Categories
DVD

“Well, finally!”

The Couch Potato Report – January 12th, 2005
In The Couch Potato Report this week there is a non thrilling thriller, an unfunny comedy, and the definition of the word “paparazzi.”
Our first film this week is THE VILLAGE, the latest film from M. Night Shyamalan, the writer/director who thrilled us with THE SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS.
Now, before I continue, I won’t be giving anything about the movie away, but I will be mentioning a few story points.
So if you would rather see this film without knowing anything at all about it, please cover your ears for the next few minutes
Starting…now.
Yes, M. Night Shyamalan thrilled us with THE SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS, but if you are expecting another great story with a twist close to the end, you will be bored by THE VILLAGE.
THE VILLAGE isn’t a bad movie, but since it is the latest movie from the man who gave us the very successful THE SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS it has to be promoted to you by telling you that this is the latest movie from the man who gave us THE SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS
You see, THE VILLAGE isn’t the same type of movie as those other M. Night Shyamalan movies.
THE VILLAGE is a drama, plain and simple. No thrills, no suspense, just a dramatic movie that is well told, well acted and well directed.
The village in THE VILLAGE is a place that is surrounded by woods and, according to a tombstone we see in the opening minutes, it takes place in 1897.
In those woods dwell “Those We Don’t Speak Of, ” creatures who – we’re told – do not take kindly to intruders.
As long as the villagers don’t attempt to enter the woods, they are safe.
That is, until “Those We Don’t Speak Of” start to come within the village’s boundaries.
But those creatures and that story line is the lesser part of THE VILLAGE. The main tale of interest in the movie is the relationship between shy, verbally-challenged Lucius and a blind girl named Ivy
It is a classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
Bryce Dallas Howard makes he film debut as Ivy and she is wonderful in the movie.
But the movie around her lets her down. Well, actually the hype that has been created around the film lets her down.
So try not to think of THE VILLAGE as the latest movie from the director of THE SIXTH SENSE and SIGNS, otherwise you’ll be disappointed.
Just think of it as a great dramatic film with a wonderful performance by Bryce Dallas Howard, and a supporting cast that includes Joaquim Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, Adrien Brody and William Hurt.
This way, you might enjoy the movie, because you won’t be expecting anything other than what happens in the movie.
That is what I did when I first saw the film, and I enjoyed it. I didn’t love it, but I enjoyed it.
Yes, I enjoyed THE VILLAGE.
I didn’t enjoy WITHOUT A PADDLE.
There is nothing I find more disappointing than a comedy that doesn’t make you laugh.
I can take a horror film that isn’t scary, a drama that isn’t overly dramatic and an erotic thriller that is neither erotic nor thrilling, but if a movie is supposed to be a comedy and it isn’t funny, that bothers me.
Paramount Pictures released this film and on the movie’s official website – www.withoutapaddlemovie.com – it is described as “A high speed comedy adventure in which three friends go into the Oregon wilderness in search of treasure.”
They used the word comedy, so the movie is supposed to be funny, right?
WITHOUT A PADDLE isn’t funny. Not once!
Because it is supposed to be funny, unfortunate things happen to the trio as they stumble about in the woods.
Their goal is to either find the treasure or get out of the woods alive, but they are working from a bad script, so the results are just embarrassing on screen, and on your TV.
Seth Green from the AUSTIN POWERS films, Dax Shepard of TV’s PUNK’D and Matthew Lillard – who plays Shaggy in the SCOOBY DOO movies – as the stars of this film and even though they are all talented, funny actors, they can’t save this movie.
Even a wily-eyed Burt Reynolds in a small supporting role can’t save this movie!
I know the film is supposed to be just a lightweight, enjoyable piece of fluff, that is a bit like THE GOONIES and a bit like DELIVERANCE, but it isn’t anything like either of those movies.
In fact, it isn’t anything that you need to see.
Especially if you think you are going to laugh.
You won’t laugh at WITHOUT A PADDLE; in fact if you look in the dictionary under the word “unfunny” you might even see the film’s movie poster.
While you are in the dictionary, you could also look up the word “paparazzi.”
If you do, you’ll see that a “paparazzi” is:
“A freelance photographer who doggedly pursues celebrities to take candid pictures for sale to magazines and newspapers.”
The paparazzi are at the core of the new video and DVD release PAPARAZZI.
PAPARAZZI wasn’t one of the best films of last year, but it is a very satisfying thriller.
Little known in real life actor Cole Hauser stars in the movie as a huge star who gets revenge on the tabloid photographers who stalk him every day.
The paparazzi nearly kill his wife and young son and put his career in jeopardy, so he strikes back.
PAPARAZZI is the type of film that you would sit and watch if you caught it on TV. You won’t love it, but it will entertain you.
THE VILLAGE, WITHOUT A PADDLE and PAPARAZZI are all available at your favourite local video store.
COMING UP IN THE NEXT COUCH POTATO REPORT…
…is the psychological conspiracy movie THE FORGOTTEN. Julianne Moore is a woman who thinks her son has been killed, even though everyone else is telling her she has never had a son.
Yes that movie is called THE FORGOTTEN, while CATWOMAN is a movie that should just be forgotten. Oscar winner Halle Berry stars in a movie that is one of the worst films released in the last decade.
Having said that, I will find something positive to say about CATWOMAN when I talk about it next week.
That could be hard.
Luckily I know I won’t have to work too hard to find something positive to say about FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, another movie that is coming out next week.
Billy Bob Thornton stars in that film and I’ll have more on it, and those other releases, in seven days.
For now, that’s this week’s COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you back here next week on The Couch!

Categories
Weezer

Awesome, baby!! Awesome!!!

Weezer announces new single details
Weezer has announced the first single from their forthcoming fifth studio album.
The band’s website confirmed that the track “Beverly Hills,” from their as-yet-untitled disc, will be released to radio on March 21.
Weezer also posted an update on the status of the new album, saying it “isn’t entirely finished yet, as Rivers will be completing his work on several songs after his semester is over in late January.”
“At this time, no album title is known and no release date is set. Touring is being talked about and definite plans are on the table, but again, no details are ready for the public yet.”
Weezer’s last album, “Maladroit,” was released in May of 2002.

Categories
Music

With the remake of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” not doing so well, do we really even need this remake?

Dupri’s “Future” Postponed
The future is temporarily on hold for Jermaine Dupri.
The star rapper-producer had been planning to record the charity single “We Are the Future,” a 20th-anniversary sequel to the 1980s hit “We Are the World,” on Feb. 14 at a star-studded after-party/recording session following the Grammy Awards.
The track was slated to benefit children in war-torn countries worldwide, but Dupri nixed the idea this week in the wake of the tsunami tragedy in Asia.
“The timing is not right for us to record a song about the future when so many people have lost their lives,” the Atlanta-based artist said in a statement Tuesday.
Dupri, who had been working on “We Are the Future” with Quincy Jones, the man behind the original “We Are the World,” said he hoped to reschedule the recording session sometime this year, with a new recording date to be announced in a few months.
The song was to have featured some big names from the world of hip-hop and R&B. Dupri told Rolling Stone magazine last month that he hoped to recruit Jay-Z, Usher and Kanye West for the track, which was to be a completely new song, not a remake.
Dupri and Jones have their work cut out for them if they want to match the success of their inspiration.
The original “We Are the World,” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and released in 1985, raised more than $64 million for famine-ravaged Africa. Aside from Jackson and Richie, the cut featured vocal turns from megastars like Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan to Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.
“We Are the World” sold more than 7.3 million copies, spawned an album that sold more than 4.4 million copies, and won four Grammys, including Song and Record of the Year.
Other music acts have been trying to draw attention to the plight of some Africans, including a group of British rockers who just recorded a new version of “Do They Know Its Christmas?”
Meanwhile, other musicians continue to throw their support behind victims of the tsunami.
Elton John, Nelly and Annie Lennox are the latest top acts to join NBC’s George Clooney-produced Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope. The two-hour event, airing on Saturday, will also include Madonna, Sheryl Crow, Sting, Gloria Estefan, Norah Jones, Lenny Kravitz and Eric Clapton, who’ll also lend his guitar to a Jan. 22 charity concert in Wales.
Also on Tuesday, organizers announced that Will Ferrell will host a Los Angeles benefit concert.
Dave Grohl, Beck, Tenacious D and Eddie Vedder are among the acts confirmed for the Jan. 17 event at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theater.
The night is billed as a “special night of music and comedy to benefit Music for Relief.”
SoCal rockers Linkin Park got the ball rolling for charity-minded U.S. music acts last month when they offered up $100,000 to the Red Cross and helped launch Music for Relief.
For more information on Music for Relief, go to musicforrelief.org.

Categories
Television

What are you doing on Saturday night?

O’Reilly Says Okay to Clooney
George Clooney can stop writing letters: He and Bill O’Reilly are finally on the same page.
The Fox News host has accepted Clooney’s invite to appear on the Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope telethon, set to air Saturday on NBC and its cable networks.
O’Reilly made the announcement Tuesday morning on his radio show.
“NBC has faxed us over information that all of the money that you donate to the telethon on Saturday night is going to the American Red Cross–all of it,” O’Reilly said. “I like that. So, I’m gonna go over and do it.”
Per Clooney’s rep Stan Rosenfield, “George was very pleased” with the decision by the object of his correspondence.
But due to crossed wires–Clooney’s camp was unaware of the radio-issued acceptance–George, a volunteer talent wrangler for the event, initially sounded very perturbed.
One day after addressing a lengthy missive to O’Reilly, in which he accused the broadcaster of undermining the telethon with remarks on his cable show, and challenged him to appear at the fundraiser, Clooney dashed off another note.
“We’re not playing games here, we’re trying to save lives,” Clooney wrote, reacting to O’Reilly’s iffy-response to the invite on Monday’s O’Reilly Factor. “It’s as simple as this: you’re either with this joint effort or against it.”
In a bit of bad timing, Clooney’s demand for an immediate “yes” or “no” was issued to reporters almost two hours after O’Reilly had accepted. NBC later confirmed the multi-media talker was on board for the benefit.
Although Clooney and O’Reilly are now comrades working toward a common goal, they still aren’t close–geographically speaking. During Saturday’s telethon, O’Reilly will make his appeal on behalf of those ravaged by the southern Asian tsunamis from a studio in New York; Clooney from a studio in Los Angeles.
In related news Tuesday, NBC revealed another batch of big names who, like O’Reilly, have agreed to go on telethon duty.
Clint Eastwood, RenĂˆe Zellweger, Ben Affleck, Meg Ryan, Morgan Freeman, Ray Romano and Robert Downey Jr. will join the likes of Matt Damon and Halle Berry as presenters.
Elton John, Annie Lennox and Nelly have been added to the cast of scheduled performers.
With A-listers in abundance, NBC has expanded the telethon to two hours. The show is set to kick off at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).

Categories
Lists

Bart Simpson – “He’s such a bitch!”

Blackwell Says Sheridan Worst Dressed
NEW YORK – Nicollette Sheridan of TV’s “Desperate Housewives” is the worst of the worst when it comes to wardrobe, according to Mr. Blackwell’s annual list of fashion winners and losers.
“In barely-there bombs, she’s a taste-free pain. Let’s crown her the Tacky Temptress of Wisteria Lane,” he wrote in a statement released Tuesday.
Lindsay Lohan was the next target of the acid-tongued critic, who called the starlet “over-hyped and under-dressed.”
However, Blackwell gave kudos to “fabulous fashion independents” Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Barbara Walters, Kate Winslet, Annette Bening, Oprah Winfrey, Scarlett Johansson, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Garner and Sheridan’s on-screen nemesis Teri Hatcher.
This is the 45th year that Blackwell, a former fashion designer, has offered his best- and worst-dressed women lists.
Last year’s worst-dressed star, hotel heiress Paris Hilton, dropped to No. 5. “This is one Hilton that should be closed for renovation!” according to Blackwell.
Other fashion losers include Courtney Love, Serena Williams, Britney Spears, Paula Abdul, Meryl Streep and Anna Nicole Smith.
Sisters Jessica and Ashlee Simpson tied for third place. “These two prove that bad taste is positively genetic!” Blackwell said.
Blackwell said he couldn’t wait to bid farewell to 2004, the year of many “wardrobe malfunctions.”
He added: “Here’s hoping 2005 takes the ultra-feminine look to new heights. Elegance, classicism and restraint are never out of style. Neither is a good 3-way mirror.”

Categories
Awards

I love the movie awards season!!!

‘Sideways’ Leads SAG Awards Film Nominees
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Low-budget road comedy “Sideways,” about two men looking for love in California’s wine country, led nominees for Screen Actors Guild Awards on Tuesday with four nominations, making it a frontrunner in the race for Oscars.
The other nominees for best film cast, SAG’s highest award, were Howard Hughes epic “The Aviator,” African genocide drama “Hotel Rwanda,” female boxing movie “Million Dollar Baby,” “Finding Neverland,” about how J.M. Barrie was inspired to write “Peter Pan,” and “Ray,” about soul singer Ray Charles.
The Screen Actors Guild Awards on Feb. 5 is a closely watched barometer for Oscars, the U.S. film industry’s top honors, because actors make up the largest voting group at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars. Academy Award winners will be named on Feb. 27.
Jamie Foxx, who played Charles, was nominated in four SAG categories including best actor. The number was more than any performer and the first time an actor has received that many SAG nominations. It should also firm up his position as the frontrunner for the best actor Oscar.
He was also nominated for best supporting actor for his performance as an abducted taxi driver in “Collateral” and best actor in a television movie as a convicted murderer in “Redemption.” He was also in the best cast category for “Ray.”
“Ray” director Taylor Hackford said Foxx was operating “at a very high level,” but added he was proud of the best cast nomination because several actors with Foxx were relatively unknown to mass audiences and deserved recognition.
“It’s one of the high points of my day,” Hackford said. “I wanted this film to have real people, real faces. We got incredibly talented people, but also real performances.”
TILTING TOWARD “SIDEWAYS”
“Sideways” earned Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church nominations for best actor and supporting actor, respectively, and one for Virginia Madsen as best supporting actress.
The low-budget movie has been named as 2004’s best movie by several critics’ groups, and figures prominently at the upcoming Golden Globe Awards, where it is nominated for honors in seven categories, more than any other film.
Joining Giamatti and Foxx among best actor nominees were Don Cheadle as a heroic hotel manager in “Hotel Rwanda,” Leonardo DiCaprio playing Howard Hughes in “Aviator” and Johnny Depp as Barrie in “Neverland.”
Best film actress nominees were Britain’s Imelda Staunton playing an abortionist in “Vera Drake,” Hilary Swank in “Million Dollar Baby,” Annette Bening in comedy “Being Julia,” Kate Winslet for romance, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and newcomer Catalina Sandino Moreno for her role as a cocaine smuggler in the drama “Maria Full of Grace.”
That category sets up a rematch of 1999’s best actress race in which Bening in “American Beauty” competed against Swank in “Boys Don’t Cry.” Bening won at SAG; Swank at Oscar.
Supporting actor nominees with Church and Foxx were Morgan Freeman for “Million Dollar Baby,” child actor Freddie Highmore in “Neverland” and James Garner for romance “The Notebook.”
Garner will receive a lifetime achievement honor, marking the first time in the show’s 11 years that an actor being given the achievement honor also has been nominated for an award.
Supporting actress nominees with Madsen were Cate Blanchett playing Katharine Hepburn in “Aviator,” Cloris Leachman in comedy “Spanglish,” Laura Linney in “Kinsey,” about the life of sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, and Sophie Okonedo in “Rwanda.”
SAG also gives out awards for television, and in that arena the casts of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” “24,” “Six Feet Under,” “The Sopranos” and “The West Wing,” were nominated for best acting in a drama.
The casts of “Arrested Development,” new show “Desperate Housewives,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Sex and the City,” and “Will & Grace” were nominated for best acting in a TV comedy.

Categories
Television

Duck Dan, duck!!

Rather Says Won’t Duck Controversy Despite Scandal
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Anchor Dan Rather said on Tuesday he would learn the lessons from a report that slammed CBS for faulty reporting about President Bush’s military record, but said it should not lead journalists to shy away from controversial stories.
CBS News ousted four employees on Monday after an independent report found “myopic zeal” led CBS to disregard basic journalism principles when it aired the story before last year’s presidential election.
The panel was convened after a Sept. 8, 2004, report by Rather on the “60 Minutes II” program saying Bush got special treatment in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. It found CBS failed to determine the accuracy of key documents used in the report.
“Lest anyone have any doubt, I have read the report, I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind,” Rather said in a memo to CBS news staff that was his first public reaction to the report.
Twelve days after the segment aired, CBS News retracted it and Rather apologized. CBS said it had been misled about the chain of custody and provenance of key documents in the segment and said it was unable to stand behind them.
The panel cast doubt on the documents but did not rule on their authenticity.
Rather, 73, later said he would step down as anchor on March 9, his 24th anniversary in the job. CBS said since Rather apologized and accepted some blame, “punitive action would be neither fair nor just.”
In Tuesday’s memo, Rather drew attention to a note in the 224-page report that said the panel hoped its criticism would not induce timidity at CBS.
“We should take seriously the admonition of the report’s authors to do our job well and carefully, but also their parallel admonition not to be afraid to cover important and controversial issues,” Rather said.
Rather said his strongest reaction to the report was of sadness and concern for the “four good people” who lost their jobs.
“It would be a shame if we let this matter, troubling as it is, obscure their dedication and good work over the years,” he said.