Live Free or Die Hard had a big challenge. How do you convince people that yet another Die Hard movie with Bruce Willis in it is worth seeing? How do you make a series so closely identified with the action-packed Eighties and Nineties relevant to a tech-savvy, post 9/11 generation? And more important to the people over at 20th Century Fox, how do you manage to reign in Willis’ use of the “s” word, the “f” word and the “m-f” word so that you can get a more marketable PG-13 rating? The answer was simple— update the franchise for a new generation, mellow the Willis character a little, and by all means deliver on the action. Face it, the die-hards who care about the Die Hard movies want to see action, and this movie delivers in spades. Once again Bruce Willis reprises his role as New York City cop John McClane, who once again has the familiar family issues with a daughter who is alienated from him ( Mary Elizabeth Winstead ). So McClane has a father-daughter relationship in need of repair. The plot revolves around a bunch of Internet terrorists looking to shut down the United States. These super-cyber-hackers are trying to take out the entire American communications infrastructure one step at a time so that they can open up access to America’s financial records and clean out Americans of all their financial data. Willis hooks up with a young hacker (Justin Long) who had unwittingly helped these villains [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Five years after the release of director Danny Boyle’s science fiction thriller 28 Days Later (2002), the epidemic continues. 28 Weeks Later opened in U.S. theaters on May 11, seemingly just one more addition to this summer’s lengthy list of blockbuster sequels that includes Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Shrek the Third, and Live Free or Die Hard. Its performance was somewhat weak compared to those of its summer sequel rivals, grossing only $5,454,168 at the box office during its first weekend (whereas the third installment of Pirates earned $139,802,190 during its opening weekend). Despite the mixed reviews circulating about the success of 28 Weeks Later‘s attempt not only to mirror, but ultimately to surpass the thrilling suspense and eye-opening (or closing, depending on your feelings regarding blood-and-guts violence) bloodiness of its predecessor, this sequel delivers more than is promised by its “It All Begins Again” advertising campaign. 28 Weeks Later is a pseudo-post-apocalyptic thriller that presents audiences with a scenario of fast-paced devastation which, while slightly reminiscent of the 1995 science fiction thriller Outbreak (starring Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo), is startlingly and unsettlingly plausible in today’s world of scientific advances and international biological warfare threats. The film is a brutal and exhaustively terrifying adrenaline rush replete not only with an excess of schizophrenic visual stimuli that ranges from the intense physical encounters of the “new arrivals” with “the infected”—filmed with cameras that shudder and move uncontrollably at an amazing speed—to close-up shots of the [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Here at FSR we’ve got a feeling that you are going to love Transformers when it hits theaters early next week. How can we be so sure? We’ve seen it and reviewed it, that’s how. We also know that you all like free stuff, especially when it comes to free stuff related to a huge summer blockbuster. So it would be pretty lame of us if we weren’t able to hook you up with some awesome piece of Transformers swag. Never fear though, we’ve got you covered.

See Entry Instructions after the Jump…

Back in 1993 when I was just a young pup, a movie buff in the making if you will, my mom took me to our local cineplex in mid-June to see what would become the most awesome event movie of its time. It was a film that stretch the realm of my imagination and gave me the belief that filmmakers could make absolutely anything come to life. I was engrossed in it. I wanted to see it again, and again, and again. In that moment, my young life was changed by a cinematic adventure like nothing I had ever seen before. That film was Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. Now some 14 years later, as I sit down to review Transformers, another epic summer blockbuster from Director Michael Bay, I cannot help but think, “Wow, this is what summer movies are all about.”

While I couldn’t call him a friend or an esteemed colleague, Joel Siegel is still a man who represents the world of film. Joel died this afternoon, after a ten year battle with cancer. We will remember Joel for his “punny” headlines and his animated reviews. He will be sorely missed by the film community, and his impact on the field of film criticism is immeasurable.

With all the hustle and bustle around Transformers this week, it is strangely reminiscent of the last huge action film of 2007 that blew us all away, Zach Snyder’s 300. Coincidentally, 300 drops on DVD very soon. July 31, to be exact. And to go along with said release, you can now have a chance to win a very cool prize from our friends at WB.

On this week’s show the Fat Guys begin their trek into the world of actual radio. Thanks to the folks at KGAB in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Fat Guys at the Movies now has more than 50 listeners. We have 52. And for all 52 of you we take a look this week at Live Free or Die Hard, gush all over Ratatouille and avoid a fight over Michael Moore’s Sicko. Also, we run down our list of the Top 10 Movie Robots of All Time and talk to MooreWatch.com publisher Jim Kenefick. That may seem like a lot, but that’s how we roll…

For those of you who are like us and are extremely lazy, reading may feel like a bit of a challenge at times. It is difficult to sit down and browse the web to find reviews, then increasingly more painful to actually read through what someone has to say about a movie… Why can’t they just get to the point, right? Well, as both Film School Rejects and Fat Guys at the Movies, we have decided that we can help you get the advice you need without all of that tedious reading…

Welcome to another edition of the Reject Report, and things are really screwed up this week. I gotta say, as a new box office columnist I hate it when movies open up two days early. It screws up my predictions!

An interesting, if not completely successful unlikely romantic comedy, You Kill Me offers up some decent dry laughs in a movie that stretches the ludicrous plot line to the breaking point. It seems like another story within the Matador universe, where hitmen are drunks, meet and make friends with the most unlikely of people, and find a way to keep doing what they’re doing.

Like an old rock band getting together for a reunion tour, Bruce Willis returns as John McClane in “Live Free or Die Hard;” only no one else from the previous three films are anywhere to be found. The first “Die Hard” took place in Los Angeles, the second took place in Washington D.C., and the third took place in New York. The settings from this franchise keep expanding. In the first it was confined to a 40-story building, the second an airport, and the third the entire city of New York. Now we’re expanding through the entire Northeast: New York, D.C. West Virginia and Baltimore. I personally prefer the simple, claustrophobic feeling of the first “Die Hard.”

A common yet unwanted lesson the summer season of movies usually teaches you is to never get your hopes too high and torture yourself with anticipation. But every once in a while a movie like “Ratatouille” comes along that’s as satisfying as a gourmet dinner at a five-star French restaurant. No, it’s better than that because it doesn’t quite satisfy in the sense of you wanting a second helping.

I cannot claim to be a big fan of Michael Moore, not can I claim any great knowledge of the subjects he goes after. Not to say I am completely ignorant, but let us just say that it is not my strong suit. If nothing else, Moore makes entertaining pieces of docu-propaganda that work well as conversation starters. Wonderful conversation starters filled with personality, humor, and a vigor not found in many documentaries. There are very few documentary filmmakers that can open a film in a wide theatrical release, and Moore is at the top of the pile. Sicko is an affecting film that covers much of what is common knowledge (that being our health care system is seriously broken) and delivers it in an entertaining, if at times depressing, manner that is eminently watchable, if not quite as deep as it could have possibly been. Again, film as conversation starter. The film was garnering attention very early in its process. I recall, not exactly when, that healthcare companies were sending memos to employees warning them that Michael Moore may be coming around to ask questions, and urging them not to speak with him should he make an appearance. Moore and Sicko were once again in the news earlier this year when the US government was investigating him for breaking the trade embargo with relation to his trip to Cuba with rescue workers from Ground Zero that were not receiving the care they required. The stories went on to say [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

A movie based on a story is always a questionable affair. More often than not, the movie is an underwhelming experience (Dreamcatcher, Lawnmower Man, Sleepwalkers). He has his good adaptations as well (The Shining, Carrie, Misery). So, it was definitely going to be a toss up how this was going to turn. It does have a good cast in its favor with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. Early word was good, and the trailers were also good. Well, after sitting through the movie, I am pleased to report that it delivers the goods, smartly written, creepy in execution, eerie in closure. This is the second film this summer that finds the vast majority of its action set inside a single hotel/motel setting. The first being the William Friedkin thriller Bug. Both that and 1408 rest squarely on the shoulders of its stars to carry the story. John Cusack has the advantage of being in a film with a story that requires the use of effects, so he has a little bit of a crutch that Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon did not have in their outing. Both of these films succeed in creating supremely creepy atmospheres, albeit in different ways. They do have one thing in common, they both have central characters that are losing their minds in quite spectacular fashion. That, however is about as far as the similarities go. John Cusack stars as Mike Enslin, an author who has made a living out of writing books on [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Many American horror film filmmakers have cited him as an inspiration. Eli Roth gave him a cameo in the original Hostel. (Miike was the guy who said, “You could spend… all your money… in there.”) Odds are, you’ve never heard of him. He is far better known in his native Japan than he is here in the States.

It is that time of year again, you know, when Pixar unleashes their latest creation upon an unsuspecting public. It is the time of year when some speculators begin to wonder if this will be the first failure to come from the animation house that can seemingly do now wrong, or if this will be the one to rival Nemo for the highest gross, or if they will simply be able to match last year’s success. I am not here to discuss the potential box office merits of this latest film, but what I will tell you is that it is an absolute joy, another triumph for Pixar, and another feather in the cap for writer/director Brad Bird. Simply put, Ratatouille is a must see film for people of all ages. The story seems like a simple one. A rat, named Remy(Patton Oswalt), living in the country outside of Paris has discovered that he wants something more than a lif of stealing and eating garbage, and his highly developed sense of smell could prove to be his way out of his current lifestyle. Following an incident that chases Remy and the rest of the clan out of their country abode, Remy finds himself separated from his friends and family. At first, he is scared and unsure of what to do, but his love of food, cooking, and Chef Gusteau give him hope, particularly when the lonely rat visualizes Gusteau as someone to talk to and get inspiration from. This leads [Due to Content Scraping and Theft, we have been forced to try abbreviated feeds. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and woud very much appreciate you clicking through to view the full article on FilmSchoolRejects.com]

Awful title aside (I prefer the working title of Die Hard 4.0), this fourth installment of the McClane saga actually delivers some hard hitting action. You can count me as one of those that was worried about a Die Hard movie saddled with a PG-13 rating, and for those interviews where Willis said they shot the script and aimed for an R, only to get a PG-13? I do not buy that for a second. There were plenty of opportunities where this could have been made a hard R, but that was not the route they took. It doesn’t matter, in the end, this is a solid explosive summer action movie that does not suffer from the lack of blood and language, it is nore than made up for in the explosive action and with Bruce back in the driver seat of the character that made him a movie star.

On this week’s Sunday show the Fat Guys set out to offend everyone. And by everyone, we mean everyone. Kevin stinks up the Magical Studio in the Sky and recaps his weekend of competitive eating, Neil offends everyone on the planet with his box office recap and the guys dish out their “8 Simple Rules for Not Being a Douchebag in a Movie Theater.” Prepare to take some notes…

If the odds aren’t good for a movie based video games, the odds are even lower for a good video game based movie. We’ll be honest, you’ve got a better chance of getting struck by lightning in your homemade Mario costume while you’re getting it on with Angelina Jolie in her full Lara Croft outfit.

“Oh my God!” That’s what the deeply-religious people at Universal have to be saying after Evan Almighty’s ungodly, purgatory-worthy performance this weekend. Sure it finished first. But the take is only $32,000,000 in the USA, and that’s well below what everyone was predicting or even hoping for.