Doubt

Official Site: "John Patrick Shanley brings his play Doubt to the screen, in a story about the blind quest for truth, the forces of change, and the devastating consequences of blind justice in an age defined by moral conviction."

Out this on your must-see list for the Oscar race. Streep and Hoffman play powerfully well of each other . . . of THAT there is no doubt.

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Jacket: "In a world where people born with an extreme skill - called a Grace - are feared and exploited, Katsa carries the burden of a skill even she despises; the Grace of killing.  She lives under the command of her uncle Randa, King of the Middluns, and is expected to execute his dirty work, punishing and torturing who displeases him.

When she first meets Prince Po, who is Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.

She never expects to become Po's friend.

She never expects to learn  new truth about her own Grace - or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone."

This is a remarkable debut novel for Kristin Cashore. Once I picked it up I was transported to the world of the seven kingdoms and did not want to leave. 

This is a novel for young adults. If you read to middle-schoolers you may want to jump over the few sex bits - just a warning. Then again, "Gossip Girl" is far, far worse.

Priceless (Hors de Prix) on DVD

Jacket: "On the French Riviera nothing comes cheap. And when it comes to men, Irene(Audrey Tatou) has very rich taste. One very confusing night, she is duped at her own game. Her knight in shining armour turns out to have no shine at all. Irene, however, is the woman of Jean's dreams. The only way to win her heart back is to turn the tables on her."

This is a cute and quirky film. Tatou fans should not be disappointed. 

The Best Way to Store Books

from Real Simple:

Q. What’s the best way to store books?

A.The ideal place to store books is pest-free, like an attic or a garage, as long as those spaces aren’t subject to big temperatures changes and are well ventilated. Never keep books in a humid spot; the mold that grows in damp places will damage them, along with any other paper-based objects. And don’t wrap books in plastic bags, plastic wrap, or foil, which encourage mold.

Click link for full article.

CJ7

Yahoo! Movies: "Ti is a poor father who works all day, everyday at a construction site to make sure his son Dicky Chow can attend an elite private school. Despite his father's good intentions to give his son the opportunities he never had, Dicky, with his dirty and tattered clothes and none of the "cool" toys, stands out from his schoolmates like a sore thumb. Ti can't afford to buy Dicky any expensive toys and goes to the best place he knows to get new stuff for Dicky--the junk yard! While out "shopping" for a new toy for his son, Ti finds a mysterious orb and brings it home for Dicky to play with. To his surprise and disbelief, the orb reveals itself to Dicky as a bizarre "pet" with extraordinary powers. Armed with his "CJ7" Dicky seizes this chance to overcome his poor background and shabby clothes and impress his fellow schoolmates for the first time in his life. But CJ7 has other ideas and when Dicky brings it to class, chaos ensues."

This was very, very cute.

Journey to the Center of the Earth on DVD

Jacket: "Brendan Fraser stars in this action-packed adventure based on the Jules Verne classic ... On a hunch to find the center of the earth, Trevor Anderson (Fraser), his nephew and their tour guide make a breakthrough discovery that launches them on a thrilling journey into the unknown. On a scramble to find their way back, the group travels through a never-before-seen world, encountering creatures and objects never imagined."

This is pretty much your typical Fraser film. The kids will get a kick out of it and maybe you too.

Horton Hears a Who on DVD

Wikipedia: "In the Jungle of Nool on May 15, a caring, imaginative elephant named Horton (Jim Carrey), the jungle's nature teacher, takes a dip in the pool. A dust speck floats past him in the air, and he hears a tiny yelp coming from it. Believing that an entire family of microscopic creatures are living on that speck, he places it on top of a clover that he holds in his trunk."

This is entertaining for the whole family. I had to watch it due to an internal joke with the Oceanic 6.

Smart People

Jacket: "... get to know a lovable yet dysfunctional family everyone can relate to in this lighthearted comedy ... When Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) - a widowed and self-absorbed professor - falls for his attractive former student (sarah Jessica Parker), his all-too-predictable life suddenly turns sunny-side up. That is, until his freeloading brother (Thomas Haden Church) and his sharp-tongued overachieving daughter speak up, making "chaos" the word of the day."

Tropic Thunder on DVD

Jacket: "When three of Hollywood's biggest stars head into the jungles of Vietnam to shoot a war movie, they have no idea how real things can get. Starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder is the most unexpected and controversial movie of the year."

This is so stupid it's funny. I was very surprised I liked it.

Wanted on DVD

Wikipedia: "Wanted is a 2008 action film which is very loosely based on the comic book miniseries of the same name by Mark Millar. The film is directed by Timur Bekmambetov and stars James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, Thomas Kretschmann and Terence Stamp.

... Comic book author Mark Millar described the first half of the film as being close to the graphic novel. Millar also said that the film's ending was similar, though it was relocated elsewhere from the setting in the graphic novel. The superhero costumes in the series were also removed, with the exception of the leather attire worn by Wesley Gibson and Fox. Ironically, this had been Millar's intent when writing the graphic novel, although he and artist J. G. Jones had forgotten to. "I wanted them to have those powers and then just wear those costumes for the initiation, but just for one panel." he said. "And then I forgot. I’d have liked [the filmmakers] to keep the supervillain mythos. That’s one thing I’m kind of sad they didn’t keep, ’cause I really liked that, the idea that supervillains and heroes did exist at one point and they’re all gone now."^[13] The story arc of the Fates issuing death orders in line with the series' original theme of predestination was a new element to the film, an addition to which Millar was amicable.<sup>[17]

...</sup> In the comics press, Erik Amaya of Comic Book Resources said, "The film's biggest faults lie in how far it strays from the source", and that, "If you've ever seen any movie about leather-clad assassins, you already know how this film plays out. The speed and skill of the movie-making balance out those faults, however".^[33] Tom McLean of Newsarama noted that while the story deviated strongly from the source, the movie "stands out as a highly entertaining action film that preserves the comic's core premise and cheeky attitude while taking the story into very different but still satisfying territory."<sup>[34]

This film has a weak story, but it is almost balanced out by the action scenes.</sup>

The X Files: I Want to Believe on DVD

Official Site: "David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson re-team to unravel a bizarre case right out of the X-Files. In the blink of an eye, amidst a bone-chilling cold and an eerily deceptive calm, FBI agent Monica Bannan is mysteriously abducted. But this is no ordinary kidnapping. And not only does the search for the missing woman ignite sparks between partners Scully and Mulder, it defies the boundries of science, the supernatural and the spaces in between!"

As mentioned above, this was like one of the TV show episodes ... only much longer.

The Dark Knight on DVD

Jacket: "... With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to destroy organized crime in Gotham for good. The triumvirate proves effective. But soon the three find themselves prey to a rising criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces Batman closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante."

Heath Ledger gives a mind-blowing performance as the Joker. This is a must see and own this year. Look for special DVD collector editions!

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian on DVD

Jacket: "The magical world of C.S. Lewis' beloved fantasy comes to life once again in Prince Caspian, the second installment of The Chronicles of Narnia series. Join Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, the mighty and majestic Aslan, friendly new Narnian creatures and Prince Caspian as they lead the Narnians on a remarkable journey to restore peace and glory to their enchanted land."

Wikipedia:

"In Narnia, 1,300 years after the Pevensie siblings left, Caspian, a Telmarine prince, is awoken by his mentor Doctor Cornelius, who informs him that his aunt has just given birth to a son and that his life is now in grave danger. Cornelius gives him Queen Susan's ancient magical horn and instructs him to use it if he is in dire need of help. Knowing that his Uncle Miraz would kill him in order to be king, Caspian flees. Chased by several Telmarine soldiers, Caspian falls off his horse and encounters two Narnian dwarfs and a talking badger in the woods. One of the dwarfs, Trumpkin, is captured by the soldiers after sacrificing himself to save Caspian, while the other dwarf, Nikabrik, and the badger Trufflehunter, save Caspian. Not knowing that they are trying to save him, Caspian blows the magical horn, trying to summon help.

In England it's now 1941 and the four Pevensie children wait at the Strand tube station for their train which will take them to boarding school. One year has passed in their world after they left Narnia. Just as the train pulls into the station, the walls start sucking in, and the whole station tears apart which transports the Pevensies back to Narnia."

This was an entertaining sequel (book 4 of the series) to "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." There is hint of another sequel which may be based on "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader."

Seth MacFarlane Named the Smartest Person in TV

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: December 3, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) -- Who says cartoons are for kids? ''Family Guy'' and ''American Dad'' creator Seth MacFarlane tops Entertainment Weekly's list of the 25 smartest people in television.

The magazine says ''Family Guy'' DVDs and merchandise have earned a reported $1 billion. MacFarlane is the highest-paid writer on TV, with a ''Family Guy'' spinoff called ''The Cleveland Show'' in the works.

Says Entertainment Weekly: ''That frat-boy persona is only a cover.''

''30 Rock'' creator and Sarah Palin imitator Tina Fey is second on the magazine's list. CBS Paramount Network Entertainment chief Nancy Tellem is third. Oprah Winfrey came in sixth.

The Longshots

Yahoo Movies:
"Curtis Plummer -- a down-on-his-luck former high school football star -- turns his niece, Jasmine, into the quarterback of the local team, the Minden Browns, and gets his stride back when he becomes the team coach. With Curtis as their new leader and their pigtail-wearing star player, this team of misfits wins its way to the Pop Warner Super Bowl and the small city of Minden, Illinois, is ignited with team spirit, town pride and the glory it once knew."

A formulaic, family flick you won't mind watching with the kids.

OSS 117: Nest of Spies on DVD

Yahoo! Movies: "It is 1955 and OSS 117 is sent to the Egyptian capital to execute a whole shopping list of items for the French Secret Service, including investigating the death of his friend and erstwhile Cairo-based spy, controlling the Suez Canal and establishing peace in the Middle East. OSS 177 is just the man for these missions: he does not have a clue but is very lucky in getting what he wants."

I couldn't get into this and fell asleep watching it.

Hancock on DVD

Jacket: "... Will Smith ... [is] Hancock, a sarcastic, hard-living and misunderstood superhero who has fallen out of favor with the public.

When Hancock grudgingly agrees to an extreme makeover from idealistic publicist Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman), his life and reputation rise from the ashes and all seems right again - until he meets a woman (Charlize Theron) with similar powers to his and the key to his secret past."

The concept of the wayward and disgruntled superhero is far more exciting than was actually executed here. Although hard-drinking and foul-mouthed I didn't believe Will Smith as that character. He was still a 'lil too smooth, too well-groomed for someone supposedly living on the streets.

It had its expected funny moments, so it's worth the rental.

Kung Fu Panda on DVD

IMDb: "It's the story about a lazy, irreverent slacker panda, named Po, who is the biggest fan of Kung Fu around...which doesn't exactly come in handy while working every day in his family's noodle shop. Unexpectedly chosen to fulfill an ancient prophecy, Po's dreams become reality when he joins the world of Kung Fu and studies alongside his idols, the legendary Furious Five -- Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey -- under the leadership of their guru, Master Shifu. But before they know it, the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it's up to Po to defend everyone from the oncoming threat. Can he turn his dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master into reality? Po puts his heart - and his girth - into the task, and the unlikely hero ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be his greatest strengths."

I actually found this entertaining to watch. Of course, rarely can you go wrong with Jack Black.

Bolt

This was a cute family film. You AND the kids will like it.

Wikipedia:"A white German Shepherd named Bolt (John Travolta) is the title character of a hit television series called Bolt, co-starring with his loving owner Penny (Miley Cyrus). In the show, Bolt has various superpowers such as super strength and speed, heat vision, invincibility and an ultra-sonic "super bark," and constantly thwarts the evil plans of Dr. Calico (Malcolm McDowell). However, the filming crew has intentionally kept Bolt ignorant about the fact that he is being filmed to create an effect of realism on the show. As such, Bolt not only doesn't know that his superpowers aren't real, but he is deprived of living like a normal dog, much to Penny's dismay. After filming the show's first cliffhanger episode in which Penny is kidnapped by Dr. Calico, Bolt believes she is in actual danger and becomes all the more motivated to "rescue" her. He breaks out of his trailer and runs through the studio, attempting to break through a window only to be knocked unconscious and fall into a cardboard box, which is shipped from Hollywood to New York City."

Reception: "Perry Seibert of TV Guide gave the film 3 stars out of 4 and wrote the film "amuses both those who make up the film's target audience and the parents along for the ride. This winning mix of exciting action, heart-tugging sentiment, and gentle character comedy makes Bolt yet another solid addition to Disney's history of family-friendly fare." [16] Tasha Robinson of the A.V. Club gave the film a B+ stating that "Bolt is the studio's first film since Lilo & Stitch that feels like it's trying to recapture the old Disney instead of aggressively shedding it in favor of something slick and new. And yet it comes with a healthy cutting-edge Pixar flavor as well." [17] Kenneth Turan of The Los Angeles Times compared Bolt with The Truman Show and stated in his review "[Bolt] also has an intriguing plot that is kind of the family animation version of the Jim Carrey-starring "The Truman Show."[18]

Fred Claus on DVD

This was a surprisingly funny family film. I was actually expecting it to be far worse. Rent it for the holidays.

Wikipedia: "Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn) and Santa Claus (Paul Giamatti) have been estranged brothers for many years. Now Fred must reconcile his differences with his brother whom he believes overshadows him; when an efficiency expert (Kevin Spacey) asseses the workings at the North Pole and threatens to shut Santa down, Fred must help his brother to save Christmas."

Disney hands out subway tickets for “Narnia” DVD

Posted by: Gina Keating

Cash-strapped commuters who wish they could disappear into a magical land with talking animals, take heart! The Walt Disney Co will be handing out free subway rides in the busiest U.S. subway stations to promote the DVD release of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” on Dec. 2.

Disney says it hopes to “spread a little magic” to strap-hangers in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco who may not be aware that the Pevensie kids in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books — on which the films are based – were transported there while waiting for the subway.

The DVD will be available on standard definition and Blu-ray formats and will include the usual featurettes as well as a special DisneyFile, a copy of the film that can be downloaded and viewed on portable devices.

Dark City (1998)

I finally got around to seeing this and now ranks in my top ten fave sci-fi films.


Wikipedia:

"Dark City is a 1998 science fiction film noir written by Alex Proyas, Lem Dobbs and David S. Goyer, and directed by Proyas. It stars Rufus Sewell, William Hurt, Kiefer Sutherland, and Jennifer Connelly. While it was not a major box office hit when originally released, it has subsequently developed a considerable cult following within film industry and cineaste circles. Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert is a particularly high-profile supporter of Dark City, labelling it the best film of 1998.^[1]

The story concerns a man waking in a hotel room with no memory, which soon proves to be but one of many troubles. He is sought by police, who believe him to be a serial killer, and also by a group of mysterious men with psychokinetic powers. Furthermore, something appears to be wrong with the world at large: time, memory, and identity behave in unusual ways.

A director's cut of Dark City was officially released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc July 29, 2008. This version includes 15 minutes of additional footage, generally consisting of extended scenes with additional establishing shots and dialogue."

Wall-E on DVD

Jacket: "After hundreds of lonely years of doing what he was built for, the curious and lovable WALL-E discovers a new purpose in life when he meets a sleek search robot named EVE. Join them and a hilarious cast of characters on a fantastic journey across the universe."

This is one of Pixar's best films to date!

"Slumdog Millionaire" hits jackpot in first round

By Carl DiOrio

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - It's been a relatively slack market so far for prestige films with awards-consideration aspirations, but "Slumdog Millionaire" hit the jackpot during the weekend with a gold-plated start to its platform campaign.

Danny Boyle's critically praised comedy-drama about an Indian game-show contestant grossed $350,434 from just 10 theaters in six markets, said distributor Fox Searchlight. That represented a mind-bending $35,043 million per engagement for one of the year's top theater averages to date.

Since opening Wednesday, the film has earned $418,131; it will add 10 cities next weekend as part of a slow roll-out designed to capitalize on word of mouth.

Elsewhere in the specialty market, IFC's French-language Catherine Deneuve starrer "A Christmas Tale" unwrapped a first-weekend gross of $65,408 in five New York theaters and three in Los Angeles. That translated to an encouraging $9,344 per venue as the Yuletide reunion drama prepares to unfold in top 10 markets Friday.

Click link for full article.

Slumdog Millionaire

I started hearing the buzz on this months ago. Then as the film gods would have it, we saw an early screening. To be blown away by a film is putting it mildly. This film proves why we go to the movies. It is a Shakespearean romantic tragedy with a modern spin that never once strays from the powerful storyline.

You will be grabbing your armrests as you experience Jamal's triumphs and tragedies and clapping your hands at the very end.

What are you doing still reading this? GO SEE THIS FILM!!


Wikipedia: "Slumdog Millionaire is a 2008 British drama film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Simon Beaufoy. Based on the book Q and A by Vikas Swarup, the film, shot and set in India, follows a young street beggar who appears on a game show and exceeds people's expectations, raising suspicions from the game show host and law enforcement."


Reception:

Todd McCarthy, writing for Variety, praised Simon Beaufoy's "intricate and cleverly structured script", cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle's immersing camera work, and Chris Dickens's "breathless" editing. McCarthy concluded, "As drama and as a look at a country increasingly entering the world spotlight, Slumdog Millionaire is a vital piece of work by an outsider who’s clearly connected with the place."^[21]

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described it as "a Hollywood-style romantic melodrama that delivers major studio satisfactions in an ultra-modern way", and the "hard-to-resist 'Slumdog Millionaire,' with director Danny Boyle adding independent film touches to a story of star-crossed romance that the original Warner brothers would have embraced, shamelessly pulling out stops that you wouldn't think anyone would have the nerve to attempt anymore."^[22]

In The New York Times, Manohla Dargis calls the film "a modern fairy tale," a "sensory blowout," and "one of the most upbeat stories about living in hell imaginable." She concludes that "In the end, what gives me reluctant pause about this bright, cheery, hard-to-resist movie is that its joyfulness feels more like a filmmaker’s calculation than an honest cry from the heart about the human spirit." ^[23]

Hellboy II on DVD

Jacket: "The fate of mankind hangs in the balance when a ruthless prince awakens an unstoppable army of creatures and wages war with the human world. It's up to Hellboy and his team of paranormal outcasts to face off with the forces of darkness in the ultimate battle of good versus evil!"

Bean: "Worth the rental. It's always fun exploring del Toro's universe. You never know what to expect."

Soderbergh overseeing true-life mob thriller

By Steven Zeitchik

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Steven Soderbergh is executive-producing a movie based on the true story of an FBI undercover agent who nearly became a made man in the mob.

"Making Jack Falcone" is based on a memoir of the same name published last month. After a barrage of publicity that included a "60 Minutes" segment, it has landed on the New York Times extended best-seller list.

The Simon & Schuster/Touchstone tome tells the story of Joaquin "Jack" Garcia, also known as Jack Falcone, a Cuban-American FBI agent who successfully went undercover in the Gambino crime family.

... The Paramount Pictures project will be written by Peter Buchman, who previously collaborated with Soderbergh on the ambitious revolutionary saga "Che," which will soon be released by IFC Films. Soderbergh is said to be on board to read drafts of the script and offer other guidance on the project.

Click link for full article.

"Jurassic Park" author Michael Crichton dies

By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - U.S. best-selling author Michael Crichton, who wrote such novels as "The Andromeda Strain" and "Jurassic Park," and created the popular TV drama "ER," has died at 66, his family said on Wednesday.

Crichton, a medical doctor turned novelist whose books have sold more than 150 million copies worldwide, died "unexpectedly" on Tuesday in Los Angeles after a private battle with cancer, his family said.

... Crichton was born in Chicago on October 23, 1942 and wrote his first novels under pen names while attending Harvard Medical School. "The Andromeda Strain," which was published in 1969, became his first best-seller.

Pulitzer pen crafts "Spidey 4"

By Borys Kit

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire got out of a rabbit hole, only to be ensnared by a spider's web.

Lindsay-Abaire, who won a Pulitzer in 2007 for his drama "Rabbit Hole," is in final negotiations to write "Spider-Man 4" for Columbia.

... Lindsay-Abaire has said in interviews that his plays tend to be "peopled with outsiders in search of clarity," which would put his work on sympathetic terms with Peter Parker, who in his classic incarnation is the perpetual outsider.

The choice of scribe also signals that that filmmakers are intent to focus on character, something that critics said got lost in the third installment.

Lindsay-Abaire, now writing the book and lyrics for the Broadway musical adaptation of "Shrek," has dipped his toe in Tinseltown before, with his adaptation of "Inkheart" due in January. He is also adapting "Rabbit" for 20th Century Fox and Nicole Kidman.

Click link for full article.

MTV strikes deal to use Beatles songs in video game

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - MTV Networks announced on Thursday a deal to use songs by The Beatles in a custom video game similar to its popular "Rock Band" video, marking the groundbreaking band's first major plunge into digital music.

There is no set release date or sale price for the game, but it is due to be ready for a worldwide release in about a year, said MTV Networks and The Beatles' Apple, which handles the affairs of the group that broke up in 1970 after revolutionizing rock and roll in the 1960s.

The companies released few details about the game -- which will be a custom video and not a "Rock Band" brand game -- saying it is still in development. They would only say that it will be an "interactive music making game."

Click link for full article.

Gary Oldman joins Washington in "Book of Eli"

By Borys Kit

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Gary Oldman is in negotiations to star opposite Denzel Washington in "The Book of Eli," an action thriller that returns the British actor to his more villainous side.

It centers on a lone hero named Eli (Washington) who must fight his way across the wasteland of a near-future America to protect a sacred book that might hold the key to saving the future of humanity.

Oldman will play Carnegie, the despot of a small makeshift town deficient of standard necessities, services, and most noticeably, laws. Carnegie is determined to take possession of the book Eli is guarding.

Click link for full article.

Samuel L. Jackson riding "Last Dragon" remake

OH WHY, OH WHY?!!

By Leslie Simmons

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Samuel L. Jackson is taking on another heavy role.

Having most recently played a dirty cop in "Lakeview Terrace," Jackson is set to star as a bad guy again in a remake of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy's 1985 cult classic "The Last Dragon."

Jackson will play Sho'Nuff, the Shogun of Harlem, a role played in the original by the late Julius Carry, whose spiel included asking ego-driven questions like "Am I the baddest mofo lowdown around this town?" Each time his gang of thugs answered, "Sho'Nuff!"

Click link for full article.

Downey, Favreau sign on for "Avengers" at Marvel

By Borys Kit

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "Iron Man" duo Robert Downey Jr. and director Jon Favreau will reunite for "The Avengers," Marvel Studios' film about its team of superheroes.

Don Cheadle, whose deal to replace Terrence Howard in the "Iron Man" movies has been finalized, also has signed to perform in the action movie. It is set for release in 2011.

Downey has signed a four-picture deal with Marvel Studios, which will see him reprise the character of Tony Stark not only for "Iron Man 2" and "Iron Man 3," but also for the "Avengers" movie. (The deal retroactively includes the first "Iron Man," which grossed $580 million at the worldwide box office this year.)

Click link for full article.

New cartoon "Coraline" fuses stop-motion, 3-D

By Carolyn Giardina

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Director Henry Selick describes his upcoming "Coraline" as a marriage of "old-fashioned" stop-motion animation with the latest 3-D techniques.

During a footage presentation Friday, roughly 20 minutes of Focus Features' "Coraline" -- the first stop-motion animated film to be produced in stereoscopic 3-D -- was shown. It was mostly finished, though it did include some temp music.

"Coraline" is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's best seller, which follows a young girl who walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. The film opens wide on February 6.

The clips shown Friday include the sequence where Coraline (voiced by Dakota Fanning) discovers and enters the alternate world. In that environment, Coraline encounters the "Other Mother" (Teri Hatcher), who tries to keep her from going home, as well as a variety of characters who perform circus-style acts. In another scene, the girls run from the home, but as Coraline distances herself, the colors and setting seems to wash away.

The clips demonstrated how Selick -- shooting his first stop-motion feature since 1993's "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" -- uses the 3-D format as part of the storytelling. For instance, the sequence in Coraline's real world is fairly shallow, while the director brings greater depth to the alternate environment.

"I love how 3-D captures the essence of stop motion," he said.

"Coraline" is being produced in Portland, Ore., at Laika Entertainment, the Phil Knight-owned facility that encompasses the former Vinton Studios.

Selick's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" has been remastered in stereoscopic 3-D and was rereleased in the format in fall 2006, last year an again this year.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

This is a great children's book which I highly recommend.

Director McG is "Spy" guy for action franchise

By Borys Kit

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Warner Bros. has acquired "Dead Spy Running," an upcoming spy novel by British author Jon Stock, for "Charlie's Angels" director Joseph "McG" Nichol. The project is envisaged as a potential franchise.

Story details are under wraps, but the book, the first in a trilogy, aims to reinvent the spy genre telling the origin story of newly trained spy in a tone that mixes "The Bourne Identity" with the works of John Le Carre. "Running" sold to a HarperCollins imprint in a bidding war and will be published in 2009.

Click link for full article.

Crispin Glover joins "Alice in Wonderland"

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Crispin Glover has signed on to play the Knave of Hearts in Tim Burton's adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" for Disney.

Glover joins Mia Wasikowska as Alice and a cast that includes Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter. His character is put on trial for stealing the Queen of Hearts' tarts, and is defended by Alice.

Burton is using a combination of live action and performance-capture technology to tell the Lewis Carroll story. Glover worked in the medium for the 2007 release "Beowulf."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

The Happening

Wikipedia: "In New York City, people inexplicably begin committing mass suicide. First they become disoriented, followed by resorting to the most convenient way to kill themselves. Initially believed to be a bioterrorist attack, the pandemic quickly spreads across the northeastern United States."


Although the film seems to drag half the time, the overall story concept is very intriguing. What if our abuse of the environment forces it to react ... against us. As one environmentalist character puts it, "the pandemic may have only been a warning, like "a rash preceding an infection."

Speed Racer

Bloody awful!! I think my five year old nephew even got bored with it.

Wikipedia: "Anthony Lane of The New Yorker said the film was "of no conceivable interest to anyone over the age of ten" and that the convoluted plot was "barely worth unpicking". Noting the "lollipop hues", Lane questioned how the film could still end up "bleached of fun", and concluded that the answer was with the theme first mooted by Wachowskis' in The Matrix that "all of us, whether we know it or not, are squirming under the thumb of dark controlling forces." In Speed Racer, Lane argues, this comes in the form of villain Royalton, who "vows to crush [Speed] with 'the unassailable might of money.'" Citing the Wachowskis' involvement in V for Vendetta (2005), Lane said Speed Racer was not as "criminally poor" as that film, but that it was "more insidious". He concluded: "There's something about the ululating crowds who line the action in color-coordinated rows; the desperate skirting of ordinary feelings in favor of the trumped-up variety; the confidence in technology as a spectacle in itself; and, above all, the sense of master manipulators posing as champions of the little people. What does that remind you of? You could call it entertainment, and use it to wow your children for a couple of hours. To me, it felt like Pop fascism, and I would keep them well away."^[55]"

Iron Man on DVD

Jacket: "Suit up for action with Robert Downey Jr. in the ultimate adventure movie you've been waiting for, Iron Man! When jet-setting genius-industrialist Tony Stark is captured in enemy territory, he builds a high-tech suit of armorto escape. Now, he's on a mission to save the world as a hero who's built, not born, to be unlike any other."

BUY IT, RENT IT, WHATEVER! This is one of the better comic book adaptations. Robert Downey Jr. gives a very entertaining portrayal of the anti-hero who is bound to make mistakes, but ultimately finds his way. I already look forward to the sequel. Oh, and be sure to watch the end of the credits for a bonus scene.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull on DVD

Jacket: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull finds Indy trying to outrace a brilliant and beautiful agent (Cate Blanchett) for the mystical, all-powerful crystal skull of Akator. Teaming up with a rebellious young biker (Shia LeBeouf) and his spirited original love Marion (Karen Allen), Indy takes you on an action-packed adventure in the exciting tradition of the classic Indiana Jones movies!"

A fun, hokey film for the kids or kids at heart. It follows the same formula as the previous three films, but I did not find it as engaging.

Wikipedia: "The mixed fanbase reaction did not surprise Lucas, who was familiar with mixed response to the Star Wars prequels. "We're all going to get people throwing tomatoes at us," the series' creator had predicted. "But it's a fun movie to make."^[109] Some fans of the franchise who were disappointed with the film adopted the term "nuked the fridge", based on the scene in the film, to denote the point in a movie series when it has passed its peak and crossed into the level of the absurd, similar to "jumping the shark".

Books are shelter in financial storm, sellers say

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Burying your head in a book during the crisis buffeting world financial markets may be just what the doctor -- or the bookseller -- ordered, publishers argued on Wednesday at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

While luxuries are increasingly unaffordable, most people still have enough money to buy a book, and booksellers could even use the opportunity to stage a resurgence, said Fran Dubruille, director of the European Booksellers' Federation.

Click link for full article.

The Rebel

Wikipedia: "Vietnam in 1922 is under colonial French ruling, and anti-French rebellions by peasants have emerged all over the country. In response, the French have activated units of Vietnamese secret agents to track and destroy the rebels. One agent is Le Van Cuong. Although branded with a perfect track record, Cuong's inner conscience is troubled by the sea of Vietnamese blood he has spilled. Following an assassination of a high ranking French official, Cuong is assigned to seek and kill the notorious leader of the resistance. Cuong encounters Vo Thanh Thuy, a relentless revolutionary fighter and the daughter of the rebel leader. She is captured and imprisoned by Cuong's cruel superior, Sy. Cuong suspects that Sy knew about the attack on the French official before it happened, and could have prevented it. Suspicious, he warns Thuy that her organization has a mole, helps break her out of prison and becomes a fugitive himself. Her fiery patriotism inspires Cuong, and he develops feelings for the young woman as well. Meanwhile, Sy is tracking Cuong and Thuy, knowing the pair will lead him to Thuy's father."

The Rebel (Dòng Máu Anh Hùng in Vietnamese) is a 2007 Vietnamese martial arts film directed by Charlie Nguyen and starring Johnny Tri Nguyen and Dustin Nguyen.

This is definitely worth renting for the action scenes alone.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall - On DVD

Quite funny and rental-worthy.

Wikipedia: "Matt Pais of the Chicago Tribune said it's "the kind of movie you could watch all day because, like a new flame, you can't get enough of its company and are just glad to see where it takes you."^[7] Richard Roeper highly praised the film for its laugh-out-loud moments as well as its worthiness to be an instant classic and went as far as to say he would put it on his list of 50 favorite comedies of all time. ^[8]"


Click post title for link to official website.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

This was seriously a page-turner. Bella is finally getting everything she wanted, but is it worth the price? Jump into Breaking Dawn and follow Bella into the next phase of her eternal journey.


I really do enjoy discussing the series with friends, family and fellow aficionados. I'm always surprised by the range of readers it has attracted and I look forward to the film adaptation. I hope it lives up to the hype.

Official Website:

Click here to read Entertainment Weekly's exclusive preview of the first chapter of Breaking Dawn.

October 9, 2008: The final trailer for Twilight the movie is now available to view. You can watch the HD version at the MySpace.com Trailer Park or the regular version in the widget at TwilightTheMovie.com. Also, we added another new movie poster to the movie page. Enjoy the trailer.

Lost in Translation? A Swede’s Snub of U.S. Lit

Interesting article. Click link for full post.

By CHARLES McGRATH
Published: October 4, 2008

If you’re John Updike, Philip Roth, Don DeLillo or Joyce Carol Oates, you don’t have to worry about whether the phone bill has been paid. You won’t be getting the call from Stockholm next week.

On Tuesday, Horace Engdahl, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy, the organization that awards the Nobel Prize in Literature, gave an interview to The Associated Press and, while not dropping hints about this year’s winner, seemed to rule out, pretty much, the chances of any American writer. “Europe is still the center of the literary world,” he said, not the United States, and he suggested that American writers were “too sensitive to trends in their own mass culture.” He added: “The U.S. is too isolated, too insular. They don’t translate enough and don’t really participate in the big dialogue of literature. That ignorance is restraining.”

Using Video Games as Bait to Hook Readers

By MOTOKO RICH
Published: October 5, 2008

CARLSBAD, Calif.— When PJ Haarsma wrote his first book, a science fiction novel for preteenagers, he didn’t think just about how to describe Orbis, the planetary system where the story takes place. He also thought about how it should look and feel in a video game.

The online game that Mr. Haarsma designed not only extends the fictional world of the novel, it also allows readers to play in it. At the same time, Mr. Haarsma very calculatedly gave gamers who might not otherwise pick up a book a clear incentive to read: one way that players advance is by answering questions with information from the novel.

“You can’t just make a book anymore,” said Mr. Haarsma, a former advertising consultant. Pairing a video game with a novel for young readers, he added, “brings the book into their world, as opposed to going the other way around.”

Click link to full article.

Dennings pals up to Harrelson for "Defendor"

By Gregg Kilday

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Kat Dennings, who stars in "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," which bowed in theaters this weekend, is in negotiations to join Woody Harrelson and Sandra Oh in "Defendor."

Written by Peter Stebbings, who also is making his directorial debut, the film centers on a regular guy (Harrelson) who believes he has a secret superhero identity. Dennings will play a teenager he befriends, while Oh is cast as his psychiatrist.

Run Fatboy, Run

Jacket: "It's the London Marathon, and thousands of feet pound along the Thames Embankment. Two of those feet belong to out-of-shape, out-of-luck Dennis Doyle. He's running to gain the respect (and hopefully, the love) of Libby, the girl he left pregnant and heartbroken at the altar five years earlier. And running alongside Dennis is Libby's handsome, successful, self-confident and very fit new boyfriend.

Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), Thandie Newton and Hank Azaria star in a runaway laughfest from debuting director David Schwimmer (Friends). Can Dennis win back what he lost by lacing up some hi-tech footwear? One thing's for sure: He's putting his heart and soles in the attempt."

You can never go wrong with Simon Pegg. You are always guaranteed some knee-slapping laughs wherever he's involved. (Especially the blister scene!)

Made of Honor

He's a maid of honor on a mission to prove he's the best man.

Jacket: "Tom loves his life, until he realizes he also loves his best friend Hannah. But when Hannah gets engaged to a dashing Scotsman and asks Tom to be her maid of honor, Tom faces hostile bridesmaids, bridal showers, and bad hair days, all in an effort to pull off the perfect wedding and steal the bride. He's a maid of honor with a plan."

NOW ON DVD.

This follows your typical romantic comedy formula. Think of it as an updated version of "My Best Friend's Wedding". Worth the rental.

Sex and the City: The Movie

Now on DVD.

Jacket: "For too long, Carrie Bradshaw had been looking for love in all the wrong places ... but in all the right shoes ... Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda are back, four years after the hit series ended.  As they continue to juggle career, relationships, motherhood and life in Manhattan the girls realize that more than ever, true friendship never goes out of style."

The Forbidden Kingdom

IMDb: "An American teenager who is obsessed with Hong Kong cinema and kung-fu classics makes an extraordinary discovery in a Chinatown pawnshop: the legendary stick weapon of the Chinese sage and warrior, the Monkey King. With the lost relic in hand, the teenager unexpectedly finds himself traveling back to ancient China to join a crew of warriors from martial arts lore on a dangerous quest to free the imprisoned Monkey King."

Mildly amusing and has great fight scenes.

True Blood: Episode 1

This new HBO series premiered September 7th and you can currently rent the first episode at Blockbuster for free (for a limited time). Thank goodness for that. Maybe I need to watch another episode to be convinced, this first one only does set up the situation, but I wasn't really engaged by it. Time will tell ... maybe.

Airs Sundays at 9 EST.

Jacket: "TRUE BLOOD chronicles the backwoods Louisiana town of Bon Temps ... where vampires have emerged from the coffin, and no longer need humans for their fix.

Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) works as a waitress at the rural bar Merlotte's. Though outwardly a typical young woman, she keeps a dangerous secret: she has the ability to hear the thoughts of others. Her situation is further complicated when the bar gets its first vampire - 173-year-old Bill Compton - and the two outsiders are immediately drawn to each other.

... TRUE BLOOD is a dark and sexy tale that boldly delves into the heart - and the neck - of the deep south."

Married Life

Jacket: "Harry (Chris Cooper) and Pat (Patricia Clarkson) have a nice, respectable marriage. But when Harry falls in love with a beautiful young lady, he decides he must kill his wife, because divorce would cause her too much pain. Richard (Pierce Bronson) is Harry's caddish best friend who realizes he must have Harry's lovely mistress for himself.

Love and friendship are contemplated with noir-style suspense and wry humor in this sly comedy that reveals there's nothing quite as devastating, or as divine, as married life."

Never Back Down

Jacket: "Jake is the new kid in school. When a beautiful girl befriends him, Jake thinks he's set. But instead, her fight-club boyfriend Ryan, smacks Jake a bloody, black-eyed welcome. Humiliated, Jake then turns to a mixed martial arts master (Djimon Hounsou), who teaches him how to fight ... and how to walk away. But it becomes obvious that a brutal re-match is inevitable if Jake wants to stop Ryan and his bullying once and for all."

Spot-on quote: "It's a little Karate Kid, a smidge of Fight Club ... a lot of The O.C." - Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune.

Wikipedia: "Richard Roeper, host of At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper, gave the film a marginal "thumbs up" saying "I laughed so much at the litany of clichés that I finally had to admit I was entertained from start to finish by this cheesy knock-off." Michael Philips, guest critic for that week gave the film thumbs down and felt the film was "not worth recommending for any reason".^[3]"

I may have lost a lotta brain cells watching this, but it was almost worth the eye-candy.

JetBlue to auction flights on eBay

Discount airline will offer flights to more than 20 destinations with bids starting between five and ten cents.

NEW YORK (AP) -- JetBlue Airways Corp. is auctioning off more than 300 roundtrip flights and six vacation packages this week on eBay, with opening bids set between 5 and 10 cents.

The flights are to more than 20 destinations, including four "mystery" JetBlue Getaways Vacation packages to undisclosed locations.

The three-, five- and seven-day auctions include one- and two-person roundtrip, weekend flights in September from cities including Boston, Chicago, New York, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Fort Lauderdale and Southern California.

Click post for full article.

Redbelt

This kicked a$$!!! Maybe because it's David Mamet, maybe because it's a great cast, but this is the thinking man's martial arts film! Yes, it's an action film, but the layers keep peeling in every scene and has a surprising yet lukewarm ending. I may have to go out and buy this one.

Jacket: "Redbelt is the story of Mike Terry (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a Jiu-Jitsu master who has avoided the prize fighting circuit, choosing instead to pursue an honorable life by operating a self-defense studio with a samurai's code.

An accident on a dark, rainy night at Terry's studio between an off-duty office and a distraught lawyer (Emily Mortimer) puts in motion a series of events that will change Terry's life dramatically, introducing him to a world of promoters and movie star Chet Frank. Faced with this, in order to pay off his debts and regain his honor, Terry must step into the ring for the first time in his life."

Wikipedia: "Los Angeles Times film critic Carina Chocano described the film as "tricky and engrossing" and "a contemporary noir with a samurai movie interior." Chocano wrote, "Ejiofor brings a calm magnetism and a beatific serenity to his roles that have the effect of knocking you flat -- there's something about this guy that's messianic." Chocano said Tim Allen's performance was restrained. Chocano wrote "the noir puzzle element is central to the story" and "suffice it to say things get complicated", saying "much of the pleasure is in the surprises."^[18]

In The Weekly Standard, Sonny Bunch wrote that the film's "heart is not in the twists and turns [...] but a careful character study of a man who lives a life based on honor, and the corrupting influence of money." Bunch said it "takes lack of exposition to a new extreme [...] How does Mamet tell us about Terry's character? Very subtly. Throughout the film we get hints about Terry's life [...] Mamet challenges us to figure out for ourselves what's going on in Terry's head."^[20]"

Don LaFontaine, Voice of Trailers and TV Spots, Is Dead at 68

By DENNIS HEVESI
Published: September 2, 2008

Don LaFontaine, who brought his sonorous, ominous, melodramatic baritone to so many thousands of movie trailers, commercials and television promos that he became known in the industry as “the voice of God,” or just “the V.O.G.,” died Monday near his home in Los Angeles. He was 68.

Move Aside, Frozen Custard, and Make Room for Gelato

By GLENN RIFKIN
Published: September 3, 2008

Though gelato, that smooth and flavorful Italian ice cream, is not a novelty in the United States, it has struggled to gain a foothold. Many consumers were turned off by too many bad Americanized versions and that, in turn, turned off many would-be entrepreneurs.

Lately, however, gelato seems to be catching on, joining artisanal coffee, cheese and wine in catching the fancy of food lovers. With less than half the butterfat of regular ice cream, gelato is less fattening and healthier, and its dense, rich flavor and smooth texture can be highly addictive.

Click post for full article.

See you at Baladoche!

Free Music Downloads Without the Legal Peril

By ROY FURCHGOTT
Published: September 3, 2008

EVERYBODY likes free music but nobody likes to be sued. For people seeking free music online, therein lies the rub.

interesting article, click post for full article.

Mad Money

Jacket: " ... Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah and Katie Holmes are all in for the crime of their lives! Deep inside the most secure bank in America, three desperate women from very different worlds cook up the most unlikely heist of the century: Smuggle out millions of dollars in worn-out currency headed for a Federal Reserve shredder every day. Taking the cash is going to be easy ... but getting away with it will be insane!"

Um, wait for it to hit cable. It had a few funny moments, but not enough to carry the whole film, which is very surprising for this cast.

Son of Rambow

Make believe. Not War.

Jacket: "Imagination, fantasy and the irreplaceable bonds of childhood friendship highlight this 'comedy full of heart.' Will Proudfoot is looking for an escape from his family's stifling home life when he encounters Lee Carter, the school bully. Armed with a video camera and a copy of Rambo: First Blood, Lee plans on making cinematic history by filming his own action-packed video epic. Together, these two new found friends-turned-budding-filmmakers quickly discover that their imaginative - and sometimes mishap-filled - cinematic adventure has begun to take a life of its own!"

U.S. poster

This was awesome! You will laugh, reminisce and bop around to the 80's soundtrack. Buy this DVD!

Superheroes to Be Recast for Japan

New York Times
By GEORGE GUSTINES
Published: August 24, 2008

The superheroes of Marvel Entertainment have been turned into toys, cartoons and, perhaps most profitably, live action films like “Iron Man” and the Spider-Man series. Now they are being adapted again — this time specifically for the Japanese market.

Marvel is teaming up with Madhouse, a renowned Japanese animation studio, to develop new versions of its characters for four anime series that will premiere in spring 2010 in Japan.

Click title for full article.

Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins

This was actually funny. More so maybe, because it reminded me so much of my own family!

Wikipedia:

"Martin Lawrence stars as talk-show sensation Dr. RJ Stevens, who has shirked his simple Southern past and the awkward boy he used to be to dispense “you can do it” advice to millions of adoring fans. With a reality-series survivor winner star (Joy Bryant) on his arm and loads of cash in his pocket, there’s nothing he feels he hasn’t achieved.

When his parents request that he come home for their 50th wedding anniversary, RJ packs up his 10-year-old son and his fiancée and heads back to his sleepy Southern hometown. Ready to impress his down home kin with how much he’s changed, RJ will prove he’s not the walking disaster they used to pick on. At least, that’s the plan…

But as his crazy, lovable family reminds RJ of the kid he once was and the egotistical adult he has become, this superstar will take a hard look at the life he is living. Roscoe Junior might’ve felt teased, second-best and laughed at as a child, but the love from home could be turning Dr. RJ into The Better Man.

As RJ Stevens stayed with his family, he realized why he left and also why he grew so far apart from them. But after a while, he also realized the mistakes he made of letting other people get the better of him, meaning he let others bring his spirits down as a child because he, as well as others, were competitive and RJ hated losing.

Now that RJ realizes what his family means to him, he feels he should not have left them in the first place, because he sees that money and being famous do not lead to happiness."

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

It may seem like Sci-fi-light for hard-core fans, but the character is intriguing and offers a different perspective of the "invasion" story we see so often. Once you pick it up, be prepared for a long, thrilling ride.

Jacket: "Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact and continue their lives apparently unchanged. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie Stryder, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who had been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

Wanderer probes Melanie's thoughts, hoping to discover the whereabouts of the remaining human resistance. Instead, Melanie fills Wanderer's mind with visions of the man Melanie loves - Jared, a human who still lives in hiding. Unable to separate herself from her body's desires, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she has been tasked with exposing. When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love.

... Stephenie Meyer brings us a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistance of love and the very essence of what it means to be human."

Click here to read an excerpt from The Host.

Tom Cruise wakes up "Sleeper"

Say it isn't so!

By Borys Kit

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - "As Tom Cruise writes the next chapter in his career, he's developing an interest in comic-book movies.

With filmmaker Sam Raimi, the actor is setting up "Sleeper" as a feature project at Warner Bros. Cruise is loosely attached to star in the adaptation of the DC Comics/Wildstorm comic, which Raimi would produce with his Star Road Entertainment partner Josh Donen.

Written by Ed Brubaker with art by Sean Phillips, "Sleeper," which ran from 2003 through 2005, centers on an operative whose fusion with an alien artifact makes him impervious to pain. An intelligence agency places him undercover in a villainous organization and falls for Miss Misery, a member of the group."

Click title for full article.

Is Jon Stewart the Most Trusted Man in America?

For The Daily Show fans ...

By MICHIKO KAKUTANI
Published: August 15, 2008

IT’S been more than eight years since “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” made its first foray into presidential politics with the presciently named Indecision 2000, and the difference in the show’s approach to its coverage then and now provides a tongue-in-cheek measure of the show’s striking evolution.

Click post title for full article.