June 2010

It takes a village to … make a movie. It is not an individual effort by a long shot, and after three films, Alex and Stephen Kendrick, of Sherwood Pictures, have learned that lesson well. Their production team probably numbers in the hundreds, packed as it is with friends from around the Christian filmmaking community (Kevin Downes as Alex’s partner in the film, Jon Erwin as a cameraman and Red One consultant), as well as scores of volunteers from Sherwood Baptist Church.
It’s an amazing example of organization. When we see a finished film, we see between 90 – 120 minutes of finished footage. What we don’t see are the hours spent filming each minute part of the story. A script has about one page per finished minute of film, so a 90-minute film has 90 pages of script, 120 minutes = 120 pages.
That’s all well and good – but a script just gives the bones of the story. The scriptwriter gives a brief description of the setting, the character, and an idea of the mood of the character:
Setting: a business parking lot
Adam (Alex Kendrick) and Shane (Kevin Downes) interior pick-up truck drive into parking lot. Shane exits vehicle and walks to business entrance.
Simple, yes? How many people do you think were on hand to film that? I’d guess around 30 crew: wardrobe, hair and make-up, props, lighting, sound, script supervisor, assistant director, cameramen, and don’t forget the driveway-washing-down guys (one of which was a cardiac surgeon, complete with scrubs!).
They rehearsed the scene about 10 times to get the timing right, make sure no extra traffic was driving by (they had two stunt cars already), the extras passed by the windows at the right time, and the actors said their lines right. Then they filmed it. I lost track of the number of takes after 5.
It’s an intricate process, and keeping everyone on schedule a huge task, but they did it. When you see Courageous in its finished form, think about how many people and how many hours it took to set up and film that one scene in the parking lot. You’ll have a greater appreciation for the art and craft of filmmaking.

Much like the chameleon, the cuttlefish is also capable of changing its color and appearance to blend in with its surroundings and hide from both predator and prey. In this one-hour NOVA documentary, the cameras take viewers on a journey into the secret life of the cuttlefish to see its many strange and unexpected talents. [...]

Thomas Caldwell defends Australian cinema in Overland, issue 199 (Winter 2010)
Samson and Delilah
Supporters of Australian cinema have had a mixed experience recently. Last year, we were able to enjoy some of the finest films that this country has produced but we also had to endure the ongoing attack upon the industry by commentators accusing Australian cinema of ‘doom and gloom’, not being escapist enough, not attracting large enough audiences and not making enough money at the box office. Such attacks are nothing new, but the disturbing recent trend was the increase in declarations that in order to ‘save’ Australian cinema it would be necessary to produce films with a more deliberate commercial appeal, to make more genre films and to cater to broader tastes. If such suggestions were embraced then Australian cinema would really be in trouble.
Part of the problem with the discussion about Australian cinema is that it has become increasingly hijacked by scrutiny of box office returns. The sustainability of local cinema is by no means an unimportant issue, but placing so much attention on film as commerce devalues cinema as an art form and therefore devalues the worth of a film. As Tom Ryan noted in the Age, Hollywood classics such as The Wizard of Oz, Citizen Kane, Duck Soup, It’s a Wonderful Life and Blade Runner were all box office flops when initially released. Appreciation over time, not the box office returns of the day, has given these films their reputation as cinematic masterpieces. It’s time to reclaim the debate about Australian cinema and appreciate Australian films as something more than simply a source of revenue. In fact, such a shift in attitude is essential for the industry to survive.
Mary and Max
Prevalent in the debate is the idea that Australian filmmakers are deliberately making obscure films that they don’t want anybody to see. It’s a typically conservative reaction that sees the industry as a sort of exclusive, culturally indulgent love fest that occurs at the expense of the hard-working men and women of Australia. Such attacks have predominantly come from frustrated journalists who don’t actually like cinema, film reviewers wanting to distinguish themselves as the great spokesperson for the average Australian and bitter filmmakers who (sometimes reasonably) feel hard done by. It’s a mixture of self-promotion, ‘bad boy’ journalist posturing, contrived indignation and philistine pettiness. None of it is helpful.
An example of this type of criticism is Michael Coulter’s opinion piece ‘Screening the same old dreary story’ in the Sunday Age in August last year. His main argument is that Australian filmmakers don’t make films that connect with Australian audiences because the availability of public funding removes the imperative for doing so. This is a common argument, and commentators such as Coulter like to remind us, in true tabloid style, that such funding comes from the taxpayers.
Coulter acknowledges that many of the films that he found so repugnant in the early 1990s are actually ‘masterful’ and he also admits to having avoided seeing Australian films since he watched Rolf de Heer’s acclaimed Alexandra’s Project on his television in 2004 (he didn’t like it). The belief that Australian films are miserable is now such a widely entrenched view that somebody who no longer sees them is nevertheless given a platform to deride them. A similar view is expressed by Louis Nowra in his piece ‘Nowhere near Hollywood’ from the December 2009–January 2010 edition of The Monthly: ‘the general consensus [among Nowra’s friends] was that Australian films were boring, grim and unsatisfying.’ Is it any wonder that nobody goes to see Australian films when it is simply assumed that they are all depressing and bleak?
Samson and Delilah
The Australian films released last year demonstrated that they do not deserve to be characterised as being miserable. The success of Samson and Delilah was often attributed to the film’s happy ending even though it was, for the most part, a harrowing depiction of extreme poverty, substance abuse and violence in an Indigenous community. Yet, through word of mouth and overwhelmingly positive reviews, Samson and Delilah was a breakthrough hit and attracted very large audiences who responded to its overall uplifting message.
However, Samson and Delilah was an anomaly when, in fact, its success should have been more widely shared. Beautiful Kate, Mary and Max, Two Fists One Heart, My Year Without Sex, Prime Mover and The Boys Are Back were all films that, like Samson and Delilah, arrived at a happy or at least life-affirming conclusion. When Bran Nue Dae opened in early 2010 the lazy response was to state how there was finally an Australian film that wasn’t depressing, a view that ignored the 2009 release of feel-good road movie Charlie and Boots and stoner comedy Stone Bros. All of these films were met with a range of critical responses, but none deserved to be dismissed as depressing and bleak.
As for films ending on a sombre note, there were a range released recently, including Cedar Boys, The Combination, Blessed, Disgrace and Balibo, not to mention inventive horror films Lake Mungo and Van Diemen’s Land. Again, these are films of varied quality, but to outright disregard them for containing challenging material is childish.
My Year Without Sex
Antony I Ginnane, the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA) president, was one of the most vocal critics of the Australian film industry last year. During his presentation at the opening of the SPAA conference in Sydney, Ginnane declared that the ‘Industry and government need to accept [filmmaking] is a business, not a culture fest.’ Like Coulter, he believes that Australian filmmakers don’t cater to what local audiences want and this is largely due to ‘the subsidy drug’. On Radio National’s Australia Talks on 24 November 2009 he expressed his disgust at fellow producers who make films that only earn a million dollars, stating ‘they should be lined up and shot.’
This attitude of Coulter, Ginnane and many others was triggered by the unfortunate reality that less than 4 per cent of money at the Australian box office in 2008 was spent on Australian films. This is, of course, an issue of genuine concern, but the vocal opinions of people like Coulter and Ginnane are making the situation worse by reinforcing the myth that Australian films are dull and bleak.
The Combination
Nowra is one of the many commentators who would like to see more Australian films with a Hollywood sensibility and his reasoning is partially personal and partially pragmatic: ‘In the 1960s and 1970s audiences wanted to watch serious movies seriously. But audiences and their expectations have altered, and the era of art films is over; like indie movies, they are finding it increasingly tricky to find screens and pick up word-of-mouth enthusiasm.’ While it is somewhat overly dramatic to declare the era of the art film as being completely over, Nowra has identified the current shift that contemporary audiences have made away from certain types of films.
This shift is not unique to Australia. Globally, films that do not fit the Hollywood mould are suffering from low audiences. In a recent editorial in UK film journal Sight & Sound, Nick James discusses how independent or ‘specialist’ cinema is now strongly marginalised and resisted in mainstream contemporary culture, when fifteen years ago this was not the case. In the same edition, Nick Roddick notes that even during the Depression when Hollywood strongly focused on producing escapist films, social realist films that had something of significance to say were still supported. This is not the situation now.
The Boys are Back
Ever since the rise of ‘critic-proof’, ‘high-concept’ cinema in the 1980s, there has been an increasingly global demand for unchallenging event films that are difficult for non-Hollywood studios to compete with in terms of scale and resources. During the development of the American independent film in the 1990s, smaller specialised films once again coexisted with big Hollywood productions and both had audiences to cater to. Not by accident, the ‘new’ interest in ‘alternative’ films in English-speaking countries meant there was once more an interest in Australia for home-grown films, and the 1990s saw diverse success stories such as Strictly Ballroom, Muriel’s Wedding and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
However, instead of independent and non-American films surviving as a competitive alternative to Hollywood, they were absorbed into the system. In his 2004 book Down and Dirty Pictures: Miramax, Sundance, and the Rise of Independent Film, Peter Biskind examines how studios such as Miramax capitalised on the interest in foreign and independent film by buying, often re-editing and then strategically marketing inoffensive European films such as Chocolat in a way that gave them an art-house credibility while simultaneously targeting mainstream audiences. The dilution of genuinely alternative and specialised cinema was made complete when Miramax then started making its own mainstream-masquerading-as-art-house films such as Shakespeare in Love.
Mao's Last Dancer
‘Art-house’ and ‘American indie’ have since virtually become Hollywood genres, while genuine independent and specialised cinema, including the majority of Australia’s output, has been pushed right to the fringe. It therefore seems that the only way Australian filmmakers can compete with the current cultural demand is to mimic a blockbuster, as Baz Luhrmann did with Australia, or to mimic a mainstream-masquerading-as-art-house film, as with Mao’s Last Dancer. Indeed, both Australia and Mao’s Last Dancer were the best performers at the Australian box office in 2009, despite being overall critically considered very middle-of-the-road.
So is this the solution? Should Australian filmmakers stop fighting against the tide and simply give in to the current demand for bland and mediocre cinema? Theoretically, in the short term such an approach could yield results. In the long run it would be devastating, as the survival of the Australian film industry depends on the continual production of excellent films in order to regain its sustained credibility. The problem at the moment is not the quality and content of the films but the public perception.
There are many Australians who are capable of appreciating high-quality cinema but who are kept away from locally produced films by the tidal wave of negativity. As for the audiences who do crave mediocrity, deliberately making bland, saccharine and trashy films for them would be like feeding an obese child junk food instead of encouraging them to develop a more selective diet. Besides, it is not as if Australia is lacking in widely available, imported rubbish.
Balibo
The obvious solution would be to make films that have both a commercial appeal but also depth and credibility. That is something far easier said than done, and the disappointing performance of a widely acclaimed film such as Balibo is evidence of its difficulty, especially within Australia. Balibo’s star power, historical interest and combination of the political thriller and buddy film genres should have made it a hit. It contained a similar level of energy, characterisation, action, tight writing and dynamic direction to Bruce Beresford’s much loved and admired 1980 film ‘Breaker’ Morant. Yet despite the awards and glowing reviews, Australian audiences largely overlooked Balibo. Perhaps they stayed away due to the ‘heavy’ subject matter or because of the ‘depressing’ inevitable conclusion. Such rationalisations do not, however, account for the success of Hollywood films such as Schindler’s List, Hotel Rwanda or even Titanic. Balibo was the victim of an overall negative attitude towards – or, at best, disinterest in – Australian films that aspire to be something other than easy crowd-pleasers.
Disgrace
The obsession with film as commerce is doing more harm than good. Despite what Ginnane suggests, funding for Australian films is already very commercially driven, with new projects needing to meet a guaranteed level of assured foreign sales and distribution before funding is awarded. The current regulations created significant setbacks for Fred Schepisi to receive the money he required to begin production on The Eye of the Storm. Not only is Schepisi a successful filmmaker both in Australia and Hollywood, but his film is also an adaptation of a Patrick White novel starring Charlotte Rampling, Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis. If such a project struggles to appear suitably commercial within the current regulations, what would it be like if those regulations become even more weighed towards commercial demands?
Another ‘solution’ that is often put forward is for Australia to make more genre films. Ginnane certainly argues for more genre films over what he describes as ‘literally hundreds of social realist Australian films [that] fail’. This is a rather incredible statement considering that one of 2009’s biggest success stories was the social realist Samson and Delilah, which Ginnane himself applauds, without realising the irony.
Ginnane seems confused not only about what social realism is but also about the definition of genre, although his understanding does coincide with the common misperception that genre means science fiction, horror and exploitation. A genre film is, in fact, any film containing specific narrative and stylistic ‘rules’ that filmmakers adhere to in order to meet specific audience expectations.
Beautiful Kate
If we use the correct definition of genre then we can see that most Australian films are genre films, although some conform more strongly to genre conventions than others. Making a film that does not follow a set genre is extremely difficult. In fact, part of the problem with Australian cinema until recently has been the lack of diversity, due to funding bodies giving money to films that conform to the genre of a recent box office hit. This in turn means that too many overly cautious and unambitious projects were getting the green light over more adventurous and interesting ones.
This tentative approach to what films should be funded, made and distributed accounts for the dominance during the 1990s of quirky romantic comedies after the popularity of Love and Other Catastrophes, all the crime films that came after Chopper and Two Hands, the large volume of Australian television personalities and stand-up comedians who had money thrown at them to try and recreate the working-class comedy magic of The Castle and, more recently, the glut of serious and ‘meaningful’ dramas aimed at older audiences post-Somersault and Lantana. The results were bland and did little to help the cause of getting Australians to see films from their own country.
Lake Mungo
However, when commentators get upset about the lack of Australian genre films, they are really saying that they’d like more of the sort of stuff that falls under the exploitation banner. The renewed interest has a lot to do with Mark Hartley’s excellent 2008 documentary Not Quite Hollywood. Hartley brilliantly drew attention to the unappreciated and forgotten Australian sex comedies, action and horror films of the 1970s and 1980s. Yet somehow this appreciation has been taken by some to mean that such films should be made again. Nowra, for instance, writes: ‘The nudity and sex of those cheap movies could be gratuitous and even misogynist, but it was mostly good fun with a strong hedonistic sense of sexual pleasure.’
Pushing aside Nowra’s dismissal of misogyny, he seems to ignore the fact that, while the clips compiled in Hartley’s film are widely entertaining and fun indulgences, the bulk of the films were not all that good. Many are, indeed, completely disposable – hardly models for contemporary commercial filmmaking.
Australia doesn’t need to make more genre films; rather, it needs to make bolder and more daring films that mess with generic expectations or defy them altogether. This comes with artistic freedom and the courage and support to do something original rather than try to appease the business-minded folk who believe that mimicking the last success will equate with new success.
Government support is also required. In a country as small as Australia, it is simply a necessity if expressions of local culture on the big screen are to continue. Attempting to not make films that are distinctive from imported Hollywood content would make the point of a national cinema redundant.
Last year, you could have been forgiven for not noticing that Australia produced so many outstanding films because too many of them undeservedly went unnoticed. For the industry to survive, Australian filmmakers need to continue to make diverse and interesting films in order to win back the public. This will not happen while critics naively call for more commercial filmmaking and while Australian film is inaccurately dismissed as all ‘doom and gloom’.
Originally published in issue 199 (Winter 2010) of Overland and originally posted online here.
© Thomas Caldwell, 2010

I’m not sure there are enough words in the English language to describe the monumental impact and fantastic achievement that is Avatar. I just might have to use the Na’vi language to convey my awe and amazement. James Cameron’s career is filled with ground breaking epic films that seem to set a high bar for the movie industry for the next decade to come, and Avatar just might be Cameron’s greatest work yet. The special effects in this film, are so far and above anything released r to date, that there isn’t really anything to compare it to. It’s sort of started its own genre. The 3-D isn’t even distracting like most movies, it just adds to the depth and grandeur of the whole experience. Now, every other film is being released in 3-D, (unfortunately) but Hollywood still doesn’t seem get it. It isn’t the 3-D, its the vision and passion with which Cameron makes his movies that is the difference.
Jake Sully – Sam Worthington is called upon to take the place of his deceased brother in a mostly military, part scientific program called Avatar. The scientists take human DNA and combine it with alien DNA to make a hybrid life form that can be remotely controlled by it’s human consciousness, so, when they link the brain patterns, you now control the body of a Na’vi, a twelve to fifteen foot tall blue life form from the planet Pandora. The humans have been there for five years now. Teaching the Na’vi English and trying to build some sort of friendship so they can take advantage of the Na’vi and plunder the natural resources of the beautiful lush forest/jungle world. To get their hands on the rare mineral that may save the Earth, Jake is enlisted to be sort of a double agent. Gain the Na’vi trust by becoming one of them, then hopefully finding a weakness that will give the humans the edge they need to clear them out of their home tree, which sits right on the richest mineral deposit on the planet. Jake meets Neytiri – Zoe Saldana, while almost being killed on his first night in the jungle, and his loyalties come in to question. Jake soon understands that he is playing for the wrong team and decides to help the Na’vi defend their land against the greedy human invaders. The journey and the discovery of this new life form and their wonderful planet are nothing short of spectacular.
You can draw similarities to almost any major problems facing our planet and human condition you like. Consumption, technology, war, greed, or anything from our past. The American Indians, Vietnam, racism, and thats just a few. The story has been told many times before, in almost every type of setting you can think of. Many movies have had this same plot before, but the difference is, this isn’t just another movie. This is a mans vision and conviction to tell a story that means something to him and is relevant to the times we live in. Nothing short of an absolute masterpiece that will be copied (unsuccessfully) and revered for years to come. If you are a human (and you haven’t seen it yet) don’t miss this movie.
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What happens when Dee Snider, the legendary front man of heavy metal group "Twisted Sister," is the "quiet one" in the family? "Growing Up Twisted" follows the outrageous and oddball daily pursuits of the Sniders, who think their zany world is just real life, perfectly normal... only it's not. The seven episode series premieres with two back-to-back half hour episodes on Tuesday, July 27 at 10 PM and 10:30 PM ET/PT.

"Growing Up Twisted" explores suburban life in Long Island through the eyes

A&E's 2009 Emmy® Award-winner for Outstanding Reality Program " Intervention " and critically lauded " Obsessed " return for all-new seasons with back-to-back premieres on Monday, June 28 at 9:00 PM ET/PT and 10:00PM ET/PT.

In a series first, the ninth season premiere of "Intervention" will feature an intervention on two generations of the same family. Raised by alcoholic parents, Donna, a mother of 47, was exposed to violence and abuse at an early age, and later drank so heavily that she

96 films are currently eligible for the 2011 Cinema Eye Honors.  We will continue to add titles as they become eligible leading up to the October 15 deadline.
If you believe your film should be eligible, please check the FAQ under How do films become eligible for Cinema Eye or email us. .
12th & DELAWARE
ACT OF GOD
ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES
AMERICAN: THE BILL HICKS STORY
AMERICAN RADICAL: THE TRIALS OF NORMAN FINKELSTEIN
AND EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE
ANTOINE
ART OF THE STEAL
BABIES
BANANAS!*
BEETLE QUEEN CONQUERS TOKYO
LE BELLE VISITE
BLANK CITY
BREATH MADE VISIBLE
BUDRUS

CASINO JACK AND THE UNITED STATES OF MONEY
CIRCO
CITY OF BORDERS
COLLAPSE
COLONY
COUNTDOWN TO ZERO
CROPSEY
LA DANSE: THE PARIS OPERA BALLET
DISCO AND ATOMIC WAR
ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE
EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP
FAMILY AFFAIR
FAREWELL
A FILM UNFINISHED
FOUR SEASONS LODGE
FREAKONOMICS
FREEDOM RIDERS
FREETIME MACHOS
GASLAND
GENIUS WITHIN: THE INNER LIFE OF GLENN GOULD
GOOGLE BABY
HIS & HERS
HOW TO FOLD A FLAG
INTO ETERNITY
THE INVENTION OF DR. NAKAMATS
JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT: THE RADIANT CHILD
JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK
THE KIDS GROW UP
KILLING KASZTNER
KINGS OF PASTRY
LAST TRAIN HOME
LIVING IN EMERGENCY: STORIES OF DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
THE LIVING ROOM OF THE NATION
THE LOTTERY
MARWENCOL
MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT
THE MIRROR
MONICA AND DAVID
MY PERESTROIKA
THE OATH
OCEANS
OH MY GOD?
ONLY WHEN I DANCE
P-STAR RISING
THE PEDDLER
THE PEOPLE VS. GEORGE LUCAS
PETITION
THE PLAYER
PRESUMED GUILTY
THE RAINBOW WARRIORS OF WAIHEKE ISLAND
THE RED CHAPEL
REGRETTERS
RESTREPO
SECRETS OF THE TRIBE
SEE WHAT I’M SAYING
SINS OF MY FATHER
A SMALL ACT
SNOWBLIND
THE SOUND OF INSECTS: RECORD OF A MUMMY
SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION
SOUTH OF THE BORDER
SPACE TOURISTS
STRANGE POWERS: STEPHIN MERRITT AND THE MAGNETIC FIELDS
SWEETGRASS
TAQWACORE: THE BIRTH OF PUNK
THE THORN IN THE HEART
THUNDER SOUL
THE TILLMAN STORY
THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS
UNTIL THE LIGHT TAKES US
UTOPIA IN FOUR MOVEMENTS
VIDEOCRACY
VISUAL ACOUSTICS
WAITING FOR SUPERMAN
WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY
WAR DON DON
WASTE LAND
WE DON’T CARE ABOUT MUSIC ANYWAY
WILLIAM KUNTSLER: DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE
YODOK STORIES

The ladies of the Match Race Team Hamburg are out for victory during the competitive Kiel Week.

live from the three Audi R15 TDI cockpits

BE FIRST TO SEE THE GREAT NEW FILMS OF THE YEAR FROM FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD -- BEFORE THEY COME OUT COMMERCIALLY IN THE US!

Subscribers to TALK CINEMA this past year were first to see:
Oscar nominees...

AN EDUCATION

THE LAST STATION

THE MESSENGER

YOUNG VICTORIA

BRIGHT STAR

plus...

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS

Sundance Grand Prize Winner WINTER'S BONE

THE EXTRA MAN

THE ART OF THE STEAL

They heard directly from director Niels Arden Oplev about the making of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, and producer ANTHONY BREGMAN (Synecdoche New York, The Savages, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) about the financing and filming of THE EXTRA MAN...

Subscribers who went to film festivals with Talk Cinema also saw such Oscar winning films as...
El Secreto de sus ojos (The Secret in Their Eyes),
and Best foreign film nominees Ajami (Israel),
The White Ribbon (Germany) and
A Prophet (France),
plus met over breakfast with the director and producers of The Art of the Steal.

The gang here at the Fremont Outdoor Movies believes that Zombie and ghosts are getting a bad wrap  these days,  so the good folks at CoHo Team of Windemere are determined to prove people wrong.
Supernatural powers of philanthropy will converge at the Fremont Outdoor Movies on July 3 and 10th to support Solid Ground’s efforts to feed hungry people and shelter homeless families.
“We love the work of Solid Ground. It provides shelter, food and other basic services to more than 58,000 families and individuals in need throughout King County EACH YEAR!” said Tonya Hennen. “We are pleased to be able to support this fun way to get involved in such meaningful work.”
This summer Zombies aren’t just walking for a chance to return the Guinness World Record to Seattle…AGAIN. No, Seattle’s Zombies are also walking for a great local charity to be more than mere eaters of the flesh, as Zombies are trying to raise money and food for local charities.
The Walking Dead Walk through Fremont for a Great Cause
“Solid Ground is thrilled to partner with organizations such as the Fremont Outdoor Movies and the CoHo Group of Windermere agents. These folks bring passion and energy to our efforts to build community to end poverty, and they inject a good dose of fun into the work!. These events are a great way to introduce new folks to Solid Ground and give long-time supporters a fun way to participate.” says Paul Haas, Resource Development Director at Solid Ground.
Fremont’s Outdoor Movies ‘Artistic Director Ryan Reiter mentions “Last year, the Fremont Outdoor Movies raised over 600 pounds of food at our big Zombie block party donated to Solid Ground, so we hope to triple that this year, it just goes to show you fun still rules!”
On July 10th, CoHo will try to bust its own record of donations to Solid Ground by matching all the door sales and donations for the night’s film Ghostbusters. Donations will be taken at the door and before the event online at www.solid-ground.org: type “CoHo Team” in the comments section to be eligible the matching donation.
The CoHO is made up of founder Will Kemper, Tonya Hennen, Tara Hennen and Peter Wolf. Over the past six years, the CoHo team has donated over $32,000 to Solid Ground

The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure-comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. A band of kids from the “Goon Docks” neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, hoping to save their homes from demolition, go on an adventure to find the buried treasure of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate.
The Goonies, a group of young teenage friends living in Astoria, Oregon, face foreclosure on their families’ homes from the expanding Astoria Country Club. On one of their last days their morale sinks particularly low due to the cancellation of their planned farewell road tripdue to Mikey’s older brother having failed his driver’s license exam. While rummaging through the Walsh’s attic, they find an old newspaper clipping, a Spanish map, and an artifact relating to a rumor of a forgotten pirate treasure somewhere in the area. Hearing the call of adventure, Mikey tries to persuade his friends to join him in search for the treasure hoarded by a pirate named One-Eyed Willie. Initially reluctant, the group eventually decides to usurp the authority of Mikey’s older brother, Brandon, and escape for one last “Goonie adventure”.
They head to the coast and stumble upon an abandoned seaside restaurant that seems to match coordinates set by the map and an olddoubloon, unaware that the Fratellis, a family of criminals, are using the restaurant as their hideout. After first encountering the family, the Goonies come back after the Fratellis have left and discover their criminal intents, and send Chunk, the group’s clumsy, heavy-set dreamer and teller of tall tales, to get help. However, the Fratellis return before they can leave, forcing the Goonies to use a cavern underneath the restaurant to escape. The Fratellis capture Chunk and interrogate him to find the rest of the Goonies, however they learn nothing until a pack of bats come out of the cavern. Chunk is placed in the same room with the forsaken and deformed Fratelli brother, Sloth, while the rest of the Fratellis enter the cavern and follow the Goonies’ trail.
As the Goonies traverse the cavern, Mikey discovers that it matches up with the map and convinces the rest of the group to continue to follow it to find the treasure. They overcome many deadly traps set by One-Eyed Willie, and eventually arrive at a large underground cavern and a lagoon where Willie’s ship, The Inferno, rests floating. While others begin to fill their pockets with the riches on the ship, Mikey finds Willie’s skeleton, and reverently acknowledges him as the “first Goonie”, leaving part of the treasure with him as tribute. However, as the Goonies exit the hold, they are caught by the Fratellis, who take their treasure and force the kids to walk the plank. The Goonies are saved by the timely arrival of Chunk and Sloth, now close friends, who help the rest of the group to shore. With the children no longer a threat, the Fratellis ransack the rest of the ship, including the share of the treasure Mikey left for Willie. This sets off a final booby trap, causing the cave to start to collapse. The Goonies flee through a hole in the cave, finding themselves on a beach. Two passing policemen spot them and call in for help.
The Goonies are soon reunited with their parents while the Fratellis are arrested, and Chunk offers to take Sloth into his home. As Mikey frets about the end of their last adventure, Rosalita, the Walsh’s maid, discovers that Mikey’s marble bag contains a large handful of jewels taken from the ship, and Mikey’s dad quickly estimates that its value is more than enough to save everyone’s homes. As the families celebrate, they spot The Inferno, now free of the cave, sailing away on its own.

Andie Walsh (Molly Ringwald), a poor but fashion-conscious New Wave girl who has a crush on one of the rich boys in her school, Blane McDonough (Andrew McCarthy). When Andie and Blane try to get together, they encounter resistance from their respective social circles.
Andie lives on “the wrong side of the tracks” with her unemployed father (Harry Dean Stanton) who is struggling with depression after Andie’s mother abandoned the family some years before. Her best friend is Duckie Dale (Jon Cryer). Duckie has intense feelings for Andie, but plays it off as a joke in front of her. In school, she and Duckie are harassed by friends of Blane, the so-called “richie” kids Benny (Kate Vernon) and Steff (James Spader). Steff is attracted to Andie as well, but she knows he’s only after sex.
Andie works at TRAX, a New Wave music store in the Chinatown neighborhood of Chicago, managed by her older friend and mentor Iona (Annie Potts), whose quirky and unconventional dress sense is more influenced by her personal tastes than by her age group, and moans about her newly single life. Iona advises Andie to go to her senior prom despite not having a date. Blane and Andie talk for a brief moment as Blane buys an album.
Soon, Blane makes his move via chatting in the computer lab and Andie is smitten. Blane ventures out to the area at school where thepunks, metalheads, and New Wavers hang out during lunch and after classes, and asks Andie on a date. Steff begins questioning why his best friend “was conversing with a mutant,” but Blane brushes him off.
On the Friday night of the date, Andie waits for Blane at TRAX, but he is late. Duckie arrives instead, only to find Andie upset because she thinks she’s been stood up. When Blane finally arrives, Duckie and Andie argue. Duckie tries to convince her that Blane will only hurt her. After a few harsh words, Duckie storms out, and Andie goes on her date.
First, Blane suggests going to a party Steff is throwing. But the party isn’t exactly what Blane expected, and Andie is treated poorly by everyone, including a drunk Steff and Benny. Andie, in turn, suggests going to CATS, the local club, where they discover Iona sitting with Duckie. Duckie is immediately hostile toward Blane, and as he and Andie start walking out of the club, Duckie kisses a startled Iona.
Blane offers to take Andie home, but she finally admits she doesn’t want him to see where she lives. However, he drops her off there and they kiss, after he asks Andie to the prom. The next day, Andie visits Iona in her loft. Iona begins reminiscing about her own prom, donning her old pink prom dress and a beehive hairstyle.
At home, Andie’s father surprises her with a pink dress he bought for her at the thrift shop. Questioning how he was able to afford it, Andie discovers he has been faking going to a full-time job. The two begin to fight until her father breaks down, obviously still bitter and depressed about his wife having left him. Andie responds by comforting him and they make up but she, too, is affected by the abandonment of her mother.
Meanwhile Blane, pressured by Steff, begins distancing himself from Andie. He avoids her at school and doesn’t return her calls. She finally confronts him. He claims that he had asked someone else to go to the prom with him before he’d asked her, but had forgotten. Andie runs away, heartbroken. Duckie overhears Steff trashing Andie and they end up fighting in the hallway. Teachers stop the fight, and Duckie runs out.
Andie finds Iona preparing for a date with a yuppie, dressing like a normal adult for a change. Iona is already thinking about marriage. At first she is too wrapped up in her new romance to notice that Andie is upset. But her newly found happiness inspires Andie and she goes home with her friend’s old dress and creates a new pink dress in which she decides to attend the prom to “show them they didn’t break [her].”
When she gets to the prom she has second thoughts about braving the crowd on her own. Just as it looks like she may back out, she sees Duckie, also dressed up. They walk into the ballroom hand in hand. Steff snickers and begins trashing Andie and Duckie again, only to be finally told off by the normally passive Blane, who says that Andie could never be bought. Blane shakes Duckie’s hand and tells Andie that he always believed in her, he just didn’t believe in himself. He says he’ll always love her no matter what and leaves the prom. Duckie concedes that she was right, “He’s not like the others” and advises Andie to go after him. After Andie leaves, a blonde girl (Kristy Swanson) notices Duckie and silently invites him to go over and dance with her.
Outside of the prom, Andie catches up with Blane in the parking lot just before he gets to his car and they share a kiss.

Male supermodel Derek Zoolander is on his way down after three years of continuously winning the “Male Model of the Year” award. When he is beaten by the hot newcomer Hansel, Derek starts searching for a new meaning in his life. Just then fashion czar Mugatu offers Derek a comeback in his new “Derelicte”-line. What nobody suspected is that Mugatu plans to assassinate the new Malaysian Prime Minister on his visit to New York, so that cheap child labor is still available for Mugatu’s fashion producing. By brainwashing Zoolander, Mugatu and his evil associate Katinka create a dumb and willing killer to do the job. Only in Time Magazine journalist Matilda suspicion arises slowly, and she tries to stop Derek. Written by Julian Reischl <julianreischl@mac.com>
Featured Contest: Blue Steel  Male Model “WALK-OFF” Fashion Show

BRING HOME THE WORLD RECORD MAKE SEATTLE THE “ZOMBIE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD…AGAIN!”

BUY YOUR TICKETS TODAY, CLICK HERE

With summer just around the corner, Seattle welcomes the return of warm summer nights, boating afternoons, barbeques and…zombies? Yes, thousands of zombies will again return to Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood this Fourth of July weekend to walk and dance their way back into the history books during the second annual Red, White & Dead zombie walk. At stake? The zombie walk Guinness World Record currently held by the Big Chill Music Festival in England.
“This is all about a community celebration, having fun and supporting a great cause,” remarked Ryan Reiter, artistic director for Fremont Outdoor Cinemas. “But who doesn’t love some healthy competition and bragging rights? Not only do we hope to raise a lot of resources for local non-profits, but we want to take back our zombie world record title from England, and Independence Day weekend is an ideal time to do it, and independent-minded Fremont is a perfect backdrop to celebrate.”
But zombies don’t just take. This year’s event will also aptly include a blood drive, as well as a canned food drive to benefit Solid Ground. In addition, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the non-profit Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) in support of their new film center planned for Seattle Center.


SATURDAY, JULY 3RD OFFICIAL EVENT SCHEDULE:

• 12:00pm – Guinness World Record Registration Open to Public
• 12:00pm – XBOX 360 DEAD RISING 2 Game Lounge
• – NIGHT ZERO Zombie Make-Up Center $5/10
• 2:00pm – Fashionably Undead Fashion Show presented
• 3:00pm – Thriller Dance Workshop by Seattle Thrillers
• 4:00pm – Tribute Thriller Dance
• 5:00pm – Zombie Walk (First walk starts at 5:00pm an continues until 8pm)
• 8:00pm – Astro-Creep Band (Rob Zombie cover band) performs
• 9:30pm – Book of Zombie “Behind the Scenes” Featurette (See the film at STIFF 2010)
• 9:30pm – Zombie Movie Screening – Dawn of the Dead – (FREE MOVIE SCREENING)

“Look out British, the Zombies are coming!” said Eric Pope of the Seattle Zombie Walk organization, who supports the event. “Seattle had 3,894 zombies turn out last year for the walk to set a record, but England later edged us out with 4,026. We’re back to reclaim the title, and I hope to see 10,000 zombies roaming the streets, so Seattle will hold the title for good!”
Festivities kick-off midday, and include on-site zombie makeovers, a zombie fashion show, musical performances, special creepy guests, a massive group Thriller dance – with lessons by Seattle Thrillers group – and, of course, the huge zombie walk through the Dead Center of the Universe, Fremont.




Red, White & Dead is an annual event, made possible by generous donations from many local business entities. Presenting sponsors for 2010 include Microsoft XBOX 360, Fremont Outdoor Movies, Comcast, Fremont Studios, Seattle Magazine, the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, West/North Entertainment and The Stranger weekly newspaper.
VIVA LA ZOMBIE!

Reports of serious fun and blood thirsty crowds of screaming Twilight fans of all ages appear to be bitten by the “Movie Fan Fare” epidemic once again in Fremont. It’s all starts here at the Fremont Outdoor Movies this summer kicking off our opening night film on June 26th at Fremont Studios presented by Summit Entertainment.
Twihards unite! This summer marks our Fremont Outdoor Movies biggest summer series EVER! This Saturday marks the date of the Lunar Eclipse just in time for the summer’s biggest movie Twilight Eclipse!
So what better way to kick off the summer than underneath the stars with Twilight  New Moon, plus with a “never-before-seen” clip  from the newest chapter in the Twilight Saga.
The doors open at 6:00 pm and the screening starts at dusk (around 9:30 pm) so come early and grab a seat! The screening is absolutely FREE and wristbands will be available for the event beginning at 11:00 am at the Fremont Outdoor Movies box office, located at 3501 Phinney Ave North underneath the outdoor movies screen.
The even will feature games, activities, Twilight makeovers, a special sneak peak of ECLIPSE and special appearances by ECLIPSE talent!  We’ll see you there! Win a special VIP Meet & Greet tickets all this week!
Twilight Stars Nikki Reed (Rosalie, one of the Cullen sisters) and Elizabeth Reaser (Esme, the Cullen mother) will be doing a special Meet & Greet for Twilight fans, so you won’t want to miss out!
EXCLUSIVE FEATURETTE OF TWILIGHT: ECLIPSE

Summit Entertainment is treating Seattle to a special exclusive “Sneak-Peak” featurette at this summer’s screening at the Fremont Outdoor Movies for Twilight fans of all ages. Here is a quick summary of the film, courtesy of IMDB.
Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger as Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob — knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella is confronted with the most important decision of her life. Written by Summit Entertainment
Bella and Edward have been reunited, but their forbidden relationship is threatened to be torn apart again with an evil vampire still seeking her revenge. And Bella is forced to choose between her true love for Edward or her friendship with Jacob Black as the struggles between vampires and werewolves continues. But there is still another choice for Bella to make, mortality or immortality? Written by Mel from the United Kingdom.
After the vote about her becoming immortal, Bella realizes graduation isn’t too far away and starts to panic. But she has bigger problems arising, her feelings for Jacob, his feelings for her and Victoria. The vampire who is trying to take revenge on her for Edward killing her James. Written by Leslie Cullen

Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo co-director Lee Unkrich strikes out on his own with this installment into the popular computer-animated series detailing the adventures of wide-eyed cowboy doll Woody and space-ranger action figure Buzz Lightyear. Oscar-nominated scribe Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine) handles screenwriting duties. ...

Avid has set up a web page for tutorial videos, produced by the training site Lynda.com, centered on Media Composer version 5. I’ve only sampled them, but it looks like a excellent resource.

[ June 30, 2010; 12:35 am to 1:35 am. ]

As voted on by EW readers:

Top Tissue Moment
Jack’s death, with Vincent lying beside him
The dog put Jack’s passing over the top — by 12 votes.
2. The entire finale, Lost
3. Charlie and Claire’s reunion, Lost
4. Jack and friends ”move on,” Lost
5. Sawyer and Juliet’s reunion, Lost
http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20392137_9,00.html

Spring has slowly but surely arrived at the Beekman, and while Josh can’t wait to begin his gardening season, Brent has other plans in mind. Tired of his current setup, Brent has decided to relocate the Beekman 1802 business to a space on Main Street, and in the process, open up their very first retail store. Josh has his doubts that they can make time for such a commitment, and also worries about the impact of their business on others in the village. When a grand opening day is set and the store space not even close to ready, Brent and Josh are faced with the harsh reality of having to spend their 10-year anniversary apart from one another. Ultimately, the Beekman Boys must decide if their priorities lie with their business and farm, or with one another.

Products Featured In T... Read the full story on Planet Green

It’s winter at the Beekman, and Farmer John is saying goodbye to his herd of very pregnant goats and heading into the hospital for hip surgery. Josh and Brent offer to not only pitch in with the care of the animals while John is away, but also offer up Brent’s services as a doctor to help nurse John back to health. It doesn’t take more than one chaotic feeding session with the goats to make Josh and Brent realize that John needs to get better – fast! Farmer John checks into the Beekman for his recovery with a bit of apprehension over Brent acting as his caretaker for the week. Once Josh heads back to the city, it isn’t long before Brent and John begin to butt heads and John quickly plans his escape. But when the goats begin to give birth and one of John’s best goats is in danger, it’s up... Read the full story on Planet Green

Josh and Brent have hit the halfway point in their “year of sacrifice,” and Josh is having a hard time with their relationship falling by the wayside as Brent pours his attention into the business. A trip together into the city for a black tie event with Martha Stewart does nothing to calm Josh’s anxiety about where Brent’s priorities lie. But Josh’s concerns are soon overshadowed by his fear of all things supernatural when Brent decides to hire ghost hunters to investigate their 200-year-old estate. When the results of the hunt come in, the boys realize the biggest thing to fear may just be that they aren’t the only ones living at the Beekman after all.

Products Featured In This Episode
Josh and Brent's Wardrobe Provided By Brook'... Read the full story on Planet Green

Slide Show 1.0

/* Read the full story on Planet Green

The world is littered with stories of new technologies, ideologies and innovations getting snuffed out of existence by the competition before they even have a chance to make a go of it. The funny thing with history is, eventually, the new technology takes over one way or another because as time progresses, the old ways start to feel, well, old. In the mid to late seventies, laser discs came on the scene, as seen in the 1977 cover of Popular Mechanics to the right (click to enlarge). But they were expensive, hard to market and you had to flip the disc over like a vinyl LP to see the whole movie, part two of which was on the other side. Video tapes with their ease of use and much lower cost won the market by 1982 as video stores began to dot the suburban landscape and VCR sales headed north (and even within the VCR market there was a battle staged between VHS and Beta with VHS emerging the victor). Videotapes didn't have the proper aspect ratio, wore down quickly, had to be physically rewound or fast-forwarded to watch a specific scene which had to be located via the 'stop and watch every 10 seconds to see if you're there yet' method and on top of all of that, the visual quality left much to be desired (although the average VCR owner didn't seem to care a whole hell of a lot in that area).After a couple of decades of domination though, videotape fell to digital laser video. It was no longer the bulky laser disc but a smaller compact version, a video sister of the audio compact disc. It was the DVD and it didn't take long for the average VCR owner to suddenly want what they finally realized they had been missing, that is, clear picture, proper aspect ratio and special features. And that's often how it happens: Resistance, which forces the new technology to hone itself, edit itself and make itself more appealing and more needful in the eye of the consumer, followed by acceptance. Business models usually work this way too.Starting in the early days of Hollywood and going through the seventies, movies slowly opened across the nation, sometimes taking as long as six months to make their way to every state. The average movie would get a two week release date in several big cities and eventually get two week release dates in progressively smaller cities and towns along the way. If the movie proved popular, it would be "held over," meaning it would be booked for longer than its initial two week run. Moviegoers in their forties and up probably remember seeing marquees announcing "Held over for the 17th week!" or "20th week!" or "35th week!" depending on the popularity of the movie. I remember seeing such a marquee for The Godfather in my childhood with the held over number being somewhere in the upper forties.It was a sound business model based on decades of tried and true practices. There were, however, studios and producers who broke the model, notably Walt Disney, who tried to get his movies into as many theatres as possible as quickly as possible. Somehow, Disney's success didn't clue in the other studios to what he had. It was assumed that this was something that would work well for kids movies but not other movies. After all, Disney was trying to sell toys and albums and games along with the movie (he really was the father of the modern movie marketing campaign model, wasn't he?) while grown-up movies needed "word of mouth" advertising to get the adults into the theatre. Then, in 1973, William Friedkin had it written into his contract that he would have approval over how The Exorcist was released, which he wanted because he believed the slow release model would fail for The Exorcist. He didn't want "word of mouth," that which the slow release depends upon, ruining the shock of the film for most moviegoers. He wanted it shown to as many people as possible as soon as possible. The studio agreed and on December 26, 1973, The Exorcist opened on multiple screens all across the nation. It was a hit and slowly, the old model started to break down. In 1977, with Star Wars opening on some 400 screens across the nation (a paltry number by today's standards) the slow release model was all but dead. By 1979, the success of such non-kiddie fare as Kramer vs. Kramer and An Unmarried Woman, both given wide-release shortly after their premiere dates and both enjoying great success, set the new model in stone. Wide release was the way to go. Slow release was dead.In part, it died because the technology improved for producing prints at lower costs to theatre owners, partly because theatres expanded beyond single screen palaces and partly because both theatre owners and movie studios realized there was one hell of a lot of money to be made in wide release. Today, movie viewing technology is at the point that many cinephiles and average moviegoers are expecting, but not yet demanding, that the model change once again. The new model is called Simultaneous Release*, and it's only been tried with a few low-profile pictures, to very limited success. Basically, it goes like this: With the quality of home movie entertainment systems and the remarkable ability in the modern world to get the movie of your choice into your home without ever leaving it, why not release a new movie in the theatres, on DVD and on instant streaming all on the same day?!. Or, at the very least, release it in the theatres by itself for its big "Premiere Week" and then, the following weekend, release it to DVD and instant streaming. Currently, the model followed is oddly reminiscent of the old slow release model for movies in the seventies and before, only except being a slow release around the country, it's a slow release around the different types of media.Not everyone agrees this a good idea, most notably, and understandably, cinema owners who fear they'll lose money. But I submit, circumstantially mind you, based solely on being a parent of teenagers, that the core audiences for multiplexes will not change. My kids don't want to watch movies at home, they want to go out, with their friends. My adult friends, on the other hand, want to stay in and see that new movie everyone is talking about without having to get a babysitter for the youngest, pay for parking, etc. And guess what? If they don't have a choice, they're still not going to see it. I can count on two fingers the number of friends I know that have been to a multiplex in the last year. "I'll watch it on DVD" is the mantra of the new age.I venture out into the theatre fairly often myself but mainly to the AFI to see older films on the big screen with wonderfully appreciative audiences and can tell you, as a result, that I am a full convert to the notion that seeing a classic film on the big screen can redefine it for you. A recent example would be La Dolce Vita, which my wife and I saw at the AFI last month and which was an extraordinary experience. Before, I had liked the movie, after, I was absolutely floored by it. I realize the power of the big screen so I'm not cavalierly suggesting we should do away with the experience altogether. Simply saying that in this day of modern digital conveniences it may be time to switch to a simultaneous release model to get more people in on the action. How many more older movie lovers would give a look to the new blockbuster everyone is talking about if they could, easily and conveniently, right from their home? But they can, you say, when the DVD is released. True, but the excitement is gone. Let me explain.Often I find myself curious about some blockbuster in the theatres. Is it really as bad as everyone says it is? Is it really as good? Is it a fun popcorn movie or an overblown noisemaker? In the biggest success stories, like an Avatar, I plop down my money and go see it. More often than not, I don't. And even more often than not, when it's released on DVD I've already read everyone's reaction and no longer care and never bother seeing it. If simultaneous release were in play that wouldn't be the case. I believe the cinema owners would make the same money they're making now and the distributors would make even more as simultaneously released movies would rake in far more than delayed release DVDs do now.I believe the time has come for simultaneous release to become the standard model, giving every movie, especially adult fare, the chance to have a wider audience. We're almost there. I've already noticed what I call the "Netflix Instant Effect" more and more on the movie blogs. That is, when a new movie or classic movie becomes available on Netflix Instant, suddenly there are a lot of blogs writing it up. We all want to be a part of the same conversation and simultaneous release would allow more of us, especially us cinephiles, to enjoy the feeling of seeing the same movie together, no matter how far apart we are.______________________*click on the link to read a rather hyperbolic reaction to simultaneous release from M. Night Shyamalan. It's funny because I can't think of a director who would benefit from it more.

This time of year is filled with graduations and, being a cinephile who connects even the most meaningless word or phrase to a movie, I can't help but think of The Graduate, with Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katherine Ross, this time each year. And whenever I think of The Graduate I am reminded that I only like one half of it, the first half. The opening party, the seduction of Ben by Mrs. Robinson, the trips to the hotel under the name "Gladstone" and the confusion of his first date with Elaine entertain me one and all. Then comes the disturbing break-up between Ben and Mrs. Robinson and the threats and the college stuff and Mr. Roper and Richard Dreyfuss giving Ben a hard time and bleh, I'm done with it. After Ben's first date with Elaine The Graduate holds no interest for me. And it's not alone.There are plenty of movies that I call "half-lifers," borrowing the term from the scientific identification for the period of time an object in decay will deteriorate by half. My term has nothing to do with decay and everything to do with half of the movie coming alive for me and the other half being dead to me. And it's not that any of these movies are bad, just that only one half holds any interest for me and it is, almost always, the first half. So none of this is intended as a review of any of the films concerned, simply a statement of personal preference for one half over the other. Starting with The Graduate above, here are six more, in chronological order, that round out my Half-Life Seven. There are more but these are my most extreme cases of Half-Lifers, movies where I am really not interested for almost 50 percent of the movie while very much enjoying the other 50 percent.Gone with the Wind (1939): Overall I'd have to say this is a movie I don't very much care for and yet, the first half does entertain me. I love all the buildup to both the war and the relationship between Scarlett (Vivien Leigh) and Rhett (Clark Gable) up through the war itself and the burning of Atlanta. And then, I stop watching. If this is on TCM and I happen upon it while the first half is running I'll watch it. As soon as they get to the post-war story and the marriage of Scarlett and Rhett, brother, I am outta there!Julius Caesar (1953): I guess I should blame Bill Shakespeare for this one but the fact is, I'm with this story as they plot and scheme to kill Caesar (Louis Calhern). I'm with it further as Brutus (James Mason) stands before the Roman masses to justify his actions and I'm really with it as Mark Antony (Marlon Brando) delivers that ingeniously written speech that at first reassures Brutus that Antony will not incite revolt before twisting the rhetorical knife into Brutus' gut. Wow! What a speech! And then... I pretty much just turn it off.The Ten Commandments (1956): The first three have all been the first half of the movie I like. With The Ten Commandments it's the opposite. Moses' (Charlton Heston) journey from noble prince to exiled shepherd bores me to tears. But once that angry God of his starts killing firstborns and blighting the land and parting seas, oh boy, just try and stop me from watching it! Still some of the most amazing effects of the fifties.Vertigo (1958): This is the first film on the list that I would qualify as a great film (along with the next film on the list) but I could still survive just taking in a little over half of it. And that half is Scotty (James Stewart) following Madeleine (Kim Novak) around and falling in love with her. Once he goes catatonic after her faked death the movie holds much less interest for me. In fact (BLASPHEMY ALERT) I've always kind of wished that the movie really had been about a woman possessed with the spirit of a long dead, long suffering ghost. When it turns out to be just a piece of a murder plot I'm always a little disappointed.Lawrence of Arabia (1962): There must be something about first halves because this is another one where the first half hypnotizes me and the second half doesn't. Lawrence's (Peter O'Toole) introduction to the desert and his almost instant connection with it is truly mystical in its presentation. The journey across the desert to attack Aqaba plays like a dream, taking its time, watching, following, always moving towards an unseen destination. Then the second half of the movie loses that mystical quality as it focuses on battles and political maneuvering. The second half is certainly great too and I'll watch it all but given the choice between the two, I'll take the first half.The Ruling Class(1972): Finishing up the Half-Life Seven is The Ruling Class from 1972. While this film continues the tradition of liking the first half over the second half the difference lies in how dramatically different my feelings are for both halves. The first half with Jack under the delusion that he is Jesus Christ plays like some of the best British comedy of the seventies and I love it. I love the stupid jokes, the barely choreographed song and dance numbers and Peter O'Toole running around delivering bizarre platitudes intended to be taken as gospel. But if ever a movie didn't know when to shut off the valve and roll the credits it's this one. I really can't stand much of the second half as the sledgehammer satire takes over with Jack becoming Jack the Ripper and entering the House of Lords. The problem is that the second half isn't delivering anything the first half didn't already deliver, and better, but it keeps on delivering anyway until everything starts to feel run down. The movie doesn't feel so much like it concludes as it does that the editor just finally said, "Let's put 'The End'... oh, I don't know... um... here!"And that's The Half-Life Seven. There are many more that could make the list but their splits are not as even. For instance, M*A*S*H kind of loses me at the football game but that's less than half the movie by far. Or Titanic (1997), which is another rare one where I can watch the second half (when the ship sinks) over the first half (when the movie sinks) but even then there's plenty I could do without, like, for example, the cast. And there are plenty of movies where I love the whole thing but because I've seen them so many times I'm happy missing the exposition of the first third or so of the film to get to the major action (too many titles to list). While I want to love every movie I see, inevitably, many disappoint me. Some the whole way through and others only part of the way. When it's part of the way it's sometimes more disappointing because the promise, the potential, was there but petered out. Still, I'll take whatever solid filmmaking and entertainment I can get, even if sometimes it's only by half.

It was 75 years ago that MGM signed the incredible Judy Garland to its roster of stars. As she steps out with her fellow MGM stars (Clark Gable, Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney) I too am stepping out for the weekend as we celebrate our oldest daughter's graduation from high school, stepping out into a new direction or, at least, a new school. Let both the pomp and circumstance begin.

what was the signifigance of Ben not going into the church with the others? 100 QUESTIONS YOU NEED ANSWEREDLost returns on February 2nd! Will the final season bring answers or just MORE questions? What burning questions do YOU need answered? Do you think we can get 100 questions by the return of season six? Lost fans, click EasyEdit above to ask your questions!NEW TO WIKIS? VISIT THE HELP SECTION FOR TIPS ON GETTING STARTED. 1 Username: Emerica01Favorite Lost Character: Charlie What question do you need answered: What happen's to remaining survivor's on the Island after the bombs goes off in The Season 5 Finale? 2 Username: eguyFavorite Lost Character: Sawyer What question do you need answered: What's with the effing black smoke? 3 Username: bucroFavorite Lost Character: Hurley What question do you need answered: If Ben never talked to Jacob, who was giving him instructions and why didn't Richard know? 4 Username: whitchry9Favorite Lost Character: Richard and Ben and Daniel What question do you need answered: Why was Claire on the plane in the alternate reality if there was no island to crash on? The reason she was on the plane was because her psychic saw the plane crashing. If the plane did not crash, why is she there? 5 Username:hollywood-st.louis4488Favorite Lost Character:Kate....sooooo goood lookin! What question do you need answered:Ok! why is my boy Desmond on the plane? And anyone else notice that Jack only got one little bottle of booze, the first show he got two.......hmmmmm. Also, how can one season answer all the questions that has accumulated over five. 6 Username:jayhawkteachFavorite Lost Character:Jack What question do you need answered: Where is home (reincarnated John Locke)? 7 Username: locoforlostFavorite Lost Character:Charlie What question do you need answered: Why wasn't Kate's name written on the cave ceiling? 8 Username:Thunder2011Favorite Lost Character:Desmond What question do you need answered:Is there a relation between the 108 days they stayed on the island, and the sum of the special numbers 4+8+15+16+23+42= 108 ??????? 9 Username:avc123Favorite Lost Character:Sayid What question do you need answered:Why could Ben kill Jacob? 10 Username:whitchry9Favorite Lost Character:Richard What question do you need answered: Can Jack, Kate and the others touched by Jacob not die? 11 Username: hensooFavorite Lost Character: Sayid What question do you need answered: Has anyone seen this quote? - "From some fissure, the smoke of Satan has entered the Temple of God." --- Pope Paul VI - 1972. This was a quote regarding clergy sexual abuse (or any evil). Does the Smoke represent Satan? 12 Username:Mattcampbell3Favorite Lost Character: Sawyer What question do you need answered: In Sideways Lost Miles and Sawyer are cops and partners. In one of the episodes in season six Miles confronts Sawyer about his trip to Sydney. Since they knew each other before the flight shouldn't they have known each other when Miles arrived via helicopter from the freighter to the island as part of Widmore's science team on the original Lost storyline(flight 815 does crash)? Also, if Miles was a cop in LA before Flight 815, how did he end up on Widmore's science team? 13 Username: michael3866Favorite Lost Character: Jacob What question do you need answered: If Lock is really dead, and his body is being used by someone else, does that mean he is gone for good? Will Jacob bring him back? 14 Username: hawcruFavorite Lost Character: Richard What question do you need answered: On the wheel of the lighthouse, the remaining candidates are on the spaces of the numbers. (Kate is 51 in case any one is curious) However, 108 is Wallace. Who is Wallace and why is he the answer? 15 Username:Mr.CluckFavorite Lost Character:James What question do you need answered:What the HECK is MiB's name?!?!?! 16 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered:Why does that statue of Soreb have four toes? 17 Username:ImonbFavorite Lost Character:Hurley What question do you need answered: In the final season Jacob told Richard that the Island is keeping the black smoke from leaving the island. How exactly is the island preventing the black smoke from leaving??? 18 Username:ImonbFavorite Lost Character:Hurley What question do you need answered:How come Hurley can see and talk to dead people? e.g Jacob, Isabella(Richard's wife). 19 Username:PoseidonsgirlFavorite Lost Character:Charlie Pace or Daniel Faraday What question do you need answered: What is up with the alternate universe thing, like, where Desmond, Charlie, and Daniel are the only ones who know whats happening? HOW!? Do you have to meet your soulmate to do that or something? 20 Username: MSVJMOOREFavorite Lost Character:HURLEY What question do you need answered: There was an episode where Jin is frantically trying to buy a stuffed toy bear for the new baby... that is all it showed. Are we going to see this story line completed? another of the many mysteries unanswered on LOST! 21 Username: Space Case 2025Favorite Lost Character: MMM..JACK!! What question do you need answered: What is this special gift that walt has and Is walt really the leader of the others...HMMM!! 22 Username:Space Case 2025Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: Are the bodies discoverd by locke in the caves "adam and eve"...Jack and Kate? 23 Username:mickluvrFavorite Lost CharacterLocke and I LOVE looking at shirtless Saywer What question do you need answered: Are we going to find out why women die when they get pregnant on the island 24 Username:space case 2025Favorite Lost Character: jack What question do you need answere: what did kate do to be taken off the list of the candidates.Then why did locke need kate to back to the island? Username: Space Case 2025Favorite Lost Character: jack What question do you need answered: why did "LOCKE" pick Claire to make crazy? 26 Username: boblespdxFavorite Lost Character: Hurley What question do you need answered:What happened to Miles when Ben shot Charles Whidmore? 27 Username:NostedudeFavorite Lost Character:Jacob and Man In Black What question do you need answered:So How was the sideways reality Purgatory?!? 28 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: 29 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: 30 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: 31 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: 32 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: 33 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: 34 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need answered: 35 Username:Favorite Lost Character: What question do you need 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A freethinking mother of four finds religion (for a month, at least) in the home of an evangelical Christian family. "It's not like you have an 'unborn-again' experience," says Brenda as she tells her host family, the Shores, how she became a nonbeliever. During their month together, Brenda attends their Frisco, Texas, nondenominational mega-church as well as Bible-study sessions.... Read the full story on Planet Green

Michael has one. Terry has one. The SHOW has one. Naveen has been nominated for one. Henry Ian has been nominated for one. Carlton and Damon have been nominated for one. How great would it be for Matthew to receive his first Emmy nomination for his fantastic performance as Jack Shepard during the final season of LOST? A group of people want this so much that they have created a Facebook page to help get the word out. Check out Matthew Fox for Best Actor – Emmys 2010 For Your Consideration for more info.
I joined!

The Spoiler TV "Best TV Show Ever" poll is in its second round, with Fringe facing off with a little show called Firefly. While Firefly was a great show (albeit short lived), Fringe is also a great show, with more awesomeness to come.

Show your support and Vote for Fringe again to help them advance to the next round!

Fringe was awarded TWO Saturn Awards by The Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy & Horror Films , which honors the best in Science-Fiction TV and Film.

Anna Torv won for Best Actress In Television, and Leonard Nimoy won for Best Guest Starring Role In Television.

Fringe was nominated for four awards, including Best Actor In Television and Best Network Series. Last year, Fringe was only nominated for two awards, but did not win any.

BTW, unlike the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences or the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which gives out Oscars and Emmys respectively, membership to the ASFFHF is open to the public.

Fox has released a new video which explores "the emotions of a man who ruined two universes for the sake of one life", aka Dr. Walter Bishop.

Spoiler TV is running a tournament-style "Best TV Show Ever" poll, in which Fringe is currently losing to a show called Legend Of The Seeker?!?

Show your support and Vote for Fringe to help them advance to the next round!

Akiva Goldsman, John Noble, Leonard Nimoy, Blair Brown, Lance Reddick, and Jasika Nicole discuss the season 2 finale, and what's to come in season 3

Welcome to Planet 100 for June 30, 2010. Here's what we're covering today.

WATCH VIDEO: Oil X Prize

Oil X Prize
There've been X Prizes for space vehicles, gene-mapping and fuel efficient cars. And now the Foundation hopes to turn the BP oil spill into a multimillion dollar competition.

X Prize Foundation Vice President Francis Beland says his group have already received 35,000 unsolicited ideas for fixing the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and is seeking to raise money for a prize.

As X Prizes are usually worth $10 million or more, it'll be an opportun... Read the full story on Planet Green

Who is that guy with the impossible last name? It's Ed Kowalczyk, the one-time shirtless singer with the distinctive voice who formerly fronted a band called Live. And just in case you forgot, his new CD is called "Alive." He's back, with a sound that's familiar and fresh at the same time. And he has some things to say about leaving his old band, charting a new music course and living on solar power.

PLANET GREEN: So I hear you're a solar nut?

ED KOWALCZYK: I have to give my wife (Erin) props on this. I was out touring and doing my thing. She's here at home with our two kids. She was the real impetus behind this.

We live in an amazing area, Southern California. With the amount of sun we have, it just follows prett... Read the full story on Planet Green

The ongoing catastrophe in the Gulf is a clear tragedy—but that hasn't kept some people from misunderstanding it's impact. From misguided governors to confused ex-governors, Planet 100 counts down the Top 5 Oil Spill Gaffes.

WATCH VIDEO: Top 5 Oil Spill Gaffes

Get Complete Coverage of the Gulf Oil Spill From TreeHugger and Planet Green

5. Haley Barbour
On Sunday's Meet the Press, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour said the moratorium on drilling is worse th... Read the full story on Planet Green

These are the top five episodes of the brilliant, important Roseanne with commentary.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES BEST SHOW EVER!!
I LOVE DAMON SALVATORE.

Well, it’s about half right. Forever Knight and Blood Ties, while not spectacular are easily better than half the list. While I’m actually a fan of Vampire: The Masquerade as a game, that show was abysmal. Blade and Dark Shadows were nearly as abysmal. I’ll grant you the first four, give or take some positioning. I didn’t see a qualifier excluding anime, so there’s also Hellsing, which could easily slide into position 5. I think the reason these lists are so inaccurate is because so many titles are missing from the metacritic database completely.

Digital Celluloid, a comic strip by artist Chris Cirillo, pokes fun at the films of today, tomorrow and yesterday. Whether it is a classic or an upcoming blockbuster, no film is safe! This week, Digital Celluloid aims it's cannon at the heart of the conflict in the "Twilight" franchise...

Going to V.O.D. too early may also disqualify your film from most film festivals and will definitely lessen its value for DVD, TV, and with distributors. So please be careful on how you strategize your film’s release because an ill-timed misstep can trigger an otherwise avoidable tragic situation...

The plot involves a porn filmmaker, black magic rituals, demons, human sacrifice, stoners, sluts and some of the worst actors I've seen in a while...

Those with a strong interest in American Indian culture will have to sit through a lot of monotony to extract nuggets of distinctive insight or compelling (if fleeting) anecdotes. For those with weak patience, however, the film is a crashing bore...

Phil Hall’s The Bootleg Files explores the wild world of classic and kooky flicks that can be found only on bootlegged videos and DVD. This week, Phil gets stoned on a vintage anti-drug flick…

2010 LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL SELECTION! "Everyday Sunshine" pours in beams from the screen in what should be a fun experience for both Fishbone fans and non-fans...

BUFFY!

A profile of the popular singer/songwriter who rocked the world of country music with her drop-dead looks, sultry voi

Fran helps a couple focus more on their kids and less on the daily grind.Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 17:37:04 UTC 2010Air date: Tue May 25 00:00:00 UTC 2010Duration: 42:58

Fran Harris helps an overextended family get back on track.Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 17:36:04 UTC 2010Air date: Mon Mar 15 00:00:00 UTC 2010Duration: 42:58

Fran Harris tutors a young couple that needs to grow up and own parenthood.Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 17:36:04 UTC 2010Air date: Tue Mar 30 00:00:00 UTC 2010Duration: 42:59

A couple explores their hidden resentments about each other and their home.Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 17:36:04 UTC 2010Air date: Tue Apr 13 00:00:00 UTC 2010Duration: 42:58

Fran Harris rescues a family from their father's crazy impulse buying.Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 17:36:04 UTC 2010Air date: Tue Apr 27 00:00:00 UTC 2010Duration: 42:59

Fran Harris helps new parents own their adult roles.Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 17:36:04 UTC 2010Air date: Tue May 11 00:00:00 UTC 2010Duration: 42:58

Fran Harris helps a couple who are use to giving to receive too.Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 17:36:04 UTC 2010Air date: Tue May 25 00:00:00 UTC 2010Duration: 43:16

As they break for lunch, Akira confronts Hikaru on the fact that he has discovered that Sai is within him. After the game, Hikaru goes home and goes to sleep…Add this to your queueAdded: Mon Jun 21 07:00:04 UTC 2010Air date: Mon Feb 02 00:00:00 UTC 2009Duration: 23:04

Austin, TX-based genre festival offers the smallest of glimpses at what could possibly be coming in the 2010 edition of Fantastic Fest. The press release mentions an early film lineup, but don't get your hopes up. It is the tease-iest of teases...

CyrusVery Good Reviews, Key Cities (75.9% Positive). Cyrus opened in key cities to very good reviews. • Peter Keough wrote in the Boston Phoenix, "...elliptical, nuanced, and non-judgmental, with hilariously genuine dialogue and exquisite performances, all of it observed with the probing... More about this film...

Toy Story 3Exceptional Reviews (92.1% Positive). Toy Story 3 opened to exceptional reviews. • Richard Corliss wrote in Time, "...an instant classic... to be treasured forever." • Tom Long wrote in the Detroit News, "...visually and verbally dazzling... [Pixar]... More about this film...

The A-TeamModerate Reviews, Mixed (55.1% Positive). The A-Team opened to moderate reviews. Reviews were mixed. • Rene Rodriguez wrote in the Miami Herald, " 'Overkill is underrated,' says a member of The A-Team... a gigantic pile of ear-deafening nonsense,... More about this film...

The Karate Kid (2010)Good Reviews (63.6% Positive). The Karate Kid (2010) opened to good reviews. • Clint O'Connor wrote in the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, "...an accomplished old-fashioned film. It should appeal to all ages... With one heartfelt performance, Jaden Smith can drop the... More about this film...

Get Him to the GreekVery Good Reviews (68.9% Positive). Get Him to the Greek opened to very good reviews. • Lisa Kennedy wrote in the Denver Post, "...a veering, careening joy ride of excess and heart." • Norman Wilner wrote in Toronto Now, "...consistently,... More about this film...

In this exclusive video we hear from director Bette Gordon, actors Jamey Sheridan and Campbell Scott as they share with us their experiences of making HANDSOME HARRY. Featuring clips from the film, interviews and behind-the-scenes video and photos from the set.
To find theaters and showtimes near you, enter your zip code or city on the NOW PLAYING page.

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band’s LONDON CALLING: Live In Hyde Park rocks Emerging Cinemas and supports Melanoma Research!
“A revved up…power drive through Springsteen’s America” – The London Times

Captured in London at the Hard Rock Calling Festival on June 28, 2009, a special 90-minute version of this highly anticipated outdoor concert film hits our venues coast to coast – and across the pond! – for a limited run starting June 10th. LONDON CALLING: Live In Hyde Park conveys the experience of being on stage and the vast crowd of the festival environment. See Bruce spontaneously direct the E Street Band through 13 live tracks, all recorded in glorious HD.
Set list:
London Calling
Badlands
Night
She’s The One
Outlaw Pete
Working On a Dream
Born To Run
Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)
Jungleland
American Land
Glory Days
Dancing In The Dark
Waitin’ On a Sunny Day

Tune in to your local radio station or Sirius radio (www.sirius.com/estreetradio) for a chance to win tickets to a screening near you! Plus, ticket holders at select screenings can enter a raffle to win a DVD* of the complete concert film. Now that’s “Glory Days!”
*available June 22 from Sony Music on DVD and Blu-ray.
Plus, a portion of the proceeds from select screenings will support the Danny Fund/Melanoma Research Alliance, a charity focused on finding and funding melanoma research to accelerate progress toward a cure. The Danny Fund was set up after the 2008 passing of Danny Federici, longtime Springsteen friend and E Street Band member. See www.dannyfund.org for additional information. With the warm weather just now coming on, it’s especially timely to raise awareness about the dangers of the sun.
For more info about the LONDON CALLING: Live In Hyde Park concert film see www.brucespringsteen.net.
Below is a list of Emerging Cinemas where you can catch the film. Listings of upcoming screenings will also be posted on www.brucespringsteen.net, backstreets.com, Sirius Radio and other outlets.
To find theaters and showtimes near you, enter your zip code or city on the NOW PLAYING page.

City
Theatre
Dates
Info

San Jose, CA
Camera 3
June 16 & 21
Info

Pasadena, CA
Laemmle’s Playhouse 7
June 17, 19 & 20
Info

Los Angeles, CA
Downtown Independent
June 21
Info

West Hollywood, CA
Laemmle’s Sunset 5
June 17 & 19
Info

Encino, CA
Laemmle’s Town Center 5
June 17 & 19
Info

San Francisco, CA
Balboa Theatre
June 17
Info

Telluride, CO
Michael D. Palm Theatre
June 16 & 22
Info

Wilmington, DE
Theatre N at Nemours
June 11 & 12
Info

Washington, DC
Atlas Performing Arts Center
June 12 & 17
Info

Deland, FL
Athens Theatre
July 2
Info

St. Pete’s Beach, FL
Beach Theatre
June 11 & 18
Info

Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Cinema Paradiso
June 12, 18 & 19
Info

Lake Worth, FL
Lake Worth Playhouse
June 12, 18 & 19
Info

Lake Park, FL
Mos’Art Theatre
June 12, 18 & 19
Info

Naples, FL
Silverspot Cinema
June 19 & 20
Info

Maitland, FL
Enzian Theater
June 20th
Info

Wichita, KA
Murdock Theatre
June 18, 19 & 20
Info

Shreveport, LA
Robinson Film Center
June 17
Info

Gloucester, MA
Cape Ann Community Cinema
June 21
Info

Brunswick, ME
Frontier Cafe
June 19
Info

St. Paul / Minneapolis, MN
The Heights Theatre
June 15
Info

Detroit, MI
Detroit Institute of Arts
June 16
Info

Jackson, MI
Michigan Theatre-Jackson
June 18
Info

Albuquerque, NM
KiMo Theatre
June 19
Info

New York, NY
City Winery
June 17, 18 & 19
Info

Indian Lake, NY
Indian Lake Theater
June 18 & 19
Info

Rochester, NY
Little Theatre
June 11, 12 & 16
Info

Southampton, NY
Parrish Art Museum
June 20
Info

Schenectady, NY
Proctors Theatre
June 17 & 19
Info

Queens, NY
Kew Gardens Cinemas
June 11
Info

New York, NY
Symphony Space
June 17
Info

Geneva, NY
Smith Opera House
June 23
Info

Oberlin, OH
Apollo Theatre
June 17
Info

Cleveland, OH
Cedar Lee Theater
June 17
Info

Tulsa, OK
Circle Cinema
June 17
Info

Oklahoma City, OK
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
June 16 & 20
Info

Ambler, PA
Ambler Theater
June 10
Info

Bryn Mawr, PA
Bryn Mawr Film Institute
June 17
Info

Doylestown, PA
County Theatre
June 17
Info

Newport, RI
Jane Pickens Theatre
June 12 & 15
Info

Austin, TX
The Long Center
June 18 & 20
Info

St. Johnsbury, VT
Catamount Arts
June 10
Info

Bellingham, WA
Pickford Film Center
June 10
Info

London, UK
Curzon Soho
June 16
Info

Filmsociety.org’s coming soon section is now live!  Use the arrow buttons to navigate through coming soon films, or simply watch as they cycle through.  Clicking the name of any film will show you the runtime, the rating, the language (if relevant), and a synopsis.  As soon as the date and showtimes are set in stone, tickets will be available in advance by choosing a date in the drop-down box from the ticket section on the right side of this page!

We’ve just announced the dates for this year’s LGBT film festival! The festival will be held on August 21 and 22. We will be announcing more information soon!

Wild Grass (Les herbes folles)Very Good Reviews, Mixed, Limited (71.8% Positive). Wild Grass (Les herbes folles) opened in limited release to very good reviews that at the same time were mixed. • Carrie Rickey wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "A bizarre, captivating story of stalking.... I... More about this film...

The film includes a large number of scholars, activists, filmmakers and writers who speak frankly on the subject. If one can tolerate the film’s somewhat erratic style – with constantly switching between full-, split- and partial-screens plus a surplus of Chinese and English subtitling – there is a genuinely fascinating look at Chinese sociology in a state of continual evolution...

Knight and Day starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz is probably the most hyped-up movie of this year as previews started to build-up interest as early as last year. Is there a big payoff after the huge build up of interest?

Quick answer: sort of.

Knight and Day is that type of film that tries to be a lot of things, and in this case it's an action-comedy-romance (Sounds like Killers? You betcha.) and in the end the result is a little watered-down. In fact, director James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma) opted to use a "drugged first person perspective" technique to short-cut the action sequences and get the story going. This is quite disappointing as the film had an enjoyable opening action sequence.

This star vehicle is kept afloat by Tom Cruise as he channels his past Mission:Impossible character Ethan Hunt and keeps the action exciting as they go in nicely-shot locations world-wide. My beef though is that his character could have been more of a satire of the super spy to put a jolt in the humor department, a very weak area of the film. Cameron Diaz could have helped, but her character was too busy making sense of her situation.

Knight and Day is an über-hyped tepid romance-comedy film that will disappoint some but will make fans of globe-trotting spy films happy.

Rating: 2.5/5

Technorati: Knight and Day

Dear Shrek,

This is how you make a sequel.

KTHANXBAI.

--

After watching Toy Story 3,  I couldn't believe that this could be the last film of a great film franchise. We need more films like this: great story, easy to follow plot, perfect emotional hooks, and a feel-good ending.

Director Lee Unkrich weaves the story to perfection.Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), and the rest of Andy's toys are contemplating their future with Andy going to college. After a mix-up, the toys find themselves in a day care center that seems too good to be true. After discovering the true nature of their new home, the gang must then make the greatest escape in toy history.

Pixar has not shown any signs of slippage since releasing Ratatouille in 2007. Wall-E and Up were great follow-ups and Toy Story 3 is another winner. Clearly, this is one of the best computer-generated movies of this generation.

Rating: 5/5

Technorati: Toy Story 3

A lot of people sa marriage is a hard thing, but what happens when you're being targeted by assassins left and right, along with your in-laws? That's the premise of Killers and the producers of the film think it's funny enough to make it into a full-length film.

But after watcing for more than an hour and a half, I was left wondering how a movie like this ever got made.

On paper, the tandem of Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl (of Knocked Up fame) looks dynamite. However, the film doesn't let them jell and the movie just becomes a tedious exercise of waiting for the next funny scene (that eventually never came). It's really too bad because the movie started of superbly with a great location in Nice, France and a cute introduction of the two protagonists. After that, it went all kaput.

Action-Rom-Coms have been pulled off successfully in the past (Date Night, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) and somewhere in the film is a great idea that was killed by, well, Killers.

Rating: 1/5

Technorati: Killers

A divorced couple celebrating their son’s college graduation wonder if there is anything left of their original relationship. Complicating matters is the fact that Jake is remarried to a younger woman and Jane has just met an architect who is showing interest in her. Jane is faced with an empty nest, two men who want her and the possibility of digging up old wounds from her divorce or traveling down a new path in life.
This is an engaging romantic comedy with some better than average writing and great actors in the lead roles. Streep is excellent as usual, making Jane someone you’d like to sit down and spend an afternoon with. Alec Baldwin steals scenes with his impeccable comic timing as the charming ex-husband Jake. Steve Martin is excellent as well in a low-key performance as the somewhat reserved, intelligent architect who is Jane’s new love interest. John Krasinski is a bright light in every scene as he makes the most of the son-in-law’s clever dialogue.
It’s Complicated is an enjoyable romantic comedy that is elevated by its stars, with a sturdy screenplay and adept direction by Nancy Meyers. There is nothing new or earth shattering in this movie plot when it comes to romantic comedies, but it is one of the best of its genre and well worth watching.

2009. Written and directed by Nancy Meyers. Starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski, Lake Bell, Mary Kay Place, Alexandra Wentworth and Rita Wilson.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

After a young girl is murdered, her family tries to cope with the loss of their daughter and come to terms with the slow progress of apprehending the perpetrator of the crime. The story follows Susie Salmon in the afterlife, where she watches her family and tries to communicate with them as they work through the grief of her loss.
The cast of The Lovely Bones is uniformly excellent, with standout performances by Oscar nominated Stanley Tucci and Saoirse Ronan, a young actress who is very impressive. The screenplay had a few areas where plausibility was an issue. My biggest concern with the film was the gritty reality of the living world in comparison to the scenes of the afterlife experienced by Susie. There seemed to be too many ventures into different fantasy realms that could have tied together better with the real life sequences. That being said, the fantasy sequences were very well done. The level of fantasy sequences were directorial choices that I believe lessened the films impact overall. Nonetheless, the movie is an excellent one though the story may be difficult for some viewers. I would recommend this film for its excellent acting and moving story.

2010. Directed by Peter Jackson. Starring Saoirse Ronan, Stanley Tucci, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Rose McIver and Susan Sarandon
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

An elite Army bomb squad based in Baghdad delves into dangerous territory every day of their tour of duty. Sergeant First Class William James joins the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit team as their new team leader after their previous team leader is killed by a a remote-detonated improvised explosive device (IED). James joins team members Sergeant J.T. Sanborn and Specialist Owen Eldridge, whose job it is to secure the area and keep others safe while the team leader dons a bomb suit and disarms IED’s. Sergeant Sanborn and Specialist Eldridge are not sure what to make of Sergeant James risky methods during their missions. As their tour of duty winds down the team members are each faced with unimaginable situations.
The three lead actors all give fine performances. Jeremy Renner is outstanding as the reckless Sergeant James, providing a fascinating study of a man who is made for war. There is a reason Kathryn Bigelow won the Oscar for best director, she deserved it. The direction of this film is superb, the use of hand-held cameras, cinematography, screenplay, art direction, everything about this movie is impressive. I’ve never been a big fan of war movies but this film is different, allowing the audience to walk in the shoes of soldiers in Iraq. If you haven’t seen The Hurt Locker yet, you should, if it isn’t a classic film on a top 100 list already it soon will be.

2008. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow. Starring Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes and David Morse.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Grown UpsPoor Reviews (33.5% Positive). Grown Ups opened to poor reviews. • Bill Goodykoontz wrote in the Arizona Republic, "Dumb, lazy, obvious and largely pointless... like 'The Big Chill' made by morons." • Norman Wilner wrote in Toronto Now,... More about this film...

We’ve updated the site’s layout and functionality to make it more user-friendly than ever before!  Whether you’re looking for info on an upcoming film,  buying tickets in advance,  renewing your membership, or joining for the first time, www.filmsociety.org has got everything you need at the click of a button!
Here are just some of the improvements you’ll notice:

Online ticketing is now easier and more secure.
Buying advance tickets as a member (or non-member) is a snap.  Just select the date from the drop-down menu, and click on the red showtime you’ll be attending, to buy advance tickets for either Burns Court or Lakewood Ranch Cinemas.

Our membership section has expanded.
Now, by logging onto our website, members have the ability to easily see when their membership is expiring, renew their membership, change their password, get access to member-priced tickets online, and update and edit their contact information on the fly!

We’ll let you know about upcoming movies sooner.
Information on movies that are coming soon to Burns Court and Lakewood Ranch is now readily available in advance!

Tickets are available sooner.
You can now find showtimes and purchase advance tickets one week earlier than previously offered.

More information at your fingertips.
You can find information on film festivals, upcoming events, birthday parties, facility rentals, and anything else Sarasota Film Society-related that you can think of quickly, and easily!


We will be constantly updating and expanding our site, so check back soon and often! As we move forward, we will be adding SFS and general film news, movie reviews, advance notices of special Film Society events, and more on a weekly basis!

Superstar genetic engineers Clive (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) specialize in splicing together DNA from different animals to create incredible new hybrids. Now they want to use human DNA in a hybrid that could revolutionize science and medicine. But when the pharmaceutical company that funds their research forbids it, Clive and Elsa secretly conduct their own experiments. The result is Dren, an amazing, strangely beautiful creature that exhibits uncommon intelligence and an array of unexpected physical developments. And though, at first, Dren exceeds their wildest dreams, she begins to grow and learn at an accelerated rate--and threatens to become their worst nightmare.

Trying to recover from a sudden break-up, Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl) believes she’ll never fall in love again. But when she reluctantly joins her parents on a trip to the French Riviera, Jen happens to meet the man of her dreams, the dashing, handsome Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kutcher). Three years later, her seemingly impossible wish has come true: she and Spencer are newlyweds living the ideal suburban life – that is, until the morning after Spencer’s 30th birthday when bullets start flying. Literally. It turns out Spencer never bothered to tell Jen he’s also an international super-spy, and now Jen's perfect world has been turned upside down. Faced with the fact that her husband is a hit man, Jen is determined to discover what other secrets Spencer might be keeping – all the while trying to dodge bullets, keep up neighborly appearances, manage the in-laws…and work out some major trust issues. And you thought suburban life was easy.

If, like me, you happen to own your own personal time machine, then you also have the luxury of being able to transport yourself back to an era when Michael Douglas was a huge fucking star. For a period in the 80’s and 90’s, Douglas was versatile enough to play a steel-nerved Wall Street tycoon, a psychopath having a nervous breakdown or a genuinely desirable business man dealing with a bad blind date and still generate serious bank at the box office. Hell, he could have released a series of cooking videos that consisted of nothing but Douglas in an apron violently sawing through reams of raw meat and then blowtorching them to a crisp and still received Oscar consideration.
But the funny thing about leading men in Hollywood is that they age, and sometimes the roles don’t age with them. Oh sure, the plot of any recent Michael Douglas film might call for a grizzled 66 year old to make an appearance onscreen, but the trouble is Douglas hasn’t quite grasped the concept that he also has to act like a 66 year old now too. Deep in denial, MD has slithered his way to the bottom of the casting barrel, occupying that ghetto of roles that call for wrinkly sleazebags who used to be hot shit with the ladies but who now are honestly physically repulsive. Douglas digs into these roles with the kind of enthusiasm that betrays the audience’s certainty that if his character ever did manage to drop his pants his withered prick would instantly disintegrate into dust.
This is the problem with Solitary Man. At first glance the script reads like a character study of a man who refuses to acknowledge he is aging – essentially, the perfect role for Douglas. However, this is the movies one single, interminable theme. MD manages to bag 18 year old bitches, throw his life away not once but twice and completely alienate his family all in the pursuit of polishing his rapidly failing charisma. And at the end...well, it’s sort of like that awkward visit to the nursing home when you get there a little bit too early and accidentally witness grandpa getting beaten by an orderly with his own belt for pissing himself for the tenth time that morning. In other words, it’s uncomfortable.
Some stars are able to age gracefully. Witness Sean Connery, a man who managed to segue from playing a badass spy to playing a sadly out of touch teacher (you’re the man now, dog!). Or Adam Sandler, who no longer always feels the need to dip into his own personal Troubled Assets Relief Program and hand out a role to handjob king Rob Schneider. Maybe the three of them could get together in the interests of saving Michael Douglas’ career, and make their own touching film about coming to terms with maturity. It could be called “Three Men and It’s A Little Too Late For Your Career.”

Jonah Hex

OPENING: 06/18/2010

STUDIO: Warner Bros.

RUN TIME: 80 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
Revenge gets ugly.
Opening Statement
Oh, man. Here I was, fairly certain that The A-Team was the low point of the summer movie season, and along comes Jonah Hex to blast my theory to hell.

Facts of the Case
Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin, No Country for Old Men) is a former confederate soldier turned bounty hunter. His never-ending supply of high-tech weaponry and his abilities to communicate with the dead give him a considerable advantage over the competition; anyone who challenges Hex isn’t likely to be alive very long. These days, Hex has revenge on his mind. His family was murdered by the evil Quentin Turnbull (John Malkovich, In the Line of Fire) years ago, and Hex has determined to go on a warpath of violence until Turnbull is dead. His mission is not only of personal importance, though. It seems that Turnbull has gotten his hands on a “nation-killing” device of sorts, and unless Hex can find him quickly, endless American lives are going to be lost.
The Evidence
That’s the basic narrative framework for Jonah Hex, an 82-minute disaster so bad that it just about has to be seen to be believed. How could things have gone this badly? I expect there’s an interesting story to be told about the trials and tribulations of putting this film together, as Jonah Hex appears to be the victim of terrible decision-making and brutal post-production tampering. There were reports of re-shoots, violence was cut out to get the rating down to PG-13, director changes, loads of script revisions, soundtrack issues and much more. Good films have occasionally been forged from troubled productions (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford comes to mind), but this is not one of those rare instances. Every problem is painfully evident on the screen, as the film serves less as a motion picture than as a reminder of just what can happen when a lot of second-guessing takes place.
The character of Jonah Hex was created for DC Comics in the 1970s as a reaction to the popularity of the sort of anti-hero western that made Clint Eastwood a star. Hex was essentially an Eastwood imitation; a quiet, gritty, mean fellow who had a tiny sliver of tenderness hiding beneath that rugged exterior. In recent years, the character has been thriving in an exceptionally involving and well-crafted comic book series written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, which delivers effectively bitter little western tales on a regular basis. Adapting any of their stories would have been a better choice than the one the filmmakers made, which was to add a bunch of new elements to the character and place him in a cinematic world that essentially attempts to fuse together elements of Wild Wild West, the James Bond franchise, Pushing Daisies and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
That may sound nifty on paper, but it leads to a disjointed experience that suffers from endless dramatic tonal shifts. One moment the film is an old-fashioned western, the next it’s an outlandish science fiction film. One moment the film is a gruff revenge thriller, the next it’s a jokey slice of camp. You get the idea. Why bother even adopting the Jonah Hex name-brand (he’s certainly not one of the more popular comic book characters) if you’re not even going to make a half-hearted attempt at staying true to what that character is all about? This would have been a forgivable sin if the film had offered something interesting on its own terms, but every “original” idea the filmmakers bring to the table belly flops. Some suggested upon seeing the trailer that Jonah Hex looked like another Wild Wild West. Regrettably, Jonah Hex makes Wild Wild West look like Casablanca.
The thing that makes Jonah Hex particularly frustrating is that it feels like once upon a time, there might have been a halfway-decent film sitting there in the editing room, just waiting to be pieced together. The whole thing has that suspicious “edited for television” feel, with climactic moments snipped out of action scenes and what appear to be the barely-recognizable remains of numerous subplots. For instance, the talented Michael Shannon is giving prominent billing, yet he’s only onscreen for about five seconds (and I only spotted him because I was looking for him). He’s onhand at an illegal fight between a big tough guy and a man who seems to have the ability to attack his opponents with snake venom. We don’t ever learn anything else about the snake guy, either. Stuff like that can be found everywhere. The soundtrack is an unholy mess, with heavy metal selections by Mastadon existing uncomfortably alongside various bits and pieces penned by Marco Beltrami and John Powell.
Truth be told, Josh Brolin is actually pretty good in the title role, convincingly grimacing his way through his scenes and delivering terse one-liners in an entertaining fashion. This is a character who deserves to headline his own movie, to be sure. It’s just that the film that surrounds Brolin is so aggressively bad; it just about kills any sense of goodwill his strong work brings to the proceedings. This is partially due to the fact that the action scenes have a tendency to drown him out (there are moments when you can barely hear what Brolin is saying because the music is cranked up so loud). Megan Fox isn’t onscreen much in her role as a prostitute with a soft spot for Hex, and she doesn’t do much of interest in the role. The supporting cast is quite impressive, and the movie astonishingly finds a way to waste everybody: Will Arnett, Aidan Quinn, Michael Fassbender, Lance Reddick, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Wes Bentley… not to mention the curiously absent Mr. Shannon.
Closing Statement
The film is so incompetent and misguided that one almost starts to pity it after a while in the same way that one might pity a wounded animal. It’s obvious that a lot of people were trying to make a movie that was cool and interesting once upon a time. Alas, after all the post-production drama, what’s left on the screen is nothing short of an atrocity.
The Verdict
1/10

The Seattle International Film Festival is now over, and as a Seattle-based film critic, I managed to get to only two movies. Thankfully, both were worth it. The second of two I saw on Saturday (note that this was the first day of over-75-degree weather Seattle has had since 2009) was a spy drama-thriller titled L-affaire Farewell, or, as us simple Americans like to call it, Farewell. The movie depicts the true story of a KGB agent who provided extremely sensitive intelligence to the West, intelligence that was so crippling it is labeled as "the beginning of the end" of the Soviet Union.Read FilmJabber's full Farewell movie review.

In 2008, the comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall debuted with relatively little fanfare. Marketing for the picture painted it as a mildly funny but otherwise unremarkable romantic comedy. Given its spring release date, I for one didn't consider it a priority. But producer Judd Apatow had once again enabled a superb product; Forgetting Sarah Marshall went on to be a small hit and one of the funniest movies of the year.Read FilmJabber's full Get Him to the Greek movie review.

Review in a Hurry: The Twi-hards will adore The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, no matter what. It's made for people who thought the first movie was quality cinema, after all, and for them, our grade...

Review in a Hurry: More of an old-fashioned screwball comedy than an action blockbuster, Knight and Day features Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz at their most charismatic, charming each...

Review in a Hurry: Another sentimental journey with some old friends, new scene-stealers and a powerful, heartfelt mix of sugar and spice. (Let's just say, there ain't a dry eye in the...

In Columbia Pictures' The Karate Kid, 12-year-old Dre Parker (Jaden Smith) could've been the most popular kid in Detroit, but his mother's (Taraji P. Henson) latest career move has landed him in China. Dre immediately falls for his classmate Mei Ying - and the feeling is mutual - but cultural differences make such a friendship impossible. Even worse, Dre's feelings make an enemy of the class bully, Cheng. In the land of kung fu, Dre knows only a little karate, and Cheng puts "the karate kid" on the floor with ease. With no friends in a strange land, Dre has nowhere to turn but maintenance man Mr. Han (Jackie Chan), who is secretly a master of kung fu. As Han teaches Dre that kung fu is not about punches and parries, but maturity and calm, Dre realizes that facing down the bullies will be the fight of his life.

Watch Rajat Barmecha, in Anurag Kashyup produced "Udaan" - the only Indian film that was in competition at Cannes this year.

The Hollywood Actor & Oscar Winning Director all set to make his acting comeback with “Edge of Darkness” after a gap of 8 long years in the film Edge of Darkness.

Indiatimes Movies presents the first look of Pradeep Sarkar’s much awaited film, ‘Lafangey Parindey’.

It seems the petite, slender has joined the big silicon bandwagon of Bollywood!

With Heroes Season 5 dead and buried, there are still the chance of a final send-off movie or two. If Heroes creator Tim Kring has his way, he’d like to finish up with a mini-series that would take place a year after Claire has revealed her powers to the world media, as seen at the [...]

Just shy of 2,300 miles from the bright lights of Hollywood in Albany, Georgia, the Sherwood Baptist Church community is working tirelessly on its fourth feature film, Courageous, which is slated for a 2011 release. Go behind the scenes and take a closer look at this filmmaking process that's currently under way.

No matter how much one insists on staging the perfect wedding, that special day doesn't always go according to plan. In this follow-up to Our Favorite TV Weddings, Part I: The Romantic, the Silly, and the Sweet, we've rounded up the televised nuptials that captured our hearts by being generally weird, wackier than expected, or otherwise going awry.

15. George Michael and Maeby, Arrested Development
George Michael, ever desperate to mack on Maeby, got thisclose! to marrying her in a fake show wedding for hospital...  More >>

Carnahan and the Scott brothers say they will use the original premise of the series as the template for an action film. In the original, four Vietnam vets convicted of armed robbery escape from military prison and became do-gooder mercenaries..

Review in a Hurry: Like a kung-fu master poised on one leg, a movie must have balance—between action and emotion, heart and head, fast and slow. This rebooted Kid wobbles, flails, and...

Review in a Hurry: Insecure hottie Katherine Heigl meets suave, muscular Ashton Kutcher during a vacation in the South of France, and she marries him swiftly. But nobody's perfect, and his...

Master gardener Paul James builds a new potting bench.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Jun 25 20:14:04 UTC 2010Air date: Sun Jul 20 00:00:00 UTC 2008Duration: 21:39

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Contents: Top · 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O<

A

• Wäinö Aaltonen (1894 – 1966)
• Magdalena Abakanowicz (1930 - )
• Yaacov Agam (1928 - )

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U

A

• Reza Abedini
• Alan Aldridge
• Otl Aicher

B

Early architects

• Abbot Suger
• Anthemius of Tralles
• Apollodorus of Damascus

Its anchors away as Paul visits some Seattle houseboat gardens.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Jun 25 20:14:04 UTC 2010Air date: Sun Sep 07 00:00:00 UTC 2008Duration: 21:39

As a string of mysterious killings grips Seattle, Bella, whose high school graduation is fast approaching, is forced to choose between her love for vampire Edward and her friendship with werewolf Jacob.

The story follows the adventures of Aang, a young successor to a long line of Avatars, who must put his childhood ways aside and stop the Fire Nation from enslaving the Water, Earth and Air nations.

Woody, Buzz and the whole gang are back. As their owner Andy prepares to depart for college, his loyal toys find themselves in daycare where untamed tots with their sticky little fingers do not play nice. So, it’s all for one and one for all as they join Barbie’s counterpart Ken, a thespian hedgehog named [...]

A group of Iraq War veterans looks to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.

Paul visits a historic blueberry farm.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Jun 25 20:14:04 UTC 2010Air date: Sun Jul 06 00:00:00 UTC 2008Duration: 21:39

Paul learns how compost becomes gardeners' gold.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Jun 25 20:14:04 UTC 2010Air date: Sun Nov 16 00:00:00 UTC 2008Duration: 21:41

Paul provides tips to extend the life of cut flowers.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Jun 25 20:14:04 UTC 2010Air date: Sun Dec 14 00:00:00 UTC 2008Duration: 21:39

Paul James visits some high school students that totally dig plants.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Jun 25 20:14:04 UTC 2010Air date: Sun Oct 19 00:00:00 UTC 2008Duration: 21:39

Paul provides safety tips, plants a tree and visits with a fig grower.Add this to your queueAdded: Fri Jun 25 20:14:04 UTC 2010Air date: Sun Nov 30 00:00:00 UTC 2008Duration: 21:39

by Tony DayoubIt's my birthday, which I share not because I want you to leave me some mushy comment (that's what Facebook is for), but because it's my way of saying this post is going to be written in the spirit of this special day. That is, I could write about the Seventies gem Five Easy Pieces (1970), which I saw last night at Atlanta's historic movie palace, the Plaza Theatre, in a restored print celebrating the film's 40th anniversary; or some marvelous presents I received today, Criterion's Blu-rays of 8 1/2 (1963) and Red Desert (1964), as well as the Blu-ray of Hitchcock's classic, North by Northwest (1959); all beautiful films which deserve deeper thoughts than I'm willing to bring forth today. Instead, I'll save those for the near future because today, I'm just kicking back, dashing off some quick notes on some of the other gifts I got today which, though excellent in every way, don't really deserve something epic in the way of critical consideration.The first gift I received was a screener for Tuesday's big new DVD release, Hot Tub Time Machine (2010), given to me by MGM Home Entertainment (who were completely unaware it was my birthday). I might have bitched about the annoying anti-piracy label which pops up randomly on each of the four corners of the screen from time to time. But why bother? This movie is the prime example of one you can completely enjoy while having a conversation, reading a book, or reminiscing about the era it depicts while you lay in your bed with your spouse, all of which I did two nights ago. Obnoxiously funny (mostly due to Rob Corddry), Hot Tub Time Machine is a movie aware of its titular shortcomings, and it wallows in them, recreating the crap-tastic "ski-resort sex comedy" (i.e., the similarly title-challenged Hot Dog... The Movie) genre stylings it pokes fun at quite expertly. Simultaneously a total waste of time and utterly hilarious, I am not reluctant to say it's worth a look.The Warner Archive Collection gifted me, also ignorant of the special occasion. Two on a Guillotine (1965) is a campy cult classic reminiscent of those gimmicky William Castle haunted house spook-fests which got more unintentional laughs than actual chills and have served as fodder for some lamentable recent remakes. What's not to love about Guillotine for this TV-baby? Directed by a pre-Cannon William Conrad, it stars a post-Hawaiian Eye Connie Stevens, a pre-Love Bug Dean Jones, and a pre-Batman Cesar Romero. Which is to say its too-earnest, noirish atmosphere is undercut by uneven second-shelf performances. Notably, it does contain the last score by the legendary Max Steiner (Gone with the Wind) did for Warner. Conrad's visual flair is also strongly supported by the crisp black-and-white photography of Sam Leavitt (Anatomy of a Murder), showcased pretty strongly by this newly remastered Manufactured-On-Demand DVD. Appearances by Parley Baer, John Hoyt, and Richard Kiel (Jaws in Moonraker) close the deal.This next present is no joke. Bestowed by my lovely wife, the new Star Trek III: The Search for Spock double CD compiled by Film Score Monthly takes me back to my childhood. James Horner's soundtrack was the first one I ever purchased on vinyl, and I played it until I memorized every anticipated hiss or pop. But FSM's package bests the original not only because of the high fidelity CD-quality affords. it offers two distinct programs, one which duplicates the 44-minute original LP, and for the first time, a second 70-minute one which duplicates the complete score as heard in the film. One of Horner's best scores, the Klingon theme, is the most memorable for reasons that may surprise listeners. It was reworked very minimally for use in James Cameron's Aliens (1986) just two years later. Anyone who hasn't visited FSM's website is missing out on a mother lode of rare film scores worth checking out. Anyway, that's it. Hope you enjoyed getting to know the more unusual corners my taste often runs to. To paraphrase my friend Chris Wadsworth's birthday message to me, May you have a Knight and Day-free weekend!

Though I wish "Please Give" were a little better, there aren't enough American movies like it.

The genetic engineering chiller "Splice" is a double helix of perversity.

M. Night Shyamalan, the man behind The Last Airbender movie, sits down for an interview with Grace Randolph!  Get the inside scoop on The Last Airbender movie from Beyond The Trailer as M. Night Shyamalan talks about how he made the movie – and which nation he’d be in!

Take a look at the movie in this special episode of Beyond The Trailer featuring a comedy sketch, BTT crew reviews, and – as always – audience reviews!

The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn movies are hitting some snags, the Paranormal Activity 2 trailer hits theaters, and Peter Jackson might direct The Hobbit – but to what end? Host Grace Randolph gives you an inside look at upcoming movies and the box office with an industry perspective!

Will Tom Cruise laugh last?  Host Grace Randolph asks audiences if this movie star has another hit on his hands!

Does Jonah Hex make it from the page to the screen in one piece? Host Grace Randolph asks audiences if Jonah Hex should be brought in dead or alive!

Never watched an episode of Avatar The Last Airbender? Host Grace Randolph gives you the lowdown on Aang, Katara, Sokka and Prince Zuko so you can be all set to watch the movie! Learn all about the world of The Last Airbender that no trailer will show you! Then enjoy the movie The Last Airbender starring Noah Ringer, Nicola Peltz, Jackson Rathbone and Dev Patel!

The sober little indie gem "Winter's Bone" is a stellar alternative to the studio dreck that has given Hollywood a case of the box office ho-hums.

by Lissette DecosIt has become painfully clear that my ever growing list of ailments must be in response to something, but what? For weeks now I've had headaches, backaches, bouts of acne, a heat sensation on my right toe, no sensation at all on my left toe, loss of appetite, irritability, inability to connect with others, and an uncontrollable desire to slap people who say they hated the final episode of the thought provoking and life fulfilling hours that made up the series Lost.This last symptom almost got me fired, but thankfully, also made me realize what the problem was. My world is a darker, more oil-slicked place without Lost. It's hard to concentrate. My mind flashes through seasons of finales, and how no matter how explosive or shocking, it always returned. Not this time. I'm like one of those depressing zebras you see on TV after lions have devoured her zebra mate. I keep nudging what's left of the lifeless carcass on the ground hoping it will move. It's just asleep. Wake up Lost. Wake up.Like all things sacred, pure and perfect, it's not as though I want to change anything about Lost, or even wish that it had continued on for endless seasons. Without pain we cannot experience pleasure. For every Jacob, we have to have a Man in Black, everybody knows that. But I do wish that I could continue to enthusiastically create, discuss and argue Lost theories until the end of my days. Our society appears to have gone internet-dark and can disconnect completely when zebras die because no sooner was it off the air than it was not okay to theorize about Lost.Add dehydration to my list of ailments because I avoid the water cooler because those losers I call co-workers no longer want to hear my theories. How can they sleep without knowing why Ben chose to stay in the sideways world of make-believe? What does he feel he has to do before he's ready? Hook up with cleaned-up Frenchie? And add hearing loss to the list of side effects since I misinterpret every question to be "What 3 things would you want on a deserted island?" And so when people ask, “Do you think Obama's doing a good job?” or “What time is it?” I reply: 1) a shirtless Sawyer, 2) a copy of Watership Down (for Sawyer) and 3) Dharma beer (for when Sawyer gets thirsty). I knew that it would be difficult. The last time I suffered post-traumatic series disorder was when Family Ties came to an end. I was losing Michael J Fox, witty, smart, and yet still sexy... Mallory, oh man. It was hard, like a punch to the stomach. But I was seventeen then. I had my whole life ahead of me. There was college to look forward to, and I was thin without trying. Add to the list of side effects, "pathetic attempts at keeping Lost alive by referencing it in everyday life." When tasks appear challenging, I'm the only one reassured by focusing on the insurmountable hurdles the Islanders were able to overcome on a weekly basis, "Well, if they can make the island disappear, we can certainly have this presentation done by Friday." When my boss went to get tested for laser eye surgery, she returned disappointed and said, "Sadly, I'm not a candidate." I responded, "Well, the good news is you're also not a candidate to protect the island."Now, you can add "jobless" to my list of issues. See, I have no initiative without some sort of Dharma Initiative. At least I have more time to make a squirrel baby.

by Tony DayoubA Star is Born is available for the first time ever on Blu-ray Tuesday, 6/22, and I should have a review up by Monday. Also available Tuesday on DVD, On Demand, and for Download, I have one copy of the Deluxe Edition 2-Disc DVD available to give away (courtesy of Warner Home Video) to the first person who can answer the following two-part question correctly. But first, the rules:Giveaway RulesThe following rules apply:1. Your full name and mailing address (no P.O. Boxes) MUST be included with your entry. (This is necessary to notify the winner, and to arrange shipping of the prizes. Specific mailing address information will be kept confidential.)2. Please write STAR in the subject line of your email.3. Both parts of the question must be answered correctly.4. Only ONE entry per person please!5. The giveaway is open only to readers who reside in the continental U.S.6. Relatives of Cinema Viewfinder's staff are not eligible to participate.Entries will be accepted until 5 p.m. Eastern time, today, June 18th, and the winner will be notified later this evening.All entries MUST be sent to the following e-mail address: contests@cinemaviewfinder.comAnd now, the Question:Though expected to win the Best Actress Oscar for A Star is Born,—her comeback film—Judy Garland lost. Name:a) The actress who won the Academy Award;b) The film for which she won it.Update: And the winner is Robert J. Waters. The correct answers are:a) Grace Kellyb) The Country GirlThank you to everyone who participated, and stay tuned to this site for more contests like this in the future.

by Tony DayoubColin (Adrien Brody) and Elsa (Sarah Polley) are new parents. Both workaholics run into the typical problems most couples do when first embarking on a trip into the world of child rearing: fatigue; frustration; ambivalence about whether they're equipped to handle the responsibility; emotional disruption of their own relationship. The unexpected conception of their baby only exarcebates these feelings, leading to tension since Colin has always been the one pushing Elsa to have a child. He later discovers Elsa's reluctance is reasonable, stemming from a fear she might follow in the footsteps of her own mentally unstable mother. Which explains why Elsa is prone not only to take refuge in their work together as superstars in the world of genetic engineering, but lapse into her 'all business' scientist persona at times of stress.Oh, did I mention their "child," Dren (Delphine Chanéac), is a hybridized clone derived from animal and human genetic splicing?Splice, directed by Vincenzo Natali (Cube), is a throwback to the kind of science fiction films you rarely see anymore, the ones that warn us not to play in God's domain lest you incur severe consequences. It is no coincidence then that its protagonists' names are an homage to two lead actors from a cinematic forerunner, 1935's The Bride of Frankenstein (for further links to film history visit Jim Emerson's blog Scanners where he catalogues a wealth of sources). Rather than fashion a derivative retread of Bride, one which would again rely exclusively on the tired trope forming its premise, Natali uses the film as a starting point for exploring the fear associated with raising a child.Like in the best examples of its genre Splice asks its questions by employing allegory—sometimes a bit too heavyhandedly. The early scene where Colin and Elsa try to force feed veggies to the chicken/slug-like Dren with a baster predictably ends with the young creature "spitting up" to the delight of moviegoers who have experienced the same with their own children. And sometimes the dialogue hits like a sledgehammer on the ears; the exchange between Colin and Elsa as they realize they haven't fooled around since Dren was born is one of these instances: "It's been a while, hasn't it?" "The exhaustion just catches up with you..." yadda-yadda, or something to that effect. But Splice's sly sense of humor is evocative of the same in Cronenberg's "body horror" films, movies which truly use the levity as comic relief to distance the viewer from the upsetting nature of the story until one is viewing it with an almost clinical detachment. And the humor-horror mashup is a longstanding tradition in cinema (I refer you again to the nearly 80-year-old Bride of Frankenstein).At times seriously disturbing, Splice is unafraid to venture even into taboo sexual territory to explore some of the stranger moral questions which often go unmentioned in the parental arena. Colin's desire for a child transforms into dread when faced with the actual responsibilty over this surrogate. But the compressed space of time in which this repulsive mewling slug metamorphoses into an enchanting siren, along with his growing disgust with his girlfriend's ethical callousness, provokes Colin to view Dren in an alarmingly erotic light. This horrific eroticism hybridizes incest and bestiality the same way the film splices together different cinematic genre staples to come up with something entirely new.What one ends up with in Splice is a film both weird and lovely, apropos of the seductive yet horrifying creature at its center. French actress Delphine Chanéac's performance as Dren reminds me of the mime-like performance of Kathryn Hays in the original Star Trek's "The Empath," a rare graceful note which elicits sympathy from its audience amidst some unsual sadism being inflicted on that show's cast of characters. In Splice, you get the same effect. Dren can be frightening, but she is more of an innocent victim at the mercy of primal instincts not even her creators are full capable of understanding. The true monsters are Colin and Elsa who exploit her to fulfill their own emotional and intellectual deficiencies. Granted, Splice has its flaws, its most prominent being a portentuous predicatability in the last act of the film. However, in a summer which has proven to be even less innovative than in years past, Splice emerges as a serious contender for recognition at the end of the year.

by Tony DayoubA couple of last week's Blu-ray releases explore their central characters in relation to the dream world they reside in. The more obvious one of course is Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland (2010). But another one—a trilogy of westerns by Sergio Leone—surveys its respective protagonists against a subtler dreamscape. More on that one in a moment.Alice in Wonderland met with such derision upon its theatrical release earlier this year I waited to address it until I could consider it further through its home release. See my knee-jerk reaction is it isn't all that bad (just as my initial gut reaction to Shutter Island—another film from earlier this year—contrasts from the consensus in how much I dislike it... look for my review of Island to finally arrive in the coming days). Because his imagery and production design are so transportive and so distinctly personal I often give Burton a pass on actual story content. With Alice I feel no need to.This is a surprisingly focused and coherent text built around a strong central performance by Australian actress Mia Wasikowska (so impressive on HBO's In Treatment). It improves on Burton's Beetlejuice (1988) by reframing its story around the young female lead instead of overindulging a jester-like character—in this case, Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter—which is wisely used here only in small doses (one huge flaw, though, is the Hatter's dissonant futterwacken moment, an anachronistic breakdance at the climax which threatens to jerk the viewer out of the film's otherwise tightly constructed dream world). This necessary adjustment becomes even more potent when one views Alice as a children's story, something I believe many reviewers were resistant to given the broader inclusiveness of adult perspectives in Burton's other movies. Wasikowska's development from a simple dreamer to reactor to enactor is a very nicely modulated performance reflected in the progressive changes of "Underland's" design throughout the film from playful surreality to the foreboding precision of a grim chessboard.The Blu-ray also enhances the experience in a way the 3D theatrical release failed (Alice in Wonderland is one of those films that was horribly converted to 3D post-production). It's image is cleaner and sharper without ever crossing the line into unnecessary edge enhancement. And it smartly utilizes its extra features to survey the strongest elements of the movie, its production design, makeup, and of particular interest, Ken Ralston's CGI work.Shifting gears to the Old West, The Man with No Name Trilogy made its debut on Blu-ray on Tuesday, June 1st (appropriately enough the day after Clint Eastwood's 80th birthday). The collection's title is a bit of a misnomer since Eastwood plays three different characters in each film, all with names, or aliases at least. The three movies are a bit of a mixed bag, with the quality of each Blu-ray disc strangely conforming to each film's level of excellence.Director Leone's first entry, A Fistful of Dollars (1964) is by far the weakest of the bunch. However that's not to say the film is bad. One can simply still detect Leone experimenting with the formal aspects which would come to define the "spaghetti western." Perhaps this is why he leaned so heavily on Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1961) (or even Hammett's Red Harvest some say) to provide the film with its text. What one feels most strongly in this one is the hallucinatory quality of the desolate landscape. Shot in the yellow desert of the Almería province in Spain, with adobe housing taking precedence over the more familiar wooden structures and ruddy terrain of domestic westerns, one immediately gets the sense of something askew. Eastwood's antihero, Joe, is an existential adjunct to his surroundings. Forget the fact that all the players seem to only live in the moment. They, and their setting, don't even seem to exist beyond the frame. It's as if there is a certain hollowness to the characters that makes them more signifiers or archetypes than anything else. Except there is a dark, passionate undercurrent running through the film best observed in the performance of Gian Maria Volontè as one of the nastier villains in the film, Ramón Rojo (an acknowledgement of Red Harvest?).Volontè gets an expanded role in For a Few Dollars More (1965), arguably the best of the bunch. Here Eastwood plays a gunfighter named Manco who teams up with Lee Van Cleef's Colonel Mortimer to kill Volonte's Indio. While Manco is motivated by money, Mortimer's motive seems to be a deeper one. Ennio Morricone, composer on the first film, returns here with one of his strongest scores, one which infuses the film with signs of an interior life in the characters for the first time in the trilogy. This is particularly acute in the case of the haunted Indio, who always listens to a musical pocketwatch he carries before killing his intended victims. It is later learned how Morricone's pocketwatch theme binds Indio and Mortimer. The dreamscape in this entry is now not just a visual one (the desolation persists to some degree with characters only making an appearance if they serve a deliberate story purpose) but an aural one as well. Bonus points go to this film for casting Klaus Kinski in one of his twitchier turns as a hunchbacked henchman of Indio's.The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the most popular of the films, mostly because of Eli Wallach's hilarious depiction of Tuco. It is a strong movie, no doubt, but it feels a bit bloated with many of Leone's tropes being layered a little too thick, i.e. the showdown between Tuco, Lee Van Cleef's Angel Eyes, and Eastwood's Blondie which is one of the lengthiest and most overwrought climaxes in the history of westerns. In this final chapter, Leone has moved beyond the chimeric to some degree incorporating historical events such as the Civil War. And the operatic emotion of Volontè is missed, although Wallach is fine in his role as comic relief.The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the same Blu-ray released last year which has a softer transfer in terms of picture. But the picture quality on the first two films retain the original graininess, a good thing for those who appreciate these grittier, raw westerns. And neither fall prey to the distortions of edge enhancement. Unfortunately, as DVD Beaver points out in their own review, the first film suffers from a bit of overcropping on the bottom and right-hand side of the picture. But this writer found it far too minimal to count it as a knock against the final product. For a Few Dollars More looks the best it ever has, with less of a reddish tint in the skin-tones and a degree of beautiful color variation most evident in scenes shot at dusk, i.e. Mortimer's final departure from the film. All three movies feature the same extras present in their Special DVD Editions.

For some time now, the new Conan movie has been filming in Bulgaria. Apparently they have just finished wrapping up that process. To mark the end of filming, they’ve just released the first official look at the new Conan the Barbarian. Here’s Jason Momoa doing his best young Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation. Enjoy the photo…

I’m on the fence about Momoa as the new Conan. But I admit to being a bit unfair on him, because of my love for Schwarzenegger’s Conan. I grew up on those films…so it’s a bit hard. Even if the originals where cheesy or weak on some respects, it doesn’t matter, I love them. I guess we’ll have to give Momoa a chance here…we’ll see how it turns out.
What do you guys think? Looking forward to this new Conan film?
The Movie Blog

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo:
A Movie Review by John David Ebert

I’m going to assume that anyone who has had any pressing need to see this film or read the book that it is based on has already done so by now, so that I can proceed to discuss the plot in detail without ruining [...]

There's no way around it: Summer is wedding season. In honor of these marital months, we've rounded up our favorite TV weddings in a two-part list. First up in Part I are the touching and beautiful unions that make you swell up with joy for the happy couple. (Stay tuned for the Part II: The Crazy and the Cringeworthy, coming soon!)

15. Gertrude and Al on All in the Family
This far-out ceremony is actually quite touching. And check it out, it's Billy Crystal in a one-time appearance on the show!

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You'd think Michael Douglas has played the charming cad once too often, but damned if he doesn't pull it off once more in grand style.

Michael Douglas, left, plays a fallen auto-sales king and relentless womanizer, and Danny DeVito is his old friend in "Solitary Man."

Christopher Nolan gives an update on villains for Batman 3 plus new details about the movie, while Disney sells tickets for Toy Story 3 on Facebook! Plus Shrek 4 is once again at the top of the box office! Host Grace Randolph gives you an inside look at upcoming movies and the box office with an industry perspective!

A pair of aliens, angered by the “stupid minds” of planet Earth, set up shop in a California cemetery. Their plan: to animate an army of the dead to march on the capitals of the world. (The fact that they have only managed to resurrect three zombies to date has not discouraged them.) An intrepid airline pilot living near the cemetery must rescue his wife from this low-budget terror.

Updated review! Where else can you find Sean Connery dressed in a red loincloth, a giant flying stone head that preaches about guns and safe sex, and a commune of everlasting hippies?

Reviewed by Ken Tucker | --

Reviewed by Ken Tucker | C+

Reviewed by Ken Tucker | B

Reviewed by Ken Tucker | B+

Reviewed by Ken Tucker | B

These are the top five episodes of the brilliant, important Roseanne with commentary.

Cameron sizzles in a bikini. Watch the exclusive trailer here...

Joe Carnahans big-screen remake of The A-Team begins with a punch to the head, an almost quaint introduction for a movie otherwise built on bullets, bombs, chases, and crashes (via car, tank, plane and helicopter).

A highbrow horror flick or the usual cheese fest?  Host Grace Randolph asks audiences if Splice is the next evolution in horror movies!

Rookie Blue is an ABC summer series about the first misadventures of rookie cops on the job. The premiere episode, titled “Fresh Paint” opens on a kind of initiation for the rookies before they start their first day. They are locked in cuffsand have to escape before they can drink, but the first one out drinks for free. It’s an interesting start to the show, which gives the audience a bit of an idea about what might make this police show stand out from the others. Though the subject matter is serious, there is a promise that we will get to see these characters have some fun as well.
As has become almost a staple for all television dramas these days, the music in the background is modern and hip. The ensemble cast is comprised of young attractive rookies who are the focus of the series. In comparison to NYPD Blue, it made me, as the audience, a little skeptical and worried that the show would prove to be a bit trite and superficial. (Personally I have expected decent cop shows to have a bit of grit.)
I was relieved when the shiny, hopeful, wide-eyed newbies meet their wizened and jaded new partners. The older cops give us a dose of reality, and this adds a promising dynamic to the show. Shortly after this, rookie Andy McNally is on a call with her new partner taking a report of a disturbance when shots are fired, signalling that the real police action of the show has begun. As Mcnally and her partner approach the scene, rookie Traci Nash and her new partner arrive as the back-up unit. There is an overdose victim in the apartment who McNally tries to revive, which is her first rookie mistake.
Dov Epstein and Gail Peck are on desk duty their first day, and Dov applies for a permit to take his gun home with him. Gail is called in to search a transgender woman for stolen drugs, but because her driver’s license designates her as male, Dov is called in to do the search.
Meanwhile, rookie Chris arrives at the shooting scene disappointed to learn that he is only required to set up police tape around the perimeter and sit with the radio. McNally and Nash are called on to search the building when McNally finds and pursues the suspects. One of them turns out to be an undercover cop involved in drug sting operation and later tries to make up for it by confronting a volatile gunman.
I am not sure what to make of this police drama. It is fast paced, full of good character tension and has what I consider to be a good premise, but it seems to lack a little of the grit that I have come to expect from police drama. Time will tell as this series develops.

Under the title "L'ouragan scopique" (The scopic hurricane), the Cinémathèque française dedicates four programmes (June 27th & July 23rd) to the vertical cinema of italian experimental filmmaker and fotographer Paolo Gioli (Sarzano, 1942). The retrospective will cover Gioli's entire film career, from his beginnings in the early 70s, when he was in contact with the seminal Cooperativa Cinema Indipendente, to his latest films. Those unable to attend the screenings, can also discover Gioli's cinema through the DVD editions 'Film di Paolo Gioli' (Raro Video) and 'Paolo Gioli - Il cinema dell'impronta' (Kiwido).

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It is one of the tools used by governments to filter out unwanted information and to prevent the spread through the World Wide Web. It is a phenomenon of staggering proportions that affects over 25% of the global population.
According to the latest data released on OpenNet Initiative and Reporters Without Borders 12 are the countries which have adopted a form of Internet censorship at a pervasive or substantial level. China, with a population of over 1.3 billion people and 360 million active users of the Internet is by far the nation in which the censors’ activity affects the highest number of citizens, followed in their list by Iran, Vietnam and Egypt.
It is striking to note that based on these figures, approximately 1.72 billion people are affected by the Internet censorship: a significant information which corresponds to 25.3% of the planet population estimated to be 6.79 billion people.
Moreover, in many cases, the censorship is not limited to filter the information accessible via the web but it also becomes a tool used by governments to fight their opponents. As reported by Reporters Without Borders China, Vietnam, Iran, Syria, Egypt and Burma (Myanmar) are the countries in which censorship is applied as a form of repression. China leads these sad standings with 72 netizens imprisoned, followed by Vietnam (17) and Iran (13), Syria (4) Egypt and Burma (2).
No data is available for North Korea.
© 2010 Woork Up
Sources:
OpenNet Initiative
Reporters Without Borders
Internet World Stats
Wolfram Alpha

Human or immortal? Werewolf or vampire? Marriage or college? These are the kinds of choices Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) faces in David Slade's fast-paced "Eclipse," the third chapter in Stephenie Meyer's beloved "Twilight" saga. You, however, have no such dilemmas.

There are several reasons to assume "Knight and Day" is a smarter-than-average action comedy. It was made by James Mangold, whose resume includes the Oscar-winning "Walk the Line." Leads Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are seasoned experts who can seduce audiences with little more than a smile. And Patr

The comedy of discomfort that runs through "Cyrus" is often about several things at once. But the most prevalent emotion in this quirky yet genuine movie is the awkwardness that comes with trying to fit into someone else's life. We all have routines, but the characters in "Cyrus" have complicated sy

In "Toy Story 3," working with millions of pixels and with feelings so large they take your breath away, the filmmakers actually capture what it means to be alive.