Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Released in conjunction with a CD of the same name, Absolute Garbage is a collection of 15 music videos from the rock band Garbage. Fronted by Shirley Manson, whose smooth and distinctive voice is equally adept at purring as it is growling, the group also includes drummer Butch Vig, guitarist Steve Marker, and bassist Duke Erikson. But make no mistake about it: The visuals are all about the photogenic Manson.
Capitalizing on the charisma of John Stamos and Eric Dane, “Wedding Wars” is a romantic comedy with a political agenda–gay marriage. No, Stamos and Dane don’t play lovers, but rather estranged siblings.
When it seems inevitable that Anita (Sally Field) will succumb to cancer, her grown children return home to help prepare her funeral arrangements in the dramedy “Two Weeks.”
After gaining fame as ladies man Jack Tripper on the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company, John Ritter steals the show as a father of three–including two nubile teenage girls–on “8 Simple Rules… for Dating My Teenage Daughter.” The first season, which aired on ABC during 2002 and 2003, introduces viewers to Paul (Ritter) and Cate Hennessy (Katey Sagal) and their precocious children Bridget (Kaley Cuoco), Kerry (Amy Davidson), and Rory (Martin Spanjers).
If you’ve ever wondered if your favorite filmmakers were geniuses (or mere hacks) back in their youth, “Reel Talent: First Films by Legendary Directors” will help clue you in.
Handled differently, the film could’ve been saddled with the ick factor of siblings chasing after the same young woman. But the way director Rolf de Heer presents it, it is a parable that distinguishes between right and wrong, in an entertaining and non-judgmental way. Cinematographer Ian Jones is to be commended for his amazing work. He frames the shots in a superb fashion and showcases the raw beauty of the land–and the people–that time has forgotten.