The Couch Potato Report - November 29th, 2005
This week The Couch Potato Report features 8 new releases, and I will overuse the word "surprise."
One of the most successful films of the year was a complete surprise.
It was surprise that it did as well as it did at the box office, and it was surprisingly entertaining.
That film is MARCH OF THE PENGUINS a documentary about the over-100 kilometer journey that emperor penguins have to make every year in order to survive and procreate.
The film is narrated by Morgan Freeman and at times it is dramatic, suspenseful, and informative. At other times it is just funny and entertaining.
Actually, the film is entertaining from start to finish.
Penguins can either be waddling entertaining, or incredibly graceful and in MARCH OF THE PENGUINS you get to experience both.
The film is a perfect mix of science and entertainment and the whole family will enjoy it.
Yes, the documentary MARCH OF THE PENGUINS was a surprise.
So was the documentary MURDERBALL.
I had no idea what to expect from this film about quadriplegic rugby - or "Murderball" as it was formerly known.
The film shows us players in modified wheelchairs in a hardcore, full-contact sport trying to win Gold at the Athens Paralympics. But in addition to MURDERBALL being about the sport, it is also about some very interesting people who play it.
The film is a unique mix of sports documentary and inspirational profiles of triumph over adversity.
The majority of the people in MURDERBALL are disabled, but since the film doesn't focus on that, by the end of the film you won't be thinking about that it at all.
Unlike MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, MURDERBALL isn't for the entire family. But both documentaries are completely entertaining, and both are full of surprises.
MR. AND MRS SMITH isn't full of surprises, in fact it doesn't have any. But some films don't have to have surprises, or be a surprise to be entertaining.
And make no mistake, MR AND MRS SMITH sure is entertaining.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play an unhappy couple who are bored with each other and their mundane day to day home life.
Their relationship improves once they discover their mutually-hidden identities as world-class assassins.
Unfortunately they have each been hired to kill the other one.
No MR AND MRS SMITH doesn't contain any major surprises or plot twists, but the performances of Pitt and Jolie are fun to watch and the dialogue is a treat to listen to. Plus, Jolie looks amazing as always, and Pitt is always fun to watch in a film.
Director Doug Liman gave us a better action film with THE BOURNE IDENTITY, and MR AND MRS SMITH should've been a better movie than it is, but I still enjoyed it.
I also sort of enjoyed SKY HIGH, even if I am not in the film's target demographic.
In this film the son of superheroes must save the world, and I suspect the demographic the filmmakers were shooting for was between 12 and 16 years of age.
Sky High is a high school in the clouds for kids with super-human powers or abilities.
At this school gadgets, acts of bravery, and magical skills are part of high school the same way that peer pressure and dating are.
SKY HIGH isn't unique, especially if you've seen THE INCREDIBLES, but it is a surprisingly fun film, whether you are in the correct demographic or not.
Finally this week, I would like to talk about THE MUPPET MOVIE, THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER, MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND and THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL because all four films are being re-released to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Kermit The Frog.
Yes, it has really been 50 years since Jim Henson introduced us to Kermit The Frog.
I have made no attempt over the years to hide my adoration for Jim Henson and The Muppets, so I won't bother to review these four releases for you, other than to say that I watched all four again this week and they still entertained me on every level, especially THE MUPPET MOVIE and THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL.
I've seen each of these films dozens of times over the years and it still surprises me how much I am entertained by them.
Happy Anniversary Kermit!
THE MUPPET MOVIE, THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER, MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL, SKY HIGH, MR AND MRS SMITH, MURDERBALL and the superb MARCH OF THE PENGUINS are all available now at a store near you.
Coming up in the next Couch Potato Report
CINDERELLA MAN is the underlooked, but very good, true story of heavyweight boxer Jim Braddock starring Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger and Paul Giamatti.
IMAGINE: JOHN LENNON is the superb 1988 documentary about the man made with home movies. The audio from those movies allows Lennon himself to
be the narrator.
The movie version of the classic comic book FANTASTIC 4 is less than classic, and much less than fantastic, but it isn't horrible. On the other hand the film version of THE DUKES OF HAZZARD is horrible, but somehow it is worth seeing.
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 next week on The Couch!
Kazaa owners working to install filters for copyright material
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - The owners of the Kazaa online file-sharing network are working on a new version to meet a court mandate aimed at preventing users from illegally swapping copyright music and movies.
Sharman Networks Ltd. has until next week to develop a filtering system that would block files based on about 3,000 keywords, most likely the names of popular recording artists.
Federal Court Judge Murray Wilcox ordered Kazaa's owners last week to install the new filters as part of lawsuit filed by the Australian recording industry. Wilcox also told Sharman to urge Kazaa users to download the new software.
"There will have to be filters in place by Dec. 5 or Kazaa will be shut down," Stephen Peach, chief executive of the Australian Record Industry Association, said in a statement Monday.
Although Sharman is legally incorporated in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, its main offices are in Sydney.
It is unlikely Kazaa could be shut down completely. Any order would only cover Australian users; the software is used by millions of people around the world to exchange files containing music, movies and other material. Also, users of older versions of the Kazaa software would likely be unaffected by the new filters.
Furthermore, it's not clear how well filters will end piracy. In the past, users of file-sharing networks have countered filters by purposely misspelling the names of artists and songs.
Sharman spokeswoman Julie Fenwick said the company is working to comply with the order, even as it appeals the September ruling that found Sharman liable for copyright infringement.
In that ruling, Wilcox said it had been in the financial interest of Sharman and its partners "to maximize, not minimize, music file-sharing."
A hearing to set damages is expected next year.
Angelina Jolie Might Be Back as Lara Croft
Angelina Jolie might be making a third trip into the world of Lara Croft's Tomb Raider movie series. The Business Online reports that talks are already underway between Paramount Pictures and SCI, the company that owns the Lara Croft video game. Jolie has apparently made it known she's interested in playing the thrill-seeking British archeologist again, no doubt prompting the licensing negotiations. Combined, the previous Tomb movies have earned over $450 million at the box office, and while the films are based on the video game of the same name, unlike other game-genre films, SCI is not planning to release any game titles in conjunction with the film.
NEW CD RELEASES FOR NOVEMBER 29, 2005
13 Ghosts Cicada (Skybucket)
Anthony B My Hope (Minor7Flat5)
Ryan Cabrera Live at the Wiltern (Atlantic)
The Darkness One Way Ticket to Hell...and Back (Atlantic)
Egg Cream Sweet Harmony (Collectables)
Zac Harmon The Blues According to Zachariah (Bluestone/33rd Street)
Hot Chip Coming on Strong (2004 UK-only release w/three bonus tracks) (Astralwerks)
INXS Switch (first album w/new singer J.D. Fortune) (Epic)
Arthur Kell The Traveller (Fresh Sound)
Chris Liebing/Speedy J Collabs 3000 - Metalism (Mute)
Dave Matthews Band Weekend on the Rocks (two CDs/DVD; live album from September 2005 shows at Red Rocks) (RCA)
Mel Melton & the Wicked Mojos Papa Mojo's Roadhouse (Louisiana Red Hot)
Nous Non Plus Nous Non Plus (Aeronaut)
Rancid Vat Vs. the Rest of the World (Steel Cage)
The Samples Rehearsing for Life (Apache)
Shakira Oral Fixation 2 (guest Carlos Santana) (Epic)
Three (David J. or Bauhaus/Love and Rockets) Evocations (Arena Rock)
Twilight featuring Joel Katz Once Upon a Time (Collectables)
Winechuggers Grand Rapids (Arena Rock)
Wintergreen Wintergreen EP (Mt. Fuji)
VA Chicano Rap con Reggaeton (PR)
OST Nick Cave and Warren Ellis The Proposition (original score to film written by Cave) (Mute)
DVD Drift (art film w/soundtrack by Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo) (Plexifilm)
DVD The Diplomats & Friends Book of Hip Hop: Chapter 1 (Image)
DVD Todd Rundgren Liars Live (June 2004 performance) (Sanctuary)
Black Eyed Peas rock Grey Cup
VANCOUVER (CP) - Black Eyed Peas were on the Grey Cup menu Sunday as the Grammy-winning recording artists put on an energetic - and raunchy - hip-hop halftime show before a sellout crowd at B.C. Place.
Led by demonstrative lead rapper Will.I.Am and sultry female vocalist Fergie, the Los Angeles quartet got the crowd of 59,157 out of its seats with Pump It and Don't Phunk With My Heart. Things took a turn for the sleazy when Fergie - adorned in short shorts and a black tank top - suggestively shook her derriere during My Humps.
As she gyrated on stage, Will.I.Am found his way down to the front of the stage, where he mingled with cheerleaders.
Their performance was a far cry from the usual conservative Grey Cup halftime shows. Last year, Canadian icons The Tragically Hip entertained the crowd in Ottawa.
Black Eyed Peas, who have sold over 7.5 million albums worldwide, finished up with a boisterious performance of Let's Get it Started, a song made popular during the 2004 NBA playoffs.
At least two members of the band were in the Grey Cup spirit: the DJ wore a Ricky Ray Edmonton jersey, while the drummer sported a jersey of Eskimos teammate Jason Tucker.
R&B singer Jully Black, a Toronto native, performed O Canada.
Rock Hall of Fame Announces Inductees
NEW YORK - Black Sabbath, Miles Davis and the Sex Pistols are among five musical legends to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation will hold its induction ceremony March 13 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, the organization announced Monday.
Also to be inducted into the class of 2006: 1980s New Wave band Blondie and Southern rockers Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, who founded A&M records in 1962, will receive a lifetime achievement award in the non-performer category.
Inductees into the side-men category will be announced at a later date.
Musicians, industry professionals and journalists vote on the nominations. Artists are eligible to be inducted into the Rock Hall after at least 25 years have passed since their first record was released.