The Inside Scoop with Ken Miyamoto Columnist, gossip chief, and "resident answer man"
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HURWITZ AND RON HOWARD CONFIRM "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT" MOVIE??
Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard are set for the long-gestating film version of Fox's prematurely cancelled acclaimed sitcom "Arrested Development", according to Reuters.
Cast members of the show have frequently quoted in interviews that a feature adaptation is in the works, but only now have things moved beyond mere wishful thinking and preliminary talk.
Hurwitz is on board to write the film as well as direct with help from Howard Imagine and Fox Searchlight will produce and distribute the feature.
Timothy Olyphant has signed on to star in the remake of George Romero's horror flick "The Crazies" for Overture Films, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The story revolves around the inhabitants of a small Kansas town who are beset by death and insanity after a plane crash lets loose a secret biological weapon into the water supply.
Olyphant is playing the town's sheriff. Scott Kosar and Ray Wright wrote the screenplay, Breck Eisner is directing, and Michael Aguilar and Dean Georgaris are producing.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Equity Games Production and Halcyon Games have announced "Terminator Salvation The Videogame," an action-packed, third-person shooter, to be released in conjunction with the highly anticipated Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony Pictures film, which opens nationwide on May 22, 2009.
Based on the upcoming Terminator Salvation film, the game offers players the chance to assume the role of John Connor, a soldier in the resistance, battling for survival against the far superior forces of Skynet. "Terminator Salvation The Videogame" is a third-person action game with concentrated armed combat against all of the Skynet enemies from the film while encountering new enemies specifically designed for the game. The game was developed by GRIN Studios, published by Equity Games, co-published by Evolved Games and distributed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.
"'Terminator Salvation The Videogame' allows players to battle for survival against Skynet enemies utilizing an incredibly fluid and realistic control set," said Cos Lazouras, President of Halcyon Games. "The player will be led through a visceral story with extremely polished production values to create a fully interactive Terminator experience."
"Building on the incredibly strong franchise, 'Terminator Salvation The Videogame' will be a cinematic gaming experience that complements the upcoming film," said John Quinn, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Operations, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "Working with Halcyon and Equity Games, we will expand on the Terminator universe on next generation consoles with action packed gameplay and detailed environments."
Mila Kunis has joined the cast of action thriller "The Book of Eli" for Warner Bros. Pictures, Silver Pictures and Alcon Entertainment, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The centers on a lone hero named Eli (Denzel Washington) who must fight his way across the wasteland of a near-future America to protect a sacred book that might hold the key to saving the future of humanity.
Kunis plays a woman named Solara, at first enlisted to betray Eli, she ultimately joins him in his quest. Anthony Peckham has performed a rewrite of Gary Whitta's script.
Albert and Allen Hughes are directing which begins shooting in February in New Mexico.
Wall-E€™s lonely days as the last functioning robot on Earth are interrupted with the arrival of EVE. When Wall-E inadvertently stumbles on the key to the planet's future, EVE must report her findings to the humans. Wall-E and EVE€™s adventure spans across the galaxy with stunning visuals and eerie postulations about the future of mankind. Bonus material includes €œBURN-E€- a hilarious new animated short, €œThe Pixar Story€- a documentary, BnL Shorts and much more!
Ken Says:My son is a Pixar fanatic.He€™s three years old and is affluent in the realm of all Pixar movies.He€™s seen each and every one dozens of times and basically never gets sick of them.The great thing is, neither do I.
Pixar is, in my humble opinion, the best filmmaking studio in the history of cinema.This isn€™t reflective of the actual films mind you, but moreso of the way they make these pictures.Story and character comes first and foremost.They don€™t settle.They don€™t think money/marketing first and quality second.If they did, we€™d have sequels to A Bug€™s Life, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, and Monster€™s Inc.Thus far, only Toy Story and Cars have sequels currently in the making.Thus, they€™ll only carry on the story and characters if there is a great continuation narrative.Something worthy.Something that takes the story and characters to another emotional and evolving level.
So, obviously, my son and I were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Wall*E.And now, three movie theater visits later, accompanied by already dozens of DVD viewings, Wall*E has captured our imaginations and hearts.
Those first thirty minutes or so are some of the best moments I€™ve seen on film.The way this little robot captures the attention and wonder of a three year old boy (my son) without the use of one word of dialogue is astonishing.Finally crafted with excellent sound design and musical score, those first thirty minutes are probably some of the best animated moments on film.
That said, the movie is not without it€™s flaws.And those flaws begin the moment when Wall*E is catapulted off of his deserted Earth home, venturing onto a spaceship called the Axiom that is inhabited by now overly obese humans, descendants of those that left Earth 700 years prior.At that moment, Wall*E€™s character becomes reactionary and worst of all, secondary, as the humans, namely the captain of the Axiom, take hold of the narrative.Wall*E reacts to the various new robots he encounters while trying to save his girlfriend Eve.From then on, the movie becomes plotted and loses much of the character study we saw in the opening act.It€™s almost like the first act was the brilliant debut film and what followed was the sub par sequel.
I firmly believe that yes, they could have kept Wall*E, his cockroach friend, and Eve on the deserted Earth for the whole film.And even if they had to get him off of the planet and onto the Axiom, they could have kept his character central to the narrative rather than focusing on the plot point of the Axiom returning to Earth.The latter part should have focused on Wall*E€™s discovery that while he was lonely on Earth, he clearly prefers it compared to the overabundance of this Axiom and its population.
But, as most know, when Pixar falters, the results still remain ten paces ahead of any other animated feature out there.So the bad with Pixar is still pretty damn good.Despite the flaws, Wall*E is breathtaking storytelling (at least in those first 30 minutes or so) and animation.
The extras are aplenty too!
First off€¦ the packaging.Horrible.It€™s an eco-friendly, no plastic casing (in line with part of the film€™s message), but it risks the DVD getting multiple scratches along the way.
Everything else about this three disc collection is great though.The commentary with director Andrew Stanton is excellent.This film has been in development for over a decade believe it or not, so there is plenty of information that he shares throughout the commentary.
Stanton also intros the four deleted scenes, most of which weren€™t finished.
The true shining gems on the first disc are the short animated flicks €œPresto€ (which debuted with the film in theaters) and the new €œBurn-E€, which is almost as brilliant as the film itself, introducing us to the one robot who Wall*E DIDN€™T affect in a positive way.
The Film Fan section of the bonus disc offers about 70 minutes of making-of docs that chronicle the making of the film, all of which are thoroughly informative and entertaining.
We then have the Family section of the bonus disc.Tons of Wall*E shorts offer kids and parents even more Wall*E charm.€œBot Files€ offers a staggering 28 robot files, detailing the names and directives of each robot.There€™s also a cute interactive story book of sorts called, €œLots of Bots€, which kids will love.
What is best about this bonus disc is €œA Pixar Story€, the definitive documentary about Pixar and where it all began.We learn about John Lasseter and his beginning as an animator for Disney, Steve Jobs€™ savior like turn for Pixar, George Lucas€™ early involvement, the Pixar shorts,Toy Story, and all the way up to Lasseter€™s Cars.Brilliant.
Overall, this is a must have for animation fans.
Beverly Hills 90210:The Sixth Season - Available November 25th in stores and online!
The ensemble drama about young adults growing up in Beverly Hills is a blend of romantic drama and subject matter that crosses all cultural boundaries. The storyline has followed the Walsh family as they moved from a middle-class Midwestern neighborhood to wealthy and glamorous Beverly Hills, maturing from high school to college students, facing new challenges as they continue to grow and discover more about themselves and their personal ambitions. As their worlds evolve, old friendships will be tested as new relationships develop, but no matter how complicated their worlds become, they will always share in their strengths and experiences.
Ken Says:Let me start off by saying this: I was a freshmen in high school when this series debuted, searching for the meaning of life and struggling to find my place in the world. So yeah, I was pretty much a loyal 90210 viewer. I even wore the short haircut with long sideburns, and thankfully even had a little scar on my eyebrow to match the likes of Dylan McKay.
The whole craze of 90210 was that it was relatable. It was real, despite the paradise settings of the beach and rich Beverly Hills. They tackled real issues that the youth of our generation was experiencing day in and day out, unlike the current trend of "is it real?" shows like Laguna Beach and The Hills that deal with who's dating who and nothing more. Shows like that, while entertaining to most, never tackle real issues. 90210 did.
This sixth season marked a true turning point for the series.The Walsh parents were gone.Andrea departed as well.Dylan married the daughter of the man who killed his father, leading to eventual horrific consequences.Kelly was a cocaine addict no thanks to her new beau Colin.
And it all ended with one of the best dramatic departures in the series, namely Luke Perry€™s exit.His character€™s last moments (until he later returned to the series) were heartbreaking and very well acted.
Overall, one of the better seasons, post-Brenda that is.
The one annoying factor of this release, and all 90210 seasons on DVD, is the substitution of different music compared to the original broadcast.Even some scenes are edited down due to various pop references.Beyond that, this is a must have for 90210 fans.
Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.:The Final Season - Available November 25th in stores and online!
Gomer Pyle, a naive country boy, leaves his home in Mayberry, NC to join the U.S. Marine corps. His perpetual wide-eyed innocence frequently gets on the nerves of his tough, loudmouthed sergeant. A successful spin-off from THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW.
Ken Says:A one-note, one joke show that somehow managed to garner SOME success. TV must have been pretty hard up for content back then. Gomer was a treat on the Andy Griffith Show, but here he can be just plain annoying.I guess this show is clearly well before my time.
The Mod Squad: The Second Season, Volume One - Available November 25th in stores and online!
Meet Pete, Linc and Julie: The Mod Squad. This trio consisted of rich, long-haired Pete Cochran, Lincoln €œLinc€ Hayes from the tough streets of inner city Los Angeles, and beautiful flower child Julie Barnes, a runaway from San Francisco. They€™re recruited by police captain Adam Greer (Tiger Andrews) for a covert unit that will help bridge the generation gap. Each week these three cops with love beads wrestled with criminals ¿½ and their own consciences. They may have been the €œfuzz,€ but they were determined to never compromise their values. They were The Mod Squad!
Ken Says:Just to hear this classic, albeit "before-my-time", musical score is a treat. The show stands the test of time, thanks to Aaron Spelling and one of the more original concepts to debut on TV those many years ago. The casting was superb and their chemistry still stands the test of time, especially after a TERRIBLE recent movie adaptation attempt.
Yet once again, I have to say that I hate it when they separate these seasons into volumes.
Mind of Mencia:Uncensored Season Four - Now Available in stores and online!
Carlos Mencia takes no prisoners. In Mind of Mencia the critically-acclaimed comedian mercilessly skewers the current and the cultural whether in the studio in the audience out on the street and in commercial parodies. Enter Carlos Mencia's mind and immerse yourself in his unique unflinching take on the world.
Ken Says:Carlos Mencia is one of my favorite comics working today.He€™s offensive without being, well, offensive.Mostly due to the fact that he doesn€™t hold back on any gender or race.Everyone is victim to his viewpoint so everyone gets a good laugh.His manic delivery kills almost every time, book ended with his classic reaction looks or sounds.Not many comics can be funny without saying one damn word.He can.
If there is anything lacking in his show, it€™s the sketches, which are hit or miss.But when they do hit, they€™re just as good as his stand up.
A great show that gets better and better each season.
Streets of San Francisco:Season Two Volume Two - Now Available in stores and online!
Twenty year veteran Detective Lt. Mike Stone is partnered with young, college educated Inspector Steve Keller who has a lot to learn about being a police detective on the Streets of San Francisco.
Ken Says:Cop shows nowadays are routine and lacking in any true style.The acting is usually above par, sure, but overall they just seem like the same show on a different network€¦ or they€™re spin-offs.
Streets of San Francisco, while not legendary as far as the actual cases went, had style.Most of the episodes were almost cinematic with great angles and long tracking shots letting the actors, well, act.Oscar-winner Karl Malone and soon-to-be star Michael Douglas didn€™t have the best chemistry overall, but they both held their own with great individual performances.
In retrospect, it€™s wonderful to see these two actors in that stage of their careers.Malone was in his 60s, unknown to the younger generation.Douglas was the up and comer son of Kirk Douglas.When he won the Oscar for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo€™s Nest, he eventually bailed out on the series and was replaced.
Streets of San Francisco won€™t be remembered as one of the better written cop shows of yesteryear, but with the two leads and the cinematic appearance of the show itself, it stands apart as a somewhat forgotten jewel.
But I have to say one thing€¦ I really do hate it when these seasons are split into volumes.
Hawaii Five-O:The Fifth Season - Now Available in stores and online!
Filmed entirely on location in Hawaii, the show followed Jack Lord as he played Steve McGarrett, head of an elite state police unit investigating "organized crime, murder, assassination attempts, foreign agents, felonies of every type." James MacArthur played his second-in-command Danny ("Danno") Williams, with local actors playing members of the Five-O team.
Ken Says:HAWAII FIVE-O, the longest-running show on TV until "Law & Order's€ thirteenth season, will now live forever on DVD. Fans can now relive each episode from season one where Steve McGarret unmasks the villain, solves the mystery and barks, "Book 'em Danno" at the end of every episode.
Way before my time, but it still makes an impact nonetheless.This show stood out among others for a few reasons: The violence, the espionage, Steve McGarret, and the scenic views of Hawaii.
A wonderful show that was truly a hardened drama for the adult audience at the time. What I enjoyed most, to be fully honest, was the beautiful scenery of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, a favorite €œhaunt€ of mine! This series was famous for being filmed entirely on the island, and it shows.
The Odd Couple:The Final Season - Now Available in stores and online!
Two divorced New Yorkers---a slob and a fussbudget---try to live together without driving each other crazy' in this classic sitcom based on Neil Simon's hit play and movie. Both Jack Klugman and Tony Randall won Emmys in the leads, the latter in the final year of a five-season run.
Ken Says:Jack Klugman and Tony Randall.Who would have thought that two actors could match, if not top at times, the performances of the feature film€™s Odd Couple, Jack Lemon and Walter Matthau.Boy do they ever.Klugman€™s straight man mixed with Randall€™s manic energy has been captured perfectly throughout each and every season of this Gary Marshall series.Even in its final episodes, contained here in this final season collection, this show manages to capture the chemistry between these legendary stars.
Star Trek:The Original Series Third Season Remastered ¿½ Now Available in stores and online!
"Space...The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship, Enterprise. Its 5-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before!" The series is set in the 23rd century where Earth has survived World War III then moved on to explore the stars.
Ken Says:A couple of years ago Trekkies (or is it Trekkers?) heard the news that Paramount was going to remaster the original series for the digital age, offering a better picture, but more importantly, new special effects.Die hard fans cried out in anger, clearly remembering the George Lucas fiasco with the Star Wars Special Editions.
Thankfully, Paramount managed to offer up high quality but subtle changes to the classic Star Trek episodes.Fans were treated with new and improved tracking shots of a now sleek looking CG Enterprise orbiting much more visually realized planets.Phaser blasts looked less B-Movie bad and more up-to-date.And for those still vigilante fans that wanted nothing to do with such changes, well, the original series still exists in its original state in the likes of the previous DVD releases.
This third season has arguably some of the best Star Trek episodes, including;€œThe Tholian Web€, €œAll Our Yesterdays€, and €œSpectre of the Gun€.The best of the bunch is clearly the pilot episode €œCage€, showcasing Captain Pike as the commander of the Enterprise.While the episode itself doesn€™t compare to Trek€™s best, it€™s still a nice gem to have.
Most of the extras have been carried over from the 2004 Original Series release with interviews from various cast and crew.The obvious reason to purchase this remastered edition is for the enhanced picture quality and the updated effects.The stories are the same, unchanged, but just look so much better.
Tropic Thunder:Director€™s Cut - Now Available in stores and online!
Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. lead an ensemble cast in €œTropic Thunder,€ an action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make the most expensive war film. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys.
Ken Says:Going into this movie, the buzz was overly strong.I myself love films and shows that send up Hollywood and the craziness of it all, so I was aching to see Stiller€™s take on the film industry.The true buzz surrounded Robert Downey Jr.€™s risky performance as an Oscar Winning method actor who darkens his skin and undergoes plastic surgery in order to portray a black Vietnam era soldier.That alone sold me on this concept, sending up the sometimes strange things legendary actors do to get into character.
Needless to say, Downey Jr. steals the show.He is brilliant, escaping into the role of a black man without making the audience feel uncomfortable.His performance is subtle, but that subtlety makes it ever more brilliant.
Stiller is as good as he always is in the role of an action hero looking for a little respect as far as his craft is concerned.As director and writer of this crazy flick, he manages to create a gritty landscape for these various caricatures to shine.Probably the best part of the film is found right from the get go, with the fake trailers for the actors€™ previous roles.There€™s nothing more funny than gay monks, at least in the world of a Ben Stiller movie.
Tom Cruise is hilarious and well hidden under the guise of a bald and hairy studio head that loves to swear.His performance is proof that there is a side of him as an actor that we have yet to see.A damn funny one.
Perhaps the only real problem with the film is Jack Black.I€™ll admit, I€™m not a real Jack Black fan, but then again I don€™t loathe him like some do either.However, his performance is more one note than ever.He spends a better part of the movie high on drugs or craving to be high on drugs.It€™s just not funny.And the fact that there are so many similarities to the late Chris Farley is just damn offensive in my eyes.And even if they were trying for that angle, Black got it all wrong.
Despite that misstep of casting, Tropic Thunder is a hardcore comedy that doesn€™t hold back AT ALL.If only we could have a sequel€¦ if only.
This Director€™s Cut edition is also packed with a plethora of extras.Plenty of making of docs to enjoy.One of the better supplements is the seven part series on the main cast, offering up some insight on the casting and characters portrayed.The fake documentary following the director of the movie within the movie is a send up of the €œApocalypse Now€ doc €œHearts of Darkness€ and it is very funny to say the least, although it does get old after a bit.
The deleted and extended scenes are interesting at best, with only the long improv sequences standing out as worthwhile.Interestingly enough, Tom Cruise€™s makeup test is one of the best.While there€™s no real dialogue involved, it€™s funny to see where he developed this character.Turns out that the dancing was Cruise€™s idea (you€™ll see what I mean when you watch the flick)!In my opinion, the test makeup was much more believable than the final version.
Overall, €œTropic Thunder€ is a hilarious send up of Hollywood and manages to even be a pretty damn good action movie as well.
JAG:The Seventh Season - Now Available in stores and online!
JAG (Judge Advocate General) is an elite legal branch of military officers trained as lawyers who investigate, prosecute and defend those accused of crimes in the military, including murder, treason and terrorism. Navy Cmdr. Harmon "Harm" Rabb, an ace pilot turned lawyer, and Marine Lt. Col. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie, a beautiful and strictly by-the-book officer, are colleagues, both with similar high standards, that often find themselves clashing with one another as they take different routes to solve cases. Assisting them with their mission is Navy Lt. Bud Roberts, a lawyer who often surprises his superiors with the breadth of his knowledge, and their boss, the no-nonsense Admiral Chegwidden, a former Navy Seal.
Ken Says:JAG was already a successful military series before this seventh season debuted, however the military themed drama would see new life in the seventh season€™s premiere episode which was shown just a couple of weeks after the fateful day of 9/11.While the show took a few weeks to reflect the new world we lived in (the beginning episodes had already be written and shot), it eventually began to showcase the changing of times and obviously became an even more patriotic series than it was before.
This seventh season opened with Harm lost at sea.After being rescued, he returned to his legal branch suffering from amnesia.Usually this plot device is saved for bad soap operas and even a few good network series, but it is managed pretty well overall, offering a new outlook on Harm various relationships, both professional and personal.Even the romantic tension between Harm and Mac is revitalized a bit.
JAG manages to stand the test of time.It€™s hard to believe this seventh season debuted seven years ago!Has it been that long?
Shrek the Halls - Now Available in stores and online!
The Christmas tree isn€™t the only thing green in this new holiday classic. Shrek is back and trying to get into the spirit of the season. After promising Fiona and the kids a Christmas they€™ll remember, he is forced to take a crash course in the holiday. But just when he thinks he has everything for their quiet family Christmas just right, Donkey, Puss in Boots, Gingy and the rest of the gang decide to crash the party. Shrek the Halls is the greatest holiday tale that€™s never been told€¦until now.
Ken Says:The Shrek trilogy started off well, had a great continuation in the second film, but then once Shrek the Third rolled around it suffered from familiarity, complacency, and over-expectations that were not met.
The third film looked great and had all of the familiar faces, yet the jokes felt rushed and what did work wasn€™t given enough screen time (the high school, Merlin, etc.).The same can be said for this first television special debut of Shrek and co.Clocking in at a thin 22 minutes, Shrek the Halls offers a holiday spin to the characters we€™ve grown to love.We€™re offered the obvious Christmas themes about giving, sharing, and those Scrooge moments.But there just isn€™t enough time for the story and humor to be anything more than rushed Shrek propaganda.22 minutes!If this had been an hour long special, I€™m sure it would have made more of an impact, but with not even half an hour running time it€™s nothing more than a long trailer reminding you that Shrek the Third was in theaters and is available on DVD.
That said, it€™s perfect for kids.Perhaps that was the point in the short running time.22 minutes is plenty for little ones and the Baby Shrek€™s steal the show.
The disc itself offers up some extras, however most of them have nothing to do with Shrek at all besides a couple of games.
The Wild Wild West:The Complete Series - Now Available in stores and online!
James West and Artemus Gordon are two agents of President Grant who take their splendidly appointed private train through the west to fight evil. Half science fiction and half western, the Artemus designs a series of interesting gadgets for James that would make Inspector Gadget proud. A lighthearted adventure series that was a fan favorite.
Ken Says:This series, now available in this complete collection, is perhaps one of the best concept driven shows in the history of television.Blending the time period€™s two most popular genres, Science Fiction and Westerns, the producers managed to come up with a truly inventive and compelling serial with two excellent characters leading the way.
James West was the hero and managed to always nab whichever pretty girl was cast that week.Artemus Gordon always managed to surprise us with his inventions and disguises.Beyond that, the special guests that popped up in various episodes added even more fun to the mix, especially seeing a young Richard Pryor.
The second season debuted in color, enriching the world of science fiction meets western, and the third season managed to offer up an evolution of sorts with grittier storylines, new locations, and new costumes.
Overall, a must have for television aficionados!
Kung Fu Panda 2-Pack (Kung Fu Panda & The Secret of the Furious Five) - Now Available in stores and online!
Enthusiastic, big and a little clumsy, Po works in his family€™s noodle shop while daydreaming about becoming a Kung Fu master. His dreams soon become reality when he is unexpectedly chosen to join the world of Kung Fu and study alongside his idols-the legendary fighters Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey-under the leadership of their guru, Master Shifu. But before they know it, the vengeful and treacherous snow leopard Tai Lung is headed their way, and it€™s up to Po to defend everyone from the oncoming threat. Can he turn his dreams of becoming a Kung Fu hero into reality? Po puts his heart and his girth into the task, and ultimately finds that his greatest weaknesses turn out to be his greatest strengths.
Included also is Po€™s all-new adventure from the filmmakers that brought you KUNG FU PANDA.He may have defeated the ferocious Tai Lung, but our Dragon Warrior (Jack Black) must now face Shifu€™s (Dustin Hoffman) biggest challenge with the help of Viper, Tigress, Monkey, Crane, and Mantis.The SECRETS OF THE FURIOUS FIVE are finally revealed as we discover it takes a lot more than fast feet and fists to become a kung fu master.
Ken Says:Dreamworks€™ latest blockbuster manages to be a step above most CG animated films, yet they still can€™t manage to create a set of timeless characters like they did with Shrek.And beyond that, they still can€™t manage to offer the heart and stories found in every Pixar release thus far.
This isn€™t to say that Kung Fu Panda doesn€™t deliver.It does.The animation is amazing, the voice work is great (especially from Jack Black and Dustin Hoffman), and the humor is there as well.This film and its Direct-to-DVD sequel of sorts capture the kung fu cinema spirit so well.The fight sequences are amazing, although once we€™ve seen the first couple of fights, it does wear thin at times thereafter.However, there€™s just nothing left in the end where you end up wanting more.
This film won€™t be remembered as a game changer, the way Toy Story 1 & 2 were, then Monsters Inc., then Finding Nemo, then The Incredibles, and the recent Wall*E as well.It€™s a fun watch but we won€™t be talking about it for years to come.
That said, as mentioned before, it€™s a step above most other non-Pixar CG animated films.Kids love it and there€™s enough for the parents to as well.
7TH Heaven:The Seventh Season - Now Available in stores and online!
7th HEAVEN has captured the essence of family and the hearts of television audiences with its witty, charming and heartwarming look at the Camdens - a minister, his wife and their seven children as they live, love and laugh together. The series tackles a range of issues, from teen sex to drugs and alcoholism, guns, racism, homelessness, in a realistic, compelling and entertaining way and has been praised for providing high-quality entertainment for all ages.
Ken Says:Part "Eight is Enough", part the school age dynamics of "Beverly Hills, 90210". 7th Heaven was a show that managed to entertain all of the demographics. An excellent cast manages to entertain, despite episodes that sometimes seemed a bit too preachy.
This seventh season stirred things up with Eric Camden€™s looming double bypass heart surgery, leading to some excellent dramatic moments as each of his family members deal with the news a different way.
The children are clearly growing up and where this seventh season falters is when new characters are introduced to perhaps garner some new interest with viewers.Problem is, the whole point of an ongoing series like this is to focus on those characters viewers have followed throughout the years.Thus, this season tended to be a bit unfocused on the focal point of the Camden clan at times.
Thankfully, the ongoing story of Eric dealing with his heart issues manages to keep the drama going, centered on this family fans have grown to love and care about.That is where the season truly shines.
Scrubs:Season Seven - Now Available in stores and online!
A series like no other, Scrubs keeps its creative scalpel sharp in 11 unforgettable episodes full of surreal escapades and bittersweet life lessons. Wacky, touching and occasionally hilariously bizarre, the two-disc set comes with exclusive bonus features including a behind-the-scenes look at the Season Seven finale, €œMy Princess,€ a fairytale episode directed by Zach Braff, plus episode commentary, cast interviews, bloopers and deleted scenes.
Ken Says:When Scrubs debuted back in 2001 (has it been that long?), it was a breath of fresh air.Something different, quirky, and unique.For the first few seasons it managed to grow into a somewhat unsung classic in the making.The ratings didn€™t show it, nor did the lack of Emmy attention.It was truly a show that was sailing fast under the radar, showcasing not only brilliant comedy, but also heart and sentiment.
Zach Braff was a marvel with the type of delivery only a select few can muster.The supporting cast, especially Sarah Chalke and Donald Faison, supported him so well.Perhaps the most unsung hero of the bunch was John C. McGinley.He has played an asshole his whole career but here he was given the chance to take it to the next level with his razor sharp delivery.
And then something happened.Perhaps it was the constant struggle to rise in the ratings.Perhaps it was pressure from the studio.Whatever it was, come the sixth season, Scrubs started to falter.Episodes were hit or miss.Things came to a halt when J.D (Braff) was thrust into a fatherhood storyline, one that the writers could never seem to decide how to handle.That carried over into this seventh season and it didn€™t help that the writer€™s strike cut the season down from 18 episodes to a frail 11.Things didn€™t end on such a good note either, with the season finale trying to repeat the success of a previous musical episode by telling a Princess Bride-like story.It was silly€¦ too silly€¦ borderline frilly.
The extras are surprisingly plentiful though!Each of the eleven episodes have commentaries from cast and sometimes crew.The second disc offers up an excellent making of €œMy Princess€, although one of its weakest episodes.The deleted and alternative scenes are pretty damn good overall.And lastly, the bloopers€¦ which I always love.Overall it€™s an excellent collection with hit or miss episodes.Even when Scrubs is bad, it€™s still pretty darn good.
Director McG tells Time Out Magazine talked up "Terminator: Salvation"saying that his approach was to"strip away any sense of glitz or irony and focus on character, drama and gritty, intense action."
When he approached Christian Bale to take on the iconic role of John Connor, "told me to fuck right off, he didn’t want to do it. He said, 'Write it so that it could be read cold on stage and I’ll think about doing it.'" McG staged a ‘cold table reading’ of the script to prove to the star that it could work as a serious drama without the benefit of special effects and stunts.
The film is said to chronicle Connor's journey from "unloved wanderer in the wilderness to humanity’s saviour, as he uncovers the machines’ plan to harvest human DNA and develop the android ‘T-800’ model".
McG confirms both Bale and scribe Chris Nolan have signed on for two more films (wait, Chris Nolan wrote this???!!)
Will Schwarzenegger make an appearance? "We’re trying to synthesise a human character with a CGI character and that may or may not have something to do with the T800...At the moment it’s not good enough and we’re running out of time."
McG then shot down claims of an ending that leaked online which had a 'good Terminator' becoming John Connor - "That is not the ending. John Connor is not the machine. We did discuss that idea, but that is not the ending, I can say that right now."
"SOUTH PARK" WILL GO OUT WITH A BANG ON BIG SCREEN?
"South Park" creator Trey Parker spoke with The Los Angeles Times saying that when it is time for the series to end, they may do it with another feature film.
"We talked about maybe some day doing a movie to sort of end it all, and that seems like the best idea. That's been a big thought to do the last show as a movie... We came up with this pretty good idea for a movie, and then of course what happened was we got in the middle of a South Park run, and were completely out of ideas and we were like, well, we've got to use the movie idea. And that became [the three-part episode] 'Imaginationland.'"
Thus far there's no end planned for the TV show incarnation currently in its twelfth season. The previous film was 1999's "South Park: Bigger, Louder, & Uncut" which became famous for its foul language and memorable musical numbers including the Oscar-nominated "Blame Canada."
Disney's A Christmas Carol, the spectacular 3D 2009 holiday release from director Robert Zemeckis and starring Jim Carrey, will be the first film from The Walt Disney Studios slated for IMAX theatres under a new five-picture arrangement the studio reached with IMAX Corporation, it was announced today by Mark Zoradi, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group.
Disney's A Christmas Carol will lead off an impressive slate of upcoming films from the Studio and a roster of top filmmakers that may include director Tim Burton as well as producer Jerry Bruckheimer. This arrangement makes some of the Studio's most highly anticipated theatrical releases from November 2009 and beyond available to IMAX venues across the country and around the world.
Commenting on the announcement, Zoradi said, "Experiencing great motion pictures in IMAX takes moviegoing to a whole new level of excitement, and we're thrilled to be working with the pioneers at IMAX in this venture. We can't think of a better way to launch than with Robert Zemeckis' fantastic new approach to the Dickens' classic, A Christmas Carol. Following that, we have an incredible slate of new Disney Digital 3D(TM) motion pictures from some of the industry's most accomplished and innovative filmmakers, and we know audiences are going to love being immersed in these great fantasies and adventures in IMAX's format."
"Entering into a five-picture agreement with Walt Disney Studios helps us ensure that our network has an outstanding slate of movies going forward," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "We're delighted to enter this new partnership with one of the greatest brands in the industry, especially at a time when we're expanding to reach even more IMAX moviegoers."
Chuck Viane, president of distribution, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures added, "IMAX has a great track record and a loyal following when it comes to presenting epic entertainment, and we believe we have a unique and exciting slate of films that lend themselves to the IMAX format. With the introduction of IMAX's digital projection system, and the addition of new venues across the country, this is a great time to be working with IMAX to bring the ultimate moviegoing experience to audiences everywhere."
"Disney's commitment to 3D is great for IMAX moviegoers and dovetails ideally with our strategy to build a slate of top-quality movies from the best filmmakers and studios," said Greg Foster, Chairman and President of IMAX Filmed Entertainment. "We look forward to releasing A Christmas Carol as the first of many great Disney titles and working with them to provide IMAX theatres with more outstanding 3D content in the years ahead."
Robert Zemeckis' takes the art of performance capture to the next level with the November 6, 2009 release of Disney's A Christmas Carol. This multi-sensory 3D motion picture captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking motion picture event. Ebeneezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (Gary Oldman), and his cheery nephew (Colin Firth). But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come (all played by Carrey) take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it's too late.
Release dates for additional titles will be announced in the near future.
Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson has joined the cast of Alex de Rakoff's indie London gangland movie "Dead Man Running", according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Set in London, de Rakoff's script centers on an ex-con trying to go straight who is given 24 hours to raise 100,000 pounds ($150,000) to pay off a loan shark (Jackson) or become a "dead man running."
The mission takes him from the dog tracks of East London to the underground drug scene of rural Manchester as they try every trick and scam in the book to get the cash before it's too late. The project is set in a criminal world as hard hit by the recession as Wall Street.
Tamer Hassan ("Layer Cake"), Danny Dyer ("The Business"), Brenda Blethyn ("Secrets and Lies") and Monet Mazur ("Stoned") also star.
UK soccer players Rio Ferdinand and Ashley Cole are serving as executive producers. Shooting began yesterday.
Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard are set for the long-gestating film version of Fox's prematurely cancelled acclaimed sitcom "Arrested Development", according to 
Timothy Olyphant has signed on to star in the remake of George Romero's horror flick "The Crazies" for Overture Films, according to 
Official Press Release:
Mila Kunis has joined the cast of action thriller "The Book of Eli" for Warner Bros. Pictures, Silver Pictures and Alcon Entertainment, according to 
"South Park" creator Trey Parker spoke with 
Official Press Release: 
Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson has joined the cast of Alex de Rakoff's indie London gangland movie "Dead Man Running", according to 
Universal Pictures is set to remake the 2006 South Korean thriller "The Host", according to 
