This past weekend I had family visiting and when one has company you have to enterain them right? While doing so on Friday night we came across a small, independent, foreign film called The Guard. The film takes place in a little, off beat town in Ireland. it is here where the local police come across a gruesome murder. They discover that the murder is connected to other deaths which are part of a drug smuggling ring so the FBI is called in to help out on the case. The two main characters are a unconventional Irish policeman named Sergeant Gerry Boyle played by Brendan Gleeson and a by the book, uptight FBI agent named Wendell Everett played by the awesome Don Cheadle.
The strange story goes even deeper as we learn about these two characters and what makes them tick. They dislike each other when the first meet. On his day off Boyle spends some time with prostitutes and his dying mother while Everett goes around the town asking anyone including a horse if they know the drug smugglers, language becomes a problem since most speak Gallic. Do the two learn to get along? Do the y get the bad guys? Who is that teen on the bike with training wheels? Who is that young boy with the dog? To find out rent or on demand The Guard.
Monday, August 27, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Farewell to The Closer
Tonight on TNT at 9 pm is the final episode of The Closer.
I just want to tell the cast and crew that I look forward to Major Crimes which is premiering right after but as for The Closer herself Branda Leigh Johnson played by the magnificent Kyra Sedgwick. The Deputy Chief of the major crimes division in Los Angeles always knew how to get a suspect to open up and get at the truth. She was tough, brilliant and obsess with candy ( I too am fond of a peanut butter cup once in a while and wouldn't mind a draw full of them) and once in a while we got to she her softer side, like whenever she was with he husband, Fritzy, her cat (first Miss Kitty then Joel) and her very southern parents. Branda lived life on her own terms.
Cheers to The Closer 2005-2012! And to Emmy Award winner Kyra Sedgwick this fan will miss your southern accent and that cute pink coat. Good luck to whatever you (and any other cast member who won't be on Major Crimes) do in the future (fingers crossed for a return to good films).
I just want to tell the cast and crew that I look forward to Major Crimes which is premiering right after but as for The Closer herself Branda Leigh Johnson played by the magnificent Kyra Sedgwick. The Deputy Chief of the major crimes division in Los Angeles always knew how to get a suspect to open up and get at the truth. She was tough, brilliant and obsess with candy ( I too am fond of a peanut butter cup once in a while and wouldn't mind a draw full of them) and once in a while we got to she her softer side, like whenever she was with he husband, Fritzy, her cat (first Miss Kitty then Joel) and her very southern parents. Branda lived life on her own terms.
Cheers to The Closer 2005-2012! And to Emmy Award winner Kyra Sedgwick this fan will miss your southern accent and that cute pink coat. Good luck to whatever you (and any other cast member who won't be on Major Crimes) do in the future (fingers crossed for a return to good films).
Newlyweds
Once again Director/Writer Edward Burns (The Brothers McMullen, She's the One) has brought us another sweet and fine small film with the simple title of Newlyweds. Mr. Burns does his best work when shooting on the streets of NYC and this film is no exception. The story is about a newly wedded couple, Buzzy (Edward Burns) and Katy(Caitlin Fitzgerald) and how they cope with what happens once their (2ed each) marriage begins. They have only known each other for a short time when their lives get turned upside down when friends and family get involved. Let me start with Katy's sister Marsha (Marsha Dietlein) and her husband Max (Max Baker). The two have been married for 19 years and when they have lunch with Buzzy and Katy their relationship begins to feel old and past its prime. Max flirts with a younger woman while Marsha feels ignored. That is only the beginning to the tsunami of troubles in front of Buzzy and Katy. Next there is Katy's out of work actor ex-husband Dara (Dara Coleman) who is always stopping by and asking for money and suddenly Linda (Kerry Bishe) Buzzy's younger half sister drops by out of the blue. Buzzy and Linda have not seen each other since she left her home at 16 when their father died. She comes to NYC from l.A (without a coat) with the propose of getting her now married ex back and crash lands into their already crazy new lives. All of the characters lives become connected and as shown through conversations between Sister and Sister, Husband and Husband, and Ex Husband and Half Sister the film asks the questions about marriage, why does when get married? How to deal with being married and the questions that come once you are married-How to deal with those outside the marriage who are part of each spouses world? From giving up on yours as an individual dreams to settling down and having a family?
First thoughts right after the "I dos" and what really happens next.
Edward Burns asked for real life newlywed stories through twitter and with his lowest budget yet and NYC as the background gave use another good film. So go and download or rent and watch Newlyweds.
First thoughts right after the "I dos" and what really happens next.
Edward Burns asked for real life newlywed stories through twitter and with his lowest budget yet and NYC as the background gave use another good film. So go and download or rent and watch Newlyweds.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Berkeley Square
Some people call them "classics" to me they are films that were made before I was born and just haven't seen yet. At night when I can't sleep I put the TV on TCM (I find that the black and white images keep it dark but the voices are comforting), that being said I have found some good films this way.
Last week for the first time TCM aired a film from 1933. The story takes place in 18th century London 8 years after after the American Revolution, at am estate in Berkeley Square, the name of the film. The opening scene takes place in the English house where we first meet Kate Pettigrew (Valerie Taylor) she and her family are awaiting the arrival of their American cousin, Peter Standish there is a flash of lighting and we are transported to the present day where a man (Leslie Howard) shares his name with the now long dead Peter and turns out to be his distant relative. He has just inherited the old house and finds it intriguing with a beautiful history. The house has not changed , same grandfather clock, same books and a painting of a man who looks just like him. Just as in the recent film Midnight in Paris, Peter begins to long for the past as his fiance Marjorie (Betty Lawford) walks in. She sees that he is obsess and becomes worried about his mental state. Peter doesn't want to leave the house and comes up with a theory that if he walks in the same path of his late relative then some how all of time will happen at once and he will be allowed to travel through time. Peter learns about the arrival of the cousin while reading his journal and at the precise time 5;30 he enters the house and on the other side of the door finds himself dressed in 18th century clothing. In the past he also meets Kate's sister Helen and immediately falls in love with her although he is engaged to Kate. Also at their first meeting Peter makes his first time travel mistake by knowing what Helen's birthday gift is before she opens it. This reminds him that must follow the path that has already happened but it is more difficult then he thought it would be and he makes mistake after mistake. Using words that have not been used yet and knowing about things that have not happened. Kate becomes fearful of him but Helen loves him. Can Peter make things right again? To find out what happens next check out Berkeley Square.
Last week for the first time TCM aired a film from 1933. The story takes place in 18th century London 8 years after after the American Revolution, at am estate in Berkeley Square, the name of the film. The opening scene takes place in the English house where we first meet Kate Pettigrew (Valerie Taylor) she and her family are awaiting the arrival of their American cousin, Peter Standish there is a flash of lighting and we are transported to the present day where a man (Leslie Howard) shares his name with the now long dead Peter and turns out to be his distant relative. He has just inherited the old house and finds it intriguing with a beautiful history. The house has not changed , same grandfather clock, same books and a painting of a man who looks just like him. Just as in the recent film Midnight in Paris, Peter begins to long for the past as his fiance Marjorie (Betty Lawford) walks in. She sees that he is obsess and becomes worried about his mental state. Peter doesn't want to leave the house and comes up with a theory that if he walks in the same path of his late relative then some how all of time will happen at once and he will be allowed to travel through time. Peter learns about the arrival of the cousin while reading his journal and at the precise time 5;30 he enters the house and on the other side of the door finds himself dressed in 18th century clothing. In the past he also meets Kate's sister Helen and immediately falls in love with her although he is engaged to Kate. Also at their first meeting Peter makes his first time travel mistake by knowing what Helen's birthday gift is before she opens it. This reminds him that must follow the path that has already happened but it is more difficult then he thought it would be and he makes mistake after mistake. Using words that have not been used yet and knowing about things that have not happened. Kate becomes fearful of him but Helen loves him. Can Peter make things right again? To find out what happens next check out Berkeley Square.
Dolphin Tale-A film review
Animal stories on film are hard to watch and tare at the heart strings and yet I can't help but take a chance on them. From Charlotte's Web, National Velvet and Old Yeller to Seabiscuit, Secaterit and Warhorse to the comedy Cats and Dogs you know you are about to watch a good story. Movies about animals follow the same formula, you meet the animal, you fall in love with him or her throughout the telling of the story and whether it ends in sorrow or triampth by the time the credits roll you have gone on an emotional journey, which reminds me of Homeward Bound with the two dogs and the cat, aww, which brings me to the latest film that premiered last month on HBO called Dolphin Tale.
Everything that you need to know is right there in the title, this movie is inspired by a true story. A story in which the central character is a dolphin named Winter. The film begins when a young boy named Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble) finds a dolphin stranded on a beach. After she is rescued by a father/Marine Biologist, Dr. Clay Haskett played by the wonderful singer/actor Harry Connick Jr. and his daughter, Hazel (Cozi Zuehlsdorff). They take her back to their animal hospital/aquarium to try and save her. The call her Winter and realize that her tail fin is injured and eventually have to amputate it. Then things get serious, the boy and girl grow to care for and love Winter. They help her swim ever day even though it means Sawyer skips summer school. They all soon learn that if Winter continues to move her fin up and down instead of right to left she will die, at the same time the hospital is losing their benefactors and may have to sell the building leaving all the animals homeless.That is where Dr. Cameron played by the great Morgan Freeman comes into the picture. Can he find a way to help and save Winter? Can the hospital be saved? If for no other reason you should watch this movie to see a pelican named Rufus who steels every scene he is in. Ashley Judd also stars as Sawyer's mother. Keep an eye out for or rent Dolphin Tale.
Everything that you need to know is right there in the title, this movie is inspired by a true story. A story in which the central character is a dolphin named Winter. The film begins when a young boy named Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble) finds a dolphin stranded on a beach. After she is rescued by a father/Marine Biologist, Dr. Clay Haskett played by the wonderful singer/actor Harry Connick Jr. and his daughter, Hazel (Cozi Zuehlsdorff). They take her back to their animal hospital/aquarium to try and save her. The call her Winter and realize that her tail fin is injured and eventually have to amputate it. Then things get serious, the boy and girl grow to care for and love Winter. They help her swim ever day even though it means Sawyer skips summer school. They all soon learn that if Winter continues to move her fin up and down instead of right to left she will die, at the same time the hospital is losing their benefactors and may have to sell the building leaving all the animals homeless.That is where Dr. Cameron played by the great Morgan Freeman comes into the picture. Can he find a way to help and save Winter? Can the hospital be saved? If for no other reason you should watch this movie to see a pelican named Rufus who steels every scene he is in. Ashley Judd also stars as Sawyer's mother. Keep an eye out for or rent Dolphin Tale.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Eureka--July 18 2006-July 16 2012
EUREKA! Once upon a time just something Archimedes said upon discovering water being displaced but for the past 6 years has been a cute and fun series on the Sci-Fi (syfy) network. A California police officer is driving his fugitive teenage daughter home when they accidentally enter a small town in the middle of nowhere. The cop, Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson) and daughter Zoe (Jordan Hinson) quickly learn that this is no ordinary town. You see Eureka is "unique". It is a secret town set up by the U.S. Government as a place to make new discoveries. The citizens of Eureka are all geniuses, they are all scientists, each one a master in his/hers field of study. For all 5 seasons there was Dr. Allison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield). Allison started out as a D.O.D agent who would become the director of Global Dynamics (GD is at the center of the town and the building where all the scientist work) she will also marry Jack in the final season. Then there was Douglas Fargo (Neil Grayston) a junior scientist who gets no respect from his peers until he became the new director of G.D. during a futureistic storyline to be explain later. Next is Josephina "Jo" Lupo (Erica Cerra) who began as a tough Eureka cop who enjoyed her firearms and would become head of security at G.D. and would later fall in love with a government criminal turned new G.D. good guy and head of Sector Five Zane Donovan (Niall Matter). Then there was Henry Deacon (Joe Morton) who is as smart as the rest, if not the smartest man in town and can do anything he wishes but when we first met him he was just a guy who owned the town's garage and the mechanic who fixed Jacks car upon his unexpected arrival. Later Henry will be married to Grace (Tembi Locke). Rounding out the original cast is S.A.R.A.H. the smart house where Jack and Zoe will live once he becomes the towns new sheriff.
When Carter becomes Sheriff the real story of Eureka Begins. As smart as these people are every day something goes wrong in their town and although all the characters are involved the sheriff, the one man with an average IQ, seems to be the one man who can truly save the town. Whether it was buildings floating, new objects made at G.D. not working the way they were intended, going to space or as I have already mentioned going back in time (where we learned the origins of the town and met Dr. Trevor Grant a recurring character played by James Callis), sheriff Jack Carter was there to help figure out the problem, fix it and make Eureka safe for its citizens once again. Yes it is odd to think that the only one who really knew what was going on was the only non-genus in the town but that was what the series was all about.
Let's not forget the other characters that made up Eureka. There was Dr. Nathan Stark (Ed Quinn) who was one of GDs top scientist, never got along with Carter and had an on again off again relationship with Allison who had his daughter Jenna after his death R.I.P. Speaking of Allison's kids she also had Kevin Blake who was played by two different actors (Meshach Peters season 1-3 and Trevor Jackson Season 4-5) was a autistic savant until the timeline got switch and he became the teen who liked to skateboard and took care of his sister that we see in the final seasons. There was Vincent (Chris Gauthier) who was the owner and chef of Cafe Diem a popular Eureka hang out and Deputy Andy ( Ty Olsson) who took over for Jo when she got her new job and was actually an Android who knows everything about the town. And Dr, Holly Marten (Felicia Day) who was sent to Eureka to help out on the space mission known as Titan and would fall in love with Fargo. The wonderful Wil Wheaton as Dr. Isaac Parrish and Matt Frewer as Dr. Jim Taggart also appear along with many others.
Eureka you were a cute, fun,strange, little show. Every time I tuned in I had a delightful visit to your unusual town and I wish I was smart enough to live there. It sucks that you were canceled with no reason or advance notice but you were one of a kind and I will never forget you!
GREAT JOB TO THE CAST AND CREW!
May Eureka forever have a place in our hearts and wherever TV shows go when they die.\\
You can watch the final episode tonight at 9 and 11 on SyFy.
When Carter becomes Sheriff the real story of Eureka Begins. As smart as these people are every day something goes wrong in their town and although all the characters are involved the sheriff, the one man with an average IQ, seems to be the one man who can truly save the town. Whether it was buildings floating, new objects made at G.D. not working the way they were intended, going to space or as I have already mentioned going back in time (where we learned the origins of the town and met Dr. Trevor Grant a recurring character played by James Callis), sheriff Jack Carter was there to help figure out the problem, fix it and make Eureka safe for its citizens once again. Yes it is odd to think that the only one who really knew what was going on was the only non-genus in the town but that was what the series was all about.
Let's not forget the other characters that made up Eureka. There was Dr. Nathan Stark (Ed Quinn) who was one of GDs top scientist, never got along with Carter and had an on again off again relationship with Allison who had his daughter Jenna after his death R.I.P. Speaking of Allison's kids she also had Kevin Blake who was played by two different actors (Meshach Peters season 1-3 and Trevor Jackson Season 4-5) was a autistic savant until the timeline got switch and he became the teen who liked to skateboard and took care of his sister that we see in the final seasons. There was Vincent (Chris Gauthier) who was the owner and chef of Cafe Diem a popular Eureka hang out and Deputy Andy ( Ty Olsson) who took over for Jo when she got her new job and was actually an Android who knows everything about the town. And Dr, Holly Marten (Felicia Day) who was sent to Eureka to help out on the space mission known as Titan and would fall in love with Fargo. The wonderful Wil Wheaton as Dr. Isaac Parrish and Matt Frewer as Dr. Jim Taggart also appear along with many others.
Eureka you were a cute, fun,strange, little show. Every time I tuned in I had a delightful visit to your unusual town and I wish I was smart enough to live there. It sucks that you were canceled with no reason or advance notice but you were one of a kind and I will never forget you!
GREAT JOB TO THE CAST AND CREW!
May Eureka forever have a place in our hearts and wherever TV shows go when they die.\\
You can watch the final episode tonight at 9 and 11 on SyFy.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
The Newsroom
I have to start by stating that I have been a fan (more then a fan he is someone I inspire to be) of Aaron Sorkin since the first episode of SportsNight 14 years ago and have watched every series created by him since (including the short lived but wonderful Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip). Mr. Sorkin also wrote one of my favorite films The American President, first came to Hollywood with A Few Good Men and won the Oscar for adopting The Social Network and nominated again for co-writing Moneyball. That being said The Newsroom is Aaron Sorkin at his best! As in The West Wing the characters speak at a rate in which a normal person may be incapable and do so while walking and preforming other tasks at the same time. Mr. Sorkin writes about what he knows and cares about and is not afraid to have his characters speak for him (which can get one into trouble sometimes).
The Newsroom takes place in our recent past (the series opens in April of 2010). The first scene has the central character Will McAvoy played by the magnificent Jeff Daniels in the middle of a talk show having what can only be described as a breakdown live on TV. A week later he returns to his news show only to find that most of his staff has left him for another time slot including his producer. He is now in a office with just a handful of people that he does not know by name including his assistant (who quickly gets promoted) Maggie (Allison Pill) and his blogger Neal (Dev Patel). That is when Will's boss Charlie (Sam Waterston) hires him a new executive producer Mackenzie MacHale played by Emily Mortimer and she brings along her own co-producer Jim Harper (John Gallagher Jr.). Early on the viewer learns that Will and Mackenzie has had a past romantic relationship information that spills out to the rest of the office. Olivia Munn also stars.
Speaking of spills as I said this series begins about two years ago. Just as this new news team are re-vamping their show the news about the BP oil spill breaks and they move into action. Mr. Sorkin's genus also appears here when actual footage and people are used to tell the story. Although we know what will happen next and how the events (including the Arizona papers please act) all turn out it is still amazing to watch. After all this is the news show we as a public want and deserve!
If you want to watch a smart, witty, fast pace, well written, well acted and just all around GOOD series then tune into HBO on Sunday nights at 10 for The Newsroom.
The Newsroom takes place in our recent past (the series opens in April of 2010). The first scene has the central character Will McAvoy played by the magnificent Jeff Daniels in the middle of a talk show having what can only be described as a breakdown live on TV. A week later he returns to his news show only to find that most of his staff has left him for another time slot including his producer. He is now in a office with just a handful of people that he does not know by name including his assistant (who quickly gets promoted) Maggie (Allison Pill) and his blogger Neal (Dev Patel). That is when Will's boss Charlie (Sam Waterston) hires him a new executive producer Mackenzie MacHale played by Emily Mortimer and she brings along her own co-producer Jim Harper (John Gallagher Jr.). Early on the viewer learns that Will and Mackenzie has had a past romantic relationship information that spills out to the rest of the office. Olivia Munn also stars.
Speaking of spills as I said this series begins about two years ago. Just as this new news team are re-vamping their show the news about the BP oil spill breaks and they move into action. Mr. Sorkin's genus also appears here when actual footage and people are used to tell the story. Although we know what will happen next and how the events (including the Arizona papers please act) all turn out it is still amazing to watch. After all this is the news show we as a public want and deserve!
If you want to watch a smart, witty, fast pace, well written, well acted and just all around GOOD series then tune into HBO on Sunday nights at 10 for The Newsroom.
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