Lock, Stock, and Two Film Geeks

God, even the poster for this turns me off

Woohoo I’m kind of back on a roll with the updates.  It was touch and go there for a while, but I think I’ve overcome my aversion to entertaining you and after weeks and weeks of therapy, I can go back to being funny on command for you.  Unfortunately, the movie I have to present to you today (tonight?  Who knows anymore) is neither entertaining, nor enjoyable.  I’ll do my best with the source material, but I’m pretty sure most of you will stop reading after this paragraph.

K-PAX, a 120 minute affront against the science fiction genre released in 2001, is a film about a man (Kevin Spacey) who goes by the name of Prot who believes that he’s an alien.  You know, from SPACE.  Jeff “Starman” Bridges, who is not an alien in this film, plays a psychiatrist or psychologist or something who has to deal with Prot and his incredible influence over the other inmates mental health patients.  Naturally, because of his advanced worldview, Prot is able to cure most of the other patients with his positive attitude and his dedication to an alien way of life. Continue reading

We enter another week of “Taking Stock,” our weekly column in which the entire staff tells you what they think of the movies coming out this week based on very little knowledge and first impressions.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

James: I’m taking this opportunity to watch the original instead.  I’m not one for horror really, but these glossy Michael Bay-produced remakes aren’t really the route I want to go if I’m craving a horror fix.  Nonetheless, if I had to pick one from Platinum Dunes, this one starring Jackie Earl Haley would be it.

Benn:  I always found Elm Street to be one of the best and more creative horror movies out there.  I’m wary of the Michael Bay-produced, CW-esque remakes, but Jackie Earl Haley is a great actor.  It might be worth it just to see him.

Dylan: There doesn’t seem to be anything different about this remake. Although of all the actors they could have chosen, they made the best possible choice with J.E.H. Sill going to skip it.

Fil:  I think the original is probably one of the best horror movies of all time.  This looks like nearly the same thing with elements of later films included to give more back story and shinier special effects.  I’ll probably Netflix this when it comes out, but I doubt I’ll see it in theatres.

Anna: I always loved the concept behind this movie, so I’m definitely interested. I’m looking forward to how they make the dream sequences in this remake, since the originals weren’t particularly scary to me.

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Harry Brown will most likely be described as “British Death Wish with Michael Caine”, and to an extent, it is.  However, Michael Caine’s performance as the titular elderly avenger and the film’s political tone turns the film into something greater than your run-of-the-mill revenge shoot ‘em up.

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We enter another week of “Taking Stock,” our weekly column in which the entire staff tells you what they think of the movies coming out this week based on very little knowledge and first impressions.

The Losers

James: I think this looks like it could be pretty cool and the buzz is good, so I’m going to see it with hopes it pans out.

Benn:  It could be good, but it could be over-stylized garbage too.  It will be interesting to see how this does against Kick-Ass.

Dylan: Thank god this came out before The Expendables; it would have been overlooked and passed over as the comedic version of the film. Still, looks like it could be a hoot. Sorry, but I’ll be seeing Paper Man this weekend.

Fil:  I’m somewhat looking forward to this, it seems like it’ll at least be a good shoot ‘em up, but it’s also something I’ll watch because I’m not interested in anything else coming out this week.

Anna: If I were a comic book gal, I’d probably have more reason to see this. But the title is such a turn off.

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YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES

Let me set the scene for you.  It’s 1993.  I (your humble writer) am eight years old.  Up to this point in my life, there has been nothing but monster trucks and dinosaurs.  Every book I own is somehow related to dinosaurs.  Posters, toys, t-shirts – I’ve got it all.  And I think I’m set for life.  Yeah, I wanna be a paleontologist.  I’ve got a plan that takes me all the way through my life, working with these amazing creatures.

Then I see a little movie called Jurassic Park and my life changes forever.  Paleontologists…they spend all their time in the desert, searching and digging and basically doing the most boring job on the planet (disclaimer: this is not the most boring job on the planet).  They speculate as to what these creatures might have done, all from looking at the remains.  Naturally, my eight-year-old self realized that this wasn’t how I wanted to spend my life.  Jurassic Park showed me that I could write obnoxious film review columns on movies with dinosaurs in them. Continue reading

Due to an early screening of The Losers, LS2FG writers James Goux and B.S. Hadland have brought back the Film Duel to share both of their opinions on the film. You’ll find James’ review below Benn’s.  More after the jump.
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This week things get a little experimental when it comes to our formast as we discuss casting decisions in recent superheroes and review the film Cube

As usual the podcast is available for download on iTunes and Podcast Alley. Please leave a review there if you haven’t yet, we need more listeners. And you can always listen to it right here on our web page.

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The original title for this column was “In Which I Apologize for Publishing this Column Three Weeks After It Was Supposed to Go Live,” but I figured if I start apologizing now, it could start a dangerous trend in which you gradually come to expect more and more from me until the pressure makes my head explode.  In fact, I’m going to go on record and say that me not updating for almost three weeks was a purposeful act of defiance to keep you (the readers and my faithful mildly apathetic followers) in line and on your toes.  Yes.  An exercise of my own considerable power, if you will.  Turning your expectations to dust.  I spent the last three weeks (is it four weeks now?) laughing at your misfortune.

Please don’t quit reading now, my ego still needs to be fed. Continue reading

It has recently been announced that Joss Whedon is currently in talks to direct the upcoming Avengers film.  LS2FG writers James Goux and B.S. Hadland disagree with one another on whether or not this is ideal.  Place your bets, choose your sides….        
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In this era of redone, re-envisioned and rebooted superhero films, it is expected that our superheroes be portrayed in a more realistic, edgy manner than that of their Golden Age-era counterparts.  But there hasn’t been a film that, both, pays homage to caped crusaders and displays gleeful irreverence to the genre.  At least, not like Kick-Ass.

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