I remember it so clearly, as if it were yesterday.  Standing up at my desk, red in the face, gasping for breaths between my my sentences as I couldn't get my points out fast enough.  I was in my film and politics class at Pitt and arguing as to why Forrest Gump is one of the best political films ever made.

You could say I was pretty spunky and opinionated in College.  I at times naively and blindly defended my side of arguments in those days. But after much thought this is one belief I still hold true. Robert Zemeckis genius directing and Tom Hanks portrayal of this 'dumb' and simple man brings Winston Groom's book to life and makes for one of the most entertaining ways to take a look at our Nations sordid past.

Alright guys and gals, I'm bringing back 'throwback thursday' with bang! First, I did it with some classic music videos feat. (tlc, lfo, backstreet, 'Nsync) which you can search for on the site. But with my love of movies I thought it'd be a blast to do the same thing with movie trailers. So I'm kicking it off with Clueless.  And if you think I'm just going to tell you the all same stuff you've already heard before about the film 'as if'!

With an opening scene that's sure to go down in movie history, Out of the Furnace grabs your attention and holds tight with an iron-clad grip.  The movie's acting and dynamic tone don't letting you out of their grasp until the very end despite you gasping, even pleading, for air. Director Scott Cooper's (Crazy Heart) dark and gritty vision of small town's gone awry and family conflict is highlighted beautifully in his followup film.  The city Pittsburgh also adds quite the backdrop to this intense drama.

Out of the Furnace focuses on the relationship between brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) and Russell (Christian Bale) Baze and their struggles to overcome their individual obstacles and try to unite as a family again, especially after the loss of their parents.

Rodney, a military vet who has returned from his third tour in Iraq begins coping with his PTSD by getting involved in an underground fighting ring lead by the deplorable Harlan DeGroat (Woody Harrelson) and it is up to Russell to save his brother from a tragic fate.

Although the contents of this film are dark and certainly not what one wants over the Holiday Season it just ma be what one needs to grasp reality and realize that it is the struggle we face in our lives and overcome that makes living life so beautiful and so worthwhile. I give Out of the Furnace a solid B+ for being a riveting piece of film art with maybe a few loose ends that could have been tied up better and made more clear.

In Kristen Bell's new film The Lifeguard her character Leigh quits her great job as a reporter in New York to come back to her hometown and save lives as the lifeguard at the community pool, when in reality she's really the one that needs the saving.

I think I'm so drawn to this film because I really relate and I don't think I'm the only almost thirty-something out there that feels like Bell's character. I mean, here I am a few years out of College and putting my writing and film degrees to use working at a gym. Don't get me wrong, I dig my my job and love fitness however, I'm still doing a lot of soul searching and figuring out how to do what I want to do in life (write for a living) and just figuring out how to grow up in general.

I think our generation, thrown out into this world after College with a failing economy were really forced to find our way and for some of us the economy wasn't even a factor.  Just having a career goal that is hard to obtain is an obstacle in itself.  With so many of us out there being lost and confused with which direction our lives are going in this film comes at a perfect time.  No wonder Sundance made it one of its official selections.  I'm looking forward to watching Bell navigate this difficult path laid before here and hopefully finds some answers for my own journey as well.

From director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) comes Out of the Furnace, a tale of Russel (Bale) who is out to get revenge after his brother, played by Casey Affleck goes missing.  Bale ends up in a conflict with the crime ring leader played by Woody Harrelson.  Zoe Saldana (Star Trek, Columbiana) and Forest Whittaker round out this amazing cast. The film takes place in the rust belt town of Braddock which, if these photos are any indication is portrayed beautifully as a raw and gritty area.

Out of the Furnace hits theaters November 27th and I think this is one to look out for come Oscar season and to look forward to!




*More photos after the jump!



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Sure, we all know the Channing Tatum that has smooth dance moves, hilarity in honesty and a romantic side in his recent film over this past year.  But as the year quickly comes to an end, I bet it's safe to say you don't the Channing Tatum that hits up local sports bars or gets the crowd fired up at a Steeler's game on a  crappy rainy day. However, the past two months the actor, best known for his role from Step Up has been in and out of the Burgh filming his latest movie Fox Catcher and has caused quite the ruckus and 'Chandamonium' while doing so.  And I don't think I'm alone in saying that the city is happy to have him! Check a fun video from Channing's time at the Steeler game and  some photos form his visit thus far, after the jump!

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Best known for his role as the lovable goofball Andy Dwyer on NBC's Parks and Recreation actor Chris Pratt is really steeping up into the big leagues  and the big screen this winter appearing in two films that couldn't be more different from one another.

The first, Zero, Dark Thirty from the academy award winning director of Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow.  The film revolves around the crew that was sent in to capture and who eventually killed Osama Bin Laden.  Not to be without controversy, Bigelow has come under some scrutiny for the film.  With accusations that she somehow got access to inside information and also the thought that it may just be too soon and exploitative to put a film like this out there as soon as this Dec. Lastly, Bigelow was supposedly working on a drug cartel film with A list cast lined up that has taken a back seat due to this project.


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Nowadays it seems like everybody wants to do an 'Indie' movie, not that there's anything wrong with that.It's just... with so many out there it's getting harder and harder to find the good ones.

Here are Efron's and Pitt's latest attempts to give us some good indies.  I'm a little torn on both but definitely think there is at least something there that pulls you in.  What do you guys think??

Check out the trailers for both The Paper Boy starring Zac Efron and Killing them Softly starring Brad Pitt after the jump!  As always,  let me know the RBR Facebook page what your thoughts are!

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From Matt Damon and director Gus Van Sant comes the story about a very topical situation occurring around the country, but largely on the East Coast, of hydraulic frack...ing (sorry, I fell asleep just trying to get that sentence out). While the topic may not 'tickle your fancy' so to speak, I do think this will make for a very compelling movie (think Erin Brockovich, without the boobs).

I may not be a science teacher but here's a quick lesson for those who don't know, fracking requires going beneath the surface to extract natural gas from rocks that lie below it. Now, to replace the gas, companies are pumping a chemical filled liquid back in its place.  This unknown chemical is killing animals, making people sick and destroying family farming businesses around the country.

Alright...enough about that.  Despite this being a complicated and tricky topic to get into, especially for the average moviegoer, I think the performances from Damon and John Krasinski (who also co-wrote the screenplay with Damon) really make the film solid and powerful.  As always, leave your thoughts on the RBR Facebook page!



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You know that saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover"? Well, if the trailer for Celeste and Jesse Forever made you laugh, cry and really feel something then you'll be happy to know the movie delivers the same effect and you CAN judge this book by it's cover, uh...so to speak.

Although I'm not quite sure what to make of the debut trailer of  Cloud Atlas,  the latest film from the Wachowski's (The Matrix Trilology, Speed Racer) based on the novel by David Mitchell. The novel revolves around a group of individuals interconnected throughout different time periods.  Throw in some clones for you Sci-fi lovers out there  and you've got the biggest 'mind-fuck' since Inception as of recently and it predecessor The Matrix. In the film we see iconic actors such as Tom Hanks and Halle Berry portray different versions of their characters in each time period. Other than that knowledge I highly recommend watching the trailer as it is too confusing to explain anything else!   Let me know what you guys think over on the Facebook page!!










Photos after the jump!

Last Fall Cruise and crew set up camp in Pittsburgh, Pa for their latest endeavor Jack Reacher formerly  titled One Shot. In what is being compared to a 'Bourne like' film that could potentially have more films depending on how it does. 



In the film Cruise plays Jack Reacher a cop that works outside the limits of the law and will stop at nothing to take a sniper who killed a group of innocent people. The project, helmed by Christopher McQuarrie (The Tourist, Wolverine, Jack and the Giant Killer) seems gritty and dark based on the little tease we get in the trailer.

The film looks as though it could have potential to be a pretty great action film.  Especially looking forward to this hitting theaters in December in the bleak days of Winter where decent films in the theaters are sparse, so hopefully this will be a little something for us to nibble on.  Lastly, the film introduces us to up and comers Jai Courtney and Joseph Sikora. I had a chance to catch up with Writer/Director Chris McQuarrie as well as Jai and Joe while they were in Pittsburgh and seemed pretty excited about their dark action flick.  Pics and trailer after the jump!

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So Anna Kendrick and Brittany Snow in a movie about a show choir....this can't be good right?...RIGHT?! Well contrary to that gut reaction your having to this idea the trailer for their upcoming film Pitch Perfect actually looks super funny.  This is due in part to to it's wonderfully funny cast Adam Devine from the Comedy Central hit show Workaholics and Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids, What to Expect When You're Expecting).

While on the surface this is a stereotypical rom com with Kendrick most likely fawning after some guy it seems like there may be a little more there.  I think the jokes are hilariously and just hope the gags don't get old.  If the film's director Jason Moore, mainly known for his work in television (Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill) can pull this off then this film should be a lot of fun to check out.  Take a look at the trailer after the jump!




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A while back we heard about the actor taking on the role of Apple CEO Steve Jobs and now some set photos have recently appeared of Kutcher on the set of the film title Jobs.  From the jump it seemed as though he would be the fit for the role, as the resemblance is uncanny! Kutcher seems to have the chops to handle the role and walk that line of balancing the dramatic and light hearted moments of such a sensitive topic.

"JOBS" is the incredibly powerful and true story of the visionary who set out to change the world, and did. The film chronicles Steve Jobs' (ASHTON KUTCHER) transformation of character from the enthusiasm and self-discovery of his youth, to the personal demons that clouded his vision, and finally to the ultimate triumphs of his later life. Steve changed the way we see the world today through his relentless drive, passion, persistence, and the force of his will, and it is through these qualities that we draw inspiration from his life.
Dark, honest, and uncompromising, "JOBS" plunges into the depths of Steve Jobs' character, uncovering his motivations, his gifts, his flaws, his failures, and his successes. An immensely private tale spanning four decades, "JOBS" is an intensely character-driven story that is as much a sweeping epic as it is a personal tale.
An rousing narrative of Steve Jobs' days, "JOBS" pulls no punches and does not speculate, only telling the candid account as seen through his eyes, emotions, and ingenuity. The life of Steve Jobs.

Exciting news for all you Harry Potter fans out there! One of your own have officially graduated from Hogwarts and entered into the real world or at least into a real High School.   In latest film, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Emma Watson plays a normal, quirky teen who hangs out with other quirky teens with no magical spells here just magical performances and snarky teens with plenty of drama.  Also, be sure to check out the beautiful backdrop the film is set against. One of the perks of filming in Pittsburgh!   Check out the trailer after the jump!

One would think with such a simple title that a a film like the upcoming Words  starring Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana would consist of an equally as simplistic plot. However, a seemingly unassuming story about an aspiring writer trying to create greatness on the page take some interesting turns when Cooper's character passes off someone else's work as his own.  The film really seems to show what can happen when you grown desperate to have your words read, even when they aren't your own.



**Check out the trailer after the jump!


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In what's being called the 'sort-of-sequel' to Knocked Up the upcoming film This is 40 we reunite with some of our favorite characters and see where life has taken them.  And in this film, it has taken them to to their forties. Leslie Mann's character is struggling with the concept of aging and formulates a game plan to ease into this huge transition and in some ways combat it. As always Paul Rudd is hysterical and the writing and situations just feel real which probably has a lot to do with director Judd Apatow drawing form his own life experiences.  Check out the trailer after the jump!

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