March 2006

If there’s one word to describe this week it would be – Finally!  The Sci-fi Channel finally brings the new episodeds of Doctor Who to American television and a film I’ve been waiting months to see (originally scheduled to be released last November) Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta finally hits the big screen.  With that and two, count ‘em two, of my top films of 2005 out of DVD (check back tomorrow) it’s just one awesome week!  Read on…

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The Doctor and V, oh yeah and I guess there’s some other new stuff this week too…

TV:

Doctor Who

Nerds rejoice.  Why?  No the real quetion is Who?  After having to wait a couple extra years American audiences will finally get a chance to see the new BBC episodes of the Doctor (David Tennant) and his companion Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) as they travel thru space and time in the T.A.R.D.I.S.  The Sci-fi Channel brokered the deal a couple of months ago to show all 13 episodes of the new Doctor Who (now if they could only make Battlestar Galactica make sense – what’s up with a half-human/half-robot baby anyway??  But hey that season finale was pretty cool now wasn’t?).  Anyway, look for new Doctor who episodes every Friday starting this week 9:00/8:00.
Film:

V for Vendetta

From the mind of Alan Moore (The Watchmen, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) rewritten and produced by the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix) comes a startling view of the totalitarian future where a terorrist known simply as V is the closest thing to a hero we have left.  Dark and distubing graphic novel where the hero is a not completely sain terrorist who fancies himself a modern day Guy Fawkes.  Infuriated by a script he found “imbecilic” Moore cut all ties with the film and with DC Comics (not a great recommendation).  Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Rupert Graves and John Standing were chosen to bring these characters to life on the big screen.  You have to admit that’s a nice cast and the trailers have been great.  Originally slated for a November (remember, remember) release the film was pulled because of the London bombings. 

She’s the Man

Claims to be a modern interpretation of Twelfth Night but it looks much more like Just One of the Guys to us.  Amanda Bynes stars as Viola who disguises herself as her brother and falls for one of his friends.  Problem is Olivia, the girl the guy she likes, falls for her who she thinks is her brother.  Got all that?  What follows is a series of teen crushes and mistaken identities.  We’ve got free movie passes for the Wednesday night screening in Kansas City so if you’re interested in attending read more here and get a chance to win some free passes.  Written by a pair of first time writers and directed by a Andy Fickman doing his first theatrical film this one’s got trainwreck written all over it but still might be a fun ride.

Thank You for Smoking (limited release)

Satirical look at the tobacco industry and the tobacco lobby.  Aaron Eckhart plays Nick Naylor, Big Tobacco’s chief spokesman, who spends his life spinning every negative into a positive.  Maria Bello and Cameron Bright star as his wife and son.  Also along for the ride are Sam Elliot, William H. Macy, Robert Duvall, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons, Rob Lowe, Dennis Miller, Joan Lunden, and Katie Holmes (sans sex scene deemed to hot for the theatrical release.  Damn you MPAA!)  Written and director by Ivan Reitman’s son Jason Reitman the film became a hit at both the Toronto Film Festival and Sundance.

Summer Storm (limited release)

German film with English subtitles from 2004 finally makes it to U.S. theaters.  The story involves two best friends Tobi (Robert Stadlober) and Achim (Kostja Ulmann) leaders of their summer camp crew (rowing) team.  As Achim becomes more serious with his girlfriend Sandra (Miriam Morgenstern) Tobi begins to reaxamine his feelings finds and himself jealous.  His sexual confusion isn’t helped by the sudden appearance of a gay crew team and Sandra’s best friend Anke who has her own interest in Tobi.  A German comedy?  Well it has recieved nice praise since it’s release especially dealing with gay themes.

Don’t Trip…He Ain’t Through with Me Yet (limited release)

Comedian Steve Harvey’s (Original Kings of Comedy, Steve Harvey’s Big Time) sold out performance at Bishp T.D. Jake’s “Megafest” in Atlanta is captured on this stand-up 90 minute documentary.  Harvey keeps it clean for his fourth performance at the Evangelical event joking and make observations on church life, children, family, and faith.  Toned down version (rated PG) of Harvey that the studio (first film distributed by Code Black Entertainment) hopes will score with the whole family.  Getting a limited release this week and its box office results may well determine its wide release.

Find Me Guilty (limited release)

The latest film from writer/director Sidney Lumet (Network, Serpico,The Verdict) is inspired by a true story (ah the words that may critic’s blood run cold) about mobster Jack DiNorscio who defended himself in the longest running mafia trial in history rather than offer testimony on his friends and family.  Vin Diesel in the starring role?  The film also stars Peter Dinklage, Ron Silver, and Annabella Sciorra.  I love Lumet’s early work but his films over the last twenty years (Guilty as Sin, Family Business, A Stranger Among Us) make me a little hesitant on this one.  At least this one doesn’t star Melanie Griffith.

Don’t Come Knocking (New York and Los Angeles only)

Director Wim Wenders (Buena Vista Social Club) and writer/star Sam Shepard reunite (they gave us Paris, Texas way back in 1984) to tell us the story of a forgotten western genre movie star now down and out living out his days in the comfort of alcohol, drugs and attractive young women.  On discovering he might have a grown child he’s never met he leaves on a quest to find him/her.  I don’t know but sounds a little too much like last year’s Broken Flowers to me though the western theme might be interesting

Gordon Parks might not be a name you recognize but you should.  He died Tuesday at the age of 93 succumbing to cancer after living as full a life as any man can.  Born in Fort Scott, Kansas, Parks was something of a renaissance man.  He was critically acclaimed and accomplished with a camera working for the Farm Security Administration and became the first African American photographer for both the Office of War Administration during WWII and afterwards Life magazine (which published his famous photograph “American Gothic”).  He covered the civil rights movement in both essays and pictures exposing racism, injustice, intolerance, and poverty.  A beloved man by friends and family Parks chose the most powerful weapon available to him – his camera which he used to show a world in need of change.  He also played professional baseball, wrote poetry, composed music both classical and contemporary, published an autobiographical novel The Learning Tree, and acted, wrote, and became one of the first African Americans to direct and even produce a Hollywood film.  The man composed a ballet about Martin Luther King, Jr. and directed Shaft.  His lifetime achievements include over twenty honorary doctorates and numerous awards including an Emmy Award, his International Photography Hall of Fame induction, and the 1988 National Medal of the Arts.  In 1995 Parks donated his photographs and writings to the Library of Congress.  For more on his photography check out this Library of Congress link. 

Gordon Parks
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