Harvey Birdman and Another Space Ghost DVD Coming in April
TVShowsOnDVD.com is reporting that Warner Bros will release 2 more Adult Swim DVD sets on April 12, 2005. Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law makes his debut on DVD with Volume 1, a 13 episode set on 2-discs that also includes episode commentaries, casting “What If’s” with Stephen Colbert and Todd Barry as Harvey, and never before seen footage. Space Ghost Coast-to-Coast Volume 3 will be a 2-disc set with 24 episodes of the show, including guests Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, Body Count, Mark Hamill, Mike Judge, Rob Zombie, Beck, Jon Stewart and many more. Special features include audio commentaries, extended episodes, deleted scenes, and never before scene footage with Jon Stewart, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross! Also don’t forget Sealab 2021: Season 2 and The Brak Show: Volume One, both of which hit stores on February 1st.
Someone told me that there is already a Fantastic Four teaser playing in theatres with Lemony Snicket’s but I don’t understand why it hasn’t appeared online yet. Instead, we have some behind the scenes interviews and footage to serve as a first look at this comic book flick. Is it just me or does Jessica Alba look like a spitting image of Angelina Jolie here? And isn’t she too young to be Sue Storm? There were reports recently that after the action scenes with Elastigirl in Pixar’s The Incredibles, the producers of the Fantastic Four realized they needed to ramp up their special effects for Mr. Fantastic and reshoot the ending. I’m not sure what to think but I have a feeling this might be a real stinker. Fantastic Four is planned for a theatrical release on July 1st, 2005.
There’s been a lot of talk recently about The Office creator and star Ricky Gervais and what will be his next project. He was reportedly offered a ridiculous amount of money to do another season of The Office, but turned it down, and he has also been offered various high-profile Hollywood roles and passed on them as well. It’s interesting now to hear Cinescape reporting that he will pen an episode of The Simpsons at the request of Matt Groening. From the sounds of it, he is quite excited about the opportunity and will also provide a voice in the episode. Now that’s something that could get me to watch The Simpsons again. Cinescape also mentioned that the American version of The Office is still in development at NBC.
It’s been a great year for high-quality TV shows, particularly thanks to networks like HBO and Showtime. One of the more unique shows on HBO’s line-up is Carnivale, taking place during the depression it follows a travelling sideshow where a young orphan named Ben hides a secret mystical power. There is a lot of magic and weird supernatural happenings within the carnival, leading up to an epic clash between good and evil. The show is a little slower paced at times but well worth checking out. Season 2 premieres on Sunday Jan. 9th on both HBO in the U.S. and The Movie Network in Canada. If you want to catch up with the first season, it recently came out on DVD (with some of the nicest packaging I’ve seen yet) and TMN will be replaying them 2 episodes a night from Jan. 3rd to 8th. The official HBO site has a trailer up for Season 2 now.
Filmmaker Kevin Smith is in the process of doing another spoken word tour to produce a sequel to his popular DVD, An Evening With Kevin Smith. The sequel will be released sometime in 2005 and will apparently be entitled “An Evening With Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder”. News Askew has posted a trailer for the DVD consisting of all footage from the Toronto, Canada date that happened a couple months ago. Check out the intro by his daughter Harley… how the hell did she get so old so quick? Anyways, since the Toronto date is the only one that’s been shot so far, I imagine this DVD probably can’t be expected until the latter half of 2005.
I saw this book in a store the other day and I figured it was a joke. Upon closer inspection, it is at least partially serious. The Reality TV Handbook was written by John Saade, who produced such reality shows as The Bachelor, The Mole and Extreme Makeovers, along with Joe Borgenicht (author of The Action Hero’s Handbook). This book contains actual details on how to send a noteworthy audition tape and nail an interview to get yourself on a reality show. It then proceeds to provide information on every possible reality TV situation you could find yourself in, including but not limited to: how to survive in the wilderness, how to form an alliance, how to “hook up” on camera, how to interpret body language from a bachelor or bachelorette, and how to capitalize on your 15 minutes of fame. Sounds like an essential addition to anyone’s bookshelf.
Here’s a strange little comedy that’s being released this May over in France and I assume will also be coming to North America. It’s called “Colour Me Kubrick” and it stars John Malkovich in the true story of Alan Conway, a man who conned his way into exclusive parties and lived the high life in London by posing as the eccentric film director Stanley Kubrick. It is somewhat amusing considering the fact that Conway did not look like Kubrick and knew very little about him. Sounds like Catch Me If You Can but with more wild orgies involved. The movie was actually written by Kubrick’s former personal assistant Anthony Frewin, and is directed by Brian W. Cook, assistant director on such Kubrick films as Eyes Wide Shut and The Shining. The official website contains a trailer and not much else at the moment…. you’ll find it linked below.
My love for Sufjan Stevens stems from my love for The Danielson Famile. At first, in my eyes, he was just an adopted member of the Smith family, supporting Daniel on his solo tour. But two critically acclaimed albums later, Sufjan is an artist of his own. The Seven Swans was produced by Daniel Smith (Brother Danielson of the Danielson Famile) and features pretty much all of the family performing on the record. This definitely shows as the songs have a pop feel that rings differently then anything sufjan has done before. With the popularity of folk music on the rise, Sufjan can definitely be credited as a major player in the indie rock UNIVERSE. — Jay C.
While The Polyphonic Spree’s major label debut Together We’re Heavy didn’t make much of a commercial splash, the band was successful in its efforts to create a beautiful, happy go-lucky pop symphony for the masses. Frontman Tim DeLaughter lead this group of over 20 musicians in a strangely hypnotic and uplifting choir that channels The Beach Boys and The Flaming Lips into a series of epic musical movements. Despite the spiritual “new age” undertones (no they’re not a cult), the album works. Some will argue that the whole thing feels too contrived, but if you ask me there’s a sincerity that comes from a whole army of people singing in harmony that gives the songs a life of their own. — Sean
Looking back on this year’s releases, the so-called “disco-punk” genre didn’t quite explode like it seemed it was about to in 2003. Regardless, some of this year’s best releases managed to get dance floors grooving without the help of a trend to carry them. !!!’s 2004 effort Louden Up Now makes good on the prog-punk-disco-funk fusion they introduced with their earlier recordings on GSL. Less horns, more electronics and longer jams fill the album, the centrepiece of which is their 12-minute single “Me And Guiliani Down By The School Yard”. Not every track is quite so dynamic, but when all is said and done these guys have created some timeless and original music within the record’s duration. — Sean
“Misery…” is a natural yet bold step forward for Blonde Redhead, who have in the past been dismissed as Sonic Youth clones. This year the “clones” have surpassed the veterans, and expanded into more of an individual style. Singer Kazu conveys so much romanticism and desperation in her vocals, and the backing music reveals its complexity more and more with each listen. Incredibly sad music for different reasons most people are accustomed to. — Goon
Broken Social Scene have been getting rave reviews from indie rock fans for years, but it wasn’t until I heard the BSS side project Stars and their album “Set Yourself On Fire” that I really started to take notice of the fine music coming from Toronto-based label Arts & Crafts. The album runs the gamut from warm and fuzzy electro-pop to moody My Bloody Valentine-esque rock to stripped down acoustic numbers brimming with tenderness. Every year there are a few Canadian acts that blow everything else away. This is one of them. — Sean
The debate rages on about whether “compilations” should be eligible for a year end top 10 list, but when it comes to Les Savy Fav’s collection of 7 inch recordings, we all pretty much agreed that it was too good not to mention. Besides, the project was always intended from conception to add up to a cohesive set of songs, and it’s pretty damn cool how all the covers fit together to form one larger picture. Inches is possibly the best thing Les Savy Fav have released up to this point, the perfect combination of their shimmering guitar and driving basslines, with Tim Harrington delivering his witty lyrics in schizophrenic spasms and poppy harmonies. If it turns out to be their final release (rumour has it that they are on an indefinite hiatus) it will make an excellent swan song to this underappreciated band. — Sean
Every year there seems to be a band that pops up out of nowhere and impresses me beyond belief. Last year it was Junior Senior, this year it’s The Futureheads. Judging by their cover artwork, I was expecting another “dance-punk” record trailing on the success of The Rapture and Hot Hot Heat, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the roots of this record are a little deeper. Stop-start guitars and vocals are mixed with a heavy pop influence to create an album that is somewhat avant garde, but extremely listenable as well. The album can be easily summed up as modernized combination of Devo and The Jam. While it may not be the most original record, it’s definitely the most fun. — Jay C.
I don’t know why this album is called Tyrannosaurus Hives. It is anything but a lunking dim witted monster. The album much more brings to mind some imaginary razor sharp toothed bunny rabbit - or a can of Red Bull come to life, because “ferocious energy” are the key words to describe this album. While Vini Vidi Vicious was muted and 60s sounding, the Hives 2004 release is much more crisp, clever and alive. — Goon
The strange thing about Modest Mouse is that I seem to enjoy their major label albums more than their indie records. With that said, Good News For People Who Love Bad News would have to be their biggest album to date. It’s strange seeing an indie band getting swept up into the world of car commercials and The O.C., but I guess it makes sense seeing as this album is one of the most accessible the band has released to date. But in this case, accessible isn’t a bad thing. I much prefer the pop sensibilities of Float On than the loud, dirty sounds of some of their older albums. — Jay C.
The Arcade Fire has presented us with a heartfelt, catchy, quirky, sullen but somehow cautiously optimistic and inspiring, collection of songs. Inspired by the deaths in the family of several band members, “Funeral”’s musical variety stretches far across the indie rock spectrum, and much like Broken Social Scene last year, they strangely let the collaborative nature of the band shine through. This intangible quality causes so much connection with the band, which might explain why half the albums songs are titles “Neighborhood”. Toss in the fact that”Funeral” has the best cover artwork and liner notes of the year, and its easy to see why this title is tops on so many peoples favorites of the year. With the Arcade Fire, its now become a clear pattern that Canadian homegrowns are releasing the best underground albums, period. — Goon
Although Anchorman is definitely not groundbreaking filmmaking, it’s one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in a long time. With humour too absurd for some, this film is definitely on par with such films as Freddy Got Fingered in that it takes a certain frame of mind to appreciate it. You can tell the stars are having as much fun making the film as you are watching it. The film doesn’t rely too much on being a spoof of the seventies. It actually doesn’t rely on much other then being completely ridiculous, ignoring logic and reality to get huge laughs. The upcoming DVD contains an entire second film made up of outtakes and deleted scenes, which should be a great companion to the original. — Jay C.
Writer/director Alexander Payne has a knack for creating comedies that make you laugh while simultaneously tugging at your heart strings, and Sideways is another great film that may fly under people’s radars due to the lack of big name actors. It is quite possibly one of the funniest movies of the year, telling the story of two guys experiencing their own forms of mid-life crisis, with Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church adopting a similar buddy chemistry to Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn in Swingers. The film is also beautifully shot and features some gorgeous backdrops in the wine country of California. Although some of the wine metaphors get to be a bit much, you have to admire the playful way in which Payne continually dodges predictable storytelling traps that so many other directors fall victim to. — Sean
While most people, especially critics, would probably agree that as a film - Kill Bill Vol 2 is just as good, if not better, than Kill Bill Vol 1 for many reasons - character development, story, for example - they still prefer Kill Bill Vol 1, if only because Vol 1 is so much more dynamic, and with a higher body count of about… 100 or so. If Vol 1 set up the legend of the Bride, Vol 2 told the actual story. And never in Vol 1’s duration did it ever have anything as truly terrifying and unsettling as the Buried Alive sequence. And oh yeah, David Carradine, who more than lives up to the evil reputation bestowed upon him by Vol 1. — Goon
The Zach Braff show. Written/directed/starring the young “Scrubs” actor, Garden State took everyone aback by how much you ended up caring for these characters in a story that could just have easily sucked, TV movie style. I mean come on, the plot isn’t really there - guy comes home for funeral, meets a girl who changes his life forever? It’s all in the performances, the ticks and quirks, and the actual direction style and soundtrack that much like Lost in Translation, a beautiful and timeless movie love story emerges. Now if only people will shut up about the ending. — Goon
It’s difficult to argue that Napoleon Dynamite has one of the most interesting or compelling stories ever committed to film (in fact, there’s not really a story at all), but there’s still something about the quirkiness of this movie that makes it impossible to resist. Jared Hess has even been accused of ripping off other movies and directors, but I think in the end the Napoleon Dynamite speaks for itself. No matter where you might think he’s stolen ideas from, you’ve never seen anything quite like Napoleon Dynamite. The characters and performances are so bizarre, but executed with a mundane, deadpan conviction that demand laughter from any and every open-minded viewer. — Sean
Decried as propaganda by right wing Bushies, and to a lesser extent, decried by far left wingers who view documentarian Michael Moore as McPolitics, Fahrenheit 9/11 in time will be remembered more for the media frenzy behind it than the movie itself. But that isn’t to say it isn’t a great piece of filmmaking nevertheless. No matter what you think of Michael Moore as a person, his accuracy, or the ethics of his style, it must be said that Moore has mastered his style, from the editing to the narrating to the comic timing — it’s entertainment know-how that attracts an audience to his message. So what purpose does Fahrenheit 9/11 have now that its mission of ousting Bush has failed? It belongs in a time capsule. Fahrenheit’s existence is a, perhaps THE, document of the massive tension of these past few years. — Goon
Essentially modeled after the Fantastic Four, and directed by Pixar outsider Brad Bird, The Incredibles is the most start-to-finish fun movie Pixar has released to date. Like Bird’s previous feature, The Iron Giant, the dialogue of the Incredibles family is amazingly believable, like all Pixar films to date, the voice casting is amazingly well chosen (who else would have hired Craig T. Nelson to star in a blockbuster movie, even as a voice role? ), and the digital effects are as always awesome. Pixar keep raising the bar higher, exposing the absolute crap that is Dreamworks Animation over and over, to a point where people’s expectations for the film company are going to become way too high to live up to. Why is it so many family films supposedly meant just for kids are better written than the stories for adults? P.S. Move over Jessica Rabbit - Elastigirl is THE cartoon MILF. — Goon
Spider-Man 2 is yet another example of a sequel surpassing it’s original. After a fairly good origin story, Spider-Man 2 picks up a couple of years since Peter Parker’s transformation into the web-crawling superhero. I’m not entirely sure why this film worked so well for me, possibly the fact that there was more attention given to the writing then the average superhero film usually gets. (Including a credit to novelist Michael Chabon of Wonder Boys fame). Not only is this a great Spider-Man film, but it’s a great Sam Raimi film. Fans of the Evil Dead movies were treated to a horrific hospital scene complete with a chainsaw and trademark Raimi camerawork. But aside from the visual aspects of the film, the movie is just very rewatchable. It’s got great action, quality performances, and the right element of comic book sensibilities balanced perfectly with a touch of real life. I can’t wait for part three. — Jay C.
Although Eternal Sunshine Of the Spotless Mind seems like an obvious choice for best movie of the year, sometimes you have to ask yourself if Michel Gondrey and Charlie Kaufman managed to pull one over on all of us. Were the artsy and surreal elements of the movie just a ploy to make us think it was a masterpiece? I think the thing that makes Eternal Sunshine so special is that even from the surface, this movie speaks to a lot of people. Everyone has wanted to erase a part of their past at one time or another, and this movie takes an amusing and inspiring look at the repercussions of such a thing. In doing so, it manages to balance fun, art and message in equal portions. It is weird, but not too weird, and Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet bring such real performances to the mix that it’s hard not to get involved in their story. Considering the nominations Adapation received, this film may also have a decent shot at some Oscar recognition. I sure hope so. — Sean
The first reaction when this film was announced was pretty negative. Originally everyone thought of this as a promotional film for Metallica that only fans would enjoy. However, when I heard that award winning documentary filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky were involved, I had complete faith. It actually made sense seeing as Metallica played a role in two of their earlier documentaries, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills and Paradise Lost 2: Revalations, in which the band provided a soundtrack to and were involved in when a trio of suspected child murderers cited Metallica as their favourite band. So with legitimate documentary filmmakers attatched, it was no surprise that Some Kind of Monster turned out to be one of the best films of the year. An intimate look at the inner workings of the band, Some Kind of Monster doesn’t play as a tribute to group, but rather an objective look at a band that may be past their prime. We see the fighting within the group, the difficulty in writing a fresh album, and even psychiatric sessions used to bring the band closer together. I’d never thought that this group of metalheads would actually have so much character. I guess this film changed the way I look at Metallica, but not enough for me to buy one of their albums. — Jay C.
Video games based on movie licenses are slowly starting to become more than mere marketing ploys, with developers catching on to the fact that they can make even more money if they just spend some extra time making the game fun to play. Spider-Man 2 for the X-Box, PS2 and Gamecube (not the PC version, mind you) are great examples of solid gameplay merged with characters that everyone knows and loves. The open-ended mission system and ability to swing around Manhattan without restriction is the thing that makes it most noteworthy, while the voice acting and story add just enough authenticity to keep you hooked. — Sean
A major boost in graphics and it doesn’t veer too much from the original. Not to mention the innovative multiplayer aspect of it will keep you going back for a second serving. — Chian
Usually you expect a sequel to have extensive upgrades and a huge list of new features, but the only thing new in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes is the deathmatch multiplayer mode — which at this point feels a little dated. Still, Retro Studios are so good at level design and creating atmosphere that I found myself drawn into this game even more quickly than I was the first. The new storyline showcasing light and dark forces may sound like it’s been done a million times before (not to mention the typical Metroid “explore to acquire bigger weapons” formula) but there’s something about Metroid games that I simply find so rewarding to play. Yes, it is a predictable game from our predictable friends at Nintendo, but it’s still grade A material. — Sean
A very original game, good graphics, nice gameplay. What else can you ask for? It’s a true shame that most of you people will overlook this game. GO BUY IT! It’S only 40 bucks! — Chian
When you look past all the marketing glitz and bright lights, there is still a very spectacular game in Halo 2. The story isn’t nearly as epic as it wants to be, but you still have to give Bungie credit for trying. Even if the cliffhanger ending felt a little half-baked, the multiplayer options and X-Box Live support alone make this game an overwhelming accomplishment. I’m not big on first-person shooters and despite being a quick reflex action game at its core, Halo 2 offers so many visceral thrills that it’s impossible to put down. — Sean
They can make a million Grand Theft Auto games and they will all still be kick ass. Somehow they keep getting better and better. Now just ask your self the question, “Does a polar bear shit in the woods?” — Chian
Blizzard’s World of Warcraft is far and away the most polished and well-designed MMORPG ever created, and the depth and detail of the virtual world of Azeroth is evident from the first few minutes of playing the game. WoW is quick-paced and easy to learn, but lays the groundwork for an infinite amount of gameplay. It is also extremely successful at weaving small story elements into the quests so that the typical MMORPG level grind is a non-issue. It just may be the ultimate achievement for this type of game, at least until someone invents the next evolutionary step for online role-playing. — Sean
There’s no doubt that 2004 was a huge year for massively multiplayer online games, and amidst the pack of fantasy and sci-fi themed titles, one game stood out head and shoulders above the rest by trying something new. City Of Heroes broke down a lot of barriers that previously stood in the way of the mainstream popularity of MMORPGs by simplifying gameplay and basing it in a modern world of superheroes. The character creation is the most fun and open-ended process found in any MMORPG, and even if World of Warcraft is a more solid game overall, CoH seemed like the more influential release — and the bigger success story considering they had no initial franchise or fanbase to build on. Even now Cryptic Studios and NCSoft continue to add great new features to the game on a regular basis, proving that their place among all the top MMORPGs was well-earned. In the end, no other game this year had us hooked quite like City Of Heroes and that seems to be the best indication of its brilliance. — Sean
