Archive for November 2010

24 Films of Christmas

This is the first year that our son (who’s two and a half) is really getting into the holidays.  He loved Halloween, especially trick-or-treating and getting spooked by the skeletons on our neighbors’ lawns.  He didn’t quite get Thanksgiving (except for the whole pie part).  But he is already starting to get excited about Christmas.... Read more »
By Julie - Hammervision,
November 30, 2010 at 6:55 am • 

Movie Essentials: 2008

10. LET THE RIGHT ONE IN. This Swedish import was recently given the Hollywood remake treatment. I loved the remake, and find it to be just as good as the original. This one did it first though, and did it near-perfectly. Screw those Twilight bloodsucker teens, for a real clue as to how to mine the vampire genre for hidden meaning and subtext, let this one in. Both scary and touching.
In 2008, Barack Obama defeated John McCain to become the first African-American President of the United States.  Heath Ledger died of an accidental prescription drug overdose.  Miley Cyrus drew controversy by posing with a bare back and shoulders in Vanity Fair.  Madonna turned 50.  Blu-Ray beat HD-DVD in the high definition format war.  T.I. scored... Read more »
By John Hammerle,
November 29, 2010 at 10:34 pm • 

Movie Essentials: Leslie Nielsen

THE NAKED GUN 2 1/2: THE SMELL OF FEAR.. Nielsen reprised his role as Drebin in this above average sequel.
On Sunday, November 28, 2010, the film world lost one of its great comedic actors when Leslie Nielsen passed away at the age of 84.  Born in Canada, Nielsen started off his acting career beginning with television in 1948 – two years later, he had logged over 50 appearances.  Films followed, and though he took... Read more »
By John Hammerle,
November 29, 2010 at 10:08 pm • 
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'The Walking Dead' Recap - 'Wildfire'

Well, we finally know exactly what The Walking Dead wants to be, and what The Walking Dead wants to be is Lost. But it’s not Lost, at least not yet.  It has the potential to be Lost, but it’s not quite there.  And boy does the word “Lost” start to look weird the more you... Read more »
By Julie - Hammervision,
November 29, 2010 at 8:17 am • 

Thanksgiving Movie Review Recap

TANGLED (****) Disney’s latest (and supposedly last) Princess movie follows admirably in the footsteps of studio stablemates like The Little Mermaid and Beauty in the Beast.  Like those movies, it is a charming, gorgeously animated picture, with bouncy musical numbers, lovable characters, and a strong emphasis on story.  The heroine here is Rapunzel, and she’s... Read more »
By John Hammerle,
November 28, 2010 at 7:54 pm • 

Movie Review - Inside Job

BY ROBERT HAMMERLE, special guest contributor to Hammervision While I usually truly dislike movie critics who engage in this type of hyperbole, sometimes you simply can’t dodge the obvious truth. In this case, let me just say that if you want to see the documentary which WILL WIN the Oscar in this category for 2010,... Read more »
By John Hammerle,
November 26, 2010 at 10:25 am • 
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Movie Review - Fair Game

BY ROBERT HAMMERLE, special guest contributor to Hammervision The importance of this provocative film transcends its artistic merit. For whether we want to confront it or not, we continue to fight a war in Iraq that began on completely false pretenses, and the parties responsible have yet to be held accountable. The cost to our... Read more »
By John Hammerle,
November 23, 2010 at 3:12 pm • 

Abandoned Books

This weekend my son came into the house after colliding with our dog in the park.  The dog was fine, of course, but the kid’s face was covered in blood.  He seemed fine otherwise, though.  His nose had pretty much stopped bleeding and his biggest concern was that his father had some blood on his... Read more »
By Julie - Hammervision,
November 22, 2010 at 7:12 am • 

Movie Essentials: 2007

10. THE ORPHANAGE. This is the rare horror movie that doesn't rely solely on scares to goose the audience. The story is actually compelling for a change and the mystery at its center is chilling. By movie's end, I was deeply touched by the Peter Pan-like turn the movie takes.
In 2007, the Mitchell Report was published, showing the widespread use of steroids in Major League Baseball and forever tarnishing the legacies of some of our biggest idols.  Nancy Pelosi was elected the first female Speaker of the U.S. Congress.  Apple introduced the iPhone.  J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released and... Read more »
By John Hammerle,
November 20, 2010 at 8:20 am • 
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Initial Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 1

  I saw Part 1 of the final two Harry Potter movies at midnight yesterday.  I’m seeing it again with Julie on Sunday, and we’ll have a full review for you then, but thought I’d pitch in now with my initial impressions of the movie. It’s great.  Definitely the darkest and most mature of the... Read more »
By John Hammerle,
November 19, 2010 at 10:17 am •