Edward Norton Lifting the Veil by Jay S. Jacobs When you think of actor Edward Norton, chances are you think of gritty modern urban dramas – like Fight Club, American History X, The 25th Hour, The Italian Job, The People vs. Larry Flynt or Primal Fear. The always interesting actor has been looking backwards in 2006, though, doing two straight … Continue reading
The Job The Complete Series (2001-2002) (Shout! Factory-2005) It is a mystery why Denis Leary has never become huge. He’s one of the funniest guys in show business, and yet none of his films or TV ventures seems to catch on. He is a brilliant stand-up comedian (just track down his old CD No Cure for … Continue reading
Stephen Fried Gia and the High Cost of Beauty by Ronald Sklar Twenty years ago, the fashion world’s first supermodel, Gia Carangi, died of complications from AIDS. It was a shock that made the world reel, at a time when the human race was just barely coming to grips with the reality of the illness … Continue reading
That Girl Season One (1966-1967) (Shout! Factory-2006) Like one of Marlo Thomas’ minidresses, That Girl perkily sashayed into TV history as a feminist-era earthshaker. It gladly took credit for bravely paving the way for the likes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and even – according to this DVD’s liner notes – Murphy Brown and Ally McBeal. We could argue and … Continue reading
ROBIN WILLIAMS TAKES A WILD RIDE IN RV by Brad Balfour Though it’s nearly impossible to capture a Robin Williams conversation as text, he’s mastered enough restraint over the years to lend his movie insights a measure of coherency. He brings the same maturity to director Barry Sonnenfeld’s droll new family comedy, RV. This time Williams … Continue reading
THE 5 BROWNS BREAKING BOUNDARIES BY RONALD SKLAR Fifty fingers on five keyboards. Three girls, two boys, all from the same womb, digging classical music and – through sheer talent and charm — making us dig it too. What is this? Even the most pony-tailed of marketing directors could not dream this up. It is … Continue reading
HEATH LEDGER MAKES HIS STAND ON BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN By Brad Balfour Doing Brokeback Mountain, was as much a challenge for Heath Ledger, taking on what might seem to be a risky role — playing Ennis, a gay cowboy in love with Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) — as it was taking on a complex restrained character at … Continue reading
United Stages Off Broadway by Ronald Sklar The New York small-venue theater scene is — as it has always been — vibrant with new and even established talent – both on and off the stage. However, small venue – or as it is sometimes called, off-off Broadway – is an artistic endeavor that faces many … Continue reading
THE INTERPRETER (2005) Starring Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen, Yvan Attal, Earl Cameron, George Harris, Michael Wright, Clyde Kusatsu, Eric Keenleyside, Hugo Speer, Maz Jobrani, Yusuf Gatewood, Curtis L’Cook, Byron Utley, Robert Clehessy, Terry Serpico and Sydney Pollack. Screenplay by Charles Randolph, Scott Frank and Steven Zaillian. Directed by Sydney Pollack. Distributed … Continue reading
Sex and the City The Complete First Season (HBO-2000) The Complete Second Season (HBO-2001) The Complete Third Season (HBO-2002) Sex and the City is the story of four gay men frolicking in a fantasy fairyland version of Manhattan. From its hideous opening credits of a badly lit and cosmetically starved Sarah Jessica Parker (admit it: doesn’t … Continue reading
