comedy

Get ready to cuddle up close and watch some great movies during those cold winter nights with Dish Network Satellite TV. Even though it is so much more expensive, it’s nice to venture out to the theater every now and then. The winter season will soon be upon us and many people will decide to head to the movies with their loved ones and friends. Here is a preview of what you can expect in theaters for the holidays!

Old Dogs
Release Date: 11/25/09
This movie stars Robin Williams and John Travolta and it looks absolutely adorable! The two actors have been favorites of movie fans everywhere for years and it looks like they’re going to make a hilarious pair in this comedy. One is a bachelor and one a divorcee, Travolta and Williams are about to land a huge business deal but are suddenly given the responsibility of taking care of 7-year-old twins!

The Road
Release Date: 11/25/09
I’m not sure what to make of this film just yet since I’ve only seen one trailer but it seems very interesting. This film hasn’t picked up much buzz but there’s still time. I can say that the acting is guaranteed to be of great quality. It stars Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron and Robert Duvall. The plot is based on post apocalyptic times where a man and his child need to fight to stay alive, keeping themselves safe from starving cannibals. This sounds dramatic with a little splash of horror- just the way I like it.

Everybody’s Fine
Release Date: 12/4/09
Robert De Niro stars in this heart-warming holiday drama that is sure to please a wide variety of viewers. He has already won Best Actor at the Hollywood Film Festival for his role in this film and his acting has also been noted as Oscar worthy. DeNiro’s character makes an attempt to reclaim his relationship with his adult children played by Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell.

The Lovely Bones
Release Date: 12/11/09
This movie looks unique to say the least and it’s difficult to tell what type of message, if any, it will deliver. It seems very depressing as a young girl is murdered and is watching over her family from Heaven. She is also keeping an eye on her killer. She needs to make a difficult decision in the spirit world- allow her family to move on or take revenge on the person who took her life. This film could be troublesome to watch for parents but if done carefully could possibly become a blockbuster hit. The cinematography looks beautiful. This film stars Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon (one of my favorites) and more.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squekuel
Release Date: December 25
Here’s an adorable flick for the whole family. These tiny-voiced creatures are sure to keep the kids entertained with a fun story, music and dancing. The original Alvin & the Chipmunks released in December 2007 won Favorite movie at The Kids’ Choice Awards, USA and the BMI Film Music Award and made $44,307,417 at the box office.

It’s Complicated
Release Date: 12/25/09
Meryl Streep is on a role once again. She’ll be starring in this drama with Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. Streep is a restaurant owner and the mother of three grown kids who has been divorced from her husband for many years. She and her ex-husband embark on a trip that unexpectedly reunites their passion for each other and Meryl’s character becomes “the other woman”.

Have you ever been such a fan of one particular TV actor that you wish you could see more of that star in the movies? I was watching House as I do every Monday night and I was trying to figure out why Omar Epps is not in more movies. He is very good-looking, talented, and his fame seems to be on the rise at least on TV. He plays a major role on the hit television show House as Doctor Eric Foreman. He starred in the other hit hospital TV show ER as Dr. Dennis Gant from 1996-1997. We’ve seen a great deal of Omar Epps throughout the years on television and many of us feel like we know him and are waiting to see him on the big screen again!

Epps has been in many movies, the most notable ones being The Program and Higher Learning when he played the role of Malik Williams. He was a track star at Colombia University having a difficult time with his studies. He befriended the beautiful Tyra Banks who became his tutor and his girlfriend. This movie was a shocking look at racism, sexism and more. It was surprising because it takes place at a University where most people would assume these issues would not be common. The movie reminded us that acts of hatred like these are still happening whether they are on the streets or in an educational setting.

Omar also starred in Alfie and Against the Ropes both of which were released back in 2004. I didn’t find either of these two movies interesting but it had nothing to do with Epps’ performance- the films just weren’t that great. His most recent work on the big screen is A Day in the Life released this past summer. This film focuses on a typical day for rapper Sticky Fingaz and the actors rap their dialogue throughout the rap-musical. What is going on with Omar’s choices in movies? I’d like to see him take on another impressive role in a blockbuster hit and I guarantee he will be one of the most talked about actors out there. Omar Epps is more than capable of delivering an award-winning performance. He gained the interest of the NAACP when he won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, an Image Award for his effective performance on House. He received this award both in 2007 and 2008.

Epps’ became interested in acting at a very young age and actually began writing screenplays at the young age of ten! He attended Fiorello H. La Guardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan, the school that is famous for helping to shape the talents of Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and many actors, artists, musicians, writers and much more. Epps has an ear for music as well. He and his brother started the rap group Wolfpak in 1991, before the launch of Epps’ acting career. Epps has been keeping up with his music and his CD titled The Get Back was released in 2004.

I would like to see Omar Epps in a positive leading role. He has taken on many characters that find themselves on the wrong side of the law. It is unlike me to crave a good romantic comedy since I’m much more horror oriented but I would pay to see one with Omar Epps. I think he would do wonderfully in a heart-warming film similar to One Fine Day or one of the great Tyler Perry films. America will fall in love with him all over again and Epps career in film many take off to new levels!

For blockbuster hits including your favorite actors in award-winning performances, check out Starz InBlack and 5StarMax for built-in entertainment!

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.

Dish Network is loaded with the best HD programming available on television and it all costs less that Directv! The amount of phenomenal shows, movies and sports available in high definition packed into a 24-hour period is amazing. The following is a list of the entertainment available to you today, November 9, 2009 all listed according to Eastern Standard Time.  This lineup will keep you glued to your TV set from 3:15 p.m. to the next day!

1. The Nanny Diaries on Showtime 2 at 3:15 p.m.
This movie is PG-13 and family friendly! It stars Scarlett Johansson as a nanny who is hired by an upscale Manhattan couple to care for their spoiled child. She encounters many funny obstacles along the way! There is a great cast in this film including Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Alicia Keys.

2. Inside the Actor’s Studio on BRAVO at 7:00 p.m.
Hilary Swank will be inside the studio with James Lipton tonight as he interviews her about her professional and personal life. Watch and learn about one of America’s best contemporary actresses and star of the hit movie Amelia.

3. Are You Smarter than a Fifth-Grader? On CMT at 8:00 p.m.
Test your smarts along with your family and laugh along the way. This is a great way to spend time with your kids and maybe even learn a little too!

4. Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman on BET at 8:30 p.m.
This movie is not meant for the whole family so be sure all children are tucked away for show time. You will laugh, cry and be held in suspense throughout this whole movie. This heart warming and realistic family tale will have you entertained for two and a half hours!

5. Sports Center on ESPN at 11:00 p.m.
Get the latest sports news with highlights, commentaries and scores!

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!