MEN IN BLACK III Review - He Said

MEN IN BLACK III

Directed by: Barry Sonenfield

Written by: Etan Cohen and apparently 5 other writers

Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Emma Thompson, Jermaine Clement, and Michael Stuhlbarg

Synopsis: Escaping from prison after 40 years, Boris The Animal, travels back in time to kill Agent K to prevent his incarceration. Agent J follows him to stop him and teams up with a younger K in the process. Neurolizer jokes ensue. 

LES MISERABLES Teaser Trailer Drops!

The musical nerd in me is so excited right now. After almost agreeing with the casting Tom Hopper's LES MISERABLES, we now have our first teaser of the upcoming musical epic. I saw the stage show years ago in high school, and even though it's a sprawling tale that lasts almost three hours, the Schonberg music sucks you in and doesn't let you go. Even after all these years, it's still one of the most emotional musicals I've seen.

Musical to film adaptations are pretty trendy now for Hollywood, and with this film being released in December, it's pretty obvious what they're aiming for. I've had many issues with modern musical films because they just don't seem to translate well to screen. CHICAGO is a rare example of a musical working on screen, but not many have been able to crack the formula. Hopper has taken a different route with LES MIS by having his actors sing live on set, which will help bring authenticity to their performance. Will it work? We'll have to see.

Check the trailer after the jump.

For Funsies: The National Celebrate The Lannisters

Javi here. I've got an amazing song to share with you today. It's from the band The National doing a gorgeously haunting rendition of the in-universe song, "The Rains of Castamere", from the HBO original show, GAME OF THRONES. According to the Game of Thrones Wiki, the song details Tywin Lannister's victory against House Ryene who rebelled against his father Tytos Lannister. From the sounds of the song, he didn't just defeat House Ryene, he completely annihilated them. Given this, I have no clue why  Listen to the song below, Antiquiet, where I found the song video is saying that there's spoilers for the show since this happened in the past, but just to be safe,  SPOILER WARNING(?). Check out the song below.

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Netflix Instant: Cool TV & Movies

Javi here with another week's installment of Netflix Instant recommendations. Today, it's going to be a little more on the indie side apart from the first choice. Give today is the birthday of STAR WARS, it felt fitting. Check them out after the jump.

For Funsies: Popcorn 66

Javi here. In this installment of "For Funsies", I wanted to bring to attention a podcast that's going to be a little different but still deals with movies. If you've read this blog at any point, you would know I'm a huge toy nerd. Believe it or not, there's a lot of toy podcasts out there and a group of bros (the good kind) of mine started Preorder 66, the high end toy podcast, (which you can subscribe by going to this link) dealing with nothing but super pricey collectibles that I can't afford half of the time. I love the podcast, not just because I'm friends with them, but the fact that they have more chemistry than an episode of BREAKING BAD. The main group is composed of host @Crasis, along with @Deefuzz, @TheEmpir3, @Ichab0d, @TheJackSack, and @JarodimusPrime.  They decided that after THE AVENGERS came out, that they would record a podcast just talking about the movie as a spin off series and call it Popcorn 66.

As a movie-centric dude, I listen to a lot of movie podcasts myself. After a while, you realize that there is a bit of a weird hive mentality in the online critic community to the point where you hear the same opinion only said slightly differently. BOOOOOORING. What I appreciated about this podcast in particular is the fact that none of them apart from @TheJackSack are into movie culture and movie criticism nearly as much as people in say, The /Filmcast would be. This gives the discussion a totally different angle where they discuss the movie more from a fan's point of view than just a critic. I know that the line is hard to draw nowadays, but I think that's the reason the podcast was enjoyable.

I like to think that the conversational format of our site would show this, but Jonesy and I believe that movies are more interesting when there's an open forum of discussion which may bring a different appreciation to a movie. Too many times we get bogged down on whether a movie is "good" or "bad" that we never explore the nuances of it. And I think this podcast does a good job bringing to light different reasons for liking and disliking THE AVENGERS, which is amazing for a movie that has been talked about to death already. So go ahead and give it a listen! There's rumors that they'll be doing more as the summer season ramps up. Let's hope they do, at least for the sake of diversity. And beware, it's not going to be for the faint of heart. For those that aren't familiar with the podcast and the crew, they can get hilariously dirty.

So here are the links for this episode:

Subscribe on iTunes/Get the Popcorn 66 Episode

RSS Feed

Direct M4a link

Direct MP3 link


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BATTLESHIP Review & Why Drive-Ins Are Amazing - He Said

BATTLESHIP
Directed by: Peter Berg

Written by: Eric Hoeber, Jon Hoeber

Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neseson, Brooklyn Decker, Alexander Skarsgard

Synopsis: Trapped in an invisible force field, a crew of a naval carrier must fend off an alien invasion.

THE GREAT GATSBY Trailer Drops!

I don't remember much about The Great Gatsby novel when I read it in high school. I remember not really liking it (but that could have been the rebellious side of me in not liking books we were forced to read) and the cover had naked ladies on it (google it). Thinking back I probably never gave the book a real chance because I've met many people in my life who genuinely enjoyed it.

Now, we have our first trailer of the upcoming Baz Luhrmann adaptation of the book. And after watching the trailer, all I have to say is I definitely didn't give the book a fair chance in high school.

Check it out after the jump.

For Funsies: Game of Thrones Intro Finally Has Words!

I'm not the music expert on this site, but I have to say that the Game of Thrones intro is pretty catchy. There have been a few different videos floating around in the past parodying the intro, including one from The Simpsons, but now the comedy team of Ruin the Internet has finally put some (pretty spot on) lyrics to the semi-infamous orchestral intro.

Check it out! (Spoilers if you literally know nothing about the show or haven't seen season one)




I feel like a sandwich now.

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SKYFALL Teaser Trailer Drops!

If you're like me, you tend to put QUANTUM OF SOLACE out of your mind. Before Daniel Craig took over the Bond franchise, I never really paid attention to the movies. The closest I came to interacting with the Bond world was playing countless hours of Goldeneye on my N64 (greatest game EVER as you know). So, I was intrigued when CASINO ROYALE came out, and I gave these films a chance. I loved CASINO and somehow when it comes on TV on an idle Saturday, I can't seem to flip the channel.

And since we don't really regard QUANTUM as much of anything, I'm pretty stoked about the upcoming Sam Mendes Bond film, SKYFALL. Premise is as follows

James Bond's loyalty to M is challenged over secrets from her past. When MI6 is attacked, it falls to Bond to seek out and eliminate the threat regardless of the cost to himself.

Check the trailer after the jump

For Funsies: Cool, Cool, Cool!

Do you watch Community? If so, then we're kinder spirits, and if not, um, why not?? Thankfully Community got a renewal for a fourth season with 13 episodes. However, it received the dreaded Friday time slot, which is usually a death sentence for a renewal for the next season. But! Let us bask in the fact we will see our favorite Greendale friends this fall again! Cool, cool, cool!

And with that, here's a compilation of Abed with his famous, "Cool."



Happy Friday everyone!

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Frodo is freaking me the eff out in the MANIAC teaser

Javi here. I'm not gonna lie that if it wasn't for Mondo, I wouldn't be so excited for this movie. You see, during the last year's Fantastic Fest, they offered the vinyl for a movie I'd barely heard of MANIAC. Being such a damn hipster, I totally bought it. And you know what? It was a badass score, plus I'm pretty sure I got one of the few crazy colored vinyls, check it out:

Anyway, when Netflix got it on NWI, I watched it and I really enjoyed the movie. It was full of great atmosphere and apart from the ending, it was a solid movie. When I got word that Elijah Wood would be starring in the remake, I got freaking excited. And now, the teaser trailer has been released at the Cannes Film Festival with fancy French subtitle. Thanks to Badass Digest for posting this. Check out the trailer below: 

Extended 4 minute THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Clip

Will THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN make a billion dollars this summer like THE AVENGERS has? Probably not. However, with the success from THE AVENGERS, SPIDER-MAN might get some residuals of people who still need their superhero fix in a couple months in the dead heat of summer.

Yesterday during the premiere of 'America's Got Talent', a new four minute extended preview was shown. A bulk of the preview is scenes we have already seen from the trailer. But the first part is an extended portion shows a pretty awesome dangling sequence. 





I'm not sure what more they can do to promote this film. There's so much hesitation because it's being "re-made" so soon. So, are you excited yet...because I actually am. See you there at midnight.


THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN will be released July 3, 2012 starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, and Denis Leary. 


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For Funsies: ClayCat's THE RAID

Javi here. If you guys didn't know, we're huge fans of THE RAID here at WDYMS. That will be most likely be a top ten movie for me this year and I can't wait to buy it on Blu-ray. So imagine my surprise where in my daily stalking of Scott Weinberg's twitter, I see that this tweet from user @ji_doctor, who pointed him to a claymation/cat version of THE RAID , a "ClayCat" if you will. It's so much fun and definitely worth looking at. Beware of spoilers for the movie if you haven't seen it. The video description says that it's spoiler free, but I disagree a little. Check out the video after the jump.

Netflix Instant: Cool TV and Movie Picks

Here's your weekly dose of your Netflix needs. If you're not busy going out to catch THE AVENGERS for the second, third or fourth time, here are a couple movies to tide you over the weekend.

THE THIN BLUE LINE

The classic Errol Morris documentary about his research and story telling and how it ends up freeing a man convicted on death row. I recently watched my first Errol Morris film not too long ago, and I was hooked on how he can make inane people fascinating and unforgettable. I cannot wait to visit this film that set him a part from modern documentarians.

CRUEL INTENTIONS 

I have a soft spot for this film. It's one of the first scandalous movies I remember watching without my parents permission in high school. I know, shame on me. Not really your typical teen drama. I remember being somewhat surprised by how well acted and (for the time) unique the story was. You know you loved this movie too. 

THE WOMAN

The Sundance sensation (and by sensation I mean controversial) movie that caused several passionate outbursts is now available for you! The story of a man who finds a woman in lurking in the backwoods in his town and orders his family to help him "civilize" her. The film may not live up to the hype and controversy that surrounds it, but I'm insanely curious to see what caused these video reactions. 

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THE AVENGERS Review He Said/She Said

THE AVENGERS
Directed by: Joss Whedon

Wirtten by: Joss Whedon, story by Zak Penn

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston and Scarlett Johansson.

Synopsis: A rag tag group get over their differences and stick together to defeat a common enemy.

For Funsies: Glove, Actually 2: Glove Harder

Frustrations getting you down? Currently angry with the way things are going in the world? Ever just want to slap someone? Well, you probably shouldn't act on that, but you can live vicariously through this awesome compilation from Bottoms Up Productions. It's literally just random scenes from movies where characters slap the crap out of someone.

2:35 will always be a favorite.

Just some good-ole-clean-bitch-slappin' fun. Enjoy.





Watch the original here.


(source Pajiba)

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The Alamo Drafthouse Is Coming To Dallas!

Javi here. These news are a little late, but still exciting regardless! So one thing I have always been pretty bummed about is the fact that the Alamo Drafthouse has never come to Dallas. It seems that even though we're one of the bigger cities around Austin, every other state would get a Drafthouse before Dallas. I know that we're full of L.A./NY wannabes, and we're not nearly as awesome as Austin, but come on, even Houston has a Drafthouse. Imagine my surprise when Twitter's own @ReelDistraction tweeted out a link regarding the City Council meeting that would determine whether Richardson, TX, that bastion of culture that it is, could be enhanced by an Alamo Drafthouse in its borders.

For those not "in the know", the Drafthouse is a wonderful theater chain where they serve delicious food but local beers. They don't just show movies either, they put on great events such as Master Pancake, Terror Tuesday, and have special screenings with directors and actors.  Jonesy and I went to the screening of SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD where we were served a dinner menu based off the movie, afterwards director Edgar Wright stuck around to sign posters and answer questions from the audience. More recently, they gained national attention due to the "Magnited States of America" video that was posted on YouTube highlighting their wonderfully strict "no talking" rule.

If you are on Twitter, follow the #DrafthouseZoning and #midcenturymodern hashtags to follow my live tweeting along with other people, such as @HorrorRemix and @VivaChiba, and their reactions as we watched City Council members and concerned citizens speak their minds regarding the process. . I can tell you that the process was arduous. I have never agreed with Ron Swanson more than I did that night. There are some really stupid people giving their opinion. At one point, I was tweeting about how hilarious it was that the young people seemed to be the Drafthouse's proponents but then the older citizens, such as a high school principal, are the ones arguing about drunk drivers and too much noise....ugh. I'll feel bad for them when those people discover rock & roll.

Either way, I'm happy to re-iterate that the vote was unanimous to allow for construction of a new Alamo Drafthouse location off Belt Line and Central Expressway in Richardson. You can find the full press release over at the Alamo Drafthouse blog here. As of now, there is no set date for the theater to begin construction, but we will keep you posted here. (Texas Theatre, we still love you <3)


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THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Trailer...Now with More Sarcastic Andrew Garfield

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN had a lot going against it. Many were (and still are) wondering why in the world we need another Spider-man movie when it hasn't even been ten years since the last series. Who knows. But it's happening this summer. I admit...I was one of those people, but after seeing the first trailer, my mind was changed. Sure, it's probably a little bit excessive to have another one so quickly, but I already enjoy the different and what seems to be more darker take on the story.

Now, the second trailer has just dropped with more Lizard and many more shots that I suspect will look really cool in IMAX 3D (which I'm guessing many midnighters for THE AVENGERS will experience tonight),

Check the trailer after the jump.

THE EXPENDABLES 2 Trailer Drops... So Grab Your Dr. Pepper 10 and Check It Out!

I remember a couple summers ago when the first EXPENDABLES and THE 'A' TEAM came out in the same summer. I felt like I had to eat some red meat and get into a bar fight to even be allowed in the movie. However, those seem pretty tame (in retrospect) to what will be released at the end of this summer.

Apparently most the boys, plus a few more, are back for THE EXPENDABLES 2. Check the trailer after the jump.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Trailer Drops! The Internet Freaks Out!

Javi here. Late last night, the Warner Brothers YouTube account posted the third trailer for the final Batman movie by director Christopher Nolan, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. What's interesting about this trailer is that once again, Bruce Wayne and Batman are not really the focus of it. Instead, you have Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anne Hathaway as John Blake and Selina Kyle taking precedence and we hear that Bane actually sounds pretty clear. In addition, the YouTube page confirms the name of Marion Cotillard's character, Miranda Tate. But you don't want to hear me talk about it. Hit the jump for the trailer.