Categories
SCTV

Can’t wait to see it!!

Short looks back in ‘Goes Home’

The question of nature versus nurture in Hamilton, Ont., is explored comically with I, Martin Short, Goes Home.

As Short asks, “The question I guess we pose is, would Mozart still be Mozart had he been raised in Winnipeg?”

I, Martin Short, Goes Home, which airs Tuesday, April 3 on CBC, is a one-hour “mockumentary” that sees the famous SCTV alumnus making a pilgrimage back to Hamilton. Nominally, it’s a bookend piece to his 1989 HBO special, I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood.

A fictionalized version of Short’s upbringing is the backdrop for I, Martin Short, Goes Home, wherein Short is keen on staging a benefit concert for an old childhood TV idol, played by Fred Willard. Former SCTV cast members Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty and Robin Duke also appear as various characters.

Categories
James Bond

Cool!!!

Danny Boyle Directing A James Bond Short Film With Daniel Craig For The London Olympics

I would love to see Danny Boyle tackle a feature length James Bond film. Sure, he doesn’t have much experience in the action genre, but over the course of his career he has shown that he has never afraid of trying something new, be it the bloody horror of 28 Days Later, the trapped-in-one-location thriller 127 Hours, or the Bollywood-inspired, Oscar-winning phenom Slumdog Millionaire. But while we may never get to see Boyle take on a full 007 adventure, at the very least we will get a preview of what that could look like.

As part of the 2012 Olympic Games, which will be held this summer in London, Boyle will be making a short film starring Daniel Craig in character as James Bond. The whole thing was started when Craig was invited to Buckingham Palace and met Queen Elizabeth, and was asked to shoot an intro for the games. Titled The Arrival, the short will feature Bond going to the palace and receiving a mission to open the games, followed by a sequence where he takes a helicopter to Olympic stadium and parachutes in. The Sun broke the news, but what is unknown at this time is if the Queen herself will be making an appearance in the movie. Boyle recently completed production on his latest feature, an art heist film called Trance, but he won’t be starting the post-production process until after the Olympic games are over.

This makes all kinds of sense. In the world of pop culture, few icons are as associated with England as James Bond, so it’s only right that they include him in the Olympics. Hopefully it will serve as a nice taste before we get to experience Skyfall in November.

Categories
The Couch Potato Report

I do love watching movies!!

The Couch Potato Report – March 31st, 2012

Inside this week’s Couch Potato Report is a dangerous method, a battle royale, and we head back to The Town.

Over the years, Toronto born director David Cronenberg has given us some very interesting films. From his early horror releases SHIVERS, SCANNERS, THE DEAD ZONE and his 1986 remake of THE FLY, through his more mature releases like DEAD RINGERS, NAKED LUNCH, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE and EASTERN PROMISES his movies aren’t always great…but they are always interesting.

And that is true with his latest release as well. A DANGEROUS METHOD is far too slow moving to be considered great, but it is very, very interesting.

The focus of the film is the relationship between two of the great founders of modern psychological theory, Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung.

Cronenberg crony Viggo Mortensen – who co-starred in both A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE and EASTERN PROMISES – plays Freud, and Michael Fassbender from INGLORIOUS BASTARDS is Jung.

Keira Knightly of the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films also stars, as a woman who is initially a patient of Jung, later becoming a physician and one of the first female psychoanalysts.

This is a movie about three intellectuals, so it is very smart, but because the story takes its time getting to where it’s going, it is far too slow moving, and so I can’t recommend it.

As per usual with a David Cronenberg movie, I didn’t enjoy A DANGEROUS METHOD, but I did find it interesting.

We move now from a film about the founders of modern psychological theory, to one about Confucius – the Chinese politician, teacher, editor, and social philosopher – starring the great Chow Yun-fat from CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON.

CONFICIOUS is a biographical fantasy adventure drama that begins with the man looking back on his life, through the political times and war he lived through, all the way to him becoming a wandering scholar.

Confucious – the man – was a brilliant individual who is justly known around the world. CONFICIOUS the movie won’t gain global attention for much longer as it isn’t compelling, the special effects are poorly done, and it just isn’t a very good movie.

I can’t recommend it either.

Last weekend in theatres across North America, THE HUNGER GAMES had the third-highest grossing debut of all-time, putting it behind only the final HARRY POTTER film and THE DARK KNIGHT in the history books.

THE HUNGER GAMES is widely understood to have the exact same story as the Japanese book BATTLE ROYALE. Both tell the story of school children who are forced to fight each other to the death…sort of like THE RUNNING MAN mixed with LORD OF THE FLIES…and each have huge fan bases…as shown by that massive opening.

And now the film version of BATTLE ROYALE is available for fans to own and enjoy in an all-new collection!

BATTLE ROYALE – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION is a four-disc set that includes the Director’s Cut of the exceptional film and the Theatrical Cut, along with the not great sequel BATTLE ROYALE II and a disc full of Bonus Materials.

BATTLE ROYALE is a tremendous film with some great twists and turns and THE COMPLETE COLLECTION is a must see for all fans of THE HUNGER GAMES, or anyone who enjoys a great cinematic action flick.

This is great stuff!!

Also great, so great, still great even after fifteen seasons is the animated series SOUTH PARK. Fifteen years after it first began to entertain me, I still watch the show and think, “How do they keep coming up with this stuff?!?”

In addition to the fourteen laugh out loud episodes, SOUTH PARK – THE COMPLETE FIFTEENTH SEASON once again features mini-commentaries on all episodes by the creators of the show, Trey Parker and Matt Stone – who also gave us the Tony Award winning Broadway musical THE BOOK OF MORMON during the time they were doing the show, and the fantastic documentary summing it all up “Six Days to Air: The Making of South Park”!

Due to its content and profanity, SOUTH PARK has never been a show for everyone…but it has always been a show for me! I really enjoyed THE COMPLETE FIFTEENTH SEASON and the documentary is a fantastic look at how they get it all done each week!

It is documentary time…time to look at three releases, containing six projects that are all absolutely worthy of your time.

And I will start with a film made about a man who makes movies.

CORMAN’S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A HOLLYWOOD REBEL is a star-studded tribute to movie producer Roger Corman, who – starting in 1953 – gave the world a wealth of low budget movies, whose titles most people won’t know, but he helped launch the careers of many stars that everyone knows – including Robert DeNiro, Peter Fonda, Pam Grier, Martin Scorcese, William Shatner and Jack Nicholson.

CORMAN’S WORLD is a great look at the creative inventiveness of Roger Corman, and his films and anyone who calls themselves a movie fan should not miss it!!

It is entertaining, and so is the man himself….a man who continues to make movies to this day!

Had the automobile industry taken more chances a few years ago, we might all be driving electric cars now. The story of cars that run on electricity and not fuel was exceptionally told in the 2006 documentary WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR, which investigated the birth and death of the electric car.

And now we have REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR, which takes a look at the resurgence of electric vehicles, and their availability around the world.

Director Chris Paine follows up his original with a film that shows us unprecedented access to the electric car research and development programs at the major car companies.

REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR is a very good film, but since all of the car companies cooperated this time around, there is only limited opposing views or opinions.

Electric cars are good, gas cars are bad is the message we get.

But that said, the message is informative, entertaining, and even heart breaking at times.

REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR is as worthy of your time as WHO KILLED THE ELCTRIC CAR is. Don’t miss either one!

The final documentaries I have are all included in the box set, THE BBC HIGH DEFINITION NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION…and all four of them are spectacular and even mesmerizing at times!!

This overwhelming 8-disc set features the fantastic documentaries PLANET EARTH, WILD CHINA, GALAPAGOS and GANGES and all of them will show you things you have never seen before, such as polar bears sliding down mountains, 3 million bats in one place, sea lions chasing iguanas just for fun, and even mudskippers, fish that can use their pectoral fins to walk on land!

All of these films are incredible, but the key release in this set is PLANET EARTH, which was in production for five years, using 40 cameramen filming across 200 locations, and the result gives us the ultimate portrait of our planet.

Finally this week, Ben Affleck’s exception film THE TOWN has been released in an ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION with an all-new ending.

THE TOWN was co-written and directed by Ben Affleck and he also stars alongside Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner from THE HURT LOCKER, Jon Hamm of MAD MEN, and Blake Lively from GOSSIP GIRL, along with character actors Pete Postlethwaite and Chris Cooper.

It was adapted from Chuck Hogan’s novel “Prince of Thieves” and is about a longtime thief from Boston who is trying to get out of the neighbourhood and away from the people that have defined and shaped his life, all while planning one last job.

He is also trying to find a new life with a woman who had been a hostage during a bank robbery, and doesn’t know the truth about who he is, and he’s trying to stay away from an FBI agent looking to bring him and his crew down…and said agent may also have an interest in the former hostage.

THE TOWN is a great film and this new ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION has a wealth of all-new features and goodies – in addition to that additional ending – but if you own it already, you really don’t need to upgrade…unless you absolutely think that it is one of the greatest films ever made.

And it is a great film…if you have never seen it, check out THE TOWN!!

THE ULTIMATE COLLECTOR’S EDITION of THE TOWN, the more than spectacular BBC HIGH DEFINITION NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION with PLANET EARTH/WILD CHINA/GALAPAGOS/GANGES, the very interesting REVENGE OF THE ELECTRIC CAR, the loving documentary CORMAN’S WORLD, THE COMPLETE FIFTEENTH SEASON of the still entertaining SOUTH PARK, THE COMPLETE COLLECTION of the Japanese BATTLE ROYAL films, the okay Chinese film CONFUCIOUS and David Cronenberg’s interesting, but not that entertaining film A DANGEROUS METHOD are all available now, either on disc or on demand.

Coming up inside the next Couch Potato Report

SEASON TWO of the made-in-Winnipeg series TODD AND THE BOOK OF PURE EVIL, TORCHWOOD – MIRACLE DAY, Steven Spielberg’s WAR HORSE, and Cameron’s Crowe’s family film WE BOUGHT A ZOO, starring Matt Damon.

I’m Dan Reynish. I’ll have more on those, and some 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 again next time on The Couch!

Categories
Awards

It was another boring year for the Junos…so here’s hoping next year – in Regina – is better!!

2012 Junos Just Plain Weird

OTTAWA — Well, at least they picked the right date.

The 41st Juno Awards ceremony — held in Ottawa on Sunday, April 1 — should have been Canadian music’s biggest night. So why did it feel like a giant April Fool’s joke?

From the presence of 81-year-old hambone host William “I wanna rock!!” Shatner (and the absence of major international celebrities) to the bizarre comedy bits and inexplicable award choices, this year’s event easily ranks as one of the weirdest Juno nights in recent memory. How weird? Well, how about this: Michael Bublé won Album of the Year for a freakin’ holiday disc. That’s right; the crooner’s Christmas record beat Drake’s acclaimed sophomore CD Take Care. So much for artistic standards. Oh, and just to make the whole thing odder, the prize was presented by two guys from Anvil and Jully Black. As dance music master Deadmau5 eloquently put it backstage: “It better be one hell of a Christmas album.”

Also crazy: Deadmau5 was defeated in the Dance Recording category — his first loss after four consecutive wins — by Martin Solveig and Dragonette’s Hello. Even perennial favourites Nickelback — who opened the show with a typically pyromaniacal performance of This Means War on the high-tech open-platform stage — went home emptyhanded despite four noms. You have to hand it to the Junos: They know how to alienate the talent.

No wonder so many major nominees and winners were MIA. Bublé was performing in Brazil. Justin Bieber apparently preferred getting slimed at the Kids’ Choice Awards to getting his second Fan Choice prize. The Sheepdogs are touring Australia with John Fogerty (Buble, Biebs and Sheepdogs sent thank-you videos). Drake was apparently in Europe. Did they all know something we didn’t? Either way, not the ingredients for the most exciting evening. Though Shatner’s typically kooky spoken-word medley of Can-Rock classics like Born to Be Wild, Summer of ’69, Takin’ Care of Business, Tom Sawyer and Raise a Little Hell — not to mention his bizarre tales of getting loaded on absinthe and heading off to Thailand with the Governor-General — did liven up the affair.

In any case, all those no-shows left Leslie Feist the belle of the ball. And fair enough. The singer-songwriter — who also performed a spindly, thumpy version of The Bad in Each Other during the broadcast — was one of the top winners, taking Artist of the Year honours away from Bublé, Drake, Deadmau5 and City and Colour. It was her 11th career Juno and third this year; her fourth disc Metals won Adult Alternative Album and Music DVD accolades at Saturday’s non-televised (and equally unpredictable) gala.

“I just need a second,” said Feist, clad in a fetching form-fitting red number. “I’m in shock … I guess all I can really do is try to express some genuine gratitude. I can’t believe I’m standing here.”

Saskatoon’s Sheepdogs were 2012’s other top dogs. The shaggy rockers — who were catapulted to prominence after appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone last year — snared the Single of the Year prize for I Don’t Know after winning New Group honours on Saturday, along with the Rock Album prize for their disc Learn & Burn. Not bad for the first three nominations of their career. Vancouver folk-rocker Dan Mangan also had his hands full, winning the New Artist prize to go with the Alternative Album Juno he earned Saturday.

“There’s a certain amount of chatter around the Best New Artist going to artists (for) their second and maybe third album,” the 28-year-old singer-songwriter said. “I choose to look at it like this: It doesn’t matter … It takes time to do anything that’s worthwhile.”

City and Colour singer-guitarist Dallas Green was named Songwriter of the Year over Mangan, Feist, Ron Sexmith (dubbed “Sexy Ron” by Shatner) and Jim Cuddy. “If I can find a way to cut this up into five individual pieces, I’d gladly share it with the other nominees,” Green said.

But Cuddy already had his own piece of the action: He and Blue Rodeo were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

“We have travelled a very long and beautiful road, and this country has given us so much,” the 56-year-old singer-guitarist said, his voice breaking. “We have met and played for amazing people, seen some beautiful things, and had so many unforgettable experiences.”

Before their induction, the Canadian country-rock vets performed Lost Together with Sarah McLachlan. City and Colour, Deadmau5, Hedley, Hey Rosetta, Humanitarian Award winners Simple Plan (joined by K’Naan for a lilting rendition of Summer Paradise), Hedley and a “mixed-tape” medley from Dragonette, Alyssa Reid, JRDN, Anjulie and Mia Martina also “rocked” the two-hour show at Ottawa’s Scotiabank Place.

Categories
Awards

He is deserving of every one of them!!

Sandler sets worst-movie record with Razzies sweep

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adam Sandler and friends have scored a new high — or low — among voters of the Razzies, an Academy Awards spoof that presents prizes for the year’s worst movies.

Sandler’s “Jack and Jill” managed a Razzies first on Sunday, claiming 10 awards to sweep every single category. Along with the movie’s worst-picture award, Sandler won for both worst actor and actress for his dual roles in “Jack and Jill,” in which he plays a family man and his own pesky twin sister.

“He didn’t play triplets, but he couldn’t have won more awards if he had,” said Razzies founder John Wilson.

Sandler also shared the “Jack and Jill” Razzies for worst ensemble, worst screen couple opposite either himself or co-stars Al Pacino or Katie Holmes and worst screenplay as a co-writer on the movie.

Pacino won as worst supporting actor for playing himself in “Jack and Jill,” while Sandler pal David Spade was named worst supporting actress for his own cross-dressing role in the movie.

It’s the only movie in the 32-year history of the Razzies to win every prize.

But the Razzies did not overlook Sandler’s other starring role from last year. Sandler’s worst-actor prize came for both “Jack and Jill” and his earlier comedy “Just Go With It.” Dennis Dugan, the filmmaker behind both comedies, was named worst director for both flicks.

“Jack and Jill” also was picked as worst remake, rip-off or sequel, billed by Razzies voters as a remake or rip-off of Ed Wood’s cross-dressing cult favorite “Glen or Glenda?”

Despite the usual bad reviews Sandler receives, “Just Go With It” was a $100 million hit like most of his comedies. But even Sandler fans had second thoughts about “Jack and Jill,” which took in only $74 million, one of the worst results among his mainstream comedies.

“Adam Sandler has a pretty much basic attitude of, ‘No matter how dumb I make it, my fans are going to pay to see it,'” Wilson said. “I guess it’s more about the complete lack of any genuine effort or concern or pride. An attitude of this is good enough, but when you consider what they’re charging for movie tickets today, it wasn’t good enough.

“It was good enough to get our attention. If you work with the attitude that you’re just going to be good enough, then you’re probably good enough for the Razzies.”

The awards were announced at a gag ceremony Sunday night at a magic shop in Santa Monica, Calif. Razzie winners usually are announced the night before the Oscars, but organizers this time decided to move out of Hollywood’s busy awards season and do their show on April Fool’s Day.

But it could be a one-time experiment. Wilson said he got feedback from voters of the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, which anyone can join for a membership fee, that they prefer handing out their prizes around Oscar time.

“I think our members prefer the faux glamor of having it be Oscar eve,” Wilson said.