Many people wonder what the first theatrical release was for Marvel Comics.  That can be answered with one name and two words…Howard the Duck.  Initially, Howard the Duck had everything going for it.  Science fiction was very popular in the 80’s and the man most responsible for that, George Lucas, was one of the films’ producers.  In the end, Howard the Duck was panned by critics and audiences alike and became one of the worse movies ever made.

Howard lives a pretty normal life on Duckworld (Truth bomb).  One night as he reads Playduck Magazine (also, sadly a truth bomb) his apartment starts to shake.  Howard is catapulted out the window and into outer space (apparently it’s that easy to travel through dimensions on Duckworld).  Howard lands in the city of Cleve-land? Where he befriends Cherry Bomb lead singer Beverly.  After tying and failing to live life on earth, two scientists attempt to help Howard get back to Duckworld. Their plan ends up failing and turns one the scientists, Dr. Jennings, into the Dark Overlord of the Universe (possibly the most terrifying villain name in movie history). After that Howard and Beverly have to escape the Dark Overlord. 

Howard the Duck is a really tough movie to sit through.  The movie has an extremely awkward tone and an even worse potential sex scene between Beverly and Howard.   Although, some might consider that Howard the Duck gave fans one of the best musical numbers in movie history.

- Movie Review by Dan Bayer, Ayo Kdoe Productions

PHOTOS BY: Kevin Doellman, Ayo Kdoe Productions

VIDEO BY:

Kevin Doellman
Agatha Mikolajczyk
Cheryl Petratos

Director: Stewart Raffill
Actors: Jonathan Ward and Mac (Mysterious Alien Creature…see what they did there)

     When one movie studio produces a film that is a critical and a financial hit, other studios will attempt to make a similar product to appeal to the same audience.  Usually the similar movie does not capture the magic of the original.  This was definitely the case with 1988’s Sci-Fi movie, Mac and Me. The Stewart Raffill vehicle tried to ride the coattails of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. Instead of a powerful story about a boy bonding with an alien, Mac and Me replaced a script with product placement and about five over-the- top scenes.

     Mac and his family live on a deserted planet.  One day a rover lands there and sucks them up. The government captures them, but Mac makes an extremely daring escape.  While escaping and causing chaos on the streets, Mac unknowingly climbs aboard a mini van that belongs to the Cruise family. The Cruise family, Janet and her two sons Eric and Michael, are moving from Chicago. While the family is unpacking Mac plays some goofy pranks on them including turning the family room into a forest. Nobody really knows what is going on until Eric’s wheel chair’s brakes shatter and he falls off a cliff.  After Mac saves Eric, he realizes the only way that Mac can survive is if Mac is reunited with his family.

     There are many parts in Mac and Me that leave the viewer questioning what just happened.  While Eric is helping Mac, the journey leads them to a dance sequence at McDonalds, a can of Coca-Cola that literally saves Mac’s life and possibly the fastest human villains in cinema history. In the end, the movie experience of Mac and Me is the exact opposite of E.T. Mac and Me is worth a view for it’s many unintentional laughs.

- Review by Dan Bayer, Ayo Kdoe Productions

Director: Joe Cornish
Actors: John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, and Nick Frost

     It seems like there are dozens of alien-attacking-earth movies released every year.  Many of those films are stale and retell the same story over and over again.  Everyone once and a while a new sci-fi film comes out that blows everyone’s mind.  It’s even more rare for that movie to be an indie, but that is EXACTLY what Attack the Block is about.

     A group of teenagers mug a nursing student (which usually isn’t how a typical science fiction flick starts).  While Sam, the nurse, is getting mugged, a mysterious alien creature falls from the sky. Sam escapes and the teenagers go to see what fell from the sky.  They fight and take the creature.  Eventually they bring it to their drug dealers, in hope for fame and fortune.  While that is happening more aliens fall from the sky.  The group eventually gets into a fight with the aliens and end up having to team up with Sam while they attempt to save their block.

     Attack the Block is literally the exact opposite of Battleship.  Attack the Block is slick, stylish, and exciting.  The movie had a budget of $13 million, which is minuscule compared to Battleship’s $209 million.  The design of the aliens is very creative and scary.  There is also a decent amount of humor in the movie; it is from the same team behind Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.  Here’s hoping for many more sci-fi flicks like Attack the Block.

- Review by Dan Bayer, Ayo Kdoe Productions

GREG ARMSTRONG

DAN BAYER

MVP

• AL – Miguel Cabrera DET
• NL – Buster Posey SF

Cy Young

• AL – Justin Verlander DET
• NL – Gio Gonzalez WAS

Most Web Gems

• AL – Josh Reddick OAK
• NL – Justin Upton ATL

Fantasy Dud

• AL – Mark Teixeira NYY
• NL – Roy Halladay PHI

World Series

• Tampa Bay Rays over San Francisco Giants in seven games

JEFF ARMSTRONG

MVP

• AL – Robinson Cano NYY
• NL – Andrew McCutchen PIT

Cy Young

• AL – Jared Weaver LAA
• NL – Gio Gonzalez WAS

Most Web Gems

• AL – Ben Zobrist TB
• NL – Bryce Harper WAS

Fantasy Bust

• AL – Jost Hamilton LAA
• NL – David Wright NYM

World Series

• Detroit over Atlanta in 6 (Austin Jackson MVP)

KEVIN DOELLMAN

MVP

• AL – Adam Jones BAL
• NL – Ryan Braun MIL

Cy Young

• AL – Max Sherzer DET
• NL – Clayton Kershaw LAD

Most Web Gems

• AL – Mike Trout LAA
• NL – Brandon Crawford SF

Fantasy Bust

• AL – R.A. Dickey TOR
• NL – Matt Kemp LAD

World Series

• Baltimore over St. Louis in 7. 

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Rays DJ Kitty

After being propositioned by the staff at his local tavern, a nondescript bearded man takes an impromptu road trip from Chicago to Michigan and back in his 1986 Mercury Cougar. He unwinds and takes some photographs with a spinning panoramic camera along the way.

Starring: Matt Brownley, Justin Donnelly, Patrick Belsanti, Ashley Sutyak, Michael Peterson, James Tunney Empfield, Sean Delahunt, Alec Thorsen

Directed By: Alec Thorsen
Director of Photography: Kevin Doellman
Written By: Michael Peterson & Alec Thorsen
Screenplay By: Michael Peterson
Produced By: Alec Thorsen / DePaul University
Camera Operators: Kevin Doellman, Jordan Oglesby

- Trailer edited by Kevin Doellman

FOLLOW THE MOVIE ONLINE:
FACEBOOK: facebook.com/BryanWaltersMovie
TWITTER: @TheSpinnerDude

DIRECTED BY: Cesar Ribot
CINEMATOGRAPHY BY: Kevin Doellman, Mike Gore

Director: The Master of the Romantic Thriller ^tm James Nguyen
Actors: Whitney Moore, Alan Bagh, and Mona Lisa Moon

     Sometimes watching a bad movie is just as fun and fulfilling as watching an Academy Award winner.  One of the best bad movies in the past decade is Birdemic: Shock and Terror. Not only does Birdemic tell you what feelings you are going to have while watching the movie in it’s title, it’s also the first time in the history of cinema where the ‘villains’ look like they came from Clip Art.  

     Birdemic starts out, as one would assume it would, a romantic relationship with an upcoming software salesman (Rod) asking out a former high school crush/current supermodel on a date (Nathalie).  (Spoilers!) The buildup of their relationship takes about 46 minutes, which means the first ‘bird’ attack doesn’t happen until the 47^th minute of the movie. One of the final moments with the couple before the birds is a Le Miserable-esque moment featuring the infamous song, “Hanging Out With My Family”.   The graphics are extremely shoddy and the birds actions don’t make sense.  For instance some of the birds are essentially kamikazes who dive straight down and explode into a building.

     From unnecessary picnic scenes while killer birds are outside, to an extremely un-subtle message about global warming, Birdemic: Shockand Terror has everything you want in a movie.  Even this guy makes an appearance.

- Review by Dan Bayer, Ayo Kdoe Productions