The Couch Potato Report – July 7th, 2012
Inside this week’s Couch Potato Report aboriginal peoples, Canada and the way forward…plus, a trip back to 1968.
The first of the new releases I have for you this week is a four-part series called 8th FIRE – ABORIGINAL PEOPLES, CANADA & THE WAY FORWARD.
This is a very interesting, informative, educational AND entertaining release all about why we urgently need to fix Canada’s 500 year-old relationship with Indigenous peoples, a relationship that remains mired in colonialism, conflict and denial.
Now, before you start to think that this is a series all about guilt and blame, let me assure you that it isn’t.
This is a series that will make you think, yes it will make you think, but it will also entertain you and introduce you to some interesting Canadians.
8th FIRE is hosted by Winnipeg based journalist, rapper and musician Wab Kinew, and his easy conversational style allows what you are seeing to come across as if you are listening to a friend tell you stories. He is never talking at us, he is talking with us.
I really enjoyed 8th FIRE – ABORIGINAL PEOPLES, CANADA & THE WAY FORWARD. Unfortunately it doesn’t finish as strong as it starts – the fourth and final episode in the series is the weakest one – but I still highly recommend it to everyone.
I also highly recommend this next release, but it is not interesting, informative, or educational. This one is just darn entertaining.
21 JUMP STREET was a procedural crime drama television series that ran from 1987 to 1991 about a squad of youthful-looking police officers who went undercover in high schools, colleges, and other teenage venues.
It is most notable for co-starring Johnny Depp.
Since Hollywood likes to take old ideas and repackage them for a modern audience, we now have a big screen version of the 21 JUMP STREET…and unlike some other movies made based on old TV shows – I am talking to you STARSKY & HUTCH – this one works because it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it also never winks at the camera, as if to say, “Hey, look how clever we are.”
It is just a smart and clever modern day action adventure police procedural comedy.
The movie version of 21 JUMP STREET co-stars Jonah Hill from SUPERBAD and Channing Tatum of THE VOW and they make a great oddball on-screen team, who go back to high school to try and find the supplier of a deadly new drug.
21 JUMP STREET is very clever, but it is also exceptionally juvenile at times. That is why I don’t recommend it to everyone – but if profanity and over the top locker room humour don’t bother you, then you need to see this movie.
I really enjoyed it!!
Finally this week…the answer to a trivia question.
First, the question…what 1968 Franco-Italian science fiction film starring Jane Fonda did the British band Duran Duran take their name from?
If you replied – “What is BARBARELLA?” – you are correct!! Bonus points if you knew that the villain’s name is actually Dr. Durand-Durand.
BARBARELLA stars Jane Fonda as a highly sexual woman in the distant future who is given the task of finding and stopping the evil Dr. Durand-Durand.
While she is out on her journey, she meets some very unique people.
BARBARELLA is new on Blu-ray this week and it looks and sounds amazing!! The HD transfer is so exceptional that fans of the movie will love this disc…except for the fact that it doesn’t include a retrospective feature. I would love to hear what Fonda has to say about this movie…that has become a beloved camp classic over the years…why she did it and what it meant to her career…but alas, it just has the film and the original theatrical trailer.
That disappointment aside, I still enjoyed it, as I have every time I’ve seen it. It isn’t Shakespeare…but it is…Barbarella.
The still entertaining cult classic BARBARELLA, the very entertaining big screen version of 21 JUMP STREET, and the exceptional documentary series 8th FIRE – ABORIGINAL PEOPLES, CANADA & THE WAY FORWARD are all available now, either on disc or on demand.
I will be away next week, so coming up in two weeks inside the next Couch Potato Report
The gang from AMERICAN PIE are back in AMERICAN REUNION, Will Ferrell speaks Spanish – and only Spanish in CASA DE MI PADRE, and the great JOHNNY CARSON is the focus of an amazing documentary called KING OF LATE NIGHT.
I’m Dan Reynish. I’ll have more on those, and some other releases, in fourteen 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!