Last December we got to see just what Jon M. Chu has in store for us in his follow-up to 2009’s G.I. Joe The Rise of Cobra. That first trailer looked pretty slick and probably had even the most avid naysayer going Yo Joe!. Now we get a simply awesome second trailer that looks even better. As one of the few people who really dug the ridiculousness of Stephen Sommers’ Rise of Cobra, I have to tell you that this gives me chills. Not only are they expanding on the very clever storyline from the first film but now they’re bringing in the big guns to make this look oh so…
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"What’s New on Blu?” – Week of 04/23/12
Whether you rent or buy movies, Blu-ray offers the ultimate in sight and sound. Streaming is convenient, but if you plan on watching the movie more than once, you need Blu. Check out what’s hitting the shelves this week… ——————————————————————————————————————————— NOTE: What’s New on Blu? is back this week now that the DIFF has concluded. If you haven’t seen all of the exciting stuff posted about the DIFF here on our site, check out the link here. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol needs no introduction. This is the fourth installment in a franchise that most people thought was complete with a trilogy; well think again. Leave it to Tom Cruise…
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[DIFF Review]…Juan of the Dead
Considering zombies are the walking dead, it’s surprising to see how popular they have become. They are mindless beasts that are incredibly uninteresting. Maybe that’s why they are perfect targets for horror comedies. Juan of the Dead is clearly a riff on the title of Edgar Wright’s horror comedy Shaun of the Dead, yet Juan manages to be creative enough to keep from feeling like a retread and instead makes a case why two films with similar titles and similar premises can exist in the same universe. Clocking in at 96 minutes, the film is perhaps a bit meandering at points but keeps the story moving forward with laugh after…
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[DIFF Review]…The Pact
Nicholas McCarthy brings his previous short film (which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011) to its full feature potential at the 2012 DIFF. It’s all sorts of eerie and scary, though not so much straight up horror The Pact is more of a horror mystery. It’s the blending of those two genres that make this extremely atmospheric work on many levels. In short it’s entirely effective and well crafted. In a way it’s fitting that it is being shown at the same Festival where master of horror Takeshi Shimizu is screening his film TORMENTED. Could make for a great Double Feature. Annie and her sister have begrudgingly returned home for their mother’s funeral.…
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[DIFF Review]…My Way
Unbelievable, True Story, and Epic are but a few terms used to describe this absolutely amazing film from Korean director Je-kyu Kang. My Way tells the story of two childhood friends whose lives are drastically changed when they are both forced to enlist in the Army. WWII serves as the backdrop for an almost Shakespearean story about friendship, passion, loyalty and pride. The only thing more amazing than the scenes and sequences in the film is the fact that it’s all based on true events which have only recently come to light in the last 6 years. During the time when pre-WWII Korea was being colonized by Japan, many Korean workers were employed…
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[DIFF Video Interview]…’My Way’ Director Kang Je-kyu
The 2012 Dallas International Film Festival is in full swing. One of the highlights and most anticipated films of the Fest is the the South Korean war epic MY WAY. Director Kang Je-kyu, effectively the Steven Spielberg of Korean cinema, is in town to show his film which is easily one of the most noteworthy films at the DIFF. My Way is the WWII era film about two rivals in colonial-era Seoul whose war time paths take them any to from their homes, across Asia and Europe as well as Normandy beach. An emotional film with action and effects that would make Michael Bay jealous, My Way also contains Spielberg levels of heart, character,…
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G-S-T Review…Think Like A Man
Human beings have looked to books for centuries trying to find out just what makes the opposite sex tick. Men Are From Mars, and Women Are From Venus were very popular books but Steve Harvey’s “Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man” has been racing off shelves. In it Harvey gives women an insider’s perspective into the workings of a man’s mind. Just as you ladies always assumed there’s not much going on up there but now the book makes it easier for women to get what they want. Four friends are all at different points in their lives. A mixed bag of successful, reluctant and middle of the road individuals, they are all looking…
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G-S-T Review…Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee is a heartwarming documentary filmed by the dedicated crew of Disneynature, an independent film label of The Walt Disney Company. The film was co-produced by Disneynature and the Jane Goodall Institute, directed by Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield and narrated by Tim Allen. It is the fourth original film from Disneynature. The film was shot over three years in the tropical jungles of the Ivory Coast and Uganda. During the filming process the unimaginable happens…Oscar loses his mother and is eventually “adopted” by a fully-grown male chimpanzee. Most people would see the trailer or poster for this movie and skip right over it. It’s unfortunate, because this really is…
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“The CineMagic 8-Ball” – In Theaters 4/20/12
When so many movies are released each weekend and trailers often seem better than the movie itself, what should one do? In this precarious situation, we consult the The CineMagic 8-Ball (TM) to help us see through the nebulous marketing haze. Doing so just might save us all a disheartening trip to the cinema and spare us unnecessarily springing for $7 popcorn. See what the 8-Ball says about this week’s releases… ——————————————————————————————————————————————- DARLING COMPANION The story of a woman who loves her dog more than her husband. And then her husband loses the dog. Hollywood legend Lawrence Kasdan has had a hand in some of the most famous and memorable films of all time. Capable of…
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[DIFF Review]…Escape Fire
How many pills would you take to feel better or at minimum numb your pain? 2, 5, how about 64…a day? That’s one of the stories explored in Matthew Heineman’s affecting documentary. Escape Fire covers prescription addition, the numbers of the health care industry and more. The documentary starts by describing the term “Escape Fire” and tells of the 1930’s smoke jumper Wag Dodge whose actions coined the phrase. It’s a fascinating premise especially when applied to the crisis in the US Health Care System. We’re told the answer is right in front of us but when the US spent 2.7 Trillion dollars last year, really where and how do you start? Many…
