Chimpomatic

Search

Prometheus

Shoddy prequel that leaves less unanswered questions on second viewing and a bigger sense of vacuousness.

11th May 2013

The Hunter

Patient, confident Australian environmental thriller that builds up to a decent climax.

28th Apr 2013

Twitter

RT @nxdfff: Lewisham is 1 of the only 2 Boroughs in London that doesn't have a cinema. Well this week we have 24. Welcome to the \#freefilmfâ€¦

28th Apr 2013

Twitter

Spent most of Blow with a vague recollection that it was based on the life of Kid Charlemagne/Owsley Stanley. Wrong. http://t.co/O8cc9jYRr2

27th Apr 2013

The Five Year Engagement

Lazy Hollywood dross that telegraphs its every move and hides no surprises.

21st Apr 2013

Twitter

"Do you hear that? That's the sound of clean." \#Teleshopping

21st Apr 2013

Twitter

RT @steverose7: @chimpomatic Here's a film event that's up your simian street.
http://t.co/hzpOmE2pbe

17th Apr 2013

Twitter

Fake widescreen bars. That usually causes licence fee payers to complain, so they'll be losing votes too RT @robinderrick: @chimpomatic eh ?

11th Apr 2013

#chimpx
#Books&Comics
#RIP

RIP: Carmine Infantino (1925-2013)

Good obit over on @AICN for the DC comics artist.

“There are few people in this world that have had as much of an impact on the industry as Carmine,” added DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Dan DiDio. “He bridged both the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, shepherding in some of the most successful periods in our history and setting the course of our characters that is still seen today. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy will remain forever.”

9th Apr 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

The Amazing Spider-man

Solid, but essentially pointless remix that doesn't really add anything new to cinema.

8th Apr 2013

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF
#Halliwell

On the Beach

Atmospheric, somber, slow-burning, post-apocalyptic drama that fails to ignite.

Halliwell says: Gloomy prophecy which works well in spasms but is generally too content to chat rather than imagine. A solid prestige job nevertheless.**

6th Apr 2013

Ill Manors

Well-handled urban crime drama, that deals with the same old boring cliches.

3rd Apr 2013

Mudhoney

Vanishing Point

It was 1988 when Mudhoney put their super fuzz and big muff pedals together for first single 'Touch Me I'm Sick'…a cocky, snotty finger to the man, casting the band as full-time, half-cut losers just in it for the rock n roll. 25 years and 8 albums later, who would have guessed that they would be one of the last survivors in an industry more disposable than ever?

Since 2002 they've been back on Sub Pop, where it all began, and Vanishing Point keeps the finger raised and flag flying for noisy distortion and punk rock riffs. Drummer Dan Peters kicks off opener Slipping Away, with a reminder as to why he once kept Nirvana's drum stool warm for Dave Grohl. His pounding rolls are soon joined by Steve Turner's drunken lead and the unmistakable whine of Mark Arm. A sound perfected in '88 and not tweaked since.

On first single I Like It Small, Arm sings of the ambition that never saw them scale the heights "I've got big enough balls to admit I like it small" but is probably the reason they are still together and making music. Chardonnay is a 90 second love/hate song to "The crate that launched a thousand strippers" and I Don't Remember You is a fuck you to faces from back in the day. A day that Mudhoney, unlike most of their peers, survived. That they did so without changing their attitude or sound along the way is a small victory for those of us that don't feel that different from how we did 25 years ago either.

Killer Track: The Only Son of the Widow From Nain.

#Music
#chimpovich

1st Apr 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Trailer Park: The Wolverine

Two trailers for the upcoming Wolverine movie. Doesn't really look all that much 'harder and darker' than the last one or any of the X-Men movies....

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF
#Halliwell

#CSF
#Film

27th Mar 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

The Private Eye

Interesting looking pay-what-you-like digital comic from Brian K Vaughan (author of the very enjoyable series Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina) and Marvel artist Marcos Martin.

Welcome to Panel Syndicate, where artist Marcos Martin and writer Brian K. Vaughan deliver original comics directly to readers around the world, who pay whatever the hell they want for each DRM-free issue. Our first new storyline is THE PRIVATE EYE, a forward-looking mystery we created with colorist Muntsa Vicente. Set in a future where privacy is considered a sacred right and everyone has a secret identity, The Private Eye is a serialized sci-fi detective story for mature readers. You can download our 32-page first issue right now, for any price you think is fair. 100% of your payments go directly into our greedy mitts and will help fund the rest of a story that we're both very proud of (we hope there will be around 10 issues total; an old-school "maxiseries!"), so thanks for reading...

#chimpx
#Books&Comics

26th Mar 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

American Psycho

Overblown, vacuous satire that is hampered further by Christian Bale's near-slapstick performance.

Halliwell says: A daft, elegant portrait of a self-obsessed, fashionable, design-conscious man descending into psychosis as a result of his obsessions.**

25th Mar 2013

Men In Black 3

Big, brash, glitzy summer blockbuster - that's surprisingly lean, well rounded and entertaining.

22nd Mar 2013

#CSF
#Film
#Skateboarding

Skate or Die: Equinox

I can totally understand why they don't get made that much, but I love an arty skate video. This is Equinox, from Toronto production house Street Feet.

"Cold street footage with a dose of jazz, rap, Charles Bukowski and much more." - via Crossfire Magazine

22nd Mar 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Twitter

RT @HUCKmagazine: Nice tings and cool shizzle that came our way during the making of our latest issue http://t.co/7UeAywMXk5

22nd Mar 2013

We Bought A Zoo

Low-effort, cookie cutter sentimental drama that has some merit.

17th Mar 2013

Any Given Sunday

Glitzy, predictable NFL movie that wishes it had Michael Mann in charge instead of Oliver Stone.

14th Mar 2013

Twitter

The Rome section of Richard Scarry's book 'Cars and Trucks and Things That Go' is being recreated on the news as we speak....

13th Mar 2013

Chronicle

Decent enough superhero flick that paints itself into the usual shapeless, found-footage corner.

8th Mar 2013

New Mudhoney: I Like It Small

Mark Arm is channeling his inner Iggy on the new Mudhoney track I Like It Small, from forthcoming album Vanishing Point, out April 1st. Check out the trailer for that below.

#CSF
#Music

7th Mar 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Twitter

@guardianfilm It's got to be Star Wars. Who knew Han Solo would come back and save the day like that?

6th Mar 2013

#chimpx
#Music
#PromoPromo

Promo Promo: John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts

First track from the new John Grant album; good beard, good songs, out Mar 11. Got to love the chorus for GMF: "I am the greatest motherfucker that you're ever going to meet"

4th Mar 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Witness

Brilliantly written and directed thriller that weaves through many classic tropes, plus carpentry.

Halliwell says: As much about the meeting of cultures as about cops and robbers, this is one of those lucky movies which works out well on all counts and shows that there are still craftsmen lurking in Hollywood.***

#JustWatched
#Film
#CSF
#Halliwell

28th Feb 2013

Swissted: Swiss Modernism V Punk Rock

"swissted is an ongoing project by graphic designer mike joyce, owner of stereotype design in new york city. drawing from his love of punk rock and swiss modernism, two movements that have (almost) nothing to do with one another, mike has redesigned vintage punk, hardcore, new wave, and indie rock show flyers into international typographic style posters. each design is set in lowercase berthold akzidenz-grotesk medium (not helvetica). every single one of these shows actually happened. swissted book out march 5th on quirk books—get it here!"

#chimpx
#Art
#Books&Comics
#Music

27th Feb 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Twitter

\#Spotted: The guy that reverse engineered @Schwarzenegger in T2, replacing Belushi in 'The Blues Brothers 2000'. http://t.co/xfo59wib58

24th Feb 2013

Twitter

RT @elliotgoldner: Going to the dentists - I've got a filling that picks up the radio. I'm going to get it replaced with a DAB one.

23rd Feb 2013

The Great Time Machine Race

It's on... (Or will be.) (Or has been.) Take your pick between the Verdrehung Fan(TM) and the Space-Time Twisting By Light project.

Marshall Barnes, R&D Eng, is working on the Verdrehung Fan(TM) which involves effecting time with specially synthesized electromagnetic fields. Meanwhile, the plan from Ronald L. Mallett, PhD utilises a rotating ring laser generating a gravitational field that then twists space and time.

#chimpx
#Film
#ShortAttentionSpanTheatre

#chimpx
#Space
#Tech
#Travel

21st Feb 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Short Attention Span Theatre: C (299,792 km/s)

Like the retromania science clips in this Kickstarter-funded short - reminiscent of Leonard Nimoy's finest work (In Search Of...). More details on the combination of digital cameras and old school non-CGI FX work in this Wired piece.

"C is the story of Lieutenant Commander Malleck, and her radical act of mutiny aboard the
KESTROS IV. With the help of her co-conspirators, she attempts to harness this weapon of mass destruction for a grand new purpose. But when a contingent of ground crew led by Second Lieutenant Kai threatens her master plan, Malleck must use the ship against them in order to succeed.

To build the future, we looked to the past. No CGI or greenscreen was used in the making of the film; all our sets and props were built by hand and filmed in-camera. Combining new advances in digital camera technology with traditional special effects, we sought to create a unique look through lighting design, camera tricks, miniature photography, split-screen, and stop-animation. We believe that this approach allowed us greater creative possibilities on a low-budget science-fiction film."

19th Feb 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Pretentious, self consciously quirky Oscarbait that strangely fails to connect.

17th Feb 2013

Kurt Vile Will Violate You Again in April

The new @TheRealKurtVile record "Wakin' On A Pretty Daze" is out April 8th. Check out the rocking 9m30s MP3 "Wakin' On A Pretty Day" here. And be prepared for some spelling issues with all these titles.

Cover art is by chimp favourite Espo (aka Steven Powers). Check that out above and in the video below.

#CSF
#Art
#Music

13th Feb 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

The Artist

Classy, post modern love letter to cinema, that's a couple of reels too long and not as subtle as 'Hugo'.

10th Feb 2013

The Iron Lady

Kaleidoscopic, meandering wander down a well trodden path of Mrs Thatcher anecdotes and impressions.

9th Feb 2013

Twitter

RT @nozawaholidays: Absolutely Dumping here in Nozawa at the moment. Think it will be one of those days that the road heating just canno ...

8th Feb 2013

Twitter

RT @thecoldvein: "What's that new Tarantino movie? Django and Cash?" Unattributed.

3rd Feb 2013

Wanderlust

Anaemic hippie comedy, with a sub-par turn out from that Paul Rudd that we like.

2nd Feb 2013

Face Off: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters V Hansel & Gretel Get Baked

Hollywood loves doing the same thing twice: Capote v Infamous; Antz v A Bug's Life; Snow White And The Huntsman v Mirror Mirror; Lincoln v Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Now here's two takes on the perils of eating candy in a house made of sweets: you've probably seen Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton getting all medieval badass - but have you seen Lara Flynn Boyle as a stoner witch with a serious case of the munchies? Asylum Films have knocked one out too (starring Dee Wallace - aka Elliott's mum in ET).

#chimpx
#Film
#Stupido
#TrailerPark

1st Feb 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Short Attention Span Theatre: They Are The Last

@Vimeo's team have picked up on this short from @kaurimultimedia

"34 degrees 24 minutes 19 seconds South,â€¨
53 degrees, 46 minutes 40 seconds West.
Leonardo Da Costa is a lighthouse keeper stationed in Cabo Polonio, a remote cape in a stretch of Uruguayan coastline rich in shipwrecks and sunken treasures.
Cabo Polonio’s light has been guiding ships since 1881, and Da Costa is the latest in a long line of watchmen who have operated the tower with care and attention. He leads an unassuming life, the tranquility of the almost intact landscape keeping him company. Serenity and silence merge with the daily tasks and chores he carries out. Da Costa represents a rare profession that still survives in a few countries.
Take some time to appreciate a gentle and enlightening way of life, for once it is gone, it will be missed.
*Music by Volt Heist: voltheist.com"

#chimpx
#Film
#ShortAttentionSpanTheatre

1st Feb 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Twitter

\#Spotted: The Doggie Bounce guy from \#FOTC, talking to that Paul Rudd all about the benjamins in 'Wanderlust'. http://t.co/5ZSvFpuW

28th Jan 2013

Twitter

"I'd have that if it was hearts or stars". \#OverheardInIKEA

27th Jan 2013

#chimpx
#Film
#TrailerPark

Trailer Park: The East

Promising trailer for The East - the follow up to the excellent Sound of My Voice from Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling. Looks like they're stepping things up, with a cast that includes Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Julia Ormond and Patricia Clarkson

25th Jan 2013 - Add Comment - Tweet

Twitter

â€œ @OLDSIRHENRY: That new Madness single is dope, honest......â€

24th Jan 2013