A girlfriend & I used to argue about Dirty Dancing. She just absolutely loved the movie, and I have to admit it does "work" for what it is, but it also has a plot you could drive a truck through if you sit down & analyze it. Baby has to be anywhere between 16-18, and Johnny is what? Late 20s, early 30s? Now Baby's dad gets pissed when he finds out Johnny has been diddling his teenage daughter while teaching her to dance, but don't fear. All is forgiven & Jerry Orbach doesn't give a shit anymore after Johnny & Baby dance & he lifts like a swan. Maybe I'm crazy, but I have an easier time believing giant transforming robots landing on Earth.
For all the movie lovers out there, it's almost summertime. So it's time for explosions & big budget spectaculars. Below is some of the movies coming out this year, and a story about how Decepticon may equal Neocon.....
To learn more about each film, click on the movie posters. To watch trailers for each movie, click on the play button for each embedded video player.....
Transformers
As a small kid, I adored the cartoon. I have two boxes full of the original die cast aluminum toys, not the shitty plastic ones they sell now, somewhere in storage. Two new commercials for the movie were just released over the weekend. I have to say that in the first commercial, when Starscream (now an F-22 Raptor) transforms & swings around to land on a bridge, my 5-year-old inner-child came out & was as giddy as I used to be when I would watch the cartoon after school. I didn't even know my inner-child was still in there......
Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, V For Vendetta) is reported to have been cast as the voice of Megatron, after beating out Frank Welker (the original voice of Megatron in the cartoon). However, there are rumors Welker has been cast as a different Decepticon, maybe Starscream, since the original voice of Starscream is now dead & reportedly Starscream is in the movie more than Megatron. So you may have the original voice of Megatron coming out of the movie's Starscream.
Due out on July 4th, the writers have talked about the allegory of the story to current events.....
The writers said the concept of alien robots who are able to change into ordinary-looking Earth vehicles was an intriguing premise. A darker parallel to contemporary times: The robots destroyed their home planet in a war over energy.
"The Transformers as a race are sentient emotional beings, and they share our characteristics," Orci says. "They arrived on our planet when we face similar kinds of wars and are able to say, 'We are not that different from the humans.'"
Prime (voiced in the movie by original cartoon actor Peter Cullen) is the leader of the Autobots, protector robots from the alien planet Cybertron, where mechanisms evolved into living beings. On Earth, Prime changes from a robot into a thundering big rig to disguise his identity. The smooth curves of his red, white and blue façade suggest a kind of solid comfort. In contrast, his nemesis Megatron — a fascist politician on his home world whose motto was "Peace through tyranny" — has a jagged, colorless metal face with a covering that suggests the exposed jaw of a skull or insectlike pincers.
Grindhouse
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Directors Quentin Tarantion & Robert Rodriguez's ode to exploitation flicks of the 70s. I do wonder where all the hot women locked in jail movies went? Those of you who lived through the 70s seemed to have a fascination with Pam Grier being stuck in prison with hot women, since she seems to be in almost all of the "caged chick" flicks from that era. Take a look at the trailer for The Big Doll House if you need your memory jogged as to what I'm talking about.
Grindhouse is actually 2 movies with fake movie trailers bridging the gap. Tarantino's is a slasher flick (Death Proof), while Rodriguez has the zombie flick (Planet Terror).......
Spider-Man 3
The introduction of Venom, Sandman, the "new" Green Goblin and Gwen Stacy.....
Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges arise for our young hero. Peter's old friend Harry Obsourne has set out for revenge against Peter; taking up the mantle of his late father's persona as The New Goblin, and Peter must also capture Uncle Ben's real killer, Flint Marko, who has been transformed into his toughest foe yet, the Sandman. All hope seems lost when suddenly Peter's suit turns jet-black and greatly amplifies his powers. But it also begins to greatly amplify the much darker qualities of Peter's personality that he begins to lose himself to. Peter has to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is to ever conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but also...himself.
28 Weeks Later
In the sequel to 28 Days Later.....
Seven months after the rage virus has annihilated the British isles, the US army declares that the war against infection has been won, and that the reconstruction of the country can begin. In the first wave of returning refugees, a family is reunited--but one of them unwillingly carries a terrible secret. The virus is not yet dead.....
Shrek The Third
When his new father-in-law, King Harold (John Cleese) falls ill, Shrek (Mike Myers) is looked at as the heir to the land of Far, Far Away. Not one to give up his beloved swamp, Shrek recruits his friends Donkey (Eddie Murphy) and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) to install the rebellious Artie (Justin Timberlake) as the new king. Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), however, rallies a band of royal girlfriends to fends off a coup d'etat by the jilted Prince Charming (Rupert Everett).
I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry
Two straight, single Brooklyn firefighters (Adam Sandler, Kevin James) pretend to be a gay couple in order to receive domestic partner benefits.
Knocked Up
From the people who brought you The 40-Year Old Virgin......
Slobby Ben (Seth Rogen) and up and coming career girl Alison (Katherine Heigl) meet at a bar, and end up having a one night stand. Eight weeks later, Ben is shocked when Alison meets him and reveals that she is pregnant. Despite having little in common, the two decide that they have to at least try to make some kind of relationship work for the baby's sake.
Ocean's Thirteen
When Reuben Tishkoff (Elliott Gould) makes the mistake of building a hotel with one of Las Vegas’ most hated businessman, Willy Banks (Al Pacino), he gets cut out of the deal and ends up in the hospital after a heart attack. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) tries to help his old friend out by giving Banks a chance to restore Reuben’s share of the hotel, but Banks dismisses him without any regard. Six months later, with Banks’ investment thriving as the richest hotel in the city and the ultimate spot for high rollers, Ocean and his crew decide to bring him down.
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer
The Fantastic Four learn that they aren't the only super-powered beings in the universe when they square off against the powerful Silver Surfer and the planet-eating Galactus.
Live Free Or Die Hard
When a criminal plot is in place to take down the entire computer and technological structure that supports the economy of the United States (and the world), it's up to a decidedly "old school" hero, police detective John McClane (Bruce Willis), to take down the conspiracy, aided by a young hacker (Justin Long).
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End
Captain Barbossa, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle.
The Bourne Ultimatum
Bourne races to discover the final mysteries of his past while a government agent tries to track him down after a shootout in Moscow.
The Simpsons Movie
The whole range of "notable" Simpsons actors and characters are expected to be used. Along with the regular series cast, frequent guest stars Albert Brooks, Kelsey Grammer (Sideshow Bob), and Joe Mantegna (Fat Tony) will be in the film, as well as Minnie Driver and activist Erin Brockovich.
The film's producers expect that the film will be rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America, as it is likely to contain stronger language and subject matter than that of the TV series.