Posted on 27 April 2012 by Midcoast Station
Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s are back as Knocked Up’s Pete and Debbie in the new Jud Apatow film, This is 40.
A spin-off movie form Kocked up, could be good. Rudd and Mann’s dynamic and dysfunction in Kocked Up helped push the laugh factor however, this might be something more for the pushing 40 and older audiences.
Posted on 27 April 2012 by Nathan
I must admit that I am not usually a fan of romantic comedies. I mostly find the genre boring and full of stock characters that are completely uninteresting. In 2008 one movie really surprised me and that was Forgetting Sarah Marshall. When I heard that Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel would be making a new movie, I was pretty excited.
Tom (Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) have been together for a year when they decide to tie the knot. Work, moving and family trouble force them to halt their plans several times and next thing you know it has been a five-year engagement (hey that’s the name of the movie!).
The thing I liked about Forgetting Sarah Marshall was how likable Jason Segel was in the movie. In The Five-Year Engagement he is still likable (can anyone hate him at this point?), but he lacks the realistic back story and the humanization that the former offered. He is a little too unbalanced to really be the guy for whom you root. For a pretty decent chunk of time he is so distraught that he sports a Civil War General handlebar mustache/mutton chops combo. It’s funny when it shows up the first time and then the next scene when it is still there you already start to feel a little tired of the joke.
I’m also disappointed that Emily Blunt wasn’t as good as she can be. Her character is a little bit too cold to really capture you. She makes many decisions in the movie without much regard for how it makes Tom feel. At the end of the movie I wondered how they had stayed together for 6 years.
For me the brightest spots were in many of the supporting roles. Alison Brie was great as Violet’s younger sister and Chris Pratt was equally funny as Tom’s frat-boy friend.The scenes featuring their two contrasting styles and mannerisms were some of my favorites.
Like many movies from the Apatow comedy camp, The Five-Year Engagement is over-long by about 20 minutes. There are several parts that just drag and feature characters and sub-plots that are unnecessary and uninteresting.
In the end, Five-Year Engagement is a movie of extremes. It is extremely hilarious, extremely boring at times but most of all extremely disappointing. It isn’t a bad movie, I just know the people involved can do better.
2.5 out of 5 Stars
Posted on 27 April 2012 by Andrew
With all of the Avengers hype and anticipation I decided to take a step back from that and focus on something else… So I began to think about all of superhero movies that have been made, remade, revamped and given a sequel and/or prequel within the past decade or so. Though there are dozens of them,there are a few we have yet to see, and probably with good reason. Though there are those that have slipped through the cracks… i.e. Green Lantern.
Here are some super heros that we have yet to see emerge into the box office bandwagon, and probably wont. . With No further adieu I present to you…..5 super hero movies that have yet to be made:
So we got some live-action Wonder Twin powers activating from season 9 of Smallville…
And then a few references in Family guy…..
But lets face it… what we would end up with in a big budget Hollywood Wonder Twins movie would be something more like this:
… and no one wants to see that.
Orignal Photo borrowed from EzeMendez on Diviant Art Original photoshopping by me.
SNL made the cartoon to live action bridge of The Ambiguously Gay Duo which is great. You can watch the whole skit in its entirety on Hulu, or just watch the really funny parts below.
This doesn’t really classify as a possibility for a super hero to live action movie idea, because the original idea is 100% comedy. But I still do not think that it will ever live outside of its SNL TV FunHouse home.
So there was a 2011 version of Thunder Cats on TV, but this guy put the right concept together in this fan-made trailer below. With a cast of Brad Pitt as Lion-O, Vin Diesel as Panthro and Hugh Jackman as Tygra what could top that? Throw in some SpyKids as Wiley Kit and Wiley Kat and Garfield as Snarf and I’m sold! (I am being both serious and sarcastic at the same time. I have watched this trailer dozens of times and I LOVE it.)
However, I do not feel that Thunder Cats could be made, successfully, into a live action film.
Don Chedale and Funny or Die gave us a look at what a live action Captain Planet would be like. This video is great but they kept the corny and cheesy nature of the Planeteers intact. That would have to be cut and majorly reinvented for a film to be made, and taken seriously. Also, they would have to get rid of the ridiculous heart ring.
Also, I always thought that Captain Planet looked like Tom Cruise, and that would be awesome. Imagine Tom Cruise with a green mullet, I’d go see it!
So just because it’s awesome, here is the Funny or Die version of Captain Planet in case you missed it. Community’s Gillian Jacobs, The Social Network’s Brenda Song and Napoleon Dynamite’s Efren Ramirez also appear.
Thinking about how this story and character could be made into a film, and not be made into a joke is difficult. I kept thinking about Sponge Bob’s Mermaid Man.
However…… back in 2006 Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar took a stab at Aquaman the TV series. They put together the initial pilot which the WB (now the CW) passed on. However, it was made available for download on iTunes and became an incredibly popular video to download. Apparently the pilot aired in Canada and is avaialble eslewhere online. I am sure you could find a link to watch it online, or you could just pay the $1.29 to download it from iTunes. It’s too bad the show didn’t make it, Smallville was fairly solid and enjoyable and this looks worth watching. And so I shall.
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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Posted on 27 April 2012 by Midcoast Station
Sacha Baron Cohen is back and all up in your face with his new film (and character) The Dictator. It’s a heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.
Visit www.RepublicofWadiya.com for more information on the film
We are giving moviegoers in the Kansas City area a shot at winning a pass for 2 to see an advance screening of “The Dictator” on May 10 before the rest of the world gets to see it on May 16.
Click here to enter, you will be prompted to tweet @MidcoastStation with the following text to confirm your entry.
“I just entered a contest for #TheDictator (KC Area) advance screening passes from @MidcoastStation wp.me/p1JLAB-1m2”
(Follow the instructions and you have to Tweet to confirm your entry. Winners will be notified via E-mail or a direct message on Twitter by May 7.)
Posted on 27 April 2012 by Andrew
I am somewhat torn after watching The Raven. The film is of great concept, has a nice Sleepy Hollow feel and look, but there were several aspects of the film that seemed forced and did not fit . And For some reason they decided to give Poe a pet raccoon.. after a five minute online investigation of Poe facts I found nothing referencing Poe having one. So…. why?
The Raven is a fictional story of Poe (John Cusack) teaming up with detective Fields (Luke Evans) to bring down a serial killer who’s murders are direct recreations of Poe’s stories. The concept plays off of the mystery surrounding the final days before his death which works well in suspending the reality, because there is no documented reality to contradict it. Cuscack actually sums it up pretty well in a Tweet saying that The Raven is like a dream someone had about his final days putting Poe in a Poe story.
I feel like that people who are avid Poe fans, are going to love or hate this film. Those more like me, having only general familiarity, may not find the film that interesting or enjoyable. The greater knowledge base of Poe’s life and his works will make the first three quarters of the film more engaging, as I found myself struggling to keep interest until the twist in the plot (getting close to revealing the killer). On the flip side, a Poe fan may hate this film if they think it is trying to be a bio pic. It is most certainly NOT a bio pic. I think that if viewers can keep that in mind and keep the idea that this is like a dream about Poe in one of his own stories you can sit back and ejoy it a little more. Be prepared to witness quite a bit of gore in the murder scenes so if you are squeamish to open wounds or spilled guts and blood– beware.
As for my thoughts on some of the forced and out-of-place nature throughout the film lies within some of the dialogue (or delivery of the dialogue), random special effects and action sequences and an unoriginal situational plot.
For me the spoken word can make of break a film despite the talent at hand and their performance. I do not have any major qualms with the dialogue in this film but there were just a hand full of times where it seemed force dand out of place, and sometimes laughable. It broke the momentum and consistency of what was going on.
There were just as many misplaced special effects and action moments: There is a bullet flying through the air at Poe with time slowing down and barely missing his face and the pendulum murder scene (come on this is not a spoiler) with another random time sequence this time with computerized gore. The action sequence in a time-period film may have worked for the Sherlock Holmes films, but it does NOT fit in The Raven and is just distracting.
Even though I love the dream like concept of Poe in a Poe story, the concept of a serial killer inspired by one authors stories has been done before. I felt like the framework for this story isn’t unlike Seven or The Bone Collector. I think that this dream about Poe happened directly after the dreamer fell asleep watching one of those films on TNT.
You will love this film if you are a Poe enthusiast who has no issue suspending reality and accepting the fictional story and dream like concept. Otherwise, if you are like me, you will find yourself unsure if you even enjoyed it.
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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Posted on 26 April 2012 by Bethany Smith
Kansas City’s Beaumont Club had quickly sold out when Snow Patrol was announced as coming to town and the venue was already packed with people scrambling for a good spot well before opener Ed Sheeran started. But when the lone singer with an acoustic guitar humbly took to the stage, one thing was clear. These people had come for one thing and one thing only: Snow Patrol. Sheeran would have his work cut out for him to win this crowd. Fortunately, Sheeran is a one man superstar band. 
At first, the back of the crowd continued their chatter, but Sheeran’s charm quickly won the front half of the audience over as he played his guitar with such focused energy that he broke a string just one song into his set. I don’t know if it was improvisation or what the song called for, but Sheeran finished out the song without his guitar, instead relying on the audience for support. Splitting the crowd down the middle, Sheeran assigned each half a vocal part and added his own loops into the mix as he ran around the stage like a mad conductor – and this was all just during the first song. He definitely had the attention of the back of the crowd now. And by the next song, the only chatter over his looping was that of people asking to know his name.
Sheeran’s songs are fun with lots of hooks and transitions. He sings of faith and love, and often of both together. Since he is a looping machine, that meant there were plenty of opportunities for the crowd to join along…at least when the could keep up with him. At times he raps as fast as Matisyahu, but sounds like Jason Mraz during other parts. His set was brief, but considering how much Sheeran got done on his own, he earned an early rest. So though this crowd came with the intention of only listening to Snow Patrol, it is safe to say the all became Sheeran converts.
Snow Patrol has long had Kansas City’s support — local radio stations here were some of the earliest adopters to play “Run” and “Chocolate.” The Coldplay-esque band doesn’t necessarily have the most complex songs, but they know how to write some great anthems with inspirational lyrics. With plenty of hook-filled singles, this band has definitely earned their loyal fan base, and having such loyal fans did make the live show extra fun as the audience was easily able to carry choruses with the band.
Snow Patrol performs with a gleeful energy. Lead singer Gary Lightbody was especially playful this night, smiling wide as he spoke of eating our KC BBQ and seeing our sites. One particular highlight came early in the set when he grabbed an audience member’s phone and began recording a video with it from the stage. I think it’s safe to say he made that kid’s life complete. 
While many in the audience were most excited about songs like “Chasing Cars,” the songs that most stood out as spectacular were some of the band’s more unusual tracks like “Set the Fire to the Third Bar,” which has a driving beat and some of the band’s more eerie vocals. My favorite moment of the set was when opener Ed Sheeran came back out to join the band on new single “New York.” The duet was well done, but it was also a heartwarming moment. The singers genuinely seemed to have a blast performing together, embracing each other as they sang.
This was a great night of big drums, lots of guitar solos and dynamic swells. It’s safe to say that Snow Patrol are going to be around for a long time, bringing smiles to the faces of fans. But we all knew that before this show. It was Ed Sheeran who the big surprise of the night, and you can also be sure that he is going to around for a long time, too. But next time, he’ll be headlining and selling out shows of his own.
Snow Patrol Set List:
Hands Open
Take Back the City
Crack the Shutters
This Isn’t Everything You Are
Run
In the End
New York
Set the Fire
Make This Go On Forever
Shut Your Eyes
Chasing Cars
Chocolate
Called Out in the Dark
Fallen Empires
You’re All I Have
///
Lifening
Open Your Eyes
Just Say Yes
Posted on 25 April 2012 by Bethany Smith
Confession – we just listened all the way through Justin Bieber’s “Boyfriend” for the first time and loved it, but it wasn’t him performing. It was Wales’ Marina and The Diamonds performing a cover of Justin Bieber’s Boyfriend in the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge.
Marina makes a few alterations to the lyrics, adds a bit of heartache and ditches the rapping in this beautiful cover. It’s a shame this is just a cover — we would have loved to have had a studio version on her upcoming album, Electra Heart. Watch the “Boyfriend” cover below.
Electra Heart is due out in the UK on April 30 and will be released in the States in July.
Posted on 25 April 2012 by Bethany Smith
Remember N*Sync’s ‘No Strings Attached’ dancing puppets video? Well, in Foster the People’s new video for “Houdini” the indie rockers get similar a similar boy band puppet treatment. As more people (studios, fans, managers) come into play controlling the band’s careers, the group becomes increasingly robotic, puppet-like performers with white uniform outfits. You can check out the video for “Houdini” below.
Fortunately, Foster the People isn’t a boy band in real life and their live show has plenty of fun (unforced) energy. So while it is a cool video to watch, we’re glad this is not how they really are at live shows…well, maybe…we wouldn’t mind seeing a few of those dance moves busted out live.
What do you think of Foster the People’s new video?
Get More: Foster the People, Houdini, Music, More Music Videos
Posted on 25 April 2012 by Bethany Smith
In a new video from Kansas City’s Capybara, the ‘hero’ of their recently released album, Dave Drusky, gives an inside peek into his subconscious with the new video for “Late Night Bikes.” Follow Dave’s vision as he explores the song on a fantastic intergalactic journey.
Find more from Capybara at capybaramusic.com.
Posted on 24 April 2012 by Andrew
Green River Ordinance is currently on tour in support of their new album Under Fire (which is phenomenal by the way) alongside Graham Colton opening up with an acoustic set.
I had the chance to catch this show on April 22nd at World Cafe Live in Philly before the tour makes its way toward the midwest (upcoming dates listed below). I have had the pleasure of catching Graham Colton several times and have been a long time fan. Unfortunately this was only my first Green River Ordinance show, as I regret having never seen them before. To put it simply, my mind was blown.
The acoustic set by Graham Colton and friend Christopher Wray on the pedal steel (who rocked one sweet mustache) was a great way to open the show. This was Graham Colton’s first acoustic only tour and it was definitely something different and exciting to see. He ended up playing the song “All Because of You” from his new duo project Sooner the Sunset with singer/songwriter Lindsey Ray (not present).
The lights went down and Josh Jenkins, Jamey Ice, Joshua Wilkerson, Geoff Ice and Denton Hunker took to the stage. Slow pulsing lights warmed behind them as the cheers from the audience faded to silence as the ambient music and intro beats began to build. Soon the bright back lights flashed and the voice of Josh Jenkis cuts through with a reved up “Oh my God it won’t be long before I fail….” which is the opening line in “Dark Night”, the first track off of their new record Under Fire.
The band primarily played songs off of their new album, but did not disappoint with mixing in some old favorits such as “Endlessly” and “Come On”. One of my favorite moments of the show was when Graham Colton and Chris Wray came out on stage to join GRO in a cover of ”The Weight” by The Band.
The show was complete with an encore, and yes Josh made it out into the audience. The stage presence, sound, lighting and overall performance from this five piece band from Fort Worth, Texas was nothing short of amazing and from here on out I will never miss a show. Green River Ordinance is a perfect example as to why there is nothing better than a night full of live music.
4/25 Columbus, OH Basement
Tickets: http://bit.ly/zuaIyI
4/26 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall
Tickets: http://tktwb.tw/yLgMRW
4/27 Chicago, IL Beat Kitchen
Tickets: http://tktwb.tw/ylSOfd
4/28 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry – First Ave
Tickets: http://bit.ly/yw8qIj
4/30 Des Moines, IA Wooly’s
Tickets: http://bit.ly/yCVL4R
5/1 Kansas City, MO Riot Room
Tickets: http://ticketf.ly/z2Ic56
5/3 Indianapolis, IN Earth House
Tickets: http://ticketf.ly/yb8qBU
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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