Deleted Captain America Scene from Avengers

An amazing scene that focuses on the day in the life of Steve Rogers. I wish they included this in the original cut.

My favorite Christmas movies

To help you compile your holiday Netflix que, I put together some of my favorite Christmas movies of all time. I left out the TV classics like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Charlie Brown Christmas because we already know of their Christmas awesomeness that transcends all time and genres. I made two different lists, one for the kids and one for the grown ups. These movies are  timeless classics and sure to get you into the holiday spirit.  Have a Babble Christmas!
Comment about what you think or add suggestions of your own.

The Family List	The Grown Up List
#5 Polar Express	#5 Scrooged
#4 Home Alone	#4 A Nightmare Before Christmas
#3 Elf	#3 Die Hard
# It’s a Wonderful Life	#2 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
#1 A Christmas Story	#1 Love Actually

Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam

Superman/Shazam The Return of Black Adam is the latest incarnation of the DC Showcase line of animated features. This one however is a little deceiving since the main feature with Superman and Shazam is only a half hour long. This is the origins story of Captain Marvel and his first meeting with Superman. They are both drawn together to oppose Black Adam (the evil version of Captain Marvel). Because of the title, apparently Black Adam was returning from somewhere and is not very happy. There is very little story with the exception of the Shazam wizard imputing powers onto a young Billy Batson. The strongest part of animated short is the combat between the three. There are some great exchanges and the collateral damage is high. After a few of these DC Showcases, I am starting to wonder if it’s an asset or liability to have a hero live in your city. I can imagine there is special ‘superhero’ insurance clause just in case your vehicle gets flung into a building or something- but I digress. Overall this is a fun and polished looking short. Done in an japanese animation style, the detail is high and the animation is fluid. Two thumbs up for how it looks.

Santa Vs. The Snowman

Here comes Santa Claus… related movie reviews. We took the kids to the IMAX theater to see this movie created by Steve Oedekerk (“Thumb Wars”, “Bruce Almight”, “Ace Venture”, “Kung Pow: Enter the Fist”). I believe it was originally created for TV and then moved into 3D for IMAX (though it wasn’t as we saw it???).
Haven’t heard of it? Not surprised. It’s not that great, but it’s cute. The animation is along the lines of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys” – not high praise.
The story finds the Snowman having his flute accidentally broken so he steals one from Santa’s workshop. He loses it in the ensuing chase, but realizes how beloved Santa is and decides he’d like that gig. He proceeds to create an army of snowmen to do his yuletide bidding.
A Hoth-like battle follows with ‘walkers’ and abominable beasts… and hair-dryers. Ultimately, the two rivals become friends and the Snowman learns the flute was his all along… he just needed to wait one more day until Christmas.
It’s cute, fun and pretty short. The kids liked it and it was fun to see it on the giant screen.

I give it 2 and a half Babbles:

Undercover Blues

Another review by guest Babbler Whitney Sanderlin:

Oldie But Goody

OK, show of hands, anyone ever see “Undercover Blues” way back in 1993?  I see that hand way in the back!  For the rest of you … “Undercover Blues” stars Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner (in probably the last movie that she starred in that she could pass for under 50) and is just (dare I say?) delightful.  It’s fun and cheesy and well-acted throughout.  And for a bonus, you get to watch Stanley Tucci (perhaps one of the great character actors out there right now) as “My Name is Muerte” or “Morty.”  Dennis and Kathleen play Jeff and Jane Blue (get it? “Undercover  Blues?”) who are a super-spy couple who have semi-retired due to the birth of their baby girl.  Well, it wouldn’t be a movie if someone or something hadn’t talked them into getting back into the game, kicking butts and taking names.  If you can get over the Bourne-esque manner in which both of the Blues are prepared for everything and win at everything, all the while shooting glib lines and dropping one-liners like it was going out of style, you will like this movie too.

The plot is simple and the setting is New Orleans, obviously pre-Katrina.   The Blues are promptly sucked back into the spy life and quickly get involved in capturing the bad dudette.  All the while, Jeff and Jane must avoid the local police and Muerte, who is out for blood but generally he seems to only be good at losing teeth.  I’m not saying all the butt-kicking moves are believable nor that the Blues’ perfection doesn’t make my eyes roll involuntarily at times.  But the chemistry is good between Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner and the side characters are played well, albeit with tongue-in-cheek seriousness.  

I found the film thoroughly entertaining.  Don’t expect “007″ but do expect laughs.  

I give it 3.5 Babbles

500 Days of Summer

So after hearing so much about this movie, I finally got around to seeing it. The basic plot is about a boy who falls in love with a girl (Summer), who does not fall back in love with him, despite the fact it seems like she should. As the movie says in the beginning though, it’s not a romance story, it’s a break up story, and a really darn good one.

The cast is really good. I really liked Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Of former Third Rock from the Sun fame) as the main character. He was really likable and fit the role well and he should be in more movies. But as great as he was, Zooey Deschanel was even better as the incredibly enchanting love interest that broke his heart.

This movie also stars my new favorite actress Chloe Moretz as his younger sister who has a panache for giving  him wisdom with a few expletives mixed in. You might recognize her from the movie Kick Ass, where she plays the gun toting, bladeflinging, cute but foulmouthed Hit Girl. I don’t know how long she can keep those roles up before she grows up, but I love her right now.

Artistically this movie is really, really creative. I can’t really describe it in a review so you will just have to see it, but they do a lot or really creative and clever scenes. Maybe the best part of the movie is the killer Indie rock soundtrack. Really, really good music all throughout the film, and yes, I am a music snob.

As a whole I would give this movie 4.5 Babbles. Very well done and worth seeing.

Dr Strangelove reviewed, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog

As we enter the blockbuster season and begin pre-ordering our tickets for the Next Big Bovie (NBM of the week:  Iron Man 2), we are all going to feel the pinch at the box office. Before you buy any more tickets, or hit your local Red Box vending machine, put your wallet down and step away from your credit card. It’s time to see what’s playing your favorite free online movie theater, Cinema Huludiso (aka Hulu.com).

This week’s offering is the classic Cold War satire/comedy Dr. Strangelove, a film by Stanley Kubrick. Release in 1964, this movie (full title: Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb) has been around long enough to be thoroughly analyzed by persons far more knowledgeable than I. I highly recommended reading its Wikipedia entry if you are inclined to learn more about the context and subtext of the film. I’m just going to share what I enjoyed about it.

First things first: the casting is simply amazing. The movie is worth seeing just for the performances, most notable those performances (yes, plural) by Peter Sellers. He was simply amazing as three different and completely unique characters:  British Group Commander Lionel Mandrake, US President Merkin Muffley, and the titular Dr. Strangelove. Each character is as different as could be from the others in voice, tone, temperament, and physical presence. Sellers was simply amazing.

George C. Scott , who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of General George S. Patton in in 1970, portays Army general Buck Turgidson (great name!), but this time he’s a paranoid, über-patriotic jingo. Keenan Wynn, whom I always knew as the bellowing Uncle Alonzo from Herbie Rides Again, appears briefly as “Bat” Guano, a general overly concerned with private property and the assumed “preversions” of Commander Mandrake. James Earl Jones (Flight of Dragons, Coming to America) makes his film debut as Lt Lothar Zogg, an officer attached to the B-52 bomber around which the movie revolves, and Slim Pickens (Blazing Saddles) is Major “King” Kong, the B-52’s redneck pilot who is hell-bent on completing his mission.

His mission? To drop his nuclear payload on Soviet Russia at the command of a his commanding officer, Jack D. Ripper (yep, a play on Jack the Ripper), a general obsessed with defending his precious bodily fluids from the Russians. Sound a little crazy? It is, and so is General Ripper. Without any enemy provocation and under his own authority, he has sent an entire wing of B-52s, all armed with nuclear bombs, into Soviet Russia with orders to destroy military targets. The bombers have locked their communications to a code that only Ripper knows, and the President and his advisory cabinet are unable to rescind the orders without it. Commander Mandrake (Peter Sellers), aware of the general’s instability/insanity, is attempting to discover the communications code so that he can give it to President Muffley (Peter Sellers), who is being advised by the former-Nazi scientist Dr Strangelove (Peter Sellers) to take the best and brightest of the American people underground in case of nuclear retaliation by the Soviets.

Sound a little crazy? It is, but it’s all part of the fun in this “could it really happen?” farcical, commentary on Cold War politics and international relations. You don’t want to miss out on the fun, and since Dr. Strangelove is currently featured on Hulu (with limited commercial interruptions, of course), you don’t have to! I give it 4 out of 5 Babbles, but I want to know what you think, so go watch the movie and come back here to post your thoughts!

4/5 Babbles

Dexter: Season 1 DVD

Cold.

Calculating.

Emotionless.

Disturbingly likeable.

But enough about me, today I want to talk about Dexter, the star of the original Showtime series of the same name. I realize that the show first aired in 2006, but I have just discovered it, thanks to the Black Friday machinations of my fellow Babbler, Johnny. He, Jeff, and I have been unfolding Season 1 over the last couple of weeks, and I think I can speak for them as well as myself when I say that I like what I see.

Dexter (Michael C. Hall) is a forensics expert, employed by the Miami police department. His specialty is in blood, and his expertise comes not only from his professional work but also from his personal pastime. Dexter, you see, is a serial killer. He kills cleanly, carefully, and conscientiously; only the bad guys who go unnoticed by the law or escape the hands of justice end up on his radar and in his collection. He avoids detection himself by maintaining a façade of caring brother, loving boyfriend, and all-around nice guy.

Therein lies the rub. Dexter is a cold-blooded killer, liar, and probable psychopath. For all of that, you can’t help but like him! Mr. Hall skillfully wields both sides of his character’s personalities such ambidexterity* that you can never forget his true nature, yet you are willing to overlook it. In fact, despite his complete lack of societal ethics, it is hard not to cheer for him as he accomplishes what the police cannot.

Dexter is supported by a cadre of clever characters: Harry, his foster father who (via flashbacks) helps Dex understand his place in society. Deb, his foster sister, a rookie homicide cop who swears like a sailor and has no idea what her brother really is. Rita, his emotionally fragile girlfriend with a dark note in her own past. Sgt. Doakes, a hard-nosed detective who senses something awry with Dex. Masuka, a fellow forensics expert is played to comedic effect by C.S. Lee (whom you might remember as Buy More manager Harry Tang from TV’s Chuck).

I highly recommend Dexter, Season 1, even as I haven’t finished watching it myself. Be advised that the show does contain adult themes, strong language, violence (duh), and occasional sexual situations. That said, Dexter is extremely well-written, acted, and produced, and fully deserves its 3.5 Babbles.

3.5 / 5 Babbles

*Pun fully intended, and no doubt what the writers had in mind when they named the character.

Superman Batman: Public Enemies

I surprisingly haven’t been disappointed yet with these DC Comic (straight to DVD) movies. At first glance, I can’t say I’m a fan of the art work. It looks too simplistic, blocky, and seems too cartoonish for the mythos of Superman or Batman. I didn’t get a chance to read the comic book before watching this, so I was left with no expectations viewing this animation.

Again, DC surprises with the level of violence it can get away with in an animated film. I really enjoyed every minute of it. The beatings Superman and Batman unleash caused me to exclaim and shout with testosterone. I loved it. Cameo after cameo of both superheroes and villains, also added much to the viewing experience.

Something has to be said about the music. Given the seemingly small scope of this movie, the music score was quite moving at times. It fueled the audiences anxiousness and eagerness to see the good guys brutally spank the bad in a heavy brawl.

‘Public Enemies’ was a very entertaining watch, full of action, surprises, suspense, and tells a pretty compelling story.

adventureland review

Yesterday, I decided to go out to purchase and watch ‘Adventureland’ because of a great review. Although I am happy to add this Dvd to my collection, it’s not necessarily a ‘Must Buy’ for me.

The movie takes place at an amusement park, following a post college kid (James Brennan) around as he has no other option than to work at a theme park to save for his trip to NYC as a Grad student at Columbia University. Adventureland you find the antics of those that run the ‘rides’ and ‘games’ he spends the summer with. Boy soon falls in love with girl (Kristen Stewart) and the relationship takes a huge turn. Nothing surprising about the story, it follows a very common formula pretty closely.

Filled with 80′s hits, drugs, alcohol, sex and you have a college frat boy movie. I enjoyed this movie. However, I felt it was lacking in humor and originality. I admit there were a few chuckles here and there, but after seeing ‘I love you, man’ – I was expecting more. I’d recommend seeing, ‘The Wackness’ starring Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby, and Ben Kingsley before I’d recommend this one.

3 out of 5 babbles

Trailer attached below:

Green Lantern: First Flight

2 years ago, Comic Con premiered DC’s ‘Superman: Doomsday’ Thurs. night before the big weekend and this year it will be showing ‘Green Lantern: First Flight’. Babbleon5 will plan to attend and provide an early review of the film before it’s DVD release the following Tues.

I thought ‘Batman: Gotham Knight’ was incredible and ‘Wonder Woman’ was fairly enjoyable, but I think that I’m most excited about seeing a Green Lantern story.

Watch the Trailer below:

*Leave your comments

Run Logan Run!

Logan’s Run

So Saturday night 4 out of the 5 watched the 1976 Sci-Fi classic Logan’s Run staring a young Farrah Fawcett, a young Michael York and an old Peter Ustinov. Rather than have us all write reviews we decided the four of us would just write our brief opinions on it. So, here we go…

Jeff’s Take:

-A very influential movie and it’s easy to see where many other movies have borrowed from it. The special affects look cheesy but is that a question of it being low production value or is it just a matter of having been made in 1976, when most everything looked cheesy. My guess is the latter.

 - PG? This movie is rated PG which really surprised me. There are numerous boob sightings throughout the movie which would garner it a PG-13 by any standards today. Who says censorship was worse back then?

-In the movie life ends at age 30, as a 33 year old, I can vouch for that. That also means I was 1 when this film was released.

 -In the future, women will be splashed with water as much as possible, making their clothing clingy and see through.