Month: December 2014

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The Year in Books: Crime, Time Travel & Whatever The Southern Reach Trilogy Was About

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Trying to wrap up “the year in books” is an almost impossible task.  Sure, new books come out every week, but let’s be honest unless you’re someone who works in publishing and/or gets advance copies you are probably unlikely to be read up on all the books that come out in a particular year.  Reading takes time, and readers aren’t confined to a schedule.  A great book can be read the day it comes out or decades later.  So the prospect of wrapping up any particular year is a bit dodgy.  The best I can do is tell you how my year in books went. Continue reading “The Year in Books: Crime, Time Travel & Whatever The Southern Reach Trilogy Was About”

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The Passing of Beloved Gilmore Girls Actor Edward Herrmann

gilmore-girls-emily-richard-kelly-bishop-edward-herrmann-dvdbash02For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

2014 brought about the passing of many of our most beloved stars.  Sadly today was no exception.  Edward Herrmann, 71, died this morning in hospital.  He had been in the ICU fighting brain cancer the past 3 and a half weeks.  His illness seems to have been a shock to his co-stars in the Gilmore Girls family.  Kelly Bishop was contacted by TVLine and said of her former television spouse “I think everyone who knew or worked with Ed found him to be absolutely delightful… Everything looks a little dim, as if the lights went down.” Continue reading “The Passing of Beloved Gilmore Girls Actor Edward Herrmann”

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Matt’s 2014: The Best Dozen

Best of 2014

Best of lists are hard. Choosing the films I liked best isn’t hard, but keeping it to a reasonable number and ranking them is. One thing that’s not so much hard as it is annoying: coming up with something to say other than "I loved this and you should watch it".

I saw a lot of films this year but there are plenty I missed. I didn’t see Birdman, Whiplash, or Mommy, all of which are on many other best-of lists for the year (and in the case of Whiplash I can guess it would have made mine) but I also did see Boyhood, Gone Girl, 22 Jump Street, and a host of others that didn’t make my list.

All in all, I saw over 75 movies released in 2014. Not a huge percentage when you think about it but certainly more than the average person.

So with all that in mind here are my favourite dozen movies from 2014.

Continue reading “Matt’s 2014: The Best Dozen”
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Awesome: ‘Gone Girl’ Effects Reel

Gone Girl

Yesterday I posted an effects reel from _Captain America: The Winter Soldier_ which highlighted, for me anyway, just how much of that movie wasn’t real. Not that it was a surprise or anything though, that movie features flying aircraft carriers. Here’s another effects reel that highlights just how many effects can be going on in shots where there don’t appear to be any at all which is far more impressive if you ask me.

Continue reading “Awesome: ‘Gone Girl’ Effects Reel”

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Good News: ‘The Interview’ Is Being Released!

The Interview

Sony is releasing The Interview to any theatre willing to show it, which means that any independent chain that wants to can show it. Apparently there are currently over 300 screens booked for Christmas Day in the US, including every location of Alamo Drafthouse (the chain I want most to come to Canada).

I haven’t heard of any locations in Canada as yet, but start asking your local indie theatre now!

The films stars on Twitter:

(source: [Variety](http://variety.com/2014/film/news/the-interview-christmas-day-screenings-new-release-1201386144/))

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Star Trek 3 Will Be Directed By Justin Lin

Justin Lin

A while back Roberto Orci was removed from the directors chair of Star Trek 3. This is a good thing. He’s not a great writer (or even a good one) but he keeps getting jobs with popular franchises and as a result keeps getting hired. Star Trek 3 would have been his directorial début as well and while I’m sure he had a vision? At the end of the day you don’t just hand the reins to a franchise like Star Trek to a first timer.

So he was removed and today it was announced that Justin Lin, he of the Fast and Furious Franchise, has been hired to replace him. I’m going to tentatively say this is a good move. Lin is a good director of action and of large ensembles. His films are fun and engaging and heartfelt. I don’t know that he’s a perfect fit but I think he’s a better fit that Orci. I just hope that they get back to exploring the galaxy as well as our own morality rather than the “holy shit look at that explosion!” style we’ve gotten lately.

(source: [Deadline](http://deadline.com/2014/12/star-trek-3-justin-lin-director-fast-furious-helmer-1201333753/))

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‘The Loft’ Trailer: Cheating Husbands Buy A Love Nest For Their Illicit Affairs. What Could Go Wrong?

The Loft

Karl Urban, James Marsden, Wentworth Miller, Eric Stonestreet, and Matthias Schoenaerts play cheating husbands who all secretly buy a loft apartment in which they can safely screw around. Then a woman turns up dead. Pretty classic murder mystery set up. Let’s watch!

Continue reading “‘The Loft’ Trailer: Cheating Husbands Buy A Love Nest For Their Illicit Affairs. What Could Go Wrong?”

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Awesome: Regis Philbin in Letterman’s Top Ten Lists

David Letterman

Letterman is stepping down from Late Night soon and when he does it’ll be the end of an era. Over his long and storied career in late night his most enduing bit has been the Top Ten list, and the celebrity that comes up most often in the Top Ten list is Regis Philbin.

I don’t know why but it’s hilarious. So here’s a compilation of some small percentage of all the times Regis was the punchline.

Continue reading “Awesome: Regis Philbin in Letterman’s Top Ten Lists”