Date: 11/10 >>
By Susan Granger - This debacle of an action-adventure proves that even teaming heavyweight actors like Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe with stylish, big-budget "Black Hawk Down" director Ridley Scott doesn’t pay off when William Monahan’s espionage screenplay, based on a David Ignatius novel, goes AWOL.
Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is the Pentagon’s top spy in the Middle East. He speaks fluent Arabic and is such a personable fellow that even the most suspicious of our alleged allies seem to trust him. He’s an 'operative' of Langley-based Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), who tracks his every movement, via computer, and communicates constantly with him, using an always-reliable cell phone that never suffers the 'out-of-range' frustrations of Sprint, AT&T or Verizon.
Roger Ferris (DiCaprio) is the Pentagon’s top spy in the Middle East. He speaks fluent Arabic and is such a personable fellow that even the most suspicious of our alleged allies seem to trust him. He’s an 'operative' of Langley-based Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), who tracks his every movement, via computer, and communicates constantly with him, using an always-reliable cell phone that never suffers the 'out-of-range' frustrations of Sprint, AT&T or Verizon.
Date: 11/10 >>
Fox Searchlight
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: B
Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Written By: Gina Prince-Bythewood, from Sue Monk Kidd's novel
Cast: Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo
Opens: October 17, 2008
By Harvey Karten (AZR) - Some people are still surprised that teenagers and pre-teens show signs of depression—though Prozac and other mood-changing drugs are being prescribed for them at record numbers. Psychologists say that the root of much depression is feelings of guilt, a situation that the lead character in Gina Prince-Bythewood's "The Secret Life of Bees" is undergoing. She may have good reason to feel guilty since she accidentally shot her mother dead at the age of four and is being brought up by a single father who is physically abusive as he had demonstrated when his wife was packing up to run away for good.
Fox Searchlight
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: B
Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Written By: Gina Prince-Bythewood, from Sue Monk Kidd's novel
Cast: Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo
Opens: October 17, 2008
Date: 11/10 >>
Rory's Tip
Autumn is in the air and if the weather folks are right, maybe even a few snow flakes in higher elevations this weekend.
An unfailing sign of autumn is the first native Apache trout stocking of the year in Silver Creek near Show Low, courtesy the Silver Creek Fish Hatchery. It has become an annual event (see story below) on the first October day.
Check out this week’s Alamo Lake report where a bass-fishing couple got married, then celebrated the nuptials by having family and friends participate in a wedding-style bass tourney. It puts a whole new spin on learning to tie fishing knots.
With the opening of the small game season Oct. 3, maybe it’s time to give some cast-and-blast tips. Even though Roosevelt has not been on fire this fall yet, fishing is still decent there and could take off any time. However, Tonto Basin will likely be a central Arizona hot spot for Gambel’s quail.
Bartlett Lake is in prime Gambel’s quail territory and the fishing there has been superb this fall. However, the thicker vegetation in much of the area can mean practicing pretty quick wing shooting. Be sure to get away from water recreationists.
One of my favorite fin-and-feather forays is to Apache Lake even though the smallmouth bass aren’t back on the angling menu yet. The yellow bass and largemouth bass, plus the sheer beauty of this lake along the Apache Trail, make it all worthwhile. The adventure of traveling there over narrow dirt roads winding along steep precipices is just added spice (at last to many of us).
Rory's Tip
An unfailing sign of autumn is the first native Apache trout stocking of the year in Silver Creek near Show Low, courtesy the Silver Creek Fish Hatchery. It has become an annual event (see story below) on the first October day.
Check out this week’s Alamo Lake report where a bass-fishing couple got married, then celebrated the nuptials by having family and friends participate in a wedding-style bass tourney. It puts a whole new spin on learning to tie fishing knots.
With the opening of the small game season Oct. 3, maybe it’s time to give some cast-and-blast tips. Even though Roosevelt has not been on fire this fall yet, fishing is still decent there and could take off any time. However, Tonto Basin will likely be a central Arizona hot spot for Gambel’s quail.
Bartlett Lake is in prime Gambel’s quail territory and the fishing there has been superb this fall. However, the thicker vegetation in much of the area can mean practicing pretty quick wing shooting. Be sure to get away from water recreationists.
One of my favorite fin-and-feather forays is to Apache Lake even though the smallmouth bass aren’t back on the angling menu yet. The yellow bass and largemouth bass, plus the sheer beauty of this lake along the Apache Trail, make it all worthwhile. The adventure of traveling there over narrow dirt roads winding along steep precipices is just added spice (at last to many of us).
Date: 08/10 >>
Show Low, Arizona -- Flashes of golden Apache trout returning to Silver Creek near Show Low in the White Mountains was a recent harbinger of the great fall-winter trout fishing opportunities anglers can experience in Arizona this year.
"The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s catch-and-release Apache trout fishery along Silver Creek near Show Low is certainly a one-of-a-kind winter fishing opportunity you can’t find anywhere else. The opening of this fishery each Oct. 1 has become a holiday-like event for dedicated Apache trout anglers," said Fisheries Chief Kirk Young.
"The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s catch-and-release Apache trout fishery along Silver Creek near Show Low is certainly a one-of-a-kind winter fishing opportunity you can’t find anywhere else. The opening of this fishery each Oct. 1 has become a holiday-like event for dedicated Apache trout anglers," said Fisheries Chief Kirk Young.
Date: 08/10 >>
By Harvey Karten (AZR) - The questions you might ask yourself while watching "Body of Lies" are: 1) What is the Russell Crowe diet? He was asked to gain fifty pounds from his already-heft bulk, and might offer some hints on treating anorectics; 2) Why would Russell Crowe, an A-list actor, be willing to endanger his health and appearance for Ridley Scott when he could presumably name his roles? Other than those, another query might be: What's going on? In reaching for the resonance of Stephen Gaghan's "Syriana," which is about the oil industry and America's role in protecting it, director Scott departs from his usual tense, easily comprehended thrillers like "Black Hawk Down," "Kingdom of Heaven," "American Gangster" and "Gladiator." He succeeds only in making a muddle of his latest offering, throwing in a romance as though it came from another movie—a muddle for audience members who don't speak fluent Arabic like Leonardo DiCaprio's character and need time to sort out who's who among these exotic (to most Americans) names.
BODY OF LIES
Warner Bros
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: C+
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written By: William Monahan, from David Ignatius's novel
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani, Simon McBurney
Opens: October 10, 2008
By Harvey Karten (AZR) - The questions you might ask yourself while watching "Body of Lies" are: 1) What is the Russell Crowe diet? He was asked to gain fifty pounds from his already-heft bulk, and might offer some hints on treating anorectics; 2) Why would Russell Crowe, an A-list actor, be willing to endanger his health and appearance for Ridley Scott when he could presumably name his roles? Other than those, another query might be: What's going on? In reaching for the resonance of Stephen Gaghan's "Syriana," which is about the oil industry and America's role in protecting it, director Scott departs from his usual tense, easily comprehended thrillers like "Black Hawk Down," "Kingdom of Heaven," "American Gangster" and "Gladiator." He succeeds only in making a muddle of his latest offering, throwing in a romance as though it came from another movie—a muddle for audience members who don't speak fluent Arabic like Leonardo DiCaprio's character and need time to sort out who's who among these exotic (to most Americans) names.
BODY OF LIES
Warner Bros
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: C+
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written By: William Monahan, from David Ignatius's novel
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani, Simon McBurney
Opens: October 10, 2008
Date: 06/10 >>
Phoenix (Oct. 3, 2008) - The Tonto National Forest is requesting assistance from the public in the recovery of solar panels recently stolen from the Vineyard Picnic Area on the Tonto Basin Ranger District at Roosevelt Lake. This property is valued at approximately $14,000. A $500 reward is being offered for any information which will lead to recovery of the stolen property and or the apprehension of the persons responsible for the crime.
Phoenix (Oct. 3, 2008) - The Tonto National Forest is requesting assistance from the public in the recovery of solar panels recently stolen from the Vineyard Picnic Area on the Tonto Basin Ranger District at Roosevelt Lake. This property is valued at approximately $14,000. A $500 reward is being offered for any information which will lead to recovery of the stolen property and or the apprehension of the persons responsible for the crime.
Date: 06/10 >>
By Harvey Karten (AZR) - Disasters are a natural for the big screen. Earthquakes, fire, nuclear holocausts, tornadoes, dragon-like creatures and spiders—all the elements found in nature that try their darnedest to upset us human beings. What makes a good piece of disaster fiction as opposed to a documentary that might have come from the Discovery Channel or Nature magazine is a look at how we cope with these formidable traumas. Do we take them in stride, cooperate with one another in a joint effort to conquer nature's malignant forces, or do we fight one another, an occurrence that would make our natural enemies grin with contempt if they were human?
BLINDNESS
Miramax Films
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: C+
Directed by: Fernando Meirelles
Written By: Don McKellar, based on Jose Saramago's novel
Cast: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Alice Braga, Yusuke Iseya, Yoshino Kimura, Don McKellar, Maury Chaykin, Mitchell Nye, Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Gernal
Opens: October 3, 2008
By Harvey Karten (AZR) - Disasters are a natural for the big screen. Earthquakes, fire, nuclear holocausts, tornadoes, dragon-like creatures and spiders—all the elements found in nature that try their darnedest to upset us human beings. What makes a good piece of disaster fiction as opposed to a documentary that might have come from the Discovery Channel or Nature magazine is a look at how we cope with these formidable traumas. Do we take them in stride, cooperate with one another in a joint effort to conquer nature's malignant forces, or do we fight one another, an occurrence that would make our natural enemies grin with contempt if they were human?
BLINDNESS
Miramax Films
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: C+
Directed by: Fernando Meirelles
Written By: Don McKellar, based on Jose Saramago's novel
Cast: Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Alice Braga, Yusuke Iseya, Yoshino Kimura, Don McKellar, Maury Chaykin, Mitchell Nye, Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Gernal
Opens: October 3, 2008
Date: 06/10 >>
FLASH OF GENIUS
Universal Pictures
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: B-
Directed by: Marc Abraham
Written By: Philip Railsback, from John Seabrook's New Yorker article
Cast: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Jake Abel, Daniel Roebuck, Tim Kelleher, Bill Smitrovich, Alan Alda
Opens: October 3, 2008
By Harvey Karten (AZR) - Maybe because I live in one of the bluest of the blue states, I get the impression that moviegoers love to watch stories of little guys taking on the big corporations and winning—David conquers Goliath. John Grisham, one of America's best-selling writers of fiction, comes from a red state, however, and there's no indication that his southern area is any different. (Then again, Grisham's endings are often pyrrhic victories, the innocent victim winning the case but losing the compensation). "Flash of Genius" is one such tale, that of a bright engineer, a college teacher, whose real love is not so much for academe as for the joys of creating. He is an inventor, doubtless preferring that title to that of professor. He has an idea for something that to us may seem banal—after all, he did not inventing such "successes" as the Concorde jet or a historic breakthrough like the telephone or radio. He has created the first intermittent windshield wiper, one that can go back and forth but whose speed can be adjusted as you would a metronome. He expects to be compensated but more important to him is the glory and satisfaction that would come from being named the creator.
FLASH OF GENIUS
Universal Pictures
Reviewed for Arizona Reporter by Harvey Karten
Grade: B-
Directed by: Marc Abraham
Written By: Philip Railsback, from John Seabrook's New Yorker article
Cast: Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney, Jake Abel, Daniel Roebuck, Tim Kelleher, Bill Smitrovich, Alan Alda
Opens: October 3, 2008
Date: 06/10 >>
The University of Arizona is establishing a new institute that will enhance the visibility, research competitiveness and effectiveness of scholars who embody one of the university's premier strengths – environmental science.
The Institute for Environment and Society will support and integrate work by nearly 150 faculty from more than nine colleges and 45 academic units in disciplines ranging from the natural and physical sciences to the social and behavioral sciences, and from engineering to business, health and law.
The Institute for Environment and Society will support and integrate work by nearly 150 faculty from more than nine colleges and 45 academic units in disciplines ranging from the natural and physical sciences to the social and behavioral sciences, and from engineering to business, health and law.
Date: 20/09 >>
"Lakeview Terrace" (Sony/Screen Gems)
By Susan Granger - Obviously inspired by a notorious real-life case in which an African-American Los Angeles police officer was accused of harassing his bi-racial neighbors, this is an extension of Neil LaBute’s penchant for male cruelty and intractable dominance, as previously evidenced in his re-make of "The Wicker Man" and "In the Company of Men."
"Lakeview Terrace" (Sony/Screen Gems)
By Susan Granger - Obviously inspired by a notorious real-life case in which an African-American Los Angeles police officer was accused of harassing his bi-racial neighbors, this is an extension of Neil LaBute’s penchant for male cruelty and intractable dominance, as previously evidenced in his re-make of "The Wicker Man" and "In the Company of Men."
