- Right now, the construction folks are gunning for a June 25th opening. However, if the schedule gets tight, the opening may be pushed back to June 30th. However, the theater staff would like to avoid a June 30th opening, because that is the day that Eclipse opens... and if you've been around the midnight openings of Twilight or New Moon, you know how busy and crowded movie theaters can get when a new Twilight movie opens. So, June 25th is the target date.
- The east-side theater is going to have 12 screens. Between these 12, the Century's 14 screens, and the Carmike's 7 screens, Sioux Falls will now have 33 first-run movie screens. For trivia's sake, the most first-run movie screens that Sioux Falls ever had was 34 (from November 1999 to January 2001). This was when the Century 14 just opened, and Carmike was operating three first-run theaters: the Carmike 7, the West Mall 7, and the Empire 6. In January 2001, the Empire 6 closed, and just a few months later, the West Mall 7 was shut down, too... only to be re-opened as a second-run budget theater later in 2001. However... if the downtown State Theatre finishes its renovations and re-opens to the public, then we'll get one more first-run movie screen, which gets us back to the 34-screen record.
- All 12 screens will be digital. (The Century 14 has only one digital/3-D screen, while all of the Carmike's 7 screens are digital.) So, not only will this provide perfect picture quality, but it will reduce the chances of technical problems, and it will allow the theater staff to be more dynamic in their scheduling, as they can quickly add additional shows for movies that are selling out.
- As you're no doubt aware, 3-D is taking over America's movie screens right now. Unfortunately, the Century 14 is limited to one digital 3-D screen (which opened in June 2008), which led to scheduling problems this spring. (They had to cut Alice in Wonderland 3-D after three weeks to accommodate How to Train Your Dragon 3-D... which, in turn prevented the Century from showing Clash of the Titans in 3-D.) Fear not: the east-side theater has four screens capable of showing 3-D movies. Given the late June opening, at least two of these screens will be reserved for Toy Story 3 in 3-D (which, at that time, will only be a week old). Because of the increased 3-D capabilities, it's very likely that the east-side theater will skew towards showing more family movies, as kids' flicks make up the majority of 3-D films in the marketplace.
- It's a possibility that one of the east-side's 12 screens might be a 'Cinemark XD' screen. What does that mean? Well, it's an extra-large wall-to-wall digital screen with a deluxe sound system. Some folks have affixed the "fake IMAX" label to these XD screens, if that helps explain the type of screen we might get. But remember, this XD screen is still a rumor, for the most part.
- As you know, the Century's concession stands are in a "cafeteria-style" format, where moviegoers grab each of their items from various staff members as they go down the concession line. The east-side theater will utilize a different, "cafe-style" format, in which each customer will be serviced by a single employee who will take their order, grab each item, and ring it up for them.When the Century 14 opened in November 1999, it opened with a special VIP Night. On this night, if movie patrons donated food items to charity, they would get a free movie pass and free concessions. For the east-side theater's opening, the Cinemark staff are planning not one, but THREE such VIP nights! I don't know about you, but I'm blocking off late June right now. ;-)
- And of course, all the amenities we've currently come to expect from the Century will be on the east side, too... stadium seating, special event broadcasts, and so forth.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Everything You May or May Not Have Wanted to Know About Sioux Falls' Newest Movie Theater
Right now, Sioux Falls' first new movie theater in over a decade is under construction on the east side of town, right next door to the new east-side Target. If you're a local movie geek like myself, you're probably wondering, "What's the new theater going to be like?" Well, last night while waiting for A Nightmare on Elm Street to open at the west-side Century 14, I talked to the manager and asked about the east-side theater (as both the Century 14 and the east-side theater are managed by Cinemark). Here's what I learned...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Derrick's Insanely Comprehensive Summer 2010 Guide to Pop Culture
From a pop culture standpoint, I get pretty giddy this time of year. After a meddling and uneven batch of spring flicks, the major studios start unleashing their A-list big-budget summer blockbusters. Sure, I don't mind prestige films... but when summer comes, I just want to be entertained. I just want to see stuff get blown up real good. I want to see superheroes whiz across the screen. I want to see funny slapstick comedies, the annual Pixar summer film, the highly anticipated sequels, and everything in between. And if the studios have done their jobs right, you want to see all that stuff, too.
Which brings us to this little bit of blog-based fun you see here. As an entertaining gesture, I've decided to kick off this summer's season of pop culture goodies by putting this informative post together. This overview will split up into my two areas of pop culture expertise: movies and TV. For the movies, I've put together a week-by-week rundown of what's coming out this summer, complete with hand-picked embedded trailers (courtesy of the folks at TrailerAddict.com). Keep in mind that I am not endorsing every single movie that's hitting theaters this summer; that would be insane and downright stupid. I simply want to provide some information about the flicks that you'll be hearing about sooner or later (for better or worse). For TV, I'm just going to focus on what I consider are some of the major boob-tube highlights of the summer - that is, the stuff I'm actually going to be watching. (Trailers, TV spots, and other videos will be provided if available.) So, let's get started!
In Theaters:
April 30:
A Nightmare on Elm Street (New Line, director: Samuel Bayer)
Technically, this isn't the first official summer movie release; that honor belongs to Iron Man 2. However, since this is a pretty big horror tentpole, I've included this weekend in my movie listings. This remake comes to us from horror-remake producer/Transformers guru Michael Bay, who's previously rehashed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th. For horror geeks, all eyes will be on Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach in Watchmen), who takes on Robert Englund's iconic role of Freddy Kreuger. Hopefully this turns out as good as the Friday the 13th remake... although those video-blogging scenes in the trailer scare me more than any of Freddy's appearances. ;-)
Furry Vengeance (Summit; director: Roger Kumble)
To be honest, how many family movies do you know of that have the word "Vengeance" in the title? Don't get too excited, though: this just looks like 90 minutes of Brendan Fraser getting tortured by ticked-off forest creatures (in the name of hilarity, of course). Why? Because Fraser's company is going to destroy their forest! But hey, it's got Dr. Ken Jeong as the bad guy... and is that Brooke Shields as Fraser's wife?!? And did they really hand this movie to the guy who directed Cruel Intentions?
May 7:
Iron Man 2 (Paramount; director: Jon Favreau)
Now this is officially when the summer movies start... and my oh my, what a way to kick things off. In the two years since Iron Man's release, Robert Downey Jr.'s star power has skyrocketed... and the supporting cast they've assembled is impressive: Mickey Rourke (in his first post-Wrestler role) and Sam Rockwell as the bad guys, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, the returning Gwenyth Paltrow, Don Cheadle (substituting for a greedy Terrence Howard), a larger role for Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, and (as Tony Stark's dad) John Slatter of Mad Men fame. Plus, it's got the suitcase suit! (And yes, there's another big post-credits scene this time around...)
Babies (Focus; director: Thomas Balmes)
Yes, this is a real movie; the poster's been hanging at the Century here in town for months. It apparently follows four babies from various parts of the globe. At the very least, it has the wackiest MPAA ratings explanation since Alice in Wonderland: "Rated PG for cultural and maternal nudity throughout."
May 14:
Robin Hood (Universal; director: Ridley Scott)
This is the fourth consecutive time that Ridley Scott has used Russell Crowe in his movies (following A Good Year, American Gangster, and Body of Lies)... and that's in addition to 2000's Gladiator. A part of me wonders if it's too soon for another Robin Hood movie; to an extent, we're still reeling from Prince of Thieves and Men in Tights. But, I trust Ridley Scott, so I'm game for this revival. Also with Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, Matthew Macfayden as the Sheriff of Nottingham, William Hurt, and Mark Strong.
Letters to Juliet (Summit; director: Gary Winick)
Seriously, is Amanda Seyfried in absolutely everything these days? Think about it: Jennifer's Body, Dear John, Chloe, Big Love, and now this. The concept seems a bit hokey (the titular "Juliet" refers to Shakespeare's famous character), but seems like serviceable summer counterprogramming. With Vanessa Redgrave and Christopher Egan (whom you might remember from last year's NBC series Kings).
Just Wright (Fox, director: Sanaa Hamri)
Again, this seems like summertime counterprogramming on the studios' part. This has Queen Latifah as a physical therapist looking for love... and finds it in the b-ball player she's rehabilitating (Common).
May 21:
Shrek Forever After (DreamWorks; director: Mike Mitchell)
So, apparently, this is the final installment in Dreamworks' biggest animation franchise ...and based on the tired "deal with the devil" plot, I think the series should wrap up. A part of me wants to doubt this will be the end, but I guess we'll see, depending on the box office intake (which will get a boost from this movie's 3D showings). Besides, fat Puss in Boots really cracks me up in the trailers... seriously!
MacGruber (Rogue; director: Jorma Taccome)
We haven't been privy to a Saturday Night Live-based movie since that run in the late 1990s (A Night at the Roxbury; Superstar; The Ladies Man)... and let's face it, none of the SNL movies since Wayne's World have been memorable. I'm going to be optimistic this time around: director/co-writer Jorma Taccome is one of the members of The Lonely Island, who's responsible for SNL's digital shorts, and the casting is pretty solid, anchored by Val Kilmer (!!!) as the villian.
May 27 (Special Thursday Opening!):
Sex and the City 2 (New Line; director: Michael Patrick King)
2008's Sex and the City movie was a smash success at the box office, far exceeding Hollywood's expectations. So, just two years later, the sequel is here... and while I've never watched the show (and therefore won't be hitting this movie up), the whole "Let's go to Abu Dhabi!" theme caught me as a big surprise. So, if you want to see Sarah Jessica Parker riding a camel in the desert, here you go!
May 28:
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Disney; director: Mike Newell)
One of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer's big goals this summer is to try and start up another live-action movie franchise that's as successful as their Pirates of the Caribbean series (speaking of which: Pirates 4 is due next summer). So, here's their first attempt: an adaptation of the classic video game, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, and Jake Gyllenhaal's hair. In the director's chair: Mike Newell, of Donnie Brasco and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire fame.
June 4:
Get Him to the Greek (Universal; director: Nicholas Stoller)
One of this summer's most out-of-left-field movies is this: a spin-off of 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which was only mildly successful at the box office (but is a movie that I, and many others, still cherish). This flick revolves around Russell Brand's rock-star character Aldous Snow, as he and a record company intern (Jonah Hill, who is not reprising his Sarah Marshall character) trek from London to L.A. for an anniversary concert. The supporting cast looks good, too: Elisabeth Moss (Peggy from Mad Men), Aziz Ansari, and Puff Daddy himself, Sean Combs.
Killers (Lionsgate; director: Robert Luketic)
Well, now that Katherine Heigl has left Grey's Anatomy for good, she and her mother/manager really, really need her movie career to take off. This particular movie doesn't seem to get things off to a good start: it's a watered-down action/comedy/romance with Ashton Kutcher playing Heigl's husband-who's-really-an-assassin... and Heigl doesn't know it! Hi-larious! (The comparisons to Knight & Day certainly won't help out here.) And hey, look, it's Tom Selleck!
Marmaduke (Fox; director: Tom Dey)
When I first saw this trailer about a month ago, I said to myself, "This looks like the crappiest movie of the summer." Look at the signs: Owen Wilson as the voice of the talking dog Marmaduke; an assist from George Lopez; Lee Pace of Pushing Daisies fame looking embarrassed; and William H. Macy getting pummeled in the nuts... TWICE. And then there's that horrible CGI animal dancing sequence at the very end... yeeeesh. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Splice (Warner; director: Vincenzo Natali)
A creepy-looking little summer horror movie, courtesy of Joel Silver and his Dark Castle team (who gave us last summer's awesome horror flick Orphan). A team of scientists, including Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, genetically engineer themselves a part-human, part-animal creature... and stuff soon starts to hit the fan!
June 11:
The A-Team (Fox, director: Joe Carnahan)
This looks like some good old summer popcorn fare: an updating of the 1980s action series, starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley (the star of District 9) and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (as B.A. Barracus) as the titular team, and with Jessica Biel in a supporting role. From director Joe Carnahan (of Smokin' Aces fame).
The Karate Kid (Sony; director: Harald Zwart)
When your dad is Will Smith, you can get your own star-making vehicle pretty easily... or so I guess. So it is for Jaden Smith, who steps into Ralph Macchio's rather large shoes in this remake of the 1980s franchise. Stepping into the Mr. Miyagi role: Jackie Chan, in his second American family flick of the year. (Trivia note: There's no karate in this movie, just kung fu. However, while this flick will be titled The Kung Fu Kid in the rest of the world, the good old U.S.A. still needs some name recognition, so that's why the title is a bit weird.) And, hey, is that a snippet of "You're the Best" that I heard at the end of the trailer?
June 18:
Toy Story 3 (Disney; director: Lee Unkrich)
For me, this is THE movie of the summer, bar none. The Toy Story franchise is very dear to my heart, and early reviews have indicated that it's just as good as the first two films. Among the new toys: the Lots-o-Huggin' Bear (voiced by Ned Beatty) and Ken (voiced by Michael Keaton). This will be shown in Disney Digital 3D in select theaters.
Jonah Hex (Warner; director: Jimmy Hayward)
Unfortunately, I don't have a trailer for this movie yet... which is very scary, because the movie is due in theaters in eight weeks (although a trailer is supposed to go out with A Nightmare on Elm Street). By all indications, this comic book adaptation starring Josh Brolin is supposed to be a major trainwreck, with I Am Legend/Constantine director Francis Lawrence stepping in to help with reshoots. (Director Jimmy Hayward had previously worked only in animation, having directed Horton Hears a Who! following a long stint as a Pixar animator. Ironically, his live-action debut will be crushed by Toy Story 3 that same weekend.) Joining Brolin are John Malkovich and Megan Fox.
June 25:
Grown-Ups (Sony; director: Dennis Dugan)
This summer's Adam Sandler movie has quite a gimmick: it reunites him with many of his old Saturday Night Live buddies, including Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider, in this story of old childhood buddies who meet up for a 4th of July vacation. Plus, there's Kevin James, who seems to be playing a very Chris Farley-esque role, and Salma Hayek as (not making this up) Sandler's wife. From frequent Adam Sandler director Dennis Dugan (Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy).
Knight & Day (Fox; director: James Mangold)
If there's one thing that makes this movie look awesome, it's watching Tom Cruise channel his real-life craziness directly to the movie screen. This flick from director James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line) features Cruise as a superspy who's snapped, and Cameron Diaz as the random stranger who gets mixed up in his messes. Some fun action (like Cruise flying off his motorcycle onto Diaz's car) and comedy all in one.
June 30 (Special Wednesday Opening!)
Eclipse (Summit; director: David Slade)
Round three of the Twilight franchise. This time around, Summit is really trying to get the male audience to show up, by ramping up the action. (Personally, I would just settle for a movie that isn't as unintentionally funny as the first two installments.) Plus, the hiring of David Slade is a bold and wise choice, as his previous movies, 30 Days of Night and Hard Candy, demonstrate his expertise in vampire scares and wildly age-inappropriate relationships, respectively. However, it's rumored that the cut he originally turned in was too dark for the studio... I guess we'll find out come release time.
July 2:
The Last Airbender (Paramount; director: M. Night Shyamalan)
Call this "the other Avatar movie", as the Nickelodeon animated series gets a live-action upgrade. In my mind, though, this is a big test for M. Night Shyamalan, who's become a director-for-hire after The Happening bombed hard with critics and audiences in the summer of 2008. Paramount has just announced a last-minute 3D conversion, akin to Clash of the Titans; let's see how well that turns out. Visual effects don't look bad, though...
July 9:
Predators (Fox; director: Nimrod Antal)
The Predator is back to kill and kill again, thanks to producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimrod Antal (Armored, Vacancy). With Rodriguez in charge, this movie had better be bad-ass; hopefully this will harken back to the 1987 original with Ah-nuld. Who's stepping into his shoes, by the way? Adrien Brody and Topher Grace! (Yes, that's absolutely correct.)
Despicable Me (Universal; directors: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin)
I don't think it's a good sign when a movie has had a gazillion trailers, and I still have no idea what the heck it's about. All I know is that Steve Carell is the voice of Gru, a super-villian, and he has to content with a geeky rival villian (Jason Segel) and raising some kids. Hopefully, they kick up the advertising campaign here pretty soon. (Again, this is another 3D extravaganza.)
July 16:
Inception (Warner; director: Christopher Nolan)
When your previous movie is The Dark Knight, you pretty much have free reign to do whatever you want. So, Christopher Nolan has put together what looks like one heck of a mindf*ck, with an A-list cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph-Gordon Levitt, and Ellen Page. Definitely one of my most anticipated movies of the summer!
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Disney; director: Jon Turtletaub)
Remember what I wrote in the Prince of Persia blurb about how Disney's looking for a new big franchise? Well, here's their second such effort this summer, which reunites the National Treasure team of Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turtletaub, and star Nicolas Cage. Also along for the ride: Alfred Molina and, as the apprentice, Jay Baruchel. (Odd, though; there's only a slight reference to the Fantasia short of the same name...)
July 23:
Dinner for Schmucks (DreamWorks; director: Jay Roach)
The one-two-three punch of Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and Zach Galifianakis certainly raises the bar for this French comedy remake, directed by Jay Roach (the helmer of the Meet the Parents and Austin Powers movies). Carell's the master of uncomfortable comedy, thanks to The Office, so I'm optimistic about this.
Salt (Sony; director: Phillip Noyce)
Two years ago, we got Angelina Jolie's last action movie, the gloriously over-the-top Wanted. This new movie, in which Jolie plays a supposed Russian spy, will likely be a lot more grounded in reality, thanks to director Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger).... but hopefully not too much! :-)
Ramona and Beezus (Fox; director: Elizabeth Allen)
That's right, America: Beverly Cleary is coming to kick some big-screen ass! I'm sure some other studio will counteract next summer with a Judy Blume favorite. ;-) In all seriousness, this flick, from Walden Media, is aiming to be a cuddly, inoffensive addition to the summer's family movie arsenal.
July 30:
Beastly (CBS Films; director: Daniel Barnz)
Okay, now this looks a little weird: a Beauty and the Beast riff for the teen set. The casting is sure odd, though: Mary-Kate Olsen as a Goth witch, and Neil Patrick Harris as a blind tutor!
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (Warner; director: Brad Peyton)
Uhhhhhh.... seriously, who asked for a sequel to *this* movie?!?!? The 2001 original wasn't that huge of a hit... and certainly too much time has passed between now and then. But, America loves its cute animals... and (yet AGAIN) this is cashing in on the 3D hype. I kind of feel sorry for the live-action actors involved: Chris O'Donnell, Fred Armisen... and is that Kenneth himself, Jack McBrayer, in a Dracula costume?!?
August 6:
The Other Guys (Columbia; director: Adam McKay)
When Will Ferrell and Adam McKay team up to make a movie, the results are golden: Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers. Their fourth film collaboration looks just awesome: Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg play NYPD desk jockeys who pale in the shadow of the department's star cops (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson)... until they get a chance to shine on their own! "Someone call 9-1-holy-sh..."
Step Up 3D (Disney; director: Jon Chu)
Yes, there is a third Step Up coming this summer. And yes, America's gonna be really, really sick of 3D by the end of this summer, I swear it. Besides, I doubt Channing Tatum will have the time to make an obligatory cameo this time around!
August 13:
The Expendables (Lionsgate; director: Sylvester Stallone)
The movie-geek nerd-gasm of the summer, as Stallone assemble the biggest bunch of bad-asses ever seen on the screen: Jason Statham, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Terry Crews, Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, and many, many more!
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Universal; director: Edgar Wright)
The new movie from Edgar Wright, director of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, is this adaptation of the graphic novel series about the titular Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), who takes on the girl of his dreams' seven exes, including Brandon Routh and Chris Evans. Plus, for Arrested Development fans, it's going to be amusing watching George Michael and Ann kick each other's butts! :-)
Eat, Pray, Love (Sony; director: Ryan Murphy)
Hot off the success of his hit TV show Glee and the series finale of Nip/Tuck, Ryan Murphy brings us his second flick (the first being Running with Scissors), an adaptation of the best-selling book starring Julia Roberts.
August 20:
Takers (Sony; director: John Luessenhopp)
This crime movie was supposed to come out on President's Day Weekend; a six-month delay can't be a good thing! Still, that's an odd and large cast there: Idris Elba, Chris Brown, Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen, and Matt Dillon.
Nanny McPhee Returns (Universal; director: Susanna White)
Supernanny Emma Thompson is back to do nanny-like things, and stuff and stuff. This movie already hit British theaters in late March, and Universal is going to import it over to fill out its August schedule.
The Lottery Ticket (Warner; director: Erik White)
The dynamic duo of Bow Wow (don't you dare call him Li'l Bow Wow!) and Ice Cube hit screens, as Bow Wow's character wins $370 million in the lottery, and his entire neighborhood hunts him down. There's a bunch of bit players in here: T-Pain, Keith David, Charlie Murphy, and more...
August 27:
Piranha 3D (Dimension; director: Alexandre Aja)
This looks like cheesy end-of-summer horror fun; hopefully it's better than The Final Destination. Plus, it looks like a modern-day Jaws ripoff... heck, it's got Richard Dreyfuss dressed up at Matt Hooper!!! Director Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes remake, Mirrors) is running the show.
September 3:
Machete (Fox; directors: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Marquis)
Okay, that's not the real trailer for this flick - that's the fake Machete trailer filmed as part of 2007's Grindhouse. But, the mere fact that a fake trailer can lead to an actual feature film is pretty darn impressive... especially since Grindhouse bombed in theaters. Plus, look at this cast: Danny Trejo as Machete, fellow fake-trailer stars Jeff Fahey and Cheech Marin, plus Robert De Niro, Lindsey Lohan, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, and Don Johnson! This Labor Day, don't f*ck with this Mexican!
Whew, so that's the movie portion of this summer... now, onto TV:
On Television:
Spring Leftovers:
Some of this spring's shows are going to spill into summertime, thanks to late season starts. Glee's season finale is slated for June 9, and it's going to revolve around a bunch of Journey songs. Plus, TV's most awesomest show, Breaking Bad, will wrap up on June 13.
The Return of Futurama!
One of the most exciting things to happen on TV this summer is the long-awaited series return of Futurama. That's precisely right: Futurama returns this summer... Thursday, June 24th to be exact... with the first of 26 episodes ordered by Comedy Central.
HBO:
Once again, HBO is aggressively promoting the return of True Blood, whose third season is slated to start on June 13th. Two weeks later, on the 27th, Entourage and Hung return for their seventh and second seasons, respectively.
The World of Matt Nix:
The master of the summer TV series has two shows in play this summer. First, Burn Notice returns for Season 4 on Thursday, June 3rd. (The series just got picked up for a 5th and 6th season, too!) In addition, Nix has a new series starting on Fox on May 19th: The Good Guys, a buddy-cop show starring Bradley Whitford (yes, of Aaron Sorkin and Billy Madison fame) and Colin Hanks (son of Tom).
AMC:
I already mentioned the Breaking Bad finale above... but AMC has two other shows in the pipeline. The fourth season of Mad Men returns on July 25th, with the newly formed Sterling/Cooper/Draper/Pryce ad agency sure to propel this year's stories. A week later on August 1st, AMC premieres its third original series, Rubicon, a conspiracy thriller starring James Badge Dale, of 24 and The Pacific fame.
And Last, But Certainly Not Least:
If absolutely none of the above movies and series float your boat, there's always one option that's on almost every night, and which is perfect to watch on a lazy summer evening. Yes, I'm talking about Twins baseball on FSN North! As of this writing, they've got a decent 14-7 record, and the new Target Field is certainly cool to see, too.
Well, there you have it: a veritable slew of information that will keep you occupied for many hours these next few months. Hope you had fun, and have an awesome summer!
Which brings us to this little bit of blog-based fun you see here. As an entertaining gesture, I've decided to kick off this summer's season of pop culture goodies by putting this informative post together. This overview will split up into my two areas of pop culture expertise: movies and TV. For the movies, I've put together a week-by-week rundown of what's coming out this summer, complete with hand-picked embedded trailers (courtesy of the folks at TrailerAddict.com). Keep in mind that I am not endorsing every single movie that's hitting theaters this summer; that would be insane and downright stupid. I simply want to provide some information about the flicks that you'll be hearing about sooner or later (for better or worse). For TV, I'm just going to focus on what I consider are some of the major boob-tube highlights of the summer - that is, the stuff I'm actually going to be watching. (Trailers, TV spots, and other videos will be provided if available.) So, let's get started!
In Theaters:
April 30:
A Nightmare on Elm Street (New Line, director: Samuel Bayer)
Technically, this isn't the first official summer movie release; that honor belongs to Iron Man 2. However, since this is a pretty big horror tentpole, I've included this weekend in my movie listings. This remake comes to us from horror-remake producer/Transformers guru Michael Bay, who's previously rehashed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Friday the 13th. For horror geeks, all eyes will be on Jackie Earle Haley (Rorschach in Watchmen), who takes on Robert Englund's iconic role of Freddy Kreuger. Hopefully this turns out as good as the Friday the 13th remake... although those video-blogging scenes in the trailer scare me more than any of Freddy's appearances. ;-)
Furry Vengeance (Summit; director: Roger Kumble)
To be honest, how many family movies do you know of that have the word "Vengeance" in the title? Don't get too excited, though: this just looks like 90 minutes of Brendan Fraser getting tortured by ticked-off forest creatures (in the name of hilarity, of course). Why? Because Fraser's company is going to destroy their forest! But hey, it's got Dr. Ken Jeong as the bad guy... and is that Brooke Shields as Fraser's wife?!? And did they really hand this movie to the guy who directed Cruel Intentions?
May 7:
Iron Man 2 (Paramount; director: Jon Favreau)
Now this is officially when the summer movies start... and my oh my, what a way to kick things off. In the two years since Iron Man's release, Robert Downey Jr.'s star power has skyrocketed... and the supporting cast they've assembled is impressive: Mickey Rourke (in his first post-Wrestler role) and Sam Rockwell as the bad guys, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, the returning Gwenyth Paltrow, Don Cheadle (substituting for a greedy Terrence Howard), a larger role for Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, and (as Tony Stark's dad) John Slatter of Mad Men fame. Plus, it's got the suitcase suit! (And yes, there's another big post-credits scene this time around...)
Babies (Focus; director: Thomas Balmes)
Yes, this is a real movie; the poster's been hanging at the Century here in town for months. It apparently follows four babies from various parts of the globe. At the very least, it has the wackiest MPAA ratings explanation since Alice in Wonderland: "Rated PG for cultural and maternal nudity throughout."
May 14:
Robin Hood (Universal; director: Ridley Scott)
This is the fourth consecutive time that Ridley Scott has used Russell Crowe in his movies (following A Good Year, American Gangster, and Body of Lies)... and that's in addition to 2000's Gladiator. A part of me wonders if it's too soon for another Robin Hood movie; to an extent, we're still reeling from Prince of Thieves and Men in Tights. But, I trust Ridley Scott, so I'm game for this revival. Also with Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, Matthew Macfayden as the Sheriff of Nottingham, William Hurt, and Mark Strong.
Letters to Juliet (Summit; director: Gary Winick)
Seriously, is Amanda Seyfried in absolutely everything these days? Think about it: Jennifer's Body, Dear John, Chloe, Big Love, and now this. The concept seems a bit hokey (the titular "Juliet" refers to Shakespeare's famous character), but seems like serviceable summer counterprogramming. With Vanessa Redgrave and Christopher Egan (whom you might remember from last year's NBC series Kings).
Just Wright (Fox, director: Sanaa Hamri)
Again, this seems like summertime counterprogramming on the studios' part. This has Queen Latifah as a physical therapist looking for love... and finds it in the b-ball player she's rehabilitating (Common).
May 21:
Shrek Forever After (DreamWorks; director: Mike Mitchell)
So, apparently, this is the final installment in Dreamworks' biggest animation franchise ...and based on the tired "deal with the devil" plot, I think the series should wrap up. A part of me wants to doubt this will be the end, but I guess we'll see, depending on the box office intake (which will get a boost from this movie's 3D showings). Besides, fat Puss in Boots really cracks me up in the trailers... seriously!
MacGruber (Rogue; director: Jorma Taccome)
We haven't been privy to a Saturday Night Live-based movie since that run in the late 1990s (A Night at the Roxbury; Superstar; The Ladies Man)... and let's face it, none of the SNL movies since Wayne's World have been memorable. I'm going to be optimistic this time around: director/co-writer Jorma Taccome is one of the members of The Lonely Island, who's responsible for SNL's digital shorts, and the casting is pretty solid, anchored by Val Kilmer (!!!) as the villian.
May 27 (Special Thursday Opening!):
Sex and the City 2 (New Line; director: Michael Patrick King)
2008's Sex and the City movie was a smash success at the box office, far exceeding Hollywood's expectations. So, just two years later, the sequel is here... and while I've never watched the show (and therefore won't be hitting this movie up), the whole "Let's go to Abu Dhabi!" theme caught me as a big surprise. So, if you want to see Sarah Jessica Parker riding a camel in the desert, here you go!
May 28:
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Disney; director: Mike Newell)
One of Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer's big goals this summer is to try and start up another live-action movie franchise that's as successful as their Pirates of the Caribbean series (speaking of which: Pirates 4 is due next summer). So, here's their first attempt: an adaptation of the classic video game, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, and Jake Gyllenhaal's hair. In the director's chair: Mike Newell, of Donnie Brasco and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire fame.
June 4:
Get Him to the Greek (Universal; director: Nicholas Stoller)
One of this summer's most out-of-left-field movies is this: a spin-off of 2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which was only mildly successful at the box office (but is a movie that I, and many others, still cherish). This flick revolves around Russell Brand's rock-star character Aldous Snow, as he and a record company intern (Jonah Hill, who is not reprising his Sarah Marshall character) trek from London to L.A. for an anniversary concert. The supporting cast looks good, too: Elisabeth Moss (Peggy from Mad Men), Aziz Ansari, and Puff Daddy himself, Sean Combs.
Killers (Lionsgate; director: Robert Luketic)
Well, now that Katherine Heigl has left Grey's Anatomy for good, she and her mother/manager really, really need her movie career to take off. This particular movie doesn't seem to get things off to a good start: it's a watered-down action/comedy/romance with Ashton Kutcher playing Heigl's husband-who's-really-an-assassin... and Heigl doesn't know it! Hi-larious! (The comparisons to Knight & Day certainly won't help out here.) And hey, look, it's Tom Selleck!
Marmaduke (Fox; director: Tom Dey)
When I first saw this trailer about a month ago, I said to myself, "This looks like the crappiest movie of the summer." Look at the signs: Owen Wilson as the voice of the talking dog Marmaduke; an assist from George Lopez; Lee Pace of Pushing Daisies fame looking embarrassed; and William H. Macy getting pummeled in the nuts... TWICE. And then there's that horrible CGI animal dancing sequence at the very end... yeeeesh. Don't say I didn't warn you!
Splice (Warner; director: Vincenzo Natali)
A creepy-looking little summer horror movie, courtesy of Joel Silver and his Dark Castle team (who gave us last summer's awesome horror flick Orphan). A team of scientists, including Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley, genetically engineer themselves a part-human, part-animal creature... and stuff soon starts to hit the fan!
June 11:
The A-Team (Fox, director: Joe Carnahan)
This looks like some good old summer popcorn fare: an updating of the 1980s action series, starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copley (the star of District 9) and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (as B.A. Barracus) as the titular team, and with Jessica Biel in a supporting role. From director Joe Carnahan (of Smokin' Aces fame).
The Karate Kid (Sony; director: Harald Zwart)
When your dad is Will Smith, you can get your own star-making vehicle pretty easily... or so I guess. So it is for Jaden Smith, who steps into Ralph Macchio's rather large shoes in this remake of the 1980s franchise. Stepping into the Mr. Miyagi role: Jackie Chan, in his second American family flick of the year. (Trivia note: There's no karate in this movie, just kung fu. However, while this flick will be titled The Kung Fu Kid in the rest of the world, the good old U.S.A. still needs some name recognition, so that's why the title is a bit weird.) And, hey, is that a snippet of "You're the Best" that I heard at the end of the trailer?
June 18:
Toy Story 3 (Disney; director: Lee Unkrich)
For me, this is THE movie of the summer, bar none. The Toy Story franchise is very dear to my heart, and early reviews have indicated that it's just as good as the first two films. Among the new toys: the Lots-o-Huggin' Bear (voiced by Ned Beatty) and Ken (voiced by Michael Keaton). This will be shown in Disney Digital 3D in select theaters.
Jonah Hex (Warner; director: Jimmy Hayward)
Unfortunately, I don't have a trailer for this movie yet... which is very scary, because the movie is due in theaters in eight weeks (although a trailer is supposed to go out with A Nightmare on Elm Street). By all indications, this comic book adaptation starring Josh Brolin is supposed to be a major trainwreck, with I Am Legend/Constantine director Francis Lawrence stepping in to help with reshoots. (Director Jimmy Hayward had previously worked only in animation, having directed Horton Hears a Who! following a long stint as a Pixar animator. Ironically, his live-action debut will be crushed by Toy Story 3 that same weekend.) Joining Brolin are John Malkovich and Megan Fox.
June 25:
Grown-Ups (Sony; director: Dennis Dugan)
This summer's Adam Sandler movie has quite a gimmick: it reunites him with many of his old Saturday Night Live buddies, including Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider, in this story of old childhood buddies who meet up for a 4th of July vacation. Plus, there's Kevin James, who seems to be playing a very Chris Farley-esque role, and Salma Hayek as (not making this up) Sandler's wife. From frequent Adam Sandler director Dennis Dugan (Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy).
Knight & Day (Fox; director: James Mangold)
If there's one thing that makes this movie look awesome, it's watching Tom Cruise channel his real-life craziness directly to the movie screen. This flick from director James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma, Walk the Line) features Cruise as a superspy who's snapped, and Cameron Diaz as the random stranger who gets mixed up in his messes. Some fun action (like Cruise flying off his motorcycle onto Diaz's car) and comedy all in one.
June 30 (Special Wednesday Opening!)
Eclipse (Summit; director: David Slade)
Round three of the Twilight franchise. This time around, Summit is really trying to get the male audience to show up, by ramping up the action. (Personally, I would just settle for a movie that isn't as unintentionally funny as the first two installments.) Plus, the hiring of David Slade is a bold and wise choice, as his previous movies, 30 Days of Night and Hard Candy, demonstrate his expertise in vampire scares and wildly age-inappropriate relationships, respectively. However, it's rumored that the cut he originally turned in was too dark for the studio... I guess we'll find out come release time.
July 2:
The Last Airbender (Paramount; director: M. Night Shyamalan)
Call this "the other Avatar movie", as the Nickelodeon animated series gets a live-action upgrade. In my mind, though, this is a big test for M. Night Shyamalan, who's become a director-for-hire after The Happening bombed hard with critics and audiences in the summer of 2008. Paramount has just announced a last-minute 3D conversion, akin to Clash of the Titans; let's see how well that turns out. Visual effects don't look bad, though...
July 9:
Predators (Fox; director: Nimrod Antal)
The Predator is back to kill and kill again, thanks to producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimrod Antal (Armored, Vacancy). With Rodriguez in charge, this movie had better be bad-ass; hopefully this will harken back to the 1987 original with Ah-nuld. Who's stepping into his shoes, by the way? Adrien Brody and Topher Grace! (Yes, that's absolutely correct.)
Despicable Me (Universal; directors: Chris Renaud, Pierre Coffin)
I don't think it's a good sign when a movie has had a gazillion trailers, and I still have no idea what the heck it's about. All I know is that Steve Carell is the voice of Gru, a super-villian, and he has to content with a geeky rival villian (Jason Segel) and raising some kids. Hopefully, they kick up the advertising campaign here pretty soon. (Again, this is another 3D extravaganza.)
July 16:
Inception (Warner; director: Christopher Nolan)
When your previous movie is The Dark Knight, you pretty much have free reign to do whatever you want. So, Christopher Nolan has put together what looks like one heck of a mindf*ck, with an A-list cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph-Gordon Levitt, and Ellen Page. Definitely one of my most anticipated movies of the summer!
The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Disney; director: Jon Turtletaub)
Remember what I wrote in the Prince of Persia blurb about how Disney's looking for a new big franchise? Well, here's their second such effort this summer, which reunites the National Treasure team of Jerry Bruckheimer, director Jon Turtletaub, and star Nicolas Cage. Also along for the ride: Alfred Molina and, as the apprentice, Jay Baruchel. (Odd, though; there's only a slight reference to the Fantasia short of the same name...)
July 23:
Dinner for Schmucks (DreamWorks; director: Jay Roach)
The one-two-three punch of Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and Zach Galifianakis certainly raises the bar for this French comedy remake, directed by Jay Roach (the helmer of the Meet the Parents and Austin Powers movies). Carell's the master of uncomfortable comedy, thanks to The Office, so I'm optimistic about this.
Salt (Sony; director: Phillip Noyce)
Two years ago, we got Angelina Jolie's last action movie, the gloriously over-the-top Wanted. This new movie, in which Jolie plays a supposed Russian spy, will likely be a lot more grounded in reality, thanks to director Phillip Noyce (Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger).... but hopefully not too much! :-)
Ramona and Beezus (Fox; director: Elizabeth Allen)
That's right, America: Beverly Cleary is coming to kick some big-screen ass! I'm sure some other studio will counteract next summer with a Judy Blume favorite. ;-) In all seriousness, this flick, from Walden Media, is aiming to be a cuddly, inoffensive addition to the summer's family movie arsenal.
July 30:
Beastly (CBS Films; director: Daniel Barnz)
Okay, now this looks a little weird: a Beauty and the Beast riff for the teen set. The casting is sure odd, though: Mary-Kate Olsen as a Goth witch, and Neil Patrick Harris as a blind tutor!
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (Warner; director: Brad Peyton)
Uhhhhhh.... seriously, who asked for a sequel to *this* movie?!?!? The 2001 original wasn't that huge of a hit... and certainly too much time has passed between now and then. But, America loves its cute animals... and (yet AGAIN) this is cashing in on the 3D hype. I kind of feel sorry for the live-action actors involved: Chris O'Donnell, Fred Armisen... and is that Kenneth himself, Jack McBrayer, in a Dracula costume?!?
August 6:
The Other Guys (Columbia; director: Adam McKay)
When Will Ferrell and Adam McKay team up to make a movie, the results are golden: Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers. Their fourth film collaboration looks just awesome: Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg play NYPD desk jockeys who pale in the shadow of the department's star cops (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson)... until they get a chance to shine on their own! "Someone call 9-1-holy-sh..."
Step Up 3D (Disney; director: Jon Chu)
Yes, there is a third Step Up coming this summer. And yes, America's gonna be really, really sick of 3D by the end of this summer, I swear it. Besides, I doubt Channing Tatum will have the time to make an obligatory cameo this time around!
August 13:
The Expendables (Lionsgate; director: Sylvester Stallone)
The movie-geek nerd-gasm of the summer, as Stallone assemble the biggest bunch of bad-asses ever seen on the screen: Jason Statham, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Terry Crews, Steve Austin, Dolph Lundgren, and many, many more!
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Universal; director: Edgar Wright)
The new movie from Edgar Wright, director of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, is this adaptation of the graphic novel series about the titular Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), who takes on the girl of his dreams' seven exes, including Brandon Routh and Chris Evans. Plus, for Arrested Development fans, it's going to be amusing watching George Michael and Ann kick each other's butts! :-)
Eat, Pray, Love (Sony; director: Ryan Murphy)
Hot off the success of his hit TV show Glee and the series finale of Nip/Tuck, Ryan Murphy brings us his second flick (the first being Running with Scissors), an adaptation of the best-selling book starring Julia Roberts.
August 20:
Takers (Sony; director: John Luessenhopp)
This crime movie was supposed to come out on President's Day Weekend; a six-month delay can't be a good thing! Still, that's an odd and large cast there: Idris Elba, Chris Brown, Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen, and Matt Dillon.
Nanny McPhee Returns (Universal; director: Susanna White)
Supernanny Emma Thompson is back to do nanny-like things, and stuff and stuff. This movie already hit British theaters in late March, and Universal is going to import it over to fill out its August schedule.
The Lottery Ticket (Warner; director: Erik White)
The dynamic duo of Bow Wow (don't you dare call him Li'l Bow Wow!) and Ice Cube hit screens, as Bow Wow's character wins $370 million in the lottery, and his entire neighborhood hunts him down. There's a bunch of bit players in here: T-Pain, Keith David, Charlie Murphy, and more...
August 27:
Piranha 3D (Dimension; director: Alexandre Aja)
This looks like cheesy end-of-summer horror fun; hopefully it's better than The Final Destination. Plus, it looks like a modern-day Jaws ripoff... heck, it's got Richard Dreyfuss dressed up at Matt Hooper!!! Director Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes remake, Mirrors) is running the show.
September 3:
Machete (Fox; directors: Robert Rodriguez, Ethan Marquis)
Okay, that's not the real trailer for this flick - that's the fake Machete trailer filmed as part of 2007's Grindhouse. But, the mere fact that a fake trailer can lead to an actual feature film is pretty darn impressive... especially since Grindhouse bombed in theaters. Plus, look at this cast: Danny Trejo as Machete, fellow fake-trailer stars Jeff Fahey and Cheech Marin, plus Robert De Niro, Lindsey Lohan, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, and Don Johnson! This Labor Day, don't f*ck with this Mexican!
Whew, so that's the movie portion of this summer... now, onto TV:
On Television:
Spring Leftovers:
Some of this spring's shows are going to spill into summertime, thanks to late season starts. Glee's season finale is slated for June 9, and it's going to revolve around a bunch of Journey songs. Plus, TV's most awesomest show, Breaking Bad, will wrap up on June 13.
The Return of Futurama!
One of the most exciting things to happen on TV this summer is the long-awaited series return of Futurama. That's precisely right: Futurama returns this summer... Thursday, June 24th to be exact... with the first of 26 episodes ordered by Comedy Central.
HBO:
Once again, HBO is aggressively promoting the return of True Blood, whose third season is slated to start on June 13th. Two weeks later, on the 27th, Entourage and Hung return for their seventh and second seasons, respectively.
The World of Matt Nix:
The master of the summer TV series has two shows in play this summer. First, Burn Notice returns for Season 4 on Thursday, June 3rd. (The series just got picked up for a 5th and 6th season, too!) In addition, Nix has a new series starting on Fox on May 19th: The Good Guys, a buddy-cop show starring Bradley Whitford (yes, of Aaron Sorkin and Billy Madison fame) and Colin Hanks (son of Tom).
AMC:
I already mentioned the Breaking Bad finale above... but AMC has two other shows in the pipeline. The fourth season of Mad Men returns on July 25th, with the newly formed Sterling/Cooper/Draper/Pryce ad agency sure to propel this year's stories. A week later on August 1st, AMC premieres its third original series, Rubicon, a conspiracy thriller starring James Badge Dale, of 24 and The Pacific fame.
And Last, But Certainly Not Least:
If absolutely none of the above movies and series float your boat, there's always one option that's on almost every night, and which is perfect to watch on a lazy summer evening. Yes, I'm talking about Twins baseball on FSN North! As of this writing, they've got a decent 14-7 record, and the new Target Field is certainly cool to see, too.
Well, there you have it: a veritable slew of information that will keep you occupied for many hours these next few months. Hope you had fun, and have an awesome summer!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Something Resembling an End-of-2009 List, Part 2: The Home Video List
At long last, here's the second installment of my 2009 summary write-ups. In this list, I've tried to point out some of the special high points of the 2009 DVD and Blu-ray release slates. The key with this list is not really to point out excellent movies and TV series (that's what my previous TV list, and my forthcoming movie list, are for). Rather, this is intended to highlight some of the cool things that are happening on home video, in terms of audio/video quality and special features. With that in mind, here are ten of my picks, in absolute no order whatsoever. Enjoy!
Pixar on Blu-ray
The home video releases of Pixar movies have always delivered the highest quality, in terms of video, audio, and supplements. After only one Blu-ray release in 2008 (for Wall-E), Pixar opened the floodgates in 2009, delivering stunning Blu-rays of three of their titles. May brought us a jaw-droppingly beautiful Blu-ray of A Bug's Life, while November gave us the stellar releases of Up and Monsters, Inc... which, thanks to Disney's various offers, were incredibly affordable (I paid a total of $1.12 on release day for both!). Next year should be awesome, with the first two Toy Story movies due on Blu-ray March 23, and the theatrical and Blu-ray releases of Toy Story 3 in June and the fourth quarter of 2010, respectively... and who knows, could they give us Finding Nemo and The Incredibles as well? :-)
Woodstock: 40th Anniversary Blu-ray
It's getting harder and harder for a home video release to truly astonish me, especially for older movie titles. But if I had to pick one classic release that blew me away this year, it would have to be this mega-release for the 1994 director's cut of the classic documentary on the 1969 concert. Remastered on home video for the first time since 1997, the picture quality is a revelation, and the soundtrack is up to snuff, too. But, the supplements are where this disc really shines, with over 90 minutes of brand-new making-of featurettes including director Michael Wadleigh and editor Martin Scorsese (yes, that guy), and a whopping two hours of never-before-seen concert performances restored especially for this DVD/Blu-ray release. It's a testament to how excellent Warner Home Video treats their classic films (see this year's Blu-ray releases of The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, or North by Northwest for other examples).
The Funny People Blu-ray Extras
Among modern filmmakers, Judd Apatow has developed a reputation for incredibly stacked DVDs of his movies; the movies he's directed (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) and produced (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Walk Hard, and Superbad, among others) have been chock-full of extended cuts, deleted footage, documentaries, and comedy featurettes. For his most personal film to date, Apatow has loaded the 2-disc Blu-ray of Funny People with almost NINE HOURS of video material, as well as an audio commentary and an extended cut of the already-length movie. Here's just some of what the Blu-ray contains: Almost TWO HOURS of deleted scenes; an hour of assorted stand-up footage from the filming of the movie; a hilarious half-hour mockumentary on Aziz Ansari's RAAAAAAAANDY; a half-hour of James Taylor performing at the MySpace party; an entire hour-long episode of Charlie Rose with Apatow and Adam Sandler; early 1990s stand-up performances from Adam Sandler, Apatow, and Seth Rogen; and all the Internet clips of Jason Schwartzman's character's sitcom Yo Teach! Whew! Although I only really liked the movie's first 90 minutes, the Blu-ray package as a whole is probably the most stupendous one I've seen for a 2009 theatrical release.
David Fincher on Blu-ray
The director's first three movies to be released on Blu-ray were all high-caliber releases that lived up to Fincher's perfectionist standards. In January 2009, the Director's Cut of Zodiac was finally ported over to Blu-ray from DVD and HD-DVD, preserving the 1970s-styled high-def photography in stunning fashion. In May, the Criterion Collection gave us The Curious Case of Benjamin Button as well as a wealth of documentaries which delve into the movie's complex special effects. (There's much more VFX work in this movie than you can ever imagine, so take a look.) Finally, in November, Fox gave us the 10th Anniversary Edition of Fight Club, with one of the loudest and most impressive audio mixes I've heard in quite some time, and with video so perfect that you'll doubt that Fight Club came out in 1999! Unfortunately, the only Fincher movie on tap for Blu-ray so far in 2010 is Alien 3, which he has famously disowned; hopefully we can get Se7en, too.
Fox's quick TV-on-DVD releases
Fox has taken several steps to advance its sterling TV-on-DVD department this year, the biggest being its direct-to-video releases (the It's Always Sunny Christmas special, the Prison Break finale movie, the Family Guy parody of The Empire Strikes Back, and via MGM, the Dead Like Me movie). But they've also take the refreshing step of accelerating their TV season releases, whenever possible. Thanks to some unusual TV production schedules (a lingering effect of the writers' strike), some series have been filming many months ahead of their airdate... which can be used to great effect in the DVD world. The best example of this is 24: Season 7, which hit both DVD and Blu-ray the day after the season finale aired! Prison Break: Season Four and Dollhouse: Season One also saw unnaturally early summer releases, too. Finally, this Christmas gave us a quickie release of the first 13 episodes of Glee, less than three weeks after the Sectionals finale. Other studios are going to give it a try in 2010; for example, Lionsgate will deliver the 2009 seasons of Weeds and Mad Men in first quarter 2010, much earlier than their usual summer releases. Personally, I hope this trend continues.
Star Trek and The Prisoner on Blu-ray
Although we got a lot of modern TV series on Blu-ray this year, the most impressive TV show Blu-rays have come to us from... the 1960s?!? The new Star Trek movie allowed Paramount to put out all three seasons of Star Trek on Blu-ray, with each episode restored, remixed, and featuring brand-new special effects (think Star Wars: Special Edition, but not as annoying). Fortunately, users can toggle between the original and new versions of each episode. The supplements are also excellent, too, porting over the extras from the 2004 season sets (including the Best Buy bonus disc material), the 2007/2008 remastered DVD releases, and brand-new goodies created for these Blu-ray versions. Offered to us in time for the not-well-received AMC remake, Patrick McGoohan's classic series The Prisoner also gave us impecccable video quality for a 1960s series, as well as lots of supplementary material, including a 90-minute documentary which delves us into the show's somewhat troubled production (McGoohan had no idea where he was going, or how to even end the show). If (and this is a BIG "If") Image Entertainment is able to give us The Twilight Zone in Blu-ray on 2010, expect this trend to continue...
The Bruno Commentary Track
Learning how a movie was made has become a somewhat stagnant process; audio commentaries and documentaries can often be cliched in this manner. Fortunately, some movies are different enough in their creation that they can make DVD making-of material exciting again. With that in mind, I ate up the audio/video commentary for Bruno, in which Sacha Baron Cohen and director Larry Charles pull back the curtain for the first time and explain how their unique guerrilla filmmaking style works. Heck, they even pause the movie to fully explain several scenes! It's probably the most informative commentary of 2009, and whenever Borat hits Blu-ray in the States, I can only hope that it receives similar treatment.
Complete TV Series Releases
The TV show release pattern is quite solid: release Season 1, then Season 2, then continue to the end, then release a 'complete series' set. In 2009, some studios took the initiative to eschew the individual season releases and just put out the complete series sets right away... to the approval of myself and other DVD fans. In January, Warner wrapped up all six seasons of the cult kids' cartoon The Powerpuff Girls into one big pink, blue and green DVD box. In July, for the Blu-ray premiere of Battlestar Galactica, Universal made a very bold move and gave us all four seasons in one package... complete with Cylon action figure! In October, after numerous music clearance hurdles, Fox FINALLY released Ally McBeal in both a Season One set and a Complete Series set. Granted, there aren't many TV shows left to release on DVD... but perhaps this may become a formidable release model for Blu-ray. I guess we'll have to see.
Watchmen's Maximum Movie Mode
As I alluded to in the Bruno write-up above, DVD and Blu-ray supplements have become a bit cliched, to the extent where I look forward to seeing studios push the envelope in any manner. Fortunately, the initial Blu-ray release of Watchmen gave us a nice twist on the audio commentary with what Warner calls "Maximum Movie Mode". Here's the gist of it: with this feature enabled, director Zack Snyder actually appears on-screen in front of two screens: one showing the movie, and one showing behind-the-scenes footage. As you watch the three-hour Director's Cut of Watchmen, the video shifts between full-screen movie footage and scenes of Snyder talking in front of the movie (and actually pointing out parts of the frame in the process). In addition, when the movie's in full-screen mode, we are occasionally shown picure-in-picture video footage from the set, and even panels from the Watchmen graphic novel, which viewers can compare to the film. It's a nifty and well-executed special feature... and considering how dense and complex Watchmen is, it's a great way to dissect the movie.
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Derrick's Spring 2010 TV Roster: A Helpful Guide
All times below are Central Standard Time; my apologies to all you folks who live on the coasts. Also, for your convenience, many of these shows will go into repeats during the 2010 Winter Olympics airing between February 12 and 28. (Note: The // denotes shows that I am not sure if I will watch yet. Time, show quality, and my ability to catch up on previous seasons will be the deciding factors here.)
Sunday:
The Simpsons (Season 21): Sundays 7:00 PM on Fox; resumes January 3
The Cleveland Show (Season 1): Sundays 7:30 PM on Fox; resumes January 3
Family Guy (Season 9): Sundays 8:00 PM on Fox; resumes January 3
American Dad (Season 6): Sundays 8:30 PM on Fox; resumes January 3; moves to Sundays at 6:30 PM starting March 14
Breaking Bad (Season 3): Sundays 9:00 PM on AMC; starts in late March (March 21?)
//The Pacific (the 10-part companion piece to Band of Brothers): Sundays on HBO starting March 14 and running through May 16
Monday:
How I Met Your Mother (Season 5): Mondays 7:00 PM on CBS; resumes January 11 with the series' 100th episode
Heroes (Season 4 - final season?): Mondays 8:00 PM on NBC; resumes January 4 with 2-hour episode; season (series?) finale February 8
24 (Season 8): Mondays 8:00 PM on Fox; 2-night 4-hour season premiere Sunday, January 17 and Monday, January 18
The Big Bang Theory (Season 3): Mondays 8:30 PM on CBS; resumes January 11
//Chuck (Season 3): Mondays 8:00 PM on NBC; 2-hour season premiere Sunday January 10; regular airings begin January 11
//Parenthood (Season 1): Mondays 8:00 PM on NBC; series premiere March 1
Tuesday:
Scrubs (Season 9): Tuesdays 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM on ABC; all 13 episodes to air by end of January
Better Off Ted (Season 2): Tuesdays 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM on ABC; all 13 episodes to air by end of January
Lost (Season 6 - final season of 18 hours): Tuesdays 8:00 PM on ABC; returns with 2-hour season premiere + 1-hour recap special on February 2
Glee (Season 1, Part 2 - 9 episodes): Tuesdays 8:00 PM on Fox after American Idol; returns April 13
V (Season 1, Part 2 - 9 episodes): Tuesdays 9:00 PM on ABC; returns March 30
Wednesday:
Friday Night Lights (Season 4): Wednesdays 8:00 PM on DirecTV's The 101; returns January 6; season finale February 10
Modern Family (Season 1): Wednesdays 8:00 PM on ABC; returns January 6
Nip/Tuck (Season 7 - final season of 9 episodes): Wednesdays 9:00 PM on FX; season premiere January 6; series finale March 3
South Park (Season 14, Part 1 - 7 episodes): Wednesdays 9:00 PM on Comedy Central; season premiere March 10; mid-season finale April 21
//Human Target (Season 1): Wednesdays 8:00 PM on Fox; premieres Sunday January 17; regular airings begin January 20
Thursday:
Flash Forward (Season 1): Thursdays 7:00 PM on ABC; returns March 4
Community (Season 1): Thursdays 7:00 PM on NBC; returns January 14
Parks and Recreation (Season 2): Thursdays 7:30 PM on NBC; returns January 14
Fringe (Season 2): Thursdays 8:00 PM on Fox; 'lost' episode from Season 1 to air Monday, January 11; Season 2 returns January 14 through February 4; remainder of Season 2 to air starting April 1
The Office (Season 6): Thursdays 8:00 PM on NBC; returns January 21
30 Rock (Season 4): Thursdays 8:30 PM on NBC; returns with two episodes on January 14
Archer (Season 1 - 10 episodes): Thursdays 9:00 PM on FX; series premiere January 14; season finale March 11
Burn Notice (Season 3, Part 2 - 7 episodes): Thursdays 9:00 PM on USA; returns January 21; season finale March 4
Friday:
Dollhouse (Season 2 - final season): Fridays 8:00 PM on Fox; final three episodes to air January 8, 15, and 22
The Soup: Fridays 9:00 PM on E!
Saturday:
Saturday Night Live (Season 35): Saturdays 10:30 PM on NBC; returns January 9
Sunday:
The Simpsons (Season 21): Sundays 7:00 PM on Fox; resumes January 3
The Cleveland Show (Season 1): Sundays 7:30 PM on Fox; resumes January 3
Family Guy (Season 9): Sundays 8:00 PM on Fox; resumes January 3
American Dad (Season 6): Sundays 8:30 PM on Fox; resumes January 3; moves to Sundays at 6:30 PM starting March 14
Breaking Bad (Season 3): Sundays 9:00 PM on AMC; starts in late March (March 21?)
//The Pacific (the 10-part companion piece to Band of Brothers): Sundays on HBO starting March 14 and running through May 16
Monday:
How I Met Your Mother (Season 5): Mondays 7:00 PM on CBS; resumes January 11 with the series' 100th episode
Heroes (Season 4 - final season?): Mondays 8:00 PM on NBC; resumes January 4 with 2-hour episode; season (series?) finale February 8
24 (Season 8): Mondays 8:00 PM on Fox; 2-night 4-hour season premiere Sunday, January 17 and Monday, January 18
The Big Bang Theory (Season 3): Mondays 8:30 PM on CBS; resumes January 11
//Chuck (Season 3): Mondays 8:00 PM on NBC; 2-hour season premiere Sunday January 10; regular airings begin January 11
//Parenthood (Season 1): Mondays 8:00 PM on NBC; series premiere March 1
Tuesday:
Scrubs (Season 9): Tuesdays 7:00 PM and 8:00 PM on ABC; all 13 episodes to air by end of January
Better Off Ted (Season 2): Tuesdays 7:30 PM and 8:30 PM on ABC; all 13 episodes to air by end of January
Lost (Season 6 - final season of 18 hours): Tuesdays 8:00 PM on ABC; returns with 2-hour season premiere + 1-hour recap special on February 2
Glee (Season 1, Part 2 - 9 episodes): Tuesdays 8:00 PM on Fox after American Idol; returns April 13
V (Season 1, Part 2 - 9 episodes): Tuesdays 9:00 PM on ABC; returns March 30
Wednesday:
Friday Night Lights (Season 4): Wednesdays 8:00 PM on DirecTV's The 101; returns January 6; season finale February 10
Modern Family (Season 1): Wednesdays 8:00 PM on ABC; returns January 6
Nip/Tuck (Season 7 - final season of 9 episodes): Wednesdays 9:00 PM on FX; season premiere January 6; series finale March 3
South Park (Season 14, Part 1 - 7 episodes): Wednesdays 9:00 PM on Comedy Central; season premiere March 10; mid-season finale April 21
//Human Target (Season 1): Wednesdays 8:00 PM on Fox; premieres Sunday January 17; regular airings begin January 20
Thursday:
Flash Forward (Season 1): Thursdays 7:00 PM on ABC; returns March 4
Community (Season 1): Thursdays 7:00 PM on NBC; returns January 14
Parks and Recreation (Season 2): Thursdays 7:30 PM on NBC; returns January 14
Fringe (Season 2): Thursdays 8:00 PM on Fox; 'lost' episode from Season 1 to air Monday, January 11; Season 2 returns January 14 through February 4; remainder of Season 2 to air starting April 1
The Office (Season 6): Thursdays 8:00 PM on NBC; returns January 21
30 Rock (Season 4): Thursdays 8:30 PM on NBC; returns with two episodes on January 14
Archer (Season 1 - 10 episodes): Thursdays 9:00 PM on FX; series premiere January 14; season finale March 11
Burn Notice (Season 3, Part 2 - 7 episodes): Thursdays 9:00 PM on USA; returns January 21; season finale March 4
Friday:
Dollhouse (Season 2 - final season): Fridays 8:00 PM on Fox; final three episodes to air January 8, 15, and 22
The Soup: Fridays 9:00 PM on E!
Saturday:
Saturday Night Live (Season 35): Saturdays 10:30 PM on NBC; returns January 9
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