Results tagged “MovieMantz” from Access Hollywood

With Beatlemania at it's highest peak since the Fab 4 first invaded America on February 7, 1964, thanks to the release of "The Beatles Rockband" and the long-awaited remastered CDs, it's hard to believe it's been almost 40 years since the act you've known for all these years called it a day.
 
Many fans (and even most non-fans) still blame Yoko Ono for the breakup of The Beatles, even though there were many reasons why they couldn't, y'know, work it out.  But the Yoko issue has been set in stone, along with the fact that Yoko and Paul -- two of John Lennon's biggest loves -- spent many years bickering, while their relationship over the last decade, while cordial, has been tense.
 
It was shocking -- in a pleasant way -- to hear that Yoko actually gave Paul some credit for a change, even if it was a backhanded compliment, when she admitted that The Beatles could not have existed without Paul.
 
It is true that John created The Beatles, and he was definitely considered to be the de-facto leader in the group's early mop top days. In their first-ever recorded interview for radio, which was done a mere six weeks after "Love Me Do" was released in September 1962, Paul says that "John is, in fact, the leader of the group."
 
But three things happened to change that balance of power...
 
1) After The Beatles stopped touring, John was miserable living in the suburbs with his family, while Paul was still single and took advantage of his freedom to engage in the Swinging London art scene -- that gave him the confidence to exert his influence over the group, which ultimately resulted in more groundbreaking fare like Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
 
2) John was more affected by the drugs The Beatles were experimenting with, which was another reason why Paul stepped forward.
 
3) When The Beatles' manager, Brian Epstein, died, somebody had to lead the group, and for a while, that somebody was Paul.
 
OK, I'm done.

 So "Star Trek" is the best-reviewed movie of the year, and it knocked "Wolverine" off the top of the box office with more than $72 million. A big start, but it's still logical to assume that most of the moviegoers who boldly went to see "Star Trek" over the weekend never even saw a full episode before in their lives.

 

Since the new movie is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, might I suggest going back to the original series to see what made it so great in the first place?  Start here - easily the greatest "Star Trek" episodes of all time.

5) "Where No Man Has Gone Before"   

Written by:  Samuel A. Peeples

Original Airdate:  September 22, 1966

Course Plotted:  At the edge of the galaxy, a mysterious force of energy penetrates the Enterprise and transforms two crewmembers into godlike creatures.

Why it's great:  The second pilot is also the first episode to feature James T. Kirk, and William Shatner proves that he had the Captain down from the beginning. It's also filled with high tension, as Kirk is forced to maroon an old friend on a barren planet before he takes over the Enterprise.

Where to Find it:  "Star Trek: The Original Series - Season One" (on DVD and Blu-ray)

I still have a few movies to see before I get to writing up my list of the Best Movies of 2008, but when I do, there's no question what's gonna be perched at the tippy-top:  "WALL*E"!

The fact is, not only is "WALL*E" my favorite movie of 2008, but I can honestly say that it's one of the best movies of this DECADE (so far, of course).

Talk about a movie that's loaded with subtext, it's far and away Disney/Pixar's most daring and imaginative film yet -- and that says a lot for the filmmakers behind "Finding Nemo," "Ratatouille" and the "Toy Story" features.

Sure kids will love it, since the "A" story -- about love story between two robots -- is hard to resist.  But grown-ups will get more out of it, especially if they peel away the layers to absorb the existential, environmental and post-apocalyptic issues at hand.

That's why I was so very glad when the Los Angeles Film Critics Association named it Best Picture of 2008. That's the first time in the organization's 33-year history that an animated film won the top prize.

by Scott Mantz, Access Hollywood movie guru

 

The "Star Trek" universe just about imploded this week when William Shatner went online -- and on the record -- about not being invited to the wedding of George Takei, who played helmsman Sulu on the original "Trek" series and the first six "Trek" movies.

While fans would love to believe that Kirk, Spock and the rest of the Enterprise crew were one big happy family, that wasn't the case.  But this is nothing new to the fans who attended "Star Trek" conventions over the years or to anyone who read "Star Trek Memories" -- Shatner's first memoir about the groundbreaking TV show that ran for three short seasons on NBC between 1966 and 1969.

Back in the day, when "Star Trek" was struggling in the ratings, many of the cast members resented Shatner for stealing dialogue and camera time that allegedly should have gone to them.

So this week, the Tribble...er, I mean, the cat's out of the bag -- and I know I'm gonna sound biased here, since Captain Kirk is one of my heroes, but I don't blame Shatner one bit for speaking out.

By Scott MovieMantz

If Rose McGowan and Robert Rodriguez have indeed reached splitzville, as some tabloid rags recently "reported," you couldn't tell it from their P.D.A. at the San Diego Comic Con.

Both were in town to discuss their upcoming remake of "Red Sonja," the film about the red-haired heroine who first debuted in a Marvel comic.

McGowan leaves next week for five weeks of training to play the title role, and Rodriguez will direct.  The movie opens in late 2009.