The Couch Potato Report - June 17th, 2006
This week The Couch Potato Report shines the spotlight on three films that didn’t get major theatrical distribution, and three re-issues of films that did.
This week, instead of focusing on THE PINK PANTHER, 16 BLOCKS, KISS KISS BANG BANG, DAVE CHAPPELLE’S BLOCK PARTY, or any of the other titles that are guaranteed to be available to rent and buy at your favourite movie store, I am going to focus on three smaller films.
I’m not doing that because these films are better than those high profile releases, I’m doing it because from time to time I like to bypass the mainstream and go the path less traveled.
And the films I have for you are definitely less traveled.
Which is a a bit of a surprise for the first release I have for you as it has a pretty good pedigree.
A GOOD WOMAN stars Oscar winner Helen Hunt of AS GOOD AS IT GETS and the very talented Scarlett Johannson from LOST IN TRANSLATION, plus, it is based on Oscar Wilde's popular play “Lady Windermere's Fan.”
Hunt plays a Manhattan socialite in the 30's with both a questionable lifestyle and a great deal of debts.
To escape both she flees New York to Italy where she meets a young couple.
Specifically she meets the husband.
But is he helping her get back into respectable society, or assisting her with her questionable lifestyle?
And what will the young wife do when she finds out, no matter what he is actually doing?
Well, you'll have all of your answers by the end of the film.
To it’s credit, A GOOD WOMAN looks good and is always interesting.
Unfortunately, even though it retains the basic storyline of Wilde's original, it doesn’t have the majority of Wilde’s impeccable original dialogue, thus if you didn’t know this was Wilde’s play, you might think the words could just have been re-written by an anonymous scriptwriter.
Also unfortunately, Helen Hunt is miscast as the socialite. I never once thought that she had the style, grace, and beauty that would make men give her money and “take care of her.”
However, those negative things aside, Tom Wilkinson from ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND is wildly fun as a rich man who hopes Hunt will warm his older years, and Scarlett Johannson continues to be an engaging and talented actress who brings something new to every role she plays.
A GOOD WOMAN might not be the best costume drama you see this year, and it certainly could have been a better film, but it is still unique enough to enjoy.
Oh and ONE LAST THING... , no not one last thing about A GOOD WOMAN, ONE LAST THING... is the name of our next film.
That film - ONE LAST THING... - features a premise that sounds worse than any teenage sex comedy that you have ever heard of or seen, even though it isn’t a teenage sex comedy.
That premise is this: A teenage boy dying of cancer makes a last wish to spend a weekend alone with a supermodel.
Like I said, ONE LAST THING... isn’t a teen sex comedy. Yes, it has an absurd premise, but somehow the film is not bad.
It isn’t great, but it isn’t bad.
Had ONE LAST THING... just been a teenage sex comedy, we could dismiss it as stupid and move on. But since it seems to aspire to be something better, I enjoyed it.
Cynthia Nixon from TV’s “Sex And The City” plays the boy’s mother. She is always supportive and understanding towards her son’s wish, yet underneath you can feel the pain of a mother knowing her son is going to die.
It is nowhere near a good or great film, but I enjoyed it, and it wasn’t bad.
Now, on the other hand is TAMARA.
TAMARA is a made-in-Winnipeg film about a mousy and intellectual girl who is murdered and then returns from the dead to exact revenge.
In 1976 there was an American made film about a mousy and abused girl with telekinetic powers who gets pushed too far on one special night and so she seeks revenge.
That movie was called CARRIE.
TAMARA is a sister film to CARRIE, not a good sister, or a sister you should choose over the original, but a sister nonetheless.
As a fan of horror films, I sat down to watch this movie hoping it had some unique stuff in it.
It doesn’t.
In the film evil doesn’t win, but it does have a body count.
Actually, that would be a good tag line for a horror film! “ Evil doesn’t win, but it does have a body count.”
Even though it is a bit cheesy, that just made up tag line is still more creative than anything in TAMARA.
Unless you have to see every horror film ever made, ignore the sister film and just watch CARRIE.
Those are three releases from the roads less traveled at your local video store.
Now, let me quickly tell you about three well traveled roads, or re-releases if you will.
The 1991 film FRIED GREEN TOMATOES is celebrating it’s 15th year with an EXTENDED ANNIVERSARY EDITION.
Oscar winner Kathy Bates from MISERY plays a housewife who is unhappy with her life. She befriends an old lady in a nursing home and is enthralled by the tales she tells of people she used to know.
Oscar winner Jessica Tandy from DRIVING MISS DAISY, is the elder woman and her stories are about Idgie and Ruth and they are all interesting, heartwarming and fun.
Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker play Idgie and Ruth - respectively - and they are just as well cast as Bates and Tandy.
This new EXTENDED ANNIVERSARY EDITION is about 7 minutes longer than the original and it also features a retrospective making of documentary and a wealth of other special features.
I wouldn’t call myself the world’s biggest fan of the film, but I always enjoy watching FRIED GREEN TOMATOES as I like the memories it stirs up from my own life.
I also wouldn't call myself the world’s biggest fan of the FAST AND THE FURIOUS FILMS, and that is because I am not what you would call a “car guy.”
Movies about fast cars and the people who drive them have never appealed to me, but I somehow always end up watching them and feeling a bit testosteroney when they are on.
Now, in THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS - THE FRANCHISE COLLECTION you get to see the original he original 2001 FAST AND THE FURIOUS film, plus it’s 2003 sequel 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS, plus a bonus look inside the soon to be released THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT.
Perhaps they aren’t the greatest movies ever made, but this is good mindless summer fun, all in one DVD Box Set!
Whether you get testosteroney or not!
THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS - THE FRANCHISE COLLECTION, the EXTENDED ANNIVERSARY EDITION of FRIED GREEN TOMATOES, TAMARA, ONE LAST THING* and A GOOD WOMAN are all available now on DVD. They might not all be available at a store near you, but they are all available.
Coming up in the next Couch Potato Report
In the summer of 2005 Neil Young, having just survived a close call with a brain aneurysm, performed two concerts at Nashville's famed Ryman Auditorium. In NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD it's just Neil on the stage with no crowd and no bandmates.
EIGHT BELOW is about two Antarctic explorers who are reluctantly forced by brutal cold to leave their team of sled dogs behind as they fend for their own survival; and LADY AND THE TRAMP II: SCAMP’S ADVENTURE is only about one dog, the son of Disney’s legendary Lady & The Tramp.
George Clooney won an Oscar for his work in SYRIANA. Clooney plays a career CIA agent in this politically-charged movie about the state of the oil industry in the hands of those personally involved and affected by it.
I will also start to review the latest releases of ALFRED HITCHCOCK FILMS on DVD, starting with ROPE, and take a look at the TV shows ROCKFORD FILES - SEASON TWO and COACH - THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON.
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 time on The Couch!
Oilers force Game 6
RALEIGH, N.C. (CP) - The Edmonton Oilers continue to amaze.
They didn't qualify for the NHL playoffs until the 81st game of their 82 in the regular season. They fought their way to the championship series as the first No. 8 seed ever to do so. They were given little chance in the final after losing first-string goalie Dwayne Roloson in the first game. They were all but written off after the Carolina Hurricanes took a 3-1 series lead.
Yet, they've forced the series back to Edmonton for a Game 6 Saturday night.
Fernando Pisani's second goal of the game 3:31 into overtime, on a short-handed breakaway, gave them a 4-3 victory Wednesday night. Ales Hemsky and Mike Peca also scored for the Oilers.
"That's all we were thinking about - just trying to get back to Edmonton for Game 6," said Oilers defenceman Chris Pronger. "It's huge going back home."
Cautioned goaltender Jussi Markkanen: "We still have a long way to go."
It was 3-3 after 40 minutes and it stayed that way until Pisani ended it.
He intercepted a weak pass from Carolina's Cory Stillman, broke in alone on goalie Cam Ward and flicked a wrist shot into the top inside corner of the net.
"It happened so quick," said Pisani. "The pass was coming slow so that's why I jumped up.
"I decided to go for it and it worked out well."
Eric Staal, with two goals, and Ray Whitney scored for the Hurricanes - all on power plays.
The Oilers remain convinced they are the better team and can best survive a long series.
"You get a sense that you're giving yourself an opportunity to get back in the series," said Edmonton coach Craig MacTavish. "We all sensed that.
"We really had a sense that we were starting to turn the tide and momentum .n.n. this puts us right back into it."
Carolina lost two players in Game 5: defenceman Aaron Ward left early in the second period with an upper body injury, and centre Doug Weight hurt his right shoulder early in the third.
Heavy rains that flooded parts of the city earlier in the day didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the 18,974 in the RBC Center. Fans were tailgating under tarps and awnings hours before the opening faceoff.
The Oilers started quickly in their bid to extend the series. Pronger slapped a blue-line drive that Pisani deflected through Ward's legs after only 16 seconds.
"We wanted to get off to a better start and we certainly did that," said Pronger.
Referees Paul Devorski and Mick McGeough dealt Edmonton the first three penalties, and Carolina jumped ahead 2-1 on power plays.
Staal shoved his own rebound past Markkanen at 5:54 and Whitney connected with a high slapshot from the circle to the left of Markkanen, who was screened by Weight. Matt Greene was in the penalty box on both goals, and coach Craig MacTavish used him sparingly the rest of the night.
Entering the game, Carolina was 5-for-25 and Edmonton 1-for-25 on power plays. It was a factor that had swung the series in Carolina's favour.
The Oilers needed to do better, and they did on Carolina's first penalty. With Matt Cullen off, Dick Tarnstrom slid the puck to Hemsky, and Hemsky fired a high bullet from the circle to the right of Ward that found the top of the net at 13:25 for Edmonton's first power-play goal since Game 1.
The Oilers went up 3-2 when Hemsky stickhandled to Ward's doorstep, the puck slid loose to Peca at the side of the crease as Ward was falling, and Peca lifted it into the top of the net at 19:42.
Staal tied it 3-3 at 9:56 of the second period with yet another Carolina power-play goal. Steve Staios was in the penalty box. Ray Whitney's shot missed the net, hit the back boards and bounced off the back of Markkanen's left leg. Staal banged at the puck and it went in for his ninth goal and league-best 27th point.
"It's was breakneck pace - lots of energy, lots of action, lots of chances," said MacTavish. "Heck of a hockey game."
The Hurricanes had to be confident they could win the game and the series in the final 20 minutes because they had outscored opponents 25-10 in their 22 previous playoff games this spring.
But the Oilers hung in there with great defensive play, and Markkanen kept the score even when he got his left shoulder in front of a Whitney shot as the 'Canes stormed his crease with eight minutes left in regulation. The Oilers held Carolina to two shots on Markkanen in the third, and got off five of their own. They were still very much alive, and Pisani proved it.
Notes: Shots on goal were 24-22 in Carolina's favour during regulation time . . . On power plays, Carolina was 3-for-7 in the game to go to 8-for-32 in the series, while Edmonton was 1-for-7 to slip to 2-for-32 in the series . . . Stillman extended his point streak to 13 games with an assist on the Whitney goal . . . Edmonton inserted Todd Harvey in place of Georges Laraque.
Mr. Dressup to go off the air
The tickle trunk will be closed for the last time in September, as CBC officially retires Mr. Dressup.
Ernie Coombs with Casey and Finnegan — no more reruns for the much-loved show.
As of July 3, the show moves from every weekday at 11 a.m. to Sunday morning only and the last broadcast of the much-loved children's show takes place Sept. 3.
The late Ernie Coombs began the show in 1967, delighting children with puppets Casey and Finnegan and a tickle trunk full of costumes and intriguing objects.
The last episode of the show was made in 1996 and it has been rerun ever since. Coombs died in 2001 of a stroke.
The gentle pace of the show is falling out of favour with Canadian children and ratings have been in decline, said Jeff Keay, CBC's head of media relations.
"The thinking is that 11 years of reruns is enough. We have to think about other things to do with our children's programming," he said.
The show enchanted 500,000 preschool children daily in the 1970s. Coombs and puppeteer Judith Lawrence wrote and performed the show until 1990.
Coombs, trained as an artist, led children in arts and crafts, accompanied by two puppet companions, the inquisitive orange-haired Casey and Finnegan, his grey, floppy-eared dog. Finnegan never spoke except to "whisper" in Casey's ear.
New puppet friends Granny, Annie, Truffles and others joined the show in 1990 when Lawrence retired.
Episodes will continue to be available on DVD.
Dixie Chicks bounce back with more shows
The Dixie Chicks, who late last week assured fans that the rumors of their summer tour's demise had been greatly exaggerated, have booked seven new dates for the run, all of which are in either the northeastern US or Canada.
New to the schedule are stops in Uncasville, CT; Wantagh, NY; Atlantic City, NJ; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Saint John, New Brunswick; Montreal; and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Tickets for most of the new shows will hit the box office over the next two weekends. Details are shown in the itinerary below.
Meanwhile, tickets for most of the tour's previously announced dates are already on sale, though some on-sales have been postponed, according to a message posted at the Dixie Chicks' website, which says that tickets for some late-summer shows that were scheduled to go on sale last Saturday (6/10) have been held back "until a final determination is made if [the shows] are going to be moved to the fall."
According to the group's website, on-sale dates are still pending for previously announced shows in Kansas City, MO; St. Louis; Indianapolis; Los Angeles; Las Vegas; Oklahoma City; Memphis; Houston; Jacksonville, FL; and Greensboro, SC.
Last week, some media reports indicated that the trio might be forced to cancel or postpone most or all of its summer dates due to tepid ticket sales in many markets, a situation largely credited to the controversy that has surrounded the group since lead singer Natalie Maines, during a 2003 concert in London, told the audience that she was "ashamed" that President George W. Bush was a fellow Texan.
On Friday (6/9), the group responded to the cancellation rumors with a message posted at its website.
"Any reports being made about the cancellation of our upcoming Accidents And Accusations tour are completely false," the band's statement began.
"We have known since March 2003 that our path in this business would have obstacles at every pass. We have enjoyed meeting each one head-on and we will continue to do so. Dixie Chicks fans are as active and dedicated as they come. This time around we are willingly feeling our way through uncharted territory. Things don't come as easy as they might have come in the past, and it makes each accomplishment more exciting and appreciated."
In contrast to the reported lagging ticket sales, the band's latest album, "Taking the Long Way," is showing healthy sales numbers, selling 526,000 copies its first week of release, according to Nielsen Soundscan, the third largest sales week of any artist this year. The album, which has spent the past two weeks in the No. 1 slot on the Billboard 200 chart, will dip to No. 2 on the forthcoming chart after selling about 175,000 copies during its most recent week in stores, according to Billboard.
On Thursday (6/15), the Dixie Chicks kick off their tour with a sold-out performance at London's Shepherds Bush Empire, the same venue where Maines made her controversial remark in 2003. MSN Video will broadcast the sold-out show at http://dixiechicks.msn.com.
July 2006
21 - Detroit, MI - Joe Louis Arena
22 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
23 - Columbus, OH - Value City Arena
25 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
26 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Casino (on sale 6/23)
28 - Albany, NY - Pepsi Arena
29 - Boston, MA - TD Banknorth Garden
August 2006
1 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
2 - Wantagh, NY - Jones Beach (on sale tba)
4 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center
5 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata (on sale 6/23)
8 - Halifax, Nova Scotia - Metro Centre (on sale 6/24)
10 - Saint John, New Brunswick - Harbour Station (on sale 6/24)
12 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre (on sale 6/17)
13 - London, Ontairo - Labatt Centre (on sale 6/17)
15 - Chicago, IL - United Center
18 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center
19 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre (on sale 6/17)
20 - Kansas City, MO - Kemper Arena (on sale tba)
22 - St. Louis, MO - Savvis Center (on sale tba)
23 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse (on sale tba)
24 - Des Moines, IA - Wells Fargo Arena
26 - Fargo, ND - Fargodome
September 2006
3 - Glendale, AZ - Glendale Arena
6 - Fresno, CA - SaveMart Center (on sale tba)
8 - Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena
9 - Oakland, CA - Oakland Arena
14 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center (on sale tba)
16 - Las Vegas, NV - Mandalay Bay Events Center (on sale tba)
23 - Omaha, NE - Qwest Center Omaha
24 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
26 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center (on sale tba)
27 - Memphis, TN - FedEx Forum (on sale tba)
29 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
30 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center (on sale tba)
October 2006
1 - Austin, TX - Frank Erwin Center
3 - Nashville, TN - Gaylord Entertainment Center
5 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
6 - Jacksonville, FL - Veterans Memorial Arena (on sale tba)
7 - Sunrise, FL - BankAtlantic Center
17 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
20 - Knoxville, TN - Thompson-Boling Arena
22 - Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Coliseum (on sale tba)
27 - Ottawa, Ontario - Scotiabank Place
28, 29 - Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre
November 2006
4 - Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place
5 - Calgary, Alberta - Pengrowth Saddledome
8 - Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place
9 - Portland, OR - Rose Garden Arena
11 - Tacoma, WA - Tacoma Dome
Jerry Lewis Suffers Heart Attack
Jerry Lewis' health is no laughing matter.
Just days after the legendary comedian held a news conference to announce his return to performing after a five-year hiatus, he suffered what was described as a "very minor" heart attack on Sunday.
The 80-year-old entertainer reportedly fell ill on a cross-country flight from New York to San Diego and was rushed to the hospital when the plane touched down.
"It was determined that he suffered a very minor heart attack and that he has a touch of pneumonia," Candi Cazau, Lewis' Las Vegas-based publicist told Reuters. She said that Lewis was being treated at a San Diego hospital and was expected to make a full recovery.
"He's doing extremely well," she added.
A slate of comeback appearances Lewis had scheduled at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from July 13 through July 16 have been canceled, though Lewis still expects to host his annual Labor Day telethon for muscular dystrophy in September.
The performances were to be Lewis' first since his five-year battle with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung ailment.
In January 2004, the comic was discharged from a three-month stay in rehab, where he weaned himself off of prednisone, a steroid drug he had taken since 2001 to treat the disease. As a result, he shed some 50 pounds he had gained as a side effect of the drug.
Last week, Lewis announced his plans to direct a musical adaptation of his classic film The Nutty Professor, with the hopes of bringing it to Broadway by 2008. Those plans, according to the project's executive producer, Ned McLeod, are still on.
"We support and will be by Jerry on any health issue that comes up for him...It's not going to affect us," McLeod told the Associated Press.
On Friday, Lewis was the guest of honor at a Friar's Club roast and on Saturday, he attended a party with the cast and crew of NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, on which he is slated to make two guest appearances this season, according to his rep.
In March, he was in Paris to receive his second legion of honor award, France's highest civilian honor.
'Wonderful Life' tops inspiring film list
LOS ANGELES - George Bailey's brother proclaimed him the richest man in Bedford Falls. Now the story of the despondent businessman, who got a chance to see how ugly the world would be without him, has been proclaimed the most inspiring American movie.
Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life," starring James Stewart as the disillusioned George, led the American Film Institute's list of inspirational films revealed Wednesday in the group's annual top-100 TV special that aired on CBS.
"We all connect to that story. We may not all connect to the story of a fighter from Philadelphia or a singing family in the Austrian Alps," said the TV special's producer, Bob Gazzale, referring to two other films on the list, "Rocky" and "The Sound of Music."
"But there's no way to get away from the inspiring story of George Bailey. It relates to us all."
"To Kill a Mockingbird," with Gregory Peck as the upright Southern dad seeking justice for a wrongly accused black man, was No. 2 on the list chosen from 300 nominated films on ballots sent to 1,500 filmmakers, actors, critics and others in Hollywood.
Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List," starring Liam Neeson as a German businessman who saves his Jewish workers from extermination by the Nazis, was No. 3.
Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" was fourth, while another Capra-Stewart collaboration, the political saga "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," ranked fifth.
Spielberg landed two other films in the top 10, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (No. 6) and "Saving Private Ryan" (No. 10). Rounding out the top 10: "The Grapes of Wrath" (No. 7), "Breaking Away" (No. 8) and "Miracle on 34th Street" (No. 9).
The 1946 classic "It's a Wonderful Life" is the story of a man who dreamed of escaping his dreary town and making a mark in the world. Circumstance traps George Bailey in tiny Bedford Falls, where he runs his family's penny-ante building and loan and battles the town's miserly overlord.
One Christmas Eve, facing scandal and criminal charges after his uncle misplaces $8,000, George is driven to attempt suicide, but an angel steps in to show him all the good he's done and what a harsher place the world would be without him.
As family and friends rally to his rescue, George learns to embrace the life he thought he loathed and receives a heartfelt toast from his sibling: "To my big brother George — the richest man in town."
With five films, Spielberg led directors in the top 100. Spielberg's others were "The Color Purple" (No. 51) and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (No. 58). Capra was next with four films, his others being "Meet John Doe" (No. 49) and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (No. 83).
Sidney Poitier and Gary Cooper each appeared in five films. Poitier had "In the Heat of the Night" (No. 21), "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (No. 35), "Lilies of the Field" (No. 46), "The Defiant Ones" (No. 55) and "A Raisin in the Sun" (No. 65). Cooper was in Capra's "Meet John Doe" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," plus "The Pride of the Yankees" (No. 22), "High Noon" (No. 27) and "Sergeant York" (No. 57).
The films ranged widely, including sports tales ("Hoosiers" at No. 13 and "Field of Dreams" at No. 28), real-life drama ("Apollo 13" at No. 12 and "What's Love Got to Do With It" at No. 85), musicals ("The Wizard of Oz" at No. 26 and "Fiddler on the Roof" at No. 82), science fiction ("Star Wars" at No. 39 and "2001: A Space Odyssey" at No. 47) and family films ("Pinocchio" at No. 38 and "Babe" at No. 80).
The oldest movie was Charles Chaplin's 1931 silent film "City Lights" (No. 33). The newest were two from 2004, "Hotel Rwanda" (No. 90) and "Ray" (No. 99).
Past AFI lists have included best comedies, movie quotes, songs and love stories.
With the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the war in Iraq and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the group wanted to examine films that offer hope.
"This was kind of an interesting moment in American history, coming off Sept. 11, being at war, having natural disasters of such tremendous impact. What role do the movies play at times of really emotional turmoil?" said Jean Picker Firstenberg, AFI director. "I think the movies are fundamentally a very inspirational way we communicate, and we thought this was an exciting opportunity to recognize those films."
'Wonderful Life' tops AFI inspiring list
LOS ANGELES - The American Film Institute's list of the 100 most-inspiring movies, with film title and year of release:
1. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946
2. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962
3. "Schindler's List," 1993
4. "Rocky," 1976
5. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," 1939
6. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982
7. "The Grapes of Wrath," 1940
8. "Breaking Away," 1979
9. "Miracle on 34th Street," 1947
10. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998
11. "The Best Years of Our Lives," 1946
12. "Apollo 13," 1995
13. "Hoosiers," 1986
14. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957
15. "The Miracle Worker," 1962
16. "Norma Rae," 1979
17. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," 1975
18. "The Diary of Anne Frank," 1959
19. "The Right Stuff," 1983
20. "Philadelphia," 1993
21. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967
22. "The Pride of the Yankees," 1942
23. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994
24. "National Velvet," 1944
25. "Sullivan's Travels," 1941
26. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939
27. "High Noon," 1952
28. "Field of Dreams," 1989
29. "Gandhi," 1982
30. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962
31. "Glory," 1989
32. "Casablanca," 1942
33. "City Lights," 1931
34. "All the President's Men," 1976
35. "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," 1967
36. "On the Waterfront," 1954
37. "Forrest Gump," 1994
38. "Pinocchio," 1940
39. "Star Wars," 1977
40. "Mrs. Miniver," 1942
41. "The Sound of Music," 1965
42. "12 Angry Men," 1957
43. "Gone With the Wind," 1939
44. "Spartacus," 1960
45. "On Golden Pond," 1981
46. "Lilies of the Field," 1963
47. "2001: a Space Odyssey," 1968
48. "The African Queen," 1951
49. "Meet John Doe," 1941
50. "Seabiscuit," 2003
51. "The Color Purple," 1985
52. "Dead Poet's Society," 1989
53. "Shane," 1953
54. "Rudy," 1993
55. "The Defiant Ones," 1958
56. "Ben-Hur," 1959
57. "Sergeant York," 1941
58. "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," 1977
59. "Dances With Wolves," 1990
60. "The Killing Fields," 1984
61. "Sounder," 1972
62. "Braveheart," 1995
63. "Rain Man," 1988
64. "The Black Stallion," 1979
65. "A Raisin in the Sun," 1961
66. "Silkwood," 1983
67. "The Day the Earth Stood Still," 1951
68. "An Officer and a Gentleman," 1982
69. "The Spirit of St. Louis," 1957
70. "Coal Miner's Daughter," 1980
71. "Cool Hand Luke," 1967
72. "Dark Victory," 1939
73. "Erin Brockovich," 2000
74. "Gunga Din," 1939
75. "The Verdict," 1982
76. "Birdman of Alcatraz," 1962
77. "Driving Miss Daisy," 1989
78. "Thelma & Louise," 1991
79. "The Ten Commandments," 1956
80. "Babe," 1995
81. "Boys Town," 1938
82. "Fiddler on the Roof," 1971
83. "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," 1936
84. "Serpico," 1973
85. "What's Love Got to Do With It," 1993
86. "Stand and Deliver," 1988
87. "Working Girl," 1988
88. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," 1942
89. "Harold and Maude," 1972
90. "Hotel Rwanda," 2004
91. "The Paper Chase," 1973
92. "Fame," 1980
93. "A Beautiful Mind," 2001
94. "Captains Courageous," 1937
95. "Places in the Heart," 1984
96. "Searching for Bobby Fischer," 1993
97. "Madame Curie," 1943
98. "The Karate Kid," 1984
99. "Ray," 2004
100. "Chariots of Fire," 1981
Hicks tops People's 'hot bachelor' list
NEW YORK - "American Idol" Taylor Hicks is ranked as the No. 1 "hottest bachelor" by People magazine — and he's looking for love.
The 29-year-old silver-haired crooner tops People's list in the magazine's new issue, on newsstands Friday. But the "Idol" winner says he'd happily give up his bachelor days.
"There's been no time," Hicks says of his dating life. "Now, I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life with the right woman."
Hicks also wants to find a woman he exchanged glances with on a recent airline flight. Of the mystery blonde, he says, "We waved and did a double-take look. It seemed like something out of a movie."
The magazine has set up e-mail and mailing addresses for the mystery woman to contact Hicks. The singer will also perform the song "Possibilities" in a new commercial for the Ford Motor Co., it was announced Wednesday.
Other "hot" bachelors — who aren't ranked by the magazine — are several celebrities no longer involved in high-profile romances, including Matthew McConaughey (ex-boyfriend of Penelope Cruz), Nick Lachey (formerly married to Jessica Simpson), Jake Gyllenhaal (who dated Kirsten Dunst) and Kenny Chesney (briefly married to Renee Zellweger).
The list also includes Ryan Seacrest, Jamie Foxx, Owen Wilson and Wentworth Miller.
News Corp to muster all units for "Simpsons" film
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - In the months before 20th Century Fox launches its big-screen version of "The Simpsons" next year, parent company News Corp. plans to muster every part of its entertainment empire to promote the film, president and chief operating officer Peter Chernin said Tuesday.
In so doing, News Corp. will maximize the marketing muscle of its various divisions while allowing them to benefit from the halo effect of the popular cartoon franchise, Chernin explained.
Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Media & Telecommunications Conference that was available via Web cast, Chernin said News Corp. held a three-hour meeting last week with about 40 executives from across the company, including its licensing, home video, book, satellite TV and broadcast network operations from around the world, as well as the film's executive producer, James L. Brooks, to discuss broader strategies related to the film's release.
By looking for synergies within the company, Chernin told investors that News Corp. could win several hundred million dollars in incremental revenue from the "Simpsons" film during the next couple of years.
Fox unveiled the July 27, 2007, release date of "The Simpsons Movie" on March 31 via an animated 28-second teaser debuted before screenings of Fox's "Ice Age: The Meltdown."
It was Brooks' idea that a surprise teaser would be a better way of announcing the film than using a conventional news announcement.
Chernin's comments about the release strategy behind the "Simpsons" film -- among the first tidbits that have emerged about it -- came as part of a broader defense by the executive Tuesday of the value of having various units of entertainment giants work together despite recent remarks from top sector executives who have questioned the value of such efforts.
While pointing to the successful recent launches of "Meltdown" and "X-Men: The Last Stand" as evidence that his firm does "a better job than anybody" in bringing the power of various media operations together behind a film, Chernin said "Simpsons" offered a particularly big opportunity thanks to its status as "one of the most valuable ... content brands in the world."
"The great thing about the 'Simpsons' (film) is it is an opportunity to go both ways," he said. "We can not only use those parts of the company to help us launch that movie, but we can use the movie to help us increase the value of the brand" across the various News Corp. media platforms that offer "Simpsons" content.
Chernin said the entertainment titan will use what he called a "pulse campaign" to release key details about the movie and promote it in three waves, which will happen in November, February and May TV sweep periods.
A Fish Called Wanda comes as a Special Edition this August
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing the MGM comedy A Fish Called Wanda this August as a brand new 2-Disc Collector’s Edition.
Tour-de-force performances from an unparalleled comic cast highlight this much-loved hit. Monty Pythoners John Cleese and Michael Palin join Oscar winner Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis in an entertainment so impeccably timed and executed that it borders an pure genius.
Four conniving jewel thieves...three yorkshire terriers...two heaving bosoms and one proper British barrister. When a girl called Wanda (Curtis) tries to deceive her Nietzsche-quoting boyfriend (Kline), an animal-loving hitman (Palin) and an embarrassment-prone counselor (Cleese) out of a fortune in jewels in this hilariously funny farce, be prepared for an endless array of side-splitting jokes and hair raising plot twists.
This new Collector’s Edition will offer up a hours of great bonus materials to accompany the film, such as a selection of Alternate Scenes and Deleted Scenes with introductions by John Cleese. A Commentray Track by John Cleese is also included on the release, as well as the Documentary “Something Fishy.” A number of smaller Featurettes can also be found on the DVD set, such as “Farewell Featurette: John Cleese,” “John Cleese’s First Farewell Performance” and “Kulture Vulture.” In addition John Cleese’ First Farewell Performance will be found on the release also, as well as an Interview With John Cleese. The disc set is rounded out by the movie’s Theatrical Trailer.
“A Fish Called Wanda” will be in stores on August 1 with a suggested retail price of $24.98.
Letterman funds Colbert, Sedaris film
LAS VEGAS (AP) - Need money? Plug Explod-O-Pop.
When secret investors pulled out from Strangers With Candy, a comedy starring Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert, director Paul Dinello turned to late-show host David Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Inc.
"We needed to get money in a week. We called Worldwide Pants and they said, 'We'll pay for the whole thing and you guys can do what you want,' " Dinello said at the CineVegas film festival last week. "The only thing we had to do was we had to put in Explod-O-Pop."
The plug for the microwavable popcorn that Letterman gives to guests and sells at the CBS online store was a nice gesture, not a condition for funding, Dinello said. Besides, Letterman adores Sedaris as a comedian, he said.
"He gives that money to charity," Dinello said. "I mean he didn't like say, 'Either you put this in or we're pulling our funding out.' "
Strangers With Candy is the $3-million US prequel to the Comedy Central cult hit show that ran from 1999 to 2001. It is about a 46-year-old ex-junkie, Jerri Blank, who leaves prison and re-enters high school to succeed and hopefully snap her father out of a coma.
The film is set for a limited distribution by Think Film Company Inc. at around 100 theatres in major U.S. cities starting June 28.
New CD releases for Tuesday, June 13th, 2006:
Rather Ripped - Sonic Youth
One-X - Three Days Grace
The Big Bang - Busta Rhymes
Earth to America - Widespread Panic
Sinner - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
12 Gardens Live - Billy Joel
The Best of the Replacements - The Replacements
A Half Century of Hits - Jerry Lee Lewis
Suitcase - Keb' Mo'
Un Nue Dia - Frankie J
Turquoise and Crimson - VAST
The Warning - Hot Chip
One Cold Night - Seether
Begin to Hope - Regina Spektor
Wide-Eyed and Mystified - Downhere
Fly - Chris Janz
Moro No Brasil: Music From the Soundtrack - Various Artists
Stars Help Bennett Celebrate 80th On 'Duets'
As first reported here in February, some of the biggest names in music have joined Tony Bennett for his 80th birthday celebration album, "Duets -- An American Classic." The 18-track project arrives Sept. 26 via RPM/Columbia and boasts guest appearances by Bono, Dixie Chicks, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Sting, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello and Elton John, among others.
"I'm just so thrilled that all these contemporary artists want to sing with me," Bennett told Billboard in February from Capitol's Studio A, where he was recording "Rags to Riches" with John. "They're all making me feel so good."
All of the songs were recorded with the guest artist in the same studio with Bennett. The track list includes "The Very Thought of You" with McCartney, "I Wanna Be Around" with Bono, "Smile" with Streisand and "For Once in My Life" with Wonder. Bennett has also revisited his signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," accompanied only by pianist Bill Charlap.
"Duets" will be available in an exclusive edition at Target featuring additional duets and a behind-the-scenes DVD. Target is also sponsoring a prime-time special, to air in the fall with guests to be announced.
In addition, Legacy Recordings is at work on a limited-edition boxed set of Bennett's work and is planning to reissue several albums that have never been available on CD. Finally, actor/director Clint Eastwood is executive producing a Bennett documentary, due for completion in 2007.
Here is the track list for "Duets -- An American Classic":
"Boulevard of Broken Dreams," with Sting
"Smile," with Barbra Streisand and Pinchas Zukerman
"Put on a Happy Face," with James Taylor
"The Shadow of Your Smile," with Juanes
"Rags to Riches," with Elton John
"The Very Thought of You," with Paul McCartney
"Lullaby of Broadway," with Dixie Chicks
"Cold, Cold Heart," with Tim McGraw
"The Best Is Yet To Come," with Diana Krall
"For Once in My Life," with Stevie Wonder
"Are You Havin' Any Fun?," with Elvis Costello
"Because of You," with k.d. lang and Chris Botti
"Just in Time," with Michael Buble
"Sing You Sinners," with John Legend
"The Good Life," with Billy Joel
"I Wanna Be Around," with Bono
"How Do You Keep the Music Playing," with George Michael
"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" with Bill Charlap
Dylan surveys "Modern Times" on new album
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Bob Dylan will end a five-year hiatus from the studio later this summer with his 44th album, "Modern Times," a 10-track set recorded earlier this year with his touring band.
Due for release August 29 via Columbia Records, the new album follows 2001's "Love and Theft," the No. 5 debut of which was Dylan's best showing on the Billboard 200 since 1979's "Slow Train Coming."
"Love and Theft," which won a Grammy for best contemporary folk album, has sold more than 757,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
"Modern Times" includes such tracks as "When The Deal Goes Down," "Spirit on the Water," "Thunder on the Mountain" and "Workingman's Blues," according to Columbia.
Dylan, who recently began hosting his own "Theme Time Radio Hour" on XM Satellite Radio, is not currently on the road, having wrapped a six-week North American tour last month in Hollywood, Florida.
In other Dylan news, Martin Scorsese's 2005 documentary "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan" won the grand prize and the arts documentary prize Monday night at the 27th Banff Rockie Awards in Banff, Alberta.
Original Beach Boys members reunite
LOS ANGELES - The surviving founders of the Beach Boys — Brian Wilson, Mike Love and Al Jardine — made their first public appearance together in 10 years Tuesday, standing atop the historic Capitol Records building in Hollywood.
The trio gathered to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the landmark "Pet Sounds" album and the recent double-platinum certification of 2003's "Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys." The trio was joined by veteran band member Bruce Johnston and former Beach Boy David Marks.
"It's always good to do this while we're living," Jardine quipped to reporters before the event, in which band members were presented with framed plaques each containing two platinum vinyl records.
Plaques also were issued posthumously to Wilson's brothers, Carl and Dennis — both original Beach Boys members.
The reunion of the Beach Boys came after decades of animosity between Love and Wilson, who are cousins.
Love sued Wilson in November, saying Wilson "shamelessly misappropriated (Love's) songs, likeness and the Beach Boys trademark, as well as the `Smile' album itself" when Wilson was promoting 2004's "Smile." Love previously sued his cousin in the mid-1990s, seeking more songwriting credit on the band's back catalog.
The two shared a friendly rapport Tuesday, standing side by side and patting each other on the back. In thanking his bandmates, Love lauded "my cousin Brian Wilson, for his incredible abilities that gave us all this amazing life."
When asked if all hatchets have been buried, Love pointed to his back.
"The hatchets are right here," he said with a laugh.
Loved added that between the band members "there's issues that arise, and you resolve them over time."
Of the reunion, he said: "We've been together, just in different configurations and different situations. But this is a great one because everybody's in a celebratory mood, everybody's on their good behavior and everybody's enjoying the fact that our records have been recognized even 40 years after we first put (them) out."
A second greatest-hits compilation, called "The Warmth of the Sun," is planned for release next spring, Love and Wilson said.
Eminem to return to big screen in Western
DETROIT - Eminem will return to the big screen in an updated version of the television Western "Have Gun — Will Travel."
Paramount Pictures has extended an 18-month option on the property to develop it as a vehicle for the Detroit rapper, Daily Variety reported Tuesday. The show debuted on CBS in 1957 and ran until 1963.
Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers III, has committed to shoot the role and is excited about his latest opportunity, Interscope Records spokesman Dennis Dennehy told The Associated Press. Dennehy did not provide additional details.
The concept of the series will be updated to contemporary times and feature Eminem playing a bounty hunter, Daily Variety said.
The 33-year-old Grammy-winning rapper rose to stardom with best-selling CDs, deeply personal lyrics and a starring role in the 2002 film "8 Mile."
Eminem is also expected to be involved in producing the soundtrack of the new film.
"Have Gun — Will Travel" starred Richard Boone, who earned Emmy nominations in 1959 and 1960 for his portrayal of gunfighter-for-hire Paladin.