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.

Short Order

This reminded me of the existential/heady films we watched in college with a few musical numbers and some color thrown in the mix.

Jacket: "Short Order tells a story so vibrantly sumptuous each still could be served as its own meal. Amidst the quaint Parisian street night, Fifi Koko runs a petty short order diner. Although her name is famous in chef circles she has placed her uncanny culinary skills on the backburner as she falls prey to an existential quagmire that fears her talent shall not overcome the expectations her reputation has sown. The late hours play out as Fifi must face her talent and unrequited love for a friend, while a collective stream of colorful creatures of the night make through Fifi's consciousness to feed her with temptation, insight, and humor on the path of her life-defining decision."

Official Website: "A little bit of life, love and wisdom come together over one night in the culinary underbelly where life is a buffet and everything is short order.

Short Order; - adj., Of or related with food that is easily and quickly prepared.

Food’s up! It’s another night on earth, friends, and up there in space, in the company of the satellites and telecom hardware your host Lenny Green of the Radio World Broadcasting Network sends deep thoughts and musical moments through the misty blue of our delicate planet and eavesdrops on a magical night in the lives of our protagonists: Short Order Chefs, Masterchefs, Delivery People, working out their philosophies between bites of honest to goodness, Onions, Mustard Hot Dogs, Garlic studded, Lemon and Rum drenched prawns, house special Osso Bucco (featuring the freshly chopped fingers of Bill Dodging Customers).

Will Paulo, the proprietor of The Mediterraneo get his revenge on the infamous Bill Dodger, the elusive globe-trotting check-evader who has caused a worldwide epidemic of people running out on their restaurant bills thereby threatening the livelihood of him and all of the other brave souls who slave over a hot griddle? Or will he expire before then, fulfilling his last wish of (literally) making a meal of himself, of returning his body whence it came: back into the food chain?

Or, indeed, will his loyal sous chef Pedro kill a respected food critic who is already choking to death on a finger bone - with a medium sized saute pan and (literally) ruin everything?

Will Fiona, the Short Order Chef at Ishmaels , - whose vivid imagination can transform the most dreary street into an all singing all dancing musical revue as she wrestles with the vagaries of life - rekindle her passion for real cooking, a gift so intense that it can, and does, cause orgasms. And will she redeem herself from the cul de sac of misery and confusion on whose end wall she daily bloodies and bruises her beautiful mind?

Will Catherine, the Ishmael delivery girl find meaning in the company of a Russian prostitute; or will the force of her wonderful honest and funny self get her the chat show she so richly deserves? Will she stop taking photos of all the people she delivers food to; or will she get what she really, really wants - a kiss from someone close to her?

Or will the cigarrillo smoking Felix free Fiona from her frustration and seduce her back to the fancy kitchens of Shanks , his high street eaterie?

Will the philosophical musings of short order chefs from around the world regarding pizza dough and female orgasms, omelettes and maidenhead larceny, hot dogs and sexual frustration in American women during the war years shed any light on God’s plan?

On Planet Earth on any given night, a billion stories unfold describing with their arc the mystery and majesty and magic of existence. And what better metaphor than food can describe the poetry of life in all its forms. Join me, Lenny Green, in the rollicking, exasperating, hilarious, sensuous, violent, intoxicating, wondrous lives of these precious few, the heroes of the hot plate, the brave pulsing hearts who live and die by the frying pan.

Food’s up, my friends. Enjoy. Because Life is a Buffet... "

Weeds: Season 3

A Comedy Series About Dealing in the Suburbs

Jacket: "America's favorite pot-dealing soccer mom is more addictive than ever."

This is a series to watch. However ridiculous the premise, once you start you just can't stop! Season Three now on DVD. Season Four premiered June 2008.

Sleuth

Obey the rules.

Sleuth? This should have been called Snooze!

Jacket: " Adapted from the 1972 classic ... Locked in a high-tech English manor, bound in a deadly duel of wits, Andrew Wyke (Michael Caine) Milo Tindle (Jude Law) come together as English gentlemen to discuss the matter of Wyke's wife: the woman both are sleeping with. But as wit becomes wicked and clever becomes cutthroat, Wyke and Tindle's game of one-upmanship spirals out of control in an escalating chess match that can only have one outcome: murder."

The Water Horse

Wikipedia: "an adaptation of Dick King-Smith's children's novel The Water Horse. It stars Alex Etel as a young boy who discovers a mysterious egg and cares for what hatches out of it: a 'water horse' (loosely based on the Celtic water horse) which later becomes the fabled Loch Ness Monster. Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin and David Morrissey also star."

Jacket: "When a lonely young boy named Angus discovers a large, mysterious egg along the shores of Loch Ness, no one is prepared for what lies within. He soon discovers that the strange, mischievous hatchling inside is none other than The Water Horse, the loch's most mysterious and fabled creature! But with the Water Horse growing ten times its size every day, Angus finds it increasingly difficult to keep his new friend a secret."

Think of Free Willy in the Loch Ness. This is a family film with a wee bit of fantasy and magic.

Joss Stone playing homely wife in "Tudors"

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - In her first major acting role, British soul singer Joss Stone will play Henry VIII's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, in Showtime's drama "The Tudors."

A daughter of a German nobleman, Anne was betrothed to Henry in a marriage treaty between the Cleves Court and the king's chancellor after Henry was shown a portrait of her.

Upon Anne's arrival in England, Henry was disappointed in her looks and soon found a legal way to have the marriage annulled.

According to Showtime, the upcoming season of the racy royal drama will follow the king as he weds Jane Seymour (Anita Briem) and then Anne of Cleves.

Click link for full article.

Starbucks introduces afternoon drink promotion

For the coffee drinkers ...

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) began a U.S. promotion on Tuesday, offering $2 cold drinks in the afternoon to people who bring in the receipt from the purchase of their morning coffee fix.

The promotion, which applies to "grande" or medium-sized drinks purchased after 2 p.m., will run through Sept 2 and comes as the company is working to drive afternoon traffic and revive overall growth at its U.S. stores.

... Starbucks, which posted its first-ever net loss on charges in the most recent quarter, said the "Treat Receipt" promotion is a response to consumer requests for nationwide promotions. (Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Derek Caney)

Russians mourn dissident hero Solzhenitsyn

Mon Aug 4, 2008 11:53am EDT
By Maria Golovnina

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russians on Monday mourned Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the author and dissident whose criticism of the tyranny of Soviet rule made him one of the bravest figures of the 20th century.

Solzhenitsyn, a Nobel literature laureate, died of heart failure late on Sunday in his Moscow home. He was 89.

On Monday, a chorus of voices across the world expressed grief at the death of a man whose struggle exposed the horror of Josef Stalin's camps and made him the conscience of Russia.

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, described Solzhenitsyn as a "man of unique destiny whose name will remain in Russia's history."

"He was one of the first people who spoke up about the inhumanity of Stalin's regime with a full voice, and about the people whose lived through this but were not broken," Gorbachev, told Interfax news agency.

Click title for full article.

Million - selling opening for vampire series finale

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 4, 2008

NEW YORK (AP) -- "Harry Potter is still king, but the final book of Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight'' series did manage a million-selling debut.

''Breaking Dawn,'' the fourth of Meyer's sensational teen vampire series, sold 1.3 million copies in the first 24 hours after its midnight, Aug. 2 release. Publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers announced Monday that it has gone back for 500,000 more copies, making the total print run 3.7 million.

The numbers for ''Breaking Dawn'' are comparable to the openings of a pair of famous memoirs: former President Clinton's ''My Life'' and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's ''Living History.'' But they don't approach the unveiling of ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.'' The seventh and final volume of J.K. Rowling's fantasy series sold 8.3 million copies in its first 24 hours in the United States alone."

I need to get my copy! Meyer mentioned in her last year's local signing that this is the finale from Bella's perspective, aside from writing other novels like "The Host," she may write a series from Edward's perspective and/or history.

The Band's Visit

Jacket: "This heartwarming and poignant winner of the Audience Award at Munich and Warsaw Film festivals, is the mesmerizing and witty story of strangers in a strange land.

A fading Egyptian police band arrives in Israel to play at the Arab Cultural Center. When they take the wrong bus, the band members find themselves in a desolate Israeli village. With no other option than to spend the night with the local townspeople, the two distinctly different cultures realize the universal bonds of love, music and life. Set against a breathtaking desert landscape, the cross-cultural comedy proves that getting lost is sometimes the best way to find yourself."

La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon)

The love between a mother and a son knows no boundaries.

Wikipedia: "Under the Same Moon (Bajo la Misma Luna) is a Spanish language and an English language film starring Adrian Alonso, Eugenio Derbez and Kate del Castillo. The film tells parallel stories of nine-year-old Carlitos (Alonso), and his mother, Rosario (del Castillo). In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. while her mother cares for Carlitos back in Mexico. Unexpected circumstances drive both Rosario and Carlitos to embark on their own journeys in a desperate attempt to reunite. Along the way, mother and son face challenges and obstacles but never lose hope that they will one day be together again."

You may need a tissue within the first ten minutes, be forewarned. This is a beautiful love story about the bond between mother and child. Despite being set in Mexico and the United States, these themes are Universal.

21

Now on DVD.

Rating: B-. Watch with some popcorn on a lazy afternoon.

Wikipedia: 21 "stars Jim Sturgess, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne, Aaron Yoo, and Liza Lapira. The film is inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team. The film draws from Bringing Down the House, the best-selling book by Ben Mezrich."

Official Site: "Inspired by the true story of MIT students who mastered the art of card counting and took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings."

Harold & Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay

Now on DVD.

I only checked this out for curiosity's sake. I still prefer the first film. It had its typical gross-out moments and toys even further with racial stereotypes. You definitely have to be a little induced to enjoy it.

Jacket: "On their flight to Amsterdam, Harold and Kumar are mistaken for terrorists and sent to Guantanamo Bay ... but not for long. They bust out and go on a cross-country road trip to clear their names and win over their hotties! But first they'll have to outsmart the Feds, outrun the Klan and enlist the help of a hallucinating Neil Patrick Harris. It's one wild ride with America's most wanted - and most wasted!

Odd Hours

Official Site: "The legend began in the obscure little town of Pico Mundo. A fry cook named Odd was rumored to have the extraordinary ability to communicate with the dead. Through tragedy and triumph, exhilaration and heartbreak, word of Odd Thomas's gifts filtered far beyond Pico Mundo, attracting unforgettable new friends and enemies of implacable evil. With great gifts comes the responsibility to meet great challenges. But no mere human being was ever meant to face the darkness that now stalks the world--not even one as oddly special as Odd Thomas.

After grappling with the very essence of reality itself, after finding the veil separating him from his soul mate, Stormy Llewellyn, tantalizingly thin yet impenetrable, Odd longed only to return to a life of quiet anonymity with his two otherworldly sidekicks his dog Boo and a new companion, one of the few who might rival his old pal Elvis. But a true hero, however humble, must persevere. Haunted by dreams of an all-encompassing red tide, Odd is pulled inexorably to the sea, to a small California coastal town where nothing is as it seems. Now the forces arrayed against him have both official sanction and an infinitely more sinister authority and in this dark night of the soul, dawn will come only after the most shattering revelations of all."

Odd Thomas Site

Spaced: Series 1 & 2

This is hilarious! Buy it, rent it or snag it ... do whatever it takes to see this series.

NOW ON DVD.

TV.COM: (1999) "Spaced is a sitcom like no other. The premise is simple enough: Daisy (Jessica Stevenson) and Tim (Simon Pegg) are out of luck and love, so pretend to be a couple in order to rent a flat together. Downstairs neighbour and eccentric painter Brian suspects someone's fibbing, and almost blows their cover with their lecherous lush of a landlady, Marsha. Fortunately he soon falls for Daisy's health-freak friend Twist, while Daisy herself goes ga-ga for pet dog Colin. Tim remains happily platonic with lifemate Mike; a sweet-at-heart guns 'n' ammo obsessive. The series is chock-full of pop culture references. In fact, each episode is themed after at least one movie, with nods to The Shining and Close Encounters of the Third Kind proving especially hilarious. Hardly five minutes goes by without a Star Wars reference, and every second of screen time from Bill Bailey as owner of the comic shop where Tim works is comedic gold. The look of the series is its other outstanding element, with slam-zooms, dizzying montages, and inspired lighting effects (often paying homage to the Evil Dead movies). It's an affectionate fantasy on the life of the twenty-something that's uncomfortably close to the truth.

The second series finds the gang at 23 Meteor Street a little older, but definitely none the wiser. Tim's career is hampered by severe hang-ups over The Phantom Menace. Daisy's career is just plain non-existent. There is still a spark of sexual tension between them, but it's overshadowed by Brian and Twist getting it on. Propelling the seven-episode series arc is the threat of Marsha discovering that none of the relationships are what they seem, Mike's increasing jealousy and a new love interest for Tim. That's the basis for a never-ending stream of in-jokes and references that easily match the quality of the first series. Tim has a Return of the Jedi flashback, then déjà vu in reliving the end of The Empire Strikes Back. There are spoofs of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Robocop, The Sixth Sense and comedy rival The Royle Family. There are guest spots from Bill Bailey, Peter (voice of Darth Maul) Serafinowicz and The League of Gentlemen's Mark Gatiss and Reece Shearsmith. Every episode is packed with highlights, but this series' guaranteed geek pant-wetting moments have to be the mock gun battles, slagging off Babylon 5 and learning that "The second rule of Robot Club is: no smoking." If you loved Shaun Of The Dead you'll love this."

Spaced-Out Official Site