In previous weeks, an earth shattering announcement has been made, an announcement that has polarized fans in the Order of the Science Fiction and Fantastical Realm-Based literature. The announcement that J.J. Abrams is directing the new 'Star Wars' film. This is obviously extremely controversial due to the fact Abrams directed the hit 'Star Trek' reboot.

 As one fan in a ridiculous robe and false ears pointed out, it is heresy for a mortal human to direct both a Star Trek and a Star Wars film. The reason for this is obvious and there is no reason to bother discussing it.

What I propose is we stop fighting. Why can't we all just get along? Why must Punk hate Metal? Why must there be violence in the world and video games? I propose we have the franchises not only shake hands, but embrace in a chocolate mocha. Why not, instead of making seperate sequels, make one all encompassing sequel?

Yes, I'm saying it, because it'd be convenient and the darn thing writes itself-STAR TREK WARS!!!

Synopsis- "Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) returns with best buddy Spock (Vin Diesel, replacing Zachary Quinto as the newly resurrected cloned super cyborg Vulcan ((to be explained in Star Trek Into Darkness))) and the crew of the Enterprise where after a night of partying down with an illegal case of Romulan Ale, the hungover extreme space travellers fall into a 'wormhole' that sends them to a 'galaxy far, far away....

Now it's up to Captain Kirk and hilarious sidekick Wicket the Ewok (Warwick Davis) to spring Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from the retirement planet and get the midi-chlorians out of Darth Spock and back into Qui-Gon Jenni (Chloe Grace Mortez), the snarky savior of the Jedi, who wants to defy everyone and join Starfleet!"

New this week? Zero Dark Thirty (the heartwarming story of Bin Laden's bad day), and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, as well as Les Miserables. Don't want to spend piles of coin for a movie? Come in on Dollar Thursday. I mean, seriously. It's less. Much less.

Remade

"How much to add a third hand?"

Weary of remakes? Not so excited about a classic Schwarzenegger epic being reduced to a watered down PG-13, cgi filled  (don't forget the slow-mo) "reimagining" that features the actually really good Colin Farrell? I like the guy, but after Miami Vice, Fright Night, and now the upcoming (re-upcoming?) Total Recall (available at all Videoramas dec.18th), he's apparently Hollywood's go-to guy for starring in the already made.



"Me throw girl in water."

Well, I hate to say this but it's really nothing new. Since the dawn of movies, the same idea has been re-used and recycled and re-tuned into the same old story that gets regurgitated into different shapes and sizes, which is how we get different shaped Frankenstein's Monsters heads.





"You talkin to me?!"

The first version of Mary Shelly's classic tale of science gone mad was made in 1910, produced by Thomas Edison and featured a very unframiliar version of the Creature, which resembled The Hunchback more then anything made by Dr. Frankenstein. Kind of looks like his malformed assistant. You know, the dude who stole the wrong brain?

Charles Ogle as The Monster.



           Some people are balking at the upcoming Sam Raimi directed Oz: The Great and Powerful, yet the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz, the classic we all know and love was actually the 3rd version of that story. The original was made in 1910. I mean, I guess a case could be made about these movies being based of novels, which kind of brings up the argument that it's a story written for a different medium, thereby giving different filmmakers lisence to interpret the material in their own way.

But how many times has the same story been retold and retold in a mirror effect like when you look in a mirror with a mirror behind you and the Mirror People are inside whispering to you about invisible children in the walls? You know what I mean? Guys?......*echo

CONTINUED IN PART 2!! Coming soon!!!!

Oscar Predictions for the Final Year of 2012

The pieces are in place for Oscar at Videorama, we have special sections for past winners of the coveted Best Picture category set up at the Lombard and St. Johns locations. That's right, this year the aging (or some might say decaying) dinosaur known as "Oscar" hits the stage on our television sets for the 84th time. It sounds like they're going at it from a whole new angle: Billy Crystal is hosting again,

though whether or not he is actually a human is up for debate. Is he an android? A melting clone? Well, undead vampire seems just as likely. But I kid! Of course then there's the nominations. Best Picture nominees include a Steven Spielberg film! a Woody Allen film! a Martin Scorsese FAMILY film (??!?), while George Clooney and Brad Pitt are up for Best Actors (NO WAY!) and Glenn Close and Meryl Streep are both up for Best Actress (anyone else get them confused with each other?).

Well if it sounds like this years Academy Awards will be another self congratulatory name dropping has been schmooze fest, I might suggest you head down to the nearest Videorama and rent something that is awesome, and perhaps overlooked by this so-called DECIDER of what is an award winning performance! Dennis Hopper in David Lynch's Blue Velvet (found in Kristopher's Picks at the St. Johns location) is commonly known as one of the greatest overlooked performances of the last century. Who could forget the huffing, puffing, cursing lunatic known as Frank that he portrays? Or the tortured genius of Robocop, the cyborg-cop epic directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring Peter Weller (which happens to feature that one guy from ER melting!)? Or maybe you wanna go the way of the renter who wants to see the past winners, like Tommy Lee Jones in his Best Supporting Actor performance in The Fugitive! I DIDN'T KILL MY WIFE!!!! * Harrison Ford growling.

You might as well rent 4 previous winners if you're looking to save money, it's still rent 3 get a 4th one free on everything but New Releases at the St. Johns and N. Lombard locations, and New Releases are still $2 for overnight. As for the Best Picture nominations, I kind of think that the Academy is going to decide that it's been a while since Woody Allen has won anything, they like to decide when "it's time" for certain people. I think it's too bad they don't like movies pertaining to outerspace or other dimensions. When has a movie about goblins from outerspace won anything other then Best Visual Effects?!?! Exactly!!

Rent 3, Get the 4th Free

Oh boy! Summer is coming and what a way to unwind after yardwork, biking, going to the park, and shootin' hoops with the kids. Rent 3 movies from our extensive collection of "catalog" titles, and get a 4th catalog title rent-free. Peruse our library of older titles and discover an un-seen gem. Or just rent your favoirte movies all over again. My persoanl 4 for the week are going to be The Terminator, Highlander, Blade Runner, and Pretty Woman.
PS: Sorry for not writing as of late. I have been researching UFO activity here in Portland.

VideoRama at 2310 Lombard gets a facelift. Gone is the red paint and the blackened windows. Now you can see in to all the wonderful movies just waiting to be watched.

Future Home of St John's VideoRama

The St. John's store is getting closer to moving into it's new home as part of the large remodel/expansion of West Coast Fitness. More titles, waaaaay bigger front counter. The new spot (still at 7522 N. Lombard) should be ready around mid August.