Well, no responses on this week’s meme prompt just yet. Hopefully, that will change soon! The Fandango contest is over now, but our weekly game doesn’t end till Friday! Okay, no real prize, but you will get our eternal respect. Actually, I’m going to cop out this week as well. It’s hard thinking up funny sequels. But, here are some great trailers for potential movie sequels.
The Goonies Reunited
More than a decade later, the loss of one of their friends brings together the goonies for one last adventure.
The Titanic Trilogy
Jack is found frozen in the wreckage of the Titanic years after the death of his beloved, Rose. Now, he must live life all over again, in an unfamiliar town, in the future.
Years later, Jack, still haunted by the fateful night on the Titanic, and he realize that he will never let go.
Lars and the Real Girl (imdb | get the dvd
As promised in this week’s DVD Spree (our weekly post on interesting DVD releases), here’s a quick review of Lars and the Real Girl which came out on DVD today
For those of you who haven’t heard, and it’s understandable if you haven’t, Lars and the Real Girl is the story of a terribly shy young man who spends his time avoiding contact at work and living a reclusive life in the garage of his brother and sister-in-law’s house. One day, he decides to purchase a super-realistic sex doll online and comes out of his shell, introducing the doll as his new girlfriend to friends and family alike. Despite the concerns of his family, a local doctor finds Lars to be highly functioning and that his delusion is just a way for him to work through his own internal struggles. She tells the family to just play along while he goes through this phase and we eventually find that the entire town rallies around Lars and his doll. The movie had a limited theatrical release in October, but that was enough to garner it a nomination for a Oscar for Best Screenplay.
Ryan Gosling is terrific as Lars and Emily Mortimer also submits a strong performance alongside him as Katie Lindstrom, Lars’ caring and nurturing sister-in-law. The movie moves a little slowly, but the dialogue and the characters are all truly believable. It’s as if you really were watching a slice of someone’s life (sorry to steal a horrible cliche). Most of the time is likely to be spent marveling at how well Ryan Gosling plays yet another deep and moving character even though, aside from being psychologically troubled, Lars just might be the polar opposite of Dan Dunne, Gosling’s cocaine addled character in Half Nelson (another highly recommended title).
The plot sounds humorous and the trailers were deceivingly light. This movie, however, is really much more a drama than a comedy. The humor is portrayed through classically “indie” quirkiness and moments of awkward silence. You might crack a smile, but you won’t be hooting and hollering. Ultimately, the movie experience is much more about connecting with the characters and watching their growth and transformation on screen than about sitting down to a laugh riot. But, that’s okay. Instead, this movie is much more than just a cheap comedy about a man and his sex doll. Instead, it’s a charming tale about the power of love, kindness, and community that begs the question, “What if we embraced the oddities that are within each of us?”
3.5-4 anatomically correct dolls out of 5
Popcorn, Soda, and Goobers can’t get to every movie that comes out in theaters and on DVD, but we’re trying out best. Here’s a look at the DVDs which will be released tomorrow (April 15, 2008). Where possible we’ll link you to our original movie review or try to give you some background on each film to help you figure out which movie to add to your Netflix queue or your permanent collection.
Recommended
 |
Release Date: April 15, 2008 Comments:Juno was one of our favorite movies this year and one of the first indie-ish comedies we’ve felt truly deserved being nominated for Best Picture. It’s touching, funny, and terrifically well acted… Read the whole review Get It: Juno Single Disc Edition  |
 |
Release Date: April 15, 2008 Comments: Lars and the Real Girl is a quirky, odd dramedy starring Ryan Gosling as the shy and reclusive, Lars, who strikes up an unconventional relationship with a doll he buys over the Internet. A humorous plot shot in a dead-serious manner. Ryan Gosling once again shows us why he’s one of the best young actors of his generation. A full review will be posted tomorrow. For now, check out the trailer. Get It: Lars and the Real Girl DVD |
For more upcoming releases keep reading after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Alright, let’s get it started. This week’s round up starts with a clip of a sneak peak at the upcoming movie, Iron Man.
Next, a Bare Naked Ladies moment (trying hard not to smile though I feel bad), watch Hayden Panetierre do a Sexual Harrassment PFA.
If these little videos aren’t enough of a fix, check out our weekly link out after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Be Kind Rewind (imdb | find showtimes)
So I’m a bit late to the game on this one, but if you have asecond run theater near you Be Kind Rewind is worth a few bucks. The film is big-hearted in its love for all things film, and despite a few shortcomings, provides an enjoyable experience.
Mos Def stars as Mike, an employee in a neighborhood video store owned by Elroy Fletcher, played by Danny Glover. Fletcher is trying to make ends meet as his store is next on the list for city renovations. Trying to gather the sum of money to protect his store from city officials, Fletcher takes a trip to research the business success of other video rental stores, leaving Mike to watch the shop. Mike’s bumbly friend Jerry (Jack Black) gets in an accident at the local power plant, and somehow becomes magnetized. By venturing into the store, he erases all of the videos.
The rest of the film deals with Mike and Jerry’s attempt to reshoot the movies erased. They “swede” films, shortening them and placing their own personal touches into the them. Be Kind Rewind has a lot of fun with these “sweded” films, and seeing Ghostbusters was certainly very funny and very amusing. The movie has a huge heart as it depicts a pure love for movies and filmmaking. Within Be Kind Rewind, the moviegoer and the movie maker are one and the same - both have a passion for all things reel.
Be Kind Rewind’s main fault is in its pacing during the beginning of the film. The movie simply isn’t very funny in its opening 20+ minutes. A lot of time is spent on developing the plot on how the videotapes get erased, and these scenes are a bit dull. However, the movie isn’t too long and once the sweding begins, so does the fun and the pace picks up.
Another small hiccup comes as the film relies heavily on knowledge of the sweded films. If you’ve never seen Ghostbusters, don’t expect to be laughing crazily. Be Kind Rewind attempts to swede some very common films, but the jokes can be a bit hit or miss. I found the Rush Hour 2 scenes to be pretty lame, but the other remakes have more charm.
In the end, Be Kind Rewind merits a viewing. If you love movies, then I think you’ll find much to enjoy in Be Kind Rewind. Despite some pacing issues, the movie has fine acting, a nice story, and most importantly a big heart.
3.5 sweded tapes out of 5
This week’s Flick4Friday prompt was: “What movies do you watch to get back on your feet after a breakup?”
Picture courtesy of ForgettingSarahMarshall.com. Look for the trailer in the sidebar.
Admittedly, I was inspired by the upcoming movie, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, which is billed as “The Ultimate Romantic Disaster Movie.” And, I might be breaking Flick4Friday rules here as you won’t be able to watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall this Friday (it doesn’t debut till April 18th), but I had the pleasure of going to a screening recently and have to say that I have not found any romantic comedy to be as funny or uplifting as Forgetting Sarah Marshall. If you’re down in the dumps and looking for something to brighten your spirits, I can think of no better movie to do it with. But, I don’t want to get ahead of myself. A full review will definitely be coming as we get closer to the actual release date. For now, the red band trailer is one of the five rotating trailers in the sidebar to your right. If you’re lucky, click play now. Otherwise, reload the page (it will take at most five tries) or watch the full trailer after the jump.
For those that need a pick me up to curl up to at home this Friday, I recommend Lady and the Tramp (dvd
This weeks’ update is a bit longer than usual as we’ll be catching up with some releases from last week as well as some anticipated DVDs for the coming week.
Recommended
 |
Release Date: April 8, 2008 Comments:Walk Hard is good stuff. The film is consistently entertaining though only a few parts I found to be laugh out loud funny. If you’re into classic rock or am a Die Hard Apatow fan, Walk Hard is right down your alley; don’t let its weak box office sway you… Read the whole review Get It: DVD  or Bluray |
 |
Release Date: April 1, 2008 Comments: In the end, there’s no man like Burton to capture the horror and the fun of Sweeney Todd. The film is a well-made adaptation of a fantastic musical that is sure to please fans and newbies alike… Read the whole review Get It: Standard Edition  or Two-Disc Special Edition |
 |
Release Date: March 25, 2008 Comments: Thankfully, quirkiness and on-screen gaffes is not all this movie offers (which can’t quite be said of some Wes Anderson movies). The movie provides a wonderfully simple story that, despite the dark setting, is truly optimistic about life itself. The three main characters are funny, deep, and well-explored and the movie is shot beautifully… Read the whole review Get It:Wristcutters DVD |
For more upcoming releases keep reading after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
PSG Announcements
With the reboot of Popcorn, Soda, and Goobers comes a reboot of a feature we tried to write regularly a few months ago, the Weekend Round Up. It’s tough for one blog to cover all the great stuff out there and it’s always nice to check out some fresh perspectives. So, that’s what we hope to bring to you each week. Enjoy! Hopefully, there will be enough link outs here to keep you busy for most of the weekend. Feel free to submit links you think would be interested in the comments of this post.
We apologize for any downtime or awkward page loading this week, we’re still tweaking the site. We’d like to draw your attention to the addition of navigation links at the end of each post. Now, you can go back and read all of our archives chronologically.
Also, Flick4Friday, our weekly blog meme is back up and running. We do encourage you to check it out and hopefully join in on our little game.
New Trailers
Shotgun Stories
Only in limited release in theaters nationwide. It’s playing in a few places already. Special thanks to RowThree for bringing this one to our attention.
I admittedly have not seen the first Hellboy, but it seemed to get good reviews by critics despite a tepid performance at the box office. For what it’s worth, it seems every blog in the world posted this trailer this week. I figured we’d join in.
And, for more links of interests. Read on after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
Shine a Light (imdb | get tickets)
Got a chance to get a sneak peak at Shine a Light, the new Imax movie about the Rolling Stones, last night and I really recommend it for Stones fans and non-Stones fans alike. The movie is basically a filming of two 2006 Stone’s performances at the Beacon Theater in New York City. It’s directed by Martin Scorcese and is really just a gorgeous piece of film work and the first time I ever really appreciated the Imax experience.
To me, Imax movies tend to be a little gimmicky. All you get is a bigger screen and usually a weird line of sight. For example, 300 in Imax left most viewers staring directly at a pack of digitally enhanced abs. Good for some. Not so fun for me. Shine a Light gets everything right. Clearly, Martin Scorcese understood the effect he wanted to create for the viewer and armed with 16 cameras, he delivers a truly entertaining and awe-inspiring experience. Everything down from the scene cuts timed perfectly with the rhythm of a song to the color drenched shots of the McJagger and Keith Richards to the precisely angled shots from the the audience, conveyed energy, fun, and passion. I found myself so immersed that I almost started clapping after a set of songs and was hard pressed not to get up from my seat and wave my cell phone around when the lights dimmed.
While a lot of credit has to go to Scorcese for putting together such a good documentary, I really have to tip my cap to McJagger and the Stones. They’re so old, yet they’re still going out there giving these upbeat, physically taxing shows. I wasn’t a Rolling Stones fan before this movie, mostly because I had no idea who they were. But, I sure as hell am now. As entertaining and engrossing as this movie was, I’m sure actually being at the Beacon Theater in 2006 was better. Heck, with the guest appearances by Bill Clinton, Buddy Guy, and Christina Aguilera, how could it not have been? It’s one thing to see legends and terrific performers together on screen. It must be jaw dropping to see it live.
Don’t be fooled by this movie’s description of a documentary. There are some very cool and well-timed clips of the Stones doing interviews from years ago, but the movie focuses mostly on the performance and music of the Rolling Stones. The experience feels more like going to a concert than an Imax theater. It’s beautiful, it’s fun, and it’s a celebration of more than just the Rolling Stones, but of the whole culture they’ve spawned. Thoroughly memorable.
5 out of 5 guitar picks thrown into the crowd
Shine a Light opens in Imax theaters nationwide April 4, 2008. Skip the box office lines and buy movie tickets online at Fandango.
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
So, this week’s Flick4Friday prompt was to recommend a movie that could have been truly good if it wasn’t too long. I think Lord of the Rings: Return of the King has to win this category hands down. Not only was it too long to begin with. It was part of a trilogy of movies which all-in-all was probably much longer than it had to be. Sorry, die hard J.R.R. Tolkien fans. Sometimes, parts of the book have to go to the chopping block!
After a relatively disappointing Two Towers, this movie had the chance to be great. As a whole, I still love the series of movies. I just can’t help but think there’d be a lot more impact if they concentrated on the best scenes instead of every minute detail. A directors mantra should be to move the story along. The Return of the King had so many really moving moments and grand triumphs over the bad guy, but after a while the slow pace and redundant scenes took away from the impact.
I love battles as much as anyone. But, how many long drawn out battle scenes do we need in the movie? It just gets anti-climactic. Do we need to hang out in Rohan for the entire first half of the movie even though nothing really happens? Is it really necessary to have Sam and Frodo look longingly into each others eyes for the last half of the movie? I can’t even imagine an extended edition of this movie. They should have released a special edition that was less than three hours long. The best part of watching this one at home, scene skipping. Feel free to turn it off after the first ending too.
What do you think? What movie do you think would be great if they were just a little bit liberal in making cuts? Feel free to write a post on your own blog and link back here or on Flick4Friday. I’ll even throw this one in. The best response gets an invite to a free screening of a hotly anticipated new comedy at 6:00PM this Thursday (April 3) in New York City. Yea, it’s short notice, so get your fingers typing!
