Clip from Inkheart: This is Our Way In
June 18, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
“Inkheart” is coming to DVD and Blu-ray on June 23, 2009. I didn’t see this in the theater, but I have a screener copy here, so will do a fresh review in the next day or so. Check out the trailer and preview here.
When Mo Folchart (Brendan Fraser) reads a story, the characters leap off the page, and he has to figure out how to get them back to their own world. Rated PG for fantasy adventure action, some scary moments and brief language, it also stars Helen Mirren and Jim Broadbent. Visit the official “Inkheart” site, and watch the clip:
Blu-ray Giveaway: The Greatest Game Ever Played
June 14, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
I’ll say right off the bat: I LOVED “The Greatest Game Ever Played”! It’s the film that made me slightly fan-crazed for Shia Labeouf, and it’s just a great movie.
THE MOVIE: Based on real-life golfer Francis Ouimet, it tells the story of how he beat the odds of his working-class life to play in the 1913 U.S. Open Championship against pro Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane). Josh Flitter as Ouimet’s pint-sized caddy is a hoot! Directed by “Big Love” star Bill Paxton, it’s rated PG for some brief mild language, so basically a family movie good for ages 7 and older. It hits store shelves on Blu-ray June 16, 2009.
THE GIVEAWAY: One Blu-ray Disc of “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”
BONUS FEATURES: Audio commentary with Paxton, audio commentary with author/screenwriter/producer Mark Frost, “From Caddie to Champion: Francis Ouimet,” “Two Legends and The Great Game,” and “On the Set of The Great Game Ever Played.”
HOW TO ENTER: To enter the contest, simply leave a comment on this post by midnight on Saturday, June 20, 2009. Be sure to include a valid email address. A winner will be drawn randomly. I’ll email the winner for their snail-mail address after the contest ends. Good luck!
THEATRICAL TRAILER:
Image: Amazon.com
Blood: The Last Vampire – Stills, Preview and Trailer
June 12, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
The vampire trend continues with “Blood: The Last Vampire,” coming to theaters July 10, 2009. It’s actually an English version of a Japanese anime feature film from the producer of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
Saya (Gianna Jun) is a 400-year-old half-human, half-vampire samurai who preys on those who feast on human blood. Joining forces with a covert organization known as the Council, she’s dispatched to an American military base, where a series of swordfights leads her to the deadliest vampire of all!
Directed by Chris Nahon, “Blood: The Last Vampire” also stars Allison Miller, Liam Cunningham, Michael Byrne, Koyuki, and Colin Salmon. Check out the film’s Facebook Page, MySpace Page, and Official Site.
On the surface, this movie looks like it’s trying to glom onto the vampire trend created by “Twilight,” “Moonlight,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel,” among others. But I would hasten to add that the original anime film was released in 2000 (and won several awards, too), so it may have been leading the pack on this current wave. Yes, I know Buffy started pre-2000 and, of course, people have always been fascinated with vampires.
What do you think? Are you planning on seeing “Blood: The Last Vampire”?
More stills and a trailer after the jump…
It’s Classic Cartoon Mania! Tom and Jerry: Chuck Jones Collection on DVD June 23
June 10, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
In the world of classic cartoons, one of my favorites is “Tom and Jerry,” and much of that is because of the artistic style of legendary animator Chuck Jones.
Coming to DVD on June 23, 2009 is “Tom and Jerry: Chuck Jones Collection,” a must-have 2-disc collector’s set featuring all 34 theatrical shorts produced by Jones. Pre-order Tom and Jerry: The Chuck Jones Collectionon Amazon right now! And visit Film Gecko’s DVD Store on Amazon.
What I love about these cartoons is they’re not “in your face” like the cartoons of today (kids these days!). They’re more subtle. You have to actually watch the cartoon to catch everything, whereas a lot of modern-day cartoons – not naming names – are just made up of stupid characters doing stupid things.
Anyway, you can tell I’m a fan of the vintage cartoons like “Tom and Jerry,” and I’ve already checked out this collection and can tell you it’s awesome. It also includes two new bonus documentaries: “Tom and Jerry … and Chuck” and “Chuck Jones: Memories of a Childhood.”
After the jump, a trailer and complete list of shorts included in the set…
Woodstock – 2-Disc 40th Anniversary Edition DVD
June 6, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
Last week, I received a groovy new 2-disc DVD set celebrating the 40th anniversary of the pop culture, history-changing concert.
"Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music – The Director’s Cut" will hit store shelves on June 9, 2009. It’s the four-hour director’s cut of the 1970 Oscar®-winning documentary about the landmark music event featuring some of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll performers in history. Check out the DVD and Blu-ray at the official "Woodstock on DVD" site.
In case you missed the concert 40 years ago, featured on the DVD are Joan Baez; Canned Heat; Joe Cocker and the Grease Band; Country Joe McDonald; Crosby, Stills & Nash; Arlo Guthrie; Jimi Hendrix; Richie Havens; Ten Years After; The Who; and many others.
More after the jump, including clips…
New Moon – First Trailer!
June 3, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
Summit Entertainment has released the first trailer for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” and it looks explosive and heartwrenching and wild and everything else you can think of. They’re certainly ramping up the CG effects with the wolf pack.
The second movie in the “Twilight” franchise hits theaters Nov. 20, 2009, and continues the story of Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, Jacob Black and all the rest. What do you think of the trailer? Thanks to NewMoonMovie.org for the trailer! (This is the one that aired during the MTV Movie Awards on Sunday.)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – Clip from MTV Movie Awards
June 1, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
On the MTV Movie Awards awards last night, a new clip from "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" was shown. Professor Dumbledore is showing Harry a memory that reveals something about the early beginnings of Lord Voldemort. Check out the clip on MTV.com.
Early buzz for this 6th installment of the Harry Potter franchise - which hits theaters July 15, 2009 – hasn’t been that great, but I’m still looking forward to it. I mean, it’s Harry Potter!
Interesting that it’s rated PG (for scary images, some violence, language and mild sensuality), whereas the last two — "Goblet of Fire" and "The Order of the Phoenix" – were both rated PG-13. In one way, it’s good that "Half-Blood Prince" is more family-friendly. On the other hand, you wonder if they’ll lose some of the intensity with the milder rating.
Image: TM and copyright, 2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Spring Breakdown Review and Trailer
May 28, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
| Movie: Spring Breakdown * Official Site | On DVD: June 2, 2009 |
| Runtime: 84 minutes | Directed by: Ryan Shiraki |
| MPAA Rating: Rated R for crude humor and sexual references | Gecko Rating: |
Got 84 minutes. Need a laugh? Don’t care if the movie is riddled with sex and crude humor? Then you need to watch “Spring Breakdown,” my friends.
There’s nothing new here. It’s the familiar story of nerdy kids wanting to be cool. But when you’ve got Amy Poehler, Parker Posey, Rachel Dratch, Amber Tamblyn, Jane Lynch and Seth Myers in the cast, you know you’re in for a few good chortles.
Poehler, Parker and Dratch are in their 30s now, and lamenting the coolness they missed out on in high school and college. So they head to South Padre for Spring Break. Parker’s main task is to keep her politician boss’s geeky daughter (Tamblyn) from pulling any shenanigans. Meanwhile, it’s beers, bikinis and upside-down shots.
Vanessa Hudgens and Alyson Michalka Star in Bandslam
May 27, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
Zac Efron may be moving beyond Disney-type movies, but it seems like his girlfriend Vanessa Hudgens is sticking with the tried-and-true formula.
Hudgens ("High School Musical") and Alyson Michalka ("Phil of the Future," "Aly and AJ") are starring in "Bandslam," due in theaters Aug. 14, 2009. Michalka plays a gifted singer-songwriter who recruits a new kid in town (Gaelan Connell, "Chocolat") to manage her rock band. Her main motivation? Go up against her egotistical ex-boyfriend (Scott Porter, "Friday Night Lights") and his band at a battle of the bands competition. Meanwhile, Sam (Hudgens) and Will find romance.
My first instinct is this sounds a lot like "High School Musical" kicked up to a PG rating (for some thematic elements and mild language). But it’s produced by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and distributed by Summit Entertainment ("Twilight"), so it might surprise me. It will definitely appeal to fans of Hudgens and Michalka. Are you looking forward to this movie?
After the jump, more pics and a trailer…
Alison Lohman in Drag Me to Hell – Are loan officers considered the grim reaper?
May 27, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
Just the name “Drag Me to Hell” sounds like a cheesy 1950s movie, but the trailer and previews look downright creepy. It’s directed by Sam Raimi and stars Alison Lohman as a loan officer who, well, gets dragged to hell after nixing a loan and evicting an old woman from her home.
Hmmm, a sign of the times? I dunno, are loan officers seen as the grim reaper these days? The movie’s rated PG-13 for sequences of horror violence, terror, disturbing images and language, and opens in theaters May 29, 2009.
