AMC charging higher for popcorn

Tank of Gas: $75.54
Dinner: $35.21
Movie Tickets: $21.00
Concessions: $16.25
Filing for bankruptcy after the first date: Priceless.

On Friday, May 23 of 2008 marks the day that AMC Theaters will jack up the prices of their popcorn. They were trying to be a little sneaky with the news since there was no official press release sent out from the company that I could uncover on their website. It's a twenty-five cent raise that will affect all the portion sizes that they carry at the concession stand. For those who aren't worried about a mere quarter cents raise should look at the bigger picture. We're already having to shell out an average price of ten or eleven dollars per ticket at the regular admission price in addition to the cost of traveling to and from the movie theater complex.

The main source of the financial raise could be traced to the cost of corn that the farmers are charging for their crops. According to the statistics posted in an article from USA Today the cost of a pound of corn a few years ago would average around ten cents, whereas today it could average up to twenty-five cents per pound. The majority of the profits earned from admission prices are always given to the film distributors while the exhibitors such as AMC will always rake in a lower cut of the admission profits. They have to make up the difference somewhere else in order to keep the overhead costs under control. After all if you expect to watch a film being projected on a 35mm film reel then the exhibitor will have to pay a high priced bill to keep the A.C. in the projection room running all day long so that the film reels don't melt. If you want to see the film being projected digitally then the exhibitor would have to pay the price of upgrading to computer servers and digital projectors that allow them to present the films digitally. The cost to upgrade one theater screen can go as high as $100,000. That high price tag sure isn't a drop in the bucket for the exhibitors when they have to figure in the cost of property rental and payroll.

Now don't freak out too much over the price increase, because I hear they are still planning on continuing their concession stand deals. I think it's one of the best combo plans they carry which allows you to pick any three items from a particular list of concession stand items and only have to pay $7.50 down with no monthly interest thereafter. That was a pathetic credit card joke, I know, but hopefully you get my point. Personally I tend to order the kid's snack pack from time to time which includes a small portion of popcorn, a small soda, and a trial size candy that you may usually see for Halloween. The portions may be small, but it's a nice snack that's is usually cheaper to purchase than a big tub of popcorn and a soda. Overall, I'm bummed the price popcorn is going up, but the twenty-five cent raise sure beats the disappointment of the local movie theater having to shut down if it can't pay it's bills. Gasp!!

Jamie Livingston's Polaroids

Jamie Livingston is an accredited cinematographer with such credits to his name as Letters Not About Love (1997) and American Dreamers (1996). In the summer of 1997 he battled the most difficult fight of his life -- cancer. Sadly, he lost the fight and had passed away on October 25, 1997, coincidentally his 41st birthday. Even though his career profile page on IMDb.com may provide an extremely short list of film credits to his name he did not leave this world empty handed. From 1979 until his death in 1997 he was dedicated to capturing a single photograph every single day with a Polaroid SX-70 camera. On June 2, 1997 he thought he should create a self portrait, as seen to the left, that would leave a lasting impression of his collection. For those of you out there who are scrap booking fanatics or love to shoot a lot of photographs then there is a photography website you may get a kick out of visiting. The Photo of the Day collection was brought together on to a website erected by Livingston's friends. With 6,697 captured moments ranging from the mundane to the sublime the collection can be entertaining and time consuming to shuffle through. This guy just carried around his Polaroid camera around everywhere he went for about eighteen years, and practically beat the camera phone fad to the punch. I thought this collection would be of interest to my fellow film fanatics, so feel free to swing on by the website by clicking here. The project doesn't necessarily end with the photograph collection. You could also visit the project's official blog site by visiting here to read about news and updates that are relevant with the collection.

RIP Sydney Pollock

Just a moment ago I had found out that the Oscar award winning director Sydney Pollock has passed away earlier today of cancer. At the age of 73 he was an accomplished artist of film directing and acting. One of his last movies that I had watched him in was Michael Clayton (2007) and I absolutely love that film. Nine months ago he was diagnosed with cancer which overwhelmed his health rather quickly. It is sad to see a legend leave us so quickly.

His latest film Made of Honor (2008) is currently in the theaters in which he acts in a minor character, but I hardly believe that this marks the highlight of his career. He was nominated for co-producing Michael Clayton, won two Oscars for Out of Africa (1985), nominated twice for Tootsie (1982), and nominated once for They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Claire Griswold, and daughters Rachel and Rebecca.

COTD: May 26, 2008

Not too long ago I had posted a review for the comedy film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy which I found entertaining for what it's worth. Recently my roommate and I were looking up a whole bunch of video clips from the film on YouTube when I stumbled across this little gem. Out there somewhere is a person with a creative gift for animation and a lot of time on their hands decided to sit down and design an animated spoof of the Afternoon Delight scene from the film. It was one of my favorite scenes from the movie, because it was so random that they all break into perfect harmony for a brief musical number. The animated clip is very entertaining and drawn very well.

"Afternoon Delight (animated)"
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, 2004.

Review: Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

I must say that every comedian can have their moment in the dramatic spotlight. Jim Carrey was able to receive a lot of praise for his acting in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and Man on the Moon (1999) while his fellow In Living Color peer starred in Collateral (2004) and won an Oscar award in Ray (2004). It's proof that if a comedian is in the right place at the right time he or she can star in a dramatic role and receive a lot of praise for the accomplishment. It is possible and it has happened. With this rule of magic in mind I was thinking that Adam Sandler was able to kick in for a dramatic role when he was called upon for the lead role in Paul Thomas Anderson's 2002 cult classic film Punch-Drunk Love.

This film has a certain hybrid feel to it. A part of the film's story wants to draw in the audiences who love to watch the independent films while also attempting to entertain the audiences who go to the mainstream movie theaters. Adam Sandler plays a lonely business owner who has been verbally abused by his seven sisters all his life. His childhood was emotionally scarring for him, and this leaves him as a social loner. His introverted nature is nothing but an emotional trap that leads him to explode with an occasional outburst of anger.

On a particularly random day his curiosity runs wild when he discovers a run down piano that had been dropped off at the end of the driveway in front of his business. While wearing his neatly pressed blue suit, which is the only outfit he wears for almost the entire film, his life begins to change. He is thrown into one situation right after another which eventually draws him out of his introverted shell and into a new world of love and excitement. Never before has he experienced the type of selfless love that he has gained from his new relationship. After all he has been accustomed to being abused by his "loving" sisters for several years.

The selfless love that I am referring to here would be that of his relationship with an Englishwoman named Lena. She works with one of his sisters who had made several attempts to hook the pair up on a date. Their evolving romance would be the part of the film that I believe would draw in the mainstream film goers. The gooey romantic stories are easy to sell, because they almost always have a happy ending. With a cross of my fingers and a roll of my eyes I would say that every viewer would love to watch a film that has a happy ending. However, independent films are more likely depict the reality of the world. The relationship between Barry (that would be Adam Sandler's character) and Lena (played by Emily Watson) is awkward and shaky at best, but the pair do fall in love with each other. This story development would suffice for the film's happy ending which would make everyone leave the theater with a smile on their face. But it is the emphasis of human fallacy that would prompt me to push this film toward the independent film category.

Anyway, I should mention a little bit more information about the human fallacy of this film. Its story revolves around a small business owner named Barry Egan who would be the ideal mascot for being antisocial. He wears the same blue suit every day, because he thinks it would impress potential customers into wanting to buy a toilet plunger from his company. While sitting in his company's warehouse during a lonely overnight stay he discovers a legal loophole in a contest to earn frequent flier miles from a grocery food company. With an immediate response to his discovery he pulls in some assistance from one of his employees. The pair head over to the ninety-nine cent store to gather as many packages of pudding as possible so that he may use the UPC codes as contest entries. It is a desperate plea for help, but this is when his relationship with Lena begins.

Personally, I found this film to be extremely entertaining and enjoyable. Punch-Drunk Love is a cult classic film with fan base that keeps on growing larger and larger. I'll admit that I am a fan of the movie, but I couldn't say that I would fit in very well with its cult film fan base who may have the film memorized forwards and backwards. Adam Sandler's acting in this film is a complete turn around performance that we're not used to seeing. He's not relying on his usual comedic routine by playing a small guitar and singing songs about being Jewish. For the first notable time in his career Sandler approached a dramatic film with every last ounce of seriousness that he could muster up. He was able to pull it off with great success! I am highly impressed by how well the film was produced, because I was pulled right into the story. As a result I would have to give this film a review rating of nine out of ten possible points.

COTD: May 21, 2008

There is a particular sound effect that was created several decades ago that was expected to sound like a person screaming after being shot unexpectedly. The history of the Wilhelm Scream is a popular subject topic among film buffs. For a fly by history lesson you may want to check out this video. You might be surprised by how many films have utilized the infamous scream.

History of the Wilhelm Scream
Masters of Horror, 2005

Streaming Movies from Netlix

Five months ago I had posted an article regarding a press release from Netflix about a new service they were working on. Their plans would allow their customers to watch a streaming movie from the Netflix library on their television at home without the aid of a personal computer. I was excited to hear the news of their ever expanding services, because I'm a Netflix addict who currently receives eight DVDs at a time from them. The company became a huge success once it started and avid movie renters realized they could get their DVD rental fix by watching as many as they could in a month without having to pay a rental fee for each movie. Netflix thrives upon monthly subscription fees which has absolutely killed Blockbuster's once thriving business of charging per DVD rental. Anyways, I should get back to the topic at hand. As you could see in the photo to the left there is a new product on the loose that serves as a translator between the Netflix server and your television. For quite a bit of time now the company has been streaming movies to their customers computers at no additional charge to their standard monthly subscription. This was fine and dandy for the customers such as myself who are waiting for their next DVD disc to arrive in the mail, but still want to watch a movie at home. However, the down side to the streaming movie service was the limitations of the viewer being stuck at a computer. The smart guys over at Netflix found a solution to this constraining issue by designing an translator device that allows you to watch the streaming movies on your television. I love this idea, but I'm not so sure that I would be ready to drop a hundred dollars to purchase the device. However, if you're a Netflix addict like I am and want to know more about the product then you could head on over to the manufacturer's product page.

COTD: May 20, 2008

Quick -- Do the best North Dakota accent that you can muster up. Can you do it? Yeah? Well if you not very gifted with vocal accents I won't hold it against you. However, it is fun for everyone to muster up a good "yeah" after watching the Coen brothers' 1996 film Fargo which was filled with one yeah right after another. If you haven't seen the film yet or interested in having a little mathematical fun then you should try to count the number of 'yeahs' that appear in the following video clip.

The 'Fargo' Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs!
Fargo, 1996.

Review: Immortal Beloved (1994)

I am surprised that I had completely overlooked the 1994 film Immortal Beloved (1994) on my initial attempt to watch it over a decade ago. I remember I had rented the VHS tape from the local grocery store and popped it into my grandma’s VCR to start watching it. The strange part about the experience is that I only remember making it about thirty minutes or so into the film before I ejected the tape and went to bed. It was late at night and I was tired, but I remember that I never finished watching it. With over a decade of years behind me I thought it would be time to sit down to give the film some real time that it deserves. I’m glad I gave it a second chance.

Who knew that Gary Oldman would be willing to be play a character who resides on the heroic side of the story? In my own opinion, I think Ludwig van Beethoven was one of the most interesting lead characters for him to play, albeit not my favorite of his roles. A large number of his films that I’ve seen he is always sitting on the wrong side of the fence playing the bad guy or a role with a laundry list of dark qualities. However, if I think back to Sid and Nancy (1986) where plays a part of the title role, Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols fame, his character is the antithetical hero of the story that looses the love of his life. However, taking a closer look at Beethoven with the persona that Oldman brings to the big screen it is only with sadness to see the emotional roller coaster that the famous composer had experienced during his lifetime.

I must admit that Oldman is one of my favorite actors, because he does throw himself into the roles that he is hired to play. It offers more believability when the actor attempts to create a life into a role by make his (or her) acting style a bit different from all the other roles that had proceeded his prior work. This is different for Oldman, because he is portraying a famous composer who is deaf. This isn't the first character that he played that is based upon a real life person; the other one was Sid, which I had mentioned earlier. Portraying a person who had lived a few centuries before our time can be an interesting job for the actor, because there isn't any way to match the person's mannerisms and personality verbatim. Oldman would only be able to rely on existing documents and historically known facts about Beethoven before creating a unique persona of how the composer would have acted as if he were still a living and breathing human being. It can be a challenging task, and I think Oldman had done a wonderful job with what he was given.

So, with the second attempt at watching this film I actually got to see the entire thing and I enjoyed it tremendously. Toward the end of the film there was a particular scene between the executor of Beethoven's estate and his brother's wife that sparked a memory of Citizen Kane (1941) when the journalist discovers the true meaning of the name Rosebud. You'll have to watch the film to catch the hidden surprise of the story that is contained in that scene. However, it was at that moment that I had realized the film's narrative is similar, but not quite identical, to that of Citizen Kane. In both films there were a lot of third person narratives in which the live of the main character unfolds through the perspective of someone close to him.

By the time the end credits were rolling I was completely entertained by the film's story. It was a film that was produced very well, and I was completely blown away that it was directed by Bernard Rose who is the same guy who had directed the horror film Candyman just two years prior to this dramatic biopic. I would have to give this film a final rating of nine points out of a ten possible.

COTD: May 19, 2008

Attention all straight males! Here is your opportunity to look Jessica Alba straight in the eyes and tell her how you really feel about her. Impressed? Scared crapless? If you're not shaking in your little Nike Kids shoes right now then you better get pumped up for this. In a recent "stare down" contest Jessica Alba has lost her face off and wanted a rematch. Well, here is her video clip which was taped on a webcam at her house (I could only assume) of her sweet revenge.

Revenge is so sweet (looking)
Jessica Alba, 2008.

Review: Irréversible (2002)

What came first? The chicken or the egg? Irréversible was produced and distributed two years after the Christopher Nolan's breakout hit film Memento (2000), and yet both films have a lot of similarities with their stories. Some of the correlations include the backwards method of editing and presenting the storyline in reverse chronological order forcing you to suffer through viewing a harsh and nauseating crime before seeing the events that lead up to it.

The first forty-five minutes of this film is one of the most disturbing things I've seen on film with the one exception of the curbing scene in American History X (1998) or the knife in the cheek scene from Pan's Labyrinth (2006). The brunt of the stomach churning events occur during the first thirty minutes before things start easing out a little bit and then throwing a knock out punch with a lengthy rape scene around the forty-five minute mark. Here a few descriptive reasons why this film is so disturbing for me. First of all the most subtle reason is the use of sound effects in the first thirty minutes of the film. There is a low level 28Hz hum that drones on during this time that is practically inaudible for humans, but surely felt in their gut where they would begin to feel nauseated. In addition to the bass level rumble noise there is the motion sickness photography that was shot on 16mm film and then transferred through a few photographic steps before being finalized on Super 35mm film to theatrical distribution.

The list doesn't really end there. The audio turns your stomach and the photography causes motion sickness, but there's also the provoked confusion with the reverse chronological storytelling. If any of those three things don't urge you to avoid this film then here is the kicker of the whole shebang. There is an shocking level of disturbing violence in the movie. It surely isn't the standard issue violence that Americans are used to seeing in their films. Surely the Americans should be used to their zombie films and war stories on the big screen, but there is a safe buffer of disconnect between the story and the viewer's reality. Not every American viewer must battle disgusting zombies or live and fight in a war zone, so their reality is far removed from what is seen in a film. However, for the film Irréversible we bear witness to real people in real situations that could happen in our own hometown.

During the opening moments of the film there are two of the main characters rushing through a gay sex club trying to find the man responsible for raping the girlfriend of one of the main characters. Not many people feel comfortable with the idea of a gay sex club, but these places do exist throughout the world and there are people who patronize these businesses. As the main characters shuffle through the club they bear witness to some disturbing sex acts that several people would wish was left in the dark corners of humanity without seeing the light of day. Once the pair do find the guy they are looking for one of them bashes the guys face in with a large and extremely heavy fire extinguisher. This violent act of revenge leaves the recipient with several missing teeth and a caved in skull. What really makes the whole act disturbing to watch is the close up shot of the victim's face that continues on unedited forcing the viewer to watch a bloody act happen to an Average Joe who could be our next door neighbor as far as any of us may know.

These characters are people who we would meet in our own hometown, and the acts of violence that they commit are real life problems that we would read about in the local newspaper every morning. It is sad, disturbing, and all very true. There is no safe buffer between this film and reality. We live in a harsh world, and I believe this film was designed to cut straight to the brutal reality in which we live. My final rating for this film would seem rather high to another person who would despise watching dark and disturbing films or is used to seeing animated Disney films. I have chosen to give Irréversible a final rating of an eight out of ten possible review points. The film has succeeded in disturbing me right to the core about the events that occur so often in our world that we would tune it all out like any other reoccurring background noise. It is sad, yet very true.

COTD: May 18, 2008

Are you trying to push my buttons? It's a rhetorical question, but for the animators of the Disney family film The Incredibles (2004) it may be a test of their patience. Recently I stumbled across a video montage that was added as an Easter Egg clip on the film's DVD release. Within the two and a half minute sequence you'll bear witness to the high number of buttons and automatic doors that were activated during the film.

"Push that button again!"
The Incredibles, 2004

Review: Shooter (2007)

Nothing like another bloody action movie about a war sniper. Hooyah! Shooter (2007) stars Mark Wahlberg as a military trained assassin who goes into hiding for several years before he is tracked down by the government for assistance to "prevent" the assassination of the President. He is enticed by a government official (played by Danny Glover) to return from his hiding spot and offer his skills as a part of his civic duty. Director Antoine Fuqua, of Training Day (2001) fame, steps behind the camera once again to direct this action packed drama that has been adapted from the novel written by Stephen Hunter.

The entire film is rather bloody with its action sequences, but the story is also rather entertaining to make up for it. The plot of the film sounds like it could pass for a cable movie of the week. Bob Lee Swagger (that would be Mark Wahlberg's character) lives in seclusion and is tempted by the notion of civic duty and honor to return to American civilization to save the President from being killed. Doesn't this plot sound like an old western film? It's the type of spaghetti western where the town's deputy sheriff asks the secluded old cowboy to return from the plains and save the town from the evil businessman who wants to build a railroad track right through the center of the town. That old story line lies at the foundation of this film.

The plot point with the presidential assassination eventually gives way to the heart of the film. Shooter is a story of the revenge with the main character as the lone ranger who is fighting to keep his head above the water. Once the film arrives at the point when Swagger discovers that he was set up to be the fall guy he spends the remainder of the storyline chasing the bad guys who had framed him. His desire to track down the guys who have framed him serves as a setup to film one action sequence after another with a lot of gunfire, explosions, and buckets of fake blood. There is all the standard ingredients in this film that would entice the average male to want to watch this film. There's the leading character who is the Man's Man by roughing it in the wild, there is the rookie FBI agent who serves as his loyal sidekick. The pair join together to blow things up and shoot people to death. But who could forget about the drop dead gorgeous woman who the lone ranger falls in love with by the end of the film. Oh, and did I mention the explosions and the guns?

The total running time for the film feels like forever despite being edited to a mere two hours and four minutes. By the time the end credits were rolling I was surprised that I had enjoyed the film. There were a very dull moments, especially toward the end of the film, but it was surprisingly good. Overall I would live to give this film a review rating of an eight out of ten possible review points. It was very entertaining for an action film, and I really can't complain about the two hours that I spent in front of the television watching it.

COTD: May 17, 2008

It feels like forever and a day since I've seen Tim Burton's classic film Beetlejuice (1988). Don't worry though, because I am planning on watching it again soon. However, just to entertain myself in the mean time I chose to browse around on the internet to see if I could rustle up some interesting video clips from the film. To my avail, and with the dismay of the film's leading couple, I have found an interesting scene when we first meet the abysmal dead guy!

"I'm so glad you chose me!"
Beetlejuice, 1988.

New 'Joker' Poster

There is a new poster that will be released soon for the upcoming Warner Brothers release The Dark Knight (2008). The question that I would want to throw out there is the validity of exploitation. Do you think the publicity of Heath Ledger's character Joker that Warner Brothers is trying to exploit his death to promote the release date for the film? Last December there was an article here on Matte Havoc that showed some of the film posters and the movie trailer for the film. The interesting part between then and now was the previous posters were created when he was still alive and none of them clearly show his face. The soon to be released film poster, as seen on the left, will be released after his death and it clearly shows his face. A lot of people are going to be upset over the release of this poster, and that means there will be plenty of extra publicity for the film with no charge to the production company's credit card. Speaking only for myself the poster has sadistic drawing power to it. The character of the Joker is meant to be dark and sinister with very little room for joy and happiness. That is the irony of his nature since the name 'joker' could be associated with jokes and fun, when I would honestly connect it with devious behavior that would entail the use of practical jokes and possibly misdemeanors. But with the premature death of the talented actor who had played the role for the film there is now a harsh sense of reality that is brought to the whole ordeal. No longer can Hollywood juggle the story lines of their films and hide behind the veil of fiction movies. The publicity staff over at Warner Brothers now has to carefully juggle the reality of what goes on behind-the-scenes without painting the company into an exploitive corner. At this time I am curious to hear what your response is to the new poster. Is it a good thing or a bad thing for the film and for Warner Brothers?

Source: Batman On Film.

COTD: May 16, 2008

Miramax hit the jackpot by swinging in to pick up and distribute the film The Crying Game (1992) throughout the country. This film was chosen by Harvey Weinstein because of its dirty little surprise, which I won't ruin it for those who haven't seen the film yet. You have to watch the film to see the dirty surprise. However, there was one particular scene from the film that stood out to me because of the cheesy attempt of an accent that Forest Whitaker had done for his character. If you can't recognize him under the bag that he has to wear on his head in this scene then be grateful you'll be humored by his interesting vocal talent.

"The scorpion and the frog."
The Crying Game, 1992.

Review: Run, Fat Boy, Run (2008)

You know what? I was looking forward to seeing Run Fatboy Run (2008) the moment I heard about it early last fall. By pure chance I was surfing one of my favorite reference sites when I stumbled across a listing of the upcoming films that actor Simon Pegg would be starring in, and I enjoyed watching him in Shaun of the Dead (1998). Anyway, the film Run Fatboy Run was co-written by Simon Pegg alongside comedian Michael Ian Black and it was directed by David Schwimmer (a.k.a Ross of Friends fame).

Once the film began rolling on the big screen in front of me the fears began building up inside of me. Oh, my gosh! This is a romantic comedy! What the -- !! How could I have missed all the warning signs? The advertisements for the film had clearly displayed the main character's jealousy because another guy is stepping into a relationship with the woman he had left at the wedding alter five years prior. It should have been obvious to me that he would have only entered the marathon to compete against the overachieving new boyfriend and win back the love of his ex-fiancee. How stupid of me! Now that I have that all of that out of my system I should hang my head in shame. Yes, I admit that I found the film rather entertaining even if it is a romantic comedy. Run Fatboy Run is not my favorite of Simon Pegg's comedy films (that spot is currently reserved for Shaun of the Dead, by the way).

The entire film focuses upon the humorous failures of Dennis, the lazy underachiever who must come to terms of his own identity and learn how to let the love of his life love him for who he is as a (fallible) human being. The film has the classic style of human inadequacy with the standard happy ending that teaches us about loving other people despite their weaknesses and failures. It's always easier said than done, but in the movies the mainstream producers always enjoy a happy ending for their stories. Once in awhile I don't mind seeing a movie with a sappy ending, but I prefer to have a mixed bag once in awhile. Show us a freaking sad ending once in awhile! The film would feel more realistic that way. Moving back to take a broad look at the film I would like to rate this film with an eight out of ten possible review points. It was entertaining for the film that it is and I really have no complaints for spending my money on the theater ticket to see the film.

COTD: May 15, 2008

There are halfway decent impersonations, and then there's Frank Caliendo. He's an excellent impersonator who can host a wide range of celebrity impersonations that are just spot on with the real thing. Here's a skit he recently did called "Go or Don't Go" where he plays Al Pacino and Robert De Niro as a pair of film critics, a la Siskel & Ebert, who bicker about whether they should go see a movie or not. Check it out...

"Go or don't go?"
Frank Caliendo, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro.

Review: Film Geek (2005)

What if Kevin Smith's famous comedy film Clerks (1994) had taken place in a video rental store instead of at a convenience store? The independent comedy movie Film Geek (2005) is self explanatory in its own right. The entire story centers around Scotty who works as a video rental store associate. He is the epitome of a walking cinematic encyclopedia by hanging out at work after his shift is over so that he could "helpfully" recommend films to any customer who walks in the front door. He is a geek and every person avoids his incessant film ramblings. As the film's tag line suggests "his knowledge is your misery." There are a few times in the beginning of the movie a rental store customer would ask him about a horror film recommendation or a selection from a romantic comedy and he would gladly respond several recommendations from the collection of Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. The film was written and directed by James Westby, who based the story upon his own experiences of working at a video rental store. Scotty is fired from his job at the rental store, but this doesn't stop him from desiring to be the ultimate film geek working at a rental store. He sees cinema in all its glory as a work of modern art and wants to share the glory of cinematic art with others, but he has a hard time socially connecting with them. For any fellow film geek this film speaks to them, because they would understand what it is like to be obsessed about watching movies and knowing your cinematic trivia. I personally found this film enjoyable mainly for that very fact that I could relate in some ways to the main character. It is with empathy that I could understand his desire to enjoy movies and to win over the beautiful girl that he has a crush on. Despite his own realm of quirkiness that could best describe his personality it is the character of Scotty that symbolizes the inner geek some of us may share, but are too afraid to let out of the closet. My final rating for this film sits comfortably with an eight out of ten possible review points. This review rating is generously high, mainly because of the connection of empathy I had for the main character. I could understand how he feels living as a film geek.

COTD: May 14, 2008

One of the most disturbing scenes that I've ever watched in a mainstream Hollywood film was from a little film that earn newcomer Kathy Bates an Oscar award for her leading role as Annie Wilkes. The film is Misery (1990) and it was adapted by William Goldman from a classic Stephen King novel. Who knew that Rob Reiner, a.k.a. Meathead, could direct a film that so creepy and scary to watch when we're used to his light hearted comedy work such as This Is Spinal Tap (1984) or the sitcom All In The Family. Now with no further ado I present to you the one scene from the film that has been rehashed and edited down for any television broadcast. It's a terrifying scene, so I wouldn't recommend any children to watch it.

"Don't worry. I'm almost done."
Misery, 1990.

Twisted explanations for ratings

We've seen the start of preview trailers over and over again at the movie theaters or on rented DVDs that won't let us skip ahead to the disc menu to start the film. Each of the film previews offer the basic information about the movie such as a fly by synopsis of the storyline and the film's MPAA rating. The most common screen that we're all used to seeing is a giant green background with the preview information on it. The green colored preview slate commonly goes by its predominant name Green Band. The screen looks a little something like this one here.

Sometimes the rating for the film will appear in the lower half of the preview screen. If the film has not yet been rated, then the film's rating would not appear on the preview slate or there would be a slug line that would specify the film has not yet been rated by the MPAA. Did you know that there are three slate colors for film previews? The colors are closely related to the three colors of a traffic light: Green, Yellow, and Red. The green band signifies that the preview has been approved for everyone to see, just like a green traffic light means 'go' to a driver. Then there is the overlooked middle child of the group, which is relatively new to the scene. The Yellow Band slate was recently instituted by the MPAA to cover the wide distribution of movie trailers on the internet. Here is a screen cap image of the Yellow Band.

As clearly explained on the Yellow Band slate the preview comes with a forewarning to all internet users who are about to watch the film trailer. Since the internet is a completely different media giant and is still in its infancy in comparison to television and movies there are media rules that are still be created for the World Wide Web. The MPAA organization is trying to remain a productive group by instituting the yellow band as a warning slate just like a yellow light would tell a driver to remain cautious when approach an intersection. However, I'm thinking that the yellow band was also meant to carry the same weight as the red band slate that you would see before a preview trailer at the theaters. If you've never seen a red band slate before, then check it out.

As you can see in the screen cap above the dreaded red screen has been reserved for adult audiences only. As I had said there was only one time that I've seen a preview for a film at the movie theaters that has been slapped with the "red band" preview slate. It was for the upcoming film Pineapple Express (2008) and the preview received the red band preview slate because the word "fuck" appears in the trailer. These days it is more common for you to see a red banded trailer during the previews on a DVD than you would at the movie theaters. I've seen several red banded trailers on the numerous DVD previews that I've watched over the last few years. However, there are restrictions for a red banded trailer to be shown. It can only appear alongside films with a R-rating, a NC-17 rating, or unrated at all. Rarely have I seen an unrated film released to the mainstream multiplexes, but they do tend to pop up at the local art house theaters which don't receive much foot traffic.

Despite all this talk about the three primary color band slates I would like to point out some hilarious explanations that you would see under the ratings graphic for the films that are released. A long time ago I had stumbled across this article from AllMovie.com that included a top ten list of strange and hilarious explanations that I wanted to include here.

10. Mother's Boys (1994).
"Rated R for language and for a mother's sociopathic behavior"

9. Indian in the Cupboard (1995).
"PG for mild language and brief video images of violence and sexy dancing"

8. All I Wanna Do (1998).
"PG-13 for teen sex-related material, language, and substance misuse"

7. The Hunted (1997).
"R for strong bloody ninja violence and a humorous drug related scene"

6. War of the Buttons (1994).
"PG for mischievous conflict, some mild language, and bare bottoms"

5. Alien vs. Predator (2004).
"PG-13 for violence, language, horror images, slime, and gore"

4. Skateboard Kid II (1995).
"PG for brief mild language and an adolescent punch in the nose"

3. Bushwhacked (1997).
"PG for language and a mild birds and bees discussion"

2. Twister (1996).
"PG-13 for intense depiction of very bad weather"

1. Jefferson in Paris (1995).
"PG-13 for mature theme, some images of violence, and a bawdy puppet show"

If you have discovered any other interestingly hilarious explanations for a rating that a movie has received feel free to post a comment here. I would love to have a collection of crazy rating explanations going.

COTD: May 13, 2008

The film trilogy was produced and distributed as a mainstream blockbuster hit, but frankly I don't care. The third part in the series has been given the title Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) and it was just as entertaining as the previous two films. Every single one of the three films kept to the code of entertaining characters, amazing production design, and witty humor written into the dialogue. The recipe created a success at the box office, and I was pulled in like a sucker fly to the cinematic trap. One of my favorite moments of At World's End was when Keith Richards of Rolling Stones fame appears in a cameo role as Captain Sparrow's father. There is a back story to the cameo appearance which only adds to the enjoyment of the film. Johnny Depp finally broke through to the mainstream box office with his role as Captain Jack Sparrow, but he freely admits that he based the character upon Keith Richards. It would only be fitting to have the characters connected to each other as father and son. And now I present to you Captain Teague's grand entrance.

"I call upon Captain Teague."
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, 2007.

Speed Racer, the Cinematic Victim

Is it true that Speed Racer may be a cinematic underdog, or a box office disappointment? I believe the 2008 film may be a victim to terrible marketing and a poor distribution decision. It's true when I am slamming the big studio system, in this case it would be Warner Brothers, to be considering the distribution of their film one week after the expected release of the blockbuster film Iron Man (2008). If you haven't had the opportunity to read my film reviews for either one of the films I would definitely recommend you take a moment to read them immediately. Here's my review for Speed Racer and my review for Iron Man. Between the two films I found Speed to be a hell of a lot more entertaining than Iron Man. Every single person I have talked to who has not yet seen Speed has mentioned that it looks boring to them and rather bland. That's because there is a probable chance that the commercials for the film were terribly produced! I have heard several people mention to me that they had seen the commercials for the film and found it to be lacking in holding their attention or piquing their interest in the storyline. I didn't even have to see the commercials or the trailer for the film, because after seeing a few publicity photos for the film I knew instantly the film holds the possibility for being an entertaining film for me to go spend my money on watching.

I think that it was a very poor decision to be releasing this film one week after Iron Man was released into the theaters. It instantly places Speed into the poorly placed position as the bastard step-child who has to sit right next to an accomplished older sibling. The major slap in the face for Warner Brothers has been the readjustment for the film's opening box office receipts that moved it's opening weekend placement from second place down to the third place spot because the weekend's receipts were originally tallied wrong. This is like the 2000 Florida elections all over again. Where's the whining Al Gore when you need him to step in and save Speed Racer from further box office embarrassment? We need a recount!! Now the film may suffer tremendously, because the misunderstood opening weekend draw is going to be misconstrued forcing the "majority" to possibly believe that the film is horrendous if the film's opening weekend didn't clinch the number one spot. Just like the recent tragic story of the second place Kentucky Derby winner who was put to sleep for breaking two of its legs this film maybe prematurely removed from the theaters because Warner Brothers didn't make their estimated earning power for its opening weekend. What a shame. What a freaking shame!

Already there has been some discussion about a sequel film being produced for Iron Man, but this news is rather disheartening for me. Speed Racer was a touching story that was written with a moral to it, while Iron Man was just another bland Hollywood action movie in my opinion. Speed was eye candy with a story (that means extra bonus points in my book). Iron was just eye candy with a few lines of comedy (no extra credit points for squeaking by with the bare minimum effort). My cinematic vote has been cast, and it sits in the realm of the theatrical underdog. Go, go Speed Racer. Go!

COTD: May 12, 2008

The incidents of abuse and torture of suspected terrorists at the hands of U.S. forces at the Abu Ghraib prison was the discussion of news and politics for a lengthy period of time when the information hit the public airwaves. What really made the stories stick out sorely were the large amount of photographs that were brought back to the United States bearing shocking images of the torture that occurred at the prison. Established filmmaker Errol Morris has put forth a huge effort to bring together several people who were involved in the stomach turning events to discuss the dilemmas and hard ships they were a part of years ago. Here is the trailer for Morris's documentary film Standard Operating Procedure (2008).

It will be photographed.
Standard Operating Procedure, 2008. Trailer.

Review: The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) may be just another romantic story weighed down by an ensemble cast of celebrity actors. This film marks the feature film debut for director Robin Swicord who has already built her reputation upon writing adaptations for such award winning films as Little Women (1994) and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). Proven to be an excellent hand and converting books into screenplays she has once again found another adaptation that she could meddle around with turning into a movie.

Her new movie project is a story based upon the book of the same name that was written by Karen Joy Fowler. The Jane Austen Book Club is about a small group of people who inadvertently form a book club, as the film's title suggests, that focuses upon all the literary works that were written by Jane Austen. In all irony that could appear only in the fictional stories the six main characters form the book club to read six classic Austen novels over the course of six months. Each one of the novels was written with a hint of truth that oddly enough corresponds with each one of the lives of the book club members. As they read through each one of the novels they are unraveling their own lives and form new relationships that mirror a 21st century rendition of a Jane Austen story.

As I had mentioned earlier this movie is a romantic drama with shades of humor spread throughout the story. The characters try to fill their own desperate and lonely lives by parading around with their failed relationships of love weighing them down like a heavy burden. However, as the group continues on with their monthly readings each one of the members form new loving relationships and heal old ones. By the end of the film I found the storyline to be the same old Hollywood conundrum tale with a sappy ending. Everyone begins with a disheveled life, but by the third act they are all living happily ever after.

This film was released two months after another Jane Austen film was released entitled Becoming Jane (2007) which is a loose biography film about the life of author Jane Austen. Both films would provide for a great double feature at home with some popcorn and sour gummy worms. Between the two films I would lean toward the film Becoming Jane as my own personal favorite film, because of its charm and wit. My final rating for Book Club stands with a hearty seven out of ten possible review points.

COTD: May 11, 2008

I must admit that I would like to take a moment aside for the sake of my own personal nostalgic memories. Bear in mind that there is about twelve or thirteen sequel films to one particular cartoon family film that I remember seeing many years ago with my parents, and I apologize in advance if you are already grinding your teeth at the thought of all those sequels. The original film that I am referring to is The Land Before Time (1988). Like any other normal human being I tend to treasure sentimental memories and refer to them as items of nostalgia when they conjure up romanticized feelings of the past that make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But the feeling quickly fades away once our friends start pointing and laughing at our expense because they find the memories to be stupid and cheesy. Despite the human condition of nostalgia I thought it might be worth the risk by presented today's movie clip from the true original film. Enjoy!

"Be careful my Littlefoot."
The Land Before Time, 1988.

Review: I'm Not There (2007)

Like a true Bob Dylan song there are many layers to this film that you wouldn't be able to really interpret it on the first viewing. There are six different Bob Dylan characters in the film, and each one represents a different aspect about Bob's life. The film is interesting and unique because it can possibly be interpreted with the same approach that I would approach one of the songs that Bob had written and performed during his lengthy career. Some of the characters are blatant references to the famous persona, while others are more subtle and indirect. The purpose of these separate characters living in separate time periods would be to demonstrate the different moods and lifestyle changes that the famous folk singer had evolved through during his lifetime. Each and every one of us do not remain the same person we were during the entire duration of our lives. There is a belief floating around that claims the average humans evolves into a completely different person every seven to ten years. They would form new preferences with food and entertainment, form new habits while loosing their grip on an old habit, or develop a entirely new collection of social relationships. It would only be a matter of connecting the dots between the six different moods and personalities of the primary figures in the film I'm Not There (2007). The film's story is not told with a clear and factual narrative about Bob Dylan's life. It was formatted like one of his songs that was written as a lyrical poem and not as a straightforward linear story that we're accustomed to seeing, hearing, or reading.

One of the most entertaining facets about this film would be the many layers of the famous singer's personality that is woven into the storyline. Instead of having a single character who would represent Dylan's cinematic persona there were six separate individuals who represent him. This offered some freedom for the actors to focus on one particular aspect that could be developed into a flesh and blood character. This method of storytelling offered the filmmakers an opportunity to tell a story with an avant-garde flair, just as Dylan has done with his music, and still entertain the audience without loosing their interest.

If you're familiar with Bob Dylan's life and career you may enjoy this film for the several little treasures that are placed in the film. Characters are based upon real life relationships Dylan had during his life. Some of the characters have been loosely altered and not intended to be photocopies of the real life counterparts. For example the character Coco, played by Michelle Williams, is based upon Edie Sedgwick. Personally I am more familiar with music from The Beatles, so I was able to derive great enjoyment from watching Across The Universe (2007), which I reviewed late last year, I would think that an avid Dylan fan would experience the same enjoyment from watching this film.

I don't want to ruin the film with an explanation of every one of the six main characters. However, I would like to point out Cate Blanchett's Oscar nominated performance as Jude Quinn. Her performance of Jude is the only character who looks, sounds, and lives like Dylan. Every moment that Jude Quinn appears on screen the film would depart from a relative fantasy world to the more biography laden portion of the film's story. Jude hangs out with poet Allen Ginsberg, The Beatles, and Coco Rivington (the Edie Sedgwick counterpart) just as Bob Dylan has done during the mid-1960s. As for the remaining five leading characters they are all based upon different aspects of Bob Dylan's personality or different events that occurred during in his life and career. I'll leave those characters open for your own interpretation after you see the movie for yourself.

My final rating for this film has been tuned to a perfect eight out of ten possible review points. The film was entertaining for me, because it was told differently than most film narratives that are released these days. I would definitely suggest this film to all music fans out there, especially to those who are huge Dylan fans.

COTD: May 10, 2008

It didn't make a tremendous splash at the movie theaters when it was released on about 1,800 screens for the opening weekend, but dropped to only 34 screens within the first four weeks in the theaters. I'm referring to one of my favorite comedy films One Night At McCool's starring Liv Tyler, Matt Dillon, John Goodman, Paul Reiser, and Andrew Dice Clay. The comedy is a unique and dark twist to the overrun romance comedy that floods the movie theaters every spring and fall. The narrative of the story is told through the perspective of three different men who all are in love with the same woman, but hold completely different perceptions about her identity. Here is the trailer for the comedy film that was produced by veteran actor Michael Douglas.

"It's my second favorite thing."
One Night At McCool's, 2001. Trailer.

Review: Permanent Midnight (1998)

It's a rarity to see a comedic actor take on such a dark role as Ben Stiller has done for the biopic film Permanent Midnight (1998). The film is based upon Jerry Stahl's autobiographical novel about the darkest time of his drug addiction. Stahl is a television writer who couldn't handle the pressure of his success. He was writing for a famous television show with a puppet as a main character (that would be Alf, but the movie uses an alternative show name) and his career takes several bumpy turns as his $6,000 a week heroine addiction begins unravelling his life like a spool of thread. The story is sad and depressing with nothing really to smile about, but it shows that working in the entertainment industry is not all glamour and fame. So, why would I enjoy watching such a twisted and dark film such as Permanent Midnight? Dark films are like a hot potato that have to be handled just right in order for it to settle with the audience just right. They are not bland entertainment stories as many sugar-coated lightweight films that have been cluttering the movie theaters in recent decades. I was blown away by the strong and unusual performance that Ben Stiller has given for this film. It was too bad that he wasn't recognized by any awards organizations for his acting abilities. I would definitely rate this film with a clear nine points out of ten possible review points. Although I believe the story to be moving for the dark world that is presented on the screen I would be disconcerted to place it any higher than my favorite anti-drug use film Requiem for a Dream (2000). This film can only be recommended to a film viewer who thinks he or she could stomach the dark side of human nature.

COTD: May 9, 2008

In honor of the recent review I had posted for the film Speed Racer (2008) I thought it would be fitting to dig up a trailer from the 1966 James Garner film Grand Prix. The story for the film focuses upon four international race car drivers and their love lives. With James Garner in the lead role as the American driver he would get a large portion of the screen time for the lengthy four hour film. It is the recipient of three Oscar awards for the categories of Best Special Effects for Sound, Best Editing, and Best Sound. Enjoy the trailer!

"I wanna be a champ!"
Grand Prix, 1966. Trailer.

Review: Iron Man (2008)

I've heard some crazy things about Iron Man (2008) before I had an opportunity to see the film. For example, I read one editorial headline that was entertaining the question if the film should deserve an Oscar award. I was rolling my eyes so much that I didn't have enough energy left to read the actual editorial. Then I heard the tremendous news that the film had raked in something like $100 million during its opening weekend here in the United States. If the gross estimation for the box office receipts is a correct calculation then the film has already earned more than half of the value of its production budget back in just three days worth of play time.

The film was filled with cool special effects that were pure eye candy for the prospective theater goers, but I'm afraid it won't make up for the lack of intellectual back story. There's nothing wrong with a tremendous comic book film, because I am a huge fan of the X-Men and Batman films. The character of billionaire entrepreneur Tony Stark and his heroic alter-ego 'Iron Man' has already gained huge popularity among the comic book readers, and it sounds like the film is already a huge success among a large portion of the massive fan club.

I was rather surprised when I found out that this film was directed by the same guy who sat behind the camera for one of my favorite Will Ferrell comedy films -- Elf (2003). Lucky for him he was able to hit into the blockbuster filmmaking at the right time when the comic books are flooding the cinematic market with every film producer in town just drooling over the thought of how much money could be made from the film's production. Right now I'm sure the producers are celebrating with fancy bottles of alcohol and fancy cars.

Personally, I'm not much of a fan of the 'Iron Man' comic books, so I wouldn't have derived as much enjoyment from watching the film adaptation as an avid comic book reader would have from seeing the film. I found Iron Man to be entertaining for what it's worth, but I don't think it could be worthy of the "best film of the year" award or anything of that stature. The decision to have Robert Downey, Jr. star in the lead role for the film was brilliant. There is a mixed bag of reactions to his career as an actor, but personally I find his film entertaining. What makes his contribution to the Iron Man franchise interesting is his crossover contributions for the upcoming release The Incredible Hulk (2008) starring Edward Norton. I get a kick out of crossover roles such as this, even though it shouldn't be much of a stretch for his comic book role. The character of Tony Stark is only one of a huge library of characters from the Marvel comics collection and their characters all intermix with each other in their cartoon universe.

My final rating for this film I've settle with a fair seven out of ten possible review points. The graphics and the sound effects were pure entertainment candy for the theater viewer, but I thought the story lacked substance. I enjoyed the comedic style that Downey brings to the role, because he always adds just the right touch of humor to his acting that the viewer can get a kick out of it without being distracted from the overall story for the film. I thought I've got my money's worth for buying the ticket because of the quality time that was spent on the special effects and sound editing. However, I was thinking I've been jipped out of enjoying a story with some depth to it.

COTD: May 8, 2008

If you've never heard of the television show Robot Chicken that airs on Adult Swim then you might be missing out on some funny material. It is a television show with claymation that focuses on pure adult related humor. Last year the creators of the show thought it would be entertaining to spoof the famous Star Wars franchise with a bit of adult spice humor of their own by creating the short film Robot Chicken: Star Wars. The special episode instantly formed into a cult classic hit and I thought I would share one of my favorite scenes with you now.

"Welcome to Orientation!"
Robot Chicken: Star Wars, 2007.

Review: One False Move (1992)

One False Move (1992) was co-written by Billy Bob Thornton who has also starred in a leading role for the film. It's an interesting film, but not the best title in Thornton's repertoire of film credits. Starting off on a very dark note One False Move opens up with the murderous display of a crime that leaves three partners in crime on the run from the authorities. Money and drugs are the key motivating factors for two of the three partners in crime, while the third is an accomplice who's dragged along because of her romantic ties with one of the other criminals. The film begins with the sad and twisted tale of this forsaken trio, but it doesn't end with just their story. The film widens just far enough to include the background history between the accomplice and a small time cop who is trying to cover up his own sinful past. The film has been strongly advocated by the famous tag team reviewer duo Siskel and Ebert who were able to save it from being released straight to video. The pair had claimed it to be one of the best films that had been released in 1992. Speaking only for myself I could mention that it was an entertaining film that held my interest all the way through until the end. But was it the best film of the year? My vote for that year may be cast upon other films such as Schindler's List (1992). To be honest it's not on equal and fair ground that I compare Schindler's List with One False Move because the two directors have completely different styles and are in different stages of their artistic careers. One Fals Move marks the official directorial debut for Carl Frankln who went on to direct Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) starring Denzel Washington.

Anyways, I would think that the film is well done for a directorial debut film. It was entertaining, dark and mysterious, and the storyline had an even flow to it. But in comparison with abundance of criminal films that I've seen over the years I'm afraid the luster of this film has faded away amidst the pile of titles. My final rating for One False Move would be a seven out of ten possible review points. I was hoping there would be something that would stick out for this film, but nothing clicked for me.

COTD: May 7, 2008

Impatiently I sit here waiting for the arrival of the new Batman film The Dark Knight (2008) to arrive on the big screen this summer. The local IMAX theater will be playing it on the super big screen for about a month or so and my inner film geek is growing impatient for the comic arrival. A new trailer was recently released for the upcoming film, so I thought it would be fitting to post the clip here on Matte Havoc. Enjoy!!

"Where do we begin?"
The Dark Knight, 2008. Trailer #2.

Review: Speed Racer (2008)

Once I first heard about this film and saw a few marketing photos for Speed Racer (2008) I was immediately pumped up and ready to see it. As a kid many years ago I didn’t watch the cartoon show very often, but I was able to see it enough times to get a great kick out of hearing about the movie adaptation. On a side note I should point out that I’m also excited about the upcoming G.I. Joe (2009) live action film adaptation, but that excitement will be saved for another review that is soon to come. Recently I got to sit down with a co-worker of mine and his wife to watch the film. It was a roller coaster ride of fun for the three of us. I know we weren’t alone, because the theater was packed full of people who were clearly riding on the adrenaline fueled fun of the film.

Another co-worker of mine had seen a preview of the film a couple of weeks ago and told me she was rather disappointed in the film. She described the narrative of the film to be talking down to the audience with a mild manner by suggesting reminders about the history of the characters and the relationships they have with each other. After seeing the film for myself I could see what she was suggesting when the background story about Speed’s brother Rex was brought up over and over and over again it could become a nuisance for the viewer. Personally I didn’t mind that Rex‘s story was brought up repeatedly, because I viewed it as the film’s subplot. It was used as a back story that would serve as a tool for character development for the main characters.

I am highly impressed by the quality of the film’s adaptation, because as an adult I was really getting into the film’s story, I was entertained by the comedic humor of the film, and was completely blown away by the awesome cartoon like computer graphics that were used. When Transformers (2007) was brought to the big screen I thought it would be a rip-roaring good time, but I was disappointed with its commercial sellout of product placement and the over use of nausea inducing action scenes that have been redundantly seen in every action film for the last ten years. I don’t know how they did it, but for Speed Racer the action sequences were a fresh of breath air in comparison with the other action films. I’m afraid that G.I. Joe will fall victim to the same trap that Transformers has become ensnared by -- overused action sequences and commercial sellout (product placement). The producers of Speed Racer were able to keep that commercial product placement completely out of the film that produced a fictitious world as I would expect to see in a cartoon. After all how many times have any of us sat down to watch a Saturday morning cartoon where the characters are drinking Mountain Dew and driving Chevy Corvettes everywhere?

Anyways, another one of the huge selling points that got me hooked into seeing this film was the entertainment value that it holds for both children and adults. I was concerned that it would be geared toward just one particular group while the other one gets robbed of the price of their admission ticket. Usually I avoid family friendly films because most of them come across as tremendously cheesy for my entertainment tastes as an adult. Those type of films were definitely produced for the kids, and there are plenty of adults out there who are completely entertained by those kid friendly films. Sadly, I am not a card carrying member of the family film fan club, but I could tell you that my own parents may be a part of the club. Speed was a film that I could tell by the laughter of the kids and the whoop-calls of the adults that everyone, including myself, was really getting a kick out of the film.

Once the end of the second act was quickly approaching I was humming along with the Speed Racer theme song and pumped up rooting for Speed to win every race he entered. He was the underdog character that every viewer would love to cheer for in every story. The entire film combines the cartoon style flair with the bright colors and the childish humor that the kids would be wrapped into like flies would be drawn to a fly trap. The adults such as myself are wrapped up by the celebrity names that star in the film or the feeling of nostalgia of watching the cartoon series as a kid and that is may catch our attention to pay the high price for an admission ticket. My final rating for this film hits high as you may have gathered already from reading my review so far. That's right folks, I have given this film a nine out of ten possible review points because I was entertained by the film and thought it was worth the money to pay for the price of an admission ticket.