Tag Archives: TV

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On The Lot

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Since the summer of 2000 which brought us the debut of Survivor, many people have bemoaned the “descent” of television into “reality” shows.   The interesting thing is the wide range they cover.  There are some I can’t resist watching, no matter how bad I think they are.
Okay, Matt, you like watching reality shows — what does this have to do with movies?

Back in the fall of 2000, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon started an ambitious effort called Project Greenlight.  The idea originally was to have a writer come up with a script and then the prize would be to film that script.  HBO offered to air it as a series, with the premise being to show how a film was made.  Unfortunately, the first film did not do well and the series drew lukewarm support.

Over the next 3 years, PGL had two more contests, tweaking the formula each time.  Unfortunately, TV audiences did not care, which translated to poor box-office showings for the films produced.

So, if PGL did so poorly, why talk about it now?

Say what you will about Mark Burnett, but he is currently right more than he is wrong about what the American public want to see on TV.  So he pitched to Speilberg the idea of combining PGL with American Idol, pulling the best of each together.

There are three judges: Gary Marshall and Carrie Fisher are there every week, with a guest judge each week.  So far, only Michael Bay has come across as a real ass — but is anyone surprised?  Even Brett Ratner seemed more likable and credible than Michael Bay.  Matt Stone and Trey Parker got it right about Michael Bay in “Team America: World Police” — particularly on the soundtrack.   Enough about Michael Bay…

The judges whittled 50 directors down to 18.  At that point, America took over in the voting.  Each week, we are treated to 5 short films and we vote on what we like.  The lowest vote-getter (smallest box-office) is eliminated from the show.

At this point in the season, 15 are being whittled down to 12.  One is already gone, with another awaiting their fate in the next episode.  The show also has all of the films stored online.

My advice: It is better than most reality shows out there and some of the shorts have been very good.  Worth DVR’ing and watching in marathon form as I did with the episodes so far.

DVD

Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther

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First off, Marvel needs a new movie-naming team. To recycle movie title phrasings within the same year is pretty bad.

This movie picks up in the aftermath of the first movie. While the bad guys were defeated, there were prices to pay. Intercut this with the introduction of a small African nation and our newest hero, Black Panther. We also see the aliens from the first movie, meaning that our heroes were not entirely successful. From here our story takes off.

Again, I was pleased with the animation and storytelling, even if it did seem like parts of “Independence Day” and “War of the Worlds” had invaded the story. In watching this one and its predecessor, it felt like I was watching the comic book. The widescreen aspect and the 5.1 sound mix again adds to the movie.

DVD features include a feature on the Ultimates, a funny gag reel, and first looks at the next two animated projects (Iron Man and Dr. Strange).

My advice: Well if you listened to me on number one, then you will be happy with this sequel.

DVD

Ultimate Avengers: The Movie

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A few months ago, I was wandering through BJ’s Wholesale Club when I noticed an interesting DVD box set: 3 Marvel Comics animated movie discs and a bust of Iron Man, all for the low price of $20. So, being the superhero geek that I am, I grabbed the set. It was a no-brainer, since two of the three movies were already on my wish list. The 3 movies in the set are:

  • Ultimate Avengers: The Movie
  • Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther
  • The Invincible Iron Man

For this review, I am focusing on the first movie, Ultimate Avengers.

I originally watched this on Cartoon Network. It was a quiet release and I only knew about it from happening to read Ain’t It Cool News that day. I was impressed with what I saw then and nothing has changed now.

So I fired up the DVD after watching the Fantastic 4 DVD. Marvel got it right with these animated movies. The story was kept simple, but not too simple. The animation was in the traditional 2-D style, but not anime-style. I felt like I was watching Saturday morning cartoons again. As such, the characters feel more human because of the hand-drawing.

The story has to cover a few areas: some origin aspects, as well as the threat of a new danger. This movie could have easily been about Captain America, with some guest stars. The movie starts off in WWII, with Cap battling against Nazis that have teamed up with aliens in an effort to win. Cap helps to beat them and is then carried away by a nuclear missle. After defusing the nuclear arms part of the missle, Cap is thrown unconscious into an iceberg.

The credits roll by as we move forward to present-day. S.H.I.E.L.D. is on an expedition to find Cap’s body, which they do or else it would be a short movie. Turns out General Fury needs samples of Cap’s DNA to replicate the super-soldier formula.

From this point on, we are introduced to the familar members of the Avengers team (as well as Marvel Comics, in general):

  • Black Widow
  • Giant-Man
  • Wasp
  • Thor
  • Iron Man
  • Hulk

Needless to say, we see the typical storylines of people trying to form a team when they all used to work alone. There are a number of good plot points and the movie ends on a satisfying note, as well as one that sets up for sequels.

The DVD extras are pretty good, with a trivia “pop-up” track and a feature on how the Avengers were created in comic books.  They also mixed the sound in 5.1, which makes it even more fun.

My advice: if you like this genre, then definitely check out the movie — you will not be disappointed.

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2007 MTV Movie Awards

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The start of summer brings many things: some good and some bad.  One event that can never decide which it will be is the annual movies awards show put on by MTV.  One of the annoying things to me is that it has always been aired pre-taped.  I mean, really, can it being live be any worse than the live steaming piles they have graced us with over the years from some of the Video Awards shows they have aired?

Be careful of what you wish for — Karma is always listening…

For 2007, MTV decided to air it live — GREAT!!!!

For 2007, MTV got Sarah Silverman to host — AWWWWW, CRAP!!!!

My good pal, Spaldy, and I have never  understood the fascination that people seem to have for Sarah Silverman (SS for the rest of this review).  She is hardly ever funny and probably owes a good bit of her career to the fact that she has been sleeping with Jimmy Kimmel.

Of course, for the first live movie awards show, I do what many others did: DVR’ed it.

See, I was at a convention all week and would not see it.  “But, Matt, just watch one of the 10,000 repeats that MTV will air until September…”  I would, except MTV sometimes edits the live broadcasts after they air, so I always go for the first showing.

The show opens with an odd filmed piece of SS’s dog turning into a jet fighter and her flying beside Johnny Knoxville to do a penile joke.  Then cut to the stage andher live jokes are even wors.  At one point, she told the audience to Google the reference to then get her joke.  UGH…

First Award is for Best Villain and it went to Jack Nicholson for “The Departed”.  Great movie and great choice, but I think Jack may have started celebrating early.  After rambling some, he leaves and we move on…

At this point, SS introduces a naked fat guy (who makes me look anorexic) that will chase off those who speak too long.  Brilliant part of the show:  The fat guy then chases SS off of the stage — Good fat guy — go eat more pizza….

Bruce Willis and Mac Guy show up to give out Best Fight scene, which goes to Gerard Butler for 300.  300 was a good movie built totally on fights — as much as I would have loved to see Will and Jon win for Blades of Glory, 300 was the right choice.

Can the overall suckitude of this show get any greater? Karma says ask and I shall deliver.  Cut to Dane Cook who will be introducing the movie spoofs of the night.  First up is “Quentin Tarantino’s Little Miss Squirtgun” — very entertaining.

Posh Spice and Chris Tucker show up to intro the first musical guest: Rianna and Jay-Z.  Time to hit triple fast-forward on the DVR.

For Best Kiss, why not bring up the people who will probably win next year: the cast of “I Now Pronounce You Chuck And Larry”?  MTV does and they call out Will Ferrell and Sacha Baron Cohen as the winners for Talladega Nights.  The kiss is then recreated for 5 minutes, even rolling on the ground.

Dane Cook shows up again (Why does he have a career?) to introduce spoof #2: “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Rehab” — not good at all, much like if Dane and SS made a movie together.

The Breakthrough award goes to Jaden Smith, Will Smith’s son.  Video acceptance was “ehh” and overdone by Will…

Dane again!  WHY?!?!? What did I do this week to deserve this? He intros the final spoof: “United 300″  Entertaining…

The Orbit Gum girl shows up to give the Dirtiest Mouth award to Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith for Clerks II.  Was this really news to anyone who has seen a View Askew movie?

Robin Williams, Mandy Moore, and John Krasinski come out to present the Best Comedic Performance.  Proving again that the world of comedy is very broad, it goes to Sacha Baron Cohen for Borat, a character I can not stand.  Oh well, MTV once thought Pauly Shore was funny….

To follow that award with the PSA about Boratits was the highlight of the show for me — well played, MTV, well played…

Cameron Diaz then walks out fresh from bed, based on her (lack of) dress — Lord knows I woke up at this point.  She is out presenting the Generations award to Mike Myers.  This is tough because he does good characters for a movie or two and then kills them by going one movie too far.  It was nice seeing clips form “So I Married An Axe Murderer”.

For Best Spoof, Samuel L. Jackson comes out and tells the winner that he/she better cast him in a movie.  Gotta love Sam.  The award goes to  “United 300″ — not a bad choice.

Bruce Willis comes back out to intro the other musical guest: Amy Whinehouse.  After 30 seconds, I hit triple fast-forward again.

Eva Mendes and Seth Rogen come out to give the Best Summer Movie That Hasn’t Been Seen Yet — out of the choices, are we surprised to hear “Transformers”?  Particularly after all of the subliminal stuff MTV has been doing all night?

The Transformers cast stays out to award the Best Performance to Johnny Depp for Pirates 2: Electric Boogaloo.

Finally, we reach the end of the show with one award left: Best Movie — the cast from Hairspray gives it to Pirates 2.  Not a bad choice, but not my first choice.

So, the show ends and I am left wondering if, like the Video Awards, the Movie Awards have become irrelevant in today’s MTV market?  Neither show can shock us anymore and both are showing their ages.  Or maybe it is simply another sign that I have long outgrown MTV…