Chesney after ACM win: Fan votes shouldn't decide
LAS VEGAS - Kenny Chesney won entertainer of the year for a fourth straight time Sunday, then promptly took issue with the way the Academy of Country music awarded the honor: through fan votes.
For the first time in the show's 43 years, the top prize — traditionally decided by ACM members — was determined through online voting. With the win, Chesney ties Garth Brooks and trails only Alabama, which won five in a row.
Chesney said immediately backstage that he thought fans should be included, just not by voting for the show's most important award.
"The entertainer of the year trophy is supposed to represent heart and passion and an amazing amount of sacrifice, commitment and focus," he said. "That's the way Garth won it four times, that's the way I won it, that's the way (George) Strait won it, Reba (McEntire), Alabama all those years. That's what it's supposed to represent."
He said his complaint is directed at the industry, not the fans — and that the method amounted to "complete disrespect" of the artists, saying the academy turned the award "into a sweepstakes to see who can push people's buttons the hardest on the Internet."
Messages left for officials with the Academy of Country Music Awards were not immediately returned Sunday night.
Chesney was the night's leading nominee with 11, and ended up winning twice. His other win was for vocal event of the year for his work on the Tracy Lawrence hit "Find Out Who Your Friends Are."
Brad Paisley won top male vocalist, his second in a row.
"I really want to say the reason I'm in country music is because my grandfather would make me listen to Buck Owens when I was like 4 years old, and I think Buck was the first male vocalist for this organization. I'm so honored to carry the torch for another year," Paisley said.
Carrie Underwood also took home her second consecutive female vocalist trophy.
"I know I don't deserve it, but I'll take it," Underwood said. "Fans got me everything I have, and I owe everything to you."
It was a night of repeats. Rascal Flatts' top vocal group win was its sixth in a row, while Brooks & Dunn won their 13th straight award for top vocal duo.
"We'd like to give God all the thanks and all the glory for giving us a stage to stand on every night," said Rascal Flatts singer LeVox. Bandmate Joe Don Rooney had other things on his mind. He glanced at his watch and said he had to get home. "I've got a baby coming any minute."
LeVox disagreed with Chesney about the night's top honor, saying he hoped it the fans continued to choose.
"It's about time," he said, calling fans "the reason that all three of us have jobs."
Dr. Phil presented Brooks & Dunn their award. "I'm glad Dr. Phil was here because we need therapy for this one," Kix Brooks cracked.
Miranda Lambert won album of the year and Sugarland took single record and song of the year honors for their mellow hit "Stay."
"I'm sitting right behind Kenny Chesney and I just don't feel right taking this," said Lambert, who won for her sophomore outing, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." "I'm a songwriter, and I poured my heart and soul into this album. Thank you for appreciating it."
The win was big for Lambert, who beat out superstars Chesney and Paisley, as well as hot new acts Taylor Swift and Rodney Atkins.
Jack Ingram won top new male vocalist. The 37-year-old Texan released his first album in 1992 and bounced around a number of record labels before his career took off.
"Sometimes it takes a long time and that's my story," Ingram said backstage. "I put in a lot of hard miles, and I'm thankful."
Lady Antebellum took home top new duo or vocal group. "Does this mean we get to hang out with Kenny Chesney now?," the trio's Charles Kelley joked.
Swift won top new female vocalist. The 18-year-old thanked her mother for going on the road with her beginning when she was 16, leaving behind a comfortable life to sleep in rental cars and on airplanes so her teenage daughter could pursue her dream.
"Mom, thank you so much," she said as she fought back tears. "I love you. This is for you."
Earlier, Brad Paisley's "Online" won video of the year. It was produced by former "Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander, who also co-starred and made an onstage appearance Sunday night, joking that he didn't believe the stereotype of country stars and fans being religious — seeing as he hadn't spotted any of them at synagogue.
Tracy Lawrence won vocal event of the year for "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" with Tim McGraw and Chesney.
"This is absolutely awesome," Lawrence said. "We moved a big mountain pulling this off."
Underwood the show, aired live from the MGM grand, with her rocker, "I Don't Even Know His Last Name." Strait, who was celebrating his 56th birthday, performed his 56th No. 1 hit: "I Saw God Today." Swift did "It Should Have Been Me" and ended it by getting drenched in a cascade of water.
Brooks received the ACM's Crystal Milestone Award and did a medley of his hits that included "The Thunder Rolls," "Friends in Low Places" and "More than a Memory."
Paisley and Underwood performed a stripped-down version of Eddy Arnold's classic "Make the World Go Away." Arnold died May 8, days short of his 90th birthday.
McEntire hosted the show for the 10th time, going back to 1986. In those days, she joked to open the show, "Underwood was a typewriter, Sugarland was doughnut shop and a Pickler was someone who made pickles.
"Back then, Roger Clemens wasn't even interested in country music," she cracked. Clemens recent acknowledged a long-standing relationship with country singer Mindy McCready that began when she was 15. The former baseball player maintains the relationship was not sexual.
'Prince Caspian' pushes 'Iron Man' off throne
LOS ANGELES - "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" dethroned "Iron Man" as ruler at the box office, pulling down $56.6 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
The Walt Disney Co.'s action sequel took in less domestically in its opening weekend than "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe," which sold $65.6 million in North America in its debut weekend in December 2005. "Caspian" also raked in $20.7 million overseas.
But Disney expects the PG-rated movie, based on the C.S. Lewis fantasy series, to ride high through the coming Memorial Day weekend. The first "Narnia" tale grossed $745 million worldwide over its theatrical run.
"This is a film that we think is going to play all summer long and it's got nothing but school holidays in front of it," said Mark Zoradi, president of the Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Group.
Disney is in pre-production on the third of the series, "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader," set for release in the summer of 2010.
Marvel Studios' "Iron Man" slipped to second place after two weeks at No. 1 with $31.2 million, bringing its domestic total to $222.5 million.
Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC, said the flawed superhero flick is holding its appeal better than "Spider-Man 3" did the previous May.
"'Iron Man' continues to hold very well," he said. "It's definitely cutting into audiences across the board."
The 20th Century Fox comedy "What Happens in Vegas," starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, came in third, with $13.9 million in its second weekend. Its domestic total reached $40.3 million, well above its $35 million budget.
"It's clearly the comedy, non-family movie in the marketplace right now," said Chris Aronson, a Fox senior vice president.
Warner Bros.' disappointing "Speed Racer" slowed to $7.6 million for fourth place, driving in $29.8 million over two weeks.
The studio said it was not ready to call it game over on the Wachowski brothers movie, which cost $120 million to make.
Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.' executive vice president of distribution, said next weekend was "do or die" for the movie.
Overture Films' acclaimed drama, "The Visitor," crept into 10th place at the box office with $687,000.
The distributor picked up the indie film, about a professor who discovers a couple living in his little-used New York apartment, at the Toronto Film Festival for a reported $1 million. It has grossed $3.4 million so far.
"It's good to know that you don't have to have special effects in your movie to make money," said Overture Films' senior vice president Adam Keen.
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," which received a somewhat ho-hum reaction at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday, whips its way into theaters on Thursday.
Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," $56.6 million.
2. "Iron Man," $31.2 million.
3. "What Happens in Vegas," $13.9 million.
4. "Speed Racer," $7.6 million.
5. "Baby Mama," $4.6 million.
6. "Made of Honor," $4.5 million.
7. "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," $2.5 million.
8. "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay," $1.8 million.
9. "The Forbidden Kingdom," $1 million.
10. "The Visitor," $687,000.
The Couch Potato Report - May 17th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels 32 DVDs, including a great Canadian film that is making it's DVD debut.
Lots to get to this week, yes, you read that right, I have 32 DVDs to cover, so I
will jump right in with this week's Hot Potato - the DVD debut of the 1995 film
Dance Me Outside.
Based on a book by W.P. Kinsella, this is the cinematic story of life on a First
Nations Reserve in Northern Ontario.
Lifelong friends Silas and Frank are drifting through life trying to get into
college in Toronto, but they find themselves having to deal with girls, family ...
and murder.
The DVD's Special Features include the original theatrical trailer, interviews with
the cast, and a commentary with director Bruce McDonald and some of the cast and crew.
If you have never seen DANCE ME OUTSIDE, you should check it out as it is a very entertaining film.
Also very entertaining is SEASON THREE of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE!
This seven disc box set features the shows from 1977 and 1978 as it is completely hitting it's stride!
The cast - featuring John Belushi, Canadian Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Laraine
Newman, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtain, and Bill Murray - are at their best, The
Coneheads and Belushi's Samurai return, and some of the show's most beloved
characters were introduced to us for the very first time, including The Blues
Brothers, The Festrunk Brothers, Roseanne Roseannadanna, Point Counterpoint, and the folks at The Olympia Restaurant.
Toronto's Lorne Michaels created the show, and as a result, he was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2004, becoming the first non-American to earn this honour.
Some of the guest hosts during the THIRD SEASON of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE were Steve Martin, Hugh Hefner, Charles Grodin, Ray Charles, Robert Klein, Chevy Chase, O.J. Simpson, Michael Palin and Buck Henry and they are all featured on this great box set.
Ottawa's Matthew Perry hosted Saturday Night Live as well. He was the host on
Saturday October 4, 1997, and now that Universal Studios are planning on releasing two of these SNL Sets a year, we should have the set with his show on it sometime around 2017.
If you don't want to wait until then to see the former FRIEND on DVD, well Matthew Perry has a new film out right now on DVD.
He plays a chronically depressed screenwriter that suffers from acute
depersonalization disorder who meets the girl of his dreams in the made-in-British Columbia drama NUMB.
NUMB is one of those small films, released direct-to-DVD that has some good
moments..., moments when it isn't bad, but it also have a few scenes when it just is bad.
Those moments prevent me from completely recommending it, however, due to Perry's always reliable work, and a very good supporting cast, including up and coming actress Lynn Collins, I didn't dislike this movie.
If you don't see anything else on the shelf that you are interested in, give it a look.
Now, this week's next film is one that you will probably be very interested in, due to the fact that Cate Blanchette received an Oscar nomination for her work in it, and because it features six different characters who embody a different aspect of Bob Dylan's life and work.
But let me tell you, I'M NOT THERE is not for everybody.
It is fascinating and interesting, with some great performances and that incredible Bob Dylan music...but this is the textbook definition of an art film - a typically serious, noncommercial, independently made film that is aimed at a niche audience, rather than a mass audience.
I'M NOT THERE tells its story by trying to use the same non-traditional techniques that Dylan uses in his poetic narrative style of songwriting, and it is because of that that it's appeal is limited.
However, if you are a huge fan of Bob Dylan and his music, or if you have ever
wanted to see the great Cate Blanchett playing a character like Dylan in a film,
then you may enjoy this film a lot.
Personally, I am glad I had the chance to see it, but I will never sit through it
again.
I am just not the niche audience that it is meant for.
Up next is THE GREAT DEBATERS.
This is a film that is inspired by a true story from DIRECTOR Denzel Washington.
The director also plays a professor at a historically Black college in Texas who in
1935 inspired students to form the school's first debate team, and they went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship.
THE GREAT DEBATERS isn't a bad film, and it features a story that should be told, as the young students on the debate team face and rise above some horrific injustices, but this movie is way too dramatic, and at over two hours, I would argue that it is also much too long.
I neither recommend it, nor think that you should avoid it.
No, on the topic of the film THE GREAT DEBATERS, I posses neither a negative - or con - or even a positive - or pro - position.
However, when it comes to the cinematic work of Mr. Frank Sinatra, I am
all-pro...just as he was!
It was ten years ago this week that we lost The Chairman Of The Board and in
cooperation with his estate, Warner Home Video has released four sets of his movies - many never before available on DVD - and a few other DVDs to coincide with the anniversary of his passing.
The most notable of the four sets is the five film THE GOLDEN YEARS, containing
Sinatra's Oscar-nominated performance as a drug-addicted drummer in Otto Preminger's hard-hitting and taboo-busting 1955 film "The Man With the Golden Arm", which was previously available only on poor-quality public domain DVDs.
There is also THE EARLY YEARS COLLECTION, a 5-DVD set devoted to Sinatra's 1940s work in Hollywood, and THE FRANK SINATRA & GENE KELLY COLLECTION has the three lavish MGM musicals he did with with Gene Kelly, and then there is the new collectors' edition of four "Rat Pack" comedies with Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop - including the debut of "Sergeants 3," a mock Western long unavailable because it plagiarized "Gunga Din" without permission - and the original version of OCEAN'S 11.
And, in addition to the four new fantastic Sinatra box sets, SINATRA: THE MINISERIES from television is also now out and so is THE FIRST DEADLY SIN, his film with Faye Dunnaway where he plays a New York detective coping with his wife's mysterious and incurable illness - and hunting an ice hammer-wielding killer.
All of these releases help us remember that - in addition to his music - Frank
Sinatra was also a very talented actor, and they let us see his work before he
largely turned his back on acting a quarter century before his death, when he backed out of the title role in "Dirty Harry" and temporarily retired from show business.
Frank is a true legend, the type we may never see again....enjoy these sets!! I sure did!!
SINATRA: THE MINISERIES, THE FIRST DEADLY SIN and The Frank Sinatra Box Sets THE EARLY YEARS COLLECTION, THE GOLDEN YEARS COLLECTION, THE FRANK SINATRA & GENE KELLY COLLECTION and THE RAT PACK ULTIMATE COLLECTOR'S EDITION are all available now on DVD along with the earnest, but very flawed THE GREAT DEBATORS, the artsy-fartsy Bob Dylan tribute I'M NOT THERE, the mediocre, but okay NUMB starring Matthew Perry, the
fantastic COMPLETE THIRD SEASON of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and the great Canadian film DANCE ME OUTSIDE.
I told you I had a lot to cover this week!
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
The Canadian film WALK ALL OVER ME is about a small town girl runs into big time trouble as she takes on her roommates identity as a dominatrix to pay the bills; NATIONAL TREASURE 2 - BOOK OF SECRETS picks up where the original one left off - with Nicolas Cage as a treasure hunter; and THE MUPPET SHOW - THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON features Roy Clark, Gilda Radner, Alice Cooper, Loretta Lynn, Liberace, Raquel Welch, Danny Kaye, Sylvester Stallone, Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Cheryl Ladd...oh, and The Muppets!!
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!
(There May Be SpoilersIn This Story...I Didn't Read It All!!!!)
Indy Jones survives Cannes critics at premiere
CANNES, France (AP) — Indiana Jones received louder applause going in than he did coming out. His latest adventure, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," earned a respectful — though far from glowing — reception Sunday at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie avoiding the sort of thrashing the event's harsh critics gave to "The Da Vinci Code" two years ago.
Yet Indy's fourth big-screen romp is not likely to go down as one of his most memorable. Some viewers at its first press screening loved it, some called it slick and enjoyable though formulaic, some said it was not worth the 19-year wait since Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford made the last film.
"They should have left well enough alone," said J. Sperling Reich, who writes for FilmStew.com. "It really looked like they were going through the motions. It really looked like no one had their heart in it."
Alain Spira of French magazine Paris Match found "Crystal Skull" a perfectly acceptable "Indiana Jones" tale, a sentiment echoed by the solid applause the movie received as the final credits rolled.
"It's good. It's a product that is polished, industrial, we're not getting ripped off in terms of quality," Spira said. "You know what you're going to see, you see what you get, and when you leave you're happy."
The applause was louder at the outset, though. Fans at the early afternoon showing, which preceded the film's glitzy formal premiere with cast and crew Sunday night, cheered and clapped wildly at an announcement that the screening was about to start. Some even hummed the Indiana Jones fanfare as the lights went down.
The applause at the end was more subdued.
The film received none of the derisive laughter or catcalls that mounted near the end of the first press screening for "Da Vinci Code."
There were a few titters from the "Crystal Skull" crowd early on over co-star Cate Blanchett's thick, Boris-and-Natasha accent as a Soviet operative racing against Indy to find an artifact of immeasurable power. The movie's rather corny romantic ending also drew a chuckle or two.
In between, the film packed a fair amount of action, though some viewers found the middle portion dull. Conchita Casanovas, of Spain's RNE radio, said she was "bored to death."
The new movie hurls archaeologist Jones into the Cold War in 1957. He survives a nuclear blast in the desert in typically creative fashion and is reunited with "Raiders" flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen).
As speculated, the film has an alien connection, though far more subdued than the "Indiana Jones and the Saucer Men From Mars" story Lucas once envisioned.
There are melancholy nods to Sean Connery, who played Indy's dad in 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" but declined to return for the new movie, and the late Denholm Elliott, Indy's college dean in two of the previous movies.
And the film reveals the relationship between Indy and his new sidekick, an angry young motorcycle rebel played by Shia LaBeouf.
As with "Da Vinci Code," which went on to gross $758 million worldwide, "Crystal Skull" is so hotly anticipated that it will be virtually immune from critics' opinions. The film is expected to put up blockbuster box-office numbers as it opens globally Thursday.
"The movie was absolutely effective enough to score with audiences everywhere," said Anne Thompson, deputy editor of Hollywood trade paper Variety. "This played way better than 'Da Vinci Code.' No one was gunning for it. They were excited going in, hooting for it in a positive way."
Dozens of fans prowled outside the Palais, the Cannes headquarters, holding signs saying they needed tickets for "Crystal Skull."
Amelia Sims, a 19-year-old University of Georgia student studying abroad, held a sign reading "I (heart) Indy." She managed to get a pass to the press screening and loved the movie.
"I guess I've been waiting 19 years for this," Sims said. "You could say I've been waiting my whole life."
But Christian Monggaard, who is reviewing "Crystal Skull" for Danish newspaper Information, said he grew up with the "Indiana Jones" films and came away from this one disappointed, finding the climax an "overblown special-effects extravaganza."
"Talk about a woman scorned," Monggaard said. "A fan scorned is even worse."