Just as HD-DVD and Blu-ray technologies are fighting for dominance in the home-viewing market, Netflix and Blockbuster are duking it out for the home-rental crowd. This latest bit of news seems to show that Blockbuster is gaining momentum.
Since Satoshi Kon's animated film “Paprika” opens in Spokane on Friday, I thought it only right to mention the Japanese film that won an Oscar in 2003, Hayao Miyazaki's “Spirited Away.”Below: Rumi Hiragi gave voice to the character of Chihiro in Hayao Miyazaki's film 2001…
He may not be able to do the stunts he once did, but Jackie Chan can still move well enough to thrill his fans - as the photo immediately below proves.Below: Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan do an impromptu dance at the July 30 premiere…
It’s intriguing to consider the various subgenres that romance novelists work in anymore. Consider this passage from “Betrayed,” a “paranormal romance” written by Spokane author Jamie Leigh Hansen that is scheduled to be published in January:“To mark her vow, she rose on tiptoe and kissed…
I received another e-mail this morning inquiring about the local movie scene:Hi Dan: In reading last weeks 7, a few movies such as “Talk To Me,” “The Bourne Ultimatum” and another with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony (I forgot the movie name) were listed as…
Spokane writers Mitch and Kathy Finley have just gone Internet. With the help of their graphic-designer son Sean, they’ve put up a Web site devoted to the numerous Catholic-related books that they’ve written over the years.You can access the Web site by clicking here.
Following are seven reasons why you have to stop whatever you’re doing and go out to see the new Lindsay Lohan movie, “I Know Who Killed Me”:1, You get to see Lohan try to look all sexy and stuff while playing the only “exotic dancer”…
I had lots of problems when I tried to read Patrick Susskind’s 1985 novel “Perfume:The Story of a Murderer.” I never could understand what the German writer was trying to do.Or maybe I just don’t care about novels that use murder to explore the nature…
I’m crushed. You mean that Bear Grylls doesn’t really sleep in caves or hollow trees or lean-tos, that instead he overnights in motels while supposedly fighting the wild?Grylls, whom my brother calls “that cute little British Man,” is the star of my favorite television show,…
Another letter from the movie-question mailbag. This one came in this morning:“Hi Dan, “I’ve checked both the AMC and Regal Web sites, and neither theatre chain has ‘Sunshine’ listed as a new release. Do you know if we’ll get it eventually? I would really like…
Note to the producers of “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry”: I want my money back. It cost me $5.50 to see your crappy movie, so I expect you to forward me that amount in a money order or personal check. Hell, I’ll even…
I’ve been a fan of John Dahl’s since 1992. That’s when I first saw his second film, “Red Rock West,” at the old Magic Lantern Theatre (at its old location, 123 N. Wall St.).Since then, I’ve seen, either on the big screen or on video…
Our ongoing serial novel, “The Shattered Glockenspiel,” has been set in motion. Chapter two, which was written by Adrienne C. Dellwo, ran in today’s print edition of 7.My colleagues Shadra Beesley, Tom Bowers and I chose Dellwo’s story because we thought it was the right…
In my post immediately below about The Spokesman-Review Book Club, I should have mentioned that we’re considering doing something special in September or October to mark the club’s fifth anniversary.One idea is to hold an after-hours meeting here at the newspaper. We would, of course,…
One of the junior Kershners is making a name for herself as a humor writer. Kate Kershner, daughter and second child of Spokesman-Review columnist Jim Kershner, has had another piece printed in McSweeney’s online edition.Kershner shows a sense of the language that most people never…
If you think that all summer movies are created equal, just go to see “Transformers” and “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” The qualitative differences between the two would be obvious to a blind gerbil.“Transformers” may be a Michael Bay film, but it’s arguably…
I went to see “Transformers” yesterday and, despite the fact that it was directed by Michael Bay, I was pleasantly surprised. The film, which includes more self references than a Larry King interview, is a perfect example of a film’s quality emanating from its script.As…
It’s a hot Wednesday afternoon here in Florence, Italy, and all’s at peace in my world. I’ve been in Italy for just over a week and already I’ve read two beach novels - Thomas Harris’ “Hannibal Rising” (barely a scenario for a screenplay), Magdalen Nabb’s…
For every movie that makes the Hollywood schedule, any number get bumped for one reason or another. Premiere.com just posted a story about 20 such forgotten/ignored projects. It makes an interesting read.
I received a message a couple of days ago from my friend and fellow film fan Marshall Peterson. Marshall, a Spokane native who runs a hostel in Guadalajara, Mexico, spent some time at STIFF, the other film festival that takes place in Seattle during the…
The following quote comes from page seven of Maine writer Carrie Jones’ young-adult novel “Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend” (Flux, 278 pages, $16.95).“It’s not every day that my high school boyfriend, Eastbrook High School’s Harvest King, for God’s sake, tells me he’s gay.…
And so this weekend’s viewing at the 33rd Seattle International Film Festival is over. Saw four films today, and all lived up, more or less, to the level of excellence that we’ve enjoyed so far.We started off with the documentary “Murch,” a look at the…
We’re going to try and do a three-fer today at the 33rd Seattle International Film Festival. I’d do more, but the festival movies don’t start until 4 p.m. or so, they don’t hold critics’ screenings on Fridays and not much else is playing here that…
It’s one of those beautiful Seattle days, 70ish and sunny, that leads you to believe that it could never rain here. Right.What better way to enjoy such good weather than to go and inaugurate the 2007 Seattle International Film Festival.Tonight at 7 we’ll head to…
I just taped the “Movies 101” radio show, which will air at 6:35 p.m. on Friday, and we talked about “Shrek the Third.” I argued with guest host Barbara Williamson, who teaches film at Spokane Falls Community College, who thought the trilogy had devolved into…
A Dan Webster joint, discussing news, notes and everything about movies.
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