Greetings I am TheDVDGrouch yet another in a long line of Grouches. I welcome you to my little corner of the internet. Here I talk about movies entertainment and anything else I find amusing. Have a look around and you might be lucky enough find something amusing to. I also make it my mission to seek out the underrated and the unappreciated so that I might give it the respect it deserves.
Trailer Here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFVA73PV2GY&feature=related
After the third pirates movie left a bad taste in my mouth and failed to end the overall series on good terms for me I was ready to wash my hands of the entire series. Understandably when I heard a new Pirates Of The Caribbean movie was being made I could not help but roll my eyes. The first two pirates movies were great because they were fast,fun exciting and even manged to build their own fantasy mythology. From the trailer it seems this new movie looks to be a return to form one that drops the baggage of the Elisabeth & Will side stories in favor of highlighting the movies breakout money making star Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.
Only time will tell if this ship sails or sinks but for the first time since the films announcement I'm on board for what I only hope will be a worthwhile cinema voyage.( Side Note: Hey whats up with Cpt.Barbarossa wearing a navy outfit in the trailer)
Sorry for the late update but I just could not find the time to upload Pt.3 to the main blog proper. Unfortunately because the video is so big and even more unfortunately because blip.com is being difficult Pt.3 of The Punisher-A-Thon is now up on youtube in two parts. The Link is posted below enjoy and feel free to comment.
Spill.com is such a great movie site and such a wonderful community. One of there greatest staples is their weekly podcasts that run the gambit from movies.Tv,videos and just conversation. This week I was lucky enough to have my e-mail read for the second time on their A Couple Of Cold Ones podcast give it a listen and tell me what you think.
http://www.spill.com/Podcasts/Listen.aspx?audioId=251 mine is the last one they read at the 71:20 min mark
So yeah awhile back I discovered this really cool podcast called Review a day.ca hosted by a guy who goes by the name Mike "The Birdman" Dodd. I started to listen to the show regularly when I discovered that audience participation was actually a big component of the show. It took awhile but I actually worked up the courage to leave a message on the shows call-in-line and surprise surprise my call was actually aired. Of course it was aired when my computer was down & it took me forever to find the actually episode but now that I have I felt it should be up on my blog hope you enjoy.
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/blogs/latest/entry/review-a-dayca-fan-mail-episode-2
(My call is the second one he plays)
FUN FACT: Most of you might already know Mr.Dodd from his appearance in one of the TGWTG.com Brawls but I actually got to cross paths with him at this years FanExpo
As a Grouch I love Halloween its one of the few time every year that people embrace the creepy and the scary. It also means that there will be no shortage of great horror movies and specials on TV. Plus if your a geek like me you know you can dress up as your favorite fictional character and people have to give you candy its just all around great. Just because I'm older now I still like to get into the spirit by getting together with good friends and wear a costume(see below) try to guess which one I am.
Like most people on the internet I also can't wait for the premiere of The Walking Dead on AMC. I love Zombies I love good TV so I'm almost certain I like this new series based on a popular comic.
So I knew things were of to a weird start as soon as they unlviled that the show would be going with an Inception theme. While I was able to look past the shows choice in theme it quickly became apparent that Spike TV the last channel to make award shows that I cared about had finally fizzeled out. Don't get me wrong I don't blame anyone this was a bad year for horror movies and this years nominees reflected that. But I mean come on Mickey Rourke as Whiplash winning best villian, he was only in Iron Man 2 for about ten minutes. But where I threw up my hands was Kristen Stweart winning best actress over Chloe Moretez(Hey the show probally past her bedtime). The Scream awards used to be the cool award show the show you would watch and go "Your Dam Right Thats Awesome!" this year I found myself saying "What Really?" more than anything elese. But it was'nt all awards for True Blood there was actually a very reuinon for Back To The Future I say enjoy Christogher Llyod & Micheal Jay Fox while we can they might not be around forever.
For me the best part of the night was seeing Ryan Renyolds close the show by coming out in a massive Green Lantern and reecipting the famous Lanterns oath from the DC comics.
Being the movie centric type of person that I am it should come as no surprise that I sometimes overlook some of TV's better series. After Lost & Soprano's had ended I was beginning to think there might never be another show to pry me away from my beloved movies. Thankfully I was very wrong a friend was nice enough to turn me onto a newer FX series called Sons Of Anarchy.
I've always loved biker culture and have always tried to take in as many movies, shows and documentary's on the subject that I possible could(The Last Chapter, Easy Rider, Gangland). Just recently I completed watching the first season and I was so overjoyed by how I felt about the show I felt I could write a blog about it.
The writing is sharp & honest the characters are likable despite being criminals and the music while not Sopranos quality is still distinct and enjoyable. But the best part by far has to be the complicated performances given by Ron Perelman (Hell Boy)& Katey Sagal (Futurama) that rival anything I've seen in a movie this year.
Hey if your like me and frequent ThatGuyWithTheGlasess.com then your probally aware of the totally awesome guy who gose by the name NOTYETUSEDNAME. I was asked to help tribute this man by blogger Da Pro, I made a short video segment describeing admiration for the man feel free to drop by and give the whole trbiute a read through.
So I literally just walked in the door from FanExpo after having a major blast with a bunch of friends. I was able to meet the cast of electric playground get a trigun poster signed by Johnny Yong Bosch and even made off with a joker figure and a punisher t-shirt. I'm beat as all hell but man alive did I enjoy myself I hope you all enjoy these pics and I hope to go again next year.
So early tomorrow morning I will be heading out to Fanexpo Canada for the first time at the Toronto metro center. While I have never been to Fanexpo before I am no stranger to conventions being an attendee of two Anime Norths. I'll certain to take lots of photos and perhaps even get some video footage to post here. While I'm still not sure what to expect I am hoping to get Johnny Yong Bosch's (Trigun, Power Rangers,Eyeshine) autograph as well as attend one of Bill Moseley's panel discussions. There are also some photo ops with people like Adam West & William Shatner I would like to attend but I will have to wait and see how that turns out.
I'm probably the only one in the world who remembers these secondary movie characters, basically there an all girl goth band who just happen to be playing a haunted town. These girls had a lot of personality and unlike the movie Witches Ghost they were memorable. Apparently they have quite an internet fan base one big enough that they where eventually brought back in other Scooby-doo outings.
9) Raven: Teen Titian
Be it in comics or in cartoons the character of Raven is basically unchanged she is dark and angsty but with a reason. What reason is that you may ask?, well she was raised in a demon worshiping cult to be the living portal in between worlds for the demon god Trigun. Did I mention Trigun is Raven's father and her mother is the cult leader.
8) Jane Lane: Daria
To be 100% I never actually watched Daria because I thought it was a girls show, but I did remember Jane and I mean hell just look at her and tell me she doesn't belong on the list.
7) Shiloh Wallace: Repo The Genetic Opera.
Much like Raven Shiloh is dark and gloomy but with good reason. Her father is a professional killer surgeon known as a Repo-man. Oh yeah and did I mention she has a rare blood disease that keeps her from leaving her house.
6) Elvira: Elvira Mistress Of The Dark
Elvira has been around for years if you don't know who she is trust me your father will. She only ever made one movie but the fame it generated allowed her to ride the 80's celebrity game show wave until the end of the decade. I don't quite know what exactly it is I like about her.... oh wait what TWO things I like about her.
5) Sally: The Nightmare Before Christmas
For those not in the know Sally is a patchwork Frankenstein like creation from Halloween town(yes a place were its Halloween everyday). She's sad because she was created to serve a jerk of a doctor and that the man she loves wont listen to her(I think all women can relate).
4) Wednesday Adams: The Adams Family
Although many of young actress have filled the black shoes of Wednesday over the years for my money its the Christina Ricic version that truly sums up the characters spooky kid nature.And hey what was up with the sadomasochistic relationship she had with her brother?
3) Lydia Deetz: Beetlejuice
Be it the live action version or the cartoon version when most people think of goth girls they think of bettlejuice and lydia.
2) Morticia Adams: The Adams Family
Wow dose the goth girl blood run hot in the Adams family. Morticia has alot going for her(Milf & Goth) but for most people its that classic image she has the long black hair the pale white skin and the shrill but sweet voice.
1) Helena Bonham Carter: In Everything
Lets get real Helena Bonham Carter play a hot goth chick in every movie shes in from fight club to Harry Potter. I mean she was even married to goth icon Tim Burton for a short while, In Hollywood When your casting a female goth charterer the casting session begins and ends with her. And if your wonder why I didn't put up a photo the answer is I though you would have more fun goggle imaging her on your own.
I'm the type of guy who always roots for the bad guys maybe its because as a nice I living out my villain fantasy's through them or maybe because 9 times out of ten the villains story is more interesting then the heroes. Followers of my work will remember awhile back I did a list dedicated to the top ten crappiest villains in entertainment. As a follow up I decided to create a new list honoring the villains who despite there place in the annals of entertainment still for some reason I find are underrated or underused.Feel free to click the links below to see what I mean.
10) Baby Doll: Batman The Animated Series
Irene Dahl was a famous child star who was stricken with a rare disease that stopped the clock on her physical aging.After years in the lime light she suffered a mental breakdown and was fired from her TV show.Years later after regressing to a childlike state she resurfaced and begun kidnapping her co-stars until she was stopped by batman.With such a great origin story I'm truly surprised this character never appeared again outside the two episodes of T.A.S she starred in. Kids are creepy and this character really played that up well especially when she would switch between sugar coated baby talk to a sullen adult voice when she was backed into a corner.Plus her weapon of choice just happens to be her doll "Happy Head" that just happens to have a sawed-off shotgun hidden in the eye socket http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUtLTxBYZHw
9) Ordell Robbie: Jackie Brown
Movie fans can always count on good old Samuel L Jackson to turn in quality work as a villain and Ordell Robbie is no exception. Robbie makes a living as a drug dealing women pimping gun runner with a taste form screwdrivers and the finnier things in life.What makes him such a great character is how although its obvious to see he is a no good bottom feeder he has style, just about everything he dose in the film is done with a cool head and a wicked swagger. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2gqSnv9jhM
8) Jack Krauser: Resident Evil 4
Why do I love the knife wielding psychopaths like krauser so so much. Maybe its because Krasuer is the definition of an ex-military hard case whose resume includes kidnapping the presidents daughter to gain the trust of a crazy Spanish cult, almost killing the player on several occasions or perhaps most miraculous of all being able to cheat death at least twice.The characters crowning moments comes when leading up to his boss fight he stops to ask the player what he's fighting for and question his motivation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ50a1_I6YE
7) Zolf Kimblee: Fullmetal Alchemist
The mad bomber villain arytype is one we don't see much in modern media which is a shame we consider characters like Kimblee.In a show populated with great villains Kimblee sets himself apart by having a great origin.He was a high ranking state alchemist during the Ishbal rebellion he made his living butchering women and children for the state and when he got sick of that he began blowing up his own men for fun.For this he was court marshaled and locked away in a secret state prison until he eventually broke out and again begun his hobby of blowing things up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDdRcF2WUiI&feature=fvw
6) Black Mask: Batman Comics
More underused than underrated Black Mask despite being one of the biggest baddies in the batman comic books never seemed to warrant an appearance in any other real batman related material(except for "The Batman" but like I said REAL batman).Before becoming Black Mask he was called Roman Sionis and wealthy privileged young man much like Bruce Wayne, however unlike Bruce Wayne Romans parents were fake and abusive. After inheriting his fathers company Roman quickly ran it into the ground. Hard up cash Roman suffered a mental breakdown and burnt down his family home for the insurances with his mother inside. He than took a scorched pieces of his former home a carved a black mask from it.
5) The Tremor Brothers: Smokin Aces
As described by the movie itself Tremor Brothers are three southern fried Neo-Nazi speed freak killers for hire who just happen to be fond of A-bomb tactics(shoot um all and let god sort um out). While the other assassins in the film try to be as discrete as possible The Tremors wont to bring the entire world down around there target.There subtle weapons of choice include such classics as chainsaws,machetes, luggers, as well as German army surplus and patchwork body armor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgLS7kM41Ws
4) Inspector Frank Butterman: Hot Fuzz
I can't really say much about this character without spoiling major plot points for the film itself.Needless to say when the film begins he is one thing and by the time it ends he is another.That might not sound to amazing but the way actor Jim Broadbant handles it is what truly makes the character worth watching.
3) The Largo Family: Repo The Genetic Opera
The Largo Family is made up of abusive father Rotti violent son Luigi vain face stealing son Pavi and surgery addict daughter Amber. These four run the films evil genetics company Gene C.O. who have the world wrapped around there fingers after a rash of organ failures crippled the globe. The Largo's use there power and influence to take whatever they won't and kill anyone who dares say a thing. Did I mention they do this all while singing(the movie is a musical after all) its very hard to be evil while singing(trust me I know) but they pull it off nicely. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61r9_f5g_zA
2) Sheriff John Quincey Wydell: The Devils Rejects
The evil sheriff is nothing new in film its as old as westerns themselves what makes Wydell interesting is despite that fact that he is doing his job in the begging hunting down the rejects to bring them to justice after he discovers they killed his brother George he slowly but surely begins to unwind and cross that pale blue line that separates himself and the killers he is chasing. All this comes to a head when after capturing the murderous rejects he begins torturing them and begins basically telling them he has been given a mission from god to punish them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKBqvmEPq1Y
1) The Yellow Bastard: Sin City
One part spoiled rich kid one part child molester and finally one part medical experiment gone horrible wrong for most villains all these things would be in conflict but the bastard pulls it off and then some to earn the top spot on my list. Before he was ever yellow Roark Junior used his senator fathers connection to circumvent the law and molest and kill children with no police interference. After detective Hartigan discovered this conspiracy he promptly shot off juniors genitals.Hartigan was made disappear by juniors father but not before spending millions of dollars on repairing his son in hopes of seeing a grandchild. The following surgery left Junior unable to process waste making him smell like an open sewer all the time.Junior is an evil triple threat that makes audiences skin crawl that's why I'm surprised he was quickly killed off after his transformation making it so he never appeared again in any other sin city story.(Although arguable his death was his crowning achievement) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UQtmqzfcU
As always I ask feel free to chime in with your own two-cents.
The dictionary describes an antihero as a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit, a life or attitude marked by action or purpose, and the like.The medium of film is filled with many great examples of antihero's and this week I have decided to honor them, join me won't you and as always feel free to comment.
10) The Crow: The Crow(1994)
Based on a 1989 comic book of the same name The Crow tells the story of musician Eric Draven who on the night before Halloween is murdered(thrown out a window) along side his fiancees(who was also beaten and raped) by a gang locale thugs working on behalf a major crime figure. Draven through some mysterious magic is able to return from the dead, after climbing out of his own grave he swears revenge on all those responsible for the death of himself and his fiancee by killing all of them systematically .What makes this charterer and this movie so special is that it was actor Brandon Lee's last film role as he was accidentally killed on set by a malfunctioning blank gun.This tragedy adding to the overall theme of the film makes for one interesting and engrossing character. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeJLrO6Xv0I
9) D-Fens: Falling Down(1993)
I honestly can't believe it took me so long to see this crime thriller masterpieces and even more surprised that its brought to us by Batman & Robin director Joel Schumacher. D-fens is your average American male a divorced 9 to 5 office drone working as a defense engineer in L.A. . One day while being stuck traffic after being laid off he snaps and begins a quest to bring his own brand of justice to the streets of LA. Along the way he is accosted by con-men,gang members, white supremacists, as well as dishonest store clerks and a general uncaring world all the while trying to get home for his daughters birthday. What makes D-fens special is that he's not just fighting crime but fighting the world and its practices. I put him low on the list only because during the third act of the film he turns a corner as a charcter and in my minds passes in villain territory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eREiQhBDIk
8) Snake Plissken: Escape From New York (1981)
In the near future in a crime-ridden United States that has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into a maximum security prison. Ex-soldier and legendary fugitive "Snake" Plissken (Kurt Russell) is given 24 hours to find the President of the United States, who has been captured by inmates after Air Force One crashed on the island. Snake has become an iconic character in film and has stated a trend of ultra badasses who when the plot calls for it is brought in for day saving duty, and I know I'm not alone in saying I would no have it any other way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkKiKtsFEwE
7) The MacManus Brothers: The Boondock Saints( 1999)
One night after defending their favorite locale watering hole Boston born Irish Catholic brothers Conner & Murphy MacManus kill two Russian mobsters in self defense. After that the two receive a sign from what they believe to be God to begin a quest to cleanses Boston of all the criminals that are choking the life out of the area.The MacManus's manage to deliver the great dimension of catholic guilt to the vigilante genre but possible there most refreshing quality the posses the thing that sets them apart from others on the list is that their not military hardcases there just two Irish guys looking to make a difference(by killing a lot of people). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDrhzes1Z7w
6) Chev Chelios: Crank 2 (2009)
A fairly new contender in the world of antihero's Chev despite having almost no history given about him in either films(besides being an assassin) we the audience are able to relate to him in spite of it. In both films Chev is trying to avenge not his family or loved ones but himself be being poisoned in the first film or having his heart stolen in the sequel.Whom ever has the misfortune of crossing Chev ends up dead or worse(worse how? shotgun + anus). Not to mention in search for revenge Chev puts himself through hell like a man with nothing to lose mainly because he doesn't. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2koYVqwzT4
5) The Punisher: The Punisher(2004,2008)
With three films to his name of which only the last two are any good its easy to see Hollywood has been anything but nice to The Punisher.The story of The Punisher is as follows, ex-military hardcase Frank Castle is enjoying a sunny afternoon with his family they end up witnessing a gangland execution. His family is swiftly murdered and he is left for dead while he waits for the justice system to punish the offenders he is quickly devastated to learn due to corruption the killers and the men responsibly walk free. Forming The Punisher persona and donning a black skull outfit Castle quickly delivers swift and deadly vengeance to the people responsibly for his family's death.However after finding no peace in revenge he begins a one man war against crime killing off all major crime syndicates he can get his hands on as well as clashing with the police and other vigilantes.What makes The Punisher such an interesting character is how he has given himself body and soul to his crusade against crime, in his mind he truly believes he can stem the tide of evil and corruption if he continues to kill all those who the justice system has failed to punish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlO8In3IPo0
4) Beatrix Kiddo: Kill Bill(2003)
A wise soul once said hell hath no fury like a women scorned and after seeing this movie I think we can all agree that soul was talking about Beatrix Kiddo. Once a former world class killer for hire belonging to a secret organization of swordsmen, Beatrix left the group after she discovered she was pregnant to try and start a new life.On the day of her wedding rehearsal she and her party were ambushed by her former associates and left for dead while she was pregnant. After regaining her strength she began cutting down the people responsible all the while looking for the man who betrayed her, her former mentor and lover Bill. What I love about Beatrix is that she begins the film series as one thing but by the end she is for reasons I cant explain without spoiling it a completely different thing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdjuS17DGlA
3) Travis Bickle: Taxi Driver(1976)
In many ways Bickle is similar to D-fens they are both portrayed as lonely men anger at the world and disenfranchised with life.Both men also seem to share a disgust of the moral decay around them and it is that disgust that makes them act in the ways they do.But probably the most prominent similarity in my mind at least is that at some point in the film the characters change form well meaning antiheroes to lone nuts on a mission to die.However regardless of how I personal feel its impossible to see the impact this character has had on the antihero archetype and film as a whole.Need I remind anyone it was this role that not only launched then relative unknown Robert Deniro's carer but also spawned the often parodied ''are you talking to me" scene. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e9CkhBb18E
2) The Man With No Name: The Dollars Trilogy( 1964.1965,1966)
Originally I was going to place Dirty Harry at the number 2 spot however it occurred to me that actor Clint Eastwood had filled the shoes of another character who was far more important in building the archetype of the movie antihero.Antihero's themselves having many roots in western films I would be hard pressed to find a character more deserving and more Iconic then The Man With No Name. When ever the character enters a scene he seems to carry a sort of electricity with him your never quite sure what he will do or who he will shoot.Being more of a force of nature than a human being you would be surprised to see that every so often he is willing to lend his skills as a bounty and help out a person in need(usually by killing a lot of people). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awskKWzjlhk
1) Paul Kersey: Death Wish(1974)
Who else but the late great Charles Bronson could possible hope to steal the number one spot on our list of great antihero.Death wish practical wrote the book on film anti-heroism.Paul Kersey was an average family man like any other until his home is burglarized his wife is murdered and his daughter is raped.Its at this time this average man decides to take the law into his own hands and fight back against the evil of society.Its important to note that this film came at a very interesting time in American history,crime rates were at an all time high and people were not used to the idea of man taking extreme measures and using vigilante justice to fight crime.Although four sequels were eventually made non could really stand up to the impact left behind by both the character and film(I am aware its based on a book) that spawned him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of-57Ivfwz8
Whats in a name? well a lot apparently because many of cinemas greatest characters are defined among other things by their great names. Names like John Mclane, Chev Cheilos and Otis Driftwood. But how is it that despite this fact there are the select few film charterers that capture our imagination without having any name at all.
8) The Couch Guy(Steven Wright): Half Baked(1998)
What can I say about Steven Wright that hasn't been said a hundred times before.He's the best at what he dose(making people laugh) and in this film he is able to do it without even getting a proper name.
7) Flock Of Seagulls(Laurence Bender) :Pulp Fiction(1994)
He only had one line and a very few minutes of screen time but what he lacked in all those departments he made up by having a great hair cut and by being the first guy killed in the movie.
6) Man & Boy(Viggo Mortensen,Kodi Smit-McPhee): The Road (2009)
Film is filled with many great stories about fathers and there sons (lone wolf & Cub just to name one). The Road is just one of these many stories set to the backdrop of a terrible apocalypse. The lack of proper names I belive are there to help reinforce the movies theme of trying to hold onto humanity in inhumane times.
5) Nameless( Jet Li): Hero (2002)
In the film Hero Jet Li proves once and for all that when your a sword swinging badass your to good for names. Like other characters on this list Nameless is so well fleshed out the fact that he dose not have a name is really a non issue.
4) Cast Of Zombieland(Woody Harrelson,Jesse Eisenberg,Emma Stone,Abigail Breslin): Zombieland (2009)
While by the end of the film Emma Stones character dose reveal her true name the majority of the film has the main cast go by their state alias(Tallahassee, Wichita etc) and for that I truly belive the movie is stronger for it. 3) The Narrator( Ed Norton): Fight Club (1999)
To be completely honest I always thought this guys name was Jack. But no character ever refers to him as that and the credits of the film clearly list him as the narrator.The part where he refers to "Jack" to the best of my knowledge is him quoting something and not referring to himself.
2) The Man With No Name(Clint Eastwood): Dollars Trilogy (1964)
Can I not go one list without kissing Clint Eastwoods ass? Apparently not because here he is again, I wont go deep into this character as I pretty much wrote the final word on him in my anti-hero's list. I really doudt I need to say anymore about him he's the god dam "man with no name" and he freaking rules.
1) The Skull(Geno Silva): Scarface (1983)
Hmmm I always called this guy 'the shooter' or 'the killer' but as I looked at the credits he is clearly listed as The Skull go figure. Despite having the least amount of screen time out of anyone on this list he also has no lines or back story yet somehow he manages to be one of the most stand out characters in the whole film.He even managed to make an appearance in the video game adaption(killed me from behind twice, you would figure seeing the movie might have prepared me for that).
