Contagion hits the big screen on September, 9 but you (Kansas City and Omaha) can be among the first to see the film on Tuesday, September 6.

Click here to enter the contest. (you have to like our page first to be able to enter)

Contagion is an action-thriller staring Matt Damon, Kate Winslet and Jude Law about a deadly disease outbreak and the team of doctors who are trying to deal with the outbreak.

Midcoast Station

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If you’re in the mood for an emotionally tense roller coaster of subtitled sentiment (and who isn’t) the film Sarah’s Key, (or if you’re reading from France, Elle s’appelait Sarah) should aptly suit your needs. Half set against the disconcerting backdrop of World War II and half set in the present day, the film tells the tale of the Starzynskis, a Jewish family living in France who is arrested in their own home and taken to the Vel d’Hiv. The family’s young daughter Sarah frantically begs her younger brother Michèl to hide in a closet to avoid capture, while the three remaining family members are dragged into the beginnings of a horrific nightmare. As one present day reporter in the film pertinently states, “imagine the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina, only a million times worse.” After countless hours are spent in a packed arena surrounded by the sound of screams, mental breakdowns, and even suicides, the family is whisked away to a prison camp where they are inevitably torn apart.

At first Sarah is able to remain with her mother giving Sarah hope, but eventually the pair is violently separated, and an ailing Sarah is close to death. The one motivator keeping her clinging to life is the belief that her brother is still obediently remaining hidden in the closet. Sarah clings to the closet’s key as if it were her own soul, and after regaining strength with the help of a stranger, Sarah and her new friend are able to escape the camp aided by an unbelievable act of human kindness. The girls happen upon a nearby town, where an initially reluctant couple hides and cares for the duo, thus endangering their own lives.

Cut to over sixty years later where Julia Jarmond and her husband Bertrand Tézac unknowingly buy the apartment owned by the Starzynskis. Julia is a journalist covering the Vel d’Hiv incident, and after realizing her new apartment lies in what was a predominately Jewish neighborhood before the occupation, begins to uncover the mystery of how Bertrand’s family obtained the apartment and what happened to Sarah and her descendants, while confronting her own personal family battles.

The film does an excellent job of switching between the two stories and eventually uniting them together. The extraordinarily underrated Kristin Scott Thomas plays a strong protagonist, an insatiably inquisitive journalist who will do anything to uncover the story even if it risks opening family wounds and asking impossibly daunting questions. Aidan Quinn makes a brief yet powerful appearance as a man who has ties to Sarah, and watches as everything he believed he knew about his ancestry unravel before his eyes. One of the most powerful performances comes from Charlotte Poutrel as an older version of Sarah, who without containing one word of dialogue captures the emotional turmoil one can only imagine having after surviving a concentration camp. While her scenes are fleeting, Poutrel appears simultaneously devastated, guarded, and untamed.

Moving out of the summer blockbuster season of spandexed superheroes, gravity-defying stunts, and sweltering explosions, Sarah’s Key, which was adapted from Tatiana de Rosnay’s novel of the same name, is a nice transition to the traditionally serious winter season. (After the compost pile of crap that is typically released in the fall.) It is a film that juxtaposes the best and worst of human acts, and reminds the audience of the atrocities a country can inflict on its own people. Yes, you will have to read subtitles part of the time, but don’t let that defer you from seeing an incredible film. (Literacy is a privilege people!) Effectively frustrating and deeply moving, this is the type of film which illustrates the power that le cinéma can encompass.

Marina

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“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” first flickered into the public’s conscience when the maniacal critters were released onto television screens in 1973. Now, “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” aims to haunt again, but will the big screen remake be able to outshine the original?

The new version of “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” sticks to the general plotline of the ’73 movie. A young family moves into an older home and during their remodeling efforts they discover a hidden room. In this room, the protagonist, Sally, inadvertently unleashes evil, fairy-like creatures that plot against the family to take one family member’s life to replenish their own ranks. The only thing that can keep these monsters at bay is light.

The main difference between the original and the remake is that Sally, is an adult (Kim Darby) in the original and a child (Bailee Madison) in the remake. More accurately, the remake splits Darby’s Sally into two characters: Bailee’s Sally and the new role of Sally’s father’s girlfriend, Kim (Katie Holmes).

At first, the idea of Sally as a child is an exciting prospect. Guillermo del Toro (writer/producer) did some exceptional work with a nightmarish story starring a child in “Pan’s Labryinth,” so the idea of him reworking another horror story with a child seems promising. However, the child angle is where this movie fell apart. While Madison shows plenty of signs that she is a more than capable actress, the role she was given was simply poorly written. The character of Sally is played as if it was an emo teenager and not the 8-year-old child she really is. This slight overaging of physically young character actually makes it harder for the audience to relate and care for Sally – she’s rude and dull for much of the first half of the movie — who would care about a person like that? Flashes of her true age flash through in the second half during some of the scarier scenes and these are the moments when her character becomes more human and interesting.

Horror films walk a fine line between cheesy and scary, but “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” seems to struggle with the line more than most. It doesn’t help the film that from the get-go, its main villains are little hunched back men with sticks. There are times in the film, when these guys are great at terrifying such as the moments when Alex is looking through the fireplace grate and the audience sees this pointed stick sliding toward his eye. Here the beasts are out of frame. They’re less terrifying when they can be seen slashing and plotting. There’s a moment in Sally’s bedroom (seen in the trailer) where she first sees one of the creatures under the sheet and this might have been scarier for the audience if the creatures hadn’t already been so visible throughout the movie. Take note horror film makers to not give away all your tricks too early in the movie. For “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,” a movie that already has so much known about it because it is a remake, keeping some visual secrets would have been a huge help.

At the end of the original film, the final lines have the creatures asking, “When will they come? When will they come and set us free?” Well, Hollywood revisited the film and set the creatures free in a remake, but just as Sally learns, this was not the greatest of ideas.

“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” is released nationwide in theaters by Miramax on Friday, August 26, 2011.

Bethany Smith

I'm a geek; I love music, technology and grammar.

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Sony Computer Entertainment has just announced third installments of two of their most popular franchises, “Resistance” and “Uncharted.”

The “Resistance” series takes place in an alternate history where an alien race, The Chimera, has invaded Earth and infected 90 percent of humanity. “Resistance 3″ takes place after the Chimera have taken over the U.S. and driven all survivors into hiding. We follow Joseph Capelli as he journeys from Oklahoma to New York in search of a cure. The third installment will feature a similar weapons system with a few tweaks that will allow for even more player customization and a few new enemies that will make you thankful for the new firearms. There will be 5 different multi-player modes available and the game will support up to 16 players battling head-to-head or a cooperative mode that will allow two players to face the story mode together. The game will be 3-D and Move compatible, and will be available in a limited edition that comes with the Playstation Move Sharp Shooter, a gun attachment that works with the Move controllers.

If battling aliens is not your bag, perhaps “Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” is more up your alley. “Uncharted” tells the tale of Nathan Drake, an Indiana Jones-esque treasure hunter with less noble intentions. “Drake’s Deception” follows the treasure hunter, a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, as he travels with his mentor in search of the legendary lost city, Iram of the Pillars. The third game brings co-op mode, the first of the series, and returns its popular multiplayer modes. “Drake’s Deception” will be playable in 3-D, assuming you have the capable equipment.

“Resistance 3″ will be available on September 6, and “Uncharted 3″ will be available on November 1. Both games will be $59.99 and special editions will range in price from $99.99 to $149.99.

Nathan

Nathan enjoys film, music, sports and most of all, speaking in the third person.

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The first video off St. Vincent‘s Strange Mercy has just been released. ”Cruel” was directed by Terri Timely and you can watch it below.

Strange Mercy is due out on September 13, but you can pre-order it now.

Bethany Smith

I'm a geek; I love music, technology and grammar.

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Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, a pop/rock/country band from Massachusetts, recently released a new single “Gravity” in preparation for their new album, “Gift Horse”, scheduled to be released  October 11.

At first listen, the song is very classic “Stephen Kellogg” and if you’ve heard any of their music, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. And for those of you don’t know what I’m talking about, you should. But after a few subsequent listens, the song sounds strikingly familiar. Check out “Cecilia” by Simon and Garfunkel and they sound identical. Maybe this was done on purpose or maybe this is coincidence. Either way, Stephen Kellogg updates the tune a little bit and makes it his own.

Stephen Kellogg seems to have found the perfect recipe of fun, talent, and emotion. When those elements combine, not only is the album a success, but so is a tour. Stephen Kellogg and the rest of the Sixers – Kit “the Goose” Karlson, bass, keys, tuba, keytar; Brian “Boots” Factor, drums; and Sam “Steamer” Getz, guitar, steel guitar, bass – always put on a great show with a lot of audience participation. They are touring this fall in support of the new album.

You may pre-order a copy of “Gift Horse” bundled together with some Sk6ers merch.  All pre-orders come with two free tracks : “Gravity” and “Roots and Wings”.

You can also pre-order at iTunes.

Boys Only (Plus Girls) Tour 2011

Sara

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With thirteen years of experience and six albums under its belt, Orange County’s Thrice will release their seventh studio album, “Major/Minor,” on Vagrant Records September 20. The band will release an early vinyl LP September 6.

Your average alternative rock release (or ANY record release for that matter) is a simple attempt to recreate what made people like the band in the first place. Not with Thrice. A typical release by this alternative quartet is anything but the same from any previous writing session. Judging by the lead track, “Yellow Belly,” and the second single release, “Promises,” unveiled August 17, Thrice doesn’t plan on going anywhere but up. Recorded at Red Bull studios in their home state of California, both tracks feature a truly solid rhythm section, smooth and tactful lead playing and one of the most honest and heartfelt voices underground rock has to offer.

In recent interviews, select Thrice members have said that this record will have more “mathy” elements. The album has a very prominent 90′s alternative flavor, most likely drawn from older influences in the band’s inception. Sonically, I haven’t heard this big of a sound since 2003′s “Artist in the Ambulance,” which is my favorite record of all time. But, realistically, when does the point come in a band’s tenure that they have nowhere else to go? Judging from the material I’ve heard via the band or bootleg concert videos posted on YouTube, I honestly don’t think the band is trying to prove anything to anyone. Members are now taking the last 13 years of writing experience and their ability to stray from any form of comfort zone and from what I have heard have written two amazing rock tracks. I am stoked for “Major/Minor” and you should be too.

Major/Minor album art, via vagrant.com

First listen:
Thrice – Yellow Belly by Vagrant Records

Thrice – Promises [Lyric Video] from Vagrant Records on Vimeo.

Visit the Thrice website for information on Thrice’s upcoming Fall tour dates, or click here to pre-order “Major/Minor.”

Todd

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At the end of last week’s episode we see Jessica opening the door ready to frolic in the sun for about .5 seconds before she burns to a fiery crisp and explodes into a big pile of goo.

This week, Episode 8, Spellbound, begins with Jason tackling Jessica to knock her back inside the house. Bill thanks Jason by indebting themselves to him forever, but Jessica thanks him like any other horny female (vampire or not). She makes out with him. Okay, to give her some credit, she does the respectable thing and breaks up with Hoyt (who by the way, completely loses it and rescinds his invitation to Jessica to their house). However what Jessica didn’t foresee, was Jason also doing the respectable thing and despite kissing her back at first, he does tell her to leave because Hoyt is his best friend. He also rescinds his invitation.

Meanwhile, Sookie offers her blood up to Eric so he can heal faster after she removes the silver chains. In return, he offers his own blood so they can form that special vampire/human bond most vampires and humans hate so much. Basically now the other can sense each other and their feelings at all times. So next time Sookie fears for her life, Eric will know and come to the rescue. Anyway, after this blood exchange, they are both high and hallucinate a bed in the middle of a snowy field. Of course Eric doesn’t have to worry about hypothermia, but Sookie is too caught up in Eric’s flawless naked body (and who could blame her?) to have any kind of rational thoughts or concerns like that. On second thought, her first though should have been “Why is my bed in the middle of a snowy field?” But instead they act like this is normal and get down to business… again… until their high wears off. Then of course reality sets in and they realize the vampires are at war with the witches. Eric begs Sookie to run away together but Sookie is much too stubborn for that. She insists they step up and help Bill fight the good fight. Of course, she always gets her way, what with her demanding demeanor and awesome rack. This is also how she talks Bill into letting them fight with him.

While Eric and Sookie are getting it on, Bill is doing damage control about the apparent vampire suicide. He manages to glamour a news reporter into letting him make a statement live on TV and blames it on “vampire bullying”. He then calls Antonia and asks if they can meet at a creepy cemetery to discuss their differences and make amends (perfect ambiance for a fight don’t you think?)

So both camps meet and it’s obvious neither trusts the other one because they have both brought an army with them to fight. As Bill and Antonia are talking, Sookie listens in to Antonia’s brain (when was the last time she did this? Isn’t her telepathy the basis of the show?) and hears her casting a spell. Upon warning Bill, chaos ensues. A fight breaks out and several people from both sides die. Pam finally catches Tara and is just about to Kill her when Bill comes to save the day and forces Pam to let Tara go. When Tara questions him about that, his response is a simple “You know why” and then he runs off. Um, maybe because you sat on your ass and left her to die in a previous season and now you are trying to make amends? It’s no wonder Tara hates you. Sookie ends up getting shot by a rogue bullet only to be picked up and carried away by a surprise visitor to the fight, Alcide. In the background, we see he’s being followed by Debbie Pelt who is pissed. She warned him to stay away from Sookie and to stay out of the witch/vampire fight. I think it’s safe to say Debbie is on her mission to kill Sookie again. It’s about time. Then Eric tries to attack Antonia who easily puts him under her spell of submission. Great, it’s bad enough he can’t remember who he is, but now he’s going to do the witch’s bidding too. Can’t wait for next week’s episode.

In other news, Sam talks with Luna and makes amends with her. After discovering his little brother Tommy is a skin walker, they had kind of been on the outs. But he apologizes and they reconcile. They begin acting like one big happy family again (Sam, Luna, and her daughter) when baby daddy, who just happens to be the packmaster of the Shreveport werewolves, comes by to say good night to his daughter. Jealousy is kind of his thing and he freaks out on Sam.

While this is happening, Tommy steals some of Maxine Fortenberry’s clothing and he shifts into her. He meets with the man trying to buy her rights to the natural gas on her property and Tommy sells them to him. For a measly $5700.

Andy is having some serious issues with his addiction to V. He goes to eat the suicidal vampire off the sidewalk when Jason stops him.

Last but not least, we finally figure out who this strange spirit, Mavis, is that keeps stalking Mikey. After Lafayette sees her again, he dreams about her that night. In his dream, she is a black woman (okay, she’s always a black woman) and possibly a slave who had an affair with a married white man. He kills the baby they had together to hide the evidence of his affair. This is also where the creepy doll Mikey keeps playing with comes from – it was originally for the baby who was murdered. But when Lafayette wakes from his dream, Mavis is standing there in front of him. She possesses Lafayette’s body and heads on over to the Bellefleurs’ house where Arlene and Terry are staying while their house is rebuilt. Then Mavis kidnaps Mikey, who she apparently believes is her son, most likely because he plays with that damn doll. And she’s crazy.

Here’s a preview for the next episode:

Sara

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To properly sum up my impressions and my experience (first time to Lolla btw) of Lollapalooza 2011 all I really need to write is a few (seemingly unrelated) words:

Lobster Corn Dog

That’s right ladies and gentleman what you see pictured above is the, thanks to Lollapalooza, infamous lobster corn dog from Grahamwich  Not only was this one of many delicious and local food vendors at Lolla, it is the perfect metaphor to describe what Lollapalooza has become.

A corn dog is, in my opinion, very American, traditional and always delicious and enjoyable. Right? It’s a hot dog on a stick that’s breaded and delicious. Essentially for this metaphor to work I have to set the stage and say that a typical American music festival is like a corn dog.

A lobster corn dog is different. Its appearance is deceiving…it looks like a corn dog but with a little added flare of sauces and seasoning…Oh, and a delicious batter encasing scrumptious lobster meat all ON A STICK!  Traditional meets a near-exoctic-flavor-explosion. Stick that badboy in your mouth and –WHAM BAM thank you ‘MAM –the best nine dollars you will ever spend at a music festival (and that says a lot when a basic 12 oz beer costs you six bucks).

If a typical music festival is a corn dogs then Lollapalooza is more like the Lobster corn dog. The following sections outline my experiences and impressions at Lollapalooza 2011.

The Music

Needless to say that the music at Lolla was amazing. So many different acts and different types of music. There were those bands who I made a point to see and those who I discovered there. Below are clips of some of my favorite performances from Lolla.

Ratatat

I had never heard any music from this group, and had I not seen them live, I may have not been interested. I ended up staying for 2 or 3 songs in their set, so I had time to make it to some other shows, but in hindsight I would have liked to have stayed and rocked out for their entire set.

Friendly Fires

Likely one of my favorite performances from the festival. I recently started listening to these guys a few weeks before Lolla. Their sound and energy was amazing.

Typhoon

Here is where I say, “Thank you, Lollapalooza, for introducing me to this amazing band!” I purchased their albums from my phone on the way home.

City and Colour

One of my favorite bands, I stood through the entire set and was blown away. This was the only band I saw that I stayed for the entire set.

Green Initiatives

I was astounded at how many good-for-you and good-for-the-planet efforts were put into this festival.

Recycle bins and trash cans everywhere, organic foods, recyclable packaging and many food products that are either natural, organic, local, vegetarian and/or vegan friendly. There were also people all over carrying a green bag walking from show to show picking up beer cans and other recyclable products off of the ground. After filling a bag and returning it, a Lolla volunteer would hook you up with a sweet T-shirt. What a fantastic way to keep the place clean while going green.

Brand Experiences

Brands and Sponsors involved in Lollapalooza really capitalized on the opportunity to connect with the 90,000 per day festival attendees. Dell, Sony and Toyota were some of the stand out brands on site at Lolla that really stood out to me. They didn’t just have their logo on posters, or stages named after them-they went all out and set up one or more interactive experiences and gave away branded swag.

“Or you could be like me and make a kick ass shrinky-dink mustache!”

Toyota had two tents with unique games, arts and craft like activities and a photo tooth inside one of their cars. You could “guess that song” inside a Toyota, or put on some wigs and rock star glasses with your friends in a car photo booth. Or you could be like me and make a kick ass shrinky-dink mustache! Their 2nd tent had a line 300 people strong all day long just to go get a Lollapolooza/Toyota headband.

With several thousand people traveling to Chicago for the weekend and the number of celebs, VIPs and bands in town, there were plenty of other brand experiences going on in Chicago surrounding Lolla. Even for companies that weren’t official sponsors or involved in the festival in any way.

 One way for a brand to showcase its product and image was to host an after party…

The After Parties

Andrew

Avid movie goer, music aficionado and Netflix junkie. I also strive to quote Jurassic Park on a daily basis and I sing like no one is listening when in the car.

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Are you a gamer? Do you enjoy multiplayer gaming, but hate that it cuts your screen in half (not to mention that your friends are all screen-peeking cheaters)?

Sony has announced a new monitor that allows two people to play simultaneously without giving up screen space. The new 24” LCD display from the electronics giant also has all of the features that you would expect from a display in 2011: 1080p, LED edge-lighting, 240Hz refresh rate and 3-D capabilities.

A traditional 3-D monitor uses glasses that sync to the television and control which eye sees a picture. The left frame receives an image from the monitor while the right frame is darkened; then the next frame is sent to the right frame while the left frame is darkened. This method also works for multiplayer gaming.

Via Sony PlayStation

The display, while it still has this functionality, will also allow you to press a button on the glasses to turn both frames of the first player’s glasses to be “left” and both frames of the second player’s to be “right.” With the monitor’s fast refresh rate the players will still be able to see their game smoothly.

The monitor, available this fall for $499.99, comes with an HDMI cable, one pair of 3-D glasses and a copy of the yet-to-be-released Resistance 3. Gamers can purchase extra pairs of glasses separately for $69.99.

Check out Sony’s PlayStation blog for more info.

Nathan

Nathan enjoys film, music, sports and most of all, speaking in the third person.

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