THE CURSE IS OVER (Almost)
Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox, who did the impossible and won four straight games and the American League Pennant from the New York Yankees. Wish I could have been there to watch George Steinbrenner stroke out after his $185 million team choked!
MOVIE NOTES
Director Bryan Singer has chosen little known actor Brandon Routh to portray the title character in "Superman Returns." Routh has appeared on a few television shows including "Will and Grace." "The O.C.'s" Mischa Barton and "That 70's Show" star Topher Grace are the front runners to portray Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, respectively.
I'm sure our own Will Moriaty is spinning in his grave, even though he's still very much alive, at the thought of Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx portraying Crockett and Tubbs in Michael Mann's planned film version of the television show, "Miami Vice." What's next, George Lopez playing Lieutenant Castillo?
LOVE THOSE CANUCKS
With the National Hockey League in the middle of a lock out, the start of the 2004-05 season has been postponed. Last week would have been the premiere of "Hockey Night in Canada," usually the most watched program of the week. With no game to show, the powers that be decided to air the movie "Jaws." How aboot that, eh?
A GENUINE HONOR
This week the 14th Annual Kansas City Film Fest began in earnest. As a local film critic I was asked to host one of the screenings. When I went down the list of films, new and old, I jumped at the chance to host a screening of 1990's Academy Award nominated film, "Europa, Europa." Not only is this an excellent film, but the films director, Agnieszka Holland, would be present for a question and answer session with the audience after the screening. For those not familiar, the film tells the true story of Solomon Perl, a Polish Jew who, separated from his family, is incredibly enrolled in Hitler's Youth Party. The questioning after the film went well until an older man complained that, in his opinion, this film and others like it, including "Schindler's List," go out of their way to humanize their main characters, almost glossing over the negatives. He stated that he considered these films to be an insult to the victims of the Holocaust. After he finished, an elderly lady in the front row raised her hand. She stated that she was, in fact, a Holocaust survivor. She endured years in three different concentration camps and was shot and left for dead the day the camps were liberated. She said that she understood why Perl did what he did (hide his Jewish heritage) because he had the will to survive. She called the film very important for the message it delivered. When she finished speaking the audience broke into applause. After the Q and A session, the woman and her daughter spent several minutes conversing in Polish . When they finished, they embraced. A truly fine moment.
MEET THE BEATLES - PART 39
October 24, 1965 - The boys spend nine hours recording "I'm Looking Through You," spending 4 hours laying down the rhythm track and overdubs and almost 5 hours doing the vocals. Though George Martin is pleased with the results, the lads aren't and later spend most of November 10th and 11th on a new recording.
Well, that's all for now. Have a great week. See ya!
"Mike's Rant" is ©2004 by Michael A. Smith. Webpage design and all graphics herein are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2004 by Nolan B. Canova.
