The Couch Potato Report - August 2nd, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels some films that are interactive, and a five part biography of Earth.
Our first two films this week are being billed as INTERACTIVE. If you don't like what is happening on screen at certain times, you just push ENTER on your remote and the story line and scene changes.
Unfortunately this unique idea can't save either film, as no matter how many times you hit enter the end result is still a mediocre movie.
That is ceratinly the case with this week's HOT POTATO...the Canadian made, National Film Board release that is LATE FRAGMENT.
LATE FRAGMENT has several plots and due to the fact that it is non-linear - and interactive - it give you the choice to watch the stories of three strangers. Faye, Kevin and Théo.
They - and their stories - all come together in a restorative justice group therapy session, after each has become involved in a crime, either as perpetrator or victim or both.
In the sessions the victims and offenders share their stories in hopes of finding wholeness, balance, forgiveness, redemption and a sense of safety.
There are 380 available opportunities for you to hit the ENTER button, and for me the concept of an interactive movie just overshadowed the film itself.
I kept pressing ENTER, because you can't just sit and watch the film...you have to push ENTER in order to prevent the film from staying in a loop...and each time I pressed the button I hoped that the movie would engage me...but it didn't.
LATE FRAGMENT isn't a happy movie, and I wasn't interested in the characters, so even though I had several different choices literally at my fingertips...I just didn't care.
I am 100% sure that there will be people who will love this movie, and will watch it repeatedly, in order to see all of the different ways it can play out, but that person is not me.
After eventually getting to the film's conclusion, I just couldn't wait to press one more button...eject.
The interactive film LATE FRAGMENT is an interesting concept...but not an interesting movie.
And that is true with the other film featuring some interactivity that I have for you this week, the "comedy" HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE GUANTANAMO BAY
You know I liked the first HAROLD AND KUMAR film...2004's HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE. It was a fun little film about two stoner friends who just want to get some hamburgers, and the problems that prevented them from getting them. It was fun, stupid and an entertaining time at the movies.
This sequel is none of that. It is not funny, it is actually racist at times, always profane and even though I don't usually have a problem with those sort of things in an out and out comedy...I just hated this movie!
And like LATE FRAGMENT, HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE GUANTANAMO BAY has an interactive element to it.
Using the bonus feature "Dude, Change the Movie!," you can alter the direction of the film at various moments.
Some of the changes merely add a quick joke or two, while others send the film in a completely different direction, including drastically changing the ending, and one change even eliminates the plot of the film.
If the studio green lights a third HAROLD AND KUMAR film, I hope they remembered the low budget origins of the first movie, and skip the expensive high budget path that this second movie took.
It is just a bad movie, no matter what your frame of mind is at the time you press play.
Up next this week is the BBC series EARTH - THE BIOGRAPHY, from the same folks who gave us the PLANET EARTH and the BLUE PLANET series.
Yes, EARTH - THE BIOGRAPHY is a five-part series that look at how our our planet was formed, and how it is changing.
While not as completely compelling as the PLANET EARTH and BLUE PLANET series, EARTH THE BIOGRAPHY is still an exceptional series and very worthy of your time.
The made in Toronto movie HUSTLE - about baseball player Pete Rose and his gambling problems that lead to his banishment for life from the sport - is also worthy of your time...but only if you are a huge baseball fan, or fan of the history of the game.
The made-for-TV movie is not great by any stretch of the imagination...but the Special Features certainly are.
Those truly Special Features include that press conference where Rose's suspension was announced, interviews with the man during and after the scandal broke, and much more.
HUSTLE is good stuff for baseball fans like me.
Now, as you may know, due to the millions of dollars that has been spent to promote and advertise it, there is a new film in the MUMMY series that is now in theatres.
The latest one is called THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR, and because there is a new one, Universal has released the two previous MUMMY MOVIES starring the Canadian raised Brendan Fraser in Two Disc Deluxe Editions.
The first Fraser MUMMY film is still a fun and entertaining movie, and THE MUMMY RETURNS - while not as great, is also still pretty good. Both of them are certainly better that THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR...but I will have more on that when the DVD comes out in December.
PLUS, also new on DVD, as a tie in to this new MUMMY movie is the very first movie starring a Mummy...the 1932 classic THE MUMMY starring Boris Karloff.
Now this DVD is the true discovery for fans of these types of films...it is truly a conematic classic, and it has never looked better in any home viewing medium!!
Pick it up and enjoy!!
Finally, it is time once again for THE FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD, this week starring CHAOTIC ANNA from Spain.
CHAOTIC ANA is about a woman named Ana and it tells the story of her life from the ages of 18 to 22.
But it might not necessarily be her life...her existence seems like a continuation of other lives of young women who all died in a tragic way, and we experience it all through through her hypnosis.
CHAOTIC ANA is a visually provacative and engaging film, that is exotic at times, erotic at others, and yet it is also horrific at times as well.
It is a very interesting picture that had me really wanting to find out what was really going on...and why....and because of that, and Manuela Vellés, the actress who plays Ana...I really enjoyed it.
The Spanish movie CHAOTIC ANA, the 1932 Boris Karloff classic THE MUMMY, Brendan Fraser's 1999 THE MUMMY and 2001's THE MUMMY RETURNS, the Pete Rose TV-Movie HUSTLE, the engaging EARTH THE BIOGRAPHY, the non-comedy HAROLD AND KUMAR ESCAPE GUANTANAMO BAY and the failed Canadian interactive film LATE FRAGMENT are all available now on DVD.
Coming up in three weeks - on August 23rd - on the next Couch Potato Report
The CBC series MVP - THE SECRET LIVES OF HOCKEY WIVES will be out on DVD along with the action films DOOMSDAY, ROGUE and PROM NIGHT.
Plus, the FOREIGN FILM FESTIVAL ON DVD will continue with the Chinese film STILL LIFE
I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in twenty-one 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!
Favre could get paid to stay off the field
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Brett Favre's reinstatement to the NFL was held up again Friday as the three-time MVP mulled getting paid not to play through a marketing deal with the Green Bay Packers that could resolve the standoff over his retirement.
The potential agreement, worth a reported $20 million over 10 years, might end Favre's bid to return just months after retiring. It also would likely keep him from reporting to Packers training camp and a team that is not planning to start him at quarterback for the first time since 1992.
After talking to Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy about the marketing deal Wednesday, Favre confirmed he was considering it to ESPN on Thursday.
Packers coach Mike McCarthy made it clear Friday that, from the team's perspective, the agreement would be more than a buyout to make an awkward situation go away. In fact, it's been in the works for months. He first heard about it at Favre's retirement news conference in March.
"I know Mark Murphy talked to me about it in the past, how important it was for Brett to continue to be part of the organization after he was done playing," McCarthy said after practice Friday morning. "And frankly, it's good for Brett. Brett needs to stay a part of football, Obviously, he's a part of the Green Bay Packers."
Meanwhile, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sat on Favre's reinstatement letter for the fourth straight day, giving the two sides more time to resolve the situation.
"The commissioner will take no action today on Brett Favre's reinstatement request. Discussions are continuing between the Packers and Brett," league officials said in a statement issued by NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.
Despite Favre's tearful farewell to football, he now is considering a comeback.
The problem is that Green Bay hasn't been eager to bring him back, with Aaron Rodgers taking over the starter's role. The Packers also don't want to release Favre, suspecting he would immediately sign with division rival Minnesota.
The Packers hold Favre's rights until his current contract expires after the 2010 season.
Tensions have built between Favre and the team over the past several weeks. Earlier this week, Favre sent a letter to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell requesting to be reinstated from the team's reserve/retired list.
But Goodell has held off approving the request, hoping the two sides could resolve their differences. Murphy flew to Mississippi to meet with Favre and his agent, James "Bus" Cook, on Wednesday. That meeting apparently rekindled talks about the marketing agreement.
Favre said in a text message to ESPN reporter Ed Werder Thursday night that the marketing deal might be the best idea.
"There isn't a perfect solution to this, but Mark Murphy is at least trying," Favre told ESPN. "We know what they want and where I stand. His solution, although awkward and unsettling for most, may be the best in the end."
Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk chuckled at the thought of being paid $20 million not to play.
"You could hand me a billion dollars, and I'm still going to be on the field," Hawk said. "It doesn't matter to me. But everyone has different situations, has different views on money. Money is not more important than football to me right now."
But if the deal can't be worked out, Favre still could be reinstated and report to camp, presumably forcing the team to trade him or reconsider releasing him.
Cook told The Associated Press Thursday that Favre understands he would be walking into a media frenzy by showing up for camp, but he's willing to handle that it if that's the only way he can force his way back into football.
"He's prepared to deal with it," Cook said. "He's ready to go back, but he can't go back until the commissioner reinstates him."
McCarthy has said the team has a plan in place should Favre report to camp. He'd have to pass a physical exam and a conditioning test, then likely would be limited to individual drills at first.
"He's not a part of our 80-man roster right now," McCarthy said. "And if or when he is, we'll deal with that then. And I think our team has done a great job of just staying focused."
The Packers did not practice yesterday, but players did hear from a guest lecturer: former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer.
Fleischer's lecture on media relations was scheduled before the latest Favre controversy, but McCarthy said he took advantage of the opportunity to pick Fleischer's brain on how he might handle the team's current predicament.
McCarthy said Fleischer was "very encouraging" about the team's approach.
"As popular or unpopular as it is, for as tough or as difficult as it is, I think the organization has stood strong," McCarthy said. "They're decisive, and they're continuing to work through this. Everyone wants this resolved, don't get me wrong. No one thought it would get to this point, but this is where we are."