'The Walking Dead' Season 3 Trailer Drops at Comic-Con

By: Greg Payne

Comic-Con 2012 just wrapped up, having delivered more goodies than Mrs. Fields, the Keebler Elves, and Ben and Jerry ever have, combined. One of my personal favorites was the first trailer for Season 3 of AMC's The Walking Dead, one of the best dramas on television right now.

Before I dive into any analysis, take a look at it for yourself (warning, a forgotten character from the past springs up at the very end, but other than that, it's spoiler-free...But keep in mind, said character has already been confirmed to return for weeks now, so I don't know how much of a spoiler it actually is anymore).



I mean, holy shit, right?

I've never read the comic book series the show is based off of, but Season 3 gives us three of its most memorable characters and settings: The Governor, the prison, and Michonne. I can't preach that I know a whole lot about any of the three, but I do know that Michonne is a katana-wielding badass, the Governor is a hell of a villain, and the prison makes for one of the most intense and genuinely creepy settings the characters have been forced to endure.

First 'The Dark Knight Rises' Reviews Surface

By: Greg Payne

We're four days away from the release of The Dark Knight Rises, the final chapter in Christopher Nolan's incredibly thought-provoking and successful Batman franchise, and a slew of reviews have made their way online. Following the gargantuan success of 2008's The Dark Knight, it was difficult to see how Nolan and co. would top that as they rounded out their trilogy, but the reviews have been overwhelming positive so far.

Through 20 reviews, The Dark Knight Rises is sitting at a pristine 95% on Rotten Tomatoes (that figure should change 16,435 times by the end of today), with only one negative review so far (more on this in a minute).

Well-regarded critics like Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter came through with the following praise: "Big-time Hollywood filmmaking at its most massively accomplished, this last installment of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy makes everything in the rival Marvel universe look thoroughly silly and childish."

The reviews, in general, highlight the emotional resonance of the film as one of its true strengths. Nolan, unsurprisingly, appears to have crafted a film built upon the humanity of its characters and a true sense of struggle, despair, and, one would assume, triumph appears to be coming through to viewers.

As for the negative review, I'm paying absolutely zero attention to it. Marshall Fine (who? Exactly) went the laziest route possible, saying the action, at times, is so "massive and thunderously clunky that I might as well have been watching one of the Transformers movies." This is basically the exact same first negative review that surfaced when The Avengers debuted in May. We all know how crappy the Transformers film franchise has been, with mindless action they key to its lofty box office numbers, but now, when no one likes action sequences in other movies, they take the easy way out and throw up an absurdly weak comparison to Michael Bay's giant robot movies. Pay this review no mind, as all other evidence suggests we're in for one hell of a movie.

If you want more The Dark Knight Rises, here's a spoiler-free 13-minute behind-the-scenes featurette. It basically outlines the story and has some nice insight from the likes of Chris Nolan, all of the major stars, and a handful of other producers and brass.




The Dark Knight Rises lands in theaters this Friday, July 20, and I'm sure we'll be seeing massive box office receipts.


gregpayne0@gmail.com
@Greg_Payne

First Image of Ben Whishaw as Q in 'Skyfall'

By: Greg Payne

Skyfall producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli formerly announced today what many of us already knew: Ben Whishaw (I'm Not There) will be playing James Bond's gadget guru Q in the upcoming 23rd entry in the series, due out November 9.

Along with the official announcement came the first official image of Whishaw as the new Q, looking appropriately intelligent and somewhat stern, with an impatient-looking, out of focus 007 in the background.

Skyfall will mark the first time Q has been present in the Daniel Craig-led Bond films, and, given the more grounded take on the character (compared to the Pierce Brosnan films, specifically), it'll be really interesting to see how this new quartermaster is entered into the equation. I highly doubt Bond will be driving invisible cars and flying around with a jet pack strapped to his back in Skyfall, but it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine 007's new  ride being outfitted with some of the classic toys associated with Sean Connery's original take on the character (machine guns in the front, oil slick dispenser in the back, missiles that shoot out of the grill, etc.).

'White Collar' Season 4, Episode 1: 'Wanted' Recap

By: Greg Payne



Poor Neal Caffrey. Six weeks after being forced to flee New York City due to the begrudging Dick of the Year, Agent Kramer, he was forced to flee his new island home, Cape Verde.

Unfortunately, his dash from Cape Verde wasn't quite as smooth as his escape from New York. The first episode of Season 4 of White Collar, 'Wanted,' ended with a gun pointed at Neal's face, by the agent sent by the FBI to hunt him down. Neal doesn't like guns, so I'm guessing Neal isn't very comfortable with his current predicament.

But who are we kidding, I'm getting waaaaaay too far head of myself. How did we get there?

The FBI wasn't willing to just let Neal go. And they weren't about to let Peter Burke be the one to try and find him again, due to his very close, personal friendship with Neal. So they brought in agent Kyle Collins, a brash, motivated, and apparently heartless member of the suit brigade.

Peter, though, feels some serious remorse for Neal's predicament, since he's the one who signaled to him to run in the first place. He decides he needs to locate Neal before Collins does. What the plan is once he finds Neal is anybody's guess. One of my biggest questions about Season 4 is how these two will be able to work together again. We didn't get an answer in the first episode, nor did we get any clues.

Previewing Season 4 of 'White Collar'

By: Greg Payne



Suave conman Neal Caffrey will return to television tomorrow night (9:00pm, USA), as White Collar opens its fourth season, but he won't be side-by-side with special agent Peter Burke, catching criminals in New York City.

The last time we saw Neal he was airborne with Mozzie, destination unclear to us. The events of the Season 3 finale, 'Judgement Day,' forced Neal to cut his anklet and get out of town, after it became clear to Peter that Agent Kramer was determined to derail his commutation by slapping cuffs on him for a host of trivial charges (by Neal's standards) and relegating him to the nation's capital to continue his sentence.

Fortunately, Mozzie shipped Neal's portion of the Nazi sub treasure out of town ahead of time, giving the pair enough money to live lavishly for several lifetimes.

Here's what we know so far about Season 4 (spoilers that have surfaced might have already revealed more. I don't look at such things, so I'm only going by what's officially been handed to us):

'Burn Notice' and Being in a Safe, Unsatisfying Relationship

By: Greg Payne



I've been in a television relationship with Burn Notice for about five years now.

And at first, like with any new relationship, things felt fresh. There were new characters in Michael, Fiona, Sam, and Madeline. There was an interesting spin on the tale of the spy, confining Michael to Miami as he sought to figure out who burned him (fired him, in spy talk). There were explosions and manipulations and solid cover stories, and it was all pretty fun for a while.

But after a season or two -- three at the max -- things began to feel a little repetitive. Week after week it was much of the same: Michael begins each episode pursuing who burned him, ends up getting sidetracked by taking on a client, spends the majority of each episode helping said client, and wraps things up by inching ever closer to who's responsible for him no longer having a job. Lather, rinse, repeat.

After a while, being a fan of Burn Notice was like being in a steady relationship with that girl. She's pretty, sure, but not a total fox. But she has such a great personality, and she's so nice, and she means so well that you routinely try and repress the fact that you're not as overwhelmingly attracted to her as you should be, choosing instead to focus on the other positives: Her personality, the way she laughs at all of your jokes, even if they suck, the way she does your laundry and asks you not to move your propped up feet as she vacuums the living room.


At the end of the day you can't escape the feeling that she's safe, that the whole thing is just safe. But for some reason, even though you know you should probably get out early before things get too serious, you keep coming back for more. Even though your heart isn't totally in it, you just can't bring yourself to break up with her because she just means so damn well all the time. So you keep coming back for more, and, shocker, it's always the same. You go to the same restaurant for dinner every Friday, order the same food, are handled by the same waitress, and then you go back home and throw a movie on. The movie might change, but the night doesn't. There's nothing wrong with her. At all. Great girl. You just feel like maybe she's not right for you. She's perfect for someone else. But maybe not for you. 

It doesn't take long for you to feel guilty. You watch the supermodels of the television world, like The Wire, and The Sopranos, which is the equivalent of going to clubs and ogling the hottest women there with your tongue hanging out. And then you go home and you feel a completely unjustifiable sense of frustration that she isn't them.

The Benefits of Exploring New Places While Running

By: Greg Payne



I didn't feel like running very fast last night. Whether it was the rigors of the day, my achy calves, or the threat of a sudden rain storm, I just wasn't in my usual Gung-ho mood about running. But I still wanted to get my miles in.

That's when I remembered a portion of my run from Tuesday, when I ran by this street a few short miles from my house. I had never been up that street in my life, despite always having been within a relatively close proximity to it. And then I thought of the other, similar, streets that weren't far away from that one that I had never been down before. I had never been down these, either. So I came to the conclusion that I would explore these different streets and tucked-away neighborhoods. Because sometimes that's what running is best for. You find reasons to explore places that you wouldn't normally see when you're driving in your car, because, typically, you're always going from Point A to Point B in the most efficient manner possible.

We typically get in the habit of laying out certain routes when we run, and we stick to those like they're the fire escape routes for our schools or offices. We don't dare veer from what we know will work. But running need not be an endeavor of repetitiveness down the same streets, roads, and trails. Running means being in control of your body, and being able to dictate where you send yourself is one of the best things about the sport.

Last night I explored that street, and several others just like it. There was nothing remarkable about them. They housed nice, but not elaborate, homes, many with inground pools and decent-sized yards. These neighborhoods were probably well-regarded for how tucked away they seemed, secluded, pushed back from the busier roads and highways. A 7-year old mastering a bike could feel safe riding along these streets. I don't think I saw a single car driving on any of these roads, and if I did, it wasn't motoring along at a high enough rate of speed to draw my attention. Overall, it was an uneventful visit to these neighborhoods, aside from a very intense stare-down with a German Shepherd that I felt wanted to rip my throat out...But it ran inside, instead. I won.

Incubus' 'Anna Molly' Needs to Play Over a Chase Scene Soon

By: Greg Payne

Chase scenes in Hollywood movies are often known for the heart-racing music that plays over them, whether it's hard rock/punk instrumental (think Pretty Handsome Awkward by The Used in Transformers), an eclectic mix of electronica and orchestral (think Mona Lisa Overdrive by Juno Reactor in The Matrix: Reloaded), or a score meant to reflect the environment the chase is set in (think African Rundown by David Arnold in Casino Royale).

Well, I'm convinced that a film that includes a fast-paced foot chase, preferably in a city setting, needs to utilize Incubus' Anna Molly for its musical selection.

If you haven't heard the song, take a look at the official video below (you might get redirected to YouTube):



I'm not crazy, right? This song is perfect, isn't it? Can't you picture the setting being a bit city like New York or Chicago, the protagonist needed to reach the woman/man that he/she loves, when they look behind them and realize that the villain and his/her minions are hot on their tail? Cue the opening of this song, with the furious symbol tapping and the guitar, as the protagonist begins to move at a faster pace, not sure if the villain has spotted them yet.

Slowly we build up and up, the pace getting a bit faster, the sound a bit heavier. Then, at the 23-second mark, the protagonist is spotted, the minions are dispatched, and that's when the real chase begins, just as the song breaks open. Now the protagonist is flying down the sidewalk, weaving between the many walkers with briefcases and newspapers. He hurtles into the street, dodging taxi cabs and buses, his pursuers slowly gaining on him.

'Ted' and 'Magic Mike' Reviews Begin to Surface

By: Greg Payne

Early reviews are cropping up for a host of films set for theatrical release this Friday, June 29, including Seth MacFarlane's Ted and the male stripper comedy Magic Mike. As early as last night Magic Mike stood at a flawless 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes after five reviews, but today RT has posted the film's first 'rotten' review from Crave Online which claims its cliche-ridden, bringing its total score down to 83 percent.

I was much more encouraged by Ted's uptake in score. Just last night it was barely hovering over 50 percent, but five more reviews have rolled in and it now stands at a much more solid 75 percent. I still think a viewer's ability to enjoy Ted will depend largely on their level of appreciation for Seth MacFarlane's brand of humor. Many of the reviews have already noted that his devoted Family Guy following will most likely love the film, which doesn't come as much of a surprise.

While I'll never root for a movie to be poorly received by critics or underwhelm at the box office, I'm definitely rooting more for Ted to succeed than Magic Mike, which is why I was a bit disappointed last night when I saw Magic Mike with a flawless score and Ted already appearing to flounder. But over the course of a few short hours both of their scores shot in the opposite direction, with Ted not trailing far behind now. We'll be in for two entirely different types of comedy with these films, so it's entirely possible that they'll both draw mostly positive reviews from critics when all is said and done, and do just fine at the box office.

I'll keep monitoring the scores of Magic Mike and Ted throughout the week and report the final numbers on Friday, when both movies land in theaters. Which one are you most likely to see this weekend?

(All RT figures as of 8:30am on Tuesday, June 26)



gregpayne0@gmail.com
@Greg_Payne

First 'The Amazing Spider-Man' Reviews Are In

By: Greg Payne



When I'm a famous screenwriter I hope I get to meet Marc Webb. Webb came through with a glorious directorial debut with (500) Days of Summer, starring the wonderful Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and the charming Zooey Deschanel. It's easily one of the best romantic comedies of the last five years, exhibiting a sincere sweetness and an honest portrayal of human emotions in the midst of a failing relationship.

But, quite frankly, it was probably pretty difficult to be Webb over the last two years or so. He was named the director of The Amazing Spider-Man, a reboot of the web-slinging superhero franchise that many weren't really clamoring for. After all, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker, concluded in 2007 with the very lackluster Spider-Man 3 (images of an emo-haired Parker hip-thrusting on the sidewalk are forever burned into my brain).

Nevertheless, a reboot was put in place, giving Webb the very difficult task of recreating the character and putting a fresh spin on a story we had already seen (many times, actually, if you count the innumerable other super hero origin movies in recent years). Oh, and he had to make it work in July of 2012, stuck in the middle between two guaranteed box office superhero behemoths: The Avengers, which dropped in May, and The Dark Knight Rises, which lands in theaters on July 20. The Avengers shattered like every box office record, ever, and The Dark Knight Rises is poised to meet the same challenge.

But Webb's a comic book nerd, believe it or not, so his vision for Peter Parker, played this time around by Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), was crystal clear. He's matching Spidey up against one of his most well-known and ferocious villains in the Lizard, otherwise known as Dr. Curt Connors, and he's framing the story around Peter trying to uncover the mystery of his parents and why they deserted him when he was such a young boy.

'Suits' Reaction: The Choice Part 2

By: Greg Payne



Episode 2 of Season 2 of Suits, 'The Choice,' left us with a host of things to analyze and discuss, including the rocky terms Harvey and Jessica seemed to be on for the majority of its run time.

Here's a closer look at Mike and Rachel's long-awaited union and subsequent falling out -- the most promising, yet briefest, relationship on television.

But let's stick with Harvey and Jessica. Basically, Jessica 's nervous about Daniel Hardman being inbound  for the firm again, fearful that he'll be gunning for her current (and his former) position as managing partner. So, she needs to get as many of the prominent people within the firm on her side as quickly as possible, and she dispatches Harvey to woo the bow tie-wearing Paul Porter, who's at the top (or very close to the top) of the bankruptcy wing.

Porter's trying to get one of his clients, Tom, to declare bankruptcy on a large-scale construction project, Madison 25, so he sends Harvey in to persuade Tom to call it quits and live to fight another day. But Tom, despite owing a quarter of a billion dollars in two days, refuses to fold, which leads Mike and Harvey to the manager of the bank that dished out the loan to Tom, in the hopes that they can get it renegotiated. But the manager isn't exactly welcoming or reasonable, leaving Madison 25 and Tom very much on the ropes.

Harvey's determined to find a solution, but Porter doesn't want him to come up with a miracle. He wants Tom to declare bankruptcy and not risk more money in the future. Jessica wants what Porter wants because she needs Porter's vote of support when things come to a head with Hardman.

'Suits' Reaction: The Choice

By: Greg Payne



Harvey Specter loves his sports analogies when he's negotiating with a client, so I'll employ one on his behalf. Suits is like that rising second year NBA prospect, who's coming off of a stellar rookie season, has had a terrific start to his follow-up campaign, but still has the potential for a sophomore slump.

Suits has delivered two fine episodes to begin its second season, with the latest, Thursday's, 'The Choice,' taking a closer look at some of the most pivotal relationships within Pearson-Hardman, and how important loyalty is when careers are potentially on the line. As with every episode, I can write endlessly, so I'm going to break this up. We'll discuss Mike and Rachel here and I'll be back later with a post dedicated to Harvey and Jessica.

Finally after 13 episodes, they've reached the point we've been clamoring to see them at for so long. Mike and Jenny are history, he's received Rachel's message (and apparently plays it over and over again on his way to work), she's clearly still interested, and Mike is finally ready to do something about it. One thing we love about Suits is that Harvey and Mike always end up being men of action, which is why, when Mike asks Rachel to chat for a minute and Louis, the prime minister of awful timing, demands her presence, he doesn't settle for words to get his point across, opting instead for firmly embracing her, whirling her around, and kissing her long and good. I can hear Johnny Most narrating this scene:"It's all over! It's all over! What a play by Ross!"

It was a great scene. I was smiling. Weren't you smiling? I bet you were. Rivaling it was Mike's ecstatic fist pump just before the opening credits sequence rolled.

Four Solid Movies Look to Close Out June

By: Greg Payne

We're a little over a week away from July, which will promise us intriguing titles like Oliver Stone's Savages, franchise continuations like Ice Age: Continental Drift and Step Up Revolution, another entry in the Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg comedy cannon with the alien invasion flick, The Watch, a pretty-much guaranteed blockbuster with The Amazing Spider-Man, and an absolute box office monster game-changer in The Dark Knight Rises.

But June hasn't had her final say yet. It's been a so-so month for the halfway mark of the year, with titles like Snow White and the Huntsman, That's My Boy, Rock of Ages, and, even, to an extent, Prometheus, all being somewhat underwhelming, although Snow White and Prometheus did post strong opening weekend box office numbers, each making it over the $50 million hurdle.

There are four movies set for nationwide release remaining in June that could, collectively, help us remember this month as a positive one for movies: Disney/Pixar's Brave, Seth MacFarlane's motion picture debut, Ted, Alex Kurtzman's first directorial effort, People Like Us, and Steven Soderbergh's male stripper venture, Magic Mike.

Brave (Friday, June 22):



The latest addition to the wonderful collection of Disney/Pixar films is set in Scotland and focuses on the fiery-haired Merida, who's desperate to blaze her own trail. Visually, Brave looks dazzling, as the Pixar crew are always upping the stakes when it comes to animation. Fortunately for us, their storytelling is usually right on par with their artwork. Brave lands in theaters today, and currently sits at a very solid 70 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. While that rating isn't quite at the level of some of Disney/Pixar's masterful efforts like any of the Toy Story films or WALL-E, it seems pretty safe to say Brave will offer us a quality blend of heart and humor, mixed with some rousing action and adventure.

'Taken 2' International Trailer Now Online

By: Greg Payne

You'd figure all the bad guys would know by now: You don't mess with Liam Neeson. I guess they watched Love, Actually, saw him cooking chicken kabobs for Sam, and figured he went soft. But clearly they forgot about Star Wars, Batman Begins, and, most importantly, Taken. I say most importantly, because it's the same bad guy ring from Taken, albeit with some new faces, that will be pursuing Mr. Neeson and his very particular set of skills in Taken 2 (we couldn't call it Taken Again?). Yup, Neeson will reprise his role as aging badass Bryan Mills in the sequel to the breakout 2008 hit. Check out the international trailer below:



Are we supposed to feel bad for the bad guys who lost relatives who were heavily involved in the trafficking of teenage girls? Because I don't. And don't play the whole, "They might not have know what those guys were doing," card. Those are some shady looking non-American dudes standing over those graves. They knew exactly what was happening. Sorry your son was killed for having a hand in abducting someone's daughter. And I'm even more sorry it happened to be the daughter of Bryan Mills, more force of nature than human being.

But you're right, shady-looking wrongdoers, taking his daughter worked out so well for you guys the first time, why not go for broke and take the man's wife this time around? Surely he won't give a shit and kill any of you. He'll wish you all a job well done and go back to making chicken kabobs for Sam (if you haven't seen Love, Actually, do so soon).

What sucks even more for the bad guys this time around is that Mills is fully embracing how much of a badass he is. In the first Taken he was kind of a quiet, reserved, humble, killing machine. Like even when he had to kill people, he wasn't boastful about it. He was still pretty modest even as he was breaking arms, forcing people to get run over by big trucks, and, of course, shooting people.

But in Taken 2 his confidence no longer seems to be internalized. Kim asks: "What are you going to do?" 


His response: "What I do best." 


BOOM. 


I can't wait to see all the bad guys get axed yet again in Taken 2, which should further remind us that you never mess with Liam Neeson or his family. At this point, I wouldn't even look at his mailman the wrong way. 

Rajon Rondo and Tyson Chandler's Skype Scavenger Hunt on JKL

By: Greg Payne

When I'm a famous screenwriter, I hope I get to meet Jimmy Kimmel. If you don't know who Jimmy Kimmel is, please don't talk to me ever again. Jimmy Kimmel is very funny. And Jimmy Kimmel has a late night show called 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' on ABC. And on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' they do very funny things, like Skype NBA players and make them do ridiculous scavenger hunts around their own homes.

Celtics all-star point guard Rajon Rondo and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Tyson Chandler, of the New York Knicks, partook in the latest installment and it was considerably entertaining. Consider this a fun way to start your day:

The Good and the Bad of 'Crazy, Stupid, Love'

By: Greg Payne



When I'm a famous screenwriter, I'm still going to watch movies. Particularly if those movies involve Ryan Gosling. I'm a big fan of the Gos, and not because of Remember the Titans. If you want the best of Ryan Gosling go see The Believer, Half Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl, Blue Valentine, Drive, The Ides of March and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

My buddy Lee tweeted the other day that Crazy, Stupid, Love is underrated, and I agree with him. Not only underrated, but under appreciated. It debuted in July of 2011, at a point during the summer movie season when we had already suffered through disappointing comedies like The Hangover: Part II, Bad Teacher, Friends with Benefits, and Horrible Bosses, so we might have been burnt out on the wannabe laughers. These other four earned hard R-ratings, while CSL came in at PG-13, and proved that a solid script, a handful of subtle but hilarious lines, and some great performances can outdo the raunchiness and perverseness of those other efforts. That's not to dismiss R-rated efforts. Sign me up for Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I Love You, Man, and The 40-Year Old Virgin any day of the week.

CSL earned a 78% Fresh approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes -- a very solid, and I would say, accurate number. There's a lot to love about CSL, namely the relationship between Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell. It's fun watching Ryan Gosling act like the man every woman wants him to be -- the handsome, cut up, smooth-talking ladies man. It's fun watching Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell meet at the mall to go shopping. It's even fun watching them sit at a bar, bantering back and forth. As a matter of fact, it's often more fun watching them talk about breakdance fighting and Mr. Miyagi than it is watching either one of them pick up one of the women in the bar. The two share a great comedic chemistry -- they're very easygoing around each other, and that makes them easy and satisfying to watch.

There's also the dynamic between Gosling and the wonderful Emma Stone, who cannot appear in enough movies, in this writer's opinion. It begins with a sharply written and very well-delivered scene in a bar, with Gosling resorting to courtroom terminology to try and pick up Stone, a lawyer-to-be. As much fun as this scene was, these two later steal the movie when Stone finally breaks it off with her loser lawyer boyfriend once he fails to propose, throws herself at Gosling in the same bar as before, and actually invites him back to his place.

Fourth 'The Dark Knight Rises' Trailer is the Best One Yet

By: Greg Payne

The Dark Knight Rises promotional campaign is swinging into full gear with the film's July 20th release date a little over a month away.

While new TV spots and other advertisements have cropped up in recent weeks, a third full-length trailer debuted earlier today, highlighting some tremendous action sequences from the film. I was weary at first about another trailer being unveiled (usually three is the maximum for a blockbuster film, at least domestically), but it's awesome. It really is. And it doesn't include enough snippets of new footage to give away any more of the closely guarded plot. Like I said, it pretty much just highlights most of the action in the film, and some of the sequences look incredible. Take a look for yourself:



Even if this trailer never appeared I obviously still would have excited fro this film and I probably would have seen it multiple times, but this is the first piece of the marketing campaign that has really upped the stakes and reminded us that this is a Christopher Nolan Batman film, and that we should be more than willing to stop whatever we have planned to go and see this thing. The trailer has a great score behind it, it's paced very well and seems to have more explosions than an entire Michael Bay film, and it emits a certain energy that reminds us that this is probably going to be a landmark film that'll demand to be seen.

Whether it's a bruised and battered Bruce Wayne uttering, "I'm not afraid. I'm angry," Joseph Gordon-Levitt bringing a serious, yet calming tone to things, or the subtle humor mixed in, the trailers does a great job of highlighting all of the different aspects of Christopher Nolan's Batman films that have made them so beloved over the last decade.

And while this trailer makes The Dark Knight Rises look like an action extravaganza, you know Nolan has constructed an intelligent and thought-provoking piece that extends far beyond some incredible fight scenes and flying bat jets.

The Dark Knight Rises opens in theaters on July 20th.

Recapping, 'She Knows,' the Season 2 Premiere of 'Suits'

By: Greg Payne



I've never been directly involved in producing a television series, film sequel, or sophomore music album, but from everything I've heard and read, the second act is often far more difficult than the first, particularly if the first was an overwhelming success. Well, the first season of Suits was excellent, but that immediately put a ton of pressure on the showrunners to keep delivering the goods in Season 2, and with the second season premiere, "She Knows," they came through with arguably the best episode of the entire series and provided a very intriguing path for the show going forward.

"She Knows" focused primarily on the fact that Trevor went through with spilling the beans on Mike to Jessica, and that, after having dinner with him at a fancy restaurant that usually anoints an associate at the firm, she believes he is "full of shit," and demands that Harvey fire him, otherwise she'll fire both of them in one go.

But Harvey cares too much about Mike. He brought Mike into his office to fire him and instead couldn't muster the strength, settling for telling Mike that he's "proud" of him as an excuse to get him out of his office. Harvey manipulates Louis into piling Mike with work that relates to a huge company merger Pearson Hardman is overseeing, which gives Harvey leverage against Jessica and allows Mike to stay around for the foreseeable future.

As if tensions and emotions weren't already high enough within the firm, Harvey gets word that the other side of Pearson Hardman -- the slimy Daniel Hardman, sporting a dreadful haircuit -- might be on his way back, which spells bad news for him and Jessica. Hardman's wife passed away from cancer, and the only thing that kept this snake out of the office was that the pair were going to blackmail him with proof that he had been cheating on his wife for a number of years. Well, the second she found herself out of the picture, Harvey and Jessica lost all leverage against him.

'The Watch' Redband Trailer

By: Greg Payne

Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen have proven to be a terrific writing team, with outstanding comedies like Superbad and Pineapple Express under their belts. I was exposed to their next comedy adventure, The Watch, during the previews prior to Prometheus last night, and as great as the green band theatrical trailer is, the red band is 1,000 times raunchier and 1,000 times funnier.

Starring Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and Billy Crudup, The Watch is about four guys who form a neighborhood watch and suspect an alien invasion is occurring around them.

The green band trailer has a ton of great lines that aren't seen in the red band trailer, but take a look at the NSFW one right now:



While the usual dick and sex-related jokes are clearly the basis of the comedy in this one, the lines sound fresh and we seem to be in store for some great delivery from Hill and Vaughn. Vaughn's rant about the green ooze resembling cum is so funny.

The choice of words for certain lines is great, like when they're all in Costco, looking around at people who they suspect to be aliens. Jonah Hill could have said, "Look at this little kid," but instead we get, "Look at this little piece of shit right here," and it's so much funnier. Often, great lines like those that are blended into the dialogue are funnier than snappy or cheeky one-liners. Goldberg and Rogen have always been great about delivering consistently funny dialogue on an almost line-by-line basis.

I think my favorite line from the trailer comes towards the end when they blow up the cow with the laser ball. I love how they're celebrating and Vince Vaughn quietly sneaks in, "That's terrible for the cow, but this thing's fucking awesome!" Again, those subtle lines, often coming at the beginning of sentences, that blend in with a more common punchline, are what really make movies like these so funny.

The Watch lands in theaters on July 27.

A True Internet Gem: 28 of the Biggest Kid Fails of All Time

By: Greg Payne

BuzzFeed went above and beyond with this one. Click the link below for the 28 Biggest Kid Fails of All Time. Honestly, it's one of the funniest things I've seen in a long, long time. There are so many great moments.

28 of the Biggest Kid Fails of All Time -- BuzzFeed

I'll provide some of my own commentary for each one.

1. Love the quick recovery from this kid. Goes down, gets right back up. But that dog's relentless. Points go to the dog.

2. Did he hit a rough spot on that slide or something? Who randomly stops halfway down a slide and falls off? It's like the second symbol from the bottom was made of Velcro.

3. It took me a few minutes to realize this asshole kid was trying to throw the cat in the pool. Why are adults sitting there letting this happen? Kid deserved to fall in.

4. Dumbass.

5. This kid's great. Love the nervous, 'I'm gonna do it!' stutter-stepping prior to kickoff. His mistake was letting the ball hit the ground first. The best part? The Elvis Presley double kickout leg shuffle before he goes down.

6. Again, love the effort. She wins best face plant, hands-down. If she didn't need braces before, she does now.

7. Someone please call Social Services on that mom.

Javier Bardem: 'Skyfall' is a Powerful Bond Movie

By: Greg Payne



I've been saying for a while now that Skyfall, the latest entry in the James Bond franchise, due out November 9, will be fantastic -- both as a Bond film and a film in general. I can certainly be accused of being biased. It's no secret that Skyfall is my personal movie event of the year, and obviously I'm hoping (praying?) that it's terrific, but I'm not spitting BS at you guys. I genuinely, truthfully think we'll be in for an awesome Bond adventure that will strike gold on a number of levels.

Javier Bardem, who plays the chief villain, Silva, in the film, had some very positive things to say about Skyfall  in an interview with Total Film, which only help to reinforce my optimism.

"I think it’s always about the material in the script. When I read it, I felt ‘Wow, this is powerful!’"

"Of course, you have everything that you can expect in James Bond movies, but it has more than that. It’s very accomplished and powerful. And then I talked to Sam and he gave me his ideas. I thought they were very good - brave, in some way."

 Look, actors always say positive things to the press about the movies they're starring in prior to their release, but the acclaim for Skyfall from the people involved hasn't felt like the typical hollow praise that is usually disseminated. Whether it's Daniel Craig's drive to find the "perfect" Bond movie or he and Sam Mendes disregarding potential legal ramifications by discussing Skyfall via e-mail during the MGM financial crisis, everyone seems committed to the cause, and, even better, genuinely excited about the final product.

Obviously I'm not involved in any way with the production of the film, but as a loyal fan of the franchise (no joke I just watched Goldfinger earlier today), I believe you can trust my judgement when I say you have every right to be very, very excited about this film.

On Jason Stackhouse Steadily Maturing in 'True Blood'

By: Greg Payne



Jason Stackhouse is my favorite True Blood character, but, really, picking your favorite character from that show is like picking your favorite Sports Illustrated swimsuit model -- you can't possibly lose.

If brains were dollars, Jason would have Andrew Jackson at his disposal and not much else. But it's not necessarily fair to call him dumb. He just makes poor decisions. He's too trusting, too unassuming in some cases. He doesn't always think things through the way he needs to. During the Season 5 premiere, Steve Newlin showed up with a brand spankin' new pair of fangs, and while Jason initially had the sense to not look him in the eye to avoid being glamoured, a quick sob story melted away Jason's armor and he was soon at Newlin's mercy. He's too nice.

In fact, he came through with two of the kindest rejections of sexual advances anyone has ever administered in a single episode. The first was dealt out to Newlin, who didn't take too kindly to not having an open invitation to Jason's junk, but the second, absorbed by Cammy, a frisky co-ed at a party Jessica was throwing, went noticeably better. She did not try and gouge her teeth into his neck when he very politely explained to her why he wasn't going to have sex with her in her sorority house in front of all of her roommates.

And in that decision we saw true signs of maturity in Jason. Really, he's been maturing steadily since the commencement of Seasons 3 and 4, with his involvement with crazy Crystal's werepanther pack being the most evident example. He now seems beyond the flings with random girls, he's found himself steady and reliable work as Andy's deputy, and his actions in general seem more adult-like.

Previewing Season 2 of 'Suits'

By: Greg Payne



Warning: This post contains spoilers for Season 1 of Suits. If you haven't seen the first season and are planning to, don't continue reading. Also, I'm writing this assuming those who are reading have seen the first season, that way we can keep this focused primarily on the second season, without needing to really recap any of the major points from the first season.

Suits became a hit for USA Network last summer, largely due to the great dynamic between its two lead characters, Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance), but also for a great string of supporting characters and a less formulaic approach than some of USA's other standout programs, including White Collar and Burn Notice.

It's assumed that Trevor has gone through with spilling the beans on Harvey and Mike to Jessica, and that will serve as the main plot point of the first episode of Season 2, as well as an overarching angle for the entire sophomore run. While we've been presented with a distinct problem to focus on, the first season thrived primarily because of the great dynamics and relationships between the primary characters: Harvey, Mike, Jessica, Louis, Rachel, Donna, and Jenny, who became more and more prominent as the season went along.

The cases were often interesting, but it always came back to how the characters worked those cases, dealt with one another throughout those cases, and, perhaps most importantly, helped each other with those cases, that made the show as entertaining as it is. While we'll be in for a host of new scenarios for the crew of Pearson Hardman to work through in Season 2, I'm fully expecting the character relationships to continue to drive things, so it's worth examining where those relationships stand with Thursday right on the horizon.

Recapping True Blood's Season Five Opener, 'Turn! Turn! Turn!'

By: Greg Payne



When you boil it down, True Blood is a fun show. It's an hour of pure escapism that grows more outlandish, absurd, and preposterous with each passing episode and season, but that's what's so great about it. It never takes itself too seriously, and if you can do the same while watching it, you'll have a wonderful time.

Season 5 premiered last night (shout-out to my girl Ade for reminding me. I was totally out of the loop on that) and it was a whirlwind of violence, sex, and awesome character moments. A heck of a lot of subject matter was crammed into the hour-long slot, and while some have already been critical of the mishmash of storylines that were being packed in, I commend the showrunners for breaking things up the way they did. Last night's episode never dragged, thanks largely to the near ADD-ness of it. This show isn't just about Sookie anymore, as Bill and Eric have their own narrative path to navigate, as do the likes of Terry, Jason, Sam, Alcide, and even Andy.

The episode opened by reverting back to the final moments of Season 4, taking stock of the reactions of other characters to Debbie coming at Sookie with the gun and eventually shooting Tara. Bill and Eric could have rushed to Sookie's aid, but Eric instead opts for a "Fuck Sookie," as he cleans Bill's office of the grisly remains of Nan Flanagan. Bill and Eric are about to head out on a mission that will challenge The Authority, only to be ambushed and kidnapped by the very people they're targeting.

Meanwhile, Lafayette discovers Sookie holding a seemingly dead and dismembered Tara in the kitchen, when Pam pops up looking for Eric, prompting the episode's most important proposition: Can Pam turn Tara into a vampire to try and save her life? Once Sookie agrees to "owe her one," Pam begrudgingly agrees, fearful that Tara will come out all "fucktarded." Eventually they bury her and Tara out back, Pam hilariously sporting a Walmart sweatshirt.

A Helpful Reminder About the 'Skyfall' Teaser Trailer

By: Greg Payne



I've probably dedicated far too many words to the Skyfall teaser trailer that dropped late last month already, but I've got a few more for you. Two recent posts were committed to the Skyfall trailer, in which I laid out some of my theories and thoughts on what might be happening in certain scenes. You can find Part One here, and Part Two here.

I watched the trailer again, several times, after I wrote those two entries, and then something I already knew re-dawned on me. The scenes we see in these trailers aren't the full scenes we'll see in a movie. The editing in a trailer is often different, in order to produce a desired effect sooner, because there's only so much time it has to get its point across to us.

For example, the interrogation scene witnessed at the beginning of the trailer seems like it's pretty important to the overall plot of the film. Why else would Sam Mendes and co. choose it as the lead-in for the very first trailer, the very first opportunity to show off footage from the film? But does anyone honestly think it lasts a mere 28 seconds, as it does in the trailer (interspersed with other tidbits from the film, sure)? Of course not. We're probably looking at a scene that will last anywhere from three to five minutes during the actual film.

So, I suppose what I'm aiming to do here is not throw out any more crazy theories about what might be happening in that scene, but instead offer a reminder that we're not seeing the full scene, as it's meant to be seen.

The initial back-and-forth we see in the trailer might not even be the correct order of the dialogue in the film. The interrogator might not lead with "Country," nor might he follow it with, "Gun." And on top of that, what prompts Bond to finally leave the room? Surely him saying, "Done," in response to, "Skyfall," isn't cue for him to get up and lumber out. There has to be another exchange of some kind there. Perhaps the interrogator presses further on the "Skyfall" prompt and Bond announces he's done answering questions. Or, maybe the interrogator simply dismisses Bond after seeing him hesitate to answer when first pressed with "Skyfall," realizing that Bond's lack of a poker face (a mean feat, considering Bond's skills with the cards) has provided all of the information he needs.

So, as was so often reiterated in the original Transformers, there's more than meets the eye with this trailer, and all trailers for that matter. I fully expect this scene to be tense and somewhat shocking within the context of the entire film, and while the trailer offered a nice tease (it accomplished its mission as the teaser trailer), it by no means represents the whole scene the way Mendes and his staff crafted it to fit into the overall narrative. It's still enjoyable, but there is much more joy to be had with it when it and the rest of Skyfall lands in theaters in the United States on November 9th.

Avoiding Movie Spoilers as Best We Can

By: Greg Payne



The Internet is a beautiful thing. We love her, she loves us, and we all usually end up pretty happy, having had our objectives and reasons for using her completed by our session's end.

But sometimes she's just too full of information and too giving, dispensing information when we don't necessarily even want it.

I'm talking primarily about television and movie spoilers. The Internet has completely changed the way films are marketed and it revolutionized the news-providing process. Trailers, while still, without question, one of my favorite parts of the film process, are obsolete in terms of being our first exposure to a new movie. We now have trailers for trailers. Trailers might still give us the first legitimate footage, but by that point we've already been hit with set photos, which could reveal potential villains that were otherwise being kept under wraps (as was the case with Iron Patriot and potentially MODOK for Iron Man 3), news leaks from the set, and other speculative rumors that often end up being true.

And then comes the official marketing campaign, which, particularly for the big blockbuster films, is comprised of two to three trailers, each with different footage, a host of television spots, also with new footage, a Superbowl spot, if the timing is right,a viral campaign, and a tidal wave of images from the film -- all on top of promotional deals with several other companies so that you see advertisements for the film virtually everywhere.

James Bond's Style Highlighted in Latest 'Skyfall' Video Blog

By: Greg Payne



The people behind the latest James Bond flick, Skyfall, have released a number of video blogs highlighting different aspects of the production, and today we're being graced by one featuring costume designer Jany Temime. Basically, she's responsible for Bond looking as fashionable as he does throughout the film.

Much of Temime's commentary relates to the suits Daniel Craig will be sporting throughout the film -- she designs them and then ships those designs over to the legendary Tom Ford, who manufactures them. There's one shot of maybe five or six suit jackets on one rack, just waiting to be worn (and then probably discarded shortly after. Must be nice). She talks about giving the suits an "edge," and wanting to see Craig wear the hand-made suits with a "2012 touch."

The "2012 touch" probably refers to Craig's desire to have suits that are "close to his body," as Temime describes it. Slimmer fitting suits are in right now. No more boxy jackets that are far too long. No more baggy, wavy pants that look like a jumparoo that just had the air let out of it. Suits these days need be trim and they need to hug the body, and it appears Temime and her team have adhered to those rules for Skyfall.  One chuckle-worthy moment in the video is when Temime, seemingly unprompted, starts to nod, as if conceding a points, and goes, "And he (Craig) does have a great body."

On Being Chased by a Dog While You're Running

By: Greg Payne



I was talking to Ray Allen in the Celtics' locker room prior to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals about the bone spurs in his ankles and how they've affected his running routine, when I suddenly thought to ask him a very random question: "Have you ever been chased by a dog?"

No, he told me, but he has been chased by a number of fans -- fans who've pursued him in the streets and hopped out of cars to get a better look at him. He told me he typically sees an uptake in his speed whenever it happens. The locker room was about to be closed off to the media, so my parting words were these: "Get chased by a dog. Then you'll see how fast you really are."

I've run in road races, collegiate races, and high school races, and on a number of occasions the difference between first and second place came down to a 100-meter sprint with an opponent. There isn't any other feeling quite like it. You've already run whatever the total distance of the race is, minus 100 meters, so you're dead tired. I mean, you are spent. You legitimately hate the world and everything in it. You just want it to be over. It's a self-induced torture. You hate how your body feels, with every muscle burning, with your stomach cramping and contorting itself, with your vision foggy. You feel like your last meal is about to make a reappearance on the track, and even worse, you'll probably step in it and have a gross-looking shoe. And of course the girl on the team you like will be watching this all happen, so now you'll just be known to her as the kid who pukes and steps in it.

But you know it's almost over and you know you want to win, so you bottle some insane mix of will, determination, and, yes, even pure desperation, and you hurl yourself towards the finish line. It's exhilarating, as you're pushing your body well past its breaking point. And you are running so fast. Or at least you feel like you are.

But none of it -- NONE of it -- can compare to getting chased by a dog.

On Christopher Nolan Being Interested in a James Bond Film

By: Greg Payne



Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy will come to a conclusion next month with The Dark Knight Rises, and with him leaving Gotham City behind for good, could he be aiming to take on another iconic character as his next project?

In an interview with Empire Magazine, Nolan was asked about the possibility of him serving at the helm of a James Bond film in the future, and this was his response:

"It would have to be the right situation and the right time in their cycle of things." 

Interesting answer.

Can I endorse Nolan for something like this? Yes, but I do have a few stipulations. While I genuinely enjoy many of the characters Nolan and his team craft for his films, I'm still not sold on him directing action. There are a few notable exceptions, of course, which I'll touch on in a minute, but the final action sequence of Inception that was set on the mountain was very underwhelming in my eyes, as was the final sequence in The Dark Knight, when Batman needs to scale the building with the hospital "prisoners" in order to get to the Joker.

I'm Down with Michael Fassbender Playing James Bond Once Daniel Craig is Done

By: Greg Payne



I should start off by clarifying that this article is not my attempt to campaign for Michael Fassbender to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond. Instead, this post constitutes my argument that when the time comes for Daniel Craig to step down as 007, I want Michael Fassbender to step up. In an ideal world, Craig would stop aging and be James Bond forever. Seriously, Craig is such an ideal fit for Ian Fleming's iconic character, and perhaps even more importantly, he cares about the property. This isn't just some gig that lands him a boatload of cash and the admiration of every dude and the longing of every woman on the planet.

Craig once said: "There's a perfect Bond movie out there. And I'm going to find it if it kills me."

Boom. Done. Lock it up, strap a bow on it. What else do you need to know? He's not spitting bullshit at us when he says that. He means it. Go watch any of his interviews with late night talkshow hosts or anyone else when he talks Bond and you'll see the sincerity he carries around with him.

Producer Michael G. Wilson, a household staple on the Bond flicks, wants Craig to surpass Roger Moore's personal Bond-playing record and do eight films, which speaks to the brass' faith in his ability to stretch this character to new lengths and consistently keep him interesting and infinitely watchable.

The Perks of Running in the Evening

By: Greg Payne

Before we begin, this is pretty cool:



The final months of spring are upon us here in New England, ready to usher us into the sweltering days of summer. Some would say they've already arrived, based on the 85+ degree days we've been forced to endure lately.

For those of you who don't know, I'm an avid runner. I average anywhere from 8-10 miles per day during the week and I creep into the low-to-mid teens on the weekends. Usually I'm an afternoon guy. Between 4:00pm and 5:00pm is usually my go-to time for running. But lately, I've become somewhat attached to the evening, specifically between 7:00pm and 8:00pm, as the sun begins its descent below the horizon, and last night I think I figured out why.

I tied the laces of my Nike Lunarglide IIs and set off, my feet quietly tapping Paine Road (yes, I live on Paine Road. It's a coincidence, I swear) as I proceeded into the earliest stages of my run. And that's when I realized what separated 7:00pm from 4:00pm, what distinguished the late afternoon from the early evening: The sense of quiet that seems to envelope the world, as if everything's taken a collective sigh and plumped itself down on the couch to crack a cold one, finally at peace with the fact that the rigors and demands of the day are firmly behind it.

The hustle and bustle of the morning and afternoon have ceased, and everything is so much calmer. I'm not sure the responsibilities of every day life ever allow for a true sense of tranquility throughout the standard work week, but if it's possible for such a feeling to be obtained, it would come within our grasp during this time. For most people and things, the work is done for the day. Even the extremes of nature retreat to an almost sedated state. The sun doesn't shine so bright, the winds calm themselves to gentler breezes, which compliment the still humid, but far less hot evening air. Even the birds chirp less, as they revert back to their nests and their young, perhaps sending out a final note of elation at having survived another day against the threat of predators and other dangers. Another night safe with those they love. Even the pounds of choking pollen have retreated to wherever it is pollen hangs out at nights, freeing us of the feeling that we've just swallowed two pounds of sticky white rice in one gulp.

And then there are the people. As I meander through the local back roads, passing through my favorite neighborhood -- Sheldonville -- I can take stock of those around me. During the day, people are rushed. There's the pressure to get to work on time in the morning, beat the traffic, rush out to lunch and back, sprint home, again trying to avoid the jam up of cars on the highway, each person and car with the same goal. There are children to pick up, sport practices to attend, dentist and doctor appointments.

But examine those same people after dinner, with that flurry of activity behind them, and you see them as they want to be seen. You see them in a state of calmness -- they are once again in control of their lives. They are no longer at the mercy of their bosses, the traffic report, or necessary errands. I see a man in his mid-40s walking his black lab, and he greets me with a friendly, 'Hello,' as I pass by. I witness another couple walking down Farmhill Road, dressed in matching khaki shorts, with the father pushing a pink stroller with a shade over the top. I pass by one of my favorite houses -- light grey with blue shutters, with a driveway that ascends straight and loops into a circle at the top, like an upside down exclamation point -- and see a familiar site: An elderly couple, sitting on a short, swinging bench that sits close to their front steps, hand-in-hand, still embodying the idea that love can persist through time and all of the obstacles life has to throw at us. And I know in my own heart that these two are as in love now as the day they first told each other they couldn't live without one another.

These are the things I don't see when I run at 4:00pm. I see the prelude to all of this: The asinine driving, the furrowed brows, the seemingly unshakable feeling of go-go-go. I much more enjoy these people just a few short hours later, when their sense of calm, and peacefulness, and happiness, engaging in perhaps their first truly voluntary actions all day, helps to remind me that this world isn't just a highway to our eventual expiration. Our daily responsibilities routinely exhaust us, frustrate us, and push us beyond our breaking points, but it's these hours of calm that provide us the solace we need to endure. It's just a shame that there are so few of them throughout the day.

But their calmness is what calms me. In fact, it energizes me. The stillness of the evening reminds me that I'm not competing with the pace the daily grind thrives upon, and as I increase my own foot speed, I feel like I'm soaring, like a paint brush being stroked across a blank canvas for the first time. Houses, and fences, and slower-paced cars streak by, as my breathing gets heavier, but almost easier. I'm not laboring, I'm embracing the fatigue, fighting it with longer strides, bottled up by the atmosphere around me. My worries pour off of my body, encased in the beads of sweat that glisten my skin and eventually disembark into the evening air. It all pushes me, drives me, and just when I feel like I'm running fast enough to get pulled over in a school zone, my run is complete. I come to a halt in my driveway, my hands drape over my knees, the sweat begins to amass and wash over me, as if a bucket of water has been poured over my head and is cascading down my exposed limbs.

But then I stand, breathe in through my nose, and further embrace the world around me. A world of peace, composure, and serenity.

If you're a runner, I suggest you try running at this time. But don't go in with expectations I've laid out for you. Leave room to make your own. Run, and as you run, keep your eyes and ears open, and the world will find a way to cater to whatever it is you're searching for.

Captain America's New Love Interest Revealed in 'The Avengers?'

By: Greg Payne

There's a heck of a lot to take in when you watch The Avengers for the first time, but if you're willing to shell out some more cash (or in my case, free passes and gift cards) and see the film multiple times, you'll have the advantage of noticing some more of the finite details that are spread throughout the 2-hour-plus running time.

My greatest takeaway from my third go-around with Earth's Mightiest Heroes? The very un-mighty, but seemingly very strategically placed blonde waitress, whose name, I believe, is Beth (on IMDB she's just credited as a waitress, but you can see her name tag during her  final scene). She's played by Ashley Johnson, known best, perhaps, for her role as Mel Gibson's daughter in What Women Want, but she has a pretty substantial film resume beyond that.

Anyway, she crops up during the end battle scene. At first she runs into a shop of some kind and is looking up at the destruction through a window, then she's caught in the bank with the other civilians who are eventually freed from the Chitauri by Captain America, and then she's seen for the final time as an interviewee on one of the various news broadcasts which are meant to show the fluctuating state of the public's opinion of the superheroes. As expected, she expresses support and gratitude, stating that she would like to thank Captain America for saving her life.

You can see who Beth is at the 13-second mark of the first trailer for The Avengers. Check it out below:



So, this got me thinking...Might she be Cap's new love bug in his next solo outing? They've established the fact that she wants to see him again (and thank him), meaning there is already cause for her to be seen again, obviously Peggy Carter is out of the question, because, she'll either be deceased or super old, and it'll save Marvel time introducing a whole new character out of the blue (granted, Beth's role in The Avengers is so small, she might as well be a new character, but the continuity could be established through some quick dialogue).

Each of the individual solo outings for Marvel's heroes had a significant love interest (Pepper Potts in both Iron Mans, Peggy Carter in Captain America, Jane Foster in Thor, and Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk), and it's safe to say many of those relationships will continue into the second solo outings for each hero (or third solo outing if you're Tony Stark). But, because Cap was frozen for 70-ish years, they obviously need a replacement. Will it be Beth? We'll just have to wait for the casting news to drop as we get closer to the Captain America sequel, slated to land in theaters in 2014.

On Javier Bardem's Role as Silva in 'Skyfall'

By: Greg Payne

I was recently in an Oscar-Winning Films class (shoutout to Professor Damico!), and I had the pleasure of taking in No Country for Old Men for a second time. While I loved that film as a whole, what I ultimately came away with above all else was a true appreciation for Javier Bardem's acting chops. He won Best Supporting Actor that year, and I'm assuming it was by a landslide. If it wasn't, it should have been.

Anton Chigurh is a marvelous villain, and Bardem's entire performance is, in a word, captivating. He turned Chigurh into a character you wanted to see on screen at all times, simply to see what he would do next. This scene alone is worth the price of admission:



I say all of this to help explain my excitement for Bardem's turn as Silva, Skyfall's chief villain. Now, I obviously don't want a duplicate of Chigurh in Skyfall. That would be doing both Bardem and the film an injustice. But I do want a villain on par with Chigurh. I want a villain just as enthralling as James Bond is. I want someone who can outsmart Bond and then, when the situation calls for it, go toe-to-toe with him in a brawl.

Bond villains used to be diabolical and sinister. Lately, they've been...um...underwhelming. Le Chiffre in Casino Royale was intriguing, but I lost all respect for him when his two terrorist buddies held him and his girl up in the hotel room. If he can't even handle guys who wouldn't be more than mere henchmen to the old school Bond villains, how is he supposed to deal with Bond himself? Sure, Bond wasn't technically even the one to kill Le Chiffre, but if he hadn't been tied to that chair, Le Chiffre's dick-crushing exercise wouldn't have gone down so smoothly.

And then there was Dominic Greene in Quantum of Solace...Let's just move on.

I'm hoping Silva is a villain that I can respect. I'm hoping he's a villain that makes the stakes feel real to me. I want him to keep me guessing. I want him to be utterly unpredictable, and I want him to torment Bond in ways that we haven't seen before. Can't we all agree that Heath Ledger's turn as The Joker in The Dark Knight raised the stakes for all future movie villains? I want Bardem's Silva to surpass that.

The teaser trailer for Skyfall dropped this past Monday. We don't really get to see Silva, except for a brief glance at his shadowed silhouette as he staggers away from a burning mansion. I love that he's shrouded in mystery. The only other glance we've had of him comes from these set photos, in which he's dressed as a police officer and is sporting a blonde wig.

Needless to say, he's not looking quite as dapper in the trailer, with his hair all frazzled and sticking out at every possible angle. Notice his walk, though (1:03 mark).



Then, watch this scene from No Country. Notice Bardem's walk (1:34 mark) as he limps back to steal medicine for his messed up leg.



The walks are awfully similar, are they not? Now, this is no way implies that the two villains are even remotely similar (Chigurh is hurt in that scene from No Country, who knows what state Silva is in after he ignites that building in Skyfall), but it's just something that jumped out at me as soon as I watched the trailer for the first time. That scene from No Country popped into my head immediately. And since I'm campaigning for Silva to be as memorable as Chigurh, I'll take any comparison I can get, even if it's a simple strut through a field with a mansion ablaze in the background.

While Bond villains haven't lived up to the hype lately, they've at least been somewhat intelligent, and I think it's safe to say Silva will be supplied with considerable intellect and problem-making skills. Bardem is listed as being six-feet tall, and he's a pretty burly guy, while Craig, who's, you know, jacked, checks in at about five-feet-10, so Silva should be more than capable of going toe-to-toe with Bond if the two ever need to duke it out at one point (or multiple points) in the film. Sure, Silva will have some henchmen at his disposal (Ola Rapace plays Patrice, and I'm willing to bet he's tied to Silva in some manner), but we know those guys all get axed at some point, so there's no reason not to have Silva be combat ready.

I'm hoping for (and pretty much expecting) a twisted, sinister, engrossing, and slightly unstable villain in Silva that leaves me feeling uncertain throughout the film's run time. I don't want to be able to guess what his ultimate fate will be a mere 20 minutes into the movie. I want to look forward to see the scenes when he and Bond are sparring, whether it be verbally or physically. I want one of the best Bond villains we've ever seen on the screen. And Javier Bardem has proven already that he's the perfect man for the job.

'Skyfall' Trailer Reactions and Crazy Theories: Part 2

By: Greg Payne

This is a direct continuation of my first rant about the teaser trailer for Skyfall, which was released on Monday. You can read Part 1, here. 

For those of you who haven't seen it, here's the first official teaser trailer for Skyfall.


 Before I go any further and continue adding commentary on the trailer, I need to disclose that I have completely ignored any and all spoilers that might have surfaced about the movie, purposely. I don't want this film ruined for me ahead of time. I want to go in as cold as possible. So, for any of you who might have been tempted and dug through the classified information, please forgive me if my lacking of said secrets makes the following theories and observations seem completely ludicrous. Let's just have some fun talking about the trailer and the film as a whole, shall we?

The trailer succeeds on a host of levels, by telling us both everything and absolutely nothing about the film. Really, if you haven't gone through any spoilers, what more do you know about the film after having viewed the trailer? You don't get a credible look at the main villain, Silva, played by Academy Award-Winner Javier Bardem, and you only get parting glances of the two most significant Bond girls: Severine (Berenice Marlohe) and Eve (Naomie Harris). Although, credit Eve for being a part of what appears to be, hands-down, the most sensual shaving scene in film history. Needless to say it'll be slightly more arousing than Steve Carell's chest waxing scene from The 40-Year Old Virgin.

Speaking of shaving, what's with Bond's stubble in this one? He boasted a grubby beard when he was in a North Korean prison in Die Another Day, and he might have even had some slight growth when he was in the hospital in Casino Royale after Le Chiffre bashed his balls in, but, to my knowledge, he hasn't, at least in recent years, willingly sported the scruff.

I mentioned the trailer not telling us a whole lot about the film, save for the fact that we appear to be in for a darker and grittier tale that has been beautifully photographed and shot (more on that later). But, at the same time, Bond reinforces what the movie is actually about with two lines: "Some men are coming to kill us. We're going to kill them first." Doesn't the synopsis claim that MI6 comes under attack and 007 must "track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost?" So, when you boil it down, isn't that what the film is? Bond's quest to destroy the threat? Obviously there are several different complexities and subplots that will be explored and explained, but in it's most basic sense, the film appears to be about Bond destroying the mentioned threat and saving a number of people in the process. Sign me up.

The trailer also gives us short glances at a host of action sequences, and even though they're mere glimpses, director Sam Mendes appears to have adhered to one of the most important unofficial rules of directing action scenes: Keep a safe distance and let the action be seen. When Bond's running through the fancy dining room of the mansion with bullets cascading in through the windows and walls, we can actually see him running. When he's marching through the room at the 43-second mark the shot is wide enough for us to see his advancement and the unloading of two bullets. Go through the final 15 seconds of the trailer. A wider shot is supplied for the brief fistfight we see in that really cool looking blue-tinted glass room (I believe in Shanghai). Similarly, when Bond's flying off a motorcycle in one of the last shots, the camera is a satisfactory distance away. Cinematographer Roger Deakins probably deserves just as much credit for all of this. I can't say how excited I am to have him on board for this film. His work is unparalleled.

For more on my feelings on Hollywood action sequences, read this.

Obviously my general excitement for the film makes me a tad bit biased, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that we appear to be in for a very memorable James Bond adventure with Skyfall. Do we realize how much Academy Award power is in this film? Sam Mendes has won for Best Director (American Beauty), Javier Bardem has won for Best Supporting Actor (No Country for Old Men), Judi Dench has won for Best Supporting Actress (Shakespeare in Love), Ralph Fiennes has been in a host of Best Picture winners (The English Patient, Schindler's List, and even a small turn in The Hurt Locker), Daniel Craig is unquestionably an Oscar-worthy actor, and has worked with Mendes before on Road to Perdition, and Deakins has served as the director of photography for multiple Best Picture winners (A Beautiful Mind, and No Country for Old Men, but we can also thank him for his work on stellar films like The Shawshank Redemption and Fargo).

The ingredients are clearly in place. Let's cross our fingers and hope they blend together in a truly magnificent way.


Skyfall hits theaters in the United States on November 9.

'Skyfall' Trailer Reactions and Crazy Theories: Part 1

By: Greg Payne

I'm a big, big, big James Bond fan. Let's just get that out on the table. I've been waiting for Skyfall for an excruciatingly long duration of time, so you can understand why I might have been a bit excited for the release of the first teaser trailer this past Monday. Before we go any further, watch it now:



It takes several viewings to really grasp what's going on. Obviously at the forefront Bond is being interrogated, by way of one of those mind-twisting word association games.

The transcript:

INTERROGATOR: Country.

BOND: England.

INTERROGATOR: Gun.

BOND: Shot.

INTERROGATOR: Agent.

BOND: Provocateur.

INTERROGATOR: Murder.

BOND: Employment.

INTERROGATOR: Skyfall.

[BOND FREEZES AND PAUSES]

INTERROGATOR: Skyfall.

BOND: Done.

So, what do we take out of that?  It seems like Bond is, initially, unconcerned with this entire process, as he rattles off answers fairly nonchalantly, perhaps best exemplified by the way he casually says, 'Employment,' when he's approached with, 'Murder.' My guess is, he isn't expecting the word 'Skyfall' to be dropped at any point in the conversation, which is why he's suddenly so taken aback when he hears it. Obviously we get the briefest of flashes of what appears to be a room in which Bond is standing over a middle aged man slumped back in a chair, gun in hand (or is that even Bond with the gun?). Was he assigned to kill this man? Was this man already dying when he arrived? Is this man close to Bond in a personal way? Is he a fellow agent that Bond had grown somewhat close with (consider Pierce Brosnan and Alec Trevelyan in Goldeneye)?

Also, it's hard not to notice M (Judi Dench), Bill Tanner (Rory Kinnear), and newcomer Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes) (full disclosure: I've purposely done no research on Mallory's character, so I could be waaaaaay off over the next few paragraphs) examining this interrogation as it's taking place. And, of course, notice how Mallory turns towards M when Bond first hesitates when presented with 'Skyfall.' Crazy theory: Mallory doesn't trust Bond, suspects him of something (perhaps something related to the Skyfall case), or is afraid he's been emotionally or professionally compromised by the case, and his look towards M appears to be one of, 'See what I mean?' or, 'I told you so.'

But here's another crazy theory (I have many)...The official synopsis claims that M's past comes back to haunt her (I think that's why we see her standing in the room with the caskets draped with the flag of England), so MAYBE this Skyfall case that has so disrupted Bond's psyche was one that M alone gave the approval on. Maybe it was a mission that didn't have to be executed, or wasn't of the utmost importance, only M decided to go through with it anyway and ordered Bond to carry out certain actions. In other words: M made a stupid decision (Bond and apparently England as a whole are paying for it) and now Mallory has shown up as some sort of intermediary, and his look towards M could then be interpreted as something along the lines of, 'See what you've done?' Notice how stone-faced M is in that one shot?

Also notice how Tanner slowly averts his gaze when Bond hesitates, almost as if he's uncomfortable with the entire situation. Almost like he feels awful that Bond's in this room, and that he's being forced to respond to 'Skyfall.' We've all been in those uncomfortable situations where we can't quite look someone in the eye.

I think it's safe to say that this scene isn't one in which Bond was summoned from his home to go all Robert DeNiro-Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents with the interrogator man. Notice his outfit. Looks like a blue jumpsuit, or something of that nature. Um, Bond is the king of style. At all times. Does the man even own a pair of sweatpants? He actually might. There's that brief shot of him running in the park in some old school Rocky gear. BUT, he would NEVER willingly wear a blue onesie. My guess? This scene comes shortly after  whichever part of the movie this picture is associated with. Also, notice the quick gaze he shoots towards M and Mallory. He obviously can't see them directly, but he knows they're there. His look? One of, 'Happy?' or, 'Are you satisfied?' Or perhaps there's even a bit more anger there.

Okay, I'm going to stop here for now. I have a lot more to say about this trailer, and the film in general, so I'll post a part two later today. I don't want to go through every single second of the trailer and try to break down all of the quick edits we get (even though I kind of did that here), because, where's the fun in that? One of the best things about the trailer is that not a whole lot about the movie has been revealed. And it's better that way. I want this movie still shrouded in a bit of mystery when I see it on November 9 (most likely at midnight). But I do have some other general thoughts/comments/crazy theories to put out there, so I'll be back with those shortly.