Random Movie Thoughts 2004

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Here are some random thoughts on Movies Coming Out This Year…

  • “Alien vs Predator” could be like when the two baddest guys in school fought… it wasn’t pretty but ya just had to go watch.

  • “Catwoman” starring Halle Berry should have been a winner. The buzz on it is terrible and looking at her outfit you can see why.
  • “The Stepford Wives” doesn’t do much for me, but then again neither did the original. Maybe it will surprise me but I’m not counting on it.
  • M. Knight Shyamalan‘s “The Village” is getting a mixed reception so far, but it’s still early and Shyamalan‘s past track record is excellent. I hoping for really good things.
  • “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of…” –– I’ve yet to see the others, so this one is below my radar.
  • “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow” is the movie I’m most anticipating at this point. [Well, except for “Shade”… and “The Chronicles of Riddick”]. This could be the surprise hit of the season.
  • “Collateral” teams Michael Mann and Tom Cruise. This should be excellent, but the story doesn’t thrill me… or maybe it’s the casting of Jamie Fox.
  • “I, Robot” has potential… Will Smith in a movie based on an Issac Assimov story directed by Alex [“Dark City” and “The Crow”] Proyas? Yeah, count me in.
  • “Kill Bill, Volume 2” is said to be more like the Tarantino of old. I’ll be there hoping that’s true.
  • “Troy” is hoping to live up to “Gladiator” [not to mention Homer’s “The IIiad”] and Brad Pitt is leading the way. Ya just gotta support the gladiator revivial. ; )
  • “Ladykillers” teams the Cohen Brothers and Tom Hanks. This one looks strange. Well, what’d ya expect?
  • “The Chronicles of Riddick” is the movie I’m most anticipating at this point [Well, except for “Shade”… and “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow“]. Hmmm… where have you heard that before.
  • “The Incredibles” is from Brad [“The Iron Giant”] Bird and Pixar. You just know it’s going to be fun.
  • “Starsky and Hutch” looks like fun, but I bet I’ll wait for a rental.
  • “Spider-Man 2” looks to be the box office champ. The buzz is even better than the first.
  • “The Manchurian Candidate” is an updating of the cold war thriller and stars Denzel Washington and Meryl Strepp. When was the last time I was looking forward to a Meryl Streep movie?
  • “Shrek 2” – I guess I should see the first one first.
  • “Alexander” -[Ya just gotta support the gladiator revivial. ; ) ] and this one stars Colin Farrell and is directed by Oliver Stone!
  • “King Arthur” – remember what I said about gladiator movies? Well, this one isn’t one!
  • “Dawn of the Dead” is a retelling of the George Romero classic. I’ll be there, but still wonder why Romero isn’t doing another…
  • “Hellboy” is the movie I’m most anticipating at this point [Well, except for “Shade”… and “Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow“.. and… aw… nevermind…]
  • “Van Helsing” will be out soon. It has sooo much potential…. but then again so did Halle Berry in “Catwoman.”

The Rock Can Walk

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Ok, I admit it. I was wrong.

I thought that The Rock starring in a remake of Walking Tall was a bad idea.

The Rock was, pardon the expression, on a roll.

Think about it… great reviews for his small role in “The Mummy Returns.” Then a prequel about his character “The Scorpion King.” And then The Rock totally wows everyone with the very good and very underrated “The Rundown.”

But The Rock starring as a backwater sheriff who carries a two-by-four to fight Southern Mobsters?

No way that could work. Right? Wrong.

The trailer looks good and they’ve updated and changed the story to fit The Rock. And with his charisma, I think it’ll work.

Check out the trailer and let me know…

… am I wrong?

Hellboy & The Goon Team Up

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If someone asked you to name some great team-ups you might think of Abbott and Costello… Batman and Robin… Bogie and Bacall… Hellboy and The Goon…

Wait a minute! Hellboy and The Goon?

But hey’ve never teamed up… Oh yeah, you guessed it fanboy…

Hellboy and The Goon are teaming up in Goon #7 which ships in June from Dark Horse Comics. Click [HERE] for full details.

Now how cool is that?

Cool enough that I’d call my local comic shop and reserve a copy or two now

Even Another New Dawn

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If you’re excited about the re-make of “Dawn of the Dead, you’re really going to love this…

Steve Niles [30 Days of Night] and Chee [Wake the Dead] are teaming up for a three issue comic adaptation of the original “Dawn of the Dead” to be released in April.

Niles says the only liberties that he’s taking will be where the film makers were hampered by budget constraints.

Niles said that when he was asked about doing the adaptation, there was no trepidation. “I’m so excited that I’ve been asked to do this. This was such an important movie in my life.”

If you’re a fan of Niles‘ comics and novels, then you know that’s true… and will serve to make the adaptation even better.  The the “Dawn of the Dead” mini-series starts in April.

A New Dawn

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One of my all-time favorite movies is George Romero‘s “Night of the Living Dead.”

In fact I enjoyed all his “… of the Dead” series [“Dawn of the Dead” “Day of the Dead”], including the remake of “Night of the Living Dead” that he didn’t direct.

While none were near the classic level of the first, they were all still a lot of fun.

That’s why I’m looking forward to the “Dawn of the Dead” remake starring Ving Rhames. The trailer was pretty cool and the poster is as well. And I’m thinking that while it may not be a classic, I’ll bet it’s a lot of fun.

Charlie Hustle Deserves a Shot

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Pete Rose should be given an opportunity to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Rose holds 19 Major League records, including the All-time Major League records for most career hits – 4,256 and most games played – 3,562.

Why is Rose not in? Because as a manager he gambled on baseball. Although he never bet against his team and never threw a game, gamblling on baseball when you’re a player or manager is against the rules.

Did Rose deserve to be punished? Yes, and he has been.

Rose‘s book, My Prison Without Bars, details just how much he’s been punished.

As a manager, Rose broke the rules and perhaps the ban should be for life… but, the records that he set were as a player and it is because of these records that he deserves the opportunity to be voted into the Hall of Fame.

That’s That About That

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If you like The Sopranos, The Godfather, or Wiseguy, then you probably should check out ABC‘s new drama, Line of Fire.

It’s on Tuesday nights at 10pm and follows the lives of FBI agents and the underworld criminals they have sworn to take down.

 

Line of Fire has an interesting structure in that it shows how the mobsters‘ lives parallel those of the agents after them. The show is well written, well directed and well cast. I’ve watched every episode since the first and it just keeps getting better.

“And that’s that about that.”

Til Ink Dries Do Us Part

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Seems that Britney Spears and her new husband, Jason Alexander, have already decided to call it quits.

That’s right! It’s being reported that all the annulment papers had been signed by both Spears and Alexander and are expected to be filed when the courts open today.

So much for until Death Do Us Part… this one didn’t even last until the ink had dried on the marriage contract!

Waiting for Mackey

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The 3rd season of one of the best shows on tv, The Shield, won’t premiere until March!

Man, that really stinks. Especially when you consider that most series started their new seasons last September. At least the second season will be out on dvd this month.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather have the series take the time needed to keep up the consistantly high quality. And when March rolls around, I’ll be there every Tuesday night at 10 watching Vic Mackey and the rest of the Strike Force.

Britney Off the Market

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The crying that you hear is from single guys around the world…Britney Spears married her childhood friend, Jason Alexander at the Little White Wedding Chapel on the Las Vegas strip early yesterday.

While I’m sure Seinfield jokes will abound, the fact that Britney got married is not.

And that somehow seems as surprising as “The Crocodile Hunter” holding his one month old in his arm as he went in to feed a huge croc.

Crock Hunter is Like Mike

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Remember all the flack that Michael Jackson got when he held his baby over the balcony? Well, Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin may be in for more of the same.

On January 1st, “The Crocodile Hunter” held his one month old in his arm as he went in to feed a huge croc.

A lot of people are outraged — and rightly so. Irwin even received a warning from child-care authorities.

Talk about stupid. It’s one thing to put yourself in potentially dangerous situations – but it’s indefensible to do the same to children.

"Must See" DVD

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Alright, since we’ve looked at the theatrical releases for 2004, why not take a look at dvds coming out in January?

The collector’s edition for Alien Resurrection finally makes its premiere and will find a home in my collection. I’ll also be picking up The Wind and the Lion with a director’s commentary by John Millius and down the road I’ll add The Shield‘s second season, Once Upon a Time in Mexico. Since I didn’t catch them on their theatrical releases, I’ll rent Out of Time, Open Range and House of the Dead before deciding if they’ll make their way into my collection.

January 2004 looks to be a good month for dvd collectors… and who knows what the other 11 months will add? You will if you keep reading the ZONE!

Must-See Movies 2004

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As the first day of 2004 winds down I find myself looking at what new movies the year will bring.

January has three potentially fun movies Torque, Mindhunters and The Butterfly Effect. None of these are on my “must-see” list, but all look like an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours.

In February there’s only two movies that may draw me out, and they are Kill Bill Vol. 2 and The Passion of Christ. It’s pretty strange that these would open in the same month and that they’d both make my list, since they’re on opposite ends of the spectrum. I’m really hoping for great things for Mel Gibson and The Passion.

Dawn of the Dead, and The Ladykillers will fight it out in March. My nod, at this point is to see the zombies first.

Shade is set to open sometime in the Spring and you just know I’ll be there on opening day! The buzz has been very positive on this one, so I hope that its given an opportunity to live up to the hype.

Hellboy premieres the first week of April and I plan to see it that weekend. Another movie based on a comic, The Punisher, opens later that month, but the buzz on it isn’t nearly as good… still one can hope. The Alamo might be a winner… at least it has a better chance than the real folks who fought there. The movie to beat in April, at least at this point, is probably Man on Fire. The buzz on this one is, pardon the expression, hot.

May gets us ready for the big summer films, so it’s approrpriate that both Van Helsing and Troy open. Both of these could be huge. As could The Day After Tomorrow.

June has just one must-see movie for me and that is The Riddick Chronicles. Oh, how I hope this lives up to Pitch Black!

July has the fireworks and Spider-Man Two [which by all accounts is even much better than the first!], I, Robot, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Village. Spider-Man 2 should bust all kinds of box office records.

August has the title match of the century [at least until Rocky returns to the ring] with Aliens vs Predator. Blade: Trinity opens and I’m hoping for it to be more like Blade 2 than Blade.

There’s no definite release date yet for Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, but I can tell you that I plan to see it the opening weekend whenever it premieres.

Things really slow down in September — there’s nothing at this point on my list!

October is only a little better with Michael Mann and Tom Cruise teaming up for Collateral.

Things pick up again with two movies in November. Oliver Stone directs Colin Farrell in Alexander. Brad Bird’s The Incredibles also premieres.

December finds Oceans Twelve, The Aviator, and Meet the Fockers all competing for our viewing dollars.

With all of these movies coming out… I’d better get some rest. It looks to be a busy year.

You Are About to Enter the Nyuk, Nyuk ZONE

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I have always loved New Year’s Eve.

For the last few years, I’ve made it a point to tune in to the SciFi channel’s Twilight Zone Marathon. It’s a great way to pass the time while visiting with friends and family or even as background “noise” while doing other things. Plus, it’s fun to re-watch classics like “Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?” – “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” and “To Serve Man.”
This year I’ll be flipping over to AMC part of the time though. They’re running a 3 Stooges Marathon! Check out “Cash and Carry” – “Dizzy Detectives” – “Disorder in the Court” or any of the shorts that AMC is running.

Have a safe and happy New Year and let’s hope that YOUR evening doesn’t turn into something out of a Twilight Zone episode or a Three Stooges‘ short!

Do I Have Your Confidence

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I finally got a chance to see “Confidence” which is directed by James Foley and stars Edward Burns, Rachael Weisz, Morris Chestnut, Luis Guzmán, DustinHoffman, Andy Garcia, and Robert Forrester.

“Confidence” is the story of some mid-level grifters who accidently rip-off a mobster. When they discover their mistake, he’s already on to them. Their only hope is to get him his money back by pulling off a major scam under the watchful eye of the police, the mobster, and a special agent hot on their trail.

Doug Jung‘s excellent script is full of twists and everything in this movie worked for me; the direction, the acting, the music, the cinematography… everything. Special mention should be given to Dustin Hoffman — he’s just perfect in his role as the mobster who was swindled and Rachael Weisz — she’s perfect for her role as well and has never looked more attractive.

You ought to check out this film. It’s really good. Trust me, I wouldn’t con you.

“Confidence” rates an A