Prometheus Aims to Explore Origins of Life on Earth

Written by Kirk Baird

Ridley Scott’s new Alien forerunner Prometheus is as much about the age-old big question — the origin of life on Earth — than it is a horror film with extra-terrestrials. But Prometheus, released in theaters this week, isn’t the only science fiction film to explore man’s attempt to reach into the stars and find our maker.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: William Shatner directed this 1989 theatrical outing of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew as an obsessed Vulcan claims to communicate with God, takes over Captain Kirk’s ship, and speeds everyone along in a voyage across the galaxy to meet our maker.

2001: A Space Odyssey and 2010: The Year We Make Contact: Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey dealt with man’s attempt to contact alien life near Jupiter — the same aliens that brought life to our planet and helped it grow. In the 1984 follow-up, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, humankind must deal with the consequences of contacting that life. The films are based on two of the novels in Arthur C. Clarke’s Space Odyssey series.

Contact: Jodie Foster plays a young astronomer who is given the opportunity to travel into space and meet the alien species that contacted us in 1997’s Contact, based on Carl Sagan’s novel. What she learns in the process is that humans are not alone in contemplating the meaning of life and the origins of our universe.

The Hatfield-McCoy Blood Battle

Written by Kirk Baird

If you missed the History network’s well-received and quite popular Hatfields & McCoys, you need only wait until July 31. The six-hour mini-series about a legendary blood feud between two families makes its Blu-ray and DVD debut July 31 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Hatfields & McCoys stars Oscar winner Kevin Costner (Dances With Wolves) and Golden Globe nominee Bill Paxton (Big Love).   

Which family would you side with? 

Workout Video Sales Step Up in Popularity

Written by Nedda Pourahmady

The fitness DVD industry has made tremendous strides in spite of the recession. According to research conducted by IBIS World, the popular trend of joining the gym to stay fit is shifting to a more convenient alternative.

Consumers are choosing to conduct their workout regimens from the comfort of their own home. Instead of running to nearby fitness facilities, avid exercisers are frantically purchasing workout videos hosted by professional gyms and their expert instructors.

Based on data collected by IBIS World, fitness DVD production revenue increased significantly in 2012, climbing to nearly $265 million. These high-intensity programs feature extreme-interval training sessions, appealing to fitness fanatics across the nation.

Commonly used by motivated gym members to expand on traditional exercise techniques, fitness DVDs have turned routine regimens into unique, interesting experiences. By replacing models or actresses as video hosts with professional fitness gurus, more consumers are starting to take programs seriously and abide by their advice.

In addition to appearing in numerous households nationwide, workout videos are frequently used by famous celebrities. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez are known to use fitness DVDs when starting up their vigorous exercise programs.

To browse our full collection of workout videos, visit our website and search “fitness.”

Which workout videos, if any, would you be willing to follow? 

Men in Black Are Back!

Written by Kirk Baird

Based on the comic-book series by Lowell Cunningham, the original Men in Black film proved to be a summer blockbuster in 1997, and helped cement Will Smith as box-office gold. Both the original Men in Black and its 2002 sequel offered a mix of crowd-pleasing effects, action, and humor as a high-concept comedy in the same vein as Ghostbusters. A decade after we last saw Agents Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) and Jay (Smith), the duo returns to the big screen in a part 3 today.

*Men in Black (1997)

Men in Black II (2002)

* denotes Kirk's pick

Is There Any Stopping The Avengers

Written by Kirk Baird

Is there any stopping The Avengers? Earth’s Mightiest Heroes joined forces onscreen and set box-office records, including the honour to be first film to debut with a $200-million-plus opening weekend. (Its $207.4 million haul bested previous record holder Harry Potter and theDeathly Hallows: Part 2 and its $169.2 million in 2011.).

This weekend marked its third-straight at the top of the box office, as it continues to fend off some big-budgeted competition including Dark Shadows and most recently Battleship.

The Avengers’ reign as moviegoers’ top pick will come to an end at some point, perhaps as soon as this weekend with the next challenger, Men in Back III. The sci-fi comedy reunites Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as Agent J and Agent K, respectively. The story features Agent J time traveling to the 1960s to prevent the assassination of a younger Agent K (played by Josh Brolin) and changing history.

And speaking of time travel … it’s been a decade since Men in Black Part II underwhelmed critics, audiences, and the box office, though it did ultimately earn Sony studios a profit. Part II opened in July 2002 with a $52 million haul. Not bad until you consider the first Men in Black opened with nearly the same amount, in 500 less theaters, and at 1997 ticket prices. For the record: The Avengers made $55 million in its third weekend, which makes it formidable competition this weekend as well.

If Men in Black III fails to take down the team of Marvel superheroes, next up to dethrone the king would be Snow White and the Huntsman, starring Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth (who plays Thor the God of Thunder in The Avengers), and Kristen Stewart. The trailers look promising for this dark and CGI-intense adaptation of the classic fairytale. It’s also the second Snow White big-screen reinvention this year, following on the heels of Mirror Mirror, a dark comedy starring Julia Roberts, Nathan Lane, Armie Hammer, and Lily Collins (daughter of singer-songwriter-drummer Phil Collins). Mirror Mirror opened March 30 and grossed only $18.13 million its first weekend, on its way to less than $70 million. With an estimated budget of $85 million, Mirror Mirror only made a profit through the foreign box-office and yielded nearly $98 million.

But any victory by either of these two summer film newcomers would be short lived, given the increasing build-up to the June 8 opening of Prometheus.  

What do you think?

Never judge a book by its cover. But can you judge a film by its trailer? See for yourself. Here are the latest trailers for the big summer releases, beginning with today’s opening of The Dictator.

The Dictator (May 16): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C3KzALgzIc

Battleship (May 18): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb9aGzG75ZQ

What to Expect When You’re Expecting (May 18): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQTetUGvKWk

Men in Black 3 (May 25): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2r9AIfYcV8

Chernobyl Diaries (May 25): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp9xuquibQc

Moonrise Kingdom (May 25): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_azVjNO5jTw&feature=fvst

Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgfYBJoPFFw

Piranha 3DD (June 1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRP1F8qLFn0

Prometheus (June 8): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1byZkbNB3Jw

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (June 8): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlkWVkpP59U

Rock of Ages (June 15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2VFzktDSJI

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (June 22): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNFf8DjzaqA

Brave (June 22): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_GeQmhxc6g

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (June 22): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4fwCCVt9yk

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (June 29): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNUBV9trDoA

Magic Mike (June 29): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG8JhXV4Wdk

The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpKPiHYJc54&ob=av3e

Savages (July 6): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8imzQaoEwsA

 Ice Age: Continent Drift (July 13): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yFM32FwrDk

Ted (July 13): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fbo_pQvU7M

The Dark Knight Rises (July 20): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8evyE9TuYk

The Watch (formerly Neighborhood Watch) (July 27): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2X-R_PR6xs

Step Up Revolution (July 27): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdamC7jUrjs

The Bourne Legacy (August 3): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnsAU3iH6Sk

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days (August 3): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P82CNPxjqk

Total Recall (August 3): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GljhR5rk5eY

The Campaign (August 10): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7yC0iiK7a4

Hope Springs (August 10): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s22_Mvikl8

Sparkle (August 10): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55cuiV9yL6Q

The Odd Life of Timothy Green (August 15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMSkbH0LuTc

The Expendables 2 (August 17): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rkdTcQLwZ4

ParaNorman (August 17): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv_62S6dS4k

Premium Rush (August 24): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn6ie1zCkZU

Lawless (August 31): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csLbNO5cYSM

written by Kirk Baird

Dark Shadows Hits Theaters

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp put their twisted stamp on the cult 1960s TV soap opera about the wealthy Collins family from Collinsport, Maine, plagued by strange happenings, including a centuries-old vampire relative named Barnabas Collins. (Depp, by the way, plays Barnabas.) To prepare for the update’s darkly comical take on the 1967-1971 series, check out the large collection of Dark Shadows on DVD, featuring more than 30 sets from each season as well as best-of compilations and even a blooper reel.

Written by Kirk Baird