Andy Labis, Author at Entertainment Ave!

The Blair Witch Project

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:20 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Blair Witch Project Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, Joshua Leonard
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Artisan Entertainment
Release Date:	1999
Kiddie Movie:	No way.
Date Movie:	She might get scared, or just wonder what the fuss is about.
Gratuitous Sex:	I might have liked the movie more had Heather gotten naked.
Gratuitous Violence:	Implied.
Action:	Lots of running through the woods.
Laughs:	Mostly at just how stupid our three characters are.
Memorable Scene:	None.
Memorable Quote:	None.
Directed By:	Daniel Myrich, Eduardo Sanchez

As I came out of “The Blair Witch Project” the first thought that came to my head was that these three kids deserved to die. I’m going to give some spoilers, but you know what, I don’t care. Things bugged me a lot about this movie. Things like where is this magical river that goes in a circle, at least that must be the case because our weary travelers, once lost, decided to follow a river and ended up where they started. Also, who taught these people how to read a compass? Let’s see, it points north, and if we keep walking east, well, we end up going, well, seemingly not east. There are countless other things that bugged me, but in the end what bugged me the most was that this movie isn’t as scary as everyone says, at least not to me. Just different.

“The Blair Witch Project” tells the fictional documentary of two dudes and a chick who got lost in the woods and only their film footage was found. It takes us through their interviewing people about the mythical Blair Witch and then through their scary adventures in the woods where none of these city folk should ever go. They get lost, throw away the map, can’t read a compass, follow the circular river, run through the woods at night without running into a tree, and the end of the footage shows a dude facing the corner in the basement (just like the legend says – a lot of people leaving the theater seemed to miss this part of the movie, confused why the dude was standing in the corner), screams ensue, and the camera falls to the ground. And as one dude sitting next to me said “That’s it?” That was it.

I can see why so many critics love this movie. It is different and had the pre-publicity as being totally scary and inventive, especially for the $60,000, no wait, $40,000, no wait, $10,000, no wait, $80,000, no wait, who the hell really knows how much it cost to make this film. But the scariest movie ever? I don’t think so. For me it was just different.

I’ll give the publicity machine credit for this movie because once some words got out, well, everyone had to see it. I don’t know who was giving this movie the buzz it got, but it sure didn’t seem to be the likes of the people leaving the theater I was at.

Different. Yeah. Scary. No. And Trash thinks it was the chick who killed the boys. Here comes the sequel.

With that I give “The Blair Witch Project” 1 ½ stars out of 5. I just didn’t find it that good.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Bambi

Here’s a bit from The Dude on the Right’s Blu-ray review of “Bambi”

… So, as a movie I have to say that I didn’t cry, I almost found “Bambi” kind of boring when I was just watching it solo, but when I was playing around with the extra features on the Blu-ray, especially the “Story Meeting” and Second Screen, I was getting sucked right back into it. With that, when I just saw the movie I was almost hesitant to write a review because it was starting to be a simple “I give ‘Bambi’ 2 stars,” even if it is still unbelievable to me the animation detail of a movie from back in the 1940’s, as my wife pointed out the scenes with reflections in the water, but with the extra features, wow, it’s 4 ½ stars out of 5 for the “Bambi” Diamond Edition. I almost dismissed the extras as basic extras, but I’m glad I played around with them because they brought a little more magic to a movie that well, seems a little dated. …

Bambi

MPAA Rated – G
It’s 1:10 Long
A Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

Bambi Blu-ray Diamond Edition Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Bambi, Thumper, Flower, and all of Bambi’s friends.
MPAA Rated:	G
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios
Release Date:	March 1, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	It’s for the youngin’s.
Date Movie:	If you’re watching it as a family, or she’s a Disney fanatic.
Gratuitous Sex:	Um, no.
Gratuitous Violence:	There is some peril, but nothing gratuitous.
Action:	Some chasing and running around.
Laughs:	Cute for the kids.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing stood out.
Memorable Quote:	Nah.
Cool things about the Blu-ray:	There is some basic stuff, some deleted scene stuff, and some games for the kids, but for total coolness bust out your iPad or computer and sync things up using the Second Screen feature. It will take “Bambi” from a dated 1940’s animated movie into the 2010’s.

I don’t remember ever seeing “Bambi” when I was a youngin’. I don’t think it’s because I had bad parents, because I vaguely remember seeing Pinocchio, but I think it was more because when I was growing up, before the time of video, Disney would stagger re-releases into the theater, and I was 8 years old by the time it came out again in 1975. With that, it was with some anticipation as I plopped myself on the couch to watch “Bambi,” and yes, this movie probably isn’t geared for me, and yes, it wasn’t even exciting for my wife, but I can see its place in movie history, and as a parent, you’re going to have to be the one to judge because, as kids seem to get older quicker, I’m thinking “Bambi” is almost skewing itself to the 3 to 4 year olds, although, with the interactive Disney Second Screen feature, your 5 year old with their iPad might enjoy learning a whole boat-load of stuff about Disney animation.

I guess I’ll start with the story before I get to what might be the most feature-packed Blu-ray I’ve ever seen.

The story is simple: It’s the story of a young deer, Bambi, and the intrusion of man on nature. The movie opens with introductory scenes of the animal “friends” Bambi will have growing up, and then, there’s Bambi, a newborn, with his mom. At first Bambi is an unsure little deer, hanging with his friends, but then as winter comes to pass, and the friends in the forest grow up, wouldn’t you know it but love enters the picture, too. In the meantime man is intruding more and more on the forest and momma deer has to warn Bambi of the dangers out there, and in deer nation, the elder statesman is there to help the group.

And so, yup, there is peril as momma deer takes a bullet, man sets the forest on fire, and Bambi learns he is much more than just a timid little deer – that he might be destined for greatness.

The thing is, as entertaining as this story sort of sounds, in this day and age of multitasking and mind-overload, I found the movie a tad boring, even through the music movements, although I know, from being little once, that there was a time in movie-land that things like an orchestra building to a crescendo can create excitement, but I don’t think it works so well today, at least it didn’t here, or at least for me.

And this is where the Disney folks are seeing that interactivity might be the way to go with the youngin’s of today because, as a movie, I’m thinking the kids might be bored with a straight sitting of “Bambi,” but with a computer to play along with, even I almost got trapped into watching the movie a couple of times.

First off, the Blu-ray Diamond Edition includes some nice little extras like a missing scene, some extra music, and looks kick-butt between the Blu-ray and a decent widescreen TV, but the package add-ons don’t stop there. Nope, for just Blu-ray goodness, there is a fantastic “Inside Walt’s Story Meeting” feature that, rather than just a boring commentary track, shifts things around with video, taking you through the entire process of how a movie like Bambi goes from concept to the final story. There is also some game-play for the kids, though from my experience the Blu-ray games never play as well as the computer version, but they are there for you to play with your kids.

The winner though, for this Blu-ray package, is the Disney Second Screen feature. Now I did have a little bit of an issue syncing it with my laptop, but I’m guessing if you have an iPad it is probably pretty easy to do. Pretty much, what happens, is as the movie plays on your TV, on your computer or iPad, there is an interactiveness that plays along exactly with the movie. You get extra art-work, tile games, bonus information about the scene, and loads of things that, for the kids of the 2010’s, will probably get them through a lovely orchestral maneuver and into the next scene. It was really kind of fascinating, and for the older movies like a Bambi, will probably be the wave of the future to keep them fresh.

So, as a movie I have to say that I didn’t cry, I almost found “Bambi” kind of boring when I was just watching it solo, but when I was playing around with the extra features on the Blu-ray, especially the “Story Meeting” and Second Screen, I was getting sucked right back into it. With that, when I just saw the movie I was almost hesitant to write a review because it was starting to be a simple “I give ‘Bambi’ 2 stars,” even if it is still unbelievable to me the animation detail of a movie from back in the 1940’s, as my wife pointed out the scenes with reflections in the water, but with the extra features, wow, it’s 4 ½ stars out of 5 for the “Bambi” Diamond Edition. I almost dismissed the extras as basic extras, but I’m glad I played around with them because they brought a little more magic to a movie that well, seems a little dated.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Academy Award Talk, Bambi, A Nice Nap, and The Space Shuttle Discovery Takes Off!

By: The Dude on the Right

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Stu Gotz finally got the family to Florida to see Space Shuttle Discovery take off, and during this “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, he gives some space shuttle facts for all to enjoy. What I didn’t enjoy, Stu found acceptable, and Mama Gotz found that it was more fun to watch “Minute to Win It” instead, was The Oscars, and as the various Academy Awards were given out, I tell Stu that the Twitterverse was much more exciting and funny than the actual broadcast.

On the movie front, while not my official review of “Bambi” which is out on Blu-ray on March 1st, we discuss “Bambi” and how it reflects how times have changed and how kids are probably growing up faster than us old-farts did. We also discuss, a bit, how movie-making has changed, with Stu bringing up the “True Grit” remake versus the original John Wayne version, and how he was happy “Megamind” was out on video.

I took a nap, my BFF made tuna noodle casserole, I’m sick of the crappy weather, but we don’t talk about Charlie Sheen, which seems oddly weird for us.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Rain Gutter Guards at a SCUBA Show, Mattresses, Little Things, and Loving Survivor.

By: The Dude on the Right

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I watched an episode of “Chuck!” Yup, I’m catching up on my TV viewing, and during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, I let Stu Gotz know what I think about the girl with the black hair. I also let Stu know that “Survivor: Redemption Island” is great, and that I’m seeing how they will be working to finish up “Smallville,” at least for me.

Stu, meanwhile, spent the weekend SCUBAing, or at least talking about SCUBA, at a local convention. He found it odd some of the items being peddled at the show, but I put things in perspective for him. He did get out to see some of “Gnomeo and Juliet,” had a great meal at The Capital Grille in Rosemont thanks to it being Chicago Restaurant week (it ends Feb 27th) in, well, Chicago(land), and saw a movie on DVD called “Trailer Park Boys: The Movie” and is curious what I might thing of it.

We’re celebrating President’s Day, a little thing makes my wife happy, Stu sings the “Hail to the Chief” version from the movie “Dave,” and it would be nice if the rain rain would go away away.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Eminem was Robbed, Bad Bowling, Movies and TV Shows, and the Drop and Give Me App Explained.

By: The Dude on the Right

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During this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, we find out that Stu Gotz isn’t that good of a bowler, and he doesn’t know how to watch The Grammy Awards, either. As such, I have to give him the scoop on how Eminem was robbed, but I don’t do a great job at explaining Cee Lo Green to him. I do, however, give him a fantastic explanation of my latest iPhone app called “Drop and Give Me,” and he is actually impressed that I already able to do fifteen push-ups.

As far as explaining also goes, Stu does his best to sell “Just Go With It,” a movie both he and Mama Gotz enjoyed, while I do my best to warn Stu to watch “The King’s Speech” in a well-lit room. We find that Mama Gotz didn’t read my review of “When in Rome,” we both enjoyed the latest “30 Rock” and the fact that Jack Donaghy now has a Canadian baby, and neither of us can really figure out what “I Am Number Four” is about from the trailers.

All of that and more, and thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

You Again

Here’s a bit from The Dude on the Right’s Blu-ray review of “You Again”

… Meanwhile, there’s mom, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis), who is trying to instill the “Let bygones be bygones” attitude in her daughter, up until the point that Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) comes into the picture as Joanna’s aunt, because, well, Joanna’s parents are both dead. And, oh yes, there’s Betty White as Grandma Bunny, in a movie that decides a horn-dog grandma is the best way to use her. …

You Again

MPAA Rated – PG
It’s 1:45 Long A Blu-ray Review by:
– The Dude on the Right

You Again Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Odette Yustman, Betty White
MPAA Rated:	PG
Released By:	Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date:	February 8, 2011
Kiddie Movie:	Okay for slightly older girls.
Date Movie:	If it’s mom watching with her daughter, sure.
Gratuitous Sex:	Betty White is old and horny.
Gratuitous Violence:	Slapstick.
Action:	Nah.
Laughs:	Slapstick.
Memorable Scene:	Nothing.
Memorable Quote:	None.
Directed By:	Andy Fickman

As I was thinking more and more about the movie “You Again,” which is really more thought than I should be giving it in my mind, other than the initial viewing and writing my review, I kept trying to figure out who the target audience would be. I mean, it had girls bickering, which is sometimes fun, although the movie is only rated PG, and in afterthought it’s mostly harmless slapstick. But, the bickering is between twenty-something women, and sure, also older ,mom-something women, which makes me wonder if the pre-teen and younger teen crowd would enjoy it, which I think is sort of the target market because older teen girls and, well, everyone else might just be bored. Then I thought maybe the market is a woman like my sister, where, well, she’s a market all to herself. Then I wondered if there was a way to make the movie more enjoyable. Then I wondered how Betty White got involved. Then I stopped wondering and told myself to just give the synopsis for the movie, my final rating, and be done with it.

So here goes.

“You Again” gives you Kristen Bell. She plays Marnie, a twenty-something girl who was the pimple-faced, braces-wearing girl that would get picked on in high school. Low and behold she has turned into a lovely girl, working her way up the public relations corporate ladder. Of course, in high school, there was her nemesis, Joanna (Odette Yustman), and she also had the good-looking jock, older brother, who happens to be marrying Joanna, and Marnie is horrified. So, as Marnie is re-living her high school horrors, she isn’t buying the “New” Joanna, the sweet, caring, and humanitarian one that her brother is marrying, so she is hell-bent on exposing Joanna for the high school bully she was.

Meanwhile, there’s mom, Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis), who is trying to instill the “Let bygones be bygones” attitude in her daughter, up until the point that Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) comes into the picture as Joanna’s aunt, because, well, Joanna’s parents are both dead. And, oh yes, there’s Betty White as Grandma Bunny, in a movie that decides a horn-dog grandma is the best way to use her.

And so, hilarity is supposed to ensue as Marnie plots her ways to split up her brother and Joanna, as Marnie still has the hots for her brother’s friend, and Gail and Ramona ramp up their rivalry to the obligatory “pool fight” scene, where, of course, they make up.

Look, the movie is pretty harmless, and although not a movie that would be my cup of tea, I still try to enjoy a movie for whom they are aimed at, and this movie just can’t seem to figure it out. There’s the goofiness that might appeal to the younger girls, but there a subtle mean-ness that if done in a little more adult manner could get some older teen girls liking it. So, I suppose, if my niece were about 12, and my sister wanted something to watch with her, I’d say it was fine, but it’s still not stretching any movie boundaries, the gags are generic, and in the end I’m going to give “You Again” 2 stars out of 5.

Now, as far as the Blu-ray and extras, they are pretty much throw-away extras that don’t help the movie and don’t give extra laughs. The “Blooper Dance Party” doesn’t really have any funny bloopers, the deleted scenes were better left that way, and about the only thing that did make me grin was the “Funny or Die” spoof interview.

I guess I just wanted more from the likes of the experience of the cast, but it just didn’t make it.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!

Brassed Off

MPAA Rated – R
It’s 1:47 Long
A Review by:
– Stu Gotz

Brassed Off Movie Stats & Links
Starring:	Pete Postlethwaite, Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor, Stephen Tompkinson
MPAA Rated:	R
Released By:	Miramax
Release Date:	1996
Kiddie Movie:	See “Date movie.”
Date Movie:	Why waste more good money by bringing someone else along.
Gratuitous Sex:	Would have made this movie more bearable.
Gratuitous Violence:	No.
Action:	No.
Laughs:	No.
Memorable Scene:	A financially troubled miner, whose wife has left him, is forced to make extra money by being a clown (with really big shoes). His depression grows too great so he hangs himself. In the hospital you see him being rolled in on a gurney with his big clown shoes sticking up. I almost pissed myself with laughter.
Memorable Quote:	“Would you like to come up for some coffee?” Reply “I don’t drink coffee.” Response “I didn’t have any coffee anyway.”
Directed By:	Mark Herman

“Easily the first great film of 1997!” Huh?!? What??? What movie did the critic from NBC-TV go see? It certainly could not have been the snooze fest of a movie that I saw. All I can think is that the “Brassed Off” promotions people put “Two Thumbs Up!” the bum holes of some critics to get such high praise.

I’m told that the movie’s title, “Brassed Off”, is British slang for “Pissed Off.” Well, quite honestly, I’m pissed off that I had to sit awake through this whole movie. Let me tell you, it was a tough battle to fight off the “head nods,” but I managed to make it through the whole “slow, not making a clear point, cliché” of a movie. This movie did have a lot of potential because it did touch upon so many emotional subjects, and there- in lies the problem I had with “Brassed Off.” – It just “touches” upon the character issues. Just as you, the audience, gets interested in a story line, the movie takes off in another direction, and that really brassed me off. This could have been a movie that made a dramatic point about how the closing of a coal mine can emotionally and financially affect the community surrounding it, and furthermore it could have showed how politics, both nationally and locally, enter into such situations. And you know, “Brassed Off” could have even followed one of two love lines: That of love growing or that of love dying. It does show all of that, but not with as great of detail or success that I would have liked. Instead the movie focuses far too much time on how a simple town band loosely holds together the community during it’s time of strife. Let’s be realistic, who is really gonna go off and toot a horn when their marriage and job are on the line, yet the movie chooses this fruitless story line and again does it with poor detail.

“Brassed Off” was an ambitious movie that tried to drive too may points home in too short of a time and therefore failed on all fronts. I really can’t recommend you spending your money to see this movie and seriously doubt that you would be able to even if you wanted to. “Brassed Off” was scheduled for a very limited release in LA and New York on May 23rd, and from there I fear it won’t get too far because I’m sure most people and “blue-collar” critics like myself would agree that this was a movie that tried and failed. I can only give “Brassed Off” 1 1/2 out of 5 stars.

I kinda feel real bad that I had to basically trash this movie, but I really thought it sucked! – Maybe I’m just an unsophisticated dolt. I’m sure that a lot of people may like this movie, but if you’re not sure if you want to go see it, ask yourself the following question:

Question: If I were to walk into a lounge (not a bar, pub, or crack house) would I order:

(a) A pint of Bass Ale
(b) A glass of ’77 Merlot
(c) A MGD Light in a bottle
(d) I wouldn’t be caught dead in a lounge!

If you choose the Bass Ale, this might be a movie you’d understand, but not necessarily like. If you’d go for the vintage wine, then this is definitely a movie you would see and probably tell your friends you loved, but deep down you really couldn’t understand it (you pretentious asshole). If you’re like me you would have gone for the Macro Brewed Beer, then I’d hazard a guess and say you’re not really gonna like this movie. Lastly, if you wouldn’t be caught dead in a place as classy as a lounge, then by all means save your money and don’t be caught dead in a theater showing Miramax’s newest release “Brassed Off.” ’nuff said.

A Super Bowl Breakdown, AOL On the Comeback, Movies to Watch – Not, and Here Comes Spring?

By: The Dude on the Right

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The Chicago Blizzard is over, the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, and 2011 isn’t looking any better for Christina Aguilera than 2010 was, so during this episode of our “Weekend Wrap-Up!” podcast, Stu Gotz and I break it all down.

We’ve got talk about the commercials shown during the big game, both the good and the bad, and oddly enough this conversations turns into a little bit of talk about the resurgence of AOL, what with them buying the Huffington Post and all. We also discuss the Black Eyed Peas and whether they are bad, or was it just the sound people, and a Super Bowl weekend discussion wouldn’t be complete without a breakdown of the game. Well, we don’t really talk about it.

Stu saw an obscure movie called “1900,” I watched “Eat. Pray. Love” with my BFF, Stu wonders why “Yogi Bear” is still in theaters, I might see “Just Got With It” this weekend, and Stu is looking for someone elses opinion about “Supernatural.”

It was a big weekend, both of us survived the Blizzard of 2011, neither of us are looking forward to the zero degree weather on the Chicago horizon, but both of us are excited about pitchers and catchers getting ready to report, although sadly it does mean that both the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians will be mathematically eliminated from The World Series in about two months.

Thanks for listening!

That’s it for this podcast! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!