Episode 59: How to Train Your Dragon and Hot Tub Time Machine

Hello there and welcome to the 59th episode of the Cinema Cafe Podcast, the bi-weekly, twice monthly film podcast by the fans, for the fans. Join us each week as we review new movies releases, look at some dvd's, talk some film news and share our general love for all things cinema. The main goal is to have some fun and hopefully provide the listener with some helpful insight. We are back and the podcasting world is alight once again.

This week we have a treat: it's our 59th episode, which means we've been bringing you "bi-weekly" content for more than a year now. This week we take a look at 4 movies that have been recently released or are on dvd. With that said here's a look at what we discuss on this weeks podcast:

* Hot Tub Time Machine
* How to Train Your Dragon
* Repo Men
* White Ribbon
* Upcoming movie releases for the weekend of 4.02.10 and 4.09.10

Also, film news and more, only on the Cinema Cafe Podcast. We hope you enjoy and happy movie watching.

Thanks as always to all our loyal listeners for sharing the ride with us as we've reached this milestone for the show. It's all due to your support that we have kept things going and we hope you continue to share the ride with us in the coming months.

We're now on Itunes so head there and subscribe to the Cinema Cafe Podcast. Thanks!

Fantastic Short Film Friday - Nostalgia

It's time for another installment of our weekly look at short films, Fantastic Shirt Film Friday. Our goal is to try and shine some light on the lesser known/seen types of filmmaking, short films.

I apologize for the two week sabbatical, life and less time to watch the endless amounts of short films got in the way. But I'm back and I hope the wait was worth it. This week I want to spotlight the short Nostalgia, directed by Matthew Toffolo and written by Daren Foster. Here's the synopsis from the films website:

In Nostalgia, Deanna has moved on with her life after her relationship with Brad broke up. Both photographers, they met on a bridge when he took a picture of her. Now, Brad has heard that Deanna is engaged, and stakes her out on the same bridge for the answers he needs about why their relationship soured. But does Deanna know any more than he does? And what, if anything, does she owe him after so long?

For anyone who has ever fallen in and out of love, who has ever looked back fondly on even the most disastrous and heartbreaking relationships questioning whatever happened, then you will definitely enjoy this look back on young love.

I couldn't really find out much about the film, but if you want more Nostalgia check out the films website: here

I hope everyone enjoys this latest installment of Fantastic Short Film Friday, and we'll be back with more next week.

What I Think Of: The Crazies (2010)

So yeah, The Crazies. It's like this horror movie came out of nowhere, built up great word of mouth, made double its budget and then disappeared, all this in 2 months. To be fair, horror movies don't generally stick around long in popular conciseness, especially one's that get released in January. So again, yeah, The Crazies. This 2010 film is a remake of the 1973 George Romero film of the same name and is directed by Breck Eisner (of Sahara fame, or is that infamy). It's about a small Pennsylvanian town whose inhabitants suddenly become violent and well, crazy. Somethings in the water stripping the town's people of any moral semblance and filter and it's up to Sheriff David Dutton (played by Timothy Olyphant) to figure out what's going wrong and find his pregnant wife, Dr. Judy Dutton (played by the beautiful Radha Mitchell. The original The Crazies is a huge cult classic, bringing horror fans around the world to collective orgasms. Can this new remake live up to the original? Here are some of my thoughts:

• Why do horror movies get released every January/February? It's like there are two things one can always expect at the beginning of each new year, people breaking their New Year's resolutions after 2 weeks, and many Romantic Comedies and Horror Movies get released. I know after a long winter we as Americans feel fat and tired, but seriously, why so many horror movies? Do we dream of running from crazed killers for our lives so we can burn off some calories?
  
• When does Timothy Olyphant not play a cowboy hat-ed, spur wearing cop? Deadwood? Check. Justified? Check. The Girl Next Door? Well he played a porno director so no. While he has many roles under his belt, none are ever as memorable than when he plays a Southern badge wearing cowboy.
• I'll watch Olyphant in anything, but please not another Hitman. That film is soul crushing, a nearly life changing experience its so bad.
• On that note, actress Radha Mitchell is quite the diverse actress. She can go from a Woody Allen film (Melinda and Melinda), to a horror movie (Silent Hill), to a sci-fi film (Pitch Black and Surrogates) to z dramatic muse (Finding Neverland and Henry Poole is Here). You ma'am are a fantastic actress.
• This movie is wonderfully frighting. I mean crap yourself in the pants I can't believe what I'm watching frightening. The director sets up an incredible mood throughout the entire film backed by a fantastic script. This is one smart horror movie.
• The Crazies is all about humanities most basics of depravities and the depths we sink as people, crazy or not just to survive. Yeah a B-movie with a message. Who would've guessed.
  
• On that note, this film reminded me a lot of the 2008 film Blindness, but you know good, and instead of blind people you have rednecks.
• There's just so many amazing gore and death scenes, all worthy of being true grade B goodness.
  
• I just love the fact that while the crazed humans in the film are close to zombies, there's enough different about them that you never question if they are in fact dead. You're scared of them for different reasons. Zombies scare you because they'll eat your brains and turn you into a zombie. The crazies in this film are scary because they'll butcher you slowly all the while watching you with these dead-behind eyes. Damn.
  
• On that note, while not a zombie film, this is how you do a f'n modern zombie film!!
• This is one of the better horror movies I've seen in the last 5 years.
  
• Seriously I'm like Olyphant's biggest fan, and he's not even a particularly good actor.
  
• And lastly, this is just great B-movie fun and I know this may sound crazy (and yes I meant the pun) but this is better than the original George Romero film. Blasphemy you say? Perhaps. But it's true.

Trailer Talkback - Trailer Rundown

For every movie released, there's like 5-10 different trailers released for them and if you happen to catch them all, generally you don't have to see the movie since the trailers have given everything away. How many times have you watched a trailer and seen the ending? How many times have you watched a trailer and have seen the"twist?" Don't get me wrong, I love trailers. I just think in modern times, the trailer has gotten away from what they were originally intended to do, get you interested without giving anything away.

Case in point- the latest Hot Tub Time Machine trailer. I've seen the movie already and loved it. The original trailers for it are awful, and I joked with my friends before we saw the movie at a screening that the trailers were keeping out all the best stuff. Guess what? They did and that made the movie all the more enjoyable. However the latest Hot Tub trailer gives away one of the best comedic moments that builds throughout the entire movie, the fact that one of the characters finds out his wife is cheating on him and calls her 9 year old self to accuse and berate her. A great pay-off at the end of the movie. But now, bam, the trailer has given away the pay-off. Bah!!

Anyway, there's my little rant about trailers and here's my double standard as I present to you some more trailers that have peaked my interest. This week I'm going to focus on some lesser known movies coming out.

The Mechanic (December 15th)

Directed by Simon West (of Con Air and Tomb Raider fame) and starring Jason Statham, The Mechanic is a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film of the same name which I previously reviewed on the podcast and loved. Basically the "mechanic" is a hitman (played by Statham) who trains an apprentice and well, I'll let the trailer show you. Basically it looks like a more hard-core The Transporter. This is an early preview since the movie doesn't come out until December, but its from the directed of Con Air and stars Jason Statham. What else do you need?





The Good, The Bad, The Weird (April 23rd in limited release)

This 2008 South Korean film finally sees its North American release. Directed by Kim Ji-woon (of A Tale of Two Sisters and A Bittersweet Life), this is a Korean spaghetti western in an homage to the Sergio Leone film The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. I saw this film last year and it is awesome. Here's the synopsis:

Set in the 1930s Manchurian desert, where lawlessness rules and ethnic groups clash, three Korean men fatefully meet each other on a train. The Good, Do-won (Woo-sung Jung) is a bounty hunter who tracks down criminals with rewards on their heads. The Bad, Chang-yi (Byung-hun Lee) is the leader of a group of bandits and can’t stand to be second best. The Weird, Tae-goo (Kang-ho Song) is a train robber with nine lives. The three strangers engage in a chase across Manchuria to take possession of a map Tae-goo discovers while robbing the train. Also on the hunt for the mysterious map, are the Japanese army and Asian bandits. In this unpredictable, escalating battle for the map, who will stand in the end as the winner?

So yeah, I'm so happy to see this finally hit cinema's here. Do yourself a favor, if your lucky enough to have it playing in a city near you, check it out. If not, definitely check it out when it hits dvd. It's just such an odd ball western that I feel it needs to be seen to fully understand how odd it truly is.





Predators (July 7th)

Yeah I know this isn't a "lesser" known move, but damn if I don't care. I've been waiting years for a new Predator movie and I can not wait to see this. Directed by Nimrod Antal (of Armored and Vacany fame), Predators stars Adrian Brody, Laurence Fishburne and a host of other actors as the new "prey" for the Predators. Here's the synopsis:

The film stars Adrien Brody as Royce, a mercenary who reluctantly leads a group of elite warriors who come to realize they've been brought together on an alien planet... as prey. With the exception of a disgraced physician, they are all cold-blooded killers – mercenaries, Yakuza, convicts, death squad members – human "predators" that are now being systemically hunted and eliminated by a new breed of alien Predators.

Wow. The trailer looks fantastic. My only question? How can Adrian Brody even have a semblance of a chance of survival fighting numerous Predators when Arnold barely defeated one in the original? We shall see. This movie will be sending geek hearts all aflutter when it finally gets released.

Movie Talkback - The New Captain America Is...

... Chris "I'm in every comic book movie" Evans. The wait is finally over, the speculation has stopped and Chris Evans stands supreme over dozens of would-be actors who were in the running to play America's favorite super-hero, Captain America. Here's a taste: Evans beat out The Office's John Kransinski, Friday Night Light's Scott Porter, Cruel Intention's Ryan Phillippe, Gossip Girl's Chance Crawford, and many more including Step Up's Channing Tatum. Some good choices, some not so good, but in the end I think the best man won. Channing Tatum looks most like a young Captain America, but he can't act his way off of The Streets.

Evans has signed a 9-picture deal which will of course start with the upcoming 2011 The First Avenger: Captain America, and include I'm sure, sequels and many cameo's in other Marvel movies.

So what does everyone think of the news? Frankly, more than any other actor I can think of, Chris Evans can really be called a comic book actor: Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four (Marvel) movies, Jensen in the upcoming The Losers (Vertig0), Nick Gant in Push (Wildstorm), the voice of Casey Jones in TMNT (Mirage Studios), and of course Lucas Lee in the upcoming Scott Pilgram vs. the World (Oni Press). So yeah, wow, a lot of comic book movies. As it is now, it'll be a shock to watch a comic book adaptation with him not starring in it. He's a fine actor and I really liked him in Danny Boyle's Sunshine, but this may all be too much. From what I've heard, he was hesitant to take on the role Captain America, not only because of the Marvel pay-scale (300,000 a picture) but also because he didn't want to be typecasted, but yeah, too late for that now.

Anyway, this is big news and a coup for Mr. Evans. So congrats. You have huge shoes to fill, and this is one comic character that needs to feel overpowering and patriotic. Let us hope you're up to the job.

What I Think of: Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 fantasy movie directed by Tim Burton and is loosely based on the popular children's novel by Lewis Carroll--Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. The film stars Burton's muses Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen; and Mia Wasikowska as Alice and Anne Hathaway as the White Queen. This story follows Alice, a young 19 year old who was just proposed to, and her adventures as she falls into Underland. Here we encounter most of the characters we meet in Carroll's story. In this story, everyone is looking for the "real" Alice, who is the only one that can slay the Jabberwocky, a dragon controlled by the 'evil' Red Queen, in order to restore power to the 'good' White Queen.

The movie is quite interesting as it adds structure to a book that didn't have much structure. The book chronicles vignettes or episodes of events with these weird and quirky characters. Most of the time not making any sense and somehow or another, the story moves forward with Alice. The movie however, added a plot and obstacles that needed to be conquered. By adding structure to the film, people were still able to enjoy the characters, the visually stunning world of Underland, and avoided confusion (that may have taken place if Burton created a literal translation of the book). The acting was superb, and the world was magical. Everything just worked. The only thing I'll say is I saw this in 3D and not sure if it added anything. Sure it was cool but it lacked the wow factor that you come to expect with 3D. All in all still a great film. Enjoy the trailer:

Episode 58: Alice in Wonderland and Green Zone and Cop Out

Hello there and welcome to the 58th episode of the Cinema Cafe Podcast, the bi-weekly, twice monthly film podcast by the fans, for the fans. Join us each week as we review new movies releases, look at some dvd's, talk some film news and share our general love for all things cinema. The main goal is to have some fun and hopefully provide the listener with some helpful insight. We are back and the podcasting world is alight once again.

This week we have a treat: it's our 58th episode, which means we've been bringing you "bi-weekly" content for more than a year now. This week we take a look at 3 movies that have been recently released or are on dvd. With that said here's a look at what we discuss on this weeks podcast:

* Alice in Wonderland
* Green Zone
* Cop Out
* Oscar thoughts
* Upcoming movie releases for the weekend of 3.19.10 and 3.26.10

Also, film news and more, only on the Cinema Cafe Podcast. We hope you enjoy and happy movie watching.

Thanks as always to all our loyal listeners for sharing the ride with us as we've reached this milestone for the show. It's all due to your support that we have kept things going and we hope you continue to share the ride with us in the coming months.

We're now on Itunes so head there and subscribe to the Cinema Cafe Podcast. Thanks!

What I Think Of: Tooth Fairy (2010)

Yeah I saw this movie. Stop judging me. This Tooth Fairy is not to be confused with the 2006 low-budget horror movie, The Tooth Fairy, although it is debatable if this film isn't a horror movie as well. This 2010 family comedy stars "no-longer deserves to be called The Rock" Dwayne Johnson as a faded hockey player jerk who must serve as a "tooth fairy" when he tells a young girl that tooth fairies don't exist and learns that maybe sometimes, all we need to believe in is a little magic. Naturally, hilarity ensues. Here are some of my initial thoughts right after seeing Tooth Fairy:

• Here's my open letter to Dwayne Johnson: please Mr. Johnson, stop making these awful family films. Now I don't know why you decided to stop making action films. Maybe you were tired of them, maybe you wanted to make movies your kids could see (do you even have any kids?) and I can see why you perhaps stopped making action flicks (less chance of getting hurt), but these family films you make aren't even any good. They're not even Hulk Hogan in Suburban Commando good. Yeah you have charm and that's why I still continue to watch your films, but frankly, I think I'm done. That doesn't mean I think Tooth Fairy is a terrible film. It's just so generic that its forgettable, and The Rock should be anything but forgettable. So yeah, you got great teeth, but that's no reason to do this kind of film and me and the millions of your other fans would love to see another action flick from you, because a generic action flick starring The Rock is 10 times better than a generic family film because your talents are wasted here. Sincerely your fan, Joshua Lew.
• This movie is filled with awful puns concerning everyone's indentured gum servants, the teeth, or rather just one of said teeth. "The Tooth Hurts." "You can't Handle the Tooth." "The whole Tooth and nothing but the Tooth." And yes, all those are said by Mr. Johnson. Wait, there are still more terrible puns, but at least these aren't Tooth based, but rather fairy based. "Fairy Krishnas" (for Hare Krishnas) and my favorite, "Who wrote the fairy evolution? Charles Dar-wing?" Please dear god, make it stop.
• The Rock in a tuto and one inch tall with a high pitched voice being scared of cats. Some things are just not meant to be seen.
• Why does Dame Julie Andrews keep starring in these "Disney" type films. I mean your name starts with Dame!! Come on! Penny says all you've ever really done is The Sound of Music. She clearly doesn't know what the hell she's talking about and even if you only did one movie, who the hell cares, it's the f-n Sound of Music. But you still look damn good for a fairy godmother.
• On that note, why Billy Crystal? Why be the "Q", the gadget-man of fairy-land? I get that you aren't the same Billy Crystal I remember from my childhood of City Slickers and When Harry Met Sally but come on! You're not even Throw Momma From the Train Billy Crystal anymore.
• Ashley Judd still looks ridiculously hot, but now in a MILF kind of way. But yeah, I can't remember the last movie I saw her in? 2006's Bug? If so, then nice, that was a damn fine movie. Scary and gross as all hell.
• And lastly, the movie was funny, heartfelt and heartwarming at times so there is that. The little guy rising up, taking a chance on yourself, [insert other generic family drama feeling] but it wasn't enough to make this movie more than just for the bored kids at home.

Leftovers - The Oscar's (or How I learned to sleep with my eyes open)

I've spoken many times of my dislike for the Oscars. I see them as a sort of necessity (to shine a light on the public, films they may not have seen but should have seen), but I've never liked the idea of the rich getting richer, the famous pumping themselves up even more on a national stage. Still, for the past 2 years since we've started doing this podcast, we've held an Oscar party, and kudos to our friends who show up every year, kudos to their friendship and commitment because god knows the Oscars are damn boring to watch, last way too long and well, there are bouts where I just want to turn off the tv, kick everyone out and go to sleep. Here are some of my thoughts on the 82nd Annual Academy Awards Show:

• My god, the Oscar's didn't end until 12:30AM EST, and then when the final category, Best Picture was announced, the show quickly went to credits and I was stuck going, my god, so I watched every actor parade onto the stage to talk about another actor nominated for the last hour and then when the big award comes they're like "oh we're out of time, goodnight everyone." I'm glad it ended, I've never been so glad something ended in my life, like watching your life flash before your eyes in a car crash, but it all just seemed like one big tease.
• What's up with the In Memorium not recognizing the death of the beautiful Farrah Fawcett? I've read an interview with someone from the Academy who basically said that they left Fawcett off on purpose because she didn't really do much in the way of films. But then they honor Michael Jackson? Listen I love Michael Jackson and his videos are little short-films, but to put him on and not Fawcett (who died on the same day), to recognize his contribution to films and not the beautiful lady who wore a tank top the entire time in Cannonball. Bah.
• I just find it odd that many critics talked before the show about how The Fantastic Mr. Fox might end as the dark horse for the Best Animated category and win it. This just never made sense to me. If the film somehow beat Up for Best Animated Film, then it wouldn't make sense how Up could be in the Best Film category. Since Up was nominated as the only animation for Best Film, then it was basically a give away which film would win the Best Animated Film, which I find quite boring. We all know Pixar makes the best animated films each year and the only reason the Academy created a Best Animated Film category was so it didn't have to nominate a "cartoon" for Best Picture. Now that they've gone to 10 nominees, either you can't nominate a film for Best Animated if it's also nominated for Best Picture, or you nominate more than one animation for that category. Anything less makes it a waste of time for everyone.
• On that note, the Best Animated category should be used to bring to light small animated films like The Secret of Kells and other films like it that no one knows about besides the people who watch films for a living. It should be used as a spotlight for the lesser known's rather than Up (which was the best animated film of the year) which everyone has seen.
• Seriously, this years Oscars was one of the most boring shows I can ever remember watching. While the opening dance number by NPH was entertaining and the opening monologue (or is dualogue?) of Steve Martin and Alex Baldwin was hilarious, everything else fell flat. Like the safe Avatar skit by Ben Stiller to the boring presenter readings, this years Oscars was just a true crap-fest. Even Lady Kanye's outbursts was more odd then entertaining.
  
• Avatar gets shut out? Very surprising. I do agree with what many people say. Remember How Green Was My Valley? Most people have not even heard of that film, but it was that film that beat out Citizen Kane for the Best Film Oscar in 1941. Now I'm not saying that Avatar is up to the quality of Kane but what I am saying is that for the importance of films for generations to come, everyone will remember Avatar and how it changed films, and I have to wonder in 10 years will most people even remember The Hurt Locker besides it being a foot-note in film trivia knowledge.
• And lastly, how great was the John Hughes remembrance? How great was it to see the whole Breakfast Club back on stage? God I teared up. It was just fantastic seeing the whole cast back sans Emilio Estevez who I guess was too cool for Hughes. But yeah a fantastic walk through memory lane with a wonderful montage of all of Hughes great films. For me, one of the greatest moments in Oscar history. But yeah, does anyone else think a grown up Judd Nelson looks like a serial killer/Vegas lounge singer/ restaurant magician?
  

Fashion/Film: The Day after the Oscars

Here are some of my favorite looks from last night's Academy Awards:


Vera Farmiga in Marchesa; Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham

Anyone who knows me, knows I love ruffles (right now) and though it seems a bit much at first glance, it somehow works for Farmiga. Now as for Cyrus, I've been hearing mixed reviews and I'll just put it out there, I really liked the dress choice. Seems a bit mature for her age and I wish the bodice/corset was pulled up a bit. Perhaps her posture o a necklace may have helped but regardless, the dress is beautiful.


Sandra Bullock in Marchesa; Meryl Streep in white Chris March; Kate Winslet in YSL

Big night for Bullock, super congrats on the Academy awards (and the Razzy's the night before). I didn't know this but the bottom half of Bullock's dress is crushed velvet. Really? Wow, just amazing. I'm not huge on velvet but boy did it look great on Bullock. And the red lips were perfect. Streep looked great, I know the dress is a bit of an understatement but it fits who she is and I hate to say it's "age appropriate" but it really is just right for her. And Chris March of all people designed this dress. You remember him, Project Runway, season 4, big guy into drag wear? Yes him, amazing. I fell in love with Winslet last year and she still gets to me this year. Like fine wine, she just gets better with age.


Lastly, probably the biggest winner of the night, Kathryn Bigelow. First female director to win an Academy Award. Women everywhere should be proud. She looked stunning in her dress (and for the life of me I can't find the designer and it's late so I gave up searching). Her body is woah and how refreshing to see a beautiful director (can't say there's many lookers behind the camera...just saying). But putting looks and vanity aside, Bigelow created a fantastic movie that I recommend. She brought to life a topic that not many people know about and for a movie that could have been very dry, she knew how to keep our interest and made people really wait at the edge of their seats for what's next. That's not something any director can do. I am so excited for her as a woman and as a movie fan.

Today, I really wanted to concentrate on the good but if you really want to know what I thought about the bad, let's just say Charlize Theron and Hilary Swank and leave it at that.

-Penny

Fantastic Short Film Friday - A Matter of Loaf and Death (animated)

And here we are with our final installment showcasing the 5 animated shorts nominated for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards and damn if it's not a doozy. A 29-minute "short" by Nick Park, this week we take a look at A Matter of Loaf and Death the fourth short of Nick's to star the amazing clay-animated British creations, Wallace and Gromit. Here's the synopsis:

Wallace and Gromit startbusiness. Gromit learns that bakers have been mysteriously disappearing, and tries to solve the case before Wallace ends up a victim himself. This short introduces a new love interest for Wallace, Piella Bakewell, a bread enthusiast as well as, for the first time, one for Gromit: Piella's dog Fluffles.

Frankly while I did find the short very interesting and entertaining, like all the other Wallace and Gromit films, it lacked the ingenuity and creativity that the original shorts had. However it makes up for it in charm, especially when it comes to the new love of Gromit's.

So looking back at all the 5 animated shorts, they were all interesting, however there were 3 standouts for me. While my favorite one was the Spanish short, The Lady and the Reaper the one's that I think have the best chance are this short and Logorama. While I wasn't entertained as most seem to be with Logorama, I do appreciate how amazingly complicated and insane it must have been to make it, and it's because of how creative the short was that I think Logorama will walk away with the Oscar this year.

What does everyone else think? What are your favorites? I want to thank everyone for joining me on this journey as we took a look at all the nominees and I'll be back next week with a fresh look (probably live-action) for everyone's weekly dose of Fantastic Short Film Friday.

Since A Matter of Loaf and Death is not on youtube, I have no way to embed it, so here's the same link I used to check out the short. Enjoy.

Watch it: here

What I Think of: Shutter Island (2010)

This 2010 psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese (Score-sez-e) stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy Daniels, Mark Ruffalo as Chuck Aule, and Ben Kingsley as Dr. John Cawley. The film is based on the 2003 novel by Dennis Lehane of the same name. I haven't read the book but Joshua has and he says the movie is a true adaptation of the book (for the most part). Teddy and Chuck are detectives who are sent to an asylum for the criminally insane in Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a patient, Rachel Solando (played by Emily Mortimer). Teddy also has an ulterior motive while at the asylum; he is looking for the man responsible for the death of his wife. Long story short, there's a lot of twists and turns and you don't know who to trust or believe and then BOOM, there it is, everything is unraveled and all the things you thought didn't make sense do.

Though I usually tend to stay away from psychological thrillers because I hate losing sleep, this was done so well and it felt so satisfying at the end. And best of all, it wasn't too scary. It was mildly scary for a chicken like me but for normal folks, it'll be fine. Great performances by all, though I still cannot stand DiCaprio's awful Bostonian accent. I think he just needs to hang it up and retire it.

Enjoy the trailer:

Trailer Talkback - Trailer Rundown

It's Oscar time as this Sunday brings the world the 82nd Annual Academy Awards. As we finally bid adieu to the movie year that was 2009, I thought I'd take the time to showcase some movie trailers that have me most excited for 2010. Enjoy.

The Losers (release April 23rd)

Here is the action-espionage film based on the 2003 Vertigo comics series of the same name by Andy Diggle and Jock. Frankly I can't wait to see this movie. The characters look like they just stepped from the comic page, the trailer shows wonderful action, humor and it's got Zoe Saldana, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Chris Evans, what more needs to be said. My one hope is that this movie does well because I would love to see some sequels, although the movie does look like it covers the entire 32 issue comic series. Check out the trailer below.






A-Team (release June 11th)

Who doesn't remember and look fondly on the original A-Team NBC show that ran 5 seasons from 1983-1986. I just find it funny that the powers that be have finally decided to release an A-Team movie the same year that The Losers is being released when both movies look roughly the same, but yeah this one's got Liam Neeson so bam, that's enough for me. I wonder if the nostalgia factor will push this movie through to a big box office win, but I for one cannot wait for this action pack walk though memory lane. Check out the trailer below.





Kick-Ass (release April 16th)

Here is another comicbook adaptation, this one based on the 2008 Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. series of the same name. Frankly while the comic series is all kinds of fun, I'm blown away by how great the trailer looks. I cannot wait for 12-year old Hit-Girl ass kicking action. I cannot wait for some McLovin sidekick action. I cannot for some Nic Cage spandex wearing action. This is a definite must-see. Check out the red-band trailer below.





That's all for this week. I'll have a look at more trailers next Wednesday.

Episode 57: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Shutter Island

Hello there and welcome to the 57th episode of the Cinema Cafe Podcast, the bi-weekly, twice monthly film podcast by the fans, for the fans. Join us each week as we review new movies releases, look at some dvd's, talk some film news and share our general love for all things cinema. The main goal is to have some fun and hopefully provide the listener with some helpful insight. We are back and the podcasting world is alight once again.

This week we have a treat: it's our 57th episode, which means we've been bringing you "bi-weekly" content for more than a year now. This week we take a look at 3 movies that have been recently released or are on dvd. With that said here's a look at what we discuss on this weeks podcast:

* Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
* Shutter Island
* A Serious Man
* Top 5 List: Most Anticipated Movies of 2010
* Upcoming movie releases for the weekend of 3.05.10 and 3.12.10

Also, film news and more, only on the Cinema Cafe Podcast. We hope you enjoy and happy movie watching.

Thanks as always to all our loyal listeners for sharing the ride with us as we've reached this milestone for the show. It's all due to your support that we have kept things going and we hope you continue to share the ride with us in the coming months.

We're now on Itunes so head there and subscribe to the Cinema Cafe Podcast. Thanks!