A Fistful of Summer Anticipation! (Brad's Picks)

April is here.  Enjoy it cuz you've got just one month before the Summer Movie season explodes and from what I've been hearing it's gonna be a bloodbath.  Week after Week we've got Huge tentpole movies and some fine franchises are gonna be dead in the water before they've even hit Saturday night.  It's not like Mel Gibson's The Beaver can survive a blow from Thor's hammer.  And good luck Green Lantern, I'm betting you're gonna be Cars 2's roadkill.  

But that's a problem for the bankers.  Us movie geeks are gonna have ourselves some fun.  Anyway, here are the flicks I'm craving.

5.  Transformers:  Dark of the Moon:  Really?  Yeah, and I'm as surprised as you are.  After the embarrassingly awful Revenge of the Fallen, I should be screaming for Michael Bay's head on a stake but I've gotta say the whole Moon conspiracy angle and the Chicago destruction seen in the Super Bowl spot above has got me stoked.  And I want to believe that Bay is making penance for Part 2 with this over-the-top extravaganza.  Plus, today we've just learned that Leonard Nimoy is returning to the world of Autobots and Decepticons as the voice of the moon-stranded Sentinal Prime.  So as long as they keep the potty humor to a minimum (and ditch those awkward racial stereotype bots), I think we're gonna be entertained.

4.  Super 8:  I'm still not 100% sold on this picture, but this splash of Spielberg porn could be quite entertaining.  An angry E.T.?  Plus, in 2009 JJ Abrams crafted one of my personal favorite Summer Movies of recent memory with the Star Trek sequel/reboot, and that alone guarantees my butt in his theater for at least his next three or four movies.  

3.  X-Men First Class:  I love Matthew Vaughn's Kick-Ass.  A brilliant, demented send-up of the superhero genre.  And now, Vaughn gets his mitts on one of the most popular franchises in comicdom and what does he do?  Drops the muties into the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis.  Yep, an X-Men period piece is right up my ally.  Oh, and I can't wait to see Kevin Bacon's Sebastian Shaw!  He has the potential to me grotesquely villainous.  

2.  Captain America The First Avenger:  Thanks to Ed Brubaker's recent run on the comic, Captain America has become my favorite Marvel superhero.  Then you have Tommy Lee Jones' USA All The Way speech and Stanley Tucci's "a weak man" explanation and suddenly I've got goosebumps all over.  And Joe Johnston directed The Rocketeer, so I know he can depict American Machismo bashing Nazi villainy perfectly.  I dig this trailer so much, it's a shame that Cap has to enter the modern world at all with 2012's Avengers flick.

1.  Cowboys and Aliens:  I don't know if you already know this about me, but I love Westerns.  But what I love more than Westerns are Weird Westerns.  And there aren't too many of those...that are good anyway, From Dusk Till Dawn 3, maybe?  And Jon Favreau?  Yeah, those Iron Man flicks are okay but the movie I think he really knocked outta the park is one most seem to have forgotten.  Zathura, a flick that perfectly captured that nostalgia sci-fi of yesteryear.  Can he put out a Spielbergian John Ford Western?  God, I hope so.  Definitely, dig that cast.  When was the last time Harrison Ford looked as badass as he does in the above trailer?  It sure wasn't K-19 The Widowmaker.

--Brad

METROPLACE 6309 Telford Avenue, Burnaby Metrotown - Intracorp shines with well run Realtor preview

I attended the Realtor Preview for Intracorp's METROPLACE Tower this afternoon, and I must admit that the event went very well. I think Intracorp learned a great deal from BOSA's experience marketing SOVEREIGN Tower one month ago, and they put that knowledge to good use. These two "super-towers" are a new experience for Burnaby, and it is gratifying to see that every attempt is being made to ensure that sales go smoothly and fairly. There is such incredible interest in METROPLACE that the fear exists that a select few Realtors would be given privileged access, and their colleagues shut out. This has happened in the past but we are seeing a much fairer and more manageable environment of late. The smooth marketing of "skyscrapers" like SOVEREIGN and METROPLACE could do much to foster Buyer confidence in all the other proposed developments in the Metrotown corridor. . At the event I addressed my questions to Brett Anderson, an Intracorp sales rep on the floor. I learned that METROPLACE Tower is up for Third Reading at the next meeting of Burnaby City Council - Monday, April 4th. Coincidentally, the CHANCELLOR Tower, being developed by POLYGON, is also on Council's agenda the same night. There is huge interest in the CHANCELLOR development, located next to Bonsor Community Centre. That building will be family oriented, with nothing smaller than two bedroom units. Realtors are shown lined up in front of the METROPLACE presentation centre on McKay Avenue in Metrotown, at 1PM, March 31, 2011. INTRACORP clearly learned a great deal from how BOSA handled the recent marketing of SOVEREIGN Tower. Hired security did a superb job of managing - a business card and a B.C. drivers licence was required of every entrant. Dozens of gatecrashers were turned away with no fuss at all. (R. Jack photo) The scale model for METROPLACE Tower, 6309 Telford Avenue, Metrotown, was unveiled at the special preview for Realtors held on March 31, 2011. At least 250 Realtors attended the opening, which was very well run and tastefully catered. One of the design features of METROPLACE tower which might leave non-Chinese visitors a tad bemused, is the absence of the number "4" which reminds the Chinese of death. None of the apartment units employ the number four, there is no 14th, 24th or 34th floor, and floors 40-49 also do not exist. The three penthouse units are not on the "47th floor" but rather on the 6oth "level". Western superstition is though, totally ignored. There is a 13th floor. I noticed in the METROPLACE discussion thread over at SKYSCRAPERPAGE.COM that there were plenty of comments on the Chinese numbering system for the building. Here is one of a series of photos I took in the Sales Centre, in case anyone doubts that ten floors disappear in METROPLACE numbering. An expatriate reader noted that even in China the towers retain floors 40 thru 49. The only thing avoided is, for example, an "Apt. 40 -04" or an "Apt 41 - 04". Susan Rutledge, who is the Vice President of Sales for METROPLACE Tower, ran the ever popular prize draw for Realtors.

METROPLACE Tower, 6309 Telford Avenue, Burnaby Metrotown - the scale model shows the town houses and parking ramp at the base of the 47 floor structure. The smallest of the one bedroom units will not have an assigned parking space. The developer, Intracorp, will offer a two year transit pass. (R. Jack photo)

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Aaliyah wallpapers Collection...Part...1

 

Hellboy's Mike Mignola gets Fez of the Week!!!

Never heard of The Fezmonger?  Well, time to educate yourself cuz Fez-O-Rama's Fez of The Week is this beautiful homage to comic book genius Mike Mignola!  For just $65 it could be yours, but act fast, there are only fifty in the world.

--Brad

The Governator!?! Seriously, Did April Fools Day Come Early?

Whoa.  Seriously, Stan Lee and Arnold Schwarzenegger have teamed up to do an animated television show called The Governator?  Am I dreaming?  Have I wandered into some Sliders alternate universe?  No?  This is happening.  Wow.

Entertainment Weekly has all the nitty gritties, but this Arnie quote pretty much sums up my own feelings on the matter, "When I ran for governor back in 2003 and I started hearing people talking about ‘the Governator,’ I thought the word was so cool. The word Governator combined two worlds: the world of politics and the movie world. And [this cartoon] brings everything together. It combines the governor, the Terminator, the bodybuilding world, the True Lies…" Yeash. This sounds absolutely terrible, but I'm totally there to watch the trainwreck. And who knows? Maybe it will kick all kinds of ass...maybe.

Stan Lee: "The Governator is going to be a great superhero, but he’ll also be Arnold Schwarzenegger. We’re using all the personal elements of Arnold’s life. We’re using his wife [Maria Shriver]. We’re using his kids. We’re using the fact that he used to be governor. Only after he leaves the governor’s office, Arnold decides to become a crime fighter and builds a secret high-tech crime-fighting center under his house in Brentwood.

Retro Poster Art: Conan Der Barbar!!!

Thanks to Cool & Collected for introducing me to this rather amazing German poster for the classic Conan The Barbarian movie.  Honestly, this stirs up some fairly intense emotions regarding the upcoming Marcus Nispel remake...I know we've only gotten a teaser trailer and some anemic set photos, but so far, this "new" take on the Cimmerian boils my blood.  As my ITMOD stalwart is fond of saying, Has Anyone Read Howard's stories?  We'll just wait and see.

--Brad

More Hobo Art + The Official Green Band Trailer Revealed!

Hobo With A Shotgun hits On Demand in the states this Friday, but won't land in theaters till May 6th.  I'm guessing that I won't be able to wait for the theater experience.  I'm hitting up iTunes as soon as humanly possible.

--Brad

BLAAAF!!! ZAM!!! ZOLTAR!!! The Poster Art of Adam Juresko!!!

Head on over to No Supervision to check out the retro cool poster art of Adam Juresko.  Of course, I'm always down for a new take on Adam West's Batman and the Zolar Big poster gives me that warm-fuzzy feeling.  

--Brad

Need This! Hot Toys' Bruce Lee

Sideshow Collectibles is offering three nifty 12-inch collectible figures of cinematic action icon Bruce Lee, but my absolute favorite is the above Bruce Lee 70s Casual Wear version.  Everyone knows that Lee can kick a little butt, especially when decked out in his yellow jumper, but what I love about the 70s Casual Version is that patented wide grin.  He's confident in the absolute knowledge of his badassitude and I find that smile more threatening than any nunchuck twirling.

The figure ain't cheap.  $154.99 (or 77.50 a month using FlexPay) and will be available sometime in the 3rd Quarter of 2011.  And yes, not only do you get those sungasses, but you also get that beach chair.  Sweet.

--Brad

KRULL POSTER!!!! MUST HAVE!!! Can't get...sad.

This is just an absolute stunner from the good people over at Phantom City Creative.  Another print done in association with Twitch Film for their Back to the 80s screenings.  And again, the poster will be unavailable for the general public.  The only way to get one?  5 copies to be given away at the theater...sigh.  Read all about it here.

--Brad

New Release Tuesday (3/29/11)!!!

Must Buy DVD of The Week!

SOYLENT GREEN (BLU RAY):  Soylent Green is about more than it's much quoted climactic revelation.  It's a fantastic science-fiction dystopia as iconic and badass as anything found in The Road Warrior or Blade Runner.  Future cop Charlton Heston and his neckerchief investigates a grisly murder with the aide of Edward G Robinson's snarky professor that quickly plunges a rotting society deeper down the rabbit hole.  Classic SF folks, and I can't wait to see the color on the Blu.

Buy!

SCREAM TRILOGY (BLU RAY):  I grew to hate the Scream films after their initial release (thanks to the onslaught of teenie bopper slasher crap like I Know What You Did Last Summer that they spawned), but you really gotta appreciate the QT-like reference glee Kevin Williamson's script had for the horror genre and Wes Craven threw in several great scares.  Part 2 is a better-than-expected sequel (plus you've got an early crazy performance from Timothy Olyphant!), and Part 3...well, that one is hard to defend.  Still, gotta check out these Blus before Part 4 hits the big screen.

THE SECRET OF NIMH (BLU RAY):  Here it is, my all time favorite animated film.  Yep.  Sorry Disney, I gotta go with Don Bluth every time.  Absolutely gorgeous animation with some great moments of animated terror that rival anything found on Pinocchio's Pleasure Island.  Apparently, it's nothing like the book so you get some people hating on it for snobbish reasons, but I get as emotional today watching Mrs. Frisby fight for her children as I did when I was a lad.  

TEEN WOLF (BLU RAY):  Yeah, okay, this is kinda crap...maybe.  I don't know.  I loved it the first time I saw it and I still get a kick outta Wolfed Out Michael J Fox dunkin' on the Basketball court.  80s Cheezy Goodness.

THE TERROR (BLU RAY):  Yeah, Roger Corman gets the director's credit but big chunks of this film were actually shot by Francis Ford Coppala (The Godfather!), Monte Hellman (Two Lane Blacktop!), Jack Hill (Coffy!), and Jack Nicholson (The Two Jakes!).  Sure, it's not my favorite Roger Corman classic but it's a perfect example of his style.  A great cheapie that's been available on DVD before but never as classy as this blu.  Very exciting.

CAPONE:  Another Roger Corman release.  But I've never seen it.  So, why does it go directly on the Buy! list?  Well, cuz it stars Ben Gazzara as the tough as nails gangster, Sly Stallone as his right hand man Frank Nitti, and it has bit parts from John Cassavetes and Dick Miller.  'Nuff said.

Rent!

BLACK SWAN:  I definitely enjoyed this film, but not as much as others.  Natalie Portman probably delivers her strongest performance and there is some really cool direction here from Aronofsky, but I thought the more fantastical elements were completely unnecessary for the rest of the film, and if you separated those bits out from the picture than there really wasn't much there to begin with.  Sorry.

THE BLACK FOX TRILOGY:  Um, I don't know nothin' about this and I'm guessing it's not that good, but-Superman and Candyman in a Western!!!!  I am so there.

TANGLED:  Another one I missed in the theater, but I'm told by my wife that it was excellent and I was told by a coworker today that she considered it the best Disney film to come around since the 2D classics.  Okay, I guess I'll give it a go even though the original trailer kinda grated on my nerves.

TREME:  A new show from the creators of The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Street?  Uh, of course we need to at least rent it if not immediately own.

THE RESIDENT:  The second film from the new & (seriously doubt it) improved Hammer Films, The Resident is another flick about spooky happenings in an apartment complex.  So what?  Well, I am definitely becoming quite the fan of Jeffery Dean Morgan (Supernatural, Watchmen, The Losers) and I am always there for a new role from Christopher Lee.  AND I really want this new Hammer Films to work out.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (BLU RAY), CHARLTON HESTON PRESENTS THE BIBLE, MOTHER LODE, AND ANTONY & CLEOPATRA:    Soylent Green is obviously the big Charlton Heston movie of the week, but it certainly is not the only one.  We've got four other flicks to pick over and I haven't seen a single one.  The Ten Commandments has never really interested me before, but thanks to Matt's annual HestFest, I'm addicted to Chuck and I've got to see every movie he's ever done at this point.  And now I'm excited to see his Bible documentary series.  Dorkdom is a great power.  But it's Mother Lode I'm most interested in.  Directed by Heston himself, it involves Kim Bassinger delving deep into the British Columbia Wilderness in search of her husband and discovering Heston's mad prospector.  Fingers crossed for great Heston Madness...

--Brad