“Look into my eyes so you know what it’s like to live a life not knowing what a normal life’s like.” Those harrowing words came from the rap lyrics that Marcus (played by Keith Stanfield) delivers in one of the most powerful scenes in the film. Sure it was laced with coarse language, but the raw emotion from the song about parental abuse and his estrangement from his family was like a big punch to the gut. The film is uplifting yet heartbreaking and it knows how to grip so tightly in our hearts and never let go. Short Term 12 delivers an emotional powerhouse through superb direction, touching script and brilliant performances from the actors involved, in particularly Brie Larson. Continue reading
Entertainment
BIFF2013: The Spectacular Now
Ida Scott Taylor once wrote “Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering”. All this sounds quite beautiful, but let’s be honest here, the whole ‘live in the present’ philosophy is not exactly a good one. Often we have to think about tomorrow because we expect to still be here. The Spectacular Now is a wonderful film that explores the ‘live in the now’ mentality while taking a look into high school romance and the anxiety of escaping our shells in the teenage years. Led by the wonderful performances of Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, The Spectacular Now is a charming yet powerful coming-of-age story about the fear of looking into the future and simply staying in the safety net of the present. Continue reading
Entertainment Link-Off: One More Time
It’s rare that I go with the same person to kick off the ELO for two consecutive weeks but Jamie Alexander’s appearance at the Thor premiere deserves another look. Wow.
After the jump, catch Wolverine’s classic costume in The Wolverine, explaining that post-credits scene in Thor: The Dark World, Saw is making a comeback, CW’s Arrow is better than Agents of SHIELD, new trailers galore and check out an awesome Daft Punk medley from Pentatonix. Continue reading
How Much Would Thor’s Castle Cost?
Sure, Thor might be a Norse demigod and not live on Earth but that doesn’t mean that he has one cool pad. (People still say stuff like that, right?) Since Thor: The Dark World opens in theatres this weekend, our friends at Movato thought that now would be a good time to look at the value of Thor’s Castle. I’d reckon that’s where most of the movie’s budget went.
Entertainment Link-Off: In Darkness
Folks in North America can enjoy the sci-fi actioner Ender’s Game while here in Australia, Thor: The Dark World is out!!! In the film, you’ll catch Jaimie Alexander reprising her role as Sif. The film has a nice balance of action and comedy. It’s worth checking out. Anyway, let’s kick off this ELO with Jaimie’s latest photoshoot with Esquire.
After the jump, there may be some Thor connections to an upcoming episode of S.H.I.E.L.D., the new X-Men trailer is out, a potential spin-off for How I Met Your Mother, check out The Simpsons opening credits (Hobbit style) and a hilarious look at the size difference between Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman. Continue reading
Entertainment Link-Off: Let the Games Begin
Sorry for the delay. Between working full time and checking out an epic Yellowcard throwback concert, I found little time to sit down and work on the ELO this week. On the bright side, I did finally get around to it and huge thanks to Steve for working out a swap. Bad Grandpa is taking over the box office at the theatres this weekend, but it might be noteworthy to check out The Counselor where you get to see Cameron Diaz get off on the car windshield.
Anyway, after the jump, that Chinese Food song makes the Billboard Hot 100, get the 42 track Arrested Development soundtrack, and check out an awesome Disney medley. Continue reading
Entertainment Link-Off: Finding A Way Out
This weekend we got a Sly and Ah-nold teaming up for Escape Plan. Given their solo features this year were duds, maybe a team-up can spark their box office fortunes. On the other end is the remake of Carrie. While there were formidable performances from the stars including Chloe Grace Moretz, the general consensus is that the remake was unnecessary and doesn’t add anything new to the table. Also featured in the movie is Gabriella Wilde, so let’s kick this all off with her.
After the jump, Darren Aronofsky doesn’t want to tell the story of Noah from the Bible which worries the movie studio, Community returns in January, Batman mocks Superman and Stan Lee rants about 3D movies. Continue reading
How Much is the Order of the Phoenix HQ Worth? (Infographic)
A couple of months back, we ran a fairly popular infographic about the value of the Wealey family home, The Burrow. Now, we’re back with a new Harry Potter themed infographic.
Have you ever wondered how much a disappearing six-floor house in the middle of London is worth? Well, if you’d read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, you’d probably be a little interested in how much the Order’s headquarters would have set them back if it wasn’t the ancestral home of the Black family. Fortunately, our friends at Movato have an answer for us.
Entertainment Link-Off: Slice and Dice
The blood thirsty action hero Machete is back in Machete Kills! While the film is known for its rather ridiculous gory action, there is also no shortage of eye candy either. You can also catch Alexa Vega all grown up from the Spy Kids days in this film.
After the jump, Coach Taylor doesn’t want more FNL, some S.H,I.E.L.D. related stuff, Quentin Tarantino explains why he liked The Lone Ranger and watch Harrison Ford and Benedict Cumberbatch struggle with Star Wars related questions. Continue reading
Entertainment Link-Off: Breaking Gravity
Howdy gang. I’ve drawn in for Jackie this week to cover the entertainment beat.
There are two big wide releases this week. Runner Runner stars, but is not directed by, Ben Affleck. Unfortunately, when you don’t get Ben involved behind the camera, it doesn’t always work out well as this one’s received mixed to poor reviews. Your other option is Gravity starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. It’s received near universal critical acclaim which is down to the brilliant direction of Alfonso Cuaron. I won’t be seeing it in theatres because I just can’t take Sandra Bullock seriously. I blame Speed 2… and most of her career.
Anyway, let’s get on with the links. Let’s start with Lacey Chabert who is apparently still making movies which is something that I didn’t know.
The Lowdown 