Review: "Charlie’s Angels" Pure Pop Pleasure

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 99 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux


Charlie’s Angels (2000)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for action violence, innuendo and some sensuality/nudity
DIRECTOR: McG
WRITERS: Ryan Rowe, Ed Solomon, and John August (from the television series by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts)
PRODUCERS: Drew Barrymore, Leonard Goldberg, and Nancy Juvonen
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Russell Carpenter (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Peter Teschner and Wayne Wahrman
COMPOSER: Edward Shearmur

ACTION/COMEDY

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray, Sam Rockwell, Kelly Lynch, Tim Curry, Crispin Glover, Luke Wilson, Matt LeBlanc, Tom Green, LL Cool J, and John Forsythe (voice)

The subject of this movie review is Charlie’s Angels, a 2000 action comedy from director McG (the stage name of Joseph McGinty Nichol). The film is an adaptation of the television series, “Charlie’s Angels,” which was originally broadcast on ABC from 1976 to 1981. The film stars Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu as three women employed by a private investigation agency and working for the voice known as “Charlie.”

When I first saw Charlie’s Angels, the big-screen adaptation of the late 70’s television series of the same name, I was sure that it was the best action/comedy that I’d seen in years, if ever. Having seen it again in anticipation of the 2003 sequel, I’m sure that it is one of the best action movies I’ve ever seen and one of the best action/comedies ever made. Although the film’s tongue is firmly planted in the Angel’s cheeks and the film is geared towards men, it’s so very entertaining that everyone should get the joke.

The mysterious Charles “Charlie” Townsend (voice of John Forsythe) has three very special little ladies in his employ: Natalie Cook (Cameron Diaz), Dylan Sanders (Drew Barrymore), and Alex Munday (Lucy Liu). Under the supervision of John Bosley (Bill Murray), Charlie’s Angels use martial arts, high tech skills, and sex appeal in their investigation work for clients who can afford Charlie’s agency. This time the client is kidnap victim Eric Knox (Sam Rockwell) who runs a giant software company. The girls not only have to rescue him, but also have to retrieve Knox’s revolutionary voice-ID software. However, the girls run into more than they were told to expect, including a sleazy billionaire (Tim Curry) and his mysterious, tall, thin, ass-kickin’ bodyguard (Crispin Glover).

Directed by music video maestro McG (videos for Korn and Sugar Ray, among others), Charlie's Angels is a high-octane, comic book-styled, action movie parody and farce. None of it should be taken seriously, least of all its conspiracy-within-a-conspiracy script. This is played for fun, recalling the best action movie scenes and clichés: car chases, exploding buildings, pumping soundtrack, quick-cut editing, and Matrix-style “wire-fu” martial arts. Maybe the funniest thing about this film is that this time women do the butt stomping. Usually in action movies, the girls are just the hang-ons of the male stars, following them around and screaming at the appropriate moments during gun fights, fist fights, car chases, aircraft falling out the sky, explosions, etc. This time the girls are in control. This time their sex appeal rules the story instead of just being sex used to decorate the violence. The ladies kick the butts and leave the men panting.

It’s all done so stylishly, and it’s all good and so cool. The vapid material gets inspired performances from the cast, but the actors really make this fun to watch. Bill Murray is tired though. His Bosley is just him doing his shtick, but it is so uninspired that he should have been embarrassed to see himself in the finished product. He was wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

But don’t let that keep you from watching this funny, exciting, and very wild action cartoon. Come on. Pull the stick out. Sit back and be entertained by this delicious serving of popcorn movie.

7 or 10
B+

NOTES:
2001 Black Reel Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Song” (Jean Claude Olivier-Writer, Samuel Barnes-Writer, Cory Rooney-Writer, Beyoncé Knowles-Writer, and Destiny’s Child-Performers for the song “Independent Women Part 1”)

Updated: Thursday, June 27, 2013

New "Transformers 4" Car - June 25, 2013

Another new car from Michael Bay's Transformers 4!

Considered a masterpiece of design and engineering, this fierce, 2013 blood red Pagani Huayra, is named after an ancient Andean God of Wind.

Review: "Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters" Surprisingly Good

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 45 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
Running time: 88 minutes (1 hour, 28 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong fantasy horror violence and gore, brief sexuality/nudity and language
WRITER/DIRECTOR: Tommy Wirkola
PRODUCERS: Will Ferrell, Beau Flynn, Chris Henchy, and Adam McKay
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Michael Bonvillain (director of photography)
EDITOR: Jim Page
COMPOSER: Atli Örvarsson

FANTASY/HORROR/ACTION with elements of comedy

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Pihla Viitala, Derek Mears, Robin Atkin Downes, Thomas Mann, Peter Stormare, Rainer Bock, Bjorn Sundquist, Thomas Scharff, Kathrin Kuhnel, Cedric Eich, and Alea Sophia Boudodimos

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is a 2013 action, horror, and dark fantasy film from director Tommy Wirkola. The American-German co-production was presented in 3D during its theatrical release. The film follows a brother and sister team of bounty hunters that tracks and kills witches all over the world.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters introduces a young brother and young sister who enter a gingerbread house and end up fighting horrid old witch for their lives. Many years after surviving that incident, Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) are famed bounty hunters who merciless eradicate witches for payment.

One day, they arrive in the town of Augsburgh just in time to stop Sheriff Berringer (Peter Stormare) from killing Mina (Pihla Viitala), a young woman accused of witchcraft. While the Sheriff disdains them, Mayor Engleman (Rainer Bock) welcomes Hansel and Gretel, because he hopes they will find and rescue several children that were abducted by witches and their troll ally, Edward (Derek Mears and Robin Atkin Downes). This will be the siblings’ biggest challenge yet. Muriel (Famke Janssen), a powerful witch, has plans for a special Sabbath known as the Blood Moon. Those plans have huge implications for Hansel and Gretel and will reveal the deepest secrets of the sibling’ past.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters has a strong current of black comedy running throughout the film. The filmmakers didn’t pretend that their movie should be for children, so the movie is violent and gleefully gory, in ways both shocking and funny. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters mixes the weird Western sub-genre with the hard-charging action-horror film. It’s like Django Unchained meets Army of Darkness.

Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton are odd as Hansel and Gretel. They really don’t seem to have screen chemistry, which somehow makes them have a peculiar kind of screen bond. Renner is sullen and grim as Hansel, while Arterton often has her nose in the air, like an upper class bratty girl. Whenever they deviate from that, it ends up being a welcomed surprise and twist, giving the characters a little depth.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is by no means a great film. For one thing, Muriel is under-utilized or under-developed as a villain. Still, like a Sam Raimi horror film (The Evil Dead franchise), Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is a good time. How can I tell? When the movie ended, I wanted more. I even want a sequel.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

"Evangelion 3.0" Premieres at 2013 Japan Film Festival

The 2013 JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO TEAMS WITH FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT TO OFFER THE EXCLUSIVE U.S. PREMIERE OF EVANGELION 3.0 YOU CAN (NOT) REDO AT NEW PEOPLE CINEMA

The First-Ever Dedicated Japanese Film Festival For The S.F. Bay Area Premieres The Latest Anime Sci-Fi Feature In Director Hideki Anno’s Rebuild Of Evangelion Saga During The 2013 J-POP Summit

The 2013 Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF), the first fully-dedicated annual Japanese film event for the S.F. Bay Area, has just announced an exciting new addition to its programming as it partners with leading anime distributor FUNimation Entertainment to present the exclusive U.S. premiere of Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo. This new, high octane anime sci-fi thriller will be seen for the first time by U.S. audiences exclusively at NEW PEOPLE Cinema on Saturday, July 27th at 11:00am, and also presented as part of programming for the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival. The film will be presented with original Japanese dialogue featuring English subtitles.

Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo will have two encore screenings, on Monday, July 29th at 7:00pm, and again on Sunday, August 4th at 11:00am. Tickets are $13.00 each. NEW PEOPLE Cinema is located at 1746 Post St. (cross street is Webster St.) in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown. A complete schedule and advance ticket information are available on www.jffsf.org.

Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo, aka “Evangelion: The New Movie: Q,” is the third of four films released in the Rebuild of Evangelion saga, directed by Hideaki Anno. Fourteen years after the third impact, Shinji awakens to a world he does not recognize and his body has not aged a single day. Earth lies in ruins and those he once fought valiantly to protect have cruelly turned against him. NERV is nothing but a distant memory. Trapped in a harrowing cycle of death and rebirth, Shinji continues to courageously battle the angels – even as the world spirals down towards what could be a tragic end.

“We’re extremely honored to make this U.S. premiere of Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo a special part of the first-ever Japan Film Festival of San Francisco,” says Manami Iiboshi, the Executive Director of Japan Film Festival of San Francisco. “The film was one of the biggest recent movie blockbusters in Japan and its screening at the 2013 J-POP Summit will be a must-see for many anime fans! We know this show may sell-out so we have also announced a pair of encore showings the following week. Don’t miss the opportunity to catch the exciting latest chapter in one of Japan’s most celebrated sci-fi properties on the big screen at San Francisco’s one-and-only NEW PEOPLE Cinema!”

The Japan Film Festival of San Francisco takes place Saturday, July 27th thru Sunday, August 4th and will deliver vivid cross-section of the best in recent Japanese anime as well as live-action cinema and is presented in conjunction with the 2013 J-POP Summit. Marking its 5th Anniversary, the annual J-POP Summit takes place Saturday July 27th and Sunday July 28th across the city’s historic Japantown district and celebrates the phenomenon of Japanese pop culture with a colorful array of live bands and artists, panel discussions, film premieres, edgy fashion shows and DJ dance events, celebrity appearances and more.

The J-POP Summit Festival is hosted and organized by NEW PEOPLE in cooperation with the Japantown Merchants Association. In 2012, the two-day event attracted nearly 65,000 attendees. More information is available at www.J-POP.com.

NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat cinema located in the underground floor of NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco. Equipped with a cutting-edge HD digital projection and THX®-certified sound system, NEW PEOPLE Cinema is home for local film festivals and entertaining events. www.newpeoplecinema.com


About J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL
The J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion and DJ dance events, and celebrity appearances. The Festival is hosted by NEW PEOPLE in cooperation with the Japantown Merchants Association. In 2012, the two-day event attracted 65,000 attendees.

More information about the J-POP Summit Festival is available at J-POP.com.

Review: "Parental Guidance" Good for Families

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 44 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Parental Guidance (2012)
Running time: 105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some rude humor
DIRECTOR: Andy Fickman
WRITERS: Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse
PRODUCERS: Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, and Billy Crystal
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Semler (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Kent Beyda
COMPOSER: Marc Shaiman

COMEDY/FAMILY

Starring: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott, Bailee Madison, Joshua Rush, Kyle Harrison Breitkopf, Rhoda Griffis, and Gedde Watanabe

Parental Guidance is a 2012 comedy and family film from director Andy Fickman. The film stars Billy Crystal and Bette Midler as grandparents who agree to look after their three grandchildren whose modern kid attitudes clash with their old-school ways.

Artie and Diane Decker (Bette Midler and Billy Crystal) live in California. Artie is the announcer for the Fresno Grizzlies, until he is fired because he is not familiar with new technology and social media. Diane thinks this is the perfect opportunity to take their daughter, Alice (Marisa Tomei), and her husband, Phil Simmons (Tom Everett Scott), up on an offer to watch their three children, while they attend a conference in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Artie and Diane fly to Atlanta where Alice and her family live, but they have a few misgivings about the week with the children. In recent years, they have not seen their grandchildren much, and are now practically “the other grandparents.” Plus, Artie and Diane are old school, while Alice and Phil are type-A helicopter parents who micromanage their children’s’ lives and overdo it on building self-esteem.

Artie and Diane are quickly reacquainted with the grandchildren: eldest child and daughter, 12-year-old Harper (Bailee Madison); the middle child, 8-year-old Turner (Joshua Rush), who has a stutter; and 5-year-old Barker (Kyle Harrison Breitkopf), who has an imaginary friend, a kangaroo he’s named Carl. The children think their grandparents are weird, and Barker calls Artie, “Farty.” Now, Artie and Diane have a week to get to really know their only three grandchildren, but that means they’ll have to earn these youngsters’ trust and love.

Parental Guidance starts off as one of those movies created by people who criticize the way other people rear their children. People see sports leagues that give every participating child a trophy simply for participating as a sign of the apocalypse. I have to admit that I find parents that won’t tell their children “No” or “Don’t” in order not to inhibit their creativity, ridiculous. But the republic will survive parents that don’t set boundaries for their children… I hope.

The movie, however, is really about the grandparents, Artie and Diane Decker, and their relationship-building with their grandchildren. The movie follows the struggle of the old school grandparents versus the modern, excessively tolerant parents to a lesser extent. And Parental Guidance is better for it. Who wants to see a movie about two people and their daughter and son-in-law exchanging harsh, snide comments about parenting? I don’t, although I don’t know about you, dear reader.

In some ways, Parental Guidance is mediocre, which is most obvious when Crystal and Midler have to over-act and over-react to make up for flimsy character development. Andy Fickman’s direction is professional and functional, but is also colorless and sometimes uneven.

But the magic in Parental Guidance is watching two grandparents bond with their lovely grandchildren. This film is more sweet than sentimental, and there are moments when the interaction between a grandparent and child seems genuine and honest. The kick-the-can and Turner calls the Giants game scenes make this movie a winner in spite of any blemishes. Talk about a feel good movie: Parental Guidance might be a frothy take on the grandparents and grandchildren dynamic, but it is an irresistible treat.

6 of 10
B

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Have a "K Day" for "K" at 2013 Anime Expo

VIZ MEDIA CELEBRATES THE ANIME SERIES “K” DURING A SPECIAL “K DAY” AT 2013 ANIME EXPO

Hit Action Anime Series Comes To The Nation’s Largest Anime Convention With Exclusive Episodes Premiere And Appearances by Special Guest KANAME☆ And English-Language Cast

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, celebrates the action and kinetic storyline of one of its newest anime properties – K – at the 2013 Anime Expo, taking place July 4th–7th at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. Now celebrating its 22nd consecutive year, Anime Expo is sponsored by the SPJA and is the nation’s largest anime convention. VIZ Media will host a variety of special activities and panels throughout “K Day,” on Friday July 5th.

Anime Expo Industry Guest and official Fushimi cosplayer from Japan KANAME☆ (appearing courtesy of King Records) will be a special guest for the day. English-language voice actors Patrick Seitz (voice of Reisi Munakata), Stephanie Sheh (voice of Neko), Matt Mercer (voice of Kuroh Yatogami) and Keith Silverstein (voice of Mikoto Suoh) will also be in attendance.

Join the English language staff and cast at the celebration, beginning with the exclusive K Episodes 1 & 2 English Language World Premiere at 11:15am in Room LP1. At 12:15PM, directly following the premiere and held in the same room, Josh Lopez, VIZ Media Dub Producer for K, will join the staff and cast in a Behind the Scenes Q&A on the process of bringing K to North America. At the end of the panel, fans will receive an exclusive commemorative Neko character fan.

The celebration continues with a special autograph session with the K English language dub cast from 2:30-3:30pm in the Anime Expo Autograph Area. Each attendee will receive an premium poster to get signed by the guests. The autograph session will be followed by a photo opportunity at the VIZ Media booth (#1501) with K cast and staff, including Johnny Yong Bosch (English voice of Fushimi), and the K cosplayers of ACParadise.com. Attendees that show up in K Project cosplay will receive a special gift. Finally, end the day with a photo op with KANAME☆ at the VIZ Media booth K wall at 5:30pm. Meet this legendary cosplay idol as he brings the cool and suave Fushimi to life.

"K is such a gorgeous and action packed series, we knew it was an excellent choice for a special event at Anime Expo,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “K makes its Neon Alley broadcast premiere on July 12th, and we're thrilled to give AX attendees an opportunity to meet some of the staff and cast that helped bring K to North America. We are also honored that one of the most renowned male cosplayers in the world, KANAME☆, will be joining us! "

For those who can’t attend K Day on Friday July 5th, the festivities continue throughout the show. KANAME☆ will appear at the VIZ Media booth on Saturday July 6th at 2PM for a special autograph session and photo opportunity, and will appear at the booth for additional photo ops through the show (please check the daily booth schedule). All days of the show, attendees can find the special ACParadise NEKO cosplayer around the show floor to receive an exclusive NEKO bell (while supplies last). Attendees can also stop by the VIZ Media booth to play the King’s Game for prizes – check the daily booth schedule for game times.

K is set in a world where history has taken a slightly different course from the one we’re familiar with and follows the story of a young boy whose life is caught in a psychic war between seven kings. Yashiro Isana, also known as Shiro, is wanted for a crime he has no recollection of committing. He finds himself being hunted by the groups Homura, led by Mikoto Suoh, “The Red King,” and Scepter 4, led by Reisi Munakata, “The Blue King.” While on the run, another young man named Kuroh Yatogami helps him. Will this fated encounter change Shiro’s life forever?

For more information on K and other animated titles from VIZ Media please visit www.VIZAnime.com/k.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

Review: "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" Retains its Magic (Happy Anniversary)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 67 (of 2005) by Leroy Douresseaux

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Running time: 104 minutes (1 hour, 44 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR: Robert Zemeckis with Richard Williams
WRITERS: Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman (based upon the novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf)
PRODUCERS: Robert Watts and Frank Marshall
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Dean Cundey (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Arthur Schmidt
COMPOSER: Alan Silvestri
Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/COMEDY/MYSTERY/FANTASY/ACTION

Starring: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy, (voice) Charles Fleischer, Stubby Kaye, Alan Tilvern, Richard Le Parmentier, (voice) Lou Hirsch, Joel Silver, Paul Springer, Richard Ridings, Edwin Craig, and Lindsay Holiday with the voices of Mel Blanc, Mae Questel and Tony Anselmo, with Kathleen Turner

The subject of this movie review is Who Framed Roger Rabbit, a 1988 fantasy and crime comedy from directors Robert Zemeckis and Richard Williams. The film is a mixture of live action (directed by Robert Zemeckis) and animation (directed by Richard Williams). The film is based on the 1981 mystery novel, Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, by author Gary K. Wolf. The film’s initial release renewed interest in the “Golden Age of American animation” (late 1920s to the early 1960s). It also led the modern era of American animation, in particularly the “Disney Renaissance” (which began with Little Mermaid in 1989).

Who Framed Roger Rabbit focuses on a detective who hates “toons” (animated cartoon characters), but who ends up being a cartoon rabbit's only hope to prove his innocence when the rabbit is accused of murder. I have seen Who Framed Roger Rabbit countless times, and it remains one of my all-time favorite films. I also still think that it is a great film, and is arguably the best film of 1988.

Seventeen years ago, Who Framed Roger Rabbit was considered a revolutionary film with its landmark mixture of live-action film and animated characters. Who FramedRoger Rabbit wasn’t the first time that human actors and cartoon characters had mingled, but Who Framed Roger Rabbit was, at the time, the best achievement in live-action/animated film. However, by the time Jurassic Park, which featured the seamless blend of live-action sets and real characters with computer-generated images (or computer rendered characters), appeared, Who Framed Roger Rabbit seemed like an afterthought. After seeing this film for the first time in about 15 years, I’m still impressed by how well this movie’s conceit, that famous animated cartoon characters like Bugs Bunny, Mickey Mouse, Droopy, and others, are real and live side-by-side with us in the real world, still rings true.

The story: ‘Toons (what cartoon characters are called in this film) are real, and their job is to make animated cartoon films for human entertainment. ‘Toon star Roger Rabbit (voice of Charles Fleischer) is worried that his wife, Jessica Rabbit (voice Kathleen Turner), is cheating on him, and it’s affecting his work on the set of his films with his co-star Baby Herman (voice of Lou Hirsch). R.K. Maroon (Alan Tilvern) hires detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) to learn the identity of Jessica’s sugar daddy, who turns out to me Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye), the owner of ‘Toontown, the Los Angeles cartoon suburb where ‘Toons live.

Things get complicated when Acme is found dead, and Roger Rabbit is suspect number one. Roger goes to Valiant for help to clear his name and save him from a date with annihilation at the hands of the menacing Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd), the dispenser of justice in ‘Toontown, but Valiant is reluctant. He actually took the job snooping on Jessica for money, but he’s hated taking ‘Toon cases since a mysterious ‘Toon killed his brother. However, Roger’s plight strikes a cord of sympathy with Valiant, and he takes Roger’s case. The more Valiant learns, the more intrigued he becomes, especially he learns of a larger and darker conspiracy that threatens not only Roger Rabbit’s life, but the very existence of ‘Toontown.

Beyond featuring the groundbreaking interaction of live and animated characters, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is simply a fine film and both a great technical and artistic achievement; it simply works. The script bears more than a passing resemblance to the municipal conspiracy in Chinatown, and the screenplay’s central mystery plotline develops in a way that keeps the viewer interested in whodunit.

The acting is excellent; from top to bottom the casts sells the idea that they’re interacting with animated characters. This is an especially impressive achievement because the live action was filmed before the animated characters and backgrounds were added. Talk about make-believe, pretend, and plain old acting talent. Christopher Lloyd is a treat to watch as the dark heavy, Judge Dredd-like justice giver – proof positive that he’s a great character actor, especially playing offbeat and wacky characters. Bob Hoskins, who more than anyone in the film, acted with non-existent co-stars, did yeoman’s work, and his performance is an underrated achievement among great comic performances.

The most credit goes to the films directors, and yes, there are two, although Who Framed Roger Rabbit may be listed as “A Robert Zemeckis Film.” True, Zemeckis does an incredible job filming sequences when many of his main actors and some of his sets would have to be added later by the animators. Still, he manages to get the most out of his actors and make the film’s comedy funny and mystery captivating – the best directorial effort of 1988. However, Richard Williams directed the animated sequences, and there aren’t many directors in the history of animated film who outdid his work here. Together Zemeckis and Williams made a classic of live-action and animation that is entertaining, technically brilliant, and a beautiful movie.

10 of 10

NOTES:
1989 Academy Awards, USA: 4 wins: “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Charles L. Campbell and Louis L. Edemann), “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Ken Ralston, Richard Williams, Ed Jones, and George Gibbs), “Best Film Editing” (Arthur Schmidt), and “Special Achievement Award” (Richard Williams “for animation direction and creation of the cartoon characters”); 3 nominations: “Best Art Direction-Set Decoration” (Elliot Scott and Peter Howitt), “Best Cinematography” (Dean Cundey), “Best Sound” (Robert Knudson, John Boyd, Don Digirolamo, and Tony Dawe)

1989 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Special Effects” (George Gibbs, Richard Williams, Ken Ralston, and Ed Jones); 4 nominations: “Best Cinematography” (Dean Cundey), “Best Editing” (Arthur Schmidt), “Best Production Design” (Elliot Scott), and “Best Screenplay – Adapted” (Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman)

1989 Golden Globes, USA: 2 nominations: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical” and “Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical” (Bob Hoskins)

Updated: Saturday, June 22, 2013

Director Miwa Nishikawa at 2013 Japan Film Festival

The 2013 JAPAN FILM FESTIVAL OF SAN FRANCISCO WELCOMES AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR MIWA NISHIKAWA AS SPECIAL GUEST OF HONOR FOR THE PREMIERE OF HER NEW FILM DREAMS FOR SALE

Evocative Director Of Dear Doctor And SWAY Makes A Special U.S. Personal Appearance For San Francisco’s First Dedicated Japanese Film Festival Taking Place In July At NEW PEOPLE Cinema

The 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, the popular annual San Francisco summertime Japanese Pop Culture celebration, will welcome director Miwa Nishikawa as a special Guest of Honor for the first-ever Japan Film Festival of San Francisco. The award-winning director is set to appear in-person at NEW PEOPLE Cinema for the premiere of her latest film – Dreams for Sale – on Saturday, July 27th at 7:00pm. An audience Q&A will immediately follow the screening.

Presented in conjunction with the J-POP Summit, the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco (JFFSF) is the first fully-dedicated annual Japanese film event for San Francisco and takes place at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema beginning Saturday, July 27th through Sunday August 4th. Tickets are $13.00 per film unless otherwise indicated. NEW PEOPLE Cinema is located at 1746 Post St. (cross street Webster St.) in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown. A complete schedule of films and advance ticket information is available on www.jffsf.org.

Written and directed by Miwa Nishikawa, who’s SWAY and Dear Doctor were screened to great acclaim at numerous international film festivals, Dreams for Sale is a richly evocative comedy/drama about a couple that lose everything in a fire and attempt to make a fresh start by swindling others. Wife Satoko (Takako Matsu) and her husband Kanya (Sadawo Abe) run a small eatery in a corner of Tokyo, but on the 5th anniversary of its opening, a fire erupts in the kitchen and burns the place to a cinder. In desperate need of cash, Satoko and Kanya embark on a hilarious and heartwarming marriage scam in an attempt to put their lives back on track.

“The tremendous critical and commercial success, both in Japan and abroad, of screenwriter/director Miwa Nishikawa’s 2009 film, Dear Doctor, propelled her to international notoriety and she is truly a director who represents the Japanese film world of the 21st Century,” says Manami Iibioshi, the Executive Director of Japan Film Festival of San Francisco. “Dreams for Sale is her fourth feature film and continues to showcase her skilled directorial style that is punctuated by insightful psychological acuity and emotional resonance. We look forward to audiences having the opportunity to meet her and participate in a special Q&A at our premiere screening at the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco.”

The Japan Film Festival of San Francisco invites attendees to catch more than 15 films, representing a vivid cross-section of recent Japanese live-action as well as anime cinema, that will have their exclusive U.S. and/or San Francisco premiere at NEW PEOPLE Cinema. The Festival will also be a prominent feature of the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, taking place across Japantown on Saturday and Sunday, July 27th and 28th. Additional details on the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival are available at www.J-POP.com.

Miwa Nishikawa was born in Hiroshima, Japan and began working in film when she served on the production staff for Director Hirokazu Koreeda's Wonderful Life (1999). In 2002, she made her directorial debut with the film, Wild Berries. In 2006, she directed the film Sway, which became a long running hit at Japanese box offices and captured many major film awards. The film was also an Official Selection at the 2006 Cannes International Film Festival where it received rave reviews and was the sole film from Japan at the prestigious Director's Fortnight. In 2009, her third feature film, Dear Doctor, was selected for the World Competition category at Montreal World Film Festival and also several notable awards including the 33rd Japan Academy Awards for Best Screenplay.

NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat cinema located in the underground floor of NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco. Equipped with a cutting-edge HD digital projection and THX®-certified sound system, NEW PEOPLE Cinema is home for local film festivals and entertaining events. More information at: www.newpeoplecinema.com


About J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL
The J-POP SUMMIT FESTIVAL is an annual Japanese Pop Culture celebration that features live bands and artists from Japan, pop culture panel discussions, film premieres, fashion and DJ dance events, and celebrity appearances. The Festival is hosted by NEW PEOPLE in cooperation with the Japantown Merchants Association. In 2012, the two-day event attracted 65,000 attendees.

Additional information about the J-POP Summit Festival is available at J-POP.com.

Review: Didn't Want to Stay for "Stay"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 68 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux


Stay (2005)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – R for language and some disturbing images
DIRECTOR: Marc Forster
WRITER: David Benioff
PRODUCERS: Eric Kopeloff and Tom Lassally
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Roberto Schaeffer
EDITOR: Matt Chesse
COMPOSERS: Asche & Spencer (Tom Scott and Thad Spencer)

DRAMA/THRILLER with elements of horror, fantasy, and sci-fi

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts, Ryan Gosling, Bob Hoskins, Janeane Garofalo, Elizabeth Reaser, and B.D. Wong

The subject of this movie review is Stay, a 2005 fantasy drama and psychological thriller from director Marc Forster. The film focuses on a psychiatrist who attempts to prevent one of his patients from committing suicide, while his own grip on reality slips.

A New York psychiatrist, Sam Foster (Ewan McGregor), inherits a secretive and highly unusual young man bent on suicide as his new patient. His name is Henry Lethem (Ryan Gosling), and he is capable of making bizarrely accurate predictions about the future. Henry announces to Sam that he is planning on committing suicide at midnight the coming Saturday – the day of his 21st birthday. After Henry disappears, Sam is desperate to find his patient before he offs himself, but his investigation begins to have reality-shattering effects on him.

Manhattan, where Sam lives, begins to transform into a constantly and wildly shifting dreamscape, and the deeper Sam tries to go into Henry’s subconscious, the more it changes the rational world for Sam. His search for Henry is also causing havoc in Sam’s relationship with his girlfriend, Lila Culpepper (Naomi Watts), a former patient of Sam’s who tried to kill herself. It isn’t long before both Sam and Lila are wondering where Sam ends and Henry begins.

Stay has some big names behind it. Director Marc Forster directed Halle Berry to an Academy Award in 2001’s Monster’s Ball, and his last film, Finding Neverland, earned several Oscar nominations including a Best Picture nod. The cast includes some heavyweights – Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts, and a star-in-the-making – Ryan Gosling. In this film, Ryan definitely shows that something that has him marked as a movie star, a quality actor, and a matinee idol.

However, audiences will find Stay to be either fascinating or dull. It’s really a riff on Ambrose Bierce’s famous short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and the 1990 thriller, Jacob’s Ladder. The visuals are dazzling on a few occasions and quite inventive and imaginative most of the time. However, most of the time Stay also seems like an ambitious if not pretentious film from a talented novice, which means the director makes clever visual choices that still amount to a haphazard narrative. Only the film’s last ten minutes redeem everything that came before it, and that’s disappointing.

3 of 10
C-

Friday, April 7, 2006

Updated: Friday, June 21, 2013

DreamWorks and Ford Unveil "Need for Speed" Car

The one-of-a-kind Ford Mustang starring in DreamWork's "Need for Speed."

DreamWorks Studios and Ford Motor Company Announce Exclusive Partnership for Film Adaptation of Electronic Arts’ ‘Need for Speed’ Video Game

‘Breaking Bad’ star Aaron Paul Teams with a One-of-a-Kind Mustang Hero Car Specially Designed for the Film by Ford

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, DreamWorks Studios’ Stacey Snider, Partner and Co-Chair, and Ford Motor Company’s Jim Farley, Executive Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales and Service, are pleased to announce an exclusive partnership for the feature film “Need for Speed,” which will include significant integration of Ford products, along with extensive media promotion by Ford at the time of the film’s release on March 14, 2014. The announcement coincides with the unveiling of a one-of-a-kind Ford Mustang for the film, during Electronic Arts’ press conference at E3 Expo in Los Angeles later today.

The Ford-designed and created made-for-movie Mustang will be featured prominently throughout the film and become part of the mythology of the movie. The “Need for Speed” Mustang features a custom-designed wide body, unique 22-inch alloy wheels, and larger air intakes to feed the supercharged V8 engine under its classic Mustang twin-nostril hood.

“’Need for Speed’ is rooted in Americana, and when we were casting our hero car for the film, Ford Mustang was the obvious choice,” said Snider. “With its 50-year history in film, the iconic Mustang is the perfect co-star for Aaron Paul. We are privileged to have such an esteemed partner like Ford working with us on this film and look forward to seeing their Mustang up on the big screen next year.”

Ford also provided the production with an F-450 truck known in the film as “The Beast,” as well as another Mustang to serve as a specially designed camera car, which allows the filmmakers to capture car racing action in new and exciting ways.

“Need for Speed” marks an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and ’70s, tapping into what makes the American myth of the open road so appealing. The story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country journey for our heroes – one that begins as a mission for revenge but proves to be a journey of redemption.

“Ford Mustang is a symbol of freedom and optimism that allows you to be the person you dream of being, making it the perfect fit for this story,” said Farley. “Ford is excited to partner with DreamWorks and Electronic Arts as they bring the epic gaming franchise of ‘Need For Speed’ to the big screen, allowing us to go further with them as they tell their great story on the global stage.”

The movie is based on Electronic Arts’ popular video game series of the same name. It is one of the most successful racing video game franchises in the world, with more than 140 million games sold. The film stars Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad”), Dominic Cooper (“Captain America”), Imogen Poots (“Fright Night”) and Michael Keaton (“Batman”), and is directed by Scott Waugh (“Act of Valor”). George Gatins and John Gatins developed the story and wrote the screenplay. John Gatins, Patrick O’Brien and Mark Sourian are producing. The Walt Disney Company is distributing the film in the United States and select international territories, while Mister Smith Entertainment is handling distribution in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. DreamWorks’ partner Reliance will distribute the film in India.

“’The Need for Speed’ movie will embody everything that fans of action racing films want to see – hot cars, high-stakes street racing and mind-blowing stunts,” said Scott Waugh, director of the “Need for Speed” film. “The adrenaline-fueled story across America will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.”

The next game in the “Need for Speed” franchise, “Need for Speed Rivals,” will be available Nov. 19, 2013 for the Xbox 360® game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC. The game will launch on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft and PlayStation 4 later this year.


About DreamWorks Studios
DreamWorks Studios is a motion picture company formed in 2009 and led by Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider in partnership with The Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. The company’s recent releases include Spielberg's "Lincoln," starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones. The film has grossed over $270 million at the worldwide box office and was nominated for twelve Academy Awards® with Daniel Day-Lewis winning for Best Actor. Other releases include "Real Steel," starring Hugh Jackman and directed by Shawn Levy, Steven Spielberg’s "War Horse," based on Michael Morpurgo’s award-winning book and nominated for six Academy Awards® including Best Picture, and "The Help," which resonated with audiences around the country and earned over $200 million at the box office and received four Academy Award® nominations with Octavia Spencer winning for Best Supporting Actress. Upcoming films include the comedy "Delivery Man," starring Vince Vaughn, the WikiLeaks drama "The Fifth Estate," and car racing actioner "Need for Speed."

DreamWorks Studios can be found on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DreamWorksStudios and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/dw_studios.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 175,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

In 2014, Ford Mustang will celebrate a milestone anniversary and become the newest member of a very exclusive club – vehicles in continuous production for 50 years. Mustang’s unique combination of style, performance and affordability sets it apart from other sports cars and it’s why the car connects so well with drivers – with a worldwide base of avid fans to prove it. The Mustang attitude of limitless possibilities is universal and enduring, it’s truly part of our cultural fabric and evokes a variety of emotions – freedom, independence and optimism – just to name a few. Fans around the world will be honoring that heritage with numerous celebrations as the original pony car heads into the next 50 years.

About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, personal computers, mobile phones, tablets and social networks. EA has more than 275 million registered players and operates in 75 countries.

In fiscal 2012, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.1 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality blockbuster brands such as The Sims™, Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer, Need for Speed™, Battlefield™ and Mass Effect™. More information about EA is available at http://info.ea.com.

Origin, The Sims and Need for Speed are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. Mass Effect is a trademark of EA International (Studio and Publishing) Ltd. Battlefield, Battlefield 4 and Frostbite are trademarks of EA Digital Illusions CE AB. John Madden, NFL and FIFA are the property of their respective owners and used with permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Review: Pixar's "Brave" is Brave, But Not Bold

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 43 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Brave (2012)
Running time: 100 minutes (1 hour, 40 minutes)
MPAA – PG for some scary action and rude humor
DIRECTORS: Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman with Steve Purcell
WRITERS: Mark Andrews, Steve Purcell, Brenda Chapman, and Irene Mecchi with Michael Arndt; from a story by Brenda Chapman
PRODUCER: Katherine Sarafian
EDITOR: Nicholas C. Smith
COMPOSER: Patrick Doyle
Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/FANTASY/DRAMA

Starring: (voices) Kelly Mcdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly, Julie Walters, Robbie Coltrane, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Sally Kinghorn, Eilidh Fraser, Peigi Barker, Steven Cree, Steve Purcell, Callum O’Neill, Patrick Doyle, and John Ratzenberger

Brave is a 2012 computer-animated, fairy tale film from Pixar Animation Studios. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, Brave won the Academy Award for “Best Animated Feature” (February 2013), making its co-director, Brenda Chapman, the first female director to win an Oscar in that category. The film was executive produced by three of Pixar’s biggest creative voices: John Lasseter, Pete Docter, and Andrew Stanton.

Brave centers on a defiant princess who must fight a curse she brings upon her family. As Pixar films go, Brave is second-tier and not on the level of such films as Toy Story 2, Wall-E, or Up. It is a good movie, but nothing I would call great. In fact, I would not have voted Brave the best animated feature Oscar over a film like ParaNorman and Madgascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (which was not nominated).

In Scotland of old, Princess Merida (Kelly Mcdonald) is the 16-year-old daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) of the Clan Dun Broch (Dunbroch). Merida’s mother, Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), wants what is best for both the kingdom and her daughter. Thus, the Queen clashes with the rebellious and free-spirited Merida who wants to make her own path in life. Skilled at horse-riding and with a bow, Merida does not want to be a lady.

One day, Elinor informs Merida that she must be betrothed to one of her father, King Fergus’ allied clans. Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), and Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane) arrive with their first-born sons. These sons will compete in the Highland Games for Merida’s hand in marriage. Merida balks, however, and runs away. Desperate to find her own fate, she makes a deal that unwittingly hurts her family. Now, Merida must rely on her bravery and her archery skills to undo a beastly curse.

The first half-hour of Brave is an awkward attempt to introduce characters, themes, plot, and setting, with wheezy music making that awkward even more annoying. The first half hour is the usual raucous, kid-friendly, action-comedy material, which is a Disney trait of turning every family in its films into a nuclear family-like unit. It sort of knocked me for a loop, because it seemed to me that in Brave, Pixar had made its first film that could be described as typical Disney animation product.

It is not until Merida’s second encounter with the will-o’-the-wisps and her meeting with The Witch (Julie Walters) that Brave becomes what it is supposed to be, a fairy tale. When it focuses on Merida’s quest, the magical elements, and the mother-daughter relationship, Brave is at its best. Merida’s younger brothers, the identical triplets: Hamish, Harris, and Hubert are excellent comic relief, but are woefully underutilized.

Everything else about this movie is not really special. The animation is good, although some of the characters bounce like Muppets when they walk or run. The animation’s colors are spectacular, especially Merida’s gloriously red hair and the rich greens of the forests and countryside.

You might be surprised at how deeply Brave digs into the mother-daughter relationship; that brought tears to my eyes. Still, the movie misses the mark of perfection. Brave is mostly a great fairy tale, but partly a Disney-movie-by-committee. That’s a shame, and that is not an Oscar winner (or shouldn’t be).

7 of 10
A-

NOTES:
2013 Academy Awards: 1 win: “Best Animated Feature Film of the Year” (Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman)

2013 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Animated Film” (Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman)

2013 Golden Globes, USA: 1 win: “Best Animated Film”

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

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Bruce Springsteen Concert Doc Arrives July 2013

“Springsteen and I” to Make Fans’ Rock ‘n’ Roll Dreams Come True in U.S. Cinemas this Summer

NCM Fathom Events and Arts Alliance Media Present Inspiring Documentary Celebrating Bruce Springsteen in Select Movie Theaters Nationwide on July 22 & 30

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With more than 120 million albums sold worldwide and numerous awards, including a staggering 20 Grammy Awards®, Bruce Springsteen’s music defines a generation. In celebration of 40 years of iconic music, NCM Fathom Events and Arts Alliance Media present “Springsteen and I” in select U.S. movie theaters on Monday, July 22 and Tuesday, July 30 at 7:30 p.m. local time. “Springsteen and I” will take audiences on an emotional journey through the personal insights and reflections of their fellow Springsteen fans. Directed by Baillie Walsh and produced by Ridley Scott Associates and Mr. Wolf, “Springsteen and I” incorporates the efforts of more than 2,000 fans around the world who submitted personal video clips to make the ultimate collective filmmaking experience about how Springsteen and his music became the soundtrack to so many lives.

Including Springsteen performing some of his greatest hits and exclusive never-before-seen archival concert footage, the cinema event features unreleased big-screen performance highlights from the London Hard Rock Calling Wrecking Ball tour and a behind-the-scenes fan meet-and-greet with their hero.

“This beautifully crafted film provides a unique insight into the powerful bond between a recording artist and those who connect so profoundly with his music,” said Ridley Scott.

“Springsteen and I” will be presented in nearly 500 select movie theaters around the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network. Tickets are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.fathomevents.com. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

‘Springsteen and I’ is totally unique – audiences have never seen Bruce and his influence presented like this before,” said Dan Diamond, senior vice president of Business Development for Fathom Events. “This Fathom Event is a rare opportunity for fans to gather together in movie theaters, experience and share their love of all things ‘Bruce’ – as it was produced by the fans, for the fans.”

For more information about “Springsteen & I,” please visit the website, Facebook, Twitter or You Tube.


About National CineMedia (NCM)
National CineMedia (NCM) operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom Events present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater advertising network covers 183 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes approximately 19,300 screens (over 18,400 digital). During 2012, approximately 710 million patrons attended movies shown in theaters in which NCM currently has exclusive, cinema advertising agreements in place. The NCM Fathom Events live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is comprised of over 740 locations in 172 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing 41 entertainment-related websites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 46.9% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com or www.FathomEvents.com. (NCMI-E)

About Mr. Wolf
Founded in 2012 by Alfred Chubb with Arts Alliance Ventures, Mr. Wolf produces and finances live events and music based feature films for worldwide distribution on all formats. Mr. Wolf launched with the release of Andrea Bocelli: Love in Portofino on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day, produced by PBS, Universal Music and Sugar Entertainment and is following up with the release of Springsteen & I, the Ridley Scott Agency-produced Bruce Springsteen feature, in July 2013.

About Ridley Scott Associates
Founded by Ridley and Tony Scott in 1968, RSA Films has, for more than 40 years, been one of the world's leading commercial production companies. Headed by President Jules Daly, RSA is at the forefront of creating innovative groundbreaking advertising campaigns for some of the world's most recognized brands. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in New York, London, and Shanghai, RSA has a roster of over 80 directors, including Kathryn Bigelow, Martin Scorsese, Sam Mendes, Joe Carnahan, Steven Klein and Neill Blomkamp. RSA has received numerous Golden Lion, Emmy, BAFTA, AICP, Cleo, MTV and MVPA Awards since its inception.

About Arts Alliance Media
Arts Alliance Media, based in London with offices in Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Oslo, Milan and Berlin, is the worldwide leader in digital cinema, offering a complete range of services, as well as VPF financing solutions for digital conversion.

These services include installation, maintenance and support for digital cinema systems; world-class software solutions; management and delivery of content to cinemas; and alternative content and live events. AAM has European Virtual Print Fee (VPF) agreements in place with all six Hollywood studios and has signed over 3,850 VPF screens in multiple territories, including with many leading exhibitors. The company recently activated its Latin American VPF programme with a raft of exhibitor signings in the past weeks. AAM's digital cinema software currently touches approximately 15,000 screens worldwide.

The London-based Network Operations Centre supports over 5,500 digital screens around the world, and the company’s digital cinema lab has mastered over 2500 titles to date, and shipped hundreds of thousands of DCPs. AAM’s strategic partnership with Arqiva allows exhibitors to benefit from satellite delivery of content to cinemas. Arts Alliance Media was founded in 2003 by Thomas Høegh.

Review: "The Interpreter" Has a Mixed Message (Happy B'day, Nicole Kidman)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 5 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Interpreter (2005)
Running time: 128 minutes (2 hours, 8 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, some sexual content, and brief strong language
DIRECTOR: Sydney Pollack
WRITERS: Charles Randolph, Scott Frank, and Steven Zallian; from a story by Martin Stellman and Brian Ward
PRODUCERS: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Kevin Misher
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Darius Khondji
EDITOR: William Steinkamp
COMPOSER: James Newton Howard

DRAMA/THRILLER

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen, Yvan Attal, Earl Cameron, George Harris, Michael Wright, Clyde Kusatsu, Eric Keenleyside, Hugo Speer, Maz Jobrani, Yusuf Gatewood, Curtiss I’Cook, and Byron Utley

The subject of this movie review is The Interpreter, a 2005 political thriller from director Sydney Pollack. This is the final film directed by Pollack, who died in 2008 at the age of 73. The Interpreter focuses on an interpreter who overhears an assassination plot and the US Secret Service agent assigned to investigate her allegations.

Silvia Broome (Nicole Kidman) is a translator at the United Nations, who accidentally overhears the plot to assassinate an African despot scheduled to speak before the U.N. General Assembly. With the words, “The Teacher will never leave this room alive,” Silvia’s world is turned upside down, as she becomes the target of mysterious thrillers who know she overheard the whispered conspiracy. Still, authorities have doubts about the validity of her story, including Tobin Keller, (Sean Penn), a federal agent assigned to protect dignitaries visiting the U.S. Tobin is eventually assigned to both protect Silvia and to unravel the mystery of the assassination attempt and its seeming connection to Silvia’s past. Will Silvia’s reticence about discussing her past and Tobin’s determination to uncover what he believes she is hiding lead to the assassination of a foreign leader on American soil?

Academy Award-winning director Sydney Pollack’s (Out of Africa) The Interpreter is part contrived melodrama and part riveting suspense story, with the latter winning out to make this a thoroughly entertaining thriller. The characters’ personal histories and tragedies occupy much of the narrative time, and their personality traits both define how their relationship and the mystery of the assassination will be resolved. But that’s mostly window dressing for a rather nice staid, adult thriller. The Interpreter lacks the car chases and has very few gunfights and explosions – the two elements that denote most Hollywood action thrillers meant to draw in teenage boys and young men as much (if not more so) as they are meant to attract older audiences looking for involved drama and quality acting. The Interpreter certainly has evocative drama and both Kidman and Penn are excellent (and award-winning) actors, and while this isn’t their best work, they certainly try to give us something different – just enough to make this more than a run-of-the-mill tense drama.

Every time the film seems as if it will slip into being ordinary, it does something surprising, and while it doesn’t have the intensity that would make it a great film, it does have the smooth charm and the kind of engaging plot that makes it an enjoyable film. The script, co-written by two of Hollywood’s top screenwriters, Scott Frank and Steven Zallian (an Oscar winner for Schindler’s List), is novelistic in its approach to character, situation, and plot. Sydney Pollack uses it to carry us through a complex web of private tragedy, delicate political affiliations, and international intrigue. At the same time, it also gives us a small, but fierce glance at the sectarian violence rampant throughout some of Africa. That’s a lot for your money.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Updated: Thursday, June 20, 2013

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New "Anchorman 2" Teaser Poster - June 18, 2013

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

With the 70's behind him, San Diego's top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) - All of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy…while taking New York's first 24-hour news channel by storm.

In theaters everywhere December 20, 2013

https://twitter.com/ronburgundy

https://www.facebook.com/anchormanmovie

"Anchorman" Exhibit Opens November 2013

Newseum in Washington, D.C., Announces  ‘Anchorman: The Exhibit’ to Open November 14, 2013

‘Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues’ opens nationwide December 20, 2013

It’s kind of a big deal

WASHINGTON — On November 14, 2013, the Newseum, in partnership with Paramount Pictures, will open “Anchorman: The Exhibit,” featuring props, costumes and footage from the 2004 hit comedy Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, prior to the release of its highly anticipated sequel “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” from Paramount Pictures on December 20.

The original film, written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay, directed by McKay, and starring Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell and David Koechner, takes a comic look at a 1970s-era television newsroom and the legendary local anchorman who ruled it until a female reporter arrived to challenge the all-male news team. “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” reunites Ferrell and McKay with the original cast.

Included in “Anchorman: The Exhibit” will be costumes worn by the Channel 4 Evening News team and a number of original props from the movie, including Ron Burgundy’s jazz flute and the whip used by rival anchorman Arturo Mendez during the film’s memorable fight scene between rival news teams. The exhibit also includes a re-creation of the KVWN-TV anchor desk and news set where visitors can pose for photo ops.

“For millions of viewers, the news anchor represents the authority and credibility of television news. But anchormen and women also are popular targets for pop culture laughs,” said Cathy Trost, vice president of exhibits and programs at the Newseum. “The exhibit explores the reality behind the humor of “Anchorman” and tracks the rise of personality-driven news formats in the 1970s.”

Visitors to the exhibit also will have an opportunity to step in front of the camera and participate in an Anchorman-themed TV spot at one of the Newseum’s Be a TV Reporter stations. With lead anchor Ron Burgundy providing a snappy introduction, budding reporters can find out if they have what it takes to become a member of the Channel 4 News team. The exhibit also will feature clips from the movie and special commentary by Will Ferrell.

“I’m literally trapped in a glass case of emotion,” said Ron Burgundy, commenting on his inclusion in the museum’s exhibit.

“Anchorman: The Exhibit” will be on display at the Newseum through Aug. 31, 2014.


About the Newseum
The mission of the Newseum is to champion the five freedoms of the First Amendment through education, information and entertainment. One of the top attractions in Washington, D.C., the Newseum’s 250,000-square-foot news museum offers visitors a state-of-the-art experience that blends news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public charity funded, in part, by the Freedom Forum. The First Amendment Center at the Newseum and in Nashville and the Diversity Institute serve as forums for the study and exploration of the First Amendment. For more information visit newseum.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

About “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”
With the ’70s behind him, San Diego’s top rated newsman, Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), returns to the news desk in “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” Also back for more are Ron’s co-anchor and wife, Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate), weather man Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), man on the street Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd) and sports guy Champ Kind (David Koechner) — all of whom won’t make it easy to stay classy … while taking New York’s first 24-hour news channel by storm. Produced by Judd Apatow, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Written by Will Ferrell & Adam McKay. Directed by Adam McKay.

Happy Juneteenth 2013

We get free!

Review: "Texas Chainsaw 3D" Gory and Scary

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 42 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux


Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)
Running time: 92 minutes (1 hour, 32 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong grisly violence and language throughout
DIRECTOR: John Luessenhop
WRITERS: Adam Marcus and Debra Sullivan, and Kirsten Elms; from a story by Stephen Susco, Adam Marcus and Debra Sullivan (based upon the characters by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper)
PRODUCER: Carl Mazzocone
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Anastas N. Michos
EDITOR: Randy Bricker
COMPOSER: John Frizzell

HORROR

Starring: Alexandra Daddario, Dan Yeager, Tremaine “Trey Songz” Neverson, Tania Raymonde, Shaun Sipos, Keram Malicki-Sanchez, Thom Barry, Paul Rae, Scott Eastwood, James McDonald, Richard Riehle, David Born, and Sue Rock

Texas Chainsaw 3D is a 2013 horror film presented in 3D. It is the seventh film in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Texas Chainsaw 3D is a sequel to the events of the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), which was directed by Tobe Hooper. Hooper also directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), the first sequel to his classic film. In Texas Chainsaw 3D, a young woman travels to Texas with her friends to collect an inheritance, but she does not realize that a chainsaw-wielding killer is part of her family legacy.

Picking up immediately after the events of the original movie, Sheriff Hooper (Thom Barry) arrives at the Sawyer home to arrest Jedidiah “Jed” Sawyer (Dan Yeager), for murdering several people – killing some with a chainsaw. However, the people of Newt, Texas, led by Burt Hartman (Paul Rae), want immediate justice and burn down the Sawyer family home, killing everyone inside. In the chaos, Gavin and Arlene Miller (David Born and Sue Rock) find a baby from the Sawyer family and adopt her.

Some two decades later, the daughter, Heather Miller (Alexandra Daddario), is a young artist, living with her boyfriend, Ryan (Tremaine “Trey Songz” Neverson). Heather receives a letter that her grandmother, Verna Carson, has died, and this is the first time that Heather learns that the Millers adopted her. Heather, Ryan, and their friends, Nikki (Tania Raymonde) and Kenny (Keram Malicki-Sanchez), head to Newt, Texas in order for Heather to receive the inheritance that Verna left for her.

When she meets her grandmother’s lawyer, Farnsworth (Richard Riehle), Heather discovers that her grandmother left her a lot of money and a mansion. Heather and her friends love the mansion, planning to spend the night, but do not realize that it holds a monstrous secret, hidden in its bowels.

There is a lot that one can say about Tobe Hooper’s career, some of it negative, but he made one of the greatest horror movies (American and otherwise) ever in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I see the film as a uniquely American gothic tale. It takes the Southern gothic and gives it a Texas edge that also visually encapsulates the decaying state of post-1960s, post-Vietnam America.

I have seen some of the sequels and remakes, not all, and they just do not live up to the original – even Hooper’s own 1986 sequel (which had its moments). No sequel, remake, or re-imagining of the 1974 ever will.

That said, Texas Chainsaw 3D is actually a fairly good movie. It a slasher film with a unique take on family obligations. Texas Chainsaw 3D also plays around with the idea that even the most horrific villain can be a kind of anti-hero when compared to unsavory characters that peddle in class conflict, prejudice, and lynch mobs – the so-called pillars of the community. I’m not going to lie and call this movie an American classic, but this film has a Texas macabre vibe that stuck with me long after I finished watching it.

I did find a few things odd. So if this movie takes place two decades after the original, which took place in the early to mid-1970s, then, Texas Chainsaw 3D takes place in the early to mid-1990s. Just judging by the smart phones, this movie does not take place in the 90s. I guess they just moved the timeline. Also, there is a scene when a jerk rips open Heather’s shirt, for no apparent reason. As she is not wearing a bra, this must be a moment of exploitation to give male audience members a peek at the actress Alexandra Daddario’s breasts.

Selling this film as a 3D movie is cynical, and although I did not see it in 3D, I wonder what I missed. I didn’t notice many scenes that would have been effective in 3D. However, Texas Chainsaw 3D has a number of generally riveting scenes and set pieces, especially the fair ground chase. I would like to see director John Luessenhop and the creative crew and staff of this motion picture get a shot at another film in the franchise.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Review: "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" Remake Just a Remake

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 66 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux


The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong horror violence/gore, language and drug content
DIRECTOR: Marcus Nispel
WRITER: Scott Kosar (based upon the original screenplay by Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper)
PRODUCERS: Michael Bay and Mike Fleiss
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Daniel C. Pearl (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Glen Scantlebury
COMPOSER: Steve Jablonsky
Razzie Awards nominee

HORROR

Starring: Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Erica Leerhsen, Mike Vogel, Eric Balfour, Andrew Bryniarski, David Dorfman, Lauren German, Terrence Evans, Marietta Marich, Heather Kafka, Kathy Lamkin, Brad Leland, Mamie Meek, and John Larroquette (voice)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the 2003 remake of the 1974 horror film classic, is a by-the-books horror film with a few pages missing. It’s scary, and has all the requisite bumps. All jokes aside, there are some really intense moments. It seems that the idea of a chainsaw-wielding maniac chasing people, even fictional ones, is really unsettling. The characters here, however, seem a bit too dumb, and the film also has too many throwaway characters that could have been left out of the film.

The story is basically the same. Five teenagers or young people take the back roads of rural Texas to trouble where they encounter a monstrous killer who murders his victims with a chainsaw. In the original film, the kids took a detour to visit an old family estate of one of the youths. This time around, the gang gets sidetracked when they encounter a young woman wandering in a semi-daze along the road. After she kills herself, the kids look for help from the local law, and that’s how they set themselves up for gruesome deaths.

If the original TCM can be seen as a work of art in the horror genre, the remake is simply product – a professionally done movie meant to separate teens and other horror fans from their cash. There are no artistic pretensions here. It’s not half bad, and actually quite intense, creepy, and skin crawling during most of the movie. Having the cinematographer of the original film, Daniel Pearl, return to photograph this movie was an excellent choice by the producers. Pearl creates some spine-chilling and hair-raising shots in this movie that help to sell the film’s horrific atmosphere.

I have mixed feelings about the cast, but Jessica Biel is a champ and does a star turn in this film. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2003 is an easy recommendation for any and all who like scary movies.

5 of 10
C+

NOTES:
2004 Razzie Awards: 1 nomination: “Worst Remake or Sequel”

First Trailer: "The Wolf of Wall Street" June 17 2013

Watch Now: http://youtu.be/iszwuX1AK6A

Review: "MAN OF STEEL" is Overstuffed with Spectacle

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 41 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Man of Steel (2013)
Running time: 143 minutes (2 hours, 23 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence, action and destruction, and for some language
DIRECTOR: Zack Snyder
WRITERS: David S. Goyer; from a story by David S. Goyer and Christopher Nolan (based upon the Superman characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and published by DC Comics)
PRODUCER: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, and Emma Thomas
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Amir Mokri (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: David Brenner
COMPOSER: Hans Zimmer

SUPERHERO/ACTION/DRAMA/SCI-FI

Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Antje Traue, Harry Lennix, Richard Schiff, Christopher Meloni, Ayelet Zurer, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Kelly, Dylan Sprayberry, and Cooper Timberline

Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero movie from director Michael Bay. Ooops! I mean…

Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero movie from director Zack Snyder. The film is co-produced and co-written by Christopher Nolan, the director of “The Dark Knight trilogy” (yep, that’s what they’re calling Nolan’s Batman films) with a screenplay by David S. Goyer, who co-wrote Nolan’s Batman films. Man of Steel is a reboot of the Superman film franchise and is the first Superman movie since 2006’s Superman Returns.

Man of Steel focuses on Superman living as a young drifter and itinerant worker. He is forced to confront his destiny and secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race. That sounds warm and dramatic, but the actual film is an over-produced event movie that loses its heart and soul in a tsunami of computer-generated imagery and special effects. Once you see the movie, you might also think that this loud movie looks like something Michael Bay made, especially his Transformers films.

Man of Steel opens on the planet Krypton, where renowned scientist, Jor-El (Russell Crowe), and his wife, Lara Lor-Van (Ayelet Zurer), celebrate the arrival of a son, Kal-El. Their world, however, is dying as the rebel, General Zod (Michael Shannon), and his followers attack Krypton’s ruling council. In order to save Kal-El, Jor-El launches him in a spacecraft bound for Earth. The infant Kal-El lands on Earth in Smallville, Kansas, where he is found and adopted by Martha and Jonathan Kent (Diane Lane and Kevin Costner), who name the baby, “Clark Kent.” Clark’s alien physiology gives him superhuman abilities on Earth, but also causes him to feel confused and isolated.

As an adult, Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) lives a nomadic life. He does not realize that Lois Lane (Amy Adams), a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the Daily Planet, is tracking him. Both Kent and Lane discover that Kent’s alien past is about to return in a way that could mean the end of humanity and the world as we know it.

Man of Steel is half-good, half-ridiculous. First, the ridiculous: the movie is all over the place. It jumps back in forth in time from occasionally overly-sentimental flashbacks to over-charged, present-day fight scenes. The characters are either under-utilized or underdeveloped. Henry Cavill and Amy Adams are actually good as Clark and Lois, but every time they seem about to really bond as characters, Man of Steel runs over to action scenes that look like they came out of the Transformers films, Revenge of the Fallen and Dark of the Moon.

Some of the set pieces depict levels of destruction that are practically impossible to fully comprehend. Fight scenes and aerial battles happen in a whirlwind of computer-generated imagery; sometimes, I couldn’t make out much of anything, even the combatants. In fact, much of Man of Steel is one big tornado of special-effects crap thrown at the screen. There is so much destruction going on in Metropolis that it began to annoy me. After ten minutes of this, I realized that the movie had crossed the line of relentless triteness that now defines big-budget Hollywood event movies.

Even this post-human movie offers moments of genuine humanity. The scenes in Smallville, present and flashback, offer some poignant character drama, if not the occasional tedious homily. There is a good moving and emotional set piece with Laurence Fishburne as Daily Planet Editor in Chief Perry White, as he and some of the Planets’ staff fight to survive the destruction of Metropolis. Michael Shannon is brilliantly demented as General Zod, in way that makes the character alluring.

The filmmakers and (more likely) the studio do not seem interested in Clark Kent’s humanity. They seem obsessed with the spectacle of the superhero and his adversaries as videogame wrecking balls, tearing apart the world in visuals created by computers, software, and cinema technology. Sometimes, that looks quite good, as in Marvel’s The Avengers. Sometimes, it looks like a preposterous overstatement, as in Man of Steel. I found this movie to be a mostly unpleasant viewing experience. Is this what future Superman movies are going to look like? I hope the intriguing, interesting character bits that really left an impression on me and are the reason for my “B-“ score can have a bigger place in the next Man of Steel.

5 of 10
B-

Sunday, June 16, 2013

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Special "World War Z" Ticket Gives Fans Early Look

PARAMOUNT ANNOUNCES FIRST OF ITS KIND "WORLD WAR Z" MEGA TICKET

PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND REGAL CINEMAS OFFER “WORLD WAR Z MEGA TICKETS” AT ADVANCE 3D SHOWING ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19TH AT SELECT LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE

Paramount Pictures and Regal Entertainment Group are bringing Brad Pitt’s highly anticipated film “WORLD WAR Z” in RealD 3D to audiences in five cities across the U.S. ahead of its worldwide theatrical release with a first-ever exclusive World War Z Mega Ticket movie package.

Packages include one adult ticket to an advance RealD 3D showing of “WORLD WAR Z” at participating theaters on Wednesday, June 19th at 7:30 p.m. and a small popcorn, one HD digital copy of the movie when it becomes available*, one pair of “WORLD WAR Z” collector’s custom RealD 3D glasses, and one official full-size limited-edition movie poster, while supplies last.

“Regal is pleased to offer this ultimate fan event at five locations in conjunction with our partners at Paramount Pictures. The interest and anticipation for Brad Pitt’s latest thriller is at a fever pitch and this ‘World War Z Mega Ticket’ offers a unique experience for our patrons,” stated Ken Thewes, chief marketing officer for Regal Entertainment Group.

Participating theaters:

Los Angeles: Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 IMAX & RPX

Houston: Edwards Greenway Grand Palace Stadium 24 & RPX

San Diego: Edwards Mira Mesa Stadium 18 IMAX & RPX

Atlanta: Regal Atlantic Station Stadium 16 IMAX & RPX

Philadelphia: UA King of Prussia Stadium 16 & IMAX

The film is already receiving early critical raves, with Peter Travers of Rolling Stone saying, “It’s everything you want in a blockbuster – smart, shifty, and scary as hell.”

For more information on the World War Z Mega Ticket packages, visit www.WorldWarZMovie.com/MegaTicket


World War Z Mega Tickets are available at http://www.fandango.com/worldwarz3dmegaticket_165509/movieoverview


General movie tickets are on sale now at www.fandango.com, www.movietickets.com and at theater box offices.

“WORLD WAR Z” revolves around an ex-United Nations investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop a pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself. The film stars Pitt, Mireille Enos and James Badge Dale.

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Production present, in association with Hemisphere Media Capital and GK Films, a Plan B Entertainment/2DUX2 Production “WORLD WAR Z,” directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Drew Goddard & Damon Lindelof, and screen story by Matthew Michael Carnahan and J. Michael Straczynski. Based on the novel by Max Brooks. Produced by Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Ian Bryce.

“WORLD WAR Z” opens in theaters everywhere June 21st, 2013.

* HD digital copy of “WORLD WAR Z” available to download or stream when released on street date. Internet connection and compatible device required.


About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Regal Entertainment Group
Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) operates the largest and most geographically diverse theatre circuit in the United States, consisting of 7,350 screens in 578 theatres in 42 states along with Guam, Saipan, American Samoa and the District of Columbia as of May 23, 2013. The Company operates theatres in 46 of the top 50 U.S. designated market areas. We believe that the size, reach and quality of the Company’s theatre circuit not only provide its patrons with a convenient and enjoyable movie-going experience, but is also an exceptional platform to realize economies of scale in theatre operations.