Ananas

I'm not really big into video games, and by virtue of that even less into video game soundtracks. However, that 4-part Odyssey by Incubus from the Halo 2 soundtrack is fantastic, so I'd go with that.

If we're talking amazing actors who don't get proper mainstream success, Peter Sarsgaard comes to mind. Steve Buscemi and Jason Lee have all had their success, most specifically Lee now with The Incredibles, but Buscemi's been in a ton of hits. If we're talking strictly talent vs reputation, I think Adam Sandler's a lot better than anyone gives him credit for. He was great in Punch Drunk Love, and looks to be much the same in Spanglish.

How has their live show changed since "The Mark Tom and Travis Show"? Are they still immature or have they "grown up" there too?

Finding Neverland - **** This is a perfect example of a movie in which everything is just right. Combine a cast that includes Johnny Depp, Dustin Hoffman, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Mackenzie Crook, and Kelly Macdonald with one of the most fantastic stories ever told, and you have Finding Neverland. Actually, not quite. This is actually, the "Behind the Scenes" of the most fantastic story ever told. Marc Forster's unique direction and Johnny Depp's token powerful performance make this one of the most engaging movies of the year. The end fades from reality a bit, which almost underminds the fact that it is built as a biopic, but that is the nature of the man, and thus it is suitable as the nature of the film. Powerhouse performances combined with an insightful screenplay and impressive storytelling make this one of the best movies of 2004. Thumbs up. P.S. The child actors aren't bad either. If Zero can encourage discussion then so can I , so is this another Oscar worthy performance for Depp? From the movies I've seen (this is the first new film I'd seen in weeks, mind you), I've got Jim Carrey (Eternal Sunshine) and Zach Braff (Garden State) that really stand out. I've also heard Oscar buzz for Jamie Foxx (Ray), Kevin Bacon (The Woodsman) and Liam Neeson (Kinsey), but I've yet to see those movies. Right now I've got Depp as one of my picks, but I suppose it only takes a couple movies to change that. BTW, feel free to point out any of the performances I've missed, as I'm sure I've missed a few.

How could you not like Rex Murphy. Seriously, he's Canada's ugliest man. Yet at the same time, he's almost like Dan Rather with his crazy colloquialisms. But his voice is rather annoying. ←

I'd say whenever Melissa Auf Der Maur spoke at the Greatest Canadian showdown. She went from "pretty cool" to "condescending bitch" in two hours. Same goes for Rex Murphy, although he wasn't "pretty cool" at any point.

The Izzo/In the End song doesn't work for me. I find it works when they use the LP music as backing more than using Jay's beats. It's good though, and my personal fav is 99 Problems/Points of Authority; two bad ass songs well blended.

From Justin 2 Kelly. All those films are equally horrible, but From Justin 2 Kelly is mad fun to watch.

Before Sunrise - **** Richard Linklater is possibly the most consistent filmmaker around today. It started with 1991's "Slacker", and after "Dazed and Confused" cemented him has a solid veteran filmmaker, "Before Sunrise" made his place at the filmmaking icons table. Starring Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke (who have since appeared as the same characters in two subsequent films), Before Sunrise is the story of two travellers who meet aboard a train, and decide to spend a night together in Vienna to prevent future regrets. In Linklater's traditional dialogue laden style (a style that influenced Kevin Smith to get into filmmaking), the movie is fascinating to hear, much less watch. The two stars are also able to bring the audience into their lives, and as one IMDB user adequately sums up: it "feels more like being with a couple, than a film about them". Thumbs up. The Order - **1/2 It's a shame that movies with drawing premises are so often rushed into production without working out the issues that drag down the screenplay, and this is a perfect example. I can't count the multitude of times films steeped in mythology end up being only interesting in premise, and whereas the idea of a secret order of Priests trained to fight various evil forms was enough to warrant a rental alone, what the movie produced was a dual sense of confusion and disappointment. The acting wasn't anything to shake a stick at; Heath Ledger lead the way but even his performance was over the top and in the end unconvincing. Mark Addy (CBS' "Still Standing) was horribly miscast in the role, and Shannyn Sossamon seemed uninspired in all of her screentime. Last time these three actors worked together with director Brian Helgeland it was the fun "A Knight's Tale"; this time around it's just dull and unintentionally goofy. The steam just runs out after 25-30 minutes. Thumbs down.

I agree with the Oompa Loompa thing. And the poster looks horrible. I hope that's not what they go with in the end.

Love Actually - **** In what is shaping up to be a miserable year for Christmas films, we need only to look back on the DVDs of last year's crops to be reminded of how they are done right. Along with Bad Santa and Elf, Love Actually helped to make last year possibly the best ever for Christmas themed movies, and upon multiple viewings, it continues to impress. From Richard Curtis (who's been a part of nearly everything notable out of the British entertainment industry in the past decade), this is clearly a film to be viewed by romantics and romantics alone. However, once you're drawn in with premise, Curtis' precision filmaking along with an extremely solid core cast make it an infectious treat. The writing is also surprisingly sharp for such an obvious romance, and make each of the specific stories unique. The clear breadwinner of the plots is the one shared between Colin Firth and Lúcia Moniz, which tells the story of a man who comes home to find his wife in bed with his brother, only to move away and eventually fall in love with his Portuguese maid. A real treat, and one of 2003's best movies. Thumbs up.

Actually, that article fails to mention that the FCC ruled on both of the previous "uncut" airings of Saving Private Ryan that it was not indecent. The FCC aren't yet the bad guy, at least not in this situation.

Fuck man, he was a fantastic MC. It's a terrible loss, and what's it with people dying near their birthdays? RIP.

Change Edward Norton to Ed Burns and you get the right movie... Looks like poo BTW. (I've seen the trailer at least 100 times at work. The CGI looks Van Helsing-esque.) ←

I didn't like it at all. Too much of that stereotypical Aftermath sound for my liking. I liked the D-12 song, and that's pretty much it for Encore. Critics haven't been too kind either.

Yeah, some of the kink stuff in act 2 is bound to turn off a lot of people from liking it. But I liked it because of the originality of the concept and the great performances by Spader and Gyllenhaal. Also, I really didn't mind the second act myself, but when you see something as vile as Thirteen, you tend to like the strange but not as vile things more than you would've if you just saw it alone. ←

I saw it a couple months ago. Never actually rated it, although in retrospect it would have probably been somewhere in the 6-7 range. A bit too much second act if you ask me, but very strong performances. Anyway, I don't feel like actually elaborating, but I saw the first Bridget Jones Diary today. ****. I'm glad Zellweger didn't butcher her British characters like non-Brit actors so often do. Hugh Grant is excellent in the movie, and the small parts Colin Firth is featured in are good. I just love how smart this script is, and the way the leading lady isn't so phony. Definite thumbs up. Hmm, guess I did feel like elaborating.

I just saw the trailer for a film called A Sound of Thunder. Has anyone else head of this? It's based on a Bradbury short story, and stars Edward Norton. Looks fantastic in my view. March 2005, is it's release date.

Only two of those movies are being premiered during the winter. In Order of Release: 1. The Phantom of the Opera 2. Hotel Rwanda 3. Meet the Fockers (If only for Dustin Hoffman's involvement) 4. William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice 5. Huff 6. Constantine Bah, I can't even name 10. Winter season sucks for movies.

Surviving Christmas - **1/2 From the director of "Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigalo", Surviving Christmas is also in the vein of the choppy comedies that are charming in one moment and morbid in the next. Ben Affleck delivers one of his most forgettable performances yet as Drew Latham, the eccentric millionair who rents a family for the Christmas holidays to get over his own loneliness. Backing him up are 3 superb actors, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate and Catherine O'Hara, who along with Josh Zuckerman play the Valco family. Despite an interesting premise and charming moments, this is one of those ambiguous Christmas comedies unsure of what it wants to be. I can't remember one really good laugh throughout the entire film, and the performances are all that hold it together. Thumbs down.

Overall I thought it was good. The first 15-20 minutes or so were awesome, and because of this I wish the'yd spread this episode into two parts. Just the explanation of where these people were when we came back was excellent; I really liked Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan and Ben MacKenzie in this one. The good thing is that next week we're back to the stuff that made The O.C. the best new show last year: razor sharp wit combined with captivating drama. BTW, the show scored a 5.5 rating, which is a dropoff from the season finale, but a huge improvement on FOX's normal Thursday performances. I think it's a good foothold, considering the fact that there was no Thursday presence before.