en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/625818 Comments by Handshakes http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/lveneziani/2012/02/17/ghost-rider-spirit-of-vengeance-3d-review-a-campy-self-aware-action-flick/#IDComment297247522 This was about as shallow and vapid as most superhero movies are these days. However, Nick Cage gives another "Bad Lieutenant" style performance, which is alone worth the price of admission. In fact, if you are over the age of 12, I'd say Nick Cage is the only real reason to watch this film. That, and a cameo by Christopher Lambert. And yes, Lambert wields a sword. My favorite aspect of the film: The mother character who supposedly loves her son and will do anything to protect him... Even though in one scene she uses him as a human shield against gun toting baddies, and in another scene she lets him ride without a helmet on Nick Cage's motorcycle while Cage does a bunch of stunt riding. Mother. Of. The. Year. Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:58:50 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/lveneziani/2012/02/17/ghost-rider-spirit-of-vengeance-3d-review-a-campy-self-aware-action-flick/#IDComment297247522 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jhanlon/2012/01/13/carnage-review-polanskis-latest-a-bloody-good-time/#IDComment264218661 I love seeing stage plays put to film. The film maker's translation of the play to the screen always makes for an interesting element, and is usually what the film hinges on. I just read about God Of Carnage as well, and thought that it looked like something worth seeing. I had no idea there was a film version coming out. Neato. As for Polanski, the guy is a pig and deserves some jail time... But he also makes really good film. I sometimes eat veal, even though I know that it is cruel. In a similar way, I'll watch a Roman Polanski film because I'm a film lover and his films are rare (oh so rare, especially in these dark days of fighting robots and caped crusaders) and delicious. In both cases I feel guilty afterwards about supporting something ugly, but it tastes good and, after all, the calf is already dead and the film is already made... Why let it go to waste? There are starving kids in Africa who would love to eat that plate of veal! The thing is, when it comes to good films, WE are the starving African kids! Alright, I've officially stretched this metaphor well past the breaking point ;). Sat, 14 Jan 2012 16:40:56 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jhanlon/2012/01/13/carnage-review-polanskis-latest-a-bloody-good-time/#IDComment264218661 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2012/01/12/big-movie-flashback-the-howling-1981/#IDComment263252707 I love Christopher Lee, but he sure does pick some odd/bad films to appear in. The Dr. Fu Manchu series, for instance. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:15:19 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2012/01/12/big-movie-flashback-the-howling-1981/#IDComment263252707 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2012/01/13/daily-show-brilliantly-exposes-president-of-civility-project-who-smeared-tea-partiers-as-terrorists/#IDComment263243352 This is all kinds of genius. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:02:47 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2012/01/13/daily-show-brilliantly-exposes-president-of-civility-project-who-smeared-tea-partiers-as-terrorists/#IDComment263243352 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2012/01/09/daily-call-sheet-bronson-on-dvd-24-movie-and-haywire/#IDComment260535176 If they use her right, I think she could be great for the screen. Her acting ability is kind of questionable, but she looks great and is very charismatic in all of the interviews I've seen with her. If they don't make her say too much and just stick to the physical stuff then I think she could be another The Rock. Or rather, The Rock that we all wanted The Rock to be, before he went and buried his promising career with The Scorpion King and The Tooth Faerie. Or maybe she will totally surprise me and act the hell out of the film. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:14:12 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2012/01/09/daily-call-sheet-bronson-on-dvd-24-movie-and-haywire/#IDComment260535176 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/adelgado/2012/01/09/the-top-10-conservative-lessons-of-rocky-iv/#IDComment260524963 Rocky IV was the exact moment where the Rocky series fully devolved from intelligent drama films to cartoonish spectacle films. It started the slide in Rocky III, what with Mr. T being Mr. T and killing off Burgess Meredith just to up the emotional stakes. Rocky IV, however, took the full trip into stupidity, and they brought a robotic sidekick along for the ride. Conservative? When were the Rocky movies ever not conservative? They were about one man achieving his version of the American dream through pure hard work, determination, and heart. They didn't need Rocky to come out wearing stars and stripes shorts in the first films - he was already an American hero. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:02:03 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/adelgado/2012/01/09/the-top-10-conservative-lessons-of-rocky-iv/#IDComment260524963 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jhanlon/2011/12/30/the-ten-best-movies-of-2011/#IDComment252308787 Captain America and X-Men: First Class are supposed to be "real movies" that represent the best cinema has to offer? Really? Two summer action films that aspire to nothing more than punching bad guys? The only remarkable thing about either of those movies was how incredibly generic and forgettable they were. Look, I have nothing against stupid action movies every once in a while, but they aren't art. I'd rather watch a movie that challenges me and moves me, which is clearly what this top ten list is about. You people who are criticizing and deriding Thay for making a constructive (and positive) point about this top ten article are absolutely embarrassing. There is much more to cinema than just guys in tights punching and/or kicking mustache twirling villains. Maybe if you would actually try watching one of these top ten movies you would understand that. But no, you're probably too busy watching CGI robots punch each other on the moon. Sun, 1 Jan 2012 19:09:40 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jhanlon/2011/12/30/the-ten-best-movies-of-2011/#IDComment252308787 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/rcapshaw/2011/12/31/moore-vs-miller-differences-on-occupy-wall-street-foreshadowed-in-their-breakthrough-graphic-novels/#IDComment252292347 Yeah. I'm not a comic nerd by any stretch, but even I've read The Watchmen (and enjoyed it, despite the incredibly boring pirate bits). Sun, 1 Jan 2012 18:37:46 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/rcapshaw/2011/12/31/moore-vs-miller-differences-on-occupy-wall-street-foreshadowed-in-their-breakthrough-graphic-novels/#IDComment252292347 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/lmeyers/2011/12/22/a-serious-man-the-must-see-faith-based-film-you-didnt-see/#IDComment245501636 I caught this on a whim last year and instantly loved it. Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:46:12 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/lmeyers/2011/12/22/a-serious-man-the-must-see-faith-based-film-you-didnt-see/#IDComment245501636 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2011/12/18/then-again-review-keatons-memoir-more-than-a-la-dee-da-affair/#IDComment241943955 I don't get the hate either. She's super hot, and she plays a certain type of character (manic pixie dream girl) really well. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:01:53 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2011/12/18/then-again-review-keatons-memoir-more-than-a-la-dee-da-affair/#IDComment241943955 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2011/12/15/trailer-talk-expendables-2-promises-more-bruce-and-arnold/#IDComment238423630 The first movie was a let down. It was just so... Soulless. It only served to remind me of how much better those old action films that it was trying to emulate were than what was being shown on the screen. I'd rather just go to the source and watch Predator, Running Man, Commando, or Total Recall. It'll take a lot more to get me psyched for another one of these. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:33:09 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hollywoodland/2011/12/15/trailer-talk-expendables-2-promises-more-bruce-and-arnold/#IDComment238423630 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2011/12/12/no-more-cruise-control-should-ghost-protocol-underperform/#IDComment236946298 I've reached and surpassed my quota for dumb action movies this year. I can't be excited for this. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:43:40 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2011/12/12/no-more-cruise-control-should-ghost-protocol-underperform/#IDComment236946298 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/zleeman/2011/12/11/gibsons-upcoming-vacation-a-return-to-action-form/#IDComment236429623 Isn't this the name of a Tiny Toons movie? Right on! Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:58:57 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/zleeman/2011/12/11/gibsons-upcoming-vacation-a-return-to-action-form/#IDComment236429623 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2011/12/08/trailer-talk-the-cabin-in-the-woods-joss-whedons-horror-yarn-yanked-off-the-shelf/#IDComment235108234 Looks like Joss Whedon is trying to outdo himself*. *: And by that, of course, I mean make a film that is somehow even worse than Aliens 4. Fri, 9 Dec 2011 14:21:47 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/cftoto/2011/12/08/trailer-talk-the-cabin-in-the-woods-joss-whedons-horror-yarn-yanked-off-the-shelf/#IDComment235108234 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/12/06/fox-business-left-wing-messaging-in-the-muppets/#IDComment233795461 Sorry, but I find it hard to call The Muppets a flop. The movie has already exceeded its budget in ticket sales and, being a family friendly film, it can expect to have legs enough to take it through the holiday season and continue to bank. Did it hit number one? No, but who expected it to? You can't release against a Twilight film and expect to get number one. What matters is that it is beating out Hugo, Arthur Christmas, and Happy Feet 2 (all excellent films except for Happy Feet 2) for second place for several weeks in a row now. If The Muppets actually had negative word of mouth, as this piece suggests, it would not have slipped into third place by now. And really, The Muppets movie as a piece of liberal propaganda? Please... This is as hard to swallow as the "Robocop is actually an anti-American, anti-Christian hit piece" article from a few months ago. The Muppets is a cute movie that is tame enough to be kid friendly, but smart enough to be enjoyed by the parents as well. I think sometimes that we (conservatives) are so used to being attacked by Hollywood that we start to see persecution everywhere. Tue, 6 Dec 2011 18:46:48 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/12/06/fox-business-left-wing-messaging-in-the-muppets/#IDComment233795461 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/12/05/conan-the-barbarian-blu-ray-review-brutal-bloody-b-movie-fun/#IDComment233723773 Awful, awful movie. The violence is disgusting and borders on exploitation, the acting is laughably bad (Rose McGowen has never been more hammy - and that is saying something),and the effects are laughably bad (the explosion during the opening credits looks like a shot-on-video effect from the 1980s - and that is only two minutes into the film!). This film has literally NO redeeming value. It is nasty, ugly, pointless, stupid, and debasing. Come on, John! At least The Chronicles of Riddick only sucked, but this film is flat out offensively bad! Tue, 6 Dec 2011 15:48:59 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/12/05/conan-the-barbarian-blu-ray-review-brutal-bloody-b-movie-fun/#IDComment233723773 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/29/daily-call-sheet-do-what-elvis-costello-tells-you-and-riddick-3-resumes/#IDComment229642021 Interesting. I was too busy hating every moment of that film and being bored to death to notice any of that. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:30:08 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/29/daily-call-sheet-do-what-elvis-costello-tells-you-and-riddick-3-resumes/#IDComment229642021 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/16/daily-call-sheet-tom-hanks-action-president-why-leo-didnt-have-to-die-and-liberty-valance/#IDComment223502342 I do like how they've finally given some storyline to the Token Asian Guy character (I'm not being racist, I just don't know *any* of the characters' names, despite having seen every episode, so instead I refer to the characters as the obvious trope that they represent), because as far as I'm concerned he is the only relatable character in the bunch. Other than that, I find that this season is about on par with the first season. And I didn't like the first season. Which one is Daryl? Is he Lovable Oldman, or Racist Redneck Guy? Obviously, Daryl can't be Assertive Strong Girl or Whiny Wife. Hmm... Token Black Dude? Deputy Dbag? Sheriff McGoodguy? Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:01:30 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/16/daily-call-sheet-tom-hanks-action-president-why-leo-didnt-have-to-die-and-liberty-valance/#IDComment223502342 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/16/daily-call-sheet-tom-hanks-action-president-why-leo-didnt-have-to-die-and-liberty-valance/#IDComment223497307 I think Will Smith did a decent job (especially with his scenes shared with that awesome dog), but the writers made the character too much into a "Will Smith" type character. As in, they just HAD to find a situation for the character to sarcastically say "Aw hell naw!" at some point. If they had written it straight, I think Will still could have pulled it off and the affect would have been better overall. My biggest problem with his "I am Legend" is that they took out the twist in the story which makes the title "I am Legend" meaningful. I am Legend is NOT just another zombie/vampire survival story. Omega Man starts off well, but derails a bit when Heston meets up with the other survivors. Last Man on Earth comes the closest to hitting the mark, but I feel the tone sometimes descended into monster movie matinee territory (I can't see Vincent Price without recalling The Tingler: "The Tingler is in the theater. Scream! Scream for your lives!"). I am Legend has a very serious tone, and in LMoE's era in film there really was no such thing as a "serious" horror film. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:47:09 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/16/daily-call-sheet-tom-hanks-action-president-why-leo-didnt-have-to-die-and-liberty-valance/#IDComment223497307 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/02/morning-call-sheet-malick-news-and-reviews-american-reunion-trailer-and-my-shining-heresy/#IDComment215962017 Sorry, the miniseries with Steve Webber was laughably bad (though not his fault). CGI hedge maze monsters? Denver croquet? DENVER CROQUET?!?!? Truer to the book? Maybe, but Stephen King has a tendency to be a convoluted cheeseball anyways. Stephen King stuff needs to be filtered through a thick layer of artistic license for it to be viewable, and Kubrick nailed it. Wed, 2 Nov 2011 20:51:14 +0000 http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2011/11/02/morning-call-sheet-malick-news-and-reviews-american-reunion-trailer-and-my-shining-heresy/#IDComment215962017