AllMoPs 18

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 18 (1.9.2011)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

How is your year going so far?

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MVOTW

"Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z (feat. Alicia Keys)

Finally discovered this song and dig it a great deal. What a swell tribute to New York City! Furthermore, it's refreshing to see a hip-hop MV these days that ISN'T all about girls "dancing" in a club. Nice editing to beats. A collage of life.

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A LIST

Rolling Stone has been busy making lists lately! (See more in The Film Tome Report.) Here's several music-related ones: 30 Best Albums of 2010, 50 Best Songs of 2010, 100 Greatest Artists of All Time, and 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

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NEWS TO ME

Have you heard about the hobo with the golden voice? Better question, have you heard said voice? Here's CNN's coverage. Here's off-news documentation. I hope this guy gets his own podcast!

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MONKEY DO

Have you ever seen a baby mandrill? Well, if you're in Lansing anytime soon be sure to stop by the Potter Park Zoo and check one out. Or you could just look here. Or here.

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RANDOMONIA

This just might be the most intense video on the world wide web.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

The Head-Scratcher*:

*Formally know as "The 'Okay...'".

"African Cats" is currently one of the few films I'm looking forward to in 2011. (Besides "The Tree of Life" and "Cowboys and Aliens," there are not many films I'm excited about. Many people thought 2010 was a dry spell for great cinema, a preposterous notion IMHO, 2011 looks nowhere as good.) Imagine my surprise (which shouldn't be hard as you may be surprised yourself) when I heard news of "The Last Lions." This is ANOTHER nature documentary about lions in Africa! I refuse to believe this was all coincidental. "The Last Lions" is narrated by Jeremy Irons and comes a whole two months before "African Cats," but may not be receiving as wide a release. Both films look gorgeous and will provide an interesting compare-and-contrast study later this year.

The Simon Pegg and Nick Frost duo beats just about any other. Case in point: "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz." Perhaps it was the lack of their dynamic-ness that made Edgar Wright's latest, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," feel so empty. The duo return (without Wright's direction) in "Paul." A lot of it looks lame, but I'm hopeful.

With a tagline like "Stay in the light" you know you're getting something different with "Vanishing on 7th Street." (Make sure you select the trailer.) The trailer is far from subtle and shows FAR TOO MUCH for my liking. There are teasers and there are trailers, then there are revealers (like this). Are there any scary moments in the film this trailer doesn't showcase? Directed by Brad Anderson (who did "The Machinist") and starring Hayden Christensen who you all loved in the lesser "Star Wars" trilogy. Hard to tell if this will rise or fail.

Two more docs: Go green with "The Last Mountain" and get blown away by "Tornado Alley."

Toss of the Week: Maybe I was scared I would get beat up or perhaps this really is what I've been looking for, either way "Strong Man" is my top pick from the blooming trailers this week. I love character studies and slice-of-life pieces. This looks to deliver truth and a lot of heart.

ENLSITED

Here's Rolling Stone's 10 Best Movies of 2010 (no surprise what number one is... it seems to be topping everyone's list). Also, here is their 10 Worst Movies of 2010 (the four of which I saw I quite liked...).

KEEPIN' IT SHORT

Logorama

Directed by François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy and Ludovic Houplain

This 16-minute animated film won an Academy Award last year. It looks like a lot of work and lot of asking for permission... the concept is superb!

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Finicky porcupine! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available at my blog, All Manner of Posts. Jazz up your January and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 17

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 17 (1.1.2011)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

Happy New Year! Please excuse the AllMoPs hiatus. After finishing finals I took a vacation from many-a-thing, including my "weekly informing and recommending email" duties. It has been a couple of weeks since Issue 16, but I am here to bring in the New Year with plenty of cheer. Merrymake.

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MVOTW

"Rabbit In Your Headlights" - Unkle

The new year deserves one of the greatest music videos of all time. Watch it to the end and then ponder.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

A near-death experience has made Tom Shadyac (director of several Jim Carrey comedies such as "Bruce Almighty") want to make a documentary about human life. The trailer for "I Am" starts off looking like something we've seen before, but by the end, I'm not too sure.

"Water For Elephants" - Based on the bestselling novel, this one looks great. Christoph Waltz (who totally deserved his Oscar last year) and Reese Witherspoon are bound to deliver great performances. Robert Pattinson (forever known as Edward) also looks tremendously capable in his role. It looks very pretty and seems dramatic enough. On any other week this would've garnered my toss.

Toss of the Week: Terrence Malick makes about one film per decade. Nearly each one makes my list of favorite films per decade. "The Tree of Life" looks to be no exception. The stunning visuals (praise be given to one of my favorite cinematographers, Emmanuel Lubezki) and the poetic monologue thoughts (a Malick staple) are the best of this form. Brad Pitt (who I'll defend to the end as a great actor) and Sean Penn star. This is going to be one heavy-hitter! I am predicting the best of 2011 right here. May 27th.

ENLSITED

With the end of the year we get many critic's Top Ten of the Year lists. Check out two of the most well-known's: Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper.

KEEPIN' IT SHORT

"Maestro"

Directed by Geza M. Toth

Nominated for an Academy Award back in 2005. You won't know why unless you watch to the end (seems to be a theme this issue). Very amusing!

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Flying hamsters! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available at my blog, All Manner of Posts. Hope you are having a great year so far, thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 16

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 16 (12.11.2010)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

How ya doin'? Thanks for doin' what ya do. You're welcome for doin' what I do. Let's both just keep doin' what we doin'. Dude.

Firstly, I want to thank my sister Mandy who gave both AllMoPs and The Film Tome a snazzy makeover, including original designs for each blog's title. This is the start for better and better. Thanks sis!

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MVOTW

"Dynamite" - Today Show

Remember last week when I featured the a cappella covers of "Dynamite"? Well, here's yet another version by the lovable hosts of the Today Show (as part of their "Today Goes Viral" series). It's surprisingly good and just all around light-hearted fun. Al Rocker is the bee's knees! It's worth mentioning that Mike Tompkins help them pull this off. Check out the making of this video.

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A LIST*

*My love for lists marches on with this new addition to AllMoPs.

Each year Time magazine unveils their list of the best photos of the year that graced their pages. 2010.

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NEWS TO ME

Think Nativity programs at the local church are a safe and harmless activity? Watch this and think again.

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MONKEY DO

Late Monday night a baby orangutan was born, a welcome addition to the Melbourne Zoo. See attached storyfor an adorably silly pic.

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RANDOMONIA

If this unsettling video does not exhort you to keep both eyes on the road and both hands on the wheel, I don't know what will. It is disturbing. It is dramatic. It is quite beautiful. I apologize for the poor quality, it is the best I could find. Please drive safe.

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GAMERAIN

"Pac-Man Championship Edition DX" is getting a lot of love. I really wanted to know why and after just watching 3-minutes of gameplay during Gamespot's video review I think I do know. Can't wait to try this one for myself! It has totally reinvented the classic "Pac-Man" in a welcome way. The game currently boasts a 95% on Metacritic. It's available for download on Xbox 360 and PS3.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

The third trailer for "Tron: Legacy" came out a month ago. This link will take you to them and a few clips Disney has released. The trailers make this film look like the coolest thing since "Inception." However, the clips (especially the one with Castor) left me worried, especially about the dialogue. Might we have another "Avatar" on our hands? A gorgeous film with spectacular special effects and exciting action sequences, but a script in need of work (namely the spoken word). "Tron: Legacy" comes out next week.

"Transformers: Dark of the Moon" has an interesting trailer until we actually see the transformer. At that point all excitement left me. I've seen the first and frankly, that was enough. Again, special effects do not make a movie... they make tech demos.

You've been forewarned, the second and latest trailer for "Rio" decreased my eagerness to see it. It is a little distracting to have who I now associate as Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) voice the main bird. On top of that, movie trailer man rattles off a bunch of other famous people who have donated their voices to the cause. That's dandy and all, but that's not necessarily going to make a fine flick. The narrative will, which has a good enough premise. The animation looks very nice, but that's not hard to come by these days.

If a baby orangutan wasn't enough... "Nenette" is a 40-year-old orangutan! She is the oldest resident in a Paris zoo. That could be a fascinating premise of a new Pixar film, but it's not. It is a documentary, but it still looks fascinating! This brings back memories of "Koko: A Talking Gorilla," another primate-y documentary (from 1978) that I love.

Add some testosterone to your weekend with the first trailer for "Thor." This superhero's backstory is especially unique. Anthony Hopkins (who plays Odin) looks great with more hair than ever! Kenneth Branagh, yes, Kenneth Branagh, directs.

None of these trailers left my jaw dropped or mind bewildered. So, no awards this week.

ENLISITED

Stephen King likes putting his Top 10 Films of the Year list out early. He says he considers the years from November to November. He is a compelling writer and this is a compelling list (his Top 10 Films of 2010).

THE GOOD

This is good news to me because, unlike many humans, I thoroughly enjoyed each installment of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy. They were entertaining movies, each with its own grandiose set-pieces. Johnny Depp's performance was a revelation and the antagonists in each film delivered brilliant performances. The stories were wild adventures on the high seas, set against a historical era, but steeped in mythologies. I deem the trilogy a huge success. It is with this forward that I share with you some production stills from the fourth installment "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." The film is due May 20th and I am optimistic again for one of the better series coming out of Hollywood's gates. the brilliance of Depp and Geoffery Rush (who is making a splash this year with his performance in "The King's Speech") return with some new faces. The biggest change is the man in the director's chair: Gore Verbinski has been replaces with Rob Marshall ("Chicago" and "Memoirs of a Geisha"). Does that mean we can expect a few musical numbers? Bring it on! I'm guessing we can look forward to a trailer in the next or month or so.

THE BAD

I was looking VERY forward to the new Farrelly Brothers film, "The Three Stooges." Unfortunately the three wonderful leads they had casted (Jim Carrey, Sean Penn, and Benecio Del Toro) all jumped ship. I easily imagined the greatness that trio would deliver... Well, the Farrellys aren't giving up. They are looking to cast three new stooges. JoBlo.com covers the story in their humorous "Cast This" segment.

AND THE WEIRD

Emma Stone (from "Zombieland" and "Easy A") is staring as Peter Parker's initial love interest, Gwen Stacy, in the "Spider-Man" reboot. Proof. The role was played quite well by Bryce Dallas Howard in the "old" one. It still leaves me scratching my head that we're getting an all new "Spider-Man" film franchise this soon... Do you know the other roles? Andrew Garfield (Eduardo in "The Social Network") is the main man. Martin Sheen is Uncle Ben. Sally Field as Aunt May. Rhys Ifans (?) is going to play the first villain, The Lizard. Of course, his character was once a doctor. Marc Webb (who was pointed out to me as having a fitting last name) snags this as his second feature directing (after "(500) Days of Summer").

KEEPIN' IT SHORT

"Sisyphus"

This is a powerful animated short. An interesting and inspiring take on the Greek myth.

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Fluffy moose! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available at my blog, All Manner of Posts. Keep it chill and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 15

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 15 (12.5.2010)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

Dear one, dear all! Hope y'all had a fabulous Thanksgiving ("And I'm thankful! Are you thankful?") week. You may or may not have noticed that AllMoPs took a well-deserved break last week. Well, we're back now with plugs-a-plenty! Merrymake.

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MVOTW

We got a triple-feature up in here! Raise doz handz 'n keep 'em up!

"Dynamite" - Mike Tompkins

Tompkin's deserves a Grammy for this. The boy's done an a cappella cover Taio Cruz's "Dynamite." He performs every vocal version of various instruments himself. Make sure you watch till the end when it breaks each sound down. An incredible song and production. This is a one-man-show that's going down in the history books fo sho.

"Candlelight" - The Maccabeats

A Jewish a cappella group in NY has done a parody of Tompkin's work. That's right, this is a variation on a variation. Some nice Jewish twists here... "spin the dreeeeeeeeeidel" is gonna be the new catchphrase on the streets folks. Eat it up!

"Hibi no neiro" - SOUR

The multiple PIPs (picture-in-picture) MV format reminded me of this gem by SOUR. This has been in my mind ever since I first saw it (thanks to Lyvia, my TMA 102 TA). The song itself is nothing to write home about, but the genius of multiple web-cam interactions is required viewing. Just imagining trying to plan this gives me a headache... Props SOUR & Co. for making one of the neatest MVs I've ever seen.

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MONKEY DO

Did you know there is an Annual Monkey Festival in Thailand. Thousands of chimps are presented to a feast with over 3 tons of food, while hundreds humans watch. I hope to witness the festivities for myself someday. Story (with video and pics) here.

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RANDOMONIA

Okay. Trust me on this. Plug in your headphones and listen to this. (Thanks Nancy!)

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

I remember hearing word about this on the web months ago... I was thrilled to stumble upon the trailer just now. "The Beaver" stars Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. The film is directed by the latter. It's hard to take the film's ridiculous premise, subject matter, and namesake seriously, but the makers ain't kidding when they declare "Genre: Drama." Something like this is easier to swallow having seen "Lars and the Real Girl," a nice small film (like "The Beaver") about a guy who overcome's personal problems and mental illness through a relationship with a doll. Like a heist plan hatched in a "Ocean's"-movie, this just might be crazy enough to work. It's good to see Gibson again.

Speaking of the "Ocean's" series... here is a doc from the mastermind (Steven Soderbergh) behind the remake and its welcomed sequels: "And Everything is Going Fine." This is a tribute for and about Spalding Gray, a zealous storyteller. All who tell stories can find something of interest herein. This came as a pleasant surprise.

"Mars Needs Moms." If you say so. This CGI-adventure from Disney is one of the most realistic looking computer animations I have ever seen. I just hope the narrative and innovations can match the visual detail.

Another good-looking CG-animated feature. This one is appropriately due come Spring. You see, "Hop" is about the Easter Bunny. It comes from the studio behind "Despicable Me," a film I thought I'd deplore and actually quite liked. (Isn't that bunny playing "The Song" by Blur?)

Toss of the Week: Did you know Earth Day was April 22nd? Well, now we both do. I've missed Disneynature's previous Earth Day releases ("Earth" and "Oceans"), but I'm putting "African Cats" on my calender. I've still yet to catch up with the "Planet Earth" series and the aforementioned Disneynature features, but believe I love love love nature docs. "African Cats" looks astounding. Cinematography and documentation at its finest. I'm thrilled!

KEEPIN' IT SHORT*

*In this all-new segment within "The Film Tome Report," I will be delivering a short film for your consideration.

"The Life and Death of a Pumpkin"

Directed by Aaron Yonda

This humorous and clever bit won Best Short Film and Best Concept at the Chicago Horror Film Festival in 2006. I thoroughly enjoy perspective pieces like this. On a somewhat related note, "The Bottle Neck" by Hans Christian Anderson is a personal favorite.

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Chubby wombats! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available at my blog, All Manner of Posts. Start making the best of the last month of this new decade and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 14

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 14 (11.21.2010)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

I'm home this weekend (and next) for Thanksgiving and feel I'm entitled to a sort of vacation. That doesn't mean I'm taking two weeks off from AllMoPs, no siree! Just that I'm giving you a little morsel this time and we'll just have to see about Thanksgiving weekend.

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MVOTW

"Thankful" - Baron Mak McLean

O the fruits of YouTube searches! I think "And I'm thankful! Are your thankful?" will be rotating like a broken record in my mind forever more. Tis the season boys! Props to their choreographer, I'm thankful.

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RANDOMONIA

Here are some interesting compilations of the "Luckiest Guys in the World." One and then another.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

Consider "Born To Be Wild" my MONKEY DO this week. A nature doc about an orphan elephant and an orphan chimp. Look gorgeously photographed. Who would you get to narrate? Morgan Freeman, number one answer.

Pixar has now released a trailer that actually tells us something about "Cars 2." It looks very nice, but I'm actually not all that excited for it.

"The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" is one of my most beloved film. Well, now Walt Disney Animation Studios is reviving the property with the simply named "Winnie the Pooh." The animation is almost too clean, the voice changes are jarring, and, aside from a nice montage of possible new tails for Eeyore, I was pretty uninterested. Still, gotta be hopeful for something so cherished eh?

The special effects in "Green Lantern" are worth seeing. I know nothing about this superhero, but I'm willing to give it a chance next summer.

My mother and sister ever ask about "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." It's hard to pick a favorite of the brilliant "Chronicles" series penned by C.S. Lewis, but this one would definitely be considered. Here's the latest trailer! It comes out in less than a month (Dec. 10th).

The "Okay...": Can you count all the similarities "Red Riding Hood" has with "Twilight"? Good grief. I'll say no thank you now, but predict I'll somehow someday get caught up with this one.

Toss of the Week: Vampires, zombies and aliens! Oh my! Yes... these three are all the rage these days. I've got yet another alien flick to make you aware of, but this time I couldn't be happier. Based on a comic book (of course!) of the same name, "Cowboys & Aliens" looks possibly too cool. Last month Rockstar proved that adding zombies to the Western genre was a stroke of brilliance with the "Undead Nightmare" expansion to this year's best video game, "Red Dead Redemption". To me, inserting aliens instead could be just as good. An impressive and exciting preview to say the least! Next summer can't come soon enough now. It is a wonderful sight to see Harrison Ford don a cowboy hat again.

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Peevish armadillo! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available at my blog, All Manner of Posts. Be thankful and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 13

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 13 (11.14.2010)

a weekly informing and recommending email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

Thirteen has long been my lucky number. Perhaps it is because it has been cast off by the masses, left alone to earn a following. Was it out of pity I embraced what many label "unlucky"? Either way, I've claimed it. It has been a friend to me. It's a dozen and then one (bakers alert). I am primarily drawn by even and sturdy numbers (usually those divisible by five), so it is curious how my relationship with 13 even began. Truth be told, I know not from whence it came.

Welcome to Issue 13 today. November 13th was yesterday. Someone somewhere is turning 13 tomorrow. That's all I got. Merrymake!

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MVOTW

"Wasting My Life" - The Hippos

So, he falls in love with an amoeba? This is a fine piece from one of the few ska bands I know (ska: punk with a trumpet?). Definitely not making my Music Video Hall of Fame or anything, but it is a decent vision of a to-the-point song.

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RANDOMONIA

The time for reckoning has come! There are those who have seen "Battle at Kruger" and those who have not. Now is the chance to make sure you fall in the former camp. This is one of the greatest things a camera has ever captured.

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GAMERAIN

On Monday IGN posted "The Top 25 Wii Games." I personally haven't spent near as much time with Nintendo's darling as I would like, but have mixed feelings concerning the system as a whole (mainly dealing with the pros and cons of the WiiMote and how such a method of gaming can either delight or infuriate). I've had a lot of fun with the Wii and "Epic Mickey" (coming out November 30th) looks to be the killer app in my mind.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

Earlier this year I put the UFO spotlight on two alien films. "Skyline" just came out and is only fairing so-so at the box office. Not sure if "Monsters" is going to get a wide release. Well, TWO MORE alien films are now landing! "Seres: Genesis" is a Mexican invasion film. It looks disturbingly cool. "Battle: Los Angeles," Hollywood's entry, looks just plain cool. (Count how many times we see a spacecraft zoom by overhead.) This film further proves at least one thing: If you need a macho female marine you have to cast Michelle Rodriguez (of "Lost" fame).

"All Good Things" come to an end? Starts off quite chill, but gets quite intense. Again, a reveal I wished I didn't know until I was in the theater. Regardless, this one looks quite effective. Hooray for the under appreciated and largely unknown Philip Baker Hall (he's seen in the trailer for a split second).

"Season of the Witch" is a pleasant surprise. From what I could dig up, this is an original IP and I consider that absolutely marvelous. Hollywood is becoming infamous for its remakes (Their thinking is such: "If it was made here over 25 years ago, it needs an update. If it was made in another country last year and was any good, it needs an American version so we don't have to read subtitles.") and franchises (Their thinking is such: "If the first was any good and made bank, make another."), so it is like unto seeing sunlight through darkening clouds when a novel idea comes around. Besides that, it's a little known fact that I am a sucker for the medieval-era fantasy flings. A CGI bombast to be sure, but I have high hopes for this one. Oh yeah, this stars Nick Cage.

More olden-timed drama and warfare for my queue! "The Eagle" is yet another example of how key plot twists are so often spoiled in trailers (see "All Good Things"). Still, looks like nothing narratively innovative here. A plus for some good-looking battle scenes.

Is this a documentary? That I even have to seriously ask is a huge measure of success for "You Won't Miss Me." Naturalistic filmmaking has always had a lasting effect on me. Perhaps it will on you too. Taking a stab at real life and aiming to touch each of us in one way or another... these types of projects are bold.

"Kung Fu Panda 2" of course. It even sounds great! I was amazed when the ending credits began to roll on the first "Kung Fu Panda." Amazed that I finally finished watching it after several attempts. Amazed how much I genuinely liked an American, non-Pixar, CG-animated feature film. And amazed at the celebrity ensemble involved for delivering the voices. Jack Black was certainly clear, but I had no idea the likes of Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan and Seth Rogen. Sure, it's fun, but not at all necessary. I can't help but think how much of the budget was spent on voices of the famous. Anyways, I'm all for another fun-filled adventure with Po and the gang (what grand action scenes the first one had!).

"The Way Back" is the latest from one of the greatest, Peter Weir. Another POW-escape adventure! (I highly recommend Herzog's "Rescue Dawn.") It seems we've struck a definite theme of "trailers that give away the story" today. Y'know, I think most are like that... I'm just particularly sensitive to the offense today. In truth, I stopped watching this one just over halfway through because I didn't want to know any more. I look forward to seeing this one!

Another trailer for "Little Fockers" has emerged. Notice the lack of a link. Notice my disapproval. Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman are amazing actors, but this is an insult to them. "Meet the Parents" was good enough, but should not have received any return (especially not a second time).

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Departing jaguars! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available on my blog, All Manner of Posts. Have a lucky day and thanks for plugging in!

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AllMoPs 12

All Manner of Plugs: Issue 12 (11.4.2010)

a weekly recommendations and information email

Written by J.S. Lewis

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PLUG IN

Feelin' good? Feelin' great? Another condensed yet hearty helping in the Film Tome Report this week. In Gamerain we shine the spotlight on Kinect, which hit store shelves today (though they may be all sold out). And then some of the usual chords... rock on!

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MVOTW

"Ocean Breathes Salty" - Modest Mouse

I love this song and am ecstatic about the artsy and creative treatment it has received in music video form. It is youthful in it aspirations and imagination. Check it.

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NEWS TO ME

You've heard the dangers of texting and driving... well, this guy is just a menace to society!

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MONKEY DO

Jackson is a mandrill and some people think he's impolite, though he really is not. Read why here.

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RANDOMONIA

Imagine you live in a costal community and some beached whale carcass is stinking up the joint. Some of the townspeople get together and toss around ideas for removing the blubbery thing. As an anxious conversation takes place you lean behind someone's back and shout, "Let's blow it up!" You were just having a spot of fun of course, but the council immediately goes silent. The next minute is filled with excited chatter and nodding heads. They've taken your brilliant idea seriously! You try to explain it was just a joke, but it's no use. Someone has already ran off to get the dynamite! The only thing you can do now is watch.

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GAMERAIN

Microsoft's Kinect came out today. For those who haven't the foggiest, this is Xbox 360's answer to the Wii (on a similar note Playstation 3 is getting its Move on, I didn't even know it was already out... don't care though, yes, I'm biased), meaning a retro innovation of how gameplay is controlled. However, Microsoft was not just thinking of how to copy the WiiMote (unlike Sony, which may or may not prove to be a wise choice), they wanted to take gameplay to the next level. Why renovate the controller when the technology is available to scrap the controller all together? You use your body (mainly your hands) and your voice to interact with software. It's been announced for years and ever since then tech and game demos have been leaking out.

Up to this point the unbiased consensus among gamers has seemed to be, "Cool enough, but where is the killer app?" The original Xbox had "Halo" at launch (can any system ever beat such a way to come out of the gate?). The 360 had "Call of Duty 2," "Kameo," and "Condemned: Criminal Origins." Kinect has... "Kinectimals"? This is a horrifically cheesy and altogether misleading name for the game. It should have just been "Kats" if you ask me (for the only animals featured are those in the feline family). Regardless, that is somehow the game that looks most appealing to me. You get an adorable tiger cub to frolic and play with! Think "the next generation of Giga Pets" or just remember the underrated "Hey You Pikachu!" (a secret relish of mine). I believe the target audience for this game is little girls age 6-12. So, is that saying something about me or the choice of games available? Probably both. It is for this reason (lack of enough compelling software for this gamer) that I didn't shell out $150 to have the device on Day 1 (today). That said, I still want to get my hands on "Kinectimals"! What other "games"? There are a couple fitness titles, "Dance Central," and of course a "WiiSports"-knockoff. When you buy Kinect it comes with

Overall, the features are appealing. I think it would be radical to commandeer my 360 Dashboard just by moving and rotating my hands or to walk into my living room and say, "Xbox on. Netflix. Play 'The Office,' season 3, episode 14." Okay, I KNOW it would be killa! Remember that opening scene in "Minority Report" where Cruise cycles through menus on a monitor with his hands? That was sci-fi eight years ago, now you can buy it for your living room... There is a minus to this plus however. When utilizing this technology, especially when "playing games," you are at an incredibly high risk of looking like a buffoon. Picture a person jumping, squating and massaging the air in front of their TV for an hour straight to get an idea.

There was an embargo on journalists and video game reviewers alike, which forbade any reviews/critiques about the games or technology itself releasing until today. Another reason for adding weight on previous decision to not pre-order Kinect. So, this morning, one of the first I things I did at a computer was head over to GameSpot and watch their video review for "Kinectimals." (Watch Kevin's review and you'll see what I mean by looking like a fool.) Again, stupid name, adorable game. They gave it a 7.5/10 which they deem "Good." If Kinect greatly interests you, I recommend reading the "Gut Reactions: Kinect" from the Editors on GameSpot.

Other reception: IGN gave "Dance Central" and "Kinect Sports" 8/10s labeling them "impressive," and gave the technology itself a 7.5/10.

You can be sure Gamerain will keep you Kinect-ed to any developments.

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THE FILM TOME REPORT

THE TRAILER ROUND-UP

Gus Van Sant (director of the near-perfect "Good Will Hunting" and the pretty mess that is "Elephant") is back on the scene with"Restless." Nice enough. The guy and girl look a lot alike. Huh.

Zack Snyder is a director who you never know what to expect with. His 2004 remake of "Dawn of the Dead" is still a favorite of mine, but "300" proved to be a bitter disappointment overall. Earlier this year he unleashed "Legend of the Guardians" (AKA "that CGI-owl flick") on us. Well, Snyder will strike again in the first quarter of next year with "Sucker Punch." This looks like utter eye-candy, but sounds so lame (just listen to authoritative man tell the girl about the "five things"... are you serious?).

Tyler Perry, who I know little about and whose films I know little about, has a new thing: "For Colored Girls." Something tells me I may not be the target demographic here... This looks more in the vein of "Precious" than say the likes of "Why Did I Get Married?" The trailer came out back in September, but a new clip was released last week. I recommend the trailer, not the clip. I'm shocked to say this looks quite good! I dig the stylish introducing of the cast. Anytime I get a "magnolia"-vibe, as I did here, it should be duly noted.

I haven't seen either of the "Ong Bak"s (martial-arts extravaganzas from Thailand), but have always wanted to. "Ong Bak 3" looks like more of the same. Translation: AWESOME!

"Regresa" looks like sweet nuts! By that I mean a sentimental flick that gets a little crazy... Beware

The "Okay...": Two jolly films about old Saint Nick. "Navidad S.A." looks intriguing and befuddling. If that one isn't to your liking Santa Clause is also coming to town... on a murder spree! Some Finnish filmmakers thought this was good idea? Would you open "Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale" or ask your friend if he still has the receipt?

NEW IN THEATERS

• 127 Hours* - 94%
• Due Date - 41%
• For Colored Girls - 33%
• Megamind - 66%

NEW IN STORES

• Centurion - 56%
• Going the Distance - 52%
• Toy Story 3 - 99%
• Winnebago Man - 90%

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UNPLUG

Tarnished muscular! If you have any comments, questions, requests, complaints or threats please let your voice be heard by allmops@gmail.com. If you wish to be removed from the AllMoPs send-list, let me know. If you wish to add someone, let me know. Remember, all previous AllMoPs are available at my blog, All Manner of Posts. Start making your holiday plans and thanks for plugging in!

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