Two years ago today, May 25, 2010, amongst all of the thousands of websites that existed on the internet, a new one was born. Entitled at that time as “TheScarletSp1der’s Movie Review Blog”, I humbly began my movie review site which was basically meant to serve as an extension of my personal Facebook page. Sharing my thoughts on movies I watched, I ventured out to be the next “Roger Ebert” with my first review of a highly unknown small independent film entitled 11 Minutes Ago (don’t read the review. Ha!..my writing was atrocious). Being Ebert was far from my talent bench. ha!

But continue I did, and you ventured with me. The site underwent a namechange in January of 2012 from “TheScarletSp1der’s Movie Review Blog” to “The Focused Filmographer” for several reasons (which can be read here), it was at that time that I feared losing several followers due to technical complications. I wish to thank SEVERAL of you who dedicated posts on your sites and more to spread the news of the site change. No one was lost. As a matter of fact, the following GREW.

And little did I know just all the ways in which my site would grow!

For those that like stats, here are just a few:

• 689 posts published
• Over 73,400 visits
• Over 7,600 comments (I LOVE comments, so thank you!)
• Over 532 followers (via subscription, Facebook, Twitter, and more)
• Consistent views from ALL around the world. A special “Thank You” to all of my international readers!

Wow. I never expected any of that. The page started as just something for me to share my thoughts on movies and now, well…it’s that and more!

All of the fantastic people I have met, the opportunities I have been blessed with, and the movies I have been able to enjoy…these past two years truly been unexpected and phenomenal to say the least!

Take a look:

• Great friends/followers from other sites (Such as Flixchatter, Fogs’MovieReviews, AnomalousMaterial, ImpassionedCinema, and SO many more worth mentioning. Please visit them all via the blogroll in the rt hand margin). Thank You.
• Great friends/followers NOT in the blogging community who make a point to share my page and let me know that they read and enjoy the site. (Such as my Family, Mr. Williams, my co-workers, and even a friend of mine from over 25 years ago: “Drkaman”)

Other opportunities that have presented themselves via this page

The First edition of “Terrence’s Take”

• Participating in a casting call for Marvel’s THE AVENGERS.
• Being chosen and then filming for ~6 weeks on set with the stars and being in the movie itself! (Did you spot me?)
• Meeting my “Movie Wife!”
• Being chosen by the local newspaper to write regular movie reviews in a weekly column entitled “Terrence’s Take.”
• Getting involved with my local film community and working with local filmmakers to help that grow.
• Increasing my movie poster collection.
• Seeing tons of films I would have otherwise probably never seen: Some I loved (i.e. Midnight in Paris), and others…not so much (i.e. Beastly).

Some of the favorite and most visited posts over the past 2 years have been:

• Upcoming Movie Spotlight: The Hunger Games
• The Annual Red Web Awards Year (My own “Golden Globes” version of an award presented each year right before the Oscars)
• The Marvel vs. DC Presidential Polls for President (which annually publishes every 2nd “Time to Vote Tuesday” of November)
• Fantasy Movie Pitches, and
• My Top 17 most Iconic Movie Images.
• WAIT!! and one more MASSIVE post! Who can forget AVENGERS WEEK with so many great bloggers involved in presenting a full week’s look at each of the Avengers in preparation for the largest movie of all-time?!!

There’s plenty more still to come and I look forward to more of keeping you up to date on movie news, helping to protect you from bad movies, sharing movies with you that you may not have known about, and learning from you each day more and more about movies as well. Thank you for 2 great years so far! Here’s to many more!

—It’s FUN! Click the button!

This post is as much a celebration of you and my appreciation to you as it is celebrating two years of its existence. Thank you.

Have some Cake!

-T, The Focused Filmographer

up next: Review for Men In Black 3

Finally, your weekly fix of “Triple-T” (aka: “Trailer Time Thursday!”) has arrived!!

In case this is your first visit to “Triple-T,”here’s what it’s all about:

Seeing as how everyone loves movie previews, “Trailer Time Thursday!” was created to bring all of the trending trailers that you may have missed in theaters, or just need to see, all in one convenient place! It makes Thursdays so great! Get ready! Your Preview Pandemonium awaits!

Got a pretty good group of interesting/exciting trailers for you today. ENJOY!!! 

Skyfall. Daniel Craig returns as MI-6 Secret Agent James Bond in Skyfall. Releasing in theaters on November 9, 2012, this film stars several great thespians including Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, RalphFiennes, and more. Directed by Sam Mendes, the enjoyment of a new James Bond movie is a mission I gladly accept. Check out the newest teaser trailer.

The Words. Bradley Cooper plays a struggling writer once again, only this time, instead of taking a drug that unleashes the full potential of his brain, he decides to cheat in a different manner. The Words tells the tale of an author who discovers the price he must pay when he takes the credit for another man’s work and claims it as his own. Co-starring Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Zoe Saldana, and Olivia Wilde, find out if Cooper will get the book thrown at him on September 21, 2012.

Anchorman: The Legend Continues. You’ve been waiting for it! Here is the teaser trailer announcing the sequel to the News Channel comedy, Anchorman. Ferrell returns as the 1970′s choice news reporter of San Diego (Ron Burgundy) and is joined by his pals Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Luke Wilson, and more. The 2013 release is on the way and “I’m not even mad. That’s Amazing!”

Hyde Park on Hudson. Bill Murray stars as President Franklin D. Roosevelt in this time period drama which revolves around the alleged affair between he and his distant cousin (played by Laura Linney of The Big C) during a getaway weekend in 1939 when the King and Queen of the United Kingdom visited upstate New York. Focus Features presents this biopic(?) that will come to theaters on December 7, 2012.

The Master. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, here is the synopsis for this film, best described by IMDB:

A 1950s-set drama centered on the relationship between a charismatic intellectual known as “the Master” whose faith-based organization begins to catch on in America, and a young drifter who becomes his right-hand man.

You wouldn’t know ANY of that from watching the trailer below. The Master releases on October 12, 2012.

The Apparition. Okay horror fans, here’s one for you straight from the archives of SyFy’s Ghosthunters. The power of the mind is greatly used in this story of “Pandora’s Box” as a group of researchers set out to prove that apparitions exist only when believed in. “Be careful what you wish for” is the moral of so many horror films…but no one ever listens…and then they die! Starring several actors, including Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes from Captain America), The Apparition is set to appear in theaters on August 24, 2012.

The Great Gatsby. Aside from the “AutoTuned” Jay-Z music in the beginning, this trailer has a feel of what one might have imagined when reading the pages of the best-selling book on which the film is based. Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge), this film, based in the Roaring Twenties, tells the story of Midwesterner Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) who moves to New York City and is enthralled and captivated by the lifestyle of his prominent neighbor Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). Falling into his circle, Carraway becomes witness to a dark world he never imagined existed.

With an awesome cast (including Carey Mulligan who beat out many actresses for the part, and Joel Edgerton who replaced an unavailable Ben Affleck), I look forward to seeing The Great Gatsby on Christmas Day 2012.

This Week’s “Special Trailer Spotlight”:

Behind the Scenes look at Ravena in Snow White & the Huntsman

I love this behind-the-scenes look at next week’s wide release: Snow White & the Huntsman! I cannot wait to check it out. I just recently realized the cast of the seven dwarfs includes Bob Hoskins (Smee from Hook), Ian McShane (Blackbeard from POTC: On Stranger Tides), and Ray Winstone (Mr. French from The Departed)! Wow. Well, enjoy this look at director Rupert Sanders’ upcoming tale that releases on June 1, 2012.

Well, that’s it for this round of ‘Triple-T’!

My favorite trailers from today: The Words, Anchorman: The Legend Continues, and The Great Gatsby. Which ones are your favorites??

Are you ready for the weekend in theaters? Here’s what releases this weekend, May 25, 2012:

• Wide Release: Men in Black III, Moonrise Kingdom, and Chernobyl Diaries
• Limited Release: The Intouchables; Oslo, August 31st; and more.

Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!

-T, The Focused Filmographer

Up next: MAY 25th! Celebrate the 2-Year Anniversary of this site with me with a look at some of mine and your favorite posts and events over the past 2 years!

We are predicting at least one movie from 2000 to the present that will endure 30-40+ years into the future, much like CASABLANCA or GONE WITH THE WIND have done today. Bonus predictions could be who will be hosting on this channel and how will movies be delivered to the consumer (hologram, chip in the brain, etc.).

Be sure to check out all of the other films being considered at the host page for the blogathon HERE.

When considering the idea of what movies may be listed in the category of “Classic” 30-40 years from now there are several films that I believe belong on the list. Around the year 2040 or so, I would expect films such as Inception, The Shawshank Redemption, Braveheart, The Lord of the Rings, Saving Private Ryan, Black Swan, Gladiator, The Artist, and even Sucker Punch (as a “Cult Classic”) to be listed as classic movies along with some other beloved films of old. Most people, I’d like to think, would tend to agree with me.

While those films may pretty much be a given, today I’d like to submit a different film for your consideration as we look at “Future Classic Movies!”

The year: 2004.

The director/writer: Paul Haggis.

The setting: 3 days in Los Angeles, California.

The cast: Don Cheadle, Larenz Tate, Sandra Bullock, Terrence Howard, Thandie Newton, Ryan Phillippe, Michael Peña, Brendan Fraser, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Matt Dillon, Tony Danza, and many, many, more.

The movie: CRASH

This film shares the intertwined stories of people caught in the general hustle and bustle of life who are numb to the needs, similarities, and concerns of those around them. Sometimes “we crash….just so we can feel something.” Crash, at first glance, looks to be a film that tackles the subject of racism in today’s society (“Everyone’s a victim, and everyone’s guilty”), but it covers so much more.

Very few people expected Crash to win the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture during the 78th Academy Award Ceremony when it was announced to be in contention with the likes of Capote, Munich, Good Night and Good Luck, and Brokeback Mountain, but it did. (Watch Jack Nicholson announce the winner HERE). This story of tolerance and love resonates to so many human beings on so many levels as it seeks to inspire change and truth in the hearts of the viewers.

This drama does not hold back when it comes to the individuals’ stories: their subject and their portrayal. Tons of emotionally gripping scenes which deal with everyday issues in life. Those “everyday issues” enable Crash to stand the test of time as the subject remains relevant and attention-grabbing continually. It is nigh impossible to tear your eyes away from any and every scene in this film. Possibly controversial and definitely disconcerting at times, it covers subjects ranging from racism and stereotypes to family and humanity as one.

As the trailer states, it is a film about people and the unknown/unrecognized internal and personal longing for connections with your fellow man. It also shows the ignorance shared in regards to one another and how we should all seek to overcome it for the betterment of us all. The stories of several people in Los Angeles, intricately, ingeniously, and unexpectedly interwoven, convey the need for humanity to progress and coexist. We all are human with similar cares, concerns, ambitions, and desires. Regardless of background, everyone has a story. Crash melds them all together in L.A. in such a unique and powerful manner that is not to be missed.

A film that definitively seeks to prompt change on such an enormous scale is imperative for humanity to remember and cherish. Standing the test of time with a solid/believable plot, a valued or enjoyable message, an Academy Award, a fantastic cast, and memorable/gripping performances are all marks of Crash, which, in my opinion, usher it into the coffers of cinematic classics in the future. If you haven’t seen it, do so quickly.

Well, what do you think? Do you agree with my choice? What films would YOU hope to see as a Classic on Turner Classic Movies in 30-40 years? (sorry, no vote for Avatar from me.)

Thanks for reading.

-T, The Focused Filmographer

Battleship

• Starring: Taylor Kitsch (John Carter), Liam Neeson (Taken), Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood), and Rihanna
• Directed by: Peter Berg
• Synopsis: “Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic-scaled action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Inspired by Hasbro’s classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper’s fiancee; Alexander Skarsgard as Hopper’s older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper’s crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone’s superior (and Sam’s father), Admiral Shane.” (Collider)
• Rated: PG-13 for intense action sequences and violence and some language
• Trailer:

Battleship is a mediocre attempt by Hollywood to create a plot-filled movie based solely on a childhood board game. I did say “mediocre,” and plot fills very little of it. Battleship is not nearly as horrific as several online reviews would claim, BUT, if you are hoping for it to be amazing and epic, allow me to sink those expectations immediately.

Through mankind’s ignorant (?) and insistent search for extraterrestrial life, a hostile alien force locates our planet and then proceeds to bring destruction to our world with extreme prejudice. Only, they did not count on being held up by the unlikely hero of the film, the brash Lt. Alex Hopper. Hopper partners up with members of the Japanese Navy and other veterans of war on one surviving battleship to fight the superior destructive forces of the aliens. Yep, that is EXACTLY how I remember playing the game “Battleship” as a boy.

Here is the good and the bad of Battleship:

1. The special effects are impressive, while the plot remains rather hokey and full of disbelief.

Looks like a scene from SKYLINE

2. The tribute to the U.S. Navy and the veterans who served is touching, but Rihanna’s acting and one-liner dialogue is less so.

I am NOT Cuba Gooding, Jr. in Pearl Harbor!!

3. Taylor Kitsch seems to channel 2009′s Star Trek‘s Captain Kirk, while Brooklyn Decker does nothing more than look pretty and confused.

4. The aliens are the most interesting part of the movie, however, there is not enough of them.

5. It is a fun action/adventure, but you have to shut off your brain to enjoy it. (Summarizing the true definition of “amusement”: “muse” meaning “to think” with the prefix “a-” meaning “against” or “not.”)

The film really is a film we’ve seen before. Perhaps just a bit more explosive. Don’t believe me? Let me describe Star Trek for you in a slightly spoileristic way:

Through the influence of a family friend, a brash and overconfident young man – without a future – joins the established militaristic force where he learns leadership skills and teamwork but barely yields to the instruction. His brashness leads to quite a bit of trouble and he finds himself in the not-so-good graces of commanding officials. While on a semi-routine mission, trouble strikes from an alien race which causes the incapacitation of all in command…finding our unlikely hero to be the ranking officer. Forced to assemble a hodge-podge crew and with the help of some with experience, the brash acting-captain must put aside his emotions and self-reliance and work with his team to defeat the invading aliens that are bent on destruction. With several in-the-nick-of-time moments, our captain always has a plan that works and is able to save the day after fighting aliens in hand to hand combat, working with unlikely allies, and hoping to impress the fatherly mentor who sees his potential. And, on top of all of that, he tries to balance his love life.

See? That’s Battlesh…er, I mean, Star Trek! I mean…well, you get the point.

With those things in mind, the movie didn’t just remind me of Star Trek (and I’m not really complaining about that), but the influence from the company that brought us Transformers is easily seen. It keeps the same signature look and feel for Battleship. There really is quite a bit that is reminiscent of Transformers (and not just in look and feel, but also in plot and idea). Because of, or in spite of that, Battleship sinks to the level of “Amusing, yet forgettable action flick.”

They should’ve focused more on what we all wanted to see: The Aliens! These guys were BADDD! I’m telling ya! That’s all I wanted to see.

Oh well. Who knows? Perhaps they will focus more on the aliens in the upcoming Chutes and Ladders movie! (I’m kidding!!!)

My Score:  2.5 out of 5 stars for Battleship

——————–

NOW, last week I reached out to Paula at Paula’s Cinema Club and asked her to watch Battleship and give me her thoughts. I did so, because I was searching for a person who hadn’t seen any of the Transformers films, and thereby was not tainted by the influence of Michael Bay’s over explosive films. Below are her Transformer-free thoughts. Thank you, Paula, for providing yet ANOTHER different look at Peter Berg’s Battleship.

Battleship…It was not what I expected from the trailer, i.e. no character development, all-CGI, boring. There was some character development, and a ton of CGI, but we really enjoyed it. It won’t change anyone’s life but it has some real suspense and humor.

Many of the visuals reminded me very much of PEARL HARBOR, which Michael Bay directed of course…the way it’s lit, warm (humans) vs. cool (aliens), the way battle scenes are framed, the scene when the Old Salts come out. This isn’t really a bad thing, I think PH is a beautiful film. The aliens, their capability to shut down electromagnetic fields, humans’ use of analog technology, etc. reminded me of INDEPENDENCE DAY. The scientists’ part of the narrative reminded me of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND.

The way they integrated the actual board game into all of this was pretty darn clever.

I think the writing was fairly strong for this kind of movie. The introduction of Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch), was pretty funny but effective in showing how impulsive he was. I liked some of the casting touches…they got an actual paraplegic veteran (Gregory D. Gadson) to play the paraplegic veteran, and for the lead scientist on the space signal project, they got an actor with huge ears (Adam Godley). Don’t know what anyone else thought of Rihanna, I think she did OK.
I thought the patriotism was a little heavy-handed at times. A bit like Top Gun for the Navy.

-Paula’s Score: If I had a rating system, I’d give it a solid 3.5 out of 5. The half-star is for the believable chemistry among the crew.

There ya have it! A dual-review for Battleship.

Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!

-T, The Focused Filmographer

It’s time for you to finally admit that you have a thing for Nicolas Cage, or Angelina Jolie, or Hugh Jackman! I want to know who you have a crush on! Come on, FESS UP! Do you actually love Kristen Stewart and her wide-eyed/open mouth stare that she stole from Keira Knightley? Do you happen to be in love with Channing Tatum or Clive Owen? Do you wish Matt Damon was your lover? Do you drool over Amy Adams? Are you a Team Jacob fan. (Please, no.) ha.

Okay, no judging here!…(today) It is time for you to admit all of your Cinematic Celebrity Crushes. But, if I’m going to require you to share, then I suppose I should practice what I preach as well. Yeah?

So. To start it off right, here are MY Top 20 celebrity crushes. I feel so transparent! haha. (I tried to list just 5, but that list quickly grew to 10, 15, and finally 20…with 3 honorable mentions.)

Okay, on to the list. Below, I have my Top 20 (current) Cinematic Celebrity Crush Confessions! Enjoy! (Keep in mind, this list is not about the acting abilities or roles that the actresses have chosen. Those things influenced the decisions but are not the sole basis. That in mind, Megan Fox is STILL not on my list!)

First, let’s start off with 3 Honorable Mentions: 

Can you blame me for adding 3 places for those gorgeous honorable mentions? I mean, WOW!

Alright…here are the Top 20 on my current list. Be thinking about yours to put in the comment section below!

#20. Anna Kendrick (50/50, The Twilight Saga). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: End of Watch

#19. Sandra Bullock (The Proposal, Miss Congeniality). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Gravity

#18. Emma Stone (Easy A, Superbad). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: The Amazing Spider-Man

#17. Kate Beckinsale (Underworld, Click). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Total Recall

#16. Jessica Alba (The Fantastic Four, Awake). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: A.C.O.D.

#15. Jennifer Aniston (Just Go With It, The Break Up). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Miss You Already

#14. Charlize Theron (Snow White & The Huntsman, The Italian Job). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Prometheus

#13. Gabrielle Union (Think Like a Man, Bad Boys II). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Miss Dial

#12. Gina Carano (Haywire). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: In The Blood

#11. Aly Michalka (Easy A, The Roommate). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Long Time Gone

Admit it! You’re liking my list so far! I hope you are thinking of your own list, because I will be asking for your confessions at the end!

Okay, ready for the countdown to #1?

Continue!

#10. Marion Cotillard (Inception, Midnight in Paris). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: The Dark Knight Rises

#9. Paula Patton (MI-4: Ghost Protocol, Deja Vu). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Disconnect

#8. Zooey Deschanel (500 Days of Summer, Elf). Can be seen in the tv series: New Girl

#7. Rachel McAdams (Morning Glory, The Vow). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: To The Wonder

#6. Aishwarya Rai (Bride & Prejudice).

#5. Salma Hayek (Grown Ups, Desperado). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Savages

#4. Natalie Portman (Black Swan, Star Wars). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Lawless

#3. Eva Mendes (Hitch, The Other Guys). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Holy Motors

#2. Emily Blunt (The Five-Year Engagement, The Adjustment Bureau). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Looper

#1. Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers, The Island). Can be seen in the upcoming movie: Under the Skin

Come on! Did you actually expect me to have somebody else at #1 on my list?

Okay, let’s look at the beauty that is Scarlett some more, shall we? Of course we shall!

Hope you enjoyed my list. Look forward to reading yours!

Let’s hear if from you now! Who are your current cinematic celebrity crushes? Confess!

Thanks for reading.

-T, The Focused Filmographer

up next: Review for Battleship and “Trailer Time Thursday!”

While some of them are rather “lazy” in my opinion (i.e. yesterday’s release is basically just a rehash of an earlier poster with flames added in), it’s neat to get some more looks at the characters of the epic conclusion. And, even if character posters aren’t your thing, these are still pretty neat! Have a look.

(Click any one of the posters to enlarge and then use the arrow keys to scroll through the selection.)

Do you like the posters? Which one is your favorite?

The Dark Knight Rises directed by Christopher Nolan and starring the likes of Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, Juno Temple, and more is set to release in theaters on July 20, 2012 and I can’t wait. Can you?

Thanks for reading!

-T, The Focused Filmographer

What is “Time to Vote Tuesday”?:

“Time to Vote Tuesday” is the session of fun weekly polls which spark thought, debate, and intrigue! Each poll closes in a week with results posted on the following ‘TVT’!

Last week’s poll, “Wondrous Women“ has now closed with 69 votes. Be sure to visit and see which woman you voted as the most plausible to play as Wonder Woman in a DC Comics movie featuring the Amazing Amazon!

The winner won by a LANDSLIDE! Click HERE.

I wish to thank you everyone that voted in last week’s polls, shared it with others, and made it fun with your comments!

Today is “Time to Vote Tuesday!” Number 100!!! Wow, we’ve had some pretty fun polls over the past 100 weeks. Thank you for all of your participation over the past 2 years.

(Stay tuned…Friday, May 25th is the TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of this site!)

In this edition of ‘TVT’ this week’s poll, entitled “Tough Choices”, we take a look at some of my favorite actors in Hollywood.

Denzel Washington (2-time Academy Award Winner), Samuel L. Jackson (Academy Award Nominee), Will Smith (2-time Academy Award Nominee), and Morgan Freeman (Academy Award Winner)!

All of them have done some amazing work on the big screen. Some of it, underrated. Some of it, ridiculous. Some of it, very stirring and powerful. And I enjoy watching a lot of the work that all of them have done.

Today I ask you to join in a debate and discuss a difficult question:

That’s Right! I’m making  you choose! A tough choice indeed. I have NO idea who you will all pick as the winner, but you are encouraged to leave your reasons and debates in the COMMENT SECTION!

I can’t wait to see the results next week!

The poll closes on 5-29-12 and the results will post on next week’s “Time to Vote Tuesday!” Please be sure to share it with your friends!

Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!

-T, The Focused Filmographer

***Don’t forget: For additional polls, updates, trailers, news, and more, become a fan/follower on Facebook and Twitter.