By Chris Lackner
Here is what’s on the radar screen in TV, music and film for the coming week.
MOVIES
Big release: Flight (Nov. 2)
Big picture: For the record, Denzel Washington is a true Hollywood hero. In recent years, he has saved us from a train (Unstoppable), a post-apocalyptic world (The Book of Eli) and — in a double feat of bravery — both subway hijackers and John Travolta’s ham-handed acting (The Taking of Pelham 123). Now, in Flight, he plays a heroic pilot who saves his passengers with an innovative emergency landing. But an investigation into the plane’s technical failure reveals he had alcohol in his system, which places him in the hot seat.
Forecast: Director Robert Zemeckis (Cast Away) has assembled a stellar crew of “co-pilots” for Washington: from Don Cheadle and Melissa Leo to John Goodman and Canada’s own Bruce Greenwood. Flight should be able to exorcise the cinematic demons of all the mediocre horror movies released in October.
Honourable mention: The Man With the Iron Fists
It’s Russell and RZA’s Excellent Adventure! Russell Crowe and hip-hop star RZA go back to feudal China in this international co-production. RZA (who also directs) plays a blacksmith called to arms to defend his fellow villagers. Lucy Liu co-stars. I can only hope that other rappers follow RZA into this new hybrid genre of action-adventure and period piece. (I’d love to see Snoop Dogg in Victorian England, for example, or Flavor Flav in Ancient Egypt.)
TV
Big event: Primeval: New World (SPACE, Oct. 29, 10 p.m. ET/PT)
Big picture: Primeval gets a North American spinoff. When “temporal anomalies” have allowed ancient, dangerous creatures to crossover into modern-day Canada, a secret unit is charged with hunting down these monsters — from dinosaurs to prehistoric sea serpents. Personally, I’m looking forward to the episode where the team battles Rex Murphy! The show stars Niall Matter (Watchmen) as inventor Evan Cross and Sara Canning (The Vampire Diaries) as animal behaviour expert Dylan Weir.
Forecast: It’s like Scooby-Doo meets Quantum Leap meets Jurassic Park. Filmed and set in Vancouver, I only wish this show wasn’t fiction. Think about all the time-travelling creatures this team could rope up? For starters, Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger (he clearly came here through a portal from pre-historic times).
Honourable mention: The Funny Pit (YTV, Nov. 4, 9:30 p.m. ET/PT)
This one pulls out all the stops to tickle the funny bone: from bloopers and pranks to hidden camera gags. The Vancouver-shot show is the brainchild of comedian Roman Danylo. Homegrown comedy is also part of the mix. The show is asking for homemade video submissions featuring unexpected moments from animals, children and adults. Prime Minister Stephen Harper can send in that video of the first-and-last time he smiled! I also expect a lot of Tim Horton’s drive thru moments in which men accidentally pour hot coffee on their crotches. It’s the Canadian comedy montage our country has always needed.
MUSIC
Big releases on Oct. 30: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Psychedelic Pill; Cee-Lo Green, Cee-Lo’s Magic Moment
Big picture: Neil is clean today, but I’m sure he’s taken his fair share of psychedelic pills. Neil and the Horse offer their second album of the year: eight new tracks — three of which come in at over 15 minutes. Much of the album’s lyrics are steeped in the personal — from Young’s battles with alcohol (“Ramada Inn”) to a shout out to the province of his birth (“Born in Ontario”). Young’s fuzzy, raging guitar work and scarecrow vocals are in vintage form. This might be one of Young’s best albums in years. Meanwhile, Cee-Lo Green takes time away from The Voice to record a Christmas album inexplicably released the day before Halloween. Cee-Lo’s “Magic Moment?” The day the F-word was invented. No single person in human history had made so much money off that word (with the possible exception of Samuel L. Jackson).
Forecast: Psychedelic Pill features the aptly titled “Walk Like a Giant,” something Young has been doing his whole career: You lead and we’ll follow, Neil.
Honourable mention: The Do Good Assassins, ROME
This ambitious double album splits its time between rock and country (Neil Young could be the proud musical papa of this effort). Toronto’s Ron Hawkins (Lowest of the Low) and his talented new group hit all the right notes, with a slight edge going to their soulful country-flavoured tunes. An impressive debut, these Assassins can apparently do no wrong.
Dishonourable mention: Rod Stewart, Merry Christmas, Baby
This album title makes me want to finally finish building my time machine in order to go back to the early ’70s and warn Rod against the future abuse of his mighty talents.
