SIMS movie? SIMS??!!

I mean seriously WTF?

In a world where the financial market, (with it's strong economic fundamentals) is teetering on the brink of meltdown....in a world where we are dangerously close to the reign of President "I can see my house from Alaska" Palin...in a world where the Dolphins crush the Patriots, when we look to something out there...something shinning and bright to take our minds off the chaos and anarchy in our midst, the place where we are quick to retreat to for distraction, Hollywood, offers up a SIMS @#&$*( movie.

From aintitcool.com

John Davis: And Tom Rothman, the Chairman of Fox said to me, “How are you going to take this incredible piece of IP and make it into a movie?” Right? Because most games aren’t movies, so this is the way I did it: The Sims, as you know, you can control your imaginary world, right? And our movie, a young man, a 16 year old kid of a 14 year old kid and his friend get their hands on this thing called the Sims Infinity Pack, right, which kind of this very strange video game store which was there just for that moment, and seemingly wasn’t all that. But what they realize is that they can scan their world in, because this is the most life like, real Sims game ever. And as they are playing this they are all of a sudden realizing is what they are playing on the game is having an effect on the real world. So in effect, through the game, they are able to control their world. It’s wish fulfillment, and obviously it turns against them.

So this is a little bit of a cousin of “Weird Science” here.

John Davis: Exactly. Exactly! And definitely there will be somebody coming out of the game into the real world, like “Weird Science” did."

So movie makers talk a Guitar Hero movie, they talk a SIMS movie, I mean come on now....

And so I graciously raise my WTF Flag again at seeing the news that Vin Diesel is possibly coming back in a third installment of the XXX franchise. You know...despite the fact he was "killed" in between the first and second. There's even an easter egg on the DVD of the Ice Cube led sequel that shows the death happen in a terrible short film done with a Diesel stand in.

Apparently filmmakers will just ignore that whole pesky death thing. At one point I read they were going to continue the franchise with a new XXX each film as that seemed to be the format set up by both movies with the constant being ol' Sam Jackson and that I can take. Diesel coming back is just stupid to me. I mean I guess I can understand he needs the work/money. Babylon A.D. sucked hardcore and tanked at the box office. He's dusting off the "Fast and the Furious" franchise, though I will admit I am partially excited about that one.

He hasn't been relevant at the box office in years. YEARS.

But hey when ya need work, you need work right?

I $*!@# you not.

I was reading one of my trusty film news sites, www.cinecon.com and came across that and did a mental spit take.

Granted they were quoting MTV but still...

Depending on your love for Will Smith, this could be either good or bad news:

While speaking with actor Derek Luke for his film "Miracle at St. Anna," Splash Page at MTV News (http://splashpage.mtv.com) told the blog that he overheard that Will Smith has been offered the part of Captain America in the film adaptation of the Marvel comic series.

"'I heard they offered Will Smith ‘Captain America,’' said Luke, adding that the intriguing casting rumor 'just shows you how times have changed.'”

Marvel is hoping to get a "Captain America" film out in the next couple of years along with another "Iron Man" film and eventually, an "Avengers" movie that would pair Iron Man with The Hulk, Captain America and Thor.

And DeDe I don't care how much you like Smith's sorry self, this would be the single dumbest casting decision in the history of modern cinema.

Oh and Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire have quietly signed on to HSM 4 & 5....er...Spider-Man 4 & 5..

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...and I didn't feel like talking about anything else really movie wise. I haven't gone to a movie since I saw the Dark Knight. I have been filling my weekends with my kids and going to XCW events up here....and waiting on Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist which looks hilarious....

But I thought I would post a pic I came across of some Autobots. The orange and green and black vehicles are new autobots we will see in the sequel. I am still hoping they get more screentime than in the last movie.

Less people, more robots is my demand, who knows if it will happen.

Seriously people enough with the friggan guitar hero. I know it's addicting to play it I know it's made tons and tons of money, but it does not need to be made into a movie. Need I bring up the numerous video game to movie failures? They don't work. And something like guitar hero would stand even less of a chance to friggan work.

But Brett Ratner...yeah the Rush Hour, guy flapped his gums about making one.

From Cinecon.com....

While speaking with MTV Movies Blog (http://moviesblog.mtv.com), Brett Ratner revealed that he is trying to convince video game publisher Activision to do a video game adaptation of "Guitar Hero."

"I love ‘Guitar Hero’ and I think it’s a part of pop culture. I would love to do a ‘Guitar Hero’ movie, if Activision would ever let me. I’m trying to convince them, but why would you have a movie screw up such a huge franchise? Not that I would make a bad movie. So that would be cool, to do a ‘Guitar Hero’ movie. ”

Ratner has also given some thought about the plot:

"It could be about a kid from a small town who dreams of being a rock star and he wins the ‘Guitar Hero’ competition. One of these dreams-[come-true] kind of concepts.”

And I say again....WTF???

In a world where the greatest voice of our time is silenced...

Though I don't think he was used as much as for trailers as he used to, he is still a staple of American cinema and could take anything and instantly make it cool no matter what it was.

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The trailer is out for the newest entry into the franchise of hot people, fast cars and illegal fun at night, that's right, the "Fast and the Furious," the movies that inspired thousands of kids to trick out their Hondas, Toyotas and the like, is back with a fourth installment after 2006's The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Although this movie apparently takes place right after the second movie. Though there is some confusion, since in the new one, Walker's character is in jail. He was on the run after the first movie and his record was wiped clean at the end of "2 Fast..." so hmm...

But all the major players from the first movie Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster are back in the driver's seat for this one. And yeah I know it's the product of desperately wanting work, money and something to stop their typecast career spirals but they're a guilty pleasure kind of movie so I just sit back and enjoy em.

This should be of interest to Mr. Zavala...

From Superherohype.com....

"Kick- A** is a comic book written by Mark Millar and drawn by John Romita Jr. The Marvel Comics' Icon imprint book centers on a high school dweeb named Dave Lizewski who decides to become a superhero even though he has no athletic ability or coordination. Things change when he eventually runs into real bad guys with real weapons.

The film is set to be directed by Matthew Vaughn, from a screenplay written by himself and Jane Goldman.

Set to star are

Johnson plays title character, while Lyndsy Fonseca plays the object of the teen's infatuation who believes Dave is gay. Cage is a former cop who wants to bring down a druglord and has trained his daughter (Chloe Moretz) to be a lethal weapon."

I have read a few issues of the book and find the story to be interesting. It's got over the top blood and violence so I expect it to be a hard R. If I recall studios aren't even trying to touch it so Vaughn raised several million on his own to finance it.

I question the haste to greenlight a movie before the series is even done. But what can you do in a world where a comic book movie has become the top grossing film of the year and another comic book movie is not far behind from that? Everybody and their mother thinks they have a "Dark Knight" or "Iron Man" in the making.

But I won't rush to judge it now, I will wait till I see more details on it.

Is Tom Cruise too old for "Mission: Impossible 4"?
According to a report in PageSix.com (http://www.pagesix.com), Cruise reportedly met with Paramount execs recently about another "Mission: Impossible" movie but stormed out in frustration when it was hinted that they felt the 46-year-old actor couldn't hold up an action film.

Hmm...well while I don't like Cruise all that much these days, the ageism thing seems out of place in a day and time where Clint Eastwood, Sly Stallone and Bruce Willis and Samuel L. are still making action movies. With stuntmen and CGI anyone can do an action movie. I think Cruise likes to do most of his own stunts if he can but there of course is a way around that. So why say he is too old?

Too crazy? I'll buy that.

Not a box office draw? I'll buy that.

Annoying? Yep.

Too old? C'mon Hollywood.

So here’s hoping it’s 8 months till bell time for me.

Bell time you ask.

Well yes. I am going to be training soon at the wrestling school here if all works out well.

Wrestling you say.
Well yeah, I have wanted to train for years now, I was just never living close enough to a school to do it. When I lived in Louisiana there was a school in Tyler, three hours from where we lived, that was as close as it got. I would have gladly driven there twice a week, but my kids’ mother was completely not supportive of that.

I noticed the XCW wrestling building on my way to work several days ago and was immediately geeked. The promotion runs shows every Friday in Denton and of course has a training school.

And I have no lofty goals of making to the WWE or TNA or anything like that. I know a lot of guys do, but I don't honestly. I’d love to wrestle in and around Texas. Maybe some travel around this region, it might be fun to do a couple road trips, that’s of course if it works out. I mean I could fall on my face with this completely, but I want to try it. When I get old and gray sitting on my porch with my rocking chair watching my grand kids and great grands running around, I don’t want to look back and think of anything I left on the table….except maybe bungee jumping nekkid…I just don’t need to do that no matter how tempting.

This is just further validation of moving here. Work is great and my role will be expanding here as we do even more with video, my kids are here, production work will pick up soon, wrestling, everything I want to dip my toes in is right in this region. And while I am determined to get back east eventually, this is not a bad spot to be in right now.

Course when I start training is the thing. Have a few financial things to get straight here and there and with the guy I got my car from a little before I moved who saw fit to steal the car back and sell it on craigslist again….yeah…gotta love ol’ CL.

But training is usually six months from what I have read and heard, but of course depends on how fast or slow I pick up on stuff or don’t. Either way I can’t wait to start it.