Movie Media: Watchmen - Poster, Video Blog

It's not coming until March of 2009, but Watchmen is in production. Filming has begun. Warner Brothers has released a video with director Zack Snyder. In it he talks about the first week of shooting and hoping it will be cool. Actually, he talks about a whole lot of nothing. Still, it is proof it is getting made! Here it is, along with the poster used at Comic-Con.

CD Review: Queensryche - The Best of Queensryche: Sign of the Times

Any opportunity to listen to some Queensryche goodness should always be explored. Sure, the band has had their ups and downs, but what band hasn't? They came to my attention when their popularity exploded in the wake of the classic concept album Operation: Mindcrime and the dawn of their biggest album (in terms of mainstream popularity), Empire. I remember listening to Empire over and over again, loving their technical precision, the emotion, and just great songwriting. I then took a step backwards and dove into Mindcrime, discovering even more excellence. I then took another step backwards and got a hold of Rage for Order and found still more great songs. It was weird stepping back through their albums and hearing their progression in reverse (regression may be more accurate, but definitely not appropriate). Anyway, this is their second greatest hits collection, following the 2000 release of The Best of Queensryche. Well, there is the Classic Masters release in 2003, but that is more of a contribution to another line of releases than a part of their discography.

Those other releases beg the question, why Sign of the Times? What is the purpose of this release? Well, it does encompass three more albums than its predecessor. The first best of disk seemed like a closure to the Chris DeGarmo era, as it only contains songs from the albums he appears on. This is significant because when this came out Queensryche had already released a new studio album with Q2K, with Kelly Gray replacing DeGarmo. Now while that was siginificant it really does not play into this collection as much as you would think. Of the 17 songs on Sign of the Times release only two songs come from the three post-DeGarmo albums while 12 of them also appeared on the 16 track Best of Queensryche.

That is absolutely astonishing. How can they have a so much cross over? Beyond that, why is it such an unbalanced set? It covers all of the standard bases, with little surprise. Queensryche's catalog has plenty of other songs that could have been switched in to vary it a little bit more from the earlier release. I get that those earlier albums were definitely filled with better and more consistently good music, but I really wish that we did not get a disk that so closely mirrors that original collection.

Okay, enough complaining. If you are someone who missed the Queensryche explosion back in 1990, and you are curious as to what Queensryche is all about, you could do considerably worse (like picking up Tribe). Greatest hits collections are good for the uninitiated, giving them a pretty good overview and an idea if you will want to explore their catalog in more detail. They are also good for the longtime fan that would like a CD of the arguable top tracks and don't want to put together a playlist from your own collection. So, that said, this is not a bad set of songs, not by any stretch of the imagination.

This is really a fine collection of songs, that really does show the band at their finest. They have an original sound that I have not heard duplicated by anyone else. Geoff Tate has an amazing voice, and his pairing with Chris DeGarmo was genius. DeGarmo is an excellent songwriter and his absence was sorely missing over the last few albums.

Now, if you want the cream of the crop, be sure to pay particular attention to "Walk in the Shadows," "I Don't Believe in Love," "Silent Lucidity," and "I Am I." Of course, you won't go wrong with any of the songs here, including the soundtrack offering "Real World" that appeared in The Last Action Hero (a movie I am on record as liking).

Still, if you already have all of the remasters that came out in 2003, or the prior best of collection, you will likely want to skip this release. I know I said no more complaints, but I have one more. The 17 songs are really crammed onto this disk, clocking in just under 80 minutes. They are packed in so tightly that as one song fades, the next begins. Each song transition is like a mini-train wreck. I don't like that at all.

But, and there is a but, you are still interested, there is a deluxe edition of Sign of the Times. Unfortunately, that is not the version I have here. I am unable to attest to the quality of the disk, but I can say that it may offer enough to entice all of you Queensryche fans and completists.

The second disk contains 15 tracks of live, demo, and previously unreleased material for your listening pleasure. Leading of the set is a trio from a band called Myth, which was Geoff Tate's band prior to Queensryche. Two of the three were eventually re-written as Queensryche tracks. Other highlights of disk two are a previously unreleased acoustic version of Della Brown, three demos from The Warning era, and a new recording with Chris DeGarmo called "Justified." The only problem with most of the material here is that much of it appeared as bonus tracks on the remasters from a few years back. This means that completists likely have most of it already.

Bottomline. I do not know who I can really recommend this to, other than newcomers. I mean, I cannot say there is no value here. This is Queensryche, after all. The music is great, and there is no denying that this music is worthy of being in your collections. It is an odd release that straddles the line of playing to newcomers and to longtime fans. If they wanted to do this right, there should be a release of unreleased material, B-sides and such for the fan that wants it all, and a separate two disk best of set that covers their entire catalog in a way befitting their excellence. I am sure this will be in the works as the label looks for another way to mine the catalog for revenue.

Highly Recommended for the Music.


Mildly Recommended as a Collection.

TV Premiere Week: 9/30-10/6 (Plus the Leftovers)

Last week saw the the busy middle week of premieres for the new television season. This week slows down a bit, in terms of volume of premieres, but we will have to deal with new shows conflicting with the ones we are attempting to build relationships with. However you want to slice it, young television seasons are always a busy time filled with uncertainty. Will our returning favorites welcome us back? Will the new shows dazzle us enough to get us to cheat? Will you be like me and try to absorb as much as you can in addition to feeding a movie and music addiction? So many shows, so little time.....

Anyway, here is my personal preview/thoughts on this week's premieres. Below that are the remaining shows that will be premiering through the end of the month, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

Sunday

• Kicking off the evening is a show that I have no interest in, and therefore don't have much to say. That show is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. (ABC 8:00)
• I really liked the first season of Desperate Housewives, I lost interest early in the second season. I cannot point to any one reason other than just a plain lack of interest. I found myself not caring. (ABC 9:00)
• American Dad started off as Family Guy's weak little brother, but it has grown. Now it more than holds its own as a goofy cartoon. (Fox 9:30)
• Brothers & Sisters came out a winner at the recent Emmy awards. Sally Field walked away with the statue for Best Actress in a Drama. I watched the premiere last year, wasn't interested and I never looked back. (ABC 10:00)

Monday

• Now here is a show that I can get behind, Everybody Hates Chris is a fantastic comedy that the whole family can enjoy. Regardless of whether or not you like Chris Rock, it does not matter. This series is well acted, well written, and genuinely funny. (CW 8:00)
• Not sure if I'm going to like this one, but I am willing to give it a shot. Aliens in America is about a family that welcomes an exchange student from the Middle East. (CW 8:30)
• Never had much interest in Girlfriends. (CW 9:00)
• The Game: see above. (CW 9:30)

Tuesday

• I think I am going to have to watch Cavemen out of sheer morbid curiosity. I cannot imagine that this will be successful. A sitcom based on a series of popular commercials about cavemen in the modern world. I suspect this will not last long. (ABC 8:00)
• I cannot say I have much higher hope for Carpoolers. This one has a cast that features Fred Goss, Jerry O'Connell, and Allison Munn. It is about a group of friends who carpool to work. (ABC 8:30)

Wednesday

• Of the new series that are premiering this week, Pushing Daisies is my most highly anticipated. The concept is interesting, and the clips I have seen look promising. It is about a man who can resurrect the dead by touching them, but they die again when touched a second time. He uses his ability to collect rewards for those people who have been murdered. There is more to it and I look forward to seeing it. (ABC 8:00)

Thursday

• 30 Rock won the Emmy for Best Comedy Series. Frankly, I was surprised that it did, but after rewatching season one I am that much more excited for season two. The show is funny, quirky, and stands apart from the standard sitcom. (NBC 8:30)
• Entering its third season Supernatural continues to impress through its first two. It's combination of offbeat humor and supernatural creatures is a winner. Hopefully the third season will continue to grow stronger. (CW 9:00)

Friday

• Friday Night Lights was one of the best new shows of last year, and one of the best overall. I am surprised that it is back for season two with its rather low ratings, but I am very happy it is. My recommendation to all is to watch this and go get season one and watch that too. (NBC 9:00)

That covers this week, and the last full week of new releases. Below are the rest of the premieres through the end of October, ordered by date.

Sunday October 7th

• Life is Wild takes the family drama to a game preserve in Africa, which looks like the only interesting part of the show. The show takes a blended family, whose patriarch is a vet who volunteers to go to Africa. Aside from those animals, it looks rather generic. (CW 8:00)

Friday October 12th

• 20/20 returns with new episodes. (ABC 8:00)
• Women's Murder Club is about a group of four women friends, a DA, a cop, a reporter, and a forensic pathologist, who are drinking buddies who talk about their cases and solve them together. Angie Harmon leads the cast. This looks like it could be interesting. (ABC 9:00)
• Men in Trees returns in a new time slot. I never watched the show, and cannot say that it interested me all that much.(ABC 10:00)

Monday October 15th

• Samantha Who? looks kind of dumb. It stars Christina Applegate as a woman with amnesia looking to restart her life. (ABC 9:30)

Thursday October 18th

• Viva Laughlin is a new musical drama that is being produced by Hugh Jackman (who also makes a few guest appearances). I think this could be good, a breath of fresh air. Of course, it could simply fall apart as well. This is a preview prior to its official start on 10/21. (CBS 10:00)

Friday October 19th

• The Next Great American Band. Pass. (Fox 8:00)

Sunday October 21st

• Viva Laughlin. See above. (CBS 8:00)

Thursday October 25th

• Yeah! I love Scrubs. I am so glad to see it back this year, officially on the schedule rather than the mid-season replacement that is has been the past few years. (NBC 8:00)

That wraps up my series of previews for the new season. I know that this block has little that I am really interested in, but do not worry about my viewing habits. There are plenty of shows that I am going to try and watch on a weekly basis. Perhaps in a few weeks I will return with a column of what I'm watching and how I think they're doing. Any interest in something like that?

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Feast of Love, The Game Plan, The Kingdom

Last week was led by a sequel in a moderately successful franchise and a raunchy sex comedy. This week you get a slightly more sophisticated tale of love that will not burn up the box office, but will draw an older crowd. We also get a generic, yet cute, looking family comedy starring an ex-wrestler. Finally, we get the likely box office leader, a politically charged thriller that looks like it could provide the explosive goods we like to see on the big screen. All I know is that I want to get out to the movies and see as many as I can!

Feast of Love. (2007, 102 minutes, R, romantic comedy, trailer) At first glance, this isn't a movie that would immediately attract me, but I am willing to give most films a shot. Upon slight further inspection, this actually looks pretty good. It is a modern take on A Midsummer's Night Dream as love stirs up trouble. The cast looks good and includes Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Selma Blair, Radha Mitchell, Jane Alexander, and Alexa Davalos. All of the love combinations entwine into a tapestry. The movie was directed by Robert Benton from a screenplay by Allison Burnett based on a novel by Charles Baxter. The trailer looks good, and Freeman has some of the best lines.

The Game Plan. (2007, 110 minutes, PG, comedy, trailer) I really wish Dwayne Johnson would get a shot in a bigger film. Sure, he has has some decent parts in high profile films, but he shows so much more potential than he has been able to show. I don't think this is going to be his big break. Still, I think it looks like an enjoyable, if formulaic family movie. It certainly looks better than movies like The Pacifier. The trailer made me chuckle, I have a feeling the movie will too. Although, at 110 minutes, it seems a but long for this kind of movie. The story centers on Johnson's Joe Kingman, a tough guy quarterback, who finds he has a young daughter when she shows up on his doorstep. Andy Fickman (She's the Man) directed from a screenplay by Nichole Millard and Kathryn Price.

The Kingdom. (2007, 110 minutes, R, action/thriller, trailer) This is the one I am looking forward to, it has received good word of mouth so far. It is an explosive action/thriller that is set off when a bomb explodes in an American housing complex in Saudi Arabia. An American team is sent to investigate, and find the locals less than accomodating. The cast is excellent with Jamie Foxx, Jason Bateman, Chris Cooper, and Jennifer Garner. Peter Berg directs, and he has been making great strides since stepping behind the camera, what with The Rundown and Friday Night Lights, as well as producing the Friday Night Lights series.

In the Valley of Elah. (2007, 114 minutes, R, drama, trailer) This is Paul Haggis' follow up to his Oscar winner Crash. It is the story of a soldier who disappears shortly after returning from Iraq and the desperate search for him by his parents. The film stars Tommy Lee Jones and Susan Sarandon as the parents and Charlize Theron as the detective who helps them. It has had pretty good word thus far. Hopefully it will stand up.

Also opening this week, but not near me:

• The Darjeeling Limited
• I'll Believe You
• Lust, Caution
• Trade

Box Office Predictions
Who will win this week? I think the strong word surrounding The Kingdom will push it to the top of the charts, with The Game Plan drawing the family crowd giving it a good showing as well. Resident Evil: Extinction is all but assured of falling steeply in its second weekend. Feast of Love will likely pull decent numbers, but not be as exciting a draw as the rest of this weeks releases. It is also likely that The Bourne Ultimatum will finally drop out of the top ten.

Here is how I think the top ten field will play out:

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	The Kingdom	$21 million
2	The Game Plan	$17 million
3	Resident Evil: Extinction	$12 million
4	Feast of Love	$8.5 million
5	Good Luck Chuck	$7 million
6	The Brave One	$4 million
7	3:10 to Yuma	$3.5 million
8	Eastern Promises	$3 million
9	Sydney White	$2.5 million
10	Mr. Woodcock	$2 million

What are you seeing this weekend?

Movie Media: The Strangers - Trailer

I have previously brought you a couple of stills and posters for this upcoming thriller. Now, I am happy to share the first trailer for the film that is still in need of a release date. I believe this has been sitting on the shelf for some time now. The trailer actually looks pretty good, in some ways reminding me of Vacancy. Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman star as a loving couple that are victimized by a brutal home invasion. Take a look at the trailer, what do you think?

Movie Media: I'm Not There - Poster

It's wasn't long ago that I posted the trailer and some stills for this unconventional Bob Dylon biopic. Now I have a poster for you, I believe it features the silhouette of Cate Blanchett. It is a cool looking poster. I think this movie is going to be really good. Anyway, here is the poster:

CD Review: Celesty - Mortal Mind Creation

Frustrating. That seems to be nearly the perfect word to describe my first exposure to Celesty. The word has slightly harsher connotations than I would like to convey, but it it still retains that near perfect reaction. This sextet from Finland delivers a strong dose of melodic power metal in their third full-length album. Yes, it is the first (and only) one I have heard, so I don't have anything to compare it to in terms of their back catalog. Then again, Mortal Mind Creation is the first Celesty release to reach American shores.

Musically, Celesty is solid. Really solid. The double bass and crunchy riffs sound great to these ears. The song structure throughout Mortal Mind Creation is varied and keeps me interested. From the opening chords of "Lord of Mortals" I was hooked. The head banging riff, booming drums, atmospheric keyboards just sucked me in. By the time the opening drum blast of the second song, "Unreality," hits with the fast riff and furious keyboards I was sold on this solid group of musicians. The production was first class, the songs offered up some really catchy sections, and I wanted to put my fist in the air and rock out.

You may be wondering where the frustration comes in. Let's back up a little bit, all the way back to the beginning of "Lord of Mortals." Yes, I was hooked musically pretty quick. Then disaster struck near the forty-five second mark. The problem is that Antti Railio opened his mouth and sang. Now before you get all up in arms, let me just say that he doesn't have a bad voice. The problem is that he doesn't have a particularly good voice. To be more specific, he lacks range, he sounds as if he is straining when he heads toward the upper register. If that isn't enough, his voice lacks the power and emotion that the rest of the music requires. Celesty has a decidedly heavy edge and they need a singer to match. I feel that Railio would be better suited for a bit softer melodic metal act. I don't mean to bad mouth him, but it sounds as if he lacks confidence in his voice.

The rest of the band is solid. Celesty is a tight unit of melodic power metal that is a force to be reckoned with. The shift from softer acoustic tinged melodies to flat out heavy rockers with easy. The songs are structured to pay off of their strengths. The drums are impressive with strong double bass keeping everything driving ahead. The guitars have a nice crunchy feel to them as they rip through the songs. The keyboards add a nice flavor to the proceedings, they provide a lot of atmosphere across the entire album.

In particular pay attention to "Lord of Mortals," "Unreality," "Among the Dreams," and "Arrival." I found it very easy to slip into the power stylings of Celesty. There were a few moments that reminded me of Bay Area thrash from the 80's, but with a more power bent.

Bottomline. Save for the vocals (which aren't necessarily bad, but don't fit the power of the music), Mortal Mind Creation is a solid entry in the melodic power genre. There is definitely room for growth, but this is a nice bed from which to build on. If you looking for a taste of something different, yet familiar, pick this up and give it a shot.

Recommended.

Movie Media: Pathology - Poster, Trailer

This looks like it could be very interesting, although I don't particularly care for Milo Ventimiglia. However, his new film looks like it could be a lot of fun. It is called Pathology and he stars as a doctor who works on corpses, a coroner of sorts, looking into the causes of death. Well, his co-workers play a game, kill someone and then try to figure out how it was done. At least, that is what I gather. Co-starring with Milo is Alyssa Milano. The film was directed by Marc Shoelermann and written by Crank scribes Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor.

CD Review: Megadeth - Warchest

Dave Mustaine has had quite a career, and he is still going strong. If you have any doubt of his continuing relevance to the metal world, just check the latest Megadeth release United Abominations. Even if some of the recent outings have not lived up to Megadeth's legacy, this 2007 release is a return to form. Ever since his exit from a then up and coming Metallica, Mustaine has forged ahead in his own direction with his brainchild, Megadeth. I mention Mustaine more than Megadeth, as he is Megadeth, he is the driving force, primary songwriter, and only remaining member of the legendary act. To treat the fans, show continued relevance, and cement their legacy, Dave Mustaine has gone through the Megadeth catalog and culled the best of the best along with some treats that have never seen the light of day. All of this material has been compiled into the Megadeth Warchest, four CDs and one DVD worth.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to get my hands on the entire set, but I have gotten a sampler CD of material. Below is a listing of all five disks, the bolded tracks are the ones on the sampler disk.

Disk One 1. Killing Is My Business … And Business Is Good! 2. The Skull Beneath The Skin 3. Peace Sells 4. Wake Up Dead 5. Devils Island 6. Set The World Afire 7. Into The Lungs Of Hell 8. Anarchy/Problems [session take] * 9. Hook In Mouth 10. Liar 11. In My Darkest Hour 12. No More Mr. Nice Guy 13. “dark themes …” * 14. Holy Wars … The Punishment Due [Casey McMackin demo] * 15. Tornado Of Souls [demo] * 16. Five Magics [demo] * 17. Hangar 18	Disk Two 1. “keeping score …” * 2. Symphony Of Destruction 3. Go To Hell 4. Foreclosure Of A Dream 5. Architecture Of Aggression [demo] ^ 6. Skin O’ My Teeth [live at Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI 5/23/92] 7. High Speed Dirt [live at Alpine Valley, East Troy, WI 5/23/92] 8. Ashes In Your Mouth [live at the Cow Palace, S.F., CA 12/4/92] 9. Sweating Bullets [live at the Cow Palace, S.F., CA 12/4/92] 10. Breakpoint [session take] * 11. Angry Again 12. Train Of Consequences 13. Reckoning Day 14. New World Order 15. The Killing Road 16. Strange Ways 17. Paranoid 18. Diadems 19. A Tout Le Monde
Disk Three 1. Trust 2. Almost Honest 3. Use The Man 4. She-Wolf 5. A Secret Place [live at Woodstock, NY 7/25/99] 6. One Thing ^ 7. Duke Nukem 8. Insomnia 9. Crush ‘Em 10. Kill The King 11. Dread And The Fugitive Mind 12. Never Say Die 13. Moto Psycho 14. 1000 Times Goodbye 15. Coming Home ^ 16. Kick The Chair 17. Of Mice And Men	Disk Four all tracks recorded live at Wembley Stadium, London, England 10/16/90 1. intro/Rattlehead 2. Wake Up Dead * 3. Hangar 18 * 4. Hook In Mouth * 5. The Skull Beneath The Skin * 6. The Conjuring * 7. In My Darkest Hour * 8. Lucretia * 9. Devils Island * 10. Take No Prisoners * 11. Peace Sells * 12. Black Friday * 13. Holy Wars … The Punishment Due * 14. It’s Electric * 15. Anarchy In The U.K. *
Disc Five [DVD] all tracks recorded live at Hammersmith Odeon, London, England 9/30/92 1. intro/Holy Wars … The Punishment Due * 2. Wake Up Dead * 3. Hangar 18 * 4. Lucretia * 5. Sweating Bullets * 6. In My Darkest Hour * 7. Tornado Of Souls * 8. Ashes In Your Mouth * 9. Peace Sells * 10. Anarchy In The U.K. *	* previously unreleased ^ previously unreleased in the U.S.

This set is massive! All of the songs have been remastered and sound great. That is one of the best reasons to pick up this set, or the album reissues that have been coming out. The re-masters make the songs so much fresher.

Funny story about re-mastering. I was never much of a fan of their debut album, Killing is My Business.... And Business is Good. It never sounded all that good. Then the re-master came out back in 2002, I picked it up and it was like listening to a brand new album. Seriously, the difference is night and day between the two. So, if you don't think re-masters are for you and you haven't heard this album, do an A/B comparison. Listen to the original and the remastered and try to tell me you don't hear the difference.

Back to the Warchest.

This sampler is not the best way to experience Megadeth, as the songs are all crammed in with no breathing room, they are even faded and mixed right into the start of the next song to fit more on. I'm not complaining mind you, just saying that considering how cool this music is, the real set will be that much better. The songs are presented in chronological order, which is the best way to experience a collection of this sort. This order allows you the experience of listening to the band develop and change through their career.

All of the hits are included, but what is really cool is the older live material. None of this has been released before. Both of Megadeth's live releases have come later in their history. This set gives the first retail release of live material from their, arguable, peak period of the early 1990's. I never got to experience those years, and the few live tracks on the sampler are great. From the performance to the sound quality, you cannot beat it. In particular, "Ashes in Your Mouth" sounds great, ending with a brief Nick Menza drum solo. Of course, it is also cool to have the Wembley Stadium performance of "Holy Wars." That song is a classic, and this is one of those early performances from when the song was young.

What can I say? Megadeth is a kick ass band that has pretty consistently delivered metal for over two decades. This collection shows Mustaine in all of his metallic glory, shredding like only he can, singing the only way he knows how, and surrounded by a revolving door of first rate musicians. Whatever lineup you prefer, you cannot deny that he has always surrounded himself with quality musicians, highlighted by the early 90's lineup that featured David Ellefson (bass), Marty Friedman (guitar), and Nick Menza (drums).

Bottomline. This is bound to be a must have for Megadeth fans. Sure, we have a bunch of the songs already, but for the demos, session takes, and live material, the Warchest will be priceless.

Based on the sampler:
Recommended.

Movie Media: Aliens vs Predator: Requiem - Poster, Trailer

Now, I am not the biggest fan of the first film, although I did not hate it. The sequel is right around the corner and the red band trailer that has been making the rounds looks really good. I am keeping my hopes in check, although this does look considerably better. Even the theatrical trailer looks pretty good. The poster is here, and I have to say that I do not like it. It is plain and the design seems lazy, banking on the presence of the classic movie monsters to carry it rather than attempting anything really snazzy. There is also a new trailer, dubbed the "Population Trailer." It starts off kind of weak, but gets stronger as it goes on as it promises a nice body count. I hope it does.

DVD Review: Supernatural - The Complete Second Season

Back in 2005 the networks were looking to cash in on the surprise success of the serialized, supernaturally-charged hit Lost. Everyone was looking to jump on the genre bandwagon. Not terribly surprising, most of them failed to live beyond their first season, and in one case not even complete its freshman outing. The shows included Invasion, Surface, and Threshold. Over on the final year of netlet WB's existence the powers that be decided to dip their toes in the water. They chose to go with a series that was not completely serial in nature, but did have plenty of room to expand any mythological aspirations. It was the only one to make it to a second season. That show is Supernatural. It is now on the verge of kicking off its third season. I am more than happy for it.

Season one followed the Winchester brothers, Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles), as they searched for their missing father. In between their efforts, they often took the time to chase a variety of demons, spooks, and specters. Always hanging just over their shoulder is the shadow of a certain demon, one that is intimately entwined with the Winchester family, having killed Sam and Dean's mother, as well as Sam's girlfriend. Apparently, it has some bigger plans for the brothers. As the first season came to a close, the duo have been reunited with their father and learned that the demon had plans for Sam. The season ended with the trio on the run in Dean's killer 1967 black Impala, only to be rammed by a possessed trucker in a big rig. Were they dead? We were forced to wait months to learn what happened to them.

Season two got off to a strong start with an episode called "In My Time of Dying." It picks immediately after the season one ending crash. The trio are still alive, although Dean is in a coma-like state which leaves his soul wandering the hospital trying to communicate with his brother and father. It is a very good episode that does just what that movie The Invisible couldn't, solve the mystery of near death.

Following the first episode, the two are left to hunt and search on their own without their father. While they are on their own, they are not alone in their quest. They find new allies in their hunt. Bigger than the finding of new friends, which is all well and good, the second season goes much further into building the series mythology and increasing the serialized nature of the show which has bubbled beneath the surface since day one. It is much like the combination of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The X-Files.

It is revealed that there are other kids like Sam. In season one, Sam exhibited the ability to have visions, visions which have helped them along their quest. The second season continues to explore the visions, but goes a step further. It turns out there are a number of kids, the same age as Sam, that have begun to exhibit special abilities. Why? Only the big bad demon knows why. There is a reason that Sam is drawn to them, and it will all come to a head in the two part season finale.

Before we can get to the finale, we must make our way through a chorus line of ghoulies and life altering events. Among the best episodes are "The Usual Suspects" which features the stunt casting of Linda Blair as a sheriff and the brothers closest run in with the law yet, "Crossroad Blues" a decent episode which has greater implications later in the season, "Hunted" when the brothers split apart, "Nightshifter," and "Folsom Prison Blues."

For as good as those episodes are, there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest. It is different than the other episodes and allows Jensen Ackles to spread his acting wings, he's come a long way from when I first saw him on Dark Angel. The episode is called "What is and What Should Never Be." Sam and Dean are hunting a Djinn, but it gets the drop on Dean. When he wakes up everything is different. It is life as it would be had his mother not been killed. It is a strong episode that brings up some feelings not seen before in Dean.

Dean's fantasy episode leads directly into the finale, "All Hell Breaks Loose Parts 1 and 2." These episodes bring their battle with the demon to a head. All of the other special kids are brought together. The demon is looking to bring about hell on Earth. This wraps up the demon tale, but it opens up a whole new one for the upcoming third season. Looking forward to see where it goes next.

Audio/Video. This set, put forth by Warner Brothers, looks and sounds absolutely fantastic. There is a great level of detail and sharpness throughout all six disks. This is one of the finest looking transfers I have seen in some time. Nothing but praise for the tech specs of this release. Wow.

Extras. Not overwhelming, but there is a nice complement of bonus material included.

• Commentaries. Three commentaries: Jared, Jensen, and Kim Manners on "In My Time of Dying," Eric Kripke on "What Is and What Should Never Be," and Eric Kripke, Robert Singer, and Sera Gamble on "All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1." All of them are good listens.
• Deleted Scenes. There are extras on four episodes: "In My Time of Dying," "Bloodlust," "The Usual Suspects," and "Hunted."
• The Devil's Road Map. This is really cool. It is a map of the US with pins placed where the episodes all take place. Each place is accompanied by a brief featurette about the making of the episode and information on the legendary origins. This is easily the best of the extra material. It offers lots of cool information. The longest portion is on the making of the season finale and the difficulties they had in getting it made. (40 minutes)
• Jared's Original Screen Test for the Role of Sam. This is kind of fun, a look inside the audition. (8 minutes)
• Webisode Gallery. Three production clips: "The Inside Scoop with Ivan Hayden/VFX Supervisor" (3 minutes), "Inside the Writers Room" (7 minutes), and "The Inside Scoop with Christopher Cooper/Prop Master" (3 minutes). The first one takes a quick look at coming up with creature designs and the varied ways they meet their demise and interact with the characters, the second talks about adapting urban legends and making a weekly horror movie, lastly you a given a look at all the toys they get to play with on the show. (total: 13 minutes)
• Gag Reel. Your standard collection of flubbed lines and on set gags. This looks like it would be a fun production to work on. (9 minutes)

Bottomline. What can I say? This show is a blast, better than I expected it to be and glad for it. It may not be the best show ever, but it provides a lot of entertainment bang for the buck. It has a nice balance between mythology building and stand alone episodes. It is easy to get into with its mix of horror, action, and comedy. On top of that, the A/V quality is fantastic.

Recommended.

Movie Media: Halloween - International Poster

I know the film has already made its splash, but I saw this international poster, looks to be for Germany, and thought that it looked pretty cool. I like it better than the domestic poster. Thought I would share it and see what you thought?

DVD Pick of the Week: A Bug Gets Knocked Up

Welcome back to the one and only place you need to go to find the choicest picks of the weeks DVD releases. Here, you will only find the cream of the crop, the titles that need to find themselves into your collection. Well, not really, but you will find the top title(s) based on my personal tastes which will actively find ways to diverge with the mainstream. Although, my tastes generally run to the mainstream with these picks. Why is that? I don't know. Maybe I should try making some more esoteric picks. Perhaps this week will be it, if you read the title, I am sure you have already formulated some ideas on taste. Anyway, read on for this week's spotlighted titles.

As I looked this weeks release list, I found a number of titles that I would like to get my grubby hands on. However, there was not one, but two titles that rose to the top almost instantaneously. Two movies that were on the big screen earlier this year that captured my mind and my heart. It is not that they are the greatest films ever to grace the silver screen, but I really liked both of them and feel that everyone should give them a shot.

First up is Bug. It is based on a stage play by Tracy Letts, who also wrote the screenplay, and is directed by Oscar winner William Friedkin (The Exorcist). It is a lean, tension-filled work that keeps its setting limited, almost entirely set inside the motel room. It builds its tension slowly. Awkward conversation between the two damaged leads builds to their frantic, panic-filled monologues of paranoid conspiracy theories that make little real sense to us, but are frightening nonetheless. To the two of them, it is perfectly sound logic. The screenplay really builds from the moment the two main characters meet through to the frenzied madness where they end up. Every step taken is borne organically out of their conversations, Peter's (Michael Shannon) ever-increasing bug talk to Agnes (Ashley Judd) eating it up.

The lead performances are simply incredible. Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon completely sell their roles, with Shannon reprising the role he filled in the stage play. I was completely involved with Agnes and Peter; Ashley and Michael no longer existed. They threw themselves into their roles with reckless abandon. They believed in the characters they were portraying and the emotions that play out are genuine, and they are very scary.

The special edition DVD release includes: Feature Commentary with Director William Friedkin, "BUG: An Introduction" Featurette, and A Discussion with William Friedkin.

The other film at the top of the prime cut list is the Judd Apatow production of Knocked Up. What I like about this movie is that it has a sense of reality to it. You may know people like those in the movie, you may identify with people in the movie or at least elements of those people, but the pieces are there to draw you in. It is something that Apatow has been doing his entire career — go back and watch 40 Year Old Virgin or his television projects Freaks & Geeks and Undeclared. Watch them and you will find a lot to laugh at, lots of comedy, but also a lot of truth. It is truth that is grounded in the real world, and delivered in a believable fashion, one that has a reality to it, just a slight step removed from the real.

Knocked Up is very funny, very touching, and a film that hits all the right marks. It is laced with raunchy comedy, and heart-warming moments. The screenplay is a thing of beauty, taking what could be considered a trite plot and giving it something special. It is so much more than the crass comedy or the one-night stand plot; it is about characters encountering that life-changing event and the ways that they deal and cope and grow as people. Yes, it is a comedy, and an absolutely hilarious one at that, but the drama is equal to the comedy.

This film is being released in three different flavors: R-rated Theatrical Version, Unrated Edition, 2-Disk Unrated Edition. Each release comes with a different set of extras. The base is the rated edition, the unrated edition adds a few more, and the two disk edition adds an entire second disk. You will find deleted scenes, a gag reel, featurettes, extended and deleted scenes, and a lot more. I plan on the two disk unrated edition.

Also out this week:

• The Unit: Season 2. I did not see much of the second season, but there is no denying that the show is good. It just happened to fall in a busy time slot for me.
• Next. This is mentioned as a warning, should you be tempted to buy this, don't. At most, make it a rental. It is not a good movie.
• My Name is Earl: Season Two. This series is a lot of fun, and heads up the great NBC Thursday line-up. This is definitely worth your time.
• Black Book. Paul Verhoeven returns to the director's chair and delivers this well received drama. I missed it on the big screen, now is my time to catch up.
• The Bronx is Burning. Not a big Yankees fan, but this ESPN series looks really good.
• Voltron, Defender of the Universe: Vol. 4. When I was a kid, this is a show that I loved. Yet, I haven't gotten any of these volumes yet.
• From Beyond the Grave. An anthology film featuring Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasance, surrounding a shop and the fates of the customers who try to cheat the owner.
• Night of the Demons 2. I've been waiting to see this again for a long time. I have the first one, but remember enjoying the second one even more.
• The TV Set. David Duchovny stars in this feature about the development of a pilot. The clips I have seen look pretty good.
• Chalk. Narrowly missed seeing this Morgan Spurlock production in the theater. It is a mockumentary that follows young teachers as they navigate the treacherous waters.
• Spider Baby. Lon Chaney Jr. and a young Sid Haig? Regressed cannibal kids? Sounds good to me.
• The Stendahl Syndrome. A special edition of this Dario Argento films from the 1990s.
• Twisted Terror Collection (Deadly Friend / Dr. Giggles / Eyes of a Stranger / From Beyond the Grave / The Hand / Someone's Watching Me). A collection of B level horror features. Actually, not a bad deal if you are interested in at least half of these films over buying them individually.
• Witchblade: Vol. 1. A new anime series based on the comic book which also spawned a short lived, but actually pretty good television series. Looks pretty good.
• Cujo: 25th Anniversary Edition. Would you believe this is a quarter century old?
• Deadly Friend. One of the lesser Wes Craven features. I know I saw this at one point, but don't recall any details.
• Babel: Two Disk Special Edition. An Oscar nominee gets a new edition with a host of new extras. Not sure I feel the need to upgrade, but here it is.
• Twisted Sister: A Twisted Christmas - Live. The CD was fun, I suspect the live versions will be as well.
• Dr. Giggles. Larry Drake as a killer doctor, how can you go wrong?
• Suspiria: 2 Disk Special Edition. A definite horror classic. This is a wonderful film from Dario Argento, and features one of the best kills ever filmed.
• Eaten Alive: 2 Disk Special Edition. Tobe Hooper's cannibal movie. It followed Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
• Demons. Lamberto Bava's creatures in a movie theater. My kind of movie.
• Demons 2. Bava's second round of battling creatures.
• The Cat O' Nine Tails. An Argento that I have not yet seen.
• Reeker. I just like the title. A creature hunts down some campers.
• Macbeth. Shakespeare moved into gangland. Could be terrible, could be fascinating.
• Alone in the Dark: Unrated Director's Cut. Does anyone really need this?

That wraps up this week's lengthy list.

Box Office Update 9/21-9/23: Resident Evil: Extinction Takes Out Chuch

Zombie-fied action ruled the weekend as a lone warrior took on the vigilante. The third entry in the Resident Evil franchise knocked The Brave One out of the top spot. Milla Jovovich returns to the video game inspired role which breathed a little more life into the box office, following a few lackluster frames as school got back into session. It opened to $23.6 million, about a half million more than its predecessor, Resident Evil: Apocalypse. This outing was probably a bit better than the last, though it still remains firmly entrenched in the land of guilty pleasures.

I saw the film with an enthusiastic crowd Saturday night. It was a fun time. The movie was big, flashy, and devoid of any real depth. I found I didn't care a lick. While I could point out the flaws and missed opportunities afterward, I was right there for the ride. There is no denying that Resident Evil: Extinction delivers the goods. Will there be a fourth? Probably, and I will be right there for it.

Coming up a distant second is the Dane Cook/Jessica Alba romantic comedy Good Luck Chuck. I suspect that this will have a short lifespan. As soon as everyone realizes that Cook is not all that funny perhaps we will be able to move on from this idea of him as a comedic leading man. He has proven himself adequate in supporting roles (Waiting, Mr. Brooks), a trend that could continue in Dan in Real Life. As it stands, this movie has a few comical moments, but it is based on a high concept that doesn't work and relies on the standards of the genre. Never does Chuck attempt to be anything but a vulgar comedy. I am all for vulgar comedy, but more of the Apatow variety (Knocked Up, Superbad). There needs to be at least a hint of depth and this does not make the cut.

Two other films made it to the top ten this week, one is a debuting feature and the other underwent an expansion. First up is the expanding film. Placing fifth is David Cronenberg's excellent Eastern Promises. It is a gangster/crime film that is less about the crime elements and much more about the characters. Promises is a touch slow but it is so strongly written that it is a minor obstacle to the enjoyment to be gleaned. It also features one of the best fights filmed in some time, right up there with the one in The Bourne Ultimatum following the chase in Tangiers. The other new arrival is Sydney White, a new Amanda Bynes comedy targeting the tween audience. I was unable to make it to this one over the weekend, so I cannot comment on how good it is. I plan to try and make it sometime in the near future.

Among the returning films, The Bourne Ultimatum continues to show strong legs, slipping only 30% in its eight weekend. It has a tally north of $220 million, which is simply fantastic. It really is a great film and it is nice to see it have such a great reception. The other strong holder this weekend was the third place finisher, 3:10 to Yuma. This is an excellent western, and a remake to boot.

On a non top ten note, if you have the chance to see Across the Universe, do so. It is an absolutely amazing musical set to interpretations of Beatles classics. It really is quite amazing.

Next week will see new competition from the romantic comedy Feast of Love, the Rock's family comedy The Game Plan, and the action thriller The Kingdom. Also, In the Valley of Elah will expand, not completely wide, but it will by in many new markets.

Four movies dropped off the top ten this week: Rush Hour 3 (11), Halloween (12), Balls of Fury (15), and Mr. Bean's Holiday (14).

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	Resident Evil: Extinction	$23,678,580	$23,678,580	1
2	N	Good Luck Chuck	$13,652,001	$13,652,001	1
3	1	The Brave One	$7,313,437	$25,003,347	2
4	2	3:10 to Yuma	$6,157,624	$37,718,878	3
5	21	Eastern Promises	$5,641,788	$6,443,748	2
6	N	Sydney White	$5,196,380	$5,196,380	1
7	3	Mr. Woodcock	$4,923,896	$15,648,584	2
8	4	Superbad	$3,110,322	$116,181,146	6
9	7	The Bourne Ultimatum	$2,872,565	$220,239,735	8
10	5	Dragon Wars	$2,596,278	$8,657,527	2

Box Office Predictions Recap
This is where you would normally see my recap chart, but would you believe it if I told you I forgot to do it? I remember putting the column together on Thursday with the intention of finishing it on Thursday for posting Friday. It completely slipped my mind. Oh well, these things happen. I did predict Resident Evil would be at the top, but that was an obvious guess. I will try to do better next week.

Movie Media: Control - Poster, Stills, Trailer

I cannot claim to have much knowledge of Joy Division or their music, although when I hear it I recognize it even when I cannot place it. Control is the story of Ian Curtis, the frontman of the pioneering group. The movie traces his life and death, and I have to say that the trailer looks really good. Take a look for yourself. I also have some stills and th UK quad poster.

Movie Review: Resident Evil: Extinction

What do you get when you cross the future wasteland setting of the Mad Max series, the underground research facility of Day of the Dead, and the apocalyptic virus of The Stand? If you answered Resident Evil: Extinction, you're right! If you said any other movie, you failed to read the name of this review, take a minute to go back and refresh yourself. I'll wait. Back? Good. Anyway, this movie is fun. Not really "good" in the classic sense of the word, but there are much worse things you could be doing with your cinematic time. I mean, you could be sitting in the next theater over, subjecting yourself to Dane Cook. Honestly, who would you rather be watching on the big screen? A seriously not funny Cook, or Milla Jovovich kicking some zombie ass? I know, easy question.

This third outing for the video game inspired franchise ups the ante. The first film had Alice (Jovovich) discovering the zombie outbreak in a secret facility underneath a mansion in Raccoon City. The second outing, subtitled Apocalypse, had the outbreak on the surface, consuming the city as the malevolent Umbrella Corporation continued their experimentation with the T-Virus. This third film ups the ante. Extinction takes the outbreak global.

It has been about ten years since the events of Apocalypse. The T-Virus has spread across the globe wiping out most of humanity, turning them into flesh eating zombies. The infection spread to animals and infected water supplies. Nature has begun reclaiming what humanity had appropriated, evidenced by the Las Vegas of this universe, the desert sands have swept into the city, leaving it uninhabitable. The story picks up with Alice traveling by motorcycle, staying off radar and taking out what zombies she can find.

Meanwhile, there is a convoy of survivors moving from town to town looking for supplies. They are led by Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) and Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr). It is inevitable that the convoy will eventually meet up with Alice as their paths are doomed to cross. It said so in the script. Anyway, the danger of the zombies around them is nothing compared to what Umbrella is about to bring down upon them.

Nearby, there is a farmhouse in the middle of the wasteland, it is fenced in to keep out the large number of zombies congregating around. Beneath this innocent looking home lies a large underground facility (shown many times via 3-D schematics) housing Umbrella's latest experiments. They are trying to domesticate the zombies (think Day of the Dead's Bub). Well, these nefarious evildoers have found Alice approaching. That is pretty much it. Alice discovers that Umbrella is after her and heads straight to them. You know, save them the trouble and set up some big action scenes along the way.

This is the kind of movie that is a lot of fun while your watching it. Allow yourself to be wowed by the visual candy and go along for the ride. Just try not to think to hard, save that for when the movie is over. Once it's over you can start picking it apart and wondering about certain things.

Resident Evil: Extinction was directed by veteran director Russell Mulcahy. If nothing else, he brings a little experience to the franchise. In that respect, this outing has a bit more focus than the second one. He delivers some fine action and a story that stays on track. The main problems lie with the script, by Paul WS Anderson. My biggest problem is with the ending. No, I won't tell you how it ends, but it feels like a mid-point. Much like Back to the Future 2 ended with the direct lead to the third (which was already filming), this one ends with a lead to a potential fourth film. Not to mention little factoids and plot points that could have done with a little more exploration. You'll know them when you see them.

Even with the lack of depth, this is a movie that provides plenty of action, lovely women laying some waste to the undead, and is flat out fun. I know I had a smile on my face throughout the 96 minutes that it lasted. For the lovers of blood, there are plenty of zombies that get shot up and chopped up. For the lovers of plot, well, I think we already covered that.

Bottomline. Will there be a fourth film? If this one makes some decent bank you can probably bet on it. My guess is that yes, there will be. I have even read rumors of a spin-off featuring the Claire character. Whatever happens, I am sure I will be in the audience. As nonsensical as the stories can be the action is high, as is the fun factor. I am willing to suspend disbelief for Milla. Are you?

Recommended.

Movie Review: Across the Universe

My love affair with Across the Universe began some months ago. It was when I saw the trailer, that was the trigger. Sounds innocent enough. I don't recall what movie it was I saw it with, but I remember feeling this rush, like I was seeing something special. Subsequent viewings of the trailer only increased that "wow" factor. It looked magical, weird, dramatic, and so very relevant all at the same time. I was certain I was setting myself up for huge disappointment. You know, something gets so hyped up in your mind that there is no way it could live up to it? That was how I was beginning to feel. So, I went to the theater, sat down and fearfully I waited for the lights to go down and finally see if my internal hype machine was malfunctioning. When I left the theater some two hours plus later, I found my hype was not all for naught. Across the Universe is daring, bold, and great.

It was only recently that I learned that it was a musical. Seriously. My only knowledge of the film was the trailer. I did not look into its production, or the history that led it to the big screen. I didn't really want to know. It was only by chance that I found out about it being told through the music catalog of The Beatles. Sure, "Hey, Jude" was in the trailer, but for all I knew it was just a segment from the movie. In any case, the film hit all the right notes. It brought together a savvy visual awareness, faith in the narrative, and a general exuberance.

Perhaps it was my familiarity with most of the songs or the trepidation laced giddiness with which I approached the screening, but I was immediately hooked by that exuberance that just oozed from the screen. There was something about this that was unlike the vast majority of musicals I have seen (albeit a small sampling). I have not seen anything quite like this since Moulin Rouge. Yes, Hairspray was a very good and finely executed musical that had a lively vibrancy to it, but it did not reach the heights of Across the Universe.

Across the Universe takes you on a musical journey through the 1960's, the era of free love and living with no rules through the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. All of these events characterized by a series of Beatles songs, sung by characters with Beatles inspired names. The story is timeless and could just as easily have been set in modern times. It is so relevant it is scary. Despite the similarities to the modern world, I do not sense any particular agenda or political statement. Perhaps that is just me being naive and not wanting to see it, but I don't think so. It is so much more about the characters and the journey that they take as hey navigate the choppy waters of the real world as they grow and mature as individuals.

The story follows Jude (Jim Sturgess), a Liverpool native who works in the shipyards. He leaves his job and travels to America in search of his father who left before he was born. His journey leads him to friendship with Max (Joe Anderson), a Princeton student. Max drops out and the two travel to New York City, where they share a pad with the Janis Joplin-like Sadie (Dana Fuchs), the Jimi Hendrix-esque JoJo (Martin Luther McKoy), and runaway cheerleader Prudence (T.V. Carpio). Shortly thereafter, they are joined by Lucy, Max's sister and Jude's love interest, as she looks for some excitement before heading off to college.

We follow them as they spread their wings and experiment in art and music, only to have their world interrupted by Vietnam. Max is drafted and sent off to war, while the rest of them go on a journey with Dr. Robert (Bono), receive advice from Mr. Kite (Eddie Izzard), all while Max struggles with his wartime duty.

The story is not deep, but it is so well told. From the moment Jude sings part of "Girl" to open the film, I was swept up for the ride. Director Julie Taymor, probably best known for directing the Broadway version of The Lion King, takes the music of The Beatles, psychedelic visuals, and a strong narrative and marries them in a unique visual and aural experience. I have never seen Taymor's work before, but after Across the Universe I am going to have to make a point. This is a film that takes chances; that goes out on a limb in the attempt to create a new experience.

The vocal performances are not all great, but none of them are terrible and often bring a new flavor to the song delivered in a context you may not expect. The strongest example of this would be when Prudence sings "I Want to Hold Your Hand," bring this sense of hopelessness to a seemingly upbeat song.

Across the Universe is a flat out incredible experience. There are a variety of ways you can enjoy it. It is a musical travelogue of the 60's era, it is a romance, it is an adventure, a war film, a comment on the current war effort, the list goes on. It is not going to be a movie for everyone, though everyone should take a shot at it.

Bottomline. I left the theater in a state of sheer joy. Across the Universe is one of the most imaginative films to hit the screen this year. From the story, to the great use of choreographed dance numbers, puppets, computer effects, and practical effects add up to a film which seeks to stretch what can be done with the visual medium. Simply beautiful.

Highly Recommended.

Movie Review: Good Luck Chuck

Now, if you expected this movie to be any good, you're kidding yourself. I went into this expecting it to be pretty bad. I went in hoping to get a few chuckles, and perhaps be surprised by something passable. Unfortunately, Good Luck Chuck fails to provide many laughs, tells a predictable tale, and proves something I suspected for some time: Dane Cook is not that funny. It is pretty easy to see where this one went wrong, it is even easier to see why it kept going wrong. Good Luck Chuck is a movie that revels in the crass and vulgarity. Where a lighter touch could have made this a mildly entertaining, the decision was made to layer on some more nudity and vulgarity.

Before getting to the movie itself, something has to be said about the advertising for it. The marketing campaign seems to have changed mid-stream. The early commercials all played off of Dane Cook and the idea of any girl that sleeps with him will then find their true love in the next person they meet. They also indicate that Jessica Alba's character was his true love and he has to avoid sleeping with her, lest he lose her forever. Then the commercials changed. No longer was Cook at the center. The focus shifted to Jessica Alba and her character's klutziness. I can only assume that the Cook-centric ads were not faring all that well in their test groups. It was strange how the ad campaign moved away from the central plot point and onto the focus of the lead's attentions. I guess I cannot fault them too much, I sure do like seeing more of Jessica Alba and less of Dane Cook on my television screen!

Now for the feature film.

Good Luck Chuck starts in 1985, Charlie Logan (aka the titular Chuck) is playing spin the bottle. When his turn comes up, his spin lands on a goth chick. once locked in the closet, the girl professes her love for young Charlie. He spurns her, and she casts a hex on him which will forever deprive him of love. She says any girl that he is with will find true love with the next guy. Fast forward to the present day, Charlie is a successful dentist and has his best friend, Stu (Dan Balls of Fury Fogler), works across the hall as plastic surgeon who apparently specializes in breast augmentation. The comedy almost writes itself.

Anyway, Stu checks into Chuck's recent lady friends and discovers that they are all married. While attending the wedding of one his exes, the bride calls him her lucky charm. Well, that does it. The secret is out. Someone makes a post about him on PerfectMatch.com regarding his charm status and Chuck's life will never be the same. Women begin showing up at his office by the score. Always at his side, Stu is there to encourage him to enjoy the sexual escapades that have availed themselves to him.

Chuck is somewhat enjoying himself, but his mind keeps going back to the woman he met at the wedding I mentioned earlier. Her name is Cam (Jessica Alba), and she is a klutz. She also happens to be a penguin freak who works at the aquarium. Anyway, the two start a relationship, Chuck falls for her, but does not want her to become a casualty of his curse. He avoids sleeping with her, becomes afraid of losing her, smothers her, drives her away, and wins her back in the end. The End.

Yes, I know that last bit gives away what is going to happen, but could you see it going any other way? There is nothing special about what happens. Good Luck Chuck follows all of the standard romantic comedy clichés, nothing new is explored. The only thing that is different is the high concept at the core of it. It is too bad that it is a mere plot device which does not pay off, nor is it really dealt with all that well. The only thing that could have saved this would have been the characters. They don't.

Dane Cook is just not funny, at least he isn't funny here. I think he has some potential. He was fine in Mr. Brooks, and he looks to be fine in Dan in Real Life. As a leading man, well, let's just say that he isn't ready for it. He is betrayed by a weak script that mistakes crassness for comedy and fails to inject any heart. On the plus side, Jessica Alba looks more at home here than she did in Fantastic Four, but that may have more to do with the lack of blonde hair and blue eyes here. Completing the troika is Dan Fogler who handled himself well as the comedic sidekick. He has some of the more humorous lines, and comes out mostly unscathed.

Bottomline. This is not an awful movie, but it is really not all that good. The high concept was not well thought out, the script has no substance, and the lead performance is flat and humorless. I think that about sums it up. Alba is fine, she is not the best actress but she always looks good. This fails to live up to the high bar set by R-rated comedies earlier this year (Knocked Up and Superbad).

Not Recommended.

Movie Review: Eastern Promises

Two years ago David Cronenberg brought us A History of Violence, a film filled with fascinating characters and explosive violence. Now we have Cronenberg's latest film, also filled with fascinating characters and explosive violence. The film is called Eastern Promises, and while it does share some similarities, and a star, with the earlier film, they are different experiences. This new film is set within the world of Russian mobsters operating in London. It is a film that is less about plot and more about the people that inhabit this world. Is it a perfect experience? Now, at times it moves along at a sluggish pace which lulled me into complacency. Still, there is a depth here that will keep you interested throughout.

Eastern Promises opens with a bloody murder in a barber shop. A man goes in for a trim and winds up with a cut throat. It is a rather attention grabbing way to open the tale. Immediately following this, we meet Tatiana. She is young and pregnant, and in severe need of help as she stumbles into a pharmacy. She is rushed to the hospital, where she is treated by a midwife named Anna (Naomi Watts). Tatiana dies in childbirth, leaving Anna to find her family. This is a task that Anna takes to heart, using a diary found in the dead mother's bag as a starting point.

She enlists the aid of her Russian born uncle to translate the diary. He is less than accommodating. Taking her mission very seriously, she sets out to find help. She finds herself at a restaurant run by the Russian mob kingpin, Semyon (Armin Mueller Stahl). Without telling her too much, he realizes what could be uncovered should the diary be translated and offers his assistance. That is the first thread that weaves into the tapestry of Eastern Promises.

The second thread goes back to that throat slashing at the beginning. We meet Semyon's son, Kirill (Vincent Cassell). Here is a man with a quick temper and a severe mean streak blended with his partying ways. He is accompanied at all times by Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen), who acts as driver, bodyguard, and undertaker. Kirill was involved with that murder, as a few players jockey for position under Semyon's control. Everyone is seeking to be the next to take the reigns of the crime family.

The stories converge when Anna meets Nikolai. The two seem to have a mutual attraction, not necessarily a romantic one, but definitely a sense of trust. On the surface, there is no reason for her to trust him, a rather scary Russian mobster. Still, there is a curious chemistry between the two. This relationship is what makes Anna realize just how much danger she is in, and makes Nikolai find a touch of humanity within him.

This is one of those films that has an interesting plot, although it is the characters that are more interesting. To go forward with a plot description would do everyone a disservice, as it would go towards revealing bits about the characters that would be better left for your own discovery.

Naomi Watts' Anna is an interesting character. Her dedication to finding family for the orphaned baby is extraordinary, and while may be seen as unreasonable, it is a personal duty to her. Watts does a fine job of bringing this sense of independence to her life as she goes about her duty. Viggo Mortensen's Nikolai is a cold figure, but a figure who hides depth behind the dark sunglasses. He is not averse to doling out brutal violence when it is called for, and he never loses his focus, yet there is a softness to be found beneath that exterior. The supporting cast is no less good. Both Armin Mueller-Stahl and Vincent Cassell stand out in there performance. Mueller-Stahl has a kindly grandfather-type quality as he goes about his daily work. Cassell, on the other hand, portrays a wide range of emotions in short spans of time.

While the movie does slow down for stretches, enough to start me towards disinterest, there was enough to keep me coming back for more. Each time I went to the brink, Cronenberg brought me back. Usually, it was through Nikolai, a fascinating character that is at the center of both prime story threads. The icing on the cake was the no holds barred two on one fight at the bath house. It is a violent and brutal affair that is notable for having a naked Viggo in the middle of the action. It is one of those scenes that is as far removed from the choreographed affairs that we usually get as can be.

David Cronenberg's direction is strong, allowing the characters to breath free from the constraints of a purely plot driven story. Credit also to the screenplay by Steven Knight, who has given a character driven script. While both are strong, it was not something that I completely recognized until afterward, letting the film sink in. It may not be as strong as Cronenberg's last outing, but there is no denying that there is a lot going on and a lot to like here.

Bottomline. If you a re looking for something that has a feeling of familiarity, but delivers something new, Eastern Promises needs to be on your "to see" list. Very good performances, an interesting story, and a runtime that doesn't test your bladder.

Recommended.

Movie Media: Iron Man - Poster, Trailer

Iron Man has been in and out of production with a variety of names attached for years before settling on Robert Downey Jr. in the lead and Jon Favreau in the director's chair. The trailer landed a few weeks ago and it looks like a blast. It brings back the once overused Filter song "Hey Man Nice Shot" back to the big screen and even ponied up the bucks for Black Sabbath's "Iron Man," which seems to have fans split. Anyway, the trailer looks great, a big action film that will hopefully supply the goods. Joining Downey are Gwyneth Paltros, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, and Samuel L. Jackson. It doesn't arrive until next May, but here is a taste of what to expect, a taste that looks even better on the big screen.