Conan, Tigers, Vivid, and Skiing

Shakedown

Thank God for Hulu's free streaming movies.

Shakedown is a 1988 action movie directed by James Glickenhaus.

The film stars Peter Weller (Robocop, Buckaroo Banzai, 24), Sam Elliott with appearances by Richard Brooks (Law & Order, and for the overzealous Firefly fans, the bounty hunter in the final episode) and John C. McGinley (Scrubs). The rest of the cast I only recognize a few of the people, which isn't very surprising since it's a B-action movie from the 1980s.

Peter Weller is Roland Dalton a Manhattan public defender taking his last case which is to defend a crack dealer Michael Jones played by Richard Brooks who is accused of killing a police officer in Central Park. Jones claims that it was self-defense, and that the officer was a 'Blue Jean Cop.' What's one of those? Well, as Sam Elliott's Richie Marks explains to Weller's Dalton, a 'Blue Jean Cop' is a dirty cop. We know off the bat, that Sam Elliott's character is a fucking badass.

The film unfolds, with Dalton and Marks teaming up to bring down one of the city's drug kingpins and their racket. There's a pretty epic gunfight in the middle of New York's busy streets, with even a set of spring loaded throwing knives thrown in. The chase takes them into the middle of a huge shanty town, which makes the city look more like 1932 than 1988. Sam Elliott's character is a fucking badass.

And as I watched, there was a fight sequence at Coney Island, culminating in a fist fight on a roller coaster. And it proves again that Sam Elliott's character is a fucking badass.

Please watch this film through to the end. The climax, well - is extremely epic. And it proves again that Sam Elliott's character is a fucking badass. There are a few shots of the New York skyline that the current administration would have loved to have had as angles in the photo-op stunt a few months back. If nothing succeeded before, you'll come away realizing that Sam Elliott's character is a fucking badass.

On a side note, Death Wish 4: The Crackdown can be seen on one of the marquees as Marks and Dalton leave another theater (probably seeing The Exterminator or The Soldier, two James Glickenhaus films).

I fully expected it to be schlocky as any late 80s "crime" film could be. The film is pretty derivative of other films, so if you pass over this there are plenty of other films that will fit the bill. It is a film that you can have a few beers and crack a few jokes at. And it has Sam Elliott using semi-automatics and automatics, on hoodlums. What else could you ask for?

** 1/2 out of *****

Forget "I Am Legend" - catch the original version

Still the most loyal version of Richard Matheson's classic novel.

Edward Kennedy dead at 77

I could say some really nasty things, but I don't speak ill of the recently deceased, so I'll just stick with a little Simpsons:

When opening themes make or break the show: Law & Order UK

I finally caught the new version of Law & Order, Law & Order UK. Essentially the show is a remake of the original, reusing the stories from the original show. With over 250 episodes, they certainly have quite a few that they can chose from!

Well, I certainly was surprised when the show's opening credits diverged from their American counterparts so radically. No Mike Post theme here.

I've found a fan version that modifies this, recreated in the style of the original series, and frankly - at least on this side of the pond - it works better for this franchise.

The theme doesn't break the show, though many fans may scream blasphemy, since the rest of the show's basic elements are still there. They got the same "Duh Duh" and scene breaks where they list the location the subsequent scene will be in.

Verdict: Unaffected, though slightly annoyed with the change.

Bryan Singer brought in to direct 2nd Battlestar Galactica remake

Recently it has come out that Bryan Singer (director of the first two X-Men films, The Usual Suspects, Superman Returns) will helm the second remake of Battlestar Galactica.

I grew up with the original show. I watched the entire series multiple times from start to finish throughout my childhood. I refused to watch the new series for almost two entire years because of my fond memories of the original show. That is, until I caught a few episodes of the original show in reruns some fateful day. As a full fledged adult, the show's weakness were apparent and immediately decided to give the new series a try. After watching the miniseries I frankly didn't give a care about the 1978 and its dreadful followup series in 1980 anymore.

Perhaps a remake could fix the inherent problems with the original (from 1978). The thing is that there just aren't enough people who were fans of the original when it first aired that actually *care* enough or pine for a remake. I know people who watched it when it first aired that haven't really thought about the original since 1978. That's what you're dealing with. There aren't 60+ million people who care, there aren't 10 million, and I doubt there are even more than a few thousand that *really* care.

BSG was out of the limelight for over 20 years. Star Trek's franchise has been alive (even if not well towards the end) and kicking since the 60s. Star Trek is part of the public consciousness. People who don't like Star Trek still get Star Trek references. That's why the Star Trek remake did well.

BSG just can't compete by screaming "we're bringing back the 'real' BSG!" Since there simply aren't enough people who care.

• The story/plot/mood will need to remain "faithful" (and close to) the original's "care free" and "optimistic" future which the general audience will likely not buy. Lizards robots, characters with no real discernible flaws aside from pride and naivete, Black Hat Baltar.


• The film will probably not pull in the right crowd if it's too much like the original. The plot will be updated for modern sensibilities. Making it "darker" will only get it compared to the RDM version. Too soon, too similar. Fans of original will cry blasphemy. If any characters, events, or "story elements" get cut or re-worked, original fans will be "outraged."

I'm most curious whether or not the ardent overzealous fans of the original will "take" to another remake. Or because Glen Larson (producer of the original BSG and a whole bunch of 70s and 80s schlock) is supposed to be "on board" - that it is somehow okay?

Hype that kills [Avatar]

Well, the cat is out of the bag. Avatar's teaser has been released.

Yesterday I thought that once the trailer was released, that the ardent fanbase would dissect every single aspect which would eventually be used to support how the film will not only break box office records, but will be the best film in the last decade, if not the best science fiction movie ever.

Back in July 2008 I wrote about how I thought Avatar was hyped up to a ridiculous degree. JULY 2008, over a year ago

Little to nothing was known until now about the film beyond a few comments from Cameron and a few of the crew. People were ranting and raving even back in 2007 (and earlier) about how "game changing" and revolutionary - photo realistic even - the film would be.

Well, it's out. The graphics don't look bad, they just don't look as good as has been hyped up for the last two years. Davy Jones in the Pirates films looked better. That's a bad sign. If people can't buy a 10 foot tall blue creature (as was claimed the audience would easily accept) - then that's it. Game over man. Game over.

The best series on TV

It's back! Mad Men's third season just premiered last night.

With Battlestar Galactica now finished and off the air, Mad Men is the reigning champion of television. I would sincerely suggest checking out the first two seasons and getting yourself caught up with the current season.

The Phantom Empire

This 1935 film serial (12 parts) has Gene Autry's Cowboy, horse riding, adventurer duke it out with a futuristic hidden empire. This multiple part adventure (which ends up being just shy of 3 hours) is exactly what you would expect from a serial of its day.

The serial stars Gene Autry, Frankie Darro, Betsy King Ross, Dorothy Christy, and Lester 'Smiley' Burnett.

Gene runs a radio program that must be performed every single day, at the same time, or he'll lose his ranch. Yep you read that right - he should have read his contract. His creditors must not trust him. This recurring point of contention to get back to sing a song even with fantastical things going on around the main characters happens in just about all six parts of this serial. This was done so that Autry could sing in almost all the parts.

Okay, so the plot picks up after the first part when some scientists show up (and you know they are up to no good since one of them has a goatee). They're on the search for radium, though the exact reasons why they are looking there are unclear and left to the audience to guess (probably power or just better funding for their department). The important thing is that they want it, and want it badly. They're on the hunt for the super secret Murania, which is interesting because for an "unknown" civilization that has been cut off from the world for 100,000 years they sure know a lot about it.

The children in the story, Frankie and Betsy (played by... Frankie and Betsy) are in charge of a club, the Jr. Thunder Riders ("To the Rescue!"), based on a group of mysterious riders who they attributed a sound like thunder as they charged through the local valley (this area of the United States is real busy!). These unknown riders turn out to be the real Thunder Riders. Frankie and Betsy lucked out and came to the same logical name as the real deal did.

So throughout the series there are many twists and turns (many of which turn out differently the "next week" after the previous episode was shown - a typical convention during that time period), and they enter the hidden city 25,000 feet, or is it 20,000, or is it 5 miles? Consistency people! The serial had two "continuity" people! But hey, it’s a serial and it was great fun.

*** out of *****

Beer Pioneers film

On vacation, but can't stop me from writing.

Coming in summer 2010 is a documentary that is about the history craft beer in America. Should be interesting.

Beer Pioneers website.

Doomsday

Doomsday is a post-apocalyptic British film directed by Neil Marshall (The Descent, Dog Soldiers).

The film tells of a future where a 100% fatal virus has infected Scotland, causing the British government to wall off the entire place (Escape from New York style). Years later, the virus which appears to have been contained has a breakout in central London. With this crisis, the government reveals that not everyone appears to have died. A mission is sent into the now closed off Scotland, to recover a potential cure. What they find are punks and people who have regressed centuries due to being cut off from the civilized world.

The film stars Rhona Mitra as Major Eden Sinclair, Bob Hoskins as Bill Nelson, Malcolm McDowell as Marcus Kane, Alexander Siddig as Prime Minister John Hatcher, David O'Hara as Michael Canaris, and Craig Conway as Sol.

The film was brutal and unrelenting in the violence portrayed on screen. So violent it's almost a distraction from the plot. It's not that I don't like violence in my films or that I'm that squeamish (only when something nasty happens to the eyes), I just felt that key sequences appeared to be designed just to show some super violent death or maiming.

* 1/2 out of *****

Catch it before it's gone: Warehouse 13 pilot on Hulu

I've found that not only am I in love with Summer, I am also in love with Hulu.

Warehouse 13 is a pretty quirky, fun television series, not unlike the old Friday the 13th series (which had nothing to do with Jason or slashing people to death - sorry Chad). Anyway, the first episode is expiring on Tuesday, so this is your last chance to have the ability to catch up legally until the DVD is released, so watch it now and catch up!

Watch it here.

John Hughes, director - dead at 59

He was the director of 1980s staples such as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, and Uncle Buck. He also happened to be the writer of a whole slew of memorable films as well, including Mr. Mom, Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, European Vacation, Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, Christmas Vacation, and the first two Home Alone films.

I think I'm in love with Summer

(500) Days of Summer

Few films really strike at my core. There are quite a few that I enjoy, like, and even love, but rarely do they stick with me personally. I think what really liked about this film is how realistic parts of it were to my life, even though I should probably have the exact opposite reaction for the exact same reasons. The felling Tom had that first morning on his way to work and certainly the expectations vs. reality scene drove reality home for me.

This isn't to say that this film is a masterpiece, it isn't. It's a fun comedy that tells a simple story (wait, scratch that, when is love "simple"?) and is certainly charming. This film is not a love story. It's a retrospective on their relationship over the last few hundred days, the highs and lows of it. Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) falls in love with Summer (Zooey Deschanel), she doesn't. That's life. Most of us have been there.

Zooey Deschanel is amazing as ever, so incredibly cute that even the most frigid soul could only but warm to her charms. Joseph Gordon-Levitt wonderfully plays the poor sap, Tom, who is smitten the moment he sees Summer. They match up quite well on screen. As for some of the supporting cast, it's nice to see Geoffrey Arend (supporting character, McKenzie) in something other than his role as "Stoner #3" from Super Troopers (yes, the 'shrooms and snozberries guy) and it's nice to see that Ian Reed Kesler (minor character, Douche), the "Dude, that's so immature" guy from that Twix ad, really does play a douche well.

It's a film that has opened small, but appears to be going strong. I saw the film on a Sunday at 8:00 and the theater was about half full, which for a Sunday evening for a non-blockbuster is pretty darn good. *This* is the film to go to, and not tripe like "The Proposal" or "The Ugly Truth."

My one hope is that people see it, enjoy it, and remember it for years to come.

**** out of *****

Steam Trek: The Moving Picture

If you're cultured enough for silent films and am a fan of Star Trek, you may find this short film parody pretty amusing.

This is just about exactly how Georges Méliès would have done Trek back in the day, and exactly how Thomas Edison would have eventually ripped him off as well.

The film can be found (above if you're on my blog) or for my Facebook feed at: Steam Trek: The Moving Picture (Star Trek Parody)

Their blog about making this can be found here: steamtrek.blogspot.com

Don't Hate

Ben, don't hate:

The Entire series was $109.

Jonathan and Chad, don't hate:

I'm just more epic than you two.