Action

No Picture
Action

New Live-Action Series Expands Cartoon Network’s Universe

June 26, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

It may not seem natural to have live-action series on a channel called Cartoon Network, but the net has made that concept work. And Unnatural History, the channel’s newest live-action effort, seems like the most natural fit of them all. It plays out much like a cartoon, in fact, with plenty of high-flying action, quirky characters and mysteries along the lines of Scooby-Doo. That might have much to do with the fact that the series is created and written by Mike Werb, who wrote the similarly cartoon-flavored film The Mask. The actors are indeed real, and the star, Kevin G. […]

No Picture
Action

VOD Spotlight: “Green Zone” gets help from veterans

June 22, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

Director/producer Paul Greengrass (United 93) began his career covering global conflict for British television. Green Zone, a look at a weapons inspector who uncovers a web of deceit while looking for Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, offered him a perfect blend of politics, reality and action. Matt Damon stars as Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller, a career soldier who served in the 1990 Gulf War and has now returned to a very different Iraq to lead a group of WMD hunters known as MET D (Mobile Exploration Team Delta). For realism, Greengrass surrounded Damon (whom he had directed in The […]

No Picture
Action

VOD Spotlight: The gritty landscape of “The Book of Eli”

June 15, 2010 Jeff Pfeiffer

Filmmakers Allen and Albert Hughes (Menace II Society, From Hell) always bring a distinct visual style to their films, and The Book of Eli is no different. The story is set in a post-apocalyptic America, which is now a wasteland. A wandering warrior named Eli (Denzel Washington) seeks only peace, but if challenged will cut his attackers down quickly. He wants to fulfill his destiny and bring help to a ravaged humanity, but he faces a big challenge when he comes upon Carnegie (Gary Oldman), the self-appointed despot of a makeshift town of thieves and gunmen. In creating the look […]

No Picture
Action

VOD Spotlight: “The Wolfman” – Returning To Classic Horror Roots

June 9, 2010 StayTuned Staff

By Elaine Bergstrom Some of my fondest childhood memories were watching the classic Universal Studios horror films of the ’40s and ’50s at the local theater and on Ghoulardi’s late-night horror film screenings. One of the films I saw was the Lon Chaney Jr. classic The Wolf Man, and it was one of my favorites. Thankfully, the werewolf may have made some smoother and more elaborate transformations thanks to modern special effects, but the tone of the stories – a noble human doomed by a curse and an unfortunate bite – has stayed the same in films such as An […]

No Picture
Action

Five fabulous flicks (plus two!) to watch Sept. 11-17

September 11, 2009 StayTuned Staff

It’s unfortunate that for the anniversary of September 11, none of the networks is airing United 93 or anything close to it to honor the events of that day. (We did a pretty thorough combing of the schedules, just to make sure, even checking for possible late updates.) Failing a more appropriate title, recommending Tropic Thunder or something similar just didn’t seem right, so we kept tonight’s recommendation a family event before moving on to the remainder of the week’s movie highlights. Let’s proceed. As always, all times listed are ET: Sept. 11 Ratatouille (2007) One of the most delightful […]

No Picture
Action

Film News: There will be a Dark Knight sequel!

July 27, 2009 StayTuned Staff

By Elaine Bergstrom Yes, it’s coming, and that news comes from Commissioner Gordon himself! Interviewed at Comic-Con, Gary Oldman let slip that filming on a sequel will begin next year, which means we’ll likely see the caped crusader sometime in 2011. “We start filming the next Batman next year, which means it won’t come out for another two years,” Oldman said, before adding, “but you didn’t hear that from me.” With the previous two films raking in over $1 billion, this news hardly comes a surprise. ™ & © DC Comics. © 2008 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.