Film & TV
Three-6 Mafia: 1, Scorsese: Almost 1
In his latest triumph, Martin Scorsese succeeds where few before him have: filming a remake that trumps the original in all respects.
Great Scot!
The Last King of Scotland is an intense political thriller that brings to life the mythical figure of 1970s Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Forest Whitaker's performance as Amin mesmerizes.
Chinese Road Trip (Tom Green not Included)
In the Chinese film Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles, acclaimed director Yimou Zhang (House of Flying Daggers; Hero) presents a compelling meditation on father-son relationships.
A Royal Flush
In an age when one can't swing a bat in a video store without hitting a biopic, it's easy to get sick of movies that chronicle the lives of famous people, no matter how interesting those lives may or may not have been.
Reinventing Lennon
The U.S. vs. John Lennon traces pop star John Lennon's metamorphosis from mop-topped singer to one of the most eminent cultural icons of the 1970s. During that decade, his antiwar actions garnered media attention and the wrath of the Nixon administration, which persecuted Lennon by following, wiretapping and attempting to deport him. Aside from the political story, Lennon shows the passionate, complex relationship Lennon shared with his wife, Yoko Ono.
He's Here for the Gang Bang
Perhaps no filmmaker today has a better grasp on a college guy's sense of humor than Todd Phillips. The director who cornered the market on frat-boy comedies - Old School, Road Trip - played Twenty Questions in an exclusive interview with Street at the Four Seasons downtown Tuesday to promote his new movie School for Scoundrels. Street: What's it like working with Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)? What's he like in real life? Todd Phillips: In real life, Heder is a Mormon, did you know that? Street: I heard the cast from Napoleon was shipped in from Utah. TP: They're all like Mormon guys.
Fear is not a factor
Fearless 4 Stars Directed by: Ronny Yu Starring: Jet Li, Shido Nakamura Rated: PG-13 If Fearless truly is Jet Li's last martial arts film, as is advertised, then Li has succeeded in going out on top. It's hard to imagine that this movie could fall short of excellence, given the pedigree of its principles.
Deep Sea Punking
In The Guardian, director Andrew Davis, best known for 1994's The Fugitive, dives deep into the world of the United States Coast Guard's elite rescue swimmers.
She blinded me with science
Michel Gondry has a knack for taking the banal and making it extraordinary. In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the maxim "those who forget their past are destined to repeat it" provided a launching pad for an enigmatic journey to the heart of what it means to be human.
More like middle ages
It's ironic that this relatively derivative, though not uninteresting, addition to the dystopian sci-fi genre is titled Renaissance.
Sultans of stunt (unabridged)
Jackass: Number Two's Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera have made a living filming outrageous stunts that violate all notions of common sense and self-preservation.
Stark raving Mad
Based on the Robert Penn Warren novel and following the 1949 film, All the King's Men depicts the rise and fall of Governor Willie Stark (Sean Penn) through the eyes of his right-hand man, former-journalist Jack Burden (Jude Law). Burden follows Stark through his gubernatorial candidacy, and the corruption that follows his ascent to power through demagoguery.
Hungry hungry hellions
Spawned by the filmmaking reality series Project Greenlight, Feast is a pretty unappetizing splatterfest from start to finish.
Tax evasion man
Haven is an exciting crime thriller set on the Grand Cayman isles. Directed and written by neophyte Frank E.
Naked men (and women) singing
The British comedy Confetti seems to have it all: nudists, tennis-playing freaks and overzealous musical devotees.
From wharton to hollywood
Very little of Johnny Was is typical, least of all its genesis. Produced and financed by Ben Katz (Wharton and Nursing '01, MBA '02), the film provides a down-and-dirty look at a violent urban ghetto in the United Kingdom - and launches the filmmaking career of a notable Penn grad. With Johnny, Katz, still in his mid-20s, establishes himself as something of a Renaissance man in the independent film scene.
I could be your hero baby
Hollywoodland Direted by: Allen Coulter Starring: Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck Rated: R Hollywoodland follows the tragic suicide of George Reeves, television's Superman in the 1950s.
Kiss and Tell
Zach Braff swept young audiences off their feet in Scrubs and Garden State. This week, Braff - starring in the new romantic drama The Last Kiss, opening tomorrow - discussed music, marriage and his latest film with the editors. Street: As a director from Garden State, was it a relief to go back to acting on film?
Hello dahlia
The Black Dahlia Direted by: Brian De Palma Starring: Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johanssen, Aaron Eckhart Rated: R A film of murder, obsession, love and deception, Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia is a throwback to the trench coat-sporting detective stories of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett.
