As I work for a Music Production Company on the side, I have some experience and weight in talking about Unicorn Media and how it can benefit emerging artists in the music industry or entertainment industry. I went to visit the main site and was immediately taken at how clean and friendly the site is laid out. You have your categories at the top, plus search button, the video display at the center left, and the Information about the video clips and artists on the right.

Here is a screenshot of the site:

I found my favorite set of video’s were the Mixology101 series, where I learned how to make a Patron Margarita, and a Cruzan Mojito. The explanation was very thorough and about as professional as any mainstream Food Network show I have seen. I also think the video is slightly higher quality than YouTube and I appreciate the larger window and video size. If you are a new or emerging artist it would definitely be beneficial to do some music promotion and have your material uploaded and listed on Unicorn Media so you can get some attention and fan base. This holds true for artists trying to tape their own documentaries, TV shows or any video subject for that matter.

In addition to having the website for Music and Entertainment Industry, Unicorn Media also has a blog called Unicorn Sightings which I found had very useful information for artists. In particular I found hte post titled “Want to get Signed” had some base useful information for new artists who are looking for a record label. Many local bands here in Arizona are great at playing local gigs, but don’t have the time and ability to take on a record label. It involves enormous amounts of time and energy in self promotion, and touring, and the entire band has to be 100% committed.

So if you are an artist, or you want to see emerging material from musicians and entertainment artists, I encourage everyone to visit this site and browse the various categories and series and see if you find anything you like. It wasn’t hard for me to find some material I liked within a few minutes.

-Dragon Blogger

When you have two small children and a very busy home life, you don’t get out to the movie theaters as much except to see kids movies.  Sure I have seen Kung Fu Panda, Speed Racer, Wall-E, and just about every kids movie that comes out as they come out.  Which I don’t mind, I actually am a kid at heart and LOVED WALL-E as one of the best movies I have ever seen.  Kung Fu Panda was equally incredible and Jack Black was at his funniest as Po.

But I have been wanting to see Iron Man ever since prior to its release, the press hype and the reviews gave it high praise and I only hungered to watch the movie more.  Yesterday I rented it and watched half of the movie finishing the other half this afternoon.

Robert Downey Jr. plays Tony Stark so well that you could imagine he is that character.  A brash, brilliant scientist who is so smug and self confident that his charisma rolls off of his sleeves like rain off a car windshield.   Even prior to Tony Stark becoming the “Iron Man” he was a character full of self cockiness and the kind of man every guy wishes he was.

This is in direct contrast to most superhero movies where the hero is a down on his luck, outcast, social misfit or nerd.  Rather than it being a movie about someone who discovers themselves and gains strength to do good, it is about someone who realizes that they have the gift and ability all along, and learn to put their gifts to a noble purpose.  Tony Stark’s biggest weakness was his ignorance and how easily he was mislead by Obadiah Stane who worked with him at Stark Industries.

Seriously I enjoyed this movie as much as I first enjoyed seeing the original Spiderman.  Instead of showing off super powers, it instead shows off a man with a gift for technology and what he can accomplish with that technology.  I thought Gwenneth Paltrow did a fine job as Pepper Potts, much more enjoyable than her role in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow in my opinion.

Jon Favreau who also directed “Elf” which is one of my family’s favorite movies, did a superb job with Iron Man which only makes us hunger for a sequel.  One of the best scenes in the movie is when Pepper Potts discovers Tony Stark being unsuited by his robotics and he exclaims “It’s not like this is the worst thing you caught me doing”.

I thought Jeff Bridges did a great job as the villain barely recognizable as Jeff Bridges actually, the bald head and long beard really threw me at first.  His villainous plans are a bit outlandish and he seemed a little too knowledgable about the techology especially when confronting Iron Man in the Iron Monger Suit.  His team of scientists who couldn’t reproduce Tony Stark’s power source shouldn’t have been able to upgrade that suite as Tony much off of Tony’s plans I would think.

I would have liked to have seen more encounters and situations for which Iron Man was called for, the movie spent a good deal of time showing the human side of Tony Stark and this was very pleasant though as some movies like X-Men over do it on the Super Hero stuff.  My favorite thing about Tony Stark is instead of wanting to have a secret identity that nobody knew, he is brash enough to announce “I am Iron Man” which is one of the best lines in the movie delivered by Tony Stark at the end of the film.

I am very excited about seeing a sequel, and honestly this makes me want to see more films with Robert Downey Jr in them.  The last film I saw with him was The Shaggy Dog, where he was a villainous scientist actually, and thought it was an okay role and an enjoyable film, his acting talents are far better and its good to see him stretch to something high caliber.

-Dragon Blogger

Where do I begin is the question, this season started off with so many plot twists and intricate story arc’s that it was almost like information overload.  Two one hour episodes of Season 3 back to back and I feel like I watched a two hundred million dollar motion picture.  The story, special effects, set design were all magnificent.  The flashback episode prior to the Season premieres were also quite incredible.  So this is a summary of the first two episodes and recap for fans who missed any part of the shows, or need a quick refresher on all that has happened.

The Season 3 is titled “Villains” and the first Episode “The Second Coming” opens up with Peter Petrelli four years in the future confronted by Claire.  Claire attempts to assasinate him due to the choices he made and the problems caused in the future, Peter claims he will go back an “fix” it.  He then teleports to “Present” day where we learn that future Peter himself is the one who shot his own brother Nathan.  Future Peter also gave his own blood to help Nathan regenerate in the hospital, so he didn’t really kill his own brother, but he planned to.  Meanwhile, while in the hospital Nathan has an epiphany and believes his resurrection comes from God himself, becoming somewhat Pious, we start to see the corrupt Nathan start seeping back into him as he develops a relationship with none other than Mr. Linderman, who is a figment of his imagination or a ghost?  They haven’t explained further yet on that one.

Hiro Nakamura takes charge of his father’s company in the wake of his death and learns from a video tape from his father that there is one half of a secret formula he must keep safe at all costs.  Of course Hiro opens the safe and the formula is stolen right from his hands by a woman who can move faster than the speed of sound.  Even with Hiro stopping time, we learn he just slows it down very much not truly and completely stops it.  She is able to move at super human speed even while time is greatly slowed from Hiro’s ability.  She socks him and whisks away with the formula.

Hiro decides to teleport into the future and see what the damage is, and he see’s a most devastating future (this is kind of a recurrent theme of the show, every Season there is some horrible future that awaits them if they fail to act and save it).  I admit this specific repetition is kind of getting to be a sore point for me.  Stick with current plots and times, constantly “Saving The World” and witnessing the future destruction is getting old that they have done it now 3 Seasons in a row.  But I have to admin the chaos future that exists is pretty bleak, it shows Ando blasting Hiro with some kind of red electricity and killing him in the future, as well as some destructive storm taking out Tokyo.  Hiro whisks back just in time and is quite distrustful of Ando in the present day.  They are setting it up to show that Hiro distrusting Ando will build a rift between them which may lead to Ando betraying or becoming less likely to stay his friend.

Matt Parkman discovers Peter is the shooter, but didn’t realize it is the Future Peter.  Future Peter sends Matt Parkman to the far corners of Africa so he can’t interfere with whats happening.  They don’t focus on Matt too much in the first episode, but they put a little more into him in the 2nd episode

Meanwhile, Sylar free’d and powers somewhat restored gets to Claire in her home and after a standoff where Claire manages to wound him, Sylar removes Claire’s skull cap and begins tinkering with her brain to unlock her powers.  It is now that we learn that Sylar doesn’t eat brains but by studying them is able to make the same adjustments in himself to unlock those abilities.  Sylar fully gains Claire’s powers, but in doing so he learns something about Claire, and he does not kill her.  He instead lets her regenerate and explains to her that even if he wanted to kill her, he could not.  She is “Special” and cannot die.  This distresses Claire greatly, and she soon finds out that something Sylar did to her prevents her from feeling any pain at all.  This makes her feel even less human and she starts getting depressed further.

All this is happening while Maya and Dr. Suresh are bickering over finding a cure for her “powers” and Suresh reveals that he has been looking for a way to give people powers.  He isolates the source of the power to the adrenal glands and makes a serum he claims can give the power to anyone.  Maya asks him to destroy it and predictably as he stands over a bridge ready to toss the syringe into the water, he instead injects himself.  He passes out shortly to awaken to thugs trying to mug him.  He quickly grabs the gun from the thug and crushes the barrel with his bare hands, he then tosses the other hooligan several feet into the air backward.  He realizes his super strength comes from this ability.

We learn that Nathan and Peter Petrelli’s mom has the ability to dream the future, and she informs Peter that is where he got his first ability from.  She dreams a future where the Level 5 prison inmates have escaped and they kill Claire, Noah Bennett, among others.  She is quite distressed about this vision and confronts future Peter to scold him about his constantly meddling with time and making poor choices.  We learn that because Peter spoke to Claire, she stayed home instead of going to Odessa, which is why she was alone when Sylar attacked her.

This is pretty much the gist of the first episode, I will create Part 2 tomorrow morning where I will go into the second Episode “The Butterfly Effect”.  

Time for sleep.

-Dragon Blogger

I am so excited to see Heroes Season 3 tonight, however I may not be able to catch it live as I have some work to do for a client. This means I will have to set it up on my DVR and catch it either late night, or tomorrow. Tonight is the 2 hour season premiere which is preceded by a 1 hour recap with the cast. Everyone who likes the show should tune in tonight, if you have ever liked watching any super hero movies or reading comic books, you will probably be an instant fan of the show.

In the meantime all I can do is wait with anticipation and hope I get off work early enough to catch the show tonight, or else I will have to catch it tomorrow.

-Dragon Blogger

I am a huge movie fan and have been ever since I was a child. I was always awed by a film directors ability to tell a story and lead the viewer in a direction of his choosing. Many people do not appreciate the art of film making as it truly deserves to be appreciated, even the lowest budget horror film with the lowest rating. If a movie made your heart beat quicken, or you hold your breath in suspense. Then that director should be given credit, those actors should be given credit. Any movie that can take your mind away from the reality of the here and now and instill feeling, emotion, passion or even inspire you is a movie that has something of worth.

Many people find it unusual that I say there are very few “BAD” movies, most movies fall in a gray area of “Okay”. I have seen a few bad movies don’t get me wrong, but they are few and far between. Even movies critic’s don’t like, I tend to find something in the movie that I like and appreciate, even if it a single scene, or how an actor portrays a character, the artwork, set design, clothing, special effects, sound effects or any other number of things.

One of my favorite movie quotes of all time comes from the movie Secondhand Lions, with Robert Duvall, Michael Caine and Haley Joel Osment. This movie is about a boy whose irresponsible mother drops him off at his uncle’s ranch where the boy learns about life and what it is like to be a man. This movie inspires me, and the two characters Garth and Hub played by Michael Caine and Robert Duvall respectively give some of their best performances.

One of my favorite scenes and speeches is given by Robert Duvall who is giving advice to Haley Joel Osment’s character Walter about life and people.

Let me know what you think of the speech:

Even better, let me know your thoughts and feelings about movies. What is your favorite category, what is your favorite movie, or what are some of your favorite speeches and scenes?

-Dragon Blogger

• Fellow Blogger Posts on Favorite Movie’s and Quotes

While not a super fan of TV Drama’s about lawyers, courtrooms, judges or anything related to law.  I occasionally found a show particularly interesting, imaginative and/or filled with acting that captured my attention.  One show that really grabbed my attention this year is TNT’s new Legal Drama called Raising the Bar.

The show stars Mark Paul Gosselaar as a Public Defender who seems to be personally vested in each of his clients, a lawyer with a heart and one who cares about his clients and the future and fate of his clients.  This gets in the way of his job and puts him at odds with the Prosecution as well as the judges numerous times.  His portrayal of his character Jerry Kellerman is so convincing and honest that you can’t help but really like the character, who he stands for and how he fights for his clients.  The show has a fair sized cast and I like all of the characters on the show.  Gloria Reuben plays Rosalind Whitman who heads up the Public Defender’s office and oversees and assists her public defenders with their cases.  Currie Graham plays Nick Balco who heads up the Prosecutors office where his team of legal staff try their best to convict the guilty as he boldly states in one episode “We are paid to convict”.  In watching the first three episodes of Raising the Bar, one of clear key players in the show beside Mark Paul Gosselaar is Jane Kaczmarek who plays Judge Trudy Kessler.  For those of you who don’t know, Jane Kaczmarek was perfect as Lois from Malcom in the Middle, and to see her role as a Judge who has a very shady view of her position of power was a bit of a shocker.  She plays a very powerful character both from a professional standpoint (her decision decides a client’s fate) but also her character is very bold, brash, stubborn and spiteful.  In the first few episodes alone she goes out of her way to teach Public Defender Jerry Kellerman a few lessons, and in one episode throws him in jail in contempt for disagreeing and arguing with her in her in the courtroom.

The show has other interesting characters as well though they don’t get the screen time as the ones mentioned above.  J. August Richards plays Marcus McGrath who is a Prosecutor working for Nick Balco.  Jonathan Scarfe is one of the more interesting characters on the show playing Charlie Salansky who is a good friend to Jerry Kellerman, and also is very close to Judge Judy Tressler and helps Jerry by convincing the Judge to be lenient and sides with him.  Charlie is also more than just a personal contact with Judy, and is hinted that he has some sort of romantic affairs with her, yet he hides his true identity, that he is a gay man from everyone around him for fear it will damage his career.  Melissa Sagemiller plays a Prosecutor who also had a romantic relationship with Jerry but after getting her first Murder trial she uses unethical tactics to attempt to win her case which bitters the relationship very quickly.  Teddy Sears plays Richard Patrick Woolsley IV, who is a lawyer coming from money.  But instead of being pompous and prickish and becoming a rich corporate lawyer, he becomes a public defendant and instead helps the guilty and innocent alike who need someone to defend him.  He is also another lawyer who gets involved emotionally with his clients and cares about them more than just another number in the legal system.  His character also leverages his family’s wealth on occasion to help his fellow public defenders which shows just how noble his character strives to be.

Bottom line, this show is very realistic in portrayal of the courtroom system.  Where being Guilty or Innocent and what you are sentenced to isn’t just what the jury decides, but what deals the lawyers make between each other, the whims of the Judges mood that day.  A defendant could get very lucky if the Judge is happy, or very unlucky if the Judge is in a bad mood.  It portrays the real fact that emotions sometimes drives a guilty or innocent verdict and what the sentence is as it is sometimes in the real legal system.

All actors play their characters very well, but without a doubt  Mark Paul Gosselaar and Jane Kaczmarek are the most stunning and brilliant performances in the show.

I highly encourage anyone if you liked Boston Legal, Law and Order, Canterbury’s Law (Another outstanding Legal Show), then you probably will like this show.

The show air’s on Monday nights on TNT, you can read more about the show and its characters on TNT Website.

Here is a snippet of the last episode I found on YouTube you can watch and get a sample of the show:

-Dragon Blogger

I have been a huge fan of NBC Heroes since the first episode aired almost 3 years ago. As a superhero fan I had enormous expectations and the show opened with the incredibly likable Hiro Nakamura played by Masi Oka. The show only got better with each and every episode but left off in a somewhat disappointing Finale in Season 1. Season 2 had less action initial wonder but made up for it in detailed storyline and suspense, this however was cut short to be an only 11 episode season due to the writer’s guild strike.

Season 3 promises to start off phenomenally, with bringing what the fan’s want, more Good Vs Evil showdowns, and more developed powers and action. The premise is that several villains hidden away at “Level 5″ in the company escape. I am in eager anticipation of the show.

Fans of the NBC Website and Heroes Graphic Novels have special insight to some of these Villains, as they are showcased in the Graphic Novels. I would highly recommend if you have not ever read a Heroes Graphic Novel, to start reading them. There are well over 90 Graphic Novels now and a new one is published every week.
Read NBC Heroes Graphic Novels http://www.nbc.com/Novels/

In the meantime, here is a trailer to wet your appetite.

Rock On Heroes Fans,

-Dragon Blogger

Note: There is a 1 hour recap show prior to the 2 hour season premier, 3 full hours I will have my bum glued to the Television on Monday 9/22.

This is an tribute to all Mel Brooks fans out there.  I have been a longtime fan of just about every movie that Mel Brooks produces and directs and some of the classics are still some of the most fun movies in memory.  Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, History of the World, Young Frankenstein are just some of the memorable classics.  Some of the more modern ones weren’t as drop dead funny but I enjoyed the ironic satire in Life Stinks and Robin Hood:  Men in Tights as well.

So in an effort to promote some fun and jog some memories here are some of my favorite quotes from Mel Brooks comedy movies:

“They said you was hung” “And they was right”

“Nurse, this man has been over medicated…. How does a thing like this happen?”

“Oh no, don’t do that. If you shoot him, you’ll just make him mad.”

“I’m a mog: half man, half dog. I’m my own best friend!”

“Barf… Puke… Whatever!”

“It’s Good to be King”

“Lord, mighty god, I give you these 15…..10 commandments.”

“We are now armed with mighty joint.”

“Put a little ice on it. You’ll be fine.”

“I am Asneeze, father of Ahchoo”  ”Bless You”

“Abby someone” “Abby Normal”

So does any of my fellow bloggers out there have favorite Mel Brooks films or linecomes?

I would love to hear your stories and favorite parts of Mel Brooks movies.

-Dragon Blogger

NBC Heroes comes back to us with Season 3 on September 22nd.

I for one am very excited to see the new season of the show, the third chapter “villains” appears to focus primarily on the Level 5 escapee’s from “The Company” and revolve around the Heroes from the first two season’s interfacing for good or bad with the villains.  Sylar returns in Season 3 after finally re-acquiring his powers by injecting himself with the antibodies from Claire Bennett’s blood.

In the new season we look forward to seeing more clashes between hero and villain, and I for one hope to see if Adam Monroe escapes his coffin prison.

In the meantime while we wait for Season 3, be sure to read the NBC Heroes Novels on their website.  These novels do a great job of filling in the gaps between the episodes on the show.  My favorite ones include “The Ten Brides of Takezo Kensei” which tells of the story of Adam Monroe throughout the last 400 years, and how he was married ten times and the various fates of each wife.

Here is the link to the entire Heroes Novel Library, and there are 99 Novel’s at the time of this blog:

http://www.nbc.com/Heroes/novels/novels_library.shtml

NBC Heroes Season 2 meanwhile releases on DVD on Tuesday August 26th.  I am thrilled to catch up on this Season, and while it was only 1/2 a season long (11 Episodes) it was much more story driven than Season 1.  Many people were disappointed because there was less action and too many plot twists and storyline, but I really think some of the characters were fleshed out well.  In particular one of the main stars of the Season was the Man with the Horn Rimmed Glasses (aka.  Mr. Noah Bennett) who’s character shows the dedicated and devoted father he is, but also that he still has care for what he “Used to do” for The Company.

There are some good Heroes Novels which show some of the run-ins and encounters Mr. Bennett had while on the Lamb, as well as what happened while he was held in captivity in “The Company” after he was brought back from the dead with the regenerative blood from Claire.