Morgan Chan

Grudge Match Prize Pack from Arclight Cinemas

2014-01-06T14:44:00.001-08:00

This came in the mail during the afternoon. Thanks for the opportunity Arclight!

Movie Rankings of 2013

2014-01-01T09:31:00.004-08:00

Lots of fantastic movies in 2013. Here's my ranking list of the year:

1. Gravity
2. Mud
3. Before Midnight
4. American Hustle
5. Inside Llewyn Davis
6. The Place Beyond The Pines
7. Prisoners
8. The Conjuring
9. Fast and Furious 6
10. The World's End
11. The Wolf of Wall Street
12. Pacific Rim
13. This Is The End
14. Don Jon
15. Metallica Through The Never
16. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
17. Only God Forgives
18. World War Z
19. Man of Steel
20. Much Ado About Nothing
21. Fruitvale Station
22. The Wolverine
23. Insidious Chapter 2
24. G.I. Joe: Retaliation
25. Iron Man 3
26. Kick-Ass 2
27. You're Next
28. Oblivion
29. Pain and Gain
30. Evil Dead
31. The Last Stand
32. Trance
33. The Purge
34. V/H/S/2
35. Spring Breakers
36. Elysium
37. Maniac
38. Man of Tai Chi
39. Gangster Squad
40. Getaway
41. R.I.P.D.

Wishlist for Christmas 2013

2013-12-02T16:39:00.002-08:00

Christmas is coming up. Here's my wishlist for this year:

- Skagen Men's 958XLSL Steel Steel Matte Silver Watch

- Gaspar 2204 Driving Gloves in London Tan

- A bicycle

- GoPro camera

- Some Levi's 511's

Ranking the movies of 2013 that I've seen - END OF SUMMER EDITION

2013-08-16T03:20:00.005-07:00

My ranking for the movies of 2013 that I've seen so far:

1. Mud
2. Before Midnight
3. The Place Beyond The Pines
4. The Conjuring
5. Fast and Furious 6
6. Pacific Rim
7. This Is The End
8. Only God Forgives
9. World War Z
10. Man of Steel
11. Much Ado About Nothing
12. G.I. Joe: Retaliation
13. Iron Man 3
14. Kick-Ass 2
15. Evil Dead
16. Trance
17. The Purge
18. V/H/S/2
19. Spring Breakers
20. Elysium
21. Maniac
22. Man of Tai Chi
23. Gangster Squad

Other movies that I missed but want to watch include:
- The Hunt
- Fruitville Station
- Star Trek Into Darkness
- The Wolverine
- Side Effects
- Pain and Gain

Upcoming movies that I'm looking forward to:
- You"re Next
- Insidious 2
- The World's End
- Riddick
- Prisoners
- Getaway
- Rush
- Don Jon
- Gravity

I'll post the next update of the rankings at around October.

I have a crush on a girl at the gym

2013-08-12T22:04:00.001-07:00

One time, there was this attractive girl who came up to me. Story time:

I was doing my barbell rows and she asked if I was almost done with it. I told her yes and she said, "Okay well let me know when you're done. I don't want anybody taking it from you *smiles*."

After I finished, I looked around and she was nowhere in sight. Not wanting to wait for her, I reracked the barbell row and went to my next workout. I pass by her and she's heading back to the rack to get it.

The next time I went to the gym, I went to the area where I usually do overhead presses and barbell rows and I see the same girl there. She's using the bar that I want. Knowing that the ice was broken, I come up to her and asked when she was done with the bar. The girl says I can work in with her. This was where I became an idiot and got awkward.

I do my overhead presses/barbell rows but in between sets, I set the bar in front of me and avoid talking to her. In fact, I even turn my head away and stare at the TV because I was shy.

After I completed my workout, I told her that I was done and she said she was too. When I offered to rerack the bar for her, she was like, "It's fine, I can do it myself." I immediately walked away and that was the last time I talked to her.

I still see her around but I try to avoid eye contact. She probably thinks I'm a creep now.

For visual reference, she reminds me of Alison Carrol, who was a Lara Croft model for several years.

Only God Forgives - Movie Review And My Experience At The Screening

2013-06-21T01:46:00.001-07:00

Only God Forgives was making its North American premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival this year and when I found out about it, I immediately went to the site for tickets. Unfortunately the tickets were sold out and I was a bit bummed out. A month before, it made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival and was one of the most anticipated films there. After all, two years ago "Drive" was able to beat the competition and scored Nicolas Winding Refn the Best Director prize there. However, after the screening for Only God Forgives ended, the immediate reactions were very negative. Most of the complaints seemed to have been about the ultra violence, the slow pacing, and meaningless shots that linger on forever. Some even complained about the fact that Ryan Gosling only had about 17 lines in the entire movie. Of course, this made me somewhat worried but then the positive reactions came. The divided audience got me curious and even more excited for the movie. The LA Film Fest later opened another screening and I was able to score a ticket.

By the time I found a seat at the screening, I sat down and made myself comfortable. There was a man sitting on my left who was there alone. I asked if he was looking forward to the movie and he said yes. We were both fans of "Drive" and began talking about how the slow pace of that movie made the short bursts of violence even more effective. I always described "Drive" as a romantic drama with horror elements. I later discovered that he was a fan of horror movies, particularly the slow burners. These are the films that take their time to set the mood. We discussed movies including:
- The House of the Devil
- The Innkeepers
- Insidious
- The Conjuring
- Paranormal Activity
- V/H/S and V/H/S/2
- Cheap Thrills (a movie that he recommended to me)
- Evil Dead (2012)

Then the talking stopped when somebody came up to the front in order to announce a few words, who was later followed by director Nicolas Winding Refn.

He said a few words to the audience, talking about when making the movie, he approached it in a very old fashioned way. The message that I took from his introduction was basically saying, "Don't expect a Drive 2: Thailand Edition".

After he was done, the lights went down and the movie started.

If you're not familiar with the plot for Only God Forgives, it's essentially about a mother (Kristen Scott Thomas) who wants her son Julian (Ryan Gosling) to track down the individual responsible for killing his brother (Tom Burke). What begins as a simple revenge hit turns into a nightmare for everybody on Julian's side. The person of interest that they're dealing with, Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm), is more than he seems to be.

"It's a little more complicated than that, mother."
.
Only God Forgives is a very intriguing film. During the initial viewing, my mind was glued to every shot. The gorgeous cinematography combined with Cliff Martinez's haunting score was excellent. They complimented each other extremely well. The movie is beautiful yet disturbing at the same time.

Not everybody will appreciate the visuals though. Extreme acts of violence happen periodically throughout and it's quite graphic. In fact, three people at our screening left during one of those scenes. I'm sure my mother would despise this movie.

Only God Forgives moves at a very slow pace. Almost snail-like in terms of events unfolding. Shots linger and this was where I found my true enjoyment for the film. Certain things are shown multiple times and this made me wonder why.

What I really liked about the film was the amount of interpretation there is for you. Things are happening but some of them is almost surreal-like as if they're blurring the line between reality and a dreamlike fantasy. It's up for the viewer to wonder why certain things are being done. Ryan Gosling's Julian doesn't have much dialogue and we never get to know him but Crystal, his mother, says a line about his childhood. That alone speaks volumes once you look at Julian as an adult and what he's done onscreen regarding the situation that his mother placed him in.

The performances by everybody were fine. Ryan Gosling does his best with the material. Vithaya Pansringarm is a menacing figure who has a strong screen presence. I looked at him as a mythological being. He was a character who was God in human form. However, Kristen Scott Thomas was the true standout. Whenever she spoke, it was exciting. I loved her energy and was happy to see her every time she was in a scene.

What I didn't like about Only God Forgives is the catalyst and the weak paper thin plot. You don't know much about Julian's brother except for the fact that he committed an ugly crime which led to his inevitable death. Julian, who seems to have changed his life on a more positive note, is forced to get his hands dirty one more time. Then again, if that didn't happen, we wouldn't have a movie, would we?

Once the end credits rolled, our audience clapped and the man next to me left. Did he enjoyed it? Never got to know his name unfortunately.

I have a feeling that the more I think about Only God Forgives, the more I will appreciate it.

OVERALL:

Be prepared for a super slow movie. Patience is key here. Ryan Gosling barely has any lines but just like Drive, he's able to convey a character with his facial expressions and actions. Only God Forgives never spells anything out for you. They'll show something onscreen but it's up to you to interpret what the movie is trying to say.

The music by Cliff Martinez is haunting. It compliments the amazing cinematography. Only God Forgives is a beautiful movie with disturbing imagery.

Watch it with an open mind. Keep your expectations low and there's a good chance you might find something intriguing about Only God Forgives. Don't go in expecting another Drive. If you liked Refn's "Valhalla Rising", then you might like this film as well. Very similar to each other, Minimal plot, striking cinematography, sparse dialogue, and trippy in general.

8/10

World War Z review

2013-06-20T03:12:00.000-07:00

First off, I've never read the novel so I can't compare the two (although I have read the Zombie Survival Guide).

The opening 20 minutes or so (the initial outbreak) is quite frightening. You'll be in for a wild ride because World War Z moves at a fast pace. The entire movie rarely slows down. The super wide shots of people running away from zombies are extraordinary and jaw dropping. The zombies themselves don't look fake at all. If you were worried about that from the trailers, don't be. They're quite scary.

I thought Brad Pitt was great in his role. He doesn't have to do much in terms of acting range but it's enough for the story to keep moving forward. His character never does anything stupid (well maybe except for one part but it didn't matter in the end). His family was great as well. Nobody was annoying.

After the movie, I looked for the soundtrack and was disappointed that Matt Bellamy's material wasn't on the official release. It was called "Isolated System" by Muse. I thought it was used perfectly in the movie. It was basically the main theme for World War Z.

If you followed the movie closely during production, you'll remember that they had to reshoot the entire third act because it tested poorly or something. The final product's climax is still tense and effective.

8/10

Side note: I have a crush on Daniella Kertesz now. She plays the tough Israel soldier in the movie. Hoping to see more of her in the future.

Five favorite workouts at the gym

2013-05-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Going to the gym is one of the few things that I look forward to in the day. Three times a week (at the moment), I get into my shorts, put my bag in the locker, and lift heavy with my prepared routine. After I'm done, I do a little bit of dancing in the studio, and head out for some food with protein.

Now, I'm not strict on my diet so my results aren't great. I'm a big fan of chili and I buy a lot of the canned kind at Target. That's one of the things I eat after a workout. Milk and eggs are another staple. Unfortunately, when I consume these two items, my stomach gets bloated and those abs are no longer visible. I accepted the fact that I'm never going to look like Ryan Gosling in 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' so I don't mind when there's a bit of a gut sticking out.

Summer's coming up so I try to insert one day of cardio in a week. I don't do a lot because I rather focus on strength. Too much cardio in my opinion means you won't get stronger in your leg workouts. Of course, I could be wrong because everybody seems to be an expert on everything these days.

"Oh nonsense! Do this and that. You'll get the results on what you need. Trust me, I'm an expert."

I've been hitting the gym for the past year and a half. My body is not too bad but it could be worse. Here are my five favorite workouts at the gym:

1) The Squat

One of the three big lifts according to the world of power lifting, the squat is a workout that will make your legs big. Ever since I started doing them, my legs became thicker, especially the glutes (or "butt"). When I first went to the gym and wanted to perform the squat, I was VERY intimidated because other people were doing them with a lot of weight. I tried it with a bar and I could barely do one set of ten reps. Eventually, I ignored anybody who gave off negative vibes (thank goodness nobody did) and worked my way up to being able to squat my own weight not too long afterwards.

It's a fantastic workout and not only does it build your leg muscles, but also the lower back and your abs. Great full body workout. The world would be a better place if everybody did squats.

2) The Deadlift

The second of the three big lifts, one that I consider to be the manliest. Reason is because you're lifting a s***load of weight off the ground! Sometimes I'm at the gym and when I'm doing this lift, I can hear a couple people nearby questioning what they're seeing.

"Hey what's that young man doing over there?"
"I have no idea. Looks like it might hurt."

The deadlift is an amazing workout BUT you have to do it right. Otherwise, you'll be heading to Snap City and end up breaking your back (or worse). There's a few variations of the deadlift but my favorite is the traditional version. Keep your back straight and lift heavy!

3) The Pull Up

Another workout that works on multiple muscles when being done. When I first did these, I could barely do two in a row. It was simply impossible. I thought doing bicep curls would have paid off but I never realized that I neglected my back muscles. I later realized that in order to do more pull ups, you have to keep doing them. Now I can do a decent amount. Neutral grip is my preferred form (as seen in the picture).

4) The Bench Press

The third big lift. Usually I substitute it with the dumbbell press because people at the gym LOVE the bench press. It's always being taken by big men. In fact, out of all the workouts, this is the one that I find to be the most intimidating. I simply can't do a lot of weight. I'm afraid of taking the bench press from somebody who can do a lot more. While I'm doing my sets with 35 lbs on each side, they're standing around, waiting to do their three sets of five with two 45's on each side.

Lately, I've been doing more bench press and I like them. They're much better than the dumbbell press and I like how it feels. Great workout for your chest and arms.

5) The Kickback

I discovered this workout when I was on a routine called P.H.A.T. (Power Hypertrophy Adaptive Training). It was something I did to get my body ready for Tough Mudder last year (not sure if it was a good idea). I would recommend this routine if you want your body to look awesome. The kickback is not a functional workout. What are you going to do with that motion? It's more for show than anything else. Keep doing this and your triceps will stick out when the arm is straight.

Dressing up as Spider-Man this summer

2013-03-22T17:25:00.001-07:00

I'm planning to cosplay as Spider-Man this summer at Anime Expo (and maybe at a Comic Con).

Here's some pics:

I have to glue all that webbing (there's a ton) and the Spider logos onto the actual suit. It's still far from being finished.

Also, the reason why I didn't wear the mask is because it's not comfortable. I can barely see out of it since it wraps very tightly around my head. I'm gonna have to buy some sort of fiber glass mask and put it underneath so I have breathing room.

Luckily I already have some sort of physique prior to getting the suit so working out is crossed off the list. I just need to lose some stomach fat and I should look alright walking around in a skintight suit. Of course, I could always flex the abs but doing that for the whole day is taxing. A skinny/chubby Spider-Man is an unhappy Spider-Man.

Revisiting The OC

2013-03-03T20:22:00.002-08:00

A few days ago, I started rewatching The OC. If you're not familiar with it, it was a TV show that aired on FOX nearly a decade ago. It's about a young troubled teen from Chino who moves in with a rich lawyer and his family in Orange County.

I always liked the show, especially season 1 (which is god-tier television) and the first few episodes have been really enjoyable. I'll be spending my spring break finishing up the first season.

Five Favorite Movies of 2012

2013-01-20T16:55:00.005-08:00

2012 had a lot of great movies. Here were my favorite movies of the year:

Looper (Rian Johnson, 2012; 94% Tomatometer)

Dredd (Pete Travis, 2012; 77% Tomatometer)

Skyfall (Sam Mendes, 2012; 92% Tomatometer)

The Avengers (Joss Whedon, 2012; 92% Tomatometer)

Safety Not Guaranteed (Colin Trevorrow, 2012; 91% Tomatometer)

Honorable mentions:
The Grey

Django Unchained

Chronicle

Zero Dark Thirty

The Cabin in the Woods

Django Unchained

2012-12-29T03:15:00.000-08:00

Fantastic movie. Fantastic soundtrack.

Five Favorite Movies That Scared Me

2012-10-22T23:17:00.001-07:00

Halloween is just around the corner so I thought I'd put up a list of the five movies that scared me silly. Some of them made me lose sleep and some of them caused me to react by jumping out of my seat and screaming out loud.

Insidious (James Wan, 2010; 66% Tomatometer)

One of the only two movies that made me sleep with the lights on. I was deathly afraid of having an unknown intruder enter my bedroom after I saw Insidious...during the afternoon! The first two acts of the movie is EXTREMELY terrifying in my opinion. What made it so scary for me was how it was framed. Whenever the characters were talking to each other, there was also depth in the background. Maybe an open window or a long hallway, I was always wondering if something might walk past without the character noticing it. That sense of uneasiness is what scared me the most.

Signs (M. Night Shyamalan, 2002; 74% Tomatometer)

The birthday scene in Signs. The first time I saw that part in the movie, I literally jumped out of the couch and yelled at the top of my lungs. I was very terrified by the sight of the thing. Joaquin Phoenix played the reaction perfectly.

Audition (Takashi Miike, 1999; 78% Tomatometer)

If somebody were to ask me what the scariest movie was, this would be it. Audition isn't your typical horror movie where the scares are spread throughout the running time. It's more like a buildup to the ultimate climax. Usually the climax is the most satisfying part of the movie. In Audition, it's actually the most horrifying part. I can never look at the words, "Deeper, deeper" again. It makes me shudder.

Halloween (John Carpenter; 1978; 93% Tomatometer)

Very scary, suspenseful, and Michael Myers is the ultimate boogeyman. The guy creeps me out. In fact, when I'm running at the track and I need motivation to sprint fast, I usually imagine him chasing me from behind.

Paranormal Activity (Oren Peli, 2007; 82% Tomatometer)

The second of the two movies that made me sleep with the lights on. After watching it in theaters and coming straight back home, I was deathly paranoid of my bedroom. The thought of things happening in my bedroom while being asleep scared me. My sense of hearing heightened up and creaking floor noises kept popping up every once in a while.

Five Favorite Films

2012-10-20T15:16:00.001-07:00

Staring a new series on the blog here. The format is taken directly from Rotten Tomatoes. It's my "Five Favorite..." of many things. They could be my five favorite cereals, five favorite movies that take place on an island, or maybe my five favorite items to bring on a road trip. Since I'm studying film production, we'll start the first one off with my favorite films (not necessarily all-time).

In no specific order:

Leon: The Professional (Luc Besson, 1994; 79% Tomatometer)

If it weren't for Leon, I wouldn't have been a big fan of movies. I remember browsing on a forum back in 2004/2005 and found out that Best Buy was having a "Buy One Get One Free" sale on special edition DVDs. Somebody made a topic on what movies to pick up from the sale and when I looked into the titles, Leon: The Professional stood out. My mother took me to the store and we bought Leon and Black Hawk Down. Since then, Leon: The Professional has remained as my favorite movie of all time. The performances are amazing and I love the kinetic energy from the cinematography.

Rocky (John G. Avildsen, 1976; 91% Tomatometer)

Rocky was the movie that motivated me to get my ass off the couch and lift weights. It's a really inspiring movie that says if you give it your best shot, anything could happen. A true underdog movie that many people can relate to.

Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994; 71% Tomatometer)

The first time I saw this movie was in high school. That was in the summer of 2007 I believe. The semester was almost over so we had some free time to kill. Our teacher brought in Forrest Gump and after the movie was over, I was completely blown away by the amount of storytelling contained in a little over two hours. We were witnessing one man's life over a period of time and he experiences so many things.

Drive (Nicolas Winding Refn, 2011; 93% Tomatometer)

I am super obsessed with Drive. I've seen it six times on the big screen, I have a replica of the scorpion jacket that Ryan Gosling wears in the movie, I own a couple limited edition posters (worth more than $300 each), I have the gloves, a keychain, some tin box, and a car charger which all has the "Drive" logo on them. I have a few Drive one sheet posters, the soundtrack, a postcard, and the Blu-ray (watched many times). I love everything about this film.

Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004; 91% Tomatometer)

Insanely quotable, laugh out loud hilarious, and a bloody good time. It's one of my favorite romantic/horror movies AND it has zombies. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are one of my favorite onscreen pairs and Edgar Wright is an awesome director. Highly recommend this movie.

Round 1 Bowling Tournament at Puente Hills Mall

2012-10-12T22:52:00.000-07:00

This Sunday at 9:00AM, Round 1 is hosting a bowling tournament. Winner goes to Japan. I will be competing with a few others who were able to qualify (it's not as hard as it sounds). Feel free to come by and watch us. I'll do my best to keep up with the scores but the most important thing is to have fun.

My wishlist for Christmas

2012-10-01T02:09:00.001-07:00

We are a few months away from Christmas. Here's what I want:

- Carhartt Men's Sandstone Duck Detroit Blanket Lined Jacket

- Stacy Adams Madison Cap-Toe Boot in white

- Gaspar 2204 Driving Gloves in London Tan

- Carhartt Men's Canvas Work Dungaree in Fatique

- Levi's Slim Fit Trucker's Jacket

- Dredd 3D Mondo Poster

...and we'll stop there for now. I'm gonna try to cross these items off the list as the year goes by but it's gonna take a while. These things aren't really cheap.

Upcoming Tough Mudder event and US Women's Soccer

2012-09-18T22:09:00.002-07:00

My body is not ready. Here's what I'm expecting to face in the upcoming Saturday.

Bought some clothes on Sunday. Compressed Under Armour shirt and shorts. I tried them on and ran eight laps around my block and it felt like I was wearing nothing at all. There was hardly any weight and I didn't get too tired until the last lap (when I was forced to sprint because some dog chased me).

Friday afternoon, we're gonna leave and drive for about 8 hours until we reach Tahoe in North California, which is where the Tough Mudder event is taking place on Saturday/Sunday. After it's done, we'll probably do some sightseeing the next day.

This past weekend was awesome. On Saturday, there was a birthday gathering and we went to some Korean BBQ restaurant in Los Angeles. First time I had that stuff and it was delicious. Then on Sunday, I went to go see the US Women's National Soccer Team play against Australia at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. That was awesome. I bought a Men's MNT jersey for $90. Very comfortable. I'll wear it when I run at the track.

One thing's for sure, I'll always attend a US Women's Soccer game whenever they play in my area.

New Phone

2012-09-02T20:18:00.002-07:00

It's a T-Mobile Prism. I know I'm very late to the party but now I can play with apps, tweet with Twitter, access my email, Skype, Facebook, and do lots of other cool things at the palm of my hand. Feels good man.

Breaking Bad Art Gallery in Los Angeles, CA

2012-08-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

Bought this last night:

Wanted these two:

Gamefaqs Podcast Guest

2012-08-10T02:38:00.001-07:00

If anybody's familiar with Gamefaqs, I'll be a guest on their next podcast episode this weekend. Check them out at: http://gamefaqspodcast.posterous.com/

I think we're recording it on Sunday morning and the archived episode should be posted by early next week. Either way, check it out if you get the chance. I listened to a few of the older episodes and they're really cool. Lot of interesting topics and discussion on video games. Personally I'm not a huge video game guy but it's nice to learn the latest gaming news when I listen to the Gamefaqs podcast.

Hopefully when I'm with them, I'll add something of value to the show.

Amoeba Music Purchases - 8/5/12

2012-08-08T16:50:00.002-07:00

Went to Amoeba Music last Sunday a few hours before I had a concert to go to (which was in the area). I returned Catfish on Blu-Ray (not worth buying) and bought the following:

- When Harry Met Sally... DVD
- Insidious soundtrack
- Lost In Translation DVD

On my Twitter, I follow an actress named Rachel Nichols. You may know her from such films in GI Joe: Rise of the Cobra, P2, The Amityville Horror, and the most recent Conan The Barbarian.

I tweeted to her:
"@RachelNichols1 If you were stuck on a desert island, what three DVDs would be in your possession?"

She replied with:
" @morganchan WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, BRIDESMAIDS and SILENCE OF THE LAMBS."

I've seen Bridesmaids and I own Silence of the Lambs on DVD (which I haven't seen yet) so I kept When Harry Met Sally in the back of my mind whenever I went out to buy movies.

Maybe I'm just yearning for a relationship and that's why I bought those two movies. The Insidious soundtrack was something I found while I was in the Soundtracks section. Scary movie by the way. One of the very few times when I had to sleep with the lights on.

Amoeba Music Purchases - 7/31/12

2012-07-31T16:29:00.003-07:00

If you see me outside of my house, chances are that I'll be wearing an Amoeba Music cap on my head. Amoeba Music is an independent record shop located in California. There are three of them in the state. The one in Hollywood is one of my favorite places to shop at. If you're a big fan of buying physical copies of music, movies, and posters, look no further. Amoeba Music is the place for you.

http://www.amoeba.com/

Today I went there with the intention of buying some documentaries on DVD because I'm working on one in August. After a couple hours of browsing around (time goes by fast in the building), I ended up with a few impulse buys, which could be good or bad.

I ended up buying the following:
- Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis Box set
- Chromatics - Kill For Love
- Hanna Official Soundtrack
- Catfish on Blu-Ray

Other than documentaries, I was also looking for a copy of "The House Of The Devil" on DVD/Blu-Ray. I heard good things about it and how it was filmed to look like a horror movie from the 80's. I'm also interested in making a horror movie so any kind of inspiration is helpful.

Amoeba Music Purchases will probably be an ongoing series on this blog so expect more of these posts whenever I shop there.

Documentary - Dang Paddles

2012-07-29T12:43:00.001-07:00

In the month of August, I'll be working on a documentary about a small business called "Dang Paddles". You can check their Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DangLeCustomGreekPaddles.

For the next few days, I'll be doing pre-production and filming will hopefully start next weekend. If everything goes right, the deadline for the finished product is at the end of September.

Mondo Movie Posters

2012-07-18T03:59:00.001-07:00

If you're not familiar with Mondo and love movies, you should be.

From their website:

Mondo creates limited edition screen printed posters for our favorite classic and contemporary films, in addition to vinyl movie soundtracks, VHS re-issues, and apparel. We also have a permanent gallery space in Austin, TX featuring a mix of original artwork and limited edition screen prints.

Right now, I own four Mondo posters including Drive, The Cabin In The Woods, Iron Man, and Captain America. Soon, I will also own a Dark Knight Rises poster, which I ordered about 10 minutes ago, 5 hours after it was up online. It will be available for 24 hours on Wednesday, July 18 2012. Go here if you want to purchase it:
http://www.mondotees.com/The-Dark-Knight-Rises_p_535.html

The thing about Mondo is that they release posters in limited prints. Once they go online, the posters go FAST. Depending on what it is, they could sell out within minutes. Add to the fact that they go up at a random time, things get really hectic. You spend time refreshing the page hoping for the poster to pop up in their store. Once it does, the website starts lagging because there are thousands of other people trying to get that same item at the same time. If you manage to score a poster, congratulations. If you don't, you can always buy it on eBay where people usually sell it for absurd amount of prices. Mondo posters cost about $45 but when it's on a secondary market, the prices climb up to $300 immediately. Depending on what kind of print and edition, it may go even higher. I believe Tyler Stout's "The Thing" was sold for around $2,000 on eBay. That's a lot of profit.

As an alternative to official one sheet movie posters, Mondo is a great way to discover new movies and artwork to hang on your wall.

Thomas Jane returns as The Punisher in short film

2012-07-16T01:41:00.003-07:00

If this is Thomas Jane's way of telling Marvel to consider him for another Punisher movie, then sign me up!

Also, if you haven't seen The Punisher (2004), I highly recommend it. Good old school action.