Defiance 1:7 Preview” “Razor Rain?” Ouch. Break Out the Old Spice, I Guess…

Posted on May 29, 2013 by geelw

Thanks to being so busy, I missed an episode of Defiance (oops), however, it’s part of my Free on Demand lineup, so I can catch it on the weekend. Meanwhile, here’s two peeks at the next episode. Now, I’ve been in some awful hailstorms, thunderstorms and a few other nutty weather systems, but “Razor Rain” is a new one. Well, it’s a good thing this is a TV show or else I’d stay the hell home a lot more. “Just stick whatever bits you need to get shaved out the window, dear – that Razor Rain will be over sooner then you think!”

“Eww…” and “Ouch!” ladies and gents… I’ll let you deal with the visual imagery on your own. Try and think clean thoughts…

Random Film of the Week (Trois): Sisters

Posted on May 29, 2013 by geelw

Sisters “There was NO body because there was NO murder!” is a great line, folks. Use it wisely, as it’ll either get you in or out of a lot of trouble depending on when and how it’s spoken. Anyway, I must be losing my mind because I really thought I did this one as a RFoTW already. But it was either a dream I had about writing it up (hey, it happens every so often!) or perhaps I’d referenced this great 1973 flick in another film article from a while back.

Before we begin, a note (la!): there’s a 2006 remake of this Brian De Palma horror classic that’s a must to avoid, as it reworks too much, has some odd casting choices that don’t work and ends up being more annoying than scary. See it if you must, but not before checking out the original first. Of course, If your eyebrow has locked itself in a stiff “Oh Really?” position (meaning you’ve seen The Black Dahlia), trust me – from the second that incredibly loud (and incredibly brilliant) Bernard Herrmann main theme kicks in, you’ll be shocked into your seat and unable to look away… Continue reading →

Man of Steel TV Spot 9: All Your Secrets Will (Not) Be Revealed…

Posted on May 29, 2013 by geelw

It’s actually pretty funny to see a small (yet vocal) mini-backlash building against all these TV spots by some that feel WB is “ruining” the film by showing “too much”. Well, let’s see now… some research shows that the movie is about 2 hours and 23 minutes long and we’ve seen maybe five minutes total or less of footage that hasn’t been repeated in other ads and trailers. Add to that the fact that most trailers end up using footage not in the final film (this happens way too often and often on purpose) and even more important, the bigger fact that those whiners can (and should) CHANGE THE DAMN CHANNEL when these ads run and well… “Nothing to see here… move along” makes for a more calming mantra for those folks. My good deed for the day is now done – where’s my cape? Oh, in the laundry (yuk), which actually needs to get done, as it’s walking around the room again…

Rayman Legends PS Vita Trailer: Vivent les Jeux 2D!

Posted on May 29, 2013 by geelw

rayman legends wall I was going to do this entire post in French and make some really funny (translation: LAME) French jokes, but I can’t speak French very well (c’est la vie!), I don’t trust translation software at all (See the mangled title above) and I didn’t want to be kidnapped and tortured by any French special forces that happen to be in the area or just so happen to drop in to see me for getting too funny about the country. Hey, I was watching The Battle of Algiers again, so I’m a little paranoid today,

OK? Anyway, oh yeah, Rayman! *Ahem.* He’s back and coming to the Vita soon, so if you happen to love colorful and hilarious 2D side-scrolling platform games that just so happen to be made in France, well… Rayman Legends is calling to you from that streetlamp on the corner while accordion music toodles away in the background. Go on… you know you want to drift on over just out of curiosity. Hmmm… maybe you should just buy the game before Maurice Chevalier’s ghost wakes up and starts singing “Louise” or “Thank Heaven For Little Girls”… the gendarmes always come for him when that last tune kicks in…

Random Film of the Week (Too): Point Blank

Posted on May 29, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, MyDeathlok!)

Forget that offbeat poster to the left, all the film’s stylish narrative tricks and fine ensemble cast doing some stellar work, folks. There’s one obvious moral to John Boorman’s Point Blank that seems to have escaped nearly everyone who dies in this film. That would be the following: If you owe Walker $93,000, stop talking so damn much, pay the man and stay breathing a bit longer.

Of course, this would make for a really short movie that’s probably not too entertaining, so the assorted bad men yak it up with excuses for not having his money while Walker (Lee Marvin), beats them with his wits, fists, a few well-placed bullets and assorted items in some of the sets. This is one of those “mature” late 60’s flicks where violence and refreshing vulgarity were emphasized as selling points and served the story being told. Although the storytelling here may require repeat viewing for those not used to narrative abstractions such as unusual editing, flashbacks and an ending that leaves a few questions lingering in the night air like the smell of gunpowder.
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Random Film of the Week: Play Misty for Me

Posted on May 29, 2013 by geelw

Play Misty for Me With Arrested Development back on the block as a hot TV series (well, if you count not actually being on TV as part of a popular pay-to-stream service that’s 100% useless if your internet goes down), I figured I may as well celebrate the fact that I can’t see it (until someone wises up and gets a physical media collection out) by pointing you to this more than pretty decent 1971 Clint Eastwood-directed thriller that may have kicked off the whole “unhinged stalker hookup” sub-genre. OK, put that jaw up, stop doing that double take and pay attention – there’s a point here being made (I think).

AD’s Jessica Walter is in this one, younger, more attractive and save for the psychotically imbalanced character she’s so good at playing in this flick, she’d probably be a great partner for Eastwood’s late night DJ, Dave Garver. Of course, Dave’s not actually a completely nice, innocent guy here, but that’s another thing the film plays with as it tells the tale of lust gone bad…
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Japan Has A Resident Evil Restaurant. They’re Better Prepared For The Zombie Apocalypse Than We Are…

Posted on May 28, 2013 by geelw

Theme restaurants are nothing new in Japan at all. In fact, poke around the internet (or even better, Tokyo proper) and you’ll find all sorts of cool to weird theme restaurants. Capcom has one for their Biohazard series (known here as Resident Evil), aptly named Biohazard Cafe & Grill. Here’s a video walk through to ogle and wonder when the hell the US is getting one. Sure, Times Square, Hollywood, Florida or wherever the hell Raccoon City is would be perfect, but don’t bet on it for a few reasons. I’d say sticky-fingered fans of the franchise would clean out the joint while it was being constructed. Yeah, you KNOW you’d be swiping those salt and pepper packets and “blood” ketchup by the box-load if you ever got a job there. That and hell, despite the US love for the macabre and all things zombie on a fictional level (er, unless you count those who REALLY think zombies exist), I can see all sorts of issues with parents protesting the restaurant even before it opens up. Hey, at least you know where your kids are all afternoon, Ma and Pa Kettle…

Riddick: Rule the Dark Trailer: This One’s Too Easy To Poke Fun At (Again), But…

Posted on May 28, 2013 by geelw

I’ll be nice and give it a pass because the series is three out of four in my eyes. Yeah, I think I made a “Dim Weasel” joke before (well, I thought it was hilarious), but I watched Pitch Black again a few days ago and it’s not a bad intro to the Riddick character. Even better were the two video games (The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Athena) that worked thanks to developer Starbreeze Studios NOT basing it on the first film, but on developing the Riddick character and making him an interesting anti-hero. That last Riddick film from a few years back was… entertaining in a biting off more than it could chew in developing more lore for the character, but it holds up if you don’t take it too seriously.

This new flick seems to go back to what made Pitch Black watchable – Riddick up against a deadly threat, but adding in the twist of him needed help from the hunters after him in order to survive. WIll I go and see it on day one? Probably not. But if it turns out better than expected (not that I’m expecting anything other than it has a beginning and ending and something blows up at one point), I’ll be catching this a few months down the road on its cable premiere…

Man of Steel TV Spot 8: There’s a Bad Man Coming, And He’s Got A Head Full of Trouble…

Posted on May 28, 2013 by geelw

Michael Shannon has one of those faces that makes a great villain or at least, a good guy with a really hard edge you’d never want to run into in a dark alley. Anyway, here’s Mr. Mc Grimace doing his thing in this new Man of Steel TV commercial. Memo to anyone left in Hollywood that has a working brain and isn’t on too many drugs. If there’s ever a Mike Hammer TV series or movie to be made, it better be period-era precise and have Mr. Shannon in it as the lead. You’re welcome, and if it’s a series being made, “Kiss Me Deadly” HAS to be the final episode, as you can’t beat that story for sheer insanity when it comes to its beginning and ending…

Humble Indie Bundle 8: Too Much For Almost Nothing At All (And More If You’re Not Cheap!)

Posted on May 28, 2013 by geelw

How the heck do they do it, I keep wondering. Games like these cost a chunk of time and money to make, but here we go once more – your chance to help out charity by paying what you want to grab some great indie games and awesome bonuses. A buck (cheapskate!) gets you FIVE great games and a nice set of soundtracks, but if you beat the average price and pony up a few dollars more, you unlock two more really cool games (and feel better about yourself, right?). As with most Humble Bundles, this one’s up for two weeks and after that, it’s gone for good. Pop on over to the Humble Bundle site, poke around and see what’s what, then give ’til it doesn’t hurt. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and Child’s Play Charity will thank you kindly and you’ll walk away with a steal and a happier hard drive full of cool stuff to play.