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Summer Movie Guide: July

Hey guys, it's a brand new month and I thought I would share a little rundown of some of the big summer movies coming out this month!

JULY 1ST

THE LAST AIRBENDER

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Jackson Rathbone, Dev Patel, Cliff Curtis
Synopsis: Aang (Ringer), a young successor to a long line of Avatars, learns that he possesses the power to engage the Fire Nation and hopefully end their century-long war against the Water, Earth, and Air nations (IMDB.com)
Trailer:

Hermit says: While some marvel at the flashy special effects and fight scenes in the trailer and fans of the popular Nickelodeon TV show may be giddy with excitement, I take a more cynical approach and wonder, "Why did the studio waste so much money to produce this film?" and "Why did they put M. Night Shyamalan (who hasn't made a good movie since Signs in 2002) in charge??"

JULY 9TH

DESPICABLE ME

Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud, Sergio Pablos
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Jason Segal
Synopsis: A trio of orphan girls cause the normally deplorable Gru to rethink his plan to steal the moon (IMDB.com)
Trailer:

Hermit says: Backed by a voice cast of comedy all-stars (i.e. Steve Carell, Will Arnet, Russell Brand, etc.) and a rather unique plot, this film seems very promising. However without a previous franchise or the brand of Dreamworks or Pixar to back it up, there is a large chance that a film like this will be overlooked by all the big summer blockbusters.

PREDATORS

Director: Nimrod Antal
Starring: Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Laurence Fishburne
Synopsis: A group of elite warriors are hunted by members of a merciless alien race known as Predators (IMDB.com)
Trailer:

Hermit says: While I am not really convinced that it was a good idea to try to revive the Predator franchise, having Robert Rodriguez on board as a producer gives me a bit of hope that it can be pulled off.

JULY 14TH

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE

Director: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: Jay Baruchel, Nicolas Cage, Monica Bellucci
Synopsis: A sorcerer leaves his workshop in the hands of his apprentice, who gets into trouble when the broomstick he's tasked to do his chores for him somehow develops a mind of its own (IMDB.com)
Trailer:

Hermit says: I still can't decide which summer movie is going to be a bigger flop, this or The Last Airbender. Or how about a better debate: When was the last time Nicholas Cage was a relevant actor / starred in a good movie?

JULY 16TH

INCEPTION

Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe
Synopsis: A sci-fi/thriller set within the "architecture of the mind," and centered on a group of business people who can construct a dream world for an individual and then infiltrate that world to steal their subconscious (IMDB.com)
Trailer:

Hermit says: I can't even begin to stress how excited I am for this film. Let's just hope it lives up to the hype and that Nolan can temporarily satisfy the millions of people who are jonesing for the next Batman film.

JULY 23RD

SALT

Director: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Synopsis: As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy (IMDB.com)
Trailer:

Hermit says: Though the screenplay originally featured a male protagonist, I think the gender change was a great decision and Angelina is the perfect leading lady to pull it off. I mean, what can possibly be more entertaining than an action/thriller with a hot chick kicking ass and taking names?

JULY 30TH

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

Director: Jay Roach
Starring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis, Jemaine Clement
Synopsis: A rising executive "succeeds" in finding the perfect guest for his boss's monthly event, a so-called "dinner for idiots," which offers certain advantages to the exec who shows up with the biggest buffoon (IMDB.com)
Trailer:

Hermit says: With Carell & Rudd teaming up again and a hilarious supporting cast that includes Zach Galifianakis and Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords, this movie sounded great to me on paper. But after viewing the trailer featuring an array of unfunny physical gags and unoriginal humor, I am beginning to have some serious doubts. Let's hope this movie has more than meets the eye!

SOUND OFF!

What movies have you guys seen this summer so far? What movies are you most looking forward to? Feel free to share your thoughts!

Movie Review: Toy Story 3

TOY STORY 3 (2010)

Director: Lee Unkrich

Screenwriter: Michael Arndt

Woody... Tom Hanks

Buzz...Tim Allen

Jessie...Joan Cusack

Rex...Wallace Shawn

Hamm...John Ratzenberger

Ken...Michael Keaton

Lotso...Ned Beatty

MPAA Rating: G

Running Time: 102 minutes

Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang return for the third installment of Disney / Pixar's beloved 'Toy Story' series. After 15 years since the release of the first film, Toy Story 3 picks up with Andy, now 17 years old, preparing to leave for college. He has seemingly outgrown his favorite toys and must decide what to do with them before he leaves. After a series of misunderstandings, the toys end up at Sunnyside Daycare. After some serious conflict with the toys of the daycare, led by Lotso the strawberry scented Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear, the toys embark on a series of crazy adventures as they attempt to escape the daycare and return to Andy before he goes away to college.

As per usual, Pixar delivers yet another fantastic film that perfectly blends elements of witty comedy, edge-of-your-seat adventure, and genuine, heartfelt emotion. Much like Pixar's previous films, Toy Story 3 is not your typical family / children's film. With mature themes about adolescence, detachment, love, and friendship, people of all age groups will find themselves both laughing and crying throughout this film.

The introduction of some new characters adds something new and exciting to the story, while the original characters maintain their signature traits we've grown to know and love from the two previous films. In addition to the film's brilliant screenplay (by Lilttle Miss Sunshine screenwriter, Michael Arndt), the visual detail and art direction is absolutely stunning, and the use of 3-D successfully enhances the experience without going over-the-top.

At a time when Hollywood seems to be spewing out endless amounts unwanted and unnecessary remakes / sequels, Toy Story 3 provides us with a giant breath of fresh air and proves that it is possible to make a trilogy that really works. Toy Story 3 is hands down the best movie I have seen this year so far.

Rating: 4 out of 4 stars

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What did you guys think of Toy Story 3? Did it live up to the hype of the first two movies? Feel free to share your thoughts and comments!

Return of the Blog! - Summer Movie Thoughts (JUNE)

Hello everyone, sorry it's been so long since I've updated this thing. But now that summer is well underway, I thought I would get back to blogging and share some thoughts on some of the big summer movies coming out this year. Since we are already halfway through June, let's take a look at the big titles coming out the rest of this month:

JUNE 18

CYRUS
Starring: John C. Reilly, Marisa Tomei, and Jonah Hill
Directed by: Jay & Mark Duplass
Synopsis: A divorced guy John (Reilly) sparks with Molly (Tomei) and takes the initial steps toward a new romance; however, he soon finds himself engaged in a war for Molly's attention with her over-protective son (Hill) [IMDB.com]
Trailer:

Hermit Says: Looks like a decent indie comedy. Probably not the next 'Juno' or 'Little Miss Sunshine', but it will be interesting to see the dynamic / chemistry between its three stars.

TOY STORY 3
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, and more
Directed by: Lee Unkrich
Synopsis: Woody, Buzz, and the rest of their toy-box friends are dumped in a day-care center after their owner, Andy, departs for college. [IMDB.com]
Trailer:

Hermit Says: I'm usually quick to write-off sequels, prequels, and remakes...but this is a HUGE exception. I couldn't be more excited to see this!

JONAH HEX
Starring: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, and John Malkovich
Directed by: Jimmy Hayward
Synopsis: In the Wild West, a scarred bounty hunter tracks a voodoo practitioner bent on liberating the South by raising an army of the undead. [IMDB.com]
Trailer:

Hermit says: Doesn't look too appealing to me. Seems kind of like 'Hellboy' meets 'Wild Wild West'...and that's NOT a good thing! However, there's one reason I would actually consider going to see this film...[see below]

JUNE 25

GROWN UPS
Starring: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James, and Rob Schneider
Directed by: Dennis Dugan
Synopsis: Thirty years after their high school graduation, five good friends reunite for a Fourth of July holiday weekend. [IMDB.com]
Trailer:

Hermit says: Pretty much an SNL cast reunion + Kevin James (It's like they replaced Chris Farley with a new, fat, funny white guy). Initially I thought this would be a poor excuse at reviving the careers of a couple irrelevant actors (*cough* David Spade *cough* Rob Schneider), but it turns out this actually looks like a fun and promising comedy and I will definitely be checking it out.

KNIGHT AND DAY
Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz
Directed by: James Mangold
Synopsis: A fugitive couple (Cruise and Diaz) set of on a glamorous and sometimes deadly adventure where nothing and no one - even themselves - are what they seem. Amid shifting alliances and unexpected betrayals, they race across the globe, with their survival ultimately hinging on the battle of truth vs. trust. [IMDB.com]
Trailer:

Hermit Says: While both actors seem very well suited for the characters they are playing, there doesn't seem to anything particularly interesting or original about this film. I'm likely going to skip it.

JUNE 30

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner

Directed by: David Slade

Synopsis: As a string of mysterious killings grips Seattle, Bella, whose high school graduation is fast approaching, is forced to choose between her love for vampire Edward and her friendship with werewolf Jacob. [IMDB.com]

Trailer:

Hermit Says: Though this Twilight film seems much darker and more action-oriented, I still have absolutely no interest in anything Twilight. SORRY!

SOUND OFF!

What movies have you guys seen this summer so far? What movies are you most looking forward to? Feel free to share your thoughts!

The 82nd Annual Academy Award Nominations

Nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards were announced this morning by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Sid Ganis and Oscar-nominated actress Anne Hathaway. The awards will be will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre on ABC. Check out a list of the major nominations below!

BEST PICTURE
Avatar
Inglourious Basterds
Up in the Air
Precious
The Hurt Locker
District 9
An Education
Up
A Serious Man
The Blind Side

BEST ACTOR
Jeff Bridges [Crazy Heart]
Colin Firth [A Single Man]
Morgan Freeman [Invictus]
Jeremy Renner [The Hurt Locker]
George Clooney [Up in the Air]

BEST ACTRESS
Sandra Bullock [The Blind Side]
Meryl Streep [Julie & Julia]
Gabourey Sidibe [Precious]
Carey Mulligan [An Education]
Helen Mirren [The Last Station]

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon [Invictus]
Christoph Waltz [Inglourious Basterds]
Woody Harrelson [The Messenger]
Stanley Tucci [The Lovely Bones]
Christopher Plummer [The Last Station]

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Vera Farmiga [Up in the Air]
Anna Kendrick [Up in the Air]
Mo’Nique [Precious]
Penelope Cruz [Nine]
Maggie Gyllenhaal [Crazy Heart]

BEST DIRECTOR
James Cameron [Avatar]
Kathryn Bigelow [The Hurt Locker]
Lee Daniels [Precious]
Quentin Tarantino [Inglorious Basterds]
Jason Reitman [Up in the Air]

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
District 9
An Education
In the Loop
Precious
Up in the Air

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
The Messenger
A Serious Man
Up

Check out the complete list here.

Golden Globe Predictions (Movies)

As some of you guys might already know...tomorrow night is the 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Although there are still plenty of great films nominated that I still haven't gotten a chance to see yet, I thought I would make an attempt to make a few predictions on who I think will win some of the major FILM categories. Keep in mind that this is not necessarily who I think should win.

BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

Up in the Air

BEST MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

(500) Days of Summer

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

George Clooney - Up in the Air

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

Carey Mulligan - An Education

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Matt Damon - The Informant!

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

Mo’Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE

James Cameron - Avatar

BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE

Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Up

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Feel free to share your thoughts on the nominees / your own predictions on who is going to win. Check out a full list of all the nominees here.

Favorite Movie Soundtracks of the Decade

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a fun and safe New Year's Eve! If you haven't checked out my end of the year lists (music & movies) or my favorite albums of the decade list yet, please check that out! As a nice little complement to my albums of the decade list, I thought I would share some of my favorite movie soundtracks of the past ten years since I decided to leave them out of my albums list. So here are 10 of my favorite movie soundtracks of the decade:

10. I Am Sam (2002)

Listen to "Across the Universe" by Rufus Wainwright here.


9. Slumdog Millionaire (2009)

Listen to "Jai Ho" by A.R. Rahman here.


8. Where the Wild Things Are (2009)

Listen to "All is Love" by Karen O and the Kids here.


7. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

Listen to "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" by The Soggy Bottom Boys here.


6. Almost Famous (2000)

Listen to "Fever Dog" by Stillwater here.


5. Juno (2008)

Listen to "Anyone Else But You" by The Moldy Peaches here.


4. Walk the Line (2005)

Listen to "It Ain't Me Babe" by Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon here.


3. Garden State (2004)

Listen to "New Slang" by The Shins here.


2. Once (2007)

Listen to "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová here.


1. Across the Universe (2007)

Listen to "All My Loving" by Jim Sturgess here.


[HONORABLE MENTIONS]
School of Rock (2007)
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
(500) Days of Summer (2009)

What were some of YOUR favorite soundtracks of the decade? Feel free to share your thoughts!

Favorite Albums of the Decade

So after much thought and a lot of careful listening and re-visiting, I have compiled a list of my favorite albums of this past decade. Please note these are not necessarily what I think are the "best" albums of the decade or albums that have had the most influence on the music industry...this is merely a list of 50 albums from that past ten years that I have personally enjoyed listening to the most. Here are numbers 50 - 11:

50. In Between Dreams (2005) – Jack Johnson
49. Toxicity (2001) – System of a Down
48. Deloused in the Comatorium (2003) – The Mars Volta
47. It's Never Been Like That (2006) – Phoenix
46. Wincing the Night Away (2007) – The Shins
45. Death Magnetic (2008) – Metallica
44. Bleed American (2001) – Jimmy Eat World
43. Destination: Beautiful (2003) – Mae
42. Rockin' the Suburbs (2001) – Ben Folds
41. Elevator (2005) – Hot Hot Heat
40. In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead
39. White Blood Cells (2001) – The White Stripes
38. Lupe Fiasco's The Cool (2007) – Lupe Fiasco
37. American Idiot (2004) – Green Day
36. Places You Have Come to Fear the Most (2001) – Dashboard Confessional
35. Funeral (2004) – Arcade Fire
34. Say It Like You Mean It (2002) – The Starting Line
33. A Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) – Coldplay
32. Give Up (2003) – The Postal Service
31. Illinois (2005) – Sufjan Stevens
30. What People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) – Arctic Monkeys
29. We Don't Need to Whisper (2006) – Angels & Airwaves
28. Battle Studies (2009) – John Mayer
27. Black Holes & Revelations (2006) – Muse
26. A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005) – Panic! At the Disco
25. Vampire Weekend (2008) – Vampire Weekend
24. Almost Here (2005) – The Academy Is...
23. Only By the Night (2008) – Kings of Leon
22. Plans (2005) – Death Cab For Cutie
21. Commit This To Memory (2005) – Motion City Soundtrack
20. The Eminem Show (2002) – Eminem
19. Mr. A to Z (2005) – Jason Mraz
18. Ocean Avenue (2003) – Yellowcard
17. Try! (2005) – John Mayer Trio
16. From Under the Cork Tree (2005) – Fall Out Boy
15. Hybrid Theory (2000) – Linkin Park
14. Blink-182 (2003) – Blink-182
13. All Killer No Filler (2001) – Sum 41
12. The Black Album (2003) – Jay-Z
11. Graduation (2007) – Kanye West

And without further ado, here are my Top 10 Favorite Albums of the Decade:

10. Hot Fuss (2004) – The Killers
9. ...Is a Real Boy (2004) – Say Anything
8. By the Way (2002) – Red Hot Chili Peppers
7. Take This to Your Grave (2003) – Fall Out Boy
6. Late Registration (2005) – Kanye West
5. Is This It (2001) – The Strokes
4. Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (2001) – Blink-182
3. The Blueprint (2001) – Jay-Z
2. Continuum (2006) – John Mayer
1. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) – Eminem


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A couple weeks ago I asked some friends of mine to compile lists of their own. Here is what they came up with!

[GUEST CONTRIBUTORS]

BEN MARTIN
[in no particular order]
Rush of Blood to the Head (2002) - Coldplay
Narrow Stairs (2008) - Death Cab for Cutie
Pretty. Odd. (2008) - Panic at the Disco
Bleed American (2001) - Jimmy Eat World
Stadium Arcadium (2006) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Hopes and Fears (2004) - Keane
Continuum (2006) - John Mayer
Eyes Open (2005) - Snow Patrol
Hot Fuss (2004) - The Killers
Good News For People Who Love Bad News (2004) - Modest Mouse

CHRIS RICE
10. Discovery (2001) - Daft Punk
9. Welcome Interstate Managers (2003) - Fountains of Wayne
8. A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005) - Panic! at the Disco
7. The Sunrise (2008) - Love Me Electric
6. American Idiot (2004) - Green Day
5. !Viva la Cobra! (2007) - Cobra Starship
4. Santi (2007) - The Academy Is...
3. Take This To Your Grave (2003) - Fall Out Boy
2. Commit This To Memory (2005) - Motion City Soundtrack
1. Rise or Die Trying (2007) - Four Year Strong

KEVIN MATELA
10. Black Clouds & Silver Linings (2009) - Dream Theater
9. Lateralus (2001) - Tool
8. III (2006) - Stanton Moore
7. Weathered (2001) - Creed
6. Faceless (2003) - Godsmack
5. Shogun (2008) - Trivium
4. One Day Remains (2004) - Alter Bridge
3. Ashes of the Wake (2004) - Lamb of God
2. Death Magnetic (2008) - Metallica
1. 10,000 Days (2006) – Tool

TIM LEE
[in order of year]
Hybrid Theory (2000) - Linkin Park
Places You Have Come to Fear the Most (2001) - Dashboard Confessional
The Used (2002) - The Used
North (2003) - Something Corporate
Sung Tongs (2004) - Animal Collective
From Under the Cork Tree (2005) - Fall Out Boy
This Is a Stick Up... Don't Make It a Murder (2006) - Hit the Lights
Rise or Die Trying (2007) - Four Year Strong
Carry Me Home (2008) - Archie Star
Aim and Ignite (2009) - fun.

MICHAEL MURRAY
10. Picaresque (2005) – The Decemberists
9. Riot on an Empty Street (2004) – Kings of Convenience
8. Elephant (2003) – The White Stripes
7. Chutes Too Narrow (2003) – The Shins
6. The Cool (2007) – Lupe Fiasco
5. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) – Arctic Monkeys
4. Electric Version (2003) – The New Pornographers
3. Sea Change (2002) – Beck
2. Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs (2005) – Andrew Bird
1. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) - Wilco

TOM PATTERSON
10. By the Way (2002) - Red Hot Chili Peppers
9. Blue Scholars (2004) - Blue Scholars
8. Absolution (2004) - Muse
7. The Clarence Greenwood Recordings (2004) - Citizen Cope
6. The Cool (2007) - Lupe Fiasco
5. Graduation (2007) - Kanye West
4. Speak For Yourself (2005) - Imogen Heap
3. Comfort Eagle (2001) - Cake
2. White Blood Cells (2001) - The White Stripes
1. Is This It (2001) - The Strokes