BuzzSugar

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 06:30:48 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the titles below you can now rent the Diane Lane thriller Untraceable, Francis Ford Coppola's Youth Without Youth, and Mad Money.

The Great Debaters
The Great Debaters stars Denzel Washington (who also directs), Forest Whitaker and newcomer Nate Parker in a movie that is maybe formulaic but also poignant and powerfully acted. As I pointed out in my review, the film borrows the the same elements of storytelling you find in underdog sports movies and inspirational teacher movies. However the film, based on a true story, is no less inspiring thanks to some moving performances.

The movie takes place in Texas circa 1935 when schools were segregated and economic times were hard all around. A group of young black college students work to become a debate team worthy of challenging Harvard. Washington plays the hard-driving debate team coach who encourages his students to succeed. You've definitely seen this all before in one form or another, but it's a great family rental with an inspirational message. The movie was honored earlier this year with an NAACP Award to boot.

Special features include deleted scenes and featurettes titled, "The Great Debaters: An Historical Perspective," and "Learning the Art: Our Young Actors Go to Debate Camp."

One more release to go so read more

Autism: The Musical
I have been curious about this documentary ever since it showed at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and I'm so glad it's out on DVD now, as I missed its airing on HBO a couple of months ago. The film has earned high praise and was even one of the Academy's 15 documentaries considered for an Oscar nod.

As Netflix puts it, the documentary follows "five autistic children as they develop and rehearse The Miracle Project, an original musical about autism." Between this flick and The Great Debaters I'd say you've got yourself a great family movie night here.

Special features include deleted scenes, a featurette called, "About Autism Speaks" and a filmmaker biography.

Link Time! 5/8

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:33:14 -0700

Popwatch has the recent EW cover featuring Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks as George W. Bush and Laura Bush for the Oliver Stone movie.
Stereogum has the initial lineup for the 2008 Siren Festival.
At The TV Addict, you can watch a video of Zach Braff introducing tonight's Scrubs episode.
Cinematical has a clip from the latest movie from Francis Coppola, Youth Without Youth, out on DVD next week.
BestWeekEver has the top 10 words that only appear in gossip magazines, including "beau," "tipster" and "canoodling."
TV with MeeVee wonders if Smallville will be less super next season since everyone seems to be leaving.
Vulture just saw Flight of the Conchords live, and yes, it was awesome.
The Underwire chats with Isabella Rossellini about her absurd yet fascinating Green Porno series.

Tom Cruise to Grace the Big Screen Again

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 13:18:18 -0700

Well, Tom Cruise is asking us to take him seriously again, by agreeing to star in a World War II thriller that he is also producing. It's going to be tough, especially with the grave subject matter, to watch this crazy egomaniac without rolling my eyes. But I have faith in director Bryan Singer, responsible for the excellent film The Usual Suspects and executive producer of Fox's "House." According to Variety:

The thriller is based on actual events, as German generals hatch a scheme to assassinate Adolph Hitler at the height of WWII. In subsequent meetings, Singer asked Cruise if he wanted to play a central role and he agreed Tuesday.

Cruise's UA partner Paula Wagner said, "I cannot think of a more perfect combination of creative elements for our second production."

Hmm... I can! Namely, a combination of "elements" that doesn't include Tom Cruise, perhaps. I wish I could get excited about this, since the director and script sound solid, but instead there's a grim feeling of dread creeping through my insides - and not in the thriller movie kind of way. What do you think of this news? Tom also has some other production projects underway, so read more

The Cruise and Wagner-led United Artists may also be set to acquire to rights to Youth Without Youth, Francis Ford Coppola's first movie in a decade. According to Variety:

Coppola adapted, produced and directed "Youth Without Youth" from the 1976 novel by Romanian-born religious historian Mircea Eliade. Coppola screened the film on Feb. 22 for friends in the Bay Area, including Carroll Ballard and George Lucas.

As much as Cruise gives me the creeps, he and Wagner seem to be snapping up some pretty cool projects, and at least Tom won't be starring in this one.

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