This week, I crossed a movie off of my comedy nerd list of shame. I was aware of the cult following of “Weird Al” Yankovic’s absurdist sketch film, “UHF,” and I’d been a fan of his parody songs since I was a kid. For some reason, however, I’d just never gotten around to seeing the movie. Thanks to Netflix, I was recently able to right that wrong.

.

“UHF” very loosely tells the story of a chronically out-of-work George Newman (Yankovic) as he stumbles onto the deed for a pathetically low-rated public access UHF station. Hi-jinks ensue, money needs to be raised, complications arise, so on and so forth. Really, the plot serves as a mechanism by which Yankovic and co-writer/director Jay Levey deliver a series of absurd and satirical sketches parodying pop culture.

No, this is not a fair fight. The guy with the gun doesn't stand a chance.

From the opening scene, it is very clear what kind of movie “UHF” is trying to be. We see a spot-on parody of the opening scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark” full of sight gags and moments of slapstick that are each more silly than the last. It’s instantaneously full of broad physical comedy and punny wordplay, and never ever lets go of that tone and pace for the entire 90ish minute runtime. This is both a blessing and a curse, but ultimately gives the movie its notable character and charm.

For fans of Weird Al’s trademark song stylings, the movie has a handful of fun and hilarious musical numbers. The vast majority of the sketches are quite clever and funny as well. Unfortunately, like many films with a sketch comedy tone, it does start to wear out its welcome as it goes on. It moves along so quickly that when it attempts any moments of actual character or heart, those moments just fall completely flat. None of the characters really earn any genuine likability, with the possible exception of Stanley Spudowski (played by Michael Richards), whose relentless positivity and love of all things janitorial make for a few moments that are actually endearing.

Here, Stanley is congratulating this child for finding the marble in the oatmeal by granting him the privilege of drinking from the fire hose. It doesn't make any more sense in context, I assure you.

Overall, “UHF” is a mixed bag. Its manic tone and satirical style are entertaining, but feel spread a bit thin over the feature length runtime. Despite that, it features some really fantastic sketches and classic pop culture parody, as well as some fun songs by Weird Al Yankovic. If you’re a fan of his sense of humor, as I am, then you’ll likely find a lot to love in this film. It’s silly, slapstick, stupid, and smart, and might have been overlooked by some people who only know Weird Al from his more popular hits.

Plus, if you find the marble, you get to drink from the fire hose.

As you are probably aware, today is not just any Tuesday. Today is Valentine’s Day. I could very easily have found some sappy, romantic, love-conquers-all drama or inane rom-com, but that wouldn’t be very Wrecked. Instead, my weekly Netflix Pick is an exercise in counter-programming. How about a movie that simply takes place on Valentine’s Day, but in place of cards, chocolates, and kissing in the rain is a small-town zombie outbreak? Got your attention? Read on after the jump.

.

“Pontypool” follows morning radio shock-jock Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) on a particularly cold and snowy Valentine’s Day. On his way to work in the small Canadian town of Pontypool, Mazzy has a strange encounter with a woman on the side of the road that leaves him a bit confused. As the morning goes on, reports of escalating strangeness begin coming in on the wire, throwing Grant, his producer (Lisa Houle), and the young engineer (Georgina Reilly) into a frenzy trying to keep up with the story as it develops. The situation turns violent, and begins exhibiting the telltale signs of a zombie outbreak.

Naturally, it's never explicitly labeled as such, but I feel that society has been training us all to know it when we see it.

To be absolutely fair to the more bloodthirsty of you, this is not your run-of-the-mill zombie film. There’s a decided lack of “SHOOT FOR THE HEAD” and a pretty low quantity of violence in general. If you’re itching for gore and striking visuals of zombie hordes, this is not going to satisfy your hungry brain meats. The tone of this film is much more understated, exploring the unfolding events through the slow burn of an outside perspective. The folks in the studio receive calls about what’s happening and hear emergency broadcasts as the outbreak happens in the nearby town. It’s not a roller coaster thrill ride. It’s a steady crescendo of tension and panic that takes its time getting where it’s going, and I loved every minute of it.

We often see movies about the zombie apocalypse that are all about the people right smack dab in the middle of all the action. In fact, that’s pretty much every zombie movie. This one tells a different story. It tells the story of the people that are just on the edge of the front line; the people that feel it is their responsibility to tell the rest of the world what’s happening. It’s a novel perspective, and it makes for some very tense moments full of uncertainty and carefully executed suspense. The zombie outbreak may be a familiar setting for many of us, but this particular outbreak occurs in a way that is fresh and exciting, leaving plenty of mystery for even the most seasoned fan of zombie films.

I would imagine that without the cowboy hat, his voice wouldn't be nearly as comforting.

When films take place primarily in a single location, their success depends largely on the charisma of the cast and the quality of the script. Both of these elements are quite strong in “Pontypool,” particularly the performance of Stephen McHattie. His voice is built for radio, and he delivers his on-air lines with a level of velvety smoothness that can make anything sound fantastic. The script, written by Tony Burgess and based on his own novel, makes great use of the setting. The studio is the perfect place to explore the themes that Burgess is going after, and it never feels at all limiting or gimmicky. It’s a tense environment throughout, and serves the story well.

It may not be the zombie-slaying gorefest many prefer, but “Pontypool” is a smart film that utilizes its somewhat absurd premise to examine some thematic ideas that have an unfortunately timeless relevance. It’s a slow build, but it does go somewhere while managing to be tense and dramatic throughout. If you’re a fan of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” and are itching for more character-driven zombie goodness, this film is a wonderful example of doing a lot with minimal resources.

Plus it’s Valentine’s Day. Nothing says “I love you” like Canadian zombies. Right?

Though the style may be running rampant recently, I must admit that I am a fan of the “found footage” gimmick. Something about the whole let’s-all-pretend-just-for-like-an-hour-and-a-half-that-this-is-actually-happening shtick makes for some creative (if contrived) uses of camera and sound that often have the effect of making the ridiculous seem tangible. With the debatable exception of “Cloverfield,” most found footage films thus far have been of the horror persuasion. “Chronicle,” the latest release to utilize the style, is more of a high-school-set action/dramedy. Is this where found footage films jump the proverbial shark, or does this gimmicky style still have some battery life left in its camera?

.

“Chronicle” follows lonely, Seattle-based teenager Andrew Detmer (Dane DeHaan) after his acquisition of a high end consumer-grade video camera. He decides to start filming habitually, as many do when they get a shiny new toy (and when they are the focus of a found footage movie). On the eve of a kickin’ rave, Andrew is asked by his cousin, Matt (Alex Russell), and Matt’s friend, Steve (Michael B. Jordan), to use his camera to record this crazy thing that fell out of the sky and crashed in some nearby woodlands. They go to check it out, the thing starts acting weird, and before you know it everyone’s got superpowers. Telekinetic superpowers, if you want to get specific. 

This is possible through telekinesis. Apparently.

As previously admitted, I am a fan of the whole found footage thing. The novelty of it may be wearing thin, but as long as there’s a solid story with charismatic characters played by actors that can convincingly give a naturalistic performance, it works for me. Thankfully, “Chronicle” meets that standard handily. The success of the style rests pretty heavily on the ability of the cast to make the events unfolding on camera feel believable and immediate, and the cast of “Chronicle” mostly manages to do so with a great sense of friendship-chemistry. The characters may be archetypal to the high school experience, but they all rest within their archetypes with a sense of understated groundedness that helps them feel like real people. The way they experiment with their new abilities is particularly effective, as it is exactly how you’d think a bunch of modern teenagers WOULD experiment with telekinesis. It’s playful, genuine, and a lot of fun to watch.

All of this would be impressive in any movie, but the found footage style does enhance the effect to some degree. Andrew’s use of his camera actually works as an extension of his character, and it’s placement and motion develops alongside his abilities. The thematic justification alone makes the style feel more artistically applicable here than in most other films from the found footage camp, even if it does feel a bit forced at times. The problem is simultaneously alleviated and aggravated in the third act, when the source of the cameras filming the action shifts around a variety of different sources (some of them mildly puzzling). It adds a stylistic variety previously unseen in such movies, and it works to mostly great effect.

Seattle, Washington - home of Starbucks, grunge, and puppets that train you in the ways of the force.

While it’s not a perfect movie, “Chronicle” is a great time for found footage fans. Even if you’re getting tired of the gimmick or you just never cared for it in the first place, the story and characters present here are definitely worth spending some time with. The effects are a bit shoddy most of the time, especially for a wide-release studio film (they pale in comparison to “Cloverfield,” for instance), but the action is well paced and creative. If you’re itching for some super-powered goodness to tide you over until Batman, Spiderman, and the Avengers show up later this year, I think you’ll enjoy the more grounded take that “Chronicle” has to offer in the meantime.

Unless you get motion sickness easily. If that’s the case, though, you’ve probably learned to stay away from found footage movies by now. Don’t want you throwing up all over the theater. Floor’s sticky enough as it is.

Sony is finally starting to pull the curtains back on the new iteration of our favorite red and blue web-slinger, and I couldn’t be more stoked. The new “Amazing Spider-Man” looks awesome, and I can’t wait ’til the movie hits this July. Check out the trailer after the jump.

.

For more info about the flick, head over to the official website here.

What do you think of the new Spidey so far? Do you think the series will ever recover from the atrocity that was Spider-Man 3?

-ivan.

I’m about to admit something that may lose me a few points of modern film geek cred… I have never seen a film by Takashi Miike. Everything I’ve heard about “Audition” and “Ichi the Killer” has caused me a bit of hesitation on account of the modicum of squeamishness that still sits within my hardened, grown-up sensibilities. The descriptions of Miike’s “13 Assassins” seemed free of such warnings for the weak of stomach, so I figured that its addition to the Netflix catalog was the perfect opportunity to right that wrong.

.

“13 Assassins” is a good old fashioned tale of samurai courage and badassery. A remake of the 1963 film by the same name by Eiichi Kudo, the film tells the story of the brutal and cruel brother of a shogun (Goro Inagaki) whose actions become so feared by the people that a skilled samurai named Shinzaemon (Koji Yakusho) is asked to put together a team of assassins tasked with killing the tyrant as he tries passing into safe territory. As it turns out, he has something in the neighborhood of 200 guards, resulting in a sort of samurai version of the battle at Thermopylae with much smaller numbers on both sides. Nonetheless, the odds are pretty overwhelming.

What results is a third act full of cleverly orchestrated action sequences and wonderful displays of character. The last 45 minutes of this movie are a nonstop parade of courage and skill exhibited by 12 dedicated samurai warriors and one crazy bastard that just likes fighting people. Each of the 13 men has their hero moment, and the action is choreographed in a manner that is exciting and dramatic. The violence serves the story, and never feels gratuitous or shocking.

You can't see it, but he's about to face an army of bears with chainsaws for arms. The historical accuracy is staggering.

You may have noticed that I only mentioned the final 45 minutes in that last paragraph. If you’re looking for a movie that’s a wall-to-wall samurai action hootenanny, this isn’t it. This is not, however, a negative. You see, the first hour and fifteen minutes or so is spent setting up character and stakes. The film takes its time making sure you understand just how fucked up the actions of its villain are, and it pays off. You find yourself really rooting for this band of outmatched heroes, and it makes those final 45 minutes all the more dramatic.

Also contributing to that sense of drama are the fantastic performances by the cast. As someone who doesn’t speak Japanese, I spent the entire film reading subtitles and trying to remember characters’ names. Ultimately, the words and names were not important, as the performances transcended such technicalities. There’s the young guy with the spirit of ten men. There’s the older guy who’s doing it to secure a good livelihood for his family. There’s the crazy guy they ran into in the jungle who’s only in it for food and the excitement of fighting samurai. There’s the leader of the group, who is fighting for what he believes in, whatever the cost. These characters come alive through performance and writing, and manage to invest the audience all the more in their mission because of their likable personalities and what they represent.

Just a bunch of badasses on their way to fight like 200 guys. No big deal.

After seeing “13 Assassins,” I think I may finally be ready to check out Miike’s more controversial films. I’m really not that squeamish, and it’s clear that he’s a very talented filmmaker. This film is an excellent historical drama that becomes and excellent action film. The characters are well drawn and the action sequences are fresh and exciting. If you don’t mind a slow buildup, I can guarantee you that it pays off, both dramatically and in relation to pacing. An easy recommendation to those who can bear to deal with subtitles.

Plus it’s chock full of decapitations.

Living in the Bay Area is pretty nice.  We’re very close to three major cities, meaning there is ALWAYS some sort of event going on at any given time.  You can also make the case that the Bay is the Mecca of video games.  With such studios as Sony Computer Entertainment America, Visceral Games, 2K Marin, and Capcom (to name a few) taking residence here, you can pretty much guarantee that there will be some awesome events put on by these companies.  One such event took place on February 2nd, and was put on by Sony.  It was a public and media party/tournament for the highly anticipated reboot of the bestselling car-combat franchise Twisted Metal.  I’ve been a fan of the series since I was a young lad, so you bet your ass I went.  It was a ton of fun, and it only made me want the game even more.

.

I went with three friends, one of whom is Rasveer, a fellow Wrecked operative who served as the event’s photographer.  We arrived two hours before the doors opened, so we waited.  And waited.  About a half hour passed, and none other than the legend himself, David Jaffe casually walked up to the crowd and began talking to us and thanking us for coming.  For those who don’t know, David Jaffe is an icon among the gaming world.  He created Twisted Metal AND God of War.  I shook his hand, and immediately felt honored.  Also a little embarrassed because my hand was in my pocket, which made it a bit clammy.  He didn’t seem to mind, and he continued down the line, high-fiving and talking to people.  One fan painted a beautiful portrait of Doll Face holding a machine gun, and she gave it to him.  He was quite impressed, perhaps even humbled by the artwork that he had just been given for free.  After a brief “Holy shit this is amazing,” he made his way inside while we continued to wait, desperately wanting some drinks.

"I'm putting this on my wall, next to the 6,000 other fan art pieces I've received."

Not long after, a scraggly-looking man approached the line and started asking for spare change.  We began to consider taking a picture of him and sending it to Hipster or Homeless, because we couldn’t figure out which he was.  Luckily he answered our question when he came moseying up to me.  ”Hey bro,” he mumbled.  ”Can I get some spare change for a Pabst?”  The four of us held our tongues, and it took nearly everything I had to keep from laughing my balls off.  We gave him some change and let him go on his way.  Never in my life have I seen a homeless hipster until that moment.  The doors finally opened soon afterwards, and we were greeted by a woman who gave us two drink tickets, a raffle ticket and a Twisted Metal swag bag.  You can guess where we went first.  The bartender made fun of me when I ordered a gin on the rocks, saying that I seem a bit young to be drinking such a formidable beverage.  I told her to die.  She didn’t.  After visiting the bar, we made our way to the vacant TV’s that were waiting for us to start playing the game.  The controls were almost exactly the same as the previous games, so most of us had no problem getting right down to the mayhem.  The gameplay is virtually the same, which is great.  The graphics are absolutely stunning – something you should come to expect from Sony.  I only played a few rounds and didn’t participate in the tournament, so I can’t offer much insight on the game other than “it looks awesome.”

Not long afterwards, the lights went down and the voice of Sweet Tooth came bellowing from the speakers.  It greeted us with a demonic laugh, followed by his famous tagline “SHUT UP AND BLEED, YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!”  Then Sweet Tooth himself and his damaged counterpart Doll Face appeared on the stage.  The event’s host joined them and made some announcements, blah blah blah boringness, then David Jaffe appeared and began talking about the game.  After that, the tournament began.  We ordered more drinks, and saw Sweet Tooth and Doll Face just standing around, looking bored.  We decided to get pictures with them.  It didn’t turn out as planned.

Don't worry, I made a full recovery.

We got pictures with Doll Face as well, and she was much less stabby.  However the two of them liked us, we even convinced Sweet Tooth to play the game.

For the main character of a game, he didn't do too well.

After even more drinks, we were waiting for the tournament to end so they could start the raffle.  We saw David Jaffe walking around, and we even got a picture with him.  Again, he was kind enough not to stab me.

I was bleeding all over him.

Soon after, the tournament ended.  The winner received a copy of Twisted Metal, along with a special PS3 laser-etched with Sweet Tooth’s face, and it was also signed my David Jaffe.  Lucky prick.  Afterwards, the raffle began.  People won copies of the game, Sony gear and some signed artwork from the game.  Lucky pricks.  And as soon as it began, the event ended.  It was a ton of fun, I’m glad we got the chance to check it out.  I give a ton of respect to Sony for putting so much of work into this massive party, and to all the people who helped them.  I also feel a bit honored that Sweet Tooth stabbed me.  Like I said, this event only made me want the game even more.  It hits stores on Valentine’s Day, so be sure to check it out.

Rasveer took many more pictures, so check out our Facebook page to see more.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.319654858072177.66900.174293625941635&type=1

It’s February! You know what that means: Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day, Black History Month, and most important of all…another edition of the Underground Update!

First off, we have Forty Winters from Coral Springs,  FL. They’re not from the Bay Area, but their awesomeness makes that irrelevant. They just released a music video for their song “King Me.” If you live on the East Coast, make sure to catch them on the “East Post” tour, and check them out on Facebook!

Next, we have Leaders, from Hollister, CA. They just got signed to Facedown Records, and their album drops March 27th. Peep the song “Conviction.” Also, Check them out on Facebook!

Sacto hardcore mainstays Hoods recently released a video for their song “Night Rider.” Check them out on Facebook!

Also from Sacramento, Havenside have recently released the song “Resilient” from their upcoming album Nemesis. Check them out on Facebook!

San Francisco punk rockers, Heartsounds, recently released a video for their song “Unconditional.” Make sure you have some Faygo handy. Interestingly enough, the band features members from former Bay Area metal band Light this City. Check them out on Facebook!

Eidola have released a video featuring their history as a band, as well as a glimpse of the recording process at The Panda Studios for their upcoming release Companion. Check them out on Facebook!

Finally, if you haven’t heard, former Darkest Hour members Kris Norris and Ryan Parrish have started a new band called A Cancerous Affair. The band also features members of Annihilator, Threat Signal, and Winds of Plague. Check out their introduction video, as well as their Facebook.

Have a new release or music video you want to share? Send me an e-mail: randall@wreckedreviews.com

Its like they're staring into my soul with those blue lights.

Every time I walk through one of our local malls, there’s always a kiosk or a store that is demoing those Quadricopters that you link and control with your iPhone or iPad, and every time I think how cool it would be to have one but it would never do the things I want it to do. But these things…oh man, the childish things I would do with these things would embarrass even myself.

.

.

These are Quadrotor Helicopters (way better name than “Quadricopter”) developed by KMel Robotics. Remember that name, someday in the future they will enslave mankind after starting Skynet.

Check out more videos here!

-Sean

If there’s one thing I love about Netflix Instant Watch, it’s the abundance of independent films from promising first time writer/directors. This week’s pick is a notable indie dramedy that fits comfortably in that category, seeing as it is the debut feature from Josh Radnor. If that name sounds familiar, then you may be a fan of the beloved sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” in which Radnor plays serially romantic protagonist, Ted Mosby [if you're not a fan yet, "HIMYM" is also available on Netflix (hint, hint)]. How does he fare as a writer/director? Find out after the break!

.

In “Happythankyoumoreplease,” aspiring novelist Sam Wexler (Radnor) is riding the subway in New York City when he witnesses the accidental abandonment of a small child. He decides to help the boy find his way home, which turns out to be a far more difficult endeavor than he’d anticipated. On top of that, a bunch of other people he knows live their lives and learn things about relationships and shit. On paper, this movie is not terribly exciting. Do not let the lackluster synopsis fool you, however, for hidden beneath the nondescript plot is a funny and honest tale about love, friendship, and responsibility.

This kid parties like a champ. Seriously, he eats like 6 cookies. At once. No lie.

As it turns out, Josh Radnor is a fantastic writer. While the film doesn’t have much in the way of plot, its characters shine through fun dialog and believable behavior. I was worried that it would feel either underwritten or overwritten, as could easily be the case with a script written by an actor. It would have been easy for something like this to come off as an actor’s showcase, focusing more on theatricality than verisimilitude. Fortunately, Radnor clearly has a writer’s mind, and comes off as a great observer of human behavior, crafting a film that manages to find a sweet spot between those two extremes.

That isn’t to say that the actors aren’t noteworthy, either. Radnor himself turns in a fine performance as Sam, though he does feel a bit like a grittier, more realistic version of Ted Mosby much of the time. I’ve never been a huge fan of Malin Akerman, but she also does quite well in her role as Sam’s alopecia-stricken best friend. Tony Hale, on the other hand, I’ve been a fan of since “Arrested Development,” and he does a fantastic job as one of Akerman’s coworkers who happens to have a tremendous crush on her. He has an important monologue near the end of the film that is perhaps my favorite moment of the whole damn thing, and he delivers it very well.

I refuse to resort to "How I Met Your Mother" references. Radnor is multitalented. He's a real chameleon.

What I love most about this movie is its positivity. So many indie dramedies about people living their lives in realistic ways are pessimistic and cynical. Everything is ironic and people get drunk and feelings get hurt. That happens a bit in this film, but it ultimately reaches a conclusion that is far more good-hearted than your average Sundance hit: people deserve to be loved and find happiness, and there’s something out there for all of us. Miraculously, it makes that point without it feeling like naive, pollyanna bullshit. Quite honestly, it’s the sort of message movies like this need more of, and it makes me all the more invested in Josh Radnor’s voice as a filmmaker. I can’t wait to see what he does next.

It’s gonna be legen- (wait for it)

Have you had trouble picking up girls in the park lately? Thankfully, Jacksfilms has made a video that shows to the world the secret of impressing chicks: dubstep. I know what you’re thinking. This is a metal and hardcore-centric website, why the shit is this guy talking dubstep? Just watch this vid, and you’ll see.

.

It all makes so much sense now, right? This guy is the man I aspire to be.

-ivan.

Capcom has just announced that Mega Man and Pac Man have officially joined the roster for the upcoming Street Fighter X Tekken mashup — but ONLY for Playstation 3. This is in addition to the previously announced Cole McGrath of inFamous fame (see what I did there?) and Kuro Turo. Some might not recognize the man in the above picture right away, but that’s actually the depiction of Mega Man from the box art of the very first NES game. Yeah, WTF. Full trailer after the break:

.

What did you think? Will you be picking this up on PS3 for the new characters?

-ivan.

Food trucks are a thing of beauty. They really are. They’re even more beautiful when they’re all gathered in one place for your gluttonous enjoyment. Can something so glorious truly exist? Yes, and it’s happening right in your own back yard.

Let me introduce you to a collective that calls themselves the Food Truck Mafia, a group of local food vendors that travel all around the bay all day, just to come together almost every night for one of the Bay Area’s best kept secrets. Though the trucks vary every week, the chance of eating something delicious is constant, so we headed to Union City last Thursday night to revel in these mobile menus.

That night we were treated to the collective trucks of Grill Stars, The Wow Truck, That’s Sweet Dessert Truck, Twister Truck, Big Shrimpin’, and off on its own was the (apparently) anti-social Mogo’s. It’s always a nightmare trying to decide on just one thing, so it’s best to join up with a group of friends so you can sample a bunch of these awesome trucks’ food all at once, and make fun of the guy who gets his food last (that was me this time). Since I had already tried Grill Stars and Mogo’s in prior visits, this time I decided to go with some mexican food at the Twister Truck.

Twister Truck’s whole deal is that they’re providing mexican food with a twist: the twisted cones they serve burritos in. I ordered the San Diego Style Burrito,  filled with black beans, french fries, cheddar jack cheese, pico de gallo, avocado sauce, and a choice of steak, chicken or pork — I opted for chicken. I was thrilled that I was about to eat so many delicious things in one twisty flour cone, but to my dismay, I had failed to realize that only their signature Twister Burrito Cone is actually served that way. Needless to say, I was pretty bummed. The burrito was good in its own right, but the whole reason I had picked that truck in the first place was to experience this ‘twist’ they had promised. It’d be nice if you had the option of selecting regular or twisted with any of their burritos.

Behold the Twister Burrito Cone.

A friend of mine had chosen Grill Stars for his meal this night, a choice I’d very strongly recommend making if you haven’t had their delicious sandwich/burger hybrids or other traditional BBQ dishes before. I’ve had the luxury of experiencing their french-fry-stuffed burgers in my time, and even though it was one of the messiest sandwiches I’ve had (the lack of tables at these kind of things hardly helps), it was very much worth the fight.

Now I’m not sure why the uber-popular Korean BBQ truck, Mogo’s, was off on its own (well over 100 feet from all the other trucks), but there was still a surprising number of people who had walked off from the pack just to have some Mogo’s, and I can’t necessarily blame them. Mogo’s probably has the highest reputation of all the trucks there, and can attract quite a line on its own. Even still, I’m very curious as to why they wouldn’t join ranks with the other trucks.

I’m not too much of a sweets kind of guy, myself, but if you are, and you have a never-ending love of cupcakes, you definitely want to check out the That’s Sweet truck, which, along with Grill Stars and Mogo’s, has been there every time. These cupcakes go fast, though, so if you’re hankering for a red velvet cupcake, or the ultra-mysterious Maple Bacon cupcake, grab them quick.

Texas Cheese Steak from Grill Stars (drool...)

I didn’t get a chance to try either the Wow truck or Big Shrimpin’, but I’m sure I’ll get to that on a future vist. If you live anywhere in the East Bay, go “Like” the Food Truck Mafia on Facebook, or go follow them on Twitter. Because these guys are always on the move, this is the best way to find out where they’ll be. The Food Truck Mafia has been known to gather in Union City, Newark, Milpitas, Pleasanton, and Livermore during the week, so check out their pages to find out when they’ll be in your neck of the woods.

Have you been to any of the Food Truck Mafia gatherings? Which truck is your favorite there? Is there another food truck you know of that tops these? Let us know about it in the comments section below.

-ivan.

Follow the trucks on Twitter:

Food Truck Mafa: @rollwiththemob

Grill Stars: @GrillStars

Mogo BBQ: @MoGoBBQ

Wow Truck: @TheWOWTruck

Twister Truck: @TwisterTruck

That’s Sweet: @ThatsSweetTruck

Bigg Shrimp’n: @BiggShrimpn

This week’s Netflix Pick is a movie I’ve been dancing around checking out for a while now. I remember hearing tell of a strange, twisty thriller starring David Hyde Pierce making the film festival rounds a couple of years ago, which piqued my interest for a variety of reasons. I noticed a few months back that it had been added to the illustrious Netflix instant watch catalog, and was flirting with idea of checking it out, despite the mixed reviews I’d seen. For the purposes of my little weekly feature, I decided to finally take the jump. Is “The Perfect Host” worth your hour and a half? Find out after the break!

.

Oh boy. This is going to be difficult. Not figuring out my opinion, mind you. I can tell you straight away that I had a great time watching this film, and I can tell you why. The usual plot synopsis I give here, however, will have to be pretty bare bones. Therefore, I’ll just let you know that “The Perfect Host” basically tells the story of what happens when a bank robber on the run (played by Clayne Crawford) seeks overnight refuge in the house of an eccentric man (David Hyde Pierce) on the eve of a planned dinner party. Then shit gets bonkers. 

Something about this picture is not as it appears to be. I know what you're thinking, though, so I'll just rule it out: the table is not, in fact, a polar bear.

You see, this movie takes so many twists and turns that even though half of them are fairly obvious, there are still a whole hell of a lot of them that will take you by surprise. If that sounds appealing, don’t watch any trailers or read up on this movie at all. Just check it out. You will enjoy the utter ridiculousness and audaciousness of the variety of hard lefts this thing takes. The third act of the film is especially ridiculous, lumping twist upon turn like a Coldstone sundae-smith on three kinds of conflicting medication. Some may find this obnoxious; I found it quite entertaining.

Now, none of these ludicrous twists and turns would be worth it if the cast weren’t able to pull it all off. Thankfully, they all handle what’s asked of them perfectly well. Clayne Crawford does a serviceable job as John Taylor, the bank robber whose perspective we follow for most of the film. It’s not an amazing performance, but he acts with an appropriate level of confused menace and con-man charm that makes him oscillate between despicable and weirdly likable. It’s a tough line to walk, and he ultimately pulls it off. Unfortunately for Crawford, his performance pales in comparison to the incredible work of David Hyde Pierce.

For anyone interested in "Frasier" continuity, this is clearly AFTER the divorce with Maris.

For the sake of background, I much enjoyed Pierce’s work on “Frasier.” I do, however, realize that there probably isn’t a lot of overlap in the “Frasier” audience and the readership of this site. Therefore, you may be unfamiliar with this man’s ability to be classy and stuffy and flustered. Throughout the first act of this film, you will get to see him do that. It’s like the David Hyde Pierce greatest hits. Come act two, things start getting dark… really dark. And strange… really strange. It is bizarre and hilarious and disturbing and glorious. If you don’t care about twists and turns and ridiculousness, then I can assure that the film is worth watching for Pierce’s performance alone.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much more to the film beyond Pierce’s fantastic performance and the spiraling-out-of-control plot. Every character besides Warwick (Pierce) is rather boring, and they seem to only develop character traits whenever the story needs them to, simply for the purposes of introducing a new twist. The characters’ actions all make sense, but it’s clear that the film’s chief concern is the twisty nature of the plot.

That said, Warwick is such an absurdly eccentric character that he more than makes up for the film’s flaws. I’ve never seen a character quite like him before, and his dinner party is one of the more unique settings I’ve seen explored in a film. If you enjoy dark, surprising thrillers with a twisted sense of humor, then “The Perfect Host” is an easy recommendation. If you’re just curious what David Hyde Pierce has been up to since “Frasier” ended, the results may disturb you.

I’m serious about the polar bear, by the way. Don’t think I was just trying to throw you off by telling the truth. I wasn’t.

“Black Dynamite” was easily one of the most surprisingly amazing comedies of these last few years. Though it was hardly a commercial success right off the bat, it’s been growing more and more popular as of late just by word of mouth alone. It’s one of those movies that’s so damn hilarious and kicks so much ass, it’s almost crime to not have seen it by now. For those of you that still haven’t, do yourself a favor and go pick it up. You won’t regret it.

But I’m not here to talk about the movie. “Black Dynamite – The Animated Series” is reportedly expected to air early this year. Although the trailer has been floating around the web since last fall, somehow I hadn’t heard about it until now. The full pilot episode has been difficult to find in full, but the it’s currently available on JoBlo.com. We’ve got the details here.

Click here to watch the pilot episode. It’s broken up in two parts, totaling just over 11 minutes altogether ( or what would be a 15 minute episode with commercial breaks when it airs).

Yes, Black Dynamite really is kicking someone's ass completely in the buff.

If you think the art style looks familiar, it’s because all the art is handled by the team that did the “Boondocks” cartoon. All the original cast members from the movie return to voice their characters as well. Honestly, this pilot has all the makings of what will end up being an amazing series. Unfortunately, Adult Swim’s website provides little information on when we can expect the series to actually air, but we’ll keep you posted if we hear anything. In the meantime, feel free to pick up the official Black Dynamite comic if you haven’t already, “Black Dynamite: Slave Island,” available here.

-ivan.

Thanks to Victor M. for the tip!

For those that haven’t seen it yet, your heart is about to get two-stepped and karate-kicked into submission. Check out “My First Hardcore Song,” by Juliet, an 8-year old girl who screams with a fiery passion for her dog Robert and her stinky fishes. Enjoy, it probably sounds better than any of our first attempts at writing heavy music, definitely sounds better than mine..

According to Capcom’s official press statement this morning, the demo for the highly-anticipated Resident Evil: Revelations has hit Nintendo’s eShop today. You need to check this out.

.

The game isn’t due out until February 7th, and I can’t wait. I was very impressed by both the visuals and the atmosphere during my hands-on at last year’s E3. Though the perspective and control schemes resemble those used in later entries in the series, the gameplay very much felt like the Resident Evil’s of yesteryear. Things were very quiet, enemies were slow-moving and creepy as shit, and there were, of course, a few cool puzzles sprinkled in.

Resident Evil: Revelations will support the Circle Pad Pro extension and I’m sure it will play 9,000 times better with it. But, we won’t be able to take advantage of that until the accessory hits store shelves on the game’s release date, February 7th.

Let us know your thoughts after you fire up the demo!

UPDATE: In related news, IGN has reported a leaked confirmation of Resident Evil 6, allegedly due out November 20, 2012 for the Xbox360 & PS3. You can check out their story here: http://ps3.ign.com/articles/121/1216842p1.html

UPDATE 2: You can check out the new Resident Evil 6 trailer here:

FYI: This is not the poster Netflix uses. It is infinitely better than the image they chose, as are all other posters I found for this film.

Just in case you were worried that I would forget about my promise to keep this up as a weekly feature, I’m here to PROVE YOU WRONG. There’s an absolute wealth of great content available on Netflix instant streaming, a great deal of which most people have probably never heard of. There’s nothing I love doing quite as much as showing people fantastic films they didn’t even know existed, and that goes double for myself. Therefore, this feature will essentially be a chronicling of my journey through the wilds of Netflix’s library, watching a new film every week and letting you know whether or not it’s worth your time. Luckily, “The Vicious Kind” is absolutely worth your time. Find out why after the break!

.

“The Vicious Kind,” written and directed by Lee Toland Krieger, follows what happens when the bitter, heartbroken older brother (Adam Scott) of a young, naive college student (Alex Frost) becomes concerned about the trustworthiness of his younger sibling’s new girlfriend, Emma (Brittany Snow), as he brings her home for Thanksgiving. Complications arise quite quickly due to the fact that the older brother, Caleb, is not on speaking terms with their father (JK Simmons). Before too long, Caleb begins to realize that he has creepy, lusty feelings for Emma, and what results is a cavalcade of awful, awful behavior by everyone.

The main reason I decided to check this film out is the fact that it stars Adam Scott. As a massive fan of Scott’s work on the ludicrously underwatched “Party Down” (also available on Netflix) as well as his current work on “Parks and Recreation,” I am always looking to find more evidence towards the case of “Adam Scott V. People Who Don’t Realize That Adam Scott is Insanely Talented.” I hit play on my Netflix interface, I got comfortable on the couch while the obligatory production logos flashed by onscreen, and was immediately confronted with a beautifully composed slow-mo closeup of Adam Scott crying quietly to himself in a diner like a fucking pro. This was not the lovable Ben Wyatt from “Parks and Rec.” This was a broken man, and you understand him immediately. It’s honestly one of the best opening shots I’ve ever seen, and is a testament to the direction, the cinematography, and what eventually amounts to the best example of Scott’s range as an actor thusfar.

Exhibit A

If that opening shot makes this film sound depressing to you, you wouldn’t be wrong. Thankfully, however, it is also incredibly funny. This is entirely due to a combination of Lee Toland Krieger’s brilliant script and the performances of Adam Scott and JK Simmons. The three of them are able to deftly punctuate the darkness of the more dramatic turns of the story with moments of equally dark comedy. Make no mistake; the characters in this film are all awful people, with the possible exception of Peter (Caleb’s younger brother). They lie to each other, disrespect each other, and are just generally mean spirited. Unsurprisingly, that makes for a fairly equal measure of dark comedy and character-driven drama, and Krieger is able to wrangle those tones together into a cohesive and consistent mood that permeates every scene.

The film takes place primarily in Norfolk, Connecticut, which makes for a very muted visual atmosphere that compliments that mood perfectly. Everything feels bleak and uncertain throughout the entirety of the film, which works wonders for making the characters’ troubles all the more convincing. The very naturalistic execution of the photography, writing, and performances remind you that no matter how awful these people may be, they’re still human. People like this exist, and often do the horrible things they do with the best of intentions.

One of the many times Caleb totally crosses a line. Like... a bunch of lines. Too many lines.

Overall, I was kind of blown away by “The Vicious Kind.” Based on the completely generic artwork Netflix chose to represent the film in their browsing interface, I expected it to be a moderately entertaining little slice-of-life indie dramedy. What I got instead was a painfully hilarious dark comedy with a handful of genuinely dramatic moments fueled by some fantastic performances, especially by Adam Scott and JK Simmons.  It examines the emotional damage that can be caused by hurting the people you love, pulling no punches in the process. I highly recommend people check it out, but be warned that you will likely feel a wide variety of feelings.

Also, despite what you see in that trailer, I do not recommend trying to unlock your car with your dick. Probably won’t work.

Veil of Maya have just premiered the song “Vicious Circles,” the single from their upcoming album Eclipse.

.

.

What do you guys think? I thought [id] was a disappointment, so in comparison, this seems alright. Nothing really stands out to me as being really great, but I do like the chorus-type part around 1:43, and how they build layers on top of that. The intro is a HUGE turnoff though. I’m not one one of those guys who says that every band sounds the same these days, but can you tell me that that part doesn’t sound exactly like something Born of Osiris would do?

The Detroit Red Wings have developed and maintained a stacked roster of veteran players with an unbelievable amount of skill over the past several seasons. Pavel Datsyuk of course, is the most note-worthy with his brilliance and even wizardy with a 3″ vulcanized rubber disc, but other Red Wings have stepped to the plate in the last three to four seasons. Henrik Zetterberg showcased the Red Wings’ depth to the hockey world yet again, on Thursday night (Jan 12), with a beauty of a game-winning shootout goal against net-minder Mike Smith of the Phoenix Coyotes.

.

In my book, Zetterberg’s goal is the top contender against the shooutout game-winner scored by the Chicago Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane on Nicklas Backstrom (of the Minnesota Wild) in the category of best shootout goal for the first half of the NHL 2011-2012 regular season.

.

Although not in contention since it was scored last year, Linus Omark of the Edmonton Oilers had an exciting and skillful, yet controversial shootout game winner against Tampa Bay Lightning’s Dan Ellis that I felt had to be shared in relevance.

.

Do you have a favorite shootout goal, or maybe even a shootout save that you think tops these? Link us to them in the comments section below.

"Let's huddle up and talk about how we totally just scored with 9 seconds left."

.

I can watch this over and over and over again.  If you listen close enough, you can hear me having a heart attack in the stands.  The good kind.

For those of you who missed the game, let me put this into context.  With 4 minutes left, the Saints scored a touchdown to take the lead, putting the score at 23-24.  The pressure was on Alex Smith and his offense to put together a drive and win the game.  And put together a drive he did.  He even took the ball in himself on a 28 yard touchdown run, as if to slap the Saints directly in the face and call them ugly.  They tried to go for a 2-point conversion but failed, making the score 29-24  There was now 2:11 left on the clock for Drew Brees and his stupidly talented offense to make something happen.  But the Niners defense can stop them, right?  Wrong.  Brees lobbed a 66-yard touchdown pass to his tight end Jimmy Graham, then completed a 2-point conversion.  As quickly as the Niners took the lead, the Saints stole it right back.  29-32 with only 1:37 left in the game.  This one was over.

.

Standing in the crowd, the only sound I could hear was our hearts being stabbed and urinated on by the Saints.  There was no way Alex Smith could drive the team down the field for a field goal to put the game in overtime.  But we all had to watch, battling waves of nausea as the Niners offense took the field again.  And just like that, a glimmer of hope, in the form of a 47-yard pass up the middle to tight end Vernon Davis.  The Niners were now in field goal range with 40 seconds left.  A 7-yard completion to Frank Gore, and then history was made.  3rd down and 3 with 14 seconds left, Vernon Davis runs a post pattern into the endzone and makes a touchdown grab of epic proportions, comparable to “The Catch” (1982) and virtually identical to “The Catch II” (1999).  36-32, final.  An instant classic.

Real men cry after becoming legends.

.With that legendary grab, which people are trying to decide on whether to call “The Grab” or “The Catch III,” The Niners earned a spot in the NFC Championship game.  They did the impossible.  People said they couldn’t beat Drew Brees and the Saints.  They did.  People said they couldn’t score more than 20 points.  They scored 36.  And people said Alex Smith was incapable of winning a playoff game for the Niners.  Guess what?  He totally did.  If you care about stats, Alex Smith was 24/42 for 299 yards with 3 touchdown passes and a touchdown run, when everyone said he wouldn’t throw for more than 150.  Vernon Davis had 7 receptions for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns, an absolute monster performance.  But the stats don’t really matter, all that matters is that the 49ers have vanquished the demons.

And with that ridiculous win, the Niners will host the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants, who will be just as difficult as the Saints.  And I’ll be there again to see if my boys can do the unthinkable and earn a trip to Super Bowl XLVI.