Archive for May, 2012

Do you remember having ridiculously fond memories watching a movie as a kid, only to watch that movie as an adult and sadly have those memories erased?  Some films, such as Star Wars, never get old.  Others (here’s looking at you, live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) simply don’t stand the test of time.  It’s been so long since I’ve seen E.T. that I’m not sure which category it falls under.  The story of an imaginative boy meeting a lost alien and helping him find his way back home before government agents can capture him doesn’t hold the same appeal to me as an adult as it did when I was a kid.  However, it definitely is a part of my childhood, and here are a few things I remember fondly:

• E.T. is one of the few movies my parents took me to see at the theater.  The Empire Strikes Back was the first.
• I cried when E.T. was dying.
• When E.T. is turning white he always reminded me of a popsicle that had all the juice sucked out of it until it was just white ice.
• My cousin started calling me Elliot because I bore a striking resemblance to Elliot.  I was only a few years younger than he and even had the same red hoodie that he wore throughout the movie.  Most impressive was the John Fogerty mop-top I was sportin’.
• I had a slight crush on Elliot’s mom (Dee Wallace).  Don’t ask me.  I can tell you one thing for sure – that haircut doesn’t stand the test of time!

For those of you who are still huge E.T. fans, I have great news for you – it’s finally being released on Blu-ray, complete with 7.1 Surround sound and hours of bonus features. Now one thing I can say that really annoyed me was when Steven Spielberg re-released the film a few years back and removed the shotguns from the policemen and replaced them with walkie talkies.  I hate when directors pull these shenanigans.  Do you hear me, George Lucas??  I don’t care what your fancy editing says, HAN SOLO SHOT FIRST!

Anyway, I’m happy to report that this does indeed to appear to be the original theatrical version of E.T.  Watch the trailer below and you’ll see that the officers are holding shotguns and not digitally added walkie talkies (which is an incredibly stupid name, if you think about it).

So what do you think, should I check out this Blu-ray release?  Does E.T. stand the test of time?  Or is this a childhood memory that should be left intact?

For more info on the Blu-ray and all the special features it contains, check out this official press release.

The Blu-ray will be released in October 2012.

“Once little more than a street name, Tenth Avenue North encapsulated a whole new meaning when Mike Donehey and Jason Jamison moved into student housing off of the street and named a band after it.  Thus began a journey through the Christian music industry – a journey rooted in the conviction of giving a voice to the message of the Gospel.”

Read the rest of the interview…

Chick flicks.  There are some good ones, but most are the bane of man’s existence.  Rather than wrestle with the reality of relationships, they often present an inaccurate portrayal and give audiences a false sense of what love should look like.  If women aren’t careful, these movies can become little more than emotional pornography, causing the viewer to look at his or her significant other through a lens of unfair expectations.

So how can you know when you’re watching a really bad chick flick?  A good sign is when it resorts to every single unoriginal cliche that you have seen in approximately 78 similar movies.  I reserve the right to add to this list at any time, but here are five chick flick cliches to watch for that stick out worse than Lady Gaga at a church social.

Read the full article – Overused Chick Flick Cliches – and please add your own in the comments section!

I’m feeling particularly kind today, so here’s an exclusive Men in Black 3 movie clip featuring Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent J (Will Smith) taking on Spiky Bulba.

My buddies Shawn Mathenia and Ben Simpson attended the screening last night, and the report is the film is a winner.  I hope to have Shawn’s review posted by Friday, and my plan is to see it over the weekend and post my own review (just in case Shawn doesn’t give Brolin the praise he deserves) next week.

We’ve been looking at the heroes of Men in Black 3 lately, particularly the inimitable Josh Brolin, but what about the villains?  Jermaine Clement, of Flight of the Concords fame, portrays the main bad guy, Boris the Animal.  While Brolin is portraying a young Tommy Lee Jones, it looks like Clement is channeling his inner Randy ‘Macho Man’ Savage.  Check out the exclusive clip below for some inside info on the character.

In today’s exclusive Men in Black 3 clip, Josh Brolin and Will Smith take a ride on what looks to be some futuristic motorcycles.  Although we know they’re not futuristic because this takes place in the 60s.  However, they’re more futuristic than anything we’ve got today.  I’m sure it’s stuff the government is hiding from us.  In Roswell, no doubt.

I’m fairly devastated that I won’t be able to attend the MIB3 screening tonight, but I have a previous engagement to save the world via softball.  However, my lovely wife and one of her friends will be attending, and I will report their feedback.  Granted, I should probably question why my wife has chosen watching MIB3 over watching me dominate on the softball field, but alas, it’s hard to deny someone the opportunity to see Josh Brolin display his talents on the big screen a full three days before the rest of the world.  Rest assured, my plan is to see it sometime this weekend and have a review for you next week.

For now, enjoy the clip and please tell all your friends to pay The Movie Mark a visit.

“More Brolin” is the new “more cowbell.”  It’s a revolutionary movement that I’m starting, people.  Get on board or get left at the station.  It’s your choice.  When someone asks, “You know what this Monday needs?” you can simply respond, “More Brolin.”  And that, my dear readers, is what I’m giving you today.

In today’s exclusive Men in Black 3 featurette, Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, and Barry Sonnenfeld discuss the seamless transition from TLJ’s Agent K to Brolin’s younger incarnation of him.  Regarding his opinion of ol’ J Bro and his portrayal of the iconic character, Jones simply says, “He’s enormously talented and funny.”  Men in Black 3 opens this Friday, May 25th.

Everybody has already witnessed Josh Brolin’s uncanny impersonation of Tommy Lee Jones for Men in Black 3, but now you get to see one of his funniest deliveries in context in the exclusive clip below.  Enjoy.

“You said you would be promoting Men in Black 3 this week!  Where are the clips of Josh Brolin?!  Brolin!  Brolin!  Brolin!”

OK, calm down.  I hear you.  Excuse me for working diligently to entertain you in a wide VARIETY of ways.  However, I do agree that there can never be too much Brolin, so I’ll treat you to two different exclusives today: a featurette and an extended clip.  I know what you’re thinking, and you’re correct – I am indeed too kind.  But if you’re one of my old school readers then you remember that making all seven of you happy is what I do.  If you’re new to this adventure then you’ll quickly learn.

In the following featurette, director Barry Sonnenfeld, Will Smith, production designer Bo Welch, and others give us a behind-the-scenes look at some of the technology and creativity that went into creating the past/present world of Men in Black 3.

“Next time you try to discipline your child for disobeying you, and your child calls you a hypocrite because you giggled at it in Racing Stripes then remember what I said.”

This review didn’t sit well with some mothers who thought it was harmless fun, but I stood my ground.  “It’s just a movie” doesn’t work with me.  I will not forsake the welfare of our children and let them think that cheaters win.  Go on and read my Racing Stripes movie review to see what helped brand solidify my reputation as a truth-sayer back in 2005.