Batman Concludes with The Dark Knight Rises

Seven years ago, there was a spike in the pop-cultural “cool” factor of enjoying the Batman. With the release of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, those put off by the silliness and absurdity often associated with comic-book narratives were enraptured by the film’s far more grounded take on the Caped Crusader. When the much anticipated follow-up, The Dark Knight, was released in 2008, that “cool” factor increased tenfold, as did the amount of Joker cosplayers. Four years and far too many “Why so serious”es later, has Nolan delivered a fitting conclusion to his beloved series, or does the trilogy crash and burn in the home stretch?

“Prometheus” Aims for the Stars but Doesn’t Complete the Mission

Say what you want about Ridley Scott, but you have to admit one thing:  the man is great at making movies.  The genre-bending films he creates have captured our imaginations, scared the piss out of us, and made us hate Julius Caesar.  His latest sci-fi/horror epic “Prometheus” does all but one of these things (guess which one it is), while telling a great story and displaying some dazzling special effects–but it didn’t live up to its hype.

I Think I’m Falling for Skyfall

Your Monday just got a hell of a lot better. Check out the teaser trailer for the new Bond flick, “Skyfall”, due in theaters November 9th.

Marvel’s “The Avengers” Team Up to Take Your Money

In 2008, Marvel Studios released the first of many film adaptations of their own comic book properties. With “Iron Man,” the legendary publisher took great care in making sure the summer blockbuster did the source material justice, and succeeded with flying colors (red and gold, primarily). Those who stayed after the credits were treated to a short scene showcasing Samuel L. Jackson as a mysterious man with an eye patch saying something about an “Avengers Initiative.” With that moment, comic fans everywhere collectively shit a massive brick made of tremendous excitement and towering expectations. Four years later, Marvel Studios has delivered on their promise of an Avengers film. Was it even remotely possible for them to meet the staggering expectations of their fans? Find out after the break!

Netflix Pick: “Submarine” comes of age

I’m one of those people that finds it very difficult to resist the draw of a good coming-of-age story. Something about tales of young people discovering who they are and what it’s like to be a part of the “real world” really gets to me, particularly if they’re presented with style and a unique voice. Therefore, I was very excited when I heard the rumblings of a great one making the rounds at film festivals a year or so ago. That film was “Submarine,” and it’s now available on Netflix Instant Streaming, allowing me to finally check it out for myself. If you’re wondering how much I loved this movie, read all about it after the break!

Satisfy Your Hunger

Guys, those are weapons behind her. Lots of weapons. So start paying attention.

I’m not really sure what started Suzanne Collin’s “The Hunger Games” growing association with the “Twilight” flicks or when exactly having a female protagonist meant that a movie was a chick-flick. Besides the horrendous merchandising decisions (as evident on T-shirts sold across web stores nationwide), the two hit-books-to-hit-film adaptations don’t have all that much in common. Sure, they both star a brunette female protagonist. I guess there are two male characters that can be perceived as love interests — though they’re not, really (at least, not at first) — but that’s where the similarities end. Granted, I don’t know two shits about “Twilight,” though that’s mainly because I have no interest in them whatsoever. But let me set the record straight: “The Hunger Games” is not a a cheesy chick flick with glitter and men that make up for their lack of being able to keep on their shirts with having excessive pecs. Though Gary Ross’s screenplay falls short in a few minor areas compared to the book it’s based on, this is an incredibly well-made and true to its roots flick that you have to check out.

Netflix Pick: “Shut Up Little Man!” will invade your privacy

After a couple of weeks off due to complete, inescapable entrenchment in following the Mass Effect 3 controversy, my weekly Netflix Pick feature HAS RETURNED! I know, I know… You were all just stuck having absolutely nothing to watch because you are unable to decide for yourselves, and for that I apologize. I, myself, had a bit of trouble deciding what to watch this week, so I deferred to the “Top 10 for Darren” section of my PS3 Netflix interface. Of the recommended titles, I was most intrigued by an odd-sounding documentary entitled “Shut Up Little Man!” Was Netflix right to have the audacity to recommend this film to my discerning tastes? FINDOUTAFTERTHEBREAK!

Who Ya Gonna Call? Not Bill Murray

For the last few months, Ghostbusters fans have been following the news about the possible release of a third film. Dan Aykroyd has been releasing monthly updates on the progress of the movie, but it’s still at a very early stage.  The script is still being tweaked and modified, production and finances don’t seem to be an issue, but one major road block stands in the way: Bill Murray.

Netflix Pick: “I Think We’re Alone Now” is Sadly Fascinating

This week’s Netflix Pick is oddly similar to last week’s in a few ways. Most notably, it’s a story about two troubled people from very different backgrounds finding friendship by bonding over mutual interests. Unlike “Mary and Max,” however, this film is a documentary. It follows a couple of people very much obsessed with 80’s pop star Tiffany. Why? You’ll just have to watch the film to find out. See if it’s worth your time after the break!

Netflix Pick: “Mary and Max” Will Break Your Damn Heart

If there’s any place better known for availability of quirky independent films than the eclectic library of titles available on Netflix’s instant streaming service, it’s the Sundance Film Festival. Held annually in Park City, Utah, the festival is the premier location for a wide and varied selection of independent films. In 2009, the festival opened with a strange, Australian stop-motion film called “Mary and Max.” Often, the opening film is not one of the strongest of the festival, but I remembered hearing how surprisingly fantastic this one managed to be. Did this weird little film deserve such praise? Find out after the break!

Netflix Pick: UHF Will Rot Your Brain

This week, I crossed a movie off of my comedy nerd list of shame. I was aware of the cult following of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s absurdist sketch film, “UHF,” and I’d been a fan of his parody songs since I was a kid. For some reason, however, I’d just never gotten around to seeing the movie. Thanks to Netflix, I was recently able to right that wrong.

Netflix Pick: Pontypool

As you are probably aware, today is not just any Tuesday. Today is Valentine’s Day. I could very easily have found some sappy, romantic, love-conquers-all drama or inane rom-com, but that wouldn’t be very Wrecked. Instead, my weekly Netflix Pick is an exercise in counter-programming. How about a movie that simply takes place on Valentine’s Day, but in place of cards, chocolates, and kissing in the rain is a small-town zombie outbreak? Got your attention? Read on after the jump.

Chronicle OR: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Telekinesis

Though the style may be running rampant recently, I must admit that I am a fan of the “found footage” gimmick. Something about the whole let’s-all-pretend-just-for-like-an-hour-and-a-half-that-this-is-actually-happening shtick makes for some creative (if contrived) uses of camera and sound that often have the effect of making the ridiculous seem tangible. With the debatable exception of “Cloverfield,” most found footage films thus far have been of the horror persuasion. “Chronicle,” the latest release to utilize the style, is more of a high-school-set action/dramedy. Is this where found footage films jump the proverbial shark, or does this gimmicky style still have some battery life left in its camera?

New Spider-Man Trailer Looks Well… Amazing

Sony is finally starting to pull the curtains back on the new iteration of our favorite red and blue web-slinger, and I couldn’t be more stoked. The new “Amazing Spider-Man” looks awesome, and I can’t wait ’til the movie hits this July. Check out the trailer after the jump.

Netflix Pick: 13 Assassins

I’m about to admit something that may lose me a few points of modern film geek cred… I have never seen a film by Takashi Miike. Everything I’ve heard about “Audition” and “Ichi the Killer” has caused me a bit of hesitation on account of the modicum of squeamishness that still sits within my hardened, grown-up sensibilities. The descriptions of Miike’s “13 Assassins” seemed free of such warnings for the weak of stomach, so I figured that its addition to the Netflix catalog was the perfect opportunity to right that wrong.

Netflix Pick: Happythankyoumoreplease

If there’s one thing I love about Netflix Instant Watch, it’s the abundance of independent films from promising first time writer/directors. This week’s pick is a notable indie dramedy that fits comfortably in that category, seeing as it is the debut feature from Josh Radnor. If that name sounds familiar, then you may be a fan of the beloved sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” in which Radnor plays serially romantic protagonist, Ted Mosby [if you’re not a fan yet, “HIMYM” is also available on Netflix (hint, hint)]. How does he fare as a writer/director? Find out after the break!

Netflix Pick: The Perfect Host

This week’s Netflix Pick is a movie I’ve been dancing around checking out for a while now. I remember hearing tell of a strange, twisty thriller starring David Hyde Pierce making the film festival rounds a couple of years ago, which piqued my interest for a variety of reasons. I noticed a few months back that it had been added to the illustrious Netflix instant watch catalog, and was flirting with idea of checking it out, despite the mixed reviews I’d seen. For the purposes of my little weekly feature, I decided to finally take the jump. Is “The Perfect Host” worth your hour and a half? Find out after the break!

MUST WATCH: Black Dynamite Animated Series Pilot Kicks Some Honkey Ass!

“Black Dynamite” was easily one of the most surprisingly amazing comedies of these last few years. Though it was hardly a commercial success right off the bat, it’s been growing more and more popular as of late just by word of mouth alone. It’s one of those movies that’s so damn hilarious and kicks so much ass, it’s almost crime to not have seen it by now. For those of you that still haven’t, do yourself a favor and go pick it up. You won’t regret it.

But I’m not here to talk about the movie. “Black Dynamite – The Animated Series” is reportedly expected to air early this year. Although the trailer has been floating around the web since last fall, somehow I hadn’t heard about it until now. The full pilot episode has been difficult to find in full, but the it’s currently available on JoBlo.com. We’ve got the details here.

Netflix Pick: The Vicious Kind

FYI: This is not the poster Netflix uses. It is infinitely better than the image they chose, as are all other posters I found for this film.

Just in case you were worried that I would forget about my promise to keep this up as a weekly feature, I’m here to PROVE YOU WRONG. There’s an absolute wealth of great content available on Netflix instant streaming, a great deal of which most people have probably never heard of. There’s nothing I love doing quite as much as showing people fantastic films they didn’t even know existed, and that goes double for myself. Therefore, this feature will essentially be a chronicling of my journey through the wilds of Netflix’s library, watching a new film every week and letting you know whether or not it’s worth your time. Luckily, “The Vicious Kind” is absolutely worth your time. Find out why after the break!

Netflix Pick: Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

Given the rampant availability of devices that are able to stream the vast library of titles offered by Netflix instant streaming,   I thought that providing recommendations of said titles on a somewhat-regular basis might be a useful feature on the site. After all, there are SO many great gems on the service that a lot of people might easily overlook, especially given the relative shittiness of many of the title browsing interfaces on certain platforms (mine being PS3). To get this feature started, I bring to your attention the wonderfully slapstick horror-comedy “Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil.”