Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is the latest collaboration between Director Tim Burton and Actor Johnny Depp. After seeing this blood soaked and delightfully demented musical, I had one question continuously racing through my head. What could possibly be left for the team of Burton-Depp? How can they top or follow a film with such large amounts of blood, repulsively great characters, and macabre musical numbers?

The film begins with Sweeney Todd returning back to London many years after being wrongfully imprisoned. The years have not been kind to Mr. Todd, with his lifeless complexion and long black and white hair that is styled up and out not down he resembles Frankenstein’s younger brother. The desire for revenge and the hate that currently resides in him has removed the humanity and warmth from his heart. Mr. Todd wants everyone to suffer for his pain, but especially the corrupt Judge Turpin and his faithful assistant Beadle Bamford.

Judge Turpin is played by Alan “the bad guy from Die Hard” Rickman. Mr. Rickman has a had solid career but no matter what he does he will always be best known for playing the cold blooded Hans Gruber. While Turpin isn’t as rememberable as Gruber, he is still an adequate villain. Rickman’s Turpin is especially vile when he is expressing his love for Mr. Todd’s estranged daughter, Johanna, who Judge Turpin keeps locked in one of his rooms, often spying on her through a hole in the door. Soon after Sweeney returns he meets Mrs. Lovett, who informs Sweeney that the Judge drove his beloved wife insane and imprisoned his daughter. After hearing this, Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett devise a plan for revenge where Sweeney kills his customers and Mrs. Lovett disposes of the bodies by turning them into delicious meat pies.
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As a director Judd Apatow is a perfect two for two. He is the director behind the very raunchy and very funny films The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. However, as a producer Mr. Apatow has a mixed record. Mr. Apatow’s past producing projects range from commercially and critically successful films such as Talladega Nights: The Ballard of Ricky Bobby and Superbad to unfunny films that had a poor box office run including Kicking and Screaming and Celtic Pride. Where does Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, the latest film produced by Judd, rank? Squarely in the middle of pack. While Walk Hard is unable to keep up with the consistent laughs of Superbad and Talledega Nights, it is certainly a funnier and more entertaining film than the film’s currently found in Judd’s comedic closest.

The film is a parody of the music bio films that have become very successful lately. The great John C. Reilly who almost always plays a supporting character stars in the title role as the utterly clueless and fictional music legend, Dewey Cox. You can tell Mr. Reilly revels being in the spotlight for once, playing Dewey as a cross between Johnny Cash and Roger Rabbit. Mr. Cox’s showy and necessarily hokey performance makes Dewey Cox one of the great lovable idiot’s in recent silver screen history. The role also allows Mr. Reilly to again showcase his singing talent. John adequately adjusts his voice to the pitch of the many time periods that Dewy goes through. Jenna Fischer plays Dewey’s on again off again love, Darlene Madison. Ms. Fischer’s tongue in cheek performance as Darlene serves as competent counterpart to John C. Reilly’s hysterically exaggerated Dewey Cox. No matter how ridiculous a scene may get Ms. Fischer is always game. The rest of the cast, which is made up of comedic veterans like Tim Meadows and Chris Parnell, is able to successfully keep up with the great performances by the film’s leads.
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National Treasure: Book of Secrets is a lot like its predecessor. Same theme, same plot and basically the same ending. But I'm not saying that's a bad thing. I enjoyed the first National Treasure movie so I was intrigued to see the sequel and would have to say that it wasn't a let down.

When you see this movie, keep in mind that it's a Disney movie. Now, I'm not saying that Disney movies are bad. I guess I am trying to say that Disney is to movies as Walmart is to music. There's not a whole lot of edge and everything has been a little dulled down. So, with that in mind, I really enjoyed sitting back and looking for some treasure. A city of gold, to be exact.

The movie was full of clever puzzles and codes that led to unsuspecting outcomes and twists. Much like the first movie, Ben Gates (Nicolas Cage) has to beat the bad guys to the treasure. This time, the lead bad guy is played by acting veteran Ed Harris who seems to have the villian part down pretty good.

This movie definitely wasn't incredible and I'm not aching to see it anytime soon, but it definitely was enjoyable and possibly even one to own on DVD when the time comes. Especially if it's loaded with special features. (I'm a special features nut and you should be too).

If you have some time on your hands and want to see a movie thats fun to watch, then go see National Treasure.

Finally.

After a few years of talking to the hand, Peter Jackson (the only guy who seems to get CGI right) and New Line have finally kissed and made up. They will now join forces to produce not one, but two Hobbit films. They will team up with MGM Studios to make this super geeks dream come true.

Said Peter Jackson, “I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line. ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth. I also want to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”

The two “Hobbit” films – “The Hobbit” and its sequel – are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, with pre-production beginning as soon as possible. Principal photography is tentatively set for a 2009 start, with the intention of “The Hobbit” release slated for 2010 and its sequel the following year, in 2011.

I don't know about you, but I have been waiting for this for some time now. I'LL PROBABLY EVEN DRESS UP. Sadly, It's a few years away. Try not to get yourself killed.

And still no official word if Sir Ian Homs will be playing the title role. We will let you know as soon as we know. If you could choose, who would play Bilbo?

So... all of the following people had cameos in Walk Hard (except for Judd Apatow). BUT, this is only 4 of the many cameos. Anyway, we will have our review up on Friday, when the film hits theaters. There is much to be said about this movie so come back with your reading glasses in hand (or, on your face).

Go see Walk Hard on Friday!

OK, so we had some serious technical difficulties. Our audio mics were all busted, and we didn't have time to color correct, so... deal with it! I promise we know what we're doing.

If you are in the film industry, please give us jobs so we can focus on these projects fullllllllllllllll time!

PS Those are Juno tee shirts we are wearing. If you want one, look for them (not the ones we are wearing, those are smelly and gross) in one of our upcoming contests!

I'm a loose cannon with exclamation marks.

Official Juno Trailer

Will Smith entertained many viewers as the loud-mouthed, funny, and hip “fresh prince” on the popular nineties sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. However, few could have foreseen that the wacky cousin from Philly would develop into such a talented and muscular A-list star. Mr. Smith’s talent as an actor is evident in his monetary success at the box office, as well as his growing critical praise and two Oscar nominations. Mr. Smith’s skills are again put under great scrutiny in his latest film, I am Legend.

The film takes place in the near future where a virus based on measles that was designed to cure cancer has turned 99% of the earth’s population into flesh eating monsters, who look like zombies, love blood, and are allergic to sunlight. The trailers insinuate that the film is going to be about Will Smith fighting zombies and saying tough things as he kills zombie after zombie. However, that is not the case. The monsters are key characters because they are responsible for several crucial plot points, but they are used very sparingly through out the film. A large part of the film is devoted to watching Robert Neville’s (Smith) daily routine and his struggle with loneliness and increasingly hopeless situation.
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The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards will take place Sunday, January 13 and will air on NBC at 8pm. Below I have highlighted the ones I believe should take home the bathroom decoration. Let's kick some ass Atonement!

Cecil B. DeMille Award
Steven Spielberg

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Amercian Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood (I have not seen this yet, so don't fail me P.T.)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie – Away From Her
Jodie Foster – The Brave One
Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley – Atonement

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy – Atonement (Daniel will probably take this one.)
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington – American Gangster
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We are a few days behind on this (thanks school finals!), but the soundtrack for Juno is now available for digital download on iTunes. Kimya Dawson/The Moldy Peaches fans will be very happy to hear the "Anyone Else but You" cover by Ellen Page and Michael Cera.

1. All I Want Is You - Barry Louis Polisar

2. Rollercoaster - Kimya Dawson

3. A Well Respected Man - The Kinks

4. Dearest - Buddy Holly

5. Up The Spout - Mateo Messina

6. Tire Swing - Kimya Dawson

7. Piazza, New York Catcher - Belle & Sebastian

8. Loose Lips - Kimya Dawson

9. Superstar - Sonic Youth

10. Sleep - Kimya Dawson

11. Expectations - Belle & Sebastian

12. All The Young Dudes - Mott The Hoople

13. So Nice So Smart - Kimya Dawson

14. Sea of Love - Cat Power

15. Tree Hugger - Antsy Pants

16. I’m Sticking With You - Velvet Underground

17. Anyone Else but You - The Moldy Peaches

18. Vampire - Antsy Pants

19. Anyone Else but You - Michael Cera and Ellen Page

With the exception of your frat brother whose vocabulary is limited to the term "dudebro," this soundtrack will be loved by all generations of the family.

Remember that time you went to that local film festival, and that one guy swept the entire thing? Here is the winner of 2007's Dark Horse Film Festival. This film is nothing short of brilliant. We support this film and its success it will not doubt carry. Hollywood doesn't know what's about to bang them over the head.

Little Boy teaser

When most kids go to college, they go to live their parents' dreams of becoming a lawyer or a doctor.  Sometimes they form terrible bands that they take way too seriously and play in nasty little bars. MGMT (pronounced Management) didn't. Ever.  

Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser met and formed the duo while studying music in college.  MGMT would often play at the college dorms, but usually played covers.  By that I mean they would only play the Ghostbusters' theme song many times in a row.  Of course the duo would write more "serious" music behind closed doors and soon decided they needed to sell out.  
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Noah Baumbach is the writer/director behind the 2005 critical hit The Squid and The Whale, a smart, entertaining, and semi-autobiographical account of his parent’s divorce. Mr. Baumbach’s newest film is Margot at the Wedding, a rather joyless film, whose unpleasant characters are bursting with emotional pain and toxic memories. As you are introduced to the film’s characters you know things are going to be said and done during this weekend that have been building up for many years and will never be repaired.

Nicole Kidman shows she is very capable at playing Margot, the passive aggressive, and sometimes just aggressive title character. Margot cuts down her sister, sweet and soon to be ex-husband, and even her beloved child whenever she feels vulnerable. She’s constantly using her sharp tongue as a way of getting out of honest exchanges between her and her “loved” ones.

The wedding at the center of the film belongs to Margot’s sister, Pauline, who is played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, the director’s real life wife. It is evident that Margot has done something in the past to severely hurt Pauline. However, Pauline is trying to forgive Margot and tries to show her willingness to rebuild their friendship by inviting her to the wedding. Although it is never clear if Pauline’s attempt are earnest or driven by Pauline’s attraction to Margot’s somewhat celebrity, since Margot is a successful writer.
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This here is Jason Reitman. For the ones that don't know much about pop culture, he is the director of last years hit Thank You for Smoking and soon to be this years hit Juno. He is also responsible for reuniting the Moldy Peaches. Look for our video review of Juno this coming week. Enjoy!

Jason Reitman is the director of the soon to be indie hit Juno. Very funny guy. Tomorrow we're posting the full interview where we talk Juno, pornography, strippers, fake Rambo tattoos, and love for good music.

Synopsis:
Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's (Keira Knightley) lover (James McAvoy) of a crime he did not commit. Based on the British romance novel by Ian McEwan.

Review:
I'm not exactly sure where to start with this review. To tell you the truth, I have so much to say about it that it's becoming increasingly hard to collect my thoughts and make sense of everything. The one thing I can say for sure is that Atonement was an incredible movie.

It's one of those movies that leave me longing to tell someone about it but instead of telling them I would rather show them. So, with that being said, I'm going to try my best to tell you what I think of the movie and then urge you to go see it as soon as you can.

I had some expectations for this film and had an idea of what the story would be like. I haven't read the book so I can't say how true to the story the movie was. Either way, it was an amazing story with a very unconventional ending. I loved it. Movies are often predictable but Atonement holds strong all the way up to the credits.

Atonement was an extremely well crafted movie with great attention to detail. The score, the cinematography, the editing, the acting and the directing were done so perfectly and everything came together to create a beautiful story.

Now, go see the movie.

Rating: 7/10

Director, Writer: Michael Traeger
Cast: Jeff Bridges, William Fichtner, Ted Danson, Tim Blake Nelson, Jeanne Tripplehorn
Studio: First Look International

The reason why I have come to love and enjoy independent filmmaking so much is because risks are taken. No one is there for the money or to get famous. They simply want to take a wicked idea, make it into an solid film, and get it out to the public. THE AMATEURS is one of many examples that goes to show when someone is driven about a project, it'll eventually have it's 15 minutes.

Jeff Bridges stars as Andy Sargentee, a guy who is down on his luck, broke, and desperate to make money fast. We learn early in the film that Andy's wife has left him because he can't keep a stable job. He lives in the small town of Butterface Field, where boredom is a staple of daily life. Andy is known to come up with get rich quick schemes, and now he thinks he found the easiest way: "I'm gonna make a porno film!" he claims and everything that could possibly go wrong with making this film happen does. (more...)

Date: Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Time: 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Location: Movie Tavern
City/Town: Denton, TX

Gordon and the Whale Dot Com will be hosting a FREE screening of the movie Walk Hard on December 12 at 7:30pm at the Movie Tavern in Denton.

The screening is free but you must pick up a pass and arrive early in order to get a seat.

Pick up your pass at the Movie Tavern in Denton or be on the look out next week for us passing them around the UNT campus. If you can't seem to get a hold of any, contact us!

Also, the Movie Tavern will have $1.50 Domestic Drafts, so come have some fun with us!

Directions to the Movie Tavern here.

Walk Hard official trailer here.

Thanks to Kevin Simon, Ryan Manchester, Markus Diffee, Micah Newsom, Drew O'Rear, Wicky and Cameron Sanderson for taking the time to help us with this.

Hey Sonic Youth fans, look for Kim Gordon's cameo!

Jeff Bridges will be at the Angelika Dallas at Mockingbird Station on Friday, December 7th to participate in a Q&A immediately after the 7:30PM showing of THE AMATEURS. Tickets must be purchased through the Angelika Film Center. Only ticket holders for the 7:30PM showing of THE AMATEURS will be able to remain in the theatre for the Jeff Bridges Q&A.

In THE AMATEURS, down-and-out divorcee Andy Sargentee (Bridges), with the help of his five motley friends, brainstorms a genius idea to make their dreams come true. They are going to rally their small town to produce an amateur film! They think they’ve found the road to fame and fortune, but their fantasy quickly turns into a hilarious misadventure as they encounter more than a few bumps in the road. THE AMATEURS is rated R and also stars Ted Danson, William Fichtner, Patrick Fugit, Lauren Graham, Glenne Headly, Tim Blake Nelson, Joe Pantoliano, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Isaiah Washington and Judy Greer.

We are promoting this film heavily for several reasons. Most important is the onscreen chemistry with the cast, which made this a lovable film. Our review, including the interview with William Fichtner, will be posted the day the film opens, December 7th.

Ps. I would like everyone to know that when googling the poster for this movie, I had to scroll through several amateur pornography pictures. Vomit almost followed.

We are judging a film festival on December 9. Come out to the Denton Movie Tavern to view the films. An all day pass is only $5.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FILMMAKERS!

We were lucky enough to get in on an interview session with William Fichtner who is in town promoting his new film THE AMATEURS. His interview, followed by our review (which is a very positive one), will be posted when the movie opens December 7th. Here is a clip (filmed with a macbook) of one of the most down to earth actors giving us a shout-out.

PS Please disregard my double chin and bad hair. I apparently forgot to brush before the interview.

PSS Today is William Fichtner's birthday. Send him some e-flowers!

Watch the trailer for The Amateurs here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

May you be in Heaven for half an hour before the Devil knows you’re dead.

This sentence flashes on the screen early on in Before the Devil Knows you're Dead letting you know the reason for the title and setting the tone of this bleak but compelling film.

Before the Devil Knows you're Dead examines what seemingly average moral people will do or think of when they see no other way out. This desperation is the driving force that allows two brothers Andy (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and Hank (Ethan Hawke) to decide to rob their parent’s jewelry store. As you would expect the robbery doesn't go well. What is left is an unbelievable mess for two brothers already dealing with severe monetary and family problems. Also, created out of the wake of the disaster is a father whose overcoming grief soon turns into a consuming desire for revenge.

This isn't a pleasant film, but is still a very entertaining and well-made one. The audience will be fascinated by what these ill-fated characters will think of and do next. The characters are made even more captivating by the quality of actors playing them. Phillip Seymour Hoffman plays Andy, the big husky brother, whose pride will never let him admit when he is beaten. A pride that drives Andy to commit one unbelievably stupid act after another. Mr. Hoffman expertly balances the right amount of sleaze and vulnerability to create a character that the audience is never quite sure if they should root for. Ethan Hawke’s likeable loser, Hank, is never over powered or out matched by Mr. Hoffman’s Andy.
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Rating: 8.5/10

Director, Writer: Roy Andersson
Cast: Jessika Lundberg, Elisabet Helander, Bjorn Englund
Studio: 9.5/10

I've been sitting here for the last twenty minutes trying to think of clever ways to write about and explain YOU, THE LIVING, but I just can't. This is one of those movies that's that good, that I'm coming up blank with how to start off. The next few paragraphs are collected thoughts on how I feel about this film.

Roy Andersson successfully broke every mainstream rule and carefully lead his cast into a well-crafted film. YOU, THE LIVING doesn't need much explaining. None of that, "you have to think outside the box" bullshit. There is no central plot, everything is completely random, and without main characters. It's just a series of vignettes that focus on people's everyday lives. Some are tragic, some are hilarious and some are quite depressing. The pasty dry colors influence the audiences' reaction to each actor's bad luck. Everyone can relate to this because everyone dreams big and everyone lives these types of lives.

My favorite thing about this movie is the camera work. It's nothing spectacular, but the camera is stationary so the only movement we get are the actors. That's also saying something about the acting as well. There needs to be some pretty damn good acting to keep the viewers attention - YOU, THE LIVING has achieves this without flaw. Each scene seemed right out of a play, perfectly rehearsed. With some longer than others, the only cuts are the ones that introduce a new one. One can appreciate the time and effort the director and actors put into this.

YOU, THE LIVING is an experience. I'm not too sure which genre this fits in. It isn't a comedy. It isn't a drama. It is comedic. It is dramatic. It is something you need to see.

Rating: 5.5/10

Director: Xavier Gens
Writer: Skip Woods
Cast: Olga Kurylenko, Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scoot
Studio:Twentieth Century Fox

Synopsis: Adapted from the hit video game, HITMAN stars Timothy Olyphant as the asexual, bald, and well-dressed assassin named Agent 47 bred from childhood to do one thing-- kill. We soon learn he is framed by his employers. Agent 47 gets mad, and lots of bullets are thrown in the mix. John Woo would be proud.

Review:
Production for this movie was shortly delayed due to the fact that they couldn’t decide who was going to play Agent 47. Vin Diesel was the primary choice for the role, and I was a bit bummed when I found out Timothy Olyphant would lead the movie, I just didn’t see him as a bald killer. But after seeing this, I have no complaints. (Side note: Vin would have stuck out like a sore thumb in this because the other hitmen looked around 5’9’’ and weighed about a buck fifty.) Timothy did a fine job playing a guy who is supposed to appear without feeling or emotions. He does however, pull off a one liner that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger very happy. You'll know what I'm talking about when you see it.
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Gordonandthewhale.com's video review of Finishing the Game.

Watch the official trailer here. Look for MC HAMMER.

Bee Movie (not to be confused with 70's horror movies with bad acting and terrible fx).

Let me guess, you saw the picture above and thought to yourself, "Bee Movie? I forgot that was even out." Well, that's kinda how I felt. It was so forgettable that I even forgot to write the review. So days later, here I am.

When I go to see animated movies I always hope to leave thinking that the movie could have easily been marketed to adults only. I love when there is enough subtle adult/intelligent humor that it's easy to enjoy and get a few laughs out myself. This movie was the complete opposite. I left the theatre and immediately forgot I had seen it. Actually, I felt like I hadn't even seen it at all.

I think it was a mixture of to many side stories, no character development, a plot that was shortchanged and no background on these Bees that made it so hard to get involved in the movie. Now, I understand that this type of movie was made for kids and I'm sure they will love it. But what happened to movies like Toy Story? That was a good animated film.

This film climaxed when it's trailers where still being played before movies. It was a good idea that but a terrible follow through.

We waited three years for this?

Southland Tales is the long awaited and continuously delayed second feature for Richard Kelly. This is the same man who connected with a generation full of maladjusted and disinterested teens with his first film, Donnie Darko. After a disastrous Medellin like run at Cannes, Mr. Kelly decided to make some cuts to the film, as it was shortened from almost three hours to two hours and 24 minutes. After watching this contrived and disaster of a movie, I am absolutely terrified of seeing of what Mr. Kelly felt not worthy of or necessary for this film.

Southland Tales is full of ineffectively bizarre moments and story so gratuitously complex that after a while you become bored with even trying to follow along. The film deals with WWIII, time travel, a government conspiracy to control an upcoming election, a neo-Marxist movement helped run by a porno director and assisted by a porn star, the apocalypse, and all of this is connected to a action film star with amnesia and disgraced police office with a twin brother. In between trying to connect all the unnecessary dots, there are plenty of weird moments that add nothing to the plot, only to the confusion of the viewer. The scene where the film’s hero is reunited with his wife is clearly going for an over the top soap opera feel, which it achieves. But what is the point? The scene is just another pointlessly silly moment that doesn’t add any real content or drama to the film. (more...)

Cholera:
An infectious bacterial disease of the small intestine.

Love:
An intense feeling of deep affection.

Javier Bardem:
An air compressor wielding psycho murderer.

Mike Newell:
The Awakening, Donnie Brasco, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Love in the Time of Cholera directed by Mike Newell and starring Javier Bardem:
An epic love story.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first walked into this movie. I had just finished seeing No Country For Old Men (also starring Javier Bardem as a crazy murder) so I was really interested in seeing him portray a character that was 180 degree turn from his last role.
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The National is a unique band to follow.  Rarely can the listener trace a band as they develop and hear them trying to find their voice.  These guys are with out a doubt one of the hardest working groups out right now.  From less than thrilling record sales and concert attendance to no quite developing a sound that clicked as a whole, The Nationals' career so far has not been one to envy.  

Around 2005, they started to get more attention with the album, Alligator, and the song that brought them some attention, Mr. November.  This song is a glimpse to where they were going as far as a signature sound was concerned.  New York appeared to be wanting to keep The National a secret that only the locals and adventurous music enthusiasts knew about until Clap Your Hands Say Yeah came around and challenged the nations' art center.  
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