I Had A Fun, Close Encounter With ‘Paul’
March 18th, 2011 by Aaron Neuwirth
It seems like 2011 is going to be littered with aliens and otherworldly beings. Paul falls into that category and I feel I must clarify what it is, as the TV spots I have seen for it do really poor justice to what is quite a funny movie. Paul is an R-rated, road trip, buddy comedy with an extraterrestrial twist. If features a great cast of comedic actors and has been written as a geek-friendly love letter to Steven Spielberg. Continue reading ‘I Had A Fun, Close Encounter With ‘Paul’’
Michael Flatley has come a long way from his early days in Chicago to a worldwide star. The most successful dancer of all time took an art form that is hundreds of years old and lit the fuse in his own characteristic style, creating an Irish dance blitzkrieg that took over the planet in the late 90’s. Since that time, Flatley has created a few other shows along the way in the form of Feet of Flames and Celtic Tiger, and while each attracted audiences in explosive numbers, neither ever changed the landscape quite like Lord of the Dance (LOTD) did. In a late 2010 reunion, Flatley once again took the mantle as Lord of the Dance for a brief but highly successful European tour, but this driven individual did not stop there. Not only did Flatley return in LOTD, he brought it to us in 3D.
Tangled marks Walt Disney’s 50th animated feature film and it’s a fitting choice since it seems to bridge the company’s legendary legacy of traditional animation with the new focus on computer animation. Although the film is entirely CGI, Disney has perfected it so well that it’s taken what worked traditionally and integrated it into computer animation seamlessly. 
Continuing the recent streak of films I covered panels for at last year’s Comic-Con comes a science fiction comedy like none other from the brains behind Hot Fuzz. Of course I’m talking about the aptly named film Paul. And E.T. thought he was special for having a feature named after himself. LOL. What I liked initially about this concept, besides the obvious, is the fact that this somehow all revolves around my favorite party every year, San Diego’s Comic-Con. Ah…memories… 
One of the most popular and successful British drama series in television history, Upstairs, Downstairs: Series One tells the story of the aristocratic Bellamy’s and the servants that support them. Upstairs, Downstairs is the winner of seven Emmy Awards, two BAFTAs, a Golden Globe, and a Peabody Award. 
I love alien invasion movies and really, really wanted Skyline to be a good one. Skyline stars Eric Balfour and the press release lists some of his impressive credits like Haven and 24. I know him from his not so impressive work in the very bad Syfy movie Dinoshark. Unfortunately, Skyline is only slightly better than Dinoshark and that really isn’t saying much. 
Just when you thought you couldn’t get your fill of the actor, news surfaced that he’s actually going to bring his “winning” shtick to you. That’s right. Charlie Sheen is going on tour. And here I thought the concept of a Spider-Man musical was an over-the-top theater performance. What could this guy possibly do on stage?
Serving as a warmup and placeholder for the upcoming Avengers movie, The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is coming to DVD on April 26, 2011. This action-packed superhero series features Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Ant-Man, Wasp, and The Hulk. There’s also appearances from the Fantastic Four and some of the other heroes and villains from the Marvel Universe. 
Living in Cleveland, sometimes you miss the best films of the year in the theater. It’s very easy to do. The little indie films, if they come here, only last for about a week or two and play in obscure theater locations. So with that being said, Rabbit Hole is a film I’m truly looking forward to on Blu-ray this April. There must be a reason why TIME magazine named it as one of their Top 10 Movies of 2010, right? Fret not! The wait is almost over. Lionsgate will be bringing the film to the Blu-ray format on April 19th. 
On March 29th, MGM Home Entertainment will release eight MGM classics on Blu-ray for the first time ever!! Titles include All Dogs Go To Heaven, All Dogs Go To Heaven 2, Material Girls, Picture This, The Secret of NIMH, Teen Wolf, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and Legally Blonde 2. 
I’d like to believe in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and the Lochness Monster. What I have trouble believing, is that Jennifer Aniston can’t find a man in New York City who wants to have a baby with her. That is the premise for The Switch, and it requires you to stretch your imagination and suspend reality completely. Once you get past that hurdle, it’s a very enjoyable movie with a unique point of view for a romantic comedy. 
