The Couch Potato Report - May 26th, 2007
This week The Couch Potato Report peels some Inuit journals, a few Oscar nominees and a moustache.
Another very busy week with five new films to talk about, so let me get right to them!
The original Inuktitut language is spoken in THE JOURNALS OF KNUD RASMUSSEN, a Canadian film about an Inuit shaman and his headstrong daughter.
This is the latest release from the people who gave us the superb THE FAST RUNNER back in 2001.
THE JOURNALS OF KNUD RASMUSSEN is told from the views of a man who traveled the Arctic in the 1920s. There is no narration, but what he sees and discovers is what we experience as well.
And these experiences are very uique.
This is a movie with some great stories, and some superb acting, from a mostly unknown cast of actors.
There is a point in the film where the shaman is explaining how he survived his birth, despite a curse on his mother, and became the leader of his people.
It is all done in one extremely long take, one that goes on for almost twenty minutes.
I'd like to see some of the biggest names in Hollywood do that!!
My only complaint with THE JOURNALS OF KNUD RASMUSSEN is that it has some of the worst subtitles I have ever seen.
There are many times when people on screen are talking, mostly in groups to other people, and instead of telling us what is being said, the subtiles just read "lamenting", "murmuring" and "chattering".
I wanted to know what was being said so I could understand the characters even more, but I didn't get it.
And unless you speak Inuktitut, you'll never get it either, because the subtitles don't tell us.
And you may not even want to, THE JOURNALS OF KNUD RASMUSSEN isn't the type of film that is for everyone because it is very, very slow moving.
But, this film that takes place in the Canadian Arctic in January of 1912 does feature several things in it that you aren't going to see in many films - like the construction of an igloo, for instance - and that is why it is worth seeing.
It is not an exceptional film, but it is exceptionally interesting from start to finish.
Up next this week is VENUS. This movie features screen legend Peter O'Toole in his Oscar Nominated role as an aging actor who finds a new friend in a young woman who becomes his ideal of female beauty
Peter O'Toole has starred in some of the greatest films ever made - including Goodbye, Mr. Chips, The Lion in Winter, and Lawrence of Arabia - and in VENUS he plays a famous actor who - not unlike the man himself - is in the twilight of his career, and life.
His "Venus" is the niece of his friend.
At first she ignores him as she does her elderly Uncle.
But then they come to a mutally beneficial arrangement.
He spends money on her, and she makes him feel young.
O'Toole and the other actors in VENUS do a great job, but I was ultimately disappointed by the film.
The emotions and relationships seem real, but parts of the story feel forced. There is also a subplot about a boyfriend for the neice that is completely unnecessary.
VENUS isn't a bad film, but it isn't good enough to recommend.
And that is true about THE GOOD GERMAN as well.
Tobey Maguire, George Clooney and Cate Blanchett star in THE GOOD GERMAN.
Clooney is an American military journalist in post-war Berlin who is drawn into a murder investigation involving his former mistress, his driver, and a man named Emile Brandt.
The film tries to answer the question: Who is Emile Brandt, while the question that I have is how did director Steven Soderbergh let a film with this many flaws get released. The story moves from one uninteresting plot point to another with no sense of momentum, the acting is unfocussed and even though the film was shot in black-and-white, there is nothing special about that either.
If you are the type of film lover who always laments that "they don't make 'em like they used to", then you might enjoy the look and feel of THE GOOD GERMAN.
Usually I am that type of person, but this film just didn't do it for me. I am glad I saw it, but I won't ever see it again.
I will see our next film this week again...in fact, I have seen it three times already.
That film is Clint Eastwood's Academy Award nominated LETTER FROM IWO JIMA.
Originally envisioned as a companion piece to Eastwood's FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS this second movie is no companion. It surpasses that movie!
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS is a very uninteresting movie that tells the life stories of the six men who raised the flag at The Battle of Iwo Jima, those men have been seen millions of times in the iconic photograph that was taken of them.
LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA tells the other side of that Battle...a side unseen in a Hollywood film until now.
This film shows us the Battle from the perspective of the Japanese.
Whereas FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS was over long, boring at times, and a complete waste of my time, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is engaging, full of interesting characters, and with it's unique perspective, I enjoyed it immensely.
The film was nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Writing, Original Screenplay for Canadian Paul Haggis' original story, and Best Picture.
It certainly was one of the best films of 2006.
And since it is in Japanese with subtitles, it gives me a great segue into our FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD.
The action filled, very loud, very hyped, check-your-brain-at-the-door summer movie season is upon us in theatres, this week's entry is the very loud, very explosive and very hyped sequel PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN - AT WORLD'S END.
So, if you would like something different, I'll be offering you an alternative every week.
This week's selection is the French film LA MOUSTACHE.
This film begins in a bathtub as a man is washing and shaving.
He tells his wife that he is thinking about shaving off his moustache and her immediate reply is "I don't know you without it."
So as she goes out to get some food, he shaves it off.
Once she returns home he playfully hides his face and the reveals his newly shaven face to he, and waits patiently for his wife's reaction.
But neither she nor his friends seem to notice.
Then, he calls them on it, and they all insist he never had a mustache.
Is he going crazy?!?
Is he the victim of some elaborate conspiracy?!?
Or has something gone terribly awry with the world just because he has shaved off his moustache?!?
Well, I am sure not going to tell you.
LA MOUSTACHE is a very interesting film because it doesn't provide an easily understood ending with everything explained and a bow on top.
Instead, it will leave you with more than a few questions, and you can fill in the blanks any way you'd like.
Watch it with someone you enjoy talking about movies with, because you will definately want to discuss it when it is over.
It is another must see entry in the FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD
LA MOUSTACHE, the engaging LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA, the not very special THE GOOD GERMAN, and VENUS, and the not exceptional, but exceptionally interesting, Canadian film THE JOURNALS OF KNUD RASMUSSEN are all now available on DVD.
Coming up in the next Couch Potato Report
THE MICHAEL J. FOX COMEDY COLLECTION features four of his best known films not named BACK TO THE FUTURE, including THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS.
We will also meet a cinematic monster in HANNIBAL RISING and a real one in the documentary DELIVER US FROM EVIL. Plus, Season Two of teh superb television series THE CLOSER is now on DVD and the FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL on DVD continues with the Finnish film FC VENUS, a romantic comedy about men, women and soccer.
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!
Sandler's 'Gay Robot' May Get Animated
Comedy Central is reportedly considering reimagining Adam Sandler's "Gay Robot" pilot as a potential animated series.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Comedy Central is giving thought to redeveloping the property after clips of "Gay Robot" acquired a cult following on sites including MySpace and YouTube.
Sony Pictures Television and Sandler and Jack Giarraputo's Happy Madision Productions did "Gay Robot," based on a Sandler skit, in live action form for Comedy Central back in 2005.
The cable network opted not to pick up the pilot, which featured the voice of Nick Swardson, who also co-wrote the pilot with Tom Gianas and originated the character on Sander's comedy album "Shhh... Don't Tell."
"Gay Robot" tells the story of a robot who turns out gay after his designer accidentally spilled a wine cooler on his circuits. In the pilot, the rainbox-festooned title character was prone to hanging out with a group of frat boys who try to get him a date to the homecoming dance.
Gay Robot has 32,000-plus MySpace friends and the clips on YouTube have tens of thousands of page views.
Green Day Punks Up 'Simpsons' Theme Song
In a new twist, the score soundtrack for the upcoming "Simpsons" movie, featuring Green Day's rendition of the show's famous theme, will be released simultaneously by three companies.
On July 24, three days before the film opens in U.S. theaters, Warner Bros. Records will put out the Green Day single (the band also appears in the film). Fox Music will make a digital score album available through its Web site and other outlets. And Extreme Music, usually known for its vast production music library, will release 25,000 pink doughnut cases to such specialty retailers as Best Buy, Circuit City, Wal-Mart and Barnes & Noble.
For traditionalists, jewel-cased CDs also will be available. "We really wanted to think outside of the box," Fox Music president Robert Kraft says. "'The Simpsons Movie' was a perfect vehicle to try a new approach."
The idea largely was the brainchild of Kraft and composer Hans Zimmer, who scored the film. "Hans has a great relationship with Extreme Music," Kraft says. "They are known for their creative packaging. The model of handing over a soundtrack or score to a traditional label and then hoping it does well is changing. This is a coordinated marketing effort of behalf of Extreme, the studio and Warner Bros. Records."
As previously reported, Green Day recently recorded a cover of another famous tune, John Lennon's "Working Class Hero," for the upcoming Darfur benefit "Instant Karma." The song, which the group performed on Wednesday's "American Idol" finale, climbs 25-14 on this week's Billboard Modern Rock chart.
New Garbage Song Enriches CD/DVD Compilation
A newly recorded Garbage single, "Tell Me Where It Hurts," will be included on an upcoming best-of collection, "Absolute Garbage." Due July 17 via Geffen, the CD/DVD combo includes 17 audio tracks on its first disc, a second disc with 14 remixes and a DVD with 15 music videos, live clips and behind-the-scenes footage.
Among the acts chipping in with remixes on the bonus disc are UNKLE, Massive Attack, the Crystal Method, Todd Terry and Felix Da Housecat.
Meanwhile, "Tell Me Where It Hurts" will arrive July 9 on two separate 7-inch vinyl singles -- one with the B-side "Bad Boyfriend (Sting Like a Bee remix)" and the other with "All the Good in This Life." The CD single sports the B-side "Betcha." A video for the new song, directed by Sophie Muller, began airing internationally last week.
Garbage has been on hiatus since 2005, although the group reunited in late January to play a benefit concert in Glendale, Calif. It is unknown if further activity is in the offing, as frontwoman Shirley Manson is moving forward with her first solo album.
Here is the track list for "Absolute Garbage:
Disc one:
"Vow"
"Queer"
"Only Happy When It Rains"
"Stupid Girl"
"Milk"
"#1 Crush"
"Push It"
"I Think I'm Paranoid"
"Special"
"When I Grow Up"
"You Look So Fine"
"The World is Not Enough"
"Cherry Lips"
"Shut Your Mouth"
"Why Do You Love Me"
"Bleed Like Me"
"Tell Me Where It Hurts"
"It's All Over But the Crying"
Disc two (remixes):
"The World Is Not Enough" (UNKLE remix)
"When I Grow Up" (Kagz Kooner remix)
"Special" (Brothers In Rhythm remix)
"Breaking Up the Girl" (Timo Maas remix)
"Milk" (Massive Attack remix)
"Cherry Lips" (Roger Sanchez remix)
"Androgyny" (Felix Da Housecat remix)
"Queer" (Rabbit In The Moon remix)
"Paranoid" (Crystal Method remix)
"Stupid Girl" (Todd Terry remix)
"Androgyny" (the Neptunes remix)
"You Look So Fine" (Fun Lovin' Criminals remix)
"Push It" (Boom Boom Satellites remix)
"Bad Boyfriend" (Garbage remix)
DVD:
"Vow"
"Queer"
"Only Happy When It Rains"
"Stupid Girl"
"Milk"
"Push It"
"I Think I'm Paranoid"
"Special"
"When I Grow Up"
"You Look So Fine"
"The World Is Not Enough"
"Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go)"
"Shut Your Mouth"
"Why Do You Love Me"
"Bleed Like Me"
"Tell Me Where It Hurts" (ex-North America ONLY)
"Thanks For Your Uhh Support"
Paul Newman says he's too old for acting
NEW YORK - Paul Newman says he's given up acting.
"I'm not able to work anymore as an actor at the level I would want to," Newman, 82, told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Thursday. "You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention. So that's pretty much a closed book for me."
Newman, star of films such as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," added: "I've been doing it for 50 years. That's enough."
He has other plates spinning. Newman plans to focus on the Dressing Room, his new organic restaurant in Westport, Conn., and his Hole in the Wall Gang camps for critically ill children.
His Newman's Own brand of dressings, pasta sauces, popcorn and salsa has raised more than $200 million for charities.
Newman, who won an Oscar for his leading role in 1986's "The Color of Money," was last seen — or heard, rather — as the voice of Doc Hudson in the 2006 animated feature "Cars."
Rosie fights last fight on 'The View'
NEW YORK - Rosie O'Donnell has fought her last fight at "The View." ABC said Friday she asked for, and received, an early exit from her contract at the daytime chatfest following her angry confrontation with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on Wednesday. She was due to leave in mid-June.
It ended a colorful eight-month tenure for O'Donnell that lifted the show's ratings but no doubt caused heartburn for show creator Barbara Walters. O'Donnell feuded with Donald Trump and frequently had snippy exchanges with the more conservative Hasselbeck.
O'Donnell said last month she would be leaving because she could not agree to a new contract with ABC executives.
"Rosie contributed to one of our most exciting and successful years at `The View,'" Walters said. "I am most appreciative. Our close and affectionate relationship will not change."
In a statement, O'Donnell said that "it's been an amazing year and I love all three women."
No one was feeling the love on Wednesday, when the argument with Hasselbeck began over O'Donnell's statement last week about the war: "655,000 Iraqi civilians have died. Who are the terrorists?"
Talk show critics accused O'Donnell of calling U.S. troops terrorists. She called Hasselbeck "cowardly" for not saying anything in response to the critics.
"Do not call me a coward, because No. 1, I sit here every single day, open my heart and tell people what I believe," Hasselbeck retorted, and their riveting exchange continued despite failed attempts by their co-hosts to cut to a commercial.
According to a New York Post report, O'Donnell's chief writer, Janette Barber, was allegedly led out of the building on Wednesday after she was caught drawing mustaches on photographs of Hasselbeck in "The View" studios. ABC executives didn't return repeated calls for questions on the incident Friday.
On Thursday O'Donnell had asked for a day off to celebrate her partner's birthday. "The View" aired a taped show on Friday.
On her Web site, O'Donnell posted a scrapbooklike video on Friday with pictures and news clippings of her tenure at "The View." Cyndi Lauper's "Sisters of Babylon" played in the background.
A day earlier, she posted messages on her Web site indicating she might not be back.
"When painting there is a point u must step away from the canvas as the work is done," she wrote. "Any more would take away."