I realized I needed to write this post when I was going to see Wreck-It Ralph for a second time with my younger brother and sister who were quizzing me on the movies I had seen and I started listing off close to 30 films. All told I saw 45 movies in theaters that were released in 2012. Having recently seen Jack Reacher and This is 40 in 2013 I think I can finally close off my list. And frankly, if January (2012) hadn’t been such a miserable time for movies (for me in any case) its entirely possible I would have seen over fifty movies this year in theaters. Frankly, I might be close because I saw couple twice in theaters.
Movies
Entertainment Link-Off: An Expected Journey
Welcome back to our weekly look at the worlds of entertainment and pop culture in the Entertainment Link-Off. I’m covering for Jackie this week after I slightly forgot about it last week… Anyway, there’s only one major wide release at the theatres this weekend. That would be the first part of The Hobbit trilogy. Yes, we’re going back to Middle Earth with Dr. Watson Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins. Don’t worry, though. Some old friends will be back including Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Andy Serkis, Hugo Weaving, Orlando Bloom and Cate Blanchett who stars as the only woman with a character in Middle Earth. Continue reading
Entertainment Link-Off: Behind The Scenes
With Jackie on assignment these next two weeks (I’ve always wanted to say that), I’m your pop culture guru for the next two editions of the Entertainment Link-Off. It’s hard enough finding links for one linkdump when the interweb is basically shut down for American Thanksgiving. I had to fill two linkdumps on about 48 hours notice but I think you’ll be happy.
Anyway, there are three big wide releases this weekend (well, by this weekend I mean on Wednesday). There is the heavily hyped Life of Pi which is the best reviewed movie of the weekend but still looks like a low rent version of Castaway. Alternatively, you could watch the star-studded animated Rise of the Guardians. Or if you want to rot your brain, you can go see Red Dawn. Rather than promote those movies, here’s former Chuck, now Dexter star Yvonne Strahovski. Continue reading
Wednesday Link-Off: Powerslam
This is definitely an eclectic collection of links we have today. There’s a bit of news, technology, pop culture, video games and even some hockey links that aren’t about lockout negotiations. Ha! “Negotiations.” There’s no hope to save the season the way they’re going. Anyway, here’s Maria Menounos.
David Simon, former journalist and the man behind many TV shows you might love like The Wire, Homicide: Life on the Streets and Treme, says the media’s handling of the Petraeus scandal shows it’s lost its way. (The Audacity of Dispair)
Papa John and other restaurant big wigs are going to pass the costs of Obamacare on to you because they say the cost of providing basic health insurance to their workers is going to break them financially. It’s just too bad they’re full of shit. (Slate)
The US Senate is looking at a bill to remove almost all of your internet privacy. A bill being introduced will allow a whole host of federal agencies warrantless access to your electronic correspondence. (CNET News) Hopefully this gets the attention from the internet that SOPA and PIPA did because this bill is a big deal.
After the jump, don’t troll Anderson Cooper, how people are coping without the NHL and Psy is 2 legit 2 quit. Continue reading
Fifty Years of James Bond: The Movie
An intrepid James Bond fan has put together a pretty cool mash-up/compilation of the last 50 years of Eon Productions’ James Bond movies. He’s created a two-hour long video with five-minute long segments from each movie put together in sequence of when the movie was released.
The video’s description says:
Approximately five minutes from each of the 22 Eon produced James Bond films have been cut together, in order and in sequence, beginning with the first five minutes of DR. NO (1962) followed by minutes 5-10 of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963), minutes 10-15 of GOLDFINGER (1964), minutes 15-20 of THUNDERBALL (1965), continuing on through each of the remaining 18 Bond features (accounting for variables in each title’s running time) culminating with the final five minutes of 2008’s QUANTUM OF SOLACE.
The History of 007 (Infographic)
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but we’re big fans of James Bond around here. Maybe it was our definitive list of Bond themes or Bond girl themed Man Lab Showdown or the detailed Bond girl infographic. Today, we have one last Bond post for today’s premiere of Skyfall. It’s a timeline and history of James Bond movies, cars, guns, actors and box office numbers for the last fifty years. Continue reading
James Bond’s Love Life (Infographic)
James Bond’s daily routine is much better than yours. He gets cool gadgets from Q, saves the world from villains hell-bent on world domination and gets the girl. If you’re not Daniel Craig, it’s actually “gets the girls.” Over the last 50 years and 22 movies, Bond has slept with 53 women about 75 times.
With Skyfall premiering Friday in North America, now is a good time to check out this infographic about the famous Bond girls. Continue reading
The Top Ten James Bond Theme Songs (Updated For Skyfall)
Some three years ago, I put together a list of the ten best James Bond movie theme songs. With the release of Skyfall next week and a very good theme song by Adele, people have been talking about what the best Bond themes are and where Skyfall would land on that list. So here’s our officially unofficial list of the best Bond themes of all-time. Continue reading
Entertainment Link-Off: TKO
Danger, Will Robinson! I’ve drawn in to cover the entertainment and pop culture beat for Jackie. This actually seems like an interesting weekend for films with three big new releases. Ben Affleck’s Argo is about a recently declassified CIA operation but I can’t see anyone but the critics loving it. Seven Psychopaths would be my choice for the weekend because you can never get too much Walken and Harrelson. Unfortunately, the top new film at the box office will likely be Here Comes The Boom starring Kevin James. I doubt it’ll be two hours of Kevin James getting his ass kicked so I’m unlikely to find much enjoyment from the film. However, it does also star Salma Hayek. Small victory, I suppose. Continue reading
Entertainment Link-Off: A History…
Welcome, my friends, to the show that never ends. The Entertainment Link-Off rolls on with me in place for Jackie this week. I promise that I’ll keep most of the politics out of it this time. The state of discourse in the US Presidential Election is bad enough that we all need a reprieve from the lies, mud-slinging and general bullshit at some point.
Anyway, it’s been an interesting week in the world of entertainment. Most networks chose to have their premieres this week so that means that primetime TV is only slightly less of a wasteland than it was during the summer. Hollywood is doing a bit better this week. Opening over the weekend are Looper starring JGL and Bruce Willis (yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker), Hotel Transylvania (which thankfully spares us from Adam Sandler in drag), Won’t Back Down and Pitch Perfect which stars blog favourite Anna Kendrick.
After the jump, the history of James Bond movies, the history of Cheers, some news on NBC prime time shows and the worst movie death scene ever. Continue reading
The Lowdown 