Upcoming 2011 Releases (Video Games)

Here are some upcoming video games that I'm looking forward to in 2011. Again, it's a short list, but will definitely grow as the year goes on.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (November 1 on PS3)

Gears of War 3 (Fall 2011 on Xbox 360)

Bulletstorm (February 22 on Xbox 360 and PS3)

Dead Space 2 (January 25 on Xbox 360 and PS3)

L.A. Noire (April 5 on Xbox 360 and PS3)

Mortal Kombat (April 2011 on Xbox 360 and PS3)

Batman: Arkham City (Fall 2011 on Xbox and PS3)

inFamous 2 (TBA 2011 on PS3)

Upcoming 2011 Releases (Films)

These are upcoming movie releases that I'm looking forward to seeing in 2011. I know the list is short, but as the year goes on, I'm sure there will be others that I'll be wanting to check out.

"Battle: Los Angeles" (March 11)

"Paul" (March 18)

"Sucker Punch" (March 25)

"Scream 4" (April 15)

"The Hangover Part II" (May 26)

No trailer as of yet.

"Cowboys & Aliens" (July 29)

"Piranha 3DD" (September 16)

No trailer as of yet.



Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to take a quick minute or two to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!

While waiting to open presents, I'm watching "A Christmas Story" (1983) courtesy of TBS who runs the 24 hour marathon every year. Later, I'll be watching "Christmas Vacation" (1989). Should be a great day and I hope the same for you!

Christmas Movie Recommendations Part 2

"Trading Places" (1983) - Due to a bet between two millionaires, a successful commodity broker trades places, not by choice, with a streetwise hustler. The bet is made to see if a common criminal can be made into a successful businessman and if the wealthy broker will resort to crime if everything he has become accustomed to was taken away.

One of Eddie Murphy's best movies and the rest of the cast is great as well.

"Mickey's Christmas Carol" (1983) - Disney's version of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

It may only be 25 minutes long, but it's a classic in my eyes.

"Scrooged" (1988) - Another and more modern version of A Christmas Carol.

A hilarious and fun movie with an awesome opening scene.

"Jingle All the Way" (1996) - A father wants to get his son Turbo Man for Christmas. However, it's the hottest toy out there and it's Christmas Eve, so he ends up having to search high and low hoping to snag one no matter what it takes.

Not the best Christmas movie out there, but it's one that can be enjoyed by the whole family. It's silly fun.

"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966) - Do I even need to give a explanation about what this short (26 minutes) is about? I didn't think so, but I will say that for anyone who hasn't seen this yet, get on it because it truly is a Christmas classic.



Christmas Movie Recommendations Part 1

After listing some Christmas horror movie recommendations, I figured it's time to list some that are non-horror. I'm nice like that!

"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989) - All Clark Griswold wants is the perfect family Christmas. Unfortunately, everything that can go wrong, goes wrong...in a hilarious ways, of course!

To me, this is a Christmas classic and one that I watch every year.

"A Christmas Story" (1983) - Ralphie wants a Red Rider BB Gun for Christmas and does everything he can to convince his parents to get one, but not only are his parents against the idea, so is his teacher and even Santa. As they say, "You'll shoot your eye out."

Again, a Christmas classic that I watch every year.

"Home Alone" (1990) - Kevin has to defend his home against some bungling burglars after being left home alone on accident by his family, who have left to France for Christmas.

A funny and entertaining family flick. The sequel is worth watching, too.

"Bad Santa" (2003) - Two con men pose as Santa and his elf at malls with the intention of robbing the place on Christmas Eve. Trouble arises when Willie meets and befriends a young boy, who ends up teaching his the true meaning of Christmas.

Billy Bob Thornton was the perfect choice to play Willie and his performance is one of the main reasons why this movie worked for me. This is a black comedy for adults only, no kids.

"Die Hard" (1988) - A New York cop, John McClane, arrives in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with his estranged wife and their kids. Soon after arriving at the building where his wife works, terrorists take it over during a Christmas party and hold everyone hostage, including John's wife, while he's able to avoid being captured. He sets out to take down the terrorists and save the hostages before it's too late.

One of my all time favorite action flicks.

 

Blu-Ray/DVD Releases I'm Looking Forward To...December Edition

"The Walking Dead": Season 1 (2010) - March 8, 2011

Plot: A police officer, Rick Grimes, and a group of survivors try to survive a zombie apocalypse.

Cast: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden and Steven Yeun.

This is easily my new favorite show. I can't wait for season 2 and while it won't air until October 2011, I have a feeling it's going to be worth the wait.

"I Spit on Your Grave" (2010) - February 8, 2011

Plot: A woman seeks revenge after being brutally attacked and left for dead.

Cast: Sarah Butler, Chad Lindberg, Daniel Franzese and Jeff Branson.

This is a remake of "I Spit on Your Grave" (1978) and the main reason I want to check it out is to see how it stacks up to the original. I can say that the original was brutal in some ways and I expect the same from the remake, so it won't be a movie for kids and I don't recommend it as a "date movie". *Note: if you see the original, watch it with the commentary by Joe Bob Briggs.

'Tis the Season...For Horror

It's December, which means Christmas is right around the corner and it's the time of year to settle down on the couch with a blanket, grab some hot chocolate and watch some Christmas themed horror movies that will get one into the Christmas spirit!

Here are some recommendations (more may follow later in the month) and feel free to share your favorites.

"Silent Night, Deadly Night" (1984) - As a child, Billy witnessed the murder of his parents by a man dressed as Santa. He and his younger brother end up at an orphanage where the nuns, Mother Superior especially, are abusive to Billy. Years later, he gets a job at a local store where he is forced to wear a Santa suit around Christmas, which causes him to snap and go on a killing spree.

Awesome 80s slasher. So awesome, in fact, that back when it was to be released, the PTA tried to get it removed from theaters because the killer was dressed as Santa Claus and that it was released during the holiday season.

"Black Christmas" (1974) - Sorority sisters begin to receive menacing phone calls around Christmas time, but then things go from bad to worse when the killing begins.

A bit slow moving at times, but definitely needs to be watched because it's a great slasher film. The director was Bob Clark, who went on to direct another Christmas themed movie, A Christmas Story (1983).

"Jack Frost" (1997) - After coming in contact with some genetic material, a serial killer is transformed into a snowman, who then goes out to seek revenge on the sheriff who captured him.

Bad movie? Yes. Entertaining and hilarious? Yes.

"Tales From the Crypt" (1972) - An anthology with five stories. The first story is Christmas themed and it's titled, "...And All Through the House". A lady hears a news report that a homicidal maniac dressed as Santa is on the loose. The maniac ends up at her house, but she can't call the police because she had killed her husband just before the report and she didn't have time to get rid of the body.

The HBO series, Tales From the Crypt, featured a remake of this story, which I'd also recommend.

"The Hangover, Part II" - First Official Image and Synopsis

Synopsis:  In the follow-up to the record-breaking hit comedy "The Hangover," Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha) travel to exotic Thailand for Stu’s wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don't always go as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can't even be imagined. (source: JoBlo.com)

The Hangover, Part II is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 26, 2011 and I will be there opening weekend. I'm expecting it to be just as good and hilarious as the first one, so I hope I won't be disappointed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and to everyone else who doesn't celebrate the holiday, Happy Thursday! :)

I'll be spending the day with my family, which is what I do every year. Of course, I'll be watching football and will watch a movie or two later today/tonight.

If anyone can't decide what to watch today, tomorrow or whenever, I recommend Best Worst Movie (2009). It's a documentary about the masterpiece that is Troll 2 (1990) and the cult status that followed. It was directed by Michael Stephenson, who played Joshua Waits in the movie. This documentary was entertaining and I highly recommend it to fans of Troll 2. To anyone who hasn't seen the movie yet, do yourself a favor and see it (and the documentary, too!) because it's a movie that has to be seen to be believed.

Blu-Ray/DVD Releases I'm Looking Forward To...November Edition

"Despicable Me" (2010) - December 14, 2010

Plot: Gru has a plan to steal the moon, but when a new criminal mastermind, Vector, attempts to foil his plan, he goes out and adopts three orphan girls with the intention of using them as pawns, but things don't go as planned as the three young sisters have a profound change on Gru.

Cast: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett and Kristen Wiig.

Cute, funny and sweet. Oh yeah, the minions are adorable!

"Inception" (2010) - December 7, 2010

Plot: Cobb is the leader of a group who enters people's dreams and extracts secrets. While he has gained from his ability, it has also had its downfalls, which includes not being able to return to the United States because there is a warrant for his arrest. However, Cobb comes in contact with Saito, who offers to take care of the warrant if he were to do the opposite and plant an idea in mind of a man. Of course, he accepts.

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Dileep Rao, Tom Berenger and Michael Caine.

An absolutely amazing film that is a must-see. Bravo to the writer/director, Christopher Nolan, who came up with this mind-bender.

My Top 5 Favorite Paul Rudd Movies

I love Paul Rudd and enjoy his movies, so I think it would be good to list my top 5 favorite movies that feature the actor. Before I continue, I have to say that narrowing this list to 5 was tough, but I'm happy with my list and hopefully you are, too. Of course, feel free to name your favorite Paul Rudd film or films in the comments below.

"Wet Hot American Summer" (2001)
This cult comedy takes place on the last day at a summer camp in August of 1981. Paul Rudd plays Andy, a camp counselor. He's dating Katie, but Coop has a crush on her and attempts to get her all for himself. What Katie doesn't know is that Andy is having a bit of a fling with another camp counselor, Lindsay.

If you want to find out how it ends, watch it, if you haven't already. I can admit that this type of comedy isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I love it and still laugh whenever I pop in the DVD.

"200 Cigarettes" (1999)

This comedy/drama takes place on New Year's Eve in 1981 in New York City. Rudd plays Kevin, who spends the night around town with his best friend, Lucy. There is obvious attraction between the two, but they resist until they decide to go into a bathroom stall. Of course, they are caught by Ellie, his newly ex-girlfriend.

Not only is this movie funny, but it features a great cast including Ben Affleck, Kate Hudson, Christina Ricci, Dave Chappelle and Casey Affleck. I really hope this gets another DVD release because it has since been discontinued. A Blu-Ray release would be even better.

"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2005)

This comedy is about (you guessed it!) a 40-year-old virgin named Andy. In this movie, Rudd plays David, who, after finding out about his co-workers virginity, attempts to help Andy lose his virginity.

Not only is this movie hilarious, but touching as well. Highly recommended.

"Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (2004)
Another hilarious comedy that is about Ron Burgundy, the top rated newsman in San Diego during the 1970's. However, that changes when a female, Veronica Corningstone, enters the picture and threatens to disrupt the male dominated news. Rudd plays Brian Fantana, the lead field reporter.

A farce done well with plenty of laugh out loud moments.

"Role Models" (2008)

This comedy is about two co-workers (Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott), who get into trouble with the law and end up having to serve community service at a Big Brother type of program called Sturdy Wings. Rudd plays Danny, who is assigned as a Big Brother to Augie, a fanatic for medieval role-playing games.

I have to add that the other cast members are great, especially Seann William Scott, Jane Lynch and Elizabeth Banks.

Hilarious? Yes. Touching? Yes. It does have a message, which is be who you are and do what makes you happy.

Favorite "Final Girls"

Final Girl: The final girl is a horror film (particularly slasher film) trope that specifically refers to the last woman or girl alive to confront the killer, ostensibly the one left to tell the story (wikipedia).

With Halloween almost upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to share a list with some of my favorite "final girls".

Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) from "Halloween" (1978)

Ginny Field (Amy Steel) from "Friday the 13th Part 2" (1981)

Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974)

Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) from "Scream" (1996)

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) from "Alien" (1979)

Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp) from "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984)

Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) from "Hellraiser" (1987)

Stretch (Caroline Williams) from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" (1986)

I know I'm forgetting several more, but these were the ones that I thought of off the top of my head. I would add more, but it's getting late and I'm tired. I might make a second list later, though.

Do you have a favorite "final girl"?

Blu-Ray/DVD Releases I'm Looking Forward To...October Edition

"Piranha 3D" (2010) - January 11, 2011

Plot: Spring Break at Lake Victoria takes a turn for the worse when an underwater tremor causes the release of prehistoric piranha, who are looking to feed on the suspecting spring breakers.

  

Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Ving Rhames, Steven R. McQueen, Jessica Szohr, Jerry O'Connell, Adam Scott, Christopher Lloyd, Kelly Brook and Richard Dreyfuss.

Saw this opening weekend and it was a blast! Definitely recommended if one is looking for gore, blood, nudity or anything else involved with B-horror. Sit back, relax and enjoy...I did.

"The Expendables" (2010) - November 23, 2010

Plot: A team of mercenaries, led by Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), make their way to South America to overthrow a dictator.

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts and Steve Austin.

If you like the sound of the cast, then you should (hopefully) enjoy this movie that features great, over the top action scenes and more explosions than one can count.

"Machete" (2010) - Release date TBA, but it can be pre-ordered at Amazon.

Plot: Machete (Danny Trejo) is hired to assassinate a politician, but it turns out to be a set up. He manages to escape and makes a vow to get revenge.

Cast: Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Jessica Alba, Robert DeNiro, Steven Seagal, Don Johnson, Jeff Fahey and Cheech Marin.

I'll admit that this film is probably not for everyone, but I thought it was great. If one enjoys Robert Rodriguez and/or his films, especially "Grindhouse" (2007), then I'd say give it a shot.

"Zoolander 2" in 2012?

That's what Justin Theroux, co-writer of the sequel with Ben Stiller, thinks as he has announced that the script for the sequel is complete.

It's been about 10 years since the release of "Zoolander", so what would Derek Zoolander (played Stiller) and Hansel (played by Owen Wilson) be up to? Well, according to Theroux at Comic-Con, "[W]e start off with them in a pretty bad place. They're about to ring 40's bell. They have to claw their way back into the fashion industry in some way or another."

Of course, there will be a villain or two. For Will Ferrell fans out there, Mugatu has been written into the script, so there is hope that Ferrell will sign on to reprise his role. Another villain has been added, which was inspired by Jonah Hill ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Superbad"), so he has a part waiting for him. I feel that both will sign on, but I could be wrong.

"Zoolander" seems to be a movie that people either love or hate. I'm on the love side as I found it to be hilarious. Plus, I tend to enjoy the movies of both Stiller and Ferrell, so I got to admit that I'm kind of looking forward to the sequel. However, note that I did say "kind of" because I'll have to wait and hear some more information/news about it as time goes on to see how things are shaping up. Only time will tell.

Movies to Watch This Halloween Part 2

"Trick 'r Treat" (2008)
A fun and creepy flick that involves four interwoven tales that take place on Halloween night. It's a shame that this movie never got a proper theatrical release.

"The Slumber Party Massacre" (1982) or "Slumber Party Massacre II" (1987)
The cult classic and it's two sequels (I haven't seen the third one, yet) were released together on DVD on October 5th, which I made sure to buy. What started out as a simple slumber party, turns into a nightmare for a group of girls when they're stalked by a escaped mental patient who wields a large drill. Enjoy this 80's cheesy goodness.

"Troll 2" (1990)

The 20th Anniversary Nilbog Edition Blu-Ray/DVD combo and DVD was released on October 5th, so it was an easy buy for me because it truly is one of the best awesomely bad movies out there. For one, it's called "Troll 2", but there are no trolls, just goblins. Second, everything about this movie is hilariously bad: the acting, costumes, dialogue, etc. Basically, the movie is a huge epic failure, but that's what's so good about it.

On a side note, on November 16th, the documentary Best Worst Movie will be released on DVD. It's directed by Michael Stephenson, who played Joshua, and gives us a look into what it was like working on the movie and how/why it is considered the worst movie of all time. 

"Black Sabbath" (1963)

Mario Bava's film that features three tales, "The Telephone", "The Wurdalak" and "A Drop of Water". The last tale is my favorite, but they're all worth checking out. The film drips with atmosphere and has genuine scares. 

"A Nightmare on Elm Street" (1984)

This is another one of the earliest horror movies that I can remember watching and it scared me back then, so that's why I'm recommending it here. It also features one of my favorite deaths of the series, Tina's death.

Movies to Watch This Halloween Part 1

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love horror movies, so I've decided to throw out some movie recommendations to check out during the month of October and especially on Halloween.

*Note: This list is in no specific order.

"Halloween" (1978)
For me, not only is this movie a must see on Halloween night, but it's one of the greatest horror movies of all time.

"Friday the 13th" (1980), "Friday the 13th Part 2" (1981), "Friday the 13th Part 3" (1982) or "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" (1984)
Seeing as these movies were some of the first horror movies I remember seeing, I'm a sucker for them and proudly own the entire series on DVD. The first four are my favorites, though, which is why they're recommended.

"Freaks" (1932)

A cult classic that was deemed controversial when released due to Tod Browning casting actual sideshow "freaks", which caused the film to be banned in several countries. Definitely check it out if you haven't already. This film features some genuinely creepy moments, but also makes one think.

"Tombs of the Blind Dead" (1971)

A Spanish horror film that is the first of the Blind Dead series by director Amando de Ossorio. This film just oozes atmosphere, especially when the Templar Knights are shown rising from their graves and when they're on horseback.

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974)

Just like "Halloween", this movie is a Halloween night essential and one of the greatest horror movies of all time.

*Look for Movies to Watch This Halloween Part 2 sometime next week.

"Scared Stupid" by Dave White...I Add My Own Pick

Dave White, a TodayShow.com contributor, wrote an article titled, "Scared stupid: dumbest horror movie plots ever". This article was in response to a new horror movies called "Chain Mail", which features a killer who stalks and kills teens who refuse to forward chain e-mails. Yeah, sounds pretty stupid and lame. You can read White's full article: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39386825/ns/today-entertainment/

Anyways, he continues the article with a list of horror movies that feature, you guessed it, stupid plots. His list features some good choices, but I feel that he left out a movie that features one of the stupidest horror plots out there, but at the same time, it's so bad, it's good/hilarious: "The Gingerdead Man" (2005) and "The Gingerdead Man 2: The Passion of the Crust" (2008). That's right, the movie was so awesomely bad that it spawned a sequel!

This horror/comedy is about a killer, Millard Findlemeyer, who is sentenced to die in the electric chair after a young lady, Sarah Leigh (get it?!?), testifies against him while he was on trial for killing her family. He wants his revenge, so after he electrocuted, his body his cremated and his ashes are sent to his mother. Well, she just happens to be a witch, so she mixes his ashes in a batch of gingerbread spice mix and sends it to the Leigh family bakery. Sarah and another employee, Brick, take the mix and start to make the dough, but in the process, Brick cuts himself and some of his blood drips into the dough, which can't be a good thing. Brick leaves, so Sarah continues alone and makes a big gingerbread man with the cursed dough. After putting it in the oven, Sarah witnesses Lorna trying to sabotage the bakery and a confrontation ensues, which causes a switch to be hit and a big surge of electricity brings the Gingerdead Man to life. Killing and hilarity ensues!

Watch the trailer and see for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiWyiA77qzg

I should mention one more thing: Gary Busey plays Findlemeyer and voices the Gingerdead Man. That makes the movie that much more awesome!

Wait! I spoke too soon because there is another thing I need to mention. Apparently, there is going to be a third installment called "Gingerdead Man 3D: Saturday Night Cleaver". It's set for release sometime in 2011. I'll watch it and I'm a little ashamed to admit that.