Movies are produced around the world on a regular basis. Some are backed by major film networks while the others are done independently by small groups or individuals with minimal budgets. Regardless, they make the movie industry alive and entertain people of all ages.
Statistics from the popular Internet Movie Database (IMDB) shows that among countries active in film productions, India tops the list. The U.S., Japan, China and France follow in the top 5.
Movie fans always look forward to the next film releases whether in their own country or abroad. Fortunately with the internet, they can now easily keep track of upcoming movies via reviews by professional bloggers and critics. Here are some blogs worth following if you want honest reviews without much celebrity worship. [Read more…]
TV Treaty: Settling the Great Debate Between Plasma and LCD
The television market looks nothing like it did 15 years ago. We’ve watched TV units change the basic technology that drives them, and in the process slim down considerably. The energy demands aren’t close to what they used to be, and as the picture itself has widened, it’s also become much, much sharper. In the simplest terms, in-home televisions can now deliver a cinematic quality that was unthinkable in the recent past.
Of the various television types that have made their way onto the market, LCD and plasma TV units stand as the industry leaders in the ongoing battle for consumers. But where you might expect critics and industry experts to have reached a consensus on what TV type is best, you might be surprised to learn that there remains plenty of disagreement. The main reason this debate has proliferated is the widely accepted notion that each TV will have a certain appeal to different consumers, and how the buyer uses a TV will determine which type is best for him.
That’s an accurate assessment, and it underscores the importance of knowing what you’re looking for in a television. Everyone values certain aspects of TV functionality differently, so if you want to make sure you make the right purchase for your personal situation, you’ll need to identify the features that will affect your daily use.
Paying the price for premium picture
Of course, when it comes to gauging picture quality, there’s no debate: Plasma comes out on top. LCD just can’t match the picture clarity and quality of plasma units, and that’s made this TV type popular among gamers and serious cinephiles. And despite past concerns, plasma burn-in and image retention is largely a worry of the past. With these newer models, there’s no risk of such technical failures when you’re properly using your television.
But plasma comes at a much higher cost than LCD, which is its main drawback. Simply put, if you want the best, you’ll have to pay for it.
Find a high-quality middle ground
But if you’re someone who is willing to compromise to save a little money — as many consumers are — then an LCD might be a good alternative to plasma. While not as sharp and stunning as plasma, LCD TV’s provide exceptional, high-definition picture quality that will be a vast improvement over whatever TV you’re currently using. LCD units have closed the visual gap considerably in the past few years, and while keeping prices much lower than plasma.
Considering the TV’s place in your home
One of the big advantages to newer television models is that, with their reduced size, it’s much easier to fit a larger TV into a tighter space. That’s improved the quality of in-home viewing for many individuals and families. But while this slim profile makes TV units much less of a space-related burden, it doesn’t completely nullify their presence.
When it comes to plasma versus LCD, you’ll get the benefit of a lighter unit by going with LCD. That can make your TV easier to transport and mount on a wall. The LCD unit will also consume less electricity than a plasma unit of the same size, so if you’re considering utilities costs or energy efficiency, LCDs may again be the way to go. For the average TV consumer, the benefits of an LCD system may outweigh the benefits of a plasma unit that provides industry-best quality.
Ultimately, though, you’ll have to decide for yourself which option is best. Some consumers won’t be satisfied with an LCD unit when they know a higher-quality picture is out there, and that’s fine. In the end, it’s a piece of entertainment equipment, and you shouldn’t have to compromise on something geared purely toward your personal enjoyment.
Lindsey is a professional writer living in the Indianapolis area and she writes on behalf of Sears and other deserving brands. She specializes in writing guest posts on social media and education. Currently, Lindsey is completing work on her master’s degree.
Leonardo DiCaprio Barely Recognizable as J. Edgar Hoover
Perennial pretty-boy Leonardo DiCaprio is aged 20-or-so years and rendered barely recognizable as former FBI strongman J. Edgar Hoover.
DiCaprio tweeted a link this week to new still pictures from his upcoming movie “J. Edgar” that show him portraying Hoover later in life. The pictures – that also include shots of director Clint Eastwood working with DiCaprio behind-the-scenes – show a remarkable resemblance.
But fear not, those who couldn’t suffer an entire movie with DiCaprio’s leading-man looks obscured; he is clearly himself in earlier scenes portraying Hoover as a younger man.
The biography is scheduled for theater release Nov. 9, according to IMDB.com. It tells the story of Hoover who was FBI director from 1924 until his death in 1972.
Unrecognizable
DiCaprio isn’t the only A-list Hollywood actor to star in a movie that obscures the attractiveness that helped make them stars in the first place. And that’s always fun. To see an actor transformed into something completely unexpected is one of the classic joys of cinema.
Too often, actors reside in safe zones that don’t challenge conventional perceptions. It’s always refreshing to see an actor step out of that box and do something different – something that allows viewers to fully appreciate their performing ability.
Here’s a list (in no particular order) of some of the best movies that starred unrecognizable actors:
- The Dark Knight: Heath Ledger (The Joker), 2008.
- The Hunger: David Bowie (John), 1983.
- How The Grinch Stole Christmas: Jim Carrey (The Grinch), 2000.
- Hook: Glenn Close (Gutless), 1991.
- Tropic Thunder: Tom Cruise (Les Grossman), 2008.
- Shadow of the Vampire: Willem Defoe (Schrek), 2000.
- Raging Bull: Robert DeNiro (Jake La Motta), 1980.
- Edward Scissorhands: Johnny Depp (Edward), 1990.
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Ralph Fiennes (Lord Voldemort), 2005.
- After the Sunset: Salma Hayek (Lola Cirillo), 2004.
Any, or all, of these great flicks would do nicely to pass the coming weeks until DiCaprio’s “J. Edgar” hits theaters.
About Author:
Edward Chipotle writes about technology and movies – two of his favorite subjects. When he isn’t enjoying a dark movie theater, Edward can be found Metrofax online faxing to celebrities and other known entities, he hates to call and only uses fax to reach out to big celebrities.
7 Must-See Movies for College Students
Back in college, I remember stumbling upon a list of the “best movies of all time” in one of my media intro courses. I was surprised to discover that I hadn’t watched very many of them at all (I fell asleep watching Gone with the Wind as a child). I was temporarily ashamed at my apparent lack of culture, but the discovery sparked a film rampage that lasted until I graduated. Remembering the profound impact some of those films had on me, I decided to put together a list of must-see movies for college students containing some of these, interspersed with a few rite-of-passage flicks, college cult classics and movies to make you think.
1.) The Godfather. As a woman, I thought this was merely a dude movie, and I admit the only reason I watched it was to finally understand the references to it in one of my favorite romantic comedies, You’ve Got Mail. But when watching this Academy Award-winning film, I got wrapped up in the complex plot, the family dynamics, the considerations on good and evil, and the inevitability of Michael’s rise to power in the mob world. In this vein, I also recommend cult classic Boondock Saints, another supposedly stereotypical dude movie that actually transcends gender. I remember posters for both of these movies plastered all over dorm room walls. [Read more…]
Laid to Rest: Bloody Nonsense with Chrome Skull
Laid to Rest is a 2009 direct-to-DVD horror movie that you’ve never heard of unless you’re the kind of person who subscribes to Fangoria and once wrote to Tom Savini requesting an autograph. Â It’s a slasher film for slasher fans, a blood and guts special effects showcase.
It’s also something of a family affair. Â Bobbie Sue Luther produced the movie. Â She also serves as the female lead. Â Luther is married to the special effects expert who directed the movie, Robert Hall.
You can bet your severed head that its makers weren’t worried about whether the general public would fall in love with it. Â They just wanted to appeal to its micro-niche.
It looks like they did a good job. Â A perusal of the surprisingly large world of slashercentric blogs reveals generally positive reviews of the movie and a great deal of appreciation for its spree-killing star character.
The killer villain of Laid to Rest is the highly stylized Chrome Skull, who as his name suggests, has a face covered by a chromed skull mask. Â He also has two big chromed blades that look like what the twin gynecologists from Dead Ringers may have owned had they taken gear to the guys at West Coast Choppers for some pimpin’. Â Oh, he also has a little video camera mounted to his shoulder with a glowing red light.
The plot involves an amnesiac girl who escapes from a coffin just in time to flee Chrome Skull. Â She seeks help from good-hearted but incompetent people. Â Chrome Skull kills several of them. Â A few of them survive until the final credits, including the protagonist scream queen. Â Chrome Skull appears to die, but we all know better. Â Two sequels are already in the works.
If you have delicate sensibilities, you’ll never consider picking up Laid to Rest in the first place.
If, on the other hand, you love incredibly gory kill scenes, Laid to Rest may become one of your all-time favorites.
The movie basically exists to take us from one act of butchery to another. Â I don’t know if you can actually call the murders realistic, because I don’t know as if anyone has any idea what some of these creative bloodlettings would look life in real life. Â I can tell you that you will see eyes filling with blood, entrails and even some face skinning. Â If that’s your thing, this is a five-star effort.
I’m not easily offended and I’m not a slasher aficionado. Â I’ve subjected myself to so much stupid crap over the years that I’m desensitized to the slaughter action. Though I’m not squeamish, I don’t really enjoy bloody mayhem for the sake of bloody mayhem. Â With that in mind, here’s a quick explanation of why Laid to Rest is, by reasonable standards unrelated to the buckets of faux innards used in the production, a crappy movie.
- Chrome Skull may have a look that’s appealing to the gorehounds of the world, but no one ever bothers explaining much, if any, of his back story or motivations. Â Classic movie killers like Freddie, Michael and Jason captured the public’s interest and scared folks, to at least some extent, because they had at least some messed up rationale for their non-stop killing ways. Â Lacking that, Chrome Skull is just a boring, unexplained robo-man with a creepy mask.
- The stupidity of the non-killing characters reaches a level that far exceeds the average slasher flick victim. Â These movies only work when characters make bad decisions, but the characters of Laid to Rest make unfathomably stupid calls at every turn.
- Laid to Rest is poorly written, poorly edited or both. Â Ideas and little features that seem to have potential relevance to the story go nowhere. Â Trust me when I tell you that they’re not meant to be that way.
- There are only two potential reasons you might care even slightly about the fate of anyone in the movie. Â You might want someone to make it to the end so you can learn more about Chrome Skull or you might find the lead actress attractive. Â As noted, Chrome Skull remains a dull mystery and Bobbie Sue Luther’s good looks aren’t a point of emphasis.
Laid to Rest isn’t scary. Â It isn’t interesting. Â It isn’t much of anything other than bloody. Â Â If you need a gore fix, watch it. Â Otherwise, steer clear.
Note: This is the second in a series of pre-Halloween movie reviews. Â You might want to check out the review of Jeepers Creepers, too.