It's no secret that the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise has been on the decline since, oh, Curse of the Black Pearl, but that doesn't stop Disney from continuing to crank them out. I'll be honest, I enjoyed myself quite enough with parts 2 and 3 to support this decision initially, but On Stranger Tides was an embarrassingly awful waste of two hours. I mean, seriously, movies that bad just make me angry. That dreadful vaccuum of time you'll never get back did, however, make a billion dollars at the global box office which, on a budget of $250 million, means they made a nice profit.
The first film started with a large, risky $140 million. Back in 2003, that was a big budget for a new kind of film. I won't call it original exactly since it does take its basic inspiration from the beloved ride, but it was back when studios actually let creative people do creative things and gave them money to do so. Oh, how I miss that. But I digress. The film was a massive hit and director Gore Verbinski was given $300 million to make two sequels back to back. Well, Gore may be a great filmmaker, but he's not always the best about staying on budget and ended up spending $215 million on part 2, and (tied for the most expensive film of all time) $300 million on part 3.
After the not-so-successful hey, let's film (TWO MOVIES) without a finished script approach of the sequels, Gore Verbinski decided to leave the series and Rob Marshall directed the fourth film with a $250 million dollar budget. $40 million of that went right into Johnny Depp's pocket. Where the rest of that went, I couldn't tell you. That movie looks like shit. I've seen stuff shot on I-Phones that looks more professional than the quality of that mess. At least they were consistent, though, with the let's make everything as shitty as possible approach. If that was their goal, that was a very successful film.
If you see a $300 million budget for part 5, don't be too surprised. If these (very unsubstantiated) rumors are correct, Depp is en route to make a whopping $90 million off of it. How that makes any financial sense is anyone's guess. Can Disney really intend to give him more than half of the budget of the first film in the series? I mean, really, let's take a look at that, shall we?
Based on the way studio-theater splits work, a $90 million film needs to make no less than $180 million at the box office to basically break even, and that's not even taking marketing into consideration. In reality, films for the most part aren't profitable until they make 2.5 times their budget back. So, when we're talking about paying one actor $90 million for one film, that means his presence in the film alone needs to be worth basically $200 million. Even if you do have a massively successful franchise, what the hell kind of fiscal sense does that make? You tell me.
Of course, we have no reliable source reporting such a crazy figure is actually in talks. Perhaps Depp's publicist is trying to get talks for a big raise going. You know, because Johnny Depp, a man worth more than $300 million, really needs more money. Last we heard, the first script for Pirates 5 has been scrapped and they started over from scratch, but the project is certainly not dead. Watch out for a Pirates 5 within the next two years regardless of how much Depp is actually getting paid.
Politicians are like doctors, right? I mean, they have to be smart to get elected into office, you'd think. And once a smart person is, say, one of the major candidates running for Senate in Missouri, he or she probably has a pretty good idea of how the world works. In fact, in some cases, maybe he or she is even privy to secret information that no one else in the whole world knows!
That's what we've got here with Republican Senate nominee Todd Akin, who dropped some shocking revelations about rape on the 19th. In an attempt to further his position on abortion on KTVI TV, he dropped the big bombs with scientific facts that were shocking to everyone:
"First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare. If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down."
Now, if only he'd given a definition to his coined phrase "legitimate rape," then we'd have a better idea of what he's actually talking about. Apparently only fake rape gets you really pregnant, as far as the rape category goes. The American Journal of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published a study in 1996 stating rape-related pregnancy occurs with significant frequency, up to 32,101 pregnancies a year. So, those were illegitimate rapes then?
When asked for clarification, he referred to his "off the cuff remarks" only by saying that he "misspoke." So I guess we just misunderstood what he was trying to convey from these doctors he apparently speaks to about rape. Or maybe legitimate rape was what he said wrong? I couldn't tell you. It sounds like he was pretty sure to me, because he went on about it for more than that quote above.
Akin is currently ahead of his opponent Senator Claire McCaskill in the polls.
Right, so I'm that dork who loves Oscar season. It's the most wonderful time of the year. I sit through the odd spring films, the big summer blockbusters, and I tend to enjoy a lot of them, but nothing gets me giddy like the real content we're sure to get by the end of the year. Now, the whole reason why Oscar season is in the fall is simply because Oscar voters tend to have some trouble remembering movies unless they just saw them. That aside, there's some great stuff we have in store for the rest of this rather lackluster year so far.
10. Lincoln
Talk about an insane amount of potential here. Spielberg doing a Abraham Lincoln biopic starring Daniel Day Lewis? It's times like these that you get suspicious of the phrase too good to be true. Of course, Spielberg's done nothing but spew crap into the theaters for the past 7 years, so I'm not exactly expecting his A game here. Daniel Day Lewis doesn't even have a B game, so if nothing else, we're going to get a jaw droppingly wonderful performance in a possibly mediocre film. But I have no reason to judge the quality other than having sat through drivel like War Horse in its entirety. Movies like War Horse make me embarrassed for being interested in the art form. Please let this be more likethe old Spielberg epics than War Horse. Lincoln opens November 9
9. Anna Karenina
Let's see how this fits in the Tom Checklist: Russian Literature - check, Good Director - check, Good Writer - check, Great Actors - check. Okay, so see this. It's one of the biggest classics of all time, directed by Joe Wright (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement), written by Tom Stoppard (Brazil, Shakespeare in Love), starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law. So, yes, sir. That looks good.
Anna Karenina opens November 16.
8. Looper
Ryan Johnson's an interesting guy. I've only seen his first film, Brick, which was a hard boiled noir story set at a high school, which was pulled off very nicely. Back with Joseph Gordon-Levitt here, we have a hardcore sci-fi story about a man whose job is to kill people who get sent back in time, erasing them from the future and getting rid of the problem of having a body. When his future self (played by Bruce Willis) gets sent back, however, things get messy. His older self knows the drill, and manages to escape the initial execution. So we follow the story of a man hunting down his older self with intention to kill. Yippiekiyay, Mr. Falcon! That sounds great, right?
Looper opens September 28
7. Flight
How long has it been since we had a good Denzel Washington movie? I haven't been counting, but I'd say it's been a number of years. Some liked The Book of Eli, but I thought that was an awful waste of time. This appears to be a spectacular return to form for both Washington and director Robert Zemickis. It's a true story of a pilot who managed to safely land a plane that began to fall apart in mid-air, saving every life on board. Rather than being proclaimed the hero he was, he was put on trial for having alcohol in his system. Drama ensues.
Flight opens November 2
6. This is Forty
I support Judd Apatow, and I like his movies. I find that Knocked Up has not aged well for me, but I still really like The 40 Year Old Virgin and Funny People. In fact, I'm apparently one of the very very few who liked Funny People at all. So sue me. His newest endeavor follows Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann being 40 and hitting an existential crisis of sorts. Oh, and it has Albert Brooks, so you know at least part of it will be good.
This is Forty opens December 21.
5. Seven Psychopaths
Nooks and crannies. In Bruges is all I'll ever need on writer/director Martin McDonough's resume to convince me to see every single movie he ever makes. Back in 2008, that movie had me on the floor with laughter and had my eyes pealed at his attention to detail. The guy knows his stuff, and, although this doesn't look quite as clever as his debut, that last scene in the trailer with Christopher Walken proves this is going to be a very fun couple of hours.
Seven Psychopaths opens October 12
4. Argo
I'm a little torn on Ben Affleck's directing career. I, like every other critic, really dug Gone Baby Gone. The Town, his followup, really failed for me on a lot of levels, however. I think he's very competent behind the camera, but unless he has a great script going, I'm not so sure he's really that talented at all components of filmmaking. That being said, watch that trailer. That's one great looking movie he's got here. I'll be there opening day and so should you.
Argo opens October 12
3. Django Unchained
I like the way you die, boy. Count me in for Quentin Tarantino's "southern." Part of me is a little bit annoyed with the fact that all Tarantino does anymore are epic homage-ridden revenge flicks, but the other part of me is damned entertained almost every time. A stellar cast including Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington, and Samuel L. Jackson can't hurt, even if this will turn into a controversial slavery film.
For some reason, the Weinstein Company is releasing Django Unchained on December 25, Christmas Day.
2. Cloud Atlas
If this gets pulled off, it will be a stunning masterpiece unlike anything you've ever seen before. It comes from absolutely phenomenal material. David Mitchell's novel of the same name was an amazing read that was engrossing and yet completely foreign to my mind. It's the tale of six stories starting in the 1800s and ending in a post-apocalyptic world, with plenty of room for the same mistakes to get made time and time again. The Watchowski siblings and Tom Twyker have done their best to keep this under three hours long and, based on the trailer, I think they may have just pulled off this stunning feat.
Cloud Atlas opens October 26
1. The Master
Paul Thomas Anderson has proven again and again that he's one of the most talented filmmakers currently working. I'd put him in the top five best filmmakers out there. I must have a soft spot for those magnificent Andersons. After There Will Be Blood, Anderson's last opus, I'm never going to doubt the man again. He's back five years later with the tale of Freddie (played by Joaquin Phoenix) a lost soul who encounters Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seamour Hoffman). Dodd has just started his own religion, a sort of allegory to Scientology that attempts to take in lost souls like Freddie. No doubt this will be a stunning dissection of organized religion, and I'm giddy for it. Bring it on.
Look, I'm not one of those big proponents of the Loch Ness Monster, but it's not like I have any scientific evidence to say there isn't a large creature out there. I'm just skeptical when it comes to photographs of any kinds, basically because I've done some photoshop and I know how easy it is. Even with old ghost photos, there's usually some way that it could be fake, whether that's something you can prove or not. A new picture has come to the media, being touted as "proof" of Nessie.
We go to the story of George Edwards, a sailor whose boat is even called NESSIE HUNTER, who claims he was just out on the lake one day when something moved out of the corner of his eye. Lo and behold, it was that Loch Ness Monster. He got out his camera and took a quick shot of what he says is the back of the head of the creature.
Edwards contends that the creature mildly resembles a manatee and that he believes there are likely a plethora of them out there. When talking to ABC News about it, he had this to say:
"When people see three humps, they're probably just seeing three separate monsters. . .It was first seen in 565 AD. Nothing can live that long. It's more likely that there's a number of monsters, offspring of the original."
That's not speaking on a whim, clearly, so the man has done some homework. Finding Nessie has been a lifelong dream of his, and has been his full time hobby for years now. He says there is indeed a network of monster hunters at Loch Ness, though it's mostly under the radar to improve public images. That's not to say he's embarrassed, especially now that he has a picture. He contends that various Ness experts have examined his photo and think it might just be the best one in circulation.
What do you think?
If you want to go check things out for yourself, Edwards was even kind enough to give you a few nuggets of wisdom from his years of experience.
"You have to be out there every day, with a camera and binoculars, and you have to be at the right place at the right time."
So, if any of you readers go out and follow the example set by George Edwards, do take a picture, and I'd appreciate if you'd send it my way. Thank you and good luck.
Four years after the last Odd Thomas adventure, Dean Koontz has written the fifth book in the series: Odd Apocalypse. When most hear the ominous name, they assume this is the final volume. After all, if "apocalypse" is in the name, the world has to end, right? Though this is certainly the craziest novel in the series so far, the apocalypse is more subtle than you'd think.
Odd Thomas is a strange fellow. He's now twenty-two years old, but his life is far from normal. Other than the fact that his legal name is, in fact, "Odd," he has a sixth sense. He can see the ghosts of the lingering dead. They don't talk, but they can communicate to him in other ways. This has guided Odd on a strange journey through the first four books of the series, and here it takes him to his darkest place yet.
In the midst of a much larger journey, Odd and his companion, a seven month pregnant young woman named Annamaria, make a stop at Roseland, a 1920s mansion. Roseland is the home to a mysterious billionaire and his even stranger servants. Right away, Odd is aware that things are not right in this place. A ghost of a murdered woman on horseback confirms his dark suspicions, and the mystery of Roseland unfolds to greater horrors than Odd had ever imagined.
As far as I'm concerned, Odd Thomas is the greatest character Dean Koontz has ever created. He's funny, humble, immensely likable, courageous, and just a joy to read about. Every time one of these novels comes out, I drop what I was doing and make a point to pick up the book immediately. I've read each one within a day or two because they all are completely compelling. Though a reader could technically jump into the story at any of the books, I very much advise you to start at the beginning. Each story serves its own purpose, but there is a larger arc of the character that is worth the extra time.
Whereas I found the previous book in the series (Odd Hours) a little unsatisfying by the ending, Odd Apocalypse proves to be Koontz's most creative book in years. It's really got everything a great book needs. The characters are complicated and interesting. The story is very unique and provides a great deal of suspense. The ending is open enough that you crave more, but aren't left on a cliffhanger. Seriously, buy this book.
Here, we see Odd in a more confused place than he has been previously. There are big things at work that he has not quite put his finger on, but we will surely learn more early next year when book six comes out. There's a lot to love about every Odd book, but this one ranks third in the series for me. I applaud Mr. Koontz for crafting this brilliant series that has stayed strong five books in.
So, what are you waiting for? Stop reading and buy this book!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Tune into FM KVNO 90.7 HD2 or listen to the show online here. Br.Gary Joseph is the guest in the first hour - talking about his near death experience and what he believes is proof that there is an afterlife. It's something that you really shouldn't miss.
Then, get a news recap with Tom and returning co-host Chris Fago.
Listen or be square. Only on Guilty Pleasures Radio.
Did you know aliens like the Olympics, too? That's what this video would have you believe - something our conspiracy friends all over the internet are posting about. Watch this compilation of shots from the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics where something appears to be flying (floating?) over the fireworks.
Speculation goes from extraterrestrial visitation to blimps, neither of which really seem all that realistic, do they? Why would a blimp be hanging out above the fireworks at the Olympics? That is, why would an anonymous blimp be there at all? On the flipside, do aliens enjoy the Olympics like we do? I'm skeptical after viewing this - it looks like a stereotypical blob to me. It looks fake.
But hey, maybe I'm so desensitized from seeing thousands of these videos that I would judge the real deal simply because it looked to stereotypical. I don't know anything more than you do about what these things would actually look like or where they enjoy loitering.
As an interesting side note that does shed an interesting light on the subject from a credible source, former Ministry of Defense UFO desk officer Nick Pope had mentioned this very possibility a month ago when talking to Press TV. On the subject he had this to say:
"If aliens have studied our psychology, they may choose to appear in our skies on a significant date - the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games is one date being widely circulated by conspiracy groups."
So, maybe we're in for something even more exciting in the closing ceremony. Or maybe it was a renegade blimp or even something sinister and terrestrial. Who knows?
Giants have been recorded in ancient texts all over the world. A wide variety of modern books call our attention to this very fact - a great many of them dealing with the existence of an ancient race of human angel hybrids known as the Nephilim. This sounds absolutely crazy to many before they realize one of the most famous stories of all time exists because of this race of ancient giants. Ever heard of Noah's Ark? Did you know God flooded the earth (according to the Bible itself) because a race of giants had corrupted all the bloodlines? Even if you're not looking specifically at the Judeo-Christian traditions about the pure man shoving animals into a big boat to protect life from a massive tempest, stories of a flood can be found in just about every ancient tradition. Not only that, but a lot of them have giants in them as well. Look it up.
Guilty Pleasures Radio has covered this topic frequently - interviewing authors like Scotty Roberts (author of The Rise and Fall of the Nephilim), Frank Joseph (Lost Worlds of Ancient America), and Patrick Heron (The Nephilim and the Pyramid of the Apocalypse). That's not the subject of this article, however, because the recurring role of giants throughout history is not new news. Shocking at first, but you get used to those kind of grand historical shocks as you look further and further down the rabbit hole of ancient history. No, the story that's really shocking here is that a major link to the strange tale of the Nephilim. That link is coming from Hollywood.
A certain visionary filmmaker named Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Fountain, Pi) is currently working on a massive $150 million project titled Noah. It's something he's dreamed about making since he was a young boy. It's the epic tale of Noah and the flood. While that sounds like a simple story everyone's seen before in movies, he has been slowly assembling a massive ensemble that no doubt has piqued interests beyond the religious crowd. We're looking a a film starring Russel Crowe, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, and Logan Lerman. It's been clear that there will be a much larger cast of characters for this rendition than we generally hear about when the tale is told.
Today, however, it was announced that characters have been cast that aren't quite what the average person expects from a Noah tale. These are the giants. The press release says these characters are being called the Watchers, a race of giants that existed in the time period. Many members of the press are releasing this information with a bit of shock and confusion. In some places, you'll find reporters even suggesting this news is evidence that Aronofsky will be deviating from the biblical texts. Luckily, it seems there are some who frequent film sites that have the same taste for the strange as I do, pointing to Genesis 6:4 which reads:
"There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came to the daughters of man and bore children to them. These were the mighty men of old, the men of renown."
So, what does this tell us? Well, quite simply, we are about to see an epic Hollywood film that tells the tale of Noah that is actually in the Bible, not the watered down version taught in Sunday school. A tale of giants and fallen angels along with an angry God. This story that is somehow universal and controversially unknown can stand to shed light on this subject to the general public who may not feel compelled to tune into KVNO HD2 every Monday (wink wink). Will the Nephilim become an acknowledge bit of religious mythology as people open their bibles and look up why there are giants in this movie? I can't say, but I'm excited to see what a visionary director like Aronofsky will do with the material.
After all, if there's anyone I want interpreting biblical imagery for the big screen in a smart and engaging way, it's Darren Aronofsky. He's proven himself over and over again to be one of the best working artists in the world of cinema and I expect this to be something to keep an eye out for. If nothing else, it should raise enough eyebrows that need raising about a subject that gets ignored by so many Judeo-Christians.
Listen to the return of Hugo de Garis as he discusses Masculism tonight on the show. Do men need liberation similar to the feminist movement? Listen on KVNO HD2 tonight! Only on Guilty Pleasures.
Tune into 90.7 HD2 or fightstheocean.com/mavradio/player/swf for a repeat of our interview with Giorgio Tsoukalos in case you missed it, followed by a special interview with Frank Joseph regarding his book Opening the Ark of the Covenant. Where is the Ark? What was it? Find out tonight on Guilty Pleasures Radio from 5-8PM CST.
James Kunstler is the author of numerous fiction and nonfiction books including The Long Emergency and the upcoming Too Much Magic which is out in July. Kunstler is intent on informing the public of a crisis erupting from overuse of fossil fuels and the devastating effect this will have on the world as we know it.
Tom Knoblauch and Lauren Kolkman will address recent cannibalism in the news as well as other news items.
