All Articles by Bob Starr

SPORTS NIGHT The Complete Second Season DVD Review

Posted: April 15th, 2010 at 8:00 am

Television shows based around sports have always been a bit of an enigma to me.  While I appreciate the need to represent the theme of athleticism on TV it seemed the audience for such a show would be tuning into other programming.  That would be actual sporting events, specifically.

This obviously put a series like Sports Night in a difficult predicament.  The perceived core demographic is either out playing sports, or watching it on TV (instead of this show) and the remaining viewing audience thinks they need to be sports fans to understand the content.  Even with a tagline of, “It’s about Sports.  The same way Charlie’s Angels was about law enforcement.” the inherent misperception of who Sports Night was trying to capture as an audience is the most likely reason the series lasted only two seasons.

Trust me when I say, this may have been one of the greatest upsets in television history because Sports Night is simply one of the best shows I’ve watched.  It was deserving of overtime, and I’ll tell you why after the jump.

Sam Raimi May Know What Evil Lies in the Hearts of Men with THE SHADOW

Posted: January 29th, 2010 at 3:05 pm

With director Sam Raimi no longer directing Spider-Man, one has to wonder what he’ll be working on.   Many thought he would focus on the film adaption of the popular World of Warcraft video game, but a reboot of The Shadow may be next on deck.  IESB is reporting that Raimi, who was already set to produce The Shadow, may be considering directing the film as well.

I’ll admit it, the 1994 film version of The Shadow, starring Alec Baldwin as the title character, is a guilty pleasure.  Sure it was super cheesy but most of the comic book films were back then, and I loved them for it.  As such, the thought of Raimi, known for his often campy take on content, is a perfect match for this film in my opinion.  Don’t worry though; from the sounds of it The Shadow will follow a more contemporary vision, something on par with Batman Begins.

Hit the jump for more on what we can expect from a new iteration of The Shadow.

PLANET OF THE APES Reboot is Still On at 20th Century Fox

Posted: January 22nd, 2010 at 3:45 pm

Good news Planet of the Apes fans, it appears a reboot of the classic film franchise may in fact be moving forward.  While the project was originally thought to be dead, reports indicate that Twentieth Century Fox is eager to get a new film underway.  Sources close to the project have said, “…the studio is now more determined than ever to make the film”

Initial speculation about the film not happening came when writer Scott Frank (Minority Report, Marley & Me) left the project.  Many thought this was the end of Planet of the Apes, but as it turns out the opposite may be true.  Fox has turned the project over to producer Peter Chernin and hired writer Jamie Moss (Street Kings) to revise Frank’s version.  Furthermore, scribes Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (The Relic, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle), have returned to the fold to polish the dialogue.

Hit the jump to find out what direction the new Planet of the Apes might take.

J. J. Abrams Talks CLOVERFIELD 2

Posted: January 17th, 2010 at 9:23 am

While attending the National Board of Review red carpet event, director J.J. Abrams commented on the status of a potential Cloverfield sequel.  For those who may not remember, Cloverfield was a first-person take on giant monster movies.  It followed a group of bystanders, armed with a video camera (which was the single point of view for the film) as they desperately tried to escape New York under siege by a monster of unknown origin.  While vague, Abrams at least acknowledged that something is being worked on, “We’re working on something right now with that and again, you know its early stages.”

Hit the jump for more on one possible direction Cloverfield 2 could take.

Director Joe Carnahan Talks THE A-TEAM Plus a New Image

Posted: January 14th, 2010 at 4:13 pm

From the set of the upcoming film adaption of The A-Team, director Joe Carnahan talked about the TV-inspired remake.  Many have wondered which direction Carnahan will take the film.  Campy, like the television series, or bring to the big screen a more serious action film.  Fortunately, it’s the latter, “I’m not interested in making the easy, breezy Cover Girl version of ‘The A-Team,’” Carnahan said.

Citing films such as Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, Carnahan was determined to do the story and characters justice; going so far as to toss out previous scripts, “I thought they were too slavishly devoted to the TV show,” he noted. “While I like the TV show, I didn’t think it was any great shakes in terms of heavy drama. You could take that story and have it translate into the present day with more success.”

Hit the jump for more on what will make The A-Team a serious contender in the action film genre.

Marc Webb to Direct SPIDER-MAN 4?

Posted: January 13th, 2010 at 6:48 pm

(500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb may be taking over for Sam Raimi on the Spider-Man reboot.  Sources say that Webb met with Spider-Man’s producers in an effort to possibly get production underway for a Summer 2012 release date.  The overly lengthy timeframe is most likely due in part to the fact Sony is looking to shoot Spider-Man in 3D.

Find out more about why Webb may be a good and bad choice for the director’s chair after the jump.

Stuart Townsend Departs THOR; Joshua Dallas Takes Over as Fandral

Posted: January 10th, 2010 at 4:55 pm

Only a day before Marvel’s move adaption of Thor is set to begin shooting a cast shakeup has occurred.  The Associated Press is reporting that Stuart Townsend, set to play Thor’s Norse ally, Fandral, will be replaced by Joshua Dallas.  Sources close to the production said Townsend left the film due to creative differences.

Hit the jump for more details on Thor and the sudden cast changes.

Bateman and Arnett to Form DumbDumb Productions

Posted: January 8th, 2010 at 5:16 pm

Stars of Arrested Development, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett are joining forces to create a new digital-driven production company.  Alongside Ben Silverman’s Electus, the pair’s new label, DumbDumb, will focus on commercials, shorts, and original content that could be adapted for the big screen.  Electus is set to deliver DumbDumb’s content via its already established comedy division while utilizing the web production and development infrastructure of CollegeHumor.com.

Hit the jump for more on how DumbDumb came to be and direction for the new company.

Michael Mann To Direct HBO Pilot LUCK by DEADWOOD Creator David Milch

Posted: January 5th, 2010 at 6:38 pm

HBO is tapping Michael Mann to direct the hour-long series pilot for Luck by Deadwood creator David Milch.  Mann was drawn to Luck based on the script itself, as well as feedback from Martin Scorsese and his experience directing Boardwalk Empire for HBO.  It also helps that he and Milch have a long-standing friendship, going back to the days when they were working on Miami Vice and Hill Street Blues respectively.  When asked about Mann directing, Milch said, “I am feeling very lucky to have Michael direct this and am champing at the bit, to borrow a few horse racing phrases.”

Find out more about Luck after the jump.

SPIDER-MAN 4 Start Date Pushed Back, Release Date Now Uncertain; Could Film Be in 3D?

Posted: January 5th, 2010 at 5:00 pm

The next installment of the Spider-Man franchise could lose its coveted May 11, 2011 opening (due to script problems).  Director Sam Raimi has yet to settle on a script, a process that has already involved screenwriters Jamie Vanderbilt, David Lindsay-Abaire, and Gary Ross.  Currently in the hands of Alvin Sargant, who wrote Spider-Man 2 and 3, Sony is still planning on a Summer 2011 release but studio sources are saying, “It is unlikely that May 11, 2011, date will be made.”

Originally set to start filming in February, production was pushed back to early March then late March or early April.  Currently there is no official start date.  While Sony co-chairman Amy Pascal assured fans they were still working toward the original date saying, “I’m going to do everything I can to make May,” she acknowledged the importance of having a completed script, “…I’m not going to start a movie where the script isn’t right yet. Not unless I want my career to be over.”

Hit the jump for more on Spider-Man 4 in 3D and casting.

Copyright ©2005 - 2012. All Rights Reserved. California web design