After hours of tinkering (on something that should have just taken minutes), I’ve set my blog as the default homepage for the site.  I’ve also changed the ‘Home’ page to ‘About’.  It felt like the original page I had listed as the default left the site feeling very stagnant and forced the reader to go looking for content, instead of having it right in front of them.  I’ve also added a permanent link on the top menu for my Reviews section.  There are only two in there, but I hope to add more for each new film I see.  Personally, I’ve been struggling with the reviews section for a little while now.  I skipped over writing a review for Transformers for a couple of reasons.  1) It’s already received so much talk and everyone basically already knows the main issues with the film (racist robots, robot balls, Michael Bay, etc).  2) I don’t feel like I’d have anything interesting to add to the plethora of other reviews out there.

This brings me to another thought.  I feel like I’m trying to be too critical or too professional when it comes to writing these reviews, and it feels a bit frustrating because I don’t really feel like I’ve found/settled on a voice for them.  Ideally, I’d like to be able to speak plainly and in very quick and general terms, but I also realize that in doing so, I lose most of what makes the reviews critical.  Hopefully I can find a balance soon and really figure out what my writing style is, so that I can provide all of you with quality reviews that aren’t too technical or too simplified.  Anyways, my review for Harry Potter is on it’s way, and then after that will most likely be District 9, which I encourage all of you to go see.

Oh, and the starred review plugin is currently out of commission.  Well, it still functions for the site, but currently won’t let me add or edit anything, so there won’t be anything new on the right hand side until the plugin developer fixes it.  I also suggested that he should add an option for it to show a random selection of reviews every time you view the page, that way it’s not so stale and also allows the reader to be able to view all reviews (randomly), instead of just a the five most recent.

Here’s a list of 9 films (in order of release date) I’m anxious or curious to see in the remainder of 2009.  Click on the thumbnails to view the trailer.

1.  Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince — July 15, ’09

Having not read any of the books, I have to rely on the films to keep me up to speed in the world of Hogwarts.  While David Yates left me a little disappointed with The Order of the Phoenix, the early reviews for Half Blood Prince are pretty strong, and I get the feeling that he’ll have some more exciting material to work with as we venture forth into Harry’s world and learn more about you know who.

2.  (500) Days of Summer — July 17, ’09

One of the big hits from the ‘o9 Sundance (yay) Film Festival, (500) Days of Summer fills me with great hope for a fun and quirky romantic comedy for the summer.  I also think that Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanell are two very talented actors that are in the beginnings of very terrific careers.

[youtubehq PsD0NpFSADM]

3.  District-9 –  August 14, ’09

When I saw the first trailer for District-9, I was very excited.  It has mixed elements of sci fi and a Documentary feel, which suggest a very intriguing look into the nature of interspecies relations.  Then I saw the second trailer, and it blew my face off while punching me in the kidneys.  I liken the feel of the first trailer to the movie Alien and the second trailer to Aliens.  Both deal with essentially the same material, but in extremely different ways, and both are amazing.  And make sure that you watch the first trailer BEFORE you watch the second one.

4.  9 — September 9, ’09

Finally an animated film that isn’t afraid to be dark.  Shane Acker (UCLA Alum) takes his Oscar nominated short film to feature lengths, and shows us a very unique, post-apocalpytic world of stitchpunk characters and engaging visuals.

[youtubehq a6v4Ln6HJIk]

5.  Zombieland — October 9, ’09

Zombieland just looks like it’s going to be a lot of fun.  Hopefully it can rise to the levels of Shaun of the Dead, and provide some great laughs and fun mixed in with the zombie survival genre.

6.  The Road — October 16, ’09

Critically acclaimed novel from Cormac Mccarthy (No Country for Old Men) + post apocalyptic visuals = me purchasing a ticket.

[youtubehq grSrSXL3izk]

7.  Where the Wild Things Are — October 16, ’09

If you don’t see this movie, you have no heart.  Plus it looks like it will be visually amazing, and I expect some great storytelling from Spike Jonze.

[youtubehq 655-y5IJBt8]

8.  2012 — November 13, ’09

Hopefully this will be the end of Roland Emmerich’s end-of-the-world movies, and hopefully he does it as good as he can.  It looks ridiculous, and like it’s going to be jam packed with earth destroying eye candy,  but count me in.

9.  Avatar (3D) – December 18, ’09

No trailer yet, but there is already so much hype about this film.  I’m hoping for one of the most visually amazing spectacles that I have ever seen.  You can read all about it over at /Film.

So there you have it.  9 films that I’m looking forward to seeing, and hopefully now, you are too.

*EDIT: Some trailers have been removed from this post because they were taken down from YouTube.

I’ve done it.  I’ve broken free.  I am no longer a cog in the AT&T-iPhone machine/monopoly.  After two attempts to jailbreak my phone and unlock it, I am now free and the current *ruler of everything.  Gaze upon how awesome I am, below.

That right there is what technological freedom looks like.  I still have the same phone number, and all the same/better features (unlimited web, text, and 1000 anytime minutes), and now thanks to Catherine Zeta-Jones, I’m saving about $30 a month compared to AT&T’s plan.   If you want to know how to join the revolution and break free from AT&T with your iPhone, just ask me and I can walk you through the easy process. Until then, you can admire me for how savvy I am.

*Ruler of everything does not apply in the continental U.S.