Watchmen Update!

There is a new trailer online that gives us our first look at the Tales of the Black Freighter. MTV has it here. While it is woefully short, I for one cannot wait to see more.

~Lauren

Shameless Promotion

Strictly speaking, this blog is dedicated to movies. However, Katie and I, especially me, do watch an insane amount of television. We just agreed to make this blog about movies. However, this is going to be one of those rare times in which I discuss television.

Dollhouse is the latest work from the ever masterful Joss Whedon. This is the man who has written Toy Story, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, and Serenity. He is one of my favorite writers in Hollywood. Unfortunately, it seems that Fox hates him. Firefly, despite it's brilliance, was cancelled. It looks as though Dollhouse will soon meet the same fate.

The show premiered Friday night to abysmal ratings. Anyone could have foreseen that. I mean, Fox put it on a Friday night. It's clearly geared to the scifi/geek audience, which is fine. I appreciate the fact that Fox has been creating such shows with this audience in mind. The Sarah Connor Chronicles, while in no way a great show, gets points for effort. I chalk it's failure up to Lena Headey's inability to act. Fringe, even though I don't particularly like it, gets credit for trying to be the X-Files. Placing Dollhouse after The Sarah Connor Chronicles makes sense, I guess. However, placing Dollhouse on a Friday night is suicide. The Scifi channel dominates every geek's Friday night with Battlestar. Even if Dollhouse is a full hour before Battlestar, forget it. Battlestar fans are too busy waiting to find out how their favorite show will end. And as for a non-geek audience, it's a Friday night. Those people will be out watching movies at the theater. In short: Dear Fox, you're morons.

So, since this show is already fated to be canceled, I encourage you to jump on the Dollhouse bandwagon. If the numbers go up, then the show might last longer. So watch Dollhouse on Fridays at 9/8c on Fox. If you missed the first episode, watch it at Hulu.

~Lauren

Trailer Watch

It is here at last. If you haven't gotten to look at the first teaser for Inglorious Basterds, look no further. As psyched as I am for Tarantino's next movie, something about this trailer seems a bit too reminiscent of a certain Cormac McCarthy novel. But seriously, if nothing else, this trailer proves that Tarantino must adapt Blood Meridian into a movie. If you haven't read that novel, press pause on your dvd player and get to the nearest bookstore. But back to the trailer, how creepy is Eli Roth's grin?

Here is another new trailer for you. The Taking of Pelham 123 stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta. I commend this trailer first for its use of "99 Problems." Trailer music is always an interesting selection process. This one has one of the weirdest selections ever. From "99 Problems" we move onto what sounds suspiciously like Explosions in the Sky. Even weirder than the mix of music, is the dialogue between Washington and a woman I assume to be his character's wife. "You do what you need to do, but we need milk." What is this? Bad, bad trailer cutting. This dialogue makes NO sense. Maybe it will in the context of the movie, but not in this trailer. It is refreshing to see Travolta in a serious role, i.e. not Hairsray or Bolt. Finally, does this feel vaguely like Inside Man to anyone else?

This next set of trailers are all serious movies, which is odd, since this is the time of year we get our summer blockbuster trailers. It must be the result of Film Festival Season. Anyways, we have Must Read After My Death and The Education of Charlie Banks. Neither of these look like particularly happy films. Must Read After My Death feels like a Sam Mendes movie, only a true story, which really says a lot about what to expect.

Diego Luna has apparently decided to start producing movies. I'm not really sure what else to say about the trailer for Sin Nombre, other than I'm pretty sure it uses the same music as The Motorcycle Diaries trailer.

Also, the trailer for American Violet hit the internet this week. The trailer starts out weak, but improves as it goes. Still, looks like a somewhat solid film.

Finally, if you are feeling like you want to liquify your brain, I have the perfect trailer for you. Watch the Dragonball Evolution trailer if you dare. I have only one comment: why, Hollywood, why?

~Lauren

HELP WANTED!

We, Katie and Lauren, need your, the readers, help. In case it somehow escaped your notice, it's award season in the cinematic world. In light of this, we have decided to create our own awards. This is where you come in. 

We need some suggestions for 

1. A name for this snazzy award

2. Categories

3. Nominees

Here's a goal/mission statement so you understand our aim in this matter. Every year, awards are given to movies most people probably don't see. Let's face it, limited release means half the movies nominated for awards are never seen outside of art houses in New York, Chicago, and L.A. Box office gems, like The Dark Knight, get constantly overlooked. Our awards will go to these overlooked, but great movies. 

For some inspiration to encourage those ideas to flow, probable categories at this point include Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best visual Effects, and Best Screenplay. Obviously, these are the usual categories. We want you to tell us what you think of these potential categories: Best Technical Explosion and/or Use of Pyrotechnics, Best Fight Choreography, and Best Film Set in a Foreign Country (in regards to the last one, this is up for suggestion because most people don't see foreign films; they do see movies set entirely in foreign countries). Also, what if instead of Best Score we had a category for Best Use of a Song in a movie that hadn't been written for that movie?

Please comment and give us possible titles, categories, and nominees. Input is greatly appreciated. Think of this as a new way of procrastination if you need an excuse. 

Thank you,

Katie and Lauren

Box Office Injustice

I feel compelled to report box office results, mainly because it's a study in the stupidity of the American public, although congratulations to Taken for getting the number one spot. Maybe America isn't entirely as hopeless as it seemed last weekend, when Paul Blart was number one. So, without further ado, the take for January 30 - February 1. Numbers have been rounded.

1. Taken $24.7 million

2. Paul Blart $13.8 million ($83 million total - Why, America, why?)

3. The Uninvited $10 million

4. Hotel For Dogs $8.6 million

5. Gran Torino $8.2 million

6. Slumdog Millionaire $7.6 million

7. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans $7.5 million

8. New In Town $6.7 million

9. My Bloody Valentine 3-D $4.4 million

10. Inkheart $3.7 million

We would now like to strongly encourage you NOT to see Paul Blart this weekend. If you want to see a movie, see the reviews on this site for some advice. We also strongly, strongly endorse Slumdog Millionaire. If you haven't seen it, run to the nearest theater. Other contenders for this weekend's number one spot are the newcomers Coraline, He's Just Not That Into You, Pink Panther 2, Push, Chocolate, and Fanboys. Personally, I'm heavily suggesting you go out and see both Push and the long awaited Fanboys. Reviews will be posted when (monetary circumstances permitting) we see them.

And please, people, it's an injustice to humanity that Paul Blart was even made. Spare yourselves.

~Lauren

However, just as an obligatory PS to this great post: I actually walked out of The Pink Panther. I got up from my seat and took a phone call, which I had never done before and hope will never have to do again. Easily one of the most painful cinematic experiences of my life. And I had only paid a dollar to see it. If the sequel to this travesty tops the box office, I may be more ashamed of my fellow man than I am right now with Paul Blart in the number one slot.

Yeah. I said it.

-Katie

McG's attempt to make a good movie

I love Terminator. Love, love, love it. You know what I love even more? Terminator 2. You know what movie is number five on my list of top ten worst movies ever made? Terminator 3. Hence, I was really, really worried when I heard there was going to be a fourth installment in the series. I almost threw up when I heard McG was directing this project. I felt slightly more hope when I heard that Christian Bale was signed on to be John Connor. I mean, if anyone would be the perfect John Connor, it would be Bale.

If you, like me, are still really worried about how much Terminator: Salvation could potentially suck, here's an interview with McG which may or may not give you hope. I'm liking the new terminator designs. It's sort of like the sentinels in The Matrix at times, but nowadays there isn't an action movie made that doesn't draw some kind of inspiration from that movie. What's really interesting is the process used to develop/corrode the film. Thoughts anyone?

~Lauren

Trailer Watch: Super Bowl Edition

As I've mentioned before, the Super Bowl brings all kinds of fun new trailers. In case you blinked and missed them, here they are again for your viewing pleasure.

Transformers 2

I cannot freaking wait for this nonsense. Awesome teaser. It has almost a Terminator vibe at times. I desperately want the full trailer. I had a few issues with the first movie. Megan Fox irritates the hell out of me, and the dialogue in the first movie was downright laughable, but Transformers is exactly the sort of thing Katie and I eat up, movies that are so bad they're amazing. Michael Bay, worst director in Hollywood after Uwe Boll, finally found the perfect project to apply his skills, or lack thereof.

Up

Cannot wait for more Pixar glory.

Star Trek

I'd make a comment on this trailer, but I'm too busy brushing up on my Klingon.

Fast and Furious

Personally, I don't think it was necessary to make this movie. This trailer is basically a shorten version of the trailer that's already been put out.

Angels & Demons

I'd like to discuss how irritating it is that (1) they've made the first book as a sequel to the second book and that (2) Ewan McGregor is in this movie, but the rant would be way too long. Suffice to say, I'm betting this will suck.

Monsters vs. Aliens

Am I the only one who hates 3D movies? Name one decent 3D movie. Oh, and for the record, Beowulf sucked and doesn't count.

Escape to Witch Mountain

Why must Disney continue to create bad remakes of classic Disney movies?

Land of the Lost

Oh boy. I have a very sneaking suspicion Alyssa is going to drag me to this.

Year One

Michael Cera, how could you betray your fans like this?

As a side note, I've expressed some frustration with Jason Statham's recent career moves. The jury is still out as to whether or not the Audi commercial was a good move or a bad move. This commercial feels like a summary of the Transporter movies. I'm starting to wonder if Hollywood thinks the only thing he's capable of doing onscreen is driving a car.

~Lauren