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Vol. 9
No. 43
Pick Hits
The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre
It's 1973 and
five young people are driving back from a day trip to Mexico in their van. Erin
and Kemper (Jessica Biel and Eric Balfour) are the group's leaders, a couple in
trouble when the strong-willed Erin discovers that the whole trip was basically
an excuse to buy lots of hash. Andy and Pepper can't keep their hands off each
other, while Morgan is the nerdy voice of reason. Then they pick up a hitchhiker
who changes their course and leaves them in the hands of a freaky family of
locals who are hiding their whacked out brother Leatherface, who has a thing for
chainsaws and making facemasks out of real faces. A remake loosely based on a
true story, Massacre does the original proud. It is tightly edited, sharp and to
the point.
On Video
The Matrix
Reloaded
In the powerful
second chapter of the Matrix trilogy, Neo (Keanu Reeves), Trinity (Carrie-Anne
Moss) and Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) lead the revolt against the Machine Army
as it attacks Zion, the last human city on earth, unleashing their arsenal of
extraordinary skills and weaponry against the systematic forces of repression
and exploitation. In their quest to save the human race from extinction, they
gain greater insight into the construct of The Matrix and Neo's pivotal role in
the fate of mankind. What is The Matrix? The question is not yet fully answered.
And it leads to another: Who created The Matrix? The answers lead to more worlds
of bold possibility and to a destiny that passes from revelations to
Revolutions.
The Buzz...
Nicole
Kidman is accepting an apology and undisclosed damages from the British
publishers of The Sun tabloid to settle a libel suit over an article alleging
she had an affair with Jude Law.
Kissapalooza, Winnipeg's first Kiss Expo ever, will include guitarist Bruce
Kulick and drummer Eric Singer plus Kiss Online Executive Director
Mike Brandvold. Get your high heels and makeup on this November 2nd. Check out
the official website for more information at http://www.kissexpo.ca/.
Paramount Pictures is looking to bring Charlotte's Web to life through a
live-action/CGI film based on the E.B. White story. Brad Silberling (Casper) is
currently the top contender to helm the project. Already adapted into an
animated feature, the classic children's book tells the story of a spider who
saves a pig from being killed for food.
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If Elton gets his way, Justin Timberlake will
reprise his role as Elton John in a movie
version of the British singer's life. Elton recently
told BBC Radio 1 that Justin's portrayal of him in the
video for This Train Don't Stop Any More gave him
chills. John says he is personally casting three
actors of different ages to play him at three
different stages in his life in the upcoming film bio,
and hopes that Justin will take on the role.
MGM is looking to get Steve Martin to star in
Birth of the Pink Panther in an effort to revitalize the
classic Pink Panther franchise. MGM has been looking to
get the project off the ground for many years now.
Several names, including Kevin Spacey and
Chris Tucker, have been attached to the role of
Inspector Clouseau but a deal has never been made. If
all goes well, the project should begin filming in 2004.
Sony has purchased a comedy pitch, The Hypnotist, with
Jim Carrey attached to star. The film tells the
story of a hypnotist who is a completely different
person when he is not on-stage. When he loses his
powers, he is forced to fall in love with a girl and woo
her in order to get them back.
Fox has scheduled a one-hour holiday special of
American Idol during November sweeps. American Idol:
Christmas Songs will air November 25, a month after the
release of The Great Holiday Classics CD, which includes
Ruben Studdard and Tamyra Gray's
duet of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Clay
Aiken's rendition of The First Noel and Justin
Guarini singing I'll Be Home for Christmas.
NBC has plucked Boomtown from its Friday night
lineup only two weeks into its sophomore season because
of low ratings. The network insists the show is not off
the schedule for good, but in its place, the 10 p.m.
hole has been plugged with Law & Order: SVU reruns.
A role in the next Harry Potter is in the
cards for Emma Thompson, who'll play a
fortune-telling teacher. The Oscar-winning thespian of
Sense & Sensibility and Remains of the Day has joined
the cast of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as
the eccentric Professor of Divination, Sibyll Trelawney.
Several prominent actors, including Sean Penn,
Holly Hunter, Frances McDormand
and Willem Dafoe, have joined the
opposition to a recent ban on sending special DVDs and
videos to Academy Award voters.
The cult classic Rocky Horror Picture
Show, which premiered in U.S. theaters almost 30
years ago, will finally make its Singapore debut.
Coldplay are giving fans a chance to see them on
the big screen. The Coldplay Live 2003 DVD, shot in
Australia is going to see exclusive Canadian premiere
screenings, taking place at 10 Famous Players theatres
across the country.
Weezer have delayed the special edition reissue
of their self-titled 1994 debut album. A DVD of the
band's history has also been pushed back. Both items
were originally due out by the end of this year, but
won't surface now until 2004. The new edition of Weezer
is expected to emerge as a double-disc set, featuring an
elaborate booklet, lyrics, liner notes, B-sides,
rarities, and some previously unheard material. The DVD
Video Capture Device will run over three hours and
include band commentaries, as well as other
yet-to-be-announced features.
Metallica have donated a custom-made skateboard
to Amnesty International. The human rights organization
will auction the deck along with designs by
Audioslave, The Distillers,
Dashboard Confessional and skate legend
Tony Hawk through Internet auction site eBay.
Don Arden, one of the earliest and most
notorious managers of the rock 'n' roll era and father
of Sharon Osbourne, has just published his
autobiography Mr. Big via Robson Books in the U.K.
Dubbed the Godfather Of Rock and the Al Capone of Pop by
the world's press, the legendarily heavy-handed and
confrontational manager was frequently accused of
violent, bullying tactics by his artists.
AC/DC sold more than 4,000 tickets for a one-off
U.K. show in just four minutes. The band are playing
their smallest British gig for 17 years with a show at
London's Carling Apollo in Hammersmith on October 21.
Carlinglive, the live music wing of the drinks firm, has
organized the show.
The Rolling Stones will play two Hong Kong
shows as part of the city's Harborfest on November 7 and
9. The band had previously been dropped from the roster
after promoters said the Stones did not commit to the
event on time.
Canadian heavy metal rockers Helix will license
tracks from their upcoming CD release Rockin' In My
Outer Space for the new season episodes of Trailer
Park Boys. Trailer creator/director Mike
Clattenburg will also feature Helix lead singer Brian
Vollmer in a separately filmed promo segment to
be added onto the next Trailer Park Boys DVD release.
Mötley Crüe singer Vince Neil
is again hosting the Skylar Neil Memorial Golf
Tournament, however this year it moves from Malibu,
California to Las Vegas, Nevada.
KISS and Aerosmith are preparing separate
arena tours for next year. The bands have extended their
successful co-headlining tour into late December. The
trek is now slated to end on December 20th in Fresno,
California. |
