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Jonathan Coe on Comfort And Joy

4 hours ago | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »

Bill Forsyth, 1984

Whenever I contemplate the career of Bill Forsyth, I realise I'm getting old. It's more than a quarter of a century since he was considered one of the great new hopes of British cinema, but to me, the sudden flowering of his oblique, wilful talent still seems like one of the more recent miracles of film history.

After the cult success of his Glaswegian caper comedy That Sinking Feeling (just issued on DVD in an insulting format – with a dubbed soundtrack for American audiences), Forsyth hit the big time with his second feature, Gregory's Girl. I watch this film whenever it comes on TV – every two or three years, I suppose – and it never disappoints. The bittersweet experience of adolescent love is expertly captured, but more than that there is an unstoppable flow of comic invention: even the smallest characterisations are quirkily memorable, every scene crackles with good lines. »

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Christmas TV movies have lost their special glitter | Jason Solomons

4 hours ago | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news »

A festive treat has become tired repeats or cartoons. Jason Solomons suggests it should now be a season for Fellini or Renoir

Forget about Christmas movies with snow and tinsel and grumpy fathers learning lessons. Those have their place, and no doubt we'll have our fill of them, good and bad, over the coming month, from Elf to Scrooged, from The Muppet Christmas Carol to Miracle on 34th Street.

What worries me is the lack of new classics. Growing up, my favourite Christmas movies were never the ones actually about Christmas. Rather, it was the season of Billy Wilder and Fred Astaire, a time for The Great Escape and The Towering Inferno, for The Poseidon Adventure and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In short, Christmas was when you learned about film, its rich history and capacity to thrill and unite. 

It was when I watched films with my dad »

- Jason Solomons

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Rudolph the Ratings Bully beats ABC, NBC, and Fox

3 December 2009 2:28 PM, PST | AOL - TVSquad | See recent AOL - TVSquad news »

This is the kind of TV ratings news that warms my heart: last night's airing of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer on CBS was the most-watched show of the entire night on any of the other networks, including Christmas in Rockefeller Center, So You Think You Can Dance, The Middle, The Grammy Nominations Concert, and Glee.

The Rankin/Bass Christmas special with the dentist elf and random misfit toys grabbed an impressive 10.7 million viewers.

That's pretty good for a 45 year-old animated special that we've all seen 97 times (and probably own on DVD), no? There's something amazingly comforting about that: the same Christmas specials (Rudolph, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, It's A Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, etc) are pulled out every single year and we still watch them. It's the sort of television comfort food that we can't resist.

 

Filed under: Animation, Ratings, Reality-Free

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- Bob Sassone

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Danny Dyer falls into parallel world and lives 7Lives

2 December 2009 2:35 PM, PST | QuietEarth.us | See recent QuietEarth news »

Danny Dyer's been in quite a bit of television and film, the most recent of which I've seen is City Rats which I loved, and now he's headlining what's being touted as a modern day It's a Wonderful Life. Currently in production, 7Lives sounds quite fascinating but the promo reel we have for the film shows nothing of the "parallel world" that the unhappily married Tom falls into.

A disgruntled married man called Tom who believes that life has got something better to offer him. On his way home one night he gets attacked and falls into a parallel world where he lives 6 other lives including a Rock-Star, A homeless person and the 'hoody' that attacked him. In order to get home he must face some of his deepest fears and desires. Will he make it home or is the grass greener on the other side?

Promo reel after the break. »

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What's your favourite film to watch at Christmas?

1 December 2009 4:06 AM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »

We need to fill the Christmas Eve spot on our film advent calendar. And that's where you come in …

Today we're launching our guardian.co.uk/film advent calendar, in which our writers pick which film they'd most like to snuggle down in front of after the Queen's speech.

But what would be your top choice? A surefire yuletide hit, like It's a Wonderful Life? Or a misanthropic classic, like Bad Santa?

Write us no more than 50 words on your choice and why you think it's perfect for the festive season and you could have pride of place on 24 December. Comments will be open until 8am on December 23, so be sure to check back on Christmas Eve to see if your choice made the final cut. Our own writers have already picked their choices, so I'm afraid if yours clashes with one of theirs, it probably won't be selected - so think outside the giftbox. »

- Catherine Shoard

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Your Thanksgiving TV marathon guide: Saturday

28 November 2009 5:00 AM, PST | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »

It's as much of an annual tradition as turkey, football, and awkward family dynamics -- the Thanksgiving weekend TV marathon. With Thursday and Friday behind you, why not head to the fridge, get some leftovers, and settle in to that nice groove in the sofa. And look, we've already done the hard part for you. Here's our guide to the best marathon programming for Saturday, Nov. 28. *After two days of stuffing and mashed potatoes, nothing fits, right? Well, feel better about yourself by tuning in to Tlc's What Not to Wear marathon? Sure, those pants may be a little snug »

- Chris Nashawaty

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Shrek 4 Looms Closer

25 November 2009 8:43 AM, PST | LatinoReview | See recent LatinoReview news »

The bad news? Shrek Forever After is well on its way. The good news? It promises to be the last Shrek film made. After pumping the Shrek franchise for two sequels, the third film, Shrek Forever After will hit theaters this May with a trailer premiering next month ahead of Avatar to drum up interest. Unlike the other films in the series, this Shrek will be brought to audiences in 3D, and will focus on what life would have been like for the characters had Shrek never existed in the first place. If the plot sunds like a big take-off of It's a Wonderful Life, that's because it blatantly is. But as the third sequel to what was originally a smart and original movie in 2001, who can expect otherwise? The big thing to look out for in Shrek Forever After is the new characters and stars who have joined the cast. »

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Last "Shrek" Film To Hit Theaters In 3-D

25 November 2009 8:01 AM, PST | icelebz.com | See recent iCelebz news »

The fourth film in the "Shrek" franchise is also going to be the last. "Shrek Forever After" will hit theaters in 2010 and will also be the first time a "Shrek" film will be seen in 3-D.

"Shrek Forever After" is scheduled to hit theaters May 21st, 2010, with the first sneak peek showing in front of "Avatar" when it premieres on December 18th. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz are all back as the voices of the titular character, Donkey, and Princess Fiona.

In the new film, "Shrek" meets "It's A Wonderful Life" when Shrek strikes a deal with wee Rumpelstiltskin for things to go back to the way things used to be when he was a fearsome ogre and not a magnet for fairytale creatures and a domesticated father of three. But when Shrek sees his life as if he had never existed, he tries to overturn the pact. »

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First Image And Plot Details From Shrek Forever After

25 November 2009 6:48 AM, PST | cinemablend.com | See recent Cinema Blend news »

Remember when the writers of your favorite sitcom would plainly run out of ideas and construct an entire episode around some weird gimmick. "What if we had never met?" "What if I had never been born?" Apparently it can happen in movie franchises too. USA Today has a first look today at Shrek Forever After, and it turns out that the green ogre's last film-- hopefully!-- will be more like It's A Wonderful Life In Far Far Away. As explained by director Mike Mitchell, the film opens with Shrek having lost everything that used to make him scary-- his roar."It used to send villagers running away in terror. Now they run to him and ask him to sign their pitchforks and torches." Shrek teams up with Rumpelstiltskin in a deal that goes awry, and he winds up see what the world would look like without him-- Donkey is »

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First Pic from Shrek Forever After!

25 November 2009 5:09 AM, PST | TotalFilm | See recent TotalFilm news »

  Whether you were delirious or dismayed to discover yet more Shrek sequels were in production, chances are the ugly-Ogre-that-could will still rule the box office come opening weekend, and you'll likely be seeing it. The next installment is titled Shrek Forever After - get it? As in 4-ever - as in this is the fourth Shrek... Anyway, along with the below picture, courtesy of Collider, which shows Shrek and the mischevious munchikin Rumplestiltskin, new plot details have emerged, and it all sounds a little It's A Wonderful Life....

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- Dan Goodswen

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Shrek Forever After Pics Online

25 November 2009 12:25 AM, PST | EmpireOnline | See recent EmpireOnline news »

USA Today have the first images from the fourth, and apparently, final big screen Shrek movie, Shrek Forever After. To be honest, they're not all that scintillating. Of greater interest though, are the newspaper's quotes from director Mike Mitchell on new plot points and characters.The basic story has not changed - Shrek (Mike Myers) has lost his moj- sorry, roar, and finds himself in the company of slippery deal-maker, Rumplestiltskin (Walt Dohrn - not, you'll note, Paul McCartney; don't believe everything you read on IMDb). The grumpy green one is conned into a deal where by finding out what would happened if he never existed, he finds himself in a skewed, It's A Wonderful Life-gone wrong parallel universe where Donkey (Eddie Murphy) pulls a cart, Puss In Boots (Antonio Banderas) is fat and lazy, Rumplestiltskin is king, and, as promised - no-one knows who Shrek is.Click the »

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First Photo from Shrek Forever After and a Storyline Update

25 November 2009 12:13 AM, PST | firstshowing.net | See recent FirstShowing.net news »

That photo you see above is the "very first" official photo from DreamWorks Animation's Shrek Forever After. USA Today has a new first look article today debuting the photo as well as some new information on the franchise. Let's get the most important news out of the way first. Shrek Forever After is, sadly, the final film in the Shrek franchise (although I'm sure it'll still continue with straight-to-dvd spin-offs and sequels). "All that was loved about Shrek in the first film is brought to the final film," promises Bill Damaschke, head of creative production at DreamWorks. And as for the story, here's the new description from USA Today. The premise is the Brothers Grimm meet It's a Wonderful Life: After rescuing a princess, getting hitched and fathering triplets, Shrek is feeling over-domesticated. "He has lost his roar," says director Mike Mitchell (Sky High, Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo »

- Alex Billington

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MovieWeb's 2009 DVD Holiday Gift Guide

24 November 2009 5:51 AM, PST | MovieWeb | See recent MovieWeb news »

Black Friday is approaching, fellow readers. No, I'm not talking about some sort of economic free-fall or any apocalyptic event that we might see in 2012. I'm talking about the shopper's paradise/nightmare that is the day after Thanksgiving, where all the hot holiday items are paraded about with slashed prices galore. While this day does wonders for your pocketbook, it takes a toll on your sanity with malls full of shoppers packed in like sardines, scurrying to complete their lists. We all know how trying these times are, so we here at MovieWeb are trying to make it a little easier on our readers. No, we won't be selling Blu-ray players for under $100, but we are compiling a tidy little list of our own complete with our top DVD buys of the season. Below you'll find a comprehensive guide to all of the hot titles that will be on the shelves this season, »

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It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play Opens 11/27 at the Players Club

23 November 2009 4:15 PM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

Sometimes, it can be fun to take holiday traditions and shake them up a bit. The Players Club of Swarthmore Theater is doing just that, with a classic that most people experience every December as one of a myriad of old-time gems that roll across television screens. This year, Frank Capra's classic story about a small-town banker is hitting the stage in a pretty unusual way. It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play will open just after Thanksgiving and play through the beginning of December. »

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What Are Your Favorite Holiday TV Classics?

23 November 2009 11:15 AM, PST | TVGuide - Breaking News | See recent TVGuide - Breaking News news »

Thanksgiving is upon us, and that means two things: lots of turkey and plenty of TV programming to get you in the mood for the holidays.

This year's lineup offers new programs like Prep & Landing (Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 8:30/7:30c, ABC), but if you're anything like us, you look forward to re-watching such classics as Charlie Brown Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, It's a Wonderful Life and How the Grinch Stole Christmas this time of year.

So we want to know: What are your holiday TV favorites?

Whether Frosty the Snowman warms your heart, or if you prefer to laugh along with movies like Home Alone, A Christmas Story and Bad Santa, share your picks and reasons why after the jump...

Read More > »

- TV Guide News

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Review: Lyceum Theatre Closes Their 2009 Season with Charming Presentation of It's A Wonderful Life - A Live Radio Play

16 November 2009 4:11 PM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

The 2009 season for the Lyceum Theatre draws to a close with It's A Wonderful Life - A Live Radio Play. This is a unique take on the familiar holiday film classic that's been reworked for the stage by Joe Landry; in this case as a radio dramatization. What's interesting to me is that it was quite common during the golden age of radio to adapt current movies for the airwaves, and that was actually done back in the 1940's with Frank Capra's timeless feature. So, you're essentially viewing a fictionalized version of an event that genuinely occurred at some point. And, it's a perfectly charming and delightful experience. »

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Taproot Theatre Hosts Two Staged Readings of John Longenbaugh’s Sherlock Holmes And The Case Of The Christmas Carol 12/4, 12/5

12 November 2009 4:49 PM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

Taproot Theatre presents two staged readings of John Longenbaugh's Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol this December 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. at Seattle Pacific University's McKinley Hall. Forced to postpone the world premiere production until 2010 due to the Greenwood fire on October 23, Taproot Theatre producing artistic director Scott Nolte and playwright John Longenbaugh still wanted to offer a taste of what is to come.

"When the extent of the damage from the fire was clear and we had to make the decision to postpone the show I was as heartbroken as anyone at Taproot," said Longenbaugh, who has been actively involved in the Seattle theatre scene for years. "Scott had pulled together such an incredible cast for the show and rehearsals were giving me a chance to truly hone the script. I'm immensely grateful that the Theatre is giving the cast, and me, a chance to »

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Falcon Theatre to Hold Auditions for Wonderful Life, 11/2

12 November 2009 1:30 AM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Drama, will return this holiday season to the Falcon Theatre. Falcon will be holding auditions on Monday, November 2nd at 7:00 Pm at the Monmouth Theatre for several open roles. Available roles are for both men and women with flexible age requirements. Most actors in this show will play multiple voice roles. There are also 2 roles open for female singers who are integral to the show. Auditions will consist of cold reading from the script. No appointment is necessary. »

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Lyceum Theatre Closes 2009 Season with It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

3 November 2009 4:19 PM, PST | BroadwayWorld.com | See recent BroadwayWorld.com news »

The Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre proudly presents It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, November 14 - 22. Author, Joe Landry, has inventively adapted Frank Capra's classic film to the stage, re-inventing it as a live 1940's radio broadcast. Set in fictional radio station, Wbfr, in New York City on Christmas Eve, five savvy "studio" actors employ their vocal talents and live radio sound effects to bring the familiar residents and environs of Bedford Falls to life. »

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New On DVD This Week

3 November 2009 3:35 PM, PST | The Flickcast | See recent The Flickcast news »

Here’s a list of some of the new movie and TV shows coming to DVD and Blu-ray this week that we’re looking forward to seeing. Also, there’s some classic, and not-so-classic, movies hitting Blu-ray for the first time this week as well.

Of all the new releases, we’re particularly interested in the Blu-ray versions of movies and TV shows such as G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, North by Northwest, It’s a Wonderful Life and The Rockford Files. Plus, there’s some classic Dr. Who coming out this week as well.

Check them out.

Movies

A Christmas Carol ~ Alastair Sim, Jack Warner (Blu-ray)

Aliens in the Attic ~ Kevin Nealon, Doris Roberts (DVD and Blu-ray)

Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Vol. 1 (The Big Heat / 5 Against the House / The Lineup / Murder by Contract / The Sniper) ~ (DVD)

The Claudette Colbert Collection (Three-Cornered Moon / Maid of Salem / I Met Him in ParisI Met »

- Joe Gillis

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2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

1-20 of 38 articles from 2009   « Prev | Next »

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