Theater Bum

Trailer: Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides

2010-08-25T17:14:00.000-04:00

The Comic-Con teaser trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has leaked out. While the trailer doesn't show us any of the movie, we do get learn that the film will follow Captain Jack on a journey to find the fountain of youth.

The trailer is a short conversation with Captain Jack, and other than revealing basic plot info, it's good to see Johnny Depp back in full form as Captain Jack. (Bloody Marys all around!!!) Trailer after the break.

Sorry for the poor quality, most copies don't allow embedding.

Release Date: May 20, 2011

Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

2010-08-25T16:58:00.000-04:00

Sony has announced who will be playing the two leads for David Fincher's remake of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Hollywood has been abuzz with rumors all over the place as names have been tossed around for these two leads, and finally they have been chosen.

Daniel Craig will be playing the role of Mikael Blomkvist, a black-listed reporter who tries to unravel the mystery behind the decade's old disappearance of a young woman from a wealthy family.

Along side Craig, Rooney Mara will play Lisbeth Salender, an antisocial hacker who works with Blomkvist to solve a series of murders that may be connected to the disappearance that Blomkvist is already trying to unravel.

Based on the outrageously popular novel of the same name, the film is set to begin production next month in Sweden, and has been given a release date of December 21, 2010.

I've yet to read any of the Millennium trilogy, and I've heard good things, but I kind of want to leave this one unspoiled and see what Fincher will bring to the screen with this one.

Photo: First Official Look at Jeff Bridges in True Grit

2010-08-25T16:22:00.000-04:00

We've already seen some unofficial set photos from the Coen brother's remake of True Grit, but now we have the first official photo from Paramount. The image shows Jeff Bridges in true Rooster Cogburn form, and just drawing conclusions from the photo I'm all the much more excited for this remake of an amazing Western classic. Check out the photo and synopsis after the break.

"True Grit tells the story of Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), who is just fourteen years of age when a coward going by the name of Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) shoots her father down in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and robs him of his life, his horse, and $150 in cash money. Mattie leaves home to avenge her father's blood. With the one-eyed Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges), the meanest available U.S. Marshal, by her side, Mattie pursues the homicide into Indian Territory."

True Grit is directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and stars Jeff Bridges, Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, and Barry Pepper.

Release Date: December 25, 2010

Trailer: Black Swan

2010-08-17T19:54:00.000-04:00

Today Fox Searchlight Pictures released the first trailer for Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky's follow up to 2008's The Wrestler.

"Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina whose life is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her."

After reading that synopsis if you aren't running out to see this movie, then you feel exactly the same as I did. But now, watch the trailer.

Ummm.....I'm going to need to see this movie for a variety of reasons.

Release Date: December 1, 2010

Craptastic Movie News: Hollywood is Raping Schwarzenegger's Past

2010-08-16T21:30:00.001-04:00

Fox and Sony have released some news that will make a T-800 cry, they are working on projects to remake Commando and Total Recall.

I mean, really? These movies are good as is, there's no need to remake them, you're not going to find anyone better for these roles than Schwarzenegger, why even do this, oh wait, a quick buck, right. More details after the break.

First off, Sony has announced that Len Wiseman will be directing a remake of Total Recall, based on a script by Kurt Wimmer. So that means this remake of Total Recall will be directed by the guy who did Live Free or Die Hard, and written by the guy who did Equilibrium, oh god, this is so much fail.

Next up in happy time fun news, Commando is set to be remade with David Ayer as the writer and director. This is the man who wrote The Fast and the Furious and SWAT and later went on to direct Harsh Times. For those of you who haven't seen Harsh Times, and I may very well be the only person who has seen it, it was really really bad. Not just in a, "Oh the script was bad, and the actor kind of sucked," bad, but in a "They don't even know how to use a camera," bad. And if that isn't enough, I'll do you one more.

Hollywood's latest "appear (not act) in a bunch of movies" darling Sam Worthington, is at the moment the primary person of interest to play the lead role of John Matrix. After Worthington's turds of performance in Terminator Salvation, Avatar, and Clash of the Titans, I'm really looking forward to this.

According to Deadline Fox is looking to, "put a real world spin on the story, and use a less brawny, but more covert and stealthy actor in the lead role," blah blah blah, this is gonna be horrible.

This Week in Box Office 8/13/10

2010-08-15T22:11:00.001-04:00

The box office this weekend ended up well for The Expendables and Eat, Pray, Love but Scott Pilgrim vs. the World seems to have flopped. It's really kind of sad, a movie as good as Scott Pilgrim coming in 5th place with competition like that. However, that's how things often seem to work, explosions and emotional exploitation trumping good movies, sigh. Read the results after the break.

1. The Expendables

Gross/Total: $35,030,000/$35,030,000

Screens/Avg: 3,270/$10,713

Weeks: 1

2. Eat Pray Love

Gross/Total: $23,700,000/$23,700,000

Screens/Avg: 3,082/$7,690

Weeks: 1

3. The Other Guys

Gross/Total: $18,000,000/$70,543,000

Screens/Avg: 3,651/$4,930

Weeks: 2

4. Inception

Gross/Total: $11,370,000/$248,554,000

Screens/Avg: 3,120/$3,644

Weeks: 5

5. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Gross/Total: $10,525,000/$10,525,000

Screens/Avg: 2,818/$3,735

Weeks: 1

Info via: BoxOfficeMojo

Review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

2010-08-15T21:31:00.002-04:00

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World fully understands what it is as a film and accepts that, but it doesn't let that keep it from reaching further than any other film of its kind. Like many films before it that have come to define what it means to be younger in a given decade, Scott Pilgrim will come to define the youth experience of the late 90's and 00's.

Scott Pilgrim succeeds as a film and a work of craftsmanship, while a lesser film would have devolved into constant sexual innuendo and haphazardly thrown together action set-pieces, Scott Pilgrim gets it right. With a wonderful story, amazing visuals, and good acting all around.

The movie follows the story of Scott Pilgrim, (Michael Cera) a 22 year old who crashes with his friend, plays in a band called "Sex Bob-omb", and has no job. When he meets the girl of his dreams (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in order to date her, Scott must defeat her Seven Evil Exes in combat.

The casting here is spot on, sure Michael Cera is type-cast, but this time it feels like he brings a bit more to the game than his usual mumblely loser shtick, and that extra little bit sells his performance completely. The rest of the cast fills their roles wonderfully providing a depth of character that's required for a picture this big. In particular Kieran Culkin, playing Scott's roommate, steals several of the scenes he's involved in.

The visuals of the film are amazing, blurring the line between reality, video games, and comic books (see image above).

Power bars, extra lives, a score counter, all of the little extras that run through our minds after spending way too much time playing way too many video games.

For me, it’s the story and storytelling that really makes this movie what it is. In your mind, picture a movie about a boy chasing a girl, a movie that makes constant references to video games and comic books, what does that movie look like? If I said, “A bunch of fight scenes that do nothing but move the plot along, a weak story with flat barely realized characters, and actors that don’t do anything more than read their lines.” Would that sound about what you pictured? That is exactly the kind of film that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is not. Every part of the movie is used to further the story as well as the characters and their growth. Even the fight scenes are more than just barren pauses to blow stuff up, they work as wonderful symbolism on what a man/boy is willing to go through to be with the woman/girl he loves.

Even though Scott Pilgrim vs. the World may not blow away the box office, in the end it should find a long glorious life on DVD, because in many ways this is a movie that defines the experiences of a generation. Plus it’s a hell of a good movie too. The best way I can sum up this movie is, if you have ever played a video game, or read a comic book you will love Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Good: Cast, visuals, storytelling

Bad: Umm, I can’t really think of anything.

4 out of 4 stars

Trailer Mash-Up: Upception

2010-08-12T22:42:00.002-04:00

There are countless trailer mash-ups out there, and this is one of most well done I've seen in quite some time.

What happens when Up meets Inception, Upception.

This Week In Theaters 8/13/10

2010-08-12T22:04:00.000-04:00

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

"Twenty-two-year-old Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) may not have a job, but rocking the bass for his band, Sex Bob-omb, is a tough job unto itself. When Scott locks eyes with Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he knows she's the girl he wants to grow old with. But Ramona has some serious baggage; her supercharged exes rue the thought of her being with another man, and they'll crush any guy who gives her a second glance. Now, in order to win Ramona's heart, Scott will do battle with everyone from vegan-powered rock gods to sinister skateboarders, never losing sight of his gorgeous goal as he pummels his way to victory."

Take every geek, comic-book, and video game cliche, wrap it up with Edgar Wright throw in some great looking visuals, shake liberally and you get Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. This is a movie for every geek, and with this set of people behind it, I think they'll nail it.

The rest of the weekend's releases after the break.
The Expendables

"Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is a man with nothing to lose. Fearless and void of emotion, he is the Leader, the Sage and the Strategist of this tight-knit band of men who live on the fringe. The team is made up of Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), former SAS and a savant with anything that has a blade; Yin Yang (Jet Li), a master at close-quarter combat; Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), a long-barrel weapons specialist; Toll Road (Randy Couture), a skilled demolitions expert and considered the intellect of the group; and Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), a combat veteran and an expert in precision sniping who struggles with his own demons.

When the mysterious Church offers Barney a job no one else would take, Barney and his team embark on what appears to be a routine mission: overthrow General Gaza (David Zayas), the murderous dictator of the small island country of Vilena and end the years of death and destruction inflicted on its people. On a reconnaissance mission to Vilena, Barney and Christmas meet their contact Sandra (Giselle Itie), a local freedom-fighter with a dark secret. They also come to learn who their true enemy is: rogue ex-CIA operative James Monroe (Eric Roberts) and his henchman Paine (Steve Austin). When things go terribly wrong, Barney and Christmas are forced to leave Sandra behind, essentially giving her a death sentence. Haunted by this failure, Barney convinces the team to return to Vilena to rescue the hostage and finish the job he started. And to perhaps save a soul: his own."

Reading that synopsis and watching that trailer had me cringing at all of the well worn tropes, and extremely over used cliches that seemed to comprise most of what there was in the trailer and synopsis. I understand that the movie is trying to be an homage to 80's action films, but I feel like it goes way too far, and not in a good way.

Also released this weekend is Eat Pray Love. I was going to do a write-up on it, but after 5 seconds of consideration I decided that I couldn't feign enough interest in the movie to take the time to write much about it. And really, if you're reading this site, I'm going to guess you're not a huge fan of feminist self-discovery movies starring Julia Roberts.

What'll I Do?: I will definitely be seeing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World on Friday and posting a review. I may end up seeing The Expendables on Saturday, but I'm not sure yet.

Trailer: Jackass 3D

2010-08-06T15:48:00.000-04:00

Shortly after the first picture and poster for Jackass 3D, we've now got the first trailer.

This is gonna be awesome.

Jackass 3D First Photo and Poster

2010-08-05T21:35:00.000-04:00

Paramout has released the first photo and poster for Jackass 3D. Jeff Tremaine will be returning as director and Spike Jonze will be producing this three dimensional reuniting of the Jackass crew.

According to Deadline.com the film was greenlit by executives after viewing footage of the "Heli-cockter". The stunt involved Chris Pontius with a remote controlled helicopter tethered to his penis, his junk popping out at the audience in 3D as the helicopter flew around above his head.

Johnny Knoxville has also said of the movie, "We're going to take the same 3D technology James Cameron used in Avatar and stick it up Steve-O's butt. We're taking stupid to a whole new dimension."

Check out the poster and my comments after the break.

I'm giddy with excitement for this movie, it's exactly what 3D should be used for, something totally fun and gimmicky. The 3D isn't there to make up for a crappy story, or just make you, "Oooh and Ahhh," it's there for pure entertainment.

This Week In Theaters 8/6/10

2010-08-05T21:04:00.000-04:00

The Other Guys

"The Other Guys follows Detective Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell), a forensic accountant who's more interested in paperwork than hitting the streets, and Detective Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg), who has been stuck with Allen as his partner ever since an embarrassing public incident with his quick trigger finger. Allen and Terry idolize the city's top cops, Danson and Manzetti (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson), but when an opportunity arises for the Other Guys to step up, things don't quite go as planned."

My View: Aren't we all kind of over Will Ferrell? He's just going to play a loud, confused, dumb-ass like all of his other movies, it's just getting old.

More after the break.

Step Up 3D

"The kids from the Maryland School of the Arts head to Paris for an international dance competition, but when Moose (Sevani) misses the flight home, he is inducted into the city's underground dance scene, which is about to have its own contest. The case of a stolen routine finds Moose looking to bring some of his friends back to the City of Lights for the event."

My View: The title is Step Up 3D, I have nothing to say about this movie for a variety of reasons.

Middle Men

"Jack Harris (Luke Wilson) is a legitimate Texas businessman who wanders off the straight-and-narrow path when he meets Wayne Beering (Giovanni Ribisi) and Buck Dolby (Gabriel Macht), a slimy pair of Internet porn profiteers. Jack's association with the men leads to his involvement with a host of other lowlifes, and though he tries to convince himself that he is staying clean in a dirty business, his disintegrating family situation proves otherwise."

My View: I'm interested to see what this movie has to offer, but I'm afraid it's going to flop; has anyone heard anything about it, have you seen commercials or posters? Maybe Paramount is a little skittish selling a movie about porn. At the same time, after those really bad AT&T commercials, I'm not sure I can take Luke Wilson seriously anymore.

Twelve

"Twelve follows high school dropout turned successful drug dealer White Mike (Chace Crawford) in New York's Upper East Side. Business is booming when all of the kids are home from boarding school and everyone has money to blow. Mike leads a double life, concealing the truth from his childhood friend Molly (Emma Roberts) while his supplier Lionel (Curtis Jackson) pulls Mike further into the world of the Manhattan drug trade. Mike’s two lives begin to collide when his cousin is brutally murdered on an East Harlem playground and a new drug, twelve, emerges as the recreational drug of choice."

My View: As one Youtube commenter put it best, "It looks like Gossip Girl on drugs. Melodramatic flashy crap about rich people getting in trouble.

What Will I Be Watching This Weekend:

I'll be going to see Inception for the second time.

World War Z On Track with Brad Pitt to Star

2010-08-02T21:41:00.000-04:00

After languishing in development hell and rewrites, it seems that the big-screen adaptation of World War Z is finally moving forward. According to the novel's author Max Brooks, Brad Pitt is set to star in the film, Marc Forster is directing, and the film with have a summer 2012 release date. News via MTV.

I've been excited about this movie since I first heard about the bidding war between Brad Pitt's production company "Plan B" and Leo DiCaprio's company, "Appian Way." If you haven't read the novel, it is epic in scale, not just some short story about a guy killing zombies, it's about humanity's fight for survival against zombies. I really look forward to full on zombie warfare on the big screen, and hope that the movie captures the mood and feel of the novel. Read the novel's synopsis after the break.

"The end was near. Zombies were taking over. They were infiltrating ever corner the world. No neutral ground existed, no nation was secure, and we were in serious danger of becoming extinct - overrun by hordes of the living dead.

WORLD WAR Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (Crown Publishers, September 12, 2006), is a recounting of these apocalyptic and horrifying years that will make sure we never forget how close we came to total annihilation. Told from the perspective of numerous survivors from all over the world, from Denver to South Africa, Sydney to Yonkers, Malibu to India, WORLD WAR Z captures the sacrifices and, toward the end, the ingenuity of our race to defend and save our cities, towns, and villages from a plague that seemed virtually impossible to stop.

Brooks tells a moving story of courage and survival and gives us insight into the key military strategies that helped us take our world back. To this day, controversy and conversation still revolves around some key issues that WORLD WAR Z addresses such as:

- How the Walking Plague was initially covered up by corrupt governments

- Why the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services downplayed the Great Panic

- A zealous American President's mistake in putting his party's needs in an election year ahead of the safety of his people

While WORLD WAR Z does remind us of our past mistakes and the vulnerability of the human race, it also serves as a reminder that the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as the "living dead" is the human factor. WORLD WAR Z also warns us not to let our guard down, to be ever vigilant, and to learn from the mistakes made in the past. Indeed, as Brooks records from a survivor in Burlington, VT: "The numbers [of zombies] are declining, thank heavens, but it doesn't mean people should let down their guard. We're still at war, and until every trace is sponged and purged and if need be, blasted from the surface of the earth, everybody's still gotta pitch in and do their job. Be nice if that was the lesson people took from all this misery. We're all in this together, so pitch in and do your job."

WORLD WAR Z is Max Brooks's life work. Logging countless hours of travel to capture and preserve first-hand experiences from the Dark Years, Brooks records in great detail the one aspect that has been neglected in all previous retellings of this war: the extraordinary job we did in coming together to thwart our extinction and reign triumphant."

Joesph Gordon-Levitt is the Prime Candidate for "The Riddler"

2010-08-02T21:03:00.000-04:00

Now that Inception is out and making a crap-ton of money, the wheels will slowly begin turning on the upcoming Batman 3. To start off with we know that Nolan likes to work with people he's already worked with, and after working with the all-star cast of Inception, he's got a whole new group of people to add to his list.

While the rumor-mill has been churning for a while that Joesph Gordon-Levitt will play the Riddler in the upcoming Batman, we now have some solid proof that this news is more than just rumor. Read more after the break.

FirstShowing.net has gotten ahold of a casting grid from Warner Bros. that shows Joesph Gordon-Levitt as being the primary candidate for the role of "The Riddler," and that he is "interested" in the role.

Even though fans have been clamoring for the Riddler to be the villain in the next Batman film, we've had no official word on the inclusion or exclusion of the Riddler from the project. But with this internal document listing the Riddler, it's a safe bet that he'll be our bad-guy the next time around.

As well, my read on "interested" is Gordon-Levitt will be the Riddler as long as the studio doesn't try to screw him over. With Nolan's weight behind this project, and the fact that he seems to practically be printing money for WB, I don't think the execs will be causing any problems. I think that Gordon-Levitt would do a good job in this role, and as we've already seen, he works well with Nolan.

Marvel Comic-Con Blow-Out

2010-07-26T21:57:00.001-04:00

This past week at Comic-Con, Marvel has unveiled a crap-ton of stuff on their upcoming movies ranging from photos to news.

The biggest bit of news was the full Avengers cast appearing on stage at one event. In the photo above you will note:

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark
Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
Chris Hemsworth as Thor
Chris Evans as Captain America
Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Incredible Hulk
Joss Whedon Director

The last three names there, Renner, Ruffalo, and Whedon, that's big news. For some time Jeremy Renner was rumored to be playing Hawkeye, the role of Bruce Banner was unfilled with rumors circulating that Mark Ruffalo would take the part after Marvel kicked Ed Norton to the curb, and Joss Whedon was also rumored involved in the project. All of this was confirmed over the course of a brief few minutes as the entire cast walked onto stage to a thunderous applause from fans.

Joss Whedon was invited onto the stage by Robert Downey Jr. who said, "We knew we had to find a director you'd love." Whedon then told the audience, "I have had a dream all my life and it was not this good . . . This cast is more than I could have ever hoped for. And I am going to blow it. So I need your love; I need your support."

Personally I'm excited about most of this news, Ruffalo and Renner are both great actors, and should bring some interesting stuff to the parts they will play. Renner has proven himself in last year's The Hurt Locker, and Ruffalo has time and time again turned in great performances. Ruffalo was probably one of the few people that could have been cast as Banner and not caused an even bigger fan back-lash after the Norton situation.

Whedon I'm a bit more cautious about. He's a total geek, everything he's ever done is full of geekery and he has a very loyal following, but all of his various works have never really done it for me. I worry a little that he may fall down the fan-boy hole and just wallow in the awesome of, "Look we've got all of these heroes together in a movie!!!" instead of making a good film, but we'll have to wait and see, maybe this will bring me around to Whedon. Photos and quotes courtesy of Cinematical.

Beyond all of that big news, we've also some early concept art from Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor.

The Thor image, I can't really say anything about, it looks good, and hopefully the movie will be good too. But the Captain America image, has got me excited.

Captain America could be taken in the direction of just another superhero movie, give a guy a costume, and origin, blow stuff up, give him a villian, movie over. However, Cap, being a soldier as well as a superhero has such a broad and deep area to draw from the film could be so much more than just a standard comic book movie. In a way that almost no other superhero movie can, Captain America: The First Avenger can be about sacrifice, justice, the battle that a hero wages and what that means on a multitude of levels.

This early concept image of the Captain fighting alongside Allied troops during WWII in a war-torn European backdrop gives me a glimmer of hope that this superhero movie might be able to accomplish all of what I hope it can and become so much more than just another comic book movie. Here's hoping.

Review: Inception

2010-07-25T21:46:00.006-04:00

(Note: This will be a spoiler-free review, I assume that you have at least seen a trailer or read a synopsis, but beyond that, I will give nothing away in this review.)

Inception may just be the best movie I have ever seen. It's an edge of your seat thriller with some honest to God depth. It starts off a little slow, but when the story kicks into gear it stays at 11 for the rest of the film. You'll spend the entire movie wide-eyed and adrenaline pumping, and left feeling the force of it for hours after. Inception is a force of a movie; it will leave you feeling depleted and exhausted, with a racing pulse and mind.

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his team of extractors (Ellen Page, Joesph Gordon-Levitt, and Tom Hardy) are the best at what they do, dream extraction. When a Japanese businessman (Ken Watanabe) comes to them asking for the impossible feat of inception but offering the reward of a life-time, the ability to return to the life that has been taken from him, Cobb can't pass the offer up. Cobb and his team, surrounded by danger, set out on one last job to implant an idea via a dream. They may be the best at what they do, but no amount of planning can prepare them for what they face as Cobb's demons return to haunt the entire team and threaten to derail the mission.

The movie begins a little slow and exposition heavy, however I feel that the exposition is necessary for the film. Nolan has created an entirely new and complex world via the dreamscape, and that world and its rules must be explained to the viewer, otherwise they would be totally lost as the film delves deep inside the dreamscape.

The acting in Inception is solid and engaging, DiCaprio, Page, Gordon-Levitt, and Cotillard all provide good performances, but it feels just short of breath-taking and mind-blowing. This is most likely the result of the film being a bit lite on character development. I'm not saying this hurts the movie, the movie is based around the plot and the ideas that are brought forth from the plot, and there simply isn't time for greater character development in a movie that already has a runtime of 2 hours and 28 minutes.

Chris Nolan is not big on CG effects, he tends to use practical effects in his movies, only relying on CG when necessary. So it came as a bit of a surprise to me for Inception to use CG so thoroughly and so well. The CG, besides looking simply stunning adds all the much more to the story allowing Nolan to fully realize the dreamscape, and for the audience to become fully enveloped into it.

The CG is but one element, that when used in most movies is there for show, but here is used to build the depth of the film. Inception has an amazing amount of depth that comes from multiple sources. Where other films would gloss over or ignore something for the sake of getting back to explosions, Inception takes ideas and runs incorporating them into the story and making multitudes better than otherwise. For example, the film takes all of the little quirks and oddities that we experience in dreams and incorporates them as major elements of the story. For another example of the depth of the film, check out my post on the Source of the BWAAA from the film.

Inception's score is phenomenal, it's acts as an amplifier for everything that is happening on the screen and helps create the intense world of the dream. The score also plays a sizable part in elevating the level of tension throughout. The last half of the film feels like it never lets up, a big reason for that is the score. What's ever more amazing is the fact that Hans Zimmer scored this film without ever seeing it.

In his films Chris Nolan tends to ask questions not answer them, Inception is no different, but here it feels like he doesn't delve as deep as he usually does. I feel like this may be a result of the exposition heavy beginning of the film, so by the time we get to the more philosophical, the film doesn't really have the time to explore things as fully as could be hoped for.

Now we come to the rant part of the review. Chris Nolan has again given us an example of an intense, fun, action-packed, thriller, summer-blockbuster that also makes you think, that also makes you use your mind. Time and time again our theaters are filled with mindless crap that sacrifice storytelling, character, and drama for cheap explosions and “cool” CG. But here we have a shining example of a movie that asks you to use your brain, but also enjoy the ride it takes you on. Movies like this, that take you on a truly amazing journey, provide you with an enveloping story-telling experience, and leave your pulse pounding are why I love movies, they are why I keep watching movies, they are why I write this blog. Please, someone else in Hollywood take notice, it is possible to make good, smart films that also make money, how about you put out more of them, please?

Inception is a pulse-pounding, mind-bending, experience of a film that is top-notch in almost every way. You’ll be on the edge of your seat for most of the film, and leave the theater scratching your head, and excited to sit down and talk with someone about what it all means. You won’t be able to go out and find a better movie in theaters for quite some time. Inception is the best movie so far this year, I feel 99.9% certain it will be the best movie of the year, and it may very well be the best movie I have ever seen.

Good: Almost everything, a movie with amazing depth that will make you think and thrill you at the same time.

Bad: The beginning is a little exposition heavy, and the character development is a little lite.

4 out of 4 stars

Inception: Source of the BWAAAAAA

2010-07-21T21:02:00.096-04:00

If you've seen Inception, or even a trailer for it, you know about the "BWAAAAA" sound used throughout the trailers and film. It's something that you remember, not because it seems attached to anything, but because it's stark and evokes a certain sense in you.

The sound is so noticeable and identifiable that it has been included in a parody of the film.

Check out my theory on where the BWAAAA comes from after the jump. WARNING MINOR SPOILERS after the jump.

This idea was originally postulated by the good folks at OverthinkingIt.com in one of their podcasts. I've just gone and confirmed it.

In the film, to signal to those that are dreaming that they are about to be woken up, a conscious member of the crew plays the song, "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" (or "No, I Regret Nothing) through a pair of head phones placed on their unconscious body in the real world.

In the dream world, time is sped up, usually by five times usual speed. However, in the final dream sequence, it is stated that they are using a special sedative that accelerates dream time to 25 times the speed of the real world.

At the end of the film, the crew finds themselves three dreams deep in the "Ice World," and thusly, dream time is going really, really fast.

A song playing at normal speed in the real world would end up playing drastically slower in a dream three levels deep. (Think of it in terms of the van falling, the van falls in a few seconds, but they have an hour or two of time on the third level of the dream.)

So based on this I took the song "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien" and slowed down the first 10 seconds of it by 70%. The end result is about 40 seconds long, you'll notice the "BWAAAA" sound throughout, but the best example is at about the 15-20 second mark (Or the 5 second mark when played at normal speed.)

Listen to Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien 70% slower.

I'll admit, it isn't 100% perfect, but it is damn close. I think it's very safe to say that this elongated note from the song is the inspiration for the "BWAAAA." While this doesn't exactly add anything to the depth of the narrative, it's another amazing example of the level of attention to detail and depth that Nolan and crew bring to the films they make. It also makes me want to go back and watch Inception again and again, trying to find more little things like this. (Giddy school girl giggle.)

Temporary Hiatus

2010-07-20T21:38:00.000-04:00

Currently I'm in the process of moving and painting my new apartment, this is taking up almost all of my free time at the moment. But do not fear, starting Sunday July 25th I'll be back with your regularly scheduled programming, a review and discussion for Inception, along with everything else you have come to expect from the Theater Bum.

This Week in Box Office 7/16/10

2010-07-18T20:45:00.000-04:00

This weekend had good results for the top two at the box-office, and sub-par performances for the rest. Inception came out roaring of the gate making $60 million, leaving last week's #1 Despicable Me in the dust, along with this week's other new release The Sorcerer's Apprentice in a weak #3. Inception didn't end up with Dark Knight numbers, but did pretty well. Beating early expectations of $50-$55 million for the weekend. Check out the full numbers after the break.

1. Inception
   Gross: $60,400,000
   Total: $60,400,000
   Theaters/Avg: 3,792/$15,928
   Weeks: 1

2. Despicable Me
   Gross: $32,734,000
   Total: $118,365,000
   Theaters/Avg: 3,501/$9,350
   Weeks: 2

3. The Sorcerer's Apprentice
   Gross: $17,373,000
   Total: $17,373,000
   Theaters/Avg: 3,504/$4,958
   Weeks: 1

4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
   Gross: $13,500,000
   Total: $364,900,000
   Theaters/Avg: 4,001/$3,374
   Weeks: 3

5. Toy Story 3
   Gross: $11,742,000
   Total: $362,709,000
   Theaters/Avg: 3,177/$3,696
   Weeks: 5

Numbers courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.

This Week in Theaters: 7/16/10

2010-07-15T21:54:00.001-04:00

Inception

"Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming."

More on Inception and the other releases after the break.

My View: This is Inception!!! I have been waiting for this movie for well over a year. It's already getting great advance reviews. How can you go wrong with Chris Nolan, Leo DiCaprio, and Ellen Page? Some are already calling this the Best Picture of the Year, I already made this call back in June. I've already got my tickets for a showing tomorrow at 4:55, and I'll be posting a review over the weekend.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice

"Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It'll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

My View: This just looks bad. Sure, it might appeal to a younger, preoccupied with Harry Potter crowd, but do they really expect anyone other than pre-teens to see this movie, especially this weekend? I will not be seeing this, this weekend, or probably ever.

First Look: Ryan Reynolds as the Green Lantern

2010-07-15T21:31:00.000-04:00

From the cover of Entertainment Weekly, we've got the first photo of Ryan Reynolds in full on Lantern get-up.

I'm a little worried, the mask in this photo looks, frankly, bad, almost like it's painted on. Hopefully this is either a rush job for the magazine cover, or an early first work up for the mask. Thankfully the rest of the Green Lantern suit look great.

I'm looking forward to this movie, and I'm very interested to see Reynolds playing the Green Lantern. Unlike Deadpool, which Reynolds is also scheduled to play, the Lantern isn't wise cracking or sarcastic, but I still assume Reynolds will bring that to the role.

Check out the full image and synopsis after the break.

Synopsis:

"A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe. The new movie is directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale) and stars Reynolds, Peter Sarsgaard, Mark Strong and Blake Lively."

Release Date: June 17, 2011

Trailer Mash-Up: The First Rule of Ferris Club Is, You Do Not Talk About Ferris Club

2010-07-15T21:17:00.000-04:00

What would Ferris Bueller's Day Off have been like if Ferris turned out to be a figment of Cameron's imagination?

Via ClassyHands, we've got the trailer for Ferris Club, or Fight Club meets Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Check out the video after the break.

Trailer: Exam

2010-07-15T21:08:00.000-04:00

Exam is what I like to call a "concept" film. A movie that is based on a single interesting idea that usually devolves into a standard horror/thriller. How good the movie is depends on how well the film-makers incorporate the concept into the entire film, beginning to end. The fact that this movie takes place all in one room, should hopefully mean that the concept is in full force throughout.

Check out the trailer and synopsis after the break.

Synopsis:

"Eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection to join the ranks of a mysterious and powerful corporation. Entering a windowless room, an Invigilator gives them eighty minutes to answer one simple question. He outlines three rules they must obey or be disqualified: don’t talk to him or the armed guard by the door, don’t spoil their papers and don’t leave the room. He starts the clock and leaves. The candidates turn over their question papers, only to find they’re completely blank."

Sadly this movie will only be released via Video On Demand in July. If you get a chance, check it out, either there, or on the eventual DVD release.

Full Trailer: The Social Network, Mark Zuckerburg is a "Creep"

2010-07-15T20:48:00.000-04:00

After two really good teaser trailers, we've now got a full trailer for The Social Network, and it is great.

This is probably one of the first times that "Creep" has been used in an appropriate fashion (and I'd argue that the cover version used in the trailer is almost better than Radiohead's original.)

Now onto the trailer, which works because of its beautifully simplistic look at reality in the first half, and the great tension we get in the second half.

Trailer after the break.

Yeah, you know you're looking forward to this movie.

Release Date: October 1, 2010

First Photo of Thor

2010-07-15T20:35:00.000-04:00

The first photo of Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Odin (Anthony Hopkins) has been leaked online. Check out the full photo and the plot synopsis of Thor after the break.

The leaked photo comes courtesy of Super Hero Hype forums.

Synopsis: "Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the epic adventure, “Thor,” which spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is the mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth), a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth by his father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and is forced to live among humans. A beautiful, young scientist, Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), has a profound effect on Thor, as she ultimately becomes his first love. It’s while here on Earth that Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth."

Release Date: May 6, 2011