Roger Moore, The Man With The Golden Apology Needed

News this week came that Liam Neeson would be reprising his role as a man with a "particular set of skills" for a 3rd go-round in Taken 3.  When the film releases in 2014 or 2015, Neeson will be the ripe young age of 62 or 63 playing an action powerhouse badass.  Also this week, a trailer arrived for the new Sylvester Stallone/Arnold Swarzenegger team up Escape Plan.  Both also had solo adventures this past winter with The Last Stand (see it!!!) and Bullet To The Head (have some beers while you watch it!).

Guillermo del Toro Retrospective: THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE

The Devil's Backbone
2001
Starring: Marisa Paredes, Eduardo Noriega, Federico Luppi, Fernando Tielve, Inigo Garces
Rated: R

After an enormously crushing experience with Mimic, Guillermo del Toro returns to Mexico to make what he considers one of his most personal projects, The Devil's Backbone.  He had thought his days as a big Hollywood director, and his chance to put his fingerprints on it, were likely over.  Not that the opportunities weren't present, but that he himself was not willing to put all the weight of dealing with a big studio production and dealing with the suits on his shoulders again.  Strangely enough, going back to Mexico would gain him more notoriety as a young and upcoming visionary master.  The door to Hollywood would instantly open back up after this film became incredibly acclaimed by those viewing it in 2001.

Guillermo del Toro Retrospective: MIMIC

Mimic (Director's Cut)
1997
Starring: Mira Sorvino, Charles Dutton, Josh Brolin, Jeremy Northam, Giancarlo Giannini, F. Murray Abraham
Rated: R

Up until a few years ago, Guillermo del Toro seemed to refrain from wanting to talk about his first foray into big time Hollywood filmmaking.  When Scott Mendelson and I saw him at a Q&A in 2008, one of his stipulations before questioning began was the he would not take any questions regarding Mimic, his 1997 monster thriller.  Guillermo was always upset with this film and he almost never worked in Hollywood again.  His experience was one that was a nightmare, but shared by many a director in the mid 1990s.

Guillermo de Toro Retrospective: CRONOS

Cronos
1993
Starring: Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Tamara Shanath, Cladio Brook, Margarita Isabel
Rated: R

And the retrospective fire keeps on burning!  This one will be a little different.  Previously, we would just follow a franchise's entire run.  This time, we'll look in at a director's oeuvre.  And I've decided on one of my absolute favorite working directors, Guillermo del Toro.  del Toro is a man who's an incredible visionary and gives the utmost attention to every detail in every mechanism and monster he creates.  He prefers to create monsters and try to crutch on practical effects whenever possible.  If you have a film of his that has interviews or a commentary, you'll know how engaging and incredible it is to listen to this man talk film.

HEY HEY! Brandon Now Writes For WHY SO BLU? Too!

Hey guys.  This has been going on for a little while now, but I never really made an announcement.  And now I've got some material under my belt there. If you are friends with me on FaceBook or Twitter you already know anyway.  But, I've been brought on to the prestigious team at Why So Blu? to do blu-ray reviews and probably some more down the road.  Its an exciting venture for me and I'm having a blast.

REVIEW: Man Of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel 
2013
Director: Zack Snyder
Rated: PG-13
135 minutes


You will give the people an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders. 
                            ~Jor-El

For theatrical releases on Naptown Nerd, I strive to keep things spoiler free.  This will be no different.  Though if this review seems off balance or the end result doesn't quite fit the billing, know that some of the things I take issue with in Man of Steel center around spoiler territory.  Thanks.

REVIEW: V/H/S 2

V/H/S 2
2013
Director: Simon Barret (Tape 49), Adam Wingard (Clinical Trials), Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale (A Ride In The Park), Gareth Huw Evans & Timo Tjahjanto (Safe Haven), Jason Eisener (Alien Abduction Slumber Party)
Rated: R
96 minutes

CLICK HERE for my review of the first film, V/H/S

V/H/S 2 is surprisingly a response to the first film and outdoing the original in every way.  I almost feel like the producers read my and others' reviews and tinkered accordingly.  The anthology sequel is a much tighter and enhanced version of its predecessor.