Twilight

Here are some of the reviews of the movie Twilight people on Rotten Tomatoes gave on the website. Most movie connoisseurs know Rotten Tomatoes for their harsh reviews. If a movie gets over an 80%, then it's a really fantastic movie. To give some much needed perspective, National Treasure (a fun family favorite) was given a 43%. Twilight, though the book is loved by people literally everywhere, only received a 49%.

"If you're a fan of the book, I'm so sorry." - Marc Fennell

"The genre has certainly come a long way from I Was a Teenage Werewolf." - Kam Williams

"I watched Twilight in a cinema full of young girls who, when they weren't texting friends and guzzling soft drinks, giggled, sighed and exhaled with a passion that was not only endearing, but a measure of its emotional truth." - Sukhdev Sandhu

Being an avid follower of the Twilight series, I was just as excited to see the movie as all of the giggling, soda guzzling girls that Sandhu speaks of in the previous review. However, while I may have laughed at the awkward and badly done special effects, I did not partake in the sighing, and passion. I have several problems with this movie, my first problem is Edward. Stephanie Meyer wrote a fantastic description of the most handsome, and attractive man on earth. Only, he was a little less man and a little more vampire. I understand that realistically, it's impossible to hunt down an actor that looks "out of this world" beautiful. Still, I think that the casting director could have found someone slightly more beautiful that Robert Pattinson. I am thinking that Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes is a much better pick. He's got that great vampire-looking jaw line, and he's a far better actor than Pattinson. I also have my qualms with the actress chosen to play Bella. Kristen Stewart is not who I pictured while I read, and reread the books. I expected to see someone a bit clumsier, and softer in feature. I expected to see a girl who the most gorgeous vampire in history (except for Angel and Spike from Buffy) would go crazy over. Stewart just isn't that girl.

The biggest problem is the actual execution of the plot. The book details these star-crossed lovers, and all you can think about the entire book is that you want Edward to bite Bella, and they can be together forever. In the book, the intensity makes sense. In the movie, their love is confusing. Edward is creepy, but Bella is still attracted to give, and two minutes later she wants to be a vampire, and Edward is ready to kill in order to keep her safe. There was a serious lack of character development.

This movie did not have a big budget, so the special effects were probably the best that they could afford. However, even the movies with the smallest budgets, Napoleon Dynamite for example, can have great character development. The director fell short, and the movie fell short, disappointing fans everywhere.

Here are some other ratings from Rotten Tomatoes:

Star Wars: 95%

Dark Knight: 94%

Toy Story: 100%

National Treasure: 43%

Bolt: 88%

Hellboy 2: 88%

TeamOC to run in OKC Memorial Marathon

• TeamOC will be running in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.


• Anyone from OC can register with TeamOC, OC will pay half of the registration fee.


• OKC Marathon is to honor the 168 people who died in the Oklahoma City Bombing.

picture taken from www.okcmarathon.com

TeamOC running in Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon

Neil Arter was seen running down Bryant towards Sonic with a posse of people from the admissions, and physical education departments. Arter and his running mates are a part of TeamOC, and they have been running down Bryant for a few weeks training for the Oklahoma City Marathon. The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is a race that is not about running—it is about life,” says the introduction of the website. This marathon is to remember the 168 people who died in the Oklahoma City bombing. There will be 168 banners lining the course of the marathon, one banner for each of the victims. Participants in the marathon come for many different reasons. “I had the opportunity to run in it last year and it was quite the experience,” said Harrison Barbarick, OC alumnus. “It allowed me have a completely different view of the city. Instead of speeding down the streets to reach my destination, I was able to job along enjoying the different areas of town at a peaceful pace. While I will not be running this year, I hope to share some part in the similar experience of others.”

Barbarick is going to volunteer in this year’s marathon handing out water to the runners with his good friend, Will Blanchard. “The reason I am volunteering is to become more connected with the OC community, and the greater OKC community,” said Blanchard, the Assistant Director for Foundation Relations at OC. “I think it’s kind of a shame to miss out on a day that many people get together, have fun, and participate and in such a significant memorial.”
Not everyone from OC will be joining TeamOC in the marathon. “I am not going this year because they don’t have a stroller walk,” said Emily Stringer, an assistant for Planned Giving. “I heard the regular walk was too crowded to take a stroller.” For those who do not run, and have small children, the marathon is less than accommodating. While strollers are not discouraged, they are hard to navigate through the crowd. Even though Stringer will not be participating in the marathon, she is a fan of the cause. “I think the marathon is great thing! I may definitely do it in future as it is a great work out,” said Stringer.

Register with TeamOC and OC will pay half the cost of the registration fee

Anyone can register with TeamOC, including faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends. Registration is simple, and can be done on OC’s website. OC provides at least half of the registration fee, which comes with a goody bag and T-shirt, and a TeamOC running shirt to wear on the day of the race. It also includes a pre-race meal on OC’s campus prior to running the race. All of this is included in the registration fee, which is 35 dollars for the full marathon.

OKC Memorial Marathon honors 168 who died in OKC Bombing

Arter is not the only person on OC’s campus excited about TeamOC’s involvement in the OKC marathon. There are many students, staff members, and faculty members that are honored to be involved in this memorial event. It is important to a lot of Oklahomans to show their support for the marathon, and the 168 people who died in the bombing. Though running, sweating, and possibly falling on the pavement is not everyone’s ideal way to spend a Saturday, on April 19, TeamOC will be joining hundreds of other runners to show the community their support for the cause.

Quantum of Solace Bond Girl Kurylenko

FOXNews.com reported on Maxim's statement that Olga Kurylenko is the "hottest Bond girl ever." Kurylenko has an interesting spread in Maxim, and while her "hotness" factor was most certainly calculated by taking in the whole package, "hottest Bond girl ever" is a completely absurd claim. The descriptor "hot" is certainly not the same as "beautiful" the two definitions have common factors. A girl can be beautiful without being hot, but the "hottest Bond girl ever" should have beautiful qualities as well. The problem that Bond girl Kurylenko has is her man-shaped man face.

If the photographer takes a picture at a specific angle, then Kurylenko's face doesn't look quite as harsh, but in most of her pictures, Kurylenko has a very manly shaped face. The writer's at Maxim probably didn't look very long at Kurylenko's face before they gave her the "hottest ever" title. However, if they had, they would have noticed the strong jaw line, the cheek bones, and the forehead that screams man.

FOXNews.com provided its own list of Bond girls that earned the "favorites" status. Many of these girls are much sexier, hotter, and more beautiful than Kurylenko. Denise Richards, Halle Berry, and Eva Green are all on the list. They have feminine faces to accompany their hot bodies, something that Kurylenko is severely lacking in.

Kurylenko is a very attractive woman--there is no doubt about that. However, Maxim should not jump to conclusions and claim that since she has a nice pair of legs she is the hottest Bond girl ever to grace the Bond series.

Money Saving Tips for Movies

In today's economy a lot of people are saving money by cutting movies and entertainment out of their budget. That's not surprising given how expensive going to the movies can be. Gas, popcorn, over priced soda and candy, and tickets can really add up. The Movie Blog posted 10 money saving tips for movie lovers. These are great tips, except for number 10, "Let her pay her own way," and I have some money saving tips of my own.

1. No movie is complete without snacks. Buy a big purse (or man bag) and take snacks that you made at home, or bought at the gas station.

2. Rent from Redbox, and return the DVD the next night. Redbox gives you $1 rentals, and they are located at Wal-Mart, Walgreen's, and McDonald's.

3. Go to matinees, and bring your student ID. Take advantage of the student discount (if you are one).

4. For those located in the greater Edmond area--stop going to AMC and go to Tinseltown. Tinseltown offers matinees for $3.50 and evening showings for $5.50 per person.

5. Go to the dollar theatre.

5. Split the cost of a rental and snacks with your friends (this does not include splitting the cost with your date--be a gentleman).

6. If you are going to purchase a newly realeased DVD, go to the store the day it is released. Stores like Wal-Mart, and Best Buy give discounts on the DVD when it is purchased on the day it is released. Most movies are released on Tuesdays.

7. For OC students, take advantage of the free movie nights that Student Life pays for.


Don't give up your movies until you try some of these tips, and the tips from The Movie Blog.

The Comedic "Tighty Whities"

The majority of the reviews for The Rocker were not kind, and were just as wrong. There seems to be an annoying misnomer that in order to give the public a well written and popular review, it has to be negative. Lighten up all of you movie goers--bloggers and paid reviewers alike. Again, I say, lighten up. I am genuinely tired of each review being full of pompus words, and arrogant "holier than thou" language--just because you don't like a movie doesn't make you better than anyone else. "There’s not one moment in the film that’s unpredictable or unexpected," says Mariana McConnell wrote a review for Cinema Blend. I think that it is quite arguable that having a naked hair metal drummer plasted all over youtube by a twelve year old little girl is seriously unexpected. However, I think it is also arguable that a movie does not have to be unexpected to deserve a higher rating than two measly, arrogant, know-it-all stars.

McConnell also said The Rocker was, "Three parts School of Rock," as if that was a bad thing. Well, if McConnel means that there was a man who wanted to be in a band, and then became a band member with people younger than him, than she is right--but the comparison stops there. The Rocker can however be compared to some very funny movies that have made their debut lately. The main comparision: tighty whities. I don't think that a movie has to have an intellectual literary quality in order to be enjoyable. Sometimes all a movie needs to do is make the viewer escape reality, and have a chuckle or two. Lately, there have been several movies that do just that, with short quips and slapstick. One of the signature moves of the new comedies is showing the star, co-star, or both in tighty whities.

No one can forget the infamous button down shirt, and tighty whities scene of Risky Business. Since then, tighty whities have become much more prevalent. They have also been given a much more comedic quality, and they are somehow, always very baggy, and very dirty. Will Ferrell always seems to find a way to prance around in tighty whities in his recent movies. I suspect that in his upcoming movie, Land of the Lost he will do the same. The tighty whitey also makes an appearance in Napoleon Dynamite (a top grossing film). Slapstick tighty whities are everywhere.

Audiences enjoy meaningless humor and slapstick. Otherwise classics like Lucy, the Three Stooges, and the Marx brothers, wouldn't be classic anymore. I think that movie reviewers as a whole should spend a little extra and get the biggie sized popcorn, wear slightly more comfortable shoes, and actually try to enjoy the movie they are criticizing. No one will think less of you because you like movies.

My Name is Campbell, Bruce Campbell

Film Junk gave My Name is Bruce one star--out of five. Bruce Campbell is the star, director, and producer of this lovely straight to DVD film. Campbell plays himself--a B-film horror movie actor that lives in a trailer with his dog. We join him as he is making a sequel to "Cave Alien," a movie filled with fake alien costumes with disgusting yellow blood that squirts and spurts all over Campbell's face. While Campbell is in battle with the fake alien forces, Jeff, a teenage Campbell fan, is awakening the Chinese god of war and bean curds.

It sounds ridiculous--and it only gets worse. This is where I disagree with Sean, the writer of the review on Film Junk. As My Name is Bruce got worse, I enjoyed it more--but Sean didn't. "You can't manufacture a movie that is so bad it's good--it happens by accident (with the exception of maybe Snakes on a Plane)" said Sean. If a a rule has one exception, it can easily have another. This movie was supposed to be bad, that was the intention. It was a mockery of all the B-films that Campbell has made. It was a mockery of ridiculous monsters, and the crazy ways that you can kill them. Campbell was making fun of his filmography, and he was doing it on purpose.

Campbell's boomstick, chainsaw and zombie monologues were sentimental references to the movies that made him famous--the Evil Dead trilogy. "Once you've made love the Bruce Campbell way, you don't go back," said Campbell, an obvious reference to his book, Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way. This whole movie was supposed to be a really poorly done tribute to the work of Bruce Campbell--it was awful on purpose, so to call it awful is somewhat counterproductive. "Now I realize that there are plenty of Bruce Campbell fans out there who will love this movie no matter what anyone says, and that’s totally fine," says Sean. "These are the people that Campbell is relying on to make a living, and I want to see him find steady work just as much as the next guy." I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a Bruce Campbell fan and I'm going to like this movie no matter what Sean says. It was funny in an "I'm so embarrased for him" kind of way, and I believe that is exactly what Campbell was going for. So if Sean wants to call this a terrible movie, and slap a one star rating on it, that's "totally" fine with me. Campbell wanted this to be a bad movie--that was the point. As a viewer and a fan, I am going to accept the fact that Campbell was just trying to give his fans a stupid laugh or two, and that's worth a few more stars to me.

If you would like to judge this movie for yourself, it is available at a Redbox near you.

Babylon A.D.

Babylon A.D. didn't quite live up to its expectations, it gets a not-so-solid two sideways thumbs pointing left. In a review of Babylon A.D., Movie Moron quotes the director of the movie, Mathieu Kassovitz. Kassovitz is in line with the majority of viewers who say that the movie was a flop--he says he is "very unhappy" with the film. In fact, he said that the movie was a "terrible experience" and that not one scene was done the way that he wanted it to be.

That information gives me an all new view of the movie. The movie had the potential to be great--it just didn't go all the way. My favorite movies are the ones that are artistic--where each frame could just as easily be a painting, or a photograph framed on a wall in a museum. Babylon A.D. wasn't a perfect frame-by-frame Mona Lisa, but it had a great artistic quality. Melanie Theirry was a great pick for Aurora. Theirry's blonde hair, blue eyes, and oddly large lips made her a key artistic piece. Her artistic features helped give the movie an artisic feel.

The story was artsy as well, and that is what really pulled me in. Had the movie been better developed, the story would have really made it great. The immaculate conception, the super computer, the blonde white girl who gave birth to twins--one white, and one black are all concepts that were so interesting. I would have loved to see a movie that put all of those ideas into something really great. I'm not sure what Fox did to make the director so angry, but I wish that Kassovitz could have a do over. I would watch the do over, and I really think that with better direction this movie could have been great.

Trans-Siberian Russian Nesting

Caution: Spoilers ahead.

It seemed that each character in Transsiberian had something to hide. Jessie had an adventurous past, and despite Roy's good nature he did things in the course of the movie that he would later keep quiet. A seemingly normal couple, Jessie and Roy boarded the Trans-Siberian train after a stint in China and headed to Moscow. On the way, they encountered Abby and Carlos--a much different couple--with much more to hide.

In a pivotal scene, Carlos locked the cabin door with just himself and Jessie inside. He pulled out a bag of Russian Nesting Dolls and showed them to Jessie. He took special care to show her one specifically--the sad doll, with rosy cheeks and no smile--his favorite.

When Jessie discovers that the dolls are holding much more than wood--they are vessels for smuggling heroin--she tries to dump them off the train, flush them down the toilet, and leave them near a pile of burning rubble.

But let's be honest, she's not actually trying to hide heroin--she's hiding something much more serious. Lying dead and frozen in a deserted Russian snow bank was a man who claimed he had a hobby for collecting small Russian dolls--a man that had gone one step too far, and then fell to the ground bleeding. The rosy cheeked doll with the sad mouth wasn't hiding drugs, it was hiding murder.

Each character was their own stacking doll. Each layer had something new--something hidden--something that they wanted to protect. Whether the outer shell of the doll had a smile, a frown, dark makeup, or nerdy-off-brand glasses--each doll underneath had a secret.

Ride the Trans-Siberian with care--you never know what you will find.

Skadoosh

Jack Black has put a hot new phrase on the lips of movie-goers of all ages. In Kung Fu Panda, Po, a fat, noodle-making Panda turned Kung-Fu warrior is about to perform the wushi finger hold on his enemy. Po raises his eyebrow, lowers his pinky, and says the famous catch phrase, "Skadoosh!"

To use the word skadoosh, you don't even have to know what it means. You can make your own context for skadoosh, you can make your own definition. Urban Dictionary has compiled a few defintions, and the second one is most appropriate. It says that Skadoosh means to say goodbye or peace "in the baddest sense" (Urban Dictionary).

According to Jack Black in an interview for CRAVEONLINE.COM, the catch phrase "skadoosh" was improvisation. However, in the movie the character Oogway says, "There are no accidents." We may never know what prompted Black to come up with the word, and we may never know it's true meaning. We can only give it meaning--we can give it our own context and defintion.

The rest of Kung Fu Panda is equally excellent and hilarious. "Skadoosh" is not the only funny phrase. IMDB.com has collected several funny quotes that fill the movie from beginning to end. This movie can be enjoyed by adults, and children--especially those who already have an appreciate for Jack Black's humor. As Po says "There is no charge for awesomeness, or attractiveness," and even though there is a charge to see the movie--it is well worth the money and the time. Go see the movie, go and experience culture in-the-making. Enjoy, and skadoosh.

The Animation Show

Whenever I sit down and watch something with my brother, he never fails to show me something that I have never seen before. This weekend, he introduced me to The Animation Show--something that every serious film connoisseur should see. Whether you watch movies for their literary merit and intellegence, or you just love to kick back with some popcorn, yogurt covered raisins and a good flick--The Animation Show is an excellent pick.

The animations that really made me laugh out loud (as well as the people sitting next to me) were created by Don Hertzfeldt. He provided the opening, intermission, and ending for the animation show. He also had another animation called Billy's Balloon that was disturbingly hilarious. Billy, a small child, has a balloon with a personality of its own--and its sheer simplicity is only part of what makes it so enjoyable.

My favorite animations were much more serious in subject. Adam Elliot did three animations titled Cousin, Uncle, and Brother. They are clay-mations and they are brilliant. Each one of them is depressing, yet fascinating. The narrator tells the story of these three characters, and there seems to be no plot at all until the animation has finished. For an example of his work, Harvie Krumpet--though a much longer film, it is still excellent.

The Animation show is on sale, and I highly recommend watching it--for culture or for entertainment--and both. You'll laugh, and cry--and you will never want to give a child a balloon ever again.

The Warren Experience

There is a new theatre in town--or just out of town in Moore, Oklahoma. An outing to the Warren Theatre is much different than the experience at Tinseltown or AMC Theatres at Quail Springs. The Warren has special balcony seating for movie goers who are 21 and over. Dinner is served in the balcony. At your seat there is a menu for appetizzers, salads, entrees, and desserts. There is a call button on the arm rest, and a small flashlight attached to the tray at your seat. At any time before or during the movie, you can press the call button, and a waitor will come and take your order. Your seats are heated, and the screen is enormus.

I went to the theatre on Friday with the girls, and had a great time. The theatre was decorated for Halloween, and we sat under a swinging skeleton while we waited for the door to our movie to open. When the doors opened, we were ushered to our couch-like heated seats. We ordered nachos and quesidillas, and our food came out within ten minutes. A big read curtain pulled up slowly as the previews began. If I needed anything, it was done for me, with the small exception of bathroom breaks.

The luxury of the Warren comes at a price. Balcony tickets can only be bought at the window, and they are $18 a piece. If that is too pricey, but the attraction of the large screen of the Warren is still appealing, you can buy ground tickets for $9. Even if you have to wait until a special occasion, everyone should take a trip to Moore to see a movie at the Warren Theatres.

Enjoy the pictures that I took while I was there this Friday.

New Release: Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was recently released onto DVD and Blu-ray. This is the fourth move in the Indiana Jones series, coming along nearly 20 years after the last movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. George Lucas did not want to wait 20 years, but it took that long for him to convince others that having aliens in an Indiana Jones movie was a good idea. Even after 20 years, when the trailers suggested alien activity viewers were skeptical as to whether the movie would live up to the Indiana legend. Viewers were also concerned with another addition to the movie--Shia LaBeouf. There are rumors that LaBeouf will be taking Harrison Ford's place in the future Indiana Jones movies. Mutt Williams (played by LaBeouf) is the son of Indiana Jones. With this story line, the Indiana legend torch could easily be passed onto LaBeouf. There are no Jones style movies starring LaBeouf that are currently in production, so all we can do is wait.

The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was different than the first three movies, but there were obvious references back to the original trilogy. Before the viewer see's Indiana's face--he/she sees Indy's famous hat, and slowly watches Indiana as he puts his hat back on his head. Mutt tries to save Indiana from quick sand with a snake. Viewers know from previous movies that Indiana Jones is scared of nothing--except snakes. Mutt Williams and his mother Marion bring up past events as well. Indiana was supposed to marry Marion, and Mutt is Indiana's son. Since Sean Connery declined to have a roll in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, his picture had a brief cameo as Indiana explained that his father, Professor Henry Jones had died.

Overall fans welcomed the forth Indiana Jones. The movie had stereotypical Indiana Jones action, surprise, and a hint of romance. The added ingredient of aliens was odd, but the 20 year distance between movies helped the subject ease into the story frame. For the most part, die-hard Indiana Jones fans will not be disappointed.

Nick and Nora

Through the course of Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist, I never quite understood the notion of the infinite playlist itself. Nora's dad works for the Electric Lady Studio, and Nick made 12 volumes of mix CD's for his ex-girlfriend. However, the majority of the movie had nothing to do with a playlist--infinite or otherwise. It was an infinite search--for Fluffy, for Caroline, for love, and for solutions to the problems that they had made for themselves. If anything, Nick and Nora's playlist was filled with the repercussions of low self-esteem.

Overall, it was a feel-good movie that tried a little too hard to appeal to Juno-loving audiences. The odd quirks, old cars, and music inclined teenagers were reminiscent of the style in Juno. The foreshadowing in the movie was annoying and unnecessary. The sexual relationship between Nick and Nora was forced, and not natural.

Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist was funny. The movie has laugh-out-loud moments, and a lot of funny quotes. Nick and Nora was definitely not the intellectual film that I expected to see from the trailer.