The Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

the adventure Dr Henry Walton Jones Jr or was known as Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) did not yet end. His mission this time delivered the Kristal Skull to his place before being controlled by the Russian troops. Indy (the Indiana greeting) intended to move to London after Marshall College, his place university taught laid himself off till the deadline that was not determined.
however, when he began the trip used the carriage, came a young man was named Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf). The Mutt arrival looked for Indy because he was asked for by his mother who was becoming the troops's Russian prisoner. When meeting Indy, Mutt at once gave the letter and a sheet of guidance of the map of treasure made by the friend Indy, of Professor Oxley (John Hurt), that was lost mysteriously. Indy that knew true the method of Ox berteka-teki, began to translate the guidance and to try to look for the Kristal Skull. Indy and Mutt carried out the adventure broke the artificial Ox puzzle. The two of them flew towards Peru. It was lucky, both of them succeeded in finding the Kristal Skull.
however, their trip was not as smooth as the assumption. The Indy step and Mutt were sensed by the Russian spy that evidently the friend Indy, Mac (Ray Winstone). They then was brought to the troops's Russian post. Was not supposed, there Indy met Ox that became the Russian prisoner as well as your mother of Mutt that evidently the Indy fiance in the past, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen). At that time, the Ox condition very worrying. The spirit Ox was disturbed was proper for the sufferer was sick the spirit. This was caused by Ox too long gazed at the Kristal Skull eyes that radiated the rays. The struggle was for the sake of the struggle carried out by Indy and his friend to seize again the Kristal Skull. They wanted to return the skull to his place.
The film Indiana Jones was the quite phenomenal adventure film. Beginning with Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom (1984), and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), all of them panned for gold the success and the high interest from the lover of the film. Currently, after almost 19 years, Indiana Jones emerged again with Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. That distinguished with the series Indiana Jones beforehand was beforehand the Indy hunting was connected with Nazi. Now, the adventure was connected with the creature from the other dimension (could be mentioned AND or Alien). The fourth series Indiana Jones did not lose interesting with the series beforehand. However, possibly because of the time that influenced tren the film as well as so many adventure films and the hunting of similar treasure, made the theme this film story seemed the market. Not only that, the end the film story could easily was guessed was proper for the hunting film of other treasure. Spoke concerning the quality of acting of the players, might not be made hesitate.


this film could be watched in the cinema from May 22 2008. The title: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull the Director: Steven Spielberg the Genre: Action, Adventure the Player: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, John Hurt, Karen Allen the Production: Paramount Pictures. (ang).

Stitch : The Movies

The Movie

The dreaded Disney sequel curse strikes again. If you're not familiar with this common phenomenon, it's the ongoing problem that nearly every straight-to-video Disney sequel suffers from; namely, the movie stinks. And although Stitch! The Movie tries to up the ante in the comedy department, it falls horribly flat with its abysmal plot and stale dialogue.

Things get off to a bad start right from the promotional material on the box. It says, "Stitch was experiment 626…meet the other 625!" Sounds like the grounds for a good sequel right? Well it might have been if we actually got to meet the other 625. Instead, we're introduced to two other experiments, a slim electrical Pikachu like creature, and a painfully unfunny sandwich eating couch potato. Where are the rest of the experiments? Well we see them, but only in un-hatched egg form. Yes it's lame, much like the plot.

Our old "big dummy" shark-like nemesis, Captain Gantu has accepted employment with Jumba's old partner Dr. Hamsterviel. Hamsterviel is an angry little "hamster-like" alien whose sole mission is to steal back the other 625 experiments that he funded in the first place so he can take over the galaxy. When Lilo and Stitch see Jumbo getting kidnapped, they resort to hatching one of the other experiments to help get him back. Yet the electrical sucking creature acts much like Stitch did in the first movie, and naturally isn't very cooperative. Hamsterviel then attempts to torture Jumbo into telling him where the other experiments were hidden, by releasing experiment 625, who Gantu found laying on the ground at Lilo's house. Experiment 625 has all the power and capabilities of Stitch, yet is lazy and is only concerned with making sandwiches. This leads to a ransom for Jumbo's safe return, and the eventual release of all the remaining 623 experiments (none of which we really get to meet). The movie then concludes with a disgustingly simple resolution that the galactic councilwoman gingerly accepts.

On the bright side, all of the original voice talents from Lilo & Stitch have returned for this straight-to-video release. This is good, because if the voices had changed, the movie would have been un-watchable. I was happy that Kids In The Hall alum, Kevin McDonald got plenty of screen time with his oddball character Pleakley. This was my favorite character in the first movie, and I was glad to see he had received more lines for this installment. And for the most part, I enjoyed the voice of Jeff Bennett who played the overexcited Dr. Hamsterviel, despite the fact that he blatantly stole this personality from the French Taunter in the absolutely hilarious Monte Python and the Holy Grail.

Unfortunately, the movie has more bad points than good. The new character, 625, was the unfunniest and most horribly voiced characters I've ever seen in a Disney feature film. Also, Lilo's older sister Nani, and her friend David, seem disturbingly uninterested in their friend, Jumba's disappearance. This was especially unnerving since the first movie placed so much emphasis on the importance of family. These, along with several instances of bad writing and awful dialogue combined to make a pretty bad movie overall.

If your kids loved Lilo & Stitch, then they'll probably love Stitch! The Movie just as much, as the humor will appeal to young ones greatly. But if you're an adult who is curious to see how the tale continues on, I'd like to offer my advice: Don't bother. There are some funny parts here and there, but overall the experience felt like a complete waste of time. If you buy it, buy if for your kids, and try not to pay too close attention.


The DVD

Video:
Stitch! The Movie is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen. The nice thing about this rarely used aspect ratio is that it fit my giant 16x9 screen almost perfectly. That was nice to see. The picture quality itself is quite stunning. Colors are rich and vibrant, and the picture is clear and clean throughout. As with all Disney straight-to-video sequels, I was hugely disappointed in the lack of detail of animation that was found on the first movie. But I was expecting this early on, so it didn't come as a shock. But just once I wish Disney would surprise me and putt in the same level of effort for these movies like they do for their theatrical releases.

The only real problem I found was a moderate degree of edge enhancement. It's not very distracting, and should go widely unnoticed, unless you're watching it on an excessively large screen.

Audio:
Here we get both a Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS audio tracks. Both are exceptional, and sound nearly identical. The difference between the two was so minute, that it isn't worth mentioning. Just pick your favorite and enjoy.

I was disappointed that the audio for this movie wasn't as impressive as the first. There also wasn't as much sound going to the rear speakers, so the overall surround experience wasn't as full. But there really isn't anything to complain about here. The dialogue is clear and audible and the music sounds great. For a straight-to-video release it's more than fine. Nothing memorable, but it suits them movie perfectly.

Extras:
Trivia Challenge: Here is a straightforward trivia game hosted by the evil Dr. Hamsterviel. This operates like your standard multiple choice trivia game. But I did enjoy the intro and commentary by the charismatic Hamsterviel.

Experimental Finder: Here is a trial and error, click and choose game where you help Dr. Jumbo find his hiding experiments. Good for kids, horribly boring for adults.

Experiment Gallery: Here is a small database of the various other experiments that are cousins to Stitch. Children into Pokemon may love this feature as all the characters have a picture profile along with a short audio commentary about them.

"Aloha, E Komo Mai" Music Video: This video is performed by the Disney band Jump5. I actually liked the song, and was thrilled that the video was comprised entirely of clips from the movie, and was devoid of any teenagers jumping around in ridiculous outfits.

Final Thoughts:
Stitch! The Movie is a bad film. The plot is dreadful, and the dialogue is at times atrocious. That coupled with the incredibly short runtime of less than 60 minutes, you just can't help but be disappointed at this Disney sequel. Given the great opportunity to expand on this wonderful story, it appears that Disney has dropped the ball, or perhaps just didn't care. If your child really liked Lilo & Stitch, they'll probably love this movie just as much, but if you're looking for a great follow up to the loveable first film, don't look here. Skip It.



Source : http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/7218/stitch-the-movie/

The Bakugan 2

Bakugan Battle Brawlers (爆丸バトルブローラーズ, Bakugan Batoru Burōrāzu^?) is a Japanese anime television series produced by TMS Entertainment and Japan Vistec under the direction of Mitsuo Hashimoto. The story centers on the lives of creatures called Bakugan and the battle brawlers who have the deep power to wield them. Consisting of fifty-one episodes, Bakugan Battle Brawlers debuted in Japan on TV Tokyo in 2007. Nelvana Limited produced the English language version and premiered the series on the Canadian network Teletoon later the same year. In conjunction with the anime series, Sega Toys and Spin Master released a strategic game, called Bakugan, using metal cards and magnetic spring-loaded miniature figures.

Characters

Dan Kuso

Dan is a 11^[1] year old boy who loves Bakugan. His greatest ambition is to be the number 1 battle brawler in the world. He is a Pyrus battler. He is very quick to temper. His guardian Bakugan is the Pyrus-attribute Dragonoid (nicknamed Drago). In the anime television series, Dan is voiced by Yu Kobayashi in the Japanese language and Scott McCord in the English language. Drago is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in the Japanese language and Jason Deline in the English language.

Runo Misaki

At the age of 11, Runo is not your typical pre-teen girl. Runo is a tomboy who loves playing Bakugan with people that have skills to show off. Runo is a Haos battler. Her Guardian Bakugan is the Haos-attribute Tigrerra, who is very obedient to her master and powerful in battle. Runo hates when people think that just because she is a girl, they can beat her. At the end of the series she and Dan are seen on a movie date. In the anime television series, Runo is voiced by Eri Sendai in the Japanese language and Julie Lemieux in the English language. Tigrerra is voiced by Atsushi Ono in the Japanese language and Stevie Vallance in the English language.

Marucho Marukuros

He is a wealthy, 10 year old who is very generous and smart. He is what you could call a walking encyclopedia. He loves to play Bakugan and he also likes to work on strategies. He used to be extremely obedient to his parents just because he wanted to please them, but that changed when he met the Brawlers. He now has no regrets for the past, realizing that he only wanted to make his parents happy. He is an Aquos battler. His Guardian Bakugan are the Aquos-attribute Preyas and the Haos Angelo/Pyrus Diablo Preyas. Preyas was sent to the Doom Dimension in Marucho's battle with Klaus Von Hertzon. Later Klaus shows up with Preyus. Dan and Runo find a way to get Preyas back through defeating him in battle. Preyas evolves into a two-sided Bakugan called Preyas Angelo (Haos) and Preyas Diablo (Pyrus). Unlike the other Bakugan however, Preyas multiplies when he evolves, so Marucho got to keep the old Preyas. He is short and small. Preyas also has a move called "Change of Attribute" with that he can take advantage of the opponent's gate card. In the anime television series, Marucho is voiced by Ryou Hirohashi in the Japanese language and Joanne Vannicola in the English language. Preyas is voiced by Shawn Meunier.

Julie Makimoto

She's 12 years old and tries to stay happy even when the worst has happened (for example, when Billy ended up under the control of Masquerade), her acting happy after something terrible happened is generally just to cover up her real feelings. Julie forgets things easily, proving that she is a little scatterbrained at times. She is always up and happy with a positive attitude. She is a Subterra battler. At the beginning of the series, she is shown to have a crush on Dan (which led to some arguments with a jealous Runo), but later, she likes Billy and accepts a date offer from him and they start going out. Julie has a sister named Daisy who has bested her in everything since she was a child. Her Guardian Bakugan is Subterra-attribute Gorem. In the anime television series, Julie is voiced by Risa Mizuno in the Japanese language and Katie Griffin in the English language. Gorem is voiced by Hiroki Yasumoto.

Shun Kazami

He is a very strong, silent, cool type 11-year-old. He is the former 1st ranked Bakugan player who later moves down to sixth position. He is a master of Bakugan, and is also Dan's childhood friend. Shun is a loner, a boy of very few words, yet is willing to help his friends at every turn almost. He is a Ventus battler. He approaches Bakugan like a ninja. He lives with his grandfather (who used to be a famous ninja warrior) who once expected Shun to follow in his footsteps instead of playing Bakugan. His Guardian Bakugan is the Ventus-attribute Skyress whom Shun received from his comatose mother in the hospital. In the anime television series, Shun is voiced by Chihiro Suzuki in the Japanese language and Zachary Bennett in the English language. Skyress is voiced by Chiharu Suzuka.

Alice Gehabich

She is a 14-year-old-girl from Moscow who doesn't play Bakugan. Michael Gehahbich is her grandfather, but after learning that her grandfather became Hal-G and works with Naga, she constantly worried about him. Alice usually just gives advice to the brawlers, instead of battling. Alice and Marucho are the 2 brawlers who mostly use strategy. Although unlike Marucho, Alice gives her strategies to the brawlers. During season 2 she left the Brawlers after finding out that she was Masquerade out of intense guilt over what she did as him, but later returns in time to save Dan and Drago. In the anime television series, Alice is voiced by Mamiko Noto in the Japanese language and Emilie Barlow in the English language.

Masquerade

He used to be the number 1 Bakugan player before he left Alice's body. His goal is to send all Bakugan to the Doom Dimension with his Doom Card, so he can evolve his Hydranoid and have the Ultimate Bakugan. He is a Darkus battler. He is revealed to be Alice in episode 38 and 39. Masquerade came to life when negative energy changed Alice. (Who doesn't know she is Masquerade or what happens when she becomes him.) Alice's Grandfather was also affected by the negative energy and he was changed into Hal-G. (A man working with Naga to destroy Earth and Vestroia.) He battles with Dan in episode 38 and loses. He is actually Alice, but Masquerade disappears from her body. In the anime television series, Masquerade is voiced by Souichiro Hoshi in the Japanese language and Lyon Smith in the English language.

Joe Brown

Also known as Webmaster Joe. He lived in a hospital with his mother. The Brawlers used to think he was working for Masquerade, but he actually sent a message to the Brawlers to warn them that Masquerade was plotting against them. When he met Dan, he said he would only tell him if he was working for Masquerade if Dan beat him in a battle. In the middle of the battle he fainted. When he woke up they asked him to be one of the Brawlers. He gladly accepted. Sometime after he moved to the Brawlers neighborhood, he found Wayvern who had the Infinity core inside her. Wayvern's attribute is Haos. Wayvern is Joe's Guardian Bakugan.It is also revealed that Wayvern is Naga's younger twin sister. At the end of the last episode of Bakugan Joe and Chan Lee are seen on a bench together holding hands. Joe is the first person to beat Masquerade at Bakugan. In the anime television series, Joe is voiced by Souichiro Hoshi.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakugan_Battle_Brawlers

The Shoot 'em Up 2008

A man was waiting for the bus when seeing a woman was pregnant was pursued by a man. The man was named Smith (Clive Owen) that by being reluctant to help the woman from murder efforts and Smith must help the woman to give birth. Here Smith met Hertz (Paul Giamatti) that aimed at the woman was pregnant that. With the expertise shot from Smith, Smith succeeded in escaping with the baby, but love the mother did not succeed in being safe. To give HEED to the baby, Smith looked for Donna (Monica Belucci), a PROSTITUTE to help suckled him. Firstly Donna refused the Smith request. However when Hertz questioned Donna, and Smith rescued him just Donna wanted to help the baby.

In the pursuit, Smith succeeded in knowing whoever aimed at the baby and for the aim whether the baby was born. However in order to resolve the problem, Smith told Donna to go out of the city with the baby. Did Smith succeed in killing taros from the case init? Produce Donna met again with Smith that was arrested and was tortured by Hertz? COMMENT Well , this the fast film with the story that really simple. There was no deepening of the character, the action scene went quickly although ought to be it was admitted rather unique, the difference from normal but easy forgotten. I did not know why Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and Monica Belucci wanted playing in the light film like this. Because of fast and simple him this film, I also could not write at length about this film.

In fact the action scene in this film was unique and unusual in fact possibly could be considered to be the genius although too much invented stories. However that did not increase the value in this film. It was rather interesting that my attention was the Smith scene shot lights billboard so as to form a sentence in the beginning of the film and it was replied by Hertz by firing lights billboard that was other. Well the end said, After Violet's Ultra film (Milla Jovovich), this of one of the films full action that made me want this film fast was finished. Love, too many of them the action scene even made this film boring. It was just appropriate, the Distributor's side postponed pemutaran this film in Indonesia in fact has gone out VCD and DVD original before this film was turned in the cinema. So I could not give one star then for this film. Sorry Owen, no cataracts for you this time.

The Babylon A.D

Babylon A.D. is a 2008 science fiction thriller film based on the novel Babylon Babies by Maurice Georges Dantec. The film was directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and stars Vin Diesel, Mélanie Thierry, Michelle Yeoh and Lambert Wilson. It was released on August 29, 2008 in the United States.

A few decades in the future, a mercenary named Toorop (Vin Diesel) accepts a contract from a Russian mobster, Gorsky, who instructs him to bring a young woman only known as Aurora (Mélanie Thierry) to New York. In order to reach his goal, Gorsky gave Toorop a variety of weapons as well as a UN passport that has to be injected under the skin of the neck. Toorop, along with the girl and her guardian nun Sister Rebeka (Michelle Yeoh), travel from the Noelite Convent where they lived across Russia to reach America.

The towns and cities of Russia have been turned into dangerous, over populated slums by war and terrorist activity, forcing Toorop, Aurora, and Rebeka to face dangers of the human element, all the while fleeing from an unknown group of mercenaries claiming to have been sent by Aurora's supposedly dead father. The stress of humanity's situation causes Aurora to act out in strange ways that neither Toorop, nor Rebeka can explain. On one such occasion, Aurora seemed, for no reason, to panic and run from a crowded train station, just before it was bombed.

Later, they were forced to board a submarine that carried refugees to Canada. There were too many refugees to take at once, so the submarine was forced to leave some behind, even if it came to shooting them. Aurora, infuriated by the loss of life, suddenly knew how to operate the thirty year old submarine, without having ever learned about it.

Sister Rebeka explains to Toorop that Aurora could speak nineteen different languages by the age of two, and always seemed to know things she had never learned. When, three months before leaving with Toorop, she had begun acting out in ways she never had before. This occurred after a visit by a Noelite doctor who had administered a pill to Aurora. The doctor told her to go to America, and arranged for Toorop to take them.

Once in New York, a news broadcast about the bombing of the Convent that Aurora and Rebeka hail from, caused the group to realize that there was more going on then they knew. Gorsky, working for the Noelites, had planted a tracking device in Toorop's passport, and then bombed the convent when he knew they were in America. The doctor who earlier saw Aurora in the convent then appears to examine her again. When he leaves, Aurora reveals (again without being told) that she is pregnant with twins, even though she was a virgin.

Looking outside, Toorop saw both Gorsky's men, as well as the Noelite group, heavily armed and waiting for them. The High Priestess then calls Toorop and asks him to bring Aurora outside. Just before they take her away, Toorop changes his mind and starts a firefight with the two groups with the ultimate goal of getting the two women to safety. However, because of the tracking devices, Gorsky's men can lock onto him with tracking rockets. Rebeka gets shot and killed defending Aurora, who in turn shoots Toorop saying the words "I need you to live." By dying, the rocket goes off target and hits Aurora instead.

Toorop's body was revived by Dr. Arthur Darquandier, using advanced medical techniques that involved replacing his right arm with cybernetics to undo the damage of being dead for over two hours. Darquandier explaines that when Aurora was a fetus, he genetically enhanced her by using a super computer to 'implant' intelligence into her brain. It is also implied that the Noelite group had him create Aurora to become pregnant at a certain time in order to use her as a 'virgin birth' for their religion.

After she was born, the Noelites had him assassinated, or so they thought. He remained 'dead' until he found his daughter in Russia with Toorop.

Doctor Darquandier then instructed Toorop to find Aurora before the Noelites could, which he does. Aurora dies giving birth to two children of two different colors, whom Toorop raises as his own.

Cast :

Vin diesel as Hugo Cornelius Toorop, a mercenary

• Mélanie Thierry as Aurora, a young woman who has been genetically altered
• Michelle Yeoh as Sister Rebecca, an elder Japanese Noelite nun
• Lambert Wilson as Dr. Arthur Darquandier, Aurora's father thought to be dead
• Mark Strong as Finn
• Gerard Depardieu as Gorsky, the man who hired Toorop to transport Aurora
• Charlotte Rampling as the Noelite High Priestess and CEO of the Noelite church, who paid for Aurora to be created and therefore sees herself as her mother
• David Gasman as Noelite Researcher

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylon_A.D.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Hellboy II: The Golden Army is a 2008 fantasy-superhero film based on the fictional Dark Horse Comics character Hellboy. The film is directed by Guillermo del Toro and is a sequel to the 2004 film Hellboy, which del Toro also directed. Ron Perlman reprises his role as the titular character. The film was commercially released on July 11, 2008 in the United States and Canada.

In Christmas of 1955, a young Hellboy is told a bedtime story by his adoptive father, Professor Broom (John Hurt), involving an ancient battle between man and monsters. The master of the goblin blacksmiths built an unstoppable clockwork army for Balor, the one-armed king of elfland, which could only be controlled by those of royal blood, provided no one challenged their right to do so. This Golden Army devastated the humans so mercilessly that Balor forged a truce with them to stop the bloodshed: man would keep his cities and the creatures would keep their forests. Balor's son, Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), didn't agree with the truce, and left in exile. The crown controlling the army was broken into three pieces, one piece going to the humans and the other two kept by the elves, so the Golden Army could never be raised again.

In the present, Nuada decides to declare war on the humans. He collects the first piece of the crown from an auction and kills his father for the second. His twin sister Princess Nuala escapes with the final piece. Meanwhile, Hellboy (Ron Perlman) is having relationship issues with his girlfriend Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). He is also having trouble accepting that their organization, the BPRD, must remain a secret. During a mission to eradicate thousands of ravenous tooth fairies, which Nuada set loose as he took the first piece of the crown, Hellboy allows himself to be revealed to the world. In the commotion, Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) discovers that Liz is pregnant. Furious about the public unveiling, Washington sends a by-the-book agent, the ectoplasmic Johann Krauss, to take command. With Krauss in charge, the team tracks the tooth fairies to the Troll Market, an enormous merchant city hidden under the Brooklyn Bridge, for clues. Abe stumbles into Nuala, who has obtained a map leading to the Golden Army, during their search, and quickly falls in love with her following a brief psychic encounter. She is brought under BPRD protection following an attack by Nuada's companion Mr. Wink (Brian Steele) and a forest elemental. During the elemental fight, Hellboy questions whether it is right to fight for the humans when he too is a mythical creature.

Nuada tracks his sister to BPRD headquarters using their magical bond, which causes them to share wounds and allows them to read each others' thoughts to an extent. Nuala, sensing her brother's arrival, burns the map, along with the canister in which it came, and hides the final piece of the crown within one of Abe's books. However, the real map is on the canister. Nuada kidnaps his sister and mortally wounds Hellboy with his spear. Unable to remove the spear shard, Johann, Liz, and Abe take Hellboy to the location of the Golden Army, hidden in Northern Ireland. They encounter the goblin that oversaw the creation of the Golden Army, and he brings them before the Angel of Death (Jones), who has been waiting for their arrival. Though told that Hellboy would doom humanity if he lives, and that she'll suffer the most from it, Liz pleads for Hellboy not to die. Amused by her choice, the Angel removes the spear shard from Hellboy's chest and tells Liz to give him a reason to live. She reveals to Hellboy that he's going to be a father, and he recovers.

The goblin leads the team to the resting place of the Golden Army, where Nuada awaits them. In exchange for Nuala, Abe gives him the last piece of the crown. With the crown reformed, Nuada invokes the Golden Army and has them attack the agents. Counterattacking proves pointless, as the soldiers magically reform themselves when destroyed. Hellboy challenges Nuada for the right to the crown, and Nuada is forced to accept, since Hellboy, as the Son of the Fallen One, is royalty. Hellboy defeats Nuada and spares his life, but the Prince tries to stab Hellboy in the back. Nuala commits suicide to stop her brother. Abe rushes to Nuala's body and psychically tells her his feelings before she dies. Liz then melts the crown, shutting down the Golden Army forever. As the BPRD agents leave the underground compound, Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) reprimands them for their actions. To his surprise, Hellboy, Liz, Abe, and Johann all hand over their belts (though Hellboy keeps his pistol) and announce their resignation from the bureau. As they walk away, Hellboy contemplates his future life with Liz and their baby. Liz stops and corrects him, saying "babies", surprising him with the fact that she is pregnant with twins.

On the DVD edition, an animated epilogue of the film reveals that Rasputin is still alive and the Nazis are planning to rebuild their organization, possibly setting the stage for the third film.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellboy_II

Awake 2008

As usual Hayden Christensen looks in desperate need of a shot in the arm. Indie thriller Awake finds him as a rich kid with a dodgy ticker who becomes conscious during surgery and, still paralysed, overhears a plot to kill him. It's an attention-grabbing premise but one that first-time writer-director Joby Harold fails to make good on. For one thing, Christensen appears vacant even with his eyes open, and that's only underlined by being peripheral to the action.

Director Harold soaps up before surgery, dwelling far too long on the relationship between heart patient Clay and his girlfriend Sam (Jessica Alba). Clay keeps it a secret from his domineering mother Lilith (Lena Olin) until finally, he gets the call for transplant surgery. Knowing that he may not survive the operation, he marries Sam against mum's wishes. That makes for a frosty atmosphere in the waiting room, but that's nothing compared to the excruciating pain that Clay feels under the surgeon's knife, along with the gradual realisation that he is being murdered.

"FUTILE FRENZY"

Of course there isn't much Clay can do while his body is in paralysis so Harold gives him an out-of-body experience. Alas, even then all our hero can manage is a bit of childish petulance: hollering and stamping his feet in the background. To take his mind off the pain, there are flashbacks to happier times at which point the story flatlines. The only sequence that truly gets the pulse racing is the build up to the first incision. Harold later depends on obvious twists and revelations, carelessly stripping the main players of all credibility. Terrence Howard, because of his moral ambiguity as the chief surgeon, is the only intriguing character while Clay, in his futile frenzy, grows ever more tedious. As thrillers go, this one shows few vital signs.

Awake is out in the UK on 4th April 2008.

Source : http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2008/03/31/awake_2008_review.shtml

The Hot Anime Podcasting Action

I don’t think anyone can disagree that podcasting has changed audio entertainment. We’re not stuck with commercials and bad music; we can now pick and choose what we want to listen to and when we want to hear it. Outside of free, pod-safe music, podcasting has allowed niche interests to be shared among people around the world in a radio show format, and Skype and Odeo allows the listeners to send in their comments and interact with the hosts.

There’s a bunch of solid anime-centric podcasts out there, ranging from reviews to roundtable discussion, and companies are embracing this communication method for promotion and feedback straight from otaku. Let’s take a look at a few of these podcasts!

Without a doubt, Anime Pulse is the star of anime podcasting. It won an award as Best Podcast in the Cultural/Arts category at the 2006 Podcast and Portable Media Expo, running up against shows centered around, well, let’s just say more recognizably artsy topics. Anime Pulse covers a wide variety of subjects, from reviews of the latest shows from Japan, to fanboy rants, to newsbites that are interesting to otaku. I mean, I don’t expect to see info on the latest super-expensive Gundam model on TV. In a somewhat scary sidenote, their home base isn’t that far away from my humble abode.

Weekly Anime Review Podcast is, well, exactly as the name says. They review anime, old and new. Yup. They also cast their net wider into Japanese culture, American conventions, online retailer promotions... You name it, it’ll show up eventually.

Anime World Order Podcast, despite the oppressive name, contains much unadulterated geeking, where the intricacies of English romanization of the Japanese language are discussed, along with con reports. They also cover news and do a few reviews as meat for their fun sandwich.

Anime Genesis focuses more on news than reviews, which is a nice break from the majority of anime podcasts. For people looking for something a little different, there’s the ElectricSistaHood podcast. They’re ladies who loves them some game and pretty anime, and they are proud. Represent!

For the more kinky-minded, Happy House of Hentai (I wish I had thought of that name first...) does reviews of DVDs and games (duh!), news stories with genitals involved, places to find free hentai, and a segment on Hello Kitty products, kinky or just label you as kinky for associating hentai with the infamous patron kitten of consumerism.

MangaCast, which grew out of the popular newsblog MangaBlog, is perhaps the only podcast focusing on manga, instead of anime. I guess it’s just like books versus movies and TV in general; it’s easier to talk about moving pictures than words and pictures on a page. In general, MangaCast is just like any other comics podcast: they do reviews, discuss writers and artists, what’s up and coming, and trends in the industry. An excellent podcast for people who want to know more about the manga industry without doing a lot of googling and Wikipedia searches.

Track-shun Anime Review is one of the few video anime podcasts out there, which rates which shows you should keep “track” off, and which ones you should “shun” without remorse.

In the spirit of podcasting without borders, I present OZ Anime Podcast (with Ben and Zach), originating from Australia. They review and talk about anime, games, and other cool stuff. They’re the only Australian independent anime podcast, so you rock guys!

Speaking of company-sponsored podcasting, most of the major US anime distributors have their own podcasts (ADV Films and Anime Network, The Right Stuf, FUNimation and Geneon) for showing trailers of upcoming and current releases and just plain ol’ interviewing producers and unwitting employees. (I jest because I love.) AnimeNation and The Right Stuf both feature interviews and reviews, as well as store specials at their respective websites. All of these shows can easily be found at their websites or on iTunes.

Finally, for otaku wanting to get an early start or supplement their elementary Japanese, there’s Japanese Pod 101, which contains a wealth of videos, word building games and a daily podcast at various knowledge levels.

So if you’re looking to improve your anime and manga awareness, load up your mp3 player and give these shows a few minutes of your time!

Source : http://www.mania.com/hot-anime-podcasting-action_article_54317.html

The Pokemon

Pokémon (abbreviated from Pocket Monsters (ポケットモンスター, Poketto Monsutā^?) in Japan) is an ongoing Japanese animated series, which has since been adapted for the North American and European television market. It is somewhat based on the Pokémon video game series and a part of the Pokémon franchise.

Originally a single series, Pokémon, it has since been made into three series, including Pokémon: Advanced Generation and subsequently Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, which continue the story of Pokémon, while its spin-off Pokémon Chronicles or, as it is known in Japan, Pokémon Sunday (formerly Shūkan Pokémon Hōsōkyoku) is a series of stories revolving around some of the recurring characters.

The first series tells the story of Ash Ketchum (known as Satoshi in the Japanese version, he is named after Pokémon's creator, Satoshi Tajiri), his friends, and his quest to become a Pokémon Master, as well as their quests. However, unlike in the video games, he is given a Pikachu as his first Pokémon under unusual circumstances. Much of the series focuses on the friendship between Ash, Pikachu, Misty, Brock, May, Max, Tracey, Dawn and the various Pokémon and Trainers along the way. Joining Ash on his adventures are Brock (known as Takeshi in Japan) who wants to become the world's best Pokémon breeder and Misty (Kasumi in Japan) who wants to be a water Pokémon trainer (Brock and Misty were gym leaders in the original Pokémon game, and were in the anime too but were able to travel with Ash due to different circumstances).

The other two series continue to follow the adventures of Ash and his friends. However, starting with the Advanced Generation series a new main character named May (Haruka in Japan) travels with Ash, Brock and also her little brother Max (Masato in Japan) through the Hoenn region replacing Misty, and competes in Pokémon Contests, which are set up in a similar manner to Pokémon Gyms (many throughout the region, and ending with a large tournament), although immensely different.

Throughout the run of the show the subject matter changes. In the original series, the show is more comical and whimsical (light and airy). It uses "goofy" humor (or "cute" humor when it comes to Pikachu, who does wacky things in between important scenes). In the Advanced Generation series as Ash becomes more of a mature and leader-type character, the main course of the show becomes more serious, as it deals with love and death, and its previous comical nature (for the most part) changes into comic relief, attributed mostly to Team Rocket and Brock's love of girls, though the Diamond and Pearl series seems to have returned to using the original comical nature (mostly Ash being the straight man to his Pokémon's antics and Dawn taking the role of the naive beginner).

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_(anime)

Rocky Balboa is descends into self parody

“Rocky Balboa,” the sixth (and hopefully last) installment in the underdog saga of the Italian Stallion, straddles the line between nostalgia and self-parody and frequently teeters toward the latter.

Returning to his roots, Sylvester Stallone writes, directs and stars once again as the iconic title character, who long ago retired from boxing and now has carved out a quiet life as a South Philly celebrity and restaurant owner. He mourns the loss of his beloved Adrian, who died of cancer, and still hangs out with her loudmouth brother, Paulie (Burt Young). (Talia Shire appears in flashbacks at moments that ostensibly were meant to be inspiring, but instead just feel clunky.)

But when an ESPN computer simulator pits him in his prime against the current heavyweight champion, Mason “The Line” Dixon (retired light heavyweight champ Antonio Tarver), Rocky gets the bug for that tried-and-true one last fight.

No one thinks he should do it — not his son, Robert Jr. (Milo Ventimiglia), who’s bitter about the burden of having famous blood run through his veins, and certainly not the media, who have a ball bashing Rocky before he even sets foot in the ring.

This would be an example of art imitating life — or is it the other way around? The idea of yet another “Rocky” movie writes its own punch lines, and Stallone deserves some credit for being aware of this phenomenon and having enough confidence in himself not to care.

And there is a certain allure to the ritual of revisiting the character, a comfort in the familiarity. He’s mellowed a bit now as he wanders about town, incapable of walking down the street without being approached for an autograph, yet he continues to spew those overly simplistic Rockyisms in that rumble of a voice that sounds like he’s gargling with marbles. (“You know, you learn a lot talking to dogs” is among the funniest.)

He and Paulie still have that spirited banter in which neither seems to be listening to the other, and he’s added a new friend: a shy single mom he knew as a girl from the neighborhood, whom he still affectionately calls Little Marie (Geraldine Hughes), who comes to work as the hostess at his restaurant.

But then when the inevitable training montage begins, to the swelling strains of “Gonna Fly Now,” it’s all so hard to take seriously after all this time. He does everything you expect to see him do — he lifts hulking metal chains and kegs of beer, jabs and hooks those giant slabs of meat, before running triumphantly up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art — and does it all with heart.

Lest we forget, as he prepares to get his butt beaten by a man half his age, we are repeatedly reminded of the comparative enormity of Rocky’s heart. Tarver’s character, meanwhile, is merely impudent and pampered — so poorly fleshed out, it’s hard to care about him at all much less fear or loathe him. It makes you long for the broad charms of Mr. T.

But let’s be honest: Was anyone (besides Stallone) really curious to see how Rocky might turn out at age 60? He is in massively muscular, fabulous shape — truly a specimen to behold at any age — and maybe that’s the point after all.

Stallone says he wanted to close out the franchise with a sense of satisfaction after the bomb that was “Rocky V” in 1990. But maybe he also wanted to stand there covered in fake blood and sweat, wrapped in a silk robe, and revel in the warm glow of having an entire arena full of extras chant, “Rocky! Rocky!” one more time.

Back in 1976, it all seemed so inspiring; the original “Rocky” was a small gem that became the surprise best-picture Oscar winner. In 2006, though, “Rocky Balboa” merely feels like a shameless vanity project.

Source : http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16271357/

The Rambo V

Sylvester Stallone initially poo-pooed the idea of another Rambo sequel, and then reportedly signed on to direct and star in two more unnamed action movies, it looks like we may finally have confirmation on what many had already suspected. One of these unnamed action movies is indeed a fifth Rambo flick! I guess part 4 wasn’t the end of the line for John Rambo after all.

The Hollywood Reporter recently did a piece on some of the upcoming projects from Lionsgate, and among them Rambo V is listed plain as day:

“On the development horizon are “Warrior,” which Gavin O’Connor co-wrote and will direct; “Conan,” a fast-tracked project with multiple scripts in the works; “Severance Package,” with Brett Simon writing and directing; “Rambo V,” to be written and directed by Sylvester Stallone; “Korean Wedding” from writer Jason Filardi; and “Kane & Lynch,” a video game adaptation that will star Bruce Willis.”

Well, as much as I am worried that a fifth Rambo might be pushing his luck, I have to admit that I will be first in line to see it when it comes out. Based on how the last movie concluded, it seems likely that this installment will bring Rambo back to the good ol’ U.S. of A., and I’m curious to see where Stallone might take it from there. At the very least, I suppose Rambo can withstand another sequel a lot better than Rocky could. As long as Stallone does not attempt a Rocky 7, I will be more than happy to just keep my mouth shut. What do you think, is Rambo V a good idea?

Related Posts

• Stallone Puts His Foot Down: No More Rambo Sequels
• Sylvester Stallone Planning Rambo Director’s Cut?
• The Weinsteins Say Another Rambo Sequel is Inevitable

Source : http://www.filmjunk.com/2008/09/11/rambo-v-pretty-much-confirmed/

Mr. Bean Star Rowan Atkinson to Headlines the West End Revival of Olivers

Rowan Atkinson will star as Fagin in the West End Revival of Oliver! this winter. Lionel Bart’s musical masterpiece, presented by Cameron Mackintosh and directed by Rupert Goold, will begin performances at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on December 12, 2008. Opening night is set for January 14, 2009.

Atkinson is famous for his title roles in the British television comedies Blackadder and Mr. Bean. He later appeared in two feature films based on the show, Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie and Mr. Bean’s Holiday. His other film credits include The Tall Guy, The Witches, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Lion King, Scooby Doo, Love Actually and Johnny English. He also appeared on television in the Ben Elton sitcom The Thin Blue Line and was a founding member of the BBC’s Not the Nine O’Clock News.

This production of Oliver! will be based on Sam Mendes’ 1994 staging. Included in the score are Bart’s famous songs “Food Glorious Food,” “Consider Yourself,” “I’d Do Anything” and “As Long As He Needs Me.”

The roles of Nancy and Oliver will be cast on the BBC’s reality program I’d Do Anything. Additional casting and creative team members are to be announced.



Source : http://london.broadway.com/story/id/3009808

The Mr. Bean

Mr. Bean was a British comedy television series of 14 half-hour episodes starring Rowan Atkinson as the title character. Different episodes were written by Rowan Atkinson, Robin Driscoll, Richard Curtis and one by Ben Elton. The self-titled first episode was broadcast on 1 January 1990, with the final episode, "Hair by Mr. Bean of London", on 25 August, 1996.

Based on a character developed by Rowan Atkinson at university, the series followed the exploits of Mr. Bean, described by Atkinson as "a child in a grown man's body",^[1] in solving various problems presented by everyday tasks and often causing disruption in the process.

During its five year run the series gained large UK audience figures, including 18.74 million for the 1992 episode "The Trouble With Mr. Bean"^[2], which was the recipient of a number of international awards, including the Rose d'Or, and has had an enduring effect on popular culture. The show has been sold in over 200 territories worldwide, and has inspired two feature films and an animated cartoon spin-off.^[3]

Mr. Bean

The title character, played by Rowan Atkinson, is a slow-witted, sometimes ingenious, selfish and generally likable buffoon who brings various unusual schemes and connivances to everyday tasks. He lives alone in his small flat in Highbury, North London, and is almost always seen in his trademark tweed jacket and skinny red tie. Mr. Bean rarely speaks, and when he does it is generally only a few mumbled words. His first name (he names himself "Bean" to others) and profession, if any, are never mentioned. Atkinson has said, at the time of the first film's release that he imagines Bean's first name to be Julian, thus making Julian Bean a reference to famous guitarist and lutenist Julian Bream. He has been shown in the first episode to have a strong knowledge of trigonometry.^[11] (In the first film adaptation, the 'name' "Mr." appears on his passport in the "first name" field, and he is shown employed as a guard at London's National Gallery.^[12] In Mr. Bean's Holiday, however, his name is listed on his passport as "Rowan".^[13])

Mr. Bean often seems unaware of basic aspects of the way the world works, and the programme usually features his attempts at what would normally be considered simple tasks, such as going swimming, redecorating or going to church. The humour largely comes from his original (and often absurd) solutions to any problems and his total disregard for others when solving them, his pettiness, and occasional malevolence.

At the beginning of episode two onwards, Mr. Bean falls from the sky in a beam of light, accompanied by a choir singing Ecce homo qui est faba ("Behold the man who is a bean"). These opening sequences were initially in black and white in episodes 2 and 3, and were intended by the producers to show his status as an "ordinary man cast into the spotlight". However, later episodes showed Mr. Bean dropping from the night sky in a deserted London street, against the backdrop of St. Paul's Cathedral. Atkinson himself has acknowledged that Bean "has a slightly alien aspect to him";^[14] in the animated series, he was actually shown to be an alien.

Teddy

Teddy is Mr. Bean's teddy bear, generally regarded as Mr. Bean's best friend. The bear is a dark brown, knitted oddity with button eyes and sausage-shaped limbs, invariably ending up broken in half or in various other states of destruction and disfiguration. Although Teddy is inanimate, Bean occasionally pretends it is alive. For example, when Mr. Bean hypnotizes Teddy, he snaps his fingers and the bear's head falls backwards as if it has fallen asleep instantly (Bean used his finger to prop Teddy's head up). Certainly, Bean behaves as if the bear is real, buying it a Christmas present or trying not to wake it in the mornings. The bear is often privy to Mr. Bean's various schemes and doubles as a good dish cloth or paint brush in an emergency; it has been decapitated ("Mr. Bean in Room 426") and shrunk in the wash ("Tee Off, Mr. Bean").

Over the years, Teddy has undergone several changes. When it debuted on "The Trouble with Mr. Bean", it had a smaller head. Two episodes later, its head reached its current size, but its "eye" wasn't present until Bean placed gold thumb tacks on its face. The "eyes" have since been replaced with two small white buttons sewn over Teddy's face, giving it a distinct image.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Bean

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (Wild Speed X3 Tokyo Drift in Japan) is a 2006 film directed by Justin Lin and the third installment of The Fast and the Furious film series. The film features an all-new cast and a different setting (Tokyo, Japan) from the previous two films. The movie was shot in Tokyo and in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, the latter often covered with props and lights to create the illusion of the Tokyo style.

In the movie, Sean (Lucas Black), after getting himself into more trouble than he or his mother can get him out of, is sent to live with his father, a Navy officer who is stationed in Tokyo, Japan. Sean meets new friends and learns a new way to race, at the same time gaining a few enemies. Testing his patience and skill, he learns courage and gains respect from his friends, his father, and his girl, Neela (Nathalie Kelley).

At the beginning of the movie Sean gets into trouble with one of the local kids from his high school, Clay (Zachery Ty Bryan) and the two decide on a race through a subdivision under construction, during which they both get injured. Sean (Lucas Black) is then sent to Tokyo to live with his father, stationed in Japan as a U.S Naval Officer, after his incident in the United States almost lands him in jail. He is introduced into the world of drifting after a chance encounter with another expat, Twinkie (Bow Wow), a hustler who sells American goods to the Japanese.

However, Sean soon runs into Takashi (Brian Tee), also known as DK (short for Drift King), and his business partner Han (Sung Kang), who was born and raised in America. Sean challenges Takashi to a race using Han's car, where Takashi ends up winning in a blowout, and Sean totaling Han's car. Afterwards, Han tells Sean that he will be working with him to pay off the car as well as representing him in future races. Sean later finds out more about his friends, namely Han, being involved in a business partnership with Takashi, a "wannabe" Yakuza. Sean also finds out Han is letting him race because he is the only one who isn't afraid of Takashi, causing Han to refer to him as Takashi's 'kryptonite'.

Sean gets involved with Neela, and his budding relationship with her puts him at odds with Takashi. Neela tells Sean that she and Takashi grew up together, and provides some insight to Takashi. Sean slowly gains a reputation in the drifting scene after some tutelage and support (both financial and friendship) from Han and his gang of "misfits." Takashi beats up Sean after seeing him with Neela, threatening him to stay away from her. Neela sees Sean's bruises and leaves Takashi in anger to be with Sean.

Takashi's uncle, Kamata, a high ranking Yakuza (portrayed by Sonny Chiba), told him that there is a discrepancy in the books, and that Han must be cheating them out of money. Takashi confronts Han and his group with this discrepancy. However, Han, Sean, and Neela flee before Takashi deals with the money laundering. A car chase ensues through the Tokyo streets, with Takashi chasing Han. Takashi shoots at Han throughout the chase, causing Han's car to flip over Takashi. Han's car starts to leak gasoline from the crash, while Han is unable to move from his injuries. As Sean and Neela finally catch up to Han, the gasoline leaked from the car reaches a nearby fire, killing Han. Sean and Neela go back to Sean's father's house, and Takashi comes to take Neela and kill Sean, but Sean's father threatens Takashi with his own gun. Neela voluntarily goes on Takashi.

Sean attempts to make amends by appealing to Takashi's uncle, returning the money and offering to an "honor race", a duel where whoever loses is run out of town. The race is on a touge (mountain pass) that Takashi has the advantage on, since he's supposedly the only one to ever make it down to the bottom in one piece. Sean, Twinkie, and Han's crew work on a car (since all the rest were taken by the police), and use the engine from the first car Sean wrecked.

After a long race battle, Sean makes his way across the finish line, victorious, while Takashi survives a last-minute crash. DK's loss causes him to suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of Sean, whom Takashi still considers an "outsider". Takashi's uncle tells Sean he is free to go, and Takashi presumably leaves Tokyo. Neela goes back with Sean.

Later, Sean is the new Drift King and is hanging out in the underground parking lot from earlier in the film with Neela, and Twinkie comes up, saying someone wants to challenge him. The mystery car driver who pulls up is none other than Dominic Toretto (from the first Fast and the Furious movie). Toretto and Sean hold a brief conversation, with Toretto saying that Han once rode with him. Neela counts off the race, the cars take off, and the movie ends without disclosing the race results.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Drift

The Reader

The Reader is an upcoming American drama film based on the 1995 German novel The Reader by Bernhard Schlink. The film adaptation is written by David Hare and directed by Stephen Daldry. Actor Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet star in the lead roles. Production began in Germany in September 2007, and The Reader is scheduled to be released on December 10, 2008.

Cast : David Kross as Michael, a teen who falls in love with Hannah in postwar Germany.^[1]

• Kate Winslet as Hanna Schmitz.^[1] Winslet was originally the first choice for the role, though she was initially not able to take on the role due to a scheduling conflict with Revolutionary Road, and actress Nicole Kidman replaced her. A month after filming began, however, Kidman left the role due to her recent pregnancy, enabling Winslet to rejoin the film.^[2]
• Ralph Fiennes as Michael as an adult.^[3]
• Alexandra Maria Lara as Ilana, a former victim of the concentration camp where Hanna Schmitz worked as a guard^[4]
• Bruno Ganz^[4] as Rohl
• Lena Olin
• Hannah Herzsprung as Julia
• Karoline Herfurth

In April 1998, Miramax Films acquired the rights to the 1995 German novel The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.^[5] In August 2007, Stephen Daldry was signed to direct the film adaptation of The Reader, and actors Nicole Kidman and Ralph Fiennes were cast into the lead roles.^[6] Production of The Reader began the following September in Germany.^[7] Filming took place in the cities of Berlin and Goerlitz and was finished in Cologne on July 14th.^[8] Filmmakers received US$718,752 from Germany's Federal Film Board.^[1] Overall, the studio has received US$4.1 million from Germany's regional and federal subsidiaries.^[9]

In January 2008, Nicole Kidman left the project, citing her recent pregnancy as the primary reason. She had not filmed any scenes for The Reader yet, so the studio was able to cast actress Kate Winslet into the lead role without affecting the production schedule.^[2]

Chris Menges replaced Roger Deakins as cinematographer.

Alberto Iglesias is doing the music score, however, Ozren K. Glaser has composed the score concept.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reader_(film)