Worn Out... And How...

Last week was one heck of a week. I can't go into any detail for all kinds of reasons, but needless to say I worked my behind off at work. Lots to do and lots to take care of each day. By the end of the week I was completely worn out and ready for the weekend. Come Friday night I just wanted to casually drive home and then crawl into bed. Which basically I did. On Saturday the wife and I had to get up early (not that we don't already) and be at the High School by 8:45. Our youngest daughter had registration.  Amazing how much bureaucracy a school organization can have put into place; it seems just to drive me crazy. After that the girls took off for a day on the town together as well as see a movie. I headed off to see a movie myself - Star Trek.

Yes, I had already seen it  two months ago, but it was such a great ride I thought seeing it again would be fun; and it was. How often can you see a movie twice and the second time is as much fun if not more so than the first time around? Not often.

That night I ended up staying up late, really late, working on KellysWorld. I ended up changing the look of the site again (the theme) to something less dark than before and I think easier to read. I'm happy with it for now.

On Sunday I putzed around for a while then help Tracy with the laundry. That afternoon I started working again, had lots of paperwork to do. I didn't finish what I was working on until that evening.

It was a long week, with a weekend that wasn't anywhere near long enough. I survived it though; just in time to do it all again... Well, at least I'm still young and energetic. Not like I'm nearing 40 or anything...

Alice in Wonderland

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have teamed up again for another interesting adventure, this time one we all know from our childhood, Alice in Wonderland. The trailer was released this week at ComicCon and the movie is set for a March 5th, 2010 release date. This is more of a teaser trailer, but the visuals are stunning and Johnny Depp is doing what he likes to do, strange characters. He does it so well.

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have worked together for many years. You might remember Edward Scissor Hands, Sleep Hollow, The Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ed Wood and Sweeny Todd. Some of these movies have been great, some not so great; but all of them had memorable performances by Johnny Depp.

In Alice in Wonderland he plays the Mad Hatter and it seems that in this version, the Mad Hatter is the leading character and if the teaser is any indication the narrator of the story. The film looks stunning and Disney is releasing the movie in both Disney 3D and IMAX. I noticed the other day that the local theater already has posters of the movie up.

You can't tell much from the teaser trailer, but take a look for yourself. Don't forget that if you click on the HQ button you can get the HD version of the trailer and next to that button is the fullscreen button. My suggestion, go HD and full screen for this one. (The embedding may not work yet, if not just click on the View on YouTube Button).

[youtube LjMkNrX60mA]

Tron Legacy - Teaser

I don't know about you, but I first saw Tron when I was a child. The year was 1982 and my dad took me to see it. We were both mesmerized by the movie. Not for the great plot or incredible writting, it was a "B" movie in that regard, but for the world that was created and the use of computer graphics. The movie had a $17m budget and domestically grossed about $33m. It was one of the first films ever to use computer graphics (remember this movie was made several years after Star Wars). The look was strange, and by today's standards incredibly simple; but in 1982 it was something wild to behold. There have been rumors of a sequel for years, but filming began this year on Tron Legacy, with an anticipated release of 2011.

Last year at the 2008 ComicCon Disney showed some fully rendered test film; which they re-showed this year at the 2009 ComicCon. Rumors are that footage from the film will be shown at some point. No trailer has officially been released.

Below you will find the ComicCon teaser as well as the original trailer to Tron. Just for comparison sake, the difference is amazing. 25 years is a long time and technology has come a long way. The movie is to be released in IMAX and Disney Digital 3D. One should easily expect that with Tron breaking new ground in computer graphics in 1982 that Disney will look to do the same thing again in 2011. At least one would think.

[youtube a1IpPpB3iWI]

[youtube 3efV2wqEjEY]

Harry Potter 6 Today

I'm off to see the lastest installment of Harry Potter today, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. While I'm at the theater, check out this trailer from the movie... Don't you wish you were there too?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4GsxcRiGuc

Transformers 2 - Mini Review

Today I saw Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen with my youngest daughter. She's been begging me to take her for several weeks now. Apparently she's more of an action flick girl than I gave her credit for being. I don't think it's really action or non-action, I just think it's what movies she thinks she will like; but she's 13... well almost 14. But I digress...

The first Transformers was a wild ride that starts at the beginning of the movie and keeps on going all the way to the end. I expect nothing less from a Michael Mann film. He is unapologetic about his style of film making and why should he since he keeps banging out the hits. Transformers 2 doesn't disappoint either. It starts with a bang and doesn't end till it ends.

Interestingly, the starts of the first film were by every account the robots and the CGI effects (yes, one in the same I know). The stars though of the second film were much more "human." Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky and Megan Fox as his unlikely love interest are it; and everyone else seems to be either fodder for the plot or comic relief. The robots are in the sequel and central to the plot; just not seemingly central to the script. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the decision. I actually think it made for a more exciting and more interesting movie. What hurts this movie most is that while they seemingly changed one element of the formula, the rest remained nearly identical to the first film.

Strange but unknown happenings far in the past - check. Apparently ineffectual military - check. Comic relief sidekicks both human and robot - check. Strange and embarrassing parents - check. Hot women waring as little as possible - check (mostly Megan Fox). Formulas do work though, look at James Bond. I think they took the criticism I remember hearing of the first film and decided to focus more on their two human stars. Besides, both of them have become immensely popular since 2007; so why not show off your best assets.

So, we've established that they stuck to the formula short of giving more screen time to the two central human characters. We've also established that all of the elements of the first film were there as well. What's missing? Not much. There is a lot of destruction, a lot of guns blazing, a lot of running and yes lots of destruction. This time around robot created destruction is visited upon both Paris and Gaza, along with the US and the Pacific Ocean. What's definitely not missing is one liners and comic relief. The idiot from the Whitehouse is a winner, the college roommate is a winer and the robot twins are just well, unnecessary roughness. Read more on the web about them, I'm not going into it here.

You will also get to see just about every major character from the first film back again. This time they play less central roles but still get a fair amount of screen time. They definitely weren't doing cameos. So, you are probably thinking I didn't like the movie very much. That's not true. My daughter and I actually thought it was a lot of fun. It's a movie I will return to on DVD for sure. The original and the sequel will make for a nice double feature some time a year or two from now. The films failings are only in the same arena as other summer films. Transformers 2 is like a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese dinner. A delicious meal that hits the spot, but in the end is lacking in any nutritional value. That doesn't mean you don't eat the meal, you do eat it and enjoy it. That's why you chose to eat the meal to begin with wasn't it?

Public Enemies - Mini Review

Today I went and saw Public Enemies starring Johnny Depp. Let me first say that it was a little on the long side; more than 2 hours. Let me also say that while long, it was entertaining. Was it worth seeing in the theater, probably not. Watching it in 4 or 5 months on my big screen tv for the cost of a DVD or BlueRay rental would have sufficed. That aside, if you like historical drams with a little action and some excellent acting, then Public Enemies is well worth seeing; whatever your locational preference.

Before watching the movie I did read up on Dillinger, played by Depp, and it seems the director took some liberties with the historical facts - artistic license. When events happened and who was there when they happened were mucked around with; but the general story remained the same.

Depp plays Dillinger as a hard nosed criminal who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty or spill blood; but he isn't going to go out of his way to spill blood either. Sort of a gentleman's crook; except for the fact that he was far from a gentleman. You leave the theater feeling for the guy, even though he probably got what was coming to him. The FBI agents, most of them anyway, come off as heavy handed thugs; especially Hoover. I don't know much about FBI history, but I do know Hoover was no man to mess around with; but I can't speak to how his agents acted. I have no doubt that the FBI of 2009 is nothing like the FBI of circa 1930.

All-in-all, it was a good movie. I don't think it will win any awards, accept maybe for costumes and sets; those were incredible and did give you the feeling it really was the height of the great depression. Beyond that the acting was solid as was the writing; just could have been about 30 minutes shorter I think and maybe not played around so much with artistic license.

My suggestion, check it out; but wait until it hits your local video store or on-line rental choice.

Public Enemies Trailer Official Website

The Movies - What Not To Love

It’s a Saturday morning and I’m seriously in the mood to head to my local theater, buy a big tub of popcorn, an oversized jug of soda and enjoy a good flick. Sounds great right? Well, there are two big obstacles to this; and neither is related to the failing economy.

1) Movies don’t start in the morning anymore. There was a time on a Saturday or Sunday when you could go and catch a movie at 9 o’clock in the morning. I’m not talking 20 years ago here, more like just a few years ago. Now movies start at 11:00 or after. Have we Americans gotten so lazy that we don’t get out of bed in enough numbers to go out the door and hit the local theater anymore before noon? I know I’m not your average guy, but am I that far away from average?

2) Okay, let’s say that my local theater did have movies starting at 9 o’clock or so; I still have another big problem. The movies released in January - SUCK SWAMP WATER. I know its a time honored tradition of Hollywood to treat January as though it were the worlds largest trash can. They dump the movies they are pretty certain won’t do well during January and even February. I just don’t understand what goes through the heads of the movie studio executives. If I were one of them I would think, all my competitors are dropping crap in the theaters right now so let’s put out one of our sure fire hits and blow them all away. Even if ticket sales are slow this time of year, leave it in the theater longer. Worried about not getting a good nod at the Oscars 12 months later; re-release in December or RELASE THE DVD!

It’s bad enough that DRM is seen as the holy grail to the movie studios. It’s bad enough that my big tub of popcorn and oversized jug of soda cost more than a movie ticket. DO THEY HAVE TO MAKE GOING TO THE MOVIES IN JANUARY THAT MUCH MORE PAINFUL? Movie Execs, you have good stuff in the can right now. I know you do. JUST RELEASE A FEW! Who knows, maybe you will create a new blockbuster season. It’s not like there is tons to do in most of the country in January, maybe people actually want to sit in a warm theater for a few hours and enjoy a great epic or an exciting sequel. But the drivel that’s out right now... man, what is there to love about going to the movies in January? RANT ENDS - We now return you to your regularly scheduled internet browsing.

The Hobbit - 2012

Most of you probably know that one of my all time favorite films is the Lord of the Ring Trilogy. Just none better. When the movies were being released I heard talk of The Hobbit being made, but that it was tied up on rights, litigation and so much other paperwork it seemed unlikely The Hobbit would be made with any great haste.

Since it is 2008 and the original trilogy was released in 2001, 2002 and 2003 to say it’s happening quickly would be a serious exaggeration. That being said, The Hobbit will apparently see the dark of theaters around the world! I hadn’t checked in over a year, but tonight while Tracy and I were looking up some facts on another movie we tripped over the fact that The Hobbit 1 and The Hobbit 2 are to be released sometime around 2012. Del Torro is directing and yes Peter Jackson is fully involved. He is actually working on the script. The scale of The Hobbit will be as big as the original three movies with an estimated budget of 150 million for each movie, about 300 million was spent on the original three. They are also going to film both movies at the same time, just like the original three.

Originally it seems The Hobbit was to be one movie and The Hobbit 2 was to be a lead-in to The Lord of the Rings; but it seems now that The Hobbit will be broken in to two parts with the end of the second movie leading into The Lord of the Ring in some manner.

No actors have apparently been signed, but Del Torro wants to use as many of the original trilogy actors that are available, healthy and can be used; including Ian Holmes who played Bilbo.

Can you tell I’m excited? The trilogy was just movie magic and for that matter King Kong wasn’t bad either. Peter Jackson has been off my radar since King Kong, but I will be happy to give him my 8 bucks to let him take me away for several hours and visit a land as tumultuous as our own, but still so different.

Here are some links: IMDB-Hobbit 1, IMDB-Hobbit 2 Wikipedia