If you don’t live in Oklahoma City, well you probably have a lot more fun on a regular basis than we do. But if you have some time set aside from painting the town red, feel free to check out these few images from the front lines. These are all taken from our downtown area called Bricktown; it’s a town made of bricks.

This week we have a few films to choose from; up from the two that we’ve had for the passed couple of weeks. On the flip side, however, Joe will be out of town this weekend, so at this moment we’re not sure exactly what will happen, but please feel free to vote. If it comes down to it, I will simply go see the movie myself and sit alone in the dark…by myself…with no friends…

Mother

A woman devoted to her son struggles to keep him from spending his life in prison in this drama from director Bong Joon-ho. Do-jun (Weon Bin) is a man in his mid-twenties who isn’t especially bright and is easily led. Do-jun lives with his elderly mother (Kim Hye-ja), who loves him fiercely even though she has no illusions about his abilities or his bad habits. Do-jun spends much of his spare time with Jin-tae (Jin Gu), a borderline criminal who takes advantage of Do-jun’s credulous nature, much to his mother’s annoyance. When Do-jun is arrested by police and accused of the murder of a young woman, his mother is certain he couldn’t have done it and sets out to prove her son’s innocence to police detectives, who seem more interested in closing the case than researching other possible leads. At first, mother feels certain that Jin-tae has framed her son to avoid being punished himself, but as she digs deeper she suspects the truth is more complicated. Madeo (aka Mother) was an official selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Remember Me

In the romantic drama ‘Remember Me,’ Robert Pattinson plays Tyler, a rebellious young man in New York City who has a strained relationship with his father (Pierce Brosnan) ever since tragedy separated their family. Tyler didn’t think anyone could possibly understand what he was going through until the day he met Ally (Emilie de Ravin) through an unusual twist of fate. Love was the last thing on his mind, but as her spirit unexpectedly heals and inspires him, he begins to fall for her. Through their love, he begins to find happiness and meaning in his life. But soon, hidden secrets are revealed, and the circumstances that brought them together slowly threaten to tear them apart. ‘Remember Me’ is an unforgettable story about the power of love, the strength of family, and the importance of living passionately and treasuring every day of one’s life.

She’s Out of My League

An airport security guard gets involved with a girl who’s very obviously of a higher caliber than himself, and schemes to make the relationship last as his friends and family watch along in disbelief. Kirk (Jay Baruchel) was languishing in a dead-end job as an airport security agent when he somehow managed to earn the affections of the successful and drop-dead gorgeous Molly (Alice Eve). Even Kirk isn’t exactly sure what Molly sees in him, though he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work. With his friends, family, and ex-girlfriend all watching stunned from the sidelines, Kirk discovers that he’ll have to work overtime in order to convince Molly that he’s worth hanging on to.

Our Family Wedding

“Our marriage, their wedding.” It’s lesson number one for any newly engaged couple, and Lucia (America Ferrera) and Marcus (Lance Gross) are no exception. In Fox Searchlight Pictures’ ‘Our Family Wedding’ they learn the hard way that the path to saying “I do” can be rife with familial strife. When they return from college and too suddenly announce their marriage plans, they soon discover that their fathers–two highly competitive over-the-top egos – can wreak a major amount of havoc on their special day.

With insults flying and tempers running high, it’s anyone’s guess if the alpha dads (Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia) will survive to make it down the aisle in one piece. Lucia’s mother (Diana Maria Riva) is busy planning the wedding of “her” dreams and the only levelheaded one in the bunch is Angela (Regina King), the groom’s father’s best friend and lawyer, who manages to keep her cool when the madness reaches a crescendo.

With only weeks to plan their wedding, Lucia and Marcus soon discover the true meaning of love and find there is truth to the saying–that when you marry someone, you marry their entire family.

Green Zone

United 93 director Paul Greengrass explores the aftermath of the Iraq invasion in this feature adaptation of author Rajiv Chandrasekaran’s literary exposé of the same name. A one-time Baghdad bureau chief of the Washington Post, Chandrasekaran was present as American forces attempted to set up a provisional government on the grounds surrounding former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s opulent palace. The resulting governing body, according to critics, existed in a bubble so far removed from the grim realities of the Iraq War that it failed to properly assess the needs of the people. In this fictional thriller set during the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad, director Greengrass and screenwriter Brian Helgeland use Chandrasekaran’s novel as the foundation for the story of an officer who joins forces with a senior CIA officer to unearth evidence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is certain that Hussein has been stockpiling WMDs in the Iraqi desert, but in their race from one booby-trapped site to the next, they soon stumble across evidence of an elaborate cover up. As a result, the objective of their mission is inverted, and Miller realizes that operatives on both sides of the conflict are attempting to spin the story in their favor. Now, as Miller searches for answers made ever more elusive by covert and faulty intelligence, the truth becomes the most valuable weapon of all. Will those answers prove pivotal in clearing a rogue regime, or escalate the war in a region that grows increasingly unstable with each passing day? Amy Ryan co-stars as the New York Times foreign correspondent who travels to Iraq investigating the U.S. government’s allegations about weapons of mass destruction, with Greg Kinnear appearing in the role of an additional CIA officer, and Antoni Corone essaying the role of a colonel. Brendan Gleeson rounds out the main cast for this Universal Pictures production.

Come on Green Zone!

As a reminder: if the winning film on the list doesn’t happen to be showing in our area, we will pick the next highest.

Synopses taken from moviefone.com.

Episode 92 of Pressed & Bound is online! This week we have several people walk in front of our camera. One guy has a red jacket. In this week’s episode we discuss:

Books:
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything (P.S.)

At the Moving Picture Show:
Alice in Wonderland

Movies:
Carmen Jones

Right click and download the ninety-second episode here:
MP4 260mb

Comments or questions? Email us at: pnbfans(at)gmail(dot)com

It’s no surprise that we at P&B absolutely love George R. R. Martin’s Ice and Fire series. You combine an epic story told in a way that neither talks down to the reader nor makes things too easy over the span of thousands of pages and you pretty much have us hooked. Well it turns out that we’re not the only ones.

I have attempted to try and not get too excited about the potential release of this series since hearing about its mumblings last year. HBO has spearheaded the task force in creating the television series, having already shot a pilot in late 2009. Up until now, however, they’ve kept their secrets tight like so many three hundred foot tall walls covered in ice (THAT’S AN ICE AND FIRE REFERENCE, FYI), allowing but little information to leak out. Luckily, the Chicago Tribune has posted a few tasty bits of news for all to enjoy. In summary, they have a full cast list and a couple of quotes from George himself on the matter:

“From the start of this, I’ve told myself, ‘Don’t get too emotionally invested in this, or you will be devastated if it doesn’t go.’ Wise words, those. I’m a smart guy.

“But easier said than done. I’ve failed. I am totally emotionally invested, and if HBO does indeed decide to pass, for whatever reason, I will be gutted.

“So let’s all hope I am soon doing the happy dance instead.”

You can read the rest here.

I’ve mentioned this in the past, but occasionally I turn a blind eye to Pressed & Bound and host another podcast. The show in question is, of course, Nintendorks Radio, of which we have hit 53 episodes. Good job everyone! The link to the episode is within this MAGIC BLOCKQUOTE:

It’s time for another edition of Nintendorks Radio with your hosts Travis Woodside and Garret Evans. You can get your episode now on iTunes (search for Nintendorks Radio in the iTunes store) or right here. Or you can refuse.

Episode 053 – Samus is a 1950s Detective
We discuss the Nintendo Media Summit, Metroid Other M, Heavy Rain, and telephones.

Also note a special NEW SEGMENT called “I show Garret some box art and see if it makes him laugh.”

I made that banner, by the way; I just want you all to know that.

Thanks to all who voted last week! We just realized that “At the Movies” was already taken, so we needed to change up the title of our segment a little bit. I think we’re all better off for it in the end anyway. Like last week we have but just a couple of films to choose from. Unlike last week, however, these films could prove to be much more interesting. As a reminder: the poll is located both in the sidebar and at the bottom of this post. Vote for which you’d like to see discussed!

Brooklyn’s Finest

In the course of one chaotic week, the lives of three conflicted New York City police officers are dramatically transformed by their involvement in a massive drug operation in ‘Brooklyn’s Finest,’ a searing new crime drama from acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua (‘Training Day’).

Burned out veteran Eddie Dugan (Golden Globe-winner Richard Gere) is just one week away from his pension and a fishing cabin in Connecticut. Narcotics officer Sal Procida (Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke) has discovered there’s no line he won’t cross to provide a better life for his long-suffering wife and seven children. And Clarence “Tango” Butler (Oscar nominee Don Cheadle) has been undercover so long his loyalties have started to shift from his fellow police officers to his prison buddy Caz (Wesley Snipes), one of Brooklyn’s most infamous drug dealers. With personal and work pressures bearing down on them, each man faces daily tests of judgment and honor in one of the world’s most difficult jobs.

When NYPD’s Operation Clean Up targets the notoriously drug-ridden BK housing project, all three officers find themselves swept away by the violence and corruption of Brooklyn’s gritty 65th Precinct and its most treacherous criminals. During seven fateful days, Eddie, Sal and Tango find themselves hurtling inextricably toward the same fatal crime scene and a shattering collision with destiny.

The film captures the volatile and deadly world of one of New York’s most dangerous precincts through the eyes of the men and women pledged to protect and serve, as they face the wrenching choices that make them ‘Brooklyn’s Finest’.

Alice in Wonderland

Watch Video Alice in Wonderland Trailer 2010 – Click here for more free videos

Tim Burton takes a stab at Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale of a young girl (Mia Wasikowska) lost within a fantasyland with this 3-D production of Alice in Wonderland. The Lion King’s Linda Woolverton provides the script, with Hollywood heavyweights Richard Zanuck and Joe Roth heading up the production team. Burton veteran collaborator Johnny Depp co-stars as The Mad Hatter in the Walt Disney Productions picture.

Synopses taken from moviefone.com.

Episode 91 of Pressed & Bound is online! This week we have a short show and talk about some filmage downtown. In this week’s episode we discuss:

In Theaters:
Cop Out

Right click and download the ninety-first episode here:
MP4 72mb

Comments or questions? Email us at: pnbfans(at)gmail(dot)com

Let’s look at a movie I recently watched for the first time. It seems like everyone else I know has already seen Berry Gordy’s The Last Dragon, but it was new to me. Here, you’ll get the pristine reactions of my first viewing, fresh as the plastic film in one of Garret’s unboxing videos.

Normally, I wouldn’t write about this flick because it isn’t a kung fu movie. This is an exception, though, because it tries so hard to be a kung fu movie. It’s evident just from the opening sequence that the powers in charge of this movie (presumably Berry Gordy?) were big fans of the old Shaw Bros. classics. During the opening credits, we see our main character doing shirtless punches and kicks, a la Gordon Liu in The 36th Chamber and most of his other films. If you look closely, though, you’ll observe that occasionally our star glows with yellow video effects. If I stopped here, you would already have the flavor of this peculiar cinematic experience.

Some of our stars, in order of current Hollywood recognition, are:

• William H. Macy (Yes, that William H. Macy, though he only gets a cameo.)
• Julius Carry (I hope you remember him from The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.)
• Vanity (Prince was apparently her mentor. Anyway, she was in Action Jackson and an episode of Highlander.)
• Taimak (You might remember him from not a damn thing else. He’s our eponymous hero.)

Essentially, Taimak plays a kung fu enthusiast nicknamed Bruce Leroy. He seeks the final teaching that will make him a great kung fu master. He has hardworking parents and a streetwise, smart aleck younger brother. He gets teased because he’s a weirdo who dresses like this and who wears one of those conical, Chinese straw hats. He gets challenged by Sho’nuff the Shogun of Harlem, played by Carry. Sho’nuff is the real star, as far as I’m concerned. Anyone who can simultaneous sport an afro and a samurai topknot while looking that good has my respect.  (See above picture.)

In between silly fight sequences, there is a romance between Taimak and Vanity. I forget what her character’s name is. It really isn’t important. We also get to see a music video for DeBarge’s “Rhythm of the Night.” Most of the other music is themed to help tell the story in very explicit ways. For instance, when the singer starts talking about the “power of the glow,” people start glowing.

Still, there is one pretty good scene. In a surprising moment of what I think is pretty reasonable acting, Faith Prince tells off her crook boyfriend. It’s a big scene. They talk about her tits. You can’t miss it.

This flick is a really nice illustration of the way people used to get confused about martial arts. Bruce Leroy’s students practice “Chinese goju-ryu,” which is odd because goju-ryu isn’t Chinese. Sho’nuff uses a Japanese title and quasi-Japanese outfits, but claims to do kung fu. Doing martial arts enough seems to give people magic powers. Nowadays, martial arts in pop culture is all MMA and UFC stuff. Back before Helio Gracie and Dana White got big, though, people thought karate could make you dodge bullets and shoot lightning from your fingers. It was a simpler, stupider time.

Anyway, that’s a rant for a different blog. If you enjoy cultural experiences similar to Troll 2, Blank Man, or any of the Karate Kid sequels, you’ll happily laugh your way through this one.

Cop Out

Directed by Kevin Smith (‘Zack and Miri Make a Porno’), ‘Cop Out’ features two longtime NYPD partners on the trail of a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card who find themselves up against a merciless, memorabilia-obsessed gangster. Jimmy (Bruce Willis) is the veteran detective whose missing collectible is his only hope to pay for his daughter’s upcoming wedding, and Paul (Tracy Morgan) is his “partner-against-crime” whose preoccupation with his wife’s alleged infidelity makes it hard for him to keep his eye on the ball.

The Crazies

Imagine living in a small town where everything is safe and happy…until suddenly it isn’t. Imagine your friends and neighbors going quickly and horrifically insane. In a terrifying tale of the “American Dream” gone horribly wrong, four friends find themselves trapped in their hometown in ‘The Crazies,’ a reinvention of the George Romero classic directed by Breck Eisner from a screenplay by Ray Wright (‘Pulse,’ ‘Case 39′) and Scott Kosar (‘The Amityville Horror,’ ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’).

David Dutten (Timothy Olyphant) is sheriff of Ogden Marsh, a picture-perfect American town with happy, law-abiding citizens. But one night, one of them comes to a school baseball game with a loaded shotgun, ready to kill. Another man burns down his own house…after locking his wife and young son in a closet inside. Within days, the town has transformed into a sickening asylum; people who days ago lived quiet, unremarkable lives have now become depraved, blood-thirsty killers, hiding in the darkness with guns and knives. Sheriff Dutten tries to make sense of what’s happening as the horrific, nonsensical violence escalates. Something is infecting the citizens of Ogden Marsh…with insanity.

Now complete anarchy reigns as one by one the townsfolk succumb to an unknown toxin and turn sadistically violent. In an effort to keep the madness contained, the government uses deadly force to close off all access and won’t let anyone in or out — even those uninfected. The few still sane find themselves trapped: Sheriff Dutten; his pregnant wife, Judy (Radha Mitchell); Becca (Danielle Panabaker), an assistant at the medical center; and Russell (Joe Anderson), Dutten’s deputy and right-hand man. Forced to band together, an ordinary night becomes a horrifying struggle for survival as they do their best to get out of town alive.

Synopses courtesy of moviefone.com

Episode 90 of Pressed & Bound is online! It’s a dark and gloomy afternoon in the city. In this week’s episode we discuss:

Books:
Rabbit, Run

Movies:
Stranger Than Fiction (Special Edition + BD Live) [Blu-ray]

In Theaters:
Shutter Island

Right click and download the ninetieth episode here:
MP4 238mb

Comments or questions? Email us at: pnbfans(at)gmail(dot)com