Battleship:The Movie By Jill Bridges

Yes! The movie industry has hit an all time low. The have desided to make a “Battleship” movie. A lil info : Universal has set July 1, 2011, for the release of “Battleship,” confirming Peter Berg as helmer of the live-action pic based on Hasbro’s naval combat board game. Deal is part of a two-picture pic pact Berg has made with U, where he’ll follow “Battleship” with an Afghan war drama “Lone Survivor.” Universal’s date declaration positions “Battleship” to become the second film release from the studio’s multiyear deal with Hasbro to turn its classic games into features. The studio previously set an April 11, 2011, release date for “Stretch Armstrong,” with Steve Oedekerk about to deliver a script. “Battleship” is the latest in Universal’s strong push toward branded entertainment films, and Hasbro has fast become an increasingly important cog in that campaign. I think that that have run out of moie idea’s that they have to revert to board games now, Superheroes, and comic books arn’t enough. I hope that they make this movie good which im sure they will with all the effects and 3-d animation being used now, and after Avatar it’s gunna be a little hard to beat.

Bill Murray’s First Flop – Tim Howe

Let’s take a trip back to the early 80’s, shall we? The world loved Bill Murray as he was known for his whimsical roles on Saturday Night Live, Meatballs and Caddyshack, but there is much more to him than the charmingly funny exterior that had made him so popular. Below the surface of this funny man is a deeply sophisticated and tortured soul. The world was not ready for what was to happen next.
Soon after the death of John Belushi, Murray co-wrote and starred in a movie called “Razors Edge”. This movie flopped at the box office, probably because any Murray fans that saw it were expecting to see this jovial actor in a slapstick comedy movie. What they got was something much more thought provoking.

Based on a book by W. Somerset Maugham, “Razors Edge” is a World War 1 period piece that takes place over the course of several years. It follows Larry Darrel (Murray) on a journey of self discovery and the search for salvation. It deals with death, war, love and ultimate disappointment and also finding happiness in a world where nothing seems to make sense.

Despite its failure in the box office, it’s one of the best movies I’ve ever seen. The interesting part is that Murray co-wrote the script and poured alot of his own efforts into getting this movie made. The movie even contains a monologue that Murray wrote in honor of his friend, the late John Belushi. After a hard time finding the proper funds to get this movie into production, Columbia Pictures finally agreed to greenlight this movie providing Murray would act in another film entitled “Ghostbusters”. Murray begrudgingly accepted this offer. Fortunately for him, “Ghostbusters” was a success and his fame was elevated to an even higher level. On the other hand, this 12 million dollar passion project of Murray’s only generated a gross total of 6.6 million, making this Bill Murray’s first big box office disaster.

So that’s my history lesson for the week. Your homework assignment is to see this movie. Until next time, class dismissed.

-Tim Howe

King of Video Game Music? By: James Wlodyka Popular Culture Class Mondays 9:00am

It seems that Michael Jackson was fully in the industry as a musician, songwriter, producer, and many other positions that had him rise to the top for many years. But now he can add video game music composer. One of the lastest MJ stories is that Michael Jackson was the composer for the video game “Sonic: The Hedgehog 3″ for Sega. This is just another hat he wore that not too many people knew about. Just another secret that the public did not know, but at least this one is not as bad as his drug issues. This is not the first time he has been within the video game world. He had a sega video game called “Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker”. This just helps to keep Michael Jackson in the news and keep him alive. He will always be an influence for new artists all around the world.

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/12/michael-jackson-probably-composed-the-music-to-the.html

Pop Music in the 21st Century by Samantha. Berntsen

Recently I heard someone mention how the popular music of today doesn’t stick around. If you browse through the radio stations on the radio today you will find one pop station to the 8 or so rock stations currently on the radio. These rock stations are consumed with rock from the 60’s to now but mainly music from the 90’s. How often do you turn on a radio station and here a rap, or pop song that came out in 2000, you don’t. I feel like its almost uncool for stations to play a pop hit from even a year ago. Its all about trends and pop music definetly goes through phases. Pop music is forced to change with the times making it undesirable once it fades out. Its just interesting to see how a rock song from the early 90’s can still be played over the radio and a pop song that hits high numbers on a bill board chart can not.

“Iceland says goodbye to the Big Mac” by Mike Brown

I saw this on yahoo a few weeks ago and thought that this was pertinent to some of the things we have discussed about popular culture and its effect on the world.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Iceland-says-goodbye-to-the-apf-2609404079.html?x=0&.v=6

Essentially, because of the economic crisis that is troubling the entire world, the people of Iceland have had to take the Big Mac off of McDonald’s menus in their country because the item is simply too expensive for them to afford. Now, the Big Mac is an icon of a culture that values fast food and of a society, particularly American, that honors the freedom of diet and even in exploring the world as we know it (Let’s drive across country and see the world! What could make this more American? Let’s have a Big Mac along the way!!! BTW, thats a commercial I just made up in my head). The Big Mac is a symbol, or maybe more so an ideal, of a happiness in eating something that may not be good for you but you got it right away. It is a symbol of a fast paced world that cherishes have what we want, when we want it, now (oh wait, is that Burger King? either way). With Iceland having to strike this unhealthy item from its menus due to its high price, what does that say about the rest of the world and it’s values. Why don’t Americans, or to make it less close to home, the Japanese help lessen the impact of the economic crisis by having the Big Mac stricken from all McDonald’s menus? Maybe then people would stop spending $6 for a hamburger and instead save their money for more important things like family expenses or healthier food. I may be way of on this argument of this story being linked to popular culture, but I feel it speaks to a lot of the values the world deems important. Sorry for your hardships, Iceland, but I think you are better off without the Big Mac. Besides, not having this sandwich is probably the least of your worries. I just hope you can at least still afford a Happy Meal every now and then. Now those are a must!

“My thoughts and feelings after seeing PRECIOUS” by Mike Brown

After the extensive discussion that we had in class that day about the movie Precious, I decided that night to go see it. This film is amazing. The characters are deep, the acting is some of the finest I have ever seen and the story is one that I feel fortunate and proud to have witnessed. This tale of a young, heavily over weight black girl who is physically, sexually and mentally abused by her parents in the mid 80s, but then finds her own redemption in life through finally being given an opportunity within an alternative school is a story that rarely gets told. Now, this may be obvious, but with the film industry usually making movies about scantly clad, skinny white woman running for their lives from killers or middle class, well to do college students trying to figure out just how they are going o party and study at the same time, a film like Precious is one that is important to be seen and heard of. I have spoken with several people about this movie and have even convinced some to go see it. Everyone has the same response to it, the ones who do see it and the ones who do choose not to. They feel the movie is intense, that the story is sad and that they cannot believe that things like this really happen in the world. Most people agree too that the performances, mainly from Gabourey Sidibe (who plays Precious) and from Mo’Nique (who plays her mother), are stellar and that the two deserve Oscar nominations. It is the final sentiment that I find most people have after seeing this film, that they cannot believe that things like this happy in this world, is the reason that this movie is a must see. Not only to help the film be successful at the box office (which it deserves) but also in order to educate ourselves about things that we are either blind to or that we choose to ignore. Myself, being a young, white member of what I believe is the lower class, I found and still find myself looking at things a bit differently after seeing Precious. Now, this is not to say that suddenly I am not a racist or anything like that because I do not believe that I ever was. However, I have begun to notice that I am giving some things a second look or chance. Whether that be attending an event that I think I will not enjoy and then end up loving (I attended a poetry reading, which is something that I would not normally do, but found it very entertaining and thought provoking). Or whether it is believing that someone cannot do something and then realizing that all people have potential and should be given the chance to prove themselves (I work at a job that is performance based which requires me to evaluate my fellow colleagues work, but have realized that everyone has their own process to go through and this must be respected). In watching Precious, which is a movie that I would not have usually watched but was intrigues after our class discussion, I have found that I am more open to things that I may not understand and that I am trying to look at things that I feel I do understand in a different way. Precious asks us all to open our eyes to a world that is painful and hard and extremely real. Once we do we will realize that we all have to go through hardships at different varying levels of difficulty, but these differences do not make either life more or less important. All life is important and everyone deserves the chance to have their story told or to tell the story that may not usually get told.

PEACE By: Jill Bridges

I think that this is a major part of popular culture today. I think this because of everything that it is now and all it has because. It first started way back in the day most likely in the 70’s area. The Beetles really brought it out like John Lennon’s song “Give Peace a Chance”. They basically started the whole peace movement I think but I could be wrong. Thee thing that pisses me off with the whole peace thing is that its everywhere. You can’t go into a store with out finding something about peace, or has a peace sign on it. The little 13-14 year old kids that are walking around with peace sign shirts on have no idea what peace is. Now in the 2000’s it’s just an icon that you see in everyday life. I wish that people we more educated in it than just having it everywhere. This isn’t what John Lennon had in mind when he pushed it to become what it is. this will explain it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FVjfmBTgh8

Twlight By: Jill Bridges

Now I want you all to know I am not one of those girls that is obsessed with Twilight. Now I saw “New Moon” and I thought it was a good movie. The way it was shot I mean. The graphics for this movie were out of this world, Way better than the first one. Now the story line was horrible, it w as just like all the other teen movie. My friends that i went to see it with said that it was sexually frustrating going to see it. They had Jacob who had a bigger part than Edward in this movie, likes Bella but they almost kiss like 8 times but they never do. Although with suck a big book um sure that they left out a lot of thing that would have mad the story that much better. After seeing this movie i will still say i am not a fan of the movie nor the book but i will say i am a bigger fan of Chris Weitz. He is an amazing director.I Iove “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”, and “The Golden Compass”

Board Games meet Film, Film meet Board Games. By Terry Samaras

Universal recently picked up the popular children’s game from Milton Bradley, Battleship. The plot of the movie follows as so: a contemporary story of an international five-ship fleet engaged in a very dynamic, violent and intense battle. Sound good right? Wait for it… The battle will be against ALIENS!! The problem here is not with the plot, or Universal for wanting to make it; the problem here is that they are paying Milton Bradley money just for the title of the movie. If Universal wanted to save money, and I am sure they do, all they have to do is re-name the movie. The fact that they are spending money trying to buy in viewers seems cheap. Not only would Universal be saving money, but they would also have an original film on their hands, something that isn’t easy to find.
Risk is a popular strategy game in which you conquer other countries, and the one with the most countries in the end wins. Sony recently bought the rights to Risk, with the intention of turning it into an epic film of command and conquer. Yet again, re-name the movie and save millions.
Along with Battleship and Risk being in the works, Monopoly, the classic board game from the Parker Brothers is getting ramped up for a big screen treatment. I have no objections against the game Monopoly, other than nobody ever wants to finish, but the fact that they are going to make a movie about it, and it is going to be either produced or even directed by Ridley Scott(!), makes me cringe a little bit. How did the director of “Alien” get sucked into making a movie about kids getting stuck in a board game? At least “Jumanji” was an original board game.
Last but not least, Candyland, you guessed it, is getting ready to be turned into a full length film for our entertainment because you have no idea how many nights I have lost sleep, hoping for the day Candyland gets turned into a movie. How this plans to make money/entertain puzzles me, but apparently these studio executives know what they’re doing.
Studios have been in a funk since the writer’s strike a couple years back. Trying to persuade audiences to the theaters with cheap gimmicks such as board games does not seem like the way to go. By the way these stories are written, they seem original and exciting, but attaching a popular brand name to the titles seems…stupid. Do yourself a favor Universal and Sony, keep the scripts, re-name the movie, and don’t rely on products from the 60’s to get you out your drought.

Oh No The World Is Ending!

With the release of the new movie 2012 (sure to be a complete piece of garbage) im beginning to realize that lately theyre is a huge trend in apocalyptic or post-apocalyptic movies. Sure there has always been post apocalyptic movies like The Day After or The Road Warrior, but these were good movies. It seems like every couple of months a trailer pops up for a new end of the world movie filled with nothing but CGI. The Day After Tomorrow, Knowing, The Core, I Am Legend, War of the Worlds just to name a few. I wouldnt be surprised if people really believe that the world is going to end in 2012 and there getting their survival tips from these movies, or is it that society has become so numb to violence that the only way they can be satisfied is to see the whole population killed off. Is this a just a fading trend, will the production of these movies stop once where all alive and well in the year 201, or will they continue to be made. One movie i am actually looking forward to seeing is The Road starring Viggo Mortensen.

- Jesse Ciulla