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PODCAST: The Projection Room: Spotlight (01)

3/31/2011 10:33:00 AM

Welcome back to The Projection Room! In the first Spotlight episode, guest Jackson Truax interviews Foreign Film Academy Award winner Susanne Bier! After, your hosts discuss her film In a Better World. Open your ears and give it a listen!

Reviewer
Marco
Categories
Podcasts

Reviewed by Marco Duran

The Projection Room: Spotlight Episode 1 - "In a Better World"

Welcome to The Projection Room - a place where Marco and Rebecka Duran discuss and critique various films. In this week's episode, Jackson Truax interviews Susanne Bier, Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Film. We then discuss the film In a Better World. Please send all emails to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com - Let us know what you think. Thanks for listening and for your support! So lend Marco and Rebecka your ears and then share your own opinions in the comments below, or by sending an email to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com.

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Episode 1 Breakdown:
• 00:00 - 19:19 / Interview with Susanne Bier
• 19:20 – 38:06 / Review of In a Better World

This week's guest: Jackson Truax

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Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt

3/30/2011 01:22:00 PM

Patton Oswalt Zombie Spaceship Wasteland

Patton Oswalt is one of the best comics around nowadays, and his brand of comedy translates rather well textually. He's also a very good writer. Kaitis checked out the man's audio tape and ended up with a 20-sided die in his palm mysteriously.

Reviewer
Kaitis
Categories
Books

Reviewed by Michael Kaitis

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt

Patton Oswalt is such a talented, brilliant comedic mind it's almost absurd that I'm even writing down an opinion on one of his works. Mr. Oswalt has stolen most of the world's hearts guest starring on The King of Queens, but those of us with an interest in stand-up already considered him legendary. He's quick on his feet, smooth with his words, and has an undeniable skill in making any story he tells extremely interesting. From his stand-up albums and podcast appearances, Patton is known for sharing stories about anything from Dungeons and Dragons to his mother's side of the family, the infamous Runfolas. While Patton could make reading a chinese food menu interesting, it's a strange lack of these famous tales that leave me not completely satisfied after reading all of Zombie Spaceship Wasteland.

Recently, I also finished Sarah Silverman's book The Bedwetter and I as much as I hate to compare the two, I found myself enjoying Sarah's book more. While Patton's book had equal the personality in the writing, it was a lack of connection on a personal level that left me disappointed. Don't get me wrong, Patton has fantastic accounts of his time being raised in Sterling, VA including one of my favorite quips about his time working in a 3 screen movie theatre. Ms. Silverman took the time to think about her comedic process and foray into stand up, while Patton shared a few bad stories from starting out on the road and then moved on to something else.

Honestly though, I can entirely see why he would choose to make it less personal. Some people may not be interested in a whole Patton Oswalt biography, and when it comes down to it he may not want to share the whole story either. None of that changes the quality of this book, but I don't think I enjoyed it to the full potential. For those people just looking for a laugh, the other half of the book seems to exists mostly for getting humor out of seemingly random thoughts. Sometimes a few personal events will permeate into comedy bits, such as the literally epic poem dedicated to a fallen D&D avatar, yet can easily be as random as dissecting the meaning of old hobo songs. While the title nicely caters to a blend of audiences, I feel the book suffers slightly from a strong narrative or theme holding it together. It's a fantastic series of comedic essays written by one of America's most prolific comics, yet grouped together in a book leaves a little bit to be desired.

Limitless

3/29/2011 11:50:00 AM

I remember the time I got my hands on a top secret drug that expanded my intelligence and focus. I opened up the best falafel chain this side of the Mississippi. Brad Cooper in Limitless has other plans though, and Musanna can tell you if they suck or not.

Reviewer
Musanna
Categories
Movies

Reviewed by Musanna Ahmed

Limitless

A writer named Eddie Mora. Robert De Niro portraying a powerful business man. A love interest. An odd man stalking Eddie. A Russian mobster. An unexplained murder. A powerful drug. The ultimate superhuman ability. These are some of the elements of Limitless, based on the techno-thriller novel The Dark Fields written by Alan Glynn. On a further note about the novel, I have not read the novel so I will not be commenting on whether Limitless is an accurate book-to-film adaptation or not. The script is very well written though so it does sound as if it has been copied verbatim from the novel.

To go with the great script is a multitude of great actors. Bradley Cooper is Eddie Mora. Cooper had made a bigger name for himself ever since the success of The Hangover. Limitless is the best film Cooper has starred in ever since, and Eddie Mora is arguably his best performance yet. He shows off a range of abilities, especially the ability to be a developing character throughout. In this role, he starts off as a casual writer working on a book with the appearance of someone who has been living on the streets. The drug’s effect takes over him and he has a massive shift in attitude and character. If there was a moment at the end where he looked back to the beginning and examined his life, there sure would have been plenty of changes to talk about. Robert De Niro, who critically has had a losing streak in acting in the past decade (bar Stardust and Machete) returns in a role suited to him at his age. He is the powerful business man Carl Von Loon who is skeptical of Eddie because he believes he did not become a self-made millionaire. He doesn’t develop but there isn’t really need for him to do so – he stays in character all the way and he convinces the audience who he is and why.

The female roles of the film are a problem. They are Abbie Cornish as Eddie’s love interest Lindy, and Anna Friel as his ex-wife Melissa Grant. Both roles are unnecessary and are insignificant to the plot. Lindy appears in the equilibrium of the film and doesn’t re-appear for another half an hour. In the equilibrium she dumps Eddie for not writing his book fully before the deadline. She also appears at the very ending of the film, I won’t divulge what happens between her and any of the characters involved or what they say but I feel that the last 30 seconds should have been snipped off. For Melissa it is worse, she only appears in one scene. However it’s a pivotal scene and I will not disclose what in happens in that, either. Another insignificant character in the film is an unnamed detective who interrogates Eddie in order to solve a murder case. He says to Eddie “I will contact you later” and never does.

So there are some insignificant characters but there are never any insignificant scenes. This convoluted plot which heavily develops throughout has the chance to turn many directions but chooses its own and ends up at the desired destination. It works with every scene handled perfectly by the scriptwriter and the actors who move the film forward. Adding to the richness is cinematographer Jo Williems. Limitless is a beautifully captured film with several awesome shots. There are amazing zoom shots; one can be seen straight from the start. There are magnificent fish eye, stop and start, body shift, and 360 degree shots. Limitless is visually stunning.

Back to the plot – it’s basically about a guy bestowed with superhuman abilities after discovering a top-secret drug. It isn’t exactly a realistic drug effect but it is perhaps the most plausible one that Hollywood has depicted. The superhuman ability is to increase intelligence and focus. That is certainly a lot more believable than say, upcoming Marvel hero Thor’s superhuman strength. It’s also plausible in the way that it has negative consequences too. The effect it has on Eddie changes him so much that Limitless almost seems like the chronicle of a real man’s life, a real man who took this drug and rose to the position that Eddie rises to by the end. It covers so much of this fictional character’s life during his great discovery. All depicted in 105 minutes that flow at a good pace. The minutes flow with continuous interest too. It’s a beauty of a film, a very intriguing drama that doesn’t need any romantic or sci-fi elements.

The trailer of the film had me disbelieving that the film would be good and would be very hard to follow. Instead it was one of those films that is easy to follow as long as they are actively watched and listened to. Another viewing may be recommended if everything cannot be grasped the first time or if you’re watching it and aren’t sober. But if you are, another viewing may be recommended just because of how fine this film is.

Verdict: Limitless perfectly describes the interest that this film draws. Like a drug, it’s addictive once you’re hooked on it.

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Nintendo 3DS

3/28/2011 12:30:00 PM

Nintendo really surprised everyone when they announced the 3DS, especially since it was less than a year after they released the DSi XL. It remained enigmatic as details slowly came to light, but now it's finally here, and Forrest has the scoop.

Reviewer
Forrest
Categories
Games
Electronics

Reviewed by Forrest Boyd

Nintendo 3DS

First things first. It's 3D. The top screen can display images in stereoscopic 3D, without the need for specialized glasses. Assuming you've heard of the system (a safe assumption, I'm sure), this is probably the first thing you learned about it, so I'm not going to get too far into that. All I'm going to say is that it works. You use the 3D slider on the right to toggle it on and off, and while it's on it can also be used to change how strong the effect is. Naturally, this effects battery life and is the main cause of all the health warnings (Health & Safety Information is actually the first tab on the menu). So if you're prone to seizures and other such conditions, be wary and actually take the breaks it recommends, if you use the 3D at all.

So, the first thing you're going to do is make a Mii. The Mii Maker is identical to the process on the Wii. Everything is the same. Face shape, hair, eyes, eyebrows, nose, mouth, height, weight, and other facial features and accessories. All that, in 3D! The only real difference is that there's now a Personal Mii that is linked to the system, used in various Mii games and applications such as StreetPass (more on that later). This is the Mii you'll be creating as soon as you turn the system on, so make sure it's more or less based on you, and/or comfortable that it'll represent you like an Avatar.

Got friends with the 3DS? Now you don't actually need friend codes to add each other. You can instead do that locally by searching for friends wirelessly within your radius and adding them from your friends list menu. The search system can be kind of buggy, but give it enough searches and you'll eventually find everyone. You have to both be searching and then click the friend's name at the same time as your friend clicks on yours, so a huge group adding each other might take some time with the "hey, I'm going to add you specifically now" chatter.

Once you connect to the Internet you'll get your Friend Code, just like the Wii. However, don't expect this to be as much of an ordeal as it used to. This is the only Friend Code the system needs to recognize and play friends in other 3DS games. That's right, individual 3DS games do not own their own Friend Codes, and are instead tied to the system itself. Pretty sweet, right? Unfortunately this doesn't apply to the 3DS playing regular DS games, as those will still require the old-fashioned different Friend Codes.

There's now an analog slider of sorts, similar to the PSP's, in addition to the standard D-Pad. I found this slider to be very responsive and natural to use, a clear contrast to my experience with the PSP's. It is also placed more naturally, above the D-Pad. Both can be utilized in place of one another, so it all comes to preference. There may be games that use both the slider and the D-Pad for two different things, but from what I've experienced so far with Super Street Fighter IV 3D, my only game, they are more or less interchangeable. On the side, there's a Wireless slider that you can toggle off and on, in case you don't want the 3DS receiving or sending data. It's generally encouraged that it stays on to take full advantage of the system's uses, but if you're particularly conscious about privacy or battery consumption, the option is there.

The system has a pedometer built in that reads all the steps you take with the system on you (of course you can fake it by shaking it, but that's not the point). This system awards every 100 steps with a coin that can be used to redeem rewards in 3DS games. The rewards vary between games. Find Mii, for example, gives you one Mii to come in and assist you for the cost of 2 coins, or 200 steps; SSF43D gives you in-game points that can be redeemed for one Figure for the same cost of 1 coin/100 steps. In order for the steps to be read, the system has to be in Sleep Mode (closed lid while the system is still on). You can only get 10 coins per day, however, so for all you cheaters out there ready to shake it, don't get too many ideas with that.

One of my favorite things about the system is the camera functionality. Using the two outer cameras you can actually take a 3D picture. Naturally the effect can only be viewed in 3D while on the 3DS, but it's a pretty sweet feature. So some random things about that:

It can judge distance pretty accurately, and the 3D effects are incredibly evident regardless of where the subject is. I took a good 3D picture of my cat Lila barely a foot away, and got a picture of my friend Dean about 8 feet away and both had very nice 3D.

The AR (augmented reality) cards that come with the game can be utilized in 3D pictures. The ones that come with the system are Mario, Link (toon style), Kirby, Samus, and Pikmin (red, blue, and yellow). Any amount of them can be in the photo, so long as the cards are present (and visible). You can move the characters (they can be off the card, but they can't travel too far away from it), change their directions, and even change through a number of signature poses.

Though it's very accurate with distance, you can still fake it. For example, taking a picture in a mirror will show yourself in 3D. So for all you people who just love taking pictures of yourselves in a mirror, you're good to go.

As a Nintendo employee showed me at the launch last night, the 3DS has 3D video, soon to be released by firmware update. I can assure you from seeing it firsthand that it works, though not quite as good as still pictures. It's more of a subtle effect, while still images' 3D stand out. It's there, though, and it works.

The 3DS sound player is pretty much the same thing as the DSi's. You can change the pitch and the speed of a song loaded onto your SD card, view many different visualizers (some Nintendo-influenced), add in your own beats with the shoulder buttons, and alter the sound completely with emulated modifiers such as "radio". All in the DSi. The only real differences are that the visualizers are 3D compatible and you're not limited to AAC files; you can also play mp3s now.

StreetPass Mii Plaza is a new use for your collection of Miis, specifically the ones you've met via connecting with other nearby 3DS owners. This could either be a good or "meh" addition to the system, depending on how many friends you have with the system, or how many 3DS systems are dispersed in your area. This concept is revolutionary in areas full of people who have them, such as Japan. However, depending on where you are this might just come off as a gimmick. You "pass" players with them, and it's shown on the Mii Plaza and you can connect with them and have them aid you in Mii Plaza games, such as Find Mii (your personal Mii is kidnapped, and Miis you pass come to your aid in a sort of dungeon crawler RPG game). Playing these games unlock features for your Mii, and the more you "pass" the same people, the more effective they become (for example, I've "passed" Dean more than once, and he's leveled up in Find Mii). A neat little idea, and Nintendo has said they'll add upon it in future updates.

Augmented Reality games (or just AR Games) are next in line. They employ the use of the AR cards that come with the game. The ? block is the principal "key" card; when you look at that card with the AR Games running, you'll be met with a jack-in-the-?-box type creature who will then display a menu (along with helping you figure out what you're doing, of course). The first game you can play is Archery, which simply utilizes the gyroscope to detect movement and has you aim the console at targets. The visual effects on these are very impressive, as they really morph the area the card is placed on. Once you take out some stationary targets, you'll be faced with some moving ones, and then finally, a fire-breathing dragon to vanquish. When you do, you'll unlock a billiards-golf type of game, as well as the functionality to take pictures of your Mii. This is also the place to take pictures of your AR card characters, as I previously mentioned. There are fishing and graffiti games to unlock, as well.

Face Raiders is another game that takes a picture of you or someone else, recognizes the face and plasters it onto demented looking targets that you shoot tennis ball-like projectiles at. Like archery and other AR games you aim by actually moving the console around (the background is actually whatever the outer cameras are seeing). The concept is to simply shoot the demented faces out of existence before they get too close and kiss you. It's a pretty fun one-time game, but it doesn't have much lasting appeal.

That's pretty much it as far as out-of-the-box features go. There's an Activity Log that keeps a hold of what software you've played, how many times you've played them and for how long. Download Play, like past DS systems, allows you to download demos of both 3DS and regular DS games from other people with full versions of the games and play the game's local wireless multiplayer, albeit with a few limitations (for example, SSF43D with Download Play forces both players to only use Ryu). System Settings allows you to... well, manage 3DS settings, including Internet connection settings, parental controls, save data management, touch screen calibration, and all the other settings you'd expect.

Is it worth $250? That's up to you. It's a new system and it doesn't quite have much support right now, so you can afford to wait until it gets a little more momentum. It even lacks many of its system features out-of-the-box, requiring firmware updates later down the road. So right now, I'd give it a 6/7... but overall, with the 3DSWare store featuring prominent Game Boy games, along with other notable portable systems of years past, 3D video recording and the great line-up planned through this year? This is by far the easiest 7 I've ever given out... and that's probably saying something.

PODCAST: The Projection Room (E06)

3/26/2011 11:26:00 AM

Welcome back to The Projection Room! In the 6th episode, your hosts talk with actress and student filmmaker DeGuie Sanabria about Sucker Punch, cover a Hitchcock blindspot with Rope, and discuss The Passion of Joan of Arc. Also, you could win a free DVD!

Reviewer
Marco
Categories
Podcasts

Reviewed by Marco Duran

"The Projection Room" - Episode 6

Welcome to The Projection Room - a place where Marco and Rebecka Duran discuss and critique various films. In this week's episode, your hosts talk with actress and student filmmaker DeGuie Sanabria about Sucker Punch, cover a Hitchcock blindspot with Rope, and discuss The Passion of Joan of Arc. So lend Marco and Rebecka your ears and then share your own opinions in the comments below, or by sending an email to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com.

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Episode 6 Breakdown:
• 00:00 - 21:00 / Sucker Punch
-- Music Break: "Mr. Huph will see you now” by Michael Giacchino
• 21:56 – 35:41 / Rope
-- Music Break: "Bob vs the Omnidroid" by Michael Giacchino
• 37:06 – 52:05 / The Passion of Joan of Arc
-- Music Break: "New Babysitter" by Michael Giacchino
• 53:18 – 59:08 / Contest, Polls and Close

This week's music: The Incredibles by Michael Giacchino
This week's guest: DeGuie Sanabria

What is "Take Two" and how do I play?
We give you two names and you tell us what film they both worked together in.

Send your submissions to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com. Do not leave any guesses on our Facebook page, in the comments section of We Rate Stuff, or in any other place that can be viewed by the public. You don’t want anyone stealing your ideas! Entries must be received along with your name and complete mailing address. The winner will be selected randomly in the case of any ties.

What are the rules for submission?
Pocket those wallets because entering this bi-weekly contest doesn't require any monetary contributions on your part. And really, why should it? You're in it to win it, and in this case "it" is a DVD or Blu-ray movie. To enter, tune in to The Projection Room every other week and submit your answer to the "Take Two" segment of the podcast. Any podcast listener is eligible to enter. (Void where prohibited by law, or at the discretion of the powers that be.)

How will I know if I've won?
Listen to each episode of The Projection Room to find out who's winning our loot. If you hear your name on the podcast, you've won and we'll have a shiny* prize en route to you shortly. (*Prizes will not always be shiny.)

Anything else I should know?
Yes. Should you choose to enter this contest, you agree that We Rate Stuff maintains the final word on everything stipulated within. This includes but is not limited to prizes, winner selection, and the creation of any future addendum to these rules. Entrants also agree that their names may be announced at any time on the podcast and/or website without receiving additional prizes or compensation.

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The Office (S07E19)

3/25/2011 10:09:00 AM

This week's episode of The Office was one of the bigger ones in recent memory. It clearly and in no uncertain terms makes official the announcement of Michael Scott, amongst other major plot points. Time to wait another month for a new episode!

Reviewer
Kaitis
Categories
TV Shows

Reviewed by Michael Kaitis

The Office (S07E19) - "Garage Sale"

Whether you've completely given up on The Office or love it more than ever, I'm sure you've thought about the imminent departure of Steve Carell. I for one have spent entirely too much free time conversing with friends on the fate of the show sans Michael Scott. It's going to be a huge loss, but up to this point in time I believe that I care too much about The Office's characters for the show to lose all appeal to me come Season 8. Sure the proposition of Will Ferrell in a month long guest role and the return of Ricky Gervais are appealing consolation prizes to look forward to. Yet this episode hit us bluntly with an extremely sobering realization: Michael Scott is actually leaving Dunder Mifflin.

Let's start with the funny business first though. Dating all the way back to Season 1 some of the best Office episodes have started in the warehouse, and this one was no exception. The garage sale was a fantastic way to give strange looks into the characters personal lives, and as a perfect plot device for all the characters to have little pieces of hilarious subplots. It was brilliant of the writers to have Dwight try to trade his way up to a valuable item, it's very Shrutesque to try out a crazy idea that he probably saw on the internet in 2005. But what I love most was that it was an extremely long set up for another Jim prank, which I'll never get tired of, as long as they keep the creativity up.

Coincidentally most of the serious moments happen in this episode in the actual office part of the building. Holly realizing that her parents are perhaps too old to take care of themselves was an oddly real moment to have in this show, but a perfectly understandable reason for her to leave. Michael on the other hand won't let Holly slip away again, and decides it's time to pop the question.

I loved that Michael's meeting only had Ryan, Oscar, Jim, and Pam there to help him figure out how to ask Holly to marry him. Throughout the history of the show, those are the characters he constantly goes to for personal advice. In one of the more touching moments of the series, Michael takes his love throughout the building reminiscing on all of the great times they've had at the office. As a hardcore fan, I always love to see past episodes referenced. Ending back at Dunder Mifflin, the walk culminates in a perfectly unique and quirky ceremony with Holly agreeing to marry Michael right there in the annex. And I have to add bonus points for the sprinklers homaging back to the rain when Jim popped the question to Pam.

The episode couldn't end any more drastically, with the last seconds being the official show announcement of the departure of Michael Scott. Even though I knew it was coming, I felt as devastated as the characters looked. It was as if it was almost harder to hear the news after such a fantastic performance from Carell, not to mention his amazing job directing the episode too. It still seems crazy that Steve is leaving the show, but I know he's giving it his all in these last few episodes.

Bob's Burgers (S01E08)

3/24/2011 01:44:00 PM

Bob's Burgers has really come into its own and become a rather watchable show. This week features their little town's art festival, Art Crawl, and a bunch of paintings of animal anuses. How could anyone resist? Find out who guest-starred inside.

Reviewer
Brad
Categories
TV Shows

Reviewed by Brad Cook

Bob's Burgers (S01E08) - "Art Crawl"

Last time we checked in with Bob's Burgers, the third episode had just aired. It was a delightful episode featuring Paul F. Tompkins as an arrogant and obnoxious documentary filmmaker, trying to expose Bob's cruel ways. It also featured Todd Barry as a cow in heaven for a minute or so. You know, typical Todd Barry stuff. The last episode that aired was episode 8, "Art Crawl." The strip Bob's Burgers sits on has an annual art festival in which they display art in and on the buildings, and Linda's sister Gayle happens to be a hypersensitive artist.

While the strip is covered in beach-like, touristy art pieces, the walls of Bob's Burgers are lined with pictures of animals bending over, proudly displaying their anus. Linda convinces everyone to go along with it because of how sensitive her sister is, sensitive essentially meaning neurotic and crazy, an ideal character for Megan Mulally, who voices Gayle. She actually has an amazing voice for animated characters, and she plays the frazzled sister of Linda perfectly.

The kids go off and try to make some money, obviously, because that's what they do. Louise, the ringleader, convinces Gene and Tina to try their hand at painting so they can sell it. It doesn't quite pan out, with Tina painting a nude of her dentist, so Louise looks elsewhere for talent. That's where Sarah Silverman and her sister Laura come in as two little boys Louise goads into painting, too. They have minimal dialogue, but they're great when they do speak. They definitely should've had more lines, though. Kristen Schaal as Louise is always great, but she's at her best when she's loud, abrasive, and ordering people around. Much like in her amazing new Sony Ericsson commercial.

The primary focus of the episode is on the battle between Bob and the art council, which basically consists of an old woman and her even more crotchety old husband. Bob didn't like the anus paintings originally, but when he's told that he can't have them up, that changes everything. The next day, all the paintings are censored. Thus ensues a battle between Bob and the old couple, or so he thinks.

Bob's Burgers is really shaping up to be one of the better animated shows in the past few years. It has had a very solid run, each episode left me satisfied and laughing after it ended. Every member of the Belcher family is hilarious in their own way and voiced by someone that could make you laugh without the animated front. Not to mention the fact that it's basically a haven for comedian guests, which is always fun. I'm still in love with the way the cinematography, too. They treat the animation like it's actual film. The whole scene is always there in one large frame, and the "camera" zooms in and out accordingly. It's a really animated style of POV, to make a dumb pun. I can't think of anything I don't like about the show. With only two episodes left, only time will tell whether or not we'll get another season of the Belcher family, but I really hope we do.

The Eagle

3/23/2011 12:54:00 PM

Channing Tatum isn't exactly known for his powerhouse acting capabilities, but he was cast as a Roman leader in The Eagle nonetheless. Can he defy the odds and pull off a performance worthy of the Roman name? Musanna knows.

Reviewer
Musanna
Categories
Movies

Reviewed by Musanna

The Eagle

The Eagle is a historical epic that tells the story of a young Roman soldier on the search for the lost Roman Eagle emblem that was the heraldic standard of his father’s legion. It’s based on the Ninth Spanish Legion’s supposed disappearance in Britain. The first third of the film follows the primary character, Marcus Flavius Aquila (Tatum), as he becomes the new commander of the army. The second third has him with a slave named Esca (Bell) as they both travel north to recover the eagle standard, despite being warned that no Roman could survive north of Hadrian’s Wall. The two are found by a tribe known as the Seal People in the last third, the most interesting third of the film. Once the two are taken to the Seal People’s village, they virtually switch roles because of the treatment given to each of them by the Seal People.

There’s a scene shortly before Marcus and Esca are found by the Seal People where the two are ambushed suddenly by a pack of hostiles. They manage to defeat all the enemies except for one, which Esca leaves to flee. Marcus doesn’t allow this and fires an arrow which finishes off the fleeing enemy. He then walks past a stunned Esca and tells him “Next time, don’t hesitate”. This is a moment where we see Channing Tatum as the authoritative figure doing the right thing. He tries his best in The Eagle to be this character, this authoritative Roman soldier – a role he has never portrayed before. He doesn’t have to have done so already, he’s showing diversity. However, he isn’t really the ideal actor to have taken on this lead role. This is because of three reasons: 1) He isn’t really a versatile actor and his wooden acting in here does not make for a credible leader. 2) Because of number one, he would have been better suited to being a supporting actor here like he was in the Iraqi war film Stop-Loss. 3) His accent sometimes goes off the British radar like a lot of the characters in the film. At times it seemed as if it was a North American Indian film rather than a Romano-British one and not just because of the accents, but because of the culture.

The main supporting actor in this film, Jamie Bell, is brilliantly cast as the young British slave. He has a greater chance than Tatum to show off a range of acting skills in this film and he does do so. There’s also Donald Sutherland as Marcus’ uncle who hardly has a lot of on-screen time and hence keeps his American accent causing more culture confusion. Anyway, Bell’s finest minutes in The Eagle are in the last third that I pointed out as the most interesting. He convinces the audience that he’s in the position of power now, expressing it a lot better than Tatum does. This happens because of the Seal People who make the last third interesting. Unfortunately for the film, this third of the film is the only redeeming one of the entire slow plot and it’s the end of it too. It becomes a struggle trying to engage with the plot during most of the film until then. That takes us to the next point, why this film didn't hold my interest for the majority of it.

Remember Centurion from last year? That film also focused on the disappearance of the Ninth Legion. It was told in a very violent way with a plethora of fighting that involved buckets of blood. The Eagle doesn’t take the violent approach. The sword-n-shield action in here is arbitrary. It happens in the middle of silence and after long periods of the film. The story has been told before so the plot isn’t exactly anything fascinating. So in a non-fascinating story, action can be the factor that keeps the audience drawn in – intrigued by suspense building in the atmosphere in between battles. Despite not having many, The Eagle does deserve a merit for its few action scenes – they are a technical achievement. Not because they are filled with CGI, special effects, and blood that is realistic but because of the opposite. They’re extremely limited in CGI, special effects, and blood which make for a very realistic sword-n-shield war film. Sound-wise, the music is incredible – soothing, and fits with the scenes of the film where it is played.

To end this review, I’ll point out something about the end of the film. Well at the beginning, there is a message which tells us briefly what the story is about. The message closes with the last sentence pointing out that the Ninth Legion never returned, suggesting that this is the key thing the audience will expect to learn from the film – how the legion went missing. Advances in historical research have proven that the Legion didn’t vanish in Scotland at all so, of course, The Eagle doesn’t end by answering the question running around the audience’s head on how they went missing. The entire film is rendered inutile because of these advances in historical research and for this reason, it isn’t really worth watching.

Verdict: It’s a shame that Kevin MacDonald’s directing result this time was a slow and shallow sword-n-sandal flick. That’s especially after proving that he can tell history in such a thrilling way with The Last King of Scotland.

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Spooner

3/22/2011 11:18:00 AM

Everybody welcome another new contributor, Tim Johansen! You may remember him from The Projection Room. Matthew Lillard plays Spooner, a man whose life is falling apart until he meets a woman. Let's hope she doesn't have a house with 13 ghosts.

Reviewer
Tim
Categories
Movies

Reviewed by Tim Johansen

Spooner (2009)

I personally enjoy independent films, being an up-and-coming filmmaker myself, however I’ve seen a lot of boring indie movies, so if one keeps my attention until the end, like Spooner did, it usually means it’s a good one. Even the music was surprisingly welcome; sometimes in a movie of this quality the music can seem routine, like not a lot of work is put into it, but here it felt like more care was involved and that made it satisfying. Everyone may not be drawn to small, unique films, but if you appreciate a good entertaining indie movie, this one is for you.

Spooner stars Matthew Lillard who plays a thirty-year old car salesman still living with his parents, and Nora Zehtner who becomes the love interest. The story starts pretty generically with Herman Spooner (Matthew) who is out of luck in every aspect of his life, his job performance is failing, and his parents are kicking him out of the house, but he happens to meet the girl of his dreams. Spooner may be a thirty-year-old man but he acts like a teenager. He still goes into his childhood fort, plays video games, and is irresponsible, but at least he’s honest. A little too honest, and maybe that’s why he never sells any cars. His manner of speech I found pretty amusing, reminding me of Neil Patrick Harris’ character Barney Stinson from the show How I Met Your Mother, because of the frequent use of the word "awesome." Spooner finds Rose (Nora Zehtner) stranded on the side of the road due to her car breaking down. He stops to help her out and develops quite a liking to her.

What saves the story is the good acting; Matthew Lillard does a fantastic job at playing the character and making it enjoyable. He plays an honest, everyday sort of person living in Monrovia, Ca. which I find funny because I live only a couple towns over from there. But things start to get interesting with his new love interest. Matthew and Nora play really well together in this movie. Their quirky adventures are rather entertaining, such as a very quirky first date at a hotel, which has got to make you smile at least a little bit, while the joke about spooning is flimsy. There were also a couple of other performances that I enjoyed seeing here as they branch out in their career, such as Shea Whigham who comically played the boss, Christopher McDonald who plays the father, and Mark Boone Junior who plays a hotel worker and a barber.

Spooner goes very far in trying to keep Rose in town as he learns she is on her way to the Philippines to become a teacher, because she feels she could be doing more with her life. Sometimes he verges on being a little stalker-y, following her to her hotel for example, sabotaging her car, and crashing her going away party, but you feel as if the character doesn't know any better. Throughout the film you find yourself smiling and chuckling as Spooner improvises ways to interact with Rose. For example, after he realizes that he is falling for this girl, he decides to further sabotage her vehicle (also known as "Roxanne") in order to delay her departure to her home in San Francisco. Upon realizing what he has done, Rose is a little bit startled by his impeding actions, and leaves as if she has no feelings for him at all. He decides to drive all the way to San Francisco and make one more effort before she leaves. I really enjoyed the end result, it could have easily ended as every other romantic comedy, but this one threw a little loop and I appreciate that.

The story raps up quite nicely in an equally generic way but it feels nice. In my opinion the acting is the best part of this movie; if it didn't have the right actors it would not be as enjoyable as it is. When the movie was over it didn't feel forced, but rather it flowed well as I enjoyed the ride. It was a pleasurable movie watching experience that kept me laughing. So I would encourage all to take a chance and appreciate indie movies by picking up a copy of Spooner.

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The Rite

3/21/2011 12:13:00 PM

Today we have a new contributor, Musanna Ahmed! He's taking on The Rite, the latest in a long line of exorcism films. Does the film have enough of a plot to differentiate it from the bunch, or does Hopkins have to do the legwork? Find out.

Reviewer
Musanna
Categories
Movies

Reviewed by Musanna Ahmed

The Rite

Just when I was hoping that The Last Exorcism would prove as a prophetic title after it continued the 30 year run of exorcism clichés, The Rite has been released and it’s another exorcism film. This time it is Anthony Hopkins playing the role of the veteran exorcist that is in every exorcism film. The Rite is no spin or refurbishment of the topic so expect to see something familiar and maybe predictable. I say maybe because there is a nice little spin at the end which I don’t think is something you would guess early on in the film. I certainly didn’t.

Exorcism films have lost their gratification. They’re no longer entertaining, you can expect what happens next (bar the twist in this), and the only ingredient that satisfies them is the exorcism scene(s) which builds an eerie atmosphere. That’s if it meets the criteria of having the patient in their demonic form where their body – especially their face – is scarily deformed.

The priests with their patient Rosaria, a 16 year-old pregnant girl.

The Rite is an insipid horror film. It’s missing spine-chilling horror – the exorcism scenes are dispossessed of the special ingredient that horror buffs have needed to satisfy them considering there hasn’t been a scary film for a few months. The plot discards a lot of its content as everything is unravelled by the end. What enervates the film more is the tremendously sluggish pace. The scenes in between the exorcisms create practically no suspense. There are no signs of superstition to engage the audience in the slow paced scenes and there is nothing suggested that there is something frightening to follow up – we realise this only when the bedevilled child is on set. If there are any superstition signs, they aren’t exactly elements of the plot that help engross the audience.

The Rite is reminiscent of The Last Exorcism in the sense of the story being told. The main message that is depicted is basically “If you believe in God, then you must believe in the Devil”, which was the tagline of The Last Exorcism. An extra part of the message in The Rite that I interpreted was beware of frogs, they are creatures of the devil. It’s absurd, but this is what the film preaches in a scene that involves a large number of frogs. With the main message already pictured in The Last Exorcism, the morale of The Rite is rendered inutile and yet again hackneyed.

The film follows a seminary student called Michael Kovak. He becomes disenchanted with his father and home life and after college abdicates as a mortician due to a developed lack of faith. Via attending an exorcism class, he approaches Father Lucas (Anthony Hopkins). This was the part where I began to question the purpose of the film – seeing that it is inspired by true events, is this a film à clef of whom the film is inspired by (according to the film it’s a priest of the same name and a different source says it is Matt Baglio, author of the book ‘The Making of a Modern Exorcist’) or a film that, in production, had a storyboard that took the plot in different directions, expelling the previous events? I ask this because I wonder what it was about the phone call in the middle of one of the exorcisms, the death of Michael’s mother, and the early words of Father Lucas to Michael. He explains to him how it can take months/years for a demon to be fully released from a person and this gives us the idea of numerous exorcisms needed for a patient... then the ending happens. Some very insignificant moments are in the plot of The Rite, there may be more but those I cannot recall because this film is unmemorable.

Any appraisal that goes for the film is towards virtually no use of special effects during the exorcism scene which is a realistic approach by the director. The only other merit goes to Anthony Hopkins. By far the strongest performance on display is his – The Rite is the Anthony Hopkins show. He has this uncanny ability to create a mesmerizing character in any role given in a horror film, even as a good character like his priest in here. The downside is the script given to him, which features a contradictory quote from him. In fact, the script wholly is uncompelling. The opposite, Colin O’Donoghue as Michael, is a debutante and his act isn’t a sparkling foundation stone in Hollywood that signals a flourishing career. His tentative leading performance isn’t worthy of more on-screen time than Hopkins who steals every scene he is involved in, as excellent as ever.

Horror has been missing in cinema for a while and an exorcism film, which was predetermined to be a clutter of clichés, isn’t ‘the rite’ film to feed those hungry for a new horror film. Horror film buffs, if this is the only feast available to satisfy yourselves in the cinema at the time of reading, it cannot be recommended. You’d want to spit it out once you discover that it honestly lacks anything spooky inside it. Luckily it isn’t such a long wait if you're hoping for tastier eye candy when Hilary Swank takes her horror turn in The Resident, or the returning visit of cinema’s legendary serial killer Ghostface.

Tostitos Hint of Pepper Jack

3/18/2011 10:12:00 AM

Tostitos doesn't exactly roll out new flavors monthly, so it's a bit of a surprise when they actually do release a new one. This time they're hitting the cheese spectrum, particularly the Pepper Jack flavor. Does it work? Only I can release that info.

Reviewer
Brad
Categories
Food & Drink

Reviewed by Brad Cook

Tostitos Hint of Pepper Jack

Tostitos isn't the most experimental brand of chips. They know what they're good at, and they work at it. They're the party chip brand; the brand for dippers like myself. As such, you won't really find any full-bodied flavors cavorting in the crevices. The closest Tostitos gets to flavoring their chips is a hint. I believe their last new product was the Hint of Jalapeño Scoops that I liked so much. After their original flavor, a hint of lime, a saltier, almost spicy flavor was the perfect addition to the lineup. But what comes after that?

Tostitos' official answer? Cheese. Tostitos Hint of Pepper Jack chips is the newest contender for the crown. Really, who could blame them? Most food products are lacking in cheese. Tostitos simply noticed their shortcoming and took action. Pepper Jack would not have been my first choice personally (a hint of sharp cheddar?), but if it's cheese, I'll take it. There's a difference between Lime and Jalapeño, and any flavor of cheese, though. The first two are very clear-cut, straightforward flavors. Any flavor of cheese, however, is more broad and complex, and is probably harder to portray a "hint" of.

That's probably one of the reasons Hint of Pepper Jack Tostitos aren't as much of a hit, in my opinion, as either of the other two Hint Of flavors. Like I said before, I'm not one to criticize the application of cheese to foodstuffs, but I feel they could've tried a bit harder with this one. Upon first crunch, the initial flavor I get is one of salt. Now, I know cheese isn't exactly sugary, but I feel they relied too heavily on sodium to get the flavor across. The next flavor I get is a general zest. Pepper Jack is a zesty cheese, but there are other flavors they should've utilized more, like the peppery and buttery aspects.

Of course, these chips aren't bad by any stretch of the word. Any cheese flavored chip meant for dipping is fine by me. I just appreciate a good cheese flavor, and think that Tostitos was a little off the mark on this one. That won't stop me from demolishing the bag that I have. However, it's likely that next time I'm in need of some salsa-faring chips, I'll grab Hint of Jalapeño.

PODCAST: "The Projection Room" (E05)

3/16/2011 11:06:00 PM

Welcome back to The Projection Room - We Rate Stuff's first official podcast. In this week's episode, Marco and Rebecka cover their film blind spots with Notorious and talk to moviemaker Michaela Von Shweinitz. Enter to win a free DVD, too!

Reviewer
Marco
Categories
Podcasts

Reviewed by Marco Duran

WRS presents "The Projection Room" - Episode 5

Welcome to The Projection Room - a place where Marco and Rebecka Duran discuss and critique various films. In this week's episode, your hosts are joined by guest writer/director/producer/editor/cinematographer Michaela Von Shweinitz about The Adjustment Bureau. Your hosts also cover their blindspots in film with Hitchcock's Notorious, so lend Marco and Rebecka your ears and then share your own opinions in the comments below, or by sending an email to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com.

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The Projection Room is brought to you free of charge by We Rate Stuff, but we certainly don't discriminate against those who wish to donate. If you'd like to support the efforts that go into the production of this podcast, click the button below:

Podcast Breakdown: The Projection Room - Episode 5
• 00:00 - 12:49 / The Adjustment Bureau
-- Music Break: "Opening Titles” by John Powell
• 13:52 – 29:48 / Notorious
-- Music Break: "The Italian Job" by John Powell
• 30:42 – 40:42 / Changing Times
-- Music Break: "Venice Gold Heist" by John Powell
• 46:42 – 53:13 / Contest, Polls and Close

This week's music: The Italian Job by John Powell
This week's guest: Michaela Von Schweinitz from KissProductions

What is "Degrees" and how do I play?
We give you two names and you link the two people through the least amount of movie connections, or degrees, as possible. For example to connect Julia Stiles to Steve Martin:

Julia Stiles was in “10 things I hate about you” with Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt was in “Inception” with Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio was in “Romeo + Juliet” with Claire Danes
And Claire Danes was in “Shop Girl” with Steve Martin

That’s 4 degrees. Another example is linking Kirsten Dunst with George Clooney:

Kirsten Dunst was in “Spiderman” which was directed by Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi helped to write “The Hudsucker Proxy” with the Coen Bros
And the Coen Bros worked on “O Brother, where art thou?” with George Clooney

That’s 3 degrees. Perhaps you can make these connections in 2 degrees, perhaps you can make them in 1, and that’s the point of the game.

Send your submissions to ProjectionRoomFeedback@gmail.com. Do not leave any guesses on our Facebook page, in the comments section of We Rate Stuff, or in any other place that can be viewed by the public. You don’t want anyone stealing your ideas! Entries must be received along with your name and complete United States mailing address. The winner will be selected randomly in the case of any ties.

Only connections which were made in the production and completion of a full length motion picture will be eligible for entry into the contest. Connections which are solely personal in nature, which were made while creating any sort of television program, short film, documentary or incomplete film program, whether domestic or international will be ineligible and not considered.

What are the rules for submission?
Pocket those wallets because entering this bi-weekly contest doesn't require any monetary contributions on your part. And really, why should it? You're in it to win it, and in this case "it" is a random prize selected by the WRS staff, usually a DVD or Blu-ray movie. To enter, tune in to The Projection Room every other week and submit your answer to the "Degrees" segment of the podcast. Any podcast listener is eligible to enter. (Void where prohibited by law, or at the discretion of the powers that be.)

How will I know if I've won?
Listen to each episode of The Projection Room to find out who's winning our loot. If you hear your name on the podcast, you've won and we'll have a shiny* prize en route to you shortly. (*Prizes will not always be shiny.)

Anything else I should know?
Yes. Should you choose to enter this contest, you agree that We Rate Stuff maintains the final word on everything stipulated within. This includes but is not limited to prizes, winner selection, and the creation of any future addendum to these rules. Entrants also agree that their names may be announced at any time on the podcast and/or website without receiving additional prizes or compensation.

The Projection Room is We Rate Stuff's official podcast, headed by Marco and Rebecka Duran. If you'd like to get in touch with the podcast hosts or their guests, you're in luck! You can follow The Projection Room on Twitter or find The Projection Room on Facebook.

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Cracklin' Oat Bran

3/15/2011 01:23:00 PM

Cracklin' Oat Bran sounds like the worst cereal ever when you first hear the name. No one will deny that. If you insist on judging the book by its cover, however, you will be missing out on a cereal that exceeds at multiple things, including being delicious.

Reviewer
Brad
Categories
Food & Drink

Reviewed by Brad Cook

Cracklin' Oat Bran

Cracklin' Oat Bran is an old classic for most. However, many of today's hip and fashionable youths are likely to be turned off by the name. For me, it was just a case of unfamiliarity. I'm quite a fan of cereal and I like to think I've enjoyed my fair share of varieties, but this one, in part because of the name, is one I never got around to trying. This despite Matt telling me it was maybe his favorite cereal and general championing of the stuff. Having gotten around to trying it, I can surely say I was a fool. A FOOL, I tell you.

Cracklin' Oat Bran isn't some bag of dry, dusty flakes like one might imagine. An oat based cereal in the ranks with Cheerios and Honey Bunches of Oats, the cereal consists of condensed oats in a "squared zero" shape, flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg. When I say condensed, I don't mean Cheerios condensed, light and airy. This stuff is dense. Each bite of Cracklin' Oat Bran is like three bites of cheerios. It's easily the most filling cereal I've ever eaten, probably due in part to its high dietary fiber content. A single bowl will almost certainly fill you up for a while. It has a delightfully full crunch, and the taste is equal parts nutty, oat-y, and sweet with a hint of cinnamon and brown sugar. It's almost more delicious than the sugary cereals I used to eat as a child.

Since Cracklin' Oat Bran is so dense, it really puts up a fight against the milk. It takes a while for the cereal to get soggy, if it does at all. If mixed occasionally, the cereal will become soft on the outside with a satisfying crunch inside. It also turns the milk brown with its brown sugar, cinnamon goodness. If you're into soy milk, it's almost even better with that, at the risk of sounding like a hippy. There are, however, a few downsides to Cracklin' Oat Bran that prevent it from being the greatest cereal of all time.

First, even though the cereal is a great source of dietary fiber, it does have some saturated fat from the palm oil it uses. For the environmentally conscious or the calorie-counters, that might be the proverbial nail in the coffin. Another thing is the price tag, which amounts to a bit over $5 with tax. I guess oats are not as well subsidized as corn, or something. These two details vary in importance from person to person, however. Either way, Cracklin' Oat Bran is my new favorite cereal, and well worth a try. If you have kids, your best bet is to just give it to them without telling them the name. Maybe try "Happy Delicioustime Cereal," or "Bieber-bits."

Jane Eyre

3/14/2011 10:10:00 AM

Jane Eyre is one of the classic love stories of all time, and it's gotten yet another film made about it. Marco's a fan of love, so he and his wife sat down to check it out. Does it live up to any of the 18 previous tries? That's not an exaggeration.

Reviewer
Marco
Categories
Movies

Reviewed by Marco Duran

Jane Eyre

Charlotte Bronte's classic novel has endured as a mainstay on many reading lists and has only been gaining in popularity. Since 1910, it has surprisingly produced 18 different film versions, not to mention 8 adaptations for television. Over the years people, including my wife, have been eagerly awaiting a definitive version. This newest adaptation is directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga who is best known so far for his breakthrough debut, Sin Nombre. Hearing that makes one unsure if he is the right fit for such a project that is not only a period piece, but also an epic and beloved tale. However, upon further inspection, similarities arise. Both stories explore what it means to have a family, or lack thereof, while dealing with loss and the search for a better life. So in that respect, maybe Cary was perfectly suited after all to showcase this beautiful story.

The novel, to which the film holds a firm but playful grasp, begins with Jane as a child who is orphaned and raised by her cruel aunt. She is sent away to Lowood, a boarding school where life continues to be harsh and strict. Her only consolation is another girl with whom she becomes best friends. Unfortunately, this too does not last, and when Jane is old enough to leave, she strikes off on her own to become a governess at Thornfield Hall. Here, her life improves significantly and she soon meets the master of this manor, Edward Rochester. Dark and impassioned, he becomes intrigued by Jane, and against formalities requests her presence often. Jane privately falls in love with him, all the while believing there is no chance he would ever return the affection. At this isolated and imposing estate, Jane soon learns there is more than meets the eye, and when she discovers Rochester’s closely guarded secret, her life is turned upside down, and she flees into the unknown. She finally ends up at the house of the family Rivers, where the three siblings take her in and find her a job. Years go by as she desperately tries to forget Rochester but her longing heart cannot be quieted. Over the mysterious moor, she hears him calling her name and, driven by her inextinguishable love, she searches him out.

Since the story of Jane Eyre has been around long enough to be in the public domain, I credit the screenwriter, Moira Buffini, with infusing this old story with so much freshness and life. The basic story of where she came from and who she becomes is necessary to set a foundation, but it’s not where the excitement comes from. The real story begins when Jane, played by Mia Wasikowska from the new Alice in Wonderland, gets to Thornfield and ultimately meets Rochester, who is masterfully played by Michael Fassbender (from Inglourious Basterds and coming soon in X-Men: First Class). While this story has various themes, it has love at its core, and it’s too easy for a romantic drama that spans so much time to get carried away with the grandeur of an epic (i.e. The English Patient). Yet Buffini knew exactly what to keep from the book and what to edit down, keeping the story from becoming convoluted or stagnant. In a stroke of brilliance, Buffini starts the film in the middle when Jane flees Thornfield. We then see her bleak childhood as a series of flashbacks instead of a melancholy first act. This also allows the viewer the chance to know all the characters up front, including and especially the Rivers siblings who come in at the third act, when an audience doesn’t necessarily want to meet new people. With this vivid new beginning, you first see the tension and fear that Jane exhibits as she runs, and after seeing the situation second time around in the movie, you can feel it with her.

Surprisingly this movie is very reminiscent of another classic tale, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca. Those of you familiar with this best picture winner will have a bit of a spoiler for Jane Eyre, but here goes anyway. Both movies feature a young woman who is supposedly plain and ordinary, and therefore doesn’t think anyone could ever love her. Along comes a dashing, experienced older man who is bored with vapid, beautiful women and cannot resist this young creature with an otherworldly presence about her. Both stories have their version of an obstacle in a sinister secret that threatens their fragile relationship. Interestingly, both estates contain this threat, leaving only one possible ending if the two soul mates can ever be together. Where Jane Eyre differs is the focus, this title character has a future (with or without Rochester), while Rebecca’s title character is in the past. We know the strength of Jane because of our journey through her life, so we are more invested in her character.

The location that was chosen for the film couldn’t have been more perfect. There was once a private house in that specific area of Derbyshire in England that is thought to have inspired Bronte in writing about Thornfield, and the filmmakers were able to take advantage of the natural yet impressive surrounding landscapes. All of the atmosphere worked easily into Cary’s idea of bringing out a gothic tone in the film. The novel describes the ominous and haunting look of Thornfield and they were able to capture all the mystery that the manor was shrouded in. There was an interesting supporting role of Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper of Thornfield, played by Judi Dench. Normally we are accustomed to seeing her in dominant roles of power or control, whether playing M from the James Bond series or the queen of England. So, to see her in a position where she was being ordered about is contrary to what we know of her. I’m not sure if this was faulty casting or if the filmmakers were trying to bring a sense of dignity to the role of the Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper who was alluded to being a distant relative to Rochester. Either way it was odd at first, but still a pleasure to watch.

After seeing Michael Fassbender in Hunger and Centurion, I knew he could magnificently carry a film. Now it seems he has cemented a place to stay, and is definitely the upcoming actor to watch. The scenes he had with Mia, and specifically the dialogue involved, were so poignant since there were only few moments the two had to convey their emotion. Mia in her own right played the “manic pixie dream girl” well as the inspiration to lift Rochester out of the depths and into the light.

My wife loved this film immensely, and if you couldn’t tell, while I am not its target audience, I loved it too. The care taken over each aspect, each shot, each detail made it easy to fall for. It was vivid, beautiful, and complex, like the story and even Jane herself. Such tales can be trite and over-told, and it has been so long since we’ve seen romance on the screen. It takes us going back to the classics to remember what we’ve forgotten, the power that comes with love. In the end, you understand the need that both characters had for each other, and the only home they longed for was fulfilled in one another.

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Mars Needs Moms

3/11/2011 01:14:00 PM

Mars has plenty of dads, it's true. I'm not so sure it needs moms but I do suppose activities other than football tossing would be a welcome change of pace for the red planet. Then again, Mars hasn't needed women since 1967.

Reviewer
Marco
Categories
Movies

Reviewed by Marco Duran

Mars Needs Moms

Try as he may, Robert Zemeckis cannot find his way out of the uncanny valley - that deep gorge where his other forays into motion-capture like The Polar Express, Beowulf and A Christmas Carol have fallen. For those who are unaware of what this valley is, look at the “human” faces in any of those films and see if they don’t creep you out. Apparently, if the face is not human – a creature, alien, monster – then things are fine because we relegate the inconsistencies in muscle ticks and facial nuances to something more cartoonish. However, when the filmmakers want a person to look like a real person, there is always something off about them, something they have been unable to perfect. Though they look real, they don’t move like we expect them to; the little twitches, the subtleties, it’s like they were injected with too much Botox and they fall into the uncanny valley. It doesn’t help that in Mars needs Moms, the on-screen representations were modeled after the actors who lent them their movement and voices. I spent the beginning of the film thinking “Boy, that looks an awful lot like Joan Cusack, but in a disturbing way.” If he has not yet, I wonder why Zemeckis, who seems determined to conquer this motion-capture way of making films, hasn’t joined forces with James Cameron or Peter Jackson and stolen some of their notes. Not that I approve of this style of filmmaking nor am I looking forward to seeing their next attempt (that goes for you too, Lucas), but if they’re gonna do it, then they should work together and get us there faster. That all said, I was not as bothered by the weirdness of the people in this film all as I usually am and, in fact, found myself halfway through not caring about it at all and even, dare I say, enjoying the film.

Nine year old, Milo (Seth Green) finds out just how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when Martians, who plan on taking her memories and mental capacities to power their nanny-bots, kidnap her. Milo hitches a ride on the space ship and finds a friend in the only other human on Mars, Gribble (Dan Fogler). There, with the help of a rebel female Martian, Ki (Elizabeth Harnois) they plan a way to get back Milo’s mom and get back home.

The Martians pick out Milo’s mom out of all the other mothers they’ve scanned because she is the rarest of creatures on earth - a mother whose son obeys her. However, if they would have only continued watching just a little longer, they would have seen that Milo does not obey his mother, at least not without a fight. But that’s of course because he needs to have some sort of story arc; he can’t be perfect from the beginning, people! He has to have somewhere to grow.

The Martian young pop up out of the ground like potatoes or groundhogs, which is a nice way to skirt any of the questions the children in the audience may have about where Martian babies come from. The nanny bots raise only the Martian females, though. All of males are banished to the trash heaps to be raised by other males which means this planet is entirely ruled by women. We’ll get back to that later. The alien designs are...interesting. All the women have some serious child bearing hips (ironic since, as was previously stated, they do not bear the children) and all the males have dreadlock hair and Rasta colors...and are rather dim-witted. They all, however, male and female, have long, flat heads and therefore look like ET’s taller cousins.

The Martians' world is colorless and cold with large screens adorning the walls where the supreme leader, in this case, the Supervisor (Mindy Sterling), looks down upon all her servants and yells slogans and propaganda. Basically, the Martians, advanced in technology as they are, have slipped and fallen into some sort of Orwellian world. It’s not until our motley crew happen upon these deep underground caves and tunnels where the aliens used to live that we see that the Martians' lives used to be filled with color and that they used to have families. Ah, now we see the violence inherent in the system! So how did things get to where they are now? Why did the females take over the planet and banish the males to the dumps? It all becomes clear in the end as Ki confronts the Supervisor with the pictures taken in the underground caves and Supervisor responds she made all this happen because the females don’t have time to raise the young and that the males never helped with the care of the young because they were always too busy having fun. Really?!? It appears that Disney is now taking a stand for the power of the two-parent family saying that what is needed to raise children properly is the love and security that can only be found in a family. Well, that’s a nice thought. Good for Disney!

They could also be saying that the women’s lib movement may ultimately lead our society into to a dull autocracy, but let’s stay positive.

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Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

3/10/2011 01:01:00 PM

Lupe Fiasco is one of the more promising young rappers, with a distinct voice and perspective, and his third album, Lasers finally just came out four years after his last. Does it live up to his first two? No one can tell you but me. No one.

Reviewer
Brad
Categories
Music

Reviewed by Brad Cook

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

Lupe Fiasco's first album, Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor, showed a young rapper with a unique perspective and tons of potential. His material ranged from rants about the state of conditions in Africa and the Middle East to using skateboarding as a metaphor for a burgeoning relationship. Even on his first album, despite big name producers like Jay-Z, Mike Shinoda, and The Neptunes, there was a distinct Lupe Fiasco sound that tied the songs together. He was refreshing. He pushed things even further when The Cool, a hip-hop concept album, was released. It wasn't a perfect effort, but it was certainly an effort. While not every song was a single, there were plenty of highly memorable tracks.

That was four years ago. After The Cool, he made a series of announcements about his next album, very few of which came true. He said that his next album would be his last, entitled LupE.N.D., which would consist of three separate albums. Eventually he dropped that claim and whittled the title down to Lasers. After a while, he'd finished the album and was waiting for the label to release it. He even put out a post-punk album in the meantime, under the name Japanese Cartoon. Finally, on March 8th, Lasers was released. All it took was a fan-made petition with 28,000 signatures.

Thanks to the many changes to the album, the track list has gone through a series of updates. Early favorites like "I'm Beamin'" didn't make the cut, but probably only because they were out so long before the album itself. There are twelve songs on Lasers, and they're all pretty refined. That is to say, they're all structured like classic pop songs, and almost revolve around the chorus. Lupe has always put a focus on his choruses, entrusting his labelmates with them usually. In this way, Lasers is much more like Food and Liquor than The Cool, which was more experimental and varied. Most of them are great, but once in a while they feel a bit out of place, like in "I Don't Wanna Care Right Now," which is otherwise a great song. It's a slight complaint.

The album kicks off with "Letting Go," setting the tone for an album that touches on politics, world events, and introspection "Things are getting out of control, Feels like I'm running out of soul," the chorus goes, capturing the sentiment that many of us feel in a increasingly chaotic, partisan, and manufactured social and political environment. "Words I Never Said" has a rightfully bleak feel, and is probably the "American Terrorist" of Lasers in that it's primarily focused on current events and is the most blatantly political, with poignantly relevant and succinct lyrics. Just when you're starting to get down over the state of things, Lupe picks you back up with "Till I Get There," an infectious piano-based track. This song is almost the theme for Lasers, with him singing, "All the ups and downs will soon be worth it, when I get there." He follows that up with "I Don't Wanna Care Right Now," a song with a dirty edge to it, which I could easily see being played in clubs. Considering that environment, the chorus isn't as out of place, but I think it'd be better off without it. "Break the Chain" is a highlight because it's the song he raps fastest on the album, and I've always thought that Lupe is fantastic when he raps fast. "All Black Everything" has a really cool beat that reminds me more of The Cool than Food and Liquor. He raps about a dream he has where there are no slaves, all races grew and prospered together, the rat pack is a group of cool Black guys who inspired a couple White kids named The Jacksons. It's very well written, and at the end, he says, "and I know it’s just a fantasy, I cordially invite you to ask why can’t it be?"

Lupe said he has a love/hate relationship with Lasers, because it reminds him of what he had to go through to get it made and released. The label apparently forced him to include songs he didn't want to, like the first single, "The Show Goes On," a sped-up, modified version of Modest Mouse's "Float On," as well as album closer "Never Forget You," with John Legend. However, even these songs don't sink the album. Overall it's a very solid bunch of songs that comes out 2/3 Food and Liquor and 1/3 The Cool. It's more pop-based than I would've expected, but not necessarily in a bad way. It's definitely highly produced, perhaps a bit too much so here and there, but usually it works out. Hopefully all the trouble over Lasers won't convince him to retire like he almost did, because even on his more mainstream outings, he's got a flow and perspective that music needs right now.

Sloppy Joe Hot Pocket SideShots

3/09/2011 07:05:00 PM

I know you done come wantin' info 'bout them thar Hot Pockets. Well I got some news for you, Jimmy: SideShots ain't like no Hot Pocket I ever saw. More like somebody gone and done cut 'em in half then sewed 'em up all nice like. Taste good too!

Reviewer
Ben
Categories
Food & Drink

Reviewed by Ben Cordes

Sloppy Joe Hot Pocket SideShots

Nobody wants a clean joe. Then again, there are plenty among us who would rather eat their own feet than entertain a sloppy joe with teeth and tongue. I personally prefer them extra sloppy - one of many qualities I proudly share with fictional movie character Billy Madison, along with my healthy disdain for school. I've never quite understood penguins either, but I digress. Nestle's (you read that right) Hot Pocket SideShots may not be the sloppiest of joes but considering the seasoned, meaty innards they're certainly worthy of the sloppy joe title.

I tried Hot Pocket SideShots once before, albeit of the buffalo chicken variety. I was underwhelmed and underfed by those breaded sauce bites. Hunting for chicken within a Hot Pocket was never my intention, and although hugely deterred by bad first impressions of the sliders, I couldn't knock the sloppy joe iterations without giving 'em the old college try. Everything went better than expected, too! It turns out Nestle's sloppy joe injection machine -- unlike their buffalo chicken infuser -- actually works. I can't stress the difference between these two microwavables enough; one is devoid of a soul, tricking you into thinking it has moderately delicious buffalo chicken inside. Being the honest joe that sloppy is, there's no tomfoolery going on in his house. Nothing but ground beef, onions, sweetened tomato sauce, and other seasonings - exactly as Wikipedia says it should be.

You can't go wrong with Hot Pockets to begin with; they're quickly cooked and edible on-the-go. What Nestle did is take their idea a step further, dividing the pocket in two and creating a slider-like enclosure. Consumable anywhere between 1 large mouthful and 4 smaller bites, Sloppy Joe Hot Pocket Sliders finally give Americans their sandwich of grotesque appearances some lovely, edible clothes to cover up that midriff, making it socially acceptable to sink your teeth in regardless of your location. Bottom line: If you're looking for a clean, microwavable version of an otherwise messy meal then these Sloppy Joe Hot Pocket SideShots are right up your isle.

I Saw the Devil

3/08/2011 02:37:00 PM

I've never seen the devil. The robot devil on the other hand... If that guy's any sort of reference point against which to gauge the horrors of the real devil, I bet he's not so bad either - probably just another misunderstood, virtuoso solo violinist. They should hang out.

Reviewer
Marco
Categories
Movies

Reviewed by Marco Duran

I Saw the Devil

I am developing a huge love of Korean cinema. Of course, when I say Korea, I mean South Korea (I doubt anything of value is coming out of North Korea). With me, it all started with the devastating film, Oldboy, which at the time, I counted as a one off and never really looked further into anything else coming out of that country. Then this year, I saw Mother and was again struck by the incredible story-telling skills that Korean directors were showing. So I’ve begun, and as of the writing of this review, working on going through as many more Korean films as I can see (thanks Netflix Watch Instant!). I Saw the Devil was a film I was fixing to see at the AFI Festival but I was never able to — don’t even get me started on that. Fortunately, I was granted entrance to an advanced screening. I’d just finished watching A Tale of Two Sisters and The Good, The Bad, The Weird, both films, like I Saw the Devil, were directed by Kim Jee-Woon. So, I was rearing to catch another glimpse at the awesome directorial prowess that brought me those other two films. However, what I got was something more pedestrian, more unfocused and much more juvenile than what I’d seen before.

I Saw the Devil is a tale of murder and revenge. Oldboy’s Choi Min-sik plays Kyung-chul, a psychopath who kills for fun. He has committed horrifying and cruel acts of violence on a great many women and has successfully eluded capture from the police. His latest victum, Ju-yeon (Oh San-ha in her debut role), is the daughter of a retired police chief and pregnant fiancée of elite special agent Dae-hoon (The Bad of The Good, The Bad and the Weird — Lee Byung-hyun). Obsessed with revenge, Dae-hoon decides to track down the monster, even if doing so means becoming a monster himself.

The key to any revenge film is to have a very clear, white hat vs. black hat, hero and villain and then to put the audience firmly in the shoes of the hero. Then if you decide to skew our hero off track, and show him making too many morally questionable decisions, that’s ok because the audience will follow him and feel empathy with him. Start with our hero up high so that we can look back and see from what heights he’s fallen. In this way you can turn up the heat so gradually that we don’t feel the pending doom before it’s too late, and in this way you can show us how the lines between hero and villain are not as clearly drawn as we’d like to think they are. I Saw the Devil gives us a clear villain; he is evil personified. However the hero is neither all too relatable nor all too good. He should be a bastion for truth and justice, if only to offset the complete depravity we get from Kyung-chul. Instead, he’s a fairly normal person with an astounding set of kung-fu skills and who honestly is halfway to the dark side before this film even begins.

My other problem with the arc of our hero is this nagging question. If someone gets hurt, tortured or killed by the antagonist during any film, of course we are going to throw heaps of hate upon the antagonist — and rightly so. It is his or her fault that grief was caused. If, however, the hero captures the villain and has the opportunity to end the villain’s rule of terror but instead lets the villain go and directly after being let go the villain causes someone pain, torture, or death does not that blood falls squarely upon the shoulders of our hero and causes us to throw hate upon the person we are supposed to be rooting for? Lastly, in Oldboy, again the first place where I, and I assume many other Westerners associate Choi Min-sik from, his character is kidnapped and after a time, he is given a wad of cash, bugged and let loose. In I Saw the Devil, Choi Min-sik’s character is captured, given a wad of cash, bugged and let loose. The similarities between both revenge flicks don’t end there and feel more “rip-off” then homage. Honestly, I would let most of it go except for one shot which pushed it all over the line for me. It’s the one shot that Oldboy is famous for where Choi Min-Sik’s character is holding a hammer above his head ready to rain down vengeful hell on someone. The exact same pose is captured in I Saw the Devil. It’s like having Bruce Willis say “Yippie Ki Yay” in the middle of Cop Out or having Robert De Niro quote his famous “You talking to me?” speech in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle. You just don’t do it.

There is a scene near the middle of the film where Kyung-chul is hitchhiking and gets picked up by two guys in a taxi. As the taxi drives down the road a knife fight breaks out between the three men in the car. This fight is captured by a camera which whirls around and through the speeding car, brilliantly and violently choreographed. It is a moment of genius that brought me back to those other films of Kim Jee-Woon which I loved so much more than this. Those films didn’t have to go for the gag reflex of someone eating raw meat and then push it past that atrocity for no good reason. Those films didn’t need to make everyone a stereotype — every male a killer, every female a helpless, hopeless victim. Those were films where the violence meant something to the story and didn’t just feel like something the director was reveling in.

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