HollywoodChicago.com: Film, theater, TV and DVD coverage from Adam Fendelman

Melodrama, Weak Performances Hold Back ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:57:36 -0700

CHICAGO – The amazing adoration for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” is based on one of two things: a crush on one of the cast members or goodwill spawned by a love of Stephenie Meyer’s books. Without people’s passion for Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, or the source material, the “Twilight” have little merit on their own. “New Moon” is a slight improvement on the last film, but fans still deserve better.

Rating: 2.0/5.0

If you have a poster of Robert Pattinson on your wall and have followed every casting announcement for “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” like Chicago Cubs fans follow their favorite team, then there’s little point in trying to dissuade you from your affection for the franchise. I understand the desire to desperately want to love on the big screen what meant so much to you on the page. It’s much the same motivation that allows people to look past the flaws of those they love. But the flaws are there and director Chris Weitz, most of the cast, writer Melissa Rosenberg, and the producers of “New Moon” could have done significantly more to hide them.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” in our reviews section.

The film opens on the 18th birthday of our mopey heroine Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). Bella’s increasing age has led her to concern about the fact that her bloodsucking boyfriend Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) happens to be nearly a century older than her. How will his immortality impact their relationship?

The issue becomes more prominent when the Cullens decide to move out of town before too many locals realize that the patriarch of the clan hasn’t aged in the ten years since they’ve been in town. Using the classic technique of trying to break a girl’s heart so she won’t miss you as much when you’re gone, Edward pushed Bella away, sending her into possibly the most melodramatic depression ever seen on film. You’d think the poor girl was trying to kick heroin.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” review.

‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ stars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Billy Burke, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Anna Kendrick, Michael Sheen, and Dakota Fanning. It was written by Melissa Rosenberg and directed by Chris Weitz. It opens on November 20th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

(Left to right) Robert Pattinson stars as Edward Cullen, Kristen Stewart stars as Bella Swan, and Taylor Lautner stars as Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
Photo credit: Kimberley French and Summit

Sandra Bullock, Strong Script Bring Clarity to ‘The Blind Side’

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:20:50 -0700

CHICAGO – “Based on a True Story” films are difficult to pull off, especially those that are the improbable story of a white Memphis family adopting an African American football prodigy. Sandra Bullock is the mother, through it all, in “The Blind Side.”

Rating: 3.5/5.0

The football-themed title refers to protecting the quarterback’s blind side, the area where he can’t see a defensive linebacker coming. Symbolically, it also describes the life of Michael Ohr (an exceptional Quinton Aaron), a Memphis teenager who is discovered to be homeless by the Tuohy family, and is taken in by the firecracker Mom, Leigh Anne (Sandra Bullock).

Michael’s blind side is his past, a difficult road of negative parentage and squalid conditions. The shelter that the wealthy Tuohy family gives him is almost too much for him, much as the private school a previous mentor managed to get him into.

”The Blind Side” opens everywhere November 20th. Featuring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron, Kathy Bates, Ray McKinnon and several real college coaches, and is directed by John Lee Hancock. Rated “PG-13”

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “The Blind Side”

Stranger in a Strange Land: Quinton Aaron as Michael Ohr in ‘The Blind Side’
Photo credit: Ralph Nelson for Warner Bros. Pictures

Continue reading for Patrick McDonald’s full review of “The Blind Side”

Video Game Review: ‘Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier’ Missed Opportunity

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:09:48 -0700

CHICAGO – It would be polite to say that “Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier” is merely an unessential entry in one of the most beloved franchises of the ’00s. It would be more accurate to say that it’s a disappointment, a missed opportunity to create a true sequel to one of the most essential PSP games in the history of the handheld platform, “Daxter”.

Video Game Rating: 2.5/5.0

First, a little history - “Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy” was released for the PS2 in 2001 and followed by the very popular “Jak II” and “Jak 3” on the same platform. “Jak X: Combat Racing” was the last game released exclusively for the PS2 in 2005 and followed by arguably the best game in the line, “Daxter” for the PSP in 2006.

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
Photo credit: Sony

Three years later, the heroes have yet to make their debut on the PS3 and the plot has gone back to pick-up after the events of “Jak 3”. It’s not the only element of the game that feels like it’s going in reverse. With the newest installment of Sony’s “Uncharted” franchise being promoted like a “Twilight” sequel, one has to wonder why an entry in such a hit franchise has been so under-marketed. One doesn’t wonder after playing the game for a few hours.

Part of the problem is that the developers that made this franchise a hit have moved on to more vital properties. Naughty Dog has moved on to “Uncharted” and Ready at Dawn made arguably the best PSP game ever, “God of War: Chains of Olympus”. High Impact Games has taken over and released a pretty standard platforming title with some nice visuals but clunky camera work and a general lack of creative spark.

Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier
Photo credit: Sony

The plot picks up after “Jak 3” with our title characters and Keira searching for Eco. The world supply is dwindling and the triumphant trio needs to figure out why by flying to different planets, upgrading new weapons, and learning kick-ass abilities. The new skills to pay Jak’s bills come from idols that he encounters throughout the game, giving him a variety of powers including slowing time, constructing platforms, or teleportation. Learning what skill to use in what situation is the main key to puzzle-solving your way through the game.

Of course, as with most PSP platformers, the other key is jumping. A LOT of jumping. Jak jumps on platforms, swings on poles, and generally bounces around the universe. The problem is that to make such a jumping-centric game interesting, there better be some solid camera work and well-developed puzzles. Both arenas are disappointing with the static angle causing a lot of missed jumps and most of the “what skill to use” rooms coming off predictable and underdeveloped.

Surprisingly, the scenes without the personalities of Jak and Daxter work the best. At times, the duo gets behind the wheel of their plane and there are a few dogfighting levels that are pretty well designed. There’s also a solid customization to this section of the game, allowing for upgrades to your plane that including machine guns, missiles, speed upgrades, etc.

As for how it looks, “The Lost Frontier” is pretty effective for the PSP but the environments are woefully underdeveloped. Flying has a nice three-dimensionality but the other denizens of the world the heroes visit just don’t feel solid. The graphics can be wildly inconsistent with Jak and Daxter themselves looking great, as do a few villains, but the backgrounds hint at a title that, overall, wasn’t well-conceived.

When you play a great game like “Uncharted 2,” you can feel the dedication and love for the product in every element of it. With “Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier,” that love only comes through every once in awhile with too much of the game feeling like something someone created as a part of a job and not a passion.

‘Jak and Daxter: The Lost Frontier’ was released by Sony Computer Entertainment and developed by High Impact Games. It is rated E10+ (Everyone Ten and Older). The version reviewed was for the PSP, but the title is also available for the PS2. It was released on November 2nd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV News: Premiere Date Announced For ABC’s ‘Lost’

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:54:55 -0700

CHICAGO – The sixth and final season of the J.J. Abrams hit television series “Lost” will premiere with a special all-night event on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2009. The recap special will start at 7pm CST followed by the highly anticipated sixth season two-hour premiere at 8pm CST on ABC.

Lost.
Photo credit: ABC

The series will then regularly air in its new Tuesday night timeslot starting February 9 at 8pm CST.

“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O’Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Interview: Kellan Lutz in ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ on Chicago, Satiating Fans

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:56:03 -0700

CHICAGO – “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” knows what it is, what it isn’t and how to quench fans. It can’t say the same, though, for outsiders.

Rating: 2.5/5.0

Sure, there’s no practical reason why Taylor Lautner as the dark and mysterious Jacob Black would need to rip off his shirt just to wipe away a splat of forehead blood from Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan. But some pandering has been allowed – and even required this time around – in order to satiate a global legion of fans that these filmmakers have as putty in their hands.

Following Catherine Hardwicke’s direction of “Twilight,” which began the phenomenon of a $37 million film that grossed $384 million globally, director Chris Weitz knew he had to graduate from a lake to an ocean in the sequel that even more fans have been anticipating.

Kellen Lutz of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” in Chicago on Nov. 11, 2009.
Photo credit: Adam Fendelman of HollywoodChicago.com

But while diehard “Twilight” fans will likely be appeased by this installment – just as in the case of the documentary “Michael Jackson’s This is It” that really was a fan-appreciation concert film – the film’s constantly crestfallen tone, dragging 130-minute screen time and slow pacing will likely alienate those who haven’t fully embraced the saga.

The “Twilight” sequel “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which was written by Melissa Rosenberg and is based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer, features Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Ashley Greene, Michael Sheen, Bronson Pelletier, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Anna Kendrick and Billy Burke.

It’s no accident that “Team Edward” (in promotion of Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen) and “Team Jacob” (for Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black) have erupted through the film’s online viral marketing.

The two clearly compete for Bella’s affections, which makes for some steamy “PG-13” romance – that is, if you’re of the demographic this film is targeting. Otherwise, this kind of tension – as well as some of the other cheese that has been silly strung throughout the sequel – might make you mini puke in your mouth.

Kristen Stewart (left) and Robert Pattinson in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”.
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

But for some – and especially screaming girls who cry at the mere sight of the male members of this cast – the film is marketing to them in the exact way they desire. Kellan Lutz, who plays Emmett Cullen in “Twilight,” “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” has mastered the art of fan appreciation and knows too well how to react when situations get emotional.

“You give ‘em a hug, they wet your shirt and they freak out and faint. Then the paramedics are there. It’s great,” Kellan Lutz said in a Chicago interview with critic Adam Fendelman of HollywoodChicago.com.

Along with making his way to Chicago a couple times for contractual fan appreciation, Lutz also blew into the Windy City recently to film “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” which is currently in post-production and is slated to hit theaters on April 30, 2010. The film features Jackie Earle Haley (of “Watchmen” fame) as the famous Freddy Krueger.

“I love coming to (Chicago),” Lutz said. “I’m a big weather freak. I grew up in the Midwest. I love wind. Because of the wind, my favorite color growing up was clear. Then my teacher said: ‘That’s not a color.’ I love the layout. It’s so clean. I loved running with (“A Nightmare on Elm Street”) producers Andrew (Form) and (Bradley Fuller). They’re into running around the city. They asked me to run into the beach with them. I was like: ‘There’s a beach here?’ We ran there and it was freezing, but it was so nice.”

Left to right: Alex Meraz as Paul, Kiowa Gordon as Embry Call, Chaske Spencer as Sam Uley, Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black and Bronson Petteltier as Jared in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”.
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

He added: “The parks are amazing. It’s such a free and open city. It’s nice being in a city that’s surrounded by water that doesn’t have docks, harbors and huge industrial plants on the edges. It’s a beautiful place. I wish we were outside doing this interview. It’s so nice out. Living in Los Angeles, it’s like paradise every day. It’s like going to an amusement park every single day and riding the same rides.”

Lutz continued: “I’m such a season guy. I love the snow and the rain and gloomy days are nice. And there’s some great eating in Chicago, too. I miss the Midwest and I try to go back. I’m an outdoor freak. I especially (love) the woods and nature. (I love to) take my truck and go to Iowa where my grandparents live and lay on the haystacks and stare at the stars.”

After making us feel warm and fuzzy about the city in which he was interviewing, Lutz discussed how he feels about his very minor role in the “Twilight” films as compared to the other Hollywood work he’s done so far and where this phenomenon might fit in the filmography of the rest of his career. Lutz says he hopes this franchise ends up not being his career trademark.

“I really pray that I can act for the rest of my life,” Lutz said. “I fell into acting when going to school at Chapman (University) in Orange County, Calif. for chemical engineering. My life has definitely branched off in a direction I never knew existed. I never knew you could just be an actor. I never had the dream to be an actor.”

Kristen Stewart in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”.
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

Lutz took a risk by quitting school “for a callback for a student film. I thought a callback was huge. I was like: ‘Mom, this is my chance.’ She said: ‘I will hurt you. I will spank you.’ I said: ‘I could be the next Brad Pitt! You don’t understand.’ I had no idea. She was just scared for me because of a lack of knowledge. I did the callback and didn’t get the job. That was the day of finals. I got all zeroes and screwed up my scholarships.”

He added: “From that point on, my mom said I won’t make it. So many people said I needed a plan to fall back on. And when people tell me I can’t do something, it makes me want to do it. My mom said: ‘At least have a fallback plan and take college courses online.’ I said: ‘I don’t need a fallback plan because I’m not going to fail.’”

Lutz continued: “I got myself into acting classes, did extra work and found this passion I loved. Financially, it was tough. I was eating the dollar menu at McDonald’s for a long time. I got jobs in retail. But I view acting as a hobby. Fifty years from now, I hope I’m still acting. I won’t view ‘Twilight’ as being trademarked or stereotyped by it because we’re vampires portraying humans. But it’s a huge launching pad. It’s an actor’s dream to be a part of something so successful and have fans that are so amazing. People work 20 years to be a part of something like this.”

Lutz says he hopes this franchise can continue to ride the wave of popularity just as the Harry Potter films have.

Taylor Lautner in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”.
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

“They’re even making a theme park for (the Harry Potter film franchise),” Lutz said. “For us, we’re vampires who don’t age. With Harry Potter, they’re allowed to age. You grow with their characters. It’d be really tough to be in their shoes. I know they shot on location for longer periods of time than we do. It’s been a seven- to 10-year journey for them and it’s still not done. What’s amazing about our cast is we’re all of an age of knowing who we are inside and out. It keeps us very humble and down to earth. We grow and we do this magic carpet ride together. It’s nice to have someone to lean on.”

Lutz, who has been spending a lot of time working with this cast (and has but a few lines in the second film), is used to having a large family in real life, too. He now has his real family as well as his “Twilight” family.

“I definitely feel like I’m a big brother to a lot of people in life from friends to family to cast,” Lutz said. “We really are like a family on and off screen. We hang out as much as we can. As for the things we bring forward with our characters, we’re kinda like that in real life. I love my character. He’s the protector. When people get too close, it brings out that side in me.”

Though it’s not commonly known, Lutz was actually initially asked to read for the part of the more well-known Edward Cullen, which went to the much more well-known Robert Pattinson. But Lutz claims he’s happy with how things played out.

Kellan Lutz (left) as Emmett Cullen and Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale in “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”.
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

“I had just got done playing a marine and being in Africa and killing people for (the TV mini-series) ‘Generation Kill’. Seeing the poverty that’s in Africa was depressing. Being away from my family, friends and my dog, I really just wanted to take a break from acting and resituate my life,” Lutz said. “They brought me the script and I kept on passing for Edward. He was so depressing. Then I thought: ‘What about Emmett?’ He’s easy, fun-loving, big and brawly and a cool guy. I auditioned for that and luckily got it.”

While Lutz continued to discuss his love for Emmett without remorse for not getting Edward, he did speak of the clear benefits of being a lead over a supporting character.

“Obviously I’d love to be a lead in anything. You do get more time to develop your character and make great scenes. But I also love being a part of a scene in the background and reacting. Most people don’t realize you need to be on your game whenever you’re in a scene – even when you don’t have lines. I pay attention to extras a lot. You can see the ones who are really in the moment versus the ones who are (indicating).”

For the third film, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (which recently finished filming and is directed by David Slade), Lutz says Slade said: “I know there are some big scenes and some people don’t have lines, but it’s very important to still be a part of it.”

RELATED IMAGE GALLERIES
View our exclusive Kellan Lutz portraits.

View our 35-image, high-resolution “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” image gallery.

RELATED READING
Read our comprehensive “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” coverage.

Read our comprehensive “Twilight” coverage.

Read film reviews from critic Adam Fendelman.

Lutz added: “I believe that 100 percent of the time. If someone drops a bowl and no one reacts, it takes away from the dramatic bowl breaking. But if you’re genuinely in the scene, it gives the scene so much more life. It’s great to be (a supporting character) knowing you’re making a scene better by being a part of it. It’s such an ensemble cast. Yeah, you have these three [Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner] being the faces, but you couldn’t make these movies without all of the characters.”

Lutz says his direction from Catherine Hardwicke in the first film to Chris Weitz in the second wasn’t too different.

“Both books are different. The tones are completely different. As far as vibe goes, Catherine’s film felt more independent. Energy wise, she’s so out there. She’d say: ‘We need clouds. Come on, extras!’ On set, a lot of times it’s ‘hurry up and wait’. And you wait. And you wait. And you shoot for 20 minutes and then wait 2 more hours to set up the new shot. With Catherine, there never was downtime.”

Lutz added: “With Chris, there was a huge weight off our shoulders because the fans supported us so much the first time. We knew we did it justice. We were all at ease. We had fun with our characters and explored them more. Chris was so well-organized. If we had questions as actors, he had all the answers.”

On set and off, Lutz describes himself as a “chameleon” who’s able to blend appropriately into any situation. He concluded: “There’s a lot of Kellan in Emmett already. I live such a happy life. I try to live a stress-free life. It’s fun playing a character who’s so close to home.”

“The Twilight Saga: New Moon” sequel, which was written by Melissa Rosenberg based on the novel by Stephenie Meyer, features Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Dakota Fanning, Ashley Greene, Michael Sheen, Bronson Pelletier, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Anna Kendrick and Billy Burke. The film is rated “PG-13” for some violence and action. It has a running time of 130 minutes and opens everywhere on Nov. 20, 2009.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Round Up, Nov. 19, 2009: ‘Spread,’ ‘Open Road,’ ‘Train’

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:17:10 -0700

CHICAGO – The DVD Round-Up is back! Did you miss us? HollywoodChicago.com’s intermittent column designed to serve as a safety net for releases that may otherwise fall without notice is back with a motley crew of titles that have nearly nothing in common. Classic TV, drama, horror, copious sex, and Justin Timberlake. You make the connections.

“The Fugitive: Season Three, Volume One” was released on October 27th, 2009

“The Dead” was released on November 3rd, 2009.

“Spread” was released on November 10th, 2009.

“The Canyon,” “Open Road” and “Train” were released on November 17th, 2009

“The Fugitive: Season Three, Volume One”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “The hit series The Fugitive is back, featuring the first 15 Season Three episodes, on DVD for the first time ever! Golden Globe Award winner David Janssen expertly portrays Dr. Richard Kimble, the pediatrician falsely accused of killing his wife, who needs to prove his innocence by leading the obsessive Lt. Philip Gerard (Barry Morse) to the murderous one-armed man. His life in constant danger, Kimble has by now honed his skills in deception in order to evade capture - a new town, a dead-end job, a different identity. Yet he continues to live in a nightmare world that he can never escape.

Relive all the thrills and chills of The Fugitive in the season that won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Dramatic Series.”

“The Fugitive” stars David Janssen, William Conrad, and Barry Morse. The show is presented in its original 4:3 aspect ratio and accompanied by a Dolby Digital mono track. It is not rated and runs 771 minutes on four discs.

The set includes no special features.

“The Dead”

Photo credit: Lionsgate

Synopsis: “In his final achievement, legendary director John Huston brings the magic of James Joyce to the screen with this evocative drama starring his daughter, Anjelica Huston. The Dead takes place in early 20th century Dublin at a vibrant holiday feast. Gretta and Gabriel, a young couple, seem to share a comfortable life. But that night, a familiar voice recalls poignant memories and Gabriel learns of his wife’s unforgotten love.”

“The Dead” stars Anjelica Huston, Donal McCann, Helena Carroll, Cathleen Delany, Rachael Dowling, Ingrid Craigie, Dan O’Herlihy, Marie Kean, Donal Donnelly, Sean McClory, and Frank Patterson. It was written by Tony Huston and directed by John Huston. The film is presented in its original 1.78:1 widescreen format and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 2.0 audio track. The film runs 73 minutes and is rated PG.

Sadly, the film includes no special features and it’s equally shameful that Huston’s last film is not available on Blu-Ray.

“Spread”

Photo credit: Anchor Bay

Synopsis: “Spread is a look at the trails and tribulations of sleeping your way to a life of privilege in L.A. Nikki (Ashton Kutcher) is a fun-loving, freeloading hipster who understands his greatest assets are his looks and sexual prowess. His latest conquest, Samantha (Anne Heche), a stunning middle-aged lawyer, gives Nikki more than he’s ever had before. But when Heather (Margarita Levieva), a gorgeous waitress playing the same game, catches his eye their lifestyles force a choice between love and money. Nikki has to decide if he can live on his own once and for all in the hopes of finding something real.”

“Spread” stars Ashton Kutcher, Anne Heche, Rachel Blanchard, Marie Conchita Alonso, Margarita Levieva, and Sebastian Stan. It was written by Jason Dean Hall and directed by David Mackenzie. The film is presented in its original 2.40:1 widescreen format and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. It runs 97 minutes and is rated R.

Special features include “Living the Dream - The Making of Spread,” “The World According to Nikki,” “Behind-the-Scenes with Ashton Kutcher,” and an audio commentary with actor/producer Ashton Kutcher and actors Anne Heche and Margarita Levieva.

“The Canyon”

Photo credit: Magnolia

Synopsis: “Honeymooners, Nick and Lori head off to the Grand Canyon for adventure and time alone together. Upon arriving, they hire Henry as their guide, who seems to have his own idea about the outdoor excursion. When tragedy strikes, the newlyweds must fend for themselves. Discovering they are prey being hunted by something or someone, they desperately fight for survival to escape the canyon alive.”

“The Canyon” stars Yvonne Strahovski, Will Patton, and Eion Bailey. It was written by Steve Allrich and directed by Richard Harrah. The film is presented in its original widescreen 2.40:1 format and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. It runs 102 minutes and is rated R.

Special features include “Discovering The Canyon,” Behind-the-Scenes Montage, deleted scenes, and Yvonne Strahovski casting session.

“Open Road”

Photo credit: Anchor Bay

Synopsis: “In this heartwarming comedy, minor leaguer Carlton Garrett (Justin Timberlake) must track down his estranged father, legendary pro-athlete Kyle Garrett (Jeff Bridges), when Carlton’s mother (May Steenburgen) becomes sick. Knowing his father’s likelihood to disappoint, Carlton enlists his ex-girlfriend Lucy (Kate Mara) for emotional support.

Years of miscommunication, frustration and comically awkward attempts at bonding come to a head as the mismatched trio make their way home from Ohio back to Houston to reunite their family.”

“Open Road” stars Jeff Bridges, Justin Timberlake, Kate Mara, Harry Dean Stanton, Lyle Lovett, and Mary Steenburgen. It was written and directed by Michael Meredith. It is presented in both 2.35:1 widescreen and 1.33:1 full frame and accompanied by a Dolby Surround 5.1 audio track. The film runs 90 minutes and is rated PG-13.

Special features include “Behind the Scenes of The Open Road” and an audio commentary featuring writer/director Michael Meredith and actor Jeff Bridges.

“Train”

Photo credit: Lionsgate

Synopsis: “Touring Eastern Europe with her college wrestling team, Alex (Thora Birch) attends a debauched late-night party that causes Alex and several teammates to miss their train to Odessa. Her coach is furious, but a mysterious woman offers the coach and wrestlers a ride on an alternative train. The coach agrees, and the athletes, exhausted and hung over, gratefully climb aboard. But the train harbors a deadly secret, and for Alex and her fellow passengers, a blood-soaked nightmare is just beginning.”

“Train” stars Thora Birch, Todd Jensen, and Gideon Emery. It was written and directed by Gideon Raff. The film is presented in 1.78:1 widescreen and accompanied by a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track. The film runs 94 minutes and is rated R.

Special features include a behind-the-scenes featurette.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Pixar’s HD Collection Continues With ‘Monsters, Inc.’

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:49:17 -0700

CHICAGO – As Disney/Pixar continues to release new films on Blu-Ray, they often “piggy-back” one title with another from their catalog, choosing to release Pete Docter’s first directorial effort for the company, “Monsters, Inc.” in HD on the same day that they release his new film, “Up”. In a beautiful 4-disc combo pack that includes Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital copies of the film, “Monsters, Inc.” continues the Pixar Blu-Ray tradition.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

John Goodman and Billy Crystal star as the lovable-and-gigantic Sulley and his wisecracking sidekick Mike Wazowski, respectively. Sulley and Mike work for a scream-processing factory in Monstropolis known as “Monsters, Inc.” A little girl named Boo finds her way into the world, scaring the monsters in return, and it’s up to Sulley and Mike to restore order and get the wee one back home where she belongs.

Monsters, Inc. was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Video

Released in between two of my favorite animated films of all time, “Toy Story 2” and “Finding Nemo,” I’ve always viewed “Monsters, Inc.” as a bit of a valley between giant peaks in the medium. Watching the film again on Blu-Ray, I realized that I may have been too harsh the first time and that even a Pixar valley is higher than most animated films. I still don’t think the film is the best of Pixar, but that wouldn’t stop me from including it in my Blu-Ray collection. Not everything can be “Nemo” or “WALL-E” and “Monsters, Inc.” is a fun, heartwarming family film that would make a nice addition to any Blu-Ray shelf this season.

Monsters, Inc. was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 10th, 2009.
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Video

“Monsters, Inc.” has been available on DVD before and the special features that were previously available have been imported to this edition along with a few new exclusive bonuses. True Pixar-holics are probably most interested in the HD transfer and what’s new, so that’s where we’ll start.

As for the picture, it’s typical-for-Disney-HD. In other words, it’s perfect. The audio in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is similarly perfect. Fans may want to upgrade “Monsters, Inc.” just for the new technical specs and the flexibility allowed by a combo pack that provides versions of the film for Blu-Ray, DVD, and your device of choice for digital copy.

The new special features run the gamut from filler to fascinating. There’s a new game for the little ones called “Roz’s 100-Door Challenge,” a look behind-the-scenes at a movie-themed attraction at Tokyo Disneyland called “Monsters, Inc. Hide and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan,” an audio commentary, and a filmmaker’s roundtable, in which many of the creators of the film reflect on its production. The filmmaker’s piece is a must-see for true Pixar nuts.

Imported original DVD bonus features include “For the Birds,” the 2001 Academy Award-winning short, and a 2002 nominee called “Mike’s New Car,” “Pixar Fun Factory Tour,” “Banished Concepts,” and much more.

With ten films released by Pixar, there are now six on Blu-Ray - “Monsters, Inc.,” “Up,” “WALL-E,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Ratatouille,” and “Cars”. I expect the “Toy Story” films to be released with the theatrical debut of “Toy Story 3” next year, leaving only “Finding Nemo” and “The Incredibles” waiting for their HD debut. I make no promises and have no inside information, but I would expect one or two with the BD release of “Toy Story 3” at the end of next year. That means that by this time next year, you could have a complete collection of arguably the most important studio output of films in the last twenty years. Don’t forget to include “Monsters, Inc.”.

‘Monsters, Inc.’ is released by Walt Disney Home Video and stars the voice work of John Goodman and Billy Crystal. It was written by Andrew Stanton and directed by Pete Docter. It was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on November 10th, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: Ben Foster Brings Humanity to ‘The Messenger’

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:40:46 -0700

CHICAGO – Ben Foster has stolen scenes in works as diverse as “Six Feet Under,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “3:10 to Yuma,” and “Alpha Dog,” but he truly shines in the spotlight of the lead role in “The Messenger,” giving the best performance of his career to date. The young actor was in town for the Chicago International Film Festival and took some time to speak to us about his research for the film, how one leaves such a dramatic work behind, and his love for co-star Woody Harrelson.

Foster stars in “The Messenger” as Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery, a young man returned home from his tour but with a few months of service left. To fill out his time, Will is assigned to the Casualty Notification Office (and partnered with Woody Harrelson’s Captain Tony Stone), the men who inform “NOK” (next of kin) when their loved one has been killed in the line of duty.

Ben Foster on the red carpet for the Chicago International Film Festival premiere of The Messenger.
Photo credit: Joe Arce/HollywoodChicago.com

Will finds himself drawn to a widow played by Samantha Morton, but the film is much more than a typical love story. “The Messenger” is a moving, dramatic examination of loss and how we deal with grief. Naturally, diving into that kind of a part can be tough for someone to leave behind. Foster admits, “I don’t know if I’ve totally shaken it. What’s nice about asking these kind of questions in the form of a film is that it demands a personal rigor to ask yourself these questions. How do we deal with grief? How do we deal with loss? How do we find ways to connect and celebrate what we do have? If that’s hard to shake, that’s fine with me. I like those questions rattling around.”

The Messenger
Photo credit: Oscilloscope Pictures

To help him shake off the ghosts of “The Messenger,” Foster dove right into another project, the poorly-received “Pandorum,” which was released earlier this year. Three weeks after wrapping something as realistic as Oren Moverman’s debut film, Foster was in Berlin, planning to “go to museums and play hard and run around a f**king spaceship. It was a naive concept.”

Foster somewhat talks around the subject of why it was naive but does admit that “…it wasn’t what was presented to me at the time. I think I probably should have taken time off. I’m not saying I shouldn’t have done it, but…You don’t want to start a project if you don’t have anything to give.”

“The Messenger” may be about a very specific job and the character feel three-dimensional but, for Foster, it’s about the universal experience of loss. He explains, “We’ve received those phone calls and we’ve made them. Someday, people will receive them on our behalf. We’re in a culture where we really duck it. We hide it. And, on some level, I believe it’s an unhealthy approach to the inevitable. It’s not morbid if someone is able to feel what they’re feeling - even if it’s scary and hard and recognize the delicacy and the gift that we have of just existing right now.”

The Messenger
Photo credit: Oscilloscope Pictures

To prepare for such a complex role, Foster and the team behind “The Messenger” had the head of CNO on-set every day. Even the extras were actual men and women who had just returned from their tour of duty. Ben, Woody, and Oren spent time at Walter Reade - “We hung out with those kids…missing pieces. It was very sobering. The way that Oren directed us - his strategy was to serve the piece and not ourselves. He set an example and created an environment where we had to listen to each other and honor these men and women. There was no rehearsal for any scene. We never met those we had to notify until we were actually knocking on the door. He would work the camera in a single move and those that would be notified separately. So, when Woody and I would walk up, we were raw nerves. It created this space where we had to really listen to each other. We didn’t know what would happen.”

Even before they got on-set, Ben Foster went to New York two months early to speak to Oren, talk to soldiers, and watch documentaries. Foster says, “We built a shorthand where, by the time we were on-set, his direction, although incredibly insightful, was very simple and subtle. We just built trust. He’s one of those guys - when you meet him…you can smell a liar. You just know that he’s a true humanist.”

A large part of the success of “The Messenger” is due to the interplay between Foster and Harrelson. “I had already been a huge fan of Woody’s for years,” says Foster. “When I heard that he was coming on, I was so excited. Of course, they say never meet your heroes. But it’s one of those rare love affairs. I’m so…I don’t want to say proud…it’s not the right word…blown away to work with him as he’s working on such a deep level. He hasn’t made the choice to do this kind of work often but when he does, he really swings. He’s my brother. I would do anything for Woody.”

The Messenger
Photo credit: Oscilloscope Pictures

Ben Foster has made a wide variety of films in his short career, but is often seen as “an intense actor”. When asked if he wants to do a comedy someday, he jokingly says that he’s called up the Apatow guys looking to do anything - “I really like to laugh. Help me out here. I’ll hold a f**king light.”

As to what draws him to certain projects, Foster says, “I choose each film for a different reason. I’d like to say there’s some grand scheme but it’s really about what shows up and when and where you’re at. I imagine…just thinking of this out loud for the first time…as a writer, if you’re good at what you do, you’re probably only going to be asking one or two different questions. They’re going to be variations on a theme. You’ll have a question that is important to you and you work through the films or the current project to get closer to some kind of answer. I like to be challenged in different ways, but it depends on who I’m working with. I like all kinds of movies. I’m not a movie snob. I like all sorts of genres. Shaking it up and playing with different environments…”

To close out our interview, Foster once again immodestly speaks of his co-stars and director more than himself as to what he learned on the set of “The Messenger” - “There’s such a humility from Samantha Morton and Woody Harrelson to Jena Malone and Steve Buscemi - it’s so impressive to work with people on such a high level. You see that it’s about sacrifice. I suppose it’s not a new thing to learn but it’s something important to keep after - it’s not about YOU, it’s about IT. That kind of commitment and selflessness for something that could be perceived as selfish is inspiring.”

‘The Messenger’ stars Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Steve Buscemi, and Jena Malone. It was written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman and directed by Oren Moverman. It opens in Chicago on November 20th, 2009. It is rated R.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

TV Review: ‘Fringe’ Deserves Attention on Crowded Thursday Nights

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:52:34 -0700

CHICAGO – “Fringe” is one of the best shows that people aren’t watching. The writing is strong, dare I say better than “Lost,” and the cast is even stronger. Like every show, “Fringe” has had some really great and not so great episodes, but overall the series is great, as proven by tonight’s strong installment entitled “August”.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

After producing solid ratings since its commercial-free premiere last year on Fox, the network made the choice, not a smart one, to move the series to Thursday night. Everyone knows that Thursday is the toughest night in television. All of the biggest shows are on that night: “CSI”, “Grey’s Anatomy”, “The Mentalist” and “FlashForward”. Ever since the series moved to its new night, it’s been hard to establish an audience, which isn’t too surprising. I can barely make up my mind since all my favorite shows are on Thursday night.

The Fringe team (L-R: Joshua Jackson, Jasika Nicole, John Noble and Anna Torv) uncovers details about the mysterious man known as The Observer in the FRINGE episode “August” airing Thursday, Nov. 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Michael Courtney/FOX

On tonight’s “Fringe,” titled “August,” the Fringe crew learns that the mysterious observer (guest star Michael Cerveris) is back in Boston and has taken an innocent woman named Christine (Jennifer Missoni) hostage. Peter and Olivia are quick to jump to the conclusion that he’s out to hurt her, but in the end, it’s the exact opposite. In fact, this particular observer in question saved the girl from dying in a plane crash. So why did he save her? Well, you’ll have to tune in to find out.

The Fringe team uncovers details about the mysterious man known as The Observer (guest star Michael Cerveris) in the FRINGE episode “August” airing Thursday, Nov. 19 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Michael Courtney/FOX

During tonight’s episode, viewers will get a more inside look at who the observers are and what they’re doing here. Notice how they like to eat Tabasco sauce in their food? This was also used in the WB series “Roswell” when Michael, Isabel and Max wanted to eat, they’d add Tabasco sauce to their food. Does this mean that the observers are aliens? Peter (Joshua Jackson) and Olivia (Anna Torv) learn that there’s more than one observer out there and they’re not here to hurt people.

An overall strength of the season has been the father-and-son banter between Peter and his somewhat crazy-yet-brilliant father Walter and the chemistry between Olivia and Peter is strong. While the events taking place in each episode are rather serious, you can always count on Walter (John Noble) to say or do something crazy to make the mood much lighter. Even though Walter and Peter have their issues from what happened with Peter was a child, they have a strong bond and it’s great seeing them reconnect as father and son.

The observer seeks the help of Walter when he stops an important event that was meant to take place. She was meant to die and the observer knows Walter can help. Bad news for the observer, Walter can’t help and he must not suffer the consequences of his actions; he has to die.

If dealing with the Observer isn’t enough, Walter has a weird craving for milkshakes and the Fringe lab must deal with his need to make so many different flavors of the shakes.

Will “Fringe” live to see another season? Man, I hope so. The writing is at it’s best and I really can’t wait to see where the series is going. Note to Fox, please take the series off the hardest night on television and put it back to Tuesday night. There’s no competition on Tuesday and I don’t have to choose between yet another favorite show of mine to watch.

‘Fringe’ airs on FOX on Thursday nights at 8pm CST. It stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, and Kirk Acevedo. The show was created by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, & Alex Kurtzman.

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Glorious ‘Wings of Desire’ Given Criterion Treatment

adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:22:16 -0700

CHICAGO – When true film fans receive the monthly Criterion newsletter, they usually skim it looking for their favorite films. It’s not that Criterion really ever makes bad decisions, but when a personal favorite gets the call, it’s like watching the baseball player you grew up idolizing get inducted into the Hall of Fane. Such is the feeling I get when I look at the Criterion Blu-Ray release of “Wings of Desire,” one of the most lyrically beautiful films ever made.

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

Wim Wenders’ 1987 masterpiece is the filmmaker’s ode to his favorite city, Berlin, using faith and love as its instruments. Some readers may know the story better from the Nicolas Cage remake “City of Angels,” but that film is merely a shadow of one of the most acclaimed works of the last three decades. Bruno Ganz plays Damiel, an angel who wanders the streets of Berlin and listens to the thoughts of this major city’s inhabitants. He mournfully hears their fears, hopes, and dreams until the day that he falls in love.

Wings of Desire was released on Blu-Ray on November 3rd, 2009.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Criterion Collection

Damiel is presented with the decision of forsaking his immortality to come back to Earth to be with his true love, but the romantic angle of “Wings of Desire” is merely one part of what has become an amazing snapshot of both a country on the verge of change (the Berlin wall would fall just a few years later) and a poetic vision of longing and the humanity common within us all, even angels. Beautifully shot in stunning black and white, “Wings of Desire” is a film that truly can’t be captured in a Blu-Ray review. The only questionable element of its inclusion in The Criterion Collection is why it took until #490 to get this amazing film in this elite club.

The director-approved Blu-Ray release of “Wings of Desire” includes a gorgeous new transfer of the film, supervised and approved by Wenders with an amazing DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack. The film has never looked more remarkable and Criterion continues to set the bar when it comes to video and audio.

Special features include an audio commentary with Wenders and star Peter Falk, a 2003 documentary about the production of the film called “The Angels Among Us,” “Wim Wenders Berlin Jan. 87,” an interview with director of photography Henri Alekan, deleted scenes and outtakes, excerpts from the film “Alekan la lumiere,”and Bruno Ganz and Otto Sander’s “Remembrance: Film for Curt Bois,” notes and photos by art directors Heidi and Toni Ludi, trailers, and a new and improved subtitle translation.

‘Wings of Desire’ is released by The Criterion Collection and stars Bruno Ganz, Solveis Dommartin, Otto Sander, Curt Bois, and Peter Falk. It was written by Wim Wenders and Peter Handke and directed by Wenders. It was released on Blu-Ray on November 3rd, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com