The fitness DVD industry has made tremendous strides in
spite of the recession. According to research conducted by IBIS World, the
popular trend of joining the gym to stay fit is shifting to a more convenient
alternative.
Consumers are choosing to conduct their workout regimens
from the comfort of their own home. Instead of running to nearby fitness
facilities, avid exercisers are frantically purchasing workout videos hosted by
professional gyms and their expert instructors.
Based on data collected by IBIS World, fitness DVD
production revenue increased significantly in 2012, climbing to nearly $265
million. These high-intensity programs feature extreme-interval training
sessions, appealing to fitness fanatics across the nation.
Commonly used by motivated gym members to expand on
traditional exercise techniques, fitness DVDs have turned routine regimens into
unique, interesting experiences. By replacing models or actresses as video
hosts with professional fitness gurus, more consumers are starting to take programs
seriously and abide by their advice.
In addition to appearing in numerous households nationwide, workout
videos are frequently used by famous celebrities. Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez are known to use fitness DVDs when starting up their vigorous exercise
programs.
To browse our full collection of workout videos, visit our
website and search “fitness.”
Which workout videos, if any, would you be willing to
follow?
It’s a man’s world when it comes to reigning American Idol
winners. Last Wednesday, Georgia native, Phillip Phillips was crowned the 11th
American Idol. Phillip took the title, leaving the young and talented diva to
be Jessica Sanchez with the runner-up spot, which in American Idol history is
not a bad placement either.
Many fans believed that Phillip’s debut song, Home, was what
earned him the title, along with his handsome grin and guitar. The American
Idol finale was filled with surprise performances from Neil Diamond, John Fogerty, Rihanna, Jordin Sparks, Reba McEntire, Jennifer Lopez, and Aerosmith.
The top 12 contestants also returned to the Idol stage before launching their
summer tour! Nothing like a little practice to 30 million viewers who tuned in
to watch the finale.
Ryan Seacrest reported that a record-breaking 165 Million
votes came in for Phillip and Jessica via text, twitter, and phone.
NYDailyNews.com is reporting that over a
million Facebook comments and tweets were posted (the most in American Idol
history), proving that our social media age is growing at a rapid pace.
Personally, I loved Phillip’s song Home. In fact, I didn’t
know that it was written for him and I kept trying to find whose song he was
performing. We have followed these contestants since January. They deserve the
best and hopefully the fans that followed them all this time will stick with
them during their blooming music career. Universal Music is saying that Phillip Phillip’s debut album
will be released in July.
Midwest Tape is in on the hunt for all new Idol
musicians to make sure your library patrons have the most recent and new music
from the best American Idol has to offer! Who knows what will happen to the
fate of American Idol. With the rumors of Jennifer Lopez leaving, to all the
new singing competition shows out there, one thing is for sure: there is a ton
of talent needed to be heard!
Thanks for reading this season, and again a big
Congratulations to Mr. Phillip Phillips! We are looking forward to hearing your
music.
What are your thoughts on this season's competition?
Lethal Weapon was
released in 1987, and its genre template has been emulated so many times –
including by three more Lethal Weapon
movies – that novel quickly turned cliché:
A cop on the edge; his veteran cop buddy, who wants to play
it safe until retirement; their snarling police captain, frequently given to
outbursts over their unorthodox methods; and lots of explosions, car chases,
and violence.
The original Lethal
Weapon may not have invented these fixtures of the R-rated buddy-cop
action-drama, but it successfully blended them in such a way that the result
felt original and even organic..
A quarter-century after its release, Warner Bros. thought it
an appropriate time to celebrate the Lethal
Weapon franchise with a five-disc Blu-ray set, including all four movies
and lots of extras that was just released.
The key to the first Lethal
Weapon’s success is a fresh script by a new UCLA graduate named Shane
Black, who wanted to explore a Western gunslinger mythos as a cop drama in Los
Angeles, and textbook action-film direction by Richard Donner (The Omen, Superman, The Goonies).
But their efforts – considerable as they are -- would have
been in vain without the film’s two leads. For all the off-the-set publicity
Mel Gibson has received the last few years from his erratic behavior, Lethal Weapon is a welcomed reminder
that, once upon a time, he was a triple threat in Hollywood: handsome, smart,
and talented. Danny Glover, who was a decade younger than his 50-year-old “I’m
too old for this … ” cop , was the steady presence in the film we identified
with.
Their buddy-buddy relationship wasn’t necessarily acting,
either. Gibson and Glover apparently developed a near-instant rapport before
shooting – enough to convince studio execs to quickly greenlight the film.
The pair still appears friendly in a series of interviews
together, along with Donner, who directed all four movies, filmed in March,
2010. The trio could probably make a fifth Lethal Weapon, though it looks like
the long-discussed project – if it happens at all – will feature a new cast.
Lethal Weapon was
a big hit, and for its 1989 sequel, Donner took the more is better approach,
with a bigger budget, more explosions and violence, and a scene-stealing new
character named Leo Getz – a drug cartel
accountant-turned government witness – to change the buddy dynamic of
Riggs(Gibson) and Murtaugh (Glover). Joe
Pesci plays Leo, in a comically inspired performance that delivered perhaps the
most memorable(and true to life) scene in the franchise: the fast-food rant.
If audiences loved the additions to the second film -- – or
so Donner and company reasoned -- they’ll LOVE Getz again in the third film,
along with the addition of Rene Russo as tough cop Lorna Cole and a love
interest of Riggs who doesn’t die. The fourth film added Chris Rock as another
cop, and martial arts maestro Jet Li as a deadly assassin working for a Chinese
crime lord. And yes, Pesci was back as well.
As the films turned sillier, Riggs became less of a “lethal
weapon” – a suicidal cop who was broken by the death of his wife and haunted by
memories of secret forces activities in Vietnam – and the original film’s edge
was dulled to a plastic knife. At least Riggs’ friendship with Murtaugh wisely
remained the center point of the Lethal Weapon movies.
The Lethal Weapon
franchise is a case of diminishing return, but the first film and even its
first sequel are good enough to carry this set on their own.
The Lethal Weapon
Collection Blu-ray set features all four movies, and a fifth disc featuring
new retrospective feaurettes. The interviews are good for a shot of nostalgia,
but Donner’s commentary through the four films is worth the time; of particular
interest is the director’s reminder that his movies were made in the pre-CGI
revolution, and many of the stunts employ some old school Hollywood techniques
that, frankly, hold up better than most of the CG action sequences today.
We return from a holiday weekend to five new titles on the DVD chart, with The Grey and Chronicle leading the way. Likewise, there was quite a shakeup on the music list, which welcomes the huge personalities of Adam Lambert and Tenacious D, as well as the latest Glee offering (just in time for graduation season). The audiobook lists, on the other hand, held fairly steady. On the fiction side, look for new thrillers by John Sandford and Steve Berry. In non-fiction, a new book examining President Obama's time in office jumps to the top as election season begins to heat up.
Based on the comic-book series by Lowell Cunningham, the
original Men in Black film proved to
be a summer blockbuster in 1997, and helped cement Will Smith as box-office
gold. Both the original Men in Black
and its 2002 sequel offered a mix of crowd-pleasing effects, action, and humor
as a high-concept comedy in the same vein as Ghostbusters. A decade after we last saw Agents Kay (Tommy Lee
Jones) and Jay (Smith), the duo returns to the big screen in a part 3 today.
I really didn’t think we would
see Phillip Phillips in the finale this week, but sadly over the past couple
weeks America has voted off sweet Hollie Cavanagh and Gospel sensation Joshua
Ledet. This is one of the most painful times to be voted off; Hollie was
eliminated right before the hometown visit, and Joshua just missed the finale.
I think everyone knew Hollie
would not make it to the hometown episode after an uneventful rendition of
Journey’s Faithfully. Everyone in the
world knows this song and it touches each of us differently and Hollie
unfortunately couldn’t get us there. When you are this far into the competition
you can’t just sing well, you have to have everyone remember your performance.
Technically, she did sing fine, but with a popular tune it needs to be perfect.
Her second song “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by Bonnie Raitt fell just as short
too. Hollie just wasn’t old enough to understand the heart-wrenching emotions
of unrequited love, and she again kept the audience at a distance from
emotional connection.
Next on the chopping block
right before the finale, probably the worst place to be voted off was Joshua
Ledet. Joshua brought his powerful voice, unforgettable dance moves, and humble
attitude every week delivering standing ovation performances. I was very
surprised to see him go, especially after his inspirational hometown visit to
Louisiana.
The Top 3 performers had
three rounds of singing, first round songs were chosen by the judges, second
round a song of their choosing, and the third round they had to perform a song
chosen by their music mentor Jimmy Iovine. Host, Ryan Seacrest mentioned that
this was the closest race American Idol has ever seen.
Jessica Sanchez has truly won
the heart of not only America but Steven Tyler who said that he truly believes
she will be the last one standing. Phillip Phillips really rocked out and had
Randy Jackson rooting for him and yelling “YOU ARE WHO YOU ARE AND WE LOVE IT”
The judges also praised Joshua but sadly someone has to be voted off.
The results show included
performances from former Idol contestant, Adam Lambert, and rock star Lisa Marie Presley who both have new albums out!
After performances, Ryan Seacrest read the fateful results sending Joshua
Ledet home one week before the finale.
Still standing is the young
and vociferous Jessica Sanchez and guitar playing heart throb Phillip Phillips.
The Two-Night Season Finale airs Tues/Wed on Fox with the Top 12 performers
returning to perform along with some other surprise performances. Don’t forget
to tune in and vote!
Will Jessica Sanchez break the streak and be the first girl to win American Idol since Season 6?
Is there any stopping The
Avengers? Earth’s Mightiest Heroes joined forces onscreen and set
box-office records, including the honor to be first film to debut with a
$200-million-plus opening weekend. (Its $207.4 million haul bested previous
record holder Harry Potter and theDeathly Hallows: Part 2 and its $169.2 million in 2011.).
This weekend marked its third-straight at the top of the box
office, as it continues to fend off some big-budgeted competition including Dark Shadows and most recently Battleship.
The Avengers’ reign
as moviegoers’ top pick will come to an end at some point, perhaps as soon as
this weekend with the next challenger, Men
in Back III. The sci-fi comedy reunites Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as
Agent J and Agent K, respectively. The story features Agent J time traveling to
the 1960s to prevent the assassination of a younger Agent K (played by Josh
Brolin) and changing history.
And speaking of time travel … it’s been a decade since Men in Black Part IIunderwhelmed
critics, audiences, and the box office, though it did ultimately earn Sony
studios a profit. Part II opened in July 2002 with a $52 million haul. Not bad
until you consider the first Men in Black
opened with nearly the same amount, in 500 less theaters, and at 1997 ticket prices.
For the record: The Avengers made $55
million in its third weekend, which makes it formidable competition this
weekend as well.
If Men in Black III
fails to take down the team of Marvel superheroes, next up to dethrone the king
would be Snow White and the Huntsman,
starring Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth (who plays Thor the God of Thunder in
The Avengers), and Kristen Stewart.
The trailers look promising for this dark and CGI-intense adaptation of the
classic fairytale. It’s also the second Snow White big-screen reinvention this
year, following on the heels of Mirror
Mirror, a dark comedy starring Julia Roberts, Nathan Lane, Armie Hammer,
and Lily Collins (daughter of singer-songwriter-drummer Phil Collins). Mirror Mirror opened March 30 and grossed
only $18.13 million its first weekend, on its way to less than $70 million.
With an estimated budget of $85 million, Mirror
Mirror only made a profit through the foreign box-office and yielded nearly
$98 million.
But any victory by either of these two summer film newcomers
would be short lived, given the increasing build-up to the June 8 opening of Prometheus.
Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams propel The Vow to the top of the DVD list, with the latest installment of the Underworld series making the cut as well. On the CD charts, all of the movement took place in the lower half, with the Silversun Pickups jumping up to #6. Half of the top fiction titles are new this week, with great titles from Hilary Mantel, John Irving, and Toni Morrison making their debuts. Robert Caro and Anna Quindlen hold strong in non-fiction, with the latest from Dick Morris and Eileen McGann coming in at #3.
Alec Guinness’ towering performance
cast such a large shadow over the fictional character of George Smiley in the Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy mini-series,
that Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy
novelist John le Carré could hear Guinness speaking as the character in his
head while he was writing a sequel to the book. It’s one of the major reasons
le Carré quit writing the novels.
The British writer offers these
confessions in a half-hour interview included as part of the new Blu-ray
release of the 1979 BBC production. There’s also a new half-hour interview with
the series’ director, John Irvin. While those features are nice ‑‑ though
rather sparse compared to some Blu-ray sets ‑‑ it’s the main attraction that
makes this two-disc package worthwhile.
If you were in a crowded room and
suddenly felt compelled to yell, “Tinker Tailor Solider Spy is the greatest spy
show ever made!” as a quote from NPR’s Fresh
Air declares on the cover of this Blu-ray case, there would be little to no
disagreement. Brilliant, tense, full of twists, and filled top-to-bottom with damn
fine acting, Tinker Tailor Solider Spy
is the spy movie by which all films in the genre are — or at least, should be —
judged.
It’s everything today’s spy films aren’t:
high IQ, patiently paced, and with almost all the action on screen occurring in
the head of its lead character, Smiley. A former master spy with the British
Secret Intelligence Service (known to those in the organization as the
“Circus”), Smiley was forced into retirement with an organizational regime
change. But with the discovery that there’s a high-level double agent in the
Circus, Smiley is the only one smart enough, determined enough, steely enough,
and trustworthy enough to unearth the Soviet mole.
Guinness is perfection personified
in the role; like le Carré, it’s impossible not to think of the actor as
Smiley, though Gary Oldman’s Oscar-nominated performance in last year’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy comes close to
breaking that association. But there’s weary wisdom in the eyes of the older
Guinness, who was 65 when Tinker Tailor
Soldier Spy was released, that age make-up cannot replicate for the younger
Oldman, who was 53 when the film was released. Life experience is what the
character of Smiley is about; he’s an older, wiser, thinking man’s Bond or
Jason Bourne, scarred by past failures and regrets, including living with the
reminder of his adulterous wife. (To a fellow agent, no less.) But he is almost
without peer in the world of espionage, save his Soviet counterpart Karla
(played by a younger, balding Patrick Stewart).
Guinness’ Smiley is such a rich,
developed character, that it’s difficult to let him go after the six hour-long
episodes. Fortunately, he returned in the acclaimed 1982 mini-series Smiley’s People.
For those who felt the pacing of the
two-hour Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
movie was too slow, then don’t bother with this series, which offers half-hour Lost-like flashbacks to flesh out
characters and a windy plot that begs repeat viewings to fully grasp. But
anyone looking for a mentally engaging and witty spy thriller should find this
worthy of his or her time.
Never judge a book by its cover. But can you
judge a film by its trailer? See for yourself. Here are the latest trailers for
the big summer releases, beginning with today’s opening of The Dictator.
Looking to order all of your DVDs, CDs,
audiobooks and Playaways from one media source? Look no further than
Midwest Tape. We can fulfill all your A/V needs as well as meet your patron
demand with the best website in the industry that was created specifically for
Librarians.
This is an introduction webinar on the Midwest Tape Website! In this 60-minute
seminar, you will learn the basics of navigating around our major tools and
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building. This is a great opportunity for librarians who are new to our site or
those looking for a refresher. We look forward to you joining us on Wednesday,
May 16th, 2012.
Intro to the Midwest
Tape Website
Wednesday, May 16th, 2012
2:00–3:00 p.m. EST
REGISTER NOW!!! Copy and paste the following link into your web browser to register for the webinar. http://bit.ly/MWTwebintro
The action film Haywire charges toward the top of the DVD charts this week, but can't quite unseat Contraband. The music charts see a major upheaval, with new releases by Carrie Underwood and Norah Jones leading the way. In the fiction world, Charlaine Harris's latest Sookie Stackhouse novel leaps Stephen King for #1, while in non-fiction Rachel Maddow gives way to Robert Caro's account of LBJ's transition to the presidency after the JFK assassination.
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp put their twisted stamp on the
cult 1960s TV soap opera about the wealthy Collins family from Collinsport,
Maine, plagued by strange happenings, including a centuries-old vampire
relative named Barnabas Collins. (Depp, by the way, plays Barnabas.) To prepare
for the update’s darkly comical take on the 1967-1971 series, check out the
large collection of Dark Shadowson
DVD, featuring more than 30 sets from each season as well as best-of
compilations and even a blooper reel.
The Hulk
along with the other Avengers smashed the movie competition last weekend with a
record-breaking $207-million opening. (To put that figure in perspective,
consider that the previous No. 1 opening belonged to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, with nearly $170
million.) The Avengers is a superhero mash-up featuring some of Marvel Comics’
top names — Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, and Hulk —
who join forces to save Earth from an evil god and his alien invasion force. But
The Avengers is only the latest-greatest superhero film, with dozens of titles
featuring the heroes battling villains solo and in teams.
John Eldred, president and owner of Midwest Tape, says that the cases into which his company packs material are meant to withstand the impact of being tossed around and thrown into drop boxes. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGTEnlarge | Photo Reprints
Story from The Blade newspaper
Chances are you've handled one of Midwest Tape's products and didn't even know it.
The Holland company, which does more than $100 million in business a year, repackages and sells DVDs, CDs, and audio books to about 4,000 libraries across the country. It got its start about 20 years ago and profits by staying ahead of the ever-changing media landscape.
When VHS tapes gave way to DVDs, the company was on top of it. Now, as physical media transitions into the digital era, the company is building an electronic database of movies, music, and electronic books for libraries. The project, dubbed Hoopla, is in the developmental phase.
"Physical media, in the immediate future, is not going to disappear," said John Eldred, president and owner of Midwest Tape. "The demise of physical media … it's going to last for years to come. How long? I don't know."
Libraries came to rely on the company because it packages CDs, DVDs, and electronic books inside durable cases. The cases are meant to withstand the impact of being tossed around and thrown into drop boxes, Mr. Eldred said.
"When you buy a CD in a clamshell or a DVD in that flimsy plastic box, we repackage them into a heavier box," he said. "It's so they can survive the drop box."
Patricia Lowrey, director of technical services at the Cleveland Public Library, said the packaging protects the library's collection from wear and tear that otherwise would destroy DVDs and CDs.
"They've been terrific about developing better packaging that's really designed for us," Ms. Lowrey said. "We really appreciate that. It makes our material last longer. We get a lot better bang for the buck because of the work they do before they sell it to us."
Kathy Woodbury puts stickers on CDs that are being repacked into sturdier cases so that the material inside lasts longer. THE BLADE/AMY E. VOIGTEnlarge | Photo Reprints
The company's forward-looking perspective also is a boon for libraries, which have seen an increase in demand for DVDs, CDs, and electronic downloads, said Jean Gaffney, manager of acquisition and collection development at the Dayton Metro Library. The library has seen a 117 percent increase in its downloads in the last year, she added.
"As times have changed, they have been on the forefront of changing with the times," Ms. Gaffney said. "Now we purchase all of our movies and DVDs from them. We purchase probably most of our audio books from them."
Midwest Tape employs about 340 people and has grown in spite of the Great Recession and turbulent economy. As video stores close and people lose the ability to rent physical media, they're turning to libraries, Mr. Eldred said. The company now packages and catalogs and sometimes selects whole media selections for libraries. It offers 140,000 different selections.
"We're continuing to expand," he said. "We offer almost turn-key services for libraries. … For some of the libraries, they give us a budget and we do all the purchasing for them."
It was British Night on the Idol stage with five remaining
contestants left in the 11th season. I must say I was waiting the
entire time for a Beatles or a Bowie song but I was satisfied with the CCR covers,
so all is forgiven Idol wanabees. Here we are down to five contestants-two
phenoms, two dark horses, and one disaster.
First up was a young Brit herself, Hollie Cavanagh. Most
people don’t know that but Hollie was born in Liverpool but raised here in the
US. Hmmm…I wonder if she will be our first British Born American Idol? Young Hollie
took the stage with the River Deep
Mountain High by the legendary Ike and Tina Turnerand nailed it with a
flawless delivery. Her second song of the evening was by Grammy Award Winner
Leona Lewis. Cavanagh took on Lewis’ famous and more recent song Bleeding Love and even though Steven
Tyler didn’t know the song, all of the judges sang her praises.
Phillip Phillips, yes he is still in the competition, he and
all of his grey t-shirts. Phillip and Joshua sang The Righteous BrothersYou’ve Lost That Loving Feeling and when
Phillip opened up and sang that first note I thought he was a goner, especially
singing that song with Joshua who sounded 100% better than Phillip. But America
must have loved his covers of The Letter
by Box Tops and Time of The Season by
The Zombies because he was safe and is moving on as one of the final four
contestants. He has to have a overwhelming fan base out there especially after
so many detrimental performances throughout the season.
Holy Dress Jessica Sanchez! Her dress received more buzz
than her amazing rendition of Proud Mary
and Joe Cocker’sYou Are So Beautiful.
Twitter was buzzing about how the dress she wore was too mature for her, I thought
she looked amazing in the dress and her performance was just as unforgettable.
J LO of course defended the dress where as Lovine said it may have made some
people uncomfortable. I have to disagree because America voted to keep Jessica
another week. I am sure we are all wondering what she will sing and wear for
tonight’s performance.
Front runner and R&B sensation Joshua Ledet delivered another
memorable performance of Aint Too Proud
to Beg by The Temptations and To Love
Somebody by The Bee Gees. J LO has said that Joshua Ledet is one of the
best singers in the last 50 years and Lovine was quoted “he deserves greatness”
Joshua has the judges and coaches hooked, but he needs to keep America
believing. As the competition comes to a close he will have to keep delivering
ten times more than he already has to really shock viewers.
America’s country starlet, peppy, bubbly, and humble, Skylar
rushed the stage with all that she had belting out CCR’sFortunate Son.
Unfortunately though it wasn’t enough for Ms. Laine as she was voted off the
competition on Thursday’s elimination round. It’s hard to lose anybody,” said Judge
Jennifer Lopez. “Losing anybody is really tough right now.” And Randy Jackson
sat there in awe shaking his head. Many of us saw Skylar as a front runner,
especially since she was a strong country act, I think this definitely threw
everyone when it was Skylar going home over Holly. Tears were shed, but there
is no doubt that Skylar’s phone was ringing off the hook with potential record
deals. This is not the end of Skylar Laine, I can tell you that.
American
Idol is on tonight on Fox at 8/7c when the final four contestants take on songs
from The Golden State. Jennifer Lopez and Season 7 Winner David Cook perform. Written by Danielle Desmond and Heather Brown
Three of our four lists have new titles at the top. On DVD, Mark Wahlberg's Contraband knocks Tom Cruise and Mission Impossible down a notch. On CD, Jack White ends Lionel Richie's reign in the top spot, along with a number of other debuts. Perennial favorite Stephen King jumps to the top of the fiction pile, while the rest of the list remains mostly the same. Rachel Maddow remains atop the non-fiction list, with newcomers Anna Quindlen and Madeleine Albright checking in at #2 and #3, respectively.
Summer officially kicks off June 20. But unofficially it
begins today with The Avengers. The highly anticipated Marvel superheroes
extravaganza launches the summer film season, a four-month lineup of original
blockbusters and must-see sequels. Here are 10 highlights.
Today:
The Avengers. Comic-book geek Josh Whedon made the mother
of all superhero films, featuring an all-star cast of do-gooders — Iron Man,
Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, Hawkeye, and Black Widow — who
unite to stop an evil god and an invading army of aliens. Starring Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans,
Mark Ruffalo, and Tom Hiddleston.
May 11:
Dark Shadows. Tim Burton’s comic take on the 1960s cult
TV soap opera features Johnny Depp as the vampire Barnabas Collins, who is
freed from two centuries of entombment to face the witch who imprisoned him as
well as the even more frightening early 1970s. Also starring Michelle Pfeiffer,
Eva Green, Jonny Lee Miller, and Chloë Grace Moretz.
June 1:
Snow White and the Huntsman. Charlize Theron camps it up
in a deliciously evil performance as the witchy queen obsessed with being the
fairest of them all, with Kristen Stewart’s beautiful Snow White as the one who
stands in her way. Also starring Chris Hemsworth.
June 13:
Prometheus. Ridley Scott revisits the Alien franchise, as
a group of outer-space explorers discovers a clue to the origins of humanity
... and then must battle to save it. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender,
Charlize Theron, Logan Marshall-Green, and Idris Elba.
June 22:
Brave. Pixar looks to regain its magic touch after last
summer’s disappointing Cars 2, with the story of Merida, the impetuous daughter
of a Scottish king and queen, who defies tradition and must undo a terrible
curse. Featuring the voices of Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, Billy Connolly,
Julie Walters, Kevin McKidd, Craig Ferguson, Robbie Coltrane, and, of course,
John Ratzenberger.
July 3:
The Amazing Spider-Man. Only a decade since the first
Spider-Man movie, the Web crawler is back in another story of how Peter Parker
acquired his amazing powers and what he decides to do with them. Andrew
Garfield is the new Spider-Man and Rhys Ifans is his new nemesis, the Lizard.
Starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Martin Sheen, and Sally
Field.
July 6:
Savages. Based on the New York Times best-selling crime
novel by Don Winslow, Savages is the story of a trio of friends and marijuana
growers who wage war against the Mexican drug cartel. Oliver Stone’s violent
drug drama looks like Natural Born Killers-meets-Scarface. Starring Aaron
Johnson, Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Benicio Del Toro, John Travolta, Salma
Hayek, and Emile Hirsch.
July 13:
Ted. Directed by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, the
R-rated Ted is the amusing tale of a grown man who must deal with a rude and
crude teddy bear come to life as a result of a childhood wish. Starring Mark
Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, with the voice of MacFarlane.
July 20:
The Dark Knight Rises. Christopher Nolan completes his
Batman trilogy with the masked vigilante (Christian Bale) facing off against
the only comic-book villain who ever "broke the bat," Bane (Tom
Hardy). Figuring into the plot is Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Anne Hathaway). Also
starring Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt,
and Morgan Freeman.
Aug. 3:
The Bourne Legacy. Jeremy Renner takes over for Matt
Damon as another super agent, Aaron Cross, who goes rogue. The Bourne Legacy
was co-written and directed by Tony Gilroy (Duplicity), who wrote the
screenplays for the original trilogy based on the Robert Ludlum novels. Also
starring Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Albert Finney, Joan Allen, Scott Glenn,
and Stacy Keach.
Denzel
Washington won an Oscar for his role as a crooked cop in Training Day.
Woody Harrelson didn’t even receive a nomination for his equally memorable turn
as a bad cop gone even worse in last year’s Rampart.
The
little-seen drama with a big-name cast — Sigourney Weaver, Cynthia Nixon,
Ice Cube, Anne Heche, Ben Foster, Robin Wright, Steve Buscemi, and Ned Beatty —
had film-transfer issues with the screening DVDs sent to voters, which the
actor in turn blamed for the lack of votes.
Those
with bad screeners and those who missed the film entirely have another
opportunity to see what they missed as Rampart debuts on DVD and Blu-ray
this week.
The
dark drama is set in Los Angeles in 1999, with Harrelson as veteran police
officer Dave Brown, a rogue cop who bends the rules as necessary for his
survival and that of his family. Brown has two exes, both of whom are sisters,
and two daughters. It’s a dysfunctional group, with Brown keeping tight reins.
He sees his controlling nature as loving; his family views it as tyranny.
It’s
when Brown is caught on camera chasing down an African-American suspect and
beating the man nearly to death that his world begins to crumble, as outside
forces seek to ruin him, making the renegade cop desperate and even more
dangerous.
Rampart was co-written and directed
Oren Moverman, who also co-wrote and directed 2009’s The Messenger, for
which Harrelson was nominated. The story of a renegade authority figure is
hardly fresh, but Harrelson breathes life into the bad cop cliché. His
commanding performance — his darkest role since playing a sociopath on a
murderous spree in Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers — punctuates the
film.
Brown
is not as drug-fueled and over-the-top zany as Nicholas Cage’s rogue cop in
2009’s The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call — New Orleans. And, no,
Harrelson didn’t win an Oscar. But it is a memorable and unexpected role from
an actor once best known for playing a dimwitted but lovable bartender on a TV
sitcom.
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