Get ready for a shock Tim Burton fans, his new film stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter aaaaaand Danny Elfman does the music. What are the chances of that?!
Ultimate Reviews has got my very considered and analytical opinion on Burton's Dark Shadows.
Adapted from the TV show practically nobody on this side of the pond knows or cares about. Its a near perfect fit for the director featuring vampires, witches, the seventies and a curious selection of acting styles.
Whoever said violence doesn't solve anything is an idiot and should be kicked in the head, probably.
The Raid, quite possibly my most anticipated movie of 2012 that doesn't feature superheroes, secret agents, alien worlds or The Shire but has more butt kicking per second than an 80s Van Damme triple bill.
In conclusion, in an alternate reality The Raid is 101 minutes of men talking about their feelings and ends with a big ole hug, those poor alternate ba$tards!
Ladies and gentlemen, can I please have your attention. I've just been handed an urgent and horrifying news story. I need all of you, to stop what you're doing and listen. Bond Is Back, he brought a few friends and CANNONBALL!
After the Casino Royale shaped kick up the backside the franchise was in a dire need of some, myself included, might say Quantum of Solace was a tad disappointing. Will the even less spectacularly named Skyfall get 007 back on action packed track.
Yup, looks like it! Roll on October, suck it America!!
Meanwhile, even before any feature film footage has actually been shot, those mostly funny fellows Will Ferrell and Adam McKay have just unleashed a hint at what the return of Ron Burgundy will be like.
Looks like his return will be LOLs aplenty and to prove the quartet are all about improvised comedy they've got an alternative teaser!
Prior to the long awaited second helping of the finest fictional news team San Diego had to offer Mr Ferrell is running for congress in The Campaign with comedy vacuum Zach Galifianakis.
I'll admit it, I laughed a couple of times watching this and while violence against kids is oh so very, very wrong....it is sorta chucklesome in this daft context....isn't it? Can't help but feel its another trailer with ALL the funny bits crammed in though.
In conclusion, nobody does it better than Bond....except for maybe Bourne...and possibly Gareth Evans.
You don't have to be crazy to be a fan of Community, but...
-Warning: Season Three Finale Spoilers Ahead-
Being a fan of anything can be a difficult choice in life, dealing with the highs, the lows, the good times, the bad times and the occasional hiatus. Personally I'll never truly understand or care why anyone actually gives a flying frick about football. Seriously its just people running around a field for 90 minutes every week achieving nothing except for lucrative sponsorship deals, fast cars and faster women.
But being a viewer of a cult comedy show is far, far harder. The past week has been quite interesting for rabid viewers of a certain sitcom.
In little over a week there was the fantastic, if slightly disappointing news that season four of the show was a go but it would be cut back to only 13 episodes - a near certain sign of the end being quite literally nigh.
Then the last three episodes of season three aired, a stand-out trio of 22 minute long nuggets of varied brilliance that highlighted there was practically no limits to where this show could go. Previous paintball, fake highlight episodes, animated specials were mere appetisers to Digital Estate Planning. An episode almost entirely set in a 8-bit side scrolling RPG hack n slash adventure.
Not only was it a genius idea,
it was a crazy genius and downright funny idea that worked. The final two episodes were
back to almost normality, if you accept Dean doppelgangers, a college
run like a dictatorship and an Oceans 11 homage as normal.
However watching this triple bill of hilarity had a bad aftertaste, Dan Harmon, the creator and show runner had been given the elbow by the powers that be. Following public disagreements with a certain cast member and a difficult (some would, accurately, say weaker) third season it was amazing that the show got granted a new season. Obviously it came at a higher than expected price. Out with the old, in with two new show runners.
Thankfully Moses Port and David Guarascio have worked on LOL filled Happy Endings which while not as funny has a similar tone if comparatively more straightforward style of storytelling. As long as the Community writers room has most of the same funny people inside the behind the scenes changes (fingers crossed) will hardly be noticeable. Harmon himself has written about the situation and its hard not to read it without letting out an Annie/Shirley style "Awww".
Yes it sucks, but it could be worse and there is still a chance for the ever hopeful six seasons and a movie....and a videogame! Yeah its slim, but who would have put money on the show being picked up this year?! Plus it means Mr Harmon is free to get another geek-friendly, occasionally niche but never not funny sitcom into production....maybe for HBO...or the BBC!
In conclusion, if you haven't gotten into Community yet, you have the rest of the summer to correct that mistake at which point you will be able to make a more informed opinion on whether season four is the greatest or the worst time spent at Greendale.
What do you mean you haven't seen Avengers Assemble yet?!
While the great Joss ponders his future with the Marvel Movie Universe, I figured it was time to create a music playlist based on most of the things Mr Whedon has had a hand in giving the geeks and the rest of the world during his gradual rise to brilliance.
With two versions of a teen bloodsucker killer, a soulful vampire spin-off, a pair of less than successful follow-up shows, a smattering of big screen scripting duties and ofcourse a certain summer box office breaking blockbuster the musical choice are equally varied.
One can find the Spotify version here or the YouTube version here.
I'll be honest, I've been a bit slack in my TV watching of late. I'm so far behind on shows like Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, True Blood and Spartacus I'm considering handing in my Geek membership card, lucky for me they don't exist....for now.
Meanwhile I plough my way through procedural dramas like Castle, The Mentalist and NCIS the second I'm able to get into the by-the-numbers plots and standard character beats. Bones has for a good while been among that bunch, however this last season has been a tad weakened by the fact that its spin-off is vastly superior.
Much like its Kathy Reich's inspired partner in TV crime The Finder is based on a series of books by Richard Greener. It tells the story of Walter Sherman (Geoff Stults) a former Army man with an uncanny ability at finding lost things. Joining him in his searching for stuff are loyal friend Leo Knox (Michael Clarke Duncan), US Marshall/friend with benefits Isabel Zambada (Mercedes Masöhn) and troubled teen Willa Monday (Maddie Hasson). It is a funny, entertaining, clever, interesting show with more style and substance than CSI: Miami could ever hope to contain.
Which is why it got cancelled after only 13 episodes! 14 if you count the Bones based backdoor pilot...
Why, oh why, oh why do all the good shows die so young?! Especially those that I actually like!
The cast are flawless, Stults is a charming goofball with a hard edge - not quite up there with Mr Fillion but darn close. Clarke Duncan brings multiple layers to a character that could have become tired and predictable 2 episodes in. Masöhn spends half the time in low cut tops - never going to complain about that while Hasson is a talented young actress to keep an eye on.
Yet an audience never found the show, possibly due to a terrible title, although don't ask me for alternatives other than Harry Potter and The Bloke That Finds Things.
Will Fox see the error in their ways and re-instate the show after a strong fan led campaign? Frankly I don't know if there are enough fans out there to organise a BBQ let alone anything to the level of the Jericho "Nuts" campaign and big screen adventure ala Firefly is even less likely.
Which is a shame, because given the final two episodes were vastly different in tone but highlighted the brilliance of the shows concept The Finder could, nay, should have run for a significant number of seasons.
Although I can't complain too much, Community atleast has been saved from the axe for a little bit longer. Even if we'll ignore the slight dip in quality of season three...
Anyway, on the flip side it does give me an opportunity to catch up on those other shows everyone else is raving about rather than waste time, effort and a blog post with a show soon to join the ranks of American Gothic, Invasion and Happy Town.
In conclusion, Uncharted's Nathan Drake just found a new actor to play him, maybe, and I predict CBS's Elementary will be added to the one season wonder list next year!
AKA Get The Gringo AKA How Mel Tried To Get His Career Back On Track
Ultimate Reviews has got my typically humble opinion on Mad Mel's new flick. It is a cross between Payback, the third season of Prison Break and is 100% free of a beaver puppet!
