Quick Movie Review – Prisoners

September 22, 2013 — Leave a comment

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The suspense and intensity in this movie are enough to make your blood pressure rise. In a wintry suburb tucked away in nowhere-specifically-America it’s Thanksgiving Day. The Dovers (Hugh Jackman, Maria Bello) and The Birchs (Viola Davis, Terrence Howard) are breaking bread together as a creepy RV is parked down the street. With the 2 teenagers from both clans parked in front of the television in a tryptophan haze, the two sets of parents suddenly realize that their youngest daughters never returned from a trip to the Dover home for a whistle. The RV is gone and so are the girls.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays laid back Detective Loki with a record of solving all of his cases. His cool as a cucumber demeanor severely clashes with the two families already at their boiling points. As Loki keeps a cool head and searches for the kidnapper, Keller Dover takes matters into his own hands by kidnapping the man he thinks is responsible. Prisoners has many spicy twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s hard to take a side when you don’t know who the bad guy is. So I guess you’ll just have to wait until the end.

For another take check out (i.e. listen to) Cherry Davis vlog Prisoners Review

Quick Movie Trailer Review – Gravity

September 14, 2013 — Leave a comment

The only reason to see Gravity is Alfonso Cuaron. With a Cuaron film it’s surely going to be a visual feast. The plot is pretty straight forward – two astronauts struggle to survive in space after an accident. But this movie is not about the plot or the actors but about what a top notch director can achieve at the height of his career.

Release date: October 4

What Happens When an Introvert Goes to an Awards Show by Herself

September 14, 2013 — 1 Comment

photoWhen I found out about the Geekie Awards, I was hyped to go. I asked a few of my nerdy friends to go, but alas no one was interested. I decided to bite the bullet and go it alone. Now, I am an independent geek who will dine alone, go to the theater or travel by myself, but sometimes facing certain situations alone is difficult for me. Going to an award show is one of those situations. One thing about me, I hate small talk. I can never think of anything to say to a stranger. I’ve read all of the tips: ask questions, wear an unusual accessory, etc. But how can one stand out if you’re going to an event were people are encouraged to COSPLAY?

I threw on a pretty frock, some red lipstick and a flower in my hair and off I went. When I arrived, I was confronted by a huge line of people waiting to get in. I tried making small talk as I waited in the long line to get in but it was AWKWARD. After a long wait, I was finally shepherd in to my seat in the balcony. It was dark and daunting. I grab a seat in the corner and settled in for the night. And what a long night it was, I didn’t speak to anyone. As I was driving, I opted to pass on the liquid courage. I wasn’t relaxed enough to try small talk again, so I sat and tweeted. All was not lost though, I learned about some really cool sites: The League of Steam, Fire on the Mound, Geek Speak Live.

Since the show, I’ve realized that it is okay to be an introvert and every social situation is not for me. And there is no reason for me to try and force the situation. I am pretty social within my small group and I will no longer try waste energy trying to be something that I am not.

Maven

Chuck Jones Tribute

September 12, 2013 — Leave a comment

Chuck Jones Tribute

Chuck Jones 101: A Birthday Celebration

Sat, Sep 21, 2013 • 8:00pm • Egyptian Theatre

As a fundraiser for the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity, we celebrate the Oscar winner’s 101st birthday with an evening of his most memorable Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes, and discussions with his family members, creator/conductor of “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” George Daugherty, producer David Wong, and Leonard Maltin.

For more infomration: American Cinematheque

FYI Comic Book Nerds

September 12, 2013 — Leave a comment

The fifth annual Long Beach Commic & Horror Con has been scheduled for November 23 & 24, 2013 at the Long Beach Convention Center. This year’s special is Brian Pulido, president of Chaos! Comics. Also schedule to appear:

Eric Basaldua – Darkness, Witchbalde/Wolverine
Rvan Beniamin – Wildcats, X-Men, Star Wars
Amanda Conner – Harley Quinn, Before Watchmen
Sara Richard – Power Puff Girls

For more information check out LongBeachComicCon.com

Quick Movie Review – Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

September 4, 2013 — 1 Comment

Riding the ebbing tide of movies based on Young Adult books, Mortal Instruments has finally hit the theaters. My approach to these movies is to leave my brain at the door and (hopefully) enjoy the ride. Unlike my previous experiences with Hunger Games and Beautiful Creatures, I haven’t read these series of books yet, so I had no expectations going in.

To my surprise I quite enjoyed the film. Clary Fray (Lily Collins) is your typical teen lead with luxurious hair and a slightly rebellious spirit. As her eighteenth birthday approaches she begins to draw a particular symbol over and over and has no idea why. She and her BFF, Simon, decide to hit a poetry reading and a later on a club to celebrate. Once she arrives at the club, that’s where all the fun begins. She starts to see people and incidents that no one else around her notices. A sexy pair Jace and Isabelle attack and kill one of the club goers. And of course, Clary is shocked that no one arounds reacts. Jace intrigued by the fact that Clary noticed him sets off to find out why. I won’t give away to much of the plot but it contains the usual Supernatural suspects, big spooky headquarters, Vampires, Witches, Warlocks, Werewolves, oh my. Nothing new is done with these characters but there are a few entertaining elements here and there.

There are a few plot holes that one needs to overlook and there’s obviously scenes up set to be revealed in the planned sequel, but the movie has a fast pace and a likable cast so it is an enjoyable diversion. Unfortunately, Lena Headey and Jared Harris are completely wasted in their roles with the material given them. But Jonathan Rhys Meyers chews the scenery like no one else can and there is plenty of eye candy with Godfrey Gao in a small role as Bane.

My cohort and fellow blogger Cherry Davis and I have decided to implement a new feature — dueling reviews. So check her thoughts at cherrydavis.org.

Books vs Movies – Beautiful Creatures

August 18, 2013 — Leave a comment

I love young adult books. If I want to read some fun and mindless, I’ll grab a YA book to read over the weekend. I read the Beautiful Creatures series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl and enjoyed the tale of teenage angst, southern gothic settings and fantastical characters. The movie was unrecognizable from the source novel. The names remain the same but the personalities of the characters were left behind.

The trouble with adapting literary works is that tough choices have to be made in editing the plot to fit a two hour movie. The choices the screenwriters made left a muddled incoherent tale that bored the hell out of me. Main characters from the book were either eliminate or reduced to insignificant support characters. All of the complex relationships between Amma, Ethan and Marion and between Ethan and Link were flatten into nothing. There is no character development so the viewer isn’t invested in the outcome of Lena and Ethan. If one hasn’t read the books, the more plot makes absolutely no sense. The magic, the mystical and the fantastic that form the core of the book were absent from the movie.

The only bright spot in the movie is Alden Ehrenreich as Ethan. He is charming and engaging but given little to work with. So many wonderful actors such as Voila Davis, Emma Thompson and Jeremy Irons are given absolutely nothing to do with the flimsy material.

What’s the point of adapting books if you leave out of the movies what made those books special in the first place.

Next up Moral Instruments City of Bones.

It’s never to early to plan

August 12, 2013 — Leave a comment

Hallown is just around the corner.

8th Annual Dusk-To-Dawn Horrothon

Sat, October 26 • 7:30pm

The madness returns! Spend all night at the Aero Theatre’s eighth annual Horrorthon! Join us for six of the most shocking and schlocky movies from the Golden Age of Gore, many of them unseen on L.A. screens in decades! Complete with between-film free food, snacks, coffee, giveaways, crazy shorts and surprises!

For more information: American Cinematheque