64-year-old Bruce Springsteen announces directorial debut
At 64 years young, Bruce Springsteen is stepping into the director’s chair for the first time. As announced today, Springsteen has teamed with Thom Zimny for a short film called Hunter of Invisible Game. It’s scheduled to premiere on July 9th at 12:00pm ET.
Box office report: ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ destroys competition with $100 million
Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age of Extinction (A- Cinema Score) earned an estimated $100 million across the weekend, making it the top debut of the year. It’s also a career high for star Mark Wahlberg, who leads a new cast in telling the story of what happened five years after Chicago was nearly destroyed in the last film.
Paramount’s $200 million film may not have charmed the critics, but audiences didn’t seem to take that, or the daunting run time, into account this weekend. Moviegoers were predominately male, accounting for 64 percent of audiences. Also of note: IMAX screens made up $10.7 million of the weekend grosses.
But, the domestic business isn’t the only good news.
Internationally, Transformers is doing, well, Transformer-sized business, too. T4 earned a staggering $201.3 million from 37 territories, or 10,152 locations — a 35 percent uplift over Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Early estimates put its China earnings in the $90 million range, which is the best opening ever for a foreign film there. The 150 IMAX screens also made up a huge part of the weekend earnings accounting for a record-breaking $10 million. It’s also the biggest opening of all time in Hong Kong and Indonesia and the second biggest opening of all time in Russia.
Sony’s 22 Jump Street snagged the No. 2 spot and inched past the first movie’s domestic total ($138.4 million) this weekend with $15.4 million from 3,426 locations, down 44 percent from last.
Meanwhile, DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 fell another 47 percent and brought in an estimated $13.1 million in weekend three. The $145 million animated pic now has a domestic total of $121.8 million. The first film had made $133.4 million by this point in 2010. It’ll be interesting to see what changes in preparation for the June 2016 release of the third film.
Sony and Screen Gems’ Think Like a Man Too plummeted 64 percent in weekend two with $10.4 million. Star Kevin Hart is still beating the social media drum, retweeting dozens of fans who mention the movie, but the energy at the theaters seems to have cooled off. The first film opened higher in 2012 and fell only 48 percent in its second weekend, going on to gross $91.5 million after 12 weeks in theaters. Hart’s About Last Night, heavily marketed as a Valentine’s Day pic, fell a steep 71 percent at the same point in the cycle and capped out with $48.6 million.
Rounding out the top five is Disney’s Maleficent, which crossed the $200 million mark domestically this weekend. The gothic fantasy took in an estimated $8.2 million from 3,073 locations in its fifth weekend in theaters, bringing its domestic cume to a staggering $201.9 million and its global take to $585.6 million (it’s playing in 54 territories and has yet to open in Japan). Not only is this a live-action career high for Angelina Jolie on all fronts, but Disney now has two of the top four 2014 global releases to date, including Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Cap 2 may have lost the title of the highest opener, but it just passed The Lego Movie to become the highest grossing domestic release of 2014.
1. Transformers: Age of Extinction—$100 million
2. 22 Jump Street—$15.4 million (domestic total: $139.8 million)
3. How to Train Your Dragon 2—$13.1 million (domestic total: $121.8 million)
4. Think Like a Man Too—$10.4 million (domestic total: $48.2 million)
5. Maleficent—$8.23 million (domestic total: $201.9 million)
In the speciality box office world, Begin Again, starring Keira Knightley as an aspiring musician in New York, took in an estimated $148K from five locations, while Snowpiercer, Bong Joon-ho’s sci-fi actioner starring Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton, made $162K from eight locations. “There’s no stopping this train. With some of the best reviews of the year and incredibly strong word-of-mouth, we’re looking forward to a robust holiday expansion,” said RADiUS-TWC Co-President Tom Quinn in a statement. Finally, Dinesh D’Souza’s America took in $39K from three locations. Distributor Lionsgate is rolling the pic out to roughly 1,000 theaters on Wednesday.
And in landmarks, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 crossed the $200 million mark this weekend, as well.
Next weekend is a genre grab bag: Sony and Screen Gems release the horror pic Deliver Us From Evil, Relativity debuts its E.T.-like Earth to Echo. Warner Bros.’ Melissa McCarthy comedy Tammy opens too. Plus, the Roger Ebert doc Life Itself hits theaters in limited release.
‘Designing Women’ Star Meshach Taylor Dead at 67
Meshach Taylor, best known for playing interior design aide Anthony Bouvier on the hit CBS sitcom “Designing Women” has died of cancer. He was 67.
He died at his home outside of Los Angeles, surrounded by family.
“It is with love and gratitude that we sorrowfully announce that our darling, amazingly brilliant and dynamic, Meshach, the incredible father, husband, son and friend has begun his grand transition,” Taylor’s family said in a statement on his Facebook page. Taylor died Saturday in Altadena, Calif.; he had been suffering from a terminal illness.
Taylor’s agent Dede Binder confirmed his death to Variety.
“When you think of Meshach it will hopefully bring a smile to your face because he brought a lot of joy in his life,” Binder said.
Taylor earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1989 for his work on “Designing Women,” a seminal series that ran from 1986 until 1993, and provided a feminist re-interpretation of the South. On the series, Taylor’s character was a wrongly convicted felon who made strides to better his life, eventually attending law school. He was also the foil for Delta Burke’s flamboyant, ex-beauty queen character Suzanne Sugarbaker, often playing straight man to her outlandish schemes.
In addition to “Designing Women,” Taylor was played plastic surgeon Sheldon Baylor on another CBS sitcom “Dave’s World” (1993-97) and played a school principal, on Nickelodeon’s sitcom, “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide” (2004-07). Earlier in his career, he had a role in the 1980s cult favorite “Buffalo Bill” opposite Dabney Coleman.
The Couch Potato Report – June 28th, 2014
As the Summer Movie Season rolls along in theatres this long weekend with the loud, action packed release TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, another movie that requires you to shut your brain off in order to enjoy it, I have an alternative to that for you this week, a pair of interesting Academy Award nominees.
I’ll begin with the Palestinian film OMAR, which was nominated as Best Foreign Language Film of the Year.
Omar is a pretty decent young man who works in a bakery whose been drawn into the violent political warfare of the West Bank through his love for a woman, due to his circle of friends from childhood, and because he was mistreated by the local authorities.
Omar agrees to be an informant, working against his friends, after he’s tricked into an admission of guilt after the killing of an Israeli soldier.
OMAR is both thrilling and dramatic, and it has some great story twists and turns. It also features a great love story between Omar and Nadia – a young woman who is the sister of one of his friends, a friend who is the main suspect in the Israeli soldier’s shooting.
OMAR was justly nominated for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, and if you are looking for something great to watch this long weekend, I highly recommend that you search it out.
The other Academy award nominated film I have for you is ERNEST & CELESTINE. This French-Belgian animated comedy-drama competed in the Best Animated Feature Film of the Year, against the Hollywood hits THE CROODS, DESPICABLE ME 2 and the eventual winner, FROZEN.
Based on a series of children’s books of the same name, published by the Belgian author and illustrator Gabrielle Vincent, ERNEST & CELESTINE is about an unlikely friendship between a bear named Ernest and a young mouse named Celestine.
This movie takes place in a world where the Bears live above ground in their cities and the rodents live below in their underground cities.
Celestine, an apprentice mouse dentist, finds a momentary common cause with Ernest, a poor street Bear musician, and that causes them both to be labelled outcasts in their respective worlds.
ERNEST & CELESTINE is a great film with fully realized characters and the animation is beautiful to look at.
I don’t know if kids will watch it as often as they’ve seem to be re-watching FROZEN, but I think it is worthy of their time. Plus, I think parents will enjoy it too.
And, you can watch it either with the original French language soundtrack, or in English, featuring a well-known Hollywood cast including William H. Macy, Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti and Forest Whitaker.
ERNEST & CELESTINE tells a nice story and I really enjoyed it. Search this one out, if not for the kids, for yourself.
And I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Okay, I have a pair of superb TV show sets for you right now.
Both are smart and well written and feature great performances from some great actors.
SEASON SIX of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION is coming up, but up first is the show MASTER OF SEX.
MASTERS OF SEX is based on Thomas Maier’s biography Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love.
It tells the story of Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, two pioneering researchers of human sexuality at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan star as the lead characters in MASTERS OF SEX and their performances are amazing. Plus, the story in very interesting, and the show is exceptionally well written and produced.
Due to it’s very graphic nature, SEASON ONE of MASTERS OF SEX won’t be for everyone, but I do still highly recommend it.
It is one of the best television shows in production right now, and I’m really looking forward to SEASON TWO!
Time now for the blu-ray set for SEASON SIX of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.
One could argue that SEASON SIX was the best season of THE NEXT GENERATION as it features Captain Picard being tortured, Worf discovering a life-changing secret in the Deep Space Nine crossover episode, and Geordi rescues Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott from a 75 year transporter limbo.
Yes, Scotty from the original series – Canadian actor James Doohan – guest stars in SEASON SIX.
And once again, the blu-ray set comes with a wealth of special features including the continuing retrospective series where the entire cast and crew look back at the show, including Commander Riker – Jonathan Frakes.
SEASON SIX of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION looks amazing on blu-ray and is a must own for fans, and a must see for those who haven’t ever seen it.
I highly recommend it, even if you don’t usually watch science fiction.
This is great stuff!!
Finally this week is a that I did not enjoy. 300 – RISE OF AN EMPIRE is the follow-up to the great action film 300, about King Leonidas and a force of 300 men who fought against the Persians in 480 B.C.
This sequel actually takes place before, during, and after the events of the first movie and even if you absolutely loved the original, this is still a major step down.
Even though it is action packed at times, 300 – RISE OF AN EMPIRE is actually quite boring. Plus, the special effects – which were so great the first time around – look dated and fake most of the time, and with the exception of Bond Girl Eva Green from CASINO ROYALE, the cast have nothing to offer.
300 – RISE OF AN EMPIRE is a release for those who absolutely have to see every action film that comes out. Everyone else – heck, even those people – should skip this mess.
The nowhere near as good as the original, completely forgettable sequel 300 – RISE OF AN EMPIRE; the very good SEASON SIX of STAR TREK – THE NEXT GENERATION; SEASON ONE of the informative and interesting series MASTERS OF SEX; the very entertaining Academy Award nominated French/Belgian animated ERNEST & CELESTINE; and the also very entertaining Academy Award nominated Palestinian film OMAR are all available now, either on disc or on demand.
And consider those last two a great alternate to the loud and explosive Summer Movie Season.
And that’s this week’s COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you back here again next time on The Couch!
‘Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ Star Eli Wallach Dies at 98
The character actor from Brooklyn was at his best playing banditos in that Clint Eastwood classic as well as in “The Magnificent Seven,” just two highlights of his six-decade-plus career.
Eli Wallach, the enduring and artful character actor who starred as Mexican hombres in the 1960s film classics The Magnificent Seven and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, has died. He was 98.
Wallach, who won a Tony Award in 1951 for playing Alvaro in Tennessee Williams’ original production of The Rose Tattoo, made his movie debut as a cotton-gin owner trying to seduce a virgin in Elia Kazan’s Baby Doll (1956) and worked steadily well into his nineties, died Tuesday at his home in Manhattan, his daughter Katherine told The New York Times.
“As an actor I’ve played more bandits, thieves, warlords, molesters and mafioso that you could shake a stick at,” Wallach said in November 2010 when he accepted an Honorary Academy Award at the second annual Governors Awards, becoming the oldest Oscar recipient.
Among his survivors is actress and frequent co-star Anne Jackson, his wife of 66 years.
In John Sturges’ The Magnificent Seven (1960), a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 Japanese gem Seven Samurai, Wallach plays the merciless Calvera, a bandit with two gold-capped teeth whose marauders routinely raid a Mexican village for food. The pillaged recruit a veteran gunslinger (Yul Brynner) and six others, including Steve McQueen, to protect them.
Six years later, Wallach starred in his most memorable role, as the fast-talking Tuco (The Ugly) opposite Clint Eastwood (The Good) and Lee Van Cleef (The Bad) in Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Western set during the American Civil War and centered on a three-way hunt for gold buried in a cemetery.
During shooting in Spain, Wallach was almost killed when a galloping horse carried him for a considerable distance while his hands were tied behind his back. Later, Leone positioned him in the dirt, where a speeding train’s protruding iron steps missed the actor by inches. Wallach refused to do another take, a decision that surely contributed to his longevity.
The Brooklyn native also was memorable as a well-dressed hitman looking to retrieve heroin stuffed in a Japanese doll in Don Siegel’s The Lineup (1958); as Guido in John Huston’s The Misfits opposite Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe in their final film appearances; as Audrey Hepburn’s suitor in How to Steal a Million (1966); as James Caan’s harsh boot-camp instructor in Cinderella Liberty (1973); and as a mafioso with a sweet tooth in The Godfather: Part III (1990).
The good-natured actor appeared in more than 90 films, including two released in 2010: Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer.
On television, Wallach won an Emmy for his role as a former drug merchant who now worked in the aspirin business in ABC’s Poppies Are Also Flowers, a 1966 anti-narcotics telefilm produced by the United Nations from a story by Ian Fleming. He also earned noms for his work as a blacklisted writer on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip in 2006 and as an ailing patient on Nurse Jackie three years later.
Plus, he got loads of fan mail for playing Mr. Freeze (the third actor to do so) on TV’s Batman in the 1960s.
Wallach was born on Dec. 7, 1915, the son of Polish immigrants who owned a candy store and lived in the back. He went to Erasmus Hall High School and didn’t have the grades to get into City College in New York, so he wound up at the University of Texas, where he was friends with Zachary Scott and Walter Cronkite. After graduation, he ventured back to the Big Apple and studied method acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, where his fellow students included Tony Randall, Gregory Peck and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
After serving as a medic in World War II, the 5-foot-7 Wallach returned to New York and landed his first Broadway part in 1945. Within the next few years, he rose to become a fixture on the New York stage and began doing live TV.
The good-natured actor appeared in more than 90 films, including two released in 2010: Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer.
On television, Wallach won an Emmy for his role as a former drug merchant who now worked in the aspirin business in ABC’s Poppies Are Also Flowers, a 1966 anti-narcotics telefilm produced by the United Nations from a story by Ian Fleming. He also earned noms for his work as a blacklisted writer on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip in 2006 and as an ailing patient on Nurse Jackie three years later.
Plus, he got loads of fan mail for playing Mr. Freeze (the third actor to do so) on TV’s Batman in the 1960s.
Wallach was born on Dec. 7, 1915, the son of Polish immigrants who owned a candy store and lived in the back. He went to Erasmus Hall High School and didn’t have the grades to get into City College in New York, so he wound up at the University of Texas, where he was friends with Zachary Scott and Walter Cronkite. After graduation, he ventured back to the Big Apple and studied method acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, where his fellow students included Tony Randall, Gregory Peck and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
After serving as a medic in World War II, the 5-foot-7 Wallach returned to New York and landed his first Broadway part in 1945. Within the next few years, he rose to become a fixture on the New York stage and began doing live TV.
‘Star Wars’ museum is coming to Chicago
CHICAGO — Star Wars creator George Lucas has selected Chicago to build his museum of art and movie memorabilia.
Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, confirmed the decision. McCaffrey did not have any immediate details about the much-anticipated decision by the filmmaker. But the choice is a major victory for Emanuel and the nation’s third-largest city, which was competing with San Francisco for the museum.
It was unclear for weeks whether Chicago or San Francisco would be selected. Some people thought Chicago might have the upper hand because Lucas’ wife is from Chicago and because of Emanuel’s powers of persuasion. But Lucas is a California native, his visual effects division is based in San Francisco and the headquarters for LucasFilm and Skywalker Sound is in nearby Marin County.
Harrison Ford to take six months off ‘Star Wars’ filming
Harrison Ford will take six months off from filming the new Star Wars movie in Britain to return to the U.S. for treatment on his shattered leg, according to a U.K. report.
The Indiana Jones actor was first thought to have fractured his ankle during filming in England earlier this month, when his foot was crushed by the door of a spacecraft prop.
However, his injury turned out to be a broken leg, with reports suggesting he would be out of action for up to eight weeks. It has now emerged that he will not be able to return to film Star Wars: Episode VII for six months as he needs rehab treatment for his left limb, which was fixed with a number of metal plates during surgery this week.
A source tells Britain’s The Sun newspaper, “Shooting is continuing, but Harrison won’t be back for months… the film company is looking into extending filming well into the second half of this year to allow Ford time to get back on his feet.”
Ford is still receiving treatment at a hospital in England but will fly back to Los Angeles with his actress wife Calista Flockhart to work with a physiotherapist, according to editors at the publication.
Elvis Presley’s Sweat-Stained Jumpsuit Going Up for Auction
A white suit emblazoned with a peacock that Elvis wore while performing in Las Vegas is going up for auction this week. And one thing that makes this particular garment special, according to Time, is that it’s stained in the armpits with the King’s own 40-year-old sweat.
The sweaty suit is part of a large sale of rock memorabilia that Sotheby’s is hosting this Tuesday. The auction will also include a red military-style jacket worn by Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix’s guitar strap that he wore at the 1969 Newport Pop Festival, John Lennon’s upright piano, Kurt Cobain’s smashed Univox guitar and Bob Dylan’s handwritten lyrics to “Like a Rolling Stone,” among many other items.
The peacock jumpsuit, which the auction house describes as having “minor staining and browning” as well as a nonworking zipper, is decorated with rhinestones and gold lame detailing. It is expected to fetch between $200,000 – $300,000. Two other articles of Presley’s apparel are also up for auction, but estimated to go for much less. The red button-down shirt that he wore during the 1964 MGM film Kissin’ Cousins (in “excellent condition”) has an estimated price of $10,000 – $15,000, while a white wool jacket worn in concert in the early 1950s, also in excellent condition, is estimated at $7,000-$9,000.
The sweat-stained garment isn’t the first Elvis item of a particularly intimate nature to go up for auction. In 2012, a pair of Presley’s stained underwear, worn during a 1977 concert, were offered up for sale by a U.K. auction house, but they failed to bring in the reserve price of £7,000.
Box office report: ‘Think Like a Man Too’ the cock of the walk with $30 million opening
Holding off a nice run from 22 Jump Street, the romantic comedy Think Like a Man Too took the top spot this weekend with a $30 million opening. That’s great news for Kevin Hart, the gleeful star and narrator of the Steve Harvey-inspired ensemble piece, though early estimates predicted the sequel performing closer to the tune of $35 million. The sequel didn’t match the original’s 2012 opening weekend kitty of $33.6 million, but the laffer also cost a modest $24 million to make. Sony predicts a strong weekday play going forward, buoyed by Man‘s strong word-of-mouth and A- CinemaScore rating.
There’s a couple of great jokes in Think Like a Man Too where the lone white fella of the core Vegas bachelor party suggests the boys eschew a night of gambling and strip clubs and catch a performance of Jersey Boys instead. “It won like eight Tonys!” he says when the men recoil. Whether or not it was a pointed reference to Think Like a Man Too‘s fellow new release or not is unknown, but the Clint Eastwood adaptation of Jersey Boys hit a bit of a flat note in fourth place with $13.5 million. Going forward Broadway fans and older audiences may seek it out as a break from the jarring noise of superheroes and metal machines clashing angrily into each other. (Though I’m not sure Kevin Hart and his Vegas buddies would make that bet.) But with a budget of $40 million, Jersey Boys, which earned an impressive A- CinemaScore vote, still has some major singing to do for its supper.
Meanwhile in its second week of release 22 Jump Street nearly had its teeth in the No. 1 spot. The Channing Tatum/Jonah Hill buddy comedy took in $29 million this weekend, bringing its domestic grosses past $111 million. With a second-week drop of 49.8% in domestic markets, and a $14.1 million pickup in international territories, Sony executives should be bumping chests. Also holding strong is the parent-tested, kid-approved How to Train Your Dragon 2, which pulled in $25.3 million in its second week of release. All four aforementioned movies would do well to bow down to month-old Maleficent, the Angelina Jolie phenom that dropped just 29.7% this weekend with $13 million. The fairy queen will not go gentle into that good night.
Here is how your top five shook out this weekend:
1. Think Like a Man Too – $30 million
2. 22 Jump Street – $29 million
3. How to Train Your Dragon 2 – $25.3 million
4. Jersey Boys – $13.5 million
5. Maleficent – $13 million
The Couch Potato Report – June 21st, 2014
The number one reason I watch movies is because I like to laugh. Sure, I also enjoy great documentaries, dramas, action films and thrillers, but overall I love comedies, and laughing the most.
Tisdale, Saskatchewan’s Brent Butt has made me laugh many times over the years, through his stand up comedy and the television show CORNER GAS.
Unfortunately Brent’s detective comedy NO CLUE doesn’t have as many laughs as even a single episode of CORNER GAS.
Amy Smart from CRANK and JUST FRIENDS stars in NO CLUE as a woman who hires Brent Butt’s Leo to find her missing brother.
Only problem is, he’s not a private eye, she merely walked into the wrong office.
Obviously Leo doesn’t tell her the truth because she is beautiful and he wants to be around her, and maybe, just maybe, he’ll actually solve the case, and maybe, just maybe she’ll fall for him too.
NO CLUE was made-in-Vancouver and while it isn’t laugh out loud funny, it does have a few laughs. If you’re a fan of Brent’s, it’ll tide you over until the CORNER GAS MOVIE comes out later this year.
And I’m sure – with that film – Brent Butt will definitely have us laughing again.
Of all the films released so far in 2014, my favourite one is the animated adventure comedy THE LEGO MOVIE.
THE LEGO MOVIE is fun and funny and interesting and enjoyable and features a tremendous voice cast that includes Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Toronto’s Will Arnett, Alison Brie, Liam Neeson, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum AND Morgan Freeman!!
There is actually a very good story in the film, about believing in yourself even when all the odds are against you, but what makes THE LEGO MOVIE so worthy of your time is how much fun it is, and it is fun…laugh out loud fun…for the whole family.
I absolutely loved this film, and highly recommend THE LEGO MOVIE to kids of all ages.
In the past, I have also enjoyed and highly recommended the quirky, odd, dramatic and comedic films of writer – director Wes Anderson.
From BOTTLE ROCKET in 1996 to RUSHMORE, THE ROYAL TENNENBAUMS, THE LIFE AQUATIC, THE DARJEELING LIMITED, and FANTASTIC MR. FOX, to the Academy Award nominated MOONRISE KINGDOM in 2012, his movies usually offer the audience something magical.
And it’s not like his latest – THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL – isn’t magical, and it sure also is quirky, odd, dramatic and comedic, it is just with this film there is too much of all of those things that usually benefit Wes Anderson’s films.
The story here takes place between the first and second world war and introduces us to Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel.
We also meet Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.
The teriffic cast of THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL includes Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Léa Seydoux, Jeff Goldblum, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law, Tilda Swinton, Harvey Keitel, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson.
Some are used well, some only have cameos, but they all appear as the legendary consierge tries to thrive and survive after one of the hotel guests dies and leaves him a priceless painting in her will.
The family thinks he tricked her into leaving it to him.
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL is interesting and engaging, and seeing that cast is a real treat, but the movie is just too quirky and odd for it’s own good.
It’s never awful, and I do still mildly recommend it, but I hope Wes Anderson dials the quirky back a bit for his next film.
If you don’t know him, I’d like to introduce you to Alan Partridge right now.
Alan Gordon Partridge is a fictional character created in the early nineties and portrayed by British comedian Steve Coogan of TROPIC THUNDER and HAMLET 2. He was originally created for the BBC Radio 4 programme On The Hour.
Alan Partridge is a parody of both sports commentators and talk show hosts and he has appeared in two radio series, three television series and numerous BBC television and radio specials.
The man is insecure, superficial, narcissistic and very, very funny
I think he is one of the greatest characters ever created.
And now a feature-length film simply called ALAN PARTRIDGE in North America has been released and I really enjoyed it…the second time I watched it.
The first time I saw it, I just love the character and his creators so much, that I thought the movie would be a laugh riot. Instead, like just about everything that has come before it featuring Alan Partridge, the humour is subtle, black and very witty and well written.
Upon my second viewing, I really enjoyed it
In the film, Alan Partridge is working as a radio station that has been taken over and rebranded by a new media conglomerate.
That leads to the firing of a long-time staff member who takes the staff hostage. Alan then has to work with the police to try and defuse the situation.
ALAN PARTRIDGE is primarily for people who know the character from “The Day Today”, “Knowing Me, Knowing You with Alan Partridge” and the other shows he’s been in, and to you I suggest you either lower your expectations, or watch it twice to appreciate it…and in those situations, you will appreciate it.
To those who are just hearing of Alan Partridge for the first time right now, do yourself a favour…search out those TV shows – and then the movie – and enjoy!!
Finally this week is something spectacular…THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON of the Netflix series HOUSE OF CARDS.
This exceptional show is a political drama set in present day Washington, D.C.
Oscar winner Kevin Spacey plays a very ruthless and brilliant politician who – after becoming Vice President of the United States – works hard to keep the job, and become President…hopefully sooner, rather than later.
Spacey’s main confident and advisor is his wife, played by Robin Wright. No matter how dirty his hands get, and they occasionally get very, very dirty, no matter what happens her tells her just about everything.
HOUSE OF CARDS tells a great story, using some amazing – and believable – twists and turns, and it is all driven by Spacey’s amazing performance.
I highly recommend HOUSE OF CARDS, SEASONS ONE and TWO, and don’t feel that you have to save it for a rainy Summer night, it’s available on disc and Netflix right now for you to watch…and enjoy!
THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON of the spectacular series HOUSE OF CARDS; the funny but just not as good as the television shows that inspired it Steve Coogan comedy ALAN PARTRIDGE; Wes Anderson’s good, but just a little too quirky comedy THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL; the superb, for the whole family, animated comedy THE LEGO MOVIE; and the likeable detective comedy NO CLUE starring Brent Butt from CORNER GAS are all available now, either on disc or on demand.
And that’s this week’s COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I’ll see you back here again next time on The Couch!