The Couch Potato Report - September 15th, 2007
This week The Couch Potato Report peels the careers of some former child stars, including Canadian Sarah Polley.
There is an eerie concidence that coincides with this week's Report.
You see, I plan which movies I am going to discuss week's in advance. I look for ways to tie films together, in addition to consulting the studio's planned release dates, and always attempt to attach a Saskatchewan and Canadian angle, whenever possible.
It had been decided that this week I would use the films AWAY FROM HER and GEORGIA RULE to talk about two former child stars who are now moving into very different positions as adults in the movie world.
And for all child stars, Jodie Foster has the career that most of them asprire to.
Jodie began her career at the age of three in a television commercial, and before long she made her debut as a television actress in a 1968 episode of Mayberry R.F.D.
After several TV movies, she then moved on to make films in her teens, including FREAKY FRIDAY and TAXI DRIVER, before winner her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988 for THE ACCUSED and her second in 1991 for THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.
And then, in addition to starring in movies and winning Oscars, she started directing movies, including LITTLE MAN TATE and HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
And now, Jodie is back in theatres this weekend with her new film THE BRAVE ONE, just as Sarah Polley's AWAY FROM HER and Lindsay Lohan's GEORGIA RULE debut on DVD.
Coincidence?
Maybe...maybe not.
Either way, between Polley and Lohan, the former star of ROAD TO AVONLEA is the one who seems most likley to follow in Jodie's footsteps, especially with her spectacular directorial debut AWAY FROM HER.
Sarah Polley was born in Toronto and her film debut came at the age of four. At the age of eight, she was cast in the title role of the television series RAMONA, and starred in the Terry Gilliam film TEH ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN.
Her next role was Sara Stanley in the CBC show ROAD TO AVONLEA, and she followed that up with roles in the films THE SWEET HEREAFTER, GO, MY LIFE WITHOUT ME and DAWN OF THE DEAD.
This year, she went behind the camera to direct Oscar winner Julie Christie of DOCTOR ZHIVAGO fame and the great Gordon Pinsent from THE SHIPPING NEWS in AWAY FROM HER, based on the Alice Munro short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain."
AWAY FROM HER is about Grant and Fiona, a couple who have been married for 45 years.
Their lives change forever when Fiona begins to suffer from Alzheimer's.
Eventually Fiona moves into a nursing home, where she loses virtually all memory of her husband.
In addition to Christie and Pinsent, who both give unforgettable performances, AWAY FROM HER also stars seasoned actors like Olympia Dukakis, Michael Murphy, Wendy Crewson and Alberta Watson, and Polley uses the fact that these are actors we know to benefit her film.
Their experience in front of the camera benefits her behind it.
Had she cast actors who we aren't as familiar, or as comfortable with seeing on screen, AWAY FROM HER could have been a completely different film.
Meaning, it could have been an uncomfortable film from an inexperienced director.
But it is neither of those things...AWAY FROM HER is a quiet and very confident film. It is a mature film, starring mature actors, for a mature audience...from a first time feature film director who is only twenty-eight years old.
It is a solid movie that is quite worthy of your time, even with it's heavy subject matter.
If Sarah Polley aspires to have the career that Jodie Foster has, as most young actresses do, she is well on her way.
Lindsay Lohan, on the other hand, has become a cautionary tale for young actresses, and her film GEORGIA RULE, on the other hand, is not worth your time.
Lindsay Lohan started in show business as a child fashion model for magazines and television commercials. At age ten, she began her acting career in a soap opera; at eleven, she made her motion picture debut by playing both twins in the 1998 remake of THE PARENT TRAP, and soon she was playing the Jodie Foster role in the 2003 remake of FREAKY FRIDAY.
She rose to stardom with the 2004 film MEAN GIRLS, and she also released her first music CD that year as well.
Since then, she hasn't made a film, or record worth mentioning.
Then, on January 18th of this year she checked herself in to a rehabilitation facility for drugs and alcohol.
In May and July she once again ran into trouble with the law, and went to rehab, and on August 23rd it was announced that Lohan would serve one day in jail and 10 days community service for both her DUI arrests.
In between all of the attention she received for her lifestyle, Lohan also got some mentions in the press for the two movies that she was in this year...but the two came together with the film GEORGIA RULE as the producer of the film publically criticized Lohan for excessive partying and showing up late to the set.
I am not sure if the resulting film would have been any different had she stopped partying, and showed up on time, and it really doesn't matter. This just isn't a very inventive movie.
In GEORGIA RULE, a rebellious uncontrollable teenager is sent to live with Georgia, her unrelenting, non-flexible grandmother who has a series of rules that she, and anyone who knows her, has to follow.
This is all done in an attempt to settle the teenager down....but maybe there is a larger problem at the core of her rowdiness....and as teh film goes on, we find out that her step-father might have been making late night visits to her room.
In addition to Lindsay Lohan, GEORGIA RULE also stars legendary actress Jane Fonda, the great Felicity Huffman from DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, and it was directed by Garry Marshall, who gave us HAPPY DAYS, LAVERNE & SHIRLEY, PRETTY WOMAN, and BEACHES.
So, this film's pedigree is top notch, but the film just does not work.
The scenes that are supposed to be funny, are not funny, and the dramatic stuff doesn't work either...and for me that was primarily die to the fact that I wasn't able to see Lohan as an actress playing a role.
Instead, I saw a young troubled woman in real life, playing a young troubled woman in a movie.
So what I was left with was a one-hour and fifty-three minute film that wasn't worth my time, and I don't think it is worth yours.
But, let me conclude by saying that I think Lohan is an actress with talent, so here's hoping that she can get her life back on track, so her career can follow.
And maybe some day, she will have a career like Jodie Foster's...or even Sarah Polley's.
Okay, I have two other new releases to quickly tell you about this week.
These days Sam Raimi is known around the world as the man who directed the SPIDER-MAN trilogy of films.
But before that trio of movies, he was involved with the great DARKMAN TRILOGY.
The original DARKMAN movie came out in 1990 and starred a pre-SCHINDLER'S LIST Liam Neeson as a scientist working on skin replacement technology who is beaten up by a group of mob hitmen and left for dead.
He survives, but is left disfigured, and he uses his replacement skin to mold a new face for himself, and other ones that will allow him to get revenge on the men who attacked him.
DARKMAN did well enough at the box office to warrant two direct-to-video sequels - DARKMAN II: THE RETURN OF DURANT and DARKMAN III: DIE DARKMAN DIE - both of which were filmed in Toronto.
The sequels weren't anywhere near as good as the original, as both Raimi and Neeson had moved on to other projects, and eventual huge success.
Now all three films are available in THE DARKMAN TRILOGY, an inexpensive package that is very worthy of your time.
And if you are a fan of the SPIDER-MAN films that Raimi has made, you should definitely see DARKMAN because he set the stage for a lot of what he did in those films in it.
Finally this week is a film called EVEN MONEY.
EVEN MONEY has a cast that includes Oscar winners Kim Basinger and Forest Whitaker, along with Danny DeVito, Kelsey Grammer, Nick Cannon, Ray Liotta, Carla Gugino and Jay Mohr.
That cast, and the description on the back of the DVD case might tempt you into renting or buying this movie, but I am here this morning to tell you not to bother.
The film is about how gambling addiction ruins three unconnected people's lives....but those lives, teh people and all of it is just a...slow...moving...melodrama.
Unless you are on the verge of a gambling addition, and you need a movie to show you how your life can change forever if that happens, then don't bet on EVEN MONEY.
Just remember, the casino always wins!!
The medicore EVEN MONEY, the THE DARKMAN TRILOGY with one great film and two mildly entertaining sequels, the Lindsay Lohan film GEORGIA RULE and the great AWAY FROM HER directed by Canadian filmmaker Sarah Polley are all available now on DVD.
Oh, and the new Jodie Foster film THE BRAVE ONE, is in theatres now!
Coming up in Two Weeks on the next Couch Potato Report
BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE is the Emmy winning film that was made right here on teh prairies and adapted from the book of the same name by Dee Brown; KNOCKED UP is the comedy hit of the summer, starring Vancouver's Seth Rogan.
I will also talk about Quentin Tarrantino's latest film, his half of the GRINDHOUSE double feature called DEATH PROOF; the football movie WE ARE MARSHALL; the poker movie LUCKY YOU; and SEASON TWO of the hilarious TV show ROBOT CHICKEN.
I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in fourteen days.
For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.
Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!
McCready gets a year in prison
FRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) - Mindy McCready was sentenced Friday to a year in prison on a probation violation after being charged in a domestic dispute in Florida.
The 31-year-old country singer has been in jail since July, when she returned to Nashville after being accused of scratching her mother in a scuffle and resisting sheriff's deputies in her hometown of Fort Myers.
McCready received a suspended three-year sentence in 2004 for fraudulently obtaining prescription painkillers.
The singer sobbed as she asked for leniency from Circuit Judge Jeff Bivins.
"Your honour, I can honestly tell you this: This has been the longest two months of my life . . . not being able to hold my son . . . has been excruciatingly painful."
"I could only say I'm sorry," she said. "Please give me a chance to make things as right as they can possibly be."
Bivins sentenced her to a year in the county jail with credit for 75 days of time served. After her release she will face another two years of probation.
Deputy District Attorney General Derek Smith said McCready violated probation by being charged in a new offence, not reporting those charges immediately to her probation officer and by the nature of the new assault charges.
McCready had a hit in 1996 with "Guys Do It All the Time."
She has struggled with legal and personal problems that included a beating by her then-boyfriend and suicide attempts. She gave birth to her son in 2006.
Still pending is a charge of violating her probation for driving on a suspended licence in 2005. She pleaded guilty to the driving charge but her attorney has since sought to withdraw the plea, citing new evidence.
Will `Sopranos' soar in final Emmys?
LOS ANGELES - Will "The Sopranos" bury its Emmy competition Sunday? Will Ryan Seacrest shine as the ceremony's host or hit a sour note? Will controversy help or hurt contenders "Grey's Anatomy" and Alec Baldwin?
And most importantly, will anyone be watching the 59th annual Primetime Emmy Awards (8 p.m. EDT, Fox), given that it's airing against a big-time NFL matchup between the Chargers and Patriots on NBC?
Viewers who snub the awards pageant will miss out on high drama, cautioned Tom O'Neil, author of "The Emmys" and host of theenvelope.com, an entertainment awards Web site.
"You have the breakout hit comedy and drama shows, `Ugly Betty' and `Heroes,' competing for top series awards," O'Neil said. "And the stars of those shows are clashing with TV royalty: `Ugly Betty's' America Ferrera is competing with Felicity Huffman and Julia Louis-Dreyfus."
"Those are exciting diva clashes," he said. Huffman is nominated for "Desperate Housewives," while Louis-Dreyfus is trying for consecutive trophies in the comedy actress category for "Old Christine."
Their other rivals are Tina Fey for "30 Rock" and Mary-Louise Parker for "Weeds.
As for Seacrest — who's proven himself a smooth host on "American Idol" if not a comedian — "sometimes just a ringmaster works," O'Neil said.
Seacrest could be dealing with a three-ring circus. The TV academy has dropped coy hints that Justin Timberlake might perform the song from "(Blank) in a Box," the racy "Saturday Night Live" fake music video about a gift-wrapped part of the male anatomy.
If Kathy Griffin is any inspiration, the winners' speeches could be interesting. Griffin's acceptance of a creative arts Emmy trophy last weekend for her reality show, "My Life on the D-List," was to be censored for the show's weekend airing on the E! channel.
But there's even the possibility of substance as well as flash Sunday.
Former Vice President Al Gore, whose global-warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" received an Oscar earlier this year, could be an Emmy winner. Current TV, his youth-oriented channel featuring viewer-created videos, is up for best interactive TV programming. (The juried award can have more than one winner or none.)
The Emmys could be meaningful as well for "30 Rock," the critically acclaimed but low-rated sitcom created by Fey. It's up for best comedy series and Baldwin has a shot at best comedy actor.
Winning a top trophy helped "Cheers," "Hill Street Blues" and "All in the Family," which once found themselves in the same tenuous position as Fey's small gem. After the shows were anointed by Emmy, audiences discovered them and they became long-running, influential hits.
Baldwin's chances may depend on how voters feel about him, not just his acting. In April, the divorced dad was caught yelling at his daughter on a leaked voicemail message. He also has declared that he "couldn't care less" if he dropped acting in favor of focusing on parents' rights.
Competing against Baldwin are Tony Shalhoub, "Monk"; Steve Carell, "The Office"; Charlie Sheen, "Two and a Half Men" and Ricky Gervais, "Extras."
Whether behind-the-scenes events count in the Emmy race also could be an issue for "Grey's Anatomy," which is up for best drama series and saw four cast members nominated in the supporting categories (stars Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey were snubbed).
The series was rocked by Isaiah Washington's use of an anti-gay slur involving cast mate T.R. Knight. The turmoil culminated with Washington's firing from the hit medical drama.
All the drama for "The Sopranos" was on-screen, which famously faded to black in the final scene of the final episode of the landmark HBO series. It's going out in a blaze of glory, vying for best drama series and with acting nominations for five of its stars.
History might be working against the modern mob saga: It's rare for a drama to be crowned best series after it's off the air. That quirk might open the way for a surprise winner, maybe "Grey's Anatomy" or the freshman sci-fi sensation "Heroes."
There could, however, be Emmy riches for the "Sopranos" cast, including stars James Gandolfini and Edie Falco and, with supporting nods, Michael Imperioli, Aida Turturro and Lorraine Bracco.
While departing dramas usually lose out, that doesn't hold true for their stars. Alan Alda, for instance, was honored last year for outgoing "The West Wing."
Gandolfini's toughest competitor could be Hugh Laurie of "House," a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild winner who's been waiting for his Emmy. Other nominees are James Spader, "Boston Legal"; Denis Leary, "Rescue Me," and last year's winner, Kiefer Sutherland, "24."
Falco is up against last year's best-actress winner, Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," along with Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters"; Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"; Patricia Arquette, "Medium," and Minnie Driver, "The Riches."
In the pattern of recent years, HBO claimed the most nominations, 86, and came out of last week's creative arts Emmy awards (for technical and other achievements) with a leading 15 honors. With "The Sopranos" and leading nominee "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" in the hunt, HBO looks like it will keep its winning streak alive.
Simpson named suspect in casino break-in
LAS VEGAS - Investigators questioned O.J. Simpson and named him a suspect Friday in a confrontation at a casino hotel room involving sports memorabilia. The former football star acknowledged going to the room to get property he said was stolen from him but denied breaking in.
Simpson told The Associated Press auction house owner Tom Riccio called him several weeks ago to say some collectors "have a lot of your stuff and they don't want anyone to know they are selling it."
Simpson, who was in Las Vegas for a friend's wedding, said he arranged to meet Riccio at the hotel and conducted a "sting operation."
"Everybody knows this is stolen stuff," Simpson said. "Not only wasn't there a break-in, but Riccio came to the lobby and escorted us up to the room. In any event, it's stolen stuff that's mine. Nobody was roughed up."
Investigators were reviewing a complaint of a break-in at the hotel late Thursday night, police spokesman Jose Montoya said.
"When they talked to him, Simpson made the comment that he believed the memorabilia was his," Montoya said. "We're getting conflicting stories from the two sides."
Simpson is considered a suspect in the case, Montoya said. He was released after he and several associates were questioned, and he remained in Las Vegas.
"We don't believe he's going anywhere," Montoya said.
The Heisman Trophy winner, ex-NFL star and actor lives near Miami and has been a tabloid staple since his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman were killed in 1994. Simpson was acquitted of murder charges, but a jury later held him liable for the killings in a wrongful death lawsuit.
Simpson has had to auction off his sports collectibles, including his Heisman Trophy, to pay some of the $33.5 million judgment awarded in the civil trial.
On Thursday, the Goldman family published a book about the killings that Simpson had written under the title, "If I Did It," about how he would have committed the crime had he actually done it. After a deal for Simpson to publish it fell through, a federal bankruptcy judge awarded the book's rights to the Goldman family, who retitled it "If I Did It: The Confessions of a Killer."
Fred Goldman, Ron's Goldman's father, defended the family's decision to publish the book. He noted Simpson's penchant for breaking headlines.
"He brings attention to himself every time we turn around and he will continue to do that forever," Goldman said Friday on NBC's "Today Show."
The Las Vegas district attorney's office will decide whether to pursue charges in the casino case, but had not received police paperwork by Friday morning, an office assistant said.
Simpson had been scheduled to give a deposition Friday in Miami in a bankruptcy case involving his eldest daughter. But it was rescheduled because Simpson had told attorneys that he would be out of town.
The Palace Station, an aging property just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of several Station Casinos-owned resorts that cater to locals. The 1,000-room hotel-casino, with a 21-story tower and adjacent buildings, opened in 1976.
A company spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.