The newest interpretation of The Great Gatsby is the cinematic equivalent of a peanut butter and pickle sandwich. Disgusting to some, intriguing to others. Only a select few have the palate for it, and even for those few it’s an acquired taste. The first half is stylistically masturbatory on Baz Luhrmann‘s part. The special effects are distracting and superfluous. On [...]

SPOILERS AHEAD You’re in Denver. Someone in Florida steals your identity. What do you do? If you’re Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman), you embark on a journey that involves throat punches, car chases, gunfire, snakebites, and a dead hobo’s pants. The victim of Identity Thief is the stereotypical American protagonist: a middle-class husband with 2.5 kids. (Literally. His wife is pregnant with [...]

I’ve been a fan of The Smashing Pumpkins ever since I first heard “Today” back in like ’95 or  96. I know it was a few years after the song was released, but that’s when I got hooked. So back off! Anyway, I’ve been a pretty die-hard fan since then, even with their new stuff. I do think Billy Corgan [...]

Last week, I touched on the hype surrounding The Dark Knight Rises. In the course of those seven days, the hype turned into tragedy. The events of Aurora are no less devastating today as they were when the news broke. Personally, the shooting affected the way I approached the film. My eagerness turned into hesitation, my excitement into paranoia. I [...]

Chasing beauty is ridiculous…and still we do it. Snow White and the Huntsman pokes at three things that highlight the lengths to which we will go to be beautiful. Remember the scene in which dozens of dead birds are on a tray in front of Ravenna, and she’s using a special talon ring to eat their little hearts right out [...]

This week is actually kind of a slow one folks. Not much to see here… …other than Star Trek: TNG coming out on blu-ray!!! DVD/Blu-ray New Releases for July 24th, 2012 Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season One (Blu-ray). [Editor's Choice] Starring Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, and Michael Dorn. Trailer Boss: Season One. Starring Kelley Grammer and Connie Nielsen. Trailer Meeting [...]

The new teaser trailer(s) are out for The Man of Steel! The major difference between the two are the voiceovers by Russell Crowe (as Jor-El) and Kevin Costner (as Jonathan Kent). One is about destiny, and the other is about choice. Both are chill inducing. Robin Hood without English accent:   Robin Hood with English accent: Which Robin Hood worked [...]

In 1986, Paul Simon was already an established superstar in what seemed like a classic decline.  He had reunited with former bandmate Art Garfunkel for a hugely successful concert in Central Park.  That concert sparked a failure of a tour and led to the worst selling solo album of Simon’s career. A lot of people would have packed it in. [...]

So, The Dark Knight Rises. Have you heard of it? It’s supposed to be amazing, flawless, brilliant, exciting, masterful, adjective infinitum. I cannot and wish not to argue with those claims. I am building up  movie ticket funds and an appetite for Milk Duds at this very moment. However, if you’re even the slightest bit invested in pop culture, you’re probably [...]

Hey, hey, hey! Who’s ready for another release week?! You? Is it you? Yeah, it’s you. DVD/Blu-ray New Releases for July 17th, 2012 The Three Stooges – The Movie. [Editor's Choice] Starring Will Sasso, Sean Hayes, and Chris Diamantopolous. Trailer Lockout. Starring Guy Pearce, Peter Stormare, and Maggie Grace. Trailer Get The Gringo. Starring Mel Gibson, Peter Stormare, and Dean [...]

By: Lauren Mathues I saw Snow White and the Huntsman for the second time this past weekend. If the first viewing sent a soft, summer wind of ideas blowing around in my mind, the second viewing brought on a tornado. So, I’ve decided to do three posts about Beauty as I see it in Snow White and the Huntsman. And [...]

unScene is a reoccurring series on The Cool Ship dedicated to “classics” being watched for the first time.  The idea that a ragtag group of teenagers (with one adult-y Swayze) could cause so much trouble for a group of trained soldiers is absolutely ridiculous. There. I said it. I am 31 years old, and until last night, I had never [...]

Wes Anderson has been my favorite director for a number of years. His films are perhaps the most artistic and beautifully composed I have ever seen. His retro soundtracks, his trademark use of slow-mo, and his vintage color palettes are just some of the elements that delight me. What really bowls me over, however, is Anderson’s unparalleled devotion to the [...]

I was going to write some such about political dogma and the baggage we carry when falling on any side of an issue… and then I saw The Dark Knight Rises trailer and didn’t care. Insert whatever obligatory comments about this being the article you deserve, but not… yadda yadda yadda. This trailer allays some of my fears, chief among [...]

I just want to start off by saying that I am completely stoked for all three of thee films in the title. Especially Robocop. You have no idea how hardcore I used to be about the first two films. Robocop was a hero of mine, coming in a distant second to Batman. Because let’s face it, no one is better [...]

I’ve have returned from a short break with a new list full of new movies and music to buy! Did you miss me? DVD/Blu-ray New Releases for July 10th, 2012 American Reunion. Starring Jason Biggs, Sean William Scott, and Alyson Hannigan. Trailer Warehouse 13: Season Three. Starring Simon Reynolds, Saul Rubinek, and Eddie McClintock. Trailer Adventure Time: Season One. Trailer The [...]

By: Lauren Mathues It has taken me a long time to venture outside of the genre of romantic comedy and into the wonderful wide world of action flicks, but the time I’ve spent embracing action films has changed me. Now, I love good fight scenes, and I love complicated, intricately designed explosive scenes. I love watching the classic tale of Good, after coming [...]

What a provocative title! I chose it on purpose, of course, much like I believe William Shatner did for his new documentary: “William Shatner’s Get a Life!” (Or it could just be “Get a Life!” I’m unclear on that one.) I found it fascinating that Shatner would seemingly make fun of his bread and butter, a group of individuals whose entire lives [...]

Three years ago and much to my dismay at the time, my wife and I decided to do away with our cable package. The astronomical and climbing costs coupled with the fact that we were seldom home made this decision a no-brainer. For the first year, we checked DVDs out of our local public library. Personally, I never enjoyed this practice. I [...]

Steve Martin is a funny guy. Well, actually, he’s a wild and crazy guy. I’ve got a lot of respect for aging comedians who can reinvent themselves. Martin’s gone from stand-up to television to movies to author to music, not necessarily in that order. Plus, he has never completely left one behind in favor of another. I’m not old enough to remember [...]