With Love, Carly, Evan T. and The Editor

Good day everyone! The Editor, Even T. and I sat down last night and were discussing the blog, and what upcoming things we would like to talk about when it dawned on us that we have never really asked YOU, the readers what you'd like us to cover! Silly us... We're working on making the site better, and we'd like to have your help to do that. Please comment and let us know what you'd like to see more (or less) of, and we'll make it work.

We love hearing from you guys, and we'd like to know what we can do to make your experience a little bit better. :-)

Evan T. Reviews Transformers: Dark of the Moon!

They pushed it up and released it early so you get the early review! Fresh off the midnight release, here's a review.

If you remember from last movie we learned something about the transformers, some government douche doesn't want the Autobots in America, Sams mom says something crraazzyy, Megatron played second banana to a new baddie and Sam yells "Bumblebee" and "Optimus" several times. Now that you are caught up, you're ready for Dark of the Moon. This movie we learn something about the transformers, some government douche doesn't want the Autobots in America,  Sams mom says something crraazzyy, Megatron played second banana to a new baddie and Sam yells "Bumblebee" and "Optimus" several times. Even with that this movie is easily a huge advancement over the last.

The story in this movie is SO much easier to follow and makes the bare minimum of sense required for me to like a movie. There was a new writer for this movie because the the writers (Yeah, two people wrote that last flick) of the last two movies thought they might risk getting stale. One movie too late, guys.

Most of the main characters return with a couple of notable exceptions. The Autobot Twins, Mudflap and Skids, are thankfully absent from this film. As the Jar Jar Binks of this franchise I was happy to see them gone. I was not, however, happy to see Megan Fox gone. I'm a big fan of her, um, her "work". Yeah, her "work" Something went down whether you believe that Micheal "Baysplosions" Bay dropped her or it was The Spielberg himself she's gone and now the female costar is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and her lips. They do as well as Megan did. Not a whole lot of acting prowess needed but she is good looking. Good work casting agents!

I didn't read a lot about this movie and went in a little blind. I was happy to see Patrick Dempsey (who easily produces the best acting on screen), John Malkovich, Alan Tudyk and Ken Jeong in the film. A fair amount of comedy finds it's way into the movie but it doesn't feel forced. Transformers: Dark of the Moon also steps up the robot carnage with different colored liquids used as blood flying from laser shots and a full on execution of a robot on screen.

Also of note are "The Wreckers", a trio of Autobots who transform into N.A.S.C.A.R. cars that have guns all over them. There is something spectacularly 'Merican about that and I really loved that. Also braking the tradition of import vehicles being Decepticons is Mirage, a Ferrari 458 Italia, who speaks with an Italian accent. So fantastic. Oh, don't worry, there are still import Decepticons, most notably Soundwave who has become a Mercedes SLS AMG. Hmmm, maybe it's just the German automobiles who are evil? Last movie there was Sideswipe, an Audi R8. At least they are bad ass cars...

All in all it was a good film and if you enjoy the series or want a nice action movie check it out.If nothing else, you will see John Malkovich play fight with a giant robot.

BONUS- A few posts back Carly expressed her thoughts on why she doesn't go to see movies in the theater. I understood but I have that same feeling right about now. I had a fantastically obnoxious couple who sat next to me at the midnight showing of the new Transformers movie. I definitely felt enriched by the whole experience. When I thought, before the movie started, that I would have to deal with these two people all night I was unhappy. Then their two friends came in and sat in the row in front of them. The friends gave great thoughts on the need for popcorn and added a interesting smell to the theater. Like cheese and peanut butter. Their running commentary and insightful quips of "Damn", "Wow" and "That's Shockwave. He's a whole big ass robot" really increased my enjoyment of the movie. But not nearly as much as constantly being touched by the fat girlfriend as she lumbered around in her seat. She only knocked my drink bottle over twice. While I wont go Carlys route I will be more careful of where I sit, for sure.

Comic Book Garage Sale!

Good morning! I know I promised you a movie review today, but the movie wasn't really that good to begin with... The Editor and I have been doing a little house cleaning over the last few weeks, and we've managed to get enough comic books around for a pretty big comic book garage sale! There are a lot of really awesome titles in the mix, so be sure to check them out if you're interested. Some of the highlights include:

*Akira
*The Amazing Spider-Man #583 (the one featuring Obama)
*Captain America First Series
*Catwoman Third Series
*Cyberfrog
*Dark Tower
*Deadpool
*Fables
*Huntress
*Identity Crisis
*JLA and JLA Classified
*Justice
*Marvel Superhero Squad
*The New Mutants
*Psylocke
*Robin II
*The Walking Dead
*Wolverine


In addition to these titles, there are like, a bajillion more. Come check out our big sale HERE at Atomic Avenue!

True Blood Season 4!

Good morning everyone! Another Monday, another weekend passed, and me still with child... The new season of True Blood premiered last night,and I have the whole scoop on it! Check it out over at Big Shiny Robot! I'll be back atcha tomorrow with an all new movie review.

Things You Should Be... Friday!

Things You Should Be Listening to...

The Howard Stern Show- Like a fine wine, The Stern Show just keeps getting better with age. It doesn't even matter whether or not they have a hot celeb interview, they keep it entertaining every day. It's my constant source for news and celeb gossip, and every once in a while Benjy does something very entertaining, like throwing himself down a flight of stairs while dressed as a horse or bringing a little lightheartedness to a press conference (Anthony Wiener anyone?). Stick around after The Stern Show for The Wrap Up Show as well, where you'll get a full recap of everything that happened on The Stern Show that day by the guys who work behind the scenes.

Things You Should Be Watching...

Archer- Now that Summer is here, it's a great time to be watching all of those awesome shows you didn't know about during the regular season. Archer is an animated spy-series TV show that features the voice talents of H. Jon Benjamin, Aiysha Tyler, Chris Parnell and like, half the cast of "Arrested Development". It's hilarious.




Sharktopus- Half shark, half octopus, all blood thirsty. This SyFy original movie will blow you away with its horrendous acting and shitty CG. Watch Eric Roberts shed his last ounce of dignity on this "it's so bad it's good" Summer must watch!




Things You Should Be Reading...

The Magneto Testament- One the most amazing Marvel stories I've ever read. If you enjoy a dramatic story, are a history geek like me, and love the X-Men, this is the story for you. Set in Nazi occupied Germany in WWII, the story tells the amazing origin of one of Marvels most beloved antiheroes. After reading this book I thought that there should be a copy of it in every high school history in the country.

Star Wars Role Playing Game Species and Classes Edition- This one is more for myself than you guys, lol. We're balls deep into the "Star Wars" role playing game right now, and being the bad nerd I am, I've never seen "Star Wars".... Now I have to create a back story for my character, and I'm not sure how well that's going to go... She's a Roodian soldier, if anyone wants to help me out with that one ;-)

She looks like this, only a sexy lady version

J.K. Rowling Makes Big (?) Announcement

 The owls have been gathering for about a week now, and J.K. gives us (some) of the information we were looking for... Check out the article I wrote for BSR HERE to see what Pottermore is all about!

Nerding 101: Cycle Counting

It's that time of year again! The time of year where the days are getting longer and hotter, and the kids are home from school. Over here in our household, that means only one thing- cycle counting time! I don't know how I did it, but I just managed to make that sound waaaaaay more exciting than it is.

Cycle counting is when you take alllllll of the comic books you own and go through each and every one. Since The Editor and I have our super spiffy database, we start by printing out a summary of all of the comics we own, and then try to make the summary match what is in the boxes.

We generally do the cycle twice a year. It takes close to five hours for us to do completely, but this time will vary depending on how many comics you own. The Editor and I have somewhere around 8-10k, I believe. Cycle counting is a perfect time to pull any comics that you don't want anymore. Some people have a hard time getting rid of comics, but if you have a series you didn't like as much as you thought you would, or some oddball numbered comics just hanging around, it's better to weed out the old to make room for the new. Nobody likes a hoarder.

After you've pulled out the comics that you would like to get rid of, you can put together a list of what you have and put it up for auction on Atomic Avenue to make a little cash, so you can buy MORE comics. ;-)

Cycle counting is also the perfect time to check the conditions of your bags and boards. If the comics are looking a little beaten, perhaps it's time to get some new protection for them. And if you're one of those people who has unprotected comics, you might as well just put them ALL on Atomic Avenue and start to collect digital comics, because Carly is disappointed in you (I'm sure you're soooooo heartbroken about that).

Anyhoo, that about sums it up. As a comic collector, cycle counting just makes life a little easier knowing what you have in stock. If you have any questions, or are totally lost on what I'm talking about, let me know in the comments! :-)

P.S. Since it's new comic book day, if you're interested in what I'm reading or if you'd like to see some of the new titles for the week, click HERE.

Guess Who is on Twitter?

Answer? ME! After months and months of kicking the idea around, I have finally decided to join the wide world of Twitter. I would like a round of applause for me finally entering a new era of awesomeness. I'm still super new, and really have NO idea what I'm doing on it yet, so be patient. Tips and suggestions of who to follow would be greatly appreciated!

Follow me!

Game of Thrones Season Finale Review

Hey guys! Since I gave you a little "Red Riding Hood" review yesterday, I thought I'd throw a little "Game of Thrones" love towards Big Shiny Robot today. Below is the link to my article for the season finale review! Caution: Spoilers ahead!

Game of Thrones Season Finale

Movie Review: Red Riding Hood

Okay, so I finally got around to watching "Red Riding Hood". I wanted to see it in the theaters, but as we all know, it's VERY difficult, if not impossible to get the Carlymonster into an actual theater to see a movie. Also, the reviews came back saying it was TERRIBLE, so I put if off for a while. Low expectations are the key to being pleasantly surprised.

I was surprised by two things when I was done watching this movie; 1) that I ended up liking it as much as I did, and 2) that "Twilight" got a better IMDB rating than this. The acting wasn't great, but I think Amanda Seyfried is an infinitely more talented actress than the cardboard-like Kristen Stewart, whose acting skills range from looking like she's confused, to looking like she's holding in a fart.

"Wait, what?"

Although the acting was less than stellar, I still found the story to be really fun. It was a pretty awesome take on a classic fairy tale. It's basically a supernatural whodoneit with werewolves. Of course there is a pretty girl who is torn between two boys, but I still find that kind of story cute.

Honestly, and I never thought I'd ever say this, the movie could have used more violence. I'm used to watching HBO, where they have no problem showing a horse getting it's head lobbed off, so the ridiculous killing scenes fell a little flat with me. But that's what you get with a PG-13 teen-drama-horror movie. "30 Days of Night" it is not, but I still enjoyed it.

The scenes were very pretty too, which is no surprise since Catherine Hardwicke directed it. Catherine is the person who directed the first "Twilight" movie, and the cinematography was the ONLY thing I liked about that steaming pile.

I wanted to get a boys opinion on the movie, but The Editor was at hockey this evening, and I wouldn't subject him to it anyway. I think if you like vampire and werewolf stories, and you're willing to offer a little forgiveness in the acting department, you'll like this. Especially if you're a girl.

P.S. You can dress her up, and give her all the serious roles in the world, but Amanda Seyfried will always be Karen Smith to me....

Happy Father's Day!

To all of those dad's, like my super awesome dad, Dave (Hi dad!) and dad's-to-be, like my super awesome better half (Hey! to The Editor) I'd like to say thank you for all you do, and all you've made us. If it weren't for these two kick ass guys in my life I wouldn't have had the courage or confidence to be as awesome as I am today. Heck, I wouldn't even have been able to start this blog. Happy Father's Day from all of us here at Carly on Comics!

Saturday Rant: Comic Books and Goodwill

Good morning everyone! I felt compelled to write today after reading THIS article on CNN and watching the corresponding video. I nearly had an anxiety attack after learning about this.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for charity. I'm more than happy to help out with a fundraiser, or collecting food, or donating where I can, or participating in different charity walks. Wherever I'm needed, I can totally help out. But as a comic book lover and collector, ARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!

It's obvious when I'm watching the video that whomever the books once belonged to, they took good care of them, which is even more infuriating to me. I don't think that the donor was the person who owned the books. I'm going to go ahead and say that someone passed away, and the comics were donated because whoever donated them had no idea what they were worth.

I guess this is just a good ol' Carly style rant. I'm not pissed or anything, because like I said, charity is a good thing, but in my mind, the donation would have been better served had the books gone to a professional auction, and the money was donated rather than the books themselves. Not to sound like a real shit, but I've seen the way things are taken care of at Goodwill and it's not with a whole lot of love and care. I've also known some people who have worked there, and I wouldn't be surprised of some of the books were "misplaced".

The Editor and I were at a Goodwill recently to get some articles of clothing for a party we were attending, and there were three or four boxes of comics on one of the tables. Of course, it was a big jumble of this and that, some with some worth behind it, and some so beat up and shitty that they wouldn't be fit for the quarter box. When we inquired about the price we were told that all comics were $1 regardless of condition, which tells me that they are ill equipped to deal with something like a $42k donation of books. But what do I know?

Again, charity is a good thing, by no means am I saying it's not, I just think that you should put in some effort to see what you're giving away before you do. Especially if that collection was loved by someone who passed. I just think that the collection would have been better off being auctioned off privately, and then have the money donated to a good cause. But that is just the collector in me...

If you want to see what was in the "generously donated lot" you can check out www.goodwillonline.com to bid. The bidding starts at $3.

Saccheraferious Thursday: Star Wars Edition Pt. 2

Good morning kiddies! Since I have seemingly woke up in my last month of pregnancy with the worlds worst allergies, in addition to already having stayed up late due to the Stanley Cup finals (YAY Boston!), and having the nerds over last night, I'm not feeling super motivated. I'm actually feeling like I got hit by a small bus. Methinks my day will consist of laying on the couch and watching "Arrested Development" for the 12,598th time.

Since Evan T. is on vacation for the next week, and we have no one to run the "Star Wars" RPG game next week, I'm going to pour one out for missing a week of it, and give you some super awesome cakes in it's memory. Apologies if I mislabel some of these. I was attempting to learn some of the "Star Wars" races last night, but it just turned into me making a bunch of the Storm Trooper minis look like they were doing the YMCA...

Yoda.

Wookie.

Vader.

Leia.

Jaba.

Lightsaber!

For not seeing the movies, I'm not too bad at this, eh? I couldn't find a Roodian or a Gamorrean Guard OR a Boba Fett, so these had to do for now... However, all of those give me some spectacular ideas for cakes I can make in the future!

DC Reboot and Digitalization

Hey guys! I've been feeling inspired lately, so I've been bombarding Swank-mo-tron over at Big Shiny Robot. I wrote an article this morning regarding DC's reboot and digitalization plans, so you should head over there and take a peek!

Click: HERE  to read all about it! :-)

BIG NEWS!

Hello again kiddies! So, regarding that whole "big news" thing I was talking about yesterday.... The wonderful Mr. Swank-mo-tron over at Big Shiny Robot offered me a weekly column. This doesn't mean that I'm not going to post here, it just means that there will be more Carly to love! Big Shiny Robot is a fantastic website that caters to all things nerd, and they've been great to me thus far.

I will be starting up a weekly comics review column for them starting later on this week, and I'll be adding links on here, to that site when I do. I'll also be doing some of the East Coast nerd coverage for them as well, including things like Boston and New York Comic Cons, and hopefully some Wizard Worlds. I will be posting under the name "Wonderbot", and I expect all of you to follow me there as well! :-)

HERE is my Big Shiny introduction.

Carly on Comics Movie Review: Paul

Happy Monday everyone! All of the Carly on Comics members came together last night to watch a viewing of the Simon Pegg and Nick Frost film "Paul", and it was fabulous.

"Paul" is a movie about two British guys (Frost and Pegg) who go on holiday in America. Their first trip is to San Diego Comic Con, and from there, the pair decide to rent a Winnebago and drive cross country, visiting different UFO hotspots on their way. What they didn't expect was an alien encounter of their own.

Paul is an alien whose spaceship crashed on Earth in the 1940's and has been living at Area 51 ever since. He's outlived his usefulness to the government, and now the government wants to harvest his brain for science. Naturally, Paul steals a car, gets into an accident, and meets Frost and Pegg on the road.

The threesome becomes a foursome when Kristen Wiig's (looooove her) God-loving character, Ruth, joins the team via her (accidental) kidnapping.

The foursome is trying to get Paul back to Wyoming so that he can meet up with his people who are there to rescue him, all the while being chased by not only Ruth's father, but the FBI as well.

It's a super cute buddy film with an all-star cast. You've got Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (whom I've professed my love for for quite sometime now), Kristen Wiig (who has quickly become my newest girl crush), Jason Bateman, Sigourney Weaver, Jeffrey Tambor, and many more. Also, the voice talents of Seth Rogan as Paul.

If you're a nerd, you will love this movie. There are so many awesome references to things in geek culture, including a particularly awesome music piece that is played when they're in a bar. I was afraid that I'd be too distracted with the CG alien, but it wasn't bad at all. Chances are, if you read this blog, you won't be disappointed. The language can get a little rough at times, but overall, it was a fantastic movie.

Slacker Sunday: NYCC

It's that time of year again... Time to start thinking about New York Comic Con! I know it's like, four months out, but what could a little planning hurt, right? This year is looking like it's going to be the best one so far, with new artists and panels being added every week.

NYCC is October 13th-18th this year, making it 4 days this year, instead of 3. However, Thursday the 13th is for press/exhibitors/whatever only. Luckily for me, I've applied for my press pass, and methinks I will most likely be getting one. I have some big news about that coming up later in the week, but I don't want to give anything away just yet, so I'll let you deal with that teaser for now. Let me just say that the blog is about to get a whole lot cooler.

The only issue I'm having at this point is what to wear. For a fun-loving, nerdy chick like me, it's cosplay all the way. I definitely have my Ms. Marvel costume from last year, which I intend on rocking like a boss, but that leaves me with two more days that I need to come up with something. I like Black Canary, but I feel like that is played out. I love Cassie Hack, but I'll be three months post kid, so I'm not sure if I'll be wanting to bear my midriff quite yet. The Editor had suggested that we go as Lovebunny and Mr. Hell, but I'm not sure if The Editor will be willing to rock that costume all day... Sorry kiddos, got off in my own world there for a minute...

Speaking of cosplay, if there is anyone out there who knows how to sew, or could give me a hand designing/putting together something, it would be absolutely appreciated. I can come up with an idea easily enough, executing the idea can sometimes be difficult though.

Anyhoo, if you're on the East Coast (or if you can afford to fly out from anywhere else), I highly suggest you make your way down to the Jacob Javits Center October 13-16. A three day pass is only $65 and once you see all the con has to offer, you'll see that it's well worth the money. Heck, if you order tickets soon (they go on sale June 15th), you'll even have time to save up for all of the cool things you'll want to buy there!

We'll be discussing this topic in more detail as we get closer to the big show. Until then, you should be thinking about how to get there! Happy Sunday everybody!

For more info on the con, click HERE

Things You Should Be... Friday!

Hey everyone! It's a lovely not-hotter-than-balls day here in Upstate New York! Woo woo! It's been a while since the last "Things You Should Be...", so here are a few of my favorite things you should be taking advantage of this Summer...

Things You Should Be Listening To...

S.I.R. (SModcast Internet Radio)- From the people who brought you "Tell Em' Steve Dave" and "Plus One", there is now a newfangled way to listen! Kevin Smith (and the rest of the SModcast crew) have launched their own radio station! You can listen through your computer, or through the Stitcher App on your phone. Oh, and don't worry if you miss anything, you can still get it through iTunes as well!

Peter Fox- Stadtaffe- Peter Fox is an amazing musician from Berlin. The album has so many awesome songs on it, and they're best listened to during the summertime. The album is in German, but who cares? It's fantastic! Below is the video for "Alles Neu", which is one of mine, and The Editor's favorite Summer songs. Enjoy!






Things You Should Be Watching...

Sports Show With Norm MacDonald- When it comes down to it, who DOESN'T love Norm MacDonald? This show is amazing. It's inappropriate, sexist, and full of some of the most awkward moments on television, but that is why it is SO worth watching! It's like watching a train wreck, but if you are a fan of Norm's humor, you'll get it :-)

Sports Show with Norm Macdonald	Tuesdays, 10:30/9:30c
Michael Jordan's Hitler Mustache
www.comedycentral.com
Sports Show Norm Macdonald #SportsShow

The NHL Hockey Finals- The Boston Bruins vs. The Vancouver Canucks! It's America vs. Canada! I'm completely torn on this one. It would be great to see the Canucks win, since Canada hasn't won Lord Stanley's Cup since 1993, but the Bruins are my second favorite team (after the Red Wings, of course)! The series is now tied 2-2, and the boys are duking it out at 8 PM. Definitely worth the watch.

That's right Canada, Jim, me, and The Editor ALL got to see the cup before you...

Things You Should Be Reading...

Axe Cop- Written by a 5 year old, illustrated by his 29 year old brother. This is a monthly comic put out by Dark Horse, but a lot of the content found in the comic can be found HERE on the Axe Cop website. I dare you NOT to laugh.

The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charrlaine Harris- I know I already hit on this a few weeks ago, but the series is sooooo good! It's the book series that "True Blood" was based on, and the best Summer read you'll ever have. I promise!

Holy Crap! It's another Evan T Review! X-Men: First Class

So, yeah. No one in my unique and fantastic circle of friends was giving this movie any chance at all of being anything better than Superman IV: The Quest For Peace or Batman and Robin. I mean, aside from me. I took a cautiously optimistic, wait and see approach. Well I was pleasantly surprised by the movie.

First off they had a trailer for "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and man, I hadn't really had that movie on my radar but a combination of James Franco and crazy monkey army attack has got me excited. Looks like fun and an interesting take on the franchise. The Planet of the Apes could use it after the movie was Burton-ized and really just turned into a suck souffle. Anyways, here's hoping.



As we all know already this is the story of a young Charles Xavier and a young Erik Lehnsherr meeting each other and making sweet mutant love...wait, no, that's a slashfic. My bad. It is the story of young Professor X and Magneto before they were all Professor X and Magneto. It's actually a very nice "I'm sorry for X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine". For anyone who is thinking I'm all full of it - Rotten Tomatoes score for those movies are 57% and 37% versus 86%.

The idea of using the Cuban Missile Crisis as a backdrop is a really fantastic idea. It never feels like the movie was forced into being in the 60's but just coincidentally happened at the same time. Having characters not always seen in the various iterations of the X-Men throughout their movie and television careers is neat, too. Seeing Havok, a non-fuzzy Beast, Darwin (!) and Banshee not to mention Sebastian Shaw, Riptide and Azazel (had to look him up on Wikipedia) was a ton of fun. I really like Cyclops and always enjoy seeing him but getting the chance to see his brother was actually just as fun.

I was unaware what a January Jones was before this movie. I didn't watch Unknown or American Wedding or Mad Men (yes, yes, I know, I'm on it) but I have to say, I'm a fan. Especially if she runs around in outfits like she does in this flick. This movie even has a mutant power of it's own - Being the most boobtastic of them all. Swinging 60's and all.

The movie also has possibly the best cameo I have seen in a Marvel movie yet. You will know it when you see it....freaking great

(Note from Carly: Below is the cameo that Evan T. is talking about... Don't click if you don't want to see it!)



I saw this with my fam as my nieces choice for their birthday movie. J1 and J2 (13 years old) both really enjoyed the movie. After it was over, they both asked me if "the blue one" (Mystique) was a bad guy now to which I replied yeah (oh, gee, spoiled for anyone who has never read an X-Men book or seen any of the movies). They both seemed kinda bummed. If this movie brought actual emotions like that out of some kids who didn't know or give a diddly squat about X-Men, imagine how much you might like it.

Another Note from Carly: Despite what Evan T. may think, I do actually want to see this movie, because I'm totally gay for X-Men. However, due to my infinite pregnantness, and the fact that I HATE being in a large sea of people, I have to wait a week or two to watch it. If you're confused, please refer to my previous post. :-)

The Editor and Carly Go to the Movies (and Then Realize They've Made a Huge Mistake)

Hey kiddies! Sorry for being so neglectful with the posting lately. It's Summer, and it's beautiful, and we're having one of those "baby things" in six weeks, so I'm trying to pack in as many projects as I can before D-day. All that means is that I won't be posting as frequently, I will however try and stick to at LEAST an every other day schedule. I think between Evan T. and myself, we can pull that off.

So, there is a reason that Evan T. is my "just released" movie critic, and last night I was reminded why. Evan T. has this unique ability to not mind being anchovied into a movie theater with a bunch of idiots, whereas I just end up losing a little bit of humanity every time I decide to venture outside of my house to see a movie. The Editor and I had a free movie ticket that expired yesterday, and that is about the ONLY reason we went out on a Friday night to see a movie.

The movie we went to see was "Bridesmaids", which was very good. However, the people that a movie like "Bridesmaids" attracts, are the worst. We were surrounded by a bunch of chicks who didn't seem to know that they were in public, because they felt that they needed to A) constantly check their cell phone for the time, and B) explain the onscreen jokes to the other members of their party (eg: "OMG! There are NO lights on her car AT ALL!"). No shit Sherlock. That was the joke.

I hate being sandwiched in next to strangers as well. I believe I have expressed this displeasure in the past. I don't understand why, if I'm paying nearly $11 for a ticket, I have to be subjected to other people's ridiculousness. The guy I was next to wasn't bad last night, but it was amazing trying to watch him and his wife (who showed up just as the show was starting, so she she had to sit diagonally in front of him to make sure they could fill the theater to max capacity) try and communicate. It was like he was trying to land a plane. Outstanding.

Also, going to the movies makes me realize how shitty Hollywood is. It makes me realize that they make shitty movies, and they think that the public is a bunch of morons. I swear to God, two of the movie trailers we saw last night were for the same movie.

The first shitty movie we watched a preview was for a glorious turd called "Bad Teacher" starring Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. If when you read those names, you said "OMG! I LOVE Justin Timberlake and/or Cameron Diaz!!!!", you should really not be on this website, and you should probably think about killing yourself.

Cameron Diaz is looking OLLLLLLLD. I realize that people do that. They age, but I feel like if you're doing it gracefully, you can pull it off. Ol' busted face Diaz is still trying to be a sex symbol, and it's just not working for me. Like, at all. And don't even get me started on Timberlake. I liked him in "The Social Network", but mainly because I feel like he didn't need to act. I sincerely feel that in real life, JT is probably an egotistical, narcissistic, asshole who thinks he's funny, and because he's so successful, everyone around him encourages his douchebaggery. I mean, you have to be a total shithead to be in a long term relationship with Jessica Biel, right?



This movie looks terrible. BUT people will go see it. And that makes me so sad. I made a bet with The Editor that it even makes #1 at the box office the week it comes out. It's coming out between "X-Men: First Class" and "Captain America", so that could very well happen.

The next shitty movie up for grabs is "Larry Crowne", which just basically looks like "Bad Teacher", only with people who used to be huge stars, and now just need a paycheck. I'm talking about Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks.



I know what you're thinking. "Carly, didn't I just watch a younger version of that trailer in the trailer above?". Answer: yes. Tom Hanks is the bumbling dork who can't catch a break. Julia Roberts is his hot professor. And guess what guys? THEY FALL IN LOOOOOOVEEEEE! *Barf* Really? Do you REALLY need to see this movie? I mean, how many times in a lifetime do you need to watch the same thing before you realize that Hollywood is just taking your money? *sigh*

BUT WAIT! It gets BETTER! *Sarcasm* The next steaming pile is called "The Change Up" starring Ryan Reynolds as a man whore, and Jason Bateman as a married guy. The two of them go out one night, drink a lot and then Jason Bateman wishes he were Ryan Reynolds and THEY SWITCH PLACES!! OMG! TOATZ ORIGINAL! Ugh, remember when they made this movie the first three times, and it was called "Freaky Friday"? I love Ryan Reynolds, and I have since "Two Guys and a Girl", but he's fast approaching on Anee Hathaway and Natalie Portman territory where it's like "How can I have time to miss you if you never go away?". I'm happy for these people because they're successful, but when they're cast in EVERY movie EVER made, it makes me tire of them rather quickly.



Yes! Finally! Another movie that shits all over marriage and having kids! OMG! It's the WORST! Amiright?!  Sleeping around like a manwhore when you're well into your thirties is so cool. The STD's alone are A-MAZ-ING! It's like playing Russian roulette with your dick! There are no redeeming qualities to having a partner and kids. I mean, your life ends when you get married, right? UGH. Movies like this piss me off to no end.

The last movie trailer we was was for a movie called "The Help" (based off of the book by the same name) starring Emma Stone. This is the only movie of the bunch that I'd actually go see. The tagline on IMDB is the following:


"A look at what happens when a southern town's unspoken code of rules and behavior is shattered by three courageous women who strike up an unlikely friendship."

It's set in the 1960's in Mississippi, where African-American women were good enough to raise the rich white folks kids, but not good enough to use the same bathroom. Of all of the trailers I saw, this was the only one that made me want to see it. The Editor thinks that Emma Stone is going for the Oscar on this one too, because it's a period piece and she's uglied up in it. 



This is fast becoming my longest rant ever, so I'll try and wrap it up. To summarize:

*I will not go to another movie past 3 PM because I refuse to pay $11 to share an armrest with a stranger.

*If you are in a movie, you do NOT need to check your cell phone, so don't be an asshole and do it.

*I do not require a running commentary of the movie, so shut your fucking mouth.

*Any candy that is in a crinkly bag needs to be opened before the movie starts.

*Don't clap and cheer for the movie. They can't hear you. It's a movie.

*Respect the people sitting next to you. Just because you're a teenager (which generally makes you the most obnoxious person in the room) and your parents gave you money to go to the movies and get out of their house for two hours, respect the fact that some people work for a living, and $11 is a lot of money to spend wanting to punch you in the face.

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'll catch you when I can. xoxo

Hot Nerd of the Week: Simon Pegg!

This is one of my most favorite British geeks. Not to mention a fabulous writer, actor, director and producer
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Simon Pegg first entered my world back in 2004 when he played the title role of Shaun in "Shaun of the Dead". He has the ability to make me laugh no matter what, and to me, he is also one of the most attractive (albeit nerdy) guys to come out of the UK.

Simon Pegg was born in Brockworth, Gloucestershire, England on Valentines Day. After high school, Pegg went on to university to study drama. While attending the University of Bristol, he was a part of the Drama Society, and also wrote his thesis on "A Marxist overview of 1970's cinema and hegemonic discourses". He also studied English lit and performance arts at Stratton-on-Avon College.

Simon began as a stand-up artist, then moved onto bigger projects. Thefirst notable project he worked on was a television series called Spaced, which he created and co-wrote and Jessica Stevenson. Pegg's best friend, Nick Frost was brought in to co-star in the series. Edgar Wright (who went on to direct "Scott Pilgirm vs. The World") was also director on the show.

In 2004, Pegg and Edgar Wright co-wrote the horror-romance story "Shaun of the Dead", which also starred Nick Frost. The release of this film launched all three of their careers even higher.

Since "Shaun of the Dead", Pegg has managed to make a huge name for himself, in Britain, as well as the states. Some of Pegg's other credits include, Band of Brothers, Dr. Who, I'm Alan Partridge, Mission Impossible III, Hot fuzz (again with Nick Frost), and Run Fat Boy Run. 

In 2009, Pegg co-starred in the J.J. Abrams "Star Trek" movie, playing the role of Scotty. This was a role that would prove he could certainly cut-it in Hollywood.  He will be reprising this role in the next movie, due out in June of 2012.

Another fun fact: In the comic book series "The Boys" his likeness was used as the character of Wee Hughie without Simon's permission. However, instead of going all "lawsuit" on the creators, Pegg has instead become a HUGE fan of the series, and even wrote the intro for the first trade. How awesome is that?!

A self proclaimed, "life long nerd" Pegg is one of the most awesome people in the film world right now. His likeability, paired with his kindness and dorkiness is the reason I chose Simon Pegg as this weeks Hot Nerd.