Pugs and Popcorn

TrollHunter (2010)

2012-01-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

          The Troll Hunter (translated in Norwegian; Trolljegeren) is a Norwegian dark fantasy film, made in the form of a mockumentary (kinda like Cloverfield slash The Blair Witch Project…but funny). It was written and directed by Andre Ovredal. The story is about a group of Norwegian film students that set out to film a story on recent bear attacks….but eventually find that it is a government conspiracy to hide the existence of Trolls.

          The film beautifully does two different things…other than entertain you, it makes you laugh a little at the sheer ridiculousness and scares you all at the same time. The director portrayed the trolls in classic Scandinavian traditional fashion; rich in troll and paranoia lore, that it sometimes risk of boring you. Unless of course you have Norwegian comedian Otto Jespersen playing the role of Hans the trollhunter, who at times explains the lore in a deadpan serious comedic fashion that you almost believe him.

          The trolls, I loved the most. They were the most horrific, silly looking things you will ever see. They kept the trolls look “old school-ish”. If you’ve ever seen the old story books and paintings on trolls, you’ll know what I mean. The visual effects were spot on, with the jerky camera work that added to the “authenticity” of the film.

          In order to have a good time you must surrender yourself to the film. Making fun of conspiracy theory and “Blair Witch Project-ness” films was never so much fun.

I give it 4 pugs and a popcorn. 4.5

Super 8 (2011)

2012-01-20T15:47:00.000-08:00

            JJ Adams brings it back “old school”, with a nostalgic (Speilberg-esqe) science fiction film set in the summer of 1979. In the film, a group of friends witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon notice it was no accident. Shortly after, unusual and inexplicable events begin to take place. The local deputy tries to uncover the truth and gets no help from the military who has also mysteriously appeared after the crash. Eventually, everyone will know that there is something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

            Some critics called it nostalgic while others called it a cliché…I called it a copy of the Spielberg kind…Or maybe all of the above. I really wanted to like this film and I did…a little….but it didn’t give me the sense of nostalgia that others have mentioned before. Sometimes it felt like a cliché, it tried a little too hard in trying to be that 80’s films that we use to like as kids. When seeing this film I wondered if I was asking for too much. Whatever the case maybe, I was hoping for something fresher and more exciting. Towards the end of the film I felt my eyes roll in the back of my head…really? This just seemed to me like a mash up Close Encounters +E.T. + Goonies plus any other alien late 70’s early 80’s movie you can think of.

            Now, the film did have its moments…I laughed at a couple of jokes and cringed in terror at a certain character getting “abducted” by the alien. I think I uttered the words….. “OH SHIT!” This also scared Rocco (the pug) a little. The cinematography was great; there were a couple of great action scenes especially the train accident and the “tank” battle that was on the edge of your seat. Then there was the actual alien….which honestly I think had about 5 whole minutes in the film (it sure felt that way). When the alien did “supposedly” come out you either got some blurred view of the creature &/or maybe a tentacle or two….that’s it. It wasn’t until the end of the film did you finally got to see it entirely. Which I guess was the point…But come on….at least in Aliens or E.T. you saw the freakin’ alien. But to be fair….this gave a lot of time to develop a story for the young actors relationship with their parents and themselves.

            The child actors were (of course) the stars of this film. The romance between Joel Courtney (who plays the main character Joe Lamb) and Elle Fanning (who plays the love interest Alice) was a sweet performance between the two. The bossy chubby kid was not the usual goonies cliché we see most of the time with films which I liked.

            So I zigged zagged a little on my opinion of the film. On one hand I was entertained and on the other I was disappointed. Maybe I wasn’t in my right frame of mind that day….I don’t know. I really wished I felt that “nostalgia” that everyone else felt when they saw this film.

I give it 3 pugs out of five….I liked it but not enough to see it again.

We're Baaaaaack!

2012-01-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

As you can see, both Babaloo and I have added a couple of reviews to the old blog. We are both going to try and be a little more involved with the site, watching films together and catering to our own tastes time and again. We hope you enjoy, and if you have a great idea for a movie, email us at podismycopilot@gmail.com or leave a comment below. Thanks!

Match Point (2005)

2012-01-15T19:54:00.000-08:00

I like Woody Allen films, in spite of knowing that due to his personal life, we're not SUPPOSED to like Woody Allen films anymore. I enjoy the nostalgia of seeing New York City in the 70s and 80s in some of his classic films, and I like that you know you're pretty much getting the same film each time you watch one. A group of usually well to do people gathering and talking about life, love and the complexity of relationships. In recent years, Allen decided to do a series of films that leave New York City and are based in London. The first of these three films is Match Point.

Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) is a former tennis pro with no direction in his life until he meets Tom (Matthew Goode). The two become fast friends, and Tom's sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer) becomes smitten with him, but not before Chris meets Tom's fiancee', Nola (Scarlett Johansson). Flirting ensues, people break up, people get married, people try to get pregnant, people DO get pregnant, then there's a twist in the last 25 percent of the movie that I did NOT see coming, and I'm glad I didn't know about it. I don't want to spoil it for those of you who want to see the film, but there are scenes that are riveting to watch.

It's important to note that those scenes do NOT involve Scarlett Johansson. I've seen her in multiple films in the past, and no matter what she's playing, she always seems to have this very bored look about her. There were scenes where you could SEE she was trying to play the role of the tragic, down on her luck, clearly becoming an alcoholic actress, but it was clear that she was, in fact, ACTING! Meyers, oddly attractive, smoldered at times and, at others showed sensitivity and anxiety that was palpable. (One only need to watch the scene in Nola's neighbor's apartment to know what I'm talking about (still not giving anything away).)

London doesn't get the usual starring role that Allen saves for the Big Apple, and that was kind of a shame. While I am looking forward to discussing the other films of his London trilogy, I'm sad to say that the next film, Scoop, stars the always fun to look at Hugh Jackman and....sigh...Scarlett Johansson.

Match Point Gets 3 pugs

Rise of the Planet of the Apes 2011

2012-01-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

The Science-Fiction film is a reboot to the original Planetof the Apes series, directed by Rupert Wyatt. The Film has some similarities tothe original 1972 film Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, which again is not aremake but more of a reboot (as I just mentioned). I consider this reboot more of a love letterto the entire series. Much like Star Trek’s reboot movie in 2009.

JamesFranco is Will Rodman the biochemist that has been developing a cure forAlzheimer’s disease and is testing it on Chimpanzees in a high tech facility. Afterall hell breaks loose in the lab, Will is forced to adopt a young baby chimpnamed Caesar, who is played by Andy Serkis (who played Golem in Lord of theRings). Will’s main drive is to find a cure for his father Charles (played byJohn Lithgow) who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. As Caesar gets older, he struggles to find hisidentity and where he fits in the world. Will also struggles to keep his littlefamily together and becomes obsessed to find a cure for his father which inturn back fires.

JohnLithgow is amazing in this film; he had themeatiest role. His character goes from senile old man to brilliant then back to senile as the cure wears off; spiralingdown as the disease comes back with a vengeance. I don’t think anyone couldhave played it better. The real star are the apes...I am not sure if they usedany or all of Andy Serkis facial expressions but ”oh my god” it could not lookany more human or real. From the special effects team who worked on Avatar andLord of the Rings they really went up a notch to portray a real feel to theapes.

The onlycompliant I had on the film was the ending. Towards the action packed ending, it seemedto get all your emotions way up high but then left you hanging…..I think that wasthe point. Leave it open for sequels. That’s all good….just was hoping for alittle more at the end.

Otherthan the ending, the film did cause to stir up a lot of emotions in me (which is abig plus) from happy, sad, anger and fear. It is rare when a movie can take youon that kind of rollercoaster ride and leave you wanting more. I rememberwatching the old movies as a kid with my father and loving it. This film brought meback to that old sense of wonder and adventure. Rent It!!!

4 pugs and a popcorn (4 1/2) out of 5 pugs.

Kung Fu Panda 2

2012-01-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

It is the story of Po looking for answers to his past and finds more than what he barganied for. And that's all I am saying.
Usually sequels are not very good, but this this film was far from it. Kung Fu Panda 2 was filled with so much action packed fighting scenes that made laugh and be amazed. The story was fun and energentic and kept you intereted in the film. I have to be honest going into it, I didn't expect much but instead was pleaseantly surpised. This film gets 4 pugs.
Can't wait for the 3rd film. :)

Vulgar (2000)

2010-10-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Taylor: It's official. I've outgrown the View Askewiverse.

Vulgar is a movie produced (but not directed) by Kevin Smith and his friend Scott Mosier. Starring many of the actors from Smith's other movies, Vulgur is a movie about a loser who is a clown at children's parties. Falling deeper in debt, he decides to expand his business to bachelor parties. His first job ends in him being sexually assaulted (in complete clown and nighty attire) by a father and his two sons. The rest of the movie shows how he copes with the assault, starts to gain success and seeks revenge against the men who took his...um, dignity?

The film looks like every other mid 90's independent film. Poorly shot, badly acted and just...tragic. This film is supposed to be a comedy of sorts, but let's face it - rape is never funny, clown makeup or not. Many of the scenes following the assault remind me of short one acts that I did in my college acting class, and are so over the top that you find yourself wanting to skip to the next scene. I stopped myself from doing that because I was always such a big Kevin Smith fan. I kept thinking to myself, "No one would say those sentences that way unless they were written for them." I still consider Chasing Amy to be one of my favorite movies, but even I can recognize that Smith and his cohorts are a one trick pony of a production company.

Vulgar gets one pug.

Bigger, Stonger, Faster (2008)

2010-10-06T13:23:00.000-07:00

Taylor: Bigger, Stronger, Faster speaks to my demographic as a child (particularly, a boy) of the 1980s. I am about the same age as the filmmaker, Chistopher Bell, and can see where he got the idea for making a movie about the images that he saw as a child of big muscled action heroes and professional wrestlers, and how those images stayed with him and his brothers. The film talks about the use of steroids and, like all good documentaries should, never gives you a clear sense of pro vs. con. At times you almost feel as though he is giving you reasons why everyone should take steroids, then comes back to showing some of the devastating effects the drugs have had on his family, in particular, his older brother.

The film doesn't stop at steroids. It talks about national perception as a whole, and how the images for men have changed dramatically over the last 30 years, from Popeye the Sailor to guys like the Situation from Jersey Shore. He spends a lot of time showing how "juicing" has changed baseball, and how athletics has gone from "fair play" to "whatever it takes."

I'm glad that I finally was able to watch this documentary, and if you are anything like Taffy, who loves documentaries (and has told me that she loves this one), then you will like this film. Now available on Netflix.

Plus, it doesn't hurt that Chris Bell is kinda hot. Bigger, Stronger, Faster gets 5 pugs.

Then She Found Me (2007)

2010-10-04T15:02:00.001-07:00

Taylor: So let me see if I got this straight. Helen Hunt directed herself in a movie where she plays a jewish woman who finds out her real mother is Bette Midler. She's also married to Matthew Broderick, but he leaves her ten minutes into the movie, and she starts sleeping with Colin Firth, who is the father to one of her 1st grade students. And there is supposed to be comedic elements to this. Hm. Ok. Sure.

Then She Found Me is Hunt's directorial debut and while it had a few (and I mean few) fine moments in it, the film is, for the most part, boring as hell. The only direction I can see she gave the other actors (and herself) is to act with as little emotion as possible. Ninety percent of the film has all the main characters acting very flat. When they are happy, they don't smile. When they cry, no tears. When they're angry, they stand still. I am not sure if this is supposed to be symbolic of April (Hunt's) standing in life, or midlife crisis, or what, but it grows wearisome over time. The story, based on a 1990 book by Elinor Lipman, has the main characters all making really, really stupid decisions that don't even seem to make sense from a dramatic point of view. Characters lie, sleep with each other, demand money...it would be confusing if it weren't so damn dull. You have someone like Bette Fucking Midler on your movie, you make sure you give her at least one chance to chew up the scenery at least a little bit. Here, she comes off as grating and selfish...but we don't understand why.

If you're looking for a movie about adult children finding their birth parents, rent or watch Flirting With Disaster. At least that one has Mary Tyler Moore giving a blowjob in it.

Then She Found Me gets 1 pug.

Hot Fuzz (2007)

2010-09-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Taylor: Hot Fuzz is one of those movies that you kinda go into expecting to like, then aren't sure if you like it, then you end up loving it. Simon Pegg plays Nicholas Angel, a London police officer that is so great at his job, they reassign him to the small quaint village of Sandford. Bored at first with all the small town charm and nothing to do, he very quickly finds himself investigating a conspiracy where the townspeople are being murdered...and their neighbors are the suspects.

My only complaint about the film involves the sound. The sound effects and sound are so loud at times that you have to turn down the volume, but then you can't hear/understand the very heavy accents on the village residents (I eventually gave up and put the subtitles on). The film is a comedic homage to all the big 90's Michael Bay style cop buddy movies, and Pegg and his partner Nick Frost are great! Wonderful Chemistry and Frost is cuddly and charming as Angel's simple and loyal constable, Butterman.

The final action sequence is over the top, but it works and made me laugh out loud on several occasions. If you like smart action movies that make fun of dumb action movies, then rent Hot Fuzz.

I give Hot Fuzz 4 Pugs.

Hard Candy (2005)

2010-09-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

Taylor: I was told I HAD to see Hard Candy by a certain podcasting cohost of mine, who watched it one night, riveted to her seat. Wanting to not take forever, like I often do with movies, and wanting to model good movie recommendation behavior for Miss Huffington (Taffy, how'd you like Big Night?), I moved the movie up to the top of my Metflix Queue. Pizza in hand, I turned off the lights and pressed play on the PS3.

For those of you not in the know, Hard Candy tells the tale of Hailey, a 14 year old middle schooler, (Ellen Page) and Geoff, a 32 year old photographer (Patrick Wilson) who talk online and decide to meet in a cafe. After their online flirting turns to face to face flirting, the two end up back and Geoff's place, drinks are consumed, cameras are pulled out, shirts are taken off....then it gets intense.

Let's just say the tables get turned.

I don't want to say too much about the movie. I'm not even going to post the trailer because I don't want to give anything away. I will say this though. I don't think my heart stopped pounding in my head for 90 minutes. While the film borders on cliche with some of the suspense, it never quite goes over the top, and a few times when you think you see something coming, it makes a quick veer into the unexpected. While Taffy said on PiMC that she felt both of the primary actors should have been nominated for Oscars, I wouldn't go QUITE that far. Both Page and Wilson (who manages to look juuuuuust creepy enough with his beard whiskers and rectangular glasses.)

If you enjoy a GOOD suspense film, grab a handful of Hard Candy! Puns are fun!

Hard Candy gets four pugs

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

2010-09-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

In attempt to acquaint myself with some of the classics of Hollywood, I added a few well known and loved movies to the Netflix queue and hope to find that I loved them as well. While the Disney animated classics are a given, I thought I would broaden my horizons a little with what felt like a no brainer, The Philadelphia Story. The romantic comedy stars Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart as a socialite, her ex-husband and a writer/reporter. With a cast like this, it CAN'T go wrong, right?
I can honestly say that this is the first movie where I was ACTUALLY following the timeline of the movie, waiting for the wedding scene to happen at the end so that it would be over. It's HORRIBLE!
First of all, it didn't help that I had a crappy version of the film on DVD. I had to turn up my volume almost to full capacity to hear what they were saying. But then when I DID listen to the dialogue, I almost wanted to just turn it back down again. It was a lot of yammering and endless conversations that go NOWHERE. Is Tracy Lord (Hepburn) an "Ice Princess?" Does Dexter (Grant) love Tracy still, or will she end up with Connor, who is kinda dating his photographer/partner in crime Liz (Ruth Hussey, the only positive I could find in the acting category)? No one save Liz is likable in any way - they are all boring and bored with each other. People go from flirting to fighting back to flirting and it makes no sense.
I hoped that if there was one bright spot in an otherwise bleak movie it would be the costumes. It's a movie in the 40s about rich people - expect some glamrous outfits, right? Wrong. The most glamorous ensemble Hepburn wears is a wrap/towel thing (with shoulder pads, natch) when she decides to take a dip in the pool. She literally, changes from regular clothes into her bathing suit, then puts on the wrap, talks to Stewart, takes OFF the wrap, dives in the pool, gets out of the pool and puts the wrap BACK on to have a conversation with her fiance'. It makes NO sense!
I am sure I am probaly offending people left and right with this review, but if you have a desire to watch some classic films, do yourself a favor and avoid this one. One pug.
Here's the trailer, which I watched on the dvd. It's the best thing about the whole experience.

Hancock(2008)/Inside Deep Throat(2005)/District 9(2009)/Nine(2009)/Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning Thief(2010)

2010-08-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Taylor: In an attempt to clear some stuff off of a ridiculous To Do List that I created for myself a while back, I am going to try and knock out one JUMBO sized review of some movies I have seen over the last few months, both on DVD and in the theatres. While this won't bethe usual lengthy contemplating of my cinematic navel you have all grown to...um, love?, it is a way for me to sahre with all of you, in a quick and concise manner, what I thought about a couple of flicks...

Hancock - If I understand this correctly, the story for Hancock is looooooosely based (and I mean loosely) on a previous project called "Hero By Night." In that film, a down on his luck superhero with a drinking problem attempts to rehabilitate himself for the woman he loves. It was to be a dark drama. Hancock is no such movie. It had potential, I will say the parts of the movie with Wil Smith in costume fighting bad guys were fun to watch. It was, however, kinda...expected. You pretty much saw the best of the movie in the trailer for this one. And while there is a twist, ruined by those of us who actually pay attention to the trailers when we watch them, the explanation for the twist is a bit of a letdown. Still, it gets points for being one of the first movies that Babaloo and I watched in HD on the Netflix Streaming Service, and it looked real purdy like. 2 pugs and a half a bag of popcorn.
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Inside Deep Throat - I love documentaries, and don't get to watch enough of them. I tend to find them depressing, but necessary at times to show all the things in this world that are either right or wrong with it. So, when I saw there was a documentary about Deep Throat, the most successful x-rated film of all time, I thought for sure that would be something that had at least a little bit of happy in it. So, Taffy and I sat down on a fall day and watched the documentary. While it DID talk about DT, it spoke more to the censorship and obscenity issues of the early and mid 70s. It waxes and wanes at times, but watching the clothing and styles of the day are good for a chuckle. 3 pugs, half a box of popcorn.

District 9 - We watched this one when Rodan bought it while visiting during the holidays. A "documentary" about aliens inhabiting our planet, the film is amazingly well done and thoughtfully acted. What starts out as a sci-fi film very quickly turns into a story about fear, hope and lost opportunities. 4 pugs

Nine - One of the films I was most looking forward to see during the holidays ended up being one of the biggest disappointments. With possibly one of the greatest casts ever assembled for a film, directed by an Oscar winner, the film kinda felt like a bare bones Chicago, with lots of "singing to the audience" and very little emotion. Daniel Day-Lewis was greatly miscast, and considering he is the lynch pin around which all these wonderful women surround, including some wonderful performances by Marian Cotilliard, Penelope Cruz and Judi Dench), the film kind of falls apart. I do still sing "My Husband Makes Movies" all the time, though....3 Pugs...and I'm being generous....

Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - Have you ever seen any of the Harry Potter movies? Then you've see this one. 1 Pug.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

2010-08-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Babaloo: In an epic attempt to date the girl he loves....Scott Pilgrim must battle 7 evil ex-boyfriends to win her heart. AND MAN IS IT EPIC!

This fantasy epic adventure of hipster mid 20 year olds, has a little bit of everything. I know...some might disagree. Who wants to see a bunch of 20 year olds complain about life (it is so not that kind of movie). Well, weren't you 20 something once? Go back to that time of Super NES, Sega, 80's comics...HELL, even Batman with Adam West...and you are right there with the characters of the film. I believe this movie has the makings of being one of those cult classics that people will talk about for years.

The Movie is based on 6 digest size, black & white, graphic novels written by Brian Lee O'Mailey. Directed by Edgar Wright, known for his awkward fantasy/sci fi films like Shaun of the Dead and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Wright. rounds up an awesome cast...Micheal Cera (Scott Pilgrim), Jason Swartsman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans & Anna Kendrick to name a few.

Now, I know there is a bit of a hate club for Micheal Cera...I get that. BUT...I believe this film could not have been done without him. Micheal Cera was born to play this role, hands down.

The film was fast paced, funny and energetic. The fight scenes were soooo border line ridiculous, that it was just down right cool. The video game like pop ups..is what gave the film some life. I was having to much fun when watching this film. This is what summer movies are about. Having fun and going back to that time you were a 20 year old jack ass with a good heart.

Woohoo!!! Scott Pilgrim vs. The World ROCKS!!!!

5 Pugs...plus a 1 up!

American Zombie 2007

2010-08-01T18:29:00.000-07:00

Babaloo: If you are bored one night and need something fun and surprising. Rent this film!

American Zombie is a 2007 mock-umentary, based on the life and times of the American Zombies living in Los Angels. Two L.A. directors record the lives of four high functioning zombies, as they struggle to be accepted into human society. The documentary makes a sudden turn when the film makers (after some begging) get accepted to a big zombie retreat.

The starts out as a quirky & fun film. You feel sorry for these "zombies" as they struggle to fit in. At the same time two directors (Grace and John) fight over who takes control of the film.....

It is a clever kind of film-making that uses zombies as a way to tell about human society with out being gory and bloody...but it does scare you.

The film does start out kind of slow and at times you just want to move forward. Just give it a shot and you'll see what I mean. It will sneak up on you and stay with you for awhile.

I give it 4 pugs and a popcorn.

Double Feature Review with Babaloo! Toy Story 3 & Inception

2010-07-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

Babaloo: First off let me say....we’re baaaackkkk!!! It’s been awhile since we reviewed anything. So here I go.

Toy Story 3 is loaded with memorable characters...from the over dressed Ken to the theatrical German hedgehog with a Shakespearean voice...But one of the most memorable characters of the film (for me) is Big Baby. It is a old, beat-up baby doll that makes only baby sounds and it’s one of the creepiest in the film. Anyway, not to spoil to much of the film...the loaded cast of characters each play an important roll in Toy Story 3.The film is a bit dark at times but very well balanced fast paced and fun. This is a film for all young and old. But not to worry, you won’t feel the dark themes in the movie.

This film is the best in the Trilogy probably the best of Pixar so far. Animation was superb as usual.I give it 5 out of 5 pugs.

Inception...wow.

Again, I don’t want to say much about the movie. BUT.....It. was. awesome!!!! Like...I mean....rip the handles off your seat A.W.E.S.O.M.E!!! So yeah I loved it.

This film is The Matrix meets Ocean’s 11 with a little Total Recall and The Cell on the side. Dominic - played by Leonardo Dicaprio - is given one last “job”. The objective is to convince Fischer (Cillian Murphy) to break up his father's company, preventing it becoming a monopoly. Easier said than done. He’s band of dream robbers storm in Fisher’s dream and all hell breaks lose. If that doesn’t get them killed then his crazed imagination will.....and that is all I am saying about that.

The acting is wonderful...Ellen Page plays Adriane, the voice of reason to Dominic who he doesn’t listen too. The best was Marion Cotillard as the antagonist to Dominic...Again that is all I am saying.

Just see the movie dam it!!!I give it 5 out of 5 pugs

Closer (2004)

2010-01-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

The love lives of two British men and two American women intersect again and again in Closer, a Mike Nichols film that recieved a lot of interest and buzz when it was released over 5 years ago (can that be right?!?) Dan (Jude Law) meets Alice (Natalie Portman), then kisses Anna (Julia Roberts), who rejects him, so he plays a practical joke on her by setting up a meet up with Larry (Clive Owen). The two couples intertwine, with various partners meeting up with various partners - couples split up, get back together, split up and get back together. All while talking a lot about fucking and what Jude Law's semen tastes like (apparently, it's sweet.)

The film is a series of paradoxes. It's beautifully drab, with it's use of tans, grays and blacks in the scenery and costumes, the actors are charmingly unlikeable, in particular Clive Owen, who you like, hate, then like again all in the course of about 20 minutes. He and Roberts have a great scene in the middle of the movie that is riveting to watch. And, while I have enjoyed Julia Roberts' performances in the past, I can see why she is considered one this generation's best actresses, as well as a movie star. She conveys feelings of guilt and humiliation with just a subtle glance or slight frown that lets you know what she is thinking. Still, you don't necessarily find yourself rooting for any particular character, and, unlike many of the movies of today (cough cough avatar cough cough), I truly didn't know where or how the film was going to end. All in all, a nice movie to watch on a cool Monday afternoon under a blanket with a pug.

I give Closer 3 pugs and a half eaten bag of popcorn.

Avatar (2009)

2010-01-17T07:40:00.000-08:00

Babaloo

Only a few weeks in the movies and it has broken every record out there. The blockbuster hit Avatar is a big movie. How big? Big effects, big action, big themes….well you get the point. James Cameron keeps things big in the broad spectrum of things by borrowing on themes we’ve seen before….Can we say Pocahontas or Dances with Wolves? Yes, the words and story are recycled myths but that is what we find most appealing. This is what we call “appealing to the masses”.

Lets breakdown Avatar. It’s about paraplegic ex-marine (Jake), that is sent to a hostile alien world and takes his brothers place as an avatar. An Avatar is a human mind in an alien body. As the avatar he and a team of others avatars must find a way to communicate to the indigenous Na’vi. The Na‘vi is the alien race that can “connect“with the environment….Literally connect….see for yourself. The team has to first ask nicely to move from their home because of the very rare rock called Unobtainium that is right smack under where the Na’vi lives. Jake (The Avatar) is then torn between two worlds, between the alien woman he loves and his human companions…He must find away to save the Na’vi from the imperial humans.

The themes in the story are simple…Love, loyalty, heritage, The dark side of technology, greed, understanding the environment, family, imperialism….It’s all black and white. Hero vs. Villain. Good conquers all…..you get the picture. Yet, I knew what I was getting but I still enjoyed the story. Universal themes are what it’s all about in this film.

I really can’t say much about the acting….cause well….most of the film was the computers acting. I can tell you that the visuals made the “story on stock” film much more enjoyable. I forgot everything at that moment and was transported in that world. That’s what a movie is all about. Enjoying the sights sounds and themes of this BIG BIG movie. A fun rollercoaster ride. The imagination behind the scenes and/or visuals was impressive. A must watch on the big screen.

Now, I did it enjoy it and I recommend seeing it. But I have to say. A lot of critics or people are saying that this is the next big thing….the next “Star Wars“….um…..yeah no. Although I did very much enjoy the film. It did not leave that “oh so loving feeling” that some movies have. Universal themes or not…BIG effects or not….once the dust settles from this film…I think it will be forgotten.

One critic said something like...."It's like eating a fancy cheeseburger you paid $100 for in a fancy restaurant. $100 or not.....it's still a cheeseburger."

3.5 out of 5 pugs.

Taylor: Avatar is the equivalent of getting a box of underwear at your 10th birthday party, but the wrapping paper is all Shiny and has tons of cool ribbons and streamers. You get super excited, you look at how neat and cool the ribbon and the foil make the package, but when you open it up...it's just underwear. The same brand of underwear you've been wearing forever, so it's comfortable, but you are kinda upset you didn't get that TIE Fighter you were hoping for...but when you say you didn't care for the underwear, people look at you like you're crazy. And you don't get to eat cake. At your own birthday party.

Ok, I went off on a tangent there, but in short, Avatar sucked. One pug.

The Imposters (1998)

2010-01-07T18:42:00.000-08:00

Babaloo: In the tradition of Laurel and Hardy and the Marxx brothers, The Imposters is a slapstick comedy that has some stick but no slap.

The film takes place in the 1930’s. Two out of work actors, played by Stanley Tucci and Oliver Platt, accidentally stowaway on a cruise liner to hide away from a dramatic drunkin lead actor who has sworn to kill them for belittling his talents. Once inside they meet other weird and colorful characters that intertwine their stories together. The stowaways must save the ship from blowing up as well as the other characters from getting killed.

The cast is wonderful, the writing was great BUT the actual film….well it felt flat. It just felt like a cheap and rushed project. The film had lots of wonderful moments….like the depressed comedian “Happy Franks” played by Steve Buscemi, Lili Taylor as the sweet cruise director, Alfred Molina as the dramatic actor, Billy Connolly the closeted Tennis Pro and many more. So….hmm…the acting was not a problem. So what was it? Well the script didn’t seem like a problem. The one liners and quick witty. The dialogue was superb. So what was my problem……?

OH, now I see. It looked cheap. Yes, I kept reminding myself that I am seeing a set. That killed it for me. The forth wall was down and I saw the wizard at the controls. I kept seeing the same set over and over again….I know they are in a ship but really do something different. I even saw editing mistakes that made me do a double take. I saw moments in the beginning of the scene that looked like they were running out of time….so they told the actors to do dance or something. The transition from scene to scene was rough. EVEN!! In the end credits, they reminded me it was a movie. No…stop….why? Why!?

I give it 2 pugs and half a box of popcorn out of 5

Rachael Getting Married (2008)

2010-01-02T07:46:00.000-08:00

Taylor: I had high hopes about this movie, I really did.

I had heard all the critics talk last year of Anne Hathaway's performance as Kym in Rachael Getting Married and figured with me tending to like the smaller family dramas, I thought how could it go wrong. Kym comes home from a nine month stay in rehab just in time for her sister Rachael's pending nuptuals. Of course, hilarity ensues! We also learn bits and pieces of a family tragedy that pulled the family apart years ago, and how that plays into many of the relationships in the film.

The standout here definitely is Hathaway. This role is a far cry from many of the other "princess" rolls she's played in the past. It's a dark role, and with a few exceptions, she plays the part well, sometimes a victim, sometimes a bully, sometimes an armchair therapist. As a viewer (and to a lesser degree than Kym, a familial black sheep myself), I felt you could see the goings on in her head, and understand a bit where she was coming from. Another strong actor with a smaller part was Mather Zickel who played the best man of the movie, as well as a member of Kym's AA group. Zickel performed well, bringing a calming presence to the screen every time he was on it. He felt....real to watch, like someone you would actually see at a wedding as the best man.

And that's where what I liked about the movie stopped. The wedding party (both the people in the party and the party itself) was the most ridiculous, pretentious, wanna be experience, and the director used this to be self-indulgent and at times. I think the UN has a less multi cultural group of people meeting regulary. The bride is white, the groom is black, they have asian friends, the wedding is Indian themed, and at the reception, Brazilian carnivale dancers show up for no reason. Add to that different WAY too long scenes of multiple people toasting the happy couple, or playing music, or reading poetry, and it gets very old very fast. Seriously, we get it, you have talented friends.

Speaking of talent wasted. Debra Winger plays Kym and Rachael's mother, and while I love Debra Winger, she fails in this film, choosing at times to play it too flat, and then at a pivitol scene to her character, shoots past reality and flies straight into melodrama. A shame really. I was really rooting for her. I was also rooting for this movie, too.

Rachael Getting Married gets 2 pugs.

Rock Hudson's Home Movies (1992)

2009-12-21T16:17:00.000-08:00

Taylor: What the hell is this?

Rock Hudson's Home Movies is a "documentary" by Mark Rappaport, showing the many double entendres in Hudson's film career that show the world that he was telling us he was gay all along, that apparently, Hollywood was in on the joke. The film makes some pretty compelling, if not hamfisted, arguments for the case, but many of the scenes shown are taken out of context (we have no way of knowing what is going on before or after the scene) and as a result, the director's point of view loses traction. There is a clear agenda here, one that, quite frankly, I'm not sure why we needed to witness. We all know now that Hudson was gay and died of an AIDS related illness in 1985. What's the point of spending three minutes of a 63 minute documentary talking about a lingering glance that Tony Randall gives a shirtless Hudson in one of their Hudson-Doris Day romantic comedies.

And then there is the film quality. This documentary is clearly made before the digital age, with many of the film clips used looking like they are taken from VHS tapes. Between the constant hissing in the background, and the distortion of the video tape from clip to clip, the quality of the movie looks like it was made with a couple of VCRs hooked up to a television. And the "narrator" green-screens himself into various scenes, sometimes talking as a narrator, and sometimes talking as Hudson himself, after his death. There is even "comedic" commentary to some of the dialogue, a la It Came From Hollywood that just comes off as obvious and patronizing.

Rock Hudson's Home Movies is one of those films that you know played the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Circuit back in the early 90's and was probably "cutting" edge for it's time, but now seems very dated and condescending to a GLBT community who is a little more savvy about making documentaries about our history.

Rock Hudson's Home Movies gets 1 pug

Shadow of The Vampire (2000) - A Taylor The Latte Boy Review

2009-11-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

See, I can watch horror movies....well, kinda horror movies.

Shadow of the Vampire stars John Malkovich and Willem DaFoe as director F.W. Murnau and the star of his movie Max Schreck, respectively. Murnau is making an "homage" to Dracula (because the family of Bram Stoker won't sell him the rights to the book) and, wanting authenticity, he hires an actual vampire, played by DaFoe. Things go...awry when Shreck demands the lead actress of the film be his payment following the production.

Sometimes very funny, I thought the concept was original enough to keep my attention. The film never felt obvious or generic to me in where the story was going. I thought the supporting cast, including Catherine McCormack as Greta, and Eddie Izzard (yes, THAT Eddie Izzard, Ness) as Gustav, actors in the film within a film were great. Malkovich played...well, every other character Malkovich always plays. If I were to have one complaint about the film, it would be that it was dark. Real dark. I get that the film is supposed to take place at night, but for the most part I wouldn't call the movie as suspense-filled film. Babaloo and I watched this movie in the dark at night and I still had a hard time making out what was going on sometimes. Had we watched this film during the day, or in a well lit room, I don't know how we would have seen anything.

The standout here is DaFoe. It is clear why he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the vampire Schreck/Nosferatu. Ghoulish, he chews up the scenery in a way that is compelling, sometimes very funny (on purpose), and with wild abandon. You can see that he really dove head first into this role, and you can see the beginnings of his portrayal of the Green Goblin in the Spider Man movies here. Even if you don't like horror movies (which I can barely count this one as), then you should see Shadow of the Vampire for Dafoe's performance alone.

I'm giving Shadow of the Vampire 3 stars and half a bag of popcorn.

Ok, So The Next Cute Guy From A Pugs And Popcorn Movie Is....

2009-11-06T16:52:00.001-08:00

I know he's a cartoon, but come ON! Dark hair, blue eyes muscles for days and he'll always show up to save your ass when you need it! Of COURSE he gets a nomination for Mr. Pugs and Popcorn!

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

2009-11-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

Taylor: Now THIS is some nerd porn!

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is the latest direct to DVD animated feature released by DC Comics (now called DC Entertainment, I do believe.) The story, based on the first six issues of Superman/Batman comics, has the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel combating...well, just about everyone after President Lex Luthor (you heard me) declared a 1 billion dollar bounty on the Superman's head. While every villain comes out of the woodwork to claim the bounty, the World's Finest work together to not only clear Supes' name, but also prevent Earth's destruction via a Kryptonite meteor.

I was impressed with how close the writers stayed to the original source material. I have found that in the past the DCU films take an idea, boil it down to it's basic core and create a story that can be told in a 75 to 80 minute movie. S/B:PE didn't do that. It found a way to stay close to the story and only trimmed a minimal amount of fat, and reworked the story in a way that makes sense and could keep the viewer's interest. I loved seeing some of the panels from the comic almost seem to take life on the screen. I also loved that so many other characters from the DC Universe were able to play such pivotal roles. Many times in these movies, other characters appear in the background as easter eggs for fanboys like myself to notice and point out to our less interested friends. But here, each of the other heroes in the film, including Black Lightning, Power Girl and Captain Atom, all received a moment to shine.

Speaking of shining, can we talk about the animation? The art style of the film was beautiful, looking about as close to original story artist Ed McGuinness' as is possible! I've been a fan of McGuinness's style in the past, and while it would have been easy for the art team to ape him, or take his stocky anime style to an extreme, the characters were well drawn with clear lines and beautifully colored. so many of the original voice actors from the various series were on hand here, and as a fan of Batman: The Animated Series from back in college, I find it hard to hear anyone but Kevin Conroy as Batman, so when Conroy growls his first line in the film, you can't help but smile.

With a minimal amount of plot holes and some slight sense of disbelief (what happens when all the debris getting thrown around in metropolis hits the ground?), Superman/Batman: Public Enemies is a great film not only for comic book fans like myself, but fans of animation and well crafted storytelling.

Taylor gives this film five pugs.

Babaloo: Yes comic book porn galore indeed.
I have never read the DC comics of Superman, Batman or any DC comic for that matter, and that was OK. The film was so entertaining I did not have to have read books from the series to understand. The story was fast paced and exciting enough to keep me interested. The animation was superb great style and wonderful drawn characters. Even though it had plenty of DC characters that would make any fan boy scream with glee. The writers seemed to still make the story solid.
My favorite part of the film was the fight scenes with all the vilians they could jam in there from the DC Universe. Then it happens....Taylor says "This is fucking cool!" I think I loved him a little more. :)
I give it 5 pugs out of 5

Zombieland (2009) and other Halloween Favorites a Babaloo Review.

2009-10-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from Pugs and Popcorn.

As Taylor does not enjoy the horror movies like I do. It is with great pleasure for me to recommend a few new and old favorites. Weather your staying at home or you out on the town tonight here are my picks.

I like to start off with my new favorite zombie movie, Zombieland. All I can say is…..Yes, Yes and Yes!!! This horror film has just the right mixture of gore, scares and laughs that make you enjoy the movie and love the characters. The movie was creative in many ways, from making rules on surviving and killing zombies to silly moments like visiting Bill Murray Mansion….yes that’s right and an obsession with Twinkies

Let’s start of by one of the zombie survival rules “never get attached” in which the characters name themselves by what city they are going or from. So our main character is called Columbus (as in Columbus Ohio) played by Jesse Eisenberg is an antisocial college student that has survived the zombie apocalypse by being well…antisocial. He also comes up with rules that he lives by in order to survive….We see rule number 1 in the first few minutes of the film, Cardio. The most interesting moments of the film is the rules and how they become part of the scene. Then we meet Columbus opposite, Tallahassee (you see the pattern here) played by Woody Harrelson, who is way of surviving the zombie apocalypse is brute force and an undeniable sense of glee. He teaches Columbus one of his important rules…”Enjoy the little things”. A while looking for Tallahassee obsession for finding Twinkies at a grocery store, we find two more survivors a young woman named Wichita (Emma Stone) and her pre-teen sister Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) who con the boys a couple of times during the movie and keep everyone at a distance. At the end, their relationship as a family come together in a California amusement park which is a great way of killing zombies and being trapped by one.

The only flaw was the film was very only 82 minutes long. I think they could have stretched a little more but in all the movie was a fast paced roller coaster riot. One of the other good things I did enjoy about this movie is that all the main characters were not killed, no need to show a typical scene like that which was a plus in my book.

I give it 5 pugs out of 5.

My other Halloween picks.

Twilight (2008)

If you have teenage girls…well how about Twilight….yes Twilight. What can I say….it teenage girl soft porn. Alas, I was entertained. I had to know what the hoopla was about. So I had to watch. Sew me.

Anyway, Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) an antisocial girl (I’m dark and different kind of annoying way) moves to Forks Washington to live with her Dad. As she starts her first day in High School is immediately welcomed by many of the trendy teenage friends. But is more intrigued by one of the Cullen boys in the clan. Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) finds her intriguing cause he can’t “read her mind”. They fall in love and are welcomed into his clan. But other visiting vampires come to town and one of them wants to “eat Bella”. So it my Vampire in shining armor or skin to come rescue me against another shiny Vampire.

Ok I’m a big fan of Vampires and High School shows/movie…hence TV shows like Buffy or the new Vamp show “The Vampire Diaries”…compared to Twilight I do not see the attraction. Bella was well annoying and whinny. Edward should know better than to date someone as annoying, he is like 100 years old…It just seemed lazy….Maybe New Moon will be better. Who knows….The best part of this film were the Vampires playing baseball under a thunder storm…That was the most fun parts or the film.

I give it 3 pugs out of 5.

Night Watch (2005)

You want some action with horror, try the Russian film Night Watch. It’s been compared to a horror version of Lord of the Rings.

The forces of Light and Dark have existed for in a delicate balance of many years….They have a truce that the Light and Dark police each other so not to disturb the balance. But Even as the Night Watch polices the Dark others - among them Vampires, witches, shape-shifters and the such - chain of mysterious events trigger a prophecy that could save or destroy the world.

This was based on a famous Russian novel trilogy that is based on there mythologies and legends.

This movie is a big wow for me….very stylized and exciting to watch.

I give it 5 out of 5 pugs.

Nightmare before Christmas (1993)

For the Kiddies - Nightmare before Christmas

A critically acclaimed movie milestone that has enchanted kids and adults everywhere.

The story of the Pumpkin king of Halloween town bored with the same stuff. Stumbles into Christmas town and kidnaps Santa Claus to find himself and become the new Santa. At the end he finds that he can not fill the big shows of Claus and decides to just be himself.

This is a great Disney Halloween classic musical with a lot of heart.

5 out of 5 pugs.

Poltergeist (1982)

Want a classic 80’s Spielberg movie….Try Poltergeist.

This movie was mad about 30 years ago and it still freaks me out.

Great acting by Craig Nelson, Jo-Beth Williams and the late Heather O’Rourke. The story of a Haunted House buried under a Cemetery that kidnaps a young girl Carol Anne to show they the way to the light.

STAY AWAY FROM THE LIGHT!

4 pugs out of 5.

I have plenty of other films I would love to recommend but the top were a few of my favorites.

Enjoy and HAPPY HALLOWEEN.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

2009-09-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Taylor - I never really fancied myself a fan of Quentin Tarantino. I mean, everyone back when I was just out of college throught that Pulp Fiction was the second coming, and while I enjoyed Jackie Brown, and appreciated him bringing Pam Grier to a new generation of film watchers, I could have lived my life without seeing it and been ok.
Then I saw the trailer for Kill Bill, vol. 1.
Holy shit! This is a super hero movie, Tarantino style!
Rodan and I went opening night to see the first volume (with, if memory serves, Rodan) and it did not disappoint. Action sequences, a out of sync story that was surprisingly easy to follow along with, and an amazing cast, I could not WAIT to see Volume 2 a few months later. (Unfortunately, I had to wait to see it til the DVD came out, but it was worth the wait.) Tarantino followed up the KB movies with Death Proof, his half of a horribly fun film, Grindhouse. The film captures some of the best car chase and crash sequences ever filmed and does a better job that Planet Terror (Robert Rodriguez's half) of creating that feel of a film from the 70's, filmed out in the California mountains. I became a fan through those movies, and as such, was looking forward to Inglourious Basterds.
I was not disappointed.
The film "stars" Brad Pitt as the head of a secret group of Jewish American soldiers with the sole intension of killing Nazis. I say stars in quotes because Pitt isn't in the film for what I would consider to be a majority of it. A lot of the film is about the soldiers in Pitt's crew, and a side storyline involving a Jewish girl on the run, and how those two stories come together in an explosive (literally) conclusion. Tarantino continues his "there are no rules" style of storytelling, using long drawn out talking scenes with characters who may suddenly be taken out from the story with little to no warning. The director's main device used in the film is tension. You find yourself at times on the edge of your seat, whether it's the opening scene involving an interrigation of a French dairy farmer (I could feel myself wanting to yell, "They're in the cellar!" at the screen), to the simple act of The main muscle of the soldiers, The Bear Jew, (Eli Roth, looking nice and swarthy) simply banging his baseball bat along the walls of a tunnel prior to emerging from the shadows to bash in a Nazi's head.
Everything in the film, from costumes to (especially) music to the acting was pretty damn good. (I especially enjoyed the acting of the two main female actresses - Melanie Laurent and Diane Kruger as the Jewish girl and a German Actress, respectively.) Also amzingly evil was Chistoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa, aka The Jew Hunter. You couldn't believe how you could find someone so evil so charming at times.
Not as gory as it could have been, nor Historically correct (at all!), Inglourious Basterds is a fun way to spend an afternoon on a rainy day, and is strongly recommended to fans of non-traditional film making.
I give Inglourious Basterds five pugs.

Babaloo - Quintin Tarantino has never failed to entertain me from Reservoir Dogs to Pulp Fiction to his cheese Zombie flick Grindhouse. Inglorious Basterds has got to be his best yet.

Inglorious Basterds, directed and written by Quintin Tarantino, set in an Alternate history/universe in Nazi-Occupied France during World War 2. “The Bastards” are a group of rough housing soldiers (mostly Jewish) lead by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). There mission is to assassinate the entire Nazi command during a Nazi propaganda film premiere in Paris> With the help of a dashingly handsome British soldier Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender). At the same time, the beautiful young woman (Melanie Laurent) who runs the theatre in Paris is planning on revenge for the death for her family.

That is only a snippet of what the movie is about.

The film is filled with amazing action sequences but the best parts are those tense conversational moments. Mostly by Christoph Waltz who plays Col. Hans Landa, sort of a Jewish Bounty Hunter. He has that creepy nice cop but I’m still going to kill you with charm and a smile, that you just love to hate. The film really doesn’t have that much action. What it does have is amazing dialogue between all the characters that puts you on the edge of your seat.

Another great part of the film is the acting. The Bastards like Brad Pitt and Eli Roth brought a lot of humor to the film. Til Schweiger as the crazy Sgt, Hugo Stiglitz was fun to watch especially his back story. There are so many great actors from other countries in this film that made it just more enjoyable. As mentioned before Christoph Waltz, from Austria, was the best of all with his creep snake like charm. Melanie Laurent as Shosanna Drefus, from Paris, played the French girl that runs the theatre. The annoyingly creepy Daniel Bruhl from Spain, played the German Nazi soldier that the film is documented about. Just to name a few.

The film had a lot of great character scenes, back story and even little stories going constantly back and forth, that I almost wondered how in the world is he going to put it all together. But alas he does. How dare I question Tarantino. The ending of the film has got to be the best ending I have ever seen in a Tarantino Film. He used the same formula as has always done in previous films and again made something fresh and new. All the stories finally coming together to make a huge dramatic ending.

I bow to you master.

I gave it 5 pugs out of 5.

Ok, So A New Pugs and Popcorn Segment!

2009-09-19T16:14:00.000-07:00

A new segment here at the Pugs and Popcorn. Either Babaloo or myself (or both of us) is going to nominate a guy from a movie we've seen as and are reviewing here at the site. We've recently seen Inglourious Basterds (see our review!) and I am nominating Eli Roth. While not the best actor in the bunch, he was more than easy enough on the eyes.

We'll add each guy to our nomination list with each movie, and once we get to ten, we'll have a poll as to which guy is the official Pugs and Popcorn mascot or something....like I said, details need to be hammered out. You know, like Roth did with that Nazi guy's head.

Green Lantern (2009)

2009-09-06T11:26:00.001-07:00

Taylor: Listners of PiMC know that I have become a big fan of the Green Lantern comic books over the last few months. Current storylines in the book focus on not only the character of Green Lantern Hal Jordan, but a large supporting cast of characters that each bring their own unique personality to wearing the ring. I was excited to see that there was a GL moving coming out, and after taking back What's Up, Doc? at the local Blockbuster, decided to give this one a try.

Similar to the last DCU feature, Wonder Woman, this one had its ups and downs. The film had some great action sequences, and it cohesively told the origin story of Jordan, who recieves his energy ring from a dying Green Lantern who crash lands on Earth. The problem is the origin is told WAY too quickly. He gets the ring, and suddenly, he's on another planet surrounded by other members of the Green Lantern Corp, with little explanation of exploration of feelings, motivation. The story has some SERIOUS plot holes in it. (The whole film takes place in a week!? He knows how to make a Green Bluetooth handfree phone AND make it operational?), but that can be nitpicking and fanboy-ish, so we'll leave it alone.

One thing that I CAN'T leave alone is the art style of the film. I felt it was a little too anime for my liking (One or two of the characters look like they were pulled right out of a Dragonball Z cartoon, and I'm sorry, but throwing moving lines behind something as it is "transforming" is not animation - it's sloppy.) I will say there is some great voiceover work, including Chris Meloni as Jordan/Green Lantern, and Victor Garber as Sinestro.

The film was definitely middle of the road for me, but it was a nice way to spend 75 minutes on the couch on a gloomy Staurday afternoon. 2 pugs and half a bag of popcorn.

Babaloo : A dying alien, Abin Sur, crashes to Earth and tells the ring to find the next lantern to take his place. The ring finds Hal Jordan a US air force test pilot. The moment Jordan accepts the ring he is transported to a Intergalactic police force that tries to stop alien mobsters, murders and thieves etc. The Guardians of the Universe (which look like little Orko’s from He-Man) are not quite convinced of Hal’s abilities to take on the ring, let alone any human. Sinestro convinces the Guardians of the Universe to take him under his wing and train him. However, Sinestro has other plans, he believes the Guardians are week and can do better job of cleaning the universe. So Sinestro finds a way to make is own ring by finding the yellow element that will make him powerful as any Green Lantern. Hal Jordan has stop him before he destroys the green lanterns corps.

I loved the film. It was good cop vs. bad cop in space. It had it’s Jedi feel to it, without the space opera. With some great action fight and chase scenes. Great story, which flowed smoothly, it did not feel rushed nor dumbed down . The animation is my favorite, it had a sense of Japanese anime which I am a huge fan of, for a straight to video movie it was well produced animation. It had a great voice cast of great actors….Christopher Meloni as Green Lantern, Victor Barber as Sinestro, Michael Madsen as Kilwog and many more. This film is not quite for the young children (hence the PG-13 rating). It did have some scenes of extreme violence; there was scenes of alien’s doing drugs and lots of blood and graphic death scenes. Which was my only bad thing I could say about this film.

I give it 4 pugs and a popcorn.

What's Up, Doc? (1972) - A Taylor Review

2009-09-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

They don't make 'em like they used to.

The most dated of the movies we've reviewed here on Pugs And Popcorn, What's Up, Doc? stars Ryan O'Neal and Barbara Streisand as two strangers who get mixed up with each other and a jewel thief, a spy, and a slew of other zany characters in 1970's San Francisco. Naturally, hilarity ensues.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot for those of you who haven't seen it, but if you are looking for a fun movie to watch, GET THIS ONE! First of all, the juxtaposition of seeing a screwball comedy, something I would compare to the Three Stooges or Abbot and Costello, in "modern times," is interesting and fun! There were times when I literally laughed out loud like I would have as a kid on a Saturday afternoon watching an old Three Stooges short. (In particular, watch for the scene where the hotel manager tells the hotel detective to use his charm on an older woman staying at the hotel. You'll know it when you see it.) While the film makes you suspend your sense of disbelief, you don't mind. You just know that it's supposed to be a silly little movie, and you go along for the ride.

I was pleasantly surprised by Streisand in the film. The only times I have ever seen her work in movies involve her being very serious and moody (and, at times, chewing up the scenery - Nuts, anyone?) I went in to the film with some reservations about her diva behavior nowadays. I can say that by the end of the film, she won me over. She's actually quite charming and believable as Judy. And any film that ends it's cast credits with "and introducing Madeline Kahn," is SURE to get a thumbs up from me. Her part, while small, is integral to quite a few of the scenes, and you laugh from the literal moment the camera pans on her for the first time.

If I can say anything critical about the film, it would have to be Ryan O'Neal. O'Neal's recent return to the celebrity spotlight may have played a part in my feelings about him, but I found his character unlikeable and dull, which I know is supposed to be the point, but you usually see a transition for a character that starts out dull and ends a film a hero. Howard didn't do that for me. He started and ended the movie a real shlub. The only time he piqued my curiosity would be in the middle of the film where he walks around in boxers and a bow tie for 10 minutes. Otherwise, eh. Take him or leave him.

Thank you to Kevin Bee for recommending this movie (see, we WILL watch movies you recommend to us!). I smiled from beginning to end. I give the film 4.5 out of 5 pugs

Sideways (2004)

2009-08-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

Taylor A darling of the Oscar and film festival circuit a few years back, Sideways is the story of two friends, a future groom and his best man, traveling through California wine country a week before the groom's marriage. Along the way, the play golf, meet some of the locals and drink lots of wine, their friendship being tested by the situations they find themselves in.

Kinda.

Let's start with the positive aspects of the film. I will say that the casting was spot on. Paul Giamatti and Thomas Hayden Church were completely believable in their roles as Miles and Jack. I can see why Giamatti was so well respected for his portrayal of Miles in the film. As it begins, you really don't like the character. He appears to be nothing more than a pretentious loser. As the film continues, however, I found myself sympathizing with his loneliness and his lack of control over his life. Church was also committed as Jack, the over the hill actor who wants to have one last fling before his wedding. Jack makes no apologies for his plans for the week, and just when you think that you understand the character, he portrays a side of himself that is a testament to the actual love the character shares for his bride. Finally, Virginia Madsen was by far the standout of the foursome making up the main players in this film (Sandra Oh was nice enough, but I found myself thinking her to be the weakest of the actors, and thought that her character could have been played by a multitude of actresses.) Madsen plays Maya as vulnerable and likable from the moment she walks into the film. She has a monologue that uses wine as an analogy for life that many other actresses could have chewed up and performed in an overdramatic way. Madsen's performs the scene with just enough passion, just enough subtlety that makes you believe that what she is saying is true for her. It's a beautiful, understated performance.

Now, that being said, did I enjoy Sideways?

Eh.

For all the hype I had heard about the film when it came out, I was really expecting an amazing film. I thought that at times the material was pretensious and self-indulgent. Some of the camerawork appeared very 70's-esque to me, (angles, lighting, etc.) and considering these characters are supposed to be in the very upper crusty wine country, I found that to be an odd choice. If you took the film and split it into three acts, I would say the second act was by far the most enjoyable to watch. The first act of the film seemed to take a little too long (We get it, they're going to wine country), and the final act appeared to flounder for a while (including a scene with a stolen wallet and a car accident that seemed a little too zany for the movie's sensibilities.) But, this seems to be a recurring theme with the director, Alexander Payne's, previous works (Election and the sinfully underrated About Schmidt).

Sideways is one of those movies that I'm glad I saw it, but am fine with never seeing it again. If you happen to catch it on cable, watch it for a while. Sideways gets 3 Pugs.

Babaloo Sideways is about Miles (Paul Giamatti) going through a sad and pathetic mid-life crisis. He takes his best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church) to wine country to taste wine. But alas Jack would rather get drunk on Women before he gets married the following week. At first you kind of feel sorry for Miles. He is to controlling and uptight about a lot of things. Jack his best friend, the whore, wants nothing more to loosen his friend up.

I happen to enjoy this movie. Why? Cause it was about a geek (Miles) talking about wine….I know nothing about wine but I have some knowledge of geek speak. I don’t know, I guess I could relate in a way. Like a geek talking about comics and then geek meets super hottie geek.

The story was slow at first but very good and entertaining towards the middle and end. My favorite part of the film was the Monologues between Miles (Paul Giamatti) and Maya (Virginia Madsen). Miles talked about how complicated it is to grow a pinot grape and Maya how good a wine tastes after so long. It was the most absolute brilliant way of expression in writing between the two characters I have ever seen. The film had a lot of subtle funny moments that were also brilliant.

Not much bad to talk about.

The beginning was slow and the film seemed low budget but that didn’t bother me as much. The acting and the story itself was very entertaining.

I give it 4 pugs out of 5.

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (2009)

2009-08-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

A Babaloo Review

To say that I have been waiting for this film for awhile is an understatement. When they decided to push the film back 7 months, I was appalled. So you can tell that I am a Harry Potter fan... I have read all the books and seen all the movies.

Although, this was the only time I did not see the midnight showing of the film.

ANYWAY....

It's the 6Th year at Hogwarts for Harry Potter played by Daniel Radcliffe and mayhem ensues (as usual) and very deliciously I might add. Draco is up to no good, Ron and Hermione are having a lovers tiff, Voldermort is terrorizing the wizards and the muggles, Dumbledore prepares Harry for the battle that lies ahead of him as he deals with his ragging hormones. Tom Riddle is a psycho, Snape is a douche, Luna is adorable, Horocrux's, Luck potion's, Quidditch etc.....

Yes, this film is jam packed. As a huge fan/reader, I have always thought the Harry Potter films as more of an afterthought or cliff notes (if you will) of the actual books. This one one was no exception but yet I think it is one of the best in the series. The film had a great balance of heart and humor with dark tone in the film. If you have or have never read the books, you will enjoy this film.

The film had great visiuals, amazing soundtrack and alot of great acting. The young actors (Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint) are all growing up as fine actors. For the first time I actually saw Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) be funny. Rupert Grint as Ron had a great scene in the Quidditch match (which he takes the position as the goalie) was a great diversion. Emma Watson as Hermonie was a also very funny. And of course Jim Broadbent as Professor Slughorn was a great addition to the film. Good choice as the teacher that lives vicariously through his students. Michael Gambon as Professor Albus Dumbledore is always a delight but in this film was more of the fantastic wizard we have been waiting for. Alan Rickman as Snape is fun to watch him speak so viciously and slowly....makes me giggle. The other actors like Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane) etc....were not so involved in the film. Which is sad but what can you do. But who can forget Helena Bonham Carter as the wicked Bellatrix....she probably had the shortest part in the movie yet very memorable.

As I mentioned before, the screen writing (by Steve Kloves who wrote most of the movies) was great and again the movies were always considered (to me) as an afterthought. BUT I can't seem to understand how they just dropped the ball at the end of the film. At the end of the book there was a great battle scene in which the students (and the school) battle it out with the Death Eaters and the reason they survived was the luck potion. As well as the realization of who the Half Blood Prince was, the whole Half Blood Prince was so underplayed. I wondered if they could only have added a few more minutes to the film if that would have made a diffrence. Sigh. And don't get me started on the funeral. Even though with these were slight nuisance the film was very good. I just could blame them for being as faithful as they possibly could.

So for that I give it.

4 out of 5 pugs.

P.S.

and Taffy...I did not ditch you >:P. You know I'm a fan. It is like asking a small child to hold his pee while waiting for the bus in the amazon....NEXT too a huge ragging waterfall.

In short, I could not contain myself. I had too....accept it.

Pineapple Express (2008)

2009-08-22T09:23:00.002-07:00

A Taylor The Latte Boy Review
Ok, so I am not a pot smoker. I've never been a pot smoker - never even tried it. Yet I occasionally find myself drawn to movies where marijuana is a common theme. And usually, after watching the latest exploits of Harold and Kumar or whoever, I am disappointed. Pineapple Express is no exception.
The premise of the film. A process server (played by Seth Rogen) accidentally witnesses a murder, and by an odd (yet believable-ish) chain of events, goes on the run from the killers with his drug dealer (James Franco.) The two stop occasionally to make dumb decisions and/or light up, eventually deciding they need to take the main bad guy (Gary Cole) head on. It's supposed to be a buddy movie, but I found the two main characters to be annoying. Seth Rogan from the onset looks like he needs to take a bath, and while many reviewers and audiences enjoyed the tense chemistry between Rogen and Franco. In two hours these two go from Rogen being openly hostile/annoyed by Franco to announcing towards to the world that he is the best friend Rogen ever had. I didn't feel it. Franco has never been a favorite actor of mine - he is my opinion the weakest part of the Spider Man trilogy - and while his portrayal of the drug dealer is believable, even when he's supposed to be baked, he's still a little too pretty under the ratty clothes and greasy hair. It doesn't help I am aware of Rogen's appeared reputation for enjoying pot smoking and all that comes along with it. So there were times I couldn't help but wonder if knowing that about him swayed my opinion of him in the movie. As I've said on a recent PiMC episode, while I find Seth Rogen cute, the whole pot smoking vibe he has going on right now is kinda distracting and a turn off.
That doesn't mean Pineapple Express is all bad. Many of the lesser characters are fun to watch, including Ed Begley, Jr and Nora Dunn as Rogen's girlfriend's parents, Danny McBride as Franco's supplier, and a surprisingly bad ass Rosie Perez as a corrupt cop (who, oddly, doesn't have Perez's trademark whine/accent.) I was surprised at the violence in the film (especially the end) and can't say that should there be a sequel (as I have heard the powers that be are considering) that I would be partaking.
Pineapple Express gets 2 pugs.

Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen (2009)

2009-08-22T09:23:00.001-07:00

A BABALOO Review

Imagine yourself in a roller coaster (or a ride of some sort) that twisted and turned and flipped you around so many times, that you get sick to your stomach. But also During the ride you are wondering as to"why am I in here?" Once you have gotten off this ride, and wishing you didn't waste your time, your kinda glad you did....yeah that's Transformers.

OK so evil robots came to Earth, millions of year ago. These evil robots built a machine that can harvest the energy of the sun and use that energy to power up themselves. While doing so, they could destroy the sun at the same time destroying the planet. THEN for some strange reason a small fragment piece of cube, from the first movie, falls into Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeaouf) lap. Once he touches this piece of the cube, it downloads a "map" into his brain which leads to finding the missing piece to power source that powers the machine, that has been hidden for centuries within the Egyptian pyramid and that can save Optimus Prime.

Everything else in between is explosions and extravagant fight scenes involving huge robots that were so "busy looking" (for better use of the word) that all you see is a blur of metal and buildings and/or trees falling that you don't know who's fighting who. And Megan Fox's butt. Nothing less you'd expect from a Micheal Bay film.

Yes, the fight scenes were amazing and yes the sound will blow your mind and yes the visuals were fantastic. It was an entertaining movie, it kept you watching and wanting more things to blow up. The chase scenes kept you at the edge of your seat. The first chase scene when the Autobots and the Humans were trying to capture Decepticon robots was very well made and fast paced. The "slut" robot was the one of coolest parts in the movie. Even the small remote control toy car robot was entertaining to watch. Yes, it was cheesy with it's juvenile dialogue, plot holes, bad editing, sometimes dragged out fight scenes (like in the end of the film) and don't forget the dizzy robot blur fights scenes (seriously it was like watching hamsters fight). With all that, it was still able to entertain me and hold my attention.

That acting was alright. Shia LaBeaouf is growing up as an actor in my opinion, he was entertaining to watch. His parents played by Kevin Dunn and Julie White had small roles in the movie but were very memorable. Meagan Fox was well Meagan Fox...all she had to do was pout her lips and the world would be a better place...kidding... I really didn't see the need for her in the film. Then there are the comic relief played by Ramon Rodriguez and John Turturro which they played well off each. As for Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson they were lost in the film. And the Transformers were hard to tell them apart sometimes. The voice acting especially Prime almost felt like watching a Saturday morning cartoon all over again. Which was sometimes good most of the time....not so much.

Wait till it comes out on DVD &/or Blu Ray.

I give it 3 pugs out of Five.

The Hangover (2009)

2009-08-22T09:22:00.002-07:00

Babaloo: Sometimes you just want to see a fun movie that will make you smile, laugh and not think to much about your problems. That is what this movie was.

The film is about four buddies going to Vegas to wish their best friend off in one night of debauchery. They wake up from that night and notice that they have lost the groom to be and don't remember how. So they try to jolt their memories by retracing their steps. This is when the real fun begins.

It was a devilishly great buddy film that had alot of funny surprises and with a truck load of crewed, lewd and rude jokes with class and heart. The film kinda reminded me of Sex and the City with guys....LOL. I guess it was the acting (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galiflankis & Justin Bartha) that was always on, you could see the brotherly love they had for each other. That being said their did seem to be some holes in the plot, like how they came to realize at the end how they lost their friend. But I guess that was the idea. The cast was playing along with each other well, the hilarious script and the beautiful film just overshadowed all the flaws of the movie.

I give it 4 pugs.

Taylor: Now, this one won't win any sort of awards, but it was a fun evening. The film definitely caters to the Frat Boy mentality, but does so in a way where it is ok for guys to hang out and care about one another. It's definitely a film that is trying to fall into the footsteps of the Judd Apatow style (Knocked Up, The 40 Year Old Virgin), but I would have to say it falls short of that. That isn't to say that it's not enjoyable.

The actors were well cast (I am definitely all about Bradley Cooper now), and the situations the guys got themselves into were, while unbelievable, the kind of stories that you love hearing your friends talk about when they have that "one crazy night I'll never forget..." The only low point for me would be Heather Graham....It's kinda sad to see her now, knowing she peaked as Roller Girl in Boogie Nights. And her character sort of moves in and out of the film with no real explanation as to how she and one of the other characters are connecting.

I won't give away too much about the plot (you know, that the trailer for the movie doesn't already do for me), but while you can kinda see where the film is going, the film has enough little twists and turns to make it all very funny. And, it goes without saying that you MUST stay for the first few minutes of the closing credits.

3 pugs and half a bag of popcorn!

Up (2009)

2009-08-22T09:22:00.001-07:00

Taylor: You pretty much know what you're getting when you know a Pixar movie is coming to your theatre. You know you're going to be entertained. You know it's going to be smart. You know it's going to take an every day idea (monsters, undersea creatures, super heroes) and put an original spin on it. Up is no different. There are somethings, however, that make it very different.

Not only is this the first Pixar film in 3-D (and it definitely works for the the film, whether you are flying through a rainforest, or walking through a neighborhood), but this is the first movie that has come out in a long time where you really don't know what the story is going to be before you walk into the theatre. All I knew was it was about an old man in a flying house with a little chubby kid. Quite frankly, that was a good thing. Something else that was unique was the first 20 minutes of the film that cover a couple of taboos including the death of two characters, one seen, one not, but integral to the story. It's an intense 20 minutes of a film, and I can't help but commend the people at Disney/Pixar for covering the topics in an upfront, but respectful and beautiful, way.

And what can I say about the animation? As the process of digital animation becomes more advanced, you are going to see films like this become more lifelike, even though th characters are animated (and built like so.) Nuances in facial expressions and details like the fur on the dogs, and the balloons was, at times, moving art that drew you in. Many of the scenes are truly breathtaking.

Now, if you think I am only going to gush about Up, think again. I did have some problems with the movie. I felt it was two movies shoehorned into one. There could have been a lot more about the traveling part of the journey, in my mind, and the second half, where the main adversary for our characters is introduced, seemed like it could have been a whole other film. Some of the scenes felt disjointed to me, like they could have been a series of shorts that were strung together to make the film. And I can't help but also notice that, when you boil them down, the majority of Pixar's films all have the same basic story line:

Main character is introduced...quirky/annoying foil is revealed.....adventure begins....adventure gets hard....main character yells at quirky character, who has his/her feelings hurt and says something that shows they are smarter then the audience (and main character realize)....main character feels bad...cue piano music...main character decides he's going to do something....quirkly chracter comes in to help in the nick of time....the day is saved.

Now, that's not to say the story isn't original and entertaining, but the execution of those original stories is starting to wear a little thin...But Up is a great movie that will make you laugh and cry and you'll walk out of the theatre smiling.

Oh yeah, before I forget...SQUIRREL!

I give up 4 solid pugs.

Babaloo: This is what movies are made of. You can always count on good old Pixar to bring you nothing but the best. A beautiful visual film that is stunning on 3-D. The film should be “UP” there with Toy Story and The Incredibles. It also works well on entertaining kids and adults.

It’s the story of old man Carl, a balloon salesman and adventurer, who lived in a small house with his wife, Ellie an adventurer herself. Alas, due to small and sometimes not so small circumstances in life they never really do any real adventuring. Without spoiling anything else, this is all the first 5 to 10 minutes of the film. The film builds you up through their courtship from kids to adults. This montage was an amazing magical (sometimes almost difficult to watch) moment in a movie I have ever seen. Yet, the saddest moment in the movie is the loss of a loved one. It’s how you deal with the loss of a dream. That is where it hit me. Then like any good old fashioned adventure, were the laws of physics are thrown out the window, Carl tries to take his house with him to live the dream him and his late wife always wanted.

AND THEN that is where everything takes a turn. This is where the movie does a compete 180. It almost becomes a different movie in its second half and Pixar makes it works. We meet Russell the clueless Boy Scout. Kevin the huge dodo dinosaur looking bird and my favorite Dug the taking dog. “SQUIRREL”….sorry. I don’t want to say anything else; you just have to experience this movie on your own to appreciate it. It just caught me by surprise in so many levels and I believe that is way to experience it.

UP takes you on an exciting amazing emotional rollercoaster and makes you glad you did.

So don’t give up on your dreams, even though the journey to your dreams may take you for a loop. When you get there you might be surprised what you find. This movie reminds me a lot about a little book called The Alchemist.

If I could give this movie 10 pugs, I would.
5 highly impressed Pugs.

SQUIRREL!!!!!!

Star Trek (2009)

2009-08-22T09:21:00.001-07:00

Taylor: Last week we reviewed X-Men Origins: Wolverine and I talked about all the things that were wrong about a summer blockbuster. Star Trek is the type of movie that is all the RIGHT things about a summer movie. It's big, it's loud, there's a lot going on, but after thinking about it in bed last night, I realized the difference. This movie has heart. J.J. Abrams helmed the "prequel" (more on that in a moment) and you can tell that he directed the cast to show respect to the characters, and the original actors that played them, while making the roles their own. There are a lot of rabid fanboy/trekkies out there (this reviewer not necessarily one of them, but I'll watch a ST:TNG or ST:Voyager if it's on), and Abrams knew that if he decided to make Extreme Star Trek that he would have alienated them. However, the movie has to make money, and as such, had to be accessible to a larger audience by giving them what they expect in a summer movie. I feel he did a nice job balancing the two.... I couldn't help but notice that when Spock explains to the crew that "all that happened before can no longer happen" because of a shift in the timeline, the music that played behind his dialogue seemed almost sad, as if those of us familiar with the canon were saying goodbye to a friend. The cast was (almost) perfect, the modern take on the uniforms made sense and the bridge of the enterprise looked great - it looked like they were flying an Apple store, but it still looked great.

That's not to say there weren't some small problems with the film. While Zachary Quinto looked AMAZING as Spock, and was the perfect casting choice, I felt that Chris Pine lacked as Kirk. He was good enough, I suppose, but he seemed just a little too pretty boy with his big blue eyes and pouty lips to be helming the starship. And while Eric Bana was adequate as Nero, the villain, I didn't feel anything for the character - I feel like we've seen this bad guy before, from the dark, brooding ship to the tattered robes he wears as a uniform. And Winona Ryder as Spock's mother? Really? She's in it for all of three minutes, but her makeup was a little too "local community theatre production of Our Town" for my liking. Her presence is a small distraction, as is Tyler Perry's (really?) If those are my biggest complaints about the film, then that's not too bad at all!

I give the film four pugs and half a box of popcorn!

Babaloo: Star Trek (2009) goes back to the beginning, with James Kirk, Spock and the crew’s first mission. Without spoiling anything about the movie….I believe this is the very definition of what rebooting should be. This “reboot” might piss off some old fans and/or bring in some new ones. I myself was never a real fan; you could say more of a casual viewer of the series. I use to watch the shows reruns with my dad when I was a kid. Pretty much the only show I ever watched was the “Generations” Series. So this new film….simply called Star Trek…dare I say it….would make me an enthusiastic fan. Star Trek was more action packed than sci-fi, from beginning to end you are entertained. It’s a new, fresh, thrilling, funny, fast paced film (that I believe) would capture new fans to this series. After the first five minutes of the film, the first thing that came to mind was….”Oh my God this is f#$@king awesome”.

As compared to the older low budget TV shows and older movies which were heavy on talking. This film is not your usual Star Trek “Talkies”. J.J. Adams spared no expense in the film. The visuals in this film were simply amazing. It really helped the action move forward. There was just a flow that did not seem adrupt, just part of the ride.

The casting of this film was great. Zachary Quinto was perfect as the young conflicted Spock. Still a long way from being the Spock that we all know, it is refreshing to see him play him so perfectly. Chris Pine doesn’t sound or act like James Kirk and/or William Shattner and honestly….who cares. The minute you first see him you know it’s him. He embodies the sprit of Kirk….brash, hot headed, stubborn etc….AND not only is Chris Pine hot…he is very funny. His comedic timing in the film was perfect. The rest of the star trek cast had little bit parts here are there but in there brief screen time they all shined, especially (Shaun of the Dead) Simon Pegg…which came in mid way in the movie. The only thing I didn’t care for was the romulan villain Nero (Eric Bana), he didn’t seem to do much but I believe he was a necessity to the whole “rebooting”.

Ok, so it’s not so much heavy on plot…it’s actually heavier on back story and action. There was also a few cheesy moments like the bar fight with Kirk in the first few scenes in the film or some characters delivering those famous lines we all know…”Dammit Jim, I’m a Doctor not a (fill in the blank)”.

As a whole, the movie stands perfectly on it’s own, despite a few flaws.

This movie isn’t you mom and pops Star Trek….If I can use one word I would say; Star Trek 2009 is cool.

5 Pugs

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)

2009-08-22T09:20:00.003-07:00

Taylor:

The fact that it has taken me a week to write the review for X-Men Origins: Wolverine should be the first clue as to how I felt about the film. Hugh Jackman returns as everyone's favorite claw bearing mutant as we finally see where he came from and how he lost his memories (as shown in 1999's X-Men...holy crap, that movie's 10 years old?!?). Anyway, the film is a big summer blockbuster, with lots of explosions and plot holes you could drive the Blackbird through. That's what makes it fun. However, that's what makes it annoying. There are inconsistencies throughout the film that are distracting, not the least of which is the length of Hugh Jackman's hair WITHIN scenes! (Reports show there were massive rewrites after the filming of the movie and key scenes had to be redone.) Many of the scenes in the film look like they were supposed to be part of a Ben Stiller movie making FUN of an action movie (I actually rolled my eyes when the helicopter explodes behind Logan in the middle of the film.... you'll know which scene I'm talking about....) Oh, and the commercials that laud the appearance of many mutants never before seen in the film, looking like it was going to be some sort of new X-men team? Yeah, most of them appear in the film for ten minutes, tops, sprinkled throughout the film like... well, sprinkles on an ice cream cone. (Emma Frost, in particular, was particularly frustrating because of all the very cool things they could have done with her story-wise... instead they made her up to be a big cubic-zirconia.)
That's not to say there weren't some good things about this movie. The first being lots and lots of shirtless or sleeveless scenes for Hugh Jackman (I think every Jackman movie must have a shirtless scene written into his contract.... and I ain't complainin'!) Ryan Reynolds (zing!) is great(ly underused..... sorry) as Wade Wilson/Deadpool and finally, Liev Schieber was a GREAT Sabertooth...I looked forward to seeing him on the screen as he chewed up the scenery (sometimes almost literally) with his one-liners and big white-teefs! (I don't think I realized I had a crush on him until seeing this movie). And, the scenes that take place in the Canadian Rocky Mountains were beautiful and breathtaking to look at....
I give X-men Origins: Wolverine two pugs and half a popcorn.
Oh, and the creepy CGI cameo in this one? Ew. But I'll let you see that for yourself...

Babaloo:

Wolverine…yeah…..what can I say about Wolverine.

Well. Ok. Let me start by saying that I am a big fan of the X-Men series. I grew up reading X-Men comics and always had a special place for Logan aka Wolverine.

So to say the movie was a big disappointment is an understatement; there was no originality to this movie. Everything from the fight scenes, the jokes, the acting to the recycled action scenes were a bit boring or a cliché. The fight scenes were great in the first part of the movie but as the movie progressed they kept using the same fight scenes over and over. How many times can you see Wolverine and Sabertooth growl in opposite ends then run towards each other to fight. (I believe it was like 4 times). William Stryker (Danny Huston) I think is the worst actor in history. How he gets work, I have no idea. The sight of him acting made me cringe each time. A fifteen year old high school drama student can do the job better than he did. The jokes in the movie were obvious and borderline juvenile, (“there is a naked man in our field…”) or (Wolverine popping his middle claw as to like popping your middle finger….Um…done that). The whole I am a bad ass and I am going to say something bad ass and then walk in slow motion away from the exploding helicopter to let everyone in the audience know how mad I am. MEH!!! Also the reasoning to the ending and why he got his metal claws did not make any sense. I felt nothing for these characters, they were all flat and 2 dimensional, this was typical Hollywood fluff that took a great character and story line and messed it up as usual.

The only good thing was the plentiful eye candy of MEN. Hugh Jackman butt naked was a delight. Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) arms and charm was awed at. Liev Schreiber (Sabertooth) was adorable as always. Taylor Kitsch (Gambit) was a hot bad boy. And of course the wonderful adorable dork Dominic Monaghan (Bolt). Yes, that is the only good thing I saw in this movie.

2 Pugs.

The Phantom Of The Opera (2004)

2009-08-22T09:20:00.001-07:00

Taylor: So, tonight, we watched The Phantom Of The Opera (2004), with Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum. Babaloo, what did you think?

Babaloo: I enjoyed it very much, it was good. I have to say I have never see the show. I am sure there is probably diffrences. But yeah I liked it.

Taylor: I'm familiar with the soundtrack, I borrowed it freshman year from a one armed girl in college (true story) and never got it back to her. I never really understood what was going on by the music alone, but found it to be enjoyable at the time. I'm surprised to say that what I thought happened and what actually happened actually match up pretty closely. I enjoyed it as well, but with reservations. Let's talk about what we liked first. I would have to say what I liked the best about the film would be Emmy Rossum. I thought that as Christine she embodied the character in appearence and looks though there were times she looked like Brittany Murphy (which is to say, crazy and emaciated). I also really liked Miranda Richardson. I didn't know she was in it and was pleasantly surprised.

Babaloo: I am also familiar with the soundtrack (high school drama club) but I never really knew the whole story, just bits and pieces as well. I liked the cinematography of the film. It was beautiful to look at, I also loved the larger than life scenery. Which, of course, added to the beauty of the film. I was not too crazy on the acting. Although I loved Minnie Driver and Miranda Richardson. And of course Gerald Butler is always pretty to look at.

Taylor: It's funny you should mention the sets. You have said before that your problem with Blu-Ray is that everything looks like it's a movie set vs. an actual location. This was the first time that I felt that was true. It was distracting at times. I can't help but wonder if Joel Schumacher was trying to give the feel of a Broadway show on film (i.e. parts of Chicago) vs. the feeling of being "real life" (Rent). I also felt that the big broad sweeping shots of oversized statues felt a little too "Batman Forever" for me. I'm just glad he didn't put nipples on the Phantom's costume. A lot of the costumes, however, were beautiful - many of the dresses felt genuine to the time period and were purty to look at!

Babaloo: Totally agree, for me the larger than life sets just added to the story. At the same time the cementry was a bit much, I suppose. About the costumes, yes very good. My favorite part of the movie was the masquerade. The costumes and the scenery played a big role in that part of the film. Ok, can we talk about what we didn't like? I do have a few things......at what point of the film did vougeing become ok?. Also the acting just didn't set right with me, I didn't feel any chemestry between Patrick Wilson and Emmy Rossum....

Taylor: Well, I think that you could have got more chemistry out of Emmy Rossum and a stick and butter. He's kinda proving to me that other than looks, he doesn't offer a whole lot. Plus the mullet he sports through the whole thing didn't help. I also was disappointed with the singing, for the most part. It may be because I am so used to hearing the soundtrack in my head, even having not heard it in over 10 years, that many of the voices, with the exception of Rossum, felt flat. The "big moment" at the end of Act I, where Butler jumps up on a gargoyle and tries to let out this big note, was a bit flaccid. And, while I love Minnie Driver, she was kinda a drag queen in this...but now that I think about it, that may have been the point...ok, so I take it back, I loved her. Add her to the things I loved!

Babaloo: You know they were going to get Hugh Jackman to play the Phantom but lost the part to Geralrd last minute? Oh well. I agree with you on the singing. It was alright...they tried. I felt that this movie was done a little to late....it felt like it belonged in the 80's early 90's.....I don't know...it seemed out dated. Should we wrap this up?

Taylor: Actually, you bring up a good point...For a long time I had heard that Antonio Banderas was supposed to play the part of the Phantom. There were times when Butler was singing that I thought it would have been better with Banderas. Yes, it felt dated... especially the title song with it's drum machine and organ synthesizers. But it was an enjoyable way to spend a night, none the less. I give it three pugs and a half a popcorn. You?

Babaloo: Same here 3 pugs and half a popcorn...I'm not rushing to buy it.

Taylor: That works out well. We're poor.

Wonder Woman (2009)

2009-08-22T09:19:00.002-07:00

Taylor: Listeners of PiMC know that I am a HUGE Wonder Woman fan. I'm not sure if it started with the Lynda Carter television show from the 1970's, or if it's her star spangled panties...I've just always loved the character. So when Warner Brothers announced they were releasing a Wonder Woman direct to DVD release, I was thrilled...and a little apprehensive. Were they going to stay true to the character? Was she going to be sexualized (more than she already is?) Were they going to get the story right, or was she going to be a Xena for the new millennium?

I can safely say that most of my concerns were handled very well by the director and animators of this film. The story, while mostly an origin story for how the character came from Paradise Island to "Man's World." was easily accessible. That is not to say there are not HUGE plot holes at times, and the story is sometimes crammed into a place that, were it not an animated feature about superheroes, would make it a LOT harder to get past, but I thought that the general premise and pacing was for the most part enjoyable. I also thought the action sequences were AMAZINGLY done. It would be very easy for the animators to slip into a lazy style of action fighting, with a few warriors on the battlegrounds, or for the action to be stylized like in anime, with lots of "action lines" surrounding characters. Not in this film. There is a fight sequence in the middle of the film betweeen WW and a demon in a Washington DC mall that I remember thinking to myself that this would look amazing if it was a live action feature.

That's not to say everything about it is great. I thought that the rendition of WW in this film, while trying to stay true to the character's Greek heritage, looks a little too much like Cher at some points (Whoa, babes...). I also thought that if this character was supposed to be young (19, 20ish), that the character of Steve Trevor looked way too old for her (and while I love Nathan Fillion as an actor, I couldn't help but realize it was him through the whole movie, which I found distracting). Also, Viginia Madsen as Queen Hippolyte sounds like she's phoning it in, and smokes three packs a day while she's doing it. (Rosario Dawson as Artemis? Perfection.)

So, while I wouldn't own this move, it is definitely a solid rent and I recommend it.

Four Pugs!

Babaloo:
It’s the story of the Amazonian princess breaking all the rules and going out into the real world. Yeah ok it’s a little more than that but that is the main idea. A US fighter pilot (Steve Trevor) crash lands on a mythical island of female warrior, who have captured Ares, the God of War, after he attacked their island centuries ago. Ares uses the plane crash a chance to escape and wreak havoc on the world. So Wonder Woman is given the task to take back Steve Trevor to the US and try to recapture Ares at the same time. Mayhem ensues at Washington DC. Wonder Woman wins. Hurray!!!

What I like about film is that the story was well constructed and it didn’t feel rushed. I have to say for a short 74 minute film there was a lot of story packed in it. It was also very violent, yet it hardly showed any blood, I am assuming to appeal to adults rather than teens. (Eh, who am I kidding it was made for the fanboys). I loved the action sequences; the final battle was fun to watch as well as the war at the beginning of the film. Also, I felt that the animation was right on the money for a direct to DVD/Blu-ray movie. The voice acting was very good as well….Alfred Molina as Ares was excellent. It had a big name cast like Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Oliver Platt…etc…I was also fascinated at the fact that it was heavily involved in Greek Mythology (which I love). One of my favorite parts of the movie was when Steve Trevor was trying to out drink Diana (Wonder Woman). Yeah, she wasn’t having it. "You idiot," she says as they leave the bar, "you can’t out drink an Amazonian!”

Yet there was something’s that bothered me about the film. I wished Hades was a bit more menacing other than a big fat guy. I honestly thought it was Dionysus when I saw it at first. It took me for surprise, I guess. I just wasn’t too fond of it. And can we talk about the invisible plane…really? Really? Wasn’t the plane done like in the 70’s or something. She has the blood of the Greek gods!!! Make her fly!!! Also, they never explained where the plane came from, it just showed up. ….”Oh look there just happens to be a plane in the garage…only drove it once...and wait (looks around and whispers) it’s invisible”….AND doesn’t get me started on the invisible missiles. Also, please explain to me when in the hell was there ever a shore close to the Lincoln Monument in DC….Look at a map people!

Ok so this movie was half and half. I had fun but it had its issue. I'm looking forward to the live action movie, due out in 2011!

I give it 3 pugs and popcorn out of 5

Slumdog Millonaire (2008)

2009-08-22T09:19:00.001-07:00

Taylor
So, Slumdog Millionaire, the best picture at this year's Oscars, was constantly being described by people who had seen it at my office as "SO inspiring" or "uplifting." They said that it is SUCH a good movie. I had seen enough clips and heard enough about it (especially on NPR) to know that it is the story of a boy who goes on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" and wins the big money, and how he's had a rough life.
Yeah, that pretty much is an understatement. This guy has had a SHITTY life. From the first moment we see Jamal being tortured in a police station through finding out he's won the money, we are taken back and forth through parts of his life that explain how he knew all the answers to the questions he is asked by the creepiest show host you'll ever see. Within the first 20 minutes of the film we see this kid get chased by cops, dragged into an overcrowded school, where he is beat by his teacher, swim through shit (literally), get fucked over by his brother, who is all of 6, and his mother is killed by a baseball bat to the face. I was pretty close to just getting up and walking out of the room at this point. I found the movie to be depressing and while it does have the "happy ending" we all love to see, complete with dance sequence (no, really), I couldn't get past the fact that, with the exception of the main character and his love interest, apparently there is not one person in the country of India who is socially redeemable. Everyone in the film is trying to fuck over everyone else, whether it be for fame, money, or to prove the are the top (slum)dog. After a while, it gets a little exhausting. I thought the cinematography wasn't all that great either. At times the film would suddenly go "slow motion and choppy," like if you were turning a page in a motion book. I think this was supposed to incite drama and a sense of urgency in the viewer. All it did for me was annoy.
That is not to say there were not some highlights. Watching parts of the Indian countryside is beautiful, and the actors who played Jamal at 4 and 18 were very good. My favorite part had to be the music. From music inspired by the country to hip-hop to your run of the mill orchestral score, the music was at times the only thing that was keeping my interest in what was going on in the film. I have not seen any of the other contenders for best film this year, but I have to say that if Slumdog Millionaire is supposed to be the best of them, then I am thinking I am going to be disappointed.Two Pugs and a half a popcorn.

Babaloo
How do I sum up Slumdog Millionaire? Well, it is the story of being at the right place at the right time, even though you don’t think so. It’s about destiny and never giving up….So yes I loved it. Now that being said and let me be honest, I don’t think it deserved the hype that it did BUT I still think this was a very good film. It’s like a ride you are glad you took but never want to do it again. Through most of the film, I was kinda thinking to myself “give the kid a break already”…Only just until the very end of the film did it make a complete turn around.
What I liked about the movie was the message. Like never giving up, turning the bad into good, true love, etc etc…yes yes…I know…mushy mush and marshmallows….It wasn’t just that, it was the fast passed flashbacks, the great music (listen to Jai-Ho), the fast editing, or the suspense that kept you at the edge of your seat on how this young man figured out all the answers to the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. It like his whole life was built to this very moment. Which I thought was a cool idea. The last ten minutes, I must say, I cried like a little baby.
The only thing that bothered me was that it was hard for me to understanding the actor’s English. Also the subtitles were sometimes felt hidden hidden. (oh there it is…no there it is) Now, this honestly wasn’t all that bad because the story was easy to follow. BUT What really got me was the Bollywood dancing at the very end of the film in the middle of the subway. After I just cried my eyes out you’re going do a musical number….um….ok. Really? It felt weird but I forgave it.

I give it 5 out of 5 pugs.

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

2009-08-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

Taylor: So tonight we watched Sleeping Beauty (1959), the first of many Disney classics we are sure to talk about. What did you think?
Babaloo: I liked it. It was a classic, although I almost fell asleep at some parts...but I did love it.
T: I loved it. I was really surprised how much I did, given that the last time I saw it was years ago, probably in college, and didn't think it was all that great at the time. But being the Disnerd that I am, I said I would buy all the Platinum Editions DVDs when they came out, so I had to follow through and get it. What did you think of the actual Blu-Ray DVD itself? I thought it was beautifully done - the picture was crystal clear, and the sound amazing, especially for a movie that's 50 years old.
B: I kinda knew that this film would work well on Blu-Ray rather than other old Disney movies from the 50's or older. The reason being is because of the format they used to make the film. The actual Blu-Ray itself was really cool.. I felt like I was in a Disney ride in the "Dragon Enconter" short. Really cool addition.
T: That was amazing. I thought that the movie, while called Sleeping Beauty, had very little to do WITH the actual character of Princess Aurora. I thought it was more about the three fairies and their mission to keep her safe from Malificent, who, by the way, is one of the best Disney villains ever!
B: Yes, very true. I was thinking the same thing when I was watching the movie. It was like watching the Golden Girls meets Harry Potter....you really don't see that in movies anymore...where the heroes are 3 old ladies. Yes, Maleficent was the best vilian ever....Were there any parts that creeped you out? I know for me, there was a part that gave me shivers down my spine when I saw it.
T: I think the only part was when Malificent was in the fireplace. The yellow eyes were creepy, and the way she sorta...appeared from the darkness. It's amazing what they were able to do with with animation, the use of shadows and "special effects." For a film from the 50s, this movie looked to be ahead of it's time. There were parts of it that had an almost adult humor to them and you could see where Disney was definitely trying to appeal to all ages. What parts were you talking about that creeped you out?
B: The fireplace scene creeped me out, too. Also, the combination of when Aurora was hypnotized by that green light, the music was playing "Aurora" over and over and the use of lighting...wow. I didn't really see any adult humor. What part was that? Also, I have to admit, even though I did love it, I did tend to doze off during the scene between the kings...yawn!
T: I don't mean adult humor like dirty humor, I just meant humor that would appeal to a parent that was taking a child to see this. I also didn't care for the kings scene, but that is a perfect example of a use of adult humor - the servant drinking the wine and getting drunk. But the important question. Is Prince Phillip hot?
B: Hell yeah...I wouldn't mind having a handsome Prince sing to me, too....in a forest..wearing his cape...and nothing else....The drinking yes, was a bit of adult humor I suppose. You can't get away with that nowadays.
T: Ok, now you just went and made this dirty....and slightly creepy.
B: You have met me.
T: Very true. I am very much looking forward to exploring more of the additional features on this one, something I don't often do with DVDs. I do find that as far as additions go, Disney does seem to do a really good job of it.
B: Yes, that's true. I can't wait to see what they do for the other films....You should watch the Making of feature. I am assuing it's the same documentary as in previous Sleeping Beauty Video/DVDs
T: You've seen it then, I take it?
B: Yep....That's how I found out why the quality of the film was going to be good for Blue Ray....Most films then and still to this day are made in 35mm film. This one was done in 70mm film....which is rarely done because it's so expensive. Yes, I know I'm a Disnerd also.
T: Well, let's wrap this up - Out of five pugs, I give it a solid four. You?
B: Four pugs and half a popcorn.
T: We're doing halves as popcorns?
B: Eh...why not.
T: Well, there ya go!
B: Yay.

Hey! Where'd The Posts Go?

2009-08-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

So, you may be wondering what happened to all the reviews here at Pugs And Popcorn. To be honest, we are, too. We don't know what happened, but Taffy first alerted us to the fact that all the articles were gone, and while we still have followers and what not, their comments are gone, too. Attempts to ask Blogger.com what happened have all but gone ignored. A shame, really. I guess because we aren't using AdSense on here, they have no love for us.

But fret not. I have all the articles we posted in my RSS feed, and as a result, will be REPOSTING the articles, sans photos for now. I'll go back and add them later. Look for future movies to be reviewed like What's Up, Doc? (for Kevin Bee), the new Green Lantern animated flick, and Revolutionary Road.