The Sub.Standard

category archive listing Category Archives: Movies

Heavy Hearts

It’s with great sadness, that TSS brings you the news of the tragic passing of Christian Singer/Songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest adopted daughter, Maria.

We won’t be reporting the details, but you can read more about it and learn how you can offer your condolences or support here.

Steven Curtis Chapman was probably one of the most influential Christian artists of my youth. Above and beyond that, his family’s commitment over the years to the cause of world wide orphans has touched me on not only an emotional level, but a personal one as well. I have an incredibly awesome little cousin who wouldn’t be part of my family were it not for Chapman’s Shaohannah’s Hope foundation and the grant they provided to bring him into our country and family. Chapman lives what he preaches about helping the orphaned children of the world. Maria was one of Chapman’s three adopted daughters from China.

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This Week In Jesus - Grand Theft Culture Edition

Well, after a one-week hiatus, TWIJ is back and better than ever. The last two weeks, Jesus has been conspicuously absent from both American Idol AND Oprah, but we won’t hold it against them. Another big story that Jesus was absent from was the MASSIVE release of Grand Theft Auto IV. For those of you who have been living under a rock that was under another really big rock that was surrounded by a really high pop-culture-reflecting fence, GTA has been a staple of the gaming culture since 1997 when Rockstar Games released the first edition of the current four (not including expansion packs.) The latest release sold 6 million copies worldwide in its first week, grossing over $500 million (which was even more impressive than Iron Man’s $100 million take!), and the series as a whole has sold over 70 million copies.

…Click to continue reading “This Week In Jesus - Grand Theft Culture Edition”

Why so serious?

Not since the viral campaign for “Cloverfield” have I seen a movie as heavily anticipated by the internet masses as “The Dark Knight.”  Today, Sunday, May 4th marks the premiere of another on-line trailer in glorious HD quicktime here.

In this latest outing from the Why so serious? campaign, we’re given some incredible iconic images and possibly even a few spoilers.

What has me anticipating this film more than anything is the late Heath Ledger’s disturbing and chilling performance as The Joker.

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Expelled Has Solid Showing in Weekend Box Office Report

Ben SteinBen Stein’s much-balleyhooed documentary Expelled (our review here) brought in a respectable $3.1 million this weekend, which was 9th - nothing close to Michael Moore’s $23 million opening for Fahrenheit 911, but considerably better than the other doc that bowed this weekend: Where In the World is Osama Bin Laden from Super Size Me’s Morgan Spurlock.

Expelled only opened on 1,052 screens giving it an average of just under $3,000 per, which would make it a solid fifth on the screen-average list. Spurlock’s pic had an average of $1,405.

The top three B.O. earners this weekend were Forbidden Kingdom ($20.8M), Forgetting Sarah Marshall ($17.3M), and Prom Night ($9.1M).

This Week In Jesus: American Idol worship edition

The biggest story by far for Jesus watchers this week comes to us from American Idol’s “Idol Gives Back” show, which aired Wednesday evening. Aside from the fact that they stole the church’s long-forgotten idea of taking care of orphans and widows (well, I can’t say they stole it, since the church threw that idea away long ago) by raising millions of dollars for needy children, the real story for TWIJers came in the very last performance, in the waning moments of the show. [At this point, I am NOT going to mention that my Tivo didn’t actually catch the performance since the show ran late and it came on after 9 pm at which time my infallible Tivaliscious friend switched to the show I had set to record at 9…I’m not going to mention it because my relationship with my Tivo is pretty important to me and I would never do anything to hurt it…I heart you, Tivo!]What happened in the last few minutes of the telecast was a simple little performance that was almost unexplainable from a conceptual standpoint.

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Ben Stein expels some Expelled rumors (…continued)

Read the first half of this blentry looking at some rumors surrounding the upcoming film “Expelled” here. 

2. The movie claims that evolutionary science leads to Nazism. While this rumor is less heinous than the first, there is an important distinction to the proposition that Expelled makes, which is that Darwinism is a necessary COMPONENT of Nazism. While the film does explore the relationship of the two ideas, and it is clearly capitalizing on the inherent emotional reaction to all things Nazi, it never claims that one leads to the other.

…Click to continue reading “Ben Stein expels some Expelled rumors (…continued)”

Ben Stein expels some Expelled rumors

On April 18, Big Religion might get its answer to Michael Moore from an unlikely source: intellectual (and pop-culture icon) Ben Stein. Stein and Premise Media Corporation are releasing Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, an ambitious and already-controversial documentary that only takes on one of the most rigorously defended scientific theories of all time: evolution. As the producers of the film explained in a press conference Friday, because evolutionary science is the bedrock for many scientific ideas, and because of the potential implications that any disproving of the theory would bring, every self-respecting secular scientist defends Darwin’s theory with a religious fervor most often reserved for…well…religion.

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Star Trek XI Teaser Trailer


Here’s the teaser for the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek XI that ran in theaters before Cloverfield. As short as it is, it has caused a stir because of its depiction of the location of the Enterprise’s construction. Check here for the latest interweb buzz.

Weekend Box Office Report: 3/21-3/23

HortonFor the second week in a row, Horton heard theater registers ringing, bringing its total take to the tune of $86.5 million. In what was the slowest Easter weekend for movies in three years, the Seusstastic comedy’s weekend take was a very-respectable $25.1 million. Following close behind with $25 million was Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns, followed by the PG-13 suspense/horror flick Shutter, which stars Dawson’s Creek graduate Joshua Jackson.

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New Boondock Saints Sequel Marches Into Production This Summer

For films that only play in five theaters for one week, then go straight to DVD, the only hope for significance is finding some form of cult status. In 1999, The Boondock Saints managed to make a cult splash (thanks largely in part to Blockbuster Video making it an exclusive release). While it would be a stretch to call Saints a commercial success, at the very least it earned a loyal following, and it was nothing if not memorable.

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Coming Soon-The Lost Boys 2: The Tribe

Calling The Lost Boys a cult classic is like calling Tivo a “pretty good little gadget.” In 1987, The Lost Boys made vampires cool (and funny) again and gave birth to Buffy (which was only released 5 years after TLB….and side note: did you know Ben Affleck was in the original Buffy movie, uncredited?), Angel, and more recently movies like Blade and Van Helsing. The original TLB was directed by a still-new-to-the-scene Joel Shomacher, and starred the Coreys Haim and Feldman, Keiffer Sutherland, and Jason Patric.

Sometime this year we’ll be treated to a sequel, although you’re more likely to catch the premiere at your local RedBox than in Hollywood, as the flick is expected to go straight to disc. The redo also features Feldman, who honestly looks like he hasn’t aged a bit, most likely Haim, and possibly Patric. Here’s the trailer:

Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed reviewed

Ben Stein's Expelled No Intelligence Allowed posterI saw an advance screening of the movie ”Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” last night. It’s a film put together by intellectual heavyweight/gameshow host, Ben Stein. Seriously, this guy is brilliant, and hilarious. Generally speaking, the film attempts to challenge the academic elitist establishment for attacking our freedom. Specifically, the film sets out to debunk Darwin’s theory of evolution, and exposes certain scientists who have been blacklisted for even talking about the concept of Intelligent Design. The movie was compelling, but I couldn’t always keep my finger on why it was. Was it because of the clever humor dropped in at just the right moments (usually in the form of old movie, or instructional film footage)? Yes. Was it because there really seems to be a problem with certain scientists being fired from their jobs for expressing even the possibility of A. I.?

…Click to continue reading “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed reviewed”

Weekend movie preview - Friday 3/14

Here’s a look at what’s playing this weekend:

OPENING THIS WEEKEND:
Horton Hears a WhoHorton Hears a Who - The great thing about Dr. Seuss is how he managed to wrap a socially-conscious message inside a shiny silly wrapper. Like, if Dr. Seuss had made An Inconvenient Truth, it would have been a puppet show with Steve Martin as the Lorax. But it would have worked, and so will Horton. With Jim Carey and Steve Carell voicing the leads, and an amazing supporting cast (including one Carol Burnett), this movie about how, “a person’s a person, no matter how small” is a sure bet to be #1 at the box office.

Doomsday movie posterDoomsday - starring Kate Beckinsale look-alike newcomer Rhona Mitra, Doomsday promises that at the very least you will see lots of stuff blow up and lots of people and/or zombies die.

…Click to continue reading “Weekend movie preview - Friday 3/14″

Now See This: 2008 Spring movie preview

10,000 B.C. - The director of “Independence Day” brings us what will surely be a raucus, sweeping epic, set in an ice-ageian wilderness. At first glance, the premise seems pretty new, although moviegoers will probably quickly subconsciously identify with it as a post-apocalyptic sci-fi/fantasy. It’s got big beasts, scantily-clad menfolk, and big battle scenes (remind anyone of another massive hit - “300″?). Should be a good time.

The Bank Job - Jason Statham’s not exactly the greatest emoter of our time, but I don’t think he’s ever made a boring movie. This bank-heist flick set in 1971 London might just be the sort of vehicle he can drive to success. He’s got a supporting cast of mostly-unknowns, but the trailer looks pretty solidly funny, and the fact that it’s inspired by a true story should add some fun.

March 14
Horton Hears a Who - It’s got a main course of Dr. Seuss, Jim Carey and Steve Carell, with a side-order of Carol Burnett and Will Arnett (the guy in Arrested Development that you love but don’t know his name). Need I say more? It’s made by the guys who did Ice Age (20th Century Fox Animation), so we know they’ve got animation chops. With an amazing cast, solid source material, and very little competition for the youth movie vote($), expect this to be a big hit.

Rhona Mitra - Kate Beckinsale lookalikeDoomsday - This one might have flown under your radar until a couple of weeks ago when Rogue Pictures started bombarding us with some pretty interesting looking trailers. It stars a relative newcomer Kate Beckinsale look-alike named Rhona Mitra, who you may have seen in…well, probably nothing. This Mad Maxian flick looks to be half “I Am Legend” and half “28 Days Later”, which is not a bad thing to be.

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Who is ready to get their berserker rage on, Weapon X style?

Two things you need to know:

1. Clear your calendar for May 1, 2009.
2. Do not even think about contacting me on that day.

On May 1, 2009, X-men Origins: Wolverine will hopefully mark the return of the quality comic book movie.

Oh, how we’ve strayed. The money making machine that was the original Spiderman movie produced quite a few duds over the past few years. However, while there are decent stars attached, the key players on the production side of this movie are general unknowns. In my opinion, this is exactly what is needed.

The Story: Wolverine’s Origins, duh. We’re likely to be introduced to the Weapon X program and all the other mutants that were involved and that helped make James Howlett into Logan and then into Wolverine. Bring on the Berserker! Whee!

…Click to continue reading “Who is ready to get their berserker rage on, Weapon X style?”

Star Wars: Kid’s Eye View


Found this on a rabbit trail from my Facebook homepage today. Thanks for that, Facebook. They care enough to give the gift of YouTube! If this little girl has not been on the Ellen DeGeneres Show yet, it is only a matter of time. Fantastically cute.

Oscar Winners and Losers

A few things you may not have known before watching the Oscars last night:

Anne Hathaway is absolutely gorgeous. Up until now I thought she was a bit manly, but wow, she is crazy flawless looking.
Cameron Diaz and Renee Zellweger may be the most annoying and pinch faced women I’ve ever seen.
Tilda Swinson has actually been around for many years, but was credited in most movies as Eric Stoltz. And, if you make direct eye contact with her on television, she’ll come through your screen and kill you.

That last one I may have made up, but pasty people scare me and if she gets any paler, I may start having nightmares. Androgyny is one thing; wearing a GLAD garbage bag to the Oscars is another.

…Click to continue reading “Oscar Winners and Losers”

And the Oscar goes to….Best and Worst of Oscar fashion

Maybe it was because the Golden Globes no-go left me starved for some red carpet fashion, but I found the pre-show crimson walk to be particularly lack-luster last night. Sure, there were some themes: red, Grecian draping (maybe Rami will win Project Runway after all), one-shouldered toga, pregnant. But barring a few stand-outs, I found the fashion fare to be almost dull.

The Best

Katherine Heigl looked amazing. I really loved the circle cut-out on her shoulder and the radiant red color.
Anne Hathaway, another lady in red. Very mature and serious gown (and beautiful!), but look at the girl’s taste in men–she’s an old soul.
Cate Blanchett was my favorite of all the expectant mommies. She looks amazing, always. I want to know how on earth she is that pregnant without even a hint of a waddle!

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Redbox Office: Coming Soon to a Street Corner Near You

Well, it is not so much an office as a kiosk of sorts. If you haven’t heard of Redbox, it’s a big red box (duh) kiosk that dispenses rental movies sort of like a jukebox. While I never thought I would frequent a kiosk, I must say that Redbox is a terrifically innovative way of renting movies. First there was Blockbuster, then on-demand cable movies, then Netflix delivered to your door, and now Redbox! Here’s a short list of reasons I have become such a big fan:

  1. You can make reservations online, then pick up the selected DVD by pressing just a few buttons when you arrive at the kiosk. Or for those of you who are more fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-y, make your selection on the fly when you get there.

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“Whoa! Dream Big.”


A couple years ago, Little Miss Sunshine was my favorite movie - and became the Oscar “movie-that-could.” It surprised me with its smart and huge heart. I was hoping JUNO would fall into that same category…and become my new favorite movie. Especially after the Oscar nod for Best Picture and Screenplay…it seemed like a no-brainer DVD purchase/blog entry. Things didn’t go as planned, Friday night, as I left the packed theater, only slighty-entertained, and more than a little groggy. It just didn’t seem very real. Yes, some of the dialogue was laugh-out-loud-funny, even if it seemed like all the lines came from someone with the same kind of snarky humor (duh! I know, one writer…). Yes, Ellen Page, is cute and smart…and lacking in nuance.

…Click to continue reading ““Whoa! Dream Big.””