Critical End!

There is something very creepy going on in the bottom right of this photo.

It comes as a surprise to pretty much nobody that Iron Man 2 was the number one film this past weekend.  While the actual box office itself didn’t set any #1 records (it placed fifth for all-time best grossing weekend), I was a bit surprised to learn that it did set the record for the widest release in motion picture history(4,380 theaters to be exact), beating former record holder The Dark Knight by a mere 14 theaters. 

Meanwhile, repeat business is supposed to make it’s overall box office climb even higher.  If you’re one of those nerds- I mean, people…no wait, nerds will do…that plan on seeing it again, why not check out some of the confirmed Easter eggs that CHUD dug up.

So, what did your pals here at Critical End! Think about it?  Find out tomorrow in our podcast!

With only one episode left in it’s inaugural season, Community has managed to remain at the top of it’s game for over 22 episodes now.  It’s also reached a comfortable spot where the writers feel that they can experiment with different types of non-sitcom formats and styles.  Such is the case with tonight episode, which producers have promised is basically going to be a 25 minute paintball fight:

So, if you’re still not watching this show: Now is the time.

Chevy Chase drops by to deliver the "Happy Town" ratings to his old friend Sam Neill.

Catch ABC’s Happy Town last Wednesday?  That’s okay, because most of the country didn’t either.  In fact, according to UGO, only 5.2 million people tuned into Happy Town, which officially makes it the lowest rated new ABC show this year.  Ouch.

And what did those 5.2 million think?  Well, a quick glance at the IMDB message board for the show reveals lots of post subjects like “No denying it…they ARE ripping off Twin Peaks”, “Trying a little too hard to be like Twin Peaks”, and my personal favorite, “what the hell is twin peaks??”  Honestly, all of these people are likely right.  We’ve only seen the first episode of Happy Town so far, but it seems rather obvious that it’s trying to bank on the fact that most people don’t remember (or couldn’t figure out) the basic twists of Twin Peaks.

Happy Town airs tomorrow night at 10 PM EST.  Care to place any bets on how much longer it’s going to stick around?

Here’s the first image of Thor from Kenneth Branagh’s upcoming Marvel film.  I have to say, I’m surprised that they’re sticking this closely to the costume from the comics.  I thought they’d try to make it look a bit darker, maybe lose the big red cape.  I wonder how weird this guys’ going to look standing next to Iron Man in the Avengers movie?  On the upside, I still can’t really believe there’s going to be an Avengers movie.  All my 7th grade fantasies are coming true!  Except for the one about that chick who sat behind me in Math class…

[Yahoo! via /Film]

Quick reminder: Happy Town premieres on ABC tonight at 10PM EST.  While I know that several of you don’t have the time to invest in yet another Lost inspired serial show, this might be one to catch.  Despite the mostly mediocre early reviews, I find it hard to not want to watch any show that proudly claims to be a direct Twin Peaks rip off and star the amazing duo of talent that is Sam Neill and Steven Weber.  Genius?  I think so.

…but it could also really suck.  Check out the extended promo for yourself below and let us know what you think after the show tonight.

Here we go again!

According to /Film, everyone’s favorite dread pirate and evil tornado enthusiast has signed on for Saw VII, reprising his role from the original.

It’s easy to see this as a desperate attempt to inject some life into a series that’s been running low on good ideas lately, but the plot–which centers around a support group for Jigsaw survivors–has some potential.  If they manage to get through the whole thing without yet another hackneyed flashback starring Shawnee Smith, I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Hey kids, just wanted to remind you that this is an actual film, and it’s coming out in two months.  This should be more than enough time for you to start avoiding the theater.  Hell, I happened to pass by a theater with this poster outside on my way to work this morning and I now plan on taking the longer route just to avoid it.

PS: Is it just me or is Spade showing WAY too much leg in this picture?

Super best friends.

Last week, out of the blue, I received the following text from my sister:

Stone and Parker are going to get murdered by the Muslims.  I’m calling it.

I laughed it off at the time, but unfortunately a few days later it looks like she might be right.  In case you missed it, and I’m not sure how that’s possible as this is now national news, Matt and Trey once again tried to get an image of Muhammad on their show…and once again Comedy Central went and screwed them over.  In fact, I feel like this whole thing exploding is really Comedy Central’s fault.  Especially when you consider that Matt and Trey have done it before in the season 5 episode “Super Best Friends”.  Obviously, that episode aired before 9/11 (only by a few months), but isn’t it funny that out of all the shit that Comedy Central let’s Matt and Trey get away with, the one thing they won’t let them do is something that they already let them do?

Anyway, don’t bother looking for either episode as Comedy Central has removed both of them from their site.  I can only imagine how they plan to screw up the Season 14 DVD release as well.

…if it were painted on the side of a van in the ’70’s.  Other than that: Really, Disney?

Logan and Ryan 10 years from now.

I was scanning the world news this morning (You know, the non-movie related boring stuff), when this article caught my eye.  Yes, it appears that the forever awesome duo that is Matt Stone and Trey Parker have finally managed to get their Joseph Smith musical, The Book of Mormon, made…and it’s going to Broadway.  As some of you hardcore fans may recall, this isn’t the first time that the pair have gone out of their way to make fun of the Mormons.  There was a very memorable episode of South Park a few years back that dealt exclusively with the Latter Day Saint movement, and let’s not forget Trey’s turn as a confused Mormon in Orgazmo.  With all of this in mind, and the fact that it’s going to be on Broadway(!), I think we may have a hit on our hands…

…meanwhile, if case you missed this great article on Matt and Trey’s political beliefs from The Huffington Post a few months back, shame on you.

It was on this day, 20 years ago, that I can safely say that TV was redefined.  If you’ve never seen Twin Peaks, you completely owe it to yourself to sit down and watch the first season.  Fan of The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or more recently, Lost?  Then why oh freakin’ why have you not watched Twin Peaks yet?!  Seriously, people…

Set in the mysterious dark woods of Washington State, Twin Peaks centered around the murder of Laura Palmer.  At it’s core, the show was nothing more than a whodunit, but those who would write it off as being too simple, obviously had no clue what was in store for them.  With a cast that featured some of the craziest characters to ever grace prime time network TV (an eye patch wearing crazy woman, a dancing dwarf, a lady who carries around a log known simply to the town as “Log Lady”, and a spooky killer called BOB were just a few), the show flew in all sorts of funny, scary, and mostly just plain weird directions, which made it nearly impossible to predict.  Oh, and did Imention a young David Duchovny has a memorable bit as a cross dressing FBI agent?

Yes, the show did kind of fizzle out after they solved the murder midway through the second season.  And, yes, the movie that was supposed to tie up the loose ends was only more frustrating (and lacked most of the great TV cast), but 20 years later Twin Peaks is still must see TV at it’s absolute finest.  I’d tell you to Netflix it, but why bother when you can buy it?  Do it.

Now.

 

Twin Peaks
Season 1
 Rating:
10 out of 10

Season 2
 Rating:
9 out of 10

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
 Rating:
7 out of 10

Here at Critical End! we recognize the importance of the fans.  Hell, we’re fans ourselves!  Who else but Ryan would own a piece of the MST3K film set (I’ve seen it.)?  And who else but myself would own an album of songs recorded by Chevy Chase?  And who else but this guy would build a Bill Paxton pinball machine?  Whoa, wait…what?

Oh, crazy Bill Paxton pinball fan…will you ever learn?  Perhaps not, but no matter how crazy you may think he is, consider your average TRON fan.  Sure, we may all recall that nutty TRON guy from a few years back, but despite popular notion, not all TRON fans are complete losers with no girlfriends lame.  Take for instance the guy who made this amazing modern trailer to the original film.

So, today your pals here at Critical End! would like to salute you, fans!  Sure, some of you may live in your parents basement and smell slightly like old Cheetos, but to us…you’re family.*

*Please stop calling us, you smelly dorks.

It doesn’t surprise me that James Cameron and FOX are releasing Avatar on DVD and Blu-Ray on Earth Day.  Despite the fact that Cameron’s past explosion-filled films most likely accounted for more carbon emissions over the last few decades than Al Gore’s house in one summer, Cameron obviously realizes that there’s money to be made in this whole green movement.  Nevermind that the DVD and Blu-Ray are both bare bones, I must support Mother Earth by buying James Cameron’s Avatar on Earth Day!  That will show those evil Republicans!

As for the rest of us: Cameron himself is already talking up two, yes, freakin’ TWO, other editions that are going to come out later this year if you think you can wait that long to support this amazing grassroots movement…oh, and Cameron’s bank account.  Because let’s face it: That new back deck overlooking the slums isn’t going to build itself now, is it?

Avatar hits DVD/Blu-Ray on April 22nd…which is also Earth Day…hippie.

"You magnificent bastard, I saw your movie!"

So, Fox is releasing special editions of some of its classic films on Blu-ray and DVD to celebrate its 75th Anniversary.  I’m all for this, especially for classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still and Butch Cassidy, but the more you look into the selection, the more the veneer of class washes away, revealing the old coat of “marketing ploy” underneath.  Ice Age?  Walk the Line?  That movie’s less than five years old, is it a classic already?

Eh, who cares, just buy the ones you like.  The folks who should really be pissed are owners of the Alien Quadrilogy box set, who now have to buy a new edition of Alien.  One day, scientists will perfect whatever instruments we use to determine when a disc is truly the “definitive edition”.

It’s been a VERY long time since Michael Cera has done anything of interest.  However, I’m working under the impression that with Edgar Wright directing, even an Adam Sandler film could possibly be awesome.  Long story short: It looks like Wright finally found a great use for Cera’s one note performances, and I can’t wait.