Shmee.Me

February 8, 2013February 8, 2013

Tucker and Dale vs The Cabin in the Woods

tucker-and-dale-vs-evil-poster

In late 2011 and early 2012 two movies with a similar premise came out. Kids go up to the woods find a cabin and bad things happen. Now I know what you are thinking, this is the plot to a ton of movies why pick these two to talk about, but they both take this basic plot and turn it on its head. They are also both entries in to the seldom used genre of horror comedy.

It is interesting that both creators, Eli Craig, and Joss Whedon/Drew Goddard, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, and The Cabin in the Wood, respectively decided to pay their respects to foundations of horror and horror comedy, with very unsubtle homages to the Evil Dead series. They have the same cast of characters for their victims: an easy girl, a jock, a smart kid, an idiot, and a girl of virtue. Tucker and Dale throw in a couple extra just so they have people to setup their gags. But that is where the similarities stop, and they both decide to make different points.

Tucker and Dale has one reason for its existence: to make you laugh, and it succeeds. It makes the real enemies the kids’ prejudice and stupidity, and poor Tucker and Dale are just trying to enjoy their new summer home. The way they setup every gag is spot on, and it uses what the kids think they know about these horror like situations against them.

The Cabin in The Woods on the other had is all about you, and why Joss thinks you need horror movies, and why they all have to be pretty much the same. Thanks to his great writing and Goddard’s good directing it just happens to be very funny as well. I would love to tell you more but that would just spoil things.

It was great to see two movies take a shots at all the standard horror tropes, and succeed. I would say that Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is the funnier of the two movies, but The Cabin in the Woods is smarter, but in the end it is a character flaw of mine that I like to laugh more then I like to think, so I like Tucker and Dale better, but not by much. Hopefully Hollywood takes notice and more of these genre bending movies come out. I think it would be fun if Joss did a The Cabin in the Woods type movie for all the major genres, and it will interesting to see if Eli can use this movie to build his career.

Also I would be remise if I didn’t link over to my buddy Daniel’s reviews of The Cabin in the Woods and Tucker and Dale vs. Evil.

February 7, 2013February 7, 2013

Windows Phone 7.8 has Arrive’d

Recently Microsoft has pushed a new update out to its Windows Phone 7 users. It is not Windows Phone 8 like we were hoping, but at least they decided to throw us a bone. Sprint decided to block the update to its users running the HTC Arrive like me, but there are ways around them, thanks to Microsoft releasing the updates to the public.

As far as the backend of software goes not much has changed, but the front end got a pretty major upgrade. As you can see in the picture above you can change the size of your app tiles, so they can show you more or less info on what is going on inside that app (like little Windows go figure). It makes the screen much more personalized for the individual, instead of a boring row of lifeless icons.

The front screen is pretty much the only difference, but there are a lot of bugs that have been fixed: My power button that was acting up is working, so that is pretty great, and I get a longer battery life which is always appreciated. All in all it is a solid update for old phones, so if you have an old Windows Phone you should defiantly find a way to update it.

I am glad I went with Windows Phone for my device. It keeps me updated on my info with one swipe. It doesn’t have that Toyota Corolla feel of an iPhone, and it is not one of the myriad of Android devices.

February 6, 2013

Spending time with My Little Pony

So I go to a lot of events with a lot of nerds, and it may surprise you to find out that dudes that watch ‘My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic’ is a thing. They are called ‘Bronies’. At first I was wondering if it was some kind of joke, but it is not. It turns out there are grown guys and girls that just like to watch the show, and support one of their own: Lauren Faust. So I decided what the heck it is on Netflix, and it will only take twenty-two minutes of my time to see what all the fuss is about. I have now watched two seasons of the show.

The show’s basic premise is that a young pony named Twilight Sparkle is great at her studies and magic but has no friends and is lonely. So her teacher and ruler of the land, Princess Celestia, sends her to Ponyville to make friends. Of course she does, and she and her friends go on adventures and learn life lessons.

Now unlike the Bronies I am not totally enthralled with the show, but it is nice to watch something charming and sweet once in a while, and it is completely inoffensive. The show is smartly written, and has well formed characters which is amazing for a children’s show.

Most of that is due to the creator of this reboot, Lauren Faust. Lauren Faust got her start on the shows: The Power Puff Girls, and Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, and she is married to Craig McCracken who created both of the previous shows and Dexter’s Laboratory. These are all shows that geeks like myself have come to know and love, so some of us watching a cartoon about ponies due to their involvement seems less far fetched, and add in that the show is good and you get success.

Now I am not saying that everyone should run out and watch this show, but if you are looking for something fun and will make you smile it might be worth a shot. You could do a lot worse. Unless you are allergic to pink because this show would probably kill you.

February 5, 2013

Go Speed Racer Go!

Last night I re-watched one of my favorite movies. Please don’t judge me: Speed Racer. If you look at a lot of other reviews of this movie you will understand why people tend to give me dirty looks when I admit my love for this movie out loud, but I think it is a misunderstood masterpiece and I am going to try and explain why I feel this way.

Speed Racer is a movie based off a Japanese Cartoon from the mid-sixty’s. Speed Racer is the name of the main character and all he wants to do is be the best race car driver in the whole world, and his dad runs Racer Motors, and builds his cars. The basic plot of this movie is that small independent race car companies are good and the big sponsors and builders are bad. Oscar worthy I know, but the plot is not what makes this movie great. It is the visuals, and the slavish devotion to the source material.

This movie is like cotton candy for your eyes. There are shades of neon in this movie that you didn’t even know existed. And the way they make the cars move, is like how every six year old makes his Matchbox cars move: turning three-sixties, jumping, spinning, sliding around every corner. It is the stuff of every little boy’s dreams. Fantastic.

The Wachowski’s also took a risk by turning a live action movie in to a cartoon with real people in it. All the sets are animated, and so is the entire world around them. They made characters in the movie exactly as they are in the show which is amazing since the show was never that popular, and I don’t think any but a few of us got all the references.

Like I said before in this movie is like cotton candy. I know this movie is pure visual sugar, and I can’t watch it all the time, but sometimes there is just nothing better then giving your eyes a treat. Even if you disagree with me about if this movie is good or not, I still think everyone should own this on Blu-Ray, not on DVD or streaming but Blu-Ray, because watching this movie puts your Hi-Def screen through its paces, and seeing those crazy colors pop and spin will make your jaw drop. I can’t wait for the 4K Ultra Hi-Def screens to come out, so I can melt my eyes out with this movie.

February 4, 2013February 4, 2013

Trying to be Pitch Perfect

So I was wondering what I was going to review this morning, and at first it was going to be the Super Bowl, but 50% of American’s watched it, so it is kind of unreviewable. Next up I was thinking I just watched The Breakfast Club for like the twentieth time, but hey it is a John Hughes classic and if you haven’t seen it shame on you. So thanks to my wife I also just watched the movie Pitch Perfect.

Pitch Perfect is about at rag-tag all girls a cappella glee club, The Barden Bellas, trying to win it all. Of course they have to out sing the all men group that is conveniently from the same school. The movie starts off with a loner, Beca (Anna Kendrick), who just likes to mix music and be alone, but gets dragged in to singing when another girl hears her sing in the shower. Then Beca’s new ideas put her at odds with the head of the group. I won’t spoil the end, but I am sure you can figure it out.

The movie is tons of fun. It plays with glee club culture and makes it seem hip and cool. The main flaw that this movie has is that main character has crippling attachment issues that maker her push everyone that likes her away, and since they are all likable people it makes her unlikable for quite a bit of the movie, and that is always a dangerous choice. Thankfully Rebel Wilson’s role as “Fat Amy” keeps this film funny and light hearted. Rebel is becoming a standout in comedy these days and Pitch Perfect is another feather in her cap.

Pitch Perfect is a good movie with a great supporting cast, and if you like glee clubs or college movies it is for sure something to put in your queue to watch. But if you haven’t seen Breakfast Club watch that first because John Hughes rocks.