“Review: 'Reasonable Doubt' like '80s TV movie - Salon” plus 4 more

Review: 'Reasonable Doubt' like '80s TV movie - Salon
no headline provided in file - Atlantic City Press
Private sector investing in charter schools - Associated Press
CAPITAL CULTURE: Summer fun for Obama girls: Harry Potter in London ... - Minneapolis Star Tribune
Movie fanatics can redecorate their homes with movie prop replicas - New York Daily News

Review: 'Reasonable Doubt' like '80s TV movie - Salon

Posted: 08 Sep 2009 04:06 PM PDT

Sep 8th, 2009 | LOS ANGELES -- Beyond its generic, forgettable title, "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" feels like some throwaway 1980s TV movie, with its implausible premise, dizzying twists, cheesy montages and melodramatic score.

Actually, its origins go back even further -- it's a remake of a 1956 thriller, one of the last movies Fritz Lang directed -- but in modernizing the story, writer-director Peter Hyams ("End of Days") merely makes it feel rushed and insignificant. Hyams gets very little right here: not journalism, not romance, not even fundamental things like pacing and suspense, which are so crucial to making this genre work.

He even manages to squander Michael Douglas in a juicy role as a slimy district attorney eyeing the Louisiana governorship. Douglas appears so infrequently, his villainy seems far less menacing than it should be.

Instead, "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" feels like a vehicle for hunky Jesse Metcalfe, who stars as ambitious TV news reporter C.J. Nichols. We know we're in some kind of time warp when we see the bustling Shreveport newsroom where he works -- as part of the station's special investigative unit, no less.

C.J. suspects prosecutor Mark Hunter has been tampering with DNA evidence to secure convictions because his record is just too perfect, so he sets himself up as the suspect in a prostitute's murder. His goofball producer and sidekick, Corey (Joel David Moore), documents the process of gathering circumstantial evidence -- a mask, a knife -- to prove C.J.'s innocence later. Not that we're giving too much away here, but naturally, his plan doesn't work out the way he'd hoped.

As if that weren't ridiculous enough, C.J. also happens to fall for assistant district attorney Ella Crystal (Amber Tamblyn), even as he's trying to expose her boss. Their relationship -- a cursory sequence of gauzily filmed dinners and chaste rolls in the hay -- never feels believable, though, so the potential emotional consequences of his actions don't register.

Nothing about C.J. does, come to think of it. He keeps haranguing his buddy to stick with the story, tries to convince him that it will win them a Pulitzer Prize, but he's never fleshed-out enough to make his daring scheme seem substantial.

The erratic way "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" is edited doesn't help his cause, either. Dialogue has no flow, cutaways come from nowhere. Perhaps Hyams was hoping to amplify the energy, create a sense of movement or tension by cutting so frequently. But he also uses this tactic during quiet, intimate moments between C.J. and Ella, which is just distracting.

In his few scenes, Douglas struts and schmoozes, charms and cajoles, working jurors in the courtroom and reporters on the courthouse steps with equal ease. It's a role he could have played in his sleep, in a movie that works awfully hard to keep you awake.

"Beyond a Reasonable Doubt," an Anchor Bay Films release, is rated PG-13 for a sex scene, violence and brief strong language. Running time: 105 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.

------

Motion Picture Association of America rating definitions:

G -- General audiences. All ages admitted.

PG -- Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13 -- Special parental guidance strongly suggested for children under 13. Some material may be inappropriate for young children.

R -- Restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17 -- No one under 17 admitted.

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no headline provided in file - Atlantic City Press

Posted: 09 Sep 2009 01:24 AM PDT

Jon says he despises Kate

NEW YORK - Jon Gosselin says he despises his estranged wife Kate, and believes she took his wedding ring.

The reality-TV star told ABC News' Chris Cuomo on "Good Morning America" that he set down his ring one day and it vanished. He says no one else could have taken it.

He also accuses Kate of verbally abusing him and beating him down during their marriage.

Jon's remarks came during his first TV interview since divorce papers were filed in June. Kate has made a number of her own interview appearances in recent weeks.

The Gosselins continue to co-star on TLC's hit reality show "Jon & Kate Plus 8."

Patterson to write 17 books

NEW YORK - After more than 40 best-sellers, James Patterson, below, is just getting started.

He has agreed to a 17-book deal with his longtime publisher, the Hachette Book Group - an unthinkable commitment for most writers, but for Patterson a mere three years worth of work.

Hachette announced Tuesday that the ultra-prolific novelist, whose output has been enhanced by such co-authors as Maxine Paetro and Andrew Gross, will turn out 11 adult thrillers and six for young people by the end of 2012. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Patterson's many popular books include the Alex Cross detective stories and the "Maximum Ride" and "Daniel X" series.

Clooney in Venice for premiere

VENICE, Italy - George Clooney, below, wants viewers to know one thing about his new movie, a comic tale of "psychic warfare" by the U.S. military: It's not a war movie.

"The Men Who Stare at Goats," directed by Grant Heslov, was shown out of competition Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival.

Based on Jon Ronson's book of the same name and inspired by true events, the movie features an all-star cast that also includes Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey.

It's a madcap comedy about reporter Bob Wilton, played by McGregor, who is looking for a big scoop in a war zone when he meets Lyn Cassady, played by Clooney - a member of a unit that wants to change the way wars are fought by employing paranormal powers.

"I think we looked at this and thought it wasn't an Iraq war film," Clooney said at a press conference Tuesday.

"We thought it was a comedy about some crazy ideas that went on, that started at the end of the Vietnam war and carried on through not that long ago and maybe still carry on," he said.

Tolkien lawsuit settled

LOS ANGELES - The heirs of J.R.R. Tolkien and the movie studio that produced the blockbuster "Lord of the Rings" trilogy have settled a lawsuit over the film's profits.

The agreement was announced in a joint press release Tuesday.

Tolkien's heirs sued New Line Cinema in February 2008, claiming the studio owed it millions in profits from the movies, which were released between 2001 and 2003.

The lawsuit sought to block the release of two upcoming prequels based on Tolkien's novel, "The Hobbit."

No settlement paperwork has yet been filed with a Los Angeles court, and the agreement's terms are confidential.

One of the main beneficiaries of the settlement is The Tolkien Trust, a British charity that supports causes around the world.

Italian TV host dies

ROME - Mike Bongiorno, a TV host who popularized quiz shows for generations of Italians and became a symbol of national television, has died. He was 85.

Bongiorno died of a heart attack at his home in Monte Carlo, the ANSA news agency and satellite TV station Sky Italia said.

Nicknamed "The Quiz King," Bongiorno was one of Italy's most enduring and beloved TV personalities. His gaffes were legendary and his greeting to viewers - "Allegria!" or "Cheers!" - a trademark.

He was so popular that Umberto Eco wrote an essay called the "Phenomenology of Mike Bongiorno," using the host as a symbol of popular culture.

The reaction to his death showed that his popularity, aided by a career that spanned five decades, had transcended the small screen: politicians, intellectuals and even the soccer team he rooted for sent condolences. Vatican Radio called him a "milestone" of Italian TV, and President Giorgio Napolitano said Bongiorno was a "household presence" for Italian families.

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Private sector investing in charter schools - Associated Press

Posted: 09 Sep 2009 12:49 AM PDT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Charter schools, already seeing a surge in students, are getting attention from another group - private investors.

Entertainment Properties Inc., known mostly for sinking its money into movie theaters and wineries, recently bought 22 locations from charter school operator Imagine Schools for about $170 million. The real estate investment trust acts as landlord, while Imagine operates the schools and is using the investment to expand its chain of 74 locations.

"They really are an effective source of long-term financing that we can rely on and enables us to do what we're best at, which is running schools, and do what they're best at, which is long-term real estate ownership," said Barry Sharp, chief financial officer for Arlington, Va.-based Imagine. "It's a good fit."

Charter school supporters hope the move by Kansas City-based Entertainment Properties is the first of many such partnerships as they deal with increased interest from parents but not more money to build or expand their facilities.

In the past decade, the number of U.S. charter schools has tripled to 4,618, while the number of students enrolled has almost quadrupled to more than 1.4 million, according to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools.

While charter schools are publicly funded, they often don't have the same access to bonds and other financing available to mainstream public schools. That forces many to operate in places like storefronts or church basements, said Todd Ziebarth, vice president of policy for the alliance.

"I think it's probably the biggest challenge facing charters, not only finding space but once you find it how do you pay for it, particularly if you're going to buy it," Ziebarth said. "I think it's limiting their growth and it's limiting the expansion of existing schools."

Charter school supporters say the need for construction funding is high, and the entry of a for-profit player like Entertainment Properties signals that they've gone from being an educational curiosity to being seen as a future significant part of the educational landscape.

David Brain, chief executive of Entertainment Properties, said he initially was skeptical of investing in charter schools. But he said he looked deeper and determined that most of the charter school operations that had failed either never opened or were independent operations with little experience.

Focusing on large players who know how to operate schools, hire teachers and develop a curriculum, he said, provides the company a more dependable return.

"We're not speculators, we're investors, so I have to invest in property making money for me and my customers today," said Brain, whose trust oversees a $2.6 billion portfolio. "The charter public schools offer lenders/leaseholders a dependable revenue stream backed by a government payer. It's a very desirable equation."

Enrollment at Imagine Renaissance Academy of Environmental Science and Math, Kensington Campus - among the schools sold - was near capacity by its second year, with 515 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

While the renovated 19th-century school in Kansas City looks like any other public school, there are subtle differences: the color-coded polo shirts the students wear to signify their grade, smaller class sizes and an added emphasis on science.

Sharp said Imagine could have used a combination of mortgage financing and other funding to fuel its growth. But he said that would have forced the company to keep relying on rental properties it had little control over.

"We would have had to go out and use some of the money to maintain our investment in our existing buildings and therefore it wouldn't have made it into the new ones the same way," he said.

While charter advocates welcome the interest of private investors, they wish the focus was less on the larger networks and more on the vast majority of independent schools that could use help.

Jeanne Allen, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Education Reform, said states and individual school districts ultimately must change how they allocate funds, either allowing charters to use bonds and other public construction funds or give them more money to build their own facilities.

"It's unfair to require a public school, regardless what kind, to have to rely only on philanthropy or alternative financing to create a building that is adequate for kids," Allen said.

But that shouldn't be at the cost of established schools that need repairs or new buildings, said Kay Brilliant, director of policy and practice at the National Education Association, which represents public school teachers.

"The whole issue around distribution of funds has to do with a lack of funds overall," she said via e-mail.

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CAPITAL CULTURE: Summer fun for Obama girls: Harry Potter in London ... - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Posted: 08 Sep 2009 09:11 AM PDT

As soon as the girls' classes at the private Sidwell Friends School ended, Sasha and Malia joined Mrs. Obama for a Paris rendezvous with dad, who had been in the Middle East and Europe. The president headed back to Washington soon after, but Michelle and the girls lingered in Paris and London for a few more days, part 8th birthday celebration for Sasha.

In Paris, they toured the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and the Louvre and Pompidou Center museums. They ate lunch at the Elysee presidential palace with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla. They shopped at Bonpoint, a high-end children's store.

London brought visits to Big Ben, the British Parliament's famous clock tower, as well as to Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, a Harry Potter movie set and Buckingham Palace for a tour and greeting from Queen Elizabeth II. They also took in "The Lion King" musical.

The family set out on another trip right after Malia turned 11 on July 4 that took them to Moscow, Rome and Ghana — all in one week.

At the Kremlin, Sasha stuffed her hands into her pockets as she walked its hallways. President Barack Obama said they began calling her Agent 99, after a character in the 1960s TV spy comedy "Get Smart."

"I thought she was going to pull out her shoe phone," he joked.

A highlight of the visit to Rome was the Obama family's meeting with the pope. The sisters also took in such ancient Roman archaeological wonders as the Colosseum and the Pantheon, a domed monument in the city center. The also had fun learning how to make blackberry and banana gelato at Giolitti, the Italian capital's most famous ice cream parlor, and left the shop with several pounds of the ice cold confection.

The trips weren't all carefree and full of fun, however. There were sober moments, too, and lessons to be learned.

After touring Cape Coast Castle in Accra, Ghana, a holding cell for Africans shipped into slavery, Obama said he hoped seeing the former slave fortress would help his daughters "who are growing up in such a blessed way" understand their obligation to fight oppression and cruelty.

Fun and serious, overseas and closer to home, summer travels have given Sasha and Malia a window on the world that opens to few youngsters.

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Movie fanatics can redecorate their homes with movie prop replicas - New York Daily News

Posted: 09 Sep 2009 02:22 AM PDT

By Michael Sheridan
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, September 9th 2009, 4:00 AM

Looking to redecorate? Why not go Hollywood!

What living room would be complete without a leg lamp, like the one featured in the holiday classic, "A Christmas Story" (see it here). Or what about adorning your bathroom with a shower curtain (see it here) designed after the famous "Psycho" scene.

While there are often auctions that sell off movie props, search online and you will likely find replicas of well-known furniture items.

For example, Trekkers can beam a replica of the Captain's Chair from the original "Star Trek" series into their living rooms for a measly $2,200. (Click here for more)

And for those ultra-hip and witty phone chats, you can include the cheeseburger phone similar to the one featured in the film, "Juno." (Click here for more)

If you want something more presidential, perhaps you'd like a replica of the desk featured in the Oval Office in "National Treasure 2." (Click here for more)

But no living room would really be complete without an ornate oriental rug like the one featured in "The Big Lebowski" - sans urine stain, of course. (Click here for more)