"Live Free Or Die Hard" - Franchise Does The Latter
February 29, 2008
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"Live Free Or Die Hard" - Franchise Does The Latter
By Jacob Destree
Perhaps the best thing about Bruce Willis’ latest outing as John McClane is the title. "Live Free Or Die Hard" (2007) sounds less cheesy than its precursor, "Die Hard With a Vengeance." And– as titles go– is certainly an improvement on "Die Hard 2: Die Harder."
But as far as content, "Live Free" is easily the worst entry in the series.
The stunts and special effects are entertaining to be sure. Unfortunately, the story is so ludicrous it prevents even the slightest suspension of disbelief, an essential element for the genre. Take for example the opening scenes of the film. The bad guys are killing off computer hackers by uploading a virus to their respective systems.
What kind of virus?
The kind of virus that when you hit "delete," your house explodes in a ball of fire. How a digital virus results in such a massive fireball I’ll never know. Maybe we are supposed to assume the bad guys have wired bombs inside the hackers’ gear, but such details are routinely glossed over in a world where everything– and I mean everything– is possible with a keyboard an high speed internet connection.
A typical set piece runs like this:
The villain looms over his computer screen, monitoring John McClane’s automobile driving through Washington D.C. (The villain has satellite access.)
McClane drives through an underground tunnel, closed for construction, on his way to headquarters. (Convenient.)
With a few clicks of his mouse, the villain alters the detour signs and reroutes traffic. At each end of the tunnel, hapless motorists begin speeding towards each other with McClane sandwiched in the middle. (I guess the villain also has remote access to traffic lights and signs. Luckily for him, D.C. drivers will happily zoom the wrong way down a one way tunnel because the signals told them to.)
Then the tunnel lights go out. (Which means he has remote access to the electrical grid too!)
Now that’s ingenuity. Did I mention the villain’s master plan is to electronically manipulate all U.S. transportation, government, financial and utility systems simultaneously? He wants to erase the financial records, "reset the clock," and "send us back to the stone age." An ambitious plan, to say the least.
In a movie like "The Rock" we allow such implausibilities to sneak by without much thought, because unlikely as they may be, they are at least POSSIBLE. In the world of "Live Free Or Die Hard," the villain could probably use a cell phone to hack into McClane’s nervous system.
The more you can avoid thinking analytically, the more you will enjoy this movie. Highlights include watching McClane take down a helicopter with an automobile, and Kevin Smith (of "Clerks") as the hacker called Warlock. He lives in his Mom’s basement which he refers to as the "command center."
Grade: C-
Do you love the cinema too? Go to Jacob Destree’s Movie Blog and read all about the latest blockbusters and classic movies. Only at jacobdestree.wordpress.com!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Destree
Do You Spend Twice As Much Time On The Internet As Watching TV
February 29, 2008
Do You Spend Twice As Much Time On The Internet As Watching TV
By Steve Sanger
Watch TV or surf the net?? Hmmm its a tough one for me but did you know a new IDC study has found that the Internet wins with an average of 32.7 hours/week compared to watching television at 16.4 hours. This also compares well with the good old printed matter, reading newspapers and magazines came out at 3.9 hours.
"The time spent using the Internet will continue to increase at the expense of television and, to a lesser extent, print media," said Karsten Weide, program director, Digital Media and Entertainment at IDC. "This suggests that advertising budgets will continue to be shifted out of television, newspapers, and magazines into Internet advertising."
Interestingly the study shows that people tend to use the media they are accustomed to and grew up with. The older the respondents, the more they consume TV, newspapers, and magazines whilst the younger they are, the more the Internet gets used.
This trend seems to be only going one way as the internet grows and diversifies. As Internet usage becomes more advanced with mobile pc’s, laptops, and the ever evolving mobile phones/pc hybrids being released constantly and all using WiFi to have unlimited and constant access to the Internet.
A major fact is also that many public places are becoming free wifi zones and allowing internet useage seamlessly from your home to your place of business or leisure.
Its interesting to look at your surfing and tv watching habits and ask yourself the question. So do you spend more time in front of the TV or surfing the net?
Everything internet tv related. Satellite, cable, free movies, latest streams. You name it and inm talking about it. Check out my blog for the latest up to date news and all free
Please visit my internet tv blog http://www.worldtvpc.com/blog
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Sanger
Free Full Length Movie Downloads
February 29, 2008
Free Full Length Movie Downloads
By Markus Sampson
Is it really possible to download free full length movies? Despite the fact that you may be presented with about 20 million results when searching for popular terms like " free movie downloads " and " free full length movies " you will discover that most of the websites will either require payment or will offer free illegal downloads. With the internet growing larger each day so has the popularity of movie download sites increased which allow people to conveniently expand their movie collections the cheaper way in the comfort of their own homes.
When it comes to looking for quality movie download websites it is best to make user of pay per download services. These membership services are gaining huge popularity largely because they offer once off payments which are usually in the range of $25 to $40 that allow you to download quality movies, pc games and mp3’s legally. The other advantage they have over free websites is that they allow you to download files at good transfer rates which are not spyware infected. So the next time you search for " free movie downloads " just keep in mind that it is more worth while to use services that require payment in order to prevent further problems for you and your pc.
So how do you know which services are better than others? Due to the fact that most of these websites you will find offer the same in terms of downloadable content you will just need to compare prices and features. It is important to be careful as some may be scams but you can usually spot them by means of website quality.
NetMovieDownloads is the top rated movie download service which allows you to access their database for the cheapest price of $32. If you would like to check out their website please visit the link below.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Markus_Sampson
Watch Free Online Movies
February 28, 2008
Watch Free Online Movies
By Zain Shafiq
There are many online movie sites out there on the internet but most of them are just scams or fake sites. You also might hesitate to use them as most of them are likely to be involved with pirated or illegal content.
But there are loads of sites that offer great online movies and are legit. I already have my own website where i have links to legit sites that offer free online moves and tv shows.
There are 2 types of online movies sites. 1. Sites that offer movies that you can directly watch straight away using online software or a video player such as Divx.etc. 2. Websites where you can download movies and burn them to a disk. However most movie download sites may have viruses, spyware or other malicious content. If you are looking for an online movie site use a search engine such as Google or Yahoo! When searching use proper search terms otherwise it may turn up wrong results.
Use something like " Online movies ", " Watch movies online " or " Watch free online movies ". etc. Another internet nightmare is " Online bootleg movies " which is basically illegal or pirated content such as movies and music uploaded to the internet before the official release date.
If you are sure the site you are using is legitimate and free check the internet for reviews. Remember a good movie site has good feedback and comments. Never give out your credit card details to movie sites until you are entirely sure that it it the real deal.
My movie website: http://www.zenetworks.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Zain_Shafiq
Nudity And Sex In American Movies
February 28, 2008
Nudity And Sex In American Movies
By Al Gallo
Nudity ands sex in movies can be controversial because some people are uptight about seeing it shown. The United States has a different view on nudity compared to Europe. On some European channels television commercials themselves have nudity, try pulling that off on American television. In many cultures, the nudity and sex factor in movies is governed by a tiered system of censorship. These systems are aimed at limiting children’s access to content that is deemed harmful by the public, the government, the movie industry itself including the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). This is a good thing because it properly limits racy content to adults.
Nudity and sex in American films are looked at by movie critics and viewers with a strong eye. Was the nudity or sex shown artistically to impact the story or was it completely gratuitous nudity and sex that added nothing to the movie? That is often the divide. A few movies that have been tagged as the later are "Showgirls" directed by Paul Verhoeven. The movie received an NC-17 rating because of the nudity and simulated sex scenes. It was a very controversial movie when it came out. Rape, lesbianism, and interracial relationships were some of the subjects covered in the movie. In a nutshell it’s about an attractive female drifter that climbs up from a stripper to a showgirl in Las Vegas. Whatever the movie was or was not I watched it an knew what to expect. It would have been strange to see a movie about a Las Vegas stripper that did not have nudity and sex. It would have had no realism in my opinion.
"Swordfish" directed by Dominic Sena and starring Hollywood stars John Travolta and Halle Berry is another movie that is tagged for gratuitous nudity. In brief the movie is about a bad guy who hires a computer hacker to help him electronically steal billions of dollars. The one scene that some people complained about was Halle Berry going topless for apparently no reason. Or as critics put it the scene was so out of context and did nothing to move the story or develop her character. The urban legend is she was paid an extra 2 million dollars for the topless scene. Regardless, I bet that scene helped sell a lot of movie tickets and DVD’s. While some say making movies is done for the art, the bottom line is always the money. Good call by the producers to add that scene.
"Hitman" directed by Xavier Gens has been viewed as offensive by some viewers because of the nudity and sex in the movie. The plot summary from IMDB.COM is this, A gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47 is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Eastern Europe. hired by a group known as "The Agency" to kill targets for cash. The main character Agent 47 finds himself in the company of Nika who is nude in a hotel room and shown straddling Agent 47 nude. I’m guessing this movie inspired by a video game was made as a total guy movie. I felt the nudity fit the plot because it was the art of seduction being played out by a woman who lived a dangerous life. She survived using her looks and cunning.
"Consignment" directed by Sid Kali is a killer urban action movie. It is gritty and realistic keeping to the beat of the rougher side of life dealing drugs. Based on true events, "Consignment" is about Tommy Jones, a reluctant East Coast drug dealer on the run with his wife, Yolanda, after a rival kingpin’s plan to have him ripped-off and murdered goes wrong. Double-crosses, a series of brutal murders, and an old secret from his wife’s past foils Tommy’s plans for a new start at life. This direct to video movie has taken some heat for a few scenes in it. First there is a very hot striptease scene where a curvy Latina seduces two drug dealers going topless down to a g-string. I have been in Las Vegas strip clubs and bachelor parties where that is the norm. Nothing offensive to me. I thought it fit the story because the stripper was a plant for a rival drug dealer learning what she could about his enemies. I thought Director Sid Kali showed the nudity in a tasteful and seductive light. The other is a rape scene where a female drug dealer is pulled from a shower and forced to give up the whereabouts of her former crime partner and lover. I myself do not know anyone that showers in their clothes except those two guys in the movie "Weird Science". I thought the scene was powerful and added impact to the story because of the way it was shown. The focus was never the nudity but the pain on the face of the female drug dealer. Bravo to that actress! Bravo Sid Kali!
Other art house movies or movies that show nudity and sex are sometimes loved because the nudity and sex is deemed artistic. "Monster’s Ball" directed by Marc Foster landed star Halle Berry an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Plot summary from IMDB.COM Set in the Southern United States, ‘Monster’s Ball’ is a tale of a racist white man, Hank (played by Billy Bob Thornton), who falls in love with a black woman named Leticia (Halle Berry). Ironically Hank is a prison guard working on Death Row who executed Leticia’s husband (Sean Combs). Hank and Leticia’s interracial affair leads to confusion and new ideas for the two unlikely lovers. It had one of the most intense graphic love scenes I’ve seen in a movie. Some came out against it claiming it portrays black women as ferocious and lewd, with an appetite for sexual encounters, portrayed by the animalistic and raw quality of the sex scene and its racial context. Others say the scene shows two people’s desperate need for affection and comfort in the face of human tragedy. Whatever the case Halle Berry won an Oscar. She is an amazing actress.
"The Brown Bunny" directed by Vincent Gallo, who also stars in it with Chole Sevingy is a fiery independent film that takes a chance pushing the creative envelope. Plot summary pulled from IMDB.COM Professional motorcycle racer Bud Clay heads from New Hampshire to California to race again. Along the way he meets various needy women who provide him with the cure to his own loneliness, but only a certain woman from his past will truly satisfy him. What sets this movie apart is the highly controversial scene of actual oral sex between Gallo and co-star Chloe Sevigny in a shabby motel room. What made this scene so gripping was the sex scene was shown in such a lonely and painful way. Director Vincent Gallo captured the desperate and shallow feelings of the characters. That scene was included in the movie for shock appeal, it was there to show human pain during what most people think is a pleasurable experience. Bravo for taking the chance on making a radical movie. This director is a rock star! Bravo Vincent Gallo!
Overall I think nudity and sex are part of life. To censor it out of movies is not the answer. I say let movie makers put out their work, including nudity and sex, and let the viewers decide if they want to watch it or not. There are a ton of movies out there with no nudity or sex. Leave the option and the choice to the masses.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_Gallo
Download Juno Full Movie
February 28, 2008
Download Juno Full Movie
By Debra Miller
With computer technology advancing so rapidly and the popularity of movie watching showing no signs of abating, more and more people are choosing to buy programs where you can download movies for free. One of the most popular movies that everyone is talking about at the moment is Juno. There are loads of people searching the net looking to find a good reliable program where they can watch this movie for free including many other new releases. Frankly, I don’t blame them, it’s a fantastic movie!
Do such programs exist though and are they really free? This article explores briefly the existence of such a program and tells you a few things you need to know before downloading Juno and other current new releases.
Firstly, I would be wary of any websites that declare that downloading a movie is free. Many of them are susceptible to viruses and are riddled with advertising popups. The reason for this is because a lot of the services use what is called "peer to peer networks" and despite the fancy name it just means that anybody can upload files to share across the internet!
Does that seem safe to you? Don’t worry though there are sites out there that do allow for the downloading of current releases like Juno, but they are not likely to be free. Unfortunately, you get what you pay for and if you’re paying nothing that’s what you’re going to get - well not entirely nothing - you may get a virus or two.
The great news though is that the cost is extraordinarily cheap considering what you’re going to get. The best site that I could locate was the Unlimited Download Center and it promotes itself as the Number 1 downloading site on the net, and it may very well be that. For the one off cost of around only 1 DVD you will get access to Juno and most other new releases, unlimited older movies, TV programs, Music, and more - in fact they boast a staggering 60 millions files on their database. For a safe reliable site I think that is extraordinary value for money.
I hope this article has helped you a little in your quest for finding a good, cheap reliable downloading site.
I have provided a link below to a great Juno site that I stumbled on. Tells you heaps of info on Juno and also provides a link to the Unlimited Download Center - highly recommended! Happy viewing.
If you want a highly recommended movie downloading site that contains all you need to know about Juno and how to download it and other current movies, music, games, TV shows and more then click here now to find out more.
http://hubpages.com/hub/Download-Juno-Full-Movie
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Debra_Miller
Alfred Introduces Star Wars: A Musical and Movie Journey
December 13, 2007
Alfred Introduces Star Wars: A Musical and Movie Journey
Alfred Presents a New Voyage
Star Wars: A Musical Journey
(Music from Episodes I-VI)
Piano Solos & Easy Piano
LOS
Alfred is thrilled to release an all-new sheet music anthology featuring the greatest hits from the epic Star Wars series.
For the first time, Alfred introduces a piano sheet music collection that encompasses the entire Star Wars saga all in one compelling volume! Set amid stunning imagery from the films, the piano arrangements bring the magic of Star Wars to life as they masterfully invoke the grand romanticism of John Williams’ epic, award-winning scores. The most definitive and memorable pieces from each of the six Star Wars episodes are included.
“Star Wars: A Musical Journey (Music from Episodes I -VI )” is now available in two versions: a Piano Solos edition for advanced players, retailing at $19.95, and an Easy Piano edition for piano students, arranged by Dan Coates, retailing at $16.95. To get your copies, visit dealer.alfred.com or call (800) 292-6122.
Titles: 20th Century Fox Fanfare · Star Wars Main Title · Duel of the Fates · Anakin’s Theme · Across the Stars (Love Theme) ·
ABOUT ALFRED
Since its inception in 1922, Alfred Publishing remains dedicated to helping people experience the joy of making music. With hundreds of expert authors and composers backed by a talented staff in seven offices worldwide, Alfred publishes educational, reference, pop, and performance pieces for teachers, students, hobbyists and performers spanning every musical instrument, style, and difficulty level.
Alfred currently has over 45,000 active print, DVD, software, general
Funny Brian Posehn movies on Karl Rove and Jo Koy
December 13, 2007
Funny Brian Posehn music videos on Karl Rove and Jo Koy
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November 15, 2007
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Movies: John Sayles new movie
September 6, 2007
Movies: John Sayles new movie
This is a heads up about Honeydripper, a fantastic new film from John Sayles and Maggie Renzi that Michael Hollett and I want to make sure is on your radar. This e-mail is being sent this to a number of musicians, journalists, filmmakers, acquaintances (including a lot of folks I’ve met at SXSW of which I’m a founder and Senior Director), fellow members of the press, friends and friends of friends. This is an alert for all of you but especially relevant to those attending the Toronto International Film Festival where it is showing.
Set in the South during the 1950s, the Honeydripper lounge is a black blues club getting tossed about on the waves of the significant changes affecting it. Clubs are shifting from live music to jukeboxes, the electric guitar is usurping the piano in blues music and the nascent Civil Rights movement has begun to come in to its own.
Honeydripper is Sayles at his enthralling best, celebrating life and culture with passion and intelligence, telling the kinds of stories that Hollywood Studios are incapable of even considering. Set in a very real world, they are of those who work, worry, love, celebrate, mourn and persevere. Appropriately, at its heart, Honeydripper celebrates the spontaneous “Just Grew” spread of the people’s music, “and they called it rock ‘n’ roll!”
Given the current pinprick narrow focus of the film industry, it is no surprise that getting this film made was a truly bruising struggle. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on how you look at it), Sayles and Renzi are seasoned veterans at overcoming the ridiculous odds of making the kinds of films they envision. Honeydripper, their 14th collaboration, joins a filmography that includes Return of the Secacus Seven, Brother From Another Planet, Matewan, Passion Fish, Lone Star, Men With Guns, Sunshine State and Silver City. A pioneer of American independent film Sayles is one of the very few filmmakers who has remained true to his vision rather than being seduced by Hollywood into making safe, homogenized and pasteurized films.
Sadly, currently it seems that Sayles is more honored than watched. The latter films have been too easily and perversely dismissed. Critics seem more determined to trump the expectations of the know-nothing crowd (which figures these are exactly the kinds of films they love) than to actually consider the films. Year after year so many of their reviews are exasperated and derisive complaints about lightweight Hollywood films with cut out paper doll characters, moronic dialogue and incoherent plots. Ironically, they then criticize Sayles films for being too serious and dense.
Honeydripper centered on the brilliance of the blues is so entertaining it just may well confound some of the more didactic critics. Over the years Hollett and I have gone to hear a lot of music with Sayles and Renzi, both avid fans who not only appreciate and know music but listen to it constantly. The wonderful soundtracks of their movies, with dead on songs matched to consistently appropriate film scores by Mason Daring, are very much mirror duplicates of the soundtrack to their lives.
Michael and I, of course, would appreciate any and all support you may give to Honeydripper but, honestly, mostly we want to make sure you see it.
Editor, Austin Chronicle
From Honeydripper The Press Release:
1950. Rural Alabama. Cotton harvest. It’s a make-or-break weekend for the Honeydripper Lounge and its owner, piano player Tyrone “Pine Top” Purvis. Deep in debt to the liquor man, the chicken man, and the landlord, Tyrone is desperate to lure the young cotton pickers and local Army base recruits into his juke joint, away from Touissant’s, the rival joint across the way. After laying off his regular talent, blues singer Bertha Mae, Tyrone announces to his sidekick Maceo that he has hired the famous electric guitar player, Guitar Sam, for a special one night only gig: pack ‘em in and save the club.
n the day of the show, the train arrives and Guitar Sam is no where to be found. Tyrone is forced to take drastic action. He makes a deal with Sheriff Pugh to release Sonny, the kid who hopped off a freight car here in Harmony, and turned up in the club claiming he could play the guitar as well as any Guitar Sam.
This is another story about a man’s soul, one that just may be saved by rock n roll.
TIFF Info:
HONEYDRIPPER
CONTACT: StevenMBeeman@falcoink.com <mailto:ShannonTreusch@falcoink.com><mailto:ShannonTreusch@falcoink.com>
