Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Second “The Spirit” Trailer

The Second “The Spirit” Trailer

The folks over at the Movie Blog have posted the second trailer to Frank Miller's movie the Spirit.

After watching the trailer, I can't make up my mind if I hate it or enjoy it for its sheer campy nature. The lines in the trailer are horrible, but some of the over-stylized shots were interesting.

I still think Miller has a flaming turd on his hands. Given his reaction at Comic Con, he thinks so too. I loved his Dark Knight Returns book and his other older works, but I don't know what compelled him to believe he can direct this movie. Perhaps, it was the time he spent on Sin City.

It will be interesting to see what he says after the film is released in theaters.

I want to be proven wrong...

Monday, September 29, 2008

Random Thoughts

There are times when a bad-hair day just becomes a bad day overall.

Random Thoughts

~I'm watching Kill Bill Vol. 2 on TNT. I've forgotten how good these two films were. I remember watching Vol. 1 in the theaters.

~I still get a kick out of Judge Judy's reaction to that Earthquake a few months ago. Way to show your courage by heading for the door, Judy.

~MC mentioned it before and I didn't have any power to blog about it a few weeks ago. But, so TRL is leaving the airwaves, cable waves. I really hate MTV and the fact they've moved away from music and music videos. I think the channel relies on stupid teen reality shows and not enough on music. I think the channel has forgotten what made it famous in the first place. I look at the channel now, see all the bad shows like Busted, and shake my head. Getting rid of TRL is just another nail in the coffin for me.

~George W. Bush bio-pic movie: I'm sorry I won't be watching this movie. Not because I support Pres. Bush, but because I've had eight years of “W” and I don't need another two hours latched on for me. Actually, I hate him so much I don't like talking about him. Screw him. I don't think this movie is going to make any money in the US because of that.

BTW, Oliver Stone, the director, knows all about drug use doesn't he?

~Heather Locklear Driving crazy: Man, this is nuts.

((When officers arrived Locklear appeared disoriented, per the report, and after giving her a sobriety test they determined she was suffering the side effects of a booze binge. ))

I guess Denise Richards, really got to her after stealing her man. She's one of these ladies that does look pretty good in a mugshot. I guess that's what plastic surgery is for, eh? Perhaps TJ Hooker, aka William Shatner, can bail her out.

More Hate

Hmm, I guess I pissed off another person...

I wrote my review on The Love Guru and then I received this comment...

Anonymous said...

Semag - semaj whatever that is for a name(foreigner). If u didn't like it go home.

Nice, they told me to go home. To where, Louisville, Ky? Last time I checked, I grew up in the US. It's just my name backwards. I'm a little confused and my head hurts.

I wonder why this person felt so strongly about the Love Guru. Does it have anything to do with this person living in Los Angeles, CA? Did this person work on the Love Guru set? If so, who is this person?

I want to know who this person is because I don't think there are too many Love Guru fanboys out there.

I personally thought my review was fair, because I did have a couple of positive things to say about the movie.

You can't please everyone, I think the makers of this film know that too.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

The Love Guru

The Love Guru

Think of this movie as that d-bag that thinks he’s funny so he keeps telling the same jokes repeatedly. For some strange reason, everything involving this movie somehow reinforces the collective awfulness. Mike Myers’ movie is almost devoid humor and wit, and somehow feels stale at the same time.

The Toronto Maple Leafs team has a problem with one of their star players. He’s a black hockey player with marital issues. His wife is banging a scruffy Justin Timberlake. So, Jessica Alba, the owner of the team, brings in the second best Guru in North America, Guru Maurice Pitka.

Mike Myers’s Pitka isn’t that funny, yet he tells some of the lamest jokes in the movie. Myers attempts to create a completely different character, but Pitka comes across as a slightly different Austin Powers. This harms the film because he’s in most of the scenes. Unlike Wayne Campbell, who has a reason to mug at the screen, Myers’s Pitka feels the need to stare into the camera every time he tells a joke. You could probably make a drinking game out of it.

Yet, he’s not the only one that is terrible in this film. Justin Timberlake’s character doesn’t fare much better. He’s over-the-top and not really a compelling villain. He’s no Dr. Evil. Jessica Alba continues to reveal she’s just a pretty face and nothing else. Her character is forgettable and not really worth a paragraph to talk about it.

Romany Malco (from the 40 Year Old Virgin) is all right as the all star hockey player, but he’s not given much to deal with in the movie. Myers and he do have a bit of chemistry, but there’s not much there.

And, you can say that about the rest of the movie. There’s not much there. The script feels a bit uneven and like a second drift. Myers appears to have cut-and-pasted most of his jokes from his earlier movies. And, this is a shame, because it Myers is very serious about his humor, if that makes since.

After being absent from live movies since 2003, it would have been nice if he had come back in a better movie. The movie isn’t that crude or tasteless. The whole controversy and protest over the religious subject matter is warranted, because the movie is rather tame.

Grade: D+

~The Bollywood dance numbers are very funny and a nice parody of the videos on Youtube.

~Sir Ben Kingsley has an extended cameo in the movie, and it is a joke on his earlier work. However, it isn’t that funny.

~There is no reason Verne Troyer to even be in the movie. Hell, they do the same mini-me jokes. I know Myers threw Troyer a bone, but did the guy need to be the head coach?

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Mr. T and his oven, foo

Mr. T and he’s packing heat

Why, Mr. T? Why?

Now, he’s following in Chuck Norris and Hulk Hogan’s footsteps. Like Hulk Hogan, this guy was my hero in the 80s, now he’s doing Infomercials. Cooking infomercials are some of the worst things on TV, that and those Girls Gone Wild Videos. Why would I take cooking advice from an ex-boxer, wrestler or actor? Did they really have something to do with actual design of the ovens? I don’t think so.

I was thrilled when Mr. T was doing those snickers ads, but this is a new low for even him. (Yeah, even lower than him break dancing and rapping.)

If you don’t have Mr. T punching people in the face or shouting, then I’m not happy. I’d buy his oven if he went around punching everyone the set, shouting, “Shut up, fooo.”

(Source Filmjunk)

Here's the site. The image of Mr. T's and that expression is just disturbing. It's like he's trying to hold back the tears of shame.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Random Stuff

Random Stuff

~I swear I’ve been stopped by two bums while I rode through the city on my bike today. One guy asked me for a couple of dollars. A couple of dollars? I don’t even have that much cash for myself let alone him.

~Here is a link to a site that gives us six shows that should have never been cancelled. I have to agree with them with about the show Daybreak. It involved Taye Diggs reliving the same day over and over again. Kind of like Groundhog Day, but with guns and killing. The biggest difference was that Diggs’ character could get hurt and it would carry over to the next day. He could also change the outcome of certain events if he did something right. I thought Taye Diggs’ performance improved over each episode. What a good show.

~I don’t think there was a person on the planet that didn’t know Clay Aiken was gay. Well, he finally came ‘out’. I think he’s a talentless hack, but I never had a problem with his sexuality. Why did he bring out all the coy answers whenever anyone asked him about his sexuality? Did we really need the silly song and dance? Hey, he’s more stable than Lohan though.

~Star Trek: Nemesis: I’ve been watching the DVD extras on the two disc set and I’ve noticed something; no one in the special mentioned the box office failure that movie turned out to be. It sounds like Paramount doesn’t want anyone to talk negative about it. You can tell in the interviews, on the DVD, that the actors are holding back their displeasure. They’ve come out stating that it pretty much sucked.

Out for Justice Bar Scene

Why is Steven orange? Has he been drinking too many of his own energy drinks?
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Out for Justice Bar Scene

It seems bars are the natural locations for bad-ass fight scenes in Hollywood. It was like every action movie the 70s, 80s, and 90s had a bar fight.

Heck, even Steven Seagal had his own in the movie Out for Justice.

I like how Steven's character simply rolls in and starts making fun of these wiseguys to their faces. He then moves to pushing them around until it turns into a fight.

The Asian guy with the pool sticks is amazingly skillful and fast. The Billiard ball in the towel trick was pure genius

Steven Seagal of today needs to look back at his older movies, at his younger self. He's become, like Shatner, a Parody of himself.

His older movies were cheesy, but damn entertaining. Now, his movies are just terrible direct-to-DVD crap fest.

Screw Chuck Norris. Seagal is the new Chuck Norris

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Obsession Dating

A Blind Date

__________________________

I’m not a fan of blind dates and I’ve had friends attempt to ‘fix me up’ with someone they know. And, I always say nope I don’t do blind dates or ‘fix me ups’. The chance of there being an awkward time is usually 75%. I say meet someone on your on terms.

Anyway, I came across this little gem from the old show Blind Date. The woman in the clip is called Kara. But most people will know her as Obsession, a pornstar. For some reason, she’s billed as an underwear model. And she claims she’s a student. (Is this a stock answer for strippers and pornstars?)

The guy in the video appears to not know her true identity. I guess he doesn’t have the Internet in his house. He doesn’t have a clue. I’d be one happy guy if I saw her stepping up to my door.

Due to her interesting past, every answer she gives him has a completely new meaning.

The best one is when he starts to ask her, “Have you been with a woman?”

She pauses and simply answers, “yes.” She should have told him that it is well documented on video.

Btw, he never puts any moves on her when she does everything to him. He seems a bit too metro-sexual and perhaps doesn’t like women.

At what point do you tell him your real profession? After the third date?

Btw, she seems like a nice gal to me. Then again I've seen many of her performances.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Some Scientology Junk

Here we go again…

This time Some Scientology person left this comment on my blog.

((Repeatedly, spokespersons for the masked terrorist organization "Anonymous" have promised that they weren't out to ruin the lives of individual Scientologists.

And yet, now they have announced their intent to disrupt Katie Holmes' Broadway debut in All My Sons by protesting that a Scientologist should be allowed to take part in a Broadway show. These hateful psychotics have made it clearer than ever now that they hold anyone who is a Scientologist (or just married to one) to be "fair game" for destruction. Funny how the people who rant the most about "fair game" are the ones who are actually practicing it against innocent citizens.

Are we going to allow this gang of thugs to continue to harass innocent people over their religious beliefs? Can we allow people to have their safety jeopardized and careers ruined simply because they choose to believe in Scientology?))

I wouldn’t call “Anonymous” a terrorist group. Have they blown up any buildings? Nope.

The sole reason Anonymous has gone after Scientology is simple; Members of Scientology have repeatedly gone after anyone that speaks against them. They’ve destroyed lives and threaten people.

Let’s not forget when members of Scientology tried to dig up dirt on people by spying on the US government.

The lawyers of Scientology have sued many people just because they’ve spoken out against them. Scientology talks a good game of freedom of speech, but rarely practices it when it comes to their enemies.

I don’t hate Scientology because of their beliefs, even though they’re kooky. Yes, I completely disagree with everything they believe in. However, I hate the way they handle themselves by trying to suppress anyone that speaks out about them, by any means necessary.

Every religion has its detractors. You combat that by revealing why they’re wrong and the benefits your religion has. You don’t go after them by suing them or digging up dirt.

When you bully enough people, they’re going to push back eventually. That’s what has happen with ‘Anonymous’.

Scientology needs to practice freedom of speech itself before it starts judging others.

All hail Xenu!

Saved by the Bell

This is the reason child actors become so bitter. They have to look at pictures like these.

Saved by the Bell

The Nostalgia Critic discusses the horrible 90s show Saved by the Bell. The show hasn't aged that well, but it was never written well either.

This show was crap, but very popular with younger teenage girls. This piece of crap stayed on for four seasons, and not including the spinoffs and movies. I would spin through channels and catch a few minutes and get annoyed with Screech and turn the channel.

But, let’s look at what has happened to cast.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack): He’s done some strange roles, including 76 episodes of NYPD Blue. Now, he’s starring in a cable drama named Raising the Bar, where he wears a goofy hairstyle.

Mario López: He pretty much sucked and sort of host Extra.

Dustin Diamond: I’ve already wrote about this douche bag. This guy simply needs to fade away.

Elizabeth Berkley: Poor Elizabeth Berkley. After a grenade known as Showgirls destroyed her post-TV career, she kind of disappeared for a while.

Tiffani Thiessen: Time hasn’t been too kind to her career either. Cyborg Soldier? The show Fastlane was a step down.

Lark Voorhies: She was the attractive one, but her career tanked even more than the other women on the show. What the hell happened?

Futurama: Bender’s Big Score

Futurama: Bender’s Big Score

Ah, yes, the return of Futurama. This is the first film of many that are going to be released by the makers of cancelled show. Seeing a mistreated show find some life in direct to DVD is refreshing.

The story involves heavily into time travel. But it doesn’t start out that way. Just like the Simpsons, a loosely subplot starts out the story, but it turns into a bigger story. There is also a nice little love story that involves a twist.

What I like about this movie is that it changes the way we look at the continuity of the show and the history of certain characters. However, like the title states, Bender really shines in this movie, but Fry also has some nice moments.

If you get past the basic sight gags, which are funny, you will enjoy the heartwarming story about Fry and the journey he takes. It is a nice story. In many ways, this movie has more emotional story to it than the Simpson’s movie.

The biggest weakness is that the film is a little bit too inside for its own good. This means only fans of the show will get all the jokes and continuity tie-ins. An Average Joe might get a little confused with the story, and I wouldn’t blame them.

Overall, Bender’s Big Score is a little disjointed, but still a better movie than The Simpsons Movie, because it feels bigger. It’s silly and crude in some places, but it has a nice personal story hidden within.

It is good to see these characters again.

Grade: B+

Microsoft pulls its Seinfeld ads.

Bill Gates: “Yes, our new XBOX controllers are shaped like shoes. See?”

Jerry Seinfeld doesn't have the heart to tell Bill that he's really holding a normal shoe.

_______________________________________


Microsoft pulls its Seinfeld ads.

I remember writing about the big hype over Microsoft hiring Seinfeld for a new set of promotions. Seinfeld hasn’t had a show on for years, yet they spent all this money on him to give a younger and hipper image to the company. Most people said, “Does Seinfeld really matter?”

Even though they spent all that money on the ads, they dropped Seinfeld like a hot potato.

This link digs a bit deeper into the ads. It seems the Microsoft folks are trying to spin this as their first phase of their new approach, but I don’t buy it. I think they knew the ads were shit and flushed them. Plus, there is a third ad that will probably never see the light of day.

From the link above…

((Microsoft insisted the doomed adverts had achieved their |primary aim of “getting talked about”. A spokesman also claimed that they had never been meant to remain on air for longer than a couple of weeks.))

No one will admit to failure anymore. It is all spin now.

Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates New Family: Uh, they paid Seinfeld 10 million for this thing? It runs about four minutes and I can see them editing this into various ads for TV. I just don’t think this was funny at all. Was this supposed to be like the “I’m a Mac and I’m a PC” ads?

Shoe Circus and Seinfeld: There is nothing funny about this ad. Did they even let Seinfeld write the script? It doesn’t seem that way; Jerry is just phoning it in. This feels like a direct rip off from the Superman/Seinfeld ads, but less funny.

Hiring Seinfeld was a mistake from the beginning. But, it could have been much worst like Rosie or Dane Cook.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Random Thoughts


Random Thoughts
~I’ve been really enjoying riding my around town. It gives me a chance to cover more ground than walking and I also like the speed.

~KITT Being stolen was fake: You its bad times when someone steals freaking KITT from a publicity stunt. Some guy just jumps in and takes the car. That takes great balls. Yeah, I laughed. Too bad it was faked and a viral marketing thing. Makes me wish it was really stolen though.

~Scientology and Katie Holms: They both suck. You have to love the fact the anti-scientology protesters were holding up signs like “free Katie”. Why would she let this silly religion ruin her career? Instead of doing The Dark Knight, she did Mad Money. However, I think WB didn’t want her back because of the backlash from Scientology and Cruise. She’s pretty much torpedoed her career.

~Part of me is thrilled to see that Paramount and Dreamworks are parting ways. I never thought the partnership was a good fit anyway.

Part of the problem was some of the shady deals between HD DVD and Paramount, which left Paramount holding the bag because Microsoft’s HD DVD fell through. Spielberg wasn’t happy about this and I’m sure there were many other reasons for this departure. I have my own problems with the way Paramount handles its affairs.


~Arabic Wise, I know a few worlds and most of the alphabet.

Ahlan wa Sahlan: hello or welcome

SabaaH il-kheer: Good Morning!

Ma-ca ssalaama: Goodbye

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Ugly Lights

Ugly Lights: I’ve learned a new phrase from one of my stupid co-workers.

He mentioned something about ‘Ugly Lights’ and I asked, “What the hell does that mean?”

And he explained it almost word for word with the term below.

(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ugly+lights)

Ugly Lights

The over-head lighting that comes on at a bar/club near closing time. Has the immediate affect of reversing beer goggles.

Immediately following the ugly lights is a half hour period of time where the desperate find their hookup for the evening and leave the bar.

“We need to get out of here before the ugly lights come on and I see what I've been making out with really looks like”

Wow, that’s just mean, but funny. However, I see that happening. Does that mean you rush to the door like Cinderella?

I got the power! Not

It has been a while. I still have no power, but I’m here blogging at school. I’m sitting at a computer in the cafe as I try to ignore the TV screen with the stupid Football game.

Thanks to the power outage, I’ve fallen behind on my school work. But I’m trying my best to keep up.

I hope to update this blog more this weekend.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

No Power

Well, that crazy wind storm from Sunday has knocked out most of the city, including my crib. I have no power at home, so I was unable to update my blog.
I planned on writing a paper and getting my homework done, but that all went the way of the crapper when the wind storm hit.

There's damage everywhere and a lot of people are out of power. For me, this is going on day 2 or 3 depending on when you consider the power loss. I'm spending most of my time on campus, so I'll have an update later today.
This sucks

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Old Skool rant

Jammie Kennedy is an a-hole and it's good to see a guy stand up to him.

I really started hating him after I watched Kickin It Old Skool and I got angry with the movie. I mean nobody even tried to make a half way decent movie. I realized he cut and pasted the script Malibu's Most Wanted from his earlier work into the newer film. Somehow, Kickin It Old Skool was worst than Malibu's Most Wanted.

The clip above comes from his film Heckler and that's part of the problem I have with him. Kennedy feels threatened by any bashing on him, and to extent he's right. However, when all you make is crap, be prepared for flames.

Btw, he's starring in another movie, Extreme Movie. Yes, it may or may not be another spoof movie, but not by the people that did Meet the Spartans and Date Movie. It might be funny, Michael Cera is in it, but we know he plays the same character in every movie.

Here is another video.

Carrot Top interviewed by Kennedy: When you put two people that suck that bad together, a wormhole might erupt right there and destroy the fabric of time. Carrot Top is slowly turning into one of those creatures from Lord of the Rings.

I just hate this guy.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Carnage in C-Minor. TF review

Carnage in C-Minor

Transformers episode 83 - Carnage in C-minor part 2

transformers episode 83 - Carnage in C-minor part 3

Ah, yes. Here’s another third season episode from the old Transformers show. The TF fan base rates this episode as one of the worst episodes ever created in its four seasons. And, there is a reason for that.

This episode is full of animation flaws. And, it is to the point that it’ll make you laugh watching the episode.

Given that the third season is full of animation errors, Carnage in C-minor is one of the worst. The reason the animation is so poor in this episode has something do with the owners of the show switching to cheaper Korean studios after the second season. And, this one really shows the difference from the second season.

The sizes of all the robots change from scene to scene.

It’s a real shame they decided to cheapen the show, because it could have easily lasted a full fourth season and maybe a fifth.

The plot isn’t that much compelling and does seem a little out of place given the darker Sci-Fi tone of the third season. Plus, alien singing voices are annoying to say the least.

Grade: C- (minor, he-he)

Interesting points

~The sound effect for the music is the same sound effect used for the probe signal in Star Trek IV The Voyage Home. Listen closely.

~The plotline from this episode seems like a throwback to the second season.

~Yes, this is the same episode where Perceptor owns Devastator.

Source and pics (http://transformers.wikia.com/wiki/Carnage_in_C-Minor)

Uh, two of these characters are supposed to be dead, because they died during the movie. Yet, they show up for this episode.
________________________________________________
Ultra Magnus is way oversized here. There is no way he can grab both of these guys like basketballs. It just looks like Magnus has his own toy Constructicons.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Constructicons in the new TF2 movie?

Constructicons in the new TF2 movie?

After I heard the news about the follow up to Transformers 2, I started to get excited about the new movie. They’re bringing the Constructicons into the mix, or at least that’s the latest rumor.

Besides the Dinobots, the Constructicons were my favorite characters from season 1. They were the first combining robots to appear on the show. And they seemed to be the nemesis to the Dinobots. Their fights were always cool.

Does this mean the Dinobots will be in the next movie (part3)?

Here’s the video Dinobots VS Devastator

Uh, Perceptor defeats Devastator? WTF?

Bonus scene: Soundwave and his peeps clubbing. I don’t remember this episode.

So, Soundwave can get the chicks?

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Random Thoughts

So, there is one powerful ring out there that can control all of the other Purity rings, correct?
_________________________

Random Thoughts

~I can add another reason to hate MTV and their overblown video Music Awards show. They gave Britney Spears three awards. For what, doing a horrible job being a mother?

~I really need to get the back episodes of Stargate and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Every fanboy seems to like the show. I just have to square away some time to watch it.

~Just because Kim Jong II suffered a stroke, it doesn’t mean the governmental structure will be still around after he’s gone. Look at Cuba. Then again, North Korea is run badly and is in a far worst state than Cuba. These people might actually welcome reunification.

~I just worked with my Arabic tutor and she looked cute. She kept teaching me words, and I kept staring at her low cut outfit. She’s smart and cute, so it is very hard to focus in on her words when I’m focused in on her rack. But, I am learning the words better.

~Jonas Brothers and Purity rings: So, now not getting laid is okay and is represented by a stupid ring. Does this mean nerds can use this as an excuse for not ‘getting some’ in high school.

Perhaps, this would have helped Sarah Palin's daughter from getting knocked up.

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

William Shatner "Shatnered" himself out of a part

Captain ordered Mr. Sulu to swing the Enterprise by KFC window a bit too many times it seems.
______________________________________

Going back to that Shatner thing...

William Shatner has such a big ego that he got himself written out of the new Star Trek movie. And, that's the thing that makes me like JJ Abrams. He pretty didn't change his mind and stuck to his guns.

The new Trek film is not really a reboot but a lane change, in a sense. Spock from the TNG era universe goes back in time to stop someone from killing young Kirk. In doing so, another time line is formed and has its own track. In the TNG era, Kirk is dead and the story would only allow for a cameo/flashback for Shatner.

As Ron Moore stated during his time writing ST Generations, Shatner had many conferences with Braga and Moore to make sure his character had enough screen time. Abrams wasn’t going to have it and he shouldn't have to deal with Shatner. Of course Shatner cried like a little baby when they simply wrote him out.

And, I think Shatner’s interference with scripts harmed the original series more than it helped. Whenever there was a strong male actor on the show, Shatner felt threatened by their appearance.

Shatner was such a pighead during Star Trek II, that Nicholas Meyer wouldn't confront him. Meyer's would order Shatner to do take after take until he got bored and quit overreacting. Leonard Nimoy had a few problems with Shatner during ST III. Shatner demanded that he get the same deal as Nimoy as a director after ST IV. And we all know how ST V turned out.

Wil Wheaton and Shatner

Wil Wheaton talks about the reason he left the Star Trek TNG

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail220.html#

Part two

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail221.html#

He’s very honest about the mistakes he made in his acting career. He should have stayed on the show to the end, but you can’t tell a teenager anything. While I’m still not a fan of his work, I find his stories funny and honest.

The best story by far is his encounter with William Shatner.

(("Well?” He asked.

Oh no. He'd asked me a question, and I'd missed it.

Excuse me?” I replied.

I said, what do you do over there?" he asked. There was a challenge in his voice.

Oh, uh, well, I'm an acting ensign, and I sometimes pilot the ship." Maybe he'd be impressed that I'd already logged several hours at the helm of the Enterprise D, all before the age of 16.

Well, I'd never let a kid come onto my bridge.” He said, and walked away.))

This has been a legend in the trek rumors for years until Wil actually wrote about it. It really shows how insecure Shatner is about his fame and his role as Captain Kirk. For years, he bashed the TNG crew and felt threaten by them. His encounter with Wil was proof of that.

Monday, September 08, 2008

Knight Rider (2008) (film)

Knight Rider (2008)

If you’re a younger person, you probably never heard of the old show Knight Rider from the 80s starring David Hasselhoff.  It involved a man and a talking robotic car and the two of them would go on adventures solving crimes.  It was a favorite of many kids my age and also popular with adults.  I still remember staying up and watching the old show. 

This 2008 film has continuity ties to the first show, but ignores the TV movie Knight Rider 2000 and show Team Knight Rider.  That’s not to say they didn’t happen in the current universe, they simply didn’t refer to them. 

The film, that is a backdoor pilot for the upcoming series, is loosely the same plot as the first show.  A talking car and guy named Mike Traceur meet up and try to stop some villains from stealing government secrets.  And that’s pretty much the story in a nutshell. 

The movie has a lot of flaws, but there are some bad-ass moments that elevate this story above just another shitty TV film.  But, I can’t help shaking my head with all the problems with the story and characters.  At times, the movie is just plain boring.

For one, the villains are stupid.  They come across as being a bunch of IT students that attempt to come up with witty cool remarks, but fail miserably.  They make more mistakes and do stupid things that you can’t help but feel sorry for them.  The main bad guy feels like he stepped out of a Charlie's Angels film and seems out of place with the rest of the film.  The dialogue between the villains is also annoying. 

Then the love story angle between Mike Traceur and Sarah Graiman is out of place and seems like the producers were tying to get the WB crowd with this nonsense.  When you have a cool car that drives fast and talks, you don’t need to get the 18-25 female demographic group. 

The main character has a comedic relief sidekick that seems more like a Jar-Jar Binks type than anything else.  It doesn’t even make sense why he’s even involved in the story or the Knight Foundation at the end.  For the most part, he isn’t a problem because his role is very limited. 

So, what did this film get right? 

1.  The feel of Knight Rider was there:  The interaction between the KITT (3000) and Mike were nice touches.

2.  David Hasselhoff as Michael Knight:  Yeah, his cameo was a nice touch, but I would have loved if we saw him hop into KITT (the old one).  It would be neat to know that Knight and KITT were still on the road.

3.  A small bit of the Knight Rider theme song at the beginning:  But, I hated the guitar riffs.

4.  The car is just plain cool:  Just slap that Cylon laser on the front and its cool.  Val Kilmer does a good job as the voice of KITT, and this show should keep him busy enough from singing on his Myspace. 

There are many problems with the film, but some of that charm from the 80s show is there.  With a bit of retooling, this show could be a great one.  Just get some better villains

Grade: C-

 
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