Astin

Recent Comments

• Quentin Tarantino's Top Film of 2010 is 'Toy Story 3' - Is It Time for QT Family Fare? (Moviefone Blog)

  Jan 4th 2011 1:22PM More likely a less family-friendly anime movie. Think the story of O-Ren Ishii in Kill Bill. I could see him releasing an animated film in that milieu. Perhaps a dark fable, something from original Grimms or the like.

• Sears Launches New Video Download Service -- Is It Different from the Others? (Moviefone Blog)

  Dec 29th 2010 11:38AM Sounds like yet another old-school retail giant not quite getting it. Sears, and here in Canada, The Bay, should have been at the forefront of online shopping. Established distribution networks, B&M stores as pickup locations, etc.. Instead, they buried their heads in the sand and carried on.
  
  Now, each move online seems desperate. Who in the target audience of streaming viewers would even THINK of Sears as an option? While I don't doubt their prices will be competitive with something (be it iTunes or VoD services), it will be the wrong thing. Heck, Blockbuster still hasn't figured it out and their business is RENTING MOVIES.

• The 2010 Underdogs: Poorly Reviewed Films That Deserve Another Chance (Moviefone Blog)

  Dec 22nd 2010 11:33AM I've only seen Funny Story on the list, and was frankly underwhelmed. The cast was fine, but the movie was just... there and doesn't really stick around after. By the end, you're wondering where that funny story was.
  
  Really want to see Agora. Kind of want to see Devil.

• 'Thor' Early Buzz: Well, Racists Hate It (Moviefone Blog)

  Dec 17th 2010 10:31AM It is so tempting to hit "reply" to the racist trolls in these comments, but I won't. The sad fact is, they exhibit the objectivity and intelligence of a 13 year-old. One day they might grow up, but it's unlikely, and nothing said here will change them. But hey, even I remember using the "reverse-racism" argument when I was still growing hair in places there wasn't hair before.
  
  But I figured it should be re-iterated that there are people out there who are using the casting of a minor roll in a movie adaptation of a comic book interpretation of an ancient mythology to push their agenda. Sadly, they're just getting more attention now.
  

• Cinematical Movie Club Goes on Hiatus -- We Need Your Input (Moviefone Blog)

  Dec 7th 2010 3:52PM I liked the selection. It was a good mix of mainstream and indie. Also like the questions posed at the end of each one to spur discussion.
  
  I miss the live-tweeting of the films as they were being watched. I realize that might be a bit of a hassle, but it was fun. If a really bad movie was picked, then that could become a MST3K sort of thing, although I suppose that isn't what movie club is about.
  
  

• Can 'Dancing with the Stars' Revive Lindsay Lohan's Career? (Moviefone Blog)

  Dec 1st 2010 3:50PM Wouldn't she a be a better choice for Celebrity Rehab? She could be a regular on each successive season.

• 'Superman' Rumors: Anne Hathaway as Lois Lane and Plot Revealed? (Moviefone Blog)

  Nov 23rd 2010 2:21PM Who's Superman? Never heard of the guy. Some sort of comic book?
  
  I don't mind an early Supes story. But everyone is right - origin not needed. Go with the Incredible Hulk idea, and put the origin in the opening credits, then start mid-life.
  
  Pick it up with Clark coming to Metropolis if you want to go "early", I think there's plenty of possibility there. Keep Lex away from it, no Zod either. I think Lex can show up for a sequel, but after his interest in Superman has been piqued by whatever happens in the first movie.

• Cinematical Movie Club: The House of Yes (Moviefone Blog)

  Nov 23rd 2010 10:42AM Spelling was fine in her role. She's not a great actress by any definition, but I don't think her performance was near Razzie-quality. She has a few solid deliveries in there too - "I don't think you're insane. I think you're spoiled."
  
  They reveal that Anthony is just as much a manipulator as the rest in the end. Marty letting Lesly know the truth about him pulls back the curtain on his little brother's game of innocence and ignorance. He's very much a wolf in sheep's clothing.
  
  

• 'Tangled' Will Be Final Disney Fairytale -- Is That a Good Thing? (Moviefone Blog)

  Nov 22nd 2010 1:02PM I was recently at Disney World and it was eye-opening to me how popular the Princesses still are. As a male with a few decades on this Earth, I don't spend a lot of time with young girls, so assumed that the more modern Disney fare would be what's popular. But the number of girls 5-13 who were dressed as Princesses and excited about their Princess dinners and pictures was impressive.
  
  Of course, most were excited about the classic ones - Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty. Although the picture above pretty much sums up where their interest ended. Jasmine? Still cool. Pocahontas and Mulan? Not so much.
  
  It's likely more than "Princesses aren't popular" and more "Disney doesn't know how to make 'em anymore". We have to remember that a 20-something and a 7-year old have different ideas of what they want to see. Maybe Disney should focus less on making something catchy, and more on making something good that will eventually find its audience.

• James Cameron: We Are 8-10 Years Away from Glasses-Free 3-D (Moviefone Blog)

  Nov 3rd 2010 2:11PM Cameron is an idealist. He's also a capitalist with a lot invested in this technology. Assuming HIS 3D methods are applied universally, he could be richer than many studios. It would be equivalent to George Lucas when he kept merchandising rights to Star Wars - he parlayed that into becoming a huge name in special effects (Industrial Light & Magic), sound (Skywalker Sound), and multimedia (LucasArts). Cameron is shilling his goods.
  
  3D presents a bevy of problems that are components of the technology. As the excitement about 3D wears off, these issues will become more noticeable to the average movie-goer.