2007 Fall Television....

The new Fall Television Season starts this week so Dack is bringing you his top 5 new shows of the year. Please feel free to comment on any other shows that you are looking forward too.

Chuck (NBC) September 24th 8:00 – This show is about a nerd that works for something similar to Best Buy’s Geek Squad. He accidentally gets a hold of top secret information and somehow becomes a government agent. It might be funny but the Dack is a little concerned that this plot will run thin after a month.

Aliens In America (CW) October 1st 8:30 – No this show isn’t about space aliens. What it is about is a Wisconsin family that gets a foreign exchange student from the Middle East. Dack is really looking forward to his although it doesn’t seem like it could last for much over 1 season……culture jokes are funny.

Reaper (CW) September 25th 9:00 – Wouldn’t it be funny if you found out when you turned 21 that your parents sold your soul to the Devil and now for repayment you have to go around sending souls back to hell. The Dack thinks so too. Of all the new shows coming this fall I am looking forward to this the most just for the fact that Dack favorite Kevin Smith is an executive producer and directed the pilot.

Dirty Sexy Money (ABC) September 26th 10:00 – The only new drama on the Dacks radar it might end up being too much of a soap to watch but Peter Krause (Six Feet Under) and Donald Sutherland are enough of a reason to tune in a check out.

Cavemen (ABC) October 2nd 8:00 – How can I not put this one on the list??! Not sure how long this show can possibly be funny but I chuckle at the commercials.

Here are 5 shows that are coming back that you are probably already watching…….. However if you aren’t you should at least take a look.

Heroes (NBC) September 24th 9:00 – This is my favorite show by far on television right now. If you have any love in your heart for comic books, super heroes or sci-fi and aren’t watching this show……..START WATCHING!!!

Dexter (Showtime) September 30th 9:00 – Instead of putting CSI on this list I am putting this show on. Imagine if one of the members of the CSI team was actually a serial killer seeking out and killing criminals.

How I Met Your Mother (CBS) September 24th 8:00 – This show is the new friends. Actually the Dack thinks it’s funnier. If you get a chance take a look. It was by far one of the top sit coms on last season and continues to get better.

Scrubs (NBC) October 25th 9:30 – This is the last season for this hilarious comedy. The writers have a lot to wrap up. Although I have never been a consistent viewer I have never seen a bad episode…..I don’t think there are any. Plus with guest stars like Tom Cavanagh and rumors around trying get John Cusack for at least one episode how can you not want to watch.

Office (NBC) September 27th 9:00 and 30 Rock (NBC) October 4th 8:30 – I have seen less of an episode of each of these show but have been told that each are worth checking. So take my advice and check them out too. I know the Office in it’s 3rd season is probably on most peoples radar but 30 Rock just won this years emmy for best comedy series so it should be on your radar too.

Later this week I will be posting my end of summer television wrap up.

Indy 4 Gets a Title...

Indiana Jones 4 finally has a title. Last Sunday Shia LaBeouf dropped the name on the MTV Music Video Awards. Sorry about the delay in getting the news out but the news must have been lost with the Britney fiasco.

And the name is ...... Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

5 possible titles were discovered by Slashfilm.com in August.
Indiana Jones and...The Lost City of Gold...The Destroyer of Worlds...The City of Gods...The Fourth Corner of the World...The Quest For The Covenant...

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull isn't my favorite but at least a new Indiana Jones is on the way and that is the best news at all.

Check out this new trailer for a film I have been looking forward to for a couple of months now....

IRON MAN!!!!!!

With all the new comic book movies that are coming out......I take most news of new ones with a grain of salt. Never sure weather they will be awesome (Blade, Batman Begins, X-Men, Hellboy) or they can suck (Superman Returns, Punisher, Batman Forever) but when a good one comes I can feel it. After tons of hype and a trailer that got a ton of buzz at Comic Con the teaser trailer for Iron Man just came out.

Unfortunately I can't find the actual trailer on Youtube because Paramount or whoever has the rights to the movie is being a punk ass and getting it removed. However I was able to find this.

Please watch and enjoy. I can't wait till this comes out. Robert Downey Jr is awesome!!



I will put up the nice trailer as soon as I find it.

Dragged to the Nanny Diaries.......

I had the privilege of going to see Scarlett Johansson's latest movie 2 weeks ago.

Ok, so I wasn't jumping up and down to see a movie I had a feeling might not be on any of my 2007 top 10 lists. It certainly wasn't the worst film I had seen this summer.

It wasn't good or bad it just kind of happened. It got the Dack thinking about his rules for what makes a Romantic Comedy worthy of watching.

So here they are the 5 things a Romantic Comedy should have to satisfy the males being forced to watch because that should be the goal if you are going to make a film that a woman is going to want someone of the opposite sex to take her to see.

1. Funny. This seems obvious but more often than not the funny just isn't there or there perhaps there just isn't enough funny. Let me be also add some specifics on funny. Funny does not mean stupid..... I am looking for smart witty writing or the male lead in the film to have the ability to create funny.

2. Good Story. I know Romantic Comedies lack originality but try and add a different twist or turn to some part of the girl meets guy, guy meets girl plot. For ideas on who to accomplish this see Sleepless In Seattle or As Good As It Gets.....note, this does not mean copy these ideas.

3. Cute Girl. Yep it seems silly but if you are forcing a guy to take a girl on a date to sit in a dark theater and watch two people fall in love on screen the least he could ask for is a girl in the movie to be cute. Remember most guys would rather be watching explosions, car chases or gun fights.

4. Likable Male Lead. This does not mean a hot washboard abs fool. It means a guy that those of us watching of the male persuasion will be able to relate to on some level.

5. Quality Supporting Characters. Most movies I have seen need more than just two characters. Give these additional people some depth and by all means have them be at least a little funny.

So how does The Nanny Diaries do fulfilling The Dacks requirements?

Scarlett Johansson does an excellent job looking pretty.

Yep, that's it. I don't remember really laughing at all. The backdrop of the film is the marriage of parents the boy Scarlett is taking care of is falling apart. Not really idea for romance. Chris Evans might be a nice guy in real life but on the big screen he always comes across, as a guy that knows he's hot isn't really big on the actual acting. As for supporting actors....the only memorable one is Paul Giamatti playing a horrible husband and father.

Scarlett might be a good actress (See her in Lost In Translation playing opposite Bill Murry) but she hasn't proven she can carry a whole film on her own and it takes more than just being hot to get more than the twoDacks Diaries gets.

Super McLovin.........

I have recently heard Superbad called the funniest teenage comedy in years......

First of all......If you are a fan of the high school sexy comedy this is a movie for you. If American Pie or Fast Times at Ridgemont High weren't your cup of tea then you should probably pass on this movie.

However if there is a place in your heart for both loveable and unlovable nerds on a quest for booz and sex before high school ends then Superbad is a movie for you.

Fortunately for me there is just such a place in my heart........

Jonah Hill and Michael Cera play best friends Seth and Evan about to graduate high school and head off to different colleges and they are fully aware that once this happens their friendship will never be the same. So when Seth is approached by a popular girl in school that he has a crush on to get alcohol for her party and fellow nerd Fogell A.K.A McLovin gets a fake ID a night of adventure begins.

I will say this film defiantly earns every bit of its R rating so consider yourself warned. However underneath all the crude jokes is a very realistic story of two friends who are totally devoted to one another and are having to deal with growing up and the risk that brings of growing apart.

Newcomer Christopher Mintz-Plasse steals ever scene he is in as super nerd Fogell who through the coarse of the film becomes McLovin. His lack of being an established actor shines but it also adds a realistic feel to this film where besides a few hilarious side adventures you can actually imagine something very close to this film actually happening in real life.

I am torn on whether to rate this movie with my heart or my head........So it gets a very enthusiastic eightDacks. Perfect for a guys only night........especially if you were ever a nerd in school.

Rush Hour 3..............Really............A Third One....

I'm not really sure what drove me to purchase a ticket for this movie.........much less actually go into the theater. I think it was just my uncontrollable desire to see why anyone thought a 3rd Rush Hour needed to be brought into existence.

Yes, I know it was a terrible mistake to think there was any reason to see this movie but here are a few reasons for you to not make the same mistake I did.


The action is minimal........with a name like Rush Hour 3 I want to see lots of exploding things and car chases galore........oh, and some awesome ninja action from Jackie Chan. 1 car chase and 3 fight scenes and no explosions later I discovered the director apparently didn't think the same thing.

I want a story that drives the movies fast paced action. I wasn't expecting Shakespeare but I didn't even get The Transporter. I think I actually yawned a couple of times.

Even though this movie was horrible and I kept waiting for it to get better.............It was too short. Just when things finally got interesting it was over.......I need more than 90 minuets if I am going to pay today's ticket prices.

That's it.....

Don't go see this movie, don't rent it, when it is on TV don't waste you precious time watching it. If you get trapped on a lazy Saturday afternoon watching this call me.........I am sure I can help you come up with something more fun to do. Rush Hour 3 cruises to twoDacks.

Jack Black Is At It Again...

Just saw the new trailer for the upcoming Jack Black film "Be Kind Rewind". The story seemed kind of strange when I read about it earlier this year but after seeing the trailer I am really looking forward to checking this one out.

Bourne Finishes Strong....

Over the past 5 years The Bourne Trilogy has very quietly become one of the most dependable spy franchises ever. Twenty years from now I expect to be talking about Matt Damon as Jason Bourne like people talk about Sean Connery as James Bond. No, Bourne isn’t slick and smooth like James Bond but he could kick Bond’s British Butt…probably with one arm tied behind his back.

Strolling into the theater on Sunday afternoon to see the latest in the series, Bourne Ultimatum, my only thought was hoping that this would finally end this summer’s sequels “dud” streak. The Dack could not have been more pleased.

The Bourne Ultimatum has everything you want in a sequel. It adds to the story, it doesn’t try to be bigger and flashier, and it’s a pleasure to watch. This film wraps all the loose ends up into a nice package while not shutting the book completely. Matt Damon once again does an excellent job as Bourne…a man of few words but a huge well of emotion and of course the ability to kick the crap out of every bad guy he comes across. Paul Greengrass is behind the camera again and starts right where he left off…..taking us on a trip across Europe chasing Bourne and this time around America as well. My one complaint of Greengrass is he relies a little too much on close up handheld camera shots during the action sequences to make the action feel faster. It worked brilliantly in United 93 but it gets a little old while Bourne is racing through the streets of New York. The rest of the cast, which includes David Stathairn and Joan Allen, do a satisfactory job, but this is Damon’s film and he proves he is a force to be reckoned with.

Do yourself a favor and go check this one out….if you haven’t seen the pervious two films, Bourne Identity and Bourne Supremacy, go rent them or borrow them from a friend today.

After seeing the film a friend and I discussed the possibility of Bourne being the best Trilogy ever. While I’m not ready to claim that….Bourne Ultimatum gets nineDacks.

When this comes out on DVD the Dack is totally hosting a Bourne night!

DVD Corner…

In the past 2 weeks some of the best movies from early 2007 have been released. The best of the bunch start with Hot Fuzz and 300. If you haven’t had a chance to see either now is the time to get to it.

Hot Fuzz was a hilarious action comedy that only found a small audience when it was released earlier this year. Apparently the DVD release got people’s attention because the Dack had to go to 6 stores to find a copy last week. If you want more to know more about the movie check out my earlier review.

300 was a shot of adrenaline in February. I hadn’t heard much buzz before its release and was a little worried that it might be a cool concept that was horribly executed. On the contrary this film is in my top 10 for 2007 so far and was Awesome! It even has half naked beefcake soldiers for the ladies to enjoy. Don’t listen to anyone who talks about the inaccuracies of the movie…..being accurate is not what this film is about. 300 is all about being a crazy fun non-stop action rollercoaster.

Other recent DVD releases are…

Zodiac – This was one I heard good things about but Dack only has limited time. I am really looking forward to checking it out.

Disturbia – Shia LaBeouf stars in this Rear Window update. Haven’t seen it but I will be checking it out soon.

TMNT – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the uninitiated. This was a fantastic shot in the arm for a franchise that was pretty much dead. If you have ever been a fan…check it out.

TV ON DVD

Two big releases coming out at the end of August.

Heroes – If you haven’t seen this show yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. The best super hero television mix I could have ever dreamed of. No, actually this show is better. I will be sure to pick this one up when it is released. If you like comic books or super heroes and haven’t seen this show…..WHAT ARE YOU THINGING!!!!!

Dexter – This is probably the best show on television you haven’t ever heard of. The best possible description is a mix between CSI and Silence of the Lambs. Imagine if the lead blood expert for the Miami Police department forensic team was a serial killer….that’s Dexter. Not for everyone but worth checking out if that description intrigues you.

Also be sure to check out future DVD releases in my DVD corner.

The Simpsons...

Yes, you’ve seen the ads and probably the television show at least once because it’s always on…..and now finally….a movie

I was so looking forward to The Simpsons movie, after 18 years on television now the genius writers would have the freedom of a movie to bring Homer and all the other wonderful characters to the big screen. The plot of the movie starts off with Lisa trying to save Springfield from its nasty polluting ways. The first 30 minuets truly feels like you are just watching a new episode on a Sunday night but soon enough a giant dome is placed over the town to protect the rest of the world from its gross pollution.......and of course Homer is mainly to blame. The highlight of the film is The Simpsons on the run to Alaska....this trip away from Springfield actually felt like a real movie but then they must go back to save the rest of the town from being blown up by the government being run by none other that PresidentArnold Schwarzenegger. The pacing felt rushed and I think the decision to keep this movie short was a mistake.

I will admit that although I believe The Simpsons to be a wonderfully written show that has amazingly been able to make fun of America for 18 years without losing it’s quick wit, I have never watched the show consistently because at least for me it starts to lose some of it’s freshness after a while.

Of course the animation does look far better on the big screen than it ever has in my living room, but that’s never been what the show was about anyway. If you love The Simpsons you will probably love the movie but in a summer that has been packed to the brim with rehashed ideas I was counting on the brilliant minds behind The Simpsons to save the day, but for me they didn't. I wanted to see The Simpsons make a splash onto the big screen or at least wrap its television show comedy into a awesome shinny new package. However, all I ended up getting was an extended version of something I could see on tv with Auto smoking a bong and Bart’s penis thrown in because….well, they could. Homer sums this up by saying "I can't believe we're paying to see something we can get on TV for free" while watching The Itchy and Scratchy Show Movie, at the beginning of the movie. It's a shame this joke actually came true.

Perhaps I had my expectations set a bit too high, for the Dack it only manages fiveDacks. Wait....SixDacks. The pig was genius!

Review: Ratatouille

First off, let it be known that the author of this review suffers from a massive bias towards Pixar, believing it to be truly one of the best things coming out of the modern film industry.

That being said, Pixar’s latest offering, the rodent-ridden Ratatouille forces us to ask the question, “Can Pixar actually make a bad movie?”

The answer: Probably, but we’ve never seen one.

Ratatouille was written and directed by Brad Bird, who we also have to thank for The Incredibles, arguably the best Pixar film ever. Bird (who, by the way, was the voice for the hysterical Edna Mode), has created a subtly charming, raucously funny, constantly changing piece in Ratatouille that literally had me walking out of the theatre thinking I’d seen a live-action film.

That is probably the biggest compliment I can pay this film. The sheer quality of this film is sublime. Here are three reasons why you owe it to yourself to see this film.

• Screenplay/Dialogue – A subtle thing I happened to catch on to rather quickly was that this film never lagged, never let itself get too bogged down in emotionally drawn out scenes where the protagonist deals with conflict. The scenes where Remy (the rat) and Linguini (the kid mop-by turned Chef) deal with their conflicts are neat and tidy, and never let us get too comfortable before springing back into the manic action Pixar does so well.

• Animation – After Finding Nemo, Pixar pretty much staked its claim that it could replicate anything and make it look real. In this film, it’s the food. It looks real. Really.

• The Voices: Top notch vocal acting in this film. The rat is voiced by no name comedian Patton Oswalt, Linguini by a production designer from Pixar. But the inflections in this film are so genuine and believable that they really helped sell the premise (a rat communicating with a human). Brian Dennehy shows up as the rat’s father, but the gold star for vocals goes to Peter O’Toole, who voiced the creepy restaurant critic Ego. Absolutely spot on.

To recap: awesome flick, which retains the usual two-tiered approach of have a kid centered plot with enough above-the-head jokes to keep adults snickering (it takes place in France . . . ‘nuff said.)

We respectfully submit for consideration of the mighty Dack a rating of eightDacks.

(Many thanks to Dack for trusting his reputation to his humble servant.)

Special Guest Reviewer…

The Dack List is proud to announce that on occasion we will be privilaged to have reviews by superstar blogger Jordan Rising. The Dack is excited because frankly there are too many movies to go see and continue a successful career outside the blogging world.

First up is the highly rated Ratatouille that in the Dacks total focus on Transformers totally flew under the radar.

Another Potter...

Having read all the Harry Potter books at least once, none of the movies have really lived up to the books. Seeing as though most of you that are interested in seeing this movie have seen the first 4 films, I will go ahead and rate the Harry Potter movies from best to worst.

1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Sorcerer's Stone
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (the movie this review is for)
4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I won’t go into my rating of the books but I will say that Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite of the series, so just because it's a good book doesn't make it a good movie.

This movie has a great set up with the most exciting thing to happen to Harry yet, while away from Hogwarts. (If you don’t know what Hogwarts is save your self some money and see Transformers.) But after that great intro we get a lot of newspapers flying across the screen telling us what is happening. Time passes too quickly in this movie, it's probably the only way the director can pack in all the info. In fact, taking the longest of the books so far and cramming it into the shortest movie probably contributed to why it wasn’t the best movie….even 20 more minutes could have done wonders to smooth out the story.

Like all Harry Potter films I have seen, I base the success of the film on how well the director is able to translate the book to the big screen. Order of the Phoenix isn’t the worst film in the Potter franchise but it isn’t the best either.

There are quite a few bright spots in this movie, beginning with the amazing job from all the top notch British acting talent in the film. When Emma Thompson takes a role with four lines you know there is magic in the air. Besides the adult actors, each of the young adults in this movie have grown into their role amazingly well. In fact, whoever the casting director was 7 years ago should be given major kudos. Every child actor has done a fantastic job…. in their role in all 5 films. That alone is incredible.

In the end once again the filmmakers have decided to try and make this movie more appealing to a broad audience and I am left with disappointment. At times I loved it but in the end it felt lacking... Order of the Phoenix manages to get sevenDacks….I thought for sure it was only going to get sixDacks but……I admit I currently have a bad case of Potter fever and the last book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out this Saturday so I am feeling quite generous. If you’re a fan of the series it’s worth checking out, if you aren’t go see Transformers.

License To Wed……….Yep I Saw It So You Didn't Have To

The question: Do you LOVE Robin Williams should be asked before you venture to see this movie. If you answered that you like Robin Williams you should not see this movie. Fortunately for The Dack, Mrs. D LOVES Robin Williams so off we went to see this lovely film.

First let’s start with the positive. This was a fun clean family film for all to enjoy. Unfortunately there isn’t much to this simple bland romantic comedy. I laughed a little but Robin Williams has spread his comedy over so many films that I'm just tired of him. Whether he plays a radio host in Vietnam, father, physiologist, teacher, doctor or priest it’s always the same character. Actually I love Robin in more serious rolls but all these lame characters ruin it when I see him in a good role.

I can’t recommend this movie to any but if you do have to see it because….well someone close to you wants to see it……three margaritas and a redbull should help you enjoy it for at least a little while.

This one gets fourDacks, two for the funny little kid and two for Robin, because Good Morning Vietnam is one of my favorite films.

Die Hardest…But How Many Times Is Too Many?

Bruce Willis has officially merged with John McClane and they are now one being kicking ass and taking names. I have been looking forward to seeing Live Free Die Hard for several months and I was not disappointed.

When you sit down to watch a Die Hard film you need to leave your common sense at the door and just enjoy the ride. The Dack had no problems with this considering I had just finished a marathon 26 hour drive home from San Antonio, Texas only 8 hours before I dragged myself to see this spectacle.

Justin Long plays Bruce Willis’s reluctant sidekick, a college nerd who made a computer virus the bad guys are using for evil. You might know him from the PC vs. Mac commercials, where he plays the Mac. While his witty banter with Bruce Willis keeps the movie at a fast pace even when there isn’t any action going on (which isn’t much time at all) Kevin Smith’s cameo as a super nerd who goes by Warlock was even better. I won’t bother going over my favorite action scenes because the trailers have already shown you everything. Most of the bad guys are run of the mill action badies, which you forget about as soon as Bruce kicks their butt. The only other highlight of the film is the hot angry girl who plays Bruce Willis’s college aged daughter who has a massive change of heart toward her father when the bad guys come a knocking.

As for my recommendation…. if you love action movies, go see it. Now that I am wrapping up my recommendation I’m not having the love for this movie I originally felt…everything felt like it had been done already, yes it was cool and fun to watch but go see Transformers instead and if you’ve seen Transformers already, go see it again. Die Hard for the 4th time gets sevenDacks only because Bruce Willis is a Dack favorite.

The Dack Experiences Texas…

I don’t normally rate anything more than Television and Film but as I just recently got back from Texas I figured I might share some of my thoughts about Texas around the San Antonio area.

I never thought Texas would be so wet. The giant theaters were surprisingly nice but what else are you going to do while it’s hot and rainy.

Here are a few other things I enjoyed...

That's me sampling some fine rum and a lady pouring some wine for my wife at the Costco Liquor store. To bad I missed the Sky Vodka from 12 to 3.

Oh, and these were Lady Dack's aunts front yard pets and yes they were huge.

Overall the San Antonio area of Texas gets a healthy sixDacks. Now let's get back to some film.

Being Awesome Is The Right Of All Sentient Beings!!!

I had the opportunity to see Transformers last night IMAX style last night in San Antonio. Unfortunately the movie wasn’t actually an IMAX movie so that was a little disappointing but I wasn’t disappointed for long.

Finally a movie this summer that wasn’t a sequel and it was AWESOME!!! This movie lived up to all the hype I have been giving it for the last couple months. I can’t think of one complaint I have about this movie. The pacing was great, the story was great, the acting was surprisingly awesome, and the special effects were SPECTACULAR!!! Any complaints about what type of cars the Transformers were, should be dismissed with a shrug of the shoulders. If this is your problem with the movie then shut up and be thankful that everything else worked perfectly.

Shia LaBeouf was really good (which makes me really excited for Indy 4 coming next year) and Anthony Anderson was hilarious!! The acting is what pushed this movie over the top. I knew going into to this movie that I would probably love the special effects, which just so you know where awesome, but the acting is what made this movie fantastic.

Michael Bay proved without a doubt that he was the man for the job…the pacing on this movie was perfect even with a running time of over 2 and a half hours. Yes, about 50 minuets in it started to drag but just in time Optimus Prime, Jazz, Ironhide, and Ratchett showed up to save the day.

****SPOILER AHEAD****

My Favorite part was when Optimus jacked up the Decepticon Barricade with his sword on the freeway. I was also sad that Jazz was killed. Jazz is defiantly the coolest of the original Autobots but someone had to die and at least he died at the hands of Megatron.

****END SPOILER****

My only hope is they don’t ruin this movie by making bad sequels, which they totally set up two or, three times at the end of this movie. A word of advice, stay for most of the credits or you’ll miss a couple good signs for Transformers 2. On the drive home I kept thinking cars on the highway might suddenly transform.

The Dack’s recommendation is that you must see this movie. After only one showing I am giving it nineDacks.

Transformers Weekly Update...

Let the countdown begin!! There is only 5 days left until we get to experience what is one of the most anticipated blockbusters of the summer or as I am coming to be more concerned with a possible bomb. Just Kidding!! This movie is going to be sick. I mean seriously, even if just the robots are cool then the movie is going to be fun to watch. So all there has to be is just a little bit of half way decent acting.

As I travel across the southwestern part of the US (yep, that’s right Dack is on his way to Texas in July….I am a wild man) I have seen a lot of advertising. I do know that advertising doesn’t mean a good movie but what it does show a person where the focus of a movie might be aiming for. And what I have seen on my journey is a huge push for this film in more conservative areas. What I have seen here makes back in Nor Cal seem like nothing. I am predicting a fun summer movie going back the proportions of Independence Day…actually it might be quite a bit better.

Another fun bit of Transformer news is that I will be seeing this one in IMAX. San Antonio has an IMAX theater and so I have decided Transformers is a IMAX must. Yes, I know that’s not really news about Transformers but I’m The Dack so deal. I sure hope it is actually playing at the San Antonio IMAX since I just shot off about it.

In the coming days leading up to this event I’ll be sure to let you know if I have any new thoughts to share.

TV On DVD Corner......The Shield

First I just want to say that Television on DVD is one of the greatest inventions of all time.

I only just started watching The Shield a couple of months ago but last weekend I finished the 5th Season. It was the second awesome season in a row. A friend of The Dack has been talking up this show almost non-stop for two years now. Well, now I’m officially riding the bandwagon. Michael Chiklis embodies Vic Mackey with such passion you can’t help but root for him to get away with killing, cheating, and stealing while cleaning up the inner city of Los Angeles.

Thanks to TV on DVD I was able to cram 5 seasons in a few short months. However, now I am totally bummed because season 6 just ended on television and I am going to have to wait at least 9 more months until it comes out on DVD.

More it sure to come on this show in the future so far the series gets eightDacks. The best seasons number 4 is truly brilliant and sits at tenDacks.

Could Have Been Better...

I know I shouldn't believe the reviews I read in the paper or online but every once in awhile if they have something good to say about a movie I am looking forward to. I find myself getting excited about the positive things being said.

The latest movie to not to live up to the hype is Room 1408. This is not to say I didn't like it because I kind of did but I also didn't love it. John Cusack is one of my favorite actors and he alone almost saves this film. Samuel L Jackson also shines in a small role. The two share a few really great scenes.

The problem is with the story line that is very good at building the intensity throughout the film but in the end to me it had a great build to nothing. The film is based on a short story by Stephen King. I haven't read it but knowing it is a short story I am sure whoever wrote the screenplay had to add to the plot to make it work as a movie. Whoever it was should have been told that scary movies don’t work if you have flashbacks. Although they are worked into the movie very smoothly it still doesn’t work and keeps pulling you out of the scary situations that are happening. This ultimately ruins any suspense build up.

I don’t have much to good to say about this movie because the more time goes by from when I saw it, I think of more things that could have been done differently to make it a good possibly even great film. That said it is still one of the better Stephen King story adaptations.

A sub par screenplay and bad editing end up wasting a good idea and good performances from Cusack and Jackson. What ends up killing the movie is a completely uninspired ending. This one ends up with fourDacks solely because I like both actors.

Summertime Television...

When I was growing up television shows disappeared during the summer. This seemed like a good choice considering when I was young, summer was for playing outside and going to see movies but as I grow older I am excited about a new trend happening with television shows. HBO and Showtime for the past several years have started offering their new season show lineup during the summer. For the past couple of summers I have been a huge fan of this new trend. Yes, shows on both HBO and Showtime are not your traditional sitcom. They are also not shows for kids but I like the idea of giving adults something to watch during the summer. Most of the new shows have already started this summer, so I am a little late but the great thing is both channels realize your summer is busy so they have a lot of reruns. Here are a few shows I am looking forward to plus some new shows coming out.

Entourage: This show just started season 4 two weeks ago. It has been my guilty pleasure since I first saw it 2 summers ago. It is a comedic drama about an up and coming Hollywood star and his 3 closest friends...his best friend and manager who used to manage a Sbarro, His older brother who is a has been actor, and a slacker hanger on who is along for the ride. Plus their agent Ari Gold played by Jeremy Piven who is one of my favorite actors and totally steals every scene he is in. I have heard this show called Sex In The City for men. While I’m not sure about that it sure is fun! Oh, and if you want to check it out I have all the seasons on DVD. The series as a whole reaches sevenDacks while the best season number three is smashing with nineDacks.

Big Love: This show just started its second season. It is about a owner of a large home improvement store in Idaho and his three wives. Yep that's right he is a polygamist. It's actually a really interesting look on the world of polygamy, as it exists today. This is one of Mrs. Dack’s favorite shows of the summer. Bill Paxon plays the Husband of three. I like watching this show to see all the trouble a guy has to go through when he has three wives. So far I haven’t really been able to get into season two but season one lands sixDacks.

Flight of the Conchords: I have checked out at least three new shows this summer and this is the only one so far worth mentioning. It’s defiantly is the weirdest show I’ve seen it the past couple of years. It is the story (if you can call it that…the plot tends to be a little random) of a Folk Pop Duo from New Zealand. Their songs are interspersed throughout the show. The first time around this show drove me crazy. The second time around I found it addictive. So far only watching two episodes I give it fiveDacks but as long as the songs stay catchy more Dacks are sure to come.

This August two more shows are set to drop (oh yeah I can be gangsta) on Showtime. The first is Weeds, which will be in its third season. A fascinating show about a suburban mom who becomes a dealer of Marijuana to support her family after husband dies from a freak heart attack. Assisted by her dope head accountant and her slacker brother in law. The second show sees the return of David Duchovny to the small screen as a has been writer going through a midlife crisis. It is Californication. More to come on both of these when they come out later this summer.

Looking Forward to this Weekend...6/22/2007

In a new section of the Critically Acclaimed The Dack List I will be giving you my well educated prediction (random guess) on how good the new films coming out each weekend will probably be. That way if you saw it and hated it, well hopefully I would have told you not to see it. However, if I said something was good and it turned out bad... Hey, I can promise anything but the The Dack's hunches are usually right.

Two movies that are coming out look worthy of at least paying matinée for. The first is Room 1408, the trailer looked good and my boy Cusack is in it so I'm expecting good things. The review rating site www.rottentomatoes.com has said this film is relying on the old idea that blood and gore isn't the only thing that can scare you. Thank goodness, I was beginning to think Hollywood forgot. I've already started making plans to see this one Saturday night, with review of course to follow shortly. The second movie up is Evan Almighty which, I'm hoping for good things from. I say hoping because early reviews aren't giving this movie much of a chance to stay afloat. I am still thinking I will go check it out so you might want want to wait for The Dack to chime in before you head out and pay whatever crazy amount the Theater is charging these days.

I will go ahead and mention the release next week of Live Free Die Hard
because this movie is releasing on Wednesday June 27th. Early chatter online for this movie is all about the PG-13 rating that it is getting but I for one am expecting a sweet thrill ride.

I am always a big fan of the trailers before movies start, so here is a really really good one that I just found that will probably be dropping this weekend. If you take the time to watch anything on my site, check this out.

New Trailers...

In my love of film I watch a lot of trailers. I love them. They are a movie wrapped up in under 3 mins. Yes it is true you can have a great trailer and a crappy movie but in the 8 years I have been watching every trailer I can find, I have never seen a bad trailer that is a good movie.

I will share a gem I have found from time to time. Here is one, the movie is August Rush. It might be a bit sappy but I will be ready for that after we get through this summer that has at least 4 more blockbusters full of action coming our way.

August Rush

So Surprised I had to Share…

Recently I have been ranting about Hollywood going crazy with sequels but I just read something so exciting. It seems someone has the right idea. Brad Bird (He wrote and directed the Incredibles) was just interviewed and had this to say about Incredibles 2.

"I love the world. I love the characters, and if I could come with a story that was as good or better than the original, I'd go there in a second. I have pieces of things that I would love to see in a sequel, but I haven't got them all together yet, and I certainly wouldn't want to come out there with something that is less than the original."

Finally, someone that gets its. I want to make this clear... I totally want him to make Incredibles 2 but I also want it to be as sweet as the first. If you haven’t seen Incredibles you are missing the best animated film since Aladdin.

In other exciting news about Pixar they released a teaster trailer for a new film. The title is Wall-E, check it out below.

Sweet Summertime

As summer approaches, (actually, I think it got here awhile ago in Northern California), the best movie about being a kid in the summer came to mind.

Even 14 years after it first came out, The Sandlot still gives me that wonderful feeling that I had growing up and the long hot days and nights summer brought. Although it’s about baseball, you don’t have to even like baseball to love this film. In fact, don’t let the title fool you, this movie is about more than baseball. It’s about growing up, trying to fit in and the joy of being young with few cares in the world besides what you are going to do for fun tomorrow.

I am sure most people have seen this film but if you haven’t, go rent it or borrow it from a friend…I am sure someone you know has it. Even if you have seen it, I’m sure it was a couple of years ago. Watch it one of these hot summer nights when it is hard to sleep and remember how great it was to not have a care in the world.

This one rocks with tenDacks

Die Hard...

When I hear commercials for giant action films with lots of explosions my mind immediately jumps to Die Hard, John McClane (Bruce Willis) shoving a desk chair strapped with C-4 explosives down an elevator shaft to blow up some terrorists. Sheer Genius!!!! While Bruce Willis is running around a 40 story building killing every terrorist he sees, Alan Rickman is one of the best villains in a major studio action movie ever. He is smart, sophisticated, and pure evil at the same time.

Unlike a lot of mindless action movies where the acting or story make you question the film…Die Hard lets you just sit back and enjoy the fun, even when John McClane is jumping off the roof of a skyscraper with a fire hose strapped around his waist. Is it Believable? No, but it sure is Awesome!!

This one gets nineDacks and our recommendation for terrorists to just give up if John McClane comes a knocking.

Transformers Weekly Update Number 2...

I have had a lot of conversations about Transformers recently...In fact I should totally be getting paid...

Anyway, as I have shown the trailer to everyone that has visited my house in recent months. I have managed to get majority of the people I know excited about the film. Several people have asked me if I know what Transformers are actually going to be in the movie. Feeling like the local expert on Transformers that I am trying to past myself off as I decided to go to the internet in search of the answer.

Here is what I found at the greatest website around Wikipedia.

Autobots

• Optimus Prime (Peterbilt Model 388): The powerful, wise leader of the Autobots, Prime comes to protect humanity from the evil Decepticons.
• Bumblebee (1974/2008 Chevrolet Camaro): Bumblebee is an honest and friendly soldier who befriends humanity, namely Sam, in his efforts to find the Allspark. He has difficulty speaking after he was attacked by Megatron and communicates with a radio.^[2]
• Jazz (Pontiac Solstice): The smallest and feistiest of the Autobots, Jazz is one of Optimus' best warriors, talented at learning new cultures.^[2]
• Ironhide (GMC Topkick pick-up truck): A tough, weathered soldier, he is always the first in battle. Ironhide is one of Optimus' oldest friends, yet he has a darker outlook on life.^[2]
• Ratchet (Search & Rescue Hummer H2): The medic and scientist, Ratchet has a strong sense of duty to protect life.^[2]

Decepticons

• Megatron (Cybertronian jet): The missing Decepticon leader held hostage by Sector 7, Megatron desires power over the Allspark and hates organic lifeforms.
• Starscream (F-22 Raptor): Megatron's second-in-command, Starscream actually desires to overthrow Megatron and take the Allspark for himself.^[2]
• Barricade (Saleen-modified Ford Mustang police car) : The Decepticon hunter who masquerades in society as a symbol of the law.^[2]
• Frenzy (2-speaker CD player): The smallest of the Decepticons, Frenzy attaches to Barricade. His main purpose is spying on humans, but he is still a ferocious fighter, shooting blades disguised as CDs from his chest.^[2]
• Bonecrusher (Buffalo H Mine-Protected vehicle): A Decepticon warrior who hates all others. He is only subservient to Megatron, whom he fears.^[2]
• Blackout (MH-53 Pave Low): The largest Decepticon, Blackout is fiercely loyal to Megatron and can fire electromagnetic pulses, making Decepticon attacks easier.
• Scorponok (mechanical scorpion): He has a symbiotic relationship with Blackout, hiding within him until he is commanded to go and kill.
• Brawl (Modified M1 Abrams): A moody warrior, armed to the teeth.

I am happy they stuck with the true originals for the autobots. Ironhide pictured at the top of this article is one of my favorites besides of course Optimus Prime. Jazz is also a huge fan favorite. Lets hope the new voices are as good as the ones from the cartoon.

The Second Fantastic Four Movie is Just Good Enough...for me not to hate it.

When I go to see a movie I am always hoping for the best possible experience. However when it came time to see Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer I had to tell my common sense to take a back seat.

For those of you that didn't get a chance to see the first Fantastic Four movie here is what you missed. One of the most disappointing movies I have ever sat through. It had the potential to be good but every time it started to get there it would blow it with horrible acting, ridicules storyline, or truly unbelievable gaps in logic. Yes I know it seems foolish to think that a movie about super heroes should be logical but I think many other comic book films have proved that it is possible.

The second installment of the Fantastic Four had a much better flow, much of which has to do with the fact that the background for all the characters had already been set in the first movie. The acting was much better with each actor seeming more comfortable in character. Still there isn't much here besides special effects which where good. Jessica Alba is still super hot even though personally I preferred her Dark Angel days. Michael Chiklis is awesome as The Thing, I can't imagine anyone else in that role. Chris Evans and Ioan Gruffudd fit their characters but are a bit stale. Laurence Fishburne gives an amazing amount of life to a completely digital Silver Surfer given he only has 10 lines. I am thankful that unlike some of the handful of sequels coming out this summer this one actually manages to add something new to the story and not rehash something we've already seen. Although I think this movie was supposed to be targeted to comic book lovers like myself it seems more suited to those under 10, which surprisingly enough seemed to be a majority of the audience in the theater.

On a side note, while watching and at times enjoying this movie I began to think about all the comic book film that I have seen and how the second installment always seems to come together better a be a little more fun than the first. I am going to have to do a little more digging on this one, more to come later.

While I have a rating and recommendation for this movie my feeling is that if you are a huge comic book nerd you are probably going to end up seeing this movie at some point no matter what anyone says. And no, not just because Jessica Alba is the hottest chick on the planet (even with her somewhat creepy fake blue eyes) but because like me you hope it's the next X-Men. The real shame of this movie is that if you didn’t see the first movie you are going to be a little lost because this movie jumps right in to the story. However PLEASE DON’T use that as a reason to see the first it is a truly awful movie. This one winds up with threeDacks, I had to drop it by 1 just because it is connected to the first.

Shrek 4......already???

Recent news out of DreamWorks last month has Shrek 4 and 5 scheduled for release in 2010 and 2012 respectively.

That’s right they have decided to set a release date for a movie that has no script. DreamWorks the upstate studio that has painted it self as a different kind of studio has become just like all the other guys. My question is now that they have announced it is on its way can they change there minds if the story for a 4th movie making fun of fairytales doesn’t come together.

At the release of the first Shrek people were talking about DreamWorks giving Pixar competition for being the best animation studio around. Now all talk of that has faded as Pixar continues to bring new fresh fun ideas to movies and DreamWorks has………Shrek?

As this news breaks I am moved to include my review for Shrek 3. I went to see it 3 weeks ago and have been avoiding it.

Shrek 3 was a movie with awesome animation, while watching it there were scenes that looked so lifelike I forgot I was watching a cartoon. As this was another one of the 3rd movies to come out this year…I am forced once again to remind studios that unless you are adding something new to the story of a series please DON’T MAKE THE MOVIE!!!!! Now on with the review….Shrek must come to terms with becoming a father…oh wait I can’t help it here it comes…… Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas and Cameron Diaz I feel compelled to tell all of you, money should not be the only reason to make a movie!!

Shrek somehow gets threeDacks…one for Mike Myers, one for Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas and one for Pinocchio the only truly funny character in this movie. Cameron Diaz would normally be worth oneDack at least for being smoking hot but gets nothing here because she just lends her voice to the role. The only other notable character to the series here is the gingerbread man but only to wonder when Shrek is just going to eat him. I am trying to think of a time in the films were they appear on screen together and can’t. There you go I came up with something that could happen in number 4.

Die Hardest...

Transformers isn't the only movie I am looking forward to this summer… Although it is the one I am looking forward to the most, considering Transformers is the first word in this article about Live Free Die Harder not to mention the first thing I think about when I wake up.

John McClane is a bad ass. Yep I said it and it is true. He is the cop that Vic Mackey wants to be. Vic takes down drug dealers in the inner city of LA. Bruce has killed and stopped terrorists killing people in a high rise in LA, stopped terrorists from taking over Washington D.C. Dulles airport, and stopped lots more terrorists stealing from the Fort Knox of New York City. He’s shown Jack Bauer and thing or 2 too. Who seems to only have super powers in Southern California and Mexico. Chuck Norris might be the only one with a one up on Bruce in Die Hard.

Anyway Bruce is bringing the First American original tough cop John McClane back to rescue America and it is going to be fun!

But the Die Hard the one that started it all back in 1988 is also something to be enjoyed.

In preparation for the Actionism that will be Live Free or Die Hard coming out June 27th I will be posting reviews for all the Die Hard movies in the next week.

Transformer Faux Pa...

In a stroke of utter confusion Transformers makes its first marketing mistake; Releasing a remix of the transformers theme. You can find it here.

Transformers Theme Remix

This is my first weekly update of my looking forward to the awesomeness that I hope Transformers is going to be. Yes continuing to read this article will more than likely turn you into a movie nerd...but you know you want to keep reading anyway.

I have to say taking the best cartoon theme sung by a sweet 80's hair band and getting it remixed by some lame 90's MTV wannabe band was a huge mistake. Side note, if you know who sings this song let me know. I could look it but I am being lazy. Now they have done a cheap 90's rock club party remix to this once great theme. Who knows maybe they are trying to reach a broader audience. The marketing of Transformers has been genius. Starting out with trailers showing nothing but glimpses of the highlight of the film, the robots, then showing more and more of the robots. If you haven't seen a trailer check one of these

Best
Short and sweet
Awesome

I only hope that Steven Spielberg doesn't let Michael Bay screw up what should be the best movie this year.

Check this out.

Knocked Up is a Knock Out....

Finally a good fun summer movie...

Knocked Up was everything I wanted it to be. It was funny, smart, funny, and did I say funny...

The Director Judd Apatow is proving to be the comic genius of the century. If you haven't seen 40 Year Old Virgin because you are afraid it will be all sex jokes...deal with it and put up with a couple of funny sex jokes for a great comedy.... Yes, I was worried just like you but I finally watched it on cable one lazy Saturday afternoon and laughed harder than I have in a couple of years. If you are too afraid to watch it at least check out his tv show Freaks and Geeks. It was only on for a year because tv execs are quite possibly the stupidest people on the planet but that 1 season is the funniest best-written comedy tv show in the last 10 years.
Every character is well rounded and not just a gag...Paul Rudd needs to be given a chance to be a lead in a movie!!! His character (the brother in-law) is the highlight of the film and pushes this movie through even when it starts to lag during the last 45 minuets.

Yes I know the title makes you think this movie is about someone making a bad decision but what makes the movie great is about two people taking responsibility for their mistakes. For now it's getting eightDacks but it might be higher after another watching. Oh yeah, I know the title of this review is lame but it gets tenDacks.

Hot Damn.....

In a sheer stroke of genius the British do the best spoof of the buddy cop movie ever and don't even get me started about this sweet picture.

There are so many funny townsfolk in this movie I can't even count them. Add that with a Grandma getting drop kicked in the face and you have something truly special.

The team behind Shaun of the Dead brings you a fun action, mystery, buddy cop movie that takes place in a...small British countryside town. I don't want to ruin too much but just try to imagine movies like Loaded Weapon being made fun of by British Comedians.... hmmmm..................ok I guess that doesn't really work...but trust me you will like it, unless perhaps you don't like car chases and lots of violence. But seriously if that’s the case what are you doing reading my reviews.

For those of you that didn't get a chance to go see it in the theater I will be buying it as soon as it's available and you can borrow it from me.

A grand nineDacks for this fine piece of filmmaking.

Oceans too many...

I feel like the answer to the question... Are George Clooney and Brad Pitt the coolest guys around has been satisfied.

Yes they are cool, they do look good in suits, and Brad Pitt is awesome but seriously I don't need a rehash of a rehash of a rehash to help me know those facts.

I will admit the movie was fun, the heist grand, the bad rich guy truly evil but I was also tired of all of this before it rolled out before me. Heist movies work when there is some unexpected wrinkle that jumps right off the screen at the end making you feel both excited and dumb for not seeing it earlier. But Oceans 13 didn't have that...the surprise ending didn't shock and awe.... It made me what to smack George and Brad across the face. (Not really...those guys are awesome and Brad Pitt is the coolest guy around {see Fight Club} but figuratively I wanted to ask then why they spent energy doing this when they could have done something great and original) You can only drop 1 or 2 hints about what might happen, not 20.

Seriously guys please no more Oceans...make something awesome and original. I would even take a remake of an older film, just not a remake of a movie you already made 7 years ago.

Recommendation: If you love Brad or George you will like it. If you are expecting a great caper movie rent Oceans 11, Thomas Crown Affair, Confidence, or Heist. I don't to but I'm giving it fourDacks. I still wish I was Brad Pitt.

Being Jack Sparrow

What the heck where the writers of Pirates thinking…..

To say that I enjoyed Pirates even through the time (which was ridiculously long), plot which I am convinced was developed to confuse (it’s a good thing I am smart), sheer amount of characters which could have filled 3 more movies…..I did enjoy it, kinda

The whole part with the many Jack's running around....although it was funny brought me back to Being John Malkovich which was an interesting film but also gave nightmares. That whole section could have been cut and it would have helped the flow of the film.

My main thought during the credits while I waited for the extra ending (I won’t even get in to the fact that if you can’t fit the ending into the first 3 hours of a movie you might realize you need some help) was when are directors going to realize that just because they made the first 2 parts of a trilogy does not allow them to do anything they want in the third. As examples I give you the 3^rd matrix, and spidey 3 (which yes was good but could have been better given proper editing)…even Return of the King which was great but suffered from over load. I am convinced that the only good 3rd movies in a trilogy are Return of the Jedi and The Last Crusade but I am willing to be proven wrong.

Recommendation : If you saw the first 2 and have 3 hours to kill see it.....I'm giving this one sixDacks because Johnny Depp is so awesome.

Welcome

Welcome to The Dack List.
Enjoy my reviews of movies and tv. Most of the reviews will be on current movies out in theaters. But not to worry if I run across tv worth mentioning I will be sure to let you know. I will also share any older films worth watching or rewatching from time to time.