Green Lantern: First Flight (Review)

What I knew going in:
Green Lantern's first story as told by the Warner Premiere group. A little more edgy than your usual kids fare.

Hype:
Meh+ The previews at ComicCon looked great and I was ready to see it as soon as it released to DVD.

Opening Thoughts:
What's this? A Kids movie with BLOOD? I mean we'e not talking Rambo level violence but its certainly more rough than usual. This is looking damn good so far... I think this may bring a lot of new and younger fans into the comic book fold and that's never a bad thing. There's a lot more star power in the voice cast than I am used to as well and it shows.

Bottom Line:
These new Warner Premiere comic book animated films are great. I'm looking forward to more of them. If you know the story and want a good time, or want to see why we all love comic books, this is a wonderful place to start.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1384590/

Comic Con 2009 Special Report

So you want to know what got my attention at Comic Con?
Here some of the things that won't get a lot of press but were dug up by yours truly...

Coming Soon to an Anime Theater near you:
Gatchaman - AKA the real G-Force - AKA Battle of the Planets here in the US is being revived as we speak. Check the ten second Teaser here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRNQo1WUqqE&NR=1
Star Blazers - AKA Space Battleship Yamato - The rumors have been running around for a while and it kept being put off over and over. However, the trailer is out now in Japan and it is amazing looking. Unbelievably amazing looking. While there is nothing there yet, the official site is: http://www.yamato-movie.com/

Coming Soon to a Real Theater and TV near you:
New trailers for District 9, Stargate Universe, Human Target, and many many others. Check out the net, they should all be posted by now. We're in for a good time fellow nerds. Good times indeed.

Video Games to watch out for:
AION, Dragon Age, DC Universe

If anyone has questions, shoot em over. I'll tell you what I witnessed.
P.S. John Barrowman is the MAN.

Race to Witch Mountain (Review)

What I knew going in:
The Rock rescues alien children. I've heard, seen, a watched worse concepts.

Hype:
Meh+ I thougt about seeing this in the theater but we had many other movies to watch when this released to the theaters.

Opening Thoughts:
Its not as sharply written as I would have expected. The dialogue is a little trite and stilted. The effects are top notch. And its not wasting any time getting started. And its pretty fun. Its got some promise, but can it deliver....

Bottom Line:
Just like my previous review for Best Friends Girl, this film is too formulaic to really get into . Its fun and exciting, but from the Bulky Big and Dumb Hero to the Smart Female Heroine Scientist to the Rough I'm Just Doing My Job and Being an Asshole While Doing It Government Agent, Race to Witch Mountain contains every basic staple of Sci-Fi Cliches you've come to expect. Decent but not great.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1075417/

My Best Friends Girl (Review)

What I knew going in:
A Romedy where people hire Dane Cook to date an ex so that the ex will go running back into your arms. Kate Hudson, Alec Baldwin, and Jason Bigs co-star.

Hype:
Meh. A friend of mine and I sat down to watch this because she was in a crummy mood and needed lightening up. Yup. I'm a sap.

Opening Thoughts:
OK now we enter the Comedy part of the film. And yep, like most, this is pretty funny, adding uncomfortable moments and whimsical sarcasm together to create awkward social situations. Yawn.

Bottom Line:
Its funny, and then it turns and becomes a romantic struggle, then gets funny again. An extremely formulaic by the numbers Romedy. While both of us enjoyed the film, neither of us would watch it again. The end result: There are a lot better ways to spend a couple of hours, and a lot better Romedies to watch.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1046163/

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (Theater Review)

What I knew going in:
The 6th Potter film. Not much else to say about it is there?

Hype:
Meh+ A couple of friends of mine wanted to see it opening night and I agreed to go at midnight on a Tuesday.

Opening Thoughts:
Impressive special FX as always. The music and acting are as ever. Its midnight and I wanted to take a nap and failed at that so now I'm just tired.

Bottom Line:
Hollywood: Please stop opening night shows at midnight on a Tuesday. Some of us need our sleep and we actually have to work during the week. In the meantime, its everything you expect from a Potter film: great special effects, fun plotting, and a good time. The pacing drags down a bit in the center of the film, and of course many of the plot points and minor character threads are missing from the book. If you've seen the first five, go see this one, otherwise, it should be pretty obvious that you'll want to take a pass.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417741/

The Hangover (Review)

What I knew going in:
The Director of Old School creates another epic of real life hilarity when four guys on a bachelor party in Las Vegas wake up with the worst hangover of all-time.

Hype:
Meh. Its a comedy. Might have been a Meh+ if someone had cast better actors.

Opening Thoughts:
Here's your car, Officers. LMAO. Oh my god the wierd awkward brother in law is hilarious. Holy crap that is funny too... Wow this is impressive. This shit keeps getting funnier and funnier.

Bottom Line:
A contender for funniest film in recent years. So Random. So out of left field. So great. Definately one you should go see, and now. One thing you should know, and that's that my brother tells me this doesn't have a lot of sexual innuendo in it... WRONGO. While is not foul like a Baseketball or Old School, it still has a ton of adult humor in it. Highly recommended.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1119646/

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen (Theater Review)

What I knew going in:
Michael bay destroys another franchise... Oh wait, I mean revives another franchise with major explosions, thin good vs. evil plots, and two hundred million dollar budget films. Shia LeBoeuf, Megan (Hot as hell on a bike, lets face it, the FORM in Transformers), and all the originals back from the first film.

Hype:
Jizz in my pants. Loved the first one despite the plot. Opening night at midnight for sure. You know, most critics may hate Bay's films, but I dig him as a director. He knows exactly what the masses want, and he delivers.

Opening Thoughts:
The movie comes right out throwin. Left Hook Explosions. Right cross comedy. Uppercut Special Effects. Wham Wham Wham.

Bottom Line:
You'll notice the Opening Thoughts are short. Even though the movie was pretty long at 150 minutes. However it is NON-STOP. Funny as hell, amazing computer graphics, this movie has it all. Everything the first movie had, this one has more of it. See it. Now.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1055369/