Author Archive

  • The Bourne Legacy: Our First Glimpse

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    I still don’t completely get why a book was written titled “The Bourne Legacy” and it has nothing to do with Jason Bourne. In fact, we talked about it almost a year ago on RotCast episode 118. But from a marketing standpoint (especially with the film franchise) I guess I understand. “There was never just one.”

    But also, after the way in which Greengrass and Damon wrapped up The Bourne Ultimatum, the idea of more from the franchise seemed like milking the cow and completely unnecessary. After today, I don’t completely feel that way anymore.

    It might be just another typical actioner, but so what? Quite frankly, despite very little of a plot structure given away, this new trailer is rather promising. With the cast and crew that is involved, I can’t help but be intrigued. Renner is on his way to A-List status and Edward Norton looks to be making some kind of much-needed and well-deserved comeback in 2012. Also Mike Hammer = win. The film also stars Albert Finney, Oscar Isaac, Joan Allen, David Strathairn, and Scott Glenn.

    But let’s be honest, after Gilroy’s last two directing successes (Michael Clayton, Duplicity), I’m pretty much on board with anything he’s got up his sleeve for the time being.

    Looks like the make-up department already is deserving of an Oscar nod for making Renner almost completely unrecognizable. The film opens in theaters everywhere on August 3rd. Check this shit out…

     

  • Cinecast Episode 245 – White People Cure Racism Through Football

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    Welcome back to our little show. Lots of in-house business items on the table this week, including the first grading of this semester’s homework assignments. Kurt and Matt discuss found footage superpower movie Chronicle. We delve into the state of the reborn Hammer studios with spooky ghost tale, The Woman in Black. Then we talk Clint Eastwood, Chrysler and the state of the Nation through Advertising and Politics. The Watchlist covers a fair bit of talk on David Mamet, but also the woefully received Clint Eastwood rugby movie, Invictus. Also, terrorism, Carlos and the films of Olivier Assayas. And Miranda July revisited. It’s a pleasantly meandering show in an otherwise quiet movie-going month. Join Us.

    As always, please join the conversation by leaving your own thoughts in the comment section below and again, thanks for listening!


     
     

     

    To download the show directly, paste the following URL into your favorite downloader:
    http://rowthree.com/audio/cinecast_12/episode_245.mp3

     
     
    Full show notes are under the seats…
    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • Raiding the Lost Ark: A New Filmumentary by Jaimie Benning

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    A couple of years ago the best Star Wars documentary (probably the best film documentary) I’ve ever seen hit the annals of YouTube and blew away fans with the amount of (relatively) unseen footage, stage sound, archival interviews and unbelievable behind-the-scenes evidence edited together in the most meticulous of researched fashion. Star Wars Begins launched Jaimie practically into super stardom amongst Star Wars fans and many cinephiles alike. Now Jaimie, with a little more knowledge and experience under his belt tackles the second most beloved trilogy on earth, Indiana Jones.

    The “filmumentary” is slowly becoming standard lexicon around the webs and I’m happy to see more of them done… as long as they’re half as well done as these exceptionally well made pieces of nostalgic awesome. I haven’t sat down to watch Raiding the Lost Ark quite yet, but as soon as I hit publish on this post, I’m going to head over to the Vimeo site and check it out. I am absolutely stoked and I can blindly recommend you do the same. Do yourself a favor and go watch it. Now.

    PS – if you haven’t seen Star Wars Begins yet, I don’t know what you’re waiting for. It’s brilliant.

  • Mondays Suck Less in the Third Row

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    Katherine Heigl. Ouch:

     


     

    Knightley. Lolz.

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • MorePop Friday: Skydive Naked from an Aeroplane…

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    …Or a lady with a body from outer space. Mere child’s play to what The Crüe has in store for us this Sunday.

    The internet these last few days has been abuzz with Super Bowl commercials. I don’t even need to watch the game this year. Usually I watch to see some of these fun ads and eat mini-wieners. These days I’ll just eat the mini-wieners as I’ve already seem all the good ones.

    So in am effort to be more of a sheep than I already am and conform even further, how can I not post my favorite pre-Super Bowl ad right here on our movie site?

    Now you might be thinking, “This is Andrew so he’s totally going to post the dogs barking out The Imperial March.” But you’d be wrong. And of course Old Spice has been a champ for the last couple of years. But remember, I’m a child of the 80s who dreamed of being a rock star. So ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages, welcome to the carnival that is Mötley Crüe (and bronco rhinos, flaming face kicks, giant sandwiches and lumberjacks)…

     

  • Groundhog Day.

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    Finally explained to us in 101 English so we can all learn from this very important day.

     

     

  • 10 Best Movie Motorcycle Moments

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    There’s no mention of Torque in this list so I almost want to immediately cry “fail,” but there are some seriously great moments in this list that are a little more than just the obvious. The list is put together by some insurance company, but whoever put it together at least did some amount of homework. I’m reposting here so don’t click away just yet.

    Another glaring omission I can see if the motorcycle chase in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. What say you? Find anything particular smart in here or is there some big missed opportunities?

    Over the course of film history, the motorcycle, be it a souped-up chopper or humble scooter, has become much more than a symbol of rebellion, sexual prowess, and freedom. Well, maybe the two-wheeled ride is still all of that. But, as you’ll see below, great motorcycle moments have appeared in movies other than so-called biker films.

    10) Zed’s dead, baby!, Pulp Fiction (1994)
    “It’s not a motorcycle, baby. It’s a chopper.” There’s nothing more stressful, after you’ve just escaped the dungeon of two sadists and narrowly avoided getting killed by the local crime boss, than trying to hurry up your wife so you both don’t miss a train. It’s enough to tear a couple apart and tears are inevitable. But a gentle word with a big hug goes a long way when two people love each other. Having a tricked out chopper ready to go doesn’t hurt either. No doubt these two will make that train. But what will they do with the chopper?

     


     

    9) Buster Keaton’s motorcycle ride, Sherlock Jr. (1924)
    Okay, so there are a few camera tricks here and there, but for most of this crazy montage, it’s just Buster Keaton riding, block after block, street after street, on the front handle bars of a policeman’s motorcycle with nobody in the driver’s seat. Keaton’s stunts prove that today’s CGI is for sissies. The final crash through the wall of the hideout probably put Keaton in the hospital. That said, it’s still incredibly funny. The soundtrack you hear in this clip is a new one created by The Clubfoot Orchestra.

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • Cinecast Episode 244 – Of Muscles and Men

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    We’re going to spoil the shit out of Liam Neeson in The Grey this week. So I hope you’ve seen the film or don’t care about that sort of thing before listening. Right along with our “punch nature in the face” review, we’ve got a brand new top 5 list to go over that deals with manliness in cinema. Not entirely sure what that means to everyone out there, but Kurt and Andrew each give their take on the matter. A smaller watch list this week since we’re recording so close to last week’s episode, but there a bit in here to chew on for sure – including Kurt finally hitting up Joe Wright and his heavy melodrama, Atonement. That should be worth your price of admission right there. We’ve also brought back the homework assignment segment to the show and there may be rewards for those who complete their coursework, so be sure to listen for that. So sit back and enjoy the spirited festivities.

    As always, please join the conversation by leaving your own thoughts in the comment section below and again, thanks for listening!


     
     

     

    To download the show directly, paste the following URL into your favorite downloader:
    http://rowthree.com/audio/cinecast_12/episode_244.mp3

     
     
    Full show notes are under the seats…
    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • DVD Review: Cell 211

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    Director: Daniel Monzón
    Novel: Francisco Pérez Gandul
    Screenplay: Jorge Guerricaechevarría, Daniel Monzón
    Producers: Álvaro Augustín, Borja Pena, Emma Lustres Gómez, Juan Gordon
    Starring: Carlos Bardem, Luis Tosar , Alberto Ammann, Marta Etura, Antonio Resines
    Country of Origin: Spain
    MPAA Rating: NR
    Running time: 110 min.

    (4.5/5)

    Few films have the wherewithal to bring its audience into a pulse pounding situation in the opening minutes of a movie and then manage to keep that gripping intensity going full throttle throughout the entire running time of the picture without either going off the rails, so to speak, or becoming tedious or eye-rollingly obvious. Cell 211 has no problem with it and in fact, excels at it. Never once holding back any punches and keeping a relatively simple plot kicking and screaming with minor complications yet avoiding confusion while keeping the chaos is what makes Cell 211 one of the most excellently constructed action/thrillers I’ve seen in ages.

    New prison guard Juan Oliver is starting his first day on the job just becoming acquainted with his co-workers and the basic procedures of working “on the inside” when a carefully constructed riot breaks loose and during the chaos renders Juan nearly unconscious. Unable to carry him and at first not realizing the extent of the turmoil the prison is about to fall under, the guards place Juan in an empty cell bed. Before they can figure out what to do next, they’re forced to flee the facility, leaving Juan behind as the prisoners quickly take over the compound. Juan is left to his own devices and cleverly convinces the prisoners he is one of them. Having now inadvertently become an undercover officer, he must remain undetected while gaining simultaneously gaining the trust of the prison population’s head figure, Malemadre. As more and more complications arise and clever plot turns unfold, this task is not as easy as it may at first appear and Juan is faced with several very unpleasant decisions.

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • Mondays Suck Less in the Third Row

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    I admit I’m biased (but I love this!):

     


     

    Shooting the MGM Opening Logo:

     


     

    » Read the rest of the entry..

  • Marquee Malarky: Pariah

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    Our beloved Uptown Theater will be closing in just a couple of week of 6+ months of much needed renovations. The latest marquee madness proves in a brief statement one of the many reasons why I have zero interest in seeing their last theatrically run films. See you next fall Uptown – with a new coat of paint and shitload of screen doors.

  • Cinecast Episode 243 – Jump on that Curve and Ride it to Infinity

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    Soderbegh claims he’s retiring. Yeah right. Every time I turn around my IMDb smart phone app is alerting me to something new he’s working on. Haywire was something we heard about what seems like ages ago now and it’s finally here. Does it live up to the wait and the expectations? Matt Gamble takes another one in the nuts for the team with Red Tails and the latest Underworld picture; in 3D this time. Kurt’s children chime in for a couple of minutes on their thoughts on the 80′s animated series “Dungeons and Dragons.” After that technical snafu, we’ve got a helluva watch list this week rounds out the show with 80s, underrated goofery, catching up with some underseen gems from 2011, a love fest for Ti West’s latest, some Man for Earth discrepancies and a whole lot more.

    As always, please join the conversation by leaving your own thoughts in the comment section below and again, thanks for listening!


     
     

     

    To download the show directly, paste the following URL into your favorite downloader:
    http://rowthree.com/audio/cinecast_12/episode_243.mp3

     
     
    Full show notes are under the seats…
    » Read the rest of the entry..

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