A to Z Blogging Challenge: Help!

Help! Help! Help! Yeah - I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah - like, The Beatles movie.

Cheesy, comedic, and culturally insensitive, "Help!" is a favourite movie of mine. After all, It stars The Beatles (and Beethoven's "Ode to Joy").

Besides my apparent fangirlish nature, I do have many reasons for enjoying this movie.

The music. The Beatles' album of the same title contains some of my favorite Beatles tunes. Due to their musical evolution and the progression of the interpersonal relationships within the band, "Help!" symbolizes a period of musical cohesion for the band. That said, the title track is catchy and upbeat - but have you ever read the lyrics as a standalone piece? This movie is cute and artistic, but it says something more - as does John Lennon.

While The Beatles were truly innovative, McCartney has repeatedly said that they were simply bringing existing elements of counterculture into the mainstream - not inventing them. "Help!" represents a fading innocence years before the counterculture sensed it. As a result, I feel like I have a completely different read on the movie and song than people of my parents' generation.

The tiger. As a kid, I loved the tiger. The tiger randomly appears when Ringo is trapped in his basement along with his fancy ring. As the tiger enters the room, there is dramatic cinematography and a poignant subtitle: A tiger.

Last innocent foray. "Help!" represents The Beatles' last film frolic, mainly construed as 'innocent' by contemporary audiences. After this, it was into the realm of psychodelia and legal battles.

A to Z Blogging Challenge: Eighties Movies and Why We Like Them

Jason on the 80s:

The 80s were a magical time for movies.  They looked to the future, they taught us how to rebel, and they were completely unique to the time. Worlds similar to ours that we really waned to live in. Personally I wanted to attend Atoms College of "Revenge of the Nerds" fame, after attending San Dimas High School (I hear their football team rules!) from the sublime "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Then afterwards, move to Chicago and be in parades every day. I was young and thought that was an option.

The 80s had proper parody movies, too. Movies that had jokes for all intelligence levels; it's just I liked the lowest common denominator ones more. DATE MOVIE,  EPIC MOVIE,  MOVIE MOVIE, SCARY MOVIE 1 - 30!  I like crass humor but at least be smart about it... just because I have a common ancestor with an ape doesn't mean I fling poop.

The best part about the 80s: you could go to the movies without taking out a loan or having a fear or losing your car. I think I can buy a black market kidney for less money than it takes to see a movie now. Heck,  there are countries with less GDP than it takes to see a movie at the Regal.

I still remember my mom taking me to Batman and flipping my little kid ummm... doody.... when the Teen Age Mutant Ninja Turtles popped up or bawling my eyes out at Optimus Prime dying. Seriously, do you remember how sad that scene was? Just thinking about it now makes my throat swell up. Two years ago we were watching it for Rick's (Tara's husband) birthday and it got really quiet during that scene. Almost three decades later and it can still cut me to the core.

I want to start a campaign to keep Micheal Bay away from my childhood. I felt like my childhood was punched in the back of the head when his Transformers movie came out. Now he wants to make the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles aliens. Freaking Aliens. Seriously someone stop him, all I have or the memories from this golden age.  Wow this got sad quick... post a picture of a dog in a sombrero, Tara.

...Ahh that makes everything better.

Tara's Take: The 80s

A to Z Blogging Challenge: Cabin in the Woods

"Cabin in the Woods" isn't my favorite movie ever, but I adore it because (like "Devil's Carnival"), it's unlike any movie I've ever seen before. I should also preface this review by saying that I'm not the biggest fan of the horror genre, although I will watch anything Joss Whedon creates (and anything Chris Hemsworth is in). I watched this movie mainly because of those reasons, and also because when I went to Philly Comic Con last year, Hemsworth mentioned the movie including a unicorn and I'm kind of into unicorns.

If you go into this movie with the right expectations, you'll probably enjoy it. It's a cheesy, well-thought out horror movie. 

Each character in the movie represents an archetype of someone you might find at college. This group of friends (including a jock and a stoner) head up to - you guessed it - a cabin in the woods for a weekend. Mayhem ensues.

A to Z Blogging Challenge: A Good Old Fashioned Orgy

I did not expect to find this movie touching. Who ever roots for the rich son to not lose his summer house in the Hamptons? It sounds less plausible than Jello Biafia writing a dissertation on why commercialism is a good thing in music. Yet here we are; I enjoyed this movie.

The characters are lovable. Specially if you are at the same stage of life, they are all easy to relate to. I mean we all been in this situation. Not the sex orgy situation sick-o. I mean that awkward time trying to figure out what you want with your life. 

Although congrats on the, Orgy Mr or Mrs Interesting Reader,  please send in your stories as a guest post.  (I am sure Tara will approve of this.)

A to Z Blogging Challenge: Bubba Ho-Tep

Elvis is alive and the CIA changed JFK's skin color and they are both living in an old age home in the middle of nowhere. I thought this was a fiction; what's not to believe? This movie is COMPLETELY grounded in reality. Well, at least until they introduce a mummy named Bubba Ho-Tep. Everyone knows mummies aren't real.

All Joking Aside, This Explains Elvis.

Early in the movie, we find that the real Elvis got tired of being famous and decided to pass along the title.  Then the Elvis impersonator went over the edge and we had cray jump suit Elvis eating a sandwich that took an entire loaf of bread. Doesn't knowing this make you feel better? This is now the world I choose to live in.

A to Z Blogging Challenge: The Avengers

So we're a bit late on actually starting the A to Z Blogging Challenge (totally my fault), but I'll gladly start back at A. Why? Because "Avengers," that's why.

There are many reasons to like this movie. Flawless casting, plot twists, and the knowledge that director Joss Whedon is an evil mastermind who will eventually break your heart by making you love characters before he tortures and/or kills them. (I'm so sorry, Thor. That's just how Joss rolls.)

Now that the movie has been out for a year and Marvel is about to release the phase 2 movies, I've prepared a list of frequently asked questions many fans have after seeing "The Avengers." (NOTE: Spoilers below.)

Is Coulson dead? - Answer: Probably not. After all, he appears in the upcoming "S.H.I.E.L.D." TV series.

Is Jane Foster angry that Thor didn't you know, stop to say hi or Skype when he was on Earth? - Answer: This topic is addressed in an interview "Thor" actor Chris Hemsworth gave back in November of 2012. Apparently this subject will be addressed in the movie. Additionally, actor Chris O'Dowd is rumored to appear as Jane's date in "Thor 2: The Dark World."

Will Pepper Potts become Rescue? - Audiences long for Pepper Potts to take a more active role in the "Iron Man" franchise. A fan favorite, she's the real brains behind running Stark's entire company. In the comic books, Pepper becomes "Rescue" and gets her own suit. Many think this will happen in the final "Iron Man" movie.

Who is the next big villain? - "Avengers" villain Loki teamed up with The Other, a being who works for (and therefore isn't likely as powerful as) Thanos. This means that a future "Avengers" movie could tackle The Other as well as Thanos. At this point, it's presumed that the "Thor" sequel will deal with Loki's punishment and that Thor and company will possibly enlist Loki's assistance.

Do you have any other lingering questions after seeing "The Avengers?" Please post them in the comments below!

A to Z Blogging Challenge: FDR: American Badass

Wait, what did I just see?! Did I just imagine that whole movie? There is no way that just happened.

Seriously, this movie happened, and if you love crass humor like I do, then you should watch it. This movie goes blue real quick.

A German Werewolf Outside of Paris.

The movie starts when a Nazi werewolf attacks Governor Franklin's hunting party. After the creature kills two people, FDR takes matters into his own hands with some good old fisticuffs. Then we find out werewolves are carriers for polio. (Glad we finally explained how FDR contracted polio.) Honestly, I am pretty sure this movie is historically accurate. At least I wish it was.

Historical Fiction + Monsters = AMAZING.

2012 AD gave birth to an amazing trend. Take a historical figure and have them fight monsters. I really hope 2013 continues this oddball trend. We got to see Abraham Lincoln fight zombies and vampires in two separate movies and now FDR in a tricked-out wheel chair killing werewolves.