Alan Rapp

This Week

So what’s out there this week.  Well today we’ll take a look at the films scheduled to be released this week which includes a remake of The Omen screaming into theaters on Tuesday, and the latest from Robert Altman and Pixar’s newest racing onto the screen this Friday.  All that and more; read on.

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Here’s what’s scheduled to hit theaters this week.  Want to know more, just click on the title for film info including a full cast list.  Want a closer look, just click on the poster to watch the trailer.

The Omen (opens Tuesday)

Remake of the 1976 horror flick about a young child named Damien (Seamus Davey Fitzpatrick) that might just be the devil!  The remake borrows shots and dialogue aplenty from the original (not to mention shots lifted directly from Kubrick’s The Shining).  This one stars Julie Stiles, Marshall Cupp, and Liev Schreiber.  This isn’t director John Moore’s first remake, he gave us the 2004 version of Flight of the Phoenix which looks quite good compared to this one.  The film hits theater on Tuesday (6/06/06 – isn’t that clever!) so check back tomorrow for our review.

Cars

The latest from Pixar is just an amazing and dazzling piece of animation that borrows its heart (and plot) from the Michael J. Fox flick Doc Hollywood.  Owen Wilson voices the young hot shot stock car who finds himself trapped in the small town of Radiator Springs forced to fix the damage he inadvertently caused on his way to the biggest race of his life in California.  There he finds what he’s been missing in the sleepy town where he if forced to slow down.  Other voices include Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, Tony Shaloub, George Carlin, and Larry the Cable Guy.  Check back on Friday for our review.

A Prairie Home Companion

Put together Garrison Keillor (who wrote the screenplay) and Robert Altman (who directs) and fill the cast with Kevin Kline, Virginia Madsen, Meryl Streep, Lily Tomlin, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, and John C. Reilly and you’ve got my attention.  The film is a behind the scenes look of the final days of America’s most celebrated radio show broadcast from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Despite the great cast listed above the one getting the most hype is Lindsey Lohan (isn’t that one of the signs ushering in the apocalypse?).

The King (limited release)

Gael Garcia Bernal plays a troubled Elvis Sandow who after his discharge from the Navy goes in search of his long lost father (William Hurt) who abandoned him as a child and now lives as a pastor with a new wife (Laura Harring), son (Paul Dano) and daughter (Pell James) in Corups Christi.  Written by James Marsh (who also directs) and Milo Addica (Monster’s Ball); both were labeled as nihilists after the film’s premiere at Cannes and has been attacked as well for the film’s incestuous subplot.

This Week Read More »

Oh Just Break-Up Already!

  • Title: The Break-Up
  • IMDb: link

The Break-Up

What happened here?  The ingredients are here for a good film, but nothing happens.  Aniston’s second disappointment of the year is even worse than the first (Friends with Moneyread that review here).  Guys if your girl wants to see this find an excuse, any will do even if you have to cause yourself some physical pain (it will be less than viewing this flick trust me), to stay away.

Brooke (Jennifer Aniston) the sexy art dealer and Gary (Vince Vaughn) the tour bus director met cute at a Cubs/Sox game and have been together ever since.  Brooke feels Vince isn’t putting enough into the relationship and decides to break-up with him not because she wants to break-up but because she thinks it will make him love her more and admit he is wrong.  Such twisted-movie-female-logic is the stuff this film is made of.

Oh Just Break-Up Already! Read More »

…and the Bad News

Paul Gleason who will forever be remembered for his role as Principal Richard Vernon in the classic 80’s film The Breakfast Club passed away on Saturday of lung cancer.  He was 67.  Although most known for The Breakfast Club Gleason appeared in more than 60 films and even more television shows ranging from Dawson’s Creek, Seinfeld, Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence, and Die Hard

Also in sad, and extremely odd, news DC Comics has announced the dusting off and relaunching of Batwoman.  Batwoman?!  The character last seen almost three decades ago (when she died!) will return as a 52 year-old lesbian socialite involved with former Gotham Police Detective Renee Montoya in DC’s new “52” line which takes place a world where major heroes of the DC Universe are no longer active.  This isn’t the only DC character to get a radical new millennium make-over including the Blue Beetle as a Mexican teenager, Firestorm as African-American, and the Atom as Asian (wow, an Asian scientist, wonder who came up with that in no way politically incorrect stereotype).  Hoo-ray diversity.

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Paul Gleason who will forever be remembered for his role as Principal Richard Vernon in the classic 80’s film The Breakfast Club passed away on Saturday of lung cancer.  He was 67.  Although most known for The Breakfast Club Gleason appeared in more than 60 films and even more television shows ranging from Dawson’s Creek, Seinfeld, Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence, and Die Hard

Also in sad, and extremely odd, news DC Comics has announced the dusting off and relaunching of Batwoman.  Batwoman?!  The character last seen slmost three decades ago (when she died!) will return as a 52 year-old lesbian socialite involved with former Gotham Police Detective Renee Montoya in DC’s new “52” line which takes place a world where major heroes of the DC Universe are no longer active.  This isn’t the only DC character to get a radical new millennium make-over including the Blue Beetle as a Mexican teenager, Firestorm as African-American, and the Atom as Asian (wow, an Asian scientist, wonder who came up with that in no way politically incorrect stereotype).  Hoo-ray diversity.

…and the Bad News Read More »

The Good News…

A couple feel good items of interest for you today.  First for fans of the FX drama Rescue Me new episodes started airing last night.  The brooding meandering series has found some modest fan support over its first two seasons but hasn’t garnered the attention of FX hits such as The Sheild or Nip, Tuck.  The series centers on a New York firefighter (Leary) who is watching his life literally burn and spiral out of control.  It’s either quite excellent or easily dismissive given your taste (and if you want to taste you better try it while it’s hot because odds are this one’s not going to last much longer). 

Also of interest to true Sci-fi nerds out there – Blade Runner will get re-released this September on DVD as the film will get a limited run in theaters as well!  Then, as to not be out-Lucas’ed, Warner Home Video will release a brand new “final cut” DVD edition in early 2007 which will include all versions of the film from the first theatrical version, the international version, and the director’s cut.  The Sci-fi noir film is an adaption of Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” and weaves a tale about a detective (Harrison Ford) tracking down four replicants (human looking robots) who have hijacked a ship and returned to Earth seeking their maker (William Sanderson, without his brothers Darryl and Darryl).  Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edwards James Olmos, and Daryl Hannah also star in what most agree is one of the finest Sci-fi films ever made.

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A couple feel good items of interest for you today.  First for fans of the FX drama Rescue Me new episodes started airing last night.  The brooding meandering series has found some modest fan support over its first two seasons but hasn’t garnered the attention of FX hits such as The Sheild or Nip, Tuck.  The series centers on a New York firefighter (Leary) who is watching his life literally burn and spiral out of control.  It’s either quite excellent or easily dismissive given your taste (and if you want to taste you better try it while it’s hot because odds are this one’s not going to last much longer). 

Also of interest to true Sci-fi nerds out there – Blade Runner will get re-released this September on DVD as the film will get a limited run in theaters as well!  Then, as to not be out-Lucas’ed, Warner Home Video will release a brand new “final cut” DVD edition in early 2007 which will include all versions of the film from the first theatrical version, the international version, and the director’s cut.  The Sci-fi noir film is an adaption of Philip K. Dick’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” and weaves a tale about a detective (Harrison Ford) tracking down four replicants (human looking robots) who have hijacked a ship and returned to Earth seeking their maker (William Sanderson, without his brothers Darryl and Darryl).  Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edwards James Olmos, and Daryl Hannah also star in what most agree is one of the finest Sci-fi films ever made.

The Good News… Read More »