UPCOMING HOME VIDEO RELEASES (JULY 2013 EDITION)

The Lone Ranger (December 17 -- Rental, January 14)

Armie Hammer and the whole cast and production team on The Lone Ranger can bemoan American critics for supposedly "ganging up" on their movie and causing its financial failure but in the end it won't change the fact that their movie was almost complete shit and they failed to ask themselves two important questions before shooting: besides Johnny Depp fanatics, who is going to rush out to see this movie and why should we keep funneling more money into it?

Another in long line of epic bombs for Disney, it's not hard to see why The Lone Ranger under-performed so immensely. All the original fans of the character are likely pushing 80 years old and even if they made the trek out to the theater, I can't imagine they would enjoy the tonal whiplash of the shenanigans that take place over two and a half hours. In the movie's defense, the opening and closing 15 minutes are fairly entertaining on their own, as is Hans Zimmer's score, but not enough to excuse the two hour cacophony the comprises the middle.

Get ready to use the fast forward button

Pacific Rim (October 15 -- Rental, November 12)
Giant robots fighting giant monsters? Check. Characters that are cartoony-er than the giant mechs they inhabit? Check. The perfect summer movie? Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves here.

What Pacific Rim is is good fun. Not an exceptional movie by any means but a movie that has its heart in the right place. Director Guillermo Del Toro's enthusiasm for the project is completely admirable. He's simply out to make a respectful homage to the kaiju genre in Japanese lore that's as entertaining as it can be. In spite of a bloated runtime, some underused main characters and frustratingly obstructed battles between the titans, he still succeeds.

Del Toro is a kid in a candy store with Pacific Rim and imbues the so-so script with a mega dose of breathtaking excitement and appropriate humor, so much so that the movie overcomes itself and becomes a solid two hours and twenty minutes of fun that will no doubt look and sound spectacular in high def.

Rent it! 


The Conjuring (October 22 -- Rental, November 19)
Thematically, The Conjuring isn't breaking a whole lot of new ground in the horror genre. However, there's something to be said for familiar things that are made very well.

That is truly where The Conjuring excels. Virtually all horror tropes are on display here, including creepy dolls, old houses, haunted items, witchcraft curses, gnarled trees, possession, and the go-to uniform for a haunting -- the white nightgown. It's how all these elements come together that is so masterful.

James Wan delivers what is quite possibly his best film -- a tense, haunting feature full of thick atmosphere, rising malice, genuine performances and expertly filmed segments that make for a film that burns itself into memory. Not only is this a new classic to revisit around Halloween time, it's as close as we have come lately to a new horror classic, period.

Must own!



The Wolverine (December 3 -- Rental, December 31)

It's a shame this movie even needed to be made but thank goodness it was.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is far from the solo outing the mega-mutant needed in the first place (and further from an acceptable movie, at that) but now we've got the final puzzle piece we need to forget it completely. That piece is a flick that delivers both the madcap X-Men action we've come to expect and a more realized, restrained look at Wolverine that reminds us why we're so fascinated with the character to begin with.

The Wolverine does more than enough right. Hugh Jackman is given another chance to excel as Logan/Wolverine, which he graciously delivers on. The script, while uneven in sections, has a truer core to it, especially when it comes to a wounded Logan learning his place in the world after tragedy befalls him. The action set pieces are on par with the grittier aspects people expect with the character and with a complication that robs Logan of his healing factor, every blow matters so much more.

It's only in the third act, like so many other action blockbusters this summer, that the action gets too ridiculous for it's own good. Snake women hiss venom while giant samurai robots leap about with fire-swords and all of it clashes with what came before.

And yet, all the ridiculousness is never dull and only detaches from the rest briefly. Otherwise, the film is a highly satisfying look at Wolverine that sets the stage for a new look at the X-Men universe. It remains to be seen what the confirmed director's cut will bring to the table (more blood = correct answer) but we can rest easy knowing The Wolverine isn't in dire need of it to become a good movie.

Must own!



The Rest:

Despicable Me 2 (December 10 -- Rental, January 7)

Grown Ups 2 (November 5)

RED 2 (November 26)

R.I.P.D. (October 29 -- Rental, November 26)

UPCOMING HOME VIDEO RELEASES (JUNE 2013 EDITION)

Much Ado About Nothing (October 8)

Given that the movie never really gained a true "wide" release in theaters (wide is only wide if it reaches the dinkiest of towns, re: Mankato), home video is where most viewers will enjoy Much Ado About Nothing. Honestly and truly, this is the best way to view it.

Being a micro-budget adaption of a stage show that looks like it was shot by a film student and his troupe over a weekend, Much Ado About Nothing doesn't do much to justify a visit to the theater but should play wonderfully at home. Even if Shakespeare isn't your cup of tea, Joss Whedon's direction (simple to a fault production withstanding) and the actor's performances should win over most viewers and garner more appreciation in the right environment.

Definitely Rent It!

The Purge (October 8 -- Rental, November 5)

The Purge is a pretty interesting sci-fi concept that's squandered on a not-that-interesting home invasion thriller. Having a world where all crime is legal one night a year doesn't receive any exploration beyond being an excuse for the police to not show up when some inexplicably masked goons show up to stalk and murder. Even the power-duo of Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey, along with that creepy Reese Wakefield guy, can't pick up the slack after the initial interest of this dystopian future is dropped for the cheap, routine thrills the producers knew they could cash in on.

For the sake of being ironic, it would be appropriate to say that The Purge will purge itself from your memory within a few hours of viewing. The saving grace is that it's a shockingly short movie, given today's average runtime. Good for a rental, not much more.

Rent it someday

Man of Steel (November 12 -- Rental, December 10)

Man of Steel is not a perfect movie. I get that (and I've gotten that over and over in the past two months -- enough, thank you).

But I'm gonna say what I said last year when The Amazing Spider-Man hit to a fair amount of praise and a lot of concentrated bullshit from the other side of the aisle-- issues included, if you put your clingy, fanboy entitlement aside for a minute, you'll be able to see that the movie is a pretty damn entertaining blockbuster and a far more realized and relatable portrayal of a classic hero.

Man of Steel does a lot more right by Superman than it does wrong. The cast is phenomenal, the score moving, and the first half of the film paints a harrowing new picture of the world's greatest superhero as it sets up this brand new take. This all leads to a much more action-oriented second half but what it lacks in thoughtfulness it makes up for in thrills as we get the top notch action not seen before in a Superman flick.

Even as it enters its much maligned climax, the movie remains exciting throughout, enough so to be remain in the better half of this summer's offerings. Man of Steel's strengths should carry over nicely to video but a small clause should be attached: while the picture and sound will no doubt kick ass, Warner Bros. hasn't been the greatest about special features (this edition including a decent four hours worth), nor have they been very satisfying when it comes to their "Ultraviolet only" stance on digital copies. The film is currently going for the pre-order price of $24.99, but seeing how The Dark Knight Rises did the same last year, then ended up around $17.99 in its release week, I'll go ahead and say...

Buy It (When the Price Drops)!

World War Z (September 17)

It's surprising to think back now on how far World War Z flew under my radar beforehand and how high over my expectations it delivered after.

Nothing should have worked here -- an ever-ballooning budget to a trouble-some production, wild deviations to the source material, the director of Quantum of Solace at the helm, Brad Pitt in general, Damon Lindelof contaminating the script's ending-- it all should have combusted into fiery movie-death.

Guess what? It didn't and thank whatever deity for that because the movie rocks.

World War Z is a lean, mean ride that keeps the tension up all the way through. There's a perfect amount of grand-scale zombie spectacle and old-school survival horror at play throughout. Only the wrap-up falters but thankfully doesn't detract from the efficient and exciting movie that came before.

There were some that bemoaned the lack of zombie gore we're accustomed to these days in order for the movie to secure a PG-13 rating. These people should be pleasantly surprised to learn that the Blu-Ray release will contain an unrated cut to satisfy one's need for dismembering and disemboweling.

In addition to the new cut, expect the bevy of bonus features and pristine picture and sound of a Paramount release, as well as that oh-so-realistic price of $19.99.

Must Own!

White House Down (November 5)

[UPDATE -- 8/22: Seems new info has arrived suggesting WHD has moved back a week to November 5. Appropriate, really, since it's election Tuesday. Expect official word in the next week or so.]

No word yet on the home video release of Roland Emmerich's latest action-fest but October 29 is the date that's been pegged to it since release and if word says differently in the next few weeks, I'll let you know.

In the meantime, I'll also add that the movie is a lot of big, dumb, cliched action fun that will benefit heavily from the addition of a fast-forward button.

Imagine it: you're the editor this movie needed and your job is to trim the massive bloating! What will go first, the overlong character introductions or entire subplots that should have been left out for the sake of pace? What will it be?

Rent It

The Rest:

The Internship (October 22 -- Rental, November 19)

This is the End (October 1)

Monster's University (October 29 -- November 26)

The Heat (October 15 -- Rental, November 12)

THE CONJURING REVIEW

It's pointless to try and go over a list from the past five years of all the haunted house, exorcism and horror movies that haven't worked, be it either from familiarity or production laziness. The genre itself just seems tired and all-too-willing to fall back on mediocrity.

While there's not a whole lot about The Conjuring that screams originality, there is something to be said for familiar elements that are executed well. That's just what The Conjuring is -- a superbly executed horror movie out to terrify with mood and imagery that ends up being more effective than ever thought possible.

The film starts out with a short vignette about a possessed doll -- a sort of fourth wall breaking wink that the movie is directed by James Wan, purveyor and creator of creepy puppets from Saw and Dead Silence. The sequence itself is pure cheese and tonally not the best indicator of what's to come but it does at least let us know that as much time will be spent with our paranormal investigators as with the actual family.

From there on out the movie slowly builds the tension by letting the atmosphere sink its way into your bones before the supernatural happens. Subtle things like all the clocks stopping at 3:07 a.m. and the music box with an interesting view are just as chilling as some big boogie. As the tension hits its high and stays there, the haunting becomes more and more malevolent, giving the movie some of its most memorable and intense moments.

The movie runs a gamut of things usually found in horror flicks: creepy puppets, women in white nightgowns, possession, haunted items, witches, children in danger, gnarled old trees and other bone-chilling tropes. Some may see all these as too familiar but the execution keeps things from being completely predictable. The cast do an exemplary job of selling absolute terror and Wan keeps the tension going until the best possible moment.

The Conjuring screams classic horror, be it due to the themes or Wan's playful throwback style of filming and even with its clear time setting in the '70s, the scares feel completely timeless. It's easily a movie you could revisit every year around Halloween and revel in the perfect horror movie atmosphere, even if you know where the jumps arrive.

The thrills are good and the chills are better and it's because of this that The Conjuring has a place carved out for it among the more effective and crowd-pleasing horror movies in recent memory.

For that, a small round of applause is in order.

8/10

MUD REVIEW

I've got to be honest, while I wouldn't call this summer's crop of movies "bad", there hasn't been anything released that reached above a plateau of "really good" and blew me away. Things were looking a little underwhelming as we approach the end of the season.

Then I saw Mud.

Director Jeff Nichols' 2011 film Take Shelter was an under-the-radar darling for apparently all of the online critic community and a film I was just ok with. Michael Shannon was amazing (as he is in every role) but the movie around him was somewhat lacking. Likewise lacking are many of Matthew McConaughey's previous choices as an actor. Given the circumstances, I can see why I was hesitant at first to dive into Mud but, man, am I kicking myself for not seeing it sooner.

Mud is a movie made up of several different layers, all of which fully deliver. A coming of age story in which our young protagonist, Ellis (Tye Sheridan) loses his naivete about life (particularly women) meshes beautifully with the big brother figure he finds in Mud (McConaughey) and the hunted criminal on the run story he has going on, all of this set against a backdrop of the Arkansas delta that's both majestic and authentic.

So often with indies and character dramas, Take Shelter included, it seems the character strength comes at the expense of momentum in the story. There's always a point, sometimes two, where the movie gets too lost in itself and thus loses me. It's damn near impossible to take your eyes off Mud. The film is edited like clockwork and essentially tells you from the beginning what it's building to, all while relishing in the grounded characters at hand and emotional setting. Not in a long while have I been so engaged for over two hours.

Not that I ever thought I'd say this, but it's far from a fantasy to think that McConaughey could be up for some awards buzz in a few months -- he's honestly that good here. If the past two years have been his reinvention as a legit actor, this is the crown jewel. Our main kid, Tye Sheridan, is equally impressive, proving that child actors can pull their own weight and deliver as sturdy and fearless a performance as any of the adults. The main duo has some terrific backing from the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Sam Shepard, Joe Don Baker, Ray McKinnon and Michael f*cking Shannon himself.

It would be impossible to go on listing off all the names of people who knocked it out of the park with this movie because it is a film where everyone is at the top of their game and firing on all cylinders. But if there needs to be a hero to this story, all credit must go to Nichols for writing a script with such maturity and depth and directing a movie that executes it to the greatest possible effect. If he continues to make movies like this, I am on the Nichols train for life.

My faith in indies has waned for a while now and this summer's blockbuster crop wasn't doing me many favors either. Whatever genre and whatever season it was released in, seeing Mud did me a solid and reminded me of one thing: there are still filmmakers out there making great, great movies.

10/10 

THE WOLVERINE REVIEW

The Wolverine is a movie of two voices. One is a more restrained, personal, character driven side where we explore our most popular mutant's past actions and his attempts to do right by protecting a young woman. The other is the outlandish superhero shenanigans we've seen in other X-Men movies, where giant samurai robots swing flaming swords and snake-women literally spit venom.

In most cases these separate ideals would clash with each other to the point of failure and while there are a few things that suffer, Christopher McQuarrie's sure script and James Mangold's experienced directing make The Wolverine into the comprehensive standalone movie the character needs and a good bit of fun too.

Instead of saving entire cities, countries, or planets, The Wolverine deals with the saving of our main character. Such personal stakes are a refreshing change of pace from the usual wham-bang epicness that's become commonplace these days and plays off the strengths of other recent character-based blockbuster successes like Skyfall. Stripping away the parade of mutants we normally see and putting Logan mostly on his own helps to generate some focus and avoid the clutter of oh, say, X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

If nothing else, it gives us another superb outing from Hugh Jackman as Logan -- perhaps his best yet. This character was ripe for a thoughtful study and dare I say that this is the movie that delivers it.

Some may not care for the thematic through-line with Logan's former romantic interest, Jean Grey, but it succeeds here as a strong representation of Logan's inner conflict and as a necessary look at the consequences on him as a character after The Last Stand.

This more character-driven side of the movie only really falters in the pacing of the movie -- there's simply too much mid-way time spent in Nagasaki that air out of the picture. With that exception, this is what makes the movie such an interesting watch that we haven't seen before.

The cheesy aspects of the movie, conversely, can be a double edged sword. Sometimes we get a thrilling battle with the Yakuza on top a speeding bullet-train or manual heart surgery; sometimes we get a poorly written fight between Wolverine and Shingen (the only instance in the movie where the direction trumps the writing).

We are given a taste of what's to come early on in the movie with a CGI grizzly bear and a cringe-worthy bathtub scene but once the "pincushion" scene happens, it's apparent that two different forces are at work and one of them may be making you laugh unintentionally. Ineffectual snake-ladies, massive robots leaping about, knife throwing, an oddly filmed running sequence -- all these things snowball into a last act that is fun but one trippy ride.

Despite the pastiche of weirdness that becomes the final act, The Wolverine did what it needed to and more -- scale things back and focus not just on what a badass Logan is but show his weaknesses to see just how resilient a character he can be. The fact that the movie is one of the more fun and resonant blockbusters to hit screens this summer puts it high up in the ranks of movies this season and X-Men movies in general.

If the post-credits stinger is any indication, The Wolverine could be the wind up for something truly amazing in the X-Men universe. But for now, we can breathe a sigh of relief that we got something that was really freaking good.

8/10

5 MOST EXCITING COMIC CON REVEALS

Comic Con was last weekend and that's ok. It's completely acceptable that money is a thing to me and, as such, I didn't find myself in San Diego recently, soaking in the gorgeous 70 degree weather and nerd radiation emanating from the convention center. 

I'm fine with that. I'm fine, I said! Stop giving me that look!!!! Damnit, reality is a harsh mistress.

There's always next year, I guess (maybe more of a possibility than I was thinking). But even though I was thousands of miles away from the epicenter of all things geek-gasm, word still finds it's way from there to here rather quickly and Thursday to Sunday was still a blur of geek joy for me. There were many announcements, reveals, discussions, etc. that got my curiosity piqued but none quite like these five.

5. 20th Century Fox panel impresses

As far as I'm concerned, 2011 was Fox's year when it comes to movies.

In addition to delivering the terrific dramedy, The Descendants, the studio produced two of the three best blockbusters that summer: the much needed spark of life for the popular X-Men series, X-Men: First Class, and the new entry to the Planet of the Apes series, Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Both were prequels to their respective franchises, both had the odds stacked against them before release and both came out wildly on top.

Now we've been given our first looks at the sequels to both.

After Hugh Jackman finished his panel showcasing clips from and questions about The Wolverine, the majority of the cast of X-Men: Days of Future Past was brought to the stage. I say the majority because DOFP ties together the original X-Men universe and the First Class universe, all while introducing some new characters while they're at it so finding a stage to handle all the members of the equal rights/tolerance paralleling series would be a task indeed.

Footage was shown of the Bryan Singer directed mesh-quel, featuring Wolverine jumping back in time and a future Patrick Stewart Professor X coming face to face with past, disheveled James McAvoy Professor X. The audience reportedly went nuts for the footage, as one does.

Between the descriptions of the footage, the accumulation of the cast members and the sneak peeks at the dreaded Sentinel robots at the convention, my anticipation of this movie went from "we'll see how it turns out" to "we'll keep a guarded but really excited eye on it." The movie already secured it's spot as the most ambitious X-Men outing from the start and as long as it had a good basis and guidance behind it, it could very well usurp First Class as the greatest X-Men movie yet.

May 23 has a big RSVP marked on it in my book.

As if that wasn't too much to take in, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' mere presence at the panel was enough to go from excitement to elation. Not much footage was complete at the time due to the intricate effects work needed for the apes but a short teaser trailer for the film was reportedly revealed, featuring an ominous Gary Oldman voiceover, a winded Jason Clark running away and a final reveal of an older Caesar, played once again by the irreplaceable Andy Serkis.

DOFP and Apes recently switched release spots, which seems like a better move than not. X-Men can now ride a little more of the good word The Wolverine looks to be getting and Apes can now have an extra two months to brush up on those apes effects and fulfill that late July release spot. Let's see if they reclaim their throne from two years ago.

4. "Avengers: Age of Ultron" announced

Marvel Studio has a pretty good grasp on this whole "make a gigantic announcement at Comic Con" thing down. Even so, they didn't fail to surprise this year.

Before the big panels on Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (and a surprise Guardians of the Galaxy presentation), geek deity Joss Whedon took the stage to make an announcement regarding the Avengers sequel. We already knew it was hitting in summer 2015 and that Whedon and the core cast would return. What we didn't know was what the focus of the movie would be or who the main antagonist is. This reveal seems to answer those questions more than adequately.

Trying to tackle Ultron in the next movie is an interesting challenge indeed, especially when the malevolent A.I.'s creator, Hank Pym/Antman, has been confirmed to be absent from the movie. It wasn't a massive reveal of plot details or other spoilers but unveiling this subtitle alone gives the best first idea of how the next Marvel movies are going to turn to reach this point in the universe and reassurance that they've got a few surprises up their sleeves by not going with the Thanos route (at least immediately).

Well played, once again Marvel.

3. "Legend of Korra" returning in September

The absolute best example of animated storytelling on television today is finally returning. Sure, it's only been 11 months since it finished its debut season but one does not simply get enough of The Legend of Korra.

Since the very instant the first season ended I've been waiting for the next to start. The emotional story, the gorgeous animation stylings, the vocal talent, the top-notch music -- it's amazingly addictive how well they mesh to make a show so stellar.

And now we're getting more!

No exact date has been announced for the premier date but we do know that September is the month to watch and that Korra's next adventure will take a turn for the spiritual side and feature new voice cast additions like Grey DeLisle, Aubrey Plaza, James Remar, and Lisa Edelstein.

2. Hans Zimmer scoring "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"

There's a lot to be excited for in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The origin story is out of the way now, Electro looks to be an ominous and imposing foe along with some talk of Goblins, and we get to watch this Peter Parker progress in the more relateable way this series presents.

However, nothing tops this development. Nothing.

First, I will add that there's a part of me that's sad to see James Horner go. Horner's music added so much to the first movie and in all fairness his score was probably the best of last summer. Much respect to the man for his superb contribution.

Now then, did you hear the part about the next Spidey movie being scored Hans Zimmer?  Is that not amazing, pardon the pun? The man has certainly been busy monopolizing the sound of nearly every superhero  movie around lately. I'm bursting at the seams waiting to hear the soundscape Zimmer will use to capture a sound that's unique to the webslinger. I honestly thought I couldn't be any more excited for ASM 2. I was wrong.

1. This s*** is happening. For real.

So, um... yeah. The Man of Steel sequel is going to have Batman in it. I'm sure you heard that correctly but just in case the reality of the situation hasn't sunk in yet, THE MAN OF STEEL SEQUEL IS GOING TO HAVE BATMAN IN IT!!!!!

Cavill's back as Superman. Goyer's back on writing duties. Nolan's back producing. Snyder's behind camera once again. This is confirmed.

Oh, but there's so many questions to be answered. Will Batman outshine Superman in his own sequel? How antagonistic will their interactions be? Will there be consequences after Man of Steel's ending? What if they don't cast Karl Urban as Batman?

And yet, I'm perfectly content waiting to hear the answers to these questions over the next few months. This has been so long in the waiting that simply hearing that it's 100% happening was enough to set me (and apparently many others) on high.

Let the slow, steady stream of info roll on through!

UPCOMING HOME VIDEO RELEASES (MAY 2013 RELEASES)

It's baaaack.

Yes, glad to hear this segment went over so well and because it did, I'm glad to continue bringing the home video deets as soon as I can and continue to update this page with more official info as it becomes available.

Iron Man 3 (September 24 -- Rental, October 22)

What is arguably the best superhero movie, and movie in general of the summer makes it home video debut in the regular late September slot. There was some early word that it may street in the last week of August but it seems Disney/Marvel is quite comfortable sticking to the plan (especially when the likes of Pain and Gain and another later entry are also going with that day).

Shane Black's take on the armored Avenger is much different from what's come before and that's a good thing. It's still got a stellar cast and the zippy humor is better than ever but more importantly the character focuses are even stronger. For once it feels like you're allowed to care about Tony and the gang, even if it's still fairly certain they'll make it out unscathed in the end. Villains could still use some work, with the Extremis aspect of the show being rather underplotted and a twist with The Mandarin that's still sitting in the 50/50 range.

Even with these gripes Iron Man 3 has held up as the most enjoyable superhero movie of the year and my personal favorite of both the summer and 2013 in general. I'd be more than happy to purchase it on Blu-Ray (which I'm sure will look and sound magical), and with the bonus features added here, it may be one of the most acclaimed disc sets of this year. Included are several deleted scenes (a must because who doesn't love more RDJ), a Marvel-One Shot featuring one of the best things about Captain America: TFA, Peggy Carter; a sneak peek at Thor: The Dark World, and, as they say, more!

This is definitely on to add to the collection, post haste!

Must Own!

The Great Gatsby (August 27 -- Rental, September 24)

The longest, shallowest music video to hit theaters this summer slogs its way to video in late August.

I can't say how being a fan of the book would impact one's take on the recent movie but Baz Luhrman's adaption of Fitzgerald's novel is universally style over substance. It has some decent performances and it sure may look and sound pretty in HD but those seeking more than that may be turned off, bored, or a combination of the two by the recent over-long snoozefest.


Rent...Maybe

Star Trek Into Darkness (September 10)

Star Trek Into Darkness was one of my top anticipated movies this year. I honestly couldn't wait for the next outing in J.J. Abrams' revamped universe to hit home like the first movie did. What I got was fun -- simply fun.

Looking back now, I probably should have scanned over who was in charge of the script in order to readjust my expectations. Damon Lindelof's name on the roster should have been a better indication that the movie would have hollow, stolen moments from previous Star Trek movies, a massively mishandled villain, and less of a punch to it overall.

Into Darkness is still a fun movie, to be sure.  Everything looks and sounds top notch and the cast continues to play off each other exceedingly well. I'll be kicking myself on my oversight in the writing aspect for a while but STID is still one totally re-watchable movie.

Paramount is just about the best studio putting out Blu-Rays right now. The picture is always gorgeous, the sound rocks (quite literally) and the special features are plentiful, especially in this case. Take into account that the 2D combo pack is still selling for the super-reasonable pre-order price of $19.99 and Star Trek Into Darkness bumps itself up to...

Must Own!

Fast and Furious 6 (December 10 -- Rental, January 7)

[UPDATE #1, 8/16: word has it the date is being shifted back to December. More info to be announced as available.]

Sorry guys and gals, as of this writing there's no official announcement on the recent blockbuster. No official date, official artwork, official special features; nothing official. Seeing how it's one of the biggest movies this year, though, it seemed necessary to pass along the widely circulated release date and the fact that it's still up for pre-order.

I'll be updating this area when more word becomes available but just know that Furious 6 (or whatever they're calling it) is a fun movie in the dumb action movie sense of bare minimum script and characters that does unfortunately run too long, especially in the action set pieces. Regardless, it's a good bit of simple fun, so...

Rent It!

Now You See Me (September 3)

Now You See Me didn't do too bad for itself in theaters but it feels like a movie that's bound to do even better on video and cable, partly because of how it's made.

That can be taken either way.

The movie is a bit of light, zippy, summer fun on a modest budget with most of the money likely going towards assembling a cast of all stars to play off each other. Unfortunately, for all we know, that money looks to have been siphoned out of the writing portion leading to a script that features bad dialogue, flat characters, and a problematic twist. It's not a terribly bad movie but it's not a terribly good one either.

If you find yourself with two hours to kill, you can do a lot worse than Now You See Me.

Rent It


The Rest:

Epic (August 20 -- Rental, September 17)

The Hangover Part III (October 8 -- Rental, November 5)

After Earth (October 8)

This fucking movie.

The sad thing is that the film fails on almost every level but does nothing so heinous as to deserve any feelings, negative or negative, about it whatsoever (much like Will Smith's painful performance in the film). And yet, I still roll my eyes every time I think about it and attempt to pretend it doesn't exist, and more importantly, that I didn't spend almost $9 on admission.

If there's any trace chance you think that this is a "so bad it's good" movie, sweep it away because you're in for five minutes of hilarity and over 90 more of stagnant boredom.

Run! Run from the bullshit!

PACIFIC RIM REVIEW

Just when I thought my anticipation for giant robot movies had been absolutely slaughtered by the Transformers movies, along comes a movie that made me hear the heartbeats under the floorboards.

Deserving of neither its moderate flop status at the box office or its christening as the "best movie of the summer" by geeks across the land, Pacific Rim is a fun, fun movie. Far from a perfect one, but fun none the less.

The thing that keeps Pacific Rim so enjoyable (and head and shoulders above Michael Bay's wretched film abortions) is the enthusiasm that went into it. There's not an ounce of cynicism to be found in Guillermo Del Toro's love letter to classic kaiju movies and other material  in the mythology. It's a shame that it even needs to be pointed out but if a filmmaker has decent material and is happy to make their movie, that same enjoyment will find its way to audience members.

This is the biggest asset Pacific Rim has -- its material is decent but the glee of its director elevates it to something more than that.

Pacific Rim is a big-screen cartoon. Everyone expects this for what they came to see (giant robots punching giant monsters) but where it's really apparent is actually in the story and human elements. We pick up the story, not at the beginning of the kaiju invasion, but at the ending days.

Whereas almost every other blockbuster nowadays opt to start at the origin in hopes of a trilogy, having PR feature the end of this saga is refreshing, like jumping back into a familiar tv series after a while once it's approaching its final story arc.

Similarly, the human element of the movie is just as simple and in-line with the source material as the robots they're inhabiting. Two main characters with a traumatic past, the badass general, the kooky/crazy scientists, the flashy criminal -- all these one dimensional characters are present, yet actually fun to watch because the movie knows what it is.

Idris Elba, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman -- each character steals the show at least once... with the exception of the two leads. "Not-Heath Ledger" and "Still kind of struggling with English" are given the thankless hero task and may have had some depth in a movie that didn't go for the simple and sweet approach. As is, they're left to get the job done and nothing more.

The action is big and ridiculous but thankfully not a completely incomparable mashing of garbage. These massive Jaegers have weight to them, allowing for some time to soak in the layout of the piece. The camera is put in a place where most everything can be taken in, yet only the Hong Kong throwdown and news clips from a brief skirmish are the only brawls that are completely understandable to the eye.

Every other action piece is obscured by the cloak of night and a thick curtain of rain. I'm guessing the final battle was cool since barely anything was comprehensible. Unlike the rain and nighttime, having the final fight take place under water made sense from a story angle but from a visual angle, the dark, murky atmosphere and separate battles going on forced into crappy action territory whereas the rest of the movie was doing mostly exceptional on visuals.

All of the monsters looking exactly the same and movie running a lot longer than necessary don't really help matters any but this may just be a movie to give some leverage to. Had Del Toro taken this project on as an obligation or an easy money-maker, the whole perception of the movie would have been skewed.

Instead, it's just a movie for everyone involved with to have fun with, behind the camera and in the audience. There's no cynical approach, no dumb/inappropriate jokes -- just simple, true to its roots popcorn entertainment. And sometimes that's something to be commended.

7/10

MID-SUMMER MOVIE PODCAST

A week back, myself and MSU Reporter co-hort Andy Simon recorded a podcast on the first half of this summer's crop.

Unfortunately, I can't upload all the files here, so for now I'll just point you towards...


http://themsureporter.com/mid-summer-movie-podcast/


...and you can take it from there.

ENDER'S GAME OVER

The value of saying "I Can't Go For That" every now and then

I try, I really do.

I want to say I've seen every movie out there but it'd be like saying I've smashed every wasp out there -- you get a good number down then 30 from another nest you forgot about come and deal you bloody vengeance (it's wasp season, if you didn't pick up on that).

There are countless movies from past years that need to be looked upon but trying to catch all the movies in the theaters is challenge enough. Even then, not all can be viewed. Some you already know how they'll turn out (Grown Ups 2), some you forget even existed (Red 2) and some you probably should have forgotten existed (After Earth).

Then there are the ones you say "No" to.

Beyond simply looking sub-par, these special examples transcend the medium and represent an actual attack against humanity and all things good. The only response is to avoid any physical contact between it and your money.

Through little fault of it's own, Ender's Game is now one of those examples.

The story itself is far from being the issue here. A beloved sci-fi classic, it tells of a futuristic Earth under attack from invaders that turns to children to be the next wave of ruthless, brilliant soldiers in the fight for the planet. Sci-fi fans continue to go nuts over the book to this day and it's not because of its hot-button issues (taking place hundreds of years from now and all).

The viewpoints of the book's author are another matter entirely.

Orson Scott Card has been more than vocal about his viewpoints on homosexuality and gay marriage in the past, for which you can read a good summation of them here. Long story short, he goes into a delusional rant  disguised as a thesis on how the teaching of heterosexuality and other "traditional values" will be stamped out if gay marriage is legal and how homosexuality should be strictly outlawed in society.

This is not a case of "I thought that then but have since soften with the times" either, as we've started to see with this issue. Card has stuck by these opinions since his statement in 1990 and perhaps even intensified his crusade.

There was always bound to be controversy when the movie was announced, and while Summit tried to sweep it under the rug by stating Card was simply a "consultant" or such, it wasn't until just recently that GeeksOUT started a "Skip Ender's Game" pledge asking for fans to keep their money far away from Card.

Card's response to this petition was essentially "let's hope the gays finally show some tolerance towards homophobes now that they've taken over."

There are always bound to be those artists you disagree with. I think Bruce Willis' conservative beliefs lead him to take the money on every bargain-bin script he's offered, but at least every now and then there's something like Looper in the mix. Quentin Tarantino continues to be a childish, self-obsessed douchebag, but he'll sometimes turn in an amusing movie. Frank Miller is a complete and total cock when it comes to many things, but... no, nevermind, I'm done with him.

The difference is that so few of these people I disagree with have such harmful and regressive views on other human beings that it makes them appear to actually wish for the world to look as distopian and uninviting as the stories in the genre they write for.

"Those who flagrantly violate society's regulation of sexual behavior cannot be permitted to remain as acceptable, equal citizens within that society."

This is seriously what this man believes in for other people. This is beyond having an asshole-ish opinion -- it's what it looks like to be inhuman.

Card has every right to speak his mind but as someone who gets his money from sales of books, comics and movie tickets, myself and others have the right to deny him that. Card may have been demoted to the boogieman behind the curtain, but in this case, paying to see Ender's Game in any way will be the equivalent of wadding up a handful of cash, hurling it at Card and saying "I agree with you and all your bullshit!"

And so, four months from its release date, I'm removing my hat from the ring on going out and seeing Ender's Game. Nothing is ever for certain, though. There may be some crazy situation where a friend may proclaim "Say, I love that one book written by that one repugnant shit-head. Let's go see the movie," and I may reply "Yes, I've put myself in a drunken stupor and am ready to go back on my principles."

But let's assume that doesn't happen. 

I'd like to think the movie won't get any unwarranted exposure because of this (probably in vain) and that most of you would join me in skipping this one, but I assume you all can make your own decisions.

I'll assume  the movie will turn out as it looks -- the two kids from Hugo and True Grit will be good, Harrison Ford will be scowly, the dialogue will be stilted, the visual effects will be the best effort a sophomore studio like Summit can produce (as in, not that great), and people will once again come back to the truth that the book is always better than the movie.

But that's all I'd care to do -- assume. Life's too short and there are so many other wasps to swat.

IRON MAN 3, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS & MAN OF STEEL SCORES

Iron Man 3 (Brian Tyler) - 

With the exception of Alan Silvestri returning for The Avengers after scoring Captain America, Marvel has generally sought a different musical identity with each of their Phase 1 films. But with this new Iron Man score and Tyler assuming duties for the upcoming Thor: The Dark World from Patrick Doyle, this looks to change up a bit for their Phase 2 movies.

The Iron Man movies all stand apart from one another, part of that being due to each movie having a different composer and, by default, a different theme. Ramin Djawadi's score for the first movie had its simple, catchy moments and a decent theme, yet felt smaller than a movie like that might suggest. John Debney amped things up a bit for the sequel and kept things fun and light but the music remained in the standard fare category.

So how does Marvel newcomer composer Brian Tyler's score stack up in this series? Surprise or not, mostly in the same league as the others while adding some new strengths to the mix.

Tyler's score is by far the biggest Iron Man score yet and occasionally outshines other Marvel scores that are more inclined to be so grandiose. We're talking full orchestra, choir, added guitars -- the whole deal.

While it's not expected to become legendary any time soon, the theme of Iron Man 3 is a few steps ahead of its predecessors. The motif for Stark and his metallic alter-ego makes no bones about being a full-fledged hero theme and even plays around with something of a key shift in the end of the phrase (geeky little aside).

Unfortunately, like the last two movies and most Marvel movies in general, we still don't have a real, standout theme for our villains. Hopefully in the future we'll be able to get more than just seething bass figures and expository drum hits.

Iron Man 3's score essentially has three modes: action/intense brooding stuff, badass tongue-in-cheek moments, and everything else.

"Everything else" boils down to the cutesy emotional moments like the tracks "New Beginnings", highlighting Stark's new lease on life and "Extremis", meant to convey the wonder of this new virus' capabilities. These tracks don't add terribly much to the mix but are a nice breather from the overall seriousness of the album.

The action and intense brooding tracks are often intermixed, making it hard to differentiate the two. A standalone brooding track is "The Mandarin", used during the terrorist's videos. "Dive Bombers" is an interesting mix of the two, being technically light on music, using rhythmic percussion to drive up intensity during the Air Force One rescue scene and ending with the Iron Man theme in all its glory.

"Heat and Iron" and "Battle Finale" make up the final battle music at its most thematically bombastic, just like "Attack on 10880 Malibu Point." These three tracks are the definitive action tracks of the score and should easily satisfy anyone seeking true action music.

But it's in the two badass tongue-in-cheek tracks that really give the score it's shining moments and sets it apart from previous Iron Man scores. The second half of "The Mechanic" sees Stark's McGuyver/Unibomber stint as he infiltrates The Mandarin's compound and  brings it to life with a jaunty super-spy basis, complete with added guitar and the theme weaved in. Let's not forget the quick cameo by sleigh bells. It is a highly addicting deviation and one that shows this score wasn't just going through the motions.

The other definitive track on the score is "Can You Dig It", the infectious '70s TV show rock version of the main theme played over the end credits. It was an original way to do an end credits sequence in the movie and its a memorable way to do it musically.

Most of the tracks are solid but these two are exceptional -- almost worth the whole album price.

However, just like many score albums these days, the tracks are not in the same order as the movie. This is something I still cannot understand because if it's good enough to successfully match the flow of the movie, why can't it do the same on its own?

As is, the album runs a little long with things getting somewhat stale in the middle.

Gripes aside, Tyler's work on Iron Man 3 is good solid fun with two phenomenal standout tracks. Pick and choose what you will for most tracks but be sure to listen to "The Mechanic" and"Can You Dig It".

On CD: 3.5/5
As Written for Film: 4/5

Star Trek Into Darkness (Michael Giacchino) - 

There's a reason people call Michael Giacchino the new John Williams. Since he first appeared on the scene with his work on Pixar movies, his scores have become something to look forward to in their own right (Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has even more going for it now). 

His breathtaking work on the first of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies did the movie an enormous service in bringing that world to life. Now, Giacchino is back for the sequel and, like the movie itself, upping the ante for a more intense second outing.

Star Trek Into Darkness is comprised of big moments and appropriately its score is a massive one, utilizing the full orchestra every chance it gets for those big moments. Big action set pieces are met in full with big emotional beats.

Nothing encapsulates the full raucous action/adventure spectacle like "The Kronos Wartet." Many tracks have whimsical adventure seeping from them but the first minute and a half of this one tops them all in intensity. The full-on ferocity of the Klingon pursuit scene's music, complete with chanting choirs and 7/8 time, is a thrill ride in itself and had the 5:30 track not been comprised mostly of buildup music to the next action scene, it would have been a masterful track to play on loop. As is, it's simply memorable and fun.

On the other side of the coin of massiveness is "Warp Core Values," a sweeping track of sacrifice for the greater good, which will rip those emotions out of you, whether you want it or not.

And yet, for all the big sounds at play, it's the more restrained tracks that make more of an impression. The intimate sounds of the piano in "London Calling" and "Buying the Space Farm" bring a depth that the script couldn't, the former being something of a revelation for a summer blockbuster score for just how personal it sounds.

Even the big baddie's theme (a simple three-note figure on loop, of which there is somehow still not enough of on the album) works best when it's creeping around in the background instead of blaring in the forefront.

One of the movie's biggest flaws was that its parts were impersonally harvested from previous Star Trek movies. Thankfully, that's not a problem that carried over to the musical side of things. The theme established in the first movie returns but by and large the music presented here is written specifically for the movie. While it's good that Giacchino isn't falling back on previous material, it almost goes too far in the other direction.

In writing music specifically for each scene, there is a lack of thematic flow-through. Everything presented can feel segmented instead of being one big musical piece. It's not the worst problem to have since much of the music fits what's on screen like a glove but it keeps the album from being truly top-notch.

The future of Abrams' Star Trek movies is a mystery (seeing how another well-known space epic is set to go under his hand) but even if number 3 is not to be, we can all rest easy knowing that Giacchino has put forth another saga of great movie music.

On CD: 3.5/5
As Written For Film: 4.5/5 

Man of Steel (Hans Zimmer) -

Before we begin, a question for you: Is it even feasible to still compare any score to the work of John Williams, the undisputed king of film music?

Answer: No, stop doing that.

Now that that's out of the way, here's the scoop. Hans Zimmer's work on the now finished triage of Batman movies left quite the mark on modern film music, enough to bring serious consideration his way for DC's other, more colorful and optimistic hero.

While the darker, more aggressive style Zimmer has perfected as of late may not seem automatically suited for the normally cheery Superman, his work here sets the tone for the entire new take on the man of steel, not just in the more somber, intense action of it but in personifying the themes of hope and pursuing goodness that are prevalent in the movie, making for a unique score all its own.

Zimmer's score here is powerful. Not loud -- powerful. Yes, it's high on the decibel meter (what score of his isn't?) but for every drum hit or synthesized effect, there are both swells and quiet moments that tap into the themes that run under the surface in a gorgeous way, be it both bombastic or intimate. Much as his work on Batman was a turning point for that character, his work here is key to establishing the current take on the character and he nailed it. The score to Man of Steel is one of the best so far this year.

True to his approach on the Batman movies, Zimmer works by layering themes for certain parts of the movie rather than one main one. The use of triplet figures and the major fourths and fifths theoretically ties together the whole sonic universe while different motifs and instruments signify their own things.

Zimmer has an array of new sounds at work, including an ethereal synthesizer akin to a wet finger circling the rim of a half-full wine glass to signify big blue's home world and slide guitar to capture the magic of flight.

The very first recurring aspect is the repeated use of the major fourth sound, which acts as effective foreshadowing. We know that Superman is off in the distance but as the simple musical idea develops from backing to theme, so too does our hero's path to superheroism.

The first and biggest emotional impact that is made in the movie is found in "Goodbye My Son." The lullaby-esque female voice humming those sorrowful notes as a mother and father give up their son hits home. Lucky for us the goosebump-inducing theme we're introduced to does come back several times. For clarity's sake, it morphs into what could be called the "Superman theme."

Almost as a dark mirror to the aspects in Superman's theme, the theme for Zod and his fellow Kryptonians is an identifiable, assertive march forward that will beat its way into your consciousness once heard. Not as overwhelmingly aggressive as Bane's theme but still in that vein of repetition for a similarly powerful military villain. The tune hits its biggest point in "I Will Find Him," titled after the lolsy line in the beginning of the film.

As an album, this is Zimmer's least aggravating release in quite some time. Nowhere in sight are the countless remixes that plague his albums (unless you buy the delux edition). Although in somewhat jumbled order, most of the material that appears on screen makes it to the final album cut. Only Lois' escape from Zod's ship is noticeably missing. Otherwise, even with the slight changes in order, the album itself is highly listenable, with all but a few tracks building upon each other whilst providing new material to enjoy.

As a score, Zimmer's work here is fantastic. The breathtaking new soundscape does a perfect job of conveying the tone of the new world and gives some more-than-decent themes as well. Zimmer's music not only fits in perfectly with this new Superman series, it's a cornerstone in defining it.

On CD: 4/5
As Written For Film: 5/5

THE LONE RANGER REVIEW

Watching train-wrecks can be just as entertaining as watching something with actual grace.

Knowing things won't end well and keeping an eye on all the hiccups along the way before the inevitable fiery end can be counted as a victory as long as it still ends up entertaining. What's not so fun is watching the train sputter to be put out of its misery over a 150 minute period.

That train is the one that The Lone Ranger finds itself on. Slated to be a train-wreck almost from the very beginning, this joyless mess fails to even succeed in being a bit of bad fun. Instead, it's just really bad.

Director Gore Verbinski gets a lot of crap when he turns in movies like this. These crap-givers must not have seen his previous film, Rango, which is one of the best animated movies in recent memory and probably the best movie in his cannon, with this movie wisely sharing lots of its visual old west beauty and detail.

Even on his lesser movies, Verbinski still retains the ability to craft some highly entertaining action set pieces, which is one of few things that keep The Lone Ranger from being a complete disaster. But when they only appear at the beginning and end of the movie, the entire middle is left to question. All two hours of it.

No, Verbinski shouldn't take blame for this misfire. Rather, the movie reeks of having too many cooks in the studio kitchen. The movie is a mind-numbing hodgepodge of disparate ideas that all clash with each other for the entire time. A traditional action western trying to mesh with a dark comedy, supernatural twist included, while still trying to be kid friendly could be done under the right guidance but comes off here as misconceived.

After two hours of jumping between horse poop jokes, a man getting his heart ripped out and eaten,
a wide-eyed little kid listening to the story of his idol, and implied molestation via a petrified duck foot, it never really becomes clear what the movie is supposed to tonally be, nor who it's meant for. It certainly won't be fans of The Lone Ranger.

Despite mugging it the whole way through, Johnny Depp has a small handful of those amusing moments that come naturally with him and William Fichtner is serviceable as the villain. Everyone else in the supporting cast is wasted.

Not faring as well is Armie Hammer as the Ranger himself, thanks to the bloated script's insistence on treating his character as a joke -- a foppish buffoon who's barely on the level of competency as his Native American counterpart. It's a bullshit move to pull with someone who's slated to be the main character and when no one in the movie takes him seriously, how are we expected to?

It was fairly apparent that a Lone Ranger movie from the creators of the Pirates series would mean both over-plotting and a gargantuan running time would be at play and sure enough, they didn't disappoint (as in, they really disappointed again). The irrelevant tie-through with old Tonto and the kid, along with the two subplots with the remaining Comanche and Helena Bonham Carter's character could all have been cut from the expansive middle part, making for an at least somewhat more straightforward story.

The last 10 minutes when the "William Tell Overture" kicks in as the Ranger and Tonto save the day is what those familiar with the character want to see from the start, not Pirates shenanigans dressed up in a cowboy hat. When the final tone shift does come, it's too little too late.

There was little hope for this movie from the start and it certainly lived up to its expectations. It's not the smallpox blanket to movies that other recent action westerns are (Research: Wild Wild West, Jonah Hex) but two action scenes and the Johnny Depp charm isn't enough to say it's good. Maybe this will serve as an example of what studio meddling causes and right the wrongs for future adaptions to come.

Oh, what am I saying? Brace yourselves for Pirates 5.

3/10

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING REVIEW

In a world where movies try to appeal to the broadest variety of tastes, one film dares to play to... like, two or three of them.

After delivering what most would call "the most awesomest movie ever," Joss Whedon has tapped into his more scaled back side and given us his rendition of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Filmed at his home over roughly two weeks, Whedon's adaption of the Bard's story of love, treachery and comedy is all black and white and features regulars of the Whedon universe, such as Nathan Fillion, Alexis Denisof, Fran Kranz, and Amy Acker, among many others.

There's no mistaking this is Whedon's work -- the comedic relationship he has with his troupe of familiars is as stellar as ever, with their humor breaking through the gap of them speaking in the original iamic pentameter and giving the movie that familiar Whedon stamp. It's thanks to this that the movie isn't the completely stiff adaption one might think of when Shakespeare comes to mind.

Scaled back efforts have their perks but they also have their pitfalls. In order to fully appreciate Much Ado About Nothing, it feels as if you need to be a fan of Shakespeare, art-house films and the Whedon-verse. In appealing only to such specific tastes, it's like there's a hefty wall of separation between the viewer and the movie.

This isn't a modern Shakespeare adaption you would want to start off with. By keeping the original speech in a modern setting, Whedon's assuming you've already been familiarized with the story and the point is to notice his take on it. For those who have not been overly familiarized with the story, it's going eventually prove difficult to keep up in deciphering the dialogue and some may even give up.

As if becoming detached due to the vernacular wasn't enough, the whole tone of the movie is almost made to be looked at from a distance. Filming in black and white in one location with the director's closest group of friends gives the vibe of being a senior film student's final project; a cool, collected inside effort by the main creative mind and his people that can only be fully enjoyed by those belonging to all three groups and simply appreciated to varying degrees by others.

However, Whedon's strong ability to amuse seeps through and keeps the film from being too removed. He knows just how to get his actors to deliver the lines in a way that speaks volumes (and writes a few good tunes as well).

Odds are most of you won't see this arrive at your local theater and that's ok. Unless you belong to all three interest groups and have decided you need to rush out and see it, there's really no reason to spend money on theater prices. Nothing about it screams that it needed to be in theaters in the first place. You will not lose anything if you only view it at home.

Whedon's adaption isn't bad. There's maybe 20 minutes before it ends that stretch on forever and that's about all that needs to be said negatively on a technical level. In all fairness, its solid performances are what to watch for. But for most people it is a movie that will be appreciated more than enjoyed and if you don't belong to all three demographics, you may sense the distinct feeling that you're not part of the club.

6/10