Day: July 15, 2014

REVIEW: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes [2014]

Jared Mobarak

“Ape no kill ape” The hype is spot-on with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. A more focused film than Rise of the Planet of the Apes—which served as an emotive origin tale possessing little unique conflict beyond a fight scene showing off computer effects more than propelling storyline—you should still acknowledge that predecessor allows it to be so. This doesn’t mean you must view it to understand the sequel, however, as a concisely informative prologue is delivered to explain the key plot point of mankind simultaneously giving apes…

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REVIEW: The Purge: Anarchy [2014]

Jared Mobarak

“We’ve lost our souls to attain this peace” I enjoyed last year’s suspense horror The Purge a lot—despite high expectations for the premise actually going where it needed to prove more than another generic home invasion flick. Writer/director James DeMonaco gave us the graphic brutality its conceit promised through its claustrophobically bottled skirmish between malicious debutantes and an (not so) innocent family trying to survive while also lending the social commentary at its back a voice. I use the parentheses because it just so happened that the Sandin’s patriarch was…

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VIDEO: Weird Al Yankovic’s “Tacky”

Jared Mobarak

I can’t say I ever find myself clamoring for more Weird Al Yankovic, but I always come running when he pops back into society with a new parody video. With his latest album Mandatory Fun on its way, the first single “Tacky” has hit the web as a pretty great play on Pharrell Williams‘ “Happy”. Through a cast consisting of Aisha Taylor, Margaret Cho, Eric Stonestreet, Kristen Schaal, and Jack Black in what appears to be one continuous take, the lyrics of his song come to life. Check it out…

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