Avatar: Exciting as Star Wars?

Roger Ebert said it best, "Watching "Avatar, I felt sort of the same as when I saw "Star Wars" in 1977. That was another movie I walked into with uncertain expectations. James Cameron's film has been the subject of relentlessly dubious advance buzz, just as his "Titanic" was. Once again, he has silenced the doubters by simply delivering an extraordinary film. There is still at least one man in Hollywood who knows how to spend $250 million, or was it $300 million, wisely."

I felt the same way. From the previews I was intrigued and being open minded I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. But it wasn't the type of movie I generally enjoy. I mean all of the computer generated animation, alien creatures, and fantasy stuff. It's okay in small bits but this was way pushing the envelope. So if I'm going to see it I go for the 3-D IMAX experience. And what an experience! I loved it!

Avatar is the story of a disabled ex-Marine, Jake Sully , who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet filled with exotic life forms. As an Avatar, a human mind is put into an alien body, where he finds himself torn between two worlds. Sully  went for the opportunity of walking again but found himself in a desperate fight for his own survival and that of the indigenous people.

More than ten years in the making, Avatar marks Cameron's return to feature directing since helming 1997's Titanic, the highest grossing film of all time and winner of eleven Oscars® including Best Picture. WETA Digital, renowned for its work in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and King Kong, incorporated new intuitive CGI technologies to transform the environments and characters into photorealistic 3D imagery that transport the audience into the alien world rich with imaginative vistas, creatures and characters.

The imagery takes you into their incredible and beautiful world so completely you will find yourself ducking when creatures are flying toward your face. All they need is surround smell and a little shaking of your seat to give you the full Disneyland experience!

The cast includes many unknowns including Jake Sully played by Sam Worthington and the exotic Neytiri played by Zoe Saldana. Dr. Grace is veteran actress Sigourney Weaver who adds the balance between the scientific and the fantastic.

20th Century Fox presents this film written and directed by James Cameron. Running time: 163 minutes. MPAA rating: PG-13 (for intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking). Box office $2,481,904,000 Worldwide: as of Mar 1, 2010

Whitey Hughes Hollywood Stuntman Nov 1920 - Jul 2009

Whitey Hughes Hollywood Stuntman Nov 1920 - Jul 2009

Whitey Hughes born Nov. 9, 1920, in Arkoma, Oklahoma, died Tuesday, July 7, 2009. Whitey Hughes is a name you may not remember. But you have seen his work. An actor and stuntman in the early years of the westerns we all grew up watching his talents without even knowing it was him. His resume is filled with the names of every major actor of the golden age of movies.

 From 1948 through 1953 Whitey worked for Robert Gilbert Productions as a stuntman and double for such stars its Reno Browne and Lee "Lasses" White in "Red Rock Outlaw" ('50). Whitey was doing stunts on Johnny Carpenter's low budget westerns like "Badman's Gold" (‘51) and "Son of a Renegade" ('53). His first location job was in Lone Pine, doubling leading lady, Lynne Roberts in Tim Holt's "Dynamite Pass" ('50).

Whitey was often called upon to double for women in these early days and would eventually do stunts for such luminaries as Rita Hayworth, Stephanie Powers, Barbara Hershey, Anne Baxter, Lana Turner, Kathleen Crowley and Virginia Mayo ("Along the Great Divide", again on location in Lone Pine). Whitey's credits include work on "The Wild One" with Marlon Brando, "Sitting Bull" with Dale Robertson, "Darby O'Gill and the Little People", "Charge at Feather River" with Guy Madison, "Geronimo" with Chuck Connors and Ross Martin, and Sam Peckinpah's "Wild Bunch".

Whitey was Johnny Crawford's double for four years on TV's "Rifleman" as well as Bobby Diamond's double during the run of the "Fury" TV series. Whitey also worked on "U.S. Marshal", "Californians", "MacKenzie's Raiders", "Black Saddle", "Wyatt Earp", "Lassie", "Rawhide", "Bonanza", "Monroes", "Hondo", "Gunsmoke" ... and hundreds more including work for both Roy [Rogers] and Gene [Autry] on their respective series. To see the caliber of his terrific stunt work watch Whitey in action in almost every episode of "The Wild Wild West", which he coordinated for four seasons ('65-'68). Whitey and his stunt crew do some amazing action sequences.

Whitey spent '70 - '71 preparing his own production, Smoke In the Wind. In the '70s, Whitey worked on series and films such as "Omega Man", "Harper Valley P.T.A.", "Spiderman", "Wonder Woman", "B. J. and the Bear", "Buck Rogers", "Father Murphy", "Fall Guy", "Blue and the Gray", "Little House on the Prairie" and many others. Whitey worked as an active stuntman for over 50 years. He was even in the 1997, "Men in Black" at age 77.

 Whitey Hughes, did his final "Take" last week but he will live on in a tremendous body of work forever.

"Mamma Mia!" Movie Review

"Mamma Mia!"

By LeeAnn Sharpe

"Mamma Mia!" is great fun! The audience sang along, clapped, giggled and ahhhed as the songs ran the gamut of emotions. Mamma Mia flies on the wings of the golden oldies of ABBA and the crazy musical romps where the entire cast joins in wonderfully joyful choreographed dance routines. Every minute of this flick will refresh your spirit with beautiful views of the Greek island and blues of the ocean, along with classic music.

Meryl Streep is so well loved that even though this musical part of this role may have been a stretch for her, she made it work. Her voice actually sounded good. But Pierce Brosnan, who played her old flame Sam, should stick to acting. His voice was like the guy at the office singing karaoke and everyone tries to ignore the pain of it all. Still he is well cast as the great love of her life. Colin Firth who actually learned to play guitar for this role and took some singing lessons sounded pretty decent. Not that he will have a new music career, but he can carry a tune. Julie Walters and Christine Baranski took their comedic acting skills to a new level with their over the top musical performances. Stellan Skarsgård as Bill, one of three possible fathers of Donna’s daughter, had the audience rooting for him all the way.

ABBA, the Swedish pop act who has sold more than 400 million records to date and continues to sell well, has created timeless universally popular music. There is a strong camp appeal to the music that’s reminiscent of a kinder, gentler place in time. So it’s no surprise when the audience sings along and actually knows all of the words. Those who don’t sing along are looking superior, above all that, but they are still smiling behind the sneers. A magic in the music places a spell on all who hear it, a fan or not.

The story goes twenty-year-old Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), raised in Greece, invites three men to her wedding, one of whom she is sure must be her father. As the wedding guests arrive the bride-to-be with her two best girlfriends and her Mom and her two girlfriends vamp down memory lane with various musical numbers. Then the three would-be dads meet and bond and sing and try to figure out why they've been summoned to sunny Greece, where each enjoyed a lovely tryst with Donna years ago .

"Mamma Mia" will be your "Waterloo," as you enjoy a musical film like no other. "Super Trouper", "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "Thank You for the Music", "Money, Money, Money", "The Winner Takes It All", "Voulez Vous", "I Have a Dream" and "SOS". It’s pure feel good fun from beginning to end. So let yourself go and enjoy! Warning you will have ABBA in your head for weeks to come!

MAMMA MIA! is a Universal Pictures release directed by Phyllida Lloyd from a script by Catherine Johnson. Running time: 108 minutes. Rated PG-13 for some sex-related comments.
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Local Color Movie Review

“Local Color” Movie Review
By LeeAnn Sharpe

“Local Color touched my heart!” is a quote heard often from audiences in Scottsdale’s previewing of this beautiful movie in limited release at the Harkins Camelview 5 this weekend.

Director/Writer George Gallo says the film is autobiographical and a personal passion project that he had to do even when the big financial backers dropped out and he had to mortgage his home to get it done.

Gallo knows how make a film with plenty of successful films in his resume including “Wise Guys” and “Midnight Run”. His recent projects include the soon to be released “My Mom’s New Boyfriend” with Meg Ryan and Antonio Banderas.

“Local Color” is the story of a young painter John Talia, Jr. (Trevor Morgan) finding a mentor in an elderly Russian master Nicholi Seroff (Armin Mueller-Stahl) living in his New York town in 1974. Frame Shop owner Yammi (Charles Durning) helps instigate an introduction with the vodka guzzling artist who has blocked out the world. Against the wishes of his overbearing homophobic father, John Talia, Sr. (Ray Liotta), John runs off for a summer in the country to learn the artist’s techniques, but the cantankerous alcoholic artist ends up teaching him more about life than painting. The imagery is a feast for the soul with beautiful landscapes and vibrant paintings.

Nicholi Seroff's wisdom and concern about the direction of art in the world is discussed in long dinner conversations with art critic Curtis Sunday (Ron Perlman) and his wife Sandra (Julie Lott), where Seroff’s colorful dialogue is punctuated with an abundance of profanity, true to the personality of the artist. The use of the “F” word earned the film an “R” rating, even though there is absolutely no violence, sex or nudity. Gallo said he couldn’t whitewash his character’s language anymore than he did without losing the essence of the man.

Carla (Samantha Mathis) is a beautiful young woman and neighbor friend of Seroff’s who awakens passion in young John. Knowing Seroff is jealous of the attention, John engages her in the purest of big screen romances and earns the scorn of his mentor at the end of the summer. Still they end up each learning from the other and all the better for the passion ignited. John sees the world through the eyes of the master, and the master sees the world through the eyes of innocence once again.

Gallo spoke to the audience after a local screening and told how important it was he make this film, and make it his way, because it’s the story of his own youth and the mentor who guided him in his dreams. Working without major studio support, taking out loans against his home, as well as several producers doing the same, he managed to create a poignantly moving portrait of a glimpse of a moment in his life that many of us experience when inspiration takes hold and sets the course of your life. Gallo shot the entire film in only 18 days, in what he called keystone cops shooting technique, setting up and tearing down lights and cameras so fast as to be ridiculous. But he got it done and the end product defies you to find where he cut corners. The top notch cast and beautiful score, by Academy Award nominated composer Chris Boardman, accent this masterpiece of film making.
As a young man, Gallo attended college as a Graphic Arts major. After seeing Martin Scorsese's film “Mean Streets”, he was inspired to become a Film major instead. When the school informed him that he couldn't switch majors without repeating his first year's studies, he decided to drop out and ended up writing his first film, “Wise Guys”.
Gallo was quoted as saying, "Eventually, I came to understand that all of the arts are intertwined. That composition in painting is the same as structure in storytelling; that characters are the same as colors; that colors are the same as chords in music."
Armin Mueller-Stahl came out of retirement for his portrayal of Nicholi Seroff. He received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in “Shine” (1996) and more recently had appeared in four episode of The West Wing. Much has been made of Seroff’s use of profanity in “Local Color” but Mueller-Stahl made it a natural part of the foul mouthed artist’s personality, to the extent it was no longer profane, but simply the way he spoke. We’ve all known people cut from this cloth, especially old men who have been through much horror and have limited ability to express themselves and their frustration through language. They generally ask to be excused when speaking in the presence of ladies, but Seroff’s frustration with life has reduced his attention social niceties to nil. Gallo was brilliant to cast Mueller-Stahl in this role. The accent, the facial expressions, the body language, all spoke of this old man’s frustration with life. And Mueller-Stahl is a painter. Bravo for a wonderful job in painting this character.

Trevor Morgan wasn’t the first choice for the role of John Talia, Jr. Gallo’s wife Julie Lott explained how their first choice had a conflict and Trevor Morgan fell into his place. It was the best thing to happen because he was perfect. With years of acting experience since the age of six, the 21-year old actor was especially good in expressing fear when his homophobic father’s predictions haunted him as the old man opens his bedroom door to check in. Morgan was an excellent choice. The big movie studios wanted a sex scene added to the romance but Gallo insisted in real life it had only been a kiss and that was what he wanted in the story. Morgan made that kiss express more than any sex scene.

Ray Liotta as John Talia, Sr. provided the humor and quirkiness we all see in our own families. He’s a loving father and husband trying to hold on to a son ready to fly the nest. Liotta brings his usual professionalism to the role and gives us the chance to hate him and love him. It didn’t hurt that he was a family friend who actually knew Gallo’s father.

Samantha Mathis as Carla took the character right where she belonged, as the fuel to the fire that ignited between Nicoli and John. Mathis has acted since the age of three, (daughter of actress Bibi Besch). Mathis was quoted, “During the kissing scene it started to rain, which was perfect. And during the raining scene we were using hoses to simulate rain - and it started raining for real. It was as if God was saying, "Make this film." I loved the experience of working on the film and all the collaboration and encouragement. Gallo was open to suggestions and that sort of enthusiasm makes everyone want to work for him.”

The film won a Director's Choice Award at the Sedona Film Festival. That’s where the connection to Harkin’s came into play. “It's a true story,” Dan Harkins says. “We ran to each other in slow motion. We made a film deal in front of a full theater. My children loved the film and wanted to see it again.” The limited release at Harkins has been a big success.

A week after production wrapped, most of the locations used in the film were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Idealism created an impressive piece of work with its heart in the right place. It will touch your heart, mind and soul with a shared experience of anyone with a passion.
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Author: LeeAnn Sharpe is freelance writer/photographer in Glendale Arizona and can be reached at www.leeannsharpe.com or lasharpe@cox.net.

‘‘The Kingdom’’ film review

‘‘The Kingdom’’ film review
by LeeAnn Sharpe

They are calling it “Syriana” for Dummies or Syriana” meets “Black Hawk Down". Whatever you want to equate ‘‘The Kingdom’’ to is only surface comparison. The last half hour or so of this film was so intense that I found myself on the edge of my seat. And so was everyone else! I was riveted. That’s pretty good film making when the entire audience is transfixed.

Largely filmed in Phoenix, this thriller about an FBI team solving a terrorist bombing in Saudi Arabia, stars Jamie Foxx, Jason Bateman, Chris Cooper and Jennifer Garner, and is directed by Peter Berg, who also did the movie “Collateral” and the television Emmy nominated series ‘‘Friday Night Lights’’. Plenty of locals had minor roles, so it was fun looking for recognizable faces. Jeremy Priven plays a State Department contact, Damon Schmidt, who acts remarkable like Ari from “Entourage”. Ashraf Barhom who plays Saudi police Col. Al-Ghazi should get higher billing as one of the real shining stars of this film.

They call it realism of camera views, but if you get queasy with an unsteady handheld camera, take some Dramamine. This fast-paced constantly moving camera action, which seems to be so popular these days, makes me feel old and light headed. AS if I’ve had too much to drink or just not able to keep up with the youthful world of high speed cars and action. Maybe that is part of the mesmerizing effect. I hated it, but I loved it too. I do wish we had more opportunity to focus rather than getting a fleeting glance. But life is that way most of the time too.

It’s strange to think a section of the 202 Freeway in Phoenix looks like Saudi Arabia. Every time I saw those scenes it made me think, “I know where that was shot!” I lost track of the story for a second. They say Jennifer Garner collapsed on the set in Phoenix twice due to the extremely high temperature, over 115 degrees Fahrenheit. So why pick that time of year to shoot? Realism of temperature? I bet Jennifer Garner wished it was less real too.
The story goes a US base housing families of oil company personnel in Saudi Arabia that has been bombed resulting in the deaths of hundreds of US civilians and rescue personnel. The incident is based on actual bombings in 1996 and 2003. Saudi Arabia insists the investigation can be handled internally, but a group of FBI field agents led by Ronald Fleury (Foxx), try to ferret out the terrorists. The best line is “How do you stop an enemy who isn't afraid to die?” Fleury’s team includes forensics expert Janet Mayes (Garner) and bomb specialists Grant Sykes (Chris Cooper) and Adam Leavitt (Jason Bateman).

Over the opening credits the history of relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia through the last century explained all of the major events between the two nations. It explains why so many Americans are in Saudi Arabia in the first place.

The film is dedicated to the memory of Papac, an assistant propmaster on the Universal Pictures' film, who was driving on a closed portion of the 202 Freeway when his all-terrain vehicle collided with an SUV carrying director Peter Berg. Papac suffered severe head injuries and died hours after being airlifted to a local hospital.

“The Kingdom” is an intense and engaging film. This is one that shouldn't be missed. Whether it makes you stop and think about issues in the Middle East or not, it’s an action packed thrilling crowd-pleaser that might stimulate some conversation about Muslim terrorists and cultural differences. At least about the car crashes on the 202. ###

The Simpsons Movie Review

The Simpsons
By LeeAnn Sharpe

After 18 seasons, 400 episodes, 23 Emmys, and a Time Magazine’s award for “Best Television Series of the 20thCentury” The Simpsons is now an animated full length feature comedy movie based on the animated television series. Once again Homer must save the world from a catastrophe he created.

For 18-years we have followed the wacky exploits of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie in the town of Springfield. But until now Springfield was located in the minds of the creators, not actually in a state on the US Map. But a contest won the state of Vermont the “right” to premiere the movie and become the official home state of the “The Simpsons Springfield”.

The trailer and commercials give you a good idea of a general feel for the movie, much like the television series. Homer’s new pet pig not only leaves hoof prints on the ceiling with Homer’s help, he insures Homer can create the usual number of monumental blunders to put the world in peril and Marge angry. It’s a wonder Marge has stayed with Homer all of these 18 years. She has been on the verge of leaving and actually left once or twice only to be lured back into his zany web. Maybe Marge is there to teach us the deeper meaning of love in marriage and true forgiveness. Nah.
Directed by David Silverman the film was produced by James L. Brooks, Matt Groening, Al Jean, Mike Scully, and Richard Sakai and written by eleven of the television series' most prolific writers: Scully, Jean, Brooks, Groening, George Meyer, David Mirkin, Mike Reiss, John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti, Ian Maxtone-Graham, and Matt Selman. It stars the regular television cast of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, and Tress MacNeille and features Albert Brooks in a prominent guest role, as well as Tom Hanks and Green Day in smaller ones.
There had been previous attempts to create a film version of The Simpsons, but they failed because of script length and lack of staff. This movie’s production began in back in 2001 when plot ideas were conceived, re-written about a hundred times, resulting in "two films' worth” of finished material cut, including cameos from Isla Fisher, Minnie Driver, Erin Brockovich and Kelsey Grammer. Promotions with 7-Eleven, who transformed select stores into Kwik-E-Marts, MySpace, and Burger King the flick has to be a winner before it even premiered in Springfield, Vermont.
Basically, if you enjoy The Simpsons, you will enjoy the movie. If you’re not already a fan it’s unlikely the movie will convert you to the fold.
The plot includes the band Green Day performing on Lake Springfield ending up killed because of the polluted lake, Grampa has a vision, Lisa holds a seminar entitled "An Irritating Truth", Homer adopts a pig, dumps pig's waste into the lake. Russ Cargill, head of the EPA, tells President Schwarzenegger that Springfield is extremely polluted and the government must take drastic action and the EPA places Springfield in a giant glass dome. It gets even crazier from there when the Simpson's flee to Alaska, see a television advertisement with Tom Hanks promoting a new Grand Canyon, to be located where Springfield is and Marge and the kids decide that they must save the town from government destruction, but Homer refuses to help the town that tried to kill him. Not to give away any big secrets, (SPOILER) the film ends with everyone restoring Springfield, including the Simpson's house, back to the way things were. They had to, of course, or their world would come to an end. And who would want to have a world without The Simpsons.

3:10 to Yuma Movie Review

Movie Review
3:10 to Yuma
By LeeAnn Sharpe

A 20 something friend told me he had been to the movie theatre the night before and there were these really long lines waiting to get in to see “3:10 to Yuma”. He noticed the average age of those standing in line was mostly 40 and over. He asked, “Why is that generation so into westerns?” I thought about it and the answer seemed simple. We all go back to our comfort zone to feel good. The baby boomer generation grew up with westerns and continues to hold them dear.

They say the western movie market is making a resurgence evidenced by HBO’s “Deadwood” TV series, setting the bar for the modern western with over the edge, in your face, muddy smutty reality attracting the younger generation. But thinking about what my friend said, I think it’s mainly the tail end of the baby boomer generation holding on to their Saturday morning love affair with Gene and Roy, albeit grown up and doing all those naughty adult things we never even imagined back in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. Movies like “Brokeback Mountain” pushed the envelope even further. But maybe there is more to it. Maybe the western is just a good vehicle to tell a compelling story about life.

There are a few new westerns coming out this year with big name stars. "3:10 to Yuma, "with Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, with Brad Pitt as Jesse James and Casey Affleck as Robert Ford coming out Sept. 21st, and "No Country For Old Men" with Tommy Lee Jones and Woody Harrelson coming out Nov. 21st.

“Experts” say the western reappears in a cycle resurfacing every 7 to 10 years. But I think westerns have always been with us in some shape or form. They may go hi-tech like “Wild Wild West” or dive into comedy like “Shanghai Knights”. But they are always with us. Just look at the Tombstone movies. There has been a retelling of that story at least twice a decade since the teens.

“One of the reasons I started the Wild West Gazette newspaper is recent interest in the old west. Every western state in the union is in the process of celebrating their 100th anniversary. They see the need to preserve their history and tell the stories,” says Sid Hagel, Publisher of Wild West Gazette (www.wildwestgazette.com) “People love hearing the story of how their ancestors survived tremendous hardship to settle the west.”

The reviews were saying that "3:10 to Yuma," a remake of a 1957 film starring Glenn Ford and Van Heflin, based on an Elmore Leonard story first published in Dime Western Magazine in 1953, was the best western since “Unforgiven”. Leonard is a prolific writer of gritty realism and strong dialogue with a long list of westerns to his credit including “Last Stand at Saber River” and “Hombre” both made into hit movies. “3:10 to Yuma” is an excellent good versus evil story.

Director James Mangold of "Walk the Line" fame, says he wanted to make "a film that didn't look like a video game." He incorporated more dirt and violence along with new characters including the psycho to kick it up a notch. "Most great Westerns are more psychological than action-oriented," Mangold says. "When you're talking about “Unforgiven” or “Shane” or “High Noon” I never feel like it's about the gunfights between those guys." Mangold was really thinking about the “Unforgiven” when he made this film giving it a similar dark palette and frequent close-ups.

Peter Fonda portrays a Pinkerton agent, another new character in the movie, who has been hunting Wade (Crowe) and gets shot during a stagecoach robbery. In a recent interview Fonda said, “You cannot take your eyes off the screen with this film, because it has such compelling characters and the violence is unbelievable.” Fonda seemed to homage Eastwood in this role with superior results.

All of the actors were superb. Either Mangold solicited excellent performances or the New Mexico air kicked them up a notch. They can all be proud of their part in this film. Mangold says the actors he picked are some of the best horsemen in Hollywood, “They are comfortable, alive on a horse and carry a sort of timeless masculinity”. And he figures they are among only a few in Hollywood who could carry it off.

Bale’s character Dan Evans is the good man who is attracted to the villan. He doesn’t want to be corrupted by a corrupt society. His conscious struggles with his decisions. There’s a battle of wills and clash of philosophies that makes their relationship tension into movie magic.

Crowe says he especially enjoyed playing Ben Wade, the bad man who is confident and cheerful. Crowe took the attitude Ben doesn’t believe in a benevolent God, got stuck in the Old Testament. One line he’s told “You’re not all bad” and he responds “Yes I am” kind of sums him up.

And about the ages viewing the movie that I started this article discussing, well maybe it was just an off night, because on Friday there were plenty of younger 20-30 something folks there. And everyone really liked this film. Rated R for language and violence. Lionsgate 120 minutes. I give it 5 stars! * * * * *


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