I'm not sure why I was attracted to this movie. I hadn't seen any reviews, hadn't seen any previews, and didn't know any of the actors. The title is bland.
What ever got me to tape it, I'm not u happy I did. "Mutant Chronicals" is not a great movie; it is not what many would consider a good movie. It is not bad and includes some interesting touches.
Most of the dystopia, end of man tropes are present. Humanity has nearly stripped of it's resources. Mega corporations have replaced governments. The corporations are engages in constant war. There is a secluded religious order protecting the secret that can save humanity. A doomed quest must be made by a ragtag band. There is a noble, but troubled hero in the band.
The plot holds few surprises. There is plenty of action and gore to keep things moving.
What I found most interesting was the films visual style. It was all sort of soft focus and steam punkish. I'm not sure why. I've seen other films that use a similar style, and found it irratating. It just worked for "Mutant Chronicals".
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Retrograde
When a movie stars Dolph Lundgrin and Joe Montana, you can bet it will be terrible. Sadly, I didn't check the credits before taping "Retrograde". I was intrigued by the description in the info box.
Once I saw the cast list I hoped it would either be laughably bad or action packed. It was neither. The movie takes itself seriously and Dolph is too old to offer up any more than tepid action.
"Retrograde" isn't even good for a rainy day.
Once I saw the cast list I hoped it would either be laughably bad or action packed. It was neither. The movie takes itself seriously and Dolph is too old to offer up any more than tepid action.
"Retrograde" isn't even good for a rainy day.
Lars and the Real Girl
It is a free Showtime weekend, so we caught up on some movie watching. H heard that "Lara and the Real Girl" was really good and it was on last night.
The movie was not what I expected. From what I remember from the trailors and the movie's description, I expected a slightly juvinile sex comedy. I watched a touching drama about family, loss, and love.
The plot is original in concept, but ultimately predictable. Despite the predictable ending, there are enough outliers that surprise. I actually liked the predictability of the plot.
The characters and performances make the movie. Despite the craziness of the situation all of the characters play it perfectly straight. You know people like these characters. They are regular folk.
"Lars and the Real Girl" is a small movie with a big heart.
The movie was not what I expected. From what I remember from the trailors and the movie's description, I expected a slightly juvinile sex comedy. I watched a touching drama about family, loss, and love.
The plot is original in concept, but ultimately predictable. Despite the predictable ending, there are enough outliers that surprise. I actually liked the predictability of the plot.
The characters and performances make the movie. Despite the craziness of the situation all of the characters play it perfectly straight. You know people like these characters. They are regular folk.
"Lars and the Real Girl" is a small movie with a big heart.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Crazy Burger
There is a little joint in Narragansett called Crazy Burger. As the name implies, they are known for the burgers. However, they have a full menu of interesting things. The entire menu is a little outside of the box. Nothing is quite mainstream. H had a potato skin dish that had avocado and refried beans for skin stuffing. We've been to Crazy Burger several times and always enjoyed the food.
In addition to dinner, Crazy Burger also serves breakfast. I've been once and had an omlette that was pretty good.
In addition to dinner, Crazy Burger also serves breakfast. I've been once and had an omlette that was pretty good.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Dinoshark
I have a fetish for knowingly terrible horror movies. Dinoshark, a Scyfy production, ranks near the top.
The special effects are obvious, the dialog is terrible, the plot is predictable, and the acting is criminal. It is chuck full of the archetyps: hot, but discredited, scientist, mysterious, and troubled, man of action, expendable sidekicks, skeptical authority figures, creature unleashed by man's relentless assault on nature.....
To me, however, the sheer scope of the terribleness is the beauty of a movie like Dinoshark. Nobody involved in making the movie thought it would be anything more than a B-movie. It has all the references, it has all the required tropes, and it has the low budget feel. It even managed to have a few jumptastic moments.
How can you not like a movie that combines Godzilla and Jaws into one perfect cheese ball? It is a great way to waste a rainy Sunday afternoon.
The special effects are obvious, the dialog is terrible, the plot is predictable, and the acting is criminal. It is chuck full of the archetyps: hot, but discredited, scientist, mysterious, and troubled, man of action, expendable sidekicks, skeptical authority figures, creature unleashed by man's relentless assault on nature.....
To me, however, the sheer scope of the terribleness is the beauty of a movie like Dinoshark. Nobody involved in making the movie thought it would be anything more than a B-movie. It has all the references, it has all the required tropes, and it has the low budget feel. It even managed to have a few jumptastic moments.
How can you not like a movie that combines Godzilla and Jaws into one perfect cheese ball? It is a great way to waste a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Extract
Extract is a small flick that made the indie rounds last summer. The trailer was funny enough to hook me. It had just enough quark to catch my eye, but not enough to be a turn off. (The right quark balance is tricky to find.) I hoped to see it in the theaters, but sadly it was gone before its time.
When it showed up on Verizon VOD, I jumped. After a few minor technical glitches, we were treated to a funny, dark rom-comish glimpse at lives gone slightly off track. Jason Bateman is perfect as the uptight, slightly lost, mildly depressed main character. Ben Affleck is surprisingly good as his high school buddy, confidant, and spiritual guide. Mila Kunis rocks as the smoking hot catalyst.
Some of the plot is just plain goofy, but that is the fun of it all. At times it is even a little ridiculous. That, for me, was part of the fun. Its distance to reality made it cathartic.
I recommend renting it for date night.
When it showed up on Verizon VOD, I jumped. After a few minor technical glitches, we were treated to a funny, dark rom-comish glimpse at lives gone slightly off track. Jason Bateman is perfect as the uptight, slightly lost, mildly depressed main character. Ben Affleck is surprisingly good as his high school buddy, confidant, and spiritual guide. Mila Kunis rocks as the smoking hot catalyst.
Some of the plot is just plain goofy, but that is the fun of it all. At times it is even a little ridiculous. That, for me, was part of the fun. Its distance to reality made it cathartic.
I recommend renting it for date night.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Pandorum
Pandorum joins the ranks of in space no one can hear you scream sci-fi horror flicks. It has many of the standard elements: man ruins earth, man attempts to escape doom by fleeing to deep space, a horrible accident, mutated humanoids on a killing spree, a plucky hero, a misfit band of side kicks, ect. Because of the familiar feel of the story and the high production quality, Pandorum holds it own. It is not great like Space Odyssey, Moon, Silent Running, or Alien. Nor is it as terrible as Predator 2 or the AVP movies. It is somewhere between Event Horizon and Sunshine. Not as scary as Event Horizon and not as smart as Sunshine.
Many of the themes underpinning the stories are the same. How does the human mind hold up in deep space? Can mankind rise above its inherent flaws? Is there hope for a better tomorrow? Will the hero win and will he get the girl?
The plot is serviceable. (Miles better than Avatar) It moves along at a good pace and maintains the tension. I was never terrified, but was never entirely sure what was going to happen. The final reveal is good. The ending is predictable.
Pandorum is a solid movie. I'm glad I didn't pay $10 for it, but would not have felt ripped off if I had.
Many of the themes underpinning the stories are the same. How does the human mind hold up in deep space? Can mankind rise above its inherent flaws? Is there hope for a better tomorrow? Will the hero win and will he get the girl?
The plot is serviceable. (Miles better than Avatar) It moves along at a good pace and maintains the tension. I was never terrified, but was never entirely sure what was going to happen. The final reveal is good. The ending is predictable.
Pandorum is a solid movie. I'm glad I didn't pay $10 for it, but would not have felt ripped off if I had.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sodastream Love
For Christmas H and I invested (OK we used X-mas money from my Mom) in a new Sodastream machine. It is a counter top soda water maker. I drink a ton of flavored seltzer water; enough to keep a tribe of desert nomads hydrated for years. I also love new toys!!
Initially the marketing hype had me hooked: save money, save the environment, limitless flavors, convenient, healthier, etc. The other thing that had me hooked was the absence of negative reviews on the Web. It seemed like everyone who has ever used one of these things liked it, or at least didn't dislike it enough to type in a Web based hate screed.
After using it steadily for three months, I know why there is a dearth of negative reviews for Sodastream machines. The thing is one of the few gadgets that lives up to the hype.
We purchased the starter kit that came with the machine, a carbonator, 2 one liter bottles, and an assortment of flavors. We also ponied up for 2 extra bottles, a diet cola mix, a diet grapefruit mix, and a spare carbonator. In total, the cost was around $180.
The machine is a snap to set up. You simply pop the back off of the unit, screw the carbonator in, and reattach the back cover.
Making seltzer water is even easier. You fill up one of the bottles with water, screw it into the machine, and push the button a few times. After a few pumps the machine makes a loud farting noise. That means the water is fizzed. The directions say 3 farts make the water averagely fizzy and I would concur. You can tailor the fizzy to your own tastes.
To add flavors you simply pour the flavoring into the fizzed water. Adding the flavor before the fizzy is a messy proposition.
All of the flavors we tried (diet cola, diet grapefruit, berry essence, and lime essence) were good. The diet cola is more like RC cola than Coke or Pepsi. The grapefruit is like pink Fresca. The essences are just like any generic flavored seltzer you'd buy in the store. I can be pretty finicky and I haven't missed the brand name flavors (OK I do miss the Polar Vanilla occasionally).
In the three months that we've had the machine, H had purchased one liter of seltzer (it was on sale and a flavor I'm fond of). She doesn't miss lugging the bottles from the store or trudging the empties back to recycle. We always have seltzer in the house and often have soda as well.
We've used one of the carbonators (refills are $15), the diet grapefruit, and one of the essences. In total, I'm guessing we've gotten more than 100 liters of seltzer and soda out of the Sodastream. So the total cost per-liter is about $1.80 or less. Sure it is more than what seltzer costs at the store, but I'm guessing that before we burn through all of the starter kit supplies we'll have made 200 liters of seltzer which brings it under $1.00 a liter. Overtime the price per liter will keep going down. Add the convenience of not having to lug seltzer water home from the store, and knowing that the water used is filtered, and the cost is even better.
Our Sodastream is one of the few kitchen gadgets I've seen that are really useful!
Initially the marketing hype had me hooked: save money, save the environment, limitless flavors, convenient, healthier, etc. The other thing that had me hooked was the absence of negative reviews on the Web. It seemed like everyone who has ever used one of these things liked it, or at least didn't dislike it enough to type in a Web based hate screed.
After using it steadily for three months, I know why there is a dearth of negative reviews for Sodastream machines. The thing is one of the few gadgets that lives up to the hype.
We purchased the starter kit that came with the machine, a carbonator, 2 one liter bottles, and an assortment of flavors. We also ponied up for 2 extra bottles, a diet cola mix, a diet grapefruit mix, and a spare carbonator. In total, the cost was around $180.
The machine is a snap to set up. You simply pop the back off of the unit, screw the carbonator in, and reattach the back cover.
Making seltzer water is even easier. You fill up one of the bottles with water, screw it into the machine, and push the button a few times. After a few pumps the machine makes a loud farting noise. That means the water is fizzed. The directions say 3 farts make the water averagely fizzy and I would concur. You can tailor the fizzy to your own tastes.
To add flavors you simply pour the flavoring into the fizzed water. Adding the flavor before the fizzy is a messy proposition.
All of the flavors we tried (diet cola, diet grapefruit, berry essence, and lime essence) were good. The diet cola is more like RC cola than Coke or Pepsi. The grapefruit is like pink Fresca. The essences are just like any generic flavored seltzer you'd buy in the store. I can be pretty finicky and I haven't missed the brand name flavors (OK I do miss the Polar Vanilla occasionally).
In the three months that we've had the machine, H had purchased one liter of seltzer (it was on sale and a flavor I'm fond of). She doesn't miss lugging the bottles from the store or trudging the empties back to recycle. We always have seltzer in the house and often have soda as well.
We've used one of the carbonators (refills are $15), the diet grapefruit, and one of the essences. In total, I'm guessing we've gotten more than 100 liters of seltzer and soda out of the Sodastream. So the total cost per-liter is about $1.80 or less. Sure it is more than what seltzer costs at the store, but I'm guessing that before we burn through all of the starter kit supplies we'll have made 200 liters of seltzer which brings it under $1.00 a liter. Overtime the price per liter will keep going down. Add the convenience of not having to lug seltzer water home from the store, and knowing that the water used is filtered, and the cost is even better.
Our Sodastream is one of the few kitchen gadgets I've seen that are really useful!
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