Happy New Year Everyone!

Just wanted to get this in as the clock is counting down......to everyone who reads this blog, and/or listens to the podcast, thanks a bunch.  Your support and kind words (and hell, even negative words) mean a lot.  Have a safe and happy new year and lets all make 2011 the best year yet......and these guys also wish you a happy new year...

Wear: well hey a new guest-category for the moment...

Yeah, I know "Wear" isn't one of the categories, but when I saw these shoes, I couldn't help myself....

Check out these kicks....

Watch: La Horde aka The Horde

It's always nice when a movie you are eagerly anticipating goes from "unknown status" on netflix to being on your coffee table within a few days time.  Such was the case with today's movie:

2009's La Horde aka The Horde

La Horde is a french zombie flick. The basic story is that a group of  thugs killed including two Nigerian guys and some east European guys have killed a cop and are now held up in  a large apartment complex, hiding out.  The cops "family" of partners have devised a plan to go hunt down the gang of thugs and take revenge.  When the cops show up to the complex, things don't go according to plan, a couple of sub-plots change the motivations of certain characters, and oh yeah.....a zombie apocalypse starts up.   As you would guess, the survivors must team up if they think they have any real chance to survive.

This violence in this movie is brutal.  From shotgun blasts to the face, to the sheer amount of bullets some of the characters take, to a face being repeatedly being slammed into a concrete foundation, this movie does not hold back at all when it comes to the kill scenes. Oh did I mention the old man with the military-grade mini gun mowing down zombies trying to make their way to the survivors in a narrow hallway? Yep.

For those wondering about the zombies themselves, I would say they are a cross between 28 Days Later and REC style zombies.  As is the overall movie itself.  It has the claustrophobic feeling of REC, with the fast moving, vicious zombies.  I also appreciate the fact that there is no origin of the zombie plague, it just starts happening, and keeps happening.

Once this movie is more widely seen, I really feel some of the kills and "I'm making a stand" scenes will be looked at as pretty iconic for the genre.

The zombie killing action starts pretty quick and doesn't let up.
I highly recommend this film. Add it to your netflix que right now!

(Jean-Pierre Martins as Ouessem hacking zombies to bits)

Play: COD: Black Ops (still and/or again,..yep)

I know, I know...I've blogged before about this game.  Well, between this & Madden '11....that is pretty much my share of video games for the time being.  I am almost done with Ratchet & Clank, but you already know what's going on with that, and Resident Evil 5 is shelved until my friend gets it so we can play co-op.

I've been playing the zombie mode a ton lately, and my wife and I got my brother in law a blue tooth for Christmas, so now when we play we can communicate, which is really the best way to go for this game mode.

Also, our mutual friend "Big Mike" is pretty damn good at the game.  So far it seems the key is finding the little mystery weapon box and landing a high -powered weapon from it before you draw the teddy bear.  Once you have one of those guns, you can mow down the zombies like crazy, it really changes the dynamic of the game.

I still have yet to really invest time in the other level of the zombie mode, which is the one where you can play as one of four ex presidents.  It reminds of the bank robber clan in Point Break...haha...hell, maybe that is where they got the idea from in the first place.

If you see me online throw me an invite....

An undead item from my Christmas Haul.....

Once I saw what it was, there was no other choice but to unwrap it and hang it up at my home workstation immediately...

Jealous? I understand.

Gifts like this are one reason I know my wife loves me!

Watch: Red State teaser trailer

If you pay attention at all to Kevin Smith's current goings-on, then you will know he has a new film coming out called Red State. I don't know much about the movie yet, but it was written & directed by Kevin Smith and that is definitely when he is at his best.  The trailer is definitely intriguing and  makes me want to see more. A lot more.  It really gives off a creepy, claustrophobic vibe, which is good if you are making a horror flick.  Check out the trailer...



Oh and by the way you should definitely check out all things SModcast related!

Watch: Netflix Random Viewing #2: Tokyo Gore Police

Since I'm waiting on The French Connection 2 in the mail before I do a blog post on that franchise, I figured what better time then to do my second installment of Netflix Random viewing.  

For this entry, I watched 2008's Tokyo Gore Police

You may recognize the lead actress in this film if you have seen Takashi Miike's Audition.  Although, Eihi Shiina's is the lead again here, do not expect another movie that takes ninety minutes to setup any kind of payoff.  In typical Japanese extreme cinema fashion the action & gore start from nearly the beginning of the movie and doesn't let up until the credits are rolling.  A few weeks back I took a look at The Machine Girl (here) and while I found both movies to have a similar quality I will say right up front that Tokyo Gore Police blows away the former, in just about every aspect that will make you absolutely love or hate both films.

Not only is this film gory, but in the campy fun way, it is also strange & bizarre.  The plot is actually refreshing and somewhat of a departure from the usual "the gangsters killed so-and-so, I want revenge" Sure, there is some aspect of that in here, but it is not quite that simple.

The basic premise is that in a not so futuristic Japan, the police force have become a privatized force.  There is an elite unit within the force who hunt engineers.  "Engineers" is code for villains who have genetically engineered their bodies so any wound they receive, regenerates into a weapon (think the mutated body gun from Videodrome for a slight comparison?) The main character's father was on the police force before it became privatized and was strong opposed to the privatization, which ultimately led to his murder.  Along the way our hero learns there is more to the story than she thought and it leads to even more action and gore and weirdness.

Least to say, again with a movie like this you know pretty much exactly what to expect, so I don't really think many people who choose to press play in the first place aren't going to enjoy it.  If that happens, then well hey at least you got a new and bizarre experience out of it, right?

I highly recommend this flick.

I noticed that  Eihi Shiina also happens to star(but is not the lead I think) in 2009's Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl which judging by the title is going to be another exercise in gore, splatter, macabre and mayhem! Haha.  That may be what I use for my third installment, but maybe not because I don't want to get stuck in the same theme or genre everytime I do this.  I'm definitely watching it though.

Watch: French Connection - (tbc)

Just watched The French Connection.  It was awesome.  I will make a post about this in a couple of days but the sequel is on it's way and I'd rather just make a single post with comments on both, so look for that in a day or so.....non-related posts will still go up regularly....


That is all....

Listen: Retro Flick Fillet Episode 6 - Spreading Christmas Jeers! It's posted

I've been away for a few days. My internet was down for the count.  Well I'm back, and it's pretty perfect timing because me and the crew just recorded episode six of the podcast this past Sunday, and it has just been posted.

Listen in as we give our thoughts on the classic Christmas Story.  The horror-comedy Gremlins.  And lastly, the Bill Murray one-man show known as Scrooged!

Be sure to get into the Christmas spirit yourself by giving.  Giving FEEDBACK that is!  retroflickfillet@hotmail.com

As always you can just follow the link in this post, or click the link on the podcast feed to the right of this post.

I hope you all enjoy it!  We've got big plans for 2011, some of which are included in the discussion during this podcast!

Listen here:  http://www.idiotpod.libsyn.com/retro-flick-fillet-episode-6-christ-twist-mas-

Watch: Black Christmas on TCM....aka brief Horror movie history lesson #1

I was just channel surfing and came across the classic Black Christmas starting up on Turner Classic Movies(TCM).  This movie is definitely a classic.  I would say it is Slayer to Halloween's Metallica.  Does that make any sense? Let me explain!

In the 80's there were a couple of kick-ass thrash bands. Slayer & Metallica.(among others) but these two were pretty much the tops as far as music quality in the genre went.  As time went on Metallica seemed to find the commercial success that Slayer never achieved, including eventually gaining crossover success with not so metal fans.  Anyways, this is a bigger discussion for another time.  Insiders will probably say Slayer was just as good if not better at their craft, and just as influential to the metal scene today(the real metal scene, that is) however the casuals who are more tourists to the genre, will mainly remember the band Metallica alone because of radio play and how much they are generally in the rotation in casual circles.

So in Summary:

  =   

aaaaand,,,,

  =   

Got it?

Aren't history lessons great?

No time for movie thoughts/review right now, cause I wanna watch the movie dammit.

P.S. You should too!

Watch: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Netflix recently added the documentary "Exit Through The Gift Shop" to their instant streaming list.  This doc has received much hype on the festival circuit and praise from just about everyone I happen to personally know. A couple of nights ago I finally had a chance to sit down and watch it(which is a miracle considering the issues I have been having with my ISP as of late...grrr)


"Exit" is the story of Thierry Guetta, french immigrant living in Los Angeles.  He has been living life with cameras and video cameras documenting just about every s tep he takes.  Everyone close to him got so used to it, they mostly forgot the camera was even there.  Eventually Thierry becomes drawn in to the street art world and culture, and wishes to document it.  Not necessarily make a film or documentary, just capture it on film.  Eventually after some time, he befriends and gains the trust of such street artists as "Space Invader" , Shepard Fairey and "Banksy"(who was pretty elusive). 

Eventually, standing on the sideline filming is not enough, and Thierry starts to try his hand at street art, and then eventually goes on to have a huge opening of his gallery of work in Los Angeles which lead to him selling right around a million dollars worth of his artwork.

Many people who have seen this documentary question if everything is being played straight.  Is this just an elaborate hoax?  Is Thierry just a wannabe con artist, ripping off the ideas of others?  Is this really just a big prank on the art world itself. After all most street art by it's very nature is meant to be anti-establishment and against the norm, not something to be co-opted and sold to the highest bidder.

There are many layers to this film,
but no matter what your personal opinion is on what exactly is going on, the fact is
this film is damn entertaining.
If you have netflix, do yourself a favor
avoid the movie theater this round and watch this instead!!!

Play: Ratchet & Clank A Crack in Time aka sidequests how I loathe thee

So a few months back I traded in a bunch of games, Gamestop was having their buy two get a third free promo.  Picked up a few games one being Ratchet & Clank: A Crack in time

As a fan of all the previous installments, for the most part it has been no different this time around.  It looks stunning on the 1080p display.  The sound effects are cool and deliberate and the writing provides the same comic relief I have come to know over the course of the series.

Of course with this series the biggest thing you anticipate is the weapons, and they don't disappoint here either.  Bigger, crazier, more effective weapons.  They are all fun enough that you want to continually use them so they upgrade through their five levels and eventually morph into an even strong version of themselves.

With all the said my main gripe is the system used to upgrade the space ship.  You have to collect these little robot helpers called "Zoni"  they are scattered throughout the universe.  Some can be found on the planets you visit, during regular linear mission play, others you have to collect on random moons where they are the main objective of the visit.

Now, in theory this isn't a problem.  What I have a problem with is that in order to get to the final stage(s) of the game, you have to collect all 40 of the zoni(s).   You don't even know this though, until you are about to enter the final run.   Up to this point I was getting by just collecting the amount I would need for the next upgrade, which was usually anywhere from 3-5 zoni per upgrade.  Well this put me at 18 Zoni as I was approached the final stages.  Here came that familiar message "you must upgrade Zoni to penetrate the force wall"  Ok, whatever, let me go to a few planets gather up some zoni and be on my way.....right?  NOPE.  I need 40 zoni for the next ugrade?  WTF ? AHHHHHHHHHH....NO!

So basically now, I am going to have to spend a good few hours backtracking through the game, visiting every obscure planet and moon in search of zoni, or as I like to call it...the thing I like the least doing in the damn game.  I wish the game would have hinted that I needed all 40 to begin with, so I would have made sure to collect them as I went. 

I also don't appreciate how this kind of forces you to do all the side quests.  I much prefer the system of lets say Mario Galaxy, where you need 50 stars in order to take on Bowser and beat the game, but there are a total of 100 stars in the galaxy so you can go back and get some replay value out of the game afterwards, but still have the satisfaction of beating the storyline w/o having to do it.

So that minor(major) gripe aside, I really love this game.  I know the majority of the blog entry might have been spent on the gripe part, but let me re-iterate, this game is pretty damn awesome.

Highly Recommended!

Listen: Something new for the podcast part 1....

Last night, the internet was down, I was watching TV and saw a scene in movie that inspired an idea for a new segment on the podcast. Don't want to say too much about it here until I run it by my co-hosts since it is their show as much as it is mine, but I have a pretty good feeling they will like the idea.  It's also going to be an avenue for the listeners to get involved in the show.  If all goes well, I will post details about it this Sunday in the blog post, and I am sure it will be discussed during the show itself as well which will be posted early next week.

So keep your eyes peeled!

Listen: Episode 6 of podcast recording this Sunday

Just a quick reminder that episode 6 of Retro Flick Fillet will be recording this Sunday.  As it is December, we will be doing a Christmas related show.  Three movies that are either directly related to Christmas, or at least have the "holiday spirit" in the movie somehow.

I expect it to be posted early next week.

Because our last episode was kind of rushed last time due to a family emergency, we plan to take our time, and have a lot of fun with this episode, really flesh it out and fill it with content.  We encourage any listener feedback to be sent in by this Sunday that way we can include it in our show, which figures to be the final show of the year. 

Don't worry, we'll back in January.......

Oh and once it is posted, you can expect the usual, blog post announcement, it should also show up in the podcast feed to the right of the blog, and of course it can be found on the podcast's website  www.idiotpod.libsyn.com

We also plan on eventually securing a domain for the show and building an actual website.  That is just going to come down to a time issue, so look for that in 2011....

All feedback for the show can be sent to retroflickfillet@hotmail.com

Thanks guys!

Watch: A Prophet

Have a pretty killer movie to let you guys know I just saw.

From 2009,


A Prophet. Directed by Jacques Audiard.

The story follows 19 year old French-Arab Malik El Djebena who is beginning a six year prison sentence.He's been in the juvenile system throughout his life, but this is his first trip to the big house.  He is reluctantly taken in by the Corsican prison gang and is given the immediate task of killing a high profile muslim prisoner that is in transit to the prison. 

The movie follows his rise in the Corsican gang ranks, but also the internal struggle of never truly being accepted by the Corsicans.  The movie has some double-turns, that aren't necessarily to be considered "twists" just moreso developments in the story.

In the movie's final act there is a pretty tense and gritty scene that takes place outside the prison walls when Malik is given a day out from the prison.

I found this movie pretty good. The style is a lot different than what we come to traditionally think of prison/mafia dramas such as American Me or Bound by Honor.  I didn't feel it was over-stylized at all. In fact there was almost a lack of the feeling you get from a lot of mafioso dramas that they are trying to project a "cool" effect. This produced more of a "foreign prisons suck" feeling.  You never really got the "being in the prison gang does have it's advantages" feeling either. There was little give and take between Malik and César Luciani.(head of the Corsican gang) it was much more of a "I am letting you live because you do what I ask, don't forget that" feeling, and later in the movie it is even acknowledged by Malik. I have noticed that seems to be a big difference between American and foreign movies relating to the mob.  In American films there tends to be a need to partly romanticize the idea.  Sure, it usually turns bad at the end, but like drugs, "it was a hell of a ride while it lasted" where as most of the foreign flicks dealing with the mafia seem to be more about pain and despair and you never get a sense that the protagonist in the movie is having a good time. In prison Malik finds salvation in learning to read & write, from fellow inmate and eventual friend, Ryad.

I am definitely interested to check out netflix and see what else this director has in store for us.

I highly recommend A Prophet to everyone.

Watch: Dexter season 5 finale!

Dexter season 5 wrapped up last night. Some found it a little underwhelming, but admitted it was mostly due to the horrific ending to season 4. If everyone looks back through the entire season, there are still some story lines that were started that could very well continue into season 6.

For starters, they never solved the investigation into the drug dealer brother of the guy Deb shot. They got sidetracked with the entire Jordan Chase investigation. So they could always pick up on that later.

Also, the new cop on the crew, that Laguerta brought in. Her role for the most part was pretty minor, but much like Quinn was the new cop last season and then played am ore prominent role this season, the same can happen for officer Manzon.

One of my favorite parts of this season was Peeter Weller as Detective Liddy. As soon as he appeared on screen my first thought was "OH SHIT, ROBOCOP!" Hahaha. He played the scumbag corrupt detective role perfectly.

Also, Julia Stiles was a pleasant surprise. She did a fantastic job of playing the broken woman known as Lumen.

Overall another solid season. Can't quite say it was as good as Season 4, but still a very entertaining time. Looking forward to Season 6 to see where they go from here. They have some storylines they can continue, but the way they ended the season also gives them the chance for a fresh start, sort of the way Season 3 began.

Rumors are that Season 6 is the final season, but I hope not.

Watch: Another reason you should own a PS3!

The days of the 360 vs. PS3 debate are long over.  I've said my peace on the subject, and honestly in 2010, I think there are valid reasons to own both and it really comes down to which set of exclusive game franchises you prefer.

With that said, each console from time to time will present pretty damn solid arguments as to why you should own their console.  Here is a good one from Sony-PS3:



Ok yeah I know, the teaser doesn't reveal much at all, but after the original Uncharted came onto the scene without much hype at all and took us all by storm, and then the second installment BLEW OUR FRICKIN' MINDS, from here on out until a reason to believe otherwise, all Naughty Dogs studio really has to do is mention they are working on a new title in the series and it will send productivity in the workplace down by at least 20% worldwide.

Can't wait!

Watch: One of Us! One of Us! One of Us!

Tod Browning's 1932 classic "Freaks" is uploaded on youtube in it's entirety in five parts.
Do yourself a favor and watch it.  A definite "must watch" for horror-junkies.
I'll embed the first part in this blog entry and link the other four parts. So you better watch it, fools!



Part2!
Part3!
Part4!
Part5!

....your fucking welcome, chums!

Watch A Zombie....like you've never seen on film before! *trust me here*

For my submission into the 2010 Zombie Walk parade, I am going to have a little fun with my entry. Instead of the usual zombie-related debates(walking vs. running; what's better Night or Dawn, etc etc) I am going to pose a question that is probably the furthest from anyone's mind, and quite frankly might get me run outta town by all you zombie loving fans. Hell I am still questioning the bomb of a question I am about to pose to the Zombie-fan community. Fuck it, here goes:

Can it be argued that, Weekend At Bernie's 2  is a Voodoo Zombie movie, and not merely just a comedy?

Before immediately registering on this website to cue up some rapid hate mail responses. Watch the trailer, provided for you right here...



All the elements are there:

• Bernie is Dead
• Bernie is up and walking around...but still, dead
• Bernie has risen due to voodoo
• Tropical island setting
• Impervious to pain and traditional pain infliction
• Has no trouble existing under water(doesn't need to breathe)

I'd say the only element clearly missing is an appetite for Brains, but that could easily be explained because Bernie is not part of the zombie apocalypse, or infected by a "zombie disease" here is merely a victim of post-mortem black magic aka VOODOO~!

Also, come on, Tery Kiser's performance as the living dead Bernie Lowmax must be considered one of the best performances by an actor portraying a member of the Living Dead in the history of film.  He was pretty convincing as a dead guy.

So what do you guys think?  Is my premise plausible?

Should we all hold out for....

Weekend At Bernies III: Bernie gets HUNGRY!

Feedback is appreciated!

Watch: This is my idea of a Christmas flick.....

After that all I can say is....

MERRY FUCKIN' CHRISTMAS!

Look: half brother of "Watch" my lame attempt at drawing....

So I was at a school awards ceremony tonight. They wanted to get all of us involved, has some Q&A to fill out on this large yellow butcher paper type stuff. I actually answered the questions like a good samaritan but then got extremely bored and this is what resulted....

Sooo...the lesson is....don't make me bored or you will get more!

Listen/Watch: This video caught my eyes & ears today

Listen: Splattercast! (plus announcement)

So I've been listening to this podcast for awhile now horror-move based, with a few deviations once in awhile.  I really like their style because they come off as a group of friends just having a good time with the whole experience.  That's not to say they aren't quite good at it.  They are over 200 episodes in.  That is a rare feat in the world of podcasting.....

Check 'em out!

Dead Lantern is their website!

Well anyways the announcement is that our podcast has been given the huge oppurtunity to present an award for their annual Splatcademy awards show this year.  Best Horror Videogame category!  Pretty big honor!

Thanks fellas! We owe ya at least one, that's for sure.

Watch: Ok, more like "Look" but trust me it's worth it...

 

No explanation needed. Found this at TheNerdist blog 

Sometimes I love the internet more than life!

Fucking Genius!

Watch: Netflix Random Viewing #1: Machine Girl

Something I will be doing from time to time is watch something on netflix and post my thoughts about it here.  I am not sure if it will always be what is traditionally considered a "review" but more just my initial thoughts.  The plan for this is to be something I have never seen before, something a little off-beat or off the wall.  Doesn't have to necessarily bat-shit crazy as the flick I watched tonight, but still....you'll get the idea:


Netflix Random Viewing #1:   
Machine Girl

 

Tonight I watched Machine Girl on netflix.  I had heard about this flick awhile ago.  I think it might have been on an edition of Chris Gore's "Asian Underground" segment on Attack of the Show, but I can't be sure, since it has been awhile.

This is a movie that some might qualify as japanese exploitation, or possibly "extreme-cinema"  It is one of those movies that is hard to label, but when you press play, within about ten minutes you know what you are in store for.   I don't think this is the type of movie you can like either.  You are either going to love it, or want to turn it off immediately.  It is straight genre-schlock(as I put it to a friend via text last night *wink*)  Me personally....I get a kick out of this stuff.  You have to know what you are in for with these types of movies and either accept the cheesy, cartoony, over the top nature of them, or just don't bother watching.  I am not even sure if these movies are made with all involved playing it straight or not.  I am leaning towards no, but it is Japan afterall, maybe they sneaked in a hidden metaphorical meaning in there somewhere that my feeble american mind cannot grasp due to my lust for gore!

To the movie:

The plot as you can expect is pretty paper thin. Afterall you don't come to this flick after reading the description for plot and/or character development.  It is your typical, "Yakuza killed so and so,  almost killed me, I survived and now I am going to hunt you down" story of revenge!  If you really desire a better plot description you can follow the imdb link I posted earlier in this post.

What matters is if the movie delivers on what everyone wants.  The answer is a resounding yes.  Lots of action, lots of gore and a MACHINE GUN ARM! Did I mention human finger sushi? Yep!  That is really all you can want out of a movie like this and you get lots of it.

Glad that my first netflix random viewing was a success!  I highly recommend this.

Watch: Wallking Dead season 1 in the books!

Last night was the season finale of The Walking Dead.  It wrapped up a quick six episode pilot season.  The Walking Dead is based on the graphic novel by Robert Kirkman.  The show has been a very big ratings success for AMC through the first season, with a new record broken last night for the finale.  The first season has made it clear that the TV show will deviate from the comic when it feels necessary. 

The zombie apocalypse is not exactly a new idea.  It has been around for a long time in cinema and literature.  The key that makes The Walking Dead a success, both as a comic and a tv show, is that the author Robert Kirkman seems to be a true fan of the sub-genre and source material.  While he might lack in some areas such as specific pieces of dialogue, he makes up in overall storyline.

The first season was merely a peek at what's to come, and for the most part in my opinion, held back any major events(well besides the beginning of the zombie apocalypse in the first place, of course).  

The biggest split in opinion thus are within the fanbase has been the two major events from the show that were not in the comic(how not surprising). If had to pick the weaker of the two events, I would say the CDC ending to the finale was a little lackluster.  It felt a bit rushed, but it is somewhat understood given the very short time frame of the first season.

As a huge fan of the comic, I was pretty excited from the moment I heard it was going to be turned into a tv series, especially once I heard AMC would be handling it, considering their recent track record with new series.  The show has not disappointed me yet overall.  There are spots here and there you can pick at, the writing can be questionable in some spots, and yes we do get doses of cheap-looking CGI in spots, however I think the series is off to a solid start and cannot wait to see what is coming next.

The series has been renewed for a second season, but we are a good three quarters of a year before it debuts. 

Watch: Redskins vs. NY Giants aka "Why Me?"

'Skins travel to NY today to play the Giants.  At 5-6, any realistic playoff chances rest on winning today's game(and realistically, every game from here on out).

In 2005 the 'Skins pulled off a five game win streak to close the season and make the playoffs, however that team was much better than this group.

The Giants are pretty banged up, which is really the only reason to give the 'Skins a chance in this game, but the Skins have lost 4 in a row at The Meadowlands....so yeah I am not holding out much hope.

Retro Flick Fillet episode 6...coming soon!

Sorry I failed you blogosphere!  Got way to late to que up a netflix movie and not expect to fall asleep.  I will try again tonight.....with that said....On behalf of Doug, Shawn & Myself, we have a special message and request regarding the next episode of Retro Flick Fillet podcast: 

 

Our December/Christmas-y themed episode will be taping in about 10 days.We are giving the listeners an opportunity to help us pick out what flicks to review for Christmas!We will be reviewing three movies.Have some in mind,but would love to hear your suggestions!Just leave a comment on this thread or email... your suggestions along with any other general show feedback to retroflickfillet@hotmail.com  or leave suggestions on this blog.  Or you can even find us on facebook by searching for Retro Flick Fillet.  Same with Twitter; @RetroFlickF.  You can leave suggestions at both of those websites if you so choose!

 

 

 

 

Watch: Oh Distractions, how I wish I could quit you!

I know, I know...get to that damn random netflix movie already.  Well ok people, but tell me you wouldn't be distracted if you were channel surfing and came across THIS:




*focus focus focus focus......*

Watch: UFC vs. Strikeforce - Live dueling cards for first time

Tonight both UFC & Strikeforce competing live cards for the first time.  UFC's TUF finale on Spike, and Strikeforce had a pretty major card on Showtime.  UFC will easily get more viewers due to being on a basic cable channel compared to a premium subscription channel. 

I watched both cards, neither live due to the magic of DVR.  I was able to watch both cards in rapid "only the fights, fast forward everything else mode"  While both cards delivered, I would give the slight edge to Strikeforce, due to the three devastating KO's that ended the fights in Strikeforce.  Not to mention the epic comeback by Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva when it looked like he was about to be a victim of a KO himself in the 1st round of his fight with Mike Kyle.

Congrats to Jonathan Brookins for winning TUF finale and the UFC contract.

This isn't really an MMA blog so there is no need to go over the details of the cards. I am sure you saw them.  My other thoughts on the fights can probably be found in other discussion forums I participate in.

Now with the fun stuff out of the way, time to mix up a drink and get started on the netflix instant view.

Watch: I have a choice to make....for tonight's viewing.

Tonight I have a pretty open night to watch whatever. once the fights are over.  I am either thinking Dark City or finding something random on Netflix.  I really want to watch Dark City again since I have the blu ray and haven't watched it since it first came out on VHS so many years ago.

The thing is, I know with a movie like Dark City, it is an investment.   Not a movie you can simply have on, while other things are going on around you.....

Want to help me decide?  Thanks!

Play: My so-so skills at online gaming

I've been playing Madden '11 a little bit this morning, and have come to realize that I don't play online against good competition enough to consistently stay good.  This is not like riding a bike.  You have to keep at it more consistently in order to get  better and more importantly STAY better.  The same goes with a game like Call of Duty.

Now, I don't want to make it seem as though they aren't fun if you aren't winning.  Not the case. I still have fun regardless. I just recognize my winning pct. goes up and down depending on how frequently I am playing.  This is why I really enjoy games that are starting to put online Co-op into their games.  And not just a side quest or a few randomly generated missions.  I mean the actual main storyline or in Black Ops case, the entire zombie sub-game(both modes).

Back to some zombie slaughtering!

Watch: BeerBong

Totally forgot I had posted this gem a few years back......

Play: Black Ops....

In about ten minutes.....PSN: cryptkeeper666   hit me up if you have a PS3.

Watching: Top Chef All-stars episode 1

Wow. I totally geek-out to this show waaay too much. It is a cooking competition show for christ's sake. Emmy-award winning and all....but still....

If you are like me and have been watching this show from Day 1, it is pretty exciting to see the best competitors out of the ones who didn't win their season, back to compete against each other for a second chance. Hard to believe it has been this many seasons of the show already.  Only one episode in and as the ol' cliched saying goes "you can cut the tension with a knife"

Listening: Film Junk Podcast #294

Today at work I listened to Film Junk podcast #294

If I was ever to make a more straight-forward serious movie podcast, this would probably be the model I'd use. These guys are really good at what they do. I've been listening to it for a couple years now and am pretty entertained regardless of whether I have already seen half of the movies they are talking about.

I enjoy the podcast I do. Mainly cause it is me and two friends. We are way too goofy to do a show like Film Junk, and way too knew at it to pull it off(well Me and Shawn, Doug is a pro and also hosts and produces The Season Pass podcast)

We are just a few friends who like to get together, share our love of movies, and bullshit with each other once a month. No credentials, no background in the film industry etc etc.

So yeah, if you listen to my podcast, and wondered what podcasts I enjoy. Film Junk is one of the tops.

Watching: The Battle of Los Angeles (trailer)

Ok, so I'll admit, there is a lot to like about this trailer. The attacks raining down from the sky look crazy good. The shot of the battleship being demolished is cool. The night-vision "OMG FRENZY" sequence is also pretty nice.

The problem is, we have seen trailers like this before. Preparing us for the best movie ever, only to get suckered into mediocre fare.

It looks for for the time being Alien Invasion flicks are Sci-fi's answer to the huge wave of Zombie and hybrid-Zombie flicks.

I've seen Monsters, it wasn't horrible but definitely disappointing. Haven't seen Skyline, but the reviews were bad, and I'm talking Battlefield Earth awful.

Playing: broken PS3 controller :(

Playing:There she is.  This is a controller that is less than a few months old.  Right out of the box with the PS3 slim.  I thought maybe the battery was dead, so I dug out one of my old controllers that was chewed up by Shadow, and opened up both controllers, switched the batteries. Nope.  Not the problem.  Must be the motherboard itself inside the controller.  Dammit.   $50 value.   At least Gamestop is known to have lots of used controller on hand.  So as it stands I still have one dual shock 3 controller and then one non dual shock controller on hand.

Watching: I have the Ultimate Fighter 2hr finale taped, as well as Top Chef All Stars.  Also Drinking Made Easy.  I think that will take care of any tv watching for tonight.  Cop Out probably tomorrow night.


Reading: Current issue of Game Informer.  Neat article on the Top 20 characters over the past decade.

Will probably be playing Black Ops later tonight.  PSN ID: cryptkeeper666   hit me up!

Tomorrow is Friday, *yay*

Watching: The Runaways

Tonight I watched The Runaways.

This is the story of the talented but short-lived band The Runaways. Now be forewarned, if you are interested in anything about the band besides Joan Jett & Cherie Currie you aren't going to get much out of this film. Basically that is my biggest gripe with the film. You'd think the rest of the band was just a few cardboard cutouts digitally inserted into the movie to fill out the band. I understand that Kristen Stewart & Dakota Fanning were the top billed actresses, however this was supposed to be the story about the band and not just them. My favorite performance in the film is by Michael Shannon who plays Kim Fowler, the bands founder and and sleazy manager.

The film follows the typical format you'd expect. Fame at a young age can propel some while destroying others. Joan Jett goes on to rock & roll infamy later in life, while Currie returns to a relatively pedestrian life by hollywood standards. I am not sure why the closing character "where they are now" summaries did not include anyone else from the band, especially considering Lita Ford went on to have a pretty successful career after the Runaways disbanded. I believe Lita Ford wanted nothing to do with this film, but don't quote me on that. Joan Jett was listed as an executive producer.

The film itself is not bad perse, but I just felt it really missed the boat on exactly what it is supposed to deliver. I wanted to know more about the band itself. The background of all the members, what they all were thinking, what they all ended up going on to do later in life.

There is an excellent documentary floating around the internet called Edgeplay: A Film About the Runaways'. It's on youtube, broken up into multiple parts. If you are actually interested in the history and story of this band, I recommend watching that at least as a companion piece. It features extensive interviews with every member of the band besides Joan Jett, who oddly enough decided not to participate. However there is plenty of perspective out there from her in various other outlets, that it doesn't come off feeling like something is missing the way The Runaways does. The documentary really seems to give off the vibe that any "good times" in this band were heavily outweighed by the bad times. Also, it really makes Kim Fowler come off as a much bigger scumbag than he is portrayed in the film. If he accounts from all the ladies are accurate, he got off rather easy in the film.

Overall, I give this film:

2 angry-rebellious teenage chicks out of 5.

Go find and watch the documentary as a companion piece or even instead of the movie.