tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61869167096762266542024-03-08T02:40:18.996-08:00Adam Does MoviesAdam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-14814630671284560282012-05-23T10:34:00.002-07:002012-05-23T10:43:28.395-07:00The Avengers: More Than Just A Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Before I was ever a movie nerd, I was a comic book nerd. In fact, you can say that I was destined to be one. When I was in utero, my parents believed that I was going to be a girl. My brother, Arik, how was seven at the time, held on to the hope that I would be a boy. An active comic book reader, himself, he struck up a deal with my dad to name me if I was a boy. At the time, Arik’s favorite comic book character was </div>
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTnEIyFmLfXWe6Chupkyt11iEUKJ7uIBO6t-kzc61MHQp8rW09y" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTnEIyFmLfXWe6Chupkyt11iEUKJ7uIBO6t-kzc61MHQp8rW09y" /></a>The Atom, a super-hero that had the power to shrink to the size of an atom. The compromise was that if I was born a boy, I would be named Adam rather than The Atom. As I grew up, I learned how to read with comic books. By the time that I started school, I was already familiar with Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, and my favorite, the X-Men. As a pre-teen, I remember saving my allowance until I had enough money for a year-long subscription to two different comic books. I was afraid that if I asked my mom to write a check for me, that she would tell me to spend my money on something more practical. So I wrapped my subscription paper around a wad of cash and sealed it in an envelope. Then I walked several blocks away from my house and dropped the envelope in a mailbox. I saw neither a magazine nor my money again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In 2000, the first X-Men movie was made and it changed the world of movies forever. With its success, the movie was able to please comic book fans while changing enough to keep the non-fan equally happy. It showed that just because the story came from a comic book, didn’t mean that the movie had to be like a live-action cartoon. The problem with the X-Men movies was that it wasn’t focused on a single hero and it took time to develop the back story of an entire group. Marvel learned from this and bought back the rights to Black Widow from Lions Gate Entertainment in 2004, Iron Man from New Line Cinema in 2005, the Hulk from Universal Studios and Thor from Sony in 2006. They then developed movies as individual franchises all leading up to an eventual super-movie, The Avengers. During this process, Disney acknowledged the potential in these properties and bought the company, Marvel for $4.24 Billion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This purchase left many fans afraid that Disney would convert these properties back into cartoons aimed at children. Others were excited at the fact that Disney also owned Pixar. This is an animation studio that has grown a reputation for making movies that make money hand over fist not only in the box office, but also with their toys and licensing. But one thing that Disney has always done well is protect their licensure. In 2010, Disney bought the distribution rights for The Avengers and Iron Man 3 from Paramount.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So, how did the movie work out? I was one of the people that helped The Avengers gross over a billion dollars worldwide in just 19 days. This was the first movie that I went to go see in the theaters since Avatar came out in 2009. It was also the perfect movie to take my 5-year-old son, Tate. Tate loves movies and superheroes, Iron Man in particular and leading up to The Avengers, we watched all of the individual movies together. There were several points during the movie that I smiled to myself and couldn’t help but think that movies like this are the reason why people love going to the theater. At one point, I put my hand on Tate’s leg and he was vibrating. He wasn’t cold or bouncing his foot, but excited and completely absorbed in the movie.</div>
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The thing that worked so well about this movie was the fact that it the characters had already been established in other movies, allowing us to jump right into the action. Through Joss Whedon’s writing and directing, the characters were able to establish themselves in the world of the movie and also to create believable relationships with one another. The heroes didn’t immediately like each other because they were all good guys. Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man/Tony Stark was great a great portrayal of well-liked character that’s biggest fan is himself. He seemed like an older brother that is always poking and prodding others to do better. Chris Evan’s Captain America walks a fine line between character and caricature. Captain America is a good man that feels obligated to do whatever he can for his country, but he isn’t beyond asking why. Or willing to come to fisticuffs with Tony Stark without his Iron Man suit on. Thor is a torn between the pride of being an Asguardian and the brother of Loki, the man set on ruling Earth. Whedon gives a lot of love to the second-tier heroes of Black Widow and Hawkeye, too. But the character that I liked the most was the Hulk. While Mark Ruffalo did a great job as a subdued scientist always trying to bury his anger and prevent the immersion of the personification of pure anger. But when the Hulk comes out and starts smashing, that’s what people want to see. That’s also why his movies never work. The best parts when he’s destroying everything around him. While the 3-D for the movie didn’t rely on gimmicks and people throwing things directly at the audience, I found it distracting. To me, a guy with a film degree, I found the special effect shots disruptive in 3-D. That’s because it was during these shots that Whedon showed his hand. It became obvious to me that this is the type of movie that uses a lot of green screen effects. And I just spend $4 extra to have that pointed out to me. A couple hundred times. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As we were walking out of the theater, I asked Tate if he liked this movie better than the Iron Man movies. After thinking about it for a few seconds, he told me that he liked The Avengers better. Then he said that he needed to tell me something. He grabbed his crotch and told me that had an accident.<br />
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“Why?” I asked him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“The movie was so good,” he told me, “I didn’t want to miss anything.” And that was that. I couldn’t be mad at him. It seemed to me that The Avengers had live up to all of its hype. It also seemed to me that I had created a bigger movie fan than myself. </div>
</div>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-78779723301697388892012-04-27T00:01:00.003-07:002012-04-27T06:17:32.437-07:00Adam's Top 5: Robot Movies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Iron Giant (1999)<br />
This is one of those movies that were universally heralded, but nobody went to the theater to watch. First seen as a failure, but later deemed successful after it recouped its costs in the rental and video market. Before Brad Bird directed Ratatouille and the Incredibles, he directed this wonderful movie. 9-year old Hogarth finds and befriends a giant alien robot (Vin Diesel) that, upon entry to Earth, loses its memory and the fact that it was sent to destroy Earth. This movie has a great story that touches upon many adult themes that will make it enjoyable for adults and the animation is great, so the kids will like it as well.<br />
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Robocop (1987)</div>
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This movie is about a veteran cop that dies in the line of
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program. I was eight years old when this movie came out, but because I had
neither cable television nor a VCR, it wasn’t until I was a bit older that I
saw this movie for the first time at my cousin’s house. My uncle was the kind
of guy that had stacks and stacks of movies that were either recorded from TV or bootleg copies bought from a flea market. They were always action movies (almost all Kung Fu) and usually had little to no production value. I remember after watching this movie, I would walk around taking slow, heavy steps and pretend to whirl around a fake gun and place it in my thigh. </div>
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Short Circuit (1986)</div>
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Number 5 is a robot built for the Cold War by the scientist Newton Graham Crosby, played by Steve Guttenberg who starred in roughly 28% of all movies made in the 80s. But when it is struck by lightning, he become sentient. The strike leaves him confused and he wanders around until he comes to the house of Stephanie Speck (Ally Sheedy). Speck is a free-spirited woman that loves animals and treats Number 5 as if he was one of them. While at her house, he gets as much input as he can get, flipping through television channels and reading encyclopedias he gains an appreciation for life and dubs himself Johnny 5. He also rids himself of all weapons. I remember quoting this movie a lot as a kid. I would randomly yell "JOHNNY 5 IS ALIVE" and was particularly fond of reciting the mantra of the gang from the sequel. <i>Los Locos Kick Your Ass. Los Locos Kick Your Face. Los Locos Kick Your Balls Into Outer Space!</i><br />
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Terminator 2 (1991)</div>
While this was a sequel to a movie whose place on this list could be easily argued for, I believe that this is a better Robot Movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as a T-800 sent back from the future by John Connor to protect himself and his mother, Sarah (Linda Hamilton). At the time of it's completion, this was the most expensive movie ever made, costing nearly $100 million. Much of the costs came from the T-1000 character, a liquid metal robot played by Robert Patrick. The shapeshifting of the T-1000 was something that most movie viewers had never seen anything like before. When the two Terminators fought, it nothing short of amazing. As seen by the movie's four technical academy award wins.<br />
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Transformers (2007)</div>
When this movie was announced, I was one of the people that scoffed at a movie based off of a child's toy. Then I saw it. Throughout his career, Michael Bay has been burned by critics as his movies make money hand over fist. A Transformers movie was the perfect vehicle for his penchant for explosions, MTV-style quick edits and over the top acting. Regardless of what you think about the quality of filmmaking for the initial Transformers movie, it was highly entertaining. This was a movie that actually lived up to those generic things that people write about actions movies. Things like pulse-pounding adrenaline rush. When you finish watching this movie, you feel like getting out of your seat and going on a run while unnecessarily jumping over as many things that you can.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Josh Nichol's Picks.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5. Toys</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4. Wall-E</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3. I-Robot</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2. Batteries Not Included</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. Short Circuit</span> <br />
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Josh used to be an unofficial roommate of Adam. Josh worked at Hollywood Video until Adam recruited him to work for at Blockbuster Video for him. He was a terrible employee for three years before he became a FedEx driver, where he watches movies on a portable laptop when he is sitting at stoplights. Josh has a fondness for movies made in the 80s and movies made for teenage girls. His collection of over 1,000 movies is kept in both alphabetical and chronological order. </div>
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</div>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-47046617400735406562012-04-27T00:00:00.000-07:002012-04-27T10:49:04.603-07:00Spencer's Top 5 Robot Movies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Top 5 Robot Movies: I will preface my Top 5 Robot Movies list by stating there are plenty of films I didn't even consider until after the fact, <i>Short Circuit </i>being the most obvious. So I apologize to all the Steve Guttenberg fans out there. But let's move on with the list, shall we?<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">“All those moments will be lost in time. Like tears in rain...Time to die.” This, of course, is the famous soliloquy by Roy Batty (played by the always awesome Rutger Hauer) in the dystopian future neo-noir film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blade Runner</i>. It would be hard not to have <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blade Runner</i> on this list because it should be on any “top” list if you are able to put it there. It has been recognized not only as one of the best science fiction films of all time but it’s stock as generally amazing film, over time, only seems to go up in overall critical reception. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">The premise is there are robots, known as replicants, they are indiscernible from “real” adult human beings. There are enforcement agents, or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">blade runners </i>if you will, that are hired to “retire” the replicants. There are a handful of replicants who search for ways of extending their lives. They decide that Rutger Hauer isn’t enough to carry a film and at which point Harrison Ford is hired to hunt them down. The movie brings up many philosophical debates about what exactly humanity <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>and if there is room for artificial intelligence to be accepted on the same level as conventional human beings. There are multiple times where the most humane acts come from Rutger Hauer and the aforementioned line at the beginning of this post is one of the more beautiful and touching soliloquies in cinema history.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">You’ll often find yourself feeling upset for the replicants and thinking that the “real” humans are pricks. I find that really defines the duality of man: part empathy and part asshole. And humans are usually more asshole than empathy. If there was a recipe for mankind it would probably be about 4 parts assholes and 1 part empathy. And then add 3 eggs and a stick of butter. Wait, nevermind. I am mixing my baked human being metaphor with my snickerdoodle recipe. Anyway, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blade Runner</i> is good. Watch it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bonus Thoughts/Questions:</b> Is Daryl Hannah hot in this movie or just really weird looking?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Terminator 2: Judgment Day:</span><br />
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<a href="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxdD2rDhCavsv1nfwDqAKbfURIkBdriZnzkvIwxhVp5ItNujn24w" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="uh_hi" data-height="270" data-width="186" height="270" id="rg_hi" src="https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxdD2rDhCavsv1nfwDqAKbfURIkBdriZnzkvIwxhVp5ItNujn24w" style="height: 270px; width: 186px;" width="186" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I can only imagine what my life as an 8 year old would have been like without this film. It made me very afraid of nuclear holocaust and playgrounds. I shouldn’t have known what the former was and should have been enjoying the shit out of the latter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">T-2 has everything: Explosions, Arnold, Bobby Budnick on a dirtbike…everything. Oh yeah, and robots, because that’s what this list is about. The best thing about T-2, however, is it is the last movie to not overstep it's bounds with CGI. They knew what computers could do with film and they used it to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">complement</i> the rest of the film. Now-a-days you would you think some filmmakers (ahem, Michael Bay) wouldn’t even know <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to make a film unless 85% of it used green screen and giant computer animated monstrosities. And even though the maker of T-2, James Cameron, is one of the biggest perpetrators of the excess of stupid CGI and gimmicks (why the fuck does Titanic need to be in 3-D? Also, why did Titanic need to be made in the first place?) I still must give him eternal props for making this fine piece of film. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here is a clip of the alternate ending. (Apparently decades from now orange overalls will make a comeback and so will cassette tape recorders for taking dictation.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b>Bonus Thoughts/Questions:</b> So we are supposed to believe, in the sequels, that John Connor goes from being Eddie Furlong, to Nick Staahl, to Christian Bale? I am sorry but that is where the story loses plause for me. I believe in time travel and robots becoming self aware causing the apocalypse but Eddie Furlong turning into Christian Bale? C'mon now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Metropolis:</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Metropolis: Fritz Lang’s classic German expressionist film set in a futuristic urban dystopia. This film has to be on this last because I have a cinema degree and it is the scholarly (pretentious) thing to do. I have never actually <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seen</i> this film. That’s right, the guy with the cinema degree hasn’t seen one of the best silent films of all times. I somehow saw F.W. Murnau’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunrise </i>about a hundred times (que only people who went to film school and overly artistic assholes to laugh at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">that</i> one.) but have not seen this, not all of it at least. What I have seen of it make it seem strange. People march around they are in a Pink Floyd video a lot andt here is a robot lady that gets brought to lift in a similar fashion as Frankenstein…but a robot. So yeah, if you like Germans, robot ladies, and flying cars and shit, THIS is the movie for you.</span></span></div>
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<b>Bonus Thoughts/Questions:</b> I consider myself to be a big believer in watching a movie however the director originally meant it to be seen. Which is why this problem comes up: Do you watch the original version or the restored version that has soundtrack contributions from Pat Benatar, Freddie Mercury, and Adam Ant? Quite the conundrum.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey:</span> <br />
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Bill And Ted’s Bogus Journey: I am hesitant to put a movie with Keanu Reeves in it on the list, mostly because I don’t like thinking about Keanu Reeves. BUT the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bill And Ted </i>series has a special place in my heart. The premise is that human Bill and Ted get killed and replaced by evil robot versions of themselves. They must fight their way back from the afterlife to try and save the future and their fiancés (the medieval princesses from the original.) This movie stands out for a few reasons: 1.) Keanu Reeves is tolerable because he plays an idiot. He is good at playing an idiot. It suits him. 2.) It is the last time anyone can recall seeing Alex Winters (Bill) 3.) It was the last movie to use the word “fag” in an attempted to be good-natured comical way. I am not saying I agree with its use or context but I always find it amazing to look back at movies and up until about the early to mid-90’s the word “fag” was somewhere in between “damn it” and “shit” on the “swear words okay-ness list.”* </div>
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*To my knowledge no such list actually exists.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Bonus Thoughts/Questions:</b> Does anybody else find it strange/ironic that some of the most lively, non-monotone acting Keanu has done is when he is supposed to be a robot?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Godfather Part III</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Watch the clip below and try and tell me that Sofia Coppola is not some sort of automaton in this movie. Fast forward to just before the one minute mark.</span><br />
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<b>Bonus Thoughts/Questions:</b> Is that blood or oil (robot fuel?) Also, this is one of those times in films when I know the audience is supposed to be very upset but I can't help but giggle. It's similar to how I laugh when that kid gets T-boned in <i>Remember The Titans</i>. Is this bad filmmaking or me being a bad person? I am guessing a little bit of both.</div>
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</div>Link121http://www.blogger.com/profile/15689092653185003932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-55461197152714687152012-04-20T00:01:00.000-07:002012-04-20T00:01:02.573-07:005 More Things That I Hate About Movies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"> The Following is a running list of things that bother me about movies:</div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">No dropped calls except during emergencies. What frustrates me about this is that the only place that I drop calls is at my own house. So if you call me while I am watching a movie, I might pause a movie that this is happening, only to drop the call mid-sentence.</div></li>
<li>People lie in bed with blankets up to their neck. I can understand if every movie took place in Alaska. During the winter. But sometimes it is annoying trying to get that PG-13 Rating. <a name='more'></a></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">People hold their hands up to the oppisite sides of a glass window. The only time that I can say that people really do this, is at the zoo. At an ape exhibit.</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">When people go crashing through something, the hole is shaped like them. This isn't reserved for cartoons. Check out one of my favorite movies as a kid, Hook.</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">People represent themselves in court without law degrees. And win. I am not saying that this doesn't happen in real life. The thing is, when these "based on real life" events make it to a movie, it is because it is incredible and not normally the case. </div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">Fight Dancing. Nobody in the history of the world has ever had a fight dance.</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">When people say “If I’ve ever meant anything to you…” to an ex to ask for a favor. In movies this precedes a ridiculous request that is usually illegal, completely inappropriate or something to save a marriage. </div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">A pregnant woman’s water always breaks. This is something that I didn’t realize until I had kids. In reality, fewer than 15% of women have a rupture. When it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> happen, it is usually a small trickle, not a reverse geyser. </div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">Opposing sharpshooters that can’t hit each other in the final showdown. Just because two different characters have been bad-ass for the previous 90 minutes doesn’t mean that their skills nullify one another.</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">People kissing in the rain. I understand that this can be visually striking and it exemplifies when people are so in love that they don’t care about their surroundings. With the exception of children, slip-n-sliders and people during a drought, normal people don’t enjoy spending time in the rain.</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">When someone is stranded on an island and they suddenly become a tracker, hunter, builder and engineer. This is selling it short on how difficult any of these things are to not only learn, but to be able to perform. There is a reason why people that can do these are paid well (hunters and trackers are paid in food).</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">People having heart attacks are revived using paddles. This is something that I didn’t realize until I started working in an ER. People simply don’t use paddles anymore, unless they are internal. The first defibrillator was invented in 1899 and there have been many advances since the original. Now, resuscitation electrodes are placed on the front and back instead of on both sides of the heart.</div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: left;">Aliens have a grudge against large American cities with recognizable monuments.</div></li>
</ol></div>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-38092204270270458902012-04-13T00:01:00.033-07:002012-04-18T11:32:59.322-07:00Top 5: Zombie Comedies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from:<br />
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</div>One thing that makes zombie movies fun to watch is that, at any point, anybody can become a raging, killing machine. It could be the innocent six year girl that lives next door or your eighty year old grandma that never leaves her room in your parents’ house. There is a primal level of enjoyment in watching these normally innocent characters turn into foul-mouthed brain seekers. Secondly, it’s equally fun to watch these characters get punched in the face or decapitated with some pruning shears. A third aspect that makes zombie movies (even strait horror movies) fun to watch is how characters use everyday objects as weapons when they inevitably run out of ammunition. One thing that sets zombie comedies apart from their more horror-centered story lines is that they are made tongue-in-cheek. These are generally made by people that are fans of the genre that often site other movies in their own whether through direct reference, homage or pastiche. And, apparently, 1992 was the year of zombie comedies.<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><a name='more'></a><b>Army of Darkness (1992)</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/4vvJCg2JsIc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><b><br />
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Although any of the Evil Dead movies could have been submitted here, I think that Sam Raimi amps up the level of ridiculousness in the final movie of this zombie trilogy. In Army of Darkness, the main character, Ash, is transported to 1300 AD England. Along with him come his car and a chainsaw. That later gets attached to his hand. So that he can fight the undead. Played by Bruce Campbell (who has as much of a cult following as this movie). Reorder those sentences however you want and you still come up with an incredibly entertaining zombie movie. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Buy it: <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0025VLEMK&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0783227434&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> or Rent it: <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000ICXQOM&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<b>Dead Alive (1992)</b><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Before Peter Jackson became a bankable Hollywood director, he started off by making this major studio debut. While Lionel is on a date at the zoo, his demanding mother is following him, ready to sabotage the date. While hiding in the bushes, she is bit by a curse Sumatran monkey. This not only turns her into a zombie, but sets in motion a chain of events to turn the whole town into a zombie. This movie has a bit of everything for a zombie fan. Killer grannies, blood, guts and kung fu priests. Even a stop motion rat monkey that gives a nod to one of Jackson’s heroes, Ray Harryhausen. Not only did Peter Jackson not take the movie too seriously, you can tell that he had a lot of fun coming up with ways to kill off people. This movie has been the bloodiest movie of all time, purely based off of the amount of fake blood used in the final sequence.<br />
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Buy it: <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B005DCJ1A0&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=157362408X&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> or Rent it:<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001O55PSC&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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<b>Fido (2006)</b><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Fido opens up with a 60s style newsreel informing us about the space dust that reanimated the dead and started the zombie wars. Then ZomCom (a nod to the genre) created a special collar, that when worn, eliminates the killer desire. This ends the war and creates the booming business of zombie slaves. At this point, the zombies are used as pets, butlers and maids. Timmy doesn’t have any friends and is bullied by other kids. Then one day the family gets a zombie, Fido (Billy Connolly). After Fido protects Timmy from some bullies, he becomes Timmy’s best friend. Carrie Ann Moss plays Timmy’s mom and Tim Blake Nelson is the eccentric neighbor that keeps a zombie as a concubine. This movie watches like the most awesome episode of Lassie ever. Where Lassie has rabies and may kill everybody on set if he gets off his leash. Fido successfully contrasts the pastel ‘60s lifestyle with the grey skin of the zombies and blood red of zombie attacks. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Buy it: <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000V4UH08&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> Or Rent it:<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000ZL5ACW&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>Shaun of the Dead (2004)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yfDUv3ZjH2k?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Shaun of the dead brought an English sense of humor to the zombie comedy genre. This movie follows two slackers, Shaun and Ed as they try save themselves for the Zombiepocalypse while still trying to not work too hard. Shaun of the Dead is made as a love letter for the genre. It makes several nods to to the Dawn of the Dead series. It also makes fun of the genre's anti-hero. Both of these guys are lazy beer drinking video games men in their late twenties that have no ambition. They don't really want to fight the zombies not because they are scared, but because it is too much work. This movie leans more towards the straight comedy than other zombie comedies. A scene that is reflective of this is when they go through Shaun's record collection, using the discs as giant throwing blades. But instead of being concerned for their well-being, they are more interested in only using discs that they don't like anymore. I believe that this was the movie that started the resurgence in popularity in zombies which lead to movies such as Zombieland and the TV series, the Walking Dead.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">But it: <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0025VLEM0&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0006A9FKA&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> or Rent it:<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0018OIK0E&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>Zombieland (2009)</b><br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Zombieland is the highest grossing zombie movie of all time, making over $75 million. Columbus is a neurotic twentysomething played perfectly by Jesse Eisenberg just before he was Oscar-nominated role in The Social Network. Columbus follows a strict set of personal rules to keep himself alive. He is trying to get home from college when he encounters Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), a zombie killing maniac on a quest to find a twinkieReubin Fleischer.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0030B624E&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002WY65W4&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Also Considered:</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>Ed and His Dead Mother</b> <br />
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</b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">This is one of those movies that nobody has ever heard of staring somebody famous. Steve Buscemi starts as the title character, who must deal with his undead mother. This was a movie that I found when I was flipping through the channels one day and haven’t really found since. <br />
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<b>Death Becomes Her (1992)</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/2ko2dB8Jk_o/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2ko2dB8Jk_o&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2ko2dB8Jk_o&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">This might be the zombie movie with the most highly acclaimed cast ever. Academy Award winners Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Golden Globe Nominees Bruce Willis and Isabella Rosellini star in this movie about two women that will not be outdone by each other.</div></div>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-48661278900303131142012-04-06T11:52:00.002-07:002012-04-06T11:56:51.278-07:00Movies You May Have Missed:Away We Go<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><w:sdt contentlocked="t" id="89512093" sdtgroup="t"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 1pt;"><w:sdtpr></w:sdtpr><w:sdt id="89512082" storeitemid="X_ED07D367-83A0-4017-8423-E6C4D44DFDE9" text="t" title="Post Title" xpath="/ns0:BlogPostInfo/ns0:PostTitle"></w:sdt></span> </w:sdt><br />
<div class="Publishwithline"><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQZks5aexDJR1kVG-Dy_P1BWxL7TID49MceIlgwAzVw5rbrGLob" /> </div>Burt and Verona are thirty four and having a baby. They are months away from the baby being born and Burt’s parents tell them that they are moving to Antwerp, Belgium for two years. So they decided to go visit friends and/or family in Phoenix, Madison, and Montreal. In Phoenix, they visit Verona’s old boss, Lily and her family. Lily is a woman that reminds me of my best friend’s mom when I was a kid. She drank, was loud and wildly inappropriate in social situations because she always spoke her mind and was brutally honest.</div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Next they go to Tucson to visit Lily’s younger sister, Grace. Grace always wants Lily to talk about their deceased parents, which Lily is not comfortable with. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Next they go to Madison to visit Burt’s childhood friend, LN (Ellen). LN is that new-age hippy woman that is extremely comfortable with her, but everybody around her thinks that she is crazy, weird or both. She breastfeeds her children that are old enough to talk, refuses to use a stroller and has a communal family bed. Their interactions show that the two families obviously don’t agree on parenting styles and why the other group isn’t like them.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Finally, they go to Montreal and visit their college friends, Tom and Munch. This is a couple that has adopted several children, but they share the same sensibilities with. They are that couple that every married couple wishes that they had. But before they can stay for too long, they go down to Miami to visit Burt’s brother, whose wife had just left him. This causes Burt to freak out, himself. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This is a movie that is filled with weird and quirky moments that you don’t need to be married or a parent to appreciate. There are the running jokes of how far along Lily is and Burt trying to get the baby’s heart rate up.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">This movie is superbly written and acted. It has a nice balance of being funny and serious all the while staying honest. This movie was nominated for best original screenplay in 2009. It was written by novelist couple Dave Eggars and his wife, Vendela Vida and directed by Sam Mendes. I highly recommend this movie to those that are expecting a baby. Or anybody that just wants to watch a good movie.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0021L8UOY&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe> <iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0021L8UP8&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-65945677037528562162012-03-23T08:04:00.000-07:002012-03-23T08:04:13.022-07:00Top 5<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Soon I will be rolling out a new series called "The Top 5" and I am looking for people that may want to participate. If you are interested in participating, <a href="mailto:AdamDoesIt1@gmail.com" target="_blank">E-mail</a> me or leave me a message on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Adam-Does-iT/185875301514888" target="_blank">Facebook</a>. I am also looking for category suggestions. Such future topics: Trilogies, Movies That You Loved As A Kid And Are Afraid To Watch As An Adult, Robot Movies, Movies Where the Protagonist is A Jerk, Romance Movies That Won’t Make Guys Want to Punch Themselves in the Face, Zombie Comedies, Movies That Are So Bad, They Are Good, Unconventional Love Stories, etc.<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst"><o:p></o:p></div></div>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-82977710596711847612012-03-09T00:01:00.006-08:002012-03-30T23:14:02.622-07:00AFI'S Top 100 Movies: #18 The General<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="553" id="il_fi" src="http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luha8tN0Bm1qaenv0.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="269" /></div> In this film, release 1926, wrote, starred and co-directed a comedic retelling of the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862. The film opens on Johnnie Gray, an engineer, returning home from work on one of his two loves, his train, The General. As soon as he gets off the train, he goes to visit his other love, Annabelle. While visiting, Annabelle’s brother rushes in and tells their father that <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">Fort</placetype> <placename w:st="on">Sumter</placename></place> had been attacked, thus starting the Civil War. <br />
<a name='more'></a>The father and son both pledge their allegiance to the South and declare that they will be enlisting. Keaton’s character responds with his famous deadpan cold stare. Then he springs into action, taking a shortcut to be the first man in line to enlist. Unbeknownst to him, he is rejected because he is too important as an engineer. Gray thinks that has been rejected due to his size. But after seeing a man of similar stature, he attempts to sneak his way back into line. After several attempts, Gray is kicked out of the station. Dejected, he starts to walk home. Annabelle’s father and brother were disgusted, thinking that he had never even attempted to get in line. When Gray tells Annabelle that they didn’t let him enlist, she doesn’t believe him. She tells him that she won’t take him back until he is in uniform.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/aM1aiXGxmts?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> A year later, Union soldiers make plans to cross enemy lines dressed as civilians and steal a train, burning bridges as they cross them. Cut to Annabelle getting ready to board The General to visit her ailing father. Gray is the engineer for the train that she is riding. At a stop to get some food, the Union soldiers hijack the train while Gray and the passengers are off of the train. Annabelle, on the other hand, happened to be looking for something in her luggage when the train is stolen, so she is taken with it. In the pursuing chase, the character of Johnnie Gray converts into Buster Keaton. That is because this is when the audience is no longer watching a character chase after the two loves of his life, but a Hollywood icon performing dangerous stunts for the sake of comedy.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> The climax of the film results in the North and the South colliding in battle. It is here that one can see the most expensive shot in the history of silent films. To achieve the shot, Keaton took a real train and drove it over a collapsing bridge into a riverbed. The crash wreckage stayed there until it was salvaged for metal during World War II.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> This movie was a failure both critically in the box office. It was due to the film’s poor showing that Keaton was forced into a limiting deal with MGM, losing his independence as a director. At the time, audiences didn’t appreciate the film’s mixture of action, drama and comedy. In fact, Keaton even tried to use the authentic locomotive for filming, but was denied because of the film’s status as a comedy. The mixture of elements was what was valued by later audiences to consider it a classic. Orson Welles said the The General was, “The greatest Civil War film <span lang="EN">ever made, and perhaps the greatest film ever made.”</span></div></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001E18222&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002NTDX6O&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br />
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</div>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-19281133942052087302012-02-29T00:01:00.002-08:002012-03-30T23:12:54.261-07:00Movies You May Have Missed: District B13<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><img height="400" id="il_fi" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51UMR5SswFL._SX500_.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="283" /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> I watch this movie at least once a year. Every single time, I am amazed at the stunts that are performed throughout. David Belle is the inventor of Parkour. Parkour mixes martial arts, gymnastics and crazy to be a more efficient form of movement from point A to B. Confusing? Yes. But incredible to see.<br />
<a name='more'></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">District B13 takes place in the not too distant <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">France</place></country-region>. <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Paris</place></city> has been divided up, walling off the ghettos from the rest of the city. Leïto just wants to live in peace without the worries of the surrounding disruption of drugs and gangs. Damien is an elite undercover police officer. He is put in charge of recruiting Leïto to stop a bomb that has been activated that would take out an entire section of the city. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> While the story is nothing gripping, it does fine to piece together the fantastic action sequences. What makes the action so amazing is that it is real. It’s obvious that there is no wire-work or CGI. These guys are really running, jumping and flipping down the side of a skyscraper.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> This movie’s use of Parkour has influenced films like the Bond flick, Quantum of Solace to incorporate its use to add a level of reality to its action. By the end of the movie, you are either amped up and want to start climbing walls yourself, or tired from watching it all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/suiYQLcrUoI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000GPPPTK&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B0036EBAF6&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6186916709676226654.post-20427451306141662482012-02-20T14:54:00.001-08:002012-03-30T23:18:33.346-07:00Movies You May Have Missed: Everything is Illuminated<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img height="266" id="il_fi" src="http://content7.flixster.com/movie/25/01/250121_det.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="180" /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"> This movie is based off the book of the same title, written by the author Jonathan Safran Foer. The story follows the character, Jonathan Safran Foer, a young Jewish American as he travels to <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ukraine</place></country-region> to find the woman that saved his grandfather during the holocaust. Jonathan is a collector of family artifacts, therefore he has an ever-growing collection of trinkets and do-dads; all stored in plastic baggies<br />
<a name='more'></a>. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"> Jonathan is accompanied by Alex, a Ukrainian translator with a penchant for American hip hop that seems to have learned his English from a thesaurus. “Please forgive me of my English, Jonathan, as I’m not so premium with it.” Their driver is Alex’s grandfather, Alex; an anti-Semite who started a business that gives tours to American Jews. From the despair of losing his wife, he claims to have gone blind. This is why he is always accompanied by his “seeing eye bitch”, Sammy Davis Jr. Jr.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"> This film walks the fine line between the absurd and the heart wrenching; often times getting off the tightrope and straddling it, stepping on both sides. As I watched the movie the first time, I couldn’t help but think that the oddities to the movie would make a great book. So I read the book. There are certain things that the movie provides that the book can’t. Along the “rigid trek”, the countryside becomes an additional character, something that can’t really be shown in the book. The book and movie are actually quite different. The aspect that I like the most about the book is its self-reflective and self-aware nature. The story would stop and the author would become a character. While the movie likes this aspect, I like both mediums equally. After watching the movie, I find myself a bit melancholy with a smile on my face.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/tSUOYY4oukc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
</div><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=adadoemov0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000DWMN2S&ref=tf_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe>Adam J. Williamshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395751160983661302noreply@blogger.com0