True Blood: S4 E2

Show: True Blood
Season: 4
Episode: 2
Original Airing: July 3, 2011

WOW! The season picks up in just the second episode. True Blood Episode Two is where things begin to tie in and the drama is building. Gosh, I wish I could watch all the episodes in one night. Forget that one episode per Sunday. I'm eating my words about the "loosely" part of my episode one review.

I know this review is early, but if you seen the True Blood commercials on HBO you know that they had a special viewing for the second episode on their itunes app and various HBO websites. Luckily for you guys that are reading this I embedded the episode at the bottom of this post. It's uploaded at Megavideo so it's free to watch. Enjoy. As usually I make the plot review short and to the point, as many of you are going to be watching the episode yourself in just a few minutes if you have not seen it already.

True Blood Season 4 Premiere

Show: True Blood
Season: 4
Episode: 1
Original Airing: June 26, 2011


Last night I watched the season 4 premiere of HBO's hottest show since the Sopranos. The season is supposed to loosely follow the fourth book of the Sookie Stackhouse series.  So far I don't see any resemblances to the book besides the coven of witches.  But I digress, this season is sure to be full of surprises, twists, plenty of blood, and the sexy vamp Eric Northman.  I'll try and keep the episode summary short and to the point. 

The fairy world is everything you would think it sure be, right- magical people, beautiful woman, golden fruit, and goblins.... wait? Did I say goblins? The fairy world is not what it is supposed to be as Sookie soon finds out. The queen fairy is set on sealing off the fairy world from the human and she will not let Sookie escape. Good thing Sookie didn't eat the golden fruit! Sookie finds her long lost grandpa who is supposedly dead. At first he does not recognize her, because according to him Sookie is still a seven year old girl.  The Grandpa realizes that what seemed like hours was 20 years.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Year : 2011
Runtime : 158 Min.
Genre : Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Action
Director : Rob Marshall
Movie Stars : Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush
Country: USA
Language : English

I loved this installment of the series. I think it's my favorite because of the comedic elements. At times I can't believe this is a Disney production. Johnny Depp is a superb actor. I always love to see Penelope Cruz, especially as a bad girl. There is talk that this is the final Pirates of the Caribbean movie. God I hope not; Jack Sorrow and he's escapades never get old.

IMDB: Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Cruz), and he's not sure if it's love -- or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past.

Beautiful... but wait

Evil Face

You know that feeling you get when you're standing in a high place... sudden urge to jump?... I don't have it.

 

It wasn't easy to get that pig. Not the big one but the one on all fours.

Grandma Sorrow!

If he only knew... heehee

I'm A Bad Man

Captain, I wish to report a mutiny. I can name fingers and point names.

Penelope makes a good looking man

1,2,3... Sexy Face

Ohhh Russian POTC.

Mini Review: Nichols Cage Needs A Hair Cut and Marriage Problems

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010): Cute movie filled with funny moments. Nichols Cage's face when he was told that he wore old man shoes was to die for. Jay Baruchel (looks like a shyer and nerdier version of Nathan from Misfits) trying to stop the mops with an axe. LOL.
Rating: 3.5/5

Season of the Witch (2011) It wasn't that bad. Honestly the way the critics slammed this film and tossed it away like it was something dirty was just too much. The script could have been better but it was nothing close to being as bad as the crapper Red Riding Hood. I felt like the actors did the best they could with what they were given. OMG it's Nathan from Misfits!
Rating: 3/5

Couples Retreat (2009) Umm... not that funny but it had its moments. OMG it's Hritik Roshan (Not really its just Carlos Ponce)
Rating: 3/5

Mini Review Of In-Theaters Now: Sucker Punch, Madea's Big Happy Family, The Lincoln Lawyer, Insidious, The Green Hornet

I decided to combine all these reviews into to one being as I don't really have too much to say about these films and I watched them awhile ago in theaters but I never did a post on them. Anyway, here they are nice and wrapped in a pretty little red and yellow tie.


Sucker Punch (2011): When I first sat down and the movie started playing I was like okay, this is going to get good. I mean nice Sweet Dreams music playing, etc... and then Baby Doll (the main character) is out of a mental hospital and into a whore house. WTF.I looked down at the family with the two small kids and I thought about how much they wished they would have read the full plot summary before taking their four and five year olds to this movie. Once the shock of being lied to by the film trailers (I know movie trailers don't ever lie... wink wink)  was over I sat and watched the film with a open mind. The action was decent and so was the acting and story line. Let me just say there is a little surprise at the ending. P.S. This is more of a guy's film with female favor tossed into it.
Rating: 4/5

Madea's Big Happy Family (2011): Funny as hell! A lot of people say that they did not like the movie but I personally believe that those people just do not know how to laugh. The plot is the basic Tyler Perry plot of girl being raped, redemption, etc.. etc.. but I just watch for Madea and trust me she was bigger and better than ever in this film. If you do not like Christian drama or Tyler Perry films just go for Madea. " Big girls you are beautiful"
Rating: 3.5/5

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011): Good plot with twists. I love the slower sarcastic vintage feeling that you get from watching the movie. I've never really been a big Matthew McConaughey fan but his acting was superb.
4.5/5

Insidious (2010): Not very scary and over done plot (not including the ending). If you watch A Haunting on Discovery channel than who have basically seen 1/3 of this film. Terrible acting on Rose Byrne's part. She was such a little cry baby and she bitched and all these other nonsenses. Before everyone attacks me with "OMG I loved Rose..." let me explain. There is a part in the middle of the film where the family is being attacked by the demons. They are everywhere and everyone is fighting them off. Now in the corner you see this little "word I don't wanna use" crying and screaming help at the top of her lugs while a demon is nearly on top of her. The husband is fighting demons off himself! How the hell can he help you Rose when he can barely help himself! Grow a backbone and start helping yourself! If you have read any of my other post you may know that I love a strong woman who can kick some ass so to me she sent us back into the stone age with this like act. Okay, Okay, maybe she was frozen in fear but come on she wasn't so frozen that she could just stand there and yell for help now was she.
Rating: 2.5/5


The Green Hornet (2011): Funny and overall good performances by Seth Rogen and Jay Chou.
Rating: 4/5

Rio

Year : 2011
Runtime : 96 Min.
Genre : Comedy, Animation
Director : Carlos Saldanha
Movie Stars : Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez
Country: USA
Language : English, Brazilian Portuguese

Blue is the victim of illegal animal smuggling, but luckily an incident occurs that allows him to escape and find a good home with homely and bookwormish Linda in Minnesota. Years later, the two head off to Rio to bred Blue with his endangered species.  Problems arise when Blue and the fiercely independent Jewel becomes yet again a victim of animal smuggling.Thus begins an adventure of a life time for Blue.

I kicked off my movie watching weekend with Rio the new animated comedy. It was pretty funny (as funny as PG can be). Linda: " Is she a performer?"... Túlio: "No, She's my dentist!". I just thought that line was freaking hilarious because it adds to the stereotype that all Brazilian women are just beautiful.The beauty Brazilian scenery was to die for. If there is one thing this film gets an A+ on is the scenery and information. Carnival! If you enjoyed Madagascar the movie than you should check this film out.
 Rating: 4/5

Red Riding Hood

Year : 2011
Runtime : 100 Min.
Genre : Fantasy, Romance
Director : Catherine Hardwicke
Movie Stars : Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke, Shiloh Fernandez,Virginia Madsen, Lukas Haas, Julie Christie
Country: USA
Language : English

I had higher hopes for this film. The trailers and love triangle looked awesome. Plus it's a fairy tale. Who doesn't like fairy tales? The movie theater was packed when my friends and I went to see this. Then the projector broke so we had to wait till the other screening was done or they fixed the projector. We were the very first in the theater so we got first pick over the seats, so yeah. Going through standing in lines in the cold and then waiting was not worth this film.

I've become quite fond of Amanda Seyfried since I saw her in Dear John, another fail in my book, and Letters to Juliet, a win in my book. Our little Karen Smith from Mean Girls has grown up. The acting could have been better on everyone's part. Shiloh Fernandez (Peter) looked like the Edward rip off. It's ironic that he auditioned for the part of Edward. I'm not going to go off on how this film was meant to attract the die hard twilight fans because it's quite obvious and annoying when that's all people can say about a film. Another actor flaw was Max Irons (Henry) kept letting his English accent slip up though out the movie.

Some of the actions did not make sense at all. This freaking director should have checked her common known facts first. When normal people are stabbed it takes time to heal! Peter is stabbed in the chest by Virginia with a knife. A few minutes later he comes in and saves Virgina from the werewolf. There is no blood or cut marks on him and he is able to fight off the wolfman with almost no trouble with this should be fatal wound. Henry is shot with a bow and arrow in the upper chest cavity by his armpit. The next day he's great and just fine with no trouble moving his arm or anything. I know this is a fantasy film but these guys are not vampires, werewolves, or any supernatural creature so the rules of nature should apply. I like how they put in the famous line from Red Riding Hood "Grandma what big eyes you have..." my sarcastic voice. Really? You strayed so far from the book why bother with that line. The CGI wolf was unbelievable; the hairs looked like little gel spikes and nothing like fur.

In a nutshell this was a ill attempt at taking a classic and turning it into a smash hit.

Shinobi: Heart Under Blade

Year : 2005
Runtime : 97 Min.
Genre : Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Action
Director : Ten Shimoyama
Movie Stars :  Yukie Nakama, Joe Odagiri, Erika Sawajiri
Country: Japan
Language : Japanese
Watch Online: StageVu
Quality: Medium- Good
Subtitles: English

Please pray and/or donate. Help those affected by the 2011 tsunami that has killed thousands of people and caused millions of dollars of damage to property and and the lives of those in the tsunami's path.

To kick off my movie marathon weekend I decided to watch this wonder of a film. I'm not too interested in romances or Japanese history but the movie poster drew me in. From what I understand the film is based on Japaneses manga novel "Basilisk". I've never heard of that series but I'll be sure to check it out due to this film.

I loved the actors, especially Joe Odagiri. That man has some sexy hair. He kinda reminds me of the Japanese Johnny Depp. I couldn't keep my eyes off him, which is a problem when you need to read subtitles. LOL. Erika Sawajiri (Hotarubi) is the perfect little picture of the stereotypical Japanese manga woman or high school girl: round face and big round eyes. She was cute, so her ability to control butterflies was extremely fitting and pleasing. As you read on you will find I have some nicknames for a few of the warriors. I had quite a laugh at Yashamaru. He reminded me so much of Ozzy Osbourne, The Prince of Darkness, or maybe Marilyn Manson.

Set in the Sengoku period of Japan, the movie kicks off with the introduction of our two main characters: Kouga Gennosuke (Joe Odagiri) the male lead and head of the Kouga Clan; Oboro (Yukie Nakama) the female lead and head of Iga Clan. From their first meeting the two are one and continue to secretly meet. Kouga and Oboro dream of being married and living in peace but are unable to because of their clan's vendetta that has been raging on for hundreds of years. The Iga live near the river and are one with water. They wear bright blues and purple colors. The Kouga are people of the earth who wear earth tones such as greens,reds,browns,and oranges. They live in the mountain's glassless areas. The people of the two clans possesse special abilities and powers.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun, fears the two clans and in an attempt to control them tells the leaders of each to choose their five best warriors to fight to the death. Ogen, the elder of Iga chooses Oboro who holds the power of "eye destruction"; Yakushiji Tenzen, a man that is nearly immortal due to parasitic worms that heal all injuries; Yashamaru, prince of darkness, controls long and extremely sharp wisp like wires; Mino Nenk, the animal, has an keen sense of smell and sharp craws; Hotarubi, the fair princess, manipulates butterflies. Kouga Danjo, the elder, of Kouga chooses Kouga, superman, can move and react at very fast speeds; Muroga Hyouma can sense enemies at any distance; Chikuma Koshirou has no superpowers but can react and control weapons with great actercies; Kagero, the seductives, can kiss and blow out poision as it flows though her veins; Kisaragi Saemon, the mound man, can become anybody by touching their face with his hand. Both elders die and pass on the burden of war to Oboro and Kouga.

Kouga believes there is an alternative motive to Tokugawa Ieyasu's ruling of clans. He and his group of warriors journey to see the shogun. Iga hears of Kouga and his warriors and decides to follow because she believes their faiths can not be changed. Yashamaru and Mino Nenk are killed by Chikuma Koshirou and Kagero. Muroga Hyouma is killed by Yakushiji Tenzen. Kisaragi Saemon takes the form of Yashamaru; he attacks the Iga fighters and is killed by Yakushiji Tenzen. During this ambush Hotarubi is killed by Chikuma Koshirou. After Killing Hotarubi, Chikuma Koshirou escapes on horse back and is killed by Oboro's eye destruction. Yakushiji Tenzen allows Kagero to kill him after he reveals that the end of their people is near and unavoidable. The two die together in an embrace.

After the deaths of the warriors Kouga and Oboro accept their faith. It saddens them both but Kouga allows Oboro to kill him. Oboro continues the journey to Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hidden behind a shield, Tokugawa Ieyasu listens to Oboro's pleads to save her village and stop the attack by his soldiers. Tokugawa Ieyasu will not agree to her pleads. Oboro raises her hand and jabs herself in the eyes, thus blinding herself to show her sincerity. Tokugawa Ieyasu calls off the attack and promises to protect the villages. The Iga and Kouga lived peacefully for a few hundred years.

Pan's Labyrinth

Year : 2006
Runtime : 112 Min.
Genre : Fantasy
Director : Guillermo del Toro
Movie Stars : Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú, Ariadna Gil, Álex Angulo
Production : Warner Bros.
Country: Spain
Language : Spanish

Freaking awesome film! It's not your everyday run of the mill type film, but a fairy tale for children with a twist for adults.  It has blood, violence, war, tradgeis, and a soft warm fantasy for a girl wanting to leave her world for a better one. The characters were not as developed  as I would have liked, as in the emotions and history were not there.

Warning, contains spoilers.
This is just a random little point but somewhere in the movie the faun says 'what reason would you have to not trust a little ole faun like me?' and then points to himself. No one innocent  would  say something like that and then precede to point to themselves with a look of shock on their faces. From then on, I was thinking that the tasks were tricks and the faun was evil . Imagine my surprise  when the faun turns out to be a good guy.

Plot
The story takes place in post-Civil War Spain in 1944. Ofelia, our main character, is forced to move to the country-side with her pregnant mother Carmen  to be with her tyrant step-father Captain Vidal.  Ofelia is the reincarnated princess Moanna of the Underground Realm who curiously escaped to Earth and died. Ofelia is told by the Faun that she must complete three task before the full moon in order to return to her world. Meanwhile, Carmen is having extreme pregnancy complications and is bedridden. Mercedes, the kind housekeeper, is secretly helping the Maquis guerrillas against Captain Vidal and the Franco regime. Ofelia becomes trapped between her hope of a new world and the world she lives in.

 

Wristcutters: A Love Story

Year : 2006
Runtime : 88 Min.
Genre : Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Director : Goran Dukić
Movie Stars : Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham, Leslie Bibb,Tom Waits, Will Arnett
Production : Autonomous Films
Country: America
Language : English
Watch Online:Sock Share
Quality: Fair-Medium
Subtitles: No

 This movie was really cool and neat. The directors took a extremely macabre and taboo subject such as suicide and turned it into a romance comedy. It's a shame that not a lot of people have seen this film.  The actors were really interesting and I give many praises to Patrick Fugit for his role as Zia.

Plot
If people commit suicide they end up in this world that's not heaven or hell, it's like a copy of our world but crappier. There are cites and towns built in a desert area, but no stars, decent food, and many other things that people on earth take for granted. Zia ends up in this world after his cuts his wrist and dies. The only thing he misses is his girlfriend Desiree.  Zia hears word that his girlfriend is in this limbo and sets out on an adventure with Eugene, a Russian rocker, and Mikal, a girl in search of the men in white that can return her to the real world. The journey takes many twist and turns through the world that is only slightly crappier than our own and leads to Zia discovering Desiree, the men in white, and his second chance to be in the real world.