GRAVITY Is Number 1, So NWA World Has Some Fun…

Posted on October 7, 2013 by geelw

Of course, when you’re on top of the world (or a few hundred miles above it), your success become ripe for the picking at from a few sources. The folks at NMA World pull no punches here with their take on deleted scenes, but you may need a refresher course on current Chinese news and history in order to get everything here. I still haven’t seen Gravity yet as the movie theater near me is still closed and I’m completely clueless (well, a bit more clueless than usual) as to when it will reopen. If I don’t see any life signs there within a week, I just may need to settle for traveling a bit. I certainly WON’T go for a cheap Chinese bootleg at all (fake outtakes or not), as this is the sort of flick that needs money going where it’s supposed to when all is said and done…

Guillermo Del Toro Makes The Simpsons More Than Interesting This Year…

Posted on October 5, 2013 by geelw

OK, since the great burnout I had from this show a while ago, I haven’t watched an entire episode of The Simpsons in a few years. However, I’ve always made time to catch a bunch of the Treehouse of Horror shows over the years just to see haw far they go on that one night the Fox censors get tossed in the closet (or sent a bit further back than they usually get thrown). This year’s show is a must watch just for these awesome Del Toro-designed and directed titles, but now that I’ve seen them, it probably means I’ll be disappointed by the show that won’t live up to the eyeball riot on display above. I was playing “pick out the references” and yes, even got (and LOVED) Maggie driving THE CAR from that goofy 1977 film. From what I’ve read on a few fan sites, Del Toro has a custom built replica of that rolling purple/black bathtub, which also cracks me up as I’d rather him have that replica and drive it around any time he feels like it than go remake that stellar turd of a “horror” flick.

But of course, if he DOES go there at some point in the not too distant future… I bet it’ll scare the crap out of too many folks (me included)…

Eastbound & Down 401: Old Habits Die Hardest…

Posted on September 30, 2013 by geelw

So, yeah… Kenny Powers is back for what looks like one final go-round on life’s rollercoaster and he’s still a total mess. HBO has gone and posted the first of the final shows online already (thanks, folks!) so if you don’t have HBO or HBO on Demand or don’t want to get it you can at least check it out and see if it’s up your alley. Of course, Kenny doesn’t give a crap if you like his show as long as you watch it. And even if he did, he sure doesn’t care now that he’s fallen off the wagon in such a big way. Yeesh. WHO keeps a tackle box full of drugs in their garage and how old is that stash, anyway? Er, not that I take a lot of drugs mind you (one or two aspirin a day for me is all!). Anyway, is KP is going to flame out on his road back to some small success or will he be redeemed at the last minute? Hell, the answer to that isn’t even the important part – it’s the road to that answer that’s going to lure in fans for this last ride…

Dexter’s Finale In A Nutshell: Monty Python Did it MUCH Better in 1969…

Posted on September 26, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, Chadner!)

Oh, brother… I haven’t been so annoyed at a season of any TV show in ages. Granted, in the grand scheme of things, Dexter has its ups and downs, but this final season was so wretched that I had to post something about it in a mini-rantless post. Too many new characters (and way too many serial killers) were introduced only to be killed off, forgotten about or tossed into the last few shows as terrifically poor plot advancement as the episodes dragged out. And so forth and so on until that woeful finale where Deb finally gives up the ghost. Spoiler: she got shot (AGAIN!), but expired from an off screen affliction related to the coma she was in and Dexter shutting off her life support at the hospital, then carting her body off during the daytime during a not well shot chaotic scene as a big hurricane was brewing up. Bleh. I guess his killing clothes make him invisible to onlookers or something. Anyway, he ends up leaving his kid in Argentina with the escaped female serial killer he was sleeping with last season (don’t ask!) and he fakes his death (Kenny Powers did it better!) only to pop up in the Pacific Northwest as a lonely bearded lumberjack sitting in his creepy cabin as the show fades out forever. Yuk, bluck, What the F#@k?! Yeah, well… good thing I have a sense of humor (and YouTube)…

Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein Trailer: Kids Deserve A Better Monster Flick, I Say…

Posted on September 24, 2013 by geelw

“It’s alive… it’s aliiiive!!”

I almost lost it earlier because I saw this in my inbox and thought it was a live-action and CG flick like those other modern films featuring The Chipmunks. Fortunately, it’s only a cartoon, but that doesn’t forgive Universal Studios for this one completely. Look, Frankenstein’s monster has been through animated hell enough already, so you’re not winning any friends among us crankier fans of your classic creations, people. Oh well, I guess it’s “better” than another Scooby Doo rehash (“Zoinks!”) or worse, some indie director trying to make a modern take on the classic book that misses the mark or cheap scares, core effects and a few nude scenes. *Yawn*… Well, this one’s another one I won’t be seeing unless it creeps up on cable and I happen to flip by as it’s beginning. Unless… this is actually an OLDER film and I got suckered by Universal into running it, as their YouTube channel has been running a LOT of trailers for a number of movies from their library recently… if so, oops!

Yep, Werner Herzog Will ALWAYS Be A Better Loser Than You…

Posted on September 22, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, Acheronitapie!)

The next time you lose a bet for a small or large amount of coin, just pay up and be glad you don’t have to cook as eat your damn shoe like Werner Herzog did back in 1980. Yes, it’s a REAL shoe as you’ll soon see. I was going to do this one as a Random Film of the Week, but as it’s only about 21 or so minutes long, it works better as today’s life lesson. Lose gracefully and if you’re going to cook a shoe, make sure you wash it a few times and maybe boil it afterward BEFORE you stuff and stew it for a mere five hours. I’ve respected the man ever since and that respect even bought him a pass for the great and truly bizarre Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans which isn’t a “bad” film once you get in on the fun bits and stop holding the original up on that pedestal.

More Apologies: My Split Seconds in 16 Seconds of Fame…

Posted on September 20, 2013 by geelw

OK, I didn’t expect this, but oh well… I’m slightly (well, OK… well, not really) “famous” again. Those of you who know me will want to look closely, as I’m in this 16 second teaser for Toho’s upcoming 謝罪の王様 (King of Gomen Nasai or The Apology King) in two spots. It’s not the first time I’ve been in a TV commercial, but it’s my first Japanese ad. Um… I think. I also went to a preview for a film about a ywar and a half back that was filmed, but I never checked to see if an ad came from that one. Anyway, if you happen to be IN Japan (and I know a few folks who are), feel free to see this funny flick that opens on September 28, 2013 there. Here’s another bit from the film (I’m not in this one, so watch it this time!):

By the way, my droogies… I have not a single solitary clue if Toho is looking at US distribution, but I think they should as it’s quite a hilarious slice of Japanese culture and packs a few nice surprises along the way.

More Apologies Are in Order (But At Least I Stayed Out of Trouble This Time)…

Posted on September 9, 2013 by geelw

So, yeah… here I am last week making an absolutely terrific fool of myself (whee!) next to two of the stars of the hilarious and soon to be released in Japan comedy from Toho Studios’ King of Gomen Nasai (The Apology King). I need to remind myself to not sit in the front row at these screenings so this stuff doesn’t happen, but I survived doing this hastily choreographed routine (about 90% wrong, but I got the ending part mostly OK).

As for the film itself, it’s great fun and pretty surprising on a few fronts, but I don’t think it’s getting a North American release any time soon. That’s too bad, as it would be nice to see more films like this pop up on cable after their theatrical runs are over and done with. Oh well – the best I can hope for is a Blu-Ray or DVD once that’s out in Japan or another territory I can import an English subtitled version from. Oh yeah, sorry for exposing you to this blackmail photo that now CAN’T be uses to blackmail me!

Saturday Night Fever, Ralph Kramden Style!

Posted on September 8, 2013 by geelw

(thanks, compukatz!)

I keep forgetting to remind myself to research if there’s a box set or something legal of The Honeymooners on a disc I can buy, as I miss that show and don’t have the stamina to sit through the marathon on New Year’s Day that WPIX here runs every year. That and I’d probably spend the time watching The Twilight Zone marathon on syfy (ugh, that illiterate renaming STILL offends me!) instead. Or find something else to do like play too many games I need to catch up on. So yes, that’s the primary reason for this post, ladies and germs. I like gentle and funny reminders to get stuff done and you needed a laugh on an early Sunday morning, so it’s a win-win situation, correct?

OK, that’s my good deed for the day – now go get some sleep. It’s going to be a long day tomorrow and you need to make it back home to catch Breaking Bad…

So, There’s Actually a Showgirls Sequel? Color Me Intrigued…

Posted on September 5, 2013 by geelw

September 17, DVD and VOD. Yeah, I paid to see the original film and yup, nearly keeled over from the mind-blowing over the top hilarity of it all, so as soon as I got this news I had to put in a review request. As with the original, I’m going not expecting anything but to get a few more laughs and if the press release is any indication, I’m not going to be disappointed. To wit:

Las Vegas stripper, Penny Slot (Rena Riffel), sets out on an adventure to become the star dancer on a popular television show. With stars in her eyes, she tries to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow – but instead finds drama, danger and snuff movies in a town much more wicked than Sin City.

Hmmm… you can’t go anywhere up straight into parody (and perhaps Russ Meyer territory, or at least the outskirts of that particular peculiar town) from there, so here I sit awaiting “greatness” and a fine time at Camp Value. Maybe I should stock up on brown rice and vegetables while I’m camped out by the mailbox?