Pandorum

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to view a low-budget French science fiction film called Eden Log. It was an interesting film that played out across a screen splashed in gunmetal hues, telling a story that unfolds slowly and leaves many questions in its wake. It tells the story of a man who does now know who he is, he has no memories and he has just woken up in some vast underground facility. After a short while stumbling around, he discovers he is not alone, there are creatures in the darkness and they do not sound happy. As he makes his way through the facility, he slowly begins to piece together what happened and the truth about who he is. The question is, will he like what he finds?

It is an interesting film that I wondered could be made better had it had a budget. Not that it needed it, but sometimes I wonder about low budget films that I like and if money would make an improvement. More often than not, money only serves to sap creative energy. What was difficult to do and required a good deal of imagination is made easy by the expanded CG toolbox. I think I will take creativity over toolbox any day. Not to say I am immune to their flashy charms.

By now I am sure you are wondering why I am babbling about French science fiction and the sapping of creativity. The answer is simple, Pandorum, as entertaining as it is, is a bigger budget reworking of Eden Log. The latter being more introspective and mysterious and the former being flashier and more visceral. Whether or not there actually is a connection between the two, I do now know, but in my eyes there seems to be a definite link.



As Pandorum begins we learn that the Earth is running out of resources as the population grows out of control. A series of missions are staged in deep space where Tanis is discovered. It is an Earth-like planet that may hold the salvation of humanity. A ship carrying 60,000 people is sent as the initial mission to colonize the planet. The last thing we see is a message telling the flight crew they are the "last of us." A rather ominous start to our viewing mission, wouldn't you say?

Anyway, we jump ahead some unknown amount of time and we meet Bower (Ben Foster). He has just been awakened, and he does not know who he is, what the mission is, or pretty much anything. On top of that, he is literally in the dark. There are apparent power issues on the ship as it shudders and lights flash. Not long after his wake up call, a second man is stirred from his slumber, Payton (Dennis Quaid).

Together, the two men have to figure out what exactly is going on. Bower ventures into the body of the ship in search of answers. He runs into other survivors, as well as some nasty bloodthirsty critters that apparently like to eat any random human that happens to cross their path.

So, what exactly is going on? What happened to the mission to Tanis? What is up with the power? Where did those creatures come? And just what deep dark secrets does the ship hold within?

Wouldn't you like to know.



It is very reminiscent of Eden Log, but it also brings to mind Event Horizon. All of these films have some great atmosphere, it does not necessarily last all the way through the film, but they all do something that will put you on the edge of your seat.

Director Christian Alvart does a great job of building tension through the first half. Shadows on the wall, sounds in the distance, the cold metal pipes along the walls, unforgiving metal grates, everything adding up to palpable tension. Unfortunately, it settles into some standard cliches like the ethnic martial artist, the female with the low cut top that likes knives, not to mention the crazy guy who explains the story. These elements work against the tension of the first half as the second half devolves into a series of action/chase sequences and some mildly confusing character developments on its way to the inevitable happy ending.

Sure, the setting is not the most original, and the cliches do not help it much, but there is enough to hang onto here that makes it an interesting trip to take. There is the big picture of what happened on Earth, plus the origin of the creatures and why the ship is acting so strange. The screenplay does not give you all of the answers and I am not sure there is enough information to definitively discern everything, but I suspect it will be fun to revisit.



What helps make this movie work are the performances, specifically, Ben Foster. Foster has turned in a few good performances and I look forward to seeing where his career takes him. This film sees him playing an initially paranoid man who slowly gains the necessary memories to carry him through. He is quite convincing throughout and carries real weight and emotion in his eyes. Dennis Quaid is decent if a bit hammy, the funny thing is that there is an odd sincerity even at his hammiest moments. The rest of the cast does a decent job pulling their weight.

Bottomline. This is a good movie, not a great one, not a bad one. Ben Foster carries the dramatic weight and makes the story interesting while Christian Alvart delivers the slick sci-fi action. All things considered this is a good movie, one that genre fans will likely enjoy. No, not a classic, but why does everything have to be?

Recommended.

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: 10/2/09

This week's wide releases -
Capitalism: A Love Story
The Invention of Lying
Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3D
Whip It
Zombieland

September is over, it is now time to start October and we all know what October brings, right? That's right, Halloween. That said, this first week of October brings the first horror film of the season. Yes, I know that we have had a few horror films recently, but October is the real horror month and this is the Halloween season. Unfortunately, we do not get a Halloween movie, but we do have yet another Saw to anticipate in a few weeks. I know, exciting.

Capitalism: A Love Story. (2009, 127 minutes, R, documentary) The "most dangerous film maker in Hollywood" Michael Moore is back with a new film. That dangerous tag is not something I buy into, but he is nothing if not an interesting documentarion. I cannot lay claim to being a fan, but his movies are immensely watchable and always offer up some things to talk about afterward. This film takes Moore back to his corporate roots and looks at the controls of business and seeks to find where our money went.



The Invention of Lying. (2009, 99 minutes, PG-13, comedy) Ricky Gervais is one funny guy, if you have any doubt, look him up on YouTube, or just watch the original UK The Office, you can even check out Ghost Town. Now Gervais is returning to the big screen with what looks to be another winner. This story is set in a world where no one lies, well, no one unit Gervais cracks the first one. Aside from that, I have no idea what this film is about. I see that he has a date with Jennifer Garner, but that is about it. Still, it looks pretty darn funny. I hope it pays off.



Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3D. (2009, 172 minutes, G, animated comedy) Let's take a journey into Pixar's past. The 1990's brought two of their most celebrated works, including the original computer animated feature. Now, the company has gone back to those classics and re-worked them into Disney Digital 3D and is releasing them as a double feature. Is it possible to improve on them? I am eager to find out. It will be interesting to see what it is like to wear those 3D glasses for such a long. Could this be a test of endurance before the arrival of Avatar?



Whip It. (2009, 111 minutes, PG-13, comedy) Drew Barrymore makes her directorial debut with this coming of age tale. Ellen Page stars as Bliss, a young girl in a small town, trapped in her mother's world of conformity and beauty pageants. She sees an opportunity to rebel in the form of roller derby. She lies to her folks about her new hobby until the inevitable happens. The movie looks like a lot of fun.



Zombieland. (2009, 81 minutes, R, horror/comedy) Here is the movie I am most looking forward to seeing this weekend. The film is set in a world overrun with zombies. Zombies are everywhere and they are not friendly. Jesse Eisenberg is a shy young man who teams with the considerably less shy Woody Harrelson on the zombie hunt. They eventually team with Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone on their adventures. The trailers look excellent and I am expecting a good time, although I am a little worried about that 81-minute run time.



Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Afterschool
• More than a Game
• A Serious Man

Box Office Predictions
Will I be able to predict a fickle public's taste for this weekend? Like always, I am not sure, but will give the old college try. I know what I would like to see on top, but if it makes it, well, that is the big question. I do think that the winner of the past two weeks will fall, but I think it is going to be close.

Here is how I think it could play out.

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Zombieland	$17.5 million
2	Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs	$16.5 million
3	Toy Story 1 & 2 in 3D	$13 million
4	Whip It	$10 million
5	Surrogates	$7.5 million
6	The Invention of Lying	$6 million
7	Capitalism: A Love Story	$5.5 million
8	Fame (2009)	$4.5 million
9	The Informant!	$2.5 million
10	Pandorum	$2 million

Darkest Hour - The Eternal Return

It was nearly two years ago that I was officially introduced to Darkest Hour and their brand of aggressive and melodic metalcore. It feels like forever ago, despite being well into the metalcore cycle and a full four albums into the band's run. I liked the album but felt it fell just shy of being something particularly great. There was a lot to like, and I do like them, but I felt there was something missing. Do they find that nebulous "something" on The Eternal Return? Sort of. I think it is a better album, but there is something about them that fails to completely hook me. I wish I knew what it was.

At first, The Eternal Return feels and sounds like more of the same. It is a sound and feel that I find easy to get into. Despite the lack of that "big hit" type song that I can sometimes be affected by, this is a very easy album to get hooked by. The music is heavy and catchy and you will want to bang your head. On the other hand, however, it is relentlessly depressing. This is a dark, dismal, and apocalyptic album. That is saying something after how dark Deliver Us was.

This latest album gets off to a roaring start with "Devolution of Flesh." The song begins with the fateful words "This is the end of a sickening tale." Interesting choice, it seems to mark a change in path, leaving behind the old ways for something new. Of course, I could just be reading into it a little too much, which is probably the likelier option. Combine this charge for change with the fact that this album is so reminiscent to Deliver Us and then the meaning behind the new album's title. It definitely makes one wonder how much research was made during the album's naming process.


"Eternal return" is a theory the universe keeps recurring and will continue to do so in a similar fashion to what is here now. The concept has been taken so far as to be applied all the way down to the level of the individual, suggesting that people will continue to do the same things in the same order and not by reincarnation, but in the same bodies, where life is cyclical and not linear. Interesting, no?

In any case, the album title may be just a touch too telling of what is contained within. Sure, the song titles are different, and border on the epic style of classic metal bands (witness "The Blessed Infection," "Death Worship," and "A Distorted Utopia"), but I listened to a few of these tunes back to back with those from Deliver Us, and they are quite similar in style. If nothing else, this new album is a darker and touch thrashier.

Darkest Hour definitely play with passion, and they music sounds like it has the fullness of their collective energies, but there is something amiss. They are forever on the cusp of greatness. They have skills and there is definitely a high level of technical prowess on display and they are very easy to get into. It is just that when I turn them off, I remember the name but none of the songs.

Bottomline. I suppose I can say I like them. The two albums I have definitely have their moments and sound great turned up, but I cannot say they are a band I will reach for instead of other, similar acts. The Eternal Return has a slight edge on Deliver Us for it being a bit more aggressive and dark. Fans of the band will want this, but I am not sure they will win new ones.

Oh yes, the best song by far is "No God."

Mildly Recommended.

Candy Review: Mike and Ike's Autumn Medley

Who doesn't like Mike and Ikes? You? You? Perhaps You? Wait, you don't know what a Mike and Ike is? Have you not been in a movie theater in he last 50-years? Sure, not all theaters have them, but they are quite popular as a movie snack. Not to mention, the fact that they have existed in a number of varieties since they arrived way back in 1940. Since they are nearly 70-years old, you are probably wondering why I should be writing about them now? That is easy enough to answer. Candy maker Just Born has just introduced a mix of flavors to welcome the Fall season. Enter the Autumn Medley.

Mike and Ike's are a jelly bean like candy that take away the seasonal stigma of the gummy candy and make them a worthwhile year round treat. They are larger than your average jelly bean, but have the same heft and feel. They have a not-too-hard coating around just the right amount of chewy fruit flavor jelly. They are sticky, but not to the point of causing much filling danger (unlike dreaded Jujyfruits, you need to suck on those things forever to get rid of the danger). The flavors tend to the tangy side and have a pleasant bite on first chew and a lingering aftertaste (one that blends well with a swig of Cherry Coke or root beer). The big thing is choosing the right flavor combination, but that is not what we are here for.

Autumn Medley comes in a suitably adorned package. The bag has warm Autumn shades along with a scarecrow and a few pumpkins. It certainly gets me in the mood for some cool weather chews. Then I noticed the flavor lineup. The listing made me do a double take followed by a "Huh?" Not exactly the kind of reaction you would expect for a candy lover and a bag of sweets.



What had me acting all strange? What was it that kept me from devouring the bag immediately? It was the listing of cherry, orange, strawberry, and lemon as the flavors of the contents. Really? Who thought that combination screamed Autumn Medley? My guess is that it has more to do with the colors than with the flavors. The yellow, orange, and two shades of red do mirror the better palette of Fall leaves.

I would have loved to see them take some flavor chances and offer some Jelly Belly style flavors like perhaps variations on apple, pumpkin pie, or perhaps a seasonal berry like blackberry? I guess that may not be as appealing as the traditional flavors, but it would have been interesting, no?

In any case, while the included flavors do not scream Fall, their colors do. Setting that aside, the flavors are quite good. The strawberry has nice initial taste berry taste that lingers until the first bite, when it changes, it is good but I cannot quite describe that taste. The only issue with strawberry is that color is bit hard to differentiate from cherry, makes it a bit of surprise when you get one. Cherry holds its flavor longer through the chewing process, and I have always been a sucker for cherry. Moving along to orange, this has a decent taste, although it is my least favorite in the bag. Finally, we have lemon, this is the tartest of the bunch, and it is equal to cherry in terms of lasting flavor. The fun comes in eating a handful and allowing the mix to balance itself out in some odd chewy fruit flavor that does not really taste like anything that it is supposed to.

So, in closing, this is a very likable candy. It does not really stand out as an Autumn Medley, but it is a good mix of flavors nonetheless. No, it is not experimental or expand the traditional candy flavors, but so what. It is candy, after all, kind of hard to mess that up. Buy yourself a bag, sit down, open the bag, start a movie and enjoy.

Halloween Brings Chocolate Cat Peeps

When you think of marshmallow Peeps, what do you think of? Don't lie, everybody thinks of Peeps at one time or another. For me, I think of Easter. There are some candies that seem to be locked into a holiday, like candy corn for Halloween, candy canes for Christmas, those conversation hearts for Valentine's Day, and, of course, Peeps for Easter (besides the even more traditional chocolate bunny). Then there are the candies that make seasonal adjustments for the varied seasons, with the most notable being M&M's, but it also appears that candy corn has also made the adjustment (although I have never seen any of the seasonal varieties myself). Peeps, and their maker Just Born, are also in on the seasonal varieties, and this year they have introduced a number of varieties, including brand new chocolate mousse flavor marshmallow cats.

You know, I had no idea there were so many different kinds of Peeps. I knew of yellow and pink chicks, the fluffy ones (the yellow ones are my favorite), the flat bunnies of the same color, and last year I saw white snowmen around Christmas. However, a quick pass over the Peeps official site reveals all sorts of Easter colored bunnies, creme eggs, and tulips; plus hearts, bears, and vanilla creme eggs for Valentine's Day; ghosts, pumpkins, and now cats for Halloween; and snowmen, trees, and gingerbread men for Christmas. Wow! Peeps are all over the place!

Now, before I get to this new flavor for Halloween, there must be a little discussion about how to eat a peep. There are two primary ways, in my estimation, one is correct and one is just wrong. The correct way is to simply rip open the package, grab one of the frightened critters by the head, ruthlessly tear it away from its family, and bite its little head off. Repeat as needed until the entire family has passed on to another realm. The other, incorrect, fashion is also the one that my father endorse and that is to rip the package open and then let them set for a few weeks until the marshmallow has turned hard, likely from their frightened anticipation of when the end will come. You know, they become petrified! Oh, I know, I am quite funny. In all seriousness, this is just cruel and unusual punishment, not just for the frightened Peeps, but for me as well, as I just want to eat them all right up.

I saw the press release just recently and must admit to being intrigued. What would a chocolate mousse flavor marshmallow cat taste like? I have no idea, but I do think I want to find out. I mean, the regular Peeps are quite the tasty treat and chocolate usually makes things taste even better, so the thought process would seem to safely lead to this being a delightful concoction. I have a few in my possession, just waiting to be torn open and devoured.

The first thing I did was take a package to work with me. Once there I proceeded to distribute the contents of said package amongst some of my adventurous co-workers, a few of whom seemed to be all too eager. The only requirement to get a cat was that they email me a brief reaction to the experience. You can read their statements at the end of this column. Now, it is my turn, I can almost hear them meowing to me. If you will excuse me.....
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All right, I am back, one package has all but disappeared. The first thing that struck me upon breaking the seal is the aroma. It smelled almost like a package of cocoa mix. It was light and pleasant. With the chocolaty scent in the air I proceeded to rip the plastic off the rest of the package and distribute the soft treats to my family.

I was surprised at the texture, the chocolate coating was much lighter and less grainy than what is found on regular Peeps. On top of that, the fluff part of the treat felt smoother between my fingers. You have to be careful when separating them, so as not to decapitate the poor kitty. Once I freed one from his Siamese shackles I proceeded to inelegantly bite its head off. The taste is smooth, it has a nice chocolate flavor from the powdery coating, followed by a soft fluffiness from the chocolate flavored marshmallow. It is a light taste, not too sweet, and I think it will be very easy to consume mass quantities.

I must say I am quite pleased with this variation on tradition. It retains the characteristics that make a Peep a Peep while adding a new twist on the taste. On top of that, it is hard to resist the cat shapes, they are perfect for the season and are sure to brighten ones day.

What else can I say? I really like the chocolate cats. Crack open a package, make yourself a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy on a brisk Autumn evening. The more you eat, the harder it will be to share them.

Now, as promised, here are the reactions of my co-workers, some are more detailed than others:
Dominick Paredi: "It was really good"

Brian Olson: "Well compared to other Peep flavors and styles, I enjoyed the flavor of this Peep. The chocolate smell of the peep was very sweet and had a distinct chocolate smell.

I found that the texture of this peep was different compared to other branded peeps. I find peeps to be somewhat gritty and “taffy like”, but this peep was smooth and soft and melted rather quickly in your mouth.

The taste was great. It reminded me of the marshmallows in Count Chocula which I invite any time of the year. The coloring could have fit a more Halloween theme, as a “brown” cat does not fit the idea of a “black cat” but I don’t think that is something they can change with the nature of the peep, maybe they can dye it with a darker dye.

I enjoy it and plan to purchase some more tomorrow."


Gil Ludlow: "Sweet, Chocolaty, Fluffy Goodness with a hint of Coco flavoring. Great for Halloween and would compliment a cup of Hot Coco very nicely."

Nancy Sarubbe: "After smelling this item before eating, it smelled like powder hot chocolate, after eating this item, the texture was good. I did expect the granules of sugar to be a bit bigger on the outside of this item. This is a tasty item that I would most likely purchase in the store."

Phil Foley: "A hint of hot cocoa graced my nose pleasantly as I took my first bite of this delectable confection. A flavorful and warming addition to the just born confectionery company. Perfect as a winter season companion to a cup of hot cocoa. I certainly had sincere enjoyment from this product."

Martin Davis: "Interesting taste, at first it seemed awful, but if you let it simmer in your mouth before swallowing it you got the flavor. Was interesting for a peep. I'd possibly buy some."

Rich Halstein: "These taste like Yoo-Hoo's in candy form. They also leave a wonderful aftertaste of chocolate."

Surrogates

Here is an A-list type film with B-list execution that wants you to think it is an A-list type film while never actually moving past the B-list. Does that make sense? Sure it did. Basically, it is a big time film that never pays off on the potential, content to reside in the world of Whiz Bang rather than deal with any of the headier issues raised by the concept with anything more than a passing comment. Do not get me wrong, Surrogates proved to be an entertaining action film, just stay with the action and do not over think anything. Yes, that does mean you are giving it a pass, but sometimes that is all right, not everything needs to be high art. Still, the potential that this did not deliver on is staggering.

Even before going in, I knew I was going to have a problem with it. Actually, that is not entirely true, I was hoping that the issue I had with the trailer would be cleared up in the film. It wasn't, it was still there and it brought friends.

Surrogates is set in the future where lifelike robot technology has nearly been perfected. To go along with it is the technology to remotely control said robot. Initially developed for use by the disabled, to allow them to live a fuller life, the tech was quickly adapted by everyone to use instead of their real bodies to do their every day work. The result is a society where crime and racism has all but disappeared, everyone just stays at home in their chairs while their "surries" go out into the world. All right, do you see the problem here? Of course you do. Unfortunately, the film does not look into those issues, instead, the focus is a murder mystery.



The film opens with clips and narration describing how the surrogates came to be, setting up some of the socio-political climate. We learn of government policy, technological advancement, and the rise of an anti-surrogate movement and the cordoned off land where these people live, completely separated from the surrogate using world around them. These people are led by a man who calls himself the Prophet (Ving Rhames in a big beard and dreads).

Once the background has been set up, we pick things up with a 20-something surrogate in a limousine. He pulls up to a club, goes inside, jumps into an oddly moving dance floor before pairing up with a blonde woman and ending up in the alleyway. A man on a motorcycle pulls up, zaps the couples and takes off. There you have it, the first murder in forever.

It is now time to welcome our troubled hero, FBI Agent Tom Greer (Bruce Willis), and his partner, Agent Peters (Radha Mitchell). They begin to investigate the murder. It turns out the victim is the son of Dr. Canter (James Cromwell), the inventor of surrogate robots. He is also no longer associated with his company, he became disillusioned with their direction and has become anti-surrogate.



What could have been an interesting dissection of what makes the individual and the implications that all of these robots bring with them, the movie settles into pretty standard fare. We get chases, last minute rescues, shootouts, car chases, and some old fashioned fisticuffs as we build towards out inevitable conclusion. We get the big reveal of the bad guy, learn about our heroes baggage, and not once do I really care about any of it.

Before I went in, I stood in line to get my popcorn and soda. I chatted for a moment with the clerk and he said the trailer reminded him of I, Robot. It was a comparison that I had not previously seen, but now with that idea in my head, I could not shake it. The movie really does bear an amazing similarity to the Will Smith flick. Both of them deal with new technology, the misuse and mistrust of it, a murder mystery, a mysterious inventor, and both devolve into a series of action sequences rather than deal with any of it in any great manner.



Jonathan Mostow directed the film, his first feature film since Terminator 3. He proves once again that he can direct good action. What I am not convinced is if he can helm a film with more than surface intelligence. That probably has more to do with the writers who, in this case, seem to shy away from the thought provoking side of the coin. In this case, the writers are John Brancato and Michael D. Ferris working from a graphic novel by Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele.

I did like how they handled the surrogates, mostly. I liked the creepy, waxy look that they had, real but not quite, coupled with their slightly wooden movements. However, when they spoke, it was like the users lost a good portion of their intelligence, or that could just be a bad screenplay. It was weird, some of the supposedly intelligent users sounded rather dumb when speaking through their robot bodies. I liked the electro-drug that they used. It made sense that some new sort of thrill would emerge to use on the new bodies.

Such potential. It is a shame.

Bottomline. Sure, it is kind of fun but I would have liked so much more. I would love to give it a pass, but I also think it needs to be called out for its adherence to formula in the face of something much more ambitious. If you want some dumb action, this is for you. If you want more, well, this is not for you.

Mildly Recommended.

DVD Pick of the Week: Henry - Portrait of a Serial Killer

Welcome back! Well, to some of you, anyway. To the rest of you, glad you decided to stop by and I hope this humble column helps you navigate the stacks of new releases each week. My goal is to point you toward titles of interest and warn you away from those films that seek to do nothing but leech away your time and give you nothing in return.

Full disclosure: I have not seen many of these titles, and what follows are not necessarily reviews, but opinions based upon what I know of the titles I pluck from the new release lists I peruse. The opinions I give based on the new releases are my own, and my recommendations are based on my personal interest. In any case, I hope you enjoy and perhaps find something you like or a title to point me towards.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (Blu-ray). How is it that I have gone this far as a horror fan and have not seen this movie? It is one of those landmark horror films that any fan should see. Well, hopefully I will soon be able to put this sad fact behind me. The seminal horror film that routinely appears on scariest movies lists is arriving on Blu-ray. I am not sure I will ever be able to look at Michael Rooker the same way again. Funny thing, whenever I see the cover or hear the title I am reminded of Man Bites Dog.

How I Met Your Mother: The Legendary Season 4 (also Blu-ray). One of my favorite sitcoms. This series is very funny, well written, and has a fantastic cast. It also strikes me as being regularly underrated. It has a good concept, and it is executed in such a way that is endearing an original. Neil Patrick Harris is hilarious and Alyson Hannigan has come a long way since Buffy. To think, I still need to see the first season.

The Wizard of Oz: 70th Anniversary Edition (also Blu-ray). I have not seen this movie in a long time. I suspect this is going to look stunning in high definition. This is the definition of classic cinema.

Monsters Vs. Aliens (also Blu-ray). I so wanted to love this movie. I mean, it has aliens AND monsters! While I did enjoy it, I felt it dragged a little and could have done a little more with the concept. They did do a good job with the voice casting, particularly Seth Rogen as the Bob the blob. I wonder if home video will allow it to play better? Sometimes the venue change helps perception.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003, Blu-ray). Love it or hate it, I bet this is going to look great. I liked this new take on the classic horror film. No, it does not replace the original, but it does add another layer to the mythos. On top of that, I think it was absolutely beautifully shot, for a gritty, bloody horror movie.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (also Blu-ray). This title sort of snuck on me. I must say that I am definitely intrigued and must get my hands on a copy. Has anyone yet seen it?

Life on Mars: The Complete Series. This American remake started off slow, but really picked up steam as we got deeper into the mystery of why this modern day cop ended up in the 1970s. Then it got canceled and we had to go right to the end, which was different than the UK original, but came much too soon.

Management (also Blu-ray). I wanted to see this on the big screen, but it does not appear that happened, so I am going to have to play catch up at some point on home video. This movie has Jennifer Aniston stopping at a hotel managed by Steve Zahn. He becomes infatuated with her and follows her back home where he tries to win her from Woody Harrelson. Looks like fun.

Away We Go (also Blu-ray). Sam Mendes latest film screams "indie" but also proves to be real, touching, and quite funny. It centers on John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph looking for the place that fits them and their new family. It is a road movie of sorts, unlike any I had seen. This is a good film that not enough people have seen.

Labyrinth (Blu-ray). Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie, and the Henson Company. Hard to go wrong with this trippy little number.

The Dark Crystal (Blu-ray). Now for the perfect companion for Labyrinth, here is another Henson Company production. I have not seen this in some time, but remember the puppetry being first rate and the story a little on the scary side. Rumors have it that a sequel is being planned.

A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa. This began life as a television special last year and proved to be a fun little special. I particularly like Pepe the Prawn.

Snakes on a Plane (Blu-ray). Well, the title pretty much sums it up, I think you know if you are interested in this one or not.

The Girlfriend Experience (also Blu-ray). This Steven Soderbergh feature centers on a call girl in the days leading up to the 2008 election as she balances her boyfriend, her clients, and her work. This is also notable as porn star Sasha Grey's mainstream acting debut.

The Hills Run Red. I have been looking forward to this horror film which promises to deliver the bloody goods. It centers on a young film crew in search of the sets used in a long lost splatter horror film, only to find themselves in the middle of a real splatter fest.

Kings: The Complete Series. Set in a fictional world where kingdoms and not nations rule. It is a retelling of the story of King David. It feels a little like a soap opera, but it was also unique and fresh television. Unfortunately, it was canceled after one season.

The New York Ripper (Blu-ray). Is this the first Lucio Fulci film to hit Blu-ray? I do believe it is. This film has a psychoanalyst teaming with a cop to track down a vicious serial killer. On top of it all, I have not yet seen this one. Here is my chance.

Box Office Update 9/25-9/27: Meatballs Loves the Taste of he Top

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs easily won the weekend, its second at the top. It easily fended off the competition from the weekend's new releases, with the Bruce Willis thriller Surrogates being the closest. The animated film dipped a mere 18% in its second frame, an impressive number to say the least. I suspect that the increased cost of a 3D ticket helped that number, but the spread of positive word of mouth probably did not hurt either. I was able to see it this weekend and it proved to be an absolutely delightful time. It is funny, touching, and comes with plenty of its own food. It actually surpassed the expectations I had for it. It is definitely one worth catching on the big screen.

Second place plays host to the latest Bruce Willis outing, Surrogates. It is a movie that has plenty of good ideas, yet fails to delve into any of them. It is a fun action film, nothing more. I think it is more interesting to discuss the world after the film than it is to figure out what the film wants to say. Still, it is a decent diversion, although hardly a must see.

The remake of Fame finished third for the weekend, well below what the studio hoped for at just over $10 million. I am not surprised, I saw very little advertising for this one. That said, I have not seen it, nor do I have any intention of seeing it. I look at that title and cannot help but feel it is safe to take a pass on.

Fourth and fifth place feature a pair of returning films, The Informant! and Tyler Perry's I Can do Bad All By Myself. Both films featured decent holds from last week and seem to be crowd pleasers. I suspect that they will begin a steeper decent beginning next week.

Sixth place is held by the third of this week's wide releases, Pandorum. The science fiction/horror film is fun, claustrophobic and more than a little bit silly. Still, I found myself enjoying the ride, the thrills, and the fun. Will it be one to remember down the road? Doubtful, but it is still worth the trip.

There is nothing terribly notable in the latter portion of the list. Well, except maybe Jennifer's Body. It slipped 46% from last week, I seriously expected it to drop a lot more.

Next week's competition includes the 3D double-feature re-release of the two Toy Story movies. Also opening is the hotly anticipated, by me anyway, Zombieland, the horror comedy starring Woody Harrelson and Abigail Breslin, Drew Barrymores directorial debut Whip It with Ellen Page, and The Invention of Lying, which is Ricky Gervais big screen directorial debut. Oh yes, Michael Moore's latest, Capitalism: A Love Story, expands its release.

Three movies dropped off the top ten this week: All About Steve (11), The Final Destination (12), and Sorority Row (14).

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs	$25,038,803	$60,474,555	2
2	N	Surrogates	$14,902,692	$14,902,692	1
3	N	Fame (2009)	$10,011,682	$10,011,682	1
4	2	The Informant!	$6,624,085	$20,700,946	2
5	3	Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All by Myself	$4,759,833	$44,552,477	3
6	N	Pandorum	$4,424,126	$4,424,126	1
7	4	Love Happens	$4,307,980	$14,708,710	2
8	5	Jennifer's Body	$3,664,559	$12,470,373	2
9	6	9	$2,959,231	$27,227,811	3
10	7	Inglourious Basterds	$2,683,198	$114,420,733	6

Box Office Predictions Recap
So far as the placings go, I started strong, but then my picks got spotty at best. I have no excuse for my failing aside from assuring you that I did indeed try to get them right. Fortunately, my placings were not terribly far off, just one or two placings here and there. As for the dollar side of the coin, I did decently. Even where I failed to get the place right, my dollars were close. The funny thing is that the top of the chart. where I got most of the placings correct, I was the furthest away on the dollar amounts. Who would have thought that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs would have such a strong hold?

Here is how the field matched up:

Actual	Prediction	Title	Wknd Gross	Prediction
1	1	Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs	$25,038,803	$18 million
2	2	Surrogates	$14,902,692	$16.5 million
3	3	Fame (2009)	$10,011,682	$15 million
6	4	Pandorum	$4,424,126	$9 million
4	5	The Informant!	$6,624,085	$6 million
5	6	Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself	$4,759,833	$4.5 million
7	7	Love Happens	$4,307,980	$4 million
9	8	9	$2,959,231	$3 million
8	9	Jennifer's Body	$3,664,559	$2.75 million
10	10	Inglourious Basterds	$2,683,198	$2 million

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

I have never read the book, and at this point in time I have no plans to. Does that make me a bad person? Perhaps. I know that I should read more than I do. I used to read all the time, but that was way back in the days of youth, before the Internet and little computers you can carry around, not to mention before my addiction to movies, music, and television really kicked in. Sure, my brain may be turning into a meatball, but hey, its what I do!

In any case, I initially did not have a lot of interest in this movie. It is not that I thought it looked bad, or expected it to be bad, I was just looking to cut corners and this looked like a candidate for a movie that could be skipped. Then something changed. After its first weekend, the reviews came back generally positive, plus the word of mouth was quite positive, with many adults suggesting the liked it more than their kids. With all of this, how could I deny it its time? Besides, I had also learned that the local theater would be losing their 3D print next week with the arrival of the Toy Story 3D double feature. So, off I went, to see if the positive buzz was indeed the truth.



I am happy to report that while this is no Pixar film, it exceeded my expectations and proved to be rewarding time at the theater. The animation proved to be a bit above average, although it was plagued with some uninspired character and background design, but generally speaking, it is nicely rendered and a step above your average Ice Age movie. What really steps this up above your typical animated fare is the writing. That's right, the writing, and maybe a little bit of the 3D effect (although that is not entirely necessary).

The story is set on a small fishing island out in the Atlantic. They a happy community that takes a sad turn when the rest of the world realizes that their stock in trade, sardines, are gross. Their economy comes to a grinding halt and this once happy community loses its smile. What will happen to them now? Enter Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader).

Flint is a hapless inventor who always has his eyes set on the next big thing, despite the fact that none of his inventions have actually worked as designed. For example he made spray on shoes that do not quite work and a remote control TV that runs off on its own. However, with the fishing catastrophe that has befallen the town, Flint has one more idea.



Our hero's latest invention converts water into food. You poor the water in, tell it what kind of food you want, and it comes out the bottom. The problems begin when the machine goes haywire and shoots up into the sky, where it amazingly begins to work. The skies begin raining hamburgers and before you know it, Flint is a star. The mayor sees this as a way to invigorate the economy and bring in tourists.

From here, things begin to grow out of control. The food begins to get bigger and bigger and the gluttonous side of man begins to get out of control and run amok. Flint, forever the butt of jokes, is getting his first taste of fame and it goes right to his head. The mayor (voiced by Bruce Campbell) lets his literally gluttonous side get the better of him, as he consumes nearly everything that falls from the skies. Everything builds to a feverish pitch until our hero needs to choose which side he is on.



Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs offers up plenty of opportunities for great visuals, but it is the characters that make the whole work. Flint Lockwood is an intriguing character who has grown up a little strange, a dreamer who has never given up the dream. He has poor social skills and a rocky relationship with his father (James Caan). Their relationship grows and changes over the course of the film and adds a lot of heart and warmth to the proceedings. Then there is the arrival of intern turned temporary weather girl Sam Sparks (Anna Farris), she is not terribly good at the job, but catches Flint's fancy despite his inability to actually talk to her.

Definitely an enjoyable film. The relationships that develop give the film depth that I was not expecting. I actually felt for these characters, for example, the father carries a lot of sadness throughout. I found him to be rather heartbreaking. Then there is the relationship between Flint and Sam which has plenty of fits and starts, but also carries a lot of genuine emotion.

Oh yes, you also have to love Steve the monkey (voiced by Neil Patrick Harris). "Gummi Bears!"

Bottomline. I should not have been so quick to write this one off. It is laugh out loud funny at times, genuinely emotional at other times, and always entertaining. The pace is fast and you will not be bored. Definitely gather the family together and check this one out.

Recommended.