Sunday, December 25, 2011

Monday, December 12, 2011

The Muppets

Nostalgia can be a dangerous thing. Nothing is ever as good as you remember. That being said, I don't blame Jason Segel for using his power to bring the Muppets back to glory. I commend him for it. But it does make me sad to realize that the ship has sailed for me. That's not to say I didn't like the movie. It is great. When I have a rugrat to take to the movies, I will be happy to have stuff like this over Puss in Boots.

After three movies where Muppets play classic characters from other stories (Muppet's Christmas Carol, Treasure Island and Wizard of Oz) it was time for a classic comeback. And this is a great story to tell. The Muppets have all moved on. The old studio is rundown. An oil tycoon is looking to buy the property to turn it into a "Museum" (with alternate secret plans of course).

Gary (Segal) and his puppet brother Walter have to round up the old gang to put on a show and raise their own money to save the studio. Its a great way to kick start the series again and not only return to form, but show the old studio (from the TV show, never in any movies). It's a great way to keep things fresh without being a rehash of worn territory.

They also did a smart thing (the creators, not the muppets themselves) by hiring Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords) to write the songs. He might not be my favorite, but he brings the right tone to the proceedings. This will get hipsters and kids singing the songs after they've left the theater (I may have hummed "Man or Muppet" a couple times since seeing it).

If you're a fan of the Muppets or have children (or both) this is a can't miss viewing.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes

Would you see it in theaters again?
If I had kids to take

Would you buy it?
No

Would you rent it?
No

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

My new Bag of Crap



A couple weeks ago I won another Woot Off B.O.C. (my previous win) and boy it lived up to its name. Again.

1. Barbie Baywatch Backpack
2. USB Guard Dog
3. Skin Watch
4. Spitball Dartboard
5. Lunch sack
6. Woot Rally Monkey

I try to tell myself I won't try to get another one with the next Woot Off, but I know that's not true.

Holiday Gift Ideas



Aint It Cool News does a yearly geek gift idea list. This year, look what made the cut (above). Pretty awesome for the nerd in all of us. Check out the complete list here.

Let the Holiday Shopping Season begin...!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Three months down



Happy Three Month Anniversary!
*and engagement anniversary

Thursday, November 3, 2011

In Time


"In the not too distant future..." is one of the biggest hit / miss gap for genre films. If played right, you get a film with rich characters and poignant parables. This movie (already flopping at the box office) comes from the mind who brought us Gattaca. Which if you haven't seen, is a great movie.

So, we have a world much like our world, but instead of working for money, we work to earn time. Science has developed to the point where people stop aging at age 25 (also a good hook to sell a screenplay to Hollywood Executives). After you hit 25 you have one year. You can spend that year or earn more time.

This parable is about how the rich (1%, wink wink) get richer and the poor stay poor. In the "ghettos" people die in the streets. But what happens when too much time get distributed to the poor?

The movie is one part Robin Hood, one part Bonnie and Clyde. And it is pretty good, if you can overlook some of the flaws in logic and come on board with the rules of the future on screen. Justin Timberlake is a good actor. With this and Bad Teacher out this year, he shows range and a glimpse at his future (...its wide open).

As usual, I'm not going to go too deep into the plot, but its definitely fun and bleak and exciting. If you can't get to the theaters, rent Gattaca for now and wait for In Time to come to you at home.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Probably not, but maybe.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
Yes.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Young Adult
(plus Q&A w- Patton Oswalt, Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman)


Young Adult is the type of tough material that will divide audiences. It is a black comedy in the truest sense. But Diablo Cody does something that really helps the situation. She wrote a character that we can relate to during the movie. That person is Patton Oswalt's character "Matt Freehauf". He spends the majority of the movie pointing out how ridiculous Charlize Theron's character "Mavis Gary" is every moment.

*original poster created for Music Box screening


The plot revolves around a ghost writer for a young adult series. She was the popular girl in school. The kind who can't wait to cast off the shackles of small town MN and head to Minneapolis (Diablo Cody loves the Twin Cities for some reason, but who doesn't). And once she got to the "Minneapple" her life became a state of arrested development. So, she head's home to look up her high school boyfriend. Hilarity ensues.

Diabo, Jason, Patton and Capone from AICN


Patton Oswalt, Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman were on hand for the secret screening at the Music Box. Here are some tidbits I gathered from the Q&A:

  • Diablo wrote this while she was also being paid to write a script for "Sweet Valley High" (yep!)
  • Patton got involved during some table reads of the script before it had backing
  • Jason Reitman called J.K. Simmons and asked him to read his dialog on Jason's answering machine. That's what you hear in the movie, voicemails from J.K.
  • The CGI for Patton's crippled leg was just a couple painted dots during his scene. It looks amazing.
  • Diablo did this as a writing exercise and most of what was written on the original draft is in the final movie
  • ...except originally Charlize's character was not a YA fiction writer...


Did you enjoy it?
Yes

Would you see it in theaters again?
I might take the wife...

Would you buy it?
No

Would you rent it?
Yes

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Drive (best movie you didn't go see)


Before seeing the movie "Drive" I was baffled by the font being used (along with the escalator posters at the AMC Rivers East). Then the second the movie starts, I got it. This is a throwback to those desolate emotionless 70's action movies mixed with an 80's synth soundtrack.

And boy is it good. It is a quiet movie until it's not. And once it is not, boy is it not. Don't get me wrong, there is an almost grindhouse level of gore that might catch some off guard. The movie has gotten a lot of praise for Albert Brooks' performance as a gangster.

Ryan Gosling plays a part time movie stunt man. He also works in an auto body shop. And his boss has dreams of making him into race car driver. Of course things don't go as plan. He gets involved with a mother and son who are making ends meet as their patriarch is in jail.

Did I mention Gosling is also a getaway driver for hire? Yes, you would think with all that's going on there wouldn't be time for characters. But that is where the movie really shines. This is a nice small little character piece / heist movie / crime drama. I'm sad more people (or at least action fans) didn't see this movie. It's still in theaters and I might have to go again. Trust me, it's good.

Plus, the movie inspired the crew over at Stack of Monkeys to put together a tribute playlist. Its so good it tricked me into thinking it was just the whole soundtrack (but really it's only 3 of 18 songs). Check it out here: Tokyo Club


Did you enjoy it?
Oh yeah.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Yes.

Would you buy it?
Maybe.

Would you rent it?
Yes.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Monday, October 31, 2011

The Thing (2011)



In college, one night I caught a movie that had stayed off my radar for my formative years. John Carpenter's The Thing (1982). It was a great mix of shadow, paranoia, gore effects. I don't feel I'm over selling it that it's the perfect horror movie*.

When it came out in 1982 it was a box office failure. The movie starts with a dog being hunted by my people**. So, almost 30 years later you want to know what happened before the events of that movie? Well here it is.

The story of that first group in Antarctica is told in both a similar tone and characters. The movie is one part prequel one part remake. Gone are all the practical effects. In is the CGI. If the 1982 movie wasn't so good, I would probably thing more of this movie. But it lives under a dark shadow. As it were, it doesn't belong in the same breath as An American Werewolf in Paris or Blues Brothers 2000***.

The biggest complaint I have with the film is the way the monster acts. In the '82 version it wants to hide and only attacks when it knows it can win or is backed in a corner. In the 2011 movie it attacks and explodes and spears people. This is not the same monster. Which is disappointing because that was one of the scarier things about The Thing.

Did you enjoy it?
I would have enjoyed it more if I didn't love the 1982 movie so much.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Eh, maybe back to back with the '82 version on Netflix Instant


*Playing in Chicago this Friday and Saturday (see you there?)


**Norwegians, can't live with them, can't understand them so you shoot them in the eye.


***I didn't come up with that comparison. See what Harry Knowles thought of the movie.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Killer Elite


Based on a true story. That is always a loaded statement. Unless it is a documentary, the lines are always going to be gray. We have Moneyball on one side and this movie on the other. While I do believe it is based on a true story, aren't most works of fiction outside of horror and fantasy?

So, we're in the 80's. We've got some assassins for hire. They make their kills look like accidents, or ambushes, whatever the job calls for. We have some old British spies running some game that gets them money (not super clear to me). And we have a de-throned king of Persia (not sure where he's from).

But let's back up. The title of the movie is terrible. It might as well have gone straight to video (but I think it might still be in theaters). The book it's based on is called The Feathermen (named after the secret old dude society). Not much of a better title itself.

How they got DeNiro, Statham and Clive Owen (and the hot girl from CHUCK) in this movie, I have no idea. It must have been better in the script than what ended up on screen. Not that it is terrible. But a month later I'm trying to remember much about it. I think Dracula from Blade 3 plays a big sideburns dude.

But the action is well choreographed. There are some nice twists. It could have been worse.

Did you enjoy it?
Surprisingly, yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Maybe.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

...Two Months Later...

You know when they cut to a later date in time in movies and tv shows? Well, previously on Krull Nugget...


Happy two month anniversary, baby!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark


Remember the movie "The Gate"? I don't remember a lot about it, but I remember it really scaring me as a child. Little mini sized troll demons chasing after kids. Scary. Well, there is a new version of that. I guess the screenplay is based on an old TV movie about these creatures.

DBAotD also is like Gremlins. The monsters in this case, aren't really trying to eat you, they're just kinda d-bags. They get the main little girl into trouble and cause general mayhem. The opening scene contains one of my worst fears, broken teeth. Even without showing anything, its pretty nerve racking.

And the end has a neat little twist that I really didn't see coming. Overall, a fun little scare of a movie. Worth seeing (or renting since it is out of theaters now).

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe at a midnight screening, someday.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
Yes.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Moneyball (with Jonah Hill Q&A)


Moneyball- the book is very good. But just like Fast Food Nation, how do you take a book with a lot of stats and information, and turn it into a Hollywood blockbuster. Well, Brad Pitt doesn't hurt.

Of course, there were a lot of people involved in the Sabre Metrics revolution. So, instead of those guys, you get Jonah Hill playing a cobbled version of all of them. But it does work well and gives Brad someone to play against. Jonah and Brad against the machine.

Those who don't know the story, it is revolving around the poor (cash poor) Oakland A's who put together a team of "bad news bears" based on different stats than people are used to (in the baseball world). It made for quite an engaging story. It doesn't have a Cinderella ending, which is always a plus.

Jonah was on hand for a Question and Answer session after the movie. He was very funny but the microphone kept going in and out, which was annoying. My crummy pictures of the event below.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No. I only read the book once too.

Would you buy it?
No, not an A's fan.

Would you rent it?
Maybe.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Eh.





Monday, October 3, 2011

Contagion



Best way I can think to describe this movie? If Outbreak and Traffic got it on and had a baby. In my case, that is a compliment on both counts. You get to see a wide variety of characters and locations as they are affected by an outbreak. You get the family closest to the virus (Matt Damon / Gwen Paltrow). We have the CDC and WHO working to figure it out (Winslet / Fishburne / Cotillard). And you get the crazy blogger (this is the two thousand teens, Jude Law).

It is very good at being scary and realistic. That is also its downfall. People just die, as to be expected. But its so cold and procedural, you're not sure if you care. Also, with so many characters, you tend to focus on some more than others (Marion Cotillard is gone for the whole middle section of the film).

At the end, you do have a fun little bit, that I won't spoil, about how this whole virus got started. Good movie for what it is.

Did you enjoy it?
I did.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
No likely.

Friday, September 30, 2011

Promises Promises

Next week we will return will all new fresh content. 

PROMISE


Tuesday, September 20, 2011

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy


I didn't even hear of this movie until I saw it posted on Google's showtimes for Chicago theaters. After that, I started seeing commercials on Spike TV. Then it was almost gone. I went on the last day it was playing in the city. There were two other people in the theater at 5pm with me (well not with me, I went alone).

A cast of comedic actors with an outlandish plot. A guy who's dad owns but never uses his house in the Hamptons. So they party every summer all summer. That's basically it. Dad decides to sell so the son (Sudekis) decides the last party will be an orgy (hence the bad title).

Pretty uneven, but still funny. Will Forte has the funniest part, as the guy who has a kid and just got married, so he feels left out of the group. There is a weird set up where you're not sure who the love interest is, splitting its time between two girls.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes. I'm glad I went. Even though I felt creepy buying a ticket to "Orgy".

Would you see it in theaters again?
Won't be in theaters again, unless it becomes a cult hit. Still, no.

Would you buy it?
Nah.

Would you rent it?
Maybe. Alternate takes and cut bits would be worth the rental.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Pralle.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Rise o' the Planet o' da Apes (o')


When I first heard about this movie being redone, or remade or whatever they call it now (re-imagining) I was skeptical. Tim Burton tried to do it about ten years ago (10 years ago already?). That remake was on FX the other day, man is it terrible. So, of course you're going to use the most recent version as your litmus test to answer "is this a good idea"?

They were doing okay by the title. It was just going to be "Ceasar" (our lead ape). Then I think it was something else and then the final ridiculous title. I have to say it is the worst part of the movie. What about "Rise of the Apes"? Do you really think people won't think of the 6 Planet of the Apes movies if you don't have "Planet" in the title? Anyhoo...

The movie itself is pretty good. You're always going to have trouble when you're supposed to root for something or someone other than humans. I think that's one of the reasons I don't really like the Hellboy movies. Lord knows, I tried.

One of our human leads is a scientist (James Franco, possibly getting a degree in "science" while filming this movie) who is working on a cure for Altzheimer's. This personal to him because his dad (John Lithgow) has the disease. Of course they're testing on apes. One of the strains works and then some. Mishaps happen (no spoilers) so he brings Ceasar home. He gets smart. He is aware he's not quite ape and not quite human. He longs to be free. Humans don't want that to happen. Battling ensues (a lot of which has been spoiled in the trailers, come on Fox).

It is entertaining and evokes emotions and the effects are great. I mean, you still realize they're CGI, but not enough where it bothers you or takes you out of the movie. Way to go, Summer 2011!

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe. If the fall gets boring and it is still playing.

Would you buy it?
I smell a new collectors edition

Would you rent it?
Sure.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Cowboys 'n Aliens


Cowboys and Aliens is one of those projects that started with a pitch. In the evolution of the project, that simple idea stuck as the title. Americans want to know what they're getting. Cowboys and Aliens... what's that movie about? Ha Ha.

Our hero with no name wakes in the middle of the prairie with no memory. He wanders into town wearing "iron" around his wrist. He runs into trouble with the law and a local cattle mogul (Harrison Ford). Just when you think we're going to have trouble with these three groups, in come the aliens. They are from a planet close to the alien in "Super 8" (only in design, and only because I think they look alike). Oh, and then we get into with Indians. And then we find out there are other kinds of aliens (spoiler alert, the universe is vast).

The movie itself is...okay. That's the best I can muster. Having seen it a couple weeks ago I struggle to even recall if I liked it or not. The characters are wild west stereotypes. The villain arch is a simple one. This movie will mostly be remembered for high concept that is actually low (or simple) concept. Will this pave the way for "Cops and Sharks" or "Peanut Butter and Deadly Viruses"? Man I hope so.

Did you enjoy it?
Let's go with...sure.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Heavens no.

Would you buy it?
Golly jee whiz, no thank you.

Would you rent it?
Unlikely

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Probably not

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Saturday's Alright

Man I saw a lot of good things tonight.

It is Lollapalooza, which of course means people trying to sneak into Lolla. As I was jogging on the Lakeshore path, I saw a kid jump the 10 foot fence, fall into the middle of Lakeshore Drive with oncoming traffic coming at him. Then he ran across the street (8 lanes of traffic) jumped another 4 foot fence. Meanwhile, security is running towards him. Then he jumps one more 10 foot fence and he's in. You got to give him credit for his moxy and tenacity.

As I continued I noticed a lot of people sitting on the harbor side of the path. Yep, they had set up camp in the perfect spot to see the south stage screens. We were serenaded by Cee Lo. My arrival was fortuitous because I got to hear "Bright Lights, Bigger City" and "F**k You".

On my way back from the Field Museum (part of my regular loop) I came upon the "Poor Man's Yacht Club" [actual title]. Basically its people who are still pretty rich partying dressed in all white on one of the docks by Monroe Harbor. Looked like a good time. Someone was dressed as Jack Sparrow.

Witnessed a newly wedded couple getting their photos taken on the path as well. I'm not exaggerating when I say that the man was half the height of the woman. Ahhh love, you fickle beast.

Finally, as I returned home by the River Walk I got to see people enjoying a wedding reception at the River Walk Art Center. Looks like they were having fun. Nothing special about it, just reminds me I'm getting married two weeks from today.

Also, I lost 4.2 pounds this week. Wii says I need to lose 30 more. Let's shoot for 20 more by Christmas.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Honeymoon Hat Poll


With 11 votes each, the hat race (sorry hat 2, you suck) is over. It has been decided that Hat 1 (pictured right) will be a "city" hat and Hat 3 (which can be smashed and packed in my luggage) will accompany my new bride and I to Europe. 

Thanks for all that voted!

Thursday, August 4, 2011

50 / 50 screening


Based on a true story, a cautious healthy 30 something finds out he has cancer. We follow him through the stages of grief. We see how his somewhat newish girlfriend, best friend and family react to the situation. He gets help from a new psychiatrist and other cancer patients.

This is a nice little film. Its going to be marketed as a comedy when it comes out this fall. That's based on Seth Rogen as the best friend. I think if it gets butts in seats, then mission accomplished. Small dramas with moments of levity and character don't have the draw they once had. All the actors are great in this. Joseph Gordon Levitt has been one of my favorites since he did Mysterious Skin. He wanted to do stuff different than he did on 3rd Rock from the Sun. And I applaud him for it. Seth Rogen has gotten the clout he needed in Hollywood to do the same. Get stuff he likes made into movies. Anna Kendricks from Up in the Air and Scott Pilgrim is quickly becoming one of my It Girls to watch. Plus it has Matt Frewer in it. MAX HEADROOM! I love that guy.

I won't spoil the ending to tell you if he beats it or not, but being an indie drama, it could go either way, people.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Captain America


The hokiest of all comic book super heroes has made it to the big screen. Even as a kid, I knew there was something different about Captain America. You think Superman is a generic name? Woof.

But I will have to give it to Marvel. They've done a great job of getting all their characters made into movies. And this movie, like the first Iron Man, can stand on it's own two legs while fitting into a greater puzzle.

Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Hugo Weaving and even Chris Evans do a great job in this movie. It's really a wholesome action flick. Set during World War II, our hero is a scrawny wimp who just wants to serve in the Army. As fate would have it, he ends up getting help from some scientists to be the top solider.

Just like Cap't himself, not a lot to say, but I'm glad this movie was released at the end of July, so it has a chance of hanging out in multiplexes for a little longer when the fall suck arrives.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe. It was midnight the first time.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
Probably.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Sure.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

30 Minutes or Less


The four people on the poster are awesome. So why isn't this movie amazing? It was directed by the guy who did Zombieland! This should be my favorite movie. But it's not. Can expectations be set too high? Yes. Is this movie funny? Yes.

Is it based on a true story? Kinda.

Two lazy rednecks who love to blow stuff up at the old mill (?) are convinced by a stripper (who wants to polish your scepter) to hire someone to kill 'The Major' (Fred Ward). But they don't have money to even hire a hit man, so to get that money they kidnap a pizza guy and strap a bomb to him. He has to get the money or he gets blown up.

Okay, just writing the plot in that last paragraph threw me for a loop, so maybe that's why I didn't love it. Its so convoluted. But it is funny. So, non-sensical plots can be forgiven. Not as good as Zombieland, but still worth a look.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe. (Stay til the credits are over)

Would you buy it?
Possibly.

Would you rent it?
Yes.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Horrible Bosses


Have you ever wanted to kill your boss? Well these guys do. Hilarious, yes? Okay, maybe I'm being too snarky. There are two good things going on in this movie, the bosses and the buddies. The bosses are actors who don't get to play the "fun" role very often. Jennifer Aniston as a sexual predator who is super inappropriate. Kevin Spacey is the slick prick who will say something just to see who the brown nosers are and then turn whatever you just agreed with against you. And finally we come to Colin Ferrell. He gets to play the son of the owner who is only working for his dad to support his cocaine habit. When he takes over, all hell breaks loose.

On the flip side we have the employees who's lives are being ruined by these bosses. Sudekis, Charlie Day and Bateman. They get the less exciting roles. But what they do have is a great chemistry with each other. Watching them on screen together makes you think they're friends.

The key plot point is stretched thin and wisely moves fast enough so you can't sit still long enough to realize just how ridiculous it is. Good, not great.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
Eh.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Transformers part 3: Dark of the Moon


You may recall the time I saved you with the last movie:
http://krullnugget.blogspot.com/2009/06/transformers-i-watch-them-so-you-dont.html

This one was shot in Chicago, so for no other reason, it is better than the last one.
It looks cool in 3D. It's large in IMAX.

The plot is still incoherent. It's too long and sags in parts. The girl who replaced Megan Fox is not attractive. The 200 Decepticons all look alike. But...big robots smash good. If that's what you're looking for, you're golden.

Did you enjoy it?
Not really. Slightly if only because it's better than the last two.

Would you see it in theaters again?
NO!

Would you buy it?
Double No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Negatron (brother of Megatron)

Friday, July 1, 2011

Troll Jegeren
(Troll Hunter)


I saw a foreign film this week. It was about a government agent in charge of controlling the troll population in Norway. And it was pretty good (they are threatening to make an American version of the film).

Troll Hunter is one of those "found footage" films in the vein of "The Blair Witch Project". But this movie has some good special effects, not just kids running around the woods crying. A group of college kids are looking to get a scoop on a supposed poacher killing bears illegally in the woods of Norway. What they discover is that the bear poaching is a cover up to hide that fact that trolls are real.

My family is Norwegian. I have vivid memories of these terrifying yard trolls that my grandmother had at the farm. I couldn't find any pictures online of them, so I will have to take the camera home next time I'm there. But trust me, they're frightening. Well, they show up in the movie. There are a wide variety of different trolls in the movie. Mountain trolls. Forest trolls. They follow some myths and some are dispelled as fairy tales (what if a troll challenges me to an eating contest?).

The movie uses the found footage format to its advantage. They do their best to not have a ton of shaky cam footage. It's a fun little film. It takes itself just seriously enough to not be campy, but still have a light heart.
Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe, since I missed the first 5 minutes (stupid Cubs traffic)

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
Yes.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Bad Teacher (JT Vol. 2)


We continue this week with another Justin Timberlake film. That's a bit of a misnomer. Even though he is billed second, he's really like the 5th lead in the movie. But front and center is Cameron Diaz playing an awful person. Even though she's not my favorite actress, she does tend to do good work when she feels like it (Being John Malkovich / Gangs of New York / Vanilla Sky).

The best way to describe this movie is a live action version of Road Runner. The "perfect" teacher loves brow beating her to "do better" and "hang in there" while also trying to get her fired. In this case, Mrs. Squirrel (Judy Punch) plays Wiley Coyote. JT gets to be a weirdo sub who basically agrees with what anyone says. Jason Segel plays the gym teacher and has some of the best lines. He is basically playing the only sane person in the film.

This movie is light entertainment. It's funny. It's raunchy. It's original. It's also not super memorable. But I give it points for effort and originality. In order of comedies I would recommend you seeing, it ranks second (behind Bridesmaids, but before Hangover II).


Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe.

Would you buy it?
Nah.

Would you rent it?
Sure.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Monday, June 20, 2011

Fancy New Theme Song

You may or may not have noticed a fancy new widget above the posts. I'm assuming you haven't, hence this post.

KRULL NUGGET THEME SONG

Many remember when I had the Kickstarter donation widget on the blog. It was to help a friend, The Bassturd, raise money to get his last album pressed. Well, it's out. And since I helped donate, he wrote a theme song for the blog.

Originally titled Gimp Fry (inside joke, wink) it hearkens back to a time in the 80's when you could hear Harold Faltermeyer compositions on great movies or you could hear Devo on the radio.

It will stay at the top of the site for a while, and then it will make its way to its final home at the bottom of the page.

Please to enjoy.

(Thanks, Dan.)

Friends with Benefits (JT Vol. 1)


Oh man, this movie. First off, it is painfully close in theme to a movie we saw not too long ago. I am pretty sure I saw it, but I can't find it in the nugget archives, so maybe I spared you the pain of "No Strings Attached". If you find it, let me know.

Anyways, apparently I felt the need to see it again. So the story goes, headhunter gets a guy to work as Artistic blah blah at GQ magazine. He's from LA moving to NYC. She is the only person he knows. So they hang out. Then they become groin buddies (classy). Then they don't. Then they do. Then they're in love. Huzzah.

They also (they meaning the writers, not the characters) do this thing where they point out all the cliches of this kind of movie. They even have a movie within a movie starring Jason Segel and Rashida Jones full of every cliche (but still was not funny). But its kind of hard to laugh with them when they're doing the same thing they're making fun of. You're trying to pretend you're above it when clearly you are not.

On the plus side there is a lot of bare skin. A few funny moments, but not nearly enough to recommend it. It comes out at the end of next month. I hope it doesn't fade from my memory so I get fooled into going again.


Did you enjoy it?
Meh. Not really.

Would you see it in theaters again?
On accident only.

Would you buy it?
Nope.

Would you rent it?
Negative, Ghost Rider.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Unlikely.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Green Lantern


"In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power... Green Lantern's light!"
Of all the DC Comic properties, The Green Lantern was always going to be a tough live action film to make. I remember those 70's and 80's Justice League cartoon. Using your will power to create objects is inherently cartoony. Making a live action version is going to be a hard sell for today's kids. They're used to things more grounded in reality. Like the recent Iron Man and Batman movies. Plus he uses a lantern and jewelry to create these objects. It sounds like a 7 year old doing a movie pitch.

But if you can get into the right frame of mind from the outset of the movie, you'll be in good shape. The movie starts in space. We learn about the GL Corps and their mission. We learn about the evil that is about to be the villain of the movie. The plot is pretty thin. Which is too bad since we're given a lot of characters involved in the plot. You've got the guide, the trainer, the boss, the bosses, the company men, the scientist, the Congressman, the secret government woman, the love interest. Seriously, Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) has a best friend. I have no idea what his name is or if they even mention it in the movie. The reason I know he's his best friend is because that's one of his 5 lines in the movie.

It may sound like I'm really ragging on the movie. I think I am more "disappointed" in the film than anything else. I was excited to have more "comic" comic book movies. I like fantasy. Superman is a great example. Nothing about Supes is grounded in reality. And I think this movie would have been received better if it had come out in 2001 (prior to Spider-Man in 2002). It's a fun movie.

But another issue with the film is budget / plot. I didn't have any problems with the special effects. I know some people were concerned about how his suit would look since it is all CGI. It actually looks pretty good. But you spend so much time on a far away planet for a lot of the film, I could picture a money counter scrolling in the right hand corner of the screen. Because of that, we don't get a ton of sweeping action. Mrs. Nugget said a lot of it was boring. A film really cannot afford to commit that sin. Especially when a woman says that. Usually for her, things are too loud or violent. To bore her is inexcusable. Of course, this movie isn't really aimed at her market (but should be if they want a huge box office). Well, I guess Ryan Reynolds is shirtless for some of it. So, there's that.

The biggest sin the plot commits is scope. For a cosmic space story it feels really small. It's almost like a tv series. You have three sets. The airport / office, the military bunker, Hal's apartment and space. That's kind of cheat, there are other set pieces. But those are the main ones.

Of course, like every movie today, this film is mostly trying to set up the sequels. Again, think back to the Justice League. Who was GL's enemy? Sinestro. In this movie, he's the leader of the Corp. So you know in this movie or the next, he's gonna be the big bad. I wish two things, I wish that they had made him the Big Bad in this film, or conversely I hope this movie makes enough money that I get to see that movie in a sequel.

Overall, I was really hoping this was the best movie the summer. My expectations may have been too big. Its a fun movie and worth checking out. But if you have to choose between this and X-Men, I would say go to X-Men (then you can always double feature). Also, it is in 3D. I didn't mind it. I wouldn't seek it out due to the surcharge for 3D, but I didn't hate it. It added some fun to the effects and space shots.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Nah.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
Yes.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Monday, June 13, 2011

Super 8


A lot of people old and young (Nugget and Mrs. Nugget parents have mentioned it) are interested in finding out about Super 8. I would say it is a combination of J.J. Abrams "mystery box" and nostalgia for Spielberg films. And that's really what you have here, a mash up.

There are two stories being told here. One is about a kid who lost his mom in an accident. The other is about the U.S. Government transporting an alien via train. Sorry, spoiler alert, there is no spoiler. It's an alien. Not a smoke monster that can take the form of dead people.

These two stories are sort of conflicting. And that's why I'm not in love with this movie. The kids are kind of just taken out of the story when the screenwriter decided he had nothing to do with it. There is the start of a budding romance that is like Romeo and Juliet, except it's just kind of resolved in a sentence.

I've actually heard in interviews that JJ Abrams said that originally this movie came about because he had two ideas. So, he decided to combine them together. But really, its not like there are parallels of the monster story and the kid's story. It's just like mashing a hamburger and piece of chicken together and putting it on the grill. That doesn't really make a chicken burger. You've just kind of made a mess.

That being said, I still liked it. It's a fun time at the movie and does call back to some of Spielberg's films. The only thing that I would say tips it back over to the thumbs down side of things are the lens flairs. I mean, someone needs to just smack JJ over the head and tell him to knock it off. It just makes it look like incompetent film making.

Did you enjoy it?
Sure.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Eh.

Friday, June 10, 2011

X-Men: The First Class


The X-men series has gone from good to bad within 4 movies. So, like Pirates 4, I had no interest in this film. But then reviews started coming in saying it was pretty good. That couldn't be true. The only reason Fox keeps making these movies is so they retain the rights to the Marvel characters and they don't revert back to Marvel Studios (shrewd, but Marvel is doing pretty good on their own with Avengers coming next year).

X-men 3 was bad. Just a hollow attempt to end the series. Then they went with an origin tale for Wolverine. Just so terribly terribly bad. So, I guess they had nowhere to go but up.

And up they went. This movie is really good. I'd say it's one of my favorite so far (but I did just win passes to Green Lantern next week, so I wouldn't hold onto that title belt for too long). The filmmakers stayed true to some of the original four movies while also blazing a trail on their own. There are some neat twists and turns throughout the movie.

Setting the movie in the 60's was a good idea. You get to see some of the classic X-Men suits, and you can just blame it on the period. The special effects aren't great, but some are okay and they're all passable.

The only real issue I have with the movie is you don't get to know a lot about the bad guys. You learn a little about one of the five bad guys. But that makes sense, I guess. They do focus a lot of character development to the "good" guys. I say good in quotations, because Magneto is a good guy for now. But we all know he won't stay that way (for anyone who knows anything about the other 4 movies and comics).

If they keep up, this might be a good series of films again. Yay.
Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Maybe. Might pop my head in after seeing something else.

Would you buy it?
No. I owned X2 at one point but a crack head took it from me and I never replaced it.

Would you rent it?
Maybe. Mrs. Nugget didn't attend the screening and I think she would like it.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Of course.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

The Hangover Part II

The Hangover Part II (the quest for more money). If I were to use a keyword find and replace on MS Word I could have made a lot of money with this sequel. Instead of Doug getting married, now it is Stu's (the dentist) turn. No, he is not marrying Heather Graham. Apparently, you make promises to hookers that you can't keep.

So, it's a repeat of the first one. Which isn't the worst thing, since the first one was funny and made garbage truck loads of money. So, you can't really blame them. And it is funny. That said, I don't really see why you need to rush out to see this one. Wait until its out on video.

Did you enjoy it?
It was funny. I laughed. Roger Ebert didn't think that was enough to give it a thumbs up.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No, because I have seen it and own the first one on DVD, I can just watch that.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Sure.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Attack the Block


British films are a tricky export. Usually you think, period piece. You might also think Edgar Wright films. Maybe Guy Ritchie. That's about it. Well, Screen Gems bought a neat little sci-fi horror film called Attack the Block. On May 25th, they screened it in 25 cities in the USA. Now they want everyone who saw it to spread the word about how good it is.

Well, it is pretty good. But let's not bury the lead. It is first and foremost a horror movie. If you have no interest in the genre, you won't find new life here. But if you like movies like Gremlins, you might do okay.

A group of British youth hooligans end up on the receiving end of an alien invasion. Its one of those, the hunter becomes the hunted. When we first see the kids, they're mugging a woman. Next thing you know, they're killing one of the aliens. Now all the rest of the aliens are after the kids. I won't spoil what's going on exactly, but that's the basic premise.

It's not without it's flaws. The design of the creatures is cool, but definitely a glaring excuse for a small budget. The kids have to go from being antagonists to protagonists, which it only accomplishes because there isn't a ton of character development, so you let it slide. But on the plus side, you get to see Nick Frost hanging about. Always a good thing.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Pirates 4: More Pirates


Did you enjoy it?
Actually quite a bit.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Probably.

Now that the questions are out of the way, here are two new ones.

Why do most of the critics hate this movie so much?
What is the deal with AMC not playing this movie correctly?

I read a lot of early reviews of this movie that made it sound like it was the worst thing in the world. Now, to start, I liked the first one, thought the second one was a little too long and bloated, and HATED the third one. I had no interest in seeing this one, until I almost died of boredom. So, I thought this would at least kill the clock, boredom wise. So, maybe it was super lowered expectations, but I thought it was not bad. They have scaled back, having shed Keira and Orlando. There are still way too many cast members. They are adding a minor role for a Missionary and mermaid love story. Some have said this should have been expanded, but I think it was wisely left as a small c-plot.

People have also complained that Jack Sparrow makes a good comic foil but a poor lead. I think it's half true. I like the idea of following a main character who is basically scamming everyone around him for his own means, but for this movie, they also try to soften him, which is the real mistake.

Thankfully, they dial back the action just enough. If they tried to top the huge noise maker of the 3rd one, my head would have likely exploded during this movie. It's smaller scale, which I think some people are upset about. If it's not bigger than the last one, then what's the point (sewn on America's coat of armor).

Now to my second question, you need to see this article:
http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2011/05/22/misuse_of_3_d_digital_lens_leaves_2_d_movies_in_the_dark/?page=1

Thanks to Dave for the link. We had been discussing this the day before I saw Pirates. I told him that thankfully I had never experienced that. Guess I shouldn't have jinxed myself. It was so murky, but watchable, so I did not get up to complain. I usually get surveys emailed after movies, so I am hoping to use that time to complain. But it was ridiculous at some points.

Anyways, if you have any affinity for the Pirates movies, you'll be fine. Its a fitting sequel.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Bridesmaids


Bridesmaids. What can I say at this point? Everyone is saying "don't call it a chick flick". And it really isn't. It may have an all woman main cast, but I think of a chick flick as a romantic comedy. It is a negative connotation for dudes. But as a dude, don't be scared of this film. It is super funny.

Written by Kristin Wiig and her old improv partner (the woman on the plane that says they're going to crash). There is something here for everyone. Broad humor, crude humor, a lot of uncomfortable humor (and by that I mean like the British Office). Although I have heard from TV critics and co-workers that the crude humor is the worst part, it was also the part that got the loudest laughs by the patrons at my screening.

Kristin Wiig plays a character down on her luck. She lost her company (a bakery), her boyfriend (now she bangs a male slut played by John Hamm) and now she thinks she's losing her best friend to marriage. From there we basically see her self destruct. I'm interested to see The Hangover II only because I would like to quickly decide what the funniest movie of the summer will be (my bet is on Bridesmaids)...stay tuned.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Probably.

Would you buy it?
Possibly.

Would you rent it?
Likely.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Abso-lutely.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Priest 3..ah no Doy!


I didn't win passes to Bridesmaids this week... but I did get to see Priest 3D! YAY! Besides, I will gladly pay to see Bridesmaids, I hear it's awesome. And it stars my wife...

http://www.bridesmaidsmovie.com/trailerfeature/?id=1305236519943

Anyways, remember when I went to see Legion? No, well I did. Same actor, same director. Same themes (religion).

http://krullnugget.blogspot.com/2010/01/jesus-that-pt-2-legion.html

Well, this is better than that. Some decent action. No real character development. You see one of the twists a mile away and it "ends" ready for the sequel. In fact, at 87 minutes, they probably had time to wrap up the sequel in this run time.

Can we talk for a minute about how unscary fake CGI monsters are in general? I Am Legend. The book is great and creepy. The movie: a big turd. The Thor snow monster? Crap (but is killed in a cool fashion). Sightless, eyeless vampire monsters that just kind of "ROAR" at you constantly. I'm not shaking in my boots, that's for sure.

The 3D conversion was okay. Even with dark scenes, everything was visible (enough). Still, if you have the option, I'd say go 2D. And if you really have the option, go see Bridesmaids instead of this. It was written by Kristin Wiig and produced by Judd Apatow and rated R.



Did you enjoy it?
Eh.

Would you see it in theaters again?
No.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Nah. Well, maybe.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Armed Robbery and Lights Out


Last night was interesting. Let's start with the most interesting. After losing our last volleyball game of the regular season (scheduled at a dreary 10:20pm start time) Mrs. Nugget and I exited the Drucker Center to find about 15 cops arresting someone in the parking lot. I heard someone say "Do we have the victim?" as we passed. Everything seemed to be under control, so we headed out to the North/Clybourn stop. When we get to the south platform stairwell, we see a jacket and backpack on the ground. As our train arrives we see the police arrive to pick up the items and search the platform. Word on the street (J.Miller reporting) is that it was an armed robbery.



A View to a Kill

Now we travel back in time to 7:30pm the same night. We're watching Dexter season 2 on Netflix instant (the TV won't play the netflix app, so we're forced to use the non-HD version on the Wii). With about 5 minutes left in the episode we lose power. At first I assume we blew a fuse. That seems pretty crazy for a big complex like our building to lose power, but hey it might happen. Then we hear the fire trucks. We go out to the porch to discover the whole building is dark. I go into our hallway and it is pitch black (no windows in the hall). There is periodic black smoke coming out of the loading dock, which also happens to be where the stairwell exits.

We hang out on the porch to watch neighbors gather on the 3rd floor patio. It seemed like all of the residents who had dogs were the ones trying to flee, everyone else was just hanging out and watching the action. The firemen were walking, not running, usually a good sign things are fine.

It is funny how quickly you realize what you can't do without power.
1. Use the elevator (a few people got stuck, that would be the worst)
2. Use most of our security doors that open with a FOB (all propped open with fire extinguishers)
3. The lobby doors (motion sensor activated, no door handles, also propped open with fire extinguishers)

We got out through the stairs (thank you flashlight app) and walked past the firemen as they left. Of course we assumed the power would be back on by the time we got home at 11:30, but that turned out to not be the case. Some lights had been restored in the common area (hallways) but the stairs were still dimly lit with the emergency lights at each level flickering like in a horror movie (that's real!).

Power was restored at 3:30am. I know because I was made aware by how bright my alarm clock is (apparently) and the TV coming back on (weird). With everything else on, we're back to normal, right? Nope. When leaving for work this morning, the elevators buttons don't light up. So it's down the nine flights of stairs once more. I'm gonna have sick calves in time for swimsuit season.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/chibrknews-minor-power-outages-in-streeterville-20110509,0,648525.story

The End (?)

Friday, May 6, 2011

The week that was: May 2-6th

The Pork Chops were able to win 2/3 matches without me damaging my knees this week. http://yfrog.com/h02vhtwj

I got to witness a "No Hitter" against my White Sox in person. In spite of that, had a great time boozing with the fellas.

At work, I got locked my office's stairwell and had to walk up 8 flights (on purpose) then down 17 (not on purpose). My calves are still sore.

Spent 2 1/2 hours in Lake Forest, IL for work (highlight of the week?)

...

Get to take the train to Libertyville tonight! Plus, don't have to TAKE IT BACK HOME!

Saturday means BBQ double date. Possibly wear a "Derby".

Sunday is Mother's Day. That means the In-Laws (and free lunch).


Have a great weekend, Nuggeteers!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Thor (short for Thorton?)

Marvel Comics have done a great job of getting their "second tier" comics to the big screen. Who really knew who Iron Man was prior to 2008? It was all part of their plan. Get good actors and good directors to bring their characters to the big screen. This year they have two movies that help blaze the trail for The Avengers next summer.

Looking at their stable of cartoons, Thor always seemed the most risky. They made Iron Man rooted in reality, similar to Batman. In the case of Thor, he's a Norse God. So, it's hard to make that based in reality. But that's kind of the point. It's a cartoon character. And that's how they play it. The best comparison would be to Superman Pt II (the one where he loses his power). And you know what, it's pretty good.

The biggest issues I have with the film have little to do with the content itself. One, as usual, the 3D aspect is garbage. The first action scenes take place at night and you can't see anything that is happening. If you plan on seeing this film, skip the 3D version. The second issue is the way it is shot. Dutch angles constantly. I understand wanting to do something different, but I don't think having the camera askew all the time is the best way to accomplish that. It's super annoying.

What I was most afraid of was Thor's wig. It looked pretty terrible in the trailers, but it looks pretty good in the film. They also did a great job in casting. There are good actors filling in all the roles large and small. It's the little things like that they get right. They also find a better balance of having S.H.I.E.L.D. involved without overtaking the plot (which is what happened to Iron Man 2). Apparently Thor mythology has something called a rainbow road that could have looked super stupid, but is dealt with well.

P.S. Don't forget to stay through the credits to see the scene where they tie this film to Captain America and the Avengers.

Did you enjoy it?
Surprisingly, yes.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Yes. The screening was in 3D and I would like to see it in 2D.

Would you buy it?
Nah.

Would you rent it?
Maybe.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
Yes.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Your Highness


Not good.

I'm not going to spend a ton of time on this. It is just not funny. You would think if it was written by Ben Best and Danny McBride that there would be something comedic in this film. There is not. The special effects look pretty good. So, they must have gotten a good budget for them. It is shot with shaky cam but there are some comprehensible action scenes. But nothing works. Three people walked out of the screening. A rare miss, sadly. Better luck next time.
Did you enjoy it?
No.

Would you see it in theaters again?
Luckily yesterday was it's last day in most theaters.

Would you buy it?
No.

Would you rent it?
No.

Would you watch it if you saw it was on TV?
...No.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Fast & Furious Blackhawks



Two of my recent posts were very timely and are now defunct. I have seen Fast Five and the Blackhawks lost in OT last night.

First off: Fast Five, pretty good. Again, I haven't seen the other ones so I missed some of the call back jokes (the only reason I know they exist is because other people laughed). The two things that are great about Fast Five. It's not in 3D (YAY) and there isn't a lot of CGI. They destroy a lot of cars in this movie. And I can appreciate that. Otherwise, anyone who's been missing the Bad Boys movies, rest assured, they're alive and well with the F&F series. Soooooo ridiculous. But fun.

Secondly: I am, at best, a casual Blackhawks fan. I don't watch the games on TV until the playoffs. I am the fill in when my friends can't find anyone to go with them to the games at the United Center. That being said, I am sad to see them bow out in the first series. It was a great comeback story coming from 0-3 to force a game seven. And even then, to force it to OT in game seven. Better luck next year.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Game Seven: Blackhawks


After going down 0-3 in the first round it looked like the 2010 Stanley Cup champions were going to be out of the playoffs (after barely getting in). But now the series is tied and tonight's game decides who goes home.



Go Hawks!