tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88715498959313171512008-07-24T08:50:05.659-04:00Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-54672547958428271072008-07-23T17:00:00.004-04:002008-07-23T17:14:19.216-04:00

Bottle Shock could be that little-film-that-could that appears sometime after blockbuster season every year. You know which one. The one that may not open at #1 in the weekend box office tallies, but hangs out in the top ten for 6-8 weeks. Last year it was Juno. The year before... was it Little Miss Sunshine? Slowly building word of mouth, these critical successes snowball into popular ones as

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-39246457588965204032008-07-22T13:56:00.002-04:002008-07-22T16:49:51.006-04:00

CBS sent me the pilot to their new romantic comedy, The Ex List, set to debut on October 3rd. Based on a hit Israeli TV series, Mythological X, it was developed by Diane Ruggiero (Veronica Mars) and stars the charming Elizabeth Reaser (Grey's Anatomy). The premise is intriguing. Reaser plays Bella, a cute, but self-absorbed, flower shop owner. Out for her sister Daphne's (Rachel Boston)

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-28299052204903780792008-07-22T10:18:00.013-04:002008-07-22T14:52:17.401-04:00

If you've seen the current incarnation of Battlestar Galactica, then you know it does for science fiction drama what The Dark Knight does for comic book movies. It elevates it past its genre trappings to reflect on today's world events. But for those who don't buy into spaceships and the like, for those who like their drama a little more grounded, comes a prequel called Caprica. More of a

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-27015683627162804882008-07-19T14:26:00.010-04:002008-07-22T13:31:21.741-04:00

Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is the second act of the epic he started in Batman Begins (2005). It is now becoming clear that he is not satisfied in simply rehashing the familiar story of The Batman (Christian Bale). Slowly emerging from behind the vigilante's cape is a more ambitious crime saga that is really an examination of the corrupt, made-up city of Gotham. There are nods to other

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-41413817084779159802008-07-19T11:50:00.001-04:002008-07-22T14:50:53.033-04:00

All summer, I had slowly been getting caught up in the Batmania gripping the country this weekend... as I did when I was a five-year old catching episodes of the Adam West series on The Skipper Chuck Show on WTVJ in Miami... as I did in June of 1989, when I went to the midnight screening of Tim Burton's Batman at the General Cinemas' Miracle Center 10... as I had been doing now, trying to

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-91817958902820445052008-07-18T09:40:00.005-04:002008-07-22T14:49:49.579-04:00

The release of The Dark Knight today, and the upcoming San Diego Comic Con, bring us the start of a new wave of publicity promoting next year's genre films. One to definitely keep your eye on is Watchmen, Zack Snyder's adaptation of the graphic novel widely considered to be one of the best of all time, and in fact, one of the best pieces of literature of the last hundred years (by Time Magazine

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-4003653424779868702008-07-18T02:31:00.008-04:002008-07-24T08:50:05.735-04:00

Take a good look! That's not Leonard Nimoy or William Shatner in the picture. Starting counterclockwise from bottom left, that's Zachary Quinto (Heroes) as Spock, Chris Pine (Bottle Shock) as James T. Kirk, Zoe Saldana (Vantage Point) as Uhura, and Eric Bana (Troy) as the villainous Romulan, Nero. This is the first image promoting the cast of 2009's eagerly anticipated Star Trek, as reimagined

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-3416142642456633402008-07-17T08:00:00.007-04:002008-07-22T14:46:27.700-04:00

Released last month on DVD, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, starring Martin Lawrence, is a surprisingly enjoyable and laugh-filled comedy that should find some fans in the post-release market. I sound surprised because I'm not generally a fan of Lawrence's over-the-top humor. Watching his sitcom was like running nails down a chalkboard for me, perhaps because a little of him goes a long way. Here he

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-51930213180243628242008-07-15T17:00:00.001-04:002008-07-22T14:43:27.755-04:00

My DVD pick this week is this spring's sleeper hit, The Bank Job, directed by Roger Donaldson (Thirteen Days). This little gem surprised me. I admire its streamlined "all business" procedural attitude, and the fact that not a minute is wasted on extraneous character touches. Note the use of the word "extraneous," for it doesn't mean that character personalities are ignored. Just the opposite, as

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-5953555492108637812008-07-14T17:17:00.003-04:002008-07-22T14:45:27.345-04:00

Mexican Guillermo Del Toro has had a curious bifurcated career thus far. While the average viewer would claim that he is simply a horror/fantasy director, that slash has been a much wider one than one would think. In this country, he's been known for his fun horror flicks, Mimic, Blade II, and Hellboy, which are terrific B-movies. On the other hand, his Spanish language films, while rooted in

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-43321845491021719172008-07-09T13:11:00.003-04:002008-07-22T14:40:34.032-04:00

The Indiana Jones franchise, while loved by many, appeals to adults more than Star Wars (1977), which is a lot more kid-friendly on its face. Nineteen years since the last Indy film, all the kids that knew him have grown, and the character had dropped out of the public eye to a larger degree than Star Wars ever did. Many of them have started to share the first trilogy with their children, and

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-48163205394541290542008-07-07T08:11:00.009-04:002008-07-22T14:48:37.249-04:00

The proliferation of superhero movies in the last decade is evident. Just take a look at the summer movie calendar. You've got Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Wanted, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, The Dark Knight, and one from the new emerging subgenre of postmodern takes on comic book heroes, Hancock. And I can't shake the nagging doubt that I forgot one. So it should seem as no surprise that

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-66512760877730711812008-07-03T08:51:00.001-04:002008-07-22T22:52:51.337-04:00

Why someone hadn't thought of this yet is a surprise to me. Available on July 8, Warner Premiere's newest direct-to-DVD release, Batman: Gotham Knight, is an anime-influenced feature that ostensibly bridges the gap between Batman Begins and the yet to be released The Dark Knight. It is reminiscent in tone and design to Warner's earlier tie-in to the Matrix trilogy, The Animatrix. But just as

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-46015606157802338142008-07-02T19:07:00.008-04:002008-07-22T22:51:04.125-04:00

Beginning on July 10th on NBC.com, you'll be able to catch webisodes of The Office to hold you till fall's season premiere. They'll revolve around Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) and his attempts to pay his gambling debts. Check out a preview below to find out what other characters are featured. Let me know what you think of the preview in the comments section. Thanks to Watch with Kristin for the

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-90886606085399882302008-07-01T08:43:00.002-04:002008-07-22T22:48:43.697-04:00

Wong Kar Wai's films live in the space between romantic daydreaming and obsessive longing. His films dwell in the ether that hangs over nostalgia for an ex-lover, where one idealizes all of that person's qualities and flaws fade away. Music that may have played in the background of a long ago encounter is never forgotten. It twists itself around melancholy images, tapping repetitively against

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-86508829749104786222008-06-30T15:25:00.002-04:002008-07-22T22:46:51.013-04:00

Available tomorrow on DVD, Shotgun Stories is one of the best films of 2007. Produced by indie stalwart David Gordon Green (George Washington), first-time director Jeff Nichols' film resembles some of the quiet, rural stories Green has such an affinity for. Green has cited Terrence Malick (Badlands) as a major influence in his work, and one can see (evident in this photo) the lineage extends on

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-56076713418991910092008-06-24T12:46:00.001-04:002008-07-22T22:45:47.541-04:00

Place me firmly in the camp of those that think that Ang Lee's Hulk (2003) is almost criminally underrated. Bringing his art house sensibilities to the project, Lee chose to focus on the complex, rage-filled father and son relationship that fueled Bruce Banner's anger management issues. Giving it an icy counterpoint in the father-daughter relationship between his girlfriend and her dad, the

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-73875247101520691482008-06-23T20:04:00.002-04:002008-07-22T22:44:16.322-04:00

The Bucket List is a cliche-ridden movie that is elevated by the casting of Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. Seeing these two veterans bring different colors to this retread of Grumpy Old Men is one of the few things to recommend about this film. It's unfortunate, too. The concept of trying to complete everything on your list of things to do before you kick the bucket is intriguing. But one

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-43023446550933637852008-06-20T07:24:00.006-04:002008-07-22T22:43:01.780-04:00

This is probably the best trailer I've seen for a movie since the one for Forrest Gump. Don't take that to mean anything. I ended up passionately hating that film. But I do know many out there that consider it their favorite movie. I have high hopes for this one. It reunites Brad Pitt with his greatest director, David Fincher, who directed him in Se7en and Fight Club. Based on the short story

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-27120820564048539582008-06-19T08:51:00.003-04:002008-07-22T22:41:43.831-04:00

Here are a couple of smaller movies for you to check out today. What do they have in common? Each stars an actor with mass appeal in their more lighthearted mainstream appearances, John Cusack and Matthew Perry, who sometimes fail to connect with audiences in more dramatic roles. However, both of these little gems are worth your time. The first, Grace is Gone, stars Cusack as Stanley Phillips, a

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-60946393116066871182008-06-16T20:28:00.003-04:002008-07-22T22:39:39.600-04:00

Hosted by Bettany Hughes, When the Moors Ruled in Europe is a stunningly beautiful and informative documentary that debunks a lot of the myths associated with the Moors' invasion of Europe. In the course of doing that, it also illuminates the rich and advanced Muslim society of the Middle Ages, presenting an alternative view of the Islamic culture that has, unfortunately, become our society's

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-18211371293920717622008-06-09T18:23:00.004-04:002008-07-22T22:37:32.853-04:00

Making its long awaited debut on DVD recently, is the 1967 cult favorite, The Invaders. Starring Roy Thinnes as brooding architect David Vincent, The Invaders lasted only two seasons. But what a dramatically rewarding and influential two seasons they were. The 5-disc set contains all seventeen episodes of the first season, including an extended edition of its pilot, "Beachhead". In addition to

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-30403875092589536352008-06-09T00:33:00.004-04:002008-07-23T15:10:32.299-04:00

Surfwise opened this weekend here, in Atlanta, at the Midtown Art Cinemas, and it is a welcome breath of fresh air for those tired of the summer blockbuster rollout. Doug Pray's documentary is an even-handed look at the quirky Paskowitz clan, often referred to as the first family of surfing. Patriarch, Dr. Dorian "Doc" Paskowitz, left a promising career behind after two divorces to move to

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-16208827771007500672008-06-07T11:25:00.003-04:002008-07-23T15:08:09.809-04:00

The Andromeda Strain (2008), released on DVD this week, is the second version of Michael Crichton's 1969 novel put on film. Having just premiered on A&E on Memorial Day, I was looking forward to seeing an updated adaptation. The first time it was adapted to screen by directing great Robert Wise, it was very popular and suspenseful. Tracking the analysis, identification, and attempt to contain a

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871549895931317151.post-25070689477400905952008-06-04T18:33:00.002-04:002008-07-23T15:07:05.286-04:00

I'd like to thank all of my readers for being patient as I went through this past month trying to keep my head above water without a computer. Why did it take me so long to replace it? Well just imagine everything that could go wrong actually going wrong. From an initial misdiagnosis of the problem that turned out to be much more serious, to trying to find the right laptop so this won't happen

Tony Dayoubhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632329277519635858noreply@blogger.com