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Real Steel – Rocky With Robots and a Whole Lotta Soul

admin — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

If you get your movies and television through places like http://www.directstartv.com/ then you probably saw Real Steel when it was first being advertised. Maybe you watched it or maybe you saw the description and decided to pass. I couldn’t blame you, frankly. With a description like “this is a story set in the future of robot boxing” it doesn’t sound like there is a whole lot of depth or spirit to the story but you would have done yourself a terrible disservice.

Set in the future, humanity no longer does the boxing. Instead, matches are held between robots and the carnage is unstoppable. However, the whole futuristic setting and the robot boxing, these are all merely framework for a much deeper story about a man reconnecting with his estranged son and, himself, becoming a champion and standing up to adversity. At its core, Real Steel is a much more human story than you might be led to believe upon an initial glance. Characters in the story are well-written and really help immerse you in their strange and familiar futuristic world and the heartfelt struggles and the drama are some of the best I have seen in recent years at the movies.

Opening Weekend Profits Indicative of Movie Quality

admin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are many ways to determine the quality of a movie: the sum of the actors involved, the director’s track record, and praise from critics. However, every movie is intended to bring in a profit to the producers. While an actor or a director may claim they’ve no interest in the financial return, paying for a movie to be produced is nothing less than an investment. So because of this, can it a movie’s quality be determined by how it performs at the box office on opening weekend take? It’s my opinion that it cannot.

A strong opening weekend profit is more indicative of the movie’s promotional success. There are numerous films with strong opening weekend returns but have humongous drops on the following week. The movie’s quality did not suddenly lessen after opening weekend. The movie was never quality to begin with. I think a better financial indicator to a movie’s quality is the profits it receives on the following week. A quality movie will be promoted by word of mouth after the opening weekend rush and the second week drop off will be much more gradual. A quality film can be determined financially by the length of time it remains profitable in theaters, not just opening weekend.Still bored? Click to continue: The Undefeated Opening Weekend July 15, 16, and 17

Member of the Month Top Ten List

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Some family movies are quickly forgotten in a few months or weeks. Others have gone on to delight generations of movie fans far beyond their initial box office run. The Princess and the Frog and Diary of a Wimpy Kid may rank along side Snow White and The Wizard of Oz someday. Right now it’s too soon to make that call with any validity. Fortunately, there are plenty of classic family films kids of all ages can enjoy now. Here’s ten of them.

1. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (G, 1968) – Long before Dick Van Dyke was the old guy in Night at the Museum, he was a charming single dad who just happens to invent a car that can do anything imaginable.Check out this link here. No CGI effects, just plenty of catchy songs and silly action.

2. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (PG, 1982) – Steven Spielberg’s Super 8 is pure retro fun, but not quite on par with this early ’80s classic about an alien who gets left behind and needs a little help getting back home. A then-unknown Drew Barrymore was at her cutest in this heartwarming story that never gets old.

3. Freaky Friday (PG, 2003) – This is one of the few times a remake is better than the original. Jamie Lee Curtis and a pre-jail Lindsay Lohan star as a mother and daughter who switch places thanks to a magic fortune cookie. Despite a few modern touches, it still retains the basic concept and appeal of the 1976 original with Jodie Foster.

4. Harry Potter Films (PG, 2001-2011) – It’s rare that an entire film series is this consistent. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are the constant stars of this delightful series based on the popular J.K. Rowling books. Instead of harboring resentment over what parts of the book were left out of the movies, just sit back and enjoy this enchanting story of a boy wizard’s fight against the evil that is Lord Voldemort.

5. The Sound of Music (G, 1965) – See the film that inspired the current Broadway sensation. Julian Andrews, Christopher Plummer and a group of tykes just as charming as anybody on Glee today lead this music-filled journey. Go ahead and try not sing along. I dare you. Cheesy? Absolutely! That’s part of the reason it’s so darn irresistible.

6. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (G, 1971) – Johnny Depp’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has its merits, but the original with Gene Wilder is pure sugar coated fantasy that leaves you craving more.

7. The Wizard of Oz (G, 1939) – Just about everything you want in a family movie. Take a timeless trip down the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy and her pals. By today’s standards, the Wicked Witch is more campy than scary, but still an enchanting classic.

8. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (G, 2005) – You can’t wrong with any of three Narnia movies that have been made so far. Based on the C. S. Lewis book series, this is the story of four kids traveling to the land of Narnia with the help of a mystical lion.

9. James and the Giant Peach (PG, 1996) – An orphan discovers the magical world of bugs living inside of a giant, you guessed it, who take him on a journey to New York City. A delightful, yet overlooked jewel the whole family will enjoy.

10. The Lion King (G, 1994) – Proof that traditional animation can be just as breathtaking as 3D without the annoying side effects. The story of a lion cub who eventually becomes king. The hyenas, the meerkat and the warthog provide some memorable comic relief that kids will still find funny.

Reasons to Watch/Not Watch This Movie

admin — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I have been getting extremely bored with the new movie releases that have been coming out lately. Ever since Inception it has seemed like nobody thinks they can compete, so why bother with it. Finally, to my excitement, Source Code was released into theaters. I did not go see it right away, due to my recent disappointment in box office releases. But of course, my love for Jake Gellynhall won the battle and I went to see the movie.

Source Code blew all of my expectations out of the water. From the previews, the repetitive nature of the movie was all I could tell. It did not feel repetitive while watching it though. The story line was like no other, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout the movie. The twist at the end was one that nobody expected in the least. It gets tiresome how so many of the recent releases are predictable throughout the movie. There were many times in Source Code that I had not even an inkling of pending events. This is the movie I have been waiting for. Source Code has easily made my top ten list for this year, Jake Gellynhall has done it again.

Which Actor/Actress Should Have Been Hired?

admin — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Who should they get for the next movie? Which actor should have been hired instead of that guy? Why did they pick that woman when there are at least four better actresses?
Hollywood often has ruined a good film by casting the wrong actors. Of course, producers and directors always have had budget restrictions. Sometimes they only have the money for one star. Sometimes they are too busy spending their money on special effects.
Just as often, they have had to soothe egos. Let’s face it. Some actors and actresses expect top billing, and they don’t want to share it with their co-stars. Many times producers must hire lower ranking stars so that they can satisfy the big star’s billing requirements. This isn’t done to be nice or fair. It’s all in the person’s contract.
In the old Hollywood studios, many fine actors and actress just weren’t available because they belonged to another studio. Then and now, it is also who the actor knows, who the agent is and how busy the actor is that effects whether he gets hired.
But don’t worry the next time your favorite star gets overlooked. These days, there’s always a chance for a remake.