Heath Ledger’s Final film was screened at the recent Cannes Film Festival. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus was in the final phases of filming when the Oscar winning actor passed away in January of 2008. Friends of the beloved actor stepped in to help the film’s creator Terry Gilliam complete it. Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell and Jude Law filmed three incarnations of Heath Ledger’s character. The film was not screened as a competitive piece at Cannes, but it was extremely well-recieved by critics.

Finally, someone is going to make feature movie depicting the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.. DreamWorks Studios announced this week that they have purchased the rights to MLK’s story from his estate. No stars have been cast in or rumored to be cats in the film yet, but surely they will be lining up for this role. So far, the only thing that is set is Steven Speilberg will co-produce the film. He has not made any announcements about other producers, directors or actors.

The film is not being pitched as a biopic, it is rumored to be more of a comedy based on Three Stooges Shorts from the 1930’s. The Farrelly brothers have been planning this project for nearly a decade, but recently settled with MGM studio for production. Shooting is not scheduled until fall 2010.

Stephen King’s iconic novel is being adapted for the big screen by screen writer Dave Kajganich, and the project is being managed by Lin Pictures and Vertigo Entertainment. Much of the story will likely remain the same, except it is reported that the big screen remake will be set in present day rather than the novel’s timeframes which were 1958 and 1985. If the success of the 1986 novel and subsequent 1990 miniseries are any indication, the big screen remake should be a huge success.

Lead by legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino definitely is one of the 2009 classics.  Eastwood plays a bitter Korean War vet named Walt Kowalski who lives in a Hmong community in Michigan.  This film encompasses how his neighborhood relationships reform over time, especially after the male teenage neighbor tries to steal his prize and possession: a 1972 Gran Torino.

Definitely recommended.  Gran Torino has it all: strong relationships, racial slurs, intense action, powerful rivalries and more.  The only one slight criticism we have: It starts out a little slow, but picks up shortly thereafter to be one of the best films of 2009.  Give it an A.

As the plot arrives at the 20,000,000 Rupe question, the game show has run out of time and has to pause for a day before resuming with the final question. During the break, however, some people, including those associated with the game show, question how someone like Jamal, a self confessed non-genius who grew up in the slums of Mumbai, can be doing so well on the show when others who are brighter, more educated and wealthier than him have failed to do so in the past. The plot has you asking the question of “is Jamal cheating?” Or is it purely luck that the game show host has asked him the questions to which he knows the answers? Seeing Jamal’s life journey to this point ultimately answers these questions. His life journey includes being orphaned at an early age when religious rioters kill his mother; growing up with an older brother, Salim, who was both his guardian/protector and antagonist; and having a relationship since childhood with another orphaned child, a girl named Latika (played in her older age by beautiful Indian supermodel Freida Pinto). Jamal’s motivation for being on the show provides some answers to his success…its because “it is written.”


Overall a highly inspiring movie that makes you leave the theater searching for your own life’s meaning. Five stars for sure.