Free Refills

McDreamy trivia

You probably know Patrick Dempsey as Dr. McDreamy on the hit television show, "Grey's Anatomy." You are going to have to get used to him as a movie actor as well--he is a co-star in "Enchanted," the new Disney musical comedy.

Our question this week concerns an earlier Dempsey role, and if you know the answer, send it in the subject of an email to trivia@eagletheater.net. If you are the 13th correct answer, you win a free movie pass.

Our question does NOT concern Dempsey's first marriage (1987-1994) to actor Rocky Parker, who was 48 when Dempsey was 21. Instead we are focusing on a cinematic piece of trivia. Ready?

In 2007, Dempsey played Scott Casey, husband to the Hilary Swank character. While critics were kind to the movie, audiences stayed away, including local moviegoers. However, if you are one of the handful of people who saw it last winter, you may remember the name of the movie, which featured Swank as a teacher. What was the name of the movie?

Paul Giamatti and a really obscure trivia question...

Ho, ho, ho.

Actor Paul Giamatti plays Nick "Santa" Claus in Fred Claus, which opens Friday at the Eagle. By playing the Big Guy, Giamatti joins other notable actors who have played The Claus Man, including Tim Allen ("The Santa Clause"), Ed Asner ("Elf"), Billy Bob Thornton ("Bad Santa"), and Edmund Gwinn ("Miracle on 34th Street").

Though Giamatti is a fine actor with many notable movie credits ("Lady in the Water" and "Sideways" to name two films in which he starred), today we are interested in Mr. Giamatti's baseball pedigree...

If you want to win a free pass to the Eagle like Gail Bailey did last week, you need to be the 16th correct answer to the question below. Send your answer in the subject line to trivia@eagletheater.net. One entry per email address, please.

Paul Giamatti is the son of the late Bart Giamatti, who was the youngest president of Yale and served as major league baseball commissioner for five months before he died on September 1, 1989. Mr. Giamatti, an amazing baseball fan, was known in death for his adjudication of a scandal that resulted in a former Cincinnati Reds player (and later manager) being banned from the game for life for betting on his team.

Who did Bart Giamatti (father of Paul Giamatti) ban from baseball? That is the question. Come on all you Charlies, let's Hustle and get those answers in!

A pause for Mr. Claus...

Fred Claus opens Friday at the Eagle and I am reminded of an old Arlo Guthrie dittie from the '60's, "The Pause of Mr. Claus." Here is the relevant verse:

"Santa Claus has a red suit
He's a communist
And a beard, and long hair
Must be a pacifist
What's in the pipe that he's smoking?"

Guthrie's screed was an anti-establishment attack against the FBI, then busy with infiltrating Vietnam War peace groups. He wondered satirically why this weird outsider (costumed, bearded, and long haired) was not under more suspicion when he looked (costumed, bearded and long haired) pretty much like a hippie...

Fred Claus is a family comedy, but it does play up a related outsider theme. This time it is the world from the Black Sheep's point of view. Vince Vaughn is "Fred," brother of Santa, and Fred gets invited to join his brother at the North Pole after a run-in with the law.

Comedy ensues:

"Not only surpassed the lame promises of its advertisements, it proved to be one of the best films I've seen all year. Has that rare wonderful mix of warmth, depth, and funny."
--Ross Anthony, HOLLYWOOD REPORT CARD

Take a minute to click on the review. This is a movie warmer and funnier than its ads, which is a nice change of pace.

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We are pleased to bring you Michael Clayton this week, the extremely well-reviewed George Clooney film. If you have a minute, click on this summary of reviews at Rotten Tomatoes.

We've made it an Eagle Choice selection, which means if you have previously gotten an Eagle Choice card, you can get into the film for the matinee price regardless of when you go. It's too late to join the club in time for this movie, but if you want to join for the future, send an email to eaglechoice@eagletheater.net and include your name and address so we can send you a card. Include the names, addresses and email addresses of those others in your family that would like a card.

If you want to learn more about what an Eagle Choice film is, go to www.eagletheater.net and click on "Eagle Choice Film Club." Basically, we are talking about good films that are well-reviewed and might not otherwise find an audience in a small market.

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We thought that "Dan in Real Life" was going to be here this week, but we had a glitch, which is a highly technical term meaning "we're working on it." Michael Clayton was chosen instead.

Denzel Washington trivia

Denzel Washington plays Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas in "American Gangster," the well-reviewed film that opens at the Eagle on Friday. This week's trivia question is about another of his films, and if you are the 17th correct entry, you win a free pass.

How to play? Send your answer in the subject of an email to trivia@eagletheater.net. One entry per email address, please. If you are sharing great (or mediocre) thoughts you want us to read in the body of the email, put a "*" by your answer.

Denzel Washington starred as ATF Agent Doug Carlin in THIS 2006 thriller that did $64 million in box office. Need a hint? Think "Groundhog Day" with a twist! What was this 2006 Denzel movie?

What's the buzzzzz? Bee Movie!

The holiday season begins.

Now that the Great Pumpkin has come and gone, Hollywood is getting serious about crowd pleasing movies. Two potential blockbusters premiere at the Eagle on Friday.

Most of the buzzzzzz is about Bee Movie, the which combines the wit and viewpoint of Jerry Seinfeld in animated form. I'm told the movie is enough Seinfeld to please adults, and enough cartoon to make even smaller children happy. As regular readers know, the key to big box office is not necessarily a great movie, but a movie that appeals to a great number of demographic groups. Bee Movie   should be on the "A" list for the box office.

I hope I don't sound TOO snarky here. I think it's really going to be a fun movie, and I know it is on our must-see list.

The second big movie this week is American Gangster, the Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe crime drama. The film is rated R, and it is getting very powerful reviews. More than 80 percent of the critics like it at www.rottentomatoes.com, and it is being cited as a thoroughly enjoyable modern gangster film.

And another thing...

You are going to get your money's worth in entertainment. The movie is more than 2 1/2 hours long, which means we had to slice out a late show. Make sure you check the schedule below.

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We don't want to court controversy, but we did want to alert you that some religious organizations have criticized "The Golden Compass," a December film starring Nicole Kidman that is aimed at the youth market as a movie in the vein of "Lord of the Rings."

We have been forwarded copies of emails that criticize both the movie and the novel on which it is based. We expect to be showing the film, and we invite you to read what the fuss is about in this balanced article in Fox News. We believe that parents have an absolute right to discern what is good and appropriate for their family to see. As a parent, I appreciate any input, and based upon what I have read, I think my son will enjoy the movie and my daughter--not so much. It DOES make us squeamish to hear talk of pressuring theaters not to show the film, because one person's discernment on behalf of their family is heavy-handed when it attempts to prevent others from seeing for themselves.

And we would end on by noting that most religious organizations have adopted a wait-and-see approach, preferring to actually viewing the film before trashing it. "Harry Potter" and "The DaVinci Code" have been criticized by many of the same groups, and the Republic still stands.

See you at the movies!

Some trivia for you...

Comedian David Koechner is starring in "The Comebacks," which opens Friday at the Eagle. This Saturday Night Live veteran plays the lead of role of Coach Lambeau Fields (ouch!) in this parody of sports films. In addition to being a regular ("TBones") in Comedy Central's "The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show," Koechner has an extensive filmography that includes "Anchorman" (Champ Kind), "Talladega Night" (Herschell) and "Barnyard" (Dag the Coyote).

If you want to win this week's trivia question, you need to know ANOTHER movie that featured Koechner. To enter, put your answer in a subject line and send an email to trivia@eagletheater.net. We are looking for the 15th correct entry.

In which popular 2005 Eagle Theater movie did Koechner play the part of Cooter? It was a small, but funny part, and most people were watching Jessica Simpson instead of Koechner...

Check this out

Eagle Theater's notoriety is spreading on the web. Click here.

Don't wet your pants at '30 Days of Night'

"David Slade hasn't revolutionized the vampire genre, but he may make you wet your pants." Josh Tyler, Cinemablend.com

Josh is talking about 30 Days of Night, a vampire/zombie horror thriller that opens Friday at the Eagle. We are taking his warning seriously, and we will be offering a limited supply of "Depends" for sale with the purchase of a ticket to this movie. We want you to enjoy the movie, but we want you (and our floors) to stay dry as well.

The movie has a great gimmick--it is set in northern Alaska, where for 30 days in the dead of winter, the sun does not rise. That is pretty convenient for vampires, who don't have to head off to their nearby coffins before dawn breaks. Day never breaks for a month, so let the gore begin. But what about that gore (not the Nobel Gore, the film gore...)? Here is what Tyler has to say about that:

"It’s intense and gripping, so intense that even though you’re watching one of the goriest movies you’ve ever seen, you may not even notice. You’re too caught up in what’s going to happen next. Are the vampires coming? Will they run? Will they hide? Will anyone make it out alive?"

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And now for something completely different...

We present The Comebacks, which is to sports movies as "Date Movie" is to romantic comedies. The producers of "Wedding Crashers" are bringing you this film under the Fox Atomic label. Fox is targeting young adults and plans to produce eight films a year, mostly in the horror and action genres.

Despite our diaper promotion, my guess is that The Comebacks will out-do 30 Days of Night, because comedy has wider appeal than horror. I could be wrong, and I definitely want you to stay dry this weekend.

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Debbie Henry won last week’s trivia contest. If you want to play, go to our blog.

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Our condolences go out to the family of Ron Welsh. Ron died about 1 a.m. Thursday at his home in Oblong following a battle with cancer. One of his sons, Tom, has been the manager of the theater since it opened. All of the cast at the Eagle grieves with Tom this week.

Ron is best known for his years as a coach at OHS, and he was honored in August when the athletic field was named for him. I knew him, and his late wife Dot, more as the parents of five children, all of whom are interesting, capable adults. The family he raised is the outstanding legacy that I will remember him by. As I write this, funeral services are pending, and if you check the Daily News or go to robdailynews.com, I’m sure you can find the latest information.

Sean Astin

Last week, Julie Rutan continued her lucky ways and won the trivia event. Kudos. Now, it is YOUR turn.

Sean Astin is a well regarded young actor who stars in this week's release, "The Final Season." Your challenge is to tell us who Astin's PARENTS were, and if you are the 14th person to do so, you win a free pass. Send your answer in the subject line of an email to trivia@eagletheater.net. One entry per email address. Put a "*" by your answer if you want us to find the great thoughts you may have embedded INSIDE your email.

Here is a hint to help you with the parent question. Dad played Gomez in the "Addams Family" and mom first came to public attention with a starring role in the play (and then movie), "The Miracle Worker." Mom had a television show named after her. Need another hint, o' desperate one? Her first and last name have the same initials as the first and middle name of a noted British author who not only penned the Adam Dalgliesh mysteries, but was the 1992 author of the book "Children of Men," which was a popular movie at the Eagle this year.

Whew. Just to keep you straight--we are looking for the parents of Sean Astin--not the British author.

Don't get sidetracked.

The court of movie opinion...

"Oyez! Oyez! The Court of Movie Review is now in session. The mildly dishonorable Eric Gubelman is presiding. All movie fans, lend the honorable court your ear--or ears if you have them--and draw near."

Er...Thank you bailiff, for that unusual introduction. This court has examined the evidence of what is available this weekend, and we hereby rule on behalf of a potential sleeper of the year--The Final Season. This film is about a town the size of Hutsonville that faces its last year as a separate school district and fields its last baseball team--a team with an outstanding winning tradition.

This movie is in limited release, with the independent Yari Film Group only putting out 1,000 prints. We snagged one BECAUSE we are a rural market, reversing the studio's habit of denying us a film for that reason. This is a sports drama, and only the lack of a big advertising budget will kill this film. It needs word of mouth, and it needs a good showing out of the gate to keep our street cred with the studios.

You are the judge--not me, but this movie review court urges you to take in this film on Friday or Saturday and then email your friends if you like it.

Here's a comment on a Florida-based review of the film:

I went to two screenings out here in So.Cal. and the regular people in attendance LOVED the movie. They applauded during and after the movie and laughed at the many humorous moments.  If the people like it, they will come.  (Sorry, I borrowed another cliche!)

"All rise! The judge will take a brief jelly bean break, stealing a Jelly Belly from the concession jar...  The judge has returned with a handful of Tropical Sour beans. Draw near."

This court has reviewed the box office results for Good Luck Chuck, and it finds that with $29 million in domestic sales, it is worthy to play at the Eagle. However, it is only worthy enough to be shown at the

9:40 p.m.

show on Friday and Saturday nights. Because of previous commitments, this is the only time we can spare for this R-rated sex comedy. It is going after the same audience as Ben Stiller's The Heartbreak Kid, which is also playing at the Eagle.

If you prefer a different type of action, we recommend The Kingdom, a mideast thriller based on current headlines. The final reel of this Jamie Foxx film is non-stop action sequence. Enjoy.

A programming note for parents: If you are looking for a movie that both you and your kids would enjoy, then we suggest either Game Plan, The Seeker, or the previously discussed The Final Season.

See you at the movies!

"This court is adjourning for a frozen drink in the lobby. Go forth and do likewise. Amen."

Lousy movie month is over!

    We are shaking off the September doldrums as we enter the final quarter of     the year. It seems like yesterday that "Miracle" played at the Eagle, but it     was nearly five years ago. Time sure flies when you deeply in debt!
   
    The Heartbreak     Kid opens Friday, and we always enjoy a good Ben Stiller comedy. In     the vernacular of
    "Variety" magazine, he did boffo box office last Christmas with "Night at     the Museum." We would love to show another $250 million picture, but the "R"     rating is going to slow it down a bit. It's also a Farrelly Brothers movie,     which gives off its own distinctive vibe. My guess is that you are either     going to love this movie or hate it, but the popcorn will still taste good     either way.
   
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    The Seeker      might just as easily be called "The Sleeper," because this is a movie that     could do really, really well if word of mouth is good. It's based on a     Newberry award winning novel, and it is rated PG, so most of the family can     go see it. Why not be the first on your block to see it?
   
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        Resident Evil: Extinction is the third new movie that is making its     Eagle premiere this weekend. It is in its third week of national release,     and was number one its opening weekend. We're expecting good things from it,     but hope always springs eternally from the owner, doesn't it?
   
    Go on out to the Heath festival or the Wabash Valley Wine and Arts fest, and     then stop in and watch a movie. There's a snap in the air and the movies are     getting better.