Radio Show Results/Download

Well, we did it. And while I wouldn't say it was a smashing success I wouldn't say it was a failure either. We had some technical difficulties such as issues with mic volumes and such that never really got ironed out. For some reason Chris (Odd) was barely discernible while me and Chi came through crystal clear. To most of the listeners that is. A few could hear Chris and not me while still others could hear everybody. For a while I had mic boost on and was quite overpowering, lol. Hopefully we will be able to figure out solutions to these problems in the future.

Topics included comic book movies, the rating system, new theatrical releases as well as good recommendations for what to see on DVD. We had a few trivia questions and I would like to extend my congrats to Laruft who new what video game the kids were playing in the soda shop in Back To The Future. He won a few HHE2 movie posters and cards and was kind enough to pass his prizes on to Lilith.

If you want to torture yourself for an hour you can download the show in it's entirety HERE. I will post an update as soon as we know when the next show will be.

Don't forget to send your entries for the HHE2 email giveaway to mitchemerson@hotmail.com.

Movie Review: Premonition by ME

Title: Premonition
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon, Mark Famiglietti, Kate Nelligan, Nia Long
Directed By: Mennan Yapo
Produced By: Andrew Sugerman, Lars Sylvest, Nick Hamson
Genre: Thriller
Release Date: March 16th, 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violent content, disturbing images, thematic material and brief language
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing

When Linda Hanson is told that her husband Jim has been killed in a car crash, she is shocked to find him alive and well the next day. Linda’s premonition sets off a series of puzzling events as she tries to grasp the situation and stop the accident from happening. -Yahoo! Movies

I'll be honest. I owe it to you readers. It has now been four hours since leaving the theater and I still don't know what the point of this movie was. I asked three other people who were attending the screening and they didn't know either. So hopefully this review isn't as disjointed as the movie was. Most movies of this type leave clues for the viewers to pick up on that point you to where the plot is going, even if the characters themselves don't see or aren't quick enough to catch them. Premonition just throws events at you willy nilly and lets you try to sort them out on your own. I honestly wonder about the state of cinema when an untried director like Mennan Yapo ( this is only his third try at directing) can get a star like Sandra Bullock to be in a film this bad.

What makes it bad? Almost everything. The acting, while not great isn't what kills this movie. Bullock and McMahon can't really be blamed here but they could have turned up a little. The cinematography was bland with no style. Just straightforward storytelling which is fine if you have a good story to tell but here it just adds to the faults of the film. The way events unfold left me in a cloud of confusion. Supposedly Bullock knows that something is wrong and has a slight idea of what is going on, yet when she sees the things that have already happened she is clueless and only makes a real effort to save her hubby in the last five minutes of the movie. In one scene (without any prior mention of God, religion, faith or the church), Bullock goes to church to talk to the Father who just happens to have a book with post-its marking many different cases of premonitions and fortune telling. How handy is that? And, the only thing offered as an explanation is he says, “It's been a while.” and then you never see him again. That's just one example! Another example is the ending itself. So if you don't like spoilers, skip the next paragraph.

**Spoiler Alert**

Nothing changes! He still dies! The only difference is that she is pregnant. The accident that kills him happens almost exactly the way it did in the first place except this time, Bullock is there to watch her husband die! Oh, they try to make it interesting by panning down to see her protruding belly in the last scene but by that point you really don't care anymore. I was to busy wondering why she didn't try harder to convince him not to go on the trip. And don't even get me started on the daughters disfiguring accident that tries to be a shocking moment but just leaves you wondering “What the hell?”

**End Spoiler**

What's good about Premonition? The movie poster. That's about it.

I can't even think of a fitting end to this review except this. If you choose not to heed my warning and go see this, please, write me and tell just what the point was, ok? I'd really appreciate it. Then, tell me why you went and saw it anyways.

Keep reading,
Mitch E.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Hills Have Eyes 2 Contest! Radio Show Giveaway!

I have just received a box of t shirts, posters, bottle openers, cards and stickers for The Hills Have Eyes 2 (which opens March 23rd) sponsored by Fox atomic (www.foxatomic.com) and Reviews From The Couch 2 (http://rftc2.blogspot.com). Some of these items, mostly the posters and cards, will be given away on tomorrows radio show. But the rest will be given away through an email contest. Just send your entries to mitchemerson@hotmail.com with HHE2 Contest in the subject line. Please include a mailing address. One entry per person blah, blah, blah. Contest starts now and ends Friday, April 13th, lol. All entries will be placed in a hat and I will draw the winners randomly. Any questions?

The banner for an even bigger contest from Fox Atomic! Go ahead, click it!

Trying the radio thing again!

This Friday night for the first time ever, but tried once before, will be the debut of the as yet untitled, RFTC2 movie talk radio show. Sponsored and co hosted by everybody's favorite drunken DJ, Chi!!! You have heard me plug her show in the past and she has been kind enough to give me and my partner Chris an hour of her show.

You can join in the live chat room and let your opinions be known. You can also call in and talk to us live via Skype. Show is 8pm Eastern time and is one hour long. But make sure you stay tuned for DJ Chi from 9-10. The show will go back to it's normal time (7-9) on March 25th when the UK's DST catches up.

Here is all the contact/ connecting info that I have right now.

To listen you must have Winamp or a media player that can tune in to online radio stations, I use Winamp so that is the only one I am familiar with. You can get Winamp for free at www.winamp.com. Then go to www.uknova.com and scroll down to the media player and hit the listen now button.

To message us using Skype call the following -

Mitch - strangef8
Chris - fairlyoddone
Chi - chiana74

For the chat, join us on the server irc.accessirc.net and the channel is #uknova. If you have mirc, type this into a browser: irc://irc.accessirc.net/uknova, it should open mirc and go straight to the channel.

I am looking forward to hearing your opinions. And since this is such a new thing, I may have a The Number 23 bookmark or mousepad for the person who comes up with the best name for the show. Only thing I ask is that the name have something to do with a couch, lol. You know to tie in with RFTC2, lol. Mitch

Feel free to post any ideas for show topics for use this Friday or for future shows feel free to comment.

DVD Review: American Splendor by CD

Title: American Splendor
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis, Judah Friedlander, Harvey Pekar, James Urbaniak
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini, Bob Pulcini
Produced by, Ted Hope, Julia King
Genres: Drama, Animation, Adaptation and Biopic
Release Date: August 15th, 2003 (LA/NY, Cleveland)
MPAA Rating: R for language.
Distributors: HBO Home Video

American Splendor is the story of a little-known working-class everyman, and first-class curmudgeon Harvey Pekar. Pekar finds love, family and a creative voice through the underground comic books he creates, but still can't manage to find the quicker supermarket checkout line. Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff. - DVD Case

The film opens with a scene from 1950 of a bunch of kids on a porch at Halloween. You see Superman, Batman, Robin, The Green Lantern, and a child with out a costume. When asked who he is supposed to be he replies, “I'm Harvey Pekar, I ain't no superhero lady. I'm just a kid from the neighborhood.” This sets the tone for Harvey's life and for the film.

Paul Giamatti plays Pekar to perfection. At times it is very hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Pekar is an interesting man if only for the fact that he doesn't seem happy, even when he is.

Harvey works as a file clerk in a VA hospital, drowning himself in his work and his compulsions. He collects Jazz records and comic books, scours garage sales for new treasures, and just lives his life.

During one of his excursions through the tables at a sale, he bumps into a buddy who offers to introduce him to a guy named Bob, saying that they have a mutual love for comics and jazz. This is when Harveys life is forever changed. “Bob” happens to be Robert Crumb, the soon to be “King” of underground comics.

Harvey has no notions of being famous, his comics reflect the real life. A poor schlub just trying to get by in a mundane world filled with normal people and their interestingly uninteresting lives.

This movie is more of documentary than it is a biopic, mainly due to the cut scenes with the actual Harvey Pekar narrating. You see a lot of the real Pekar and his wife Joyce through out the film, they become the foundation for which Giamatti is able to build his performance from. An interesting take on the whole biopic genre.

Special features include a making of entitled Road to Splendor, which is a look at the films debut at the Sundance Film Festival to its premier. There is also some downloads and commentary tracks, also there is a song by Eytan Mirsky called American Splendor.

It's been Odd
C. Dunham
Crobertdunham@yahoo.com

Movie Review: 300 by ME

Title: 300
Starring: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, Michael Fassbender, Vincent Regan, Dominic West
Directed By: Zack Snyder
Produced By: Frank Miller, Deborah Snyder, Craig J. Flores
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Adaptation and War
Release Date: March 9th, 2007
MPAA Rating: R for graphic battle sequences throughout, some sexuality and nudity.
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution

In the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, King Leonidas and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes and his massive Persian army. Facing insurmountable odds, their valor and sacrifice inspire all of Greece to unite against their Persian enemy, drawing a line in the sand for democracy. -Yahoo! Movies

Frank Miller has done it again. 300 is a visually stunning and action packed piece of work. Zack Snyder has taken what was done by Rodriguez and Tarantino with Sin City and upped the ante. Using the same method of green screen filming, Snyder has created a beautifully epic land based on what Miller did with the comic. I am ashamed to admit that I have never read 300 and must say I am that much more happy that I didn't. See, when any book or comic is made into a film you can't help but compare it to the original medium and sometimes that can deter from the experience even if the film does it right. So I was able to sit back (and then on the edge of my seat) and enjoy the film. Full of epic battles, spraying blood, decapitations, freaks of nature, God like giants, beautiful women and walls of dead bodies , 300 is just pure eye candy at its best.

Gerard Butler is perfectly cast. Ripped, muscled, and full of courage and rage, I wouldn't want to get on his bad side, lol. Only having seen him in Phantom of the Opera and Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, I didn't really know what to expect. Butler delivers a performance worthy of a King and it shows. Besides the courage and rage he has a passion that is echoed in every man under his command. David Wenham is another great casting choice as Dilios who is the narrator of the story as well as a warrior. His narrative voice is the perfect tool to tell the story. Behind every good man is a great woman and that is even more true here. Queen Gorgo, played by Lena Headey, is one of the more interesting characters in 300. If I understand correctly, her characters story in the movie has had quite a bit added to it. Some fans say it's unnecessary but I feel that her story helps to give us a break from all the intense action. And she is perfect as an extremely strong and supportive Queen who is trying to convince the ruling council to send reinforcements to Leonidas.

The effects? I can't say enough so it will have to suffice to say that they are some of the best I have ever seen. Just beautiful. If you haven't seen the trailer yet, head over to www.apple.com/quicktime/movies and check it out for an example.

All I can really say is that Sin City was a little tiny Halloween sized candy bar compared to the awe of 300. Great acting, great costumes, great action, this movie is my second favorite of the year after Children of Men (I count COM as this year because that's when I saw it) and before Pan's Labrinth. I don't care about historical accuracy in my movies, if I wanted accuracy I'd watch a documentary. I'm in it for the entertainment value boys and girls. And entertained I was. Go see it, buy it on DVD when it comes out. We need more movies that look this good.

Until King Leonidas and King Ralph become bosom buddies,
keep reading

Mitch E
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Best Lines:

Spartan King Leonidas: Give them nothing! But take from them everything!

Spartan King Leonidas: This is where we fight. This is where they die.

Xerxes: Cruel Leonidas demanded that you stand. I require only that you kneel.

Repost: Casino Royale by ME

Since it has been a slow week in Hollywood, I decided to repost my review of Casino Royale. If you missed it in theaters your chance to see it is coming Casino Rayale will be released on DVD on March 13th. Is there any more praise that I could say for this film besides the fact that this will be the first James Bond film that I will ever purchase?

Title: Casino Royale
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Wright
Directed By: Martin Campbell
Produced By: David G. Wilson, Anthony Waye, Callum McDougall
Genre: Action/Adventure, Thriller, Adaptation and Sequel
Release Date: November 17th, 2006
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violent action, a scene of torture, sexual content and nudity.
Distributors: Sony Pictures Releasing, Sony Pictures Releasing International

Daniel Craig takes over, or should I say “kicks off” the Bond series in Casino Royale. James Bond has just received his 00 status when he must stop La Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a banker for terrorists as well as a high stakes poker player. La Chiffre takes his clients money and uses it to gamble on high risk stocks. When Bond foils his attempt to blow up a prototype airliner, La Chiffre must win a poker game in order to save his own skin. Of course Bond is there to stop him. With a kick ass car and a beautiful Treasury Agent (Eva Green) by his side, Bond does what he always does, he saves the day with style, suaveness, and more than a little violence.

Director Martin Campbell takes Bond in a new darker, grittier direction that is obvious from the beginning. Opening with a black and white noir-esque scene of him beating the crap out of some dude in a bathroom, you can tell this ain't your Daddy's Bond. From there we go right to a full on action sequence between Craig and Sebastien Foucan that would give Jackie Chan a run for his money. Is that enough examples? It may not be as cheeky or slick as previous Bond films but as a straight up spy/action flick Casino Royale delivers the goods and puts the “thriller” back in spy thriller. I know, that was kinda lame.

Hardcore fans will probably be disappointed with Danial Craig as Bond because he isn't as distinguished or gentlemanly as previous Bonds, but then again, this is a Bond before the cars, women and “shaken, not stirred” martinis. Personally, I think the only thing Craig doesn't have is the look of Bond. He looks more like a brawler from somewhere in Texas and fights like one. I feel that he could take the Bond franchise in a wonderful direction, if the fans can accept him. Mads Mikkelsen is a great villain, played as a man who is just trying to recover from his own mistakes. Don't get me wrong, he is a villain yet you may be able to sympathize with him. Well, at least until he goes for the rope. Surprisingly it's Judy Dench who keeps Bond (and the movie) grounded in reality by actually caring for him and trying to keep on the correct pat while at the same time becoming increasingly exasperated by the methods that Bond chooses to employ. Eva Green as the newest (r is ti the first?) Bond girl has the right amount of sex appeal while not being vapid. She is a smart and witty Treasury Agent who puts England's welfare first and foremost. Giancarlo Giannini has the the closest thing to a supporting role as Mathis, the local cop who is helping Bond. I have always liked him in everything I have seen him in, most notably Hannibal and Darkness.

Now all films have some problems and Casino Royale is no exception. Some of the familiar faces and trademarks we have come to know are missing. No Q, Miss Monneypenny or any of the fancy gadgets are here. Which leads me to the biggest problem of all. Is this a prequel, relaunch or a remake? I ask because it takes place in 2006 and is supposed to be Bonds first appearance. A friend who accompanied me swears that it's a prequel. I argued that how can it be a prequel if it was the first Bond book ever written?

Bottom line, a pretty good spy thriller with just the right amount of tension, action and humor. While not being a Bond fan myself I can say that this is a relaunch of a cultural staple that succeeds in doing what it set out to do. To bring Bond back in more down to earth feel while keeping the basic spirit of Bond. Minus the cheesy, supposedly “witty” banter and megalomaniacal schemes of caricature like super villains that have run rampant in Bond films the last few years. Give Mr. Craig a chance, he just may impress you.

Until ejector seats come as standard equipment,
keep reading

Emerson, Mitch Emerson.
mitchemerson@hotmail.com

Best Lines:

Bartender: Shaken or stirred?
James Bond: Does it look like I give a damn?