So my wife and I were watching (or re-watching for me) season 3 of The Wire. In episode ten, Brother Mouzone sends Lamar, his sidekick, into the Baltimore gay bars in search of Omar. It was Omar that shot Brother in season two.
At one such bar, Lamar has a hissyfit when a gay man approaches him from behind. Sitting at the bar, amused by the incident in Deputy Commissioner (Now acting commissioner) Rawls.
The shot was so minor that I had to rewind the scene to see if I saw what I thought I saw.
So The Wire chose to reveal that Rawls is gay in a way that many of us likely missed. Many shows would have used it to get viewers talking, but David Simon and crew decided to simply slide it in rather quietly. Subtly is a bit of a lost art on television these days.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
He is gay? With The Wire, the devil (or magic) is in the details.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Shutter Island gets a new name.
Martin Scorsese's big screen version of Dennis Lehane's Shutter Island has a new name.
Ashecliffe
Ashecliffe is the name of the asylum located on the fictional Shutter island off Boston harbor. This news has come out in several new articles, including the Boston Herald. Interestingly enough, the news has sort of slipped out, being mentioned in articles about other things. No reason has been given for the name change.
One other note is that Oscar nominee Patricia Clarkson has also signed on. No word as to who she will be playing.
She joins Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams.
Read our other posts on Shut...Ashecliffe.
DVD Review: Blue Murder, Set 2
These four new episodes are grittier, with a little more concentration on developing the supporting characters, especially partners and team clowns, DS Shap and DS Butchers.
The Spartacus Thing: A former cop is murdered just after his release from prison after serving a too-short sentence for killing his wife. Janine must determine which of the dead wife’s 15 relatives, all of whom have confessed, is guilty of the crime. DS Shap penchant for breaking the rules lands him in a dangerous situation.
Make Believe: A three-year-old child goes missing from a playground. A child’s body is found in a drainage culvert. Is it the same child? Janine must deal with some disturbing news from her estranged husband. DS Butchers tries to take the easy way out and ends up cocking up the investigation.
In Deep: The body of a petty criminal is found at the bottom of a lake. The investigation leads Janine to a group of old college buddies who suddenly begin dying in a strikingly similar manner. The partnership of Butchers and Shap begins to show some cracks.
Steady Eddie: Janine is on the phone with her teenaged daughter when, yards away, a fellow officer is slain along with the prisoner he is escorting. Janine must find the killer while also helping her family deal with the reality of her dangerous job. The investigation unearths evidence that the dead officer may not have been what he seemed.
The two-disk set contains no extras.
Order Blue Murder from Amazon.
Naomi Krueger
For more reviews from Naomi, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What to expect from tonights episode of The Wire.
Warning: This contains some things that might be considered spoilers. Read ahead at your own risk.
Episode #54: "Transitions"
Debut: SUNDAY, JAN. 27 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)Other HBO playdates: Jan. 27 (10:30 p.m.), 29 (12:30 a.m.), 30 (12:30 a.m.) and 31 (10:00 p.m.)HBO2 playdates: Jan. 28 (10:00 p.m.) and 31 (3:10 a.m.)
Campbell (Marlyne Afflack) tries to smooth out the transitions in the police department. The newspaper scramsbles to confirm surprising news from City Hall, but lose out to the TV media in scooping a high-profile grand jury appearance. As Marlo tries to win favor with the Greeks, Proposition Joe pays his last respects to a fallen colleague, and prepares to make himself scarce in anticipation of a showdown. Freamon enlists the help of a past partner to help with the investigation.
Teleplay by Ed Burns; story by David Simon & Ed Burns; directed by Dan Attias.
The February episodes, which portend the returns of Cutty and Mrs. McNulty.
I am going to add one more thing:
Tonight, we will say goodbye to somebody that has been around almost since day one.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
DVD Review: Hawaii Five-O season 3.
This long running police drama was a huge success in it's run from 1968-1980. Over the years the cast would see some changes, even losing Dano in the last season. The one constant was Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett. Jack Lord had been acting for a while, he played James Bond's CIA liaison in Dr. No, and in the year previous to Hawaii Five-0 he played a mob lawyer on the first season of Ironside. But most people remember Lord for his role as McGarrett, in fact it defined his career from that point on. In fact Lord moved to Hawaii and lived there the rest of his life.
Filming the episodes on the Islands and using locals as crew and actors added an authentic feel to the show. Hawaii was actually almost an unpaid character on the show, almost every scene is back dropped by the islands and it really gives the show a special look. The fact that it was all done in Hawaii also made it easy to get guest stars as they would be treated to a week in the sun. Season three brought back Martin Sheen and also had Vera Miles and Hume Cronyn. Watching these episodes is almost like watching a who's who of character actors from the 70's. You might not know the names, but you've seen the faces on man other television shows.
What really makes the show work for me is two things. I love the characters interaction with each other. There is a light heartedness and familiarity between them that comes across as very genuine. The other aspect is the procedural aspect. The fact that they are solving crimes seems very believable, Unlike some modern shows like Law and Order SVU where the characters seems to luck into solutions after questioning three people and talking to a shrink, or the CSI show where the labrats do all the work and the cops sometime tag along. Steve McGarrett and his crew are smart cops who can trust each other and aren't afraid to get their hands dirty when they need to. McGarrett trusts his cops to do their jobs and doesn't need to constantly tell them what to do.
Hawaii Five-0 is classic television and it's influences are still seen today. The show holds up extremely well and I would recommend it to anyone who love cop shows or shows with great action. That opening them sets the pace and the show
just flows from there.
Jon
Friday, January 25, 2008
DVD Info: Release date (and cover art) announced for No Country for Old Men.
The DVD will hit stores on March 11th and will have a SRP of $26.99
At this time, the only features announced are three featurettes:
Working with the Coens: Reflections of Cast and Crew
The Making of No Country for Old Men
Diary of a Country Sheriff
The film is based on the novel, of the same name, by Pulitzer Prize winning-author Cormic McCarthy.
The story begins when Llewelyn Moss (BROLIN) finds a pickup truck surrounded by a sentry of dead men. A load of heroin and two million dollars in cash are still in the back. When Moss takes the money, he sets off a chain reaction of catastrophic violence that not even the law - in the person of aging, disillusioned Sheriff Bell (JONES) - can contain. As Moss tries to evade his pursuers - in particular a mysterious mastermind who flips coins for human lives (BARDEM) - the film simultaneously strips down the American crime drama and broadens its concerns to encompass themes as ancient as the Bible, and as bloodily contemporary as this morning's headlines.
NCfOM has been wracking up awards and has been nominated for 8 Oscars:
Best Motion Picture of the Year
Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Javier Bardem
Best Achievement in Directing
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Best Achievement in Cinematography
Roger Deakins
Best Achievement in Editing
Roderick P. Jaynes
Best Achievement in Sound Editing
Skip Lievsay
Best Achievement in Sound
Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, Greg Orloff, Peter F. Kurland
For more dates and info on forthcoming releases, check out our DVD calendar.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
DVD Info: Release date (and cover art) announced season 3 of Lovejoy.
Warner Home Video has announced the details and date for season three of Lovejoy.
"Ian McShane is back as Lovejoy, the crime-solving antiques dealer with an eye for beauty…and trouble!
The worlds quirkiest crime-solving antiques hero is back in Season three, now with four discs of side-splitting and outrageous escapades! Much to Lovejoys annoyance, hes not the only one on a never-ending quest for wealth and valuables. However, while he proves unstoppable in the face of sinister Italians, vengeful customers and even Erics vintage motorbikes, can he manage to escape the snares of love?"
Season three will be released on May 13th and has a SRP of $69.98
For more dates and info on forthcoming releases, check out our DVD calendar.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Heath Ledger: Dead at age 28.
This afternoon, upon returning from a doctor's visit, I came home to find almost a dozen emails and four voice messages waiting for me. All of these were on the same subject:
The death of actor Heath Ledger.
According to the NYC police department, his body was found today in his Lower Manhattan apartment.
"This is being looked at as a possible overdose, but that is not confirmed yet." Police spokesman Paul Browne told CNN.
At this point, there is no real evidence of what actually happened, but speculation is running wild. Until such time as actual details are released, I will make no comments as to what may have happened.
Ledger is best known for his Oscar-nominated role of Ennis Del Mar, a closeted gay cowboy in the acclaimed film Brokeback Mountain.
While he made film debut in 1993, his film career first started to take off in 1999 when he started, opposite Julia Stiles, in 10 Things I Hate About You, a modern telling of Shakespeare's Taming of The Shrew.
The next couple of years saw him increase his visability with A Knight's Tale and Mel Gibson's The Patriot.
2005's Brokeback Mountain turned him into a bonafide star. He was most recently seen playing a version of Bob Dylan in I'm Not There.
His last completed film is this summer's The Dark Knight in which he plays the murderous villian The Joker. By all reports, his performance is exceptional. The Dark Knight will hit theaters on July 18th
At the time of his death, he was shooting The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which is being directed by Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam.
He was born, on April 4 1979, in Perth Australia and is survived by daughter Matilda Rose Ledger.
Oscar nominees announced.
Crime/mystery does indeed pay this year.
This morning the nominations for the 80th annual Academy Awards were announced. Films of a more criminal nature did quite well, with No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood both snagging eight nominations.
I am thrilled to see Amy Ryan nominated for her supporting role in Gone Baby Gone. While her performance has been widely praised, I had concerns that she would be overlooked.
Here are the nominees for the major catagories.
BEST PICTURE
"Atonement" (Focus Features)
A Working Title Production
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, Producers
"Juno" (Fox Searchlight)
A Dancing Elk Pictures, LLC Production
Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick and Russell Smith, Producers
"Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
A Clayton Productions, LLC Production
Sydney Pollack, Jennifer Fox and Kerry Orent, Producers
"No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
A Scott Rudin/Mike Zoss Production
Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Producers
"There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
A JoAnne Sellar/Ghoulardi Film Company Production
JoAnne Sellar, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Lupi, Producers
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
George Clooney in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
Daniel Day-Lewis in "There Will Be Blood" (Paramount Vantage and Miramax)
Johnny Depp in "Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (DreamWorks and Warner Bros.,
Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)
Tommy Lee Jones in "In the Valley of Elah" (Warner Independent)
Viggo Mortensen in "Eastern Promises" (Focus Features)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Casey Affleck in "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" (Warner Bros.)
Javier Bardem in "No Country for Old Men" (Miramax and Paramount Vantage)
Hal Holbrook in "Into the Wild" (Paramount Vantage and River Road Entertainment)
Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Charlie Wilson’s War" (Universal)
Tom Wilkinson in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Cate Blanchett in "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" (Universal)
Julie Christie in "Away from Her" (Lionsgate)
Marion Cotillard in "La Vie en Rose" (Picturehouse)
Laura Linney in "The Savages" (Fox Searchlight)
Ellen Page in "Juno" (Fox Searchlight)
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Cate Blanchett in "I’m Not There" (The Weinstein Company)
Ruby Dee in "American Gangster" (Universal)
Saoirse Ronan in "Atonement" (Focus Features)
Amy Ryan in "Gone Baby Gone" (Miramax)
Tilda Swinton in "Michael Clayton" (Warner Bros.)
DIRECTOR
Paul Thomas Anderson - "There Will Be Blood"
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen - "No Country For Old Men"
Tony Gilroy - "Michael Clayton"
Jason Reitman - "Juno"
Julian Schnabel - "The Diving Bell And The Butterfly"
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Brad Bird - "Ratatouille"
Diablo Cody - "Juno"
Tony Gilroy - "Michael Clayton"
Tamara Johnson - "The Savages"
Nancy Oliver - "Lars and the Real Girl"
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Paul Thomas Anderson - "There Will Be Blood"
Ethan & Joel Coen - "No Country for Old Men"
Christopher Hampton - "Atonement"
Ronald Harwood - "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Sarah Polley - "Away from Her"
Sunday, January 20, 2008
DVD Review: Eastern Promises
Until about a year ago, I had little use for David Cronenberg. His stuff was simply not my cup of tea. That was until A History of Violence blew me away. That film showed me that there was a lot more to Cronenberg than I had thought. He proved a real skill for filming violence without seeming gratuitous. Brutal? Yes. Extreme? Yes, but not gratuitous.
Eastern Promises continues what Cronenberg started with AHoV. It shows us a world of grey where violence is simply part of the world around us.
Naomi Watts is Anna. Anna, a midwife, delivers a baby to a dying teenager. In the deceased mother’s bag is a diary and the card of a Russian restaurant. Looking for info about the girl, Anna goes to the restaurant and talks to the owner, a kind grandfatherly figure named Semyon (wonderfully portrayed by Oscar nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl). He informs her that he does not recognize the picture of the girl. That is that until Anna mentions finding a diary. There is something chilling about his seemingly casual reaction to this news.
Viggo Mortenson is Nikolai, a chauffeur for Semyon, who develops a sort of connection with Anna. Viggo is amazing here. He delivers much with body language and facial expressions. There is a scene, in a bathhouse, in which he battles armed thugs completely nude. We all have had unsettling dreams about being naked. But rarely with armed men trying to kill us. Well…at least I have not. If you have, you might want to lay off the late night snacks and maybe see a therapist.
While this is indeed a mystery, it is also a fascinating look into the Russian mafia. I heard somebody compare it to the Godfather and that is not completely inaccurate. It does show us the workings of said crime organization in a sort of detached manner.
Eastern Promises is a mesmerizing film that will knock you back, then help you up. Cronenberg never passes judgment on his characters; he leaves that for the audience. This is something that many other directors could learn from him. I never felt preached to, or that I was being manipulated into feeling a certain way. It is as though Mr. Cronenberg has faith in the audience and allows us to react as we see fit.
The extras are pretty damn lean on EP. Two featurettes that, while interesting, fail to do the film justice.
Folks with delicate sensibilities should probably avoid this film, but this incredible film will likely delight anyone looking for a well-made intelligent crime film.
For more reviews from the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Who wants a glimpse inside the home of Indiana Jones?
Read More......
Friday, January 18, 2008
DVD Review: 3:10 to Yuma
Director James Mangold recently wandered into western territory when he did the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. So it was no shock when it was announced that his next flick would be honest to God western.
3:10 is an excellent film that is respectful to the original, without being a note-for-note remake.
Christian Bale is a Civil War vet who currently lives, with his wife and two boys, on a small ranch in Arizona. Times are tough and Evans is struggling to hold onto said ranch so when word comes that $200 is being offered to anyone that will help transport outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to a nearby town and put him on a train, he jumps at the opportunity.
While there are some things about Crowe that bug me, I can’t deny he is an excellent actor. If Ben Wade is not pure evil, he is pretty damn close to it. . Bale delivers a solid performance here. Nothing flashy, but then the scenery chewing is clearly intended for the villainous ruffians that Bale is facing.
The supporting cast is excellent, with the side of good rounded out by Alan Tudyk (as a small town doctor) and Peter Fondo (a bounty hunter) and Ben Foster (Playing a grade A wack-job) heading up Wade’s crew.
There is a nice audio commentary by director James Mangold as well as some deleted scenes and your basic behind-the-scenes featurette.
3:10 is a delightful modern western and will be enjoyed by fans of the genre, as well as anyone looking for a shoot em up battle between good and bad.
Order 3:10 To Yuma from Amazon.
Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from myself, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
DVD Info: Release date, bonus features announced for American Gangster.
There will be two different sets, one 2-disc & one 3-disc. Both will be released on Feb 19th, 2008.
"Inspired by a true story, American Gangster, the grippingly intense crime-thriller acclaimed by critics and audiences as one of the best films of 2007, will be available in two versions on the exclusive American Gangster 2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition DVD that includes both an unrated, extended movie with over 18 additional minutes and an alternate ending PLUS the original theatrical film. Academy Award® winners Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe portray one Harlem’s most notorious crime bosses and the outcast cop who pursues him, respectively, ultimately leading to a climactic confrontation that alters the destiny of an entire generation in New York City. Directed by Ridley Scott and produced by Brian Grazer and Scott, American Gangster boasts an all-star cast including Josh Brolin, Ruby Dee, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Chiwetel Ejiofor, Armand Assante, Carla Gugino, and popular rap artists Common, RZA and Tip “T.I.” Harris."
Extras are as follows:
Disc 1
Unrated Extended Version – 18 additional minutes of never-before-seen footage and an alternate ending
Original Theatrical Version Including Commentary with Director Ridley Scott and Writer Steven Zaillian
Disc 2
Deleted Scenes- Including an alternate opening
Fallen Empire: Making American Gangster
*Tru Blu: The Real Story: An in-depth look at the true story that inspired the movie and the long road to developing the film. Featuring interviews with the former real-life Harlem crime boss Frank Lucas and now retired detective Richie Roberts
*Killer Threads: A look at how the world of the 1970’s was brought back to life
*Crime War: Follow production from the streets of NY to the jungles of Thailand
*Rhythm of the Streets: Look into the film’s music, featuring tracks such as “Do You Feel Me” performed by Anthony Hamilton
*Into the Arena: Ali vs. Frazier: Setting up the infamous Ali-Frazier fight
Case Files
*Setting Up the Takedown- Be on the set as Ridley Scott directs the climactic drug bust and watch this master director at work
*Script Meeting: A look into the production office where director Ridley Scott, writer Steven Zaillian, and detective Richie Roberts discuss the script and break down of the scenes.
*Drug Test: Ridley Scott receives information on the preparation of heroin from a New York detective
Both sets will have these features. The 3 disc set will also have:
Hip Hop Infusion- Featuring popular rap artists Common and Tip “T.I.” Harris discussing their roles
Music Videos:
*Do You Feel Me (Remix) Performed by Anthony Hamilton featuring Ghostface Killah
*Blue Magic From Jay-Z’s album “American Gangster”
BET Special- The Making of American Gangster
Dateline NBC: American Gangster First Look
Digital Copy of the Unrated Extended Movie For Your PC
The 2-disc set will have a SRP of $29.98 and the 3-disc will be $34.98.
For more dates and info on forthcoming releases, check out our DVD calendar.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
First photos from THE NO. 1 LADIES' DETECTIVE AGENCY online.
Blackfilm.com has a trio of photos from The N0. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency.
Also online is a clip from CNN talking about the filming of it. Blackfilm.com has posted the clip on their site as well.
As I previously talked about, Oscar winner Anthony Mingella (The English Patient, Cold Mountain) is directing with a script from Oscar nominee Richard Curtis (Bridget Jones Diary, Four Weddings & a Funeral).
Singer Jill Scott leads a very talented cast.
Go here and here to read about the other cast members. They have some seriously skilled folks on board here, including a couple of Tony award-winners.
Click here to look at the others photos.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
DVD Releases for Jan 15th.
An Affair to Remember (1957) Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning. Two-disc anniversary edition with new digital transfer. Extras: Commentary by singer Marni Nixon and film historian Joseph McBride; "Affairs to Remember: Deborah Kerr"; "Affairs to Remember: Cary Grant:"; "Directed by Leo McCarey" featurette; "A Producer to Remember: Jerry Wald" featurette; "The Look of An Affair to Remember"; "AMC Backstory: An Affair to Remember"; "Fox Movietonews: An Affair to Remember Shipboard Premiere Attracts Celebrities" featurette; poster gallery; still gallery. (Fox).
In this poignant and humorous love story nominated for four Academy Awards, Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr meet on an ocean liner and fall deeply in love. Though each is engaged to someone else, they agree to meet six months later at the Empire State Building if they still feel the same way about each other. But a tragic accident prevents their rendezvous and the lover's future takes an emotional and uncertain turn.
Even if you have never seen An Affair to Remember, you are likely familiar with it because of the repeated references to it in Sleepless in Seattle. While certainly not a crime film, it does feature CARY GRANT and thus deserves mention here.
Randy will have a review up later this week.
Already Dead (2007) Ron Eldard, Til Schweiger, Christopher Plummer. Extras: Deleted scenes.$24.96 (Sony).
"Thomas Archer (Eldard) had everything: a beautiful wife, a job as a senior associate at a powerful architecture firm, and a beautiful son. Until one fateful night, when his son was taken from him and his wife brutalized, sending Archer down a path of revenge. When Thomas and Sarah Archer's home is burglarized and their young son killed, Thomas does everything he can to try to put the pieces back in his life. But when the police can't find the killer, Archer's therapist (Plummer) offers up another option- a last resort. He knows of a mysterious group that can track and find his son's killer and give Archer the opportunity to take justice into his own hands. Archer agrees to this lucrative deal. Face to face with his son's killer, Archer is faced to make a decision that will change all of their lives."
Just the other day, Randy and I were discussing Mr. Eldard. We were talking about his series "Blind Justice" which was about a cop that was...blind. Nice to see he is still getting work.
In the Heat of the Night 40th Anniversary Edition (1967) Dir.: Norman Jewison; Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant , Larry Gates, James Patterson, William Schallert. Extras: Commentary by Jewison, Grant, Steiger and Haskell Wexler; three featurettes: "Turning Up the Heat: Movie Making in the Turbulent 60s," "The Slap Heard Around the World," "Quincy Jones: In the Heat of the Music" featurette. (MGM).
"While traveling in the Deep South, Virgil Tibbs, a black Philadelphia homicide detective, becomes unwittingly embroiled in the murder investigationof a prominent businessman when he is first accused of the crimeand then asked to solve it! Finding the killer proves to be difficult, however, especially when his efforts are constantly thwarted by the bigoted town sheriff (Steiger). But neither man can solve this case alone. Putting aside their differences and prejudices, they join forces in a desperate race against time to discover the shocking truth."
If you don't own In the Heat of the Night, there is something seriously wrong with you. This set features some decent extras, but the film is the real reason to own it. If you don't have this in your collection, BUY IT NOW.
Love Lies Bleeding (2008) Christian Slater, Jenna Dewan, Brian Geraghty. $24.96 (Sony).
Money changes everything, at least thats what Duke (Slater) and Amber (Dewan) would like to believe. Duke, a hapless Iraq War vet, stumbles onto a drug deal turned deadly and finds a duffel bag stuffed with dirty money. After stopping for a quickie wedding, Duke and Amber hit the road to start the life they've always dreamed about. The dream quickly turns into a nightmare when Pollen (Geraghty), a corrupt DEA agent, comes to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his. The chase begins with non-stop, hair-raising action as Duke and Amber are forced to outwit the increasingly crazed Pollen as they fight for their very lives.
Melissa (1974) Peter Barkworth, Ronald Fraser, and Moira Redman. Extras: Cast filmographies and Francis Durbridge biography (Acorn Media).
"Unemployed Fleet Street reporter Guy Foster is trying to forge a new career as a novelist. But he could never imagine the plot twists that his life takes next. Late one night, Guy’s beautiful wife, Melissa, is strangled. As the clues to her murder mount, they all point to him.
It’s true that the two had not been getting along. But Guy has never seen a doctor about his anger—although the doctor tells police Guy is his patient. A disturbing phone call puts Guy on the scene of another fresh corpse. A third woman who survives a murder attempt describes her attacker, and every detail matches Guy. As each new incident casts doubt on his innocence—and even his sanity—Guy throws himself into the investigation to clear his own name and learn the truth about Melissa at last."
The Rockford Files: Season Five (1978-79) James Garner. Five-disc set with 22 episodes, $39.98. (Universal).
"The world’s most unlikely detective returns to DVD for the first time ever in all 22 thrilling Season Five episodes of The Rockford Files. Primetime Emmy® winner James Garner reprises his role as Jim Rockford, an ex-con-turned-private-investigator who would rather fish than fight, but whose instinct on closed cases is more golden than his classic Pontiac Firebird. From his mobile home in Malibu, this wisecracking private eye takes on the cases of the lost and the dispossessed, chasing down seemingly long-dead clues in the sun-baked streets and seamy alleys of Los Angeles. This phenomenal DVD set includes such stellar guest stars as Robert Loggia (Big), Rita Moreno (West Side Story), Tom Selleck (Magnum PI), Ed Harris (Apollo 13), John Pleshette (Knots Landing), Lane Smith (Lois & Clark), Harold Gould (Golden Girls), Abe Vigoda (Barney Miller), James Sikking (Hill Street Blues), and Kim Hunter (A Streetcar Named Desire), and more! The Rockford Files are now re-opened and declassified for mystery fans everywhere."
Monday, January 14, 2008
Christian Bale to join Depp in Public Enemies.
What does this mean for Joe Carnahan’s Killing Pablo?
Christian Bale is in final negotiations to join Johnny Depp in Michael Mann’s Public Enemies.
Bale would play FBI agent Melvin Purvis, the agent that led the government efforts to capture John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) as well as other notorious gangsters such as Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd.
PE is adapted from Brian Burrough’s book, Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34, and would start filming in March. Bale would then start production on Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins .
Now Christian Bale is also supposed to be starring in Joe Carnahan’s Killing Pablo. Taking on PE pretty much fills his schedule for 2008. This means that Bale is either out of KP or that it is being pushed back to 2009. Bale was slated to play the Army Commander in charge of capturing Escobar.
This would not be the first time Carnahan has lost an actor. George Clooney and Chris Pine each opted out of White Jazz; Clooney because Leatherheads post-production ran long and Pine because of scheduling conflicts between White Jazz and Star Trek. Pine is playing a young James T. Kirk.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Sean Chercover's Big City, Bad Blood being developed for cable television.
Paul Guyot (Felicity, Judging Amy) will be handling the screenwriting duties. "I was thrilled to learn that Paul Guyot had been signed to adapt BCBB for television," says Chercover. "Paul's a great screenwriter, and I've read a couple of his short crime fiction pieces, so I feel like Ray Dudgeon is in very good hands."
The plan is to adhere as closely as possible to the tone and themes of the novel. According to Guyot, "We are developing [BCBB] specifically for cable. To do justice to Sean's writing and characters, the show needs to be on cable; network television could not handle it."
I personally love the idea of a strong P.I. series on cable. We have seen shows like The Wire, Rescue Me, Dexter, Oz and The Sopranos really utilize the freedom of cable to produce very dynamic shows with strong characters that step beyond the cliches. The hardboiled world of the P.I. novel seems well suited for cable.
Both Sean and Paul feel that a strong sense of place should be a key element. "The other thing I want to do--and the studio is on board, which is great--is make Chicago a big part of the show," says Guyot. "[The show] will be shot on location, but instead of simply being a backdrop, the stories will be Chicago specific, and reflect the uniqueness of the city and its people."
Big City, Bad Blood is a fantastic novel and if the pilot is half as good as the book, it will be a hit series.
Sean is a fine writer and exceptional human being so let us all give him hearty congratulations and wish him all the luck in the world. Remember, if this thing takes off, he can buy many more drinks at Bouchercon!
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Matlock coming to DVD.
Matlock starred Andy Griffith as "defense attorney Ben Matlock - a Harvard-educated, fiery southerner who charges $100,000 a case to brilliantly defend his clients by finding the real killer."
Matlock lasted from 1986-1995. The first six seasons on were on NBC, with the final three on ABC. It actually started with a pilot/telefilm in March of 86 and started its regular run that fall.
Season one features a surprising number of recognizable names: Dick Van Dyke, Norman Fell, William Conrad, José Ferrer, Hector Elizondo, Jonathan Frakes, Roddy McDowall, Guy Stockwell, Parker Stevenson, Desi Arnaz Jr., Timothy Busfield, Greg Evigan, Billy Zane, Larry Wilcox, Tim Reid, Barry Corbin and Billy Bob Thornton.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
DVD Review: Zodiac - The Director's Cut (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition)
On the one hand, Zodiac is beautifully shot and well acted. Fincher and crew have painstaking gone over all records to provide as accurate a telling as possible. They deserve credit for this as most filmmakers would have crashed and burned with as ambitious a project as this.
But while it is factually accurate with excellent pacing and acting, I walked away from this wondering exactly what was the point? Why was it made? To me, Zodiac felt like the big screen version of one of the true crime shows that are always on A&E (I can hear the late Paul Winfield narrating it in my head).
Zodiac is based on the book by Richard Graysmith. Graysmith spent over a decade following this case, trying to uncover the true.
To me, a better film might have been made by taking a closer look at Graysmith and his obsession with the Zodiac. He lost/quit his job, lost his wife and kids, for this. What was it that made this a fair trade? Was it something that we, the casual public, couldn’t see? It was touched on a bit in the film, but never tackled in depth.
Out of everyone involved with the Zodiac case, Graysmith was most affected by it. Why not explore that? Show us the impact of these killings. At this point in time, the Zodiac is just one of many high profile serial killers to
This is the director’s cut. The strange thing about this is that Fincher had right of final cut built into his contract so theoretically should be no need for this. But here we are, just 3 months after it’s initial DVD release, with a director’s cut. The difference is four minutes that have little impact on the overall film. Since it is just four minutes, I can’t help but wonder why they were cut in the first place. What is the difference between 158 minutes and 162?
The bonus features are first rate. One look at these and it is clear just how much this project meant to Fincher and company. What we get is a mix of behind the scenes features and true crime documentary footage. Anyone with even a casual interest in the Zodiac case will really enjoy this stuff.
Fincher also provides us with a commentary track that is stellar. The commentaries on his past films (Se7en, Fight Club) were excellent and he continues that trend here. Some nuts and bolts commentary about the technical aspects of filmmaking, but also plenty of anecdotes about the shoot and his time with the cast and crew. A second commentary is also included, one with castmembers (Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr.), producer Brad Fisher, screenwriter/producer James Vanderbilt and author James Ellroy. This second track is also worth checking out; as we get plenty of interesting chatter from the actors while the other three really dig into the original case as well as the research that went into preparing for the film.
The second disc of extras is simply amazing. As I said before, Fincher spent an inordinate amount of time doing research for this film and the evidence is here for our viewing pleasure.
The extras are broken into 2 different headings: FILM & FACT. Film gives us a look at the making of the film. Interesting, but pretty much the kind of stuff you would expect.
The most interesting stuff is under FACT. We get two documentaries that combine for about 2 ½ hours of pretty damn fascinating stuff. The first gives us a look at the entire case, with new interviews with those close to the case, including some survivors of the attacks. The second focuses on the primary suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen. This includes friends, family and even some of the investigating officers.
I would say that the FACT portion alone is worth the price of this set.
Overall, this is a very impressive DVD release. The “director’s cut” is not the draw here, it is the extras that make this an essential package for any fan of either director David Fincher or the actual case of the Zodiac Killer.
Monday, January 07, 2008
A-team casting rumor gains a little more credence.
A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood, Four Brothers) had signed on to direct the big screen version of The A-Team. At that time, there were plenty of rumors floating around as to who might star.
One of those rumors had rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube (Friday, Barbershop) taking the role of B.A. Baracus. B.A. was played by Mr. T.
Now, Ice Cube has publicly discussed the posibility of the role.
Blackfilm.com recently spoke to Ice Cube and asked him about the role.
Cube expressed an interest in the role, mainly because Singleton (Who worked with Cube on Boyz n the Hood.) is directing, and said he would "bring my own flavor to it and I am going to do the mohawk."
As to whether or not it will happen, Cube said he is interested but that the business aspects still needed to be worked out.
A look at this season of telelvision
Now in its ninth week, the WGA strike seriously threatens the remainder of the 2007-08 season. As a follow-up to my profile of the season's new crime shows, four shows stand out as my favorite. I hope the writers and studios find common ground, so I can find out what happens to the characters.
ABC's Women's Murder Club, based on the thrillers by James Patterson, premiered October 12 and has consistently won the Friday 9PM timeslot in the ratings. Though the books, in my opinion, leave much to be desired, screenwriters Elizabeth Craft and Sarah Fain, many of the same production staff behind FOX's Bones, and a cast with real chemistry led by Angie Harmon make a highly-watchable show.
As far-fetched as its premise seemed, Chuck's standout lead actors (Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Baldwin) play their roles for all they're worth, and the episodes' mix of geeky day job with the world of espionage stays quirky enough to hold my interest.
The CW's Reaper may be more comedy than crime show, but to me it's an intriguing look at the nature of good and evil with some of the freshest dialogue (mostly delivered by Tyler Labine as super-slacker Bert Wysocki and Ray Wise as the charming, cold-blooded Devil).
NBC's Life is the new show I doubted most, and each episode proves me gladly wrong. Det. Charlie Crews's Zen outlook and slowly-but-surely developing chemistry with his attractively flawed partner are fun, but the show's gripping approach to each week's mystery is even more impressive.
If and when these shows return, I'll be watching.
--Gerald So
Saturday, January 05, 2008
DVD Review: Shoot Em Up
We start out with Mr. Smith, sitting on a park bench, eating a carrot. He is a looking a tad scruffy..who am I kidding? He looks one step above a homeless vagrant.
Anyway, he is sitting there when suddenly a very pregnant lady comes racing by with some Mcnasties in close pursuit.
Mr. Smith does what any good guy would do: He steps up and helps the lady in distress. A question: Have you ever seen a carrot used as a lethal weapon? If not, now is your chance.
A baby is born, but the mother does not survive. Mr. Smith now finds himself in possesion of a newly orphaned infant. He really has no time to ponder this as Hertz (Paul Giamatti in a wonderfully evil performance) and his crew of scumbags want the child. Mr. Smith, feeling that Hertz might not have the child's best interests at heart, chooses not to relinquish the child.
So now we have conflict. And with that, the bullets fly more than ever.
Oh yeah, the lovely Monica Bellucci comes on board aiding our Mr. Smith. This only seems fair, since Hertz has a veritable army of slime doggies obeying his every whim. I should point out that the army shrinks seemingly by the minute as Mr. Smith proves to be more than just a pretty face.
Folks looking for subtlety might well want to stay home; there is none of that here. As a matter of fact, I feel comfortable saying that if a character were to shows signs of being subtle, he would likely get his head blown off. That kind of behavior will not be tolerated here! Fans of Sin City will likely have a blast. Actually, Sin City might be a perfect litmus test. Because I can certainly see those that disliked Sin City not making to the end of Shoot 'Em Up.
Shoot 'Em Up is a ridiculously violent film that both emulates and satirizes the hyper-violent action film genre. They don't simply cross the line; they start on that side of the line and go from there. Remember some of the insane stuff with Bugs Bunny? That actually came to mind while viewing the carnage and mayhem wrought here. Of course it may simply have been the carrots.
Watching this, you are not quite sure if they were serious or simply having fun.
I am betting it is the latter.
Extras:
We start off with a commentary track from director Michael Davis. Davis does an excellent job here, delivering anecdotes with passion and enthusiasm. He touches on both the technical aspects of making the film (as one could imagine, many of the scenes took quite a bit of prep work) and the more personal side (Davis provides some fun tales about Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and Monica Bellucci) as well.
Also included here are some deleted scenes, some storyboards, and Ballet of Bullets. BoB is a 55 minute documentary that is interesting, but it covers much of the same material as the director’s commentary, except with comments from the cast and crew.
As I said before, Shoot em Up is a great fun, a veritable smorgasbord of gratuitous violence and mayhem.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Warner Brothers has put the trailer for The Dark Knight online.
A couple of weeks ago, a camcorder version of the trailer for the upcoming Batman film, The Dark Knight, went up on Youtube.
Now the proper version is up, in all it's HD glory.
I am beyond stoked for this. Heath Ledger looks awsome as The Joker, a nice mix of crazy and evil. Not as wacky as Jack's version, but more sinister.
Check it out.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Vanity Fair gives us photos from upcoming Indy flick.
Those fine folks at Vanity Fair are offering up an interesting article along with some photos that reveal some interesting details.
One of the photos shows Karen Allen (Marian) and Shia LaBeouf (Indy jr?) in what appears to be the warehouse from Raiders of the Lost Ark...the one that ended up housing the ark.
Here is one that gives us our first look at Cate Blanchett, a major baddie of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Some tidbits from the article:
Director Steven Spielberg said he is on his second cut of the film (He goes on to say he usually ends up doing five cuts.) and that watching it, he could not think of anything he wanted to add or reshoot.
Indy has a new Cinematographer. The first three films were handled by Douglas Slocombe, who has since retired (Slocombe is 95 years old). Lucas and Spielberg brought Oscar winner Janusz Kaminski on board. Kaminski has worked many times with Speilberg on films such as Saving Private Ryan and Munich.
SS said he sat down with Kaminski and watched the first three Indy films to make sure they were on the same page. SS says that they wanted to be sure to keep the overall look of the films and not try to update them and bring them "into the 21st century." He said that Kaminski had to swallow some pride and replicate the style of another while SS had to go back to a directing style he had abandoned long ago.
Lucas points out that since this is set in the 50s and not the 30s (home of the first three), he wanted to move the style away from the serial adventure flicks that were popular in the 30s and give it some of the characteristics of the science fiction and horror films that were all the rage in the 50s.
GL: "Well, maybe we shouldn’t do a 30s serial, because now we’re in the 50s. What is the same kind of cheesy-entertainment action movie, what was the secret B movie, of the 50s?’ So instead of doing a 30s Republic serial, we’re doing a B science-fiction movie from the 50s. The ones I’m talking about are, like, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Blob, The Thing. So by putting it in that context, it gave me a way of approaching the whole thing.”
The article is five pages long and well worth checking out.
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