A slate of movies, notable for their variety, are in release this week while Joss Stone is releasing her third CD, and she's telling interviewers that it is more representative of who she is than any other. So if you want to know more about her, probably you should go buy it.
A new Broadway musical with David Hyde Pierce looks like it ought to be fun, but if you're not into that sort of thing, you can always turn to the bloodthirsty mutants in "The Hills Have Eyes 2," which most likely will do very well at the box office.
MOVIES
"Color Me Kubrick": John Malkovich plays a fellow who gains entrée into London high society by passing himself off as filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. It's based on a true story."The Hills Have Eyes 2": Those creepy flesh-eating mutants are back and this time they make a meal of a National Guard unit."The Last Mimzy": If your kids ever discover a mysterious box filled with odd toys, do not let them open it. In any case, in this movie, the kids do open it and suddenly are a whole lot smarter and able to do amazing things."Pride": Terrence Howard plays a man who is determined to help some disadvantaged youth make something of themselves by becoming a top swim team.
Photos: Terrence Howard
"Reign Over Me": Adam Sandler plays a man who loses his family in the Sept. 11 attacks, and Don Cheadle plays an old pal who helps him find a road to healing.
Photos: Don Cheadle
"Shooter" is Mark Wahlberg, an expert shooter who comes out of retirement, only to be faced with a double-cross.
Photos: Mark Wahlberg
"TMNT" means that someone has decided it's time for another movie about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles who, as usual, are out to protect the world from evil forces."Offside: is the story of six Iranian girls who are so determined to attend a sports match that they disguise themselves as boys so they can get into the stadium.TV
"The Whitest Kids U'Know": It's open to debate whether they're really the whitest kids you know. But the five wags who call themselves the Whitest Kids U'Know may be among the funniest. Now this sketch-comedy troupe has snagged a TV series that displays its gift for musical comedy shorts, video send-ups, twisted gags and sketches that will make you laugh — and sometimes squirm.A rap video starring Hitler ("Triumph of the Ill"); a coquettish doe that flirts with hunters; a hyper mailroom clerk who makes demented movie pitches to studio bosses; even unabashed potty humor — it's all part of the act.
Composed of Trevor Moore, Sam Brown, Zach Cregger, Timmy Williams and Darren Trumeter, the troupe formed when, by lucky accident, these chaps were all assigned to the same college dorm in Brooklyn seven years ago. Lately, the Whitest Kids U'Know has been a fixture on the New York comedy scene, and won the Best Sketch Award at the 2006 Aspen Comedy Festival.
You can get to know "The Whitest Kids U'Know" when it premieres on Fuse at 11 p.m. EDT Tuesday.
"Til Death Do Us Part" shows what sometimes happens when wedded bliss ends bloodily. In this new, darkly comic anthology series on Court TV, one spouse kills the other in each of these scripted tales of marriage-gone-wrong, which are drawn from actual cases.Lending the appropriate bizarre air is filmmaker John Waters, aka "The Groom Reaper," who serves as on-camera host and eerie commentator. The 13-episode series premieres Monday at 10 p.m. with a double feature. First, a lecherous middle-aged doctor is engaged in medical malpractice when he marries his willing young receptionist. Then, a mortician and his bride drive the hearse to their reception. But a few years later, one of them will be riding in the back.
"Iraq in Fragments": A country in pieces, Iraq is being pulled in different directions by religion and ethnicity. But its disparate groups (Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds) share a common fate in a land ravaged by years of repression and violence. The program explores the lives of ordinary Iraqis who reflect larger political issues affecting the country. Part one follows Mohammed, an 11-year-old fatherless auto mechanic in the mixed Sheik Omar neighborhood in the heart of old Baghdad.
Part two reveals the inner workings of Iraqi local politics by examining the Shiite political-religious movement of Moqtada Sadr.
Part three focuses on Iraqi Kurds as they assert their bid for independence, rebelling against past atrocities of Baghdad rule.
Directed by James Longley, the impressionistic film was a Sundance award winner and was nominated for a 2007 Oscar. It premieres 7 p.m. Tuesday on Cinemax.
"Through Deaf Eyes," a new documentary, explores nearly 200 years of deaf life in America. The film compiles American history, family life, education and work from the perspective of deaf citizens, for whom oppression and discrimination have been common experiences. The film also draws the distinction between the Deaf and the deaf: people who are part of the cultural-linguistic group who use American Sign Language and often define themselves as "Deaf" with a capital "D," and deaf people who, for a variety of reasons, don't identify with the Deaf community. Narrated by Stockard Channing, the film includes interviews with actors Marlee Matlin and Bernard Bragg, as well as other deaf Americans with diverse views on language use, technology and identity. The two-hour "Through Deaf Eyes" airs 9 p.m. Wednesday on PBS (check
local listings).MUSIC
"Introducing Joss Stone" is far from an actual introduction, since this is her third CD. But she says this is the first time she is presenting material that represents who she truly is, not a packaged version."Last of the Breed" is a celebration of country song from Willie Nelson, Ray Price and Merle Haggard. Guest artists include Vince Gill and Kris Kristofferson.Also teaming up are "Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby" The material runs the gamut from the traditional ("Across the Rocky Mountain") to the unexpected ("Super Freak")."Elliott Yamin" already has a fan base, though this is his first release because he was the third-place finalist in the fifth season of "American Idol."BOOKS
"How Doctors Think" by Jerome Groopman, M.D., is like a consumer handbook for anyone who consults a physician. CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric spent some time with Dr. Groopman and you can see her report here. There is also a link to an excerpt from his book, and an opportunity to submit questions that Dr. Groopman might answer on the CBS News Web site."Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith" is the third collection of essays from Anne Lamott, whose unique take on what it means to be a godly human fumbling your way through life has brought her many interested readers."For a Few Demons More" definitely sits on the other end of the spiritual spectrum. Kim Harrison has created a character, Rachel Morgan, whose job is to be a bounty hunter but one with special spiritual skills and help. In this, her fifth adventure, Morgan is pitted against a serial killer. And to capture the killer might mean letting loose a whole lot of other spiritual influences best left alone.THEATER
"Backwards in High Heels" is a new musical about Ginger Rogers that opens Friday, March 23, at Florida Stage in Manalapan, Fla. (near West Palm Beach). Fans of the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers movies probably are familiar with the vaguely feminist chestnut: "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels." Hence, the name of the new production, which is completely sold out. No big names are attached to the show, but Amber Stone is the actress who plays Ginger, and Jeremy Benton has the probably impossible task of playing Fred."Curtains" is a murder-mystery musical, starring David Hyde Pierce and Debra Monk, that opens Thursday, March 22, on Broadway. The marvelous Edward Hibbert and the fizzy Karen Ziemba are supporting players, and the music and lyrics come from John Kander, the late Fred Ebb, with help from the ever-reliable Rupert Holmes.DVD
"Blood Diamond" is the movie that brought Oscar nominations to Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon Hounsou, and now you can see what all the accolades were about. The story concerns a farmer, a smuggler, and a syndicate of businessmen who are all after the same priceless diamond.
Photos: Djimon Hounsou
"Eragon" is a good choice for anyone who likes a good mythic adventure. The title character is a farm boy who finds a dragon's egg, and soon realizes that it's up to him alone to defend his homeland against the evil King Galbatorix (played by John Malkovich). Providing the voice of the dragon Saphira is Rachel Weisz."Rocky Balboa" is out, if you care to complete your "Rocky" DVD collection. Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) comes out of retirement to step into the ring for the last time and face the heavyweight champ. Big mistake? Last hurrah? Midlife crisis? At any rate, the DVD features include commentary by Sylvester Stallone, who of course stars in the film and also directed."Maude", the first season, is out, with Beatrice Arthur as the "anything but tranquilizing right-on Maude." The show was a 1973 spin-off of the smash hit "All in the Family," the joke being that the very liberal Maude is the cousin of the very conservative-by-marriage Edith Bunker. Bill Macy plays her husband, Adrienne Barbeau plays her daughter, and Rue McClanahan plays her ditzy friend.