Man of Steel Review: Superman is Grounded

Man of Steel is the picture I was most pumped to see this summer.  I have fond memories of the first two original films, and hoped for some of that magic to be triggered again with the reboot.  Summer time is about the loud and mindless spectacles, but the trailers hinted at something with some depth and nuance.  I was expecting to see one of the true blockbuster classics.  In my latest film review for Collective Publishing, you can find out if Superman's latest picture soars to new heights.

The Breakdown of Man of Steel Podcast: Superman Tries to Soar Above the Box Office Competition

Scott and I will be trying something new with our podcasts going forward.  Instead of just focusing on one particular picture, we want to review, discuss and analyze four different films.  Our goal is to usually have one major new release to start off the show, and then follow it up with either limited releases, hidden gems, forgotten classics, or whatever films we think are worth discussing.

This week we've chosen three pictures that have recently gone on DVD and On-Demand services - Identity Thief, Lincoln, and Mama.  We have a lot to say about all these very different pictures.

Check out our new format, and let us know what you think.

The Purge Guest Film Review: Scott's Survival of the Latest Blumhouse Horror Picture

My good friend and podcast partner, Scott Martin, decided to sacrifice his well-being and step in to do a film review of the latest horror picture, The Purge.  Here is his take on a film that has done surprisingly well in the box office.

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Rating: **

If you have seen the trailer for The Purge, you have a good idea of the concept behind the latest film from Blumhouse Productions.  If you are not aware of Blumhouse Productions (the producers of Paranormal Activity and Insidious), there are two key pieces of relevant information about them.  First, they are masters at making low budget, high grossing movies.  Second, they are masters at repackaging the same concept and tricking audiences into spending their money.

I will not spend time going into the depths of their formula and talking about all the similarities that flow between their movies, as The Purge is at least moderately successful in being different from their other films.  The concept behind the movie is the most gripping aspect, as it tells the story of America in the near future.  It is a country with minimal crime, almost no unemployment, and it is all thanks to one night a year when crime is legal for 12 hours and people can purge the evil they have inside of them.

Normally in a Blumhouse movie, the protagonists are rich Caucasian suburban yuppies who live in a large house and are not very relatable to the average movie goer.  This movie is fresh in the fact that it is important that the protagonist family, the Sandins, are affluent people.  As the time of the purge approaches, they are completely relaxed as there is no reason for them to fear.  Not only is their house fortified, but the father James (Ethan Hawke) sells advanced security systems, so you know the Sandins have spared no expense.  When it is time, they calmly hunker down to wait the night out.

It is not too long into the night when the son Charlie (Max Burkholder) views the security monitors and sees a man on the street who is being hunted by people who intend to kill him.  Charlie then decides to deactivate the security system, opens the door, and ushers this unknown man inside to offer him sanctuary.  It is then that the villains arrive to claim the life of the person who the Sandins have inside their house.  It is now decision time for the Sandins… deliver this stranger to the people outside who will kill him, or protect the man and have baddies on the lawn break in and kill everyone in the house.

As the movie plays out, it does so in typical Blumhouse horror style, in that you can very easily predict when all the scares will be, and what the next scene will bring.  The characters are fairly one dimensional, but are not as mind numbingly bland and stupid as they are in Blumhouse movies past.  As the night of the purge moves on, the members of the family are left to make decisions about morality, and as they do, it is the overall concept of the movie that can leave one feeling a bit uneasy. 

One major failing of Blumhouse Productions that is quite present in The Purge is lame baddies.  The villains in this movie are meant to be portrayed in a creepy, massively psychotic way, but it ends up seeming comical and unrealistic that someone would actually act this way.  But, that is not what they worry about, as they want the baddies to act in ways that unnerve you, not in ways that would actually make sense to the situation.  A large portion of the teenage girls in the theatre could not stop laughing at the ‘tense’ scenes with the baddies, so one might deduce that the attempt failed.

In all, it was the concept, mediocre characters, decent acting, a few unpredictable key scenes and gripping ‘reality footage’ of events of the purge that made this movie salvageable.  If you are a fan of all things horror, you will not find anything worthy of spending your money on here.  However, if you are intrigued by the concept, the trailers look decent to you, and you have not seen a lot of horrors, then this movie may be worth a cheap night movie ticket.  As for me, I wish I waited until it was on Netflix.

Ten Unforgettable Pop Culture Weddings

Summer time means wedding season.  Every year there seems to be some TV special or special edition magazine covering a celebrity's latest wedding.  You may think this is a new phenomenon but we've always been fascinated with weddings, and so media has always tried to find ways to showcase them.  In my latest Collective Publishing Pop Culture column, I list ten of the most memorable weddings.

Breakdown of Nostalgia Podcast: Analyzing if Present Pictures Compare to the Past

Scott and I get nostalgic this week on the Breakdown.  We take a look at some of our beloved decades for film and also some of the decades known as the Golden Age of Cinema by many critics.  Then we decide if modern cinema measures up, and if there is any truth to the belief things aren't as good as the old days.  We give a brief history lesson on major moments in cinema, analyze the current state of motion pictures, and then choose which decades have the best pictures for specific genres.

It is a fun one, and definitely something different than the usual analysis of one picture.  Hope you enjoy it, and as always, we love any feedback or comments.

5 Years

It was five years ago that I said the smartest thing in my entire life, "I do."  It meant that I was now married to the most wonderful and beautiful person that I know.  I now got to take the roller coaster ride of life with my loyal partner, sexy lover, and best friend.  If life is going to be crazy then I say that is exactly who I want to share it with.

I've had a pretty wild but incredible five years.  Some of my greatest memories and most cherished moments have come from these five years.  I am happy with my life.  There are a lot of amazing gifts that have come my way over this half decade.  When I look over the time and think about the things that I hold most dear, almost all of them come from saying those two words back in 2008.

It was my wife that found the neighbourhood we live in, and without her, I wouldn't be in this sweet little home.  Emily was the one who convinced me that we needed a large dog in our house, and I was pretty hesitant until the day we got Summit.  He is now the perfect definition of "Man's Best Friend" and I've got a stronger bond with him than most humans.  Everett is the greatest treasure in my life and a constant source of joy, and well, Emily played a pretty major role in his existence.  I'm pursuing this career of writing, because my wife supports me and believes in me.  Best of all, I know I always have someone to talk, laugh, and cry with, and that is one incredible gift.

I couldn't imagine my life without Emily.  Even though I am fully capable of making decisions and functioning on my own, I attribute most of my success and positive traits to the strong woman who pushes me to be better but also hugs me when I don't feel I can be.  I'm sure my life would turn out to be just fine and dandy without Emily, but it has been magical and magnificent with her.

In the past two years there have been many things I've been anxious about such as becoming a father, focusing on a writing career, and dealing with unexpected obstacles.  Just like it took two simple words to start this amazing adventure of marriage, it also just takes a very simple look from my wife to remind me that I could handle these challenges.  One of the greatest things I love about my wife is the strong belief she has in my ability, and the fact she often knows I can achieve much more than I think.  She knows to kick me hard when it is needed, but also embrace me just as hard when I succeed (or fail).

She isn't my life coach.  I'm not married because she is a key to success.  I am married to her, because I want to share my life with her.  I want her opinion on things.  I want to hear her jokes.  I want to make her laugh.  I want to hike or bike with her.  I want to discuss and debate ideas with her.  I want to hold each other tight.  I want to encourage and cheer her up.  I want her to be the person that goes on this great adventure with me.

Emily is my best friend.  I can't believe it has been five years.  Sometimes that feels too short, because she knows everything about me.  It is kind of scary that she can guess whatever I am thinking throughout the day.  Other times it feels too long, because that wedding day is so fresh in my mind.  It was a wonderful and fun event.  At one time it was the greatest day of my life.  It is now the birth of Everett, but I also shared that day with Emily.  Every single one of my greatest days are connected to Emily in some way.

I love you, Emily.  You are and will always be the greatest thing in my life.

Happy 5th Anniversary, Beautiful.

Now You See Me Film Review: Stuff This Rabbit Back in the Hat

Now You See Me looks like a fresh and original idea especially during the summer months where we're bludgeoned with big budget franchise films.  I went in with hope for something different, and a tale about down-on-their-luck magicians uniting to come up with a grand scheme to take money from the rich and give to the poor.  Maybe that concept isn't new to fiction, but it is a story relevant to current society.  The picture ends up being something quite different, and I have my review over at Collective Publishing.

Paranormal Activity Revisit Podcast: Were the Scares Worth the Trend It Spawned?

The original Paranormal Activity was a surprise box office smash and also a big critical success.  It has shaped the current horror genre and is responsible for over 50% of the type of scary pictures that come out each year.  I've made it clear how much I dislike many of the current horror films, but up until recently I never saw Paranormal Activity.  This has now changed, and I offer up my opinion and reviews on the film that created a massive franchise and several knock off pictures.

Scott joins me as we look at the history of horror, the influence of this film, and then discuss if it actually is a good picture and deserved the high praise from other critics.  You may be shocked with what we have to say based off many of our criticisms of this genre in the past.

It is a loaded show that is great for horror fans or those who enjoy film history.  Enjoy!