Welcome to another edition of Smalls' Bug Juice. This week I have some pretty depressing news for you G.I. Joe fans out there, so let's get right into it.
In a brilliant marketing move (SARCASM....in case you couldnt tell) Paramount has decided to push back the well hyped G.I. Joe: Retaliation's release date for another year...till March 2013 so it can get a 3D post-conversion.
SOURCE: http://www.slashfilm.com/gi-joe-retaliation-moved-march-2013-3d-conversion/
Now, this really ruffles my feathers. 3D is a popular trend right now, and I count myself as one of its fans...but to decide to post-convert a film this late in the game, well it doesn't bode well for poor G.I. Joe 2. The film has gained a steady train of positive hype, and many were looking forward to it's upcoming release date of June 29 2012 (including myself). By the time March 2013 rolls around I expect the hype that has built up for this film to have vanished, after all this extremely poor marketing move is sure to piss off more than a few fans of the film and to try to continue the hype for a film a year after it's proposed release date should prove difficult.
With this move, Paramount has shown their hand. It would appear Paaramount doesn't have much faith in the film, thus the 3D post-conversion which should bring in some extra dough for the film and the new release date which puts it in less competition with bigger film.s Once again, such a disappointment. I'm still going to roll out to theaters to see this one, but I'll be boycotting the 3D post-conversion for the film and will definitely be seeing it in 2D instead.
Till next time folks, this is Smalls and you've just been bugged.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
THE FIRST EVER WARRIOR OF SPACE AND TIME AWARD GOES TO......
Today, for the first time ever, I give out the Warrior of Space and Time Award. This year's recipient may be the first, but he certainly won't be the last.
The piece of news that inspired me to dream up this lofty award was this: A certain actor that is starring in a certain highly hyped movie musical has demanded a sidekick monkey to costar with him in said movie. Now, this made me realize that...wouldn't life on Earth be just a bit easier if we all could have a monkey sidekick to go through the day with??? Someone that could cheer us up with a dance or with crazy antics...someone that would willingly attack out worst enemies for us, a furry friend that could indeed make life that much more fun. Yes, it is my belief after reading this piece of news that we all need a monkey sidekick. I'm going to name mine Sir Jellybeans.
So, the first ever Warrior of Space and Time Award goes to a man who has couch jumped through space and time with Oprah, who's hobbies include swinging happily from skyscrapers like he did in Mission impossible 4, a man who also can teach us a thing or two about the art of the dance like he did in Tropic Thunder, He's skilled in business as we all saw in Risky Business and on top of all this he's a bad-ass. He's come back from the brink and jump-started his career all over again, and now he's got his very own Baboon side-kick. The first ever Warrior of Space and Time Award goes to Tom Cruise!!!
Tom, if I ever do manage to create my very own time machine, know that you will be the first person I call to test it out, for I'm sure there is no man on Earth more qualified to test the limits of space and time than you.
Till next time, keep it real friends.
Linkey to article on Tom Cruise's Baboon sidekick: http://screencrush.com/tom-cruise-monkey/
The piece of news that inspired me to dream up this lofty award was this: A certain actor that is starring in a certain highly hyped movie musical has demanded a sidekick monkey to costar with him in said movie. Now, this made me realize that...wouldn't life on Earth be just a bit easier if we all could have a monkey sidekick to go through the day with??? Someone that could cheer us up with a dance or with crazy antics...someone that would willingly attack out worst enemies for us, a furry friend that could indeed make life that much more fun. Yes, it is my belief after reading this piece of news that we all need a monkey sidekick. I'm going to name mine Sir Jellybeans.
So, the first ever Warrior of Space and Time Award goes to a man who has couch jumped through space and time with Oprah, who's hobbies include swinging happily from skyscrapers like he did in Mission impossible 4, a man who also can teach us a thing or two about the art of the dance like he did in Tropic Thunder, He's skilled in business as we all saw in Risky Business and on top of all this he's a bad-ass. He's come back from the brink and jump-started his career all over again, and now he's got his very own Baboon side-kick. The first ever Warrior of Space and Time Award goes to Tom Cruise!!!
Tom, if I ever do manage to create my very own time machine, know that you will be the first person I call to test it out, for I'm sure there is no man on Earth more qualified to test the limits of space and time than you.
Till next time, keep it real friends.
Linkey to article on Tom Cruise's Baboon sidekick: http://screencrush.com/tom-cruise-monkey/
Friday, May 4, 2012
SMALLS ASSEMBLES TO SEE AVENGERS 3D
Yet another film that makes it cool to be geeky.
The Avengers has been one of the most highly hyped movies not just of this summer, but of the whole decade. A superhero film that promises to tell the epic tale of the greatest team ever assembled. The question is, does the Avengers deliver the goods we all were hoping for?
When self-righteous Loki lands on Earth and promises war, stealing the cosmic cube as proof, Nick Fury calls upon some of the Earth's mightiest heroes to stop Loki and save the Earth. That's the plot, It's got a lot of twists and turns but remains simple enough so that it can carry this spectacular comic book film. One of the stand out things about the Avengers is that out of all the Marvel films thus far, it is the one that comes the closest to making you feel like you are truly inside a comic book (especially in 3D, but more on that later).
The character interactions inside the Avengers is one of the best things about the film. It is a dream come true to see some of our favorite heroes trading barbs with each other, heck, just seeing them all together in the same room will be enough to make many drool. It's great fun to watch them work together to get shit done. One of the things the Avengers does right is that it takes what has been established about each character in their separate films and actually builds on that, making them deeper than you've seen them before. It extends their individual stories and strengthens their character, and it is an absolute joy to watch the film go about doing this is surprisingly subtle ways.
Now, unlike other superhero films, there are no lengthy periods of time where characters sit around and talk....just about every other scene is some kind of insane, thrilling action set piece. It will be hard to grow bored, the film does its best to keep you involved at just about all times. These are characters you should know and care about by now, and thus the scenes where they do talk and argue are just as thrilling and fun as the scenes where they kick butt. We have a lot invested in these characters by now, there are different stakes involved for each one and this makes the film stronger.
We start the film with Captain America being told that he will have to lead this new team. Naturally, Captain America already has experience in leading but never quite like this. Each hero is quite volatile, and the team itself threatens to explode at any second due to the conflicting natures and attitudes of each member. Cap's abilities (like every other hero's ) are tested. He has found himself trapped in a strange new world, and he is forced to quickly adapt and learn on the go.
Tony Stark is back as well and he is just as cocky as ever, but in this film more than ever do we sense that he does have a weakness. His humanity always shines through. Robert Downy Jr. is fantastic as always in the role of Tony Stark, and in this film he acts as the instigator for several issues. He continually tries to coax Banner into a rage, questions Cap's authority, and challenges Thor's power. He still has an ego issue, one of Iron Man's defining traits. He also brings several cool gadgets with him on the joyride including a brand new Iron Man suit that has quite a bit of goodies hidden inside (including the ability to have Tony suit up while falling).
Thor is beamed down to Earth when he catches word that his brother is threatening it. Apparently, he has been deemed the protector of Earth and doesn't take too kindly to Loki's threat of war. The brotherly dynamic between Thor and Loki is still present (thank god!!!), and this makes Thor's job all the harder. Loki has no love for his brother, but Thor still cares about Loki very much and it pains him to see his brother go so completely mad with power. He does try to talk sense into Loki occasionally, but it is clear that Loki is beyond the point of help. While Loki was sympathetic in the last film, in The Avengers he really has gone completely over the deep end and is truly evil. That said, Loki is still a very fun character to watch and when he does eventually get put back in his place by one of the team...well, it's a cheer worthy moment.
Bruce Banner is also recruited, mainly to help track down the location of the cosmic cube. We have had many Bruce Banners before, but I feel that Mark Ruffalo is the best one we've had. It is weird to see a good looking Banner, but he is still quite nerdy and Ruffalo easily embodies the character. He manages to stay completely faithful to the Banner in the comics, and that is one of his towering achievements. This guy really does deserve his very own Hulk film. MAKE IT HAPPEN MARVEL!!! It is great fun to watch HULK SMASH his way through the film, and the not-so-jolly green giant looks simply fantastic in this film (easily the bet incarnation of the character thus far).
Black Widow is also back, and her character is given a good deal of depth too. She also has some fantastic ass shots (it looks SO good in that tight outfit in 3D, yum!). Jeremy Renner gets some much needed screen time as Hawkeye, finally getting the chance to prove that he can do justice to the character. Black Widow and him share an almost romance in the film, an aspect I wasn't expecting. Agent Coulson also comes along for the ride and he is his usual bad-ass funny self. Samuel L. Jackson also gets to finally show off his stuff as Nick Fury, he easily embodies the character and surprised me with how much of a bad-as he was (I know Samuel L. Jackson is a bad-ass , it just surprised me how much of a bad-ass Nick Fury was). Simply put, the actors and the characters they portray are top-notch here and help to make the film all the better.
The cosmic cube is back as the main macguffin for the film, but unlike in Captain America, this time I actually understood what it does and how powerful it truly is (THANK YOU JOSS WHEDON!!!!!!). The cosmic cube is basically a portal to another world, and the power it holds is unimaginable and can be deadly if in the wrong hands. The Avengers not only easily explains this, but it also shows the cosmic cube at work. All of this works to give us a better picture of what exactly the cosmic cube is.
Joss Whedon proves that he is THE MAN to go to if you want to do The Avengers the right way. He has always been a comic book fan boy at heart and he puts that to amazingly good use here, doing justice to both the material and the characters. Considering how much there was to juggle here and what was at stake, it is an amazing triumph that he comes out on top. From now on, I only want Joss to direct any proceeding Avengers sequels. Bend the knee damnit, Joss Whedon is THE MAN!!!
Now, I saw The Avengers in 3D. The Avengers was planned to be made in 3D right from the very get go, but it was post converted after the fact. Basically Joss filmed The Avengers with 3D in mind and IT SHOWS. Every action scene engulfs the audience in 3D, making you feel like YOU ARE THERE. The action extends out into the theater, characters leap from the screen, ships fly out into the theater...it's amazing. The 3D also helps to give a sense of scale to the film, for example: it helps characters look more small when compared to the immense alien ships they are fighting against, this gives the film an added sense of realism. Without a doubt, the best sequence in 3D is the Manhattan battle. I can't capture the effect of viewing this scene in 3D in words. All I'll say is that my jaw hit the floor constantly. Without a doubt in my mind, The Avengers 3D is the best post-conversion job I've seen. If you're going to see The Avengers you MUST see it in 3D....it enhances the film overall and will make your experience all the more fun and thrilling.
The Avengers is a surprisingly mature, fun, thrilling, and funny film. It changed the way I look at super hero films, and it will probably do the same for you as well. It managed to far surpass my expectations, it blew me away...and considering the expectations I had, that's a sign of a good film. The hype for The Avengers is well deserved, it is easily the best Marvel film so far (It also will give The Bat a run for its money). The Avengers is everything we wanted and more! The bar has been set.
5/5 Stars- BETTER THAN SEX
The Avengers has been one of the most highly hyped movies not just of this summer, but of the whole decade. A superhero film that promises to tell the epic tale of the greatest team ever assembled. The question is, does the Avengers deliver the goods we all were hoping for?
When self-righteous Loki lands on Earth and promises war, stealing the cosmic cube as proof, Nick Fury calls upon some of the Earth's mightiest heroes to stop Loki and save the Earth. That's the plot, It's got a lot of twists and turns but remains simple enough so that it can carry this spectacular comic book film. One of the stand out things about the Avengers is that out of all the Marvel films thus far, it is the one that comes the closest to making you feel like you are truly inside a comic book (especially in 3D, but more on that later).
The character interactions inside the Avengers is one of the best things about the film. It is a dream come true to see some of our favorite heroes trading barbs with each other, heck, just seeing them all together in the same room will be enough to make many drool. It's great fun to watch them work together to get shit done. One of the things the Avengers does right is that it takes what has been established about each character in their separate films and actually builds on that, making them deeper than you've seen them before. It extends their individual stories and strengthens their character, and it is an absolute joy to watch the film go about doing this is surprisingly subtle ways.
Now, unlike other superhero films, there are no lengthy periods of time where characters sit around and talk....just about every other scene is some kind of insane, thrilling action set piece. It will be hard to grow bored, the film does its best to keep you involved at just about all times. These are characters you should know and care about by now, and thus the scenes where they do talk and argue are just as thrilling and fun as the scenes where they kick butt. We have a lot invested in these characters by now, there are different stakes involved for each one and this makes the film stronger.
We start the film with Captain America being told that he will have to lead this new team. Naturally, Captain America already has experience in leading but never quite like this. Each hero is quite volatile, and the team itself threatens to explode at any second due to the conflicting natures and attitudes of each member. Cap's abilities (like every other hero's ) are tested. He has found himself trapped in a strange new world, and he is forced to quickly adapt and learn on the go.
Tony Stark is back as well and he is just as cocky as ever, but in this film more than ever do we sense that he does have a weakness. His humanity always shines through. Robert Downy Jr. is fantastic as always in the role of Tony Stark, and in this film he acts as the instigator for several issues. He continually tries to coax Banner into a rage, questions Cap's authority, and challenges Thor's power. He still has an ego issue, one of Iron Man's defining traits. He also brings several cool gadgets with him on the joyride including a brand new Iron Man suit that has quite a bit of goodies hidden inside (including the ability to have Tony suit up while falling).
Thor is beamed down to Earth when he catches word that his brother is threatening it. Apparently, he has been deemed the protector of Earth and doesn't take too kindly to Loki's threat of war. The brotherly dynamic between Thor and Loki is still present (thank god!!!), and this makes Thor's job all the harder. Loki has no love for his brother, but Thor still cares about Loki very much and it pains him to see his brother go so completely mad with power. He does try to talk sense into Loki occasionally, but it is clear that Loki is beyond the point of help. While Loki was sympathetic in the last film, in The Avengers he really has gone completely over the deep end and is truly evil. That said, Loki is still a very fun character to watch and when he does eventually get put back in his place by one of the team...well, it's a cheer worthy moment.
Bruce Banner is also recruited, mainly to help track down the location of the cosmic cube. We have had many Bruce Banners before, but I feel that Mark Ruffalo is the best one we've had. It is weird to see a good looking Banner, but he is still quite nerdy and Ruffalo easily embodies the character. He manages to stay completely faithful to the Banner in the comics, and that is one of his towering achievements. This guy really does deserve his very own Hulk film. MAKE IT HAPPEN MARVEL!!! It is great fun to watch HULK SMASH his way through the film, and the not-so-jolly green giant looks simply fantastic in this film (easily the bet incarnation of the character thus far).
Black Widow is also back, and her character is given a good deal of depth too. She also has some fantastic ass shots (it looks SO good in that tight outfit in 3D, yum!). Jeremy Renner gets some much needed screen time as Hawkeye, finally getting the chance to prove that he can do justice to the character. Black Widow and him share an almost romance in the film, an aspect I wasn't expecting. Agent Coulson also comes along for the ride and he is his usual bad-ass funny self. Samuel L. Jackson also gets to finally show off his stuff as Nick Fury, he easily embodies the character and surprised me with how much of a bad-as he was (I know Samuel L. Jackson is a bad-ass , it just surprised me how much of a bad-ass Nick Fury was). Simply put, the actors and the characters they portray are top-notch here and help to make the film all the better.
The cosmic cube is back as the main macguffin for the film, but unlike in Captain America, this time I actually understood what it does and how powerful it truly is (THANK YOU JOSS WHEDON!!!!!!). The cosmic cube is basically a portal to another world, and the power it holds is unimaginable and can be deadly if in the wrong hands. The Avengers not only easily explains this, but it also shows the cosmic cube at work. All of this works to give us a better picture of what exactly the cosmic cube is.
Joss Whedon proves that he is THE MAN to go to if you want to do The Avengers the right way. He has always been a comic book fan boy at heart and he puts that to amazingly good use here, doing justice to both the material and the characters. Considering how much there was to juggle here and what was at stake, it is an amazing triumph that he comes out on top. From now on, I only want Joss to direct any proceeding Avengers sequels. Bend the knee damnit, Joss Whedon is THE MAN!!!
Now, I saw The Avengers in 3D. The Avengers was planned to be made in 3D right from the very get go, but it was post converted after the fact. Basically Joss filmed The Avengers with 3D in mind and IT SHOWS. Every action scene engulfs the audience in 3D, making you feel like YOU ARE THERE. The action extends out into the theater, characters leap from the screen, ships fly out into the theater...it's amazing. The 3D also helps to give a sense of scale to the film, for example: it helps characters look more small when compared to the immense alien ships they are fighting against, this gives the film an added sense of realism. Without a doubt, the best sequence in 3D is the Manhattan battle. I can't capture the effect of viewing this scene in 3D in words. All I'll say is that my jaw hit the floor constantly. Without a doubt in my mind, The Avengers 3D is the best post-conversion job I've seen. If you're going to see The Avengers you MUST see it in 3D....it enhances the film overall and will make your experience all the more fun and thrilling.
The Avengers is a surprisingly mature, fun, thrilling, and funny film. It changed the way I look at super hero films, and it will probably do the same for you as well. It managed to far surpass my expectations, it blew me away...and considering the expectations I had, that's a sign of a good film. The hype for The Avengers is well deserved, it is easily the best Marvel film so far (It also will give The Bat a run for its money). The Avengers is everything we wanted and more! The bar has been set.
5/5 Stars- BETTER THAN SEX
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