Green Politics Doesn’t Mean You Have to Recycle Jokes Too
By bukkhead | July 19, 2007
FILM REVIEW: ‘MAN OF THE YEAR’
Written and directed by Barry Levinson
Rated PG-13
115 mins.
I don’t find Robin Williams funny. I wanted to tell you that up front, so you can decide if I am being biased. He’s been doing the same schtick since ‘Mork & Mindy,’ that “wow ain’t he clever coming up with all those riffs” stuff. Wasn’t he on drugs for a while? Aren’t drugs supposed to change people? Anyway, nevermind that. I actually wanted to see Man of the Year when it was in theaters. I like political dramas. (Don’t ask me why—I also like books about baseball. Can’t stand the sport itself.) Every other visit to Blockbuster, I suggested to the GF we get this movie. Finally one night she brings it home for me. I’m almost feel bad for not liking the movie more. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Movies | No Comments »
Nights in White Cotton
By bukkhead | July 17, 2007
FILM REVIEW: ‘BLACK SNAKE MOAN’
Written and directed by Craig Brewer
Rated R
116 mins.
Watching Christina Ricci crawl around on the ground in her underwear for half a movie is not a bad way to spend a Tuesday night. But after a while, a question nags: how do her panties keep from getting dirty? After all, this is the deep south, a south so deep the white folks use the N word without batting an eyelash, and phrases like “kiss my rebel ass,” aren’t ironic, just iconic. It’s the dirty south. And she’s all over the ground. For a lot of the movie. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Movies | No Comments »
Wakka, Wakka, Verily, Woop-Woop
By bukkhead | July 17, 2007
VIDEO GAME REVIEW: ‘PAC-MAN C. E.’
Developed by Namco Bandai Games Inc.
Distributed by Namco Bandai Games Inc.
Platforms: Xbox 360, (Xbox Live Arcade)
Genre: Table-Top Platform
Notwithstanding Mr. Tycho over at Penny Arcade, I’m going to write a review of Pacman. (Penny Arcade! – My Latest Assault). He may, indeed, murder me twice. One can only hope to scrape just a smidge of PA’s fame from under my defensive-wounds-fingernails. Heck, one can only hope to scrape some writing skills too, apparently. I realize dropping the PA-bomb is a bit pretentious—just revel in the idea that the world now holds gamers and cartoonists in high enough esteem to be an element of pretention. So, yeah, Pac-Man. Actually, Pac-Man Championship Edition., which Tycho his own self reviewed, and so it doesn’t count. So really, I am just mentioning Penny Arcade for the kiss-ass of it. Onto PMCE. Awesome. Like my review? 4 stars. Even better now? Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Video Games | No Comments »
This Ain’t Yo Daddy’s RPG
By bukkhead | July 17, 2007
VIDEO GAME REVIEW: ‘SHADOWRUN’
Developed by FASA Studio
Distributed by Microsoft Game Studios
Platforms: Xbox 360, PC (Vista only)
Genre: First Person Shooter
I wanted to play Shadowrun when it first came out, but so did everyone else. And they were more enthusiastic than me, beat me to the punch, and then started saying bad things. I tried renting it, and of course, I got beat to that punch also. The irony is that the sooner it became easy to get at Blockbuster, the more bad I knew it would be. Well, I played it the other day. I guess the verdict is in: not too good. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Video Games | No Comments »
Once More, With Feeling
By bukkhead | July 16, 2007
FILM REVIEW: ‘OCEAN’S 13’
Written by Brian Koppelman and David Levien
Directed by Steven Soderberghr
Rated PG-13
122 mins.
Watching Ocean’s 13 and following along requires having seen the prequels, which is too bad, because it would have been a better film if didn’t require such foreknowledge. In Ocean’s 11, the audience was as much a sucker as Terry Benedict, maybe more so, because the twists go even beyond the extra knowledge we have over his character. The same was more or less true in Ocean’s 12, but we were expecting it. In Ocean’s 13, we’re not just expecting it, we’re anticipating it, trying to guess at it. They say you can’t cheat an honest man… 11 and 12 made us too honest to be fooled again. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Movies | No Comments »
Superman Light in a Mulder Jr. World
By bukkhead | July 15, 2007
TV REVIEW: ‘KYLE XY’
Created by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber
ABC Family Network
Season 1: 10 episodes
Finally finished season one of “Kyle XY,” so I’m going to crib from my pre-review from before and write the full-on review. That I’m including such explanation is telling, in as much as between those first few episodes and the final episode, nothing has changed my initial impression much. This is a solid 3-star show: nothing awesomely remarkable, nothing horrible. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: DVD TV | No Comments »
Paranoia Is In The Eye of The Beholder
By bukkhead | July 13, 2007
FILM REVIEW: ‘JOSHUA’
Written by David Gilbert and George Ratliff
Directed by George Ratliff
Rated R
105 mins.
The sound of a baby crying is one of the most disturbing sounds anyone can experience. It goes right to the core of your being, and while it’s not terrifying, or particularly scary, it nevertheless sets you on edge and doesn’t let go. George Ratliff uses the sound of a baby crying to perfect execution in his first feature-length film Joshua, and the rest of the movie has the same quality: you are on edge throughout, never entirely sure why, but absolutely absorbed and disturbed. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Movies | No Comments »
Lost and Found and Forgotten and Forgiven
By bukkhead | July 11, 2007
TV REVIEW: ‘THE LOST ROOM’
Written by Laura Harkcom, Christopher Leone, and Paul Workman
Directed by Craig R. Baxley and Michael W. Watkins
270 mins. (6 episodes)
Back before cable TV and VCRs were ubiquitous, studios would occasionally treat us to that TV show/move hybrid, the mini-series. It’s a great genre for those of us who want something more than a schlocky two hour feature, but don’t want to invest in eighteen episodes of recycled pap. With On-Demand viewing, movie-streaming over the internet, and even the gaming consoles offering TV show downloads, I think the mini-series could become a viable genre once more. And if the Sci-Fi channel can produce more offerings like “The Lost Room,” it’s a genre that can flourish again. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: DVD TV | No Comments »
Truth Blinds; Imagination Enhances
By bukkhead | July 9, 2007
FILM REVIEW: ‘BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA’
Written by Jeff Stockwell and David Paterson, based on the novel by Katherine Paterson
Directed by Gabor Csupo
Rated PG
95 mins.
Bridge to Terabithia is based on a children’s novel of the same name, written in 1977, or based on a made-for-TV adaption from 1985. Take your pick, doesn’t matter, since neither the 70s, nor the 80s, nor even the noughts make any kind of relevant showing in the latest film version. The film stands alone, and it might even be different enough that you’ll want to read the book. Gone are the complications in the relationship Jesse has with his father and sisters. Gone too are most of the discussions on religion, save for a few short scenes that don’t impact the plot too much. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Movies | No Comments »
Pizza Pies for Your Eyes
By bukkhead | July 9, 2007
The tables at Snoose Junction are made out of the boards from Lelani Lanes. That’s all I really need to tell you—it would have been enough incentive for me if I had known in advance. Need more? Fine—they have an Addams Family pinball machine. And it takes dollar bills. Now you know why I’ll go back even if I’m not in the mood for a slice. And they serve by the slice (or whole pies). And they serve a tasty little pear cider. I tell you, never before have I been so jealous of my friend who lives a few blocks away. Walk down to the Snoose, have a slice, a cider, a coupla games of kooky spooky ooky, and ten bucks has never been better spent. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Dining | No Comments »