Yvette's Inner Geek Blog » movies

Futurama, I Love You, and a To-Do List

Yvette — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 04:16:18 +0000

Where were you on March 28, 1999? I was in my apartment, eagerly awaiting and then watching the premiere episode of Futurama. I had a feeling I would like it… but I didn’t realize how much.

Ben and I have the whole series and the straight-to-DVD movies in an honored spot in our home video collection (filed under “F”) and, well, let’s just say that we would already need to buy new copies if they were VHS tapes instead of DVDs.

After Fox cancelled Futurama (mutter mutter Fox smells of elderberries), there was uproarious fan-demand for the show to be revived—especially after Family Guy came back. There was a hint that it was possible from David X. Cohen & Matt Groening at the Futurama panel I was fortunate enough to attend at Comic Con 2008, and then totally awesome news from last year’s Comic Con that it was coming back (SQUEE) and would be aired on Comedy Central.

Then there was a little hullabaloo about the original voice cast not returning, which of course would completely ruin the revival. Not to worry; the salary negotiations were resolved and the first new episode is airing in June 2010.

Which brings me to…

My Futurama To-Do List

Dig out my 2003-ish era Moore Action Collectibles (still mint in box, of course) to display
Re-watch all episodes with the alien language decoder in hand
Create a companion guidebook that notes every single piece of alien text and its translation
Attempt to publish that book and likely discover that 8 million other Futurama geeks already posted the same thing online
Acquire a couple more of the Kidrobot mini figures (my aunt Jeanette gave me two blind boxes that ended up being Nibbler (yaaaay!) and Sal, the mystery chase figure. Well, she gave one to me and one to my sister, then my sister gave me her Nibbler because she saw the nerd-lusty pain in my eyes and she’s not really a Futurama fan, a fact which by the way makes me suspicious of our actual blood relation.)
Make more money so that I can immediately spend it on the entire (and currently ongoing) Toynami action figures
Be the first person to think of combing two of my favorite fictional worlds into Back to the Futurama (d’oh! This one’s not possible now)
Cross-stitch, frame, and hang a “Home Sweet GOTO 10” in my house
Acquire and frame a nice print of the Futurama poster (the image in this blog post) that parodies the 1927 German expressionist film, Metropolis
Watch the June television rebirth of Futurama, an episode rumored to be named “Rebirth”

I think a few of those items (2, 8, 10) are more likely to happen than the others.

A chocolate and Tarantino-inspired purchase

Yvette — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 06:59:02 +0000

Ben and I finally watched Inglourious Basterds last night. And… wow. There’s no question that Quentin Tarantino’s films push my boundaries when it comes to violence and gore, but he is an auteur who creates some really amazing films.

I didn’t always think so, though. I generally dislike gory films and still get nightmares from psychological thrillers. But I was forced to watch Pulp Fiction for a (really awesome) creative writing class at Miami University in 1999, and not surprisingly I had a hard time with the violence. But I toughened up enough to want to see Kill Bill in the theater a few years later—and was blown away. (Har har.) The second Kill Bill was just as amazing and made me brave enough to watch Pulp Fiction again. I love it more every time I see it, even though certain scenes still make me cringe.

I kept waiting for both Kill Bill films to be released as a special edition set on DVD before I would buy them. Not long into my wait, though, I was introduced to HDTV and started paying attention to the HD-DVD/Blu-ray war (March 2007). Kill Bill jumped off the DVD wait list to Priorty One on my future high-def home video want list. But eleven months later, when HD-DVD officially died, I knew it would still be a while until we bought a Blu-ray player. And so I have waited. Blu-ray players, and the discs to some extent, have come down in price over the last two years.

BEN ORDERED A BLU-RAY PLAYER FOR US YESTERDAY.

I would like to officially thank Quentin Tarantino for the film Inglourious Basterds, which reminded us how much we’ve wanted to own Kill Bill on home video, and thus directly tipped the scales on the final decision to purchase a Blu-ray player.

(I am vaguely suspicious that the Ghirardelli caramel-filled chocolates I gave to him for that recent hallmark holiday also had something to do with it.)

We won’t be replacing/upgrading any of the films or shows we already own on DVD, but we did order a few Blu-ray discs (are we calling them BRDs yet?) to start off our collection: Kill Bill I and Kill Bill II, Bourne Identity, Wall-E, and Gattaca.

Next up on the wish list (Pi Day is coming up soon!): Battlestar Galactica complete series (the new one, yes, even after the last episode), Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum, Iron Man, Ratatouille, and Up. Go ahead and judge me if you like. I’m also looking forward to renting delicious eye candy via Netflix.

What are the first five movies you would purchase (or have already purchased) in high def?

Almost forgot to blog

Yvette — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:53:35 +0000

Just dragged myself out of bed to post a quick entry. I actually met my goal and blogged every day in January, so I’m not too keen on slipping up my 365-day challenge now!

I started composing one in my head earlier, but it’s been a busy day and I’ve had a pinched nerve (probably caused by a knot on my left shoulder/neck) and been really tired. I made BBQ chicken salad based on this recipe for dinner tonight, except with olives and served over spinach. Tasty! Then Ben and I watched the movie 9 and he rubbed my neck until I cried out in pain and then fell asleep on the couch. I’m a very exciting person!

2008 Summer Movies for the Geek

Yvette — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:34:05 +0000

Here’s a run-down of this summer’s movies that geek movie-goers may be drawn to. Commentary may include some useful information, but is mostly an exploration of how a geek girl like myself feels about each of the movies after seeing the trailer, reading plot synopses and ogling photos of the stars.

Iron Man
May 2

This movie has been reported as one of the best comic book adaptations ever made. It’s the story of how one of Marvel’s favorite billionaires becomes Iron Man. The effects are totally schweet and Robert Downey, Jr. is apparently completely, totally awesome in this.

Edit: I saw the movie the same day I posted this, and it was really, really, good and geektastic. Here’s what I thought of it.

Speed Racer
May 9

Let’s take a classic, nostalgia-filled TV show with perpetually suck-a-riffic plots and turn it into a mediocre, fast-paced movie chock full of bright lights and anime-inspired cinematography! It’s supposedly family-friendly, though, so if you have a geeky family it might be a fun outing. I’m not familiar with Emile Hirsch, but I like Christina Ricci… though I’m going to pass on this one until it comes out on DVD. And I have a good supply of alcoholic beverages to consume while watching it.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

May 16th

The second installment of the Chronicles of Narnia, and I am pleased that they have chosen to follow the original sequence in which C.S. Lewis published his books. The studio didn’t really have a choice if they wanted to use the same child actors, since the story takes place a year after The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe ends. However cool the effects might be in this film, I suspect that I will still like the book better than the movie.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
May 22

The fourth Indiana Jones installment after almost a 20-year hiatus… I’m sure the effects will be improved to the Nth degree, and hopefully that means they’ve had time to perfect the script as well. Karen Allen returns as Marion Ravenwood, and Shia LeBeouf plays a character who may be Indiana Jones’ son. He was better than I expected in Transformers, plus he’ll be dressed as a bad boy from 1957… so I’ll happily accept him into the Jones family whatever the premise. I plan to watch the first trilogy in order the few days leading up to seeing this in the theater. (btw: they’ve re-released the original Indiana Jones trilogy on DVD, now with more special features.)

Kung Fu Panda
June 6

Voiced by Jack Black… this one could be good if the story holds up to the reeeeeally cool looking animation in the trailer. (Or it could be one that eventually makes you want to die if you have kids who want to watch it 8 million times a week once it’s on DVD). Pandas were my favorite animal when I was in elementary school… I even had a fuzzy purse in the shape of a panda head. This may be a great movie to help segue and coerce your friends and family into watching those horrible, sub-titled kung fu movies that you love so much.

The Incredible Hulk
June 13

Not to be confused with the first Hulk movie. Bruce Banner is played by Edward Norton this time (have you seen The Prestige? OMG if he evokes the same love emotion as in that movie, then it won’t matter how little plot there is. And Liv Tyler is in it, too!). Right now this movie is living in the shadow of Marvel’s current marketing focus: Iron Man. I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that Iron Man will be the better movie of the two, if for nothing more than the scary-ass look of Hulk’s genetically mutated enemy in the same weight class.

Get Smart
June 20

Oh, Steve Carell, you have the power to make or break my childhood memory of Get Smart reruns on Nick-at-Nite (back when it was actually on Nickelodeon). I have a feeling that I will love his character, but I’m wary of Anne Hathaway as Agent 99 and of the story being more serious than it should be. The classic TV show is all about cheese, in my opinion, and I hope that this movie maintains that feel despite a large special effects budget.

Wall-E
June 27

I heart Pixar, so this would be on my must-see-in-theater list no matter what the subject. A robot love story with already amazing graphics in the trailer? May I please pre-order the DVD with my opening night tickets? If you haven’t already, go check out all of the trailers. They’re beautiful, and I think any geek worth his/her NaCl will enjoy this movie, no matter how young or old.

Wanted
June 27

Sure, you may go to see it just for Angelina Jolie (or for James McAvoy, OMG did you see him in Atonement?). But it’s based upon Mark Millar’s graphic novel series and “tells the tale of one apathetic nobody’s transformation into an unparalleled enforcer of justice.” Sounds like eveey geek’s dream, if you ask me.

Hancock
July 2

Will Smith does not play your average superhero in this movie. (Um, is any superhero really an “average” superhero?) He is an angry, alcoholic anti-hero who learns how to become a real superhero. The trailer has enough machine gun action, explosions, car chases and special effects to make it look awesome… and a good enough storyline to go along with it. Also, Jason Bateman is in it. Yay! (Warning: the flash website is obnoxious.)

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
July 11

Hellboy is back, and he must choose sides to fight in this war between two worlds. The trailer looks awesome, though I have to admit that I never got into the comic series and I still haven’t seen the first Hellboy movie. Please don’t shout at me. I will see the first movie as my homework and read a few of the comics, okay? And then I will see this movie and appreciate it a lot more.

Journey to the Center of the Earth (3D)
July 11

I like to think about the initial pitch for this one: “Okay, we’re going to adapt this classic sci-fi novel from 1864, and we’ll make it 3-D so we can charge an extra three bucks per ticket! The kids will be swarming to see it!” Seriously, though, what’s with the 3-D movies? I missed Hannah Montana at theater (omg cuz i got this txt from my bff and…) so this one I might check out to see what these 3-D shenanigans are all about. Oh, and to air kiss Brendan Fraser, maybe? Can he plz to be taking off his shirt now? Wow, I’m really making myself seem very shallow right now. But to be fair, I was never really into chick flicks and the guys who starred in them. Occasionally, a geeky guy could make me interested in a not-so-geeky movie. But give me a hottie in a sci-fi/fantasy movie or a movie based on a comic or historical event and I’m so there.

The Dark Knight
July 18

Batman is once again Christian Bale nom nom nom. We meet The Joker, played by (the now deceased at a tragically young age) Heath Ledger. It’s been almost twenty years (in the real world) since Batman (Michael Keaton) first met The Joker (Jack Nicholson) on the big screen. But it’s the first time that Batman meets him chronologically speaking, and I have no doubts that this will be a dark movie as it forces Bruce Wayne “to confront everything he believes.” Whatever the hell that means, this movie will surely also be a spectacular display of special effects.

The X-Files 2: I Want to Believe
July 25th

OMG Mulder and Scully are totally going to get together in this one! More than just make out! And that’s one of the reasons why they can release a movie sequel 10 years after the first. The studio is keeping the plot a super-secret, so speculation is all we have to work with. And isn’t that what the entire franchise is all about? Oh, and also it’s about Fox taking advantage of the hype to increase their DVD sales of the tv show and the first movie.

The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
August 1

Two Brendan Fraser movies in one summer? Could it get any better? Well, maybe it could if this Mummy movie improves after the not-that-great (in my opinion) sequel. I’m skeptical because this one doesn’t even have Rachel Weisz in the cast. She’s the sexiest role model for a librarian I’ve ever seen, and she played her role well. This new self-proclaimed epic movie will take place in Asia, which was really hard to figure out from the title, right? Unless it starts to get amazing reviews, I might save this one until it comes out on DVD.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars
August 15

Oh hells yeah, bitches. Full-length animated feature film with stories from the frontlines of the Clone Wars. Then the story will continue with half-hour episodes on Cartoon Network that will eventually find their way to TNT (read more). Star Wars geeks everywhere will once again not be capable of non-Star Wars related conversation. I’m very much looking forward to seeing this one at the theater.

I actually started this entry about a month ago, but kept getting distracted with each trailer I watched or plot synopsis I read. Damn Internet. Let me know if there are any other geek-worthy movies that should be on this list. Thanks for reading!

California Dreamin’ and Coraline News

Yvette — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:41:03 +0000

If you’re in the San Francisco area, I hope that you’re going to WonderCon for me. I’m really hoping to make it to the San Diego Comic Con this year for the first time. I’ve never lived closer to California, and yet after 2.5 years in Utah I still haven’t visited.

I may be going to San Francisco for a couple of days to see the big sights (Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf, Pacific Ocean, etc.) while my Norwegian visitors are here in March. The only other time I’ve been in California was in San Francisco, but I don’t have any memories because I was only a year old. Bummer.

How’s this for weirdness: as I was typing that last “San Francisco,” Shirley Simms was singing the name through my computer speakers–I’m listening to the Magnetic Fields’ 69 Love Songs: Part 1 and I didn’t realize that track number seven “Come Back From San Francisco” had started playing.

Now here’s something that we all have to wait for, no matter where in the world we live: the film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline. I like the novella (though it’s not my favorite Neil Gaiman book), but the movie looks like it will be absolutely delicious… it’s an animated stop-motion film done by the same people who brought you that little cult classic called Nightmare Before Christmas. The Soundtrack will be by They Might Be Giants. Squeeeee!

Neil Gaiman just announced this little (official) teaser trailer:

January 2009 is very far away. I’d put it on my calendar, but I don’t have a 2009 calendar yet!