New Pacific Rim Trailer from CES has more Jaegers!

So this big techie show is going on right now, CES. I really don't care about most of that stuff they're showing off. The only thing I'm interested about is seeing more alternate footage of the original PACIFIC RIM trailer. This one focuses more on the Jaegers, the robots that the characters pilot. I'm glad to hear that the GLaDOS voice from Portal is still there! Maybe Apperture Science are the ones that built the robots! JK, JK, check out the trailer below.

Top Ten Movies of 2012: Jonesy Edition

2012 was a fairly decent year of movies for me. However, I did have a tough time compiling my list. Not because there were an overabundance of films I wanted on there, but because I couldn't find ten films easily. Even though I saw a lot of really good films, I didn't have many that just blew me away. Most were easily enjoyable, but none I cared to necessarily revisit anytime soon or had too many flaws I couldn't look past.

So, I have my ten favorites from this year in no particular order. I find it difficult to list films in an arbitrary order because how can I really ever compare PITCH PERFECT to CLOUD ATLAS. All these films were released in theatres during 2012. There are a few films that I didn't get a chance to see that I was very much anticipating (LES MISERABLES and ZERO DARK THIRTY), but alas I missed them, which I think every blogger has that issue towards the end of the year. 

All of my picks spoke or have stuck with me in some sort of fashion, and I'm surprised (more at myself) that I don't really have flat out Oscar bait films on here...okay maybe one.

So for better or worse, here are my top ten films of 2012, in no particular order. 

Top Ten Movies of 2012: Javi Edition

So this year was exceptionally fruitful when it came to movies. I have to admit, I haven't had such a hard time picking my top ten movies of the year since we started this blog. It's strange to think that while this year felt like it had a lot of let downs and just downright mediocre movies, there were gems that were sprinkled throughout the year. This year I had more movies on my list that actually didn't end up being as critically acclaimed as they should be either but were just better made.

As per is customary, I wanted to explain how I pick my movies. They have to have had a theatrical release during the current year, and there's no point, in my opinion, in highlight movies I've seen at a festival that other people can't see for another year or so. In addition, there's a huge and glaring omission from my list: DJANGO UNCHAINED. The reason for this being is that while I did see most of the movie, I was not able to see all of it due to the screening being shut down after some assholes got in a fight in our theater and someone pulled out a gun and the cops were called in. Anyway, Jonesy and I turned out to be OK. But that's why I didn't have the movie even in my honorable mentions, it didn't feel right not seeing a movie all the way through and considering it for my top ten.

But check out my top ten below in no particular order with my favorite movie at the end. 

For Funsies: Consider MU for Your HIgher Education!

The new year always brings resolutions and big dreams. It's also the time of year where seniors begin narrowing down their college searches, go on visits, and finalize where they're continuing their education.

In college you makes lifelong friends and memories, so you want to find the best possible fit to spend those four years of your life. Here's a video of a hidden gem of a university where you can be extraordinary and create history as a unique individual.




I totally dig this viral marketing for MONSTERS UNIVERSITY from Pixar. Very creative. I'm filling out my application as we speak! Hope they accept me!


MONSTERS UNIVERSITY will be released June 21st, 2013 starring Billy Crystal and John Goodman.



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Netflix Instant TV and Movie Picks

Greetings from this side of 2013 everyone! I hope everyone had a safe and exciting new years. I'm back this week with a couple of picks that you can watch if you're lucky enough to be getting snow and need a good marathon. And then I have one random pick that will make you feel like you're the worst Scrabble player ever.

Enjoy!

The Redband EVIL DEAD is NSFW or Your Weak Stomach

Confession...I've never seen the original EVIL DEAD or the sequel. I have however seen ARMY OF DARKNESS, which I hear is tonally completely different than the other two. I know. Shame on me. I can hear you scorn and head shaking through my screen right now. It's in my Netflix queue; I swear.

Of course, with any cult classic, you always need to remake at some point. Thankfully with this series, Sam Raimi is back as producer and writer. Judging from this trailer, this will be a film is not for the faint of heart.

Here's the synopsis via ShockTillYouDrop.com:

The film follows five twenty-something friends who become holed up in a remote cabin where they discover a Book Of The Dead. An archaeologist's tape recording reveals that the ancient text was discovered among the Khandarian ruins of a Sumerian civilization. Playing the taped incantations, the youths unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

Check the trailer (NSFW) after the jump.

Disappointments of 2012: Javi Edition!

This year was strangely mediocre year if we take a look back at the majority of the major releases out there. I'm not saying it was a bad year at the movies at all, if you check out my upcoming Top Ten list, it is full of amazing movies. My biggest disappointments of the year range from blockbuster wanna-be's to Sundance/Oscar darlings. I almost find these movies fascinating because they could have been something great, but just didn't get there. The pattern I found myself in was seeing movies that had either no sympathetic characters, or that I just didn't connect emotionally to the characters. What's good is that I don't have that many this year!  My 2011 disappointments can be found here and check out my 2012 picks below:

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN

Marc Webb directed one of my favorite movies in the past decade. Here he directed what can only be called a good movie that was neutered by the studio system. It had the potential, but then the studio allegedly messed with the script to stretch out certain plot points over to the sequels. What sucks is that I like the actors and their performances so much better than even the Raimi originals (they haven't aged too well), but the more I thought about it, the more I hated the actual final product. I still have to give Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone for bringing such a unique energy and nuances to two characters we know so well.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Lest the Internet eat me alive, I do have to preface this entry a little bit. Similar to the Master, I can understand why people connected with this movie and why it's ranking so high in so many end of the year lists. But for me, just like with THE MASTER, there was very little to no connection for me with the characters or what happens to them. With non-actor Dwight Henry, and his performance that consisted of just yelling, I was annoyed a lot of the time. The community, while they're a colorful cast, just seemed so vaguely defined to me. The story itself was cutsey but the introduction and subsequent use of the Aurochs felt like a weird element that had no pay off for me. Unfortunately, I think that the beauty of the cinematography, the set design, and even the skill of lead actress, Quvenzhane Wallis, was just not enough to make care about their story. I saw so many people being so overjoyed by it, but I'm not sure if it was the very naive and child like nature of the film, but I just couldn't get into it,  and that sort of bummed me out a little

THE MASTER

This one hurt the most for me. I love Paul Thomas Anderson. I love all of his movies including that Adam Sandler one. Hell, he's the reason Jonesy and I became friends and inspired this blog. But with 2012's THE MASTER, I found myself not being at all engaged. by the movie. I know that Joaquin Phoneix is supposed to be doing amazing work here, but having seen I'M STILL HERE, it just felt like he was continuing to play his douche bag persona from that movie. It was definitely a beautiful movie that showcased what could be considered a rather toxic relationship between two men.  But as I mentioned before, there was nothing for me to connect to. Neither Freddie Quell or Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Huffman) pulled me in like says, Daniel Plainview or Eli Sunday. What's crazy is that even people that say that they liked it have claimed to not "getting it" either. I hope that maybe with some repeat viewing,s I might find meaning in this movie, but as it stands it felt disspapointing.

SLEEPWALK WITH ME

I have no clue why I was told to watch this movie, but this one was the one movie that I just ended up not liking at all. Maybe it was the hype around the movie, maybe it's my current mood and the stuff I'm going through, but I just downright did not like this movie. My friends told me the writer, Mike Birbiglia, is a contributor to This American Life and a stand up comedian. I'm sure he's OK with those jobs, but as a movie wirter, this was a total failure for me.  The main character comes off as a total man-child. Sure he's pursuing his dreams, but he does it in such a way that it makes him look like an asshole. He's a 30-something with a gorgeous girlfriend and just now he's acting like commitment and moving in with his girlfriend is the biggest and freakiest thing ever. To quote my sister after she saw this movie, "Get over yourself, dude." I might go into a bigger discussion about this movie later on, but suffice to say, I did not like it.

STEP UP: REVOLUTION

I am an unabashedly huge fan of the STEP UP series. However, this entry into the franchise was not only boring, but it was insanely non-sensical. I get that with each entry the dance numbers need to get crazier and crazier. The movie deals with the dance group trying to stop a corporate buyout of their neighborhood. They're also super poor and money is definitely a problem, and yet somehow the dance numbers become so elaborate that you have to take a loan out to be able to pull it off. The main characters themselves are pretty reprehensible most of the time and it's crazy that the 3D in this movie wasn't as good as STEP UP 3D's. Ultimately, what hurts the movie the most is the fact that there's a very limited amount of Moose in it.

That's it for me. I'm actually pretty glad that my disappointments this ear were mostly movie that had some good intentions but just felt short. Look for Jonesy's next and our upcoming Top Ten of 2012 lists as well.


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