Samuel L. Jackson

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 40 ‘Astro Boy’ Passes With Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron

HollywoodChicago.com — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 02:04:22 -0600

CHICAGO – In our latest animated edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 40 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the new film “Astro Boy”!

“Astro Boy” features the voices of Kristen Bell, Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nighy, Freddie Highmore, Donald Sutherland, Eugene Levy, Nathan Lane, Moises Arias, Matt Lucas, Madeline Carroll, Sterling Beaumon, Victor Bonavida and Tony Matthews from director David Bowers. The film is distributed by Summit Entertainment, which is the same production company involved with “Twilight,” “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” in 2009 and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” in 2010.

To win your free pass to the advance screening of “Astro Boy” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is answer our question below. That’s it! This screening will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 at 10 a.m. in Schaumburg, Ill., which is a suburb of Chicago. Directions to enter this Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

“Astro Boy” features the voices of Kristen Bell, Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron and Samuel L. Jackson.
Image credit: Summit Entertainment

Here is the “Astro Boy” plot description:

In the futuristic world of Metro City, which is a gleaming metropolis in the sky, the brilliant scientist Dr. Tenma creates Astro Boy to replace the son he has lost. He programmed his creation with the best of human characteristics and values and has endowed him with extraordinary super powers.

Cast out when he can’t meet the grieving father’s expectations, Astro Boy is dealt a cruel double blow: he’s also crushed to learn he is a robot and not even a human being. Astro Boy, who carries within himself the Blue Core (a power source made of positive “blue” energy), is sought out by the troops of the militaristic President Stone.

They are obsessed with obtaining the Core for the “Peacekeeper” robot, which has been invented to be used as a weapon to dominate Earth. Fleeing from the military, Astro Boy crashes to the surface of the Earth. Lost and unsure of his identity, Astro Boy simply seeks to fit in.

Denying his true nature, he tries to pass himself off as a human being with a gang of child vagabonds. He falls naively under the sway of their leader Hamegg in whom he sees a father figure. To Astro Boy’s horror, Hamegg exposes him as a robot and tries to turn him into a robot gladiator.

In “Hamegg’s Robot Games,” Astro Boy is forced to face wave upon wave of robots. Refusing to fight but only disabling his opponent when the safety of spectators is threatened, Astro Boy’s nobility wins the crowd over.

Alerted by the Core’s power surge, the military swoops down and captures Astro Boy as he resigns himself to his fate. As Dr. Tenma removes his energy source, Astro Boy forgives him for what he’s doing. This display of innate goodness finally opens Dr. Tenma’s eyes to the terrible mistake he has made.

Reconciled to the son he had wrongly rejected, he allows Astro Boy to escape. The destructive Peacekeeper, which has been given the incredibly dangerous negative Red Core energy by presidential order, is out of control and causing havoc in Metro City. Astro Boy returns to help the citizens, fight the Peacekeeper and save Metro City from crashing to Earth.

In the climactic battle, the strands of the story come together as Astro Boy accepts his mixed human-robot nature and finds his destiny as mankind’s savior.

The “Astro Boy” trailer can be watched now below.

To secure your free tickets now, make sure you’re logged into your HollywoodChicago.com account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having an account with a valid e-mail address is required. Then, simply add a new comment in the form below. In your comment, include an answer to this question:

Who is your favorite superhero? Why?

Like all Hookups here, this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup is simple: Just submit your comment below and we will award 40 people randomly via e-mail for our “Astro Boy” Hookup. Winners needs to arrive early as seats are consumed on a first-come, first-served basis. Good luck!

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Action Blu-Ray Round Up, May 19, 2009: ‘Changing Lanes,’ ‘The Machinist’

BrianTT — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:57:07 -0600

CHICAGO – Paramount Home Video is unleashing waves of catalog titles this month. It started with the comedy wave last Tuesday and continues with a diverse slate of action films this week.

Like the comedy set, the films have very little in common other than their genre (and even that is a bit sketchy with “The Machinist” bearing little resemblance to “Paycheck”). The highlights of the wave are clearly “3 Days of the Condor,” “The Machinist,” and “Changing Lanes” with “Enemy at the Gates” certainly having enough visual power to warrant a look in HD. “Paycheck”? Good luck with that one.

All five titles were released on Tuesday, May 19th, 2009.

“3 Days of the Condor”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “In Sydney Pollack’s critically acclaimed suspense-thriller, Robert Redford stars as CIA Agent Joe Turner. Code name: Condor. When his entire office is massacred, Turner goes on the run from his enemies…and his so-called allies. After reporting the murders to his superiors, the organization wants to bring Condor in - but somebody is trying to take him out. In his frantic hunt for answers and in a desperate run for his life, Turner abducts photographer Kathy Hale (Faye Dunaway) eventually seducing her into helping him.

Every twist leads Condor to the end of his nerves…and will take you to the edge of your seat. With nowhere to turn and no one to trust, Turner realizes his most dangerous enemy may be closer than he ever feared. And as he zeroes in on the truth, he discovers there are some secrets people would kill to keep”

“3 Days of the Condor” stars Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, Max Von Sydow, and John Houseman. The film was written by Lorenzo Semple, Jr. and David Rayfiel and directed by Sydney Pollack. It is rated R.

The Blu-Ray video is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track. The only special feature is the theatrical trailer in HD.

“Changing Lanes”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “Modern society draws lines between right and wrong, good and evil, rage and redemption. A moment of self-absorption and a spark of anger will cause two men to cross them. As the battle of wills escalates, both lives are changed forever. Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Affleck star in a provocative and gripping drama that exposes the best and worst in all of us.”

“Changing Lanes” stars Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Affleck, Toni Collette, Sydney Pollack, William Hurt, and Amanda Peet. The film was written by Chap Taylor and Michael Tolkin and directed by Roger Michell. It is rated R.

The Blu-Ray video is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track. Special features include a commentary by director Roger Michell, “The Making of Changing Lanes,” “A Writer’s Perspective,” 2 Deleted scenes, 1 Extended Scene, and the theatrical trailer in HD.

“Enemy at the Gates”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “An all-star cast lights up the screen in this riveting epic hailed as “a vivid dramatization of one of history’s titanic turning points”. (Gene Shalit, TODAY) The year is 1942 and the Nazis are cutting a deadly swath through Russia. Under the leadership of Kruschev (Bob Hoskins), the citizens of Stalingrad are mounting a brave resistance, spurred by the exploits of their local hero, Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law). An expert sniper, Vassili’s deeds have become legendary - thanks to propaganda produced by Vassili’s best friend, a political officer named Danilov (Joseph Fiennes). To stop Vassili, the Germans dispatch their best sniper, Major Konig (Ed Harris), to Stalingrad. When Vassili and Danilov both fall in love with a beautiful soldier (Rachel Weisz), Danilov deserts his friend, leaving Vassili to face his German counterpart alone. As the city burns, Vassili and Konig begin a cunning game of cat and mouse, waging a private war for courage, honor and country.”

“Enemy at the Gates” stars Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, and Ed Harris. It was written by Alain Godard & Jean-Jacques Annaud and directed by Annaud and is rated R.

The Blu-Ray video is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track. Special features include “Through the Crosshairs,” “Inside Enemy at the Gates,” deleted scenes, and the theatrical trailer in HD.

“The Machinist”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) hasn’t slept in a year. The shocking deterioration of his physical and mental health has made his every waking moment an unrelenting state of confusion, paranoia, guilt, anxiety and terror. His only solace from this living nightmare comes from an affectionate prostitute (Jennifer Jason Leigh.

When cryptic notes turn up mysteriously in his apartment and when hallucinations of a co-worker that no one else sees causes a gruesome machine shop injury, he embarks on a journey to find out whether there is an elaborate plot to drive him made or is his fatigue has simply robbed him of reason. The more he learns, the less he wants to know.”

“The Machinist” stars Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, John Sharian, and Michael Ironside. It was written by Scott Kosar and directed by Brad Anderson. It is rated R.

The Blu-Ray video is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD track. Special features include a commentary by director Brad Anderson, “Manifesting the Machinist,” “The Machinist: Hiding in Plain Sight,” “The Machinist: Breaking the Rules,” deleted scenes, and the theatrical trailer.

“Paycheck”

Photo credit: Paramount

Synopsis: “From director John Woo comes this futuristic thriller that combines spectacular action sequences with a spellbinding mystery that will keep you guessing from beginning to breathtaking end.

Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck) is a brilliant computer engineer hired for top-secret projects. After each job, Jennings’ short-term memory is erased so he cannot recount any project information. Emerging from his latest assignment, a three-year contract with an eight-figure paycheck given to him by his longtime friend (Aaron Eckhart), Jennings is jolted when he is told that during the end of his assignment, he agreed to forfeit all payment.

Jennings has no recourse - until he receives a mysterious envelope containing clues to his forgotten past. With the help of a beautiful scientist (Uma Thurman) he once loved but now cannot remember, Jennings races to solve the puzzles of his past…while a terrifying discovery waits in his future.”

“Paycheck” stars Ben Affleck, Aaron Eckhart, Uma Thurman, Paul Giamatti, Joe Morton, Colm Feore, and Michael C. Hall. It was written by Dean Georgaris and directed by John Woo. It is rated PG-13.

The Blu-Ray video is presented in 1080p High Definition with an English 5.1 Dolby Digital track. Special features include a commentary by director John Woo, a commentary by screenwriter Dean Georgaris, “Paycheck: Designing the Future,” “Tempting Fate: The Stunts of Paycheck,” and extended/deleted scenes.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Spirit’ Deserves Another Chance at Life in HD

BrianTT — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:19:12 -0600

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Frank Miller’s “The Spirit” is far-from-perfect. The attempts at goofy humor fall flat, the script is wildly uneven, and Gabriel Macht is deadly dull in the title role, but there’s way more to like here than I expected after missing it in theaters and hearing all the horrendous buzz from its initial release. It may not be great, but “The Spirit” could surprise you too. It’s a mess, but it’s kind of a beautiful mess, especially in HD.

What do I like about Frank Miller’s take on the classic Will Eisner comic? It’s unapologetic. I always appreciate filmmakers willing to stick to their creative vision and there’s no denying that aspect of “The Spirit”. Miller is a visually intriguing director and “The Spirit” is just fun to watch in 1080P and with the incredibly low expectations I had going into it.

The Spirit was released on Blu-Ray on April 14th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

The plot of “The Spirit” is easily the weakest element of the film and probably what turned most people off in theaters. Somehow, in HD, it’s not as important. For the record, The Spirit (Gabriel Macht) is a former cop returned from the dead to defend his city against the likes of the evil The Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson). That’s really all you need to know.

The Spirit was released on Blu-Ray on April 14th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

It’s all just an excuse for Miller to use as striking imagery as possible. Shot like “Sin City,” in mostly black and white with splashes of color, “The Spirit” is a visual feast. Miller loves action and sex, two things hard to translate to a PG-13 movie, but he has fun with the violence, making it more comic-strip-esque than the graphic novel look of “Sin City” and he cast several gorgeous actresses including Paz Vega, Stana Katic, Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Paulson, Jaime King, and a movie-stealing Eva Mendes for the sex part.

The second half of “The Spirit” is too dull, as if Miller is more interested in the set-up than the followthrough, something that makes sense if you think about his emphasis on mood and atmosphere over concrete elements like plot. And I can’t get over the lack of charisma displayed by Macht. Luckily, the incredibly well-cast females around him make up for a lot of his shortcomings.

My surprisingly positive reaction to “The Spirit” could be at least in part due to the amazing video transfer delivered for the film on Blu-Ray. It looks absolutely breathtaking. This is arguably the best HD picture of the year to date and one of the titles that could be used to sell people on the HD revolution. The audio mix is good but not as notable as the oh-so-pretty picture.

The Spirit was released on Blu-Ray on April 14th, 2009.
Photo credit: Lionsgate

Special features include featurettes titled “Green World,” “Miller on Miller,” and “History Repeats”. They are all interesting and longer than your average EPK featuree, but the most interesting extras will be the alternate storyboard ending with voiceover by Gabriel Macht and Samuel L. Jackson and an audio commentary by Miller and producer Deborah Del Prete. The Blu-Ray release also includes a digital copy and BD-Live functionality, including Lionsgate’s MoLog function, an interactive application that allows users to insert and animate shapes, text, audio, and other graphics right into the film.

Ultimately, I respect “The Spirit” for being so committed to Miller and Eisner’s vision. There’s nothing half-assed about this production. Could and should it have been better? Of course. But it gets major points from me (and I think it will from a lot of other viewers) for not conforming to looking like anything else released last year. I think audiences will catch up with “The Spirit” on Blu-Ray and be shocked at the negative reaction when it was in theaters.

‘The Spirit’ is released by Lionsgate Home Entertainment and stars Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Sarah Paulson, Dan Lauria, Paz Vega, and Scarlett Johansson. It was written for the screen and directed by Frank Miller. It was released on April 14th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video: Clip From ‘Inglourious Basterds’ With Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt

BrianTT — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:59:51 -0600

CHICAGO – Last night’s “American Idol” featured an exclusive clip from the August 21st release of Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” starring Brad Pitt, B.J. Novak, Eli Roth, Samuel L. Jackson, Cloris Leachmen, Mike Myers, and Diane Krueger. We have the clip for you below that was reportedly too hot to air on primetime TV during “American Idol.”

The official press release:

Last night, on FOX’s mega-hit tv show, “American Idol,” Quentin Tarantino made a special guest mentor appearance and debuted a sneak preview of never-seen-before footage from his upcoming movie, “Inglourious Basterds”.

“Inglourious Basterds” stars Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger and will hit theatres on August 21, 2009.

Watch the full preview for “Inglourious Basterds”.
Watch more HollywoodChicago.com-hosted A&E videos.
Watch more movie videos on HollywoodChicago.com hosted elsewhere.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video: Quentin Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Trailer With Brad Pitt

BrianTT — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:34:05 -0600

CHICAGO – We’re back with our latest addition to our new-and-expanding video library of Summer 2009 movie previews. Today’s installment is easily one of the most anticipated films of the season, Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” starring Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, B.J. Novak, Samuel L. Jackson, Cloris Leachman, Mike Myers, and Diane Kruger. Check it out and see what you think. The film opens on August 21st, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: Mixed Bag of Clichés, Quality Performances in ‘Lakeview Terrace’

BrianTT — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:44:35 -0700

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Neil LaBute’s “Lakeview Terrace” delivers as close to the “marginal thumbs up or down” line as any movie released in 2008. There are some intriguing ideas about race and excellent performances, but the film feels like a missed opportunity to be something greater, even if a strong Blu-Ray release helps the final product.

The issues of racial and social tension used to belong to the “urban drama,” films set in major downtown cities like New York or L.A.. “Lakeview Terrace” tries to take some of those themes and move them to the suburbs. Neil LaBute, the famous playwright and writer/director of at least two above-average films - “In the Company of Men” and “The Shape of Things” - has always been fascinated by how good people co-exist with evil, making him a better fit for this “suburban drama” than you might first expect.

Lakeview Terrace was released by Sony Pictures Home Video on January 27th, 2009.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures

The basic set-up for “Lakeview Terrace” is not unlike what we’ve seen before in thrillers like “Unlawful Entry” and “Pacific Heights” and the film certainly falls prey to a lot of the storytelling traps that held back its genre brethren, most notably in the final act. But there is enough talent in front of and behind the camera to justify a viewing for fans of this kind of material or the people involved and the Blu-Ray presentation enhances the entire project.

Photo credit: Sony Pictures

Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson) is a single father trying to raise two children in a world that he has grown increasingly disturbed by in his role on the LAPD. Turner has seen kids gone bad on his beat every day and he’s started to snap. He starts by clamping down on his children’s behavior - correcting their grammar, pulling the iPod buds out of their ears - and then turns his eye to his new neighbors.

The bubble of a world that Abel has created is shattered by the arrival of the Mattsons, Chris (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa (Kerry Washington) in his back yard. The interracial couple pushes all of Abel’s buttons. There are big issues like race at play in David Loughery and Howard Korder’s script but it is the little ones that feel like LaBute touches - the liberal vs. conservative difference, the fact that Chris refers to living in a neighborhood that Abel has spent decades working to afford as a “starter home” - and are far more interesting.

Essentially, Abel snaps under the pressure of the changing world around him. He starts to harass his kindly neighbors with increasingly violent and dangerous behavior. The Mattsons won’t move. Something has to give.

The problem with a film like “Lakeview Terrace” is that it almost always writes itself into a corner. The first two acts of the film are intriguing and complex. Jackson is better than he has been recently and Wilson (“Little Children,” “Watchmen”) and Washington are intriguing young actors. But the final act succumbs to the inevitable, over-the-top ending.

The ridiculous twists and turns of the conclusion of “Lakeview Terrace” will sink the project for a lot of viewers. Wouldn’t it be great to see a movie about a crazy neighbor that doesn’t end predictably? Wouldn’t it be fascinating to see not how the Abel Turners and Chris Mattsons of the world butt heads but how they are forced to live next door to each other? That would have a been a great movie instead of the merely okay “Lakeview Terrace”.

Sony continues to produce nearly flawless video and audio transfers with this release. The video is presented in 1080p High Definition with a 2.40:1 aspect ratio and the accompanying Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track fits it well.

Special features included in Sony’s release of “Lakeview Terrace” are a commentary with LaBute and Washington, deleted scenes with commentary from LaBute and Washington, and three featurettes - “An Open House,” “Meet Your Neighbors,” and “Home Sweet Home”. Each featurette has a different focus with the first looking at the development of the story, the second detailing the casting, and the last documenting the actual production.

A comprehensive collection of special features and a superior video/audio transfer help push the so-so “Lakeview Terrace” over the hill and into the neighborhood of quality Blu-Ray releases.

‘Lakeview Terrace’ is released by Sony Pictures Home Video and stars Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington, and Jay Hernandez. It was written by David Loughery and Howard Korder and directed by Neil LaBute. It was released on January 27th, 2009.

Read our interview with “Lakeview Terrace” director Neil LaBute.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 39-Image Gallery For ‘We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial’

BrianTT — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:09:52 -0700

CHICAGO – This 39-image slideshow contains a selection of official press images from HBO’s “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial,” which took place on Sunday, January 18th, 2009 in Washington, DC.

The presentation included musical performances from Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, Bettye LaVette, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, U2, will.i.am and Stevie Wonder. Celebrities reading historical passages included Jack Black, Steve Carell, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Foxx, Tom Hanks, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah, Laura Linney, and Denzel Washington. Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson gave the invocation and Rob Mathes was the music director and arranger for the backing bands.

For more information on how you can see the inauguration at a theatre near you, check out this news story and don’t forget to enter our HollywoodChicago.com Hookup. Even if it’s too late to win, you may want to learn more about the DVD “President Barack Obama: The Man and His Journey”.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to Kevin Mazur/Courtesy of HBO unless otherwise noted.

We_Are_One_01: President-Elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_02: President-Elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_03: Denzel Washington speaks at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_04: Denzel Washington speaks at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_05: Bruce Springsteen performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_06: Bruce Springsteen performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_07: Mary J Blige performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_08: Mary J Blige performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_09: Garth Brooks performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_10: Garth Brooks performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_11: President-Elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_12: Jill Biden, Vice President-Elect Joe Biden, President-Elect Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_13: Bruce Springsteen performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_14: Bruce Springsteen performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_15: Garth Brooks performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_16: Garth Brooks performs at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_17: Atmosphere at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_18: Atmosphere at “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_19: Bruce Springsteeen and Queen Latifa backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_20: Jon Bon Jovi backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_21: will.i.am and Queen Latifah backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_22: Ron Howard backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln MemorialÓpresented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_23: Jamie Foxx and Samuel L Jackson backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_24: Jack Black backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_25: Forrest Whitaker and will.i.am backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_26: Ron Howard, Steve Carrell, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_27: will.i.am, Forrest Whitaker, Bruce Springsteen and Jamie Foxx backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_28: Jack Black backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_29: Marisa Tomei, Forrest Whitaker and Angela Bassett backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_30: Marisa Tomei backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_31: Jon Bon Jovi and Garth Brooks backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_32: Bruce Springsteen at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_33: Bruce Springsteen at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_34: Bruce Springsteen and Martin Luther King Jr. III at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_35: Martin Luther King Jr. III at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_36: Atmosphere at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_37: John Mellencamp and Jack Black backstage at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_38: President-Elect Barack Obama and Sasha Obama at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.
We_Are_One_39: Jill Biden, Vice President-Elect Joe Biden, President-Elect Barack Obama, Sasha Obama, Michelle Obama and Malia Obama at We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial presented exclusively by HBO on Sunday January 18th 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Round Up: ‘Into the Wild,’ ‘Old School,’ ‘Tommy Boy,’ More

BrianTT — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:29:51 -0700

CHICAGO – Paramount Home Video has scheduled two waves of catalog titles making their debut on Blu-Ray for the holiday season and the first set hits this week, just in time for you to finish up your Christmas shopping.

There are some recent comedy hits, a highly lauded drama from last year, and a forgotten Samuel L. Jackson movie. It’s hard to imagine anyone out there looking to buy all six of these titles and schedule a Blu-Ray marathon in their own home, but it’s also easy to see someone in your family having one on their holiday wish list. All films are presented in 1080p High-Definition Widescreen and feature English 5.1 Dolby True HD audio tracks.

“Coach Carter”

2005’s “Coach Carter” stars Samuel L. Jackson as Ken Carter, the controversial basketball coach who locked out his entire undefeated team due to their poor academic performance. The players, parents, and the community fought against the inspirational leader, trying to get their kids back on the court to play the big game. Carter stands strong and teaches his young men that there is life beyond the court, gangs, drugs, and prison. “Coach Carter” is a pretty generic sports movie grounded a bit by yet another solid performance from Jackson.

On Blu-Ray, “Coach Carter” includes four featurettes - “Coach Carter: The Man Behind the Movie”, “Fast Break at Richmond High”, “Writing Coach Carter: The Two Man Game”, “Coach Carter: Making the Cut” - six deleted scenes, a music video with Twista featuring Faith Evans for “Hope”, and the trailer in HD.

“The Heartbreak Kid”

In the critically reviled remake of the Neil Simon classic, Ben Stiller stars as Eddie, a 40-year-old bachelor who finally says “I do” to the beautiful but crazy Lila (Malin Akerman). When Eddie and Lila get to Mexico for their honeymoon, our poor hero learns that his dream of marital bliss has turned into a total nightmare. While he’s down in Mexico, Eddie falls for a lovely girl played by Michelle Monaghan and supposed hilarity ensues. With its grating, unlikable characters, only Monaghan makes it out of this Farrelly Brothers’ misstep unscathed. Stiller has never been worse and Akerman is the definition of annoying, but hardcore fans of Ben and the boys who made “There’s Something About Mary” will want to include “The Heartbreak Kid” in their collection. Good luck.

On Blu-Ray, “The Heartbreak Kid” includes a commentary by The Farrelly Brothers, deleted scenes, a gag reel, “The Farrelly Brothers in the French Tradition”, “Ben & Jerry”, “Heartbreak Halloween”, “The Egg Toss”, and the trailer in HD.

“Hot Rod”

“Hot Rod” had “cult comedy” written all over it from day one. Just as Andy Samberg’s digital shorts on “Saturday Night Live” are wildly hit-and-miss, his debut movie as a star has its own highs and lows, but weird movies always gain cult followings. If you missed the cult of “Rod”, Samberg stars as Rod Kimble, a stuntman with a fake mustache and a dream. Rod is really only a stuntman in his head and with his dumb friends. To save the life of his abusive father (Ian McShane) and win the heart of his lady love (Isla Fisher), Rod plans the biggest stunt of his life. With just as many jokes that hit the floor as that hit the funny bone, “Hot Rod” is so-so at best but Samberg fans will be happy to have their cult favorite on Blu-Ray.

On Blu-Ray, “Hot Rod” includes a commentary by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone, “Ancestors Protect Me: Behind the Scenes of Hot Rod”, deleted & extended scenes, outtakes, and the trailer in HD.

“Into the Wild”

Easily the most stunningly photographed film in this wave of Blu-Ray from Paramount, “Into the Wild” looks fantastic on the next-gen format. If you’re looking to show off the potential of HD this holiday season, you can’t do much better than Sean Penn’s epic tale of Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), a young man who abandoned his life of comfort to pursue life on the road. McCandless was eventually found dead in a bus in Alaska. Jon Krakauer’s amazing book detailed the days in between Christopher’s departure from civilization and the discovery of his body and Penn made the true story into the most acclaimed film of his career. Written and directed by Penn, “Into the Wild” co-stars Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener, and Hal Holbrook.

On Blu-Ray, “Into the Wild” includes a shocking dearth of special features with just two featurettes, “Into the Wild: The Story, The Characters” & “Into the Wild: The Experience”, and the trailer in HD.

“Old School: Unrated and Out of Control!”

2003’s “Old School” really launched Will Ferrell from TV star to movie star and provided Vince Vaughn with his best part since “Swingers”. The two starred with Luke Wilson in the Todd Phillips comedy about three guys unwilling to give up on their raucous college days. As their “grown-up” lives fall apart, they find it easy to be the most popular guys on campus. Everyone who longed for the simple days of keggers and frat partying, could identify with Beanie, Mitch, and Frank “The Tank”. “Old School” has held up surprisingly well over the years, certainly more than many of the films its stars have made since. Maybe they should all make up and get that long-rumored “Old School” sequel into production soon.

On Blu-Ray, “Old School: Unrated and Out of Control!” includes a feature commentary, several scenes from the cutting room floor, “Old School Orientation”, a must-see spoof of “Inside the Actor’s Studio”, TV spots, outtakes & bloopers, and the trailer in HD.

“Tommy Boy: Holy Schnike Edition”

One of my personal favorite comedies of the ’90s, “Tommy Boy” is a must-own. The comedy features Chris Farley and David Spade doing the best work of their careers and a likable, easy-going comedic sensibility that simply works from start to finish. I’m not going to argue that the script for “Tommy Boy” is anything remarkable, although it is better than most critics would give it credit for, but the film works because Farley & Spade had perfect chemistry. “Tommy Boy” is a road comedy about two salesmen trying to save the family business but its really just a showcase for two Saturday Night Live actors who looked like they were on the verge of superstardom. If you haven’t seen “Tommy Boy” in the thirteen years since it came out or have forgotten the film that played in college dorm rooms on a non-stop loop in the late ’90s, check it out on Blu-Ray HD.

On Blu-Ray, “Tommy Boy: Holy Schnike Edition” includes a commentary by director Peter Segal, 4 featurettes, “Tommy Boy: Behind the Laughter”, “Stories From the Side of the Road”, “Just the Two of Us”, “Growing Up Farley”, 6 deleted scenes, 6 alternate takes, 15 extended scenes, 7 storyboard comparisons, 19 TV spots, a gag reel, a photo gallery, and the trailer in HD.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 20 VIP Grand-Prize Packs For ‘The Spirit’ With Scarlett Johansson

HollywoodChicago.com — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:20:03 -0700

CHICAGO – In our latest edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have an extra-unique 20 VIP grand-prize packs up for grabs for Frank Miller’s “The Spirit”.

Frank Miller is the “300” graphic novel writer and director of “Sin City,” “Sin City 2” in 2010 and “Sin City 3” in 2011. “The Spirit” stars Gabriel Macht, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes and Jaime King. Each VIP grand-prize pack includes the following items:

1) “The Spirit” T-shirt
2) “The Spirit” trading cards
3) “The Spirit” miniature poster
4) “The Spirit” tattoos
5) “The Spirit” stickers
6) Other “The Spirit” surprise items!

To win your free “The Spirit” VIP grand-prize pack courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is be one of the first 20 people to submit a nomination in this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup. That’s it! Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

“The Spirit” from director Frank Miller stars Gabriel Macht, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Mendes.
Image credit: Lionsgate

Here is “The Spirit” plot description:

Adapted from Will Eisner’s comic-book series, “The Spirit” is a classic action-adventure-romance genre twister written for the screen and directed by Frank Miller.

It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the Spirit (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch enemy, the Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson), has a different mission: to wipe out Spirit’s beloved city as he pursues his own version of immortality.

The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from Central City’s rundown warehouses to the damp catacombs to the windswept waterfront all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill the masked crusader.

Surrounding him at every turn are Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), the whip-smart girl next door; Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson), a punk secretary and frigid vixen; Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega), a murderous French nightclub dancer; Lorelei (Jaime King), a phantom siren; and Morgenstern (Stana Katic), a sexy young cop.

Then there’s Sand Saref (Eva Mendes): the jewel thief with dangerous curves.

She’s the love of his life turned bad. Will he save her or will she kill him? In the vein of “Batman Begins” and “Sin City,” “The Spirit” takes us on a sinister, gut-wrenching ride with a hero who is born, murdered and born again.

To secure your free “The Spirit” VIP grand-prize pack, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having an account with a valid e-mail address is required to win this Hookup.

Next, simply nominate the one person or thing that best embodies the spirit of Chicago or your city. You must submit your nomination using this confidential Web-based submission form. Please do not comment in this Hookup and only submit your nomination there.

You must include your e-mail address and physical mailing address in your submission. Your personal information will be kept strictly confidential and is for us to mail winning prize packs only. Your personal information will not be sold or shared elsewhere.

Submit your “The Spirit” nomination now!

Like all Hookups here, this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film is simple: The first 20 people to submit a nomination win! The 20 VIP grand-prize packs will be mailed to the winners at our expense.

The official Web site for “The Spirit” is at http://www.mycityscreams.com. “The Spirit” is also tied to a service that’s offering you the ability to recycle your cell phone for free using a postage-paid mailing label. “The Spirit” opens in theaters everywhere on Dec. 25, 2008.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 18-Image Gallery For ‘The Spirit’ With Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson

BrianTT — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:28:39 -0700

CHICAGO – This 18-image slideshow contains official press images for “The Spirit,” which stars Gabriel Macht, Eva Mendea, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johannson, Sarah Paulson, Jamie King, Pax Vega, Stana Katic, and Louis Lombardi from director-writer Frank Miller. The film opens on Dec. 25, 2008.

“The Spirit” is based on the original comic series by Will Eisner, as adapted by the visionary creator of “Sin City” and “300”. The Spirit is Denny Colt, a murdered cop who has been reborn as the title superhero. He must keep the citizens of Central City safe from dangerous villains like The Octopus, played by Samuel L. Jackson. The blockbuster film is rated PG-13 and opens on Thursday, December 25th, 2008.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to Lionsgate/Odd Lot Entertainment except where noted.

Spirit01: Samuel L. Jackson as The Octopus in The Spirit.
Spirit02: Scarlett Johansson as Silken Floss in The Spirit.
Spirit03: Director-Writer Frank Miller on the set of his film The Spirit. Photo credit: Lewis Jacobs.
Spirit04: Gabriel Macht stars as The Spirit in The Spirit, directed by Frank Miller.
Spirit05: Eva Mendes stars as Sand Saref in The Spirit.
Spirit06: Sarah Paulson as Ellen in The Spirit.
Spirit07: Stana Katic as Morganstern in The Spirit.
Spirit08: Jamie King as Lorelei in The Spirit.
Spirit09: Paz Vega as Plaster of Paris in The Spirit.
Spirit10: Louis Lombardi as Phobos in The Spirit.
Spirit11: The Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson, center), Silken Floss (Scarlett Johansson, right) and Phobos (Louis Lombardi, rear) in The Spirit.
Spirit12: Theatrical Key Art.
Spirit13: Teaser Key Art - Ellen.
Spirit14: Teaser Key Art - The Octopus.
Spirit15: Teaser Key Art - The Spirit.
Spirit16: Teaser Key Art - Lorelei.
Spirit17: Teaser Key Art - Sand Saref.
Spirit18: Teaser Key Art - Silken Floss.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com