Seeing double

A quick end-of-the-month thank you to those dropping by What Would Toto Watch. The site's number of unique visitors more than doubled from January to March. WWTW is the proverbial labor of love, but it's nice to know people are perusing, if not always agreeing with, my ramblings.

Please feel free to leave suggestions on what you'd like to see more - or less - of on this site. I'd love to hear from you.

People really want their 'Mummy?'

Fandango's new movie poll falls squarely into the "duh" category. The summer movie audiences want to see most is "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" run a distant second and third.

Let me grab some smelling salts.

But high on the list of "can't wait to see 'em" films is "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor." I thought this sequel existed so that "The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" wouldn't be the worst title of '08.

Nope, it came in no. 5 on Fandango's list, drawn from several thousand site visitors who participated in the March poll. Other tidbits from the survey - Harrison Ford is the all-time favorite action movie star and the late Heath Ledger (The Joker) is the most anticipated new character portrayal.

(Photo: Harrison Ford gives pointers to Shia LaBeouf on what makes a great action hero in "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull)

Top 5 Worst Sequels: "Pirates 2 & 3" - tie

The entire world adored the second and third "Pirates of the Caribbean" flicks, if box office receipts are the final arbiter. But man, I'd rather watch C-Span in slow motion than sit through these two films again.

Years from now, film historians will make students study "Dead Man's Chest" and "At World's End" as classic examples of sequel bloat. Both films threw tons of cash down the drain to bring us the most spectacular sets and stunts imaginable, and it all went for naught. Who could follow scene A to scene B? I sure couldn't. Characterization flew out the window, too, alongside logic and reason. We were left with Johnny Depp prancing around in a pale imitation of Jack Sparrow's hi jinks from the first installment.

Just mentally revisiting these two films makes me want to cleanse my palate with a Steven Spielberg epic, the kind of film where you can sense the affection for the medium in every frame. The two "Pirates" features felt like they came off a conveyor belt at the Summer Blockbuster Machine.

More 'Indy'

The latest "Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" video is now online. Not much new material, but that won't stop the Indy Nation from examining it for any clues about the film, coming May 22.

Top 5 Worst Sequels: 'Back to the Future Part III'

Some movie sequels generate inexplicable praise from critics. If memory serves, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" fits that bill, but I need to rewatch it before setting my judgment in stone.

"Back to the Future Part III" deserves no second chances.

The Marty McFly franchise gave us a great original story and two indelible performances from Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. The first sequel felt ... sequelly, but it had enough smarts and special effects to keep the "Future" bright.

So why did they decide to set the third film in the wild, wild West? "Part III" is the worst type of sequel, one which banks on our goodwill from the previous installments without giving us new reasons to care for our bedraggled heroes.

Parts II and III were shot back-to-back, a filmmaking method which gave us the enthralling "Lord of the Rings" trilogy as well as two inferior "Matrix" movies and two God-awful "Pirates" adventures.

Back-to-back productions may save time and money, but it's clear they rarely generate terrific entertainment.

'Married' for life

Think being married today is complicated? Try getting hitched in the late 1940s, an era when divorce was simply not what respectable people considered unless under dire circumstances.

The new period drama "Married Life" takes that conceit and runs with it, rather brilliantly I might add. Chris Cooper plays Harry, a married man who falls hard for a pretty widow (Rachel McAdams). But how can he free himself of his marital bonds without crushing his innocent wife, Pat (Patricia Clarkson) to whom sex is the only fuel for their loveless bond?

Harry decides to kill her - to spare her the pain and humiliation of divorce, of course. Complicating matters is Harry's best pal, Richard (Pierce Brosnan, terrific once more), who out of passion, competitiveness or plot contrivance falls for Harry's new girl.

What follows isn't always as smooth as director Ira Sachs envisions, but it's crisply acted and original through and through.

The period garb, music and mores add texture without overwhelming the story, and the resolution even boasts a bit of romance to it. Not a bad trick given the painful setup.

(Photo: Rachel McAdams and Chris Cooper follow director Ira Sachs' lead on the set of "Married Life")

Top 5 Worst Sequels: Be Cool

A sequel to "Get Shorty" made sense ... on paper. John Travolta's character, Chili Palmer, could grab our attention by reading a nursery rhyme. Travolta proved electric in the role, a crucial part of his first career resurrection.

So what happened to Travolta between "Get Shorty" and "Be Cool," that film's disastrous sequel. Where did all that coiled energy go? Travolta's somnolent turn was just one reason "Be Cool" left us cold. And when a movie's highlight is The Rock's supporting turn as a fey actor, you know you're in deep trouble.

"Be Cool" wastes not just Travolta but Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn and James Woods. It's a classic example of a sequel which ignores everything that made the original soar.

Top 5 Worst Sequels: Matrix Revolutions

"The Matrix" re-imagined the modern action film. "Matrix Reloaded" fumbled the franchise's narrative, but delivered enough cool action to make us swallow the mumbo jumbo. "Matrix Revolutions" gave us ... nothing beyond a dull headache.

The 2003 sequel left so little impact on me that I couldn't recall much about it minutes after leaving the theater. I sure as heck can't remember the details more than four years later.

Suffice to say Neo and co. wrapped up the franchise in numbing fashion, and the number of times the story folded in on itself left me woozy. Some sequels can't dent the legacy of the original. But that's not the case with "The Matrix," which saw its place in movie lore wane with the release of one mediocre sequel and one outright stinker.

The WWTW Interview: Chris Cooper pt. 2

Chris Cooper has worked in Hollywood long enough to realize not all directors treat actors the same way.

“There are a lot of directors who think shaking up a set can be advantageous, and perhaps in some respects dealing with some actors that may be true,” Cooper says.

It’s hard to imagine the approach being needed for Cooper, who in person is as dry and serious as some of his stern on-screen characters. Cooper discovered a fresh directorial style when he signed up to play an FBI agent in 2007‘s “The Kingdom.” It took the veteran actor off guard, at least at first.

“[Director] Peter Berg has a sort of energy and a way of shooting I’ve never dealt with before. It was a real wake-up call,” Cooper says. “I would say beforehand it would be really irritating, but it worked out OK. I’m open.”

Cooper prefers a different approach.

“The director casts you sort of assuming you can handle this role, and it's more ‘hands off’ until you’re not on the same track,” he says. That’s how it goes with his frequent collaborator and friend John Sayles, with whom he‘s made “four films, including “Silver City” and “Matewan.” Their relationship extends off camera, but Cooper wouldn’t dream of leveraging their bond for the sake of a job.

“It would never reach the point where I would ask John, 'is there a part for me [in your next movie]?',” he says.

Working with an autonomous writer/director like Sayles does have its benefits. Cooper recalls the uncertainty surrounding 2000‘s “The Patriot,” the big-budget epic from director Roland Emmerich.

“’The Patriot’ was supposed to be completely, historically based until the powers that be made it more and more violent and turned it into a vigilante movie … to the point where we had to change the historical characters’ names,” he says.

Cooper’s “Married Life” adds yet another stern, severe character to his estimable resume. He wouldn’ t mind a lighter role sometime soon. That isn’t stopping him from tackling a proverbial labor of love - a feature written by his wife, Marianne Leone, about a woman trying to give her disabled daughters a public school education. Cooper met the woman whose story the film is based upon through their mutual pediatrician.

Family ties remain a constant through Cooper’s career.

“Theater is very hard on a family because of the day-to-day demands and what I demand of myself and the isolation I need,” he says of his decision long ago to switch to movie work. “I don’t think it’s fair to put that on a family.”

(Photo: Chris Cooper comforts Rachel McAdams, his on-screen mistress, in "Married Life")

Paging Madea

Walked out of "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" last weekend and my thoughts turned to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Seemed an odd connection at first -- what does Perry's avuncular film have in common with the fiery pastor who's catching so much heat courtesy of his connection to Sen. Barack Obama's campaign?

My inner dialogue inspired this think piece in The Washington Times. Apples and oranges? Maybe. But I saw some similarities - and a glaring difference - between the two figures.

(Photo: Madea - Tyler Perry's boisterous, no-nonsense alter ego)

Losing gamble

Beware the too-hip-to-be-square movie trailer. Too often it masks a film without a soul or sense of purpose. The new Vegas drama "21" is a classic example. The trailer makes it seem trendy, hip and exhilarating. It's all three, but only over a few early sequences.

My Washington Times review explores just went wrong with the promising drama.

(Photo: Kate Bosworth and Jim Sturgess count their chips in "21")

Moore or less

I get why Demi Moore shot to fame in the 1990s. And even if I didn't, her soul, ahem, baring performance in "Striptease" sealed the deal. To quote Borat, "wha-wha-wee-wha!"

But she never impressed me as an actress, and when she all but disappeared from the movie scene my eyes didn't exactly moisten with longing.

Now, she's back in a juicy role alongside the incomparable Michael Caine. In "Flawless," Moore plays a London Diamond Corp. executive who plots revenge against her bosses for giving less talented peers all the promotions.

My Washington Times review gives much more love to Caine and the story's sly appeal than Moore's performance. But you do get to see Moore in some funky old age makeup.

Pegg's longest 'Run'

First-time director David Schwimmer digs himself a deep hole in the opening minutes of “Run Fat Boy Run.” His lead, played by Simon Pegg, leaves a very pregnant Thandie Newton at the altar on their wedding day. Raise your hands if you’re itching to root for their reunion.

“Run,” opening March 28, follows how Pegg’s character, Dennis, desperately tries to erase the biggest mistake of his life. The journey is quite bumpy, both for the character and the audience. We get Farrelly brothers’ slapstick one moment, credible character arcs the next. But Schwimmer has an ace in the hole with Pegg, the slacker hero from “Shaun of the Dead” who could make the most distasteful cad charismatic.

Dennis’s odds of wooing Newton’s Libby back look pretty bleak, and that’s before we’re introduced to her new beau, Whit (Hank Azaria, the buffest character actor in history). She’s smitten, and she doesn’t give Dennis much thought except when it’s time to drop off their son with him on weekends.

But when Dennis hears about an upcoming marathon, he decides it’s the perfect way to show Libby he’s changed. Easier said than done, since Dennis has only three weeks to prepare for the race, and he can barely run a block without collapsing into a wheezing wreck. “Fatboy” veers between sweet rom-com formula and indie-land, and the results can be jarring. Do we really need a scene in which Dennis and his cousin pal (Dylan Moran) pop a monstrous blister?

Pegg and Newton don’t exactly spark as a romantic couple, but they’re each individually good enough to overcome the lack of chemistry. The film’s final scenes could use some serious editing, but audiences will be rooting hard for Dennis to make it to the finish line nonetheless.

(Photo: Hank Azaria and Simon Pegg leg it out, center, in "Run Fat Boy Run")

Chris Cooper: The WWTW Interview

Chris Cooper’s transition from stage actor to Oscar winner came courtesy of marital pragmatism.

Cooper was working in theater and didn’t have much interest in television or film. When he married his wife, Marianne Leone, his priorities shifted.

“We were living in a sixth-floor walkup on a shoestring. She pushed me toward film and I’ll be forever grateful for her,” says Cooper, who in person is as intense and focused as he appears on screen. Cooper’s latest film bottles that intensity in a diabolical direction.

In the period thriller “Married Life,” (opening wide March 28) he plays Harry, a married man having an affair with a lovely widow (Rachel McAdams). Harry can’t bear the thought of putting his wife (Patricia Clarkson) through a painful divorce. So he plans what he thinks is the most gentle solution. He’ll put her out of her misery - a permanent divorce, if you will.

“He was narcissistic enough to believe he was so important in his wife’s world that she couldn’t live without him,” says Cooper, who won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for 2003's "Adaptation." The actor drew upon his recollection of his grandparents’ generation to flavor Harry's warped thinking.

“Divorce was out of the question … it was too much of an embarrassment. That’s the position he came from,” he says. Cooper says shooting “Married Life” was much less intense than with “Breach,” the unsung 2007 drama about disgraced FBI agent Robert Hanssen.

“I enjoyed the depths that I found myself going for for ‘Breach,’” he says. “Married Life” offered its own intense scenarios off-screen. Director Ira Sachs (“Forty Shades of Blue”) arranged for one-on-one dinners between his leads to build a sense of attachment for the film.

“Pierce and I shared a lot over dinner. Similar things happened to us in real life. It was just a nice, extra intimacy,” Cooper says. Brosnan lost his wife, Cassandra Harris, to ovarian cancer in 1991, while Cooper’s son, 17-year-old son, Jesse, died of complications from cerebral palsy in 2005. The dinners weren’t necessary for some parts of his performance.

“It wasn’t too hard to be totally captivated by Rachel McAdams,” he says dryly.

Tomorrow: Cooper talks about the shock and awe of working with "The Kingdom" director Peter Berg.

(Photo: Chris Cooper strikes an imperious pose in "Married Life")

The cure for Sequelitis

If Hollywood can't stop making sequels, than it's our job to mock the worst of the lot.

Check out this site for my Top 5 "Worst Sequels ... Ever" feature. Lots to choose from, but if you've got a particular "favorite," drop me a line. The upcoming summer season promises a respite from bad sequels. Both "Indiana Jones 4" and "The Dark Knight" appear to be earnest efforts to match the originals.

Turn the Page, Ellen

Oscar nominee Ellen Page made an indelible impression on moviegoers with last year's "Juno," but I fear we may soon see more of her famous character than we'd like.

Caught a sneak of "Smart People" yesterday, an indie drama co-starring Page as an uptight teen who speaks in the same snarky fashion as our girl Juno. The roles are certainly different, and screenwriter Diablo Cody isn't putting words in Page's mouth like she did so well with "Juno."

But that sardonic attitude and delivery seemed ... familiar already. Page likely has the chops to deliver a wider range of roles, but I hope she doesn't succumb to parts that could be pitched as "Juno" meets X, Y or Z.

Hard to 'Pegg'

Simon Pegg seems an unlikely movie star. He's not handsome in the traditional sense, eschews the paparazzi scene and hails from across the pond, not some humble U.S. city which makes for a better background anecdote for any Parade Magazine feature.

Still, he's heading for stardom thanks to two mainstream projects. In "Run Fatboy Run," opening March 28, he plays the unlikely, unlovable protagonist who's trying win back the love of his messy life (Thandie Newton). His bigger chance at fame comes next year when he steps in for Scotty in the new "Star Trek" reboot. CNN serves up a solid profile today. I met Pegg last year while he was promoting "Hot Fuzz." He struck me as seriously unfazed by his success and committed to quality projects. That won't serve him well in Hollywood, will it?

(Photo: Simon Pegg questions his decision to run a marathon in "Run Fatboy Run")

Chris Cooper speaks

Had the great fortune to interview Chris Cooper recently for his new film, the period thriller "Married Life." Cooper turned out to be exactly as advertised - smart, humble and focused like a laser on whatever questions I lobbed his way.

His latest project is worthy of his gifts. "Married Life," set in 1949, stars Cooper as a married man who decides to kill his wife rather than put her through the shame and heartache of divorce. He's met another woman, you see, and when she looks like Rachel McAdams, well, what's a nice guy to do?

Cooper kicks off The WWTW Interview series. Check out this site the next two days for my two-part profile of the Oscar-winning actor.

(Photo: Chris Cooper shares a pointed moment with Patricia Clarkson in "Married Life")

No 'Bull'

"Bull Durham" doesn't deserve its place in the pantheon of great sports movies. Or so I thought. Then, I reviewed the 20th anniversary release of the baseball romance and changed my mind. Totally. Check out Donne Tempo for the breakdown of the new disk release. The extras, for a change, are worth your time.

Photo: Tim Robbins and Kevin Costner talk about who's the hunkiest minor leaguer in "Bull Durham")

DVD set eyes Bette Davis' best

DVD box sets can be dodgy affairs. Some truly assemble an actor's greatest hits, while others mix a few classics in with the clunkers people would never buy separately. And don't get me started on franchise box sets, which ask you to pony up for, say "Alien: Resurrection," just to own the great "Alien" and its first sequel.

"The Bette Davis Collection," out April 8 for the modest retail price of $49.98, can't include all the two-time Oscar winner's hits. What set could? But as boxed sets go, this one offers some prime examples of the late, great star. The five films -- "All About Eve," "The Virgin Queen," "Phone Call from a Stranger," "Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte" and "The Nanny" -- showcase Davis' range and ability to endure over decades. And fans have been clamoring for some of the five to finally hit DVD.

The set allows me to catch up on films I should have seen decades ago. Just watched "The Nanny" (1965) a jangly thriller which would undergo a major facelift were they to remake it today. Davis stars as the titular nanny, who watches over a young couple and their emotionally disturbed son. The boy (William Dix) thinks their nanny is out to kill him, and the untimely death of his little sister is all the proof he needs. But Davis' nanny merely wants to restore some family harmony. Or does she?

Smart, provocative storytelling, if a bit slight in the end, but Davis' cool performance won me over.

Wish I Wrote That: Tyler Perry and Hollywood

The latest edition of "Wish I Wrote That" tackles Tyler Perry's curious path to super stardom. Actually, this commentary by The Atlantic's Ross Douthat hints at bigger, uglier truths about the movie industry:

Perry's ongoing under-the-radar success is a reminder that even in the age of "independent" cinema and pay cable, the movie industry often functions less like a competitive marketplace than a lumbering, brain-dead monopoly. Perry is a talented and hardworking guy, but as the critics will be happy to tell you, he isn't all that talented; he's become a sensation in part because the competition in his particular niche -- middlebrow entertainments pitched to African-American audiences -- is so persistently thin. It isn't racism, exactly, that lets Perry have his audience more or less all too himself; it's the same kind of Hollywood tunnel vision that looked at The Passion of the Christ's enormous success and decided that the appropriate response was to try to market anti-religious films to the church-going audience that made The Passion such a blockbuster. In theory, the studios are out to find out what the movie going public wants and give it to them. In practice, though, they seem far more comfortable doing what they've always done, and finding a way to sell it, than taking the risks necessary to woo and win an under served part of their audience.

Well said - but he's leaving something out. Hollywood can and does think on its collective feet. When "Spider-Man" hit it big back in 2002, competing studios rushed to come up with their own caped crusaders. When "Scooby Doo" raked in a rot of rucks, sorry, a lot of bucks, the studios trotted out "Josie & the Pussycats" and toyed with other cartoon properties for development.

So why didn't they do the same for "The Passion?" Isn't is show business, at the end of the day?

(Photo: David Mann and Tamela Mann break bread in "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns" - Photo Credit: Alfeo Dixon)

Free speech? Hello??

I'm sure Hollywood elites, the ACLU and other censorship foes are set to launch a stinging counter-attack to this: (from imdb.com)

Web Server Refuses To Serve Koran Critic
Another door has been slammed shut in the face of Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders as he continues efforts to show his film "Fitna," in which he alleges that the Koran is an "enemy of freedom" and instigates violence and intolerance throughout the world. Following the refusal of Dutch broadcasters to air it, Wilders had planned to show it on the Internet on March 28. However U.S.-based Network Solutions, the host web service, said Saturday that it had shut down Wilders's site due to complaints. The site now features a notice saying that it is under investigation for possible violations of Network Solution's acceptable use policy. Wilders was defiant, telling the Dutch wire service ANP, "If need be, I will personally distribute DVDs in the Dam," the main square of Amsterdam. In reporting on the matter, the Washington Post observed today that "it may be the first documented case of Internet pre-censorship by a major U.S.-based Web registrar."

I can see it now ... Bill Maher scrapping his regularly scheduled bits on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" to address this issue ... Ben Affleck and Matt Damon shooting a new video to denounce this effort ...

Or maybe not.

My mail bag

I fear my e-mail inbox. I don't mind the endless PR pitches (keep 'em coming), the forwarded jokes or the Viagra-esque pitches that squeeze past my spam filter. The latter just makes me giggle. But when you file a story it's more than likely anyone who writes you in response either found a problem or inaccuracy with it that may demand a correction.

Thank goodness this very rarely happens to me, but I've gotten a few e-mails recently regarding my "Celebrity 9/11 conspiracy club" piece in The Washington Times. No correction would satisfy this crowd.

The latest missive features plenty of gems, but this one topped them all:

Did you know that the billions Halliburton is making off the deaths of 4000 GI's and a million Iraqi's isn't enough. They have also the recent $450,000,000 contract to build American concentration camps and the trains -- with shackles -- to transport who? You? I guess not.

Read further and he implies these camps will be for those who publicly say the U.S. government was responsible for 9/11.

These e-mails are far funnier than any joke e-mail I ever get.

To Blu or not to Blu?

The format war is history, but the future for your home entertainment system may still look fuzzy. Mind does. I can't decide whether I want to invest in a Blu-ray player. I've got tons of traditional DVDs in my collection -- do I really wanna re-buy the best of the best in the Blu-ray format? And am I gonna plunk down $400 tomorrow for a player when I know the price won't remain the same for long?

Let's let the HDTV guru, Phillip Swann, sharpen the debate. Check out his new "pros & cons" article over at TVPredictions.com. It should help you make your own mind up regarding the format.

'Alien vs. Predator' vs. audience

Did anyone really expect 2004's "Alien vs. Predator" to replicate the chills of either horror franchise? They just wanted to see the two best movie creatures of the past 20 years slug it out for 90 minutes.

The film gave us that, and not much more. But it didn't prove nearly as painful to watch as its sequel, "Alien vs. Predator: Requiem." That film comes out on DVD April 15, but I've filed an early review at Eclipse Magazine. Tough to watch, and not just because of the lousy content. It's one of the darkest films I've ever seen.

An extended 'Walk'

The beauty of DVD is in how it can reshape one's opinion of a film. Consider my review of "Walk the Line: The Extended Cut" just posted at Donne Tempo. Sure, the film's flaws still stuck in my craw, but watching "Walk" again made me appreciate the enormity of Joaquin Phoenix's take on Johnny Cash. Phoenix is one of our best actors when given the right role, but the last six months found him floundering in mediocrities like "Reservation Road" and "We Own the Night."

Check out "Walk the Line's" re-release and see just how convincing Phoenix is as the Man in Black. And if you like DVD extras, you'll be in heaven with this 2-disk set.

(Photo: Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon summon the spirits of Johnny and June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line")

Spend some time with the 'Browns'

Tyler Perry doesn't need movie critics. His last three films opened without the benefit of opening-day reviews, and they did just fine at the box office.

"Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns," my belated introduction to Perry's world, keeps his hot streak alive - it's estimated to pull in anywhere from $20-30 million this weekend.

"Browns" follows a single mother named Brenda (Angela Bassett) who loses her job in the film's opening moments. She's toughed out worse situations, but she's tired of holding her head high while caring for her two daughters and b-ball loving son, Michael (Lance Gross).

When she learns her father, whom she never met, has died, she takes the family to Georgia for the funeral. There she meets the Browns, a gaggle of cartoonish characters who treat her as one of the family. That means they tease her, stuff her with food and embrace her, all more or less at once. It's exhausting, but Perry orchestrates a few moving moments between the screeching.

Meanwhile, Brenda gets to know Harry (Rick Fox), a basketball coach who wants to make sure Michael reaches his potential. Harry falls for Brenda hard, but she's been burned enough times to be wary of any man's flirtations.

"Meet the Browns" nicely balances faith, perseverance and the need to build nurturing communities. It's also funnier than I expected. Some of Perry's lines are classic, even if the slapstick moments fall mostly flat. Why Perry feels the need to burden the audience with so many subplots is a mystery. They only distract us from Bassett's glorious performance. She's proud, pugnacious and oh, so beautiful in every scene.

But then there's Madea (Perry in drag), Perry's alter ego and an audience favorite who shows up for a laughless cameo. Madea's scenes seem spliced in from a separate movie, and a lousy one at that.

Perry's films help to shatter some cinematic stereotypes. Michael is neither a hip-hop loving thug nor a choir boy, and few black actresses will get roles as juicy and real as Bassett's Brenda. Yet some film critics insist his films reinforces a few archetypes, and one look at the Browns' most garish member (David Mann as Leroy Brown) shows they may have a point. And why does Perry cast Sofia Vergara as yet another "spicy Latina" caricature? Ay caramba.

"Meet the Browns" suffers some serious flaws, but Bassett's full-bodied performance and some eye moistening sequences equal another hit for the Perry machine.

(Photo: Angela Bassett and Sofia Vergara swap hard-luck stories in "Meet the Browns")

Blocked 'Path?'

Some articles are much, much tougher to write than others.

Case in point: my Washington Times examination of why "The Path to 9/11" isn't available on DVD. The 2006 ABC miniseries got grilled by many Democrats around the time of its release but eventually aired sans commercials. Disney, which owns ABC, has no plans to release it on DVD claiming business reasons. Some folks say the delay is due to politics. The film makes the Clinton administration look weak against terror in the years before September 11th, although Team Bush takes a lump or two as well.

No clear answers here. As a video consumer, it seems almost every product (TV and movie) makes it to DVD at some point. Heck, the very short-lived "My Big Fat Greek Life" series got a swift DVD release, and it's hard to imagine anyone clamoring for it. Sometimes a studio may not have the music rights to put out a specific product. That delayed the release of "WKRP in Cincinnati" - which finally hit DVD last year although some of the songs didn't remain the same.

So why no "Path" DVD? The media fallout over a "Path" DVD release would yield copious free advertising. Disney disagrees, apparently, and already has lost a bundle on the project. You be the judge.

A new 'Friday'

No, Chris Tucker and Ice Cube aren't reuniting on their South Central front stoop. There's a "Friday the 13th" remake afoot (hat tip: Cinematical). This is the kind of remake I don't mind. Leave the classics alone. But mediocre fare like "Friday the 13th?" Have at it.

A good early sign is that director Marcus Nispel will be behind the camera. He gave us the surprisingly strong "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" remake from 2003. Yes, nearly every critic in the country hated that one, but I didn't -- it was a well-executed modern horror tale with a feisty and beyond gorgeous lead, Jessica Biel. It couldn't compare to the original, but what could?

'Drillbit' beaten to the punch

If "Drillbit Taylor" feels familiar, it's because its nebbishy leads are a carbon copy from last year's "Superbad." The comparison doesn't flatter "Drillbit," a lesser comic vehicle from the Judd Apatow assembly line - he produced, but did not write the new comedy.

My Washington Times review still shares some love for the movie, a lot more affection than most critics are doling out for the film.

Hard to go wrong with Owen Wilson is full slacker mode, and some of that "Superbad"-style bonding makes "Drillbit Taylor" a notch above the usual teen fare.

(Photo: Owen Wilson takes it on the chin from the school bully - played by Alex Frost - in "Drillbit Taylor")

And now, the beefcake

Never say this site neglects the ladies. Earlier this week I linked to Moviefone's roundup of top bikini moments in film. Now, it's the men's turn to show off their Speedos - OK, their sensible swimming trunks.

And as my colleague Kelly Jane Torrance predicted, Daniel Craig's "Casino Royale" beach scene (right) made the cut. And so did Matthew McConaughey -- it may be the biggest award McC ever wins.

Sure, these links are silly. But man, I can't wait for summer and these lists make it feel a little closer to reality.

Is that you, Benicio?

Here's a peek at Benicio Del Toro basking in the light of a full moon for "The Wolf Man," a new horror film expected sometime next year. The film co-stars Anthony Hopkins and Emily Blunt, two reasons to anitcipate this classic monster reboot.

Director Joe Johnston ("Jurassic Park 3," "The Rocketeer") is behind the camera for the upcoming film.

Apatow as Plastic Man

New York Post critic Kyle Smith served up a prescient post this week tied to tomorrow's release of Judd Apatow's "Drillbit Taylor" -- Expect the Apatow-is-stretched-too-thin stories to start appearing in the press in five. four. three. two…

He's right, but I think the Apatow narrative is more complex than that of another artist spreading himself too thin. Even watered-down Apatow flicks, at least the ones we've seen so far, are better than most Hollywood comedies. The writing is sharper, the casts are more unexpected and the laughs come from character, not rickety set pieces.

So while a "Drillbit" or "Walk Hard" might not measure up to "Superbad" or "Knocked Up," they're still a welcome respite from the current state of film comedy. That said, it's a shame that some of our greatest writers feel the need to take on too many projects. Consider J.J. Abrams, who risks creative burnout by overseeing "Lost," the upcoming "Star Trek" reboot as well as a new show set to debut soon. David E. Kelley did the same a few years back, juggling "Ally McBeal" and a number of projects which seemed to sap the joy right out of his best work.

Let's hope Apatow takes a well deserved vacation now. Audiences deserve the best he has to offer, but we'll settle for his scraps in a pinch.

(Photo: Owen Wilson looks for some nerdy kids to exploit in "Drillbit Taylor")

That Hulu you do

Miss your favorite TV show? Need a movie fix but you're stuck in the middle of nowhere (Starbucks??) with only your computer for company? Check out hulu.com, a site which offers free TV shows and movies for insta-downloading. You'll have to put up with the occasional commercial, but the site loads quickly, the content spread isn't too shabby and you won't suffer the illegal downloading blues. I prefer to drop by, watch a few clips from E!'s "The Soup," and then resume my work day.

It's about time

Confession time - I've never seen a Tyler Perry movie. I admire the wildly successful playwright/director/screenwriter/sitcom king for bucking conventional wisdom and creating content on his own terms. But his films are never screened for critics, and I've done a bad job of catching up with them on DVD. That ends this weekend with the release of "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns." I'll post my review on Sunday.

Rest in peace, Mr. Minghella

The film community suffered a great loss with yesterday's death of Oscar-winning director Anthony Minghella ("The English Patient," "Breaking and Entering.") My Washington Times colleague Kelly Jane Torrance, offers a tribute to the talented writer/director.

Celebrities say the stupidest things

Sean Penn is one of the best actors of his generation. Rupert Everett is a fine actor in his own right, a beguiling fellow with unexpected range. But boy, can they put their feet in their mouths. This is nothing new for Penn, an angry man whose venom flows freely from his lips. But Everett's latest comments come as more of a surprise. Here are the highlights:

Penn (hat tip: Drudge): "I almost wish Jerry Falwell were alive to see this. Almost," Penn shouted to the crowd [after shooting scenes for the upcoming film "Milk" about the openly gay politician Harvey Milk]. After dropping some names of conservatives who are still with us - "Bill O'Reilly, who is too stupid to talk about," and "Sean Hannity, the butt boy of Rupert Murdoch," Penn said, "We know something more. We know their end is near." (From the San Francisco Chronicle)

Everett (hat tip: Libertas): “Hollywood is a place that pretends it’s very liberal but it’s not remotely,” he told The Times. “It’s like Al-Qaeda.” Here's the unexpurgated story.

Hubba hubba

This one's for the gentlemen ... Moviefone has selected the top 18 bikini-clad women from films past and present. Good choices, although I would have left out Keira Knightley from "Atonement." She may need a few Big Macs before she belongs on this hallowed list. Did Moviefone miss any?

(Moviefone promises a men-in-swimsuit follow-up shortly, which I'll link to in the interest of fairness)

(Photo: Nicolette Sheridan's wardrobe in "The Sure Thing" makes the cut)

Cinematic bullies

The title character in "Drillbit Taylor," the new bully comedy opening Friday, doesn't fare well when he stares down the punk threatening our teen heroes. But bullies have been tormenting on-screen protagonists for decades. Here's my favorite bully-related features. Check 'em out and feel empowered:

"My Bodyguard" (1980): Chris Makepeace stars as a well-heeled kid who gets pummeled by his new school's bully (Matt Dillon in his first major role). So he does what any kid would do - hires the largest, scariest kid in school (Adam Baldwin) to protect him. Martin Mull and Ruth Gordon shine in supporting roles, overshadowing the cloying soundtrack. What follows is a warm, wise coming of age drama that everyone should see.

"Three O'Clock High" (1987): Talk about hidden gems. This brilliant comedy follows a shlub named Jerry (Casey Siemaszko) who angers the school bully (Richard Tyson) in the film's opening moments. He spends the rest of the film dreading three o'clock, when school ends and the bullying hour begins. Snazzy camera work, manic supporting players and a doozy of a finale add up to a teen comedy that deserves to be mentioned alongside "Pretty in Pink," "Ferris Bueller" and their ilk.

'What's a widget?'

(anytime I can quote or paraphrase something from "Back to School" means it's gonna be a good day)

A second "Indiana Jones" trailer is heading our way this week. And why not? The first one drew millions of viewers and cranked up excitement for a film already considered the most eagerly awaited movie of the summer. "The Dark Knight" is a very close second.

The new trailer for "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" will come via a widget, a new online device which comes embedded with more than just a video clip. These widgets will include a contest challenge for "Indy" fans. Whoever spreads the trailer to the most sites online will win a trip to the film's world premiere.

The Hollywood Reporter has more on widget-mania.

"Indiana Jones" may be a creaky franchise, but the minds behind it have a very 21st century approach to its marketing campaign.