In Film: Get Him to the Greek

 

Judd Apatow strikes again, just not as hot.  "Get Him to the Greek" is a half spin-off from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (which was absolutely a great movie, by the way).  Russell Brand is hillarious, Jonah Hill is bumbling, and P. Diddy is surprisingly great!  The whole story is that Jonah Hill, an aspiring music mogul, is trying to get a washed up, drug addicted rock star to the Greek Theater in L.A. for a comeback concert.

The Good: The comedy, of course!  Judd Apatow has a great comedic eye.  P. Diddy's character is amazing, always trying to "Mind-Fuck" people.

The Bad:  I lost attention a few times, due to lulls in the story/action.

The Ugly:  WTF happened to Jonah Hill?!?  I thought he was fat before, but he was kinda funny at least...in this movie, he didn't play a funny part, and he was even fatter!!! Ugh!!

Synopsis:  Rent it, watch it with a bunch of friends or if you just need a good laugh.  If you're a huge fan of the Judd Apatow movies, then go ahead and buy, but don't buy if you just want to own a funny movie.

★★★☆☆

Hump Day: Michael Witt

Mancandy Monday: Phillip Fusco

In Film: Daltry Calhoun

 

I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time reviewing this movie, mainly because it was awful and I never finished it.  Other than a pretty impressive cast (Johnny Knoxville, Juliette Lewis and Elizabeth Banks), this movie has literally nothing to offer.  It's about a redneck who was kicked out of his home and exiled from his wife and daughter because he was such an idiot, who turns his life around and becomes a sod manufacturer for golf courses.  Yes, that's right...sod manufacturer.  Anyways, don't rent it, don't buy it, don't even watch it if it's free.

 ★☆☆☆☆

In Music: Robyn - Indestructible

Robyn is back with another phenomenal song! If you've been following her Body Talk trilogy, you may have noticed that on the first two parts there is a bonus acoustic track which becomes the first single of the next album.  Indestructible was the acoustic track from part two and is the first single of part three.  The video is a sexy, almost racy, fast-paced throw-down!  Robyn sports a tube outfit with different colored liquids going through it.  A bit strange, but what do you expect from Robyn? Enjoy, and stay tuned for the full album review later this month!

 ★★★★★

Mancandy Monday: Travis Hanson

In TV: Glee Theme Song

Mancandy Monday: Matthew Evangelisti

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

In Film: Alice in Wonderland

I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about this movie, but I have to say, I really really liked it.  Once again, I had this movie from Netflix for about a month before actually getting around to watch it.  Technically, I guess it should be called, "Alice Goes BACK to Wonderland," but it's definitely an amazing movie.  It should go without saying that it's better in HD, but I think that this is probably one of the best movies for HD that I've seen so far.  Johnny Depp is brilliant, as is Helena Bonham Carter and the movie is definitely Tim Burton's doing.  There are lots of references to the classic cartoon film, and even to the original book, which I thought was extremely interesting.

The Good:  One of the best visually stimulating movies I have ever seen.  The acting is brilliant of course and the it's a Tim Burton movie, what more could you ask for?

The Bad:  Surprisingly, my least favorite thing about the movie was Anne Hathaway as the white queen.  She just seemed extremely out of place, which is strange because I usually adore her.

The Ugly:  While it's nice to create an adaptation of a classic movie, I honestly think it would have been amazing to follow the original storyline and just do it as a live action movie with Tim Burton's style.

Synopsis:  I will definitely own this movie and you should too!  If you're an obsessive fan of the classic Disney cartoons, then you may want to skip it because it is very different.

★★★★☆

Hump Day: Bryce Thompson

In Music: Kelis - Scream

In Film: Kick Ass

This movie does exactly what the title says...Kick Ass!  It's all about some kids who decide to be superheroes and try to do good, but are only human after all.

The Good:  Hit Girl!  This little girl packs a serious punch.  The action in HD is a must!

The Bad:  Quite a few of the bonus features on the Blu-Ray Disc didn't even work, but it may have just been a fluke.

The Ugly:  Why does Nic Cage get to be in movies? Ever?!?

Synopsis:  A must-see in High Def! Even if you have to pay to rent it.  I may not buy it, but definitely watch it!

★★★☆☆

Mancandy Monday: Text Me!

Mancandy Monday: Christopher Fawcett

In Film: Easy A

This is the first movie I've seen in the theater in a really long time, and I was NOT dissapointed!  The movie is hillariously fun and Emma Stone is absolute perfection.  The premise of the story is about girl named Olive who is actually a virgin gets labeled a slut after a bible-thumping classmate, played by Amanda Bynes, overhears a little white lie in the girls bathroom.  Olive then gets put on the map and starts getting attention until it escalates and gets to be too much.  The movie is chock full of amazing actors, and they all are absolutely amazing in their roles.  I think the absolute best part of this movie is the dialogue.  It's witty and biting and the actors spew it back and forth so naturally that it takes a minute to catch up and realize how smart and funny it really was.  The director is Will Gluck, who also directed the short-lived, but hillarious, tv-show, "The Loop."

The Good:  The dialogue, especially between Olive's family, is definitely the best part of the movie.

The Bad:  Cam Gigandet kept his shirt on the entire time!

The Ugly:  My only criticism of this movie is that they did show a lot of the jokes during the trailer, but there are still plenty more.

Synopsis:  It's refreshing to see a movie that's not an epic drama that you can walk away from and say, "Wow, that was really good!"  I highly recommend this to anyone!  Rent it, buy it, steal it, whatever, just watch it!

★★★★★

Mancandy Monday: Scott Caan

Hump Day: Nick Ayler

100th Post!

Here it is! My 100th post!  Thank you to everyone (if anyone) who reads this blog!  I hope you have enjoyed all the music, movies, gadgets and of course the men!  To celebrate 100 blog posts (which is quite a feat for me to stay interested in anything that long) I will be implementing two new sections, a "Top 10" section and a "Ask Me Anything" section!  So get your questions ready and stay tuned for some awesome Top 10 lists!

In Film: W.

I know what you're thinking...a movie about good ol' G.W.?!?  But in all honesty, it was a really good movie!  It kind of made you feel sorry for the guy.  He's just a simple country boy who wanted to be president, made it on the coattails of his father, and was told what to do the whole time he was in office.  As far as the movie goes, the acting was absolutely phenomenal!  Josh Brolin as G.W., Elizabeth Banks as Laura, James Cromwell as George Sr. and Ellen Burstyn as Barbara.  And that's just the Bush family!  His cabinet was chock full of fantastic actors too!  Overall, Oliver Stone did the story justice, and I would recommend the film to anyone who likes biographical or political movies.

The Good:  Top thing about this movie is absolutely the acting, Josh Brolin nails G.W. and so do the rest of the cast.

The Bad:  It's not necessarily a bad thing, but I'm personally not really into politics, so the political talk did get a bit tiresome.

The Ugly:  The one fault I found with this movie were some fantasy cut scenes throughout the movie where G.W. was in a baseball field and he would either catch the ball or not see it at all.  I understand the symbolism, but it seemed very out of place.

Synopsis:  If you're just looking to watch a good movie, rent it.  If you're a Bush fan, biographical film fan or political fan, then you may want to own this movie.

★★★☆☆

Mancandy Monday: Todd Sanfield

In Film: Shutter Island

Either this movie was so completely smart and over my head or I'm a fairly intellectual person and it was just too far fetched.  I think that Scorsese had a bout of insanity himself and channelled M. Night Shyamalan during the filming of this movie. "Twist!"  I'm not going to give anything away (I probably couldn't even if I tried!).  At the end of this movie, all I could think of was Peter Griffin's review of "The Godfather."  And like that poignant review, this movie too, "Insists upon itself."

The Good:  I'm not a fan of Leo DiCaprio, but he actually did an amazing acting job.  Also, there was quite a bit of suspense involved which kept me intrigued (I only played with my iPhone once!).

The Bad:  It seemed to me that the story had a lot of holes in it, whether it was purposeful or not.

The Ugly:  The twists! Can't there be suspenseful movies now without some off-the wall twist at the end, then a reshowing of all the clues that were in the movie that you missed to make you feel like an idiot?

Synopsis:  If you're a die-hard Scorsese fan or really like psychological thrillers, rent it.  Don't waste the money on buying though.

★★☆☆☆

Hump Day: Josh E.

In Gadgets: Apple TV

This isn't an actual review because, well, I don't have the Apple TV.  Think of it more as a preview.  September 1st, Apple announced it's new line of iPods, iTunes and the Apple TV.  The new version of the TV is jam-packed with amazing features such as HD rentals, both TV and movie, Netflix, Flickr and media streaming from all your devices.  What excites me most is a new feature called AirPlay that allows you to wirelessly stream content from your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad.  No cables required, just run the app on the device and stream away!  The next big shocker is the price-tag...$99!  I think I may have to get one, how about you?

In TV: Archer

I really hadn't heard too much about this show when it came out, only a brief interview of Aisha Tyler on Chelsea Lately one night.  I was bored, nothing good was on TV, so I put on the netflix instant view and found this little gem!  I ended up watching eight episodes back to back before I fell asleep, then woke up and watched the last two!  This show is hillarious! It's definitely NOT for kids, so be warned.  Voiced by tons of amazing people, you will not be dissappointed.  The entire first season is on instant view, so definitely check it out.

★★★★☆

Mancandy Monday: Jason Beam

In Film: He's Just Not That Into You

You know, it wasn't all that bad.  It's one of those romantic comedies just like every other romantic comedy.  I guess the only big difference is the huge ensemble cast.  Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connely and a whole bunch more!  Jennifer Connely did an amazing job (granted, she's the only one that had to act with emotions).  It's all based on the premise that guys treat women like shit because they like them and what happens when the women realize that they treat them like shit because they actually DON'T like them.

The Good:  Jennifer Connely actually acted her ass off and did it with gusto.

The Bad:  There's not much substance to it, and it feels really long for some reason.

The Ugly:  I guess I should say "SPOILER!" but you could probably figure this out yourself, everything works out for everybody in the end.  That just pisses me off!

Synopsis:  I caught it on HBO for free.  Don't pay to watch it.  If you're bored or on a date, go ahead and watch it on HBO or get it on Netflix, but don't you dare waste your hard earned money on it!

★★☆☆☆

In Gadgets: Netflix for the iPhone

Finally! It's been released!  The much anticipated (by me at least) app from Netflix, has arrived!  I've had the chance to play around with it and I have to tell you, it's ALMOST perfect!  The streaming is extremely fast, even on 3G.  The quality is phenomenal and you can choose to zoom and crop the edges so there is no letterbox.  The thing that impressed me the most, is the fact that once you load a movie, which takes no time at all, you can maneuver the time slider to anywhere in the movie and it will start there immediately! No lag! You can also resume from where you left off on any other Netflix device. You can manage your instant queue and the interface is extremely well done and user friendly.  The absolute only downfall I have found with this app is the fact that you can't manage your disc queue and still need a third party app like Flixter to do so.  It seems like a small piece of the puzzle that would have completed the app and made it absolutely perfect.  Oh, and did I mention the app is free?

★★★★★

In Film: Law Abiding Citizen

David was looking for a movie with a real plot to get involved in the other night, so we sat down and watched "Law Abiding Citizen."  All I can say is, we were not dissapointed!  This movie definitely has the plot, action and twists & turns to keep you intrigued.  The Director, F Gary Gray, is best known for movies like "Friday", "The Italian Job" and "Set it Off."  The movie is about a man, Gerard Butler, whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered.  The killer basically goes free after three years due to judicial system downfalls.  10 years later, he starts killing off everyone involved in the case and tries to tutor the attorney who tried the case, Jamie Foxx.  Luckily the movie is on Netflix Instant View, so you don't even have to pay extra to get it!  It's not in HD though, so if you're a pixel snob, you may have to order the blu-ray or buy it. 

The Good:  Great plot! One thing that I really love about this movie is that the time between events is short enough to keep your attention, and even surprise you at times.

The Bad:  Honestly...I'm not a huge fan of Jamie Foxx, I think they could have gone with a lesser known actor, or a more distinguished actor.

The Ugly:  Not a huge deal, but after a little bit, some of the twists did become a little predictable and even far fetched.

Synopsis:  Absolutely watch this movie!  Like I said, it's on Netflix Instant View, so at the very least watch the standard definition version there!

★★★★☆

In Music: Lissie - Bad Romance

Here's Lissie singing Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance."  I just got Lissie's new album, "Catching a Tiger," so stay tuned for a review and my favorite track.

In Music: Cee Lo Green - Fuck You

All I can say is Fuck Yeah!  Cee Lo, one half of Gnarls Barkly and member of Goodie Mob, has just dropped this solo video for his single "Fuck You" and it is off the chain!  Check it out and leave a comment!

★★★★☆

Hump Day: Anthony Gallo

In Music: The Perishers - My Heart

Leave it to the Swedes to have yet another favorite of mine.  The Perishers are an indie rock band who opened for Sarah McLachlan in 2005 and have been featured on TV shows such as Veronica Mars, The O.C. and One Tree Hill.  The drummer Thomas Hedlund is also the drummer for Phoenix, another one of my favorite bands.  The group hasn't released an album since 2007 and this song, "My Heart, was released on their 2003 album, "Let There Be Morning."  The CD is definitely worth the download from iTunes if you are looking for something chill.  Take a listen to my favorite song from the album below.

Song: My Heart

Artist: The Perishers

Album: Let There Be Morning

Writer: Ola Kluft

Label: King

★★★★☆

Mancandy Monday: Michael Kuete

In Music: Brandon Flowers - Bette Davis Eyes

As if I weren't in love with him as it was!  Brandon Flowers of the Killers, who is now working on his solo career sings Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" at the Troubadour in L.A.

In Music: Swell Season - All The Way Down

The reason I'm doing this post is because one of my all time favorite bands, is breaking up.  The Swell Season is composed of Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova and some band members from Glen's previous band The Frames.  They gained international success with their movie "Once" which mirrors their real life tumultuous relationship.  If you haven't heard of them, I absolutely INSIST that you find more of their music right now!  Glen is going back to his old band and Marketa is working on a solo album.  I just hope and pray that someday the two will reunite.  For now, take a listen to one of my favorites, "All The Way Down."

Song: All The Way Down

Artist: Swell Season

Album: Once Official Movie Soundtrack

Writer: Glen Hansard

Label: Canvasback, Columbia, Sony Music Soundtrax

★★★★★

Hump Day: Evan Wadle

Yes, I realize that today is, in fact, Thursday.  I'm an extremely important person and am very busy.  Give me a break!  This is sarcasm by the way.  I just completely forgot.

In Music: Sheryl Crow - Stop

Sheryl Crow is out with a new album, and thankfully, takes a more bluesy approach.  I guess I should start by saying I've never really been much of a fan.  I'll bop my head along to one of her poppy songs on the radio from time to time, but have never owned an album.  To be diplomatic, I decided to get this new album and give it a whirl.  I'm actually pleasantly surprised!  There are still a few of those pop crap tunes that she'll no doubt toss on the airwaves and shovel down radio listeners throats, but the majority of the songs are more soulful and definitely inspired by the south.  My favorite song on the album so far is "Stop."  Take a listen below!

Song: Stop

Artist: Sheryl Crow

Album: 100 Miles From Memphis

Writer: Sheryl Crow

Label: A&M

 

★★★☆☆

In Film: Boondock Saints II

I'm not going to write much of a review, reason being...I didn't finish the movie.  That's right, I've sat through "Justin to Kelly," and "Glitter" but I couldn't get through this.  The first Boondock Saints is one of my all time favorite movies, and this is just a poor remake with an older, less talented cast.  They basically tried to use the same dynamic and failed miserably.  Save yourself the time and just rewatch the first one!

★☆☆☆☆

Mancandy Monday: Steve Chatham

In Film: Sherlock Holmes

This movie has been sitting in the netflix red envelope on my entertainment center for two months.  Granted, my life has been pretty damn hectic lately, but I was never "in the mood" to watch it.  I finally had enough and forced myself to watch it.  In my opinion, it's a fairly good movie.  The action is fun, the acting is good, and the sets, while highly stylized and unrealistic, are visually stunning.  There were a few problems I had with the movie.  The first problem was that the character of Sherlock Holmes was turned into an alcoholic fighting machine.  Anyone who's a fan of the actual series may find this new Holmes a bit too superhero-like.  I understand why the movie did this, but ultimately feel that the character veers too far from the books.  The biggest problem I had with the movie also relates to the books.  When reading a sherlock holmes book, part of the fun is trying to figure out the mysteries on your own before the big reveal.  In the film, however, you would have to be Miss Cleo to see any of the far fetched and completely out there results.  On a final note, there's a large amount of homoerotic subtext between Holmes and Watson which in my opinion actually does add some depth to the characters.  Who would have guessed, Holmes and Watson, the original "Bromance!"

The Good:  The sets, the acting and the action scenes are fun and keep you enthralled throughout the movie.

The Bad:  Holmes' character veers too far from the books, and ultimately is an alcoholic, everyman superhero.

The Ugly:  The solutions to the mysteries are so far fetched that it doesn't allow the viewer to even come close to the outcome on their own.

The Synopsis:  Rent it, on blu-ray.  It is visually stunning, but there's no need to watch it more than once.

★★★☆☆

Hump Day: Deepak Kataria

Hump Day: Parker Hurley

Mancandy Monday: Bonus! Cazwell - Ice Cream Truck

Mancandy Monday: John Micklow

In Music: Janelle Monae - Cold War

Here is the just released video for Janelle Monae's "Cold War" that I reviewed last week.  It's sleek, it's simple, it's great.  End of story.

In Music: Eminem - Love the Way You Lie

Guess who's back...back again.  Eminem is back with a vengeance.  This single featuring Rihanna is all over the radio right now and flying through the charts.  Despite what you know about me, I actually really like Eminem, so I got the record as soon as it came out, and this was one of my favorite tracks.  The song itself has received quite a bit of controversy due to it's lyrics and message about domestic violence, but the fact of the matter is that both Rihanna and Eminem have had some very personal experience with domestic violence (from both sides) and this song is not condoning it, just explaining the emotions.

The video was just released and has Megan Fox and Dominic Monaghan both looking super hot in white trash sheik.  The video is actually done really well to incite the emotions that the song represents.  I would highly recommend the entire album to anyone, and the video is perfect for the song. The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is that it's overplayed. Enjoy.

Song: Love the Way You Lie

Artist: Eminem feat. Rihanna

Writer: M. Mathers, A. Grant, H. Hafferman, M. Riddick

Album: Recovery

Label: Aftermath, Interscope, Shady

★★★★☆

Hump Day: Santiago Aragon

In Film: Zombieland

I LOVE this movie!  I happened to see it on Netflix instant view last night and decided to rewatch it.  It's a zombie action-comedy with Woody Harrelson.  It's hillarious and kick-ass at the same time!  I would highly recommend getting this in HD.

★★★★★

Mancandy Monday: David Costa

In Music: Janelle Monae - Cold War

All I can say about Janelle Monae is this chick is FABULOUS! I know that sounds super gay, but I don't know how else to describe her.  Her first album rocked my world, the second one is rocking my universe!  This song is my song for the summer! Enjoy it!

Song: Cold War

Artist: Janelle Monae

Album: The ArchAndroid

Writer: Nathaniel Irvin III, Charles Joseph II, Janelle Monáe Robinson

Label: Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy

 

★★★★★

In Music: Chromeo - Don't Turn The Lights On

Chromeo's new single, "Don't Turn The Lights On," is out and as usual, the video is strange and entertaining all at the same time.  The song has a very retro feel and is classic Chromeo.  Enjoy!

★★★☆☆

Humpday: Did Someone Say There Was A Fire?

In Film: Sucker Punch

Robots, Dragons and Ass-kicking girls!  What more could you want from a movie?

In Film: The Twilight Saga - Eclipse

The third installment of the teen vampire drama, Eclipse, (pardon the pun) overshadows the other two movies.  Finally a release of the series that is actually a quality movie.  It's almost like this time they said, "Alright, let's do it for real now."  David Slade, the genius behind "30 Days of Night", adds his stylistic directing style to the film, and the action sequences are pulse quickening and stunningly manuevered.  On top of the great cinematography, the actors all looked great!  Gone are the poofy wigs and overtly gold contacts!  It seems all the actors brought their A-game this time around.  Taylor Lautner brought his abs, Robert Pattinson brought the smoldering and Kristen Stewart actually didn't bite her lip the whole time! 

The Good:  It was a much higher quality production than the other two, a movie that can actually be called a good film by someone other than twi-hards.

The Bad:  Some of the scenes were slow and drawn out, but then again, that's how the book was.

The Ugly:  However abtastic, poor little Taylor Lautner just cannot act.  His over annunciation and awkward tone make it sometimes silly to watch him try to be serious.

Synopsis:  I would classify this installment a definite success and I can't wait to see the next two parts in the angsty, blood sucking drama.

★★★★☆

Mancandy Monday: Daniel Conn

In Music: Robyn - Hang With Me

Let me just start off by saying that Robyn can do no wrong.  There, I've said it.  The thing I love most is the fact that most artists will work for years on a new album, hire cowriters, producers and all kinds of music manipulators.  They come out with a few good songs, then disappear and you're left waiting a few more years for something else to come out.  Not Robyn.  This chick is pumping out songs and albums left and right, all while touring.  Not only is she pumping them out like nobody's business, but they're all absolutely amazing!  There isn't one song I don't absolutely love!  This song is no exception.  The video is simple, but I'll tell you what...I would definitely hang with Robyn, that bitch is fabulous!

★★★★★

In Music: Christina Aguilera - You Lost Me

The video is pretty boring for such a powerful song.  I don't really get it.  She looks pretty good, but the effects seem out of place to me.  The song itself I love, but then again, Sia wrote it.  I gave a higher rating on this because of the song itself, not the video.

★★★☆☆

Hump Day: Nuno Branco

In Film: My Sister's Keeper

In all fairness, it is a good movie.  I just happened to catch it on HBO the other night, and was satisfied with it.  Surprisingly it's not entirely what I thought it was about.  It focuses more on a girl who was conceived for the sole purpose of saving her dying sister who is fighting for the right to her own body at the age of 13.  For that, I give it some kudos.  Cameron Diaz does a really good job, as does Abigail Breslin.  The stand out performance, however, comes from Joan Cusack, who plays a judge who recently lost a daughter herself.  It's a renter for sure.  It's a typical sapfest movie that was done well.

The Good:  A surprisingly interesting story and great acting performances.

The Bad:  It's a typical sapfest with no real twists and turns that you can't see coming from a mile away.

The Ugly:  There's nothing really awful about this movie, no ugly today.

★★★★☆

Mancandy Monday: Kellan Lutz

In Film: Devil

M. Night Shymalan is back and this actually looks pretty good.  What do you think? Will you watch it?

Hump Day: Bruno Schuind

In Film: Vampires Suck

If you're a fan of the scary movie franchise, you'll hate this.  If you're a fan of the movies like "Disaster Movie," "Epic Movie," etc. then you may like this.  The only catch is that you have to have seen Twilight or you won't get the references.  It's somewhat entertaining, and the girl who plays "Becca" does an insanely good job of imitating Kristen Stewart.

The Good: The sexy guys in the cast, it may be a funny movie, but those abs were nothing to laugh at.

The Bad:  I thought that it would poke fun of more than just the twilight series.  There's a few minor true blood, buffy and vampire diaries references, but they could have done more.

The Ugly: Most of the time I found myself rolling my eyes at the jokes.  A few made me laugh, but overall it was pretty boring, and after the first half hour, there was no point in finishing it.

Synopsis: If there's absolutely nothing funny on and you're high and love twilight, watch it.  Otherwise save your time and energy.

★★☆☆☆

Mancandy Monday: Tyler Davin

In Music: Brandon Flowers - Crossfire

So Brandon Flowers of "The Killers" has gone solo with his first single, "Crossfire."  I actually really like it, and if this is the direction he's going, he may have a shot.  Not only is the song great, but the video is amazing.  It's a bunch of scenes of him tied up, sweaty and beat up and Charlize Theron comes in and rescues him by kickin' some ass.  It doesn't hurt that Brandon is sexy as hell by the way.  Overall, a great first solo song/video!

★★★☆☆

In Music: Who Did It Better? Nikka Costa vs. Kelly Clarkson

To be fair, Nikka did it first, and also no one has the funk like Ms. Costa!

In Games: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2011 for PS3

The newest release in the Tiger Woods franchise is a mixed bag of improvements and drawbacks.  Some of my favorite things about the series have gone missing in 2011.  For instance, one of the parts of the game that was the most fun was getting sponsored and earning money by wearing your sponsor's gear.  Not only is this gone, but so is the money!  You now use XP for gear, animations AND your skill upgrades.  That's a lot of crap to use XP on and you probably won't ever be able to afford the animations you want without sacrificing your game play.  Another great thing about this franchise that fell short with this release is the ability to create your own characters and have them look like you.  The "Photo Gameface" lets you upload pictures, takes about 20 minutes and then ends up looking nothing like you.  The standard gameface lacks a lot of customization ability.  Overall, the graphics should have come along much further and have not progressed as much as they should have from the last version of the game.

Although there are a few negatives, the game play itself is actually true to the franchise and in fact is really fun to play, even though I get so frustrated I want to hurl my six-axis through the TV!  In 2011 EA Sports has implemented True Aim which makes the game feel much more accurate and allows you to play the whole thing from the first person angle.  The power boost and ball spin are still here, but now require Focus, which you build by not using any power ups and make the game better knowing you have to use this strategically.  The putting is similar, but EXTREMELY touchy and probably one of the most frustrating and rewarding parts of the game.  In golf they say that putting is 3/4 of your game, and that holds true in this game as well.  Probably the best feature of this game is Online play which allows you to play multi player and match games online and build teams with friends or random players.  Honestly, I haven't done this yet because I'm still building my stats, but from what I hear it is awesome and I can't wait!

So overall, there are some drawbacks, but the fun of the series lives on even in 2011!

★★★☆☆

Hump Day: Edilson Nascimento

Hope everyone has an amazing Wednesday! Happy Humping!

In Film: Where The Wild Things Are

"Where the Wild Things Are" ended up being everything I hoped it would and more!  Adapted from the children's book by Maurice Sendak, the movie keeps true to the book with it's stunning visuals.  The monsters look amazing and the voice acting is incredible.  This movie is sure to be a classic.

The Good: Visually breathtaking! The scenary is amazing and looks like they were taken right out of the book.

The Bad: It gets extremely sappy and weepy, so be prepared.

The Ugly:  While the kid they chose to play max, looks and acts the part, I feel he sometimes fell short of the impish qualitie of the character.

Synopsis: A must own, especially if you have kids, or are a kid at heart!

★★★★☆

In Life: 4th of July

Hope everyone had a safe and wonderful 4th of July! I know I did!

In Film: The Devil's Backbone

Guillermo Del Toro has done it again!  Another scary yet intrepid film.  "El Espinazo del diablo" or, "The Devil's Backbone," is set at the end of the Spanish Revolution.  Tensions are still high between the rebellion and the socialist sect.  The story takes place at a boys orphanage and asks the question, "What is a ghost?"  The question itself is poignant and thought-provoking, and throughout the film, there are many answers.  Aside from the philosophical agenda of the movie, there lies a ghost story.  Overall, I would highly recommend this movie.  I still prefer "The Orphanage," but this film is great as well.  I think I'm becoming quite the Guillermo Del Toro fanatic!

The Good:  The plot and story are beautifully crafted to make you think, question and ultimately understand.  All things are answered and come full circle, which is something that I love when a movie ends.  I hate having more questions than answers when the credit rolls!

The Bad:  Although the cinematography is amazing, the sets and captures aren't as thrilling as I've come to expect from Guillermo Del Toro's films.

The Ugly:  Nothing really stuck out as awful in this film.

Synopsis:  Watch this movie! Especially if you're in the mood for a good scary movie, but also want to think a little bit!

★★★☆☆

In Film: Hancock

This movie was another pleasant surprise.  Will Smith plays Hancock, a homeless drunk superhero, who always seems to cause more trouble than stopping it.  Sitting down to watch this movie, I was expecting another generic super hero movie.  I was definitely wrong!  The plot is thoughtful and driven, the cinematography is done fairly well for green screen flight.  Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman are perfect choices for the supporting cast.

The Good:  The plot and action take the cake on this one.  It's extremely entertaining to watch.

The Bad: Some of the dialogue can get really lame, but that's to be expected from any superhero movie I suppose.

The Ugly: Watch the unrated version and the trailer scene.  You'll know what I'm talking about.

Synopsis: A pleasantly surprising movie with a twist and wonderful action!  A must own for superhero fans.

★★★★☆

In WTF?: Country-Hip Hop

This is utterly amazing!

In TV: True Blood - Season 3 Episode 3

So once again, I won't spoil anything, just a quick review of the episode.  So let's start with the positives.  Whoever HBO hired as a new stylist for the show deserves a medal of honor!  Everyone looks so much better this season!  The hair, the makeup, the clothing, it's all working.  The second great thing is Alcide, yum! I'm glad he finally made it on the show.  Now for the negatives.  I'm actually pretty disappointed in the episode and hopefully it's not the direction this season is taking.  David and I were discussing, and I think he's right; they are rushing through too many separate story lines too quickly that they can't do them properly.  The ending is absolutely absurd.  Just sayin'.

★★☆☆☆

In Music: Florence and the Machine - Cosmic Love

I'm really excited that one of my favorite bands, Florence and the Machine, has released a new video.  I first fell in love with the song "Drumming" last year and since then have listened to the entire album from start to finish repeatedly.  It's really refreshing to hear music that you haven't heard before, and I don't just mean a song you've never listened to.  Florence and the Machine is a completely different sound from anything else out right now.  The band is aptly named, with an industrial sound like blue man group coupled with the sweet yet powerful vocals of Florence.  The album "Lungs" is truly amazing all the way through.  There isn't one song I don't like.  This video for "Cosmis Love" is no surprise, their videos are always visually stunning and compliment the songs for which they are made.

★★★★☆