I always knew he could…. 🙂

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saw Big Hero 6 last night – great movie! While it’s a Disney movie and in some ways, in the tradition of Pixar (and since the Pixar guys are running the Disney animation studios these days, that’s not surprising) – it’s still unique in its own way(s), too.

Apparently this is a Marvel comic – I had never heard of it – but they changed the story more than a bit for the movie. While the plot sometimes clips along a bit too quickly for the story setup, it’s still well done and entertaining. And like with earlier Pixar movies like Up, they don’t hold back on the teary scenes either. Which I don’t mind, really (although Up was a bit extreme in that regard) – it means they aren’t just making a 90-minute toy commercial, after all. 🙂

There are echoes of many other movies in this one – I saw homage(s) to The Matrix, The Avengers, and Godzilla, but I’m sure there are others. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I’m glad they didn’t go overboard with it, nor did they spend time with always-despised product placement in the movie, either (Michael Bay, I’m talking to YOU!)

Definitely worth watching.

Other voices:
Yahoo Movies
Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

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Saw this fri night with Kerewin. I love the fact that they made a movie making fun of (well, not completely but mostly) LARPing. Which surely is ripe for satire by its very nature. Always great to see Steve Zahn in anything too, although I didn’t even recognize him until the credits. And a great central character by Jackal Onassis! 🙂

The movie itself is kind of a cross between Scream (being not quite as ‘self-aware’ as that movie but definitely in that vein) vs. Fanboys (arguably much better than this movie for a number of reasons, but also more cutting in terms of satirizing the nerd fanboys therein).

Still, not horrible with some key funny moments, just a bit uneven.

Other voices:

Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic

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Finally saw this last night, it’s been on the list for quite a while, ever since we saw Kung Fu Hustle several years ago.

Great movie, usual Stephen Chow touches (humanity of poor people looking to just survive, obviously ‘evil’ over-the-top villain, silly situations, motley crew of heroes) – and many of the same actors as seen in the other movie.

Basically Stephen Chow is an all-but homeless guy seeking to further the ’cause’ of kung fu in any way he can, while his brothers are seeking to survive in various capacities (all but one aren’t successful either) – when he meets a washed up former soccer star, the two form a soccer team from his brothers and a rival neighborhood gang, and take on the best in China on the soccer field.

And you see typical kung fu movie wire work, twisted for humor (and applied to soccer) with a touching subplot involving a local steam bun baker girl – and some nods to Michael Jackon’s Thriller video in at least two ‘dance scenes’ – fun time! If you like soccer (or kung fu) and don’t take your movies too seriously – you will love it!

Other voices:
Rotten Tomatoes
MetaCritic

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and sadly, still far, far too true…! Mose Allison said it first, The Who said it best.

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I think this is a ‘cover story’ for liking to SMASH 🙂

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Saw Lucy tonight. Have to say it started interesting but then got predictable and thin-plot rather quickly. Most of the actors in it really have very little to do, and while the effects were good, they seemed in many ways stolen or inspired strongly by The Matrix. And it may have been hard to avoid having Scarlett J. do a rehash of her Black Widow character in the fight scenes, so they opted for ‘monologuing‘ largely instead. And, the ending is nearly identical to The Lawnmower Man, albeit without the megalomaniac part. Meh.

Other voices:
Rotten Tomatoes

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Leonard Nimoy, Spock of ‘Star Trek,’ Dies at 83

Spock wasn’t always my favorite character on ST, but he’s certainly among the most if not THE most interesting. And like Shatner, Nimoy wasn’t above making fun of himself despite the somber nature of his most famous character.

Unto the Great Beyond – farewell.

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Other voices:
What Spock meant to an Indo-American girl (link incl. several related stories and tweets from other ST actors)
Buzz Aldrin: Leonard Nimoy, my fellow space traveler

Came across this video from Jim Henson’s memorial tonight on YT – very hard to believe he’s been gone for 24+ years(?) and yet his star has anything but diminished. Would that the rest of us had such a positive and uplifting effect on the world while doing it with humor and grace, while not being afraid to be zany and weird when the mood suited. This video really captures the essence of Jim Henson – enjoy and be inspired.

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