The World Premiere screening of “the boys: the sherman brothers’ story” took place Saturday, April 25, at the Premier Theater in the Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio, San Francisco. The screening was part of the San Francisco International Film Festival, and co-sponsored by The Walt Disney Family Museum, opening in the Presidio this fall. A reception following the screening took place in the museum’s reception hall, the first event to be held in the newly renovated space.
Aside: I like how the all lowercase title is an homage to one of the Sherman Brothers’ most famous songs “it’s a small world (after all)” – properly titled in the lower case. -ed.
If you live in Southern California you can catch the film tonight at the Newport Beach Film Festival. Otherwise, I hear it’s only scheduled to play in New York City at the moment. Sounds like the rest of us will have to wait for the DVD. Good news. Turns out the doc will screen in four cities beginning May 22nd. New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Palm Desert get the nod (addresses below the cut).
Born and raised at the epicenter of the entertainment business, Gregory V. Sherman and Jeffrey C. Sherman, the producers and directors of “the boys: the sherman brothers’ story” grew up within blocks of each other in Beverly Hills. Even though their fathers are brothers and partners in a legendary musical collaboration, they never knew each other.
This April, Disney’s Miramax film studio has two DVDs out that are a must have for any collection. Best Picture Oscar winning No Country for Old Men set a new standard for action-thrillers. Doubt won five Oscar nominations and is an acting tour de force.
NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN – COLLECTOR’S EDITION
When you sit down to watch a Coen brothers film you should have a set of expectations. There will be violence, exploration of human suffering, and excellence in film making. No Country for Old Men reached the peak of excellence deservedly winning the 2007 Academy Award for Best Picture, and the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Javier Bardem), among others.
The Coen Brothers deliver a sizzling and supercharged action-thriller with No Country for Old Men, based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy. Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a down-on-his-luck Vietnam vet, stumbles across an illicit fortune and decides to keep it, setting off an unstoppable chain of violence.
When Moss discovers a drug deal gone bad in the West Texas desert, he decides to keep the two million dollars he finds there and hit the road. In short order, both Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), the local sheriff, and Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), one of the most frighteningly amoral psychopaths in film history, are on his trail and Moss is scrambling to stay one step ahead of the law—and avoid a gruesome fate at Chigurh’s hands. Javier Bardem’s role as death personified is one that will deservedly be remembered for ages.
The 2007 Oscar® winner for Best Picture, No Country for Old Men, arrived in new collectible three-disc DVD and 2-disc Blu-ray editions from Miramax Films, Paramount Vantage, and Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Acclaimed filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen’s most gripping and ambitious film, No Country for Old Men – Collector’s Edition comes with more than five hours of bonus features, available on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time ever, including extensive interviews with the filmmakers, stars and technical team behind this unforgettable thriller. From an unauthorized trip backstage with star Josh Brolin, to an insider’s look at the unique moviemaking process of the Coen brothers, fans will get unprecedented access to the story behind the celebrated movie. In addition, both the DVD and Blu-ray versions include a special digital copy of the movie that enables viewers to enjoy it anywhere, anytime in their choice of iTunes or Windows Media formats.
DOUBT
Doubt is set in 1964 and based loosely on real events. The nation is at a crossroads. Stay in the past or be dragged into a new and uncomfortable future. The feeling of doubt moves through all the characters lives and the audience’s mind as the film progresses. Whether we get an answer is up for debate, but there is no doubt that you will enjoy the performances in this movie.
St. Nicholas Church in the Bronx finds Fr. Brendan Flynn’s (Philip Seymour Hoffman) progressive views and charismatic presence have won him the respect and admiration of the congregation. At the parish school, principal Sister Aloysius Beauvier (Meryl Streep) keeps her students in line with old-fashioned fear and intimidation. When young Sister James (Amy Adams) shares with Sister Aloysius her concern that that Father Flynn has “taken an interest” in twelve-year-old Donald Miller (Joseph Foster), the school’s “first Negro student,” the older nun launches her own investigation. Determined to protect every one of her charges, Sister Aloysius attempts to use the evidence she discovers to have Flynn removed from the school. John Patrick Shanley’s finely shaded script takes audiences through a spectrum of truth, emotion and belief, and asks if any decision is ever free from doubt.
It was one of the biggest upset of the 2009 Academy Awards that the film didn’t receive a single Oscar, despite being up for five of them. Both the DVD and Blu-ray Hi-Def versions of Doubt include some great bonus features including an audio Commentary from the writer/director.
One of the few aspects of living in the Los Angeles area that I miss are the terrific events hosted by the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. Next up is Disneynature’s “EARTH” for a limited engagement. The gala premiere was held there just the other night.
The El Capitan engagement will run from April 22nd through May 26th, and will also feature a live stage show called “Animals From Around the World,” spotlighting wildlife experts sharing the unique characteristics of exotic animals in their care.
Plus, for every moviegoer who buys a ticket to the opening week of the movie, Disneynature will plant a tree on their behalf in the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil. And, exclusively, during the run at the El Capitan, audiences will have a chance to see the new 4000-square-foot painting inspired by the film, “EARTH,” and painted by Wyland, the world’s best-loved environmental artist. Wyland is world renowned for his monumental Whaling Wall mural project (viewed by an estimated 1 billion people each year), his activities through the Wyland Foundation, and for being a leading advocate for marine resource conservation.
The El Capitan is also teaming up with Southern California Edison and Greenlite Lighting Corporation to “CHANGE the world” by providing energy efficient CFL lightbulbs for home use. For a minimum donation of 25 cents, guests will receive a CFL bulb which uses 75% less energy than standard bulbs.
Tickets are available at the El Capitan Theatre box office (6838 Hollywood Blvd.), on line at www.elcapitantickets.com, or by calling 1-800-DISNEY6
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The first webisode, Heritage, from Disneynature’s EARTH takes you through Walt Disneys dream of creating nature documentaries, from his Bambi and True Life Adventures to the creation of the Disneynature label in his legacy. Award-winning Director Alastair Fothergill also speaks about the EARTH documentary and… Read More »EARTH by Disneynature – Heritage
