are beginning to apply this self-reflection element.

The Kabooms and Technology

Of course, being an action movie this is going to have its fair share of explosions and grand pyrotechnics.  IM3 delivers great action scenes involving the big bangs and a few more versions of the suit then we previously had.  And unlike the first films (now that we have seen what the suit is capable of), we have a great balance to the movie between the explosion-driven scenes and the serious acting-driven scenes.  But when the special effects come to town, boy do they deliver.

Summary

Throw in some typical Iron Man humor, a great cast, and some twists and turns that can catch even the comic book nerds off hand and you have what is being the "best Iron Man movie yet" living up to its name.  So, go out and see it before it gets put on the back burners with the rest of this summer's gems coming out soon.

My Review: 4/5 Stars

Rated: PG-13

Post Credit Scene: Yes

See it in theaters?: Yes

What To See Summer 2013- April

Well, it has been awhile since I have blogged about movies, but start expecting at least one a week (at least that's my goal starting with this post).  And what better way to start back than by looking at what's coming out this summer and what you should be excited for. So, let's start with April and keep on going.Yes. I realize I am simply skipping three months of noteworthy movies, but oh well. It's my blog and I do things how I want.


Oblivion (April 10)

7.2/10 on IMDb currently

After Earth is all but destroyed in a battle between humans and aliens, Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) must find and repair drones that are offline.  These drones help protect the machines that are extracting the last resources of the Earth for the remaining human population sent to another planet/moon.  But Harper begins to question his job after finding a crashed space ship.

Why you should see this: Actors and Visuals

Most people have actors they love and actors they hate. Oblivion could potentially hold two people, one from each category.  Morgan Freeman is often loved in everything he touches, even the Visa Credit Card commercials.  And Tom Cruise doesn't hold the best reputation after getting his jump on, live on TV, and with his religious beliefs in scientology.  For me, Tom Cruise works because he isn't ever trying to portray characters that are unbelievable for him (except for tall people...)  And Morgan Freeman is Morgan Freeman, soooooo there's that.  Both bring their A game and make the movie enjoyable.  Cruise is the focus of the story though, so if you are a Cruise-hater, this might be a movie to stay away from

As for the visuals, they might be the strongest part of the film.  Everything is captivating, from Harper's house in the sky to the location of the last Super Bowl on Earth.  It's interesting to imagine what the world might look like after a few atomic bombs go off.  This gives us a look into what that might be, plus it has a few treats for cool technology that we can hope to aspire to someday.

Expect a review of Oblivion coming here soon.

42 (April 12)

7.8/10 on IMDb

42 takes a look back at the life of baseball great, Jackie Robinson, and how he paved the way for black men in the MLB.

Why You Should See This: The Heroic Sports Tale

If you enjoy movies like Remember the Titans, Moneyball, or Miracle, then this is a must see.  We all love to see the heroic tales of sports history and having a story as impactful as this come to screen is great.  While you can go on for days about his importance, seeing the visualization of Jackie Robinson's impact is something that will stick in kids memories for life.  I mean, I still remember how Coach Bombay turned a bunch of nobodies into World Championship hockey players...  So, for all those looking for a piece of history and a little entertainment, check this one out.

Side note: This movie features Harrison Ford, who doesn't appreciate when questions about the new Star Wars movies comes up during 42's release... Don't believe me? Check this video out!

Pain & Gain (April 28)

7.1/10 on IMDb

When a trio of body builders become jealous of the luxurious lifestyle of the wealthy, they attempt to even out the balance through kidnapping and extorsion.  But when things go too far, they quickly get surrounded in a plan way bigger than they originally imagined.

Why You Should See This: The Cast & The Director

This movie's cast stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, and Anthony Mackie as our testosterone-fueled trio.  Add Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris, Ken Jeong, Rebel Wilson and Peter Stormare into the group, and you are bound to have an entertaining movie.  As I have said before, and will continue to say, I am a huge Mark Wahlberg fan.  I envision this to be a jacked up version of his character in The Other Guys.  Also, good ole Dwayne Johnson has been making his splash as the savior of movie franchises recently after GI: Joe 2 was successful at the box office (notice I said successful, and not any other terminology).  If he brings the humor and action that he has brought in his movies or in the WWE world, this is sure to be enjoyable.

Now, I know Michael Bay takes a lot of crap from movie-goers for his explosion filled movies, which always contain the encircling camera shot of the hero/es of his films.  But when it comes to enfusing comedy into his action flicks, you have to give the man credit.  Overlook Transformers 2 & 3, and you'll recall some of his more successful/ enjoyable films like Bad Boys, Bad Boys 2, The Rock, and Pearl Harbor.  Amid people trying to say he "apologized" for Armageddon, Bay can always be hit or miss with his movies.  Let's bank on a hit. 

Also, I heard a rumor circulating throughout my bedroom that this was his way of telling Will Smith he's ready for Bad Boys 3... But it's just a rumor at this point.

May is just around the corner, expect next month's Must See Movies coming soon!

What movies are you watching this month? See anything worth noting? Let me know below about your take on the movies this month!

Home Alone 5: Alone in the Dark? NO NO NO NO NO!

Facepalm.

Words cannot describe how upset I am with this movie.  But in an attempt to give these feelings words, here goes nothing...

WHY, Fox, why?!?!

Set to be a TV movie, this film is an attempt to strike what Home Alone 4 didn't: a deal for a TV spin-off series.  But before we get into the technical nitty-gritty, let's talk about why this is so wrong, and look back at the previous films.

Home Alone

What's great about this movie:

An original plot. Great characters. Great actors. And let's not forget "Angels with Filthy Souls". Home Alone had it all.

Despite being made a year before I was born, as a kid I LOVED this movie. We all did.  And I still do today.  While there are a bunch of movies I liked as a kid that have dropped a few pegs on my list (some falling many, many pegs), there are a few that have stayed where they were on my all-time awesome list, this being one of them.  Watching an 8-year-old transform his house into a giant trap for burglars was is amazing.  (Sometimes I wonder how a current 30-year-old Kevin McCallister would set up his house in the event of zombies...)  And watching Harry and Marv fall into his traps is always entertaining. Yes, somethings are a little over-the-top and would do more damage than shown, (I don't recommend taking a blow-torch to the top of your head)

Actually a boy, dressed as a girl. John Hughes felt too bad, otherwise.

If there is one movie that gets me in the Christmas spirit, it is this one.  And it has so many quotes to be taken from it, that my house sounds like the McCallister's around the holidays.  Trust me, if anyone makes a mistake doing something, someone somewhere says "Look what ya did, ya little jerk!"  Even with being deemed "a Christmas movie", I could watch this on any day, simply because it is THAT AWESOME! 



Fun Fact: Home Alone was nominated for 2 Oscars in music, for Best Original Song and Best Score.  Which is understandable considering John Williams was behind it. 

What's bad about this movie:

The fact that I can quote basically the entire thing.  Other than that there's not much wrong with it.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York

What's good about this movie:

A great new chapter with the same great characters and actors.  And, yes, Angels with Filthier Souls.

This was a great addition to the franchise.  With a nice change in venue to New York City, we are once again brought to see what a Christmas is like with our favorite McCallister.  Through in Tim Curry and a young Rob Schneider, and keep the cast from the original, and you have set your self up for success.

What's bad about this movie:

Once again, there are a few many unrealistic traps.  But they are easy to overlook and still enjoy the movie. 

Home Alone 3

What's good about this movie:

Let's not forget Alex's hot, older sister...

Okay, here is where the franchise began to take a downward turn.  While it can't compare to the first two, I still do, however, enjoy this as a guilty pleasure.  Rather than simply offering a new actor, we are given an entirely new kid: there's nothing worse than replacing the main actor in a movie for the same character.  We get two more villains for twice the amount of chaos, plus a nice, squawking bird to add a little bit of humor.  And here's where we begin our dip into 'dislike'.  

What's bad about this movie:

Home Alone 3 gives us our most unrealistic events stunts yet, not to mention a plot based around A MISSILE CHIP IN AN RC CAR!  Also, HA3 dips out of the Christmas time frame.  And while we now have four bad guys (well, three bad guys and one bad girl), they are definitely weaker than Harry and Marv.  Also, there is Dorris, Alex's beady-eyed mouse... what happened to the main character wielding dangerous animals, like Buzz's tarantula?  This movie fell and rolled a little ways from the Home Alone tree...

Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House

What's good about the movie:

The return of Christmas, the McCallister family and Marv!... wait a minute...

What's bad about this movie:

Yes, they returned characters from the original two films, but in doing so they made a few more changes. For the worst, I might add. They replaced Culkin with a no-namer, made Kevin McCallister's character younger, replaced Harry with Marv's girlfriend, replaced  Daniel Stern with French Stewart as Marv, and made Kevin's mom and dad get in a divorce, characters who are played by different actors as well.  This made-for-TV movie was dripping with disappointment to the point I wouldn't and won't touch it.  Take a look at the trailer yourself...

Bad. Just bad.

Which brings us to Home Alone 5...

So far Home Alone 5 looks like it will be a different character, rather than favorite, Kevin McCallister.  Fox is trying to get a few extra bucks out of the series and possibly get the TV show they couldn't get with Home Alone 4.  And in bringing this back, they are doing it for all the wrong reasons.  Yes, ultimately companies make movies for money and the possibility of more money.  Meanwhile, they should be putting out movies that people want to see. 

If Fox was smart, they would scrap this idea and bring back original cast for a new film, one that both parents and kids could enjoy. 

If Fox was dumb, well.... they'd keep on turning out bad Home Alone movies, further shaming a once great franchise.

The Dark Knight Rises: The Most Anticipated Summer Movie

July 20, 2012

This summer is shaping up to be one impressive season of movies, but with everything out there, The Dark Knight Rises easily takes the role of my "Most Anticipated Film".  While The Avengers has already taken the summer by storm, breaking records and setting the bar high, and Ridley Scott makes his return to sci-fi flicks in June's Prometheus, the Cape and Cowl get a little more attention, simply because there are more of an attachment factor to this film. Here's a rundown of why the new Batman installment gets my prestigious title.

1. My Favorite Superhero

Batman Beyond: a younger Batman, who also has dead parents

Growing up, two of my favorite cartoons involved superheros: Spider-Man and Batman: The Animated Series. Being in the early 90's, these are probably some of my earliest memories with comic book characters.  In the years that followed, these shows had re-runs and then branched out, with straight-to-VHS movies and spin-off series.  1997 gave us The New Batman Adventures, where Nightwing was introduced on TV.  1999 brought our generation Batman Beyond, the futuristic Gotham City under protection from an old Bruce Wayne and a new, younger Batman.  Recently, I have found 4 volumes of Batman: The Animated Series on DVD.  But it wasn't the cartoons alone that made Batman stand out over Spider-man: Batman had live-action movies to back him up.

Batsuits: Now featuring nipples.

Around the same time frame that I'd have my grubby hands snatching the remote to tune into to Batman on TV, my family bought the VHS that would help shape my Batman-loving future: Batman & Robin.  Now, before you start thinking, "Wait, wasn't that movie absolutely horrible?" hear me out.  (And for those who are saying, "Hey! That movie was so good, they should turn it into a musical!", it has already been done. )  Being that we owned it, I was able to watch Batman & Robin over and over again and every time I would get to the end of the movie, where they all run out in front of the Bat Signal, I would wish they made "Batman & Robin & Batgirl". (I was six years old when it came out. I didn't know about commas.) Yes, Bane was turned into something everyone hated.  Even my mom remembered him as "the big green guy who was a henchmen", something Bane should never be considered.  Mr. Freeze was... well, the two links above describe his part, and this movie, best.  Looking back, it deserves the 3.6/10 it received on IMDb.  But the fact was, it was a live-action superhero!  As a kid, I ate up all the cheesy fight scenes and the un-realistic ice weapons, and I LOVED the fact that Freeze's goons played hockey.  But more importantly, the movie franchise, despite progressively getting worse, brought Batman to life.  It would be 5 more years until we got Spider-Man on the big screen, and Sam Raimi did a great job with Peter Parker before the hiccup known as Spider-Man 3.  But eight years after the "wonderful" Batman & Robin came out, Christopher Nolan would change the way I saw the World's Greatest Detective.

2. Christopher Nolan

"I know if it was a dream or not."

While Batman Begins renewed my passion for the Caped Crusader, I had also discovered a brilliant man behind the piece of art.  After Batman Begins came out, The Prestige was released a year later and boasted the same director from the last Batman film.  Intrigued, I checked it out, and found it was exceptional.  In the 2 years that passed before we would get The Dark Knight, I found other movies he had made, in Memento and Insomnia.  After watching these movies, I discovered the man couldn't make a bad movie if he tried.  After The Dark Knight came out in 2008, which I saw twice in theaters, I knew that he was the best thing to come along to the Batman franchise since creator Bob Kane.  Rather than just making action movies, he was storytelling with the best of them.  More importantly, he was making my favorite superhero more realistic.  Well, as realistic as a story about a boy who has his parents killed and inherits a multi-million dollar company can be. Two years after he set box office records with TDK, he came out with Inception.   While it could just be some fanboy love for the director, all of his films listed other than Insomnia are featured on IMDb's list of Top 250 movies of all time, two making the Top 20.

3. My Day With Bane

Last August, I had plans to go to Cedar Point with some friends. One of my friends had found a link to a website that talked about being on the set of The Dark Knight Rises and being in the movie. As sketchy as the site looked, we signed up and got our passes to go out to Pittsburgh.  Upon arrival, we did, in fact, sign up to be in The Dark Knight Rises and not some shady scam.  The scene we were set to be in was a football scene.  The same football scene featuring Hines Ward and a bunch of guys blowing up in the trailer.  The whole experience was awesome as we got to scream and cheer on the Gotham City Rogues.  Of course, it is August and unbelievably hot out, and the scene is supposed to be set in the winter, so we will see how that turns out, but still it was awesome.  Later on, Bane came out for an appearance and even did some of the raffle drawings we had.  Here's a little behind the scenes from the day: 

Field prior to explosions...

Field after explosions...

Tom Hardy doing raffle drawings, decked out as Bane.

The man behind it all: Chris Nolan.

Two Villains: one of Bane's army and the lady sitting next to us.

And with less than two months until The Dark Knight Rises, I couldn't be more excited to see it.  This film is the fruition of years of watching and waiting for the ultimate Batman experience, and on July 20th, it's here. When you see the movie, because everyone needs to, be sure to look for the guy wearing a construction vest and helmet, cheering on the Rogues. 

While other movies this summer like The Avengers or The Bourne Legacy will satisfy people's desires for action movies, this is the movie that everyone needs to see.  Or better yet...

Not the movie we deserve, but the movie we need.

The Avengers Smashes Box Office Records

Ho-lee-crap!

Marvel's The Avengers has opened up the summer of blockbusters with a (HULK!) smash. The film brought in $207.4 million in its first weekend, beating out Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2's "amazing" $169.2 million for the lead.  Now, I know you have been asked before, "If everyone was jumping off bridges would you do it?" but this is one time where everyone is doing something and you absolutely need to join them.
 

If you are cinematically stupid, The Avengers have "grown up", starting with Jon Favreau's Iron Man in 2008.  Here is where we first got a hint that an Avengers movie was in the works, when a post-credit scene introduces us to Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.  From here on out we had post-credit scenes, all giving us hints at future movies.  2008 also gave us a rebooted look at the green giant, The Incredible Hulk. Iron Man 2 followed this in 2010, and gave us a sneek-peek at 2011's Thor.  Finally, Captain America: The First Avenger gave us our final superhero and our first trailer for this years The Avengers.

The Avengers tells the story of Asgardian prince (once king), Loki, and his search for the tesseract and control of the earth.  Backed by an alien army, Loki has only one thing standing between him and world domination: the Avengers.  Brought together from all over, the Avengers must work together and overcome their problems to protect the earth.

Everything about this movie was great: the character development, the cinemetography, visual effects, and everything else you might want.  The fact that this movie had a five movie set-up allows us to jump right into the plot and not have to focus on understanding this world or characters, and add to what we already know as we move along. 

Mark Ruffalo

The character development was outstanding, as you would imagine with each Avenger showcasing their character in a previous film.  The humor was on-par for what was featured before, as well.  What was nice, though, was picking up where they left off (and thinking about where they will go from here).  Captain America was just brought into this unfamiliar world. Thor goes from thinking his brother is dead to finding him trying to take over Earth. The freshest aspect in character was Dr. Bruce Banner.  Edward Norton did a good job of making us like him, but Mark Ruffalo showed the awkward, geeky side I wanted to see in the character.

Looks just like Ruffalo, right?

And while there were som many visual effects to be impressed with, my favorite aspect of the Marvel movie was their work with the Hulk.  Previously in the Hulk and Incredible Hulk, the CGI characters were transformations from Dr. Banner, yet had no resemblance to them.  In this go round, Ruffalo did motion capture for the film, and they were able to nail down a monster that looked like it should.  Not to mention having THE BEST Hulk transformation to-date.


 Simply enough, this is a movie made for the big screen. Not just your normal theater, either. This movie calls out for the IMAX theater (trust me, I have seen the movie now in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D). While I think the 3D is a cool aspect, the biggest benefit of IMAX is the sound.  Seeing explosions and Iron Man's pulsar blasts is cool, but hearing it with that much quality is amazing.

I can't wait to see where they take these characters in Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor 2 (2013) and Captain America 2 (2014), but I know whatever they do with them, I will be there to watch them in their individual movies, and when they re-assemble for the Avengers sequel that Disney just announced (If you are wondering, yes, there is an after credit scene. Two to be exact, both awesome).

Director Joss Whedon did a fantastic job with the reigns of the biggest comic book movie to date.  While it will be interesting to see how my love for Christopher Nolan and Batman play out later this summer (and Joss Whedon is wondering the same thing), The Avengers currently holds the box office opening weekend record and the title of "Tim's Favorite Superhero Movie".

The Avengers' grade?

 

April 6 & April 13: What to See, Wait, and Pass On

Rather than give a whole overview of the month, we are gonna switch it up and give a look at everything that's coming out, not just the movies I am excited for.  So without further to do, let's take a look at the beginning of April.

Week of April 6

Titanic 3D: Go See

7.5 out of 10 on IMDb

The re-release of Titanic in 3D comes riding in on the wave of 3D movies.  This year brought back Beauty & the Beast, Star Wars Episode I, and will release Finding Nemo in 3D later on. The epic tale now is featured in 3D and is sure to have some stunning visuals. 

In addition to the fact it's in 3D, it also comes at a special time: the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.  On TV, I'm sure you can find specials that are incredibly interesting about the event on channels like Nation Geographic or Discovery, which I would highly recommend viewing.  Director James Cameron has made 33 explorations of the wreck, and continues to check it out.

The other reason to go see it is simply the fact that when it came out, people my age were most likely not allowed to see it in theaters. Silly nudity scenes! But now that we are all grown up, it's okay to go out and see it (assuming you are mature enough to handle it) to view the movie how it was supposed to be seen: on a gi-normous screen. So, be sure to catch it while it's in theaters!

American Reunion: Wait

7.7 out of 10 on IMDb

I get it. "Another American Pie movie with the original cast!" Cool. I'm sure it'll be funny to see where the guys from the original American Pie Trilogy will be years after Jim's wedding, and I'm sure there will be a decent amount of nudity in this installment as well, but what's the point of going out and spending around $10 for the movie.

So far I have heard only good things about the movie, primarily that it is extremely funny.  But, unless you are headed to the movies and desperate to see a comedy, there isn't any reason for me to HAVE to go out to see it. I don't doubt it'll be enjoyable, but this one can wait for rent for me.  And for the people looking for something raunchy in this sequel, I can't see it lacking in the crude/ sexual references, as well as nudity.  But these movies always come out with the un-rated version on their DVD/Blu-Ray releases... Just wait either way on this one.

Moving on to the April 13 releases--

Three Stooges: Pass On It

42% Fresh on RottenTomatoes

Sigh........

Let's rewind, for a second here.  Clear your mind. Okay. Now, what if I told you that Jim Carrey, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, and the guys behind Dumb & Dumber and There's Something About Mary were revamping an old-time favorite? You'd be interested, right?  And what if I told you they were bringing back the comedy trio of The Three Stooges? With a group like that, you would have high hopes. Just like I did...

Well, when people start abandoning ship left and right, and the original three cast members are no longer attached to the project, it gets a little disheartening.  First, if was Sean Penn.  Then it was announced Jim Carrey would no longer have a part in the film... Slowly, it whittled down to Sean Hayes who hasn't been relevant since Will & Grace, Will Sasso who hasn't been relevant (if you could call it that) since Mad TV, and Chris Diamantopoulos who hasn't been relevant... at all.

Clearly, the Farrelly Brothers have lost their gusto over the last 13 years of trying to bring this project to life.  Not saying they are making bad movies (Hall Pass had some lols in it, and Dumb & Dumber 2 is lined up)  but clearly this is a pothole in the road of their career.  If you are trying to get rid of some money, see it. But if you are looking for a film to see in theaters, I suggest you look elsewhere. I'm sure that suggestion will still be relevant when it comes out on DVD...

Lockout: Go See It/ Wait

6.8 out of 10 on IMDb

This movie is on my original list of must see movies in 2012.  But like I said before, that list is always changing and being added to, while some movies need asterisks next to their titles and explained.  This is one of those asterisks...

There are action movies that men absolutely love to see.  The hot damsel in distress, the deadly, crazy antagonist, and the bad-ass toting guns saving the day/country/world. This is one of those action movies.

The storyline revolves around a supermax prison that is in space, where all the craziest, deadly people are sent.  I wouldn't imagine visiting loved ones is an option in this case, if so, I'm sure it costs a little more than driving to Colorado or Texas.  Anyways, the prisoners revolt and gain control over the entire space station prison. Oh yeah, and the President's daughter is on board and must be saved.  With the crazies threatening to run the station into the Earth, the US (because of course, it HAS to be America going in to save the day) is left with no choice but to send in one man who has been convicted of espionage against the US to save the world, and regain his freedom.

I first heard of this movie via trailer in the theaters.  Three names attracted me to this film: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace, and Peter Stormare.  Guy Pearce (Memento, LA Confidential) has packed on the muscle for this role, and man, does he look like he's about to tear stuff up.  Maggie Grace, most recognizable as the daughter from Taken, looks to have a larger role and is looking better than ever.  And lastly, Peter Stormare (Fargo, Armageddon) will be adding some quality acting to the mix.

But while I am excited and ready for this movie that is perfect for Guy's Night Out, I am starting to get a little hesitant to see it in theaters.  This movie reminds me of the people who partake in one-up-manship as a sport, always trying to out due others.  "So, we have a supermax prison. But wait its in SPACE. And they take control of it with the President's daughter. AND THEY ARE GOING TO CRASH INTO THE EARTH!" As long as this remains an enjoyable action movie, I have no problem giving it my critical grace. But if it turns into a poorly done action movie, like Gamer, it could be one to wait a little bit on...


The Cabin in the Woods: Go See It

7.7 out of 10 on IMDb

First off, I'm not a huge fan of horror movies. Stuff that makes me jump out of my seat, mainly doesn't provide me with any entertainment.  But if I hear there is a must see movie, regardless of the genre, I will attempt to see it sooner-or-later. 

This film follows a group of five friends who are staying in a cabin in the woods. Cue the killer with some messed up motivation/background and let the terror ensue, right? Wrong. Although the deviation from the typical horror movie is boasted in their trailers.  And this is what peaked my interest.

And let's talk about who is involved in this project: Chris Hemsworth and Joss Whedon. Chris Hemsworth is easily most known for his role as Thor in last summer's action movie and in this years Avengers. He is an awesome actor and I'm interested in what he will bring to the table.  Joss Whedon, on the other hand, is the man behind the TV shows Firefly and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as The Avengers.  If the creativity that has gone into any of his other projects is present in this film, it is sure to be awesome.  And from everything I have heard, it is.  Be sure to see this game changer in theaters.

Check back for the rest of the movies coming out in April.

Wanna read up on the movies that came out earlier this year? Be sure to read the posts on January, February and March.