Are you getting tired of listening to the same Christmas songs over and over again on the radio? Well, I'm not, but you very well may be. If that's the case, enjoy these alternative, Fanboy-approved Christmas songs!
Hope your Christmas is going wonderfully! And through all the last minute holiday shopping and festivities, don't forget to remember the true nature of Christmas!
Oh, and FYI, yes there is a poll going on, feel free to vote. Just highlight the area were the choices would usually be. Don't ask why, frankly I haven't a clue why my blog's giving me trouble.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Roundup: Pirates 4 Trailer, Chuck Parody, New Segment
Lo and behold the trailer for the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie; On Stranger Tides.
After watching the trailer, I'm reminded of the failure that was At World's End. However, I'll stay hopeful that this latest installment will be worthwhile.
For those Chuck fans out there, enjoy this MAD spoof of the ever popular spy show. Yes, it's corny, cheesy and childish, but it's the first spoof of Chuck ever made, and that alone warrants attention.
Fanboy DVD Pick:
We Were Soldiers: Following the exploits of a Lieutenant General (Mel Gibson) who led the US in the first major battle of Vietnam, We Were Soldiers provides a unique look not only at the battlefield, but at life back home where the wives and families of those fighting abroad struggle to cope with the war and everything it brings about.
Here's a new segment within a segment titled, 'Completely Random'.
To herald in the new mini-segment is....THIS! Click Here!!!You Won't Regret It!
Opinions on the new Pirates movie? Sound off in the comments below!
After watching the trailer, I'm reminded of the failure that was At World's End. However, I'll stay hopeful that this latest installment will be worthwhile.
For those Chuck fans out there, enjoy this MAD spoof of the ever popular spy show. Yes, it's corny, cheesy and childish, but it's the first spoof of Chuck ever made, and that alone warrants attention.
Fanboy DVD Pick:
Here's a new segment within a segment titled, 'Completely Random'.
To herald in the new mini-segment is....THIS! Click Here!!!You Won't Regret It!
Opinions on the new Pirates movie? Sound off in the comments below!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Quick Movie Reviews: Despicable Me, Harry Potter & more!
Once again, I'm back! Life always has a way of tearing me away from my blog, and once again, it was just at the right time. Hence I'm happy to say, that everything is right in the world of Alex.
Well, it's been quite a while since I've reviewed movies. I've been promising this latest installment for quite some time now, and finally, here it is. Enjoy and basque in its awesomeness.
The Expendables: If there's one thing that I've learned over the past couple of years of watching movies like Rocky Balboa and Rambo, it's that films directed by Sylvester Stallone are the cinematic equivalent to horse crap. The only reason that they're actually in theaters and not completely overlooked in the Sundance Festival is because his name is on it.
So, it goes without saying that The Expendables is an absolute train wreck. I understand that they were trying to poke fun at all the action movies that have come and gone, but everything was way too overdone! I couldn't believe anything that was going on in the movie which alienated its audience by being blatantly unrealistic, all the while still trying to take itself seriously. Frankly, Rambo was the same way. How can you say that you're making a tribute to action movies with this over-the-top ridiculousness when the last movie that you made had the same exact style, and it didn't make any excuses for itself?!?
Even the movie's vast menagerie of famous action stars couldn't rectify the emptiness and flagrant stupidity that is The Expendables. Frankly, the acting of nearly all the "stars" was incredibly sub par and downright disappointing.
Lastly, it shouldn't come as a surprise that once again, Stallone attempted to humanize his character, which I wouldn't totally be against if it was done in a way that resembles good storytelling in any way shape or form.
Rating: 3 (Vomitous)
Despicable Me: Going into it, I didn't expect much from Despicable Me, it's a CGI children's cartoon about a comical villain, aided by a myriad of even more comical henchman, who finds himself the father of three young orphaned girls. Upon leaving the theater, my original expectations hadn't been proven unwarranted.
Despicable Me is entertaining, but is completely unoriginal. Instead, it tries to use ever popular actor Steve Carrell, cast as the main title villain, to make up for what is obviously recycled material that we've seen hundreds of times in other movies.
Carrell is totally wasted in this role. He's become popular due to his acting; not voice acting. The character hardly draws from Carrell's signature, quirky, style of comedy at all, making the choice to cast Carrell ever the more pointless.
While the children will eat up the asinine antics of Carrell's 'Minions', parents and everyone above the age of 12 will find themselves rewatching a story that has been told countless times.
Rating: 5 (average)
The Last Airbender: While staying partially true to its source material, The Last Airbender deviates away from and neglects what made its inspiration great; fun, character development and the awesome ethnic setting, but mostly fun.
Now, with that said, I really don't understand why this movie has been belittled as much as it has. Yes, it deviates from it's source in more ways than one, yes some of the actors are stiff, and yes Iroh isn't obese, but this movie really isn't that bad.
The original cartoon was fantastic (it's the only anime show that I've ever found remotely interesting), so it hurt to read what many a movie critic had to say about it. And while I really wanted to like this movie more than I do, it simply strayed too far away from everything that made the TV show great to stand outside of the immense shadow that it's descendant cast.
Rating: 5 (average)
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1: With the action entirely taking place outside of Hogwarts, Hallows' creators had the perfect opportunity to do something very different with this latest installment. They did. Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the most unique of all the films and may in fact be my favorite film over the entire series.
The movie, like most of it's predecessors follows the plot of the novels closely and sums up the first half of the book, capturing all it's major plot points, quite accurately. The entire movie had a somber, tenebrous feel to it, and it worked wonderfully.
Hallows was one of my favorite books in the series, so to finally see the initial chase/fight sequence on the big screen was something of a Fanboy dream. I even found myself more wrapped up in the character's adventures, especially the suspense between the trio more so than when I read the book through the first time.
Despite what critics are saying about the movie's so called, cut-off ending, I couldn't disagree more. The film ended at a perfect spot, with an extreme amount of foreboding permeating the very air that you're breathing as the final scene fades to black.
Let me put it this way; everything in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part I coalesces perfectly, from character development, to staying true to the book, to the beautiful cinematography, creating one, if not the, finest installments in the Harry Potter movie franchise to date. Only one question remains, will the next and final movie be able to top it and wrap up this adventure that we've all followed for over a decade?
Rating: 8 (superb)
Get ready for the 12 days of Christmas-Fanboy Style, starting December 12th!
Also, it was Gina from Fantasy Casting's birthday yesterday. Head on over to her blog, give her a birthday greeting, and how 'bout a follow while you're at it? You know that's what you'd want on YOUR birthday!
Well, it's been quite a while since I've reviewed movies. I've been promising this latest installment for quite some time now, and finally, here it is. Enjoy and basque in its awesomeness.
(I went ahead and decided to split this uber-long lineup of movies into two posts, so look forward to my reviews of Toy Story, The Town, Red and Karate Kid shortly.)
The Expendables: If there's one thing that I've learned over the past couple of years of watching movies like Rocky Balboa and Rambo, it's that films directed by Sylvester Stallone are the cinematic equivalent to horse crap. The only reason that they're actually in theaters and not completely overlooked in the Sundance Festival is because his name is on it.
So, it goes without saying that The Expendables is an absolute train wreck. I understand that they were trying to poke fun at all the action movies that have come and gone, but everything was way too overdone! I couldn't believe anything that was going on in the movie which alienated its audience by being blatantly unrealistic, all the while still trying to take itself seriously. Frankly, Rambo was the same way. How can you say that you're making a tribute to action movies with this over-the-top ridiculousness when the last movie that you made had the same exact style, and it didn't make any excuses for itself?!?
Even the movie's vast menagerie of famous action stars couldn't rectify the emptiness and flagrant stupidity that is The Expendables. Frankly, the acting of nearly all the "stars" was incredibly sub par and downright disappointing.
Lastly, it shouldn't come as a surprise that once again, Stallone attempted to humanize his character, which I wouldn't totally be against if it was done in a way that resembles good storytelling in any way shape or form.
Rating: 3 (Vomitous)
Despicable Me: Going into it, I didn't expect much from Despicable Me, it's a CGI children's cartoon about a comical villain, aided by a myriad of even more comical henchman, who finds himself the father of three young orphaned girls. Upon leaving the theater, my original expectations hadn't been proven unwarranted.
Despicable Me is entertaining, but is completely unoriginal. Instead, it tries to use ever popular actor Steve Carrell, cast as the main title villain, to make up for what is obviously recycled material that we've seen hundreds of times in other movies.
Carrell is totally wasted in this role. He's become popular due to his acting; not voice acting. The character hardly draws from Carrell's signature, quirky, style of comedy at all, making the choice to cast Carrell ever the more pointless.
While the children will eat up the asinine antics of Carrell's 'Minions', parents and everyone above the age of 12 will find themselves rewatching a story that has been told countless times.
Rating: 5 (average)
The Last Airbender: While staying partially true to its source material, The Last Airbender deviates away from and neglects what made its inspiration great; fun, character development and the awesome ethnic setting, but mostly fun.
Now, with that said, I really don't understand why this movie has been belittled as much as it has. Yes, it deviates from it's source in more ways than one, yes some of the actors are stiff, and yes Iroh isn't obese, but this movie really isn't that bad.
The original cartoon was fantastic (it's the only anime show that I've ever found remotely interesting), so it hurt to read what many a movie critic had to say about it. And while I really wanted to like this movie more than I do, it simply strayed too far away from everything that made the TV show great to stand outside of the immense shadow that it's descendant cast.
Rating: 5 (average)
Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows: Part 1: With the action entirely taking place outside of Hogwarts, Hallows' creators had the perfect opportunity to do something very different with this latest installment. They did. Deathly Hallows Part 1 is the most unique of all the films and may in fact be my favorite film over the entire series.
The movie, like most of it's predecessors follows the plot of the novels closely and sums up the first half of the book, capturing all it's major plot points, quite accurately. The entire movie had a somber, tenebrous feel to it, and it worked wonderfully.
Hallows was one of my favorite books in the series, so to finally see the initial chase/fight sequence on the big screen was something of a Fanboy dream. I even found myself more wrapped up in the character's adventures, especially the suspense between the trio more so than when I read the book through the first time.
Despite what critics are saying about the movie's so called, cut-off ending, I couldn't disagree more. The film ended at a perfect spot, with an extreme amount of foreboding permeating the very air that you're breathing as the final scene fades to black.
Let me put it this way; everything in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows: Part I coalesces perfectly, from character development, to staying true to the book, to the beautiful cinematography, creating one, if not the, finest installments in the Harry Potter movie franchise to date. Only one question remains, will the next and final movie be able to top it and wrap up this adventure that we've all followed for over a decade?
Rating: 8 (superb)
Get ready for the 12 days of Christmas-Fanboy Style, starting December 12th!
Also, it was Gina from Fantasy Casting's birthday yesterday. Head on over to her blog, give her a birthday greeting, and how 'bout a follow while you're at it? You know that's what you'd want on YOUR birthday!
Friday, November 26, 2010
Updated Design!
Hi everyone!
Christmas is right around the corner! I might be jumping the gun by creating a Christmas themed banner, but for some strange reason, I'm in a particularly festive mood today.
I know, I've been slacking off in my posting as of late, and I've promised numerous times to post my reviews of a lot of different movies, but once again, it seems like real life is taking up most of my time. How dare it?!?
For now, I've updated my blog design with a Christmas theme, which will most likely be modified as the holidays get closer.
I'll be keeping up with everyone's blogs, but I won't get around to creating some articles of my own, movie reviews, (cough), until early December.
Until then, have a Merry Christmas!
Christmas is right around the corner! I might be jumping the gun by creating a Christmas themed banner, but for some strange reason, I'm in a particularly festive mood today.
I know, I've been slacking off in my posting as of late, and I've promised numerous times to post my reviews of a lot of different movies, but once again, it seems like real life is taking up most of my time. How dare it?!?
For now, I've updated my blog design with a Christmas theme, which will most likely be modified as the holidays get closer.
Until then, have a Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Green Lantern Trailer, New The Clone Wars outfits & Serenity!
Well here it is. The long awaited trailer for The Green Lantern!
Okay, is it just me, or does this not look good? I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of Ryan Reynolds. At all. I find him exceedingly annoying, and it looks like they're trying to sprinkle this movie with a little too much of his 'charm'.
And aren't those suits weird? I don't know. It could just be me, but my anticipation for this movie has been drastically lowered.
On the flip side, check out my fellow geek blog Anakin and His Angel, which is celebrating it's tenth anniversary this month! Congrats Jen!
The Clone Wars gets a new look:
Nearly half way through it's third season, The Clone Wars will now be updating the models for it's core three characters, Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan.
Each character will be sporting a newly designed outfit, with both Obi-Wan and Anakin appearing more like they do in Revenge of the Sith and Ahsoka getting more covered up.
In addition to the new wardrobe, all three characters seemed to have a more 'aged' look. And finally, as witnessed by this awesome video, Ahsoka will be using not one, but two lightsabers in the future. While retaining her original saber, she'll be putting a short lightsaber or shoto to use.
Okay, I'm drawing way too far into this aren't I? All I know is that it's a breath of fresh air seeing these new designs.
Besides the fact that it feels REALLY good having new Serenity material to read, there's one very interesting thing I thought that I should point out. Neither of these comics were created by Joss Whedon. In the comments for Shepherd's Tale on the Dark Horse website, it says that Joss' brother, Zack has been passed the creative torch.
As a fanboy who can dream about a future where Firefly/Serenity returns to both the little and big screens, I am currently jumping for joy. Yes, I CAN dream!
Finally, and I know that I've said this many a time lately, but I WILL be posting my reviews of multiple movies tomorrow; Toy Story 3, The Last Airbender, The Town, Despicable Me and Red.
What are your thoughts on the Green Lantern trailer? Love it? Hate it? Sound off in the comments below!
Okay, is it just me, or does this not look good? I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of Ryan Reynolds. At all. I find him exceedingly annoying, and it looks like they're trying to sprinkle this movie with a little too much of his 'charm'.
And aren't those suits weird? I don't know. It could just be me, but my anticipation for this movie has been drastically lowered.
On the flip side, check out my fellow geek blog Anakin and His Angel, which is celebrating it's tenth anniversary this month! Congrats Jen!
The Clone Wars gets a new look:
Nearly half way through it's third season, The Clone Wars will now be updating the models for it's core three characters, Anakin, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan.
Each character will be sporting a newly designed outfit, with both Obi-Wan and Anakin appearing more like they do in Revenge of the Sith and Ahsoka getting more covered up.
In addition to the new wardrobe, all three characters seemed to have a more 'aged' look. And finally, as witnessed by this awesome video, Ahsoka will be using not one, but two lightsabers in the future. While retaining her original saber, she'll be putting a short lightsaber or shoto to use.
Okay, I'm drawing way too far into this aren't I? All I know is that it's a breath of fresh air seeing these new designs.
Serenity Continues:
Serenity, the ever popular cult-classic sci-fi western is continued once again in a comic book format with the long awaited Shepherd's Tale, and also a free online comic, Downtime.
Besides the fact that it feels REALLY good having new Serenity material to read, there's one very interesting thing I thought that I should point out. Neither of these comics were created by Joss Whedon. In the comments for Shepherd's Tale on the Dark Horse website, it says that Joss' brother, Zack has been passed the creative torch.
As a fanboy who can dream about a future where Firefly/Serenity returns to both the little and big screens, I am currently jumping for joy. Yes, I CAN dream!
Finally, and I know that I've said this many a time lately, but I WILL be posting my reviews of multiple movies tomorrow; Toy Story 3, The Last Airbender, The Town, Despicable Me and Red.
What are your thoughts on the Green Lantern trailer? Love it? Hate it? Sound off in the comments below!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Roundup: Again
This video, courtesy of both MTV and my fellow geek blog, TCW Reviews, has brought me to one conclusion, one single irrefutable fact; Savage Oppress is a monster. An extremely cool, over the top, killing machine of a monster. If you do nothing else in the day but watch this clip it will be worth it.WATCH IT!!!
Savage is a Monster:
Okay. So that was pretty cool right? Well here's another video to wet your appetite. Have I been going crazy with the videos lately? Yes. Am I likely to stop anytime in the near future? Probably not... no.
Kung Fu Panda 2 Trailer:
Lastly, coinciding with the release of the Serenity graphic novel The Shepherd's Tale, comes a free online web comic called Downtime. While it is short, it's a great tale with a very authentic Firefly feel to it. Check it out here.
Alright, that's it. Again. I fully intend to create a full length post in the near future, most likely a Quick Movie Review of all of the following; The Town, The Last Airbender, The Karate Kid and Toy Story 3. I know that I've promised this before, but I assure you, I'm working on it. So stay tuned!
Savage is a Monster:
Okay. So that was pretty cool right? Well here's another video to wet your appetite. Have I been going crazy with the videos lately? Yes. Am I likely to stop anytime in the near future? Probably not... no.
Kung Fu Panda 2 Trailer:
Lastly, coinciding with the release of the Serenity graphic novel The Shepherd's Tale, comes a free online web comic called Downtime. While it is short, it's a great tale with a very authentic Firefly feel to it. Check it out here.
Alright, that's it. Again. I fully intend to create a full length post in the near future, most likely a Quick Movie Review of all of the following; The Town, The Last Airbender, The Karate Kid and Toy Story 3. I know that I've promised this before, but I assure you, I'm working on it. So stay tuned!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Roundup: Video-centric
I didn't feel liking creating a post today, until I'd seen this. Originally, I wasn't very intrigued by the addition of Darth Maul's brother in The Clone Wars. The whole concept just seemed to be an example of how the team behind The Clone Wars was running out of story lines. In their defense, they're not, the whole thing just felt very Star Trekish. Technically speaking there's only so many new stories that can be created. [1] [2]
You may or may not have heard of Kinect, the new supplemental gaming system to the Xbox 360. For those of you who own one, I envy you all the more; Star Wars will be making it's way to the Kinect system next year.
What is Kinect you ask? To sum it up, it's basically a camera that tracks your movements without the assistance of anything that you hold or wear, and broadcasts the image of you and your movements onto the game that you're playing.
I think. Honestly, the technology is new to me too...
Lastly, and this is a must-watch, I've posted a new video in the upper right hand corner of my blog, (as if you hadn't seen that like a smack in the face when the page first loaded). The video features Brian Regan, a comedian I've discovered recently. Is it just me, or is he one of the funniest stand up comedians you've ever seen? And he's clean. I usually don't fixate on that, (I'll admit, Dane Cook can be funny. At times...) but it's a breath of fresh air to watch someone be funny, without being overly crude or obscene. Just watch, I promise you won't regret it!
And for additional viewing pleasure, check out these other Brian Regan videos; UPS, Serving Sizes, Stupid in School, Flying.
You may or may not have heard of Kinect, the new supplemental gaming system to the Xbox 360. For those of you who own one, I envy you all the more; Star Wars will be making it's way to the Kinect system next year.
What is Kinect you ask? To sum it up, it's basically a camera that tracks your movements without the assistance of anything that you hold or wear, and broadcasts the image of you and your movements onto the game that you're playing.
I think. Honestly, the technology is new to me too...
Lastly, and this is a must-watch, I've posted a new video in the upper right hand corner of my blog, (as if you hadn't seen that like a smack in the face when the page first loaded). The video features Brian Regan, a comedian I've discovered recently. Is it just me, or is he one of the funniest stand up comedians you've ever seen? And he's clean. I usually don't fixate on that, (I'll admit, Dane Cook can be funny. At times...) but it's a breath of fresh air to watch someone be funny, without being overly crude or obscene. Just watch, I promise you won't regret it!
And for additional viewing pleasure, check out these other Brian Regan videos; UPS, Serving Sizes, Stupid in School, Flying.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Music in the Media Week (cont.): Top 5 Favorite TV Soundtracks
I'm trying to get back on track with my old posts since my departure. The first thing I thought that I'd tackle would be Music in the Media Week. However, I think that I'll probably stretch it out to Music in the Media Month. I simply don't like bogging down my blog with all those videos. I need words in between posts, actual words! So the five or so posts that I have lined up, in addition to my first 'Music' post from a few weeks back will make up Music in the Media Month.
Here we go with the next post.
My Top 5 Favorite TV Soundtracks:*
*No, Glee's not one of them. I'll say that you need to listen to each and every song! Also, the additional songs are fantastic! The only reason I didn't place them in the post itself was to conserve space. Also, each additional song is a link, so click away!
5. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:
Bringing about some of the most touching and chilling music heard on television, The Sarah Connor Chronicles resonated with the hearts of many fans of good television before it's untimely cancellation. The show also managed to stay true to it's movie predecessors as is clearly evident in all three of the following songs.
Sarah Connor's Theme: Heart felt, but oozing with a sense of dread and foreshadowing that just can't be shaken off.
Cromartie in the Hospital: A perfect example of the suspenseful music that perfectly transcended from the big to small screen.
Opening Theme: A great theme that captured the action/adventure feel that accompanied the show.
Additional Listening: Sampson & Delilah-End Credits
4. Chuck:
Featuring old hits by famous artists like The Talking Heads and Rush, and adding new songs from relatively unknown artists like Spoon and Franz Ferdinand, Chuck adds a great bit of variety to the monogamy that is weeknight television music.
The Underdog: Upbeat, fun and a great example of one the indie songs that Chuck features regularly.
Chuck Theme Song/ Short Skirt Long Jacket: Can I just say that this is one of the catchiest songs ever? Every Monday night I find myself whistling along with the opening montage.
Beat the Devil's Tattoo: Another relatively unknown band who's find a welcome home on one of Chuck's latest episodes.
Additional Listening: Got Nuffin'-Once in a Lifetime-Tom Sawyer-Bite Hard
3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars: With a movie composer, Kevin Kiner, behind the wheels of the music composed for The Clone Wars, you'd think that a quality soundtrack would be produced. Well you would be correct in that assumption. The music created for The Clone Wars is, epic, dramatic and diverse in it's ethnicity-derived themes. But first and foremost, it's Star Wars.
Jabba's Palace: Kiner was specifically instructed by George Lucas to create a different theme for each planet visited in the show and to incorporate music from Earth's many different cultures. The first song that features this new brand of Star Wars music was the Arabic-inspired piece that accompanied multiple scenes taking place in Jabba's Palace.
Battle of Christophsis: Absolutely magnificent in it that it evokes a sense of absolute epicness and relays the feeling that The Clone Wars is grand in magnitude.
Battle of Teth: Heard during the ascension of the Tethan cliffs, this fantastic piece of work helped to set the pace for this fast paced action sequence.
Additional Listening: Anakin vs. Dooku-Courtyard Fight-Jabba's Chamber Dance-Ziro's Nightclub Band
Yes, I'm aware that all of these songs are originally from the soundtrack used for The Clone Wars feature film, but the film itself was intended for television to begin with and much of the music used in the movie is used in one way or another in the show itself.
2. Heroes: Do you ever get moved so much by a piece of music that you shiver? No? Just me? I've seriously embarrassed myself by putting this little tidbit about me on the world wide web? Oh well, because that's what happened to me when I first heard Fire & Regeneration. The music composed for Heroes fit with the overall theme of the show extremely well.
From the feeling that you're part of something larger than life while listening to Fire & Regeneration, to the creepiness that is Sylar's Theme, Heroes' diversity and epicness set the tone perfectly for what would be one heck of show. *cough* ...season.
Fire & Regeneration: This is what plays when Chuck Norris defecates. Yes, I went there.
Heroes Action Theme: The title itself suitably sums up this great piece.
Sylar's Theme: The tale of Sylar, the mass murderer of 'heroes', was certainly a disturbing one, all the while accompanied by Sylar's theme.
Additional Listening: He's Frank-David Bowie's Heroes
1. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Last Airbender spawned some of the most intriguing and inspirational pieces of music my ears have had the fortune to be graced by. The score created for the show set the tone for the show itself with the utmost perfection.
Agni Kai: This song would play every time Firebenders would engage in a mutual duel. Powerful and exhilarating.
The Avatar's Love: Please forgive the poor quality, yes those are footsteps in the background. Beautiful and enchanting, 'Love' is a great example of the passionate side that the show frequented regularly.
Season 3 Trailer Music: Dark, mysterious and foreboding, the music that accompanied the trailer for Avatar's final season couldn't have been more perfect.
Additional Listening: Yuyen Capture Aang-Azula's Theme-Dai Li Headquarters
Wow, that's a lot of videos. Can you tell that I ran out of ways to describe songs? Yeah...
Keep on the lookout for my next MITMM post, The Top Ten Best Trailer Scores along with my reviews of Toy Story 3, The Last Airbender, Karate Kid and The Town, which should actually have words in it. Coherent words, in paragraph form!
What are your favorite TV soundtracks or songs? Feel free to leave links to them in the comments below.
Here we go with the next post.
My Top 5 Favorite TV Soundtracks:*
*No, Glee's not one of them. I'll say that you need to listen to each and every song! Also, the additional songs are fantastic! The only reason I didn't place them in the post itself was to conserve space. Also, each additional song is a link, so click away!
5. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles:
Bringing about some of the most touching and chilling music heard on television, The Sarah Connor Chronicles resonated with the hearts of many fans of good television before it's untimely cancellation. The show also managed to stay true to it's movie predecessors as is clearly evident in all three of the following songs.
Sarah Connor's Theme: Heart felt, but oozing with a sense of dread and foreshadowing that just can't be shaken off.
Cromartie in the Hospital: A perfect example of the suspenseful music that perfectly transcended from the big to small screen.
Opening Theme: A great theme that captured the action/adventure feel that accompanied the show.
Additional Listening: Sampson & Delilah-End Credits
4. Chuck:
Featuring old hits by famous artists like The Talking Heads and Rush, and adding new songs from relatively unknown artists like Spoon and Franz Ferdinand, Chuck adds a great bit of variety to the monogamy that is weeknight television music.
The Underdog: Upbeat, fun and a great example of one the indie songs that Chuck features regularly.
Chuck Theme Song/ Short Skirt Long Jacket: Can I just say that this is one of the catchiest songs ever? Every Monday night I find myself whistling along with the opening montage.
Beat the Devil's Tattoo: Another relatively unknown band who's find a welcome home on one of Chuck's latest episodes.
Additional Listening: Got Nuffin'-Once in a Lifetime-Tom Sawyer-Bite Hard
3. Star Wars: The Clone Wars: With a movie composer, Kevin Kiner, behind the wheels of the music composed for The Clone Wars, you'd think that a quality soundtrack would be produced. Well you would be correct in that assumption. The music created for The Clone Wars is, epic, dramatic and diverse in it's ethnicity-derived themes. But first and foremost, it's Star Wars.
Jabba's Palace: Kiner was specifically instructed by George Lucas to create a different theme for each planet visited in the show and to incorporate music from Earth's many different cultures. The first song that features this new brand of Star Wars music was the Arabic-inspired piece that accompanied multiple scenes taking place in Jabba's Palace.
Battle of Christophsis: Absolutely magnificent in it that it evokes a sense of absolute epicness and relays the feeling that The Clone Wars is grand in magnitude.
Battle of Teth: Heard during the ascension of the Tethan cliffs, this fantastic piece of work helped to set the pace for this fast paced action sequence.
Additional Listening: Anakin vs. Dooku-Courtyard Fight-Jabba's Chamber Dance-Ziro's Nightclub Band
Yes, I'm aware that all of these songs are originally from the soundtrack used for The Clone Wars feature film, but the film itself was intended for television to begin with and much of the music used in the movie is used in one way or another in the show itself.
2. Heroes: Do you ever get moved so much by a piece of music that you shiver? No? Just me? I've seriously embarrassed myself by putting this little tidbit about me on the world wide web? Oh well, because that's what happened to me when I first heard Fire & Regeneration. The music composed for Heroes fit with the overall theme of the show extremely well.
From the feeling that you're part of something larger than life while listening to Fire & Regeneration, to the creepiness that is Sylar's Theme, Heroes' diversity and epicness set the tone perfectly for what would be one heck of show. *cough* ...season.
Fire & Regeneration: This is what plays when Chuck Norris defecates. Yes, I went there.
Heroes Action Theme: The title itself suitably sums up this great piece.
Sylar's Theme: The tale of Sylar, the mass murderer of 'heroes', was certainly a disturbing one, all the while accompanied by Sylar's theme.
Additional Listening: He's Frank-David Bowie's Heroes
1. Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Last Airbender spawned some of the most intriguing and inspirational pieces of music my ears have had the fortune to be graced by. The score created for the show set the tone for the show itself with the utmost perfection.
Agni Kai: This song would play every time Firebenders would engage in a mutual duel. Powerful and exhilarating.
The Avatar's Love: Please forgive the poor quality, yes those are footsteps in the background. Beautiful and enchanting, 'Love' is a great example of the passionate side that the show frequented regularly.
Season 3 Trailer Music: Dark, mysterious and foreboding, the music that accompanied the trailer for Avatar's final season couldn't have been more perfect.
Additional Listening: Yuyen Capture Aang-Azula's Theme-Dai Li Headquarters
Wow, that's a lot of videos. Can you tell that I ran out of ways to describe songs? Yeah...
Keep on the lookout for my next MITMM post, The Top Ten Best Trailer Scores along with my reviews of Toy Story 3, The Last Airbender, Karate Kid and The Town, which should actually have words in it. Coherent words, in paragraph form!
What are your favorite TV soundtracks or songs? Feel free to leave links to them in the comments below.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Return of the Fanboy
Greetings awesome followers! It's been quite some time since my last post. I had just started a week-long segment regarding music in movies and television, when I suddenly dropped off the end of the earth. Hopefully, I left many of you shocked, disappointed and wanting more. Emphasis on 'hopefully'.
I suppose I should explain myself. Well, to put things in layman's terms. Life took over. A mixture of school, family, and a new job took precedence. I'll most likely revisit, the Music in the Media Week segment sometime soon.
Obviously, a lot of news has been coming out in the weeks since I've stopped posting. I've tried to keep track of all the cool happenings, rumors and news, but alas, by the time that I've gotten around to writing this post, I've most likely forgotten about a good deal of quality news.
Well, here's my best attempt at compiling everything that I thought was interesting. That I can remember...
Star Trek 2 Villains: Okay, so first off, and I think this is the coolest news/rumor; someone supposedly close to the production of the next Star Trek movie, the sequel to 2009's Star Trek, has revealed five different villains from the original Star Trek series, and left it up to us fans to guess who the villain will be. The choices are;
The Talosians
Gary Mitchell
The Horta
Trelane
Harry Mudd
For those of you unfamiliar with these classic villains, descriptions for each can be found here. Personally, I'd LOVE to see Gary Mitchell take the lead as the next villain, the only thing I could see complicating things is that in this alternate timeline, McCoy seems to have taken the role of Kirk's best friend. As for the rest of them, I think that J.J. Abrams could easily adapt any of them into a great villain.
But who's to say that McCoy can't take the role of Gary in the next movie. Now THAT would be interesting.
Star Wars Sequels: The Internet has been abuzz lately with the rumor that George Lucas will be creating another Star Wars trilogy, taking place after the events of Return of the Jedi.
This supposed sequel trilogy will (according to rumor) follow the exploits of characters other than the Skywalkers. The trilogy is rumored to be released after the final movie of the saga, Return of the Jedi, will be shown in 3D in 2016 or 2017.
Now, I would normally shoot this rumor down right off the bat, and wouldn't even bother posting about it; but I must say, this actually does have a certain amount of credibility to it. The original website that posted this news, IESB, has broken some of the most important Star Wars related news in the past with their 'inside source' in Lucasfilm such as Revenge of the Sith being the first PG-13 Star Wars movie.
For now, I'll contain myself and my thoughts on yet another trilogy, but I'll also be keeping a look out for any and every bit of news regarding this in the future.
Quinlan Vos in The Clone Wars: After coming off it's incredible second season, The Clone Wars' third season seems dull in comparison. Littered with stories that are bogged down by politics, uninteresting characters, and poor character development, The Clone Wars' third season has gotten off to a rough start. However, in it's defense, there are always bright spots. The first two episodes of the new season, 'Clone Cadets' and 'Arc Troopers' were breakout episodes, as was the most recent installment, 'Assassin'.
Now, The Clone Wars promises something to fans of the Star Wars Expanded Universe (novels, video games, comics). Quinlan Vos, a prominent character in tie-in novels that accompanied the prequel trilogy will be making his Clone Wars debut in one of the series' upcoming episodes. Personally, I couldn't be more excited. The only thing that could quell that excitement would be if the show's creators changed the character drastically from his portrayal in all his previous work. (That of a rouge triple-agent Jedi Master whose continuous struggle with the Dark Side puts him over the edge time and time again.)
Does he look like a triple-agent? I didn't think so! However, this could easily be explained away that this is one of the rare times when he's not deep undercover behind Separatist lines. Also, if you recognize the name, congrats. George Lucas liked the character so much that he put a mention to Quinlan in Revenge of the Sith. He even went so far as to put Quinlan's apprentice, Aayla Secura, (the scantily clad blue-skinned Jedi) in the latter two of his prequels. Okay, enough Fanboyish ranting.
Movie Titles Revealed: The titles for Transformers 3 has been revealed, The Darkness of the Moon, as has Batman 3, The Dark Knight Rises. Is it just me, or do both of those sound awefully familiar? The Darkness of the Moon sounds like a Pink Floyd song, (you know which one), and the Dark Knight Rises? Seriously?!? That's all they could come up with? Wow...
Lastly and on a completely different note. Who would like to see the pumpkin I carved for Halloween this year? Well here it is anyway. Creative no?
I suppose I should explain myself. Well, to put things in layman's terms. Life took over. A mixture of school, family, and a new job took precedence. I'll most likely revisit, the Music in the Media Week segment sometime soon.
Obviously, a lot of news has been coming out in the weeks since I've stopped posting. I've tried to keep track of all the cool happenings, rumors and news, but alas, by the time that I've gotten around to writing this post, I've most likely forgotten about a good deal of quality news.
Well, here's my best attempt at compiling everything that I thought was interesting. That I can remember...
Star Trek 2 Villains: Okay, so first off, and I think this is the coolest news/rumor; someone supposedly close to the production of the next Star Trek movie, the sequel to 2009's Star Trek, has revealed five different villains from the original Star Trek series, and left it up to us fans to guess who the villain will be. The choices are;
For those of you unfamiliar with these classic villains, descriptions for each can be found here. Personally, I'd LOVE to see Gary Mitchell take the lead as the next villain, the only thing I could see complicating things is that in this alternate timeline, McCoy seems to have taken the role of Kirk's best friend. As for the rest of them, I think that J.J. Abrams could easily adapt any of them into a great villain.
But who's to say that McCoy can't take the role of Gary in the next movie. Now THAT would be interesting.
Star Wars Sequels: The Internet has been abuzz lately with the rumor that George Lucas will be creating another Star Wars trilogy, taking place after the events of Return of the Jedi.
This supposed sequel trilogy will (according to rumor) follow the exploits of characters other than the Skywalkers. The trilogy is rumored to be released after the final movie of the saga, Return of the Jedi, will be shown in 3D in 2016 or 2017.
Now, I would normally shoot this rumor down right off the bat, and wouldn't even bother posting about it; but I must say, this actually does have a certain amount of credibility to it. The original website that posted this news, IESB, has broken some of the most important Star Wars related news in the past with their 'inside source' in Lucasfilm such as Revenge of the Sith being the first PG-13 Star Wars movie.
For now, I'll contain myself and my thoughts on yet another trilogy, but I'll also be keeping a look out for any and every bit of news regarding this in the future.
Quinlan Vos in The Clone Wars: After coming off it's incredible second season, The Clone Wars' third season seems dull in comparison. Littered with stories that are bogged down by politics, uninteresting characters, and poor character development, The Clone Wars' third season has gotten off to a rough start. However, in it's defense, there are always bright spots. The first two episodes of the new season, 'Clone Cadets' and 'Arc Troopers' were breakout episodes, as was the most recent installment, 'Assassin'.
Now, The Clone Wars promises something to fans of the Star Wars Expanded Universe (novels, video games, comics). Quinlan Vos, a prominent character in tie-in novels that accompanied the prequel trilogy will be making his Clone Wars debut in one of the series' upcoming episodes. Personally, I couldn't be more excited. The only thing that could quell that excitement would be if the show's creators changed the character drastically from his portrayal in all his previous work. (That of a rouge triple-agent Jedi Master whose continuous struggle with the Dark Side puts him over the edge time and time again.)
Does he look like a triple-agent? I didn't think so! However, this could easily be explained away that this is one of the rare times when he's not deep undercover behind Separatist lines. Also, if you recognize the name, congrats. George Lucas liked the character so much that he put a mention to Quinlan in Revenge of the Sith. He even went so far as to put Quinlan's apprentice, Aayla Secura, (the scantily clad blue-skinned Jedi) in the latter two of his prequels. Okay, enough Fanboyish ranting.
Movie Titles Revealed: The titles for Transformers 3 has been revealed, The Darkness of the Moon, as has Batman 3, The Dark Knight Rises. Is it just me, or do both of those sound awefully familiar? The Darkness of the Moon sounds like a Pink Floyd song, (you know which one), and the Dark Knight Rises? Seriously?!? That's all they could come up with? Wow...
Lastly and on a completely different note. Who would like to see the pumpkin I carved for Halloween this year? Well here it is anyway. Creative no?
Aaaaaahhhhhhhh, it's good to be back!
Alright. That's enough. This post is already long and disorderly enough. Thanks to everyone who still kept up with me while I was inactive.
Who do you want to see in the Star Trek sequel? What are your thoughts on another Star Wars trilogy? Can you contain yourself now that I'm back?!?
Alright. That's enough. This post is already long and disorderly enough. Thanks to everyone who still kept up with me while I was inactive.
Who do you want to see in the Star Trek sequel? What are your thoughts on another Star Wars trilogy? Can you contain yourself now that I'm back?!?
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Music in Media Week!
This entire week, I'll be creating posts pertaining to the wonderful world of music in mediums such as movies, television and also... um.... well basically just movies and TV.
Music inspires us! It makes us sing and dance, laugh and scream, and sometimes, it brings out the silliest in us. The tone provided by music, sets the pace and ambiance for the viewers. Bottom line, music can make or break movies and television.
So, without further adieu, here's my first post for what I'm declaring is music week! 10. Mash:
Unfortunately I couldn't find the actual opening credits, so this will have to do. Isn't it simply an uplifting song?
9. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air:
It was funny the first time, and it's still funny the hundredth time.
8. Spongebob:
I couldn't help but put our spongy, aquatic friend onto the list, after all, his theme song is pretty much known by children and adults alike. Or maybe it's just the children's parents who heard it every waking day of their lives?
7. Futurama:
Another cartoon, I know I know, but this one's different. It has Zoidberg in it!
6. Star Trek: The Next Generation:
Though the middle three Star Trek series all sported fantastic opening themes, The Next Generation's was the finest by far.
5. All in the Family:
"And you knew where you were then!"
4. Malcolm in the Middle:
The theme showed just how dysfunctional the family was in a manner of 30 seconds.
3. Chuck:
One of the catchiest theme songs, ever!
2. Firefly:
Should I be embarrassed to say that I can quote the lyrics off the top of my head? Nah!!!
1. Band of Brothers:
To this day, it still makes me want to cry.
Honorable Mentions:
The Pacific:
Riveting, but Band of Brothers' opening takes the cake.
That 70's Show:
You knew laughs were going to ensue whenever you heard this theme song.
Star Trek: Voyager:
As much as I loved the Voyager theme, The Next Generation's is a classic.
Feel free to jump on in and create your own music inspired posts, and leave a link to it in the comments section!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Star Wars Blu-Rays: Deleted Scenes
George Lucas (the creator of Star Wars) while at Celebration V, revealed that his epic sci-fi saga would be converted to Blu-Ray. With this welcome news came a special treat for fans of the films. A scene cut from the original production of Return of the Jedi, wherein we see Luke crafting his new lightsaber as Darth Vader calls out to him through the Force.
This little scene is just a taste of what we can expect from the Blu-Ray releases. Each new scene whether it barely made it into post-production or not, will be fully recreated for the release. Below is a list of deleted scenes that possibly might be added to the saga.
Episode I: The Phantom Menace:
Digital Yoda in Episode I: This has been hinted at for quite some time now. During a documentary, a scene from Episode I, where Yoda is entirely digital could also be seen.
Probability: High
The Waterfall Scene: An extended portion of the Gungan sub sequence, wherein the trio, upon reaching Naboo's capital of Theed, find themselves surfaced directly near a waterfall.
Probability: Medium
Probe Droid Attack: One of my favorite deleted scenes, the probe droid attack explains why Qui Gon and Anakin are running through the Tatooine desert prior to being attacked by Darth Maul. It also adds a nice additional farewell scene for Anakin.
Probability: Medium
Exotic Neimodian Birds Suffocate: At the start of The Phantom Menace, the Jedi divert an attempted poisoning. In the original script, there are two birds who share the room with them. The poison was originally invisible, but as the birds fell to there deaths, the Jedi instantly knew that they were not welcome. I wouldn't put it past them to somehow incorporate this scene into the finished version.
Probability: Low
Episode II: Attack of the Clones:
Assault on the Core Ship: These scenes were tremendously awesome! Coinciding with the larger arena battle scenes in Attack of the Clones, the footage was never completed, with large portions of it even lacking sound. The rough footage was released to members of Hyperspace, the official Star Wars fanclub. Yes, I'm really showing my level of fandom here.
Probability: Medium
Padme's Family: Multiple extended sequences of Padme and Anakin's pre-marriage relationship were cut from the final film. One of my favorites involved Padme taking Anakin to her childhood home for dinner with her parents and sister. The scene, while a little corny, added a certain amount of realism to the duo's relationship.
Probability: Medium
Padme's Bedroom: After meeting Padme's family, Padme shows Anakin her bedroom. It is a quiet scene that showcases Padme's humanitarian work and a small portion of her political background through moving "holo-portraits" that adorn her walls.
Probability: Low
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith:
Yoda arrives on Dagobah: This short scene closes the story of Yoda in the prequel trilogy, allowing for his absence in Episode IV and his eventual discovery in Episode V to have a smooth transition.
Probability: High
Order 66-Clone Trooper Disguise: An additional scene as a part of the Order 66 sequence was cut, wherein Obi-Wan and Yoda confront a group of clones disguised as Jedi and proceed to kill the group who were laying in ambush for Jedi to return to the Temple. An extension of this scene, presumably cut for graphic nature, involved a Jedi youngling who was lured in by the disguised clones and proceeded to be killed by a blaster wielding clone firing at point blank range at the child's face.
Probability: Low
Probability: High
Hopefully, there are even more scenes that have yet to be revealed that will make it onto the Blu-Ray release, and for your viewing pleasure, here's the first scene revealed from Return of the Jedi. Watch it, if you haven't done so enough already.
This little scene is just a taste of what we can expect from the Blu-Ray releases. Each new scene whether it barely made it into post-production or not, will be fully recreated for the release. Below is a list of deleted scenes that possibly might be added to the saga.
Episode I: The Phantom Menace:
Probability: High
Probability: Medium
Probe Droid Attack: One of my favorite deleted scenes, the probe droid attack explains why Qui Gon and Anakin are running through the Tatooine desert prior to being attacked by Darth Maul. It also adds a nice additional farewell scene for Anakin.
Probability: Medium
Probability: Low
Episode II: Attack of the Clones:
Probability: Medium
Probability: Medium
Probability: Low
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith:
Probability: High
Probability: Low
Episode IV: A New Hope:
Luke's Anchorhead Introduction: Luke's introduction was cut from both Episodes IV and VI. Though his Return of the Jedi intro has been confirmed as a new scene on the Blu-Ray release, the ever popular Anchorhead introduction has still yet to be confirmed. The scene involves Luke, gathering with his friends in an outskirt town known as Anchorhead where he tries to show the group the space battle seen overhead between Princess Leia's vessel and Darth Vader's. We also are introduced to Biggs Darklighter, Luke's best friend, making his death at the film's end all the more bitter.
Probability: Medium
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back:
Fleeing Echo Base: A scene were upon fleeing the assault on Echo Base, Han, Leia and Threepio come a cross a door with a warning sign on it. Han ushers the trio into the door, but stops at Leia's protest, "No! That's were they keep the creatures!" (Referring to the Wampas; the same creatures that attacked Luke at the start of the film). Threepio proceeds to take off the warning sign as he follows Han and Leia further along the corridor. The Snowtroopers chasing after the trio fall for 3PO's trap and become a small snack for the creatures.
Probability: Medium
Episode VI: Return of the Jedi:
Extended Tatooine Departure: After destroying Jabba and his sail barge, the heroes reunite at the hangar bay that houses both the Falcon and Luke's X-Wing. A sandstorm engulfs the group as Han thanks Luke for saving him and Luke explains that he has to leave for Dagobah.
Probability: Medium
General Cracken and the Falcon's gunners: An Expanded Universe (books, comics, video games etc...) character know as General Airen Cracken was supposed to appear in Return of the Jedi as one of the gunners for the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor. In addition, extra scenes involving the B-Wing pilots were originally going to appear in the 2004 special additions, but were withheld for a "future release."
Probability: High
Hopefully, there are even more scenes that have yet to be revealed that will make it onto the Blu-Ray release, and for your viewing pleasure, here's the first scene revealed from Return of the Jedi. Watch it, if you haven't done so enough already.
Which scenes do you want to be added to the saga and why? Feel free to comment!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Harry Potter 8, 9 & 10!
There's no time for a picture! Okay, forgive me, because at the moment, while writing this post, I'm in the process of yelling and screaming in joy and wetting my pants repeatedly! J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, (duh) mentioned previously today while on the Oprah Winfrey show that she may publish three more continuations to her extremely popular series of Harry Potter novels!
I can't believe this news! It's SO awesome in SO many ways! That's all I can make onto paper right now, so feel free to freak out in the comments! WOOOOOOOOOOT!!!
Here's a quote from the show, (she mentions the tenth novel in an interview with EW.com): "They're all still in my head. I could definitely write 8 or 9."--J.K. freaking Rowling.
I can't believe this news! It's SO awesome in SO many ways! That's all I can make onto paper right now, so feel free to freak out in the comments! WOOOOOOOOOOT!!!
Here's a quote from the show, (she mentions the tenth novel in an interview with EW.com): "They're all still in my head. I could definitely write 8 or 9."--J.K. freaking Rowling.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Star Wars in 3D!
Years and years of rumors have now been confirmed! Both USA Today and the official Star Wars site have confirmed that the entire Star Wars saga, beginning with The Phantom Menace will be converted to 3D and re-released in theaters. The prospected release date is 2012. The release dates for the following five movies has yet to be revealed.
Which scene or scenes are you looking forward to seeing in 3D the most? Mine would have to be the Battle of Endor, The Battle of Geonosis and the three-way-duel between Obi-Wan, Qui Gon and Darth Maul.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Roundup: Blackwidow movie, Pick of the Week, The Hobbit, Rock Band 3
Highlighted Song: I'm really looking forward to Rock Band 3, so to share my anticipation, as a part of the Highlighted Song mini-segment, I'll be sharing some of my favorite songs that are slated to appear on the upcoming threequel's track list. Let's start with one of my favorites, good 'ol Lowrider.
Quote: From Gangs of New York:
News Flash: The much anticipated prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit, has once again been delayed, this time due to a change in the movie's shooting location. According to IGN, a writer's strike originally taking place in the Australia/New Zealand area has now spread to encompass both Europe and the United States. Members of SAG, (the Screen Actor's Guild) were told not to participate in the creation of the movie due to the fact that it was not a union run project. The movement may force Peter Jackson and Warner Brothers to change the location of the movie to Eastern Europe.
On the other hand, here's some hopefully positive news regarding The Hobbit. It is rumored that Martin Freeman of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fame will be playing Bilbo. Personally, I think there is no one more perfect for the role than Martin. Now that his name has come up, I don't think that I can envision anyone else in the role. Hopefully we'll be able to see him on the big screen sometime in the next, oh I don't know, decade or two.
Some of you may be aware that the recent Marvel movies, i.e. Iron Man 1 and 2, The Incredible Hulk and both the upcoming Thor and Captain America, are all predecessors to an Avengers movie. But what you may not know is that Black Widow, a character first seen in Iron Man 2 and played by Scarlett Johanson will be appearing in her own Marvel movie as a follow-up to The Avengers. I'm not sure how well this will be. But I really don't know enough about the character to go into any more detail. All I know, is that she kicked some serious buttocks in Iron Man 2 and that she works for Samuel Jackson.
Stay tuned as I look back (and forward) on Harry Potter, the novels and movies of a generation!
Quote: From Gangs of New York:
Boss Tweed: The appearance of the law must be upheld, especially as it's being broken.
Fanboy Pick of the Week: If there's one thing that I've learned when it comes to children's movies it's this, Pixar never disappoints. With each new film, Pixar outdoes itself, creating both visual and storytelling masterpieces that captivate both young and old. One of my favorite movies that Pixar has dished out is The Incredibles.
Taking a humorous slant on the life of retired super heroes, The Incredibles managed to perfectly parody the lives of a retired (super) couple, all the while feeling like a 50's comic book. The movie also promoted the importance of family, something we see so rarely in today's media and culture.
On the other hand, here's some hopefully positive news regarding The Hobbit. It is rumored that Martin Freeman of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy fame will be playing Bilbo. Personally, I think there is no one more perfect for the role than Martin. Now that his name has come up, I don't think that I can envision anyone else in the role. Hopefully we'll be able to see him on the big screen sometime in the next, oh I don't know, decade or two.
Stay tuned as I look back (and forward) on Harry Potter, the novels and movies of a generation!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Countdown: Top 7 Best Movie Opening Scenes
Top seven? Why not a nice round number like 5 or 10? Well, here's why. I truthfully couldn't find any more than seven opening sequences that I thoroughly enjoyed and thought should garner a position on this list. That's it.
So without further adieu...
7. Gladiator: A battle of titanic proportions, a victory won, and a great life lost. The opening scenes of Gladiator, with it's depiction of a battle between the Holy Roman Empire and a horde of Germanic barbarians sets the stage for what would be one heck of an action packed ride.
5. Star Trek: The opening sequence for Star Trek's latest incarnation can be summed up as pure cinematic gold. From the breathtaking visual effects to the utilization of the classic Star Trek sound scheme from the original series, Star Trek's opening sequence sets the pace for the rest of the film. Not to mention, it pulls your heart strings!
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: After seeing the introduction with it's massive battles, elves clad in gold, Sauron wielding a mace to the terror of his enemies, and a story that held true to the books, fans of the novels instantly knew that they're childhood memories were in good hands on the big screen.
3. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark:
2. Saving Private Ryan: The opening sequence for Saving Private Ryan has already gone down in the history of cinema as one of the most realistic interpretations of modern warfare to date. From the first scene where we see Private Ryan, aged and tormented by the ghosts of his past, to the D-Day assault on Omaha Beach, Saving Private Ryan has one of the most notable opening sequences in cinema, period.
1. Star Wars: A New Hope: Every viewer, upon seeing the might of the Empire's gargantuan Star Destroyer eclipse Princess Leia's smaller Corellian Corvette, knew that they were in for something completely different than anything they'd ever seen. This in turn heralded the introduction of one of the greatest movie villains of all time, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith.
So without further adieu...
7. Gladiator: A battle of titanic proportions, a victory won, and a great life lost. The opening scenes of Gladiator, with it's depiction of a battle between the Holy Roman Empire and a horde of Germanic barbarians sets the stage for what would be one heck of an action packed ride.
6. Up: I'm not one known to cry while watching a movie, but I'm not sure if I've scene a more tragic scene in a film. Up's opening sequence, with it's tale of love found, love lived and love lost, brought me pretty darn close to tears!
5. Star Trek: The opening sequence for Star Trek's latest incarnation can be summed up as pure cinematic gold. From the breathtaking visual effects to the utilization of the classic Star Trek sound scheme from the original series, Star Trek's opening sequence sets the pace for the rest of the film. Not to mention, it pulls your heart strings!
4. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: After seeing the introduction with it's massive battles, elves clad in gold, Sauron wielding a mace to the terror of his enemies, and a story that held true to the books, fans of the novels instantly knew that they're childhood memories were in good hands on the big screen.
3. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark: The first scene from the very first Indiana Jones film is pefect. It instantly sets up Indy as an extremely interesting character to follow. Indy has to avoid poison darts, spear pits, and gigantic boulders. And in the end, his efforts were in vain anyway. I don't think he'd be considered your typical archaeologist! For anyone who's seen the film, I don't believe any more needs to be said.
2. Saving Private Ryan: The opening sequence for Saving Private Ryan has already gone down in the history of cinema as one of the most realistic interpretations of modern warfare to date. From the first scene where we see Private Ryan, aged and tormented by the ghosts of his past, to the D-Day assault on Omaha Beach, Saving Private Ryan has one of the most notable opening sequences in cinema, period.
1. Star Wars: A New Hope: Every viewer, upon seeing the might of the Empire's gargantuan Star Destroyer eclipse Princess Leia's smaller Corellian Corvette, knew that they were in for something completely different than anything they'd ever seen. This in turn heralded the introduction of one of the greatest movie villains of all time, Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith. Your thoughts? Did I leave any movies out? Did I add any that you didn't think should be on the list? Feel free to comment below.
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