Adventure

I saw an amazing preview for the upcoming 3-D movie Avatar last night while I was watching House on Fox with Dish Network. I was hooked the second the trailer began. This film looks phenomenal and I wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes the next “Star Wars”. The trailer was much longer than most and totally captured the gist of what the movie is about. I’ve seen plenty of advertised pictures of the characters in the film while browsing online, but nothing compares to the way they look on screen. The effects look absolutely astounding and the acting seems flawless.

I originally thought this film would be geared toward a younger audience because of the computerized characters and thought the pictures were characteristic of what might end up being a comic book type movie. Once I watched the entire trailer for Avatar I realized that this is going to be much more intricate and emotional than I expected. The plot runs thick and the characters display such emotion that there’s no way this film can be disappointing. I can pretty much guarantee that we will be in for an action packed ride full of stunning audio and visual effects and emotion that absorb us completely into the film. Rumor has it that the film cost $500 million to make though many argue that this figure is too high. Another more reliable source claimed that Avatar cost $230 million plus another $150 million in products and advertising. Either way, you can certainly tell by its appearance that spending was not an issue. The characters look amazing and although they are a different type of being, they seem so real. Their facial expressions are illuminated with feelings and I’m sure that after watching the movie for a few minutes we’ll totally forget that these creatures are aliens.

Writer and Director James Cameron created Avatar- another reason why it will be a sure winner. Cameron offered to forfeit his share of Avatar’s profits if it costs more than it makes at the box office. He wrote an 80 page script for the film back in 1994 and had plans to start filming right after Titanic in 1997 and release the movie in 1999 but the cost was way too high at the time. He was also holding out for some much needed advancements in special effects.

Cameron made a major accomplishment in the filmmaking industry. He invented his own stereoscopic filmmaking with his “Reality Camera System” that uses two HD cameras built into one. This technique adds to the effects by accenting depth perception. It also gives Cameron the ability to see on a monitor how the virtual characters will appear as he directs the film. This is a huge breakthrough because these effects were always added to movies after they were done filming, giving the director very little to work with. Imagine how this is going to look now that he can work with his characters in real time and make adjustments along the way until their expressions are perfect. Wikipedia quoted Cameron, "It’s like a big, powerful game engine. If I want to fly through space, or change my perspective, I can. I can turn the whole scene into a living miniature and go through it on a 50 to 1 scale”.

“The Volume” was also created to highten Avatar's visual effects. This is amazing. It is a skullcap made to fit the actor’s head with a small camera attached. The camera calculates every facial expression including the eyes and sends the information to the computers. Cameron recruited 1,000 people to take part in the film’s production and sent the cast on a trip to a jungle so they could bond with its surroundings and each other in preparation for the film. Avatar was intended to be released this past May but Cameron decided to allow more time for post-production. Many theaters still do not have 3-D projectors. It was also his intention to give theaters a heads-up to prepare for this groundbreaking epic by purchasing new equipment. Many years of preparation and technological advancements have been made for the sole purpose of making this film come to life for audiences everywhere so get prepared for December 18, 2009 because this is going to be good. Cameron has intentions of making two sequels to Avatar. He is already gaining recognition for his filmmaking accomplishments with Avatar and is slated to receive two awards, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Lucky Brand Modern Master Award on February 6, 2010 as well as the Visual Effects Society’s VES Lifetime Achievement Award on February 28, 2010.

My Top 5 Favorite James Cameron Movies

#1 Terminator 2: Judgment Day
2. Titanic
3. The Terminator
4. Aliens
5. True Lies

Here are my Top 10 Movies to watch on Dish Network’s America’s Everything Package from now until Sunday night!

#1 Lady in the Water at 9 pm on 5StarMax 11-12

Directed by M. Night Shayamalan and starring Paul Giamatti, this film is a sure win and it is rated PG-13. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Don’t expect horror or sci-fi as it is meant to be a drama/fantasy. Watch it with a friend or loved and look at the deeper meaning of the film because you’ll want to discuss it later.

2. Nights in Rodanthe at 9 pm on HBO Signature 11-13

If you like Richard Gere and/or Diane Lane, then you will absolutely fall in love again for the first time when you watch this dramatic hit. These two make the most believable film couple that I have probably ever seen and the acting is phenomenal. George C. Wolfe who also filmed The Devil Wears Prada directed this movie.

3. Slumdog Millionaire at 9 pm on HBO2 11-12

I know many of you have heard how great this movie is and about the awards it has received. This film received Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing- that was just at the Oscar’s. Those of you who have seen this film can watch it a second time. Those of you who haven’t seen this drama, here is your chance! See what all of the buzz is about and you will be pleasantly surprised when you find out just how unique this film really is!

4. This Boy’s Life at 8 pm on Encore Drama 11-12

Robert De Niro fans, this movie is a must to add to your collection. If you haven’t seen it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing. This drama also stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Barkin. De Niro is so aggravating in this film that you will want to jump at him through the TV screen! He plays an abusive stepfather to DiCaprio so if you have children be sure that they are tucked soundly to sleep before show time then enjoy the ride.

5. Cop Land at 4:20 pm on Encore Mystery 11-15

Though this film is not the most action-packed it is a great drama with an awesome cast. The actors include Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta. I will say no more.

6. The Kite Runner at 7:30 pm on The Movie Channel Extra 11-13

This movie is adapted from the book of the same title written by Khaled Hosseini. It centers around a boy in Afghanistan who is living in troubled times and witnesses the rape of his friend but does nothing to stop it. He lives with the regret throughout his life. The movie depicts Afghanistan as citizens are beginning to seek refuge in Pakistan and the U.S. to avoid terror as the Taliban begins to grow.

7. The Bucket List at 9 pm on 5StarMax 11-15

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman make a very entertaining pair in this Rob Reiner film. The story focuses on two friends with very different perspectives in life that are faced with their own mortality and, in their own bizarre way, help each other discover the things in life that truly matter.

8. The Way of the Gun at 5:45 pm on Showtime Extreme 11-12

This blast of a movie will have you entertained from opening to closing credits. It stars Ryan Phillipe, Benicio Del Toro, Juliette Lewis and Taye Diggs. This is a non-stop dark comedy/drama/action flick that takes place mostly in Mexico and it’s a non-stop thrill ride. If you want one-of-a-kind entertainment like no other then you will love this flick!

9. Burn After Reading at 9:30 am on Cinemax 11-15

The Coen Brothers are so reliable when it comes to making movies that are off the beaten cuff. You will crack up when you see Brad Pitt as a gum-chewing gym worker with tight pants who acts like a little boy paired up with his coworker Frances McDormand. They come across a very valuable memoir that was left behind by a gym member and they hold it for ransom. Will the writer of the memoir pay the ransom or will these two have to go through heck first? Find out Sunday!

10. The Neverending Story at 8:20 am on Starz Kids & Family 11-14

This movie is great for children and adults who are kids at heart. It’s an old time favorite of mine since it was one of the first movies I saw in the theater. This fantasy movie will make your children excited to read and embark on new adventures as it makes a story come to life! It includes a beautiful white flying dragon, a rock biter, a troll, a snail that travels as fast as lightening and more!

Who is your favorite actress? I know it is very difficult to choose who you like the best since there are so many variations of talented women to choose from. I know that I cannot decide on just one but can certainly state that Kathy Bates would be in the top five. She is probably one of the most versatile and consistent actresses around and has proven her talent with her many characters in movies of every genre.

Bates has starred in over 60 movies since she made her big-screen acting debut in the film Taking Off released in 1971. Her stage performance in the play ‘night Mother earned her a Tony award nomination in 1983 and she was just getting warmed up. She also starred in the Off-Broadway hit Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. The play lasted through 533 performances. The reason why this may sound familiar is because it was adapted into the movie Frankie & Johnny starring Michelle Pfeifer and Al Pacino. Bates was a huge hit on stage and her career in film was about to explode when she starred in the classic horror smash Misery (1990) as the psycho Annie Wilkes! This performance landed her the Academy Award for Best Actress that year.

Kathy Bates went from one hit film to the next when she took the role of Evelyn Couch, an unhappy housewife, in Fried Green Tomatoes. She was able to make audiences everywhere put aside their fear and, alongside Jessica Tandy, melted the hearts of all her fans. She went from a horror film to a drama and came back to Stephen King once again for Dolores Claiborne. This film was very slow moving and certainly did not have as many followers as Misery, but as far as character studies are concerned, they couldn’t have picked a better actress for the role because without Bates, the film would not be half as good.

Bates stole our hearts again as “Molly” Brown in Titanic (1997). I’ve talked to plenty people about this film because it was such a huge success. Everyone I’ve spoken with seems to have similar opinions of the movie in that the topic was suspenseful and breathtaking but that DiCaprio’s and Winslet’s performances were completely overacted and almost laughable at times, but we like their characters so it was enough to make it work. Bates, on the other hand, played her part to the tee. You would swear she wasn’t acting since she was so comfortable and her lines just rolled off her tongue as if she was completely improvising. She made us laugh and cheer with her astounding performance. I am shocked that Winslet was nominated and Bates was not. Winslet is now a decent actress (most notably in the film Little Children) but she was simply getting her feet wet when she made her mediocre debut in Titanic.

Kathy Bates displayed her confidence and agreed to appear naked in the film About Schmidt (2002), also starring Jack Nicholson. The scene consisted of Bates undressing and entering the bathtub. I’m not quite sure why everyone claims how disgusting this part was. Perhaps it’s because many young people may see her as a mother figure. As a grown woman all I could think was, Go, girl! Bates’ body was obviously not stick thin, but if my skin looks like that with no spider veins or cellulite when I am 55 years old, I certainly will not be wearing a moo-moo at the beach!

Kathy Bates has earned every award that has come her way and deserved so much more. She is one of the most accomplished actresses of our time. Not only has she proven her perseverance in the world of film she has also made a huge personal achievement. Bates was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 2003 but has since beaten the disease. She kept her disease a secret from the press and went to chemotherapy appointments on her own. She said that she needed to deal with the disease without any distractions. Bates is grateful that she was diagnosed right at the beginning stages and wants others to know that early detection is the best step toward fighting cancer. Bates has now joined the Ovarian Cancer Foundation to speak out for early detection and cancer treatment.

Look out Directv, the good old satellite television provider known as Dish Network is thriving in today’s difficult economy. The new Dish motto “Why Pay More?” has drawn the attention of satellite TV customers across the nation. Many people ordered Directv because they were told that it offers the most high definition and delivers a better signal but the truth is both services a very much alike. Customers decide to switch their service to Dish for many reasons, the most important one being price.

It is ridiculous during a time when every dollar counts to spend more money on one provider when you can get the same thing for less through another. That’s like asking someone which Snickers bar they want to buy- the one that costs $1.00 or the one that costs $1.25. There is just no doubt that people who are educated about their television service would not switch to another service of the same quality for less money. This is a no win situation for Directv unless they cut their monthly cost, upfront deposits, receiver charges and give more advanced equipment, if not dual receivers, to first time customers.

Directv has lost the Versus channel even though they’ve spent years talking about how Dish is the provider that doesn’t want to spend extra money to carry great networks. Dish Network has Versus and it also has more premium channels for the money including Showtime Beyond (horror and sci-fi movies), 5StarMax (Cinemax channel dedicated to award winning films only), Starz Comedy, Starz Kids & Family and HBO Comedy, HBO Zone (all movies in HD). Directv requires customers to pay extra for the Encore premium channels but Dish offers them in the package below America’s Everything Package.

Dish Network does not have the NFL Sunday Ticket but football fans will still have access to Red Zone for $5.99 per month. Directv requires customers to subscribe to the Ticket before they can order Superfan on top of it, then customers are able to get Red Zone $400.00 later. Football fans that are mostly interested in game-only content available in HD will be more than satisfied with Red Zone.

Dish is being humble in their approach when they ask you why you would pay more for the same service because they have so much more to offer than Directv including International channels. As a previous Directv customer with the Premier Package, 1 HD receiver and 2 standard receivers, I can attest to the fact that Dish Network is better. I switched and was able to change my boring existing equipment to 1 HD-DVR that records and plays on 2 different TVs (1 standard-def TV and 1 HD TV) as well as 1 HD only receiver. I had no upfront cost. I have America’s Everything Package and will save a total of $1,044 in the next two years because I have finally made an educated decision.

If my testimony is not enough, let’s look at the facts. The CEO of Dish Network has just announced a dividend of $2.00 on each of the company’s shares. The 3Q09 report also reflected that Dish has exceeded expectations with its gain of 241,000 new subscribers. Dish closed the market day with 5.17% at $20.14- Not too shabby.

Looking forward to heading to the theaters for some excitement? There are a few interesting upcoming movies set to arrive within the next few weeks so I decided to take a closer look at what we can expect to see at the movies before the end of the month. This is a great season for those of you who love thrillers. It seems that the Halloween spirit is lasting a little longer this year. We usually get bombarded with horror movies and mysteries during the month of October but it didn’t seem like we had too many choices this year. Not to worry there is plenty more horrifying fun to come!

The Fourth Kind opens this weekend (November 6) starring Milla Jovovich. This film looks creepy and mysterious. Jovovich plays a psychologist conducting a sleep study on a group of people in Nome, Alaska. She comes across an unexpected challenge when she discovers that her patients believe aliens abducted them. When I watched the trailer I was taken aback by the way they captured the patients while they were being hypnotized. They looked possessed and petrified. The directing is similar to Paranormal Activity with the home video type deal. This style of filming is really making a comeback. It’s very daring for directors to take on a project like this because this style can make or break a movie. Let’s hope it adds character to the film. The acting in this movie looks decent and it is supposedly based on a true unsolved mystery. I’m in!

This isn’t the only thriller coming to town this week. The Box with Cameron Diaz is also scheduled for release on Friday the 6th. This movie could go either way. It might be an average film glamorized by the inclusion of popular actors or it could make us question our own moral beliefs leading to a very interesting film. The plot sounds appealing but it appears to be laid out on the table and I’m not sure where the suspense will come from unless the story takes a turn and surprises us. Basically, Diaz is a teacher married to a NASA engineer and they have a son. One day, she finds a disfigured stranger at her door with “The Box” in hand along with a proposition. She can press the button and receive a million dollars (somehow) but someone she doesn’t know will die. I think we can guess what she decides to do. The question is, will the punishment be limited to the death of a person unknown to her if she presses the button, or will there be harsher consequences? I’m a Cameron Diaz fan so I’m hoping this flick is much better than anticipated.

George Clooney has managed to star in yet another bizarre film. Only Clooney can make wacky choices like this and walk away from it unscathed. As if the movies Leatherheads and Oh Brother Where Art Thou weren’t enough, he does it again with The Men Who Stare at Goats! If the cast wasn’t completely star-studded I’m sure that this film wouldn’t gain half the popularity it has received thus far. I’m thinking that Clooney as well as costars Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges will carry the weight of the movie and at least offer us some great acting and funny moments. It’s based on the true story of the military trying to train Special Forces agents to have paranormal abilities. They practice by staring at goats and concentrating on them until the goats drop dead. They practice this as well as reading people’s minds to eventually use their gifts in the war. The guys get a little too confident in their ability thinking they can use it with everything. One of them disappears and the others go searching for him, attempting to use their gifts along the way and taking the audience for a comical ride in the process. This is a dark comedy that, in spite of its wacky name, may be worth a glance.

The release of 2012 is set for next weekend (November 13). Let the terror continue- at least until the holiday season! This big budget sci-fi adventure stars John Cusack and takes us into the future to the time of the apocalypse. We’ve watched movies with similar plots before but this one is unique since it was taken from predictions in the ancient Mayan calendar. The effects look tremendous and the acting should be favorable. I’m hoping that the effects don’t take up the whole movie. I prefer for the plot to build and to get to know the characters before the madness begins. This film will be awesome if it was done right. Let’s hope the events don’t start right from the get-go and lose their flair toward the end of the movie. I want to be drawn in and completely concerned for the characters before they are faced with the danger of losing their lives. The thing that holds my interest the most is the fact that I am very curious as to how it will end. Will it really be the end of the world and will the characters die in the end? Will they be the last people on earth once the rest of human kind becomes extinct? Can there be a stop to what looks to be irreparable damage to the earth? I’m going to have to see this right away because I don’t want anyone to blow it and tell me what happens in the end!

Needless to say, it looks like the next few weeks will be huge for the box office with a collage of different movies to choose from. You will have access to everything from horror to Disney's A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey. It certainly looks like there will be something for everyone. I will be at the theater Friday night to catch The Fourth Kind because, if you’ve read my blogs, you’d know that I couldn’t pass up a decent thriller! If you love horror movies as much as I do, then there is no better television service to have than Dish Network Satellite TV! Dish has Showtime Beyond, a huge seller for me because it’s all horror all the time! You don’t need to go to the movies every week to have the best entertainment. Movie fans have many premium channels to choose from including Encore. The Encore premium channels have movies of every genre and you don’t even need to pay extra for them when you have the Classic Gold 250 package! Have fun at the movies and be sure to check out Dish for built-in theater style entertainment in the comfort of your own home!

Who isn't interested in a double-feature filled with thrills and chills?  I know I am, especially if Quentin Tarantino has anything to do with it!  Grindhouse is now available at YOUR house and includes two short movies- Planet Terror (Robert Rodriguez) and Death Proof (Quentin Tarantino).  All you need is the STARZ package and you can watch this action-packed pair of movies.  It airs on Dish Network Satellite TV on STARZ InBlack July 17th @ 8:45 est!

I found Death Proof to be the better of the two films.  Not because it had a 70's feel to it, or for the fact that Tarantino rocks, but for it's quality.  The directing was spot on.  The action scenes were unrefined and gritty.  Kurt Russell is absolutely insane in this movie as a stunt man/ serial killer.  This is certainly one of his best acting performances.  Grab a huge bag of popcorn for this one so you're not biting your nails! 

Planet Terror is a great ride.  I was reasonably confident this would be a hit, considering Robert Rodriguez's history with horror movies.  Nothing beats the scene where Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan) replaces her chewed-off leg with a machine gun  to protect herself from zombies.  I'm not a huge fan of the walking dead, but I have to admit that I'd watch this movie a few more times.

Okay Satellite TV customers if you like Clint Eastwood you are going to love his latest movie Gran Torino. If your not a Clint Eastwood fan as I was not you might just become one after seeing this.

I grew up in a household where my father consistently watched Clint Eastwood movies, I was not a fan. However a few weeks ago a commercial for 'Gran Torino' was on where Eastwood uses the line "Get off my lawn", which to my amusement I then heard my twin boys laugh out loud and say hey, I think that is grandpa on the commercial. So at that point I had to agree slightly ( my dad is a fanatic about his lawn), and was intrigued to sit down and watch it with my husband.

This movie is a raw look at diversity in neighborhoods we sometimes choose to ignore. It is a raw, sometimes crude and barraged with bad language movie that keeps you intrigued from beginning to end. Clint Eastwood at the young age of 78 is not your typical image of a superhero but in this movie I would have to classify him as one ( just not a children's super hero ).

A overview of the movie.

Walt Kowalski is a Korean War Veteran who has just lost his wife. He is a retired auto worker, who actually built his own Gran Torino that he owns in the movie. He lives in an inner-city neighborhood that has been taken over by Asian -Americans, however he has no plans of leaving. Walt is mad at the world, not that fond of his kids or grandkids and just wants to be left alone with his trusty dog.  That is until his neighbors son Thao encroaches on Walt's turf by tring to be initiated into a gang by force with stealing Walt's prize Gran Torino. Thao is unsuccesful and Walt ends up rescuing him from this gang. The rest of the movie is built around these two building an usual mutual respect for each other, Walt helping Thao become a respectable young man even with gangs around in the inner city. The movie has its humor in it also and I was very suprised by how much I truly enjoyed this meaning. True Clint Eastwood crudeness in this movie so not appropriate for small children. So some rainy afternoon sit back and enjoy eastwood in HD in 'Gran Torino'