Before you go see "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" when it debuts (finally!) next week, you're probably going to get the urge to see the first 3 Indy flicks first. Most of the hardcore fans already have the set but for those who don't, Lucasfilm and Paramount have just released an updated version of the Indy dvd box set that was first issued a few years back.
The movies are still the same. Spielberg hasn't unearthed any 'lost' scenes -- and frankly, I don't think I'd want him altering any of the Indy films. They're classics AS IS. The main difference is in the extras. Each film comes with new intros by the principals, 'making of' documentaries, storyboards and interviews with the actors. Much of this stuff was found in the original box set but if you don't have that one, this is the one to get because it's in a space-saving slipcase with the all-time best Indy image ... from the 1982 re-release poster.
Oh, and if you're not a fan of "Temple of Doom" -- something I can't fathom, because I think it's a woefully under-appreciated movie -- for the first time, the first three Indiana Jones movies are available separately.
So it seems to me, that not only are romantic comedies increasingly unoriginal and predictable (I’ve ranted about this before), but they seem to be ripping off old episodes of “Friends.”
“Made of Honor” had exactly the same premise as the episode where Rachel decides she really does love Ross. He’s in china on a business trip and she goes to the airport to meet him. Only he’s met and fallen in love with Julie, who becomes a fixture at central perk. Rachel is left smiling through gritted teeth.
And in “What Happens in Vegas,” Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz get drunk in Vegas and get married, much to their alarm the next morning. Ross and Rachel did the same thing when they were in Vegas.
Obviously I watch too many re-runs, maybe I should write a screenplay about a dorky paleontologist and his five best friends. That would be original!
This week the nation celebrates Earth Week! Hopefully this week will remind everyone to be a bit more careful when leaving his/her carbon footprint. We here at REEL TALK encourage it. Thus this week's Mixtape theme: 'Green is the Word! (We could have titled it 'Green is the World' but that would have been a bit cheesy.) So grab your eco-friendly low polycarbonate water bottle, bring over that uncomfortable chair made from reusable paper and plastic and read on!
- Perhaps the Nobel Peace Prize has inspired Al Gore to march on with "An Inconvenient Truth" sequel. [/Film]
- To remind everyone why we celebrate Earth Week, check out a few environmental disaster movies. [Buzz Sugar]
- And since we’re still on the subject of paper, what’s up with the Miley Cyrus seven-figure book deal? [People]
- Wow, we’re really off the whole earth day’ theme. So, Here to finish this week’s ‘Mixtape’ is the one, the only, Stan Lee. Lee is known best as co-creator of Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, X-Men, and many more superheroes. Get it? Comics are made of paper...yeah it's a bit of a stretch.
Watch the Jeffrey’s interview with the iconic writer, also former president and chairman of Marvel Comics, next week on RT and let us know what you think!
Welcome to RT's Mixtape Tuesday. Our weekly summary of what you need to know to stay in the know. This week, we're focusing on 3-D. We're seeing a lot about it in the trades, blogs, and papers. So here's our RT mixtape remix:
Dreamworks is beating everyone to the punch with their upcoming film “Monsters vs. Aliens.” Slated for a March 2009 release, this animated film will be the studio's first movie produced with 3-D technology.
Read a little chat Varietyhad with a the recently ‘obsessed’ James Cameron on taking his future movies to the 3rd dimension.
Disney Does Dimension. Check out Disney’s plan to roll out four years worth of visually stunning, 3-D films.
The other night, AMC aired "The Magnificent Seven," the brilliant 1960 Western which for years had been shown often but in recent years seems to have disappeared from TV. If you missed it, or have never seen it, I recommend it. Based on the famous Japanese movie "The Seven Samauri," it was transposed to a small Mexican village terrorized by a group of bandidos led by Calvara. He was a gold toothed thug atop a black horse and a huge Mexican sombrero.
In today's world, the part would've naturally gone to a Latino actor, but in 1960, New York-born Eli Wallach got the role. And it remains the greatest performance in such a part by a non-Hispanic actor ever recorded on film! Wallach, at 92, is the oldest working actor, with two new movies, "Vote and Die: Lizst for President" and "Tickling Leo," opening later this year.
Wallach is the only man in history who can state that he cut in on Clark Gable to dance with Marilyn Monroe. It was in "The Misfits," the ill-fated farewell performance by those two mega-stars, as well as Montgomery Clift. In real life, Wallach was one of Marilyn Monroe's favorite dancing partners. Coincidentally, her closest friend, Brad Dexter, the actor everyone forgets when asked to name the "Magnificent Seven," was Marilyn Monroe's closest friend.
The only surviving member of the title players of the gunfighters the villagers hired is Robert Vaughn. He told me that he had just 16 lines, including the most famous. It comes in a scene where he talks about his character's miserable life, and three flies alight on a table. He grabs at them, then opens his palm. "One," he says, reflecting on his slowing reflexes. "There was a time when I would've caught all three." It was he who alerted director John Sturges about a young actor kicking around New York who would be just right to play the seventh gunfighter: an unknown named James Coburn. When he kills Robert J. Wilke, the veteran character actor with a stiletto early in the film, you know this slim, stoic star would be a character in the film to be reckoned him. His stardom in "Our Man Flint" would some at the end of the '60s.
Steve McQueen was a rising star fresh off TV stardom in the western series "Wanted, Dead or Alive" as bounty hunter Josh Randall, and that "Hogleg" sawed off rifle he used as a sidearm. Yul Brynner, who starred as the black clad "Chris," had won the Oscar for best actor for "The King and I" three years earlier. German actor Horst Bucholtz also appeared in the Billy Wilder comedy "One, Two, Three" that same year with James Cagney and was a bit miscast as the brash member of the group, but he somehow pulled it off. He would never become as big star, however. Nor would Dexter.
Charles Bronson, a Lithuanian-American from Scooptown, Pa., got his start acting under his real name, Charles Buchinski in "Pat and Mike" with Tracy and Hepburn, and many appearances on episodic TV. It was late in his career that he became a huge star in those "Deathtrap" movies, but look for him in "The Dirty Dozen." But I first saw him when I was a child as the real life Modoc leader in "Drum Beat," a "B" Western with Alan Ladd; a brilliant performance.
Now you know all of “The Magnificent Seven.” John Sturges was one of the great directors of all time. Consider "The Great Escape" (also with McQueen), "Gunfight At the OK Corral" (Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster) and another movie about that episode called "Hour Of The Gun." If you get to see "The Magnificent Seven", listen for the great Al Caiola score (unfortunately used for years in a cigarette commercial before TV banned them in 1971) and marvel at the way Calvera dies. "Dad," Eli Wallach's young son said to him when the scene was finished, "Why did you let Yul Brynner beat you to the draw!”
Heston was one of the greatest action heroes Hollywood's ever seen. He was Harrison Ford before Harrison Ford, an actor so believable in his role as hero, it became nearly impossible to separate the screen persona from the real man. Big roles suited him, epic productions like "Ben-Hur" and "El Cid." Unlike many other actors who get lost in the scope of such massive projects, he had the ability to remain the focus. And no one did Biblical as well as Heston. That great voice of his always sounded like how anyone important back in the days of Kings, Pharoahs and Floods should sound.
But to me, he was the first and true king of Sci-Fi.
First time I ever saw one of his movies was "Planet of the Apes" on TV as a kid back in the 70s. I was completely obsessed with the picture I saw the first "Apes" movie over and over. Then as I got a little older, I saw "Soylent Green" for the first time, then "The Omega Man." All three were made within a five-year period, 1968-1973. You may think, considering Hollywood's last two decades have been sci-fi saturated, that that's not a big deal. But back then, science fiction as a genre was considered box-office poison. You never saw big-name actors doing sci-fi. That's why names like Marlon Brando and Ingrid Bergman turned down roles in "Planet of the Apes." But Heston recognized a great script is a great script no matter what the genre, and he saw that the movie was more than just about a planet where apes ruled. And the rest is history.
Heston recognized the potential science fiction had for compelling storytelling. Look at the genre films he did. "The Omega Man" -- very underrated IMHO -- at its core is about basic human survival, about a man without a race. "Soylent Green," a cautionary tale about planetary overpopulation and the desperate measures that it could spawn. Yes, it has a deliciously creepy plot twist but its story is practically the Webster's definition of what sci-fi should be.
The 1970s is one of the richest eras for science fiction, especially dystopian/apocalyptic tales. Heston played a HUGE part in that, which is why his films remain popular with sci-fi folks like myself.
If Charlton Heston's name was above the title, you knew you weren't in for 'Evil Invaders From Mars' stuff. And it all started with "Apes."
Just as Kubrick changed the genre with "2001" (also a 1968 release), "Planet of the Apes" gave sci-fi credibility. Heston showed his fellow actors working in a science fiction movie doesn't have to lead to ridicule. He waved the flag for the bastard red-headed industry stepchild, and got it a seat at the big boys' table.
That's why every fanboy who has ever dreamed of visiting Tatooine, stepping onto the Mothership, crapped your pants because of "Alien," wondered if “The Matrix” was real or thought for a second that your buddy's a Replicant owes a debt of gratitude to Charlton Heston. Because there's a good chance none of it would have happened if he wouldn't have manned up and gone Ape.
I had the pleasure of meeting him about six months into my TV career, in 1995, when I was a segment producer on a show called "7:30" for a Miami TV station. He was promoting a book, his autobiography I believe, and he dropped by our studio. He was 71, very tall and thin and more fragile looking than I expected. After all, this was a guy fit enough in his mid-40s to wear nothing but a loincloth in "Planet of the Apes" and who was still a believable action hero at 50 in movies like "Airport 75" (which was actually released in 1974) and "Earthquake."
But he still had that presence.
When he walked into the conference room where we taped the interview, everyone just STOPPED. They all just stared at him, as if they couldn't believe they were in the same room with Moses.
The interview was fine. This was around the time his controversial alliance with the NRA had him in the headlines, but old pro that he was, he answered all questions we tossed his way. Then, at the end, my producer – who like me, was a huge “Apes” fan – asks him, "Mr. Heston, thanks for doing the interview with us. But I was wondering ... we're big fans and if you ..." -- Heston just grabbed his wrist and held it and said -- wait for it....
"Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape."
I'm not a good enough writer to accurately describe how fantastically geeky-cool that moment was. But I know I'll never forget it, or the incredible actor who said it.
Now comes word that Katie Holmes will make her Broadway debut next season, in an upcoming revival of Arthur Miller's 1947 play "All My Sons;" costarring with two time Oscar winner Diane Weist may costar, but John Lithgow is in the cast as well.
Forget about all the silly hype she and husband Tom Cruise have created in the past few years. Give her credit for coming to Broadway, facing a live audience and critics (including this reporter). Stage acting is a much harder discipline and can only improve her as an actress. Holmes plays the part of a woman who visits the family of the pilot she loved, lost in World War II. I'm looking forward to it. Break a leg, Mrs. Cruise.
It was on this date in 1973 that Marlon Brando refused his Oscar for Best Actor in "The Godfather" as a gesture for the Native Americans at Wounded Knee. It turned out that the woman who spoke for him, one "Sacheen Littlefeather" spoke on Brando's behalf.
" Marlon Brando... has asked me to tell you, in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently — because of time — but I will be glad to share with the press afterward, that he must... very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award.
And the reason for this being... are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry… excuse me…and on television in movie re-runs, and also the recent happenings at Wounded Knee. I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening and that we will, in the future… our hearts and our understanding will meet with love and generosity. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando.
Littlefeather, an actress named Maria Cruz and who three years before had been named: "Miss American Vampire", was remembered by history as a fraud who demeaned Native Americans and the Oscars by her showy gesture.
By that time, Brando had become a caricature of himself, often badmouthing his movies after he'd been paid. He had much sadness in his life, outliving his troubled daughter Cheyenne and his son Christian served prison time for manslaughter. It was a strange night at the Oscars on this date in 1973.
Want to win cool DVD prizes and get REEL TALK site cred? Then play The REEL TALK Name Game!
After the jump you'll see seven actors, actresses and musicans. Be the first to submit the REAL name of each person and you win! Simply write your answers in the comments section and that's it!
Good luck!
Sir Ben Kingsley Courtney Love Natalie Portman Bruce Willis Carmen Electra Jennifer Tilly Jason Alexander
Those Saturday morning staples, ‘The Smurfs”, have finally made their DVD debut. Season One, Vol. 1 has the first nine episodes featuring 19 stories of the original blue man group, remastered and in their unedited versions, with the original open (not the lame one used in syndication all these years).
Upon further review, the show holds up well 26 years later. However, beneath the cheerful ‘La-La-lalalala’ surface, I’ve discovered a number of disturbing themes. This was truly a mushroom village in crisis.
Read more and watch a Smurf-a-rific clip after the jump.
First there was the rampant xenophobia.
It’s a good thing the Smurfs’ village was hidden from sight, because it hid the real ugly truth about the little blue guys. Tolerance was a huge problem.
If you stood out in the crowd in the slightest bit, you were shunned. Just ask Clumsy, Baker, Lazy, Grouchy, Painter and especially poor Vanity Smurf. It happened to each of them during the first season alone.
Vanity was practically chased out of the mushroom village in one early episode by the more ‘straightforward’ Smurfs for being ‘different.’
“All in the Family” may get all the press for having TV’s first gay character, but “The Smurfs” depict one of the first examples of teen homophobia in television history and no one noticed! (OK, the young Smurfs were about 100 years old, but that’s like being a teenager in their village).
Many say The Smurfs, with their sense of community, getting by with the basics of life, one ruler (‘Are we there yet, Papa Smurf?’), are a metaphor for communism. I say they’re more symbolic of a cult than an ideology.
Think about it. They were isolated from the outside world, to the point they harvested their own food (smurfberries!), they distrusted anyone who wasn’t blue and 3-apples high (‘You’re behaving just like humans!’) and individual identity was suppressed to the point of invisibility. C’mon. The village may as well have been in Idaho.
The cultish behavior became obvious to me while watching one particularly unsettling episode, “King Smurf.” Brainy Smurf incites civil war in the village when he declares himself King Smurf while Papa Smurf’s away. Soon, it’s a 3-apples-high version of ‘Lord of the Flies’ …Smurf vs. Smurf, to the death!
Good grief. How did my parents let me watch this without adult supervision??
It’s not until Papa Smurf steps in do things improve. But Papa Smurf is actually to blame for most of the village’s problems because he leaves his young Smurfs to fend for themselves, while he spends most of his day in the lab mixing frog’s hair with glowberries.
Looking at the series today, from a wiser, more adult perspective, it’s obvious the Smurfs were typical latchkey kids, and Papa Smurf was the classic absentee, inattentive parent.
At the end of practically every episode, the suck-up Brainy says something annoying and gets tossed out of the village.
But it should have been Papa Smurf who should have been bounced on his white-haired head. Dude, what in your 542-year-old life led you to believe these Smurfs could get by without adult supervision??
Then there’s the episode that marked the beginning of the end of The Smurfs – Episode #2, The Smurfette. As Donnie Darko explained to his ignorant friend, Smurfette was originally a Gargamel creation meant to betray the Smurfs. I hadn’t seen this episode since I was 10 years old, and only remembered her being relentlessly happy and always needy, in a quaint, old-fashioned way, even for 1981.
I, like many unsuspecting youngsters (and all those poor love-crazed Smurfs) was blinded by her newly-created blonde hair, her squeaky ‘who me?’ voice and charming mannerisms. But again, time has opened my eyes to her devious ways.
It’s clear now that it was all an act. Smurfette was a sleeper agent all along! She never stopped working Gargamel’s agenda. Her true mission wasn’t to lead him and Azrael to the village, it was to corrupt the village from within. By ultimately playing with the emotions (and libidos) of the female companionship-deprived Smurfs and pitting them against each other in a contest to see who could win her hand, she would chip away little by little at the ‘All for Smurf, and Smurf for all’ creed of the village. That’s how the evil wizard would get his revenge. All it would take is a little time.
Don’t believe me? Watch the DVDs and see for yourself, that things weren’t as Smurfy as they appeared in those Saturday mornings of yesteryear.
According to Variety, Paramount has snagged the rights to make live-action films based on the 90s Valiant Comics series "Harbinger." The article indicates Brett Ratner is in line to direct.
Ratner is a hitmaker, true. "Red Dragon," "Family Man" and the "Rush Hour" franchises all made good money
But the last time he was involved in a comic book picture, it was the wildly uneven "X-Men: The Last Stand," so this will likely not go over well with the core fan base.
That X-movie did huge box office but was considered the weakest of the trilogy, and hardcore fans of Marvel's mutants were not happy.
Created by comics legend Jim Shooter, "Harbinger" revolves around a group of young kids, 'harbingers', with special powers who are being hunted by a corporation run by an older, more powerful 'harbinger.'
The article compares "Harbinger" to "Blade Runner" but I would say it's closer to "X-Men" -- with its themes of paranoia and youngsters feeling like outsiders. And while it never had the mainstream appeal of Spider-Man, Batman or Hulk, "Harbinger's" influence can be seen in modern pop culture hits like NBC's "Heroes."
I'm a big fan of the original "Harbinger" series. I recently re-read the original comics and they hold up well, all these years later. But this shouldn't be approached like most comic book adaptations. The appeal of "Harbinger" was in the character development. I don't know if this has blockbuster potential but it could make for a compelling sci-fi film, more "Gattaca" than "The Matrix."
Nothing in Brett Ratner's filmography indicates he's capable of doing a story-driven movie like that. But who knows? Maybe he'll get a fantastic script to work with and nail it. Whoever directs this, I just hope they don't screw it up.
By Guest Blogger:Macktrek (If you want to be next week's guest blogger join our contest!) I remember going to Drive-in theaters growing up, pulling in backwards and lying in the back of the station wagon to watch the first feature. Everyone would than head towards the concession stand to get drinks, hot dogs, or fresh hot buttered popcorn. While waiting in line, people were talking about what they liked about the first feature, and what they were looking forward to in the second.
In those days, if it was a Disney or John Wayne film my parents were not worried about taking us kids to see it. At some point, the magic and innocence of going to the movies lost some of its luster, and it’s not just due to the fact that parents have to pre-screen movies before they can take their kids. The theater, where you go to escape and enjoy a movie has changed.
I can remember when you could go to a theater, get fresh hot buttered popcorn and sit in a large theater to watch the movie. Now the best you can hope for is warm popcorn. I have seen pre-popped popcorn poured out of a bag into the popcorn machine. Do they really think that since it is in a popcorn machine we are going to believe that it was just popped? It use to be that when you ordered the popcorn, if you wanted butter, they would put some popcorn in the tub, add some butter, than more popcorn and more butter. Now they hand you the tub and you have to go to the butter dispenser and add butter to the top of your popcorn.
Now you have your snacks, and you make you way to the theater. If you are going to see what the theater manager thinks is going to be a big hit, you will be heading, in most cases, to a larger theater. If not, you may at first believe that you have accidentally walked into a storage closet. Some of the theaters are so small that you feel like you are sitting in a cave, watching a screen not much bigger than a large T.V.
My family and I enjoy going to the movies, and discussing them afterwards. I just miss a large screen and fresh hot buttered popcorn.
I am what some call a "Casual Collector." And as such, I am always eagerly keeping an eye out for the funnest toys based on my favorite movies. A late 2008 release I am quite pleased about is the Cloverfield Monster toy. The makers of the movie aren't going after the 7-year-old allowance crowd like some toy-makers. Instead, this monster of a toy has a $99 price tag.
Read more from our REEL TALK guest blogger Blackskullgreymon after the jump.
But this toy offers a lot in the details, carrying 70 points of articulation, several parasite minifigures, and even a Statue of Liberty head accessory.
While I am not sure how many of us are going to shell out the dough for this brand, I have to appreciate how they have targeted their audience, the e-crowd who spent hours on the viral site slusho.jp, looking for clues after viewing the trailer.
Now on to "Star Wars" -- and of course, who isn't a fan? The endless army of toys keep coming out, not only with the movie extras each getting their own toy representation, but with new toy types ranging from LEGOs to detailed collector's pieces.
I'm big on their "Unleashed" line, as they not only accurately look like the characters, but the action-styled poses look just fine next to my stylized Anime figures. The issue with these toys is the steep price for a non-posable Star Wars doll, but Hasbro is remedying this with smaller packs of four characters. By the way, everyone needs a Clone Squadron on their desk, you know, just to be safe from evil coworkers
Speaking of LucasArts, it looks as if Indiana Jones may just be the biggest buy of the year. LEGO Jones sets cleverly captures all our favorite scenes from all the movies, including the upcoming "Crystal Skull." And to be perfectly frank, there has never been a LEGO figure as awesome as Indy. Sporting his whip and a gun, he could take down any foe brick-by-brick. But even better for your toy shelves is Taters of the Lost Ark, which was previewed in an earlier REEL TALK article. Mr. Potato Head now has a stylish hat and even a Potato Idol, and he's ready for action.
While it's still early, and with these new additions, I've realized I'm going to need an increase in my toy budget for this year.
Three years after 'Revenge of the Sith' put a bloody bow on the cinematic chapter of the Star Wars saga, we get word out of Skywalker Ranch that a new Star Wars movie is hitting theaters this summer.
"Star Wars: The Clone Wars" is the launch for an animated series debuting in the fall on Cartoon Network (with repeats on TNT). I can barely contain my Padewan giddiness at the prospects of a weekly Star Wars serial. And isn't it nice that it is opening three years since the final Star Wars prequel? Appropriate since that is the amount of time we've had to wait for every Star Wars movie.
The news about the latest extension of the Star Wars universe comes on the same day that Hayden Christensen visited our 30 Rock studios to talk about his new film "Jumper." Hayden was way cool and very laid back, not to mention much skinnier than I expected Darth Vader to be. You can check out Jeffrey's interview with Hayden this weekend on RT.
One last thing about the upcoming “Clone Wars” -- it's distributed by Warner Bros., which means we won't see & hear the 20th Century Fox logo and music that's preceded every Star Wars movie before. That will be weird.
- Last night, Monday the 11th, was the world premiere for “Jumper" and REEL TALK was there. Watch enthralling director Doug Liman describe his inspiration for the book-to-screen adaptation. If you look closely, you’ll even see Hayden Christensen in the background. Check out our features section for Hayden's interview.
- According to Comingsoon.net, the estate of LOTR is suing New Line Cinema. Apparently New Line has declined to pay a portion of the trilogy's gross profits.
- Gadget of the week: Nokia’s N96. Fully equipped with digital TV, VGA-quality video recording at 30 frames per second and a hidden kickstand for watching video. Now you can pretend to take an important call but instead catch up on your favorite television episodes! Read more on The Boy Genius Report.
- Who’s watching out for the “Watchmen?” Fox is, they’ve just filed a lawsuit claiming Warner Bros has breached rights Fox previously had regarding filming privileges for the Marvel comic. The Hollywood Reporter has the details.
- Viral Videos aren’t vain. Celebrities are moving towards the idea as a means to boost their image.
- Pic of the week: Looks like that other Boleyn girl has a lot to compete with. Check out the promo pictures in W Magazine with Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman for their upcoming film, “The Other Boyelyn Girl.”
When you hear Carla Bruni and music in the same sentence, I'm sure Mick Jagger (in reference to her past relationship with the musician) is the next name you anticipate to finish that sequence. However, the recently wed, Carla Bruni Sarkozy is actually head-over-heels with not just the president of France, but music and American literature as well.
Her album, "No Promises,” which was released in Europe and topped the pop charts in France, will be hitting the states on February 19th. The model/pop star's album is a new take on poetry which draws from artists like Dorothy Parker, William Butler Yeats, Emily Dickinson, Christina Rosetti, Walter de la Mare, and W.H. Auden.
With French films being anything but a stranger to Americans especially with the recent nomination of Marion Cotillard for best actress in "La Vie en Rose," you might see this model/musician/pop star/American Lit connoisseur/First Lady of France possibly picking up a movie script any time soon, and becoming a part of the entertainment business in more ways than one. What do you think?
Listen to France’s First Lady croon Yeats in her seductively smoky voice with her first single “Those Dancing Days are Gone.”
While news of this weekend's possible breakthrough in the talks to end the Writers Strike had everyone excited, here's a sobering reminder that until a deal is officially reached, Oscar night remains in jeopardy.
Today Vanity Fair magazine announced it was cancelling its annual Oscar party. Usually one of the biggest A-List affairs on Hollywood's biggest night, the VF party was supposed to be held at Craft, since the usual location -- Morton's -- has closed.
A statement on the magazine's website says: "After much consideration, and in support of the writers and everyone else affected by this strike, we have decided that this is not the appropriate year to hold our annual Oscar party. We want to congratulate all of this year’s nominees and we look forward to hosting our 15th Oscar party next year."
The latest word on the strike talks is that an agreement is this close to being reached, check out www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com's strike updates for all the details.
Better happen soon if the big, bloated, 45 minutes too-long Oscar ceremony we all love to watch is going to happen.
After “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" in 3D grossed a mind-blowing $31.7 million during its opening weekend, Walt Disney Pictures issued the most anti-climactic press release of 2008: The Mouse House is extending the theatrical engagement of the monster hit.
Cynics would say Disney had plans all along of keeping the film that documents Miley Cyrus' smash-hit concert in theaters longer than the 'special one-week engagement' that was advertised. That the studio knew the film was breaking advance online ticket sales records, but they stuck to the 'one week only' sales pitch to maximize sales.
Either way, this means that the huge Hannah Montana fan base gets another chance to see their heroine in 3D action.
Looking back at 2007, several soundtracks stand out.
“Into The Wild,” was much enhanced by Eddie Vedder’s plaintive voice and skillful songwriting. “Juno,” was fun, with the Moldy Peaches, Velvet Underground, Mott the Hoople and The Kinks featured.
But the soundtrack, which for me, best reflected what was being shown on screen was the instrumental score for “There Will Be Blood” by Radiohead’s guitarist Jonny Greenwood.
Defying the conventions of usual Hollywood scores, greenwood’s was dramatic and full of foreboding, operatic and haunting. Kudos to Paul Thomas Anderson for taking a different path and not using the usual sweeping music that we so often hear accompanying epic period dramas.
What's you favorite soundtrack from the 2007 movie season? Comment below or chat with others in our forums.
Looks like the Hannah Montana juggernaut is about to blow the roof of multiplexes nationwide. The "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Concert" 3D movie is selling out showtimes at a record pace. Fandango.com and movietickets.com report the film accounted for 90 percent of their total sales Wednesday!!
The movie debuts Thursday at midnight on less than a thousand theaters, all equipped to show Digital 3D. Obviously, parents of the movie's target audience -- tween girls -- are bending their curfew rules so their kids can go see it. Not like they really have a choice. Late-night and early morning screenings may be the only chance you have to see it if you haven't bought tickets yet. Most weekend showings are already sold out.
The film was shot during Cyrus' sold-out 2007 concert tour, which caused a ticket-scalping frenzy that rivaled Springsteen & U2.
Disney says the film is only in theaters for a week, but with sales this strong, how can they NOT extend the theatrical run??
Check out Jeffrey & Alison's review of the "Hannah Montana 3D Concert Movie" this weekend on RT.
We continue today with a look at some Film Noir classics in a new series of DVDs being released by Kino International. It's "Scarlet Street" the 1945 movie banned in three states when it was released.
Director Fritz Lang, best known for "M" and "Metropolis” directed this feature, probably his finest American film. Edward G. Robinson, then at the height of his fame, stars as a man who rescues a streetwalker, played by Joan Bennett, from the streets of Greenwich Village. A sordid tale of lust, larceny and revenge ensue.
Based on the novel by Georges de La Fouchardière, the DVD contains images of deleted scenes, including commentary from co-star Dan Duryea, the steady star of "B" movies and supporting roles in "A" films similar to “Scarlet Street.”
Screenwriter Dudley Nichols also wrote "Stagecoach," the 1939 movie which catapulted John Wayne from quickie westerns at Monogram and Republic Pictures to the world of "A" list stardom.
"Scarlet Street" is worth rediscovering in a pristine DVD print. Check out REELTALKtv.com daily for more Film Noir gems to come!
As we have all just eaten our way into the new year, I imagine that a fair few gym memberships will be purchased and new running gear pulled on in the next few days and weeks.
I myself will be recommitting to getting into shape, after having a baby in October. I hope to be getting more than four hours of sleep a night pretty soon, which will give me the renewed energy to attack the treadmill during the cold winter months. So below you'll find my list of films that should be watched when that badly needed motivation is lacking.
"Rocky"
If you don't belong to a gym, just head to your nearest butcher's meat locker and pound those cow carcasses. Then run triumphantly through your town to the highest point, arms raised above head. "Eye of the Tiger" is, of course, essential iPod listening.
"Perfect"
Just watching Jamie Lee Curtis in those hi-cut leotards is enough to make me drop down and pump out the push-ups. Leg warmers not needed, but cool headband a must.
"G.I. Jane"
I've always wanted to be ordered around and shouted at in boot camp -- especially if my unit leader was Viggo Mortensen.
"Pumping Iron"
An introduction to Arnold Schwarzenegger. His body was impressive, his regimen extreme, but it was his cutting remarks and passive aggressive manipulation that makes him the star of this documentary.
"Terminator 2"
If you are in prison or a mental institution, you can still get in shape! Just put your bed on end and do chin ups from the bar. Sarah Connor's not only the mother of the future savior of mankind -- she's got the biggest guns in town!
Prepare to be AMAZED when "U2 3D" debuts in limited release in January. Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton have created something special with their second feature-length concert film. But this isn't just another vanity project like "Rattle & Hum."
I was able to see an early screening of this the other night and I, along with everyone else in the screening room, was floored. With all due respect to "The Song Remains the Same," "Stop Making Sense," "Woodstock" and even the superb "Gimme Shelter," "U2 3D" takes the concert film to a different plane of filmmaking.
The technology used to make this is truly breakthrough, the 3-D technology totally immerses you. It doesn't just feel like a gimmick that you notice only in a few scenes in the movie. It captivates you from the opening scenes. The cameras zoom, pan and push in and out as the band tears through a set list of mostly classic songs. By the end of the movie you get used to the 3D, but only until another great camera angle pops up and makes you feel like you have a front row seat. On the stage. And Bono's singing to you, and only YOU.
It helps that the subject of this film is one of the great rock bands of all time. The one-two punch of "Vertigo" and "Beautiful Day" that opens the film is so pulse-poundingly exciting, it was all I could do to keep from singing along with the stadium crowd. The sheer energy of the concert is palpable.
Speaking of that crowd, I've been to a couple hundred shows in my lifetime, including five U2 concerts. I have never, EVER, experienced a crowd as passionate as the South American crowds you see in this movie. The sheer joy in the audience is infectious and when Bono says at the end that the band "will never forget this", you believe it. I would hate to be in the crowd of the next concert film that's made because once you see this, you will feel woefully inadequate as a rock fan.
In the past, concert movies have aimed to make you wish you were there. "U2 3D" makes you believe you ARE THERE.
As a compliment to our Holiday Gift Guide, Reel Talk is offering everyone a chance to win a REEL TALK DVD gift set. Two grand prize winners will receive the "Blade Runner" Collector's Edition DVD set in addition to other various DVDs. The third place winner will receive a Reel Talk DVD gift set consisting of other fabulous DVD titles.
Simply submit one (1) must-have gift you would want to receive or give this holiday season in the commments section of this post and that's it, you're qualified! But make sure you include your first name, a valid email address and date of birth (in the 'URL' section) or your entry will be null and void.
Winners are selected if their entry is unique, an actual item (nothing your Uncle Bob makes in his basement) and relevant to Reel Talk.
Hurry, this contest ends December 24, 2007, at 11:59 P.M. Visit our rules for more details.
New York's Film Forum will offer a 23 picture retrospective on the works of director Otto Preminger January 2 through January 31.
Though widely remembered as a strict disciplinarian on the sets of his movies, I knew him to be quite charming away from his work. I grew up, in fact, best friends with Erik Lee Preminger, who Otto acknowledged as his son only after the death of Erik's mother, the famed author, TV personality, actress and of course stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. When Gypsy died, Otto adopted Erik, who added his father's name to his own.
Otto’s greatest film was "Laura" in 1944, with Dana Andrews, a forgotten star today, alas, but who performed brilliantly. Other classics he directed included "Bunny Lake is Missing" and "Anatomy of a Murder," usually shown uncut on television and one of the great courtroom dramas of all time.
My favorite, however, is "Daisy Kenyon" from 1947. Not because Henry Fonda, Joan Crawford and the aforementioned Dana Andrews (all of whom I was lucky to have met) starred, but because my father, Leonard Lyons, portrayed himself in a brief scene. ("Unconvincingly," one critic said of his performance!) It was there at the Stork Club, where Walter Winchell, the feared Broadway columnist walked in and muttered a few lines to Andrews. Then in walked my father, Winchell's rival and competitor, and did the same thing.
Whenever the movie is shown on TV, I apprise the portion of the film and immediately call my brothers to alert them, knowing that, if possible, we'll all be watching together, no matter how far apart we are. For a few moments, we're reunited.
Otto Preminger died in 1986,but he remains a revered filmmaker who may have been overlooked a bit by subsequent generations but whose movies are well worth seeing.
I'll start off by acknowledging that yes, this post is only slightly related to movies. But the main subject did appear in several films and actually starred in one feature film. So allow me this indulgence, since the subject in question is no doubt familiar to you in some way or other.
Sunday night in Butte, Montana, there will be a final farewell to a unique American icon. One last goodbye for a man who carved out a lasting legacy from resounding stubbornness, bravura and sheer lack of common sense.
Evel Knievel is dead.
He passed away last Friday at the age of 69 after years of struggling with diabetes and a chronic lung condition, his body finally giving out on him after enduring many more years than it had any right to, considering the abuse it took over the years. Dozens of broken bones, a string of surgeries to put his shattered body back together after one bad fall or another. Robert Knievel seemingly lived by the motto 'if it ain't it broke ...well, give me time. I'll get around to it.'
Evel Knievel is dead.
For many people, that's hard to fathom. Not for the twenty and thirty-somethings who watched him perform his insane stunts back in the late 60s-early 70s, like leaping over the fountains at Caesars Palace in 1967 or trying to rocket-cycle over Snake River Canyon. Those were adults.
They knew the risks he was taking were very real. I'll bet a good number of them paid their money wondering if they were going to witness something spectacularly fatal. Not making a judgement. That kind of curiosity is part of human nature. Knievel knew that and cashed in on that during much of his career.
No, i'm talking about the little kids. The children who thought Evel Knievel was superhuman. I'm 36 years old, which means around the time that I could actually start telling the difference between Bert and Ernie, Knievel's time as an international superstar was already coming to an end. His time as Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone cover boy had come and gone. But from the moment I saw the ads in the back of the comic books I was reading as a five year old for the Evel Knievel stunt cycle and other toys, I was fascinated by this bike-riding superhero. He was an action figure come to life.
I wanted to be a daredevil because of Knievel. Wanted to go to whatever school would train me to be like Evel Knievel. I acquired many bumps and bruises from trying to emulate my hero, which greatly concerned/annoyed my parents.
I pleaded with my folks (successfully) to get me the Knievel stunt cycle. I even made them take me to see "Viva Knievel!" which was a terrible movie even to the not-so discerning eye of a young kid (has there ever been a more accurate signal that your time in the pop culture spotlight is over than releasing a film about yourself?). To kids my age back then living in a 3-channel universe, Knievel was larger than life. He had the coolest job, the best outfit this side of Steve Austin's red jogging suit ... and he did it all while riding a motorcycle!!
As I grew older, things changed. "Star Wars" made me want to drop out of daredevil school and join the Jedi academy. Knievel sightings became rarer. I also started to wonder about all his injuries. If he's so great, how come he always wound up breaking something? Why can't he stick all his landings?
It dawned on me that Evel Knievel was more famous for his failures than his successes. The bubble had burst for me. He wasn't a super-cool daredevil, just a crash-test dummy with spectacular wipeouts. He went from being a hero to a sideshow for me.
I moved on. So did everyone else, as Knievel basically fell off the map for quite awhile.
Movies became bigger and more bombastic. Arcade games blew up, then video games brought the gamers home to the couch, where they've remained firmly in place for 25 years. Evel Knievel meanwhile, was MIA. As if he'd tried to make another death-defying jump, only to fall short and never to be heard from again. I didn't realize it until many years later, but Knievel's career had been derailed in 1977 by his legendary temper.
He attacked the writer of a biography that Knievel found offensive with a baseball bat, shattering the man's arm. Knievel was sent to jail for six months. When he was released, his career as a big draw was basically over. The classic American superstar had crashed and burned because of his own reckless behavior.
Then in the early 1990s, 70s nostalgia brought everything from bell bottoms to the pet rock back from the abyss of the forgotten past. And what better symbol of that fun, frivolous decade than the thrill-seeker in the patriotic jumpsuit, Evel Knievel? Frail and fragile of health after years of abuse on and off the bike, Knievel would find a profitable niche selling his autograph to eager collectors trying to grab a piece of their glory days. Some may find that kind of life demeaning, but for a guy who used to charge $500 to jump over rattlesnakes and mountain lions, it was just Knievel's way of adapting to the times.
One adjustment he never made was his attitude. He remained as ornery as ever, cussing out reporters and fans whenever they crossed a line, real or imagined. He even feuded at times with his son Robbie, who has followed in his father's daredevil footsteps. Oh, and that multimillion dollar settlement he was ordered to pay Shelly Saltman, the PR man whose arm he broke in 1977? Knievel never paid him a dime.
[In fact, just days after Knievel's death, Saltman publicly stated that he planned to go after Knievel's estate for his money, which he estimated is now around $100 million due to compounded interest. But that's a story for another day.]
As Evel eked out a living on the past, the future that he laid the groundwork for was unfolding. Extreme sports went mainstream. Skateboarders, snowboarders and dirtbikers started risking their necks doing insane stunts, for a heckuva lot less than the $6 million Knievel earned for trying to clear Snake River Canyon in 1974. The guys on a TV show named "Jackass" risked life, limb and their dignity for the sake of a ratings point.
Get where I'm going here? Without Knievel, it's a good bet the X-Games wouldn't exist. That snowboarding would never become a medal sport in the Olympics. Guys like Tony Hawk wouldn't turn into crossover superstars, one-man cash cows known as the next generation's risk-taking idols. Because before Knievel, there was no one to put that crazy idea into kids' heads to make 'em say, 'hey, you know what? I think I can do that!'
See, I missed the point of Evel Knievel the first time around. It wasn't about making the jumps. Success had nothing to do with it. It was about having the stones to TRY it in the first place. And if he failed - WHEN he failed - to have the willpower to get back on the bike and try something even crazier. That's what Evel Knievel was about.
Now he's gone. And while everyone always says, 'there will never be another one like him'...it's very likely true in this case. Evel Knievel existed at the right time in the right country during the right decade. He was a superstar with crossover appeal. In today's fragmented media world, he would be relegated to a Saturday night showcase on ESPN2, just before bull riding. Not that you couldn't make a good living that way but it wouldn't be anywhere near the same as his 70s heyday.
Knievel's funeral will actually be a two-day event beginning Sunday. Fittingly, it will be a loud, spirited affair. A fireworks show will kick off the event, and will end with the funeral officiated by Rev. Robert Schuller at Butte Civic Center, a 10,000 seat arena. It's expected to be packed with people coming in from all parts to pay final respects to a deeply flawed, wholly original human being.
1. Anton Chigurh (“No Country For Old Men”)
His hair style alone is chilling. But it’s Javier Bardem’s commitment to the ice-cold killer that is most impressive, making him terrifying and oddly engaging at the same time. Also, his weapon of choice is most inventive…a sort of pneumatic cattle-killing device that is mercifully quick and (I imagine) painless.
2. Don Logan ("Sexy Beast")
Sir Ben Kingsley shows how a shaved head can be menacing with his portrait of a sociopath in “Sexy Beast”. His insistence on not taking no for an answer is at once funny and terrifying.
3. Hannibal Lector ("Silence of The Lambs")
What more can be said about a man who can be so chilling even when behind bars? Proof that an intelligent mind is the most frightening thing.
4.Dennis Hopper (“Blue Velvet”)
David Lynch’s films have their share of oddballs but Hopper’s oxygen-huffing, rapist freak is indelibly marked in my head.
5. Cruella de Vil ("101 Dalmatians"). Someone who wants to kill puppies! The worst of the lot!
Our latest recommendation is just perfect for fans of serialized TV shows like "Lost," "The X-Files" and even the new "Pushing Daisies." It's the complete series DVD collection of David Lynch's bewildering early '90s series "Twin Peaks." This definitive gold box set features remastered versions of all 30 episodes of the show.
Most people don't remember but "Twin Peaks" was a pop culture happening when it debuted in 1990, one of the first true water cooler shows of the decade. But it quickly wore out its welcome in Season 2 by simply being too 'out there' (even series creator David Lynch admits as much). This new set gives older viewers a chance to revisit the bizarre storylines and gives new fans a chance to see what what all that chatter was about.
Besides making a star out of Kyle MachLachlan, it also features a pre X-Files David Duchovny as a transsexual federal agent. This is the kind of show the DVD format was made for. The show had so much going on at once it almost demands you pause a few times each episode just to stop and go 'huh?'
This set has all sorts of commentaries and interviews with people connected to the show, and also has both the the original pilot that aired (which has never been available on home video before) and the European version, which has about 15 minutes of footage U.S. viewers never saw. And you also get a dozen postcards. So make a pot of black coffee, cut yourself a slice of Cherry Pie, and enjoy your visit to Twin Peaks, the strangest town you're ever going to come across.
You can purchase Twin Peaks - The Definitive Gold Box Edition at Amazon.com and other entertainment stores.
Has anyone else remarked on the coincidence these past few months of seeing two films with naked fight scenes?? Seems too good to be true doesn’t it? First of all we had Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises” buck naked in a steam room being brutally assaulted by two thugs. The scene was deadly serious and Viggo is to be commended for committing whole-heartedly to the nudity -- even as he must have known that with DVD rentals and freeze frame, his modesty would later be revealed to all.
I for one, found it a bit distracting as it was impossible not to wonder whether anything would become visible as the fight wore on. (And I secretly hoped it would.)
And then just two weeks ago, “Beowulf” seemed to steal the very same idea! The warrior Beowulf delights in sleeping in the buff, almost inviting an attack by Grendel. When this thrilling face-off takes place, it becomes almost comic as Beowulf’s nether regions are concealed behind strategically positioned props.
This made me wonder whether the animators don’t have the technology yet to digitally render perfect, an anatomically correct genitalia. But then I remembered Bart’s skateboard escapade in “The Simpsons Movie” and I realized that I was wrong! Perhaps in a movie with blood a-plenty and Angelina Jolie’s nipple-less breasts, a man’s penis (albeit animated) might just be too much for that PG-13 rating!
What do you think? Do you have any favorite/least favorite naked fight scenes?
There are plot spoilers in the top five list below. Please read at your own peril!
Obviously there are many many films that have great endings and below is just a sample of some that came to mind recently. Sometimes a mediocre film can be redeemed by its ending, as is the case with "The Mist." It's also interesting to note, that Frank Darabont, the director of "The Mist" changed the ending from Stephen King's novella which was more ambiguous. A great ending can leave you with a lot to think about as you leave the theater.
1. “The Graduate”
Everyone remembers this as having a happy ending. Watch it again as Dustin Hoffman and Katherine Ross’s faces change as the bus pulls away. Makes you wonder what the characters are thinking.
2. “Planet of the Apes”
When the camera pulls back to reveal what is on the beach, the full impact of what has gone before hits you.
3. “Michael Clayton”
Like “The Graduate,” the ending has Michael Clayton sitting in a taxi with various emotions washing over his face. Has he done the right thing? Does he regret what he did? The camera sits on George Clooney’s face for an uncomfortably long time forcing us to question what has just happened.
4. “The Mist”
All is lost. The characters have given up all hope of survival. The only hope is death -- four bullets, five people. This is perhaps the cruelest non-Hollywood ending to a film that I’ve seen in a long time. Can’t believe that the bean counters at the studio let this one slide by.
5. “Gone Baby Gone”
Casey Affleck’s honest private investigator has stuck to his moral guns and returned the abducted child to her mother. He knows it’s the right thing to do. But when all is said and done, and that camera pulls back for the final shot...his face is aghast as he realizes that he has destined this child to a life of neglect and possible abuse.
Of all the movies opening this weekend, "Southland Tales" (which actually opened on Wednesday) has easily had the most colorful journey to the screen. Director Richard Kelly's been working on his apocalyptic eco-satire his for nearly six years, as his follow-up to the confounding cult hit "Donnie Darko" (which I loved, but mostly because it's the ONLY movie that I know of to include the sordid and not-so-Smurfy history behind Smurfette's creation. But that's neither here nor there).
Before you go see "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" when it debuts (finally!) next week, you're probably going to get the urge to see the first 3 Indy flicks first. Most of the hardcore fans already have the set but for those who don't, Lucasfilm and Paramount have just released an updated version of the Indy dvd box set that was first issued a few years back. 
So it seems to me, that not only are romantic comedies increasingly unoriginal and predictable (I’ve ranted about this before), but they seem to be ripping off old episodes of “Friends.”
This week the nation celebrates Earth Week! Hopefully this week will remind everyone to be a bit more careful when leaving his/her carbon footprint. We here at REEL TALK encourage it. Thus this week's Mixtape theme: 'Green is the Word! (We could have titled it 'Green is the World' but that would have been a bit cheesy.) So grab your 
- And since we’re still on the subject of paper, what’s up with the Miley Cyrus seven-figure book deal? 
Welcome to RT's Mixtape Tuesday. Our weekly summary of what you need to know to stay in the know. This week, we're focusing on 3-D. We're seeing a lot about it in the trades, blogs, and papers. So here's our RT mixtape remix:
The only surviving member of the title players of the gunfighters the villagers hired is Robert Vaughn. He told me that he had just 16 lines, including the most famous. It comes in a scene where he talks about his character's miserable life, and three flies alight on a table. He grabs at them, then opens his palm. "One," he says, reflecting on his slowing reflexes. "There was a time when I would've caught all three." It was he who alerted director John Sturges about a young actor kicking around New York who would be just right to play the seventh gunfighter: an unknown named James Coburn. When he kills Robert J. Wilke, the veteran character actor with a stiletto early in the film, you know this slim, stoic star would be a character in the film to be reckoned him. His stardom in "Our Man Flint" would some at the end of the '60s. 
Now you know all of “The Magnificent Seven.” John Sturges was one of the great directors of all time. Consider "The Great Escape" (also with McQueen), "Gunfight At the OK Corral" (Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster) and another movie about that episode called "Hour Of The Gun." If you get to see "The Magnificent Seven", listen for the great Al Caiola score (unfortunately used for years in a cigarette commercial before TV banned them in 1971) and marvel at the way Calvera dies. "Dad," Eli Wallach's young son said to him when the scene was finished, "Why did you let Yul Brynner beat you to the draw!”
It was on this date in 1973 that Marlon Brando refused his Oscar for Best Actor in "The Godfather" as a gesture for the Native Americans at Wounded Knee. It turned out that the woman who spoke for him, one "Sacheen Littlefeather" spoke on Brando's behalf.
" Marlon Brando... has asked me to tell you, in a very long speech which I cannot share with you presently — because of time — but I will be glad to share with the press afterward, that he must... very regretfully cannot accept this very generous award.
Littlefeather, an actress named Maria Cruz and who three years before had been named: "Miss American Vampire", was remembered by history as a fraud who demeaned Native Americans and the Oscars by her showy gesture. 
Sir Ben Kingsley
Courtney Love
Natalie Portman
Bruce Willis
Carmen Electra
Jennifer Tilly
Jason Alexander
Those Saturday morning staples, ‘The Smurfs”, have finally made their 
First there was the rampant xenophobia. 
Think about it. They were isolated from the outside world, to the point they harvested their own food (smurfberries!), they distrusted anyone who wasn’t blue and 3-apples high (‘You’re behaving just like humans!’) and individual identity was suppressed to the point of invisibility. C’mon. The village may as well have been in Idaho.
It’s not until Papa Smurf steps in do things improve. But Papa Smurf is actually to blame for most of the village’s problems because he leaves his young Smurfs to fend for themselves, while he spends most of his day in the lab mixing frog’s hair with glowberries.
But it should have been Papa Smurf who should have been bounced on his white-haired head. Dude, what in your 542-year-old life led you to believe these Smurfs could get by without adult supervision?? 
I can remember when you could go to a theater, get fresh hot buttered popcorn and sit in a large theater to watch the movie. Now the best you can hope for is warm popcorn. I have seen pre-popped popcorn poured out of a bag into the popcorn machine. Do they really think that since it is in a popcorn machine we are going to believe that it was just popped? It use to be that when you ordered the popcorn, if you wanted butter, they would put some popcorn in the tub, add some butter, than more popcorn and more butter. Now they hand you the tub and you have to go to the butter dispenser and add butter to the top of your popcorn.
I am what some call a "Casual Collector." And as such, I am always eagerly keeping an eye out for the funnest toys based on my favorite movies. A late 2008 release I am quite pleased about is the Cloverfield Monster toy. The makers of the movie aren't going after the 7-year-old allowance crowd like some toy-makers. Instead, this monster of a toy has a $99 price tag. 
While I am not sure how many of us are going to shell out the dough for this brand, I have to appreciate how they have targeted their audience, the e-crowd who spent hours on the viral site 
Speaking of LucasArts, it looks as if Indiana Jones may just be the biggest buy of the year. LEGO Jones sets cleverly captures all our favorite scenes from all the movies, including the upcoming "Crystal Skull." And to be perfectly frank, there has never been a LEGO figure as awesome as Indy. Sporting his whip and a gun, he could take down any foe brick-by-brick. But even better for your toy shelves is Taters of the Lost Ark, which was previewed in an earlier 
- Opening this week:
When you hear Carla Bruni and music in the same sentence, I'm sure Mick Jagger (in reference to her past relationship with the musician) is the next name you anticipate to finish that sequence. However, the recently wed, Carla Bruni Sarkozy is actually head-over-heels with not just the president of France, but music and American literature as well. 
While news of this weekend's possible breakthrough in the talks to end the Writers Strike had everyone excited, here's a sobering reminder that until a deal is officially reached, Oscar night remains in jeopardy.
After “Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" in 3D grossed a mind-blowing $31.7 million during its opening weekend, Walt Disney Pictures issued the most anti-climactic press release of 2008: The Mouse House is extending the theatrical engagement of the monster hit.
Looking back at 2007, several soundtracks stand out.
Looks like the Hannah Montana juggernaut is about to blow the roof of multiplexes nationwide. The "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus Best of Both Worlds Concert" 3D movie is selling out showtimes at a record pace. Fandango.com and movietickets.com report the film accounted for 90 percent of their total sales Wednesday!!
We continue today with a look at some Film Noir classics in a new series of DVDs being released by Kino International. It's "Scarlet Street" the 1945 movie banned in three states when it was released. 
As we have all just eaten our way into the new year, I imagine that a fair few gym memberships will be purchased and new running gear pulled on in the next few days and weeks. 
Prepare to be AMAZED when "U2 3D" debuts in limited release in January. Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton have created something special with their second feature-length concert film. But this isn't just another vanity project like "Rattle & Hum." 
It helps that the subject of this film is one of the great rock bands of all time. The one-two punch of "Vertigo" and "Beautiful Day" that opens the film is so pulse-poundingly exciting, it was all I could do to keep from singing along with the stadium crowd. The sheer energy of the concert is palpable.
As a compliment to our Holiday Gift Guide, Reel Talk is offering everyone a chance to win a REEL TALK DVD gift set. Two grand prize winners will receive the "Blade Runner" Collector's Edition DVD set in addition to other various DVDs. The third place winner will receive a Reel Talk DVD gift set consisting of other fabulous DVD titles.
New York's Film Forum will offer a 23 picture retrospective on the works of director Otto Preminger January 2 through January 31. 
My favorite, however, is "Daisy Kenyon" from 1947. Not because Henry Fonda, Joan Crawford and the aforementioned Dana Andrews (all of whom I was lucky to have met) starred, but because my father, Leonard Lyons, portrayed himself in a brief scene. ("Unconvincingly," one critic said of his performance!) It was there at the Stork Club, where Walter Winchell, the feared Broadway columnist walked in and muttered a few lines to Andrews. Then in walked my father, Winchell's rival and competitor, and did the same thing.
I'll start off by acknowledging that yes, this post is only slightly related to movies. But the main subject did appear in several films and actually starred in one feature film. So allow me this indulgence, since the subject in question is no doubt familiar to you in some way or other.
He passed away last Friday at the age of 69 after years of struggling with diabetes and a chronic lung condition, his body finally giving out on him after enduring many more years than it had any right to, considering the abuse it took over the years. Dozens of broken bones, a string of surgeries to put his shattered body back together after one bad fall or another. Robert Knievel seemingly lived by the motto 'if it ain't it broke ...well, give me time. I'll get around to it.'
No, i'm talking about the little kids. The children who thought Evel Knievel was superhuman. I'm 36 years old, which means around the time that I could actually start telling the difference between Bert and Ernie, Knievel's time as an international superstar was already coming to an end. His time as Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone cover boy had come and gone. But from the moment I saw the ads in the back of the comic books I was reading as a five year old for the Evel Knievel stunt cycle and other toys, I was fascinated by this bike-riding superhero. He was an action figure come to life. 
Movies became bigger and more bombastic. Arcade games blew up, then video games brought the gamers home to the couch, where they've remained firmly in place for 25 years. Evel Knievel meanwhile, was MIA. As if he'd tried to make another death-defying jump, only to fall short and never to be heard from again. I didn't realize it until many years later, but Knievel's career had been derailed in 1977 by his legendary temper. 
Get where I'm going here? Without Knievel, it's a good bet the X-Games wouldn't exist. That snowboarding would never become a medal sport in the Olympics. Guys like Tony Hawk wouldn't turn into crossover superstars, one-man cash cows known as the next generation's risk-taking idols. Because before Knievel, there was no one to put that crazy idea into kids' heads to make 'em say, 'hey, you know what? I think I can do that!' 
Knievel's funeral will actually be a two-day event beginning Sunday. Fittingly, it will be a loud, spirited affair. A fireworks show will kick off the event, and will end with the funeral officiated by Rev. Robert Schuller at Butte Civic Center, a 10,000 seat arena. It's expected to be packed with people coming in from all parts to pay final respects to a deeply flawed, wholly original human being.
1. Anton Chigurh (“No Country For Old Men”)
Our latest recommendation is just perfect for fans of serialized TV shows like "Lost," "The X-Files" and even the new "Pushing Daisies." It's the complete series DVD collection of David Lynch's bewildering early '90s series "Twin Peaks." This definitive gold box set features remastered versions of all 30 episodes of the show.
Has anyone else remarked on the coincidence these past few months of seeing two films with naked fight scenes?? Seems too good to be true doesn’t it? First of all we had Viggo Mortensen in “Eastern Promises” buck naked in a steam room being brutally assaulted by two thugs. The scene was deadly serious and Viggo is to be commended for committing whole-heartedly to the nudity -- even as he must have known that with DVD rentals and freeze frame, his modesty would later be revealed to all.
And then just two weeks ago, “Beowulf” seemed to steal the very same idea! The warrior Beowulf delights in sleeping in the buff, almost inviting an attack by Grendel. When this thrilling face-off takes place, it becomes almost comic as Beowulf’s nether regions are concealed behind strategically positioned props.
Obviously there are many many films that have great endings and below is just a sample of some that came to mind recently. Sometimes a mediocre film can be redeemed by its ending, as is the case with "The Mist." It's also interesting to note, that Frank Darabont, the director of "The Mist" changed the ending from Stephen King's novella which was more ambiguous. A great ending can leave you with a lot to think about as you leave the theater. 
Of all the movies opening this weekend, "Southland Tales" (which actually opened on Wednesday) has easily had the most colorful journey to the screen. Director Richard Kelly's been working on his apocalyptic eco-satire his for nearly six years, as his follow-up to the confounding cult hit "Donnie Darko" (which I loved, but mostly because it's the ONLY movie that I know of to include the sordid and not-so-Smurfy history behind Smurfette's creation. But that's neither here nor there).