Review – Zodiac (2007)

I’m a little late to the party on this one, but I finally got around to watching Zodiac this week. Despite being one of the most notorious serial killers in U.S. history, I knew fairly little about the case, so I was very curious going into this. The plot basically revolves around the newsroom of a major newspaper which received letters from the Zodiac killer in the late 60s. You do witness several murders that the Zodiac commits, but the majority of the story is based on the investigation itself.

The movie appears to have been based on a book that was written about the investigation. The author plays a fairly large role in this movie, so there’s no real surprise there. This doesn’t mean that the story is particularly one-tracked, but it is obviously biased to his experiences.

If I had any complaints, it’s that the movie seemed a little long at times, although it was never really dull. I was also fairly disappointed in the quality of the video transfer, but others have suggested that the yellowish hue and soft picture may have been done stylistically to represent the times.

If you’re curious about the case and investigation surrounding the (unsolved) Zodiac killings, this is definitely a film to check out. I followed-up my viewing with some research on the web and most of the movie seems to be a fairly accurate representation of the events that took place.

Recommendation – Rent it, but make sure you set aside time for the 2.5 hour show

Movie Reviews – Week ending 10/12/07

28 Weeks Later – Good, I was a little skeptical going into this one because I had not heard favorable reviews. I was a fan of the first one, though this one takes a very different approach. It conveys a feeling of tension throughout and provides a few good scares here and there. If you enjoyed 28 Days Later, be sure to rent this one. Without spoiling the movie, it also appears as if a 28 Months (or Years, etc.) is probably in the works.
Recommendation: Definite rental/buy if you like zombie flicks

Bug – Average, To be honest, I’m not really sure where this one ranks on my scale in the grand scheme of things. It was (erroneously) marketed as a horror movie, when it is more of an exploration in psychology. It does have a few frightening scenes, but the fear comes from the power of the mind to persuade yourself and others. As long as you don’t approach this movie thinking it will be a horror-fest (or even particularly scary), you’ll at least walk away knowing what it’s like to be “crazy”.
Recommendation: Rent it, don’t expect a traditional “horror” movie

Subwoofer Q&A with ToastedPirate

I have to apologize for my lack of posting lately, things have just been hectic at home and work. I’ve seen several movies in that time, including a few good ones, so I’ll have to make a note to post those reviews later. I have been asked a few questions about the best bang-for-the-buck in both budget subwoofers and receivers that handle HDMI.

First off, the subwoofer…

There are three real options in the budget range, which I consider to be under-$300. These are:

• Acoustech BIC H100, $249
•  AV123 x-sub, $199
• Cadence X-Sub12, $199

Each have their pluses and minuses, so you’ll have to choose based on your exact budget and requirements. The AV123 option is a heavyweight 8″ sub with a 500-watt (150w RMS) amp, adjustable phase, gain and crossover. It’s rated down to 28Hz and is the punchiest of the three, mostly due to the size and design.

The BIC is a larger 12″ sub, with a  500-watt (150w RMS) amp, adjustable phase, gain and crossover. It’s rated down to 24Hz and provides a bit more “oomph” for the home theater environment. This is the particular sub that I own, and I can vouch for both the power and clarity behind it. Your walls and windows will likely begin to shake before the sub ever bottoms out – assuming you aren’t trying to fill a large room.

The Cadence is a fairly new offering, but it’s also a 12″ sub with a smaller amp. It has adjustable gain and crossover, but no phase control (to my knowledge). I have not heard this one before, so I can’t really comment on it – but as I understand it, the Cadence competes fairly well with the other two. I have also heard that it needs a little more tweaking that the others to really sound good.

Unfortunately, there just aren’t many good options at the big box stores without spending a lot of money. Both JBL, Polk and even Infinity offer some decent subs…but most of those start at around $500. For the best price/performance ratio, I would definitely recommend one of the three subwoofers above – with my biased opinion picking the BIC H100 as the top dog.

In my next post, I’ll be covering HDMI-based A/V receivers…

Theater Upgrade Complete!

My motorcycle sold on Friday evening, which means I officially had the funds to upgrade the theater!

I had already ordered the equipment (ready to return if the bike didn’t sell), so my Saturday afternoon was spent installing everything. The screen is a fairly large step-up from a size standpoint, and was a little bit of a pain to mount. The good thing about the new projector is that it doesn’t require mounting and can hit the screen from anywhere on the back wall – so at least exact measurements were kept to a minimum. The screen reeks heavily of new plastic though, so I’m going to have to leave a window open a few days this week.

The last piece of the equipment was a Toshiba HD-A30 HD DVD player that I got at a $100 discount from Best Buy. There were two things that drew me to this particular unit – the availability of HD discs and the great job it does with upscaling standard DVDs. I’ve been blown away by the quality of both, especially the high def stuff.

The only thing left to do is work out some tweaks here and there, and learn how to use all the features of the new stuff. The current list of equipment in the theater looks something like this:

Display:
Sanyo PLV-Z5 projector
Elite 92″ Matte White manual screen

Audio:
Polk Audio R300 front speakers
Polk Audio CS1 center channel
Onkyo SKB-520 surround speakers
Acoustech BIC H100 subwoofer

A/V Equipment:
Toshiba HD-A30 HD DVD player
Onkyo HT-R520 receiver

The A30 came with a copy of 300 and The Bourne Identity, but I really wanted to see what the unit could do, so I ordered a few more. Hopefully arriving by the end of the week will be – Batman Begins, Gods & Generals, The Bourne Supremacy, Serenity, Troy: Director’s Cut and Dawn of the Dead.

Pictures (and more movie reviews) will be posted soon!

Vacancy (2007)

I was very much looking forward to this one at the theater, because it looked so interesting on the trailers. When it pretty much bombed at the box office, I lost hope for it. When it finally came to DVD (somewhat under the radar), I decided it was at least worth a rental.

I turned out to be very surprised and impressed with this movie overall. It’s rather short – 85 minutes – but that only serves as a means to keep the action and tension going for the entire movie. Once it picks up, about 15-20 minutes in, it doesn’t slow down until the credits roll.

I won’t divulge the plot, as it’s rather simple, but enough to keep you doing a little guessing. Revealing the plot would also take away some of the “shock” the movie conveys so well. Nothing in this movie should be scary or cause you to be on the edge of your seat…after all, it’s something we’ve seen in thrillers many times before. That’s what made the experience so fun for me – somehow it is scary and somehow it does manage to keep you tense.

Part of that comes from the unknown – the whole movie takes place in the middle of the night in a very cramped motel room. There is a very claustrophobic atmosphere where the viewer feels like they are right there with the protagonists. You can only see and know as much as the characters see and know – and when you’re stuck in an unknown location, that’s not too much.

I would definitely suggest picking this one up if you are a fan of thrillers. The violence is actually kept to a minimum, and the movie relies on fear to keep it moving. Be warned that if you (or anyone sharing the experience) is prone to jump or scream, you’ll definitely have your hands full.

Recommendation: If thrillers are your thing, this is not one to miss. It does have some obvious flaws and very cliche moments, but its still a fun flick.

30 Second Movie Reviews

I honestly haven’t seen too many good movies lately, so rather than trying to point out everything that was wrong with them, I’m going to take a few seconds of your time to give the briefest possible overview.

Miss Potter (2007) – Fair. This is basically the story behind the lady that wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit. It was interesting, though I’m not sure how factual it is. Much of this movie was an old fashioned romance, which isn’t really my bag, so it’s not really wise for me to judge it.
Recommendation: Rent it

Bloodlines (2007) – Pathetic. For whatever reason, I’m into the whole gross-out horror movie thing. I liked Saw and Hostel, though not so much for the story as the shock value. This movie looked to be more of the same, and I picked it up on a recommendation. I don’t know who recommended it, but I would like to find them and perform some of the same acts to them.
Recommendation: Kick it in the lips and run away

The Astronaut Farmer (2007) – Fair. I wanted this movie to be so much better than it really was. The plot revolves around a farmer (who’s last name is Farmer HARRRR HARRR, those writers sure are original) who dreams of building a functional rocket in his barn. Everything was good until the final act, where things just got stupid and fell apart. I can think of a million different approaches that would have been much more heartfelt.
Recommendation: Rent it

The Lookout (2007) - Fair. This was a case of a movie trying to pack too much story into too little movie. You’ve got a kid with a tragic history, now he has mental sequencing issues, he has a blind friend, he has a dysfunctional family, he can’t find a job, his friend wants to start a business, there’s a bank robbery, there’s shooting, people die, etc, etc, etc. Yeah…all of that in 1hr 42m
Recommendation: Rent it

The Perfect Popcorn – on a budget

Everyone reading this has eaten a bag of microwave popcorn at one time or another, and most of you (myself included) probably didn’t know there were too many alternatives without spending a fortune on a movie theater-type popper.

I was turned on to a product by the AVSForum more than a year ago that has worked out amazingly – the Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper for about $25. You may think it’s silly that I’m reviewing popcorn now, but bear with me.

This unit requires the use of oil, and as a result produces crispy pieces of popcorn instead of the chewy pieces you get from a hot air popper or the microwave. You basically dump the oil in the base of the unit, pour in the popcorn, plug the unit in and wait about 4-5 minutes.

A metal “stirrer” at the base of the unit keeps the kernels moving and prevents them from getting burned. There is also a place at the top of the unit where you can melt butter onto the corn as it’s popping, killing two birds with one stone. I ordered some of the actual butter flavoring online that they use at the theaters for an added kick.

The popcorn tastes loads better than anything I’ve pulled out of the microwave (much closer to that movie theater experience), and depending on how you top it, is healthier. Don’t forget that the grocery store sells lots of popcorn flavorings (literally, they are shakeable containers that are intended for popcorn) – cinnamon, cheese, ranch, etc.

The supplies are relatively cheap too. You can buy a jar/bag of kernels at most grocery stores for $3-4 that will last you quite a while – same goes with the butter, salt, toppings, etc. Compare that with a box of microwave stuff that sometimes costs $6+ and usually has half a dozen bags, and you have a very quick return on investment.

The last benefit is how much you are actually able to pop at once. I rarely have many folks over for a movie, but it’s nice to know I won’t have to throw 2 or 3 bags in the microwave when I do. The Stir Crazy pops up to 6oz., which is more than even three people would eat in a single sitting, and could probably accommodate 5-6 folks fairly easily.

If you’re tired of the unhealthy microwave popcorn, or are just looking for something that will get you that much closer to the theater experience, definitely check out the Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper. I purchased mine at Wal-Mart, but I have seen them at Target and many places online.

Rewind – Tears of the Sun (2003)

With the recent stream of movies about the conflicts in Africa in the last few years (Hotel Rwanda, Blood Diamond, Catch a Fire, Last King of Scotland), I decided to watch one that I haven’t seen in a while: Tears of the Sun.

This is definitely more of an action movie than some of the more politically-oriented movies I mentioned above, but it provides an interesting aspect on the situation nonetheless.

For those that may have missed it, Bruce Willis plays a Special Ops captain who leads a team of men into a mission where they must extract an American doctor. When she refuses to leave without her people, things get complicated. Willis does a fairly good job of portraying a strict military guy that has some compassion hidden underneath.

The movie was not without some issues – namely in the believability department. I know that I may criticize films too heavily for not maintaining a believable plot, but this one had some glaring holes. Special Ops or not, soldiers would not disobey orders to this magnitude…nor would their superiors be so easy-going about the incident. Then of course the battle scenes were a little over the top, but I’ve never been in a shootout with African rebels, so maybe I’m wrong. The movie did everything it could to make the Americans look like the heroes of the day and felt a little cheesy, especially when the rest of the world probably sees things a different way.

I did find out that the movie was shot entirely in Hawaii – and I have to say that the location crew did a good job with this. It wasn’t until after this second viewing that I learned this fact, and they certainly had me fooled.

For those with Blu-Ray players, I have read that the transfer is very nice and would probably be worth seeing again in high definition, even if its just for the scenery.

Tears of the Sun is a movie that should be seen at least once, especially if it missed your radar. However, four years after its release, it hasn’t gotten any better either. I suppose there are certainly worse choices you could make for a second sitting, and it works well for what it is – a simple action movie that tries to pull out a little sympathy.

Fracture (2007)

I honestly wasn’t expecting much from a movie that didn’t see much action at the box office and hasn’t been hyped on TV, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The story behind Fracture is that Anthony Hopkins’ character catches his wife cheating and murders her in his house. Being a crafty and intelligent guy, he basically leaves no evidence at the crime scene and challenges the District Attorney (Ryan Gossling) to prove his guilt. With no witnesses, no murder weapon and no confession…it is basically an impossible task.

Folks that study law will certainly snub their nose at the film, as will anyone that reads too much into it. However, if you approach the movie from a “CSI” standpoint (fun to watch, not necessarily accurate), you’ll have a blast.

I don’t know what it is about Anthony Hopkins playing smart and deranged criminals, but his performance is outstanding. Gossling was also very convincing in his role as the young DA.

While it has its flaws, it is still a very entertaining movie and I would definitely recommend it to anyone with an empty spot on their rental queue.

Recommendation: Check this one out, you might be surprised

New Projector in My Future?

Last week, I wrote a post detailing the HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray war. I stated that in order to see any difference, I would need to upgrade my projector, as it is only an Enhanced Definition (848×480) display. While this works out great for DVDs , it is not going to show any detail in a higher resolution image like one of the HD formats supports.

While I had originally considered waiting until later in the year (or even early next year), I am seriously contemplating doing the upgrade soon.

Those that know me have seen me go through a few different modes of transportation in the last two years. Right now I have a car that I purchased last year and a motorcycle that I purchased in May (used). While I love the bike, it just hasn’t gotten the use that I thought it would. It seems to take longer to “gear up” than to ride to work or run a quick errand – I don’t live in a big town, so nothing is more than a few minutes away. Even on longer rides, it’s hard to find the time to just go out and ride the back roads. It could also be the 100+ degree weather this summer… Whatever it is, I’m disappointed to even ponder getting rid of it, but at the same time, it’s not very cost effective sitting in the garage

Anyway, IF I decide to sell the bike (and my older theater equipment), I have convinced myself that I would have the money to upgrade the theater now…plus still have a nice chunk of change to put away for savings. After all, I spend ridiculous amounts of time watching movies every week, I might as well get the best of it. Funny how we try to justify things we really don’t NEED.

I have researched several projectors and packages and have found a nice Sanyo PLV-Z5, which is a 720p 3LCD offering. The lens shift on this unit would keep me from having the alter my current mounting setup, and the zoom and bigger throw range would allow me to move from a 76″ screen to 92″ or even 100″(whoa!)

At the same time, I would likely purchase the Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD player, which can be found for less than $250 with several bundled movies. I would not normally purchase an HD player at this time, but it costs only slightly more than a good upconverting player (not the $40 WalMart junk) AND plays hi-def content at the same time.

Of course everything here is just a “thought” right now, and nothing is final. I’m actually perfectly happy with my current setup – but I’ve got that techno-geek urge that always wants the next best thing.

I’ll have to review my logic (and finances) in the coming days, but I guess anything is a possibility right now.