Having played the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof over 2,500 times, Topol’s Farewell Tour, running August 11-23 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, is a must-see for Fiddler fans. It is an iconic performance, one which won him an Oscar nomination in the 1971 film production, and one that has not diminished at all over the years. It’s fascinating to watch a performer that is so in command of such a difficult role, capable of exuding a combination of humor and intense rage within moments of each other. There is a passion in everything Tevye does, all rooted in a fundamental belief in the tradition of his people. While the entire production takes place in the tiny Jewish village of Anatevka, Russia, the story feels huge. And Topol makes it feel real. The story is told from Tevye’s perspective, but the other performances are equally as strong. As an entire village has to be represented, there is a pretty large ensemble. The parts are all played very well, and are very memorable. As the play progresses, we learn that Tevye has five daughters, three of whom play very imporant roles. One of the traditions of their village is that of the matchmaker The women do not choose their husbands, but rather, are assigned to one, based in large part on the financial stability of the suitor. Beginning with the oldest, Tzeitel, things begin to go wrong. She wants to marry her childhood best friend, which goes against everything their traditions dictate. However, Tevye accepts this, which leads to the next daughter wanting to marry an activist who will be leaving the village. He reluctantly agrees, but when the next daughter wants to marry somebody who isn’t even Jewish, he has to draw the line. Through his daughters, we see the world evolving, leaving Tevye behind.
While the story does get intense, Topol always portrays an undercurrent of humor. Muttering sarcastic asides to himself, as well as to God, he always keeps the audience entertained while remaining completely believable. Even more impressive is that he can remain so compelling even during the big musical numbers, of which there are many. The music is all fantastic, both in terms of the original source material as well these particular performances. It’s a very emotional story and the music covers the highs and the lows in spectacular fashion. At times the music is on a small scale, providing intimate insight into the inner thoughts of the characters. And at other times, they are big, lavish productions; the kind usually associated with larger-scale musical theatre. Highlights include the hilarious “Matchmaker, Matchmaker” performed by Tevye’s daughters, “Sunrise, Sunset,” a beautiful depiction of a mother and father’s elation and sorrow on their child’s wedding day, and “If I Were a Rich Man,” Tevye’s wishful thinking during one of many conversations he has with God. It should also be mentioned that the orchestra sounds terrific as well. On top of the great acting and music, the production design is phenomenal across the board. The imaginative set design really conveys a sense of what it would be like to live in this simple village. These sets, along with the terrific lighting, provide an atmosphere that always matches the emotional tone of what is happening at the time. One of my favorite visual moments takes place during the musical number “Sabbath Prayer.” As the song begins, we see Tevye’s family beginning their prayer in darkness, only to have the sets and lighting evolve to reveal the entire village giving the same prayer at the same time. It’s a chilling visual, and while it’s a small moment, it strongly reinforces the theme of tradition that everybody in this village shares. While being billed as “Topol’s Farewell Tour,” he himself says that “he’s not really certain that he’s done with the role.” He has dedicated such a monumental portion of his life to this performance, it must be really hard to consider giving up the character. But on the off-chance that he is calling it quits, this is absolutely a production worth seeing. I saw the movie many years ago, but it’s a completely different experience seeing it live. I can’t recommend this enough.
Tickets are available at OCPAC.org, at the Center’s Box Office or by calling (714) 556-2787.
Despite being one of the most contrived and convoluted “high-concept” chick flicks in recent memory, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days somehow ends up a mildly entertaining diversion that should appeal to most fans of the genre. I have to admit that I am not one of these fans. I find the formulaic nature of these films almost always off-putting and often condescending. My wife loves them however, and watching this film with her I couldn’t help but notice just how successful director Donald Petrie (Miss Congeniality) was at presenting the formula in an endearing way.
The title of the film comes from an article being written by Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson), a columnist for a Cosmo-like magazine called Composure. In an attempt to prove her journalistic prowess, she decides to find a guy at random, date him, and follow all the cliches that girls supposedly do wrong in order to get the guy to dump her within a designated 10 days. Personally, I don’t see the appeal for an article like that, but what do I know? I’m a guy. Her boss, however, seems to think it’s brilliant.
At the same time, ad agency employee Benjamin Barry (Matthew McCounaughey) is promised a high-profile client if he is able to get a girl to fall in love with him within (you guessed it) 10 days. I don’t know a lot about marketing, but this whole scenario seems like a bit of a stretch. Anyway, they of course choose each other for their respective challenges and, as mentioned above, contrived and convoluted hi-jinks ensue.
Through this whole endeavor it’s easy to visualize the screenwriters struggling to make all the pieces fall into place. No sane guy would stay with a girl treating him like she does, but because of his bet, he’s guaranteed to stay. And when the inevitable realization of her deception comes, she is able to be just as mad at him because of his bet. Even though both characters are doing horrible things they balance each other out, enabling the audience to get the anticipated feel-good happy ending.
Despite the mechanics of the script, the film is entertaining. McConaughey and Hudson have a believable chemistry, and it’s easy to root for things to work out. Some of the ways that she tortures him are moderately funny, as are his reactions, and there is a lightness to the material which I kind of enjoyed. After awhile I was able to accept the ridiculous premise and just go along with it. One of the extras on the Blu-Ray features an interview with Lynda Obst, a producer on the film, who explained the necessity of the audience wanting the two leads to get together even more than the characters do. In watching the movie with my wife, I was able to see this in action. She completely bought into this world and would have been devastated if things didn’t work out. I suppose it is this attachment to the characters that draw women to films like this.
The Blu-Ray itself is pretty standard-issue. There is a commentary with the director, as well as a feature entitled “How to Make a Movie in 2 years.” This feature focuses on the origins of the project, going all the way back to the writing of the book on which the film was based. They interview the authors, the producers, etc. and attempt to detail the process of getting to production. Mostly serving as a self-congratulatory feeding of their own egos, everybody involved seems very passionate about this project, attributing a level of importance to the film that it doesn’t really deserve.
Other features include a brief but annoying segment entitled “Why the Sexes Battle.” Interviewing various specialists in the field, they attempt to provide some sort of analysis on the differences between men and women. There is also an extended interview with the authors of the original book, a music video, and some deleted scenes.
Overall, the movie isn’t bad. I definitely don’t have the desire to see it again anytime soon, but if you’re into this sort of thing, then you will enjoy it. Extremely predictable yet convoluted, the film is fun and forgettable. And my wife absolutely loved it.
I Love You, Man should not be entertaining as it is. The plot is as formulaic as they come, and there is nothing here that we haven’t seen a billion times before. And yet, somehow this cast manages to make things feel fresh. Even as I was rolling my eyes at the predictability, I was having a great time watching the “bromance” that drives the film. The movie is as successful as it is entirely because of the ensemble, and their interactions drive the emotion and humor of the story.
The film follows the standard formula found in all romantic comedies, and yet it feels fresh because of the unique angle the story is told from. Instead of focusing on the guy trying to get the girl and then having all sorts of comic misadventures, I Love You, Man opens with the guy already having the girl. In fact, the very first scene is the proposal that usually serves as the finale in most films of this type. Peter Klaven, as played by Paul Rudd, is seemingly the perfect guy. He’s successful, funny, considerate, etc. His only flaw is that he has no real guy friends. He has lots of acquaintances, but nobody worth calling on the night of his engagement, and definitely nobody to serve as best man. It is this realization that sets the film in motion as Klaven sets out on his quest to find a male friend.
Still tweaking the formula, we are presented with a series of “dates gone wrong,” as Klaven attempts to find a suitable friend/best man. Taking the romance out of the situation provides a unique comedic perspective, and one I found endearing. Eventually, he meets Sydney Fife (played by the always entertaining Jason Segal) at an open house he’s holding for Lou Ferrigno (the Incredible Hulk), who hilariously cameos as himself. They strike up a friendship, and the rest of the film focuses on the formulaic and yet hilarious bond that develops between these two polar opposites. Eventually, as formula dictates, their friendship begins to compromise Klaven’s relationship with his fiance Zooey, as played by Rashida Jones.
All of this plot is relatively inconsequential, however. The humor derives from the dialogue and the performances. Rudd’s portrayal of Klaven is hilarious. He’s a really nice guy who is trying way too hard to impress his new friend. His attempts to be cool consistantly fail, but are always funny. The film also features hilarious performances from Andy Sandberg, J.K. Simmons, Jaime Pressly, and even Jon Favreau. Favreau especially stands out as the husband to one of Zooey’s friends who inexplicably can’t stand Klaven. It’s a very funny performance.
Brand new on Blu-Ray, I Love You, Man has some pretty entertaining extras. The cast has a strong background in improvisation, and as such, a lot of dialogue was made up as they went along. One of the features on this set is a series of alternate takes where they show the same set-up with multiple punchlines improvised in succession. This provides an interesting insight into the technique of improvisation in film, and while not every line works, the process is fascinating to watch. There are also deleted and extended scenes, a making of documentary, commentary tracks, etc. The making of documentary is, as usual, pretty generic, but it is kind of interesting seeing the special effects work utilized for a very funny vomit gag towards the beginning of the film. Other than that, there is nothing too special in this section of the extras.
Overall, this is a very funny movie. The premise provides an interesting twist on some old ideas, and it’s basically just a lot of fun to watch. It definitely won’t make you think, but you will be entertained.
Writer and Director Neill Blomkamp’s first feature film is not only unique and unlike anything else you will see this summer, but also absolutely brilliant.District 9 has created a believable alternate history through the use of many different shooting techniques.All have been done before, but the ways used in District 9 are far more successful then past attempts.Blomkamp has mimicked 24-hour news feeds and documentaries with a combination of raw footage and creative standard film techniques to craft a totally different film then we have ever seen before.The difference between fiction and reality is hard to notice once you become fully immersed into Blomkamp’s alternate world.
Yes, I am talking about Blomkamp here and not Peter Jackson.Many people do not realize Peter Jackson was the producer on this film, not the writer or director.Therefore, I will focus more on Blomkamp even though I am sure Jackson had a huge hand in production and creative design.
District 9 takes places in Johannesburg, South Africa where an alien spacecraft has been hovering dormant for the past 20 years. The over one million aliens aboard were helpless and starved.Once they were captured by the government they were brought down to Earth to a shantytown much like men and women in poverty live in today.The South African government does not know what to do with these creatures and the people’s patience has run out.
A private company only interested in money and weaponry, Multi-National United (MNU), has been out-sourced to take care of the alien situation and move them to a new area.In order to do so however there are many laws and regulations that MNU must abide by.Eviction notices must be directly handed and signed by the aliens 24 hours before they are moved seemingly making it appear that the aliens do have some rights and are practically citizens of the country.
The star of the movie, I mean documentary, is Wikus van der Merwe played by Sharlto Copley, a MNU field operative who has recently been promoted and is in charge of much of the relocating operation.Wikus and his MNU field agents enter the gated District 9 with a great amount of back-up.However, tensions between the aliens and the MNU begin to rise when they are given their eviction notices.
Many of these aliens are considered criminals as some of their shacks contain hidden areas with weapons and other lawbreaking items.The weapons are what the MNU are really after, but they are still studying how they work due to them being inoperative without alien DNA.
When Wikus inspects one aliens home, he comes across what appears to be an alien chemistry experiment.While gathering evidence he finds a small container that ends up spraying him with a black substance.This quickly makes him sick and begins to change his DNA.It’s only several hours later when the government and the MNU are after him.With nowhere safe for Wikus to go, he winds up back in District 9.
South Africa was a terrific choice of location for this film as it’s so different than expected for a movie like this.We have seen aliens arrive in major metropolitan cities in many films, but rather here the filmmakers decided to see what would happen if the aliens landed at a place not of the norm with a poor government.This creates a far different storyline and a sense of reality.Who is to say the aliens have to arrive at one of our planets landmarks?This immediately delivers a new perspective that has not been considered before.
As with all places with a lack of control surrounded by a bad area, District 9 is much like a ghetto.Hoodlums and evil thugs have ransacked the shantytown and have been able to live there themselves making money by selling the aliens food and other common items they may want.There are also other humans that are there to secretly buy alien technology for themselves, but without alien DNA they are still useless.These people are insane and desperately want to have the power the aliens have causing them to eat dead aliens.
The film has a great cast of characters from the gangsters to the deceitful MNU agents.However, I’m sure you mostly care about the alien creatures.These aliens as you may have seen in the trailers are a resemblance of an insect with mixture of a crab or crawfish.They are mostly all CGI due to the small waists and odd limbs, but beyond anything, they are just disgusting.The first half of the movie will have much of the audience cringing or looking to the side.Not only will these slimy creatures creep you out, but much of the violence may gross you out as well.I’m talking about blood and guts flying all over the place including landing on the camera several times.
Even with the insect-like design of the aliens, they are still much like a human.Blomkamp was able to somehow capture a great deal of emotion out of these creatures.By the end of this film I found myself actually caring for these creatures.The stand out character of the film however was not any of the humans, but rather an alien kid named “Little C.J.”He was absolutely adorable and really showed the closeness between alien and human.
This film is not your average summer popcorn blockbuster.Instead we have received an incredibly original take on classic old sci-fi movies.District 9 is a realistic take on what if aliens came to our planet and were stuck here with the control of humans.Many questions are asked on what we as society would do in this circumstance.For instance, would we let them leave if they could?Do they deserve common rights that humans receive?How would civilization feel about their presence on Earth?Is this how we are treating illegal immigrants in our own countries?Most importantly, are we really just the same from one another?
As you can see, this film goes a little deeper than just your average alien encounter action-suspense film.District 9 asks all these questions and then some.Many believe the location used was a direct metaphor for the problems South Africa has come to face with in past years including their problems with illegal aliens from neighboring countries.You may still be wondering why I stated the difference between fiction and reality is hidden in this film. Well, if you put the film into context to the current situations our world is facing, you can just replace the aliens with illegal immigrants or different races our cultures dislike and the film will work the same.
The interviews shown in the short film the movie was based from, Alive in Jo’burg, were actually derived by the citizens of Johannesburg being asked how they felt toward the influx of illegal aliens.Regarding the short, Blomkamp says, “I was just trying to get the most completely real and genuine answers.In essence, there is no difference except that in my film we had a group of intergalactic aliens as opposed to illegal aliens.”
Much of District 9 is shot like a documentary and may surprise some that this is no typical action flick.However, there is some great action in this movie.I really appreciated the fact that nothing was done too big or unbelievable.Instead, much of the action is seen through a handheld or security camera which also brings realism to the film.None of the action was done just for action sake, unlike much of blockbusters we have seen lately.AKA Transformers 2.
I didn’t care much for the lead actor, but it was mostly just because his character was a little annoying.His character was deeply layered though as Wikus appeared to be intelligent and caring in front of the “documentary cameras” but was entirely different when he knew cameras weren’t on him.He obviously did not care for the welfare of the aliens or their rights.Imbedded in the subplot was a small love story between Wikus and his wife who had become scared once Wikus began his transformation.It really served no purpose except to show that Wikus’s character was actually caring and had some good hidden within him.
The beginning of the movie was a little slow, but it does a magnificent job setting the tone and false history of the last 20 years.For the most part, this is how I feel an alien contact like this would occur in real life except I’m sure there would be more people involved then just the South African government.The film in its entirety has a great pace and it’s not all about special effects and action.When the action does start up, it’s pretty exciting.
This however won’t be a film for everyone.For starters District 9 is horrendously grotesque.I got used to it quick, but everyone in the theater was constantly trying to hide from the images on screen.Nothing is held back when it comes to showing blood and guts.Also, I believe many moviegoers will not care for the “mockumentary” style of shooting even though I feel this was the correct way to tell this story.Overall, District 9 is very satisfying and delivers a unique film moviegoers may not be used to.
This is storytelling at its finest.I hope District 9 doesn’t become forgotten with the vast collection of quality movies this year.It’s definitely worthy of a visit to the theaters unless you’re squeamish.I’m seriously considering seeing this again on opening day.
It’s very true, it is doubtful that Baroness wearing a bra during any of the filming, which was very entertaining to watch. It was the only entertaining part of the movie that kept the entire audience hooked. Thank you very much Sienna Miller for those wonderful cobras because lord knows your acting performance wasn’t giving any leverage for the film. Honestly, the movie was not that bad. It was a mediocre film for what it was. Well… except for all the CGI that they used. I was truly surprised with all the CGI used because they really made Channing Tatum look real! Hell, I kind of hope that Sienna Miller was also CGI because if that was a real acting performance then I hope they list this movie under the comedy genre. Okay, enough with the jokes! Here’s the breakdown…
James McCullen (Christopher Eccleston) is a weapon specialist that runs a weapon company called MARS. He designs a special nanotechnology type missile that can literally eat through metal destroying cities. His company sells the weapon to NATO and the US Army has a task of delivering the weapons. In charge of special care and delivery of the weapons is Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans). During their mission, Duke and Ripcord are ambushed by the Baroness (Sienna Miller) who later is known as Duke’s ex-fiancée Ana Lewis to retrieve the weapons back to McCullen because he wants to sell them to NATO’s enemy as well. Duke and Ripcord are soon rescued by a group of special ops known as the G.I. Joe’s (Scarlett played by Rachel Nichols, Snake Eyes played by Ray Parks, and Heavy Duty played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje).
The warheads are taken to The Pit, which is G.I. Joes’ command center where they meet General Hawk (Dennis Quaid). Duke and Ripcord soon learn about this unknown government organization and have the desire to join the team especially after General Hawk learns about the relationship that Duke has with the Baroness. We begin to learn that McCullen has a special Scientist named The Doctor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) that is designing the same nanotechnology in soldiers to start a new world order. Duke is subsequently kidnapped when The Cobra’s retrieve the warheads again and the team of G.I. Joe’s must now rescue Duke and prevent McCullen and The Doctor from launching these disastrous weapons onto the world.
The movie can definitely be categorized under the term convoluted. There is a lot of complexity to the plot because there are too many subplots happening. The movie is very much like the Watchmen in terms of creating subplots for character depth. The film goes through a series of flashbacks to reveal who the characters are and where they came from. So, that being said, this is where a film must be careful because it could fall into the complexity of the story and most films that try often do fall in. As for this film it did a good job not falling into that trap because the story was pretty clear and concise. It had many cheesy moments, but what do you expect, Oscar Buzz! Please, give me a break! The film is meant to be a fun entertaining ball-busting blockbuster action packed, mountain of CGI mastering chunky monkey FUN! It definitely delivered that! (And the team tried to deliver weapons as well!).
Sure, the acting performances are not Oscar worthy but they tried to pull it off. And folks, Marlon was not that bad. He had his funny moments and he did a decent job with the serious scenes. Channing seemed to be at a one-dimensional level. It was surprising because he didn’t deliver any range or emotion. He only delivered weapons and was bad at that too! Oh Snap, Crackle and POP! Sienna Miller, my God, she was hard to watch. It felt like torture watching her do whatever she was trying to do. It was surprising because her mother ran the Lee Strasberg School of Acting in London. She also attended the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York where Al Pacino, Robert Deniro and Dustin Hoffman acquired some of their skills. Apparently, she probably flunked out. Maybe it was her character that was annoying. That should be the benefit of the doubt. The best performer was by far Snake Eyes and he barely did any acting. He had more emotion and conveyed so much range and he didn’t even open his mouth to say one word. He was indestructible. The Joe’s should have just sent him on all the missions because he was simply amazing! He never lost a battle nor blew a mission. The G.I. Joe’s got they’re butt kicked and he just destroyed everyone. They should have set-up lawn chairs to relax and watched a real soldier do some major damage. The character Zartan (Arnold Vosloo) should be tortured to a bloody vile hell! Actually, the actor deserves most of the torture because he tortured the audience so much that it almost brought the demons out of us! If that a**hole whistled, “For he’s a jolly good fellow,” one more time, I was going to punch my neighbor’s eardrum! He was very obnoxious throughout the movie.
With all that said and done the entire movie was a blast. It had rough moments and fun moments. It had sorrow and ‘humorow’ (humor). It had peas and pods (the cool suits). It had black and white. It had Marlon and Pain (I mean Wayne). It had the villain from Gone in 60 Seconds and the kid from “3rd Rock from the Sun”. It had CGI and more CGI. It had Sienna Miller and her coBRAs (boobies). It had Brendan Fraser and an angry Asian guy. But what it didn’t have was the G.I. Joe Public Service Announcement. “Don’t judge people! That is good to know Sergeant Slaughter… and knowing is half the battle… (G.I. Joe theme song) G.I. JOE!!” You kind of wish they added that service announcement at the end of the movie. Trust me; the movie had an abundance of cheesy moments that it would have never made a big difference.
To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the beloved Disney classic, The Tigger Movie, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment presents a new, two-disc edition DVD. Available on August 4, 2009, The Tigger Movie 10th Anniversary Edition weaves magical storytelling, charming characters and memorable songs into an endearing tale of adventure and heart. The DVD includes a plethora of bonus material including two new-to-DVD Tigger adventures plus a ‘DisneyFile’ Digital movie copy. Providing consumers with unprecedented quality, value and portability, this enables viewers to enjoy the film in iTunes or Windows formats.
Set in the Hundred Acre Woods, The Tigger Movie 10th Anniversary Edition features Tigger and the gang ( Roo, Rabbit, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Kanga, Christopher Robin) in this musical tale of friendship and adventure. Tigger sets off on a journey to find other “Tiggers” who he could call his own family after feeling left out while the gang prepares for a gloomy winter. Through his adventures, Tigger realizes that families come in all shapes and sizes, and even though they look different, the Hundred Acre Wood friends, are his true family. Originally released in theatres in 2000, The Tigger Movie, is the best-selling pre-school DVD of all time. (Source: Nielsen, 12/08). The Tigger Movie 10th Anniversary Edition includes all of the beloved bonus features from the original edition plus two all new-to-DVD episodes from the popular TV series “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Check-Out the trailer:
BONUS FEATURES *”King of the Beasties” and “Tigger’s Houseguest” – New-to-DVD episodes from TV series “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.” *”Your Heart Will Lead You Home” – Music video/music by Kenny Loggins. *”Round My Family Tree” Sing-Along Song *Tigger Movie Trivia Game *Thingamajigger Matching Game *Round Your Family Tree *Tigger Movie DVD Storybook
This 10th Anniversary Edition of The Tigger Movie hardly sets an exciting precedent for other theatrically-released DisneyToon Studio features to get revisited. It returns to stores with a list price $10 above the price-dropped original release and adding only two “New Adventures” episodes and a digital copy. Most will consider the episodes more cause for excitement than the portable copy, but even those could have been better presented. At least everything from the original DVD is retained (save for the superior sing-along), which means that if you wanted to own the movie, this is your best and now easiest bet.
And, though it might come as a surprise to you, The Tigger Movie is a winning movie that’s well worth owning. In Disney’s vast Pooh canon, only the original featurettes and some of the “New Adventures” are better. This sweet, fun outing wins over all ages while staying true to the spirit of Milne’s work as filtered through Disney animation. This movie is worth picking up for those who don’t already own it.
Why is is that so many people love watching Adam Sandler talk like a two-year old? I really wish somebody could explain this to me, because until I figure that out I will never understand the appeal of most of his so-called comedies. I’ll admit that I haven’t seen all his films, and for the most part, I wish I hadn’t seen the ones I did watch. I’m probably not the right person to write this review, but I promise that I went into The Waterboy with an open mind. I never root for a film to fail, and I really wanted to just have a good time. And I found that impossible.
As far as I could tell, there is no reason for this film to exist. There are no laughs, no characters worth rooting for, and not much of a story at all. Sandler plays Bobby Boucher, the title character of the film. He’s “slow,” for lack of a better word, and his entire life has hung on providing “high quality H2O” to football teams. He finds this to be an all-important task until he discovers that he has a gift for tackling. All he has to do is visualise those that have wronged him (basically everybody), and his anger fuels his football skills. What follows is your standard underdog sports story featuring one of the most gratingly obnoxious characters I’ve seen in a long time. Oh, and of course there’s a love story. Spoiler alert: he gets the girl.
Co-starring in this travesty are Kathy Bates as his overprotective mother (why Kathy?!) and Henry Winkler as the awful football coach (why Henry?!). I couldn’t believe that I was watching the great Kathy Bates overact in such a shameful way. I can’t fathom why she would have taken a role like this. Maybe she had friends working on the film or maybe she just really needed a paycheck. Either way, it was embarrassing to watch.
I know this movie was semi-popular. People always tell me that they like to shut off their brains at the movies, and I guess that must be part of the appeal. But there is such a thing as not having to think, and then there is just being insulted. It’s hard to find the humor of a film where the entire joke hinges on his character stuttering while speaking in a childish gibberish. I just don’t get it. When the filmmakers did try to throw in some actual jokes, they all fell flat.
If you’re a fan of Sandler’s baby-talk, then maybe you’ll enjoy this attempt at comedy. However, don’t expect too much from the newly released Blu-Ray. There are literally no extras. It’s the first Blu-Ray I’ve seen where nothing is included but the movie. I guess the picture looks good, but it doesn’t really matter. This isn’t a movie dependant on the quality of the image. You’ll know whether this is a movie for you before ever even starting it. If you’re already a fan of this type of humor, then have fun. But if not, The Waterboy will do nothing to change your mind.
I can vividly recall the night I first saw Sling Blade. It was way back in 1996, and while my friends and I realized we had just seen a great movie, all we could focus on was Billy Bob Thornton’s voice. Every sentence we uttered ended with the gutteral clearing of the throat Thornton used in his portrayal of Karl Childers. And we never got tired of saying his famous line “I don’t reckon I got no reason to kill nobody.” Having just watched the film for the first time since that night 13 years ago, I’m shocked at how powerful the film actually is and genuinely surprised that I didn’t remember much beyond the voice.
Thornton’s depiction of Karl Childers was a revelation, and helped to make Thornton a household name. The character of Childers is a mentally challenged man, locked away in a mental institution for most of his life after killing two people as a child. One of them being his own mother. The film picks up on the day he is released back into the real world, a place he describes as “too big.” What follows is an emotionally riveting story of his friendship with a young boy named Frankie, Frankie’s mother Linda and her gay best friend Vaughan, played by the always terrific John Ritter. Adding a dark undercurrent to the film is Linda’s abusive boyfriend, Doyle Hargraves, played by Dwight Yoakam. It’s a terrifying performance that feels all too real.
This is a slow movie that really lets the audience immerse themselves in the world that Thornton created. As well as starring, he directed and wrote the screenplay. He really takes his time telling the story and lets the camera linger on the characters, reveling in the emotion on display. Although the film takes place in the present, it feels like a world long gone. It’s one of those places where everybody seems to know each other, and there is a simplicity that is missing from the modern world. Because things do move so slowly, the story feels epic and the inevitable outcome is completely earned.
The Blu-Ray itself has a lot of features, almost all focusing on Billy Bob Thornton. It seem pretty indulgent to have included so much material on himself, much of it having nothing to do with the film. There is a biography on Thornton that runs over an hour, a 43 minute Bravo profile on his body of work, a seven minute interview with Robert Duvall (who was barely in the film) about working with Thornton, etc. Probably the most interesting feature is a modern-day roundtable discussion with Thornton, Yoakam, Mickey Jones (who plays a small role in the film) and producer David Bushell. It runs an hour and 15 minutes, and is a pretty insightful look at what went on behind-the-scenes of the film. All are obviously close friends and it’s a very natural conversation.
Overall, the best feature of this set is the movie itself. The transfer looks good, but occasionally grainy, and doesn’t seem to be a huge improvement over previously released versions of the film. But if like me, all you remember from your first viewing is “french fried potaters,” it’s definitely worth visiting again. It may have become a pop-culture punchline, but there is a lot going on underneath the surface, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have seen the film with fresh eyes.
Fans will learn the answer to that question and many more as they take a “behind-the-magic” tour of their favorite Disney destinations at the inaugural D23 EXPO, where the entire world of Disney will come together under one roof at the Anaheim Convention Center in California from Sept. 10-13.
Through a series of stunning displays and not-to-be-missed presentations, D23 EXPO attendees will explore the rich legacy and future of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts – a story that began in 1955 with Disneyland and has since grown to include 11 theme parks at five vacation destinations around the globe, as well as new immersive vacation experiences including Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney and Disney Vacation Club. On Saturday, Sept. 12, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Chairman Jay Rasulo will share some behind-the-magic details as he pulls back the curtain on several new projects – including the 12-acre Cars Land that’s set to open at Disney’s California Adventure in 2012.
Here’s a sampling of exciting Disney Parks experiences that D23 EXPO attendees will discover:
Never-before-seen models of classic Disney attractions and glimpses of coming projects that will surprise and delight even the most knowledgeable Disney fans.
An exclusive sneak peek at the expansion of Disney’s California Adventure that’s so big, it won’t fit inside Blue Sky Cellar.
The chance to meet, up close and personal, Lucky the Dinosaur and Wall-E.
A preview of the most advanced Audio-Animatronics figures ever created.
Displays showcasing cutting-edge effects technologies that are being developed for Disney attractions, shows and venues.
New Disney Cruise Line itineraries for 2011.
Also, in the 500-seat Storytellers Theater, Imagineers and cast members who create and operate Disney’s parks, resorts, cruise ships and other vacation experiences will take fans behind-the-magic with a variety of presentations including:
“World of Color” – Imagineer Steven Davison brings to life “World of Color,” the water-and-fire spectacular that will debut next year at Disney’s California Adventure.
The Making of Toy Story Mania! – From its interactive elements and innovative ride system to its cutting-edge Audio-Animatronics figure of Mr. Potato Head, Toy Story Mania! represents a new kind of Disney theme park attraction. Meet the team who helped bring it to life.
So You Want to Become an Imagineer – A panel of Imagineers will answer one of the most frequently asked questions of Walt Disney Imagineering – “How does one become an Imagineer?” – and will share what it’s like to be one.
The Making of the U.S. Presidents – Imagineers will talk about updating both Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland and The Hall of Presidents at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort.
An Afternoon With Imagineering Legends – Disney Legend Marty Sklar will lead a celebration of the careers and accomplishments of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts cast members who have been named Disney Legends.
Tickets to the D23 EXPO are available at http://www.D23Expo.com. Admission includes access to all experiences and entertainment at the D23 EXPO and can be purchased for single days or for the full four days of festivities. Admission is $37 for a one-day adult ticket and $27 for children 3-12. Four-day passes are $111 for adults and $81 for children. Members of D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans will receive a discount on up to four same-day admissions, as well as early entry to each day of the D23 EXPO for themselves and their guests.
Special vacation packages including Disneyland Resort hotel accommodations, D23 EXPO tickets and theme park admission are available at the D23 EXPO Web site. Packages are available from both the Walt Disney Travel Company and the Anaheim/ Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, which is offering a limited number of area hotel rooms at special rates to those attending the D23 EXPO.
Many more details about D23 EXPO entertainment, events and special guests will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can keep up with all the news by visiting www.D23EXPO.com, as well as by following “Disney D23” at Twitter and on Facebook.
When I see the words “based on a true story” attached to a film, I tend to get a little worried. Odds are that the filmmakers will distort the facts in order to get the maximum emotional manipulation. As such, I often find these types of movies cloying rather than uplifting. I also worry when I go into a film featuring “Oscar-Bait performances.” That is, a performance featuring mental illness, accents, social issues, etc. These portrayals always feel forced to me, and I tend to see the actor performing rather than the character existing. So it was that I began the Soloist, a film “based on a true story,” featuring Jamie Foxx as a schizophrenic, homeless, Julliard dropout. Despite my biases however, I found myself completely wrapped up in the story, and thoroughly impressed by the film as a whole.
Robert Downey, Jr. stars with Foxx as Steve Lopez, a journalist for the Los Angeles Times. Always looking for a story, he finds himself drawn to Foxx’s character of Nathaniel Ayers after seeing him on the side of the road playing a violin with two strings. After briefly speaking with him and discovering his eccentricities, he begins to think he has a story. Digging into Ayers’ past, he discovers his history at Julliard and is eventually able to provide him with a cello, all strings attached. From this point forward, it is obvious that Lopez will be benefitting from this friendship as much as Ayers, and it is this relationship that provides the backbone of the film. Both performances are completely believable on their own, but it’s the interplay between the two that really evolve the film.
One of the features of the Blu-Ray is an interview with the real-life Lopez and Ayers. In watching this feature, it becomes very apparent that Downey, Jr. and Foxx put a lot of work into capturing the essence of these characters. It’s almost unsettling watching these interviews after seeing the film. Lopez and Ayers don’t look entirely like Downey, Jr. or Foxx, but the subtleties of the character are exact. Seeing this interview also helps to reinforce the nature of truth to the film. I still don’t know how much of the film was fabricated, but by adding this interview I find myself buying into the story more than I would have otherwise.
Overall, director Joe Wright did an amazing job capturing what it’s like to live in Los Angeles. Filmed all over the city, Los Angeles becomes a character itself. The movie is beautifully shot, even when showing the ugly side of what it’s like to live there. Of particular note is the Walt Disney Concert Hall. A pivotal set-piece in the film, it’s a gorgeous location used to maximum effect. Another aspect of the film masterfully captured by Wright is the monumental importance of music to the characters. Music is the backbone of the story, and is something any director would have trouble conveying on film. There are sequences where he just lets the music play, absorbing the characters and the audience alike. There is even a momentary section reminiscent of Fantasia. Ayers shuts his eyes while listening to a piece and we see the entire number represented as flashes of color on the screen. It is a brave moment to have included and one that could have easily alienated his audience. Personally, I found it very effective.
Despite my initial reservations, this film really works. It is not as formulaic as it would initially appear, delving into the complicated relation between the two leads as well as Ayer’s early descent into mental illness. There are no pat answers or solid resolutions by the end. The movie simply exists, painting a portrait of this moment in these two people’s lives. The Blu-Ray itself looks great. The details of Los Angeles really shine through. This clarity helps to enhance the viewing experience. The sound is also top-notch. Considering the critical role that music plays in the film, it is important that the sound comes through and it definitely does. This is a really solid disc for a really solid film. I highly recommend it.
There is no denying that Joss Whedon is a master storyteller. Looking at his history in television, every one of his shows has been about story first and foremost. Buffy, Firefly and Angel thrived on riveting drama with captivating characters, witty dialogue, and a constant progression of story from week to week. As a fan, I went into his newest creation, Dollhouse, with extremely high expectations. And after watching the first couple of episodes, I was really scared. This was not the Joss I knew. As stand-alone episodes, they were entertaining enough, but there was no momentum. There were clues that something more was going on under the surface, but nothing was coming together. It took awhile, but eventually, the show found it’s footing and can easily hold it’s own with the best of Joss’s work.
New to Blu-Ray, this is the perfect way to watch the show. As stated above, it was difficult getting into things when it was on regular television. But in this format, it’s much easier to push through those opening episodes and get to the real meat of the series. For the uninitiated, the story deals with a secret agency that wipes people’s individual identities and replaces them with new ones, manufactured to provide a service to their clients. They can turn anybody into any anybody else, providing any service. The show is mostly told through the point of view of one of these “dolls” named Echo, played by Eliza Dushku. It is an amazing feat to have a lead character that is literally a different person every week, but they have managed to pull it off.
Eventually, the show does branch away from the focus on Echo and becomes a very strong ensemble-piece. There are many “actives” or dolls who we begin to follow and discover pieces of back-story, and the Dollhouse itself becomes a sort of character itself. It obviously has a pretty elaborate backstory, and while hints are dropped, I believe there is a lot of information coming in the next season. There is also a side-plot regarding an investigation from the outside into the Dollhouse, which is considered nothing more than an urban legend in the real world. Full of twists and turns, the show deals with a lot of questions regarding identity, purpose, the soul, etc. It’s a relatively thought-provoking and emotional show that doesn’t provide a lot of easy answers.
The absolute highlight of the Blu-Ray is an episode written by Joss Whedon that Fox decided not to air. Entitled Epitaph 1, the story is set in the year 2019, and shows us where everything is going on a global scale. It’s a very bleak end-game, and extremely gutsy to reveal this far in advance. I hope Fox decides to air it someday, but for now it’s worth picking up the Blu-Ray for this episode alone. Other extras include the unaired pilot, a relatively generic making-of, a feature showcasing the behind-the-scenes staff and their history together, a look at Dushku’s work in the lead role, etc. There is nothing too substantial in these segments, but they’re still kind of interesting for the fans.
The transfer to Blu-Ray looks great. Everything feels more cinematic than it ever did on television. The Dollhouse itself is beautiful to look at, and the show is a lof of fun to watch on a visual level. The details come through really well in this format. It’s a great transfer.
The show requires patience. In order to get to the good stuff, you have to suffer through some mediocrity, but it’s worth it. Joss has created another masterpiece and has completely reaffirmed my faith in him and his ability to tell a story. Here’s hoping Fox gives him enough time to tell it in its entirety. In going through the show for a second time, it is very obvious that there is a lot we don’t know yet, and I can’t wait to fill in the missing pieces.
Mr. Goat Boy’s new stand-up is very reminiscent of his past.Jim Breuer starts his comedy routine recollecting his memories from HALF BAKED and “Saturday Night Life”, which he joined in 1995.Being a little worried that he was only going to talk about his past, Breuer fortunately quickly switched to talking about his recent life activities.Looking forward where he was going with his stand-up, I was little disappointed that he would only talk about his family.
Jim Breuer’s routine was still funny, but I wouldn’t say I found myself laughing out loud much.His impressions, which I didn’t know he did, were actually quite good.Make sure you watch the video being played during the menu screen.Here Breuer is acting as if he is talking to the viewer about picking a selection on the menu.During this he does impressions of Dave Chappelle, Metallica, Joe Pesci, and even some of his classic Goat Boy bit.There is also a semi-funny video that plays during the special features screen.
One thing you must realize before going into this DVD is that Jim Breuer is now a family man.He has a wife and three children, and loves talking about them.His comedy is relatively clean to what’s out there today.Being such a clean comedy act, I would almost say this is family friendly.There are only a few bits that are questionable.I was mildly entertained throughout, but I don’t see many people finding this absolutely hilarious unless they already were fans.
An aspect I was really impressed with was how active and physical he was with his comedy.Jim was all over the stage jumping and crawling doing some superb physical humor.I always appreciate a comedian that goes up there and puts forth a lot of effort like this.The audience really seemed to find it hysterical, but I am going to say I was just entertained.That might be possibly all you need.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Photo Shoot – Just a short video taken during a photo shoot for the DVD.
Fireside Chat with Dad – Actually quite funny! How Jim and his dad talk with each other is hilarious.Best part is how quick his dad is with comebacks.“Now scram!”
The special features selection is quite small with not more really to offer then his just over an hour long stand-up routine.I must say, he looks a lot older and his comedy is as well.Not necessarily a bad thing.At least he doesn’t appear as “high” as he used to, then again that was a part of his shtick and he’s still trying to bank off of it.
I’m glad to see Jim Breuer still doing some stand-up and I do look forward to his next special even though this wasn’t anything unique.I haven’t heard his SIRIUS Satellite Radio show entitled “Breuer Unleashed”, but I’m glad he is still doing something with himself.Hopefully his next tour focuses more on other parts of life then his family.
