Well we're finally back home. We "moved" back in tonight at like 10:30. It's been a crazy couple of days...I've been (literally) living out of a duffel bag. Basically all weekend/week I've been dealing with this bullshit, allowing for absolutely nothing else. Today I had a "sit-in" (as my sister Amber put it) in the administration office of the complex...since those cowards refuse to speak to us, face-to-face. It worked (kinda), I got us a meeting on Friday. The gas pipes have all been replaced, but today they had to come in and clean the carpets (because the guys fixing the problem made a mess).
For the record: Moved out Sunday morning--moved back in on Wednesday night.
Can't wait to wear clean clothes/wake up in my own bed tomorrow.
P.S. CLOVERFIELD came out on DVD this week...have you seen it yet? It's fuckin' sweet.
Showing posts with label 1-18-08/Cloverfield Mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1-18-08/Cloverfield Mystery. Show all posts
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
CLOVERFIELD
So today I was a bad boy. Everyone went to work/school...and I got bored and went to see CLOVERFIELD. I couldn't help myself. I really wanted to see it, and damn it--I wanted to see it ON 01-18-08. So, even though my family has tickets for an early morning show tomorrow, I went by myself and saw it around noon today.
I LOVE going to the movies in the afternoon during the week (no stupid teenagers). Ugh, when did I turn into such an old man??? Anyway, you're probably wondering how the movie was. It was great. Actually, it was more than great--it was fantastic. Like last year's GRINDHOUSE, CLOVERFIELD is truly an old-school movie experience that makes going to the movies relevant. Forget gimmicks like 3-D, all they need to do to save the movie industry is make GOOD MOVIES!!! It's easy. Make movies that are equal parts entertaining and innovative. But what about "the sure thing" that Hollywood is so obsessed about? Well it's true, there is nothing new under the sun...but instead of tired re-treads...why NOT liven things up by injecting something new into the movies?
CLOVERFIELD takes an old (and tired) genre flick--giant monster movies--and livens things up with a fresh approach. People will compare it needlessly to the BLAIR WITCH...but that's not fair. BLAIR WITCH, in the end, was a tease. CLOVERFIELD is a nice, polite young lady--that will tease you for a while...but she puts out. Oh boy, does she put out. I was worried that after sitting through an hour and half of jumpy, YOUTUBE footage of a crumbling NYC...I'd leave without seeing my monster in all it's bloody/disgusting glory. Well, they didn't let me down. The last twenty minutes of CLOVERFIELD is nothing but wall-to-wall money shots of the monster. Yes, you will witness many "near" encounters...many "oh, look a tail" or "wow! look at that foot!" but at the end of the day--the smoke clears and you see this thing it all it's glory. The monsters (there are 2 creatures in this feature) are all well done (and unique looking--enough). The effects for everything else are good too, which was surprising since the budget was so small (only $30, tiny by Hollywood standards). They put every penny on the screen.
The human element, the element that usually falters in these types of films--well it's there too. I'm not saying I felt like they were real people, or that they're characters are so well drawn that when one of them dies I feels like a death in my family...but the human characters in CLOVERFIELD are better than usual. The little side-love story is a bit melodramatic, but then again...isn't a giant monster stomping through town?
My biggest concern was the "shaky" camera. During my showing, three (two were older) people got up and left pretty early on. I think that's this films biggest weakness. I'm used to playing video games/watching crappy YOUTUBE videos...so I wasn't really bothered. I will say this though: sit as far from the screen as you can. Though footage is jarring, it's all part of the ride. You get sucked into the action far more than if the camera was static and neatly framed.
Possible spolier: the monster is the ugliest mutha-fucker I've seen in a monster movie since the Aliens from Aliens. Even though I've seen it (many times) I still have trouble describing it. It's a horrible, gruesome mishmash of animal parts. And even though it's not as cuddly as King Kong--you can tell that it's as scared as it is angry. It's very angry.
Anyway, I drew this (very lame) sketch in PAINT (in case you are interested). The face is wrong, it looks more like a bull-dog (with big puffy frog pouches on the side of it's head):
Overall: CLOVERFIELD is a fun, scary ride that must be seen on the big screen (I don't think it'll play as well at home).
I LOVE going to the movies in the afternoon during the week (no stupid teenagers). Ugh, when did I turn into such an old man??? Anyway, you're probably wondering how the movie was. It was great. Actually, it was more than great--it was fantastic. Like last year's GRINDHOUSE, CLOVERFIELD is truly an old-school movie experience that makes going to the movies relevant. Forget gimmicks like 3-D, all they need to do to save the movie industry is make GOOD MOVIES!!! It's easy. Make movies that are equal parts entertaining and innovative. But what about "the sure thing" that Hollywood is so obsessed about? Well it's true, there is nothing new under the sun...but instead of tired re-treads...why NOT liven things up by injecting something new into the movies?
CLOVERFIELD takes an old (and tired) genre flick--giant monster movies--and livens things up with a fresh approach. People will compare it needlessly to the BLAIR WITCH...but that's not fair. BLAIR WITCH, in the end, was a tease. CLOVERFIELD is a nice, polite young lady--that will tease you for a while...but she puts out. Oh boy, does she put out. I was worried that after sitting through an hour and half of jumpy, YOUTUBE footage of a crumbling NYC...I'd leave without seeing my monster in all it's bloody/disgusting glory. Well, they didn't let me down. The last twenty minutes of CLOVERFIELD is nothing but wall-to-wall money shots of the monster. Yes, you will witness many "near" encounters...many "oh, look a tail" or "wow! look at that foot!" but at the end of the day--the smoke clears and you see this thing it all it's glory. The monsters (there are 2 creatures in this feature) are all well done (and unique looking--enough). The effects for everything else are good too, which was surprising since the budget was so small (only $30, tiny by Hollywood standards). They put every penny on the screen.
The human element, the element that usually falters in these types of films--well it's there too. I'm not saying I felt like they were real people, or that they're characters are so well drawn that when one of them dies I feels like a death in my family...but the human characters in CLOVERFIELD are better than usual. The little side-love story is a bit melodramatic, but then again...isn't a giant monster stomping through town?
My biggest concern was the "shaky" camera. During my showing, three (two were older) people got up and left pretty early on. I think that's this films biggest weakness. I'm used to playing video games/watching crappy YOUTUBE videos...so I wasn't really bothered. I will say this though: sit as far from the screen as you can. Though footage is jarring, it's all part of the ride. You get sucked into the action far more than if the camera was static and neatly framed.
Possible spolier: the monster is the ugliest mutha-fucker I've seen in a monster movie since the Aliens from Aliens. Even though I've seen it (many times) I still have trouble describing it. It's a horrible, gruesome mishmash of animal parts. And even though it's not as cuddly as King Kong--you can tell that it's as scared as it is angry. It's very angry.
Anyway, I drew this (very lame) sketch in PAINT (in case you are interested). The face is wrong, it looks more like a bull-dog (with big puffy frog pouches on the side of it's head):
Overall: CLOVERFIELD is a fun, scary ride that must be seen on the big screen (I don't think it'll play as well at home).
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Two Days/Advanced Reviews
Two days, that's how long before the first overly-hyped movie of 2008 comes out. I talked to Amber tonight, about where we're going to see it. In my hometown, there is only one theater--and it's pretty lousy. The place is run with a skeleton crew of High Schoolers. The theaters are dirty, the seats are uncomfortable. Worse, the owners try to save money by using dimmer-than-normal projection bulbs. This makes the picture drab and washed out looking. They also have a lot of sound problems--not too soft, not matching up with the visual. What's also weird, is that the patrons are the worst moviegoers I've ever seen. The only way I can figure it is that the theater's crappy-ness rubs off on people and makes them act up. Every time I go there, I swear I'm never going back...but it's very convenient. And that is why this awful theater stays open: it's the only game in town.
Hopefully we're going to be able to convince everyone to NOT go to this theater.
Anyway, I'm a movie nerd/film buff and I loves me some giant monsters...so I'm pretty excited. That said, I'm pretty sure that like most hyped things--this movie will be a bit of a disappointment. However, there are a few early reviews floating around out there on the net...and the ones I've read are positive. IGN.com has an early (spoiler-free) review (they gave it a three and a half stars out of five):
Cloverfield will grab you in its jaws, toss you around like a chew toy for a rollicking 80 minutes (yes, it's a short – but oh so sweet – flick) and still leave you panting for more. However, this is not some dumb action flick. Don't expect to forget this film the moment you walk out of the cinema. It's not that sort of movie.
Cloverfield gives its audience a way of relating to its nightmares behind the guise of a high-action genre flick. It is one thing to sit on the edge of your seat in a cinema and feel like a potential monster snack, but when you let your mind wander to who you would want to call when the first rumble hit your city, or how you would react on a street teeming with fear and dust clouds and frantic people, that is when a colder fear sinks in.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
We're close...but are we THAT close?
Hey. I'm still sick/miserable--and unemployed. I spent the day playing BIOSHOCK (after I applied for some jobs online). That game is really freakin' sweet, it's so customizable. Anyway, despite the doom and gloom, there is one silver lining to my month of January...CLOVERFIELD!!! Yes folks, it's nearly here. I thought I'd spread/post this possible
***SPOILER***
They are saying (over at Movieweb) that this is an image of the Cloverfield Monster:
However, please take that with a grain of salt...because the good folks over at Ain't It Cool News claim that it's only loosely related to the movie (it was designed by the dude that created the real monster). Too bad, because I actually really like this design (though I'm a little sick of 2-legged monsters--the I hope the real one is on four legs). Anyway, we'll all know soon enough. The eighteenth is nearly upon us (and I'm sure an image of the legit monster will surface before then).
UPDATE: And if you go *here* you can view the last TV-spot to that's going to be released before the film opens. Not a whole of new stuff, but there is an interesting/gross part where the yuppies see a WAVE of rats running away from "something" in the subways. If there is one thing there movies have taught us, it's that animals KNOW!!! If you see Bambi and friends running--you better run too.
***SPOILER***
They are saying (over at Movieweb) that this is an image of the Cloverfield Monster:
However, please take that with a grain of salt...because the good folks over at Ain't It Cool News claim that it's only loosely related to the movie (it was designed by the dude that created the real monster). Too bad, because I actually really like this design (though I'm a little sick of 2-legged monsters--the I hope the real one is on four legs). Anyway, we'll all know soon enough. The eighteenth is nearly upon us (and I'm sure an image of the legit monster will surface before then).
UPDATE: And if you go *here* you can view the last TV-spot to that's going to be released before the film opens. Not a whole of new stuff, but there is an interesting/gross part where the yuppies see a WAVE of rats running away from "something" in the subways. If there is one thing there movies have taught us, it's that animals KNOW!!! If you see Bambi and friends running--you better run too.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Blah...
Woke up feeling sick. Yesterday me and Leah raked leaves for her parents (made $60). I enjoyed the physical activity, but I think being outside in the cold and wind was a bad idea. I've been staying up way too late lately, and that's what I did last night. I think the combination of those two things did me in. Last night, after we finished raking, we went to Blockbuster and I rented BIOSHOCK for XOBOX 360. It's really good, but really...really...really creepy. It's a horror/first person shooter (not usually my cup of tea) but this one is very well done. I think it's pretty much universally acknowledged as the best game of 2007. It's one of those games that messes with you while you play--hallucinations, the lights go out and all you can see is darkness. It's very literary (despite being such a bloody/horror mess). Very much influenced by Orwell and Rand. It also makes me think of Orson Welles. Imagine if Charles Foster Kane was trying to kill you in an underwater metropolis--that's BIOSHOCK.
Anyway, I've been playing through that...and that's about it. I applied for some more jobs today (not feeling very confident though). Next week I'm going to find a service before Leah leaves again for New Mexico. Which reminds me, CLOVERFIELD is about to come out, is everyone excited? I am. My new roommate is excited about it, too. All Meemoe's been talking about is "Cloverfield this" and Cloverfield that." The little scamp actually just got back home. Apparently there was a dinosaur jamboree/reunion or something...he took my digital camera with him. Most of the pictures were of clouds and blades of grass (and other things close to the ground), but this one (of him with his Uncle Rex) turned out pretty good:
It looks like they had a good time. He's been a little grouchy lately, so I didn't bother asking what he was doing with Leah's penguin oven-mitt. I didn't feel like getting into it with him. But from now on, me and Leah are keeping our stuff picked up...he has "stick fingers(paws)."
Anyway, I've been playing through that...and that's about it. I applied for some more jobs today (not feeling very confident though). Next week I'm going to find a service before Leah leaves again for New Mexico. Which reminds me, CLOVERFIELD is about to come out, is everyone excited? I am. My new roommate is excited about it, too. All Meemoe's been talking about is "Cloverfield this" and Cloverfield that." The little scamp actually just got back home. Apparently there was a dinosaur jamboree/reunion or something...he took my digital camera with him. Most of the pictures were of clouds and blades of grass (and other things close to the ground), but this one (of him with his Uncle Rex) turned out pretty good:
It looks like they had a good time. He's been a little grouchy lately, so I didn't bother asking what he was doing with Leah's penguin oven-mitt. I didn't feel like getting into it with him. But from now on, me and Leah are keeping our stuff picked up...he has "stick fingers(paws)."
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Real Deal?
Or is this more "fan art"?
The new claim is that THIS is what the CLOVERFIELD monster will look like:
I hope not...looks too much like Godzilla. I was hoping for something, really different (maybe something on four legs--rather than a biped).
The new claim is that THIS is what the CLOVERFIELD monster will look like:
I hope not...looks too much like Godzilla. I was hoping for something, really different (maybe something on four legs--rather than a biped).
Friday, December 21, 2007
Fake Monster
Okay so as stated, I spent yesterday at the movies. It was great! I hadn't been in forever, and I didn't have much to do. While I was there I saw a bunch of trailers (most of them sucked) but there were two that rocked--the (non-teaser) trailer for THE DARK KNIGHT (new Batman movie) and CLOVERFIELD.
Ah yes, CLOVERFIELD.
Part of me wants to know everything I can about this movie, and another part wants to just go in cold (well, lukewarm...I already know so much). As the release date draws nearer, I'm finding more and more spoilers online. But there is one spoiler I'd probably look at--because I'm so damn curious...
What does the CLOVERFIELD monster look like?
Here is a (really well done) piece of fan-art that a bunch of idiots are saying is the real thing (it's not):
Whoever did this is well-versed in all things CLOVERFIELD. Notice the whale features (the tie-in site Slusho.com makes several mentions of a fish that "turned into a whale"). Also, the parasite the creature is reported to have would make sense if Cloverfield's monster is whale related (barnacles anyone?). But alas, this is a fake.
Ah yes, CLOVERFIELD.
Part of me wants to know everything I can about this movie, and another part wants to just go in cold (well, lukewarm...I already know so much). As the release date draws nearer, I'm finding more and more spoilers online. But there is one spoiler I'd probably look at--because I'm so damn curious...
What does the CLOVERFIELD monster look like?
Here is a (really well done) piece of fan-art that a bunch of idiots are saying is the real thing (it's not):
Whoever did this is well-versed in all things CLOVERFIELD. Notice the whale features (the tie-in site Slusho.com makes several mentions of a fish that "turned into a whale"). Also, the parasite the creature is reported to have would make sense if Cloverfield's monster is whale related (barnacles anyone?). But alas, this is a fake.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
CLOVERFIELD Trailer Online!
Hey kiddies! Guess what's up and kicking over at Apple's site? Yep, that's right--the new CLOVERFIELD trailer!
I like Quicktime because you can literally go through whatever your watching frame-by-frame. That may sound like a nerdy thing to do, but when you're trying to see little details in something that has been edited together with a lot of quick cuts...well it makes all the difference in the world.
Interesting things I gleaned from the trailer:
A girl explodes! Yep, that's right. The protagonists are shown in some sort of field hospital, we see the shadow of a woman struggling with a pair of bio-suit wearing scientists. Now, this scene was reported as "a woman getting mauled by smaller versions of the creature" but when we slowed it down Leah noticed the shadowy figures looked like guys in haz-mat suits (she's right). A few frames later the woman's midsection shrinks then expands and BOOM! just as she explodes...quick edit and we're out of the scene.
What the fuck?
Apparently the rumors of a disease/illness being linked with this creature (the working title of the movie was THE PARASITE after all) seem to have added significance. Anyway, there's another shot of the main creature ducking between a pair of sky scrapers. January is right around the corner, and I can't wait!!!
Go here to check it out.
I like Quicktime because you can literally go through whatever your watching frame-by-frame. That may sound like a nerdy thing to do, but when you're trying to see little details in something that has been edited together with a lot of quick cuts...well it makes all the difference in the world.
Interesting things I gleaned from the trailer:
A girl explodes! Yep, that's right. The protagonists are shown in some sort of field hospital, we see the shadow of a woman struggling with a pair of bio-suit wearing scientists. Now, this scene was reported as "a woman getting mauled by smaller versions of the creature" but when we slowed it down Leah noticed the shadowy figures looked like guys in haz-mat suits (she's right). A few frames later the woman's midsection shrinks then expands and BOOM! just as she explodes...quick edit and we're out of the scene.
What the fuck?
Apparently the rumors of a disease/illness being linked with this creature (the working title of the movie was THE PARASITE after all) seem to have added significance. Anyway, there's another shot of the main creature ducking between a pair of sky scrapers. January is right around the corner, and I can't wait!!!
Go here to check it out.
Thursday, November 01, 2007
New CLOVERFIELD Trailer Coming Soon!
It's been a LONG time since I heard anything about J.J. Abrams "giant-monster" flick (which up till now has had no official title). Apparently, on November 16 an all new trailer will debut in front of BEOWULF.
As an English major (and a fan of that epic poem), I really wasn't keen on seeing a big-budget BEOWULF movie...but this development has changed things.
For a description of the trailer (someone over at CHUD.com apparently saw the new trailer, somehow) head here.
Biggest news this trailer will give us all: the title of the freaking movie!!! According to the guy who saw this trailer early, the title is CLOVERFIELD after all!!! How ironic would it be if that was it's actual name? All this time we had it, but we thought it was just a placeholder...
Speaking of which, I saved my novel on my laptop under the title of "Blue Harvest." If you get this reference...you are indeed A MEGA dork.
As an English major (and a fan of that epic poem), I really wasn't keen on seeing a big-budget BEOWULF movie...but this development has changed things.
For a description of the trailer (someone over at CHUD.com apparently saw the new trailer, somehow) head here.
Biggest news this trailer will give us all: the title of the freaking movie!!! According to the guy who saw this trailer early, the title is CLOVERFIELD after all!!! How ironic would it be if that was it's actual name? All this time we had it, but we thought it was just a placeholder...
Speaking of which, I saved my novel on my laptop under the title of "Blue Harvest." If you get this reference...you are indeed A MEGA dork.
Friday, August 31, 2007
JJSaurus??? (A 1-18-08 Update)
So I was browsing Ain't It Cool News the other day, and noticed there was an update on the whole 1-18-08' front. Apparently some guy who has a friend who is friends (or someone related to an editor) dished about the creature--dubbed JJsaurus by AICN. Seems this thing has a bit of a parasite problem (which is interesting because PARASITE was one of the films working titles/aliases). Apparently in the flick the armed forces encounter a bit of a problem when fighting JJsaurus...seems that heavy artillery dislodges these smaller parasite creatures from JJsaurus.
I'm reminded of the rumors that this thing is somehow related to a whale (which are host to numerous parasites, including barnacles which fix themselves to a whales flank).
On paper all of this might make sense/be cool...but I can't help but shudder at the thought of actually SEEING this on screen. Frankly, I think it will be lame.
Also, there is a pretty good report of a longer teaser that's being prepared...which includes (apparently) a soldiers dire words. When asked by Rob what the creature is he says: "We don't know, but it's winning." Scary stuff. This same report also seems to suggest that their might be an illness/disease associated with this creature and/or it's appearance (a companion of Rob's complains of being sick/looks like she's going to vomits and starts "crying blood"). This goes along with a story I read a while back (can't remember where) that basically said there would be some zombie elements to this movie.
What does it all mean JJ?
I'm reminded of the rumors that this thing is somehow related to a whale (which are host to numerous parasites, including barnacles which fix themselves to a whales flank).
On paper all of this might make sense/be cool...but I can't help but shudder at the thought of actually SEEING this on screen. Frankly, I think it will be lame. Also, there is a pretty good report of a longer teaser that's being prepared...which includes (apparently) a soldiers dire words. When asked by Rob what the creature is he says: "We don't know, but it's winning." Scary stuff. This same report also seems to suggest that their might be an illness/disease associated with this creature and/or it's appearance (a companion of Rob's complains of being sick/looks like she's going to vomits and starts "crying blood"). This goes along with a story I read a while back (can't remember where) that basically said there would be some zombie elements to this movie.
What does it all mean JJ?
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Goodbye 01-18-08.com
Things have quieted down on the 01-18-08 front, but I still keep checking the film's website...ever-ready for an update. Then today to my shock, the website is gone--visitors are now routed to the official Paramount website (where you can now watch the 01-18-08 trailer). Anyway, the mystery seems to be over. The photos are gone...what were they trying to tell us?
I guess we'll find out in January.
I guess we'll find out in January.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
MONSTROUS
The Ain't it Cool News people posted this pic from Comic-Con. Check out the release date...
UPDATE! From EW (due out tomorrow):
UPDATE! From EW (due out tomorrow):
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Giant Robots...mega-floods...a typical night off
Against my better judgement, I went to the drive-in last night (yes alone). Despite working my ass off that morning, I knew I was going to be up all night (I was). For seven bucks, I had something to do until 2:00AM. What was playing?
Not much. The drive-in I frequent is playing it safe by really only showing "kiddie" type movies. Which is a shame (I really wanted to see the new Die Hard movie outside...where I saw parts 2 and 3). It was a toss up between Harry Potter and TRANSFORMERS. Now despite what you might think, I'm not a Potter "hater" per say. But I find the books are waaaay better than the films (which are, let's face it, a bit watered down). Though I do enjoy Alan Rickman. Anyway, I ended up seeing the giant robot movie.
As a kid, I wasn't as into Transformers as you might think. True, I grew up in the '80s...but my thing was He-Man (you know, "Master of the Universe"). In junior high/early high school I used to watch the excellent Transformers: Beast Wars. That one featured all the old bots, but instead of cars they were all animals. It was all early CGI (like reboot). If you ever get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it.
Basically, my hopes/expectations weren't up too high. Michael Bay is the Devil. As a serious movie/film buff, he work is pretty much bringing down the industry/art...blah...blah...blah. What the fuck do you want? They're giant robots! Bang bang BOOM! Ripped lads and sexy lasses looked hot as shit blew up all around them. The robots looked great. The military got represented in a positive (unrealistic?) way. God bless the USA. I hated it and I loved it. Michael Bay's only great movie is THE ROCK, everything else he's ever done is just a pale imitation (the lead character at one point has to flag down some choppers with a flare on top of a sky scrapper a-la Nick Cage at Alcatraz).
The only thing about this movie that surprised me was Shia LaBeouf. I kept hearing so much about this guy, I was curious to see if the hype was worth it. Granted, this isn't the best vehicle (pun intended) for an actor to show off his "chops," LaBeouf earned my respect. Is he truly the next Tom Hanks/Harrison Ford? Only time will tell. I will say that I was worried to hear that he would be playing Indy's son in INDIANA JONES 4...but after seeing TRANSFORMERS I think he'll do just fine. He plays that in-over-his-head average guy who wants to be brave/tough quite well (which is the act Ford uses for Indy). I'm almost hoping the rumors of a JONES JR. trilogy with LaBeouf are true.
The other movie was EVAN ALMIGHTY. Which was about as good as a Jim Carrey-less sequel can be. I was worried how they were going to fulfill Evan's prophecy but still remain (sorta) accurate to the Bible (I don't know much about religion, but the dude did promise not to do the whole "flood" thing again). The ending was (almost) worth the hour of bird poop jokes. The whole time I was watching it, I realized how much Leah would probably like it (lots of animals). Was it worth my money? No, but thankfully I only paid $3.30 to see it.
God bless the Drive-in. Oh!!! I almost forgot!!! I got to see the 1-18-08 trailer before TRANSFORMERS. It was scarier on the big screen...but frankly, it's lost some of it's teeth since I've seen this (awesome) parody:
Not much. The drive-in I frequent is playing it safe by really only showing "kiddie" type movies. Which is a shame (I really wanted to see the new Die Hard movie outside...where I saw parts 2 and 3). It was a toss up between Harry Potter and TRANSFORMERS. Now despite what you might think, I'm not a Potter "hater" per say. But I find the books are waaaay better than the films (which are, let's face it, a bit watered down). Though I do enjoy Alan Rickman. Anyway, I ended up seeing the giant robot movie.
As a kid, I wasn't as into Transformers as you might think. True, I grew up in the '80s...but my thing was He-Man (you know, "Master of the Universe"). In junior high/early high school I used to watch the excellent Transformers: Beast Wars. That one featured all the old bots, but instead of cars they were all animals. It was all early CGI (like reboot). If you ever get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it.
Basically, my hopes/expectations weren't up too high. Michael Bay is the Devil. As a serious movie/film buff, he work is pretty much bringing down the industry/art...blah...blah...blah. What the fuck do you want? They're giant robots! Bang bang BOOM! Ripped lads and sexy lasses looked hot as shit blew up all around them. The robots looked great. The military got represented in a positive (unrealistic?) way. God bless the USA. I hated it and I loved it. Michael Bay's only great movie is THE ROCK, everything else he's ever done is just a pale imitation (the lead character at one point has to flag down some choppers with a flare on top of a sky scrapper a-la Nick Cage at Alcatraz).
The only thing about this movie that surprised me was Shia LaBeouf. I kept hearing so much about this guy, I was curious to see if the hype was worth it. Granted, this isn't the best vehicle (pun intended) for an actor to show off his "chops," LaBeouf earned my respect. Is he truly the next Tom Hanks/Harrison Ford? Only time will tell. I will say that I was worried to hear that he would be playing Indy's son in INDIANA JONES 4...but after seeing TRANSFORMERS I think he'll do just fine. He plays that in-over-his-head average guy who wants to be brave/tough quite well (which is the act Ford uses for Indy). I'm almost hoping the rumors of a JONES JR. trilogy with LaBeouf are true.
The other movie was EVAN ALMIGHTY. Which was about as good as a Jim Carrey-less sequel can be. I was worried how they were going to fulfill Evan's prophecy but still remain (sorta) accurate to the Bible (I don't know much about religion, but the dude did promise not to do the whole "flood" thing again). The ending was (almost) worth the hour of bird poop jokes. The whole time I was watching it, I realized how much Leah would probably like it (lots of animals). Was it worth my money? No, but thankfully I only paid $3.30 to see it.
God bless the Drive-in. Oh!!! I almost forgot!!! I got to see the 1-18-08 trailer before TRANSFORMERS. It was scarier on the big screen...but frankly, it's lost some of it's teeth since I've seen this (awesome) parody:
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Interesting...if TRUE
An interesting article (from a mainstream news site) about 1-18-08/Cloverfield. Apparently the "Slusho" website is loaded with clues...also, check out the slightly spolier-is bits at the end of the article (concerning the creature):
http://www.9news.com/life/entertainment/article.aspx?storyid=73653
Also, Ain't It Cool News is reporting that the film will open with rescue/clean-up workers finding a camera in the debris of NYC. They push play on it, and then the audience gets a feature length version of the trailer. Sounds a bit BLAIR WITCH to me...but the realism of the trailer was compelling.
And, for anyone wanting to find out a little more about SLUSHO and such...check out this blog I found:
http://cloverfieldclues.blogspot.com/
This one appears to be more through/updated more often than the first blog I found devoted to this mystery.
UPDATE: Here is a link to the Ain't It Cool News story:
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33332
http://www.9news.com/life/entertainment/article.aspx?storyid=73653
Also, Ain't It Cool News is reporting that the film will open with rescue/clean-up workers finding a camera in the debris of NYC. They push play on it, and then the audience gets a feature length version of the trailer. Sounds a bit BLAIR WITCH to me...but the realism of the trailer was compelling.
And, for anyone wanting to find out a little more about SLUSHO and such...check out this blog I found:
http://cloverfieldclues.blogspot.com/
This one appears to be more through/updated more often than the first blog I found devoted to this mystery.
UPDATE: Here is a link to the Ain't It Cool News story:
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33332
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Slusho
Okay, this just keeps getting more and more strange.
I can't believe that Amber has sucked me into this damn thing...anyway, in case anyone cares (sorry if you don't):
Abrams old TV show was called ALIAS (perhaps you've heard of it), apparently on one episode one character offers another character a drink called a "slusho." A sharp eyed net-hound noticed a character in the 1-18-08 trailer appears to be wearing a shit for the fictional slurpy brand. It's also been reported that the film is shooting in and around LA under the guise of "Slusho" (complete with film trucks painted to look like Slusho trucks).
I dug around, Googled "Slusho" and found what appears to be a Japanese website for the product(http://slusho.jp/index.html). The site is super-cute (sorry no monsters here), and appears to be (mostly) in English. You can "email Slusho!" (which I did). I can't wait to get a response.
Interesting that the main character from the trailer is going to Japan (home of giant monsters...the most famous being Godzilla of course) and now this Japan-inspired website. Obviously this is a nod to the man-in-rubbersuit made famous in Japanese cinema. But could the creatures in 1-18-08 come from Japan???
That said, click on the "history" button and read about the "company." Interesting, no? Magic plants at the bottom of the sea? Changing from a small fish into a big whale? Could the monsters plaguing NYC be from the sea? Lots of fish/amphibian images...could this be a hint at the appearance of these creatures?
I NEED TO GET A FUCKING LIFE!!!
UPDATE: Well, I got an email response from the Slusho-site...this is what they wrote me:
Slusho! loves your mails!! You Can't Drink Just Six!!!
Also, there is a blog someone is running that covers this marketing/promotion:
http://haasunderground.blogspot.com/
I can't believe that Amber has sucked me into this damn thing...anyway, in case anyone cares (sorry if you don't):
Abrams old TV show was called ALIAS (perhaps you've heard of it), apparently on one episode one character offers another character a drink called a "slusho." A sharp eyed net-hound noticed a character in the 1-18-08 trailer appears to be wearing a shit for the fictional slurpy brand. It's also been reported that the film is shooting in and around LA under the guise of "Slusho" (complete with film trucks painted to look like Slusho trucks).
I dug around, Googled "Slusho" and found what appears to be a Japanese website for the product(http://slusho.jp/index.html). The site is super-cute (sorry no monsters here), and appears to be (mostly) in English. You can "email Slusho!" (which I did). I can't wait to get a response.
Interesting that the main character from the trailer is going to Japan (home of giant monsters...the most famous being Godzilla of course) and now this Japan-inspired website. Obviously this is a nod to the man-in-rubbersuit made famous in Japanese cinema. But could the creatures in 1-18-08 come from Japan???
That said, click on the "history" button and read about the "company." Interesting, no? Magic plants at the bottom of the sea? Changing from a small fish into a big whale? Could the monsters plaguing NYC be from the sea? Lots of fish/amphibian images...could this be a hint at the appearance of these creatures?
I NEED TO GET A FUCKING LIFE!!!
UPDATE: Well, I got an email response from the Slusho-site...this is what they wrote me:
Slusho! loves your mails!! You Can't Drink Just Six!!!
Also, there is a blog someone is running that covers this marketing/promotion:
http://haasunderground.blogspot.com/
The 1-18-08 Mystery
Good news everyone! Leah called me today and told me that we got the apartment. I'm really excited to get out there and start living in it (even though I've never had to pay for my home...the concept is foreign to me). Anyway, that kinda got me up a little early. So, I went upstairs...and found Amber staring at her computer.
Seems that my little sister is obsessed with the trailer I posted about yesterday. She "Googled" and "YouTubed" this thing, and let me tell you--I'm impressed. The research she's done is pretty good. Here is what she told me:
1. This is NOT a new Godzilla movie. Apparently it's being put out by Paramount (which puts out J.J.'s TV show LOST) which does NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO GODZILLA. Godzilla is distributed by Tri-Star in this country. Now that could have changed, but it would have been news.
2. There is an official website for 1-18-08, you can find it here: http://www.1-18-08.com/. It's very basic, just two time-stamped photos. One is a pic from the party (one dude giving another dude a shot). The other is more interesting, it's a close up of two chicks...who seem scared out of their minds. We thought there might be something hidden in it...and it seems there is an image of a devil in the girl on the left's hair (in between the faces, do you see it? Or are we crazy?).
3. A guy on YouTube did an analysis of the sound, and when he slowed it down proved that the people on the street are saying: "It's alive, it's huge." You can go here and see all his (super-nerdy) research: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uHbwPF5yJk. So no "lions" thank God.
4. The movie is not listed on Paramounts website as an official project (with a release date). Why is that? Also there are a bunch of websites out there claiming to be related to this strange marketing campaign, but on Ain't It Cool News, J.J. himself claims that the only site people have thus found is the official 1-18-08 site. You can read his open letter here: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33261.
5. Apparently, this film is known as "Cloverfield." Where she got that I don't know, but we both think that's a red herring/fake name or "project handle." This is common in Hollywood. I read that RETURN OF THE JEDI was called "Project Blue" or something like that.
Also, anyone with Bible knowledge think 1-18-08 could be Biblical verse? That's a claim that's out there...I haven't looked it up (alas, my heathen family has no Bible).
I'm sure this bores some people to tears, I also know that this level of interest is exactly what J.J. and his studio are hoping for. I think that as we get answers we're all going to be disappointed. Me and Amber talked about that aspect and have decided that we're going to see this thing no matter what. The way we see it, Abrams is ALREADY entertaining us by giving us such an interesting mystery. I remember when they did this for "A.I." and wasn't pulled in...not sure why I got sucked into this one, but I'm sure this won't be my last post about this film.
UPDATE: IMDB had a link on it's main page to an article on the website Filmthreat.com that has an outline of the 1-18-08 mystery. You can find the story here: http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=features&Id=1990. Ignore the "Ethan Haas" stuff, if you read the J.J. Abrams note on Ain't It Cool...he debunks these sites (or is he trying to throw us off track?).
Seems that my little sister is obsessed with the trailer I posted about yesterday. She "Googled" and "YouTubed" this thing, and let me tell you--I'm impressed. The research she's done is pretty good. Here is what she told me:
1. This is NOT a new Godzilla movie. Apparently it's being put out by Paramount (which puts out J.J.'s TV show LOST) which does NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO GODZILLA. Godzilla is distributed by Tri-Star in this country. Now that could have changed, but it would have been news.
2. There is an official website for 1-18-08, you can find it here: http://www.1-18-08.com/. It's very basic, just two time-stamped photos. One is a pic from the party (one dude giving another dude a shot). The other is more interesting, it's a close up of two chicks...who seem scared out of their minds. We thought there might be something hidden in it...and it seems there is an image of a devil in the girl on the left's hair (in between the faces, do you see it? Or are we crazy?).
3. A guy on YouTube did an analysis of the sound, and when he slowed it down proved that the people on the street are saying: "It's alive, it's huge." You can go here and see all his (super-nerdy) research: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uHbwPF5yJk. So no "lions" thank God.
4. The movie is not listed on Paramounts website as an official project (with a release date). Why is that? Also there are a bunch of websites out there claiming to be related to this strange marketing campaign, but on Ain't It Cool News, J.J. himself claims that the only site people have thus found is the official 1-18-08 site. You can read his open letter here: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/33261.
5. Apparently, this film is known as "Cloverfield." Where she got that I don't know, but we both think that's a red herring/fake name or "project handle." This is common in Hollywood. I read that RETURN OF THE JEDI was called "Project Blue" or something like that.
Also, anyone with Bible knowledge think 1-18-08 could be Biblical verse? That's a claim that's out there...I haven't looked it up (alas, my heathen family has no Bible).
I'm sure this bores some people to tears, I also know that this level of interest is exactly what J.J. and his studio are hoping for. I think that as we get answers we're all going to be disappointed. Me and Amber talked about that aspect and have decided that we're going to see this thing no matter what. The way we see it, Abrams is ALREADY entertaining us by giving us such an interesting mystery. I remember when they did this for "A.I." and wasn't pulled in...not sure why I got sucked into this one, but I'm sure this won't be my last post about this film.
UPDATE: IMDB had a link on it's main page to an article on the website Filmthreat.com that has an outline of the 1-18-08 mystery. You can find the story here: http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=features&Id=1990. Ignore the "Ethan Haas" stuff, if you read the J.J. Abrams note on Ain't It Cool...he debunks these sites (or is he trying to throw us off track?).
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Viral Marketing Works...
Super-Producer/LOST creator J.J. Abrams next movie has a super-awesome, super-mystical trailer before the new TRANSFORMERS movie. Ever see the trailer for RED EYE? It's a bit like that...it starts out looking like one kind of movie--then "transforms" into something darker, something bat-shit crazy!!!
Go check it out over at the Apple website, and then tell me what you think:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/11808/
Go check it out over at the Apple website, and then tell me what you think:
http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/11808/
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