Friday's Top Five: Best supporting actor ... nature![Editor’s Note: Kyle Howard is an American film and television actor who currently guest-stars as Dr. Paul Van Dyke on USA's “Royal Pains.”] A great film can transport us to other worlds, move us and make us laugh, but I think one supporting player in that process occasionally gets overlooked, and that's nature. Think about it: What would “Jaws” be without the suspense of what the water might conceal, or “Cast Away” without the isolation imposed by the vast ocean? There’s a reason a filmmaker won’t rest until he or she has scouted the exact, perfect location to set a scene. Growing up in Colorado, I actually developed the love I have for the ocean by watching movies. I spent a lot of time outdoors, especially in the summer months, but the ocean was one thing that wasn’t exactly at my doorstep. Friday's Top Five: Best remakes“Come on, Cohaagen! You got what you want. Give those people air!” – Douglas Quaid, "Total Recall" (1990) Along with dozens of other classic one-liners like the one above, the original "Total Recall" was a sci-fi trip to Mars starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was at his peak of action-film stardom and helped make this movie an instant classic. Colin Farrell will fill Arnie’s shoes in 2012's eagerly awaited remake, which opens in theaters today. Friday's Top Five: Backstage passKaty Perry's just opened 3-D concert documentary, "Katy Perry: Part of Me," joins a long line of films that attempt to show the artist(s) both in performance mode and out of it (although it's probably arguable that for many performers, as long as a camera's rolling they're never really "off"). The landmarks of the concert doc mold are hailed for making a viewer feel as though he or she got a backstage pass to the event - even if it happened before the viewer was old enough to get in. Friday's Top Five: Best musical moviesFrom "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) to "Mamma Mia!" (2008), the category of musical movies is filled with hits. But for some reason, the idea of using song and dance to help tell a story can still be viewed as pretty cheesy, leaving us skeptical whenever we hear the word "musical" and "movie" in the same sentence. A prime example of that skepticism surrounds this weekend's "Rock of Ages," in which Tom Cruise stars as '80s hair metal rocker Stacee Jaxx, and Julianne Hough as the small town girl pursuing her dreams of stardom in Hollywood. Friday's Top Five: Ray BradburyRay Bradbury not only inspired readers - he touched the imaginations of moviegoers, too. And so when the acclaimed author died at 91 on Wednesday, he left behind a legacy in fiction as well as one in film. Some of his most famous works were adapted for the big screen (as well as TV), and he also did some script writing of his own. Here, we outline five movies that have Bradbury's touch, either being written by him or based on his work, if you want to experience his talent through movie magic as well as your mind's eye. Friday's Top Five: Zombie apocalypseYou may have noticed a slight panic around the Interwebs this week (OK, fine - more like a greater volume of frantic doomsday assumptions than usual) as some fretted that recent news events are all pointing toward an impending zombie apocalypse. So for those who are currently preparing their bunker, we thought we'd take a moment and help you brush up on just what a zombie-fied world can look like. And we know this, of course, thanks to movies. |
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