HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Ice Age - Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Public Enemies

Week ten of blockbuster season takes us into the Fourth of July holiday, where there is much money to be made as families gather and head out to the darkened cinemas before firing up the grills, cracking open the beer, and getting burned with firecrackers. The weekend features two new movies in wide release, a family animated comedy/adventure and a period gangster film. Two films and two vastly different audiences. I have intentions of catching both at some point in the near future. And yes, I know the films already opened, I completely forgot about the Wednesday openings!

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. (2009, 94 minutes, PG, animated) The latest animated feature to take advantage of the new 3D process. I must admit to being very impressed with the quality of the 3D, as well as the positive signal to noise ratio in film makers using it effectively and not just as a gimmick. The gimmick is there, but it is still in the background. I wonder how this one will be? Perhaps it will be enough to distract me from a potentially bad movie. I liked the first movie, but the second, well, not so much. This outing sees Manny trapped in an underground world where they meet dinosaurs, Sid steals dino-eggs, Scrat meets Scratte, and is Diego too laid back? I cannot say any of the descriptions sound all that exciting. So long as the Scrat segments are good I am sure to find something to like. The voice cast have all returned from the last movie, including Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, and Queen Latifah. Joining the stars in the supporting cast are Bill Hader, Simon Pegg, Jane Lynch, Seann William Scott, and Kristen Wiig.



Public Enemies. (2009, 143 minutes, R, drama) I have high hopes for this movie. Michael Mann knows how to craft a living breathing film (even Miami Vice). Take Mann's skills with the camera and bring in the talent of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale and it looks like a recipe for success. Of course, he last time I saw Bale, he was shouting at everything, all the time, and not very well. I suspect that was a fluke and he will be on point for this outing. The movie takes us back to the days when gangsters were national heroes and no one could stop them. Depp is John Dillinger, perhaps the greatest of them all. On his trail is Bale as Melvin Purvis, an agent of the FBI. Who will win? My knowledge of the reality of these men is pretty much non-existent. I do not expect this to be true to the hard reality, but I expect it to be honest with itself and entertaining in execution. I love the trailer and the music used, hopefully it will pay off.



Also opening this week, but not near me:

• I Hate Valentine's Day - do we really need another Nia Vardalos movie already

Box Office Predictions
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen won last weekend, will it have the legs to take a second? I am not sure. I do expect to see a steep percentage drop, it is impossible to open that big and not suffer a precipitous drop, how many people of the originals will be rushing out to see it again so soon? Probably not many, so the pool will be made up by those who chose to avoid opening weekend crowds, but then those numbers could be tempered by those celebrating Independence Day with their families, although holidays generally make good times to go see a movie as a family. The possibilities make my head hurt. I suspect the battle will be between the juggernaut sequel and the upstart animated sequel. Ultimately, it will be Scrat and the Ice Age gang taking the crown. Dillinger will have to settle for third.

Here is how I think it could play out.

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs	$60 million
2	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	$51 million
3	Public Enemies	$32 million
4	The Proposal	$10 million
5	The Hangover	$9 million
6	Up	$7 million
7	My Sister's Keeper	$6 million
8	Year One	$3 million
9	The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3	$2.5 million
10	Star Trek	$1.75 million

CD Review: Clawfinger - Life Will Kill You

When Clawfinger's 2007 release, Life Will Kill You, arrived on my doorstep some time ago I was intrigued by its simplistic, yet clever, cover. Designed to look like a parental advisory label, only instead of a warning, you get the band name and album title. It isn't a warning at all! Well, perhaps it is. In any case, the album is a bizarre one that caught me off guard, but in a good way. I think. I am so confused.

First off, I am a little embarrassed to admit I had not heard of these guys before, but feel I should have. I mean, the band did form back in the late 1980's and released their debut way back in 1993. Where was I? In any case, I popped this in expecting something hard, heavy, and in my face. There I go basing expectations on a band name. Needless to say, what greeted my ears was nothing like what i expected. Instead of something like The Haunting (which is what I think I was expecting), I got something that comes across as a mildly lackluster crossing of Faith No More, Fear Factory, Rammstein, and Bloodhound Gang. I know, that sounds like it should kick some ass, but doesn't. Well, maybe a little. Not really.

Hailing from Sweden, Clawfinger has been at this game a long time, and that being the case, they have a nice crisp sound that reeks of experience, almost to a fault. I admit to expecting a younger and rougher act, but this is not a complete disappointment. The flawlessly produced record shows the band gleefully, mostly, crossing industrial and rapcore into an easily accessible mix.

As solid and entertaining as this record is, I have to wonder if it is terribly relevant? I am sure the longtime fans will definitely feel it is relevant, if I were one of them, I would be right there with you. With that out of the way, and attempting to be objective, I do not see this band as being all that meaningful to the current scene. The sound seems to be something that went out of fashion in the 1990's, early this decade at the latest. The rap-metal thing has slipped out of fashion after the big labels milked the sound to death, having flooded the market with sound-alike carbon copies that never lived up to the originators.

Life Will Kill You does have a selection of god tunes, although the replayability seems to be a bit limited. As I listen to them, there is that feeling of the old school that permeates everything and sees to rob it of the edge I believe they were going for.

In the end, I am having a difficulty time justifying the desire/need to rip these guys or this album. In the end it would be a pointless battle, as the fans will get on me, the masses will ignore me, and in the end I would be doing everyone a disservice.

Let me put it this way, Life Will Kill You is not a necessary album. In the big picture it is not going to make a mark or be remembered. Still, the album is a very easy listen, has some definite grooves, and will likely get into your head so that you rock right along with it. I like it and find it hard not to recommend.

Bottomline. In your face grooves, catchy rap-style vocals, and it doesn't make you think all that hard. Put it in, press play, groove.

Recommended.

Box Office Update 6/26-6/28: Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen Surprises All to Take Top Spot

Of course that headline is a little bit of a joke, as you will remember that last week I told you what would take the top spot. I accurately predicted that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen would be the top movie. Guess what? I was right. I know, it was something of a gimme to pick the highly anticipated sequel to take the weekend, but we have had upsets before. Now that's funny, I am pretty sure that Michael Bay and his team were not terribly worried about My Sister's Keeper suddenly rising up and stealing its thunder; of course, that would have been hilariously awesome. Anyway, I added my dollars to the coffer by going to see the robot flick, sat in the theater with my mouth agape, and left the theater upon conclusion in something of a stupor. The movie is shockingly stupid in its narrative and amazing in its technical execution. Go for the effects, that is about all it is worth.

Coming in second place this week is last week's top earner, The Proposal. The Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy. I am vaguely interested in this one but have not yet had the opportunity. I think this combination holds the potential to make a rather likable pairing as they both have considerable charisma on screen. It showed decent legs dropping just over 44% from last week. I suspect I will get to see this next week sometime.

Third and fourth place films are a couple of the year's stronger performers. First up is The Hangover, the R-rated comedy that seemingly came out of nowhere and provides some of the summers biggest laughs. Then there is Up, which is set to become only the second Pixar film to hit the $300 million mark. Both films are first rate and well worth spending some time in the theater with.

My Sister's Keeper makes its debut in fifth place. Actually, this opened stronger than I was expecting. It did not strike me as a film that would hit nationwide. I am glad to see I was mistaken as it looks like a quality film. It stars Cameron Diaz, Jason Patric, and Abigail Breslin in a drama that involves cancer, creating what is essentially a backup child, and a lawsuit against your parents. Pretty heady stuff, I hope it is handled intelligently. This is another one I will likely catch up with sometime next week.

Year One took a dive here in its third weekend. This is one that just failed to catch on. I cannot say I am surprised, I feel like I am one of only handful of people to see something, anything, in it. Hopefully Jack Black and Michael Cera can bounce back as I like both of them.

The only other notable film in the bottom half is Away We Go, the new Sam Mendes film whose release widened this past weekend. The relationship comedy is a well acted movie that is touching and is definitely worth tracking down. The only thing that bothered me was the use of indie rock music, just not my seen.

Next weekend will see Michael Mann's new film, Public Enemies, arrive with the star power of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale (in what will hopefully be a bounce back from his lackluster showing in Terminator: Salvation). Also arriving is the movie most likely to win the weekend, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. I cannot say I am excited for it, but it will surely bring the families.

Three movies dropped off the top ten this week: Land of the Lost (11), Terminator: Salvation (12), and Imagine That (14).

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	$108,966,307	$200,077,255	1
2	1	The Proposal	$18,578,541	$69,162,471	2
3	2	The Hangover	$17,022,166	$183,054,267	4
4	3	Up	$13,061,737	$250,234,554	5
5	N	My Sister's Keeper	$12,442,212	$12,442,212	1
6	4	Year One	$6,022,444	$32,529,560	2
7	5	The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3	$5,451,107	$53,456,827	3
8	7	Star Trek	$3,711,968	$246,331,182	8
9	6	Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian	$3,643,522	$163,391,192	6
10	13	Away We Go	$1,709,313	$4,088,390	4

Box Office Predictions Recap
Amazing, the number one film took in about the same as the next nine films combined! This week proved to be a pretty good one for me. I only suffered a couple of minor gaffes, with the biggest being my assumption that the Night at the Museum sequel would do stronger this week, but it is falling pretty quick now, I guess people are finally tiring of it. As for this week's juggernaut? I can see it falling with slightly greater than average slips each week, supported by a variety of word of mouth opinions covering the love it to the forget it range.

Here is how the field matched up:

Actual	Prediction	Title	Wknd Gross	Prediction
1	1	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	$108,966,307	$115 million
2	2	The Proposal	$18,578,541	$19 million
3	3	The Hangover	$17,022,166	$18 million
4	4	Up	$13,061,737	$15 million
5	5	My Sister's Keeper	$12,442,212	$10 million
6	6	Year One	$6,022,444	$8 million
7	7	The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3	$5,451,107	$7 million
9	8	Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian	$3,643,522	$6 million
8	9	Star Trek	$3,711,968	$4 million
11	10	Land of the Lost	$1,195,685	$2 million

DVD Pick of the Week: Tokyo!

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.

As I look over this week's offerings, I cannot help but feel a little disheartened. There is nothing terribly special to be found among the stacks. My best guess as to why the release schedule is so light is to not have to compete with the just opened theatrical juggernaut called Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Another possibility is that next weekend is July 4th and few will be sitting around watching DVD's. Why not save the big releases for a slower week?

Tokyo! Much like Paris Je T'aime, this film is a collection of shorter works on a theme from a variety of esteemed artists. The target this time is Tokyo, of course. It is a collection of three short films centering on the city. The directors are Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), Leos Carax (The Lovers on the Bridge), and Bong Joon-ho (The Host). The well regarded trip tackle the issue of whether people are shaped by the city, or the city by the people. I have not yet seen this, but the three directors involved have me greatly interested.

Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fifth Season. The final season of the science fiction spin-off arrives on DVD. The first spin-off of the long running original series (which, in turn, was based off of a film) took a little while to get off the ground but really got a head of steam going once we got used to the characters. The series is set in the lost city of Atlantis, which also happens to be on another planet. The fifth season sees the base taken over by Woolsey (Robert Picardo), the final defeat of Michael, the introduction of rogue Asgaard, and a showdown with a Hive ship. In other words, plenty to hold you attention.

Eureka: Season 3.0. You know, I am not sure I have seen any of season 3. Not sure how I missed it, but I cannot recall anything about it. I guess it is time to catch up. The show is a lot of fun, it is lighthearted in nature but still tells interesting stories. It is set in a hidden town populated with the brightest scientific minds in the nation where they are free to experiment and create as they please, sometimes with disastrous results.

Eastbound & Down. Created by Jody Hill (Observe & Report) and stars Danny McBride (Pineapple Express, Land of the Lost). It is the story of a former major league baseball player who has returned to the hometown he had long since turned his back on to teach phys ed at his old middle school. I have heard good things and look forward to seeing this.

12 Rounds (also Blu-ray). If you have seen Die Hard with a Vengeance or Speed, you have a good idea where this is heading. You have a crazed killer with a vendetta against a heart of gold hero who is nigh unstoppable as he attempts to save the day. In the case of 12 Rounds, the battle between good and evil is framed with a 12-round gimmick (duh!). Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen), our bad guy, has kidnapped Fisher's fiancee (Ashley Scott) and is challenging Fisher to 12-round battle to save her. He must do everything he says, and succeed, in order to have the opportunity to win her back. It is not a good movie, but you could do worse for some dumb entertainment.

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (also Blu-ray). Speaking of dumb entertainment, here is one you can safely avoid. What I was hoping for was a bad but fun movie. What I got was a bad but stupid movie. I could not help but shake my head at some of the silly things that happen. I guess this world does not require any logic in its inhabitants. It centers on Chun-Li (Kristen Kreuk) and her desire to get revenge on M. Bison for the death of her father. It is complete and utter nonsense.

Samurai Champloo: The Complete Collection. I think I already own all of this series on the original disks, but I am not sure. Anyway, this series is a lot of fun. It comes from the same creator as the fantastic Cowboy Bebop and moves away from science fiction and jazz and into period samurai adventure and hip hop. If you want action, comedy, and drama this is a series to check out, well animated and voiced, it is a definite must have for your collection, and worth checking out even if you aren't an anime fan.

Tunnel Rats. Is it possible that an Uwe Boll movie could be good? I doubt it, but I have read good things about this one, so maybe that assumption is wrong. At least this isn't another movie based on a video game. Michael Pare stars as a soldier during the Vietnam War who is a member of a team of soldiers sent into Viet Cong tunnels to engage in hand to hand combat. Perhaps I will have to check this out.

Movie Review: Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen

I was born in the 1970's but much of my formative years was spent throughout the 1980's. So, it should go without saying that my favorite cartoon memories revolve around Transformers, G.I. Joe, and He-Man (somehow I missed Robotech). I can remember tuning in and watching them for hours. The adventures contained within those thirty-minute to commercials held me in rapt attention so many years ago. Sure, I never really pieced together the big pictures of their tales, but I never really needed to, as my imagination would run wild and build stories around the pieces of the shows that stuck in my head. Now we have Hollywood attempting to take those tales of decades past and give them vivid life on the big screen. Unfortunately, all of them have missed the mark thus far. In particular this new Transformers sequel fails to hit the mark with any type of success. I am not asking for much, and not to reach that is just sad.

Before going into Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen I went back and re-watched the original 2007 film. As I sat there watching the transformations, explosions, and contemplated the tale being told, it dawned on me just how much of this makes no sense, is just flat out silly, and how forgiving I was of the project as a whole at that time. Now, I still enjoy it for the attempt and the fact that it really is kid of fun. However, the story of the All Spark, the Cube or whatever you want to call it is just flat out goofy. Beyond that, the movie contained a lot of out of place humor, including much of the parents' role, "Sam's special time," and Autobot Jazz being more hip hop than jazz.

With that viewing out of the way, I was completely prepared for what was certainly going to be a mind-blowing experience. After all, it is a new Michael Bay movie and who knows more about blowing things up than he?

There I sat, watching Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with my mouth agape, chin clanking off my chest, mind-reeling from what was going on up on the gigantic IMAX screen in front of me. No, none of this was in a good way. Sure, there are some positives, and they are almost enough to save the movie, but it fell well short in key areas, not the least of which is the story. I know that some will make the excuse that it is a summer popcorn movie that exists more for the whiz-bang than any sort intellectual enlightenment, but seriously, is it really too much to ask for something that makes sense and at least pretends to have a brain? I am as capable of shutting down the intelligence generating portion of my brain, but some movies take my willingness to do so a little too far.

Revenge of the Fallen picks up two years after the first film, pretty much in real-time. Sam Witwicky (Shia Labeouf) is out of high school and heading off to college. Bumblebee is still serving as his protector, but since the battle for the Cube the war has been pretty quiet in terms of the big picture, but it is still around. While Sam and Mikaela (Megan Fox) have become a genuine couple, Optimus Prime and his newly expanded team of Autobots have formed a special forces team with the US military, where they hunt down Decepticon signals and proceed to terminate the intruder.

In order to have a movie, this status quo needs to be shaken up a bit. Things get underway when a shard of the Cube, or All Spark if you prefer, falls out of one of Sam's old sweaters, he touches it, gets zapped, and it starts turning the household appliances into killer robots. This brings him back into contact with Optimus, who was warned that "the Fallen will rise again." These two happenings are a precursor to increased Decepticon activity, the resurrection of Megatron, and the introduction of The Fallen, who is something of the Emperor to Megatron's Darth Vader. Together, the newly expanded team of bad-bots set out to find a new source of Energon, I think.

Anyway, the movie tells that Transformers have visited us a lot earlier than two years ago. Our shared history dates back to ancient Egypt where the Decepticons, led by The Fallen tried to farm Energon, but were defeated. In the present The Fallen is attempting a comeback and it is up to Optimus, Sam and the whole team to beat them back and save the day. At least, that i what I am pretty sure the story is. There is not a whole lot of that story stuff here. Michael Bay is much more concerned with getting to the next explosion.

There is a lot of running and clanging in this movie, plenty of yelling, and not a lot of anything else. The story can be followed, but after a few minutes you really won't care because there is no reason to. Yes, there are characters getting beat up, bloodied and threatened, but none of it feels really real. I never felt anyone was truly in any danger. I guess when it comes right down to it, the story doesn't matter much, evidenced by the lack of one being told here.

The writing is downright atrocious, I am surprised that this same team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman was also responsible for the Star Trek restart. The screenplay throws character after character at you, scarcely taking the time to even give them names, much like X-Men: Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Throw in some explosions, a finale that doesn't really feel like a finale (save for a somber voice over inviting another sequel) and you have your movie.

On top of the lack of story (despite a two and a half hour run time) there is a disturbing amount of off-color (not cursing so much, but definitely unclean) language that is not necessary. I understand they are trying to court the teen crowd, but this is not what the Transformers are about, the same thing afflicted Land of the Lost. Why is it necessary to resort to this? It isn't funny, appeals to the lowest common denominator, and is not true to the source material.

The characters are shallow, one dimensional and do not inspire me to care about them, whether or not that is due to the writing or the acting is up in the air, probably some combination of the two. I could not muster up any reason to care about them or their plight. You can throw as many explosions an effects shots as you want at me, if the story is not compelling, I will not care.

I particularly enjoy how the events of the first film have seemingly been ignored. In particular, it seems that no one saw the complete destruction that went down in the first movie, a government cover up was successful, and the possibility of alien robots has been relegated to conspiracy sites. What? I understand a desire to cover things up, but this is ridiculous. Also, couldn't the Autobots have a better "base" than an empty hanger where they just sit around? I mean, they possess advanced technology that I am sure could be used to better their Decepticon hunting. This is essentially the creative team deciding not to use their characters in favor of making sure we see all the GM and Chevrolet cars. Makes sense to me.

I have something important I want you all to know, "bigger" and "more" are not the words that should be used when developing a sequel. I know this is a common formula, and there is nothing wrong with making it bigger, but you need to focus on the story and let the action and everything else sprout organically from the tale. In the case of this sequel, it seemed to be more about cramming in more robots and more action any way possible.

Now, back to those characters for a moment. I would like to just say they were completely and utterly mishandled, but that would be overly simplistic. The humans are cardboard with zero depth. Megan Fox is almost human, she could possibly be a CGI effect, I am not sure. Of course I am kidding, but she is not convincing at all, especially with her glassy stare and singular expression. Shia does not fare much better in this film as the bulk of his role seems to be running around screaming "OPTIMUS!" It is a shame, as I think he has a good future, but he is not given anything to work with.

The supporting cast is not all that great either. Sam's parents are saddled with some goofy sexual innuendo, lame jokes, and pot brownies. Yes, very funny, but not really. I guess John Turturro playing the now former head of Sector 7 in the first film fares a bit better here, he is still goofy, but not quite as over the top. The rest of the human cast are just there to spit out a clever one liner or deliver a brief line of exposition.

As for the robots, themselves? They sort of look familiar, but they are not always acting quite right. Optimus Prime seems all too content to take a Decepticon life with extreme prejudice. The scene between a scheming Starscream and Megatron strikes more as a bit of fanservice than character development. Then there is the case of Skidz and Mudflap. Why? Was George Lucas consulted on how to add comical sidekicks that a devoid of comedic value? These guys are utterly worthless. Slang talking, gold tooth having, illiterate robots? Really? What were they thinking?

All right, we know the story is bad, we know the characters are thin, and we know the robots are not quite right. Is anything in this movie good? Yes, there is some good, but it is borderline enough to make it worthwhile.

So, what's good?

If there is one thing Michael Bay is good at, it is blowing stuff up. Nobody can stage an action sequence quite like he can. Unfortunately, action scenes are about all he can do, forget about any character work. On this level, the action in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is spectacular. Although the outcome is easily predictable, the action shows us things never seen before. He definitely put all the money on the screen (although I would not have been against putting some more into the writing). As good as the action is, it is the surrounding content that will ultimately define whether it is good or not. In this case it is not good.

Bottomline. The potential is there for the source material to spawn a good movie. Michael Bay has the right visual style for the movie, what is needed are writers who can deliver a story that is action packed yet has characters to care about in a story that you can be invested in (look at what James Cameron did with the Terminator films and Aliens). This movie fails to deliver in an engaging manner, yet I was still taken with the effects, which makes this movie watchable once.

Mildly/Not Recommended.

Movie Review: The Brothers Bloom

In 2006 a movie made the arthouse rounds that turned heads. This movie stood out from the arthouse crowds and gave us a fresh experience by using old parts in a new way. The man behind the curtain was Rian Johnson and the movie was Brick. It tells the story of a high school student looking into the murder of his ex-girlfriend. No, not terribly original, but picture this simple on the surface plot and apply the logic, dialog, and general style of the hard boiled gumshoe stories of the 1930's. It was a breathtaking experience that has held up on repeat viewings. It is now three years later and Rian Johnson has returned with a new film, one that is distinctly different than Brick, yet still has that thread of fresh originality spiced with familiar pieces. Yes, The Brothers Bloom is here.

The only thing I needed to know about this film going in was that it was written and directed by Rian Johnson. Then I saw the trailer, and if there was any doubt that I wanted to see this was erased. Of course, I avoided spoilers and tried to keep my expectations in check. You never know if Brick was a fluke, or if having a sizable budget will have an effect on an up and coming director. The only other knowledge of the film I had before the screening was an interview with composer Nathan Johnson (Rian's cousin) where he discussed the project in non-spoiler fashion. It was an interesting talk and featured a couple of interesting passages from the score.

All right, enough of this preamble, I am sure you are much more interested in my thoughts on the film. In short, the movie is a slice of smile inducing, tear creating, brilliance. The movie is distinctly different from Brick, yet it is still recognizable as coming from the same director.

At its basest, The Brothers Bloom is a con-man movie. It is about playing the con and taking it all the way, selling it on your way to the "perfect" con. What makes this con-man movie stand out is the unique vision that Rian Johnson brings to the tale. It has a very realistic feel to it, although it also exists in a distinctly fantasy flavored world. The movie is bubbling with a bouncy kinetic energy that is hard not to get into. It transcends the con-man tale to tell a story about the people involved.

The movie opens in the past with the brothers as youngsters getting into trouble and bouncing around the foster home circuit before deciding they are better off on their own and have a knack for pulling con. The brothers are Stephen (Mark Ruffalo), the con craftsman, and Bloom (no first name needed) (Adrien Brody), the sympathetic face who longs to have a life that is not written by Stephen.

As we first meet them, they have just pulled off a successful con and are celebrating. Well, Stephen is celebrating and Bloom is planning his exit from this life. And so Bloom exits, heading off into the sunset for a life of unwritten anonymity. Of course, this does not last long as Stephen tracks him down to do one last con. The target is Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz), a rich orphan who lives a secluded life inside her large estate where she collects hobbies. The con is simple, get her out of her shell and encourage her to finance their antique business.

What they could not foresee is the relationship that develops between Bloom and Penelope, it crosses the line of a con-man and a mark and moves into something that is much more real and throws a large monkey wrench into their plans.

I could continue with a plot description, but that would be a disservice to the wonders and twists contained within that deserve to be discovered fresh.

The Brothers Blooms is a movie that plays out like a snowball rolling down a mountain, gaining size, increasing in speed, running out of control, yet presents a beautiful image of complete destruction. This movies characters fates are set in stone, yet they move through life wild and unhinged. It is truly a sight to see.

What helps this movie take the turn of good to great is in that way it surges along on an endless wave of kinetic energy, but also in the way the characters are approached by Rian Johnson the writer and the performers in question.

Mark Ruffalo has a rough and tumble take on Stephen. He is clearly the instigator, the brains of the outfit, always looking out for Bloom and loving the craft that goes into creating the con. Then there is Adrien Brody, he seems happy, but underneath the veneer is a person of profound sadness and loneliness, whose entire life has seemingly been scripted by his brother. He longs for something more, something real and it is tearing him up inside the way it is just beyond the grasp of his fingertips. Completing our primary trio is Rachel Weisz, whose Penelope has a similar sadness to her life, not because it has been scripted, but because she has been so alone and so cooped up inside the walls of her estate, she does not know how to talk to people. Her sadness is underlined by composer Nathan Johnson's theme for the character, it is happy, but that sadness is very prominent.

The supporting cast is no slouch either. The most prominent character being Bang Bang, played by Rinko Kikuchi. She is nearly silent for the entire movie, but she is always around adding so much to the scene, be it comedically or dramatically, the character is an integral part to the story and while she doesn't have much to say, she has an awful lot to do. Also playing important roles are Robbie Coltrane as the Curator and Maximilian Schell as Diamond Dog. They both have an important and long lasting effect on the lives of the brothers Bloom.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the narration by Ricky Jay. The opening sequence of the characters as kids features a rhyming narration that perfectly sets the tone for the rest of the film.

Rian Johnson has knocked another one out of the park. By taking the familiar and putting a unique spin on the elements he has crafted a story that deserves to be seen. Not only that, he has a wonderful visual style with interesting camera angles, transitions, and cuts. His sense of pacing is spot on, and there is never a moment here you are left to get bored. The man has immense talent and I look forward to whatever he has to offer next.

Bottomline. This movie has it all, drama, comedy, action, explosions, and an immense amount of heart. It goes in unexpected directions, and reaches the only conclusion it could have. It will have an emotional impact as it ably shifts from the light hearted to the dark and serious throughout. Do yourself a favor and dig into their secrets.

Highly Recommended.

RIP - Michael Jackson: Thriller

Watch dance videos and dance lessons at DanceJam.com

Daybreakers - Trailer

A little bit of Blade, a little bit of John Carpenter's Vampires, and just a touch of awesome. This new film from the Spierig brothers, makers of Undead, is set in a world where nearly everyone is a vampire and human blood is running out. The cast includes Ethan Hawke, Sam Neill, and Willem Dafoe.

Halloween II - 2nd Trailer

New trailer for the Rob Zombie helmed sequel. I like it.

New Movies and Box Office Predictions: Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen, My Sister's Keeper

The ninth week of blockbuster season brings with it what will likely be the biggest moneymaker of the year. It is one of the more highly anticipated movies of the summer and I hope it delivers the explosive goods of mindless entertainment. It will breath life into the season that seems to have fizzled a little bit. With the disappointing Wolverine and Terminator films, the bright spot has been stolen by Star Trek, Up, and The Hangover, now we have a movie to take the spotlight back. Will you be suckered in? Or will you use this weekend to catch up on what you may have missed?

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. (2009, 151 minutes, PG-13, action) 2007 saw the arrival of the 80's animated icon invade theaters in tangible form. Shepherded by Steven Spielberg and helmed by Michael "I make things Awesome!" Bay. It was received with mixed word from critics and fans alike. I liked it, but did not in any way love it. That said, the combination of 'bots and Bay seems like the perfect fit for his sensibilities. Now we have the bigger, louder sequel with even more robot action! It has been savaged by critics to the tune of a $60 million opening day. I am sure Bay is crying in his Cheerios. I am looking forward to checking it out on the IMAX screen and am completely expecting to enjoy it, but I am sure I will not love it and feel that it is not the Transformers of my youth, much like its predecessor. Shia Labeouf and Megan Fox return to star for Michael Bay.



My Sister's Keeper. (2009, 96 minutes, PG-13, drama) Director and co-screenwriter Nick Cassevetes follows up 2006's Alpha Dog with this emotion-filled drama. Cameron Diaz and Jason Patric star as the parents of a young girl stricken with leukemia. In an effort to find a way to save their daughter, the couple have had a second daughter genetically engineered to use as a doner when the time comes. Trouble arises when the young girl, played by Abigail Breslin, decides she does not want to be a doner and sues her parents for her right to decide. It looks like a weepy, but it is also interesting in the idea of having a second daughter to use, essentially, for parts. I am looking forward to this, although it may be a week before I get the opportunity.



Also opening this week, but not near me:

• Cheri
• Girl from Monaco
• The Hurt Locker
• New York
• Quiet Chaos
• The Stoning of Soraya M.
• Surveillance

Box Office Predictions
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will win the weekend, mark your calendars, you heard it here first. All right, maybe not. Still, I guarantee that it will destroy everything. Having opened this past Wednesday, it did gangbuster business, taking in more than $60 million in one day. No, it did not overtake the current top dog, The Dark Knight, but it is still nothing to sneeze at. What will be interesting now is whether or not poor word of mouth will hurt the weekend? No doubt it will take the top spot, just by how much? The rest of the chart will probably just slide down a bit.

Here is how I think it could play out.

Rank	Title	Box Office
1	Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen	$115 million
2	The Proposal	$19 million
3	The Hangover	$18million
4	Up	$15 million
5	My Sisters Keeper	$10 million
6	Year One	$8 million
7	The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3	$7 million
8	Night of the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian	$6 million
9	Star Trek	$4 million
10	Land of the Lost	$2 million

Movie Review: Away We Go

Director Sam Mendes has only made a handful of movies, but that handful of movies have revealed the filmmaker as someone with keen insight into human relationships. Sometimes they are interpersonal relationships and sometimes how people relate to their situation, the thing they all have in common is people with genuine feelings and true emotions. Last year, Mendes helmed a film that got a lot of people's attention and was nominated for multiple Academy Awards and Golden Globes. The what made this film stand out was the amped up relationship between Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet as the veil of suburban happiness was ripped away to reveal seething anger and resentment as the dreams of youth are torn asunder as the reality of a mundane life settles into place. I liked the movie, to an extent, but have no desire to revisit it. The movie was Revolutionary Road and it is a movie I do not believe Mendes wants to go back there either.

To that end, Mendes is already back on the big screen, less than a year after that two hour shouting match. His new movie is called Away We Go, and it comes across as the complete opposite of Revolutionary Road. It still has a human relationship at its core, but other than that it is night and day. It is almost as if Sam Mendes intentionally went after a happier story about characters that do actually love each other to use as a cleanse his soul. I completely believe that after the experience of making such a downer of a movie, something is needed to get you back to an even keel. Believe me, he picked the right project.

In addition to Away We Go being a more uplifting project, it is also one that gets away from the studio-championed Oscar-bait drama that was Revolutionary Road (it was a good movie, more than just bait, but it would be hard not to see that a little bit) and more towards the independent spirit that has been lacking of late. The movie, and the trailer before it, just screams "INDIE!" It is not that it is a bad thing, but it is a little different from his last project.

Away We Go is a take on the road movie, but instead of a couple of buddies we get a couple in the midst of a major turning point in their relationship. They have reached a stage where they will never be the same, it is the time where they have to make that conscious decision to grow up and get their lives moving in an upward direction. To that end, our central couple hit the road in search of the place they really belong. It is a sometimes sad, sometimes hilarious, and mostly moving journey that I am glad to have been a part of.

Burt (The Office's John Krasinski) and Verona (SNL's Maya Rudolph) have just learned they are going to have a baby. This is the driving point of the film, it is the piece that spurs them on to their journey. They live in a ramshackle house, have no heat, and are unsure of where their lives are going. With news of the impending bundle, they are forced to take stock of their lives and reassess where they are going.

The couple, not yet married, although not for a lack of trying by Burt, head to Burt's family for dinner one night and learn they are moving to Belgium a month before the baby is scheduled to arrive. This news falls on Burt and Verona like a ton of bricks. Then comes the revelation, they don't need to stay where they are. With this, they set out on a journey around North America, searching for a new place to plant their familial roots.

Their journey takes them to meetings with Verona's sister and an old boss, an ex-girlfriend of Burt's, and some mutual friends in places like Phoenix, Madison, and Montreal. Each visit gives them a different look at what a family can be, each time they come away... well, I can't tell you that. Let's just say that each successive visit adds a little bit more to their life experience, coloring what t is they want to accomplish.

Away We Go is often very touching. There relationship is genuine, I honestly believe they care for each other. It is also no a perfect relationship, they have their problems, but they are their for each other at every turn. They each have fears and insecurities and they grow over the course of their journey. When we reach the climax, we believe they are going to be all right, they are going to come through just fine.

As touching as the movie is, it is also funny, at times uproariously so. Alison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, and Maggie Gyllenhaal provide many of the biggest laughs in their supporting roles. However, both Rudolph and Krasinski more than hold their own in the comedy arena, matching their ability to craft compelling, well-rounded (sic) characters.

Sam Mendes continues his strong of movies about relationships. This is a cathartic experience on the heels of Revolutionary Road, but should also not be looked upon as a lesser work, it is just different yet equally effective, if not more so. This is a movie I can find myself watching again. If there is one thing I don't care for, it is the indie folk style music that crops up on a regular basis, as if to bolster its indie cred. Fortunately, it is something I can get past.

Bottomline. I wasn't quite sure what to expect going in, but it is an experience I am glad to have had. It is a refreshing character based film in the summer season that is generally dominated by big effects and hollow characters. It is finely acted, well directed, and written with a sure handle on who these people are. Refreshing.

Recommended.

CD Review: Century - Black Ocean

Century's Prosthetic Records debut, Black Ocean, has been in my possession for some time now. It is a release that I have been wanting to write about but for one reason or another have not. Some causes are not my fault, sometimes I just get really busy and have more pressing issues to deal with, while other times I just don't have the inspiration to write. I have turned to this record on a number of occasions, I cue it up, press play, open up my word processing software, give it a simple title, go to begin writing and my brain shuts down. I don't get it. It is not that I don't like the album, I just could not find the words. So, I figured I would give it one last go around, if this doesn't work, I doubt it ever will. I am hoping this non-traditional open will help get those words flowing.

Formed in 2004, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, based band did not take long to garner attention. They released a self-titled EP in 2005, followed by their full-length debut, the independently released Faith and Failure, in 2006. This brought Prosthetic to their door. The band signed on the dotted line, delivered Black Ocean, and the rest is history. The future isn't looking all that bad either.

This is an album that simultaneously stands out and fades into the masses of other metal bands. They walk a tricky line that blends elements of metalcore and melodic death together into a sound that is their own. Upon first listen, it would be easy for the average metal fan to dismiss them as just another faceless metal group that fails to distinguish itself from the pack. However, this would be doing both Century and the you (the collective variety) a serious disservice. No, I am not trying to label these guys as the next great thing, or making any attempt to raise them higher than they deserve. I am merely saying that they have a lot more to offer and have a greater original voice than may be found in just one listen.

Century's skills are shown off with great production value that gives a brutally effective balance between vocals, strings, and drums. Everything adds up to a powerful sound that is continually surging forward, not unlike a wave. There are many bands whose production could be likened to being beaten by a group of people carrying very large sticks, effective, gets the job done, but in some cases lacks a certain elegance. In the case of Century, it is more like a wave, perhaps even a tidal wave at times. Everything combines in this wall that picks you up throws you back, picks you up again and the process repeats for the duration of its concise 33-minute run time. It may sound odd, but this has a metallic elegance to it.

Black Ocean opens with the monolithic "Pantheon." It begins innocently enough with a heave wall of guitars and driving drums before truly taking off on a rather brutal path. It is followed by the title track, a tune that continues the heavy but introduces some more melodic elements that help to define the Century sound. It is here that I really began to notice what Century has to offer.

The blend of brutal and melodic sounds in a tidal wave of metal continues through other standout tracks like "Drug Mule," "Equus," and "Monolith."

Bottomline. This is a band you may want to keep an eye on. Their sound is interesting and shows a group who know how to construct a song. Century has a way of growing on you, getting under you skin and sweeping you along in just the direction they want you to. Black Ocean is a winner.

Recommended.

Box Office Udate 6/19-6/21: The Proposal Toasts a Victory

This weekend was won pretty handily by The Proposal. The Sandra Bullock/Ryan Reynolds romantic comedy exceeded expectations by pulling in more than $33.5 million. Frankly, I am surprised. I did not think this duo had the power to pull down the top spot, but then again, what do I know? Wait, don't answer that. I had no doubt it would have a decent open, just not this big. I wonder if the return of the big summer blockbuster next weekend urged the couples to go out for some light fare without having to battle the geek crowds that will clog the cineplex next weekend? In any case, I have not yet seen it, so I cannot comment on the quality, but it is on my radar and will likely check it out within the next couple of weeks.

The big story this week continues to be the strong showings from both Up and The Hangover, finishing third and second, respectively. Both films have received rave reviews and the crowds have responded by going and going again. The former is poised to join Finding Nemo as the only Pixar films to cross the triple century mark. Honestly, I did not think it was going to have this much juice in it. It is an absolutely brilliant film, but it is decidedly non-traditional in the story it tells. I am very happy to see its success. As for The Hangover, it is well written and acted, and is uproariously funny, plus it is set to become only the third R-rated comedy to earn more than $200 million, joining Beverly Hills Cop and Wedding Crashers.

Moving down to fourth place will show you the Jack Black/Michael Cera team-up Year One. It is not getting that positive word of mouth it needs to succeed, especially in the wake of a critical thrashing. I suspect that this will not last that long. Funny thing is, I actually like the ancient road film. Perhaps if more people saw it as the movie 10,000 BC wanted to be, it would have done better.

There is really only one big story in the latter half of the chart, and that is the continuing success of Star Trek. From last week to this week, it actually did better! Unbelievable. I never would have thought that a Trek film would be doing this good and receive such great word throughout the mainstream, and that it is actually a good movie on top of it all! It will struggle to reach $300 million, but there is no way anyone can not be happy with its performance.

Next weekend will see what will likely be the years top dollar performer, if not a terrible critical success in My Sister's Keeper. Wait, I'm sorry that can't be write, I suspect that movie will have a decent critical reception and perform a little to the weak side of the box office. What I meant to say is next week will see the anticipated release of Michael Bay's toy commercial, more commonly known as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Two movies dropped off the top ten this week: Angels & Demons (11) and Drag Me to Hell (12).

This Week	Last Week	Title	Wknd Gross	Overall	Week in release
1	N	The Proposal	$33,627,598	$33,627,598	1
2	1	The Hangover	$26,753,473	$152,817,015	3
3	2	Up	$23,492,677	$226,268,932	4
4	N	Year One	$19,610,304	$19,610,304	1
5	3	The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3	$12,034,899	$44,067,224	2
6	4	Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian	$7,807,185	$156,459,744	5
7	7	Star Trek	$5,511,434	$240,255,340	7
8	6	Land of the Lost	$4,358,945	$44,055,510	3
9	5	Imagine That	$3,290,227	$11,541,605	2
10	8	Terminator: Salvation	$3,284,230	$119,727,528	5

Box Office Predictions Recap
If I had a mirror, this could have been a pretty good week for me. The top four were the mirror image of what I thought they were going to be. Funny thing, the mirror almost extends to the left side where my gross predictions are, with the number one and number four movies matching up almost exactly. No way did I think that Sandra Bullock would outdraw Jack Black, but then again, no one is going by me anyway so I should have known better. The rest of the cart almost fell in line, with most of the films matching up. Next week I can already tell you what the number one movie will be, but that is just too easy.

Here is how the field matched up:

Actual	Prediction	Title	Wknd Gross	Prediction
4	1	Year One	$19,610,304	$27 million
3	2	Up	$23,492,677	$23 million
2	3	The Hangover	$26,753,473	$20 million
1	4	The Proposal	$33,627,598	$19 million
5	5	The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3	$12,034,899	$12.5 million
6	6	Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian	$7,807,185	$6 million
8	7	Land of the Lost	$4,358,945	$5 million
7	8	Star Trek	$5,511,434	$4 million
9	9	Imagine That	$3,290,227	$3.25 million
10	10	Terminator: Salvation	$3,284,230	$3 million