Category: The Couch Potato Report

The Couch Potato Report – November 29th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels on okay sequel, an awful sequel, and planet earth.
Sequels can be good…they can be…there have been many good and great sequels…THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, TERMINATOR II, and especially THE GODFATHER – PART II…these were all great sequels that equaled or surpassed their predecessors.
But, and lets be honest here, most film follow ups are usually quite unnescessary from a film fan’s point of view and – if we are being honest – it is true that they are rarely as good as the original.
And that is certainly true with this week’s first two releases, including our HOT POTATO, the made-in-Quebec sequel CRUISING BAR 2…a film that was released this year, 19 years after the first one!
This thing is a huge letdown from the original CRUISING BAR, a film that remains a very entertaining comedy about four very different men from very different lifestyles, who are all getting ready to go out to try and find some companionship on a Saturday night.
The four men don’t know each other, and they don’t even interact in the movie, but they do all have a connection.
All four of them – the very shy nerd, a broken- hearted junkie, a snob yuppy, and a middle-aged married man – are all played by the same actor.
Michel CÙtÈ plays all four lead characters, and he gives all four a unique series of body movements and voices.
CRUISING BAR was first released to Canadian theatres in 1989, and it isn’t perfect, but it is very, very good and I easily recommend it.
The sequel…not so much.
In CRUISING BAR 2, the characters are still unique individuals, and they are sometimes funny, but the film isn’t entertaining at all. After you get past the fact that you are seeing these characters 19 years later, and catching up with them, it is just one dance scene after another…and it all equals a sequel that isn’t as good as the original.
Skip the sequel, see the original.
BUT, for all the negative things I could say about CRUSING BAR 2, at least it has the same writer, director, and almost all of the stars from the first one.
Our next sequel can’t boast that…actually there is very little that this next film can boast about…IT is awful in almost every way!!
IT…is SLAP SHOT 3.
The original SLAP SHOT had Paul Newman as a player-coach of a failing hockey team who finds success using fighting and violence during games.
It is raunchy, rowdy, profane, and it is a classic!! It is easily one of the top three sports films ever made!!
SLAP SHOT 3 is just an embarassment to all those who love and admire the original 1977 film.
In this film – subtitled THE JUNIOR LEAGUES – a young group of kids from a boys home must win a hockey game to save their home, and maybe even grow up a little along the way.
Yes, you heard that right…SLAP SHOT 3 is a film for teenagers…and not a very good one at that!!
But for fans of the first film, what makes it even worse is that three members of the original cast appear in it…I guess The Hanson brothers haven’t saved their money!
There might be some young teens who are hockey fans who get some entertainment value out of this Langly, B.C. filmed release, but I got nothing worthwhile out of SLAP SHOT 3….even though it does co-star Saskatchewan’s own Leslie Nielsen and features cameos from two of my favourite hockey players of all time – Doug Gilmour and Mark Messier.
No, even with those three guys in it, SLAP SHOT 3 – THE JUNIOR LEAGUE is potentially the worst sequel ever!!!
Not really, indeed!!
Sequels aside, lets move on now to something that I can – and do – recommend…maybe not to everyone, but to those who find unique people fascinating…I give you GONZO – THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON!
The late Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author, most famous for his novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to such a degree that they become central figures of their stories.
GONZO – THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON is a documentary that completely delves into Thompson’s writings on music and politics, and asks his friends, family, and well-know people such as Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, author Tom Wolfe and cartoonist Ralph Steadman – among many others – to help describe the mythos of Hunter and his adventures…which were usually filled with drug induced hysteria.
No, due to Thompson’s language, use of guns and drugs, this isn’t for everyone, but I found him, and the documentary film about him – GONZO – THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON – narrated by Johnny Depp – utterly fascinating.
Up next this week is last year’s Vince Vaughan’s Christmas film – FRED CLAUS…this one is new on DVD and Blu-Ray and shouldn’t be confused with his Christmas film from this year – FOUR CHRISTMASES, which is in theatres now. The new film is actually very entertaining…and then there is FRED CLAUS.
Did you know that Santa had a big brother? Well that is the premise in this film as Vince Vaughan from WEDDING CRASHERS and SWINGERS is the big bro, who is constantly living in the shadow of his younger, and more succesful sibling.
The great Paul Giamatti from SIDEWAYS and CINDERELLA MAN plays Santa and he and Fred have been estranged for many years, but when Fred needs help, he must reconcile his differences with his brother and help with out when an efficiency expert threatens to shut Santa and his operation down.
Yes, Fred must help his brother save Christmas.
I saw this film in theatres last year when it came out, and again this week at home, and while I continue to love the cast and the premise, the film just isn’t very good.
It isn’t ho-ho-horrible, FRED CLAUS actually has some good scenes and moments, but with the people involved, it should have been much better.
Let’s call this one a good rental.
Before I get to this week’s Blu-Ray beacon, let me tell you that THE COMPLETE 7TH SEASON of the television show SCRUBS is now available as well!!
SCRUBS is the Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning comedy about the professional and personal lives of several characters working at a teaching hospital.
SCRUBS features slapstick, fast-paced dialogue, and surreal moments….but even as a fan, I must admit that THE COMPLETE 7TH SEASON of SCRUBS isn’t as good as the some of the earlier seasons.
But it does still have some very good moments, and it remains one of my favourites.
Finally this week, is the Blu-Ray Beacon
Blu-ray is the next step in DVDs and home viewing as a Blu-ray Disc can store almost six times the capacity of a standard two-layer DVD and that extra space allows these releases to have superior quality over regular DVDs and gives the filmmakers and studios the chance to include more Special Features and material that isn’t possible on DVD.
So each week for the next little while, as the format continues to take off, and the number of films available in Blu-ray increases, I will spotlight one new release each week, and share more information about the format, in this forum – The BLU-RAY BEACON.
This week, the spotlight shines on THE BBC EARTH COLLECTION!
THE BBC EARTH COLLECTION features the brilliant 4 DVD set for PLANET EARTH and the 2 DVD set for EARTH THE BIOGRAPHY
Planet Earth is simply one of the most entertaining documentaries ever seen!
It takes us to the highest peaks and the lowest valleys with astonishing photography and incredible detail.
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, EARTH THE BIOGRAPHY is still an exceptional series and very worthy of your time.
I have seen these shows several times, and enjoyed them each time, but while watching them on Blu-Ray this week, I think I have fnally seen them as close to being there as possible! The colours are richer, the events seem even more realistic, and just when I thought I couldn’t enjoy them any more than I already do, I have.
These are fantastic additions to your library, even if you already own them on DVD. The quality is just that good that it is worth the upgrade!
This week’s BLU-RAY BEACON shined the spotlight on the very interesting 6-Disc set THE BBC EARTH COLLECTION with PLANET EARTH and EARTH – THE BIOGRAPHY and it is available now on Blu-Ray and DVD.
The still entertaining SCRUBS – THE COMPLETE 7TH SEASON, the good rental FRED CLAUS, the very interesting GONZO – THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON, the embarrassing SLAP SHOT 3 and the sequel-that-isn’t-as-good-as-the-original CRUISING BAR 2 are all available now on DVD.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
I will let you know all about THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON of THE TUDORS; THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, a small film from Ireland and one from Quebefc, one big Hollywood Summer Blockbuster and the BLU RAY BEACON features THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
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!

The Couch Potato Report – November 22nd, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels a film with a maple flavour, a tremendous animated film, and a Blu band of brothers.
As you may already know, each week, this Report is the only place you can go to hear about the latest Canadian films and films starring Canadian actors on DVD.
Sure, I am boasting when I say that…but I also say it with a lot of pride. I might not always like the films made here in our home and native land, but I will always support them, watch them and give you my honest feelings and opinions about them.
Such was the case back in December of 2006 when I reviewed a film that was made in and around Toronto called SIDEKICK.
I concluded my comments that week by saying:
“SIDEKICK is – and looks – low budget, and that is part of it’s charm. At one point there is actually scene where there is dirt on the lens. It isn’t great, but with low expectations, you might enjoy SIDEKICK. I know I did.”
And now the folks who made that film are back with something new…a documentary called MAPLE FLAVOUR FILMS.
This is a movie that I not only liked, but I think all film lovers should see, just so everyone can see the sorry state of the Canadian film industry firsthand.
SIDEKICK’s writer, producer and several other members of the cast and crew drive across Canada with their movie trying to find an audience and a distributor.
As they show their film, they also spend time talking with people about our nation’s film industry.
Now I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t see MAPLE FLAVOUR FILMS in a theatre, and I didn’t even see it the first time in my house on a DVD. Nope, I first saw it when I was on a plane this summer, and it is the type of movie that most people might not ever hear of, unless someone tells them about it.
And on this day, that someone is me!
The simple truth here is that the Canadian film industry has it easy. There are very few laws and rules it must follow when it comes to showing Canadian films.
The Investment Canada Act requires Canadian content and ads in foreign magazines sold here, and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ensures that Canadian radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from Canada.
Yet – somehow, theatre owners are not required to show our nation’s films on their screens.
In addition to the road trip Sparaga and his crew take to show SIDEKICK to people, MAPLE FLAVOUR FILMS also features Canadian studio heads and distributors discussing the state of the film industry in our country, and giving their opinions on why it is so hard to get a film like SIDEKICK into our theatres.
I highly recommend MAPLE FLAVOUR FILMS because it is a thought provoking documentary, but it isn’t a release that is going to be available everywhere.
But you can buy it online, or ask your local library to get it. For more details on how to do that, just go to www.cbc.ca/saskweekend and look under LINKS.
And stay tuned to Saskatchewan Weekend for ongoing coverage of the Canadian Film Industry and Canadian films…after all, Canada Lives Here.
Now, in addition to Canadian films, I also shine the spotlight on some other notable releases each week, and on this Saturday morning, THE most notable non-Canadian film of the week is the spectacular Pixar film WALL*E!!
WALL*E is the latest film from the Pixar Animation Studio, the same folks who also gave us Toy Story 1 & 2, A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and Ratatouille, and for me, just seeing the name Pixar on a film is enough to recommend it…but once you see their films there is many other reasons, and WALL*E is no exception!!
The Pixar winning streak continues!!!
WALL*E takes place in the distant future, where a small waste collecting robot who is a Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-class, meets a robot named Eve and accidentally embarks on a space journey that may ultimately decide the fate of mankind.
WALL*E is magical, beautiful, fantastic and it is one of my favourite films of 2008!! The love story is very sweet, the animation spectacular, and there are some great inside jokes hidden in it as well!!
WALL*E is a modern day classic that I highly recommend.
And if you want to see some classics from the 1950s and sixties that I also highly recommend there are three new releases this week in the superb WALT DISNEY TREASURES collection.
The WALT DISNEY TREASURES are two-disc DVD sets of classic Disney works, covering work from the studio’s earliest days to more recent work and this time out the studio has released DR. SYN: THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH, which originally ran on TV Show “World of Disney” in 1963; THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB PRESENTS ANNETTE, yes the world’s most popular Mousekateer stars in her own series from the 1957-1958 Season, and then there is THE CHRONOLOGICAL DONALD, VOLUME 4 with cartoons from the years 1951-1961.
All three of these releases come in collector’s tins, and there numbers are very limited, so if you remember these shows and caroons from your childhood, don’t miss your chance to own them!!
And the great bonus features and behind-the-scenes footage and retrospectives that they include. This is good stuff!!
Up next this week is the summer action film HELLBOY 2 – THE GOLDEN ARMY.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, the man who gave us the Oscar winning film PAN’S LABYRINTH, this second film in Big Red’s transition from comics to the silver screen isn’t as great as the first one, but del Toro’s work is always so visually interesting that I am prepared to sit through whatever he does!!
In THE GOLDEN ARMY the mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world once again.
Simply put, if you liked the original film, or like most films based on comic book characters, you will enjoy this one too.
If you have never heard of the character, and don’t like comic book action films, then you should probably skip it.
Finally this week is a new feature here on the report – the BLU RAY BEACON.
Blu-ray is the next step in DVDs and the disc itself has the same physical dimensions as standard DVDs and CDs.
Plus, a two-layer Blu-ray Disc can store almost six times the capacity of a two-layer DVD, or ten times that of a single-layer DVD.
That extra space allows these films to have superior quality over regular DVDs and gives the filmmakers and studios the chance to include more Special Features and material that isn’t possible on DVD.
So each week for the next little while, as the format continues to take off, and the number of films available in Blu-ray increases, I will spotlight one new release each week, and share more information about the format, in this forum – The BLU-RAY BEACON.
Up first is the spectacular Blu-ray version of the HBO war series BAND OF BROTHERS.
BAND OF BROTHERS is a superbly done ten-part television World War II mini-series based on the book of the same title written by historian and biographer Stephen Ambrose.
Co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks it centers on the experiences of “Easy Company” of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, from their basic training through the airborne landings in Normandy and on to the end of the war.
The DVD set debuted in November of 2002 and it has a wealth of special features, which are all on this new release, and exclusive to the Blu-ray Box Set is an interactive field guide with timelines and maps that takes you in the field through onscreen text with the real men of Easy Company, and a picture in picture commentary from the actual veterans that appears from time to time during the action.
The BLU-RAY BEACON this week shines on BAND OF BROTHERS, a great series that is available now – for the first time – in a spectacular 6 disc Blu-Ray Box Set.
It is also out on DVD, along with the visually interesting sequel HELLBOY 2 – THE GOLDEN ARMY, the fun WALT DISNEY TREASURES releases THE CHRONOLOGICAL DONALD, VOLUME 4 – 1951-1961, THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB PRESENTS ANNETTE – 1957-1958 Season and DR. SYN: THE SCARECROW OF ROMNEY MARSH, the spectacular Pixar film WALL*E, that is great for all ages, and the eye opening Canadian documentary MAPLE FLAVOUR FILMS.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
I will tell you about the made-in-Quebec film CRUISING BAR 2, the sequel SLAP SHOT 3, GONZO – THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON, and the BLU RAY BEACON will shine on THE BBC EARTH COLLECTION.
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!

The Couch Potato Report – November 8th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels two of everything, two TV shows, two movies, and two animated films.
Yes, there are two of everything this week, and we will start with the releases that give us more TV ON DVD, most notably the HOT POTATO this week, the debut on disc of the Michael J. Fox series SPIN CITY.
SPIN CITY was the show that brought Edmonton born, Burnaby, B.C. raised Michael J. Fox back to television, as once the classic series FAMILY TIES had ended – and I am sure you know this – he had become a world renowned movie star with films such as the BACK TO THE FUTURE trilogy and THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS.
Co-created by Gary David Goldberg, the man responsible for Fox’s previous successful show, SPIN CITY focuses on the Mayor of New York City and his staff as they run the city – although the main person in charge is Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty, which is the character played by Fox.
SPIN CITY ran ran from 1996 to 2002 and if you only watched the later years of the show, you probably weren’t aware that actress Carla Guigino from the SPY KIDS films and the film SIN CITY played his live-in girlfriend in the early episodes.
They are all included in the 4-DVD set SPIN CITY: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON.
I remain a huge Michael J. Fox fan, and since he is no longer able to act on a regular basis, due to the fact that he has Parkinson’s disease, so I enjoyed watching this show again over the past week.
If you remain a fan as well, or you just enjoy a well written sitcom, with a great ensemble cast, the SPIN CITY: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON is available for you to enjoy now on DVD as well.
And, if you were also a fan of FAMILY TIES, the end of every episode of SPIN CITY will also bring back some pleasant memories.
And if you prefer Canadian sitcoms to the ones produced in the States, well then you are in luck this week as well!!
ROBSON ARMS – SEASON THREE is now out on DVD too!!
ROBSON ARMS is a Canadian anthology television series that takes place in and around the Robson Arms apartment building in Vancouver and each episode of the show focuses on a different tenant of the building, although we also see the other people who live in the building in the halls, or in the store that is located in the lobby.
ROBSON ARMS features lots of Canadian music and references and it has a large ensemble cast of well known Canadian actors that rotates from week to week, but when SEASON ONE was released on DVD my review concluded with this:
“…in the end, I just didn’t find the show really isn’t all that entertaining.”
But when SEASON TWO was released, the show won me over!!
My review for that season featured this conclusion:
“…the producers got rid of most of the unlikeable characters, and added a few people you could actually care about, and while I didn’t completely love SEASON TWO of the show, I really did enjoy watching it, and catching up with the folks who live in this Vancouver building.”
And now, with the release of SEASON THREE on DVD, what am I thinking?
I am thinking more along the lines of how I felt after seeing SEASON ONE! Sadly, I found most of SEASON THREE of ROBSON ARMS awful!
The stories that the filmmakers gave us for this year are uninteresting and I just didn’t care! Yes, Vancouver looks great as it has been shot beautifully for the show, but almost all of the likeability that the characters had is gone, and there are only a few entertaining minutes – and they are spread out over the course of the entire 13 episodes – and so my conclusion this time is this:
“…I wanted to like SEASON THREE of ROBSON ARMS, but I didn’t. All the goodwill I felt towards the show after SEASON TWO was eroded quickly, and I was left watching something I didn’t care about. Skip this release, unless you have to see how the series wraps up.”
And yes, SEASON THREE is the final one for the show as ROBSON ARMS has been cancelled.
May SEASON TWO rest in peace! The other two are just best forgotten!
That was your two television show reviews, now lets move on to the movies I have for you this week, starting with a great film based on a classic series.
Yes, we segue from TV Shows On DVD to a film based on a TV show on DVD.
The title of this one is GET SMART.
The film smartly features some of the catch phrases, characters, gadgets and locations of the series, but it is mostly an all-new piece of entertainment that is based around the charaters we used to see on TV.
But it is those characters that we are watching this film for, and you will once again see Max, Agent 99, Fang, and The Chief is some very funny and entertaining situations.
Steve Carell from television’s THE OFFICE takes over as Maxwell Smart, and Anne Hathaway is Agent 99. They both do an exceptional job of making these iconic roles their own.
GET SMART is funny, and it is a great action film too. I liked it a lot, and it is one of my favourites of 2008.
One of my favourite films of all-time is ANIMAL HOUSE, and this classic comedy is now out in a 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION!
ANIMAL HOUSE is one of those films that has already been released on DVD three times, so instead of reviewing the film – which remains a classic comedy and one that is a must see for anyone who loves to laugh – I will review the DVD’s extras.
Admittedly, the 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION does include several extras that were not on the “Double Secret Probation Edition”, most notably Animal House: The Inside Story – a 98-minute documentary is a great companion piece to An Animal House Reunion – the absolute complete documentary on the film that has appeared before.
So, bottom line, is the ANIMAL HOUSE – 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION DVD worth your money? Well, it is priced under $20…but, if you already own something better than the very first release of the film on the format, you probably don’t need this one.
Personally, I watched the 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION, just as I have watched the other releases, but I still own the Collector’s Edition that came out in 2002.
That one is good enough for me, until the next edition comes out in another year, or so.
Finally this week I have two animated children’s movies to tell you about. One is a classic, the other features a classic character, but the film itself is for young kids only.
That film is TINKERBELL.
Tinkerbell is a fictional character from J.M. Barrie’s 1904 play and 1911 novel Peter and Wendy. She has also appeared in multiple film and television adaptations of the story, in particular the 1953 animated Walt Disney picture Peter Pan.
Initially described by Barrie as “a common fairy,” she has since become a worldwide icon, and this first movie about her is for young girls only, I’m thinking between the ages of 3 to 8! Perhaps some older gilrs might like it, but I don’t think it is even intended for older kids.
It is bright and loud and for young girls.
As an older man, I actually though the animation looked kind of creepy, but my 8 year old neice Taylynn liked it, so if you have a young lady in your house or family, this one is for them!
That other animated film is the Disney classic SLEEPING BEAUTY. It is available now in a two-disc, 50th Anniversary Edition.
Most very young kids won’t able to sit through this film as it is a bit slower in pace than the animated films of today, but those who do sit through it will be rewarded as it has such spectacular visuals and such a strong villain that it makes up for the fact that it doesn’t really have a good lead character.
SLEEPING BEAUTY is a true cinematic classic, and it has never looked better! It is available now on DVD, along with TINKERBELL, which is for young girls only, the classic ANIMAL HOUSE and the film version of the television show GET SMART, a film I liked a lot! Plus, the not very good SEASON THREE of the Canadian TV series ROBSON ARMS and THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON of Michael J. Fox’s SPIN CITY are available now on DVD as well.
Coming up in two weeks on the next Couch Potato Report
I will have a wealth of very interesting new releases for you, including two o fthe most entertaining films of the year WALL*E and HELLBOY 2 – THE GOLDEN ARMY, and a very interesting documentary about the state of the Canadian Film Industry called MAPLE FLAVOUR FILMS.
I’m Dan Reynish. I’ll have more on those, and some other releases, in fourteen days, on the weekend of November 22nd.
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!

The Couch Potato Report – November 1st, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels some journeys – one to the center of the earth, one to Berlin, and one to The Stanley Cup Finals!
There is a lot to cover this week, and I liked all of it, so let me dive right in with this week’s HOT POTATO, a great family film called JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.
Canadian actor Brendan Fraser stars in the film that focusses on three modern day characters who follow some of the clues from the classic 1864 Jules Verne novel as they sort of accidentally find themselves on a – JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH.
Now, for those who love the book, you should know that this is not a faithful interpretation of the 1864 Jules Verne novel. The book is simply a reference point with some of the story elements incorporated into it.
It is, however, an entertaining movie that I think would be great for the whole family to sit and watch together.
PLUS, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH was originally filmed to be seen in 3D, and the DVD comes with some glasses so you can watch it that way, if you’d like.
And with those glasses, some of the action and special effects – especially the ride in the coal mining car – is a blast!!
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH is not a classic, like the book it shares a title with, but I just plain enjoyed it.
Fans, especially younger ones, of the Pittsburgh Penguins or Sidney Crosby might also enjoy our next release this week.
Personally, I wanted and expected more from the NHL produced release SIDNEY CROSBY – ON THE ICE AND BEYOND, but it is still a pretty entertaining and informative.
Personally, I was expecting ON THE ICE AND BEYOND to be a career overview, with footage of Sid The Kid playing hockey as a young boy, through his junior days, the entry draft and his time thus far in the NHL.
To my chagrin, it is a film that only covers a bit of Sid’s life. It mainly focuses on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2007-2008 season and their road to the 2008 Stanley Cup Final.
And while it is a very well produced DVD that also features the entire Winter Classic game played outdoors in Buffalo, it just left me wanting more. Who is this kid Sid? What are his likes and dislikes? What does he do the night before a big game…like, say, a game in the Stanley Cup Final?!?
He narrates it, so he could have explained it all to us…but that is not what the film is about.
No, instead of being an complete documentary about the life of the man who is now the face of the National Hockey League, it is an NHL approved and produced look at one year in his life, with a few flashbacks to past glories.
I will stop short of calling it more of a commercial for the NHL than a documentary, and that is because this is a release that is simply meant for young fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby.
Yes, they might enjoy SIDNEY CROSBY – ON THE ICE AND BEYOND, but I only mildly enjoyed it and as such I suggest you hold off until a more complete, informative and insightful documentary comes out about Sidney Crosby, because you know there will eventually be at least one more DVD released of this exciting young hockey star before his career ends in twenty years or so.
At least one!
Now, if you know anyone who is a fan of the great Lou Reed, well I can guarantee you that they will love the film LOU REED’s BERLIN.
LOU REED’s BERLIN is the film by Academy Award nominated director Julian Schnabel – who gave us THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY and it is a straight concert film – with a few cinematic elemants – of Lou’s 2006 live concert performance of his 1973 concept album “Berlin”, filmed over five nights at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn, New York.
If you or anyone you know is a fan of Lou Reed, or his “Berlin” album, then this is a must watch and own. Otherwise, you don’t need to see LOU REED’s BERLIN as it literally is just a concert film, and Lou has never been a dynamic stage performer, and that is certainly true in this film.
This one is for the fans. Enjoy it fans!!
Up next this week is a very engaging documentary, one set in the world of breakdancing…yes, there is still breakdancing in this day and age…it is called PLANET B-BOY.
The film was directed by Canadian-American Korean filmmaker Benson Lee and it focuses on the 2005 Battle of the Year while also describing B-Boy and Breakdancing culture and history as a global phenomenon.
Even if you think that a film that features extensive footage of B-boy dancers in competition, as well as street performances and various rehearsals by the different crews from France, Japan, South Korea, and the United States around the world doesn’t sound interesting, it is!
The people you meet in this film just want what we all want, to be happy, and be the best in the world at something.
And the dance moves that they do are spectacular!!
If you are looking for something a little different to watch, that is interesting and at times even dramatic, search out PLANET B-BOY and get served!!
Finally this week are two films featuring animation. One is for adults, and the other for kids. Well, admittedly the second one is also for adults who watched the show as kids.
That second release features The Smurfs, but in front of that is THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON of ROBOT CHICKEN.
ROBOT CHICKEN is an Emmy Award-Winning animated television series with short, quick sketches that parody a number of well known pop culture icons.
Even though THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON of ROBOT CHICKEN isn’t as consistantly entertaining as SEASONS ONE AND TWO, each episode is less than 12 minutes long, and if you enjoy being entertained by stupid or juvenile humour, and you have not seen this show yet, then rush out and get some ROBOT CHICKEN right now, and have a laugh…or two…or even more!!
Finally this week is THE SMURFS: SEASON 1, VOLUME 2
Created on October 23rd, 1958, in Belgium The Smurfs are a group of small blue creatures who live in mushroom houses somewhere in the woods.
Their popularity as toys continues around the glode to this day, but it was the 1981 debut of their Saturday-morning cartoon that first made them famous in North America.
This two disc boxset THE SMURFS – SEASON ONE, VOLUME ONE includes the final 20 episodes from Season 1.
Yes, they are back to Smurf up your day, any time you need them!
This show was fun then, and it is fun now!
If you loved The Smurfs when you are a kid…this is a perfect way to feel young again.
VOLUME 2 of SEASON 1 of the always fun TV show THE SMURFS, the good-but-not-as-good-as-the-first-two COMPLETE THIRD SEASON of ROBOT CHICKEN, the very interesting documentary PLANET B-BOY, LOU REED’s concert film BERLIN, the could-have-been-better SIDNEY CROSBY release called ON THE ICE AND BEYOND and the great family film JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH are all available now on DVD.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
Michael J. Fox’s television series SPIN CITY finally debuts on DVD, along with SEASON THREE of the Canadian series ROBSON ARMS.
Also next week, the cinematic version of GET SMART, the 30th ANNIVERSARY of ANIMAL HOUSE; Disney’s SLEEPING BEAUTY, and Peter Pan’s fairy gets her own movie with TINKERBELL.
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!

The Couch Potato Report – October 25th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels a Canadian made documentary, a HULK, and four films to get you ready for Halloween!
The huge summer blockbuster THE INCREDIBLE HULK is new on DVD this week…but I will be telling you about that one last this morning.
Even though this new HULK movie was primarily filmed in Toronto, I have a different movie with a Canadian connection that I have made this week’s HOT POTATO.
This one is called UP THE YANGTZE and it is a documentary by Chinese-Canadian director Yung Chang.
The film focuses on people affected by the building of the Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze river in China.
Even as I speak with you, engineers are constructing the largest dam in the world across the great Yangtzee. When finished, it will produce the energy of 15 nuclear power plants.
To China’s leaders, the dam is the greatest engineering feat since the construction of the Great Wall, but to critics worldwide, it is a social and environmental disaster.
During the planning stages in the 1990s it was estimated that 1.13 million residents would be forced to relocate due to the construction of The Three Gorges Dam, however the final number – as of June – was 1.24 million.
UP THE YANGTZE focuses on the transition that is required of some of the peasant farmers who live in areas that were flooded as China develops this rural area, and it also shows us how others are benefitting from the Dam.
It also takes us aboard a cruise ship to meet some of the tourists who are flocking to the area before it is no more.
UP THE YANGTZE is very interesting from start to finish, but it is a film that contains so many people’s stories that it can’t help but leave you wanting more.
Personally, I wanted to see how more farmers were relocating and how they are coping in new homes, especially at one point, when a displaced farmer says about the Dam: “It is beneficial for China, but I don’t think it will do me any good.”
I also wanted to see more of this massive Dam…but, all that said, I still highly recommend UP THE YANGTZEE to you, this is a very engaging movie.
Today is October 25th, the last Couch Potato Report before Halloween, so to help get you ready, I have four movies to suggest…starting with the claustrophobic and fantastic terror film THE STRANGERS.
Yes, you heard me right. I didn’t refer to THE STRANGERS as a horror…this is a terror film!
Three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks force the young couple in this film to go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive, and I loved every minute of it.
THE STRANGERS is creepy, and it features some fantastic frights. If you – or someone you love – enjoys these types of films, turn off the lights, sit close on the couch and enjoy!!
If modern day terror, or horror films aren’t your cup of tea, and you prefer the way they used to make ’em, then you are also in luck heading into Halloween as well because three of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic films have just been re-released in spectacular Two-Disc SPECIAL EDITIONS.
Get ready to re-admire REAR WINDOW, VERTIGO and PSYCHO.
The 1960 film PSYCHO is about a young woman who steals $40,000 from her employer’s client, and then meets Norman Bates, a motel proprietor who is under the domination of his mother.
In 1958’s VERTIGO a San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend’s wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.
And in the great 1954 film REAR WINDOW a wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbours from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
All three of these SPECIAL EDITIONS allow the films to look better than they ever have before, and they also feature a wealth of extras…incluidng some facts I guarantee that you have never even thought about before!
If you like old school scares, REAR WINDOW, VERTIGO and PSYCHO are fantastic films by a master filmmaker, and as you may suspect, I do highly recommend all three!!
Oh, and happy Halloween!!
Finally this week…THE INCREDIBLE HULK!
This made-in-Toronto summer blockbuster stars Edward Norton and the great Liv Tyler and it is not a sequel to the 2003 film HULK, it is a reboot…and it is good based on characters from a comic book movie fun!
Unlike the previous film, this one gives you the plot set up – a scientist is exposed to a deadly amount of gamma rays and as such becomes a huge, green Hulk whenever he gets mad – during the opening credits, and then it is on to the mayhem as Bruce Banner is on the run from General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, and forced to fight a creature known as the Abomination.
THE INCREDIBLE HULK is just a pure adrenaline rush of a based-on-a-comic-book movie, and it is also fun! If you think you will enjoy it, give it a a chance, because I think you will!
Especially if you have been a fan of the character, either since the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 in May 1962, or because you grew up with the television show THE INCREDIBLE HULK that was based on the comic books of the same name ran from 1978 to 1982 and starred Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno.
If you are a fan of the TV show, there is a new 20 disc box set that may appeal to you, it is THE INCREDIBLE HULK – THE COMPLETE SERIES, and it has all five seasons of the show, and some great special features!
For true believers, it is a must have!!
THE INCREDIBLE HULK – THE COMPLETE SERIES, the very enjoyable 2008 version of THE INCREDIBLE HULK, Alfred Hitchcock’s immortal thrillers REAR WINDOW, VERTIGO and PSYCHO, the exceptional terror film THE STRANGERS and the documentary UP THE YANGTZE are all available now on DVD.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
Brendan Fraser stars in the family film JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH and SIDNEY CROSBY – ON THE ICE AND BEYOND takes us behind the scenes of Sid The Kid’s 2007-2008 NHL season
Plus, I will tell you about releases featuring LOU REED, B-BOYs, THE SMURFS, and THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON of ROBOT CHICKEN.
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!

The Couch Potato Report – October 18th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels some young people…hugging, and the late great Misters Orson Welles and Paul Newman.
The title of this week’s main new release, our Hot Potato – is one that I can’t say on the radio…if I want to keep my job.
Actually, I can say two of the words in the title…I just can’t say the third one.
Those first two are YOUNG and PEOPLE…and for the third word, let me just use the word HUGGING…I can say that and still keep my job…right?!?
Okay…so, the film, for my selfish keep my job purposes, is called YOUNG PEOPLE HUGGING…but imagine the most intense, passionate, pleasureable type of HUGGING that you can think of, and that is what this film offers…or, wants to offer!
Let me back up a bit, when I first heard last year at the Toronto International Film Festival that there was a Canadian film coming out that was called YOUNG PEOPLE HUGGING, I knew right then and there that it would not be very good.
And I don’t mean not very good because it was a Canadian film, I mean it because of the title.
If the filmmakers had a better and more interesting movie on their hands, they would have given it a better name…instead, they have to rely on a cheap publicity stunt – putting an expletive word in the title, the word I am replacing with HUGGING this morning – using that expletive in the title just so their film would get some attention.
For that, I will just say, they should have gone back to the beginning and written a better film.
Sadly, they didn’t.
YOUNG PEOPLE HUGGING wants to be a smart and fast-paced comedy…it isn’t.
It is – however – a movie that intertwines the stories of five couples over the course of one evening as these YOUNG PEOPLE attempt to do what birds do, and what bees do…heck, even educated fleas do it.
YOUNG PEOPLE HUGGING is full of attractive people, but boring characters, and an utterly predictable and bad script…and the filmmakers – even though they probably will never admit it until their dying breath – know this, which is why they gave it the title they have.
Look…I am usually happy to state that Canadian made films should at least be seen and supported….but not in this case.
Stay away from YOUNG PEOPLE HUGGING, it just isn’t worthy of your time.
Up next are four films that are all worthy of your time, and you might even enjoy watching them with someone to hug sitting beside you.
Let start with the 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION of Orson Welles’ classic film TOUCH OF EVIL
I am not sure that I have mentioned this before, but I am a HUGE fan of Orson Welles and his films and work. I could talk for hours about him…but I won’t. I will just speak for a couple of minutes.
TOUCH OF EVIL stars Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh and Welles and it takes place in a U.S./Mexico border town.
Heston is a high ranking Mexican narcotics official on honeymoon with his bride who is drawn into a murder investigation.
Welles is the 330 pound sheriff who run sthe town, and he isn’t all too happy to have Heston in the way.
TOUCH OF EVIL has always been a misunderstood film as the version that played in theatres wasn’t Welles’ version. The studio didn’t like the film he gave them, so they re-shot some scenes with another director and released their version, which was a few scenes less than coherant.
Welles countered by writing a 58-page memo to the studio on how they could make it better, which went largely ignored.
In the 1970s a longer version was discovered in the studio’s vault, and that was also released in theatres, but it stil wasn’t Welles’ film.
Then, in 1998 the film was restored in a version that attempted to follow Welles’s 1958 memo as closely as possible.
And now all three versions are available in the TOUCH OF EVIL – 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, along with a copy of Welles’ memo.
In 1993, Touch of Evil was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and the film was placed #64 on American Film Institute’s 100 Years, 100 Thrills…and I could go on and on about it, but I will stop now….after 11 more words.
It is a classic, I recommend it…see it, and enjoy!!
I also recommend our next movie, the semi-historical film MONGOL about the young Genghis Khan and how events in his early life lead him to become a legendary conqueror.
MONGOL is the first in what is planned to be a trilogy about Genghis Khan’s life and it was nominated for the 2007 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film as a submission from Kazakhstan.
MONGOL features epic battles with graphic violence and action scenes, a great unknown cast, and an interesting story.
If all that sounds interesting to you, don’t miss this film!!
If none of that appeals to you…how about a Paul Newman movie?
When Paul Newman died on September 26th, I said on this show that I wasn’t going to eulogize him, instead, his work should speak for itself.
This week the DVD’s COOL HAND LUKE and THE PRICE OF SUGAR allow that work to do that.
The DELUXE EDITION of COOL HAND LUKE allows this always interesting film about a man in prison who refuses to conform to the system to look and sound better than it has in years.
It also has a nice 30 minute retrospective look back…but unfortunately it doesn’t feature any new interviews with the screen icon.
But the film still, and will always stand on it’s own. It is a great movie!
The documentary THE PRICE OF SUGAR that Newman narrates isn’t what I would call great, but it is very insightful and illuminating.
THE PRICE OF SUGAR focusses on the exploitation of Haitian immigrants in the Dominican Republic involved with production of sugar, and the efforts of a Spanish priest to make their lives and work situation better.
As I said, it is insightful and informative from start to finish, but even though the lives of the workers are unimaginable, the film failed to connect with me emotionally.
I watched it, it was over. Usually I feel one way or another after a documentary ends.
With this one, I felt nothing…well, I thought of Paul Newman, and wished he was still alive and well…but I am I will think that for a while.
He was a true conematic icon who will be missed.
The documentary THE PRICE OF SUGAR with narration from Mr. Paul Newman, the DELUXE EDITION of Mr. Newman’s classic COOL HAND LUKE, Best Foreign Language Film Oscar Nominee MONGOL from Kazakhstan, the 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION of Orson Welles classic film TOUCH OF EVIL and the wannabe provocative but isn’t even worth your time Canadian film YOUNG PEOPLE HUGGING are all available now on DVD.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
UP THE YANGTZE is a 2007 documentary film directed by Chinese-Canadian director Yung Chang. The film focuses on people affected by the building of the Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze river in Hubei, China.
And to get you ready for Halloween: I will tell you about new versions of three classic Alfred Hitchcock films, PSYCHO, VERTIGO and REAR WINDOW; an dthe new terror filled release THE STRANGERS.
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!

The Couch Potato Report – October 14th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels a mountain, a rock, some meerkats, a visitor and a man who killed a Beatle.
On a weekend where we spend some time every year remembering the people and things we appreciate, how about being thankful for Canada, and our collective Canadian history this year?
Specifically, let us remember October 5th, 1982 when – at 9:30am local time – Laurie Skreslet scaled more than twenty-nine thousand feet to become the first Canadian to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
That 1982 Canadian Mount Everest Expedition had taken five years to plan, $3 million to finance and required 27 tons of equipment to outfit the party.
The expedition also experienced tragedy as four climbers perished.
If you didn’t experience the triumph and tragedy through the extensive media coverage in 1982, or the story is new to you, well you can remember it all through two new releases, the documentary THE CLIMB, and the CBC TV movie EVEREST ’82.
Filmed on location in Nepal, in the Rocky Mountains, and right next door in Alberta, in and around Calgary, EVEREST 82 looks very real and it does a great job bringing the story of the 82 expedition to film…the triumphs and the tragedies.
I didn’t completely remember all of the events that surrounded the climb, other than the fact that Laurie Skreslet was the first Canadian to reach the summit of Mount Everest, so many of the behind-the-scenes and on the mountain facts in the film seemed new to me, and so it wasn’t just a rehash of stories I already knew.
EVEREST 82 isn’t a perfect film due to some wooden performances by a few of the young leading actors, but William Shatner who plays a reporter and 90210’s Jason Priestly who has a small role as a fellow climber are very good, and the story itself overcomes any of the film’s shorcomings, so – to surmise – I did enjoy EVEREST 82 and I can easily recommend it to you.
And as a companion piece, let me also recommend THE CLIMB.
This is a documentary that takes Skreslet and fellow summiter Pat Morrow back to Base Camp at Mt. Everest to relive and discuss the traumatic and triumphant events of 1982.
In addition to the look back, THE CLIMB also features some new stories.
Just before the team leave for Nepal Pat Morrow – who – in addition to topping Everest – was the first person in the world to have climbed the highest peaks of all seven continents – comes down with a mystery illness that might prevent his return to the mountain and and Laurie Skreslet has brought his nineteen year old daughter, Natasha – a young woman who has hardly seen her father in ten years – so he can try and show her what he went through.
Truth be told, I preferred THE CLIMB documentary to the film EVEREST 82. The news footage it contains from the original attempt, the retrospective look back by the mountaineers, and the new stories make for a great 52 minute show, but both of them are worthy of your time.
And both of them may also give you an added sense of pride, just in case you want to be thankful for your country this Thanksgiving Day (START CLIP HERE) weekend.
Lets go from a montain now, to rock…30 ROCK in fact.
Executive produced by Toronto’s own Lorne Michaels, 30 ROCK is a show about what happens behind the scenes at a television variety show…not unlike Saturday Night Live…the iconic television show that Michaels created back in 1975.
But 30 ROCK isn’t just about the fictional TV show at it’s core, it is also about the people who work there.
The insecure, sometimes idotic, but always interesting people who work there, lead by it’s star, creator, and writer, the great Tina Fey as Liz Lemon.
The other reason for the show’s success is Alec Baldwin…he owns every scene he is in.
30 ROCK really hit it’s stride in it’s second season, which is now out on DVD, and if you have never seen it, I couldn’t reccomend it any higher. This is funny stuff!!
I also highly reccomend SEASON TWO of MEERKAT MANOR, just not as much as SEASON ONE.
A meerkat is a small mammal and a member of the mongoose family.
Timon, the character that Nathan Lane voiced in the film THE LION KING was a meerkat.
MEERKAT MANOR is a show that blends traditional animal documentary style footage with narration, making it sort of a Meerkat soap opera….one that at times is very dramatic.
I really enjoyed SEASON ONE of MEERKAT MANOR and I was really looking forward to seeing this SEASON TWO set.
Unfortunately, this season isn’t as dramatic, and it is very, very repetitive, but there is still some great footage, including scenes from a few well-placed underground cameras, and the meerkats are just so entertaining to watch, so while it isn’t as good, I still liked it.
Due to the fact that there is death involved in the show, it isn’t for very young or sensitive kids…but otherwise it is a very interesting for the whole family, and it is all completely real.
Yup, MEERKAT MANOR – SEASON TWO is good stuff!!
THE VISITOR is also good stuff!
In THE VISITOR a widowed college professor travels to New York City to attend a conference and finds a young couple, who turn out to be illegal immigrants, living in his apartment.
He decides to let them stay, and they all become friends, and the young man teaches the professor how to play the drums.
There are several unfortunate things that happen in the film, including some immigration issues, but that is all I will say about THE VISITOR as I think you should discover these plot points on your own.
THE VISITOR is a nice, small film that is big on emotion and very worthy of your time, especially if you like films that are populated by people and characters that seem real.
I liked it, and I recommend it.
Our last film this week isn’t one I can easily recommend, and I can’t tell you to stay away from it either. I must try and be objective with this one, and that is hard…especially this weekend.
You see John Lennon would have been 68 on Thursday.
CHAPTER 27 is a film about Mark David Chapman that takes place in the two days leading up to the former Beatle’s John Lennon.
Yes, I must stay objective.
Personally, as a John Lennon fan and member of the human race, I don’t think the world needs a film about Mark David Chapman, but professionally since the film was made, it is my responsibility to review it, no matter how uncomforable it made me, so review it I will, and so let me tell you that Jared Leto from FIGHT CLUB and PANIC ROOM stas as Chapman, and he gained 67 pounds to play the killer.
Lindsay Lohan also stars in the movie, she plays a Lennon groupie named Jude.
CHAPTER 27 is not poorly made, the acting is very good, the story about this killer’s final few days is somewhat interesting, and the filmmakers used the actual exterior of the Dakota building in New York City…so as a person who talks about movies, I should now tell you that CHAPTER 27 is a movie you should see…but…and I am losing my objectivity…who cares about Mark David Chapman?!?
He robbed the world of a man who tried to make the planet a better place…so who cares?!
All I will say in conclusion is this…Happy Birthday John Lennon! I wish you could have been here to celebrate with us.
Can you imagine?
The creepy film CHAPTER 27, the small and enjoayble film THE VISITOR, SEASON TWO of the fun TV show MEERKAT MANOR, SEASON TWO of the superb sitcom 30 ROCK, and the two new releases about the first Canadians to climb Mt. Everest – the documentary THE CLIMB and the movie EVERST ’82 are all available now on DVD.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
Y.P.F. is a Canadian movie whose real name I can’t even say on the radio without being fired, but I will try to review the movie next week AND keep my job.
I will also talk about Orson Welles superb TOUCH OF EVIL and it’s 50TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION, and we will remember Paul Newman with two new releases, THE PRICE OF SUGAR and the DELUXE EDITION of COOL HAND LUKE.
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!

The Couch Potato Report – October 4th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels TV on DVD, we will forget Sarah Marshall and Iron Man!
It is a Special Sunday edition of the report, and on our weekend of stars, I have several box sets to tell you about, including some well known television stars.
Like Kenny and Spenny!
KENNY VS. SPENNY is a series that originally aired on CBC and in each episode the two best friends and roommates – Kenny and Spenny – face each other in different competitions…many of them quite idiotic!
In SEASON 4 of KENNY VS. SPENNY, as with the other three years, some of the competitions are funny, others are interesting, and there are also several that are so childish or stupid that you will just want to ignore.
Plus, Kenny is a bully who wins almost all of the competitions, and at times you will actually wonder why Spenny puts up with the things he does, including the weekly humiliations as he loses.
But there is something about those shows that makes you keep watching, long after you want to, but…if you are like me…you will be constantly asking yourself “Why am I watching this?!?!”
But I couldn’t stop watching, and laughing, and I must admit, I was entertained!
Now due to it’s language, anything goes attitude, and content, KENNY VS. SPENNY isn’t a show for everyone, but if you are looking for something uniquly stupid, immature, childish and addictively fun…, check this show out, and maybe even have some fun!
Up next is a show that anyone can watch, and I think everyone will enjoy. Truth be told, this is one of my favourite shows of all time, and if you have never heard of it, it is my pleasure to tell you about SPORTS NIGHT.
SPORTS NIGHT was the show that Aaron Sorkin created and aired, before the more successful show THE WEST WING, and many of the things that show became famous for – including the acting walk and talk, devised to get more words into each script – were first developed on SPORTS NIGHT.
The show aired for two seasons from 1998 to 2000 and it is about a fictional sports news show – also called Sports Night – and the people who work there.
We share their friendships, trials, tribulations, love and even some of the ethical issues they face while trying to produce a good show under constant network pressure.
Now how is this for a cast, the show stars Robert Guillaume from BENSON, Felicity Huffman of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, Peter Krause from SIX FEET UNDER and DIRTY SEXY MONEY, and regular guest stars included William H. Macy from FARGO and Brenda Strong, also of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES.
It is a fantastic show, with a spectacular cast, full of people you actually care about.
I love this show, truly love it!
The writing and acting is so good that I am constantly amazed and I still say that even though I have seen every episode of the series at least a dozen times!
And now, the 8-DVD Box Set SPORTS NIGHT – THE COMPLETE SERIES 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION has given me the chance to tell you about this great show, and given the cast and crew – including creator Aaron Sorkin, and star Felicity Huffman – the chance to take a look back at their great show.
SPORTS NIGHT is a fantastic show, I highly recommend it and think you will enjoy it…even if you don’t care for sports.
But, if you don’t care for action adventure shows or movies, I doubt that you will like CHUCK.
Okay, maybe you will like the character of Chuck, but perhaps not the show with that name.
The television show CHUCK focusses on Charles Irving “Chuck” Bartowski. He is an average guy who is also a computer-whiz and one night he receives an e-mail from his old college nemesis who is now working for the CIA.
The message embeds the only remaining copy of the world’s greatest spy secrets into Chuck’s brain, and now, the average guy must be protected at all costs – by both the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency.
And they don’t always all get along.
CHUCK is a show that has some interesting action scenes and stories, but a show like this lives or dies because of the characters. Most of them are likeable, but I stopped watching it every week because I didn’t care for the guy who plays Chuck’s best friend, and due to the fact that Chuck seems to have more chemistry with the actress who plays his sister than the potential love interest, Agent Agent “Sarah” Lisa Walker, whose job it also is to protect him.
But that said, I did like the show enough to sit and watch all 13 episodes on DVD, including the ones I had already seen.
If the premise of the show sounds interesting to you, I think that you should check out CHUCK – THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON on DVD.
Up next on this special Sunday edition of The Couch Potato Report os a show that I didn’t expect to like at all, but it is just so charming and enjoyable that I did.
Yes, I did enjoy SAMANTHA WHO?
Christina Applegate from MARRIED WITH CHILDREN stars in this very entertaining show as that amnesia victim, a woman who is slowly remembering that she used to be mean, cold and calculating, and is now trying to nice.
Christina Applegate has proven many times in the past that she is a great commedienne, and this show puts her talents to great use.
THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON of SAMANTHA WHO? is witty and well written, and with only a couple of exceptions, I liked the entire cast.
It’s a good show, and simply put, I liked it…at least the parts of it I can remember.
The television show SAMANTHA WHO? is about a woman trying to remember parts of her life.
The movie FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL – on the other hand – is about a man trying to forget parts of his…specifically the parts that include a woman named Sarah Marshall.
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is a comedy from some of the same people who gave us the films SUPERBAD, THE 40-YEAR-OLD-VIRGIN and KNOCKED UP.
Kristen Bell – one of the stars of HEROES is Sarah, a television star who breaks up with her musician boyfriend. Jason Segel from the television show HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER is the boyfriend, and he is devastated by the break-up, so he decides to head to Hawaii to try and forget her.
And she just happens to be staying at the exact same hotel, with her new boyrfriend.
The thing that I most enjoyed about FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is the fact that everyone, all the main cast members are likeable. They aren’t perfect, but there is no villain here, and that made the movie better.
It is also very, very funny.
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL is a great film, and I highly recommend it, and the summer blockbuster IRON MAN.
IRON MAN is one of the most entertaining films of the year, but it is a movie that should not have even worked. Robert Downey Jr, who plays wealthy wealthy industrialist Tony Stark who is forced to build an armored suit after a life-threatening incident and then he ultimately decides to use its technology to fight against evil, Downey is not the go-to guy for Hollywood action blockbusters, or superhero films based on comic books, and director John Favreau is better known as an actor, and the films that he had directed before this one were comedies or family films…not anything like IRON MAN.
Yet it all works, well.
The filmmakers took a chance with their lead actor and director, and you and I reap all the cinematic rewards.
This is a great movie, with a superb cast that also includes Gwenyth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard, and I think that you will really enjoy it, even if you don’t necessarily like movies based on comic books.
And if you hate comic superhero movies…c’mon…take a chance!
The character of Iron Man first appeared in Marvel Comics’ “Tales of Suspense Number 39” in March of 1963 and the great movie it is based on is now available on DVD, along with the very funny FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, the first seasons of the entertaining television shows SAMANTHA WHO and CHUCK, the 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION of the spectacular Aaron Sorkin series SPORTS NIGHT, and the goofy fun that is SEASON 4 of KENNY VS. SPENNY.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
I will talk about EVEREST 82, the film based on the true story of the first Canadians to ever make it to the top of the world’s tallest and most historic peak; SEASON TWO of the fun TV show MEERKAT MANOR, the interesting movie THE VISITOR, and CHAPTER 27 is an independent film depicting the murder of John Lennon by Mark David Chapman.
I’m Dan Reynish. I’ll have more on those, and some other releases, in six days, next Saturday at the regular time of 8:45!
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!

The Couch Potato Report – September 27th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels an awful summer movie, one pretty good one, and we flashback to movie High School.
We all have those actors and acrtresses that we admire and love more than others.
Some of the folks I love and admire include Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Anne Hathaway, Billy Crystal, Jennifer Connelly, Bill Murray, Jodie Foster and Mike Myers.
I adore Mike Myers, and I love his work!!
From his years on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, through the WAYNE’S WORLD films, SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER, AUSTIN POWERS, the SHREK…I loved it all and – with few exceptions – THE CAT IN THE HAT – he could do no wrong!
Or so I thought…man, what a stinker his new film is!! THE LOVE GURU may not go down as the worst movie of the year, but I certainly think it is the greatest disappointment.
It is awful!!!
Normally when I sit through a movie this bad, I feel sorry for myself because of the waste of time, the ruing of my expectations, and sometimes even the shattering of a carrer – or two – that I enjoyed watching.
When THE LOVE GURU concluded, I just felt bad for Scarborough, Ontario’s own Mike Myers…I still feel bad for him…how could someone so talented, someone who is usually so cinematically reliable, how could he write and star in garbage like this?!?
I hope he is okay!!
Now, many of us saw this disater coming from the moment we saw the trailer, or read the synopsis, which I have for you now, and bear in mind the majority of the film takes place in Toronto, Canada, yet here is the synopsis:
Pitka – an American raised outside of his country by gurus – returns to the States in order to break into the self-help business.
His first challenge: To settle the romantic troubles and subsequent professional skid of a star hockey player whose wife left him for a rival athlete.
It takes place in Canada, but even the synopsis, and the movie’s trailer says that it takes place in America!
I have watched THE LOVE GURU twice now, out of allegience to Mike Myers, and both times I thought the same things – Justin Timberlake is very entertaining as a Frech Canadian – Celine Dion loving goaltender who plays for the Los Angeles Kings, some of Stephen Colbert’s work as a Hockey Night In Canada commentator is smile enducing, Jessica Alba looks fantastic, and how could Mike Myers give us a movie this bad?!
And THE LOVE GURU is bad, even if you love Mike Myers, as I continue to, skip it, ignore it, just walk away!!
Just walk away!!
Now as surprisingly bad as THE LOVE GURU was, our next release was the polar opposite.
SEX AND THE CITY – THE MOVIE was surprisingly good!
I still can’t believe how much I enjoyed this movie.
If you are unfamilar with the television series that this film is based on, SEX AND THE CITY is about four female friends – Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda – living, loving and shopping in New York City.
The series often portrayed frank discussions about romance and sexuality.
THE MOVIE is set four years after the events of the series finale, the film begins with Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie and her long-time onagain-off again lover Big viewing apartments with the intention of moving in together.
Yes, SEX AND THE CITY – THE MOVIE is about Carrie & Big’s attempts to be happy, but it – like the series – is primarily about Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda living, loving and shopping in New York City….even though Samantha – played by Canadian actress Kim Cattrall – now lives in Los Angeles…yet she – for plot reasons – always seems to be back in New York.
Yes, I am on record as having enjoyed this film, but that is one thing about it that I still take exception to…when anything happens – little or huge – Samantha flies right back, and never looks tired or wrinkled.
But hey, if you love the characters, you want them together, so I can forgive that plot device.
What still prevents me from loving the film is that fact that it is too long, and the DVD release has 12 extra minutes that weren’t in the theatrical version, making it almost two and a half hours long!
Plus, and this is the final issue I have with the SEX AND THE CITY MOVIE…Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson from DREAMGIRLS – who play’s Carrie’s new assistant – cannot act! She was great in he Academy Award winning role, but she is not great here.
Still, with all that said, I will always love movies about old friends spending time together, an dthat is what I liked about the movie. The clothes, the fashions, the loves, the passions, that stuff was okay…but I loved, yes loved, almost every scene that just featured Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.
And yes, I am still surprised that I enjoyed THE SEX AND THE CITY MOVIE as much as I did.
Oh, and by the way for you fans of the series or film, writer and director Michael Patrick King says that he is hoping to have another film in theatres the summer after next!
Okay, let me give you capsule reviews of this week’s other four releases, as there are actually 8 movies here, and I will start with George Clooney’s LEATHERHEADS.
This is a wannabe romantic comedy set in the world of 1920s football, where the fast-talking Clooney recurits a strait-laced college sensation to join his team.
The college boy is being followed by a reporter – played by Oscar winner Renee Zelweger – and both men fall for her.
LEATHERHEADS wants to be a comedy, it wants to be slapstick, it wants to be the type of film they don’t make anymore, but all it really is is over in 114 minutes, and that is too long!
Even though I liked the cast and characters, their film is not very good, and I say skip it.
RUN FATBOY RUN is up next, and it stars Simon Pegg from SHAUN OF THE DEAD and Thandie Newton from CRASH, two actors I always enjoy seeing in a film.
In this one he is an out-of shape guy who – five years after jilting his pregnant fiancÈe on their wedding day – decides to run a marathon to win her back.
RUN FATBOY RUN is not perfect, but it also isn’t a complete waste of time. The characters are likeable, and there are more than a few laughs, so although it is utterly predictable, I liked it.
I also liked the films THE BREAKFAST CLUB, SIXTEEN CANDLES and WEIRD SCIENCE when they first came out in the mid-1980s, and now, all these years later, I have no problems admitting I love them!
And now these three John Hughes films are available in the HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK COLLECTION!
They have all been digitally remastered, and there are several retrospective features on each DVD.
If part of your cinematic childhood was defined by THE BREAKFAST CLUB, SIXTEEN CANDLES or WEIRD SCIENCE, I hope you still enjoy them as much today as I do!
Finally this week is the 5-DVD Box Set for THE GODFATHER TRILOGY – THE COPPPOLA RESTORATION.
Director Francis Ford Coppola and a team or restoration experts have taken the time to restore the first two GODFATHER films, and the new transfers for Parts I and II are exceptional!
At times it is like seeing them for the very first time!!
In addition to the three films, there is also two discs of bonus features, and many of them are all new!!
So even if you have the original DVD box set for these movies, it is completely worth it to buy them again, something I rarely say, because the restoration job on the first two films is just that good!
Enjoy!!
The spectacular FRANCIS FORD COPPPOLA RESTORATION of his GODFATHER TRILOGY, the memory-inducing HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK COLLECTION featuring John Hughes’ films THE BREAKFAST CLUB, SIXTEEN CANDLES and WEIRD SCIENCE, the mildly entertaining comedy RUN FATBOY RUN, the failed and flawed film LEATHERHEADS, the super successful SEX AND THE CITY MOVIE and the awful on almost every level “comedy” THE LOVE GURU are all available now on DVD.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
Yes, next week it is a special Sunday edition of the report, and at that time I will tell you about four new TV ON DVD Sets, including SEASON FOUR of the Canadian series KENNY VS. SPENNY and SPORTS NIGHT, one of my favourite shows of all time!
Plus, the summer blockbuster IRON MAN is new on DVD, and so is the underrated comedy FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL.
I’m Dan Reynish. I’ll have more on those, 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!

The Couch Potato Report – September 20th, 2008
This week The Couch Potato Report peels a Manitoba made movie and the Dude continues to abide.
I have six new titles to tell you about this week, including the debut of two televisions shows on DVD, and some classic comedies.
The most important release I have this week – this week’s HOT POTATO – is a movie that was filmed in communities across Manitoba including Winnipeg, Hartney, Balmoral, Otterbourne, Landmark, and they also filmed some around Lake Winnipeg.
Academy Award winning actress Ellen Burstyn stars in THE STONE ANGEL.
The source material for THE STONE ANGEL was a book that was first published in 1964. It is possibly the best-known of Margaret Laurence’s series of novels set in the fictitious town of Manawaka, Manitoba.
Using parallel narratives of past and present day, the book – and now film – tells the story of Hagar Currie Shipley.
In the present-day, 94-year-old Hagar is struggling against being put in a nursing home, which she sees as a symbol of death.
The past narrative feature Hagar as a strong willed young woman who is full of life.
Ellen Burstyn won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1974 for her performance in the movie ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, and she has also appeared in THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, THE EXORCIST, REQUIEM FOR A DREAM and many other classic films.
My point listing her resume is that she can act. In lesser hands the cinematic version of Hagar Currie Shipley may have come across as just a crotchety old woman, in Burstyn’s hands you feel empathy toward her. You want her to be okay.
Unfortunately, while I have enjoyed the book, and I think that Burstyn and the rest of the cast of THE STONE ANGEL do a great job, and Mantitoba looks great on films, I just can’t completely recommend the film.
It isn’t bad in any way, but it isn’t necessarily good either. It just is what it is.
If you like films that are slow and dramatic, then you should see this as I don’t think you will be disappointed. Otherwise, I am sure there is something else out there more worthy of your time.
Maybe even a television show – a night time soap opera about a family of exceptionally wealthy socialites in New York City.
If that premise interests you, well then let me tell you about DIRTY SEXY MONEY.
The stories in DIRTY SEXY MONEY are nothing new to night time soap operas…people sleeping with people they shouldn’t, money being used to buy happiness and to get rich folks out of trouble, too much alcohol and drugs…but what allows the show to be as good as it is boils down to the cast.
Peter Krause from SIX FEET UNDER stars as the lawyer who is forced to take care of one of New York City’s wealthiest families, and the heads of that family are played by Academy Award nominated actress Jill Clayburgh and the great Canadian actor Donald Sutherland.
Not every episode in SEASON ONE of DIRTY SEXY MONEY is as good as the others, and some of the characters – namely the two youngest kids in the family – are usless to the show, but New York City has never looked better on film, the acting is just so good, and simply put, the show is a completely enjoyable guilty pleasure.
It is definitely a soap opera, make no mistake about that, but the acting is spectacular, it is very, very entertaining, and at times the show is funny too.
I love these guilty pleasures!!
I was really hoping that this week’s other new TV show on DVD would be very entertaining too…or maybe just a guilty pleasure…especially since I am a huge fan of the character BATMAN and his universe, but sadly BIRDS OF PREY just isn’t very good.
And that is a tremendous diappointment!
If you are a huge fan of Batman as well, or just loved this summer’s THE DARK KNIGHT juggernaut and are looking to delve further into the characters, I would recommend that you avoid the 4-DVD set for BIRDS OF PREY – THE COMPLETE SERIES.
In the show Batman has disappeared and his daughter is a mysterious superhero known as “The Huntress” who has picked up where he left off, defending the city.
She has teamed up with the paralyzed hero “Batgirl” together they meet up with their next teammate Dinah Lance.
Dinah is a telepath and psychic and the three must learn how to work together and become not only a team of superheroes but also a family.
The main reason why BIRDS OF PREY is a failure is primarily due to the fact that the main three actresses aren’t interesting enough to keep you interested in what they are doing.
And what they are doing is mainly melodrama…teenage angst filled melodrama.
The faults added together don’t result in a show that is worthy of your time.
As a Batman fan, I wanted to see it, and I am glad I did, but let me suggest that you skip it, and instead check out the BIRDS OF PREY comic books.
They are much better!
Or just go and see THE DARK KNIGHT again! That film will always be worthy of your time!!
Three comedies now, well four actually, four comedies now to conclude The Report this week…so if you have been looking for a laugh, I have some for you!!
Well, actually, these films have the laughs…I didn’t help creat them…so, the films have the laughs for you…but I have the clips!
This first one is from the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler movie BABY MAMA.
Fey – from the television show 30 ROCK – plays a successful, single businesswoman who dreams of having a baby, but discovers that she can have kids, so she looks to find a surrogate.
Amy Poehler of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE is the working class woman that Fey hires to be her surrogate mother.
The best thing about BABY MAMA – in addition to Fey and Poehler – is the fact that it isn’t completely predictable. Some of it is, but most of it isn’t, and that is great!!
So is the film, I laughed out loud more than a few times while watching BABY MAMA.
Yes, I laughed out loud at the new comedy BABY MAMA, and in the years since the very first FLETCH film starring Chevy Chase came out, I have laughed out loud dozens of times.
That original FLETCH movie – about a wise-cracking undercover newspaper reporter who just can’t seem to stay away from trouble – came out in 1985 and the follow-up FLETCH LIVES came out in 1989.
And now both movies are available in the new, inexpensive 2-DVD set THE FLETCH COLLECTION.
These movies have already been issued a couple of times each on DVD, but if you don’t own them, and have always found them funny, this is a set that I highly recommend.
I love these movies!!
I also love the Coen Brothers’ 1998 classic THE BIG LEBOWSKI, and it too has already been released several times on DVD, but the new 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION is the best one yet!!
In addition to the film – about Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski, a man mistaken for a millionaire who shares his name – who seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it – this new 2 DVD set also has some great retrospective features on the film, from all of the main stars, including Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.
THE BIG LEBOWSKI is one of my all-time favourite comedies, and this 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION is for fans of the films, and for people who are just seeing it for the first time.
It is a classic!!
The two-disc FLETCH COLLECTION with the great original FLETCH and FLETCH LIVES, the very funny comedy BABY MAMA, THE COMPLETE SERIES of the failed BIRDS OF PREY, SEASON ONE of the guilty pleasure DIRTY SEXY MONEY, the made-in-Manitoba film THE STONE ANGEL, and the 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION of the Coen Brothers’ classic film THE BIG LEBOWSKI are all available now on DVD.
Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report
Carrie and her friends very succesful summer big screen outing debuts on DVD…get ready for SEX AND THE CITY – THE MOVIE….and a less succesful summer film also debuts for home viewing…Mike Myers absolutely awful “comedy” THE LOVE GURU
I will also talk about the television show SAMANTHA WHO?, George Clooney and Renee Zellweger’s LEATHERHEADS, the comedy RUN FATBOY RUN and the HIGH SCHOOL FLASHBACK COLLECTION features the John Hughes films SIXTEEN CANDLES, WEIRD SCIENCE and THE BREAKFAST CLUB.
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!