Fall Movies: October

Scroll down to Sunday's post for a full explanation, but these are some notable October movie releases. A green light means I want to see it, a yellow means I'm undecided, and a red means uh-uh.


October 5: The Heartbreak Kid (YELLOW)
Pretty much any Ben Stiller comedy should be firmly in the "caution" category, at the very least. The Farrellys have slid into the "stop" sign territory now. "There's Something About Mary" seems so very long ago. Now the Farrelly brothers are trying to get a boost from Stiller's cachet. Will this retooling of an old Charles Grodin comedy turn out to be special? How can any Charles Grodin comedy, retooled or otherwise, turn out special?

5: Grace is Gone (YELLOW)
Used to be I'd go see just about anything with John Cusack in it, but sometime in the past year or so, he's been in a lot of stuff that I just haven't seen. I mean, I'm at the store the other day, and I see he did a hitman movie with Morgan Freeman. When did that happen? Anyway, this one sounds like a downer, with Cusack a widowed dad who struggles to tell his kids their Mom was killed in Iraq. Something a big different, perhaps, for Cusack, and I'd like to see him pull it off and show a little something else.
Well, even if it doesn't work, maybe he'll have Cubs games to look forward to in October.

5: Michael Clayton (GREEN)
What's remarkable about the career of George Clooney isn't that he says he wants to make savvy character-driven films that have something to say. What's remarkable is that when he makes one, I believe he'll pull it off. He didn't direct this legal thriller, but he is a driving creative force, and I am ready to check this out, especially now that I know this ISN'T a biopic of the Tampa Bay Bucs wide receiver. Eriq LaSalle's Joey Galloway project is still in development, though.

12: Elizabeth: The Golden Age (YELLOW)
I know we're supposed to want to see this follow-up to Cate Blanchett's original turn as Lizzie, but...you know, I wasn't a big fan of the original, even if it did get a crownload of award nominations. I just don't have a burning desire to see the character revisited, but if everyone starts throwing out award talk again--and let's face it, Cate Blanchett playing royalty seems to be a lock already--I'll probably feel obligated to buy a ticket.

12: Sleuth (YELLOW)
You just don't go remaking Larry Olivier and Mikey Caine movies! You hear me? Who do these people think they are?
Oh, well, actually, one of them is Michael Caine? Oh. Carry on, then! Caine is in the Olivier part this time, and Jude Law steps into the Michael Caine role, and I don't mean the role of starring in dozens of crappy movies to get paychecks. Although, come to think of it, Jude was quite prolific there for a few years, and not every one of those flicks was a smash...Hmm...

12: We Own the Night (YELLOW)
The director of "The Yards" promises some more GRITTINESS with this crime drama starring Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg. Let me tell you, if those two own the night, I'm investing in the DAY, you know what I mean? Good, because I don't.

19: 30 Days of Night (YELLOW)
I'm not so big on horror flicks, but this one, based on the popular comic book, could be interesting. Could be. Vampires all over the place, mayhem, and whatnot. I certainly won't dismiss this one out of hand.

19: Gone Baby Gone (GREEN)
Come on, you KNOW "Directed by Ben Affleck" means GOLD.
Seriously, though, it became cool to rag on Affleck at some point--OK, pretty much as soon as he started acting--but you know what? As bad as his acting choices have been, the guy says the right things in interviews and seems to "get it." He's trying to maintain a family now, and I kinda want him to do well with this Dennis Lehane adaptation. He may well have it in him, though his casting bro Casey in a lead role makes me a little nervous.

First Clooney, then Affleck--why is it I want to make every heartthrob actor into a filmmaking genius? EARN this, Affleck. EARN this.

26: Saw IV (RED)
No worries about filmmaking genius here. I skipped the first 3. Why start now?

Rhetorical Pop Quiz: Blender Magazine

Why in the world is Andy Samberg on the cover of this month's issue of "Blender," ostensibly a music magazine?

A) There are only so many topless music starlets to spotlight, and half of them already appeared recently on Rolling Stone.

B) Cover subjects are chosen months ahead, and someone clearly thought Samberg's movie "Hot Rod" WOULDN'T bomb.

C) Andy Samberg is enough of a musician. He performed with Justin Timberlake! Come on! Besides, he was #1 on Blender's Hot 100 list and earned the cover that way.

I don't know what the answer is, folks, but I do know that this magazine compounded the error of putting that guy's goofy mug on its cover by running inside the pages one of the least sexy pictures ever of Scarlett Johansson. A nice chance at a make-good of sorts ruined.

Blender had better get its act together next month. A cover of a musician, or at least a comedian worth hyping, would be a good start.

Fall Movies: September

(Check my previous post for the full setup, but green light means I want to see, yellow light means I'm not sure, red light means no way, Jose)

September 7: 3:10 to Yuma (GREEN)

This is a remake of a fine western, but while the Glenn Ford-Van Heflin original holds up well with its slow-building tension, its ending was weak, and it's not untouchable. In other words, let's not bitch about Hollywood being out of ideas, etc. It is out of ideas, but let's not bitch about it. Instead, be thankful someone decided it was OK to make aWestern. I plan to support the concept, and hopefully Russell Crowe and Christian Bale reward my effort.

7: The Brothers Solomon (RED)

We all loved Will Arnett on Arrested Development, but not enough to pay just to see him in a film. And Will Forte doesn't pry those greenbacks from me, either.

7: Hatchet (RED)

Uh, no.

7: Shoot 'Em Up: (YELLOW)

Action comedy about Clive Owen guarding a baby from Paul Giamatti's bad-ass criminal. WHA? Is this a wacky romp or a real action movie? Or both? Call ME wacky, but I'm intrigued.

14: In the Valley of Elah (YELLOW)

Paul Haggis is back, and he sounds preachy again. I'll wait for the reviews.

14: Eastern Promises (YELLOW)

Cronenberg and Viggo reunite for another crime-filled funfest. I'm leaning green on this one.

14: The Brave One (YELLOW)

Speaking of talented veteran filmmakers, here's the latest Neil Jordan movie. Jodie Foster is playing another Strong Woman, but this time she's got a gun, and she's out for revenge. OK, that happened in a few other of her recent movies, but this time I think she's going all vigilante. That sounds kind of cool.

14: Across the Universe (GREEN)

I live, I breathe; therefore I love the Beatles. But this musical project, notwithstanding director Julie Taymor's proven talent, has mess written all over it. The cast is singing the songs, too, not the lads themselves, and this movie has an air of trouble. I don't think I can resist, though, and it's not because I think I saw Salma Hayek dancing in a nurse costume in the trailer.

21: Resident Evil: Extinction (RED)

Uh, no.

21: The Jane Austen Book Club (RED)

Uh, no.

21: Into the Wild: (YELLOW)

With Sean Penn directing this adaptation of Jon Krakauer's 1996 bestseller, we know we're in for a real laugh riot. Like many Americans, I bought that book. Like I don't know how many Americans, I never got around to reading it.

21: Untitled Jesse James Project: (YELLOW)

Actually, this does have a title, but it's too long and typing it annoys me. Hey, it's another Western, though! This Brad Pitt starrer looks at the man that shot Jesse James. Could be worth a look.

28: The Game Plan (RED)

I loved the Rock in the WWE. Too bad he keeps making crap movies instead of the breakout blockbuster everyone thought was in him. Watch this one--where he plays a pro footballer who discovers he has a 7-year-old daughter--be a smash.

28: The Kingdom (YELLOW)

I keep seeing this described as "CSI: Saudi Arabia," like that's supposed to excite me. I just can't get into this one. Check out this bolded quote in Entertainment Weekly from director Peter Berg about his movie's politics: It's kind of like tricking a kid to do his homework. You've got to make it fun." Way to sell the movie, dude. If Jamie Foxx is the "fun" part, there had better be some damn enlightening stuff in the homework part.

Welcome to Fall Movie Week

Welcome to Fall Movie Week, during which I give my first impulse reaction to some of the more notable movies appearing this September, October, November, and December (yeah, December doesn't really feel like autumn to me, either, but it technically is, and anyway, Entertainment Weekly included the month in ITS preview).

Using a basic system, I'll let you know what I want to see, what I don't want to see, and what I'm still "eh" on. (Green) for green light=yep, definitely want to see. (Yellow) means I might wait for reviews, or maybe I'll see if it someone I know asks. Or I could wait for DVD. It could go either way. (Red) means uh-uh, no way am I going to pay upwards of 10 George Washingtons to see that in a theater.

Now, things could change as time passes and I learn more, see new trailers, etc., but these are my first impulses. I'll cover one month a day, and my selection of movies won't be comprehensive, but I'll try to include the biggies.

Ready? Cool. We'll start later with a look at what's coming out this month.

DVD of the Week: The Odd Couple Season Two (and an editorial comment or 3)

The Odd Couple, one of my favorite shows of all time, is an easy pick for DVD of the week and the week before it. This Paramount sitcom is funny, it holds up today, and it hasn't been rerun to death in recent years (or at all lately on a national basis). All 5 seasons should be out, and we're now at least 40% there.

Jack Klugman and Tony Randall were one of the all-time great comedy teams, and it's a wonderful show. Many fans, and even Klugman and Randall, have maintained the show really took off after that first season. Towards the end of that debut run, the stars convinced ABC to let them switch to a "filmed before a live audience" format, and the energy, performances, and look of the show all changed for the better. Though that first season was quite good, a lot of people are more anticipating the next 4.

I won't spend this whole post praising "The Odd Couple," but this set contains memorable episodes like the one where Felix sings the "Oscar, Oscar, Oscar" calypso song and the one where they go to the fat farm. It really is great to get these on video.

BUT. There's almost always a BUT with fans of classic TV on DVD. Will the show be chopped up? Will the music be replaced? Will these be careless transfers from worn syndication prints or has there been a restoration effort? No studio is reliable on these fronts, and we can't be confident about any single release until copies of the actual discs reach the hands of reviewers. Even then, a high-profile outlet like Entertainment Weekly usually can't be bothered to answer those questions.

When classic movies come out on DVD, people expect unedited versions, but for some reason, people accept much less when it comes to TV episodes. If we want hacked-up episodes, we can turn to TV Land. DVD should be the home of uncut programs, but that's not always the case.

Paramount has started putting a standard disclaimer on seemingly all its TV releases telling us that the show may have been screwed with--not in those words, but that's the general idea. So with the release of this and The Fugitive several weeks ago, loyal fans have held their breath wondering what could have been changed. At least music replacements can be minor, but what if someone screwed up and threw a syndie episode in with several minutes of the original gone?

It's a shame that fans can't pre-order their favorite show with full confidence, especially since old shows are often MIA at brick and mortars. I was pleasantly surprised to see a photo of The Odd Couple in last week's Circuit City ad, but there was no sign of this release in the Best Buy or Target circulars. The studios will point out old shows sell far lower units than newer ones, but time after time, I read about or experience people being shocked to find an old show is on video. After all, they have never seen it in a store.

Classic TV deserves better. On the bright side, Paramount got this set out, and by all accounts, the picture quality is great, and while some music is different, the episodes are otherwise intact. I lurked on a message board for fans of the show and enjoyed reading numerous posts of die-hards who were discovering scenes that haven't been aired for years (if at all) in syndication. This is what DVD is for--rescuing the good stuff from the butchers who slice it to add commercial time.

BUT I have another BUT. While the first season set was attractively packaged and enhanced with cool extras, this second season edition comes in a simple plastic case with zero bonuses. Paramount went cheap on this one, and perhaps we should be thankful to get the mostly uncut shows, but I could have sworn I read DVD producer Paul Brownstein was working on more extras than the ones we've already seen. What happened to them? Will we see them at all? Does it depend on the sales?

We just don't know. In fact, we don't even know at this point if there will be any more seasons. The uncertainty is one of the reasons why being a collector of classic TV is so difficult.

This Week (and Last Week) in DVD

The last few weeks have been such dull ones for new DVD releases that I didn't even want to write about them. The one notable exception is the DVD of the week (OK, the last two weeks), which I'll talk about later. Other than that, it's an uninspiring batch.

However, when I saw the cover of the Bruce Willis-Halle Berry thriller "Perfect Stranger," something hit me: the theme song from 1980s sitcom "Perfect Strangers." I don't remember even liking that show, but I saw my share of episodes, and that song popped in my brain right as I was wondering if this was an erotic thriller or just a creepy thriller with one gratuitous shot of Halle Berry in her unmentionables.

The juxtaposition was disturbing, as I imagined Bronson Pinchot getting it on with Halle Berry. Before I could say "Don't be ridiculous," in a wacky accent, the situation was there. I couldn't look at this movie the same way again. Or at all, really.

As disconcerting as that scenario was, it made me think perhaps other recent DVDs would be made more interesting, if not better, by inserting Balki and Cousin Larry in them. Let's find out if that's the case as we look at some notable DVDs of the last two weeks:

The Ex: Why is Zach Braff in every third movie that comes out now? We get it: Zach Braff is young, a bit on the slacker-ish side, and is faced with decisions about his future. YAWN! Shouldn't these kinds of roles have gone to a young Mark Linn-Baker 25 years ago? He could have ruled the 1980s, and maybe his "eclectic" soundtrack selections would have made some band like The JoBoxers huge.

Blades of Glory: This Will Ferrell-Jon Heder ice skating farce didn't do it for me. But what if Bronson Pinchot and Mark Linn-Baker in their primes lent their talents to this promising concept? Comedy Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

Friday Night Lights Season 1 and Heroes Season 1: OK, these are DVDs worthy of attention--about the only two shows worth watching on NBC last year. But I can't get too excited about them. I just saw every episode, for cry-yi-yi, and I don't need to own them yet. But if Balki showed up as a superpowered Meiposian on an episode of Heroes and provided a commentary, well, that's another story. And shouldn't there be an episode of FNL in which Cousin Larry shows up as a rival coach? Yes, there should.

Desperate Housewives Season 3 Dirty Laundry Edition: Yes, "Dirty Laundry Edition" is a (don't be) ridiculous title, but it will sell better than "Better than that weird second season, but we're never gonna reach that peak of the first season Edition." Hey, who better play that rumored gay couple on Wisteria Lane this season than everybody's favorite Perfect Strangers?

Georgia Rule: I can't help but think Lindsay Lohan's life would be a lot smoother right now if she had only had the calming presence of a Bronson Pinchot on set when she made this movie.

Delta Farce: Hey, Larry the Cable Guy, can't you find room in your silly movie for Cousin Larry or Balki? Give something BACK, dude!

Turns out that this weak crop of DVDs IS more interesting with the Perfect Strangers connection. Go figure. Oh, by the way, "Perfect Strangers" is not on DVD.