AZ Vibe – The Ultimate Phoenix Entertainment Resource

Black Swan -- Starring Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman, Winona Ryder, and Vincent Cassel

Fair Game -- Opens December 1st.

More info about the movie from IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0947798/

Popularity: 5% [?]

Monsters -- Opens October 29th

More info about the movie from IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1470827/

Popularity: 7% [?]

Freakonomics -- A Documentary based on the world wide bestselling book

More info about the movie from IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1152822/

Popularity: 9% [?]

What happens when evil wins for once?

Starring the Voices of Will Ferrel, Tina Fey and Brad Pitt

Megamind -- Opens November 5th

More info about the movie from IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1001526/

Popularity: 12% [?]

With the sun hitting near record levels this week, the urge for people to stay indoors out of the heat is going to be very high. Why not spend your time indoors with movies from Netflix? If you’re a member of Netflix, you probably already know how to find all the new releases and the popular classic films.

We spent time recently combing through their DVD and Instant Streaming catalog to find ten movies you might have missed in your search of their site and may want to check out.

10 Netflix DVD titles you probably didn’t know about

1. The Wire (Seasons 1 – 5 available) – 2002-2008 – NR – THE best television drama ever made is a must rent on Netflix.  Even though it’s a crime drama, it’s done from an angle that breaks all conventional molds and TV drama formats.  Season 1 of the Wire starts with a no punches pulled look at the drug trade of Baltimore through the eyes of the Police and the dealers themselves.  If you’ve never seen ‘The Wire’ it’s high time you do as you will become addicted to the plot and the characters.
2. The Freshman – 1990 -  PG – Starring Matthew Broderick and Marlon Brando – According to IMDB.com “Clark Kellogg is a young man starting his first year at film school in New York City. After a small time crook steals all his belongings, Clark meets Carmine “Jimmy the Toucan” Sabatini, an “importer” bearing a startling resemblance to a certain cinematic godfather. When Sabatini makes Clark an offer he can’t refuse, he finds himself caught up in a caper involving endangered species and fine dining.”
3. Blue Velvet – 1986 – R – Starring Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, Kyle MacLachlan – Next to Easy Rider, Blue Velvet will be remembered as one of Dennis Hoppers best ever performances put to film.   According to IMDB.com “After finding a severed human ear in a field, a young man soon discovers a sinister underworld lying just beneath his idyllic suburban home town.”
4. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse – 1991 – R – This is the documentary of the filming of the classic movie “Apocalypse Now”.  One of the best records of how a Hollywood movie was made turned out being an epic production in itself.  From replacing the main star, problems with the weather, to Martin Sheen’s heart attack on set, to problems with the Phillipene Army, ‘Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse’ is a five star documentary that must be seen to be believed.
5. Captain Blood – 1935 – NR – Errol Flynn in his classic swashbuckling role.  Simply some great entertainment for all.  Personally, it’s one of my favorites.
6. Grosse Point Blank – 1997 – R – Starring John Cusack, Dan Aykroyd, and Minnie Driver – A hitman for hire comes back to his hometown for his high school reunion.  Hilarity ensues.
7. The Larry Sanders Show - NR – 1992-1998 – Starring Garry Shandling, Jeffrey Tambor, and Rip Torn -  This is the show that put HBO on the map for Television series and is the story of the goings on (on and off camera) of a fictional late night talk show.  Fictional Cast member interact with real life actors in hilarious situations.  Without a doubt, one of the funniest sitcoms ever made.
8. Ran – 1985 – R – Master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s Ran is a retelling of  Shakespeare’s “King Lear” set in Japanese Feudal times.  Ran is not only a great art film but is also a prime example of the lost art of cinematography that is absent in movies today.
9. North by Northwest – 1959 – NR – Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, and Martin Landau – According to Netflix’s site “What if everyone around you was suddenly convinced that you were a spy? This classic from master director Alfred Hitchcock stars Cary Grant as an advertising executive who looks a little too much like someone else and is forced to go on the lam (helped along by Eva Marie Saint). Hitchcock’s sure-handed comic drama pits Grant against a crop duster and lands him in a fight for his life on Mount Rushmore — a true cliffhanger if ever there was one.”
10. Spartacus – 1960 – PG-13 – Starring Laurence Olivier, Kirk Douglas, and Tony Curtis – The movie that gave director Stanley Kubrick carte blanche for making movies in Hollywood is the telling of the life of Spartacus, his incarceration, and his leading of a revolt against the Roman empire.

Honorable Mention

The Dark Knight – 2008 – PG-13 – This is a favorite of mine.  Yes, it’s the famed Batman sequel.  However, it’s a movie that I never get tired of watching….even after it’s 50th viewing.

Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage – 2010 – NR – This is the documentary of the Canadian mega rock group Rush.  The movie not only serves as a great re-telling of the past 30+ years that Rush has been a band but this movie also answers tons of unanswered questions for fans about the band.

10 Netflix Instant Streaming titles you probably didn’t know about

1. Weeds (Seasons 1-5) – (2005-2009) – NR – Starring Mary-Louise Parker, Elizabeth Perkins, and Kevin Nealon – Weeds is a comedy centered around Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) and her becoming a marijuana dealer to support her family following the sudden death of her husband.   One of the funniest shows currently on television, Weeds can’t be missed.
2. When You’re Strange: A Film about The Doors – 2009 – R – Johnny Depp narrates this new documentary about the legendary 60′s rock band that details a factual time-line of the history of the doors and their band members.  A short but well crafted movie that will satisfied all Doors fans.
3. Black Dynamite – 2009 – R – Starring Michael Jai White, Sali Richardson-Whitfield, Arsenio Hall, and Tommy Davidson – Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) is a hilarious homage to the Black Action/Black Exploitation movies of the 70′s in all aspects.  From the script, to the acting, and even the great music this is a must see movie.
4. Bottle Shock – 2008 – PG-13 – Starring Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman, Chris Pine, and Freddy Rodriguez – Bottle Shock is the account of how Napa Valley wineries in California went from obscurity to a world leader in Wine from a single 1976 contest.  A very well made independent movie.
5. Peggy Sue Got Married – 1986 – PG-13 – Starring Kathleen Turner, Nicolas Cage, Helen Hunt, and Jim Carrey – This was one of director Francis Ford Coppola’s best movies but never was recognized for being a great movie as it lived under the shadow of his Godfather movies (among others).  According to Netflix, “Full of regrets and facing divorce, housewife Peggy Sue (Oscar nominee Kathleen Turner) is given the chance to go back in time and change her shotgun-wedded fate, breaking up with her husband (Nicolas Cage) before any heartbreak occurs in this dramedy from acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola. Knowing then what she knows now, Peggy Sue thinks outside the picket fence. But can she really rewrite her future?”
6. Archer Season 1 – 2010 – NR – According to Netflix “Set amid the world of international espionage, this irreverent animated comedy from the FX network revolves around the exploits of smart-mouthed superspy Sterling Archer (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin) — code name: “Duchess.” For Archer, taking on top-secret missions around the world is a breeze compared to dealing with his fellow agents, notably his overbearing mother, Malory (Jessica Walter), and his ex-girlfriend Lana (Aisha Tyler).”
7. Dexter (Seasons 1 and 2 only) – 2006-2007 – NR – Starring Michael C. Hall – Dexter Morgan (Hall) is a Police Forensics lab technician in Miami who also moonlights as a Serial Killer who goes after criminals who slip through the justice system.  A very well made and well written show.  After a couple of episodes, you’ll be hooked.
8. Red Cliff: Theatrical Version – 2008 – R – Directed by John Woo (Mission Impossible 2, Face Off, The Killer) – According to Netflix ” When a warmongering prime minister (Fengyi Zhang) advances his armies against two rival kingdoms, he unwittingly prompts his adversaries (Chen Chang  and Yong You) to work together in this martial arts action-adventure. The ensuing conflict culminates in the epic battle of Red Cliff, a struggle by the sea involving more than one million soldiers. Director John Woo’s big-budget spectacle is based on the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. “
9. Defending Your Life – 1991 – PG – Starring Albert Brooks (who also directed the film), Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, and Buck Henry – According to IMDB.com “Yuppie Daniel Miller is killed in a car accident and goes to Judgment City, a waiting room for the afterlife. During the day, he must prove in a courtroom-style process that he successfully overcame his fears (a hard task, given the pitiful life we are shown); at night, he falls in love with Julia, the only other young person in town. Nights are a time of hedonistic pleasure, since you can (for instance) eat all you want without getting fat.“
10. So I Married an Axe Murderer – 1993 – PG-13 – Starring Mike Myers, Nancy Travis, Anthony LaPaglia, Amanda Plummer, and Alan Arkin – One of Mike Myers best and most underrated movies tells the funny tale of Charlie Mackenzie (Myers) a beat poet who falls for a butcher that he finds out has left a trail of dead husbands wherever she has been.

Honorable Mention

Che – 2008 – R – Director Steven Soderbergh (Oceans 11/12/13, Erin Brockovitch, Out of Sight) puts together a tale of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara a doctor who became one of the most known revolutionary leaders of the 50′s.

Michael Jackson’s ‘This is it’ – 2009 – PG – This is the documentary of pop legend Michael Jackson’s rehearsals for a 50 date show in England.  Footage of the rehearsals was shot up to the time of his death.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus - The complete TV series – Yes, every sketch, every character, and every episode from the classic BBC series are all here for your on demand viewing.  I don’t know about you but I never get tired of these episodes.

Popularity: 87% [?]

1) The Phoenix Coyotes vs. St. Louis Blues – April 7 – 7 PM – Jobing.com Arena – This is the second to last home game of the season for the Coyotes. Since they have returned to full strength they are finishing the season on a REAL strong note. Don’t miss your chance to see some great hockey before the weather skyrockets into the triple digits!

http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/246515/806002?brand=phxcoyotes&camefrom=CFC_COYOTES

2) Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – April 3 – 7:30 PM – Jobing.com Arena – The Second night of his world tour comes to Glendale at the Jobing.com arena for a show that is destined to sell out. If you have never seen the Boss in action, you need to clear your schedule and head to his show. There’s a reason why he’s the hardest working man in show business.

http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1E00423BDCE26B36?artistid=860453&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=1

3) Tempe Music Festival – April 3rd and 4th – Tempe Beach Park – As mentioned previously, one of the biggest musical events of the year is coming to the Tempe Beach Park. Kid Rock and 3 Doors Down are some of the killer acts that will be playing at the festival.

http://www.tempemusicfestival.com/

4) Star Trek Exhibition at the Arizona Science Center – How cool is it when you get to not only sit in Captain Kirk’s chair but check out the bridge from the Enterprise D? Open Daily. Please refer to the link below for hours and ticket information.

http://www.azscience.org/star_trek.php

5) The 26th Annual Gibson Jazz & Blues Festival – Historic Downtown Glendale – April 4th and 5th – Free – One of the coolest and most eclectic Jazz and Blues lineup will be coming to downtown Glendale to throw down some amazing tracks.

For more information along with the times and lineups of artists please refer to the festival website:

http://www.glendaleaz.com/events/GlendaleJazzBluesFestival.cfm

6) First Friday! – Downtown Phoenix – How can you miss this?!?!?

7) Shake! – Every Saturday Night – Rogue Bar – Scottsdale – $5 (approx) If you are a frequent reader of this site you know that one of the best places to go on a Saturday night is Shake!. Great Music and fun for a great price!

http://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2008/10/27/review-shake-the-rogue-saturday-october-25th/

8) FUSE – Bar Smith – Friday Nights – $5 – Bar Smith – Downtown Phoenix – 10PM – 2 AM

9) The Phoenix Film Festival – Scottsdale – April 2 to April 9 – The Phoenix Film Festival is back again for another run and from the looks of every movie synopsis it’s going to be a great one. There are a wide variety of films to choose from and it also looks like there’s a local movie maker category which is always fun to watch.

http://www.phoenixfilmfestival.org/

10) Movies in the Park with ‘From Russia With Love’ – Fridays Through April – Biltmore Fashion Park – Speaking of Movies how about heading to the Biltmore Fashion Park and watching the classic 007 Movie ‘From Russia With Love’? The fun starts at 7:30 at the Center Lawn of the Biltmore Fashion Park. Oh yeah. It’s Free.

http://www.shopbiltmore.com/events.asp?id=9160

11) Dark Star Orchestra – April 4th 2009 – Marquee Theater – $23 – 6:30PM – The absolute best Grateful Dead Tribute Band comes the Valley of the Sun to jam to some of the classic Grateful Dead songs. If you have never seen the Dark Star Orchestra, and you are a fan of the Dead, you need to be here to see this amazing production.

Tickets:
https://www.etix.com/ticket/servlet/onlineSale%3bjsessionid=C5B6E63F59B0C129DC63B1DB0A5F0BDC?action=selectPerformance&cobrand=luckymanonline&performance_id=884533

12) Star Trek Movie Marathon – Chandler Cinemas – April 3rd, 4th, and 5th- $10 – See Link for Movie times – The Chandler Cinemas is having a Star Trek Movie Marathon this weekend for all to come see. The Movies featured will be Star Trek 2, 3, and 4. Admission is $10 for one movi

Last but certainly not Least….

13) OPENING DAY!!! – Arizona Diamondbacks – April 6 – 12:40 PM – Chase Field – That’s right folks! Another season of Arizona Diamondbacks baseball is just about underway! The opening game will be an afternoon game and is a great excuse to use your ’9 inning flu’ excuse to get out of work.

Tickets can be purchased through the Arizona Diamondbacks website:

http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/ticketing/index.jsp?c_id=ari

Popularity: 24% [?]

Make sure you don’t miss Long Way Down tonight only!!!!

https://www.azvibe.com/phoenix-entertainment/2008/07/12/movies-long-way-down-screening-7-31-10-glendale-mesa-phoenix/

I’m going to be checking out this alleged ‘mega’ sports bar in North Scottsdale this afternoon and will give the poop on what it’s like.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tonight only there will be a screening of the classic 80′s movie WarGames starring Ferris Bueller…er…Matthew Brodreck at various theaters around the Phoenix area.  There will be interviews and other cool things with the cast and crew.  If you are a fan of this movie don’t miss out on seeing this Classic movie in a theater.

The theaters that will be showing this one night only event are:

AMC Westgate 20 Glendale
Cinemark 16 Mesa
AMC Ahwatukee 24 Phoenix
AMC Desert Ridge 18 Phoenix

Cost $10 per person

More information about this special screening:

http://www.fathomevents.com/details.aspx?eventid=724

Popularity: 1% [?]

If you haven’t heard, the new Batman Movie, The Dark Knight, broke the single day box office record by pulling in $66 Million Dollars.  So of course I’m going to go see it tonight….

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iUrp4FEo_7YQxrTpBze-Hk4ob7PAD9218NA00

Popularity: 1% [?]

Ok one more movie post for now.  I’m posting this one because it’s not going to get much attention if at all by the local media.

Ok long story short.  This movie is a documentary of actors Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, First three Star Wars Movies, Big Fish) and Charley Boorman (Excalibur) 15,000 mile motorcycle journey  from Scotland to South Africa raising money for Unicef (among other charities).  This film is a 2 hour directors cut documentary of their journey.  If you have seen their first journey around the world called ‘Long Way Round’ you know they come across some interesting stuff along the way.

Check out the trailer.  It’s pretty powerful stuff…

[youtube zuDArXn3Bs4 235 200]

The movies will be screened in the following Phoenix Area locations on July 31st at 7:30 PM:

AMC Westgate 20 Glendale
Cinemark 16 Mesa
AMC Ahwatukee 24 Phoenix
AMC Desert Ridge 18 Phoenix

More information about the movie:

http://www.fathomevents.com/details.aspx?eventid=725

Official ‘Long Way Down’ Web site:

http://www.longwaydown.com/

If you want to see something REALLY cool and unique, this movie is not to be missed.

Popularity: 1% [?]

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past…year or so there is a new Batman movie coming out.  For those of you who don’t live under rocks, know that “The Dark Knight” comes out on July 18th.  This movie has been getting some great reviews especially from an unnamed musician who basically said that if he could he would fuck the movie.

Anyways, I was poking around the BBC’s website this morning and came across this interesting little blurb about the film….

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7501393.stm

The Dark Knight features six sequences shot with Imax cameras and marks the first time that a major feature film has ever been partially shot using the Imax format.

Unlike traditional 35mm film which usually appears in “letterbox” format, scenes shot with Imax cameras on 15/70mm film will expand vertically to fill the entire screen.

What does this mean?  It means that this film was made for IMAX theaters and it should be seen first in IMAX to get the best movie experience. The only two theaters in all of Arizona that will be showing ‘The Dark Knight’ are the following:

AMC Deer Valley 30 with IMAX

3033 West Agua Fria Freeway
Phoenix, 85027
602-956-4262
Website

Gateway 12 IMAX Theatre

1935 S. Signal Butte
Mesa, 85210
480-354-8030
Website

You can buy tickets now over tEh interweb!

Popularity: 1% [?]