Original "Insomnia" Both Cold and Engaging

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 1 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Insomnia (1997)
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Norway
Running time: 97 minutes (1 hour, 37 minutes)
DIRECTOR: Erik Skjoldbjaerg
WRITERS: Nikolaj Frobenius and Erik Skjoldbjaerg
PRODUCERS: Tomas Backström, Petter J. Borgli, and Tom Remlov
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Erling Thurmann-Andersen
EDITOR: Håkon Øverås

DRAMA/MYSTERY with elements of crime

Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Maria Mathiesen, and Bjorn Moan,

The thriller film, especially the kind mixed with the element of a murder mystery, is a venerable Hollywood genre. Seeing a foreign version of such a genre can be a jarring experience. Lacking the star power wattage, lavish production values, and the insistence that the screenplay explain every bit of action and leave no sense of mystery (not to mention the never-ending public relations campaigns to promote movies), many foreign films must rest the case for their quality on the art and technique of filmmaking and on storytelling free of high concepts. That is exactly the case with the Norwegian film Insomnia.

Two detectives cross the Arctic Circle into northern Norway to solve the murder of a young girl, Tonya Lorentzen (Maria Mathiesen), where during the summer daylight lasts for 23 hours. Jonas Engstrom (the sublime Stellan Skarsgard, Good Will Hunting) is the best at what he does, catch murderers, and with his partner of one year, Erik Vik (Sverre Anker Ousdal), Jonas guesses that he himself will quickly solve the crime.

The investigators find Tonya’s friends and classmates reluctant to cooperate, and Jonas, who is a Swede, has a tough time communicating with them. Initially Jonas and Erik suspect Tonya’s boyfriend Eilert (Bjorn Moan), but he is merely a distraction. The murderer, who took time to clean his crime scene, is someone smart. During a stakeout at the crime scene to catch the killer, Jonas accidentally shoots and kills Erik, mistaking him for Tonya’s killer, who did, in fact, walk right into the police’s trap.

Rather than admit his mistake, Jonas covers the shooting of his partner, blaming it on the killer. He soon learns that Tonya’s killer witnessed Jonas’s mistake. Now, as the police move in on the Tonya’s murderer, Jonas must protect him, cover up his own crime, and frame someone else. Meanwhile, Jonas grows steadily exhausted; in the near perpetual daylight, he cannot sleep, and his reality blurs just as his web of deceit becomes more desperate. And a bright, local detective assigned to Erik’s killing begins to find the flaws in Jonas’s story.

Directed by Erik Skjoldbjaerg and co-written with Nikolaj Frobenius, Insomnia is a quite, but intense thriller that harks back to old Hollywood. The location, the setting, and every character are important to the tapestry of the story. However, it is Skarsgard who owns the film; greasy and sullen, he stalks his sleepless world trying to save himself, his sense of self worth, and his sense of justice.

There are subtle shifts, sans special effects, in reality, or at least, in Jonas’s perception of it. His lack of sleep allows his dilemmas to incessantly haunt him. Because the thriller is told from his point of view, the audience must share Jonas’s vague and murky world. It is a testament to Skarsgard’s skill that he can draw us inescapably to his character.

The other great character is Tonya’s killer. Although the police peg him as suspect early on, we see him mainly through Jonas’s eyes. His relationship with Jonas should be troubling, and he is a murderer. But like Jonas, the audience is drawn to him. Why? There seems to be so many reasons that this killer makes us curious and dare I say…sympathetic.

Insomnia has a sense of vagueness that can be off putting at time, and the creators are somewhat clumsy with the filmmaking as the moves to its resolution. It is still a very good film - one that demands its audience’s participation and attention, all the while burying us in a world of ambiguity. It was fun to be entertained and to feel like a part of this story; I wish it happened more often.

7 of 10
B+

Own First 3 "InuYasha" Films for a Pittance

Press release:

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES SPECIAL NEW PROMOTION FOR INUYASHA FEATURE FILMS AND TV EPISODES AVAILABLE FROM iTUNES, HULU AND VIZANIME.COM

Offered At Special Prices Only For Limited Time

VIZ Media announces a new promotion for INUYAHSA episodes and feature films (all rated ‘T’ for Teens) available now from the iTunes Store in the U.S. and Canada (www.iTunes.com), as well as the streaming content provider HULU (www.Hulu.com) and VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime.

iTunes will offer the first three INUYASHA feature films (dubbed) – INUYASHA THE MOVIE: AFFECTIONS TOUCHING ACROSS TIME, INUYASHA THE MOVIE 2: THE CASTLE BEYOND THE LOOKING GLASS, and INUYASHA THE MOVIE 3: SWORDS OF AN HONORABLE RULER, for a special Download-To-Own (DTO) sale price of $4.99 (U.S.) each until August 3rd. Additionally, INUYASHA TV episode 1 is available to download for FREE, and episodes 2-167, covering Seasons 1-7, will be 50% off and available for iTunes users to download for only $0.99 each.

HULU will stream INUYASHA: AFFECTIONS TOUCHING ACROSS TIME (subtitled) for free until August 11th; it will also be available during the same period on VIZAnime.com, the free-to-use interactive web destination that is the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series.

INUYASHA is a hit TV anime series is based on a massively popular manga (also published by VIZ Media, rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) by famed creator Rumiko Takahashi, who won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award for the series in 2002. Many of Takahashi’s titles have been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. The INUYASHA anime series ran for 167 episodes in total and has also spawned an exciting finale series, INUYASHA THE FINAL ACT (also available on VIZAnime.com), as well as several successful feature films.

INUYASHA
When an enchanted well draws her into the past, Kagome, an ordinary modern schoolgirl, finds her destiny tied to the doglike half-demon Inuyasha and a mythical gem called the Shikon Jewel, or "Jewel of Four Souls," of which the smallest shard can grant the user unimaginable power. Throughout their quest to restore the shattered Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha and Kagome have never faced an enemy more deadly or more cunning than the demon mastermind Naraku. With the Shikon Jewel nearly whole and in Naraku’s hands, the race to collect the remaining shards intensifies and a battle of epic proportions is brewing on the horizon...

INUYASHA THE MOVIE: AFFECTIONS TOUCHING ACROSS TIME
200 years ago, Inuyasha's father sealed away a powerful demon from a foreign land named Hyoga. A Shikon Jewel shard awakens Hyoga's son, Menomaru, inspiring him to absorb the remains of his father's power to take control of the world! It's now up to Inuyasha and his friends to stop this nearly invincible foe!

INUYASHA THE MOVIE 2: THE CASTLE BEYOND THE LOOKING GLASS
With their greatest foe seemingly defeated, Inuyasha and his friends return to their lives. But their short period of peace is once again shattered as a new enemy begins to emerge. Kaguya, the self-proclaimed Princess from the Moon of legend, begins a plan to plunge the world into a perpetual night of the full moon. Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo must once again unite to face a new threat.

INUYASHA THE MOVIE 3: SWORDS OF AN HONORABLE RULER
Many years ago, the Great Dog Demon wielded the Three Swords of the Fang. Upon his death, he bequeathed a sword to each of his sons, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, leaving the third sword, the wrath-filled Sounga, locked away forever. Now that the Sounga's power has been awakened, these two battling brothers must put away their sibling rivalry and face off against the force that spells doom for all mankind.

To learn more about the INUYASHA anime and manga series, please visit VIZAnime.com or ShonenSunday.com.

Review: "Brooklyn's Finest" is Actually Not The Finest

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 52 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Brooklyn’s Finest (2009)
Wide U.S. release: March 5, 2010
Running time: 132 minutes (2 hours, 12 minutes)
MPAA – R for bloody violence throughout, strong sexuality, nudity, drug content and pervasive language
DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua
WRITER: Michael C. Martin
PRODUCERS: Elie Cohn, Basil Iwanyk, John Langley, and John Thompson
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Patrick Murguia
EDITOR: Barbara Tulliver

CRIME/DRAMA

Starring: Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Brian O’Byrne, Will Patton, Lili Taylor, Ellen Barkin, Jesse Williams, Shannon Kane, Lela Rochon, Ed Moran, Isiah Whitlock, Michael Kenneth Williams, Hassan Iniko Johnson, Jas Anderson and Vincent D’Onofrio

Ever watch a movie that just frustrates you because you want it to be better than it is because it should be better than it is? That’s Brooklyn’s Finest, a crime film from director Antoine Fuqua, an accomplished director of violent action films like Training Day and Tears of the Sun, which are aimed at guys who love violent action.

Brooklyn’s Finest follows three veteran New York cops struggling with right and wrong. Cynical, washed-up Edward “Eddie” Dugan (Richard Gere) stopped caring about the job or the rules years ago. Days from retirement, he finds himself overseeing rookies who will be assigned to tough neighborhoods. Detective Salvatore “Sal” Procida (Ethan Hawke) is desperate for money to support his growing family, so he starts taking money he finds during drug busts. Deeply religious, he struggles to reconcile his criminal deeds with his family’s needs, but with a down payment on a bigger house due, he plots his most dangerous cash-grab yet.

Clarence “Tango” Butler (Don Cheadle) is an undercover narcotics officer who hopes his latest assignment will earn him a promotion to detective and a desk job. However, he must betray Casanova “Caz” Phillips (Wesley Snipes), a prison buddy just released from prison on appeal of his conviction. A vulgar federal agent demands that Tango set up a drug deal that will assure Caz’s return to prison, but that causes Tango to be torn between his conflicting loyalties – the job and his friend. Eddie, Sal, and Tango converge on the Van Dyke housing projects of Brooklyn’s notorious Brownsville section where their lives will change forever.

Brooklyn’s Finest is a sprawling crime drama that offers good characters and a good setup, but it never really develops. The characters are the kind of stock players found in movies dealing with the New York City Police Department and Big Apple crime: cynical cops, dirty cops, vulgar cops, asshole cops, compromised cops, bureaucratic cops, arrogant federal agents, prostitutes, wannabe gangsters, and drug dealers. Plus, there are shootings – lots and lots of shootings. Although Brooklyn’s Finest is his first screenplay, writer Michael C. Martin actually seems as if he is going to do something grand, if not different, with this story and these characters. However, he eventually writes himself into a corner, where violent death is the only resolution, so the movie ends up seeming so predictable. Martin develops everything slowly, as if this were a pilot for a television series, when it really is a movie screenplay. Martin just builds and builds, and before the plot can thicken, it’s time for the story to end. And the only way left to end this is by using good old mister shoot ‘em up.

The performances by the three leads are good, if not great. Richard Gere is so real as the cynical, burned-out Eddie that the character seems weird and out of place. The best acting comes from the supporting players. Wesley Snipes is pitch perfect as the old dog gangsta; Snipes shows it in his face that Caz is tired and out of place among the younger, harder, and more brutal drug dealers. The talented Brian O’Byrne is excellent as the way too underutilized character, Officer Ronny Rosario. Ellen Barkin reminds us how good she is as the ball-busting Federal Agent Smith, a part Barkin plays as if she has a chip on shoulder and dynamite up her ass. Someone should give Smith her own movie because the disappointing Brooklyn’s Finest is not worthy of the character.

4 of 10
C

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

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Danny Glover's Short Film "Second Life" Debuts Online

Danny Glover’s Newest Short Film Debuts on The Responsibility Project


“Second Line” Reminds Viewers to “Do the Right Thing”

Directed by Danny Glover and Produced by Moving Parts, Inc.

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Liberty Mutual Group:
About the Film: A neighbor, a friend or a stranger in need of a small act of kindness often passes by us unnoticed. It’s a decision we make every day — “Am I too busy to lend a moment of my time to another person?” Despite overloaded schedules and the struggle to balance the responsibilities of daily life, it’s important to remember how little time it takes to “do the right thing.”

Danny Glover directs and stars in the latest short film from Liberty Mutual’s Responsibility Project entitled, “Second Line.” Glover portrays a wealthy and frustrated businessman who is forced to walk to work after his car will not start. The man, characterized as being too busy and self-consumed to notice the people and places he passes, rushes through the streets of San Francisco. Viewers join the man on what appears to be an ordinary walk to work. After breezing past others in need, the man arrives at work and finally realizes all that he has missed. A changed expression appears on his face and he suddenly becomes present again as he helps a homeless man on the street. The film ends as the businessman enters his office building, turns around and notices another “lost soul” speeding by.

The four-and-a-half minute short film, “Second Line” was written by Nicole Middleton, directed by Danny Glover and produced by Moving Parts, Inc. The film’s director of photography, Michael Chin, was nominated for an Emmy® in Outstanding Cinematography for “The American Experience,” a series of documentaries on American history. The filmmakers were inspired by the collective spirit of street parades or “second lines,” a long-standing cultural tradition in New Orleans that celebrates family and community. The short film can be found at www.ResponsibilityProject.com.


About the Director:
Danny Glover, who grew up in San Francisco, where “Second Line” was filmed, made his directing debut in 2002 with “Just A Dream.” Glover, a beloved American actor, has produced over 20 films and television productions. He has been nominated for four Emmy® awards and has been recognized for his support of various humanitarian and political causes.

About The Responsibility Project:
The Responsibility Project, created by Liberty Mutual, uses entertainment content to create a forum for people to discuss personal acts of responsibility. Through short films, online content and television programming, The Responsibility Project is a catalyst for examining the decisions that confront people trying to “do the right thing.”

Individuals can participate in online conversations about personal responsibility and also review live-action and animated film shorts on the project’s online community, www.ResponsibilityProject.com.

About Liberty Mutual:
Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group is a diversified global insurer and fifth largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2008 direct written premium. The Company also ranks 71st on the Fortune 500 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2009 revenue. As of December 31, 2009, Liberty Mutual Group had $109.5 billion in consolidated assets, $94.9 billion in consolidated liabilities and $31.1 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

Liberty Mutual Group offers a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, workers compensation, commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, general liability, global specialty, group disability, assumed reinsurance, fire and surety.

Liberty Mutual Group (www.libertymutualgroup.com) employs over 45,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

Where: “Second Line” is available now on http://www.responsibilityproject.com/.

Review: "Tears of the Sun" Offers Sentiment with Military Action

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 30 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Tears of the Sun (2003)
Running time: 121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – R for strong war violence, some brutality and language
DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua
WRITERS: Alex Lasker and Patrick Cirillo
PRODUCERS: Ian Bryce, Mike Lobell, and Arnold Rifkin
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mauro Fiore
EDITOR: Conrad Buff IV
COMPOSER: Lisa Gerrard and Hans Zimmer

WAR/ACTION/DRAMA with elements of a thriller

Starring: Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Cole Hauser, Eamonn Walker, Charles Ingram, Tom Skerritt, and Malick Bowens

Is Tears of the Sun a good movie? Well, the boy parts: the action, the blood and guts, the special ops intrigue, the shootouts, the male camaraderie, etc. are good There’s lots of that and it’s as good, in that respect as, say, Black Hawk Down. The parts of the film that’s supposed to pass for girl stuff: concerned foreign doctors, martyred priests and nuns, and defenseless refugees are negligible. It’s not that you won’t feel sympathetic to the plight of natives being hunted by genocidal soldiers because there are some touching moments and some very riveting, frightening moments, but they get in the way of a very good movie about a group of brave soldiers.

A special operations commander, A.K. Waters (Bruce Willis), leads his team into remote Nigeria to rescue an American doctor (Monica Bellucci). However, Dr. Lena Hendricks refuses to leave without her village friends whom she calls “my people.” When Waters gets to feeling that he can’t leave Lena’s people behind to be slaughtered by vicious rebel troops, he puts himself and his men on a perilous journey through the thick Nigerian jungles to bring the doctor and her people to safe harbor. Not only does escorting civilians slow the team down, but there’s a horde of vicious killers on their trail.

Director Antoine Fuqua has a deft touch with the military scenes. They’re exciting and invigorating; he has the infinite patience to let his camera soak in the special operatives stealth work and also the vigor to grasp the sudden and rapid violence of a firefight. In Training Day, Fuqua wasn’t good with the film’s few sentimental and romantic moments. They might have been important in establishing Training Day’s characters, but the sentiment took a back seat to the conflict between the lead characters.

Here, the soft moments, those moments when the film focuses on the plight of the refugees and the hideous, soul wrenching horror of post-colonial Africa, are boring and they hamper the film. Unlike Training Day, sentiment is important to Tears. I just didn’t care about that in this film, although I do care when I’m not busy demanding blood and gore from my entertainment. The special ops guys mesmerized me: their camaraderie, their bravery, their sense of humanity and kindness even in the face of long odds, and their believe in the team that makes them do even the things upon which individuals disagree. All this machismo in a movie makes for effective war propaganda.

The quality of the acting ranges from very good to average. Willis is himself, a bit of ham at the most inopportune moments, and Ms. Bellucci’s succeeds in making an annoying character quite annoying and self-righteous. The actors who make up Waters team including Cole Hauser are excellent; they carry the film and make it worth seeing. And that’s the recommendation, Tears of the Sun is an entertaining film with edge of your seat action and scenes that skirt your nerves along the razor’s edge, very similar to Black Hawk Down, albeit a lower rent version, but still a good film.

6 of 10
B

NOTES:
2004 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Film: Best Director” (Antoine Fuqua)

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Halle Berry Headed for the Great White Way? (Negromancer New Bits & Bites)

I found this news at AOL's Black Voices:  Halle Berry is apparently close to being cast in a Broadway production of The Mountaintop, a play about the final hours of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s final hours, written by Katori Hall.  Of course, I'll being watching for more news on this.

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Review: Denzel Washington Blew Minds with "Training Day"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 12 (of 2001) by Leroy Douresseaux

Training Day (2001)
Running time: 122 minutes (2 hours, 2 minutes)
MPAA – R for brutal violence, pervasive language, drug content and brief nudity
DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua
WRITER: David Ayer
PRODUCERS: Bobby Newmyer and Jeffrey Silver
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mauro Fiore (director of photography)
EDITOR: Conrad Buff
Academy Award winner

DRAMA/CRIME/THRILLER

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Harris Yulin, Raymond J. Barry, Cliff Curtis, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Macy Gray, Charlotte Ayanna, and Eva Mendes

After not winning the Oscar for Best Actor 1999 for his portrayal of the noble but controversial Rubin “Hurricane” Carter (to the worthy Kevin Spacey), Denzel Washington may likely not earn even an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the thoroughly evil and corrupted L.A. cop Alonzo Harris in Training Day. [Actually, after I wrote this, Washington did earn both an Oscar nomination and a win for his portrayal of Harris – Leroy 2010/7/10.]

Training Day begins with Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), a young cop of 19 months, earns an assignment to the narcotics division under the tutelage of Harris. From the get go, Harris is rude and crude to Hoyt, and before long Harris takes Hoyt on a whirlwind tour of the seamy underbelly of L.A. County: gang neighborhoods, slums, drug dealing, and police corruption. But a recent miscue haunts Harris, and his attempt to get from under the cloud his carelessness has earned him brings the movie to its abrupt, brutal, and violent end. All the while, Hoyt struggles to maintain his law-abiding nature.

Washington is shocking, brilliant and intense as the dirty cop Harris. Known for playing clean policemen, upright detectives, and uplifting African-American heroes, Washington’s turn as a villain will wake people up to this artistic diverse resume. That he is one of the great actors of the last 15 years in not debatable. The passion that he brought to his role in The Hurricane, he brings here, and one can see passion in his eyes, in his gestures, and in the way he carries himself. It is the most invigorating character Washington has played since The Hurricane.

Hawke remains a player of mostly melancholy characters for which one can feel the deepest sympathy. He is an everyman with matinee idol good looks and charm, although it’s hard to accept his character late in the movie as Hoyt vengefully stalks Harris. He isn’t miscast; the movie just goes slightly awry, focusing on Harris’s evil rather than Hoyt’s coming of age as a policeman.

Antoine Fuqua (the director of the clumsy The Replacement Killers) brings the eye he used as a director of music videos to the film, but with the sensibility to follow a longer, more coherent story than is usually found in videos. Training Day’s pace is steady and breezy, and doesn’t start to stumble until the last quarter.

This isn’t entirely his fault. David Ayer, a rising screen writing star (U-571, The Fast and the Furious) convinces us until the last fifteen minutes or so of this film that Harris will get away with it. Harris’s ideology isn’t entirely unacceptable to mainstream audiences. If his believe system works and keeps the streets clean, most citizens would be happy as long as the could keep their hands clean and the truth buried so that they never have to deal with him and look the other way. It must be Ayers’s goody-two shoes nature that resolves things in the direction in which he does. It is sometimes nice when a movie eschews a happy ending, and the happy ending is usually positive, even when negative would have been more believable. This time the happy ending would have been the ugly truth, and this movie deserved a happy ending.

Not to reveal too many things, but with a deadline looming to save his life, Harris wouldn’t have stopped for a dalliance.

An entertaining cop flick, Training Day is good look at excellent work from a very talented actor, Washington. It may come across as harsh for those who like him as a romantic, good guy leading man, but it’s great for those who want a tour de force from a screen artist.

7 of 10
A-

NOTES:
2002 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Actor in a Leading Role” (Denzel Washington); 1 nomination: “Best Actor in a Supporting Role” (Ethan Hawke)
2002 Golden Globes: 1 nomination: “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama” (Denzel Washington)
2002 Black Reel Awards: 3 wins: “Black Reel Theatrical - Best Actor” (Denzel Washington), “Theatrical - Best Director” (Antoine Fuqua), and “Theatrical - Best Film;” 1 nominations: “Best Song” (Nelly for the song "#1")

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"Harold & Kumar 3" Goes into Production

Mandate Pictures and New Line Begin Production on the Third Harold & Kumar Comedy

John Cho and Kal Penn Head the Ensemble Cast in the First 3-D Installment of the Comedy Franchise

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The ensemble cast has been set for Mandate Pictures’ and New Line Cinema’s third installment of the Harold & Kumar film franchise, which began with the 2004 cult hit “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.” John Cho (“Star Trek,” TV’s “Flash Forward”) and Kal Penn (“Superman Returns,” TV’s “House”) reprise their title roles in the holiday-themed comedy, which recently began principal photography on location in Michigan.

The first of the Harold & Kumar comedies to be shot in 3-D, the film is being directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, marking his major feature film directorial debut. Academy Award®-winning producer Greg Shapiro (“The Hurt Locker”) and Mandate president Nathan Kahane return as producers. The screenplay is by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who wrote the previous two movies and directed the second, “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.” They are also serving as co-producers, together with Nicole Brown, who is overseeing the project on behalf of Mandate.

It would not be a “Harold & Kumar” film without Neil Patrick Harris, who reunites with Cho and Penn in the cast. Returning “Harold & Kumar” cast members also include Paula Garcés (TV’s “The Shield”) as Maria; Danneel Harris (TV’s “One Tree Hill”) as Vanessa; Bobby Lee (“Pineapple Express”) as Kenneth Park; and Eddie Kaye Thomas (“American Pie,” HBO’s “How to Make It in America”) as Rosenberg.

Joining the “Harold & Kumar” ensemble are Tom Lennon (“17 Again,” TV’s “Reno 911”) and Danny Trejo (“Grindhouse”). Rounding out the new film cast are Amir Blumenfeld (TV’s “Pranked,” CollegeHumor.com), David Burtka (TV’s “How I Met Your Mother”), Fred Melamed (“A Serious Man”), Patton Oswalt (“The Informant!”) and Richard Riehle (“Halloween II”).

Harold and Kumar were introduced in the first film of the series, “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle,” which follows two post-college friends on their search for the best pot and snacks that suburban New Jersey has to offer. The second film, “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,” found them being mistaken for terrorists and having to clear their names—with the help of old friend Neil Patrick Harris.

The new “Harold & Kumar” comedy picks up six years after the duo’s last adventure. After years of growing apart, Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) have replaced each other with new best friends and are preparing for their respective Christmas celebrations. But when a mysterious package arrives at Kumar’s door, his attempt to deliver it to Harold’s house ends with him inadvertently burning down Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree. With his in-laws out of the house for less than a day, Harold decides to cover his tracks rather than come clean, and reluctantly embarks on another ill-advised but hilarious journey with Kumar, taking them through New York City on Christmas Eve in search of the perfect Christmas tree.

Collaborating with Todd Strauss-Schulson behind the scenes are: director of photography Michael Barrett (“You Don’t Mess with the Zohan,” “Bedtime Stories”); production designer Rusty Smith (the “Austin Powers” movies, “Elf”), editor Eric Kissack (“Brüno,” “Role Models”), and costume designer Mary Claire Hannan (“Into the Wild”).

The film is a production of Mandate Pictures and New Line Cinema and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.


ABOUT MANDATE PICTURES:
Mandate Pictures is a multifaceted film production and financing company with a distinguished reputation and proven track record of success and profitability. Acquired by Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) in 2007, Mandate continues to operate as an independent brand delivering acclaimed commercial and independent films worldwide. Under President Nathan Kahane, Mandate has carved out a unique position in the film industry, having the creative autonomy and capital to finance, develop, package and produce theatrical films, including the Academy Award®-nominated film “Juno,” directed by Jason Reitman, written by Diablo Cody, and starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman.

ABOUT NEW LINE CINEMA:
New Line Cinema continues to be one of the most successful independent film companies. For more than 40 years, its mission has been to produce innovative, popular, profitable entertainment in the best creative environment. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line produced the Oscar®-winning “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which is a landmark in the history of film franchises. New Line Cinema is a division of Warner Bros.

Review: Before "Inception," Chris Nolan Did Trippy with "Memento"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 13 (of 2002) by Leroy Douresseaux

Memento (2000)
OPENING DATE: March 16, 2001
Running time: 113 minutes
MPAA – R for violence, language, and some drug content
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
WRITER: Christopher Nolan (based upon a short story “Memento Mori” by Jonathan Nolan)
PRODUCERS: Jennifer Todd and Suzanne Todd
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Wally Pfister
EDITOR: Dody Dorn
Academy Award nominee

DRAMA/THRILLER/MYSTERY

Starring: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Stephen Tobolowsky, Mark Boone Junior, Jorja Fox, and Harriet Samson Harris

Leonard “Lenny” Shelby (Guy Pearce, L.A. Confidential) was an insurance investigator. While intervening in the murder of his wife Catherine (Jorja Fox), Lenny receives a blow to his head. The resulting brain damage causes Lenny to suffer from Anterograde Amnesia, a condition in which Lenny cannot create new memories. Everyday he wakes up knowing who he is, but not remembering anything that happened since the injury. From that day on, he awakes every day, his mind a virtual blank slate. He compensates by taking pictures with a Polaroid camera, tattooing information on all over his body, and annotating pictures and pages of notes as a way to remember important information from previous days.

His current associates are a cheeky friend, Teddy (Joe Pantoliano, The Matrix) and a friendly bar waitress, Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss, The Matrix). They’re either assistance or hindrance as Lenny searches for the man who killed his wife, a search he remembers began the night of his wife’s murder and his injury.

Memento is a combination mystery, thriller, crime drama, and like most of them, the answer comes at the end of the film. However, a twist that can confuse viewers, the movie begins with what is the conclusion of the story. The movie works backwards in time with each succeeding scene taking place earlier in the story than its predecessor. By the time the movie ends, the answer to the puzzle is actually the beginning of the story. If this sounds confusing, it isn’t. Memento is one of the most engaging mystery thrillers in quite a while.

Writer/director Christopher Nolan plays with time the way that Quentin Tarantino does, and he dresses his film in hardboiled film noir in the tradition of Los Angeles crime dramas. Memento’s execution is a mental exercise of the kind found in European cinema. Once you learn that the story works in reverse, you are drawn in and you can’t quit the film until its end. As you watch the story, you see a result of an action, so you must continue to watch to see what caused the action. To the bitter end, or beginning as it is, you want to know how Lenny’s suffering, how his search began, and each scene you watch only makes it more imperative that you see what happened get closer to the beginning of Lenny’s odyssey.

The performances by Pearce, Pantoliano, and Ms. Moss are excellent. Pearce makes an excellent everyman hero, and Pantoliano is the perfect sly trickster. However, Ms. Moss’s character turns are a revelation of her latent talent. Known for playing sexy heroines in sci-fi movies, to see her play a low-end bar hop is shocking.

The most brilliant work comes from Nolan, his brother Jonathan (whose original short story, upon which this movie is based, was published after the film’s release), and film editor, Dody Dorn (the special edition of Terminator 2: Judgment Day). These three creators, in particular Dody and Christopher Nolan, compose a beautiful piece of work that easily could have fallen apart upon its central conceit. They turn a gimmick on its ear. You’re impatient to learn what’s going on, and the film is so beautifully put together that you can never abandon it, lest you never learn the how it all began.

Like the tattoos that cover Lenny’s body, Memento will leave its own mark on your film viewing memory. Words in praise of Memento don’t do it just. Its impact is purely in what you see. Some film lovers see sound as a corruption of the pure visual magic of film, and Memento’s stock in trade is images and memories. The experience of seeing this film is itself a cherished memento.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
2002 Academy Awards: 2 nominations: “Best Editing” (Dody Dorn) and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan-story)

2002 Golden Globes: 1 nominations: “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Christopher Nolan)

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2010 Emmy Nominations Announced

Since African-Americans are routinely ignored, I really don't care too much about the Emmy Awards.  I can't blame the voters, though.  Most of the networks don't even have any starring or major supporting roles played by Black actors.  Would it kill such totally white shows as "How I Met Your Mother" to have even a recurring Black character?  Thank God for TBS.

Anyway, here are the 2010 Emmy nominations in a few major categories:

OUTSTANDING DRAMA

Lost
Breaking Bad
Dexter
Mad Men
True Blood
The Good Wife

OUTSTANDING COMEDY
Glee
Modern Family
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Nurse Jackie
30 Rock
The Office
Curb Your Enthusiasm

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Mariska Hargitay (Special Victims Unit)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
January Jones (Mad Men)
Connie Britton (Friday Night Lights)

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)
Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Hugh Laurie (House M.D.)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Matthew Fox (Lost)

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Lea Michele (Glee)
Tina Fey (30 Rock)
Toni Collette (The United States of Tara)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (The New Adventures of Old Christine)
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation)

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Matthew Morrison (Glee)
Steve Carell (The Office)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Chris Colfer (Glee)
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family)
Jon Cryer (Two and A Half Men)
Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
John Slattery (Mad Men)
Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad)
Martin Short (Damages)
Terry O’ Quinn (Lost)
Michael Emerson (Lost)
Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Sharon Gless (Burn Notice)
Christine Baranski (The Good Wife)
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men)
Rose Byrne (Damages)
Archie Panjabi (The Good Wife)
Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Jane Lynch (Glee)
Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live)
Jane Krakowski (30 Rock)
Julie Bowen (Modern Family)
Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)
Holland Taylor (Two and A Half Men)

OUTSTANDING REALITY SHOW (COMPETITION)
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing with the Has-Beens
Project Runway
Top Chef

OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Kristen Chenoweth (Glee)
Jane Lynch (Two and a Half Men)
Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory)
Elaine Stritch (30 Rock)
Tina Fey (SNL)
Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)
Betty White (SNL)

If you want to see a complete list, go here.

Aliens vs Predator is Deranged and Stupid, But Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 145 (of 2007) by Leroy Douresseaux


AVPR: Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem (2007)
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA – R for violence, gore, and language
DIRECTORS: The Brothers Strause – Colin and Greg
WRITER: Shane Salerno (based upon the Alien character created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett and the Predator character created by Jim & John Thomas)
PRODUCERS: John Davis and Wyck Godfrey
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Daniel C. Pearl
EDITOR: Dan Zimmerman

SCI-FI/ACTION/HORROR

Starring: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz, Johnny Lewis, Ariel Gade, Kristen Hager, Sam Trammell, Robert Joy, David Paetkau, Tom Woodruff, Jr., Ian Whyte, Chelah Horsdal, and Meshach Peters

Picking up where 2004’s AVP: Alien vs. Predator left off, AVPR: Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem finds an Alien infestation aboard the Predator scout ship. A Predator has been impregnated by an Alien face hugger, which results in the birth of an Alien-Predator hybrid, the Predalien (Tom Woodruff, Jr.). The scout ship crashes in the forest outside the small town of Gunnison, Colorado. Soon the entire town is overrun with Aliens – killing, wreaking havoc, and breeding. Ex-con Dallas Howard (Steve Pasquale) leads his brother Ricky (Johnny Lewis) and a small band of locals in a struggle to survive against the Alien infestation. Thrown into the mix, however, is a veteran hunter, Wolf (Ian Whyte), from the Predator home world, and he’s itching to kill Aliens and ready to destroy all evidence of both alien races presence on Earth.

Many bad things can be said about Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. The acting stinks, except for Woodruff and Whyte who play the lead monsters and who really get into their roles (doing great work under thick costumes and makeup). The blame for the bad acting can be placed on a large ensemble cast that exists only to be bait, food, victims, and breeding stock for the otherworldly monsters that have invaded their town. The storyline eschews common sense in favor of slaughter, but in the hands of the imaginative script writer Shane Salerno, this is a good thing. Take it in with too critical an eye and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem seems like a bad video game pretending to be a bad movie.

There is, however, much to delight in this cheesy gore-fest for those who won’t view it with the critical eye this film doesn’t deserve. Those same people will have to forget the better parts of the two sci-fi/horror film franchises that spawned “AVP” – Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), and Predator (1987). Directors Colin and Greg Strause and Shane Salerno have fashioned a bloody, stupid monster movie full of rude violence, tasteless shock value, and shamelessly gory displays of human and alien bodies being torn and ripped apart, stabbed, shot, eaten, sexually violated, etc. It’s the kind of joyfully sadistic exhibition that will either be called low art or crass schlock.

I call AVPR: Aliens vs. Predator – Requiem a bloody entertaining monster movie with bucket of blood for every bucket of cheese. It’s the perfect Christmas gift for the guy who wants a bloody mess out of his horror movie.

6 of 10
B

Sunday, December 30, 2007

"Alien vs. Predator" Always Fun to Watch

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 152 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux


AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Running time: 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, language, horror images, slime and gore
DIRECTOR: Paul W.S. Anderson
WRITERS: Paul W.S. Anderson; from a screen story by Paul W.S. Anderson, Dan O’Bannon, and Ronald Shusett (based upon the Alien character created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett and the Predator character created by Jim Thomas and John Thomas)
PRODUCERS: Gordon Carroll, John Davis, David Giler, and Walter Hill
CINEMATOGRAPHER: David Johnson
EDITORS: Alexander Berner

SCI-FI/ACTION/HORROR/THRILLER with elements of mystery

Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen, Ewen Bremner, Colin Salmon, Tommy Flanagan, Joseph Rye, and Agathe De La Boulaye

For those who have at least a vague idea of what’s going on, AVP: Alien vs. Predator is a dumb, mildly entertaining picture with some genuinely thrilling, scary, and heart-stopping moments. During an archeological expedition in Antarctica, a team scientists and archeologists discover an ancient pyramid beneath the ice and a deadly trap. The team, led by Alexa Woods (Sanaa Lathan), a top expedition and field guide, find themselves caught in the middle of a small war between two legendary movie monsters, the Aliens and the Predators. Only one species will survive, and the numbers don’t look good for the humans.

Alien vs. Predator is a movie-fan movie the way Freddie vs. Jason was a movie for fans of movies. You kinda had to know what’s up with Freddie and Jason to really enjoy that flick (or to at least have a chance of liking the film); thus it is with AVP. Those who have seen the four films of the Alien franchise and the two films in the Predator franchise will best know what’s going on in this story. If not, you may have some trouble, as some of the teenagers who made up most of the audience where I saw this movie. Director Paul W.S. Anderson’s script assumes the viewer is familiar with both the Alien and Predator films, or with the various Alien vs. Predator comic books that Dark Horse Comics has been publishing since 1990 or the AVP video games.

Is this a great film? No. Could it have been a great film? Probably not. Anderson makes a film that lies flat; even when his screenplay has the characters digging through the mysterious circumstances they keep finding themselves in, the story seems to lack an extra dose of oomph. In the end, it is an adequate sci-fi monster thriller. Although the film doesn’t overly rely on CGI, the SFX are actually quite good and for the most part seamlessly blend with the live action.

Even though it’s a simple-minded popcorn movie merely meant to generate cash for a huge, multi-national media corporation, AVP is still a popcorn movie that registers nicely on the interest scale. It’s one of those bump-in-the-dark movies that you can watch over and over again. You don’t have to think, just sit there and wait for the monster to come running out of the shadows, or at least just sit there and laugh at the holes in the plot because this movie often ignores its own internal logic. If you liked the original films that inspired this, you’ve probably been waiting years for the next installment of these franchises (even longer in the case of Predator), and you’ll take anything you can get. AVP is better than the last two Alien films and it’s way better than Predator 2. Call this one a home video monster flick classic.

6 of 10
B

Review: Original "Predator" Still a Thrill

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 7 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Predator (1987)
Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
DIRECTOR: John McTiernan
WRITERS: Jim Thomas and John Thomas
PRODUCERS: John Davis, Lawrence Gordon, and Joel Silver
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Donald McAlpine (director of photography)
EDITORS: Mark Helfrich and John F. Link
COMPOSER: Alan Silvestri

ACTION/SCI-FI with elements of horror and thriller

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, R.G. Armstrong, Shane Black, and Kevin Peter Hall

A favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger film is the action movie classic, Predator. The film also introduced moviegoers to the talents of director John McTiernan, who would go on to make a name for himself in big action thrillers featuring lone, tough guy heroes like Die Hard and mega flops like Medicine Man and The Last Action Hero. As much as this is considered a Schwarzenegger film, McTiernan put his stamp on Predator by creating not only good action and fights scenes, but also by creating a palatable air of mystery and suspense to the proceedings. He only let the audience see just enough to keep their appetites going before he finally opens the film up for the big throw down between Arnold and The Predator.

The story is simple. A team of commandos led by Major Dutch (Schwarzenegger) go on a mission in the jungles of Central America for a government operative (Carl Weathers) with whom Dutch has a history. The story behind the mission turns out to be a sham. Worse, an extra-terrestrial warrior (Kevin Peter Hall) is hunting the team and picking them off one at a time.

Like Aliens, Predator would go on to influence a generation of comic book creators, game designers, and sci-fi novelists who became enamored with commando units and assorted military special operatives. Many super hero comics and violent video games feature Navy S.E.A.L.s, marine units, and heavily armed soldiers fighting monsters and sundry creatures from other worlds.

But don’t hold that against it. Predator is a good time – a great popcorn movie for the guys. It’s an effective thriller, a textbook example of a simple-minded, macho action movie that works so well. Heck, I’ve seen it countless times.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
1988 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Joel Hynek, Robert M. Greenberg, Richard Greenberg, and Stan Winston)

---------------------------

Star Wars Insider Magazine Celebrates "The Empire Strikes Back" Anniversary

STAR WARS INSIDER ANNOUNCES COMIC-CON AND CELEBRATION PLANS

To mark the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back, Titan is releasing a special tribute issue of Star Wars Insider with an exclusive Han Solo in Carbonite cover, available at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International and Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Florida, August 12 to 15.

This 100-page commemorative issue includes interviews with the cast and crew of The Empire Strikes Back, including: George Lucas, (story and executive producer), Irvin Kershner (Director), Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Kenny Baker (R2-D2), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett).

The magazine also features interviews with the team behind Star Wars: The Clone Wars looking back on The Empire Strikes Back, 50 amazing facts about Empire, and an Empire merchandise guide. Plus, much more must-have material for all Star Wars fans.

A special Empire cover, which features Han Solo in Carbonite, is available to purchase at the Titan booth at Comic-Con (stand #5537) and Celebration V (booth. #521, part of the Gentle Giant booth).

Visitors to the Star Wars Insider booth at Comic-Con and Celebration V will receive a FREE exclusive Star Wars Insider bookmark.

Readers can keep up to date with more news and announcements from Star Wars Insider at the official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/StarWarsInsider

For more information, visit: http://www.titanmagazines.com/

VIZAnime to Simulcast "Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan"

Press release:

VIZ MEDIA SIMULCASTS EXCLUSIVE NEW ANIME SERIES NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN ON VIZANIME.COM

Supernatural Action Adventure Launched Simultaneously In Japan And U.S.; First Episode Available To Stream Now

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced the launch of a brand new anime series – NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN – on VIZAnime.com, the company’s premier website for anime. The first subtitled episode of the new fantasy action-adventure series about a junior high school student that is part human and part yokai (supernatural demon), premiered for free after the series debut in Japan; free new episodes will be simulcast mere hours after it airs in Japan each Monday.

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, based on the best selling Nurarihyon no Mago manga series in Japan, is being offered under the SHONEN JUMP imprint, home to other exciting properties including BLEACH and NARUTO. While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He's three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. So, Rikuo is an ordinary teenager three quarters of the time, until his yokai blood awakens. Then he transforms into the future leader of the Nura clan, leading a hundred demons.

“We are pleased to expand the line-up on VIZAnime.com with the exclusive simulcast of NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, reaffirming our commitment to bringing the latest series from Japan,” says Ken Sasaki, Senior Vice President & General Manager of VIZ Media. “We are excited for fans to explore the fantastic world of NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN, and share their thoughts and start discussions through the social network features of VIZAnime.com!”

VIZAnime.com is a free-to-use web destination that is now the permanent home to some of the company’s best-loved animated series. Over 1,100 episodes are currently available, and new content is added on a weekly basis. Series currently featured on VIZAnime.com include BLEACH, BUSO RENKIN, DEATH NOTE, HONEY AND CLOVER, HIKARU NO GO, INUYASHA, INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT, KEKKAISHI, NANA, NARUTO, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, ONE PIECE and THE PRINCE OF TENNIS.

To view subtitled NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN animated episodes (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and other VIZ Media animated titles, please visit VIZAnime.com.

Review: "The Dead Sleep" is a Ghost Story

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 51 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Dead Sleep (2010) - DVD
Running time: 94 minutes (1 hour, 34 minutes)
MPAA - not rated
DIRECTOR: Vicki de Mey
WRITER: James A. McLean
PRODUCERS: Vicki de Mey and Tim O’Neill
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ian S. Takahashi
EDITOR: Jay Boekelheide
COMPOSER: Ryan Leach

FANTASY/DRAMA/MYSTERY with elements of crime and horror

Starring: Chris Armstrong, Sarah Foret, Rob Fente, Tatiana Armstrong, Joshua Close, Jacintha Charles, and Mark Oliviera

The Dead Sleep is an independent, straight-to-video supernatural drama released on DVD sometime this past February. Part twisty ghost story and part mystical crime caper, The Dead Sleep focuses on a dead man breaking all the post-death rules to save his daughter.

Paul Wells (Chris Armstrong) lives a quiet suburban life with his wife, Claire (Tatiana Armstrong), and his teenage daughter, Melanie (Sarah Foret). An accountant, Paul even thinks that his crime against the company for which he works has gone unnoticed, until his coworker and buddy, Del Craine (Rob Fente) informs him otherwise. Now, Paul has to make things right with his new boss, Tim (Joshua Close).

That’s a lot going on for a man whose body has been in the grave for five years. Now, Paul wanders the largely silent boundary between life and death, trying to figure a way to save his daughter from a fate similar to his own. As he witnesses the consequences of his transgressions, Paul realizes that he may have to die all over again to save his family.

The Dead Sleep has some similarities to the work of screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, specifically Ghost and Jacob’s Ladder. However, Paul Wells is not the kind of unreliable, dead lead character of films like Jacob’s Ladder, Marc Forster’s Stay (2005) or The Sixth Sense. Director Vicki de Mey and screenwriter James A. McLean seem determined to play it fairly straight in spite of the script’s shifts in time and down-the-rabbit-hole moments. The Dead Sleep, regardless of it supernatural and fantastical elements, is ultimately a story about a man and his dedication to his family.

As a low-budget, independent, fantasy flick, The Dead Sleep could have been a disaster because of poor special effects, but with a little imagination, some clever blocking, and savvy location shooting, this film presents a surprisingly quiet and unspectacular, but unsettling ghost world. Add in a few shimmering “collectors,” and the film has the requisite boogeyman that keeps the audience on edge because they never know when a monster will jump out from around a corner.

At times, The Dead Sleep seems like a semi-professional production. The story is too slow in developing and the pacing is not smooth. The acting is uneven, and the lead, Chris Armstrong, and supporting actor, Rob Fente, give performances that are often awkward, although sometimes surprisingly affecting. What ultimately elevates this movie is that the story, which sells the idea that Paul Wells is indeed dedicated to doing anything to save his daughter, Melanie. In their scenes together, we can believe that Melanie is precious to Paul and that he is his daughter’s hero.

In spite of its inherent flaws, The Dead Sleep proves that a ghost story doesn’t have to go bump in the night to get at a viewer’s heart.

5 of 10
B-

http://www.fathom-one.com/Fathom-One/Home.html

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

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Walt Disney Pictures Holds Special Event for "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"

Press release:

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: A Night of Magic and Music in Midtown Manhattan

Walt Disney Studios and Jerry Bruckheimer Films Celebrate the Release of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” with Special Event in Bryant Park on Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Musical Performances by OneRepublic and Alpha Rev

Q&A Session with the Film’s Stars & Filmmakers

Entire Event to be Streamed Live on MySpace, Powered by Ustream

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The mystical masters behind the blockbuster “National Treasure” franchise, Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, are celebrating their latest big screen incarnation, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” with a special music event in the heart of Manhattan. Since this epic comedy adventure about a sorcerer and his hapless apprentice was filmed entirely on location in New York City, it is a “super” natural fit to honor the film’s impending July 14 release by throwing a party in iconic Bryant Park featuring performances by OneRepublic and Alpha Rev, plus appearances from the movie’s stars and filmmakers, including Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Toby Kebbell, Teresa Palmer, director Jon Turteltaub and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

By tapping into entertainment powerhouse, MySpace, the festivities go global as fans around the world can watch the musical performances LIVE via Ustream and get the chance to interact with the film’s talent by posting comments and questions to the page. The event, emceed by Z100’s JJ, is free to the public. Bryant Park lawn is open to the general public starting at 7:00 p.m. and the streaming goes live at 8:15 p.m. on July 6, 2010 at www.myspace.com/SorcerersApprentice.

Sorcery & Songs
OneRepublic will perform a short set, including “Secrets,” a song featured prominently in the film, as well as their multi platinum breakthrough single and internet sensation, “Apologize.”

Alpha Rev, a MySpace.com #1 ranked indie band from Texas, will perform their song from the film, “Phoenix Burn.”

MySpace hosts the exclusive live stream of the event at www.myspace.com/SorcerersApprentice, powered by Ustream. Viewers around the world can experience the event first-hand, see exclusive backstage interviews with talent and interact by posting comments and questions to the page.

Ustream, the leader in live interactive video on the web, powers the live webcast of the event. Also to watch, interact or embed the live stream, visit ustream.tv/WaltDisneyStudios.

This special celebration marks the 1st live streaming event on Disney.com

Advance tickets for “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” can be purchased now through Disney.com/Sorcerer.


ABOUT “THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE”
Walt Disney Studios, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Jon Turteltaub, the team behind the “National Treasure” franchise, present “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”— an innovative and epic comedy adventure about a sorcerer and his hapless apprentice who are swept into the center of an ancient conflict between good and evil.

Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). Balthazar can't do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It'll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” The screenplay is by Matt Lopez and Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard from a screen story by Lawrence Konner & Mark Rosenthal and Matt Lopez. In theaters July 14, 2010. Disney.com/Sorcerer; like us on Facebook: facebook.com/SorcerersApprentice; follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DisneyPictures.

ABOUT MYSPACE
MySpace is a technology company connecting people through personal expression, content, and culture. MySpace empowers its global community to experience the Internet through a social lens by integrating personal profiles, photos, videos, mobile, messaging, games, and the world's largest music community. MySpace is a division of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). For more information please visit http://www.myspace.com/pressroom.

Review: "Eclipse" is Best "Twilight" Film... So Far

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 50 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010)
Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and some sensuality
DIRECTOR: David Slade
WRITER: Melissa Rosenberg (based upon the novel by Stephenie Meyer)
PRODUCERS: Wyck Godfrey and Karen Rosenfelt
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Javier Aguirresarobe
EDITORS: Art Jones and Nancy Richardson
COMPOSER: Howard Shore

FANTASY/DRAMA/ROMANCE with elements of action, horror, and thriller

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathbone, Nikki Reed, Kellan Lutz, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Bryce Dallas Howard, Xavier Samuel, Julia Jones, Chaske Spencer, Gil Birmingham, Boo Boo Stewart, and Dakota Fanning

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight film franchise, arrives with a bang. Like the previous films (Twilight and The Twilight Saga: New Moon), Eclipse is based upon a wildly popular and bestselling novel by Stephenie Meyer and continues the love story of high school student, Bella Swan, and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen. Now, their romance is complicated by a love triangle that comes in the form Native American werewolf, Jacob Black.

As Eclipse begins, Seattle, WA is in an uproar over a string of mysterious killings, which the citizens believe is the work of one or more serial killers. However, the murders are part of diabolical plan hatched by Victoria (Bryce Dallas Howard), a malicious vampire set on destroying Bella Swan. With the help of her pet, Riley Biers (Xavier Samuel), Victoria is building an army of vampire newborns – that are unruly, hungry, and messy in their feeding habits.

In Forks, WA, Edward (Robert Pattinson) continues to broach the topic of marriage with Bella (Kristen Stewart), while she continues to demand that he turn her into a vampire. Bella also tries to repair her friendship with Jacob (Taylor Lautner), but Jacob wants more than friendship, which causes friction between Edward and Jacob who are already natural enemies as a vampire and a werewolf, respectively. As Victoria and her army heads to Forks, the vampire clan, the Cullens, and the werewolves of the La Push are forced to consider a truce in order to confront a common enemy. Meanwhile, Bella faces with the most important decisions of her young life.

The first proclamations regarding Eclipse that I came across said that this was the best Twilight film… thus far. Like the earlier films, this new one does what the series does best – brooding, oh-so-serious, teen melodrama. Bella and Edward’s love has reached an idealized fevered pitch with her willing to go all the way and he ever more determined to protect her. It seems as if Victoria is indeed dangerous to Bella, but not so much as Bella is to herself.

This time Eclipse also offers the audience action that is just as hot as the romance. The battle between Victoria’s wild pack and the Cullen-La Push coalition offer a more elegant version of the Underworld franchise’s vampire/werewolf battles, but are no less invigorating. The battle is so well shot and edited that the audience will lose itself in the reverie of fighting.

Much credit should go to Eclipse director David Slade (Hard Candy, 30 Days of Night), because it isn’t a coincidence that in this film, more than in the first two, the emotions are more potent and much more authentic. There is a scene in the film in which Bella’s father, Forks Police Chief Charlie Swan (Billy Burke), insists on discussing “being safe” and teen pregnancy with his daughter. The conversation is so awkward, but at the same time, it is good-natured with a sense of familiarity that would be expected between parent and child.

That entire sequence with Bella, Edward, and Jacob on a mountain and in a tent is a thing of power and passion, which is what David Slade brings to this movie. If The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is the best of the bunch, it is because of Slade, along with screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg. They took teen angst, horror, supernatural romance, love triangles, and vampires vs. werewolves and squeezed the best out of them and distilled it all into a damn good movie.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, July 04, 2010

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Oliver Stone - Still Pressing Buttons

Oliver Stone has a new documentary film, South of the Border.  You can visit the film's website here.  Apparently, one of the film's key points is that U.S. press coverage of South America is shaped by the needs of the U.S State Department.  One of the targets of the film strikes back.  Truthout has the details and pertinent links in this op-ed from Robert Naiman.

VIZ Cinema Brings Japanese Superheroes in July

THE EXOTIC AND ACTION PACKED WORLD OF JAPANESE SUPERHEROES IS EXPLORED IN JULY’S INSTALLMENT OF TOKYOSCOPE TALK AT VIZ CINEMA

NEW PEOPLE and VIZ Cinema offer an intriguing exploration of the exotic world of Japanese superheroes in TokyoScope Talk Vol. 5, taking place at the theatre at 7:00pm on Friday July 9th. Host Patrick Macias, Editor of Otaku USA magazine, will be joined by August Ragone (author, Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters) for an in-depth discussion of Japanese superheroes ranging from Ultraman and Kamen Rider to the Power Rangers.

General admission tickets are $10.00. More details and advance tickets available at: www.newpeopleworld.com/films

These and many other colorful crusaders of justice are now recognized the world over as essential icons of Japanese pop culture. But where did they come from? Who created them? And what is it really like battling rubber monsters and the forces of evil on a regular basis?

“TokyoScope Talk Vol. 5: Japanese Superheroes will explore the fascinating history and origins of the action packed world of celluloid superheroes using rare film clips and images from numerous tokusatsu, sentai, and henshin hero productions including Ultra Seven, Kikaida, Space Sheriff Gavan, and many others,” says Macias. “This will be a fun event for anyone who grew up watching Ultraman and Power Rangers as well as for those who are brand new to this unique genre of Japanese filmmaking. We invite superhero fans of all stripes to check out this comprehensive presentation!”

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s first movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.


About NEW PEOPLE
NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

Review: "Good Hair" Hilarious, But Fairly Empty

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 49 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Good Hair (2009)
Running time: 96 minutes (1 hour, 36 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some language including sex and drug references, and brief partial nudity
DIRECTOR: Jeff Stilson
WRITERS: Lance Crouther, Chris Rock, Chuck Sklar, and Jeff Stilson with Paul Marchand
PRODUCERS: Jenny Hunter, Kevin O'Donnell, Nelson George, and Jeff Stilson
CINEMATOGRAPHERS: Cliff Charles (director of photography) and Mark Henderson
EDITORS: Paul Marchand and Greg Nash
COMPOSER: Marcus Miller

DOCUMENTARY

Starring: Chris Rock, Maya Angelou, Eve, Melyssa Ford, Megan Goode Ice-T, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, Rev. Al Sharpton, Raven-Symoné, and Traci Thoms

At the beginning of his documentary, Good Hair, Chris Rock says that his daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don't have good hair?” Bewildered, the Emmy-winning comedian, talk show host, and actor decided to find out what in African-American culture would put such a question in his little girl’s mind. To find answers, Rock, the film’s star and narrator, crosses continents and oceans. Traveling from New York to Atlanta and from India to Los Angeles, Rock visits a hair show, a scientific lab, a hair products manufacturer, and an Indian temple. Rock also visits numerous hair salons.

Along the way, he explores the way Black hairstyles impact Black people’s lifestyles and activities, pocketbooks, and sexual relationships. He even gets African-American women to talk about how their hair affects their self-esteem. A number of celebrities, entertainment industry figures, and public figures (from Maya Angelou and Rev. Al Sharpton to Ice-T and Salt-N-Pepa) candidly offer their stories and observations about Black hair. He may not get his answers, but Rock will discover that Black hair is a big business that doesn't always benefit the Black community.

The truth is that Good Hair, directed by Jeff Stilson, is less a documentary than it is like a feature news piece one might see on “20/20” or "Dateline NBC." There is a lot of funny stuff here, some of it quite shocking, but most of this movie really lacks a social or historical context. Rock and his co-writers certainly get close enough. For instance, the film reveals the fact that a large segment of the “black hair industry” is controlled by Asian-Americans who shut out African-American entrepreneurs. Rock touches upon it, but never really delves into that. He just skims the fact that in the 1980s, white-owned corporations like Revlon set out to remove Black-owned companies and corporations from the hair care business, where over 80 percent of the money comes from African-American customers.

No, rather than really examine the lack of Black ownership, Good Hair brings it up and then, it’s on to the next freak show. And that’s what this movie is – a freak show. It is very entertaining – often hugely entertaining, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who is African-American or is interested in African-American culture. There is even a touch of sadness here, as if the filmmakers were recording an on-going tragedy. Good Hair, sadly, is a documentary that touches upon greatness, but ultimately decides to be little more than a delightful and hilarious puff piece.

7 of 10
B+

NOTES:
2010 Black Reel Awards: 1 win: “Black Reel Best Documentary”

2010 Image Awards: 1 win: “Outstanding Documentary (Theatrical or Television)”

Saturday, July 03, 2010

Dust Settles on Tyler Perry-Boondocks Psuedo-Feud

AOL Black Voices has an update on The Boondocks/Tyler Perry conflagaration here, and apparently some of the rumors are false.  Perry will not sue.  What follows is a recap from Black Voices:

The June 20 episode of his satirical series, titled 'Pause,' features a character named Winston Jerome, a religious playwright-director-actor who also cross-dresses as a no-nonsense grandmother named Ma Dukes in movies and chitlin' circuit plays. The imagery immediately brings thoughts of Perry's star character Madea Simmons to mind. Granddad is cast as Ma Dukes' love interest, and his grandsons, Huey and Riley, break into the a well-guarded compound to rescue their beloved guardian and save him from a homoerotic religious cult.

By the way, this third season is apparently the final season for The Boondocks.

Review: Creepy "Signs" Dances with Fate and Faith

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 127 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Signs (2002)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for some frightening moments
WRITER/DIRECTOR: M. Night Shyamalan
PRODUCERS: Frank Marshall, Sam Mercer, and M. Night Shyamalan
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Tak Fujimoto
EDITOR: Barbara Tulliver
COMPOSER: James Newton Howard

DRAMA/SCI-FI/THRILLER with elements of horror

Starring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, Cherry Jones, M. Night Shyamalan, and Patricia Kalember

Farmer and pastor Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) lost his faith when his wife Colleen (Patricia Kalember) was killed in an auto accident, but when he discovers intricate patterns of circles carved into his corn fields (called “crop circles”), he embarks on an path that will alter his life. The mysterious markings cause a media storm and worldwide panic; trapped in his farmhouse with his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix) and his son (Rory Culkin) and daughter (Abigail Breslin), Graham must discover if the crop circles are the signs of an impending invasion or are they part of a larger pattern of fate and predestination.

Signs was hit-making director M. Night Shyamalan’s third big-time studio film, and it was a huge theatrical hit. It’s a very entertaining film, although it is also a bit too serious and moody. In fact, Signs is so somber that it’s almost a chamber music version of solemnity. Still, like Shyamalan’s other best-known films (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable), Signs is a superbly creepy suspense thriller, a brilliant stroke of quiet, edge-of-your-seat thrills.

The performances and the mood of the film go a long way in dictating how an individual viewer will feel about Signs; those two elements decide the “fate” of the film, as it is. Gibson and Phoenix’s performance are too low-key, so much so that it seems as if they’re stuck in the mud. The children, however, are very good in the film, and young Ms. Breslin manages to be super cute and precious without being annoying; she delivers each of her lines and gives each one maximum impact on both the film and audience reaction. Signs is also an excellent rumination on fate and faith and on how often people mistake the “signs” and the important incidents in life as coincidences. If the film wasn’t so stiff, stuck in the mud, and so deathly deliberate and formal, I’d call it brilliant.

7 of 10
B+

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Entire "Ghost in the Shell" Saga at VIZ Cinema in July

VIZ CINEMA PRESENTS THE ENTIRE SAGA OF MOST VENERABLE ANIME FILM FRANCHISE OF ALL TIME, GHOST IN THE SHELL

July Edition Of Sci-Fi Anime Madness Offers Six Feature Films Based On Hit Manga Series Set To Play In A Special Week-Long Anime Film Festival

VIZ Cinema and NEW PEOPLE are proud to present, in association with Bandai Entertainment and Manga Entertainment, Sci-fi Anime Madness Volume 2: Ghost in the Shell Marathon with a very special series of feature film screenings taking place July 3rd – 8th at the theatre located in San Francisco’s Japantown. The creation of veteran anime writer/director/producer Mamoru Oshii, Ghost in the Shell and its subsequent sequels thrilled audiences and inspired a generation of filmmakers to became one of the most revered anime franchises of all times.

Tickets, screening times and more details are available at: www.vizcinema.com.

Ghost in the Shell is based on a popular manga series created by Shirow Masamune and was turned into a feature film in 1995 that went on to become an international smash hit. It was followed by a theatrical film sequel in 2004, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence, which was also directed by Mamoru Oshii. The VIZ Cinema marathon will also screen three feature-length film re-cuts including “The Laughing Man,” that features a separate, self-contained storyline based on the Stand Along Complex anime TV series, produced in 2005, as well as “Individual Eleven,” and “Solid State Society, two features based on the second season of the anime television series that was produced in 2006.

Ghost In The Shell (Original Version), July 3rd and also July 5th
(Directed by Mamoru Oshii, 1995, 85min, Digital, English Subtitles)
In 2029 A female government cyber agent and the Internal Bureau of Investigations are hot on the trail of “The Puppet Master,” a computer virus capable of invading cybernetic brains and altering its victims’ memories. This is the acclaimed sci-fi action masterpiece that proclaimed a new era of anime and helped to define the cyber-punk genre.

Ghost In The Shell 2.0 (CGI version), July 3rd and also July 5th
(Directed by Mamoru Oshii, 2008, 85min, Digital, English Subtitles)
This is a new, visually enhanced version of the classic original movie.

Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence, July 3rd
(Directed by Mamoru Oshii, 2004, 100min, Digital, English Subtitles)
This is the gripping sequel to the original Ghost in the Shell film.

Ghost In The Shell Stand Along Complex: The Laughing Man, July 4th and also July 6th
(Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, 2005, 106min, Digital, English Subtitles)
The feature film adaptation of the Stand Alone Complex series, re-cut to tell the story of a police battle with an evil computer hacker.

Ghost In The Shell: Individual Eleven 161, July 4th and also July 7th
(Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, 2006, 161min, Digital, English Subtitles)
A feature-length OAV feature with a new self-contained story, adapted from Stand Alone Complex: Second Gig, the second season of the Ghost in the Shell broadcast series.

Ghost In The Shell: Solid State Society 108, July 4th and also July 8th
(Directed by Kenji Kamiyama, 2006, 108min, Digital, English Subtitles)
A film adaptation of the Stand Alone Complex: Second Gig, the second season of the Ghost in the Shell broadcast series.

VIZ Cinema is the nation’s only movie theatre devoted exclusively to Japanese film and anime. The 143-seat subterranean theatre is located in the basement of the NEW PEOPLE building and features plush seating, digital as well as 35mm projection, and a THX®-certified sound system.

NEW PEOPLE offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan and is the creative vision of the J-Pop Center Project and VIZ Pictures, a distributor and producer of Japanese live action film. Located at 1746 Post Street, the 20,000 square foot structure features a striking 3-floor transparent glass façade that frames a fun and exotic new environment to engage the imagination into the 21st Century. A dedicated web site is also now available at: www.NewPeopleWorld.com.

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