Actor's Spotlight: King of New York

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Posted by Spencer Diedrick | Posted in , , , , , , , , | Posted on 11:35 AM

Two criminals are engaged in a drug deal with a Hispanic kingpin. They verify the cocaine's potency, and even agree to a hike in the price. They nonchalantly hand him the payment. He opens the briefcase to discover dozens of Tampons. Perplexed, the boss exclaims, "What's this?" One of the hoods, still smiling, replies, "It's for the bullet holes, man." Then they gun him and his bodyguards down.

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Actor Spotlight: Hairspray

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 11:08 AM

If you're someone who gravitates towards musical films or musical theater, then you're probably not me. That of course doesn't mean I can't appreciate a good musical when I see it.

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How To Train Your Dragon

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , , , , | Posted on 12:58 PM

Extra, Extra Read All About It...Gerard Butler Makes A Good Career Decision!

Since 300, the stoic actor, who voices a character named Stoick, hasn't made many good career decision (though I quite enjoyed RocknRolla) since his breakout role as King Leonidas. The key to his success here was: a) being heard and not seen and b) playing the supporting role in the film. Oh, and being the animated equivalent of Leonidas.

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Green Zone

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Posted by Spencer Diedrick | Posted in , , , , , | Posted on 5:51 PM

Thanks to the success of The Hurt Locker, I had a lot of anticipation for the newest Iraq War film, Green Zone. The pedigree of Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass didn't hurt either, not to mention a four-star review from Roger Ebert. What I got was a much more preachy action film than I'm used to, and I'm still not sure how I totally feel about it. Just go with me here.

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Green Zone (Devil's Advocate Review)

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Posted by Ervin A. Villanueva | Posted in , , | Posted on 5:50 PM

Heading to the theatre, I felt I needed a Jason Bourne fix, the dude is simply a bad ass and after viewing the trailer for Green Zone, I had thought I finally found something to hold me over, but did I really see a military version of the Bourne films?

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Mission Impossible Cruises Into Theaters in 2011

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , | Posted on 12:42 PM

Mission Impossible is set for a fourth installment, with 47 year old Tom Cruise filling in as Ethan Hunt once more.  J.J. Abrams, who directed the third MI film, has provided the makers of the fourth a plot, but will not return to direct. 

Mission Impossible III grossed 397.8 million dollars worldwide, which implies that the franchise may still have legs. 

The filmmakers are aiming for a Memorial Day 2011 release.

Anchorman Sequel Looking Less and Less Likely

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , | Posted on 11:02 AM

A year ago Will Ferrell intimated that an Anchorman sequel was inevitable.  Since then, it has become a scheduling nightmare, as all of the major players, such as Paul Rudd and Steve Carell, have moved on to larger, more illustrious careers since 2004.   From an interview with Ferrell, however, it doesn't sound like it's completely out of the question.   

Offer made to Captain America (A Mad As Hell Op-Ed Piece)

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Posted by Patrick Newson | Posted in , , | Posted on 11:01 AM

In a quick follow up to Mike's earlier post, the offer has been made to the actor who will be Cap in the Capt. America film and The Avengers. Who is it you ask?? Well my condolences to those who wanted Jim from The Office, sorry it's just not to be. The other report about Ryan Phillipe....Ehhhhhhh sorry. No the title role is offered to none other than Johnny Storm himself, Chris Evans (says The Hollywood Reporter). Yayyyyyyyyyyy. No? Ok I'm not too sure either. I don't hate the pick, lets just get that out there. Evans doesn't scream Cap to me. He barely survived as a member of The Fantastic Four. A movie, FYI, that I hated...both of them.

I'm eager to hear what you all think. I'm a huge Cap fan and the last thing I want is another Wolverine to put me to sleep. Fan boys...and girls sound off!!!

The Runaways

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Posted by Dave Bartik | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 10:11 AM

For all the hoopla made of Kristen Stewart, Joan Jett, and The Runaways, it is much ado about nothing. Her role is severely limited in scope and screen time, allowing for two of her co-stars to shine through all of the misplaced hype.

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Devil's DVD Advocacy: The Men Who Stare at Goats

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , | Posted on 11:34 AM

Finally, after all of these years, we get to see what Star Wars might have been like, if it starred George Clooney, took place on Earth, and was fueled by loads and loads of LSD. Of course, the LSD thing could be true about the original Star Wars. From a production standpoint, that is.

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Devil's DVD Advocacy: The Blind Side

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , | Posted on 11:24 AM

Originally Posted By Joseph Wilhelm

I'll admit, I had no clue The Blind Side was based on an actual story till the ending credits rolled and they showed actual photos of the real life people portrayed in the film. Call me out of the loop, or whatever, but football hasn't always been a sport that I follow regularly. However I must say after watching this movie I found myself looking to put a Baltimore Ravens game on and not to mention browse the internet to read more about Michael Oher.

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Episode 15: Award Shows Wrap Up and Movie News

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in | Posted on 6:35 PM

Award season is at a close, but that doesn't mean we're finished talking about it.  This week Jonathan and Mike discuss the Spirit, Razzy, and Oscar awards, and what is in store for some of the winners and nominees.   

Give us a listen and Jonathan will personally bring you a copy of All About Steve. 


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2012 Will See A Disaster of Titanic Proportions (A Mad As Hell Op-Ed Piece)

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , | Posted on 11:45 AM

James Cameron is working to bring his film Titanic back to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the titular boat's fateful trip.  The film will not only be back in theaters, but it will also be 3D, with a giant capital "D", standing for "Disaster".  

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Actor's Spotlight: The Dead Zone

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Posted by Rene Alvarado | Posted in , , | Posted on 6:38 AM

"Blessed me?.....You want to know what God did to me? He threw an 18-wheeler at me! Bounced me into nowhere for five years!.....God's been a real sport to me."

Nobody writes crazy like Stephen King. Nobody acts crazy like Christopher Walken. And nobody can direct craziness like David Cronenberg (Scanners, A History Of Violence, Eastern Promises). When you bring those three together you get a great movie. That movie is The Dead Zone. It's one of the best cheesy sci fi/horror movies to come out of the 1980's. It has a 1970's vibe but with a very 1980's look to it(bad hair, low budget, lots of overacting). The movie is a showcase for two of the best over the top actors in Hollywood, Christopher Walken and Martin Sheen. And, is also one of Cronenberg's better movies. One of his most mainstream and accessible early movies.

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Mel Gibson's Viking Film May Be His Directorial Swan Song

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , | Posted on 11:32 AM

Mel Gibson has had an idea for a viking film for a while now.  It's only now coming to fruition and the actor/director believes it will mark the end of his directing career. 

Gibson has stated that he's going for the same level of realism that he showed in Passion of The Christ and Apocalypto, where the primary languages were Aramaic and Mayan, repsectively.  The script is being reviewed by all involved, as we speak, in order to ensure the level of realism that Gibson seeks.

At this time Leonardo DiCaprio, seen recently in Shutter Island, is attached to the project.  All other details are heavily guarded by Viking Axe-Men.

Comic Book Movie News

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 11:00 AM

At SXSW Ed Norton announced that there are no plans for a Hulk sequel in the near future.  The implication was that the focus, right now, for Marvel is to get as many of the individual characters that comprise the Avengers into action, and then look at sequels.  On deck are Captain America and Thor, with an Iron Man sequel hitting theaters this summer. 

Speaking of Captain America, the news hit last week that Hugo Weaving would don the visage of the Red Skull, but still no word on who would be the Cap himself.  This week's names being bandied about:  Ryan Phillipe and Channing Tatum.  The First Avenger: Captain America, is slated for a July 2011 release. 

Devil's DVD Disappointment: The Twilight Saga: New Moon

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , | Posted on 9:01 AM

Originally Posted By A. Monnie Aleahmad

So I finally bit the bullet and watched The Twilight Saga: New Moon. I have to say, it was a decent enough film. A bit over dramatic, but still better than the first. It’s a simple romance story of an obsessed teenage girl abandoned by her lover and trying to cope with an all too mundane real world. Once you have a taste of the extraordinary, how can you go back to the lame real world?

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Devil's DVD Advocacy: The Fourth Kind

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , | Posted on 9:00 AM

Originally Posted By Dave Bartik

The Fourth Kind is a tale of two movies eliciting two wildly different reactions – all of it completely relying on what you believe. Or who you believe. The underlying skepticism that determines one’s joy or misery does not come from a trust in the supernatural and their nocturnal dealings – the main plot of the film – but whether or not to trust Milla Jovovich.

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Alvin, Simon, and Theodore Go 3D

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in | Posted on 11:43 AM

The film that everyone, and I mean everyone, has been clamoring for has been announced.  On December 16th, 2011 Alvin and his vocally gifted brothers will return for a third installment, in 3D.  While the films haven't garnered any real critical acclaim, they have been fairly profitable, so a third film was inevitable.  At this time no details about story have been released.

Alice in Wonderland (Devil's Advocate Review)

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , | Posted on 12:50 PM

When I think of Wonderland, I think of a place where the laws of physics cease to exist and strange creatures flit about. It's a place of, for lack of a better word, wonder. Realistically, wonder and a childlike sense of bemusement go hand in hand. Unfortunately, Tim Burton only does despair filled darkness, so what should be a place you look at quizzically, turns into a nightmarish landscape that you wince at. Now, you can't fault a director for bringing their vision to the screen, but there is a certain protocol when approaching a beloved classic, such as Alice in Wonderland. Much of the curiosity comes from the crazy scenery and odd creatures. Instead we get bleakness and viciousness.

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Alice In Wonderland

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Posted by Ashley Davis | Posted in , , | Posted on 12:00 PM

Tim Burton's latest adventure, Alice In Wonderland, is nothing short of Mr. Burton's wild imagination in full bloom. The movie (which is available in 3D, Imax 3D, and classic viewing) is probably one of Mr. Burton's most visually mesmerizing films. The movie starts when Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is proposed to by a comically portrayed Lord in front of a party. She ends up returning to Wonderland (as an adult) while her possible fiance awaits her answer.

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Actor Spotlight: Who Am I This Time?

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Posted by Joe Wilhelm | Posted in , , , | Posted on 8:25 AM

Before watching 1982's Who Am I This Time?, the oldest Christopher Walken work I had watched was The Dead Zone. This film was made one year prior. I'll admit to forming certain opinions after viewing this to the point I had to look up information online to settle thoughts. Having searched, I found my hunches were correct: this was a made for television movie.

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Brooklyn's Finest

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Posted by Rene Alvarado | Posted in | Posted on 4:45 PM

Brooklyn's Finest is the latest from director Antoine Fuqua. A gritty and violent crime drama set in one of the most notorious neighborhoods of New York City. The story follows three very different police officers as they deal with life as cops and life as people.

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Brooklyn's Finest (Devil's Advocates Review)

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Posted by Ervin A. Villanueva | Posted in | Posted on 10:47 AM

Now in theory, the premise of the film is sound, almost intriguing if not original. The film takes a unique prospective on the in sight from 3 Police Officers of the NYPD, whom are a part of the 65th District, which is hailed as the toughest area of NYC. The events of the film are on how 3 different officers handle their lives within and outside of their job.

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Oscar Winner List

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 7:36 PM

For the five people left that haven't heard, here is the list of winners from the 82nd Annual Academy Awards:

Motion Picture: The Hurt Locker



Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart



Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side



Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds



Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire



Director: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

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Devil's DVD Advocacy: Up in the Air

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 4:30 PM

Originally Posted By Spencer Diedrick

This is a tough time in America's history. Recession means bankruptcy, and unemployment runs rampant as factories close and their roles are filled overseas. Unlike anyone else in the country, for Ryan Bingham, these are the glory days. His job is traveling to and fro between just about every city or town on the map, and giving loyal workers the professional boot. Many stories concern those who walk "the road less traveled"; Bingham takes that road, along with several thousand more. He doesn't relish this task; he's like the garbageman, only the garbage asks him how he sleeps at night. What he does relish is the act of flying itself, as he feels more at home in the airport terminal than the address on his driver's license (which I suspect he doesn't have or need). This is a one-of-a-kind character, in a one-of-a-kind movie. The movie is Up in the Air, directed by Jason Reitman and starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick, and it's one trip well worth undertaking.

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Devil's DVD Disappointment: Capitalism: A Love Story

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 4:24 PM

Originally Posted By Dave Bartik

Time for another Michael Moore documentary. Time for more public domain filmstrips, more depressing stories of the working class, and more beating of the dead horse known as Flint, Michigan. In the past this formula has worked, and worked well enough to garner Moore fame at the forefront of documentarians (at least of the commercial documentarians). However, with Capitalism: A Love Story, even hitting all of his major arcs, the foolproof equation doesn’t add up.

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Episode 13: Oscar Picks and Predictions

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in | Posted on 2:13 PM

This week Mike and Veer are joined by Devil's Advoate contributor Jonathan MacFarlane in order to discuss who should win, as well as who will win. Can anyone topple Avatar? Will Sandra Bullock win, causing the earth to open up and swallow all of the legitimate actors nearby? Only one way to find out.


Listen, especially if you have money riding on the Oscars. Just be sure to send us our 25 percent cut.


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Episode 14: Alice in Wonderland

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 4:40 PM

This week we fall down the rabbit hole, for what feels like an eternity (it's a long one this week), and discuss overdone Depp, competent CGI craftsmanship, and the wonder that is Wasikowska.

Give us a listen and we'll bake you a cake that is guaranteed to make you taller.

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Independent Spirit Award Winners Announced

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Posted by Spencer Diedrick | Posted in | Posted on 9:52 AM

The 25th annual Independent Spirit Awards weren't surprising in the least, but they give movies that don't have much of a chance in the Oscar race to get the accolades they deserve. Here are this year's winners:

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Actor Spotlight: The Deer Hunter

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Posted by Jonathan MacFarlane | Posted in , , | Posted on 11:12 AM

The Deer Hunter was released in 1978 to much acclaim, winning 5 Oscars--Best Picture, Best Director (Michael Cimino), Best Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken), Best Film Editing, and Best Sound--and being nominated for 4 additional Academy Awards. It is consistently included on lists of the greatest movies ever. It is notable for being one of the first Vietnam War movies after the Vietnam War ended. It is also notable for being the last film in which John Cazale (aka, Fredo from The Godfather 1 and 2) acted; he was suffering from end-stage bone cancer during the filming, and died shortly after the movie wrapped.

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Actor Spotlight: Christopher Walken

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , , | Posted on 11:08 AM

This month we will be featuring the films of Christopher Walken.  Now, you're asking yourself, how do you pick what movies to watch when the actor has over a hundred acting credits?  We tried to pick films that had Walken in the forefront, as the leading man, being Walken. 

Week 1: The Deer Hunter


Week 2: Who am I This Time


Week 3: The Dead Zone


Week 4: King of New York


Week 5: Hairspray

Follow along and leave us comments.

The S.S. Minnow Maybe Sailing Into Theaters Soon

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 10:03 AM

Gilligan's Island creator Sherwood Schwartz is looking to bring his castaways to the big screen soon.  Details are sketchy, but the film has been greenlit by Warner Brothers and Schwartz has his lead actor in mind: Michael Cera.  Another name that has been bandied about is Beyonce, who would likely play the role of Ginger if she were on board.  Nothing is set in stone at the moment, but it seems the project now has some forward momentum.   

Cop Out

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Posted by Patrick Newson | Posted in , , , | Posted on 9:45 AM

When I was a junior in high school I worked for a video store. Little did I know I was in training to do the glorious job of criticizing films for Devil’s Advocates. We were allowed free rentals and use of the preview copy rack. These were the screener studios sent us so that we would buy copies and rent out their movie. One day I find a weird titles movie called Clerks. It was vulgar, funny, and in black and white. Two slacker clerks and their adventures when one wasn’t even supposed to be there that day. That began my love of Kevin Smith films. Naturally I wanted to see Cop Out, or as it was originally titled Couple of Dicks. That being said onto the movie.

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Arthur Returns: All Hail The Drunken Hero

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Posted by Patrick Newson | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 11:28 AM

One of my favorite movies when I was younger was Arthur starring Dudley Moore. Arthur was a boozing playboy, who takes absolutely nothing serious. He then meets a working class woman, (played by Liza Minelli) and falls in love. His family threatens to cut him off if he marries her, and in the end love conquers all.

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Hurt Locker Producer is Hurting

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , | Posted on 11:12 AM

In an unprecedented move the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has banned Nicolas Chartier, the producer of The Hurt Locker, from attending the ceremony on Sunday.  This is a lucky turn for the film itself as there was talk of it being removed from consideration.

This reprieve was no doubt brought on by the pleas sent out by Chartier in the form of an apology letter.  In it he sites "naivete" and "ignorance of the rules" as playing a part in his actions.    

1st Annual Lucifer Awards

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Posted by Spencer Diedrick | Posted in | Posted on 11:32 AM

The Devil's Advocates present the first annual Lucifer Awards, celebrating what we believe to be the best of film in 2009. Here are the results:

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The Crazies (Devil's Advocate Review)

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Posted by Rene Alvarado | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 10:14 AM

Iowa is full of random craziness. Slipknot, meth heads, guys named Ezekiel all live in Iowa. In The Crazies, that insanity is taken to a new level.

Sort of. It all seems so familiar. Wait a minute. It's a slick looking horror movie in 2010. Yup. It's a remake. Of a George Romero movie that nobody saw.

The town of Ogden Marsh is a typical farming town. It's the kind of place where everyone knows each other and they actually listen to the local police.

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The Crazies

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Posted by Joe Wilhelm | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 10:13 AM

To gear up to watch The Crazies, I watched George A. Romero's 1973 version a few days beforehand. While more modernized for our time, you can still see and feel homage to the 70's style that made Romero known for.

While Romero serves as executive producer, Breck Eisner (Michael Eisner's son) takes the helm as director on this one. Eisner does well setting up the premise in a fast pace, but tails off at times to give us more of a b-movie tone.

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Shrek Forever After Will Premiere At Tribeca

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , | Posted on 4:50 PM

The latest installment of Shrek will be coming to the big screen on April 21, a month before it's wide release, at the Tribeca Film Festival.  The choice has been lauded as both innovative and odd, but is believed to attract the much needed attention that the film festival needs. 

The movie will run April 21 through to May 2, and opens in theaters all over on May 21.

Devil's DVD Disappointment: 2012

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , , | Posted on 9:01 AM

I really only have one question (which isn't true, because I have many. Too many to list here). Why does Roland Emmerich want the world to end so badly? Independence Day, aliens blow us up good. The Day After Tomorrow, global warming sends us into another ice age. And now, in 2012, the earth as we know it starts disappearing out from underneath us. If destruction and body count are what Emmerich is going for, he is truly succeeding. Now, let's say, for arguments sake, that Emmerich actually wants to make good films. Well, that's another story.

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Devil's DVD Advocacy: Where The Wild Things Are

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Posted by Mike Pampinella | Posted in , , , , , | Posted on 9:00 AM

Originally Posted By Spencer Diedrick

What a magical movie this is. Hardly a surprise, considering the pedigree of the people involved (the director of Being John Malkovich and Adaptation.), but it's a rare things when a literary masterpiece the likes of this is adapted in such a way that nothing is dumbed down or cut through corners. Going above and beyond its source material, Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are is as fantastically entertaining as it is moody and emotionally draining, the results of the director's unrelenting vision of a boy dealing with his inner demons in the company of some bigger ones.

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