Movies & TV - Oct. 10, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: "An American Werewolf in London"
For a while, "An American Werewolf In London" was the most popular video to rent or buy in the world. That was before DVD's, in the long ago days of videotape, back in the mid-1980s. It is still worth a look for several reasons. First, because it was the film that forced the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to start giving an Academy Award for makeup design. And, it marked a big step for writer/director John Landis.
Tagged with: american werewolf in london, john landis, david naughton

Movies & TV - Oct. 1, 2009
Screen legend Landau visits Milwaukee Film Festival
Martin Landau has done just about everything there is to do in the show business. He started out in television when there was live television, as early as 1948. He was nominated three times for Oscars. He won once, for playing Bela Lugosi in the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp film "Ed Wood." Landau has been part of so many memorable moments in Hollywood and now he'll be part of the Milwaukee Film Festival.
Tagged with: martin landau, crimes and misdemeanors, ellen burstyn, lovely still, ed wood

Movies & TV - Sept. 30, 2009
Milwaukee Film Festival heads toward strong finish
They haven't run out of popcorn or excellent movies at the Milwaukee Film Festival, which continues through the weekend at the Oriental Theatre on the East Side and Marcus North Shore Cinema in Mequon. If you haven't checked out any of the movies yet, OnMilwaukee.com film expert Mark Metcalf has some recommendations to help you plan your schedule.
Tagged with: film festival, mark metcalf, oriental theatre, marcus north shore cinema

Movies & TV - Sept. 26, 2009
Metcalf's Screening Room: Milwaukee Film Festival
In this edition of the Screening Room, OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf takes a look at a handful of movies showing at the Milwaukee Film Festival, which runs through Sunday, Oct. 4. One of the films Metcalf looks at is "Theater of War," which was produced by Whitefish bay native Jack Turner and stars Academy Award winner Meryl Streep (pictured).
Tagged with: the horse boy, theater of war, meryl streep, jack turner, rumba, waterlife, azur & Asmar, Oriental Theatre, Marcus North Shore

Movies & TV - Sept. 24, 2009
Showtime! Milwaukee Film Festival opens tonight
It has been a long and difficult year, but the Milwaukee Film Festival is ready to rise from the ashes of its predecessor. Thanks to the hard work of Jonathan Jackson, Kyle Heller, TJ Fackelman and a board of directors that includes many of the smartest, most imaginative, active and important people in the community -- people with a deep passion for film, the creative world and Milwaukee -- this is a time to celebrate. The Milwaukee Film Festival opens today!
Tagged with: film festival, jonathan jackson, mark metcalf, oriental theater, marcus theater, racing dreams, film fest

Movies & TV - Sept. 19, 2009
Metcalf's Screening Room: "Amores Perros," "Spun"
In this edition of the Screening Room, OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf looks at "Amores Perros," a film by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, and "Spun," which features There are outrageous performances from actors like John Leguizamo and Brittany Murphy along with solid work from Mickey Rourke and Jason Schwartzman.
Tagged with: mark metcalf, amores perros, alejandro gonzalez Inarritu, spun, brittany murphy, mickey rourke, jason schwartzman

Movies & TV - Sept. 12, 2009
Screening Room: "9" and "The September Issue"
In this edition of the Screening Room, OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf takes a look at the animated movie "9," which seems to pay more attention to video game marketing than plot line, and a documentary about Vogue and the world of high fashion entitled "The September Issue."
Tagged with: 9, tim burton, the september issue, mark metcalf

Movies & TV - Sept. 5, 2009
Screening Room: "Tulpan" and "Tony Manero"
In this installment of the Screening Room, OnMilwaukee.com film expert Mark Metcalf looks at "Tulpan," the first narrative feature of a Kazakh documentary filmmaker named Sergey Dvortsevoy. "Tony Manero" is about a Chilean man who earns his meager living as a dancer but is trying to make it up and out of his existence by entering a John Travolta lookalike contest.
Tagged with: tulpan, tony manero, mark metcalf

Movies & TV - Aug. 15, 2009
Metcalf's Screening Room: "District 9"
South African director Neill Blomkamp based this movie on a short film of his called "Alive In Joburg." It has no known stars in it, unless South African audiences know them. Peter Jackson, who directed the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "King Kong," produced. That alone may be enough recognition to market the film to the broad audience that it deserves. The script is wonderfully layered, the concept both frightening and funny, with all kinds of political and sociological connections. The execution is great.
Tagged with: district 9, neill blomkamp, peter jackson, mark metcalf

Movies & TV - Aug. 8, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: "Two Lovers"
In this edition of the Screening Room, OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf takes a look at "Two Lovers," an elegant film starring Joaquin Phoenix, and offers his opinion on the famously awkward interview the star endured with David Letterman while promoting the film.
Tagged with: two lovers, joaquin phoenix, david letterman, interview

Movies & TV - Aug. 1, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: Aug. 1, 2009
In this edition of the Screening Room, OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf weighs in on the Ben Stiller-directed comedy "Tropic Thunder," which features a brilliant performance by Tom Cruise (pictured) and the HBO series "Rome," which captures a good deal of the culture and the custom of Rome but creates suspicion that it is fabricated to make the show more appealing rather than actually researched and historically accurate.
Tagged with: tom cruise, tropic thunder, rome, hbo, ben stiller, robert downey, jr., jack black

Movies & TV - July 25, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: July 26, 2009
In this edition of the screening room, OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf takes a look at two movies set in South Boston. "Boondock Saints" (pictured) features a tremendous performance by Willem Dafoe and a strong directing turn by Troy Duffy. "What Doesn't Kill You" has some nice moments, but the story is a bit predictable.
Tagged with: boondock saints, what doesn't kill you, south boston, southie, willem dafoe, Sean Patrick Flannery, Norman Reedus, amanda peet, mark ruffalo, troy duffy, ethan hawke

Movies & TV - July 18, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: Men in the Movies
A lot of men who grew up in the 1950s and '60s took their cues on manhood from movies. In this edition of the Screening Room, OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf takes a look at some classics like "The Professionals," "The Magnificent Seven" and "The Wild Bunch," and what those films -- and the actors and characters contained within -- taught him about being a man.
Tagged with: mark metcalf, the professionals, lee marvin, burt lancaster, kirk douglas, the magnificent seven

Movies & TV - July 11, 2009
Metcalf's Screening Room: "Star Trek"
There have been plenty of "prequels" released lately, but not all of them make you want to dive deeper into the back catalog. OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf has never been a "Trekkie," but after seeing "The Future Begins," he was inspired to increase his education about the Enterprise. "The filmmakers are having so much fun playing with time and with the history of their own pop-culture that I found it very difficult to remain a detached observer," he writes.
Tagged with: star trek, the future begins

Movies & TV - July 2, 2009
Metcalf's Screening Room: "Public Enemies"
Because the film was shot in Wisconsin, local pride will prompt many area residents to see Johnny Depp portray John Dillinger in "Public Enemies." The local pride angle struck OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf, who says that the on-screen battle between the good guys and bad guys resembles a sporting event. Metcalf also searches for good and bad guys in the state's effort to become a hotbed for filmmakers.
Tagged with: public enemies, michael mann, johnny depp, christian bale, marion cotillard

Movies & TV - June 27, 2009
Metcalf's Screening Room: "Ice Age 3"
"Ice Age 3" it isn't really daring, doesn't strike out into uncharted territory. It is marketing magic and even though it is focused on making money, it means well. But, it's very funny much of the time. We saw it on Father's Day, and the air conditioning worked and the 3-D was better than it's ever been.
Tagged with: ice age 3, ice age: dawn of the dinosaurs

Movies & TV - June 20, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: "Mrs. Brown"
We know from hundreds of movies about Kings and Queens that monarchs are surrounded by yes-men and servants, but seldom by ones that "speak truth to power." Mr. Brown appears to have been one of the few. Here are some thoughts on the 1997 movie "Mrs. Brown."
Tagged with: mrs. brown, judy dench, mark metcalf

Movies & TV - June 13, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: "Gran Torino"
Thinking of renting a DVD this weekend? OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf weighs on "Gran Torino," the film that stars Clint Eastwood, who also produced and directed. The film, about a working-class man in a working-class neighborhood, gets a working-class treatment from Eastwood, who is known for that blue-collar, lunch pail approach to making movies.
Tagged with: gran torino, clint eastwood, mark metcalf

Movies & TV - April 18, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: April 18, 2009
Location can mean a lot to a film. It means almost everything to "Mongol." The vast, rolling plains with the vague outline of snow-capped mountains in the background; a solitary man, or three, on horseback, isolated in that huge panorama. There is enough drama in the landscape to make three movies. And this is just what Sergei Bodrov is planning to do. The Russian director is making a trilogy about the life of Genghis Khan. This is Part One.
Tagged with: mark metcalf, mongol, sergei bodrov, the dark knight, heath ledger, christian bale

Movies & TV - March 7, 2009
Metcalf's DVD Screening Room: "Grace is Gone"
Thinking about renting a DVD tonight? OnMilwaukee.com movie expert Mark Metcalf weighs in on the 2007 movie "Grace is Gone," which showcases John Cusack, who is a local hero -- even though he's really from Chicago.
Tagged with: metcalf, grace is gone, john cusack