Here’s the beautiful Emily Blunt in Toronto for the red carpet premiere of “Looper.” We have to say that she looks pretty amazing in that tight red dress.
Check out the trailer below and a preview of the film from Jason’s September movie preview.
Images courtesy of Sony Pictures
There are some pretty big Blu-ray releases coming up over the next few weeks, but unfortunately, that only makes this week’s offerings look lackluster in comparison. To be fair, the pickings would be slim regardless, but there are a couple titles that should help pass the time until you can dig into the awesomeness that September holds.
The bloody, sweaty and sex-drenched historical drama “Spartacus” may be unlike anything else on TV, but no one could have anticipated the roller coaster journey that the show has taken over the last few years. After Starz delayed production on a second season (filling its place with the prequel miniseries “Gods of the Arena”) in order for star Andy Whitfield to recover from leukemia, the lead role was ultimately recast after Whitfield sadly passed away. Newcomer Liam McIntyre does his best to make you forget that a different actor is playing the title character, but while his version of Spartacus isn’t necessarily bad, it just doesn’t feel like the same show. The absence of John Hannah’s Quintus Batiatus is perhaps felt even more strongly than the loss of Whitfield, while Lucy Lawless’ Lucretia isn’t nearly as interesting without her better half. Though Season Two gets off to a pretty rocky start, it eventually finds its groove midway through as the war between the rebel slaves and Roman army heats up. But while the action scenes are bigger and better this time around, “Spartacus” is no longer the pulpy guilty pleasure that it used to be.
Blu-ray Highlight: Anchor Bay may have chosen quantity over quality in the special features department, but there are a few extras worth watching, including a featurette on the “Legend of Spartacus” with the show’s historical consultants, and another one aptly titled “Famous Last Words” where the actors talk about their characters’ deaths.
All the commotion surrounding Hollywood’s dueling Snow White movies seems to have been all for naught, because the two films couldn’t be more different. Whereas Tarsem Singh’s “Mirror Mirror” was a light and comical take on the classic fairy tale, “Snow White and the Huntsman” is a much darker adaptation with some revisionist twists. Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t work quite as well as you’d hope. Though Charlize Theron delivers a great performance as the Evil Queen, playing the iconic villain as a raging psychopath, she goes missing for large portions of the film, while Chris Hemsworth’s Huntsman isn’t given enough to do to warrant his top billing. And then there’s Kristen Stewart, who’s not only a terrible choice to play Snow White, but fails to prove that she has the talent to carry such a big movie, especially one as disjointed as this. The troupe of British character actors that play the dwarfs inject some much-needed humor and energy into the story, and there’s some truly stunning visuals on display, but the sum is quite equal to the parts.
Blu-ray Highlight: The making-of featurette “A New Legend is Born” contains some good bits about the film’s production (including Colleen Atwood’s fantastic costumes), although it’s a little awkward to listen to Kristen Stewart fawn over director Rupert Sanders in light of recent events. There’s also a great featurette on the dwarfs that covers everything from casting to the visual effects used to make the actors look small.
In today’s world of fast-paced careers, family life, and readily available technology, male bonding has become more important than ever for those bachelors, husbands, and dads who simply need to get away from it all and enjoy an activity seeping with testosterone.
This typically means going to see the latest action-packed flick and gorging on a bucket of popcorn, but most men prefer to lead up to the movie with a pre-show activity that allows them to simply hang with the guys. Whether it’s just you and a best mate or a group event, these activities will ensure a good time for all involved.
Drinking
Image Credit: vansero via Flickr
Maybe this one is a no-brainer, but male bonding has almost always occurred over a few pints of beer. Rather than settle for any old bar, however, switch it up by trying a variety of venues to get out of the typical drinking rut. Some options include:
• Sports bars
• Local microbreweries
• Unique taverns
• Strip clubs
• Pool halls
• Restaurant bars
• A friend’s “man cave”
Fixing Stuff
Image Credit: jkgreenstein12 via Flickr
What man doesn’t like to work with tools? If any of your buddies have projects that need tackling, such as a renovation job or even something as simple as auto detailing, offer to help as part of the pre-show activities. Especially when a project calls for demolition, even if it’s just knocking down a wall, it’s a great way to let off steam and get that masculinity pumping. You can even rotate projects so every member of the group has help when they need it, from painting rooms to building decks, and everything in between.
Don’t have a project off hand? Think of something your group can do together, such as an automobile restoration or building furniture. This type of long-term project can keep you busy for months, and is a great excuse to schedule more get-togethers.
Gambling
Image Credit: IanMurphy via Flickr
Frequenting casinos is an exciting pastime that most men love, and it’s a convenient activity to do before going to the movies. Don’t have a casino nearby? Try one of the many online casinos such as the famous Casino tropez. The jackpots are just as tempting as those offered at physical casinos, and everyone can bring their own laptops to a predetermined location so the group can play the slots together.
Many online casinos even have special offers that allow you to save money over traditional casinos, meaning you can potentially win big with less money. Get more with Europa Casino bonus code offers and enjoy online roulette, craps, blackjack, and video poker from the comfort of your man cave.
Old School Fun
Image Credit: Boston Public Library via Flickr
There are many traditional male bonding activities that have fallen by the wayside in recent years. One of these is an old-fashioned visit to the barbershop. Many old school barbers still offer the classic, straight razor shave, which allows your group to kick back and swap stories while getting polished for your night at the cinema. It’s practically a trip to the spa for men.
Other activities that fall under the old school category include:
• Working out at the gym
• Going fishing
• Playing video games
• Shooting hoops
• Bowling
• Putt-putt or golf
• Watching the game
• Playing poker
No matter which activity you choose, be sure to switch it up with every outing and give one member of the group the reins as far as activity planning goes, so everyone gets a chance to experience their favorite pre-show activities.
References:
http://www.askmen.com/top_10/entertainment/top-10-male-bonding-activities_10.html
http://friendship.about.com/od/Friendship_Activities/ss/Ways-For-You-Your-Guy-Friend-To-Bond.htm
This week’s Hidden Netflix Gem: “The Baader Meinhof Complex” (2008)
Rebels? Radicals? Criminals? Heroes? Martyrs? Murderers? Victims? Villains? Icons?
“The Baader Meinhof Complex” is a 2008 film detailing the early history of a West German far-left extremist group who named themselves the Red Army Faction. To the public however, the group was generally known as the “Baader Meinhof Gang.” The nickname was a media invention centered around two of the group’s foremost members: ringleader Andreas Baader and former journalist Ulrike Meinhof. Both the film and the 1985 non-fiction book by Stefan Aust on which it is based altered the label to include the word “Complex” because they focus not just on the gang itself but on the tangled labyrinth that was the collective German psyche just 20 years after the death of Adolf Hitler—a volatile environment that was as instrumental in the eventual creation of the group as its members themselves.
I was unable to write my column last week because I was still recovering from knee surgery, but hopefully that didn’t cause you to miss out on all the great new releases, because there were several titles worth checking out, including the latest seasons of “Sons of Anarchy,” “The Walking Dead,” “Boardwalk Empire” and “Homeland,” as well as Peter Berg’s big, dumb and fun “Battleship.” This week is almost as good, with a variety of new movies and several more TV series to get you ready for the fall season.
HBO has never been as trigger happy as most networks when it comes to cancelling shows, so it was a bit surprising when the pay cable channel axed three series in one fell swoop at the end of last year. Though “Hung,” “Bored to Death” and “How to Make It in America” may not have brought in the same kind of ratings as HBO’s bigger hits, but they were all quality shows with solid fanbases. “Hung” was probably the best of the bunch, and although the dark comedy had its share of highs and lows throughout its three-season run, Thomas Jane (who was once again nominated for a Golden Globe) made it immensely watchable. The same goes for Ted Danson on the more inconsistent but nonetheless entertaining “Bored to Death,” perhaps the most shocking of the three cancellations considering Zach Galifianakis’ recent rise to fame. “How to Make It in America,” meanwhile, was the kind of series that seemed tailor-made for the HBO viewer based on the success of the likeminded “Entourage,” and yet it was the worst performer of the three. You can’t really blame HBO for not giving each show the chance to reach a larger audience, because they did. It’s just upsetting that more people didn’t watch when it mattered, because they deserved a better ending than this.
Blu-ray Highlight: HBO could have easily dumped these onto Blu-ray without any bonus material, so it’s nice to see that they’ve included a decent collection of extras on all three sets. While fans of audio commentaries will find several tracks with various cast and crew members on each release, there are some great featurettes as well. Creators Dmitry Lipkin and Colette Burson discuss the new characters and story arcs that make up “Hung: The Complete Third Season”; author Jonathan Ames records a series of mini-interviews for all eight Season Three episodes of “Bored to Death”; and the cast of “How to Make It in America” talk about filming the show’s second season.
Beginning where most romantic comedies usually end, you can’t fault “The Five-Year Engagement” for trying to deliver a fresh take on the genre. But although it boasts some great laughs throughout (including a Muppets-inspired bit that is probably the most honest moment in the entire film), the movie doesn’t know when enough is enough. The constant shifts in tone also prevent it from ever finding its groove, particularly when the film gets really dark and gloomy in the second act. It would be one thing if Jason Segel’s character was just depressed, but he becomes borderline crazy, devolving into a grizzly mountain man. Though the theme of resentment plays a big part in the story, Segel’s emotional transformation is taken a little too far, to the point that you’re not even sure if you like the main characters anymore. Thankfully, director Nicholas Stoller surrounds his two leads with an excellent supporting cast that helps keep the mood light, especially Chris Pratt, who absolutely steals the show as Segel’s idiotic best friend. The movie could have done with more of him and Alison Brie, because the pair earns more laughs in their limited screen time than the rest of the cast combined.
Blu-ray Highlight: Fans of the film will no doubt enjoy the included audio commentary by co-writer/director Nicholas Stoller and stars Jason Segel, Emily Blunt and Chris Pratt, but the disc’s real standout is the fantastic making-of featurette, which offers a refreshingly transparent behind-the-scenes look at the complete production process.
Director Boaz Yakin’s first foray into the action genre may look eerily similar to every other film to come out of the Jason Statham Factory of Ass-Kicking, but Statham’s movies are rarely dull, and that has a lot to do with the actor’s seemingly endless supply of charisma. He’s probably the most entertaining action star working today, and although “Safe” isn’t much better than his previous direct-to-video efforts, it delivers some pretty awesome action beats along the way. The rest of the movie is a giant mess, fueled by an overly complicated plot that fails to make much use of its carousel of B-movie villains, and it takes way too long to get going. Once it does, however, “Safe” never looks back, transforming into a speeding train wreck of violence where the various parties (Statham, some crooked cops and feuding Chinese and Russian gangsters) open fire on one another with such reckless abandon that it eliminates any plausibility. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to watch, but “Safe” is ridiculous even for a Jason Statham movie, and that’s saying something.
Blu-ray Highlight: As you might expect from a movie like “Safe,” the coolest piece of bonus material is a 10-minute featurette called “The Art of the Gunfight” that takes a look at the action choreography in the film, focusing on three sequences in particular.
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