Tis’ The Season to go Broke!

So, it’s the holidays, and well, my wallet feels like its been in the newest Saw film, because, it’s been gutted!  Ok, my jokes are bad, but you know this by now!  With all the craziness of Black Friday and the Holiday sales, I just wanted to post to let you all know not to go crazy like me! Working at the mall I’m totally prone to spending my paycheck before I can make it to the Bank, which is like one-hudred yards from my work, lol.   But I wanted to share some of the must halves for the season! 

I think that the new price drop on the Playstation 3 is an amazing steal! Now that its down a whole two-hundred bucks, for a grand total of $299.99; not to mention sleek, and smaller, this is a great gift for any movie-goer.  The Playstation 3 still has one of the best Blu-Ray Players on the market, and if the loved one in your life doesn’t have any interest in using the gaming console, I’m sure you could find a cheaper Blu-Ray player.  I know I said that Blu Rays are overpriced, but some local business and websites have started to allow you to trade in DVD’s for Blu-Ray for a small fee of about 5-7 bucks!  If you really wanna make the switch to Blu, that may be  the best alternative!  Also, Star Trek the DVD came out a week or so ago, and I’m sure you must know someone who wants that film (besides me!), so thats a definite must too!  If these items are still too much for you, a pair of movie tickets is still an ideal holiday gift, wrap those suckers up and call it a day!

Good Luck to you all in your  movie holiday shopping, stay safe, be wary of crazed consumers, and have a wonderful holiday season!

Small to Silver Screen

I always found it fascinating when shows gained enough ground, that they would launch a featured film on the silver screen.  Mostly the factors that play into this, is “Will people go see the film?” The answer is generally “yes” or believe to be so, otherwise most wouldnt be green lit. 

Some examples of successful adaptations would be Sex and the City, the HBO series about corky Carrie Bradshaw, the sex columnist; dominated the box office for weeks on its debut on the silver screen in fact the sequel to that film is slated for release in 2010.  Another successful small to silver screen film would have to be the Star Trek series, the most recent Star Trek film was a huge blockbuster, critically acclaimed and celebrated by fans everywhere this too was a successful leap.

One not so successful film would have to be “Serenity” the film based on FOX’s short-lived “Firefly” series flopped in the box office, being supported only by cult fans.  The film though not terribly blasted by critics, just didn’t draw in the crowds.  20th century FOX backed the film due to record-breaking DVD box set sales, but the same wildfire didn’t carry it through to the big leagues.   On the other hand, a reverse Silver to small screen success was had with “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, the film version was an utter failure, yet the WB series birthed from it was a dynamite success, and many WB reps have stated it being their flagship show that kept them afloat.

Let me know what you guys think of all this, and whats your favorite Small to Silver screen film, or Silver to Small screen show or made for TV movie!?

V.I.P. T.V.

What is VIP TV? I consider it to be Premium channels, such as HBO, Starz, Showtime, etc.  I currently subscribe to HBO, and though it can get a little steep, I think it’s totally worth it!  If I was a bit more fortunate I’d dish out the extra cash for Showtime as well, so I could enjoy Dexter (an amazingly well done show, fyi) but I chose HBO, for three reasons.

1.) True Blood:

This deliciously additive series has me obsessed with vampire mythos all over again! Not since Buffy and Angel have I enjoyed a re-telling of Vampire mythos.  The show focuses on Sookie Stackhouse, a human being with special abilities, who falls in love with a newly “out of the coffin” vampire named Bill.  Vampires have emerged and unveiled themselves to humans, due to the fact that the Japanese have cultivated synthetic blood and they can now live off that, instead of preying on mankind.  This show is a blast.

2.) Entourage:

This show is so much fun, it’s produced, and written by actor Mark Whalberg and a slew of many other talented folks.  It’s basically a show focusing on the life of a successful movie star, his ups, downs, and his friends that stick by him through it all.  Its kind of a re-telling of Whalberg’s own daily and past ventures.  The show has tons of awesome cameos, and many stars playing themselves on the show.  This show is so much fun for me because of all the different movie stars and directors you get to see.

3.) Curb Your Enthusiasm:

Seinfeld creator Larry David’s show is amazing fun, with so much quick and dry humor its like watching Seinfeld all over again.  David plays himself, and makes a lot of fun at the world, and spares himself no expense. This comedy just wrapped up its fifth season, and it’s still fresh every time.

These three reasons alone, are worth getting HBO, not to mention the six channels of Movies you get! So if you are considering leaping to VIP TV, I suggest HBO, and Showtimes only worth it for Dexter. Dexter is a show about a man with a thirst to kill, but he channels his addiction towards murderers, serial killers, rapists, etc.  Working as a detective himself, he hunts and kills the bad guys of the world in the dark and broody drama!

Have fun picking guys, let me know what you choose, or what you may already have!

Me, You, and Hulu.

 

So, not that I want you guys to run away from my Blog and spend hours at www.Hulu.com but, seriously if you haven’t been to Hulu yet, I feel sad for you!  Hulu is a free online site where you can basically watch all your T.V. Shows you missed for the week, there for free, with limited to no commercial interruptions!  Here is a fun clip from the most recent SNL with Host Taylor Lautner, this particular episode was so-so, but the monologue is great! http://www.hulu.com/watch/114935/saturday-night-live-taylor-lautner-monologue

If you saw the above clip, then you saw how Hulu worked, advertisement, then tv goodness, then another advert.  What I like about Hulu is that sometimes it will give you the option to watch all the commercials in one go, and then the episode commercial free, which is awesome, cause you can just get up and get a snack for two to three minutes while all the adverts air *lol*.

Hulu is an amazing site, and I just felt like posting about it real quick, in case any of you haven’t yet discovered this gem.  There have been talks about making it a charged service, and though nothing is official, go absorb all the free T.V. and Movie goodness you can now!

Lets get Animated!

So if you havent noticed, the world of animation has taken off with such success as the Pixar group and FOX’s Family Guy has birthed a wide variety of animated goodness to be had for every age range.

In film and TV, we are seeing more and more animated stars take off with our hearts, and leaving us begging for more.  Pixar has revolutionized the world of animation with classics like “Toy Story”, “Finding Nemo” and more recently “Up”.  These warm-hearted and fun films rack up millions in the Box-Office, and I have to admit, I personally have seen them all, and own each and every DVD film with a Pixar tag on it.  Unlike Disney’s classic hand drawn animated series (though still ravenously popular) Pixar freshens up animation with 3D images, and crisp colors and animation that revolutionizes the franchise.  As well as Pixar, Dreamworks has been successful with the “Shrek” series, each film topping and dominating the box office at release, and more recently “Aliens Vs. Monsters” debuted with flying colors as well.  I think the appeal these films have, is that they are just fun!  Most will incorporate a great message to children, whether it is not to take life for granted, or to treat everyone equally, these films are just good clean fun, that I don’t mind chatting up because I just adore them.

If the good clean fun of Pixar and Dreamworks doesnt quench your animated curiosities, FOX’s Family Guy or Comedy Central’s South Park takes it to the complete opposite direction with almost disgusting humor, and sexual referrals.  I enjoy Family Guy from time to time but more recently it has been becoming more and more vulgar, and South Park can still make me laugh even after a decade.

I guess it’s all preference just like any other category, but let me know what type of animation you enjoy whether its Pixar, or Family Guy, or even old school care bears!

T.V. The other Guilty Pleasure

So alongside being completely and utterly in love with movies I find myself using my TV more than my toothbrush at times, (possibly too much information there, but hey just keeping it real.)  Though its hard to match the allure of the silver screen, the small screen does a fairly good job off appeasing my appetite for drama, adventure, comedy, and more. 

The television networks, are like a bunch of different gangs, all trying to muster the most numbers, trying to bring people in, and keep them there so that advertiser dollars will flow through them like rain in a gutter.  So who are the major networks?

ABC: This network is owned by the Disney Company, and generally has family friendly programming, but with just enough sex, and drama to keep couples and individuals tuned in without driving the family unit away .  Some of the most popular shows on ABC, are “Greys Anatomy”, “Brothers and Sisters”, and “The View”.  These shows are all catered to bringing in the 20-40 year old woman, though they also appeal to men, most of these programs are typically enjoyed by females.

NBC:  This network is owned by Universal and Vivendi organizations and generally have more edgy and funny programming, they aren’t as PG as ABC, but aren’t raunchy but will provide a good time with some awesome comedies such as “30 Rock”, “The Office” and “Parks and Recreations”.  They also offer some adventure and fantasy with “Heroes”.  NBC also has a heavy female following, but also bring in males 18-30, thanks to Conan O’Brian on the Late Show and their comedic line-up.

CBS:  This Viacom owned Company generally caters to older crowds.  They bring in viewership from 30-60 with programs like “The Price is Right”, “60-Minutes” They offer other programs that bring in younger viewers through their CSI series.  Generally though this network is considered the senior-citizen pick.

You guys go ahead and leave a comment, and let me know what network you watch, and what shows do you follow!?

Theater or Rental or not at all?

When a movie advert pops up on your screen, during the two to three-minute orgy of images, what about it makes you want to see a film?  I know what does it for me, I have to like what I see, simple enough!  Though I have to admit, though this advice may seem sound in theory, you must remember, it’s not always what it looks like on those trailers.  For example, I was so very excited after I saw the Terminator Salvation movie trailer, I was ready to be one of the fist in line to purchase a ticket, and sure enough I was, myself, my brother and a few friends went to see the film, completely ready to be satisfied, but instead we left the film agitated and a bit upset that our hopes and anticipation for the film was more fun, then the actual film itself.  I am not trying to bash this particular film, but all I am saying is that movie trailers are a business of their own, tons of people working on compiling the best scenes of a film into a tidbit of video footage attached to some music and a little pizzazz. 

I probably would have watched it later on, had I not gone on the debut, regardless of what people say, because I wanted to, the trailed had me sold, and despite the plot or whatever I heard, I was gonna experience it for myself.  My regret is that I didn’t do it through a rental, at least that would have been cheaper!  It takes a lot for me to not see a film that I personally deem worthy, and even if it is ridiculed I will still rent it at the very least.

So, I can go to the movie, and be disappointed, I can rent the DVD and be disappointed, or I can not watch it at all.  Hardly is this ever the case, but once in a blue moon, I will hear such negative things about a film, from every aspect, from co-workers, to peers, to friends and family, I will count my losses, and asses that, I’m not missing much.

Watching movies are kind of like a game of poker, you don’t know what kind of hand you’ll play, but you have enough hope, and information to at least expect the best to come forth, and sometimes, that just doesn’t always happen!

Video kills the radio star, and Blu-Ray kills the Video Star?

Have you ever been walking through your local Best Buy, or Target, in the electronics section, and just heard blaring advertisements for Blu-Ray, the new revolution in film!?  I found them pretty annoying, and I couldn’t stand to hear them.  One day though my brother came home with a Blu Ray film, our first Blu Ray film, we watched it on his Playstation 3, because we never went and got a Blu Ray Player, he had the video game console, and we’d never bothered watching films on it much, well not Blu Ray films.  After viewing the film, I have to say, I didn’t see what all the fuss was about, the movie seemed louder, and I suppose the picture was clear, but I can’t say clearer for sure, then that of a DVD.

My question is, is it worth purchasing a Blu Ray film over its DVD counterpart?  I personally think, no, it isn’t; the extra six to ten dollars just seems not worth it to me.  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t own any Blu Ray films, but I can comfortably say I own as many as you can count on one hand.  But anyways, I’d like to know, is Blu Ray really that worth it in your opinion?

DVD’s the Money Eater!

When Tuesday rolls around, my wallet tries to fight me from emptying its contents onto the checkout at Target, I am a sucker for Tuesday, or what some call DVDuesday!  I love seeing which of my favorite films will be released each and every week, and I am an avid collector, ever since I was young with Pokemon cards, I have obssessed to make my collections, whatever it may be, the most fierce and awesome around, but of course that has got me into a lot of trouble, especially when bills come around.

But what it about  a DVD that makes me go crazy?  I personally think that I attach my memories to films I see, and when I buy that film on DVD I can in a way re-create the good time I had while seeing the film, and even the bad times!  I have been pretty bad though, more recently I have been buying films before even reviewing them, and have been very disappointed in my purchases.

I would like to hear from you guys, leave a comment, or tell me about you DVD habits, are u a DVDholic, or are you a rental type of film buff?

O-M-G Films!

People use this term so loosely these days, “oh my god, I have a paper due”, “oh my god, I can’t believe she did that”, or “oh my god, you’re kidding!”  I especially enjoy it when someone turns to me and says “Oh my god, did you see that trailer?”  I always wonder to myself, what about a film attracts people, what makes them say “Oh my god?”

Genre:  First of, people all have a favorite genre, it could be romance, action, horror, whatever.  If an individual doesn’t enjoy a type of film category, chances are, they just won’t perceive a trailer, or preview with open arms.

Story/Plot:  What about the film is enticing? What is the story about?  Can we get enough information out of the two minute trailer to make us spend ten bucks? Basically, does it look worthwhile?

Cast:  Ok, so the film is a genre you may like, looks cool, but are any of your favorite actors in it?  If not, will you still go to see it?  A cast in many ways, is like a brand of any piece of merchandise, an A-List celebrity like Brad Pitt for instance will most likely bring in a larger crowd.  Does the cast change your perception?

Soundtrack:  A lot of the times, this isn’t what we go to see a film for, a soundtrack is just music, right? Should it matter?  My personal answer is, of course it should!  Music makes a film move forward, it helps escalate importance, warns us of impending danger, or brings us to tears.  A lot of the times music is the driving force behind a scene, next to the actor(s) of course.

I personally just saw a preview for a film called “9” thats the number nine, it had everything I really enjoy about movies, amazing cast, my genre of choice, and great music. You can see it yourself here!:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnoJecu9e7c