RIP Brittany Murphy 1977 - 2009

Brittany Murphy, aged 32, passed away due to a cardiac arrest this past Sunday morning. Even though I hadn't seen much of this actress since 2005's "Sin City", she did have a role in the newest Sylvester Stallone action flick "The Expendables". And who could forget her career-making role as Tai in "Clueless". . . or, if you're a "King of the Hill" fan, she was the voice of the Luanne character for the entire run of that show. No details as of yet as to what might have brought on the cardiac arrest. Remember Brittany Murphy at her IMDB page where you can see all of her past and upcoming film work.

Iron Man 2 Trailer

Ummm . . . Holy shit. Can it be possible to make a better "Iron Man" movie? From the looks of the trailer above it's looking like a damn good possibility. Looks like everyone is back for some more iron-clad goodness (except for the guy replaced by Don Cheadle) and the new villian, Whiplash, played by Mickey Rourke comes off appropriately menacing and badass. Lots of cool moments in this trailer. Can't wait for 2010.

Edit: Oh, and I totally forgot to mention the jaw-dropping "War Machine" sequence in this trailer and the slight glimpse at Scarlett Johansson dressed up as Russian covert operative and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent "Black Widow". How could I forget.

Kick Ass new Kick-Ass Clip

"Kick-Ass" has had some great buzz thanks to the hype the source material had when it came out via comic book form. But, it's had a bit of a bumpy ride towards getting made, so much so that the film itself didn't have a distribution deal until just a few months ago when people started to see the finished product. Even with Nicolas Cage involved (I find myself saying this often now) I want to see this movie. Sadly, while this clip does give us a rather dangerous but almost sweet father-daughter moment, it doesn't have any McLovin in it. Yes, that kid from "Superbad" and "Role Models" is in this movie as well, and he plays a super-hero. Check out the clip, and get ready for some ass kicking come next year when the film is due to be released.

Robin Hood Trailer

I've seen many a Robin Hood movie. Now, I guess I have to see another one. Ridley Scott directs this one and Russell Crowe has been cast as the anti-hero in question. It's a little reminiscent of their previous period piece collaboration, "Gladiator". Is that a bad thing? Not to me. I loved that movie. Here's hoping that "Robin Hood" comes out truly badass and hits its target in 2010. Look out for this movie. In the meantime, check out the trailer.

BAFW TV Guide - Guilty Pleasure

I tend to stay clear of reality TV. I do appreciate the value and merit of a well scripted show. For the most part, MTV has been pumping out these generic and engineered shows like "The Real World" and all of those "Laguna Beach" spin-off's. Totally forgettable television if you ask me. And then they went back to the drawing board and created this fantastically terrible but hard not to watch show entitled: "Jersey Shore". In itself, this show is a spin off of a "True Life" MTV documentary, but that's the only place MTV cut corners.

The show is full of self-proclaimed guidos and guidettes. Basically, Italian-American douchebags. These kids are more preoccupied with tanning, fist pumping to house music, hooking up and drinking heavily. And, despite looking like MTV put blinders on when casting, these kids think they're the hottest thing since garlic bread. It's hilarious. I'm currently just tuning in to see how much I can hate these ass-hats. Check your local listings if you want to catch the show. MTV plays it all the time. Since the show just started a couple of weeks ago, you might even get to watch the 2 hour (yes, T W O) season premiere.

Daybreakers Trailer

The Spierig Brothers, directors of the rather fun but ultimately uneven Australian zombie flick "Undead", are back, this time taking on vampires in their latest film titled "Daybreakers". From the looks of this trailer, it would appear that they got some quality actors this time around for their futuristic look at a world overrun by bloodsuckers. Check out the trailer. The movie should be coming out soon. Not exactly sure when it comes out. I've been out of the loop lately when it comes to movie premier dates. But, I'm sure you can do a Google search or something. Sheesh, do I have to do everything for you?

The Sorcerer's Apprentice Trailer

Since magic is all the rage these days, Disney is dipping into the dark arts and pulling "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" out of it's hat. Directed by Jon Turtletaub (who might or might not be turtle'y enough for your turtle club) and starring Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, and Alfred Molina, it doesn't look like it has much in common with the "Fantasia" short that might have inspired it, but it still looks decent enough to watch thanks to super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer throwing tons of money at this project. The trailer looks pretty slick and, despite the presence of Nick Cage, pretty darn good. Check out the trailer in YouTube format, or, for the more discerning trailer watcher, click on this link to take you to the Apple page for all sorts of Quicktime options. This movie comes out in 2010.

Scarlett Johansson is Black Widow

"Iron Man 2" is gearing up for a 2010 release, but already a stream of hype has been funneling out to the media. I could have posted the picture of Iron Man and War Machine, back to back, but I think you'd much rather see the pictures of Scarlett Johansson, which will be playing Russian spy "Black Widow", low and close to the floor. In fact, if she spends the whole movie walking around on all fours, you won't hear any complaints from me. One more pic below. Check out the movie when it comes out. If it's even half as good as the first "Iron Man" movie, then it's gonna be better than most films this year.

Blur Trailer

I enjoy a good racing game here and there. Whether it's a simulation style racer like "Forza", or an arcade battle racing game like the one above, "Blur" seems like tons of fun. Not only that, but they got 50 real world licensed cars that you can damage to your heart's content. Check out the trailer. "Blur" should be hitting the streets in 2010. Look for it. 'Til then, I'll be playing "Burnout: Paradise".

Borderlands gets Zombies

"Borderlands" is a great game I haven't been able to get my hands on as of yet. But I will. It's like they grabbed an RPG and fused it with a FPS and added a few thousand guns for you to play with. And now, thanks to the developer, 2K Games, there's now some new downloadable content (DLC) available to buy to further your gaming experience. But, the frosting on the extra gameplay cake is . . . zombies! Check out the video. "The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned" is out now, so whip out the credit cards and get it for either XBOX 360 or PS3.

Date Night Trailer

I had no idea that this movie was coming out until today. Good thing that it's not released until next April. "Date Night" stars Steve Carrell and Tina Fey as a married couple that wants to spice up their marriage by pretending to be someone else to take their dinner reservation . . . with dire, but at the same time, hilarious circumstances. Lots of cameos in this one as well. I spotted Common, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco and Mila Kunis. This movie looks like something my wife would totally be into, and that's good for me, because now I don't have to convince her to go see this. Check out the trailer. It's funny.

The Olivia Munn Magazine?

Olivia Munn, smoking-hot co-host of "Attack of the Show", has her own magazine now? Or maybe it's a special one time thing she's doing for fans. Either way, it seems like something that should have been done a long time ago. While I will not end up purchasing the mag (not that big of a magazine reader) there's no reason for anyone else not to buy this. Especially AOTS fans. She's doing it mainly for them, and from the looks of this preview video, she knows what her fans want. Check it out, and then look out for "Hey Olivia" in stands soon.

Ukranian Street Fighters

Oh Ukranians . . . Why fight like this? In broad daylight? While drunk? And with spectators? Oh, it's for my own personal amusement? Then carry on, please. This fight is almost epic. It runs for a good five minutes, interrupted here and there by Ukranians of saner (or should I say sober) minds who try to break up the fight . . . repeatedly. I don't know what sparked this dust up, but does it really matter? I didn't think so. If someone does speak the language and wants to translate what is being said, then please, be my guest. Drop something in the comments section below. Shine some light on this. Or not. It's enjoyable either way.

The Road Trailer #2

"The Road" looks like the bleak and grimy holiday fare I need to cut the saccharine sweetness that Hollywood tends to pump out towards the end of the year. Based on the even bleaker novel written by Cormac McCarthy (author of "No Country for Old Men"), "The Road" tells the story of a man and his son trying to stay alive after a global apocalypse wipes out most of humanity leaving not much more than a wasteland behind. Sounds like my cup of tea.

It also helps that this movie has a pretty impressive cast including Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall. This movie is directed by John Hillcoat, the guy that directed Guy Pearce in the Australian western "The Proposition", which was also bleak and grimy. I'm starting to see a pattern here. In any case, this should be good. Make sure to check out the trailer and make a date to balance out the holiday cheer with some post-apocalyptic somberness.

BAFW TV Guide - Fringe

Fringe
Fringe is the best show I'm not currently watching on TV. I do catch myself up on FOX.com, but Thursday nights are pretty busy when it comes to TV and there are too many conflicts for my DVR to handle. But, that's not to say you should miss this show. It's fantastic. And the scope of the story is just beginning to become realized.

In case you are new to this show, it's basically an FBI procedural show with an inter-dimensional twist. While the show started out a little bit on the X-Files-ish (another great FOX genre show), it has now taken a life of it's own by putting the viewer in the middle of a burgeoning war between our unsuspecting dimension and another, more insidious version. Trying to make sense of it is an FBI agent (played by Anna Torv) who gets mixed up with this and begins investigating weird cases that seem to be all somewhat connected by something that was referenced in the first season as "The Pattern".

Now in it's second season, "Fringe" is ramping up the speed and the strangeness. But it's not at all a bad thing, as the first season ended in a bit of a cliffhanger and season 2 just hits the ground running (or rolling if you watched the first episode of this current season). If you've missed it so far, make sure you pick up the DVD and then head on out to FOX's website to watch this season's missed episodes. "Fringe" doesn't disappoint and actually has an excellent cast of characters, even if Pacey from fucking "Dawson's Creek" is involved. Joshua Jackson is actually quite good here, so don't hold it against the show.

"Fringe" airs on Thursday nights. Check your local listings for actual times.

Firefly Fans Rejoice for a Minute or So

I've been watching "Castle" frankly at first because of Nathan Fillion's involvement. I've continued to watch because it's also very entertaining. Yes, I am a disappointed "Firefly" and "Serenity" fan that thought the show and the movie were unfairly treated by the mainstream TV-watching and movie-going public. But, in this week's episode of "Castle", it seems that Fillion decided to throw us fans a bone by donning the Mal Reynolds outfit at the beginning of their Halloween episode, and then had a rather comical exchange with his TV daughter on the show. It was great, and something that both my wife and I laughed at and knowingly grinned at when we both saw it.

Sure, it's taken me a couple of days to get this post out, since the show airs on Monday nights, but that's the beauty of DVR right? I don't have to watch the show when it actually airs. "Castle" is currently in it's second season. I'm sure you can get the first season out on DVD and catch yourself up on ABC's website if you missed any other episodes from this current season.

And this should count as another BAFW TV Guide entry. But then the title of the post would be too large. Fuck it. This one is for the Browncoats.

Trailer Time - Black Devil Doll

"Black Devil Doll" is a movie that had escaped my knowledge up until now. Looks like it came out in 2008 and is currently out on DVD. So, if anyone out there was thinking of getting me a kick-ass Christmas present, this would be it. I mean, I wouldn't turn down a Lamborghini, but I'm sure I wouldn't enjoy it as much as this movie. Check out the extremely NSFW trailer, preferably from the comfort of your own home or unsupervised computer terminal. The disclaimer/warning at the end is just hilarious. This thoroughly offensive movie looks like something I would love to watch. Let me know if anyone has seen this and if it's worth it. Just drop your comments in the . . . hmm . . . "comments" section?

BAFW TV Guide - Flash Forward

Flash Forward
This is a brand new hour-long show for the Fall 2009 season. Based on a book of the same name, "Flash Forward" tells the tale of a global event where everyone blacks out for just over 2 minutes (127 seconds) and sees a glimpse of their future 6 months from now. The show, playing on ABC on Thursday evenings, looks impressive at times thanks to a generous budget (it shows). It's not as action packed as I was expecting, but the slow unraveling of the mystery is keeping me hooked in right now.

The cast does a fairly decent job. There are a couple of "Lost" cast members that make up the ensemble cast here. No relation to their previous work on that other ABC show. When it comes down to it, if you're looking for a drama with a sci-fi twist, "Flash Forward" doesn't disappoint. There are about 5 episodes so far, with more to come. Check your local listings for times. And catch yourself up over at ABC.com if you still haven't had a chance to watch this yet.

BAFW TV Guide - New Comedies Fall 2009

I've been missing for some time from this page. I'd like to say I was doing interesting things in exotic locales . . . but it's mostly been watching the boob-tube. And by that, I mean television, not a freaky-deaky porn site that is similar to YouTube in it's ease of use. But, we're straying from the subject at hand.

Community
"Community" is a new comedy on NBC that plays during their Thursday night block of comedy. It's one of the best half hours of hilarity out right now if you wanted my personal opinion (which I'm guessing is why you're actually taking the time to read this). "Community" stars the great Joel McHale who basic cable TV viewers will know from E's "The Soup". He's part of an ensemble cast that includes Chevy Chase, who is also hilarious in this show. Pretty much the whole cast brings a little something different to the show, set in a fictional community college, and so far, it's always been consistently great. If you haven't jumped on board yet, please do. You're missing out.

Modern Family
The next new comedy of this fall season that I have been thoroughly enjoying is ABC's "Modern Family". This show plays on Wednesday nights (tonight if you're reading this the day that I posted it) and it's also something you can't afford to miss. Otherwise, you'd be comedy bankrupt. There's a lot of funny people in this show, notably the great Ed O'Neill, who you will remember from "Married with Children". Here, he's paired up with a Colombian actress Sofia Vergara (who many male individuals of Hispanic descent will remember from helping them get through puberty). They make up 1/3 of the family portrayed in "Modern Family". The other couples include a gay couple that just adopted a Chinese baby and a more traditional family with a father that tries too hard to be his kids' friends. The scene in the first episode where he's detailing his knowledge of text abbreviations was "LOL". Even though my description isn't doing the show much justice, trust me when I tell you that you need to DVR or TiVo this show ASAP.

BAFW TV Guide will return within the next couple of days where I will talk about new dramatic shows I've been checking out for the first time and enjoying. It might not even take 14 days to come up with a new post. Keep your eyes peeled . . . figuratively speaking. You need those puppies for TV viewing.

Misinformation Station

I just saw this as I was making my rounds around the interwebs today. It's a little strange that a place designed for entry is so adamant about not letting anyone perform said entry into it. I'm not sure where this would be located, but I'm pretty sure I want to evade this locale at all costs. If this is how they run this particular public service, I shudder to think about how everything else is run in that town/city.