Bull Durham's Hot Corner

Merry Christmas

2006-12-24T11:20:00.000-08:00

The story of the birth of Jesus as told by Matthew and Luke…

While Joseph was engaged, before they had consummated their union, he discovered that she was already with child. He was a good man and did not want her to suffer any shame so he decided it would be best to divorce her quietly.

As he considered his options an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. The child that grows within her womb was conceived by the Holy Spirit; it will be a boy and you will name him Jesus because he has come to rescue men from sin.”

Now all of this came about to fulfill a prophecy spoken by Isaiah centuries before when he foretold of a virgin that would conceive and bear a child named Emmanuel, which means God is with us.

After Joseph awoke from his dream he did as he was told and wed Mary, but he did not consummate the marriage until after the child they named Jesus was born.

In those days, sometime during the spring of what we now calculate to be somewhere between 3 and 5 BC, Caesar Augustus called for census of the known Roman world. Everybody had to be enrolled, and each registered in the town of their heritage. So Joseph, being a descendant of David, took Mary with him from Galilee and they went to Bethlehem.

While they were there she delivered a child and put him in a manger because there were no rooms available in town.

And this is how we know it took place in the spring, because a group of shepherds in the vicinity of Bethlehem were out tending their sheep by night. An angel of the Lord also appeared to them, shining with the glory of the Lord, which frightened them to the very core.

But the angel said, “Do not be afraid! I bring you good news of joy for all the people of the world, for today a child is born in the city of David—a savior—who is Christ the Lord. This is how you will know it is true: you will find a babe wrapped in strips of cloth lying in a manger.”

Suddenly, a multitude of angels appeared in the heavens praising God, saying, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace and goodwill toward men.”

After the angels disappeared from the sky, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go over to Bethlehem and see what God has shared with us with our own eyes.”

With haste they went until they found Mary, Joseph, and the child, lying in the manger just as they had been told. Afterward, they told everybody about what they had been told concerning this child, but Mary kept all these things to herself, pondering them in her heart.

In accordance with Jewish custom and law, Jesus was circumcised on the eight day and when the time came for their purification they took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. There they dedicated the child to God and made sacrifices of two turtledoves or two pigeons in accordance with the law.

It was there they met a man named Simeon, a righteous and devout man filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit had revealed to him that he would not pass from this earth before he had seen the Christ. So the spirit led him to the temple that day and when Mary and Joseph presented the child, he took him in his arms and blessed God saying, “Now let me leave this world in peace, Lord because my eyes have seen your salvation prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Gentiles and for the glory of your people of Israel.

Anna, an elderly widowed prophetess, who never left the temple because she worshiped with fasting and prayer both night and day, also gave thanks to God and spoke to all those looking for redemption in Jerusalem.

Wise men, Magi from East, came to Jerusalem after the birth of Christ asking, “Where is the child that has been born, the king of the Jews? We have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him.”

When Herod heard of this, he was greatly troubled, as were many others in the city of Jerusalem, including the chief of priest and the scribes of the people. He gathered them together and asked them where the Christ was to born, they told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, as the prophets have foretold.”

Herod called for the Magi in secretly and ascertained the time at which the star had appeared, then he sent them onward to Bethlehem saying, “ God and find the child and when you do, please send me word so that I too may go and worship him.”

Once they resumed their journey, the star, which they had seen in the East, led them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Upon seeing the star, they rejoiced and when they saw the child with his mother Mary they fell down and worshiped him and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

But God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod and so they to another route back to their home country. An angel appeared to Joseph in another dream and said, “Take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt until I tell you it is safe. Herod is about to search to the child in order to kill him.” There they remained until the death of Herod.

Herod, realizing the Magi had duped him, was furious. He ordered all the male children both in Bethlehem and throughout the region under the age of two put to death. This fulfilled a prophecy spoken by Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled because they were no more.”

When Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared again to Joseph down and Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and return home.”

So they returned to Galilee and the city of Nazareth, where the child grew and became strong in stature, filled with wisdom; and in favor with God and man.

The apostle John wrote that The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever should believe in him might have everlasting life.”

The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus brought Salvation to all mankind.

Peace! And on earth, goodwill toward men!

The Starting Lineup

2006-05-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

We're Back for the Summer!

Poseidon R
Starring: Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, Jacinda Barrett, Richard Dreyfuss, Jimmy Bennett
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
View Trailers & Clips

Goal! The Dream Begins R
Starring: Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Marcel Iures, Stephen Dillane, Anna Friel
Director: Danny Cannon
View Trailer

Just My Luck PG-13
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, Samaire Armstrong, Bree Turner, Faizon Love
Director: Donald Petrie
View Trailer

Journals, Blogs, and Novels... Oh, My!

2006-02-06T04:55:00.000-08:00

Movie reviews have had to take a backseat for the past six months and I still have several major projects that require my immediate attention so I'm not too sure when I'll be able to get back here and give this place its proper due. I have a few free moments right now, so I'll explain.

My screenplay, Coffee, Tea, or Me, is one step closer to becoming a feature film. I have to do yet another rewrite on it though. It doesn't involve changing too much aside from trimming it down, but it does include one major change to the back-story and that will alter the entire script in one way or another. That'll take some time.

On the recommendation of several involved in bringing CTM to the big screen, I started a novel of the same name. I've finished the first two chapters.

I gave LDR another slash-job, too. It's now a tight 108 pages. I just shared it with another writer who loved it so much she wants to hook me up with her litterary agent, so that looks promising, too.

I've started another novel called Teammates about four friends who played football together in high school, but went on to experience quite different lives. Much of it will be autobiographical so I can work out some of my angst, of which there is an over-abundance these days due to current events out here.

Wife bought me a snazzy new journal for Christmas and that's just given me an excuse to ignore this place even more.

Our fledgling production company, El Jefe Media, Inc., had a great start in December, but we've fallen back in January and February looks like it will be slow as well. On the other hand, we'll probably be get it rolling like gangbusters come March, and that will take some time.

Once El Jefe gets rolling, I plan on using a great deal of my time running a handful of movie-related web sites as another source of income.

That's if for now. More later...

Hicksville

2005-12-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

Don’t get me wrong. I love West Texas. The people are fabulous, the economy is booming, and the cost of living simply can’t be beat. I have a job that brings in a steady paycheck that lets me have more fun sometimes than one man should possibly be allowed to have.

Still, I wish I had the cash flow to open a theatre out here because the ones we have serve as a constant reminder that, in a very real way, I still reside in Hicksville.

Take last night, for example. The wife and I decided we wanted to go see King Kong. I had just finished officiating a friends wedding so we rushed home to check out the movie times online. Low and behold, there were no movie times posted! Get with the times, people! You mean to tell me that I can see what’s playing in Big Spring, but I can’t find any listings for the Hollywood Permian Palace in Odessa? We wound up checking the times the old fashioned way—by calling in.

Wait! It gets worse.

When we arrive at the theatre the line is crawling right out the front door and, since the so-called Permian Palace is in a mall, I had to park somewhere near Imperial. I dropped the wife off at the entrance and made my pilgrimage to join her in due haste. I was amazed to discover that only ONE person was selling tickets. They have enough accommodations for four, but apparently they’re so cheap they only wanted to pay ONE person to sell tickets. The busiest box office weekend since summer, and they only had ONE person selling tickets.

At long last we got our turn only to discover that the screening we wanted to catch was already sold out. And they didn’t even have the decency our courtesy to post a sign notifying us this was the case.

Yeah, I love West Texas, but do our theatres have to be so discourteous and behind the times?

Where Has The Bull Been?

2005-12-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

A funny thing happened on the way to my blog…

I became screenwriter. No more is this notion fleeting fancy (a hobby as some might contend); it’s a reality. I sold an option on one of my screenplays several months ago to another filmmaker here in the Permian Basin and since that time my life has been much akin to a good old-fashioned West Texas dust-devil. Closing that deal opened a door of opportunity. The producer invited the wife and I to merge our fledgling production company with his and the end result is El Jefe Media, Inc. We now do web design, web hosting, instructional and training videos, commercials, weddings, special events, and (of course) we’ll be shooting our first feature film this fall. Check us out!

Last night we offered a part to a very wealthy and important person in these parts. We didn’t do it because we wanted some of his money (although that wouldn’t be too bad either). On the contrary, we offered him the part because the character was loosely based on him in the first place. It’s not a leading role, but certainly one that will get him back out there in the public eye, where he hasn’t been for a very long time.

Next step: finding a lead actress.

The film is entitled Coffee, Tea, or Me. It’s set in a truck stop in barren West Texas and the lead character is a female waitress whose nickname is “Me.” The story has lots of colorful characters (much like the fellow we offered the part to last night.) and takes place over the course of one very pivotal day. There are four primary female roles up for grabs, including the lead, and one leading African-American male. We plan to start casting these after the first of the year. We’ll fill out the rest of the cast with interesting characters we know from around here that fit the bill.

Eventually, our media group will also have a full-fledged on-line movie magazine. We hope to have the rolled out by the end of 2006.

More great news—Shari Hamrick has agreed to be the president of The Basin Film Society. Shari has over fifteen years experience in the film industry as a production assistant, production coordinator, location coordinator, and producer. Check out her IMDb page! As you can see, it makes mine look pretty sparse. Her primary agenda as our president will be to form our non-profit status.

Which is great news for The Desert Reel Film Festival. We’ve been in limbo ever since ArtWalk folded last year, sans tax shelter. Once Shari manages to get our non-profit status up and running, The Basin Film Society will be able to oversee the festival.

Festival dates for The Desert Reel Film Festival have been moved to November 2-5, 2006.

It’s going to be a life-changing, fantastic year!

Angst on Paper

2005-12-12T09:38:00.000-08:00

When I was a freshman in high school I remember writing a short story about kid that was injured during a big football game. It was the first time I had really put a story on paper and I was very excited about it so I gave it to my parents to read. I'll never forget my mother's reaction.

"Please tell me you're not going to turn this in," she said curtly.

We proceeded to argue the merits of my story, which was laced with some minor league profanity and contained a scene of a young couple parking. She doesn't remember this moment at all; neither does my father for that matter, but their initial reaction of shock and dismay probably set my writing career back a full decade.

That and a wretched girl named Emily... and a neurotic one named Jennifer... but I digress.

When people who know me read something I've written, they most frequently respond in a similar manner. Obviously there's a proverbial dark side lurking inside me and it tends to throw people aback when they compare it to the kind of life I actually now lead. This is something I've never really been able to explain to myself, much less to anyone else, but it all comes back to this--almost everything I write has a distinct element of truth.

Sometimes the stories are based on situations and events that happened to me, other times the characters are based on people I know, and more often than not, those characters become all too vividly real.

It's interesting to me when people say, "Okay, but that scene right there could never really happen." Invariably they say it in regards to something that really did.

This is something I've wrestled with for years, knowing fully well that if any of my material actually finds its way to film, there will probably be serious repercussions, including the shock and awe of family and friends and perhaps a good old-fashioned excommunication by my religious peers.

The fact that my wife has come on board has made all the difference in my life. In fact, that's probably why I married her. I gave here some of my stuff to read and sat back patiently awaiting her reaction. I even gave her time to process it and all that the changes it could mean to her life if she stayed with me when some of my stuff finally made it to film.

You have to understand something here--this was no small decision. First, she realized that I actually had talent and that my future as a writer was much more than a pipe dream. Perhaps it was inevitable. Second, she came to see all the possible ramifications of my success. And third, she decided that was something she could live with.

Having somebody that believes in you (and there's more out there than just my wife these days) is imperative in this business because talent doesn't pay the bills.

I keep a journal (I recommend that every aspiring filmmaker, storyteller, and writer keep one) and as I was looking back on my goals for 2005 I realize that I had achieved 60% of them. Now that makes 2005 a banner year and the turning point in my career. I sold an option on a screeplay, formed a production company, and we're moving ahead with our plans to shoot it in the fall of 2006.

As I look ahead to what it will mean when this film is complete, I more frightened of success than I am failure. If it succeeds, it will open up a whole new can of worms (so to speak) that I'm not too sure I'm ready to deal with just yet. My life had changed so drastically it bears little resemblance to the people I've known and the places I have been. But my writing comes from those dark days, and so, there will be many that didn't know me when that will react with shock and dismay.

To them, I apologize in advance. Sorry to disappoint.

The Starting Lineup

2005-08-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Now Playing!

The Great Raid R
Starring: Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Robert Mammone
Director: John Dahl
View Trailer

Four Brothers R
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund, & Terrence Howard
Director: John Singleton
View Clips & Trailer

The Skeleton Key PG-13
Starring: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, John Hurt, & Peter Sarsgaard
Director: Iain Softley
View Clips & Trailers

Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo R
Starring: Rob Schneider, Eddie Griffin, Jeroen Krabbe
Director: Mike Bigelow
View Clips & Trailer

DVD Rundown

2005-08-09T00:17:00.000-07:00

Now Available on DVD

Kung Fu Hustle R
Starring: Stephen Chow, Kwok Keun Chan, & Siu Lung Leung
Director: Stephen Chow
View Clips & Trailers

Because of Winn-Dixie PG
Starring: Annasophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, & Eva Marie Saint
Director: Wayne Wang
View Clips & Trailer

The Starting Lineup

2005-08-04T22:44:00.000-07:00

Now In Theatres

The Dukes of Hazzard PG-13
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, & Burt Reynolds
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
View Clips & Tralier

Article from Sci Fi Wire

2005-08-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

"Underworld: Evolution once again stars Scott Speedman and Kate Beckinsale (who met Wiseman on the first film and married him last year). In a separate interview, Beckinsale told SCI FI Wire that she worked with Wiseman to make her character—the vampire warrior Selene—more emotionally evolved as well. "Len and I both felt that she was very repressed in the first one and we wanted to open her up, to [be] just a tiny bit more human," she said. "I mean, it's not like gags and all that stuff, but just to have a little lightness, a little bit more fun with it this time. But in terms of her relationship with Michael [played by Speedman], that's kind of opened her up a bit as well." Underworld: Evolution opens Jan. 20, 2006. "

Read the entire article at Sci Fi Wire

DVD Rundown

2005-08-02T09:40:00.000-07:00

Now available on DVD

Alexander (R)
Starring: Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins, Rosario Dawson, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, & Jared Leto
Director: Oliver Stone

View Clips & Trailers

Guess Who (PG-13)
Starring: Ashton Kutcher & Bernie Mac
Director: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
View Clips & Trailer

The Starting Lineup

2005-07-29T07:36:00.000-07:00

Not exactly a great week to head for the movies, but here we go anyway...

The Aristocrats (R)
Starring: Gilbert Gottfried, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, George Carlin, Phyllis Diller, & many more
Director: Paul Provenza, Penn Jillette
View Clip & Trailer

Must Love Dogs (PG-13)
Starring: Diane Lane, John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins, Christopher Plummer, & Stockard Channing
Director: Gary David Goldberg
View Clips & Trailer

Sky High (PG)
Starring: Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano, Lynda Carter, & Bruce Campbell
Director: Mike Mitchell
View Clips & Trailer

Stealth (PG-13)
Starring: Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, & Sam Shepard
Director: Rob Cohen
View Clips & Trailers

AeonFlux (Poster)

2005-07-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

Not too sure about this one...

Underworld Evolution (Poster)

2005-07-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

The picture says it all.

DVD Rundown

2005-07-26T03:49:00.000-07:00

Now available on DVD!

The Upside of Anger (PG-13)
Starring: Kevin Costner, Joan Allen, Erika Christenen, Evan Rachel Wood, & Keri Russell
Director: Mike Bender
View Clips & Trailer

XXX: State of the Union (PG-13)
Starring: Ice Cube, Samuel L. Jackson, Scott Speedman, & Willem Dafoe
Director: Lee Tamahori
View Clips & Trailers

King's Ransom (PG-13)
Starring: Anthony Anderson, Jay Mohr, Kellita Smith
Director: Jeff Byrd
View Clips & Trailer

Box Office Deals

2005-07-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory held on to first place followed by The Wedding Crashers. I hope this goes a long way to prove two very important points to Hollywood moguls. First, well-done family films will always bring home the green. Second, there is still a place for the true adult comedy.

There has been a disturbing trend for several years now in which a studio takes a screenplay obviously written for adults and waters it down in order to achieve a PG-13 rating. Let's face it, adults like going to movies where there aren't any kids around, but they also like taking their families to the movies. the biggest failures at the box office have been films that should have never been rated PG-13. For instance, this weeks bomb The Island, finished in fourth place. Based on the premise, and the sexual tensions inherent to the plot, that film had no business seeking a PG-13 rating. The Bad News Bears came in fifth. In order for that film to truly work, it needed to be rated-R. (Granted, the original scored a PG. However, that was back when nudity was about the only thing that necessitated an R-rating.)

Movie goers are not stupid. They know when a film has been watered-down to meet that precious PG-13 rating and would just as soon wait to rent them at the local video store. If the moguls aren't willing to take a chance on the audience by delivering the kind of film the story dictates, then the audience simply won't be there.

The third place finisher this weekend was the Fantastic Four. Of the three PG-13 films in the top-five, it is the only one aptly rated. Which might explain why the movie has stuck around for so long. See, teenagers also know when a movie has been compromised just so they are able to walk in without a parent or guardian. Maybe they're getting tired of being used?

Let's hope the top-two send Hollywood the message they need to hear.

The Lingering Absence of The Bull

2005-07-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Things pretty much haven’t gone according to plan this summer. I want to apologize to the few hundred loyal visitors who pop by each and every day just see if I’ve written anything.

I’ve done quite a bit of writing this past summer, it’s just that most of it hasn’t taken place on The Hot Corner.

Several weeks ago I finished my screenplay LDR, which was inspired by Kristen Friend. Kristen was my old high school sweetheart. She somehow managed to ignore the fact that I was a total jerk to become one of the most important and influential people in my life. Unfortunately, ten days after I finished the project and submitted it persons hither and yon, Kristen lay down for a nap and never opened her eyes again. See, Kristen had been fighting brain cancer for the past six years. She didn’t even get to read the story. Heck, I don’t think she even knew I was writing the story.

LDR is a romantic comedy that tells the story of Kiran and Dalin, who finally meet and immediately fall in love. Unfortunately, they’ve both just graduated and their lives are taking decidedly different turns. In order to see one another they realize they must overcome many obstacles, not the least of which is the matter proximity. Dalin is arrogant and aloof, Kiran, stubborn and talented. Even their closest friends have their doubts. How could two such people ever make a relationship work? As Dalin's financial successes mount and Kiran's career as a television news reporter takes off, the challenge to keep their love alive becomes more and more problematic. LDR tells the story of their romance, through the good and the bad; a long distance relationship that spans a decade, defies logic, and transcends expectation. The script is copyrighted and registered with the WGA. If you are interested in producing this film, or representing me, please email your credentials to bulldurhamshotcorner@gmail.com.

I’ve also agreed to allow a local producer to film another project of mine—Coffee, Tea, or Me. Me (the main characters nickname is “Me”) is a waitress who is stuck working in a truck stop in barren West Texas, but she doesn’t seem mind. All her friends or there and she’s perfectly happy to stick around as she attempts in vain to help them with their problems. When a transient college dropout arrives with a journal in tow Me, and several other regulars, finally begin to question their place in world. Coffee, Tear, or Me, is comedy about friendship, love, and life in West Texas. My final draft is due mid-September, we’ll be casting in February or March of next year, and then we’ll begin shooting out here next June. We’re optimistic that we will be able to pull together a six-figure budget for this project. If you are interested in investing in this effort you should contact my producer at jeff@eljefeproductions.com, or, if you’d like to learn more you can Email me at bulldurhamshotcorner@gmail.com.

Both projects, and Kristen’s death, have had a lot to do with my inability to get to the movies this summer. They also forced me to put aside my plans to convert The Hot Corner into a full-fledged movie magazine. I still believe this is going to happen, it’s just going to take us quite a bit longer.

Also, I finally reached another milestone. I have my own page over at IMDb. I didn't even know it was there. A friend of mine was over for a visit and said, "Hey? Did you know you have an IMDb page?" I was just shocked so off we went and sure enough, here it is: Chad's IMDb page. But even that has been bittersweet as Rick Owens, the film's producer and director, was involved in a serious accident and has had to postpone his shoot. We're just glad he's going to be okay. Right now, word has it, he's on the mend and he's in our prayers as always.

I just hope things become less adventuresome for a while, that way I can spend some more quality time with you! Thanks for reading and thanks for sticking around! We’ll get more out there soon!

Batman Begins (PG-13)

2005-06-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

A Review
By M. Chad Durham
VIEW TRAILERS & CLIPS

Batman Begins right where he should have all along—in the hands of a director who truly understands the nuance and noir quintessential to the Dark Knight’s tale. Unlike the narcissistic forays of weirdness brought courtesy of Tim Burton, or the campy digressions of Joel Schumacher, Christopher Nolan chooses to explore the origin of Batman in story that manages to successfully walk the tightrope between comic book lore and cinematic adventure.

The one thing Nolan’s predecessor Burton did get right was casting, and how could it be possible to top Michael Keaton’s Batman? Keaton’s season in the cowl is legendary and if not for over-the-top performances by the likes of Jack Nicholson, Jack Palance, Michelle Pfeiffer, Danny DeVito, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jim Carey, Batman’s reign over the box office would never have lasted as long as it did before Warner Brothers mercifully pulled the plug. (I don’t even own a copy of “Batman and Robin.” It’s simply one of the worst movies ever made.) Adam West, Val Kilmer, and especially George Clooney never captured the essence of Batman the way Keaton did.

Keaton’s turn as the caped-crusader is not lost on Christian Bale. Bale has been acting for most of his life (see Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun). To date he is probably best known for his bizarre role in American Psycho. That’s all about to change. Bale looks fabulous in the cowl. Obviously he takes a nod from Keaton, but then proceeds to raise the bar. The Batman becomes the most menacing superhero on celluloid to date, which is as it should be.

Perhaps the best part of Nolan’s take is the exploration of the relationship between Batman and Commissioner Gordon. No. Scratch that. Make it Sgt. Gordon. No. Wait! Now it’s Lt. Gordon. Okay, we’ll go just with Jim Gordon for now, the one good cop in a really bad town. Oldman’s part emerges as the film progresses and, should Nolan be able to complete his rumored trilogy, it will provide room for ample character development in the future. Also previously ignored was Bruce Wayne’s relationship with Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), which adds some levity to what is otherwise a truly dark tale.

Katie Holmes (Pieces of April) is just plain cute. She’s the only thing of beauty in this film, with the possible exception of the cinematography in the first act, and that’s a compliment. Tom Wilkinson (The Patriot) really outdoes himself as a seedy mobster and Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later) makes for the perfect Scarecrow with his gawkiness and raw talent. Some of the sequences in this film are just downright scary. Liam Neeson rounds out the cast with the kind of solid performance we’ve come to expect from him.

Batman is my favorite comic book hero; consequently, I’m pretty cynical and critical when it comes to the representation of his visage. Michael Keaton aside, Batman finally gets the treatment he deserves thanks to Christopher Nolan and co-writer David S. Goyer. But it’s more than that. Nolan and Goyer’s screenplay is rife with subtext, especially the confrontation of inner-fear and mankind’s differing notions of justice. It also manages to capture the intent of Frank Miller’s Year One run in the Batman comics, which remains a standard of excellence in the industry to this day.

This one is a HOT DATE. Grab the family, sans the younglings, and head out to the flick this weekend!

This copyrighted article was also published in Grace-Centered Magazine - A daily publication for Christians that examines tradition and aspects of living the Christian life.

Batman is Back!

2005-06-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

Batman Begins (PG-13)
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson, & Cillian Murphy
Director: Christopher Nolan
View Trailers & Clips

DVD Rundown

2005-06-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

Now available on DVD!

Hitch (PG-13)
Starring: Will Smith, Kevin James, & Eva Mendes
Director: Andy Tennant
View Clips & Trailer

Jaws (R)
Starring: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, & Richard Dreyfuss
Director: Steven Spielberg
Special Edition DVD

Is this the return of The Bull?

2005-06-10T09:17:00.000-07:00

Howdy, ya'll!

I'm hoping this post will mark my long-awaited return to blogging. Thanks for all those who drop me a line encourage me to continue. It's not that I haven't wanted to keep this up, but I've been working on my screenwriting these past two months and I think it just might pay off. But that's entirely in the Good Lord's hands.

I completed LDR, a romantic comedy I originally wrote over the course of a weekend after I found out my one of my ex-girlfriends (Kristen Zetsche Friend) had been diagnosed with her second brain tumor. The story is a tribute to her and while the main charcter is more of a composite character based several women from my past (including Wife), the story is inspired by and dedicated to Kristen. I had to finish it up in order to get it entered in this years festival circuit. We'll see how that goes. FYI--Kristen's tumor now appears to be gone! This is the second time she's come through and we thank God for that!

My good buddy Rick Owens starts shooting his feature Wide Open tonight! That's another project that has kept me sidetracked because I've been acting as a script consultant on his film. As usual, Rick's got a great story. I've simply lent him a couple of scenes, ideas, quips, and bits to use at his whim. I'm know it will all come together for him and I'll probably slip on over to Kermit and make like a dolly grip or key grip or best boy or gaffer, or something...

It also looks like we'll be shooting another screenply of mine entitled Coffee, Tea, or Me. I'm in the process of doing yet another rewrite, and we've yet to settle the details, but I verbally agreed to give a year option to a local producer and we've tenatively scheduled the shoot for next summer. I'll share more details about that in the future.

But thanks to all for still hanging around. We still get almost 200 unique visitors a week around here even without constant updates. Hopefully I can get settled in and devote more time here starting next week.

Have a great day and a super weekend!

EPISODE III is Here!

2005-05-18T22:00:00.000-07:00

Star Wars Episode III:
Revenge of the Sith (PG-13)

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ian McDiarmid, & Samuel L. Jackson
Director: George Lucas

Clips & Trailers

The Weekly Top Five

2005-05-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ranking Star Wars

(Pre 5/19/05)

Jeff Says...

The Empire Strikes Back
A New Hope
Return of the Jedi
Attack of the Clones
The Phantom Menace

Bull Durham Says...

The Empire Strikes Back
Attack of the Clones
A New Hope
Return of the Jedi
The Phantom Menace

What Say You?

DVD Rundown

2005-05-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Now Available on DVD!

Team America: World Police (R)
Starring: Trey Parker & Matt Stone
Director: Trey Parker
Clips & Trailer

White Noise (PG-13)
Starring: Michael Keaton & Deborah Unger
Director: Geoffrey Sax
Clips & Trailer

Kinsey(R)
Starring: Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris O'Donnell, Peter Sarsgaard, Timothy Hutton, Tim Curry, John Lithgow, & Oliver Platt
Director: Bill Condon
Clips & Trailers

Son of The Mask (PG)
Starring: Jamie Kennedy, Alan Cumming, Traylor Howard, Bob Hoskins, & Ben Stein
Director: Lawrence Guterman
Clips & Trailer

Desert Reel Film Festival Winners Announced

2005-05-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

The winners of the 2005 Desert Reel Film Festival are...

Best Picture--Happy Hour
Best Documentary--Plauges and Pleasures of the Salton Sea
Best Short (20+ Minutes)--The Lone Defender
Best Short (Under 20 Minutes)--When the Cat's Away
Native Son--Aaron Marshall, When the Cat's Away
Best Director--Mike Bencivenga, Happy Hour
Audience Favorite--Unnoticed

Sabbatical? Oh, How I Wish!

2005-05-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hey folks!

The Hot Corner will be back in two weeks. I haven't forgotten about our readers. I apologize for this month-long draught. The 2005 Desert Reel Film Festival is now complete but I have a deadline of May 15th on my next project. I'm trying to polish off a screenplay and I don't have much time to get it done, so I've been forced to beg off the blog for now.

But, like a great American once said, "I will return."

Desert Reel Panel Discussion Tonight!

2005-04-21T03:20:00.000-07:00

The Desert Reel Film Festival will host a panel discussion from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. TONIGHT, Thursday, April 21, 2005, at the Advanced Technology Center in Midland.

The event is free to the public. Panelists include director Kelley Baker ("Good Will Hunting," "Finding Forrester," "To Die For"), actress Melissa Crider ("The Haven," “Mulholland Dr.,” “Frailty”), producer Joe McSpadden (“The Woman Chaser,” “Dirt”), local television anchor Stephanie Rivas, and film editor Jon Alvord ("Sin City," "Armageddon," "X-Men”).

The Advanced Technology Center is located at 3200 Cuthbert. The panel discussion will take place in the auditorium. Starbucks will provide coffee with snacks provided by Amy K’s Baked Goods during the break.

The Starting Lineup

2005-04-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

The Amityville Horror (R)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds & Melissa George
Director: Andrew Douglas
View Trailers & Clips

2005 Desert Reel Film Festival Workshops

2005-04-13T11:02:00.000-07:00

All workshops will be held in rooms 117 and 118 of Wilkerson Hall on the Odessa College campus. Workshops are limited to 35 people. Register by e-mailing ivantony03@hotmail.com

Lighting, Rick Owens
9 - 11am
We've all seen 'em -- shots that were filmed too dark or have too much light. Getting your lighting right -- especially out in the field -- can be a challenge for beginning filmmakers. Filmmaker Rick Owens will teach you the tricks of the trade and demonstrate best practices for out in the field.

Guerilla Marketing and Self Distribution of Your Film, Kelley Baker
9 - 11am
Independent filmmaking is alive and well, it's independent distribution that is dead.
At a time when "independent" films have to have a star and at least a couple million dollar budget, how do you get your films seen? Forget Sundance, Miramax, and PBS. These places get hundreds of submissions a year. From wooden nickels to Web sites, to press kits and reviews Kelley Baker walks you though different ways to get an audience to turn out for your screenings. He challenges you to assess the real market for your film and provides examples of other filmmakers getting their work out, after their films were turned down by traditional distributors. You've already made the thing, what good is it doing sitting on your shelf?

Writing for Films and Television, Andrew Bowen
11:30am - 1:30pm
This workshop will cover the basics for getting started. This includes proper formatting, creating a good story and breaking it down. Also covers character development, proper page count, writing for production, the red flags for potential readers and what people are looking for. Sample Screenplays and Teleplays will be available and information about Final Draft/Final Draft AV and other writing programs.

How to be a Lean, Mean, “Green” Machine, Jon Alvord
11:30am - 1:30pm
Even though he worked on "X-Men," you could call Jon Alvord the Toxic Avenger! In this workshop - the first of its kind in West Texas - you'll learn about "green" set construction and how to select materials that are healthy, hypoallergenic, environmentally friendly, natural, sustainable and recycled in order to keep you and your crew healthier and more productive.

Acting, Melissa Crider
2 - 4pm
Melissa Crider's talent and beauty have landed her on screens both large and small, most recently as a guest star on the hit crime drama "CSI." She has also appeared in the award-winning indie film "The Haven" as well as in "Powder," "Gigli," " Mulholland Drive" and "The Beast."

Editing, Jon Alvord
2 - 4pm
Successful film editor Jon Alvord will lead this editing workshop for the beginning to intermediate level filmmaker. Jon's workshop will focus on several concepts, including: editing for action; conceptual ideas of editorial; how to organize your film shoot; how to sort through your film in preparation for editing; and helpful hints in anticipation of heading into post production

DVD Rundown

2005-04-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Now Available on DVD!

Hotel Rwanda (PG-13)
Starring:Don Cheadle, Joaquin Phoenix, Nick Nolte, & Sophie Okonedo
Director: Terry George
View Trailer & Clips

Ocean's Twelve (PG-13)
Starring: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Vincent Cassel, & Catherine Zeta-Jones
Director: Steven Soderbergh
View Trailers & Clips

Suspect Zero (R)
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Carrie-Anne Moss, & Ben Kingsley
Director: E. Elias Merhige
View Trailer & Clips

The Woodsman (R)
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Benjamin Bratt, Mos Def, David Alan Grier, Eve, Gina Philips, & Kyra Sedgwick
Director: Nicole Kassell
View Trailer

The 2005 Desert Reel Film Festival Film Schedule

2005-04-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY April 22, 2005

Yucca Theatre, Midland
208 N. Colorado
Box Office Opens @ 6 PM

6:00-7:00 PM Invitation Only VIP Party

7:30-9:00 PM

Happy Hour
Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Eric Stoltz, Caroleen Feeney, Robert Vaughn, & Thomas Sadoski
Director: Mike Bencivenga
View Trailers & Clips
Official Site

9:00-9:30 PM Q&A with gueststar Eric Klein

10:00-11:30 PM

Kicking Bird

11:30-11:45 PM Q&A with gueststar Kelley Baker

12:00-12:45 AM SHORTS BLOCK 1

The Shovel
Once A Storm
The Spin Cycle
When the Cat's Away

SATURDAY April 23, 2005

Ector Theatre, Odessa
500 N. Texas
Bx office opens at 9:30 AM

10:00-10:45 AM

Cypress

11:00-11:20 AM MUSIC VIDEOS BLOCK 1

Evil Twin
Louisinana Saturday Night
Medieval Dance
Q&A

11:45-1:01 PM

The Devil Cats

1:30-3:40 PM BASIN FILM SOCIETY BLOCK 1

The Mind's Eye
Starring: Jennifer Matthews Reeves, Heath Jones, Kindell Carter, Caleb Brandon, Kris Moore, & Bill Warren
Director: Rick Owens
IMDb Page
Elevated Films

3:40-4:00 PM Q&A with Director Rick Owens, Cast, and Crew

4:00-6:00 PM BASIN FILM SOCIETY BLOCK 2

Unnoticed
Starring: Steve Hinshaw, Dawn Glover, Jennifer Hart, David Holler, & David Dunn
Director: David Sean Stringer
Trailer
Bull Durham's Review

An Evening with Larry Breeze
Starring: Larry Breeze
Director: Bryan Head
IMDb Page
El Jefe Productions

6:00-6:30 PM Q&A with Directors David Sean Stringer and Bryan Head, Producers General Echols and Jeffrey Johnson, and various cast and crew of Unnoticed.

6:30-8:30 PM

Dirt
Starring: Tracy Fraim, Julieta Ortiz, Michael Covert, Ignacio Guadalupe, & Tara Chocol
Directors: Michael Covert, Nancy Savoca, & Trace Fraim

8:30-9:00 PM Q&A with gueststars Michael Covert & Tracy Fraim

SUNDAY April 24, 2005

Ector Theatre, Odessa
500 N. Texas
Box office opens at 11:30 a.m.

12:00-1:15 DOCUMENTARY BLOCK

House of Elegance
Plagues Pleasures of the Salton Sea

1:45-3:00 SHORTS BLOCK 2

Lone Defender
Cypress
The Offering

3:15-4:30 SHORTS BLOCK 3

Tales of Demise
Sonata
Sketchcetera
2 White Kids with Problems
Lite Weight

4:45-5:30 SHORTS BLOCK 4

The Shovel
Once A Storm
The Spin Cycle
When the Cat's Away

The Starting Lineup

2005-04-08T08:40:00.000-07:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

Fever Pitch (PG-13)
Starring: Drew Barrymore & Jimmy Fallon
Director: Bobby Farrelly & Peter Farrelly
View Clips & Trailers

Sahara (PG-13)
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Penélope Cruz, Steve Zahn, William H. Macy & Delroy Lindo
Director: Breck Eisner
View Clips & Trailers

The Weekly Top Five

2005-04-06T22:48:00.000-07:00

Top 5 Baseball Movies

Jeff Says...

The Natural
Field of Dreams
Hardball
The Bad News Bears
A League of Their Own

Bull Durham Says...

Bull Durham
Field of Dreams
Eight Men Out
The Sandlot
The Natural

What Say You?

1-Year Chips, TV Tips, Basin Flicks, & Desert Reels

2005-04-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Today I celebrate one year of sobriety. Well, not really. Not from the bottle anyway, rather, the can. I have now lived life 365 days straight without an ounce of nicotine in my body because it was precisely one year ago today that I gave up the Copenhagen exactly one year ago today, a fact Bull Durham's Wife happily pointed out last evening.

Well... that's not exactly true either. Last night I picked up plenty of second hand smoke at our monthly Basin Film Society meeting where Jeffrey Johnson unveiled the skeleton structure of our new web site, David Sean Stringer shared the latest cut of his film Unnoticed which included a new musical score, Roger Coughlin (AV Productions) informed us he's merely days away from closing his deal with Cox Communications for an access channel, Brian Head gave us a sneak-peek at his documentary, An Evening with Larry Breeze, and I shared my plans to start a new Movie E-zine. It was an amazing night.

In light of Roger's revelation, BullDurham Productions plans to produce a television pilot that will air on Roger's access station in Midland, Midland. Bull Durham's Hot Corner, the televised version, will be a half-hour or one hour show (depending on the budget and time availability) about movies featuring trailers, clips, reviews, a weekly top-five, interviews, and viewer mail. Essentially it will be a televised blog. If you are interesting in sponsoring a locally produced television show in Midland, drop us a line.

And, as it turns out, I had an important lunch meeting today. If all goes well BullDurham Productions will begin pre-production on a promotional video for one of the larger churches in Odessa in the very near future. Stay tuned for further details.

The Desert Reel Film Festival is just a scant three weeks away. (April 21-24, 2005) Things are getting pretty busy around The Hot Corner and I'm not too sure how much bloggin' I'll get to do between now and then, but you can bet I'll be posting reviews of some of these films and keep you informed of events as the day approaches.

The Hot Corner has had over 300 unique visitors again for the second week in a row. We also had over a 1000 unique visitors in the month of March! Thanks! That's why Bull Durham's Hot Corner is the fastest growing, tightest, hippest movie blog on planet earth! You!

DVD Rundown

2005-04-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

Now available on DVD!

Sideways (R)
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, & Sandra Oh
Director: Alexander Payne
View Trailers & Clips
Read Bull Durham's Review

Spanglish (PG-13)
Starring: Adam Sandler, Téa Leoni, & Paz Vega
Director: James L. Brooks
View Trailers & Clips

Elektra (PG-13)
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Terence Stamp, & Goran Visnjic
Director: Rob Bowman
View Trailers & Clips

The Weekly Top Five

2005-04-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

Top 5 Comic Book Films

Jeff Says...

Spider-man
Superman
X-men
Batman
Chasing Amy

Bull Durham Says...

Sin City
Spider-man 2
X-men 2
Daredevil
Spider-man

What Say You?

The Starting Lineup

2005-04-01T02:33:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

Sin City (R)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen, Nick Stahl, Powers Boothe, Rutger Hauer, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Rosario Dawson, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Michael Clark Duncan, Carla Gugino, Alexis Bledel, Josh Hartnett, Michael Madsen, & Devon Aoki
Director: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez, & Quentin Tarantino
View Trailers & Clips

Beauty Shop (PG-13)
Starring: Queen Latifah, Alicia Silverstone, Andie MacDowell, Alfre Woodard, & Mena Suvari
Director: Bille Woodruff
View Trailer & Clips

You wanna write a screenplay?

2005-03-31T21:21:00.000-08:00

This is the first in a series of articles about writing screenplays.

The first step to getting a movie from your head to the screen is to sit down and write a screenplay. That sounds easy enough. But, if you are like me and started out writing the first time with just the idea in your head, you may have run into some problems. Maybe the first few pages went okay and then you ran into some problems. Maybe you set up the story and had no idea how to do dialogue. Some people get so frustrated at this, they quit right there! Another possible Oscar-winning movie, never made.

Unfortunately, there is a process to doing everything. Even creating art. So here goes. The most important thing I have learned from writing for the last few years is to write my ideas down as they come to me. The more you get used to doing that, the better ideas you will have to choose from when you actually start planning a screenplay. That's right, I said "planning". I know some of you out there are worried now. Don't be.

Okay. Let's say you have the greatest Idea in the world. Where do you go from there? I would start by making a list of characters. Start with your main character. Add some supporting characters. This is you first screenplay, so don't make it too difficult by trying to write 6 main characters like in Pulp Fiction.

Okay, so you got an idea, you got a couple characters, what now? Try to express your idea, along with your characters, in 3 or 4 sentences. If you need a good example of what you should write, think about your favorite movies. Put the movie into three sentences. For Example, if you had the idea for Star Wars, maybe you would write:

It's a story about a giant evil empire that is doing whatever it wants. Luke, upset about this, decides to fight against it. He destroys the death star and the evil empire is vanquished.

You see, it doesn't have to be super detailed at this point. You can fill in the details later. I think the most important thing here is setting, character and action. Syd Field, A famous screenwriter, says that movies without action don't work. But that doesn't mean Chuck Norris has to be in every movie! What that means is, action moves the character through the movie. The character does stuff, reacts to situations, and tries to work toward something. The example I wrote about Star Wars, gives a setting, a main character, and what the main character's action was in that setting.

Anyway, I've given you something to think about, I hope. I'll post the next article in this series, "Character Counts: or how to create great characters", soon.

Jeffrey R. Johnson
www.jeffreyrjohnson.com

Casting Call

2005-03-27T11:14:00.000-08:00

You are invited to attend a local casting audition for the Elevated Films feature Wide Open. Auditions will be held Saturday, April 16 starting at 2 p.m. at:

PS Images 1105
Pueblo Road
Midland, Texas
683-0844

Most of the roles will be for support and extras, as some of the major roles have already been cast, but we are seeking an older Hispanic male to play a Miami Drug Lord, Chano Garcia. There are also several other major roles for Hispanic characters as follows:

Angel Garcia (Chano's older son)
Pano Masiel (Angel Garcia's right hand man)
Brig Bueno ( Detective) think Luis Guzman, part comedic part serious Hispanic character support roles

Please pass this information to anyone who you feel may be interested in this audition opportunity. Filming will take place in Kermit and Midland Texas beginning June 6, 2005 and should wrap in 6 weeks. These are deferred payment roles, pending the final sale of the film. More information will be available the day of auditions.

We encourage you to have a dramatic monologue prepared for this audition, as time will be limited. This is an excellent opportunity and we would love to see you there.

Sincerely,
Rick Owens
Elevated Films
Midland, Texas
www.elevatedfilms.com

The Weekly Top Five

2005-03-23T22:09:00.000-08:00

This Week: Top 5 Horror Films

Jeff Says...

Friday the 13th
The Ring
Event Horizon
The Night of the Living Dead (Original)
Bruce Campbell vs. The Army of Darkness

Bull Durham Says...

Scream
Nightmare on Elm Street
Ringu
The Exorcist
The Omen

What Say You?

DVD Rundown

2005-03-22T02:33:00.000-08:00

Now available on DVD!

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (R)
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, & Hugh Grant
Director: Beeban Kidron
View Clips & Trailers

Finding Neverland (PG-13)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, & Dustin Hoffman
Director: Marc Forester
View Clips & Trailers

Being Julia (R)
Starring: Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons, & Shaun Evans
Director: Istvan Szabo
View Clips & Trailers

The Final Cut (R)
Starring: Robin Williams, Mira Sorvino, & Jim Caviezel
Director: Omar Naim
View Clips & Trailers

Fat Albert (PG)
Starring: Kenan Thompson, Omarion, & Raven-Symone
Director: Joel Zwick
View Clips & Trailers

The Ring Two

2005-03-20T14:28:00.000-08:00

A Review
By M. Chad Durham
View Trailers & Clips

Interestingly enough, a ring does have a hole in it; a big, huge, enormous hole that we really don’t pay much attention to because the outer edge shimmers so brightly. Such was the case with the Japanese Ringu and its Americanized counterpart The Ring, but there isn’t just one hole in this follow-up. There are holes. Plural. They show up on the big screen more frequently than the cigarette burns that signal the projectionist to change reels. There are character holes, plot holes, editing holes, and big huge ginormous gaping holes that permeate virtually every scene.

In one of the most poorly written and disappointing sequels ever, Naomi Watts and David Dorfman are back, as Rachael and Haden respectively, to battle the evil menace Samara. Ever since Rachael let Samara out of her well all those years ago that silly girl has been up to her usual tricks with that crazy videotape. It’s still making the rounds. Remember? If you don’t make a copy and get somebody else to watch it within seven days, you’d probably be better off wandering around the woods looking for the Blair Witch with three aspiring filmmakers.

Which brings up an important point and hole number one. If Samara were the all-powerful evil spirit she seems to be, wouldn’t she be able to manifest herself on DVD? How come these rich kids still have VCR’s in their homes? I’m poor as dirt and my VCR is out in the garage collecting dust. It’s not like she needs a dual-layer burner. Her short film doesn’t take up that much space. Wouldn’t it be a whole lot faster just to burn a copy on your PC and pass it on? What gives? Is there something mystical and magical about VHS I’m missing here? Personally, I think Beta has a more Zen-like quality to it, but that’s just me and I could be wrong. Who am I kidding? Wouldn’t we all like to see eight-track tapes make a comeback?

From there the holes just seem to multiply. Simon Baker plays a newspaper reporter whose name might as well be Goose. Like his Top Gun counterpart, everybody should see his death coming from a mile away. Unfortunately, Baker’s character is so underdeveloped nobody really cares when he finally meets Samara face to face (so to speak).

Sissy Spacek makes a brief cameo and I couldn’t help but think that this is precisely what Carrie would look like had she been institutionalized low these past three decades. Elizabeth Perkins gives it her best shot, but it’s all nothing but a lot of hot air. Watts is a mega-talent and Dorfman blessed beyond his years but beyond that there’s not much to say.

Okay. So the bathtub scene is really cool. Let’s just leave it at that.

Give The Ring Two a CATV rating. There are a few special effects scenes that make it worth watching if you don’t have to pay a dime. Otherwise, watch something else.

The Starting Lineup

2005-03-17T22:58:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near your!

The Ring Two (PG-13)
Starring: Naomi Watts, David Dorfman, Simon Baker, Elizabeth Perkins, & Gary Cole
Director: Hideo Nakata
View Trailer & Clips

Ice Princess (PG)
Starring: Joan Cusack, Kim Cattrall, Michelle Trachtenberg
Director: Tim Fywell
View Trailer & Clips

Poll Results

2005-03-15T22:24:00.000-08:00

Million Dollar Baby was the descive winner in our last poll here at The Hot Corner for Best Picture of 2005. Napoleon Dynamite captured second place, The Incredibles came in third, Sideways fourth, and Finding Neverland rounded out the top-five. Thanks for voting.

Since Bruce Willis has two films hitting the big screen within a months time, we decided to make him the subject of our newest poll so make sure you cast your vote.

We've made a few changes around here and more will be coming soon! So stay tuned!

DVD Rundown

2005-03-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

Now available on DVD!

The Incredibles (PG)
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, & Jason Lee
Director: Brad Bird
View Trailer & Clips
Read The Grace Centered Magazine Review
Read Bull Durham's Featured Review

Alfie (R)
Starring: Jude Law, Omar Epps, Marisa Tomei, & Susan Sarandon
Director: Charles Shyer
View Trailers & Clips

What the Bleep Do We Know? (R)
Starring: Marlee Matlin, Elaine Hendrix, & Barry Newman
Director: William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, & Mark Vicente
View Trailers & Clips

Gmail

2005-03-15T09:20:00.000-08:00

I've got 10 more Gmail invitations available for anybody that links to The Hot Corner. Gmail is Google's version of Email that allows your store up to a ful gig of of information. Right now it is available by invitation only. Just make a comment bellow or drop us a line with your address and web site a we'll send one your way.

Hostage (R)

2005-03-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

A Review
By M. Chad Durham
View Trailer & Clips

Bruce Willis, sporting the comb-over of the new millennium, salvages what is an otherwise pedestrian story of families in crisis. Give Willis his props. The guy not only has the guts to embrace male-pattern baldness whole-heartedly (he isn’t even afraid to grace the big screen sans toupee), but it is clear that he has spent a lifetime honing his craft. Beginning with The Sixth Sense, Willis has added depth and breadth to his ever-increasing repertoire. Gone of the days of “bears bearing” and “bees being” (Moonlighting). While his glib “yippee cay yea” attitude still remains beneath the façade, it is clear that fine acting, like a certain alcoholic beverage Jesus once made from water, improves with age.

Hostage opens to find Willis playing Jeff Talley, SWAT officer, hostage negotiator, and graying hippie. He’s an overconfident bloke who spends more time meticulously combing his beard than he does listening to his closest advisors. When a hostage situation goes painfully awry, Willis leaves the big city life behind to become a police chief in the tiny community of Bristo Camino where “low crime Mondays,” are almost always followed by “low crime Tuesdays.” Furthermore, Talley’s recent emotional woes threaten to tear his family apart.

Enter three punks driving a beat up pickup truck with nothing better to do than try and steal a brand new Cadillac Escalade owned by a very rich, and very connected, accountant (Kevin Pollack). When the bush league hoods can’t find the keys, they decide to burgle the home, which is nothing short of a fortress. Things soon spin quickly out of control; a cop winds up dead and Talley calls for reinforcements, turning the negotiations over to another, thereby washing his hands of the entire affair.

Unfortunately, the mob doesn’t seem too happy about the fact that their ace accountant has garnered national attention. They want something very important, which is coincidentally being held hostage right along side the accountant and his family. In a desperate move, the bad guys kidnap Talley’s wife and daughter, threatening their lives unless Talley can produce this thing they so desperately seek. It’s the kind of role that allows a veteran actor like Willis to carry the show, reminding us of why he became such a huge box office star.

Aside from the complexity of the plot, Doug Richardson’s adaptation of Robert Crais best-selling novel winds up being uniquely simplistic in places. Florent Emilio Siri’s visual style is stunning for the most part. To date, he’s probably most famous for his direction of video games but he definitely has the chops for directing. The closing sequences are particularly captivating and intense. However, his exodus from the video game industry is probably to blame, at least in some part, for some scenes that skirt a little too close to the sadistic.

Pollack’s talents are pretty much wasted in this flick because he spends most of the film lying unconscious on a gurney, but there are some pretty capable young actors in this film, especially Ben Foster, who can be a pretty scary guy when he wants to be. Jonathan Tucker and Michelle Horn also demonstrate a great deal of range even if their characters are severely underdeveloped.

Hostage offers up a lot of intensity and an adequate suspense. It’s hard to say where “Hostage” comes up a little short. It just does. I’ll give it a MATINEE rating buoyed by Bruce Willis in a performance sure to be overlooked. Simply put, he’s at the top of his game and even though Hostage will most certainly struggle at the box office, with Robert Rodriguez’ gritty take on Frank Miller’s Sin City hitting theatres April Fools Day, we’re sure to see more of Willis and his vastly improved talents.

This copyrighted article was also published in Grace-Centered Magazine - A daily publication for Christians that examines tradition and aspects of living the Christian life.

The Starting Lineup

2005-03-11T09:46:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

Hostage (PG-13)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Kevin Pollack, & Jimmy Bennett
Director: Florent Siri
View Trailer & Clips

The Upside of Anger (PG-13)
Starring: Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, & Alicia Witt
Director: Mike Binder
View Trailers & Clips

Robots (PG)
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Halle Berry, Mel Brooks, Drew Carey, & Greg Kinnear
Director: Chris Wedge
View Trailers & Clips

DVD Rundown

2005-03-08T09:45:00.000-08:00

Now available on DVD!

'
Ladder 49 (PG-13)
READ BULL DURHAM'S REVIEW
Starring: John Travolta, Joaquin Phoenix, & Morris Chestnut
Director: Jay Russell

Stage Beauty (R)
Starring: Billy Crudup, Claire Danes, & Rupert Everett
Director: Richard Eyre

Woman Thou Art Loosed (R)
Starring: Kimberly Elise, Loretta Devine, & Debbi Morgan
Director: Michael Schultz

A Big Weekend

2005-03-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

It was a big weekend for The Hot Corner and I didn't even know about it because I was too busy to notice.

First, let me begin by welcoming our newest writer, Jeffrey R. Johnson. I asked Jeff to step in and offer up some commentary and review. Jeff is a very important part of the film scene here in West Texas through his involvement with the Basin Film Society and the Desert Reel Film Festival. In fact, he's a founding member of both organizations. I came on the scene long after the fact. I need Jeff around this place so we can review more films and update the blog more frequently. Jeff is also a screenwriter and filmmaker in his own right. Check out his production company at El Jefe Productions.

Alas, Brady Hendricks, my other ace contributor, is currently going to school, working two jobs, and still trying to find time to work with me on a screenplay and short film. He's way too busy to contribute to The Hot Corner the way I know he wanted to and that's okay. He's still considered a contributor and can post any time he wants. Jeff and Brady are getting paid the same big bucks I am so remember—you get what you pay for.

Second, and this is probably the biggest news of all (no offense Jeff), Bull Durham's Hot Corner and yours truly earned a brief nod in the Midland Reporter Telegram yesterday. The article can be found over at MyWestTexas.Com and it includes a quote from my oldest blogging bud George Johns of Sleepless in Midland. We at The Hot Corner have always known that George was a pioneer in the blogging field because he was the first one foolish enough to link to our site! The article also discusses several other Midland blogs, including Jessica's Well. In fact, I should be flattered because I was the only blog mentioned that wasn't from Midland. And I am flattered.

Third, we've had over 200 unique visitors to The Hot Corner for the second week in a row! We have more links to our blog than ever before and so we continue to be the fastest growing, hippest, tightest movie blog on planet earth! Thanks to you! Make sure you tell your friends about us and make sure you click on an add or two so we can pay the bills.

Fourth, speaking of bills, we're looking to move to our domain in the very near future. It's going to cost us around 20 bucks a month to do so. Did I mention you need to click on the ads?

Fifth, and finally, to celebrate all this good fortune I’ve got 10 Gmail invites to the first 10 bloggers willing to link to our site. All you have to do is add the link to your blog and notify us via Email or comment. Make sure you give us your Email so we can send you the invitation. For those of you who don’t know about Gmail it is Google’s version of Email that is still in the beta stage. Accounts are available by invitation only at this time and their system allows for an entire gig (1 GB) of storage space. Compare that to Yahoo’s 250 MB and you can start to get the picture. If you've already linked our site to your blog and you're interested in having a Gmail account, just let me know. I have a few invitations reserved for you too.

Thanks for your support and we hope to continue bringing you the best in movie news, review, and commentary for many years to come. "Everything is going so well!"

Oh, and by the way, you are in the right place Jeff!

M. Chad Durham

Am I in the right place?

2005-03-06T14:18:00.000-08:00

Let me take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am Jeffrey R. Johnson and I will be writing on Bull Durham's blog occasionally. I am a filmmaker and writer. In my spare time, I teach high school. I will be doing movie reviews and will be brutally honest because I am sick and tired of reading reviews in the newspaper I don't agree with. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way. I am glad to be a part of the team, and I will enjoy writing here until Chad fires me!

Jeffrey R. Johnson
http://www.jeffreyrjohnson.com

The Starting Lineup

2005-03-03T22:30:00.000-08:00

Now Playing at a Theatre Near You!

The Jacket (R)
Starring: Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, & Kris Kristofferson
Director: John Maybury

Be Cool (PG-13)
Starring: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn, Cedric the Entertainer, Andre 3000, Danny DeVito, The Rock, James Woods, et. al.
Director: F. Gary Gray

DVD Rundown

2005-02-28T22:30:00.000-08:00

Bringing Up Baby (NR)
Starring: Katherine Hepburn & Cary Grant
Director: Howard Hawks

Flight of the Phoenix (PG-13)
Starring: Dennis Quaid & Giovanni Ribisi
Director: John Moore

The Exorcist IV: The Beginning (R)
Starring: Stellan Skarsgard & James D'Arcy
Director: Renny Harlin

Bambi (G)

The SpoungeBob SquarePants Movie (PG)
Starring: Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, & Jeffrey Tambor
Director: Sherm Cohen & Stephen Hillenburg

Desert Reel Film Festival Meeting Tonight!

2005-02-28T04:56:00.000-08:00

There will be an important meeting at 6:00 PM tonight in Midland for the Desert Reel Film Festival at the ATF Building across from Hastings. If you are interested in volunteering this year or helping out in anyway, then join us in the auditorium this evening. The Desert Reel Film Festival is and independent film festival that takes place annually with venues in both Odessa and Midland. It runs April 21st-24th.

Weekend Sweep

2005-02-27T22:30:00.000-08:00

Diary of a Mad Black Woman stunned the box office gurus over the weekend by nabbing first place. Hitch held strong for another week in second. Constantine, Cursed, and Man of the House closed out the top five. Best Picture winner Million Dollar Baby came in sixth.

As for my Oscar picks I went 15 of 24 this year. That's 62.5%. However, when it came to the big awards--Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor & Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography I was 8 of 9. None too shabby if I do say so myself.

Million Dollar Baby was the big winner last night. Morgan Freeman won for actor in a supporting role, Hilary Swank for best actress, and Clint Eastwood as both producer and director. The Aviator took home its share of gold as well, winning in Cinematography, Costume Design, Art Direction, and Film Editing.

Sideways won for best adapted screenplay and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for best original screenplay.

Charlie Kaufman, who finally won an Oscar for screenwriting last night with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, is the subject of this Reuters article.

In my humble opinion, Chris Rock did an good job as the host for the 77th Annual Academy Awards and he really seemed to enjoy the gig.

The 77th Annual Academy Awards

2005-02-27T10:32:00.000-08:00

The Oscars air tonight at 7 PM CST so I figured it was time to make my final predictions. If you want your own copy of a printable ballot visit this link.

Actor - Leading
Jamie Foxx, Ray

Actor - Supporting
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby

Actress - Leading
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby

Actress - Supporting
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator

Animated Feature
The Incredibles

Art Direction
The Aviator

Cinematography
The Passion of the Christ

Costume Design
The Aviator

Directing
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby

Documentary Feature
Super Size Me

Documentary Short
Mighty Times: The Children's March

Film Editing
The Aviator

Foreign Language Film
As it is in Heaven

Makeup
The Passion of the Christ

Original Score
The Passion of the Christ

Original Song
"Accidentally in Love", Shrek 2

Best Picture
Million Dollar Baby

Short Film - Animated
Gopher Broke

Short Film - Live Action
Little Terrorist

Sound Editing
The Incredibles

Sound Mixing
The Incredibles

Visual Effects
Spider-man 2

Screenplay - Adapted
Sideways

Screeplay - Original
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

The Best of 2004

2005-02-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

Bull Durham's Top 10

1. Million Dollar Baby
2. Sideways
3. Spider-man 2
4. Napoleon Dynamite
5. The Passion of the Christ
6. Kill Bill Vol. 2
7. Ray
8. The Aviator
9. Shaun of the Dead
10. Friday Night Lights

Best Picture
Million Dollar Baby

Best Director
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby

Best Cinematography
The Passion of the Christ

Best Screenplay
Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, Sideways

Best Actor
Jamie Foxx, Ray

Best Supporting Actor
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby

Best Actress
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby

Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, The Aviator

The Starting Lineup

2005-02-25T04:43:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you:

Man of the House (PG-13)
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Cedric the Entertainer, Anne Archer, & R Lee Ermey
Director: Stephen Herek

Diary of a Mad Black Woman (PG-13)
Starring: Kimberly Elise, Steve Harris, & Shemar Moore
Director: Darren Grant

Cursed (PG-13)
Starring: Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson, & Jesse Eisenberg
Director: Wes Craven

DVD Rundown

2005-02-21T22:17:00.000-08:00

Now available on DVD...

I Heart Huckabees (R)
Starring: Jude Law, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Naomi Watts, & Mark Wahlberg
Director: David O. Russell

Welcome to The Hot Corner

2005-02-19T08:55:00.000-08:00

The Hot Corner welcomes our visitors from the links provided by Eric Siegmund's The Fire Ant Gazette and from Texas Bloggers site. We appreciate you stopping by and hope you'll tell your friends about us. Make sure you check out the extensive article about Mr. Siegmund that appeared recently in the Midland Reporter Telegram.

Don't forget about out other partners in blogging! Check out George over at Sleepless in Midland and the folks over at Milk Plus.

Although we're not exactly a regional blog there are also some rookies out here in the Basin blogging away you might want to visit: Bert's Blog, Ruminations, Sticky Doorknobs, Blogging for Midland, and Stark Trek. Welcome to the family!

As best I can tell, we are the only blog originating on the www from Odessa, TX. If you know of anybody else out there from Odessa, or anywhere in the Permian Basin for that matter, let me know.

I'm thinking about starting a community blog that will accept posts from bloggers out here in the Permian Basin. Considering all that's out there it right now we could put together a pretty well-rounded site that could cover a variety of issues.

Don't foreget to click on our ads, vote for The Best Film of 2004 (Even if I misspelled Rwanda. lol), and scroll down for the quote of the week. As always, we appreciate your continued support.

The Starting Lineup

2005-02-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you:

Constantine (R)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, & Shia LaBeouf
Director: Francis Lawrence

Because of Winn Dixie (PG)
Starring: Jeff Daniels, Cicely Tyson, Dave Matthews
Director: Wayne Wang

Son of the Mask (PG-13)
Starring: Jamie Kennedy, Alan Cumming, & Bob Hoskins
Director: Larry Guterman

DVD Rundown

2005-02-15T21:18:00.000-08:00

Now available on DVD...

The Motorcycle Diaries (R)
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal & Mia Maestro
Director: Walter Salles

Taxi (PG-13)
Starring: Queen Latifah & Jimmy Fallon
Director: Tim Story

SAW (R)
Starring: Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, & Monica Potter
Director: James Wan

Raise Your Voice (PG)
Starring: Hilary Duff, Oliver James, & John Corbett
Director: Sean McNamara

Weekend Sweep

2005-02-13T22:19:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you all are lucky enough to spend it with someone deserving of your love!

Starting a new gig this morning doing Tech Support for DSL. Hey, it's gonna pay some bills, it pays me the same amount my old preaching job paid me, and it comes with benefits. That's something I haven't had for the past three years. In other words, I'm coming out ahead of where I was before I was forced out of my last gig.

Hitch toppled The Boogeyman at the box office this past weekend. Are We There Yet? held pretty strong, coming in third. Three major Oscar contenders finished in the top ten again--Million Dollar Baby (4th), Sideways (8th), and The Aviator (9th). Pooh's Heffalump Movie trunked badly, taking fifth.

Video gamers should delight in the fact that the majority of the cast of Batman Begins have signed on for EA's home version.

ET takes a closer look at Adam Sandler and Chris Rock's remake of The Longest Yard.

Blockbuster's No Late Fees policy still has late fees. Big shock there, considering this is the company that came up with the keep your movies for an extra day policy that was really designed to increase late fees.

Reuter's has a pretty good interview with Keanu Reeves about his turn as Constantine. (The comic book character, not the Roman Christian Emperor.) They also have a great article about screenwriter Charlie Kaufman.

Sideways (R)

2005-02-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

View Clips and Trailers
A Review By M. Chad Durham

Maybe there’s something beautiful about middle-aged angst for there’s so much of it in Alexander Payne’s story of wine, women, and song—Sideways; a male variation on standard chick-flick flair. But then again, maybe there isn’t; maybe mental and emotional baggage accompanied by a complete disregard for decency while selfishly looking out only for one’s self is, simply put, pathetic. If the latter is true, then what could be so fascinating about four characters bumbling aimlessly through life without purpose, meaning, or direction?

Jack (Thomas Haden Church) is a has-been. His acting career never amounted to much except voice-overs, commercials, and a brief stint on a daytime soap. He’s engaged to the lovely Christine to whom he will say, “I do” in just one short week. His best friend Miles (Paul Giamatti), a struggling writer as well as a high school English teacher and definitive wine snob, decides to send him off with a weeklong escapade through California’s wine country. The wine and the golf motivate Miles but Jack’s only interested in the booze and the broads. In fact, Miles is as obsessed with vino as Jack is with women. Where one’s obsession begins the other’s insecurities begin. They are such complete opposites it’s difficult to understand exactly why they are still friends. About the only thing they have in common is the fact that they once shared a room together in college. Nonetheless, they seem intent on having one last hoorah together before Jack ties the knot.

Along the way they meet the cautious Maya (Virginia Madsen), a waitress at Miles’ favorite restaurant. She’s certainly interested in Miles but he’s still reeling from a divorce and seems so unsure of himself around her. Jack immediately starts pushing his pal in her direction. The next day they stumble on to Stephanie (Sandra Oh) at a wine tasting. She’s the kind of gal that’s up for anything—especially a tryst with Jack—and she just happens to be friends with Maya.

The four primary characters lives are so filled with debauchery they leave nary a deadly sin uncommitted. Drunkenness may not crack the top-seven but there’s plenty of that, too, along with some serious pill popping and petty thievery. And yet, in spite of it all, it just might be their complete disregard for morality that makes them so intriguing. Watching them stumble through situation after situation complicated by their own stupidity lends credibility to the film. Each actor delivers a believable, heartfelt, noteworthy performance. First-rate acting is nothing new for Giamatti. He’s made quite a living at it for the past several years, but Church and Madsen are particularly surprising in their supporting roles. Sandra Oh also continues to demonstrate her chops for comedy.

The writers (Payne, along with Jim Taylor, based on Rex Pickett’s novel of the same name) deliver an unadulterated look at the human condition that reflects a keen understanding of the fundamentally flawed nature of people. The dialogue is first-rate and the humor racy, bawdy, crass, and irreverent delivering far more laughs than anticipated, many accompanied by a profound sense of guilt because some things just shouldn’t be that funny. Sideways is a fairly simple movie about friendship run amok that will surely strike a nerve, one way or another; it will hit too close to home for some, others won’t get at all, and still many more will find it blatantly offensive. On the other hand, it isn’t difficult to see why this flick is garnering so much buzz this award season. Sideways earns a HOT DATE rating with an * to warn off more sensitive viewers.

The Starting Lineup

2005-02-11T10:04:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

Hitch (PG-13)
Starring: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, & Kevin James
Director: Andy Tennant

Smith plays a date-doctor who can't heal himself.

Pooh's Heffalump Movie (G)
Starring: John Fielder, Nikita Hopkins, & Kath Soucie
Director: Frank Nissen

Sounds like a heffala movie for very, very, very, young kids.

Mini Reviews--Part III

2005-02-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Alien Vs. Predator (PG-13)

How in the world can you bring these two alien species together in a PG-13 atmosphere. Fundamentally, that decision sent this movie way off course right from the very beginning. There's no way this film could live up to the hype with a PG-13 rating. The studio stuck to the formula right down the line so AVP offers no surprises, zero chills, and not a single thrill. CATV

DeLovely (PG-13)

In this biographical musical about the life, loves, and sexcapades of Cole Porter, Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd render solid performances. Songs and appearances by Alanis Morressette, Cheryl Crow, and Elvis Costello keep this film mildly interesting. I could see what the filmmakers were going for here, but I just didn't buy into it. RENTAL

The Notebook (PG-13)

Another tear-jerker adapted from a Nicholas Sparks novel, The Notebook leapfrogs through time in a vain attempt to hide the obvious. It doesn't take much to see where this movie is going and what's going on. Even so, the performances are outstanding, especial James Garner and Rachel McAdams. Not many movies make for a better date--just in time for Valentine's Day. MATINEE

p.s. (R)

Aside from some mildly amusing moments from Topher Grace and a surprisingly sexy supporting role by Marcia Gay Harden, there's just nothing really special here. Laura Linney plays a middle aged college dean who stumbles across a student who reminds her of an old flame. CATV

Shark Tale (PG)

This film offers much in the way of laughs for the avid moviegoer. Not only does it spoof mobster movies and Titanic, it poke targets its own actors as well and their previous films, including Ali and Jerry Maguire. Martin Scorsese is brilliant in a film type-cast right down the line to Angelina Jolie as the bad girl. This one is just a whole lot of fun. MATINEE

When Will I Be Loved (R)

An erotic vignette masquerading as a feature film, When Will I Be Loved isn't even titled correctly. When Will Something Happen? Or, better still, When Will I Have Intercourse. This movie is short on plot and substance so its overly artistic presentation comes across as pretentious nonsense. Only Neve Campbell's acting stands apart, but not even that can overshadow the fact that she appears nude in the film, which seems to be about the only reason some folks could excuse watching this train-wreck on film. FORGEDABOUDIT!

DVD Rundown

2005-02-07T23:44:00.000-08:00

Today's new releases:

Shark Tale (PG)
Starring: Will Smith, Robert DeNiro, & Jack Black
Director: Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson, & Rob Letterman

The Notebook (PG-13)
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, & James Garner
Director: Nick Cassavetes

p.s. (R)
Starring: Laura Linney, Topher Grace, & Gabriel Byrne
Director: Dylan Kidd

Weekend Sweep

2005-02-07T19:43:00.000-08:00

The Boogeyman burst out of the closet and out from under the bed to nab first place at the box office over the weekend. The Wedding Date was a distant second, nipping past Are We There Yet in third. Hide and Seek and Million Dollar Baby round out the top five.

James Bond will be going old school when it takes on its first Ian Fleming title in many years--Casino Royale. Casion Royale was actually the first of the James Bond novels penned by Flemming. There was a spoof entitled Casino Royale starring David Niven, Woody Allen, and Peter Sellers but MGM has bought back the rights to the title. Martin Campbell, who directed Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye, is now slated to direct. Still no word on who the next Bond will be but rumor is that Clive Owen has the inside track.

Here's an interesting article from Reuters that claims Marlon Brando almost refused an offer he couldn't refuse. How different the world would be if he hadn't taken the part! There are also plans to use Brando's voice in a video game version of The Godfather.

Burnt Orange Productions has wrapped filming on its first feature. The production company works in conjunction with The University of Texas at Austin and uses students to work on crucial aspects of production. The film has been retitled The Quiet and stars Elisha Cuthbert (The Girl Next Door, 24) and Shawn Ashmore (X-Men and X2).

The SAG Awards were held this past weekend. Jamie Foxx won Best Actor, Hilary Swank took Best Actress, Morgan Freeman and Cate Blanchett were honored for supporting roles, James Garner received a lifetime achievement award, and the cast of Sideways (Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, and Sandra Oh) claimed the prize for Best Ensemble.

The genius behind Shaun of the Dead, Edgar Wright, is in negotiations for his next feature film.

In casting news Jacinda Barrett will replace Rachel McAdams in The Last Kiss, co-starring Zach Braff, and Sam Huntington will join the cast of Superman as Jimmy Olsen.

This interview with former Permian quarterback Mike Winchell found its way to My Yahoo a few days ago.

Call me simple, but I just didn't figure the ending of Million Dollar Baby would be considered so controversial. In part, because it made perfect sense to me, but if you haven't seen the movie never fear. I'll not spoil it for you here. But in case your interested in reading about all about the brouhaha, just click here. I say, go see the movie and make up your own mind.

Finally, one of the better interviews I've ever read of my favorite actress--Kate Beckinsale. Ain't she just gorgeous?

The Starting Lineup

2005-02-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

The Wedding Date (PG-13)
Starring: Debra Messing, Dermot Mulroney, Amy Adams
Director: Clare Kilner

In a fluffed-up recycled story, Kat is a single woman who has to attend her kid-sister's wedding. Unfortunately, the groom-to-be happens to be her ex-fiancé. In a desperate attempt to save face, she hires Nick, a professional male escort. Oh, and get this plot twist! While she's pretending to be in love she realizes she's falling in love. What a shocker!

Boogeyman (PG-13)
Starring: Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, and Skye McCole
Director: Stephen T. Kay

Make sure you check the closet door and under the bed before you go to sleep tonight because, according to this tale, the Boogeyman is real. Now isn't that just a frightening concept?

DVD Rundown

2005-02-01T08:34:00.000-08:00

Now Available on DVD!

Ray (PG-13)
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Reginia King, and Kerry Washington
Director: Taylor Hackford

Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, Ray is the only contender to make to DVD before the big show. Foxx' portrayal of Ray Charles has been heralded on every front so this movie is worth renting this week if you can find a copy.

Mr. 3000 (PG-13)
Starring: Bernie Mac, Angela Bassett, and Chris North
Director: Charles Stone III

Mac plays a selfish retired baseball player who discovers he doesn't really have 3000 hits so he signs back up to try and get three more hits. This flick should be good for some laughs.

Vanity Fair (PG-13)
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, James Purefoy, and Gabriel Byrne
Director: Mira Nair

For the more aspiring film aficionado.

The Grudge (PG-13)
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, and Bill Pullman
Director: Takashi Shimizu

The Americanization of the flick listed below.

Ju-On (PG-13)
Starring: Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, and Misa Uehara
Director: Takashi Shimizu

A genuinely creepy horror flick about a house, a curse, and a grudge. The story is so thin it has to hop around all over the place to make it seem like something is going on but the intensity of it all will keep you on edge throughout. The experience of watching this film is kind of exhausting.

Shall We Dance (PG-13)
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Richard Gere, and Susan Sarandon
Director: Peter Chelsom

Ballroom dancing that's not Strictly Ballroom.

She Hate Me (R)
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, and Ellen Barkin
Director: Spike Lee

Spike Lee's latest Joint.

Mullan II (NR)
Starring: Not Available
Director: Not Available

Why, oh why, does Disney keep doing these pointless straight to video sequels. Oh, yeah. That's right. They want to take advantage of little kids. That's it!

The Bodyguard (R)
Starring: Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston, and Gary Kemp
Director: Mick Jackson

A new special edition hits the shelves this week.

Million Dollar Baby (PG-13)

2005-01-31T08:33:00.000-08:00

View Trailer and Clips

A Review By M. Chad Durham

Ostensibly Million Dollar Baby looks an awful lot like Rocky donning a sports bra. Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) is too poor, too feminine, and too old to succeed in the world of boxing. Rocky was too poor, too Italian, and too old to make it in the world of boxing. Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) is reluctant to train Maggie because she is too poor, too feminine, and too old to make it in the world of boxing. He sees female boxing as a carnival sideshow and, more to the point, he’s a bona fide misogynist embittered by the fact that he just lost his best fighter and, by extension, his last shot at training a champion. If you’ll recall, Mickey thought Rocky was too poor, too Italian, and too old to make it the world of boxing, but finally came to realize that Rocky was his last shot at training a champion.

Here’s where things start to differentiate: Scrap (Morgan Freeman), a one-eyed former boxer who lives in Frankie’s gym, intervenes. Whenever Maggie isn’t serving food and scraping plates as a waitress, she’s relentlessly pounding the punching bag day and night, desperate to capture Frankie’s attention because she knows she can become a champion with his help. Scrap begins to take a shine to Maggie, doing whatever he can to encourage Maggie and help Frankie see her potential. Once the two come together, the world of female boxing will never be the same; and neither will Maggie, Frankie, or Scrap.

So, Million Dollar Baby isn’t Rocky in a bra. It’s something much, much more. It’s Clint Eastwood’s finest achievement in filmmaking that transcends the sports genre. Eastwood’s use of shadow and light sets an interesting tone for the film that in a very real way equips the viewer to accept the story as it unfolds. He dares to take the audience in an unusual direction but does so with levity, tenderness, and aptitude.

Million Dollar Baby also happens to give us the finest performance of Eastwood’s long and distinguished acting career. Frankie Dunn is a complex man wracked by guilt, filled with doubt, and disappointed in life but somehow he still clings to a semblance of faith in God and man when he’s not antagonizing his favorite priest. Early in the film it seems like Freeman and Eastwood are just trying to out-rasp one another in a contest to see who can have the gruffer voice. However, as the story progresses, so does the depth and range that only veterans like these could pull-off. Freeman hasn’t had a part this good since The Shawshank Redemption.

The light-hearted banter between the three major characters seems genuine if only to serve as comic relief from the intensity of the plot. They flesh out some unforgettable roles as everything falls in place to offer up a powerful story that simply refuses to digress into cliché. Something profound happens to these people we come to love; they change in ways we only hope we could as they all discover what they’re really capable of doing for one another.

Hilary Swank is in top award-winning form. Maggie Fitzgerald isn’t just a female version of Rocky. She’s feisty, stubborn, and tough but sensitive and vulnerable around the edges. By the time we meet Maggie’s nasty family, we already know she comes from white trash but we also know she’s something special that can rise above the fray. The greatest fight Maggie Fitzgerald faces isn’t fought inside a ring against the champ, it’s fought outside the ring against her dreadful, ungrateful, and inconsiderate relatives.

Paul Haggis did an exceptional job adapting the screenplay from Rope Burns: Stories From the Corner, written by ex-cut man and boxing trainer Jerry Boyd, published under the pen name F.X. Toole. The anthology included a short story entitled “Million $$$ Baby” which is the basis for this film.

Perhaps the best movie of 2004, Million Dollar Baby is much darker than what you might expect from this genre, but most moviegoers should still come away with that warm fuzzy feeling only a good sports movie can provide. This is a HOT DATE and my pick to take the Oscar for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress of 2004.

Weekend Sweep

2005-01-30T09:50:00.000-08:00

The Robert DeNiro/Dakota Fanning horror flick Hide and Seek took first place at the box office over the weekend. Although most critics bashed the storyline and the highly protected final reel (The studio sent the final reel out to theatres separately from the rest of the film to "protect" the "surprise ending.") it still managed to top Are We There Yet and Oscar contender Million Dollar Baby's nation-wide roll-out. Coach Carter held on for another week in the fourth spot and Meet the Fockers rounded out the top five giving DeNiro two films in the top five. Sideways, another Oscar hopeful, went wider this weekend, finally cracking the top ten in seventh place right behind The Aviator, flying by in the sixth spot.

Clint Eastwood took the Director's Guild Award for Million Dollar Baby while The Incredibles dominated The Annie Awards.

ET profiles Keanu Reeves in the forthcoming Constantine.

Make sure you scroll down for this week's quote and to vote in our latest poll!

The Starting Lineup

2005-01-27T23:20:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

Million Dollar Baby (PG-13)
Starring: Hilary Swank, Clint Eastwood, and Morgan Freeman
Director: Clint Eastwood

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, this is the most promising national release in months. This film literally proves the cliche, "Critics everywhere agree." Boy, and how. The story supposedly has an incredible plot twist that keeps it from digressing into a Rocky sequel so if I haven't had a chance to see it by the time you read this--don't spoil it for me or anyone else.

Hide and Seek (R)
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Dakota Fanning, and Elisabeth Shue
Director: John Polson

The trailer is genuinely creepy. On the other hand, it hasn't been well received by critics. Count on good acting but be prepared for a disappointing story.

Alone in the Dark (R)
Starring: Christian Slater, Tara Reid, and Stephen Dorff
Director: Uwe Boll

Don't expect too much from this b-rate horror flick.

Thinking about Oscar

2005-01-27T08:37:00.000-08:00

Best Picture

Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby has all the momentum going down the stretch. The film goes nationwide tomorrow, critics adore it, and it has a surprise plot twist. While The Aviator received 11 nominations, there just hasn't been the same buz about it there has been with Baby. Sideways could be in a much better position to challenge Baby for the bald guy. Ray and Finding Neverland are longshots.

Best Actor

This one is a much tougher race to call. Leonardo DiCaprio took the Golden Globe, but Jamie Foxx portrayal of Ray Charles and Don Cheadle's turn in Hotel Rwanda are just as praiseworthy. Clint Eastwood and Johnny Depp bring up the rear.

Best Actress

Like DiCaprio, Annette Bening won the Golden Globe but there's just no getting around the hype surrounding Million Dollar Baby so don't give Hilary Swank a standing eight count just yet. She's won once before. A personal favorite, albeit a real longshot, is Catalina Sandino Moreno who was outstanding in Maria Full of Grace. Imelda Stauton and Kate Winslet will miss out for sure.

Best Supporting Actor

Thomas Haden Church appears to have a pretty good beat on this award but Alan Alda's lifetime of work could push him aside. Academy voters often swing towards older actors and actresses in this regard. Jamie Foxx could pick up some make-up votes in this category, and he was very good in Collateral, but let's face it, Collateral wasn't very good. Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman will just have to smile gracefully.

Best Supporting Actress

My favorite? Hands down it's Natalie Portman. Virgina Madsen is second, with Cate Blanchett, Sophie Okonedo, and Laura Linney rounding out the list in order of preference.

Best Animated Feature

The Incredibles.

Best Adapted Screenplay

Sideways will probably get this award, but again, don't underestimate the attention Million Dollar Baby is getting right now. All five nominees are outstanding adaptations. Any one of them could win the Oscar on any given year. This is probably the toughest category to call this year.

Best Original Screenplay

I don't think there's anyway this award won't go to Hotel Rwanda. But, if it doesn't, then it will probably go to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Best Director

Will Clint Eastwood win again? Or will The Academy throw Martin Scorsese a bone? This could go either way. I'd put the odds 60/40 in favor of Clint simply because everybody seems so indifferent about The Aviator.

Well, that's my take. For whatever it's worth. Last year the wife beat me with her picks so that shows what I know.

Oscar Nods His Bald Noggin

2005-01-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

Oscar has finally nodded his golden bald noggin and here are some of those nods.

Best Picture

The Aviator
Finding Neverland
Millon Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways

Best Actor

Don Cheadle--Hotel Rwanda
Johnny Depp--Finding Neverland
Leonardo DiCaprio--The Aviator
Clint Eastwood--Million Dollar Baby
Jamie Foxx--Ray

Best Actress

Annette Bening--Being Julia
Catalina Sandino Moreno--Maria Full of Grace
Imeld Stauton--Vera Drake
Hilary Swank--Million Dollar Baby
Kate Winslet--Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Alda--The Aviator
Thomas Haden Church--Sideways
Jamie Foxx--Collateral
Morgan Freeman--Million Dollar Baby
Clive Owen--Closer

Best Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett--The Aviator
Laura Linney--Kinsey
Virginia Madsen--Sideways
Sophie Okonedo--Hotel Rwanda
Natalie Portman--Closer

Animated Feature

The Incredibles
Shark Tale
Shrek 2

Adapted Screenplay

Before Sunset
Finding Neverland
Million Dollar Baby
The Motorcycle Diaries
Sideways

Original Screenplay

The Aviator
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Hotel Rwanda
The Incredibles
Vera Drake

Best Directing

The Aviator
Million Dollar Baby
Ray
Sideways
Vera Drake

DVD Rundown

2005-01-23T23:36:00.000-08:00

New to DVD!

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (PG)
Starring: Jude Law, Gweneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie
Director: Kerry Conran

Read The Hot Corner's Featured Review or catch it over at Grace Centered Magazine.

First Daughter (PG)
Starring: Katie Holmes, Marc Blucas, and Michael Keaton
Director: Forest Whitaker

Katie Holmes. My second favorite female in Hollywood, fourth favorite female in life. Maybe I'll scrape some change together so I can rent this film.

Alien Vs. Predator (PG-13)
Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Lance Henriksen, and Raoul Bova
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

Whoever wins--we lose. Sounds like the 2004 Presidential Election! Just kidding.

The Starting Lineup

2005-01-21T08:52:00.000-08:00

Not much coming out this weekend, but here's what's new.

Assault on Precinct 13 (R)
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, and John Leguizamo
Director: Jean-Francois Richet

Well, not entirely new. This is a remake of and old John Carpenter film but, in so far as remakes go, this one holds some promise considering the stellar cast that also includes Maria Bello, Brian Dennehy, and Gabriel Byrne. Wow. But this begs a truly important question. Why don't they remake a truly great Carpenter film like They Live or something? :) Watch out for changes from the original plot as Hawke and Fishburne team up to take on dirty cops. I'd still like it better if they were teaming up to fight dirty aliens.

Are We There Yet? (PG)
Starring: Ice Cube, Nia Long, and Aleisha Allen
Director: Brian Levant

Cube plays a guy who tries to woo a woman by bringing her kids cross-country to see her. It's hard enough to take kids on a trip, but when the kids don't think you're good enough for their mom? Watch out. The trailer looks like this film might be a mildly diverting form of entertainment for the family if you're really hard-up this weekend.

DVD Rundown

2005-01-17T23:48:00.000-08:00

New to DVD today!

Friday Night Lights (PG-13)
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Derek Luke, and Lucas Black
Director: Peter Berg

As I type these words I'm listening to H.G. Bissinger and Berg on the commentary track. The Wife scored the last copy of the DVD with a free paperback novel at Best Buy today. Which is a good thing cause my sister hijacked mine and took with her to the Big D area when she moved. For my review and some personal connections, click here.

Cellular (PG-13)
Starring: Kim Bassinger and Chris Evans
Director: David R. Ellis

The Forgotten (PG-13)
Starring: Julianne Moore, Anthony Edwards, and Gary Sinise
Director: Joseph Ruben

Catwoman (PG-13)
Starring: Halle Berry, Benjamin Bratt, and Sharon Stone
Director: Pitof

Weekend Sweep

2005-01-17T11:38:00.000-08:00

Things are about to get interesting around here. Friday Night Lights hits the shelves here in Odessa, TX., approximately one week following Gary Gaines appointment as Athletic Director for Ector County Schools. (FYI for the lost--Ector County Independent School District includes PERMIAN, Gaines former team, and the subject of the Peter Berg's film Friday Night Lights and H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger's book of the same name.) A mutual friend pointed out to me last night that Gaines and I even share the same look these days. Bald is definitely the comb-over of the new millennium. Best Buy is giving away the book with movie for $15.99. Circuit City is selling it $14.99 sans novel.

The Aviator took best drama last night at the Golden Globes while Sideways took best comedy. An obvious crowd favorite according to The Bull Durham Applause-o-meter was Hotel Rwanda. Go ahead and pencil these three in for Best Picture nods at the forth coming Oscars along with Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. The last one or two spots are going to be a crap-shoot, but those four should be in the running.

Other winners included Clive Owen, Clint Eastwood, Natalie Portman, Teri Hatcher, William Shatner, Geoffrey Rush, and Annette Bening.

No Elektrafication took place at the Box Office this weekend as Jennifer Garner could ne'r o'r come Samuel L. Jackson's Coach Carter. In fact, Alias had better numbers last week than Elektra, which finished fourth behind the pad-lock-happy Coach, those irrepressible Fockers, and that Zebra flick The Bull's father wants to see so badly.

Don't forget! The Hot Corner has a new poll. Make sure you vote your favorite film of 2005. If it's not there, click other and make a comment on this post tell us what your favorite film was last year.

The Starting Lineup

2005-01-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

Elektra (PG-13)
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Terence Stamp, and Goran Visnjic
Director: Rob Bowman

Garner continues the character she brought to life in Daredevil in this latest comic to film adventure. Elektra is revived from the dead by the same group of assassins who trained her. She's sent to kill a man and his daughter. Will she go through with it? What do you think? Although this film is rated PG-13 word has it Garner kisses another woman in the movie so be forewarned if that's not the sort of thing you want your child to see.

Coach Carter (PG-13)
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown, and Robert Ri'chard
Director: Thomas Carter

In the most promising film released this week, Jackson plays the real-life Coach Carter who, after leading his basketball team through a championship season, padlocks the gym the following year because several of his players fail to meet the academic standards they agreed to in order to be a part of his team.

In Good Company (PG-13)
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, and Scarlett Johansson
Director: Paul Weitz

Quaid finds himself answering to a new boss--the childlike Topher Grace. Talk about a bad day at the office, first you have to answer to a guy half your age and then, wouldn't you know, the little twit starts dating you good-looking daughter.

Racing Stripes (PG)
Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Hayden Panettiere, and M. Emmet Walsh
Director: Frederik Du Chau

A zebra raised on a Kentucky horse farm becomes a contestant in the Kentucky Crown. I think that just about says it all, don't you?

Unnoticed

2005-01-11T23:26:00.000-08:00

Unnoticed (NR)
A Review by M. Chad Durham

You know you’ve arrived as a film critic when you land your first invite to a premiere. Living in West Texas, I seldom even get a chance to sneak films before they’re released to the general public, let alone screen a film with the entire cast and crew. Needless to say, when David Sean Stringer handed me my invitation, he caught me off guard. It takes a lot of guts, and confidence in your work as an artist, to invite the enemy to be on hand for the celebration of your brand new film. Premieres are for families and friends and investors. Premieres are designed to make people feel good about a job well done, which is why most filmmakers surround themselves with folks that are more than happy to give them a hearty pat on the back rather than stick one in their back. They just aren’t the sorts of places you find know-it-alls like me. But, when you’re a director as talented as Stringer, you needn’t worry too much about getting a bad review.

Stringer’s feature film debut was co-scripted by General Echols and David Holler. It tells the story of Bravo 1/Russ (Steve Hinshaw), a black ops soldier assigned to take down a terrorist threat in the Southwest Texas desert terrain somewhere along the Mexican border. Or so he has been told. Jericho (Jennifer Hart) is calling all the shots via satellite back in Eastern Europe and she fully intends to make Russ her patsy. She orders Bravo 2 (David Dunn) to eliminate the threat posed by his apparent disregard for orders.

But, “not everything is as it seems.” Russ stumbles directly into Ben’s path. Ben is a pastor who just happens to be a former military man as well. He decides right then and there he must help the wounded man. After all, “This has gotta be a God thing.” As they make their escape from Bravo 2, Ben gleans enough information to conclude that Russ is being used—not to kill off the dangerous leaders of terrorist cells that threaten America, but to assassinate leaders from the church in China. Chinese churches are organized using a cell structure similar to that employed by contemporary enemies of the U.S. government. Jericho eventually cuts Echo 1/Rachel (played by the captivating Dawn Glover) out of the loop. She’s been monitoring the entire sordid affair all along. It was originally her op, but clearly she has some kind of history with Ben, which somehow represents a huge threat to the villainess. Rachel quickly enjoins their quest to find the next mark before it is too late.

Unnoticed is a high-concept, fast-paced action flick with a shocking conspiratorial plot, but the primary subtext is one of salvation. Russ undergoes the ultimate transformation as the protagonist in a story that culminates in his salvation. Rachel recalls her own commitment—and is restored. Ben just helps people along the way, facing serious peril, but perhaps not more so than the spiritual perils that all ministers face in their service to God and men.

Each member of the cast struggles through a line or two during the course of the film, but this group of novices are still on par with the performances generally offered-up in other so-called Christian movies. Compared to Kirk Cameron and company in the Left Behind films, their performances are downright fabulous. This is a good-looking ensemble, especially Dawn Glover, who is totally convincing as an action babe. She was well coached and looks pretty natural holding the weapons in this film and with looks like that, she ought to be on film. She also had a little help from some stunt people (Terri Clardy and Tharren Barnes), but that’s to be expected. Hinisaw, Holler, and Dunn, each have moments to shine as well and, according to the wife, they look pretty good, too. Hart misses a few beats only to counter with some deliciously wicked moments at more crucial junctures in the film. They all seem to have some talent for this so it should be interesting to see if they do anything in the future.

Although the dialogue is a bit wooden in a couple of places, for the most part, the story is as enjoyable as it is timely. It is certain to open Christian eyes to the plight of the church in China and the production quality of this film is so extraordinary it ought to reach out to non-Christian audiences with ease. This is in no small part due to Stringer’s keen instincts, natural presentation, and uncanny ability in the editing process. In reality, he shows us so much of what we need to know visually that the film doesn’t require that much dialogue. If Stringer goes unnoticed, it won’t be because Unnoticed is a bad film. Few viewers will ever grasp the sheer volume of special effects, manipulated shots, and enhancements Stringer and company had to make during post. A great deal of attention has been given to the technical aspects of the story and it is those precise details that lend greater credibility to this project.

Unnoticed is an exceptional debut from a promising director. Any shortcomings in this film are easily forgivable considering its shoestring budget, inexperienced cast and crew, and its inherent breakneck style. The pacing is simply phenomenal. There’s little doubt in this critic’s mind that Stringer has what it takes to become a big-time filmmaker. We’ll just have to see if that’s what God has in store for him. I’ll offer up my best rating—HOT DATE—and I’m anxiously awaiting the next project from Stringer and/or G12 Productions.

This copyrighted article was also published in Grace-Centered Magazine - A daily publication for Christians that examines tradition and aspects of living the Christian life.

DVD Rundown

2005-01-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

Here are today's new releases on DVD:

The Village (PG-13)
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, and Brice Howard
Director: M. Night Shyamalan

Shyamalan's latest is a totally predictable genre-bending tale set in the woods where Those Whose Names We Dare Not Speak threaten their way of life. Or are there other forces at worked threatening their Utopian world? I gave it a MATINEE rating over at GCM. Or, you can find it right here on The Hot Corner.

Without a Paddle (PG-13)
Starring: Seth Green, Matthew Lillard, and Ethan Suplee
Director: Steven Brill

A crass comedy with a promising cast, Without a Paddle had a pretty good run at the box office so we'll keep an eye on it and see how well it does on DVD. Paddle is the story of a group of friends that get involved in a treasure hunt on a canoe trip.

Alice Through the Looking Glass (NR--Family)
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Ian Holm, and Penelope Winton
Director: John Henderson

Alice Through the Looking Glass is another retelling of the classic story starring none other than my current favorite actress as Alice--Kate Beckinsale. Now that she's gained some name recognition this past year, folks have decided to release this flick. I don't know much else about it besides what I've shared so far. I'm just still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that she's got blonde hair in this flick. Maybe I can crack the piggy-bank and rent a copy.

Paparazzi (R)
Starring: Cole Hauser, Tom Sizemore, and Robin Tunney
Director: Paul Abascal

A bomb. A pan. Rent at your own risk.

Also, two Luc Besson movies I adore will be getting the proverbial special edition/double disc treatment this week:

Leon (R) aka The Professional
Starring: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, and Natalie Portman
Director: Luc Besson

The sweet yet harsh enduring story of an isolated hitman who takes in an orphaned child. This film was trimmed down and tamed a bit for its U.S. release and renamed The Professional. Copies of the full length Leon have been hard to come by in this country with a price tag around 30 bucks in recent months. (I scored one years ago dirt cheap! It was one of the first DVD's I ever bought.) Ranked #75 on Bull Durham's Top 100 and #62 on IMDb, now it won't be so difficult or expensive to watch Beson's masterpiece as originally intended. Oldman is delicious as the villain, Reno perfect as Leon, and Natalie Portman's charm shines through as the girl who will certainly grow up to be a Cleaner. That's a sequel I'm still hoping for one day. HOT DATE

The Fifth Element (R)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Chris Tucker, and Gary Oldman
Director: Luc Besson

Although not anywhere near the merits of La Femme Nikita or Leon, The Fifth Element introduced us to Chris Tucker, pairing him with Bruce Willis who is in top wise-cracking form for this flick. The pace is perfect, the story funny and entertaining, although somewhat flawed. Lavish costumes by Jean Paul Gautier, special effects way ahead of its time, and expansive sets combine to bombard the viewer with brilliant imagery and offer us a glimpse at the future according to Besson. MATINEE

A 5-4-3 Double Play

2005-01-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

Let's see... what could we talk about today besides the fact that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston split the sheets?

Well, Electra is but four days away from a theatre near you. I say near you simply because I won't be able to afford it when it arrives at that theatre near me since I'm out of a job. More's the pity.

Or, we could try and decipher the message behind the People's Choice Awards last night that saw both Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Passion win big. It's just a red and blue world these days and just what will Moore's People's Party Award do for him in Oscar's backyard?

Jack's back serving President and Country and punctual as ever, clocking in at 7:00AM. Jack is the "Michael Corleone" of television in that "he tries to get out, but they keep pulling [him]back in." Poor guy. Why don't they just let him be a philandering grandfather? Oh, well. It all be resolved in 24 short hours.

I should mention that I haven't even seen two of the biggest Oscar hopefuls, Sideways and The Aviator, which is nothing short of a sin because the latter is a Kate Beckinsale flick and you all know how I feel about here.

Oh, speaking of Beckinsale, maybe we should just catch up on old news.

Or, maybe I should just try to get somebody to explain to me like I'm a three year-old how Meet the Fockers could rule the box office three weeks in a row. That's practically unheard of for any film these days, much less a comedy. I must be missing something.

Or, perhaps I should just shut up and work on tomorrow's new releases, which includes another Kate Beckinsale flick. Yeah. That's precisely what I will do.

And That's a 5-4-3 Double Play!

, And A Brand New Poll

2005-01-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

Make sure you take the time to scroll down and vote for your favorite film of 2005!

A Brand New Year, A Brand New Week, A Brand New Journal, A Brand New Blog

2005-01-09T12:30:00.000-08:00

A brand new week begins today and I gotta tell ya', I'm excited about it! Today is the end of something that's been a wonderful part of my life for half a decade, but it is also the beginning of something entirely new. I don't know what that something is just yet, but whatever God has in store my family, I'm sure it's gonna be great!

Yep, I'm looking for a new gig these days. Hopefully I'll get something soon. I do think that since all the stressful and taxing situations from my last one are now a thing of the past I will be able to get serious about this blog again.

Here are the goals for 2005:

To purchase our own domain name and construct a custom web site that will always be THE place for movie reviews, news and commentary.
To provide you with additional writers and contributors that will broaden our coverage.
To continue to bring you film reviews using Bull Durham's copyrighted rating system.
To offer a place to find links to other important web sites, especially those that are dedicated to film and filmmaking.
To keep you informed on all the latest movie news.
To give added attention to the growing film business out here in West Texas.
To share news about The Desert Reel Film Festival and The Basin Film Society.
To eclipse a total of 50 film reviews and garner our credentials as part of the legitimate press community out here in West Texas.
To become a fully self-sufficient entity--we want The Hot Corner to be able to pay for itself.
To sell a screenplay and/or make a flick on my own--but that's for another set of goals, isn't it? lol

Regardless of what the future holds for me, even if I have to take a job at Taco Bell, I know that it's going to be a great year and that Bull Durham's Hot Corner will once again receive the (almost) daily attention it so richly deserves.

DVD Rundown

2005-01-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few flicks highlighting this week's new releases.

Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle (R)
Starring: John Cho, Kal Penn, and Neil Patrick Harris
Director: Danny Leiner

This was one of the rare movies I had the privilege of screening in advance. I gave it The Hot Corner's RENTAL rating so maybe you'll wanna check out this little flick about a couple of lovable stoners on their quest for some tasty little burgers.

Troy (R)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, and Orlando Bloom
Director: Wolfgang Petersen

I had very little kind to say about this film when it was first released, but for the record, it earned The Hot Corner's CATV rating.

Little Black Book (PG-13)
Starring: Brittany Murphy, Holly Hunter, and Ron Livingston
Director: Nick Hurran

Ron Livingston's gal pal gets a little too curious for her own good when she goes snooping through his old address book. Or is it a PDA? I get the two confused.

Basin Film Society

2005-01-03T21:50:00.000-08:00

Just returned from a meeting of The Basin Film Society this evening where I had the honor of screening Rick Owen's opus, The Minds Eye. We also elected new officers for 2005 and set some pretty lofty goals for the upcoming year. Owen will be our President this year, Sean Stringer our Vice-President, and Jeffrey Johnson the secretary. Rick and Jeff are also working diligently to bring us a new web site but until then, if you'd like to know more about The Basin Film Society, visit our web site at http://www.basinfilm.org/.

Resolved

2005-01-01T05:52:00.000-08:00

To give this site its proper due again in 2005!

The Starting Lineup

2004-12-21T22:01:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you!

The Aviator (PG-13)
Starring: Leonardo DeCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale
Director: Martin Scorsese

Kate Beckinsale as Ava Gardner? A Martin Scorsese Film? Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn? Need I say more? I'll be there. Even if it has DeCrapio in it.

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (R)
Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Cate Blanchett
Director: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson gives us a story about a guy who appears to be a mixture of Jacques Custeau, Captain Nemo, and Captain Ahab. Could be amusing.

Meet the Fockers (PG-13)
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller, and Dustin Hoffman
Director: Jay Roach

I didn't really like Meet the Parents, but apparently, that put me in the minority because here we go with a sequel. With the addition of Hoffman and Barbara Streisand to the plot, it certainly holds more promise than the first.

Fat Albert (PG)
Starring: Kenan Thompson and Kyla Pratt
Director: Joel Zwick

Bill Cosby is credited as a writer on this film, but the trailer looks so dreadful I have no desire to see Albert and his gang in this real life send up.

Darkness (PG-13)
Starring: Anna Paquin, Lena Olin, and Iain Glen
Director: Jaume Balaguero

I don't know too much about this film. I couldn't even find a poster that I could use for The Hot Corner. It looks like a story about a family that has purchased haunted house.

Phantom of the Opera (PG-13)
Starring: Gerard Butler, Emily Rossum, and Patrick Wilson
Director: Joel Schumacher

The guy who messed up the Batman franchise (Schumacher) takes a swing at the Broadway classic.

DVD Rundown

2004-12-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

There are so many films making their way to DVD today I can't even begin to cover them all so today I'll just hit the highlights.

King Arthur (PG-13)
Starring: Clive Owen, Kiera Knightley, and Stellan Skarsgard
Director: Antoine Fuqua

The legendary king gets a Roman twist as this film explores the notion that there had to be a source behind the legend.

The Manchurian Candidate (PG-13)
Starring: Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, and Meryl Streep
Director: Jonathan Demme

Another classic gets remade with members of a Gulf War platoon getting their brains fried by the enemy this time around.

Napoleon Dynamite (PG)
Starring: John Heder, Efren Ramirez, and Jon Gries
Director: Jared Hess

The highlight of this weeks selections, Napoleon Dynamite is a must see flick. Check out my review! For me, this is a must-own flick so the daughter and I will be heading over to purchase a copy today.

Shaun of the Dead (R)
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, and Nick Frost
Director: Edgar Wright

A sleeper hit largely adored by critics. I tried several times to catch this zombie flick at the theatre to no avail, but the word is it is clever, witty, and down-right hilarious. I plan on rushing to video store right now to fetch a copy! (After I buy a copy of Napoleon Dynamite, of course.)

Thunderbirds (PG)
Starring: Bill Pullman, Ben Kingsley, and Anthony Edwards
Director: Jonathan Frakes

The Thunderbirds get the Pinnocio treatment, but being transformed from puppets to live action didn't sway folks at the box office and this film bombed. However, it might be worth renting for the kiddies during the holidays.

Can't Miss Holiday Flicks

2004-12-19T23:38:00.000-08:00

By M. Chad Durham

‘Tis the season to be jolly, and if there’s one thing a fat man like me knows all about, it’s how to be jolly. If you’re anything like me, you’re eating too much turkey, drinking too much eggnog (non-alcoholic, of course), and traveling all over Hades and half of Texas to celebrate this jubilant season. And, if you’re like this fat jolly balding elf, you’re so tuckered out from all the eating and drinking and driving you just don’t feel like playing 42 with Uncle Billy Bob, Aunt Edna, and that guy who happens to be seriously dating your cousin until January 2. And, if you’re like me, you’re just too fat and out of shape to join the teenagers for the 25th Annual Alfalfa Bowl behind the old junior high school. There’s really only one gig out there for a jolly old fat man with a graying beard like me, and that job is already spoken for so what’s boy to do?

How ‘bout a movie? DVD or VHS or streamed via the Internet, it really doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you keep your integrity by reaching your 36th birthday without having learned to play 42. All that matters is that you plant your happy self on a nice cushy sofa and stay warm while the young ‘uns brave the cold to play their annual grudge match. All that matters is that you have membership to a video store, or, if you’re like me, have an extensive library of films in your home.

Let me offer-up some Can’t Miss Holiday Flicks to help aid your digestion this holiday season.

For the entire family
It’s a Wonderful Life

One the reasons I’m so fat and jolly these days is in no small part due to spending the holidays with my late grandmother. Man! She could cook. But she also had this television in the bedroom my brother and I shared and there, on some obscure cable channel, we would stay up all night watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” over and over again. To this day, George Bailey is one of the greatest characters ever penned. Jimmy Stewart and Donna Read make Frank Capra’s film a timeless classic. Remember. No man is failure who has friends. HOT DATE

For the boys
A Christmas Story

What did I want for Christmas when I was growing up? Why, an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass on the stock and this thing, which tells time. And what did I get? A chorus singing, “You’ll shoot your eye out! You’ll shoot your eye out!” (I got a Daisy BB Gun instead, sans compass and this thing, which tells time.) “A Christmas Story” taught us that the word “fragile” was actually Italian, that we should never stick our tongue on a flagpole in subzero weather, that Palmolive has a nice, piquant after-dinner flavor - heavy, but with a touch of mellow smoothness, and that icicles have been known to kill people. For some gut-busting laughs, and a trip down memory lane, I highly recommend this film. HOT DATE

For the girls
Miracle on 34th Street

This movie has been remade at least a dozen times, but nothing tops the original story about Kris Kringle, his intervention in the dreaded Macy/Gimble feud, his battle with our wonderful judicial system, and his efforts to give one little a girl a home of her own. MATINEE

For the guys
Die Hard

Not only is Die Hard the greatest action film ever made, it’s also one the greatest Christmas movies of all time. There really is no way to measure just how much this movie changed the action genre but, this time every year, it’s the story that gets me going. John McClain (Bruce Willis), a hardnosed cop from New York travels to Los Angeles to visit his estranged wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia). Holly happens to be a major player in a huge multi-national, but when Hans Grueber (Alan Rickman) and his European pals crash the party, McClain must take them down one-by-one all on his own in order to save the woman he still loves. Man, if this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year’s. HOT DATE

For the gals
Serendipity

I’ve debated long and hard about this movie. Is it a holiday film, or isn’t it? It begins on a holiday and ends on a holiday but nothing in between has anything to do with Christmas. Even so, I decided to put in on my list anyway because, by gibers, I dig Kate Beckinsale. Serendipity is a relatively clean romantic comedy about two people who leave their future to fate after a chance meeting on Christmas Eve. It’s the kind of romantic comedy even a guy’s guy can enjoy because John Cusack and Jeremy Piven are an absolutely brilliant comedy team. They should work together more often. MATINEE

For adults
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation

I grew up in a home where my father would actually ponder, “What would Clark W. Griswald do in a situation like this?” Chevy Chase is phenomenal as Clark, another brilliant character and, although he wasn’t created specifically for the holidays, he certainly makes it special in his own twisted way. The “Vacation” films aren’t for everybody but I think every Dad has a tendency to pull “Clark W.” from time to time. At least, I hope that’s normal. Don’t watch this one on a full stomach and make sure the kiddies are snug in their beds with visions of sugarplums in their heads. MATINEE

No wonder I’m such a jolly fat man. I’m always thinking about food. Oh, well. ‘Tis the season.

Idle Threats

2004-12-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

Okay! I'll admit it! My promise to return to blogging has become an idle threat. At this point, I'm going to set a goal for my full return next week. It's been hard catching up with things since I got back into town.

But I do have some Permian Basin Movie News!

I have a good reason for blowing off the blog last week. I was working on another draft of one of my screenplays last week. It's called LDR. (I won't elaborate on what that means because you can't copyright a title and I don't want somebody taking my idea.) Of course, I've written nine screenplays so far so what's the big deal, right? Well, all but a few of them are still in rough draft or first draft form. LDR is now just a final proof away from copyright and registration.

The Desert Reel Film Festival has extended its deadline for entries to January 17th. If you know of any independent filmmakers out there let them know about us. We really want to double the amount of entries we've received so far.

A friend has officially completed his film called The Minds Eye. In fact, it was the fact that he actually completed his film that got me rolling again on my screenplay last week. Go check it out at his web site.

Tonight I will be attending the premiere of another local flick called Unnoticed. I'm looking forward to being a part of this event because it truly is my first invite to a premiere as a critic and it came directly from the director, Sean Stringer. I hope to report on this even in the near future.

Have a great one!

Back to Blogging

2004-12-07T07:59:00.000-08:00

Hey gang! Well, I'm back from Big D so it's back to blogging. Sorry for the time away. I'll try not to let it happened too often. Today's big release is The Bourne Supremacy, an outstanding film to which I gave my HOT DATE rating over at GCM.

Also out available for home use today are Maria Full of Grace and DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story.

We'll get back to the fancy stuff later this week after I get all caught up.

The Starting Lineup

2004-11-26T09:49:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you this holiday weekend:

Alexander (R)
Starring: Colin Farrell, Rosario Dawson, Anthony Hopkins, Val Kilmer, and Angelina Jolie
Director: Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone's latest epic has an all star cast, Oscar aspirations, and controversy. Are we really surprised?

Christmas with the Kranks (PG)
Starring: Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cheech Marin, and Dan Aykroyd
Director: Joe Roth

The trailer for this film has lifted my expectations for this film. The Kranks decide to forgo Christmas because their daughter won't be home for the holiday. Mass hysteria ensues because of that decision.

Finding Neverland (PG)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, and Dustin Hoffman
Director: Marc Forster

This tale tells the story behind the story, so to speak, about the creation of Peter Pan.

DVD Rundown

2004-11-23T05:45:00.000-08:00

Now available to rent or own:

The Terminal (PG-13)
Starring: Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stanley Tucci
Director: Steven Spielberg

In this promising little film Hanks plays a foreigner who becomes stuck in an airport when war breaks out in his home country leaving him without nationality. He makes friends and makes do inside the airport because his visa is taken away.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (PG)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Gint, and Emma Watson
Director: Alfanso Cuaron

Harry Potter is back. All I can say is whoopee. Yeah. No. I really mean it. Just can't wait. Wahoo. This time that Larry, oh excuse me, I mean Harry... (I forget that this is a J.K. Rowling ORIGINAL story. My bad.) Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. This time something happens to Harry and then something else goes on for a couple of hours and then it resolves itself until the next film when they will bilk parents and children out of a few hundred million more bucks. The books keep getting longer and the films are excruciatingly longer. Can't you just hardly wait the fourth?

Sleepover (PG)
Starring: Alexa Vega, Mike Boorem, and Sam Huntington
Director: Joe Nussbaum

Vega steps out of her Spy Kids role, jumping head-first into the realm of teenage feminine angst as she and her friends deal with the so-very-serious threat of high school obscurity and insignificance. In the mean time, they throw-down with the popular girl in an all-night scavenger hunt.

Weekend Sweep

2004-11-22T06:32:00.000-08:00

National Treasure took the box office crown over the weekend by nudging out SpoungeBob SquarePants. The Squared One scored with audiences of all makes although I'll never ever understand why. The Incredibles, The Polar Express, and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason round out the top 5, which begs the question: When was the last time three of the top 5 films were all animated? I'm not clever enough to figure that one out so drop us a line if you think you know the answer. Be prepared to cite your sources.

We haven't had a news update in a while so there's much to report...

Jude Law was named the sexiest man alive. I have an ex-girlfriend who put forth this thought over five years ago but she doesn't speak to me anymore so I can neither confirm nor deny the notion that's she's behind his selection in some way. As manipulative as she was I figure she had to have a hand in this somehow, thus bringing about her ultimate vindication at this time.

Mel Gibson says he won't be plugging his flick for an Oscar this year.

The folks at AFI are at it again. This time they're compiling a list of the top 100 movie quotes of all time. Casablanca is probably going to dominate the top 10.

Exhibit A in our study of duplicity--Roman Polanski. He wants the right to sue somebody in a court of law via video link. He wants to sue Vanity Fair for "defamation." You might recall that Polanski was convicted for having sex with a 13 year-old back in 1977. There are two things astonishing about this; first, that Polanski has the nerve to use the courts when they might benefit him but refuses to yield to court orders himself, and second, that a fleeing felon pedophile would actually think somebody could "defame" his "reputation."

Several films in development make their debut on The Hot Corner.

Sam Raimi, the director of both recent Spider-man films, intends to remake one of his own films--The Evil Dead. With the current resurgence of The Zombie Genre, this is not at all surprising.

Colin Firth wants to throw his hat inside Money Penny's office as the new Bond. The other Colin, Colin Farrell who is Pierce Brosnan's choice went on record that he has no desire to tackle 007.

Two sources have Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Kate Beckinsale involved they in bringing The Da Vinci Code to the big screen.

Director Brian Singer (X-men) will be taking an alternative creative turn in developing a new video game called Secret Service.

Disney intends to bring Toy Story 3 to a theatre near you without the help of Pixar.

For the next two weeks The Hot Corner will have to go on pseudo-hiatus due to the Thanksgiving Holiday and my dad's major reconstructive surgeries on his leg. I'll try to update with reviews during those two weeks but the news and forthcoming releases will have to wait.

But I won't leave you folks empty handed. Here's what's coming in the weeks ahead.

A BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY goes out to my little brother Brett today!

Take care, be safe, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

The Starting Lineup

2004-11-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

At a theatre near you starting this afternoon!

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (R)
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant
Director: Beeban Kidron

I mean really! What's the point here? Merely to showcase Zellweger's improved Brit accent? Same plot different diary. Or so I am told. Unfortunately, the wife will never let this one slip by without dragging me along for the ride. I'm sure it is a funny film considering the cast, but it certainly offends my pocket book and my sensibilities that part two comes along with the same love triangle that should have been resolved in the snowy streets of London so long ago.

National Treasure (PG-13)
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, and Sean Bean
Director: Jon Turteltaub

This ain't a banner weekend for movies. While National Treasure might very well be the second coming of Indiana Jones (somehow I doubt it) I couldn't care less because every movie I went to see at the theatres, every video I rented, and every movie a bought in the last two years had the trailer for this film attached to it. I can even quote the film already. "Did Big Foot take it?" The Marketing Army has carpet bombed my peaceful territory and I'll be darned if I'll ever pay big bucks to see this film!

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (PG)
Starring: Tom Kenny, Alec Baldwin, and Bill Fagerbakke
Director: Stephen Hillenburg and Sherm Cohen

Words cannot even begin to describe my disdain for SpongeBob, Nick, and all the wretched "cartoons" they crank out. I realize SpongeBob is a bit of a cult phenomenon, but my daughter isn't even allowed to watch Nick so why would I take her to see this?

DVD Rundown

2004-11-16T21:24:00.000-08:00

Sorry I'm late on the draw this week but I had a family emergency that took me out of town for 24 hours. All is well now so we pick up our regularly scheduled programming already in progress.

Elf (PG)
Starring: Will Ferrell, James Caan, and Zooey Deschanel
Director: Jon Favreau

Favreau spins a sweet tale about a man adopted by an elf (Bob Newhart) who travels through candy canes, gumdrops, and the Lincoln Tunnel in search of his long lost father. Eventually the big-elf-who-could saves Christmas, but that's just to be expected. MATINEE

Ragtime (PG)
Starring: James Cagney, Howard E. Rollins, and Elizabeth McGovern
Director: Milos Forman

I've never had a chance to see this film and I look forward to renting it soon. This period piece is set in early 1900's New York about a jazz pianist that has won fame and fortune that some folks just don't appreciate. Based on the E.L. Doctorow novel that was also turned into a musical. Cagney came out of retirement to make this film.

The Chronicles of Riddick (PG-13)
Starring: Vin Diesel, Judi Dench, and Thandie Newton
Director: David Twohy

So here's the deal. I loved Pitch Black. I caught it on CATV late one night and wound up watching it virtually every time it came on for months. There wasn't much special about the film but the Vin Diesel's career certainly took off afterward. For a while, anyway. I'll be renting this one as soon as possible but, judging from the poor reviews and poor box office bank, I'm sure to be disappointed.

I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (R)
Starring: Clive Owen, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, and Charlotte Rampling
Director: Mike Hodges

A retired bad guy comes out of retirement to investigate the events surrounding his brother's suicide.

Foul Play (PG)
Starring: Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, and Dudley Moore
Director: Colin Higgins

Seems Like Old Times is a much better film, but Foul Play has a few moments of fun. For the most part it is more mystery than comedy. Chase doesn't show up until the second act and Moore is only in one scene in the entire film, although it is a very funny, albeit naughty, scene. RENTAL

The Saddest Music in the World (NR)
Starring: Isabella Rossellini, Mark McKinney, and Maria De Medeiros
Director: Guy Maddin

This film is billed as a musical (of sorts) about a woman that starts a contest to find the saddest music in the world.

Also be on the lookout for special editions of Daredevil (HOT DATE) and Top Gun (MATINEE) if you're a fan.

Weekend Sweep

2004-11-14T22:45:00.000-08:00

The Incredibles inconceivably fended off contenders again this week as the Tom Hanks one-man show The Polar Express chugged along in second place. In a highly limited release, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason almost edged past After the Sunset which finished in third. That ridiculous Chucky thing finished fifth proving once and for all that there's just no accounting for taste.

On the Bridget Jones Chick-flick front, Hugh Grant says he's "semi-retired" from acting and Zellweger plans to take a sabbatical.

The Starting Lineup

2004-11-11T23:30:00.000-08:00

Now playing at a theatre near you:

After the Sunset (PG-13)
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Woody Harrelson, Salma Hayek, and Don Cheadle

Director: Brett Ratner

Brosnan plays a thief who has retired with his beautiful girl (played by Hayek, of course) to a tropical locale. But an FBI agent (Harrelson) with a grudge just won't let him go in peace and neither will the the bad guys (Cheadle). I've seen the clips and trailers and this one holds promise. We'll see how it fairs over the weekend.

Seed of Chucky (R)
Starring: Britney Spears DOES NOT appear in this film
Director: Britney Spears DOES NOT direct this film

I never thought I'd say this, but the only thing that can improve a movie this bad IS Britney Spears.

In case you don't get the joke, click here to read the entire story.